Opinion
Probability and Percentage
Sunday, July 4th, 2010Author Tony Demaio
(You Fool Me Once…)
Leo Durocher once said, “Baseball is a game of percentages.” Leo was wrong. What he SHOULD have said was, “Baseball is a game of probabilities.” Of course, while somewhat correct, that is still insufficient. A correct statement is, “LIFE is a game of probabilities.”
Being a professional statistician, I often cringe [...]
Who Should Replace McChrystal?
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
After due consideration, about two seconds’ worth, I have concluded that I am the best candidate to replace General McChrystal, and before you start patting my hand, making soothing noises, and wondering what the treatment for senile dementia is, consider my qualifications via the following imaginary interview.
“Mrs. Traynham, do you now, [...]
Lack
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Author James The Wanderer
Nicholas Nassim Taleb (The Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness, several other great books) has generated several good ideas, among which are:
( 1 )Events will occur which are both unpredicted and unpredictable. These he calls Black Swan events, in honor of the utter amazement of European naturalists, who KNEW all swans were white, [...]
Wood You?
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Author David W Franklin
Recently I met a lady who like I, labors to gather, cut and split fire wood for supplemental heat in the winter months. Mutual knowledge of this shared activity provided a common ground for further personal communications.
Just recently, she informed me “I did vote for Obama. I’m still in holding pattern as [...]
Something’s Changed
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
Analysis ranges from what to do when your chemistry professor hands you a beaker with instructions to tell him what is in it by Friday to the sudden feeling mothers get that “it’s too quiet,” meaning they had better go find out what their children are up to. I could say [...]
Skin In The Game
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Author Tony DeMaio
I have been reading about the number of folks that are walking away from “underwater” mortgages where they owe more than the house is worth, even though they can still make the payments. I believe it is called a “strategic” default.
I am somewhat puzzled by this. When I grew up, you gave your [...]
We’re All Racists Now
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
Well, actually, we were all always racists because we can’t help it, back to the Big Bang. It is probable that the Big Bang resulted because the Big Banger couldn’t stand the vacuous Bangee, and that the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs because it hated dinosaurs or perhaps the earth or [...]
Civil Rights, Civil Wrongs, and Not So Civil People
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010Author Tony DeMaio
During the initial Civil Rights movement, I was a young tad. I went to an integrated school and didn’t think much about my friends’ color or heritage. I walked without fear in “black” (Negro at the time) neighborhoods. I was in the ninth grade when the Brown vs. the Board of Education decision [...]
Separating Oil and Water
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
Anger is not a problem-solving tool. Anger will not choose a profitable stock, nor will it lead to peace in the Middle East. Anger cannot reveal the identity of the “unknown” solution in your beaker in a chemistry lab, it cannot produce harmony in your marriage, and it has yet [...]
Memorial Day
Monday, May 31st, 2010Author Linda Brady Traynham
Gee, I’m glad we had Memorial Day, although the media never mentioned it, and my frivolous thought is that you can now wear white shoes until Labor Day, although bone is always a more chic choice.
We have our own version of Memorial Day most days here at the ranch, and I [...]