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January 28, 2005
Deap sea scariness
To continue the ocean theme... Okay, so maybe these didn't exactly wash up after the tsunami. But they are cool.
Posted by sam at 01:41 PM
January 26, 2005
Spring class schedule
For those interested, this looks like my spring class schedule. Just 12 units this semester... need Fridays off for snowboarding, basketball, golf (maybe by May) and the job search.
- Negotiations (carving out win-win deals). Sounds like a fun class.
- Financial Markets and Institutions (what's the LIBOR?). I think this class is core expected knowledge of an MBA.
- Investments and Portfolio Management (how to turn $5 into $10). Part of the class is a stock picking game. I'll post our picks here...
- BR Ventures (spending other people's money). Getting tired of this.
Posted by sam at 04:12 PM
January 24, 2005
Dolphins are smart
This is interesting:
“Dolphins have a massive new brain area, the paralimbic lobe, that we do not possess. The paralimbic lobe is an outgrowth of the cingulate gyrus, which is known to elaborate social communication and social emotions in all other mammals. Thus, dolphins may have social thoughts and feelings that we can only vaguely imagine.” (Mind Wide Open, p.225.)
Posted by sam at 07:35 PM
January 21, 2005
$100,000 question
Update: Ha! You're all wrong, especially whomever voted for (B) Something else. Breean and I both saw the question and thought it was easy. But they don't call this a $100k question for no reason. The answer is (A) Sea cucumber. Bonus points to anyone able to find a definitive answer online.
This was the $100,000 question on Millionaire tonight. Let's see how smart my readers are.
No googling allowed. To make it easier we've left out choice B (we couldn't remember what it was).
What is the common name of the organism that makes up 90% of living mass in the ocean?
Posted by sam at 07:40 PM
SpongeBob's corrupting influence
Christians issue gay warning on SpongeBob video: "Conservative Christian groups accuse the makers of a video starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney and a host of other cartoon characters of promoting homosexuality to children."
Now Shark Tale I can understand. But SpongeBob? Give it a rest people.
On a similar yet far more depressing note, "intelligent design" was taught in a Pennsylvania public school on Tuesday. This district is the first in the country to require students to hear about "intelligent design". At least a few students there have some sense:
The district allowed students whose parents objected to the policy to be excused from hearing the statement at the beginning of class and science teachers who opposed the requirement to be exempted from reading the statement. About 15 of 170 ninth-graders asked to be excused from class.Hmmm... perhaps SpongeBob is responsible for these morally corrupt troublemakers.
Posted by sam at 01:10 PM
Startup.com
Remember Startup.com? The 'star' of the movie now has a book out ("The Entrepreneur's Success Kit : A 5-Step Lesson Plan to Create and Grow Your Own Business"), and has apparently seen the error of his ways:
After much soul searching, he views the film and govWorks really "blessed his life". The movie put on the silver screen "my worst characteristics, so I could not avoid or deny them". He goes on to say that he "felt like dirt and people reminded him that I felt like dirt". He reveals how he received hundreds of horrible emails from people who held him responsible for everything bad in the internet bubble.
Posted by sam at 10:44 AM
January 17, 2005
Johnson School intramural basketball
You know what I'm both most looking forward to and most dreading about next semester? Besides graduating, of course.
Intramural basketball. It's so political. Last year we had an A, B and a C team participate in the Cornell intramurals. This year, three of us are generally recognized as responsible for choosing an A team. How do we choose? Is the goal to win at all costs or to pick our buddy second-years?
Naturally everybody thinks they belong but most don't. One person (in that latter category) even said to me, "Jason better not be playing with us this year." Jason is a good friend of mine.
Names have been changed, of course.
Posted by sam at 10:10 AM
January 16, 2005
Return of the poll vixen
Finally, another Sunday poll from our beautiful poll vixen. Which movie deserves to win the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy?
Posted by sam at 01:26 PM
January 12, 2005
BRV in an AP story
AP Wire:Schools Offer Real Venture Capital Lessons:
Utah is one of at least three business schools where students essentially run venture capital funds, along with the University of Michigan and Cornell University.
...
Cornell's BR (Big Red) Ventures Fund, which has raised $500,000, has backed four businesses.
I talked to the reporter about Cornell. Too bad we don't get more print!
Posted by sam at 10:20 AM
January 11, 2005
The question is, who's next...
Looks like we'll be visiting SD in summer 2006 (hopefully sooner as well). Congratulations Neil and Winter!
Posted by sam at 10:38 PM
Dean running for DNC chair
Dean announces bid for DNC chair. Made the announcement on his blog. Awesome. I hope he throws some life into the party.
Posted by sam at 02:00 PM
Long on AAPL
The rumor is true. Apple introduced today the "Mac mini", a $500/$600 mini iMac, "about the width of a cd". That's huge, maybe worth 1% market share when all the pc iPod users discover it. I want one so Breean and I can play with Garage Band.
Posted by sam at 01:46 PM
January 10, 2005
Wegman's
Our very own Wegman's was just named the #1 company to work for in America by Fortune. The first Wegman's was in Rochester, NY around 1915.
It's not my favorite grocery store (Whole Foods) but it's definitely up there.
Posted by sam at 06:11 PM
January 03, 2005
In the northwest this week
Flew into Seattle tonight and will be here till Friday. Feeling a bit jet-lagged right now.
I was cruzin at 70 mph on the five about 20 minutes after landing. Any city on the five is okay in my book.
Posted by sam at 01:45 AM
January 01, 2005
Manchurian Global
is the name of the "private equity fund" behind the hypnotized vice-presidential candidate in The Manchurian Candidate, which we watched last night. Manchurian Global runs all sorts of evil businesses that profit off of war, like a Halliburton.
But that's not a "private equity fund" at all. PE funds are an investment vehicle and usually invest in multiple companies across industries. You would never describe a company like Manchurian Global as a private equity fund.
Other than that we liked the movie. I've never seen the first but I hear it's good also.
Posted by sam at 04:06 PM