Is it fair to say that our side of politics reveres those who can build fine things, from huge dams’ intricate workings to the mechanics of a car to computer tech to cabinet makers?

I for one am in awe.

And there’s a tendency, politically, to embrace trades skills whilst perhaps dismissing arty-pharty things, popular musicians and so on. I say that that’s so wrong … the skill level of a gymnast, a knitter, crochetter, finger picking guitarist etc. etc., let alone artists in the near Rembrandt league … these people are simply awesome.

My mother knitted me plenty of jumpers, inc. big, bulky woollen ones, always stolen by girlfriends … and rightly so … have we boys really looked at what they take to produce?

Here are three examples of true skill … wish I could do these things.