Friday, December 30, 2011

World's Greatest Free Throw Shooter ~ Ted St. Martin ~ 5,221 in a row! - YouTube

World's Greatest Free Throw Shooter ~ Ted St. Martin ~ 5,221 in a row! - YouTube:

I'm tired of the announcers making fun of Joakim Noah's free throw form. Noah looks like Ted. Please tell the NBA.

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Focus is underated

Figure out on what to focus.
Schedule when to focus.
Following though with this focus.
Continue on iteratively more specific levels until you know the very specific and immediate task and focus on it.
Focusing in this way is a nearly universally valuable skill that I have never known to be taught.

Example:
I want to be good at basketball so I must focus on practicing (not playing).
I decide to practice from 5 to 6 PM at the YMCA.
I go to the YMCA

I then decide that I want to improve my ability to attack the rim.
How, using a spin move.
How do I practice a spin move?

The components are:
1. Getting the other player leaning
2. Moving the ball to the hand opposite the side I'm spinning toward
3. Taking a large step with the foot on the side I'm spinning towards past the foot of the player I'm spinning past.
4. Pivot quickly on the planted foot with which the large step was taken while controlling the ball with the opposite hand in a single dribble that is continued with the hand on the side being spun toward.
5. Take another large step and likely one more dribble with the same hand being spun toward.
6. Pick up dribble, likely with the one hand and finish with a layup or pick up with both hands and pull up for a jump shot.

Now try to do the whole spin move quickly.  After imperfection figure out what component was imperfect first and practice it both in isolation and as part of the entire move.  Each component can be broken down into a similar list of components.

For example, how to I get the other player leaning?
1. Inside out dribble
2. Fake crossover
3. Forward between the legs dribble
4. Backward between the legs dribble
5. Behind the back dribble

Each of these fakes has intricacies.  The skills and sub-skills on which to focus are endless.  The relieving result of focusing on the components is that when practiced they will meld together in unexpected yet brilliantly productive combinations when in the flow during the heat of battle.

Friday, December 23, 2011

The stage management of the grief for Kim Jong-il - Telegraph

Is anyone actually fooled or affected by this display?

I'm shocked that the answer is likely yes. If for no other reason than that the power to coerce so many people to pseudo-mourn is an impressive show of power. Enforcing the mourning might be a relatively harmless signal to the people that the government is still in control.

The stage management of the grief for Kim Jong-il - Telegraph:

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

So secretive that we don't even know the rulers age

North Korea's Kim blocked the howling wind of history | Reuters: "His successor Kim Jong-un, believed to be in his late 20s, will have a hard task measuring up to his father's feats and those of his grandfather"

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Ethiopia convicts Swedish journalists of terrorism - CSMonitor.com

Should we really pity people brave or stupid enough to enter Ethiopia illegally and then mess with the government? It's almost as dumb as hiking near the Iranian border. At some point we should simply offer Darwin Awards and move on.

Ethiopia convicts Swedish journalists of terrorism - CSMonitor.com: "The pair entered the country illegally in July with the intention of reporting on the activities of a Sweden-linked oil company, they testified. To gain access to the heavily restricted region, they linked up with rebels from the banned Ogaden National Liberation Front."

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Not so brilliantSanta insight of the day

Santa gives presents.
We've never heard on anyone other than Santa riding on a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer.
Is this because nobody ever asked for such a sleigh?  Santa can't make another?  Or Santa doesn't exist?
If he does exist, meaning that such sleighs are possible, why hasn't anyone else come up with a similarly fun vehicle?