Category Archives: Uncategorized

Thinking fast and slow about disaster preparedness

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Sam Gardner

Book: Thinking, Fast and Slow Author: Daniel Kahneman Getting back to my notes from “Thinking Fast and slow” by Daniel Kahneman, I am still amazed by the diversity of new insights the book provides on how (most) humans think . … Continue reading →

Posted in development, General Commentary, humanitarian, Political Commentary, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The hunger games, the Paris agenda and political sciences.

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Sam Gardner

I read the 3 parts of the Hunger Games trilogy in only a few weeks. A book that captivates so well its readers cannot be all bad. What amazes me most  is how “fantasy”writers seems to be better at captivating the realities of the … Continue reading →

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David Brooks and the Art of Linear Thinking

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Sam Gardner

In The New York Times, David Brookstackles the Fertility Implosion, the fact that , when women have access to reproductive rights and reproductive health services (like general health services but also anticonception) on average, they don’t like to spend their life … Continue reading →

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Geo-engineering: ready or not, here we go

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Sam Gardner

Climate change is a reality, and it means humans are in charge of the climate now. Putting carbon in the air used yo be a simple process called cooking, now it is geo engineering, as we know it changes the … Continue reading →

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Development: The dictator’s handmaiden; Is bad aid almost always good politics?

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Sam Gardner

I have just finished reading the Dictator’s Handbook, by Bruce Bueno de Mequita and Alastair Smith. I immediately reread some chapters. The book gives you an insight you feel you have known all along, but you just could not act … Continue reading →

Posted in development, Political Commentary, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

CSR and Public – Private partnership: before, we used to call this propaganda, corruption or tender procedures.

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Sam Gardner

This my contribution to the first Aid Blog Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility. When I look at the different contributions on CSR, the negativity of the academia and practitioners oozes from my screen. For good reason. Who pays the piper … Continue reading →

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Humanitarian needs and the way we fund the Horn of Africa

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Sam Gardner

Some important annual milestones for needs based humanitarian donor budgeting just passed: the publication of the 2011 Global Humanitarian Assistance Report and the Mid Year review of the OCHA Consolidated Appeals. The GHA report analyses the available data on humanitarian … Continue reading →

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The Black Rabbit and Permaculture

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Sam Gardner

I have been very quiet on my blog lately, as I was totally absorbed by my garden. It is the first time in many years I am living in a home with a real garden where I can grow my … Continue reading →

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Robin Hood Tax: I voted for it before I voted against it.

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Sam Gardner

I am in favour of a financial transaction tax, because we can. Indeed, we all know nothing is sure except for death and taxes, so I honestly think that if financial transactions can be taxed, we should at least try. … Continue reading →

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The Fragmentation of Humanitarian Aid: Market failure leads to planning and broken networks.

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Sam Gardner

Is Fragmentation a solution or a problem? One of the main reasons the donor community pushes for reform in the humanitarian aid sector is the fragmentation of the services. As an antidote for fragmentation, coordination is proposed. The conventional narrative … Continue reading →

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Sunday paper

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Sam Gardner

More Pie: Some Thinking on World AIDS Day – Blood and Milk; It is not because the bandwagon moved on that we should stop caring about Aids. Wow: Will This Results-Based Approach Change DFID Country Allocations?; Not the first time … Continue reading →

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The Sunday paper

Posted on November 6, 2010 by Sam Gardner

The Climate Catastrophe Trail Leads to Our Doorstep – Believe It | David Wheeler | Global Development: Views from the Center Promises promises: When politicians don’t deliver – The Essential Read Every politician knows that the key to winning elections … Continue reading →

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Development policy and evolution: does the donor public request impact or action?

Posted on November 6, 2010 by Sam Gardner

Owen posted a very good presentation on evolution and development on his blog. Indeed, evolution, like the market, is an efficient way to find solutions to complex problems or to optimize resource allocation. The subsequent discussion on his blog raised … Continue reading →

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Ethical eating in a diverse world; the taboo: to define identity by exclusion (part 4 of a series)

Posted on December 6, 2009 by Sam Gardner

There might be as many taboos as people A taboo food is a food from which people abstain for cultural or religious reasons. As the common meal is an important way to share common humanity, the food taboo is an … Continue reading →

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