Archive for February, 2011

Presidents’ Day, also known as George Washington Day, was the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen and was initially celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, February 22. On January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This date places the holiday between [...]

“The highest test of the civilization of any race is in its willingness to extend a helping hand to the less fortunate. A race, like an individual, lifts itself up by lifting others up.” — Booker T. Washington
I became reacquainted with the legacy of Booker T. Washington a few years ago when I received a [...]

I admit that I had never seen Lady Gaga speak until last night when I tuned in to 60 Minutes. And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. She impressed me with her authenticity, her passion, and her outrageous, relentless confidence. While she admits to feeling insecure at times, it is hard to see [...]

Psst…hey you…yeah, you…do you want to know a secret about someone many people consider one of our country’s greatest public speakers? Okay, here goes…even though he was very eloquent and his words changed history, he often felt pangs of nervousness and anxiety when he stood up to speak. In fact, when he first began speaking, [...]

The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, helps explain the power of simplicity. The 80/20 Rule is pervasive in our world. For example:

80% of traffic jams occur on the 20% of roads
80% of beer is consumed by 20% of drinkers
80% of profits come from 20% of customers
80% of sales are generated by 20% [...]