WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK. I went down to the employee cafeteria for yet another cup of coffee and did the after-you dance with a bald, white-shirted little fellow who was crowding the spigots.

"If I'm in your way," he said cheerfully, "go on and kick me."

I laughed in a collegial and meaningless way and got my coffee.

"Just kick me," he repeated, "I'm used to it."

"Who isn't," I said. Big laughs all around.

"The outlook for jobs in 2003 and 2004 deteriorated slightly from the previous poll as economists factored in the start of war in Iraq and the meagre increase in fourth quarter business investment after two years of decline." -- Forbes magazine, April 1