Success
Van Halen's No-Brown-M&M's Rule and the Art of the Cheap Check
Van Halen's rider banned brown M&M's. David Lee Roth said it was a quick test of whether venues read the contract. Here's how to use a cheap check.
Decision making — page 2
Money
Paying Off the Smallest Debt First Is Worse Math. It Can Still Win.
Paying the highest rate first generally saves more interest. Research suggests why paying the smallest balance first can still help people finish.
Mindset
Apollo 13 Never Said 'Failure Is Not an Option.' Here's What Worked
The famous Apollo 13 line came from a 1995 film. What really saved the crew was a fix built from bags and tape — and a lesson about limits.
Wealth
What Isaac Newton Really Lost in the South Sea Bubble
Newton didn't go broke in 1720. He took an early profit, bought back in, and lost more than he'd made. What the records show, and the trap that caught him.
Motivation
The 61-year-old farmer who won a race by not going to bed
In 1983 Cliff Young won a race from Sydney to Melbourne while his rivals slept. What his win says about the unwritten rules in your own week.
Mindset
Why good evidence gets rejected: the Semmelweis lesson
In 1847 a Vienna doctor cut deaths with handwashing and was ignored. The full story is about identity, and about how evidence is delivered.