Journeys that take 25 minutes on a Sunday now regularly take two or three hours on a weekday. Just 10 years ago it was only one and a half hours.

My record was five and half hours.

Traffic lights are like democracy- perhaps they're not the ideal system,

but they're the best thing we have. Without them, as I have experienced it destroys the environment- Jakarta's air pollution is dire- due to the gridlocked cars- tempers are frayed; engines are ruined; petrol is wasted; lives are altered because you have to leave so far ahead in order to get to and from a meeting/airport/social function. It is not productive and silly. I kept dreaming of some kind of hovercraft/ jet that could glide over the wall to wall cars. The sort of thing they promised us in the 1950's.

Often there is gridlock at intersections, where eventually someone has to commandeer the situation and back out so that some one else can move from out the way before someone else has to reverse an inch or two- with the great loss of face that only SE Asians can contrive. Journeys then (late 80's, up to end 90's) into Chinatown were around one and a half hours one way- but 2 hours coming back due to the rush hour. Most journeys now are around 2 or 3 hours one way across town. Glad to get out when I did. What does this do to a country? To its collective psyche, to the environment in 32 degree heat, with 100% humidity, to its productivity, to its best brains?

Traffic Lights may not be the best traffic management system we have, but I have experienced the lack of them in a large metropolis and I am here to tell you

that like democracy, it may not be perfect, but it's the best thing we have.

An example: travelling on the London underground: I checked the TFL website everything was wonderful- 20 minutes later- chaos on the District line that had been a problem for hours- nobody at the website had bothered to type it in- probably former BA employees.

Besides, admit it everybody: don't we just buy that newspaper because those nice people give us a free DVD?

I have said this in my area of expertise- namely advertising and marketing-

for about 10 years.

I understand that many products rushed onto the market now are but half way steps between where we are and where we want to go. I understand that at first these gadgets are very expensive but as more and more are rolled out, the price falls, often dramatically.

BUT, the ones that get my vote are the ones where some thought has gone into the process and you plug it in, and guess what : IT WORKS! It seems a surprise where in this world today someone actually has thought about this, the next step and perhaps the biggest step. How often you get the thing: for example a computer and you have no idea of what you do, or who to get to help or what's gone wrong- it could be dozens of things. I am a consumer, I am not a nuclear physicist, and when I buy something, I expect it to do exactly what it says on the box, in the most intuitive and simplest way.

My latest Philips experience was one of pure joy- a Freeview box. I opened the package, plugged it all together, followed the instructions, pressed the right button- it scanned for all the stations, I waited for about five minutes, like it said, and that was that. It worked first time, simply and effectively. Although the price was about a third more than dodgy brands, I had a good experience, so my faith was justified, and I am more favourably disposed towards Philips for my next purchase.

Yes Technology is a wonderful thing, but only if it is harnessed to a human benefit. Would I have bought it if it was complicated? No.

Do we need it? Is it better ? Does it actually dry my hair faster, more gently, give me a clearer sharper picture, keep my food fresher and use less power- whatever it is, it has to deliver a benefit- even if it just a replacement low-tech item like say a kettle, but it has to do so in a way that is demonstrably better- which also is synonymous with simpler. If it can't , then I go for a Chinese-made no-brand toaster. I'm not one of those who will pay hundreds for a "designer" version which still manages to burn the toast.