Irrepressibly True Tales

One man's squint at the metaphorical signposts, songbirds, soapboxes, street musicians, and hot dog stands of life. Criticism, lyricism, polemics, performance, and making change…all with mustard.

The Worst Performance by a Winning Pitcher

Matt CainOn August 20, San Francisco Giants starter Matt Cain, after an excellent seven and two-thirds innings against the Florida Marlins, left the game ahead 5-2. Giants reliever Tyler Walker got the last out in the eighth, and with the score unchanged, closer Brian Wilson came in in the top of the ninth. His job: save Cain’s victory.

But Wilson gave up a lead-off double, retired the next two batters, and then gave up a single and a three-run homer to tie the game. Continue reading “The Worst Performance by a Winning Pitcher”

Schweppervesence…and Malaria

Cmdr. WhiteheadMixers…and medicine.

In 1968, Commander Edward Whitehead came to Harvard Business School to give a talk on the continuing importance—in the face of computers and other rapidly advancing technologies—of people in industry. (A similar, and rather drier talk he gave in 1955 is here.)

Perhaps the first CEO to become his company’s advertising spokesman, Commander Whitehead  (1908-1978), a World War II veteran of the South Pacific campaign in His Majesty’s Navy, was the President of Schweppes (USA) and Continue reading “Schweppervesence…and Malaria”

Science in the Muslim World

Alexandria LibraryIn a guest editorial published in the 8/8/08 issue of Science, the magazine of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Director of Egypt’s Library of Alexandria, Dr. Ismail Serageldin, states:

“Throughout the Muslim world we are witnessing an increasingly intolerant social milieu that is driven by self-appointed guardians of religious correctness, who inject their narrow interpretation of religion in all public debate. Rejecting rationality or evidentiary approaches, they increasingly force dissenting voices into silence and into conformity with what they would consider accepted behavior and speech. Of course, Muslim zealots are not the only ones who try to challenge the scientific enterprise, and in the US, the battles over evolution and creationism continue to rage.” Continue reading “Science in the Muslim World”

Solar Breakthrough at MIT? A Lesson for Politicians

energyOn July 31, researchers at MIT announced a “revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source. Requiring nothing but abundant, non-toxic natural materials, this discovery could unlock the most potent, carbon-free energy source of all: the sun.”

Funded in part by a $10 million grant from the Chesonis Family Foundation, the work was described by MIT’s Daniel Nocera, the Henry Dreyfus Professor of Energy at MIT in a paper published in the July 31 issue of Science. Continue reading “Solar Breakthrough at MIT? A Lesson for Politicians”

Julia Quinn Wins RITA Award

RITAFrom the RWA website:

Romance Writers of America proudly sponsors the romance-publishing industry’s highest award of distinction — the RITA Award. RITA awards are presented annually to the best published romance novels of the year. The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA’s first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for the best in published romance fiction.

It’s Julia Quinn‘s second RITA Award.

She’s my daughter.