Some background to the statistical discussions: hiking with Stephen @WolframResearch but without Mathematica on a computer. #Mars2022
Asides
FINANCE ERROR JOUR Now that gov is looking at unrealized capital gains, it’s worth noting an error in calculating “net worth”: must be reduced by a tax liability paid upon realization. Few have NW free of future taxation, that is, coming from earned income & realized gains. Same as with capital losses treated aa nwgative capital gains
Thanks to Arabism, Syrian students are completely deprived of their Hellenistic contributions (less so in Lebanon). An entire swath of pre-Islamic history has been blotted out. 1000 years of Hellenism erased by the Arabists. Below is the list of Greek-Levantine thinkers. 2) This is the result of the 19th Century belief that cities, regions, and people could not be multicultural. Both Arabism and Western nationalism (France, Italy) after which it has been modeled destroyed Mediterranean multiculturalism.
It is never too late.
TRADE & MULTICULTURALISM Lebanese don’t get that their country has been principally a trade route, & not just with the Phoenicians. It was central to the Silk Road. It linked the Med to Asia: since 16th C. w/maritime routes, Tripolis -> Marseille, Naples (Venice was Smyrna/Cypr) The bulk of the merchandise went via Med ports.
Cities are living organisms. Like all organisms they are indivisible and mutate over time. Some cities are more alive than others. You can only “feel” a city by flaneuring, walking slowly (very slowly) without any predetermined goal.
2) Cities great for flaneuring: NYC, Athens,Belgrade, Moscow, Milan, Rome, Beirut, Istanbul, Bogota, Montreal,Buenos Aires, Rio (not SP), Paris, Budapest, Warsaw … OK: London, Mexico C., Oslo, Stockholm, Copenh Sometimes: Venice, Rome, Prague (too many tourists). Nono: Dubai. 3) Also great: Tokyo, Palermo, Damascus, Tripoli (Leb). Some parts: Delhi, Mumbai. 4) Basically, you need to avoid large avenues, areas with tourists, etc. Paris is only flaneurable in parts ignored by Haussman 5) Bologna is too small. To enjoy flaneuring in the city, it must have mysteries, you must feel a little lost. You are not looking for a place to live. Cities must be dense and large. Hong Kong is great.
An OMG moment of a delayed flight that allowed me to meet @nntaleb in person It was amazing to have a conversation with you 🔥, what a nice person ❤️ Wish you safe traveling من مهند مع المحبة
You know it is the Berytus school of thinking? Disputacio.
Heuristic: any negotiation, business or political, that lasts longer than one hour (excl. meals) is no longer a negotiation; it’s more like an attempt to verbally resuscitate a dead horse. [The Iran nuclear negotiations lated 1000s of hours] 2) Usually parties come to some agreement by rapid convergence; the rest is filling-in the details.
