January 2021
63 articles published this month.
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Worth Watching
Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) Directed by Otto Preminger Starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, and Ben Gazzara Anatomy of a Murder was shot in black and white – mostly indoor scenes – and directed by Otto Preminger…
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Worth Reading
A Moveable Feast
A Moveable Feast By Ernest Hemingway 1st ed. published in 1964 by Charles Scribner’s Sons 2nd “Restored” ed. published in 2009 by Seán Hemingway 223 pages (1964); 256 pages (2009) This was the second time I…
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Postscript
Guggenheim's Hidden Performing Arts Program Emerges From Lockdown
The Guggenheim is a great museum. And their performing arts program, which has been going on for years, is a very cool part of it. But it’s almost invisible. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because the venue, a…
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Worth Considering
3 Facts, 3 Numbers, 3 Thoughts — January 29, 2021
THE FACTS * Kamala Harris is not the first person of color to be named VP of the US. From 1929 to 1933, Herbert Hoover’s number two was Charles Curtis, a member of the Kaw Nation and descendant of two…
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Postscript
Billie Eilish's Genuine Reaction To Fan Covers
Billie Eilish is clearly a very clever, calculating, and self-conscious artist. But watching her react to fan covers of her songs makes me think she’s genuine, too. Do you agree?
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Notes From My Journal
relative
For the past week or so, the press has been covering what it calls a dangerous new strain of COVID-19 (B.1.1.7 ). You’ve probably heard and/or read about it. The increase in risk, the reports say, is 30%…
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Notes From My Journal
Acting Matters More Than Directors Do
“Bad actors try to cry, and good actors try not to. Bad actors try to laugh, and good actors try not to.” – Martin Landau It’s Not All About the Director The same is true with making movies. Contrary to what…
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Postscript
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Transcendent Rainbow Rendition
Every time I hear Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Somewhere, Over the Rainbow,” I wonder: Is this the best song ever sung? When I listen to Mozart, I believe in god. When I listen to “IZ,” I believe in…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Early-Stage Investing: What You Need to Know About This Hot New Alternative to the Stock Market
“The best early-stage venture capital investments appear obvious in retrospect; however, very few of them are actually obvious when you make them.” – David Sze Early-Stage Investing: What You Need to Know…
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Postscript
Impeachment Returns to the Political Agenda
In case you thought that impeachment might have been a passing phase....
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Notes From My Journal
My First Real Boss
My first boss was my mother. She had me working at 6 or 7 years old. But I’m sure I’ll be talking about her in more depth another time. My first real boss? I’m not sure. I got a job at the Rockville Centre Car…
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Introducing...
South Korea's Viral Dance Choreographer Lia Kim
Lia Kim Lia Kim is a dancer, choreographer, and trainer hailing from South Korea. A YouTube sensation with more than two million subscribers and three hundred million views, she serves as the chief…
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Postscript
Righteous Brothers Mistaken For Chambers Brothers In Video
Here’s an entertaining and persuasive video on the efficacy of wearing masks... CORRECTION: The “Blue-eyed Soul Singers” in Friday’s video are the Righteous Brothers, not the Chambers Brothers. If you missed…
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Notes From My Journal
Modern News Headlines Blur Opinion And Fact
Some say that old-fashioned, objective journalism no longer exists – that major media have abandoned their longstanding commitment to restricting their social, political, and personal views to the editorial…
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Worth Watching
Enter the Dragon (
Enter the Dragon (1973) Directed by Michael Clouse Starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon, and Jim Kelly I watched Enter the Dragon last night. And as it opened, I realized that I’d never seen it before. It is such a…
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Postscript
Seventy-Two-Year-Old Abuelo Still Going Strong
This “abuelo” is 72 years old!
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Notes From My Journal
The Migrants Are Coming! The Migrants Are Coming!
While watching the inauguration, my brother-in-law said, “Biden wasn’t even in office yet and the Trumpsters were already starting their conspiracy theories about Latino caravans marching towards our southern…
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Worth Considering
3 Facts, 3 Numbers, 3 Thoughts — January 22, 2021
THE FACTS * Built for Donald Trump in 2018, Cadillac One is known as “The World’s Safest Car” or “The Beast” – and deservedly so. The limo-shaped tank has bulletproof windows and a reinforced chassis capable…
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Postscript
Classical Musicians React To Blue-Eyed Soul
I don’t know if you’ve seen these videos. Most are classically trained musicians responding in real time to accomplished popular music they are unfamiliar with. This one is a bit different, but just as much…
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Notes From My Journal
Everything Isn’t Always About You, Betsy!
January 17, 1983 Dear Betsy; You are sensitive to your own feelings; you indulge yourself in feelings which are always and exhaustingly about your reactions to people and events. You haven’t the faintest idea…
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Worth Considering
Someone Who Did for Others…
After reading Gellhorn’s letter, I found it interesting to read this amazing story. From The Epoch Times… “How Much Can One Person Really Do” Ever wonder how much one person can do against – well, everything?…
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Postscript
Merriam-Webster's Most Searched Words Last Week
Every Friday, Merriam-Webster posts the words that, for one reason or another, defined the week. The list was especially interesting last week. Click here to read it.
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Notes From My Journal
So… You’re Thinking About a Family Reunion?
“The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.” – Lee Iacocca So… You’re Thinking About a Family Reunion? Pre-COVID – for more than 30 years, every other year –…
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Postscript
Rancho Santana Named Best Family Hotel Again
On the subject of family getaways today, you might be interested to know that Rancho Santana has just won another award. (Click here and look under the award for Best Family Hotel.)
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Notes From My Journal
Old Men Having Fun
I’ve mentioned my Myrtle Beach Golf Club before. Once a small group of friends, mostly high school buddies, we spend a fun week every year in Myrtle Beach golfing. And our connection continues all year long…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Ready, Fire, Aim: Defining The Critical First Step
“New ideas pass through three periods: (1) It can’t be done. (2) It probably can be done, but it’s not worth doing. (3) I knew it was a good idea all along!” – Arthur C. Clarke If Ready… Fire… Aim Is the Right…
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Postscript
Young Blues Virtuoso Makes His Mark
Another wunderkind… this one playing blues.
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Notes From My Journal
Why Listicles Lost Their Marketing Power
My longtime friend and colleague Bob Bly wrote a note about the use of listicles (numbered lists) in marketing copy and editorial content. He points out that they can work quite well, for 3 reasons: They are…
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Worth Reading
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold By John le Carré 256 pages Published January 1, 1963 by Coward-McCann This was the Mules’ January book selection. As I’m writing this, we haven’t yet met, so I can’t report on…
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Worth Watching
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (1965) Directed by Martin Ritt Starring Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, and Oskar Werner More often than not, movies made from books make lots of changes. Characters are…
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Postscript
Young People and Linguistic Drift Today
I know some young people that speak this way.
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Notes From My Journal
Global Leaders Condemn Big Tech's Trump Ban Decision
Some surprising people have come to Trump’s support after he was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, and Instagram. * German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Twitter’s ban on Trump…
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Worth Considering
3 Facts, 3 Numbers, 3 Thoughts — January 14, 2021
THE FACTS * There’s an even more contagious strain of COVID here in the US! With a recent surge in cases, reports in the media, and Dr. Deborah Birx’s comments at a recent coronavirus Task Force meeting, you’d…
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Postscript
Holyfield's Best Stories From The Tyson Interview
Mike Tyson is a terrible interviewer, but Holyfield tells a great story.
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Notes From My Journal
Learning from a barefoot movement…
You think you’ve got it all figured out, then you happen upon someone else, halfway across the world, that is one step ahead of you. After watching this TED Talk, I set up a meeting with Bismarck and Michael…
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Notes From My Journal
Why Modern Political Cartoons Lost Their Humor
“Laughter is the closest distance between two people.” – Victor Borge Have You Noticed? Politically Correct Is Not Funny! I’ve been bemoaning the fact that sometime since I stopped subscribing to The New…
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Postscript
The Dream Job That Never Called Back
I've always thought my perfect retirement gig would be to get a job writing for the Onion. So far they haven't made an offer.
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Notes From My Journal
Crazy!
I thought it might be a joke when I first read about it this weekend. We fact-checked it yesterday. It’s not. Happy Tuesday! Today, I wanted to share some very good thoughts on smart investing with you. But…
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Worth Considering
True Confessions
If you have any interest in investing, you’ve probably heard of the efficient market hypothesis. It’s the theory that stocks are always priced as they should be at any given moment, and therefore it’s futile…
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Postscript
Child Prodigy Singer Defies Tiger Parent Expectations
You may have seen this already… I hadn’t. This kid is obviously the product of Tiger parents, but his voice is not something that can be learned.
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Notes From My Journal
Conservative Investing Strategy For Uncertain 2021 Markets
I don’t know Andrey Dashkov, but I know the man he works for: Doug Casey. And when it comes to the larger view, I trust Doug. He’s not just a serious student of investing, he’s a brilliant thinker with a…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
When Marketing Copy Stops Working For Your Business
“Creative without strategy is called ‘art.’ Creative with strategy is called ‘advertising.’” – Jef I. Richards The Problem With Most "Good" Marketing Copy" “Sales been growing amazingly for two years. Now, all…
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Postscript
WWII Soldiers' Ingenious Airborne Beer Delivery
A WWII story about “airborne” beer…
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Notes From My Journal
Remembering KH
Tough day yesterday. I want to the funeral of a friend, a young man with a wife and four children. I met him 20 years ago on the mats. We were doing light contact fighting. He landed a light jab squarely on my…
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Worth Watching
Iris (2001): A Portrait Of Love And Loss
Iris (2001) Directed by Richard Eyre from a screenplay he co-wrote with Charles Wood Starring Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Bonneville Based on John Bailey’s 1999 memoir, Elegy for Iris…
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Worth Reading
The Sea, The Sea
The Sea, The Sea By Iris Murdoch 528 pages Published in 1978 by Penguin Classics After a successful but sometimes scandalous career as a playwright and director, Charles Arrowby retires from the hubbub of…
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Postscript
WPA Virtual Commissions Presents Field Day Dance
Another interesting dance performance by WPA Virtual Commissions: “Field Day” by Aaron Loux & Brandon Cournay…
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Readers Write
An email from NB
About your essay “Being and Becoming”… thanks for the great read Mark. I am constantly saying (to my loved ones) that it’s not the achievement of the goal that matters but who I become in the process. I must…
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Notes From My Journal
Oh, boy. The Democrats have done it!
They’ve gained control of the executive office and both houses of Congress. This should be an interesting ride. Will they re-regulate the economy, end fracking, and criminalize gender-specific pronouns? Will…
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Worth Considering
3 Facts, 3 Numbers, 3 Thoughts — January 8, 2021
THE FACTS * If you were floating around in outer space without a spacesuit, would you boil to death or freeze to death? If you guessed “boil,” you’re right. The lower the atmospheric pressure, the lower the…
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