In poor countries, officials receive explicit bribes; in D.C. they get the sophisticated, implicit, unspoken promise to work for large corporations

But they never notice the following inconsistency: this so-called worst-case event, when it happened, exceeded the worst case at the time.

If you want to annoy a poet, explain his poetry.

Never, never, never think - that's one lesson you should have in life. Never think that lack of variability is stability.

I'm in favour of religion as a tamer of arrogance. For a Greek Orthodox, the idea of God as creator outside the human is not God in God's terms. My God isn't the God of George Bush.

The bonus for bankers fragilizes the system. Someone has the upside at the expense of others.

Comfort makes you weaker. We need some variability, some stressors. Not too much, but just enough.