New York Post: article informed by my chum Ricky Riccardi. The house in Corona is a standard stop for me whenever I’m in NYC.
Minds, Models and Milieux: Commemorating the Centennial of the Birth of Herbert Simon
Coming soon — contributors include Katherine Simon Frank, Robert Rupert, Gerd Gigerenzer, Ron Sun, Morris Altman, Massimo Egidi, Mie Augier and several others.
This book is a collection of specially commissioned chapters from philosophers, economists, political and behavioral economists, cognitive and organizational psychologists, computer scientists, sociologists and permutations thereof as befits the polymathic subject of this book – Herbert Simon. The tripartite of the title “Minds, Models and Milieux” connotes the three inextricably linked areas that Herbert Simon made the most distinguished of contributions. “Minds” connotes Simon’s abiding interest in theorizing human behavior, rationality, and decision-making; “Models” connotes his extensive computer simulation work in the service of his interest in “Minds” but also in the service of minds that are necessarily socially situated, in complex “Milieux.”
This collection while intended to commemorate the centenary of Simon’s birth simultaneously offers a timely reassessment of some of his central insights and illustrates the exponentially growing interest in Simon’s work from beyond the usual disciplines.
WALKER PERCY WEDNESDAY – 38
Man is certainly stark mad. He can’t make a worm, but he makes gods by the dozens.
. . .
“We can’t go back there,” she said. Her pale face loomed unsteadily in the darkness. He was thinking about the reciprocal ratio of love: was it ever so with the love of women that they held out until the defeat of one’s first fine fervor, not merely until one feigned defeat but rather until one was in truth defeated, had shrugged and turned away and thought of other matters—and now here they came, all melts and sighs, breathing like a furnace. Her lips were parted slightly and her eyes sparkled. His nose was turning to concrete.
. . .
He was displeased with her. Was it then the case with love that lovers must alternate, forever out of phase with one another? It did not suit her to be fanciful. Was she drunk? She gave him a kiss tasting of burnt corn. He wished she would chew Juicy Fruit like a proper Alabama girl.
Meet Me Under the Clock: A New Orleans Story
A lovely story written by my chum and master John Kennedy Toole biographer.
Noah’s Mill Bourbon
My new favorite bourbon by a mile. Made by Willett.
A Companion to Michael Oakeshott
The Conversationalist
The more he learned, declared Michael Oakeshott, the less he knew.
Stephen Colbert Picks Jon Batiste As New Late Show Bandleader
This in Offbeat.
2013 PARABOLL PINOT NOIR
WALKER PERCY WEDNESDAY – 37
Why is it that bad news is not so bad and good news not so good and what with the bad news being good, aye that is what makes her well and me sick?
. . .
Instead he was thinking of wars and death at home. On the days of bad news there was the same clearing and sweetness in the air. Families drew closer. Azaleas could be seen. He remembered his father’s happiness when he spoke of Pearl Harbor—where he was when he heard it, how he had called the draft board the next morning. It was not hard to see him walking to work on that Monday. For once the houses, the trees, the very cracks in the sidewalk had not their usual minatory presence. The dreadful threat of weekday mornings was gone! War is better than Monday morning.
As his sweat dried, the fleece began to sting his skin.
“—fact number two. Jamie has the best mind I ever encountered. Better even than Sutter, my charming ex-husband. It’s really quite funny. His math teacher in New Hampshire was glad to get rid of him. ‘Get him out of here,’ he told me. ‘He wants to argue about John von Neumann’s Theory of Games—’”
