a stunning lack of perspective

"It's like a terrible death or like a massive earthquake," said Kirsty McCluskley. But what was she describing? What was this calamity of earth-shattering importance? What appalling body count could be ascribed to it?

She was, of course, describing the realisation that some of the best paid people in the country were going to lose their jobs and would have to go and work for the people across the street instead or maybe, shock horror, go out there are get a real job. Yes, it's the Lehman Bros story. (I like abbreviating them thus - it makes them look like a tawdry department store, paint peeling, unnatural smell in the toilets, moths the best customers, etc.) Kirsty used to work on their trading floor, hence the belief that the drying up of the goodies in her trough is a calamity on a global, nay, galactic, level.

No, this isn't going to be another naive rant about the financial sector, not even for the amusement of Betty (see earlier post). But - come on guys! If you build your glittering palace not only on sand but out of sand, and then expect the rest of us to stand around and hold it all up while you lie back on your sun-loungers basking in the sunshine, please don't also expect us to rebuild it for you when it collapses. Or, to put it another way, you ain't done nothing for me lately - explain, please, why my tax pounds should be thrown into your pockets to help you put your farcical charade back together again. Well would you look it that - turns out it was another rant after all.

Anyway, there is some good news. Just think about all the senior managers, most of whose bonuses for the last year or two were paid in shares in the firm. It's not money, it's schadenfreude that makes the world go round.

And, to move on to another of my favourite subjects - the doyenne of literature, (the no-doubt soon to be Dame) J K Rowling. I know it's old news, but from way back in April, courtesy of the BBC:

"...publication of an unofficial Harry Potter encyclopaedia could 'open the floodgates' for countless rip-offs. All writers would be threatened by the move..."

Come on, everyone, show your appreciation to Ms Rowling for her kind, selfless and, oh, self-enriching action. It gets better, though. In September, we have the following, also from the BBC:

"...She had been planning to write her own definitive encyclopaedia, the proceeds of which she had intended to donate to charity. However, she told the court in April she is not sure if she has 'the will or the heart' to do it after all."

So it's all the fault of this lexicon-writing fan that she's now going to sulk and not publish a book in aid of charity. Suffer the little children. Come on J K - all you need to do is staff it out - how difficult can it be to cobble together any old guide to the books - it doesn't even need to be any good - the public will buy it... Come to think of it, since you've recently been in court showing that you already own the intellectual rights to it, just publish your ex-fan's lexicon yourself under your own name. Job done, charity richer. I'll waive my fee for the idea.

The growth continues apace atop Mr Grass-Head. We'll have a veritable forest before too long. Since I short-changed you yesterday with a, frankly, rubbish photograph, here's a better one. He's a bit thin on top but getting quite luxuriant around the edge. I fear he may become a monk.