At the moment, despite its lamentable performance, the company is being rewarded by John Prescott, the transport minister, for taking two big problems off his hands: the Channel tunnel rail link and parts of the London Underground.

ECONOMIST: Mending Britain��s rotten railways

After such an experience a customer might be forgiven for thinking that the jeweler would be doing him a favor taking money off his hands.

FORBES: The Cult Of JAR