In nine cases out of ten, the police complain, the result is that juvenile delinquents get released by the courts after a mere ticking-off.

ECONOMIST: France

His government has had a very public ticking-off from Brussels with a recommendation by the European Commission that Germany should be given a warning about its budget deficit.

BBC: Jobless put Schroeder on the line

Now, you have the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility giving him what can only be described as a ticking-off, for suggesting that the OBR didn't think spending cuts and tax rises had had any effect on the pace of the recovery - "quite the opposite".

BBC: A ticking-off for the PM

Ticking off some recent failings mis-selling, Libor-rigging and money laundering Fried also noted some signs of hope: Lloyds CEO recently called for an end to the sales culture (which was just getting started in a lot of retail banks) and Barclays had appointed Anthony Salz from Rothschold to lead a review of values and principles.

FORBES: Barclays Gets Ethical, Not Simply Legal, On Taxes.

The excessively low interest rates, unsustainable growth and massive leveraging over the last 30 years created a ticking time bomb that was set off in 2008 by the bundling and 30-1 leveraging of subprime mortgages.

FORBES: What Europe And State Governments Should Learn From American Airlines

The Chiefs stand-off added a further two penalties before the interval, but Reihana kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Saints with a third penalty of his own.

BBC: Northampton Saints 27-21 Exeter Chiefs

One of those may involve off-spinner Graeme Swann working hard to frustrate Ponting, who likes to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

BBC: Ashes: Can England win down under?