I don't know why I do this to myself, but I can't pull myself away from watching the election returns. I know it's still way too early to call the election at this point (10:30 pm), but I am still feeling quite anxious. And the different way votes are coming in from the various states … Continue reading I’m Glad This Only Happens Every Four Years
It may not be quite true that everything we need to know we learned in kindergarten, but we certainly learned a lot at such a young age. Here are three short songs (one minute each) about voting that are geared towards the younger crowd, but they are good reminders for all of us. Here's a … Continue reading Music Monday: Sesame Street, PBS Kids, and Schoolhouse Rock Working to Get Out the Vote
I might have to try this little experiment. In the most recent edition of "Ask Ariely", a reader asked behavioral economist Dan Ariely the following question: For Halloween this year, we are going to leave a plastic jack-o-lantern full of wrapped treats on the doorstep along with a sign that says “Only one piece of … Continue reading Mirror, Mirror On the Wall. Who’s the Most Honest Trick-or-Treater of All?
I have to give credit to a blogging friend for making me aware of one of the best songs I have heard this year. Mind you, it's not s new song, but this was the first time I heard it. Clive is from England, and every Tuesday he posts Tuesday Tunes, and for me, it's … Continue reading Music Monday: Back to My Irish Roots
I'm guessing most of us have done it. Ran up to a neighbor's house, either knocked on the door or rang the bell, and then ran away before anyone answered the door. In the U.S. it's known as ding-dong ditch, and it's probably one of the first pranks kids learned while growing up. It's a … Continue reading Has Technology Taken the Fun Out of Ding-Dong Ditch?
For the past several years, I have had my freshmen business students create vision boards, and then in three to five minutes, present his or her vision board to the class. The whole process takes three days of class time (spread over three weeks), but it is well worth it. All I can say after … Continue reading Wowed Again, Again. Student Vision Board Project, 2020.
A few days ago I wrote about a phenomenon known as the Streisand Effect. According to Wikipedia, the Streisand Effect is an example of psychological reactance, wherein once people are aware that some information is being kept from them, they are significantly more motivated to access and spread that information. After that post, my wife told … Continue reading The Bradley Effect and the Spiral of Silence
The Wall Street Journal had a wonderful article today (written by Clare Ansberry) about two next-door neighbors in Pittsburgh who are on opposing sides when it comes to the upcoming Presidential election but still remain the best of friends. It is one of the most uplifting stories I have read in the paper in a … Continue reading This Is What Good Neighbors Look Like
A few years ago, serendipity led to having a former student, Chase, visit my classroom to give a talk and a demo on meditation. You can read about that wonderful visit, including unfiltered student feedback, by clicking here. Ever since then, I've wanted to get in the habit of meditating, but it never seemed to … Continue reading Thanks to Chase, Bill, and Andy, I Finally Started Meditating
One of the first blog posts I wrote five years ago: You Get the Behavior You Reward, featured the wonderful book from Alfie Kohn: “Punished by Rewards - The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, As, Praise, and Other Bribes.” Here’s a brief summary of the book from its web site: “Drawing from hundreds of studies, … Continue reading Extrinsic Rewards Reduce Intrinsic Motivation: Using Psychology to Pick Up More Followers
Borden's Blather 