Articles from 2023
694 articles · browse by month or scroll through the year.
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Arts & Letters
Things Worth Remembering: T.S. Eliot and the Passage of Time
In a recent Sunday column for The Free Press, Douglas Murray shared a literary gem he has memorized and the story of how it shaped his life. Click here.
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Worth Considering
The COVID Response: What We Got Wrong — June 14, 2023
Moderna and Its Investors Made Billions Selling a Fake Vaccine I’ve been critical of our government’s handling of the COVID epidemic since the beginning. And I think every criticism I had in year one was…
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Introducing...
John Mulaney
He’s a stand-up comic. And very smart. He has a unique style, a unique way of telling stories, and a unique imagination. Plus, he wears a suit. Click here to enjoy a collection of some of his bits.
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Readers Write
Re my observations about Richmond, VA, in the June 9 issue…
“Richmond is one of our favorite cities! Things we love about it are the people, the river, the wonderful world-class art museum (of course), central location (between DC, the mountains, and the beach), four…
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Postscript
A feel-good story to brighten your day…
Click here.
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Notes From My Journal
We were traveling this last week…
Four days in LA visiting the grandkids, and three days in Richmond getting to know a city we’ve never been to. Here are some impressions: Glendale, LA When in LA, K and I often stay at the Glenmark Hotel in…
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Worth Reading
How to Improve Your Understanding of Everything
Richard Feynman (1918-1988) They say the best way to learn is to teach. Because teaching something you think you understand will help you understand how much you really don’t know. That’s been true for me –…
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Worth Quoting
Richard Feynman On Self-Deception And Scientific Integrity
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” – Richard Feynman
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News & Views
Beat This!
I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in February 2010. (I’ve written about that ordeal several times.) After a four-day slog, our little group was finally at 19,000 feet, just a few hours away from reaching the apex, and…
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Fun and/or Interesting
500 Years of Female Hair Styles
I fell into another YouTube rabbit hole last week. This time, I probably saw two dozen video clips of women doing amazing things with their hair. My favorite was this one, a fast-motion history of women’s…
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Readers Write
From KK re my review of Holy Spider in the June 2 issue
“Thank you for your spot-on recommendation of the film Holy Spider. When I mentioned it to my wife, her intense entomophobia made her cringe. After I read her your critique, she agreed to watch, and we both…
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Postscript
Do you have a backup system for your Tesla?
This guy does. Click here.
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Notes From My Journal
Rules: Who Needs Them?
A fair amount of what interests me these days has to do with the experience of aging. So today, I wanted to write about how my thinking about liberty and bureaucracy has changed over the years. In getting my…
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News & Views
Don’t Judge Them! And Don’t Call Them Pedophiles!
Have you heard about the new class of oppressed and marginalized people? Unrecognized (until now) victims of societal prejudice? They call themselves MAPs. An acronym for “Minor-Attracted Persons.” Yes, we…
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Worth Watching
How Much Do You REALLY Like Good Movies?
As an industry rule, movies should be 90 minutes long. A well-respected director can get away with 80 minutes on the downside and 120 on the upside. But viewers shy away from movies that are longer than two…
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Worth Reading
Why should we consider the soul mortal?
From Diaries of Note, an interesting entry by Wanda Gág, an author and artist who, in 1928, published Millions of Cats, a bestselling children’s book. Twenty years earlier, when she was 22, she wrote this…
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Worth Listening
Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for death
Emily Dickinson might be America’s greatest poet. Even better than Walt Whitman or E.A. Poe. At the very least, she is America’s best Metaphysical poet. If you’ve never heard one of her poems recited, this…
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Worth Considering
The COVID Response: What We Got Wrong — June 6, 2023
Have Your Ears Been Ringing? For as long as the COVID vaccines have been available, the CDC has received some complaints about ear-related problems. In a recent study, researchers reviewed 500 cases of…
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Readers Write
From JT, a copywriter, re the availability of my books
“Hi Mark and team. I loved Great Leads and recently started poking around at your other books. Wondering how I can get a copy of Words That Work: 117 Ways to Speak More Powerfully. “Thanks for your help.” My…
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Postscript
The USA is where?
Another amusing video clip of “Ask college students basic questions to see how dumb they are.” In this case, about basic geography. Click here.
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Notes From My Journal
Selling Condos and Jets and Picassos
Selling luxury condominiums and townhouses at Rancho Santana was slowing down because prices were going up. A luxury three-bedroom, three-bath condo that sold for $350,000 10 years ago is selling for more than…
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News & Views
Justice in Trudeau’s Canada Is Simple – It’s Either Black or White
The US justice system has a concept called “extenuating circumstances.” Extenuating circumstances are mitigating facts or details that are important for fully understanding the circumstances that may have…
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Worth Watching
Holy Spider
Directed by Ali Abbasi Starring Alice Rahimi, Diana Al Hussen, Soraya Helli, Mehdi Bajestani, and Zar Amir-Ebrahimi In theaters (limited release): Oct. 28, 2022 Streaming: Feb. 21, 2023 In my youth, I believed…
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Worth Reading
Some Monstrous Gullet Suffocating with Fury
I came across this entry in Diaries of Note. It was written by Pierre Loti, a French naval officer, novelist, and diplomat. He wrote it in 1889 while on a diplomatic mission to Fez, Morocco. It’s the kind of…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Six Life Hacks Worth Trying Today
I gave you a link to three life hacks in the May 2 issue. Click here for three more. (I knew the second one, but neither of the others.)
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Readers Write
How A Journal Writer Crafts Delightful P.S. Notes
From BI, re the P.S. in the May 30 issue: “Loved the house of cards video!” My Response: Thanks, BI. I can’t be sure how my journal piece will come off in each issue, so I try to put something in the P.S. that…
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Postscript
This Is Scary… She Must Be Insane!
I came across this athlete several years ago and rediscovered her yesterday. Her name is Faith Dickey. She’s a professional “slackliner” that has broken all sorts of world records, including slacklining over…
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Notes From My Journal
The Political Force of Pronouns
I was going to write an essay today about identity politics and gender ideology. It’s a big, interesting subject, with plenty to argue about. But one aspect of it has become a wedge issue politically. I’m…
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Arts & Letters
The Contemporary Art Market Is Still Strong
The high end of the art market has been doing very well for a surprisingly long time. In recent months, however, there’s been some softening. That’s not surprising. In fact, it’s overdue. What I’m comforted to…
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Worth Reading
The Trial — May 30, 2023
By Franz Kafka Written in 1914 and published posthumously in 1925 176 pages May’s book selection for The Mules was The Trial by Franz Kafka. We don’t often read classics, but I’m always happy when we do. In…
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Worth Watching
The Trial
Directed by Orson Welles Screenplay by Orson Welles, based on The Trial by Franz Kafka Starring Anthony Perkins, Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Akim Tamiroff, and Elsa Martinelli Original release…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Dalí Forgeries Exposed In Revealing Video Documentary
Remember the Salvador Dalí forgeries that I wrote about on May 23. Click here to watch a good little video about them.
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Readers Write
From AS, re my comments about the rear-naked choke hold in the May 26 issue
“In all the media reports about the subway debacle I saw, there was no physical contact, that is until the ex-marine used the choke hold. “They taught that choke hold to us in the Army. There was no…
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Postscript
The Surprising Artistry Of Building Card Towers
I was familiar with the phrase “house of cards” – usually used to describe a situation or plan that is in imminent danger of collapse. But I didn’t realize that stacking playing cards into impossibly…
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Notes From My Journal
The Rear-Naked Choke: How Lethal Is It?
I’ve been thinking about the Jordan Neely/NYC subway situation a bit. Not so much because it resulted in political outrage with Black/White overtones, but because of the comments made about the choke hold that…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Look Who’s Competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
When Rorion Gracie brought his family’s style of Jiu Jitsu to America in 1978, no one had ever heard of it. But when Rorion’s younger brother Royce entered the Ultimate Fighting Contest in 1993, the first…
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Worth Considering
Word of the Day: Self — May 26, 2023
“Self-defense is not just a set of techniques; it’s a state of mind, and it begins with the belief that you are worth defending.” – Rorion Gracie
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Arts & Letters
Einstein's Unexpected Career Advice Sparks Plumber's Reply
I’d Rather Be a Plumber… In October 1954, Albert Einstein was asked by the editor of The Reporter to comment on the hostile treatment many American scientists and intellectuals received during the McCarthy era…
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Inside Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Painting in Paradise
Paradise Palms has become a favorite venue for the Plein Air Painters, a group of local artists that carry on the Impressionist tradition of painting outdoor scenes outdoors. With 25 acres of variegated vistas…
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Postscript
Freestyle Battle
This kid goes by the name of Laurent. That’s all I know about him. But he’s pretty good. Click here.
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Notes From My Journal
Why Salvador Dalí Is the Most Counterfeited Artist in the World
In the early 1980s, soon after my first retirement, I got into the art business, buying a half-interest in an art gallery in Boca Raton. I met lots of interesting characters through this relationship – none…
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News & Views
The Digital Dollar Is Getting Nearer
The federal government’s plans to replace the paper dollar with a digital one continues apace. Recently, Biden and his appointees have been talking up the CBDC (central bank digital currency). As I predicted…
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Business & Marketing
Making America Great, the Peter Thiel Way
I knew very little about Peter Thiel. I knew he was one of the founders of PayPal. I knew he took some of that money and invested it in a new startup called Facebook, among others (LinkedIn, SpaceX, etc.). I…
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Worth Listening
Pop-Up Classical Music Performances
DF, my elder sister, sent an issue of The Marginalia, where Maria Popova included this link to a pop-up performance of Beethoven’s final symphony. Click here. I’ve covered a few of these before. I especially…
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Readers Write
From JC, re self-defense for daughters (and sisters and mothers)
“I know you have a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I also know that you had your boys learn it when they were young. I have a nine-year-old daughter. If you had a daughter, what martial art or self-defense…
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Postscript
Amazing Way to Finish!
You don’t have to be a fan of bowling, or even a weekend bowler, to appreciate this amazing finish. Click here.
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Notes From My Journal
Florida Will Soon Be a “Constitutional-Carry” State
Should I and My Fellow Floridians Be Worried? Last month, Florida passed House Bill 543, which eliminated the requirement for Floridians to have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. RF, my brother-in-law, who…
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Worth Watching
American Graffiti
American Graffiti Directed by George Lucas Produced by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Cindy Williams, Wolfman…
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Worth Considering
The COVID Response: What We Got Wrong — May 19, 2023
The Impact of Vaccines on Mortality A large meta study of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) reported by vaccine manufacturers found that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines did not impact overall…
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Fun and/or Interesting
Ten Phrases from the Middle Ages
We were talking about the origins of odd and interesting English language maxims and phrases at the cigar club a year ago. Today, I received this from BW.
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