The Wiki Man
Why you shouldn’t always ‘follow the science’
Fairly early in the pandemic it was widely accepted in scientific circles that the likelihood of outdoor transmission of Covid…
The key to happiness? Getting behind the wheel
A friend of mine recently visited a company in Europe which plans to manufacture human-carrying, pilotless drones. These would be…
How men’s wardrobes prove constraints can be good for us
One thing that surprised every-one during lockdown was how many people derived unexpected pleasure from living under imposed restrictions. Can…
The problem with online property searches
In 1966, the legendary adman David Ogilvy set out to buy a home in France. He boarded a transatlantic liner…
The case for dodging cracks in the pavement
It is interesting to consider what would have happened if the Covid virus had emerged in 1921. Or 1821. Or…
How do we calculate the value of a painting?
There’s an intriguing conversation on YouTube between Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of England, and the artist Damien…
The economic case for flexible working
Is flexible working better or worse for productivity? What is the correct blend of remote and office work? Billions of…
Why no one wants their holiday to last forever
I have been on holiday for two weeks. Well, not quite. You see, a bloke I once met told me…
Why cocktails are superior to wine
I often argue that, in theory at least, well-made cocktails are indisputably better than wines costing 20 times more. My…
What do oven chips have to do with virtue signalling?
Why does virtue-signalling matter? It’s a fair question. After all, if people display virtuous behaviour, need we care about their…
The CV trick that guarantees you an interview
Sometimes the opposite of a good idea is, as Niels Bohr said, another good idea. But the converse is also…
Why I won’t buy a Tesla
I loved the Ford Mustang Mach-E which I had on loan for four days. It was gorgeous to drive, and…
Charging ahead: how to get the best out of an electric car
Where do you want to go? China or India? I have always found India infinitely more fascinating — for a…
Taking charge: it’s time to buy an electric car
As a wise colleague once said: ‘Yesterday is a great time to buy a computer, because you have already enjoyed…
The social tyranny of singing ‘Happy Birthday’
Among the horrors, some aspects of lockdown were bizarrely less gruelling than expected; indeed for some people, the experience was…
The hidden cost of free technology
Back in late 2019 I met someone from Zoom who was visiting London. The company, then as now, offered free…
Video calls are the new penny post
Dear Sir, I beg to introduce myself to you as a clerk in the Accounts Department of the Port Trust…
America isn’t speaking our language
I haven’t yet read the report published by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. But, looking at the recommendations,…
The genius branding of the ‘Oxford’ vaccine
I am writing with a mild pain in one arm, having received my first dose of the Oxford vaccine yesterday…
Here’s a clue: we should all be doing cryptic crosswords
I was once asked by a previous editor of the Timeshow to increase sales of the paper. I was slightly…
The economics of learning languages
There is a kind of conversation which sounds intelligent, and which makes sense at first hearing, but which deeper thought…
The cult of London
The phrase ‘rich people’s problems’ has its uses. I once overheard a group in a Knightsbridge restaurant sympathising with a…
Our obsession with city living is out of date
In March last year, the world made an interesting discovery. We found that a high proportion of knowledge-work could be…
Will remote-working strengthen the case for HS2?
Soon after the pandemic hit, the world’s airlines turned off their pricing algorithms and resumed pricing flights manually. Everything the…
Is it time to reopen technology’s cold cases?
One of the staples of crime drama is the ‘cold-case squad’. This allows programme-makers to add period detail to the…
