Odds and Ends of History

Odds and Ends of History

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Odds and Ends of History
Odds and Ends of History
Odds and Ends #45: Deliverism, blasphemy and selfies from space
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Odds and Ends #45: Deliverism, blasphemy and selfies from space

Plus the best Minecraft-themed political deepfake you'll see today

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James O'Malley
Dec 02, 2024
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Odds and Ends of History
Odds and Ends of History
Odds and Ends #45: Deliverism, blasphemy and selfies from space
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A close up of the earth from space
Photo by Bhautik Patel on Unsplash

Hello, it’s time for Odds and Ends, your regular mini-newsletter collecting the most interesting links I’ve seen lately. This week, it includes:

  • A defence of an increasingly unpopular idea on the centre-left

  • The maddest PMQ I’ve seen in a long time

  • A cool new satellite

  • The best use of political deepfakes I’ve seen so far

  • …And more!

But first, some housekeeping:


Tickets are now available for my next in-person live event/meet-up!

Click the image to go to the ticket booking page!

On January 21st, I’m going to be speaking to ex-DfT transport policy expert Michael Dnes all about the future of transport – we’re going to talk trains, buses, autonomous cars and so much more.

You might know Michael from his many brilliant, viral Twitter threads on transport issues. He’s one of the smartest people I know.

So do come along and join us – he promises that “the chances of me being accidentally indiscreet are very high”, and hopefully this means that he’ll share some juicy transport gossip, and not just call me a prick to my face.

Oh, and did I mention it’s going to be in a pub? So come along and hang out!

Tickets / more info here


Subscribe to Liz!

Earlier this year my partner, Liz Lutgendorff, wrote for me about why fixing government technology is a nightmare, based on her experience of a decade or so working at the Government Digital Service. If you’ve not read it before, go back and check it out, as it was a big hit – I understand it did the rounds in at least a couple of government departments…

Why fixing government tech is a nightmare (but not impossible)

Why fixing government tech is a nightmare (but not impossible)

James O'Malley and Liz Lutgendorff
·
June 3, 2024
Read full story

Anyway, Liz has exciting news. I’m delighted to reveal that she’s taken the plunge and launched her own Substack newsletter. It’s going to be all about digital government, and how to drag organisations into the twenty-first century.

She’s already written a banger of a first post, titled “Why digital transformation happens to you”, so have a read – and if you’re interested in digital government or how to fix broken organisations, be sure to subscribe!

Liz Lutgendorff
Just a person on the internet doing digital transformation things.

Travel tips please: I’m going to be heading to New Zealand for a couple of weeks soon, so if anyone has any suggestions for nerd stuff to see in Auckland, Wellington, and maybe the North Island more broadly, let me know! (Sadly Noel Edmonds’ pub is on the South Island and too far for this trip.)


Now – finally – let’s get on with the links!

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