Even so, says Mr Ewington, the happy-clappy brigade often wants to run the whole show.

ECONOMIST: An unholy row in England's organ-lofts

"We design the course so no one person can navigate, lead and run the whole show for more than 36 hours, " Smith says, grinning mischievously.

FORBES: Hypothermia for Fun and Profit

We need health care reforms in the U.S., but not the let-the-government-run-the-whole-health-care-show type.

FORBES: Fact And Comment

As for databases that do include the whole run of U.S. history, those at measuringworth.com show an increase in national output of 43% from 1878 to 1882, a peacetime period.

FORBES: Trashing The Gold Standard is Now The Stuff Of Amateurs