Category Archives: Taxi-and-other-stories

Which Street is More Important: Canner Street or Cold Spring Street

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

Is it possible that Cold Spring Street is as important as Canner Street? I knew Canner Street from my earlier visits to Yale but Cold Spring Street was new to me. Naturally, I assumed that Canner Street was the important … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Michal Linial: No Witches in Portugal

Posted on March 2, 2012 by

It gives me great pride to present:   Michal Linial:  March 2012 No witches in Portugal Landing in LISBOA, Portugal last night. I need to get to my hotel in Cascais. The nice lady in the tourist information ordered a … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest blogger, Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Möbius Undershirt

Posted on February 9, 2010 by

“Look at this brand new undershirt,” my wife said. “I am shaking it and shaking it but still I have this twist.  Can you see what to do?”  I gave the undershirt a good shake. And another one. And one more. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Mathematics to the rescue, Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

School Bus to Ramle

Posted on August 5, 2009 by

We had just come back to Israel from Palo Alto after spending a sabbatical year there and my child was starting school. I walked down with him to wait for the school bus. To my great surprise it was a yellow school … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged | 2 Comments

Ulam and The Future of Mathematics

Posted on May 26, 2009 by

Ulam was scheduled to give a talk at the University of Chicago titled “The future of mathematics.” Stanislaw Ulam was a rather famous mathematician and a major player in building the H-bomb, so a large audience gathered.

Posted in Taxi-and-other-stories, What is Mathematics | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Intermediate Value Theorem Applied to Football

Posted on April 20, 2009 by

My idea (in my teenage years) of how to become a professional basketball player was a bit desperate. To cover for my height and my athletic (dis)abilities, I would simply practice how to shoot perfectly from every corner of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Mathematics to the rescue, Sport, Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Coffee, Cigarettes, and Aggression

Posted on April 7, 2009 by

  Upgrade to hell Getting an upgrade to business class on a flight to Amsterdam en route to NYC seemed splendid. But I soon discovered that I was upgraded to one of the two rows for business smokers. The person on … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Michal Linial: Vive La Technology

Posted on December 11, 2008 by

  Nebi Samuel   It was a long night after crossing the Atlantic. I got to the airport and indeed the big signs of ‘Welcome’ and “TAAM SHEL BAIT” (taste of home) had a special appeal. It was 3:30 in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest blogger, Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

1:0 to Italy: Michal Linial

Posted on December 10, 2008 by

Coming back from Hinxton, the most exciting genome center in the world and the most boring place after 5pm… At 5:30, a shuttle bus takes all the ‘workers’ to the big city – to Cambridge. The shuttle bus dropped us … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest blogger, Sport, Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Academic Degrees and Sex

Posted on November 30, 2008 by

“251 Mercer street” I said, “it is in the village,” “I know that” said the driver “are you going to NYU?” “Yes” I said. I was going to give a lecture at Ricky and Eli’s Tuesday evening’s Geometry Seminar and came … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxi-and-other-stories | Tagged , , | 7 Comments