Fifty pages into the book and Malcom Gladwell had already become my favorite contemporary writer. His faultless writing style is always engaging, and the his constant examples sustain his arguments well. I aspire to convey myself in such a magnetic and immaculate fashion. The book on the other hand was not without its flaws.
On the whole, what I drew from the book was entertainment more than anything else. The Tipping Point is about the different elements and people that contribute to social epidemics. Gladwell paints a picture over nearly 400 pages that inevitably lures you in. Fashion trends, television shows, and viral pandemics are all subject to similar factors which cause them to be "tipped."
Three hundred and fifty pages into the book and I was still enjoying myself but was less convinced than I had been at two hundred pages in. This work is divided into chapters that use case studies to validate Gladwell's claims that the Law of the Few, Stickiness Factor, and Powers of Context govern the "tipping" of social epidemics.
As I continued to read, I felt more and more that the book and its examples were a bit too convenient. In the Law of the Few, Gladwell imparts that there are three special persons who contribute greatly to tip the circumstances: the Connector, Maven, and Salesman. I won't go into the details, but as I read I found myself wondering, "Do I fit under any of these labels?...Do any of us fit under these labels?" Malcom Gladwell went out and found the quintissential people who worked well in his theory and spoke about them at great length. I understand that these people can exist, and that they naturally play a large social role. However, what is there to gain from this book if I'm not a Salesman or I don't know any Connectors?
It isn't until the seven page long conclusion that Gladwell finally makes his point: anybody has the power to take on the above roles and tilt the scales. They just need to keep in mind the Power of Context and Stickiness Factor. Both of which I found fairly convincing. I doubt that I will apply his Rule of 150 which states that humans are the most socially efficient in groups of 150 or less; however, all the lessons from the book are valuable and backed up by credible examples. The original conclusion tails off leaving the reader confused about the purpose of the book. The 2002 edition includes an afterword that contains examples which should have been in the original conclusion and also adequately wraps up the book's objective and motivates the reader to apply The Tipping Point to his own life.
Overall, The Tipping Point is a great read purely for its convenient yet exceedingly educational case studies. I learned how they cleaned up the New York subway system by cleaning up the graffiti. I learned why I loved Sesame Street as a child and why my friends with cable loved Blue's Clues even more. I highly recommend Gladwell's 2000 book to anyone if for nothing other than pure entertainment and lovely morsels of eclectic knowledge.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Prosecco Review
I took my wife to trendy Italian spot, Prosecco, for her birthday. The plan was to have a late light dinner, but I'm not sure how I thought that Italian comfort food would be light. In any case, when we walked in for our 9:00 PM reservation, it was immediately clear how trendy Prosecco was. It was filled with a foodie crowd; and even with our late reservation, it took over half an hour to be seated. By that time we were desperately hoping to be blown away by the food.
The first thing you notice about Prosecco is how impeccably Italian it is. You're not served family size portions, but the place is bustling and gourmet Italian food is prepared by real Italians and served by real Italians. Typically when we order, I relay both our choices to our server; however, in this instance, I was cut off right after I ordered my dish when my server immediately turned to my wife. Apparently, he had been put off that I had not allowed her to order first...if he had waited a moment he would have realized how we work. I rectified this by placing my wife's order first for dessert.
We began the meal with drinks at the bar, and bread was served as soon as we were seated. The bread came with an unidentifiable savory sauce with a bit of tang and a enjoyable freshness from celery elements. It was both unique and remarkably enjoyable. The two types of bread were both certainly good enough to keep me busy until our appetizer arrived. Of course, by this time we were starving, and I was having difficulty keeping myself from dipping further into the bread basket.
It was a little while before our Bufala Mozarella antipasti arrived. By this time, we had been unimpressed by the wait and hoped to be amazed by the appetizer everyone seemed to be having. The fresh mozarella was served atop heirloom tomatoes with bits of what they called balsamic viniagrette caviar. The best way to describe this dish is to tell you what I told my wife: "This is some good cheese." The viniagrette caviar is simply gelatinous balls of viniagrette which add a nice sweet finish to the freshness of the overall dish. The antipasti was probably my favorite part of the meal. I want some now.
My second favorite part of the meal was probably the wines. While awaiting our cocktails we were served the house prosecco. This clean bubbly started sweet and finished neat. My rosso was a well rounded syrah that wasn't dry or fruity and complex enough to be everything in between. I will be emailing the restaurant to track down both of these. On the other hand, when I ordered my wife a Bellini, we were told the bar had ran out of peach nectar, and she ended up with a pedestrian mimosa instead.
Our main course led to further disappointment when I was told that I couldn't have my risotto because they ran out of rice... How was that even possible? The Orecchiette Tartufette I went with instead turned out to be a great decision. Pasta in black truffle cream and white truffle oil is about as decadent as it sounds. Bits of fresh asparagus and sundried tomato were a nice touch. I thought it was really good, but my wife went as far as to say that she would return to Prosecco just for this dish. Needless to say, I let her have most of it.
Her dish in comparison, the Cavatelli con Gamberi e Zafferano, was simply too light. The riccota dumplings and shrimp were prepared well, but we were both underwhelmed by the saffron broth. This dish certainly fell short of our expectations. Both dishes however have firmly ingrained in me the opinion that all pastas should have some form of asparagus involved.
From carbs to more carbs, we ordered a hazelnut semifreddo and ricotta mascarpone cheesecake for dessert. Alas, no semifreddo. That's right, a third dish that was unavailable. The torta ricotta was again as extraordinarily fresh as the rest of our dishes. A touch of lemon helped the combination of cheeses keep it light. This almost fluffy cheesecake mirrored our overall experience at Prosecco: really good but hardly life altering.
The overall freshness and comfort feel of Prosecco will have us giving them another chance. Our server was very gracious about all the shortcomings and did provide us with a complimentary dessert wine; although, for all our troubles, I expected a little bit more. In the end, no bellini, no rice, and no semifreddo is pretty tough to swallow. Prosecco is probably much better than it was to us, and what we had was just good enough to warrant another chance. Eventually.
The first thing you notice about Prosecco is how impeccably Italian it is. You're not served family size portions, but the place is bustling and gourmet Italian food is prepared by real Italians and served by real Italians. Typically when we order, I relay both our choices to our server; however, in this instance, I was cut off right after I ordered my dish when my server immediately turned to my wife. Apparently, he had been put off that I had not allowed her to order first...if he had waited a moment he would have realized how we work. I rectified this by placing my wife's order first for dessert.
We began the meal with drinks at the bar, and bread was served as soon as we were seated. The bread came with an unidentifiable savory sauce with a bit of tang and a enjoyable freshness from celery elements. It was both unique and remarkably enjoyable. The two types of bread were both certainly good enough to keep me busy until our appetizer arrived. Of course, by this time we were starving, and I was having difficulty keeping myself from dipping further into the bread basket.
It was a little while before our Bufala Mozarella antipasti arrived. By this time, we had been unimpressed by the wait and hoped to be amazed by the appetizer everyone seemed to be having. The fresh mozarella was served atop heirloom tomatoes with bits of what they called balsamic viniagrette caviar. The best way to describe this dish is to tell you what I told my wife: "This is some good cheese." The viniagrette caviar is simply gelatinous balls of viniagrette which add a nice sweet finish to the freshness of the overall dish. The antipasti was probably my favorite part of the meal. I want some now.
My second favorite part of the meal was probably the wines. While awaiting our cocktails we were served the house prosecco. This clean bubbly started sweet and finished neat. My rosso was a well rounded syrah that wasn't dry or fruity and complex enough to be everything in between. I will be emailing the restaurant to track down both of these. On the other hand, when I ordered my wife a Bellini, we were told the bar had ran out of peach nectar, and she ended up with a pedestrian mimosa instead.
Our main course led to further disappointment when I was told that I couldn't have my risotto because they ran out of rice... How was that even possible? The Orecchiette Tartufette I went with instead turned out to be a great decision. Pasta in black truffle cream and white truffle oil is about as decadent as it sounds. Bits of fresh asparagus and sundried tomato were a nice touch. I thought it was really good, but my wife went as far as to say that she would return to Prosecco just for this dish. Needless to say, I let her have most of it.
Her dish in comparison, the Cavatelli con Gamberi e Zafferano, was simply too light. The riccota dumplings and shrimp were prepared well, but we were both underwhelmed by the saffron broth. This dish certainly fell short of our expectations. Both dishes however have firmly ingrained in me the opinion that all pastas should have some form of asparagus involved.
From carbs to more carbs, we ordered a hazelnut semifreddo and ricotta mascarpone cheesecake for dessert. Alas, no semifreddo. That's right, a third dish that was unavailable. The torta ricotta was again as extraordinarily fresh as the rest of our dishes. A touch of lemon helped the combination of cheeses keep it light. This almost fluffy cheesecake mirrored our overall experience at Prosecco: really good but hardly life altering.
The overall freshness and comfort feel of Prosecco will have us giving them another chance. Our server was very gracious about all the shortcomings and did provide us with a complimentary dessert wine; although, for all our troubles, I expected a little bit more. In the end, no bellini, no rice, and no semifreddo is pretty tough to swallow. Prosecco is probably much better than it was to us, and what we had was just good enough to warrant another chance. Eventually.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Thank You Nappy
Nappy passed away this morning at 6:35 AM. He was four years old. The first thing that I ask is you don't judge him since he was a bunny rather than a cat or a dog. He was just as full of emotion, and those that have met him know just how awesome he is. I am at somewhat of a loss as to what to say in this space.
We named him Nappy on the drive back from the pet store, because while all the other bunnies played, Nappy just continued to nap. But the second we took him home, he become a bundle of energy. His misnomer was a joke, and his rambunctious attitude was his defining characteristic. But now, you can finally take a nice long nap, Nappy.
While my wife and I were living apart, I never really saw that much of Nappy. I was there for the first couple of days after we bought him and then returned to school. Later that year, I took care of Nappy for about a month or so, while my wife was away, and while we grew a little closer, it was more like two dudes sharing a bachelorpad.
It was when my wife and I moved to Chicago that we really became a family, and Nappy was there from the very beginning. When we moved into our condo, you could immediately tell how natural the new place was for him. We laid out our furniture in a Nappy proof fashion, so that he could roam where he wished.
Without his little footsteps, the house is so empty. I've already stopped waiting for him to appear when I walk out the door and looking to see where he might be hiding when I wake up in the morning; but, I don't think I will ever truly forget. I will look at the fireplace where he would chill after a petting session. I will walk through the foyer where he so often was waiting for us to return. I will look at our tables, where he liked to reside under the tree of chair legs. I will look at our couch armrest, his resident petting location.
Nappy loved being clean. He would groom himself nonstop and licked me and my wife whenever he felt like we were too dirty. At the vet, he was unable to groom properly, and last night, he stayed perfectly still as I picked the deposits from his oral medications off his face.
I am still at a loss as to how to deal with my pain. All of my research suggests that for whatever reason, kidney failure at a young age is rare. I have a million regrets, but continually try to convince myself that we gave him the best life he could have had and he is at peace. He was so young and always healthy. Was it really just his time?
My wife and I agree that we never expected Nappy to affect our lives in this way. We never expected him to display so much emotion day in and day out. Nappy couldn't talk and that made his actions so meaningful. He expressed his joy by binkying all over the place. When he was mad, he would turn his back to you, stomp loudly, and then peek back out of the corner of his eye. Rarely, he would flop onto his side and lie completely relaxed.
Nappy was the most creative sitter in the world. He had a multitude of sitting poses, most of which we named. The "duck" was when he tucked his feet and head in becoming a ball-like shape similar to a duck. The "chill" was when he sat and then stuck his rear legs out to the side. Often he would lay his head completely on the ground in a lazy manner. He would always put his head on the ground as you squatted and approached in preparation for a petting.
Nappy really influenced us in an unpredictable way. Neither my wife nor I had really ever had a pet, and we were truly blessed to have Nappy. I had been considering using this post to discuss his condition medically, but now all I want is to write about how much we loved Nappy. I want this here, so I never forget how awesome he was. There are still a million more things I can say about Nappy.
But most importantly I want to say, "Thank you Nappy for loving us. Thank you for making our family whole. Without you, we are so empty, but we'd like to think that part of you will be with us forever. There's an irreplaceable hole in our family, but when we finally move on, it will be because of how much you mean to us and how you'll always be with us. Thank you for four amazing years. We love you."
P.S. Nappy was soo soft, it's no wonder he was vain.
We named him Nappy on the drive back from the pet store, because while all the other bunnies played, Nappy just continued to nap. But the second we took him home, he become a bundle of energy. His misnomer was a joke, and his rambunctious attitude was his defining characteristic. But now, you can finally take a nice long nap, Nappy.
While my wife and I were living apart, I never really saw that much of Nappy. I was there for the first couple of days after we bought him and then returned to school. Later that year, I took care of Nappy for about a month or so, while my wife was away, and while we grew a little closer, it was more like two dudes sharing a bachelorpad.
It was when my wife and I moved to Chicago that we really became a family, and Nappy was there from the very beginning. When we moved into our condo, you could immediately tell how natural the new place was for him. We laid out our furniture in a Nappy proof fashion, so that he could roam where he wished.
Without his little footsteps, the house is so empty. I've already stopped waiting for him to appear when I walk out the door and looking to see where he might be hiding when I wake up in the morning; but, I don't think I will ever truly forget. I will look at the fireplace where he would chill after a petting session. I will walk through the foyer where he so often was waiting for us to return. I will look at our tables, where he liked to reside under the tree of chair legs. I will look at our couch armrest, his resident petting location.
Nappy loved being clean. He would groom himself nonstop and licked me and my wife whenever he felt like we were too dirty. At the vet, he was unable to groom properly, and last night, he stayed perfectly still as I picked the deposits from his oral medications off his face.
I am still at a loss as to how to deal with my pain. All of my research suggests that for whatever reason, kidney failure at a young age is rare. I have a million regrets, but continually try to convince myself that we gave him the best life he could have had and he is at peace. He was so young and always healthy. Was it really just his time?
My wife and I agree that we never expected Nappy to affect our lives in this way. We never expected him to display so much emotion day in and day out. Nappy couldn't talk and that made his actions so meaningful. He expressed his joy by binkying all over the place. When he was mad, he would turn his back to you, stomp loudly, and then peek back out of the corner of his eye. Rarely, he would flop onto his side and lie completely relaxed.
Nappy was the most creative sitter in the world. He had a multitude of sitting poses, most of which we named. The "duck" was when he tucked his feet and head in becoming a ball-like shape similar to a duck. The "chill" was when he sat and then stuck his rear legs out to the side. Often he would lay his head completely on the ground in a lazy manner. He would always put his head on the ground as you squatted and approached in preparation for a petting.
Nappy really influenced us in an unpredictable way. Neither my wife nor I had really ever had a pet, and we were truly blessed to have Nappy. I had been considering using this post to discuss his condition medically, but now all I want is to write about how much we loved Nappy. I want this here, so I never forget how awesome he was. There are still a million more things I can say about Nappy.
But most importantly I want to say, "Thank you Nappy for loving us. Thank you for making our family whole. Without you, we are so empty, but we'd like to think that part of you will be with us forever. There's an irreplaceable hole in our family, but when we finally move on, it will be because of how much you mean to us and how you'll always be with us. Thank you for four amazing years. We love you."
P.S. Nappy was soo soft, it's no wonder he was vain.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Truth About Charging Li-Ion Batteries
I recently purchased a new cell phone, and the retail agent advised me to charge it for 3-4 hours, then allow it to drain, and then give it a full charge overnight. I was relatively aware of this procedure, but I had always thought the proper protocol was to give the battery a full discharge followed by a full charge to maximize performance. Clearly some research about the current state of battery technology was in order.
Nowadays, all portable electronics use Li-Ion batteries. The current state of Li-Ion technology has made Nickel batteries fairly obsolete. There are some circumstances where Nickel batteries are appropriate, but in general the weight and performance if Li-Ion batteries make them superior for use in portable electronics.
My new cell phone is no exception. So the question is: what is the proper way to first charge a Li-Ion battery and then prolong its life. Fortunately for us, Li-Ion design today is fairly foolproof. Li-Ion is a clean charging system and does not require any priming; therefore, any instructions to charge, discharge, etc are relics from when Ni-Cd batteries were the norm. The only real advantage to giving your battery a full discharge and recharge is that it will reset the 'state of battery' estimation for a smart battery. So, if your battery begins to read empty yet continues for function for a long time or vice versa, giving it a full discharge and recharge will reset the meter properly.
Moreover, Li-Ion systems protect themselves from overcharge, so leaving them plugged in should have no detrimental effect. The battery will automatically give itself a topping charge once every 20 days or so. Unlike nickel systems, Li-Ion batteries have no trickle charge and keeping them plugged in is relatively safe.
So what exactly can you do to prolong battery life? Li-Ion batteries actual perform better under a partial charge, and charging to 3.92V rather than the rated 4.2V can double your cycle life. On the other hand, you will inevitably lose some capacity, and who really has the time to unplug their cell phone shortly before it's fully charged. Current battery technology has advanced to the point that typical Li-Ion cells can last 300-500 full cycles. Estimates equate this to about two years of normal usage.
That being said, you can improve on these numbers by following specific charging protocol. The simple rule is to charge where and when you can. Li-Ion batteries are designed to to perform the best with a partial charge, so the less time they spend discharging the better. This simple study compared charging overnight, charging when empty, and charging whenever possible:
http://blogn95.blogspot.com/2007/07/gentlemen-charge-your-batteries.html
The results: Charging overnight and whenever possible far outperformed the charged on empty battery. That really is the simple rule. Don't worry about priming your battery. The first time you charge your battery is no different from every other time for Li-Ion batteries. Just try to charge it whenever you can, and that will effectively maximize battery capacity and life.
Additional Sources:
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-21.htm
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
http://vidmar.net/weblog/archive/2004/06/11/308.aspx
Nowadays, all portable electronics use Li-Ion batteries. The current state of Li-Ion technology has made Nickel batteries fairly obsolete. There are some circumstances where Nickel batteries are appropriate, but in general the weight and performance if Li-Ion batteries make them superior for use in portable electronics.
My new cell phone is no exception. So the question is: what is the proper way to first charge a Li-Ion battery and then prolong its life. Fortunately for us, Li-Ion design today is fairly foolproof. Li-Ion is a clean charging system and does not require any priming; therefore, any instructions to charge, discharge, etc are relics from when Ni-Cd batteries were the norm. The only real advantage to giving your battery a full discharge and recharge is that it will reset the 'state of battery' estimation for a smart battery. So, if your battery begins to read empty yet continues for function for a long time or vice versa, giving it a full discharge and recharge will reset the meter properly.
Moreover, Li-Ion systems protect themselves from overcharge, so leaving them plugged in should have no detrimental effect. The battery will automatically give itself a topping charge once every 20 days or so. Unlike nickel systems, Li-Ion batteries have no trickle charge and keeping them plugged in is relatively safe.
So what exactly can you do to prolong battery life? Li-Ion batteries actual perform better under a partial charge, and charging to 3.92V rather than the rated 4.2V can double your cycle life. On the other hand, you will inevitably lose some capacity, and who really has the time to unplug their cell phone shortly before it's fully charged. Current battery technology has advanced to the point that typical Li-Ion cells can last 300-500 full cycles. Estimates equate this to about two years of normal usage.
That being said, you can improve on these numbers by following specific charging protocol. The simple rule is to charge where and when you can. Li-Ion batteries are designed to to perform the best with a partial charge, so the less time they spend discharging the better. This simple study compared charging overnight, charging when empty, and charging whenever possible:
http://blogn95.blogspot.com/2007/07/gentlemen-charge-your-batteries.html
The results: Charging overnight and whenever possible far outperformed the charged on empty battery. That really is the simple rule. Don't worry about priming your battery. The first time you charge your battery is no different from every other time for Li-Ion batteries. Just try to charge it whenever you can, and that will effectively maximize battery capacity and life.
Additional Sources:
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-21.htm
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
http://vidmar.net/weblog/archive/2004/06/11/308.aspx
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Federer in Perspective
It's 10 AM CDT, and Fed is on the verge of finally completing his career grand slam and matching Sampras in total Majors. He controlled 23 seed Soderling in a momentous but albeit unsatisfying performance. Federer's fourth straight French Open Final was a bit of a let down since his rival and recent obstacle, Rafael Nadal, wasn't on the other side of the court. Nadal's bid for a record five straight French titles was stopped short by the big hitting Soderling.
10:08, and Federer just fell to the ground as I suspected. Unfortunately, he didn't cry as much as I though he would, donning a tearful smile and mostly holding back a breakdown. There has been more footage of Federer's mother than I've ever seen in this telecast. Where is she normally? More discussion on where this puts Federer historically.
Soderling's big serve and forehand proved to be trouble for a relatively fatigued Nadal. Rafa insisted fatigue wasn't a huge issue, but he was controlled from the start. Soderling broke Nadal five times in six chances and was broken twice. One of Nadal's breaks came early in the fifth set when it seemed Rafa could recover. Soderling broke him back and took the tie break easily to complete his upset.
10:27, and my wife shed a tear with Fed as he received his trophy. She had just woken up to catch championship point. Federer's acceptance speech displays his impressive command of French.
Soderling's next task was winning the French title over the 2 seed Federer. Beating both Nadal and Federer en route to a title is a feat that has only been accomplished three times, twice by Djokovic. The underdog began the match with significantly less energy than he had displayed all tournament long. His first set was riddled with first serve faults and misses. His placement was a bit off all match long as he was often on the run and frequently pushed his forehand just out. He displayed more pace on the ball in the ensuing sets only to continue to be controlled in rallies.
Federer on the other hand played very solid tennis. He wasn't in quite the invincibile form he's capable of, but his crosscourt forehands continually stretched the opposing Swede and he succesfully used his drop shot from both sides to win the point. The second set tiebreak was probably his most dominating effort of the match, winning 7-1 and amazingly acing all four of his service points. This match seemed more like one that would have occurred in the third or fourth round with the 2 seed controlling the entire match.
The French title gives Federer 14 overall, tying with Sampras and Tiger, and the career grand slam. The win blows open the debate for the best tennis player of all time and adds fuel to the friendly cross-sport rivalry between Roger and Tiger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdWtpbuUEy4
In regards to the Roger/Tiger rivalry, Roger is actually arguably ahead. Not only has he matched Tiger, but he currently holds the record for his sport. That being said, Tiger has far more potential in his sport. He's already considered the overwhelming greatest of all time and has a long time left to match the 18 Major wins of Nicklaus. Federer in comparison is in the latter years of his career. When everything is said and done, I suspect Tiger to be considered in higher regard.
As for the discussion on the greatest tennis player of all time, unfortunately, I have to begin by eliminating the likes of Tilden and Gonzalez. It's tough to disqualify players based on the period they competed, but it's too difficult to compare players with major wins when the tournaments only allowed amateurs. The Open Era began in 1968, and as such, our discussion includes Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, and Bjorn Borg and of course Roger Federer.
Bjorn Borg was winner of 11 majors when he retired at the early age of 26. Six of his titles came in the French Open, and the other five were at Wimbledon. He reached the finals of the US Open four times without a win, and only competed in the Australian Open once making it to the third round. Borg was the best of his era beating out Jimmy Connors and could have accomplished more in his career. His lack of success at the US Open could be demonstrative of what would have happened had he played more Australians, but frankly it's impossible to know. That pretty much sums up his career. He was great, but you can't say how great he could have been as his late comeback was ineffective. With his resume, he falls a bit short.
Pete Sampras holds the record for major titles with 14, but lacks the career grand slam. His fast paced attacking game was not built for clay, and his lack of clay success is probably his biggest detriment. However, he played in arguably the most competitive era of professional tennis and his success at Wimbledon makes him regarded as the greatest grass player of all time. Sampras' long and stable career allowed him to fill out his resume, and most experts place him just short of Rod Laver due to his clay record.
Rod Laver was the undisputed number one from 1965 to 1969. As mentioned, most experts consider him to be the greatest player of all time. He claimed 11 major titles of which five were in the Open Era and also won two calendar grand slams, one in the Open Era. He largely dominated fellow all-time great Roy Emerson, and also hosted winning records against the aging Gonzalez and Rosewall. All these elements justify his entitlement as the greatest of all time: his major success, grand slams, and dominance over competition.
Compared to Laver, Federer probably falls a bit short. Even with the French Open win, some may place him behind Sampras. Possibly the biggest knock on him is that he had very little competition in the early to mid 2000's when he had most of his success. He won his first major in 2003 at the relatively late age of 22. From 2003 to 2006 he had little competition. Lleyton Hewitt's success in 2001-2002 tapered off and fellow contemporaries Roddick and Ferrero have done little since their high rankings in the early 2000's. The likes of Kuerten, Safin, Agassi, and Sampras were aged by the time Federer broke onto the scene, and his fiercest competition has come recently from 23 year old Nadal and 22 year old Djokovic.
Federer's nine titles between 2003-2006 came against a relatively weak talent pool in tennis, but the emergence of Nadal has been both a blessing and a curse. Nadal thrived on clay early in his career and hosts the longest clay and single surface winning streak in the Open Era. Already considered the greatest clay court player of all time, he successfully kept Federer from a French title in three consecutive Finals from 2006 to 2008 in fairly dominating performances. Nadal's epic five set wins in the Australian and Wimbledon finals have shown he's no fluke, and he now owns the Number 1 ranking. The second most common factor discussed by Federer detractors is his success against Nadal. Nadal owns the head-to-head record winning 13 of 20 matches. However, 11 of these matches came on clay, and Roger hosts records of 3-3 on hard court and 2-1 on grass over Rafa.
It remains clear that to be considered the greatest of all time, Federer needs to prove he can beat his competition of today. Claiming a sixth Wimbledon title over Nadal could prove paramount in Federer's assertion as the greatest. So Federer's recent French win is a little muted, as it didn't come over Nadal. But prior to the French, Federer beat Nadal convincingly in the clay court tune-up, Madrid Open.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X674xVoMF0E
The last match between these two after the Australian was telling of strategies. Nadal continued his anti-Federer strategy of targeting Fed's backhand, and Federer retaliated by going on the aggressive and hitting deep heavy rallies to dictate pace. Roger successfully ran around his forehand to hit inside out drives and often hit cross court repeatedly stretching Nadal on the baseline. Off serve, he blocked serves deep to Nadal's backhand and often avoided hitting to the forehand. He frequently stretched Nadal on rallies and sliced effectively to end points. It'll be exciting to see what adjustments both make for their next match.
Fed still has a great chance to cement his status in tennis history. In addition to his record tying 14 major wins, he has made a record tying 19 major finals including ten consecutive. The rivalry between Federer and Nadal has made tennis exciting and every major final between the top ranked players a must watch. It'll be remarkable to see how far Rafa can go when Roger, six years his senior, eventually leaves the scene. He's probably the most physically fit player in history. I can't wait for Wimbledon.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/stats/day20/1127ms.html
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/stats/day13/1113ms.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(tennis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_Open_Men%27s_Singles_champions_and_finalists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Federer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjorn_Borg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampras
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/39645/the_five_best_mens_tennis_players_of.html?cat=14
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/article452696.ece
http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=503656
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/14489546/
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=tennis&id=4172788
http://www.tennischannel.com/game/history/rankings.aspx
10:08, and Federer just fell to the ground as I suspected. Unfortunately, he didn't cry as much as I though he would, donning a tearful smile and mostly holding back a breakdown. There has been more footage of Federer's mother than I've ever seen in this telecast. Where is she normally? More discussion on where this puts Federer historically.
Soderling's big serve and forehand proved to be trouble for a relatively fatigued Nadal. Rafa insisted fatigue wasn't a huge issue, but he was controlled from the start. Soderling broke Nadal five times in six chances and was broken twice. One of Nadal's breaks came early in the fifth set when it seemed Rafa could recover. Soderling broke him back and took the tie break easily to complete his upset.
10:27, and my wife shed a tear with Fed as he received his trophy. She had just woken up to catch championship point. Federer's acceptance speech displays his impressive command of French.
Soderling's next task was winning the French title over the 2 seed Federer. Beating both Nadal and Federer en route to a title is a feat that has only been accomplished three times, twice by Djokovic. The underdog began the match with significantly less energy than he had displayed all tournament long. His first set was riddled with first serve faults and misses. His placement was a bit off all match long as he was often on the run and frequently pushed his forehand just out. He displayed more pace on the ball in the ensuing sets only to continue to be controlled in rallies.
Federer on the other hand played very solid tennis. He wasn't in quite the invincibile form he's capable of, but his crosscourt forehands continually stretched the opposing Swede and he succesfully used his drop shot from both sides to win the point. The second set tiebreak was probably his most dominating effort of the match, winning 7-1 and amazingly acing all four of his service points. This match seemed more like one that would have occurred in the third or fourth round with the 2 seed controlling the entire match.
The French title gives Federer 14 overall, tying with Sampras and Tiger, and the career grand slam. The win blows open the debate for the best tennis player of all time and adds fuel to the friendly cross-sport rivalry between Roger and Tiger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdWtpbuUEy4
In regards to the Roger/Tiger rivalry, Roger is actually arguably ahead. Not only has he matched Tiger, but he currently holds the record for his sport. That being said, Tiger has far more potential in his sport. He's already considered the overwhelming greatest of all time and has a long time left to match the 18 Major wins of Nicklaus. Federer in comparison is in the latter years of his career. When everything is said and done, I suspect Tiger to be considered in higher regard.
As for the discussion on the greatest tennis player of all time, unfortunately, I have to begin by eliminating the likes of Tilden and Gonzalez. It's tough to disqualify players based on the period they competed, but it's too difficult to compare players with major wins when the tournaments only allowed amateurs. The Open Era began in 1968, and as such, our discussion includes Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, and Bjorn Borg and of course Roger Federer.
Bjorn Borg was winner of 11 majors when he retired at the early age of 26. Six of his titles came in the French Open, and the other five were at Wimbledon. He reached the finals of the US Open four times without a win, and only competed in the Australian Open once making it to the third round. Borg was the best of his era beating out Jimmy Connors and could have accomplished more in his career. His lack of success at the US Open could be demonstrative of what would have happened had he played more Australians, but frankly it's impossible to know. That pretty much sums up his career. He was great, but you can't say how great he could have been as his late comeback was ineffective. With his resume, he falls a bit short.
Pete Sampras holds the record for major titles with 14, but lacks the career grand slam. His fast paced attacking game was not built for clay, and his lack of clay success is probably his biggest detriment. However, he played in arguably the most competitive era of professional tennis and his success at Wimbledon makes him regarded as the greatest grass player of all time. Sampras' long and stable career allowed him to fill out his resume, and most experts place him just short of Rod Laver due to his clay record.
Rod Laver was the undisputed number one from 1965 to 1969. As mentioned, most experts consider him to be the greatest player of all time. He claimed 11 major titles of which five were in the Open Era and also won two calendar grand slams, one in the Open Era. He largely dominated fellow all-time great Roy Emerson, and also hosted winning records against the aging Gonzalez and Rosewall. All these elements justify his entitlement as the greatest of all time: his major success, grand slams, and dominance over competition.
Compared to Laver, Federer probably falls a bit short. Even with the French Open win, some may place him behind Sampras. Possibly the biggest knock on him is that he had very little competition in the early to mid 2000's when he had most of his success. He won his first major in 2003 at the relatively late age of 22. From 2003 to 2006 he had little competition. Lleyton Hewitt's success in 2001-2002 tapered off and fellow contemporaries Roddick and Ferrero have done little since their high rankings in the early 2000's. The likes of Kuerten, Safin, Agassi, and Sampras were aged by the time Federer broke onto the scene, and his fiercest competition has come recently from 23 year old Nadal and 22 year old Djokovic.
Federer's nine titles between 2003-2006 came against a relatively weak talent pool in tennis, but the emergence of Nadal has been both a blessing and a curse. Nadal thrived on clay early in his career and hosts the longest clay and single surface winning streak in the Open Era. Already considered the greatest clay court player of all time, he successfully kept Federer from a French title in three consecutive Finals from 2006 to 2008 in fairly dominating performances. Nadal's epic five set wins in the Australian and Wimbledon finals have shown he's no fluke, and he now owns the Number 1 ranking. The second most common factor discussed by Federer detractors is his success against Nadal. Nadal owns the head-to-head record winning 13 of 20 matches. However, 11 of these matches came on clay, and Roger hosts records of 3-3 on hard court and 2-1 on grass over Rafa.
It remains clear that to be considered the greatest of all time, Federer needs to prove he can beat his competition of today. Claiming a sixth Wimbledon title over Nadal could prove paramount in Federer's assertion as the greatest. So Federer's recent French win is a little muted, as it didn't come over Nadal. But prior to the French, Federer beat Nadal convincingly in the clay court tune-up, Madrid Open.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X674xVoMF0E
The last match between these two after the Australian was telling of strategies. Nadal continued his anti-Federer strategy of targeting Fed's backhand, and Federer retaliated by going on the aggressive and hitting deep heavy rallies to dictate pace. Roger successfully ran around his forehand to hit inside out drives and often hit cross court repeatedly stretching Nadal on the baseline. Off serve, he blocked serves deep to Nadal's backhand and often avoided hitting to the forehand. He frequently stretched Nadal on rallies and sliced effectively to end points. It'll be exciting to see what adjustments both make for their next match.
Fed still has a great chance to cement his status in tennis history. In addition to his record tying 14 major wins, he has made a record tying 19 major finals including ten consecutive. The rivalry between Federer and Nadal has made tennis exciting and every major final between the top ranked players a must watch. It'll be remarkable to see how far Rafa can go when Roger, six years his senior, eventually leaves the scene. He's probably the most physically fit player in history. I can't wait for Wimbledon.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/stats/day20/1127ms.html
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/stats/day13/1113ms.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(tennis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_Open_Men%27s_Singles_champions_and_finalists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Federer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjorn_Borg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampras
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/39645/the_five_best_mens_tennis_players_of.html?cat=14
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/article452696.ece
http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=503656
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/14489546/
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=tennis&id=4172788
http://www.tennischannel.com/game/history/rankings.aspx
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wheat Ale
Wheat ale's are probably my favorite type of beer, since several of my favorite beers are of this variety. These beers can have a multitude of profiles other than the obvious wheaty flavor. Often, they retain a citrusy-ness or acidity that goes well with lemons or oranges. Almost all wheat beers are ales as top fermenting yeasts are used, and some breweries use specially developed yeast for high wheat content. Today there are several different varieties of wheat beers, but the two traditional types of wheat ales are the Hefeweizen from Germany and the Witbier from Belgium.
Hefeweizen specifically refers to unfiltered wheat ale and is composed of 50% wheat and 50% barley by tradition. When it is filtered it is called "kristallweizen." Hefeweizens offer a bright almost spicy flavor with low hoppiness. They are highly carbonated to accompany the beer's bright and fruity flavor and to complement the malty sweetness that results from the wheat. The refreshing nature of hefeweizen typically dictates brewers to market the beer as a spring or summer ale.
Witbier literally means "white beer" and is named so due to the hazy white suspensions that result from wheat and yeast. In the past, witbier was brewed with no hops, and spices such as coriander or bitter orange were added to add flavor resulting in the evident citrus zest. Today, some but usually little hops is added retaining the same malty yet slightly sour taste.
American wheat ales stick less to the rules, and while they do keep a high wheat content, the majority also up the hops. The additional hoppiness adds complexity to the beer by both complementing and lowering the impact of the acidity. They follow more closely to the German weizen tradition than the Belgian and are often a little dryer.
There's much more to know about wheat ale, but this is more than enough information to put to use in a taste test. Below are my 5 favorite wheat beers.
Amadeus Biere Blanche - Biere Blanche means "white beer" in French and is akin to the Belgian witbier. Amadeus has a light but bright flavor and finishes so clean. It can be enjoyed with a slice of lemon, but I prefer it alone. This beer definitely won't hit you over the top with flavor and is elegantly simple.
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat - They call this an Urban Wheat, but I have no idea what that means. In any case this is an american wheat ale with a crisp and spicy hops flavor. Layers of flavor keep this beer rolling on the palate so don't add anything. 312 is the kind of beer that goes well with anything anytime. A lot of afficionados rate 312 poorly saying it's a light beer that lacks flavor; but let's face it, it sells extremely well.
Summit Hefeweizen - Another light but elegant wheat beer. The citrus really comes through. Add a slice of lemon to this one to make it even more refreshing.
Blue Moon - Brewed in the style of Belgian witbier, Blue Moon is very mellow and malty. Add a slice of orange to bring out both the acidity and malty sweetness. It's one of those beers that you just find yourself craving every now and then.
Hoegaarden - This is probably the most accessible classic witbier. Hoegaarden apparently suffers from some of the travel skunking problems that Heineken has. That being said, this beer is a very complex and rich. It has a fuller flavor than the beers above, and after an initial hit of hops, it has a great sweet and spicy finish.
This list is hardly exhaustive, and many are sure to disagree with me about both the flavor and quality of the beers. The only way to find out is to go out and have some. Blue Moon is an easy place to start, and although Amadeus is a bit expensive, you need to give it a try.
Some other wheat ales you may or may not have had:
Samuel Adams Winter Ale
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Sources:
http://www.tastings.com/beer/wheat_beers.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_beer
http://www.brasseurs-gayant.com/anglais/htm/bieres/amadeus.htm
http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/312_urban_wheat/16.php
http://www.summitbrewing.com/home.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Moon_(beer)
http://beer.about.com/od/beerandbreweryreviews/gr/Hoegaardenwhite.htm
http://beer.about.com/od/wheatbeer/a/WheatGuide.htm
http://beeradvocate.com/articles/351
Hefeweizen specifically refers to unfiltered wheat ale and is composed of 50% wheat and 50% barley by tradition. When it is filtered it is called "kristallweizen." Hefeweizens offer a bright almost spicy flavor with low hoppiness. They are highly carbonated to accompany the beer's bright and fruity flavor and to complement the malty sweetness that results from the wheat. The refreshing nature of hefeweizen typically dictates brewers to market the beer as a spring or summer ale.
Witbier literally means "white beer" and is named so due to the hazy white suspensions that result from wheat and yeast. In the past, witbier was brewed with no hops, and spices such as coriander or bitter orange were added to add flavor resulting in the evident citrus zest. Today, some but usually little hops is added retaining the same malty yet slightly sour taste.
American wheat ales stick less to the rules, and while they do keep a high wheat content, the majority also up the hops. The additional hoppiness adds complexity to the beer by both complementing and lowering the impact of the acidity. They follow more closely to the German weizen tradition than the Belgian and are often a little dryer.
There's much more to know about wheat ale, but this is more than enough information to put to use in a taste test. Below are my 5 favorite wheat beers.
Amadeus Biere Blanche - Biere Blanche means "white beer" in French and is akin to the Belgian witbier. Amadeus has a light but bright flavor and finishes so clean. It can be enjoyed with a slice of lemon, but I prefer it alone. This beer definitely won't hit you over the top with flavor and is elegantly simple.
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat - They call this an Urban Wheat, but I have no idea what that means. In any case this is an american wheat ale with a crisp and spicy hops flavor. Layers of flavor keep this beer rolling on the palate so don't add anything. 312 is the kind of beer that goes well with anything anytime. A lot of afficionados rate 312 poorly saying it's a light beer that lacks flavor; but let's face it, it sells extremely well.
Summit Hefeweizen - Another light but elegant wheat beer. The citrus really comes through. Add a slice of lemon to this one to make it even more refreshing.
Blue Moon - Brewed in the style of Belgian witbier, Blue Moon is very mellow and malty. Add a slice of orange to bring out both the acidity and malty sweetness. It's one of those beers that you just find yourself craving every now and then.
Hoegaarden - This is probably the most accessible classic witbier. Hoegaarden apparently suffers from some of the travel skunking problems that Heineken has. That being said, this beer is a very complex and rich. It has a fuller flavor than the beers above, and after an initial hit of hops, it has a great sweet and spicy finish.
This list is hardly exhaustive, and many are sure to disagree with me about both the flavor and quality of the beers. The only way to find out is to go out and have some. Blue Moon is an easy place to start, and although Amadeus is a bit expensive, you need to give it a try.
Some other wheat ales you may or may not have had:
Samuel Adams Winter Ale
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Sources:
http://www.tastings.com/beer/wheat_beers.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_beer
http://www.brasseurs-gayant.com/anglais/htm/bieres/amadeus.htm
http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/312_urban_wheat/16.php
http://www.summitbrewing.com/home.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Moon_(beer)
http://beer.about.com/od/beerandbreweryreviews/gr/Hoegaardenwhite.htm
http://beer.about.com/od/wheatbeer/a/WheatGuide.htm
http://beeradvocate.com/articles/351
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Lincoln Park Whole Foods Market
Our closest Whole Foods recently moved a block away from its location on North Ave. Clearly, sharing a parking lot with Best Buy was not the optimal situation and perhaps affected business. The new location is not incredibly convenient, but we were in the area decided to indulge our curiosity. Whole Foods has a tendency to be a bit elitist, but you can't argue with the quality they carry. The parking lot remains small with a section for alternative fuel vehicles directly in front of the store. However, we quickly discovered that there was plenty of parking as the second floor of the building acts as a parking garage.
Escalate down towards the front of the store and you get a bird's eye view of the produce section, the flowers to the left, and surprisingly enough a bar to the right. That's right...a bar. They carry an interesting selection of unique beers for about $4-5 a pint. It's amazing this store closes at 10 pm. The flowers seem to be of good quality and are relatively high priced. My wife was not overly impressed with the selection despite the overall quality.
We skipped past the produce section, but noted that they had some great deals including 1 lb boxes of strawberries for 2/$3. Immediately after the produce, the store opens up into two sections. To the left is a cereal and grain aisle which also had a great selection of nuts. The right side sports a selection of amazing looking cuts of fish. I could go on and describe the layout of the store, but it's not much different what you would imagine. A dairy section, meats, and aisles of frozen and boxed goods.
Past the cereal and grain aisle, the store continues to be surprise with an extensive wine section complete with its own sommelier. You won't find the grocery store variety of Yellow Tail and whatnot. To make matters worse, if you purchase six bottles you receive 10% off. I was also informed that the store will soon sport a sake section. It doesn't stop there. In between wines and the gratuitous cheeses is a wine and cheese bar with a lazy lounge area. About this time is when we noticed that shoppers were perusing the aisles while carrying a glass of beer or wine. Shopping while drinking?! I'll be trying that soon.
Eventually, we got the section we had originally come for, the pastries. Unfortunately we were immediately distracted by the existence of a gelato bar. Then distracted again by a neon diner sign. Whole Foods has a diner inside.
The selection of pastries has been expanded a bit to include some local favorites. That's right, Whole Foods carries the Sophia from our favorite pattisserie, Vanille. We grabbed a fruit tart and an eclaire and continued on to the gelatos.
The robust selection of gelatos include peach, hazelnut, and of course pistachio. We went with a small pistachio which was good but not that good. What was that good was the hazelnut. Of course you can take a pint or quart to go, and on Wednesdays you can take 12 oz. for $3.99. I think we'll be back on Wednesday.
The rest was pretty typical. There were some premade foods, a salad bar, and a sushi bar. At the end of the store there was a barbeque station. Whole Foods has become a tailgating option. I took a side trip to take a look at the coffee beans. No Starbucks here. What they do have is the most extensive selection of local Intelligentsia's I've ever seen. After a couple sniffs, I ended up with Quetzal Breakfast Blend.
Whole Foods isn't a grocery store. It's a tourist destination. It's a retail nightmare. I don't know how we managed to get through there without spending a hundred bucks. I was eyeing the wines...my wife was eyeing the fresh pistachios. Oh that's right, they were closing. We'll be back for sure, but I want to stress that even Whole Foods has a lot of high end items, that doesn't mean you'll be overpaying. The wine selection is very reasonable, and almost everything throughout the store is worth what you pay. That being said, we won't be too interested in the organic selection as we're already loyal to the Wild Harvest brand at Jewel. But there are more than enough enticements to keep us coming back.
Escalate down towards the front of the store and you get a bird's eye view of the produce section, the flowers to the left, and surprisingly enough a bar to the right. That's right...a bar. They carry an interesting selection of unique beers for about $4-5 a pint. It's amazing this store closes at 10 pm. The flowers seem to be of good quality and are relatively high priced. My wife was not overly impressed with the selection despite the overall quality.
We skipped past the produce section, but noted that they had some great deals including 1 lb boxes of strawberries for 2/$3. Immediately after the produce, the store opens up into two sections. To the left is a cereal and grain aisle which also had a great selection of nuts. The right side sports a selection of amazing looking cuts of fish. I could go on and describe the layout of the store, but it's not much different what you would imagine. A dairy section, meats, and aisles of frozen and boxed goods.
Past the cereal and grain aisle, the store continues to be surprise with an extensive wine section complete with its own sommelier. You won't find the grocery store variety of Yellow Tail and whatnot. To make matters worse, if you purchase six bottles you receive 10% off. I was also informed that the store will soon sport a sake section. It doesn't stop there. In between wines and the gratuitous cheeses is a wine and cheese bar with a lazy lounge area. About this time is when we noticed that shoppers were perusing the aisles while carrying a glass of beer or wine. Shopping while drinking?! I'll be trying that soon.
Eventually, we got the section we had originally come for, the pastries. Unfortunately we were immediately distracted by the existence of a gelato bar. Then distracted again by a neon diner sign. Whole Foods has a diner inside.
The selection of pastries has been expanded a bit to include some local favorites. That's right, Whole Foods carries the Sophia from our favorite pattisserie, Vanille. We grabbed a fruit tart and an eclaire and continued on to the gelatos.
The robust selection of gelatos include peach, hazelnut, and of course pistachio. We went with a small pistachio which was good but not that good. What was that good was the hazelnut. Of course you can take a pint or quart to go, and on Wednesdays you can take 12 oz. for $3.99. I think we'll be back on Wednesday.
The rest was pretty typical. There were some premade foods, a salad bar, and a sushi bar. At the end of the store there was a barbeque station. Whole Foods has become a tailgating option. I took a side trip to take a look at the coffee beans. No Starbucks here. What they do have is the most extensive selection of local Intelligentsia's I've ever seen. After a couple sniffs, I ended up with Quetzal Breakfast Blend.
Whole Foods isn't a grocery store. It's a tourist destination. It's a retail nightmare. I don't know how we managed to get through there without spending a hundred bucks. I was eyeing the wines...my wife was eyeing the fresh pistachios. Oh that's right, they were closing. We'll be back for sure, but I want to stress that even Whole Foods has a lot of high end items, that doesn't mean you'll be overpaying. The wine selection is very reasonable, and almost everything throughout the store is worth what you pay. That being said, we won't be too interested in the organic selection as we're already loyal to the Wild Harvest brand at Jewel. But there are more than enough enticements to keep us coming back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)