Modalities

Agreement has been reached on the modalities for humanitarian assistance.

(UN envoy Kofi Annan, talking about the failure to achieve a way forward in civil war torn Syria).

After a crappy day in the office I drove home the slow way and listened to the latest coverage of the tragedy in the dying light of the Arab spring. I thank the fates that my small life is a long way from such strife and am grateful for what I have.

Much of my working life is centred now on deciphering the unintelligible jargon of change in the NHS. So this phrase by Kofi Annan struck a chord. If you check out the relevant Wikipedia entry you will find an astonishing number of definitions and references regarding modalities. I think the most relevant is "the formulas, targets, or specific measures used to accomplish objectives in trade negotiations". The trade in this case being human lives ... >

This is one of the roses Maud bought us yesterday. If you smell them, I think they call it a sensory modality ...