Something You Should Know

Spring is when birds build nests and lay eggs all over the place. And you have probably heard that if a baby bird falls out of the nest you shouldn’t put it back because the mother will abandon the baby. Is that true? Listen to hear the surprising answer. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2287/if-you-handle-baby-birds-will-their-parents-shun-them Who hasn’t thought how great it would be to...

How many times have you heard that - “We live in a fast-paced world?” Yet, in many ways we set that pace for ourselves. We like to do things quickly. So, this episode begins with a look at things that would go a lot better for all of us if we just slowed down a little. Source, Debbie Mandel, author of “Addicted to Stress” https://amzn.to/3v9JpzD Politics has gotten downright nasty. It seems people...

How many hours of sleep do you need? Some people claim they can do just fine with 4 or 5 hours. Can they really? This episode begins with a look at what happens when people don’t get a full 8 hours of sleep. https://lifehacker.com/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need-5802650 While most people would agree that creativity is a wonderful human attribute, the fact is creativity isn’t always good...

Have you heard of dooring? It is a bicyclist’s nightmare. Dooring is when someone in a car along the side of the road opens the door just as you ride by on your bicycle and – WHAM! It happens a lot more people than you might think – and it probably ALMOST happens even more. There is an interesting way to prevent it that comes from the Netherlands. Listen and find out what it is. https://www.rd.com...

As the weather gets warmer, people wear flip flops. While they may be easy and convenient, there are some problems with flip flops. This episode begins with some advice if flip flops are part of your warm weather wardrobe. https://abc7.com/archive/6266861/ Being a perfectionist may seem like a good thing. After all, if you are going to do something, why not do it right? Still, striving for perfect...

Who you hang out with can affect your health. This episode begins with some interesting research from Gallup about the impact your friends can have on you - both positive and negative. Source: Tom Rath author of Well Being (https://amzn.to/3EekZb7) We all feel stuck at some point in life. Maybe you are stuck in a job or a relationship - or you just feel stuck in general. So how do you get unstuck?...

Every year a lot of pedestrians crossing the street get hit by cars and trucks. If you are often a pedestrian walking the streets, there is one technique that will drastically reduce your risk of getting hit. This episode begins with that simple technique that could save your life. http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-key-to-crossing-the-street-safely-eye-contact-1427734205 I hate to tell you this but...

If Easter is a Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ, how did the Easter Bunny become part of it? This episode begins by explaining where rabbits fit into Easter and where the Easter basket came from. Source: The History of Easter https://www.phancypages.com/newsletter/ZNewsletter2599.htm How the human body works is a marvel. Joining me to explain and take us on a tour of parts of th...

Your freezer has an ice maker and your ice maker - believe it or not - has a heater. This episode begins with an explanation of why your ice maker has a heater in the first place and how it is costing you more money than you might imagine.https://lifehacker.com/save-some-energy-and-money-by-turning-off-your-ice-ma-5792410 Do you ever wish people would listen to you and take your ideas more serious...

Why do some headaches seem to happen out of the blue? This episode begins with a list of reasons people seldom consider for what could be causing their headache - many of which you would likely never guess. https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/common-headaches-17/mild-moderate/slideshow-headache-triggers Many of us work long hours. It is often a badge of honor. But could working less actually...

Ever had something go “down the wrong pipe” while you were eating and you started choking? Why does that happen? Is it dangerous? This episode begins with an explanation. https://bottomlineinc.com/health/diseases-conditions/down-the-wrong-hatch What you expect to happen in your life has a great deal to do with how things turn out. Whether it is your health, happiness, body weight, even how long yo...

You have likely heard the advice that you should wash brand new clothes before you wear them the first time. Is that true - and if so why? This episode begins by explaining that. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/11/wash-and-then-wear-unwashed-clothes-may-have-formaldehyde/index.htm The real science of diet and weight loss has come a long way. We now know that it isn’t just about calor...

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. This episode begins with some proven techniques that will instantly make you look better and smarter to the people you meet. http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/12-ways-to-look-smarter While we all know it is important to be a good listener – but beyond listening is “validation.” When you validate the person you are talking with, great thing...

Putting Covid aside, it turns out people are not getting sick and dying like they used to or in the numbers they used to. In fact, the number of cases of some very common diseases has decreased dramatically over the last few decades. Listen to discover why - sort of. http://www.popsci.com/many-diseases-are-declining-and-doctors-arent-sure-why Do you ever wish you had more willpower? It does seem t...

What makes a food a comfort food? Do those foods really comfort you? This episode begins by discussing why we crave our favorite comfort foods and what, if anything, does eating those foods do for us. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/why-comfort-food-comforts/389613/  Can you really slow down the aging process and add years to your life? There is a lot of hype about products that...

Something I used to struggle with on my iPhone was going back and moving the cursor around in a text message or email. But I struggle no more! There is actually an easy way to do this. This episode begins with me explaining how and it is so very simple. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMevwmsbrTk If you are really honest, you will see that you sometimes lie and deceive yourself about yourself. Eve...

You probably have all sorts of batteries in your home. This episode begins with some interesting intel about batteries including how to use them, what NOT to do with them and how to store them properly. https://www.kickassfacts.com/battery-facts/ AI - or artificial intelligence is creeping into our lives more and more. In many ways AI is better at doing things than humans can but there is a downsi...

Have you ever been tempted to buy a product (usually electronics) labeled, “refurbished”? The price is typically discounted and often the warranty is excellent - but is it a good deal or are you buying someone else’s headache? This episode begins by looking at what the term refurbished actually means and whether or not it is worth buying that product or leaving alone and going for the brand new on...

Everyone knows not to go grocery shopping when you are hungry because you will likely buy junk you don’t need. Actually, it turns out you shouldn’t do ANY kind of shopping when you are hungry. This episode begins with the reason why. http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/default/a49921/dont-buy-anything-on-an-empty-stomach/ When someone says to you “Hey, it’s not rocket science, ” it implies th...

If you spend much time in meetings, you have probably noticed that often, it is just a few people who tend to dominate and take up most of the time. In fact, the larger the number of people in a meeting, the fewer of them actually speak up and participate. This episode begins with an explanation as to why so many people don’t speak up and how to get more people to participate in important meetings...

The founders of WeWork thought they were on the brink of making history. The company was valued at $47 billion dollars, ready for a huge IPO, and its charismatic CEO Adam Neumann believed he was going to change the world. Adam and his wife Rebekah had a prophet-like vision—but did it ever match the company's reality? Now the inspiration for a new AppleTV+ series starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaw...

Can simply drinking water make you smarter? Apparently so, at least for a little while. While no one is exactly sure why, I begin this episode by explaining how we know it is true and some of the theories for what causes it to happen. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201205/can-sipping-water-make-you-smarter We humans engage in some strange behaviors. We constantly compare...

I know I have heard people claim that bad weather causes aches and pains in their body. Is that real? Can the weather affect your joints or bones in a way that causes it to hurt? Listen as I explore the science regarding the connection to weather and pain. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4105520/Don-t-blame-weather-pain-scientists-discover-no-linktwo.html At least for humans, falling in...

Every airport has runways - and all of those runways have numbers. The numbers are always between 1 and 36. This episode begins with an explanation on how airport runways get their numbers and what purpose those numbers serve. You will also discover why sometimes the runway numbers have to change. https://www.wired.com/2014/05/the-hidden-beauty-of-airport-runways-and-how-to-decipher-them/ Whenever...

A person’s first name can have a profound effect on their life. Listen as I describe how people get preconceived ideas about you based on your name - some good, some not so good. And how your name can help to shape who you are for the rest of your life. https://www.theifod.com/how-does-your-name-shape-who-you-are/ When someone with charisma walks into a room, you can see it right away. We are attr...