That's Life, I Swear

Theodore Hall, graduated from Harvard as a physicist and was hired to work developing the first-ever atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project that helped end World War II. He was but 18 years of age. He soon became a reluctant spy who delivered details about the design of the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. supporting links 1.      In Search Of History - The Boy Who Gave Away The Bomb (History Ch...

Now here’s something you may not know. A lot of us think about suicide. The problem is we’re afraid to speak to each other about it. The lack of knowledge about the prevalence of ‘suicidal ideation’ has hampered suicide prevention. If you liked this episode, please leave a rating/review on my website or iTunes .  ·       I welcome your feedback on my episodes, and I would like to hear what topics...

A young couple’s journey to Woodstock that became music history. supporting links 1.      Wookstock [Wikipedia] 2.      Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More [Wikipedia] 3.      Bobbi Ercoline [RollingStone] 4.      Iconic Woodstock Concertgoer on Album Cover [People] 5.      Woodstock: 1969 [The Westport Library] 6.      5 Reasons Why Woodstock ’69 Became Legendary [History] 7. ...

The survivors of the shipwrecked British vessel, the Wager, on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain, have different accounts of events. If you liked this episode, please leave a rating/review on my website or iTunes .  I welcome your feedback on my episodes, and I would like to hear what topics you might be interested in future episodes. Feel free to leave me a voicemail on my websit...

Change is a constant. The world we live in is consistently evolving. Everywhere, all the time, something is changing.  One of those changes happening is the corner gas station. Why would that be? I can say it with two letters…EV. supporting links 1.      The 14 Best American-Made EVs to Watch in 2022 [LeafSource] 2.      California accelerates to 100% new zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035      ...

The game of Monopoly is one of the most well-known board games in the world. It’s a game of strategy, luck, and skill that’s been entertaining people for over a century. supporting links 1.      History of Monopoly [Wikipedia] 2.      The Landlord’s Game [Wikipedia] 3.      Board Game [Wikipedia] 4.      The Surprising History Behind The Board Game “Monopoly’ [YouTube 6m, 22s] 5.      Who Really I...

Are you tired of hearing that college is the only path to success? Time to challenge that notion and explore why going to college might actually be pointless for some - not to mention the burden of debt that often comes with it. Yes, you have other options. If you liked this episode, please leave a rating/review on my website or iTunes .  I welcome your feedback on my episodes, and I would like to...

I walked into a bookstore a while back and my eye caught the title of a book that gave me pause to say, what? Wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The title of the book, "All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days", by Rebecca Donner. I was curious and read the book cover summary and I was hooked. As I started to read the book, I can honestly that it was a "I couldn't put the...

The United States credit rating dropped to AA+ from AAA in August of 2023. The U.S. government will run a budget deficit of $1.5 trillion in 2023, along with a national debt currently hitting $30 trillion! supporting links 1.      Fitch Downgrades the United States' Long-Term Ratings to 'AA+, Outlook Stable [Fitch Ratings] 2.      U.S. Debt Clock in real time [U.S. Debt Clock.org] 3.   ...

They’re out there in almost every city. You see them on the streets. They are people with real emotions and experiences. Someone decided to treat them with respect. That someone was Dr. Jim O’Connell. supporting links 1.      Tracy Kidder [Wikipedia] 2.      Dr. Jim O’Connell [Website] 3.      Street Doctor [Harvard Magazine] 4.      Q&A: Author Tracy Kidder and Dr. Jim O’Connell [BOSTON.COM]...

FTX was once the shining star of cryptocurrency exchanges. However, in December 2022, the SEC filed charges against Sam Bankman-Fried, alleging that he had defrauded investors in FTX. What happened? supporting links 1.      Infographic on FTX’s Finances In It’s Final Moments [Visual Capitalist] 2.      Cryptocurrency Laws and Regulations by State [Bloomberg] 3.      Cryptocurrency Regulations Arou...

China is poised to become the world’s largest economy between 2035 and 2040, thus surpassing the United States. Well, guess what? There’s another country knocking on the door…India. supporting links 1.      Key facts as India surpasses China as the world’s most populous country [Pew Research] 2.      Corruption in India [Wikipedia] 3.      India: extreme inequality in numbers [OXFAM International]...

Learn about the life and capture of Matteo Messina Denaro, the most wanted criminal in Italy, and the powerful leader of the Cosa Nostra mafia. Learn about his rise to power and the manhunt leading to his capture.   supporting links 1.      Sicilian Mafia [Wikipedia] 2.      List of Sicilian Mafia members [Wikipedia] 3.      Mafia Org Chart [FBI] 4.      Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafi...

There’s a movement happening to make workplaces ‘Menopause Friendly.’ A best practice for women in the work environment. That’s right, you heard me. Various companies in the U.S. are now, or should I say, finally; adopting such practices due to getting guidance from across the pond, as they say. Yes, the British are coming. supporting links 1.      Introduction to Menopause [John Hopkins Medicine]...

Recent studies have discovered the staggering cost of Menopause for women in the work force. Some are taking sick days. Others are cutting back their hours. Still others end up quitting altogether. Why must women deal with these hurdles? It’s flat out not right! supporting links 1.      Introduction to Menopause [John Hopkins Medicine] 2.      How Long Do Symptoms of Menopause Last? [Healthline] ...

The decline of traditional newspapers in the United States has been rapidly escalating for the past few decades. It’s also a threat to our democracy. supporting links 1.      Vanishing Newspapers [UNC] 2.      Newspapers Fact Sheet [Pew Research Center] 3.      Local Newspapers Fact Sheet [Pew Research Center] 4.      5 facts about Fox News [Pew Research Center] 5.      Demise of print newspapers...

For anyone living with mental health problems, talking about it with anyone, let alone a mental health professional, may seem scary if not damn difficult. Even intimidating. Men have been told all their lives to “man up” and “be strong” that accessing mental health resources can seem to go against cultural expectations. supporting links 1.      30 B.S. Excuses for Why Guys Don’t Do Therapy [Men’s...

Meditation is an opportunity to become friends with our automatic and habitual thoughts and delve into the inner wisdom and compassion inherent in all human beings.  supporting links 1.      Writer-Mindfulness Teacher-Mental Health Advocate [@shelleykarpaty] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com   Twitter at @RedPhantom   Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.so...

Is cryptocurrency drifting from being a niche to a fad? As of late, the S.E.C. has filed charges against Binance and Coinbase for money laundering and not registering as a broker. Will these two companies be heading for the crypto junk pile to join FTX? supporting links 1.      Majority of Americans aren’t confident in cryptocurrency [Pew Research Center] 2.      The 2023 Crypto Crime Report [Chai...

Radio Free Europe was created in 1949. It represents a commitment to promoting democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. Its mission is fact-based journalism by local reporters in local languages. That’s only a part of its story. You see it was once part of the C.I.A. supporting links 1.      RFE/RL [Website] 2.      Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty [Wikipedia] 3.      The History Of RFE/...

Oppenheimer was responsible for the research and design of the atomic bomb used to end the war with Japan during WWII. If you liked this episode, please leave a rating/review on my website or iTunes .  I welcome your feedback on my episodes, and I would like to hear what topics you might be interested in future episodes. Feel free to leave me a voicemail on my website . Look for the black button m...

Buckle up because El Niño is almost here, and it’s going to get hot! If you liked this episode, please leave a rating/review on my website or iTunes .  I welcome your feedback on my episodes, and I would like to hear what topics you might be interested in future episodes. Feel free to leave me a voicemail on my website . Look for the black button microphone icon on the bottom right-hand side of th...

On January 15, 1919, Boston was hit with a massive flood. The flood rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 miles per hour, killing 21 people and injuring over 150. By the way, the flood wasn’t water, it was molasses. supporting links 1.      Great Molasses Flood [Wikipedia] 2.      The Boston Molasses Disaster of 1919 [YouTube-12m, 23s] 3.      Boston Molasses Flood.mov [YouTube-7m, 19s] 4....

His name was Hale Zukas. Those who knew him well saw him as a pioneer in national disability rights who helped redefine accessibility for people with disabilities. On November 30, 2022, Hale passed away due to heart failure in his favorite city of Berkley, California. He was 79 years old. supporting links 1.      Hale Zukas [Wikipedia] 2.      ADA Pioneer, Hale Zukas [YouTube/1m,15s] 3.      Ralph...

Shortly after former President Donald Trump wrapped his CNN town hall, President Biden tweeted out a message: "It's simple, folks, do you want four more years of that?"   supporting links 1.      What to Expect in the E. Jean Carroll-Donald Trump Rape Trial [DAILY BEAST] 2.      Trump just (essentially) won the 2024 GOP primary. Here’s why [MSNBC] 3.      Frustration at CNN boils ov...