Spain's Catalonia region made headlines earlier this week for officially banning bullfighting from 2012. This act goes beyond just boosting animal rights activists but is a form of defiance towards Spain's central government. This Guardian piece gives an interesting description of the region and its disdain for its own country, with some Catalans even going so far as to hope for a Spanish loss in the World Cup final. It should be remembered that Spain's victory in that final was heralded by some media figures as something to unite a nation that is at odds with itself. This article shows that it'll take more than a World Cup to overcome Catalanonia's sense of separation.