Fact and Fiction Online

As you can see from the examples above – all of them posted on various websites – although the Internet has become the most popular source of information these days, it’s full of wrong information. Sometimes it’s an innocent retelling of myth. In other cases, the people behind it are out to spread malicious lies to further their agendas.

Read More

The Human Machine

For the great thinkers of the world whose job it is to make sense out of life – from Plato to Will Durant… from Epictetus to the Dalai Lama… from Montaigne to Eric Hoffer – the foundational rules never change. The universal principles of human nature are constants. And in a world of chaos and madness, that’s nice to know.

Read More

You Are Not a Loser!

I recently let my guard down and let my wife talk me into making one of my rare visits to a nearby shopping mall – one of my least favorite places. The place was mobbed, as though people were determined to have one last go at the good life, perhaps sensing that shopping malls might soon be turned into homeless shelters. I watched with great interest as people stood in long lines to pay for the on-sale merchandise they clutched tightly in their arms.

Read More

When Desires Collide With Reality

We witness misery every day on our television screens – but when John Travolta’s son died this past January, it affected me in a special way. I connected to that great photograph of the two of them, nose to nose. You could see how much he loved the boy.

Read More

The High-Speed, Low-Cost Catalyst

Time is your ally when you take action. But time is a two-sided coin. If you hesitate or procrastinate, time becomes your worst enemy. As a general rule, I assume that if I take action perceived problems will tend to disappear – and that the more I hesitate, the more time I give new obstacles to come on the scene.

Read More

Unanswered Questions

Some time ago, I received an e-mail from one of my readers, John P., about a close call he had while driving when he was 17 years old. Here’s part of what he had to say:

Read More

Choice or Illusion?

While it seems like a simple enough proposition, the fact is that choice can be a very complicated subject. I think most people believe “You are a victim of your own choices.” They have shared story after story about how they made bad choices that led to their downfall, as well as good choices that led to great success – often in the face of enormous obstacles.

Read More

The Karma Question

Since his sentencing in December, I’ve thought long and hard before chiming in on the latest O.J. saga. Given that everyone is now pretty much in agreement on the character of this psychopathic primate, I’m not interested in getting in a few “me too” jabs.

Read More

The Plain Truth

Have you ever asked yourself what it is that gives someone power over you? The truth be known, it’s a matter of perception – both the other person’s and yours. By this I mean that most power is abstract, and therefore impossible to quantify.

Read More

Robert Ringer and The Great Bailout Stall

Robert Ringer addressed the recent rush of government bailouts in his article “The Great Bailout Stall.” His disparagement of the bailouts – and his own practical solution for America’s financial ills – got quite a response from ETR readers. Here are a few of their comments:

Read More

The Circle of Life

Throughout much of my life, I paid little attention to the miracles that surrounded me. I was too busy thinking about business and money… too busy being annoyed by annoying people. I had no time to think about the real world – the world that matters. Nature and I were perfect strangers.

Read More