Sadly, as with so much about history's heroes, it's the spotting of potential fame that's the difficulty, whether it's publishing their poems, hanging their paintings, or buying their old underwear. Think of the great men whose lives passed in penury and hacking coughs due to public unawareness that their littlest possession would end up at Sothebys or the basement at Fort Knox.

The Act of God designation on all insurance policies; which means, roughly, that you cannot be insured for the accidents that are most likely to happen to you.

To have a grievance is to have a purpose in life.

There are many mysteries in old age but the greatest, surely, is this: in those adverts for walk-in bathtubs, why doesn't all the water gush out when you get in?

Malta is the only country in the world where the local delicacy is the bread.

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear.

I sometimes wonder if the manufacturers of foolproof items keep a fool or two on their payroll to test things.