My purpose has shifted substantially over my life. I used to feel guilty about that – if I would have just settled on one thing I would have been much more successful. Besides the fact that guilt is a pretty worthless emotion, I finally gave in to my shifting interests, no guilt necessary. It was a difficult journey, but I am definitely happier now. And I can do a whole lot of different things better than many people.

Loved the comparisons of human learning vs. machine learning. How wonderful that we can now learn from a machine's experience!

In researching a recent article of mine, "Something besides a coronavirus is quietly pushing us into the next Great Depression," I talked about the loosely defined ages of man because I think we are now transitioning to a new age. Our ages used to last thousands of years. The Stone Age which incorporated periods such as the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic (Copper Age), ranged from three million years ago to five thousand years ago. The Postmodern Age which includes the Industrial Age and the Information Age started sometime in the early 20th century and continue to this day —…

Your article read like a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing. It was a good reminder of the important things in writing, the best bits and pieces.

Given that Presidents usually achieve just one or two major legislative policies in their first two years in Office, and given that the House and/or Senate usually flip in the first midterm elections, President Biden should pursue three major pieces of legislation based on the “Pyramid of Pressing Needs” that I’ve created.

1. Our foundation is the planet. We have to think of Save the Planet as our major priority because it is our future. If we don’t have our planet, nothing else matters, of course. Also, reducing extreme climate events will save money and help with number 2, Save…

Nice to see that you mentioned plant-based protein sources. I'm mostly plant-based and have a BMI of 18. I think the most important thing in my journey to become healthier through food and exercise is portion size. (I have a silly saying, exercise and portion size, ha, ha.) I measure almost everything. It's amazing how small the portion size is for most foods. People don't realize it! In restaurants you are often served a single dish that could feed a family of five.

Fantastic article, Tim. I've realized that when the inevitable negative self-talk starts, it is easier to substitute a good thought rather than try to turn off a bad one. I have an old recipe box with cards in it that I call my Positivity Toolbox. On each card I wrote a positive thing I've done in my life - both big and small. I've written entire essays about specific accomplishments of mine, folded them and stuffed them in the recipe box, too. Whenever any doubts beset me, I pull something from the Positivity Toolbox and read it. It is similar to the bell you so wonderfully described. It replaces the negative thought.

As brick & mortar retailers file bankruptcy, the plight of small manufacturers becomes much more perilous. They won’t be able to survive selling on Amazon. Here’s why and it exposes a big weakness about Amazon.

The Contest

My partner and I are having a hypothetical contest. We each get $100,000 to invest in one stock, and evaluate whose choice increases the most in value by the end of 2021. We were not allowed to do any research. We just had to pick. And we had to pick in one minute. It’s called a paper trade.

Thankfully, we have a professional money manager at Morgan Stanley (MS) that manages our portfolio very well. Although I understand both business and economics, and even started my career in investment banking, and my partner had a robust career in fintech, I…