How Do We Fix It?

Coca-Cola, the world’s largest maker of sugary sodas, is under fire for giving millions of dollars to a group of scientists who say that lack of exercise is much more important cause of obesity than poor diets. Are they right? Is Coke using scientists to reverse the recent decline in soda sales? And what are the best ways to solve America's obesity crisis? Kelly Brownell, Dean of the Sanford Schoo...

How does Google play to our prejudices, and could its mighty search engine be used to change election results? 75% of all internet searches are done through Google. Our guest is well-known psychologist and author Dr. Robert Epstein, Founder of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and former Editor-in-Chief Of Psychology Today. His recent research suggests search rankings can have a dramatic...

The "revolving door" is a corrupting influence on both government and industry. So says University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds. He's an outspoken critic of Washington insiders and the blogger behind Instapundit.com, one of America's most widely read political weblogs. On our podcast, Reynolds talks about his intriguing solution to slow down the revolving door: a Surtax that would be...

Are you overwhelmed by the flood of information, technology and choices that we all face as consumers? This episode with Jim and Richard features neuroscientist and behavior expert Dr. Peter Whybrow, Director of The Semel Institute at UCLA. His research on the human brain tells us why we make short-term decisions that are often in conflict with our best interests. Dr. Whybrow suggests fixes to hel...

Data and identity theft are a threat to all of us. The recent breach of government computers at The Office of Personnel Management was only the latest example of a growing crisis. Adam Levin, founder of credit.com and IDT 911 is a leading expert on data crime. He gives common sense tips and advice on how all consumers can cut their risk of being an identity theft victim. Hosted on Acast. See acast...

"Anything is possible in your financial life as long as you work hard at it, and want it bad enough," says personal financial expert Farnoosh Torabi. The host of the daily podcast, "So Money," Farnoosh is an nationally known author and journalist, who has dedicated her career to explaining the mysteries of money in savvy, sensible and clear ways. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journ...

The on-demand economy is a hit with consumers. Uber, Lyft, Homejoy, and other companies provide a growing number of convenient services. But there's a heated debate about how they treat their workers. Should they be classified as independent contractors or full-time employees who qualify health care, disability and other benefits? Richard and Jim's guest is Marcela Sapone, CEO of Hello Alfred, a s...

Do helicopter parents need to come in for a landing? Lenore Skenazy, host of the cable TV show, "World's Worst Mom", says yes. The founder of the parenting movement Free Range Kids is Jim and Richard's expert guest. Skenazy argues society fills parents with fear about what might happen to their children. http://www.freerangekids.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Computers, video games and mobile devices are a huge temptation for kids. But are they really a threat, or instead a great opportunity for children to learn about the world? In this show Jim and Richard are joined by developmental psychologist Abigail Baird of Vassar College. The mother of two 6-year old twins and an expert on the teenage brain, Abigail has some fascinating fixes for parents who w...

The numbers are alarming. A recent Gallup says that less than one-third of American workers are engaged in their jobs. Millions of employees are either bored or completely fed up. In addition to the human misery this causes dysfunctional workplaces damage businesses and harm the economy. Ron Friedman is the author of "The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workpla...

All of us pay taxes, but how well is that money being spent? Many government services are poorly delivered. From the local DMV or zoning department to the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs, government can be a big tangled mess. For decades, Philip K. Howard has been a leading expert on how streamline government and make it work for all of us. His latest book is "The Rule of Nobody." In t...

Credit card debt is once again on the rise. The average U.S. household that borrows money with high interest credit cards owes $15,000. Many people are overwhelmed by monthly bills. Expert Beverly Harzog has seen the problems from both sides. Author of two helpful books, "Confessions of a Credit Card Junkie," and "The Debt Escape Plan", Beverly knows all about the crisis of bad credit and how to d...