Monthly Archives: November 2009

DOCTORS’ NECKTIES AND BAYESIAN STATISTICS.

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Philip

DOCTORS’ NECKTIES AND BAYESIAN STATISTICS. Rebecca Smith has an article in the Wall Street Journal (November 19, 2009) about the controversy over whether doctors should be allowed to wear neckties. Rebecca Smith reports that American Medical Association Resolution 720 advocates … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | 1 Comment

SABERMETRICS COMES TO SOCCER.

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Philip

SABERMETRICS COMES TO SOCCER. I have posted several times, including here, about how statistical analysis has changed how we look at baseball (People who study this are called sabermatricians; Bill James pioneered the study; MONEYBALL by Michael Lewis was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Sports | Leave a comment

AN ARGUMENT FOR MAKING REFEREE REVIEWS PUBLIC IN SOCCER.

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Philip

AN ARGUMENT FOR MAKING REFEREE REVIEWS PUBLIC IN SOCCER. I have posted several times that referee reviews in baseball, basketball and football should be made public. Some of my arguments were that referee mistakes are part of the narrative of … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Basketball, Football, Sports | Leave a comment

AN ARGUMENT FOR INSTANT REPLAY IN SOCCER.

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Philip

AN ARGUMENT FOR INSTANT REPLAY IN SOCCER. I posted here three weeks ago about how baseball should immediately use instant replay for calls other than balls and strikes. Now, a major controversy has developed in soccer because a game which … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | 1 Comment

ANOTHER RELATIVE IN OLD CHICAGO.

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Philip

ANOTHER RELATIVE IN OLD CHICAGO. I have posted here and here about how my relative Matthew Schaefer was directing the fire crews during the Chicago Fire and how we had a drinking glass which was the only family belonging which … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Science | 2 Comments

MY ALSATIAN ROOTS.

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Philip

MY ALSATIAN ROOTS. I identified somewhat with the Alsatians in the previous post because my name —Philip Schaefer—comes from an Alsatian ancestor: Philippe Baptiste Schaefer. I have come to believe that he came to Chicago soon after the conclusion of … Continue reading →

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FRANCE—STILL DECENTRALIZED IN 1940.

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Philip

FRANCE STILL DECENTRALIZED IN 1940. I have posted, for example here, about how long it took for France to overcome localism and establish a national identity. Julian Wright had a review in the Times Literary Supplement (November 13, 2009) of … Continue reading →

Posted in History | 2 Comments

RELATING TO PEOPLE THROUGH NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Philip

RELATING TO PEOPLE THROUGH NEWSPAPER ARTICLES. Annalisa tells me that she has described me to people who haven’t met me as some one who relates to people through newspaper articles. I think it’s a pretty apt description both of me … Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT—DAUGHTER OF UTOPIA.

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Philip

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT—DAUGHTER OF UTOPIA. Louisa May Alcott was the daughter of the Utopian, Bronson Alcott. I find it chilling that her mother told Louisa when Louisa was ten or eleven that Louisa would have to support the family. Louisa … Continue reading →

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UTOPIA AND PRACTICALITY.

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Philip

UTOPIA AND PRACTICALITY. Emerson’s involvement with Bronson Alcott showed that he knew the difference between Utopian ideals and the practical world. This wikipedia article describes how Alcott was involved in creating “Fruitlands, a community based on Utopian ideals inspired in … Continue reading →

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