My wife, son, and I went out for an early dinner to Wahaca, a local Mexican restaurant in London. I think this was our fourth visit already in our short time here, so you know the food is good. I ordered a burrito, and asked the waiter to leave off the cream and the cheese, … Continue reading The Nicest Apology I’ve Ever Gotten as a Customer →

For our recent trip to Amsterdam, we used Airbnb to find a place that would accommodate the three of us. We got lucky, and found a great place in Spaarndammerbuurt, a quiet little neighborhood to the west of downtown Amsterdam. Bfore we arrived, the landlord told us about the stairs, saying "As most of the monumental … Continue reading Hints of Hitchcock: the Staircases in Amsterdam →

We just got back from an amazing four-day trip to Amsterdam, and it would be hard to imagine a better place to spend four days. We loved every minute of it; here were some of the highlights: the Heineken Experience the van Gogh Museum (the first art museum I actually enjoyed walking through) the flower … Continue reading Shhhh…. Don’t Tell My Cardiologist →

Today was the annual comedy issue for the Wall Street Journal, more formally known as the Guide to the Fall 2018 Men’s Trends. Seriously, who dresses like this: or this: Now the suits they showed didn't look too bad, particularly if you are on the younger side (i.e., not my age): But then it's back … Continue reading The Wall Street Journal’s Annual Comedy Issue →

Intermarché supermarkets, a chain of grocery stores in France recently offered a 70% discount on Nutella, bringing the price down from €4.50 to €1.40. The result - riot police were called in to control the situation. As one customer put it - "They are like animals. A woman had her hair pulled, an elderly lady took … Continue reading Looking for a Reason to Riot? How about Discounted Jars of Nutella! →

Today the traveling trio (my wife, youngest son, and myself) took a short flight from London to Amsterdam, where the official language is Dutch. This is my first time to be in a country where English is not the default language, and the Netherlands seems to be a nice country in which to experience such … Continue reading My First Visit to a Country Where English Is Not the Official Language →

It's a tale as old as time. A new technology comes along, and parents are worried it is going to ruin their children. The latest culprit is technology - the Internet, smartphones, social media, etc. Many parents set limits on how much time their children can spend with such technology each day. However, a joint … Continue reading Next Thing you Know, Research Will Tell Us That Playing with Legos is Good for Kids →

As I was checking my email today, the daily update from Crain's Philadelphia caught my eye. The top story was about Philly's Top 20 Startups, and then the second story was about a local Philly company that had filed for bankruptcy. I'm not sure if Crain's planned it this way, but having these two articles … Continue reading The Circle of Life in the Business World →

According to a story in the New York Post, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the largest labor union representing NYPD cops, has cut the number of "get out of jail free" cards it hands out to 20 from 30 for current cops and to 10 from 20 for retired police officers. The cards are reportedly given … Continue reading What If Other Professions Had “Get Out of Jail Free” Cards? →

The past year has been a big one for kindness, as noted in a recent New York Times article. The Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, developed the Kindness Curriculum, in which preschoolers are introduced to a potpourri of sensory games, songs and stories that are designed to help them pay … Continue reading Is Kindness More Important than Grades, and If So, Can It Be Taught? →