**spoiler alert** Dupa primele 3 pagini am stiut ca Isabel Allende este o scriitoare in adevaratul sens al cuvantului si mai mult decat atat , cred ca**spoiler alert** Dupa primele 3 pagini am stiut ca Isabel Allende este o scriitoare in adevaratul sens al cuvantului si mai mult decat atat , cred ca il depaseste chiar si pe Hemingway atunci cand zugraveste scene de razboi/teroare/drama.
Povestea este cea a unui cvasi-cuplu catalan (el doctor, ea piansita fiind sotia fratelui decedat in razboi) care fortat de razboiul civil spaniol (iminenta victorie a lui Franco) se vad nevoiti sa abandoneze patria ,fugind in Franta (chiar inaintea inceperii WW2) si de acolo prin pur noroc reusesc sa isi asigure locuri pe vaporul de refugiati Winnipeg cu destinatia Chile , "acea lunga petala de mare" ce ii va primi cu bratele deschise.
Odata cu evolutia vietii de cuplu a celor doi protagonisti , asistam si la schimbarile prin care trece lumea in perioada 1936-1994 , razboiul civil spaniol , WW2 dar mai ales Chile de la republica moderata , la ridicarea miscarii de stanga a lui Salvador Allende pana la asasinarea acestuia si instaurarii huntei militare ale lui Augosto Pinochet ,fapt ce ii va determina pe cei doi sa fuga din nou , de data aceasta in Venezuela.
O poveste incredibila ce trateaza drama razboiului , fuga , refugiul , pierderea caminului dar si viata , speranta , perseverenta si puterea de a incepe din nou de la zero....more
Maybe i am shallower than i thought but this book was a real pain to read. The first half is all about expressing some general truths wrapped in reallyMaybe i am shallower than i thought but this book was a real pain to read. The first half is all about expressing some general truths wrapped in really hard to get sentences just for the sake of fkin rhetorics.
I felt like i was banging my head against a wall at each page. The second part of the book gets better , the author focusing more on virtues.
The final 10% of the book is another hard nut to crack.
This is indeed the work of a titan. While i started the book thinking it would be mostly about these particular types **spoiler alert** Stellar work !
This is indeed the work of a titan. While i started the book thinking it would be mostly about these particular types of securities and how to invest in them.... i was in for a treat.
The book covers in depth topics that could benefit a multitude of categories of readers starting from fund managers, company officers , accountants , lawyers in the financial domain as well as investors.
The book starts with the definition of distressed investing. Very interesting , it builds up on the reasons companies get distressed ; it follows with the not-known process of bankruptcy and liquidation and how all the parties fit in together and how the process moves forward, dividing the "pie" of assets.
The phrase that should stick with you regarding a bankruptcy process is: "It is a zero sum game" where a category of parties benefit on the lose of another.
Next we get a deep lesson on company health indicators such as EBIT(A) , EV , Debt , cash flows , how to measure them and how to spot red flags based on these indicators or , why not , investing opportunities.
We are then taken into the realm of capital structures , debt , equity , notes and all other kinds of securities , their sizing and most importantly their priority in the case of a default.
Next thing we get in the shoes of company management and their available moves in case the company ia going southward.
We then get in the shoes of the different types of creditors /stakeholders in a distressed firm and their moves.
Very interesting is the fact that the book also presents hypothetical as well as real cases of distressed conpanies.We are presented on how real companies acted when in unfavourable situations as well as how a hypothetical scenario might play out.
By the end we are also presented how a reorganization plays out and how each creditor is affected by the new capital structure, and also what to expect as a stakeholder with an interest in the new company.
Topics such as secured/unsecured debt , convenants , pledge provisions , trade claims , very interesting - tax returns , carryforwards and NOL's are also tackled !
My favourite part by far was chapter 6 , discussing leverage , which when taking a loan represents X times the EBIT.(e.g: my EBIT is 200, if i burrow 500 , the leverage is 2.5). It showed clearly based on a company EBIT what kind of debt it can sustain and manage to pay in a 5 year interval without going bankrupt. The author did an astounding job in proving through real data based charts and calculaltions that a leverage of more than 2.5 makes a company unable to ammortize the loan in a 5 year gap. In fact even a company that grows 8%/year can't do it and that considering a constant cash flow ! When the cash flow fluctuates it gets a lot worse. Even though i do not own a company this example sticked to me and i am planning to follow it on myself as if i am if i will ever consider taking a loan. Why are there people using leverages of 10 and more to buy houses/cars/stuff to show off is beyond my imagination !
This book is an enciclopedia in the fields of finance, investing and securities and i wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in the aforementioned topics....more
**spoiler alert** This book has both historical breadth since it covers Egypt, Lebanon,Pakistan, Iraq, Afganistan and of course the two important play**spoiler alert** This book has both historical breadth since it covers Egypt, Lebanon,Pakistan, Iraq, Afganistan and of course the two important players of the regions Iran and Saudi Arabia , and of course depth since it depicts events unfolding from 1979 to 2020.
What i learned would be this: - the trouble in middle east started in the fateful year of 1979 with 3 events unfolding in parallel and ubrelated to one another:
1. Khoemini's Revolution in Iran which toppled the shah and instead of a more moderate regime a theocratic repressive regime was installed that endures to this day , a regime whose main goal is to export revolution everywhere. Of course this set the tone for revolutionaries in Egypt, Pakistan, Lebanon and Syria to topple their own leaders.
2. The terrorist attack carried out in Mecca, Saudi Arabia which made the Saud family fearful of losing control of the country, and made it forge a powerful symbiotic relationship with the more radical clergy , the followers of Wahhabism. Saudi rulers in order to mask their incompetence and divert attention in the later decades would export Wahhabism in Pakistan , Egypt in the form of cash, Madrassas and modified Quran's inciting to sectarianism (making killing of fellow christians , shia etc legally ok , even a muslims' duty).
3. The soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which in the 80's neighbouring Pakistan served as a launching for soldiers and also think tank meeting places for people like Bin Laden and Zarqawi to meet and plan grander designs.
In short, along the decades Saudi Arabia has always feared Iran and its ever expanding influence. Saudi Arabia tried and tried again to become as feared and respected as Iran by pumping cash in Sunni states and turning them into little satellites (Pakistan). However this set the tone and fermented and what turned out in Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq and Syria was something macabre sinister that would start a life of its own, terrorist organisations sprouting along the decades each using the previous one as inspiration and also trying to outdo the other.
What is ironic is that religion has been used time and time again as a smoke screen or weapon for Saudi Arabia while Iran always used the "Islamic Resistance against infidels" theme to further its agenda and set up proxies in the middle east like Syria and Lebanon.
This is a book about the countless people that tried to oppose their countries heading into darkness more and more with each generation. The countless assasinations , bombings , exilations and wrongs done upon them.
The book is also about the future. Funny enough Saudi Arabia's Young Prince Muhammmad bin Salman the soon to.be king realised religion cannot be used anymore to appease people and project power , so he dismantled and turned the country 180 degrees in the span of a couple of years, of course while silencing his foes in more brutal and direct approach (killing and hacking to pieces of a reknowned journalist inside the Saudi Arabian embassy of Istanbul) !
I seriously marvel that behing these two countries the religion is just a toy , a dangerous toy that was used time and time again to brainwash entire generations, erasing the collective memory of millions of people.
**spoiler alert** Asasinarea unei intregi familii respectabile (ca sa nu spunem piloni ai comunitatii ) dintr-un mic oras din Kansas in anul 1959 serv**spoiler alert** Asasinarea unei intregi familii respectabile (ca sa nu spunem piloni ai comunitatii ) dintr-un mic oras din Kansas in anul 1959 serveste drept catalizator al povestii noastre.
Autorul ne ofera o imagine holistica a societatii , prezentand cu lux de amanunte , atat vietile victimelor , a faptasilor precum si a tuturor persoanelor care interactioneaza intr-un fel sau altul cu cei mentionati .
Vietile personajelor sunt disecate de-a lungul romanului pe toate planurile temporale.
Asadar aflam motivul crimei , planificarea , executia , fuga urmand apoi urmarirea (se detaliaza punctul de vedere al anchetatorilor ) , procesul , inchisoarea si in cele din urma pedeapsa.
Poate cea mai impresionanta parte este inchisoarea. Asistam indeaproape la evolutia (sau stagnarea) viziunii asupra vietii a faptasilor precum si la raporturile acestora cu alti detinuti care isi asteapta pedeapsa.
**spoiler alert** Parcurgand cartea nu am reusit sa scap de aceasta puternica senzatie de repulsie , mi-sa parut ca nu te poti cobori atat de jos , sa**spoiler alert** Parcurgand cartea nu am reusit sa scap de aceasta puternica senzatie de repulsie , mi-sa parut ca nu te poti cobori atat de jos , sa te lupti pentru fiecare dolar pentru fiecare concesie , sa te "tiganesti" in asemenea hal.
Dar , omul (autorul) are dreptate ; nu e tiganeala , e vorba de respectul de sine , de a reusi sa empatizezi cu celalalt om , de a-i intelege pozitia , de a il asculta , ..dar in final (desi este numita in fel si chip) de a obtine ceea ce vrei prin manipulare..caci celalata parte tot pierde , important fiind sa piarda cu zambetul pe buze , cu ego-ul satisfacut si cu cu gandul ca a iesit ca el.
O lectura interesanta , cu sfaturi bune de testat macar !...more
**spoiler alert** The book is not really written for novices and expects the reader to have played around with Erlang for some time.
While the book is **spoiler alert** The book is not really written for novices and expects the reader to have played around with Erlang for some time.
While the book is rich in explanations , diagrams and theory regarding Erlang and OTP , the reason it shines is its hands-on , goal oriented approach toward building systems.
The book provides rich examples on how to use erlang behaviours, distribution, releases ,interop , drivers , tracing , tcp and http servers , performance tracking .
This being said , the place where it really shines is developing a caching system.
We get to build a caching system starting from Erlang behaviours , then we add distribution (really really amazing part ! ) and mnesia. We then add an interface application on top. Then the author goes to great depths to use interoperability with Java using Drivers and NIF's in order to add a hard storage behind this cache in the form of Apache HBase.
The fact that all this add-ons are made upon this caching application which spans across multiple chapters aspect is both a plus and a minus from my part.
Its a plus because you see how an application evolves, adding layer on top of layer and the way you abstract away implementation details.
Its a minus because I felt that many of this features should've been treated as standalone apps. I do not really like to check/remember the implementation details from some 3 chapters ago.
All in all a solid book and to those interested in Erlang/OTP i can definetly say : You won't regret reading it !...more
**spoiler alert** A solid pick if you want to get some leverage the next time your manager has your back against the wall trying to make you commit to**spoiler alert** A solid pick if you want to get some leverage the next time your manager has your back against the wall trying to make you commit to some project impossible to deliver in the preseneted timeframe.
You will get a good understanding on what estimation means , how are estimates different from commitments and targets. Once you realise this , your approach with non technical people from your organization will hopefully change radically
There's a lot of useful tips on topics such as estimation errors , planning , the cone of uncertainty and many tools and approaches on figuring out how in deep shit you.are when starting a new project with the given resources or how badly the ongoing one was planned.
This one gets 3 stars since i was hoping for some end to end scenarios like "you receive project X and you do Y,Z,T in this order". I was expecting a bit of handholding and more cohesion regarding the multiple tips and approaches you get familiar along the chapters....more
Great book for those struggling in multicultural environments at the workplace. What this book does good is that it provides scales for 8 different aspGreat book for those struggling in multicultural environments at the workplace. What this book does good is that it provides scales for 8 different aspects of communication such as depth of context , negative feedback approach , hierarchical structure or decision making.Then it takes different cultures and places them on these scales. Depending on the difference between your culture and your target's culture on that scale you are given concrete examples and ways on how to deal with these discrepancies , how to reason with people that are totally different than you and how to get the job done at the end of the day....more
Might be to the fact that i have read a translation of this book , but the general impression for the most part of it was that it was way out of my leMight be to the fact that i have read a translation of this book , but the general impression for the most part of it was that it was way out of my league.
The author dives deep into philosopic formalism in his endeavour to explain that our way of communication is just an image of the world , and for the most part ,our language is not enough to explain one's thought.
And if we are not able to explain through language our thought , than , it means , that, we shouldn't even try , it boils down to the idea that : what can't be said MUST not be said.
Along the pages you will get bombarded with mathematical /logistic demonstrations of different hypothesis. I was pretty fascinated that by reading his tractatus there's quite a lot of linear allgebra and group theory involved.
Even if for the most part i couldn't keep up with the pace and complexity of this writing, the last 15 pages were something like a distillation of his take on the world , on communication and on life.
A good book (even if you don't understand much of it except for the last pages-in my case)...more
I can't even begin to comprehend the emotional rollercoaster ride that this book has put me through.
Not a fan of biographies this one has it all. The sI can't even begin to comprehend the emotional rollercoaster ride that this book has put me through.
Not a fan of biographies this one has it all. The story of the founder of Nike a young buck from Oregon in the early 60's has an idea to start a shoe company.
After a trip around the world that opens his perspectives he manages to seal a deal with a japanesse shoe company tosell heir shoes on the west coast.
From there on the ride begins and what a ride ! It's all problems after problems , living on the edge of the abyss from day to day , sleepless nights , frolic discussions.
The problrms range from being indebted all the time , running a 0 cash business , hostile takeovers , law suits , travelling the world in search of suppliers , factories , getting athletes wear your products , marketing around the state to coaches and highschools.Experimenting , improvising and never stopping (i didn't say failing - but failing fast ).
Its also a book about finding the right people , choosing your friends and the people you want to spend your life with based on your shared values (2 of the most important employees were morbidly obese and the most trusted one was in a wheelchair -the top 3 guys of a sports goods company...the irony).Yet it is heart and brain and values is what matters as the authors reveals.
It is also a book about faith and finding love in the most unexpected places - working as a part time univ asssistant to be able to pay the debts for his shoe company , he meets a remarkable student thst aces all his assignments.He offers her an accounting job at his company in the making. Down the road they get in love and marry.She becomes one of his pillars of strength.
The book is an excellent resource for young entrepreneurs , visionaries but also for anyone that has a dream , that has the courage to follow his heart....more
This book was a disapointment.I understand the book is pretty much a recollection of facts seen first hand by the author ...but even so it focused too This book was a disapointment.I understand the book is pretty much a recollection of facts seen first hand by the author ...but even so it focused too much on lousy descriptions of episodic characters.There were too many unimportant satraps, chieftains and even soldiers where the narrator dedicated entire pages that were abruptly forgotten.
The most important and interesting part was the first part of the returning journey mainly from Babylon to the Black sea.
The book went downhill from there and stood that way with some small exceptions....more
**spoiler alert** A not so consistent read with lots of ups and downs.
The story behind the story : a father that grieves over the death of his son tri**spoiler alert** A not so consistent read with lots of ups and downs.
The story behind the story : a father that grieves over the death of his son tries to understand what his son was : An idea , a pattern , was it only in his imagination and where did he go after death. He then takes his motor bike and goes in a circuit of the USA reminiscing the time spent with his son.
Throughout the book we are told what quality is and how it affects the modern man . We also get a glimpse of Phaedrus the alter ego of the author , the insane version that is interested in philosophy , dialectic and rhetoric.
The book is lots of fun when describing how one man searching for qualiity and the truth gets in university and basicallly demolishes his professors.
The book draws parallels between the art of motorcycle maintainance and quality. Basically that every thing that you set your mind upon can become art and be the vessel of quality if you do it systematically, you preeplan it and give attentiion to all.the details.More so when you do something of quality you influence the people around you , you "infect" them , and it spreads for the greater good.
There are times when its mind blowing , like the whole approach to definiing what makes something real. Is it our senses that define that something , or do we have an apriori image of that thing that changes in time.
There are also times when i find it boring or really too hard to follow.The first 55% of the book is great , you caan follow along with ease. Then you hit a rut up until 82% , when the book starts climbing and becomes exceptional . (I am referrinng to.the university chapters).
The ending wraps it all up quite nicely and its the place where your accumulated questions are answered quite consistently.
If this book was a shorter somewhere in the 300-350 pages it wouldve been a solid 5/5....more
"Merge cu zeii cel ce neincetat are sufletul impacat cu cele ce i-au fost harazite de catre soarta"
"Moartea reprezinta sfarsitul repercusiunilor simtu"Merge cu zeii cel ce neincetat are sufletul impacat cu cele ce i-au fost harazite de catre soarta"
"Moartea reprezinta sfarsitul repercusiunilor simturilor , al conditiei de marioneta purtata de impulsuri , al ratacirii gandurilor , al serviciului adus carnii"
"Este rusinos ca intr-o viata in care corpul nu se lasa cuprins de slabiciune , sufletul sa o faca primul"
"Adapteaza-te evenimentelor pe care soarta ti le-a harazit.Iubeste , dar cu adevarat oamenii cu care destinul te-a unit"
Este fara doar si poate cea mai buna carte pe care am citit-o in acest an. Similar cu Seneca , Marcus Aurelius insa duce stoicismul la un cu totul alt nivel de spiritualitate .
Am fost placut impresionat de pledoaria autorului despre acceptarea oamenilor si mai ales a celor care ne fac rau , a accepta faptul ca fiecare lucru care ni se intampla are scopul sau , iar cei ce fac rau au si eu rostul lor in societate , ca toti suntem precum un roi de albine cu diverse atributii de-a lungul vietii.
Cel mai important este sa ramanem fideli daimon-ului nostru , sa parcurgem viata impreuna cu el , sa nu ne abatem de la adevar si dreptate , sa ne folosim darurile pentru a ajuta societatea si ,sa ne detasam atat de intamplarile fericire cat si de suparari caci toate acestea fac parte din ordinea fireasca a lucrurilor.Ce conteaza in cele din urma este ca intelectul sa nu cada prada lumescului.
Pentru cel ce citeste acest zid de text : Cred ca fie doar si meditand din cand in cand asupra ideilor expuse in acest manuscris iti vei usura viata , iti vei crea anumite ancore de care te poti agata atunci cand soarta iti e potrivnica iar in final te vei bucura mai mult de viata.
The story focuses on the regime of the Dominican Republic dictator Trujillo written in Llosa's characteristic style oAnother Vargas Llosa masterpiece.
The story focuses on the regime of the Dominican Republic dictator Trujillo written in Llosa's characteristic style of multiple chronological plains.
We get to see closehand the regime's most proeminent people : the head of internal security with his barbarian yet efficient and clever methods when dealing with political dissidents; the regime's propaganda master , the armed forces commander etc...This glimpse is shown through the eyes of the dictator himself.
Interpolated with the above we get to know the conspirators that are planning to take out Trujillo.We learn about their motives , their life before the dictator and more specifically how does a civilian turn into a conspirator soon to be assasin.
Probably the most shocking is the woman that returns to the DR years after Trujillo's death to visit her currently impaired father (ex- one of the most respected personalities of the regime )
The most amazing thing regarding this book besides the gory details of the regime is how after the death of the dictator life moved on and fast , a state that was governed by force for 30 years where the dictator had complete power has been able to forget mostly everything in a matter of months.
Who would have thought reading about the history , antrophology and nature of pigs could be such a captivating lecture. This is a such a hollistic apprWho would have thought reading about the history , antrophology and nature of pigs could be such a captivating lecture. This is a such a hollistic approach on such a disregarded subject. This book will totally change the way you see pigs , pig meat and the relationship between pig and man....more
Besides some really memorable moments and dialogues , i felt that the book with all of its descriptions regarding the people of Marycomb was boring anBesides some really memorable moments and dialogues , i felt that the book with all of its descriptions regarding the people of Marycomb was boring and i could hardly find reasons for their existence.
The book follows a pattern similar to a game where you have 3 uninteresting and boring sub-quests that nonetheless have to be completed in order to get to the main quest. This pattern stayed true throughout the book....more
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