Life's Stories Episodes
142
Oct. 16, 2024
Hungry Children: GOP Rejects Federal Funds Out of Spite
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Fifteen governors have decided to thumb their nose at President Biden out of spite, and at the same time allowing over 8 million children to starve. supporting links 1. Why are GOP governors taking food out of the mouths of poor kids? [The Fern Org] 2. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders [website] 3. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen [website] 4. 2023 Kids Count Data Book [AEC Foundation] Contact That's Life, I Swear Tweet us at @RedPhantom Listen to aud...
140
Oct. 9, 2024
Trees Are Stressed Out, We Need To Talk With Them
Text us your thoughts on the podcast TreeTag sensors, developed by startup ePlant, can give homeowners, farmers and forestry managers early warning when trees are water stressed or in danger. supporting links 1. ePlant: How it Works [ePlant website] 2. This ‘Fitbit’ for tree health [MarketWatch] 3. Liquid Robotics [Website] 4. Growing Crops with Less Groundwater [College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences] 5. Sun World International [LinkedIn] Contact That's Life, I Swea...
139
Oct. 2, 2024
Navigating Drought: Panama Canal’s Reservoir Proposal
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Welcome to a discussion about a journey where water meets ambition and innovation bridges continents. We dive into the heart of one of the world's engineering marvels—the Panama Canal. supporting links 1. What the data says about Americans’ views of climate change [Pew Research Center] 2. TOP 15 navigable canals important for shipping and maritime logistics [Marine Digital] 3. Ship Canal [Wikipedia] 4. Ayman Omar [LinkedIn] 5. Oystein Kalleklev...
138
Sept. 26, 2024
Exempting Tips from Taxes: The Risks and Realities
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Today we’re tackling a topic that hits close to home for millions of workers — tipping. Has tipping reached its limit, or are we just getting started? supporting links 1. How Americans Feel About the Basics of Tipping [Wikipedia] 2. Trump proposing tips be tax free. What would that mean for you? [AP] 3. What is the new etiquette for tipping? [NPR] 4. Tipping Is Out of Control. It’s Also a Serious Labor Issue [TIME] 5. Tipflation: What is it and...
137
Sept. 25, 2024
Click, Watch, Unsubscribe: Streaming TV New Normal
Text us your thoughts on the podcast As more people cancel subscriptions, streaming video companies must work harder to sign up new users to expand their overall customer base. supporting links 1. Antenna [website] 2. The Future of Streaming: How to Cut Costs & Save Money [Cloudwards] 3. Streaming services keep getting more expensive [The Verge] 4. Price Storm: Why Major Streaming Services Have Hiked Rates [Variety] 5. Americans’ New TV Habit: Subscribe. Watch. Cancel. Repeat [Mot...
136
Sept. 18, 2024
Meet Larry the Cat, Britain's Unofficial Political Mascot
Text us your thoughts on the podcast New prime minister or not, meet Larry, the cat. The chief mouser to the Cabinet Office who lives at 10 Downing Street. 1. Larry (cat) [Wikipedia] 2. Feline pushed out? [BBC] 3. Larry the Cat’s 12 Years as Chief Mouser [The Atlantic] 4. Larry the Cat [Twitter] 5. Justin Ng [Twitter] 6. Number 10 Downing Street [BBC] Contact That's Life, I Swear Tweet us at @RedPhantom Listen to audios: -Apple https://apple.co/3MAFxhb -Spotify https://spo...
135
Sept. 17, 2024
Digital Ad Business Faces $600B Challenge from Google’s Cookie Change
Text us your thoughts on the podcast While privacy advocates had celebrated Google’s cookie-crushing plan, advertisers railed against it, saying it would only give the search giant even more of an ad-vantage. supporting links 1. First-party vs. third-party cookies: What's the difference? [TechTarget] 2. Google Chrome [Wikipedia] 3. If an app asks to track your activity [Apple Support] 4. The End of The Third-Party Cookie | All You Need to Know [Cookie Information] 5. What is digit...
134
Sept. 11, 2024
MIT's 2028 Class Diversity: Post-Affirmative Action Enrollment Shifts
Text us your thoughts on the podcast We’re diving into a seismic shift at one of the world’s top universities. MIT’s class of 2028 has shattered expectations — and not in a way many hoped. Supporting links 1. Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action programs in college admissions [SCOTUS Blog] 2. How the public sees the consideration of race in college admissions, hiring {Pew Research] 3. US College Enrollment Decline – 2024 Facts & Figures [College Transitions] 4. Sally Kornblu...
133
Sept. 4, 2024
Mpox Outbreak in Sweden Raises Concerns of Wider Spread in Europe
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Just when Europe thought it was clear from its nightmare with COVID, a single case of Mpox in Sweden reignited fears of a potential outbreak across the continent. supporting links 1. Virulence differences of Mpox [PNAS] 2. Mpox (monkeypox) [World Health Organization] 3. Deadlier strain of mpox spreads to multiple African countries [Science] 4. The Swedish Government’s efforts to fight Mpox [Government Offices of Sweden] Contact That's Life, I ...
131
Aug. 28, 2024
Resetting Limits: Transformative USA Border Immigration Strategies
Text us your thoughts on the podcast When we bring up the narrative of immigration at the Mexican border, it hits a raw nerve with the public. How and when do we fix this mess? Let’s explore some alternative recommendations. supporting links 1. Democrats vote with GOP on resolution denouncing Biden’s ‘open-border policies’ [The Hill] 2. Democratic Mayors need Federal Help Over Migrant Crisis [VOA News] 3. Senate Republicans block Ukraine/Israel aid demanding border policy changes [PBS] ...
130
Aug. 21, 2024
Biden's 2024 Exit: Why He Chose Country Over a Second Term
Text us your thoughts on the podcast President Joe Biden made a decision that shocked the political world; despite believing he could win a second term. There are those things in life that are greater than ourselves. For President Biden, it was his party, but more importantly, the country. supporting links 1. President Joe Biden [Wikipedia] 2. Democratic Party [Wikipedia] 3. Inside Biden’s unprecedented exit from the presidential race [CNN] Kamala Harris [Wikipedia] Contact That'...
129
Aug. 20, 2024
Kamala Harris: The Truth Behind 'DEI’ Candidate
Text us your thoughts on the podcast We all bear the responsibility to counter the growing anti-DEI sentiment in our workplaces. After all, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives aim to create fair and equitable environments where everyone can reach their full potential. supporting links 1. Kamala Harris [Wikipedia] 2. Karine Jean-Pierre [Wikipedia] 3. These 4 phrases are sabotaging your DEI efforts [Fast Company] 4. How JD Vance’s Shocking Inexperience Turned into an Asset [PO...
128
Aug. 14, 2024
A Stranger in My Own Skin: Unrecognized Sociopathy
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Patric Gagne realized she made others uncomfortable before she started kindergarten. Something about her caused people to react in a way she didn’t understand. Patric finally confirmed what she’d long suspected, she was a sociopath. supporting links 1. Patric Gagne, PhD [website] 2. Patric Gagne, PhD [Instagram] 3. Psychopathy Is [website] 4. Sociopath: A Memoir/author’s book [Amazon] 5. Antisocial personality disorder [Wikipedia] 6. Sociopa...
127
Aug. 7, 2024
Seeds of Survival: The Arctic's Global Mission
Text us your thoughts on the podcast The Seed Vault safeguards duplicates of 1,214,827 seed samples from almost every country in the world, with room for millions more. Its purpose is to backup gene bank collections to secure the foundation of our future food supply. supporting links 1. Global Seed Vault becomes more important as climate change [PBS] 2. Artic World Archive [Wikipedia] 3. Gene Bank [Wikipedia] 4. Genesys [website] 5. Lack Of Funding, Seed Banks Face a World of Chal...
125
July 31, 2024
Echoes of Disillusion: Gen Z's Political Landscape
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Generation Z are still recovering from the pandemic, and now dealing with a political awakening that has left them with a pessimistic look towards their future. supporting links 1. Generation Z [Wikipedia] 2. Dr. Jean Twenge [website] 3. What we know about Gen Z so far [Pew Research Center] 4. What is Gen Z? [McKinsey & Company] 5. Understanding Generation Z in the workplace [Deloitte] 6. Generation Z (Gen Z): Definition, Birth Years, and De...
124
July 25, 2024
Tech Giants: Shaping the Future Battlefield on Ukraine Soil-Part 2
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Ukraine has become the epicenter of a new era in warfare, where the future of battle is being forged today via A.I. supporting links 1. Mykhailo Fedorov [website] 2. Alex Bornyakov [Zine] 3. Starlink [Wikipedia] 4. Clearview AI [Wikipedia] 5. Unit.City [TechUkraine] 6. Steve Blank [Wikipedia] 7. The Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation [Stanford] 8. Blockchain [website] Contact That's Life, I Swear Tweet us at @Red...
123
July 24, 2024
Tech Giants: Shaping the Future Battlefield on Ukraine Soil-Part 1
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Today we talk about a future war that we’ll fight with a keyboard instead of a rifle. We'll peek into the forefront of technological innovation and its profound impact on modern warfare, in Ukraine. supporting links 1. Palantir: A New Age of Technology, Warfare, and Deterrence [YouTube] 2. The War in Ukraine Could Change Everything | Yuval Noah Harari [YouTube] 3. Can Big Data Save the World? [YouTube] 4. Palantir and Ukraine [YouTube] 5. MetaC...
122
July 23, 2024
Unmasking Economic Anxiety: Understanding American Pessimism
Text us your thoughts on the podcast The perception of the economy among the American public is influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including media coverage, global economic connection, income inequality, political polarization, job insecurity, and psychological factors. supporting links 1. Consumer Spending [Investopedia] 2. Why Americans are unhappy with the economy, in 3 charts [CBS News] 3. Americans More Upbeat on the Economy, but not Biden [Pew Research Center] Why ar...
121
July 17, 2024
E-Wallet Evolution: Navigating the Cashless Era
Text us your thoughts on the podcast There are many risks inherent in the switch to a cashless society. However, with the change being considered all but inevitable, it becomes crucial for all organizations involved in the economy to work together responsibly and make sure no person is left behind and the vulnerabilities in a cashless system cannot be exploited by those with nefarious intentions. supporting links 1. Pymnts Intelligence [website] 2. Stolen Device Protection [Apple] 3. 1P...
120
July 10, 2024
Apple Vision Pro: Innovation or Dust Collector?
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Can Apple rescue the Vision Pro? As of late this $3,500 computing marvel has been gathering dust on many people's shelves. supporting links 1. Back To the Drawing Board? [Fast Company] 2. Want a cheaper Apple Vision Pro? [Tweak Town] 3. What Is Apple’s Vision Pro Really For? [Harvard Business Review] 4. The Vision Pro Review: I'm running out of reasons to wear it [Business Insider] 5. The commerce exec’s guide to the Apple Vision Pro [The New C...
119
July 9, 2024
Tragic Valor: France's D-Day Rear Guard Sacrifice
Text us your thoughts on the podcast During the early morning of the allies D-Day landing on Normandy's beaches, a forgotten clash unfolded a battle fought by French paratroopers and resistance fighters, far from the spotlight. supporting links 1. D-Day and the Normandy Campaign [The National WWII Museum] 2. Breton Resistance Museum [Chemins de Memoire] 3. Operation Dingson [Wikipedia] 4. Operation Samwest [Wikipedia] 5. Saint-Marcel [Google Maps] Contact That's Life, I Swear ...
118
July 3, 2024
Retooling for AI: Tech Workers Adapt
Text us your thoughts on the podcast We're diving into a transformative wave sweeping through the tech industry: the AI boom. Generative AI is revolutionizing the way we work, but it's also creating an unbalanced labor market. supporting links 1. Experts Predict the Best and Worst AI Changes in Digital Life by 2035 [Pew Research] 2. Survey: generative AI programs should credit the sources they rely on [Pew Research] 3. AI at Work Is Here. Now Comes the Hard Part [Microsoft] 4. 2024 W...
117
June 26, 2024
Le Pen to Bardella: France's Nationalist Saga
Text us your thoughts on the podcast Change is coming to Europe, not to mention a far-right party takeover in Europe would impact US politics. supporting links 1. Marine Le Pen [Wikipedia] 2. Jordan Bardella [Wikipedia] 3. Who is 28-year-old far-right leader Jordan Bardella? [SkyNews] 4. Emmanuel Macron [Wikipedia] 5. France’s Macron bets big and stares down the far right [CNN] 6. 2024 France election [POLITICO] 7. A far-right surge upends national politics [CNN] 8. Jorda...
115
June 19, 2024
Supreme Disgrace: Reputations Shattered by Reckless Misconduct
Text us your thoughts on the podcast The Supreme Court is supposed to be the epitome of integrity and objective. supporting links 1. The Ethics in Government Act [Wikipedia] 2. Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire [ProPublica] 3. Justice Samuel Alito blames upside-down American flag on his wife [CNN] 4. Supreme Court of the Unites States [website] 5. Supreme Court of the United States History [Wikipedia] 6. Financial disclosures: Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito [POLITI...