Others grumbled that much of the fiscal "improvement" was fake, arguing that the Bush team regularly overestimates deficits early in the year so that it can flourish better Numbers later on.
The spoken word can handle various vital functions: persuading or inspiring, informing, paying tribute, entertaining, or simply introducing someone or something or accepting something.
Those are not the most encouraging words to hear just before eating lunch at Hong Kong's smartest British restaurant, but head chef Neil Tomes has more to say.