An explanation of the domino effect that happened. — International friends often ask me which states are best and worst to visit. I usually give several states as options for “best”. For the worst state, Mississippi is the easy answer — especially if you are black. But even if you aren’t, the state is a mess on so many…

Avoid cognitive rot. — Your brain burns around 20% of your daily calories. This is why big, sophisticated brains are uncommon in nature. They’re too costly. Yet if you are a physically weak species, you can see why a high-caliber brain is so important. One would think it’s…

Be careful and keep your eyes open, or you’ll be surprised too. — “Babe — what does this mean? I’m so confused.” It started years prior. My girlfriend and I often discuss having kids. It’s fun to speculate the type of parents we’d be and how our kids might turn out. Would they get her smarts and my sense of humor? Or would…

A simple trick in the power of influence and likability. — He was a brilliant and unconventional Parisian academic. He would solve a thorny problem for a chocolate giant, and save an entire team’s careers in the process. Within his story, is a simple trick to influencing people and becoming highly charismatic. The cold streets of Paris In 1975, Clotaire Rapaille was giving a speech at…

The other Zucker who ruined the internet. — Alfred Nobel invented the Nobel Prize as a public relations move. A year earlier, French newspapers mistakenly thought Alfred had died (it was his brother who had passed). Alfred stared in horror at obituaries that slammed him for inventing dynamite. He’d created it with…

Generalized life lessons that actually matter. — Some people are complete morons and it’s entirely by choice. They won’t learn until they are forced to, and by then, it’s usually too late. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be better off than most. The art of deciphering actual words Research has proven that babies have a natural preference for spoken speech over other types…

The powerful story of Yasuo and Yuko. — This is a true story and one of the greatest testaments of love in history, and recent history at that. You will see a man set an example of commitment that we can only hope to live up to. The simple and pure beginnings Yasuo Takamatsu had just retired…

No, not being president. — I’ve been on the hunt for the worst job in America. I’ve already worked a few nightmarish jobs. I’m curious where the bottom is. My bottom was installing workout equipment in random homes for $9 an hour. …

And I also love it — sometimes. — It was a fun game with a simple incentive. Read a book. Get a dollar. It was my grandfather’s favorite thing when we stayed with him. I plowed through children's books and then reported to him in the living room. I delivered my key lessons from the book. …