A note from your very occasional UK correspondent, or at least one of your very occasional UK correspondents. The Mr Chrysler coathanger article is funny because it is a humour article. It is in no way true. Miles Kington, the author, has a daily humour column in the Independent newspaper, and frankly it’s amazing he can keep it up so consistently. I would need to pause for breath, or to let my ego deflate a little.

Also, Billy Bragg walked past me in the street of a small Dorset village today, about 8 a.m. It was very disconcerting. I’m never at my best around 8 a.m., particularly if I have to do something superhuman like loading luggage into a car, and my train of thought went something like “Suitcase ... man approaching ... better say good morning ... everyone does around here ... oh, he only nodded HOLY CRAP IT’S BILLY BRAGG ... where am I going to fit that backpack ... ” Apparently he lives there. I don’t. Shame.

- James