The Spanish Finance Minister says Spain is better placed to withstand the current turmoil in the world’s financial centres. Of course, he has to say this ahead of an election but he may well be right, as economic growth in excess of 2% would still be impressive. However, some are accusing him of complacency and my own concern would be that things that stay hidden under rocks during good times tend to crawl out when the spiral turns downwards. Take, for example, the shocking news from France today of the leakage of more than 5 billion euros from a major bank there.

Or, on a smaller but more local scale, we have the disappearance of one of our local builders, whose company has collapsed leaving 50+ employees without their salaries and more than 300 would-be purchasers without the properties they thought they owned. Not to mention the company’s defrauded creditors.

Given how boring the actual races usually are, it’s truly astonishing that 22,000 people turned out to see Formula 1 racers merely practising in Valencia yesterday. And on a work day as well. The draw can only have been Fernando Alonso. So it must have been rather disappointing he could only manage 6^th place. And I see Nadal was beaten by un unseeded player in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Not a good day, then, for Spanish aficionados.

As this is Elitist Week on this blog, here’s a web page which is said to be YouTube for intellectuals. Enjoy.

Those of less elevated aspirations will be pleased to hear that the tale of Jeremy Paxman and his unsupportive underpants made the back pages of El Mundo yesterday. For those with no knowledge of British TV, Paxman is the BBC’s main attack dog on a nightly news show. I’m reminded of advice given to me when contemplating a bit of public speaking as a nervous teenager - “Just imagine them all in their underwear, regardless of how important they are.” I can’t recall whether it worked back then. But, over the years, I’ve found it’s certainly effective in respect of pretty women, pushing fear right back to the end of the emotional queue. Assuming two emotions constitute a queue.

Galicia Facts

A total of 835 wild boar incursions were reported by Galician farmers last year. However, fed up with just devouring easy-to-access crops, these aggressive animals – the pigs, not the farmers - have now taken to attacking drivers on the motorways. Or at least getting in their way. It’ll be wolves next. Which are, sadly, not as good to eat after you’ve run over them. But they do less damage to your car. And are easier to roast.