The Focus Group

A Wyoming Senator seeking to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney admits to impregnating a 14-year-old when he was 18. He says it was a Romeo and Juliet story and that bringing it up is dirty politics. Can you say hypocrite? Seven nooses have been found hanging at an Amazon worksite in CT, and the company has offered a $100K reward to identify who placed them. Then, if you are a fan of the acceptance of cannabi...

Shop Talk dispels the myth that extroverts make better leaders than introverts. We think charisma and a bit of acting also are traits that make for a good leader. But first, our Business Birthday celebrates businessman and philanthropist, Johns Hopkins. Caught My Eye looks at debris found in Lake Tahoe and a mis-hire at Apple. Tim asks John if he would let a stranger in the house to use the bathro...

Mattel is launching a new program called Playback, that will aim to put the company on track to use 100% recycled or bio-based plastics in all their products by 2030. We wonder why there is no incentive for the consumer. Then, do we really need 8 glasses of water daily? Finally, NYC Pride has banned the New York City Police Department from participating or marching in the Pride Parade through 2025...

Shop Talk visits with Ben Franklin and some 300-year-old advice on how to not be unlikable that’s still relevant today. Microsoft Office is in search of new default font and John has a favorite of the new five contenders. But first, our Business Birthday celebrates the founder of Kohl’s Department Stores, Maxwell Kohl. Caught My Eye looks at pranks gone bad and a raccoon named Fabulous stole an un...

Wall Street Big Wig and JPMorgan Chase CEO is tired of the ZOOM call and thinks business is suffering by too much isolation…and he has anecdotal proof. Chasten Buttigieg is owning his weight gain during “the event” and thinks you should too. And finally, our favorite story comes from NYC where a little boy ordered over 900 SpongeBob popsicles via Alexa. 51 boxes arrived and many melted before they...

Shop Talk discusses President Biden’s plans for modernizing Amtrak. Amtrak Joe, as he has been known for years, has advocated for improvements to America’s passenger railway and we could not agree more. First, our Business Birthday celebrates the inventor of the cowboy hat, John B Stetson. Caught My Eye looks at a creepy castle village in Turkey, a no-show employee in Italy, and Tiffany's launch o...

A Tennessee CEO is fired after harassing a young man for wearing a dress to his prom. Sam Johnson, former CEO of VisuWell, said the young man looked like an idiot and things escalated from there. Another CEO, Justin Zhu of Iterable, finds himself out of a job as he was dismissed for micro-dosing LSD. He said he was experimenting in order to boost his focus. A demonic Chihuahua, Prancer, finds his...

Shop Talk looks at 19 things rich people rarely do—thanks Readers Digest. But first, our Business Birthday celebrates Italian Industrialist Ferruccio Lamborghini. Caught My Eye from John looks at a transparent plexiglass swimming pool suspended 10 stories above ground in London. Caitlyn Jenner announced plans to run for Governor of California but has yet to announce any policy positions. Manscaped...

Mark Cuban continues to employ one lesson he learned from his mentor decades ago. The first thing he does after he sits down for a meeting is write the word “listen,” on the top of the page. It has done him well all these years later. But first, a Southwest Airlines pilot exposes his genitals in the cockpit, and Kellogg’s launches a gay cereal. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2p...

Shop Talk shares a riff from Ellen about gay cartoon characters that is spot on. We also look at the cost and waiting lists for backyard pools. But first, our Business Birthday is Ivan Combe of Clearasil and Odor Eaters fame. Caught My Eye looks at how a cell phone repairman handles an odd request and straight women who like gay porn. Tim shares a story with John about a yard sale item that found...

A New Jersey high school principal and wrestling coach is listed as the head of a company whose stock is trading at levels that give it a valuation of more than $100 million—and all it owns is a single deli in NJ. Something is not adding up. Also, a Bethel, CT coffee shop has its Pride flag stolen, burned, and returned and the town is rallying around the shop owners. Finally, Michael Dubin of Doll...

Shop Talk asks 12 questions regarding social security benefits and only 3% of people quizzed were able to get all 12 correct. But first, our Business Birthday wishes Volvo Cars a happy 94th today. Caught My Eye from John looks at a woman in Texas with unimaginably long nails. How does she eat, wash, walk, and just function? Tim shares some letters he found while cleaning. We’re all business. Excep...

Russian President Putin bans same-sex marriage and assures himself power until 2035. Poland’s “free of LGBT” towns have second thoughts as other member states of the EU pull financial support and cultural exchanges. Finally, a new scientific study looks at the aging process in three distinct steps rather than a continuous process, giving some future promise to treatments for cardiovascular and Alz...

Shop Talk looks at corporations that believe we will be back in the office sooner than we think. Also, a new book of lessons learned from Mom and NASA. Hint: It's all about respect. But first, LEGO inventor Ole Kirk Kristiansen is our Business Birthday. A heartwarming story about a gay couple that adopts a baby found on a subway platform in NYC and a man pranks his fiancé with repeat wedding propo...

VW tried to play along with an early April Fool's Joke that revealed that the brand would now be known as Voltswagen. The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Auto News did not find the joke funny. Fire Island and other resort areas are already pushing the season and opening early. If you have not rented for this summer, it may be too late to get the dates or property you desire. Finally, KFC is borrowi...

Shop Talk covers 11 common grammar mistakes we all should avoid, and we reveal what Apple says is their product of most value. But first, Designer and first woman to lead a Fortune 500 company, Liz Claiborne, is our Business Birthday. Pepsi and “Traditional family Peeps” create a too sweet marshmallow soda. A woman makes a fortune ghost writing for dogs on Fiverr and the ship that got stuck in the...

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signs a divisive measure that would require cell phones and tablets sold in the state to block all pornography, deemed a public health crisis. Five other states must enact similar laws for the measure to take effect. Then, congratulations to Rachel Levine on becoming the first out transgender person to win Senate confirmation. Finally, a Georgia man receives his final paychec...

Shop Talk comes from The Ladders this week and helps us avoid overused phrases and jargon that recruiters despise. But first, Joseph Roland Barbera, of Hanna-Barbera fame, is our Business Birthday. A Lutheran Church member bilks 150K out of his church because he was lonely and thought he was helping the amateur porn stars out. Rep. Boebert of Colorado continues to be unfit for office and social me...

A Florida man dies while cycling over an open draw bridge despite the gates being down and obvious danger. A new study looks at various aspects of how the pandemic of 2020 has taken a toll on our bodies from our brain to our feet. Finally, a lack of shipping containers globally has created a shortage of cheese at Costco and many other international goods such as furniture, olive oil, seafood, and...

Shop Talk looks at six things you should remove from your resume ASAP. But first, German Industrialist Gottlieb Daimler is our Business Birthday. The rubber band was given a patent today in 1845 and the inventor of the cassette tape, Lou Ottens, died this week. Caught My Eye informs us that the Texas Rangers are going to stop using hypnosis in interrogation and singles are pleasuring themselves mo...

A Georgetown Law Professor is fired for saying her black students don’t do as well as others in class while on a Zoom call with another colleague. Stay tuned for an HBO Special about Paul Reubens of Pee-Wee Herman fame and can you believe he is 68 years old? Finally, Amazon is being sued for rescinding job offers for some applicants that test positive for cannabis without letting them know that th...

Shop Talk looks at 5 questions some career experts wish job candidates had the guts to ask during interviews. But first, we have two Business Birthdays. Joe Gold, the Founder of Gold’s Gym, and Alfred Peet, the founder of Peet’s Coffee and the person credited with starting the specialty coffee revolution in the USA, both born on March 10th. Caught My Eye looks at new proposed legislation in Califo...

An Advocate writer believes “openly gay” is an offensive term and “out” would be a better description. Tim was suspect and John thought it linguistic gymnastics, but they both understood the nuance as the article further explained. What do you think? Then, a Texas school’s Chivalry lesson goes astray, and just when you think you knew everything about Camelot a new old Kennedy revelation re-emerges...

Shop Talk looks at why Jeff Bezos despises PowerPoint and has banned it at meetings. But first, Garrett Morgan Sr., a prolific inventor, is our Business Birthday and beware of business service scams coming to the house. An ancient Chinese bowl from a yard sale and Jeep is asked to drop the Cherokee name Caught Our Eye this week. (P.S. don't buy cheap batteries.)    We’re all business. Except when...

Hasbro does the right thing by dropping Mister from its Potato Head toy brand but stubs their toe in explaining why. But first, Mayor Pete—Secretary of Transportation in the Biden Administration—is sampling the bike share program in DC and some are critical. Then, hook-up app Grindr smartly uses PR to let us know that once the event is over it is full steam ahead. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC...