Three Ways to Spot Bad Data

Warning Sign #1: When government officials use the data to set targets like an increase in vaccination or a decrease in cancer numbers, they always use percentages, not absolute numbers. That’s … more Blood & Milk…

Snail’s Faith: on M&E and the pace of change

  Things get better slowly. Achingly, painfully, snails-race-past slowly. They got better slowly in the US. As Chris Blattman recently pointed out, Andrew Jackson was a child soldier and genocidaire. … more Blood & Milk…

Field Notes from the Development Industry: 1/13/2013

1. Someone asked me if the new State Department Global Health Diplomacy office is likely to be hiring. Unfortunately, I’d guess no. All the major positions will most likely be … more Blood & Milk…

Starting a Land War in Asia: the Five Classic Aid Worker Blunders

1. Thinking you’re the only one who’s ever tried to do what you’re doing. 2. Brushing your teeth with tap water. 3. Believing all problems have solutions. 4. Mistaking the … more Blood & Milk…

Half a blog post on finding the middle

            This piece of a post was inspired by a post on the Humanosphere blog and some insightful comments on twitter from Brett Keller. The … more Blood & Milk…

Coordination Meetings

You always think they’re a waste of time, and there’s always that one really important thing you find out at the end…  

Things I don’t believe in – handicraft projects

I don’t like handicraft projects. They seem to be very popular with private donors and small NGOs, but they’re mostly a bad idea. Here’s why: It always seems to be … more Blood & Milk…