(The connection is there in the way Gotti measured his worth in silk suits, vulgar wealth and synthetic celebrity; in the way the murderous instinct that perhaps lurks in Gatsby was completely unshackled in him; in the way the lessons he could have learned from Gatsby's wariness of publicity were completely, and fatally, ignored.)

"The sight of a woman in the British Boardroom is rare enough; that of one in the managing director's chair is almost as exotic as a pair of nesting ospreys." Carol Kennedy.

Taxis: Metered taxis (R9 to R13 per kilometre) don??t cruise the streets but congregate in zoned ranks, so you need to call one. Either ask your host or concierge for a recommendation or contact Excite (021-418-4444) who offer a reliable fleet and charge R9/km. Another good option are the Rikkis, comfortable London-style cabs? (ie can fit up to 5) that charge a flat fare per trip - eg R110 from city to Camps Bay; call 086 174 5547 for a quote.

I think Weigel has a point about the "world political authority"; also, the balance of the encyclical is weighted heavily against the market and, on the whole, it ignores the extension of corrupt and unaccountable state authority into people's lives, which exacerbates the damaging effects of globalisation.

I wish that The Independent would live up to its name and present a less one-sided view of the issues.