Despite this, the self-assured tone of Mr Brown's speech to Parliament is understandable.

ECONOMIST: Not so rosy | The

As always with Blodget, the post has a wonderful self-deprecating tone and a smattering of numbers to illustrate the inner workings of a business.

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Mr Cameron struck a self-consciously upbeat tone during much of the speech as he invoked what he called "the British spirit".

BBC: Fight through global economic storm, urges Cameron

Importantly also for London, Wiggins' triumph provided a sporting counterpoint as memorable as Danny Boyle's opening ceremony, which had celebrated homegrown diversity, creativity and self-confidence with an intelligence, irreverence and humanity that set a distinctly British tone in contrast to the shock-and-awe spectacular of Beijing four years ago.

CNN: Wiggins' victory brings the Games back to the people

For those not put off by its remorselessly chirpy tone, this book contains some valuable self-help advice, not least in a discussion about luck, which, apart from the dumb kind, the authors believe is something that can be influenced.

ECONOMIST: Starting out

By keeping a narrow focus on what he believed was doable, even though naysayers told him it would never pass, and by asking abolitionists to tone down their demands, he demonstrated enlightened self-interest.

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The tone seems stuck at a lazy bonhomie, amusement for a rising, self-satisfied commercial class.

NEWYORKER: Haarlem Shuffle