Carl Alviani

“...when we start to talk about ordinary adversities as ‘traumas’ there is a risk that we’ll see them as harder to overcome and see ourselves as more damaged by them.” - @jessicabennett on a trend that often makes honest conversation nearly impossible nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opini…

In the US, public services are seen as inept, private ones are competent (think IRS vs your accountant); in Europe, it's often the other way around (Belastingdienst and IND are a delight). The downside, of course: dealing with @KPNwebcare is an absolute garbage fire.

This is so thoroughly true, and so rarely recognized. Writing forces a series of decisions, often in an environment where such decisions are subtly discouraged. And that's one of the things that makes it so valuable.

Dropped into a fancy-ish bar in the Jordaan Friday. They had a bourbon barrel imperial stout from the US on draft. Pricey, but I got it. And was overwhelmed on the first sip—almost in tears. Absent many food traditions, this is what I associate with celebration, friends, home.

Swiping through IG reels is basically the new vaudeville.

I'm spending a lot of time in Glasgow these days and can report that haggis is alive and well. Even as a burger topping. Even on nachos. And loaded fries.

This whole thread is strangely wonderful.

If only there were other countries that have been doing this for decades that we could look to for examples but alas where would one find such a place?

Could someone in the UK or EU please explain to me the logic of coffee houses that don't open until 10am?

Worth repeating, many, many times. Amsterdam is that way on purpose, and it took about 20 years of sustained effort.

Working with @McKinseyDesign on their Re:Design newsletter has been a real pleasure and professional highlight of the past year. The latest issue is live, and it's all about circular business models, and how design teams are making them more achievable: broadcast.mckinsey.com/79/53…

Holy crap. If you've spent much time in the tropical developing world, you know. If not...this is unspeakably huge. Malaria is a burden on every aspect of life in sub-Saharan Africa, and curbing it would not only save millions of lives, but unlock massive resources.

I don't usually respond to prompts like this, but this one's too good to keep to myself: Concetta Canoli

Well that's about as succinct a way as I've ever seen this put. Need to write that down.

I just complemented a friend on her bonnie wee tatties, if you want to know how my quarantine in Glasgow is coming along.

Read the article. Currently NL has the capacity to perform 1 million vaccinations per week — in a country of 17 million. But they're currently going at 1/5th that rate.

I love events like this! Two well-informed experts with differing opinions, presenting their arguments to each other and discussing. This is what debate is for.

One thing I'll never understand about my brain is why it constantly attempts to do unproductive low-energy mental work like scrolling Twitter, rather than equally demanding but well-paid low-energy mental work like copy editing.

Agreed. This passage is one of the loveliest things in Amsterdam, and that is really saying something.