Pi Day again!

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly discussed “Pi Day” in posts timed to align with 3.14. Here’s another of them. In many of them, I’ve cited Vi Hart, the wonderful meta-mathemuscian who’s explained so many things so well.

This is another such post! Vi Hart has a new composition and features that I think people will admire. Now, ahem, where to find them? Well, I think the best way to do so is to go to https://www.patreon.com/vihart and become a regular supporter.

On 14 March 2022 (yes, I know that’s not the 3.14 notation), one can get a preview of what’s in store (teehee).

World Basketball Association

The team representing the USA in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) championship for 2019 has lost two games in a row and will, even if it wins the next game, qualify as the lowest finishing team in international competition ever. People will search for scapegoats. We want our team to win it all every time!

It’s not going to happen, folks. Sure, if the USA could create a team of the top 15 players from our home neighborhoods, that team would be a prohibitive favorite. But it still might lose once in a while. The FIBA game is different. As David Thorpe noted,

The games in the FIBA events are not so similar to those in the NBA. It’s 40 minutes instead of 48. The 3-point line is closer. And the officials let things get physical. Every single one of those factors helps underdogs.

What is more, the physical toll on professional hoopsters has become so great that they must protect their earning power by getting some rest. It makes little sense to ding players because they decline to play in international competitions so that they can be prepared to perform at their professional best during the taxing NBA season. See Henry Abbott’s analysis:

It’s not an argument about whether NBA players should want to play for Team USA. It’s about whether the powers that be, running the NBA, FIBA, and Team USA, can create circumstances where it’s not crazy to play for Team USA.

And the cherry on this sundae, as Mr. Thorpe opines, is that those great players in the past and current NBA have inspired players around the world to aspire to greatness…and many have achieved it. They are now stars, themselves, in the NBA.

OK, here are links to Mr. Thorpe’s and Mr. Abbott’s columns. Truehoops provides so much thought-provoking analysis! See David Thorpe’s  and Henry Abbott’s “Two Ways to Feel about Team USA” from TrueHoops.

 

 

Almost enough bacon?

I have not knowingly eaten bacon in over 25 years, but I might be convinced to worship at the United Church of Bacon. Why? Well, the sensibility of the church’s teachings brought smiles to me at the same time as making sense. According to the church’s about page,

The United Church of Bacon holds to a list of 9 Bacon Commandments. We tried to make it 10, but ran out of space on the tablets and didn’t want to start over.

Our mission is:

• We oppose supernatural claims. We are skeptics and atheists. In our religion, we doubt religion.
• We fight discrimination. Atheists are not inferior and should not be hated and marginalized.
• We raise money for charity
• We perform legal weddings, always for free. How joyful!
• We expose religious privileges as silly by claiming the same rights for Bacon.
• We praise Bacon! If you don’t like pigs, praise Vegetarian Bacon or Turkey Bacon.

In the accompanying YouTube video, the church provides suggestions about the nearly miraculous powers of bacon. Prepare to be…well…be chuckling.

I’m adding UCB to the sidebar.

Looks gorgeous

See for Yourself: A Visual Guide to Everyday Beauty by Rob Forbes looks like a feast for those who enjoy finding design in their everyday surroundings. According to the author,

See for Yourself is a book I just completed, coming out in May, but its available now at PUBLIC. The book is comprised of over 500 images that I have taken during the last ten years from walks and bike rides in cities around the world. It’s in these everyday settings where I seek out quirky and unusual objects not found in tourist guides; benches in Milan, bike locks in Amsterdam, fire hoses in Maine, house numbers in Charleston, and hundreds of other pedestrian works of design. I wrote it with the same intent I had in founding PUBLIC Bikes: to encourage us to become more engaged and connected with our cities, and to put a smile on our faces.

Mr. Forbes has a wonderful eye for color and form. I’m looking forward to seeing this title.

Catlin’s portraits of Native Americans

La-Doo-Ke-A, Buffalo Bull
A Grand Pawnee Warrior

Under the title “Testament and Spectacle” over on Times Quotidian, Theo Alexander has a post about portraits of Native Americans painted by George Catlin in the 19th century that were exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), London, during the spring of 2013. Mr. Alexander’s take about Mr. Catlin’s 1830s-portraits is pretty interesting, but the images themselves are really fascinating (and he writes about that, too).

There’s more about this show available from the museum’s site devoted to the exhibition. The NPG has supporting materials including video interviews and, of course, a store. These portraits apparently are on display at the Smithsonian in Washington (DC, US) and there is an accessible virtual display. The following image of hunters stalking bison by hiding under wolfskins comes from that display.

Buffalo Hunt under Wolf-skin Mask

Times Quotidian, which Nancy Cantwell edits, covers an array of arts and cultural topics. Its other content is worth perusing while one’s there.

Bike Week is coming

It’s just about here! Tomorrow is the official launch.

Bike Week. Spring is here. If you haven’t already, it’s time to get your bike out of the garage, dust off the seat, pump up the tires and of course, put those safety tips to use because May is National Bike Month and May 16-21 is Charlottesville Albemarle Bike Week. To celebrate, Bike Charlottesville, Charlottesville Community Bikes, Alternative Choices in Community Transportation, and UVa Parking & Transportation have teamed up with local sponsors to offer a bevy of free events for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

See Bike Charlottesville for a schedule of those events and a downloadable flyer.

Junk mail’s gotta go

Yikes! I ought to do some fact-checking on the data here, but these numbers are awe-inspiring.

In the 1990s or so I began using the Direct Marketing Association’s mechanism for opting out of direct mail. I only have case-study level data, but I can testify that we don’t get as much junk as this graphic indicates we would. We also don’t get as much as some of our friends say they get. I’ve used the DMA for some of my family and seen a substantial reduction in the junk they get, too.

Now, I’d like to see it apply to the horrible marketing I saw in the just-completed election campaign.

The image is linked. Thanks to Jay and Tim Willingham for another good one.

{CLAW} comeback

Can this be real? Is it just in time for your worst—or, perhaps, best—fears? Will Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestlers actually return?

Why isn’t there anything on the Web site? 12 November? Usual venue?

Franks’ show tops LA Times

Screen shot of LA Times page

As its lead article this morning, the LA Times Web site carried a story about a ceramics show curated by Frank Gehry and on display at my brother Frank Lloyd’s gallery. Because they’re both named Frank and both involved in the show, I used the plural possessive in the title for this entry.

Links:

• Jori Finkel’s LA Times article about the show.
• My brother Frank’s gallery site.
• My brother Frank’s blog.
• Frank Gehry’s firm’s site: FOGA.com.

Contemporary art in a hospital

My brother Frank and I have been spending a lot of time in a hospital with our mother recently (Frank more than I, as I just arrived on the scene a few days ago; he’s been dealing with it for much longer). Many of the hospital walls are decorated, and Frank (the artist and art dealer) noticed, of course. So he has a post, “Hospital Art,” about it.