When it comes to beer there is much to talk about, write about, and tackle. Health aspects have been a recent topic in this space. Here the health angle continues but from the perspective of other drinks. The health measure, sleep. The culprit, caffeine. Beyond, or better yet because of, the added alertness, boost in energy, and mood enhancement it is worth asking what else comes along for the ride, or is left out. Caffeine and sleep are inexorably intertwined as they... [Read More]

With increased computing power and gene sequencing we hear about the prospects of personalized medicine and pharmaceuticals. That opportunity, in many dumbed down and modest forms, is already here. It is time we leverage the science available for a drinking customized with our health in mind. Alcohol is a toxin and it is unclear what low level can be defined as unequivocally safe. Stepping back from the worst case, long-term detrimental effects we can target the more immediate future for guidance on how to better judge our shenanigans. I... [Read More]

A Whoopin’ Happened, but How? What does domination look like? There are many ways to the same label and this weekend we saw one approach. The larger man, Spence, used his mind in combination with his physical advantages to never allow his smaller, but still great opponent to get settled. If the domination were not apparent enough from viewing the bout the numbers bear out the one-sided affair in stark terms. By contrasting the fight night stats against the respective fighters’ previously recorded punch stat performances, and taking some... [Read More]

Tipple Responsibly: Especially you, young man. Data Source: CDC & US Census Data Source: CDC & US Census Notes Opening photo by mnm.all on Unsplash [Read More]

I was fortunate to be introduced to boxing at a young age and at a great time for quality of fighters, broadcasts, and storylines. The network that played the oversized roll in this introduction was HBO. Decades down the line I was fully indoctrinated to its brand. Though I could be critical at times, having not lost all sense of individual preference and autonomy I never questioned where the best quality fights and fighters would be. I was hardly the only one. A couple of generations grew up taking the... [Read More]

Whether ‘tis nobler to stay in or go out At a certain age many of us wrestle with the decision of whether or not to go out, whether to go to a specific place, and whether it was worth it given the options. This is usually during a youthful period and as such is characterized by abundant energy, the typical enthusiasm, and general excitement. We are having fun and we want more of it, routinely. When we believe that we have missed... [Read More]

Data Source: BoxRec Make Money Money… Boxing is a rough sport, both inside and outside the ring. It may be just as tough, if not more so, on the business side. Everyone needs to look out and make sure they are not being taken advantage of. That goes for fighters, trainers, promoters, and the viewing public. Each of these constituents is at the mercy of the others and can be handed a raw deal at any time. You cannot fault... [Read More]

Eeny, meeny With the cold weather behind us it is time to return to walking and claiming the city more fully.1 Even in traveling by subway, taxi, or bike we have more daylight and warm weather than in recent months, both encouraging us to stay out a bit (longer) between work and home. In a couple of months it will be hot enough to frequent rooftop bars, a few months further still we will once again be sliding into another frigid winter. The time is now to... [Read More]

More Data, More Problems Beer, like any worthwhile topic, may be approached from various angles and on different levels. In this series we have focused on individual beer styles, looking at their characteristics and how they relate to each other. We reviewed the recommendation from one style to another and divized different approaches for making sense of this: link & node, longest path, and PageRank. In our current piece we are going to step back and look at the style categories, cutting down on the nearly... [Read More]

AM Ale Coffee and beer have several dozen similarities worth appreciating and they work as natural complements to one another, opposite sides of the coin that we insert to alter our perception, cognitive abilities, and mood. There is no need to pretend as if either are not mind altering beverages. Let us get that out first, front and center, when it comes to reciting commonalities. One upper, one downer, both over the counter, bar and barista, that in moderation make life tremendously more enjoyable but taken to extreme devalue... [Read More]

Reflections of Hops Past The glass rests on the table in front of me. The contents are restless, making puny movements. I can see the bubbles releasing themselves from the bottom and sides, taking flight toward the top. Occasionally the bubbles make it just a fraction of the way, catching on again to the glass, having been impeded by another bubble or slowed down no doubt by the weight of the surrounding liquid which is far more languid by comparison with the carbonated activity. On top of the liquid... [Read More]