Outliers
This is the second book by Gladwell I've read, (the first being Blink) and once again he does not disappoint. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell poses some pretty interesting ideas, not due to their complexity, but rather due to their simplicity. These are the kinds of statements that you've probably always wondered about in the back of your mind, but never expressed or reflected upon.
If you want to understand success, this is a great place to start. Also, as with any Gladwell book, you'll learn a great deal of interesting facts and tidbits of information about everything from aerodynamics to hockey along the way.
The Reality of Virtual Communities
NOTE: This was an essay I had written for my very first English composition class in college, back in Febuary, 2007. Obviously, it is very dated and the technology and terminology discussed below have evolved tremendously in the last three years.
With the internet becoming more functional everyday, people all over the world are finding new uses for this incredible medium in their daily lives. Several years ago if you told someone you blogged them on MySpace you probably would have gotten some strange glances. Now these terms, and many more like them, are becoming a routine part of our vocabulary. Only decades ago you would have invoked some stupendous looks just by uttering the terms “chat room,” instant message” or “web blog.” Today these familiar terms have one thing in common. They all relate to virtual communities made possible by the internet.
In this essay, we will explore the reality of virtual communities. You will see why I strongly believe that there is nothing inherently “fake” about this relatively new medium and why a virtual society deserves equal appreciation when compared to communities outside of the internet. I will also share my views on why some virtual communities can improve our way of life and how we do business far beyond what any “real world” medium can do.
Finding the Cheese in Life
Sometimes big things can come in small packages, as with the short story titled “Who Moved My Cheese?” After first flipping through the pages of this thin 96-page book, I was surprised that it wasn’t supposed to be in the children’s section of the bookstore. I noticed the large font, wide margins and simple syntax and thought it would be almost impossible to learn anything useful from a book of such simplicity. Looking back, I see how wrong I was for making such a hasty judgment and from here on out, I vow to never judge a book by the size of the letters or the number of pages, in addition to the more well-known maxim of not judging a book by its cover. I say this not without warrant; for I probably learned more pertinent information about life and success from reading “Who Moved My Cheese?” than from tons of other business books combined. The author of this great story has accomplished something worthy of applaud. Spencer Johnson has taken a great deal of tried-and-true advice and cut out the fat, strained out the fluff and boiled it down to the pure necessity of what works in real life. With his philosophy at hand, anyone can realize that change happens whether we’d like it or not. It is up to us to either adapt to that change, or be left behind in the dust of our own stubborn foolishness.
Jeff Bezos
Creating Earth’s Largest Store, One Book at a Time
The Internet has impacted our lives in more ways than we can describe and yet we seldom know the names and faces behind the brands, products and services that made it all possible. Everyday, we check our email, buy gifts, track stock prices, read news articles and watch videos all thanks to a relatively few number of individuals who took the first leap into an unknown and unproven abyss. One of those individuals was a 30 year-old Harvard MBA who revolutionized the world of retail and in doing so became one of the first Internet billionaires. His name is Jeff Bezos and his company is Amazon.com. This is Jeff’s story, which chronicles his amazing path to fame and fortune as the founder of Amazon.com.
From Research Project to King of the Web
Due to the rapid growth of the Internet in the 1990s, we have seen an influx of web companies come and go over the years. Some were far too bent on turning a quick profit and failed to satisfy their customers. Others simply imitated already established companies, and because of their bland approach to business, they failed as well. But, somewhere in the mix of things emerged a few solid, innovative, and well developed ideas based around satisfying customer needs while generating a healthy profit.
Starbucks Graffiti with Disclaimer
Now here's something you won't find in everyday in a Starbucks: Graffiti on the wall with a disclaimer next to it in Wellington, Florida. I wonder why they bothered with typing, printing and attaching the sign when they could have simply covered up or removed the graffiti in the first place.
Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar
I recently read a great book titled Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar: How Self-Education and the Pursuit of Passion Can Lead to a Lifetime of Success by James Marcus Bach. All I can say is: Wow! If you're even somewhat interested in what it means to be self-educated, you must read this. At just 193 pages, Bach does an excellent job of not just telling us, but showing us, that one can be successful in life without the compulsory school system.
As someone who was homeschooled (or unschooled) from the fourth grade and up, I can personally relate to Bach's message; that if learning is the goal, our best teacher is our own curiosity and the classroom is the world all around us.
Pancho Villa
The infamous man who became known worldwide as Pancho Villa was born on June 5, 1878, as Doroteo Arango, in Río Grande, Mexico. At a young age, Villa assisted his parents on their farm and soon became the head of the household after his father died unexpectedly. When he was 16, he shot and killed a wealthy landowner who attempted to harass his sister. This started the vicious cycle of Villa’s life as a bandit and a man on the run.
The Death Penalty
Understanding the Philosophy of Capital Punishment in America
There are few discussions that result in as much heated debate as those that revolve around the use of the death penalty. Although the concept of taking an individual’s life for the commission of a crime has been around since the dawn of organized civilization, it is not something that can be easily agreed upon. Why is it that some people oppose the death penalty, while others strongly support it? Does the death penalty work in deterring crime, while punishing the offender for the crime that has been committed? What are the chances that an innocent person will get sentenced to death?
Welcome to Random Sheet!
So, you found the site. That's a great start. Hopefully, I won't bore you too much. It is still under construction, so give it a while until it is filled with heaps of random content.