Small change

Is your daily commute more overcrowded?

Peak-hour price rises won't prevent rail overcrowding


You get no brownie points (pun intended) for keeping your finances in order in England do you? Have a read of these and you'd wished you'd bought a few more nice things!

Bankruptcy rate set to double by 2009, predicts government report
Addiction to credit blamed as bankruptcies reach new high
Repossessed homes hit levels of decade ago
Defaults on credit cards and loans will top £4.5bn
Personal insolvencies increase 31% to record


And speaking of banks. I’m tired of the HSBC bank cash points telling me they don’t have any. As I have no HSBC account, I have no axe to grind. But every time I've tried to use one of their ATM's (about half dozen), there's been a problem. You don't have to be a probability expert to work this one out. Then I found I was short to buy my coffee but the guy next in line proffered 10p, so Londoners aren't that bad.

If you've never seen Ken Campbell, well now's your chance. In a funny way, and he is very, he's the flip side of a coin to Dr. Jonathan Miller who I had the privilege and pleasure to work with some years ago. Both cut the crap and help you see things for yourself. His TV series on science is testament to this.

Another obituary I'm afraid, that of Richard Mayes. One of those many fine actors who, though not particularly famous except among colleagues, keeps the acting profession alive and thoroughly honourable. I had the good fortune to work with him twice, the last when he stepped into a show I was directing at very short notice and for very little money.