Articles from 2019
882 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Four Mammals That Cannot Jump
There are four mammals that can’t jump: elephants, sloths, hippos, and rhinos.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Bruce Gilden’s Gritty Vision of a Lost New York” in The New Yorker
“Bruce Gilden’s Gritty Vision of a Lost New York” in The New Yorker
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Notes From My Journal
Book Review: How to Elevate Your Life by Robert Glazer
“He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both.” – Francis Bacon Book Review: How to Elevate Your Life by Robert Glazer I swear – almost everything I…
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A Word to the Wise
problematic (adjective)
Something that’s problematic (prah-bluh-MAT-ik) is doubtful, uncertain, questionable. As I used it today: “My relationship with my trainer, for example, can be problematic at times, and it certainly drains my…
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Fun and/or Interesting
McDonald's Big Mac Secret Sauce Revealed
The “special sauce” in a Big Mac is Thousand Island dressing – basically, ketchup and mayonnaise.
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Worth Reading
ScorceseLand” in Taki’s Magazine
A fascinating review of Scorcese’s film “The Irishman” and several of the stories behind it.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Yogi Berra's Most Wonderfully Absurd Quotes
Yogi Berra Quotes...these are wonderful!
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Notes From My Journal
Why Writers Listen Differently Than Everyone Else
“We write to taste life twice: in the moment and in retrospect.” – Anaïs Nin A Letter to Friends and Family From Someone That Writes for a Living I know what you think. That I’m self-centered and antisocial…
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A Word to the Wise
empathy (noun)
Empathy (EM-puh-thee) is the ability to understand, be aware of, and be sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another person. As I used it today: “There was a time in my life when I had such…
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Long Do Dreams Actually Last
The average dream lasts 5 to 15 minutes.
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Worth Reading
The latest issue of AWAI’s Barefoot Writer — November 17, 2019
In this issue: * How 3 Magic Ingredients Can Help You Earn a Strong and Reliable Writing Income * 10 Really Good Reasons to Quit Your Job and Start Your Own Writing Business * From the Brink of Burnout to the…
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Readers Write
An email from LA
I do not have the words to express my gratitude to you for sharing your wisdom, insights, and experiences…. I reflect on every word that you have written – and then, where possible, I try to apply and follow…
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Fun and/or Interesting
A Cover That Rivals Lady Gaga's Original
The best rendition of this song I ever heard. As good as, if not better than, Lady Gaga herself.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Risk Management Matters More Than Asset Allocation
“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” – Sun Tzu Principles of Wealth #34* According to the financial planning community…
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A Word to the Wise
adventitious (adjective)
Something that is adventitious (ad-ven-TISH-us) happens or is carried on by chance rather than by design or its inherent nature. As used by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The adventitious beauty of poetry may be felt…
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Worth Reading
The latest issue of Independent Healing: “Prescription for Disaster
80% of US medications are now made in Asian factories with abysmal quality control. The result? Taking prescription drugs has never been more dangerous. In the November issue, you’ll learn how to protect…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Prescription Drugs Kill More Americans Than Cancer
Prescription drugs are the 4th leading cause of death in the US. They kill more Americans than breast cancer, prostate cancer, homicide, and suicide combined.
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Fun and/or Interesting
What The Human Body Can Accomplish
It's amazing what the human body can do...
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Why Your Possessions Won't Matter After Death
“If you are not happy now with what you’ve got, you won’t be happy later if you get more.” – Michael Masterson Just One Thing: You’re Not a Pharaoh. Don’t Act Like One Several years ago, The New Yorker…
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A Word to the Wise
desiccated (adjective)
To desiccate (DES-ih-kate) is to remove the moisture from; to become completely and thoroughly dry. As I used it today: “[When the bodies of the pharaohs] were found years later – desiccated, linen-wrapped…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why Your Eyes Close When You Sneeze
It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
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Worth Reading
The Persecution and Assassination of Donald J. Trump, Part 5
In this essay, Bill Bonner’s take on the “deep state” is smarter and more realistic (less conspiratorial) most. It’s a perspective that should be seen by both the right and the left. These 4 paragraphs were…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Secrets To Living Long And Happy
Secrets to living a long and happy life that will make you smile...
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Just One Thing: The Economics of Overseas Resort Development in One Lesson
“The most important secrets of every business are almost always invisible to outsiders – especially investors.” – Michael Masterson Just One Thing: The Economics of Overseas Resort Development in One Lesson A…
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A Word to the Wise
opuscule (noun)
An opuscule (oh-PUSK-yool) is a work of art or music that is considered to be minor or insignificant. Some critics might, for example, describe Shakespeare’s King John or Pericles as an opuscule.
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Fun and/or Interesting
America's Chicken Population Exceeds Global Human Count
There are more chickens in America than there are people on the planet.
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Worth Reading
The Brutalist Strain” in Taki’s Magazine
The Greeks and the Romans set the standard for architecture. They created buildings that were not only beautiful but functional, and they built them to last. Renaissance and Baroque architects elaborated on…
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Readers Write
An email from TS
Mark, [You] are the best client I’ve ever worked with. And I’ve worked with dozens, possibly hundreds in the last 13 years….I hope we can continue, and hopefully do some bigger things together in the future……
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Unexpected Privilege Of Ordinary Life
Next time you feel underprivileged, watch this...
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Notes From My Journal
Feeling Gloomy About the Future?
Here Are 1O Bits of Good News The news media understands that bad news sells better than good. So it’s not surprising that if you allow yourself more than, say, 30 minutes a day reading newspapers or on social…
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A Word to the Wise
misogyny (noun)
Misogyny (mih-SAH-uh-nee) is a dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. As I used it today: “Saudi Arabia, traditionally one of the world’s most misogynistic countries, has granted women…
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Worth Quoting
C.S. Spurgeon On Welcoming Good Thoughts
“Good thoughts are blessed guests, and should be heartily welcomed, well fed, and much sought after.” – C.S. Spurgeon
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Fun and/or Interesting
Hawaii Drifts Toward Japan Four Inches Yearly
Islands can move. Hawaii is moving towards Japan by 4 inches a year.
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Worth Reading
China Grows Mutant-Like While the USA Founders
It’s been about 40 years since I wrote Information Beijing: How to Do Business in China. I wrote it as an employee of Welt Publishing, which specialized in books and newsletters about doing business overseas…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Some good bits here
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Notes From My Journal
What I Learned About Love
Once a month, I spend an hour talking to BK about success in life and business. He usually begins the conversation with a question about some business-related issue he’s been thinking about. It’s always a…
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A Word to the Wise
parsimonious (adjective)
Parsimonious (par-sih-MOH-nee-us) means stingy or frugal; restrained. As I used it today: “So that was something else to think about – the fact that we are each parsimonious with the one thing we want for…
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Worth Quoting
General George Patton On Action Over Perfection
“A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.” – General George Patton
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Fun and/or Interesting
California's Strict Rules On Employee Break Time
In California, employees can be “written-up,” fined or even fired for working through a break that is mandated by state law or for coming back early from a lunch break.
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Worth Reading
The Persecution and Assassination of Donald J. Trump, Part 1
The S&P hit a record high last Monday, Oct. 28. But as Bill Bonner explains in this essay, if you measure the S&P’s total corporate earnings in real terms of gold, the stock market is creating half the wealth…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Unlikely Friendship Between Toddler And Gorilla
Little Girl and Baby Gorilla Become Friends
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Just One Thing: Are You a Grower or a Tender?
Take This 10-Question Quiz and Find Out If you want your business to run smoothly, manage it well. Tend to the details. Think in terms of people, protocols, and production. If you want your business to grow…
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A Word to the Wise
venerate (verb)
To venerate (VEN-uh-rate) is to revere; to regard with great respect. As I used it today: “With respect to your career, what’s more important: being admired for your character… or venerated for your success?
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Worth Quoting
Michael Masterson On Leadership Versus Bossing
“To lead people, one needs to generate trust and respect. To boss people, one needs to generate only fear.” – Michael Masterson
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Fun and/or Interesting
Explore World-Class Museums From Your Home
If you like visiting art museums, you should know about Google Arts & Culture, a surprisingly little-known website that, among other things, offers digital tours of many of the greatest art museums of the…
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Worth Reading
Uber Is Going to Zero and Their VC Backers Know It
In a previous post, I wrote about the possible demise of Uber. In this essay on Medium.com, Matt Ward presents a similar view, comparing the deep “moat” AirBnB has against its competition with the shallow…
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Readers Write
An email from MN
Dear Mark, I’m writing today to thank you again for your continuing and far-reaching impact on my life. Your guidance has proven invaluable time and again in more ways than I ever could have imagined…. Running…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Panama Canal: Engineering Marvel Reshaping Global Trade
A fascinating short documentary on how the Panama Canal works and how critical it is to the global economy...
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Notes From My Journal
An Extremely Stupid Essay About Language
The latest from the language police: We are no longer allowed to say “committed suicide.” Dictonary.com has published many insanely dumb essays proscribing language before, but this has to be one of the…
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A Word to the Wise
proscribe (verb)
To proscribe (proh-SKRIBE) is to formally forbid, denounce, or condemn. (Not to be confused with prescribe, which means recommend.) As I used it today: “Dictonary.com has published many insanely dumb essays…
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