Yesterday, my school, Villanova University, announced that it will add armed police officers to its campus, beginning in Fall 2016. The decision follows a two-year study by a university task force and work by an independent consultant. The Catholic university currently has a 75-member public safety department, responsible for patrol, investigations, parking enforcement, residence hall and building … Continue reading Villanova to Create Armed Police Force on Campus →

The Philadelphia Inquirer had a story today about the most recent Nobel Prize winner in Economics, Angus Deaton. Deaton is a professor at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Deaton's research has touched on a range of topics as diverse as calorie consumption, health care, suicide, poverty, and the pursuit of happiness. Because … Continue reading An Intellectual Omnivore, and Probably a Happy One →

Al Lewis and Vik Khanna, co-founders of Quizzify, a company that teaches employees how to buy and use health care, recently wrote an article for Harvard Business Review titled "Corporate Wellness Programs Lose Money". This was disappointing for me to read, since I am a big proponent of wellness programs. One report cited by the authors, known as … Continue reading Corporate Wellness Programs Lose Money →

Wrigley, the makers of Extra gum, released a great commercial this past week. The commercial follows the courtship of two young adults, from high school onwards, while the song "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Haley Reinhart plays in the background. It's the perfect song to accompany the story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLpDiIVX0Wo Who would have thought that … Continue reading Heartwarming Commercial – about Gum →

Yesterday I posted the eulogy I gave for my Mom, who passed away last Friday. I told stories about my Mom that I hoped would give people a sense of who she was. However, there was one story I left out, since I did not think it would be appropriate to be talking about the … Continue reading My Mom and the Ouija Board →

My mom passed away last Friday at the age of 89. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's a few months ago, and was placed on home hospice at the end of August. My mom was fortunate to live with her sister, who has done a phenomenal job over the past few years taking care of … Continue reading A Tribute to My Mom →

Seth Godin's blog post today was titled "Simple Questions for Writers", and I have reproduced it below. 1. What is it for? If this piece of writing works, what will change? What action will be taken? The more specific you are in your intent, the more frightening it is to do the writing (because you … Continue reading My Answers to Seth Godin’s Simple Questions for Writers →