Kasi-Blog

This winter, I really wanted to go skiing, but again it did not work out. Studying took too much time and Berlin is unfortunately not close to any big ski ressorts. My last hope was the snow that came back to Germany in March, but by now it is probably all molten away.

Today I found this video of Julia lip-singing to the almost-forgotten “What’s up?” by 4NonBlondes, a band that managed only two or three hits in the charts during the 1990ies. Julia is singing about the great big hill of hope while going up in a ski-cabin somewhere in Utah. Apparently her dad filmed it, must have been weird to film her without hearing the music played on her Ipod.

Ski Dub: 4 Non Blonde’s “What’s Going On!?” from Julia Allison on Vimeo.

While there is a mixture of rain and sun outside my window, I work on a new way to structure my research. I decided to move my blog posts on Economic Issues to my new blogs called Kasinomics. There I am combining my research on the Global Financial Architecture with a discussion of what is happening in the global financial markets.

Last week and this week, I attend conferences about International Finance here in Cambridge. This has led me to think a lot about whether a career in Academia is really what I want. Certainly, as a Phd-Student life is very nice, you get to travel, meet interesting people, attend conferences, get invited to nice dinners like last night.

On the other hand, most of your work has only relevance within a small community of people. There is no immediate feedback and you evolve only slowly. For instance, at these conferences, even if somebody talks utter nonsense, people are very nice about and say “That was a very interesting contribution”. I am fed up with that, I want people to argue and discuss, and say “That was rubbish because… ”

The same with academic papers: the first skill of publishing papers is finding a professor who wants to publish an article under his name with you, because big names will get you into big journals.

The second skill of publishing is making reference to the big kids in the playground, those authors which drive a certain paradigm in science, in the hope that you get noticed by them and cited in one of their articles. It is almost like blogging if you are out for a high pagerank, you link alpha-bloggers to catch their attention and get a backlink from them.

The third thing everybody seems to think in academia is that articles contribute to the evolution in science because they pick up where other people stopped their argumentation. I am not sure if that is the case, often they simply reaffirm a certain paradigm and very few scholars manage to link different schools of thoughts.

The final thing in academia is the obedience to hierarchy, but that is probably a human phenomenon. If a professor says rubbish or clouds his arguments in a certain lingo, then everybody say “Nice thought!”. If an undergraduate student says the same thing people will think he is an arrogant tit.

Cambridge is much greener and sunnier today. I am also thankful for the advances in modern nutrition science: the apple juice (opened already), which I put in the fridge one month ago, is still fresh and still tastes good. I have to make an inquiry at the co-op and ask how they do that.

I was scheduled to arrive in Cambridge at noon, it was 5pm when I was finally here. The reason: RyanAir. After I checked-in my Rucksack, I went to security where they told me that my small laptop bag and my small bag containing my suits can not be checked in – even though both of them together easily fitted into the small blue box next to Security Check.

After long discussions, they finally agreed to let me through if I put both of them in a blue plastic trash bag. After long discussions, they also decided to give the bag for free. Then I ran to my airplane, only to find out that the flight was delayed. RyanAir eventually exlaimed that the flight was moved from 10am to 2.30pm.

Well, I am really fed up with RyanAir now. First they introduce the fees for check-in baggage and force everybody to put everything in hand-luggage. Then they wonder why a lot of people don’t check-in any luggage any more and simply carry their rucksacks on-board. And then, without notice to rip these people off, they give an order that only one piece-off luggage is allowed, disregarding the fact that on most flights with Ryanair there is plenty of space in the cabin and for hand-luggage.

The idea of a ModelG8, a G8 simulation seems to spread quite rapildy. From the originals in St Petersburg (2006) and Berlin (2007 – www.modelg8.org) to this year’s ModelG8 in Yokohama and another Japan Youth G8 Project organized in June 2008. Apparently the organizers of both are in touch with each other.

One of the big problems in the discussions at this years Model G8 was that the delegates were not all on the same level when it comes to preparation. Some people thought they have to represent their own opinion, some represented their governments opinion, but then sometimes were not aware of what the government is already doing in this specific fields. I have to look into this more in detail: it seems that a lot of activists criticizing the G8 only have a vague idea of what is happening on the international level.

Two interesting weeks in Japan went by really fast. Japanese culture is certainly very interesting. Now I know why in Japan politeness and caution are so important. Otherwise civil living together would be impossible. Imagine 120 million people living in such a small space with the emotional energy of Italians!

The ModelG8 conference was very interesting. The Japanese organizing team did an amazing job and there were some really good discussions about the problems. The only problem that I saw was that this ModelG8 departed a little bit too much from reality. I think last year in Berlin we managed to get all delegates on the same level of preparation. But the negotiations this year were very good and very intense.

Tom and I made a trip to Mount Fuji as well. The mountain was covered in clouds, the busses did not drive up and the town at the foot of the mountain was almost completely deserted. We hiked a little bit into the woods, but next time we’ll come back in the summer.

Tokyo is a fascinating city. But unlike Singapor or Kuala Lumpur, it somehow has lost its cultural charme. There is no local Tokyo anymore, it’s just a cluster of city centres with shopping malls and ramen shops. Next time I am in Japan, I will try to have a look at Kyoto as well.

There was an Earthquake in the UK, but I did not notice any rumbling last night. Maybe the Bass Drum in the Club where me and my classmates went last night was to heavy.

Oh, this morning I got up after four hours sleep and I felt like Moist von Lipwig when he’s been awaken by Vetinari, the Tyrant of Ankh-Morpork, after climbing around Ankh-Morpork at night. Thanks to Tealin for the great picture!

After getting up, I went to the Exam Hall and finished International Law. I answered a question on the general characteristics of International Law and tried to pull some Environmental Law into it. The other question was on Sources of International Law in relation to the Prohibition of Torture. Well, we’ll see how it went.

Afterwards me and my classmates went to the Eagle, the Pub where in 1953 the discovery of DNA was announced. Was good to kick back the shoes a little bit. We were discussing the exams and our plans afterwards.

I am in two minds about the exams. I think I rather prefer writing essays because then it is easier to focus on things that are interesting. On the other hand, with exams once they are done, they are done. Writing exams is mostly a memorizing practice, but with only two weeks time for studying the memorizing becomes quite patchy.

Anyway, it’s time to enjoy a little bit of the Cambridge sun now and then do some research for the Master-Thesis.

I don’t sleep well before exams. Not because of excitement, but usually when I crammed my head with the things in the book, I get so many interesting ideas. Brains are strange. Just came back from US Foreign Policy exam. I answered questions on China and on Economic Foreign Policy. Went alright. Now it’s time to do some catching up. And then Tuesday with International Law, one more to go…

Finished the Economics Exam, chose a question on exchange rates and another one on Regional Trade Agreements. A funny thing happened in the beginning. It turned out that the page with the questions of the exams included some remarks made by the lecturers when they drafted the questions.

Afterwards went to lunch with my classmates discussing the Economics class. We all really liked the heterodox approach that Michael Kuczynski took in explaining economics and we liked discussing concrete problems in the seminar with John Forsyth, such as Sovereign Wealth Funds or the Commodity Markets for Energy Resources.

One of my classmates told me that Michael Kuczynskis brother is Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, the former prime minister of Peru. Well, Cambridge always makes up for unexpected surprises.

Back to the desk to study US Foreign Policy. Two more exams to go…

Just finished the exam in International Political Economy. Exam questions dealt Trade and Finance. One was about the Doha Development Agenda, the other about the collapse of the Fixed Exchange Rate System which I answered by discussing the impact of the Gold Pool in the 1960ies. Doable. Back to the library for Economics. Three more to go…

Today I received a letter from the British National Health Service inviting me to a pregnancy screening test. I am not pregnant, but maybe because I somehow ended up in the Health Database as Miss Karsten Wenzlaff got me this preventive medical treatment.

Thinking of it, I recovered quite good from my accident and the service of the National Health Service was efficient, free, and worked. After I came home from studying in the Library, I couldn’t sleep yet so I watched Michael Moore’s Sicko – a movie about the American Health Care System. Read on, my friend »

In 2006, a friend of mine, Alexander, worked in the US Congress. He told me about this exciting new Democratic Senator from Illinois, named Barack Obama, who excites his crowds and is going to challenge Hillary Clinton in the presidential campaign. At that time everybody, the media, the political establishement, almost everybody, believed that she would win the Democratic nomination.

18 months later I find myself going to the Youtube-Video-Channel of Barack Obama almost every night, hoping that their campaign team has put a new video there. And even though I was skeptic for a long time that one person can change a whole country, can redefine its economic and political interests and give the people the perspective of change, I think Barack Obama can do that. Read on, my friend »

Oh what a joy – a golden message from Germany including some Knusperflocken.

Easily translated into Nibbeflakes. The English name does really not describe well the oral sensation of chocolate-covered crisp bread in small portions.

Hmmm… I have to keep this for a special day, otherwise the golden bag will be empty soon.

Wait it is a special day Oops, already empty.

Head is in a fog from the books and readings, and outside Cambridge is cloudy and murky.

…is the birthday of a special person in my family. He will probably be very busy blogging about this world – even on this special day.

Hopefully he finds the time to reflect upon the last year and take a stroll through the alley of magnificent trees that his efforts have preserved for the at least another 50 years!

Knowing that is sometimes not easy to start something new, I want to wish the best of luck and success for this exciting new project. I am confident he will make the best out of this great opportunity!

Happy Birthday!

Image from Der Rüdnitzer

Today I had the last seminar in International Law. I had to present three cases, two WTO cases and one NAFTA case, where environmental and developmental goals clashed with free trade objectives. It went quite well, given that I only had a few hours effectively to work on the presentation. On Friday I had to present six cases in Environmental Law and that also went quite well.

International Environmental Law and International Economic Law is so fascinating. These areas mix economic, political and legal considerations – but at the same time they touch on ethical criteria and discussions of fairness and justice. I am convinced that the development of international law in this field will determine whether humanity can solve the problems it is facing right now. Even Dr. Gehring, the lecturer, seemed to enjoy more talking about Environmental Law than talking about Countermeasures, State Responsibility or Sources of International Law.

In these four months that I am studying International Law in Cambridge, I have learned more about decision-making then in the four years of my Bachelor Studies of Philosophy and Economics. I can’t believe that they still claim that “The Syllabus in Bayreuth is the best organized” and “We want to educate experts in complex decision situations.”

This is rubbish. In my experience, decision-making can not be studied by looking at philosophical theory. In order to make good decisions – be it in politics, in business, in academia, in science – you need to have three things: practical experience on the ground, detailed knowledge about the rules of the game, and a strong mental focus on your objective. None of these things you can learn in Bayreuth in the studies of Philosophy and Economics.

Today I had a look at the syllabus of the last semester in Bayreuth. There was no course in law required. But according to the advertisement-leaflet alumni should be able to work in Consultancies, Management Teams in Companies and Governments, International Organisations, Media or Education Facilities.

How is it possible to work in Business Consultancies without having a little glimpse of how Civil Law and Tax Law works? Well, you can probably pick up a lot on the job. Yet Bayreuth does not even make an effort to teach students some principles of Corporate Law. Not even in the field of the department’s specialisation, Business Ethics, can you find a course that teaches CSR-Standards or Corporate-Governance-Standards.

How can you work in Goverment if you have no clue about Public Law? Good governance is knowledge about how law is made and implemented. Sure enough, it helps to understand the Economic Impact of Law, and it helps to understand the basic principles which govern the major legal systems, but a course in Legal Philosophy will not help you in any decision-making.

How can you work in International Organisations if you don’t know how the relations between states are regulated and how international laws are created and changed? How can you discuss development and global justice if you don’t know how the dispute mechanisms in the major economic organisations work?

I am not saying that lawyers have an edge in all of these issues. To make good decisions, you need to have knowledge about economy as well as psychology and probably lots of politics. I picked up some of this of years in volunteering and NGO-work, but I know that very soon I will have to jump into the waves and try whether my intuitions work in the real world out there. Yet I know that the classes in Bayreuth were not doing anything to help me or my classmates making a succesful jump into this exciting world.

When the syllabus is created, the lecturers in Bayreuth do not think about how the taught knowledge can help students make meaningful decisions in the real world out there. Instead, they enforce their own research agenda on the students and pretend that these are meaningful treasures to be discovered in the vast oceans of human knowleddge. They don’t ask themselves how to develop the intellectual potential of the students in the best possible ways.

To be fair, some things are improving in Bayreuth. But the big legal gap in the Bayreuth syllabus (despite excellent facilities offered by the Law Faculty) can not be overlooked. Even though lawyers don’t have the answer to everything, without knowledge of law, you don’t even know how to ask the question.

Martin Wilke has recently written an article about the use of Single Transferable Vote in the Primaries in the USA. Single Transferable Vote means that voters can vote for several candidates by indicating a preference (this flash animation explains in English and German how STV works).

Martin says:

Those citizens which voted for Edwards are now in bad luck because from now on their vote is not counted anymore and has only symbolic value.

Henry Dubb says that Caucusing is somehow similar to STV because voters can change the corner if they think that their candidate will not receive enough votes in the districts. The following video explains how Caucus works and features Bill Clinton running on a treadmill and Hillary singing slightly out of tune:

A few words on Martins blog. For a long time, I have tried to convince Martin Wilke that with his knowledge about democracy, alternative education and voting procedures, he should start a weblog. There it is: Demokratie von unten.

Martin is an extraordinary person. We met when we were 8 years old and have been friends since then. In school, we created a new sovereign state (called the “United States of Europe”) which had two citizens (me and Martin), covered the territory of our rooms where we had sole jurisdiction and even our own currency.

Already during school he was an expert in direct democracy, candidated for the Berlin Parliament, wrote and translated books about Democratic Education and worked in an NGO advocating Rights of Children.

Recently he finished his Thesis – I think one of the best discussions of voting systems like Single Transferable Vote. His new project is a campaign for Mehr Demokratie e.V., a German NGO working on implementing methods of direct democracy. Looking forward to read more from him in the future!

Last week a presentation on Basel II, this Thursday a presentation about Institutional Design, today a presenation about Environmental Law and then it was announced that next Friday’s presentation about Economic Law was moved to Monday. Which leaves me about 2 hours to prepare for next Tuesday’s presentation about Economic Policies in US Foreign Relations. Saying goodbuy to weekend which was already filled with revisioning.

I am going on a temporal intellectual boycott now. The sun is shining in Cambridge and I’ll grab my camera and go down to the city to make some nice pictures of the town.

I recently bought two shirts which were called iron-free. After they came out of the dryer, they had more wrinkles than a young Shar-Pei.