A series of referendums is going to held in Catalunia on the issue of independence. If I were the president of Spain, I'd let the buggers go if the majority wanted to. Just as I would for Scotland, if I were Gordon Brown or, more likely, David Cameron. It's not that simple for poor Sr. Zapatero, though. In for a penny, in for a pound in his case. The Spanish state would unravel in front of his eyes if a precedent were established. Why, he even has to object to Kosovan independence to maintain the line. Thank God there's no independence movement in Ceuta or Melilla.

Fellow blogger Lenox Napier (The Spanish Shilling) has sent me this fabulous foto of the solution to the car-parked-on-a-crossing problem in his neck of the woods. You may need to look at it for a second or three to determine the full genius of this. As I often say, the Spanish are an eminently pragmatic people. I would say 'race' but American readers associate this with colour, rather then ethnicity. And I don't like to upset anyone.


Which reminds me . . . I'm conducting an experiment to determine what percentage of drivers stop for me at the crossing near where I park my car every day before walking into town. I had planned to wait until I'd had a hundred experiences but, since the subject is topical, I thought I'd give you the interim report of two out of seven Or 29%. What was really disturbing is that at one stage it was two out of three! But, undaunted, we press on towards confirmation of our preconceptions.

Meanwhile, onto another type of vehicle . . . I am basically an admirer of the Spanish custom of either dumping your kids on the grandparents or taking them with you, whatever the venue and whatever the time of night. But I'm getting increasing amazed - and irritated - by the size of the baby buggies (American: 'strollers'?) that are now coming into this wi-fi café. Some of them have eight wheels, for God's sake, and are getting close to the size of the pram my mother used to push her kids round in. But not into a crowded café, needless to say. Pretty soon, one will need mountaineering skills to get past the bloody things.

Given the weather forecast made here, the really pertinent question is whether these monsters will soon be sporting snow chains.

Which is a nice link into this article by the indefatigable Christopher Booker on the weird and wonderful workings of the carbon credits market.

Finally . . . Ambrose thinks things are getting dirtier in Greece, as the country "tries to break out of its death loop." Given the parallels, we watch with interest. Pulling his punches, Ambrose ends with the comment that "The deeper truth that few in Euroland are willing to discuss is that EMU is inherently dysfunctional – for Greece, for Germany, for everybody." OK, but near-term, who comes after Greece? is what we all want to know.