Sorry for delays. I’ve been stuck going through my statement for the official covid Inquiry with the Inquiry team. It has been painful. Yesterday I finally sent it in. I give evidence on 31/10. I will put the statement on my blog but have been asked not to for the moment.
I was at the All In Summit for Gurley’s speech. I cheered with the rest but by that evening I was left a little cold. Ok, government sucks. Who didn’t know that? He offered nothing in the way of solutions. Why can’t people like him get into the system and actually work to get something done. At least Peter Thiel is trying. Do something don’t just complain.
It’s not possible in America to reform or improve DC, it must be replaced. As it happens DC-ites know this- which is why they are moving away for 3.5 years- they are walking away before they have to run.
Hoping Snippets now returns more regularly. Time on these updates is I think much better spent than on Twitter. I’m convinced, too, these digests aid one’s own memory retention. Matuschak would approve!
In the above: “talking about X” isn’t going to work much longer in writing. Might need to pick a new letter! :)
Manhattan Project, Apollo Program, Apple and Amazon are the great stories of excellence at scale.
Manhattan figured out how to do strategic science, Apollo figured out strategic engineering, Apple figured out strategic product and Amazon figured out how to do strategic services.
Whilst none of these organisations are perfect, these orgs represent ‘State of the Art’ templates for an org of government department scale, to execute par excellence.
Many of the best performing local economies around the world are actually descendants of the British Empire, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai. All were established using templates of 19th Century British Institutions, courts, banks, insurance brokers, hospitals, schools, and police. All adopted these templates and build vibrant and dynamic societies on top of them.
Meanwhile back in Britain the original institutions have stagnated and rotted? Why? Is it generations of strategic muddle? A failing recruitment pipeline? Institutional capture by adversaries? Or is it just apathy? Or even first world guilt?
Regardless, superior organisational templates now exist and we would do well to implement / adopt them for our state apparatus. Other countries will.
NHS and MOD should do procurement like Apple, and should deliver services like Amazon. This doesn’t require inventing anything new. There are evidently higher performing methods already available.
All the solutions are already there, waiting to be implemented.
Have some national infrastructure needs?
See the structure and execution of the Apollo Program.
UK needs to end this age of muddle, slap itself out of this paralysing moral stupor, and just get on with getting on.
I'd also like to add that the "Builders list" can't be trusted either. TSP et al is supposed to be Conservative in a way that the actual Conservatives haven't since Baldwin. But yet in Conversations I've had with Open AI where I've expressed my concerns that JS:Replaceall (used in ChatGPT) means older browsers used by older people cant use GPT, Open AI told me "We don't care about the obsolete". JS:Replaceall is barely three years old. You're leaving a lot of people behind.
Remember when google screamed with joy about that their search engine didn't need to support IE11? Can this type of person be trusted to support the most vulnerable in society?
These posts always say that civil service recruitment is appalling, which it is. But you don't talk much about what it consists of. I think you should. People would assume the system had been designed by the country's enemies. Use a case study like how the Foreign Office fills its overseas slots at points on the food chain two or three grades below the ambassadors etc. Wanna work on trade issues in China? "Tell us about a time you had to choose between different options and how you approached it." Wanna work in Mexico on counter narcotics? "Can you describe a time you had to rearrange your priorities in order to meet a tight deadline?" Or perhaps you'd like to do climate in Japan? "Tell us about a time when you communicated effectively with others." Or you want to do comms in Delhi? No problem! "How have you gone about assuring there is diversity in the teams you have led?"
Just finished about 20 rounds of interviews with different companies as I was between jobs as a software developer. The worst companies are the ones who ask these questions the most, because evaluating competence is much more difficult. The best companies asked questions that were much more specific to the role.
Can confirm truth RE: Recruitment. They gave me those questions. They also gave me a test about replying to a query via email. I've never had to do this.
I thought it took a long time for UK papers to report on your proposal for the Startup Party, and when they did what they wrote was largely derisive. I still think it's a good idea, and they are flat wrong. That's partly because most of them aren't doing their jobs properly. They really know this, but of course can't admit it even to themselves.
It's also because they hope that by denying DC publicity they don't have to face a huge critic of the stupid way most media hacks think about the world . How wrong they get it and like economic forecasters , they never admit to their mistakes . Also , of course , their business model is bust and they know it but "turkeys/Xmas", they plod on .
See Oliver Wrighi in The Times Sept 9, which concludes: "However, one Tory critic dismissed the plan as “yet more mad ramblings from a narcissistic egomaniac who is thankfully becoming increasingly irrelevant."
thanks for coming back. the problem (aesthetic) with the abundance techno optimist thesis is walk down any high street and you see junk not yet relegated to no demand. production/de-production time lags fuck up the shiny perfictionism...
I think another good DC call will be "small" nuclear reactors , R R factory made and able to be deployed into existing sites without the problems of planning consents and plug into existing distribution networks . Hopefully within 7 years . This may also help reduce the carpeting of productive land with mad rewilding schemes and solar panels . I like the windmills .
- at 45mins the org chart for covid response, what a mess!
- at 2hr 6mins, Helen MacNamara's review ... 'superhero bunfight'
- of course your own screenshots
They didn't seem to appreciate your swearing (38mins & others), lol, and so far seems like they favour more rules within caboff/no10 rather than upend the system, exactly as you allude to in this post.
“The same academics overwhelmingly have views on Israel shaped by an actual multi-decade massive KGB propaganda operation since the 1960s, now extensively documented.”
I was at the All In Summit for Gurley’s speech. I cheered with the rest but by that evening I was left a little cold. Ok, government sucks. Who didn’t know that? He offered nothing in the way of solutions. Why can’t people like him get into the system and actually work to get something done. At least Peter Thiel is trying. Do something don’t just complain.
It’s not possible in America to reform or improve DC, it must be replaced. As it happens DC-ites know this- which is why they are moving away for 3.5 years- they are walking away before they have to run.
So is the Start Up Party Happening or Not? Because some of us have to organise our schedules if it is and I'd rather know so I can plan around it.
Please reply.
Great update.
Hoping Snippets now returns more regularly. Time on these updates is I think much better spent than on Twitter. I’m convinced, too, these digests aid one’s own memory retention. Matuschak would approve!
In the above: “talking about X” isn’t going to work much longer in writing. Might need to pick a new letter! :)
Manhattan Project, Apollo Program, Apple and Amazon are the great stories of excellence at scale.
Manhattan figured out how to do strategic science, Apollo figured out strategic engineering, Apple figured out strategic product and Amazon figured out how to do strategic services.
Whilst none of these organisations are perfect, these orgs represent ‘State of the Art’ templates for an org of government department scale, to execute par excellence.
Many of the best performing local economies around the world are actually descendants of the British Empire, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai. All were established using templates of 19th Century British Institutions, courts, banks, insurance brokers, hospitals, schools, and police. All adopted these templates and build vibrant and dynamic societies on top of them.
Meanwhile back in Britain the original institutions have stagnated and rotted? Why? Is it generations of strategic muddle? A failing recruitment pipeline? Institutional capture by adversaries? Or is it just apathy? Or even first world guilt?
Regardless, superior organisational templates now exist and we would do well to implement / adopt them for our state apparatus. Other countries will.
NHS and MOD should do procurement like Apple, and should deliver services like Amazon. This doesn’t require inventing anything new. There are evidently higher performing methods already available.
All the solutions are already there, waiting to be implemented.
Have some national infrastructure needs?
See the structure and execution of the Apollo Program.
UK needs to end this age of muddle, slap itself out of this paralysing moral stupor, and just get on with getting on.
Democracy is why.
I'd also like to add that the "Builders list" can't be trusted either. TSP et al is supposed to be Conservative in a way that the actual Conservatives haven't since Baldwin. But yet in Conversations I've had with Open AI where I've expressed my concerns that JS:Replaceall (used in ChatGPT) means older browsers used by older people cant use GPT, Open AI told me "We don't care about the obsolete". JS:Replaceall is barely three years old. You're leaving a lot of people behind.
Remember when google screamed with joy about that their search engine didn't need to support IE11? Can this type of person be trusted to support the most vulnerable in society?
Post-Note: I have viewed the Gov.SG website. The Accessibility of it is appalling.
These posts always say that civil service recruitment is appalling, which it is. But you don't talk much about what it consists of. I think you should. People would assume the system had been designed by the country's enemies. Use a case study like how the Foreign Office fills its overseas slots at points on the food chain two or three grades below the ambassadors etc. Wanna work on trade issues in China? "Tell us about a time you had to choose between different options and how you approached it." Wanna work in Mexico on counter narcotics? "Can you describe a time you had to rearrange your priorities in order to meet a tight deadline?" Or perhaps you'd like to do climate in Japan? "Tell us about a time when you communicated effectively with others." Or you want to do comms in Delhi? No problem! "How have you gone about assuring there is diversity in the teams you have led?"
I wish it was satire.
Just finished about 20 rounds of interviews with different companies as I was between jobs as a software developer. The worst companies are the ones who ask these questions the most, because evaluating competence is much more difficult. The best companies asked questions that were much more specific to the role.
Can confirm truth RE: Recruitment. They gave me those questions. They also gave me a test about replying to a query via email. I've never had to do this.
I thought it took a long time for UK papers to report on your proposal for the Startup Party, and when they did what they wrote was largely derisive. I still think it's a good idea, and they are flat wrong. That's partly because most of them aren't doing their jobs properly. They really know this, but of course can't admit it even to themselves.
When did they write about TSP? Which paper?
Daily Donkey Mail
It's also because they hope that by denying DC publicity they don't have to face a huge critic of the stupid way most media hacks think about the world . How wrong they get it and like economic forecasters , they never admit to their mistakes . Also , of course , their business model is bust and they know it but "turkeys/Xmas", they plod on .
Yes. How true.
Andreesen manifesto is outstanding. Not one superfluous word. Am voting for his party.
Is he actually creating a party?
Dunno-he should
I'd have to look it up. As I roughly recall, a few weeks ago in The Times and maybe Telegraph, but long after Dom wrote it up in his substack.
See Oliver Wrighi in The Times Sept 9, which concludes: "However, one Tory critic dismissed the plan as “yet more mad ramblings from a narcissistic egomaniac who is thankfully becoming increasingly irrelevant."
Suspect relevance may spike for MSM around October 31st 🙄
why 31?
Covid enquiry evidence
Almost like that critic looked in the mirror!
Lol do you have the link by any chance?
to what?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12498163/Dominic-Cummings-set-create-new-party-power-2028.html
i don't pay for the other paper rags so daily one below
thanks for coming back. the problem (aesthetic) with the abundance techno optimist thesis is walk down any high street and you see junk not yet relegated to no demand. production/de-production time lags fuck up the shiny perfictionism...
Dc, major call on drone and satellites!!
You were absolutely spot on.
I think another good DC call will be "small" nuclear reactors , R R factory made and able to be deployed into existing sites without the problems of planning consents and plug into existing distribution networks . Hopefully within 7 years . This may also help reduce the carpeting of productive land with mad rewilding schemes and solar panels . I like the windmills .
What are your thoughts on Alex Thomas (Institute for Govt) who recently testified at the covid enquiry on Friday 13th Oct?
As an outsider to the whole thing, there were some real gems:. And maybe worth a watch before you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLj4EdRPrkg
- at 45mins the org chart for covid response, what a mess!
- at 2hr 6mins, Helen MacNamara's review ... 'superhero bunfight'
- of course your own screenshots
They didn't seem to appreciate your swearing (38mins & others), lol, and so far seems like they favour more rules within caboff/no10 rather than upend the system, exactly as you allude to in this post.
He's already said - take no notice of think tanks like Institute for Government . Better to think for yourself from first principles in context .
lmao their reaction to the swearing is priceless
Dom you did not include robert peston on yr SW1 NPC list...why????!
“The same academics overwhelmingly have views on Israel shaped by an actual multi-decade massive KGB propaganda operation since the 1960s, now extensively documented.”
Citation please?
I suppose he might be referring to Operation SIG: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345350341_The_KGB_and_Anti-Israel_Propaganda_Operations