The motivation behind Alistair Darling's proposal for a punitive tax on bank bonuses is obvious: the public, for excellent reasons, detests the bonus culture that helped land us in this mess... more
It is always said that women have to worry about what they wear and men do not. Yet women are making decisions based on aesthetics whereas for men they touch a fundamental sense of identity... more
Alistair Darling's eyebrows have gone into overdrive. They've been shooting up and down and in and out over the past few days as his brow furrows and frowns in displeasure at the behaviour of the banks... more
The past few days have brought two pieces of sad news: the deaths of eight soldiers in Afghanistan, and that of a fireman in a pub fire in Edinburgh... more
Why do we bother with Father's Day? The male parent offers precious little to celebrate. Most fathers are absent, in mind if not in body, and those that are present are greedy, stupid, lazy, drunk, selfish and bald... more
If you were asked to name some of the things that shape the relationship between parents and children there are many you might think of: schools and peer groups, divorce and remarriage, drugs and drink, television and books, illness and ageing... more
A few weeks ago a woman emailed me to comment on a piece I'd written about universities. Bea Vo wanted to set me right about one aspect of the American system... more
The way to save capitalism will be hotly debated in London this week and suddenly the man who predicted its demise is fashionable again. Two writers argue over his legacy... more
About three weeks ago, our television stopped working. I promised my children that I would try to get it mended, or buy another one, or do whatever was necessary to enable the broadcasters to pump their usual bilge into the house. ... more
An inscription from 2800 BC reads as follows: “Children no longer obey their parents. Every man wants to write a book, and the end of the world is evidently approaching.”... more
Over lunch with my friend Rebecca, we discussed how she should get herself arrested. She thought there was a lot to be said for climbing into Parliament, but there was a risk (especially for those well-padded in the chest area) of being mistaken for a suicide bomber. ... more
I welcome the credit crunch with open arms," says Oliver James, a psychologist and broadcaster. According to Mr James, author of Affluenza, as people have got richer, they have focused more on acquiring material goods and less on the things that really matter in life... more
Warren Buffett, America's most successful investor, is a man of clear vision. I know this because I once got hopelessly lost at Bill Gates's house looking for the loo and bumped into Mr Buffett, who pointed me in the right direction... more
I am one of the London early-middle-aged. Never mind the Baby Boomers — we're the Baby Busters: a group that has been dealt one of the worst economic hands in living memory.... more
Tonight:
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