Is it safe to let your dog lick your face or eat off your plate? It pretty much depends on how clean your dog’s mouth is. This episode begins with a look at whether being so intimate with your dog is okay or cause for concern. https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/your-dogs-kisses-could-contain-deadly-superbug-study-says/ When people say they love their house or car or shoes – is that really love? Can you love inanimate things? Possibly, according to Aaron Ahuvia, professor of marketing at the Universit...
Jul 13, 2024•48 min•Ep 1073•Transcript available on Metacast Your chances of winning the lottery are horrible. Still, a lot of people play. This episode starts by revealing a few things worth knowing about playing the lottery – even though you likely won’t ever win the big jackpot. https://www.wired.com/video/watch/lottery-strategy Stories of how great ideas become successful are always fascinating – particularly when those ideas are so different than anything that came before it. Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, Twitch, Twitter are all successful companies that broke...
Jul 11, 2024•52 min•Ep 1072•Transcript available on Metacast When you go out to eat, the restaurant wants you to spend money. Nothing wrong with that. That’s how they stay in business. Still, you should be aware that they don’t leave it to chance. One thing they do is engineer the menu to nudge you you spend. This episode begins by describing some “menu psychology” you should be aware of. https://www.delish.com/food/a46625028/restaurant-menu-design-you-pay-more/ Your memory works in strange ways. First of all, it forgets more than it remembers. Also, ther...
Jul 08, 2024•51 min•Ep 1071•Transcript available on Metacast It makes sense that people cry when they are sad – but why do some of us cry when we are happy? This episode starts by examining how two opposite emotions can create the same symptom. By the way, what happy occasion do you think causes people to cry “tears of joy” most often? Hint: It’s not weddings. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141111124047.htm Flavor and taste are not the same thing. In fact, your sense of taste actually involves all your senses and is more complex than you ev...
Jul 06, 2024•45 min•Ep 1070•Transcript available on Metacast There’s nothing better than a really good laugh. What’s even better is, laughing offers some excellent health benefits too. I begin this episode by explain how laughter may just be the best medicine. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19968254/live-laugh-love/ For centuries, humans have been drinking alcohol. Why do people drink? Is it really the taste, the smell and all the nuances of your drink of choice or is it really just for the buzz? Why are some people able to drink socially while oth...
Jul 04, 2024•49 min•Ep 1069•Transcript available on Metacast We all have a sense of what romantic music is. But can that type of music really make you feel and act romantic? This episode begins with some interesting evidence on the power of music in the game of love. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618112139.htm Look around you and notice all the buttons you could push. Buttons are everywhere. When you think about it, you can do almost anything with “just the push of a button.” And people like really pushing buttons – even when it is poin...
Jul 01, 2024•51 min•Ep 1068•Transcript available on Metacast Getting car sick can really ruin a trip – for EVERYONE in the car! But maybe you’ve heard – there are now motion sickness glasses. Do they work? Reader’s Digest tested them and a lot of their readers left reviews. Listen and you will hear what they said. https://www.rd.com/article/motion-sickness-glasses/ How can you be in a relationship and still be your individual self? That can be a tricky balance. And it has gotten even trickier as we have moved into our “It’s-all-about-me” culture. Joining ...
Jun 29, 2024•50 min•Ep 1067•Transcript available on Metacast 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•51 min•Ep 1066•Transcript available on Metacast 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•48 min•Ep 1065•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•51 min•Ep 1062•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•51 min•Ep 1059•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•49 min•Ep 1057•Transcript available on Metacast 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•50 min•Ep 1056•Transcript available on Metacast 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•49 min•Ep 1055•Transcript available on Metacast 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•51 min•Ep 1054•Transcript available on Metacast 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•51 min•Ep 1053•Transcript available on Metacast 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•46 min•Ep 1052•Transcript available on Metacast 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•50 min•Ep 1051•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•50 min•Ep 1049•Transcript available on Metacast “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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•52 min•Ep 1044•Transcript available on Metacast 
