Monthly Archives: December 2013

H.I.F. A few fun facts from the, um, “Interesting Facts” Twitter account: At Andrew Jackson’’s funeral in 1845, his pet parrot had to be removed because it was swearing. 70% of murders in Detroit go unsolved. In 2012, the Smithsonian … Continue reading →

It’s New Years Eve, the beginning of the official end of the secular holiday season. For serious Catholics and traditional Protestants, the holiday season continues through Epiphany, but for the other 99% of the population, the holidays start to end … Continue reading →

H.I.F. All lies, all the time: “The ACA was not designed to reduce costs or, the law’s name notwithstanding, to make health insurance coverage affordable for the vast majority of Americans,” says health care consultant Kip Piper, a former government … Continue reading →

From Bottom Line Personal: Just in time for New Years resolutions: “Goals Are for Losers and Other Success Secrets from “Dilbert’s” Creator Scott Adams.” Link. Bookmark it: del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg |

H.I.F. Retail sales of alcohol are up 10% over the past year. Link. That’s a pretty phenomenal number. Bookmark it: del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg |

Did you go see The Wolf of Wall Street? I thought about going to it, but after reading this open letter from the daughter of one of the protagonist’s partners in crime, I won’t. But let me admit something: I’m … Continue reading →

H.I.F. I remember reading (5? 10?) years ago that 10% of Americans are ex-Catholics, so this is no surprise: “According to recent demographic surveys, it seems there are presently 30 million people in the U.S. who identify themselves as ‘former … Continue reading →

H.I.F. “The halo effect discussed earlier contributes to coherence, because it inclines us to match our view of all the qualities of a person to our judgment of one attribute that is particularly significant. If we think a baseball pitcher … Continue reading →

Let me be as blunt yet precise about this as possible: If you are a Tolkien fan, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sucks. I am not making an unqualified statement about the cinematic merit of the film. I am … Continue reading →

BYCU The headline from this article appears to be the misleading: “Regular but moderate consumption of alcohol makes you healthier and happier than total abstinence.” I’m happy to see such a study, of course, but the headline states that only … Continue reading →

H.I.F. 7 Foods and Herbs to Fight the Common Cold: Vitamin C, Kiwi, Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Echinacea, Oregano Oil, Zinc. Link. It’s hard to say, but I think I’ve had success with zinc and echinacea. Bookmark it: del.icio.us | … Continue reading →