Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Don't cry for me Argentina
Here are some pictures of Buenos Aires, Argentina. I love this city. I lived there for two years and would go back anytime. In spite of being a really big city it is very pleasant and offers a great quality of life. It is bordered by the Rio de la Plata and faces Uruguay. Buenos Aires has many parks but the greatest thing Bs. As. is the culture. Argentina has a very unique culture due to its immigration history. Most of its European descent originates from Italy, not Spain even though Spanish (or rather "castellano") is the language spoken by its population...
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday Night Pictures
Brian just got a friendly sms
Commander Aaron after his geopolitical clarification
Team C - e pluribus unum, friends forever
Jim and his endless exploration of modern art. I should Have known back then that we'd never find the WhiteCaslte...
(!) 
Jim and his new undergrad friendSunday, October 29, 2006
Soccer
The sun is back. It's a good thing since I have a soccer game this afternoon. We're playing in Boulan Park against Romanian guys. We'll see what they have and if the refereee shows up on time ! Last time he was 20 minutes late, to which we had to add up another 20 minutes of arguments between him and the coach. Anyway I'm ready to kick the ball...I'd rather be in Mexico though, much nicer weather to play outside...
Babel
New movie by A. G. Inarritu. I like this director a lot, he has a very unique approach. In Amores Perros and 21 grams he walks you through the complexity of the story by giving you only of a few pieces of a puzzle. The pieces can be originally unrelated characters, events or simply images. It's only at the end that you really seize the meaning of the story and put all the pieces back together. In a way it's very much like life. You have to find for yourself the meaning of many hints you are given on a daily basis. Things may not make sense immediately but will eventually. If somebody sees Babel first let me know how it is... JB or Rodrigo ?
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Great Saturday !
It actually all started on the day before :) Jim called on Friday afternoon, he had taken the whole day off. He actually thought we were going to go to the movies, but that's next week. So instead he ended up shopping in Ann Arbor and bought $100 worth of blue and maize selected items... all made in China. I called Aaron to make sure he would join us since he was flying back from New York that day. The gathering point was at Brian's house. Unfortunately I had the first week debriefing meeting with the Auditors scheduled at 6:00 pm and with the CEO on his way back from Europe I had to attend. Everything went really well and after a quick meeting I was on my way to AA. Of course everybody was already there when I showed up watching the Tigers' game. OK we don't want to talk about that. So we headed out to O’Neil’s downtown and had a great typical Team C time. These guys are really great. I have to say because I am always amazed by how great I feel when we are all get together. It goes well beyond average friendship or mutual understanding. We all just perfectly connect, feel the same way about a lot of subjects, have the same enthusiasm for life, similar cultural interests, and the same sense of humor. Witnessing how these guys can give the best of them and solve incredibly challenging problems is really impressive and the ExecMAP project was a great illustration of that. This energy is always here, among us, floating around every time we meet. And every time we meet I get re-energized. Ready to face whatever is coming and knowing the future will bring great things.So after a bunch of memorable discussions and comments including a girl next to us stating that "France and England was the same thing to her" and Aaron giving a detailed geopolitical analysis of the Middle East to somebody from North Carolina, we headed back home. Actually it was a little more complicated than that. After Brian disappeared (we still don't know where to btw)... Aaron went home, and Jim and I decided we were hungry. We opted for White-Castle since Jim assured me he knew one pretty close... "Oh yes I used to go there all the time" he said... well guess what? When we got “there” the White-Castle was gone. Several options came to mind: 1. Jim needs a serious vacation. 2. Aliens came and moved the White-Castle to their planet. 3. Jim got struck by the Harold & Kumar syndrome, or spent too much time with Freakshow... Anyhow, no cravers... but we found Brian though, he was eating cold pizza in his garage (go figure...). After the pizza we thought it was time for bed.
On Saturday morning I felt sort of rested. Jim was still concerned by the destiny of White-Castles in the world and looked a little tired :) Outside the weather was getting pretty…bad, but nothing can stop U of M students and we were going to go to the Big House no matter what. On the way I got a call from my friend Rodrigo from Mexico. We chatted for a while because he sounded like he needed to be cheered up. He is having a lot of relationship problems lately (who doesn't) and as everyone knows it’s never easy. I think he is doing better though and starts to understand that it's time to turn the page and enjoy life! But the Big House was around the corner and we needed to find a spot to park. After turning around and around we parked in the front yard of an older lady who was very nice and charged us 15 bucks! All of a sudden Jim and I got hungry...again...and opted for an Italian sausage, not the most healthy but we'll run tomorrow!!!
The Big House was almost full in spite of the weather. The game was a little slow but fun and when I starting to feel cold I just looked at the guy next to me wearing shorts and a tee-shirt and immediately felt better. During the game I got a call from Frederic who was watching Notre-Dame - Navy in France (lol). The wolverines won and remain undefeated which is excellent... Wow, 10:50 already I'd better finish the Strategy assignment. I'll write more tomorrow and I'll post the pictures I promise! I also need to mention I was glad to get an email from somebody on the West Coast today ;)
Friday, October 27, 2006
En garde !
I'm still debating whether I sign up for the NCAA fencing tournament or not. Yes would mean that I'll have to train a minimum of 6 hours per week. Right now it just seems crazy... In 2004 I did great but I eventually got slaughtered (by losing 15-0, I know! And it still hurts) in the 6th round. Here's a picture. Jean-Baptiste once told me about this picture that there was some magic in it, and that it almost looked like a modern painting depicting "butterfly hunting". I thought that was really funny! What's for sure is that it was a touch...
Viktor Emil Frankl
In September of 1942, a young doctor, his new bride, his mother, father, and brother, were arrested in Vienna and taken to a concentration camp in Bohemia. It was events that occurred there and at three other camps that led the young doctor -- prisoner 119,104 -- to realize the significance of meaningfulness in life.
One of the earliest events to drive home the point was the loss of a manuscript -- his life's work -- during his transfer to Auschwitz. He had sewn it into the lining of his coat, but was forced to discard it at the last minute. He spent many later nights trying to reconstruct it, first in his mind, then on slips of stolen paper.
Another significant moment came while on a predawn march to work on laying railroad tracks: Another prisoner wondered outloud about the fate of their wives. The young doctor began to think about his own wife, and realized that she was present within him:
The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. (1963, p. 59)And throughout his ordeal, he could not help but see that, among those given a chance for survival, it was those who held on to a vision of the future -- whether it be a significant task before them, or a return to their loved ones -- that were most likely to survive their suffering.
It would be, in fact, the meaningfulness that could be found in suffering itself that would most impress him:
(T)here is also purpose in that life which is almost barren of both creation and enjoyment and which admits of but one possibility of high moral behavior: namely, in man's attitude to his existence, and existence restricted by external forces.... Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete. (1963, p. 106)That young doctor was, of course, Viktor Emil Frankl.
One of the earliest events to drive home the point was the loss of a manuscript -- his life's work -- during his transfer to Auschwitz. He had sewn it into the lining of his coat, but was forced to discard it at the last minute. He spent many later nights trying to reconstruct it, first in his mind, then on slips of stolen paper.
Another significant moment came while on a predawn march to work on laying railroad tracks: Another prisoner wondered outloud about the fate of their wives. The young doctor began to think about his own wife, and realized that she was present within him:
The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. (1963, p. 59)And throughout his ordeal, he could not help but see that, among those given a chance for survival, it was those who held on to a vision of the future -- whether it be a significant task before them, or a return to their loved ones -- that were most likely to survive their suffering.
It would be, in fact, the meaningfulness that could be found in suffering itself that would most impress him:
(T)here is also purpose in that life which is almost barren of both creation and enjoyment and which admits of but one possibility of high moral behavior: namely, in man's attitude to his existence, and existence restricted by external forces.... Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete. (1963, p. 106)That young doctor was, of course, Viktor Emil Frankl.
Tonight...
Audit status : one week down, 2 to go ! Geees. that was a stressful week, in addition to the regular workload I have a dual audit going on and I'm glad it's Friday. It went very well in Mexico and we're done with that part.
Tonight I'll stay with Brian in Ann Arbor. Jim is joining us for a little Team C. gathering. I hope Aaron can join too. Jim is actually already on his way...I'll miss the warm-up. Tomorrow we're going to the game. Hopefully the Wolverines stay undefeated. Well I'll post some pictures and I'll tell you about tonight. Watch out !!!! :)
Tonight I'll stay with Brian in Ann Arbor. Jim is joining us for a little Team C. gathering. I hope Aaron can join too. Jim is actually already on his way...I'll miss the warm-up. Tomorrow we're going to the game. Hopefully the Wolverines stay undefeated. Well I'll post some pictures and I'll tell you about tonight. Watch out !!!! :)
Changing macroeconomics
Yesterday I attended a very interesting conference about the world economy. Of course a lot of emphasis was put on China. A lot has been said about China, which includes a lot of non-sense and misinterpretation. One of the reasons being the lack of transparency and reliable statistics. The speed of the boom in China is leaving a lot of casualties behind. Authorities often have hard time collecting relevant information about their industrial activity. The consequences are that it makes the whole macroeconomic analysis very difficult. The key question when dealing with China and trying to forecast what's waiting is the reversal of China's export oriented economy into a self sustained market. All depends obviously on the speed at which domestic demand will become strong enough to not only absorb 100% of the Chinese output but start relying on imports. This is essential because it will not only create stimulus for the US and European economy, but also reverse the balance deficit. The trade deficit in the US will become harder and harder to sustain and it's time to do something. I am always amazed when I hear that the reason for the imbalance primarily comes from the fact that Asian economy save too much. I guess it's always easier to find explanation's somewhere else. This argumentation is an economic non-sense in my opinion. Moreover it projects a wrong assessment of the situation and maintains the belief that $981 billions (yes billions!!!) of foreign reserves being accumulated in the Chinese Central Bank is not really an issue. Guess what??? It is!!!! That is why the reversal is crucial, so I was very happy to finally be able to read an in-depth analysis of the issue in the Economist from October 21st. The Economist is an amazing magazine with high value high quality content and I strongly recommend it if you want to better understand what's going on in the world right now.... Wednesday, October 25, 2006
A friendly face !
J.-B. I'm glad we talked yesterday (for any reason I like you better with your glasses). I think I'm going to go and visit you sometimes in January. We could go to Puerto Vallarta with Rodrigo. have fun, go scuba-diving etc...I think we all need a good break for different reasons. I feel burned out lately. Between, work, the MBA, painful decisions, etc...Sometimes it feels like most of my energy is gone. But I know it was the right thing to do. Life is ahead, there is so much to do and discover, new places to go, new people to meet...Stressing over problems or painful events is not resolving anything. Things happen for a reason. Trying to force what's not meant to be will just delay the outcome.
Message from Aaron
מדינת ישראל שייכת לאנשים של ישראל. אתה חייב להבין את זה. ישראל היא מגינת העולם החופשי
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Jean-Baptiste
Jean-Baptiste and I went to college together and I can say that he is probably the person with whom I feel the strongest intellectual connection in the world. Jean-Baptiste is a brilliant guy, a free thinker, a scholar. A person who has gone deeply in the knowledge of himself and a true believer, a Zarathoustra of the modern age. Life took us on different path after graduation and we ended up on different continents. Jean-Baptiste in Central America and me in Eastern Europe. One thing we once shared in college was this belief in a greater mission. We had this strength in us, one of unspoken words and somehow our paths needed to cross again.
...It was a cold and snowy day in Michigan, I was attending a meeting of the French-American Chamber of Commerce. And I heard this voice behind me...5 years had gone by but I immediately recognized the voice...I turned my head and there was Jean-Baptiste, standing in front of me. That was so great to see him again. Strangly enough we met had a time where we both needed to change things in our lives and we really helped each other a lot in that respect.
Alors merci Jean-Baptiste d'être l'ami que tu es, le frère qui occupera toujours une place unique est irremplaçable dans mon existence.
...It was a cold and snowy day in Michigan, I was attending a meeting of the French-American Chamber of Commerce. And I heard this voice behind me...5 years had gone by but I immediately recognized the voice...I turned my head and there was Jean-Baptiste, standing in front of me. That was so great to see him again. Strangly enough we met had a time where we both needed to change things in our lives and we really helped each other a lot in that respect.
Alors merci Jean-Baptiste d'être l'ami que tu es, le frère qui occupera toujours une place unique est irremplaçable dans mon existence.
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