Diarmuid McDonnell
@diarmuidmc.bsky.social
Reader in Social Statistics @UWS. Charities and social statistics, two daughters and a wife is enough to keep me going.
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
In an effort that will no doubt torch my follower base, I have laid out some basic numbers around our fiscal situation. Obvious, but still a little sobering for me.
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/t...
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/t...
There really is no getting out of this fiscal corner
It is something of a cliche to argue that Britain is running out of money, living beyond its means, wandering through a fiscal fool’s paradise – but no less true for that. The trend of …
freethinkecon.wordpress.com
July 15, 2025 at 3:19 PM
In an effort that will no doubt torch my follower base, I have laid out some basic numbers around our fiscal situation. Obvious, but still a little sobering for me.
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/t...
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/t...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Fully transparent and open AI coming out of Switzerland soon. Something worth monitoring. ethz.ch/en/news-and-...
A language model built for the public good
ETH Zurich and EPFL will release a large language model (LLM) developed on public infrastructure. Trained on the “Alps” supercomputer at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), the new LLM ma...
ethz.ch
July 14, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Fully transparent and open AI coming out of Switzerland soon. Something worth monitoring. ethz.ch/en/news-and-...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
The biggest crises hide in plain sight:
“The cuts made by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to the USA’s overseas aid have already claimed an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 lives across the world – six to 10 times the death toll of Gaza – and get a fraction of the attention of Trump’s day-to-day chaos.”
“The cuts made by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to the USA’s overseas aid have already claimed an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 lives across the world – six to 10 times the death toll of Gaza – and get a fraction of the attention of Trump’s day-to-day chaos.”
Climate change will burn the insurance markets
As temperatures rise and insurance markets get spooked, voters and populist politicians still want to spend less on the environment
www.thenewworld.co.uk
June 29, 2025 at 7:32 AM
The biggest crises hide in plain sight:
“The cuts made by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to the USA’s overseas aid have already claimed an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 lives across the world – six to 10 times the death toll of Gaza – and get a fraction of the attention of Trump’s day-to-day chaos.”
“The cuts made by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to the USA’s overseas aid have already claimed an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 lives across the world – six to 10 times the death toll of Gaza – and get a fraction of the attention of Trump’s day-to-day chaos.”
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
I bet they have. Dundee's accounts are going to be looked at under a microscope the size of the sun, and they won't be the last either.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Charity regulator to investigate crisis-hit Dundee University
Scotland's charity regulator has launched an investigation into the running of the cash-strapped University of Dundee.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 24, 2025 at 10:08 AM
I bet they have. Dundee's accounts are going to be looked at under a microscope the size of the sun, and they won't be the last either.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Free webinar: Explore the diversity gap at the top of charities
On Tuesday 24 June we lift the lid on trustee demographics and skills gaps, looking at potential solutions and continuing the conversation sparked by our recent report for the Charity Commission👇
Join in:
On Tuesday 24 June we lift the lid on trustee demographics and skills gaps, looking at potential solutions and continuing the conversation sparked by our recent report for the Charity Commission👇
Join in:
Who’s on board? Closing the diversity gap in charity leadership | PBE
Sign up now to hear about PBE's latest research on trustee diversity and what's needed to build more inclusive charity boards.
pbe.co.uk
June 18, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Free webinar: Explore the diversity gap at the top of charities
On Tuesday 24 June we lift the lid on trustee demographics and skills gaps, looking at potential solutions and continuing the conversation sparked by our recent report for the Charity Commission👇
Join in:
On Tuesday 24 June we lift the lid on trustee demographics and skills gaps, looking at potential solutions and continuing the conversation sparked by our recent report for the Charity Commission👇
Join in:
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
To mark Carers UK's 60th Anniversary in Scotland, we are using our platform to share the stories of carers.
In her piece, "Identity Crisis- from Career to Carer" Alison talks about her feelings toward giving up paid work to care.
Read her article here: www.carersuk.org/news/60th-an...
In her piece, "Identity Crisis- from Career to Carer" Alison talks about her feelings toward giving up paid work to care.
Read her article here: www.carersuk.org/news/60th-an...
May 30, 2025 at 10:30 AM
To mark Carers UK's 60th Anniversary in Scotland, we are using our platform to share the stories of carers.
In her piece, "Identity Crisis- from Career to Carer" Alison talks about her feelings toward giving up paid work to care.
Read her article here: www.carersuk.org/news/60th-an...
In her piece, "Identity Crisis- from Career to Carer" Alison talks about her feelings toward giving up paid work to care.
Read her article here: www.carersuk.org/news/60th-an...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Fascinating deep dive into the MIT economics/AI paper scandal/clusterf***.
thebsdetector.substack.com/p/ai-materia...
thebsdetector.substack.com/p/ai-materia...
AI, Materials, and Fraud, Oh My!
The red flags we should have seen earlier for a too-good-to-be-true paper on AI tool adoption at a materials research firm
thebsdetector.substack.com
May 17, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Fascinating deep dive into the MIT economics/AI paper scandal/clusterf***.
thebsdetector.substack.com/p/ai-materia...
thebsdetector.substack.com/p/ai-materia...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
New post: Starmer’s Disgraceful and Damaging Remarks
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/05/star...
As with austerity in the 2010s, if none of the main parties can be honest about immigration then the public debate will be equally dishonest.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/05/star...
As with austerity in the 2010s, if none of the main parties can be honest about immigration then the public debate will be equally dishonest.
Starmer’s Disgraceful and Damaging Remarks
I’m on holiday, and wasn’t going to write a blog post this week. But after a splendid day out on the Northumbrian coast I made the mistake...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
May 13, 2025 at 7:52 AM
New post: Starmer’s Disgraceful and Damaging Remarks
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/05/star...
As with austerity in the 2010s, if none of the main parties can be honest about immigration then the public debate will be equally dishonest.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/05/star...
As with austerity in the 2010s, if none of the main parties can be honest about immigration then the public debate will be equally dishonest.
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Incalculable = when we calculated it, it didn't give us the answer we wanted
If you thought the PM’s speech was punchy, his foreword to the immigration white paper says high net migration has done “incalculable damage” to the country.
That is a serious shift in tone for a Labour government/party.
That is a serious shift in tone for a Labour government/party.
May 12, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Incalculable = when we calculated it, it didn't give us the answer we wanted
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
There's a comically common school of thought in the government which basically goes 'UK state doesn't do enough. Doesn't build enough. Doesn't have enough skilled teachers in certain subjects. Doesn't provide enough for Neets. Current level of money fine, and also can do this with fewer people'.
May 8, 2025 at 11:32 AM
There's a comically common school of thought in the government which basically goes 'UK state doesn't do enough. Doesn't build enough. Doesn't have enough skilled teachers in certain subjects. Doesn't provide enough for Neets. Current level of money fine, and also can do this with fewer people'.
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
BREAKING: Over 40% of of universities predict imminent deficit.
More than 4 in 10 English universities expect a deficit this year due to lower international student recruitment.
OfS raises concerns over recruitment targets “that cannot be achieved”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
More than 4 in 10 English universities expect a deficit this year due to lower international student recruitment.
OfS raises concerns over recruitment targets “that cannot be achieved”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Over 40% of English universities predict imminent deficit - Research Professional News
Office for Students raises concerns over student recruitment targets “that cannot be achieved”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
May 8, 2025 at 10:37 AM
BREAKING: Over 40% of of universities predict imminent deficit.
More than 4 in 10 English universities expect a deficit this year due to lower international student recruitment.
OfS raises concerns over recruitment targets “that cannot be achieved”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
More than 4 in 10 English universities expect a deficit this year due to lower international student recruitment.
OfS raises concerns over recruitment targets “that cannot be achieved”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
British Academy report 'emphasises the urgent need for policymakers to recognise social and cultural spaces – such as libraries, leisure centres, galleries, and community hubs – as essential infrastructure that contributes directly to economic growth and the reduction of social inequalities.'
Value of social and cultural infrastructure ‘risks being neglected in decision-making' without new measurement framework, British Academy report argues
A new report commissioned by the British Academy emphasises the urgent need for policymakers to recognise social and cultural spaces – such as libraries, leisure centres, galleries, and community hubs...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
April 30, 2025 at 7:16 AM
British Academy report 'emphasises the urgent need for policymakers to recognise social and cultural spaces – such as libraries, leisure centres, galleries, and community hubs – as essential infrastructure that contributes directly to economic growth and the reduction of social inequalities.'
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
So much terrible policy about immigration comes from treating 'how many people does it take to run this thing?' as something you can answer separately from, or instead of, questions about your economic model, geography, etc. etc.
April 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM
So much terrible policy about immigration comes from treating 'how many people does it take to run this thing?' as something you can answer separately from, or instead of, questions about your economic model, geography, etc. etc.
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
NEW BLOG POST: Developing a READING practice: 4 reasons and 5 tips www.raulpacheco.org/2025/04/deve...
In this blog post I give you 4 reasons/justifications for developing a reading practice and 5 tips on how to do it.
#RPVSky
In this blog post I give you 4 reasons/justifications for developing a reading practice and 5 tips on how to do it.
#RPVSky
Developing a READING practice: 4 reasons and 5 tips
In my courses, on my blog, across all my social media platforms, and everywhere I
www.raulpacheco.org
April 13, 2025 at 3:32 PM
NEW BLOG POST: Developing a READING practice: 4 reasons and 5 tips www.raulpacheco.org/2025/04/deve...
In this blog post I give you 4 reasons/justifications for developing a reading practice and 5 tips on how to do it.
#RPVSky
In this blog post I give you 4 reasons/justifications for developing a reading practice and 5 tips on how to do it.
#RPVSky
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
British Steel employs 3.6k people. Coventry Uni group, which auditors say may not survive, employs 7.7k. But there is an emergency debate in parliament for British Steel and nothing for the whole HE sector imploding
Why is the government and the news so indifferent to the meltdown happening in UK #HigherEd right now?
Our universities are the envy of the world. Yet we are at risk of losing a generation of academics and damaging the sector beyond repair.
Our universities are the envy of the world. Yet we are at risk of losing a generation of academics and damaging the sector beyond repair.
The UK car industry contributes £22bn to the economy and employs c 35k people.
Universities contribute £265bn and employ nearly 400k, over 10x as much.
Yet he seems ok to let that sector implode.
Universities contribute £265bn and employ nearly 400k, over 10x as much.
Yet he seems ok to let that sector implode.
April 12, 2025 at 7:47 AM
British Steel employs 3.6k people. Coventry Uni group, which auditors say may not survive, employs 7.7k. But there is an emergency debate in parliament for British Steel and nothing for the whole HE sector imploding
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
We're recruiting! Come and join us!
We're looking for an Assistant Professor to join the new Bennett School of Public Policy in September 2025, to play a leading role in the running & teaching of our M.Phil in Public Policy and PhD programme, & to also conduct original research.
Apply by 27 April 2025:
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50808/
Apply by 27 April 2025:
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50808/
March 31, 2025 at 4:48 PM
We're recruiting! Come and join us!
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Spring statement: Rachel Reeves’ battles are far from over
The chancellor's fiscal tightrope, navigated today by a careful balancing act, stretches far into the future — with geopolitical headwinds still swirling
Latest for @politics-co-uk.bsky.social 👇
www.politics.co.uk/politicslunc...
The chancellor's fiscal tightrope, navigated today by a careful balancing act, stretches far into the future — with geopolitical headwinds still swirling
Latest for @politics-co-uk.bsky.social 👇
www.politics.co.uk/politicslunc...
Spring statement: Rachel Reeves’ battles are far from over - Politics.co.uk
Labour’s vow to set out only one major “fiscal event” a year, detailed in its election manifesto, was designed to serve as a definite signal of a new era: in the place of political chaos and fiscal un...
www.politics.co.uk
March 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Spring statement: Rachel Reeves’ battles are far from over
The chancellor's fiscal tightrope, navigated today by a careful balancing act, stretches far into the future — with geopolitical headwinds still swirling
Latest for @politics-co-uk.bsky.social 👇
www.politics.co.uk/politicslunc...
The chancellor's fiscal tightrope, navigated today by a careful balancing act, stretches far into the future — with geopolitical headwinds still swirling
Latest for @politics-co-uk.bsky.social 👇
www.politics.co.uk/politicslunc...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Less than a week to go to apply to the Paris Summer Institute in CSS.
This year we will focus on LLMs and gen AI.
It's entirely free, open to all disciplines across the social sciences, and our speaker's list is already wonderful and getting better. More info here: sicss.io/2025/paris/
This year we will focus on LLMs and gen AI.
It's entirely free, open to all disciplines across the social sciences, and our speaker's list is already wonderful and getting better. More info here: sicss.io/2025/paris/
Summer Institute in Computational Social Science
sicss.io
March 22, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Less than a week to go to apply to the Paris Summer Institute in CSS.
This year we will focus on LLMs and gen AI.
It's entirely free, open to all disciplines across the social sciences, and our speaker's list is already wonderful and getting better. More info here: sicss.io/2025/paris/
This year we will focus on LLMs and gen AI.
It's entirely free, open to all disciplines across the social sciences, and our speaker's list is already wonderful and getting better. More info here: sicss.io/2025/paris/
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
I’ve long used FiveThirtyEight’s interactive “Hack Your Way To Scientific Glory” to illustrate the idea of p-hacking when I teach statistics. But ABC/Disney killed the site earlier this month :(
So I made my own with #rstats and Observable and #QuartoPub ! stats.andrewheiss.com/hack-your-way/
So I made my own with #rstats and Observable and #QuartoPub ! stats.andrewheiss.com/hack-your-way/
March 20, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I’ve long used FiveThirtyEight’s interactive “Hack Your Way To Scientific Glory” to illustrate the idea of p-hacking when I teach statistics. But ABC/Disney killed the site earlier this month :(
So I made my own with #rstats and Observable and #QuartoPub ! stats.andrewheiss.com/hack-your-way/
So I made my own with #rstats and Observable and #QuartoPub ! stats.andrewheiss.com/hack-your-way/
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Plumbing new depths with every say. Depraved. “U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is planning to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia” www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Exclusive: Trump plans to revoke legal status of Ukrainians who fled to US, sources say
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is planning to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia, a senior Trump official and three sources familiar with the matter said, potentially putting them on a fast-track to deportation.
www.reuters.com
March 6, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Plumbing new depths with every say. Depraved. “U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is planning to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia” www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
To repeat: "A country so stupid it actively trashes one of things it's good at and famous for."
Today's university slashing and burning is Edinburgh, where about 10% of the budget will be cut. There'll be another case every single day until UK govts actually do something. A country so stupid it actively trashes one of things it's good at and famous for.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Edinburgh University to seek £140m in savings
Unions said the plans would result in "devastating cuts" and called for Edinburgh University to use some of its assets instead.
www.bbc.com
February 25, 2025 at 10:00 PM
To repeat: "A country so stupid it actively trashes one of things it's good at and famous for."
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
Wrote about gang grooming and child sexual exploitation now, what’s changed since the first scandals broke in the 2010s, and what we still don’t know
on.ft.com/4h9E4NI
on.ft.com/4h9E4NI
‘Anybody can be a victim’: what do UK grooming gangs look like today?
New data shows the shape of child sexual abuse after Elon Musk highlights decades-old scandal
on.ft.com
January 10, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Wrote about gang grooming and child sexual exploitation now, what’s changed since the first scandals broke in the 2010s, and what we still don’t know
on.ft.com/4h9E4NI
on.ft.com/4h9E4NI
Reposted by Diarmuid McDonnell
The course websites for my Spring 2025 causal inference and data visualization classes (both with #rstats) are live!
evalsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
datavizsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
evalsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
datavizsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
Program Evaluation for Public Service – Program Evaluation
Combine research design, causal inference, and econometric tools to measure the effects of social programs
evalsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
January 8, 2025 at 6:11 PM
The course websites for my Spring 2025 causal inference and data visualization classes (both with #rstats) are live!
evalsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
datavizsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
evalsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com
datavizsp25.classes.andrewheiss.com