As we come to the end of 2020, it’s the perfect time to appreciate the positive that has happened during the year. Even though this year has been one unlike any other, there have been some good moments, right? Maybe you re-connected with older family members or celebrated the birth of [...]

There’s an amazing podcast series called “The Dropout.” Created and hosted by Rebecca Jarvis, ABC News Correspondent for Business, Technology & Economics, “The Dropout” investigates the bizarre story of Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the medical startup company, Theranos. Holmes dropped out of Stanford University at 19 to start a blood-testing startup, [...]

Mr. Miyagi: [after Julie succeeds in a task she found difficult] Congratulations, Julie-san. Julie Pierce: Congratulations? That's all you're gonna say is congratulations? Don't I get a belt or something? Mr. Miyagi: Buy belt more. Julie Pierce: No, I mean a karate belt. Brown belt, black belt. Mr. Miyagi: Why need [...]

Here’s a wild story: An enterprising Chinese restaurant owner decided to take a different approach for getting more business. Instead of improving his noodle recipe, he instead laced his noodles with opium to get his customers addicted and increase the odds of them returning for more. Yes, opium. Incredible! The trick [...]

Merry Christmas! Don’t get me wrong. Italian children enjoy Christmas like every other kid around the world. But what they really look forward to is January. January 6, to be precise. That’s the day when the Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated. Epiphany commemorates the 12th day of Christmas, when the [...]

Happy what?!... Yes. Jólabókaflóð. It’s a wonderful word once you know its meaning. Jólabókaflóð is an Icelandic holiday that translates to “Yule Book Flood.” It originated during World War II when foreign imports were restricted, but paper was cheap. Iceland’s population wasn’t large enough to support a year-round publishing industry, so [...]

Okay. Bear with me on this one. It’s going to bring out the ten-year-old in you. Many Christmas traditions are sweet and heart-warming. And then there’s this one… Spain has a very unusual tradition: Tió de Nadal, the Christmas log. It makes you wonder if “Mr. Hankey” from South Park is [...]

If you’re in Norway, hide your broom... For the most part, Norwegians celebrate Christmas with many common traditions found around the world. They stop working at noon on Christmas Eve and go home, where the family gets all dolled up for the occasion. They then make decorations for the Christmas tree, [...]

There’s this wonderful family tradition I heard about. A brother and sister would go off to school on December 6. But when they got home, their mother would encourage these children to check the back of the front door. Turns out there was a stocking filled with goodies for each child. [...]

This one will make you chuckle. Add this Christmas tradition to the “bizarre” category. Japan has never made a big deal out of Christmas. Other than a few secular traditions such as gift-giving and light displays, the holiday is viewed mostly as a novelty in their country. But a fun, off-beat [...]