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Monthly Archives: November 2010

I was explaining Antifragility to my Italian publisher: a writer is antifragile, a blue-collar worker robust, others fragile. If I beat up an economist, I would spent a few days in an Italian jail, but book sales would shoot up and my message wd be authentic. People would be convinced of the validity of my DeVany-style workout. If a corporate executive did the same his career …

I was explaining Antifragility to my Italian publisher: a writer is antifragile, a blue-collar worker robust, others fragile. If I beat up an economist, I would spent a few days in an Italian jail, but book sales would shoot up and my message wd be aut…

Don't tell my publishers, but as soon as I see a book of mine in the stores, my book is dead for me. My book is only alive when I am still writing it otherwise it does not respond to me anymore (Socrates who hated the written word said the same about the statues of Daedalus: you cannot talk to them). I only like to talk about things (LIKE THIS) I am writing. Ciao di Milano, etc.

Don’t tell my publishers, but as soon as I see a book of mine in the stores, my book is dead for me. My book is only alive when I am still writing it otherwise it does not respond to me anymore (Socrates who hated the written word said the same about t…

DEFICITS & JENSEN'S INEQUALITY – So Art de Vany's statement about energy deficit can be translated into the ubiquitous Sigmoid Function f(x) = [1/(1-Exp[c x]], concave in the positive and convex in the negative.Note that the Kahneman/Tversky Prospect theory has the same shape (with small change in first derivative at 0)It means, as suspected, concentration (feasts/famine) that you should eat a lot when you eat.

DEFICITS & JENSEN'S INEQUALITY – So Art de Vany's statement about energy deficit can be translated into the ubiquitous Sigmoid Function f(x) = [1/(1-Exp[c x]], concave in the positive and convex in the negative.Note that the Kahneman/Tversk…

A question for Art De Vany (and others) on Jensen's inequality & biochemical reactions. If you consumed 2600 calories in one sitting, compared to spread out over 7 meals, how different would the energy production be? Is consumption convex or concave?

A question for Art De Vany (and others) on Jensen's inequality & biochemical reactions. If you consumed 2600 calories in one sitting, compared to spread out over 7 meals, how different would the energy production be? Is consumption convex or co…

Let me restart: an opportunist is someone 1) who violates a certain set of universals for a given reward, 2) who develops opinions about someone or something because there is a reward (finance people), 3) does not do a certain set of actions for their own sake, but for reward (generosity a la TED/Bono)…So a prostitute is not an opportunist compared to a gold digger; an academic is the worst brand of opportunist…

Let me restart: an opportunist is someone 1) who violates a certain set of universals for a given reward, 2) who develops opinions about someone or something because there is a reward (finance people), 3) does not do a certain set of actions for their …