There are some things in life that you never see coming: Ed Balls hanging on in Strictly; the Conservatives winning the last election; Brexit; and Donald Trump winning in the US. Every American I spoke to, while agreeing that these were probably the worst two candidates they’d ever had to (more...)

To say that my uncle’s shed sits at a bit of an angle would be, quite possibly, the understatement of the year so far. The way it leans over its sub base and in towards the garden is the very definition of precarious. It could fall at any second. The door no longer closes because of the way (more...)

When I was growing up and first starting to get into listening to music, I was encouraged by my parents not to inflict my evolving musical tastes on them. Headphones, then, were the order of the day. And back then, headphones were big. Never would I venture outside wearing a set, and neither did (more...)

There’s a word that strikes fear into many a man, myself included, and that word is ‘storage’. It’s a word I heard all too often when I was moving house, and it’s one of those things Mrs Simms feels she has to comment on in friends’ houses when she notes that they (more...)

The hand dryer in the toilets in the department store had a small plaque underneath it, which read “It is our policy to invest in new and pioneering technology as part of our carbon reduction commitment.” I pondered this as I dried my hands, which was certainly quick, but how much more (more...)

News that pop star Prince had died has capped what can only be described as a thoroughly miserable first four months of 2016, where we lost more big name personalities than in any other period I can think of. These were people not simply loved for their ability and contribution to arts, media, (more...)

The arguments for and against Britain leaving the EU have been raging for what seems like aeons, even if it is only in the last few weeks that official campaigns have been launched. You would think, then, that by now we should all be pretty much up to speed on the pros and cons of an exit, with most (more...)

I mentioned a while back that I had invested in a new phone system for the office, bringing with it the promise – and I don’t feel I’m exaggerating here – of an entirely new way of working. Oh, the feature set: wired handset basestation; additional remote wireless handsets; (more...)

Being of an age that puts me firmly in the BBC Radio 2 demographic, I find I’m enjoying listening to many of the same DJs that I did while growing up with Radio 1. And, indeed, much of the same music. Not all programmes, mind; I generally find Steve Wright’s Sunday love songs a little (more...)

Consumer concern over what may or may not be in a chicken McNugget tends to wax and wane, seemingly dependent on what sensationalist headlines appear in the media in a given week. You’ll frequently see McDonalds step up to the plate to emphasise the quality of the ingredients it uses, hoping (more...)