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Something You Should Know

English, Social, 1 season, 995 episodes, 5 days, 21 hours, 18 minutes
About
Sometimes all it takes is one little fact or one little piece of wisdom to change your life forever. That's the purpose and the hope of "Something You Should Know." In each episode, host Mike Carruthers interviews top experts in their field to bring you fascinating information and advice to help you save time and money, advance in your career, become wealthy, improve your relationships and help you simply get more out of life. In addition, Mike uncovers and shares short, engaging pieces of "intel" you can use to make your life better - today. Right now.
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The Psychology of Crowds & Where Did Life Come From?

Most of us have heard that the speed at which you drive can impact your gas mileage but by how much? My guess is you probably believe it isn’t a lot. This episode begins by explaining how much slowing down will save you on gas – and it is more than you think. And if you have a bike rack on your car – you really have to hear this. https://abc7.com/archive/9151803/ There is something about a crowd. When you go to a concert or sporting event, you feel a kinship with the crowd. And the crowd has an energy to it that is hard to describe. Crowds also have a dark side. A crowd can turn into a mob and a mob can become violent. How does that happen? Is there such a thing as a mob mentality that makes people do things they would otherwise never do? Here to look at the science of crowds is Dan Hancox. He has thoroughly researched the topic and wrote a book about it titled Multitudes: How Crowds Made the Modern World (https://amzn.to/40axzVW). Life comes from other life. New plants come from existing plants, you came from your parents – all life comes from existing life. If that is so, then where did the first life forms come from? Also, while life is abundant here on earth, we have yet to discover life anywhere else in the universe that we can see. Why not? Here to tackle these questions is Mario Livio. He is an astrophysicist who worked with the Hubble Space Telescope and is the author if seven books, - his latest (which he co-authored with Jack Szostak), is titled Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life (https://amzn.to/4dSpSGY). If you are a Venmo user, you’ve surely noticed that you can see when other people use the service. You can see who they pay and how much they pay – and Consumer Reports doesn’t like this a bit. Listen as I reveal what Consumer Reports says is the potential problem of everyone seeing your transactions and I will tell you how to make your details private. https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/how-to-make-your-venmo-information-private-a6507250342/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/24/202449 minutes, 39 seconds
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Are You Treating Your Clothes All Wrong? & The Power of Being Quiet

You have seen a dollar bill hundreds of times, but have you ever really studied it? It’s fascinating. And the number 13 plays a prominent role. This episode begins with a short tour of a U.S. $1 bill. https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/riddles/jokes/dollar-bill-trivia You spend a lot of time with clothes – wearing them, buying them, and washing them. How you care for your clothes is important. If you care for them the right way, they will last a lot longer and look a lot better. You will also probably save yourself a lot of time and money. Joining me to explain the right and wrong ways to care for clothes is Zach Pozniak. He is a fourth-generation fabric-care expert and dry cleaner. He is all over social media offering popular advice on this topic https://www.instagram.com/jeeves_ny/ and he is the author of the bestselling book, The Laundry Book: The Definitive Guide to Caring for Your Clothes and Linens (https://amzn.to/3Nu3I2Z). When was the last time you carved out some quiet time in your day to just sit alone with your thoughts? Today, people are constantly seeking distraction and stimulation from other people or their smartphone with zero quiet time. Yet, that quiet time can deliver huge benefits to you. For one thing, it allows you to be better prepared and more deliberate about what you do rather than just race through your day reacting to whatever comes along. And there is so much more to this as you will hear from my guest Joe McCormack. He is an entrepreneur and writer who in 2022 launched the Quiet Works program to help people manage the noise in their lives. He is author of the book Quiet Works: Making Silence the Secret Ingredient of the Workday (https://amzn.to/3NwuKa9). There is some controversy around those baby “cocktail” carrots sold in the store. Some people claim they are unsafe to eat and that they don’t taste as good as regular carrots. Listen as I reveal where these carrots come from and whether you should eat them or not. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8068373/baby-carrots-vs-regular-carrots/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/21/202451 minutes, 3 seconds
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How to Master the Skill of Quitting & Deconstructing Conspiracy Theories - SYSK Choice

Do you suffer from any of these symptoms: Tiredness, stomach issues, dizziness, headaches, joint problems, dry skin or depression? What’s interesting is they all can be caused or aggravated by one thing which is really easy to fix. You’ll need a glass and some water. Listen and I’ll explain. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/dehydration-and-anxiety I’m sure you’ve heard the expression that quitters never win, and winners never quit. No one wants to be called a quitter. It’s the people who persevere who are the winners. Well, maybe. Actually, quitting can be the smartest thing you can do – if you know WHEN to quit. Annie Duke was a professional poker player for two decades and won the $2 million winner-take-all, invitation-only World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. She was also awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of the bestselling book called Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (https://amzn.to/3VgjuRT). Listen as Annie explains why quitting can be a good thing and why it is often the smartest thing you can do.  Who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory. They fuel the imagination. And somehow, they seem to confirm people’s suspicion and mistrust of the government. Yet for others they seem ridiculous. So where do conspiracy theories come from? Why do they persist? What is the appeal exactly? And why are most of them usually so easy to refute if you examine them closely? Whether it’s 9/11, the moon landing, the Kennedy assassination, aliens or UFOs – there are plenty of them to sink your teeth into. Here to explore the phenomenon of conspiracy theories is Casey Lytle, a psychology and sociology professor and author of the book Debunked: Separate the Rational from the Irrational in Influential Conspiracy Theories (https://amzn.to/4eAnkOR). Why is that some people who brush and floss religiously still have a lot of dental problems while some other people who hardly ever brush never have dental trouble? Listen as I explain the interesting answer. https://www.gumdoc.net/periodontal-disease/mouth-body-connections/gum-disease-in-families/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/19/202450 minutes, 56 seconds
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What You Never Knew About Your Childhood & Go Inside the U.S. Capitol

Something interesting seems to happen when couples are together for a long time. Without even trying, they are able to tune into their partner’s voice, thoughts and emotions in very interesting ways. This episode begins by explaining how well you can read your partner, even from across a crowded room. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265415.php Compared to most other species, humans have a very long childhood. A dog is an adult in a matter of months. We take 18 years and sometimes longer. Why are we so dependent on others for so long? Has it always been like this? What else is unique about your human childhood? It turns out, a lot! And here with some surprising answers is Breana Hassett. She is biological anthropologist and researcher at University College, London, as well as a Scientific Associate at the Natural History Museum in London. Breana is also author of the book, Growing Up Human: The Evolution of Childhood (https://amzn.to/4eIa9eZ). Th U.S. Capitol building is an amazing place. Over 10,000 people work there. So much history has been made there, people have died there, been married there and there is even a subway in the basement. Listen as we go on a fascinating tour of the Capitol with your tour guide, Kate Andersen Brower.  She is a CNN contributor and former staff member at CBS News. Kate is author of the book The Hill: Inside the Secret World of the U.S. Capitol (https://amzn.to/3NnNsR1) You get genes from your mother and genes from your father. And sometimes those genes conflict. Listen and I’ll explain how. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20394663 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/17/202449 minutes, 7 seconds
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What Makes You Uniquely Human & How Words Affect Your Thoughts

Major storms all get names: Milton, Katrina, Ian, Sandy etc. Why do we name storms? Do the names of storms ever get used again for other storms? Find out as we start this episode with a brief look at the tradition of naming major storms. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-do-hurricanes-get-their-names-who-chooses-and-why-list/ What is it that makes us human and separates us from all the other animals on the planet? The answer will surprise you because a lot of characteristics you may think are uniquely human are not. Yet there are other things that do make us unique that you may have never considered. Here to sort it all out and make you think differently about what it means to be a human is Adam Rutherford. He is a science writer, broadcaster, and author of the book The Book of Humans: A Brief History of Culture, Sex, War, and the Evolution of Us (https://amzn.to/3YsxLyF) At some point our ancestors stopped grunting and started using words to communicate. And those words started to affect how we think. So, how did that all happen? Where did our words come from? Why do some words seem so arbitrary while other words sound like the word they are describing? All this is what Steven Mithen is here to discuss. He is an archaeologist and professor of early prehistory at the University of Reading. He has written more than 200 hundred articles and books, his latest book is called The Language Puzzle: Piecing Together the Six-Million-Year Story of How Words Evolved (https://amzn.to/4dDd8E1). People have theories of what should and should never be put down the garbage disposal. Consumer Reports actually did some tests and came up with some interesting recommendations. Listen as I reveal if eggshells and chicken bones and a bunch of other things should or should not be put down there. https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/garbage-disposals/foods-you-can-cant-put-down-a-garbage-disposal-a1074300549/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/14/202451 minutes, 5 seconds
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Understanding Our Phobias & How Your Dog Thinks – SYSK Choice

We all tend to want to impress others with our accomplishments or skills or whatever else that makes us exceptional. Yet there is a real problem with trying to appear so exceptional. This episode begins with an explanation. Source: Steve Chandler, author of 50 Ways To Create Great Relationships (https://amzn.to/3e7uIYk). Are there actually people who have a fear or phobia about buttons? Or popcorn? Of course! People have phobias about lots of things. It sure makes you wonder why. Where do phobias originate? What’s the difference between a fear and phobia? Can you make a phobia disappear or are you stuck with it? Here with a look inside the world of phobias is Kate Summerscale author of The Book of Phobias & Manias : A History of Obsession (https://amzn.to/3e7vjcw). If you have a dog, you probably think you know your dog well. But maybe not says Alexandra Horowitz. She is a researcher who studies dog behavior and cognition and she is author of the book The Year of The Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves (https://amzn.to/3CmfaYO). She joins me to reveal what dogs really think – or don’t think, how intelligent they are and what we can do to improve our bond with dogs.  Conventional wisdom is that you should change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. However, that is very OLD conventional wisdom – and totally untrue.  Listen and you will save time, money, and the planet by not changing your oil so often. https://www.edmunds.com/car-maintenance/stop-changing-your-oil.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/12/202451 minutes, 1 second
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What Makes You an Introvert or Extrovert? & Why Things Smell

When you are focused on a task, interruptions can be annoying and maddening. Yet, there may be a positive side to interruptions that balance out the negative. This episode begins with some surprising research the suggests there is a silver lining to being interrupted. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210803175253.htm What determines whether you are an introvert or extrovert? Is one better than the other? Can you change which one you are? Are all introverts shy? These are just a few of the questions I tackle in my conversation with Holley Gerth. Holly hosts the podcast More Than Small Talk (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-than-small-talk-with-suzanne-holley-jennifer-klrc/id1447539391) and she is also author of the book The Powerful Purpose of Introverts (https://amzn.to/2XEHrJl). Whether you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in the middle, you should hear what she has to say. Holly’s website is www.holleygerth.com Have you noticed how certain smells and odors can instantly transport you back to a time or place in your past? Why do you like some smells but hate others? Is there any smell that people universally love or hate? Your sense of smell is unlike any other sense you have. And here to help you understand how it works is Ann-Sophie Barwich. She is a cognitive scientist, an empirical philosopher as well as an assistant professor at Indiana University Bloomington. She is also author of the book. Smellosophy: What the Nose Tells the Mind (https://amzn.to/2W52jsJ) Do you know what MAYDAY or SOS really mean? Of course, they are universally known distress signals but is SOS an acronym for something? What does MAYDAY refer to? Unless you know the answer, you will never guess. Listen as I explain the surprising story. https://grammarist.com/usage/sos-and-mayday/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/10/202451 minutes, 4 seconds
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How to Know What Someone is Thinking & The Amazing Success Story of LEGO

Watch a couple hold hands as they stroll own the road. It often seems cute and quaint. But it is more than that. Holding hands has some real benefits. Even monkeys know this. Listen as I explain. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/fashion/05hands.html You probably like to think you are pretty good at reading people – right? As you talk with someone, you probably think you can generally tell what they are thinking or where their head is at. Well, what if I told you were not as good as you think you are? What if it turns out that reading body language or trying to "put yourself in someone else’s shoes" are actually pretty lousy strategies? What if there is a much better – almost full-proof technique to know what someone is thinking? This is what Nicholas Epley is here to discuss. He is a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and author of the book, Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want (https://amzn.to/3BuU6SY) Who hasn’t played with LEGO bricks? They have been around for decades. So, how does a low-tech, simple LEGO brick compete in the world of high-tech video games and other electronic distractions? The answer is: VERY WELL! Lego is a phenomenon that started from a transatlantic phone call in 1954 to a cultural phenomenon today. And the story of LEGO is truly a fascinating one. Joining me to tell it is Daniel Konstanski, the US Editor for Blocks Magazine (https://blocksmag.com/) and author of a book The Secret Life of LEGO® Bricks: The Story of a Design Icon (https://amzn.to/3Y8E8qE). When you are sad, it can affect your vision. You may not see things the same as you would if you were happy. That may sound odd, but listen as I explain. https://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2010/07/22/feeling-blue-seeing-gray#google_vignette Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/7/202452 minutes, 17 seconds
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Setting Effective Boundaries & How to Make Important Decisions Confidently - SYSK Choice

When someone first sees you, what impression do they get? What image do you project? It’s important to think about this if you want to be persuasive. This episode begins by looking at how people judge you, your ideas, opinions and recommendations. And so much of it has to do with who you present yourself to be. Source: Robert Mayer author of the book Power Plays (https://amzn.to/3BWHKzy). Do you ever wish you were better at setting boundaries with others? If you can accomplish it, the benefits are tremendous and it can make your life much more enjoyable.  And it may not be as difficult as you think says my guest Melissa Urban who is an expert on setting boundaries. Melissa is author of The Book of Boundaries: End Resentment, Burnout, and Anxiety –and Reclaim Your Time, Energy, Health, and Relationships. (https://amzn.to/3BVoxOF). Listen as Melissa explains how to set boundaries with people without offending them. You’ll hear actual scripts to say to make it easy for you to do. When it comes to making big decisions in life, the problem is often not making the wrong decision – it is making no decision at all. We put off deciding and either never decide or decide too late. Joining me on today’s episode with some wonderful advice on this is Dr. Neil Shortland. He is an expert on military decision making and has worked with the Department for Defense and National Institute for Justice. He’s also served as an international expert on security and has been an expert witness on court cases involving decision making. Neil is author of the book Decision Time: How to Make the Choices Your Life Depends On (https://amzn.to/3Ef7fPc). Your sleep environment has a big impact on how well and how much you sleep. Listen as I share one simple thing you can do tonight before you go to bed that will help you sleep so much better. is. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/09/clean-crisp-bedding-brings-comfort-like-nothing-else PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/5/202452 minutes, 38 seconds
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How to Sync with Your Circadian Rhythms & A Fascinating History of Cars

“You should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day!” Well, wait a second. That advice is about 80 years old and frankly doesn’t really “hold water.” This episode begins by explaining how much water you really should drink and how some people might actually be drinking too much. https://www.tuftsmedicine.org/about-us/news/medical-myths-drink-8-glasses-water-each-day Every cell in your body apparently has a little clock built into it. These clocks know when you should sleep, when you should get up, when you do your best work and more. The whole system is called you circadian rhythms and you are about to take an interesting journey into how they work so that you can understand your personal circadian rhythms and how to optimize them. Here to explain it is Lynne Peeples. She is science journalist and former staff reporter at The Huffington Post. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, Scientific American, Nature and other publications. Lynne is also author of the book, The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms (https://amzn.to/3XJWcWx) Do you know who built the first internal combustion engine-powered car? And when? Have you ever wondered why American cars look so different (and bigger) than most European cars? Whatever happened to the station wagon? Here to explore these questions and explain some of the amazing history of the automobile is Witold Rybczynski. He is an architect and emeritus professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania. He has written 21 books with his latest being The Driving Machine: A Design History of the Car (https://amzn.to/3BlWCuN). Can dogs or cats be vegetarian or even vegan? It is a growing trend but is it the right thing to do as a pet owner? This episode begins with some thoughts on this. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-07/can-your-pet-become-vegan/10969616 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10/3/202447 minutes, 52 seconds
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Why We Still Don’t Have Flying Cars & Your Amazing Teeth

Groceries are expensive. So, if you would like a simple yet effective technique to cut your grocery bill down, listen to the start of this episode to discover exactly how. Source: Eat This Not That by David Zinczenko (https://amzn.to/3ZKjVs6). For decades many of us have looked forward to flying cars, real human-like robots, smart cities, driverless cars and other technologies. Yet, they just never quite seem to get here. Why is that? Well, that is exactly what Nicole Kobie is here to explain and discuss. Nicole is a technology and science journalist and a contributing editor for Wired. She is author of the book The Long History of the Future: Why Tomorrow's Technology Still Isn't Here (https://amzn.to/3Bg3z0d). It is hard to imagine life without your teeth. You use them to eat, to talk and they are an important part of your appearance. Still, some animals have no teeth while other creatures grow new ones when the old ones fall out. There is a lot you likely don’t know about teeth that I know you will find fascinating when you listen to my guest, Bill Schutt. He is a zoologist and author of six books. His research has been published in Natural History magazine, The New York Times, Newsday, the Economist, and Discover. His latest book is titled, Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans (https://amzn.to/3zvSVSK). Paying down your debt is considered good for your financial health. It appears to also be good for your physical health. Listen as I reveal some interesting research that shows the health benefits of lowering the amount you owe. https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2013/08/high-debt-could-be-hazardous-to-your-health/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/30/202450 minutes, 37 seconds
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How to Get it All Done and Be Happy & Why Most Food Advice is Wrong - SYSK Choice

iPhone users have likely noticed that some texts show up in blue and some show up in green. What’s the difference? This episode begins by explaining why that happens and what it means. https://www.rd.com/article/why-are-my-texts-green/ Have you heard the expression “time poverty”? It’s when you have too much to do and never enough time to do it. Why live in time poverty when you can live in “time affluence”. Cassie Holmes is here to tell you how. She is a professor of marketing and behavioral decision making at UCLA Anderson School of Management and author of the book Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most (https://amzn.to/3QOReSV). Listen as she explains how to get the important things done and still have time for fun and pleasure. Is salt really all that bad for you? Do vegetarians actually live longer? Are sugar substitutes better than plain sugar? These are just some of the questions I explore with my guest Tim Spector. He is a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London and the author of four books, including, Spoon-Fed: Why Almost Everything We’ve Been Told About Food Is Wrong (https://amzn.to/3xQ77lB).Tim is on the advisory board of Zoe.com, a company that does research and offers personal nutrition (https://www.joinzoe.com) A lot of people wear the same shoes every day. There is a problem with that. Listen as I explain why the experts say you might want to think about rotating your shoes. Your feet will appreciate it. https://blog.schulershoes.com/can-i-wear-the-same-shoes-every-day/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/28/202453 minutes, 1 second
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Why Pets Act in Weird Ways & When Your Brain Does Its Best Work

How is your posture right now? If your shoulders are slouched, you are sending a message to others that you probably don’t want to send. I start this episode by discussing how your posture speaks volumes – good and bad. https://www.jnforensics.com/post/what-the-shoulders-say-about-us Why do dogs seem so picky about where they poop? Can cats tell what you are feeling? Does a goldfish memory last only 3 seconds? While we pet owners love our pets, there is a lot we don’t know or understand. Here to reveal many of these mysteries is Eleanor Spicer Rice. She is an entomologist and the author of several nonfiction books, one of which is called Your Pet’s Secret Lives : The Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors (https://amzn.to/3BblxB3). Your brain is on its own schedule. It does some kind of work better in the morning and other work better later in the day. It’s important to understand this because you may not be scheduling the type of tasks you are doing to coincide with when your brain is at its peak for that kind of work. Joining me to explain how this works is Dr. Mithu Storoni. She is a physician, neuroscience researcher and ophthalmic surgeon who also advises multinational corporations on mental performance and stress management. She is author of a book called Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work (https://amzn.to/3TAAOSd). It sort of stands to reason that if someone has a big head, they would have a bigger brain and therefore be smarter. But what does the research say about that? Listen as I explore this. I think you will find that the answer is more interesting than you might imagine. https://odditiesbizarre.com/people-with-big-heads/  PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/26/202451 minutes, 34 seconds
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When Doctors Get It Wrong & The Science of Kindness

Ever fake a smile? We all do. What harm can it do? Well, it could do you some harm if you are the one doing the faking. Listen as I reveal the downside of faking a smile. https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2011/02/22/study-finds-fake-smile-is-bad-for-business/ While modern medicine is responsible for many miraculous things, there are some blind spots – some blunders. For example, the skyrocketing rate of peanut allergies is primarily due to some bad medical science. Same with over prescribing of antibiotics, the reluctance to prescribe hormone replacement therapy for women – all bad science. And there’s more! You need to be aware of these errors and be armed with the information to protect yourself. Here to provide this alarming data is Dr. Marty Makary. He is Professor at Johns Hopkins and has been a visiting professor at 25 medical schools. He is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine and author of two bestselling books. His newest book, which is already a bestseller is called Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health  (https://amzn.to/4gqSjhP) Your mother probably told you to always be kind. While that is good advice, it appears that kindness has a more significant impact on you than you ever knew. It’s not just being kind either. Just witnessing kindness has a cascade of effects on you that you need to hear about. So come listen to my guest Dr. David Hamilton. He is the author of 11 books and his latest is called The Joy of Actually Giving a F*ck: How Kindness Can Cure Stress and Make You Happy (https://amzn.to/3TxKZHw) Why do we drink so much cow’s milk? Lots of animals produce milk but cow’s milk is clearly the preferred favorite. Listen as I reveal the amazingly practical reasons for the popularity of cow’s milk. https://www.washingtonpost.com/kidspost/2022/03/13/why-do-people-drink-cows-milk/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Indeed.com/SOMETHING.  Terms and conditions apply. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you’re in! DELL:  Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business and evolving your passions! We push what technology can do, so great ideas can happen. Bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/23/202453 minutes, 51 seconds
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The Solution to Overthinking & Why You’re Smarter Than AI - SYSK Choice

What if you could reduce your risk of heart disease by 30% without a lot of effort? After all, it is the number 1 killer in the U.S. This episode begins with this simple little tactic – and by the way, it’s all in your attitude. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-positive-mindset-can-help-your-heart-2019021415999 “Stop overthinking this!” You have either said that to someone or had someone say it to you. Overthinking is that process where you think through an idea or a goal or a career move over and over, imagining every variable and possible outcome. It doesn’t help, it just makes you crazy and can really get in the way. So, when does normal thinking become over-thinking? And how do you stop it? Here to discuss this is Jon Acuff. He is author of 9 books including Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking (https://amzn.to/3f2FI9o). Several prominent thinkers and scientists have predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) could be dangerous. One fear is that we might create machines that are so smart and so sophisticated they could control us, instead of us controlling them. Could that be or is it just science-fiction? Might we one day create machines that think on their own? Probably not, according to Gerd Gigerenzer Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the award-winning author of several books including, How to Stay Smart In A Smart World (https://amzn.to/3SnGADW). He also reveals how AI can change our behavior and how that is already happening. Fall allergies are a real problem for many of us. If they bother you. listen as I reveal some simple things that will help minimize the symptoms by keeping allergens out of your house. https://www.webmd.com/allergies/allergy-proof-your-environment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/21/202450 minutes, 45 seconds
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Remarkable Ways Horses Changed Your Life & The Real Benefits of Being Lazy

We have become much more of a cashless society in the last few years. That turns out to be a good thing because cash is really disgusting. Listen as I explain just how disgusting and you are not going to like it! Source: Elizabeth Scott, author of How to Prevent Food Poisoning https://amzn.to/3XKAvHf Horses are the “Swiss army knife of animals.” They can do so much. Consequently, over the last 5,000 years they have done more to shape our lives and alter human history than any other animal. If it weren’t for horses, your life today would be considerably different. That’s according to my guest, Timothy Winegard who has researched the remarkable impact horses have had on us. He is author of the book, The Horse: A Galloping History of Humanity (https://amzn.to/4grRHZa). Listen as Timothy takes you on a fascinating journey through equine history. Being lazy isn’t considered a good thing by most people. But maybe it is. If you want to achieve your goals and be successful, there is a great case to be made for being lazy some of the time That’s according to Todd McElroy. He is a researcher, educator, and author of the book The Science of Laziness (Achieving More by Doing Less) (https://amzn.to/4e1R5rw). Listen as Todd explains the power of strategic laziness and revels exactly how to do it.  In the heat of summer, air conditioning can be wonderful. Still, it can also be the source of concern, particularly when it comes to weight gain and obesity. Listen as I explain the connection and why we need to be concerned. https://www.thelondonobesityclinic.com/is-your-heater-or-air-conditioner-causing-weight-gain/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/19/202448 minutes, 21 seconds
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The Fascinating Gases that Surround You & Is Everyone Addicted to Something?

Some very popular drinks turn out to be really bad for your teeth. This episode begins with that list of drinks, what they do to your teeth and some strategies to help you minimize the damage if you are going to drink them. https://news.uthscsa.edu/more-u-s-teeth-susceptible-to-silent-enamel-eating-syndrome/ We are surrounded by gases - oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, natural gas, steam. Gases are everywhere. They fill our lungs, power our movement, create stars, and warm our atmosphere. As important as they are (we wouldn’t be here without them) they are the least understood materials in our world. But you are about to understand them much better as you listen to my guest, Mark Miodownik. He is a professor of materials and society at University College London and author of the book It's A Gas: The Sublime and Elusive Elements That Expand Our World (https://amzn.to/3XDpcjX). People often say they are addicted to their phones or to shopping, or to social media or that their kids are addicted to video games. But are these things really addictions or just something to do when you have time to kill? What’s the harm of scrolling through social media or playing Candy Crush, or going shopping even if you don’t really need anything? That is what Talitha Fosh is here to discuss. Talitha is a psychotherapist who works primarily with addiction and she is author of the book, Hooked: Why we are addicted and how to break free (https://amzn.to/3XDW8sq). You should wear shoes when you drive. But not just any shoes. Some shoes are well-suited for driving and others are potentially quite dangerous. And what about driving barefoot? Listen as I sort this all out and tell you which shoes are the best to wear when you drive. https://www.rd.com/list/shoes-shouldnt-wear-driving/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/16/202451 minutes, 46 seconds
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What Your Favorite Music Says About You & How to Ditch Negative Self-Talk - SYSK Choice

My mother was a teacher, and I remember her saying that when you take a test and you don’t know the answer, go with the first answer that comes to your mind or the one that initially seems right. A lot of people believe that – but is it really good advice? This episode begins with the evidence that proves or disproves this theory.  https://www.spring.org.uk/2012/02/multiple-choice-tests-why-sticking-with-your-first-answer-is-probably-wrong.php Hard to imagine life without music. You probably have a favorite type of music or favorite singer or band. Listening to music can transport you back in time, it can change your mood, relax you or rev you up. So, what is it about music that is so special? Here to discuss all these things and more is Susan Rogers who was the chief engineer on Prince’s Purple Rain album as well as other hit records. In fact, she is one of the most successful female record producers of all time. She is currently a professor of neuroscience and author of the book This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You (https://amzn.to/3ROjCGg) You know what self-talk is, right? It is that voice in your head that keeps telling you things about yourself – usually horrible things. You may not always notice it, but you are constantly saying things to yourself that are doing you no good. Why in the world do we do that? Why do we tend to think so negatively about ourselves and the world around us? Here to explore that is psychotherapist Katie Krimer, author of the book, Sh*t I Say to Myself: 40 Ways to Ditch the Negative Self-Talk That’s Dragging You Down (https://amzn.to/3S7miOD). Do you know the law when you come up on a school bus picking up or dropping off students? It’s a big deal because that area right around a stopped school bus is potentially very dangerous. The truth is, driving around kids walking to and from school is always risky. Listen as I reveal what you need to know and do when you are driving around school children. https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/14/202451 minutes, 53 seconds
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The Untold Dangers of Prescription Drugs & Fresh Look at Dealing with Anger

At work, do you go out to lunch or eat at your desk? It makes a difference in the quality of your work after lunch is over. Listen and I’ll explain the details. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/going-out-lunch-zaps-mental-focus Drug companies. Big Pharma. They create life-altering and life-saving drugs that help people all over the world. However, the way they sometimes do business has a lot of people concerned. Why do some drugs get recalled after they were deemed to be safe and effective? Why is so much of what happens in the development of a drug kept secret? What don't we know about the whole drug testing and approval process? These are the kinds of things journalist Sharyl Attkisson has been investigating and you will be shocked at what she has to say. Sharyl is host and managing editor of the Sunday morning TV program Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson. She is a former journalist at CBS News, and she is author of some bestselling books. Her latest book is called Follow the Science: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails https://amzn.to/3ZhfF3q Anger. There’s a volatile emotion. Everyone gets angry but everyone doesn’t handle anger in the same way. Joining me to help us all understand anger and how to deal with it is Russell Kolts. He is a professor of psychology at Eastern Washington University. He is also an internationally-recognized trainer in compassion-focused therapy (CFT). Russell is the author of The Anger Workbook: Discover the Strength to Transform Your Anger Using Your Compassionate Mind (https://amzn.to/3zcluEt). If you are like me and hate throwing food out, I have some great ideas and suggestions I found on this interesting website that will keep food fresh longer and save you money in the process. Listen to hear these cool kitchen hacks. Source: Robbie’s Kitchen (www.kitchen.robbiehaf.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/12/202451 minutes, 26 seconds
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Why Status is Critical to Your Success & Why Is There So Much Anxiety?

In the average lifespan, there are 2 separate years (and they are decades apart) where people report being the happiest. Can you guess what they are? Listen and find out. https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/22/study-23-and-69-are-the-happiest-ages/ The higher your status, the more likely you are to be successful. So how do you acquire high status? You might think power grants you status but that’s not really it. People of high-status exhibit 2 qualities – and you can too, according to my guest Alison Fragale. She is a Distinguished Scholar of Organizational Behavior at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Financial Times and other media outlets. She is author of the book Likeable Badass (https://amzn.to/47a5P5c). Anxiety! You hear it talked about a lot. It seems as if more people are more anxious than ever before. So, what is anxiety, why does it seem to be on the rise and what is the best way to address it and reduce it? Here with some fresh insight into worry and anxiety is Russell Kennedy, M.D., who has dealt with his own debilitating anxiety. He is also a neuroscientist and author of the book Anxiety Rx: A Revolutionary New Prescription for Anxiety Relief―from the Doctor Who Created It (https://amzn.to/3ANfrqw). Noises have colors. At least some of them do. You have probably heard of white noise but there is also pink, brown and black noise. Listen as I reveal what they are. https://www.wired.com/story/colours-of-noise/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/9/202453 minutes, 16 seconds
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Clues That Reveal a Person’s Thoughts & Our Shipwreck Fascination - SYSK Choice

Is it true that opposites attract. After all you sometimes see couples that seem to prove the point. So just how common or rare is it for opposites to really attract? This episode starts by explaining some of the research on the topic. http://www.livescience.com/5351-truth-opposites-attract.html Can you really tell what someone else is thinking or what they want from you? It appears there are some clues to look for to get a better idea of what is going on in their head. Here to explain what the clues are is psychotherapist David J. Lieberman. David is the author of the book Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are. (https://amzn.to/3w6R95y). When you think of shipwrecks you likely think of pirates, lost treasure or maybe Titanic. So many books, movies and songs have been written about shipwrecks. There is something about them that captures our imagination. Here to take us on a tour of the dark and murky world of shipwrecks is Daniel Stone. He is a former staff writer for National Geographic and author of the book Sinkable: Obsession, the Deep Sea, and the Shipwreck of the Titanic (https://amzn.to/3bY84R0). Listen as he reveals the startling number of shipwrecks, where they are, what happens if you discover one and much more. Can you believe that about one out of six people get food poisoning each year? Listen as I explain why people get food poisoning and you will hear the list of the most likely foods that cause it to help you prevent it from happening to you. https://www.cspinet.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource/cspi_top_10_fda.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/7/202450 minutes, 4 seconds
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Why Most People Can’t Keep Secrets & Interesting Oddities of Language

Eye contact can be tricky. Too little and you look disinterested – too much and you look creepy. This episode begins with a few of the finer points of proper eye contact. http://www.spring.org.uk/2013/07/how-eye-contact-works.php It’s clear from research that keeping a secret is difficult to do. We often feel compelled to share secrets even if we promised not to. So why is that? According to my guest, keeping a secret causes stress and has been linked to diseases like ulcers and cancer. By telling secrets we unburden ourselves and relieve that stress. But revealing secrets can have huge negative repercussions to relationships and social status. Here to look at the science of secrets, why we tell them and who we tell them to, is Andrew Gold. He is an investigative journalist, podcaster and filmmaker who has made documentaries for the BBC and HBO. He hosts a podcast called On the Edge with Andrew Gold (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwU7HOfuSL5KD5s9hGoPuyVzN_VwG4Yi_) and he is author of the book, The Psychology of Secrets: My Adventures with Murderers, Cults and Influencers (https://amzn.to/3MiwXoS) Why do we have both upper and lower case letters? Why are letters in the order they are in (ABCDE etc.) There is a dot above a lower case i and j – what’s that for? And why do we capitalize the pronoun “I”? Other languages don’t. There are so many fascinating stories about how English came to be. And here to tell several of them is linguist Paul Anthony Jones. He has a popular YouTube channel where he talks about language and he is author of the book Why Is This a Question?: Everything about the origins and oddities of language you never thought to ask (https://amzn.to/3Z0Nrtm). While people discuss and debate whether humans are naturally monogamous, there are some animals on earth who truly are – or close to it. Listen as I reveal which animals love their mate for their entire life. https://www.treehugger.com/animals-that-mate-for-life-4869332 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/5/202450 minutes, 33 seconds
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What Makes a Family Happy & What We Can Learn from the Dead

While celebrities can sometimes pull it off, it can be almost impossible for regular folks to get a table at a busy restaurant without a reservation. This episode begins by offering some advice that can help. It may not always work, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Source: Frank Luntz author of Words That Work (https://amzn.to/37Ay5A8) You probably know someone whose family seems genuinely happy. And then there are families that seem less happy and have lots of conflict. What do happy families do to create that sense of happiness? That’s what Bruce Feiler is here to reveal. Bruce is author of the book, The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Tell Your Family History, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More (https://amzn.to/3xH113T). He has some simple yet powerful ways to help any family get along and be happy. If you believe movies and televisions shows about crime, it seems an autopsy can reveal a wealth of information to help solve a murder. Is that true in real life? Does forensic science really allow the dead to speak from beyond the grave and reveal clues about how a person died? Forensic anthropologist Sue Black has some firsthand knowledge to share on the topic. Sue is author of the book, All That Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes (https://amzn.to/3lWzyJg) . She joins me to sort out truth from fiction and she reveals some of the fascinating advances in forensic science. Could people with big heads really be smarter? After all there is more room for a bigger brain. Well, it turns out - they are! Listen as I reveal how we know this to be true and how having a larger than normal head is beneficial now and when you get older. https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/actually-people-with-larger-heads-really-do-tend-to-be-smarter-but-not-for-reason-you-might-think.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9/2/202452 minutes, 8 seconds
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The Fascinating Story of Batteries & How Status Changes Culture - SYSK Choice

Hot dogs come in packages of ten. Hot dog buns come in packages of eight. Why? Is this some sort of marketing ploy or plot? What could possibly be the reason for this obvious mismatch? This episode begins by revealing the explanation. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a40984485/hot-dogs-buns-packages/ Think of all the batteries you use in a day. A good part of your life is powered by batteries. From your flashlight, all your remotes, your car to your cellphone – all these devices require batteries to function. As necessary as they are, you may not know a lot about batteries. For example, why are there different sizes? Why do batteries seem to last longer than before? Joining me to answer these questions and to reveal the interesting history of battery technology is James Morton Turner, author of the book Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future (https://amzn.to/3QYnR1n). You probably cringe when you see old pictures of yourself because your clothes and hairstyle look so horrible. Why is that? They looked fine at the time the picture was taken. What causes these things to fall in and out of style? It comes down to culture and status. Culture changes over time and so does our desire for status. That’s according to W. David Marx. David is a long-time writer on culture based in Tokyo and he is author of a book called Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion and Constant Change (https://amzn.to/3wNJeub). Listen as he discusses the fascinating connection between status and culture and how they work together to drive changes. Can your morning cup of coffee predict the weather? Maybe, if you know how to read the surface bubbles. Listen as I reveal how those bubbles predict the kind of day you are about to have. https://www.instructables.com/Predict-weather-with-a-cup-of-coffee/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/31/202450 minutes, 51 seconds
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The Trouble With Cynics & How to Handle The Pressure to Perform

Be careful what you say when someone pays you a compliment. This episode begins with some great advice on the importance of taking a compliment graciously. https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/etiquette/how-to-accept-a-compliment-with-class/ Is it good to be cynical? After all, cynics claim they see the world and the people in it more accurately – they are not so naïve and trusting as the rest of us. Well, it seems being a cynic has a downside – a BIG downside as you are about to hear from Dr. Jamil Zaki. He is a professor of psychology at Stanford University, the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab and author of the book Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness (https://amzn.to/3XeRfpL). If you or someone you know leans to the cynical side, you need to hear this discussion.  When the pressure is on, it makes any task more difficult. Some people rise to the occasion while others crumble. Why? It has a lot to do with what you are telling yourself. That’s according to my guest Dr. Dana Sinclair who is a psyhologist, clinical assistant professor with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and founder and partner of Human Performance International. Dana has been working with top athletes in every major sport since 2000. She is author of the book, Dialed In: Do Your Best When It Matters Most (https://amzn.to/4dvvW8Y). Moths and bugs seem very attracted to lights at night. You see them fly in circles around a light source and sometimes crash and die into a light or fire. Why do they do that? Listen and I’ll explain the prevailing theories. https://earthsky.org/earth/why-are-moths-attracted-to-flame/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/29/202453 minutes, 43 seconds
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Can Music Be Medicine? & Human Skills We Are Losing to Technology

You may never have noticed it, but for many people – maybe you – a full moon can mess with your sleep and cause you to lose sleep. How does that happen? Listen as I explain. https://www.self.com/story/full-moon-sleep Over the last several years, research has uncovered some remarkable benefits of listening to music. Not just vague, “music makes you feel better” benefits – it now appears music can actually treat some illnesses. Neuroscientist Dan Levitin has been looking at this research for several years and joins me to share some exciting news about the powerful, positive health effects of listening to music you like. Dan is author of a book called I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine (https://amzn.to/46QoQcE). Many skills humans have possessed for ages are getting lost. For example, using a map or your sense of direction to find your way somewhere. With GPS people have lost this skill. Solitude. The idea of sitting alone with your thoughts is so uncomfortable, people just reach for their phone to keep them occupied. While technology makes these (and many other skills) no longer necessary, there is a price to pay. Here to explore and explain that is Graham Lee, author of the book, Human Being: Reclaim 12 Vital Skills We’re Losing to Technology (https://amzn.to/46MP53A)  You may have noticed your brain seems sharper at some times more than others. Listen as I explore why it is important to realize when that happens and what to do when it does. David Rock author of “Your Brain At Work” https://amzn.to/4g3Fk5F Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/26/202451 minutes, 13 seconds
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The Secret to Getting Things Done & The Brain Fog Fix - SYSK Choice

Everyone orders pizza at some point. So, everyone should that there is one size pizza that is a lousy deal almost every time. I begin this episode by revealing a mathematical formula that will save you money on pizza from this day forward. https://lifehacker.com/the-math-equation-that-explains-why-you-should-always-b-1784641566 We could probably all stand to be a little more organized. And here with some rock-solid, proven strategies is David Allen. He is an internationally recognized expert in productivity and organization and author of the book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (https://amzn.to/32Vr6Or). He is here to offer some simple yet powerful ways to be more efficient so you can create more time for the things you enjoy.  You know that feeling when you aren’t performing at your best mentally? That’s called brain fog and a lot of things can cause it like stress, diet and lack of sleep. The bigger issue is it can have long term effects. Joining me to discuss it is Dr. Mike Dow, author of the book The Brain Fog Fix (https://amzn.to/3105nTG). Listen as he explains exactly what brain fog is, how to combat it and how to optimize your brain to perform at its best. Supposedly, a lot of people are walking around right now who are dehydrated. Are you one of them? I have a quick test that will take less than 5 seconds. https://www.livestrong.com/article/507087-should-i-take-vitamin-b-if-dehydrated/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/24/202450 minutes, 4 seconds
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What Your Brain Does in an Emergency & Solitude Vs Loneliness

Are dogs color blind? Many people believe so, but they are not. They do see color but not the way we do. This episode begins with a look at what colors they can and can’t see and why it is important. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/canine-corner/200810/can-dogs-see-colors How you will react in an emergency or disaster is hard to predict. Yet how people react can make the difference between life and death. It’s not just physical preparation but also mental – to think about what you will do. Here to explain the process your brain goes through when an emergency or disaster strikes and offer some suggestions on how to better plan for them is Amanda Ripley. She is a writer whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications and she is author of the book, The Unthinkable Who Survives When Disaster Strikes--and Why (https://amzn.to/4fGJakN). Some people like their solitude more than others. They cherish their time alone. Yet there is a stigma about solitude. People often think that others who spend a lot of time alone must have something wrong with them or they must be lonely or have no friends. Not necessarily. In the right dose, solitude can be very powerful. Joining me to discuss this is Netta Weinstein is an internationally recognized psychologist and director of the European Research Council's 'Solitude: Alone but Resilient (SOAR)' project. She is also professor of psychology at the University of Reading and an associate researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, UK. Netta is author of the book Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone (https://amzn.to/3X1XkWf). Your cellphone is crawling with germs – more than you realize. You touch it all the time, you take it everywhere and put it down on all kinds of surfaces. Listen as I reveal how all the junk on your phone can make you sick – and the simple solution to make sure that doesn’t happen. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/quick-dose-is-your-cell-phone-making-you-sick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/22/202450 minutes, 20 seconds
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The Good News About Feeling Sad & What You Never Knew About Reality TV?

So many things can affect the way food and drinks taste. This episode begins with a look at how just one element of the ambience in a room can alter people’s perception of wine – and make cheap wine taste expensive. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091215171510.htm With all the talk of how to find happiness, you might think sadness should be avoided at all costs. Yet, you are about to hear about all the benefits of sadness, including the fact that it is a necessary and beneficial emotion. That’s according to David Huron a professor at Ohio State University and author of the book The Science of Sadness: A New Understanding of Emotion. Listen as he explains when a good cry can be helpful or hurtful – and why we cry when we are both sad and happy. After hearing this conversation you won't look at sadness quite the same as you did. (By the way...David is giving away a pdf of his book so you don’t have to buy it. Here is the link https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5772/The-Science-of-SadnessA-New-Understanding-of. If you do want a hard copy, here is the link on Amazon. (https://amzn.to/3yy8cSy) Reality TV – you either love it or hate. Where did it come from? Why is it so popular? How “real” is reality TV or is mostly faked? For a look at the fascinating history and development of reality TV, I am joined by Emily Nussbaum. She is a staff writer and former television critic for The New Yorker. In 2016, she won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism. Emily is author of the book Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV (https://amzn.to/46GsiGK). Some people put butter on their bread, while others dip it in olive oil. Which is healthier? That turns out to be a tricky question. Listen as I explain why. https://www.foxnews.com/health/tanyas-tasty-tips-olive-oil-or-butter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/19/202451 minutes, 55 seconds
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Don’t Eat Less, Eat Better & The Magic of Mystery - SYSK Choice

Look around and you will likely see someone doing something on their cellphone. For many of us, cellphones are a necessity and a constant companion. What about your relationship with your cellphone? This episode begins with a look at how Americans use their cellphone, how often they check it, and how they feel if they don’t have it. You can then compare and see how you fit in with everyone else. https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction/ Why are some people overweight? The assumption is that they simply eat too much food and the way to lose weight is to simply eat less. But what if the real answer is not to eat less but to eat BETTER. There is some compelling science to support that, and it is what Mark Schatzker is here to discuss. He is a writer-in-residence at the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center at Yale University and author of the book The End Of Craving : Recovering the Lost Wisdom of Eating Well (https://amzn.to/3QPFS1l) People like mysteries. It seems to be human nature that we want to figure out how a magic trick is done or figure how whodunnit in a murder mystery. Think of all the movies, TV shows, books and podcasts that revolve around a mystery - and we want to solve it. Here to explain why mysteries are so appealing and how we can all use mystery to our advantage is Jonah Lehrer. He is a writer journalist and author of the book Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, A Solution (https://amzn.to/3QvN6aZ). When you go grocery shopping on a hot summer day, you’ve probably worried about food melting or getting too hot and spoiling in the car on the way home. Is it safe to run another errand or two while the groceries are in the car or is that flirting with danger? Listen and I’ll explain how long the experts say you have to get the food home and into the fridge https://www.budget101.com/frugal-living/598158-how-long-can-groceries-stay-in-a-car/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/17/202451 minutes, 15 seconds
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Buying Things That Really Make You Happy & Setting Clear Boundaries

Does your signature reveal anything about you? Does it send a message to those who see it? I start this episode by sharing some insight into how others may make assumptions about you based on how you sign your name. https://graciousliving.typepad.com/the_write_event/2003/11/what_does_your_.html One reason to spend money is to buy things that make you feel good – and happy. But does a fancier car or another pair of shoes really make you happy? Usually not. After a while, that fancy car is just your car and that pair of shoes you had to have just sit in the closet with all the others. Maybe, if we were more deliberate about what we choose to spend money on, it might really make an impact on our overall happiness. That seems to be the case according to research by my guest Michael Norton who has been investigating how and why people spend their money and what it does and doesn’t do for them. Michael is a professor at Harvard Business school and author of the book Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending (https://amzn.to/3iFzDOq) It can be difficult to set boundaries that other people honor. But if you don’t set boundaries people can take advantage of you and make you feel resentful. So how do you create boundaries people will respect while not being perceived as cold and inflexible? Joining me with some really great advice on this is Terri Cole. She is a licensed therapist, relationship expert and author of the book Boundary Boss: The Essential Guide to Talk True, Be Seen, and (Finally) Live Free (https://amzn.to/3AhKXwz). A lot goes on behind the scenes at restaurants that you are totally unaware of. Listen as I reveal the results of a survey taken of restaurant kitchen workers that let some interesting secrets out of the bag regarding the way restaurants work that you likely never knew. https://abcnews.go.com/Business/13-secrets-waiter-tips-menu/story?id=16948508 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/15/202454 minutes, 28 seconds
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How to Read A Person's Behavior & The Science of Extremes

It’s weird sometimes how you meet someone and hear their name is Lucy, for example and think – “Yeah, she kinda looks like a Lucy.” Is that really a thing – do people look like their name? Listen as I reveal some fascinating research on this. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2405334121 Tells. They are those little behaviors people have that give them away. You hear about tells in poker, but you can learn to read someone’s tells in everyday life according to my guest Peter Collett. Peter is a social psychologist who has taught at Oxford University and is widely acknowledged as an international expert on communication. He has been called a “grand master of the secret code of fleeting gestures, signs and expressions that give us all away.” He is author of the book, How To Tell What People Are Thinking From the Bedroom to the Boardroom (https://amzn.to/3WVytDM). Listen as he offers some very practical advice on how to read people based on their behavior.  This is a fun topic – EXTREMES! The biggest, the brightest, the stickiest, the loudest, the quietest. We are going to discuss the extremes in many categories with my guest David Darling. He is a science writer, astronomer and author of about 50 books –including Ka-boom!: The Science of Extremes (https://amzn.to/3X5gTgJ). If you have ever wondered what the most poisonous thing or what’s the brightest light on earth, or the slowest thing that actually moves – this will be a fascinating conversation to listen to.  How could it be that a birthday cake will taste better if you sing “Happy Birthday” first? Listen as I explain how this phenomenon and how it works in other areas of life as well. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/to-savor-the-flavor-perform-a-short-ritual-first.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/12/202449 minutes, 24 seconds
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Why Humility is a Superpower & Celestial Wonders Explained - SYSK Choice

Have you ever had a really vivid or even disturbing dream? This episode begins with a look at what often causes very strange and vivid dreams. https://www.livestrong.com/article/13773031-vivid-dreams/ There are huge benefits to being humble. Humility can be an excellent and effective way to build your confidence, strengthen your relationships and achieve success. That’s according to Daryl R. Van Tongeren, an associate professor of psychology at Hope College and author of the book Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World (https://amzn.to/3QCxemC). Listen as Daryl explains how a little humility can go a long way to improving your life. There are lots of stars in the night sky – but do you actually know what a star is? Or where it came from or how it got to be where it is? Maybe you’ve wondered how planets and moons came to be. Or whether there are other planets in space that can sustain life? Here to reveal answers to these and other mysteries is Emily Levesque. She is a professor of astronomy at the University of Washington and author of the book The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy’s Vanishing Explorers (https://amzn.to/3zQ6oAM). People get pretty casual in the summer when it comes to footwear. Sandals, flip flops and other open-toe shoes are common. Yet there is a problem. Open shoes like that allow your feet to pick up some rather disgusting things that you then you then track into your home. Listen as I explain the problem and a simple solution. Source: Philip Tierno, author of Secret Life of Germs. (https://amzn.to/3Aad3d9) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/10/202452 minutes, 32 seconds
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Easy Ways to Stop Wasting Food & Why Are There So Many Insects?

When your phone or tablet or computer starts acting weird or gets glitchy, the conventional wisdom is to reboot. In other words, turn it off and on again. And usually, the recommendation is to turn it off for at least 10 seconds before turning it back on. Why 10 seconds? Is it really that important? Listen as I reveal the answer. https://www.howtogeek.com/165110/do-i-really-have-to-unplug-my-cable-modem-for-at-least-10-seconds/ So much food gets wasted – especially in the United States. Specifically, 40% of all food in the US goes to waste! How can that be? What’s the problem? There are a lot of factors from the size of your fridge to the demand for “perfect” produce. Yet there is a lot we can all do to help solve the problem with very little effort – and you will save a lot of money in the process. Here to explain how is Kathryn Kellogg, owner and founder of https://www.goingzerowaste.com and author of the book 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste (https://amzn.to/3yfHSMV). Insects are an almost constant companion in the summer. Yet most of us don’t know much about them other than the fact that they are annoying. There are millions of species of insects. They travel all over the world. Do they do the world any good? What’s the difference between an insect and a bug? How long do they live? Why should we care about them? All of those questions and more are tackled by my guest Steve Nicholls, an Emmy award winning producer and director of acclaimed wildlife documentaries and author of the book, Alien Worlds: How Insects Conquered the Earth, and Why Their Fate Will Determine Our Future (https://amzn.to/4d1M1mP). It may not be practical, but taking an afternoon nap might just do you a world of good and make you smarter. Listen as I explain the benefits of a short afternoon snooze. https://www.trinityhealthofne.org/about-us/blog/midday-nap-could-leave-you-smarter-study Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/8/202456 minutes, 40 seconds
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How Animals Really Communicate & Proven Ways to Make Meaningful Connections

Should you get a second opinion? A lot of people faced with a medical diagnosis often wonder about that. Will they offend the original doctor if they ask for a second opinion? Is it really necessary? Is it worth the trouble? Listen as I explain the value of a second opinion. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/second-opinions We know animals communicate – but what are they communicating? When a wolf howls or a dolphin clicks, or a cricket chirps – what is it saying? Is it a language that can be translated or is it just noise to say, “Here I am!” Or is it something else entirely? And here is something interesting – we can teach our language to chimps and parrots – and they are able to use it. But they don’t use it when they are with another chimp or parrot who can also speak our language. Why not? Here to explain the science of animal communication is Arik Kirschebaum. He is a zoologist, college lecturer and fellow at Girton College, University of Cambridge and he has done extensive fieldwork on animal communication. He is author of the book Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication (https://amzn.to/3LN4fwe) It's easy to think that loneliness and lack of social connections is a 21st century thing – but it’s not. Research going back decades shows that people have long felt they didn’t have enough friends and connections. Given that we are social creatures who crave connection, why is it so hard to make real friends? Maybe it isn’t. Maybe we just think it is. That’s what David Robson is here to discuss. He says that once we understand the barriers to connecting to other people, they are easy to overcome. David is an award-winning science writer and the author of the book The Laws of Connection: The Scientific Secrets of Building a Strong Social Network (https://amzn.to/3ynUTDZ). Have you ever struggled with how to end an email? “Sincerely” sounds a bit formal. “Cheers” may be a little too informal. So, what’s best – and worst? Listen as I explain some popular email sign offs that you might want to avoid. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-end-an-email/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/5/202453 minutes, 14 seconds
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The Neuroscience of You & Making Sense of the Weather - SYSK Choice

Don’t you hate it when you hear or think of a familiar song but can’t recall the title? This episode begins with a clever trick that will help identify any song and all it takes is a smartphone. https://lifehacker.com/how-to-identify-any-song-just-by-singing-it-1849039953 Why are you different from me and everyone else? What makes you the person you are? That’s what Chantel Prat has investigated and is here to discuss. Chantel is professor at the University of Washington and author of the book The Neuroscience of You (https://amzn.to/3OJDyHL). She joins me to discuss what makes us all individuals and why we are constantly changing who we are. Extreme weather is fascinating to watch on television – but horrible to live through. And lately we have seen a lot of extreme weather – fires in the west, flooding in the southeast, tornadoes in the Midwest and more. Why is this happening and how does weather work? Here to explain the fascinating world of weather is Matthew Cappucci. He is an on-air meteorologist at FOX5DC in Washington D.C. and author of the book Looking Up: The True Adventures of a Storm-Chasing Weather Nerd (https://amzn.to/3vvSceW). Whenever you are in a situation where you are feeling upset, anxious or nervous, there is a simple strategy you can employ that can help reduce those stressful feelings in about 1 minute. Listen as I explain how to do it - in fact it is something you already know how to do. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/humming-for-self-care-tool-for-leaders-toolboxes-1234956725/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/3/202447 minutes, 17 seconds
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How Light Seriously Impacts Your Health & What If You Had a Different Profession?

Are men more rational shoppers than women? Most definitely not. This episode begins by revealing how men are easily duped into thinking something is a bargain when it isn’t. https://www.businessinsider.com/consumers-link-color-with-savings-2013-7 The invention of the electric light has made life easier. But there is a real downside to artificial light. It is messing up your body clock and it can have a serious negative impact on your health. Diabetes, cancer and heart disease have been linked to light exposure. The evidence is compelling and one of the leading experts in this field joins me to explain the seriousness of this problem. He is Dr. Martin Moore-Ede who is s a medical doctor, former professor at Harvard Medical School and he is one of the leading experts on circadian rhythms, biological clocks and light exposure. Dr. Moore-Ede holds multiple patents related to light and circadian rhythms and he is author of a bestselling book on this subject called The Light Doctor The Light Doctor: Using Light to Boost Health, Improve Sleep, and Live Longer (https://amzn.to/3WnqzBo) I bet you have seen people working in other professions and wondered what it must be like to perform that job. Some jobs seem glamorous, others look boring while others appear to be extremely difficult – but are they? Dan Heath, who is the author of several bestselling books and a previous guest here, has a new podcast called What It's Like to Be (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-its-like-to-be/id1707204412) where he explores what it is like to work in other professions. Listen as he reveals what it is like to be a Secret Service agent, a high school principal, a marriage counselor, a comedian and more.  You probably don’t wash your credit cards, but you should. They are one of several rather germy surfaces you touch all the time but never think about. Listen and I will reveal what these nasty surfaces are and why touching them is a bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8/1/202452 minutes, 57 seconds
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The Interesting Science of Eating & The Amazing World of Rats

Why is it that mosquitoes seem to go after and bite some people more than others? This episode begins with an explanation of what does and doesn’t make you attractive to this summertime pest. https://hartfordhealthcare.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleId=42234&publicid=395# When it comes to health and managing your weight, "going on a diet” is one of the worst things you can do. That’s because most diets are all about what you CANNOT eat rather than what you should eat. And it turns out you can eat just about anything if you understand a few important things about nutrition. That’s what Dr. Sarah Ballantyne is here to reveal. She is author of the book, Nutrivore: The Radical New Science for Getting the Nutrients You Need from the Food You Eat (https://amzn.to/4cREoPN). You may hate rats but they happen to be very interesting, adaptable and crafty creatures. They basically go wherever humans go (with one interesting exception). Rats are vilified all over the world, but is it all warranted? Are they as horrible as people think? Listen to my guest Joe Shute. He is author of a book called Stowaway: The Disreputable Exploits of the Rat (https://amzn.to/3WiYzPl). He explains rats like nobody else. Listen and you may have some new respect for these rodents even if they totally creep you out.  In kindergarten, you probably sat in a circle much of the time. There is good reason to believe that would be the best way to conduct most meetings – in a circle. Listen and I’ll explain why. https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/how-to-make-your-team-more-collaborative.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/29/202451 minutes, 35 seconds
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The Downside of Positivity & Turn Back the Clock on Aging - SYSK Choice

There is a lot of common summertime advice. For example, don’t go swimming for a half hour after you eat. Don’t scratch a bug bite. Don’t touch someone who has poison ivy because you might catch it. Are these things true or summertime folklore? This episode starts with some answers. https://www.silive.com/healthfit/2012/07/summer_myths_debunked.html Do you know what toxic positivity is? It’s the philosophy that says to look on the bright side. Try to stay positive no matter what. Don’t worry – everything’s going to be just fine. We often say these things to comfort people, but it may be doing more harm than good. That’s according to my guest, Whitney Goodman. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of the book, Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed With Being Happy (https://amzn.to/3cwrhcf).  You may know your chronological age, but do you know your biological age? There is pretty strong evidence that how you live your life can accelerate or roll back your biological age, according to my guest, Morgan Levine. She is an assistant professor of pathology at Yale University School of Medicine and author of the book, True Age: Cutting-Edge Research to Help Turn Back the Clock (https://amzn.to/3zaRepw). Listen as she explains what you can do to slow or reverse the aging process so you stay as young as you can for as long as you can.  The old advice to, “Stop and smell the roses” may be more important than you ever thought. It appears the scent of a rose can improve your memory, your dreams and even your happiness. Listen as I explain. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1059329/How-sweet-dreams–simply-smell-roses.html and https://www.nature.com/news/2007/070305/full/news070305-10.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/27/202450 minutes, 55 seconds
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Why Politeness is a Super Power & How to Ace Any Job Interview

Will a medication work better if you believe and expect it to? This episode begins with some compelling evidence that having faith in a medical treatment has a real impact on just how well it works. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/placebo-effect Imagine a world where people are not polite. What would it be like if we weren’t civil to each other and didn’t care? Our willingness to be polite is a cornerstone of our civilization. But Lord knows, we are not all polite all the time. Are women more polite than men? Do the rules of politeness change? Can you be impolite and still be liked and admired? What are the benefits of being polite? These are some questions I tackle with Louise Mullany. She has taught the science of politeness at the University of Nottingham for the past 25 years, where she is a professor of sociolinguistics. She is also author of the book Polite: The Art of Communication at Home, at Work and in Public. (https://amzn.to/3xVN9Jo) Many parts of the job search process can be outsourced – except one. The job interview. That is all you! Whether you have to interview virtually or in-person, job interviews can be stressful. How well you perform can spell the difference between getting an offer or not. Yet, it seems many people try to “wing it.” That turns out to be a really bad idea. While it’s true you can’t predict what you’ll be asked specifically, preparation is still a key factor according to my guest Sam Owens. He is the founder of Sam's Career Talk (https://www.samscareertalk.com/) where he provides career coaching services and helps people land their dream jobs Sam has worked as a chief marketing officer for three multi-billion-dollar companies and he is author of the book, I Hate Job Interviews: Stop Stressing. Start Performing. Get the Job You Want (https://amzn.to/4f7xJSX). I know several people who claim MSG is really bad for you. Is it really? What does the science say? Listen to hear how it got such a bad reputation and what the truth is about how MSG affects people.https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-msg-got-a-bad-rap-flawed-science-and-xenophobia/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/25/202453 minutes, 32 seconds
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Why Building Muscles Matters - The Latest Dream Research & Mental Health First-Aid

A lot of people don’t bother taking a summer vacation. What’s maybe more surprising is that many who do take a vacation spend some of the time doing work! It’s more of a “work-cation.”  Listen as I reveal some facts and stats about vacations and work. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/half-americans-work-while-vacation-feel-guilty-taking-one When people talk about “getting healthy”, they usually mean exercise, lose weight and eat better. While those are admirable goals, something is missing – building muscle and getting stronger. It’s clear that the older you get, and the more you “diet to lose weight” – the more muscle you lose, which can have serious negative effects on your health. And cardiovascular exercise does little to build muscle. The links between muscle and health are not well known by most people but you are about learn a lot about it from Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. She is a board certified physician in family medicine and author of the book Forever Strong: A New Science Based Strategy for Aging Well (https://amzn.to/4d5eW8X). Dreams are interesting. We all have them and they are often weird and unusual. Do they mean anything? When you look at the research, there is a lot of disagreement about what dreams are, why we have them and what they are good for. Here to shed some light on what we do and do not understand about the dreaming process is Melanie Gillespie Rosen. She is an assistant professor at Trent University in Canada and author of the book, Dreams: Brief Books about Big Ideas (https://amzn.to/4cBziqB) We could probably all use a few mental health strategies when life throws us a curve ball – or worse. Whether it is fighting with your inner critic or dealing with toxic family members or just finding the motivation to get through the day, it can all be a little overwhelming. Joining me with some practical help is Liz Kelly. Liz is a psychotherapist, clinical social worker and author of the book This Book is Cheaper Than Therapy: A No-Nonsense Guide to Improving Your Mental Health (https://amzn.to/3xPVYV6). Some commonly refrigerated foods should actually not be chilled at all. For these foods, refrigeration actually helps them spoil faster. What food are they? Listen and I will tell you. https://stilltasty.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/22/202453 minutes, 48 seconds
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“The Bystander Effect” & Modern Idioms Explained - SYSK Choice

The consensus seems to be that drinking coffee has several excellent health benefits – and now there is another one you probably haven’t heard before. This episode begins with the explanation. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/body/food/can-your-coffee-habit-help-protect-you-skin-cancer You have most likely seen a bully in action and were maybe reluctant to intervene. After all, it’s not your problem. There is actually a name for this – it’s “The Bystander Effect.” It is when people don’t step in and call out a bully. Why does that happen? Why do we sometimes leave it to someone else or no one at all when clearly someone has stepped over the line? Have you ever thought what would happen if you did step in? And if you do decide to intervene, what’s the best way to do it so you don’t escalate the situation? Here with some answers and insight is psychologist Catherine Sanderson, a professor in Life Sciences at Amherst College and the author of Why We Act: Turning Bystanders into Moral Rebels (https://amzn.to/3vfUgrs) You know what an idiom is – right? Idioms are little phrases that work their way into our conversations that help us make a point. For example, play with fire, move the goal posts or drink the Kool-Aid. Ever wonder where these phrases come from and why they take on this new meaning? Do other languages have idioms? Joining me to explore this fascinating quirk in our language is Gareth Carrol a senior lecturer and researcher in linguistics at the University of Birmingham and author of the book, Jumping Sharks and Dropping Mics: Modern Idioms and Where They Come From (https://amzn.to/3J5XnaX). Summer is the favorite time of year for many people. Still, too much of a good thing can be a problem. Listen as I explore how summer weather can impact your mood and mental state. https://www.livescience.com/21431-hot-temperatures-mood.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/20/202451 minutes, 57 seconds
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The Brighter Side of Dying & Words We Use Interchangeably – But Shouldn’t

How much you like and enjoy a certain food is influenced by many things besides the food itself. The utensils, the color of the plate, etc. This episode begins with some interesting examples of this and why, if you are eating yogurt, you want to use one particular kind of spoon. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/utensils-can-influence-food-taste-how-much-you-eat-study-finds/ One thing we all must face is – death. As inevitable as it is, it’s not a topic most of us like to discuss. However, I think you will find this conversation to be different. Julie McFadden is a hospice care nurse with a unique take and unique perspective on death and dying as someone who deals with it every day. Is it possible to have a “good” death? What do people talk about in their final days and moments? What does Julie think about an afterlife? (She has a great story!). Julie has over 1 million followers on TikTok,(https://www.hospicenursejulie.com) she has been featured in Newsweek, USA Today, the Atlantic, Daily Mail and she is the author of the bestselling and highly acclaimed book Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully (https://amzn.to/3VWvN77)  Have you noticed we have words in English that almost mean the same thing as other words? For example, persuade and convince -what’s the difference? Or typeface and font – aren’t they the same? What about assume and presume? And is there a difference between the deep web and the dark web? Here to explain these fascinating and subtle differences in our language is Eli Burnstein. He is a humor writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker and other publication and he is author of a book called Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning (https://amzn.to/4cOURU8). When you have an important decision to make, you may want to pause and have a snack first. Listen as I explain why eating can help with decision making and what exactly you should eat first. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2010-01-decision-sugar.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/18/202451 minutes, 9 seconds
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Why You Might Need More Friends & How Your Imagination Works

While “digital dementia” is not a real medical diagnosis, you still see it everywhere. People are so reliant on (and overloaded by) technology that they don’t remember the simplest things. Listen as I explain the real problem with digital dementia and why we all need to be concerned. https://www.neurocenternj.com/blog/digital-dementia-how-screens-and-digital-devices-impact-memory/ I’m sure you have heard that having family, friends and other human connections is important. But what you may not know is just HOW important. Most people today have fewer close connections than people in previous generations. Yet the science is clear that having real people in your life is essential to your health, happiness and longevity. Joining me to explain how this works and why it is so important is Kasley Killam. She is an internationally recognized expert on the topic who has worked with organizations such as Google, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the World Economic Forum to facilitate building more socially healthy products, workplaces, and communities. She is author of the book, The Art and Science of Connection Why Our Social Health is the Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier (https://amzn.to/4cynFRi). How many times have you been told to – “Use your imagination” to try to figure something out or come up with an idea? Have you ever wondered what your imagination actually is? Why are some people’s imaginations more fertile than others? How can you tap into your imagination and use it to your advantage? All of these questions and more are addressed by my guest Albert Read. He is Managing Director of Condé Nast in Britain where he currently oversees British Vogue, GQ, Wired, & Condé Nast Traveller. He is also author of the book The Imagination Muscle: Where Good Ideas Come From (https://amzn.to/4cw9xrw). It's common to send or bring flowers to someone who is sick. That brings up a question: Does it really help? Do get-well flowers actually help people get well? Listen as I reveal the interesting explanation. https://www.floweraura.com/blog/healing-power-get-well-soon-flowers-scientific-perspective Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/15/202451 minutes, 55 seconds
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Why We Love Things & Your Guide to Deadly Risk - SYSK Choice

Is it safe to let your dog lick your face or eat off your plate? It pretty much depends on how clean your dog’s mouth is. This episode begins with a look at whether being so intimate with your dog is okay or cause for concern. https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/your-dogs-kisses-could-contain-deadly-superbug-study-says/ When people say they love their house or car or shoes – is that really love? Can you love inanimate things? Possibly, according to Aaron Ahuvia, professor of marketing at the University of Michigan who is the most widely published and often cited expert on non-interpersonal love. Listen as he reveals what we really mean when we speak of loving objects and activities. Aaron is author of a book titled The Things We Love (https://amzn.to/3z4992k) Have you ever thought when you get to the end of your life, what it is that finally kills you? It’s worth thinking about because if you understand what is most likely to kill you, you can prevent or at least postpone it from happening. That’s according to Sheila Buff author of the book You Bet Your Life: Your Guide to Deadly Risk (https://amzn.to/3ARYZ6b). Listen as Shelia reveals the most common and not-so-common ways people die – and why. And maybe how we can sidestep those things and live a bit longer. Finding true love isn’t easy. And finding true love the second or third time around can seem impossible. Don’t give up hope. Instead, listen as I explain what one psychologist says can help you find true love one more time. Source: Finding Love Again by Dr. Terry Orbuch (https://amzn.to/3z0xiH4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/13/202447 minutes, 59 seconds
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Great Stories of Extraordinary Success & Why You Should Care About Black Holes

Your chances of winning the lottery are horrible. Still, a lot of people play. This episode starts by revealing a few things worth knowing about playing the lottery – even though you likely won’t ever win the big jackpot. https://www.wired.com/video/watch/lottery-strategy Stories of how great ideas become successful are always fascinating – particularly when those ideas are so different than anything that came before it. Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, Twitch, Twitter are all successful companies that broke a lot of rules on the road to success. They had to. Here to reveal how they and others do it is Mike Maples Jr. He is a venture capitalist who was an early investor in Twitter (he passed on Airbnb) and he knows what it takes to take an idea and make it soar. Mike is the co-founder of Floodgate, a leading seed stage fund in Silicon Valley that invested in companies like Twitter, Twitch, and others at the very beginning. Mike is host of the podcast Starting Greatness (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-greatness/id1488560647) and author of the book Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future (https://amzn.to/3W8BXlT) We’ve all heard of black holes. They are those places in space that have such a strong gravitational pull that nothing can escape them – not even light. What you may not know is that there are black holes in the center of every galaxy and without black holes – or at least the one in the middle of our galaxy, we may not even be here. Joining me to discuss what black holes are, what they do and why you should care is Marcus Chown. He is an award winning science writer and broadcaster, former radio astronomer at the California Institute of Technology and author of several books, including A Crack in Everything: How Black Holes Came in from the Cold and Took Cosmic Centre Stage (https://amzn.to/3W9cFUE) If you are concerned about your skin – and skin cancer, I’m sure you use sunscreen. While that’s a good thing, skin cancer rates are up. The implication is that sunscreen alone isn’t enough and in fact your diet may have an impact on how the sun treats your skin. Listen as I explain the details. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/well/eat/diet-skin-cancer-risk-melanoma.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/11/202451 minutes, 25 seconds
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Why You Remember and Why You Forget & Unusual Origins of Great Inventions

When you go out to eat, the restaurant wants you to spend money. Nothing wrong with that. That’s how they stay in business. Still, you should be aware that they don’t leave it to chance. One thing they do is engineer the menu to nudge you you spend. This episode begins by describing some “menu psychology” you should be aware of. https://www.delish.com/food/a46625028/restaurant-menu-design-you-pay-more/ Your memory works in strange ways. First of all, it forgets more than it remembers. Also, there is one particular time in your life you remember more than other times. There are also techniques to help you remember things better. Joining me to discuss all this and so much more about memory is Megan Sumeracki. She is an associate professor of psychology at Rhode Island College, a cognitive psychologist and memory expert, and author of the book The Psychology of Memory (https://amzn.to/4cCOAuK). Great inventions and scientific breakthroughs are often the result of unusual, accidental or unintentional journeys. These stories are often inspiring and fascinating to hear – whether it’s the invention of the telephone or super glue, penicillin, the pacemaker or anything else. Here, to share some of those stories and explain why they are important for all of us to understand is Tim James. He is a science teacher, YouTuber and blogger and author of the book Accidental: The Greatest (Unintentional) Science Breakthroughs and How They Changed The World (https://amzn.to/3L4XC8b). Taking your pet to the vet can be a traumatic experience for all involved. To make the process easier on you, the pet and the staff at the veterinarian’s office, listen as I offer some advice veterinarians want you to know. https://www.rd.com/list/50-things-your-vet-wont-tell-you/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/8/202450 minutes, 4 seconds
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How Our Brains Experience Taste & The Upside of Anger - SYSK Choice

It makes sense that people cry when they are sad – but why do some of us cry when we are happy? This episode starts by examining how two opposite emotions can create the same symptom. By the way, what happy occasion do you think causes people to cry “tears of joy” most often? Hint: It’s not weddings. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141111124047.htm Flavor and taste are not the same thing. In fact, your sense of taste actually involves all your senses and is more complex than you ever imagined. For example, why do you like some foods that other people hate? Here to explain all this and more is food scientist Camilla Arndal Andersen. Listen as she helps us understand your interesting, complicated and subjective sense of taste. Camilla has a TED talk on this topic which you can watch here: https://www.ted.com/talks/camilla_arndal_andersen_what_happens_in_your_brain_when_you_taste_food?language=en What causes you to get angry? When you do get angry, are you good at dealing with it? Could you ever wish you could handle your anger better? Listen as I explore these questions with Ryan Martin. He is a professor of psychology and associate dean at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and has studied anger extensively. He has a TED talk about anger called The Upside of Anger (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfcQaXG_Qhs). Listen and you will get a better understanding of your own anger. Children skip. You probably used to when you were young but don’t anymore. After all, seeing an adult skipping down the road might seem a bit odd. Listen as I discuss this and you might find yourself skipping anyway no matter how strange you might look. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3895968/Why-adults-stop-skipping-s-hard-Activity-uses-quarter-energy-running-speed.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/6/202444 minutes, 1 second
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Where Would We Be Without Alcohol & Good Reasons to Go Outside Right Now

There’s nothing better than a really good laugh. What’s even better is, laughing offers some excellent health benefits too. I begin this episode by explain how laughter may just be the best medicine. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19968254/live-laugh-love/ For centuries, humans have been drinking alcohol. Why do people drink? Is it really the taste, the smell and all the nuances of your drink of choice or is it really just for the buzz? Why are some people able to drink socially while other people have had their lives destroyed by alcohol? Could it be that we would have never achieved all the advancements of our civilization had we not had alcohol to drink? Listen as I explore these and other questions with my guest Edward Slingerland. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia and author of the book Drunk: How we Slipped, Danced, and Stumbled our way to Civilization (https://amzn.to/2WONrif) There is a smell that happens after it rains. And interestingly, smelling that smell is good for you. That’s just one of many reasons why we all should be spending more time outside in nature according to my guest Lucy Jones who has researched the science regarding the amazing benefits of being in simply being out in the natural world. Lucy is the author of the book Losing Eden: Our Fundamental Need for the Natural World and Its Ability to Heal Body and Soul (https://amzn.to/3j7YUky). Listen as she explains why it doesn’t take much to get the mental and physical benefits nature has to offer.  On a job interview, there is a bit of a dilemma: You want to look good so you think you should maybe brag a bit about your accomplishments. On the other hand, a little modesty might be good too. Which is better? It depends on who you are. Listen as I explain. https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-study-finds-male-modesty-turn-women-and-men Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/4/202448 minutes, 36 seconds
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Why We Love to Push Buttons & Why We All Need to Play Games

We all have a sense of what romantic music is. But can that type of music really make you feel and act romantic? This episode begins with some interesting evidence on the power of music in the game of love. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618112139.htm Look around you and notice all the buttons you could push. Buttons are everywhere. When you think about it, you can do almost anything with “just the push of a button.” And people like really pushing buttons – even when it is pointless. For example, pushing the elevator button after it is already lit or pushing the crosswalk button over and over to try to change the light. Buttons are a fairly recent invention and they have changed our world. Here to explain how and dive deep into the world of buttons is Rachel Plotnick. She’s an assistant professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Indiana University and author of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic, and the Politics of Pushing (https://amzn.to/3xvIj5j) It seems we are wired to play games – board games, card games, sports, gambling – we love to play games. But why? Are games just a fun way to play – a distraction from work? Or are games doing something much more important than that? Joining me to reveal why humans need games and what they do for us is Kelly Clancy. She is a neuroscientist and physicist who has held research positions at MIT, Berkeley, University College London and she is author of the book, Playing with Reality: How Games Have Shaped Our World (https://amzn.to/3W02BNR) How much do product reviews influence what you buy – or don’t buy? Do people really read them and pay attention to them? Listen as I reveal the results of a recent survey on the power of product reviews. https://www.cardrates.com/news/consumers-rely-on-online-reviews-study/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7/1/202450 minutes, 8 seconds
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US: Getting Past the You and Me Relationship & How Fragrance Works - SYSK Choice

Getting car sick can really ruin a trip – for EVERYONE in the car! But maybe you’ve heard – there are now motion sickness glasses. Do they work? Reader’s Digest tested them and a lot of their readers left reviews. Listen and you will hear what they said. https://www.rd.com/article/motion-sickness-glasses/ How can you be in a relationship and still be your individual self? That can be a tricky balance. And it has gotten even trickier as we have moved into our “It’s-all-about-me” culture. Joining me to offer some insight into this is internationally recognized family therapist, speaker, and author Terrence Real. author of the book US: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship (https://amzn.to/3bLzN6N). Terry’s website is https://www.terryreal.com Who doesn’t want to smell nice? Soaps, candles, laundry detergent, perfume – we really want everything and everyone to smell ever so lovely. But why? When did this all start? Listen to my guest Elise Pearlstine, a natural perfumer, consultant, and educator and author of a book called Scent: A Natural History of Fragrance. (https://amzn.to/3AtMA8b). If you have ever wondered why flowers or the smell of cut grass or vanilla smell so good, listen to find out. One of the worst things about summer is getting into a hot car that has been sitting in the sun. However, there is a way you can cool the car down before you get in it. Listen and I will tell you this fast and effective technique. https://www.wikihow.com/Cool-a-Hot-Car-as-Quickly-as-Possible PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk now to grow your business - no matter what stage you're in! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/29/202449 minutes, 20 seconds
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How to Live Your Life with No Regrets & What Bad Words Do

There’s more to making a great burger than meets the eye. This summertime episode begins with expert advice on preparing the perfect burger on the grill from the guy who wrote the bible on the topic. Source: Steve Raichlen author of The Barbecue Bible (https://amzn.to/4bgBEcM) If you’ve ever felt you were in a rut or that your life is on autopilot, you need to listen to Jodi Wellman. She will inspire you to lead a life of purpose and intention – and without regret. It is not about doing the big and grandiose things as much as it is savoring the joys you have and anticipating what’s to come and making time to do the things you will regret if you DON’T do them. It’s a magical formula that she explains so well in this episode. Jodie is a former corporate executive turned executive coach who has a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and she is author of the book You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets (https://amzn.to/3KUdQ3Z). Her website is https://fourthousandmondays.com/ Where do bad words come from? I don’t just mean your garden variety, 4-letter swear words but other words that aren’t so nice as well. Why is swearing more acceptable today than it used to be? What is the point of swearing in the first place? All of these and more questions are handled masterfully by my guest Jess Zafarris. She is a writer and journalist and author of the book Words from Hell: Unearthing the darkest secrets of English etymology (https://amzn.to/4cafvyc) Some of the old health advice grandma used to give has been proven to be untrue. Still, many of these myths persist today and are believed by a lot of people. Listen as we blow up a few of these myths that you might still think are true. https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-10-health-myths-debunked PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk now to grow your business - no matter what stage you're in! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/27/202450 minutes, 11 seconds
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How Your Refrigerator Changed Your Life & Why Are There Volcanoes?

In an argument there are usually two things going on that make it so difficult. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining what those two important things are and how to fix them so you can then move forward and resolve the argument. Source: Jim Ferrell author of The Anatomy of Peace (https://amzn.to/4erYLUP). Everyday you open and close your fridge a million times without giving it much thought. Yet, your refrigerator is part of a technology that has completely changed our lives. The concept of refrigerating food is only about 150 years old, but it is impossible to imagine life today without it. Listen as I speak with Nicola Twilley about this. She is a writer, frequent contributor to The New Yorker, host of the podcdcast Gastropod (https://gastropod.com/category/podcasts/) and author of the book: Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves (https://amzn.to/3VuXNP0) . She reveals the good and bad consequences of refrigeration. And there are plenty of both. Why are there volcanoes? That molten hot lava that comes to the surface when a volcano erupts came from somewhere but most of us don’t really understand where or how or why. Do volcanoes have a purpose? While they are destructive, could they also be helpful – even necessary? Why do volcanoes erupt? Why do they go dormant? To understand all of this and why you might even owe your existence on earth to volcanoes, listen to my guest Tamsin Mather. She is a professor of earth sciences at the University of Oxford and author of the book Adventures in Volcanoland: What Volcanoes Tell Us About the World and Ourselves (https://amzn.to/3xk4DyI). For many women, carrying a purse is a necessity. And because they go everywhere and carry everything, purses can get pretty gross. Yet they are seldom cleaned. Listen as I explain the problem this creates which is not just a “yuck factor” issue, it can be a real health concern. https://finderskeypurse.com/blogs/finderskeypurse-com-blog/how-dirty-is-your-purse-plus-how-to-keep-it-clean PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk now to grow your business - no matter what stage you're in! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/24/202447 minutes, 10 seconds
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How to Bounce Back From Tough Times & How to Beat the Surveillance Economy – SYSK Choice

When dogs meet they often sniff each other. It appears we humans do the same thing (to other humans, not dogs). This episode begins with an explanation of how people judge other people based on how they smell. And we do it all subconsciously. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/06/220627125010.htm Do you consider yourself resilient? Are you able to bounce back after a big challenge? Can you become more resilient? There is little doubt that being resilient is important to your personal and professional success. Listen to my conversation with Stephen Magness. He has been a consultant for NASA, the Houston Rockets and other major organizations and has written for Runner’s World and Sports Illustrated. He has been featured in The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Men’s Health. Stephen is author of the book Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness (https://amzn.to/3OSE3Qb). It is harder and harder to protect your privacy. It is clear that data is being collected about you that is extremely sensitive and personal. For example, what you search for online, your religious beliefs, your sexual preferences, how well you sleep, what organizations you belong to and so much more has likely been captured, recorded and stored away somewhere. And it gets worse, as you will hear from my guest Carissa Veliz. She is an associate professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and the Institute for Ethics in AI, as well as a tutorial fellow at Hertford College, at the University of Oxford and editor of the Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics. Carissa is author of the book, Privacy is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data (https://amzn.to/3nqHIsX). Cooking on the grill is great but it can get a little boring if it is always hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts and steaks. But it doesn’t have to be. Listen as I reveal how to cook some things on the grill you never imagined that taste great – for example, pineapple, avocado, watermelon and pound cake. https://www.rd.com/list/7-food-you-didnt-know-you-could-grill/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk now to grow your business - no matter what stage you're in! We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/22/202450 minutes, 59 seconds
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Why Leadership is So Overrated & How Supply Chains Work or Don’t

Sunscreen has been around for a long time. Has it changed much? Are there advancements in “sunscreen technology”? As summer begins, I explore the newest advancements in sunscreen. https://www.realsimple.com/new-sunscreens-6831077 We revere leaders. School mottos often say something about “Developing tomorrow’s leaders today…” Everyone should aspire to be a leader. But what if you don’t want to be a leader? If everyone becomes a leader – who is left to follow? Is everyone “leadership material”? To hear the surprising science about leadership, listen to my guest Dr. Elias Aboujaoude. He is a psychiatry professor and researcher at Stanford University, and author of the book, A Leader's Destiny: Why Psychology, Personality, and Character Make All the Difference (https://amzn.to/4b6JsOd) Over the last few years we have heard about the supply chain in the news. It’s that somewhat vague process of making and getting products to where they need to be. So how does it all work? Why does it sometimes fail? Why does it often seem so fragile? Joining me to help us understand the supply chain and explain why you should care about it is Peter Goodman. He is the Global Economics Correspondent for The New York Times and he is author of a book called How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain (https://amzn.to/3KAlQXJ).  With summer comes lightning. How likely are you to get struck? And is it true that if you have been struck once, it is more likely to happen again? Listen for the answers and details. https://www.britannica.com/question. Source: What-are-the-chances-of-being-struck-by-lightning Source: http://lightningsafetycouncil.org/ and https://www.britannica.com/question/What-are-the-chances-of-being-struck-by-lightning PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk now to grow your business - no matter what stage you're in! We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/20/202448 minutes, 30 seconds
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The Science of Sexual Attraction & What Does Your Job Mean to You?

Of course, you know what a tank top is – but do you know why it is called a tank top? A tee-shirt looks like the letter T. But a tank top doesn’t look like a tank. So where did the name come from? Listen as I start this episode with the explanation that goes back to the 1920s. https://undersummers.com/blogs/undersummers-about-us/the-history-of-the-tank-top-why-is-it-called-a-tank-top We have all likely felt a sexual attraction to someone. When you see that person across the room at a party and you can’t take your eyes off him or her – that is sexual attraction. It is very different from other kinds of human attraction, like being attracted to someone as a friend or someone you want to work with. True sexual attraction is based solely on a person’s appearance. It is a universal yet very individualized pull towards someone else and it can be very powerful. Joining me to discuss the science of this little known human experience is James Giles. He is lecturer at the University of Cambridge Institute for Continuing Education and is well known for his writings on philosophical psychology and human relationships. He is author of the book, Sexual Attraction: The Psychology of Allure (https://amzn.to/4bY2Jmk). The whole world of work has changed a lot in the last several years. Today, people don’t stay in one job or even in one career like they used to. Additionally, people are questioning their work and asking themselves, “Is this really what I want to be doing?” It also seems people are looking to find more meaning in their work, not just a paycheck. To help understand why things have changed and how best to navigate these changes is Jennifer Tosti-Kharas . She is a professor of management at Babson College and author of the book Is Your Work Worth It?: How to Think About Meaningful Work (https://amzn.to/3VnFf2V) It is a mystery that has confounded people since the invention of laundry: Why does one sock go missing and where does it go? Listen as I explain one very plausible solution that explains why you have socks without a mate. https://reviewed.usatoday.com/laundry/features/youre-not-crazy-your-socks-really-can-disappear-in-the-wash PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://Shopify.com/sysk now to grow your business - no matter what stage you're in! We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/17/202449 minutes, 35 seconds
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Why Compassion is a Wonder Drug & Essential Survival Advice - SYSK Choice

We all know sunscreen is important – but only if you cover all the places you need to cover. Interestingly, there are several spots people often miss that leave them vulnerable to the harms of the sun. This episode begins with a list of the most likely places you miss so you won’t miss the next time. https://www.consumerreports.org/sunscreens/how-to-apply-sunscreen-to-commonly-missed-spots/ Imagine if there was a drug that could make you healthier, improve longevity, plus give you happiness and more success. Would you take that it? Actually, this drug exists according to Stephen Trzeciak, M.D. All you have to do is reach out and help other people. It may sound simplistic but there is solid science to show that the act of helping others has tremendous benefits. Listen as Stephen explains how it works and how much helping you have to do to get the benefits. Stephen is author of the book Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways That Serving Others is the Best Medicine For Yourself (https://amzn.to/3tT4Zr2). Do you know what to do if you get bitten by a snake? How would you respond if someone near fell to the ground from a heart attack or seizure? Do you know what to do if you get lost ? These and other emergencies happen all the time and it is important to know in advance what to do so you don’t panic when something bad actually happens. Here to explain how to prepare for almost any emergency is Dr. John Torres. He is an emergency room physician as well as a senior medical correspondent for NBC and author of the book Dr. Disaster’s Guide to Surviving Everything (https://amzn.to/3yg7Flb). Being left-handed can be challenging because the world is made for right-handed people. Yet, for students, being left-handed may be a good thing . Listen as I explain some interesting research that illustrates some differences between how left and right-handed students compare in school. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1215253/Left-handers-likely-enjoy-school-teachers-pets.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Seasons change. Why not your tech? When you shop online at https://Dell.com/Deals you’ll have access to exceptional tech and electronics, plus free shipping! Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/15/202448 minutes, 31 seconds
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How Safe Are You in Today’s World? & What Would You Change About Yourself?

Here is the link to the GoFundMe page: to help Hellen and Jose: https://gofund.me/25ada86c Whenever you see the equal sign, you know what it means. So how did these two little parallel lines come to mean - Is equal to? This episode begins with a story that goes back almost 1,000 years to reveal the answer. Source: Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures (https://amzn.to/3RhUt8l)  Do you feel safe? Do know what you would do if someone attacked you or broke into your home? Are you doing all you can to keep you and your family out of harm’s way? Perhaps most importantly, are sure you or your home are not an easy target for criminals? These are important questions we should all be asking ourselves according to Spencer Coursen. Spencer is a nationally recognized threat management expert and author of the book The Safety Trap: A Security Expert’s Secrets for Staying Safe in a Dangerous World (https://amzn.to/3gtV5pp). Listen and you will feel better about staying safe in an uncertain world.  Probably everyone has something about themselves they would like to change. But as we all know, change is hard. But what if it could be easier than you think? And what if you didn’t really have to change as much as you might think? That’s what Nicole Vignola is here to discuss. Nicole is a neuroscientist and organizational consultant and author of the book Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change (https://amzn.to/3KAmZOO) If you have a lawn, you have likely come to hate the dandelion. It is a prolific weed that drives people crazy. Actually, it didn’t start out that way. The dandelion was deliberately brought to North America and is used in some surprising ways. And insects love dandelions. Listen as I reveal why. http://www.gardenguides.com/76016-dandelion-flower.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Seasons change. Why not your tech? When you shop online at https://Dell.com/Deals you’ll have access to exceptional tech and electronics, plus free shipping! Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/13/202449 minutes, 48 seconds
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A Brilliant Way to Be More Productive & Why We Have Skyscrapers

10% of the human population is left-handed but what about other animals? Do they have a preference for which paw, foot, fin or wing to use? And what about the octopus? Do they prefer one arm over the other 7? Listen as I begin with the fascinating explanation? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202307/does-owner-left-handedness-influence-left-pawedness-in-dogs#: If you are productive, you get a lot of things done. At least that is the conventional view of productivity. I invite you to come and listen to a different approach to productivity from Laura Mae Martin. She is the Executive Productivity Advisor in the Office of the CEO at Google and author of the book Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing (https://amzn.to/4bLfnF4). I promise you will come away from this discussion with some great ideas you can implement in your day that will make you more productive and make your life easier. The modern skyscraper is a recent invention. After all, skyscrapers couldn’t have really existed much before electricity or the invention of the elevator. But in the last 130 years or so, skyscrapers have come to define the modern city and they keep getting taller and taller. You are about to get a peek into this fascinating industry most of us know very little about from Jason M. Barr. He is a professor of economics at Rutgers University-Newark and one of the world’s foremost experts on the economics of skyscrapers. Jason is author of a book called Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World's Tallest Skyscrapers (https://amzn.to/3yMPIgV). We think taste is all about eating – but you really do “eat with your eyes.” In other words, the color of food and what it looks like before you eat it impacts what it tastes like. Listen as I explain. https://zoe.com/learn/how-color-changes-taste-flavor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/10/202450 minutes, 7 seconds
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Is Luck a Real Thing? & How to Accept What You Can't Change - SYSK Choice

Gasoline is expensive and we all need to make sure we are squeezing every mile out of every gallon. You have probably heard a lot of suggestions on how to conserve gas. This episode begins with a few effective methods you may not have heard of before from Popular Mechanics. https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a39504408/how-to-improve-your-vehicles-gas-mileage/  Do you believe in luck? That is likely going to depend on how you define it. Some people believe luck is a magical force in the universe while others think of luck as something you calculate with probabilities and statistics while others believe you can create your own luck. To get a better understanding of how luck works, I invite you to listen to my conversation with Jeffrey Rosenthal, professor in the University of Toronto’s Department of Statistics and author of several books including Knock On Wood: Luck Chance and the Meaning of Everything (https://amzn.to/3uccXfh). You don’t have to go too far before you begin to realize that life can be cruel and unfair and that bad things happen to everyone. What is most important is how you deal with and accept and ultimately make peace with the difficult things. Clinical psychologist Janina Scarlet works with people who must accept and come to terms with events that are unfair and often devastating. Janina is author of the book, It Shouldn’t Be This Way: Learning to Accept the Things You Just Can’t Change (https://amzn.to/4bHImcX). If you’ve ever had trouble making peace with something bad that has happened to you, you should listen to what she has to say.  People want to look their best. As we age, it seems natural for people to want to look youthful. However, there is a limit to it. Listen as I explain the negative consequences of trying to appear too young and what to do instead if you really want to appear younger than your actual age. http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/obsonline/act-your-age.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/8/202450 minutes, 36 seconds
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What Are You Doing on Your Cellphone? & The Fascinating World of Paradoxes

Ever try to get your dog or cat to recognize themselves in the mirror? This episode begins with an explanation as to why the result is almost always disappointing. https://www.livescience.com/4272-elephant-awareness-mirrors-humans.html You hear a lot of concerns expressed about people's cellphone use. Are we spending too much time on our phones? What are people doing on their phones? Is it causing harm? Here to discuss some of the research about cellphone use and what it does to people is Faye Begheti. She is a practicing neurology doctor and neuroscientist at Oxford University Hospitals and author of the book The Phone Fix: The Brain-Focused Guide to Building Healthy Digital Habits and Breaking Bad Ones (https://amzn.to/3yJUhIM). Listen as she explains that it is not so much about simply being on your phone – it’s more about what you are doing while you are on it. Paradoxes are those quirky little things that often seem to make no sense but actually help us think differently and problem solve better. For example, if I tell you I always tell lies – is that a lie? How can it be the truth if I always tell lies? Here to help you better understand paradoxes and why we have them is George Szpiro. He is a journalist with a PhD in mathematical economics and author of the book Perplexing Paradoxes: Unraveling Enigmas in the World Around Us (https://amzn.to/4aEASGo). Several years ago I spent a weekend teaching myself to juggle. It wasn’t easy but with a little persistence (about a weekend’s worth for me), the basics can be mastered. And it turns out that knowing how to juggle is good for you in a lot of ways. Listen and I will tell you how. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2009-10-12-juggling-enhances-connections-brain PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/6/202448 minutes, 2 seconds
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What You Do and Don’t Dream About & What Happens to You When You’re Alone

So many of us fantasize about being rich. Wouldn’t it be great to win the lottery or inherit a ton of money or be born into a wealthy family? Well it isn’t always as wonderful as you might imagine. Listen as I begin by explaining what being rich does to some people – especially young people. Source: Dr. Stephen Berglas author of Reclaiming the Fire (https://amzn.to/3VjeRIS) Almost no one dreams about math. Almost everyone dreams about falling or being chased. These are just some of the fascinating things I discuss about dreams with Dr. Rahul Jandial. He is a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist who has been studying why people dream and what happens in the brain when dreams occur. If you have wondered about your dreams and how they affect you, you need to hear this conversation. Dr. Jandial is the author of several books, his latest is called, This Is Why You Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life (https://amzn.to/3KmOE5N). Do you like solitude? We all like it somewhat – and some of us like a lot of solitude. Is that a problem? After all, humans are social creatures. We like to be with others. Still there are many people who cherish “alone time.” To understand why solitude is so important, listen to my guest Netta Weinstein. She is a psychologist and director of the European Research Council's 'Solitude: Alone but Resilient (SOAR)' project. She is also professor of psychology at the University of Reading and an associate researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. Netta is author of the book Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone (https://amzn.to/3wVA7eb). Every once in a while, you will see something on a menu labeled “organic seafood.” What does that mean? How can seafood be organic? Listen and I will explain why it is probably not as organic as you would like it to be. https://www.foodrepublic.com/1413904/why-organic-seafood-myth/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We really like The Jordan Harbinger Show! Check out https://jordanharbinger.com/start OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/3/202449 minutes, 23 seconds
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The Science of Evil & How the Bicycle Changed Our Lives - SYSK Choice

Why do they call it PLASTIC surgery? It seems like a weird word to use. What’s even weirder is that the term goes back a couple of centuries, even before we had plastic as we know it today. This episode begins with an explanation and once you hear it, it’ll all make sense. Source: Lindsey Fitzharris author of The Face Maker (https://amzn.to/3x3IP69). What does the word “evil” mean when you hear it? What is evil? Is it some sinister force in the universe? Is it even possible to explain what it is? What makes someone do cruel and evil things? Perhaps evil isn’t something itself but the result of something else. Listen to my conversation with Simon Baron Cohen, a professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Cambridge and author of four books including The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty (https://amzn.to/3tf4ffC). Most people in the world know how to ride a bike. It is the most popular means of transportation on earth. And it makes you wonder how that happened so fast. The modern bicycle was invented not all that long ago – yet there are now twice as many bicycles as cars in existence. You are about to discover that the history of the bicycle is more interesting than you ever knew. Listen as I discuss this with Jody Rosen, a writer for The New York Times magazine and author of the book Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle (https://amzn.to/3NuAoaU).   If you live in or visit a place that has fireflies (or lightning bugs), you know they are fascinating to watch. However, the population of fireflies is diminishing. Listen as I explain why this is happening. http://www.firefly.org/how-you-can-help.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/1/202448 minutes, 4 seconds
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An Easy Way to Make Good Friends & Housekeeping Hacks You Will Love

The sound of crickets on a summer night can be quite pleasing. And the little critters making that sound have some interesting characteristics and abilities I bet you never knew. Listen to my explanation and you’ll have renewed respect for the crickets of summer. Source: Hugh Raffels author of Insectopedia (https://amzn.to/4bOcK51) Friendships are at an all-time low. People have fewer friends than ever before and the number of people who feel lonely is at record high levels. Why is friendship so hard? Well, it’s not really, according to Anna Goldfarb. She makes friends quite easily and she says you can too if you are willing to try. Want to know how? Then you need to listen to Anna. She is a friendship journalist who has reported for The New York Times, Time magazine, and the Washington Post and she is author of the book, Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections (https://amzn.to/3K9Fqdb). If any podcast can make the topic of housework exciting – it is this podcast. What’s so interesting is a lot of what we learned about how to do housework is ineffective, outdated and sometimes just plain wrong. The result is that you may be wasting time and money and not doing a particularly great job at keeping your house and clothes clean. To rescue is Melissa Pateras. She creates very popular TikTok videos about house cleaning tips and tricks (https://www.tiktok.com/@melissadilkespateras?lang=en) and she is author of the book, A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home: Housekeeping Hacks You Can't Live Without (https://amzn.to/3VbJ0ts) There are a lot of reasons to get your kids to play outside in the sunshine. One of the important reasons has to do with their eye health. Listen as I explain the connection between playing outside and vision in children. https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/outdoor-activity-and-myopia-in-children PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/30/202450 minutes, 3 seconds
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Where Your Deep Desires Comes From & How Evolution Shaped You

Here is a problem about spaghetti that has stumped some of the brightest minds in science, including Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feynman: Hold one strand of spaghetti at each end and try to break it into two pieces. You will find that it is impossible. There now appears to be an explanation thanks to some very high-speed cameras. Listen and I will tell you what it is. https://www.thenakedscientists.com/get-naked/experiments/snapping-spaghetti You want things. I want things. We all want things. That is what human desire is all about. Have you ever stopped to wonder why you desire those particular things? For an explanation of human desire, we turn to Luke Burgis. He is an entrepreneur and a philosopher and he has written a book about desire titled, Wanting (https://amzn.to/3fPJyR9). Listen as he offers insight into what triggers all of our desires – big and small. If we evolved from apes, why are there still apes? That’s one of many questions people ponder about evolution. Perhaps you’ve also wondered if humans are still evolving, or have we stopped? Can we predict how evolution will change the world? These are just some of the questions I tackle with Marlene Zuk. She is an evolutionary biologist and author of the book Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us about Sex, Diet, and How We Live (https://amzn.to/3uUyd6H). Listen and you will have a better understanding of how we evolved to be who we are. When a child gets hurt, what you do and say in response is critical. And it isn’t only because the correct response can soothe the child and alleviate their stress, it can also affect the way the child recovers from an injury. Listen to hear the science of this important phenomenon. Source: Judith Acosta author of Verbal First Aid (https://amzn.to/3fScUhV) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/27/202450 minutes, 18 seconds
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The Psychology of Personality & Why Argument Matters - SYSK Choice

Even though we have celebrated Memorial Day for a long time, it wasn’t made an official national Holiday until 1971. And it wasn’t always called Memorial Day either. We start this episode with a few fascinating facts about this interesting American holiday and day of remembrance. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/memorial-day-2022-facts-american-holiday Why is your personality the way it is? Why are you the way you are? Why is it that you are different than everybody else? There is some fascinating new research about how personalities come to be. And here to discuss it is Brian Little one of the leading researchers in the subject of human personality. Brian is the author of the book, Me, Myself and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being. (https://amzn.to/3LN32mi). Doesn’t it seem that people argue more now than they used to – and often about the most ridiculous things? People argue about politics and social issues and just about everything else. It makes you wonder if arguments actually accomplish anything or are they more destructive than constructive. Joining me to discuss why we seem to like to argue is Lee Siegel. Lee is the author of seven books as well as a writer and cultural critic who has written for Harper’s, The New Republic, The Nation, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, The New York Times. His latest book is Why Argument Matters. (https://amzn.to/3ao7Zox). If you or someone around you gets stung by a bee, do you know what to do? You should because it can be serious or even life-threatening for some people. Listen as I explain what the American Academy of Dermatology recommends you do and NOT do. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/injured-skin/bites/treat-bee-sting PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/25/202445 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ozempic: Weight Loss Risks and Benefits and What We Miss About Analog

Look at any can of cooking spray and it will say on the label that it has zero calories. How can that be? It can’t be. Listen as I explain how they get away with saying that when it isn’t really true and I’ll reveal how many calories there actually are. https://cheatdaydesign.com/how-many-calories-does-cooking-spray-really-have/ No doubt you have heard of Ozempic. It is a drug that allows a lot of people to lose weight. While it is extremely effective, there are risks and concerns. But what is the bigger risk – the risks of taking the drug or the risks of remaining overweight? That’s the question I explore with Johann Hari. He is a writer and journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, and other newspapers. His TED Talks have been viewed over 70 million times, he is the author of some bestselling books and he has taken Ozempic and lost weight. He has also thoroughly researched all sides of the debate on these drugs and the results of his work are in his book Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs (https://amzn.to/3WMpdC7). All the conveniences of living in a digital world are hard to argue with. Still, all these digital gadgets have made many cherished analog things obsolete. Think about how your smartphone has replaced the need for a watch, or camera or a bookstore or record store – even a map. Everything is digital now. This segment isn’t about longing for “the good old days” of analog but rather looking at how important our analog world was a few decades ago and how some analog things still persist because they are still the better way (think of a pencil and a piece of paper). Joining me to talk about all things analog is Deyan Sudjic, Director Emeritus of the Design Museum in London, professor of Design Studies at the University of Lancaster in the UK and author of the book, The World of Analog: A Visual Guide (https://amzn.to/4dMnXEW). No matter what language people speak, when they get hurt they say “OUCH!” or something very close to it. Listen as I explain the reason and purpose of OWWW or OUCH! Source: Jonathan Goldman author of The 7 Secrets to Sound Healing (https://amzn.to/3V6vVR9). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/23/202449 minutes, 9 seconds
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Why People Waste So Much & How Creative People-Create

Whenever I fly, I see people on the plane who look like they are doing important work on their laptops. That may actually be a really bad idea because it is hard to do high quality work at 30,000 feet. Listen as I explain why. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22357419 We have become a pretty wasteful world. We waste a lot of food, we create a lot of packaging that goes to waste and despite our best efforts we only recycle a fraction of all the things we could. There is likely no one big solution to any of this but there are some interesting things being done you should hear about that are making a difference. Here to explain these solutions and reveal the magnitude of the waste problem is Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Edward Humes. He is author of over two dozen books. His latest is Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World (https://amzn.to/3K3tXvx). Creativity sounds so magical – like it is some mystical gift some people were given that allows them to create the most wonderful things. However, creativity has been studied and the science of it is less magical and more practical. Being more creative and accomplished at anything is a skill we can all develop. We may not become the greatest or most creative at a chosen skill, but we can all become better at anything we put our mind to if we understand how. Here to explain is Anna Abraham. She is a professor and the Director of the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development at the University of Georgia and author of the book, The Creative Brain: Myths and Truths (https://amzn.to/3QReQcn) When it comes to family dinner, many parents serve different food to their children – like mac and cheese or chicken nuggets because kids seem to prefer it. Is that a good idea? Listen as I reveal the dangers of dumbing down your kids’ meals. https://www.npr.org/2006/11/02/6418289/break-your-childs-mac-n-cheese-diet PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/20/202448 minutes, 51 seconds
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The Fascinating Evolution of Surgery & Asking Questions That Connect-SYSK Choice

Why do you suppose it is that dogs love to hang their heads out of a moving car window? What’s the thrill? More importantly, should you let your dog do it? This episode begins with an explanation of why dogs love it so much and if it is really safe. https://www.metlifepetinsurance.com/blog/pet-behavior/should-my-dog-hang-their-head-out-of-a-car-window/  Modern medical surgery is nothing short of amazing. It is hard to imagine but many of us wouldn’t be here if it were not for the miracle of surgery. Yet, the history of surgery is remarkably short. In fact, there couldn’t have been surgery until four major problems were solved first. Ira Rutkow, MD is a general surgeon and historian of American medicine. Listen as he tells the story of modern surgery – including many of the problems encountered along the way and the amazing resistance to some important advances. Ira is author of the book, Empire of the Scalpel: The History of Surgery (https://amzn.to/3Lz8lWo). Once you hear it, you’ll be glad you didn’t need an operation 160 years ago.  Do you ask a lot of questions of other people? The truth is most people don’t ask very many questions during the day and the questions we do ask tend to be mundane things like “How’s it going?” or “What kind of work do you do?” However, by asking the right kinds of questions you can learn and understand so much more. Plus, asking questions can be a great way to connect with other people if you do it right. What kinds of questions should you ask? Here with some great advice is Chad Littlefield. He is co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of We and Me, Inc., an organization whose mission is to create conversations that matter. He is also coauthor of the book Ask Powerful Questions (https://amzn.to/380YdI8).  A nap can be wonderful. It can also leave you feeling groggy and feeling more tired. Listen as I explain the keys to taking a nap that research says will leave you feeling more rested and satisfied. https://www.livescience.com/14680-hammock-rocking-improves-sleep.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/18/202449 minutes, 9 seconds
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How a Room Can Change Your Behavior & Strange Stories from History

“Your call is very important to us.” That is just one of many phrases businesses use trying to convince us how customer-focused they are. Do these phrases work, or do they backfire? This episode begins with an exploration. Source: Michael Maslansky author of The Language Of Trust (https://amzn.to/3Wz2IQP). When you walk into a church, it affects you. You feel different than when you walk into a baseball stadium or a restaurant or office or a grocery store. The environment you are in right now affects your behavior your thoughts and your feelings. I am certain you have experienced this but likely never thought a lot about it. That is why Kevin Ervin Kelley is here. Kevin is an award-winning architect who designs stores and offices and other spaces and has studied how rooms and spaces impact people for better or worse. Kevin is author of the book Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places that Bring People Together (https://amzn.to/3UALlwE). While you learn about the big historical events in school, history is filled with lesser known stories that will fascinate you. You are about to hear stories of the disastrous opening day at Disneyland; how Abraham Lincoln was only one of several murder targets the night he was shot; the weird marriage of AOL and Time-Warner and more. Here to tell those stories is Michael Farquhar. He is a former writer and editor at The Washington Post and author of several books including Bad Days in History: A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year (https://amzn.to/3wjKCrF) and More Bad Days in History (https://amzn.to/3QE5q3V). “You have the right to remain silent.” Those are the opening words of the Miranda warning and if a police officer says them to you, it likely means you have just been arrested. But who was Miranda? Whatever became of him? Listen to find out.https://www.thoughtco.com/miranda-v-arizona-104966 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/16/202451 minutes, 36 seconds
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The 2 Keys to Your Happiness & Defying the Rules of English

Even though people seem to enjoy dining out, many find the process frustrating and difficult. And the restaurant’s menu has a lot to do with it. This episode begins with the result of a recent survey regarding how people order, what they think of menus (including QR code menus) how much a meal should cost and more. https://www.usfoods.com/our-services/business-trends/american-menu-choices.html Happiness is a difficult word to define. Even the happiest person in the world isn’t happy all the time. Maybe happiness is more of a philosophy – an overall sense of contentment. Maybe it is the result of the things you do and who you do them for. That’s what Stephanie Harrison believes, and she has studied what makes people happy. Stephanie is the creator of the “New Happy” philosophy. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review. The New Happy’s art, newsletter, podcast, and programs reach millions of people around the world. Here's the website- https://www.thenewhappy.com. She is also author of the book New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong (https://amzn.to/3WxgOlR). Listen and you will get a deeper understanding of happiness and how to find it. In English we have rules. For example: Don’t start an sentence with “and” or “but”; don’t end a sentence with a preposition; don’t say “ain’t” because it’s not a real word. Says who? Where do all these rules come from? Who wrote the rules? Are they really rules and or suggestions? Do they even make sense? Here with some insight into the rules of English and the fascinating way our language evolves is Anne Curzan. She is a professor of English language and literature, linguistics, and education and also serves as the dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. Anne is also author of the book Says Who?: A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words (https://amzn.to/44wj7rd). Some people prefer not to know the gender of their soon-to-be-born baby or name it until after birth. However, there are some good reasons – particularly for new fathers – to know sooner rather than later. Listen as I explain what they are. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/10014909/Fathers-who-find-out-sex-of-unborn-child-more-likely-to-bond-sooner.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/13/202451 minutes, 41 seconds
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Why Your Knowledge of Relationships is Mostly Wrong & The Art of Saying No - SYSK Choice

Why is it you see people on the news every once in a while who claim to drink and smoke and eat a questionable diet – and still live to be 100 while healthy people sometimes die young? This episode begins by exploring this phenomenon and reveals what your odds of living to 100 on the whiskey and cigarette diet really are. Source: Dr. Robert Butler author of The Longevity Prescription (https://amzn.to/392khSV) You have likely heard of these sayings: • Love conquers all • No man is an island • A friend in need is a friend indeed • You can’t judge a book by its cover These sayings all have to do with relationships (or lack of) with other people. But are they true? Eric Barker has taken a hard look into the research on love and friendship and he joins me with some startling findings. Eric is author of the book Plays Well with Others: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships is (Mostly) Wrong (https://amzn.to/3vQdZi9) While it is sometimes hard to say no to someone, how many times have you said yes and regretted it? If you could use some help on getting good at saying no and not feel so guilty about it, listen to my conversation with bestselling author Michael Tougias, author of the book No Will Set You Free. (https://amzn.to/3sm5HfF) Bananas are more interesting than you might think. First of all, you probably believe they come from a tree. They don’t. Also, a bunch of bananas is not technically called a bunch. And there’s more. Listen as I dazzle you with my banana knowledge which can then use to dazzle your friends.  https://www.britannica.com/plant/banana-plant PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/11/202449 minutes, 41 seconds
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How to Master Any Skill & The Strange World of Tattoos

Do you know what the most popular and least popular car colors are? What’s so interesting is that buying a car that is an unpopular color can actually increase the resale value of the car over one that is a more popular color. Listen as I explain how this works. Source: Westways Magazine Summer 2024 / article “Color Considerations” What’s the best way to learn something really well? Is it to have a great coach or practice, practice, practice or – what? Why do some people master a skill better than others – is it just raw talent that separates the good from the great? Well, if you have ever wondered about this, you have to listen to my discussion with Scott Young. He is a writer whose work has been featured in the New York Times, and Business Insider, on the BBC. Scott is the host of The Scott Young Podcast https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/podcast/and author of the book Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery (https://amzn.to/3JOQ60k). What is a tattoo? Why do people get them? Do people often regret getting them? Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, and it seems a lot more people have tattoos today than in the past. What is the appeal? Here to discuss all this and take us inside the world of tattoos is Matt Lodder. He is one of the world’s leading experts on tattoos as well as a senior lecturer in art history and theory at the University of Essex. He is author of the book Painted People: 5,000 Years of Tattooed History from Sailors and Socialites to Mummies and Kings (https://amzn.to/4bdVJlb).  I don’t know if you hum much – but you should. You will simply feel better. And humming has some other excellent benefits I suspect you never knew. Listen to my explanation and you’ll be humming in no time. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/humming-for-self-care-tool-for-leaders-toolboxes-1234956725/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/9/202450 minutes, 51 seconds
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The Strange Intelligence of Plants & Why Restaurants Seem So Expensive

If you ever feel down, anxious or get that sense of doom, you might want to take some Tylenol. You are probably wondering how in the world that could help. Well, it can, and this episode begins with an explanation as to why. https://www.livescience.com/28770-tylenol-eases-existential-dread.html Do plants have intelligence? It seems unlikely. After all, they don’t have a brain so how could they “think” or react to situations? Well, think again. It seems plants can sense danger, communicate with other plants and resort to devious behavior in order to protect themselves that all sounds a lot like intelligence. That’s according to Zoë Schlanger. She is an award-winning staff writer for the Atlantic and author of the book The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth (https://amzn.to/4deE12f). Listen and you may never look at a plant the same way again.  Dining out can get quite expensive. Yet some people believe restaurants are actually underpriced! Still, I bet you have had sticker shock more than once when the restaurant check arrived. Then on top of that you are expected to tip. It all adds up. To help you understand why restaurants may seem expensive and to give you a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes is Andrew Friedman. He is co-author of more than twenty-five cookbooks, memoirs, and other projects with some of the best known chefs; he is producer and host of the podcast “Andrew Talks to Chefs”(https://andrewtalkstochefs.com/podcasts) and he is author of the book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (https://amzn.to/3xWJjiE). Let yourself have a good sigh! It appears that sighing is something people all over the world do. It expresses a feeling to others, and it also is good for you. Listen as I explain. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-babble/201304/why-do-we-sigh PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/6/202451 minutes, 18 seconds
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Why Misperception is So Common & Animal Superpowers We Might Have - SYSK Choice

It feels natural to hold a grudge when someone betrays you or upsets you. After all, you are the injured party, so you are entitled to hang on to that grudge -right? Maybe. However, there are excellent reasons to let go of that grudge. This episode begins with an explanation of those reasons plus an interesting quote about grudges to drives the point home. Source: Judith Kuriansky author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship (https://amzn.to/3KQEetb) No matter how smart you are, your brain does things to trick you. For example, your brain has trouble making sense of fractions – it just does. You are usually going to be less open-minded to ideas that conflict with what you already believe even if the evidence is clear and obvious. Those are just a few examples of how your thinking gets distorted – and there are many others. Here to explain them is James Zimring, Professor of Experimental Pathology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and author of the book Partial Truths: How Fractions Distort our Thinking (https://amzn.to/3LxUj85). We may live on the same planet as other animals, but we live in very different worlds. The world animals experience is very different than ours. Largely, it is because the way they sense their surroundings is so different than ours. There are some animals that can see things we can’t. Other animals hear things or taste things we simply cannot. This is important because the more we know about all of this, the better we can understand how our own senses work. Joining me to discuss this is Jackie Higgins. She is a writer, producer and director of films about animals and she is author of a book called Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Human Senses (https://amzn.to/3OUqY9S). You may not realize this but if you struggle with your weight, it could be your allergy medicine to blame – at least partially. Research show that some common antihistamines seem to be linked to weight gain in some people. Listen to discover more. https://www.verywellhealth.com/do-antihistamines-cause-weight-gain-83094 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com Luckily for those of us who live with the symptoms of allergies, we can Live Claritin Clear with Claritin-D! TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/4/202448 minutes, 21 seconds
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New Tech That Is Changing Your Life Now & The Best Way to Fail

The season during which you were born may have an effect on your health. This episode begins by revealing a study from a few years ago that shows some interesting differences in children who were born in the summer versus those born in winter, spring and fall. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/babies-born-in-winter-are-bigger-brighter-and-more-successful-5336850.html Some new and fascinating technologies are already starting to change lives around the world and will soon be affecting you. These are not far off in the distance technologies – they are here right now - from sponge cities to meat grown in a laboratory, to all the things that AI can do. Here to reveal and explain some of these new technologies is Jay Ingram. He hosts 2 national science programs in Canada, “Quirks & Quarks” on CBC radio and “Daily Planet” on Discovery Channel Canada. Jay is author of 19 books including, The Future of Us: The Science of What We'll Eat, Where We'll Live, and Who We'll Be (https://amzn.to/3WdMNqX). Failure is no fun – but it is inevitable. Failure turns out to be an excellent way to learn and improve our skills and abilities. Still, failure carries a stigma. People often believe that when you fail, it makes you a failure. Parents often want to protect their kids from failure. That turns out to be a very bad idea. So, we are going to talk about how to fail well with my guest, Amy Edmonson. Amy is a professor of leadership and management at the Harvard Business School and she is author the bestselling book, Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (https://amzn.to/3xRCxe0). How you handle and store the food you buy at the grocery store can lengthen or shorten the time before the food goes bad and you have to throw it away. Listen as I explain the best tips to keep food fresher longer. Source: Shop Smart magazine (no link) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5/2/202449 minutes, 50 seconds
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3 Things to Fix Your Life & Finding Awe Everyday

There is a good chance you have thought your cellphone was ringing or vibrating when it wasn’t. It seems weird and makes you wonder why it is such a common experience for people. This episode begins with an explanation.  https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130701-why-you-feel-phantom-phone-calls Here are three things many of us wish were different in our lives are: We wish we had more friends; we wish we didn’t worry so much; we wish we were more confident. If any or all of those apply to you, you will want to hear my guest Helen Thomson. She is a writer and consultant who is author of This Book Could Fix Your Life. (https://amzn.to/3p2oERA). Helen researched these topics in depth and joins me to offer some very practical strategies to address these three common concerns. You most certainly have experienced awe and wonder in your life. It’s that feeling when you first see the Grand Canyon or you see an incredible rainbow or when you see your own child minutes after being born. That is awe. What we often don’t pay attention to is that there is wonder and awe in a lot of things we see and experience every day – if we just take time to notice. And when you do, that feeling contributes to your overall health and happiness. Allen Klein, author of The Awe Factor (https://amzn.to/3wGSwWh) explains how to capture that sense of awe and wonder in your everyday life and explains the interesting research that shows the benefits. Many of us are afraid of bees because we don’t want to get stung. That’s fair. And you probably should be afraid of killer bees or murder hornets. But what about those everyday honeybees? Are they dangerous? Listen as I reveal some truths and myths about bees and just how dangerous they really are. https://www.pestworldforkids.org/pest-guide/bees/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/29/202452 minutes, 2 seconds
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Communication Secrets for Divided Times & The Anatomy of Anxiety - SYSK Choice

While it may seem that life moves at a faster pace, we are the ones who set that pace. Many of us like to do things quickly but that doesn’t mean we have to. This episode begins by exploring what good things might happen if we just slow down a bit. Source, Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress (https://amzn.to/3v9JpzD). It seems almost impossible to have a civil political debate. Why is that? Why must things get so nasty? Is there a way to discuss our differences and still be kind to one another and not accuse the other person of being ignorant and uninformed? The answer is yes according to Monica Guzman. She is a journalist who wants to show people how to depolarize a conversation so people can talk in a way that fosters understanding without offending those who disagree. Monica is author of the book I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times (https://amzn.to/3LcQK7i)  Anxiety abounds. People just seem more anxious and worried than ever before. Of course, not all anxiety is bad. We have to worry about some things. Yet we often find that many of the things we worry about are never as horrible as we anticipate. So, how do we control our own anxiety so it doesn’t control us? Here with some insight is Ellen Vora. She is a psychiatrist and author of the book The Anatomy of Anxiety (https://amzn.to/3863pKp) If you want to sharpen up your memory a bit, you might try stepping outside. Listen as I reveal how nature can improve memory. https://www.spring.org.uk/2009/01/memory-improved-20-by-nature-walk.php PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/27/202451 minutes, 2 seconds
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How to Improve Your Luck & A Much Better Way to Die

Just how much pesticides residue is on the produce you buy? Should you be concerned? Should you buy organic? Consumer Reports recently did an investigation into pesticides on fruits and vegetables and I begin this episode with some of the surprising results. https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/produce-without-pesticides-a5260230325/ Luck is just around the corner. It may be good luck or it may be bad luck but chance and luck have a huge impact on how things turn out for you. When you understand how luck and chance work in your life, you can do things to improve your good luck and minimize the bad. Joining me to explain how all this works is Mark Robert Rank, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis and author of the book The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World around Us (https://amzn.to/3W1mDb4). Every living thing will die one day. What’s interesting is that some living things - for instance a butterfly - may live only a few days before it dies while a tortoise or whale might live hundreds of years. Why do something age quickly and others slowly. Can we somehow slow down human aging so we live longer than we do now? A lot is going on to understand the aging process and slow it down according to my guest Venki Ramakrishnan. He is a Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist and author of the book Why We Die (https://amzn.to/49KII0z) Listen as he offers some fascinating insight into how aging works and we can slow down the inevitable. You’ve probably heard the advice to, “Stop and smell the roses.” While that’s certainly a good idea, you may also want to stop and listen to the birds sing and chirp. Listen and I will explain how bird songs are good for your soul. https://www.treehugger.com/why-do-birds-sing-5179422 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/25/202449 minutes, 44 seconds
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Improving Your Powers of Perception & How Pain Works

Everyone knows it is dangerous to talk on the phone while driving – but it seems like it shouldn’t be. After all you talk to people in the car while you drive and that seems to be okay. This episode explains the reasons why driving and talking on the phone don’t mix – at all. https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/care/centers/trauma-center/resources/distracted-driving Do you know what visual intelligence is? It is how you look at all you see. What do you notice? What don’t you notice? It is how you look at the world. You can sharpen your visual intelligence if you know how and there are some real benefits to doing so. Here to explain it is Amy Norton, who has provided training to the FBI, Navy SEALs, NATO, the Peace Corps, Georgetown University Hospital, and executives at Microsoft and Google. She is author of the bestselling book Visual Intelligence (https://amzn.to/49LRD1U) There is also a new adaptation of that book for children called smART: Use Your Eyes to Boost Your Brain (https://amzn.to/49IX9T5) Pain is something we are all intimately familiar with. Consequently, it is important to understand how pain works, what it is telling you and how to control it. That is precisely what Dr. Aneesh Singla is here to discuss. He is a physician who specializes in treating pain and a leading expert on the topic of pain. Aneesh serves on the physician faculty at Harvard Medical School, and he is author of the book, Why It Hurts: A Physician's Insights on The Purpose of Pain (https://amzn.to/3W26jHc). People smile when they are happy. It’s natural. However, it may also be a good idea to smile even when you are not happy. It turns out there are some real benefits to simply smiling that you may not be aware of. Listen and I will tell you what they are. https://www.verywellmind.com/top-reasons-to-smile-every-day-2223755 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/22/202454 minutes, 9 seconds
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How to Break Free of Being Stuck & Alternative Therapies That Work - SYSK Choice

It matters who your friends are. This episode starts with some interesting Gallup research that shows how the people you hang out with affect who you are in both good and bad ways. Source: Tom Rath author of Well Being (https://amzn.to/3EekZb7) Ever feel stuck? Most of us have, whether it’s stuck in a job or a love relationship – or just a general feeling of being stuck in life. So how do you get unstuck? That’s the important question I explore with Britt Frank. She is a therapist and author of the book, The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward (https://amzn.to/3Efv33v). Many alternative therapies are looked down upon – and sometimes, rightfully so. After all, there isn’t a lot of proof they work. Still, some things that have been labeled “woo-woo” or mystical do seem to have benefits even though no one is exactly sure how they work. These include things such as visualization, massage, aroma therapy, nature, kindness and so on. Sometimes the promises made regarding the power of these therapies are overstated. Still, there may still be something to them. Here to talk about this is Dr. David Hamilton. He is a writer and speaker and author of several books including Why Woo Woo Works (https://amzn.to/3JLtBXI). It is pretty clear that people who eat fast tend to eat more. Seldom is that a good thing. There is a simple technique to help fast eaters slow down and eat less and maybe end up losing weight. Listen and I will tell you what it is. https://arstechnica.com/science/2010/12/imagine-eating-an-mm-taking/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/20/202450 minutes, 41 seconds
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The Changing Threat of Cyber Crime & The Search for Life in the Cosmos

A lot of people have autographs from someone famous. Could the one you have be worth anything? What makes an autograph valuable? How much do rare autographs sell for? This episode begins with a brief overview of autographs and some examples that sold for a lot of money. https://www.investopedia.com/most-valuable-autographs-5218552 We have all been told to be careful when we are online. We need secure passwords, we need to be careful what links we click on – that kind of thing. But have you ever wondered who is behind all the cyber crime that is requiring us to be so careful? How has cyber crime changed? Is there any progress in the fight against it? Joining me to help understand the bigger picture of this huge global threat to all of us who go online is Jessica Barker. She is one of the world’s leading experts on cyber crime and is often seen in the media talking on the topic. She recently received an award (MBE) from Prince William for her service to cyber security. Jessica is author of the book, Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks (https://amzn.to/4cO868z). It may sound like science fiction but there are actually scientists exploring outer space (via very advanced telescopes) looking for life on other planets. This search has actually been going on for several years and while they have yet to discover actual evidence of life, what they have discovered is quite amazing. Joining me is one of the people involved in this search for life, Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger Director of the Carl Sagan Institute to Search for Life in the Cosmos at Cornell University where she is also an associate professor of astronomy. In addition, she is author of the book Alien Earths: The New Science of Planet Hunting in the Cosmos (https://amzn.to/3vMH9S1) The next time you are having trouble writing something, try changing the font or ink color to one specific hue. Listen and I’ll tell you which one and why it seems to help. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/green-colors-creative_n_1386190 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/18/202453 minutes
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How Rituals Enrich Your Life & The Simple Science of Being Healthy

Where do you do your best work and think your best thoughts? Probably not at your workplace. This episode begins with some expert advice on how to optimize your thinking and performance, so you think and work at your very best. Source: Edward Hallowell author of Driven to Distraction (https://amzn.to/3PQgv1u). You likely perform rituals every day of your life – even if you aren't aware of it. From shaking hands when you meet someone, to the rituals of religion to things you do to try and bring luck. Rituals are something humans seem to love and need to have. Why? What do they do for us? A lot, according to Michael Norton, a professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School. and author of The book The Ritual Effect (https://amzn.to/3U65Zpn). Listen as Michael explores the importance of rituals and what they do for us. Much of the science about health is confusing and often contradictory. But if you would like some really good, scientifically proven, straight forward and simple advice on how to get and stay healthy, listen as I speak with Jacob Sager Weinstein. He is a writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, and on HBO, and the BBC . Jacob is author of the book, Be Healthier Now: 100 Simple Ways to Become Instantly Healthier (https://amzn.to/4cZedXV). No medical jargon – just great ideas to be healthy that are surprisingly easy to do.   You have heard the saying, revenge is sweet. What is so sweet about it? Listen as I explain why just the thought of getting revenge on someone feels good, even if actually doing it may not be so wise. https://theconversation.com/revenge-isnt-always-sweet-but-it-can-be-beautiful-73653 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/15/202448 minutes, 44 seconds
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The Secrets to Being Influential & What We Learn From Grief - SYSK Choice

If your freezer has an ice maker then your freezer has a heater. This episode begins with an explanation of why your ice maker needs a heater in the first place, how it is costing you a lot of money and what you can do about it. https://lifehacker.com/save-some-energy-and-money-by-turning-off-your-ice-ma-5792410 We would probably all like to be more influential. That is, to have people listen to us and take our ideas more seriously. So how do you do that? Give a listen to my guest Zoe Chance. She is teacher and researcher who teaches the most popular course at the Yale School of Management called “Mastering Influence and Persuasion “and she is author of the book Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen (https://amzn.to/3jhWIas). Listen if you want to have more clout and be influential.  It is impossible to get too far in life with feeling grief at the death or a friend or loved one. Since it is inevitable, you might want to listen to this segment with my guest Mary Frances O’Connor. She is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss and Social Stress (GLASS) Lab, and she has some valuable insight into grief and what we can all learn from it. It’s a topic people don’t like to talk about much but this is really worth a listen. Mary is author of the book The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss (https://amzn.to/3NV3wc9).  There is a HUGE difference between a good restaurant and a great one. I have an article from a long time ago (not sure where it was published) that offers up some great insight that determines what an excellent restaurant does that a lesser one does not. Listen as I share what this insightful article says.  PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Listen to TED Talks Daily https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/ted-talks/ted-talks-daily Wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/13/202452 minutes, 16 seconds
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Why We Like Superstitions & Science You Never Knew

Apologizing is often difficult. Why though? It seems like doing the right thing and saying you’re sorry should make you feel great. Well, it may make you feel a little better but there is something else that feels MUCH better. Listen as I explain. https://www.npr.org/2013/04/01/175714511/why-not-apologizing-makes-you-feel-better We have a lot of strange and unusual superstitions in this country. But did you know that every culture on earth has superstitions? By definition, superstitions are irrational beliefs. So why do we cling to them and cherish them? Here to discuss and explain is Heather Alexander, author of The Good Luck Book: A Celebration of Global Traditions, Superstitions, and Folklore (https://amzn.to/3TUWIAe). There are always new things to learn in science. Sometimes useful things like the only real way to cure a hangover or why we use maggots to help wounds heal or how a cup of tea changed the way science is done. Well, those are just a few things you will discover when you listen to my guest, Chris Balakrishnan. He is co founder of Nerd Nite. For over 20 years, Nerd Nite has delivered interesting, live presentations about science, history, the arts, pop culture, around the world. He is also author of the book How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite (https://amzn.to/3TXVrIK) What should you do if you see an egg on the ground that has fallen from a nest? There are a lot of theories. But I will tell you what bird experts say you should do. https://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/wildlife-emergency-rescue-hotline/how-to-help-orphaned-baby-wild-animals/what-should-i-do-with-eggs PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Listen to TED Talks Daily https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/ted-talks/ted-talks-daily Wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/11/202447 minutes, 11 seconds
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Human Biases That Shape Your Thinking & The Science of Elite Performers

When you approach a table where you are going to sit with a group of people, which chair do you take? This episode begins with a strategy to choose the best seat at the table whether it’s round or square – 4 chairs or 6 or 8. https://lifehacker.com/always-choose-the-best-seat-at-any-multi-person-table-5990596 Despite your best efforts not to - you have certain biases that you cannot escape. And these biases affect how you think, the decisions you make and the actions you take. So, it might be good to understand what these biases are and how they affect you. Here to explain this is Alex Edmans, professor of finance at London Business School whose TED talk "What to Trust in a Post-Truth World" https://www.ted.com/talks/alex_edmans_what_to_trust_in_a_post_truth_world has been viewed two million times. Alex is author of the book, May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases―And What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/3vprIz3). Most of us probably wish we had a little more mental toughness. When you think of elite athletes or Navy SEALs, these people are able to focus with laser-like precision, ignore distractions and act fearlessly. Who couldn’t use a little more of that?. Here to explain how it works is Eric Potterat. He is a clinical and performance psychologist and retired commander from the US Navy. During his tenure with the navy, he helped create the mental toughness curriculum used during Navy SEALs training. Eric is author of the book Learned Excellence: Mental Disciplines for Leading and Winning from the World’s Top Performers (https://amzn.to/3TV4Qka). Toothpicks are handy and seemingly harmless little pieces of wood. But in truth, they are can also be trouble. In fact, they can be dangerous. When you listen you may just decide to use a fork instead. https://acedentaloftexas.com/why-are-toothpicks-a-danger-for-your-oral-health PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow eBay Motors has 122 million parts for your #1 ride-or-die, to make sure it stays running smoothly. Keep your ride alive at https://eBayMotors.com Listen to TED Talks Daily https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/ted-talks/ted-talks-daily Wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/8/202450 minutes, 3 seconds
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How Expectations Steer Your Life & The History of the World’s Most Favorite Food - SYSK Choice

Well, this sucks… it turns out that nice people make less money than mean people. That hardly seems fair. This episode begins with an explanation of why this happens and how much more mean people make. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111904823804576502763895892974 How you expect your life to go is a very powerful indicator of how it actually will go. Whether it is your health, happiness, how much you weigh or even how long you think you will live, your expectations have a lot to do with the final result. This is according to David Robson, an award-winning science writer who has researched the science of expectations. He is author of the book The Expectation Effect (https://amzn.to/3KfXZKR) and he joins me to reveal how having positive expectations can make your life a lot better. Do you know when and where was the first pizza made? Why couldn’t anyone make a decent frozen pizza until 1995? And what ever happened to Round Table Pizza or Godfather’s Pizza? I explore these any many questions about pizza with food writer Mark Masker author of the book Totally Pizza: The Wild Story of the World’s Most Famous Food. (https://amzn.to/3712smr). There is an assumption that if you are doodling, you are not paying attention. Many students have been reprimanded by teachers for that exact reason. Well, that is just plain nonsense. Listen as I explain the truth about doodling and why you should do it. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226210039.htm# PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow You can get a ticket for texting while driving. Put the phone away or pay! Paid for by NHTSA Listen to TED Talks Daily https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/ted-talks/ted-talks-daily Wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/6/202449 minutes, 14 seconds
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What the Government Knows About You & How to Break a Bad Habit

The percentage of depressed people who smoke is higher than the general population. Way higher. When you dig a little deeper, it turns out there is an interesting connection between depression and smoking that you’ll find interesting. This episode starts with a brief explanation. https://www.oprah.com/health/quitting-smoking-and-depression Companies are constantly collecting data on you. Everything from what you watch online to what you buy, where you go, your affiliations – all sorts of things. Often that information is sold to data brokers who can then sell that data to other marketers. However, it appears they are also selling it to governments. Government agencies in the U.S and in other countries are acquiring data about you from data brokers. Why would they do that? Should you be worried. That is what Byron Tau is here to discuss. Byron is a journalist based in Washington, D.C., where he writes about law, courts and national security and he is author of the book Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government Is Creating a New American Surveillance State (https://amzn.to/49gEf5v). We know a lot more about habits than we used to. This information can be very useful if you ever want to break a bad habit or create a new good one. Someone in the forefront of habit research is Dr Gina Cleo. She has a PhD in habit change and is an assistant professor at Bond University in Australia. She is author of the book The Habit Revolution: Simple Steps to Rewire Your Brain for Powerful Habit Change (https://amzn.to/3PZjFQH). Listen as she reveals how you got those habits in the first place, how to ditch them and then how to get better ones.  We all get the concept of second-hand smoke. It is a health risk for sure. Well, so is second-hand television. In other words, having a television turned on somewhere else in the house that you can hear can be bad for your brain and your kids' brains. Listen as I explain how and why. https://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/health/kids-background-tv/index.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow You can get a ticket for texting while driving. Put the phone away or pay! Paid for by NHTSA Listen to TED Talks Daily https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/ted-talks/ted-talks-daily Wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/4/202450 minutes, 33 seconds
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The Surprising Biology of Love & How to Keep More of Your Money

When you go to Disneyland or Disney World, something happens in the parking lot when you get there and when you leave that is worth paying attention to. Listen as I explain a little secret that Walt Disney knew and you can use in your life as well. Source: Tom Peters author of The Little Big Things https://amzn.to/4cmUMaZ You have heard about the chemistry of love and today you will hear about the biology of love. The fact is our desire for love is driven by biology and how that biology works (and sometimes doesn’t) is fascinating according to my guest Dr. Liat Yakir. She is a biologist specializing in genetics and science communication and speaks frequently on the topics of the biology of human emotions. She is author of the book, A Brief History of Love: What Attracts Us, How We Fall in Love and Why Biology Screws it All Up (https://amzn.to/3vkyiqn). Listen as she explains all this and offers a prescription for a successful relationship you may not have heard before.  It is possible to keep more of your money... if you just ask. You can ask to have fees waived; you can ask for a better deal – there are all sorts of ways to save money. Here to explain how why and where to do it Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree who has written for Bankrate, Business Insider, CBS MoneyWatch, and USNews.com. Matt is author of the book, Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More: How to Take Control of Your Financial Life (https://amzn.to/4a1xIgt) There is something about going barefoot that many of us enjoy. However, there are others who insist it is a horrible idea. Humans have worn shoes for 40,000 and perhaps for good reason. Listen as we explore the pros and cons of walking barefoot through the life. https://time.com/6284245/walking-barefoot-health-risks/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow You can get a ticket for texting while driving. Put the phone away or pay! Paid for by NHTSA Listen to TED Talks Daily https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/ted-talks/ted-talks-daily Wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4/1/202450 minutes, 50 seconds
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How Aging Can Be Reversed & Science “Facts” That Aren’t True - SYSK Choice

What makes a food – a comfort food? Are you actually comforted by these foods? This episode begins by revealing why people crave certain comfort foods and what eating those foods does for you. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/why-comfort-food-comforts/389613/  Is it really possible to slow down the aging process and increase how long you live? There are a lot of products offered that supposedly do that. And while some of it may be hype, there is a lot of serious research into how to increase lifespan by slowing the process of aging. One of the people on the cutting edge of this research is Dr. David Sinclair. He is a leading longevity expert, professor at Harvard University and author of the book Lifespan: Why we Age and Why We Don’t Have To (https://amzn.to/3KXpzN8). Listen to our conversation as he explores proven ways to turn back the clock and add years to your life. A day is 24 hours long. Humans have 5 senses. It is lack of gravity that allows astronauts on the International Space Station to float in the air. These are a few examples of things most people believe to be true that are not. Or, they may have a little truth to them but not as much as you think. That is what Philip Bouchard is here to discuss. He is a software engineer, educator and author of the book The Stickler’s Guide to Science in the Age of Misinformation: The Real Science Behind Hacky Headlines, Crappy Clickbait, and Suspect Sources (https://amzn.to/3tH5swJ).  Your stomach growls when you are hungry. But hunger is not the reason it growls. In fact, it isn’t even your stomach that is growling. Listen as I explore what is really going on to make all that noise at exactly the wrong time. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319901 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/30/202450 minutes, 36 seconds
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The Story of Jeff Bezos and Amazon & How to Be More Interesting

Taking your shoes off before you enter a home is a thoughtful gesture and something many people have done for a long time. And it really is good idea. Why? Listen as I explain what people track in on the bottom of their shoes besides dirt. It's really pretty disgusting. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/07/03/my-shoes-dirty-studies-suggest-theyre-covered-fecal-bacteria/1637780001/ Whether you like Amazon or not, you have to admire the incredible success that company has achieved with Jeff Bezos at the helm. How did Amazon get to be such a giant company so fast? You see their trucks everywhere, many of us send or receive products and do a lot of shopping on Amazon. Beyond that there is Alexa, Kindle, Whole Foods, and much more to Amazon. Is Jeff Bezos just a genius? Why didn’t someone else think of this before or at least try to compete better? Someone who understands Amazon well is Brad Stone, senior executive editor for global technology at Bloomberg News and the author of Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire (https://amzn.to/3hxau9u). Listen as he takes us inside the workings at Amazon and explains how Jeff Bezos did what he did – the good and bad.  Speaking and listening. You do those two things more than any others all day long. Yet, you were probably never taught how to speak or how to listen – at least not in any formal way. However, the better you are at these skills, the more interesting people will think you are and the more effective you will be in life according to my guest Julian Treasure. He is a leading expert in communication and sound and is author of the book How to be Heard: Secrets for Powerful Speaking and Listening (https://amzn.to/3hEMyBk). Listen as he explains the science of how we talk and listen and how all of us can improve our skills to be more effective communicators in any situation. Julian’s TED Talks can be found at: https://bit.ly/2QA27yP & https://bit.ly/3hGPayh  In just about every grocery store you go into, there are no windows except in the front of the store. Why? Listen as I explain the reasons why. https://bit.ly/2RCz7XH PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/28/202452 minutes, 48 seconds
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Why You Need to Laugh More & Inside Multi-Level Marketing

One huge important milestone in any relationship is when someone says, “I love you.” So how long does that take? Listen as I reveal how long it takes for a man vs a woman and who usually says it first. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2289562/I-love-Men-88-days-say-girlfriend-women-134-days-say-boyfriend.html Laughter is nothing to laugh at. We all need laughter because the benefits of laughing a lot are tremendous – both physically and mentally. And after all, who doesn't love a good laugh. Joining me to explain the science of laughter is Ros Ben-Moshe. She is an internationally recognized laughter, wellness, and positivity expert, adjunct lecturer at La Trobe University, where she has taught positive psychology and health promotion and she is author of the book, The Laughter Effect: How to Build Joy, Resilience, and Positivity in Your Life (https://amzn.to/3ICQCy5) Is multi-level marketing a legitimate way for people to earn extra money or is it really just a pyramid scheme? Listen as we take a look inside the MLM world and get a better understanding of how Amway, Mary Kay, Shaklee and others actually work. My guest for this discussion is Peabody and Emmy winning journalist Jane Marie who is a former producer of the podcast This American Life and currently hosts a podcast called The Dream (https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-dream). She is also author of the book on multi-level marketing called Selling the Dream: The Billion-Dollar Industry Bankrupting Americans (https://amzn.to/43iVu4O) Something very interesting can happen when you ask someone to do a favor for you. In fact, doing so can draw you closer to that person. Listen as I explain how this works. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-initiative/201605/the-power-merely-requesting-favor PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/25/202449 minutes, 52 seconds
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Is AI Eliminating Your Choice? & Tribology Explained (It’s Everywhere)

Every home has batteries sitting around in a drawer somewhere waiting to be used. This episode begins with some interesting advice about how to use and store batteries – and how NOT to. Listen and you will understand why it really does matter. https://www.kickassfacts.com/battery-facts/ Artificial intelligence keeps creeping into our lives more and more every day. While AI can be pretty cool and helpful, there is a downside. In fact, there are several downsides. That’s according to Jacob Ward, NBC News technology correspondent, and author of the book The Loop: How Technology is Creating a World Without Choice and How to Fight Back (https://amzn.to/3JBMmh2). Jacob joins me to explain how artificial intelligence is used in medicine, retail, government, and other areas and how it provides benefits as well as creates problems. Do you know what the word “tribology” means? If not, you are about to as you listen to my conversation with physicist Laurie Winkless author the book Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces (https://amzn.to/3JwTg7i). Simply put, tribology is the science of surfaces and how they interact with other surfaces. For example, why some surfaces stick together, and some don’t and why some things feel good to the touch and others do not. This is all part of physics and Laurie explains how it works and how it affects your life.  Getting something you want is good. But you know what’s even better? Not LOSING something. This is an important principle that is often used in advertising. It can also work in your attempts to persuade someone. Listen and I will tell you how. Source: Noah Goldstein author of The Little Book of Yes (https://amzn.to/3ipi4SW). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/23/202452 minutes, 56 seconds
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Make Your Dreams Work for You / How Food Affects Mood / Why We Need Stuff

We all know that we need to drink a lot of water. But have you ever wondered why? This episode begins with exactly how drinking lots of water helps and how drinking too little hurts. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/17435/why-drink-water-how-water-and-health-are-connected/ What determines the content of your dreams? Is it true that people come up with great solutions or ideas in their dreams? What does science tell us about the importance of dreams and is there is a way to actually put them to work for you? Listen as I speak with Deirdre Barrett, a dream researcher at Harvard Medical School, past president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams and frequent media guest on the topic of dreaming. She is author of the book The Committee of Sleep: How Artists, Scientists, and Athletes Use Their Dreams for Creative Problem Solving-And How You Can Too (https://amzn.to/3Tzr0bv) What you put in your stomach affects your brain. Think about it – when you have a headache, you take a pill (that goes to your stomach) and it makes your head feel better. The same thing appears to be true with the food you eat. What you eat can affect how you think, how you feel and even your level anxiety. That’s the message from Dr. Uma Naidoo, board-certified Harvard nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, and nutritional biologist. She serves on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, the Harvard Department of Nutrition, and is author of the book Calm Your Mind with Food (https://amzn.to/3vcQx0V) From the time humans first invented and used tools, humans have wanted and needed stuff. Tools were our first “stuff” – and owning the best tools gave you status and prestige. Now we have so much stuff and we simply can’t live without it. Our stuff is part of our identity. How we got here is a fascinating story which you are about to hear from Chip Colwell. Chip is an archaeologist, former museum curator, and author and editor of twelve books. His latest book is So Much Stuff: How Humans Discovered Tools, Invented Meaning, and Made More of Everything (https://amzn.to/43euNyr) Watching movies can be good for you. Whether in a theater or at home, comedies, thrillers, romance or family films can all have a positive effect. Listen as I reveal just how good a movie can be. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/07/040722085905.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/21/202447 minutes, 56 seconds
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The Real Reason for Anxiety & The Science of the Paranormal

You’ve probably heard this old rock & roll legend… that when Van Halen performed in concert, they used to ask for M&Ms in their dressing room but all the brown ones had to be removed. Why in the world would they want that? Listen as I reveal the amazingly practical reason. https://www.safetydimensions.com.au/van-halen/ A lot of people suffer from too much anxiety. But anxiety is not the problem according to Dr. John Delony. Rather than focus on reducing your anxiety, John’s advice has more to do with handling whatever it is that is causing the anxiety in the first place. Much like when a smoke alarm goes off in your house, do you just try to figure out how to turn off the alarm or do you try to put out the fire? Listen and you will get a very different approach to dealing with anxiety in your life. Dr. John Delony is a mental health and wellness expert who hosts The John Delony Show podcast (https://www.ramseysolutions.com/shows/the-dr-john-delony-show) and he is author of the book Building a Non-Anxious Life. (https://amzn.to/4aabU1G). Do you believe in the paranormal? Many people not only believe but insist they have had actual experiences with ghosts, or psychic ability or telepathic powers – even alien encounters. While the proof for all of this is sketchy, many very intelligent people swear by their beliefs. Why? The "why" is what's so fascinating according to Chris French, Emeritus Professor and Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London and author of the book, The Science of Weird Sh**: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal (https://amzn.to/3PdKnVd). Could the believers be on to something? Listen as we explore this. Do you hate to get out of bed in the morning? Is it just hard to pull off the covers and actually get up? There are some things you can do to make that experience a little less dreadful. Listen as I explain. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tricks-waking-up-sleep_n_2718257#slide=2125100 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/18/202452 minutes, 59 seconds
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Dangers of Collective Illusions & The Inadequacy of Language - SYSK Choice

You have likely noticed that in meetings, there are often 1, 2 or 3 people who tend to dominate the meeting and eat up a lot of time. In fact, did you know that the larger the number of people attending a meeting, the fewer of them actually say anything or participate. This episode begins by exploring why this happens and to get more people involved and to participate in important meetings. Source: Kevin Coyne author of Brainsteering (https://amzn.to/36pCqc1). People tend to conform to a group. That’s just human nature. We want to peacefully coexist with the members of our tribe. However, conforming to a group can be problematic according to Dr. Todd Rose, Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of the book Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions (https://amzn.to/3CZz6AF). One of the problems is, you may think you are part of the majority on certain issues when you are not. You see, we are wired to believe that the loudest voices represent what most people believe. That is where the trouble begins. This fascinating conversation will get you thinking… Have you ever wondered why there are so many different languages? What do languages have in common and how do they differ? And why do they differ? Does our language actually do an adequate job in communicating what we are trying to say? Here to explore this and to explain how language has helped humans thrive is N.J. Enfield, a professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney and author of the book, Language vs. Reality: Why Language Is Good for Lawyers and Bad for Scientists (https://amzn.to/3way7vK). Cover letters for a job application can be hard to write. And in the back of everyone’s mind who writes one is – Is anyone actually going to read this? Well, there is a little trick that will increase the odds of your letter being read by as much as 75%! Listen as I explain how this works. Source: Skip Freeman, author of Headhunter Hiring Secrets (https://amzn.to/3JjsJdM). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Always find what you love and love what you find at Total Wine & More ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/16/202450 minutes, 47 seconds
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How to Decide to Stay or Leave & Songs That Changed Rock & Roll

Did you know that going to get a hair cut can make you look years younger? And it apparently has absolutely nothing to do with the haircut at all. Listen as I explain the magic of how this happens. https://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/psychology-of-hair/ There are times in everyone’s life when you have to decide to stay or go. Whether it is a job, a friendship, a romance, where you live – there are all kinds of situations where we have to choose to stay where we are or make a change. But how do you make that kind of decision? Maybe something doesn’t feel right in the present but that doesn’t mean you should bail out completely – or does it? Here to discuss this with me is Emily P. Freeman. She is host of the podcast The Next Right Thing (https://emilypfreeman.com/podcast/) and she is author of 5 books. Her latest is called How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away (https://amzn.to/43a6d1p). A lot of songs become hits. But once in a while, a song comes along that is not only a hit but also helped to shape rock & roll. “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys, “Rocket Man” by Elton John, “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers are just a few of those songs that fall into that category, and are some of the songs we are going to discuss with Marc Myers. Marc is regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, where he writes about music and the arts. He is also author of the critically acclaimed books Anatomy of a Song, Why Jazz Happened, and Rock Concert and his latest book is called Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul (https://amzn.to/3TrynC4) In the attempt to get you to buy things, retailers try to appeal to your senses – ALL your senses, including your sense of smell. How the store smells, how the products smell all influence you. Listen as I explain what’s going on here. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214143732.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Always find what you love and love what you find at Total Wine & More ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/14/202449 minutes, 47 seconds
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The World of Government Secrets & The Problem with Productivity

Most offices have a coffee area and some spare coffee cups sitting around for anyone who needs one. This episode begins with an explanation for why you want to stay away from those coffee cups and what you need to do with the cup you use every day. https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2013/02/23/Expert-Coffee-mug-on-desk-a%20germ-machine/UPI-72401361679514/ Our government spends millions of dollars guarding secrets and other classified information. Why? What are they keeping secret? Are there secrets about you in there? Who decides what is and isn’t secret – or top secret. When you look inside the world of government secrets, it is truly strange. And that is exactly what we do in this episode with Matthew Connelly professor of international and global history at Columbia University and author of the book The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America's Top Secrets (https://amzn.to/49CjlyR). Our working definition of productivity seems wrong. The idea of getting more done in less time may work for some factory and farm type work. However, many of us today work with knowledge and information. The “just being busy” model of productivity really doesn’t work because the busyness gets in the way of actual results. Here to discuss another way to approach productivity is Cal Newport professor of computer science at Georgetown University and author of several best selling books. His latest is called Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout (https://amzn.to/49wvV2M). Men tend to take more risks than women. It may partly be hormones, but evolution also has a role to play. This is especially true when the risk involves a woman. Listen as I explain. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130211090844.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare & find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, & more https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Dell.com/deals Always find what you love and love what you find at Total Wine & More ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/11/202449 minutes, 15 seconds
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Weird Human Behaviors Explained & Be Kind to Your Mouth -SYSK Choice

Could drinking water make you smarter? Actually no one is really sure, but it does seem to be so. This episode begins by explaining how we know this is true and what some possible explanations might be. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201205/can-sipping-water-make-you-smarter# Humans are strange creatures who act in weird ways. For example, we often compare ourselves to others. We exaggerate our stories to make us look better. And we do unusual things to make ourselves happy. All of this makes you wonder – why? Joining me with some fascinating explanations is William Von Hippel, a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia and author of the book, The Social Leap: The New Evolutionary Science of Who We Are, Where We Come from, and What Makes Us Happy (https://amzn.to/3pVYaCZ ). From the time you were little it has been drilled into your head to take care of your teeth and mouth by brushing and flossing every day. While that’s a good start, it may not be enough according to dentist Dr. Kami Hoss, who sits on the Board of Counselors at the UCLA School of Dentistry and is the CEO of The Super Dentists (https://www.thesuperdentists.com) and he is author of the book If Your Mouth Could Talk (https://amzn.to/3MGtU8V) . Listen as Dr. Hoss reveals how your oral health can have a significant impact on your physical and mental health. You have probably heard of the 7-year itch. It’s the theory that at around the 7th year of a marriage or romantic relationship things can start to fall apart. Is it a real thing? Maybe. But it often doesn’t take 7 years. Listen as I reveal some interesting insight.. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seven-year-itch-now-down-to-three-years-why/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Del.com/deals to access great deals on leading-edge technology & free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/9/202451 minutes, 32 seconds
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How to Better Deal with People & The Power of Profanity

I’m sure you have been hit in the head. Maybe you fell and bumped it, or someone accidentally hit you or you got a baseball thrown at you – something. Sooner or later, we all take a shot to the head and often we shrug it off. That may be a mistake. Listen as I explain why. Source: Daniel Amen, M.D. author of “Change Your Brain Change Your Body” (https://amzn.to/3P3Dtld) Every day you have to navigate through life by talking and negotiating and resolving disputes with all the people you encounter. Since we could all likely use a little help with this, I want you to listen to my guest William Ury. He is considered one of the leading authorities on negotiation and conflict. He has worked with the White House, the State Department, the Pentagon, and dozens of Fortune 500 companies. His approach to dealing with people and handling conflict is just brilliant and something everyone should hear. William is author of the book Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict. (https://amzn.to/3T7issl). Profanity is considered offensive, shocking rude and disrespectful. But could swearing also have benefits? Why do people swear in the first place? And why, since swearing is so common, do people still find it shocking. All these things are tackled in my discussion with Rebecca Roache. She is a senior lecturer in philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London and author of the book, For F*ck's Sake: Why Swearing is Shocking, Rude, and Fun (https://amzn.to/48DxH0t) Want to keep your kids out of jail? Then you might want to pay attention to how much time they spend doing this one very common and seemingly innocuous activity. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2280397/Can-letting-children-watch-TV-turn-criminals.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Del.com/deals to access great deals on leading-edge technology & free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/7/202448 minutes, 49 seconds
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Embracing Optimism & How Algorithms Narrow Your Choices

Distractions while driving can be dangerous. Good drivers know they need to minimize distractions. However, some things that are intended to deliberately distract drivers, such as billboards. And it turns out certain types of billboards can be REALLY distracting. Listen as I explain. Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2280521/ It would seem that being an optimist would be better than being a pessimist. But is it something you can really change? And why do some people see the glass half empty, and some see it half full? It turns out that the science of optimism is fascinating and there is a lot we can do to become more optimistic about the world and our lives. Joining me to explain how is Dr. Sue Varma. She is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University. She is also author of a book called Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being (https://amzn.to/3TbPjv5). When you search online for something whether it’s a movie on Netflix or a screwdriver on Amazon, the choices you see are determined by an algorithm. In other words, you don’t see every screwdriver in the world, you see the ones the algorithm has determined you might like. While that may be good for a screwdriver, it may be very limiting when it comes to other things. Here to explain why this is important is Kyle Chayka. He is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where he writes a column on digital technology and the impact of the Internet and social media on culture and he is author of the book, Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture (https://amzn.to/4bSgpj6). Everyone knows that it is dangerous to drive if you have been drinking. However, driving when you're sick may be even more dangerous. Listen as I reveal how even a slight cold can affect your body and put you at risk when you drive. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2283323 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING We love the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast! https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell TechFest starts now! To thank you for 40 unforgettable years, Dell Technologies is celebrating with anniversary savings on their most popular tech. Shop at https://Del.com/deals to access great deals on leading-edge technology & free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/4/202450 minutes, 54 seconds
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How to Master Charisma & The Marvel of Modern Genetics - SYSK Choice

A person’s first name can have a profound impact on their life. This episode begins as I describe how people instantly get preconceived ideas about you based solely on your name – some good ideas and some not so good. It seems your name can shape who you are for the rest of your life. https://www.theifod.com/how-does-your-name-shape-who-you-are/ Some people can just walk into a room and exude charisma. I am sure you have seen it happen. People are attracted to charismatic people. But it is sometimes hard to figure exactly what makes someone charismatic. Listen as my guest Vanessa Van Edwards, reveals the ingredients of charisma and explains how anyone can express more of that quality that people find so attractive. Vanessa is founder and lead investigator at Science of People (https://www.scienceofpeople.com), she is a sought after speaker and author of the book Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication (https://amzn.to/3vFoLZ0). What science has discovered about genetics and DNA in just the last few decades is amazing. Remember it wasn’t all that long ago when we started using fingerprints as a crime solving tool. Today DNA evidence is helping to solve decades-old cold case crimes with incredible accuracy. Plus, we now know so much about our genetics and how it all relates to our health. Joining me to discuss this is Dr. Joshua Rappoport. Joshua is a cellular biology expert who teaches at Boston College and is author of the book Mapping Humanity: How Modern Genetics is Changing Criminal Justice, Personal Medicine and Our Identities (https://amzn.to/35RY6wT). Could it be that shopping actually has health benefits? Listen as I describe one study that equates shopping with physical exercise. Plus, it also seems to offer emotional benefits as well – depending on how you shop. https://business.time.com/2013/04/16/is-retail-therapy-for-real-5-ways-shopping-is-actually-good-for-you/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Shop at https://Dell.com/deals now, to get great deals on leading-edge technology to match your forward-thinking spirit, with free shipping on everything! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3/2/202450 minutes, 48 seconds
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How to Keep Life Thrilling & How to Command A Conversation

Everyone loves getting flowers – but of course they don’t last very long. To make them last as long as possible, what works best, the flower food that comes with the flowers, or maybe aspirin in the water or maybe something else? This episode begins by revealing a surprising additive that will keep your flowers perky – longer. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12981249/ No matter how excited you get about something or someone – it is impossible to stay excited for very long. It’s just how humans are wired. We get used to things no matter how great they are at first. It is called habituation. Still, there are ways to “resparkle” some of that excitement and appreciate things again that you have come to take for granted, as you will hear from my guest Tali Sharot. She is a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College, London and at MIT. She is the founder and director of the Affective Brain Lab and co-author of the book Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There (https://amzn.to/49F5vLD). I bet you know someone who is simply a joy to talk to. They make you feel smart, they listen to what you say and you just feel better speaking to them. That person is what Charles Duhigg calls a “super communicator” And really anyone can master the skill and Charles is here to explain how and why it is so important for your personal and professional success. Charles is the author of a new bestselling book called Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection (https://amzn.to/3wmhwHv). Next time you are trying to figure out a problem or come up with a solution, you might want to switch your body position. Listen and I’ll tell you which position appears to be best. https://phys.org/news/2005-05-creative-lying.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Shop at https://Dell.com/deals now, to get great deals on leading-edge technology to match your forward-thinking spirit, with free shipping on everything! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/29/202451 minutes, 17 seconds
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What Colors Do To You & Recycling: Does It Really Help?

Why are there so many different shampoos? Does it really matter which one if all you want is clean hair? This episode begins by explaining which shampoo is best for you. https://theconversation.com/does-the-price-of-your-shampoo-affect-how-clean-your-hair-is-heres-the-science-71597 We live in a colorful world. Color matters to us. We care what color our clothes are and what color our walls are painted and what color car we drive. We also love the colors found in nature. We admire the colorful leaves in autumn and a beautiful blue sky. Why do colors matter to us? Are there other colors we just cannot see? Are the colors I see the same ones you see? Joining me to take you on a colorful journey is Adam Rogers, s senior correspondent at Wired and author of the book Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern (https://amzn.to/3hlKmhH). We are all expected to recycle. After all, it is the right thing to do. However, there is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about how recycling works and what you should and should not recycle. What about plastic forks, or plastic grocery bags or loose bottle caps? Should those be recycled? The answer is no for all three. You might also wonder just how much of what we put in our recycle bin actually gets recycled into something else. Listen and be surprised by my guest Jennie Romer. She is an attorney and leading expert on single-use plastics, and she author of the book CAN I RECYCLE THIS? A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics (https://amzn.to/32BfVeS). How great would it be to find something stored away in your attic or basement that is actually valuable? Listen as I reveal some items that could actually be in your home that you could turn into cash. Source: Brian Kathenes author of Betcha Didn’t Know That! (https://amzn.to/3xaJn9A) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Shop at https://Dell.com/deals now, to get great deals on leading-edge technology to match your forward-thinking spirit, with free shipping on everything! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/26/202452 minutes, 58 seconds
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The Benefits of Being Delusional & Our Evolution Challenges-SYSK Choice

With all the advances in automobile technology, it seems they still haven’t solved the problem of that terrible thumping noise that happens when you are driving with one of the back windows rolled down. Listen as I explain why it happens in almost every car. https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/wind-buffeting-how-to-stop-it/ Like it or not, we are all delusional. Interestingly, it turns out to be a good thing – for the most part That’s according Stuart Vyze, a behavioral scientist, teacher and author of a book called The Uses of Delusion: Why It’s Not Always Rational to be Rational (https://amzn.to/3HhzJG7). Stuart reveals why being just a bit delusional helps us all in ways you never imagined.  We humans may be at the top of the food chain but certainly not without our flaws. Particularly, physical flaws. Vision problems, back pain, foot trouble and more are rampant throughout the world’s population. Are people just designed poorly, or maybe we haven’t yet evolved into the creatures we will one day be? That’s what I discuss with Alex Bezzerides. Alex is a professor of biology and author of the book Evolution Gone Wrong: The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work (Or Don’t) (https://amzn.to/3I2WS1P). Listen as Alex takes you on an journey into the world of human evolution and reveals why we are built the way we are and what we may become one day in the future. Your silverware gets beaten up over time and can come out of the dishwasher looking less than sparkly. Listen to this very simple tip I saw on a TikTok video that will make your silverware look better than it has looked in a long time. https://www.rd.com/article/aluminum-foil-dishwasher-hack/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Shop at https://Dell.com/deals now, to get great deals on leading-edge technology to match your forward-thinking spirit, with free shipping on everything! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/24/202450 minutes, 32 seconds
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What Is Good Mental Health? & The Weird Thing About Memory

Are the things in your kitchen laid out efficiently? We often place kitchen items randomly – or wherever they fit. This episode begins with a quick little test you can do that could ultimately save you hours in the kitchen. Source: Mary Collette Rogers author of Take Control of Your Kitchen (https://amzn.to/4bGts7q). What does it mean to be mentally healthy? Is it possible to have outstanding mental health or are we all a bit flawed? To get a better understanding about your mental health, I’d like you to listen to Camilla Nord. She leads the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab at the University of Cambridge and she is author of the book The Balanced Brain – The Science of Mental Health (https://amzn.to/3SK1IpA). She offers some great insight into how a mentally healthy brain handles the ups and downs of life. Just because you remember something doesn’t mean that is how it happened. While the human memory is amazing and serves us well, it can be amazingly inaccurate. The fact is you forget a lot more than you remember and over time those memories blur, fade and distort. Yet without your memory, you wouldn’t be able to function. To bring this all into focus is Charan Ranganath. He is a professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California at Davis and author of the book Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters (https://amzn.to/42Lp8zt) Is it true that having a large and bold signature says something about your personality? Maybe so according to a study of 605 bosses with big signatures. Listen as I explain why working for one of those types of bosses might be challenging. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2275180/Does-boss-sign-flourish CEOs-big-signatures-likely-narcissists-study-reveals.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Shop at https://Dell.com/deals now, to get great deals on leading-edge technology to match your forward-thinking spirit, with free shipping on everything! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/22/202449 minutes, 48 seconds
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Everyday Health Hacks & A New Approach to Conflict

When you drink something and start choking, people often say, “Oh it must’ve gone down the wrong pipe.” This episode begins by explaining what the wrong pipe is and why it’s there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYsz2Od5jDQ A lot of health advice is just plain wrong. Myths abound when it comes to taking care of yourself. Here to explode some of those myths and offer some sound advice on your health is Dr. Karan Rajan. He is a surgeon who has millions of followers on social media where he dispenses solid, high quality health advice. He is also author of the book, This Book May Save Your Life: Everyday Health Hacks to Worry Less and Live Better (https://amzn.to/48fnVlh). Listen as he offers suggestions on maintaining your gut, your heart, your nose and ears and so much more. Here is a link to his YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@DrKaran All of us frequently find ourselves in conflict with other people. You can’t escape it but you can get better at dealing with the conflict. Joining me to offer some excellent advice on just how to do that is Jayson Gaddis He is one of the world’s leading authorities on interpersonal conflict. For almost two decades, Jayson has helped individuals, couples, and teams get to the bottom of their deepest conflicts. Jayson is author of the book Getting to Zero: How to Work Through Conflict in Your High-Stakes Relationships (https://amzn.to/3Uzll6k). Heating your home in the winter can be very expensive. One big reason is that a lot of your expensive heat leaks out. Listen as I reveal some of the places heat seeps out that you may not realize. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/lifestyle/home/where-heat-leaves-your-house/index.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Shop at https://Dell.com/deals now, to get great deals on leading-edge technology to match your forward-thinking spirit, with free shipping on everything! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/19/202449 minutes, 34 seconds
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Your Incredible Sense of Smell & Overcoming Burn Out - SYSK Choice

Gotta big decision to make? Before you make it, you might want to wash your hands first. This episode begins with the explanation for why it is such a good idea. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/100506-health-brain-wash-hands-choices-decisions# Can you really smell fear from someone ? Why do some odors make you feel sick while others are extremely pleasant? Why do some smells trigger vivid memories? These are just some of the questions I tackle with Jude Stewart author of the book Revelations in Air: A Guidebook to Smell (https://amzn.to/3Jxae55) . When you hear what she has to say, you will have renewed respect for your sense of smell.  You often hear people talk about being “burned out.” What does that mean? Is burnout a real thing or just a vague complaint. What are the actual symptoms? Perhaps most importantly, what causes burnout and what is the cure? For some important insight into all of this, listen to my guest, Jonathan Malesic. He was once a tenured professor who got burned out. So, he quit. Afterwards he studied burnout and wrote a terrific book about it called The End of Burnout: Why Work Drains Us and How to Build Better Lives (https://amzn.to/354CJID). If you have ever felt burned out, you need to hear this conversation.  “Listen to your gut.” That is common advice for people who have an important decision to make. Is it good advice or are there situations when your gut instinct may lead you down the wrong path? Listen as I discuss this. Source: Wray Herbert author of On Second Thought: Outsmarting Your Mind's Hard-Wired Habits (https://amzn.to/3I1PPVl) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/17/202449 minutes, 13 seconds
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Why You Eat When You’re Not Hungry & Predictions and Coincidences

The concept of body language is based on the idea that what you do with certain body parts sends a message to other people. This apparently holds true for your belly button. Today’s episode begins by explaining what message your belly button sends to others and what theirs sends to you. Source : Source: Janine Driver author of You Say More Than You Think (https://amzn.to/3SPYVwt) Have you ever eaten food when you weren’t actually hungry? Or continued to eat even though you were full – and then regretted it? I imagine we all have. What if there was a way to stop that and actually enjoy the food you eat even more? That’s what you are going to hear from Dr. Jud Brewer. He is a professor at Brown University’s School of Public Health author of the book The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop (https://amzn.to/49sbiEw). If you have ever eaten for a reason other than hunger, you need to hear what he has to say. His app is called Eat Right Now and is available wherever you get your apps. Generally, people don’t understand how randomness or coincidences really work and how they affect predictions we make about our own futures. It seems that coincidences happen a lot more often than you think and randomness doesn’t look as random as you would expect. How all this works together is fascinating as you will hear from my guest Kit Yates. He is a senior lecturer of mathematical science in the UK and author of the book How to Expect the Unexpected: The Science of Making Predictions―and the Art of Knowing When Not To (https://amzn.to/3Ur3PRM). Kit Yates' last appearance here was episode 362 about the math of life and death. Hear it here https://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/362-the-interesting-math-of-life-and-death-understanding-the-science-of-consciousness/ Back in 2008 a list came out from Oxford University of the 10 most overused and despised words and phrases in the English language. Listen as I tell you what they are and hear how familiar they still sound 16 years later. https://www.wired.com/2008/11/oxford-research/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/15/202449 minutes, 25 seconds
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Should You Work for Yourself? & The Science of Creativity

Kissing has a lot of benefits you likely never knew. And it appears that the more you kiss – the more the benefits. This episode begins with several really good reasons why you should kiss someone more often. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/opinion/the-kiss-of-life.html People who have their own business are often revered. Being an entrepreneur is considered a worthy accomplishment. And many people think it is the best path to career success. Is it though? While there are certainly perks to being self-employed, there are also some dangers and pitfalls. Joining me to explain the good and the bad of owning your own business is Benjamin Waterhouse He is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of the book, One Day I'll Work for Myself: The Dream and Delusion That Conquered America (https://amzn.to/3OyaOV5). Creativity is often misunderstood. Just because something is different or unusual doesn’t make it creative. And have you ever wondered what is the difference between creativity and innovation? Can you make yourself more creative? These are just a few of the questions I discuss with Barry Kudrowitz. He is a professor of product design at the University of Minnesota and has taught toy design for over a decade. In fact, he co-designed a Nerf toy amongst other things. Barry is the author of the book Sparking Creativity: How Play and Humor Fuel Innovation and Design (https://amzn.to/484SlXg). Space heaters can be extremely useful in the cold winter months, but they can also be a serious hazard. If you use a space heater to stay warm, listen as I reveal some important precautions that will keep you safe. https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-to-safely-run-your-space-heater/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Go to https://uscellular.com/TryUS and download the USCellular TryUS app to get 30 days of FREE service! Keep you current phone, carrier & number while testing a new network. Try us out and make your switch with confidence! Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/12/202450 minutes, 33 seconds
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Your Mysterious Immune System & Effective Feedback Secrets - SYSK Choice

It is usually very difficult to talk your way out of getting a traffic ticket. Usually, the police are just doing their job and part of their job is to give out tickets. When you try to explain your way out of it, you have no real power in the conversation. So more often than not, you are going to lose. Still, there is one strategy that might just work to convince the officer to cut you some slack. Listen to find out what it is. Source: Frank Luntz author of Words That Work (https://amzn.to/37Ay5A8) You might think your immune system is this great protector that fights off enemies in order to keep you alive. However, that characterization is all wrong. The truth is your immune system is a very elaborate and complicated system in your body that most of us don’t understand. That’s according to Phillip Dettmer, science writer and author of Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive (https://amzn.to/35QaY6W). Have you ever wondered why you can’t get some illnesses like the measles more than once? Did you know your immune system can actually kill you in under 5 minutes? Listen as Phillip explains all this and much more. Phillipp also has a very popular science channel on YouTube. You can access it at: https://www.youtube.com/c/inanutshell If your boss tells you he or she wants to give you some feedback, you know that usually means you are about to get criticized for something you’ve done. And who wants that? Actually, feedback can be a very effective way to get people to change their behavior if it is done correctly, according to LeeAnn Renninger. Leann is an expert in behavior change, who has a great TED talk on feedback (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtl5UrrgU8c). She’s co-founder of Life Labs Learning (https://lifelabslearning.com) and co-author of the book The Leader Lab (https://amzn.to/3rwtSYF). Listen as she joins me to explain why most feedback we get has the opposite of the intended effect – and how to give feedback the right way so it has a positive impact. When you or your child has to take liquid medicine, there is an excellent chance the dose that is given is wrong. And the wrong dose of any medicine can result in a bad outcome. Listen as I explain the problem and the simple solution. https://www.vox.com/2014/7/15/5902329/medicine-teaspoon-tablespoon-milliliters-study-errors PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/10/202451 minutes, 55 seconds
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The Magic of Telling a Good Story & The Strange Rules of Copyrights

When you put a child in a car seat, you may be doing something wrong that could put your child in danger – particularly in the winter. And it has to do with what the child is wearing. This episode begins with a wintertime caution when you take your child out for a drive. https://cafemom.com/parenting/108322-9_lifesaving_car_seat_rules You probably know someone who is a great story teller. You may also know of people who are not very good at it at all. Great story telling is an art, but it is also a science. It’s not only about what you say, it is also about what you don’t say. And how you say it. Here to explain the anatomy of great story telling is Karen Eber. She is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Leadership Group and she is author of the book The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories That Inform, Influence, and Inspire (https://amzn.to/482JuVU). Do you understand how copyrights work? Most people don’t. As you are about to hear, the world of copyrights is so confusing I am not sure anyone really understands it all. Still, it is important to have some understanding in order to stay out of trouble. You don’t want to get caught infringing on someone else’s copyright. And it turns out EVERYTHING is copyrighted. As soon as you write a sentence, a poem, a song – even a grocery list, it is instantly copyrighted and you own it. So, what does it all mean? Listen to my guest, David Bellos, a professor at Princeton University, and author of the book Who Owns This Sentence : A History of Copyrights and Wrongs (https://amzn.to/3Opgyk2).  Who would you say most people believe is more trustworthy, someone with brown eyes or blue eyes? Listen and discover which one and why. The answer is weird because it actually has nothing to do with the eye color. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23326406/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/8/202447 minutes, 33 seconds
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The Mystery of Twins & What NOT to Do With Your Money

Supposedly, women are attracted to men who can make them laugh. Is that really true? And if it is, why? This episode begins with an explanation. Source: Alan & Barbara Pease authors of Why Men Want Sex & Women Need Love (https://amzn.to/496hAtL) We seem to have a weird fascination with twins. Why is that? What is it like to be a twin? Can twins read each other’s minds or do they have some other mystical connection? Although we may perceive twins as being different – are they really any different than anyone else? That’s what Helena de Bres is here to talk about. Helena is an identical twin and she researched some of the truths, myths and misconceptions about twins. Helena is a professor of philosophy at Wellesley College, and author of the book, How to Be Multiple: the Philosophy of Twins (https://amzn.to/3HCmH8E) We have all heard the standard money advice – save, invest, live below your means, etc. In this episode you will hear some fresh, different and even a little unusual advice about money from Vivian Tu. She is a financial guru who made her first $1M by age 27 and is the CEO & Founder of Your Rich BFF Media LLC. You can see her on TikTok and other social media platforms and she is author of the book RichAF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life (https://amzn.to/42oltaH)  You grab a pen to write something, and the ink doesn’t come out. It is one of life’s little and frequent frustrations. As long as there is still ink in there, you can use one of the techniques I will explain to get the ink rolling again. https://artltdmag.com/get-a-ballpoint-pen-to-work-again/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/5/202450 minutes, 6 seconds
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A Foolproof Way to Declutter & A History of Timekeeping - SYSK Choice

You may have heard the advice to not allow your gas tank to get too low before refueling. Is that really necessary? What’s the harm if you let it go to E? And can’t you just go by the thing on your dashboard that tells you how many miles until empty? This episode begins with an important explanation. https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/27/2386931/ Do you have things in your home you never use? Who doesn’t? Clothes, appliances, books you will never read, and the list goes on. You probably even have boxes of things and you don’t even remember what’s inside those boxes. Getting rid of old stuff is hard for many of us – even if we never plan to use it. It turns out though, that if you could just get started you will likely find the experience rather satisfying according to Matt Paxton. Matt has spent over 20 years helping people confront their stuff. He was a featured cleaner on the TV show Hoarders and hosts the PBS series “Legacy List with Matt Paxton”. Matt is also author of the book Keep the Memories Lose the Stuff (https://amzn.to/3tWDiyj). Listen as he joins me to offer some great advice. We all experience the passage of time. Yet how we measure time has changed a lot. For most of human history, knowing the precise time wasn’t all that that important. Today however, we use amazingly sophisticated instruments to keep very precise time all around the world. It is an absolute necessity. Joining me to explain why and discuss the fascinating story of how we keep time is Chad Orzel. He is an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College in Schenectady, NY and author of the book A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks (https://amzn.to/3H9lVOI) Sometimes when you look at the front of a car, it seems to resemble a human face which sort of gives it a sense of personality. Some cars look happy while other cars have a more serious - almost intimidating or aggressive “faces.” You may have wondered if that was intentional or just a coincidence? Listen as I give you the explanation. http://www.fsu.edu/news/2008/11/26/car.personality/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/3/202452 minutes, 5 seconds
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How Everything Affects Everything Else & Is Big Tech Out of Control?

Human touch can certainly feel good, but does it actually have lasting biological effects? This episode begins with a look at how the body responds to deliberate touch like massage as well as more casual and supportive touch between friends and family. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/everyone-top/202108/the-vital-importance-human-touch It can be mind boggling to think how any one thing can have a huge impact on your life. For example, if you stayed in bed 2 minutes longer today or had an egg instead of cereal for breakfast, your entire day might have been completely different. Of course, there is no way to tell if it would’ve been better or worse or how much different. Still, the fact that everything can influence everything else is something you can use in your own life strategy to improve the outcome of so many things. This is according to Dr. Brian Klaas, Associate Professor in Global Politics at University College in London, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and author of the book Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters, (https://amzn.to/3SrRj31). Listen to our conversation and you’ll realize how fluke-y your life is, and that just may alter how you see your future.  When you hear the term “Big Tech,” you likely think of Apple, Google, Facebook, Amazon and other large tech companies that seem to wield a lot of power and control over our lives. There is surprisingly little government regulation of the big tech organizations and that has a lot of people concerned. One of those people is Tom Wheeler. Tom was the Chairman of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during the Obama administration. He is now a venture capitalist and author whose latest book is called Techlash: Who Makes the Rules in the Digital Gilded Age? (https://amzn.to/47OunPU). Could eating fast food cause respiratory allergies? Listen as I reveal some interesting research that links children who eat junk food and things like asthma, eczema and other allergic conditions. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.3005803 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2/1/202447 minutes, 43 seconds
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Why Humans Love Robots & The Power of Confidence

In a job interview, there is one question you are likely to be asked that many people are not prepared to answer. I begin this episode by revealing what the question is and how to craft a powerful response. https://www.forbes.com/pictures/lml45mmjg/why-should-i-hire-you-2/?sh=4c5a502c53d8 Robots seem to have us all mystified. We can’t help but relate to them as conscious beings and we tend to think they are smarter than we are, even when we know a robot is just a machine. If you think about that for a moment, you’ll realize - that could cause a lot of problems. Here to explain those problems, why they are so interesting and what we can do to solve them is Eve Herold. She is an award-winning science writer and consultant in the scientific and medical nonprofit world and she is author of a book called Robots and the People Who Love Them: Holding on to Our Humanity in an Age of Social Robots (https://amzn.to/3ObcBzb) Who wouldn’t like to have a bit more confidence? Actually, you may already have all the confidence you need according to Viv Groskup. Viv is a writer, comedian and executive coach and she is author of the book Happy High Status: How to Effortlessly Be Confident (https://amzn.to/3vQYj0h). Listen as she explains why confidence is a bit elusive and how to use the confidence you already have to project a better you.  Has it been a while since you last went to have your eyes checked? An eye exam does more than just check your prescription for glasses or contacts. Listen as I reveal how a good eye exam can actually help identify other serious medical problems. https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/cost-and-how-often/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/29/202449 minutes, 57 seconds
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How to Instantly Stop Arguments & The High Five Habit - SYSK Choice

Every mom knows, when a child (or an adult for that matter) gets a small cut, you put a little antibiotic ointment on to prevent infection. But maybe that’s not such a great idea. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining why. https://www.mindfood.com/article/the-risk-of-overusing-antibiotic-creams-and-ointments/ Don’t you just hate it when you are in an argument with someone when you know you are 100% right and the other person couldn’t be more wrong? There is something you can do in these cases and come out a winner. Listen as I talk with Xavier Amador a clinical psychologist, teacher and author of the book I’m Right, You're Wrong, Now What? Break the Impasse and Get What You Need (https://amzn.to/3KqUDpc). Xavier reveals a very simple technique that will help you resolve any disagreement, no matter how difficult.  In the morning, some people jump out of bed, greet the morning with enthusiasm and are ready to take on the day. Others of us start the day with dread. No matter where you fall on that scale, there is something simple you can do as part of your morning routine that will improve the way you face the world each day. To discover what it is, listen to my discussion with Mel Robbins, an attorney, speaker, and host of The Mel Robbins Podcast (https://www.melrobbins.com/podcast). She is also author of the bestselling book The High Five Habit (https://amzn.to/3FDuTlG). What could possibly be the connection between your earlobes and your heart health? Next time you are near a mirror, you may want to look for one specific feature on your earlobes. It just might reveal something important. Listen as I explain. https://myheart.net/articles/earlobe-crease-and-heart-disease-fact-or-myth/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/27/202450 minutes, 2 seconds
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What Is Culture? & The Problem with Fitness

Is a newborn baby more likely to resemble mom or dad – or is it a toss-up? This episode begins by explaining why a baby is more likely to look like one parent and not the other and why that is.  https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/22/health/the-claim-babies-tend-to-look-like-their-fathers.html When people talk about the "culture" – why do they mean? What is culture. You probably use the word in conversation and you have a sense of what it means but it is actually a difficult word to define. Here to define it and explain why it is so important to understand what culture is and how it changes is Marcus Collins. He is a clinical assistant professor of marketing at the Ross School of Business, at the University of Michigan and recipient of Advertising Age's 40 Under 40 award. He is also author of the book, For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be (https://amzn.to/3tOT4On). It is a little strange that there is such a fitness craze in America yet so many people are not physically fit at all. The medical evidence is pretty clear that being physically fit and keeping your weight under control is so important to a long and healthy life. So why are so many people not motivated to do it and how can you find the motivation to start if you are not feeling inclined? Joining me to talk about this is Natalia Petrzela. She is an historian of contemporary American politics and culture as well as a fitness instructor and she is author of the book Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America's Exercise Obsession (https://amzn.to/48V5LGb) Is it ever too late to change your life or must you set your course early if you are ever to make something of yourself? Interestingly, researchers followed 350 students for decades – all the way into adulthood to see how they turned out. Listen as I explain how people tend to change and how those goof-offs you remember from high school are likely to end up doing pretty well. Source: Susan Krause Whitborne author of The Search for Fulfillment (https://amzn.to/3O9XuWP). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/25/202450 minutes, 31 seconds
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How You Recognize Faces & The Way to Think More Clearly

How your food tastes depends on a lot of things that have nothing to do with the food itself. I begin this episode by revealing how things such as the lighting, the weight of utensils and the color of the plate can impact how much you enjoy your meal. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/12/31/370397449/food-psychology-how-to-trick-your-palate-into-a-tastier-meal# When you recognize a person, chances are it is the face you recognize. How does that work exactly? What is it about the face? How much of a person’s face do you have to see in order to recognize them? Some people are really good at recognizing a face while others are totally face blind. Have you ever wondered how facial recognition software works? Well, all of this is tackled by my guest Sharrona Pearl, an associate professor of medical ethics and history at Drexel University and author of the book Do I Know You?: From Face Blindness to Super Recognition (https://amzn.to/3TWc0VX).  When you put your mind to it, you probably think quite clearly. However, much of the time our brain is on autopilot and our clear thinking suffers. So how can you think more clearly, make better decisions, and do the right thing? Here with some insight and advice on that is Shane Parrish. He is an entrepreneur whose insights are used by Fortune 500 companies and many major professional sports teams. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. He hosts a podcast called The Knowledge Project https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/ and he is author of the book, Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results (https://amzn.to/3Hl0FHj) There are people who claim they can drink coffee before bed and it doesn’t affect their sleep at all. Can that be true? Listen as I explain what one top sleep specialist has to say about that. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shift-worker-alert-curb-t_b_386058 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/22/202450 minutes, 54 seconds
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Why Suffering is Essential & What Free Speech Really Is: SYSK Choice

As everyone who is a garlic lover or knows a garlic lover knows, garlic can make your breath stink. This episode begins with some easy and effective strategies from the Institute of Food Technologists that will neutralize that garlic smell from your breath as well as from your hands, so you won’t have to worry about offending anyone while you eat all the garlic you want. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130204142609.htm Weird to think, but humans actually enjoy suffering – to some extent. It has been said that it is the suffering we endure that makes life meaningful. In fact, if you didn’t suffer at least a little, life would be pretty boring according to Paul Bloom, a professor of psychology at Yale and author of the book The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning (https://amzn.to/3K5Zdci) . Listen as he explains how the pain of suffering makes pleasure more pleasurable.  You likely learned in school that the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees people the right to free speech. But what does that mean exactly? Can you say anything you want? How has this right evolved over time? That’s what I tackle with attorney Ian Rosenberg. Ian serves as legal counsel for ABC News, teaches media law at Brooklyn College and is author of the book Free Speech Handbook: A Practical Framework for Understanding Our Free Speech Protections (https://amzn.to/3HZ8W25).  Most popular breakfast cereals have a lot of added sugar. And certainly sugar consumption is something a lot of parents worry about. However, there is some good news about kids and cereal that you might find surprising. Listen as I explain what it is. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/breakfast-cereal-surprise-kids-ok-with-less-sugar-study-says/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/20/202446 minutes, 11 seconds
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Odd Differences Between The Sexes & How We Deal With Pests

Keeping track of passwords can be a real pain. If you use a simple one or use the same one for everything, that makes you easy to be hacked. If you use a complicated one or lots of different ones, it’s hard to remember. This episode starts with a strategy to create good passwords that you will remember. Source: Sid Kirchheimer, author of Scam-Proof Your Life (https://amzn.to/3SeWhA5) Men and women are different, obviously. However, some of the most interesting differences you may not know. For example, how men and women hear differently; the real reason women live longer than men, and how hormones affect behaviors differently in men and women. Joining me to discuss this is is Cat Bohannon. Cat is is a researcher with a Ph.D. from Columbia University and author of the book Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution (https://amzn.to/3SgBUlO).  The world is full of pests: rats, insects, bees, deer, spiders – there are lots of them. So, what is it that makes a pest a pest? In some cases, what you consider a pest may not be to someone else. Generally, though, pests are something we strive to get rid of. What is the best way to do that? Maybe pests are really trying to tell us something. Here to discuss this is Bethany Brookshire. She is an award-winning science writer, a contributor to Science News magazine and a host on the podcast Science for the People (http://www.scienceforthepeople.ca/) and she is author of a book called Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains (https://amzn.to/3vzlpZt). Most drivers don’t take the time to adjust the headrest in their car. In fact, many of us don’t even think about doing it and aren’t sure of the best position for it anyway. If you are ever in a crash, the position of your headrest can make a big difference. Listen as I explain how to adjust it. https://www.adlergiersch.com/provider-blog/how-to-properly-adjust-your-headrest-to-prevent-whiplash/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/18/202449 minutes, 45 seconds
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Why We Have a Moon & A Better and More Fun Way to Clean

A lot of people have different size feet. Sounds weird right but there is a good reason for it – and it usually the left foot that is bigger. This episode begins with the explanation for why this happens and how big an issue it is for most people. https://www.feetbypody.com/blog/is-it-normal-for-one-foot-to-be-bigger-than-the-other/ I’m certain you have pondered why the moon sits there in the sky at night. Where did it come from? What does it do? Why doesn’t it crash into the earth? What would life be like on earth if there was no moon. Joining me to answer these and a lot of other fascinating questions about the moon is Rebecca Boyle. She is a columnist at Atlas Obscura and a contributor to Scientific American,  The New York Times, Popular Science, Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine, and others. She is author of the book Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/3O1xn4s) In this segment you are going to meet someone who loves to clean the house. Now while that may sound weird, imagine how good he must be at it and imagine how many cool tips and tricks he has developed. Meet Patric Richardson. He is the star of The Laundry Guy on HGTV and Discovery Plus and author of the book House Love: A Joyful Guide to Cleaning, Organizing, and Loving the Home You're In (https://amzn.to/3vidAao). Listen, and by the time this segment is over, you will want to run out and buy some really cheap vodka! Here are some links to some of the products he mentioned: Scrubbers that attach to drill https://amzn.to/47vgd6h Cool waste baskets: https://vipp.com/en-us/shop/bins Laundry soap (not detergent): https://laundryevangelist.com/products/laundry-evangelist-laundry-soap-flakes You or someone you know likely vowed to lose weight as a New Year’s resolution. While admirable, most people fail at that one. Listen as I explain how to craft a New Year’s resolution – such as losing weight - to make it more likely to happen – and to stick. Source: Kent Sasse M.D. author of Doctor’s Orders (https://amzn.to/48AhFFm) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! NerdWallet lets you compare top travel credit cards side-by-side to maximize your spending! Compare and find smarter credit cards, savings accounts, and more today at https://NerdWallet.com Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/15/202449 minutes, 52 seconds
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How Lifestyle Can Reverse Disease & Making Sense of Numbers: SYSK Choice

If you don’t have one yet, one great New Year’s resolution is to tackle the clutter in your house. This episode begins by explaining how clutter negatively affects your brain and how you can fix the problem. http://www.timetoorganize.com/wp-content/uploads/realsimple-article.pdf More and more we are hearing about “lifestyle medicine.” Essentially, it is how things like diet and exercise and other choices impact your health and longevity for better or worse. While you probably already know that - what you may not know is how big a deal it really is. For decades Dr. Dean Ornish has been at the heart of lifestyle medicine and his research has proven how small changes in how you live can have a huge impact on your health and can even reverse chronic illness. He is here to explain these changes - and there are only 4 changes! Dr. Ornish is author of the book UnDo It! : How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases (https://amzn.to/3qYaSB7). Here is the link to his website for information on his program: https://www.ornish.com/undo-it/ The human brain isn’t always good at grasping numbers. For example, if 1 million seconds equals 12 days, how many days is 1 billion seconds? You will have to listen to this episode to find out, but I bet your guess is way off! Here to explain why the brain has trouble with numbers and how you can better understand them is Chip Heath. Chip teaches at Stanford, has authored several books including Making Numbers Count (https://amzn.to/3t3AMpG).  Just about every food has an expiration date or “sell by” date or “best if used by” date on it. But in some cases, they can be very misleading. A lot of foods will last a lot longer than those dates would have you believe. The point is you may be throwing away food that is just fine. Listen to hear a list of foods you can likely hang on to a little longer. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter#1 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/13/202447 minutes, 35 seconds
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Spite: For Good and Evil & Why Memory Often Fails Us

I’m sure you’ve gotten a song stuck in your head. It happens to all of us. And once it gets in your head, it is hard to get rid of. It turns out there are some ways that have researched that do seem to work to get that song out of your head the next time it seeps in and just won't leave. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/03/21/heres-how-get-song-out-your-head/99264896/ You have probably done something to someone out of spite. Most people have. Interestingly, humans are just about the only creature on earth that acts out of spite. According to psychologist Simon McCarthy-Jones. Simon says spite comes from a feeling of being wronged – of not being treated fairly. Often people will go to great lengths to get revenge. That’s spite. Still, spite may not be all bad. It can actually be useful. Listen as Simon reveals why we do things out of spite and why spite may be an important tool we use to keep each other honest. Simon is author of the book Spite: The Upside of Your Dark Side (https://amzn.to/2OO8FJu)  Human memory is full of flaws. For example, most things we simply don’t remember at all. Other things we don’t remember very well and a lot of what we do remember gets distorted over time. So how do we make sense of our memory? Here to help explain it is Lisa Genova. She is a neuroscientist, writer and speaker who has appeared on The Today Show and PBS NewsHour, and she is author of the book Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting (https://amzn.to/3ccv2B7). Ever have a bad day? Sure, you have. And it seems that the worse the day gets – the worse it gets. Well, you can actually turn that spiral off. Listen as I reveal this simple technique that will stop you from focusing on the bad things happening so your day can get back on track. Source: Dr. Judith Orloff author of Positive Energy (https://amzn.to/3dZ323w). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/11/202450 minutes, 53 seconds
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Tightwads and Spendthrifts & Why We Love “Made in America”

Choking under pressure. No one wants to do that yet when the stakes are high, it can be hard to rise to the occasion and easy to choke. This episode begins with a technique that has proven to help people in high pressure situations to NOT choke when there is a lot riding on the outcome. http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/09/choking-pressure.aspx You likely know people you are tightwads or spendthrifts. Perhaps you are one of them. How is it that some people become one or the other? Why does it seem that they are attracted to each other (and apparently they really are)? What’s the difference between being a tightwad and being frugal – or cheap? Here to explain the world of tightwads and spendthrifts is Scott Rick He is a marketing professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and author of the book, Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships (https://amzn.to/47oFOxt). Interestingly, Scott is a spendthrift who is married to a tightwad so he is truly on the front lines of this discussion.  Here in the USA, people like the idea of buying products that are “Made in America.” Still, over the last several decades, a lot of things that used to be made here have been outsourced to other countries. Now there is an effort to bring more manufacturing back to the United States. Joining me to explain why so much manufacturing left in the first place, how it is coming back and the benefits of doing so is Rachel Slade. Rachel teaches political science at Tufts University, she is an award winning writer and she is author of a book called Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. (And How It Got That Way) (https://amzn.to/3NPlezt). There is no one secret to happiness. However, there are some necessary ingredients to having an overall sense of happiness. Listen as I explain what they are and how to create them in your life. https://www.biopsychiatry.com/happiness/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is offering SYSK listeners a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING TurboTax Experts make all your moves count — filing with 100% accuracy and getting your max refund, guaranteed! See guarantee details at https://TurboTax.com/Guarantees Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/8/202449 minutes, 40 seconds
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3 Words for Effective Goals & The Generation Myth - SYSK Choice

Scientists have studied what is the perfect temperature in an office or work environment. And the magic number is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s so magical about 77 degrees? I begin this episode with the explanation and what happens if temperature gets too far off from there. https://heatmyjob.com/office-temperature-can-play-part-employee-output/  The beginning of the year is when people set new goals for themselves. And it turns out that the process you use to set your goals will make a difference in how successful you are in reaching them. That’s the message from Michael Bungay Stanier. Often described as one of the top coaches in the world, Michael is author of a book called, How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters (https://amzn.to/3qL3UiH). When you follow his advice, you will most likely improve the chances that your goals will be reached.  It seems pretty random how we categorize people into groups depending on when they were born. We have baby boomers, millennials, Gen Xers and a few others I imagine. But is that fair? Is their any reason to think that people born in a certain generation share traits and characteristics? Should we be generalizing about a group based on when they were born? Here to discuss this is Bobby Duffy, professor of public policy and director of the Policy Institute at King’s College in London and author of the book, The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think (https://amzn.to/3eUyIrL).   Germs can spread throughout a household in many different ways - and one is through your toothbrush. Listen as I explain how this happens and how you can prevent those toothbrush germs from infecting others. Source: Dr. Philip M. Tierno, author of The Secret Life of Germs (https://amzn.to/3HBF4bV). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is a FREE app and website where you can search and compare highly-rated, in-network doctors near you AND instantly book appointments with them online. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/6/202449 minutes, 4 seconds
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How to Make Work a Little More Fun & The Science of Staying Young

Generally, women seem to have a better, more sensitive sense of touch than men do. Yet, it isn’t gender that really determines that. This episode begins with an explanation of why some people’s sense of touch is better than others and why most (but not all) of them are women. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091215173017.htm When your work is fun and enjoyable, you do better work. It doesn’t have to be totally fun – even making it a little more fun can pay big dividends according to Ali Abdall. Ali is one of the most followed productivity experts and he is author of the book Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You (https://amzn.to/47AZajf). If you’ve always thought that success and productivity only come from discipline and hard work, I think you will find this conversation to be liberating.  Here is the link to Ali’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@aliabdaal Much of what determines how long you live and how healthy you remain as you get older – is pretty well known and is not that difficult to do if you make it a priority. That’s according to Michael Greger, MD, who is a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and author of the book, How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier As You Get Older (https://amzn.to/3tCR1g2). Listen as he reveals some of the simple ways you can live long and stay healthy and active from now all the way through your golden years. A lot of people say they feel stuck – stuck in their job or marriage or in some other way they just feel stuck in life. Interestingly, this is a fairly new phenomenon. Listen as I explain why there is so much stuckness in the world and what you can do to get unstuck. Source: Anneli Rufus author of the book Stuck (https://amzn.to/47ftboo) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/4/202449 minutes, 14 seconds
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What Are You Afraid Of? & The Strange and Taboo Side of Nature

Ever wonder what the life expectancy is for that house fly buzzing around your kitchen? Or what’s the fastest insect on earth? Do you know how many kinds of insects there are in the world? This episode begins with some interesting facts about bugs and insects you likely don’t know – including the difference between a bug and an insect. https://gohannan.com/common-pests/amazing-but-true-interesting-facts-about-bugs/ You must be afraid of something. In fact, you are probably afraid of several things. Fear is a good thing. It keeps us safe from harm. And understanding how fear works can really help you navigate the world better. Joining me to discuss what fear is and where it comes from is Helen Odeskky, a licensed clinical psychologist, anxiety expert and author of the book Stop Fear from Stopping You: The Art and Science of Becoming Fear-Wise (https://amzn.to/3qBprt2). Listen to our conversation and you may just view fear in a whole new light.  Nature can be beautiful and wonderful. It can also be gross and disgusting. Still, disgusting can also be very interesting according to Erika Engelhaupt. She is a writer and editor for National Geographic and author of the book Gory Details : Adventures from the Dark of Science (https://amzn.to/39v0IQn). Listen as she explains some really gross but fascinating things like how tiny bugs live in the pores on you face; how “fatbergs” (like icebergs except made of fat and sludge) flow under our cities; how gross peeing in the pool really is; what ants really taste like should you need to eat some and a lot more. Everyone who uses credit has a credit score – sometimes called a FICO score. A lot of people don’t really understand where that score comes from or what the number means. Listen as I reveal how your score is determined and how to keep your FICO score as high as possible. https://www.thebalance.com/understanding-credit-utilization-960451 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1/1/202451 minutes, 8 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How Movement Improves Your Mind & Why Privacy is Not Dead

When the sun hits it just right, you can sometimes see just how dirty your computer screen gets. And it can get pretty filthy. So, what’s the best way to clean it? Not with window cleaner, that’s for sure. Listen as this episode begins with the right way to clean your monitor so you don’t cause damage https://www.rd.com/article/how-to-clean-a-computer-screen/ We all know exercise is good for you. Any exercise is good whether it is cardio or lifting weights - it’s all great! But it doesn’t have to be formal, strenuous exercise. In this episode, you’ll hear how simply moving your body can do wonders. Your body is designed to move – not sit around. And when you move it in the right way, the benefits are spectacular, according to Caroline Williams, a science journalist who is a regular contributor to New Scientist and author of the book Move: How the New Science of Body Movement Can Set Your Mind Free (https://amzn.to/3Jsjlot). Is privacy dead? After all, you hear a lot of people talking about how so much of our information is floating around, it is impossible to expect much in the way of privacy. Not true, according to Neil Richards. Neil is a leading expert in privacy law. He is Professor of Law at Washington University School of Law, and author of the book, Why Privacy Matters (https://amzn.to/32xsxaG). Listen as he discusses how privacy works, how the laws must change and how privacy is not dead – yet. But it is definitely in need of repair.  Are you one of those people who eats lunch at their desk? A lot of people like to keep working as they eat lunch – particularly if you work from home. While it may seem like an efficient thing to do, it’s actually a terrible idea. Listen as I explain why. https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-you-should-stop-eating-lunch-at-your-desk-every-day/articleshow/45464205.cms PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/30/202350 minutes, 46 seconds
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How to Rewire Your Personality & Navigating the Fast Pace of Life

Getting a paper cut sucks. It looks like nothing but it sure hurts like crazy. This episode starts with a look at why paper cuts hurt so much and the best way to treat one. http://www.menshealth.com/health/why-are-paper-cuts-so-painful You might think your personality is pretty well determined already. However, it is actually changing all the time whether you like it or not. Organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy joins me to reveal how your personality evolves throughout your lifetime and how you can influence those changes to become the person you want to be. Benjamin Hardy is a contributor to Inc., and Psychology Today and he is author of the book Personality Isn’t Permanent (https://amzn.to/3GS1ebv) The pace of life just seems faster than it used to be. And while you might long for the good old slower days, they are likely not coming back. A better approach may be to learn to manage the faster speed of life and make it work for you. Joining me to discuss how to do that is Vince Poscente, former Olympic speed-skier and author of bestselling book, The Age of Speed (https://amzn.to/2UGj8Gm). Don’t you hate it when you can’t remember where you put your keys or wallet or glasses? What is it that makes them so easy to lose in the first place? Listen as I explain WHY you likely misplaced them and the best way to figure out where they are? http://lifehacker.com/the-two-factors-that-make-you-forgetful-1563418168 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/28/202345 minutes, 1 second
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The Science of Asking for Help & How to Capitalize on Lucky Moments in Life

You can never say, “I love you” enough to your partner. They are the 3 magic words of love. Yet, there are three other words you may also want to say more often to help forge a closer and stronger bond. Listen as I reveal what those three words are. https://truetowords.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-me-us-we-little-words-big-impact.html It feels good to help someone in need. However, it can feel really uncomfortable if you are the one asking for the help. However, it doesn’t need to be difficult, according to Heidi Grant, author of the book, Reinforcements: How to Get People to Help You (https://amzn.to/2MRA4Ep). She has some great advice that explains how to ask and who to ask that will make it easier to make the request and make it much more likely that people will say yes. Listen and learn to become a much better asker when you really need help.  Everyone has lucky moments in life. However, it is what you do with your luck when it strikes that determines how lucky you really are. That’s according to Christian Busch, PhD, Director of the Global Economy Program at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs and author of the book, The Serendipity Mindset: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck (https://amzn.to/30VClYu). Really lucky people know how to capitalize on those lucky moments in life to maximize the benefits. Listen and you too will know how when those lucky moments come along.  Even the best cooks in the world are looking for better and more efficient ways to get things done in the kitchen. I found some great suggestions that I use myself from the website Epicurious.com. - from what kind of chicken to buy, where to keep your lemons to why you most certainly need a new ice tray for the freezer. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-cooking-advice-ever-article PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/25/202344 minutes, 16 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Backstories of Our Favorite Christmas Movies & How to Use Sarcasm Effectively

When you have a bad cough, prescription cough syrup is often the remedy of choice – particularly the kind with codeine. But what if chocolate works better? Seriously. This episode begins by discussing the best way to stifle that urge to cough. https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/chocolate-can-fight-coughs-better-than-some-cold-medicine/ Do you have a favorite Christmas movie? Maybe you like White Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life or maybe Home Alone? Well, whatever it is, I suspect you will hear it discussed during my conversation Jeremy Arnold. Jeremy is a film historian who, along with Turner Classic movies, has put together a wonderful book called Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics To Celebrate the Season. (https://amzn.to/3GzDZ3S). Listen and you will hear some of the backstories about many of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time. When you think about it, sarcasm is a really weird way to try to get your point across. Still, it can be extremely effective. It can also affect people in interesting and unusual ways that aren’t quite so obvious. Penny Pexman, a professor of psychology at the University of Calgary studies sarcasm and she joins me to offer some wonderful insight into how using sarcasm impacts your relationships and interactions as well as who tends to be more sarcastic and why. Penny has a coloring book for kids to help them understand sarcasm called Sydney Gets Sarcastic. You can download it for free at: https://ucalgary.ca/child-infant-learning-development/home-0 Could your Christmas tree be causing your allergy symptoms to flare up? IT is quite possible. Listen as I explain what the problem is and how best to deal with it. https://www.entandallergyspecialists.com/uncategorized/can-christmas-trees-cause-allergy-symptoms/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/23/202349 minutes, 53 seconds
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How Heredity Does and Doesn’t Work & How Your Cellphone Came To Be

There is one word in the English language that has more meanings than any other. A lot more! And the word is only 3 letters long. I begin this episode by revealing which word it is – and there is a good chance you have said the word multiple times today. https://www.rd.com/article/most-complicated-word-in-english/ Can you really inherit your mother’s laugh or your father’s temper? It is a little confusing because some traits you can inherit genetically, but other traits you get from them may just be because you grew up in the same house. Height is something genetically passed down – still not all tall parents have tall children, so how does that work? Heredity is often misunderstood and there is a lot about heredity we just don’t know. Here to explain this fascinating topic so it all makes sense is Carl Zimmer. Carl writes for The New York Times and is author of the book, She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions and Potential of Heredity (https://amzn.to/2IG8KKR). Does anyone know who made the first cellphone call? Not only do we know, we have him here as a guest and you are about to meet him. Martin Cooper is considered the father of the cellphone. He helped to develop the whole basis for cellular technology when he worked at Motorola and did in fact place the very first cellphone call. Martin joins me to recall the early days of the cellphone and has some great terrific insight on the future of cellular technology. Martin is the author of the book Cutting the Cord: The Cell Phone Has Transformed Humanity (https://amzn.to/38aXwIV). Sneakers or tennis shoes are the footwear of choice for many of us. So where did they come from? Interestingly, it took quite a while for them to cross over from the world of sports to everyday casual wear . Listen as I explain the history and who the players were that brought sneakers to the forefront. https://www.factmonster.com/culture-entertainment/fashion/history-sneakers PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/21/202347 minutes, 9 seconds
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The Science of Staying Young & How to Stop Worrying About What Other People Think

Some of the most inspiring words can come from some unusual places - and people. This episode begins with some words of hope and inspiration that seem perfect for the holidays - from Mr. Rogers. Source: The World According to Mr. Rogers (https://amzn.to/3RKWfzC). The fight against aging is more complicated than most people think. It isn’t just about living longer, it is also about staying healthy as you get older. And while diet and exercise do seem to help, science is looking at some far more sophisticated ways to fight aging. There is some promising work in the lab that can make worms seem younger, live twice as long and improve their cognitive function. One person on the cutting edge of all this is Coleen Murphy. She is a professor at Princeton University, Director of Princeton’s Glenn Foundation for Research on Aging and author of the book, How We Age: The Science of Longevity (https://amzn.to/3GKDKF5) I bet there have been times in your life when you didn’t try something or take a risk because you were afraid of what other people would think of you – especially if you failed. It appears to be one of the most powerful forces that holds people back. Joining me to discuss why this is such a problem and what we can all do to push it out of the way is Michael Gervais. He is a high performance psychologist, host of the podcast Finding Mastery (https://findingmastery.com/podcasts/) and author of the book The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying about What People Think of You (https://amzn.to/3RtsDoW). As the new year fast approaches, many people dust off their resumes and look for a new job. Listen as I reveal some of the most important traits employers are looking for in new employees. https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2012/10/04/top-five-personality-traits-employers-hire-most/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/18/202349 minutes, 49 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Why Adulting is Often So Scary & Understanding Traffic

“Sitting is the new smoking” has been a popular expression for the last few years. But seriously, what could be so horrible about sitting? This episode begins with an explanation and advice on what to do differently if you sit a lot. https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/21/health/sitting-will-kill-you/index.html Something interesting has happened over the last few generations. There was a time when kids looked forward to growing up, becoming an grownup and leaving home. Today, not so much. Many young people dread the whole idea of adulthood. Why? Apparently, “adulting” just isn’t appealing because so many young people just aren’t prepared to handle it. That’s according to Julie Lythcott-Haims, a writer, former college dean, former attorney and author of the book Your Turn to Be an Adult. (https://amzn.to/3q89LOB). Listen as she joins me to explain what has changed and what needs to be done to help young people want to grow up.  Have you ever noticed that traffic sometimes seems to have a mind of its own? It’ll slow down in one spot for no apparent reason and then speed up in another spot – again for no apparent reason. And why is it that one lane of traffic moves fast but the one I am in tends to stand still? Besides the obvious accident or construction, what makes traffic flow well some of the time but then get all screwed up and backed up other times? Here to explain some of the science and nuance of traffic flow is Jonas Eliasson an internationally known expert on traffic patterns who is also Director of Transport Accessibility for the Swedish Transport Administration and has an interesting TED Talk on how to solve traffic jams that you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX_Krxq5eUI&t=360s Almost everyone loves at least one type of music. That’s a good thing because listening to music appears to be good for you. Listen as I explain the many benefits according to a lot of research on the topic. https://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell’s Holiday Event is one of their biggest sales of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping on everything! Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/16/202351 minutes, 9 seconds
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How to Shoot Perfect Holiday Videos & Why Species Go Extinct

There is one important question that actually determines how healthy you will be and how long you will live – depending on your answer. This episode begins with that question. And it is certainly worth contemplating. Source: Dr. Paul Pearsall author of The Pleasure Prescription (https://amzn.to/41j3xO8). So much video gets shot around the holidays and much of it is frankly - pretty dull and doesn’t capture the moment the way people hope. Taking great video doesn’t require fancy equipment – your phone will do an excellent job. What makes great video is knowing how to use the camera. Joining me to explain some simple and effective techniques is Steve Stockman. Steve has directed hundreds of TV commercials and shows, and he is the creator of the video course and author of the book – both titled How To Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck. Listen and you will soon be shooting stunning video.  Here is the link for Steve’s video course: https://stevestockman.com/ Here is the link for Steve’s book https://amzn.to/46Q7E5y When you hear the word extinction – as in some species goes extinct, you probably think that’s a bad thing and something probably went wrong to cause it. Actually, that usually is not the case. Extinction is a natural part of life and how it works is fascinating. Here to explain it so we can all understand is Michael J. Benton. He is a professor of Vertebrate Paleontology at the University of Bristol. He has written more than fifty books, and his latest is called Extinctions: How Life Survives, Adapts and Evolves (https://amzn.to/3GzqkMb). One of the things that makes holiday shopping at the mall so stressful and exhausting isn’t the shopping – it’s the parking hassle. Listen as explain how to remove that stress to make holiday shopping more fun. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204026804577098451316357124 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell’s Holiday Event is one of their biggest sales of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping on everything! Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/14/202350 minutes, 32 seconds
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How to Really Know a Person Deeply & Why People Love Their Dogs

Winter is cold and flu season – and sometimes, when you start feeling sick, you wonder if it is the flu or just a cold. This episode begins by explaining how early symptoms can help you figure it out quickly so you can seek the appropriate remedy. https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/is-it-cold-flu  During the holidays especially, people sense the need and importance of being connected to others. Perhaps one reason people often feel disconnected and isolated may just be that they don’t have the right social skills. Skills like, how to be a great conversationalist, how to ask for forgiveness, how to break up with someone without breaking their heart, how to sit with someone who is suffering, how to end a conversation gracefully.  These are the skills that allow people to get below the surface and really know a person. Joining me with some wonderful insight into this is David Brooks. He is an op-ed columnist, for the New York Times, a writer for The Atlantic and appears regularly on the PBS Newshour. David is author of the book How To Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (https://amzn.to/483ge1N). People and dogs have been living together for centuries. It is a bond that seems to benefit everyone. So why is the human-dog relationship work so well? Why do so many people report that having a dog makes their life better? And why is it that having a dog seems to improve people’s mental and emotional well-being? One person who really understands this bond is Jen Golbeck. Her writing has appeared in Slate, The Atlantic, Psychology Today, and Wired. In addition, she and her husband rescue golden retrievers who are senior or who have special medical needs. She is author of the book, The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human–Canine Connection (https://amzn.to/3TeMhre). If you’ve ever wondered about what your dog thinks about you and why you get along so well, you should listen to Jen. Does it really work to put your wet phone in a bowl of uncooked rice to rescue it? Maybe but something else may work even better. Listen and find out what it is. https://gizmodo.com/how-to-rescue-wet-gadgets-5951415 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell’s Holiday Event is one of their biggest sales of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping on everything! Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/11/202351 minutes, 34 seconds
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SYSK Choice: The Power of Fun & How to Have a Happy Inbox

People frequently choke when they drink something because – “it went down the wrong pipe.” Is there really a wrong pipe? Why do people sometimes choke when they swallow? I begin this episode by discussing the rather complicated process of swallowing and why sometimes things go awry. Source: Joel Herskowitz, author of Swallow Safely (https://amzn.to/3pXFjqv) Do you prioritize having fun in your life? Or is fun just something you do if there is time once the serious business is finished? Maybe we are looking at fun all wrong! Fun should not be a reward, it is a necessity that is essential to your well-being according to journalist and speaker Catherine Price author of the book The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again (https://amzn.to/32113to) . Listen as she explains the importance difference between “fake fun” and true fun and how having more true fun will transform your life. Catherine’s website is https://howtohavefun.com/ Like most people you probably have a love/hate relationship with your email. Sure it is convenient but all of that incoming information can eat up your time, productivity and energy. Here to explain how to make sure that doesn’t happen is Maura Nevel Thomas author of The Happy Inbox (https://amzn.to/323ZUkt). Maura has some simple strategies that will help you tame all those messages and notifications so you can stay focused on what needs to be done yet still be available to the people who need you. You know the post office mottos that starts …”Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night…” Well, it turns out that isn’t actually the official motto or creed of the USPS. Listen as I explain where that “motto” came from and what actually WILL prevent your mail getting delivered if you are not careful https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdf PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! Dell’s Cyber Monday event is their biggest sale of the year. Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/9/202350 minutes, 1 second
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Why Your Sense of Smell is So Amazing & Where Did the Internet Come From?

One of the best parts of Christmas is the tree. There is so much lore, and history and fascinating facts about Christmas trees. Listen as this episode begins with some things you may not know. https://www.gertens.com/blog/christmas-fun-facts-and-trivia.html The sense of smell is the one most people say they could live without if they had to pick one. Really? There is a lot more to your ability to smell scents and odors than you may realize. Do you really know how your sense of smell works? What makes some scents wonderful and others disgusting? Did you know a lot of the odors here are on earth come from outer space? These are just a few of the things I discuss with Harold McGee, author of the best-selling book Nose Dive: A Field Guide to the World’s Smells (https://amzn.to/39yhOgx). Listen and you will have renewed respect for your sense of smell and you might not be so willing to give it up! What exactly is the Internet? Where did it come from and how did it get here? These are good questions and you will discover the answers by listening to my interview with James Ball. He is Global Editor at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a former special projects editor at The Guardian and author of the book, The Tangled Web We Weave: Inside The Shadow System That Shapes the Internet (https://amzn.to/3tsaaMP) When you get the hiccups, what’s the best cure to get rid of them? It turns out not all cures work the same for everyone but there are some things worth trying and there is one thing that works every time. Listen as I explain that. Source: Nancy Snyderman author of Medical Myths That Can Kill You (https://amzn.to/3cUAR7d) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! Dell’s Cyber Monday event is their biggest sale of the year. Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/7/202349 minutes, 43 seconds
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Quirks of Human and Artificial Intelligence & The Good and Bad Ways Sounds Affect You

Seems like there isn’t much your smartphone CAN’T do. However, one weakness it has is the inability to stand up to cold weather. This episode begins with an explanation of why and how your phone is so vulnerable to the cold and what to do about it. https://blog.gaiagps.com/how-to-keep-your-phone-alive-in-cold-weather/ What makes human intelligence superior to the intelligence of other creatures? What are the flaws in human thinking? Will AI ever really be able to think like a human brain or is that really impossible? Listen to my discussion with Max Bennett and you will come away with a very different understanding of both human and artificial intelligence. Max is cofounder and CEO of Alby, a start-up in the AI business. He has published numerous scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and he has been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Max is author of the book A Brief History of Intelligence (https://amzn.to/3N8mJbr). You probably aren’t paying attention to it – but right now you are likely hearing sounds. Maybe it is traffic noise or music or the washing machine. We are always hearing something. It turns out that sound plays a much bigger role in your life than you imagine -both good and bad. Here to help you understand why the sounds that surround you are so important is Caspar Henderson. He is a writer and journalist who covers topics such as energy, science and the environment and he is author of the book, A Book of Noises: Notes on the Auraculous (https://amzn.to/3t4vNY4). If you plan to take a lot of photos or videos of family around the holidays, you should be aware of something. You see, there is one thing people often forget to do that they later regret. Listen as I tell you what that is and how to make sure you don’t forget it this year. Source: Cheryl Lightle author of The Creative Memories Way (https://amzn.to/3T3pKh1) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season! .Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! Dell’s Cyber Monday event is their biggest sale of the year. Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer this season with a new phone! Get any phone free, today at UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/4/202350 minutes, 59 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How Machines Shape Our Destiny & How to Connect With Anyone

I’m sure you’ve noticed those little silica gel packs in boxes of shoes or electronics. And if you look closely, you’ll see they typically have a warning to NOT eat them. Are they really that poisonous? What would happen if you did eat one? I begin this episode with an explanation. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-silica-gel Every day we interact with manmade machines and those interactions have revolutionized modern life. Now with AI and more advanced robotics our relationship with machines is likely to grow deeper. One day we could actually be friends or even lovers with machines! Debra Spar believes our relationship with machines is important to look at and understand. Debra is a professor of business admin at Harvard Business school, former president of Barnard College and author of the book Work, Mate, Marry Love: How Machines Shape Our Human Destiny (https://amzn.to/3xMLhOo). Listen as she offers some fascinating insight into how machines have and continue to change us. Especially around the holidays, people with few friends or connections can feel particularly lonely. By most accounts, that sting of loneliness can only be relieved by being around other people. So how do you do it if you don’t find making friends to be easy? Psychologist Dr. Elicia Nademin joins me to offer simple yet effective ways to connect with the people around you that can dull the pain of loneliness and make you feel great. You might even make some really good friends. Dr. Nademin is author of the book Don’t Be A Stranger: Creating Connections & Memorable First Impressions in Every Day Life (https://amzn.to/2ZSRAUg). Santa is married. We know there is a Mrs. Claus. But her role in the whole Christmas thing is a bit mysterious and unknown. Listen as I explain who she is and why we seem to know so little about her and how she supports Santa and all the elves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Claus PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season - for you and anyone on your list! Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell’s Cyber Monday event is their biggest sale of the year. Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer far and wide this season with a new phone! Everyone can get the gift of connection at UScellular. Get any phone free, today. UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12/2/202352 minutes, 1 second
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The Psychology and Magic of Audiences & The Power of Uncertainty

Who doesn’t love the smell of a Christmas tree? It seems to be a smell everybody finds pleasing and it also turns out to have some benefits. This episode begins with some reasons why you should take the time to enjoy the scent of pine. https://www.foxnews.com/health/the-healing-power-of-pine Being part of an audience can be magical. Whether you are watching a play or a movie or a concert, the audience members can become a singular force – getting energy and emotion from one another. So, how did audiences come to be? How did audiences learn how to behave? Why do we applaud? Here to discuss all this and more is Robert Viagas. He is Editor-in-chief of Encore Monthly the national theatre magazine and spent much of his career working with Playbill. He is author of the book called Right This Way: A History of the Audience (https://amzn.to/46F8lOS). If there is one thing people like, it is certainty. We like to be sure of ourselves and we like people who seem certain about things. However, uncertainty has its benefits. When you are uncertain about something, it allows you to be curious and ultimately make better decisions. That’s according to journalist Maggie Jackson. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Business Week, Vanity Fair and Wired.com and she is author of the book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure (https://amzn.to/3Gli42b).  What if there were some very simple ways that would make sure you get more done in less time? Well, there are! Listen as I explain 3 easy yet powerful techniques from productivity expert Don Wetmore. https://productivity-institute.com/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season - for you and anyone on your list! Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell’s Cyber Monday event is their biggest sale of the year. Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer far and wide this season with a new phone! Everyone can get the gift of connection at UScellular. Get any phone free, today. UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/30/202347 minutes, 39 seconds
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Nostalgia: Why We Long for The Past & Why Humans Love to Play Games

People say where you fall in the birth order compared to your siblings determines (or strongly influences) certain traits and outcomes. This episode begins with a look at whether the research backs this up or it is just a pop culture theory. https://psychcentral.com/blog/birth-order-and-personality#birth-order-and-personality The holidays bring back memories. Many of us get very nostalgic this time of year – longing for people, places and Christmases gone by. Being nostalgic was once thought to be a mental illness. Now, according to research, it can actually be good for you for many different reasons. Joining me to explain why longing for the past is good for your future is Clay Routledge, PhD, whose work has been featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian and CBS. He is author of the book Past Forward: How Nostalgia Can Help You Live a More Meaningful Life (https://amzn.to/3uC1sAs) Do you really like playing Monopoly? Lots of us play it but privately, we hate it. That’s one of the many fascinating things you will hear as I speak with Marcus du Sautoy . He is an award-winning mathematician, a math professor at Oxford and he has studied the history and popularity of games humans play from chess, to backgammon, tic-tac-toe to Monopoly. You will be fascinated by what he discovered. Marcus is author the book Around the World in Eighty Games (https://amzn.to/3MV5Lxm). Cats and Christmas trees don’t mix. Listen as I offer some strategies to help discourage your cat from climbing up and into your tree and maybe even knocking it down. A little prevention, some tin foil and some double-sided tape is all it takes. http://www.petmd.com/cat/seasonal/evr_ct_cats_and_christmas_trees PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season - for you and anyone on your list! Right now you can get two Memberships for the price of one at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell’s Cyber Monday event is their biggest sale of the year. Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer far and wide this season with a new phone! Everyone can get the gift of connection at UScellular. Get any phone free, today. UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/27/202350 minutes, 22 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How Your Instincts Can Get You in Trouble & Why There’s No Center of The Universe

You have probably heard that poinsettia plants are poisonous to people and pets. Really? How poisonous? Can you die from eating them or what? Should you be concerned and keep them out of your home? This episode begins with an explanation of just how dangerous poinsettias are – and are not. https://www.stranges.com/are-poinsettias-poisonous/ Our keen human instincts have helped us survive all these years. However, some of those instincts are not so practical in today’s modern world. This is according to evolutionary biologist Dr. Rebecca Heiss, author of the book Instinct: Rewire Your Brain with Science-Backed Solutions to Increase Productivity and Achieve Success (https://amzn.to/3oxbQTq). Rebecca joins me to discuss how instincts such as the instinct for self-deception and variety and the fear of others can really sabotage your success. She also offers strategies to help override those instincts when you need to. What’s inside a black hole? What exactly is a multiverse? At what point will the sun stop burning? These are just a few of the fascinating questions I explore with Daniel Whiteson, professor of physics at UC Irvine and author of the book Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe (https://amzn.to/3oCeTtR). Listen as Daniel takes important and complex concepts about the universe and makes them interesting and understandable. Your sense of touch is more complicated than you realize. What you touch and how it feels can actually alter the way you think. Listen as I reveal some fascinating research about how your sense of touch works. https://news.yale.edu/2010/06/24/touch-how-hard-chair-creates-hard-heart PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season - for you and anyone on your list - because both of you can learn from the best to become your best - from leadership to effective communication to cooking. Right now you can get Two Memberships for the Price of One at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer far and wide this season with a new phone! Everyone can get the gift of connection at UScellular. Get any phone free, today. UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/25/202353 minutes, 9 seconds
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How You Can Win Friends and Influence People & Important Strategies for a Good Night’s Sleep

Food labels are full of claims. They say things like “All-Natural” or “Doctor Recommended” or “Made with Whole Grains.” Should you be impressed or are those words and phrases a lot of nothing and nonsense? I begin this episode by revealing why those phrases are worded the way they are and what they actually mean. https://www.cornucopia.org/2010/05/nutrition-buzzwords-make-hay-out-of-grains-of-truth/ Convincing people to do what you want can be a challenge. One of the best ways is to get people to do it because they WANT to do it rather than trying to coerce or convince them. This is according to Christopher Hadnagy who is a global security expert and author of the book Human Hacking Win Friends, Influence People, and Leave Them Better Off for Having Met You (https://amzn.to/3iMz58R) Listen as he shares some valuable insight into what motivates people to give you what you want, why it is so effective and exactly how to do it. You likely have trouble sleeping from time to time. In fact just about everyone does. There are plenty of reasons people don’t sleep. Sometimes your mind is racing, or you are worried about something or it could also be something you ate or drank or even how your bedroom is configured. Here to discuss why people have trouble with their sleep is health journalist Kim Jones author of the book Trick Yourself to Sleep: 222 Ways to Fall and Stay Asleep from the Science of Slumber (https://amzn.to/2MtdFS7). Listen today and tonight you just might sleep like a baby. One of the hardest things on your car’s engine is – when you start it. Listen as I explain why cold engine starts are so tough on your car and how to ease the strain. Source: Jack Gillis author of The Car Book (https://amzn.to/2Ym0DIX) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season - for you and anyone on your list - because both of you can learn from the best to become your best - from leadership to effective communication to cooking. Right now you can get Two Memberships for the Price of One at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer far and wide this season with a new phone! Everyone can get the gift of connection at UScellular. Get any phone free, today. UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/23/202349 minutes, 56 seconds
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Why Success Never Feels Like It Should & Are You Really Responsible for Your Actions?

Texting and email seem to have replaced the telephone as a primary means of communication. Still, the telephone is sometimes a better option. When it is – how can you make sure you get a call back or a response of some kind? Listen and I’ll tell you. Source: Bill Jensen author of Simplicity Survival Handbook (https://amzn.to/3MMDmt7). Have you ever accomplished a goal and thought – “Hey if I can do that, what ELSE can I accomplish?” It seems success is rarely totally satisfying. Instead, it creates an itch for more success. That place in your brain where that happens is what my guest calls “Wonderhell.” And it turns out to be a fascinating place to explore. Listen as I speak about it with Laura Gassner Otting. She is frequently featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show and Harvard Business Review and she is author of the book Wonderhell: Why Success Doesn’t Feel Like it Should and What to Do About It (https://amzn.to/40EycFi)  There are actually people who believe that you are not responsible for your actions or decisions. In other words, that you have no free will. They believe everything is predetermined – that it is unfair to punish criminals, for example, because whatever they did wrong was not their choice. Then there is the other side of the argument. Joining me to explain why we do have free will – and to help try to understand why some people believe we do not is Kevin Mitchell, an associate professor of genetics and neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and author of the book, Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will (https://amzn.to/49vncy2) Here is the link for the episode featuring Robert Sapolsky arguing against free will: https://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/566-do-we-really-have-free-will-how-to-handle-rejection-better/ You frequently hear people say the phrase, "That's a whole nother story." But is nother a real word? That depends. Listen as I explain. https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/whole-nother PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! MasterClass makes a meaningful gift this season - for you and anyone on your list - because both of you can learn from the best to become your best - from leadership to effective communication to cooking. Right now you can get Two Memberships for the Price of One at https://MasterClass.com/SOMETHING PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Spread holiday cheer far and wide this season with a new phone! Everyone can get the gift of connection at UScellular. Get any phone free, today. UScellular. Built for US. Terms apply. Visit https://UScellular.com for details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/20/202352 minutes, 4 seconds
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SYSK Choice: The Psychology of Luck & Weird Earth Conspiracies Debunked

During the holiday season, there are more occasions and opportunities to drink alcohol. So, it’s worth noting that not all drinks are created equal when it comes to how they affect you. This episode begins with some interesting information about the differences between beer, wine and hard liquor that could have a definite impact on you and how you feel the next morning. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00190.x Are people born lucky? Or unlucky? What is it about some people that causes them to appear to be lucky a lot of the time? Here to explore the topic of luck is Richard Wiseman. He is one of the top researchers on the science of luck and author of the book, The Luck Factor (https://amzn.to/3EMLy6r). Richard is here to explain what makes lucky people lucky and how we might attract more luck. It’s not magic – it’s all in how you think. How can some people actually believe the earth is flat – and still others believe it is hollow? Some people believe we never landed on the moon – it was all a hoax. Still others are convinced that aliens walk among us. What causes people to believe what seems like nonsense to most of us? That’s why you will want to listen to my guest, Donald Prothero. Donald is a geology professor who has taught at Caltech, Columbia, and elsewhere and he is author of a book called Weird Earth: Debunking Strange Ideas about Our Planet (https://amzn.to/3GOsTc9). Listen to hear his explanation as to why some people cling to what appear to be very odd beliefs and why the problem appears to be growing.  Do you know what the word quantum actually means? Interestingly, 4 out of 5 people could not define it correctly when asked in a survey. Listen to discover what science and the dictionary say it actually means. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quantum#examples PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/18/202349 minutes, 50 seconds
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The Proof That Simple is Always Better & The Amazing Story of Pockets

If you are getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night (and most people are), that can be a real problem. And the problem is more than just feeling a little sleepy the next day. This episode begins with a stark example of how just a little more sleep each night can make a world of difference and how too little sleep is affecting your life in a negative way. https://www.sleep.com/sleep-health/15-minutes-extra-sleep Simple is better than complicated - every time, every place and in everything. Yet, people tend to complicate things. Listen to my guest and you will understand why clear and simple messaging works best and exactly how to do it. Joining me is Ben Guttmann, a marketing entrepreneur and educator who has helped hundreds of clients, ranging from the NFL to Nobel Laureates, and he is the author of the book Simply Put Why Clear Messages Win—and How to Design Them (https://amzn.to/3udtVwz). Chances are the clothes you are wearing have pockets. And you probably have something in those pockets. Hard to imagine life without them. Yet, pockets are only about 500 years old. So where did they come from? How hard are they to add to clothes? Why do they come in different sizes and put in weird places on clothes? Here to discuss the fascinating history of pockets is Hannah Carlson she is an authority on the history of clothing and author of the book POCKETS: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close (https://amzn.to/3SUzmef). The next time you get angry, you might want to use that anger to accomplish something important and difficult. Listen as I explain the power of anger and how to use it to your advantage. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/feeling-angry-may-help-people-achieve-goals-study-finds-rcna123611 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/16/202348 minutes, 20 seconds
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The Power of Things That Never Change & The Magic of the Doctor/Patient Bond

A kiss can be very powerful. It can make you feel wonderful and connect you to a person – or it can really mess things up. This episode begins with some interesting intel about the power of a kiss, both good and bad. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-we-kiss/ Change is sexy and exciting – and it can also be your worst enemy. On the other hand, there are some things that never change. You can count on them. And perhaps paying more attention to things that stay the same can be a huge benefit to your life and well-being. It is likely better than trying to predict what changes are coming since humans are particularly horrible at such predictions. Here to make the case for embracing things that stay the same is Morgan Housel. He is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and author of the book Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes (https://amzn.to/3SwWn6u). This is a conversation that will bring you a new perspective on how the world works and how people live. Complaining about the healthcare system is easy. Many people feel it is really hard to develop much of a relationship with their doctor when visits are so short and it’s often hard to get an appointment. So perhaps it is up to us – the patients - to squeeze out as much as we can from the healthcare system to get better care and a stronger doctor/patient bond. Joining me to explain how to best do that is Ken Redcross, MD. He is author of the book, Bond: The 4 Cornerstones of a Lasting and Caring Relationship with Your Doctor (https://amzn.to/461Zh6l) and founder of Redcross Concierge, a personalized medical practice designed to enhance the patient-doctor relationship. Listen and you will be much better equipped to interact with the healthcare system. Having little kids is actually good for your immune system. In fact, the more kids the better. How can that be? Listen as I explain. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120703142858.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/13/202348 minutes
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SYSK Choice: Uncovering the Mystery of Deja Vu & How Our Feelings Built Our World

If you have siblings, they have had an important impact on you, even if you don’t realize it. This episode starts with a discussion about how brothers and sisters affect your personality and character throughout your life. https://www.tlc.com/life---relationships/study-says-having-a-sister-makes-you-more-optimistic-kinder-and-happier You have probably had at least one experience of déjà vu – maybe several. It’s that feeling that what is happening now, you have experienced before. What causes it? Here to discuss this with me is Anne Cleary, a professor at Colorado State University where she studies the phenomenon of déjà vu. She is also author of a book called The Déjà Vu Experience (https://amzn.to/3ErC6Fm) and has a TED Talk on the subject that you can access here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFAvUkjba-Q.  As you know, you should brush and floss your teeth every single day. Do you? It is a worthwhile exercise because it appears to be good for your brain. Listen as I explore the connection between mental health and dental health. https://www.babylondentalcare.com/flossing-your-teeth-may-protect-against-cognitive-decline/ It turns out that almost every action you take is driven by your emotions. Whether it’s what food you eat, what movie you watch or what job you decide to take – these things are largely driven by how you feel. And that has been true for every decision by everyone throughout history. Human history is really a history of emotions. Richard Firth-Godbehere is a leading expert on emotions and he is the author of a book called A Human History of Emotion: How the Way We Feel Built the World We Know (https://amzn.to/3Bqp9K3) . Listen and you will be amazed by how your emotions truly govern your life. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/11/202351 minutes, 11 seconds
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Popular Myths About the Foods We Love & Tiny Inventions That Changed the World

Ever notice how restaurant kitchens have huge exhaust fans over the stove? They have to have them. It’s the law. You have an exhaust fan over your stove too. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining why you need to use it more often – a lot more often. https://polk.ces.ncsu.edu/2023/04/how-and-why-to-use-your-kitchen-exhaust-fan/ “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” “Drinking wine is good for your heart.” “you should really cut back on red meat.” These are examples of some popular and sincere beliefs about food - but are they really true? We will examine these and other strongly held beliefs about the foods we eat with cardiologist Dr. Dr. Christopher Labos. He is the co-host of a podcast called, The Body of Evidence (https://www.bodyofevidence.ca/) and he’s the author of the book Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: And 8 More Myths about the Food We Eat https://amzn.to/3sjzetM Imagine our world without the common nail or the wheel or springs. These humble human inventions have had profound impacts on the development of the modern world. Joining to explain what those profound changes are and where these inventions originated is Roma Agrawal. Roma is a structural engineer who has designed bridges and skyscrapers and she is the author of a book called Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World in a Big Way (https://amzn.to/3Sr5cyF). If you ever suspect someone is telling you a tall tale or lying about something that happened, there is an interesting clue to look for in the way they tell the story, according to people who spot liars for a living. Listen and I’ll tell you what to look for. Source: https://lifehacker.com/true-or-false-pay-attention-to-a-storys-structure-and-5959543 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/9/202349 minutes, 12 seconds
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When Personal Achievement Becomes Toxic & What You Never Knew About the Ocean

Why are the numbers 1, 2 and 3 across the top of a telephone keypad but across the bottom of a calculator? That’s one of three interesting questions that get answered as I begin this episode. The other 2 have to do with portholes and time. Source: Ivan Semeniuk, co-author of Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze? (https://amzn.to/3sf8muM) There is nothing wrong with achievement. But if you believe that you are only as valuable as your achievements, that can be a problem. If we let our success or lack of success define who we are at any point in time, it can demotivate you and make you feel as if you don’t matter. Joining me to talk about this is Jennifer Wallace. She is an award-winning journalist and social commentator and frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. She is author of a book called Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—And What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/49jkdIQ) What goes on beneath the surface of the ocean is amazing - much of which I bet you never knew. The oceans cover 70% of the planet and yet most of us know little about what goes on down there. Here to give a fun and interesting tour of the workings of our oceans is Helen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer at University College London’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and author of the book The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works (https://amzn.to/3scCyXo). Listen as she explains why the ocean is so salty, why there is really only one ocean and so much more. What if there was one simple thing any woman could do to motivate the man in her life? Well there is according to one marriage expert. In fact, he says this one little thing works every single time if women would just try it. Source: David Clarke PhD, author of The Total Marriage Makeover (https://amzn.to/3QoIvZD) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! Dell's Black Friday event is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals to take advantage of huge savings and free shipping! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/6/202348 minutes, 29 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How to Instantly Detect BS & The Secret to Conflict Resolution

You often hear the terms antique, collectible and vintage used interchangeably. However, they do have different meanings that have to do with the age and value of an item. I begin this episode with a brief and helpful explanation. https://www.antique-hq.com/the-difference-between-antique-vintage-and-collectible-item-127/ We don’t swear here on Something You Should Know, so we won’t actually say the word that BS stands for. But everyone knows what it means because we hear BS from people all the time. People toss it around in an effort to make themselves look good or maybe try to sell you something. Being able to tell the truth from BS is a helpful skill and one John Petrocelli is going to teach us. He is a professor of psychology at Wake Forest University and author of a book called The Life Saving Science of Detecting BullSh*t (https://amzn.to/3vNOyfl). John is what you would call an expert on BS after you hear what he has to say, you will be much better equipped to detect BS when you hear it. Wouldn’t it be great if people could just get along? Today more than ever, it seems people are less forgiving and easily upset by the actions of others. So how can we fix this – at least in our own lives? A good starting point is to listen to my guest Bill Eddy. He is an attorney and mediator and author of the book Calming Upset People With EAR (https://amzn.to/3Ch58qm.) Bill is the kind of person who doesn’t get upset. People rarely rattle him or make him mad. Instead, he just tries to resolve whatever the problem is. Listen and he will teach you how. And it’s not that hard.  There are friends and then there are friends with “refrigerator rights.” Those are real friends. Given that we live in a time when people have fewer friendships and feel more isolated, friends with refrigerator rights are precious and rare. Listen and discover what it means and why these friends are important. Source: Dr. Will Miller author of Refrigerator Rights (https://amzn.to/3Ch0jxh). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/4/202352 minutes, 31 seconds
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Good News About The Imposter Syndrome & Simple Strategies to A Great Relationship

It might sound odd but the weather can have a significant impact on your purchase decisions. Some things you are likely to buy on a warm sunny day you wouldn't even think of buying on a cloudy and dreary day. This episode begins with an explanation of how this works. https://lifehacker.com/how-the-weather-can-influence-our-car-and-house-buying-5933701 Have you ever felt like an imposter? It’s that feeling of self-doubt that you are in over your head and that other people overestimate your competence and ability. It doesn’t feel very good but it could just be an indication that you are on the right track, according to my guest Dr. Jill Stoddard. She is a mental health care provider and author of the book, Imposter No More : Overcome Self-Doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career (https://amzn.to/3QeIRSj). Listen and discover why feeling like an imposter may just mean you are exactly where you should be No one ever said love was easy. Or maybe they did – but they were wrong. Successful relationships take work. But the work doesn’t have to be all that difficult according to Alexandra Solomon. She is a licensed clinical psychologist at The Family Institute and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University. She is also author of a book called Love Every Day  (https://amzn.to/3FxMX30)  Can someone actually die from being frightened? People often use the phrase, “Scared to death” but is it really possible? Listen and find out. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/its-true-we-can-be-scared-to-death/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11/2/202349 minutes, 47 seconds
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The Downside of Creativity & Why We Love Horror Films for Halloween

Your grandmother probably told you to sit up straight – and boy was she right! Good posture can do wonders for all kinds of things from your self-esteem to your math skills. I begin this episode with an explanation. https://www.deseret.com/2023/10/24/23930242/dont-slouch-minding-your-posture-good-mental-health-productivity What could be wrong with creativity? Nothing actually, but creativity may not be all it has been cracked up to be. That’s according to Samuel Franklin. He is a cultural historian who has earned awards and fellowships from the Smithsonian Institution’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and is author of the book The Cult of Creativity: A Surprisingly Recent History (https://amzn.to/3MiaJUC). Samuel explains how this idea that we all need to be more creative in our work and in everyday life is a fairly recent phenomenon that often makes no sense in a world where so much of what we do does not require creativity – it just requires getting something done. What is it about horror films at Halloween? It is weird to think that we spend time and money to sit and watch a movie that makes us feel uncomfortable and scares the bejesus out of us. Still, many people love it. When you dissect them, horror films are fascinating, yet there is a snobbery about them that says they aren’t as good or as important as “real” movies. Here to discuss all this is science writer Nina Nesseth author of the book Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films (https://amzn.to/46Let9l). How often do you take a shower? A lot of us can’t imagine starting the day without one. But are daily showers really healthy? Is there a downside to being so clean? Listen as I explain the science of showers. Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/daily/tips/daily-shower-skin1.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/30/202349 minutes, 28 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Why Your Consciousness is Unique & How to Give Your Dog a Longer Life

Becoming a homeowner is an important goal for a lot of people. After all, home ownership is part of the American dream. However, owning isn’t always better than renting in all situations. Listen as I explain why renting may be the way to go. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/so-you-think-owning-a-home-will-make-you-happy-dont-be-too-sure/. Also, here is the link to the home ownership/rental calculator: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/buy-rent-calculator.html What does it mean to be you? What makes you different than everyone else? Is it your consciousness? Listen to my guest Anil Seth. He is a professor of cognitive and computational neuroscience at the University of Sussex and author of the book, Being You: A New Science of Consciousness (https://amzn.to/3DvkibU). What he has to say will make you pause and think about how you experience life in your day-to-day world and why your experience is so different than everyone else’s. Human lifespan continues to increase but some breeds of dogs are actually living shorter lives than they used to. If that surprises you, listen to my guest, veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker author of The Forever Dog: Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Companion Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer (https://amzn.to/3aBK0yQ). It turns out the way we treat our dogs can really impact their longevity for better or worse. You will also enjoy her story of how she found a dog that lived to be 30 years old.  What do air fresheners do exactly? Do they clean the air and actually eliminate odors or is there something else going on. And have you wondered if they are really safe? Listen as I reveal what the EPA says about commercial air fresheners and what you need to know to keep your family safe. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/28/202352 minutes, 58 seconds
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Why People Don’t Read What You Write & How Could You Be a Better Person?

While some people take pride in being a perfectionist, the fact is no one is perfect, so it is a somewhat pointless quest to try. Being a perfectionist can also be bad for your health and longevity in a big way. Listen as I begin this episode explaining the dangers of perfectionism. http://www.livescience.com/6724-dark-side-perfectionism-revealed.html In school, we are taught to write well. However, when we communicate in the real world today, effective writing – the kind that people will actually read and respond to - is often not the writing you learned in English class. Research has proven that if you want people to read what you write you need to write using certain principles and discard some of the rules you learned in school. Here to help you understand the science of writing, so people will read it is Todd Rogers. Todd is a behavioral scientist, a professor at Harvard and author of the book Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World (https://amzn.to/48VFmsF). Have you ever wished you were a better person? Well, if so, here is some good news - it doesn't take much to be better and make a difference. That is the contention of my guest Kate Hanley. Kate is the host of the How to Be a Better Person podcast (https://katehanley.com/podcast/). And author of the book How to Be a Better Person (https://amzn.to/46BGyzD). She is here to explain how just a few little actions could make you feel better about yourself while actually making a difference in the world. And what could be wrong with that.  Trick or treating can be serious business for some people. It’s all about getting the most candy in the least amount of time. If you or your kids subscribe to the “more candy the better” school of trick or treating, listen as I offer some proven strategies that can help you fill that bag up fast! https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/holiday/best-trick-treat-times/mKtXzk7AlhBtG9vh8IXDyK/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/26/202348 minutes, 49 seconds
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Hidden Ways Movies and TV Influence You & Why You Need to Brush Your Tongue

You can search online for information on just about any topic. Recently there was an interesting article posted on the Reader’s Digest website regarding some topics you probably shouldn’t search. This episode begins with a fun look at some of those topics that might be better the less you know. https://www.rd.com/list/things-never-google-search/ You likely have a sense that when you watch TV or a movie, it has an impact on you. What you probably didn’t realize is how big a deal those influences are. They not only affect you mentally and emotionally, they can cause physical changes in your body. TV and movies also influence the culture at large as well as the economy, science and even the future. To discover how, listen to my guest Walt Hickey. Walt is a Pulitzer prize winning writer and author of a fascinating book called, You Are What You Watch: How Movies and TV Affect Everything https://amzn.to/3Qpymgs) What goes on in your mouth can make a big difference in your overall health and happiness. How you brush, the way your tongue sits in your mouth, if you have your wisdom teeth removed – all these things matter more than you might realize. Here to explain how is Tersa Yang, DDS. She is an award winning dentist and educator who has taught clinical dentistry at the UCLA School of Dentistry, and she is author of the book Nothing But the Tooth (https://amzn.to/490LQGq) Listen and you will discover new things that are going on in your mouth you never knew. It may just be a good idea to set an alarm to go off every work day at 2pm. Why? Well according to one time management expert, there is something you can do then that can make your whole day more rewarding. Listen and I’ll explain what that is. https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/time-management/how-to-stop-procrastinating-00000000055280 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/23/202348 minutes, 28 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How Choice Architecture Works & The Benefits of Selfishness Done Correctly

Seems like everyone hates passwords. If they are too random, you forget them. If they are too obvious, you could be hacked. This episode begins with a quick and easy formula to create passwords that are easy to remember and no one else will ever guess. Source: Eran Katz author of Where Did Noah Park The Ark (https://amzn.to/3at5fmx). When you make a choice – any choice, your decision is influenced by so many factors. For example, the order the options were presented to you and who presented them has an influence on your choice. There is a name for this. It is “choice architecture” and it is fascinating and important to understand. One of the leading experts on choice architecture is Eric Johnson, Director of the Center for Decision Sciences at The Columbia Business School and author of the book The Elements of Choice: Why the Way We Decide Matters (https://amzn.to/3mK49bN). Listen as Eric reveals how other people and situations influence what you choose and how you influence the choices other people make – even if you don’t realize it. Most of us probably think that being selfish is wrong. However, that may be a false belief. In fact, maybe we should all be a little more selfish a little more often. That’s according to Michelle Elman. Michelle is a coach and speaker who has been named 1 of the 50 most inspirational women in the UK. Her book is called The Joy of Being Selfish (https://amzn.to/3AvyQq8) and she joins me to discuss the benefits of taking better care of your needs and desires and setting up boundaries for others. We all know everyone lies sometimes. And we all do it for the same reasons. Listen as I explain why we lie, how lying works and how it starts very early in life. https://www.ted.com/speakers/kang_lee PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/21/202352 minutes, 43 seconds
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The Awesome Power of Pure Joy & Hidden Distractions That Suck Your Time

Wi-Fi being what it is, sometimes it slows down and things get glitchy – shows stop streaming, games glitch out and other weird things seem to happen. Wouldn’t it be great if you could prioritize which devices in your house get first dibs on the bandwidth? Well actually there is a way. This episode begins with an explanation of how to do it. https://www.popsci.com/diy/prioritize-devices-on-your-wifi-network/ What is the difference between joy and happiness? They are definitely not the same thing. You can make the case that joy is what creates happiness. There is so much to joy and those special moments in life that create it, that it is worth understanding how joy works. For instance, there are things that are universally joyful around the world. Things like balloons and bright colors bring joy to virtually everyone. Ingrid Fetell Lee is an expert on joy and has a blog called The Aesthetics of Joy (https://aestheticsofjoy.com) . She is also author of the book Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness (https://amzn.to/3a4f8GM). She joins me to discuss how we can all bring more joy into our lives and why it is so important to understand the science of joy. Most of us spend more time on our electronic devices than we realize – way more time. The statistics are staggering. What’s worse is that all the time you spend on your phone or other devices is time you are NOT spending doing something else and not spending time with other people. Joseph McCormack has studied this, and he is author of a book called Noise: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus (https://amzn.to/3cbgeTS). Listen as he explains the ways technology has become a “weapon of mass distraction” that negatively impacts our lives. He also then offers some simple strategies to help combat the problem. Do you rinse off all the food from the peanut butter jar and other recyclables before you put them out for collection? Should you? Do you have to? Listen as I explain just how clean it has to be and how some recyclables (like pizza boxes) actually can’t be recycled. https://residentialwastesystems.com/blog/do-i-have-to-rinse-my-recyclables/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/19/202348 minutes, 45 seconds
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How to Get Important Things Done & Ways to Tell If Someone Is in Denial

Every PC owner has probably wondered what the difference is between RESTART and SHUTDOWN – or if there really is a difference. Actually, there is. And if you are having trouble and need to reboot your PC, one is a much better option than the other. Listen as I explain. https://computer.howstuffworks.com/restarting-shutting-down-computer.htm What stops you from doing the important things you say you want to do? If they are so important, why do they remain undone? And how does that impact the rest of your life? To help you understand this and to give you some great motivation to get things done and live the way you want to live is Rob Dial. Rob is host of The Mindset Mentor podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mindset-mentor/id1033048640 and author of the bestselling book Level Up: How to Get Focused, Stop Procrastinating, and Upgrade Your Life (https://amzn.to/48QRV8j). Listening to Rob will get you motivated! What does it mean to be in denial? Basically, it means you refuse to see the truth about people and instead believe what you want to be true. And man does that cause problems. Interestingly, it is easier to spot when others are in denial, a bit harder to see it in ourselves. Joining me to bring some really valuable insight into the whole issue of denial is Jane Greer, a nationally known marriage and family therapist, who has appeared on The Today Show, Oprah, , CBS News, , Dateline NBC, 20/20, and others… She is the author of six books about relationships. Her latest is Am I Lying to Myself?: How To Overcome Denial and See the Truth (https://amzn.to/48QvCzV). Negotiating intimidates a lot of people. Still, you can use some very simple tactics that are easy to do yet extraordinarily powerful. And they come from one of the great negotiators of our time. Listen, I will tell you what these tactics are and how to use them. Source: Herb Cohen author of Negotiate This! By Caring, But Not That Much (https://amzn.to/3rXYnK6). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game that's super easy to play. Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Planet Money is an incredible podcast with stories & insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/16/202350 minutes, 42 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Successful Dating Beyond Dating Apps & Why The 4-Day Work Week Works

Is taking a daily multivitamin a good idea? It seems to make a lot of sense – like an insurance policy. This episode begins with a discussion about what the science says about taking a multivitamin and what it does or doesn’t do for you. https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/releases/2009/02/multivitamins.html Dating is hard. So you might think dating apps would make it easier. After all, you can meet an endless number of people you would likely never meet otherwise. And therein lies the problem. Maybe the old fashioned way of dating is better. Or perhaps there is an even better way. Listen to my discussion with Jon Birger, an award-winning magazine writer and author of the book Make Your Move: The New Science of Dating and Why Women Are in Charge (https://amzn.to/3ApiNKe).  Seems like people have been talking about and proposing a 4-day work week for a long time. Still, it is not the norm in most places. That may change soon, according to Joe Sanok. Joe has researched the origins of the 5-day work week and explains why a shorter week can actually be good for business and employees. Joe joins me to explain why circumstances today might be perfect to usher in the 4-day work week. Joe Sanok is author of the book Thursday Is The New Friday (https://amzn.to/3oGQBjL). Flipping a coin may seem like a rather ridiculous way to make a decision. But maybe not. Listen as I explain why flipping a coin can actually be a very good way to choose what to do when you can’t decide and the stakes aren’t too high https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703694204575518200704692936 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Bring smiles to all when shopping online with Dell Technologies’ Gift Guide. Whether it’s for the artist, entrepreneur, student, streamer or gamer, you will find the perfect gift for everyone on your list! https://Dell.com/GiftGuide Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/14/202351 minutes, 8 seconds
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How to Speak Well When You Are Put On The Spot & The Strange History of Breakfast Cereal

If you went to your backyard and took a pinch of dirt in your fingers, you would be holding a piece of a shocking underground world you never knew about. Listen as I explain what lives in that world. Source: David W. Wolfe author of Tales From The Underground” (https://amzn.to/3tvUBIk) Whether you are talking to people in a small group or at a large formal event, it can be intimidating and sometimes scary. However, with some simple techniques, you can make speaking less stressful and make your message more impactful, according to Matt Abrahams. Matt is a leading expert in communication and is a lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He is author of the book Think Faster: Talk Smarter (https://amzn.to/3Q6zMev). Listen to his simple advice and you will instantly improve your speaking ability and your confidence.  When you think of breakfast cereal you probably think of the stuff that comes in a box in the supermarket. Actually breakfast cereal has been eaten for centuries. But boxed breakfast cereal from Kellogg’s and Post and General Mills, that started in the late 1800s with corn flakes being the first cold, boxed cereal. The story of cereal is fascinating and filled with interesting events and quirky characters. Here to tell that story is Kathryn Cornell Dolan. She is an associate professor of English at the Missouri University of Science and Technology and author of the book, Breakfast Cereal: A Global History (https://amzn.to/3ZKV0Tz). It's weird to think, but just in the last few decades human feet have been getting bigger – both men and women’s feet. Why? Listen as I explain the prevailing theory of bigger feet. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1239975/Female-feet-getting-larger-size-10s-demand.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Bring smiles to all when shopping online with Dell Technologies’ Gift Guide. Whether it’s for the artist, entrepreneur, student, streamer or gamer, you will find the perfect gift for everyone on your list! https://Dell.com/GiftGuide Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/12/202348 minutes, 48 seconds
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What If You Could Live a Lot Longer & Why We Believe Things That Just Aren’t True

If you are buying candy for Trick or Treaters this year, what kind will it be? Well, if you want to hand out the candy that kids really want, listen as I start this episode with the Top 10 list of the most popular Halloween candies. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2023/10/03/blow-pops-win-title-ohio-favorite-halloween-candy/71041875007/ Believe it or not, there is an oyster that has lived over 500 years. There is another creature that doesn’t seem to age at all – ever! What if we could somehow isolate whatever that is to lengthen human longevity? There is research looking into that right now. And Steven Austad is one of the leading researchers. Steven is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and author of the book Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives (https://amzn.to/3Q5Zj8L). Misbelief is when someone believes something that is just not so – or something for which there is no reason to believe. Some people believe the earth is flat. That is an example of misbelief. While that is a fairly benign example, other kinds of misbelief can have serious consequences as you are about to hear from Dan Ariely.  Dan is a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University and author of several bestselling books. His latest is Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things (https://amzn.to/3ZNNOpB). Dan himself was and is the subject of misbelief. The story will fascinate you. When a prescription runs out, you probably just toss the bottle in the trash. That could be a problem which could come back to bite you. Listen as I explain how and what you should do with those bottles instead. https://www.securshred.com/securshred-news/is-your-prescription-bottle-a-security-risk/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://shopify.com/sysk today! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Bring smiles to all when shopping online with Dell Technologies’ Gift Guide. Whether it’s for the artist, entrepreneur, student, streamer or gamer, you will find the perfect gift for everyone on your list! https://Dell.com/GiftGuide Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/9/202350 minutes, 25 seconds
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SYSK Choice: A Brief History of Motion & The Right Ways to Speak Up

Have you heard of the Pink Tax? It’s when the women’s version of a product (like razors) costs more than men’s even though they are the same – except maybe the packaging and the color. It happens with a whole host of products from children’s toys to clothes to deodorant and yes, razors. Listen to hear why this “tax” exists and why women might be smart to pick the men’s version of the same thing instead. https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_all-about-america_does-pink-tax-force-women-pay-more-men/6177789.html We like to get around. People like to go places . Whether it’s to go to the store or on vacation or to work or to grandma’s house, we like to be mobile. For thousands of years, humans have tried to find faster and more efficient ways to get from Point A to Point B. Listen to my guest, Tom Standage as he explains the fascinating history of human transportation and how it is changing in a major way right now . In fact, he reveals why one of the latest and most significant innovations in transportation today is the smartphone! Tom is deputy editor of The Ecomomist – and author of A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel to the Car, to What Comes Next (https://amzn.to/3A8G2s9). You have probably been in a situation where you thought about speaking up and saying something, but you held back, even though you knew you had something important to contribute. If that has happened to you, I want you to listen to my guest, Mary Nestor. Mary is a communications expert, award-winning speaker, business consultant, and author of the book Say It Now! Say It Right (https://amzn.to/39Mybpe) She joins me to explain how to muster up the courage and the words to speak up when you have something important to say. Do you know what a burglar looks like? Would you know one if you saw one? Most of them don’t look like the ones in the movies. Listen as I explain what burglars really look like, how they operate, what they are looking for and how you should protect yourself. Source: Richard T. Wright, author of Burglars on the Job (https://amzn.to/3utSXmU) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/7/202349 minutes, 49 seconds
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How to Build The Life You Want & Why Eggs Are More Amazing Than You Ever Knew

When you are faced with a tough decision, some common advice is to “sleep on it." By sleeping and waking up you may have a new and different perspective that will make your decision easier. Is that true? Is it good advice to sleep on it? This episode begins with a brief discussion. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/does-sleeping-on-it-really-work Are you a victim of your circumstances or can you build the life you want? According to Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey, your life is yours to create! Arthur is a social scientist, a professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. He has authored several books and his latest he wrote with Oprah titled Build the Life You Want (https://amzn.to/45eihhQ). Listen as he explains how to cultivate happiness, contentment, and fulfillment in your life no matter where you are right now.  Eggs are amazing. For many species, they are the beginning of life. They also make modern cooking possible. They are even essential in making our flu vaccine supply. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Listen to my guest Lizzie Stark who knows more about eggs than anyone and you will have a better appreciation for the incredible, edible egg. Lizzie is author of the book Egg: A Dozen Ovatures (https://amzn.to/46dU7VW). If you have ever been tempted to buy a trampoline, be aware there is more to that decision than you may realize. Listen as I explain some important considerations and why many people believe it is a bad idea. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-insurance-homeowners-trampoline/trampoline-for-the-kids-check-your-insurance-first-idUSBRE8BJ0ZE20121220 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://prizepicks.com/sysk and use code sysk for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/5/202349 minutes, 22 seconds
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Understanding Fear and Bravery in Everyday Life & How Modern Chemicals Affect You

How many married couples sleep in separate beds? A lot more than you may think. This episode begins with a discussion about why couples sleep separately and how it used to be a common and recommended practice not so long ago. https://www.newsweek.com/marriage-couple-sleeping-separately-husband-wife-1742874 The interesting thing about fear is that it is an emotion that serves us well. Without fear, we’d all be dead. Yet, sometimes fear gets in the way. We can often be more afraid than a situation warrants. We can be fearful and anxious about so many things it can prevent us from living a full and happy life. Joining me to help explore what human fear is all about and how to control it when it gets in the way is Dr. Arash Javanbakht. He is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who is director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University School of Medicine and author of the book Afraid: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety (https://amzn.to/3LDJ93K). Our world is full of chemicals – many of them are harmless while many others are dangerous. Where do new manmade chemicals come from? How do we know they are safe? Do we really understand the dangers of all the chemicals we surround ourselves with? Here to answer these and other important questions about chemicals in our environment Frank A. von Hippel. Frank is a professor of ecotoxicology at Northern Arizona University and author of the book The Chemical Age: How Chemists Fought Famine and Disease, Killed Millions, and Changed Our Relationship with the Earth (https://amzn.to/3tbzA5K) Certain words, when used to describe specific foods, can actually make you think the food tastes better than it really does. How can that be? Listen as I explain. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2302835/Organic-food-labels-trick-thinking-food-healthier-tastier.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! BetterHelp is truly the best way to make your brain your friend. Give it a try. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/Something today to get 10% off your first month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10/2/202346 minutes, 53 seconds
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SYSK Choice: What Happens In Our Brain When We Snap & Understanding Heartbreak

Why is the most popular pencil the #2 pencil? What happened to the #1 pencil? This episode begins with some interesting facts about pencils such as how the #2 pencil got so popular, how many words the average pencil will write, why yellow is the most popular pencil color and more. https://www.straightdope.com/21343238/how-come-you-see-2-pencils-but-no-1-pencils You often see stories in the news about people who “snap.” Sometimes it is road rage or some guy wrapping a golf club around a tree – we’ve all seen people snap. Neuroscientist Doug Fields joins me to explain why almost all of us under the right circumstances can snap and probably have at some point in life. He also explains why people who snap almost always regret it. Listen to discover what you can do to make sure you don’t snap even when provoked. Doug is author of two books, Why We Snap (https://amzn.to/3kL5A9Y) and Electric Brain (https://amzn.to/3ufCe6O).  A broken heart produces a special kind of horrible pain. And you may have wondered why it hurts so much and is there a way to get over it faster? That’s what Ziella Byars is here to discuss. She researched the science and wrote a book called How to Mend a Broken Heart (https://amzn.to/3EVT5ka). Listen as she explains the best ways to heal a broken heart.  You have likely been told more than once that you shouldn’t eat too much salt because it can cause high blood pressure. Is that really true? Listen as I explain the science regarding the link between salt and blood pressure and why you may not need to feel guilty about adding a little salt to whatever you are eating https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/a19539739/truth-behind-5-food-myths/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/30/202352 minutes, 53 seconds
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The High Price of Being So Busy & The Trouble You’ll Cause If You Don’t Have a Will

What makes happy people so happy? It is partly due to their attitude and behavior. This episode begins with some of the essential ingredients to create a general sense of happiness. They definitely work if you give them a try. http://www.biopsychiatry.com/happiness/ Who doesn’t love accomplishing all the things on their to-do list? But there is also a cost to doing that when it becomes your primary focus. It just may be that being a little less efficient will actually make you more content according to Tony Crabbe. He is a business psychologist who has worked with companies like Microsoft, News Corporation, Disney, HSBC and the World Bank and he is author of the book Busy: How to Thrive in a World of Too Much (https://amzn.to/2XsxTxD) . Listen as Tony reveals the benefits of changing your focus from efficiency to contentment while still tackling the important things. Not to be morbid but one day your life will come to an end. Even though it is a certainty, many of us are not prepared for it and it can cause real headache for the people you leave behind. When you are gone people need to know things like: Where are your passwords, bank accounts and important papers? Who will take care of your kids? Who gets your possessions? Here to discuss all the things you need to take care of that you may not have even thought about is Adam Seifer. Adam is founder of Everplans (https://www.everplans.com) a life and legacy planning company and he is author of the book In Case You Get Hit by a Bus (https://amzn.to/2Xv70t4). Did you know that your eyes have over 2 million working parts? That is only one fascinating feature about your eyes you likely never knew and that that I explain at the close of today’s episode that https://www.hexarmor.com/posts/12-fascinating-eye-facts PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/28/202349 minutes, 38 seconds
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How Emotions Control Your Thoughts and Actions & What You Never Knew About Elevators

As people age, they may have trouble remembering recent events. If you know older people who seem to forget things, it is important to realize that memory loss isn’t all inevitable. There are a couple of reasons people become forgetful that you can do something about. This episode begins with an explanation and strategies that can really help. Source: William Cone, PhD author of Stop Memory Loss (https://amzn.to/3PNKIOX). Your negative emotions get triggered by a lot of things in life. How you handle and channel those emotions in difficult times determines your “emotional power.” According to some interesting science, it seems many of us can use some help with those emotions by first understanding how they work in the brain. This is according to Julia DiGangi, a leading neuropsychologist and author of the book ENERGY RISING: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power (https://amzn.to/463rDhu) Listen and you will get a better understanding of why you do what you do when your emotions kick in. Elevators are strange little places. Still, they changed urban history. Just think, there wouldn’t be tall buildings if we didn’t have elevators. Yet, when you are in one, it can sometimes feel uncomfortable or even creepy. And even though we know they are safe, there is always that worry that the one you are in is not. So how did elevator technology start and just how advanced is it. Here to discuss all the things you have ever wondered about elevators is Dr. Lee Gray, professor of architectural history at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte and author of a book called From Ascending Rooms to Express Elevators: A History of the Passenger Elevator (https://amzn.to/44ZLtsM). Having trouble sleeping? It may not be you, it could be your room. Listen as I explain how to quickly and easily improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep by moving a few things in your bedroom. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/understanding-sleep-problems-basics PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/25/202350 minutes, 58 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Why It’s Human to Seek Pain on Purpose & How Cooperation Shaped the World

You know when you call a customer service number and you hear, “Your call is very important to us…”? What that usually says to me is – “Get comfortable, this is going to take a while.” Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to make your customer service experience shorter and less frustrating? Listen as I begin this episode with some solid advice. frustrating experience. So, this episode begins by discussing how to make that experience a little bit smoother. https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-call-customer-service/ Can you ever really know pleasure if you don’t experience pain? Do humans actually want and need pain? Pain is a fascinating topic, as you will hear from my guest Leigh Cowart. She has purposely put herself through some very painful experiences such as, being a ballerina to eating the world’s hottest chili pepper. Listen as she discusses her research on pain and explains why some of us actually seek out pain. And yes, it turns out we all likely need some pain in our lives. Leigh is a journalist and author of the book, Hurts So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose (https://amzn.to/3lHYF0F) While humans can be selfish, we also have to cooperate with each other because we simply can’t do everything for ourselves. The ways in which humans cooperate turn out to be very complicated because while we cooperative we also compete with each other. We can be very compassionate and cooperative with some people but not others. Evolutionary biologist Nichola Raihani has examined how our ability and desire to cooperate with each other (or not) has helped guide the development of modern civilization. Listen as she explains this fascinating topic. Nichola is a professor of evolution and behavior at University College in London and author of the book The Social Instinct: How Cooperation Shaped the World (https://amzn.to/2XwTKr8).   Do women apologize more than men? Actually, yes but why is that? Listen as I explore some interesting findings on why men and women tend to apologize differently. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46381418_Why_Women_Apologize_More_Than_Men_Gender_Differences_in_Thresholds_for_Perceiving_Offensive_Behavior PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 Try HelloFresh. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Anxious thoughts? Give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Go to: https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/23/202351 minutes, 48 seconds
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Why You Should Embrace Your Most Embarrassing Moments & The Fascinating World of Seeds

It is conventional wisdom for people taking a test that if you are stuck – go with your first answer. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining why that is such terrible advice Source: Joseph T. Hallinan author of Why We Make Mistakes (https://amzn.to/44PV4SQ) We have all felt awkward and embarrassed at times. It feels terrible. Still, it happens to everyone and so often it isn’t as big deal a deal as YOU think it is and maybe it isn’t a big deal at all. That’s the message from Henna Pryor. She has researched what that feeling of embarrassment is really all about and I think you will find what she has to say to be very liberating. Henna is a keynote speaker with two great TEDx talks (https://www.ted.com/talks/henna_pryor_why_awkwardness_is_your_secret_weapon_for_risk_taking_at_work) and she is author of the book, Good Awkward: How to Embrace the Embarrassing and Celebrate the Cringe to Become The Bravest You (https://amzn.to/45Ksgwh) Most plants come from seeds. And I bet you don’t really understand how that really works. And how it works is truly amazing, as you will discover from listening to my guest Jennifer Jewell. She is a gardening educator and advocate and hosts a podcast called Cultivating Place (https://www.cultivatingplace.com/blog-1). She is also author of the book What We Sow (https://amzn.to/3EKxv3f). If you have ever wondered things like how they grow seedless watermelon when there are no seeds, you will like this discussion.  Some people have real trouble when it comes to parallel parking. But there is a secret or two that can make it much easier. Listen as I explain this simple technique. Source: Jason Roberts author of The Learn 2 Guide (https://amzn.to/3PnPNfH) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Planet Money is an incredible podcast with entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Learn more at https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/21/202346 minutes, 52 seconds
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How To Better Maneuver Through Changes In Life & What You Need to Know About Slime

Why do people get hiccups and what is the best way to get rid of them? This episode begins with an exploration into the causes and cures of hiccups - some that work and some that don't. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiccups/symptoms-causes/syc-20352613 One thing is for sure – your life is going to change in ways you never expected or planned for. Unexpected change happens to everyone and by its nature can really cause turmoil in your life. So how do you plan for the unexpected changes that inevitably come? That is what Brad Stulberg is here to discuss. Brad is a researcher and writer who was here on an earlier episode talking about the passion paradox. Today the topic is coping change. Brad’s latest book is called Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You (https://amzn.to/3EzQYn2). When you hear the word slime, I doubt it makes you feel warm and fuzzy. People generally hate the thought, the idea or mention of slime. And yet the world is covered in slime, we humans are full of slime and slime serves many important functions – including holding your body together. In short, we would not be alive if it wasn’t for slime. Joining me to give you a new and enlightened appreciation for slime is Susanne Wedlich, a freelance journalist in Munich, Germany and author of the book Slime: A Natural History (https://amzn.to/45QaUOq) Dark glasses can make you look mysterious or maybe a little shady. And they may also make you act a little shady and make you do things you might not otherwise do. Listen and I’ll explain how. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100301122344.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Planet Money is an incredible podcast with entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Learn more at https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/18/202348 minutes, 34 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Our Hidden Power to Persuade & How Your Brain Decides What’s Beautiful

A lot of prescription pill bottles come with a ball of cotton inside, on top of the pills. What’s it for and should you take it out or leave it in there? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.businessinsider.com/why-huge-cotton-ball-comes-pill-bottles-medicine-health-pharmacy-prescription-2017-5 There has likely been a time in your life when you wanted to ask someone to do something for you were reluctant and decided not to. It seems almost human nature to hate to ask people for things. Even when we do ask, we sometimes say, “Gee I hate to ask this but…” We should all try to get over that reluctance and ask anyway according to Vanessa Bohns, PhD. She is a social psychologist, a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University and author of the book, You Have More Influence Than You Think: How We Underestimate Our Power of Persuasion, and Why It Matters (https://amzn.to/3Emj83G). Listen to what she has to say and you’ll probably feel better about asking for what you want. For this episode, I would like you get out a $1 bill because we are going to take a look at it together and you will discover how fascinating it is and what all those symbols mean. https://www.rd.com/list/dollar-bill-symbols/ What makes someone or some thing beautiful? Is beauty all about physical attractiveness or are there other elements that can create or enhance beauty? Listen to my conversation with Anjan Chatterjee, Professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania who has done some great research on beauty and has an excellent TED Talk on the topic which you can link to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgt8QUHQjw8 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk today! Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/16/202347 minutes, 30 seconds
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What Lack of Human Connection Does to You & How Roads Impact the World

How do you define love? What is it exactly? Listen to the beginning of this episode and you will hear one of the best definitions of love ever. Knowing this definition will make it clear as a bell what you have to do to get more love in your life. Source: Dr. Pat Love author of The Truth About Love (https://amzn.to/3r7Rzcu) While we all know humans are social creatures, we have actually become much less social than in previous generations. People have fewer friends, more people than ever do not have a best friend, many of us claim to feel lonely and don’t know our neighbors. And certainly politics has created a lot of division and isolation. We are simply less connected. This is a real problem according to Geoffrey Cohen, professor of psychology and organizational studies at Stanford University and author of the book, Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides (https://amzn.to/3r82Nhi). Listen as he explains why human connection is so important and offers practical suggestions for creating more connections in your life.  There are 40 million miles of roads in the United States. While you probably don’t think much about them, they are vital to our way of life. They get us from here to there. Yet, there is a price to pay for having the convenience of all these roads. Animals pay a big part of that price. Roads are hazardous to them. And when your car hits an animal it is hazardous and often expensive for you. There are other important consequences to having our network of roads you may not have considered. Here to explain it all is Ben Goldfarb. He is a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic and other publications and he is author of the book Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet (https://amzn.to/44OpLI6) Could the shoes you wear reveal something about your personality? There was a study done about this and I will tell you what this study claims your shoes are telling the world about you. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092656612000608 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk today! Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/14/202349 minutes, 24 seconds
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How to Nail Those Important Goals & The Odd Words and Phrases We All Use

There is a perceived advantage to reading fast. However, reading slower may actually be more beneficial for a lot of reasons. This episode opens with some important reasons to slow down your reading for maximum impact. https://www.bustle.com/p/7-reasons-slow-reading-is-actually-a-good-thing-because-being-a-speed-reader-is-overrated-73092 The average person has 22 goals they want to accomplish. So what’s the best way to go after them? Here with a refreshing and exciting take on setting and achieving goals is Jon Acuff. He is a speaker and author of 9 books. His latest is called All It Takes is a Goal (https://amzn.to/3PtSiOF). Listen to Jon and you will be inspired to tackle those goals you’ve been thinking about but have yet to achieve and you’ll feel good about letting go of goals that are not that important and weighing you down. We all use weird words and phrases like, “it’s raining cats and dogs” “I went cold turkey”, “You need to know the ropes.” And what in the world is a “white elephant”? Here to explain where these colorful words and phrases come from and why they are important is Caroline Taggart . She has worked in the publishing business for many years and has written several books including Humble Pie and Cold Turkey: English Expressions and Their Origins (https://amzn.to/3ZazBTw)   How do you win an argument? Well, most of the time you don’t but if you want to improve your chances, there is one thing you need to know according to Mike Nichols author of The Lost Art Of Listening (https://amzn.to/3ErzkSy). Listen as I explain.  PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk today! Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/11/202349 minutes, 17 seconds
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SYSK Choice: The Secrets to Better Conversation & A Better Way to Meet Deadlines

Every day, you make a countless number of decisions, from what to have for dinner to what detergent to buy. This episode begins by looking at how humans make decisions and choices in life and how to recognize which ones you are probably wasting too much time on. https://fs.blog/2014/09/the-history-of-cognitive-overload You likely spend a good portion of your day in conversation with other people. Yet, we seldom detect what is happening “under the radar” in those conversations – and there is a lot going on. Listen and meet Elizabeth Stokoe, a social psychologist who spent 20 years transcribing and analyzing real conversations people have and discovered some rather amazing things that happen when we people talk with each other. What she discovered will surprise you and help you be a better conversationalist. Elizabeth is author of the book, Talk: The Science of Conversation (https://amzn.to/3A2ShXQ). Deadlines are interesting. Without them a lot of things would never get done. Yet, some of us wait until the very last minute to do what needs to be done even though we could’ve started it a lot sooner. There must be a better way to meet deadlines and according to Christopher Cox – there is! Christopher is author of the book The Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It’s the Last Minute―Before the Last Minute (https://amzn.to/3ty01P3). As a former magazine editor for many years, Christopher was constantly dealing with deadlines. Listen to what he discovered so that you might just change your ways the next time a deadline is looming. Like everyone else, you probably talk to yourself. So, is it a good idea to listen to whatever you tell yourself when you talk to yourself? Listen as I discuss the benefits of talking to yourself and why it is even better if you do it out loud. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100921110956.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. How does it work? You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Planet Money is an incredible podcast with entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/9/202349 minutes, 17 seconds
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Why You Get Embarrassed and What To Do & How A Parrot Solved a Murder

I am certain that many times in your life you have had “one of those days.” Those are the days when nothing seems to go right, everything seems to be a problem and you tend to dwell on how horrible everything is. This episode begins with a quick and effective technique for the next time you have “one of those days” that will help you snap out of it. Source: Judith Orloff, M.D. author of Positive Energy (https://amzn.to/2KHzr3K) It's hard to imagine anyone going through life without being embarrassed. It’s a horrible feeling that actually serves an important purpose. Listen as I speak with Charise Harper author of the book So Embarrassing: Awkward Moments and How to Get Through Them (https://amzn.to/35uLpFZ). She explains why we get embarrassed, why it feels so horrible and how best to handle it in the moment when it happens.  Wouldn’t you love to hear the story of how a parrot solved a murder or how someone was so gullible they actually believed that investing in an idea from a prince from Venus was a smart thing to do or the story about how the same woman survived the sinking of the Titanic as well as accidents on Titanic’s 2 sister ships? Well those are just three of the tales you are going to hear from Steve Silverman, host of The Useless Information podcast (https://uselessinformation.org) and author of the book The Flip Side of History (https://amzn.to/3l7htEb).   No one likes to clean, so I have three tips from a top cleaning expert that will actually reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning and ensure you do a better job. Source: Don Aslett author of No Time to Clean. (https://amzn.to/3fy5i2f)    PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. How does it work? You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Planet Money is an incredible podcast with entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/7/202344 minutes, 24 seconds
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How To Get Better At Anything & Will You One Day Own Nothing?

Walking is good exercise and the pace at which you walk can make it even better. This episode begins with a brief discussion on the rather remarkable benefits of a brisk walk over a casual stroll. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/people-who-walk-faster-tend-to-live-longer How do you get good at something? Some people think it takes experience or lots of practice. Well, there is another way – a more effective way to improve your abilities at anything you choose to do. That is what Eduardo Briceño is here to explain. Eduardo has a wonderful Ted talk about this called How to Get Better At The Things You Care About (https://www.ted.com/talks/eduardo_briceno_how_to_get_better_at_the_things_you_care_about) and he is author of the book The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action (https://amzn.to/45Hs4NY) You may not yet be aware of it yet but there is a movement in the United States that is encouraging people to own less AND feel good about it. Imagine the freedom of not being burdened by home ownership or ownership of just about anything else. Wouldn’t that feel great? For many people the answer is NO. Ownership is the primary path to wealth creation. One of those people sounding the alarm about this is Carol Roth who is author of the book You Will Own Nothing (https://amzn.to/44wDGCr). Listen as she explains who is behind this movement and why it is something to better understand and be concerned about.  Is chewing gum good for you? Well it’s not going to cure a disease or make you healthy, however there are a few actual benefits to chewing gum. Listen as I explain what some of them are. https://selecthealth.org/blog/2017/04/surprising-benefits-of-chewing-gum PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! PrizePicks is a skill-based, real-money Daily Fantasy Sports game. How does it work? You pick 2-6 players and if they will go more or less than their PrizePicks projection. It's that simple! Go to https://PrizePicks.com/SYSK and use code SYSK for a first deposit match up to $100 Anxious thoughts seem to happen at the worst time. It's important to try and get out of those negative thought cycles. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Get a break from your negative thoughts with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Planet Money is an incredible podcast with entertaining stories and insights about how money shapes our world. Listen to Planet Money https://npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/4/202348 minutes, 5 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Life Hacks That REALLY Make a Difference & The Extraordinary History of Water

Admit it, you have likely snooped or eavesdropped on someone at some point in your life. In fact everyone has done it. This episode begins by discussing why humans and most other creatures on the planet eavesdrop and the important purpose it serves. Source: John Locke author of the book Eavesdropping (https://amzn.to/3l7rIud) When you think about all the tasks you do each day, there are likely some you could do better and easier. And if you listen to my guest, you will discover how. Erin Ruddy interviewed some top experts to learn their secrets and put that information in her book, The Little Book of Life Skills (https://amzn.to/3l4ypxc). Listen as she reveals how to do everyday tasks a little better than you are probably doing them now - from getting up in the morning, to starting your day with a better attitude, to writing a great email, how to clean any room in 10 minutes or less and more. Without water, we wouldn’t be here. It is crucial to our survival. Yet, it seems water is the cause of a lot of problems. In some places on the planet, there isn’t enough of it and in other places there is too much. The story of water is fascinating. Listen as Giulio Boccaletti joins me to tell this riveting tale. Giulio is a globally recognized expert on natural resource security and environmental sustainability and author of the book Water: A Biography (https://amzn.to/38UwBBq). We are all aware of the risks and dangers of drinking and driving. What you may not know is that driving when you are tired is also dangerous – really dangerous. Listen to hear why you shouldn’t drive when you are tired and if you have to, what you can do to reduce the risks. Source: Matthew Edlund, M.D. author The Power of Rest (https://amzn.to/3hioMd6)  PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Delete Me helps you keep your personal info private by removing it from hundreds of data broker websites that sell our data online. You tell Delete Me exactly what info you want deleted, and their privacy experts take it from there! It’s really that simple to protect yourself. DeleteMe makes it easy! Right Now get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to join https://DeleteMe.com/SOMETHING and use promo code SOMETHING20 Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow If you want to lose weight and keep it off, increase your metabolic efficiency and prevent or reverse health conditions you need to know the truth about why dieting has failed and how to take back control of your body and health! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Learn more at https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
9/2/202351 minutes, 10 seconds
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Why Many Decisions You Make Don’t Really Matter & The Fascinating World of Weather

Take a guess… how many times does the average American check their cellphone in 2023? I don’t know your guess, but I bet you are way off. This episode begins with some amazing stats regarding how and how much we use our phones. https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction/ We spend a lot of time agonizing over decisions that really don’t matter. That’s just one of the revelations I discuss with Annie Duke. She is a speaker and consultant on the topic of decision making, a former professional poker player and author of the book, How To Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices (https://amzn.to/3OQgGIF). Listen as Annie looks at the whole process of decision making through a very enlightening lens. The advances in the science of weather in just the last few years are astounding. Here to tell you all about them is James Marshall Shepherd. He is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Georgia and host of the Weather Geeks podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weather-geeks/id1373312240. He also explains how weather forecasting works and the difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny and other meteorological terms. You are not supposed to drink alcohol when you take antibiotics. Most people think it will neutralize the effects of the antibiotic but that’s not the reason. Listen as I explain what the real reason is. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/antibiotics-and-alcohol/faq-20057946 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Delete Me helps you keep your personal info private by removing it from hundreds of data broker websites that sell our data online. You tell Delete Me exactly what info you want deleted, and their privacy experts take it from there! It’s really that simple to protect yourself. DeleteMe makes it easy! Right Now get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to join https://DeleteMe.com/SOMETHING and use promo code SOMETHING20 Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow If you want to lose weight and keep it off, increase your metabolic efficiency and prevent or reverse health conditions you need to know the truth about why dieting has failed and how to take back control of your body and health! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Learn more at https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/31/202347 minutes, 37 seconds
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Dramatic Ways Your Thoughts Impact Your Health & Understanding Deadly Wildfires

People who are confident and powerful tend to exhibit a few critical behaviors to create that impression of power and confidence. This episode begins with a quick list of things anyone can do to present the image of power to others. Source: Robert Greene author of The 48 Laws of Personal Power (https://amzn.to/3EaogJs) There is compelling evidence that your mind and your thoughts can impact your physical health. It isn’t all mystical and magical as you might think. In fact, a lot of it is quite logical and practical – yet it is still amazing, as you are about to discover when you listen to my guest Ellen Langer. She is the first ever tenured female professor at Harvard University and is considered the “mother of mindfulness.” She is author of the book The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health (https://amzn.to/45gn1UO) Wildfires seem to be more destructive than ever before. Flames in forests are scorching about twice as many trees as they did two decades ago, and nearly 100,000 homes, barns, and other structures have gone up in smoke. Plus, wildfires seem to occur in places that never used to have to worry. What is going on and what do we all need to know to protect ourselves? That is what Nick Mott is here to discuss. Nick is a Peabody Award winning journalist, podcast producer and author of the book This is Wildfire: How to Protect Yourself Your Home and Your Community in the Age of Heat (https://amzn.to/3P3nO5W). When someone say, “This goes with out saying…” Why are they saying it if it goes without saying? That is one of several phrases people often use that they probably shouldn’t. Listen as I reveal some other phrases that we should all avoid if we want to make the right impression on people. Paul Yeager author of “Literally The Best Language Book Ever (https://amzn.to/45CUcBM) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Delete Me helps you keep your personal info private by removing it from hundreds of data broker websites that sell our data online. You tell Delete Me exactly what info you want deleted, and their privacy experts take it from there! It’s really that simple to protect yourself. DeleteMe makes it easy! Right Now get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to join https://DeleteMe.com/SOMETHING and use promo code SOMETHING20 Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow If you want to lose weight and keep it off, increase your metabolic efficiency and prevent or reverse health conditions you need to know the truth about why dieting has failed and how to take back control of your body and health! With GOLO you will safely and effectively control sugar cravings, hunger, and minimize muscle loss allowing you to feel good and inspired to reach your goal weight. Learn more at https://golo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/28/202347 minutes, 59 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How DNA Predicts Our Psychological Traits & Why People’s Sense of Direction Varies

It’s become trendy to fill your car tires with nitrogen instead of plain old compressed air. In fact, there are now green caps for the valve stems to indicate that a tire has nitrogen in it. It can cost over $10 to fill up a tire with nitrogen so this episode begins with a quick discussion on whether it not it is worth it. https://www.consumerreports.org/tire-buying-maintenance/should-you-use-nitrogen-in-car-tires-a6260003694/ Science is learning more and more about human DNA. And the latest research indicates that almost everything about you has some inherited, genetic, DNA-ish component to it, whether that be biological or psychological or anything else. As an example, how well you do in school may largely be inherited but not necessarily in the way you think. This is according to Robert Plomin, Professor of Behavioral Genetics at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College in London and author of the book, Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/3gV9GtR) . Listen as he reveals the very latest in how your genes influence so much of who you are.  Some people claim to have a good sense of direction while others claim to have a lousy one. Is “sense of direction” a real thing? Is it really a sense at all? And if it is, why do some people have a good one and others not? That’s exactly what Michael Bond set out to discover. Michael is a science writer, former Senior Editor at New Scientist and author of the book, From Here to There: The Art and Science of Finding and Losing Our Way (https://amzn.to/3DOY8Cu). Michael is here to discuss with me why some of us are better than other at getting from here to there.  Pear season runs from late summer into early winter. And if you like pears, you know that knowing when they are ripe can be tricky. However, there is a reliable test to tell a pear’s ripeness and if you listen to this episode, you too will know it. https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/in-season/2011/10/how-can-you-tell-if-a-pear-is-ripe PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Delete Me helps you keep your personal info private by removing it from hundreds of data broker websites that sell our data online. You tell Delete Me exactly what info you want deleted, and their privacy experts take it from there! It’s really that simple to protect yourself. DeleteMe makes it easy! Right Now get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to join https://DeleteMe.com/SOMETHING and use promo code SOMETHING20 Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/26/202351 minutes, 10 seconds
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What You Never Knew About Your Neighborhood & Understanding Intellectual Property Rights

There is this weird thing that happens to a lot of people (including me) and that is, we often wake up on our own just before the alarm goes off. Why is that? Listen as this episode begins with the interesting reason why this seems to happen to so many people. https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/why-do-we-wake-up-right-before-our-alarm/ There is so much you never knew about your neighborhood - From the phone poles that hold up your power lines, to the cement your sidewalks are made out of, to the traffic lights that keep people safe, there are fascinating backstories to every single one. After listening to this episode, you will see your neighborhood quite differently. Joining me to explain all this is Spike Carlsen author of the book A Walk Around the Block (https://amzn.to/378CyuL).  Can you be sued if you grab an image off of Google and put it up on your website? If so, what’s the penalty? This is just one of the important areas of intellectual property law that people often do not understand. Here to simplify the confusing world of copyrights, patents and trademarks is attorney Devin Miller, CEO of Miller IP Law (www.milleripl.com) and host of The Inventive Journey podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inventive-journey/id1499417283. Devin explains how to protect your intellectual property and what you can and cannot do with other people’s.  Have you ever wondered if there is a formula for getting rich? Actually, there is. It isn’t thrilling or sexy, but it is how most rich people get rich. Listen as I explain how the formula works. https://consumerfed.org/press_release/how-americans-view-personal-wealth-v-how-financial-planners-view-this-wealth/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Delete Me helps you keep your personal info private by removing it from hundreds of data broker websites that sell our data online. You tell Delete Me exactly what info you want deleted, and their privacy experts take it from there! It’s really that simple to protect yourself. DeleteMe makes it easy! Right Now get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to join https://DeleteMe.com/SOMETHING and use promo code SOMETHING20 Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/24/202353 minutes, 12 seconds
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Lying – The Truth and Consequences & The Race to Make Money In Outer Space

How can doing something embarrassing in front of people be good for you? This episode begins by explaining how making a fool of yourself can actually have benefits and make you happier. Maybe not in the moment but overall. https://exploringyourmind.com/making-fool-yourself-makes-you-happier/ When you tell a lie, there are consequences – especially if you get caught. Because if you are caught lying, you are now a liar and that can be a difficult label to shake. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Lying is fraught with all kinds of danger. Yet, everyone lies at some point in their life. Here to help you understand why people lie, and some of the consequences of lying you may have never even considered before is Drew Curtis. He is a licensed psychologist in Texas and is on the faculty at Angelo State University. He is author of the book Big Liars: What Psychological Science Tells Us About Lying and How You Can Avoid Being Duped (https://amzn.to/47PmsmP) Not all that long ago, it was only governments that had the money and technology to launch rockets into space. Not anymore. Today private companies are launching rockets and satellites into space almost daily! And ultimately, it is all about money. People like Elon Musk with his company SpaceX are leading the way and there are dozens of other companies collectively trying to conquer space and make a profit. Joining me to explain what is going on here is Ashlee Vance. He wrote a bestselling book about Elon Musk, he is also a feature writer at Bloomberg Businessweek and he is author of the book When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach (https://amzn.to/44gavDB) You can predict the weather with your morning cup of coffee – sort of. This is likely not the way the National Weather Service does it but the bubbles in your coffee can actually tell you what kind of day it is going to be. Listen as I explain. https://www.instructables.com/Predict-weather-with-a-cup-of-coffee/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Delete Me helps you keep your personal info private by removing it from hundreds of data broker websites that sell our data online. You tell Delete Me exactly what info you want deleted, and their privacy experts take it from there! It’s really that simple to protect yourself. DeleteMe makes it easy! Right Now get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to join https://DeleteMe.com/SOMETHING and use promo code SOMETHING20 Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/21/202348 minutes, 41 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How to Gossip Well & The Importance of Taking A Pause

As relationships mature, holding hands seem to become less of a priority. And that could be a big mistake. There are real benefits to holding hands and this episode begins by explaining what those benefits are. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/fashion/05hands.html We may not like to admit it, but just about everyone enjoys a juicy bit of gossip. In fact, we all gossip at least once in a while and that turns out to be a good thing. Gossip serves a lot of useful purposes in life. Frank McAndrew, a leading researcher on gossip joins me to reveal just how gossip works, why most gossip really isn’t all that nasty. He also has some advice on how to gossip better. Frank is a professor of psychology at Knox College in Illinois (https://www.frankmcandrew.com/) During a busy day, you likely jump from one task to the next with hardly any room to breathe. If that is true, you could be missing out on a great opportunity according to Juliet Funt founder and CEO of The Juliet Funt Group (https://www.julietfunt.com/) who advises Fortune 500 companies. Listen as she explains the importance of creating “white space” in between all the things you do and the benefits of doing so. Juliet is author of the book A Minute to Think (https://amzn.to/3mmsXIv). Rejection hurts - a lot. Why? Listen as I explain some interesting research that reveals why romantic rejection can be so devastating and how to handle it better if it happens to you. Source: Helen Fisher author of the book Why We Love (https://amzn.to/3g7Ctel) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk today! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them and treat almost every condition under the sun! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the Masters of Scale podcast! Check it out at https://mastersofscale.com OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/19/202348 minutes, 22 seconds
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Why We Often Expect the Worst & The Science Behind the Fonts You Use

How many times have you heard that exercise is good for you? But specifically, how? This episode starts with an explanation of precisely how exercise benefits you physically and mentally – and they are pretty compelling benefits. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389 When you worry, it is often because you are expecting the worst. We imagine trouble and danger are brewing about something that has yet to happen. Often times that worry is completely unwarranted. Still, the anxiety that drives the worry is a powerful force. How can you get a handle on your worry? Here to discuss that and offer some proven advice that can turn down the volume on worry is David Carbonell, he is a clinical psychologist and therapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, and he is author of the book The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You Into Expecting the Worst (https://amzn.to/44b5MTJ). There are zillions of fonts you can use when you type an email or letter or report . And according to some solid research, the font you choose can have a significant impact on the reader. Everyday you are influenced by the typefaces used on menus, products, signs, posters, everything! And you probably don’t even know it. Joining me to discuss the science of fonts is Sarah Hyndman. She is a graphic artist and author of the book Why Fonts Matter. (https://amzn.to/3DTCvlA).  Is it possible to be addicted to music? Apparently so! At least in the sense that music can make you feel good in much the same way as a drug. Listen as I explain what it is about music that creates such powerful feelings in us. https://www.dancemusicnw.com/study-proves-music-addiction/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk today! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them and treat almost every condition under the sun! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the Masters of Scale podcast! Check it out at https://mastersofscale.com OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/17/202346 minutes, 55 seconds
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Favorite Food Origins You Never Knew & Why The Internet Creates So Much Outrage In People

Everyone has loose batteries somewhere in the house. And if you keep those batteries in your junk drawer, that could be dangerous. Listen as I explain why and a better way to store batteries. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612670/never-store-batteries-your-junk-drawer Did French fries really originate in France? Why do we call them hot dogs? Why is there no cream in cream soda? And what’s the deal with chicken fingers? Joining me with the fun origins of some of your favorite foods is Kim Zachman author of  There's No Cream in Cream Soda: Facts and Folklore About Our Favorite Drinks (https://amzn.to/3QA1bay) and There's No Ham in Hamburgers (https://amzn.to/47pasrQ). Listen and you will discover things about the foods you eat that you probably never knew.  Have you ever seen something on social media and felt outraged? It happens a lot. Is that by design? What is it about social media posts that often trigger very emotional reactions? That turns out to be a fascinating topic and one that affects us all in some surprising ways. Tobias Rose Stockwell is a writer and researcher who looked into this important topic and joins me to reveal what he discovered. His work has been featured in The Atlantic, WIRED, NPR, the BBC and he is author of the book Outrage Machine: How Tech Amplifies Discontent, Disrupts Democracy―And What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/3QxXLVs). Getting your groceries from the store to your kitchen on a hot summer day is a race against time. Listen as I reveal how much time you have and a way to buy yourself more time to keep your food from spoiling.  https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/keep-groceries-food-safe-in-hot-car/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! With HelloFresh, you get farm-fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/50something and use code 50something for 50% off plus free shipping! Shopify gives you everything you need to take control and take your business to the next level. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk today! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them and treat almost every condition under the sun! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is. That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the Masters of Scale podcast! Check it out at https://mastersofscale.com OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/14/202348 minutes, 25 seconds
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SYSK Choice: A Guide to Your Insides & How Salary Transparency Helps Our Performance

“Fragrance” is a common ingredient listed on perfumes, colognes, soaps, and lotions. Clearly, just the word "fragrance" doesn’t tell you very much. This episode begins with a discussion on why manufacturers can be so vague about this and why you should be at least a little concerned. https://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/fragrance/ Ever wonder why you get a headache? Or bad breath? Ever wonder how vomiting actually works? Or why people get jet lag? And what causes bad breath and what’s the best way to get rid of it? Here with some answers is Dr. Sarah Holper author of the book What’s Wrong With You? An Insider’s Guide to Your Insides (https://amzn.to/3ilE0hs). Listen as she takes us all on a tour inside the human body and reveals how it works and how you can make yours work better. Do you actually know for sure how much money your coworkers make? If not, I bet you have surely wondered about it. Organizational psychologist David Burkus believes we should all know what other people make. Listen as he joins me to explain the intriguing reasons why. David has a TED Talk on this subject you can see here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvcNw4F0Y4Y). He is also author of the book Leading From Anywhere (https://amzn.to/3Bak89q).  Seems like everyone loves cute things? And interestingly we react to cute things like babies and kittens very differently than how we react to everything else? Listen as I explain why that is. https://www.brainson.org/episode/2016/12/06/what-makes-cute-things-cute PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the 99% Invisible podcast! Check it out at https://99percentinvisible.org OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/12/202354 minutes, 28 seconds
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What You Never Knew About Your Grocery Store & Understanding Uncertainty

Just because you are a good driver doesn’t protect you from bad drivers. And there are a lot of those bad drivers on the road. So how do you protect yourself? This episode begins with some potentially life-saving advice on where and how serious traffic accidents happen and how to avoid being in one. Source: Reader’s Digest article titled “How Good Drivers Get Killed” A lot goes on in your neighborhood grocery store you likely never knew. For example, did you know that some of the “fresh produce” could actually be more than a year old? Or that selling you groceries isn’t the only way your store makes money - not by a long shot? And what about Trader Joe’s? Why are their customers so fanatically loyal? Joining me to explore all this and much more is Benjamin Lorr, author of the book The Secret Life of Groceries (https://amzn.to/2RVd0Iy). We all would like to know what is going to happen in the future. That’s precisely why we look to experts to predict the stock market or why we try to choose “winning” lottery numbers. The fact is, most predictions are usually wrong because the future is unpredictable. So instead of trying to predict the future, maybe there is a better way. Here to tell you what that is John Kay, a leading British economist and author of the book Radical Uncertainty: Decision-Making Beyond the Numbers (https://amzn.to/32WqnP6). He offers advice on how to prepare for the future when you can’t predict it and he reveals the important difference between risk and uncertainty. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human mouth. Seriously? Listen and discover if that could possibly be true. https://www.broadstreetvet.com/site/blog/2023/06/15/is-dogs-mouth-cleaner-than-mine PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the 99% Invisible podcast! Check it out at https://99percentinvisible.org OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/10/202346 minutes, 46 seconds
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Where Your Trash and Recycling Really Goes & A Fun and Effective Approach to Housework

More and more people are opting to remove their shoes before they come into the house and asking guests to do it as well. Is it really necessary? Does it do any good? This episode begins with a look at what your shoes actually track into your home and whether or not it is dangerous. https://www.sharp.com/health-news/should-shoes-be-removed-at-home When you throw something into the trash or the recycle bin, you likely feel confident that it goes where it is supposed to go. But does it? Where exactly does it go? Do the recyclables really get recycled? Is household trash really the problem or is there something else taking up most of the space in landfills? That is what Oliver Franklin-Wallis is here to discuss. He is an award-winning journalist and currently the features editor of British GQ. He is author of the book Wasteland: The Dirty Truth About What We Throw Away, Where It Goes, and Why It Matters (https://amzn.to/44S7Jpf). Whatever systems or techniques you use to keep your house clean are probably the ones you learned from your parents. Maybe it is time to question some of those techniques. Perhaps there is a better, more efficient – even fun way to clean. There is also a better way to think about housework, so it doesn’t leave you feeling drained and feeling as if it never ends and is never good enough. Here to reveal a whole new approach to housework is KC Davis. She is a therapist and author of the book How to Keep House While Drowning (https://amzn.to/3OjfwoN). Once you hear her take on housework, it may just change your life. Not all honey you buy at the store is created equal. In many store-bought honey jars, some very important things are missing. Listen as I explain what they are and why this is important. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/tests-show-most-store-honey-isnt-honey/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Sometimes in life we’re faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn’t always clear. If you’re thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It’s entirely online, so it’s convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp Visit https://BetterHelp.com/SOMETHING today to get 10% off your first month! Your business was humming, but now you're falling behind. Teams buried in manual work. NetSuite gives you the POWER of having all of your information in one place to make better decisions and now has an UNPRECEDENTED offer to make that possible! Right now, download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist, designed to give you consistently excellent performance - absolutely free, at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the 99% Invisible podcast! Check it out at https://99percentinvisible.org OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/7/202348 minutes, 5 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Your Brain On the Internet & Embracing Your Weirdness

Doodling – it is just something people do, particularly when listening to a boring speaker. While people often think of it as a distraction, doodling can actually help your memory. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining how that works. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226210039.htm The Internet is messing with your mind according to Nicholas Carr. He took a close look at the research on this for his book The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (https://amzn.to/2VasqO6) ( by the way, his work on this made him a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize). Listen as Nicholas makes the case that always being connected and available online takes a toll. Sure the Internet makes life convenient and offers other conveniences, there is a price we all pay that you may not realize. Being a bit weird may actually be one of your greatest strengths. In fact, your weirdness can propel your personal and professional success according to Chris Williamson who gave a TED Talk on Embracing Your Weirdness (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Murw1YnFfiw&t=205s). He joins me to explain just how unique you really are and what you can do for yourself and the world by expressing it. Chris is also the host of the podcast Modern Wisdom (https://apple.co/2MNqIgw) Everyone’s life is full of problems. While you may not know what problems lie ahead, you can be sure they are there waiting out there somewhere. Listen to hear some interesting advice that will help you better handle those troubles and crises when they do show up. And they will show up. Source: Brain Tracy author of Crunch Point (https://amzn.to/3zJaGs0) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the Freakonomics Radio podcast! Check it out at https://freakonomics.com/podcasts OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/5/202351 minutes, 26 seconds
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Good News If You Are a Sensitive Person & The Fascinating History of Recorded Sound

An amazing number of dogs get stolen every year. And it’s all about the money. This episode begins with a look at this growing crime and why you should keep a close eye on your pet. https://petkeen.com/dognapping-dog-theft-statistics/ When people are told they are too sensitive, it is usually not a compliment. Being sensitive is often looked at as a weakness – a character flaw. What sensitive people need to do is toughen up. Well, not so fast, says Jenn Granneman. While being sensitive can have challenges, that sensitivity is also a super power. Listen as she champions those who are labeled sensitive with research to back up her beliefs. Then she offers some terrific advice to help sensitive people deal with a not-so-sensitive world. She also has excellent advice if you are not highly sensitive but have sensitive people in your life. Jenn is author of the book Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World (https://amzn.to/456D3Qu). Think of how much recorded sound plays a role in your life. Music, podcasts, radio, movie and TV sound – recorded sound is important to us. From Thomas Edison’s first cylindrical recordings to digital downloads and streaming, the history of recorded sound is fascinating. Joining me to tell that story is Jonathan Scott author of the book Into the Groove :The Story of Sound From Tin Foil to Vinyl (https://amzn.to/3Kh1d2Q). I bet most people still use paper checks to pay for things - at least occasionally. If you do, there is something you might want to consider the net time you order new checks. Listen as I explain. https://www.idtheftcenter.org/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the Optimal Daily Living podcast! Check it out at https://oldpodcast.com OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8/3/202348 minutes, 11 seconds
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The New Science of How We Learn & How To Prevent Arguments From Happening

On a hot summer day, lots of things can get dangerously hot. Your street, the dashboard and steering wheel inside your car, even your patio furniture can get hot enough to burn you. Listen as I explain just how hot. https://www.rd.com/article/things-that-get-dangerously-hot/ Why are some things harder to learn than others? Why do some people seem to learn things faster? Are there ways to make learning something easier? Joining me to explain all this and other aspects of the science of learning is Daniel Willingham. He is a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and author of several books including Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy (https://amzn.to/43Lkb8N). Arguments happen – a lot. Yet, what do they accomplish really? The fact is they often leave people more polarized and upset than before. What if people could resolve problems without arguing? What if we could prevent arguments from happening in the first place? That is what Linda Bloom specializes in. Linda and her husband Charlie are veteran marriage counselors and seminar leaders who have authored several books including An End to Arguing: 101 Valuable Lessons for All Relationships (https://amzn.to/3Y5J5yR).  There is this old advice I’m sure you have heard that when you are really upset, you should count to ten before you say or do anything because that will calm you down and prevent you from doing something you later regret. Is that really good advice? Listen as I explain some interesting research. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2168645/Angry-Counting-worst-thing--makes-furious.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! We really like the Freakonomics Radio podcast! Check it out at https://freakonomics.com/podcasts OR search for it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/31/202348 minutes, 4 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Understanding the Dimensions of Love & The Power of Strangers

Isn’t salt – salt? I’ve always thought so. Sure there is kosher salt and sea salt and regular salt but now there are all these different colored designer salts? Does it really matter or make a difference This episode begins with a salty explanation. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/sea-salt/faq-20058512 We crave to have love in our lives, yet love can also be the source of immense pain, misery and sadness. It seems odd sometimes that as much as we need love and care about it – we are often not particularly good at it. That’s according to Laura Mucha author of the book, Love Understood: The Science of Who, How and Why We Love (https://amzn.to/3AZIdjm). Laura has spent most of her adult life researching love and relationships. Listen as she joins me with her insights on the topic that will hopefully inspire you to love better. Do you like making small talk with strangers? A lot of people don’t because they think it is a waste of time or because they simply hate small talk, or they figure -what’s the point? Well, Joe Keohane has another perspective. He there is great value in talking with strangers and has proof to back it up. Joe is author of the book The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World (https://amzn.to/3hzh1QK) and he lays out a compelling case for why you should be more willing to talk with people you don’t know, because the benefits are numerous. Integrity is defined as, “The perceived pattern of alignment between words and actions.” Living a life of integrity seems noble and is something to strive for. Listen as I explain how living with integrity can really pay off. Literally! Source: Tony Simons author of The Integrity Dividend (https://amzn.to/3kedPeY) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Take a bite out of summer with HelloFresh! From chef-crafted seasonal recipes to their new Fresh & Fit summer menu, HelloFresh brings flavor right to your door. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/something50 and use code something50 for 50% off plus free shipping! For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/29/202352 minutes, 42 seconds
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Weird Things That Really Affect Your Health & Do You Work to Live or Live to Work?

People claim to get great ideas in the shower. But is that a real thing? Is there something about taking a shower that can actually generate ideas and solutions? Listen as this episode begins with some interesting research about the power of a shower. https://www.headspace.com/articles/shower-epiphanies You are about to amazed at some of the unusual and random things that can affect your health in significant ways. Things like your birthday, if there is EZ Pass on a highway nearby, if there is a parade or a race through the streets of your town – all these things can impact your health and wellbeing in ways you can’t imagine. How so, you ask? That is what Anupam B. Jena is here to explain. Bapu, as he is called, is a medical doctor, economist, Harvard professor, host of the podcast Freakonomics M.D. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-m-d/id1577556965 and author of the book Random Acts of Medicine: The Hidden Forces That Sway Doctors, Impact Patients, and Shape Our Health (https://amzn.to/3Y54hF4). You can certainly make the case that we are and have been a career-focused culture. So much of our identity and self-worth gets wrapped up in what we do for a living – our job. Is that a good thing? Maybe for some but not for everyone according to Simone Stolzoff. He is a journalist whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, WIRED and numerous other publications. He is also author of the book The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work (https://amzn.to/44MYZjI). Listen as he explains the downside of always looking for the perfect job sacrificing other aspects of your life for the sake of your career. He then offers an alternate way to look at work and life. How can brushing your teeth help you lose weight? It’s all about WHEN you brush them. Listen as I explain how good dental hygiene can reduce the size of your waistline. https://www.popsci.com/does-brushing-your-teeth-affect-your-appetite/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Take a bite out of summer with HelloFresh! From chef-crafted seasonal recipes to their new Fresh & Fit summer menu, HelloFresh brings flavor right to your door. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/something50 and use code something50 for 50% off plus free shipping! For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/27/202349 minutes, 8 seconds
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Scams You Might Easily Fall For & Smalls Ways to Significantly Improve Your Health

Is it true that a bee will die after it stings you? Or that YOU can die after a black widow spider bites you? This episode begins with a look at some facts and myths about summertime bugs and pests. https://www.ledfordspestcontrol.com/blog/pest-facts/7-common-pest-myths/ There are a lot of bad people who want to steal and scam you out of your money. While most of us like to think we are too smart to fall for scams, it’s just not true. Some of the smartest people have fallen victim to some very clever scams – and you might too! Here to discuss what the latest scams are ad how to protect yourself is Daniel Simons a psychology professor at the University of Illinois and author of a new book called Nobody's Fool: Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It (https://amzn.to/3OvpjK1). Drinking coffee, standing on one foot, taking an early morning walk – all these things are actually proven to be good for your health and longevity. Joining me to discuss these and lots of other very simple things you can do to improve your overall wellbeing is Dr. Michael Mosley, host of the podcast Just One Thing (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-one-thing-with-michael-mosley/id1560369423) and author of the book Just One Thing: How Simple Changes Can Transform Your Life (https://amzn.to/3rBVnTv). The best time to clean your oven may just be in the middle of summer. Sounds weird but there is actually a really good reason to do it then. Listen as I explain Source: Appliance Handbook for Women (https://amzn.to/43wGlLY) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Take a bite out of summer with HelloFresh! From chef-crafted seasonal recipes to their new Fresh & Fit summer menu, HelloFresh brings flavor right to your door. Go to https://HelloFresh.com/something50 and use code something50 for 50% off plus free shipping! For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! Now, your ideas don't have to wait, now, they have everything they need to come to life. Dell Technologies and Intel are pushing what technology can do, so great ideas can happen - right now! Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/WelcomeToNow Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match U.S. Cellular knows how important your kid’s relationship with technology is, so they’ve made it their mission to help them establish good digital habits early on! That’s why they’ve partnered with Screen Sanity, a non-profit dedicated to helping kids navigate the digital landscape. For a smarter start to the school year, U.S. Cellular is offering a free basic phone on new eligible lines, providing an alternative to a smartphone for children. Visit https://USCellular.com/BuiltForUS ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/24/202350 minutes, 34 seconds
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SYSK Choice: How Material Science Has Changed Your Life & The Joy of Sweat

Ever noticed that aluminum foil has a shiny side and a dull side? Why do you suppose that is? Maybe it is significant – after all some recipes call for it to be either shiny side up or shiny side down. But how much difference could it possibly make? Listen and find out. https://culinarylore.com/food-science:aluminum-foil-shiny-side-up-or-down/ Bet you didn’t know that radio technology helped to create the quartz watch. Or that railroad technology reshaped how we celebrate Christmas. And how in the world did the telegraph change the way we speak? These are just a few of the fascinating ways older technologies have had an significant impact on how we live today. Ainissa Ramirez, is a material scientist and author of the book The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another (https://amzn.to/2UyQkCy) . Listen as she takes us on a journey through some of the fascinating technologies that continue to shape how we live our lives.  Humans are one of a very few species that actually sweat through the skin. The purpose of sweating is to help you stay cool. And how this cooling system works inside your body is really interesting. You have millions of sweat glands and what kind of climate you spent your toddler years in likely affected how many of your sweat glands were activated and how efficiently they work today. There’s a lot to the story of human perspiration. Science writer Sarah Everts has gone deep into the research on sweating for her book, The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration (https://amzn.to/3AwyPTX) and she is here to explain.  You know if you have ever flown on an airplane, there are oxygen masks in the event of an emergency. So where do they keep the oxygen? And why do they tell you to tug on the mask to begin the flow of oxygen? Listen because the answer to that question is really going to surprise you. https://www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners/do-airplanes-really-carry-oxygen-for-the-oxygen-masks.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them and treat almost every condition under the sun! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/22/202351 minutes, 2 seconds
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What Causes Coincidences & Where Did the Molecules In Your Body Come From?

Somehow blue jeans, which are basically just work clothes, became this worldwide fashion staple, and have remained so for decades. How did that happen? This episode begins by discussing the origins of jeans and how they became such a big deal. Source: James Sullivan, author of Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon (https://amzn.to/2F0wyID) Do coincidences happen for a reason or are they just quirky random events? Why is it so hard to find a 4-leaf clover – or any other plant with 4 leaf clusters? Is there a better day to buy lottery tickets than another day? These are just some of the fascinating life questions tackled by Rob Eastaway, author of the book Why Do Buses Come in Threes?: The Hidden Mathematics of Everyday Life (https://amzn.to/2FEWfib) Where do you come from and what are you made of? It appears we are made from recycled atoms that have come from parts of stars, dinosaurs and even other people. Science writer Brian Clegg author of the book What Do You Think You Are? The Science of What Makes You You (https://amzn.to/35TifRq) joins me to discuss the latest science about what goes in to making you what you are. And he explains how and why you are uniquely different from everybody and everything else in the universe. You probably know that laughing is good for you and crying is as well. In fact, laughing and crying are really very similar. Listen as I discuss the fine line between laughing and crying and the many benefits of both. https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/09/07/curious-behvaior-provine/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them and treat almost every condition under the sun! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/20/202352 minutes, 31 seconds
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The Awesome Life and Contributions of Albert Einstein & How Ambitious Are You

What is the best (or worst) seat on a commercial airliner? That kind of depends on whether you mean safest, healthiest, or most comfortable seat. This episode begins with a look at how to choose the best airplane seat for you. https://www.menshealth.com/health/a19536853/the-worst-place-to-sit-on-a-plane/ Albert Einstein was a cultural rock star. He was arguably one of the most popular people on the planet for much of his life. He was Time magazine’s Man of the Century. Even today, most people know who he is. His likeness is everywhere – even Doc Brown’s dog in Back to The Future was named Einstein. Albert Einstein has 20 million followers on social media even though he has been dead for almost 70 years. What was it about him that made him so popular and what are some of his many contributions to our modern lives? Here to discuss this Benyamin Cohen who actually manages all of Albert Einstein’s social media accounts and he is author of the book The Einstein Effect: How the World's Favorite Genius Got into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds (https://amzn.to/44moatD). Most of us were taught to be ambitious. After all, ambition is the road to success in life. However, there may be another way to use your ambition that is less about just working harder at your job but rather diversifies your ambition into other areas of your life. This is according to Rainsford Stauffer. She is a journalist, speaker and author of the book All The Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and The Way We Strive (https://amzn.to/3DbQ5QR). Listen as she shines a different kind of light on personal ambition. How could the color of your hair affect how much money you make? Listen as I reveal the surprising results of a 27-year study about hair color and salary, that may make you want to lighten your hair. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016517651000114X PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Zocdoc is the only FREE app that lets you find AND book doctors who are patient-reviewed, take your insurance, are available when you need them and treat almost every condition under the sun! Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SYSK and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/17/202349 minutes, 3 seconds
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SYSK Choice: The Hidden Chemistry in Everything & Why Scientists Can’t Define Life

When you order something online, do you then track the package to see where it is and when it is coming? This episode begins with the results of a survey about how people track their orders and why and how they hate it when a package is late. https://blog.4over.com/delivery-tracking-consumers-statistics Do you know how soap works to get the dirt out – or how moisturizers work? What is it about caffeine that keeps you awake? The answer is - chemistry! With everything you do and anywhere you go there is a lot of chemistry working in the background. Here to explain how it all works is chemist Kate Bibendorf. Kate is a chemist and author of the book It’s Elemental: The Hidden Chemistry in Everything (https://amzn.to/3ycoZEK). You are going to hear things you never knew before and you will likely never drink a flaming shot of vodka again in your life! Doesn’t it seem that science should have a pretty solid definition of what life is. Actually though, it is a mystery. Even though we all have a pretty good sense or understanding of life – it remains undefinable. Why? That’s what Carl Zimmer set out to find out. Carl writes the Matter column for The New York Times and is author of 13 books including Life’s Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive (https://amzn.to/3yhCBP1) He joins me to explain what we do know, what we don’t know and how some things you might think are alive – actually are not. Maybe. Who hasn’t had a swig of water from a garden hose on a hot day? But it is probably a very bad idea. Listen as I explain why you are much better off going into the house and getting a glass of water and leave the garden hose water in the garden. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/06/do-you-suppose-it-s-safe-to-drink-from-a-hose/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/15/202350 minutes, 45 seconds
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Strange Stories About Amazing People & Extraordinary Lessons from Great Athletes

A lot of people still send checks in the mail. Increasingly that is becoming a bad idea. Listen as I reveal why postal authorities and banks are recommending you not use the U.S. Mail to send money anymore. https://www.businessinsider.com/post-office-check-fraud-mailing-be-careful-usps-scam-2023-6 The world is full of strange and bizarre stories. And if you listen to this episode, you will hear a bunch of them, such as how one U.S. President prevented his own assassination; how The Beatles drummer Ringo’s unique drumming style is the result of exorcisms, how the Los Angeles Dodgers paid a guy to beam positive messages to players during games from 3000 miles away and many more. These all come from my guest Dan Schreiber. Dan hosts a podcast called There is No Such Thing As a Fish (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-such-thing-as-a-fish/id840986946) and he is author of the book The Theory of Everything Else: A Voyage Into the World of the Weird (https://amzn.to/43eruph) Athletes who perform at the top of their game can teach us all a thing or two about life and how to do our best at what we do. Joining me to offer her unique and compelling perspective on this is Sally Jenkins. She has been a columnist and feature writer for The Washington Post for more than twenty years. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2020 and in 2021 was named the winner of the Associated Press Red Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Sports Journalism. She is the author of 12 books including The Right Call: What Sport Teaches Us About Work and Life (https://amzn.to/44wtc6y). Why do the people who work at Trader Joe’s wear different colored Hawaiian shirts? Why are they so friendly and why do they keep ringing that bell? Listen as I reveal a few behind the scenes secrets from Trader Joe’s. https://www.businessinsider.com/trader-joes-slang-terms-only-employees-know-2023-7?utm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/13/202350 minutes, 5 seconds
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How Your Brain Predicts Your Reality & How To Be Calm and Why Should Be

Is it bad to charge your phone overnight? Is it okay to use your phone while it is charging? We start this episode with some of the facts and myths about charging your smartphone and how to improve the life and performance of the battery.  https://www.makeuseof.com/myths-misconceptions-charging-your-phone-debunked/ Your brain is constantly making predictions. For example, when your doctor is about to give you a shot, your brain predicts how painful it will be. If you predict it will hurt a lot – it will likely hurt more than if you predicted that it won’t hurt at all. In other words, your predictions help to shape your reality. And it happens with many of our experiences. Here to dig deeper into this and explain why this is so important is Andy Clark. He is a professor at the University of Sussex and author of six books including The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality (https://amzn.to/3JJPUjH). Do you consider yourself to be a calm person? Of course we all have moments when we are calm and some of us are better able to remain calm in stressful situations than others. But have you ever wondered – what is calm? Is it a feeling, a skill or a state of mind? How can you get better at it? What are the benefits of remaining calm? Well, it seems there are a lot of benefits according to my guest Chris Bailey. As a writer, Chris has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, GQ, The Huffington Post, and he is author of the book How to Calm Your Mind (https://amzn.to/44cmGSu). Flip-flops are pretty standard summertime footwear for many of us. As easy and comfortable as flip-flops are, there are concerns that many foot specialists have. If you are one of those people who wear flip-flops a lot, listen as I explain just what those concerns are. https://www.ipfh.org/images/research_materials/2012_National_Foot_Health_Assessment_June_2012.pdf PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! For the first time in NetSuite’s 25 years as the #1 cloud financial system, you can defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months! If you’ve been sizing NetSuite up to make the switch then you know this deal is unprecedented - no interest, no payments - take advantage of this special financing offer at https://NetSuite.com/SYSK ! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Discover Credit Cards do something pretty awesome. At the end of your first year, they automatically double all the cash back you’ve earned! See terms and check it out for yourself at https://Discover.com/match Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/10/202349 minutes, 39 seconds
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SYSK Choice: Why Hidden Fees are “Gotcha” Capitalism & The Origins of Slang

We have probably all gotten a little more conscientious at washing our hands more frequently. Still, a lot of us are not washing correctly or with proper technique. This episode begins with some expert hand washing advice to make sure your hands are really clean. https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/tips/10-ways-youre-washing-your-hands-wrong Don’t you just hate it when businesses tack on fees to the price? In many cases, like concert tickets, or hotels or airline fares, the stated price is meaningless. Very often what you pay is the stated price PLUS anything else they want to add on. Bob Sullivan has been one of the people leading the charge about the stupidity and unfairness of these excessive fees. He is author of the book Gotcha Capitalism (https://amzn.to/2x9R2aR) and he is here to explain why fees have become such a problem and how we can all fight back! Ever wonder where slang words come from? It seems some slang words come and go while others stick around. Some slang words become so popular they stop being slang and become acceptable English. Tom Dalzell has been studying slang for years and has written several books about it including The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English (https://amzn.to/2p2ksDi). Listen as he reveals the importance of slang in our language and how some slang words make it and some don’t. Do overweight people face discrimination in the workplace? We like to think we judge people by their character but there is some interesting research that proves that is not always true. Listen as I discuss this and reveal why, in most cases this type of discrimination is perfectly legal. http://www.businessinsider.com/science-overweight-people-less-successful-2015-9 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/8/202343 minutes, 56 seconds
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Why We Often Misunderstand Each Other & Why Are Toxic Chemicals In Your Clothes?

People often complain they get sick when they fly on an airplane. And they claim the problem is the recirculated air passengers breathe. That’s actually not quite right. This episode begins with an explanation of what does cause people to get sick from air travel and why it is likely not the air. https://www.rd.com/article/recirculated-air-on-airplanes/ You are about to be amazed when you hear how often we miscommunicate with each other. It happens when we speak, when we send a text or email, on the phone – everywhere. Often, what we say is not what people hear and that causes all kinds of trouble. Here to explain how this happens and how we can prevent all this miscommunication is Roger Kreuz, an associate dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Memphis and a professor in the university's psychology department. He is also author of the book Failure to Communicate: Why We Misunderstand What We Hear, Read, and See (https://amzn.to/44lnHaE) Your clothes are full of chemicals. They are in there to make clothes anti-wrinkle, anti-odor, stain resistant and a bunch of other reasons. The problem is those chemicals aren’t all that effective and they can be harmful. Hear to explain why this is going on and why you probably haven’t heard much about it is Alden Wicker. She is an award-winning journalist and author of the book To Dye For How Toxic Fashion is Making us Sick (https://amzn.to/3pt4Vzj). Do you get food cravings? If so and you want to try to curb them, it seems pickles can help. Listen as I explain how. http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-some-pregnant-women-crave-pickles-and-ice-cream.htm PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/6/202347 minutes, 46 seconds
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The Science of Innovation & When Doctors Make Mistakes

Did you know that all people with blue eyes are related to each other? That is just one of the fascinating things we explore as I begin this episode with a look at how your eyes work and how they help you navigate your world. http://www.buzzfeed.com/acuvue/impossibly-cool-facts-you-may-not-know-about-yo#.kjpwxlkvO It often seems that great new ideas and inventions come out of the blue. However, that’s not usually true. There is actually an innovation process according to Matt Ridley. Matt is a journalist, businessman and author of the book How Innovation Works: And Why It Flourishes in Freedom (https://amzn.to/2D6syWe). Matt has studied how great ideas are created, developed and accepted and he joins me to explain the process and where the next big thing is likely to come from. Doctors are human so of course they make mistakes. However, the consequences of medical mistakes can be serious and even life threatening. Some reports have said that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in America. Could that really be true? Are errors just part of the system or could most of them be prevented? Joining me to discuss this is Dr. Danielle Ofri, clinical professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine and practicing physician at New York’s Bellevue Hospital for more than two decades. She is author of the book When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error (https://amzn.to/3hVGku9). Perhaps you have noticed that the more money you have in your wallet, the more likely you are to spend it. Actually, it is a little more complicated than that. It seems what kind of money you have in your wallet is a big factor in whether you spend it or keep it. Listen as I explain how this works and how you can use this knowledge to keep more of your own money. http://www.forbes.com/video/4061993829001/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Keep American farming and enjoy the BEST grass-fed meat & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild caught-Alaskan salmon by going to https://MoinkBox.com/Yum  RIGHT NOW and get a free gift with your first order! The Dell Technologies’ Black Friday in July event has arrived with limited-quantity deals on top tech to power any passion. Save on select XPS PCs and more powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processors. Plus, get savings on select monitors and accessories, free shipping and monthly payment options with Dell Preferred Account. Save today by calling 877-ASK-DELL ! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/3/202353 minutes, 20 seconds
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SYSK Choice: What Watching Sports Does to You & What Happy Couples Do

A lot of health and beauty advice has been passed down over many generations. And a lot of it is just plain wrong! Listen as this episode begins with a little myth busting when it comes to some of the things mom told you to do and not do to stay healthy and beautiful. https://www.everbeautiful.com/2010/1622/ten-popular-beauty-myths-debunked Are there actual benefits to watching sports? Yes – several, according to Larry Olmsted author of the book Fans: How Watching Sports Makes us Happier, Healthier and More Understanding (https://amzn.to/2T6YUs1). Listen as Larry explains how and why being a sports fan has so many physical, mental and social benefits. Even if you are not a sports fan, you may want to become one after you listen to Larry.  What causes relationships to sour? It turns out that it isn’t so much the big arguments and fights – it’s really the little things. Or, to be more precise, the lack of little things that wears down any romantic relationship, family relationship or friendship. Carol Bruess is a social scientist who studies relationships and she is here to explain why relationships need lots of small doses of positivity to succeed and thrive. Listen as she explains exactly how to do it. Carol has a TED Talk on messy relationships you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOnl76UqUcw&t=14s . She is also author of the book What Happy Couples Do (https://amzn.to/3A8yLcU). How much of your life do you think or talk about the weather? A lot more than you realize because weather is important to us all. In fact, more important than you think. Listen as I explain. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1278257/We-spend-SIX-MONTHS-lives-just-talking-weather.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Keep American farming going by signing up at https://MoinkBox.com/SYSK  RIGHT NOW and listeners of this show get FREE filet mignon for a year! Now your ideas don’t have to wait. Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business & evolving your passions. Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/welcometonow ! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7/1/202352 minutes, 8 seconds
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Why Do People Swear So Much? & How to Quickly Build Your Confidence

Want to significantly improve your chances of a getting a good night’s sleep? This episode begins with a simple technique you can do today that can improve your sleep tonight. https://sleepopolis.com/news/make-bed-better-sleep/ In every language and in every culture, people swear. While we were all taught from an early age, not to say “bad words,” we all know what those words are, whether we choose to say them or not. Is swearing really so bad? Are there actual benefits to using curse words? Apparently so - at least sometimes according to Timothy Jay who is considered one of the leading authorities on swearing. Timothy is psychology professor emeritus at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and author of a couple of books on this topic - Cursing in America (https://amzn.to/3CMIs36) and Why We Curse (https://amzn.to/46hZ2FN). Listen as he discusses the origins of swear words and the role swearing plays in our culture.  Confidence is attractive when we see it in other people. And many of us wish we had more self-confidence so we could project it in our dealings with other people. Here to offer some very solid and simple strategies for building up your confidence quickly is Selena Rezvani. Selena is a speaker, journalist, and author – her latest book is Quick Confidence: Be Authentic, Create Connections and Make Bold Bets On Yourself. (https://amzn.to/43WVJ59). If you want to boost your mood, there is something you can do to your face right now that can help. Listen as I explain this simple technique and why it works so well. Source: Dr. Stephanie McClellan, author of The Ultimate Stress Relief Plan for Women (https://amzn.to/3NLj04s). PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Keep American farming going by signing up at https://MoinkBox.com/SYSK  RIGHT NOW and listeners of this show get FREE filet mignon for a year! Now your ideas don’t have to wait. Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business & evolving your passions. Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/welcometonow ! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/29/202349 minutes, 34 seconds
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What Makes Things Funny & Really Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Water

Ever wonder how spiders get into your house? This episode begins with an explanation and some ideas on how to make your home less appealing to spiders. https://www.prevention.com/life/a32332424/how-to-get-rid-of-spiders/ Probably a day doesn’t go by when you don’t laugh at something. So what is it that makes something funny? What do humor and laughter do for us? Is laughter really the best medicine? Why do we seek out comedy in movies, TV shows and standup comedy shows? Believe it or not, there are researchers who study all this and the role humor and laughter play in our lives. What they have discovered will fascinate you. Joining me to discuss is Caleb Warren, an assistant professor at the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, former assistant professor at Texas A&M University and lead author of a study titled, What Makes Things Funny (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1088868320961909). Water is everywhere yet it is also a precious resource. Without it, there would be no life, no you or me. While the amount of water on earth remains constant, the population has grown to the point where it puts a strain on the water supply. Extreme weather can also threaten water as does pollution and contamination from a lot of different sources. Is bottled water really better than the water that comes out of your tap. So it is important to know how water on our planet works. Why, for example, can’t we just take the salt out of ocean water and solve all the water problem forever? Joining me to discuss all this is Peter Gleick ,co-founder, president-emeritus, and Senior Fellow of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security in Oakland, California and author of the book The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future (https://amzn.to/431foQo). When is the best time to exercise, morning or evening? It actually depends on a number of factors, including what kind of exercise, what type of person you are and a few other things. Listen as I explain. https://www.livestrong.com/article/447879-morning-vs-evening-cardio/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Indeed is the hiring platform where you can Attract, Interview, and Hire all in one place! Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING Offer good for a limited time. Keep American farming going by signing up at https://MoinkBox.com/SYSK  RIGHT NOW and listeners of this show get FREE filet mignon for a year! Now your ideas don’t have to wait. Dell Technologies and Intel are creating technology that loves ideas, expanding your business & evolving your passions. Find out how to bring your ideas to life at https://Dell.com/welcometonow ! Let’s find “us” again by putting our phones down for five.  Five days, five hours, even five minutes. Join U.S. Cellular in the Phones Down For Five challenge! Find out more at https://USCellular.com/findus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
6/26/202349 minutes, 20 seconds
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SYSK Choice: The Psychology of Secrets & How to Get Quicker Answers to Emails and Texts

Before the mid 60s, a can of beer on a hot summer day was worthless without a can opener. Then along came the pop-top can. This episode begins with the interesting story of how the pop-top can changed our world.  https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ermal_Fraze No doubt, you have a secret. Everyone has a secret – perhaps more than one. The problem is that carrying around secrets can cause real harm according to Michael Slepian, one of the leading researchers on the psychology of secrets and a professor at Columbia Business School. Listen as Michael reveals how to lessen the burden of keeping secrets and tells you how to feel better for having them. Michael’s website is http://www.keepingsecrets.org/ We have probably all sent a text or email and when the expected response didn’t come right away, we start to wonder why. Maybe you said something you shouldn’t have. Maybe something terrible happened to the person you texted. Maybe your boss didn’t respond because he plans to fire you soon. Why do we think the worst just because someone doesn’t reply as quickly as we like? Listen to my guest Sam George, a digital marketing expert and author of