Stories about the relationship between money and happiness always fascinate me, and the latest research on the issue doesn't disappoint. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, one study found that it is not the level of aggregate wealth (investments, pensions, house) that one has that leads to happiness, but rather the amount of money in … Continue reading Money and Happiness, Revisited
Yesterday we had the chance to celebrate the wedding of my niece down at the Jersey Shore. The bride, the groom, and their daughter were radiant, and the weather was perfect. It was wonderful seeing so many happy people in one place, all sharing in such a joyous event. My wife's sister and her husband, … Continue reading Wedding Bells
We've all know one or two of them; the co-worker who excels at his or her job, but also excels at being a jerk and creating tension in the workplace. We've also probably secretly wished that the person would fail spectacularly, quit, or be fired, but we often wonder what that would do to the … Continue reading Toxic Employees
If you're like me, you routinely answer work-related emails once you are home for the evening. However, doing so may be detrimenal to your health. A new study, authored by Liuba Belkin of Lehigh University, William Becker of Virginia Tech, and Samantha A. Conroy of Colorado State University, found a link between organizational after-hours email … Continue reading Leave Your Work Emails at Work
That's how long Bruce Springsteen's concert was last night at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia, setting a record for the longest show he has ever performed in North America. (He did a show in 2012 in Helsinki, Finland that lasted 4 hours and 6 minutes). By the way, the time estimate comes from Bob Vetrone, … Continue reading 4 hours, 3 minutes, and 46 seconds
This week's word comes from a classic New York Times magazine article written by Milton Friedman almost 46 years ago, "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Profits". Before I get to the word of the week, it may be helpful to provide some background on Milton Friedman. Friedman was an American economist who received the … Continue reading Wednesday Word of the Week: Eleemosynary
Those are the words of Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, after a Labor Day weekend that saw 65 people shot, 13 of them fatally. Johnson believes that the police department is doing its job, pointing to increases in gun arrests this year over last year -- and more than 6,000 illegal gun recoveries so far in 2016 -- … Continue reading “It’s not a police issue, it’s a society issue.”
Every Monday for the past 18 months I have been posting and commenting on a collection of newspaper ads written by Harry Gray, then CEO of United Technologies, that appeared in the Wall Street Journal from the late 1970s through the early 1980s. Last week I wrote about the 75th, and final one, of those ads. … Continue reading Gray Matter: How We Perform as Individuals Will Determine How We Perform as a Nation
I love hearing about creative solutions to difficult problems. Chronic absenteeism is one of the biggest problems facing America's low-income schools. According to NPR, some six million kids miss at least 15 days a year, setting them back academically and burdening the system overall. There are many reasons why kids miss school: sickness, lack of interest, … Continue reading How Whirlpool Dramatically Improved School Attendance
I went to pick up a coffee this afternoon at Dunkin' Donuts, but when I went to get out of the car, I realized I had forgotten my wallet. Fortunately, I had enough quarters in the car to buy a coffee (an extra large at that), so I went in and placed my order. When … Continue reading Not Sure How I Feel About This…
Borden's Blather 