Independent validation: The use of impartial authorities and sources to confirm the value of something. This approach intends to positively influence support for an action or item by presenting credible, unbiased testimony, explained public relations mastermind Edward L. Bernays. So,…
By Stuart Greenbaum “Does she know what she’s having?” Mom asked. “Yes. A girl,” I answered. “Ooh, that’s wonderful! All the other great-grandkids are boys,” she said with a big smile. “That’s right. Everyone is excited for a girl,” I…
The brilliant polemicist Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011), author of multiple bestsellers including god is not Great, is known for his uniquely erudite and witty writing and oratory. The audacity with which he made and debated his points did not suffer fools…
“That’s a nice photo of me,” said no toddler ever. Though this does beg the question: What exactly does a one- or two-year-old think when they see themselves in a photograph or video or mirror, for that matter? No one…
HOT OFF THE PRESS: SACRAMENTO, CA — If you have never looked skyward into the deep blue yonder and given a second thought to just how far outer space really goes, the new book Humble Sky cautions, you should make…
Donald Trump’s arrogance will leave the United States sick, nearly to death. There is reason for hope, though, that incoming President Biden’s humility will be a healing antidote. Consider the result addition by subtraction: replacing Trump’s humblebrag style with Biden’s…
The past four years have taught us so much. That language matters. That words matter. That context matters. And most of all, that listening and learning matters. Here is an alphabetical mnemonic cheat sheet. Alternative facts. Kellyanne Conway tried to…
There’s a time and place for babblers, I suppose. Who else among us willingly asserts themselves in classroom discussions, groupthink business meetings, memorial services when no one else wants to? And who else can always be counted on to fill…
The sensational New York Times headline “Believe Me: Not All Liars Are Created Equal” caught my eye immediately. Naturally, I assumed the article would rightly dissect and castigate Donald Trump, our nation’s Liar-in-Chief. It did not. Instead the report objectively…
For fans of filmmaker Charlie Kaufman who’ve been intrigued over the years by the bizarro worlds of “Being John Malkovich,” “Adaptation,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” and a dozen other inventive cinematic experiences, his expansive debut novel Antkind is…
