Something You Should Know

Texting and driving is dangerous. Everyone know that. But why is it so much more dangerous than driving and drinking coffee or driving and talking or driving and tuning the radio? There is actually a good answer for that you need to hear so this episode starts with that. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/uoh-ass050916.php You ask questions all day long because that is how to learn and...

How do you get top dollar when you sell on eBay? Well of course you need good photos and a great description but it turns out some of the specific words in that description can really raise or lower the amount people will pay. I begin this episode with an explanation of that. (http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a38347/how-to-make-money-on-ebay/) Workers improve when they get feedback. A co...

If you want to learn something better and faster, there is a little trick that seems to work. We begin this episode by revealing some research from John Hopkins School of Medicine that says a slight change in the way you learn any new skill can make all the difference in the world. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/want_to_learn_a_new_skill_faster_change_up_your_practice_sessions...

Does cooking food on the grill increase your risk of getting cancer? The answer is – maybe. But it isn’t that simple. This episode begins with a discussion on which foods may or may not increase cancer risk and how you cook that food may make all the difference. (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/does-grilling-really-cause-cancer) In the old Star Trek TV show (filmed about 50 years ago), Scotty...

When you travel, there is a good chance you don’t sleep all that well the first night you are at your destination. It is so common it has a name – it is called the “First Night Effect.” This episode begins with an explanation for why it happens and some advice to counter the effects. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822%2816%2930174-9 What exactly is your mind? I know that’s a w...

Restaurants want you to spend more money. And the menu can be a powerful tool to accomplish that. This episode begins with exactly how restaurant menus entice you to buy more expensive items and spend more money in general. Listen and you are sure to save money. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/15-sneaky-restaurant-menu-tricks-that-tempt-you-spend-more.html In the old days, you had very lit...

If you want to feel good, grab some money! I begin this episode by explaining how the simple act of handling money can make you feel a lot better if you are feeling a bit down. And the money doesn’t even have to be your money. http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1912574,00.html When you walk into a neat, clean and organized room, do you feel better? Calmer? A lot of people do. Mor...

Imagine that while you are sleeping, a cleaning crew gets into your brain to clean out all the toxins so that your brain works better the next day. I know it sounds weird but it is exactly what happens. Listen as I begin this episode with that explanation. http://ens-newswire.com/2013/10/18/brain-cleans-itself-of-toxins-during-sleep/ Most great breakthrough ideas fail first and then get modified b...

You probably don’t write much with a pen and paper anymore. Most of us type. However, there are a lot of benefits to writing the old-fashion way. I begin this episode with some great reasons why you should write more and type less. (http://mentalfloss.com/article/78182/4-reasons-write-hand-rather-type) Want to be more likeable and attract people to you? Some people are really good at it. They have...

The scent of lavender is supposed to be calming. It may also be the scent of trust. I begin this episode by explaining how lavender can make you appear to be more trustworthy – and why. http://rd.com/advice/relationships/habits-make-people-trust/ I bet you have things you really want to do but somehow never get to doing them - right? There are trips you probably want to take or goals you want to a...

Grocery stores have a lot of germs. For one thing there is a lot of raw meat and fish moving around in the store. Some of those germs can cause you and your family to get really sick. I begin this episode with some very important advice on how to protect yourself from this very real threat. http://www.menshealth.com/health/supermarket-safety Conflict can be ugly and messy. It can also be positive...

Sibling relationships change as we move from childhood to adulthood. Sometimes they change for the better – sometimes not. We begin this episode by unraveling the complications of adult sibling relationships. http://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/adult-sibling-estrangement/ When you were a kid you had a secret identity. You pretended to be Superman or a princess or someone you admired. What’s int...

Why does traffic just seem to stop for no reason then magically clear up? You are sure there must be an accident or construction but there isn’t. So what causes it? We begin this episode with an explanation of that. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608151550.htm) There are 7 deadly sins: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, wrath, greed and sloth. Why are they so tempting? We humans spend...

Sometimes you have to ask a stranger for a favor. Perhaps you need to borrow their phone or help you carry something. And there is one proven way that will greatly increase the chances they will grant you that favor. I begin this episode by telling you what it is. http://www.medicaldaily.com/likeability-trustworthy-how-be-popular-377296 Time is precious. So how you mange, control and perceive the...

Do you ever long for the good old days? Nostalgia can be such a wonderful thing. We begin this episode with a look at why the past can seem so idyllic and wonderful and what the positive effects of looking back are. http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/nostalgia4.htm Do you really understand what algorithms are and how they work? You probably should because algorithms...

Springtime means the return of annoying allergy symptoms for a lot of us. I begin this episode with some simple but very effective techniques that can help minimize the suffering from allergies and they come from a top allergist. http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/03/20/allergy-alert-worst-allergyseason-ever/ If the English language is constantly evolving then what is “proper English”?...

Salt makes food taste good – maybe too good. We begin this episode by discussing research that shows how salty foods may make you eat more food than you planned and more than you should. http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/a54074/salty-food-leadsto-overeating/ We are all concerned about toxins in our environment. However, it isn’t always clear which toxins are most worrisome and wher...

Of course you want high self-esteem and you sure want your kids to have it. But there is actually only one way to get it and it is not the way a lot of people think. We begin this episode by discussing the one and only way to acquire high self-esteem. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301091342.htm No one likes to fail. Failure is painful. However, failure may not be as bad as you th...

Isn’t it great when you have an “A-Ha Moment”? It’s when an idea or the answer to a problem just pops in your head. But is it actually a GOOD idea? We begin this episode by exploring whether those thoughts are worth paying attention to. http://drexel.edu/now/archive/2016/March/Insight_Correctness/ You hear so many things about success such as, “It’s not what you know it’s who you know” or “Nice gu...

Everyone has heard about antioxidants. In fact, a lot of people take antioxidant supplements. But is more better? We begin this episode with a look at antioxidants, what they do and when too much of them could be a bad thing. https://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2013/03/09/do-you-really-need-antioxidants Just how smart are you? Well, actually it depends. It is clear that...

Decision making is easy when you have to choose one of two options. However, when you add that third option (or more), it is amazing how the decision making process can fall apart – even for really smart people. This episode begins with an explanation as to why that is. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3469751/Why-clever-people-make-baddecisions-Having-options-creates-noise-brain-lea...

Every driver has likely had the experience of encountering a motorcycle that “came out of nowhere.” How does that happen? There is actually an explanation for why this is such a common occurrence and we begin today's episode with the explanation. http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/motorcycles/a19641/why-you-dont-seemotorcycles-on-the-road/ Every piece of technology you use has a story of how it...

Ever have the feeling someone is watching you? Almost everyone has had the experience but do humans actually have the ability to sense that? I begin this episode by explaining the science behind the sense of being watched. http://www.popsci.com/why-do-i-feel-like-someones-watching-me People influence you and you influence other people. It happens all the time all day long. What is so interesting i...

Ever go out knowing your hair looks horrible or there is something wrong with your clothes? Everyone probably has but the more important question is – does anyone actually notice. This episodes begins with some fascinating research about how much people actually pay attention to you and your physical appearance. http://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/psychology-of-hair/ So many factors influence what you...

Can you tell just by looking if someone is honest and trustworthy? Actually you can but the reason will surprise you. Listen as I begin this episode of the podcast by explaining why you usually can trust in your instincts in this case. http://www.columbia.edu/~ms4992/Publications/2016_Slepian-Ames_PychSci.pdf After you listen to this segment, you will never look at success quite the same. Laszlo B...