Doodle Alley, subtitled Comics that Nourish, by Stephen McCranie is a comic_book/web_site/series_of_essays that is an inspirational instructional web_book/how_to/co[s]mic_essay on creativity and getting things done. It's written around his own experiences learning to draw, develop a comics website and generally getting things done. Particularly worth reading if you are having trouble of your own getting things accomplished. You can read most of the essays on the web. With help from kickstarter, he has recently published the comics in book form (5$) with three additional essays available from his online store. I found it easy to agree with and to empathize with his suggestions and discusions; his suggestions match my own experiences. The book is called Brick by Brick. From the image, it looks like his book might be called Brick by Brick Table of Contents, but it's not.   

I saw a study on resistance training, and it came with a free evaluation. I wanted to know how many ohms I was and how to make it higher or lower, so I tried to enroll. Might prove handy in case of an electrical storm out on the golf course.  Unfortunately they wanted smokers and wanted to help them quit. I went out and bought some cigarettes, but I couldn't stand to smoke them. So I tried a cigar, figuring I just had to keep the smoke going until my clothes were saturated, but I couldn't manage to keep the cigar lit. Won't be learning about my resistance. Fortunately, after I do a load of clothes, the smell will be gone.

I'm interested in losing weight; read an ad in the stairwell for a diet study.  They want people with a BMI of at least 30.  I'm at 28 or so.  So this Christmas I'm eating all the chocolate ice cream I can manage.  Plan to hit 30 in the middle of next week, no problem.  

My thesis advisor was Dennis Cook.  Was back visiting the U of Minnesota this Fall and took the opportunity to get a jointly authored photograph.

Dennis has made major [fundamental] contributions to regression diagnostics, regression modeling, model checking, statistical graphics, normal theory nonlinear regression modeling, graphical regression, envelope models and a bunch of additional topics I've omitted.  He has just taken over as director of the school of statistics.

[Photograph by anon U of M Stat grad student.]

At least, the purpose of this blog.

Advice and speculation on most any related subject. Many questions and occasional answers. Send an email if you like!

There will be commentary. However, dear reader, your help is solicited immediately, this minute. From the very humble beginning, even before the first spirit attends its chore this night. Commentary is entirely your responsibility. Be brave. Be prolific. Contribute. Your community awaits.

With grateful regards for reading this, I remain your one true servant.

Robert Weiss