Does anyone wear a pacemaker produced in Pakistan? Have you noticed any breakthroughs in electrical super conductivity emanating from Saudi Arabia? Would you buy a sedan designed and assembled in Sudan? Did the dental anesthetic, Novocain, get invented in Nigeria or Botox in Biafra? I think that open inquiry is more important than avoiding multi-cultural...
My daughter is laughing at me. Having received an iPhone as a present, I went to the library to get books on how to use it. “It’s all instinctive,” she says. “After I do something over and over, then it will be instinctive,” I reply. I certainly wouldn’t have bought an iPhone for myself, particularly...
During July, 2061 Halley’s Comet will return as it does approximately every seventy-five years. During its November, 1835 appearance the great American writer, Mark Twain, was born. Years later, Twain told friends that since he was born during Halley’s visit, it would be “the greatest disappointment in my life” if he didn’t die during its...
What’s a man to do? Last week my husband was put in an uncomfortable position. He had to choose between either betraying his standards for acting as a gentleman or potentially harming a long time business relationship. What happened? A lot of our work entails flying. On many fronts, flying has gotten less pleasant over...
There are weeks when I want to grab my husband, children and grandchildren and sail off to an uncharted island, cocooning us away from the rest of the world. Needless to say this idea has serious downsides including that I have yet to effectively grow anything in a home garden and that this voyage would...
Every year or two there is one person you really, really want to reach. Perhaps it’s the potential major donor for your charitable organization; the executive who could say ‘yes’ to the transaction that would change your life; or the aloof relative with the power to restore family harmony. Say, Oscar-winning actress, Gwyneth Paltrow, wanted...
During April, I had the pleasure of speaking for three different companies. Each company successfully established its unique identity and its own culture that informs customers and associates and helps them make productive decisions. We should all do the same in our own financial enterprises. Rather than allowing neighborhoods, social trends, advertising or schools to...
If you want to be enthusiastic, hang around enthusiastic, people. And there is scarcely a more enthusiastic group than homeschooling parents. I had a wonderful time this week as a keynote speaker for the 4th annual Torah home education conference. Homeschooling has grown rapidly in the United States, and there are churches I know where...
How easy it is to become impatient with a long story being recounted to us by a toddler, colleague, client, customer, or patient. Unfortunately, leadership, whether in business or the family, sometimes depends upon making the best decision after receiving nothing more than a written or verbal report. When we are the ones relaying information,...
I am humbled by the responses to last week’s Musing. I asked for readers to participate in a conversation and you did. I truly appreciate the kind words from many of you and I am grateful for those who affirmed, gently chided, and wrote so passionately and eloquently. Race is an emotional topic and as...
