Shanghai may have the solution with a stress-relief service where workers can hire a stand-in to yell at.

Associated Press reports that a pair of Shanghainese entrepreneurs are offering themselves as targets for verbal and - within limits - physical abuse, letting frustrated office workers vent without killing their careers.

Zhang Li and Chen Jun, the founders of Wantong Ltd, say their own workplace frustrations inspired them to quit their nine-to-fives and form the company in March.

The cost is low. For 100 yuan (Bt468) a minute the pair will listen to complaints and insults. For 20 yuan more they'll even take a slap, but only from a female client.

I can't help feeling it would catch on here, with bosses used to kreng-jai underlings and a spiralling cost of living that

militates against walking out

of a job.

Spectral

speculation

Old places often have their own histories, and most of the histories involve those who once owned them or lived there.

Ghost stories may be frightening, but in some cases they are major magnets for adventurous people who want to test their nerve.

Associated Press reports

that police officers in England witnessed paranormal activities at a country pub, which has, since the story became public, become the talk of the neighbouring town and beyond, attracting everyone from

mediums to a national televi-sion film crew determined to catch a glimpse of the mystery woman should she appear again.

Officers arrived at the Low Valley Arms near Barnsley

in South Yorkshire, 400 kilometres north of London, after

being told the alarm had been set off, but instead of finding

any signs of a robbery, they

were faced with a shaken

landlord convinced he had encountered a ghost with half

its face missing in the ladies' washroom.

Though they did not see the apparition, described as a woman in a flowing white gown, officers were shocked to find toilets flushing themselves, said Inspector John Bowler of South Yorkshire Police.

Pub landlord Roger Froggat, 55, and his wife Kathryn, 49, moved in a year ago and said they had seen nothing before, despite rumours of a resident spectre.

Officers found no signs of forced entry and were left quite scared, Bowler added.

But now that the pub is attracting a huge crowd, it is no wonder that despite their shock the Froggats say they have no plans to leave.

achara_d@nationgroup.com