Monthly Archives: July 2008

GOLD STANDARDS AND LIFE DECISIONS.

GOLD STANDARDS AND LIFE DECISIONS. This article by Gina Kolata about Avastin in the New York Times interested me for a couple reasons. First, the choice that is being questioned (to use specific numbers) seems to be whether it is … Continue reading

Posted in Science | Leave a comment

PREVENTING ALL STAR GAME DISASTERS.

PREVENTING ALL STAR GAME DISASTERS. In 2002, the All Star game had to be declared a tie after 15 innings when the teams ran out of pitchers. There was much criticism of the tie, and major league baseball responded by … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Sports | 1 Comment

A COURSE EVALUATION.

A COURSE EVALUATION. I told my brother Elmer about the e mail I received concerning SAMUEL BECKETT LOOKS AT THE STARS, and he told me about a professor he knew some time ago. The man was pleased to find a … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A REJECTION NOTICE.

A REJECTION NOTICE. I received a courtesy notice from Irishfest which informed me that SAMUEL BECKETT LOOKS AT THE STARS had not been selected for performance. The e mail was gratifying. The sender said, “Your play was my personal favorite … Continue reading

Posted in Theater | Leave a comment

THE BONURA SALUTE.

THE BONURA SALUTE. Also known as the Bonura Wave. Zeke Bonura was a good-hitting first baseman (lifetime batting average .307) who played for the White Sox in the 1930’s. Bonura led American League first basemen in fielding in 1934 and … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Sports | 2 Comments

TYLER COWENS SUMMARIZES THE CONTEMPORARY ART MARKET.

TYLER COWENS SUMMARIZES THE CONTEMPORARY ART MARKET. In this review of THE $12 MILLION STUFFED SHARK: THE CURIOUS ECONOMICS OF CONTEMPORARY ART by Don Thompson, Tyler Cowens gives a wonderful summary of the economic function that the contemporary art market … Continue reading

Posted in art, Economics | Leave a comment

BASEBALL AND BALLET.

BASEBALL AND BALLET. Clive Barnes, the theater critic and dance critic, is an Englishman. Years ago, an editor had the idea of sending Barnes to review a baseball game in terms of dance. Barnes concluded that baseball may have influenced … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Sports | 1 Comment

FRENCH KINDNESS (COMMENT).

FRENCH KINDNESS (COMMENT). On this Bastille Day, I want to call attention to Mary Jane’s comment about how the couple who were the proprietors of a French cafe in Argentan surrendered the baguettes they were about to eat to provide … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

LOCAL COLOR: FRENCH ELEVATOR OPERATORS (COMMENT).

LOCAL COLOR: FRENCH ELEVATOR OPERATORS (COMMENT). Mary Jane commented here about an incident in Paris which reflected that: “There was no concern for the poor customer.” Properly considered, this was a wonderful illustration of an aspect of French culture that … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

BEER AND CIVILIZATION.

BEER AND CIVILIZATION. I linked here to an important article by Malcolm Gladwell about how coffee may have created the Industrial Revolution (“One way to explain the industrial revolution is as the inevitable consequence of a world where people suddenly … Continue reading

Posted in History | 2 Comments