Here are the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary’s top-10 phrases used in our language today that have been taken from one of the masterful Bard’s works.
#1: Green-Eyed Monster
#2: In a Pickle
#3: Love is Blind
#4: Salad Days
#5: Wear My Heart on My Sleeve
#6: There’s the Rub
#7: Cruel to Be Kind
#8: Wild Goose Chase
#9: Dogs of War
#10: Strange [...]
There was a great article in the Globe & Mail this week about the principles of customer service. It listed key phrases that will help build and keep business. Here are the magical business phrases:
How can I help?
I can solve that problem.
I don’t know, but I’ll find out.
I will take responsibility.
I [...]
In the United States, every sixty seconds:*
American men will eat a total of 7,398 hot dogs; 12,989 pounds of beef; 40 pounds of tofu; and 1,500 Dunkin’ Donuts. Oh yes, one-and-a-half (1 ½ ) men have heart attacks.
315,432 American men light up cigarette; 150 men fire up joints; 23 start to do lines of [...]
New York Yankees’ Boss, George Steinbrenner, passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 80. Here are some of his pearls of wisdom in an Esquire “What I’ve Learned” column from 2002 – when he was a young 71.
When you’re entrusted with a tradition, you’ve got to protect it.
If you haven’t got a [...]
The Merriam – Webster on-line dictionary has put together a very useful Top 10 List of the most commonly confused words. Here’s the list:
Flaunt / Flout
Affect / Effect
Deserts / Desserts
Stationary / Stationery
Flak / Flack
It’s / Its
Pore / Pour
Fewer / Less
Flounder / Founder
Principal / Principle
Here’s the link to [...]
In Angelo Persichilli’s Toronto Star column today, “No one bothers to watch the bureaucrats,” he rightly points out that our country’s bureaucrats have an easy way of it when it comes to doling out taxpayers’ money. The unknown (largely unaccountable) bureaucrats hiding away in their Ottawa and Toronto office towers, are a troubling piece [...]
As a long-time reader of American magazine Esquire, I have always enjoyed the feature “What I’ve learned”. This is an invaluable collection of wisdom from guest columnists on the lessons learned through life.
Here are a dozen gems from musicians Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris and Ray Charles.
Songs are more powerful than books. – Elvis Costello [...]
Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can
disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to
every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel like there is
something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your
optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work [...]
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you [...]
In completing the task of quoting from all our country’s Prime Ministers – from Sir John A. to our current PM Stephen Harper – I now return to my favourite PM: John George Diefenbaker. Here’re 10 more musings from one of Canada’s most colourful and quotable leaders.
My abiding interest is your interest; my guiding [...]