Harbus

THIS IS IT

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

On October 28, Sony Pictures released the much-anticipated movie "Michael Jackson's This Is It." The movie was conceived after the worldwide outpouring of grief following the mega-superstar's death on June 25. In the months prior, Michael Jackson was rehearsing for what would have been a comeback to the stage after more than a decade away from the performance limelight.

Charting the New Financial Landscape

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

On November 7, nearly 250 students and professionals came to HBS for the 2009 Finance Conference, hosted by the HBS Finance Club, for a day of speeches, panel discussions and networking. Barclays Capital was the Diamond Sponsor for the Conference and J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Citi, Credit Suisse, Evercore and Goldman Sachs were also sponsors.

Lessons Learned-Fishbowl

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

As president, general manager or new owner, I learned that it was my actions that had the most impact on the organization, not my words. As such, everything that I did was observed, reported on, discussed behind my back and evaluated - I was in a "Fishbowl.

Yummy Yum from Around the World

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Caiprinha's, Carnivals, Football, and the Samba - doesn't that sound like fun? I've heard so much about this people and their love for parties and fun I could well imagine how enjoyable it would be to explore their cuisine. My friend Fabio put me across to Renata and Flavia, and an afternoon I spent with them gave me not just a flavor of their cuisine but also their culture and the people they are.

Cheap versus Frugal?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Yes, there is a difference - a difference that I didn't realize until I left my cushy life on Wall Street and became a graduate student. I am not cheap, but as a graduate student I learned to become frugal so I can use the incremental value I gain to do other things.

Busting the HBS Bubble Through Service

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

As I was purchasing my airline ticket for
a weekend trip to Vegas, I actually began to consider whether blackjack, although it has a negative expected return, could actually increase my personal Sharp ratio since it has a beta of zero. That's when I realized this transformational experience has gone too far - I needed to get out of the bubble.

20* Questions

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Meet Jay! He's organizing this weekend's Cyberposium and is thus the subject of this week's 20 questions. Ask him to wink for you next time you see him�. wait, is it wrong to make fun of people's disabilities? Cyberposium is the premier MBA technology conference in the world.

Building an Eco-Friendly HBS Together

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

The HBS Green Living Program recently conducted a student survey that attracted close to 500 respondents. The survey intended to better understand the awareness among students of green initiative within Harvard, the general green practices of students, and to see where some of the big opportunities for improvement are for us as HBS.

Genetic Engineering

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Ivy League schools are inundated with ads for potential egg donors-women who for a considerable sum of money donate their eggs to a couple for in vitro fertilization. What happens once they sign on? And what role do the fertility clinics who match the donors to the recipients play? A well-dressed couple in their early 30s walk into a building that from the outside has all the settings of a corporate office but from the inside looks more like a clinic.

Fall and Winter Arts Preview

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

It's that time of year again�it's getting colder, the leaves are changing and the Boston arts scene is in full swing. I know it's hard to get outside the HBS bubble, particularly since there are no tunnels connecting us to Boston, forcing us to brave the arctic weather�but Boston has so much to offer in the way of arts and culture this time of year! I've pulled together a very small sampling of personal recommendations below: BOSTON BALLET - The Nutcracker A perennial holiday favorite, the Nutcracker is being featured in Boston Ballet's new home: the newly restored Opera House.