PTAP - First Class Q19

One week down, seven to go.

PTAP

Class was OK last night. I always have a hard time understanding teachers who speak fast and who are from foreign countries. This teacher not only speaks fast, but has an Indian accent. It takes me a couple of weeks to get used to accents. I found myself spacing out because it was just too darn difficult to understand what he was saying.

Anyway ... from what I understood, he gave the "this class is no 'filler' class" BS. He said that it would be "rigorous" and "challenging" ... I always hate it when teachers hype up a class. When I began applying to SMU's PMBA program, the recruiters were always throwing out those buzz words. Maybe they used those words to weed out a few people who are too intimidated. I always get intimidated when I hear that a course will be difficult or "rigorous". I go into the class expecting to get my hide whipped, but when it's all said and done and I look back, and although it was no cake walk, it wasn't impossible. So I've learned to not put too much stock into comments like this.

The rest of the class, we talked about risk and some historical stats. He goes a million miles an hour! I think I'll do OK in the class. This class will definately have more work in it than the other class ... especially up front in the first three or four weeks. We're going to cover about 10 textbook chapters plus a case and project all before week 5! But then it will slow down a bit with not so much reading.

Quixote Update
Chapter 19

Quixote and Sancho are riding on their horse/donkey and talking. While they were talking, they saw some lights in the distance. They think they are phantoms carrying a dead body. Quixote rides up to them and demands that they tell him what happened to the dead person so that he can avenge his death if necessary. They are monks taking the bones of another monk to his final resting place. They don't have time to discuss what they are doing and how their brother died. Quixote gets upset and begins attacking these defenseless monks! They scatter and he ends up breaking the leg of one of the monks. The funniest line of the chapter was when Sancho says that his master truly is the most bold and courageous (to have the audacity to attack peaceful monks!) Quixote and the monk have a few words and the monk who is very upset with Quixote, excommunicates him from the church. Quixote and Sancho continue on and then rest for the night.

Chess Update

No chess last night.

The 3/15/06 chessgames.com puzzle is 19. ? I don't know on this one. I'd probably play Rxd5 and then let my knight bounce around checking the king and cleaning up peices.

The answer is 19. Rxd5 ... and like I said, he goes on to capture a pawn and bishop and ends up with a NBR vs. RR advantage.