International icebreaker
I am not even twelve hours into the Italy trip and it is clear that the iPhone may be the surprise social lubricant of the journey. People are unabashed about asking about it, wanting to hold it, play with it. And I am of course obliging.
The great thing is that being wowed by the iPhone has nothing to do with language. It is visual and tactile and immediate. An Italian at O’Hare and an Indian in Milan (where I am now) were flicking through my kids’ photos in no time flat. A great conversation-starter.
For what it’s worth, the phone works great over here and EDGE isn’t too bad either.
Hi, I’m John Tolva!
I'm co-founder of CityFi, a strategic urban consultancy.This is all my other stuff.
Here's a little bit about me and how to get in touch.
Views From The Tank
Big Polyp Blastomussa Coral
(Blastomussa wellsi)
Upcoming
-
EDCC Regional Economic Development Forum
Northwest Front Range
Westminster, CO
April 24 -
Innovation After Hours: Boulder
Smart Cities and Internet of Things
Boulder, CO
April 24
Marginalia
-
Hard R.
-
Beware the consequences of throttling the public way.
-
Using satellite maps of cities like Beijing, Athens, New York, and Los Angeles to create delightful labyrinths.
-
“There is a mutation, and if it’s a good one it sticks. And that’s something that doesn’t really exist so much in formal architecture.”
-
I didn't think I could love Joe Maddon any more than I did, but here we are.
-
Ambitious. Those mountains though.
-
Inspired Anthony Hopkin's portrayal of Hannibal Lecter!
-
Great dive into the musicality of speech. Reminds me of the theory that language actually began sung, not spoken.
-
"Why should it require explicit scheduling to see a friend who lives "within striking distance"? Why shouldn't proximity do some of the work?"
-
The Finnish MaaS model might have legs.