January 2008
26 posts
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” -”
– Marcus Aurelius Antonius
Social Business Entrepreneurs Are the Solution →
Muhammad Yunnus talks about how we can develop and foster social entrepreneurship and allow Social Business Entrepreneurs to thrive and do good. “Lets get serious about social business entrepreneurs. They can brighten up this gloomy world.”
Bad Career Advice: Do What You Love →
A great post by Penelope Trunk about how the oft-quoted advice is not really plausible. “The pressure we feel to find a perfect career is insane. And, given that people are trying to find it before they are thirty, in order to avoid both a quarterlife crisis and a biological-clock crisis, the pressure is enough to push people over the edge. Which is why one of the highest risk times for...
“Once labels … realize that recorded music is nothing more than marketing...”
– Michael Arrington - TechCrunch
First Home Meet in a Year
Stanford Gymnastics beat Cal this weekend at home. It was my first home gym meet and my second competition since I dislocated my knee over a year ago. The doctors told my friends not to make a big deal about coming back, because it might not happen. I was sure as hell not going to end my career on one unlucky vault. I did my routines well the first meet, but our team lost to Cal. I did poorly on...
“There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity.”
– General Douglas MacArthur (Aka - Nothing is really a sure thing and reward lies everywhere)
“However that may be, I now wish that I had spent somewhat more of my life with...”
– Philosopher Richard Rorty on Poetry
Don't Stress the Post-Grad Stuff.
(This is the second time I’m writing this post, as the first one got deleted. Hate when that happens…) I’ve been thinking a lot lately about different post-graduate opportunities. It’s still a bit early for me as I’m a senior whose doing a 5th year coterm. But like most Stanford students, I’ve got a wide array of options on the table. Personally, I’m...
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you...”
– Mark Twain
Open Mind Commons →
A bottom-up method of teaching AI “common sense”, something I’ve often been accused of not having. Their method is to give the computer tons of statements, which might be interpreted as “experiences”, which I guess is how you develop real common sense. - Jason
Thoughts From Good Will Hunting
After my girlfriend found out I hadn’t seen Good Will Hunting, she said I had to see it with her. Well I just watched it, and I thought it was pretty good. One-line synopsis - Matt Damon is Will, a troubled 20 year old who is a math genius, and Robin Williams plays the therapist who is unwilling to quit on him. Here are a few thoughts. Self-Education “You blew 150k on an education you...
The Macbook Air is Just Too Thin - Unofficial... →
A post I wrote about the new Macbook Air on the Unofficial Stanford Blog. - Jason
A Micropreneurship Manifesto
Gumball Capital engages students with micropreneurship for positive social impact. But what does that even mean? What are we talking about when we say micropreneurship Short answer: It’s entrepreneurship on a micro-level Longer answer: It’s the act of starting and completing small projects that are just outside your capacity - allowing you to meet new people, develop new skills, focus...
About Jason Shen
Hi, my name is Jason Shen. I’m a student-athlete and social entrepreneur and I operate the Help Yourself tumblog.
I am executive director of Gumball Capital, a nonprofit that engages students with entrepreneurship for social change through microfinance.
I am pursuing an MS in Biological Sciences at Stanford University, and received a BS in BioSci with interdisciplinary honors in 2008. My...
“Your only choice is whether you define your philosophy by a conscious, rational,...”
– Ayn Rand - Philosophy: Who needs it? (Great speech, though it has a few vicious and unwarranted jabs at certain philosophers)
Ridiculous Things Said in Christian Chatrooms
This site makes me laugh, but only a little. Then it makes me kind of sad and rather scared. Even if their views only represent a minority among Christians. “Seriously, does anybody ever cry at an Atheist’s funeral?” ” I can sum it all up in three words: Evolution is a lie” “Everyone knows scientists...
“In other words, starting startups is just like everything else. The biggest...”
– The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups This is a great quote - most people are just not willing to work hard enough to achieve what they say they want.
Chris Corrigan Practice Workshop Resources →
More Open Space Stuff
OpenSpaceWorld: AboutOpenSpace →
This really looks like a breakthrough way of finding innovation and re-energizing an organization. I want to try it as soon as possible.
“But is there a perfect workout track, a song that transcends exercise forms and...”
– I think its a big sterotype that Rocky music is pump-up music. Turns out, it’s scientifically true… They’re Playing My Song. Time to Work Out. - New York Times
LittleAfrica.com - General Colin Powell: 18... →
I seem a little bit obessed with Colin Powell right now, and I think it’s because he’s an army guy - meaning he was someone who really needed to deliver and still has some of the more “progressive” ideas about leadership and management.
“The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is...”
– Colin Powell Quotes
“You know how you feel when a tall, thin, pretty woman walks by and something...”
– Still Skinny, but Now They Can Cook - New York Times 