There’s more to making a great burger than meets the eye. This summertime episode begins with expert advice on preparing the perfect burger on the grill from the guy who wrote the bible on the topic. Source: Steve Raichlen author of The Barbecue Bible (https://amzn.to/4bgBEcM) If you’ve ever felt you were in a rut or that your life is on autopilot, you need to listen to Jodi Wellman. She will inspire you to lead a life of purpose and intention – and without regret. It is not about doing the big ...
Jun 27, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1066
In an argument there are usually two things going on that make it so difficult. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining what those two important things are and how to fix them so you can then move forward and resolve the argument. Source: Jim Ferrell author of The Anatomy of Peace (https://amzn.to/4erYLUP). Everyday you open and close your fridge a million times without giving it much thought. Yet, your refrigerator is part of a technology that has completely changed our lives. The concept ...
Jun 24, 2024•47 min•Ep. 1065
When dogs meet they often sniff each other. It appears we humans do the same thing (to other humans, not dogs). This episode begins with an explanation of how people judge other people based on how they smell. And we do it all subconsciously. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/06/220627125010.htm Do you consider yourself resilient? Are you able to bounce back after a big challenge? Can you become more resilient? There is little doubt that being resilient is important to your personal and...
Jun 22, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1064
Sunscreen has been around for a long time. Has it changed much? Are there advancements in “sunscreen technology”? As summer begins, I explore the newest advancements in sunscreen. https://www.realsimple.com/new-sunscreens-6831077 We revere leaders. School mottos often say something about “Developing tomorrow’s leaders today…” Everyone should aspire to be a leader. But what if you don’t want to be a leader? If everyone becomes a leader – who is left to follow? Is everyone “leadership material”? T...
Jun 20, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1063
Of course, you know what a tank top is – but do you know why it is called a tank top? A tee-shirt looks like the letter T. But a tank top doesn’t look like a tank. So where did the name come from? Listen as I start this episode with the explanation that goes back to the 1920s. https://undersummers.com/blogs/undersummers-about-us/the-history-of-the-tank-top-why-is-it-called-a-tank-top We have all likely felt a sexual attraction to someone. When you see that person across the room at a party and y...
Jun 17, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1062
We all know sunscreen is important – but only if you cover all the places you need to cover. Interestingly, there are several spots people often miss that leave them vulnerable to the harms of the sun. This episode begins with a list of the most likely places you miss so you won’t miss the next time. https://www.consumerreports.org/sunscreens/how-to-apply-sunscreen-to-commonly-missed-spots/ Imagine if there was a drug that could make you healthier, improve longevity, plus give you happiness and ...
Jun 15, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1061
Whenever you see the equal sign, you know what it means. So how did these two little parallel lines come to mean - Is equal to? This episode begins with a story that goes back almost 1,000 years to reveal the answer. Source: Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures (https://amzn.to/3RhUt8l) Do you feel safe? Do know what you would do if someone attacked you or broke into your home? Are you doing all you can to keep you and your family out of harm’s way? Perhaps most importantly, are s...
Jun 13, 2024•48 min•Ep. 1060
10% of the human population is left-handed but what about other animals? Do they have a preference for which paw, foot, fin or wing to use? And what about the octopus? Do they prefer one arm over the other 7? Listen as I begin with the fascinating explanation? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202307/does-owner-left-handedness-influence-left-pawedness-in-dogs#: If you are productive, you get a lot of things done. At least that is the conventional view of productivity. ...
Jun 10, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1059
Gasoline is expensive and we all need to make sure we are squeezing every mile out of every gallon. You have probably heard a lot of suggestions on how to conserve gas. This episode begins with a few effective methods you may not have heard of before from Popular Mechanics. https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a39504408/how-to-improve-your-vehicles-gas-mileage/ Do you believe in luck? That is likely going to depend on how you define it. Some people believe luck is a magical force in the univers...
Jun 08, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1058
Ever try to get your dog or cat to recognize themselves in the mirror? This episode begins with an explanation as to why the result is almost always disappointing. https://www.livescience.com/4272-elephant-awareness-mirrors-humans.html You hear a lot of concerns expressed about people's cellphone use. Are we spending too much time on our phones? What are people doing on their phones? Is it causing harm? Here to discuss some of the research about cellphone use and what it does to people is Faye B...
Jun 06, 2024•48 min•Ep. 1057
So many of us fantasize about being rich. Wouldn’t it be great to win the lottery or inherit a ton of money or be born into a wealthy family? Well it isn’t always as wonderful as you might imagine. Listen as I begin by explaining what being rich does to some people – especially young people. Source: Dr. Stephen Berglas author of Reclaiming the Fire (https://amzn.to/3VjeRIS) Almost no one dreams about math. Almost everyone dreams about falling or being chased. These are just some of the fascinati...
Jun 03, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1056
Why do they call it PLASTIC surgery? It seems like a weird word to use. What’s even weirder is that the term goes back a couple of centuries, even before we had plastic as we know it today. This episode begins with an explanation and once you hear it, it’ll all make sense. Source: Lindsey Fitzharris author of The Face Maker (https://amzn.to/3x3IP69). What does the word “evil” mean when you hear it? What is evil? Is it some sinister force in the universe? Is it even possible to explain what it is...
Jun 01, 2024•48 min•Ep. 1055
The sound of crickets on a summer night can be quite pleasing. And the little critters making that sound have some interesting characteristics and abilities I bet you never knew. Listen to my explanation and you’ll have renewed respect for the crickets of summer. Source: Hugh Raffels author of Insectopedia (https://amzn.to/4bOcK51) Friendships are at an all-time low. People have fewer friends than ever before and the number of people who feel lonely is at record high levels. Why is friendship so...
May 30, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1054
Here is a problem about spaghetti that has stumped some of the brightest minds in science, including Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feynman: Hold one strand of spaghetti at each end and try to break it into two pieces. You will find that it is impossible. There now appears to be an explanation thanks to some very high-speed cameras. Listen and I will tell you what it is. https://www.thenakedscientists.com/get-naked/experiments/snapping-spaghetti You want things. I want things. We all want...
May 27, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1053
Even though we have celebrated Memorial Day for a long time, it wasn’t made an official national Holiday until 1971. And it wasn’t always called Memorial Day either. We start this episode with a few fascinating facts about this interesting American holiday and day of remembrance. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/memorial-day-2022-facts-american-holiday Why is your personality the way it is? Why are you the way you are? Why is it that you are different than everybody else? There is some fascinat...
May 25, 2024•45 min•Ep. 1052
Look at any can of cooking spray and it will say on the label that it has zero calories. How can that be? It can’t be. Listen as I explain how they get away with saying that when it isn’t really true and I’ll reveal how many calories there actually are. https://cheatdaydesign.com/how-many-calories-does-cooking-spray-really-have/ No doubt you have heard of Ozempic. It is a drug that allows a lot of people to lose weight. While it is extremely effective, there are risks and concerns. But what is t...
May 23, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1051
Whenever I fly, I see people on the plane who look like they are doing important work on their laptops. That may actually be a really bad idea because it is hard to do high quality work at 30,000 feet. Listen as I explain why. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22357419 We have become a pretty wasteful world. We waste a lot of food, we create a lot of packaging that goes to waste and despite our best efforts we only recycle a fraction of all the things we could. There is likely no one big solution...
May 20, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1050
Why do you suppose it is that dogs love to hang their heads out of a moving car window? What’s the thrill? More importantly, should you let your dog do it? This episode begins with an explanation of why dogs love it so much and if it is really safe. https://www.metlifepetinsurance.com/blog/pet-behavior/should-my-dog-hang-their-head-out-of-a-car-window/ Modern medical surgery is nothing short of amazing. It is hard to imagine but many of us wouldn’t be here if it were not for the miracle of surge...
May 18, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1049
“Your call is very important to us.” That is just one of many phrases businesses use trying to convince us how customer-focused they are. Do these phrases work, or do they backfire? This episode begins with an exploration. Source: Michael Maslansky author of The Language Of Trust (https://amzn.to/3Wz2IQP). When you walk into a church, it affects you. You feel different than when you walk into a baseball stadium or a restaurant or office or a grocery store. The environment you are in right now af...
May 16, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1048
Even though people seem to enjoy dining out, many find the process frustrating and difficult. And the restaurant’s menu has a lot to do with it. This episode begins with the result of a recent survey regarding how people order, what they think of menus (including QR code menus) how much a meal should cost and more. https://www.usfoods.com/our-services/business-trends/american-menu-choices.html Happiness is a difficult word to define. Even the happiest person in the world isn’t happy all the time...
May 13, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1047
Why is it you see people on the news every once in a while who claim to drink and smoke and eat a questionable diet – and still live to be 100 while healthy people sometimes die young? This episode begins by exploring this phenomenon and reveals what your odds of living to 100 on the whiskey and cigarette diet really are. Source: Dr. Robert Butler author of The Longevity Prescription (https://amzn.to/392khSV) You have likely heard of these sayings: • Love conquers all • No man is an island • A f...
May 11, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1046
Do you know what the most popular and least popular car colors are? What’s so interesting is that buying a car that is an unpopular color can actually increase the resale value of the car over one that is a more popular color. Listen as I explain how this works. Source: Westways Magazine Summer 2024 / article “Color Considerations” What’s the best way to learn something really well? Is it to have a great coach or practice, practice, practice or – what? Why do some people master a skill better th...
May 09, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1045
If you ever feel down, anxious or get that sense of doom, you might want to take some Tylenol. You are probably wondering how in the world that could help. Well, it can, and this episode begins with an explanation as to why. https://www.livescience.com/28770-tylenol-eases-existential-dread.html Do plants have intelligence? It seems unlikely. After all, they don’t have a brain so how could they “think” or react to situations? Well, think again. It seems plants can sense danger, communicate with o...
May 06, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1044
It feels natural to hold a grudge when someone betrays you or upsets you. After all, you are the injured party, so you are entitled to hang on to that grudge -right? Maybe. However, there are excellent reasons to let go of that grudge. This episode begins with an explanation of those reasons plus an interesting quote about grudges to drives the point home. Source: Judith Kuriansky author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship (https://amzn.to/3KQEetb) No matter how smart you are...
May 04, 2024•48 min•Ep. 1043
The season during which you were born may have an effect on your health. This episode begins by revealing a study from a few years ago that shows some interesting differences in children who were born in the summer versus those born in winter, spring and fall. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/babies-born-in-winter-are-bigger-brighter-and-more-successful-5336850.html Some new and fascinating technologies are already starting to change lives around the world and will soon be affecting yo...
May 02, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1042
There is a good chance you have thought your cellphone was ringing or vibrating when it wasn’t. It seems weird and makes you wonder why it is such a common experience for people. This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130701-why-you-feel-phantom-phone-calls Here are three things many of us wish were different in our lives are: We wish we had more friends; we wish we didn’t worry so much; we wish we were more confident. If any or all of those apply to you, y...
Apr 29, 2024•52 min•Ep. 1041
While it may seem that life moves at a faster pace, we are the ones who set that pace. Many of us like to do things quickly but that doesn’t mean we have to. This episode begins by exploring what good things might happen if we just slow down a bit. Source, Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress (https://amzn.to/3v9JpzD). It seems almost impossible to have a civil political debate. Why is that? Why must things get so nasty? Is there a way to discuss our differences and still be kind to one a...
Apr 27, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1040
Just how much pesticides residue is on the produce you buy? Should you be concerned? Should you buy organic? Consumer Reports recently did an investigation into pesticides on fruits and vegetables and I begin this episode with some of the surprising results. https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/produce-without-pesticides-a5260230325/ Luck is just around the corner. It may be good luck or it may be bad luck but chance and luck have a huge impact on how things turn out for you....
Apr 25, 2024•50 min•Ep. 1039
Everyone knows it is dangerous to talk on the phone while driving – but it seems like it shouldn’t be. After all you talk to people in the car while you drive and that seems to be okay. This episode explains the reasons why driving and talking on the phone don’t mix – at all. https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/care/centers/trauma-center/resources/distracted-driving Do you know what visual intelligence is? It is how you look at all you see. What do you notice? What don’t you notice? It is how you...
Apr 22, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1038
It matters who your friends are. This episode starts with some interesting Gallup research that shows how the people you hang out with affect who you are in both good and bad ways. Source: Tom Rath author of Well Being (https://amzn.to/3EekZb7) Ever feel stuck? Most of us have, whether it’s stuck in a job or a love relationship – or just a general feeling of being stuck in life. So how do you get unstuck? That’s the important question I explore with Britt Frank. She is a therapist and author of ...
Apr 20, 2024•51 min•Ep. 1037
