The banks...

It's really quite amazing. You head off to the shops at 9.00am. The newsagent has been open for 3 hours. The baker has been open for 2 hours, as has the local supermarket. But the banks.
Well, they're not open yet! 9.30pm is their awakening time. If you're lucky, or if they're not "undertaking staff training" - this is their terminology for finding new ways of holding the public to ransom or fiddling with public money while the PC programme burns.

So you try the hole in the wall, but there's no cash available. Then when you do finally get into the bank just before lunch, despite there being eight 'tills', only three are open. And the queue of people you now have the luck to head (this will be the only success you will have with your bank this year) extends around the block. 

Banks are completely fabulous.

Whatever the situation here, the problems in the Japanese banking system are getting worse. 

With thanks to the Sunday Times of long ago, I remember the following; 

The Origami Bank folded yesterday

The Sumo Bank has gone belly-up 

The Bonsai Bank has threatened to cut back its branches. 

This follows a nose-dive in Kamikazi Bank's share prices, 

The price of Khazi's stock went down the pan

Rumours abound about the Tenko Bank after staff were locked in last night

Security men at the Karate Bank have got the chop

Things look fishy at the Sushi Bank. 

However, things are worst at the Geisha Bank - staff there all got screwed.