Distinctly average

Posterity’s loss

Spare a thought for Mr Justice Jackson, the judge in charge of the Wembley trial. Wednesday’s national civil service strike coincided with the delivery of his judgment on the first damages trial between Multiplex and Cleveland Bridge. To begin with m’lud put a brave face on the situation, only to learn, mid-verdict, that nobody had switched on the court tape recorder. With the Wembley case set to run and run, let’s just hope the Technology and Construction Court is spared any job cuts.

Will she or won’t she?

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been quick to deny our front page news story last week, which was that Tessa Jowell was poised to take over as chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority when Gordon Brown finally gets his promotion. The story, attributed to a Whitehall source, has intensified speculation over what Jowell, who is a Blairite through and through, will do when Tony steps down. Is it likely that she will stay in a Brown cabinet? Probably not. And one thing is for sure: the lure of a £200,000 a year job for the next five years to help organise the biggest party on earth would be quite a pull for any former politician.

An offer he could refuse

More evidence that executive headhunters will stop at nothing to get a commission: Gordon Anderson, Scotland regional operations director at Bovis Lend Lease, was called up one day about a job. He listened politely before turning down the offer. Unfazed, the headhunter asked Anderson if he thought any of his other directors would be interested in the position. Anderson didn’t wait to hear how much his finder’s fee would be.

Great dame

Word reaches me that a3g, a partnership between product manufacturers Assa Abloy, Ascot Doors and Gunnebo, is in talks with paralympic legend Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson to be its Olympic ambassador, similar to Gleeds’ deal with Sir Steve Redgrave.

Almost as much fun as logistics

Four months after Carsten Höller’s giant slides were installed at the Tate Modern, the queue is still largely full of art critics going back for their umpteenth go. So those of us still waiting for our turn have reason to be envious of the privilege enjoyed by logistics firm Wilson James. Apparently, staff from the firm, which provides security at the gallery, have been allowed to ride the slides before the building opens in the morning.

Reverse ferret

On first glance it looked like a shock announcement from TubeLines. The firm, which is responsible for upgrading the Jubilee, Northern, and Piccadilly lines, revealed that had appointed Steve Norris as its skills and competence manager. It turns out, however, that this is not Steve “Shagger” Norris, the former MP, former Jarvis chairman and TubeLines shareholder ...