2018

Back at the end of 2007, as we dived into the trough of the Great Recession or Great Financial Crisis or Second Great Depression or what you will, a crucial decision was taken. Verizon Wireless, then still a Vodafone division, chose LTE for its new mobile network, and put one of the most important women…

Read More Ten Years of 4G: Trump, Snowden, Huawei, and Brexit

This Pro Publica story about CPAP machines has been doing the rounds because of Eric Umansky’s experience with the one that reported back how much he was sleeping to some…thing…that decided it wasn’t enough, and therefore remotely bricked his sleep aid so he’d…whatever. But I think trying to force fit this into a mould about…

Read More How Not to Join a Coasian Hell: Brexit

A lot of people are really impressed by the insight that survey research among the British reliably suggests that both strongly left-wing and strongly right-wing positions are popular. A more nuanced version refines this to economically left-wing and socially right-wing positions. Nick Barlow’s post here is an example, but I don’t want to single him…

Read More Invisible Gammon: Fun with the Ecological Fallacy

So apparently this is a thing: Latest rumour is a May statement at 1.45pm. Full lectern job. Let's see. — Francis Elliott (@elliotttimes) September 21, 2018 There are prime ministerial statements, and then there are ones that get the official lectern. Those are special. And depressingly, it works, for a time at least: Totally normal,…

Read More Full Lectern Job

So there’s this: How to make the UK the laughing stock of the world. https://t.co/BKRzC7QZco — (((Frances Coppola))) (@Frances_Coppola) September 15, 2018 Specifically, Liam Fox’s ministry is sponsoring the restoration of a Spitfire as part of its export promotion campaign. FOXFIRE!!! This reminded me of something. If you’re pitching to the Big Lottery Fund or…

Read More FOXFIRE! and grant applications as a way of political life

Here is the first ad in the government campaign for the deployment of so-called smart energy meters, a giant Internet of Things project that’s not going so well. So here we have the charming little tykes Gaz and Leccy, a pair of mischievous pseudo-adolescents bouncing around causing trouble for the tired-olds (check out that astonishingly…

Read More Taking back control: Gaz, Leccy, and Frank Field