I'm reading Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Taleb. I have just started the book, so I am in no position to give a book report. I bought the book after hearing him give a talk which I thought was quite good (no one seems to ask me to give "a talk"...I wonder why?!?). Anyway, I digress...He mentions a phenomenon known to psychologists where most people would prefer to make $70,000 if everyone else was making $60,000 instead of making $80,000 if everyone else was making $90,000. Taleb was making a point about "pecking order". Money is important, but not in absolute terms, and even more to the heart of the matter, one's sense of self importance is a bigger motivator than money. So if you want to motivate someone to do something, think about how you can enhance their sense of importance...might not cost you a dime!

BTW, I feel The Game Part II coming on...

Got back from Boston late (late) last night. A combination of weather, flight cancellations and delays gave me about 6 hours at Logan to meditate. Watched CNN in the departure lounge until Lou Dobbs started getting on my nerves. While he plays to the American isolationist crowd by advocating trade barriers and alarming us about all the outsourcing of (American) jobs offshore, few realize he founded a company that develops software in Canada and manufactures telescopes in China. Thanks for speaking out and protecting all those American jobs Lou!

Of course, maybe Mr. Dobbs' seeming hypocrisy is his brilliance. He acts the isolationist by fear mongering to his CNN audience to enhance his journalism brand, while simultaneously taking advantage of globalism to enhance his investments. Playing both sides of a game usually ensures success.

I have been reading about Fisher Black, the economist and originator of the famous Black-Scholes model. This model can be used to derive the Black-Sholes formula which gives the theoretical value of a stock option. This model and its many derivatives (get it?!? - hahaha) have been used to drive trading and hedging strategies. In one anecdote, Fisher Black insists that one fixed income pricing model be described in plain english for publication and without any mathematical formulas. The point being that there is a financial and economic intuition that underlies any good (pricing) model, and that the model is an attempt at description of some underlying economic reality.

This reminded me of my own little epiphany I had a few years ago. In university I specialized in physics and I became pretty adept at manipulating the mathematical models/descriptions that seem to embody physics. There is a saying in Neurolinguistic Programming that "the map is not the territory". I realized at that time that the "map" in physics - the mathematics - is not the "territory", the territory being the actual physics! I reread the Feynman Lectures on Physics, which as an undergraduate I hated because of the lack of mathematical rigour and manipulation typical of other physics textbooks, and realized that Feynman was really lecturing about the physics and I really got into reading these lectures for the first time. I wished then that I could go back to university and do it all over again. Then I realized I would probably drink more than I did the first time.

Today, I boldly went where no baker has gone before. I prepared my ensaymada (a brioche-like pastry) for tomorrow's merienda. I thought I would try using whole wheat flour because I am used to living on the culinary edge. Here is a picture of them before being set aside to let them rise a second time.


I can already see that they will have a density similar to uranium. The original dough did not rise as much as expected. You want to know why? You think you are entitled to know? You want to know the truth??? You can't handle the truth!

Ok, if you can handle the truth, here is the thing about whole wheat flour: whole wheat flour is usually not the main ingredient in a baked good because it adds the aforementioned "density" which prevents the dough from rising as well as white (all purpose) flour. Basically, you get fewer and smaller air pockets trapped in the raised good. Turns out it is possible to make a high-rising bun using 100% whole wheat bread as long as you increase the water content of the dough (or milk content in the case of ensaymada). The bran and germ in whole wheat absorb more water than white flour. You also have to knead the dough for a longer period of time to develop the gluten properly and you must let the dough rise longer before shaping it. I did not do any of this, and therefore I will be eating rocks tomorrow. 

 

I read this post the other day about novel new methods of kissing your special someone (the blogger in question says she took it from an article she found online). I can sum most of them up in one word: CHEESE! However, for the sake of clarity, I will comment on each method separately:

ICE KISS: Celebrate the first day of winter with an ice kiss. Put an ice cube in your mouth until your mouth becomes cold. Remove the cube, track down your love and plant a kiss that will send chills!

MY COMMENTS: Ice cubes in the mouth add a unique aspect to another activity between a woman and her special someone, and it isn't kissing.

ELECTRIC SHOCK KISS The two of you shuffle your feet furiously on carpet. When you both have an electric charge, lean over and slowly aim for each other's lips. With your lips about one-half inch apart, move in even slower until a spark jumps between the two of you. Instantly after this happens, kiss one another.

MY COMMENTS: This seems dangerous. You want a shock - why don't each of you hold on to either terminal on a car battery?!?

POST-IT KISS Use 3M Post-It notes to make a trail through your house that leads to your lips. Put a lipstick print or lip symbol on each note with an arrow pointing to the next note. You, of course, are at the end of the trail with a Post-It note over your lips that says, "LIFT FOR KISS"

MY COMMENTS: Gay.

KISSING IN THE RAIN The next time it rains, grab an umbrella, rain coats, and your love. Then go outside and kiss in the rain. If the spirit of the kiss moves you, remove the umbrella and kiss 'till the two of you are soaked.

MY COMMENTS: Gay.

HERSHEYS KISSES Prepare a small bag of Hershey's kisses and slip it into your love's purse, briefcase, or lunchbox. Attach a note that reads "SORRY, I CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT THINK OF ME AND DO THE FOLLOWING: Close your eyes and place the candy between your lips. Drop the candy in your mouth and roll it on your tongue until it melts.

MY COMMENTS: Gay.

KISSES IN A BALLOON Cut out small red tissue lips, and place them inside an opaque balloon filled with helium (any party store could do this for you) Tie the balloon to your love's chair at dinner. Desert is a shower of kisses delivered by a sharp pin.

MY COMMENTS: Gay.

TOLL KISS Next time you are driving your love somewhere, stop the car before crossing a bridge or going through a tunnel, and say the toll must be paid before you can go any further. Of course, the toll cost in one kiss.

MY COMMENTS: Lame. (Tired of saying gay)

MORSE CODE KISS If you know Morse code, great, If not, this is a great way to learn. Find a Morse Code chart. Using long and short kisses, spell out a message to your love and have him or her try to decipher them.

MY COMMENTS: This is wierd. If someone did this to me, I would hide from them forever.

KISSING METER KISSES We have parking meters, so why not kissing meters? Turn a box into your own kissing meter and wear it around your neck. Give your love kissing tokens to start your kissing meter. Have an "expired" sign appear when you need another kiss.

MY COMMENTS: This is very wierd. If someone did this to me, I would really hide from them forever.

STAIRWELL KISS This kiss is to be done at a party or at a gathering with your love. Steal away to a private location like behind a door or tree, or on the stairwell and passionately kiss each other. The risk of being discovered in the act is the key element.

MY COMMENTS: I can think of ways to make this way more interesting. I would strongly consider incorporating the ideas presented in my comments re: the ice kiss.

SCUBA KISSING Wearing a diving mask and fins, simulate swimming underwater. Snorkel across the room to your love and kiss him or her.

MY COMMENTS: This is very, very wierd. If someone did this to me, I would change my name, move and really, really hide from them forever.

EYE TEST KISS Make an eye chart like the ones that you see in a doctor's office where the letters get progressively smaller. Have the chart read, "IF you can read this you are standing close enough to kiss me." Now find your love and give an eye exam.

MY COMMENTS: Gay.

THYMELY KISS Thyme, according to the Greeks, is the herb which makes one irresistible kissable. Prepare a meal for your love using the herb. Moments after the first bite, rush to your love's lips with a passionate kiss. Come up for air, announce the Greeks were right, then rush back with another passionate kiss.

MY COMMENTS: The greeks were gay.

SHOPPING LIST KISSES Turn your shopping list into a scorecard the next time the two of you go shopping. The one who finds the item gets credit toward one kiss. Kisses are collected either on delivery to the grocery cart, or later at home.

MY COMMENTS: Really gay.

BAD HABIT KISS Offer to stop a bad habit if your love will pay you kisses. For instance, a kiss for each cigarette not smoked, putting the toilet seat down, and/or every phone call kept under three minutes is rewarded with a kiss.

MY COMMENTS: Lame.

CLOUD SHAPE KISS Take your love to the backyard or out in a field: lie down on a blanket, and together inspect cloud formations. When both of you see the same thing, reward each other with a kiss.

MY COMMENTS: Kiss anyway.

CHECK KISS With your personal check, make a check out to your love for 1,000 kisses. Tell your love he or she can cash it in any time.

MY COMMENTS: Gay.

TOE KISS Prepare a foot bath for your love at the end of a long day. After the good soak, you towel dry his or her feet, give a massage and seal each toe with a kiss.

MY COMMENTS: Elements of SM/domination fantasies...I'm not really into this sort of thing, but hey, if you are, maybe this is cool.

CHOCOLATE HEART KISSES Buy several boxes of little chocolate hearts that have sayings on them. Pick out all the "KISS ME" hearts and put them in a heart shaped box with the note "REDEEMABLE ANYTIME, day or night!"

MY COMMENTS: Really gay.

RENDEZVOUS KISS With a note or phone call, tell your love to meet you at a certain place and time (e.g. park bench, street corner, ice cream stand) for a present. When your love arrives, have a bow stuck to your lips.

MY COMMENTS: Starts off ok, but then degrades quickly into a situation where I would want to go into hiding again.

BATH KISS Surprise your love with a kiss while he/she is showering or in the tub.

MY COMMENTS: and the what?

MACHINE GUN KISS In rapid succession, plant 12 quick ones on your lover's lips.

MY COMMENTS: Wierd. Very mechanical...invented by Germans?

KISS-A-THON Passionately kiss your love for at least five minute longer than usual.

MY COMMENTS: Normal.

PINK PANTHER KISS Humming the Pink Panther theme, prowl toward your partner. On the high note, pounce and pucker. Suggestion-wear only pink!

MY COMMENTS: If someone does this to you, change your identity, go into witness protection program and disappear. This person is not firing on all eight.

THIRST QUENCHER KISS For no reason, stare at your love's mouth while licking your lips as though dying of thirst. Inevitably, your love will ask what you're doing. ANSWER: I want them! I have to have them! I yearn to drink from them! Then ask for a kiss to quench your thirst!

MY COMMENTS: Very weird.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS KISS Inform your love one morning that he or she will soon receive a fabulous kiss. Later, call you love with a reminder. When next you see your love, pull out the stops and plant a long, hot, passionate kiss.

MY COMMENTS: Over engineered.

GOODBYE KISS Send off your love in the morning with a quick kiss. As your love turns to leave, pull him or her back for a second, more passionate kiss

MY COMMENTS: This is a good start...

BREAKFAST IN BED KISS Slip out of bed early and prepare a special "Kissing" breakfast to serve to your love in bed. Pick foods that you can easily pick up and feed to your love. Kiss between bites!

MY COMMENTS: I don't know.

AUDIO STIMULATION Make a cassette of kissing noises and place in your love's cassette player (walkman, car or home) with a note attached.

MY COMMENTS: Very strange. Think seriously about dating someone else.

REWARD KISS Next time your love performs some disliked home chore like cleaning the bathroom, mowing the lawn, or taking out the garbage, show your appreciation by tucking a candy kiss in a strategic location.

MY COMMENTS: Lame.

CAMPING KISS On a beautiful cool night, you and your love crawl into a sleeping bag outside. Cuddle and kiss.

MY COMMENTS: Why not just do it inside?

Chan Thai Long's Overall Opinion: I suspect that whoever wrote this article (I am assuming a female) might have been charged with stalking. The article that was the source of this advice is not helpful and reminds one of Fatal Attraction. This whole thing freaked me out.

I bought the first season of 24 on dvd - mostly to use up a lingering gift certificate, not because I was ever a fan of the show. In fact, I never really watched the show. Background: the series is about a (US) federal agent and the various bad guys (note the sexism yet general acceptability in the male oriented term "bad guys") he encounters. What makes the show ground breaking is that each season of the series has 24 episodes taking place in an hour of real time. This is also what makes the show only viable with a PVR(TiVo) or as a set of dvd's. If you don't start at the beginning, or miss a single episode you're screwed.

That being said, it is a really cool series! I have been averaging 3-4 hours of this show for the last few days and have come down with TV coma. Kiefer Sutherland is pretty cool but has yet to laugh (I am about 10 hours into the season). Since he gets a triple word score for his first name, I will not be critical of his over dramatized intensity. The fromage-o-meter has gotten dangerously high at certain moments, and given the "real time" nature of the format, one would think the fromage factor would be minimized or eliminated completely. Thankfully, it hasn't really hit red (yet). So far, I highly recommend watching the first season.

Just in case, all you english (pigs) should know that fromage = cheese, as in the following dialog:

French Soldier: Un cadeau.
Other French soldiers: A what?
French Soldier: A present.
Other French soldiers: Oh. Un cadeau. Oui oui.
French Soldier: Allons y!
Other French soldiers: What?
French Soldier: Let's go!
Other French soldiers: Oh.

Picture from my backyard:

 

Chicken bump
Fast, very fast train
Sushi head