As a programmer in state government this approach is not feasible for many reasons the chief of which is that at almost every level of government we lack technocrats. In the very unlikely event that one is appointed or hired that has Audrey Tang's(from the podcast, digital minister for Taiwan) background I predict that the amount of pushback received from other levels of government and unions would smother any software with similar utility to that of the mask finder. I can't wait to jump to private industry.
Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
11–20 of 100 posts
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#12It's hard to tell why you might want to listen to this from just the title: "But Taiwan has also been taking a relatively experimental approach to the pandemic with technology. Like working with civic hackers to code its way out of the pandemic. Today on the show, we dive into Taiwan's pandemic policies and ask: Would the U.S. ever take a similar approach?"
I'll address why one would listen: to learn about some ways not to be the epicenter of a pandemic ever again.
> not to be the epicenter of a pandemic
Are we talking about the US? In what metric is the USA the epicenter? In deaths per capita? In infections per capita? I’m pretty sure US leads in testing per capita. I’m not being snarky, I really don’t know if you are referring to USA, and in what way.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#13The US government is full of corruption and closed-source companies basically destroying almost all open source collaborative efforts based on greed. Unless a leader steps in that truly understands this and works to get rid of it, then I don't think the US will ever be able to compete.
What are you actually talking about, your just touting rhetorical nonsense with no actual content or thought beyond you on hypocritical echo.
"Woe is me the government is corrupt, won't the government save me from their corruption".
Take power away from the government and you'll find it a lot easier.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#14Those are some really incredible Covid numbers for Taiwan, just, incredible.
Having spent time there and seem some poorer areas and very dense areas, 7 deaths is unbelievably great.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#15I don't fully get the title from the content, but perhaps NPR is saying that we should have a different control structure for health related maters... Like for example in Star Trek the only people that can override the captain is the doctor. For medical emergencies they can basically force some course of action. It seems in most countries the top brass is making decisions even though they are not technically qualified to do so.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#16I don't fully get the title from the content, but perhaps NPR is saying that we should have a different control structure for health related maters... Like for example in Star Trek the only people that can override the captain is the doctor. For medical emergencies they can basically force some course of action. It seems in most countries the top brass is making decisions even though they are not technically qualifie…
Doctors can’t override the captain, except on medical choices and only narrowly.
They can relieve the captain — but they can do that in the US, too.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#17I don't fully get the title from the content, but perhaps NPR is saying that we should have a different control structure for health related maters... Like for example in Star Trek the only people that can override the captain is the doctor. For medical emergencies they can basically force some course of action. It seems in most countries the top brass is making decisions even though they are not technically qualifie…
If the government is going to tell me I can't leave my house, I want that decision being made by an elected official with some accountability to the public, not by a staff doctor of some sort.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#18Those are some really incredible Covid numbers for Taiwan, just, incredible . Having spent time there and seem some poorer areas and very dense areas, 7 deaths is unbelievably great.
Think about what that implies regarding the difference a competent government makes. Half a million dead, maybe even more, in the US alone. Granted, Taiwan was in some way lucky to have had SARS to get the acceptance needed to install their emergency law, but still, others had too and did scratch. Switzerland even gave up its stockpile of pandemic supply two years ago.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#19Those are some really incredible Covid numbers for Taiwan, just, incredible . Having spent time there and seem some poorer areas and very dense areas, 7 deaths is unbelievably great.
They could also have motivations to use more specific testing or lower PCR amplification cycles. The PCR amplifications of over 40+ in the US and EU lead to many false positives. There could also be genetic factors found in only South East Asians. Also, they're an island, just like NZ.
There are a lot of variables, but the biggest factor: they're literally an island.
Re: Bringing civic tech to Taiwan's coronavirus pandemic response [audio]
#20The US government is full of corruption and closed-source companies basically destroying almost all open source collaborative efforts based on greed. Unless a leader steps in that truly understands this and works to get rid of it, then I don't think the US will ever be able to compete.
One of the big issues for these kinds of things is that the United States has 51+ governments. The Federal Government has limited power and for a lot of stuff the 50 states can do their own thing. The Civil War did move more power to the Federal Gov, but the States are still very independent.