Index of Articles

Index of  VFTB blog articles (Listed in order of caloric content)

Thank you for taking time to learn about my blog, View from the Bleachers.  I would like to share with you my collection of brilliant writing, erudite ponderings and insightful commentaries about the human condition, politics, business, parenting,  events of the day and my personal battle with male pattern baldness. Unfortunately, I am still working on those insightful articles. In the meantime I invite you to check out  what I actually have written instead. 

Below is an index of some of the least offensive, I mean most popular articles I have written, as determined by a prestigious advisory panel of highly respected columnists, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and A-List professional bloggers, most of whom have strongly recommended me… for a career in the food services industry. But I am sure that if they ever actually read any of my postings, they would overwhelmingly agree with me that I actually have profoundly important things to say… about the food services industry, that is. 

Don’t listen to the critics. And thank you for taking the time to read some of my favorite articles. To see my own personal favorites, scroll down to the bottom of this page.

- Tim Jones

Pop Culture / In the News 

  • A Solution to Our Prison Problem – Soccer Balls – The cost of housing our 2 million prisoners is growing exponentially. Finally an innovative solution from the Argentina prison system that just might work, if we can just work out a few tiny bugs in the plan. 
  • World Cup Special Offer from VFTB: Vuvuzela music lessons – Kids half price! World Cup soccer was all the craze in the summer of 2010. And the world fell in love with the sound of the Vuvuzela horn.  Learn more about this amazing pop phenomenon and save money on lessons. Act now.
  • VFTB Exclusive: Breaking News!  Sheen and Gaddafi agree to a job swapThis week features a VFTB Exclusive – a breaking news story that will stun the world. I just brokered a peace deal that may help the world avert not one but two international crises. I am proud to say that yours truly has brokered a tentative deal in which Muammar Gaddafi and Charlie Sheen have agreed to swap jobs.  
  • So you think you know Canada, eh? Seven myths about our neighbors to the northHaving been married to a Canadian for 25 years, and having understood her for 9 of those years, I’ve learned a few things about Canada that may surprise you – like the fact that not every Canadian lives in igloos – although most of them dream about owning one someday.
  • America ranks FIRST for Personal Energy Conservation (otherwise known as laziness) – America now has one more prestigious Number One ranking it can add to its collection: We’re number one for personal energy conservation. We won’t take second place to those damn Samoans.
  • A dark day in America – Black are getting happier –  A recent study has found that over the past 40 years, blacks in America are getting happier while whites are getting unhappier. Why? Personally, I blame Obamacare. Read the shocking findings here.
  • Back away from the car, mom, and give the car keys to GrandmaContrary to widely-held public opinion, my elderly mother is a very safe driver. That’s the conclusion of a new State Farm Insurance study which conclusively concludes the following conclusion: Grandparents are safer drivers than parents when kids are in the car. So turn over the keys to Grandma and just relax.
  • VFTB Exclusive: Americans mourn the sudden passing of Osama in Laden – In this shocking expose, VFTB reveals that thousands of Americans are discouraged and disheartened over the news of President Obama’s decision to take out Osama bin Laden – starting with Donald Trump.
  • 8,000 drunken sailors sent on a mission to capsize Guam – Why didn’t the mainstream media cover this urgent news story? The people of Guam are at risk of their island tipping over from an invasion of US sailors. Don’t believe me? Just ask a US Congressman from Georgia. 
  • Lindsay Lohan is NOT a milkaholic! - Will the media ease up on this American icon? She has been accused of being addicted to everything from cocaine to wine spritzers. But when you accuse her of being addicted to milk, you have crossed the line, mister. 
  • The Tangled Truth about UHS: Uncombable Hair Syndrome – Every day thousands of Americans suffer from a little known chronic untreatable condition called UHS. Okay, well maybe not thousands.  Maybe more like hundreds. Well, at least a few dozen. Okay, maybe just Donald Dobson of Paducah, Kentucky. But for him, it’s no laughing matter.
  • A moment of sadness – America’s greatest inventor has tossed his last toss – There have been many important inventors who have changed the course of our great country, but none, perhaps more important than Walter Morrison, the inventor of the Frisbee. 
  • GOP eyes Watson the Computer as front-runner candidate for 2012 election – Recently, IBM’s super computer named Watson defeated two past champions on the quiz show Jeopardy! Well, you knew it was just a matter of time before Republican strategists vetted him for the 2012 election. (First in a two-part series.) 
  • Watson vs. Palin mock presidential debate – Who will win? – I go behind the scenes and witness a mock presidential debate between Sarah Palin and Watson the computer. You won’t find this sort of coverage in any other serious news outlet. Find out who wins in this VFTB Exclusive. (Second in a two-part series.)
  • Rapture a non-event – Except for one lucky winner – The Rapture happened on May 21, 2011, and shockingly only one lucky winner got called by God to Heaven.  Don’t despair that you didn’t get picked. You still be around to watch the final episode of Oprah.
  • My fun weekend at the Royal Wedding with Willy and KateSometimes, you just have to be impulsive to get the most out of life. So that’s why I decided not to mow the lawn this weekend and attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton instead.
  • Vancouver Olympics – Have you no shame? – My in-depth undercover report on the seamy dark under-belly of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Canadians should be ashamed of their games, their country and their accent.
  • A Preview of TV’s Mid-season Replacement Reality ShowsWe have entered the Golden Age of Television. Check out some of the mind-expanding reality shows coming soon. If you think the Jerry Springer show is Must See TV, you’ll love what the cable channels have in store for you.
  • 2009 – The Year in Review – As seen from the Bleachers - My recap of the stories that really mattered to the world in 2009 – from Susan Boyle’s stunning performance on Britain’s Got Talent to the stunning passing of Michael Jackson to the stunning launch and survival of View from the Bleachers.  
  • 2010 – The Year in Review – As seen from the Bleachers – If you thought my 2009 Year in Review was good, wait till you read my 2010 Year in Review. From The drama (and trauma) of the Vancouver Winter Games to the Gulf oil spill to the rise of the Tea Party to the landmark Healthcare Reform Act. There is something to piss off everybody. (This issue is a two-parter. For Part II, click here.)
  • View From the Bleachers’ Annual Predictions for the Year Ahead – 2010 Edition – Every now and then, my psychic ability to predict what will happen in the world in the upcoming year is eerily accurate. 2010  was not one of those years.
  • View from the Bleachers’ Annual Predictions Issue – 2041 Edition Okay, so I have not had a lot of success with past Annual Predictions issues. This time I gaze out 30 years into the future and make some bold predictions. Since I probably won’t be around by then, I really don’t care how far off the mark I might be.
  • The dangers of texting while breathing – The dangers of texting while driving have long been known. But the alarming truth is that even texting while walking can pose a serious health threat. Just as the California man who, while texting, walked straight into a bear. Fortunately the bear was not harmed. 
  • Job Opening: Do you have what it takes to be al Qaeda’s new Number 2? – Still struggling to find work in this listless economy? Enjoy hikes in the mountains? Want a slower pace without being barraged by email and text messages? Like living in dark spaces and blowing things up? Then have we got the job for you!
  • Tally Ho! Exclusive VFTB Preview of the London 2012 Summer Olympics – Just in time for the 2012 Summer Games, VFTB takes you behind the scenes to learn about several new sports introduced for this year’s Games.  Personally, I can’t wait to see Queen Elizabeth compete in the Corgi Toss, even if she is a bit of a dark horse.
  • Important Health Safety Warning: These Foods Will Kill You! – Turns out that a lot of foods are really, really bad for you. Even 32-ounce bottle of water can kill you, especially if it falls on your head from a height of 5,000 feet. Read this week’s important health scare, er, alert, about some which foods can kill. Spoiler alert: Brussels sprouts is one of 5 foods that is actually not harmful.
  • NFL addresses fan discontent by hiring new replacement referees from Foot Locker – After a dramatic Monday Night Football game which ended in a controversial game-changing blown call by the referee, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that he plans to fire all the referees and replace them with Footlocker store clerks.
  • I just found out I’m related to Jesus – on my mother’s side– A recently deciphered ancient Coptic Christian papyrus text reveals that Jesus was probably married. It’s not too big a leap of logic from that revelation to the conclusion that I must be the savior’s direct descendant. I mean, just look at any 15th century painting of Christ. I totally have his chin. 
  • Famous Americans share Thanksgiving messages of gratitude – Thanksgiving is a time to pause and reflect on all the things you’re grateful for this time of year. VFTB shares inspirational messages of gratitude from some of America’s most famous celebrities.  Even with all their wealth and fame, in the end, it’s about the little things in life, like having wealth and fame. 
  • 2012 – The Year in Review – As seen from the Bleachers – Part 1: January – June – A look back at the major news stories of the first half of 2012. Who could have known at the time that investing in Facebook would be a bad move or that Newt Gingrich would not become our next president?
  • 2012 – The Year in Review – As seen from the Bleachers – Part 2: July – December – Part 2 of our Year in review.  What an incredible six months it was. The Presidential Election, The David Petraeus sex scandal , Hurricane Sandy and the amazing London Olympic Games were just a few of the important stories we totally forgot to include in this very special report.  Every now and then, I take stock of tiny news stories which catch my attention – in particular, stories about people and businesses making bone-headed moves.
  • Bad Ideas in the News – Every now and then I read stories about people and businesses making incredibly boned headed moves. They remind me that no matter how badly I may feel about my life, all over the world, there are people making me look like a veritable genius by comparison.
  • NRA solves gun violence problem: Bullet-proof vests for every American – The national debate on gun control has escalated recently.  The NRA recently took a bold stance, arguing that what America needs to solve the problem is MORE guns. The fact that this would result in millions in additional gun sales for NRA member gun dealers is strictly a coincidence.
  • My predictions for 2013: It is going to snow a lot…. somewhere… eventually  – In past years, I have made some incredible, shocking predictions.  What’s not so incredible or shocking is that almost none of them ever came true. So this year, I am going to play it a bit more conservative, in the hopes that at least one of my predictions finally comes true.
  • World’s Oldest Person dies – AGAIN In what can only be described as an epidemic of tragedy, the World’s Oldest Person died again. When will our nation’s leaders stand up and take action to stop this never-ending cycle of death from taking so many innocent lives.  
  • Communities on high alert in wake of killer guinea pig attacks – Authorities in Australia report that in one community, guinea pig attacks equaled the number of shark attacks. It’s time Americans wake up and realize that millions of us have a deadly killer living in our homes within inches of our precious kids. And that killer’s name is Fluffy, or perhaps Mr. Bubbles. 
  • Rumor has it I may be the next Pope – I know, it’s hard to believe. If elected as your next Pope, I promise to make helping the poor and needy my first priority, just as soon as I update the Papal residence with a 120” flat screen TV and make sure the Swiss Guards upgrade my premium cable plan to include HBO.
  • First Lady Michelle Obama – Coming soon to an Applebee’s near you – America’s First Lady can be seen just about everywhere lately.  I mean everywhere. Hang out at your local Costco long enough, and I’m pretty sure she’ll show up eventually, probably hawking a new juicer.

Politics & the Economy 

  • BP has a plan to solve the gulf oil problem, and another plan, and another plan… – Well, you knew I had to weigh in on this topic since it was the only thing on the news for three months. I don my investigative reporter cap and share several back up plans that BP was prepared to unveil if they could not stop the leak. I plan to try some of them with my lawn the next time my sprinkler won’t shut off.
  • The end of freedom in America. Blame it on the tyranny of Obamacare – Freedom in America stopped forever roughly in week five of the Obama presidency. Everything that is wrong with our country clearly is his fault, starting with health care reform, which was working wonderfully for the executives of the health insurance industry until he had to go muck everything up.
  • I have solved our nation’s debt problem – no need to thank me – By every credible estimate, our nation’s debt crisis is only going to get worse in the years to come. Finally, one brave American steps forward with a plan that just might work. That American would be me. Read my plan to eliminate our debt . And it does not involve tax hikes or deep spending cuts and only a small amount of blackmail.
  • The Tea Party’s bold plans to eliminate the debt completely by December 17th Part 1 of 2 – What’s everybody so worried about with our growing debt problem? Just chillax. Our Tea Party representatives in Congress are ready to take control. They’ll have our debt problem resolved before you can say Ben Franklin impersonator. Read about some of their innovative solutions. Click here to read Part 2.
  • GOP Halloween Haunted House of Terror – ENTER IF YOU DARE!!! – If you thought most Halloween Haunted Houses were scary, they’re like Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood compared to the latest crop of GOP presidential hopefuls. Check out the GOP Haunted House.  It’s terrifying.
  • I’ve been having an affair. Please don’t tell my wifeRecently, my wife and kids were out of town for two weeks, and I was all alone – two weeks. A man has certain needs, ya’ know? So I fell for another woman – Rachel Maddow. But the attraction was purely intellectual. Honest.
  • Torn about who to Vote for – Surprisingly this year, the political campaign rhetoric was on the negative side. I never knew how many socialist sympathizing, tax evading, terrorist pacifying, morally bankrupt politicians hell-bent on destroying our country were running for office this year.  So I was a bit torn about who to vote for.
  • Let Our Corporations Speak – Thanks to a stunning, landmark US Supreme Court decision in January, 2010, corporations now share the same right of free speech as individuals. I speculate on the many wonderful new opportunities that this may open up for our country as a result.
  • The Myth about Global Warming –if you ask me, there is absolutely no proof that global warming exists or that man has played any part in it – unless you happen to be swayed by those silly little scientifically validated research studies with their fancy charts and graphs.  I rebut their claims once and for all. (This post sponsored by Exxon Mobile.)
  • In Defense of Big OilThis post is my frontal assault on all those leftwing liberal global warming conspiracy fear-mongers who think we’re going to run out of oil next week. Trust me, we have several months before we have to be the least bit concerned.
  • And the winner is….. Obama???? – Upon learning that President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, I did some investigative research and discovered a shocking list of other awards he was soon going to win. But the Westminster Dog Show’s Best in Show was not among them.
  • Confessions of a Reformed Bleeding-Heart Liberal – I used to be a left wing liberal – that is until President Obama crossed the line and preached the socialist message that our kids should stay in school and study hard. How dare he try to indoctrinate our kids like that!
  • Great News: Wall Street is Back in Business! – Thank goodness the economy recovery is complete. Wall Street investment banks like Goldman Sachs recorded record bonus payouts at the end of 2009, a sure sign that you and I can rest comfortably knowing that everything is fine, even though your unemployment benefits run out next week.
  • VFTB’s Take Back America, Do-It-Yourself Self-Government Tool KitDo you stress over government incompetence and inefficiency? Then try VFTB’s new Government-in-a-Box. We’re talking Government By the People – just the way our very first president, Abraham Lincoln, would have wanted it.

 Family & Parenting 

Fun & Leisure 

  • Women, help end discrimination against men. Get struck by lightning. – For years the media has highlighted discrimination against women. It’s time someone spoke up about rampant discrimination men suffer, starting with the fact that men are five times more likely than women to get struck by lightning. We must end this blatant sex discrimination once and for all.
  • Forget about Low-Impact Aerobics. Try the latest fitness craze: No-Impact Yoga – For too long, millions of Americans have been straining, twisting and suffering through dangerous yoga classes. No more! Thanks to my amazing breakthrough No-Impact Yoga system. Try it today, and see how relaxing and restful yoga can be. Sleep pillow and comfy blanket sold separately.
  • The nightmare of living in America’s friendliest town – My town, Sammamish, Washington, was recently selected by Forbes Magazine as the Friendliest Town in America. Everyone here is amazingly nice. And that’s just one of my complaints about living here.
  • Humor writer admits to using banned substances and lying to everybody – In a stunning revelation, Tim Jones admits publicly that he used banned performance-enhancing substances to gain a competitive edge against other humor writers. Based on writing samples we have tested, it apparently hasn’t helped.
  • President Obama, deport my next-door neighbor. His lawn looks like crap. – Every day, thousands of Americans are signing petitions, asking our federal government to do everything from conduct a recount of the 2012 election to deport CNN’s Piers Morgan. It’s time I jumped on the bandwagon with a few petitions of my own.
  • Welcome to Seattle – the land the Sun Forgot – If you’re  about to visit the Emerald City for the very first time, read this fun, fact-filled overview about Seattle before you pack your suitcase. By the way, those sunglasses you were planning to bring? You won’t be needing those.
  • VFTB Commentary: Why baseball is way better than sex…  - I love baseball – if that’s not obvious from the title of this humor blog. This week, I come to the defense of this great game and try once and for all to explain the infield fly rule.
  • Searching for a way to turn off my brain – Sometimes I have difficulty relaxing and just letting myself unwind. My brain is racing all the time, even when I am relaxing. So I decided to try massage. My body loved it. My brain, well, it had quite a few things to say about the experience.

Computers, Technology & the Internet 

Lifestyles, People & Relationships 

  • My Sister Betsy, AKA Bad Betsy in a Previous Life – I love my sister, but she has simply the worst luck of anybody I know. Read this post and stop bitching about how bad your life is. Just be thankful you don’t know this person. She is bad news, plain and simple. Avoid her at all costs.
  • America’s worsening attention span probl – Hey look, Pam just sent me a textHave you noticed how recently it seems like everybody’s attention span is getting shorter and – Hey, I’m still talking here! As I said, have you ever noticed – Hey, where are you going? Oh, never mind…
  • Rain, clouds and moss – three reasons I love Drip City – A lot of people don’t understand the allure of Seattle. Doesn’t it rain 350 days a year there? I’m here to set the record straight. And by the way, it’s only 315 days. Stop exaggerating.
  • Have you hugged a racist today? – A heated issue in the news in 2010 was immigration. Racial tensions are escalating. I did some research and it turns out that racists really aren’t so evil after all. They suffer from a medical disorder. Learn about their tribulations and give them a hug of understanding, won’t you?
  • Humor blog revealed to be a tangled web of lies– Okay, I confess, sometimes I make things up when I write my blog. I can’t be bothered with actually looking things up, so I wing it. In this post I come clean about a few lies I have written, and by “a few”  I mean less than 5,000.
  • Household Budget Super Committee reaches 11th hour compromise – After months of gridlock and heated name-calling on both sides, the Jones-Rushworth budget super committee reach a last minute compromise, over  the objections of lobbyists, and by lobbyists, we mean our teenage daughters.
  • Valentine Tip #17: When planning a romantic getaway, don’t forget to invite your wife – Every Valentine’s Day, I receive hundreds of letters asking me for advice around matters of the heart. As a foremost expert on the subject of romance, I open up the mailbag and share my advice to the lovelorn. Maybe I can help you. Ah who am I kidding? You’re beyond help.
  • Did anybody see my car keys? – This post was supposed to be an insightful commentary about the challenges of attention deficit disorder, which afflicts many people as they approach middle age. But well, I got a little distracted. Read my excuse for why I never quite got around to finishing this blog post.  
  • My painful dark confession – For the first time anywhere, I come out of the closet and admit something I have long felt ashamed to admit. I can’t deny the rumors any longer. It’s true. For most of my life, I have been, yes, it’s true, a sloooow reader.
  • 22-Step Guide to turning on a light bulbWhen it comes to home repairs, there are simple repair projects and there are complicated repair projects. And then there are the simple repair projects that I find a way to turn into complicated projects. This would be one such example.
  • Marriage tip for men: When shopping at Costco on Black Friday, avoid unnecessary impulse purchasesSo here’s a life lesson I learned:  Never ever let me enter a Costco on Black Friday. I came in to buy shampoo, but  then there was this pair of electric nose hair trimmers for half off.
  • Lowering the bar (once again) on my New Year’s ResolutionsEvery year I write down my new year’s resolutions for the upcoming year. In this post, I review my resolutions from the past 30 years and make a startling discovery:  I suck at sticking with my new year’s resolutions.
  • Kanye West’s Guide to a Kinder, Nicer YOU! – Kanye West may be the nicest, kindest, most sensitive rapper mogul I have ever known. But people still wrongly judge him based on his tirade before Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards. I share a sneak preview of his new book on manners. You could learn a lot from his example.    
  • Don’t Let Five-Year Olds Vote – In this post, I bare my soul and share with my readers exactly what I am for and what I am against.  I hold nothing back, starting with my deep-seeded conviction that we should never let five-year olds vote. Nine-year olds, maybe, but not five-year olds.
  • A letter to our wives: What we dads really want for Father’s Day this year – Every year we dads get the same lame gifts from our families for Father’s Day. It’s time someone stands up for all of us dads and tells you wives what we men really want this year. If you ladies can’t handle the truth, then all I have to say is, I promise to mow the yard right after I empty the trash, sweetie.
  • My true story of the greatest prom night of all timeWhen it comes to prom season, I am always taken back to that memorable, magical evening of my high school prom in my senior year. It was almost like a fairy tale in every way, except for the beginning, the middle and the conclusion. But otherwise, it was a perfect evening.
  • Before you get romantically involved, don’t forget the Relationship Agreement50% of couples that marry today end up getting divorced. That’s shocking.  So I’ve created a useful standardized Relationship Agreement to help couples set some ground rules upfront in the spirit of understanding and compromise. If every couple used my relationship agreement form, before you knew it, the divorce rate would plummet to 49%.
  • Researchers unlock the key to a happy marriage: Husbands, let your wives do ALL the housework - A recent Norwegian study shows that marriages in which men share equally in the housework have a 50% higher divorce rate.  The survey sample consisted of 1,500 husbands who really sucked at doing housework.
  • Don’t let your dishwasher destroy your marriage – Being married for 25 years takes commitment and hard work, especially if you’re married to me.  Our marriage has survived many ups and downs. But it was a major household appliance that drove our marriage to its knees.  Read how we were able to overcome our differences about dirty dishes. 
  • The secret to maintaining your New Year’s Resolutions – Every January 1st, millions of people start off the year making bold, ambitious New Year’s Resolutions. And every January 17th, all but about 23 of us have utterly failed and already given up. How do you break the cycle of failure? It’s simple – if you know the secret. And if you do, could you tell me? Because I have no idea.
  • 12 things I admire about my dad – By Emily Jones - I decided to invite my high-school-aged daughter to write a guest post and she decided to write about all the things she admires about me.  Turns out the title of the post is just a tad misleading, unless you consider the fact that she hates how I always nag her about cleaning up her room to be something she admires about me.
  • Rebel with a weed whacker – For most of my adult life, I followed the rules, obeyed stop signs and took my vitamins. Not anymore. From now on, I’m living life on the edge, and calling my own shots.  I won’t be told what to do anymore, starting with not mowing the lawn this weekend. But I’ll still take out the trash. I’m not a barbarian. 
  • Tracking my progress towards a slimmer, fitter me – For too many years I have made excuses for not taking better care of my body and my health. Ate too many donuts and ice cream and not enough asparagus. So I came up with a new fitness regimen. And I am committed to getting rid of my old bad habits – right after I finish this pepperoni pizza. I’ll start tomorrow. I promise.

Business & the Workplace 

  • Now You can be a Sales Superstar – by Sales Guru, Biff Biven – The ABC’s to becoming an incredibly successful salesperson (so long as you consider asking “do you want fries with that?” to be a successful sales career). If you want to get on the fast track to sales success, well, perhaps you should skip this article, not that I think about it.
  • Now You can be a Sales Superstar – Part Two of Two – by Sales Guru, Biff Biven – Part two of proven strategies to achieving success in sales.  Some of these strategies may be illegal in your area. Check your local listing.
  • Business Lesson #58 – Help your employees make better decisions by removing all restrooms – A recent study proves that people with full bladders make better decisions. The business implications are clear: Employees with bursting bladders will generate gushing streams of positive cash flow.  Learn how your company can benefit from trickle-down economics.
  • Why grow your business when you can OPTIMIZE YOUR REAL-TIME ROI YIELD! – I’ll let you in on a secret. What smart marketers have known for a long time is the key to growing your market share is not to build a better mousetrap. And it’s not to improve your customer service. It’s to use really impressive-sounding words in that nobody understands in your marketing.
  • And the Employee of the Month Award goes to… – As a world-renown business success expert, I discuss the inspiring, heroic contributions of some pretty remarkable employees – and announce the winner of this month’s Employee of the Month Award. (Hint: It’s not Nancy Pelosi.)
  • Business Lesson #39: Awlays Proffread Yoru WrokIf there is one thing that separates the winners from the losers in business it’s the ability to compose persuasive, articulate, error-free business emails, memos and presentations.  That and being the offspring of the CEO.
  • Little Caesars’ sues Ancient Rome for brand infringement – In tough times, companies do what our founding fathers wanted them to do – file random lawsuits for brand infringement. If you ask me, this is what makes our country great – the ability sue your way to record-breaking profits.
  • BREAKING NEWS! TIM JONES IS NOT FUNNY! – This just in – Every news paper, magazine and online news site agrees: My humor writing is a PERFECT fit – for some other publication than theirs.  Still holding out hope, though. Haven’t heard back yet from Guns & Ammo magazine.
  • Business Lesson #61: Hug your way to business success – Research shows that sports teams that hug each other more outperform others. The implications for improving your company’s market share should be obvious.  Hey, Veronica, come give your old boss a hug.
  • TGIT – Thank God It’s TuesdayMany companies and even some states have moved to a four-day work week for improved efficiencies. Why stop there? Think how much more efficient we all would be if we worked two twenty-hour work days instead?
  • Business Lesson #46: The Dos and Don’ts of Holiday Office Parties – Follow these timely tips about proper business etiquette at your next company holiday party and you just might find yourself rocketing to the executive suite in no time. Or not…
  • Business Lesson #27: The Importance of Committees – Business is run by people. And people get things done by forming committees. Read these important business secrets on how to survive and thrive the next time you’re tapped to join a committee. You do know how to use PowerPoint, don’t you?
  • Business Lesson #83: What to do when your customers complain – Once in a while companies screw up and in the process cause their customer to complain. Read this six-step formula for how to handle customer complaints and leave everybody happy. But in the remote chance my approach doesn’t work, be sure to have a good attorney, okay?
  • Business Lesson #84: How to write an apology letter to upset customers – The next time your business makes a bone-headed business decision to cut costs that enrages your customers, be prepared to issue a sincere, heartfelt apology letter, crafted by a team of sincere, heartfelt lawyers with experience defending multi-million dollar product liability lawsuits.  

Tim’s Personal Favorites