On Technical Jargon II

July 1, 2021

July 1, 2021

Many of the individuals in my reading audience classify themselves as “professionals.” A good number of them would also classify themselves as “technical”. I think of myself as fitting into both categories but I doubt anyone would agree with me.

Here’s what I recently wrote about technical professionals communicating with the average citizen: “Be honest, fresh, and open … technical language and jargon are useful as professional shorthand, but they are barriers to successful communication with the public.” I believe this is good advice when dealing with the public. But, it is another matter if you are dealing with another professional. All bets are then off, and many revert to a language that resides solely in the domain of the professional. I became aware of the unique phenomena following receiving two potable water provisional patents, the submission of a report to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the preparation of a proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Although words can mean different things to different people, I have listed below two dozen sentences and phrases employed by us gifted few; each is followed by a layman’s pragmatic definition and / or explanation.

  • Congratulations continue to pour in – The only thing being poured is the Dewars to help me forget this mess.
  • I can say with certainty – My brother-in-law Vito (on my wife’s side) mentioned it to me last night in a Go-Go joint.
  • We can say with certainty – My cohorts were also there.
  • A Foundation Director concluded – She read it in the New York tabloids.
  • An informed local official concluded – He’s got an IQ to match his age.
  • An informed state official concluded – Her IQ is in the single digit range.
  • An informed federal official concluded – He doesn’t have an IQ.
  • An informed career federal official concluded – His IQ approaches negative infinity during any thought process.
  • There may be negative international repercussions – Only if our findings get out.
  • Definitely worthy of NSF support – It is a totally useless project that can in no way serve mankind.
  • My mental process has concluded the following – Your guess is as good as mine.
  • A reliable source has just informed me – A guy named Pepe mentioned it to me in a bar last night; we were both cockeyed.
  • There is wide range agreement – No one believes a word of it, including my colleague Lefty.
  • The results appear to indicate a trend – Unfortunately, we can’t figure out what the trend is.
  • The results appear to indicate a definite trend – We are totally confused at this point in time.
  • We intend to pursue this aspect of the investigation vigorously – Only if someone puts up the moola.
  • Based on my limited experience – I’m looking for clues.
  • Based on my experience – I’m desperately looking for clues.
  • Based on my extensive experience – I’m clueless.
  • Getting started on the study was no problem – We simply assumed the subject in question to be a sphere.
  • Thanks are due – I had to mention his name since dinner at his restaurant last week was on the arm.
  • Thanks are due the NSF – I have a policy of thanking anyone who gives me money on a no-strings-attached basis.
  • My colleagues congratulated me – They really meant that I was mentally deranged.
  • If I were you – Thank God I’m not.

Much of the above material was drawn from yes, an earlier “On Technical Gargos” article that appeared in the press on July 6, 2000 – 21 years ago … and much of it still applies.

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or

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NEXT POSTINGS

AUGUST 1:                On Great Eats VI

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Technical Writing

OCTOBER 1:             Zzzabuu V

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Practice inbounding the ball at various locations on the court when the opposing team is pressing.
  2. The player nearest to the ball should take it out immediately after a basket or foul shot and pass it to the first open man.
  3. Do not leave the foul line after the first of two (or three) free throws, and do not slap / shake the hand of a fellow teammate.
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ON MEMORIAL DAY V

May 31, 2021

June 1, 2021

How often do those in the reading audience give thanks for being an American? How many give thanks for having been born and raised in America? How often do we give thanks for our lifestyle – cars, TVs, restaurants, vacations, home(s), cellphones, etc? And how often do people around the world give thanks for their present-day lifestyle?

But, who should we and those around the world give thanks to? For some, the answer might be the bureaucrats, politicians, lawyers, etc. For others, it might be doctors or engineers or scientists. For me, thanks would be directed to those who have served or are presently serving in the defense of our great nation. I feel a pang of guilt every year when Memorial Day rolls around. I am 87 years old and never served America. Although I have been told that I am not in the “Jane Fonda” mold, this haunting memory shall not leave me, nor should it.

This is the 21st Memorial Day of this century. It provides us with another opportunity to reevaluate the meaning of this special day. It is a day we primarily pay tribute to those who have died in battle for our country. We also pay tribute to those veterans who have served our nation.

It is a day of reflection, and on this day of reflecting I am reminded of an old saying: “to live in the memory of a loved one, is to live forever.” It is appropriate that we pay homage to these men and women who have provided us with our present-day quality of life.

Twenty years ago, I attended Memorial Day festivities on our Village Green. I was treated to a touching and compassionate speech by Tony Cassella (former Mayor of the Village of East Williston). The speech was written by his son Paul. Tony graciously provided a copy of the speech to me. I would like to pass along (with permission) part of that speech.

“To me, Memorial Day, like Thanksgiving Day, is that day when we pause in our busy lives and think about all of the people who sacrificed so much so that we may enjoy our freedom in this wonderful country. When I think of Memorial Day what first comes to mind are the dramatic opening lines of Thomas Payne’s Pamphlet written during the Revolutionary War wherein he stated “These are the times that drive men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crises, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Those words were so powerful that our first President, George Washington, before crossing the Delaware to attack the sleeping Hessians on Christmas Day, read Payne’s pamphlet to all of his troops. Little did Thomas Payne know that from that time on to this very day the citizens of this country would never be summer soldiers or sunshine patriots. Throughout world wars and the many conflicts and police actions over the last years, our citizens have met their call to duty. It is because of their actions that today we honor those men and women who have made the supreme sacrifice and who have been injured in conquering tyranny. The actions assure that we today would enjoy the wonderful life that we have in these great United States, here in East Williston, and in villages like ours across the country.”

I also want to leave you with my thoughts for those who came before me and made the ultimate sacrifice:

  1. They fought for and defended our way of life over these past 2 ½ centuries.
  2. There were over 1,000,000 service members who didn’t make it back – American Revolution (4,500), WWI (110,000), WWII (400,000), Korean War (35,000), Vietnam War (60,000), etc.
  3. My gratitude is forever.
  4. I will never forget.
  5. Let us remember what they died for.
  6. Their sacrifice guarded and continues to insure our freedom.

For me, forgetting and not honoring our fallen heroes of the past provides strength to our enemies of today. Let us all help erase this advantage on this special day. It would be great if the Village Mall were jammed packed for this coming Memorial Day celebration. It is up to each and every one of us to help make this happen. It will serve as a reminder to all of the sacrifices made by the men and women who served our great country in the past and those who are serving today.

Have a great Memorial Day. Enjoy it as grateful and thankful Americans and let us never forget its significance.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

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NEXT POSTINGS

JULY 1:                      On Great Eats VI

AUGUST 1:                On Technical Writing

SEPTEMBER 1:         Zzzabuu V

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three defensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Practice various strategies when boxing out at the foul line.
  2. Practice various defenses when opponents are inbounding the ball from various locations on the court near the end of the game.
  3. Try to maneuver opponent near a corner in the back court if pressing.

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On Hofstra’s 2020-21 Men’s Basketball Season and The East Williston School District Budget Vote

May 1, 2021

May 1, 2021

This is not an easy newsletter for me to write. There are two parts: one concerned with Hofstra’s 2020-21 basketball season and one concerned with the upcoming East Williston School District (EWSD) budget vote. There is bad news on both subject matters. In any event, here goes.

  1. Hofstra’s 2020-21 Men’s Basketball Season

In case anyone forgot, Hostra won its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA Men’s Basketball Championship) in March 2020, defeating Northeastern 70-61. The teams’ combined wins over its past two years include 26 wins in 2019-20 and 27 wins in the 2018-19 campaign. These 53 wins placed them 14th nationally and was the main reason they won consecutive regular season titles. In addition, Isaac Kante was exceptional with a 65 percent field goal average – 9th in the nation. They were worthy champions in 2020 but, alas, the COVID-19 struck and the NCAA Tournament was cancelled.

The bad news continued following the conclusion of the 2019-20 season when coach Joe Mehalich took sick and has retired from basketball. The new season brought forth a new coach with Kante selected on the CAA’s preseason first team plus Jalen Ray and Tareq Coburn were preseason honorable mentions. I was pretty certain they were going to have another great year. But, the team’s performance turned out to be less than stellar. They arrived at the CAA Championship Tournament with high hopes but failed miserably.

My notes on this past season are listed below:

  1. They continued to play zone defense; even mediocre teams don’t play zone.
  2. There was no hustle on defense – a characteristic of many zone defenses with players confused at times as to who was guarding who.
  3. They couldn’t hit 3-pointers with any consistency.
  4. There was often poor shot selection.
  5. The other teams were simply better.

What makes for a winning team? Here is what legendary coach Rollie Massimino offered in my Basketball Coaching 101 book: “Every team has an identity and for me it is family. The magic word is WE. We are all together. Most of our family of players, coaches, etc., regularly contact each other for Christmas. I also still get calls from my gang at the beginning of each season wishing me well.” The Hofstra team? They looked like a pickup team; it was as if the 5 players had just been introduced. The bench? It appeared comatose most of the time. I once half-jokingly mentioned that “if you hope to win a championship, you’d better be with people you love.” Now I don’t think of it as a joke.

Next season? Look for them to rebound with a new coach. The new coach? What a great choice: Craig “Speedy” Claxton. Speedy played at Hofstra and won the Haggerty Award (top New York metropolitan player) as a senior. He followed that with 7 years in the NBA. Hopefully, he will not follow in the same footsteps as Chris Midlin. One thing we know is that Hofstra has had a really fabulous record of recruiting top guards and this included both Speedy and Juan’ya Green plus my favorite – Charles Jenkins. More recently, Speedy was apparently responsible for not only recruiting but also developing Justin Wright-Foreman and Desure Buie. Let’s hope the tradition will continue since it is guards who bring home championships. Regarding Speedy, my dear friend and mentor, Jack Powers, former Executive Director of the NIT, had this to offer: “He is a wonderful kid, a quality person, a credit to our sport, and certain to succeed. Rick Cole made a great choice.” My sentiments … exactly.

II. The East Williston School District (EWSD) Budget Vote

Over the years, I have been critical of teachers for taking yearly salary increases at a time when many people in the private sector are being laid off, taking salary cuts, or losing their benefits. Such is the situation this year.

A question we engineers often ask when evaluating a scheme, proposal, contract, etc., is as follows: Is it cost-effective and is there sufficient accountability? When applied to education, most school boards, school administrators, and teachers have conveniently avoided answering this question. In fact, these individuals continue to try to convince concerned taxpayers that taxes need to be raised further if our children are to receive a quality education. Our teachers also maintain that they are dedicated professionals. What in the world is the rest of the workforce? To hear the teachers you would think they were God’s gift to society. Regarding our teachers, I have more respect for the NYC teacher, who I believe is as dedicated, if not more, because they are exposed to combat duty, often on a daily basis. Furthermore, one need only compare the recent conduct of teachers with 9/11 first responders and the COVID-19 pandemic health care workers.

Needless to say, I shall vote against the budget since it contains increases and not reductions in teachers’ salaries and benefits. I suggest District taxpayers do likewise. Remember, it is Okay to vote NO on the budget.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

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NEXT POSTINGS

JUNE 1:                      On Memorial Day VI

JULY 1:                      On Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXXI

AUGUST 1:                On Great Eats VI

SEPTEMBER 1:         On Technical Writing

OCTOBER 1:             Zzzabuu V

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Every attempt should be made to exploit the team’s offensive capabilities against the opponent’s defensive weaknesses.
  2. Players should learn to dribble with either hand.
  3. Players should learn to shoot with either hand.

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ON ZZZABUU IV

March 31, 2021

April 1, 2021

Zzzabuu is his name. He arrived earlier in 2003 from the planet Zzokki in a faraway galaxy, having been dispatched to Earth on a fact-finding trip involving politicians. Zzzabuu had been selected once again by The Superiors in 2021 because of his great intellect, analytical mind, and his love of gambling.

On reaching Earth, Zzzabuu set out immediately to accomplish his specific assignment: to determine details (both pros and cons) of gambling investment opportunities on Plant Earth. As per instructions from the Superiors, Zzzabuu met with an outspoken chemical engineering professor (who shall remain nameless); he had earlier published a book titled, “Probability and Statistics for Environmental Engineers and Scientists”. Part of the material in the well-received text addressed games of chance, including dice, cards, football pools, Lotto, etc. The professor proved an invaluable source of information despite being dubbed “The Chemist” by his friends and colleagues because of an uncanny ability to turn their money entrusted to him into horse manure.

Several weeks of intensive study followed. After obtaining all the facts, Zzzabuu prepared his report in a manner that any Zzokkian could relate to and understand. The executive summary in his z-mail to The Superiors follows.

“The financial alternatives of any game of chance can often be measured by the cost of the game / investment. This cost effectively represents what the gambling industry charges the investor for the opportunity to gamble. For example, a 5% cost figure could represent the “takeout”, that is, a measure of what percentage – on average – of the investment that the gambler automatically pays for this opportunity. Alternatively, it could represent what percent – on average – one would expect to lose with a particular game of chance. This information follows for a host of gambling options.

            Lotto                           50%

            Pari-mutuel Racing* 16%

            Real Estate Industry* 5%

            Sports Wagering*       5%

            Roulette                      3.5%

            Slots                            1-5%

            Dice                            0.5%

            Blackjack (“21”)*      0.1%

            Securities Industry*   0%

Each Zzokkian should note that the five activities with asterisks are not truly games of chance since each individual can control his / her own destiny, i.e., chance of winning, by intelligent gaming decisions. For example, with thoroughbred pari-mutuel wagering, the ability to select winning horses could negate the 16% takeout and result in a profit. The same applies with investing in securities via the Internet where the only cost could be as low as $6 for a multi-million dollar investment.

Most of the inhabitants on Planet Earth, including the nefarious professor, delve into most – if not all – of the above games of chance. Obviously, Lotto is a game for those individuals whose IQ is in the 2-digit range and in need of a grade school refresher course in arithmetic. The game of blackjack offers some interesting possibilities since one may employ a “counting” technique that actually could convert the odds to slightly favor the gambler. Finally, the real estate and securities industries have a track record that, on average, have produced significant profitable returns over the years to investors.

The Superiors need to realize that the aforementioned term probability must be an integral part of any gambling study or analysis. Webster defines probability as ‘the number of times something will probably occur over the range of possible occurrences, expressed as a ratio.’ For me, probability can be interpreted subjectively as a measure of degree of belief, on a fractional scale from 0 to 1 or 0 to 100 on a percent basis, that an “event” occurs. This interpretation is frequently used in ordinary conversation. For example, if someone says, “The probability that I will go to the movies tonight is 90%”, then 90% is a measure of the person’s belief that he or she will get to the movies. This interpretation is also used when, in the absence of concrete data needed to estimate an unknown probability on a basis of observed concrete data, information and / or facts, the personal opinion of an expert is sought. For example, an expert might be asked to estimate the probability that a stock will double in the next six months; the estimate would be based on the expert’s familiarity with the stock market.

The Superiors and / or Earthlings may obtain additional details on all of the above games of chance at no charge by calling (516) 742-8939.”

In order to accommodate some of my readers, future articles – Zzzabuu V, VI, VII, and VIII – addressing pari-mutuel wagering, stock market investing, casino gambling, and sport book betting, respectively – will provide specific details on each of these four topics. I will provide not only pertinent odds but also helpful hints in these write-ups. And yes, I am significantly involved in all four pursuits.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS

MAY 1:           On Hofstra’s 2020-21 Basketball Season / EWSD Budget Vote

JUNE 1:          On Great Eats VI

JULY 1:          On Technical Writing

AUGUST 1:    Zzzabuu V

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three defensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. If trailing with more than a minute to go, attempt (perhaps via a timeout) to prevent any delays in inbounding the ball by your opponents.
  2. Practice various defenses when your opponents are in-bounding the ball from various locations on the court.
  3. Finally, never forget that defense is 50% of the game. Coaches, are you reading this? Players, are you reading this? DEFENSE IS AS IMPORTANT AS OFFENSE. You can never lose a game if your five starters have the capabilities of shutting down their opponent. However, you can lose a game even if your 5 starters have the capability of scoring at will.

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ON THE THEODORE COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLAN

February 28, 2021

March 1, 2021

The distribution process for the COVID-19 vaccine is obviously significantly flawed. Who is at fault? It depends on who you talk to but it really doesn’t matter. For sure, there has to be a better way of handling this situation. Here are my comments followed by my vaccine distribution approach.

Three questions first need to be addressed before proceeding.

  1. How should the number and timing of vaccines be maximized?
  2. Who should decide who gets the vaccine and when?
  3. How should the vaccines for the recipients be distributed?

The answer to question (1) is simply this: the federal government should subsidize the creation / discovery and preparation of the vaccine supplies with generous bonuses for timely deliveries. This apparently did occur. Anyone or any group – other than the CDC or WHO – should determine the answer to questions (2). Why not me, even though there must be a host of others who could better provide an answer. Obviously (3) is the key question. Both questions (2) and (3) should be dynamic and vary with individual states, counties, locales, etc. In any event, here is what I propose.

The prioritization (high priority to low priority) is presented in terms of 6 categories. Categories include:

  1. Healthcare workers
  2. Infrastructure personnel (police, firefighters, etc.)
  3. Senior citizens
  4. High risk groups
  5. Children
  6. Others not included in A-D

My prioritization follows. Note that there are 20 groups.

A1.   Employed healthcare workers

B1.   Policemen and firefighters

C1.   Citizens 90 and over

D1.   Citizens with cancer, lung, liver, or heart disease

C2.   Citizens 85-90

A2.   Unemployed healthcare workers

C3    Citizens 75-85

D2.   Citizens with flu or pneumonia

C4.   Employed citizens 60-75

D3    Citizens with any past lung, liver, or heart disease

C5.   Parents with 3 or more children

D2.   Other employed infrastructure personnel

D3.   Other unemployed infrastructure personnel

E1.    Children under 1

C6.   Employed citizens 18-60

C7.   Unemployed citizens 18-60

E2.    Children 1-18

F1.    Used car salesmen, realtors, and dentists

F2.    Lawyers, elected officials, and government personnel

F3.    School teachers, college professors, and veterinarians

I believe the first four groups (A1-D1) in any order – should receive the vaccine first. The last three groups should receive the least consideration.

The assignment of any of the priorities above is not based on any solid scientific or medical data and information. It is simply a gut feeling drawn from my limited experience. As is the case with this sort of judgement, this prioritization will vary with both the individual and time. But for me, the key would be to have as little impact as possible from the government and bureaucrats.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

APRIL 1:                     On Hofstra’s 2020-21 Basketball Season

MAY 1:                       On Great Eats VI

JUNE 1:                      On Technical Writing

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Practice inbounding the ball at various locations on the court when the opposing team is pressing.
  2. The player nearest to the ball should take it out immediately after a basket or foul shot and pass it to the first open man.
  3. Do not leave the foul line after the first of two (or three) free throws, and do not slap / shake the hand of a fellow teammate.

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THE ULTIMATE QUIZ IV

February 1, 2021

February 1, 2021

As indicated in III, this has become one of my favorites. But, this one is a little different. It is solely political in nature and each statement to follow requires either a true or false answer. And, there is no correct answer … it is basically your call. The 40 comments to follow concern events/ actions that occurred during the 2016-2020 time period. You are asked to provide a true or false response.

I personally will not take a position on the results/grade of your true – false test. But, based on your number of true answers, I feel that you would be classified in one of the five categories:

  1. 0-8:     a staunch liberal
  2. 9-16:   a liberal
  3. 17-24: a moderate
  4. 25-32: a conservative
  5. 33-40: a staunch conservative
  1. The stock market increased at a near exponential rate, no doubt due to a turnaround robust economy, commitments to job creation, and a decline in poverty levels.
  2. Our nation is now classified as energy independent (remember the price of gasoline is now $2.00/gal)
  3. Contrary to earlier predictions, there was a return of manufacturing jobs.
  4. Black colleges and universities received an unprecedented increase in financial aid from the Federal government.
  5. The U.S. military prowess increased dramatically.
  6. The air, water, and land (soil) was never cleaner.
  7. Despite a departure from the Paris Peace Accord, CO2 emissions decreased below expectations.
  8. NAFTA was dissolved and replaced.
  9. New rules were put in place to stop the exploitation by China.
  10. Built nearly all the Southern wall and stopped illegal immigration across the Southern border.
  11. The majority of the public came to realize that the media was corrupt, self-serving, and un-American.
  12. The Washington establishment – consisting primarily of career bureaucrats, often referred to as “The Swamp” – was corrupt, self-serving, and un-American.
  13. Stopped the ISIS killing and torture.
  14. Several elements of the Obama Health Care Act were eliminated.
  15. Reduced the North Korean threat.
  16. For many citizens, there was a return of pride and love of country.
  17. Contrary to earlier predictions, our presence in foreign wars was significantly reduced.
  18. Abuses in veterans’ hospitals were significantly reduced.
  19. The COVID-19 pandemic was responsibly addressed medically and economically.
  20. Delivered ventilators and hospital beds immediately to an ill-prepared NYS.
  21. Delivered the COVID-19 vaccine in 7 ½ months, not 5-10 years (as predicted).
  22. Taxes were lowered for the middle class.
  23. The President was impeached based on a telephone conversation with a third-world country that was interpreted in a questionable manner.
  24. Unemployment levels for Blacks reached an all-time low.
  25. The Food Stamp Program was significantly reduced.
  26. Per capita wealth increased at a near exponential rate.
  27. Property values increased at a near exponential rate.
  28. Many companies, after moving abroad earlier, returned home.
  29. The MS-13 presence in our country was reduced.
  30. Eliminated the presence of ISIS in the Middle East.
  31. Our soldiers are now coming home.
  32. The Iranian threat was significantly reduced.
  33. Contrary to earlier concerns, no nuclear wars were initiated.
  34. The US was the first country to stop to and fro travel with China.
  35. Unemployment levels for Hispanics reached an all-time low.
  36. Unemployment levels for Asians reached an all-time low.
  37. Unemployment levels for women reached an all-time low.
  38. Contrary to failed promises from a host of past presidents, the US Embassy in Israel was relocated to Jerusalem.
  39. The economy and newly created jobs grew at an unprecedented and exponential rate.
  40. Contrary to the prediction of nearly all the bureaucrats, peace treaties were signed between Israel and several Arab nations.

How many true answers did you come up with? Where do you think Trump would be classified? Biden? Pelosi? Cuomo? Pence?

Note: For some of my fans, I recently co-authored an Amazon book ($7.99) titled “Virus Contacts”. The lead author is Ann Marie Flynn.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

MARCH 1:                 On Technical Writing

APRIL 1:                     On Great Eats VI

MAY 1:                       On Hofstra’s 2020-21 Basketball Season

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three defensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Every shot, particularly of an “outside” variety, should be contested — unless you are the size (5’ 6”) of the author.
  2. Every attempt should be made to exploit your team’s defensive capabilities against the opponent’s offensive weaknesses.
  3. If fouls committed by your team are low relative to your opponent, substitute for your star or key players – assuming they need a breather anyway – since the officials are more prone to call “touch” fouls on your team.

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ON PURELY CHASTE, PRISTINE, AND RANDOM THOUGHTS XXX

January 1, 2021

January 1, 2021

Here we go again, but, given the present political climate, this one is strictly devoted to political thoughts. I hope you find the nearly 2 dozen comments interesting.

  • It’s bad enough the media chose not to initially cover the “Hunter” fiasco, but they still have essentially chosen to ignore it.
  • The fanatic liberals now claim there is an “assault on democracy” by the Republicans. How would one describe their conduct during the last 4 ½ years?
  • Pelosi and her fanatics impeached Trump based solely on an inert call to a fifth-world country. Will they also now attempt to impeach Biden for his thieving, lying, and traitor-type conduct?
  • Trump unquestionably made the best decisions on the pandemic given the knowledge and resources available from the CDC (ugh!) and WHO (ugh!). As a successful businessman, he foresaw what was going to happen and took appropriate action.
  • The liberal fanatics claimed it would take at least 5 years to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Trump claimed we would have it before the end of year. Who was right?
  • There was no coordinated response from the CDC on nursing homes, the epicenters of death, until Trump took action.
  • The electorate obviously has little to no knowledge of social, economic, and scientific matters.
  • Since 1986, all elected officials have avoided taking action on the immigration crisis and border security. Trump is the only one who fought for the safety and security of the American people.
  • The Democratic Party’s agenda is perfectly clear: destroy Trump…not to serve the electorate.
  • Since Day 1, Trump has been betrayed by Washington insiders, the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party.
  • Liberals appear hell-bent on frustrating and embarrassing Trump, no matter what the cost to our nation. They claim he is a traitor. Based on his track record on peace and economics, I claim he should be President of the world.
  • Mueller will go down in history as a biased incompetent Special Council who, during his witch hunt, believed in two codes of justice while applying Gestapo tactics.
  • Mueller and his henchmen have for obvious reasons, refused to investigate and indict those, e.g., Comey, Clinton, etc., who have repeatedly committed criminal offenses.
  • I could be wrong but I believe that Pelosi is an evil person with mental problems.
  • Schumer strikes me as a conniving and untrustworthy individual.
  • I have three new acronyms: FTF – Fauci The Fraud, BCF – Biden Crime Family, and CTD – Cuomo The Dimwit.
  • I can’t think of anyone more stupid than Joe Biden, although Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters are close seconds.
  • The aggressive, belligerent behavior of many of the fanatical liberals regarding three recently Supreme Court appointees, Republican elected officials, Trump fans, Catholic school kids, etc., has been approved by both the corrupt fake-news media and Democrats.
  • The ten Democratic senators who questioned Kavanagh, accusing him of rape-related activities, should have been removed from office and jailed. Their concerted effort to destroy this man was unforgiveable.
  • Democracy cannot exist with a biased media. We are about to approach this state.
  • I’m accused of being a racist and un-American because I have no sympathy for those individuals planning to illegally overrun our borders. Is it old age, or am I missing something?
  • I still believe most Americans believe in supporting hard working individuals, not illegal immigrants.
  • I’m one to give credit where credit is due. Contrary to Republican claims, Cuomo definitely deserves an Emmy for absolving himself of the nursing home fiasco that resulted in the death of 40,000 seniors. Remember that it was Cuomo who issued a directive on March 25th that “no resident should be denied readmission to a nursing home if they test positive for the coronavirus.” What a slimy egomaniac.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

FEBRUARY 1:           On Technical Writing

MARCH 1:                 On Great Eats VI

APRIL 1:                     On the EWSD Budget Vote

MARCH 1:                 On Hofstra’s 2020-21 Basketball Season

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three defensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Until one learns otherwise, one should assume the offensive player dribbles with the right hand.
  2. Until one learns otherwise, one should assume the offensive player shoots with his right hand.
  3. Until one learns otherwise, one should assume the offensive player drives to the right.

2 Comments | East Williston, Economics, Education, Politics | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

ON A (NOTHER) BAKER’S DOZEN

December 1, 2020

December 1, 2020

The presidential election results are in…or are they? At the time of the preparation of this note, it appears Biden (ugh!) – a dumb, inept, mentally challenged, career bureaucrat felon, etc. – will be our next president, as the media successfully dragged him across the finish line. Add to this, a totally incompetent failed attorney with essentially no experience will be our vice president. How did this happen? I often have claimed that we “should never underestimate the stupidity of the majority of the voting public.” A dear friend commented “the reason the democrats won was because they significantly overestimated the stupidity of the voting electorate.” Notwithstanding the above, here are a baker’s dozen 1 (or 2 or 3) – liners:

  1. Biden has called for cooperation and asked that we come together. How is that possible with their proposed agenda and Biden preaching unity while insulting and ridiculing Trump and his supporters? Why should we, after the way they refused to cooperate with Trump. I feel an obligation to cooperate until they attempt to implement their plan to convert our nation to socialism.  In the meantime, the ultimate move is on toward fascism as the media is now controlled by the fanatics and those of us who love our country are being brutalized in the streets with no media coverage.
  • The pandemic? Stop the nonsense and open all businesses and schools. Interesting that Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company that hates Trump for his price policy on drugs, announced their vaccine 3 days after the election.
  • The WHO and CDC both failed the people they purportedly represent. It is almost as if they never heard of COVID or the accompanying more severe ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). There was absolutely NO preparedness for a potential pandemic. Thankfully, Trump was able to minimize the colossal damage that they, along with China, caused. Shame on both organizations. These incompetents unquestionably never looked into hypothetical situations – a procedure that is key to emergency planning (an area that I have worked in/lectured on). Not preplanning for nightmares ultimately results in playing catch-up. I love listening to these Monday morning quarterbacks who become overnight pandemic authorities on what actions Trump should have taken.
  • In 2016, the media convinced many that Trump would expand losing wars abroad that would probably lead to a nuclear war. As with all their accusations, they were wrong: Trump defeated ISIS, stopped Russia cold in the Ukraine, has essentially ended these senseless wars, and is finally bringing our soldiers home.
  • How about the insanity of defunding the police? Biden is certain to honor this promise.
  • Biden is certain to provide funding and support for both BLM and ANTIFA. Is this what Americans want?
  • Biden is certain (if allowed) to “pack” the Supreme Court, replace the Electoral College, and expand statehood. Is this what Americans want?
  • I think health insurance can be improved, but not by the government. Anything they touch turns out to be a disaster. You’ve heard the old joke: I’m from the government and here to help.
  • I now refuse to go to the movies. I also no longer watch the NBA or the NFL on TV. The individuals in these three professions have forgotten what it is to live paycheck-to-paycheck.
  1. Something definitely has to be done about the corrupt media. Important news is not covered but lies are. I get disgusted every day reading the headlines in the New York Times and watching some of CNn and CNBC that airs on FOX. Enter fascism and exit democracy with a biased media.
  1. Education? School choice is the key to providing opportunities for minorities. We need charter schools. We also need to instill a love of country in our youth and make them aware of the great history and character of our nation. We won’t get any of these two with Biden.
  1. How about some of the media and some elected officials calling me and all Trump supporter racists and un-American because we oppose their destructive agenda. Even worse, they are proposing we be “blackballed” and punished. Folks, this is just the start of the fanatics’ move toward fascism.
  1. Does any reasonable and intelligent individual not believe that fraud was committed by the fanatics during the election? Remember, it was the fanatics who promised to “stop” Trump by any means. Their insistence on mail-in ballots insured there would be cheating. We can kiss our democracy goodbye if the elections are not legitimate and honest.

Bottom line: Prepare to usher in corruption and larceny (especially Biden and his family) in government, expansion of the bureaucratic swamp, elimination of transparency, a partisan press corp, open borders, unvetted immigration, loss of respect of law, avoiding adherence to the Constitution, senseless rules and regulations, penalizing Trump supporters, a reduction in police budgets and support, not allowing validation of elections, expansion of sanctuary cities and their accompanying activities, disappearance of our guardians of liberty and democracy, government-run healthcare embolden activities of our enemies, skyrocketing energy prices, a botched economy, collapse of the stock market, attempts by Biden to preach unity/healing and bring us together will fail miserably, loss of gun rights, reduction in religious freedom, destruction of statues, an increase in crime, an acceptance of the fanatics’ agenda, stop asking questions, allowing capitalism and conservatives to fade out of existence, BLM going totally unchallenged and allowed to flourish, no accountability for the fanatics, further exploitation by the teachers and their unions, and the disappearance of transparency as press conferences that put Trump under daily fire be replaced by seasonal ones with softball questions. Did I forget anything?

The above won’t impact me, but will impact my children and grandchildren … and not in a positive way.

Not a pretty picture.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

JANUARY 1:              On Hofstra Men’s Basketball – The 2020-21 Season?

FEBRUARY 1:           Purely Chaste, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXX

MARCH 1:                 On Great Eats IV – Burgers and Pastrami

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Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Practice end-of-game offenses regularly.
  2. Practice inbounding the ball at various locations on the court when the opposing team is pressing.
  3. The player nearest to the ball should take it out immediately after a basket or foul shot and pass it to the first open man.

2 Comments | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

On a Baker’s Dozen

November 1, 2020

November 1, 2020

  1. Trump or Biden? That’s the question that needs to be answered this election. I won’t pussyfoot around, so here’s the answer. It simply must be Trump and it definitely should not be Biden. Justification? Here it is.
  2. The liberal democrats attempted to remove President Trump from office. This was – plain and simple – a coup, and a coup is a treasonous act that is punishable to death. It’s now clear that Obama, Biden, Comez, Brennan, Etc., were all involved in this disgraceful act.
  3. The liberal democrats plan to “pack the Supreme Court, an act that would essentially eliminate the balance of power between the President, Congress and the Supreme Court. FDR tried nearly a century ago and even his own supporters rejected it.
  4. Black Lives Matter (and ANTIFA). Their acts of burning and looting is indefensible. Black lives do in fact matter, but not the organization. Threatening, brutalizing, and murdering innocent citizens must stop. Ditto with the police. These people have taken to the streets – destroying homes and business, violating curfews, desecrating statues and monuments, etc. There is only one person who has condemned this from the street. The dishonest BLM needs to be destroyed.
  5. The lies, manipulation, and deceit. Lying, manipulation, deceiving has become a way of life for the liberal democrats, and this particularly applies to Obama, Biden, and the Hill.
  6. The conduct of the news media is sickening. I’m not an English or Journalism major, but one only needs to read the headlines in The New York Times to appreciate how these individuals have sold their soul. The words professionalism, integrity, and ethics, are simply no longer in their vocabulary.
  7. The conduct of almost all sports figures, entertainers, and educations is now a spectacle. Sports and entertainment concreate hope and provide opportunities to minorities. Today, it is being used to develop racial barriers. For what it is worth, I no longer watch either the NFL or the NBA.
  8. During the 2016 Republican nomination process, I initially ranked Trump last amongst the 17 (I loved Dr. Ben Carson – having read his autobiography). But as time went on, and the more I heard of Trump’s analysis of the “swamp” and his promises to attempt to reform a broken bureaucratic system, the more impressed I become. I voted for him in 2016 with some trepidation. He honored his promise to the American people these past four years—something that rarely occurs these days–and my concerns are gone.
  9. The stock market has gone through the roof thanks to President Trump’s actions and policies. Even though I am essentially not in the market, the market’s rise has been good for both the rich and poor. Most agree that the market will nosedive and our economy will be left with another 1929-type of depression if Biden is elected.
  10. President Trump will continue to do everything in his power to stop illegal immigration, enforce border control, and deport those illegals who deserve to be deported. You can be certain that Biden’s “free everything for the illegals” will not occur.
  11. When the President got into office, his opponents claimed that he was a war monger, would escalate our involvement in foreign wars with more Americans dying and probably start a nuclear war. Well? What happened? He destroyed ISIS, is talking to both North Korea and China, effectively isolated Iran, and has brought back most of our soldiers.
  12. Mayor Giuliani described Joe Biden as a “crook.” After 47 years of bureaucratic service in government, he and many members of his family are multi-millionaires. But, then again, nearly all bureaucrats serving the government (liberals and conservatives alike) are millionaires. Just look at the Hill and Obama. Joe’s son Biden is simply the icing on the cake.
  13. Someone needs to stop the conduct of these fanatics. They have a hatred for President Trump that is both shocking and unjustifiable. Look at the conduct of Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff, etc. It has gotten so bad that it is almost impossible to carry on a civil discussion with liberals. I can’t remember how many times they’ve shut me up with “I don’t want to discuss it.”
  14. How in the world can anyone vote for a racist (the tapes are the proof) babbling idiot like Biden. He was a moron from Day 1 and failed third rate attorneys like Harris who will inherit the throne soon after the election. Did you watch the Harris-Pence debate? Did this talentless, smirking woman look presidential? Can you see her in negotiations with our enemies? We would become the laughing stock of the world. This is a pair that could probably be defined as a disaster in the making. Shame on anyone who votes for these two…you’d be getting what you deserve.

No discussion on the election would be complete without reference to COVID-19. Here’s what happened. China caused and should never be forgiven for what ensued. The incompetent WHO, an absolutely useless organization, was MIA from Day 1; they don’t deserve any financial support from any nation. The equally incompetent CDC, whose stated mission is to “protect” us, did just the opposite. But, then again, the CDC is manned by career bureaucrats, e.g., Dr. Fauci, who initially incorrectly claimed the masks didn’t work and China was being open and cooperative. The entire organization should dissolve and be replaced. Thankfully, President Trump kept the damage down to a minimum, contrary to the classes of the Monday morning quarterbacks of the liberal media.

No discussion on the election would also be incomplete without reference to Biden and his family plus the accompanying conduct of the media.  In recent days, we are now rapidly moving close toward a Fascist state with the liberal corrupt media’s attempt to suppress not only the opposition but also the opposition’s views and the corrupt conduct of Biden and his family.  As Jefferson once put it:  “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.”  The bottom line is that while bragging is a way of life for The Donald, lying and exploitation has long been a way of life for Biden.

Finally, this election is personal for me. Both my parents, who couldn’t speak English, were teenagers when they emigrated from Greece in 1920. My father’s formal education ended when he was 10 years old. When he was 49 years old, one of his dreams came true when they bought a two-family attached house in Astoria. Prior to that, I was brought up in a slum (Hell’s Kitchen). My success story (am I bragging?) can primarily be attributed to our country, democracy, and capitalism. If Biden-Harris are elected, fewer youngsters will be provided with the opportunities I experienced during my developmental years. I don’t want that to happen. So vote for Trump. He’s my savior and the savior for our great nation.

God Bless America!

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

DECEMBER 1:           On Great Eats IV—Burgers and Pastrami

JANUARY 1:              On Hofstra Men’s Basketball—The 2020-21 Season?

FEBRUARY  1:          on Purely Chase, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XXX

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Here are this month’s three defensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Offensive teams often have a set or sets of plays at decision time near the end of the game. Defense(s) should be put in place to counter these plays.
  2. Do anything within the team’s capabilities not to play zone and accept the fact that zone defense is a weak replacement for a man-to-man defense.
  3. Defense should be played with intensity; it is NOT a time to relax and/or rest.

1 Comment | East Williston, Economics, Education, Politics, Views from Others | Permalink
Posted by The Theodore Newsletter

ON THE ULTIMATE QUIZ III

October 1, 2020

October 1, 2020

This has become one of my favorites. You know the routine – 5 points for each correct answer. A grade of 90 indicates that you are brilliant; anything below 60 is, well…Answers appear at the end.

  1. What famous movie actor said in Rooster Cogburn: “Well I’ll be damned if she didn’t get the last word in again.”
  2. Who keeps advocating that one should never play zone defenses in basketball?
  3. How long ago did the BIG BANG occur?
  4. Who never put in an honest day’s work in their life?
  5. What famous movie actor said in The Maltese Falcon: “It’s the thing that dreams are made of”?
  6. True or false: The moon is approximately 240,000 miles from our plant.
  7. What metropolitan major league baseball player won the Cy Young award two years in a row (and may win it this year)?
  8. Name the capital of either North or South Dakota
  9. Who is the greatest heavyweight champion of them all?
  10. Name the capital of Iceland.
  11. What famous comedian actor repeatedly used the phrase: “And away we go”?
  12. What two US presidents continue to attempt to rewrite history?
  13. Who is the man of the 20th century? Hint: He’s a British diplomat.
  14. True or False: The temperature in the center of the sun is approximately 29MM°
  15. Who is the toughest Greek who ever lived?
  16. Name the top university in the U.S.
  17. Who is the greatest US president?
  18. What happened in the interim following the BIG BANG?
  19. What famous president said: “Take down this wall”?
  20. What famous (and beautiful) actress said in Casablanca: “Play it again, Sam”?
  21. What corrupt organization recently cancelled racing at Belmont Park from 9/2 to 9/18?

That’s it? Congratulations, if you did well… If not, better luck next time with IV.

ANSWERS:

  1. John Wayne
  2. Well, yours truly, of course
  3. Approximately 13 billion years ago
  4. Career bureaucrats, plus educators (that includes yours truly!)
  5. Humphrey “Bogie” Bogart
  6. True
  7. Met’s pitcher DeGrom
  8. Bismarck and Pierre, respectively. An extra 5 points if you got both capitals.
  9. Full credit here. For me, it was Gene Tunney.
  10. Reykjavik
  11. The great one – Jackie Gleason; he was indeed the greatest of the great.
  12. Full credit for either Carter or Obama.
  13. Winston Churchill, hands down.
  14. From what I have read, it is TRUE.
  15. I have two choices: Alexander the Great or Leonardas.
  16. Full credit. For me, it’s Northwestern followed by Rice.
  17. George Washington. He put everything on the line, including his life for our country.
  18. Full credit. Approximately 4-5 billion years ago, our galaxy was formed (which included planet Earth).
  19. Ronald Reagan
  20. Ingrid Bergman
  21. The New York Racing Association (NYRA). There is probably only a few places in the world more beautiful than New York in early September. So what did NYRA do? Cancel racing at Belmont Park – the most beautiful racetrack in the world – from 9/7 – 18. How did someone as clueless at Cuomo get elected and even worse, where did they find these NYRA executives?

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)

NEXT POSTINGS:

NOVEMBER 1:          On Election Time

DECEMBER 1:          On Great Eats IV – Burgers and Pastrami

JANUARY 1:              On Hofstra Men’s Basketball – The 2020/21 Season?

FEBRUARY 1:           On Purely Chase, Pristine and Random Thoughts XXX

———————————————————————————————————————

Here are this month’s three offensive suggestions from the upcoming second edition of my “BASKETBALL COACHING 101” book.

  1. Every attempt should be made to exploit the team’s offensive capabilities against the opponent’s defensive weaknesses.
  2. Players should learn to dribble with either hand.
  3. Players should learn to shoot with either hand.

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