tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34448532158502738152024-02-20T19:53:34.896-08:00Jan TroostUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-17311434354455473002015-05-03T12:03:00.002-07:002015-05-19T01:46:31.629-07:00My Blog Has Moved<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://troostjan.wordpress.com/">My blog can from now on be found here.</a><br />
<br />
I've decided to integrate a Wordpress personal homepage with my blog, and I will likely migrate some other websites of mine into the Wordpress format, thus making all my sites compatible with mobile phones and tablets. That should help in having them read, and indexed by Google. It may also simplify maintenance, design, and so on. Let's see how this change takes shape.<br />
<br />
In a first step, I did manage to export blog posts from blogger and to import them into wordpress, without much effort. Understanding the various quirks of Wordpress default designs takes more time.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-24226436567070723012015-04-12T01:52:00.001-07:002015-04-12T01:52:26.104-07:00The US Police and Justice System<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Warning : violent video content.<br />
<br />
The state of the police force in the United States of America :<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW-XE10epVo">Tamir Rice</a> : Police arrives, and shoots a 12-year old boy seconds later.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXO3Ix_GIyI&bpctr=1428829842">Walter Scott</a> : Scuffle followed by a man running, shot lethally in the back, multiple times.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LSBpwmMnVM">Eric Garner</a> : "I can't breath.", says the man under choke hold.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtxlJ4o5PMQ">Mr. Horse Rider</a> : A random example of police brutality that might not lead to a dead man.<br />
<br />
The list is endless, and statistically significant. Indeed, any statistical analysis of the police and justice system in the US shows the dire state of the union.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-18703300386865764812015-04-11T11:09:00.001-07:002015-04-11T11:09:24.570-07:00Postponing judgement (2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Coachella, or the Burning Man are good exercises in postponing judgement, as well as in civility, as are so many interesting alternative music gatherings. These festivals have been a hallmark of western youth throughout the sixties until now, and are a unique form of education that is too easily underestimated.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-37367702226849477962015-04-11T09:59:00.002-07:002015-04-11T10:03:04.951-07:00Academics in Fiction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div>
The portrayal of academics in fiction is surprisingly rare. Recently, I've read two portraits. One is "Stoner" by John Williams. While the relationship of Stoner with his wife and daughter may be most central to the novel, his academic demise as a consequence of his objective evaluation of a mediocre student with exceptional linguistic bravoure is a hilarious illustration of the hypocrisy of academia. "Pnin" by Nabokov is equally funny in its depiction of a an alien academic, lost in the world, and even in the academic world that, not by any fault of its own, finishes off our hero without pity.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
"But the required survey of English literature troubled and disquieted him in a way nothing had ever done before. "<br />
<br />
John Williams, Stoner<br />
<br />
“...If he failed the first time he took his driver's licence test, it was mainly because he started an argument with the examiner in an ill-timed effort to prove that nothing could be more humiliating to a rational creature than being required to encourage the development of a base conditional reflex by stopping at a red light when there was not an earthly soul around, heeled or wheeled. He was more circumspect the next time, and passed...”<br />
<br />
Vladimir Nabokov, Pnin
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-52857368456782913892015-02-25T11:16:00.001-08:002015-02-25T11:16:48.680-08:00Piketty's Le Capital au XXieme siècle is a must read<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The statistics laid bare in Piketty's easy-to-read but thick Capital are essential reading for politicians and citizens alike. One conclusion that one cannot espace is that we should tax the super rich. Now.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-15827549527083284772014-10-15T05:13:00.002-07:002015-02-25T11:13:47.481-08:00Journalism under attack in France<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2014/10/15/le-monde-l-investigation-et-le-secret-des-sources_4506574_3224.html">
Journalism under attack.</a>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-31129708057628530722014-10-15T03:54:00.002-07:002015-02-25T11:13:32.272-08:00Flanders in Troublesome Waters"Uit de mails blijkt dat er vroeger bij de N-VA een clubje bestond dat zich de VNV’ers noemde, de Vlaams-nationalistische vrienden. Die naam is een knipoog naar het in de Tweede Wereldoorlog collaborerende Vlaams Nationaal Verbond (VNV)." Een <a href="http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20141015_01322597">knipoog</a> !? WTF.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-86787132382982720372014-08-29T11:50:00.002-07:002014-08-29T11:50:18.361-07:00French Hypchondria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/whats-the-matter-with-france/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0">Krugman spot on</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-63548710092546098592014-08-26T12:27:00.000-07:002015-02-25T11:13:10.091-08:00Linear relation between price and social housing in Paris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div>
Not all Parisian arrondissements are created equal. There seems to be a linear relation between the price per square meter in a given arrondissement (on the ordinary commercial market) and the percentage of housing in the arrondissement that is social housing (HLM).</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-25674342404943112782014-03-04T02:08:00.001-08:002014-03-04T02:08:19.916-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/sports/for-runner-with-ms-no-pain-while-racing-no-feeling-at-the-finish.html?hp&_r=0">Endurance</a><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-51841728574168485542014-01-04T05:20:00.004-08:002015-02-25T11:14:10.262-08:00A University in Your Pocket<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Universities across the planet are more and more becoming extensions of business interests. This is due to local university policies, political decisions (e.g. funding at the level of the EU) as well as greed by intelligent members of society who compensate for their decline in social status (which is roughly equal to their financial status).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/business/academics-who-defend-wall-st-reap-reward.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">A University of Houston example in the NYT</a><br />
<br />"What Mr. Pirrong has routinely left out of most of his public pronouncements in favor of speculation is that he has reaped financial benefits from speculators and some of the largest players in the commodities business, The New York Times has found.<br /><br /><br />While his university’s financial ties to speculators have been the subject of scrutiny by the news media and others, it was not until last month, after repeated requests by The Times under the Freedom of Information Act, that the University of Houston, a public institution, insisted that Mr. Pirrong submit disclosure forms that shed some light on those financial ties."</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-24402344966732965402013-12-21T11:49:00.002-08:002015-02-25T11:12:41.713-08:00Another case of Plagiarism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.lemonde.fr/enseignement-superieur/article/2013/12/21/condamnee-pour-avoir-plagie-le-memoire-de-son-etudiant_4338619_1473692.html">Plagiarism</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-32428003083511945282013-11-18T01:13:00.002-08:002015-02-25T11:12:21.218-08:00Doris Lessing on the Nobel Prize<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/video/books/100000002556650/doris-lessing-on-the-nobel-prize.html">Doris Lessing on the Nobel Prize</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-32919341895094726472013-11-13T00:09:00.001-08:002013-11-13T00:09:26.164-08:00Parakeets in Brittain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303843104579169343204868268">Fly.</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-56381680004176944812013-10-19T11:49:00.002-07:002014-08-26T12:33:21.665-07:00How to get rid of roaches<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are very few reasonable sites on how to get rid of roaches. I had to combine a number of tips on the internet with my own ingenuity to succeed, after five years of numerous battles, in finally ridding my home of infestations.<br />
<br />
Most of the tips that one can find are good, but largely insufficient. Only diligently applying the right combination can lead to success.<br />
<br />
The first step is of course to rid the house of possible sources of food, but mostly, of possible sources of water. This means timing your dishwashing, and drying the sink before going to bed. The last step is one that is hardly stressed, and non-trivial to execute. Yet it is necessary. If you put a plate of poisoned fries next to a glass of beer, the risk exists that your plan will fail.<br />
<br />
After having removed all other attractive items in sight, one should use a three-pronged attack.<br />
<br />
Firstly, one uses traps (e.g. <a href="http://www.kapo.com/rampants/cafards/details/3/2/78/Anti-Cafards/Kapo-Vert--Protection-naturelle/Pieges-a-glue-Special-Cafards-Blattes">Kapo glue traps</a>) based on bait and glue. This is ecological and will capture a large number of roaches. It is good to control the multitude of roaches crawling around the house, especially in the dark. (They do travel further then what is usually implied, moving from room to room, and from one side of the kitchen to another.) One needs to put the traps in dark or humid places, and one needs to set at least five traps simultaneously, perhaps preferably ten, such that one is forced to carefully step into the mind of the Roach to determine new plausible places to pose traps.<br />
<br />
Secondly, I used professional poison <a href="http://www.ebay.fr/itm/BAYER-MAXFORCE-GEL-MAGNUM-ANTI-CAFARD-SCARAFAGGI-MAXI-33g-GOLIATH-GEL-/151118261315?pt=FR_YO_MaisonJardin_EntretienNettoyage&hash=item232f59ac43">Fipronil (0.05%) gel</a> which is effective in killing the animals instantly, or even better, having them take poison home to poison their nests. Indeed, method number one alone will never reach the nests, and new generations of roaches will keep popping up. Put many little bait drops in the most infested areas (dishwasher, sink, toilet, door, drawers, ..) and choose the spots wisely. Whenever a single roach is spotted in an area, add a drop.<br />
<br />
Thirdly, I used a mix recommended on a French site (that I unfortunately can no longer locate). One uses concentrated sugar milk (which you can find in the supermarket in tubes : it is milk or milk powder with a very high degree of sugar such that it becomes a paste -- apparently some people use this lethal concoction to cook), and mixes it with boric acid (easily obtained in your local pharmacy in sufficient quantities : just ask) to make a deadly paste. Roll little balls out of the paste, and place them once more in the right locations. (Along pathways, typically along walls, edges, dark areas, wet spots, ..) Again, make too many balls (e.g. 30), such as to be forced to enter in the Spirit of the Roach.<br />
<br />
Only the combination of these three methods has convincingly worked for me, when applied simultaneously and rigorously. It has to be said that our infestation was particularly bad and that we live in a tower of appartments that is not known for its hygienic inhabitants.<br />
<br />
Poison sprays are ridiculous but may be of some psychological help. Other common silly recommendations include using boric acid only, or glue traps only, or to concentrate on food, not water.<br />
<br />
This post is to spread the word on how to get rid of roaches, efficiently. It took me a while to finally identify an efficient course of action. It is clear that the professional industry has no interest in being too efficient, and that amateurs usually do not have the persistence to identify a winning strategy. If you live with infestations for several years though, one may develop sufficient motivation.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-62175722316396296322013-09-09T09:55:00.003-07:002013-09-09T12:11:21.245-07:00Google practices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
It's hard to get around google : <br />
<br />
<a href="http://sosconso.blog.lemonde.fr/2013/09/09/comment-google-detourne-les-internautes-de-leur-recherche-dhotel/">http://sosconso.blog.lemonde.fr/2013/09/09/comment-google-detourne-les-internautes-de-leur-recherche-dhotel/</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-6981519223184571492013-09-04T00:07:00.001-07:002013-09-04T00:07:24.365-07:00Whit Stillman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The films by Whit Stillman are excellent, and underestimated. Metropolitan (1990) owns much to Woody Allen, but renders Allen's humour younger and more socially and critically inspired. Stillman attempts to be relevant, and situates himself far left of American society, which admittedly, is close to the extreme right end cliff. Barcelona (1994) is the tale of a trapped outsider, fumbling for love, and the recent Damsels in Distress (2011) is a sharp and clean undercutting of the American college dream, telling the mind adventures of the Suicide (Prevention) Center on the college campus.<br />
<br />
These films are up there, with American Movie, Sherman's March and Best in Show.<br />
<br />
Thanks, Whit.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-36455966747154259002013-09-01T11:05:00.001-07:002013-09-01T11:09:24.639-07:00NSA, Google, Facebook et al.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
It seems to have become standard practice in the United States
that large corporations freely share our private data with intelligence
agencies (presumably in return for support on the international,
legislative and other fronts).<br />
<br />
My Facebook account has been deactivated and deleted.<br />
<br />
As one counter measure to the pervasiveness of Google in my life, I plan to use <a href="http://www.duckduckgo.com/">http://www.duckduckgo.com</a> most frequently for my searches.<br />
<br />
Google
discontinued Google Reader : <a href="http://www.feedly.com/">http://www.feedly.com</a> is a reasonable
alternative (though it bugs me tremendously that I cannot search through
my articles - any recommendations ?).<br />
<br />
Further changes of practice will presumably follow. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-50277980140760203902013-09-01T10:58:00.000-07:002013-09-01T11:09:42.573-07:00Economic theory and mutual funds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
A few more decent books on economy :<br />
<br />
* For those who wish to understand better why our intuition about standard economic theories being wrong is correct : "How Markets Fail" by John Cassidy. [Summary : the invisible hand does not automatically take into account all types of global social effects on and in society.]<br />
<br />
* Extremely useful for anybody who considers investing in (mutual) funds: "Common Sense on Mutual Funds" by John Bogle. [Summary : invest in low cost index funds.]<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-84454744917678747322013-06-01T05:25:00.002-07:002013-09-01T11:10:00.208-07:00Absolute numbers and ratios : macro economic data<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
A few economic orders of magnitude :<br />
<br />
Gross World Product : 70 trillion US$.<br />
<br />
Growth rates since 2006 : 5 (2006), 5, 3 ,-0.5, 5.3, 3.9, 3.5 (2012) (in percent)<br />
<br />
Gross Domestic Product by Country in US$:<br />
<br />
EU 16.5 trillion<br />
US 15 trillion<br />
China 7 trillion<br />
Japan 6 trillion<br />
Germany 3.5 trillion<br />
France 2.8<br />
Brasil 2.5<br />
UK 2.5<br />
Italy 2.2 <br />
India 1.9<br />
Russia 1.9<br />
<br />
Real growth rates (adjusted for inflation) for Western countries is between zero and 2.5.<br />
For developping countries it can reach much higher numbers.<br />
<br />
US inflation rates between 1914 and 2013 were between -10.5 and 18 percent on a yearly basis. (Negative inflation rates are rare.) In recent history it was 13.5 % in 1980 and -0.4 % in 2009. The last thirty years it has typically been close to 3%.<br />
<br />
US market cap : 18 trillion.<br />
France market cap : 1.8 trillion.<br />
Germany : 1.5 trillion.<br />
<br />
One measure of market valuation is the comparison between total market capitalization and GDP. Between 1970, this measure has fluctuated between 35 and 150 %. It is presently 110% for the US. <br />
For France, for instance, it is much lower. (~ 65%). For Germany ~ 43%. <br />
<br />
Price to Earnings Ratio (PER) for the US stock market for the last hundred years was between 5 and 45. Until 1990 it seemed to be around 15 (with large fluctuations). Taking also into account the highs of recent decades, it seems to be around 18 (with large fluctuations). It is presently at 21.37. PER seems inversely correlated with long terms interest rates which are at a historical low of 2%. (These long terms interest rates have been fluctuating between 2 and 16 % over the last hundred years with a baseline of around 4%.) PER DAX : 20, CAC : 23, S&P 500 : 19. (Note how this measure gives a<br />
different picture than total market cap divided by GDP.)<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-45930965950863882832013-06-01T04:49:00.001-07:002013-09-01T11:10:29.418-07:00Yet More Books on Mister Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
A few more books : <br />
<br />
Excellent : Barbarians at the Gate by Burrough and Helyar.<br />
<br />
Interesting : The Snowball (Warren Buffett biography) by Alice Schroeder<br />
Common Stock and Uncommon Profist by Philip Fisher<br />
<br />
Average : The End of Wall Street by Roger Lowenstein<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-6066999290952014922012-11-16T11:15:00.003-08:002013-09-01T11:10:55.892-07:00More Books on Mister Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
More decent books on Value Investing:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You can be a stock market genius, Joel Greenblatt</div>
<div>
Value investing, Bruce Greenwald et al.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A very entertaining read on the sociology and inner workings of the markets and market contrarians:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Big Short by Michael Lewis</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-77579328480632136512012-09-30T12:19:00.001-07:002013-09-01T11:11:17.790-07:00The Toilet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are essentially four operations that an amateur might consider performing on his toilet : replacing the mechanism that controls the water flowing out of the water closet, replacing the mechanism that controls the flow of water into the water closet, fixing a leak in the drain pipe, and unblocking it. All of these are fairly straightforward, as long as you understand the flow of water, and do not have to break through walls to reach the relevant portion of the circuit.<br />
<br />
The first operation you would typically perform if there is a small leak at the bottom of your water closet tank, causing your toilet to flush now and then for no apparent reason. The second replacement you would do if you for instance don't hear your water tank fill anymore. The third you would do if you or your downstairs neighbour is bothered by water or funny smells, and it will be clear to you when to engage in the fourth.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-17871207813519019982012-09-30T12:09:00.002-07:002013-09-01T11:11:46.436-07:00Books on the Sociology and History of Wall Street<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
I found the following fascinating informative reads (in order of quality of writing<br />
and non-trivial content) -- these are books on the sociology, history and development of<br />
contemporary capital markets and firms: <br />
<br />
Lords of Finance, Ahamed.<br />
Keynes biography, Skidelsky. <br />
Liars Poker, Lewis. <br />
When Genius Failed, Lowenstein. <br />
What's wrong with Wall Street, Lowenstein.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3444853215850273815.post-78707996450272864342012-09-30T12:05:00.002-07:002013-09-01T11:12:12.463-07:00Books on Value Investing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
In order of importance : <br />
<br />
The Intelligent Investor, Graham. <br />
Security Analysis, Dodd and Graham.<br />
The Essays of Warren Buffett, Buffett et al. <br />
Margin of Safety, Klarman.<br />
One up on Wall Street, Lynch. <br />
<br />
There is surprisingly little decent literature on the subject.<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0