Travels etc.

Chris Torrens in his book " Doing Business in China " uses quotes and proverbs for every chapter. One of them is "A conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study. Chinese proverb" on page 87. I was curious to find out how it may sound in Chinese and after some research found the following quote: "A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years' study of books." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Hyperion (1839), Chapter VII. Quoted from the Chinese. Interesting twist, isn't it? Then I found a book " Chinese Moral Maxims: With a Free and Verbal Translation, Affording Examples of the Grammatical Structure of the Language " by John Francis Davis, F.R.S. The book was published in 1823. The compilation of idioms in the book was made in 1818 to help students who are learning Chinese and "other Persons to whom it may not be altogether devoid of interest". The quoted proverb is on the pa...

I’d like to start with some hypothetical examples. Example 1 . You might have seen somebody saying: “Machiavelli: The end justifies the means” or “As Machiavelli said: The end justifies the means”. Example 2 . “Be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi” Example 3 . “The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. – Bertrand Russell”. Or “Don’t argue with idiots because they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. — Greg King” Example 4 . “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. – Confucius” or “Everything comes to you at the right time. Just be patient.” I am sure some of us are faced with the examples above or similar quotes quite often. Let’s look at them in detail and see how the quotes are usually used and how it can be improved. Usually there are several reasons to use a quote that appear separately or in combination with each other: a) Support...

Today I am going to discuss an interesting topic related to libraries. In a wake of various technologies like personal computers, Internet, smart phones and other gadgets there is an argument that traditional libraries are no longer necessary. Technological advancements have made libraries unnecessary. This is the thesis we hear today. It may seem the more we use online and electronic devices to get the information instantly or almost straight away the less we need library to go for that. However I’d argue against this. I have been an avid library visitor since 7 years old. My grandmother worked in a library and I spent days there being on school holidays. Then at high school and university I still saw a lot of demand for library services. Today the necessity for libraries doesn't seem to decrease despite of significant rise in technology. I think it is because of two main reasons: 1. New technologies allow to extend library offerings making them more attractive th...

The Wealth of Nations: An Inquiry into the Nature & Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith My rating: 5 of 5 stars Have just finished this book. It has been a long process, but fully rewarding. It's the hardest book I have ever read. Firstly because of the author style and secondly because of my habit to read everything in the book and not jump to the next section until I understand the current one. I have heard of Adam Smith's ideas from other sources before, but now I see that majority of those who said Smith is this or Smith is that - haven't read this book at all. In addition to that, many people think theories of 17th and 18th century don't work today. however during the whole time of reading I have had a feeling that Smith has written about today with only a few differences. I highly recommend this book to everyone who is interested in how everything works around us. View all my reviews

"But it seems to be otherwise with potatoes. The chairmen, porters, and coalheavers in London, and those unfortunate women who live by prostitution, the strongest men and the most beautiful women perhaps in the British dominions, are said to be, the greater part of them, from the lowest rank of people in Ireland, who are generally fed with this root. No food can afford a more decisive proof of its nourishing quality, or of its being peculiarly suitable to the health of the human constitution." - Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations Want to be healthy, strong and good looking? :)

From Plato’s cosmogony: "If a man lives well, he goes, after death, to live happily forever in his star. But if he lives badly, he will, in the next life, be a woman …" Russell, B. (1945). A History of Western Philosophy. New York: Simon and Schuster, p. 145

Чтобы не деградировать в пещерное состояние, считаю необходимым читать книги. Только не все подряд, а в строгом соответствии с концепцией познавания окружающего мира по конкретным темам, учитывая при этом авторитет и опыт автора книги в определённой области. Некоторые авторы могут книг и не писать, но публиковать разные материалы и заметки. Так как умные книжки бывают толстые, а чтение не может занимать много времени по причине того, что мне не позволяет совесть просто сесть и читать в то время как не сделана срочная и важная работа, или дети не спят, то читать можно только во время перемещений между работой и домом на общественном транспорте, или когда хочется посмотреть в процессе Важной работы какой-нибудь порно-сайт с новостями или фэйсбук. Также есть надобность переключения внимания между видами деятельности, темами для исследования и т.п. Возникает задача упорядочить процесс чтения с целью усвоения прочитанного, а также чтобы не остопиздело по ходу....

Have started reading a book "Primitive Culture" by Edward Burnett Tylor: It's a serious book from one of the founders of social anthropology. Very interesting and helps understanding many aspects of human culture development.

Look at the following statement: "In my opinion, many charity organisations make money and as part of their activities they provide aid giving to those in need." It is logically correct and is true. But in regular conversation it will make a lot of noise sometimes. Some people might say: "No, they don't make money". The reason that the organisations have to pay salaries  to their workers doesn't always work. Another argument is that this saying may offend people who are involved in the charity business and it's not polite to say such things. Though none of the people in the conversation are involved with that activity. When the person who produced the statement above would argue that it's her personal opinion based on some research and definition of charity, and by proving examples would try to convince the audience to listen to the facts - they say that the speaker has to be tolerant to others opinion. The irony is however - they can'...

From today's reading exercise: Greifen Keuchen Wiederholen Schnell Noch einmal Gesicht I am getting deeper understanding of favourite German movies of my childhood. :)