Lineker (the final chapter):

I suppose the great advantage of criticising somebody like Lineker is that he is so dense he merely repeats his foolishness in public. Anyway, he has gone and I would think is unlikely to come back in any form.

If now I turn to online grocery shopping I expect some readers will immediately switch off. However, I think it is worth noting that e-commerce shows its unsatisfactory side such as boring users to tears such that they give in. I here have in mind my use of Tesco online shopping. Users are given the opportunity to buy certain lines at "bargain" prices and, should one avail oneself of these, the savings can be substantial. So far so good.

However, Tesco makes one take out a Clubcard and remember the number. This is an entirely fatuous request since it supposes that one has the time and energy to file a Clubcard which in fact is merely an advice of a further discount (the basis of computation is not shown). This tots up at a few pounds a week and it is ignored since it is not a significant sum in the near future. However, this can tot up over the months and presumably years and therefore I approached Tesco online through Tesco's Customer Engagement Centre to get this sum released to me. I failed since it is impossible to get Tesco to answer my perfectly reasonable enquiry. I have yet to have a reply after, now, about half a dozen letters to somewhere in Welwyn Garden City. Why do I have to go through all this? And, as matters stand, why can I not get assistance from the Engagement Centre? The only possible explanation is that Tesco like to wave an inducement to trade in front of the noses of their customers and then remove the inducement at the critical moment of their trying to benefit by it.

This morning, Tesco thanked me for "reaching out" by email to them only then to advise that the email would not be replied to since the receiving website, styled clubcard@tesco. com, was not monitored. It is a mighty curious use of 'reaching out' if promptly then declaring that the reaching out would not communicate in effect.

Anyway, and turning to the money button, I see that Mark Watson-Mitchell this morning draws his readers' attention to SRT (SRT). He thinks it is a terrific buy at 60p and I am fairly sure he is absolutely right.