Owen Barder
@owen.org
Economist. ex No10, Treasury, CGD, PxD. Former visiting Professor @ LSE. Development Drums podcast. Team GB triathlete age-grouper. Olympic volunteer. Feminist, internationalist. Set up the first UK Government website. Helped invent AMCs.
I think my family in Denmark might want to quibble with that ....
September 1, 2025 at 9:24 AM
I think my family in Denmark might want to quibble with that ....
Chris - let me know if you want me to try to help you to move the archive. - Owen
September 1, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Chris - let me know if you want me to try to help you to move the archive. - Owen
Why does the amount of computational power needed for each query go up when the number of queries or number of users goes up?
August 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Why does the amount of computational power needed for each query go up when the number of queries or number of users goes up?
The marginal cost is greater than zero (perhaps non trivially so). But why would the marginal cost increase with the number of users?
August 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The marginal cost is greater than zero (perhaps non trivially so). But why would the marginal cost increase with the number of users?
If the ad-supported streamers are doing it, they are doing it very badly. We get adverts (and trailers) that are almost entirely irrelevant to me or anyone in the household.
August 12, 2025 at 6:53 PM
If the ad-supported streamers are doing it, they are doing it very badly. We get adverts (and trailers) that are almost entirely irrelevant to me or anyone in the household.
All this. Also, why aren't the advertisements targeted?
August 12, 2025 at 6:40 PM
All this. Also, why aren't the advertisements targeted?
This is true - but it is only going to be politically feasible if digital systems are also designed to protect the liberty and privacy of the citizen.
That is possible, but it has not been on offer in the UK.
owen.org/blog/12159/
That is possible, but it has not been on offer in the UK.
owen.org/blog/12159/
Why we need government digital identities and how to do it safely - Owen Abroad
The Government is considering whether and how to introduce digital government identities. This is partly because the Tony Blair Institute has made the case (here) and also because - as the Institute c...
owen.org
August 4, 2025 at 12:27 PM
This is true - but it is only going to be politically feasible if digital systems are also designed to protect the liberty and privacy of the citizen.
That is possible, but it has not been on offer in the UK.
owen.org/blog/12159/
That is possible, but it has not been on offer in the UK.
owen.org/blog/12159/
Same in Denmark, where much of my family lives.
August 4, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Same in Denmark, where much of my family lives.
I'm not excited about the machine refusing to work if I don't feel like doing this though.
July 31, 2025 at 11:49 AM
I'm not excited about the machine refusing to work if I don't feel like doing this though.
My Siemens coffee machine threatens to stop working if I do not frequently use (expensive) descaling tablets. I keep wondering if this is even legal.
July 31, 2025 at 8:06 AM
My Siemens coffee machine threatens to stop working if I do not frequently use (expensive) descaling tablets. I keep wondering if this is even legal.
True. He does have a good way of getting a point across.
July 30, 2025 at 4:05 PM
True. He does have a good way of getting a point across.
That said, it was a good piece by Janan today.
July 30, 2025 at 4:00 PM
That said, it was a good piece by Janan today.
I thought this was a pretty familar point? It is a version of survivorship bias. Today's architecture, pop songs, literature, companies etc seem worse because we compare the average today with the selection from the past that survives - on our streets, playlists, bookshelves and in our memories.
July 30, 2025 at 3:56 PM
I thought this was a pretty familar point? It is a version of survivorship bias. Today's architecture, pop songs, literature, companies etc seem worse because we compare the average today with the selection from the past that survives - on our streets, playlists, bookshelves and in our memories.