Blog Posts

Resilient cooperators stabilize long-run cooperation in the finitely repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13800

Seen about town today… Woman in her mid- to late-30s wearing a pinafore. Yes, a real, bonafide pinafore, over her dress. A homeless fellow, chanting “I’m going to be here a BIT. I’m going to be here a BIT. I’m going to be here a BIT.” A fellow wearing a Detroit Lions hat and a Detroit Lions jersey, with a Detroit Lions tattoo on his neck.

Attended IEEE Green Mountain Sections awards ceremony and presentation by Lars Hasselblad Torres, of Burlington Generator. Torres gave a brief overview of Generator’s activities and expansion into their new space on Sears Lane (off Pine Street). For more information, visit the Burlington Generator’s website.

Seen (and heard) about town today… I had to do a double-take while driving. At first, I was certain Tom Hulce was tailgating me in his Mozart wig. A fellow in a fishing hat and plaid backpack stumbled out of a store on College Street singing “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto. A wizened old guy drove by on Winooski Street in a tan Prius. He was 80 if he was a day. ... Read more …

Seen about town today… A three-year-old named “Mavis”. She almost ran over my foot with her tricycle. “Mavis” is one I haven’t heard in a while. A man with a radiant smile. He looked me straight in the eye, and threw the remains of a shredded scratch-off lottery ticket on the sidewalk.

Some professors are more-or-less normal. Some professors are peculiar. Some professors are more peculiar than others. Most times, peculiar is good. This is one of those times. I am learning a lot, so I am very happy. It is hard, hard work, and I am very happy.

At the farmer’s market in City Hall Park. Woman in crowd (60-ish, with NY accent): You smell like soy sauce. Me: I’m afraid you’re mistaken. You’re smelling the Tibetan momo stand over there. W: Oh, I suppose you’re right. Sorry. M: This place is a cacophony of smells, there’s maple-flavored everything, and sausages grilling—I even got a whiff of weed just a moment ago. W (suddenly lights up; looking around): Oh really? ... Read more …

Seen about town today… The plastic bag from American Beauty made a brief appearance on St Paul Street today, between Main and King. About 60 - 70 seconds.

Seen about town today… A town cop, mercilessly tailgating in a 35 mph zone A dude straight from the Jersey shore, listening to happy house and twitching insanely ON EVERY BEAT A truck with a huge American flag and a bumper sticker reading “Does my flag offend you? Call 1-800-EAT-SH*T-AND-DIE” A young, scruffy-looking coyote, sauntering across the road with a vaguely bewildered look License plates: OMYGOLF and SNAPDRGN Four twentysomethings with a baby in the back seat, passing around what appeared to be an enormous cigar. ... Read more …

A proper preamble: # This is my.cnf. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.