Thoughts from Galicia: 18.10.17

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.

- Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain. 

If you've arrived here because of an interest in Galicia or Pontevedra, see my web page here.

Life in Spain

• Both Spain and Cataluña are already experiencing the economic consequences of the mess they've got themselves into. See here and here. Things can only get worse.
• And the street protests have begun in Catalan cities. Same comment. Here's the BBC on last night's candle-lit protest in Barcelona.
• Meanwhile, Spain's property sector continues to recover from La Crisis.
• And here's an amusing tale of frontier nonsense, to lighten the mood.
• As usual, it seems, a heavy fine - of €25.8m - on Telefónica has been annulled on appeal. This time, the operator has saved itself 25,780,000 euros. I wonder what this company has to do to get even a rap on the knuckles.

These are some of the Yes percentages in a 'worldwide' survey on the answer to the question: Do you think religion does more harm than good?:

Germany 63

Spain 63

UK 63

Sweden 62

France 61

Argentina 49

Poland 49

Italy 47

Turkey 40

USA 39

Russia 36

Japan 26

Spain's number will probably surprise a people who don't live here but I guess the US number shouldn't come as a surprise, given the large number of (Trump supporting) Christian Evangelists there.

Meanwhile, here in Europe  . . . Developments in Germany and adding to the EU's list of existential woes . . .The new kingmakers of German politics have dashed hopes for a Franco-German ‘Grand Bargain’ to relaunch the eurozone, dismissing plans for a joint budget and shared banking debts as totally unacceptable. The fiery chief of the Free Democrats (FDP), said his party would not tolerate any drift towards a fiscal transfer union, and demanded that holders of eurozone sovereign debt should suffer sobering losses before there can any further rescues for governments in trouble.  As if this weren't enough . . . The rightward shift in German politics comes as the country’s top court decides tomorrow whether to ban the Bundesbank from taking part in the ECB’s quantitative easing after January 1. Any such ruling would have profound implications, tying the ECB’s hands and catching the bond markets badly off guard. It would sweep away a crucial monetary backstop for the eurozone system. While the ECB’s family of central banks could in theory continue to purchase Italian, French, or Spanish bonds, the political storm would be hard to manage.

Finally . . . Looking at the 'apology' issued by the disgraced Harvey Weinstein, I thought it would be a good idea to have a competition for the best deathbed letter from Henry VIII. Offerings very welcome. Perry?

Today's Cartoon:-

I keep thinking it's Thursday . . .