Monday, December 27, 2010
Investment, Demystified
I started today a new blog: Investment, Demystified. After spending the last 10 years reading about it, arguing about it, making money, losing money and trying to figure the math behind it, I think I know enough to share a bit of the wisdom I learned. I hope you enjoy it too!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Pool Night Math
Every Monday night I meet with three friends for a game of pool at Diesel, the Lesbian-owned coffee shop at Davis square. This has become a tradition, in spite of overpriced drinks and under-maintained pool tables. It's a fun place, and it's always interesting to notice the cute boys and how they turn into cute butch girls when they turn around ("a Diesel moment"). But I digress.
We usually play 3 matches, mixing and matching the pairs. This exhausts all the combinations, of course. We noticed something interesting - the last match always creates a team of someone who lost twice with someone who won twice. Thus, after the 3rd game we'd always have either "the biggest winner" (if this team wins) or "the biggest loser" (if this team lost) - someone who either won or lost all 3 games.
How does this happen? Having 3 mathematician out of 4 players meant it would be a fun exercise to figure it out.
Looking at the first two matches, let's check the 4 possibilities for the outcome of the games. First notice that there's exactly one common player between any couple in the first round and any couple in the second round. This is the case since if there were two common players it would mean we played the same combination twice, and if there were no common players it would mean that the other team would be identical to the players in question - again, meaning the same combination was played a second time.
In other words, each team from round one intersects with each team from round two with exactly one player.
Looking at the teams that won in both rounds, it means there's exactly one player who won twice. Similarly, looking at the teams that lost in both rounds, it means there's exactly one player who lost twice.
These players have not played together yet - otherwise, the guy who won twice would have lost when he played with the guy who lost twice. Hence they must be the next and final combination.
And now we can see that the outcome of the last round would show whether one of them is the Biggest Winner (winning all three rounds), or the other guy is the Biggest Loser (losing all three rounds).
QED.
We usually play 3 matches, mixing and matching the pairs. This exhausts all the combinations, of course. We noticed something interesting - the last match always creates a team of someone who lost twice with someone who won twice. Thus, after the 3rd game we'd always have either "the biggest winner" (if this team wins) or "the biggest loser" (if this team lost) - someone who either won or lost all 3 games.
How does this happen? Having 3 mathematician out of 4 players meant it would be a fun exercise to figure it out.
Looking at the first two matches, let's check the 4 possibilities for the outcome of the games. First notice that there's exactly one common player between any couple in the first round and any couple in the second round. This is the case since if there were two common players it would mean we played the same combination twice, and if there were no common players it would mean that the other team would be identical to the players in question - again, meaning the same combination was played a second time.
In other words, each team from round one intersects with each team from round two with exactly one player.
Looking at the teams that won in both rounds, it means there's exactly one player who won twice. Similarly, looking at the teams that lost in both rounds, it means there's exactly one player who lost twice.
These players have not played together yet - otherwise, the guy who won twice would have lost when he played with the guy who lost twice. Hence they must be the next and final combination.
And now we can see that the outcome of the last round would show whether one of them is the Biggest Winner (winning all three rounds), or the other guy is the Biggest Loser (losing all three rounds).
QED.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Prosopagnosia
I'm going to Camp Camp in a couple of weeks for my 3rd week of Adult Camping. I can't even begin to describe how much fun this is. (As a side note, it seems that not everyone shares this view: I'm yet to convince a single person to join me for a week of pure indulgence, but this is for another post.)
The one thing I fear about camp is what most others are looking for: meeting again their 200+ pals from last year. The reason: I'm not going to recognize most of them. Or if I do (vaguely), there's no chance I'll remember their name. I'm really bad in that kind of stuff. I've therefore published the following apology in the camp newsletter. I received a lot of positive feedback (obviously, I didn't recognize any of the senders.)
The one thing I fear about camp is what most others are looking for: meeting again their 200+ pals from last year. The reason: I'm not going to recognize most of them. Or if I do (vaguely), there's no chance I'll remember their name. I'm really bad in that kind of stuff. I've therefore published the following apology in the camp newsletter. I received a lot of positive feedback (obviously, I didn't recognize any of the senders.)
You approach me with a big smile. "Hi David", how are you? You get a weird stare in response. "Don't remember me? After all the time we spent together? The hike in the woods? Sailing together? Not to mention that quality time in the hot tub?"
No, I don't. I've self-diagnosed myself with Prosopagnosia: I'm really really bad in recognizing faces. I've worked at the same place for 13 years, and there are people who I see all the time and still can't recall who they are. Most chances are it will be worse in camp, with 200 people I see once a year. I promise to study the 2009 pics, but knowing myself, I'm going to f**k up sooner or later.
BTW, the condition does have its advantages. I recently biked across the Charles river, when I noticed a tall handsome blond guy jogging towards me. While I was wondering who this cutie is, he approached me and smiled. I was thinking how lucky I am! this guy is into me! Then I remembered I have a boyfriend, Clint. Then I noticed it was Clint.
I call these moments Deja-Clint. It happened to me a few months ago on the plane back from Mexico. I was taking a nap on an empty 3-seat row, only to wake up and see from the corner of my eyes a gorgeous guy looking at me and smiling. You can guess how it ended. I'm glad Clint is not taking it personally; after all, I fall for him every time the way I did the first time we met.
To sum up: please wear your badges, and pretend you don't notice when I try to read your name before saying hello. Sorry! And see you all soon!
Monday, April 26, 2010
A Walk Through the Clouds
Published by fellow blogger Barry Burke, but the text is mine. Check it out!
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