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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 22h

Aha. Must do more Salvia next year. Has flowered for about six months nonstop!

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 22h

💯 We did a study trip to a big bank once to learn from their digital teams, and the main thing we learned was that they have a horror show of legacy tech

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 22h

Also, how wonderful are these rain gardens Hackney keeps building.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 23h

Is it an unusually warm autumn? Doesn’t feel that way, but cornflowers and cosmos in the community garden are still flowering. Also, these last two, which I never know the names of.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 23h

The waves being:
1. Parsons and structural functionalism
2. 1960s cybernetics
3. Late-1980s/1990s complexity theory (Santa Fe institute, etc).
(Although tbf I’m not sure we ever got close to integrating the lessons from the first two! And arguably cybernetics is now spreading alongside wave 3.)
2/2

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 23h

This is fascinating although I must admit is not a beach read. It makes me think that one of the big trends we’re seeing in government/public policy is the spread of third wave systems theory (into theories of statecraft, PSR, leadership training, etc). 1/2

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 23h

Ooh I like that. Also usefully interchangeable with Legacy Elephant Organisations.

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 23h

Wow she must have had stories to tell:)

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 1d

The point being that we need to think about, and act on, the sociological / economic / system processes behind these institutions behaving in these ways. Also it's very silly when we outsource public sector digital work to legacy bureaucracies in the private sector. 4/4

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 1d

Which is to say I just had a call with a Big Bank that was scripted to the point of absurdity, when 80% of the script did not apply to the context. The goal of which was to try to help them coordinate two departments/back-end computer systems which cannot speak to each other. 3/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 1d

It's a good reminder that these aren't functions of public vs. private sector but manifestations of the deeper logic that is at work. e.g. 20th century institutional forms/managerial philosophies, plus a few decades of accretion / calcification (technical and management debt, etc.). 2/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 1d

One thing that's interesting interacting with big banks is that they essentially replicate 100% of the logic and qualities of public sector bureaucracy (the need to taxonomise, sharply demarcated silos/domains of competence, complete inability to tailor, diffusion of moral agency, etc.) 1//n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

Sorry, I should have said: the link to the crowdfunder is in the article and I will also paste it here:

www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-re...

Donate to Help us remember Tracey O'Brien, organized by James Plunkett

We were devastated to learn of the death of Tracey O'Brien. Tracey was a familiar face … James Plunkett needs your support for Help us remember Tracey O'Brien

www.gofundme.com

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

This is part of an amazing story if anyone fancies donating. (I’ll write it up sometime because it’s a very inspiring and timely example of the power of community organising at this time.)

Hackney Citizen @hackneycitizen.bsky.social · 6d

‘She can’t vanish’: Community mourns death of beloved local homeless woman

#Hackney

www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2025/10/03/c...

‘She can’t vanish’: Community mourns death of beloved local homeless woman

Fundraiser launched for a bench or plaque to honour Tracey O’Brien

www.hackneycitizen.co.uk

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 3d

Same here. I’ve lost count of the number of drivers I’ve reported to TfL. I don’t even get a response.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 3d

And it’s a pattern: www.standard.co.uk/news/transpo...

TfL vows to improve safety after 20 people died in London bus incidents last year

Fatalities included 10 pedestrians, two cyclists and eight passengers

www.standard.co.uk

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 3d

Example: I just called out a bus driver for driving 3m behind me (and trying to overtake in a narrow section of roadworks). I asked him about stopping distances:
Me: “What would have happened if I’d have fallen off my bike with you driving that close?”
Him: “Well that’s called an accident isn’t it.”

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 3d

Simple things like: the stopping distance of a double decker bus going at 20mph is not 5 meters.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 3d

The most dangerous drivers to cyclists on London’s roads for cyclists *by a distance* are TfL bus drivers. This is really a wild situation when you consider they are the ones employed by an arm of the state.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 4d

Interacting with HSBC is such a *chef’s kiss* case study in how impossible it is to escape legacy 🤦‍♂️ You can hear the mainframe creaking. Every time it’s (1) slick digital interface, (2) error message (3) very long phone call to customer service while they grapple with with their systems.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 5d

This good. But the point about lame ducks at the end of the thread is right too. We need to people who are at the start of terms of office/properly in power to see the extent of the emergency and do something about it.

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 5d

Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 5d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 6d

My new health regime is carrying my gym bag around all day without actually going to the gym, and then bringing it home, which I have done three days in a row, and let me tell you I’ve never felt better.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 8d

Love it. The oyster mushroom farm in the basement of one of their former nightclubs is one of my favourite things of all time.

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Reposted by James Plunkett

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 9d

Re-sharing two things we published this week @kinship.works

First, some thoughts on the UK government’s Pride in Place programme. Six ways to make it a success. (1/n)

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 11d

Some thoughts on Pride in Place, the UK government’s major new investment in neighbourhoods:

medium.com/@jamestplunk...

Drawing on a range projects we have underway at @kinship.works And hello from Liverpool and Labour Conference 👋

Pride in Place. Yes, but how?

The details will make all the difference

medium.com

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 9d

Second, this new partnership between @jrf-uk.bsky.social and @kinship.works - The Centre for the Edge. Helping leaders in our struggling public institutions to support the emergence of alternatives.

bsky.app/profile/jame...

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 10d

New thing alert! 📣 Today's we're launching a new initiative: The Centre for the Edge 📣
@kinship.works and @jrf-uk.bsky.social
How can leaders in our struggling public institutions support the emergence of alternatives?
More here from @mssophiaparker.bsky.social and me:

medium.com/@jamestplunk...

The Centre for the Edge

A new initiative to help public sector leaders support emerging alternatives

medium.com

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