Episodes

Many grocery stores now boast that they sell “locally grown” produce. Perhaps you’ve wondered just how local it is – where does that locally grown produce actually come from? We begin this episode with an explanation of just how far away produce can originate and still be called – locally grown. http://time.com/2970505/organic-misconception-local/Also, let’s take a look at how you think. In particular, a look at the flaws in how you think. Matthew May is an innovation strategist, speaker and author of, Winning the Brain Game: Fixing the 7 Fatal Flaws of Thinking (http://amzn.to/2tRYBiL). He joins me to explain how we so often go wrong when we solve problems, make decisions or come up with ideas. He has tested thousands of people and found that almost all of us make some pretty common mistakes that prevent us from coming up with the right solution. Listen as he offers simple strategies to get your thinking back on track.Perhaps you’ve heard that many people now cover up their webcam wi…

The best way to solve your problems may be to pretend they are someone else’s. This episode begins with an interesting way to look at your problems that can help you come up with much better solutions. http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/06/09/0956797614535400The coronavirus shutdown has many of us worried about money. Joining me to discuss ways you can make money quickly as well as into the future is Chris Guillebeau. Chris is the host of the podcast Side Hustle School (https://sidehustleschool.com/) and author of several books including his latest, The Money Tree: The Story About Finding a Fortune in Your Own Back Yard (https://amzn.to/2Rab2nQ). Chris has been a guest before and he is really good at helping people find news ways to make company.Do CDs and mp3s make music sound worse? Some people think so. Could you tell the difference between a CD and a high-resolution recording? Listen as I discuss what your ears may or may not be missing out on. https://groups.google.com/for…

Need something to pass the time? This episode begins with an activity you and the family can do that will kill some time and also put money in the bank. http://lifehacker.com/what-to-do-with-all-that-loose-change-youve-been-hoardi-1792821108Unless you are careful, it is easy to accumulate a lot of stuff. It is not a stretch to say that Americans have too much stuff. So how did we get it and what should we do with it? To the rescue is Peter Walsh. Peter has been helping people organize and declutter - as a coach, a TV host, a writer and on YouTube. His latest book is called Let It Go (https://amzn.to/3dKkb0a). Listen as he offers some incredible insight into why we accumulate so much stuff and has some great techniques that can help you evaluate whether you should keep it, toss it or give it away. How many times have we all heard about the importance of good communication? So how does a good communicator – communicate? Leadership and communications consultant Alain Hunkins, author of t…

I suspect we all mispronounce words from time to time. Either we learned them wrong or we get lazy. I know I usually pronounce affidavit as if it has a D on the end instead of a t because it is just easier. It’s wrong but it is easier. We start today’s episode by looking at some commonly mispronounced words because some people will judge you harshly when you don't say words correctly. http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/mispron.htmlWhat happens when you die? Of course we don’t know for sure – or do we? Dr. Mary Neal is a medical doctor who drowned in a kayaking accident in Chile several years ago. She was dead for 30 minutes. But she came back. Wait until you hear the story she tells of her experience of dying and returning to tell the tale. Dr. Neal is the author of the best-selling book To Heaven and Back. (http://amzn.to/2yFC7EL)If you are a wine drinker, you have no doubt gone to take a sip only to see a fruit fly swimming in your glass. Should you toss out the fly a…

Would you like to hear some really good and solid advice that will make your life simpler and easier? This episode begins with some excellent bits of wisdom I am sure you will use in your life. http://www.raptitude.com/2015/02/67-short-pieces-of-advice-you-didnt-ask-for/If you ever have or ever will buy, sell or drive a car, you must listen to my conversation with Jack Gillis. Each year for 40 years, Jack has written a new edition of The Car Book (https://amzn.to/2X0tFOP) which details virtually every new car that model year in terms of safety, maintenance, customer complaints etc. He joins me to discuss what every driver needs to know about cars and offers some great advice on how to buy one. Are you holding a grudge against someone? If so – or if you ever have in the past, I have some wonderful insight into how a grudge does you absolutely no good and why you need to let it go. (Source: Interview with Fred Luskin Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project)Do you ever fi…

Don’t you just hate it when you burn your tongue from drinking or eating something too hot? This episode begins with some first-aid for the next time you inadvertently put something in your mouth that is way too hot. http://www.yogawiz.com/blog/home-remedies/home-remedies-remedy-for-healing-burnt-burning-tonguepain-sensation.htmlWouldn’t it be great if you could solve problems BEFORE they happen? You can – in fact you do. You change the oil in your car to prevent problems before they happen. With a slightly different way of thinking, we can solve a lot of problems that way according to Dan Heath author of the book Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen (https://amzn.to/3atB1Os). Listen as he explains this fascination method of problem solving.Is it better to exercise first thing in the morning or in the afternoon? Listen as I explain the pros and cons to both. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/best-time-to-work-out-to-lose-weightMany people are working from …

You know when you head up the entrance ramp on a freeway, you have to really “floor it” to get your car up to speed. Is that good for your engine to put the pedal to the metal like that? This episode begins by explaining what revving your engine actually does. http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a25286/how-to-make-you-car-last-longer/Would you like to be more persuasive? Jay Heinrichs is a real expert at this, having written several books on the topic. One of those books is Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion (http://amzn.to/2uDWt1U). Jay joins me for a lively discussion on what works –and doesn’t work in persuading other people to understand your point of view.When you have to shut down your Wi-Fi or other device, the advice is often to leave it off for 30 seconds or so before restarting. What’s the reason? And do you really have to? http://serverfault.com/questions/32787/where-did-wait-30-seconds-before-turning-…

While it’s natural to brag a little about your kids or your job or anything else you are proud of., you really have to be careful. A little bragging goes a long way and too much can be a turn off. This episode begins with a discussion on how much is too much. https://www.readersdigest.ca/health/relationships/things-need-stop-bragging/Ever wonder why some things are really easy for you to learn and other things are hard? And what is the best way to learn something that doesn’t come naturally to you? Daniel Willingham is a cognitive scientist who studies learning and memory and he is author of the book Why Don’t Students Like School (https://amzn.to/2x8uc6l). Listen and you will hear some surprising insights into how humans learn – or don’t learn and you will hear some wonderful strategies to help you learn anything better. There has likely been a time in your life when you or someone you were with forgot their toothbrush. Consequently, you probably wondered if it was okay to share a to…

Staying at home with nowhere to go can certainly put you in a bad mood. So this episode begins with some scientifically proven ways to improve your mood right away. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4234616/Six-ways-make-happier.htmlSome people seem to just have that ability to just be likable. How do they do it? You are about to find out when you listen to my guest Nicholas Boothman, an expert on personal communication and author of the book How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less (https://amzn.to/2TYCK8J)Hand sanitizer is hard to come by. But you can make your own without too much trouble. In this episode you will hear a simple recipe from a former CDC official to make effective, homemade hand sanitizer. And you can find that recipe here: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizerComplaining is a problem – whether you are a complainer or you live with one. In fact, complaining makes you stupid and ruins your chances for success. Trevor Blake autho…

Everyone knows that coffee can help you think and focus and can even improve your mood – especially that first cup in the morning. Years ago, coffee advertising contained the tagline… “Coffee, the THINK drink.”  But it just may be that all the research showing how good coffee and caffeine are for mental function is flawed. If you are a coffee drinker, you are going to want to hear this. http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/08/21/caffeine-the-silent-killer-of-emotional-intelligence/Then, we look at all the math you use in everyday life. Mathematician, Jordan Ellenberg, author of the book How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking (http://amzn.to/2uyMDx6) reveals just how important math is and how it is constantly changing. He also discusses how not to be tricked by statistics and numbers that are designed to mislead you.People do better work when they get a reward. It applies to people at work or kids at home – and it comes as no surprise. What’s interesting is…

You have probably been eating peanut butter since you were a kid. And that turns out to be a really good thing. This episode begins with a look at the amazing and little known health benefits of eating peanut butter – as long as it is the right kind of peanut butter. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323781#health-benefitsChanging someone’s mind is difficult if not impossible - or so it seems. However, minds do change so clearly it can be done. Jonah Berger joins me to explain how. Jonah is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his latest book is called The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind (https://amzn.to/33hpVJE) . Listen as he explains the fascinating research on how to get people to agree with you. The experts are saying that one of the ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus is to NOT touch your face. Good luck with that! Listen as I explain why trying to not touch your face is almost certainly going to make you touch it …

If you have an iPhone, you have likely struggled moving the cursor around in a text message or email. However, there is a very simple way to easily maneuver the cursor to exactly where you want it to go - that many iPhone users don't know. This episode begins with an explanation of exactly how to do that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMevwmsbrTkYou are deceiving yourself about yourself. Everyone does it. We rationalize and excuse our behavior and tell ourselves things to make us feel good. Clinical psychologist Dr. Cortney Warren is an expert on self-deception and she offers some valuable insight on how we deceive ourselves, why we do it and the harm it causes. She also has some strategies to help you to stop doing it that I know you will find helpful. Cortney did a TED Talk on the topic which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpEeSa6zBTE Her website is https://choosehonesty.com/You may think that while you sleep not much is going on – but in fact there is a lot goi…

If you were to stand in downtown Detroit and start walking south for as long as it took, what is the first foreign country you would encounter? This is one of the fascinating questions/facts that I know you will find interesting – and might even win you a drink in a bar bet.Then, it is so weird what things influence your opinion and enjoyment of the food you eat. You might like to think you are too smart to be fooled by things like the color of the plate, or the music being played or the weight of the silver ware. But you are. Researcher Charles Spence, author of the new book, Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating (http://amzn.to/2sk9L3f) will amaze you with what he has discovered.You often see celebrities who claim that drinking gallons of water is what keeps them looking so youthful. But is that really true? Listen and find out. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/drinking-water-for-better-skinListen as film director and writer Steve Stockman, author of How to Shoot Video That …

What makes a good dancer? Some of it is subjective but there is one particular body part that seems to make all the difference. This episode begins with an explanation of the magic of good dancing. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42435How do you get to be the best at something? You might think those elite performers are just naturally gifted in some way. However, science says no. Anders Ericsson has been studying what it takes to get to the top of your game for several years and he joins me to discuss the surprising results. Anders is the author of the book Peak: Secrets of the New Science of Expertise. (https://amzn.to/3athIoj)People disagree over whether vitamin C can do anything for a cold – but there is no disagreement over the benefits vitamin C offers when you are under stress. Listen as I explain what it does and how much you need to take to get the benefits. https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/vitamin-c-stress-busterYou’ve heard your whole life - “If you need he…

A lot of items you buy at the grocery store are actually a lot cheaper at the drug store. This episode begins with a look at where the bargains are in your neighborhood pharmacy. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-in-new-clothesWouldn’t it be nice to get some clear and unbiased advice on nutrition? You are about to. David Katz, M.D. is founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center who studies the latest science about nutrition. Recently he teamed up with food writer Mark Bittman to write a new book called How To Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered (https://amzn.to/2I5Vsor). Dr. Katz joins me to discuss what the latest science says what you eat.Do you use emojis when you write? While some people think they are a little silly they can serve a very important function when you write texts and emails. Listen as I explain and you might find yourself popping an emoji into your next email. Source: Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intel…

When was the last time you cleaned your credit or debit cards? Or the remote for the TV? There are a lot of things around the house you never think to clean – but you will after you hear this. https://www.fitandfabliving.com/general-health/6435-seven-surprisingly-dirty-surfaces/How spiritual are you? Psychiatrist Dr. Anna Yusim, author of the book Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life (http://amzn.to/2tglpsf), discusses what it means to be spiritual and what recent scientific research says about the benefits of spirituality both for your health and happiness.Don’t you hate it when you grab a pen to write something and no ink comes out? I’ll tell you what the experts say to get the ink flowing again quickly. https://www.wikihow.com/Restart-a-Dry-Ball-Point-PenThere’s a problem with your survival instinct. Dr. Marc Schoen, Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine and author of the book, Your Survival Instinct…

Yawning is contagious. We have all experienced that. What’s interesting though is when you notice how soon someone yawns after you do. This episode begins with an explanation of why some people might yawn right away while others might not yawn for a few minutes after your yawn – and what that means. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137654/The world is full of irrational people and they can drive you crazy. Since we all have to deal with these people it would be helpful to get some effective strategies. Here with some really good one is Dr. Mark Goulston. Mark is a psychiatrist and author of several books including Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational & Impossible People in Your Life (https://amzn.to/2HYz2oL). Mark is also the host of the podcast My Wake Up Call and his website is www.markgoulston.com. You can access the podcast from his website.The next time you are in a bad mood, you might want to head to the kitchen. Not to eat but to do something else …

When you have a big decision to make, all kinds of things can influence that decision. But one thing I bet you never thought of was the lighting in the room. Yet, it turns out that lighting can have a significant impact on a decision you make. I’ll explain how and what is optimal lighting to make important decisions. http://media.utoronto.ca/media-releases/education/new-research-shows-the-way-a-room-is-lit-can-affect-the-way-you-make-decisions/I’m very excited to have Brian Greene as my guest on this episode. Brian is a theoretical physicist, string theorist (and occasional guest star on “The Big Bang Theory”). He is also author of several books including, The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (http://amzn.to/2tMA9lz) which will really get you thinking about reality and the universe we live in. In fact, as Brian explains, there may be several parallel universes and alternate realities. I know, it sounds space-y but Brian explains it so well, I think yo…

Everyone knows that as you age, your mental function declines. But when does that begin? Age 40? 50? I’ll tell you what the science says. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/memory-declineThen, we look at the history of your home. Every room in your home has a story to tell. The bedroom is particularly fascinating and wait until you hear about your bathroom! Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace State Apartments and other royal palaces in London, is author of the book, If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home (http://amzn.to/2rRAbov) takes you on a fascinating tour of your own home – that you never knew.Also, if you love tomato juice – good for you! If you hate it, give it another try. If you still hate it, try it again on airplane. Listen and I'll explain why. https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/why-tomato-juice-tastes-better-on-airplaneA…

Why should you take a photo of your passport and keep it on your phone? That’s just one of several important travel tips I discuss that you probably haven’t heard before. https://www.dreamandcotravel.com/20-travel-hacks-to-save-you-time-space-money/You constantly receive criticism and feedback from people – some of it is welcome some not. Some of it is warranted and some of it not. So how can you learn to evaluate the feedback coming at you so you can determine what is true and what is false – and not get defensive? And then how do you use that feedback to your advantage? Sheila Heen author of the book, Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (http://amzn.to/2pelwW0) has studied this and you will find what she has to say extremely helpful.Why do so many marriages and relationships go bad? Dr Harville Hendrix has been studying relationships and has worked with couples for over 30 years. He has authored several books on the topic including Making Marriage…

We all make mistakes. However, wouldn’t it be nice if you could make fewer of them? This episode begins by revealing two simple strategies that have been proven to help people make fewer mistakes when they attempt to accomplish a task. (Source: Joseph Hallinan author of Why We Make Mistakes https://amzn.to/39OVFrM)When you have a problem, you need to find a solution. Maybe though, the better course of action should be to change or reframe the problem. That’s the advice of Thomas Wedell Wedellsborg, who is author of the book What’s Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve (https://amzn.to/3bUChLN) . Listen as he explains the fascinating process of changing the problem to find a better solution.  When you have a cold or the flu, doctors recommend bed rest. Why? What’s so special about bed rest? Listen as we discuss what bed rest does to help you get better – and the benefits are real. https://www.wsj.com/articles/fighting-the-flu-when-you-need-to-stay…

Do you lose most of your body heat through your head? What’s the best way to stop the hiccups? We begin this episode with a look at these and other interesting medical myths and facts. https://www.realsimple.com/health/first-aid-health-basics/old-wives-tales-retoldWhat exactly is the Internet – and where is it located? We think of the Internet as being virtual but there is a physical Internet – there has to be. Those network connections all have to connect somewhere. Journalist Andrew Blum author of the book, Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet (http://amzn.to/2tAUJ8u), takes us all on a journey of the physical Internet – where it is, how it works and what it smells like.Do you know what to do when lightning strikes? Much of what we hear isn’t true. I’ll tell you what the experts say about staying safe in a lightning storm. https://www.yahoo.com/health/lightning-strikes-myth-vs-fact-93152046102.htmlWhen I say “self-discipline” you probably think of it as sacrifice and painf…

What happens if you try to make a photocopy of a $20 bill? This episode begins by revealing why it is so hard to do and why a picture of money won’t open in PhotoShop either. http://www.businessinsider.com/money-counterfit-eurion-constellation-copy-scan-photoshop-2017-1Financial guru Suze Orman has been preaching the importance of financial responsibility for a long time. Listen as she offers some effective strategies to help you keep more of your money and help it grow while still enjoying life to the fullest. For information about the document package she talks about go to: https://www.suzeorman.com/products/must-have-documentsTemptation often wins over willpower. But the next time you need a little burst of willpower to overcome that urge you will later regret, there is a strategy that really seems to work. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psyched/201104/clenching-your-fists-increases-willpowerAll the talk about artificial intelligence and robot technology can sound scary. What …

What is the best way to sign-off an email? Well, it depends on what you want the outcome to be but if you re hoping for a reply, there is one sign-off that is more likely to get someone to respond. This episode begins with me revealing those magic words. http://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-end-an-email-2017-2Why is your brain in your head? Why do your eyes face forward but a fish’s eyes are on the side of it’s head? These are just a few of the interesting questions about your body that I discuss with Mark Changizi. Mark is a cognitive scientist, he has a YouTube series about science (https://www.youtube.com/user/mchangizi) and he has authored some science books – one being The Vision Revolution: How the Latest Research Overturns Everything We Thought We Knew About Human Vision (https://amzn.to/2SwLNMs)Wrinkles are inevitable. However, there are things we can all do to minimize how many you get and how prominent they are. Listen as I discuss some expert advice from Good Housekee…