Monthly Archives: June 2010

70 TO 68.

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Philip

70 to 68. When a baseball game goes past about the 14th inning, it always seems to me that the intensity of the game increases. The players know as well as the fans that they are part of something special. … Continue reading →

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59 TO 59 IN THE 5TH SET.

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Philip

59 TO 59 IN THE 5TH SET. As darkness fell today at Wimbledon, Nicolas Mahut and John Isner were tied in the 5th set at 59 to 59 (article here). They had been playing that 5th set all day, for … Continue reading →

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DOMED STADIUMS AND PINBALL MACHINES.

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Philip

DOMED STADIUMS AND PINBALL MACHINES. Kids, you may never have encountered Marshall McLuhan, but he was a very influential critic in the sixties. I always found him interesting. McLuhan was a professor of literature who became increasingly interested in the … Continue reading →

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LOUD STADIUMS.

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Philip

LOUD STADIUMS. The fans at the World Cup can be thankful that the stadiums are open air. In the United States, “domed” or roofed stadiums hold in the noise. Football fans take advantage of this by making lots of noise … Continue reading →

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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORLD CUP.

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Philip

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORLD CUP. The World Cup reminds me that I had never thought that apartheid would end in my lifetime. And it was done peacefully and wound up with a democratic government. I welcome the opportunity to … Continue reading →

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IN PRAISE OF VUVUZELAS.

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Philip

IN PRAISE OF VUVUZELAS. As this New York Times article indicates, vuvuzelas are controversial. Vuvuzelas are plastic trumpets, some almost three feet long, that seem to be played by everybody in the stands at the World Cup in South Africa. … Continue reading →

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A HORSE ON A TREADMILL.

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Philip

A HORSE ON A TREADMILL. The Bridge Project, founded by Sam Mendes, has been bringing Shakespeare and Chekhov to audiences around the world for the past two years. An article about the company in the weekend Financial Times (June 18/June … Continue reading →

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NEGOTIUM.

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Philip

NEGOTIUM. I was taught in my Latin classes that the Romans regarded leisure as the norm for a free man and that work was defined as the absence of leisure—literally, “negotium” or “not-leisure.” The English word “negotiate” is derived from … Continue reading →

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EXTREME SPECIALIZATION.

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Philip

EXTREME SPECIALIZATION. De Botton illustrates the marvels of today’s logistics with strawberries. Strawberries start to go bad from gray mold 96 hours after they are picked, and yet at different times of year, they come in from Israel, Morocco, Spain, … Continue reading →

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THE AESTHETICS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION.

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Philip

THE AESTHETICS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION. De Botton asserts that the achievements of logistics (the distribution of goods in the global economy) are beautiful and neglected. He points out that premodern travelers would take a great interest in a new country’s “granaries, … Continue reading →

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