QR Codes: the Ubiquitous Content Management System

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" QR (Quick Response) codes are graphical barcodes: square black dots arranged in a grid on a white background. Subject to the installation of an app, they can be scanned by devices such as smartphones and ...

Croatia, Albania, Macedonia and EU Accession: The View from Bruss

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Croatia on the Verge of EU Accession From our window in the iconic, art deco, recently renovated, and surprisingly affordable Hotel Regent Esplanade in Zagreb, Croatia’s increasingly chic capital...

Impulse Control and Narcissistic Fear of Failure

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Many narcissistic defences, traits, and behaviours revolve around the compulsive need to sustain a grandiose self-image of perfection (“perfectionism”.) Paradoxically, deficient impulse control helps ...

The New Matriarchy and the Redundant Male

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" From the dawn of history to the late 1950s, the collective had been the organizing principle of human affairs. The pursuit of happiness was channelled via collectives and even dissidents and rebels formed...

Thoughts Regarding Our Dystopic Future

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Many futurologists - professional (Toffler) and less so (Naisbitt) - tried their hand at predicting the future. They proved quite successful at foretelling major trends but not as lucky in delineating...

Original vs. Copy and the Question of Context

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Consider these conundrums: 1. A brilliant geek invents a 3D printer which replicates flawlessly the Mona Lisa. Leonardo’s masterpiece and the copy spewed out by the machine are indistinguishable even...

REVIEW Encyclopedia Britannica 2013 Ultimate DVD and Britannica O

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Overview The Encyclopedia Britannica has long been much more than a venerable print reference work. More than a decade ago it pioneered a freemium website (some content free, other content behind a pay...

Friction, Efficiency, and Volatility in Financial Markets

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" It is an open question whether frictionless markets are more efficient. Traders and investors need time to digest new information; incorporate it in models and theories regarding the markets and specific...

Iran, Israel on Verge of Agreement

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Prompted by senior figures in both the current, Obama, administration and the previous, Bush administration, Israel agreed to major concessions in secret negotiations with Iran which have been taking...

I Hate This Brave, New World

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" I hate this brave, new world where: Illiteracy is 140 characters long and has a face-book; Everyone has a thousand virtual "friends", but virtually no real friend; Every child has a mother and multiple...

REVIEW Pears Cyclopedia 2012-2013

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited" The 2012-2013 edition of Pears Cyclopaedia is the first major revision in some time. It adds considerable heft to veteran chapters as well as re-introduces categories of knowledge from previous ...

The Social Costs of Small Business

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Big Business (with 1000 employees or more) and traditional business (central office or factory) provided workers with a network of social contacts and with opportunities to fraternize and befriend others....

Sex - Or Gender? Film Review: "What to Expect When You Are Expec

By Sam VakninAuthor of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Film Review: "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" (2012) Modern pop culture bombards us with gender stereotypes, which by now have become truisms: women are always sensitive, misunderstood, in touch with...