This is despite the government body that advises on security, based at GCHQ in Cheltenham, drawing up standards for validating the security, or otherwise, of the meters.

BBC: How to hack a nation's infrastructure

But the samples on which Biscoe is drawing for her market research aren't exactly up to AC Nielsen standards.

FORBES: The Whiners

That seems to be the moral pundits are drawing from this week's primaries in Florida, where dazzlingly wealthy political novices spent small (by their standards) fortunes vying for the Democratic nomination for senator and the Republican nomination for governor.

ECONOMIST: Neither money nor dynasty guaranteed success