In the spirit of innovation and testing my fear of failure, I’m trying something new this week. I produced my first podcast about a month ago, and since I am on vacation in Pinehurst, NC, the timing was right to share it with you. My interview is with Kimberly Beam Holmes. She is CEO of Marriage Helper, a research-based company focused on saving marriages. The program has a staggering 77% success rate. And as you might imagine, most people who arrive at Marriage Helper are in serious trouble, and it’s the last resort before a divorce. The Marriage Helper program, which features workshops, marital coaches, and proprietary courses, is rooted in scientific principles that drive relationships. Therefore, even if you have a great marriage or looking to find one, you can benefit from the content and deepen your connection with others and live a happier, more fulfilling life.
Some of the topics covered in this week’s podcast are the following:
What it means to be a sexologist
The proven process for falling in love
What makes a great marriage
Balancing being a wife/mom/CEO/Ph.D. candidate
The joy of adoption
This podcast is my first effort, and I would appreciate feedback. There are obvious things I could improve, such as sound quality, but before I invest in expensive equipment, I want to make sure there’s interest in more of these 1:1 interviews. I would also love suggestions for other people to interview and topics that may have appeal. For fans of the standard ToMorrow’s View newsletter, don’t fret. I am not abandoning the written news summary format, but I would like to do a podcast each quarter, assuming the content is interesting to my audience.
I. Below are the articles I found interesting the past week:
While America slept, China stole the farm
China’s diplomacy is limiting its own ambitions
II. Stats that made me go WOW!
- In 2020, 38,680 people died on US roads – 7.2% more than in 2019 – although people drove 13% fewer miles. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cited impaired driving, speeding, and failure to wear seat belts as the primary reasons.
- The top five US cities in terms of net tech worker inflows per 10,000 LinkedIn users: Austin (217), Nashville (155), Charlotte (146), Jacksonville (136), Denver (130).
- Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has finally found a profitable business. Internet sellers are cashing in on mugs, T-shirts, and even shower curtains in the weeks before her criminal fraud trial starts in August. There are more than 50 listings of Holmes and Theranos merchandise on Etsy, Poshmark, and eBay. One of the unique items is an authentic Theranos lab coat listed for $17,000. Holmes, who is pregnant and due next month, is facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all charges. She has pleaded not guilty.
- Over the past 25 years, IRS resources have been steadily cut, with the rate of enforcement funding to returns filed falling by around 50%. Today, the IRS has fewer auditors than at any time since WW2. Accordingly, the agency cannot appropriately focus scrutiny on complex returns, where noncompliance is greatest. Of about four million partnership returns filed in 2018, the IRS audited 140 of them. Former IRS. Commissioner Charles Rossotti estimates $1.6 trillion could be collected within a decade from efforts to close the gap between taxes owed and collected.
III. Name that Tune!
I am listening to “Yellow” by Cold Play as I write this newsletter.
Coldplay is a British rock band formed in London in 1996. The quartet met at University College London and began playing music together from 1996 to 1998, first calling themselves Pectoralz and then Starfish before finally changing their name to Coldplay. The song “Yellow” was Coldplay’s breakthrough hit internationally, reaching number one in Iceland, number five in Australia, number nine in Ireland, and number 48 in the United States. Lead singer Chris Martin commented that the song is “about devotion, referring to his unrequited love for someone or something.” Despite its lyrical theme, many fans have considered “Yellow” to be an upbeat track, although critics interpret it as melancholy. The music video for “Yellow” was filmed in Studland Bay in South West England. The video is minimalistic, featuring only Martin singing the song as he walks along the beach. The video is one continuous shot with no cuts, and the entire sequence is in slow motion. After “Yellow,” Coldplay continued their success, registering 24 Top 40 hits, including 18 Top 10s, two of which were chart-toppers. The group has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time.
If you enjoyed the newsletter, please add a friend and share it on social media!
Episode 56: Yellow