This week's guru

Jammy Judy brings debate to a close

It is time for closure on the great biscuit debate. It was first initiated when Guru published behavioural psychologist Gladeana McMahon's work on the link between biscuit preference and personality type (27 May).

Renowned business academic Meredith Belbin, whose theories on personality types and management teams inspired McMahon's groundbreaking work, joined the debate and offered a free packet of biccies to the reader who correctly guessed his favourite.

Unfortunately, no one came up with the right answer (see p3: Jaffa Cakes and, more recently, Organic Ginger Crunchies, but Guru did receive a disturbing number of responses revealing the unhealthy obsession many disciples have developed.

One example would be HR manager Judy, whose biscuit mania developed as a schoolgirl.

Judy says: "I'm a Jaffa Cake girl now. Put them in the fridge in the morning; in the evening, crack the chocolate off; then peel off the circle of jelly and suck hard until it disappears; then dunk the sponge before eating."

Judy, get some help. You should be telling this to your therapist; this is certainly not Guru's area of expertise.

Guru has concluded that the biscuit could be at the heart of the UK's productivity problems. We spend so much work time thinking about, eating and analysing them, that we don't leave ourselves enough time to be innovative. No wonder we have to work the longest hours in Europe just to stand still.

Guru couldn't give a XXXX about Oz claim

On the subject of working time, Guru was astonished to learn that Australians work longer hours than the citizens of any other country in the developed world.

According to a report by the Australian Council of Trade Unions, a higher proportion of our Antipodean cousins work a 50-plus hour week than in any of the other 29 member countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Guru spent a year working Down Under in the ladies' shoe section of a department store called Grace Brothers (true) just after graduating, and he has a few doubts about the accuracy of the trade union report.

In Guru's experience, absenteeism and skiving off early for a few cold tinnies appeared to be an accepted part of the work culture across Australia during the long, hot summer months.

Also, when wa