If historical analogies provide the measure of a man, then Downing Street henchman-in-chief, lead iconoclast and perpetual ideas recyclist “Classic Dom” Cummings is doing a spectacularly good job, writes Thomas Stoeckele introducing the show notes for episode 32 of our Small Data Forum podcast. In this episode that Thomas, Sam Knowles and I recorded just a week after Boris got Brexit done, we disagree with such a wild claim mostly in a reasonable way (although Thomas has a different view on … [Read more...] about SDF 32: When Henry VIII met Dr Strangelove
Climate Change
Too much FUD and too little facts about fracking
If there's one major issue of significant public interest today that's shrouded in fear, uncertainty and doubt, it's fracking. If you believe the supporters of this mining process to extract natural gas and petroleum deposits from shale rock - formally known as "hydraulic fracturing" - it could be the salvation of our energy needs for the foreseeable future, maybe for the next forty years or more. If you believe the opponents of fracking, it's a major threat to the environment and to … [Read more...] about Too much FUD and too little facts about fracking
Tuning in to Hurricane Sandy
The ability for people to be connected via the internet is no more valuable when it comes to crises and disasters of one type or another, natural or otherwise. Hurricane Sandy - the super #Frankenstorm on track to hit the US East Coast today - is a perfect example. The latest advisory from the US National Hurricane Center is sobering: ..SANDY STRENGTHENS...EXPECTED TO BRING LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE...COASTAL HURRICANE WINDS AND HEAVY APPALACHIAN SNOWS... Being able to find out what's … [Read more...] about Tuning in to Hurricane Sandy
TFL’s stop-start approach to combating vehicle pollution
As someone who drives into and out of central London quite frequently, I'm as conscious as any road user of the huge traffic congestion that's a feature of a typical journey, along with consequential environment issues like exhaust emissions and air quality. So many vehicles, an overloaded transport infrastructure - these are points to ponder as you sit in a rush-hour traffic jam with engine idling, windows shut to insulate you from all that stuff out there, and probably with the climate … [Read more...] about TFL’s stop-start approach to combating vehicle pollution
Communicators: Here’s how to support famine relief in East Africa
You've seen the news reports about the humanitarian disaster in East Africa. Famine and drought on a massive scale. Millions could die in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. As communicators, what can we do to help? Well, how about supporting the call to action from our friends at Communicate Magazine and #CommsChat: This week’s #CommsChat was scheduled to be on measurement. But something came up that we felt was more important. Amid the anger of News International and the vacillations of the Euro … [Read more...] about Communicators: Here’s how to support famine relief in East Africa