The Spanish President says his government will help businesses survive the ‘worse-than-expected’ economic downturn by reducing the bureaucracy they have to deal with by 30%. That should do the trick. Probably got a committee working on it right now.

An article in Sunday’s El Pais described how ‘Fiesta madness’ drives cities throughout Spain to book ever bigger pop groups for their summer events. The paper gave a map with all this year's gigs and I was thrilled to see I didn’t recognise a single group.

And talking of madness . . . The author of this piece shares my view that life in over-regulated Britain is now more-than-occasionally insane. But she sees a positive side to this as, for her, it signifies the death of the 20th-century idea that the state is the only repository of civic virtue and moral authority. And she might be right. But, as we await its demise, here’s a good example of what she’s talking about.

On a more positive note, here’s a string of good-news items from today’s press:-
- Road deaths to the end of May in Spain were again well down, both nationally and here in Galicia.
- All the rain between January and May has brought our reservoirs close to capacity.
- Nonetheless, Galicia hasn’t had any of the floods recently suffered by the Basque Country.
- Vigo council is going to do something about increasing the number of the city's streets named after women, from its current low base of a measly 3%.
- The England football team has finally found someone they can beat – Trinidad and Somewhereorother, and
- The Galician drug barons have wrested back control of the industry from their Colombian counterparts.

On the other hand, Pontevedra FC went down to Ceuta at home last night and so failed yet again to progress in the play-offs for ascent to the Second Division. I’m not sure I can stand much more of this and I’m not even a real supporter. Pontevedra plus play-offs equals England plus penalties, I guess.

Finally - Here’s a PS for Duardón, re cheap wine – Down in Día, they have Rioja for €1.89 a bottle, under the label Señorio de Ondas. It’s said to be DOC stuff, in contrast to the €4.85 bottle of Albariño, which is only DO. I wonder what the difference between DOC and DO is, if any.

The Anglo Galician Association – open to all who speak English – now has a Forum on the web. If you have a query about Galicia, why not register and post it.