Blue jeans have been in fashion for a very long time. How did that happen? After all, they started out as work clothes. This episode begins by exploring the origins of jeans and how they became so popular. Source: James Sullivan, author of Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon (https://amzn.to/2F0wyID) How often have you looked back on a conversation and wish you had said something different – something brilliant? Well now you can. Listen to my guest Phil M. Jones, author of the book Exa...
Sep 10, 2020•51 min•Ep. 471
Watching a scary movie can be terrifying and unpleasant. So why do people do it? This episode begins with a discussion on the appeal of scary movies and what watching them actually does for people. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070725152040.htm Ever wonder why you chose to eat the foods you eat? The fact is there are a lot of things that influence food choice and many of those influences make it hard to eat a healthy diet. To help you sort out how to make better food choices and r...
Sep 07, 2020•53 min•Ep. 470
We have a lot of devices – cellphones, tablets, laptops – and they all need to be charged up constantly. How much does that cost? And how much does it cost to run a television, light bulb or a Tesla every year? Listen to discover the answers. http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ekhf45ellkj/ipad-1-50-per-year/ It seems as if the truth has taken a beating in recent years. Your truth may not be my truth and then, of course, there is alternative truth. Huh? It’s time we take a closer look at what the tru...
Sep 05, 2020•48 min•Ep. 469
When someone is sick or in the hospital, it is customary to send them flowers. Who doesn’t love flowers? But do flowers actually help sick people heal? This episode begins with a discussion on some interesting research that connects healing with plants and nature. http://askinyourface.com/2012/05/06/the-healing-power-of-flowers/ Everyone makes mistakes, including doctors. But medical errors can have serious consequences. It has been reported that medical errors are the third leading cause of dea...
Sep 03, 2020•56 min•Ep. 468
How many things are taking up space in your house that you will never, ever, ever use again? This episode begins with some simple advice that will help you clear out some things from your home or office and free up some space for what’s really important. Source: Barbara Hemphill author of “Love It or Lose It (https://amzn.to/31wfIdq) Your sense of smell is fascinating. Still, it is the one sense that people would be most likely to give up if they had to. That’s likely because people don’t realiz...
Aug 31, 2020•51 min•Ep. 467
People hate unsolicited advice – and they seldom follow it. Still, that doesn’t stop us from dishing it out to those we are trying to help. Well maybe there is a better and more effective way to influence people other than just telling them what we think they should do. I’ll tell you what it is. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/do-the-right-thing/201407/giving-people-advice-rarely-works-does Some people have all the luck. But why? Why are some people luckier than others? Can you create a lif...
Aug 29, 2020•43 min•Ep. 466
If you flip a coin and it comes up heads a couple of times in a row, chances are you would bet the next flip will come up tails. That is the perfect example of the “gambler’s fallacy.” Because the next flip is NOT more likely to come up tails. It gets gamblers in Las Vegas in trouble but it can also get you in trouble if you let it enter in to your decision making process. http://news.tamhsc.edu/?post=committing-the-gamblers-fallacy-may-be-in-the-cards-new-research-shows You instinctively know a...
Aug 27, 2020•48 min•Ep. 465
If you’ve ever taken over-the-counter cough and cold medicine, you may have noticed that it isn’t always that effective in relieving the symptoms. Recent research indicates that there is something in your kitchen cupboard that is more effective and is totally free of side effects. This episode begins with a home remedy that truly works. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8641173/Honey-beats-antibiotics-curing-colds-Study-shows-effective-medication.html Insects are often regarded as pests...
Aug 24, 2020•49 min•Ep. 464
Handwriting analysis sounds like it might be scientific. After all some courts allow it during trials and it has helped to convict defendants. But how reliable is it really? When put to the test, do handwriting experts do better in spotting a forgery or confirming a signature than you or me? Listen and find out. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Tests/grapho.html You like to think that when you buy something, you do it for sound smart and logical reasons. And maybe YOU do. But mo...
Aug 22, 2020•46 min•Ep. 463
Your computer keyboard looks a lot like the typewriter keyboard that was invented in the 1800s. The letters are in the same places now as they were then. Why are the letters of the QWERTY keyboard in the order they are in and why hasn’t anyone come up with anything better? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.cnet.com/news/a-brief-history-of-the-qwerty-keyboard/ Several years ago, Patrick McGinnis coined the term “Fear of Missing Out” or FOMO. It has now become part of the langua...
Aug 20, 2020•55 min•Ep. 462
Everyone has felt shy. It really depends on the situation. So how can you get over your shyness so you can engage with the people around you? This episode begins with some excellent advice from one of the leading shyness experts on how to work through those shy feelings in the moment – and it is really quite simple. Source: Bernardo Carducci author of Shyness (https://amzn.to/2XWCgl8) You’ve probably heard something somewhere about how indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air. And yes that i...
Aug 17, 2020•50 min•Ep. 461
TV networks manipulate programs to make more time for commercials – a LOT more time. I’ll discuss that and you might want to watch this YouTube video that demonstrates just how it works. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6i1VVikRu0. And here is the source for this story: http://www.wsj.com/articles/cable-tv-shows-are-sped-up-to-squeeze-in-more-ads-1424301320 We all have our little quirks and idiosyncrasies. But why is that great innovators like Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Elon M...
Aug 15, 2020•46 min•Ep. 460
Where do you keep your car keys at night? This episode begins with an explanation as to why you might want to keep those keys within easy reach of wherever you are sleeping. http://worldofwonder.net/lifehack-put-car-keys-beside-bed-night/ What’s the best way to learn anything new? IT is probably NOT reading information over and over. There are better ways to engage the brain so material really sticks. Here to explain what those methods are is Ulrich Boser who has spent a lot of time understandin...
Aug 13, 2020•53 min•Ep. 459
Outdoor cooking and eating can be fun and tasty. Still, there are some potential dangers we all need to be aware of. For example, when was the last time you really cleaned your grill? If you think the fire burns off all the bad stuff, think again. That’s just one of the things about outdoor cooking I discuss as we begin this episode. http://www.menshealth.com/health/5-cookout-mistakes-that-make-you-sick Carrots were not originally orange. Expensive weddings are a bad idea. The Mediterranean Sea ...
Aug 10, 2020•52 min•Ep. 458
So, what’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup? People talk about it a lot. Some say it is horrible for your health while others claim it is fine. But do you know what it actually is? Without stepping into the controversy, this episode begins with an explanation of what it is exactly and how it is different than regular corn syrup or sugar for that matter. http://www.finecooking.com/item/24865/corn-syrup-vs-high-fructose-corn-syrup Why do you do the things you do? Everything you do has a reas...
Aug 08, 2020•46 min•Ep. 457
If you have blue eyes, you are related to me! That is just one of the fascinating things I discuss as I begin this episode with a fascinating look at your eyes and how they work so well to help you navigate and see the world. http://www.buzzfeed.com/acuvue/impossibly-cool-facts-you-may-not-know-about-yo#.kjpwxlkvO Where do new ideas and innovations come from? Often, they seem to strike like lightning with no real pattern or explanation. But that is not exactly right according to my guest Matt Ri...
Aug 06, 2020•52 min•Ep. 456
When you think of having a meeting, you probably imagine sitting in a room around a table. You may want to change that whole idea. This episode begins by looking at how conducting meetings in a an entirely different way can result in a much more productive and rewarding meeting. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/walking-meetingsat-linke_n_7035258.html?utm_hp_ref=business Your brain is wired to be friendly. Being friendly is a good strategy most of the time. Why? Listen to Brian Hare, who ...
Aug 03, 2020•56 min•Ep. 455
Why do you sigh? Usually it is because you feel relief or you are sad or tired. But it turns out there is more to a sigh than you thought. In fact it turns out to be good for you. I’ll explain as I start this episode. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75330/frequent-sighing-helps-keep-you-alive The world is full of jerks. And unfortunately you have to deal with them. So what’s the best way? Here with some expert help is Bob Sutton, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford and author ...
Aug 01, 2020•45 min•Ep. 454
You already know it is important to drink water to stay healthy. And it also appears that drinking water can make you smarter, too. How? This episode begins by explaining how and you may find the answer quite surprising. http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/does_drinking_water_make_you_smarter_plus_6_benefits_of_staying_hydrated We all learned to count when we were young. Yet, it took a long time and a lot of differing theories about numbers and counting to get us to the simple ability of...
Jul 30, 2020•48 min•Ep. 453
When you learned to drive, you were likely told to keep your hands at 10:00 o’clock and 2:00 o’clock on the steering wheel. Is that really the best and safest place? This episode begins with a discussion on how to best steer your car. http://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/9882/team-oneil-shows-how-to-position-your-hands-on-the-wheel How do you get someone to tell you the truth when they don’t want to? Jack Schafer knows. As a former FBI agent, he has developed a technique based on some simple psy...
Jul 27, 2020•53 min
Has anyone ever told you that you couldn’t sing or carry a tune? Kids are often told that and it can really embarrass them and leave a lasting impression. The truth is just about anyone can sing and sing well. So forget what you were told and listen to my explanation. https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/02/cant-sing-keep-at-it/ The ability to forgive is wonderful. But while people can forgive, we also have the ability (and often the desire) to seek revenge when someone has harmed us. Psyc...
Jul 25, 2020•45 min•Ep. 451
Have you ever put a little more gasoline into your tank after the nozzle has shut itself off? If so, you need to hear the beginning of this episode when I explain what topping off your tank could be doing to your car – and it is not good. https://clark.com/cars/why-you-should-never-top-off-your-gas-tank/ The Internet has changed the English language. For one thing, we are all writing more than ever – texts, emails, social media posts, etc. We write so much that we have changed many of the rules ...
Jul 23, 2020•53 min•Ep. 450
Is there a way to drink without getting drunk or feeling the effects of alcohol? Kinda. This episode begins with the story of how a professional beer taster drinks a lot of beer and stays pretty sober. And it is a pretty simple trick. http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/how-to/a26328/how-not-to-get-drunk/ You have probably heard the advice that you shouldn’t eat foods that have a long ingredient list or have ingredients your grandmother wouldn’t recognize – but is that really good advice? I...
Jul 20, 2020•49 min•Ep. 449
You have likely been the victim of the Doorway Effect. It’s when you walk into a room and forget why you walked in there. We start this episode with an explanation of what this is and why it happens. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-walking-through-doorway-makes-you-forget/ Wouldn’t it be great if people regarded you as particularly fascinating? Well it turns out there are specific ways to do that according to Sally Hogshead, speaker and author of the book Fascinate: The 7 Triggers...
Jul 18, 2020•41 min•Ep. 448
A lot of times it seems that being healthy takes a lot of work. This episode begins with some really simple things you can do that will help your overall health that just take a minute and hardly any effort at all. http://www.menshealth.com/health/ways-to-be-healthier Why does time only go in one direction? Every moment we move into the future, but we cannot go back into the past. Why not? And what about intelligent life on other planets – or traveling to other planets or even other galaxies. Wi...
Jul 16, 2020•47 min•Ep. 447
Ever notice that the more money you have in your wallet, the more likely you are to spend it? Well, it is actually more complicated than that. This episode begins with some interesting psychology that will help you spend less so you keep more of your money. http://www.forbes.com/video/4061993829001/ Ever hire someone to design a logo or brochure or website and have them present it to you and ask, “What do you think”? It has happened to me and my problem is, I don’t know what to think. I don’t kn...
Jul 13, 2020•53 min•Ep. 446
Sure, it’s great to want more money but if you don’t have the time to enjoy it – what’s the point? We begin this episode with a look at why spending more of your money on things that actually create more free time for you can make your life much more enjoyable. http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/buying-time-makes-you-happier While the phrase “timing is everything” is tossed around a lot, it turns out there is a lot of wisdom in it. In short, it is not just WHAT you do in your life that is impo...
Jul 11, 2020•45 min•Ep. 445
Have you ever wanted to get someone to disclose more about themselves? This episode begins with a very simple strategy that will loosen someone up and get them to tell you a lot more about the details of their life. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12110-015-9225-8#page-1 How do things spread? By that I mean not just viruses like the flu or corona virus but also rumors and viral videos or fake news stories – why do some of these things gather steam and spread like wildfire? And then, ...
Jul 09, 2020•50 min•Ep. 444
Don’t you hate it when you put on a mask to go out in public and your glasses get all fogged up? This episode begins with a few tips to keep your glasses clear as a bell while you are wearing a face mask. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-keep-your-glasses-fog-free-while-wearing-a-mask/ You hear a lot about DNA today – there are test kits that can trace your DNA and locate your ancestors and on TV it seems DNA can solve a lot of crimes. So what is DNA exactly, how does it work, where doe...
Jul 06, 2020•52 min•Ep. 443
Do you often find yourself in the slowest line at the supermarket? Me too. Is it bad luck or just your perception? I’ll explore what’s behind this universal annoyance and suggest a better way to handle this. http://www.wired.com/2014/07/whats-up-with-the-other-line-is-always-faster/ It seems everyone hates the sound of their voice when they hear it played back. But what if you LOVED the sound of your voice? Vocal coach Roger Love explains how anyone can have a beautiful voice – you are not stuck...
Jul 04, 2020•45 min•Ep. 442
