How Hollywood failed

As a more philosophical alternative to “You don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps,” you occasionally see workplace posters which read: “Price. Speed. Quality. Pick any two.” Unless you work on public infrastructure in the UK, of course, where the sign presumably ends: “Why not consult some lawyers and avoid all three?” In our despair over HS2 we should not forget that the UK has also seen remarkable transport successes In 1922, Trumpington, in South Cambridge, briefly had its own railway station. This was built to bring visitors to the Royal Agricultural Society’s show, which ran for five days, after which the station was demolished. Nearly a century later, it was sensibly decided that South Cambridge deserved a new, more permanent station.

The cult economist Adam Tooze generally discusses matters far beyond my understanding on his podcast Ones and Tooze. While roasting in my flat during London’s heatwave, however, I found myself gripped by a segment he did on the economics of beach recreation. Did you know that 50 percent of Americans going on holiday regard getting a tan as more important than the actual holiday? This correlates with the rise of the “tanfluencer” and “tanmaxxing” among Gen Z and the revival of the full-on, George Hamilton-style tan. As a bit of an old tanorexic myself (remember, fellow boomers, the smell of Bergasol?), I’m quietly thrilled. First, because if this is a competition I will almost certainly win it – spot the brownest white person in the room: that’s me!