I just came across the video of the opening of the 2013 Tony Awards which featured Neil Patrick Harris. Words cannot describe how great this eight minute performance is, or in Barney Stnson's words, LEGENDARY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=danBaPWT09A I still think of Neil as Doogie Howser, but he is much more than that. Here is the opening … Continue reading Truly a Tough Act to Follow →

"It’s amazing the opportunities we miss because we doubt our own powers of persuasion." The above quote is from an article written by Vanessa Bohns, an assistant professor at Cornell University, "You’re Already More Persuasive than You Think" which recently appeared in Harvard Business Review. Bohns reports on the results of research she and her … Continue reading The Power of Simple Direct Language →

This past week, the Cleveland Clinic, which has been ranked No. 1 in heart care for 21 years according to annual ratings published by U.S. News and World Reports, decided not to renew its release with McDonald's. The fast food restaurant had been a prominent part of hospital's food court for the past 20 years. … Continue reading Top Ranked Hospital Gives McDonald’s the Boot →

Whenever there's a natural disaster I often think that it would be nice to go and volunteer to help out. But then I realize I have no skills that would be useful in such a situation. I'm not a doctor, nurse, or paramedic; I'm not an electrician, plumber, or carpenter; I have no engineering background … Continue reading I Have No Useful Skills →

 For 50 years, Avis Rent-A-Car used the famous ad slogan "We Try Harder". The slogan was used in recognition of the fact that Avis was only the No. 2 rental car company in the world, and so the only way it was going to be able to compete with Hertz was to try harder. The … Continue reading Apparently Avis Was Right, No. 2 Does Try Harder →

Your kids are watching and modeling your behavior perhaps earlier than you realize. In a study led by Jonas G. Miller of the University of California, Davis, researchers recruited 74 pre-schoolers (average age 4 years old) from the local community. In the lab, the researchers played with the children one by one and explained that they would … Continue reading At What Age Does an Attitude of Altruism Start? →

As I was driving into Philadelphia today, I noticed something that I never "paid" attention to before, despite making the same trip well over a hundred times. I was taking Lancaster Avenue from the Main Line to West Philadelphia, and the change in the economic status along the way is quite obvious, and it's always … Continue reading Something Is Wrong Here →

As I was reading the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer the other day, it struck me that I tend to read the paper in the same order each time. I always start with the Sports section, followed by the Business section, then the Health section, Local News, National News, Editorial/Opinion (Currents), Entertainment (Live-Life-Love), and then Real Estate. I … Continue reading Do You Read the Obituaries Section of a Newspaper? →

"Love multiplies. And each outer ring protects the inner ones... But as time goes on and our hearts grow more rings, we don't have to leave anyone behind." I came across this beautiful writing while reading Francesca Serritella's column in today's Philadelphia Inquirer. Francesca and her mother, author Lisa Scottoline, write a weekly column called Chick Wit. … Continue reading Some People Just Have a Way With Words →

We just got back from a wonderful family vacation in Ocean City, NJ (America's Greatest Family Resort). What made the week even more special is that we (myself, my wife, and our three sons) were able to share a house with my wife's sister and her family (six kids), something we used to do quite … Continue reading Time Marches On, So Thank Heaven for Shared Memories →