LIFE IN THE OLD JACKET YET

Some men measure their lives in years, but Obiter spoke to a Seattle lawyer at the ABA's Tower of London party who has found a more classical indicator -- the Burberry jacket.

'I last bought one when I came to England in 1971 for the ABA conference, but it's gotten sort of frayed of late,' he said.

He has bought a new one this year.

'This one should see me through until I'm about ready to go,' he continued.

'And then they can bury me in it.' And has London changed in the intervening years? 'Well, they've painted all those signs on the roads for tourists saying "look left" and "look right", which is kind of obvious.

But Burberry jackets sure cost more.'