· The updated list of companies with business involvement in Burma, home to the world's second most brutal regime*, was published yesterday by the Burma Campaign - and contains some exciting new additions. They include Hutchison Whampoa, whose UK subsidiaries encompass the Superdrug chain and the 3 mobile phone operator, and the accountants Ernst & Young. There must be something strange about accountants and Burma - yesterday we reported PricewaterhouseCoopers' attempts to split hairs in this matter - but Ernst & Young had an attack of memory loss when contacted by the Burma Campaign UK arm to explain themselves. "What makes you think we operate in Burma?" asked a perplexed press operative at Ernst & Young's London eyrie. Oh, nothing ... apart from the entry under "accountants" - in the Rangoon yellow pages. Oh dear.
*after North Korea
· Perhaps the most surprising inclusion on the Burma "dirty list" is the old hippies from Lonely Planet. You'd have thought they'd be above these things, but Lonely Planet insists on publishing travellers' guides to Burma and yet maintains that this doesn't encourage anyone to visit Burma. Mmm. Advertising conglomerate WPP has also joined after taking over Cordiant Communications, which has a subsidiary in Burma named Bates Myanmar. For the same reason P&O Cruises joins the list, after its merger with Carnival, which operates cruises to the unlucky country.
· This delightful turn of phrase arrives from United Biscuits, makers of McVities, Hula Hoops and Jaffa Cakes. "Growth strategy 2003," trumpets the press release. "24/7 culture creating huge opportunities for anytime products and for on the move snacking."
· The news that Marconi has appointed our old friend Doug McWilliams, the delightful chief executive of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, to its board of directors is to be applauded. Anything that stops Doug churning out press releases warning that the sky is about to fall in can only be good for the rest of us.
· Speaking of old friends ... it's Michael O'Leary of EireO'Flot, once again in hot water, but this time with the Nordic people. The airline has managed the possibly unique feat of inspiring the consumer protection agencies of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway to make synchronised complaints to EireO'Flot, demanding a change in the airline's operations. "Ryanair must commit itself to offering passengers a minimum level of consumer rights. Currently, the airline's contract conditions do not meet such requirements," according to a letter from the consumer ombudsman of Finland. Ryanair's defence was familiar, arguing that taking one of its flights is akin to using a taxi ... although how many taxis drop you a two-hour ride away from your destination, à la Frankfurt-Hahn?
· Speaking of taxis - a professor of economics from Bristol University has produced some research on the desirability of using taxis in London, compared to the cost of owning a car in the capital. "Many people look at taxis as a luxury and fail to see that actually they could be saving money," says Prof David Winters. In a curious coincidence, the study was commissioned by black cab firm Radio Taxis.
· Just yesterday, emails were coming in from Mrs Jewel Taylor, wife of Charles Taylor, the deposed president of Liberia. Mrs Taylor wanted help with the $10m in spare cash she has lying around. Now - can you believe it? - another one arrives from Mrs Taylor, but this time she has two kilos of diamonds, thus living up to her name, that she wants to get rid of. Perhaps the answer lies in a third email that arrived yesterday. "It is my great pleasure to contact you," it begins, "I am the former president of Liberia, Mr Charles Taylor." We've forwarded his email to his wife's address, so they can sort out their finances.
