Mumbled Musings

I usually describe myself as a scientist if someone asks me what I do.  But I am also a businessman, though it isn't the part of my life I most enjoy.  With science you are always learning new things.  You get to learn a lot in business too. It isn't as satisfying though.  It doesn't have the same universal applicability that science does.  Gravity is forever.  VAT is just one of those things.  But like everyone else I need cash so I am stuck with it.

"That means we need to reform not just recruitment, but training. We need to ensure more policy makers and decision makers feel comfortable discussing the Monte Carlo method or Bayesian statistics, more of those in Government are equipped to read a balance sheet and discuss what constitutes an appropriate return on investment, more are conversant with the commercial practices of those from whom we procure services and can negotiate the right contracts and enforce them appropriately." Michael Gove is a weird guy.  His early life sounds a bit like the first chapter of a Dickens novel. But he ended up studying English at Oxford and after a brief stint as a stand up comedian, settled into a pretty standard political elite career as a pro-establishment journalist followed by back room wonkery for prominent Conservative politicians and then becoming a Conservative politician himself.  As is typical for such folk, he was at no point troubled to produce a product that someone

I'm sitting here looking at a pile of things that need to be done.  I can't do all of them.  The weight of all this stuff is crushing me.  I've got a free evening, shall I devote it to clearing my backlog? I am going to try something radical.  I'm going to set a timer for 2 minutes, and spend 2 minutes of every job I have to do.