That's Life, I Swear

The ghost light that’s turned on in stage theaters isn’t just for safety… and it’s not just for ghosts. It’s for us—a quiet reminder that even when everything goes dark, we’re not ready to let the story end.  Supporting links 1.      Why Do Broadway Theatres Keep a 'Ghost Light' Burning on the Stage? [Playbill] 2.      Haunted or Helpful? [Backstage] 3.      Keeping Broadway's light...

Learn about how Selma van de Perre joined the resistance during World War II. How she survived the unsurvivable, and what her life teaches us about courage, memory, and the fight against hatred that continues in our own time. supporting links 1.      My Name Is Selma [Amazon] 2.      Ravensbrücke [Holocaust Encyclopedia] 3.      Nazi concentration camps [Wikipedia] 4.      Dutch resistance [Wikipe...

Learn how Wikipedia spent 24 years building trust through consistent application of principles: verifiability, transparency, and neutrality.  Supporting links 1.      Jimmy Wales - Wikipedia’s Real Genesis Story, The Questioning Mind, and More [YouYube] 2.      Wikipedians [Wikipedia] 3.      The Depths of Wikipedians [AsteriskMag] History of Wikipedia [Wikipedia]  Contact That's Life, I Swea...

Learn how great institutions, like the Nobel Prize, can become outdated—and when they do, they start misrepresenting the very excellence they’re supposed to honor. Supporting links 1.      Nobel Peace Prize [Wikipedia] 2.      List of female Nobel laureates [Wikipedia] 3.      Nobel Prize Organization [website] 4.      Minneapolis for Nobel Peace Prize [The Hill] 5.      The problem with Nobel’s ‘...

The takeaway is that when leaders like Trump break core promises or values that hold their coalition together, even their friendliest influencers, like Joe Rogan, can become powerful amplifiers of disillusionment.    Supporting links 1.      Joe Rogan [Wikipedia] 2.      Joe Rogan Makes Dire Prediction in Scathing Attack on Trump’s War [The Daily Beast] 3.      Joe Rogan [Instagram] 4.      Joe Ro...

Learn how the Blatten disaster in Switzerland, is a sobering reminder that our relationship with nature is not one of control but coexistence.  Supporting links 1.      This is ground zero for Blatten [The Guardian]  2.      More melting giants to follow? [PreventionWeb] 3.      Melting glaciers mean an uncertain future for Europe's rivers [NPR] 4.      Glacial Losses in the Swiss Alps [Earth...

Summary Explore the profound differences between knowledge and wisdom with Skip Leinberg, host of The Main Thing podcast. Discover how wisdom guides us through life's challenges, the importance of civil discourse, and practical tools like wisdom cards to enhance personal growth. Supporting Links 1.        Skip Lineberg [LinkedIn] 2.        Skip Lineberg [podcast] 3.        Skip Lineberg [YouT...

In this episode, Rick Barron speaks with Jenny Chan, the co-founder of Pacific Atrocities Education, a nonprofit dedicated to uncovering and preserving the often-overlooked narratives of the Pacific War during World War II. Jenny shares her personal journey that led her to establish the organization, the importance of documenting survivor stories, and the challenges faced in educating the public a...

Learn how innovation and expansion come with real trade-offs, especially when a beloved brand tries to grow beyond its core identity. Supporting links 1.      Whole Foods will transition to Amazon labor framework [Supermarket News] 2.      The Whole Foods Story [Website] 3.      Whole Foods Market [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com   Twi...

The Secret of Secrets reinforces why Dan Brown remains a master of the modern thriller. His mix of historical intrigue, philosophical inquiry, and page-turning suspense keeps readers riveted from start to finish. supporting links 1.      Dan Brown [Official Website] 2.      Dan Brown [Wikipedia]  3.      Dan Brown on the mysteries and mayhem in his new thriller [PBS News] 4.      Robert Langdon Se...

Summary In this episode of 'That's Life, I Swear,' host Rick D Barron speaks with Nikki Corbett, the host of 'The Scarlet Edit,' a podcast that delves into the complexities of infidelity, divorce, and the gray areas of modern relationships. Nikki shares her journey into podcasting, the importance of speaking openly about taboo topics, and the profound impact these conversa...

Summary In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Theresa Lyons shares her journey from being a scientist to an advocate for children with autism. She challenges the traditional views of autism as a lifelong condition, emphasizing the potential for improvement through functional medicine and understanding the root causes of symptoms. Dr. Lyons discusses the importance of communication between parents...

Kyla Scanlon explains how America’s economy is no longer built on production, innovation, or shared prosperity — it’s built on speculation.  Supporting links 1.      Kyla Scanlon Explains Trumponomics [That’s Life, I Swear] 2.      Kyla Scanlon: Gen Z’s Economic Guru Adviser [That’s Life, I Swear] 3.      Kylascan [Instagram] 4.      Kyla Scanlon [YouTube]  Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit...

Public health isn’t just a government line item. It’s the invisible shield that protects all of us. When that shield weakens, so does our collective safety. Diseases don’t wait for bureaucracy to catch up. They spread in the silence left behind when experts are told their work no longer matters.  Supporting links 1.      USAID [Wikipedia] 2.      Will the next pandemic be caused by coronavirus aga...

Summary In this episode, Rick Barron interviews Chris Watson, the creator and host of The Adventurers Diaries podcast. They discuss Chris's journey into podcasting, the philosophy behind his show, and the importance of adventure in personal growth. Chris shares insights on finding guests, creating authentic conversations, and the impact of his podcast on listeners. The conversation also touch...

Learn how REI’s Soho location wasn’t just a place to buy hiking boots or camping gear; it was a quiet refuge in a city that never seems to pause. Supporting links 1.      REI [website]  2.      REI [Wikipedia] 3.      REI Co-op Store Closing [YouTube]  Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com   Twitter at @RedPhantom   Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social  ...

Learn how Health care access shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code, your income, or the politics of your state. This story is a reminder that when ideology drives health policy, it’s everyday people — not politicians — who pay the price. Supporting links 1.      759 hospitals at risk of closure, state by state [Becker’s Hospital Review] 2.      Rural US town outraged as only hospital forced to shut [G...

Learn how flooding used to be framed as a coastal problem or a once-in-a-generation disaster. This story shows that’s outdated thinking.  Supporting links 1.      New York City’s Next Superstorm [YouTube] 2.      Superstorm Sandy/New York [YouTube] 3.      What Do Hurricane Categories Actually Mean? [Time] Climate Resiliency [NYC Planning]  Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https...

Learn how security in the modern age is as much about resilience, literacy, and adaptability as it is about spies and soldiers. The battlefield is no longer somewhere else—it is embedded in the systems we rely on every day.  Supporting links 1.      The Changing Face of Conflict: What is Hybrid Warfare? [Global Security Review] 2.      The War Has Already Started. We Just Don’t Call It One [YouTub...

Learn the sobering lesson about the long-term consequences of student debt, especially for Generation X—a generation that bought into the promise of higher education as the surest path to success, only to find that promise transformed into a financial trap. Supporting links 1.      Workers Without Access to Retirement Benefits Struggle to Build Wealth [PEW] 2.      Student Loan Debt by Generation:...

The story of the Austrian nuns reminds us that aging with dignity isn’t about rules or institutions, it’s about home, belonging, and the power of community to stand by us when it matters most.   Supporting links 1.      nonnen_goldenstein [Instagram]  2.      Defiant nuns flee care home for their abandoned convent [BBC] 3.      Goldenstein Castle Abbey [Histouring] 4.      Christina Wirtenberger [...

Learn how the loss of faith in institutions and leaders fuels instability, with some leaders exploiting divisions rather than uniting the country.  Supporting links 1.      Thomas Friedman [Wikipedia]  2.      National Security Strategy [Wikipedia] 3.      Identification of Migrants in the EU [Robert Bosch Stiftung] 4.       Trump wants to recreate a white America that never existed [The Guardian]...

Learn how nations or individuals, relying on external saviors, can be precarious. Change often starts locally, with people finding ways to adapt, resist, and build resilience while pushing the world’s powers to do more. Supporting links 1.      Tuvalu [Climate Change Report] 2.      Solomon Islands Renewable Energy Projects [The Borgen Project] 3.      The Human Cost of Disappearing Beaches in Sol...

In this episode, Tracy Pullman shares her transformative journey from being laid off to becoming a successful entrepreneur. She discusses the challenges of navigating uncertainty, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the importance of networking. Tracy emphasizes the power of resilience and the need to treat oneself as a client in the freelancing world. She also highlights the role of AI in marketing...

Learn how reinvention is a practice, not a moment. Wings was not just a band—it was a way of running toward the future, refusing to let the past define the possibilities ahead. supporting links 1.      Paul McCartney [Website] 2.      Paul McCartney [Wikipedia] 3.      Paul McCartney [Instagram]  4.      Wings [Paul McCartney website] 5.      Linda McCartney [Website]  Contact That's Life, I...