Articles from 2020
743 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Coronavirus Humor To Brighten Your Day
Ready for a little coronavirus humor?
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Notes From My Journal
A Challenge That Every Business Owner in the World Is Facing Right Now
JS has a dilemma. “Right now,” she writes, “I strongly believe in self-isolation... which brings me to a question about the young woman who cleans my apartment. I want to tell her to stay home. And I want to…
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A Word to the Wise
Ronald Reagan On Government's Fundamental Flaws
“Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.” – Ronald Reagan
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Worth Watching
Coronavirus Explained: How It Shut Down the World
In this video, Patrick Bet-David talks about the coronavirus, how it spreads, the most deadly epidemics in history, and how viruses affect the stock markets around the world. (The guy is mesmerizing!) [LINK…
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A Word to the Wise
promulgate (verb)
To promulgate (PRAH-mul-gate) is to formally proclaim or put into action. As used by Karen Armstrong: “The first person to promulgate the Golden Rule… was Confucius 500 years before Christ.”
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Fun and/or Interesting
Counting To A Trillion Takes Thirty Thousand Years
Putting the government’s trillion-dollar coronavirus stimulus bill into perspective – a trillion is a huge number. If you counted 24 hours a day, it would take more than 30,000 years to reach it.
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Readers Write
An email from AC — March 23, 2020
I really appreciate the wisdom you share on your blog. It’s the only blog I go out of my way to navigate and read.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Please Pass the Salt
Got some spare time now that you’re stuck in the house all day? Here’s something you can try…
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Notes From My Journal
Managing Business Through Economic Crisis Uncertainty
“Pain is important: how we evade it, how we succumb to it, how we deal with it, how we transcend it.” – Audrey Lord What I’m Telling My Business Partners Sitting on the front porch, looking at the many people…
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Worth Reading
Information Marketing's Opportunity In Economic Crisis
If you are in the information marketing business, you may be interested in my thoughts about how the Corona Crisis presents an opportunity for growth and strength in the future. This is an excerpt from a memo…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Learning From China: 7 High-Tech Strategies for Pandemic Containment” by Peter Diamandis LINK
“Learning From China: 7 High-Tech Strategies for Pandemic Containment” by Peter Diamandis LINK
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A Word to the Wise
lugubrious (adjective)
Lugubrious (loo-GOO-bree-us) means sad, dismal, gloomy. As used by Victor Hugo in The Man Who Laughs: “After the disappearance of day into the vast of silent obscurity, he became in lugubrious accord with all…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why We Might Be Overreacting To Coronavirus
Most of the analysis of the coronavirus pandemic has been scary... even the best of it. But here is an argument as to why we may be overreacting to the virus that I found edifying.
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Notes From My Journal
What I’m Doing (and Not Doing) to Safeguard My Wealth
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks What I’m Doing (and Not Doing) to Safeguard My Wealth It’s a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
5 Historical Facts About the Stock Market
Historically, the Dow has been positive 52% of the total trading days and negative 48%. The average daily return is 0.73% when it’s up and -0.76% when it’s down. There is no significant difference between the…
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A Word to the Wise
instigate (verb)
To instigate (IN-stih-gate) is to bring about or initiate an action or event. As I used it today: “Like every crash I’ve mentioned, [the “Great Recession” crash of 2008/2009] followed a long-term bull market…
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Worth Reading
Whatever It Takes” by Tom Dyson in Postcards From the Fringe. LINK
“Whatever It Takes” by Tom Dyson in Postcards From the Fringe. LINK
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Fun and/or Interesting
George Carlin on Germs and the Immune System
George Carlin was funny… he was brilliant… he was prophetic. Watch an excerpt from his “You Are All Diseased” routine.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
The Coronavirus and Making Friends With Your Devil
A friend of mine, an economist and investment analyst, sent me a note saying that he is “expecting” the coronavirus pandemic to lead to absolute disaster, both in terms of public health and the economy. He may…
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A Word to the Wise
equanimity (noun)
Equanimity (ee-kwuh-NIM-ih-tee) is calmness; mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain. As I used it today: “For insight into why I was getting so upset and a clue about…
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Worth Quoting
Edgar Allan Poe On Cause And Effect
“I am above the weakness of seeking to establish a sequence of cause and effect, between the disaster and the atrocity.” – Edgar Allan Poe
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Doctors Finally Discovered Hand Washing's Life-Saving Power
Common sense tells us that one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases is to wash your hands – but doctors didn’t realize this until the mid-19th century. Click here for a recent article…
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Worth Reading
How to Self-Quarantine” by Roni Caryn Rabin in The New York Times
LINK
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why Deadly Viruses Keep Emerging From China
A sad and disturbing look at why deadly viruses like SARS and Covid-19 keep emerging from China.
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Notes From My Journal
A Reluctant Climber's Unexpected Mountain Friendship
Kevin, one of the men who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with me 10 years ago, sent me this photo: It was taken at Horombo Hut, the night before we were going to make the final ascent. After barely surviving the…
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Worth Quoting
Edmund Hillary On Conquering Ourselves
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” – Sir Edmund Hillary
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A Word to the Wise
demur (verb)
To demur (dih-MUR) is to raise doubts or objections or show reluctance. As I used it today: “Still, I couldn’t say no to Dr. Al again. He is a good friend and an important client. And I’d been demurring on all…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Kilian Jornet's Record-Breaking Kilimanjaro Speed Climb
Each year, approximately 35,000 people attempt climbing Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Only two-thirds of them are usually successful, mostly due to altitude-related problems. The…
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Worth Reading
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
This is a bathroom book that will inform and inspire pragmatic readers. The bulk of the quotations in the book come from the three major Stoic philosophers: Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca. From the…
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Readers Write
An email from SM — March 13, 2020
Just came across your website and wish I had done so earlier. Your writing is impactful in a way that is rare nowadays.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Funny Lady
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
LA Story and More on the Challenge of Charity
One was refusing to eat. The other was smearing yogurt on her face. The toast was burning. And Baxter, the 160-pound mutt, was humping my leg. Of all the childrearing experiences we’ve been reliving on this…
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A Word to the Wise
perpetuity (noun)
Perpetuity (pur-pih-TOO-ih-tee) – often preceded by “in” – is the state or character of being perpetual. It is used for something that is of endless or indefinitely long duration or existence. As I used it…
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Worth Quoting
Paul Tillich On Risk And Personal Failure
“He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.” – Paul Tillich
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Worth Reading
The latest issue of AWAI’s Barefoot Writer — March 11, 2020
In the March issue: LINK * 6 Ways Consultants Can Charge More * The Non-Sci-Fi Path to Rerouting Your Reader’s Brain * Linchpin Writing: Lock in Your Value With Every Client, Every Time * How a One-Eyed, Hairy…
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Fun and/or Interesting
More Chickens Than People Worldwide
There are more chickens in America than people on the planet.
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Fun and/or Interesting
A Gratitude Video That Actually Works
Just what you'd expect from a video titled "Be Grateful for Today." Whaat surprised me was that it worked.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Big Dogs and Big Asks
Walking down Ambrose Avenue with Baxter at my side, I spotted another dog walker coming up the street towards us. This was my first time walking Baxter since he was a puppy. I didn’t know what to expect, so I…
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A Word to the Wise
disingenuous (adjective)
Disingenuous (dis-in-JEN-yoo-us) means lacking on frankness, candor, or sincerity. As I used it today: “I could have told him what I just told you, but I was afraid he would see that as disingenuous.”
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Worth Quoting
Melania Trump On Teaching Children Generosity
“My husband and I are big givers to charity, and we are teaching our son Barron all about giving his old toys away to children who might not have any.” – Melania Trump
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Worth Reading
Venezuela's Descent From Prosperity To Humanitarian Crisis
“How Venezuela Went From a Rich Nation of Immigrants to a Hungry Nation of Refugees,” by Daniel DiMartino on DailyWire.com Despite all the evidence to the contrary, many perfectly intelligent people continue…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why You're Taller When You Wake Up
You are about one centimeter taller in the morning than at night.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Wildlife Collisions Cost Over One Billion Annually
Accidents with wildlife cost more than a billion a year. This is an interesting short on safe wildlife road crossings.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
What Makes Someone Instantly Likeable
Shaun, my Uber driver this morning, grew up in Atlanta. He had a smooth, caramel-colored complexion and a voice to go with it. He was young and instantly likeable. What made him likable? I’m trying to figure…
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A Word to the Wise
bravado (noun)
Bravado (bruh-VAH-doh) is a bold manner or show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate. As I used it today: “I was charmed by his total lack of bravado (which I would have expected from a man of his…
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Worth Quoting
Ron Yudd On The Mentor's True Role
“Mentors hold the flashlight so others can see the path.” – Ron Yudd
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Worth Reading
The March issue of Independent Healing
Click here to read about: * A breakthrough treatment for erectile disfunction * The antidepressant side effect no one talks about * Raising your thermostat to lower your blood pressure * The best exercise to…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Singapore's Surprising Ban On Chewing Gum
In Singapore, it’s illegal to sell or own chewing gum.
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Readers Write
An email from MJ
I’ve been a full-time copywriter for nearly 30 years, and a six-figure freelancer for 18 of those years. I’d be hard pressed to name a more potent technique in copywriting than the “What if it said” copy…
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Unexpected Flexibility Of A Yoga Master
A true yoga master
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