Comments on: Hungary gets the plain speaking prize – again.

By: Golem XIV - Thoughts

Golem XIV - Thoughts — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:43:14 +0000

Von Neumann was a birlliant polymath. But he was also very right wing in many of his attitudes. And he was very influential. He's not my favourite.

By: Tam

Tam — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:39:36 +0000

I remember noting the FT made Von Neuman their 'Man of the century' ten years ago although EVEN THEY seemed a bit uncomfortable about what he represented!

By: RichGB

RichGB — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:26:47 +0000

From a country that has given us Liszt and Bartok comes more sweet music to our ears.
Now that Hungary has spoken like a true democracy, let's hope that other countries will follow.
But who will be next? I think the Greeks are still in with a chance.

By: Golem XIV - Thoughts

Golem XIV - Thoughts — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:23:58 +0000

Von Neuman and Morgenstern - The Theory of Games and Economic Behaviour. THE founding document of modern economics and finance and the Uber text for how the Vietnam war was prosectuted.

They met in Vienna and then again at Princeton.

Edward Teller was also Hungarian. The man who ran the US nuclear war effort while 5 Presidents came and went. I think he can be said to have spent more money than any other human being. Maybe Obama, Paulson, Geithner and Bernanke are on course to out do him.

By: Tam

Tam — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:29:40 +0000

Hungary's a fascinating country, that seems to throw up more than it's fair share of smart individuals capable of beating cynics at their own game including George Soros and John Von Neuman, (who I first learnt about from my dad's videos of the 'Ascent of man'; it's a small world!)

I used to teach maths so one thing that struck me about the country is that they don't teach any written maths until secondary school focusing on mental maths until then. I suspect this makes Hungarians a bit more self aware about financial realities than some other countries...