How Do We Fix It?

Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids makes the case for carefree summer activities and unstructured play time-- arguing against those who put safety fears ahead of a child's need to explore, be curious and grow."If You're a Kid, the Experts Want You to Have a Fun-Free Summer" is the title of a recent article by Lenore. Summer is a time to "dig in the sand, gulp from the hose, play at the park, and le...

Are you too attached to your stuff? Do you have a big move coming up? Long-haul trucker, Finn Murphy has covered more than a million miles of packing, loading and hauling people's material possessions all across the country. In this episode he shares his insights into the moving business, truckers, his many customers and how American households have changed in recent years. Finn is the author of "...

In our age of big data Liberal Arts smarts are undervalued. Our guest, Scott Hartley, argues that the most valuable jobs skills in the future will belong to people who can think creatively, using emotional intelligence and adaptability. Scott is a venture capitalist and author of "The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World." At Stanford University, where he studied...

Journalism is in crisis. Our trust in the news media has fallen to an all-time low. One recent poll found that two thirds of Americans believe mainstream news organizations often publish fake news. The business model at many newspapers, magazines, radio stations and websites is failing. Declining revenues have forced layoffs and other cutbacks at news organizations across the country. Professor Ar...

Today, about 2.2 million Americans are behind bars. "The incarceration rate is about five times the rate of 1970 and our crime rate is the same as in 1970,"John Pfaff, our guest, tells us. Our guest, John Pfaff of Fordham University is both a law professor and an economist. Author of "Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration—and How to Achieve Real Reform," he says state and local policies...

It isn't just the crime. It's also the cover-up. Volkswagen's multi-year conspiracy to evade pollution rules may be the biggest scandal in auto industry history. The world's second largest car manufacturer misled regulators, consumers, and motorists.
Our guest is New York Times Germany correspondent, Jack Ewing, author of "Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal." The book tells the remark...

Are credit cards evil?  Do you need to restructure debt or were refused a loan?  If so, this episode is for you. If you're a parent looking for smart money advice to pass onto young adults as they enter the workforce, our podcast has a checklist of do's and don'ts. Respected credit card expert and consumer advocate Beverly Harzog is our guest. Beverly hasn't just talked the talk about maxing out o...

Tyson talks about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets, tackles science deniers on the right and left, and explains why we should invest more in pure science. Tyson also discusses his new book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.”"What's curious to me is you have the liberal community claiming the (moral) high road ...against the science deniers of the right with regard to global...

Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s most prominent spokesman for science and Director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium, talks about the benefits of a cosmic perspective, the case for manned space flight and much more in this first part of our wide-ranging conversation. We also discussed Tyson's new book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry." Richard and Jim met Tyson at his offices at Th...

For Jim and Richard "How Do We Fix It? has been a great big learning experience. From how to switch careers to the search for meaning and the importance of speaking to strangers, our guests have proposed many smart, practical solutions. And they've also challenged conventional wisdom. Our podcast invites listeners to get into their discomfort zone as a way of being more receptive to change.  Jim s...

Our guest is Louis Hyman, author of the provocative New York Times editorial, "The Myth of Main Street." Louis is a Cornell University History Professor and the Director of the Institute for Workplace Studies. Nostalgia for the economy's "good old days" has great appeal for many Americans. For the right, past decades bring back memories of Ronald Reagan, traditional cultural values and U.S. domina...

Have you ever felt a surge of adrenaline after a bike ride, working in the back yard or going to the gym? Salivated at the sight of a sour lemon? Felt turned on by your partner’s voice? If so, says scientific journalist Jo Marchant, you’ve experienced how the workings of the mind can affect your body. In this episode we look at the mind's potential to ease pain, reduce anxiety and even cut the ris...

If you're disillusioned, depressed or downright furious at the state of politics today, this episode is for you. Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen University, says that you're more powerful than you think. We discuss the stories, strategies and ideas raised in his timely new book. The key to fighting back successfully is to have a strategy and know how to read and write power,” but most people...

This episode highlights four key productivity fixes from New York Times Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Duhigg. His most recent book is "Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and In Business." Charles is also the author of "The Power of Habit."Using cutting-edge science, reporting and real-life stories, Charles explains why being productive isn't just about daily habits, r...

How can we save good jobs? In part one (Episode #95); we talked to Peter Cappelli, of the Wharton School, about the threat of robots and automation to our workforce. In part 2 Peter explained why this threat is misplaced and he had suggested solutions for the US workforce. Look for solutions and links to useful sites at our website, howdowefixit.me. Please rate and review our shows at iTunes. Host...

Here's one less thing to worry about: robots are not going to take your job. Despite the dire predictions of analysts, workplace experts and the government, the impact of robotics and automation on employment may be hugely overstated. Professor Peter Cappelli, the Director of the Center for Human Resources at the Wharton School is our guest. He has written for The Atlantic, The New Yorker Magazine...

The news media is under fierce attack from President Trump; White House Strategist, Steve Bannon; and many other critics. While many claims against the press are overblown, now is a good time to look at arguments for constructive change. We decided to re-air our interview with New York Times journalist David Bornstein, co-founder of SolutionsJournalismNetwork.orgDavid says that solutions journalis...

Are you happy?  If not, perhaps you’re asking yourself the wrong question. Our culture is obsessed with happiness - a right that’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.  But living a life of meaning, instead of the pursuit of happiness, may bring much deeper, longer-lasting satisfaction, says our guest, Emily Esfahani Smith, author of "The Power of Meaning Crafting a Life That Matters. In 2013, come...

When did the arguments for free trade and the benefits of immigration go out of fashion? Why is the case for scaling back the power of the financial industry under attack by the Trump administration? Richard and Jim spoke to three experts for this episode of “Fix It Shorts.” Rana Foroohar, explains why the power of Wall Street distorts the economy. “The key lessons of the crisis of 2008 still rema...

Do you know where your information is coming from? Shadowy forces are at work to influence what we think, how we behave, and where we spend our money. They're part of the explosion in pay-to-play. From bots and branded content to political-influence peddlers’, advertisers and even sports programs in public schools, pay-to-play is a growing influence in our lives. Critics of pay-to-play say that in...

Does Donald Trump lie more than previous presidents? In the history of political spin, how does the Trump administration stack up? Presidents have always used spin and propaganda to skirt the truth, but the Trump administration has made it especially hard for citizens to remain informed. The easiest example of this was when Kellyanne Conway, the Counselor to the President, used the term “alternati...

Valentine’s Day is almost here, so we invited Dating Ring CEO Shearly Markowicz to talk about the company and give advice how to find love online. Dating Ring first came to fame when it was profiled by the Gimlet podcast, "StartUp.”Online dating has lost its stigma and gone mainstream. But do these sites really work? According to the Pew Research Center, six in ten people say online dating is a go...

In his inaugural address, Donald Trump gave a grim description of American cities, speaking of "carnage" and "rusted out factories.” But the reality is far different in many urban centers. Our guest is Kay Hymowitz of The Manhattan Institute, author of "The New Brooklyn: What It Takes To Bring a City Back." Kay has lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn since 1981. She gives a first-hand account of Brookly...

Do you dread filing your taxes? We simplify the process and break it down into simple steps so you can avoid costly mistakes and even an audit. You might even get back hundreds of dollars in refunds. Our guest on this podcast is certified tax accountant, Janice Hayman, who calls herself a "tax therapist" for many of her clients. We learn which tax credits and deductions millions of taxpayers miss...

Have you spent your life switching careers? So has former NPR host, professor, and journalist Farai Chideya. It’s the new normal —- the episodic career. Can you build a career with a non-traditional work history? How do you find  a rewarding career in the new world of work? How can you thrive and prosper in a jobs market disrupted by technology and globalism? These questions are answered in this p...