marți, 15 decembrie 2009
duminică, 13 decembrie 2009
On Education again
What I did last week, in words better than mine. Thank you for a cool lesson in scenarios, Lee!
miercuri, 9 decembrie 2009
joi, 3 decembrie 2009
luni, 30 noiembrie 2009
sâmbătă, 21 noiembrie 2009
duminică, 25 octombrie 2009
joi, 24 septembrie 2009
miercuri, 23 septembrie 2009
luni, 21 septembrie 2009
The Seven Deadly Sins of The Academy
From here. And no, it is not about the Academy of Economic Studies....or is it?
vineri, 18 septembrie 2009
On energy and gender issues
Long time no blogging, but back on track... Check this out on climate change and African women via Jezebel.
luni, 10 august 2009
miercuri, 15 iulie 2009
marți, 14 iulie 2009
miercuri, 8 iulie 2009
Day 6 in Aspen... Final Day of the Festival
Just one session attended today... The rest of the time spent in discussions with the rest of the scholars, how we can change the world, maintain the contact with each other and learn....
The session was Postcards from Tomorrow Square with James Fallows. A lot of common sense opinions (common sense seems to be the common denominator of the Festival) on China. Cool quote: The herds of pandas have a geometrical progression of cuteness...Cute...
The closing remarks of the Festival by Fellows of the Institute. Conclusion: We need to change and to ACT!
PS: Got home (with all my luggage) after a lot of hours in flight, delays and mix-ups by (Guess who?) British Airways. Missed meetings with friends in London and meetings at work in Bucharest. That at least explains the delays in posting the final ramblings on the Festival....
The session was Postcards from Tomorrow Square with James Fallows. A lot of common sense opinions (common sense seems to be the common denominator of the Festival) on China. Cool quote: The herds of pandas have a geometrical progression of cuteness...Cute...
The closing remarks of the Festival by Fellows of the Institute. Conclusion: We need to change and to ACT!
Thank you everybody! It was a privilege! Hope I'll be worthy of the trust!
PS: Got home (with all my luggage) after a lot of hours in flight, delays and mix-ups by (Guess who?) British Airways. Missed meetings with friends in London and meetings at work in Bucharest. That at least explains the delays in posting the final ramblings on the Festival....
Day 5 in Aspen.... 4th of July
Day 5 started good and got better. 4th of July, my luggage just got here, no rain.... a perfect day in every way.
The first discussion for the day was a lecture on Superclass (The Global Power Elite), based on the book with the same name by David Rothkopf. Brilliant in writing, Rothkopf (check his view on the festival @ Foreign Policy), is somewhat "all over the place" in person. Maybe due to the limited duration of the talks... Who knows?
Next lecture: GREENSPAN!!!!!!!!!!! A discussion on the crisis and how it should have been averted. Few ideas: banks incorporation is bad, securitization is good, immigrants are good for the housing market (they absorb the extra houses), data used in econometrics models is bad, because it only covers the past 20 yrs (NB: really? Who focuses on just the past 20 yrs apart from Ex-communist countries, which totally makes sense?), there is a need for a regulation system that "does not require one to forecast"....See the whole thing here. It is sometimes difficult to agree to the ideas of the "rock star of economics" (considering there were several 16 year old following him around for autographs), but the entire discussion was immensely interesting. However, sometimes, during the entire explanation on Markowitz, all I could think about is how on Earth did Greenspan manage to marry Andrea Mitchell (her understatement on the first day: I do know something about odd couples...)? I know, I'm superficial :)
After that, the contre-emploi du jour was a lecture on "Weathering the Storm: How
will the Arts Make it Through the Economic Crisis?" with Deborah Borda, Leonard Lauder (from the Estee...), Laveen Naidu and Damian Woetzel. Wonderful the passion for music, dance and museums. Some great ideas about how to get more people to join the club: the use of classical music for community improvement, the ballet classes for kids from economically challenged families, not ignoring other races when discussing classical music and ballet (Naidu's statement: you only see white people on the stage), using new technologies as a support for everything from ticketing to recordings (Borda: Who does record everything that you buy? The Bratislava philharmonic...)... Wonder where Romania is on the map...Well, at least, we have this...
Considering the entire festival is online (with movies and/or audio recordings of everything), I decided to go see the 4th of July parade in Aspen... Unbelievable.... American patriotism and capitalism (everybody is selling something at the parade) at their best...
After the parade, a lecture on the brain with Harold Koplewicz, Patricia Kuhl,Andrew Meltzoff. Cool things: kids have personalities since birth, men have more gray matter than women (we really are different species ...), learning a second language is easier by the time you are 14 than after...
The plenary of the day is Salam Fayyad, the Prime Minister of Palestine... That region needs more people like him, with such a common sense, clear view of the future and the need for peace. Quote: We are building a state under occupation... Inspiring...
The day ends with fireworks on the mountain... Gorgeous, couldn't decide whether to make photos or just enjoy... The latter won... Later on, the Spazmatics at the BellyUp.... The night got better and better: getting IDed (totally flattering :D) and dancing with a ballet legend (Thanks for the spin on the dancefloor, Laveen!) made the 4th of July celebration just perfect!
sâmbătă, 4 iulie 2009
Day 4 in Aspen... Second day of Ideas....
WOW! Overwhelming day at the AI... Early in the morning, the walk to the Institute is a solitary experience in silence. Wonderful silence, broken from time to time by one or two cars or participants to the AI, with their red bags and pomegranate juice bottles. I finally get to meet the fellow scholars for the second session, among them: Robert (wonder what's it like to raise 25 million $ in one night), Val, Lana (such an inspiration...the optimism in the woman that has to see war and hate everyday, and struggles to bring normalcy in a region that has not had it for so long is a powerful lesson), Abby, Satoshi (or a Japanese in the Middle East), Jenni and some many others, each with its own quest to change things, to make it better for one and all... both inspiring and humbling... Also humbling, a first session scholar, Don "Ask me about Lucy" Johanson. Never thought paleoanthropologhy will be such an interesting subject for me...
After the too brief discussion masterfully moderated by Peter Reiling, the day starts with a bang, or to be more precise, with a Hennessy. The Stanford President John Hennessy. The passion for his job, for his university, for education, for innovation should be inherent in all Universities Presidents. During the speech, I kept on wondering how such an academic can make a difference, be a role model for his students, be down-to-earth about his objectives, inspire and drive, have a vision. A real leader in the academia. We need more people like him in the Romanian education system, and not just because we mentioned as a possible way to drive forward the system the doubling of the math and science teachers in schools :). He talked about the need for a change in teaching techniques, more internships, mentors and role models for youngsters, collaboration between various areas of research, more women in physics and engineering, the fact that "not everybody belongs in a 4year school or a research university" (so true in Romania as well, and we have to acknowledge it at some point). Quote for the day: "Universities are hard enough to change, government is harder"...
The Stanford discussion is followed by a great talk healthcare with one of the Emanuel brothers (not Rahm :D) and Gerard Kleisterlee. The need for more human touch in a healthcare system where people are just the disease from which they suffer.
Tim o'Reilly's presentation on Government as a platform is all I thought a technology presentation should be like. Practical, with examples and normal lingo, understandable in all its implications. Main idea: the gov't should not be a "vending machine"... I am so twitter following him from now on!
Next, a discussion on Microtrends with Mark Penn. Some of the conclusions: AI participants do not search the net before buying a vacuum cleaner (I'm not sure some of them know what a vacuum cleaner is...), should get more tattoos (in order to fit in with the American public), listen to classical music and read (OMG, they read??!?!?! :P ).... Apart from the fun in it, the presentation focused on the ever increasing gap between elites and "normal people" and how that may affect leadership and initiatives... Wonder if that is true in Romania as well? Considering illiteracy rates, I think it is.
Serendipity caused a change in the planned schedule, so, instead of going to the "change in the global financial system" (I know, the horror, me not in a finance panel), I went to a small panel and met a legend: John Seeley Brown and an inspiration: John Hagel. Topic: Shaping Serendipity, that is increasing the chances of luck encounters through environment manipulation, practices and preparedness. Speechless. Everything I thought, expected, hoped and dreamed the AI Festival is and should be.
Next in the plan of the day: Book signing, with Madame Secretary Albright (as usual, an inspiration), Don Johanson (wonderful)... Pictures coming soon...
The presentation of the afternoon is a actually a conversation with another legend: Frank Ghery. The word is artist, with all its meanings and implications.
Evening Exchange. The Room to Read founder, John Wood, is a walking talking textbook example of a wonderful salesman. Another OMG moment of the day: Katie Couric is in the audience.
The day ended like it began, with a wonderful discussion over burgers (never thought an avocado, bacon and Cheddar cheese burger would be so good, tlak about prejudices) with friends and scholars on similarities, differences, changing the world and ourselves.
Today: The 4th of July!!!! Looks good so far...
After the too brief discussion masterfully moderated by Peter Reiling, the day starts with a bang, or to be more precise, with a Hennessy. The Stanford President John Hennessy. The passion for his job, for his university, for education, for innovation should be inherent in all Universities Presidents. During the speech, I kept on wondering how such an academic can make a difference, be a role model for his students, be down-to-earth about his objectives, inspire and drive, have a vision. A real leader in the academia. We need more people like him in the Romanian education system, and not just because we mentioned as a possible way to drive forward the system the doubling of the math and science teachers in schools :). He talked about the need for a change in teaching techniques, more internships, mentors and role models for youngsters, collaboration between various areas of research, more women in physics and engineering, the fact that "not everybody belongs in a 4year school or a research university" (so true in Romania as well, and we have to acknowledge it at some point). Quote for the day: "Universities are hard enough to change, government is harder"...
The Stanford discussion is followed by a great talk healthcare with one of the Emanuel brothers (not Rahm :D) and Gerard Kleisterlee. The need for more human touch in a healthcare system where people are just the disease from which they suffer.
Tim o'Reilly's presentation on Government as a platform is all I thought a technology presentation should be like. Practical, with examples and normal lingo, understandable in all its implications. Main idea: the gov't should not be a "vending machine"... I am so twitter following him from now on!
Next, a discussion on Microtrends with Mark Penn. Some of the conclusions: AI participants do not search the net before buying a vacuum cleaner (I'm not sure some of them know what a vacuum cleaner is...), should get more tattoos (in order to fit in with the American public), listen to classical music and read (OMG, they read??!?!?! :P ).... Apart from the fun in it, the presentation focused on the ever increasing gap between elites and "normal people" and how that may affect leadership and initiatives... Wonder if that is true in Romania as well? Considering illiteracy rates, I think it is.
Serendipity caused a change in the planned schedule, so, instead of going to the "change in the global financial system" (I know, the horror, me not in a finance panel), I went to a small panel and met a legend: John Seeley Brown and an inspiration: John Hagel. Topic: Shaping Serendipity, that is increasing the chances of luck encounters through environment manipulation, practices and preparedness. Speechless. Everything I thought, expected, hoped and dreamed the AI Festival is and should be.
Next in the plan of the day: Book signing, with Madame Secretary Albright (as usual, an inspiration), Don Johanson (wonderful)... Pictures coming soon...
The presentation of the afternoon is a actually a conversation with another legend: Frank Ghery. The word is artist, with all its meanings and implications.
Evening Exchange. The Room to Read founder, John Wood, is a walking talking textbook example of a wonderful salesman. Another OMG moment of the day: Katie Couric is in the audience.
The day ended like it began, with a wonderful discussion over burgers (never thought an avocado, bacon and Cheddar cheese burger would be so good, tlak about prejudices) with friends and scholars on similarities, differences, changing the world and ourselves.
Today: The 4th of July!!!! Looks good so far...
vineri, 3 iulie 2009
Day 3 in Aspen.... Day 1 of real issues....
The first real day of Festival started early in the morning with a brisk walk to the Limelight Lodge. At half past 7 in the morning; the usual hour of traffic jam in Bucharest is in Aspen quiet and peaceful, hardly any cars or people.
The topic of the first discussion, with Kurt Andersen nonetheless, is the way the crisis alters national values, evidently in reference to the American way. Main ideas: there is too much supersizing in the dreams of wishes of the American, therefore leading to an unrealistic and exuberant approach to life. Too much Carpe Diem hurts. I cannot say that I totally agree with him. To me, dreams are supposed to be grand and unrealistic, that's why they are dreams. We must strive to make them happen, obviously with the grain of salt of reality checking in from time to time. The stark reality that Andersen proposes to the "American grasshoppers" comes unnatural to a non-American, especially one coming from a post-Communist, post-transitional, current in recession country. The bleak reality of savings, limiting to your own possibilities, not being able to wish for anything, the stifling of dreams is too much of a recent history to me to agree to Andersen that this is the way to go.
Second discussion: a plenary session on counterinsurgency with Mike McConnell, Michael Chertoff, Jack Keane and Jane Harman. A few ideas of the most interesting discussion: weak states are more dangerous to the world than strong states, there are groups that have currently the same capacity for destruction as states did, therefore the wars cannot be led primarily between states, the need for cooperation between various agencies and, the need for intelligence, in spite of the fact that "America hates spies". Btw, a brief figure on the table: the intelligence "industry" is costing, according to Mike McConnell, close to 40 billion $ per year and employs close to 100.000 people....
Moving on into the third discussion for the day: Consequences of the Bailout with Felix Rohatyn, Ranji Nagaswami, Raghuram Rajan and Roger Ferguson. A dry discussion, at least for me. However, lots of the non-financial specialists in the audience, therefore, the relatively "talk show" -ish discussion had an impact. I should try more topics that are at an angle with my specialization.
Lunch time. Finally I get to meet some of the people behind the scenes at the festival. It is hard to even begin to imagine the effort put a like event. So, congrats for a job wonderfully done!
After lunch, an Afternoon of Conversion starts in the Music Tent with a discussion with the Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Oren. Quote:"Israel has all the means to protect itself", take of that what you may. Next guy on the list: Stephen Breyer. A powerful recollection of some important cases, including the case connected to Little Rock Nine, with its disturbing images of change by force, if necessary. I absolutely loved the speech of Biologist Eric Lander on the timeline of the human genome: the passion, the ability to put huge issues into normal, easy, basic words, the realistic approach to the entire project, while maintaining an optimistic view of things. We need teachers like that, still enthusiastic about their work, and able to see their own wrong ways. Inspiring, and probably, weirdly, the highlight of the day for me, considering the next discussion was moderated by Andrea Mitchell (whose husband was in the room... OMG....) and brought to attention a project involving Madeleine Albright and Hernando de Soto. The focus on property as a panacea by two more than highly intelligent and knowledgeable people is laudable. Disappointment: unilateral view of the issue and a lack of a clear practical solution for acknowledging property: what do you use as criteria to acknowledge property? on what grounds? why do people refuse to have a "proper" identity (ID card, address, ownership). Inspiring, but leaving too many questions open....perhaps it was meant to be like that...
Poet Elizabeth Alexander on Obama and Michael Jackson. Highlight of the discussion: the inaugural poem.
The last talk of the day on America and the world with Madeleine Albright and James Baker. Listening to a Republican like baker acknowledging that Obama did the right thing was mind opening about a type of politics where you can respect and admire your adversaries and strive with them for a better future for the country, not just personal praise and gain. I am not too bitter, am I?
Different approach to the discussions: Damian Woetzel and his success into turning the entire audience in the Music Tent into ballet dancers. A graceful interlude....
The Scholars reception was moved inside, due to rain... Humbling... I need to do more, try more, succeed more....
That pretty much concluded the first "real" day in Aspen. Inspiring in some many ways, and sometimes, just by being in the same room with these people that are shaping the world is changing things...
Looking forward for tomorrow.
On another note: British Airways continues to disappoint....
The topic of the first discussion, with Kurt Andersen nonetheless, is the way the crisis alters national values, evidently in reference to the American way. Main ideas: there is too much supersizing in the dreams of wishes of the American, therefore leading to an unrealistic and exuberant approach to life. Too much Carpe Diem hurts. I cannot say that I totally agree with him. To me, dreams are supposed to be grand and unrealistic, that's why they are dreams. We must strive to make them happen, obviously with the grain of salt of reality checking in from time to time. The stark reality that Andersen proposes to the "American grasshoppers" comes unnatural to a non-American, especially one coming from a post-Communist, post-transitional, current in recession country. The bleak reality of savings, limiting to your own possibilities, not being able to wish for anything, the stifling of dreams is too much of a recent history to me to agree to Andersen that this is the way to go.
Second discussion: a plenary session on counterinsurgency with Mike McConnell, Michael Chertoff, Jack Keane and Jane Harman. A few ideas of the most interesting discussion: weak states are more dangerous to the world than strong states, there are groups that have currently the same capacity for destruction as states did, therefore the wars cannot be led primarily between states, the need for cooperation between various agencies and, the need for intelligence, in spite of the fact that "America hates spies". Btw, a brief figure on the table: the intelligence "industry" is costing, according to Mike McConnell, close to 40 billion $ per year and employs close to 100.000 people....
Moving on into the third discussion for the day: Consequences of the Bailout with Felix Rohatyn, Ranji Nagaswami, Raghuram Rajan and Roger Ferguson. A dry discussion, at least for me. However, lots of the non-financial specialists in the audience, therefore, the relatively "talk show" -ish discussion had an impact. I should try more topics that are at an angle with my specialization.
Lunch time. Finally I get to meet some of the people behind the scenes at the festival. It is hard to even begin to imagine the effort put a like event. So, congrats for a job wonderfully done!
After lunch, an Afternoon of Conversion starts in the Music Tent with a discussion with the Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Oren. Quote:"Israel has all the means to protect itself", take of that what you may. Next guy on the list: Stephen Breyer. A powerful recollection of some important cases, including the case connected to Little Rock Nine, with its disturbing images of change by force, if necessary. I absolutely loved the speech of Biologist Eric Lander on the timeline of the human genome: the passion, the ability to put huge issues into normal, easy, basic words, the realistic approach to the entire project, while maintaining an optimistic view of things. We need teachers like that, still enthusiastic about their work, and able to see their own wrong ways. Inspiring, and probably, weirdly, the highlight of the day for me, considering the next discussion was moderated by Andrea Mitchell (whose husband was in the room... OMG....) and brought to attention a project involving Madeleine Albright and Hernando de Soto. The focus on property as a panacea by two more than highly intelligent and knowledgeable people is laudable. Disappointment: unilateral view of the issue and a lack of a clear practical solution for acknowledging property: what do you use as criteria to acknowledge property? on what grounds? why do people refuse to have a "proper" identity (ID card, address, ownership). Inspiring, but leaving too many questions open....perhaps it was meant to be like that...
Poet Elizabeth Alexander on Obama and Michael Jackson. Highlight of the discussion: the inaugural poem.
The last talk of the day on America and the world with Madeleine Albright and James Baker. Listening to a Republican like baker acknowledging that Obama did the right thing was mind opening about a type of politics where you can respect and admire your adversaries and strive with them for a better future for the country, not just personal praise and gain. I am not too bitter, am I?
Different approach to the discussions: Damian Woetzel and his success into turning the entire audience in the Music Tent into ballet dancers. A graceful interlude....
The Scholars reception was moved inside, due to rain... Humbling... I need to do more, try more, succeed more....
That pretty much concluded the first "real" day in Aspen. Inspiring in some many ways, and sometimes, just by being in the same room with these people that are shaping the world is changing things...
Looking forward for tomorrow.
On another note: British Airways continues to disappoint....
miercuri, 1 iulie 2009
Day 2 in Aspen.... Getting acquainted....
Aspen Day 2. Strangely, very little jet lagged.
First thing in the morning, breakfast. Open bar at the inn. Brief question: don't people interact at all at breakfast? I mean, saying hello is just normal, or is it?
Afterward went shopping, more out of necessity than shopaholism...Several really cute places, however, Aspen is definitely not a place to buy day to day things. That is, unless you consider Gucci, Brioni or Prada day to day. Romanian shopping assistants have a lot to learn about assisting the customer.
There is a certain feeling of unreal about the town. To me it seems almost too good to be true, like a movie set of small town America. However, it is completely idyllic.
Aspen Institute for registration and lunch. Met some wonderful people, really helpful and supportive. The amount of intelligence, creativity, business knowledge is shocking. Looking forward to meeting the rest of the Second Session Scholars (3S ?) tomorrow. It will be a humbling experience, considering that apparently I am one of the youngest scholars... Also looking forward to tomorrow's session with Ms. Albright...
Anyways, for official photos of the AIF, go to their website here.
For a view of Aspen through my eyes, check out my Flickr account.
In other news, incompetence seems to be the Word du jour for British Airways. And a certain movie star, married to a certain Antonio from Spain, literally bumped into me in one of the Aspen shops. Does this mean I got really close to Banderas? ;)
Tomorrow's post: Day 3 in Aspen.... Day 1 of real issues....
First thing in the morning, breakfast. Open bar at the inn. Brief question: don't people interact at all at breakfast? I mean, saying hello is just normal, or is it?
Afterward went shopping, more out of necessity than shopaholism...Several really cute places, however, Aspen is definitely not a place to buy day to day things. That is, unless you consider Gucci, Brioni or Prada day to day. Romanian shopping assistants have a lot to learn about assisting the customer.
There is a certain feeling of unreal about the town. To me it seems almost too good to be true, like a movie set of small town America. However, it is completely idyllic.
Aspen Institute for registration and lunch. Met some wonderful people, really helpful and supportive. The amount of intelligence, creativity, business knowledge is shocking. Looking forward to meeting the rest of the Second Session Scholars (3S ?) tomorrow. It will be a humbling experience, considering that apparently I am one of the youngest scholars... Also looking forward to tomorrow's session with Ms. Albright...
Anyways, for official photos of the AIF, go to their website here.
For a view of Aspen through my eyes, check out my Flickr account.
In other news, incompetence seems to be the Word du jour for British Airways. And a certain movie star, married to a certain Antonio from Spain, literally bumped into me in one of the Aspen shops. Does this mean I got really close to Banderas? ;)
Tomorrow's post: Day 3 in Aspen.... Day 1 of real issues....
marți, 30 iunie 2009
Day 1 in Aspen... On the Road
5 in the morning. Bucharest. Looking forward to leaving towards London, then Denver, then Aspen. High expectations of everything.
11 in the morning. London. Sun ("coafura rezista", pour les connaisseurs). Had lunch at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant. Interesting food. More than interesting prices. Overall, overrated brand. For 4 hours sightseeing in Heathrow. Lovely shops, some high prices, some really normal ones. Fell in love with a new scent: Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren.
Left for a 9 hour flight to Denver. Finally got around to see Watchmen (huge bore) and Confessions of a Shopaholic (less than huge bore, but bore nonetheless... and a complete slaughter of the book,however, Hugh Dancy...)
Flight to Denver uneventful until arrival and surprise, surprise... British Airways has managed to "forget" to board the luggage for half an airplane, mine included. Spent half an hour making claims.
Evening. Flight to Aspen. Theoretically, a 45 minute flight. In reality, just 25. Met some wonderful people on board. Got seated next to an economist. Coincidence? Anyway, spent a business-talking half an hour.
Finally, Aspen, 27 hours after leaving home sweet home. It's dark now, but, from what I could see, it looks like a story book village.... Just lovely....
Come back tomorrow for Day 2 in Aspen.... Getting acquainted....
11 in the morning. London. Sun ("coafura rezista", pour les connaisseurs). Had lunch at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant. Interesting food. More than interesting prices. Overall, overrated brand. For 4 hours sightseeing in Heathrow. Lovely shops, some high prices, some really normal ones. Fell in love with a new scent: Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren.
Left for a 9 hour flight to Denver. Finally got around to see Watchmen (huge bore) and Confessions of a Shopaholic (less than huge bore, but bore nonetheless... and a complete slaughter of the book,however, Hugh Dancy...)
Flight to Denver uneventful until arrival and surprise, surprise... British Airways has managed to "forget" to board the luggage for half an airplane, mine included. Spent half an hour making claims.
Evening. Flight to Aspen. Theoretically, a 45 minute flight. In reality, just 25. Met some wonderful people on board. Got seated next to an economist. Coincidence? Anyway, spent a business-talking half an hour.
Finally, Aspen, 27 hours after leaving home sweet home. It's dark now, but, from what I could see, it looks like a story book village.... Just lovely....
Come back tomorrow for Day 2 in Aspen.... Getting acquainted....
luni, 29 iunie 2009
To Be Continued....
Leaving tomorrow for AI Festival. I'll be blogging and twittering and Facebooking throughout.... So, keep in touch.
duminică, 21 iunie 2009
luni, 1 iunie 2009
vineri, 22 mai 2009
marți, 12 mai 2009
luni, 27 aprilie 2009
I want to be as cool in my 100s
vineri, 17 aprilie 2009
joi, 16 aprilie 2009
sâmbătă, 11 aprilie 2009
Met one of the Kennedys last week. Still in awe at the normalcy of one part of a legendary family as opposed to the airs put on by less than legendary persons.....Thanks for the honor, Ms. Kennedy!
sâmbătă, 28 martie 2009
By Special Request... :)
Aspen Institute Romania rocks!
No kidding, check out the latest project:
Spune Adevarul Puterii! Symposium on Thursday, April 9th, 2009, starting with 9 AM at JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, Constanta Room
in collaboration with Robert F. Kennedy Foundation of Europe
For more on the issue, check out: Speak Truth to Power
No kidding, check out the latest project:
Spune Adevarul Puterii! Symposium on Thursday, April 9th, 2009, starting with 9 AM at JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, Constanta Room
in collaboration with Robert F. Kennedy Foundation of Europe
For more on the issue, check out: Speak Truth to Power
miercuri, 25 martie 2009
duminică, 22 martie 2009
Blast from the Past
If you are looking for lessons on how to manage 3000 people, take some lessons of Management from the Viennese Imperial Court - the one from the 19th century, that is.... here (From ScienceBlog.com)
duminică, 15 martie 2009
sâmbătă, 14 martie 2009
On E-books
Can't preach more about e-books.
The fact that I can basically buy any book online, with instant access and not a few weeks until delivery, if delivered (Remember, there was a time when Amazon did not make deliveries in Romania), not to mention the 3 GBP per book - delivery charge... is life-style changing...
Please don't tell me about the smell and the feel of a good book. I know. I'm right there with you on that. I still love to lose myself in libraries, leaf through and buy "real" ( :P) ) books like crazy, but at least twice as many books bought are e-books.
And another thing: Access: I'm usually reading several things: for work, for me, for knowledge.... I my bag (that already contains too many things), I can only fir one book, so usually in the morning when leaving for work, I have to decide which.... With e-books, it's extremely easy: I have most of them (well, at least the latest, or more important ones) with me, on my e-reader or computer...
Anyways, the ode to e-books is caused by the Read a E-book week, that just ended today.
However, just like Valentines that cannot constrain love to a single day (Notice how I'm waxing poetic lately), Read an E-book should not be restricted to the second week of March... So, read an e-book, save a tree, feed your mind!
The fact that I can basically buy any book online, with instant access and not a few weeks until delivery, if delivered (Remember, there was a time when Amazon did not make deliveries in Romania), not to mention the 3 GBP per book - delivery charge... is life-style changing...
Please don't tell me about the smell and the feel of a good book. I know. I'm right there with you on that. I still love to lose myself in libraries, leaf through and buy "real" ( :P) ) books like crazy, but at least twice as many books bought are e-books.
And another thing: Access: I'm usually reading several things: for work, for me, for knowledge.... I my bag (that already contains too many things), I can only fir one book, so usually in the morning when leaving for work, I have to decide which.... With e-books, it's extremely easy: I have most of them (well, at least the latest, or more important ones) with me, on my e-reader or computer...
Anyways, the ode to e-books is caused by the Read a E-book week, that just ended today.
However, just like Valentines that cannot constrain love to a single day (Notice how I'm waxing poetic lately), Read an E-book should not be restricted to the second week of March... So, read an e-book, save a tree, feed your mind!
vineri, 13 martie 2009
A Little Bit of Promotion
For a Romanian artist: Mihaela Tarhuna, just because I came to fall in love with her decently priced, highly impacting jewelry.
Caveat for the jewelry: Not for the weak...
Caveat for the jewelry: Not for the weak...
joi, 12 martie 2009
marți, 10 martie 2009
On Education
Pros: What the Faculty (as in "the body of teachers and administrators at a school") of any school should be and look like: open-minded, eager to communicate and interact with other like-minded and like-employed (if you may) people, in touch with the current situation of the world. True, worried about financing research, too fundamentally oriented sometimes, definitely too elitist at times: Crooked Timber
Cons: And I will not (following the personal rule of NO RANTINGS on the blog) comment on the fact that I could not find a similar blog from Romania, in order to post the "ray of hope".
Just a few things (personal observations on the education system):
- decrease in the quality of the studies, due to lack of interest, lack of money, flawed quantifiers
- lack of interest of both parties (teachers and students)
- teachers who live just out of a 300$ dollars wage are either protesting, or finding "alternative means of financing", but, in all cases, lacking interest, passion and drive for change
- students are more and more focused on finding a job in the first years of their formal education, therefore their lack of interest is more than obvious
- research is quantified in the number of papers one writes, not in the real impact of those papers, hence the whole industry of creating and promoting journals on applicative science that no business person reads or applies in "real life"
- the paradox of simultaneous lacking and having too much funds (budget versus European)
- the universities are financially autonomous, therefore, they should find more students in order to be able to finance their daily activities. Also note the fact that the "price of studies" is market-driven, the market is international, and the demand is elastic. At the same time, an increase in the number of students causes two things: 1. a decrease in the quality of the students and 2. an increase in the number of needed teachers. The latter causes a decrease in the quality of the studies.
- the huge difference in financing between all education under university level and the universities
In the end, is it just a question of money?
Update: Still on the Con side: At least here (in Ro) Einstein's adage "It is a miracle that imagination survives formal education.” is alive and kicking.
Cons: And I will not (following the personal rule of NO RANTINGS on the blog) comment on the fact that I could not find a similar blog from Romania, in order to post the "ray of hope".
Just a few things (personal observations on the education system):
- decrease in the quality of the studies, due to lack of interest, lack of money, flawed quantifiers
- lack of interest of both parties (teachers and students)
- teachers who live just out of a 300$ dollars wage are either protesting, or finding "alternative means of financing", but, in all cases, lacking interest, passion and drive for change
- students are more and more focused on finding a job in the first years of their formal education, therefore their lack of interest is more than obvious
- research is quantified in the number of papers one writes, not in the real impact of those papers, hence the whole industry of creating and promoting journals on applicative science that no business person reads or applies in "real life"
- the paradox of simultaneous lacking and having too much funds (budget versus European)
- the universities are financially autonomous, therefore, they should find more students in order to be able to finance their daily activities. Also note the fact that the "price of studies" is market-driven, the market is international, and the demand is elastic. At the same time, an increase in the number of students causes two things: 1. a decrease in the quality of the students and 2. an increase in the number of needed teachers. The latter causes a decrease in the quality of the studies.
- the huge difference in financing between all education under university level and the universities
In the end, is it just a question of money?
Update: Still on the Con side: At least here (in Ro) Einstein's adage "It is a miracle that imagination survives formal education.” is alive and kicking.
Sources of info
For a couple of years, a blog on finance and economics has provided me with more than enough info for a clear, sometimes in depth, sometimes in brief, view of the world: Naked Capitalism
Wasn't Haiti supposed to be sun and fun? Apart from the poverty, and the political chaos, and the hunger, that is...
Google the name of the country and this is what you get.
Apparently not everything is white sand beaches, though:
Reason 1: Sex attacks blight lives of Haitian girls
Reason 2: Children in Servitude, the Poorest of Haiti’s Poor
Just heartbreaking.....
Google the name of the country and this is what you get.
Apparently not everything is white sand beaches, though:
Reason 1: Sex attacks blight lives of Haitian girls
Reason 2: Children in Servitude, the Poorest of Haiti’s Poor
Just heartbreaking.....
social entrepreneurs?
Apparently, being an entrepreneur is not good enough. At least in terms of the Good Society. And especially in times of crisis. So, the social entrepreneur emerges, as a solution. For more, check out: Ashoka
PS: How come we don't have any fellows from Romania?
PS: How come we don't have any fellows from Romania?
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