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Some of the best laid plans develop crimps.  Take the Kinks and their song Lola for instance.  They recorded the song in 1970 (it became one of their most famous songs) but needed to re-record it in order to get airplay on the United Kingdom’s BBC.  You see, broadcasting is different in the UK.  The nat

Petri dish metaphors are totally appropriate for an economics-oriented note during a global pandemic.  Julius Richard Petri invented the eponymously named Petri dish.  This simple tool is used along with a growth medium to culture cells of things like mosses, yeasts, bacteria, and fungi.

Scientific laws are both derived and sustained by generations of repeated observations of natural phenomena.  Physical sciences are founded on the unveiling of these laws.  In other words, something like chemistry or geology wasn’t invented but discovered.  That doesn’t mean scientists don’t postulate about yet-to-be discovered phenomena, but until an idea is em

Humans and our ancestors have used tools for millions of years.  They started with rudimentary instruments made of rocks (hence the stone age moniker).  Suddenly, around 12,000 years ago, humans began to harness copper.  Since then, we and this utilitarian metal have maintained a longstanding relationship.  It was the first metal worked by our ancestors and is still an impor

What a time to be alive.  The 2020 Olympics are a week away from beginning in 2021.  Many American lives are being pieced back together as the world’s largest economy is reemerging after its forced shutdown devastated too many financially.  And other countries haven’t even started to recover.  Oh yeah, and before the torch relay is over in Tokyo, two billionaires

Lawn bowling is a wonderful pastime.  In California, the weather is generally nice enough to play outdoors, but there are parts of the nation (and the globe for that matter) which offer indoor greens.  It’s leisurely but provides something for those with a competitive spirit as well.  In short, the goal is to roll your asymmetric bowl down the green toward the jack (a white

Here we are at the beginning of the Fourth of July Holiday weekend in America.  With a long weekend, many will visit friends and family.  With travel volumes expected to be elevated, one’s odds of finding themselves in traffic is high.  You know that feeling; you are motoring down the highway, just slightly above the posted speed limit, and then the brake lights light up.&n

Last month I was in New Orleans at a conference with my broker-dealer, Cambridge Investment Research.  Like many of these events, moderators want participation from the group, so they’ll offer some sort of icebreaker topic to gets folks engaged.  Participants in our room were asked to name the state they’d get rid of if given the chance.  I answered diplomaticall