When the world's financial structure collapsed six months ago we almost believed the age of the wealthy idiot was coming to an end. We were wrong. All around the globe, from the oyster bars of London to the yachts of the French Riviera, the super-rich have persisted, breathing in the pungent fumes of success, vanity and breast-enhancement surgery.
Ministry of Sound founder James Palumbo knows this world well. In his journey from Eton and Oxford to the heights of business and club-culture, he has never been far from wealth. Now his debut novel, Tomas -- a fantastical, violent and and very funny portrayal of a world obsessed by reality TV and the "bloated bankers, Russian roubles, salacious socialites and filthy footballers" that rule over it -- rings with intense personal experience.
In an effort to break down the barriers between the rich and the rest of society, and to make us feel better about being part of the latter, we asked Palumbo for some pointers on how to spot the super-rich, and how to laugh, speak and dress like they do.
Read Palumbo's tips and watch a surreal animated trailer for the book after the jump.
(Tomas by James Palumbo is published by Quartet, priced £10.)













This weekend saw sports records fall all over the world. Not only did Joey Chestnut
Last Saturday was July 4, also known as Independence Day, the traditional holiday where Americans gather with their families and watch a man named Joey Chestnut eat hot dogs. Yes, not only was July 4 the celebration of a nation's birth, it was also the annual hot-dog eating contest at Nathan's restaurant on Coney Island, New York City. This year Chestnut retained the title for the Americans
In 'signs of the inevitable primate revolution' news today, around 5,000 visitors to the Chester Zoo were evacuated after
Federer 'staggered' by
Post of the Week -- 



DVDs: Clint Eastwood's
Games: 












