Articles from 2020
743 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
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Inside Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Inside Paradise Palms Botanical And Sculpture Gardens
A peek inside my palm tree garden… Situated on 10 acres in West Delray Beach, Florida, Paradise Palms & Sculpture Gardens has one of the largest and best-curated private palmetums in the world, as well as a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Stumbling Upon The Internet's Last Mysteries
It happens very rarely in today's hyperconnected world, but when it happens it's fun to read about. Click here.
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Beyond Stocks And Bonds: Building Real Wealth
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” – Michael Porter How to Make More Money Than Wall Street Wants You to Make The investment “advisory” business in America is a huge, multibillion-dollar…
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A Word to the Wise
punctilious (adjective)
Someone who is punctilious (pungk-TIL-ee-us) is extremely detail-oriented. As I used it today: “These characteristics rule out my involvement in a few perfectly good investment strategies. Strategies that some…
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Inside Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Inside Paradise Palms' Rare Tropical Plant Collection
A peek inside my palm tree garden… Situated on 10 acres in West Delray Beach, Florida, Paradise Palms & Sculpture Gardens has one of the largest and best-curated private palmetums in the world, as well as a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Dog's Dramatic Weight Loss Transformation Inspires Healthy Living
I enjoyed watching this. It proves the if you are a dog and your owner puts you on the right diet and exercise program, you can lose a lot of weight and regain an active life. Of course, if you aren't a dog…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Lessons From “Losing a Million Dollars
“People who lie to themselves about investing are the same as overweight people who blame their genes for their obesity.” – Robert Kiyosaki Lessons From “Losing a Million Dollars” Growing up in a family of…
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A Word to the Wise
sobriquet (noun)
A sobriquet (soh-bruh-KET) is an affectionate or humorous nickname. As I used it today: “In What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars, Jim Paul makes some very useful distinctions between 5 money-related…
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Worth Reading
The latest issue of Independent Healing — October 5, 2020
In this issue: “Discover the Ancient Health Practice That Researchers Believe May Offer a ‘Ray of Hope’ in the Fight Against COVID-19.” Click here to read the October issue
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Fun and/or Interesting
How Bubble Wrap Became An Accidental Invention
Bubble wrap was invented in 1957 by two engineers who were trying to create a textured wallpaper.
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Inside Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Inside Paradise Palms' World-Class Palm Collection — October 5, 2020
A peek inside my palm tree garden… Situated on 10 acres in West Delray Beach, Florida, Paradise Palms & Sculpture Gardens has one of the largest and best-curated private palmetums in the world, as well as a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Stunning Photography From The World's Most Unusual Locations
Great photos of unusual places! Here
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Notes From My Journal
What Do You Know about COVID-19?
The US is known to have recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases at 7,241,000. Which country has the next highest? ___ China ___ India ___ Indonesia When talking about the virus, what does the “R number”…
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A Word to the Wise
comorbidity (noun)
Morbidity (mor-BIH-dih-tee) refers to having a disease or medical condition. Comorbidity (koh-mor-BIH-dih-tee) refers to the presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in the same patient. As I…
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Worth Considering
Remote Work Reshapes The Commercial Real Estate Market
“We have decided we will not renew our lease when in January,” the email said. “Our employees have told us they like working at home and, as you’ve noticed from the monthly reports, the business hasn’t…
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Worth Quoting
Thomas Edison On Discontent And Progress
“Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.” – Thomas Edison
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Fun and/or Interesting
Wilson's Contradictions: Peace Advocate And Racial Segregationist
Woodrow Wilson initiated the League of Nations, but he opposed giving Blacks the right to vote and he supported the KKK.
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Readers Write
An email from BC
Your belief in me was the catalyst for never settling and forever growing. It’s the least I can do to forever pay it forward. It was the ONLY choice.
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Inside Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Inside Paradise Palms' World-Class Palm Collection — October 2, 2020
A peek inside my palm tree garden… Situated on 10 acres in West Delray Beach, Florida, Paradise Palms & Sculpture Gardens has one of the largest and best-curated private palmetums in the world, as well as a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Japanese Pufferfish Create Stunning Geometric Underwater Art
I’ve noticed that the trout on our small lake at Paradise Palms dig shallow oval-shaped depressions at the edges of our lake during mating or birthing season. (I should find out.) But what the Japanese Blow…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
How Race Politics Could Reshape The 2020 Election
“If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled a radical 60 years ago, a liberal 30 years ago, and a racist…
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Worth Watching
Trump's Surprising Appeal To Hispanic Voters
Two recent podcasts – the FiveThirtyEight politics podcast and “The Argument,” from Times Opinion – delve into Trump’s relative strength among Hispanic voters.
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A Word to the Wise
conflagration (noun)
A conflagration (kon-fluh-GRAY-shun) is an extensive and highly destructive fire As I used it today: “[Trump’s] 2016 campaign rhetoric about illegal immigrants and his promise to build the wall ignited a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Travel Writer Discovers Nicaragua's Hidden Escondida Beach
After nearly six months, major airlines are beginning to resume commercial international flights. American, Spirit, United, and Aeromexico are scheduling flights and Avianca has already begun offering some…
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Inside Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Inside Paradise Palms' World-Class Palm Collection
A peek inside my palm tree garden… Situated on 10 acres in West Delray Beach, Florida, Paradise Palms & Sculpture Gardens has one of the largest and best-curated private palmetums in the world, as well as a…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Electric Swing Moves Worth Mastering
How are you doing with your electric swing moves? Here are some I’m working on…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Asking Strangers For Advice You're Not Ready For
“There is an inverse relationship between the value of advice given and what people are usually willing to spend for it.” – Michael Masterson Why It’s a Bad Idea to Ask a Someone You Don’t Know for Advice… and…
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A Word to the Wise
adulation (noun)
Adulation (ad-juh-LAY-shun) is excessive admiration or praise. As I used it today: “On the one hand, I was thrilled that this person I adulated would condescend to confide in me. On the other hand, her…
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Worth Considering
Why Lockdowns Failed Where Targeted Protection Could Work
The Washington Post recently reported that Israel, Spain, and France crushed COVID-19 but now have higher infection rates than the US. (Read the article here.) But the conclusion drawn from these facts is…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Word of the Day: Fico
FICO – the most commonly used credit score – is an acronym of Fair Isaac Trade Corporation, the data analytics firm that developed the scoring model. The company name implies that it has something to do with…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Commit First, Then Make Peace With Hard Choices
This is a good TED Talk about making hard choices. Listen to it here. Then consider this: The way to make good “hard” choices is not to pick the “right” choice, but to commit yourself to moving into the choice…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Warren Buffett's Strategy For Building Lifetime Wealth
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett How to Invest in Stocks for Lifetime Wealth With a net worth of $66 billion, Warren Buffett is the…
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A Word to the Wise
exponential (adjective)
Exponential (eks-puh-NEN-shul) refers to an increase that becomes more and more rapid. As I used it today: “Compounding is slow and boring at first. But as time passes, the dividends get exponentially larger.”
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Worth Considering
Lockdown Accelerates The Shift Away From Home Cooking
Following up on my recent blog about how the lockdown will change our economy, I saw this from investment analyst Whitney Tilson… “The Spring lockdown… and a proliferation of affordable prepared food options…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Rancho Santana: Nicaragua's Hidden Luxury Coastal Escape
Rancho Santana is one of only two properties in Nicaragua featured in the Kiwi Collection, a curated collection of the world’s best hotels and resorts. Read about it here.
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Fun and/or Interesting
Teenage Guitarist's Virtuoso Performance Stuns Internet Viewers
I don’t know enough about guitar playing to know for sure, but is this young woman amazing or what? Are there rock guitarists that can do what she is doing here?
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Building Wealth As An Employee: Ten Proven Strategies
“Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.” – Salvador Dali 10 Ways to Get Rich as an Employee Most people know me as an entrepreneur, a person that has started and/or consulted with dozens of…
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A Word to the Wise
Word of the Day: Fervent
fervent (adjective) Fervent (FUR-vuhnt) means having/displaying very strong and sincere feelings about something. As I used it today: “Learn everything [the people doing the job you want] know. Help them solve…
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Worth Reading
Warren Buffett's Essential Employee Qualities
“What Does Warren Buffett Look For in an Employee?” – Click here to read the article.
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Surprising Persian Origins Of Checkmate
Checkmate derives from the Persian phrase “shah mat,” which means, “the king died.”
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Fun and/or Interesting
The World's Most Massive Structures Ranked
Biggest Buildings
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
Tariffs Promise Protection But Deliver Economic Pain
“Globalism began as a vision of a world with free trade, shared prosperity, and open borders. These are good, even noble, things to aim for.” – Deepak Chopra Free Trade or Trade Wars? The Facts Are Clear…
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Worth Considering
If you think now is a good time to buy steel stocks…
Two studies from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the overall economic impact of Trump’s 2018 tariffs was a net negative for American consumers – both companies and individuals. One example…
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A Word to the Wise
myopia (noun)
Ophthalmologically speaking, myopia (my-OH-pee-uh) is nearsightedness. The word is also used to refer to a lack of foresight or discernment. As I used it today: “People that favor tariffs and other trade…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Why American Exports Matter More Than You Think
Some facts: * The US is the world’s second-largest exporter after China. * The US is the world’s largest economy. * 95% of our current and potential customers are outside our borders. * Our total trade with…
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Fun and/or Interesting
The Advertising Lesson Every CEO Should Revisit
This is something every CEO, marketer, and product development person should watch again and again…
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From My Work-in-Progress Basket
US COVID Death Rates Compared To Other Nations
“As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain, and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.” – Albert Einstein A Realistic Look at the Lockdown If you get your news…
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Fun and/or Interesting
New York And Kentucky's Starkly Different Pandemic Outcomes
It’s not only between countries that we see anomalies in terms of the severity of lockdowns and death-rate-per-population. We see it within the US, as well. New York, under the heralded leadership of Governor…
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A Word to the Wise
volte-face (noun)
Volte-face (vawlt’uh-FAHS) is a reversal in policy or opinion; an about-face. As used by Edmund William Gosse in Some Diversions of a Man of Letters: “We have had in France an example of volte-face in taste…
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Worth Watching
Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado
(a Netflix documentary) I watched the trailer because I found the image of Walter Mercado so intriguing, and then I decided to watch the film. It was pure pleasure. Walter Mercado was a Puerto Rican actor…
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