Monthly Archives: May 2012

middle east gulf piracy expected to actively continue for a minimum of 10 years

report (Managing Supply Chain Risk: Understanding Piracy Threat) released from the 4th ‘Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association Supply Chain Conference.’ this year marks a turning point in piracy activities. the number of vessels captured in 2011 compared to 2010 reduced by over 50 per cent and further reductions are expected in the coming years. however, as theContinue reading “middle east gulf piracy expected to actively continue for a minimum of 10 years”

i am not sure that means what you think it means (origins of metaphors in development, german folk-stories edition)

thanks to having professors who are curious about the origins and use of phrases, i have recently had the occasion to consider two phrases in common use — and likely mis-use. these would be hilarious mid-understandings as the basis of a sit-com or, as here, folklore. as the basis of policy, not so much. 1.Continue reading “i am not sure that means what you think it means (origins of metaphors in development, german folk-stories edition)”

pyrates: this has a familiar ring

a small excerpt from ‘a general history of the robberies and murders of the most notorious pyrates,’ likely by daniel defoe (published under the name of captain charles johnson) (1724). more prescient on the issue of employment than on the bottomless fish supply, of course. We have given a few Instances in the Course of this HistoryContinue reading “pyrates: this has a familiar ring”

a few pirate tidbits from an exibition i did not attend

but this nice woman did. some highlights of her highlights: slave ships ‘pirates liked to steal slave ships (en route from Africa), since they were built to carry large numbers and could be remodeled to fit their needs. ‘the ships included craftsmen, including people who could remodel captured ships to fit the pirate crew’s needsContinue reading “a few pirate tidbits from an exibition i did not attend”

pirates make UN sexy — but at high price

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-16/war-on-somali-piracy-needs-rules-and-impregnable-citadels.html key points: pirates (as a topic, apparently, not as guests) make a meeting sexy 219 piracy incidents in 2010 cost  “the shipping industry, insurers, navies and law enforcement more than $7 billion” speeding may not be the answer but impregnable citadels are (?). shockingly, “it may be futile to expect shippers to run at full speed throughContinue reading “pirates make UN sexy — but at high price”

i know – but couldn’t we have asked, too?

things i know & understand: this is cool research from @poverty_action it’s fun and important to show and know that ‘we’ (development types) have poor assumptions about what will work time and budgets are always constrained this comment is super-predictable coming from me. but… when i read this: our results showed that although the consultingContinue reading “i know – but couldn’t we have asked, too?”

eu carries out airstrikes on mainland somali pirate bases

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18069685 http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0515/EU-airstrike-on-Somali-pirates-echoes-US-drone-strategy eu is now allowing airstrikes on on-land targets, a move about which the somali government was aware. however, no eu boots are ashore in these operations. By bringing its fighting strategy more in line with that of the US, Europe is playing “a very dangerous game,” says Bronwyn Burton,  deputy director of the Michael S. AnsariContinue reading “eu carries out airstrikes on mainland somali pirate bases”

fun tidbits from grading (medicare and expensive treatments)

every year i am re-astounded by the things we discuss about medicare in norm daniels’s ethics class. among them: 1. it is not permissible for medicare to consider cost, cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, or opportunity cost when deciding to cover a new medicine or treatment. only effectiveness (‘reasonable and necessary’) (see D Brock 2010). this is trueContinue reading “fun tidbits from grading (medicare and expensive treatments)”

how is a raven like a writing desk? (smartphones as sanitation metaphor)

i have raised my eyebrows once or twice here about some of the discussions on the ipad or smartphone of toilets and sanitation. now i have gotten through the @gatesfoundation challenge paper and have a few more things to say. i briefly summarize the three key topics of the paper in  terms of approaches to improvingContinue reading “how is a raven like a writing desk? (smartphones as sanitation metaphor)”