San Francisco 49ers jump into pursuit of Peyton Manning

I thought hockey fights were more of a kabuki dance than a real brawl, but it appears they’re actually real fights which can lead to long-term brain trauma.

A telling quote:

Klinsmann’s broader point is that homegrown American players need longer, tougher training. The American talent pool is, quite bluntly, stagnant after decades of developmental programs. The federation has brought in two young German players with American fathers, Danny Williams and Tim Chandler, who demonstrate more skill and aggression and feel for the game than almost anybody coming out of the expensive suburban soccer programs all over this rich vast land.

How much of it is training, and how much of it is the more lucrative opportunities offered to U.S. athletes in football, basketball, and baseball?

My friend,Sean S., led me to Art De Vany’s blog a few years ago. He came out with a book last December. A surprising addition to the central theme of the book is the afterword written by Nasim Nicholas Taleb of The Black Swan fame. You can read most of his afterword if you check the first pages link. Some interesting thoughts on how the Black Swan theory applies to diet and exercise.

I still remember my first Aerobie which I bought as a freshman in college in 1984. Back then, they had a stiff metal instead of a stiff plastic ring inside of the softer plastic exterior. Once, I underestimated how far the Aerobie could go, and I hit a young boy square in the back on one of the Biscayne Bay beaches. Fortunately, the boy was fine and his dad didn’t come over and pummel me after I shouted an apology.

It was surprising to see the Aerobie was made in the U.S. with almost every other toy now made in China. The history of the Aerobie makes for an interesting read with its Silicon Valley origins:

http://aerobie.com/about/history.htm

Nice table on the light transmission percentages of Oakley Lenses.

Wired magazine recently had a very positive review for these sunglasses. I think their major edge over the competition is their range since they’ll adapt from 43% to 3% light transmittance. It looks like they might make a very good option for cycling, skiing, and perhaps even running (I’m really enamored of the light weight of my Oakley Zeros, and a pair of replacements will have to be very light to replace them). I hope they also block the wind well since the M-Frames are unparalleled in that department for non-enclosed eye protection.