...The Monk and the Riddle By Randy Komisar I must admit I knew nothing about entrepreneurship before this course started, I didn’t even know how to spell it (think I still don’t). But while reading this book and as the storyline advances and with each page read I found myself noticing similarities and identifying with Lenny. How do I want to live my life? I know I have pondered on that questions several times in my life, but after reading this book, I find that question which used to arise every now and then usually as a conversation starter, has now become a permanent thought in my mind ending with several exclamation points. Am I aiming towards a deferred life plan or am I really focusing on what I love to do? Am I Lenny 2.0, missing the “Big picture” and only focused on “Results” as my philosophy? Am I overestimating my product or underestimating my market? I started believing that this book would be one of those “How to” (Entrepreneurship for dummies) book, some guy’s lovely memoirs masqueraded as an instruction manual for newbies in the Entrepreneurship business, I was indeed very glad to be proved wrong. The book starts out with an awful pitch from Lenny, which resonated to a recent interview with a head hunter, who gave me feedback post interview in terms of too much energy & overly expressive in my CV (Which he handed back with huge X’s everywhere). Sometimes you need a “Randy” to tell you that indeed you have worked hard but that it is not enough and you can always...
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...The Monk and the Riddle Paper I have always been attracted to entrepreneurship, I strongly believe that it is the only way to capitalize human creativity in order to create real value for the international community, in addition, entrepreneurship is the best method of boosting a country’s economic and social development. However, I must confess that I have never had a serious encounter with the entrepreneurship subject. My name is Pau Ramon and I am an exchange student that comes from ESADE University, in Spain. Unfortunately, in Spain -and I guess that in most South-European countries- entrepreneurship is not promoted and people who fail in their entrepreneurial adventures are considered to lack some basic skills. In fact, I applied for the Babson Exchange program because I was aware that this college is considered the best when teaching entrepreneurship and lets students get an idea of what the entrepreneurial attitude is. I felt that it was necessary to state this fact before mentioning the main subject of the paper, in order for the reader to understand my background and my perspectives on the subject. First, I thought that entrepreneurship only consists of creating new businesses, dealing with unforeseen problems that appear when running startups, in addition to the financial issues that appear on the road. I did not feel that entrepreneurship was the way to get rich in a few years, but it was the way to create something sustainable through time and generations. To...
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...Komisar means that business, at its core, is more about the creation of the product and service. Living in a capitalistic society, it is easy to lose sight about the goal of living. The goal of life should not be financial success, but creation- creation of memories, kindness, and knowledge and in the case of business, tangible goods or services. The question when you embark on any business venture should be: what are you trying to accomplish? That answer should not be money. Why? Because when money is the motivator the real purpose of business is lost. In the book, we see this with Lenny. When his initial idea and passion become diluted by the financials, Komisar urges him to rethink why he started in the first place. I personally believe that creative drive and personal expression are needed for a truly successful business. When I buy a product that I believe has true value- I can feel the passion and creative expression the creator put into it. When Lenny comes back to the valley with Circle-of-Life.com, a real product is created. This product will be successful because it’s not about the numbers, but what it will create for people. This statement is why I changed my opinion about business school. I was so concerned that a degree in business meant I was selling my soul. I learned that business can be about the money if you let it be. Ultimately I have a decision when it comes to choosing whom I work for or what I want to create. Business is not black and white. It really...
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...Relation between Koan and Zen Meditation Because koan is the Way which leads a person to mindfulness, koan is essential to Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism has had such great influence on the life and culture of Japan. Zen Buddhism is a “just sitting” style of Japanese Buddhism that has been influenced by Chinese Zen. The person who discovered or revised this technique was Tendai monk Eisai. “Eisai went to Mountain Tiantai in China and practiced by eliminating all traditional aspects of Chinese Zen Buddhism except for shikantaza (just sitting) and the meditation of koans (puzzles aimed at overcoming dualistic thoughts) and returned to Japan with Zen” (Koller 278). As Eisai returned, he forcefully headed to Kamakura to establish new temple. At Kamakura, Samurais recognized the importance of Zen in mental detachment and practices of daily life, they allowed Eisai to flourish the temple and after his death, Samurais built Rinzai school of Zen which exercised great influence in Japanese culture, thoughts, and philosophy. The origin of Japanese tea culture is also from Rinzai. Similar to original Buddhism, Zen Buddhism is not a theory or a conception of the world but it is practical experience. A person who meditates is already a Buddhist. One cannot truly understand or comprehend Zen Buddhism until experiencing it. “While intellectual understanding and thinking only grasp the subjects of representation of things, experiencing not only grasps subjects but also does not have distinction...
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...Buddhism Teachings of the Buddha -denies the existence of a personal creator God -denies the existence of an individual soul. The belief is central to the Buddhist concept of impermanence. -the self is made up of the five skandas which are constantly changing: -the body -feelings -perceptions -Desires (dispositions) -consciousness Scriptures: -the Tripitaka : the earliest of collection of Buddhist teachings Tripitaka means three baskets. Mahayans Sutras: reveres the tripikata as a sacred text. Sutras reflect distinctively Mahayana concepts. Lotus Sutra and Heart Sutra: most important to Mahayana. TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD The Tibetan Book of the Dead is most well known to the West. Written by a Tibetan Monk. If chronicles the experiences and religious opportunities a person encounters at various stages” while dying, at the moment of death, during the 49-day interval between death and rebirth, and at rebirth! THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 1. Life is Suffering – Dukkha * Physical, emotional, and spiritual pain are a part of all human existence * This includes the experience of sometimes feeling alienated or out of place in the world * Buddhism begins with acknowledging this fundamental human reality * Enjoyment is understood in relation to its opposite * Annica – impermanence, everything in the universe is in a state of decay THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS The Cause of Suffering is Attachment –Tanha We get attached to people, things...
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...Everyman lecture – 10:00 (23.0.50) The Origins of the English Language and Its Literature English literature almost precedes the english language. Modern english starts to show up around the 1600’s. Shakespeare writes in modern english. What we see today as modern english is a very new revival. There is no systematized spelling, it’s not until Gutenbergs printer that it’s shaped as a whole. It gets systematized with the printer. Campion wrote in the ”golden age” in english. The theme of love is very common in this period. He wrote before Shakespeare. Campion ”stole” it from Catullus. Rebirth of classical learning. The right place to go is to the source, the roman poets. During the renessance. English had to find itself, therefore it had to go look for inspiration abroad. The first time English could say this is ”our” invention. Homer – The Odyssey. James Joyce – Ulysses. They’re ”borrowing” a lot from the greeks and the romans. Milton is desperate to make english latin. We have got to be latin, if it’s not latin it’s not literature. The language comes really late into the game. English always tries to catch up. Languages comes from a conquerer taking a country and forcing his language onto the native language. English is a mishmash language. Grammar is also merged. The vikings/barbarians invaded England, and beat down all culture/cities/religion. They wiped out the latin culture. And settled. Anglo-saxon 450-550 AD. Britain becomes a series of tribal bands. Britain...
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...LITERATURE OF THE OLD ENGLISH AND THE OLD IRISH PERIODS (600-1100 A.D.) 1- OLD ENGLISH HISTORY AND LANGUAGE Initial literatures are spoken and that oral literature have been many amplifications, later appear the texts. Beowulf was oral first and then became written. There are lots of fragments written literally. Some texts were lost and now we only have fragments. These texts are writing in manuscripts, there weren’t books in that period. In particular there are four manuscripts that contain most of English literature: Cotton Vitelius, Exeter Book, Junius Manuscript and Vercelli Manuscript; they are from 10th century. However the poetry and the texts contain the literature from 9th century, but they originated in 7th century orally (all of them originated orally before they appear written). That manuscripts tell some things about the society of this period of time, so we know details of this century. This period is the Anglo-Saxon period, before them there were the Britons who were invaded by some different people. They spoke different dialects of old English, the stronger kingdom was Wessex, which dialect was the most important and it called “west saxon”. Beowulf was writing in this dialect. In 597 appeared the Christianization. This means that the English became Christian, it became familiar with the church language: Latin. Latin is the culture language. The entry of Christianity is the entry of the culture in Britain. 2- WRITTEN RECORDS OF THE ANGLOSAXON PERIOD ...
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...8 SOUTHERN THAILAND FOLK TALES Foreword… It all started a few years ago in a discussion with our English Major Students. We were talking about regional differences; how perceptions of people differ. I explained how people in the north of England view the folks from London and the south, and vice-versa. “It’s the same here in Thailand” one bright student chimed, “the folks in Bangkok and the north think everyone down here in the south are stupid, ignorant and to be viewed with extreme suspicion. But we have a very rich cultural heritage” she went on to explain. “We have history and stories that have been passed from father to son, from mother to daughter, for centuries.” So, it was agreed, the students would mine the Southern Thai Culture for the myths and legends that go to make folk tales. These would be documented and translated into English. This was to be a useful extra-curricular activity in the student’s quest for better English usage and understanding. The project ‘grew like Topsy’ and before long we had plans afoot to publish a small book that could, with a bit of luck, help to narrow the cultural divide between north and south Thailand. And, of course, educate and amuse us poor, ignorant, foreigners! Together with my friend and former colleague, Ajarn Kevin Marshall, we agreed to edit the student’s submissions, bring the often-archaic language up-to-date and inject modern usage and idioms whilst retaining the spirit of the original. It was a big idea but one that...
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...We all cry, but what biological function does it serve, and why are humans the only species to shed tears of sorrow and joy? Tears are less important when you are alone because there is no one to witness them’ When it came to solving the riddle of the peacock's tail, Charles Darwin's powers of evolutionary deduction were second to none – the more extravagant their feathered displays, he reasoned, the greater their chances of attracting a peahen. But when he tried to account for the human propensity to weep, Darwin found himself at a loss. "We must look at weeping as an incidental result, as purposeless as the secretion of tears from a blow outside the eye," he wrote in 1872. In this Darwin was almost certainly wrong. In recent decades, scientists have offered several accounts of how the capacity for tears may have given early hominids an adaptive advantage. These range from the aquatic ape theory, according to which tears were an adaptation to saltwater living, to the notion that by blurring our vision tears may serve as a "white flag" to potential aggressors – a signal that the crier is incapable of harm. Then there are the straightforward biological theories, such as the claim that tears evolved to keep the eye moist and free of harmful bacteria. But perhaps the theory enjoying the widest currency at the moment is the notion that tears are a form of social signalling that evolved from mammalian distress calls – a clear visual signal in other words that someone is in pain...
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...Comparison of Two Historical Art Periods: The Renaissance, Mannerism, and the dichotomy of Michelangelo Casey Ian Hill Western Governor’s University RIWT1 Task 1 The Renaissance The period commonly referred to as the Renaissance lasted from the late thirteenth to the early seventeenth century. Renaissance, or rebirth, was a time of great change. The people of all regions were just coming out of the Dark Ages, where religion and oppression were the treatments of the day. The Renaissance brought about great reduction in religious faith. This was largely in part to a more feverous education system. More commoners received higher learning than in previous periods. The Renaissance was a cultural, scientific, and political movement, or change. Politically there were great reforms in diplomacy and forms of rule. Scientifically, with Leonardo da Vinci being at the forefront of scientific innovation, some of the greatest leaps of knowledge occurred during this time. Most of the discoveries are the foundations of technology we take for granted in the present day. However, the greatest gifts of the Renaissance were the artistic and cultural innovations of this period. All you need to mention are the three most recognized artistic names in history: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Of the Renaissance, we shall focus solely on the greatest of the period which is known as the High Renaissance. The High Renaissance is commonly accepted as the period from 1498, when Leonardo...
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...Characteristics of Old and Middle English Literature In many works from the Old English period, which was approximately between 600-1100, there were many distinguishing characteristics, which included heroism, a strict class system, religion, and teachings of moral behavior. Some different characteristics of Old English literature, which is a language derived from Old German, include a strong belief in fate in a very poetry dominated era. Many of the poems are called elegies of that time, which were sorrowful poems, such as “The Wanderer.” Another large characteristic of Old English literature is that of praising or honoring heroes of any kind, especially ones that prevail in battle. Some of these include the Cross from, “Dream of the Rood,” Beowulf from Beowulf, the lost hero in “The Wanderer,” Judith from “Judith,” and the biggest hero who is included in almost all poems and pieces of Old English literature, Christ. Many of these works express much religious faith having to do with Christianity. The Anglo-Saxon people also had a very strict class system. Going along with the faith they believed in the Great Chain of Being, which said that when God made the entire world each creature was put in their position. God made a monarchy and put the members of that high status position there for a reason and did the same for a person who was a slave, God made them that and put them in that position in society. The people on the top of the chain are supposed to help the others...
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...The French tried to negotiate, but civil war broke out instead. The reason for this twenty-one year war, lasting from 1954 to 1975, was North Vietnam wanting to unify both hemispheres of Vietnam under a single communist government. “In December of 1954, the French transferred full control to the southern zone. Elections to unify the nation, scheduled for 1956, were never held, and Vietnam remained a divided land. […] North Vietnam took control of the South on April 30, 1975” (Compton’s 319). As a result of North Vietnam coming out victorious, Vietnam was officially deemed a reunified country again on July 2, 1976, and Saigon was changed back to its former name of Ho Chi Minh City. Religion Mahayana Buddhism was brought over to Vietnam by Monk Mau Tu during the Chinese occupation in the second century B.C.. Consequently, it is now the dominant religion, with more than two-thirds of the population as followers. Buddha taught his followers that men have a craving for wealth, fame and power. Therefore, to end suffering, men must not be attached to anything materialistic. Rather, they must live a life full of virtue and purity. Buddhists believe in the Eightfold Path: eight right ways to live a good life. They are “right views, right thought, right conduct, right speech, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right meditation” (Dinh Te, par.3). Buddhists worship local spirits, gods and mother goddesses in a dinh- a temple which every village has (Compton’s 318). Karma...
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...OUTLINE I. Introduction A. Denotation of heroes and villains B. Introduction of characters II. Robert Langdon- Hero A. Angels and Demons 1. Saved the Vatican a. Bravery b. Risks 2. Public hero at the end a. He did not have any super natural powers b. He did not care about the fame 3. Destroyed Illuminati secret society B. The Da Vinci code 1. Initially seen as criminal 2. Sauniers trust a. Helped Sauniers daughter find about the Holly Grail b. Keep the Holly Grail a secret 3. at the end seen as true hero by French police C. Hero developing? 1. Langdon has matured 2. Langdon is better organized 3. Langdon has better ideas of what to do next D. The Lost Symbol 1. Langdons lack of concentration a. Tricked into going to DC b. Used as information source by enemy 2. The victim is his friend III. Personal Opinion about Langdon A. Real hero? 1. Destroyed other religious groups a. Was it really worth it? b. Or not? 2. Made some secrets public about a. The Illuminati b. Free Masonry B. Conclusion IV. Camarlengo Carlo Venteresca A. How is he shown to the reader? 1. Family information a. Raised by mother b. Father died 2. Popes Camarlengo B. Discoveries and disagreements 1. Antimatter 2. Pope has a son V. Camarlengos creation of Janus A. His goal as Janus B. Claimed to be the Illuminati leader 1. Poisoned Pope 2. Hired Assassins 3. Killed Kohler ...
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...AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO KOREAN MYTHOLOGY RUSSIA KOREA CHINA CHEJU JAPAN TAIWAN An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology Choi Won-Oh GLOBAL ORIENTAL AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO KOREAN MYTHOLOGY Choi Won-Oh First published in 2008 by GLOBAL ORIENTAL LTD PO Box 219 Folkestone Kent CT20 2WP UK www.globaloriental.co.uk © Global Oriental Ltd 2008 ISBN 978-1-905246-60-1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library This book is published with the support of the Korea Literature Translation Institute (KLTI) for the project ‘Books from Korea, 2005’ Set in Plantin 10.5 on 12 point by Mark Heslington, Scarborough, North Yorkshire Printed and Bound by Stallion Press (Singapore) Pte Ltd Contents Preface Introduction: Understanding Korean Myths The Korean gods Myths about Cosmology and Flood 1. The Formation of Heaven and Earth 2. Shoot for a Sun, Shoot for a Moon 3. A Man and a Woman Who Became the Gods of the Sun and the Moon 4. Origin of the Seven Stars of the Great Bear 5. The Great Flood Myths about Birth and Agriculture 6. The Grandmother Goddess of Birth 7. Chach’o(ngbi...
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...THE USS AKRON: A NAVAL AIRSHIP By Wynette C. Perry Airframe Structures and Applications AMNT 270 Instructor R. Xavier Koon Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Extended Campus Patuxent River Resident Center September 27, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES iii Chapter I INTRODUCTION 1 II HISTORY OF EARLY FLIGHT 2 III HISTORY OF HOT-AIR BALLOONS 3 IV HISTORY OF THE ZEPPELIN 4 V USS AKRON DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 5 VI USS AKRON MISSIONS 6 VII SUMMARY 8 VIII CONCLUSION 9 APPENDICES A BIBLIOGRAPHY 12 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Ormithopter Flying Machine 2 2 Montgolfier Brother’s 1783 hot-air balloon 3 3 dirigible 4 4 First ring of the uss akron 6 5 USS AKRON DESIGN PLANS 7 6 USS AKRON 8 7 LONG ENDURANCE MULTI-INTELLIGENCE VEHICLE 9 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION The idea of flight has intrigued man for many years. For centuries, man experimented with ways of how to fly; some ideas of how to fly were good, while other ideas were not so good. Early pioneers of flight would...
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