Are You Smarter Than a 15-Year Old? Depends What Country the 15-Year Old Is From

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD ) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examines what 15-year old students know in reading, mathematics, and science, and what they can do with what they know. It provides the most comprehensive and rigorous international assessment of student learning outcomes to date. Results from PISA indicate the … Continue reading Are You Smarter Than a 15-Year Old? Depends What Country the 15-Year Old Is From →

I Guess the Ends Justify the Means, But It Still Doesn’t Seem Right

It's halftime of the Ohio State - Wisconsin football game and the Dr. Pepper Challenge comes on. The challenge pits two college students against each other to see who can throw the most footballs into a round opening about 5 yards away. Let me emphasize that they were throwing footballs. But you wouldn't know it … Continue reading I Guess the Ends Justify the Means, But It Still Doesn’t Seem Right →

A Tale of Two Christmas Ads

I'm guessing many of you have heard about and perhaps seen, the latest Peloton ad in which a husband surprises his wife with a Peloton bike for Christmas. The ad, all of thirty seconds long, may be the most expensive ad ever produced, far exceeding the cost of Super Bowl commercials. Last year, a Super … Continue reading A Tale of Two Christmas Ads →

Mattress Madness

Today's Wall Street Journal had a story by Stephanie Yang that looked at the world of online mattress sales, and how people try to scam the system. Many online mattress firms offer "free" trial periods during which customers can try out a mattress. The customer typically pays for the mattress upfront and gets a full … Continue reading Mattress Madness →

When Virtual Becomes Real

I've been blogging for nearly five years, and doing so has given me the chance to reconnect with old friends, communicate more frequently with relatives, and to develop some virtual connections. The first time I realized the power of those virtual connections was when I wrote a story about my son Patrick, and an award … Continue reading When Virtual Becomes Real →

Working in a Red Light District May Boost Your Productivity

Maybe it's because I don't work in a traditional office environment, but I don't think I could put Dan Pink's latest idea into action. In this week's Pinkcast, Dan shares a low-tech way of preventing co-workers from interrupting you while you are busy. Here's the video: First, I can't imagine an office filled with all … Continue reading Working in a Red Light District May Boost Your Productivity →

Music Monday: A Little Bit of Harmonica

The harmonica offers a unique sound, and its playing is often one of the more memorable parts of a song. The one song that always comes to mind when I think of the harmonica is Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. It's one of the best openings I know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5kXnq5IjdU   The following background information comes … Continue reading Music Monday: A Little Bit of Harmonica →

Who Trained Whom?

For the past few months, when we've come back home from having been out for a while, our dog Nellie jumps up off the couch and runs right to the cabinet where her snacks are kept. She sits there, tail wagging, barely able to control herself, with her eyes shifting back and forth between us … Continue reading Who Trained Whom? →

Hmmm… I’m Not So Sure About This One

It's Saturday, which means there's a decent chance I'll be sharing one of Dan Ariely's responses to an email he received from a Wall Street Journal reader. And today is one of those lucky Saturdays. Here was the question: Dear Dan, When I host friends for dinner, can I ask them to help with cleaning … Continue reading Hmmm… I’m Not So Sure About This One →

‘Tis the Season, for Crying?

I don't know if it's the sentimental nature of the holiday season, but I've had tears streaming down my face three times this week. I've written many times about how much I like TV commercials, particularly at this time of the year. Many companies are starting to release their holiday ads, and many of you … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season, for Crying? →