Monthly Archives: February 2010

HOW CAN A PEP TALK HELP?

Posted on February 21, 2010 by Philip

HOW CAN A PEP TALK HELP? Kids, have you ever wondered why political leaders in time of recession go out on a limb with optimistic pronouncements such as: “Prosperity is just around the corner.” Here is one theory as to … Continue reading →

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SHOULD PRESIDENTS GIVE PEP TALKS?

Posted on February 21, 2010 by Philip

SHOULD PRESIDENTS GIVE PEP TALKS? Robert Shilller, who was one of the economists who foresaw the financial crisis, had an article in the Financial Times (February 18) with the headline: “America is in need of a pep talk.” Professor Shiller … Continue reading →

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BASKETBALL COACHES—FOOTBALL STYLE AND SOCCER STYLE.

Posted on February 20, 2010 by Philip

BASKETBALL COACHES—FOOTBALL STYLE AND SOCCER STYLE. In football, every play is planned after an interval for deliberation. Coaches now call most plays. In soccer, there is a continuous flow. A soccer coach has to prepare his players to react to … Continue reading →

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TYRUS THOMAS—DEFENSE VERSUS OFFENSE.

Posted on February 20, 2010 by Philip

TYRUS THOMAS—DEFENSE VERSUS OFFENSE. I am a lifelong Bulls fan. I can’t hold back from going out on a limb about their trading Tyrus Thomas. In any sport, it’s unusual to see a player with extraordinary physical talent being traded … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Basketball, Sports | 2 Comments

DINOSAURS WITH COLORED FEATHERS.

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Philip

DINOSAURS WITH COLORED FEATHERS. I remember when science articles discussed the theory that birds are descended from dinosaurs as being a maverick view. A problem for its proponents was a lack of evidence. This wikipedia article describes how “it was … Continue reading →

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MORE TASTING NOTES FOR LAPHROAIG.

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Philip

MORE TASTING NOTES FOR LAPHROAIG. I posted here about how my friend Henry Nejako’s tasting notes on the Laphroaig I was drinking (“kerosene”… “creosote”… “turpentine’ ….”pitch.”) had been supported by tasting notes on a Scotch web site. Lee Bryant sent … Continue reading →

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SABERMETRICS COMES TO FOOTBALL.

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Philip

SABERMETRICS COMES TO FOOTBALL. Sabermetrics—statistical analysis of baseball—has made great inroads with major league teams. Most teams employ sabermatricians. Football seems to be more resistant to the use of statistics. Two articles by Reed Albergotti in the Wall Street Journal … Continue reading →

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ARGUING ABOUT INFLATION.

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Philip

ARGUING ABOUT INFLATION. I posted here about how my long-running argument with Joe Foley about whether inflation was good or bad came to a disappointing end. We discovered that if we quantified our opinions that we were basically in agreement … Continue reading →

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NOT TAKING YOUR MEDICINE—38%.

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Philip

NOT TAKING YOUR MEDICINE—38%. When Mary Jane was facing a difficult prognosis for breast cancer sixteen years ago, our friend Joe Foley consoled me by pointing out that survival rates are lowered because many patients don’t follow through on their … Continue reading →

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DATA FOR STUDIES ON AVASTIN.