Long Form

Knowledge is power, they say. And in the Internet age, knowledge about anything and everything is available everywhere, all at once. Back in the day, if you needed a dentist, a plumber, or a car mechanic, you’d consult the Yellow Pages, take your pick and take your chances. The unspoken rule of thumb was to…Read moreRead more

At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, a new phrase crept into the English language. The wearing of face masks, social distancing and checking the TV each night to find out how many of our fellow countrymen had died that day was, we were told, “the new normal”…even though there was nothing even remotely normal…Read moreRead more

During a previous visit to the Volvo Construction Equipment headquarters in Eskilstuna, Sweden, I visited the nearby Munktell Museum where they have a collection of vintage construction and agricultural equipment. One machine I remember vividly was an early ADT, probably from the 1960s. I sat in it. The seat was basically a plank of wood,…Read moreRead more

If someone asked you to step into a cage with a Bengal tiger, you’d say no. No hesitation. No debate. Just a flat-out refusal. If someone told you to square up to a grizzly bear, you’d be gone. No shame, no second thoughts. If someone suggested you lower yourself into a plague pit, ankle-deep in…Read moreRead more

Back in 2016, I wrote a book called A Site for Sore Eyes in the immediate aftermath of the Didcot A Power Station collapse. I gave the profits of that book to three of the four bereaved families impacted by that tragedy (the fourth family politely declined). I sold more books overseas than I sold…Read moreRead more

There is a story about England’s World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore. During a training session, the England coach – Sir Alf Ramsey – yelled HALT and everyone froze in their positions. Without looking around, Bobby Moore knew precisely where everyone was; his own players and opposing players alike. It is said that his exceptional…Read moreRead more

The cab of a modern demolition or construction machine is a model of ergonomic excellence; a soundproofed, dust-suppressed, wi-fi connected, Bluetooth-enabled paradise built around a seat more comfortable than anything you might find in a typical home. These is a place for everything; and everything is in its place. Each joystick is perfectly within reach…Read moreRead more

It’s late. You’re on your way home after a tough week. The motorway zooms past in a blur as headlights bounce off the rain-slicked tarmac, causing you to squint your eyes. You’re concentrating on the road ahead, on getting yourself home safely. But there’s something else playing on your mind. You’re thinking about the hydraulic…Read moreRead more

We squandered a once in a lifetime opportunity. We. Us. The British public, the world, society. We had a chance, and we threw it away. The COVID-19 pandemic and more specifically, the ensuing lockdowns, should have served as a societal reset. Kept apart from family and friends, that period reminded us all of the importance…Read moreRead more

I’m not a Manchester United fan. Let’s get that out of the way up front. I support West Ham, and have done for more years than I care to count. And for most of those years, I dreaded our meetings with Manchester United. They didn’t just beat us. They dominated us. Humbled us. They humiliated…Read moreRead more