Category: Uncategorized

I was asked by the ‘development’ (ie fundraising) staff at my old college to write something about my unusual career for their alumni blog. I’m guessing the request was made because I’m such an outlier from the bulk of their …

I don’t know why I love this film so much. It’s essentially a documentary
– but without any more information than can be gleaned from the
advertising hoardings flashing past at 225 mph (kph hadn’t even been
invented then). Dunlop, Ferodo, Castrol, Firestone, …

This is a note sent to several UK research funding bodies in connection with my concerns that we are now just going through the motions , rather than driving really breathtaking research. I’ve seen this described recently as the difference …

I was brought up in a  culture where individuals felt honour-bound to point out other people’s errors, character flaws and factual shortcomings. Diplomacy was considered sinful; a form of deception. This brutal honesty has never made my life straightforward, nor …

Design is about making the Future fit better -for everyone.

I particularly love it because Design offers a real-world superpower: to make products and processes which really work (both aesthetically and functionally) so that they become desired, not just utilitarian.

As a …

Lorna was the least selfish person I ever met. She was hardworking and stoic.  Although she certainly deserved much better treatment, Mum’s approach was to ‘make the best of a bad job’.

She could be stubborn and strict but she was …

Governments of every political persuasion in the UK (ie both sides of the class war) are cutting back on funding for institutions such as Schools and Universities. These organisations are now looking across the Atlantic for an example of how …

Many important people call for things in the press. I’d like now to call for our young people to take part in science, engineering, technology, maths and design for the good of the national economy and to help solve our …

The transit stops on a Northern moor
A frown in a peaked-cap slams the door

‘Scrote’,  ‘Screw’, ‘Snout’ and ‘Stretch’
He’ll show you the ropes, will our Fletch

Horseblanket uniforms, soupy grey
Crossing off sentences, day upon day.

In the …

(With apologies to Len Deighton, this is my attempt at a humorous, poetic tribute to Harry Palmer, cold war hero of The Ipcress File and Funeral in Berlin)

Insubordinate Sergeant Palmer ,…