Peking and I

PC Squealer has found itself pondering the answers to two questions this week. What is it about filthy rich technology entrepreneurs and their need to take the phrase seriously? People say money isn't everything, don't they? Well it certainly doesn't buy good table manners, or a healthy relationship with soap and water. Not in the case of multi-millionaire antivirus king Alan Solomon anyway, PC Squealer has been informed. A certain party that was unfortunate enough to experience his acts of tea-time terrorism first-hand (and masochistic enough to agree to a return match meal elsewhere) related the time when they were taken to a Pakistani restaurant by the good doctor. Our appalled informer - who described the doctor as a 'filthy disgusting man' - was distracted momentarily by a foul stench (which surely came from the kitchen?) as the learned one forced down his starter in a way that was perhaps similar to a python swallowing an elephant. The big shock came when Solomon proceeded to clear a whole bowl of chutney dip after the starter. The return match took place several weeks later at a Chinese restaurant and various orders were made between the two men to accompany a bowl of rice. The moment the food arrived, Doc Sol gathered all - and we do mean all - of the dishes, poured their contents on to the rice, plonked it in front of himself and proceeded to devour the entire spread. We got the impression that the poor guest was too gobsmacked at the time to point out it was meant to be a meal for two.