And some things are not right now - as anyone who has experienced the misery of sewer flooding will testify to.

BBC: South West Water customers asked how cash should be spent

The Cottagers were visibly deflated by the immediate reply and Huddlestone compounded their misery with a fine fourth, driving into the corner right-footed from the edge of the area.

BBC: Tottenham 5-1 Fulham

First, while the magnitude of job loss represents a lot of misery, the American labour force is some two-and-a-half times larger than it was right after the war.

ECONOMIST: America's economy