Just received the okay to take Grad classes at the Central European University. Fabulous.
Researching George Soros, a man for whom everybody seems to have it out [for]*. (incidentally, the founder of aforementioned university.) his advocacy for open societies is pretty interesting. The Open Society Institute is one of the most hopeful non-governmental organizations i've seen yet. But this hungarian-born megabillionaire also has his hand in the murky currency-exchange market, the same volatile market that whose 'electronic herd' caused the asian financial crisis and accompanying devaluation of several currencies.
Is he a latter-day robin hood? He's made his money off the economic system while fervently critizing it. But he is admirable (and prolific!), having published several books, attended london school of economics (if only...), and founded a huge philanthropic organization to get rid of some of that excess money of his.
in any case, i am studying at his university. and i'm excited.
Quotes:
"An open society is a society which allows its members the greatest possible degree of freedom in pursuing their interests compatible with the interests of others," Soros said. "The Bush administration merely has a narrower definition of self-interest. It does not include the interests of others."
"Financial markets are supposed to swing like a pendulum: They may fluctuate wildly in response to exogenous shocks, but eventually they are supposed to come to rest at an equilibrium point. Instead, as I told Congress, financial markets behaved more like a wrecking ball, swinging from country to country, knocking over the weaker ones. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the international financial system itself is the main culprit in the meltdown process. It is time to recognize that financial markets are inherently unstable."
*okay, you're really not supposed to end sentences with prepositions. it bugs me.
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