CITY DIARY

Accident-prone Anglian Water is in trouble again. In December it was judged by Ofwat to provide the poorest levels of quality in the country after billing problems led to an eightfold increase in complaints.

Then, just before Christmas, it was forced to abandon its policy of bullying home-owners into installing meters.

Now Ofwat has complained that a pilot letter from Anglian selling home service insurance against the costs of burst plumbing is too strong and could be frightening, according to Jessica Jackson, of Ofwat's Eastern customer service committee: "It could be particularly frightening for pensioners worried about the prospect of a bill for hundreds of pounds." She adds that the letter did not explain that many householders would be covered under existing insurance arrangements.

Anglian has now withdrawn the letter and is re-drafting a less aggressive version.

The excitement of announcing the takeover of the fellow computer company ACT yesterday was too much for Kevin Lomax, the chairman of Misys.

After manoeuvring his sizeable frame behind the podium he told the audience, with considerable gravitas, how proud he was to be taking over a company called CMT. Floundering for the right words, he had to correct himself and then start again as those present wondered who this other company was.

Meanwhile at ACT, the staff were left wondering what they should do about Lindsay Bury, one of their directors. He had set off last week to visit the isolated village in India where his daughter, Harriet, had been cared for after a terrifying cliff-top accident. At ACT's Birmingham headquarters they could not even name the mountain range where the old Etonian is staying.

With 1,279,230 shares, Bury should net more than £2m from the deal.

A terrible row has divided senior executives at Credit Lyonnais Laing.

John Holmes, 51, the ebullient head of sales who is known to friends as "Holiday Holmes", has left the brokers after a bust-up with Michael Kerr-Dineen, chief executive.

Holmes, formerly of Morgan Grenfell, has an enviable reputation as an aggressive 1980s-style salesman.

However, he clashed with the boss over management style and has now paid the ultimate price.

Bill McGrath, Pentos chief executive, is up in front of the bankers again today. In his eagerness to sell Rymans I hear he has appointed not just one but three agencies in America to find a purchaser. Let's hope he has some good news for the bankers.

In a bizarre fusion of love and computers, the CD-rom version of The Joy of Sex has landed on my desk in time for Valentine's Day. Published by Mitchell Beazley, the fully-interactive computerised manual offers "a sparkling combination of video, illustrations, commentary and music".

The guide is tenderly written by Dr Alex Comfort, whose original volume has sold 8 million copies since it was published 20 years ago, and includes a chapter on "advanced lovemaking".

Using their mouse, computer enthusiasts can select particular actions they are interested in, watch movie footage of their favourite positions from three or more viewpoints and, at difficult moments, seek advice from the sofware's on-screen expert.

Regular viewers may use the bookmark icon to return to favourite pages and, when necessary, take health tips from the JoS doctor. Finally, a secrecy function prevents you checking what your partner has been watching.