Alexander Ferguson writes:
Right, so you've finished a quiet cigarette (not that anyone would condone that sort of thing) outside the pub/bar/cafe/restaurant and you come back in, obviously reeking of it.

The Wrigley's Spearmint can't solve it.
Nor can the Mentos or assorted breathmints that you used to bring to school with you in an effort to assure the world that no, you weren't partial to a Marlboro Light.

Well now, even your smoky clothes can cause problems: it's called "third hand smoke".

This New York Times article explains why.

You can see the day that this appears in front of a judge.

"You see, your honour, I had to retire from my work early. It wasn't because of the fact that I was bad at my job cleaning up outside the pub. It was because of third hand smoke. I just couldn't manage it anymore."

Hmmm......

Many thanks to Portfolio Magazine for this one....

To most of you, it's a Tuesday. But to American Democrats the world over, today's probably going to get rechristened as "Barack Obama Inauguration Day". We at Reinsurance Towers have gone one further and called it "Barack Obama Day".

Welcome to the presidency, Mr Obama.

It's not like you don't have enough to sort out.

What's going to be first? The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq or financial armageddon on Wall Street?

What's going to be first? Closing the tax loophole for overseas reinsurers in the USA or sorting out one of the world's biggest jokes - a country without a national health insurance system?

What's going to be first? Giving another bailout to the banks or giving another bailout to the car manufacturers?

People aren't expecting Rome to get rebuilt in a day. But people are expecting something...anything to make them feel that you're not going to be like the last President.

President Obama, you've gone around the world with the statement: Yes, we can.

The question is is: Can you?

Alex Ferguson writes:
Just seen on Reuters' website:

Many bankers, in particular U.S. ones, are avoiding the glitz of the Davos slopes this year. Those who have dropped out at the last moment include Citigroup Chief Executive Vikram Pandit and former Merrill Lunch chief John Thain.

Merrill Lunch?

Wasn't dropping $1.2m on an office enough for Mr Thain?

Don't get wrong - some of our copy has been a bit shoddy in the past, but we thought we'd have a giggle at sumonelse xpense....