Monthly Archives: June 2011

The Nation Has Problems

The Nation Has Problems, Vol. 1

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Hi everybody!  I'm Dr. House!  (no relation)

Normally, I will just right into my post, but since this is the first post in the series, I'll start out talking about what this series is going to be about and what I want to do with it.

The main point will be for me to introduce you some interesting "math" problems.  I put math in quotes, because as a newly appointed doctor of mathematics, my ideas about what constitutes a math problem differs greatly from someone in the general population (more on this in a bit).  Normally, I'll break these posts into 3 parts:

  1. A recap of results/ideas from the preview volume;
  2. A short essay about a topic of my choosing; and
  3. One, two, or more interesting problems for you all to work on!

Since there is no previous volume to recap today, I'm going to lay the ground rules about what it expected from those that participate.  First off, the purpose of these things is for enjoyment.  I'm not going to be keeping track of how many problems you get right, so if you want to cheat and search the internet, I'm not going to try and stop you, but please be respectful and don't immediately post solutions right below the text for everyone to see.  That being said, I don't want to discourage discussion either!  The point is to have fun and discussing interesting problems is fun!

Continue reading The Nation Has Problems, Vol. 1 →

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of 6/12

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Toledo 6, Rochester 3 in Toledo.  The Mud Hens scored three in the first and the Red Wings never caught up.  Aaron Bates had two singles and a double, raising his average to .355.  Tsuyoshi Nishioka singled and doubled.  Eric Hacker surrendered all six runs on nine hits and two walks in 4.2 innings.  Jake Stevens pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, giving up just one hit.

Erie 2, New Britain 0 in New Britain.  Chris Cates had two doubles, which was half of the Rock Cats hit total.  Dennis Suarez worked seven strong innings, giving up one run on three hits and two walks, but took a tough loss.

Bradenton 7, Ft. Myers 3 in Ft. Myers.  The Mets scored three runs in the last two innings to put the game away.  Steve Liddle had three hits.  Edgar Ibarra allowed four runs (two earned) on ten hits and a walk in five innings.  Ricky Bowen pitched two shutout innings, giving up no hits but two walks.

Beloit 7, Lake County 2 in Beloit.  Andrew Achter struck out six in six shutout innings, giving up three hits and three walks.  Wang-wei Lin singled and doubled.  Jairo Perez had two hits.

DSL Twins—No game scheduled.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 13

Jim Mutrie (1851)
Bill Bergen (1878)
Gene Desautels (1907)
Mel Parnell (1922)
Dave Rosenfield (1931)
Tom Cheek (1939)
Marcel Lachemann (1941)
Ernie Whitt (1952)
Darrell May (1972)

A part-time catcher for eleven seasons, Bill Bergen played in 947 major league games, gettting 3,028 at-bats.  In those at-bats, he compiled a batting line of .170/.194/.201.  He must have been a tremendous defender.

There do not appear to be any players with connections to the Minnesota Twins who were born on this day.

The Nation Has An Appetite

Summer Salad Satisfaction

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In Friday's CoC, Greek(??) was calling for recipes to up his veggie intake. The specific context was Indian food, but I was determined to have burritos last night, so the Indian recipes will have to wait.

Instead, I'm offering a refreshing, crunchy salad/salsa, easy to make and perfect to accompany something On The Grill (ahem -- consider that a Batsignal, Banjo).

Cucumber-Corn Salad with Chile-Lime Dressing

1 can sweet corn (or 2 ears fresh corn, preferably roasted, and stripped) 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped 1 avocado, diced
1 tbsp chopped cilantro, with stems chile-lime vinaigrette to taste

for the dressing:
1 tsp ground chile (New Mexico or California, or paprika can substitute, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
a big pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper

1-2 cloves of garlic, smushed into a paste, 1 tbsp honey
juice of 1/2 lime plus grated lime zest, extra virgin olive oil

gently heat the chile, salt and pepper to "bloom" the essential oils (a quick zap in the microwave, or heat briefly in a small frying pan). Put into a small mixing bowl and combine with honey, then the garlic and lime. Whisk in olive oil until you've reached your desired consistency (about 1/3 cup of oil). Check for seasoning. If it needs more acidity, add a few drops of red wine vinegar or more lime juice.

gently combine all vegetables and dress with the viniagrette. Mix in the cilantro and serve. This works as a salad or salsa. Great accompaniment to grilled chicken, ribs, pork, fish, black beans...beer and chips.

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 65: Rangers at Red Wings

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No, this isn't the Stanley Cup Finals. This is a baseball game. And it is an opportunity for the Twins to win their third straight series. I would have to say I would be satisfied with a split giving the minor league nature of the lineup, but a win would sure be sweet.

The mound matchup is Matt Harrison vs. Francisco Liriano. So, another lefty to pitch against the Twins, the third in the series. Probably a good time for Justin Morneau to get a few days off, if there is such a thing. Harrison had little margin for error with a below-average K rate and he doesn't help himself much by walking more than average. His groundball rate is only average, but despite all this he has a shiny 122 ERA+. His stats show that he has gotten a ton of popups and double plays and has allowed few line drives, so it looks like he has had pretty good command despite the excessive walks. FWIW, the Twins have hit him well, but most of those in the lineup today weren't in the lineup the last time he pitched against the Twins. Harrison also has been trying to pass a kidney stone, so don't be surprised if he collapses in pain during the game.

Liriano was solid in his last start and hasn't allowed more than two runs in his previous three starts. Hopefully, he's getting ready to start dominating again. For the Twins to continue this run of good play, the starters will have to lead the way. It's difficult to imagine that this lineup will continue to score runs like they have of late. However, I've got to say, Ben Revere is quickly moving up my list of favorite players. GO WINGS!!