So happy with the @ONS right now. Just VLOOKUPed from some Local Authority codes into this population table,... and EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. MATCHED. Every one. 100%. So happy.

I've sent them feedback.

Imagine how happy I'll be if this works first time.

Read 13 tweets

Tom Forth

@thomasforth

14 Mar

@sundersays

I can't recommend this piece by @sundersays highly enough. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

@ODILeeds

Diversity is one of the biggest things we work on @ODILeeds, in part because our sponsors ask us to. It is a challenging topic, and one where the culture and rules of statistical and data analysis can be insulting to people. So we have to tread carefully. odileeds.org/blog/2020-09-1…

I think that data and statistical analysis can add value, help us identify problems, and make improvements. My diversity explorer here is a tool that a lot of people use. I look again every few months to see if/how we need to update it. Hard but important. imactivate.com/diversityexplo…

Read 12 tweets

Tom Forth

@thomasforth

13 Mar

Sometimes I dream about how much further along we'd be in discussions about big tech and algorithmic bias if we doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc... the amount of good faith in the "discussions".

Which is another of way of saying,... I'm just now reading up on the "Google Translate translates these Finnish gender-neutral sentences into gendered sentences in English" kerfuffle.

And there is a really good discussion to have about this. Clearly it's something where almost everyone wants to do better. And doing better will improve the world we all live in. But that great discussion is drowned out by the bad-faith noise about big tech privilege.

Read 8 tweets

Tom Forth

@thomasforth

11 Mar

It's an unusual angle, but I'll share it, because Twitter. Lots of the money "spent on" Test and Trace hasn't actually been spent. It's sat on in imaginary budget somewhere in case it's needed. Sounds fine? No, it infuriates me. Because no local government ever gets that benefit.

Local governments had to go out and spend what it takes, were promised their costs would be covered, then they weren't. And while they beg for the money, T&T gets to sit on billions.

Transport for the North, having spent less this year for pandemic reasons, wanted to return to spending its usual amount next year, but they just got their budget cut to the lower level (which the PM then lied and continues to lie to the House of Commons about).

Read 10 tweets

Tom Forth

@thomasforth

10 Mar

I might struggle with some of the content, and much of the context, but that is an A++ front cover. The font, the logo, the design. Great stuff.

Hey, do you know what, I'm not struggling at all. The digs at the EU are petty and unnecessary,... the sign of an unconfident nation,... but apart from that it's very good. It's an early report, just setting out the remit, and it does that well.

This is probably not a good sign though. I will make sure to make a strong representation on it. (which I have little doubt will be ignored).

Read 9 tweets

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