Happy New Year everyone!
I'm headed out to San Francisco for Jan. 1-7th, looking forward to it and to a great 2007!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Part 1 High Tech Fever with Joost Bonsen
July 12, 2006 - that's my buddy Joost Bonsen interviewing me.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Schedule
Dec. 19th - Done with (2nd to last) Finals (ever)!
Dec. 20-26th - Back in Marietta for Xmas.
Dec. 27-Jan. 10th - Boston/Cambridge
Jan. 1-7th - Trip to Silicon Valley with MIT E&I group.
Jan. 11-14th - Orlando for the Kauffman Foundation Fellowship Awards
April - Spring break in Paris to visit Sylvain and Colette?!
April 13-15 - Durham, NC for 5 year reunion at Duke
May 28th - General Exams
June - Trip to China
Dec. 20-26th - Back in Marietta for Xmas.
Dec. 27-Jan. 10th - Boston/Cambridge
Jan. 1-7th - Trip to Silicon Valley with MIT E&I group.
Jan. 11-14th - Orlando for the Kauffman Foundation Fellowship Awards
April - Spring break in Paris to visit Sylvain and Colette?!
April 13-15 - Durham, NC for 5 year reunion at Duke
May 28th - General Exams
June - Trip to China
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Project Anoopa--Upcoming Inauguration!
Uttama, Dennis, and Anita are traveling together to India this month to inaugurate the new facility at the Autrali School for Girls!
Congratulations to all who helped make this project happen, from financial contributions to research and vision to construction and management!
There is still lots of opportunity for individuals or organizations to support the Anoopa Sharma Foundation's development project.The first phase of Project Anoopa involved construction of a multi-purpose facility, providing the Autrali School for Girls new space for a library, computer room, and community meeting hall. The cost of this phase was about $34,000. As of about August, the total of all donations in the Anoopa Foundation account reached a bit less than $10,000. Work on the project is continuing strong thanks to the Sharma family's personal funds. Additional contributions are very welcome to help lower the family's costs.
Contributions go the furthest when made via check, sent directly to the bank or the Sharma's home. See details under Memorial Fund. Donations can also be made online via Paypal--there's just a percentage taken out of the contribution for the convenience of the Paypal transaction.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Salem, MA
On Friday, while most of America was busy with turkey sandwiches and football, Yoojin, Colette and I took the commuter train up to Salem, MA. For those who don't know, Salem is known for the witch hysteria which happened there in 1692.
We toured one of the Witch Museums, went to the House of Seven Gables (picture) and Nathaniel Hawthorne's House, the first candy shop in America (where I learned that the Gibralter is the oldest candy).
It's been a nice, relaxing break so I am not looking forward to hitting the books again for the run up to finals!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship
I found out this week that I won a Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship. $15,000 plus a trip to Orlando in January!
This is the abstract from my proposal. It still needs a lot of work:
This study will address the vital roles of university training and the institutional environment on the rate of entrepreneurship and performance of entrepreneurial ventures. We ask two related research questions utilizing national policy changes to examine: (1) What factors are associated with deciding to enter entrepreneurship?; and (2) What are the determinants of the returns to technical entrepreneurship in China? We survey alumni from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Tsinghua University, a prominent university focusing on engineering education in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
This is the abstract from my proposal. It still needs a lot of work:
This study will address the vital roles of university training and the institutional environment on the rate of entrepreneurship and performance of entrepreneurial ventures. We ask two related research questions utilizing national policy changes to examine: (1) What factors are associated with deciding to enter entrepreneurship?; and (2) What are the determinants of the returns to technical entrepreneurship in China? We survey alumni from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Tsinghua University, a prominent university focusing on engineering education in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Kelan
Kelan (photo here from spring 2001 at our place on Clarendon St.) visited Boston/Cambridge this weekend. We went to the MIT on-campus bar - the Muddy Charles as I forced him to endure a business meeting and a phd student presentation the next day at Sloan. It was great catching up and especially getting up to date on the new music he's been digging. Wish I'd had less work and could have hung out more.
Also in the photo here is Ana Viego who is getting married this weekend in Wilmington (and Bonnie, living in Seattle now). I think Kelan and Ana are having a chocolate war here with one of Kelan's shipments from Hershey. I really hate to have to miss Ana's wedding!!! But alas, the workload is crushing this semester.
Congratulations Ana! Great to see you Kelan!
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Harvard Widener Library
Since I'm cross-registered for a couple of classes at Harvard, I picked up my "special borrower" ID card today which lets me access the libraries (only Harvard and MIT students and perhaps a few others are allowed in). Widener Library is a really awe-inspiring building I have to admit. This photo doesn't quite capture it. I may have to start studying here now and then . . . (but don't tell my friends at MIT!)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Elephants on Memorial Drive
Elephants on Memorial Drive last week for the Circus. These guys walked right past MIT and I saw them on my bike ride up to Harvard for class.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
TR ETC 2006
I met TR ETC 2006"Jonathan F. Miller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AOL LLC, today. He is a great guy and really fun to chat with.
He spoke with the group of Berkeley, Stanford, and MIT students who I have been working with on a project. Congratulations to Corey Reese who set up and ran the very positive meeting we had with him.
TR ETC 2006: "Jonathan Miller is responsible for setting the strategy and overseeing the businesses and operations of the world's leading interactive services company. Before joining AOL, Miller was President and Chief Executive Officer of USA Information and Services (USAIS). Miller also served for a year as President and Chief Executive Officer of USA Electronic Commerce Solutions, and was President and Chief Executive Officer of USA Broadcasting, which he joined in 1997. Mr. Miller worked for Nickelodeon in the mid-1990s, joining it as Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Nick UK, and rising to Managing Director of Nickelodeon International. He previously served as Chief Executive of Paramount's first branded international channel. Earlier in his career, Mr. Miller was Vice President of Programming and NBA Entertainment at the National Basketball Association in New York."
He spoke with the group of Berkeley, Stanford, and MIT students who I have been working with on a project. Congratulations to Corey Reese who set up and ran the very positive meeting we had with him.
TR ETC 2006: "Jonathan Miller is responsible for setting the strategy and overseeing the businesses and operations of the world's leading interactive services company. Before joining AOL, Miller was President and Chief Executive Officer of USA Information and Services (USAIS). Miller also served for a year as President and Chief Executive Officer of USA Electronic Commerce Solutions, and was President and Chief Executive Officer of USA Broadcasting, which he joined in 1997. Mr. Miller worked for Nickelodeon in the mid-1990s, joining it as Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Nick UK, and rising to Managing Director of Nickelodeon International. He previously served as Chief Executive of Paramount's first branded international channel. Earlier in his career, Mr. Miller was Vice President of Programming and NBA Entertainment at the National Basketball Association in New York."
Friday, September 22, 2006
Email From Space! Anousheh Ansari Space Blog
Anousheh is blogging from space!
Email From Space! Anousheh Ansari Space Blog: "Subject: Hello from Peter Diamandis, Welcome to Space!
Hi Anousheh-
Welcome to your ISS Home! Earth watched your beautiful launch on the Internet and TV. You looked great all smiles the entire time!
Here's my blog entry of your launch (how it looked from NASA TV).
Hugs,
Peter
My Dear Peter,
You were on my mind the entire time. I remembered our first meeting with you sitting across the table and passionately talking about goals of the X Prize foundation. I was enjoying watching you make a sales pitch with such a passion.
You had me sold from the first minute but your passion was contagious and I wanted you to finish telling your story. I arrived in the station a few hours ago and it feels like home. I have been making notes all along the launch and I will be posting a blog on the trip.
The launch was very smooth. The trip to the station felt long but it was worth it. I cannot keep my eyes off the windows. Earth is magnificent and peaceful from up here. You don%u2019t see any of those awful things you hear on the news, from up here.
The Earth is so beautiful and if we could all see it this way I%u2019m sure we would do everything in our power to preserve it. I truly hope that more and more people get to experience this trip first hand. But more than anyone else I hope that you will experience this trip soon, because I cannot think of a more deserving person.
with my best space wishes
Anousheh"
Email From Space! Anousheh Ansari Space Blog: "Subject: Hello from Peter Diamandis, Welcome to Space!
Hi Anousheh-
Welcome to your ISS Home! Earth watched your beautiful launch on the Internet and TV. You looked great all smiles the entire time!
Here's my blog entry of your launch (how it looked from NASA TV).
Hugs,
Peter
My Dear Peter,
You were on my mind the entire time. I remembered our first meeting with you sitting across the table and passionately talking about goals of the X Prize foundation. I was enjoying watching you make a sales pitch with such a passion.
You had me sold from the first minute but your passion was contagious and I wanted you to finish telling your story. I arrived in the station a few hours ago and it feels like home. I have been making notes all along the launch and I will be posting a blog on the trip.
The launch was very smooth. The trip to the station felt long but it was worth it. I cannot keep my eyes off the windows. Earth is magnificent and peaceful from up here. You don%u2019t see any of those awful things you hear on the news, from up here.
The Earth is so beautiful and if we could all see it this way I%u2019m sure we would do everything in our power to preserve it. I truly hope that more and more people get to experience this trip first hand. But more than anyone else I hope that you will experience this trip soon, because I cannot think of a more deserving person.
with my best space wishes
Anousheh"
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Eekman
World traveler and Googler Eric Case was in town this weekend after a conference on the Cape.
Eric, his cousins, Yoojin and I got dinner in Harvard Sq. at Bombay Club, then I took them on a quick tour of the 3 most important MIT tourist sites (Stata, Dome, and Lobby 7) before we headed up to 1369, my favorite Central Sq. coffeeshop for some tea.
It was great to see Eric and meet Mary Ellen, Jane, and David. Come back and visit Boston/Cambridge again soon, Eric!
It's shaping up to be a really busy semester as far as classes.
Highlights should include a trip out to Stanford in October and a trip back to Marietta, OH for the Arnold-Hershey wedding Oct. 28th. I'm also looking forward to seeing a number of the BSO performances if I don't have too many psets to do!
Sunday, September 3, 2006
Calendar
I added a link to my Google calendar on the right. I just wish the stupid thing would sync directly with iCal and my Treo. I know there are hacks to do this, but I just want it all to work seemlessly, then it would be really useful. And I wish the private (busy) view would include what time the event ends, not just when it starts.
In other news, I moved into my new apt./dorm room over the past few days and am getting ready to start classes on Weds.
Eric Case is coming to visit in about a week since he'll be in the area for a conference.
In other news, I moved into my new apt./dorm room over the past few days and am getting ready to start classes on Weds.
Eric Case is coming to visit in about a week since he'll be in the area for a conference.
Saturday, September 2, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Atlanta
I had a great time in Atlanta the past week. Next weekend I'm headed to NYC to visit Mike, Alison, Liz, and anyone else who's there!
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
The Berkshires
A few photos are up from my trip to Tanglewood and the Berkshires. When 6 scientists, an engineer, and a business economist go camping and tubing the results are quite amusing. Highlights were the BSO performance and tubing down Deerfield river.
This Friday I'm headed to Atlanta, GA for a week and to present at the Academy of Management Conference where the theme is Knowledge, Action, and the Public Concern.
Hopefully I'll also get to see the new Atlanta Aquarium.
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Weekend
I'm headed to the Boston Symphony Orchestra concert Saturday at Tanglewood and then camping and hiking in the Berkshires (western MA) this weekend. Should be fun.
Monday, July 31, 2006
From the Happiness and Public Policy blog
In the same vein as David’s fascinating post below, here is a refreshingly accurate article on the relationship between wealth and self-reported happiness around the world from the New Scientist titled “Wealthy Nations Hold the Keys to Happiness.” The occasion of the article is the publication of a world map by Adrian White, a Ph.D. psychology student at the University of Leicester, that vividly pictures self-reported life satisfaction around the world. The relationship between wealth and the percentage of people who say they are happy leaps out pretty clearly.
“There is a belief that capitalism leads to unhappy people,” he says. “However, when people are asked if they are happy with their lives, people in countries with good healthcare, a higher [earnings] per capita, and access to education were much more likely to report being happy.”
“In the west we have the tendency to be the ‘worried well’,” White says. Too true.
... emphasize that self-reported subjective life satisfaction is a far cry from objective well-being, which includes non-subjective factors like health, longevity, the development of basic human capacities, and more. Complaining about the misery of life under capitalism is a sport for privileged people who, thanks to capitalism, are doing so objectively well that they can spend their days doing things like, say, getting a Ph.D. in American Studies from Berkeley and writing books about how Zombie movies reflect the horror of capitalism.
“There is a belief that capitalism leads to unhappy people,” he says. “However, when people are asked if they are happy with their lives, people in countries with good healthcare, a higher [earnings] per capita, and access to education were much more likely to report being happy.”
“In the west we have the tendency to be the ‘worried well’,” White says. Too true.
... emphasize that self-reported subjective life satisfaction is a far cry from objective well-being, which includes non-subjective factors like health, longevity, the development of basic human capacities, and more. Complaining about the misery of life under capitalism is a sport for privileged people who, thanks to capitalism, are doing so objectively well that they can spend their days doing things like, say, getting a Ph.D. in American Studies from Berkeley and writing books about how Zombie movies reflect the horror of capitalism.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Deja vu 'recreated in laboratory'
I had a bit of Deja vu just the other day . . .
BBC NEWS | Health | Deja vu 'recreated in laboratory': "Scientists believe they have found a way to probe the mysterious phenomenon of feeling you have witnessed something before - deja vu.
Leeds Memory Group researchers say they have gone some way to recreating the sensation in the lab using hypnosis."
BBC NEWS | Health | Deja vu 'recreated in laboratory': "Scientists believe they have found a way to probe the mysterious phenomenon of feeling you have witnessed something before - deja vu.
Leeds Memory Group researchers say they have gone some way to recreating the sensation in the lab using hypnosis."
Friday, July 21, 2006
Document View
Document View: "NASA is launching its own venture fund to reach out to entrepreneurs and investors who can create technologies to advance the agency's mission of space exploration. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced in February its venture, called Red Planet Capital Fund, and posted online a request for information to find someone to take charge of the vehicle.
The fund will start by making investments totaling $11 million in 2006 and grow to $20 million annually thereafter, with NASA providing strategic direction. The government agency said the fund will operate much like In-Q-Tel, the venture arm of the Central Intelligence Agency, and OnPoint Funds, the investment vehicle of the U.S. Army. Proceeds from the exits of any portfolio companies will be put back into the fund to support future investments.
NASA says it intends to make investments as part of a syndicate, alongside private-sector investors or other VC funds. Though the name Red Planet is inspired by the agency's ongoing exploration of Mars, investment areas will include human-machine interaction; water recycling, re-use and reduction; technology to fix things in space; environmental monitoring; and biomedical support for exploration missions. Lisa Lockyer, acting deputy director for NASA's innovative partnerships program, says it's still too early to talk about the fund in detail, but she says the agency has talked to a number of established venture firms to operate the fund. She added that the aim of the fund is to get off the ground and begin making investments before the end of the year."
The fund will start by making investments totaling $11 million in 2006 and grow to $20 million annually thereafter, with NASA providing strategic direction. The government agency said the fund will operate much like In-Q-Tel, the venture arm of the Central Intelligence Agency, and OnPoint Funds, the investment vehicle of the U.S. Army. Proceeds from the exits of any portfolio companies will be put back into the fund to support future investments.
NASA says it intends to make investments as part of a syndicate, alongside private-sector investors or other VC funds. Though the name Red Planet is inspired by the agency's ongoing exploration of Mars, investment areas will include human-machine interaction; water recycling, re-use and reduction; technology to fix things in space; environmental monitoring; and biomedical support for exploration missions. Lisa Lockyer, acting deputy director for NASA's innovative partnerships program, says it's still too early to talk about the fund in detail, but she says the agency has talked to a number of established venture firms to operate the fund. She added that the aim of the fund is to get off the ground and begin making investments before the end of the year."
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Happy? Let's Sum It Up - Los Angeles Times
Happy? Let's Sum It Up - Los Angeles Times: "Things are looking up these days for Easterlin, 80, and the small but increasingly visible network of researchers relying on the so-called dismal science of economics to find the keys to happiness.
If earning more money generally does surprisingly little or even nothing to make societies happier, they wonder, what works better? Good health? Marriage? Sex? By one reckoning, boosting the frequency of sex in a marriage from once a month to once a week brings as much happiness as an extra $50,000 a year."
If earning more money generally does surprisingly little or even nothing to make societies happier, they wonder, what works better? Good health? Marriage? Sex? By one reckoning, boosting the frequency of sex in a marriage from once a month to once a week brings as much happiness as an extra $50,000 a year."
Friday, July 14, 2006
About S-P
About S-P
I got an efficiency apartment for next year in Sidney Pacific, the newest grad dorm here. I'm psyched since a bunch of my friends live there and it's a nice building with shuttle service around campus. I may feel differently once I see how small the room is, but for now feel really lucky to get to live in a grad dorm here. I think it'll be great to get to live with a dorm full of grad students and have the whole social dorm experience again complete with commons rooms, floor kitchens, and the workout facility. SP is great about organizing a lot of activities also.
I got an efficiency apartment for next year in Sidney Pacific, the newest grad dorm here. I'm psyched since a bunch of my friends live there and it's a nice building with shuttle service around campus. I may feel differently once I see how small the room is, but for now feel really lucky to get to live in a grad dorm here. I think it'll be great to get to live with a dorm full of grad students and have the whole social dorm experience again complete with commons rooms, floor kitchens, and the workout facility. SP is great about organizing a lot of activities also.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
@LARGE
I'm going to be interviewed on Cambridge local television Weds. July 12 at 6pm by Joost Bonsen: "'High-Tech Fever' is the only regularly scheduled show on Boston-area television dedicated to invention, entrepreneurship, and the financing of technology start-ups. "
Sunday, July 9, 2006
Congrats Curt and Ashley
I spent the weekend in Cincinnati, OH at Curt and Ashley's wedding. I had a great time. It was like a MHS reunion with Mike, Rick, Scott S., Trautner, Libby, Mike A., Susy, Michelle, Jessica, Joel, Adam R., and Kristine all there.
I have to say, it's a funny feeling having one of your good friends who you grew up with get married. I'm not sure it's really sunk in yet.
Friday, July 7, 2006
Vanguard - Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund Overview
Vanguard - Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund Overview
This looks great. Well-diversified and simple. I'm all about the simplicity these days.
This looks great. Well-diversified and simple. I'm all about the simplicity these days.
Monday, July 3, 2006
My guest
Dad's in town so I've been showing him around the city and learning a bit about Boston, it's history, and (thanks to dad) it's many very good ethnic and seafood restaurants!
Karim R. Lakhani's Infrequent Musings
Yes even Google is a user innovator: "The New York Times is running a breathless story about how
Google assembles the majority of the hardware it uses and deploys at such a large scale, that Google may be the world's fourth-largest maker of computer servers.
Users as innovators? Who would have thunk it? Actually Eric von Hippel, Karim Lakhani's thesis advisor, was the first scholar to point out that a majority of the functionally novel innovations arrive from users. His books "The Source of Innovation" and "Democratizing Innovation" (both available as free downloads) outline the basic thesis of users as innovators and and provide empirical data to show this effect.
NanoSummary: Users can be innovators because they directly experience the use environment with existing products and find them to be lacking in critical functionality. The decision then is to build or buy. Often times the buy option is simply not there because manufacturers do not experience the same use environment and it takes a long time for them to recognize the "need." Many advanced users cannot wait for the manufacturers to build something they do not understand or for marketing departments to agree that their need can serve the mass market. Thus they innovate. Its really that simple."
Google assembles the majority of the hardware it uses and deploys at such a large scale, that Google may be the world's fourth-largest maker of computer servers.
Users as innovators? Who would have thunk it? Actually Eric von Hippel, Karim Lakhani's thesis advisor, was the first scholar to point out that a majority of the functionally novel innovations arrive from users. His books "The Source of Innovation" and "Democratizing Innovation" (both available as free downloads) outline the basic thesis of users as innovators and and provide empirical data to show this effect.
NanoSummary: Users can be innovators because they directly experience the use environment with existing products and find them to be lacking in critical functionality. The decision then is to build or buy. Often times the buy option is simply not there because manufacturers do not experience the same use environment and it takes a long time for them to recognize the "need." Many advanced users cannot wait for the manufacturers to build something they do not understand or for marketing departments to agree that their need can serve the mass market. Thus they innovate. Its really that simple."
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
The Determinants of Mortality
The Determinants of Mortality: "Is there a universal theory of mortality that can explain improvements over time, differences across countries, and differ-ences across groups? The authors argue that 'knowledge, science, and technology are the keys to any coherent explanation,' perhaps controversially downplaying the role of income. As for the future, they predict that an acceleration in the production of new knowledge and treatments is likely to increase inequality in health outcomes in the short run, but the silver lining is that 'help is on the way, not only for those who receive it first, but eventually for everyone.'"
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Nietzsche
What if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence -- even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!' Upon hearing this, would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything more divine'?'--Nietzsche
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
MIT ZigZag Video Magazine
MIT ZigZag Video Magazine: "06/14/06 Episode 7
See highlights from MIT's 140th commencement, check out the MIDAS automated dorm room system, and learn about the MIT Summer Research Program as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
See highlights from MIT's 140th commencement, check out the MIDAS automated dorm room system, and learn about the MIT Summer Research Program as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Extrovert/introvert
Article from USA Today titled “Not all successful CEOs are extroverts.” It has some good nuggets and real data in it. The punch line – in one of the studies, it was concluded that “the study found that the charismatic CEOs make more money, but make no difference to corporate performance.”
[via Feld Thoughts]
[via Feld Thoughts]
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Sunday, June 4, 2006
Freshmen automate dorm room - MIT News Office
Freshmen automate dorm room - MIT News Office: "Freshmen automate dorm room
Little by little, freshmen Zack Anderson and R.J. Ryan, residents of East Campus, have turned an ordinary, standard-issue dorm room into something extraordinary: a fully automated pad."
Little by little, freshmen Zack Anderson and R.J. Ryan, residents of East Campus, have turned an ordinary, standard-issue dorm room into something extraordinary: a fully automated pad."
MIDAS: Homemade Dorm Room Home Automation System
MIDAS: Homemade Dorm Room Home Automation System: "Since moving into my dorm this last fall, my roommate RJ Ryan and I have been working on creating the most elaborate automation system we could envision. Featuring everything from web control, voice activation, and a security system, to large continuously running information displays, electric blinds, and one-touch parties, the custom designed MIDAS Automation System has brought ease to our lives (if one doesn't count all the time it took to actually build and program the system).
The following page will both describe the system functionalities as well as a description on how it was built. Anyone with some programming and construction skills, drive, and a couple hundred dollars should be able to replicate this system."
The following page will both describe the system functionalities as well as a description on how it was built. Anyone with some programming and construction skills, drive, and a couple hundred dollars should be able to replicate this system."
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Thank You Jack Cafferty: Cafferty File: Gay Marriage Debate
Thank You Jack Cafferty: Cafferty File: Gay Marriage Debate
Watch Cafferty call out the fact that the Republicans are appealling to bigotry and hatred to get votes in the coming elections.
Watch Cafferty call out the fact that the Republicans are appealling to bigotry and hatred to get votes in the coming elections.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Weatherman
Done with finals I've been relaxing a bit. A few friends came over for some chocolate fondue last night to celebrate being done with finals. It was really nice to see everyone with time to chill.
Tonight I watched the Weatherman, a movie about career success vs. success in life. I liked it, especially the ending. I guess in life, you have your goals and the picture, however, fuzzy, of the kind of person you'd like to become, the kind of life you'd like to live. Unless you're quite lucky, not all of it works out exactly perfectly. I feel like at the end, the main character continues to strive after his goals, yet somehow also is able to accept who he is and become seemingly more than just momentarily, satisfied with the life he leads even with its imperfections. I suppose that is truly the challenge.
Tonight I watched the Weatherman, a movie about career success vs. success in life. I liked it, especially the ending. I guess in life, you have your goals and the picture, however, fuzzy, of the kind of person you'd like to become, the kind of life you'd like to live. Unless you're quite lucky, not all of it works out exactly perfectly. I feel like at the end, the main character continues to strive after his goals, yet somehow also is able to accept who he is and become seemingly more than just momentarily, satisfied with the life he leads even with its imperfections. I suppose that is truly the challenge.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Tim the beaver
Tim the beaver is MIT's mascot. He works hard all through the night.
Finals were last week and this week. I have my last one at HBS Friday so I had to stop and rub Tim for good luck!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Happiness
In "Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert, a Harvard psychoologist shows that people have inflated expectations about the joy they will derive from a vacation, a new car or child, or a second dessert. We also overestimate how bad we will feel if we get fired or lose a tooth or even a friend or mate.
"We treat our future selves as though they were our children" Gilbert writes, "spending most of the hours of most of our days constructing tomorrows that we hope will make them happy." But the children turn out to be ingrates, complaining that we should have let them stay in the old house, or study dentistry instead of law.
A little knowledge from the psych labs may provide grist - not a guide on how to achieve happiness but on understanding why, in the end, you probably won't.
Cut generously from a Scientific American article on the book. I wonder if it applies to the happiness I anticipate from being done with finals . . . or grad school for that matter. Nonetheless, I think there is also under-anticipated joy in little things, like a walk along the park, a good cup of coffee, or renting a good movie.
"We treat our future selves as though they were our children" Gilbert writes, "spending most of the hours of most of our days constructing tomorrows that we hope will make them happy." But the children turn out to be ingrates, complaining that we should have let them stay in the old house, or study dentistry instead of law.
A little knowledge from the psych labs may provide grist - not a guide on how to achieve happiness but on understanding why, in the end, you probably won't.
Cut generously from a Scientific American article on the book. I wonder if it applies to the happiness I anticipate from being done with finals . . . or grad school for that matter. Nonetheless, I think there is also under-anticipated joy in little things, like a walk along the park, a good cup of coffee, or renting a good movie.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Development of Science and It's Application to Industry
This is a great photo on Flickr of the dome in building 7. I always feel like such an MIT newbie staring up at it in the morning when everyone else is rushing by to class.
Ahmadinejad letter
I've managed to avoid political posts for a while, but I just have to say that the Bush administration really dropped the ball in their response to this letter from the Iranian President. The administration seems to have interpreted the letter as if the contents were intended for them, when it seems clear the message was as much or more to the rest of the world and to the Arab world in particular. By dismissing the letter rather than responding, not to Ahmadinejad but to the rest of the audience, it seems the US has missed an opportunity and no doubt made the Iranian president's comments strike an even stronger chord with their intended audience.
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Ahmadinejad letter attacks Bush: "US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed the letter as 'offering nothing new' and the White House said there would be no formal written reply."
While I'm complaining about the world, on a more personal note, I think I was stood up for the first time ever by a girl the other weekend for a semi-formal. I guess I didn't really believe stuff like this happens in real life or that people were this mean. The thing that sucks most about being stood up I learned is going through the stages of, 1) oh, she's late, I'd better call again 2) being perplexed about how someone could be THAT late or what happened 3) acceptance, ok, the event is not going to happen 4) the waiting to hear an explanation, apology, something 5) the anger that someone could be that mean to not even pick up the phone and finally 6) the acceptance that ok, this person completely sucks and I never want to interact with them again. Obviously I didn't know this girl that well, but still I guess what I've learned is that no matter how nice someone seems, how intelligent, or what medical school they're in, you can never tell in the beginning what their personality is really like or how messed up they can act . . . and that it's great to have good friends to bitch about it with after the fact.
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Ahmadinejad letter attacks Bush: "US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed the letter as 'offering nothing new' and the White House said there would be no formal written reply."
While I'm complaining about the world, on a more personal note, I think I was stood up for the first time ever by a girl the other weekend for a semi-formal. I guess I didn't really believe stuff like this happens in real life or that people were this mean. The thing that sucks most about being stood up I learned is going through the stages of, 1) oh, she's late, I'd better call again 2) being perplexed about how someone could be THAT late or what happened 3) acceptance, ok, the event is not going to happen 4) the waiting to hear an explanation, apology, something 5) the anger that someone could be that mean to not even pick up the phone and finally 6) the acceptance that ok, this person completely sucks and I never want to interact with them again. Obviously I didn't know this girl that well, but still I guess what I've learned is that no matter how nice someone seems, how intelligent, or what medical school they're in, you can never tell in the beginning what their personality is really like or how messed up they can act . . . and that it's great to have good friends to bitch about it with after the fact.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Have you met the Baking Fairy?
Have you met the Baking Fairy?
The Baking Fairy sent me the best white chocolate chip, pistaccio cookies last week to help with studying for finals. I took a picture of them and have meant to post it but I've been so busy studying there hasn't been a chance.
Thanks Ozlem!!!
The Baking Fairy sent me the best white chocolate chip, pistaccio cookies last week to help with studying for finals. I took a picture of them and have meant to post it but I've been so busy studying there hasn't been a chance.
Thanks Ozlem!!!
Thursday, May 4, 2006
Thesis Defense
It's that time of year. All the 4/5/6th year students are defending their dissertations. Lourdes was last week, Kevin (in photo, looking smug) defended yesterday, and today Nico defends his thesis. It seems like it will be such a long way away for me, but seeing their faces after it's all over, I can't wait for my turn!
Good luck and thanks for all the great advice over the past year!
Friday, April 28, 2006
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Quote - Proust (on the theme of anti-authoritarianism)
"We do not receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness, which no one else can make for us, which no one can spare us . . . " -- Marcel Proust
dollar bill
MIT has a great anti-authoritarian culture on campus which is part of what helps encourage innovation. Pictured here is the famous dollar bill mural which has been painted across the door to the financial office where students pay tuition.
It's now being converted into a lounge along the Infinite Corridor. Back in 1993 students changed the $1 to a $10,000 bill in protest of the rising price of a semester's tuition.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Thursday, April 6, 2006
more on spring break
I spent much of spring break here at the luxurious (though snobby) HBS library working on research. The weather was beautiful all week so I'd take a leisurely walk up the river and across the bridge to the HBS campus.
It's shaping up to be a summer full of travel. Here's the itinerary:
June 8-10th - Conference presentation in Indiana at IU (hopefully will get to see Mike A. or Rachael
June 26-28th - NeuroCog Trials in Miami
July 8th - Cincinnati for Curt's wedding
July 13-14th - Chicago for NeuroCog Trials
July 16-17th - LA for NeuroCog Trials
Aug. 11-17th - Atlanta for the AOM Conference presentation
UPDATE: Not to mention a trip or two to NYC to visit Curtis/Ashley, and Mike/Allison.
Oh, by the way, it snowed yesterday, big flakes. Snow . . . April . . . WTF?
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Spring Break
I haven't had a spring break in four years. I think it's one of those things that you sort of take for granted in college and then once you're working you realize how great it is to have a whole week off. Cindy spent it working with a CDC non-profit in New Orleans. With plane tickets through the roof and a ton of work to catch up on, I spent it "visiting Boston" since I hardly have had time to get across the river. Fortunately it was beautiful weather here all week. Last Sunday I met up with D and visited the Isabella Gardener museum. Tuesday was shooting pool with Todd, and Wednesday I went to the Boston Symphony Orchestra with Teresa. (excerpts.) As you can see Symphony Hall is beautiful and the music was great. More pics from the week to come . . .
Monday, April 3, 2006
First textbook chapter
A couple of years ago Dr. Richard Keefe and I wrote a chapter on Neurocognitive Impairments in Schizophrenia. My copy of the textbook arrived today. It was pretty cool to see our writing there in Chapter 13!
Friday, March 31, 2006
The rise of the 'childfree'
The rise of the 'childfree': "'Taboo subject'
'The whole idea of the childfree lifestyle is beginning to be recognised by the media,' says Dr Hakim. 'Private feelings are being legitimised and people are beginning to feel that they are not being deviant in some way.
More and more people are questioning whether children are for them
'Very consciously people are more confident in saying they have a different lifestyle.'"
'The whole idea of the childfree lifestyle is beginning to be recognised by the media,' says Dr Hakim. 'Private feelings are being legitimised and people are beginning to feel that they are not being deviant in some way.
More and more people are questioning whether children are for them
'Very consciously people are more confident in saying they have a different lifestyle.'"
Monday, March 27, 2006
Quote of the week
The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is
great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what
you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.
- Steve Jobs
great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what
you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.
- Steve Jobs
Saturday, March 25, 2006
New addition to blog
The new addition to the blog is called a Flickrmap, you should get one too! They're really easy to set up and very cool. Makes me realize I need to visit so much more of the world.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Opinion Section of MIT Tech Student Newspaper
Mating rituals at MIT are something else entirely. Here, your personal worth is determined by your workload: your lack of sleep, your berth of problem sets, your number and difficulty of major. Your “hard coreness,” so to 5p3a|<. We’ve seen it time and time again. Two sullen students recognize each other in line at La Verde’s.
Tiredly, the first asks: “Hey, how’s it going?”
Confidently (but also tiredly), the other responds: “Oh, man, I’m so hosed. I just pulled two all-nighters and still haven’t started my third pset that’s due tomorrow.”
Faux-sympathetic acknowledgment: “Yeah … I just finished my fourth pset of the week and have to stay up all tonight to start and finish a stupid HASS paper.”
Evoking the triviality of his opponent’s assignments, the other continues, “I’d rather take a HASS test than read a hundred pages on something completely irrelevant to anything.”
Check: “The paper’s not as bad as the programming project I’ve got due at the end of the week. My group hasn’t even met yet.”
Suddenly, out of nowhere: “Oh, and I just added a UROP, so I’m now at 72 units.”
Checkmate.
The victor’s sub sandwich is up, he grabs it and swaggers off to the caffeinated drinks before gloating smugly at his inferior from the checkout line.
As a system of attracting potential mates, or dates, this process presents some obstacles. Why is mating at MIT so difficult?
Third: Winners of this competition are rarely the best to date. I’ve heard of a guy who’s girlfriend dumped him because he spent more time with his robot than her. Doesn’t sound too ridiculous, does it?
Tiredly, the first asks: “Hey, how’s it going?”
Confidently (but also tiredly), the other responds: “Oh, man, I’m so hosed. I just pulled two all-nighters and still haven’t started my third pset that’s due tomorrow.”
Faux-sympathetic acknowledgment: “Yeah … I just finished my fourth pset of the week and have to stay up all tonight to start and finish a stupid HASS paper.”
Evoking the triviality of his opponent’s assignments, the other continues, “I’d rather take a HASS test than read a hundred pages on something completely irrelevant to anything.”
Check: “The paper’s not as bad as the programming project I’ve got due at the end of the week. My group hasn’t even met yet.”
Suddenly, out of nowhere: “Oh, and I just added a UROP, so I’m now at 72 units.”
Checkmate.
The victor’s sub sandwich is up, he grabs it and swaggers off to the caffeinated drinks before gloating smugly at his inferior from the checkout line.
As a system of attracting potential mates, or dates, this process presents some obstacles. Why is mating at MIT so difficult?
Third: Winners of this competition are rarely the best to date. I’ve heard of a guy who’s girlfriend dumped him because he spent more time with his robot than her. Doesn’t sound too ridiculous, does it?
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Hotlanta . . . in the state of GA
Both of my papers were accepted for presentation at the Academy of Management Conference in Atlanta this Aug. 11th - 16th. The theme of the conference this year is "Knowledge, Action, and the Public Concern." Looking forward to it.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
One year
As many of her friends have remarked, it's hard to believe it's been a year since Anoopa's car accident. Today I feel as though she has taught me as much or more after her death than during the time I knew her. I still read the comments people leave on her website and am deeply touched by every single one. It continues to amaze me the effect she had on those who knew her.
Anoopa has shown me the way that I would like to be remembered and the effect on my friends I would like to have.
To live life deeply and reflect often. To share my thoughts about life and lessons I think I may be learning with others and encourage them to share their insights with me. To share books and poems that make you think. To rise above the nitty gritty day to day and attempt to learn something bigger or deeper and then to live in line with those. I guess I always wondered if all those conversations we had in undergrad ever amounted to anything real being learned or just to more questions and discussion and time pondering. I've learned from Anoopa that they were indeed the most valuable conversations I've had and the amazing impact she had having the same type of conversations with so many others either in person or in writing.
It seems to me that each friend I have brings out certain qualities/characteristics in me (and
me in them) and it's like the beginning is this phase where you're
still settling on what kinds of conversations and what sides of the
two people will come out and its usually just an unconscious process I
think. It's like each person is a prism refracting out certain colors
of a rainbow. Usually it's so dependent on the initial circumstances
when you meet or where the common ground is perhaps. While I
definitely always appreciate being silly and chatting about day to day
stuff, it's neat when you can sort of dig below that because there are
always so many thoughts that flash by in any given moment about life
in general, you know, yet we select out certain ones to express to
certain people. I guess I'm thinking about it more too because grad
school is so specializing as it should be to really become
knowledgeable about a particular area, but I don't want to lose
thinking about the other aspects of life in a bigger sense or more
personal sense I guess. Modern life is so busy, it seems that I never
have time to really reflect like this on life until late at night...
Anoopa has shown me the way that I would like to be remembered and the effect on my friends I would like to have.
To live life deeply and reflect often. To share my thoughts about life and lessons I think I may be learning with others and encourage them to share their insights with me. To share books and poems that make you think. To rise above the nitty gritty day to day and attempt to learn something bigger or deeper and then to live in line with those. I guess I always wondered if all those conversations we had in undergrad ever amounted to anything real being learned or just to more questions and discussion and time pondering. I've learned from Anoopa that they were indeed the most valuable conversations I've had and the amazing impact she had having the same type of conversations with so many others either in person or in writing.
It seems to me that each friend I have brings out certain qualities/characteristics in me (and
me in them) and it's like the beginning is this phase where you're
still settling on what kinds of conversations and what sides of the
two people will come out and its usually just an unconscious process I
think. It's like each person is a prism refracting out certain colors
of a rainbow. Usually it's so dependent on the initial circumstances
when you meet or where the common ground is perhaps. While I
definitely always appreciate being silly and chatting about day to day
stuff, it's neat when you can sort of dig below that because there are
always so many thoughts that flash by in any given moment about life
in general, you know, yet we select out certain ones to express to
certain people. I guess I'm thinking about it more too because grad
school is so specializing as it should be to really become
knowledgeable about a particular area, but I don't want to lose
thinking about the other aspects of life in a bigger sense or more
personal sense I guess. Modern life is so busy, it seems that I never
have time to really reflect like this on life until late at night...
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Stata Center at night
I found some great photos on Flickr of the Stata Center at MIT. If only I had time to take my camera around.
On Fri. I ran into Rudy at HBS from our Sun Dance Genetics team. Also ran into my freshman year roommate from Duke (Scott Orleck) at the Duke vs. UNC game last weekend, as well as Therese!
It's been beautiful weather here recently so I've been trying to squeeze in some time walking around outside. It's been tough though with problem sets and midterms coming up! Only a couple more weeks until spring break though . . . can't wait.
Josh Davis
Last night I was invited to a MySpace group that is holding a Fundraiser for Josh Davis (who also has a MySpace page).
The group's goal:
We are trying to raise money to get Josh equipment that will help with his short term goal of driving. Our first goal is a TILITE Wheelchair. However, there are many long term goals such as the potential, yet expensive, stem cell surgery, and many other adaptive technologies that would help make life easier!
If you knew Josh, please do contribute.
Also, this is the one year anniversary of Anoopa's accident and passing. Anoopa's family has set up the Anoopa Sharma Children's Foundation (ASCF). The Fund will provide support for a school in North India which Dennis and Anoopa visited together in the summer of 2004. The school is the girls’ high school in a small village called Atrauli, which is where her father was born. The Fund still needs to raise more money to complete this project.
The group's goal:
We are trying to raise money to get Josh equipment that will help with his short term goal of driving. Our first goal is a TILITE Wheelchair. However, there are many long term goals such as the potential, yet expensive, stem cell surgery, and many other adaptive technologies that would help make life easier!
If you knew Josh, please do contribute.
Also, this is the one year anniversary of Anoopa's accident and passing. Anoopa's family has set up the Anoopa Sharma Children's Foundation (ASCF). The Fund will provide support for a school in North India which Dennis and Anoopa visited together in the summer of 2004. The school is the girls’ high school in a small village called Atrauli, which is where her father was born. The Fund still needs to raise more money to complete this project.
Friday, March 3, 2006
Olympic Hack
The athletes of the Winter Olympics weren't the only ones who received a gold medal this past Tuesday . . .
Thursday, March 2, 2006
The Past
I wrote this back in 2002 and presented it at a conference in Florida. It's fun to see someone pick it up and post about it on their blog 3 years later.
mhaa562's Xanga Site
mhaa562's Xanga Site
SSRN-Entrepreneurs from Technology-Based Universities by David Hsu, Edward Roberts, Charles Eesley
The first paper that I started working on when I came to MIT has been posted to the Social Science Research Network as a Sloan Working Paper. It is also now under review at a journal.
SSRN-Entrepreneurs from Technology-Based Universities by David Hsu, Edward Roberts, Charles Eesley:
SSRN-Entrepreneurs from Technology-Based Universities by David Hsu, Edward Roberts, Charles Eesley:
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Bromo volcanoes
Mike has some really incredible photos from parts of Asia I'd never even heard of before. Check out his pics and blog.
Despite 6 inches of snow in Hanover, NH, I made it back safely thanks to the Dartmouth Coach. The presentation went really well and I enjoyed the conference, though it was a shame to have to rush back just as the wine was being served.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Acupressure 'good for back pain'
It did appear to work for me . . . though I also got one of those ball chairs and have been doing some serious back and stomach exercises daily along with stretching.
BBC NEWS | Health | Acupressure 'good for back pain': "Acupressure is more effective in reducing lower back pain than standard physical therapies, a study suggests.
Researchers in Taiwan found the effects of the therapy which involves applying pressure on points stimulated by acupuncture lasted for six months."
BBC NEWS | Health | Acupressure 'good for back pain': "Acupressure is more effective in reducing lower back pain than standard physical therapies, a study suggests.
Researchers in Taiwan found the effects of the therapy which involves applying pressure on points stimulated by acupuncture lasted for six months."
Monday, February 13, 2006
Institutional Mechanisms for Industry Self-Regulation
I'm presenting a paper that I wrote with Mike Lenox (from Duke) next weekend at a conference at Dartmouth. Our paper falls under the environmental management aspect of the conference and is titled, "Secondary Stakeholder Actions and the Selection of Firm Targets".
Institutional Mechanisms for Industry Self-Regulation: "This conference will convene scholars researching mechanisms for solving common industry problems. Examples include codes of conduct, standards, industry norms, collaborative agreements, information disclosure standards, and ratings organizations. These programs govern a wide array of domains including worker and product safety, technological compatibility, fiduciary responsibility, environmental management, advertising, broadcast media, privacy, and digital rights and other forms of
intellectual property."
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Spring semester is in full swing
Funny things can happen when email programs fill in the rest of a name for you after the first few letters. My advisor was trying to send an email to me and instead of getting Chuck "Eesley" he got the email for Charles M. Vest president of MIT from 1990 until December 2004. He chaired the President's Advisory Committee on the Redesign of the Space Station and has served as a member of the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the Massachusetts Governor's Council on Economic Growth and Technology, and the National Research Council Board on Engineering Education. He chairs the U.S. Department of Energy Task Force on the Future of Science Programs and is vice chair of the Council on Competitiveness and immediate past chair of the Association of American Universities (AAU). He sits on the board of directors of both IBM and E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.
Apparently my advisor gave him an update on our research and he's interested in seeing the various papers as
they are ready for circulation and/or comment! I also was surprised to see that Vest was born in Morgantown, W.Va., on Sept. 9, 1941. He earned his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University in 1963 and both his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan in 1964 and 1967, respectively. Dr. Vest's research interests are in the thermal sciences and the engineering applications of lasers and coherent optics.
Friday turned out to be a good day as I got to meet and chat with Joe Hadzima, the current Chairman of the Board of the MIT Enterprise Forum, which my advisor co-founded. Joe is a really nice guy and there might be some interesting research to be done on what he is doing with the NSF and the Enterprise Forum to attempt to build "entrepreneurial ecosystems".
Sunday, February 5, 2006
Quote
Quote of the week:
Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
- Abraham Lincoln
Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
- Abraham Lincoln
Thursday, February 2, 2006
US Debt
As a relative size comparison note, the Federal Reserve has issued $755B of paper money called Federal Reserve notes. If this currency were backed by gold at 100%, the gold price would be $2,892. From the above we see that the US is in no position to return to a gold standard anytime soon, despite protestations by many of us that we need a more reliable store of value than Fed paper.
We need to understand how this new system has worked so well for the US. The counter parties to our trade deficit have managed the system to allow this extreme condition to continue. At the risk of oversimplification, what they are doing is providing a massive Vendor Finance program for their exports. They literally loan us the money to buy their goods. They have been doing this for decades, but have expanded greatly as we have expanded our high living by purchasing so much with our paper currency.
This is patently “unsustainable” because at some point foreigners may decide they have enough of our dollars, forcing the whole system to fall apart. The dollar would devalue, and then we wouldn’t be able to buy as many things as we want from foreigners, like energy to drive our cars. But this feared calamity has not occurred. The US dollar has dropped some but stabilized, and US interest rates are not soaring. The system may appear stretched, but nothing has broken, so we have been lulled into believing that it may not really be a problem.
I found this article explaining the US debt situation and recent trends tonight when I got curious about how this all works exactly. Interesting article.
Or see here for another.
We need to understand how this new system has worked so well for the US. The counter parties to our trade deficit have managed the system to allow this extreme condition to continue. At the risk of oversimplification, what they are doing is providing a massive Vendor Finance program for their exports. They literally loan us the money to buy their goods. They have been doing this for decades, but have expanded greatly as we have expanded our high living by purchasing so much with our paper currency.
This is patently “unsustainable” because at some point foreigners may decide they have enough of our dollars, forcing the whole system to fall apart. The dollar would devalue, and then we wouldn’t be able to buy as many things as we want from foreigners, like energy to drive our cars. But this feared calamity has not occurred. The US dollar has dropped some but stabilized, and US interest rates are not soaring. The system may appear stretched, but nothing has broken, so we have been lulled into believing that it may not really be a problem.
I found this article explaining the US debt situation and recent trends tonight when I got curious about how this all works exactly. Interesting article.
Or see here for another.
Travelocity=bad
Oh my god, don't use Travelocity to book reservations, ever!!! I have had THE WORST experience with them. Completely ridiculous.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Returning to Boston
I return to Boston on Friday at 5:30pm and have been spending the past couple of days reflecting on what we've done and what I may have learned of consequence from the experience this past month with Learning Friends. It has certainly been a great time and I am happy with what we've accomplished and with the group of 5 or 6 that we have who met at Stanford on Tuesday night and are interested in pushing this forward and entering it in the Stanford Social Entrepreneurship challenge. What happens from here will be very interesting to follow.
Nonetheless, I am looking forward to returning to my own apartment and my own bed and almost to . . . another semester at MIT. :)
One other item of interest was this article I came across on the economic benefits of vaccination. It has rekindled my interest in biomedical innovation. Vaccinations help the economies of poor countries. The return to a vaccination program is estimated to be 18%!
Nonetheless, I am looking forward to returning to my own apartment and my own bed and almost to . . . another semester at MIT. :)
One other item of interest was this article I came across on the economic benefits of vaccination. It has rekindled my interest in biomedical innovation. Vaccinations help the economies of poor countries. The return to a vaccination program is estimated to be 18%!
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Redwoods
I've been having a great time taking a few minutes break out of each busy day to just walk around among the trees.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Ohio is the new black
Natalie, Kristin, Ali, and I at a party at Ali's to celebrate Kristin and Michael moving to San Fran and all the other Marietta, Ohio transplants to the West Coast.
This picture makes me feel like I left this party way too early! :)
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Sunday, January 8, 2006
Learning Friends
The Miranda Stories blog has migrated over to Learning Friends, check back there to see what we're up to here in Woodside, CA. We've been making a lot of progress on the project and will continue updating what we're up to there.
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
happiness is a . . .
link. The Gothenburg team have been studying hundreds of interviews carried out with people across the world to find out what makes them feel fulfilled.
They said winning the lottery or achieving a goal at work gave a temporary high, but it did not last.
Instead, they found that working hard to reach a target was more fulfilling.
Lead researcher Dr Bengt Bruelde, from the university's philosophy department, said: "The important thing is to remain active.
"From our research the people who were most active got the most joy. It may sound tempting to relax on a beach, but if you do it for too long it stops being satisfying."
He said the full research would be published in the summer.
Averil Leimon, of the British Psychological Society, said: "Hard work is satisfying, but only if it suits you.
"The work has to use a person's strengths otherwise it can be demoralising.
"If it does, research has shown that the happiness is not even linked to the rewards that are on offer.
But she added: "Relationships can also have a significant impact. Strong relationships whether through family, the church, friends or work can inoculate you against feeling low.
They said winning the lottery or achieving a goal at work gave a temporary high, but it did not last.
Instead, they found that working hard to reach a target was more fulfilling.
Lead researcher Dr Bengt Bruelde, from the university's philosophy department, said: "The important thing is to remain active.
"From our research the people who were most active got the most joy. It may sound tempting to relax on a beach, but if you do it for too long it stops being satisfying."
He said the full research would be published in the summer.
Averil Leimon, of the British Psychological Society, said: "Hard work is satisfying, but only if it suits you.
"The work has to use a person's strengths otherwise it can be demoralising.
"If it does, research has shown that the happiness is not even linked to the rewards that are on offer.
But she added: "Relationships can also have a significant impact. Strong relationships whether through family, the church, friends or work can inoculate you against feeling low.
Monday, January 2, 2006
Resolutions
I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans,
of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily
event for me.
- Anais Nin (surreallist writer and diarist)
of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily
event for me.
- Anais Nin (surreallist writer and diarist)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)