Andy's Mind

This is Saturday and as usuall after an intensive week like the last one I’m unable to work, even though I should. My spleen catches up with me so I took refuge in a book. Instead of reading about strategic management, which I should do, I indulged myself with Paul Johnson’s “The Birth of the Modern “, a well written popular history of the second quarter of 19th century, just after the Wiena congress.

It is refreshing in a sense to see that looking in detail at any historical period shows how ilusory is the conviction about uniqueness of our own time. And that social forces and pure luck influence the direction and pace of technological progress much more than many intelectuals would admitt.

OK, time to bed, I’m tired enough so that I shouldn’t have trouble falling asleep.

I’m in Bucarest today. It’s my first time in Romania – it’s just for two days but it has been very interesting. It’s still a very poor country and it shows everywhere – even the most important place in the city center, where the government resides and the events of the 1989 uprising started is dirty and caotic. Roads are in bad shape and the way taxi drivers drive makes your hair stand. But the country is now developing very fast and it also shows. (more…)

(Some) humans are strange creatures. Apparently to get together and have fun they need to somehow harm their bodies at least by inhaling toxic fumes. (more…)

Once upon a time there was a young Zen monk who lived in a small, old temple in the mountains studying with his old master, Tetsu-Jin. The temple was indeed old, poor and not well maintained. It was cold in the winter and hot in the summer, the roof leaked and the food was limited. The young monk didn’t like his temple, he felt sorry for himself and other monks that they have to practice in such misery. But though unhappy he never divulged his feelings to other monks and especially his old master, because he liked and respected him. (more…)