Normally, the phrase 'two cultures separated by a common language' is used to describe the difference between the UK and our cousins in the US. But it seems that Canadians - so often seemingly closer to us in many ways - may also have to be covered by this phrase, if the Web site of Toronto law firm Ricketts, Harris is anything to go by (readers of a nervous disposition should turn the page now). Plainly displayed in the 'Articles' area of www.rickettsharris.com, alongside such worthy elements as estate planning and family law, sits a page called 'Wank Words'. No, really. The page itself details a game with which many readers will be familiar - WANK Word Bingo, where you count the use of management jargon in a meeting. Quite why Ricketts, Harris deems it necessary to capitalise the word as well is unknown to Obiter, but perhaps whoever thought it a good idea to put it on the site in the first place assumed it was an acronym. At least, let us hope so.

Either way, it means that Obiter cannot help wondering if, perhaps, there is a double entendre present in the otherwise innocuous aphorism, also quoted on the site: 'How to win a case in court: If the law is on your side, pound on the law; if the facts are on your side, pound on the facts; if neither is on your side, pound on the table.'