Articles from 2019
882 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
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A Word to the Wise
insipience (noun)
Insipience (in-SIP-ee-uns) is lack of wisdom; foolishness. As used by Richard Hellman in an article in The Courier: “It has to be frustrating to know that you’re surrounded by intelligent, earnest individuals…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Ketchup's Surprising History As Medicine
Ketchup was sold in the 1830s as medicine.
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Worth Reading
The latest issue of AWAI’s Barefoot Writer — August 14, 2019
Click HERE * “Get Predictable Writing Income by Feeding the World’s Information Fire” * “To Succeed as a Freelancer, Forget Everything You Learned as an Employee” * “This 5-Step EAGLE Plan Helps You Soar…
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Fun and/or Interesting
What Fits Inside Modern Tiny Packages
It's amazing what you can fit into a little package these days
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Notes From My Journal
21 Ways to Make Your Life Miserable
Believe that, as a human being, you are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Believe that, as a citizen of the wealthiest country in the world, you have the right to free health care, free…
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Worth Quoting
Pearl S. Buck On Sacrificing Small Joys For Big Happiness
“Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.” – Pearl S. Buck
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A Word to the Wise
hapless (adjective)
Hapless (HAP-lis) means unfortunate; unlucky and deserving of pity. As used by Carroll O’Connor: “The reviewer is a singularly detested enemy because he is, unlike the hapless artist, invulnerable.”
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Fun and/or Interesting
Genesis Settles The Chicken-And-Egg Debate
According to Genesis 1:20-22, the chicken came before the egg.
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Worth Reading
Boost Natural Killer Cells Before Cancer Strikes
The latest issue of Independent Healing “Don’t Wait Until You Get Cancer to Try This” Natural killer cells are your body’s first line of defense. Here’s how to raise your levels to stop cancer before it can…
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Readers Write
An email from SM
Thank you for everything Mark. For telling me that I had potential. For encouraging me to try something I would not have tried otherwise. For the many hours, you spent mentoring me and teaching me the basics……
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Fun and/or Interesting
Mountain Bike Race Derailed By Massive First-Turn Pileup
A huge mountain bike race begins with a massive crash... https://youtu.be/zDUxktR57u0
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Notes From My Journal
A Hard Question… and an Easy Answer
GT has a problem. Last week, he sent me this email: Hi Mark, I’ve had another great week of work experience at the SB office! I really enjoy writing copy, as well as the process of learning and improving at it…
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Worth Quoting
Michael Masterson On Finding True Job Satisfaction
“The surest path to job satisfaction is to work on or for something you care greatly about and/or care greatly about the work you are doing.” – Michael Masterson
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why Crocodiles Swallow Rocks Before Diving
Crocodiles swallow rocks to help them dive deeper.
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Worth Reading
Trump and Pelosi’s Abject Surrender” in Bill Bonner’s Diary
This essay is Bill’s take on the recent budget “compromise.” My favorite line: “The Pentagon may have had some setbacks in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, but it sweeps the field in its most important…
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Professional Roadies Wrap Their Cords
How to wrap a cord... the roadie way.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Myths and Facts About the Gender Pay Gap
I don’t think I know a single woman that is not concerned about the reported gender pay gap in the USA. Moreover, I know several women in my business that believe it’s a personal problem for them. That’s…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Women and the Wage Gap
* The Institute for Women’s Policy Research noted that the penalty for taking time out of the labor force for women is hefty and getting worse. Women who took just one year off had earnings 39% lower than…
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Worth Quoting
Eric Hoffer On Compassion As Spiritual Antidote
“Compassion is probably the only antitoxin of the soul. Where there is compassion even the most poisonous impulses remain relatively harmless.” – Eric Hoffer
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A Word to the Wise
animus (noun)
Animus (AN-ih-mus) is strong dislike; hostility. As used by Ben Domenech: “One of the things I endeavor to remind people of consistently when I am asked to speak to groups around the country is to consider the…
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Worth Reading
Seven Surprising Facts About the Boston Tea Party
“7 Surprising Facts About the Boston Tea Party” on History.com
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Fun and/or Interesting
I would also have assumed that the guy somehow deserved…
I would also have assumed that the guy somehow deserved it.
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Notes From My Journal
The Fed's Rate Cut Isn't About Working Class Relief
I just read an astonishing essay by Jeanna Smialek in The New York Times arguing that the Fed’s recent rate cut is motivated by a desire to boost incomes of the working class and create more income equality…
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A Word to the Wise
asseverate (verb)
To asseverate (uh-SEH-ver-ate) is to declare or state solemnly or emphatically. As used in The Atlantic Monthly: “When one begins to asseverate his honesty, his hearers begin to question it.”
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Worth Quoting
Socrates On The Futility Of Endless Wanting
“He who is not contented with what he has would not be contented with what he doesn’t but would like to have.” – Socrates
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Fun and/or Interesting
Great White Sharks Have Thousands Of Teeth
A Great White shark has about 3,000 teeth.
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Worth Reading
When Mexico Became a Surrealist Mecca
A good essay on Surrealism in Mexican art: how women artists played a major role and left behind a treasure worthy of its own museum.
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Readers Write
An email from JL
Mark – I wanted to say thank you: – For answering an email from an obscure “nobody” back in 2004... agreeing to give feedback on his first front-end package… – For the countless times you performed similar…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Amazing!
Amazing!
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
When Senior Executives Stop Working Hard
Are you a senior executive? Do you employ one? If so, watch out. You/he may be dangerous to your company’s bottom line. The problem is Senior Executive Syndrome (SES): the tendency for a senior executive –…
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Worth Quoting
P.J. O'Rourke On Free Will And Blame
“One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual responsibility is the difficulty of finding somebody to blame your problems on.” – P.J. O’Rourke
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A Word to the Wise
labyrinthine (adjective)
Something that is labyrinthine (lab-uh-RIN-thin or lab-uh-RIN-then) is complicated; tortuous. As used by Zane Grey in Tales of Fishes: “Millions of marine creatures swarmed in the labyrinthine waterways.”
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Fun and/or Interesting
Giraffes Outlast Camels Without Water
A giraffe can go without water longer than a camel.
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Worth Reading
Newest Science Myth: the 10,000-step rule
I don’t know why, but I’ve never cottoned to the 10,000-step rule. Family members and friends that count their steps… I wish they would do it more discreetly. I mean, okay, go ahead and do it. But don’t talk…
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Flexibility Fades With Age
I used to be able to do these moves. Nowadays, my routine is more like bending over and trying to touch my toes.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
How to Give a Good Speech Even If You Hate Speaking
I hate giving speeches. Most people do. One study suggested that speaking in front of an audience was number two on the list of what people fear most – just behind death. I hate giving speeches so my usual…
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Worth Quoting
Aristotle On Why Character Matters In Persuasion
“Persuasion is achieved by the speaker’s personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible. We believe good men more fully and more readily than others: This is true generally…
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A Word to the Wise
veritable (adjective)
Something that is veritable (VER-is-uh-buhl) is true, or at least feels that way. The word is used as an intensifier, usually to qualify a metaphor. Example by Hanya Yanagihara: “Between their rise in the…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why Food Labels Lie About Your Calories
Calorie readings on food labels are wildly inaccurate, undercounting calories by up to 70%. And if you’re depending on those readings to help you lose weight, there’s something else you need to know: Your…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Funny lady!
Funny lady!
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Notes From My Journal
Naming An Art Show: Why Clever Is The Enemy
I’ve been working with my partners in the art business to put on a major annual art show in Central America starting next year. It’s going to be big and fun – a combination of Art Basel and the Academy Awards…
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A Word to the Wise
equivocal (adjective)
Equivocal (ih-KWIV-uh-kuhl) means ambiguous, open to more than one interpretation. As used by Italo Calvino: “A tale is born from an image, and the image extends and creates a network of meanings that are…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Mel Blanc's Surprising Carrot Allergy
Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots.
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Worth Quoting
Heraclitus on Time and Childhood Wonder
“Time is a game played beautifully by children.” – Heraclitus
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Worth Watching
Who’s That Knocking at My Door?
Who’s That Knocking at My Door? (1967) On Friday, I talked about Martin Scorsese’s brilliant “debut” film (in 1973), Mean Streets. It was actually his second movie. The story is that his first one – Who’s That…
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Readers Write
An email from BH
I wanted Mark Ford to know how much I appreciate his books. The ideas and thoughts from his books are so insightful, and so empowering to people who want to improve their lives. What many people forget, I…
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Art of Aerial Acrobatics and Movement
An amazing display of beauty, strength, flexibility, and grace.
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Notes From My Journal
The Cost Of Choosing Constant Work
Most of the people I work with – either as colleagues, employees, or partners – know that I don’t believe in time off. My approach to working is not “balanced.” I am working 24/7, 365 days a year. I’m not…
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Worth Watching
Mean Streets
I saw this movie when it came out, and again just recently, I was surprised to discover how little I remembered of it. Overall, it is a cruder production than I remembered. It feels like – and maybe it was – a…
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Worth Quoting
Michael Masterson On Behavior And Character
“You can’t act one way and be another. Your behavior is your character. It is who you are.” – Michael Masterson
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