Which one of the following lifestyles sounds most appealing to you: He is a healthy, middle-aged father who socializes at least six hours a day and has a few good friends he can count on. He sleeps at least seven hours most nights, walks to work, and eats six servings of fruits and vegetables most … Continue reading Profiles of the World’s Happiest People →

It's the perfect bar bet. Ask your bar mates what company is the world's largest tire manufacturer. Bridgestone? Nope. Guess again. Michelin? Not even close. Goodyear? Uhhhhh... No. You'll probably never guess, even though this company makes nearly 70% more tires than the number two manufacturer. And it's not like it's a company you've never … Continue reading And the World’s Largest Tire Manufacturer Is… Drumroll Please… →

Well at least according to the author Henry James. I was unaware of James having made such a statement, but came across it in a beautiful essay in today's Wall Street Journal by Patricia Hampl. She writes: It’s easy to see his (James') point, to follow him into the meadowland that those two words conjure … Continue reading Summer Afternoon – the Two Most Beautiful Words in the English Language →

We just got back from watching an outstanding performance of Camelot at the Act II Theatre in Ambler, PA, and some of the dialogue really struck me. Early on in the play, King Arthur is struggling to figure out why we have wars in which people get killed. He notes that when a hawk is … Continue reading The Timeless Wisdom of King Arthur of Camelot →

This past Tuesday was a sad day in the world of Finance. It was announced on that day that General Electric would be removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average, effective June 26. On that date Walgreens will take the place of GE as one of the 30 companies which comprise the venerable Dow Jones … Continue reading A Changing of the Guard →

One of my favorite songs from the Paul Simon concert this past weekend was one I had never heard before, "Rewrite". At its most basic level, it's a story of a Vietnam vet working at a car wash, but what he really wants to do is write a screenplay. So he spends his nights "working … Continue reading Workin’ on My Rewrite →

Thrillist, an online media website covering food, drink, travel and entertainment, recently came out with its listing of the 100 greatest YouTube videos of all time. Who would not be attracted to a headline like that? So I decided to take a peek at the list, expecting to be familiar with just about all the videos included on the list. Well as it … Continue reading Here’s to Wasting Time on the Internet →

Here's an experiment you can try: the next time you are out walking somewhere, try skipping for a few seconds. My guess is that you find it almost impossible not to smile while you are doing so. If you are too embarrassed to skip, then you need to watch this clip from Friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fS5wJKiwR4 Now … Continue reading The Joy of Skipping →

I'm not really sure how this happened (I think it may be the result of having watched ABC New World Tonight earlier in the evening), but I was sitting there trying to think of something to write for my blog, and To Tell the Truth was playing on the TV in the background. And just … Continue reading Is There a Guinness World Record for Everything? →

I had the chance to see Paul Simon in concert for the first time tonight, with my youngest son, as an early Father's Day present. It was phenomenal; it is hard to imagine that Simon is 76 years old. His voice sounds just as good as it did 40 years ago, and he went full … Continue reading Paul Simon’s Farewell Tour →