#distingixes_o_t'extingixes

This is w ithout any doubt one of the best books I've read in a long time! Once I started reading it I simply couldn't stop... (I've read its around 300 pages in less than 5 days, and that while working full time) I can only say that the way in which Rosling tackles the issue of preconceived bias, which prevent us from seeing and understanding the world the way it really is, has really surprised me. The author sets aside any formalities and condescendence to give a wake-up call to all those (often affluent and well educated students, business and world leaders leaving in the rich world, or in "Level 4", as he calls it) who think they can continue to classify the word according to the old clichés of "developed" or "underdeveloped" country. In a time in which pessimistic views about humanity and the sort of future awaiting us, Rosling manages to make us aware of the long way ahead of us to eradicate extreme poverty or other big human pr...

The idea of doing a PhD has been in my mind for quite some time. In fact I already started it when I was still living in Spain some years ago. At the time, due to my personal situation and other surrounding circumstances (not really relevant for this matter) I ended up quitting when I had already done a considerable work. Those who know me know that although I am very engaged in my job as a petrochemical trader, teaching and the academic world have never completely left my mind. Recently, along with my decision to start teaching at the  FOM University of Applied Sciences in Düsseldorf  (experience about which I have recently wrote some lines in this blog.  Read post ) the idea of completing my PhD has emerged again with more strength than ever before. That is the reason why lately I have been avidly reading some specialised books on academic writing and how to write a PhD dissertation.   After having finished “El Escritor Académico Productivo: Una Guía ...

Des de l’inici de Setembre he començat a impartir docència a la Universitat de Ciències Aplicades FOM a Düsseldorf. Després d’acabar el meu MBA hi vaig estar un temps pegant-li voltes i finalment vaig decidir acceptar el repte. Després de tot, compaginar la docència universitària amb un treball molt exigent, que implica freqüents viatges i llargues hores, no és quelcom que es puga decidir sense reflexionar-ho bé. Però el semestre ja ha començat i després de dos classes de 4 hores, i 3 hores i 15 minuts, m’atrevisc a fer una primera valoració. La docència a aquest nivell ( Màster of Science en Enginyeria Industrial) m’ha sorprès gratament per la motivació, l’empenta i la dedicació dels meus alumnes. He de dir que la universitat en la que sóc Professor Associat oferix una modalitat de estudis durant els caps de setmana (divendres de vesprada i dissabtes tot el dia) que permetix als alumnes (i a mi també) compaginar els seus respectius treballs com a enginyers, donat que han hagut d...

I just finished reading this book on my Kindle and would like to briefly share my thoughts about it. It has taken me 6 days to finish it and while some chapters were not so interesting (which has delayed finishing it), in average it must be said that Tim Ferriss manages to keep the reader’s attention and interest without repeating over and over again the same idea(s), which is, in my modest opinion, one of the most found characteristics in this type of books today. While it remains to be discussed if “The 4-hour workweek” is really worth all the “hype” generated since it was first published more than 10 years ago, it is obvious that it was one of those new generation books seeking to be a “game changer” that really impacted a whole segment of the world population, especially those with an entrepreneurial mindset and also unhappy with their current lives. I really enjoyed reading it because it uses plain words and productivity considerations which make sense from the first min...

Curiós que el meu primer post siga per parlar d’una de les xàrcies socials que més m’ha sorprès (en sentit positiu) en els últims temps. Fa poc, vaig escoltar en el podcast #Zetatesters que parlaven sobre #Goodreads, una xàrcia social per a lectors empedernits i temps em va faltar per llançar-me en planxa per provar-la i formar-me una idea pròpia.  Amb plaer he pogut descubrir poc després, una volta tenint ja un compte obert , que alguns dels meus contactes habituals d’altres xàrcies socials menys “intelectuais” (diguem-ho així) tambe hi estan. A més de trobar tota classe de llibres i poder puntuar-los, comentar-los per mitjà de “reviews”, seguir els escriptors, iniciar reptes de lectura i descobrir recomanacions basades en els llibres que ja has llegit, o en els que t’agradaria llegir, us assegure que l’efecte collateral serà un significatiu increment de les vostres hores de lectura per setmana i del grau de coneixement del últims títols i autors en l’estil li...