On this king Hwâi called out all the military strength of his kingdom and led it deep into Chʻin, with whose forces another battle was fought at Lan-tʻien.² . . . ² Meaning Indigo Fields. A district of the department of of Hsî-an still bears the name.

This is one of the developments Karl Marx failed to predict. Had he foreseen it he might have expired in guffaws, rolling in the aisle of the British Museum Library amid the notes for Das Kapital, that bearded Santa Claus of the revolution who slipped the unwanted gift of communism down the world's chimneys.

He said he knew nothing about oddsmaking.

• The government says it's going to introduce free meals for all schoolchildren.
• Huh, don't hold your breath.