The Works

You know how much we love AI <<smirk>>...and using AI for customer service is just our favorite! With real people customer service representatives, you at least had a chance at a favorable outcome. With AI, you just get responses based upon the flowchart of answers that have been programmed. Sure, companies save money with AI customer service because 1) They don't have to pay a per...

We got the food pyramid wrong and had to update the entire calorie conversation to include gut biome. Did we get our documentation of genes and what they can predict correctly? So many folks are making life altering decisions based upon genetic testing results. They believe it is inevitable that they will get certain conditions and ailments. What is it that we know about genome sequencing? Just be...

Soccer is NOT football! With all of the hype of the FIFA World Cup, we just do not get it. Is it truly a sport that America loves and supports? Considering that they say that it had a record viewership, we wanted to check that out. It was only 6 million. Considering The Simpsons, which has been on air over 30 years still pulls 2 million every week, that is not very impressive. Do you watch soccer?...

These projects would definitely fit the definition of "pork" in a legislative bill! Who doesn't love pork? Did you know that $57 million was spent to get to drill in the layer between the Earth's crust and mantle? How about$74 million for a canal bisecting Florida which was never completed? Join us for a pork discussion on this "Uncovering Government Waste" episode of The Works.

Talk about a bunch of baloney! There was a govt paid study on the correlation between hot dog consumption and childhood leukemia in 1994. Why hot dogs and leukemia? And, in 2004 it was debunked and there was no correlation or causation. What other frivolous studies have we done? Cocaine's effect on the sex life of quails. How about the 20 year study of steroid use on hamsters and their aggress...

Seems as though everyone has a podcast! If you're looking for something entertaining and different, tune into our podcast "The Works" on your favorite podcast streaming service!

Follow up to the calorie and nutritional panel episode. We wondered if the nutrition/calorie computations were wrong or incomplete. The Atwater study results defined the number of calories for fat, protein, and carbs and was amended in the 1970's to account for fiber. The new research suggest it is our gut bacteria that determines absorption. But, what if the proteins today are different than...

Pardon the SouthPark reference...not! Remember when we jested that maybe the calorie definition might be off? Well, Arizona State University just came out with an study that suggests we may have gotten it wrong. Seems that our gut bacteria has a lot to do with it! ((queue SouthPark reference about Tom Brady fecal implant)) Calorie absorption and usage is dependent on our gut bacteria! Join us for...

AI...what a load of BULL! Rest in peace! Jim makes a compelling argument of why AI will fizzle out in the next couple of years. The statistic that AI use has increased is interesting...since copilot is now a part of microsoft office license. Just because it was bundled in and EVERY business office uses microsoft office doesn't mean everyone is USING it! Jeesh! And, what does "data driven&...

It is officially Beach Season!!! Where do you go for a summer vacation? Do you like basic beach houses or do you go for the more bougie rental? We just got back from Oak Island NC and love the laid back beach community. What things do you do on vacation? Did you know that Pablo Escobar ran drugs from a tiny beach community in NC? And the movie "The Year I Turned Pretty" was just filming...

Are you tired of entering your phone number for all of these "loyalty" programs? How did those ever even start? The modern day may have seemed to start with flyer miles. But what about the green stamp books? Did you know they reward program started in ancient Egypt? What about the earliest ones here in the States in the 1700's? Seems like today's programs have a lot of pay-to-pla...

As we navigate social media/podcast space, can you game they system by a clever title? Does a trending word help get listens? Did you know that Area 51 just had a round of earthquakes? Did alien technology cause it? We also discuss when people give you advice. What was the best advice you were given? Join us for a myriad of topics in true ADHD fashion on the "Gaming The System" episode o...

With Millenials and GenZ finding alternative work or choosing to work part time, Social Security is DOOMED. The pool of workers entering retirement is larger that the generations working and contributing. Even with Social Security, many folks will still have to find their "second career" after retirement. What drives the need for a next phase of work? Were you laid off? Is your job now o...

Do you remember the "Generic" brand from years ago? It was a simple white label with bold black lettering. Nothing screamed that you were frugal more than that! Now, we have store brands that are supposed to be the same as named brand...but secretly are not. For example, PopTarts....there is no equal!!! Join us for a discussion of "Off Brand" on this episode of The Works.

What are some jobs today that you never imagined would be jobs? Younger generations want to be influencers or content creators. Will a college education be required for "jobs" that are created in the future? Are you considered gainfully employed as a content creator? How are you paid? What happens to social security if the newer generation isn't paying into the system as boomers and...

Are there things you do that you just now realized are a bit quirky or eccentric? Ok...maybe they are just weird or annoying! Do you pee in the shower? Do you stop the microwave at 1 second to avoid the excessive beeping? Do you sniff the milk before pouring, even though the expiration date is still in the future? Do you rearrange the dishwasher after each dish? We have all had that "oh no&qu...

What is your favorite part of vacation travel? What is the worst part? We just got back from a road trip to Ohio to visit family, and, boy, were the roads BAD! However, the food and family were good! Do you embrace local cuisine? Have you ever had Cincinnati chili? Or, when traveling, do you go with the familiar? Are you team beach or mountains or snow or travel abroad? Join us for a fun travel di...

A little bit of this and a little bit of that! Richard Hatch now owes $3.2 million in taxes since he didn't pay his taxes on his Survivor winnings 25 years ago...which was $1 million. How can this be? We have a few more rants on health cures and issues. Have you heard about Mars College? A man who loved Burning Man took old wood from structures he built there and used them in the middle of the...

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? What other things have our generations believed over the years? Eat a tape worm to lose weight? Lobotomies cure psychological issue? Crazy! Join us for a discussion on snake oil or real practices on this "Apple a day..." episode of The Works. https://museum.dea.gov/museum-collection/collection-spotlight/artifact/soothing-syrup   https://www.hi...

What are the categories of A.I. (artificial intelligence) being used? Do you actively use A.I.? Some people use A.I. to help them write a papers or to summarize some research. Others use it to create artwork and logos. It is getting harder to differentiate A.I. images/videos from real images. Do we embrace or do we encourage caution? Join us for a lively discussion about artificial intelligence on...

Still no winners in our hot sauce giveaway! We decided to make it easier with making the music montage have extended samples. Guess the correct song title in the correct order in this 8 song music montage. Email guesses to Jim@TheWorksPodcast.com ((hot sauces brought to you from MadeInMaidenNC.com ))

What was the 1st video game you ever played? Did you ever go to a game arcade back in the day? How can Legend of Zelda be 40 years old? Video games and how we play them have changed over the decades. Games have been played on computers, gaming systems, handheld devices, phones and even on streaming services. Do you still play? Join us for a discussion about video games on this "Pac-Man Fever&...

There have been many wonderful musicians that are now eligible for the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame! What qualities should they possess? What are the qualifications? Who is missing from the list? Join us for a discussion for this "Hall Of Wonder" episode of The Works. https://rockhall.com/2026-nominees/

As GenXers, there were certain things growing up that just invoked fears or concerns. Missing kids were on milk cartons, and it seemed as though knowing how to get out of quicksand was important! What were YOU afraid of that you realize now isn't a thing? What was the millenial "thing"? What worried the boomers? Join us for a discussion of "Irrational Fears" on this episode...

What is your favorite convenience store? Is it because it is truly convenient or does it feature certain niceties such as great food or coffee? Great bathrooms? Cheaper gas? We are team Buccees! However, Kwik Trip has beat out the former favorite of WaWa. What makes these stores so popular? Join us for a discussion of stores in "That's Convenient" episode of The Works.