Regular readers will know I’m no fan of Spanish banks, seeing them as inefficient and expensive in equal degrees. So I wasn’t too surprised to hear that merely operating a current account and a credit card costs between 152 and 305 euros a year, or an average of 229. Nor did it come as a shock to read that this has risen by 52 euros in only two years, despite a so-called ‘commissions war’. And that further increases are now in the pipeline. An oligopoly? Or merely the consequence of the very immediate, personal and face-to-face service demanded by Spanish customers?

The new French rolling news channel had a feature recently on the top 5 concerns of people in France, Germany, Britain and the USA. There were some interesting differences but Global Warming was high on each list. I may be sticking my neck out here but I suspect this subject has yet to penetrate Spanish consciousness to anything like the same extent. I certainly can’t recall seeing it on the regularly published list of what does worry Spaniards. The most recent of these has, naturally, seen Terrorism climb back to its traditional place.

I’d like to add a comment to those posted yesterday about US TV comedy programs – Among the best of these is Curbing your Enthusiasm but my pleasure at watching this is diminished by the knowledge that my two daughters think the ageing curmudgeon featured in it is really me.

And talking of me, I’m going to have to replace the new photo in my profile. I’ve been told it makes me look a lot older than the previous one and that I’m a dead ringer for the British art critic, Brian Sewell. Much as I enjoy his scathing opinions of modern art, the guy is at least 10 years older than me!

Finally on the subject of TV – The original compere of the British quiz show, Mastermind – Magnus Magnusson - has passed away. This has allowed the press to print things such as these 2 lists:-

1. The 5 Strangest Subjects permitted:-

- The Sex Pistols and Punk Rock
- Famous British Poisoners
- Burial Grounds of London
- Theropod Dinosaurs
- Anorexia Nervosa

And

2. The 5 Strangest Subjects Rejected

- Orthopaedic Bone Cement in Total Hip Replacement
- Routes to Anywhere in Mainland Britain from Letchworth by Road
- Farm Wagons and Carts of England and Wales
- Sweet Peas
- Life and Times of the author and broadcaster Magnus Magnusson

But, for me, the program will always be associated with the subject allegedly chosen by the ex Middle East hostage, Reverend Terry Waite – Lebanese radiators 1976 to 1978.