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Most people own a camera. Fewer people own a telescope. Fewer still know when to use each. One of the most useful mental skills you can develop is the ability to switch between what I call Wide-Angle Thinking and Close-Up Thinking. Both have value. Both have a purpose. The problem is that many people use […]

I have spent a good deal of time over the years criticizing Leftism, not because I enjoy political combat for its own sake, but because I believe the modern Left increasingly finds itself at odds with many of the values that have historically allowed Western civilization to flourish. Before proceeding, let me define what I […]

I have been fortunate to count DB among my friends for nearly forty years. Three years my senior and trained in both the arts and the sciences, she is a brilliant communicator—smart, opinionated, deeply principled, and an endlessly engaging conversationalist. We see the world very differently, which is one of the reasons our friendship has […]

Building Your Power of Expression Bawdy, adj., n. Pronunciation: ‘bôdē Meaning: As a noun (which is uncommon), bawdy refers to humorously indecent talk or writing. As an adjective (more common), bawdy refers to anything dealing with sexual matters in a comical way. Usage: “Her work is characterized by irreverence and bawdy humor.” “This group regularly […]

We live in a culture obsessed with time management. Buy a planner. Download an app. Color-code your calendar. Schedule your day in fifteen-minute increments. If that fails, buy a more expensive planner. Yet many highly organized people still end the day exhausted, frustrated, and wondering why their productivity never seems to match their intentions. Why? […]

Some time ago, I came across a statement by one Molly McNearney in which she reportedly lamented that political differences had become so severe that she had effectively terminated relationships with some members of her own family. Who is Molly McNearney? She is the Executive Producer and co-head writer of Jimmy Kimmel Live. She is […]

I have something encouraging to say to any who strive for something but fail. Let me start by saying that, due to a recent birthday, I am not a young man anymore. But I still exercise with some regularity. It’s been a long time since I was able to run 1 mile in 8 minutes […]

Building Your Power of Expression Coterie, n. Pronunciation: ˈkōdərē Meaning: A coterie is a small, often exclusive group of people with share interests or tastes, or occupation, or social status, or purpose, especially one that is exclusive of other people. Usage: “The author was surrounded by a coterie of loyal admirers.” “A coterie of political […]

The world runs on imbalance. Twenty percent of your wardrobe gets worn eighty percent of the time. Twenty percent of your clients generate eighty percent of your revenue. Twenty percent of your friends are responsible for eighty percent of your laughter — and, inconveniently, probably eighty percent of your bad decisions. This charming little phenomenon […]

For generations, anti-Semitism was treated as one of civilization’s great moral disgraces — the ancient prejudice that culminated in ghettos, pogroms, and ultimately the Holocaust. Yet today, Jew-hatred has returned in forms both familiar and newly fashionable, often disguised as moral sophistication or political activism. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas atrocities against Israeli civilians, […]

At last we arrive at the deepest and most challenging of all inquiries: Why. “Why” questions pursue meaning and purpose. They ask not merely what is happening or how something can be done, but why it should matter at all. Why does this effort deserve our attention? Why do certain values guide our decisions? Why […]

Building Your Power of Expression Yawning, adj. Pronunciation: ‘yôniNG Meaning: Admittedly, when referring to the reflex action of opening the mouth wide and inhaling deeply due to feelings of fatigue associated with sleepiness, the word is a noun. But the word can also be used as an adjective, which is my focus at this time. […]

In a culture where “supersize” became a selling point and value is often measured by quantity, it’s no surprise that portion distortion has quietly reshaped our relationship with food. Many of us don’t overeat because we lack discipline—we overeat because the baseline has shifted. What we perceive as “normal” is, in many cases, far more […]

There is an old pattern in human history that refuses to die. Every civilization eventually develops a growing suspicion that somewhere behind the visible machinery of politics, media, finance, and culture, there are smaller circles of influence operating quietly in the shadows. Sometimes those suspicions are paranoid fantasy. Sometimes they are rooted in very real […]

Every action unfolds within a context. Circumstances have location, environment, and setting. Recognizing this leads us to the next form of inquiry: Where. “Where” questions examine context and placement. They ask us to consider the environments in which decisions occur and the settings in which outcomes will emerge. Where should effort be directed? Where does […]

Building Your Power of Expression Bovine, adj. Pronunciation: ˈbōˌvīn Meaning: While the word bovine has reference to things associated with hoofed, cud-chewing mammals such as cows, American bison, water buffalo, yaks, and several other species that have cloven hooves and favor herbivorous diets, over time the word has been used in a derogatory sense to […]

For many people, the idea of losing weight conjures images of strict diets, constant hunger, and complicated rules. Calories must be counted, entire food groups eliminated, and willpower stretched to its breaking point. It’s no wonder so many give up before they see meaningful results. But what if the process were simpler? Intermittent fasting offers […]

There is a particular kind of tragedy that cuts deeper than most: the kind that never had to happen in the first place. Every homicide is devastating, but some carry an added, unbearable weight—the knowledge that the perpetrator had already demonstrated a clear capacity for violence and was nonetheless free to act again. These are […]

Once we understand what is happening, when action might be appropriate, and who is involved, the practical mind inevitably asks another question: How. “How” questions concern method. They seek pathways from intention to result. Human beings are natural problem-solvers. Faced with a challenge, we instinctively begin searching for procedures, strategies, and tools. We want to […]

Building Your Power of Expression Implacable, adj. Pronunciation: ˈimˈplakəb(ə)l, imˈplākəb(ə)l Meaning: When something is said to be implacable, we mean it is unable to be placated. OK, I’ll stop being sassy and give you a clearer definition. It is something that is relentless, unstoppable, unappeasable, and it can even carry a sort of ruthless, heartless, […]

Which matters more—street smarts or book smarts? It’s one of those debates that never quite goes away. Sit around a dinner table long enough and someone will inevitably declare that “real-world experience beats a classroom any day.” Someone else will counter that without education, you’re just guessing your way through life. Both sides think they’re […]

Let’s talk about something that has quietly become one of the most heated—and misunderstood—debates in our country: voter ID laws. On one side, many Republican lawmakers argue that requiring identification to vote is simply common sense. After all, we show ID to board a plane, drive a car, pick up prescriptions, or even buy certain […]

After clarifying what is happening and considering when action may be appropriate, attention turns naturally toward another dimension of inquiry: Who. “Who” questions direct our awareness toward agency and responsibility. They ask us to consider the individuals—ourselves included—whose decisions, values, and actions shape events. In any complex situation, circumstances matter. Timing matters as well. But […]

Building Your Power of Expression Garrulous, adj. Pronunciation: ˈɡerələs Meaning: Ever met a person who is excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters? That person is garrulous. Usage: “In the play, that particular character was portrayed as a foolish, garrulous old man.” “At family dinners, my uncle always became a bit garrulous, regaling us with endless […]

I first heard the words in the title of this article many years ago – back in the 1980s – while reading a book by Tom Peters. Here is what that means to me: Clown around in the board room with a colleague while VIPs are present and you will be perceived to be a […]

Let me begin by disclosing something about myself. I do not like George Soros. I consider him a monster. I think he is evil. I think he is wicked. I think he has spent many millions of dollars funding projects and people that wish to harm my country. George Soros is an old man. At […]

Once we have asked “What,” another question inevitably follows: When. If “What” questions clarify reality, “When” questions bring awareness to timing. They ask us to consider sequence, readiness, and the unfolding nature of events. In many ways, they are questions about the rhythm of life itself. We live in a culture that prizes urgency. Action […]

Building Your Power of Expression Studied, adj. Pronunciation: ˈstədēd Meaning: This word points to some sort of quality or result achieved or maintained by careful and deliberate effort. Usage: “He treated them with studied politeness.” “She gave a studied response, ensuring every word was chosen carefully.” “He maintained a studied indifference, though it was clear […]

“Before I begin telling you what I think, I want to establish that I’m a [dummy] who doesn’t know much relative to what I need to know. Whatever success I’ve had in life has had more to do with my knowing how to deal with my not knowing than anything I know.” — Ray Dalio, […]

War is the use of arms to settle differences—tribal, political, religious, cultural, and material—between organized groups. It is unchanging. The general laws of armed conflict stays immutable, given the constancy of human nature. However, the manner in which war is conducted remains fluid. New weapons, tactics, and strategies elicit counterresponses in an endless cycle of […]