The Rosetta Forum: Part III

The Rosetta Forum is an organization that aims to connect the world’s most outstanding thinkers to solve world issues. The planet is filled with extremely bright thinkers who work to solve issues such as cancer, famine, or pollution but these scholars have no avenue to get the opinions of masses. The opinions of every human are important and could spark a thought that could lead to a greater discovery.

We are passionate to connect the world to solve problems because we feel that although the world is becoming a flatter place, there needs to be one central forum where people can discuss and build off each other’s thoughts. We are unique because we allow innovative thinkers to lead discussions that will be translated into every language, which will promote collective thinking.

Anima Mundi Development should invest into Rosetta Forum because with over seven billion people in the world, there is a need for a public platform where users can express their thoughts and observe thoughts of both like-minded and different people alike. If a PHD from London posts a question asking how to cure a disease and a student from Beijing posts a hypothesis that could lead to the cure, our work is worthwhile.

This organization is taking steps towards creating a more connected and open world. We encourage Anima Mundi Development to back our cause and solve the world’s greatest problems.

The Rosetta Forum

A World We Dare To Imagine: Part 1 

I once had a dream about a website that brought people from all corners of the world together to discuss world issues and questions that have yet to be answered. I pictured this website with a blog structure where only doctors or acclaimed scholars could post questions they would like answers to. These questions could be as simple as “how would you solve world hunger?” Then, the questions would be translated into every language so people could post their responses regardless of where they’re from. Furthermore, users would choose their preferred language when signing up so they could read all posts and comment themselves.  

My vision was an open forum where the educated and uneducated could voice their opinions on a variety of topics. Who knows, maybe a farmer from South Africa or a herder from Mongolia would post something that would spark a thought for a PHD from England that could lead to cure cancer. The greatest minds of the world are constantly experiencing revelations and uncovering new information but would never share these findings unless they were to be given credit. This forum allows the greatest minds on the planet to lead an open discussion about what they believe are the most pressings questions for humankind and for average people to potentially make a difference simply by voicing their opinion for the world to hear. 

The Future Is Here

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Are we experiencing the turning point of virtual reality (VR)? That questioned is being asked by anyone that has put on a pair of Facebook’s Oculus Rift virtual reality goggles. I remember watching Sci-Fi movies as a child where the main character would put on a pair of goggles or glasses and enter an entirely new virtual world. Well, that time has come. I’ve seen a lot in my short twenty two years of life and I’m telling you this is the most eye opening thing I’ve seen in a while. Imagine being on stage at Cirque Du Soleil or on a roller coaster at Six Flags and actually feeling like you’re there. Feeling excited when the gymnast does a back flip on a suspended rope or scared as the roller coaster rises higher and higher before dropping.

Facebook purchased Oculus for $2 billion to be one of the first movers in the virtual reality sector. Their partnership with Samsung has allowed them to quickly gain distribution. Through this partnership Facebook has been able to release the Oculus Gear VR for only $100. This starter model is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy and turns your smart phone into a virtual reality headset. Following Zuckerburg’s unveiling of the Oculus Gear VR and Facebook’s partnership with Samsung, the freestanding model, Oculus Rift, is now available for purchase.  For $599, less than the price of a TV, you can purchase a portal into an ever changing virtual world. Facebook has been working to lower the price of the Oculus Rift so it’s accessible to the majority of consumers just as it strives to offer free internet to the globe. Soon the entire world will be able to access the internet, social media, and now virtual reality.  The future is here.

Genius of Money Post 3: Jacob Needleman Interview

Jacob Needleman provides insight on human nature with regard to money. Through his commentary the reader is prompted to examine “the forces affecting culture” and the relationship between money and spirituality. Money is an abstract concept. It is everything we base our society off but at the same time it is nothing more than an idea we humans have created to allow exchange to occur more seamlessly. Needleman hopes that “ownership of property could provide a base of material security necessary for pursuit of more spiritual goals.” Humans have necessities to live and once those necessities are taken care of, Needleman believes there is more opportunity to achieve higher levels of fulfillment.

This interview also further discusses the idea that passion and interests drive actions. Passions on the one hand are “violent egoistic impulses” and often lead to “social destruction” while interests have more to do with “stability, property, possessions, and bourgeois values.” Through money, our society is able to balance these driving forces. It is important for each individual to analyze his or her attitude towards money. One should not become consumed by the idea that they must gather as much money as possible. Instead, money should be used as an “instrument of love” and an “instrument of service” to allow people to find happiness within their own means.

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Chapter 1

John Bloom begins Chapter 1 by urging the reader to imagine “a world without philanthropy.” Philanthropy fuels education, research, and the arts, which further improve society. However, this progress is difficult to measure but undoubtedly important. Before money was created, all exchanges were done through the act of gifting. Then, with the introduction of money people began to focus solely on progressing themselves through monetary growth.

For a long period, philanthropy was overlooked as our society structured itself around working to improve one’s financial status. Now, we are seeing a resurgence of philanthropy as companies begin to acknowledge its importance. In Bloom’s eyes, “gifting is the most important and productive component of an economic system” in the fact that “a gift is 100% risk, while the returns on a gift are immeasurable.” Gifting and philanthropy combat the tendency to focus exclusively on monetary fulfillment and allow society to shit towards a more generous and community based society. 

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Chapter 5 

John Bloom begins Chapter 5 with a commentary on Adam Smith, an eighteenth century economist and philosopher famous for creating the economic theory known as the “invisible hand”. This idea encompasses the notion of social benefits as a result of individual actions. “Self interest” on the other hand may lead to negative results when a condition he calls “never enoughness” is present. This is an unhealthy state where the individual or single corporation excludes the interest of others for “the benefit of a few”.  Bloom notes that this critique isn’t the main focus of his commentary before proceeding to discuss a speech given by Bill Gates. 

During a speech Gates gave in Davos, he referred to Adam Smith’s teachings with regard to breakthroughs in technology. Gates stated, “the genius of capitalism lies in its ability to make self-interest serve the wider interest”. In other words, by creating a free market and using the genius of money, individuals are able to work and be rewarded for their work while contributing to the overall economy or society. With regard to technology, an individual’s creation will improve the lives of the wider community and that individual will in turn receive recognition for that contribution. 

Chapter 13

Chapter 13 begins by discussing the genius behind inventing money. Before its creation, there was no way to value an item or service except through bartering. Now, money influences the thoughts and actions of everyone since it our main driver of value. 

Bloom discusses an instance when J.S.G Boogs, a contemporary artist, had no money to pay for a meal so he drew a $20 bill on a napkin in exchange. This creates an interesting situation where if the restaurant accepts this drawing, they must return Boogs’ change in cash. Boogs has not only used his drawings for food but also rent and clothing which questions our notion of what money actually is. Technically paper money is just a drawing that we accept to have a certain value just as the digits within our bank account are accepted to have another value. Boogs questioned the notion of money by “inverting the system on itself” and we should also question our understanding of money and the decisions we make to gain more of it. 

The History Of Lacrosse

Lacrosse was originally invented as a war-game, created by the Native American Indians. It was a predominantly a male team sport where players used long netted racquets to pick up, throw, catch, and shoot a ball past a goal to score points. The main rule of the game was that the ball could not be touched by a player’s hand. Although this rule remains present in the game today, there are few other similarities. 

It’s not clear when lacrosse was created but French Jesuit missionaries working in Quebec, Canada during the 1600s were the first Europeans to see lacrosse being played by Native American Indians. Jean de Brebeuf wrote about the game and named it “lacrosse” in 1636 making it the oldest team sport in North America.

The game would be played amongst opposing tribes in open plains between their villages. Hundreds of men from each tribe were on each team. Both teams would swarm the ball making it very difficult to progress down the field.  The goals could be anywhere from 500 yards to 6 miles apart.

To start the game a ball would be thrown into the air. The teams would try to catch the ball and move it across the field towards their two respective goals (tall posts with a large figure placed on top). Hitting the post with the ball would score one point and hitting the figure on the top would score three points. Playing time would often last from sunup until sundown and generally there were no out of bounds.

Lacrosse had many purposes. Some games were a way to settle disputes between tribes. Others were played to toughen warriors for combat, for recreational purposes, traditional festivals, and for betting. Lastly, lacrosse was played for sacred reasons, to please the Creator.

Growing a Farmer: Post II

I enjoyed Growing a Farmer more than I expected I would. Kurt Timmermeister offers a narrative of a man who is transformed into a farmer through pursuing his life passion of cooking. Kurt initially worked at a restaurant in Seattle where frozen and packaged food was served. As he searched for a home outside the city, he found his twelve-acre plot with “room for animals and row crops and a woodlot” where he began to understand the relationships between food and its origin. We have strayed away from having a true connection to our food and that’s a sad idea. This is a story of a man that chose to pledge his life to only grow, prepare, and serve food from Kurtwood Farms to his customers. 

Kurt’s story and his journey to turn a job into a lifestyle is a fantasy many readers would dream of living. I would love to quit my job after graduation and pursue a career in music but that just seems unrealistic at this point. The novel offers commentary on ethics, animals, crops, and most importantly cheese-making. One of the main goals of the farm is to “make the farm a closed system.” This is an interesting idea and one that should make readers think as they most likely buy foods created in mass quantities. I hope local and organically grown foods continue to gain popularity after reading Growing a Farmer. Even though one of Kurt’s carrots may be “better, fresher, and tastier than those produced by commodity farmers” many consumers ignore thinking about from where their food is coming and instead choose the less expensive options sold in supermarkets. This story is not meant to convince readers to quit their day jobs, buy a farm, and start cooking for a living. Instead, Kurt Timmermeister’s simple wish is for readers to become more aware of where their food is coming from which is a reasonable request. 

Caribbean Cold War Quarantine: No More!

A Travelers Guide to Cuba, a Country Frozen in Time 

Americans have been eagerly waiting to visit Cuba since 1961 but wait no longer! On July 20, 2015, for the first time since the Cold War, Cuba and the United States restored diplomatic relations allowing travelers keen to visit this quarantined Caribbean island the opportunity to embark on a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Gaining Access

Before the doors reopened, the only way for an American to gain access into Cuba was to apply for a travel license through the US Department of the Treasury - a lengthy process. This travel license was intended mainly for researchers and very difficult to acquire but now a tourist visa is offered (Mara Sofferin). So not everyone can go? Well, basically everyone… 

There are 12 broad categories of travel activities that have been approved: 

• Visiting family

• Humanitarian projects 

• Official business of government organizations

• Journalistic activities

• Professional research

• Educational activities 

• People to people travel

• Religious activities

• Public performance, clinics, workshops, athletic, or other competitions 

• Authorization to provide travel, carrier, or remittance forwarding services

• Activities of private foundations, research, or educational institutes

• Exportation of certain Internet-based services

If you took the time to read that list, you’d realize some are complete BS. If you can convince a travel agent you have reason to pursue your passion for “Journalistic activities” and are curious what a country looks like after being shut off from the rest of the world for fifty years, this Cuba Travel Guide is for you. 

Open Sesame

Image courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

Cuba is one of the world’s most fascinating destinations in the world. 

Awe-inspiring beaches, dense jungles, a vibrant population that dance throughout the night with the help of an endless supply of Salsa and rum, and a plethora of classic cars zipping down cobble stone streets are only a few of the many charming features of this beautiful island.

For ease of travel, I suggest flying into the nation’s capital, Havana. If you are flying directly from the East Coast, Miami would be your shortest and cheapest flight (around $500-$700). However, I recommend all travelers fly through Cancun to save an extra $200 on the round trip flight. No direct flights from the West Coast are yet available. 

Havana Beaches

Welcome to Cuba! Now that we’ve arrived in Havana, let’s take a look around… 

Image courtesy of havanatourcompany.com

The Caribbean is well known for its white sand beaches. Santa Maria Del Mar is the largest and best known beach in Havana. This 9 km strip of stunning coastline is about 20 minutes from Havana by taxi (Daniel Stretton). Get to the beach early if you want any possibility of finding a patch of sand during the peak months, June through August, although the weather is actually loveliest in May and October. 

Vinales Valley

Not only has the vibrant culture of Cuba been preserved but also its stunning natural landscapes. 

Image Courtesy of telepinar.icrt.cu

Image courtesy of cozumelcigars.com

While in Havana, if you travel 183 km to the West-end of the island, you will stumble across the Vinales Valley. This unique landscape is dotted with mogotes (karst formations) surrounding a lovely valley with rich earth and majestic palm trees. Traditionally, this has been one of Cuba’s most fertile areas and where some of the world’s best tobacco is grown, harvested, and processed (Cuba Travel Network). Be sure to get your hands on a Cohiba cigar, one of Cuba’s most sought after exports during the political standoff. These iconic cigars have long been counterfeited and sold to clueless connoisseurs around the world but the true magic starts here in the Vinales Valley. 

Hershey Railway

Mr. Hershey, the King of Chocolate decided Cuban sugar was the best in the world to produce chocolate with. He built his own Cuban town to produce chocolate in the 1920s.

Image courtesy of seat61.com

The Hershey train is an electric rail-car that departs 3 times a day from the Casablanca station, on the eastern shore of the Havana harbor. The train travels all the way to the city of Matanzas, located about 100 km east of Havana (Best Cuba Guide). During the trip, the train makes dozens of shorts stop allowing you to get off and explore at any time. A round-trip costs $2.80 CUC or $2.80 USD (the Cuban Convertible Peso is pegged to the US Dollar).

The train is a great way to quickly cover ground and see life outside Havana, the most developed city on the island. However, most foreigners simply ride the train for a nostalgic experience and will get off after the first stop, Hershey, to explore. About 1 km north of Hershey there is a large coastal town called Santa Cruz del Norte. Take a quick stroll but be sure not to miss the last train back to Havana! 

Grub 

Cuban food on the island has maintained its traditional look and taste. Meals tend to be rather bland due to the minimal use of spices and a cultural tendency to dislike spicy or hot food altogether. In addition, the trade embargoes have caused fluctuations in food supply leading to ingredient shortage. To compensate for this, portion sizes tend to be massive.

Image courtesy of tasteofcuba.com

i. Cuisine 

Known as comida criolla, Cuba cuisine features roasted or fried pork and chicken along with rice, beans, and viavdas, the Cuban word for root vegetables.  Popular national dishes include: 

·         Ropa vieja, shredded beef served as a stew prepared over a slow heat with green peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic 

·         Ajiaco, another stew including meat, corn, and green vegetables

·         Tasajo, a form of fried dried beef. 

·         Lechon, suckling pig marinated in garlic, onions, and herbs. 

Although it has been difficult to find these dishes in past years, as Cuba becomes more open to trade, traditional dishes are making a revival (Rough Guides). 

ii. Restaurants

Image courtesy of tasteofcuba.com

Since the 1990s Cuba has allowed its citizens to earn money through the creation of paladars, or private residences that serve food to visitors. These paladars are run by local Cubans and offer visitors the opportunity to try authentic tastes. If you don’t feel comfortable entering someone’s home for a meal, the alternative would be state restaurants, which are government run and tend to have a more limited menu.  

iii. Drink 

If you like rum, Cuba is the place for you. The national drink can be found everywhere and is the most inexpensive alcoholic beverage – you can buy a bottle of rum for $3 CUC in supermarkets (Rough Guides). I suggest the brands Havana Club and Santiago de Cuba. 

Cerveza, lager-type beer, is also plentiful in Cuba. The two most popular beers are Cristal, a smooth light lager, and Bucanero, a darker more potent brew. Draft beer is uncommon but a bottle will cost roughly $2 CUC. 

Be sure to also try the variety of Cuban lemonade (Cachito), cola (Tropicola), and orange soda (Najita). If you’re craving some refreshing water, stick to bottled water unless you’re feeling extra adventurous.  

Departure

Cuba was placed in a political and cultural cryogenic chamber for the last 55 years. Act quickly if you hope to see this beautiful nation in its truest state. It’s only a matter of time until East Coast spring-breakers get their hands on this gem. 

Works Cited 

"Cuba / Food and Drink." Rough Guides. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.

"Cuba: Salsa, Revolutionary History, And Caribbean Heat." Rough Guides. Web. 1 Feb. 2016.

"How To Take The Electric Hershey Train In Havana Cuba." Best Cuba And Havana Guidebook. Full Compass Guides, 14 Oct. 2014. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.

Sofferin, Mara. "A How-to Guide to Visiting Cuba." CNN. Cable News Network, 18 Dec. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

Stretton, Daniel. "Sun And Salsa: The 5 Best Havana Cuba Beaches." Havana Tour Company. 30 July 2015. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.

"Viñales Valley." Havana Excursions. Cuba Travel Network, Web. 2 Feb. 2016.

Yakovlev, Alexander. "Cuba Travel Guide." World Travel Guide. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.