http://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/notebookhttp://www.ft.com/rss/comment/columnists/notebookFT.com - Columnists, Notebooken© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.client.support@ft.com (Client Support)Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:20:51 +0000Mon, 9 Nov 2009 22:10:55 +0000Newspapers60http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/comment/columnists/notebook(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9d9f5ea-cd5f-11de-8162-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9d9f5ea-cd5f-11de-8162-00144feabdc0.htmlThe confusion over official economic data threatens to make companies even more risk-averse. That, in turn, could help to ensure recovery is slow, says Brian Groom Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:20:51 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/91e32a7e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/91e32a7e-ca41-11de-a3a3-00144feabdc0.htmlFrequent fliers simply demonstrate a wider problem: the state is unable to enforce adequately all the laws created by politicians, writes Jonathan Guthrie Thu, 5 Nov 2009 19:58:35 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/73eaf9a4-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/73eaf9a4-c977-11de-a071-00144feabdc0.htmlEquasy addicts should be encouraged to join abuse-management programmes and surrender their charger in return for a supply of hobby-horses, writes Robert Shrimsley Wed, 4 Nov 2009 19:53:01 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/55ca9a0a-c8c9-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/55ca9a0a-c8c9-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.htmlThere seems to be a certain scepticism about Tory plans to give business greater sway over Whitehall, a move that could give outsiders rights to demand the sacking of top civil servants, says Sue Cameron Wed, 4 Nov 2009 03:40:07 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/445951b8-c7e7-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/445951b8-c7e7-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.htmlIn spite of the residual affection for it, attitudes to Royal Mail and its future seem confused, writes Brian Groom. According to one poll, two-thirds of people oppose the current strikes. Yet in another, twice as many sympathised with the workers as with the managementMon, 2 Nov 2009 20:43:21 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/b7811142-c3fc-11de-8de6-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b7811142-c3fc-11de-8de6-00144feab49a.htmlEurope's leaders weigh the pros and cons of appointing a stardust president who can stop traffic or a faceless bureaucrat used to dealing with faceless bureaucracy, Jim Pickard reportsWed, 28 Oct 2009 23:26:10 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/7e33e600-c34b-11de-8eca-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7e33e600-c34b-11de-8eca-00144feab49a.htmlFormer mandarins, who once wielded such power in the corridors of Whitehall, are still causing headaches for Gordon Brown's beleaguered government, writes Sue Cameron Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:07:35 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/345ce55a-bf44-11de-a696-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/345ce55a-bf44-11de-a696-00144feab49a.htmlAfter the prime minister refused to reveal his favourite biscuit, Jim Pickard imagines the discussions that are taking place in Downing StreetThu, 22 Oct 2009 23:54:02 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f02d9ac-bda9-11de-9f6a-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f02d9ac-bda9-11de-9f6a-00144feab49a.htmlMost of the nation's 790 quangos are desperate to talk to top Conservatives, who have said that they want to institute a big cull in quango numbers, writes Sue Cameron Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:42:19 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/8027cc24-bce3-11de-a7ec-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8027cc24-bce3-11de-a7ec-00144feab49a.htmlIt is with sadness I report an unseemly spat between Leeds and Sheffield over the former's plan to build a £78m entertainment arena, writes Brian Groom Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:26:15 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/469164ee-b9cc-11de-a747-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/469164ee-b9cc-11de-a747-00144feab49a.htmlIf "reality TV" is your thing, head for BBC2 and the joys of Masterchef: The Professionals, which is steadily building towards a thrilling conclusion, writes Stefan Stern Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:55:05 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/c7300d2e-b910-11de-98ee-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c7300d2e-b910-11de-98ee-00144feab49a.htmlAs RBS toys with recreating a famous old banking brand Robert Shrimsley looks back to the seventies and wonders if this is a good thingWed, 14 Oct 2009 23:32:24 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e79cf1e-b82a-11de-8ca9-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e79cf1e-b82a-11de-8ca9-00144feab49a.htmlSurely Sir Gus O'Donnell, would not try to shuffle off the blame for the Damian Green affair on one of his minions instead of making it clear to everyone that he was the one who authorised calling in the police?Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:55:04 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/0/7d88273c-b763-11de-9812-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Fnotebookhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7d88273c-b763-11de-9812-00144feab49a.htmlIndustrial militancy tends to be suppressed by recessions but as the postal workers – who are threatening to strike – show, there are always exceptions to the rule, writes Brian Groom Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:28:24 +0100