20 Minutes You'll Never Get Back

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. It's the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.  More sunshine than any other day.  Given all this light, how do people celebrate?  Well there's bonfires, and maypoles, and weird costumes.  The how's and why's of the summer solstice, all in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening and if you have...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Do something.  Be the fastest or biggest or bizarrest, and you could be the next world's record holder.  But who are these Guinness people who determine you're the best?  And what does the red-breasted merganser have to do with it?  All of that in just twenty one minutes.  Yea, i went over.  Sorry. Thanks for listening a...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. The humble pancake.  5,000 or more years old, and still as popular as ever.  How did this fluffy disk end up on breakfast tables around the world?  And why do people race around the streets of England flipping pancakes?  And is Pancake Day legit?  All questions answered in just twenty minutes.   Thanks for listening and if you hav...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. An A.I. experiment gone bad and the History of Ice Cream.  Now that's a combination.  Doug tries a new opening of the show and then scoops up the history of ice cream... who came up with the idea and which flavor wins the favorite poll.  All in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please fee...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Percentages and statistics are everywhere.  But how many of them are about us?  Okay, probably a lot.  But I've managed to bring a few of them together to describe us.  Well, maybe not everyone but you get the idea.  All in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please feel free to email me at...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. I ventured out onto the open sea aboard a cruise ship.  There were a few things that amused me, and I thought you should know about them.  If you've been on a cruise you may recognize some of them.  If you haven't been on a cruise, this may keep you from going.  The history of cruising and more all in just twenty minutes...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Montezuma II had the right idea with xocolatl.   Princess Maria Theresa made it popular.  Coenraad Van Houten made it better.   J. S. Fry and Sons perfected it.  How the little cacao bean found it's way into Lindt and Ghirardelli chocolates.  All that and some chocolate facts all packed into just twenty minutes. Thanks for li...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. 10,000 years old and still popping.  Who and how did early people start popping corn?  They didn't even have microwave ovens then.  But yes, people have been popping corn for a long time, some even popped it in ashes.  WTF?  Well, find out the history of this crunchy treat, all in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening and...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Ireland Forever.   St. Patrick's Day has a ton of traditions... the man himself, kidnapping, shamrocks, leprechauns, Guiness, anything green.  What's up with that pinching?  And shamrock vs four-leaf clover.  But how did it all start?  Well you know where you can find out, and in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. What do a Bulova watch, Fred Flintstone and Brooke Shields all have in common.  They've all been on your TV screen for thirty seconds at a time.  TV commercials.  We all hate them (although everyone can't wait for them during a Super Bowl).  TV advertising... it's beginnings and since... all in just twenty minutes....

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Half off.  Twenty percent off.  Buy one, get one... BOGO.  Two for one.  Coupons are probably stuffed into your mail box right now.  They're everywhere.  But do you know who created the very first coupon?  And... the essentials of becoming a Super Couponer. All in just twenty minutes.  Thanks for listening and if you have any...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Chances are EXTREMELY high that while you're reading this, you have a pet in your house or yard.  But how did our ancestors long ago decide to make wild wolves our friends?  And why there was an alligator in the White House?  Well, if you have twenty minutes you can find out.   Thanks for listening and if you have any comment...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. The red and black checkerboard pattern is everywhere around Christmas time but why?  How?  Who?  And in the second part of the episode we look at some news stories from 2022 you may have missed.  All that in just twenty... I mean 23 minutes.  The show ran long this week.  I'll make it up to you next time. Thanks for listening...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. You've been hearing Christmas songs for a month now.  But have you asked yourself "is this song a Christmas carol or is it a Christmas song?  Is there a difference?"  Well my friends, in just twenty minutes you'll know, and we'll have a list of the most loved and hated Christmas songs.  Ho ho ho. Thanks fo...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet?  Haven't even started it yet.  Well hold off on clicking that Amazon checkout button until you've heard these amazing Christmas gift ideas.  Any of these will surely bring a smile to family and friends.  I think.  Okay, maybe not.  You can decide after just 22 minutes.  ...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. The Agora turned into the world's shopping malls.  And Black Friday didn't help.  Everything you need to know about how your shopping mall, how Black Friday was once Big Friday, how the malls came to be, plus the biggest malls in the world.  All in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, p...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Such big words for just twenty minutes.  School is in session as you get a lesson in big words that sound made up, but they're legit.  And there's a little bonus in the last five minutes... a little something for the Thanksgiving dinner table conversation.  A jam packed twenty minutes you'll never get back. Thanks f...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Witches, Superman's, Zombies, and some bizarre costume that you can't figure out what it is... all ding-donging their way through the neighborhoods.  But how did this happen.  Did Hershey's and dentists get together and create this plot?  You can easily find out in just twenty minutes.  Just enough time to down a co...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. You had to wonder from time to time.   French bread.   French dressing.   And what about those fries?   Wonder no more.   All is revealed in just twenty minutes.   Okay, maybe not all but just enough to answer maybe five questions. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please feel free to email me at doug@20minutespod...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. I'm back with another season of 20 minutes of stuff.  In particular, episode 101 asks the question "why is it a cup of Joe"?  And based on research I did so you didn't have to, no one really know.  But you will hear a few suggestions.  You choose.  All that and more in just twenty minutes. Thanks for listening...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. It started 788 days ago and now we're at episode 100.  But is it time to call it quits?  I've been struggling what to do for a few weeks now and I've finally come to a decision.  The podcast recap and the answer to the question... all in 20 minutes.  Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please feel fre...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. Greetings.  I'm still dealing with the side effects of Covid so instead of subjecting you to my continuous coughing, we'll just push the pause button for a week.  Please come back next week. I'll be better.  I promise.  Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please feel free to email me at doug@20minutes...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. The primary topic... albeit short... is hour glasses.  You know, like the logo for this podcast.  But more importantly Doug thinks he may have either...  1) a really bad summer cold, or 2)  Covid.  He takes a test live while you learn about hour glasses, all in twenty minutes. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, ple...

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. They're back.  Those topics that just aren't worthy of twenty minutes.  So I'm providing you with a dozen more topics stuffed into twenty minutes.  Twelve times the research in the same amount of time.  Amazing. Thanks for listening and if you have any comments, please feel free to email me at doug@20minutespodcast....

Let me know your thoughts. Good or bad. I can take it. Most likely. 1)  Does anyone understand Donald Duck?  2)  What is the Road Runner such a jerk? In the next 20 minutes I'm surely going to get a lot of people mad at me and that's okay.  You're entitled to your opinions however misguided they are.  I stand with you Wile E.  And you Yosemite Sam.  Even you Marvin...  Thanks for li...