Articles from 2020
743 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
-
A Word to the Wise
wistful (adjective)
Wistful (WIST-fuhl) refers to a feeling of vague regret or longing. As used by Dennis Tanner: “That vision of a common culture is now simply a remote wistfulness.”
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Canadian Comedian Finds Humor In Pandemic Isolation
“Isolation” – This Canadian comedian has been on a roll lately, riffing on the Corona Crisis and its effects…
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
When Your Employees Become Your Friends
We arrived at the resort after an arduous journey. It was late and we were hungry, so we went straight to the restaurant. GP was sitting at the big table in the middle of the restaurant with about a half-dozen…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
egalitarian (adjective)
Someone who is egalitarian (ih-gal-uh-TARE-ee-un) believes in the equal status of all people, especially with respect to social, political, and economic affairs. As I used it today: “I began to change my…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Career Growth Matters More Than Workplace Comfort
72% of employees say they are driven more by career advancement opportunities than contentment with their work environment. (Source: a survey by TalentLyft)
Read full post -
Worth Reading
The latest issue of Independent Healing — May 6, 2020
In this issue: One ER doctor says this simple at-home device saved the lives of two of his coronavirus-infected colleagues. You’ll find out how it works… and where you can get it. You’ll also discover… * What…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Confidence Without Competence: A Universal Truth
When you have no idea what you’re talking about…
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
When Your Great Idea Takes Too Long
I make my living by coming up with ideas. It’s a great way to pay the bills. And I’ve been doing it now for so long that the ideas come easily – on walks, in the shower, while reading, etc. Many of them seem…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
specious (adjective)
Something that’s specious (SPEE-shus) is superficially plausible but actually wrong. As I used it today: “Working harder on ‘a great idea’ is usually a sign that it is incomplete, fragmentary, or even specious…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
COVID-19 Compared to 6 Other Diseases
The only thing I’ve found that adds anything helpful to the conversation about COVID-19 immunity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylot5uGyyLA
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
South Africa's Unusual Three Capital City System
South Africa has three capitals – one for each branch of the government: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), and Cape Town (legislative). Unlike most countries, it does not have a legally defined…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
I Wonder How Much This Guy Gets Paid
I wonder how much this guy gets paid…
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Pandemic Fatigue Drives Crowds Back To Beaches
Every day, more people are walking the sidewalk alongside the beach across the street from my house. A month ago, someone would pass by every three or four minutes. A week ago, it was a steady trickle. Now…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
carnage (noun)
Carnage (KAHR-nij) is the slaughter of a great number of people, especially in war. As I used it today: “The atomic bomb deprived that machine [the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
FDR's New Deal Programs That Transformed America
The New Deal included the establishment of the Civil Works Administration (CWA), the Farm Security Administration (FSA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Social Security Administration (SSA)…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
My Restaurant Was My Life for 20 Years. Does the World Need It Anymore?” in The New York Times
“On the night before I laid off all 30 of my employees,” Gabrielle Hamilton writes, “I dreamed that my two children had perished, buried alive in dirt, while I dug in the wrong place, just five feet away from…
Read full post -
Readers Write
An email from MN — May 1, 2020
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. Even though I'm not…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Great Ensemble Performance In Song
Great song… great ensemble performance.
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Learning Wealth Building From A Skeptical Accountant
When I first started making more money than I was spending, I asked my partner to recommend someone to help me do my taxes. “You should speak to Sid,” he told me. He does my taxes and he’s good. Plus, he got…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
deus ex machina (noun)
Literally, “god from the machine,” deus ex machina (day-us eks MAH-kee-nah) is an unexpected power or event that saves a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived device in a play or novel. As I…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Understanding Treasury Bonds, Notes, And Bills
There are three kinds of government fixed-income securities: Treasury bonds, notes, and bills. T-bonds (long bonds) mature in 30 years and typically pay the highest interest rates twice yearly. They are sold…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
A Gaucho Appears in the Distance, Riding Hell for Leather…” by Bill Bonner
“There’s an advantage to spending time in a place like Argentina,” Bill writes. “It’s been through these things [economic, political, and social ruin] before. In fact, it makes a habit of it.” Read the entire…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Very interesting. With all the research I’ve been doing, I didn’t…
Very interesting. With all the research I’ve been doing, I didn’t know some of these “facts.”
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
When Did COVID-19 Actually Arrive In America?
“Credit is a system whereby a person who can not pay gets another person who can not pay to guarantee that he can pay.” – Charles Dickens K and I were in LA for two weeks at the end of February. We were…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
solvency (noun)
Solvency (SAHL-vun-see), in finance or business, is having assets in excess of liabilities; the ability of an individual or entity to meet its debt obligations. As I used it today: “[Spending borrowed dollars…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Understanding Treasury Bonds And Their Benefits
Treasury bonds (T-bonds) are US government debt securities with a maturity of 10 to 30 years. They pay a fixed interest rate to the purchaser on a semiannual basis until maturity. At maturity, the purchaser is…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
Rockwell's Legendary Unscripted Transmission Training Video
Rockwell International decided to get into the heavy-duty automatic transmission business and they wanted an introductory video. What they saw, initially, was this rehearsal for camera, lighting, and stage…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Adley's Pandemic Comedy Gold on Instagram
Good corona humor: “Adley on Instagram” LINK
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
The Corona Economy, Part II
“Performance is better than promise. Exuberant assurances are cheap.” – Joseph Pulitzer The Corona Economy, Part II Will America Survive It? Alec writes: Today marks the 29th day in a row that I have worn…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
hyperbole (noun)
Hyperbole (hie-PUR-buh-lee) refers to exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. As I used it today: “’Opening up’ is bit of hyperbole. Our economy was never truly shut down. It was…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
How Bad Was the Great Depression?
The stock market crashed on Black Thursday, October 24, 1929. By the following Tuesday, it was down 25%. Many investors lost their life savings that weekend. By 1932, one out of four people was unemployed…
Read full post -
Worth Watching
A Surgeon Explains COVID-19's Deadly Mechanism
“How COVID-19 Kills – I’m a Surgeon – and Why We Can’t Save You”
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Penguin Takes Its First Adorable Steps
Happy feet! [video width="720" height="406" mp4="uploads/2020/04/untitled.mp4"][/video]
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
My Last Essay on the Coronavirus (I Promise!)
“Imagine preventing health crises, not just responding to them.” – Nathan Wolfe My Last Essay on the Coronavirus (I Promise!) 5 Important Questions; 5 Conclusions Once again, we were having a family argument…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
perfervid (adjective)
Something that’s perfervid (per-FUR-vid) is intense and impassioned; marked by overwrought or exaggerated emotion. As I used it today: “After a good five minutes of perfervid shouting, it turned into an…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Obesity Remains America's Deadliest Health Crisis
Unlike what some in the media are claiming, obesity – not coronavirus – is almost certainly the biggest killer in America. * It is responsible for about 600,000 or 20% of the approximate 3 million Americans…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
Sources Behind COVID-19 Death Rate Analysis
A partial list of the sources I used for today’s essay: “Provisional Death Counts for COVID-19" https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm “COVID-19 risk factors: Age, underlying conditions…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Creative Ways To Build With Matchsticks
“Matchstick Art” – Got some spare time on your hands? Here’s an idea…
Read full post -
From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Economics And Ethics Collide During Pandemic
“Economics is a subject that does not greatly respect one’s wishes.” – Nikita Khrushchev The Corona Economy, Part I: Will America Survive It? New York City is losing billions in tax revenues, and Mayor Bill De…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
peremptory (adjective)
Something that’s peremptory (puh-REMP-tuh-ree) insists on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a brusquely imperious way. As used by George Eliot: “There is something sustaining in the very…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
A Letter From F. Scott Fitzgerald, Quarantined in 1920 in the South of France During the Spanish Influenza Outbreak
The following letter – supposedly from F. Scott Fitzgerald, but actually written by Nick Farriella for the humor site McSweeney’s – recently went viral. It was forwarded to me by several people who didn’t seem…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
The Mathematical Magic Behind Overtone Singing
Have you heard of polyphonic overtone singing? First, I came across this video on YouTube. I expected to hear a pretty voice. Instead, I heard this: I sent it to Number Two Son, a composer, and he introduced…
Read full post -
Readers Write
An email from DR
I’m a copywriter all the way from Brunei Darussalam. I just want to say thank you for all the resources that you put together through books & courses. Not only have you played a main role in the industry, but…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Questioning Conventional Wisdom in the COVID-19 Crisis
Finally, some doctors and scientists are starting to talk about all this bad math we’ve been given. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UO3Wd5urg0
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
The Questions Nobody Is Asking
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein The Questions Nobody Is Asking I meant to write today about the economic impact of…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
US COVID-19 Case and Death Timeline 12/31 to 4/14
Some of my friends are arguing about the administration’s response to the Corona Crisis. I’m not interested in that discussion, except from a social and psychological perspective – i.e., how social myths…
Read full post -
A Word to the Wise
verbing (noun)
I’d like to interrupt all this Corona Crisis coverage to raise an objection to something bothersome that has been accelerating during this time of stress. I’m talking about the soon-to-become ubiquitous…
Read full post -
Worth Reading
The Fault in Our Stars
A synopsis of the plot that I found on Shmoop.com crystalizes my initial impression of this tender, teenage novel: “Dying girl meets hot boy. Hot boy and dying girl fall in teenage love and go on adventures to…
Read full post -
Fun and/or Interesting
Hozier's Haunting Cover Of The Parting Glass
“Hozier Sings ‘The Parting Glass’” – a beautiful rendition of a beautiful Irish song that might bring some thoughts and feelings back into a larger perspective.
Read full post -
Notes From My Journal
Corona Crisis: Business Survival Tactics
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill Corona Crisis: Business Survival Tactics I’m reading a lot about how to stay…
Read full post