David Brooks

The lesson of the Ecology Narrative is that, in most cases, the market corrects itself. Maybe this year banks will change their pay structure so there’s not so much emphasis on short-term results. Maybe companies will change their boards to improve scrutiny over complex new instruments.

Pfffffff. Sure, you bet! Path dependence is a myth, and the principal-agent problem doesn't exist!

The Perfect Reality Show

Wow. Oh. My. Jeez. They're showing new episodes of Chuck, again. As a special treat, they decided to show two episodes tonight. Between, they sandwiched an episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. But this post is not about that! Susan changed the channel so we wouldn't have to see that, and stumbled upon... Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew! Interestingly, it is set at his clinic in Pasadena, and (occasionally) at Huntington Memorial Hospital, also in Pasadena. Such luminaries as Daniel Baldwin, Mary Carey, Brigitte Nielsen grace the halls, messy and bizarre.

Man, you really like Tide

At lunch today the topic somehow got turned to historical mathematicians. I think we were talking about Cantor, and how he went crazy. That was a shame. Euler, interestingly, continued to do stuff after he went blind. And he had, like, twelve kids.

We also talked about how several scientists (like artists) had patrons who supported them. We imagined what it would be like if scientists, mathematicians, and philosophers, were sponsored in the modern sense: Isaac Newton's universal gravitation, brought to you by Fidelity! Occam's Razor, brought to you by Gillette!

Better Lucky than Good

Last Friday an old classmate of my advisor came calling at Caltech to do some recruiting. I (all unawares because I thought he'd be around this week for the career fair) met with him and talked for an hour or so about what I've worked on, and what he works on. In the end, he said he'd filled the position in his group but that he was recruiting for several groups at his company and that I ought to send him my curriculum vitae.

After a couple of hours polishing it up a bit (with the help of Susan and Max), I sent it along.

Apparently I made a good impression, because they'll be inviting me for an interview. It may be too soon, as a practical matter, but it is exciting.

Accidents

Ever been rear-ended at the grocery store?

What about by a crazy lady with a cart?

When you were standing in the checkout line?

Gentlemen and ladies, I implore you! Do not run into people's butts with your fully-loaded grocery cart. Those things sting.

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

I often get the question: What do you want to do with your degree?

The honest answer is that I don't much care. I can get interested in just about anything.

One possible response I've come up with is that I'd like to find a wealthy benefactor and then just relay interesting information to them. Any wealthy readers in need of a bard, minus the singing?

Thanks

To everyone- going to the gym will be nicer thanks to the tiny little radio Mom and Dad got me, and Barnes & Noble will be a fun excursion thanks to Yaya and the Parents-in-law.

My feet are already enjoying these awesome SmartWool socks Susan got me! Though they got quite wet on the ride in today, my toes are still warm. The magic of wool.

Many thanks...

To Ma & Pa Johnson, for bringing an extremely excellent fellow into the world 28 years ago today.

Just a minute

So I've transitioned from swimming to running for the duration of the Harsh Southern California Winter™. I ended up toting around a lot of water in my ear, which started to get unpleasant, what with the gentle breeze and low daytime temperatures in the high 60s. For a couple of weeks, then, I've been running on the treadmill a bit more every day or two, and swimming less every day or two, in an effort not to foul up my knee again.

On Sunday, after doing a "normal" workout, I did a self-test: I decided to see if I could run a mile at a fair clip. In the end, I ran a mile in 6:39--just one minute slower than I did it ten years ago, when I was a bona fide athlete. Sweet!

I really enjoy the treadmill. A wealth of data.

Grandfathers and Uncles

The lot of you.

Have Boo Boo. Not Yogi.

Last night I went to a Yoga class for the first time ever. I've long been familiar with Yoga, to the point of having people show me some postures so I could stretch more effectively, or whatever, but had until then never even sat on a Yoga mat.

My verdict: okay, perhaps more work than I was hoping for. Knowing and KNOWING that it is a difficult practice are, as ever, two different things.

This is all by way of saying that I've got some soreness today.

What What What?

Listening to NPR the other day, they're concluding a series on "consumption." No, not TB, the wallet-related kind. A few seconds long teaser for the final piece included the following gem: "Hoover dam is the drug dealer, and Las Vegas is the crack whore."

So... Las Vegas has sex with the Hoover dam in return for electricity?

Huh?

Guitar Hero

Is so much fun. Seriously. It's ridiculous.

Good Lyric

Some had crawled their way into your heart
to rend your ventricles apart

Balloon Animal Anatomy

Spied at Boing Boing, Balloon Animal Anatomy.

Home, Sweet Home

Pictured above? Grants Pass. If I am not much mistaken, this picture was taken by one Brett Hopper, with whom I was a cub- (and briefly boy-) scout. I say it is him because I recall Brett had a great desire to become a pilot, and this one works near GP as a pilot, etc. Also because I heard long ago that he'd attended LCC for a time, as has this Brett Hopper. Anyhow, there you go. A chunk of GP for your viewing pleasure. The original is here.

Book Recommendation

In the sidebar you'll see that I've (we've) been reading The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger. I'm about 75% of the way through it, and it is amazing. Read it.

My newest endeavor

So in my short time at Lane Community I have been mostly busy working on the student newspaper, The Torch. I am particularly proud of it, too. We finally got it online, although we are still working out the kinks, but now everyone can read the things I write and such! Anyway, we still have a lot of room for improvement, but check it out. www.lcctorch.com

Name That Gourmand

Question: Who would you expect to be the preparer and consumer of a hummus, catsup (ketchup?) and cheese sandwich?

Is it


• a) Susan, the pregnant wife with the high potential for weird pregnancy-related food cravings

or is it


• b) Tom, the very un-pregnant husband

?

Let Us Give Thanks

Monks have given us so much... they copied ancient texts during the Dark Ages... they bred and trained giant rescue dogs... they possibly invented champagne... one invented double entry bookkeeping... we owe them for kung fu... Truly, monks are awesome.