Something You Should Know

So, what’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup? People talk about it a lot. Some say it is horrible for your health while others claim it is fine. But do you know what it actually is? Without stepping into the controversy, this episode begins with an explanation of what it is exactly and how it is different than regular corn syrup or sugar for that matter. http://www.finecooking.com/item/24865/corn-syrup-vs-high-fructose-corn-syrupWhy do you do the things you do? Everything you do has a reason. You go to school to learn and you go to the doctor get healthy – right? Well, what if the reason you THINK you do things is not the real reason? I want you to listen to Robin Hanson an associate professor of economics at George Mason University and author of the book, The Elephant in the Brain (http://amzn.to/2F4Vvk8). He explains that often the reason we THINK we do things is not the reason at all – and why it is important to understand all of this.I bet you’ve wondered how good a memory your dog or cat has. How long do they remember an event or a command or the last time you played with them? Listen and I think the answer will surprise you. https://www.su.se/english/research/research-news/new-findings-on-animal-memory-1.222566You might think etiquette is kind of an old-fashioned concept with little relevance in the 21st century. But you’d be wrong to think that. Etiquette is as valid today as ever – maybe more so. Thomas Farley, editor of Modern Manners: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Social Graces (http://amzn.to/2F1x), answers some common etiquette questions people have about social media, weddings, cellphones and more. His website is www.whatmannersmost.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have blue eyes, you are related to me! That is just one of the fascinating things I discuss as I begin this episode with a fascinating look at your eyes and how they work so well to help you navigate and see the world. http://www.buzzfeed.com/acuvue/impossibly-cool-facts-you-may-not-know-about-yo#.kjpwxlkvOWhere do new ideas and innovations come from? Often, they seem to strike like lightning with no real pattern or explanation. But that is not exactly right according to my guest Matt Ridley. Matt is a journalist and 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 it all.Social media is a great way to let people know about your latest accomplishments. And people sure do it a lot. However, it may not be such a great idea – at least not too often. Listen as I discuss how self-promotion on social media can actually have the opposite effect you think it does. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150512104037.htmHow does your diet affect your mood and mental health? In a lot of interesting ways – good and bad – according to Dr. Uma Naidoo, a board certified psychiatrist, director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Mass General Hospital and author of the book This is Your Brain on Food (https://amzn.to/3fejgo0). Uma is here to discuss the fascinating connection between what goes on in your gut and your mental frame of mind and what foods to eat to help you improve your mental health.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think of having a meeting, you probably imagine sitting in a room around a table. You may want to change that whole idea. This episode begins by looking at how conducting meetings in a an entirely different way can result in a much more productive and rewarding meeting. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/walking-meetingsat-linke_n_7035258.html?utm_hp_ref=businessYour brain is wired to be friendly. Being friendly is a good strategy most of the time. Why? Listen to Brian Hare, who is a member of the Center of Cognitive Neuroscience, a Professor in Evolutionary Anthropology, and Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University and author of the book – Survival of the Friendliest (https://amzn.to/3jLQnmN). Brian joins me to explain why and how friendliness has been absolutely critical to human survival and it continues to serve all of us as we move through life. “How are you?” How many times do we say or hear that in a day? Most of the time is just a quick and somewhat meaningless greeting. Still, if you would rather have a more substantial conversation, there is a simple way to alter the question, “How are you?” by adding one word. Listen to discover what it is. http://www.businessinsider.com/sheryl-sandberg-common-question-asking-how-are-you-interviewoption-b-book-grief-2017-5Millions of Americans are drowning in debt from credit cards, student loans and other forms of debt. Personal finance writer Jen Smith and her husband found themselves with $78,000 of debt and made a commitment to get rid of it. Listen as she explains how they did it in less than half the time they thought – and how they actually enjoyed doing it. Jen is co-host of the Frugal Friends podcast (https://www.frugalfriendspodcast.com) and author of the book, The No Spend Challenge Guide. (https://amzn.to/2XaZnYZ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do you sigh? Usually it is because you feel relief or you are sad or tired. But it turns out there is more to a sigh than you thought. In fact it turns out to be good for you. I’ll explain as I start this episode. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75330/frequent-sighing-helps-keep-you-aliveThe world is full of jerks. And unfortunately you have to deal with them. So what’s the best way? Here with some expert help is Bob Sutton, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford and author of the book The A**hole Survival Guide (http://amzn.to/2HqacwR). Bob explains why jerks are so jerky and reveals the different categories of jerks and then offers some tactical advice to deal with them and still get what you want.Did you know different airlines have different flying styles? Did you know the armrest closest to the aisle on an airplane that can’t be raised actually CAN be raised if you know a little trick? These are just two of the fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about air travel that we’ll explore. http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a19193/airline-employee-secrets/Everyone today has a camera on them almost all the time. And cellphone cameras have gotten pretty good. So, since you may likely be photographing much of your life, why not make those photos the best they can be? Photographer Jim Miotke, founder of www.BetterPhoto.fun and creator of the online course Outstanding Photography offer some simple tips and idea that will transform your cellphone photos so they truly capture the moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You already know it is important to drink water to stay healthy. And it also appears that drinking water can make you smarter, too. How? This episode begins by explaining how and you may find the answer quite surprising. http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/does_drinking_water_make_you_smarter_plus_6_benefits_of_staying_hydratedWe all learned to count when we were young. Yet, it took a long time and a lot of differing theories about numbers and counting to get us to the simple ability of count things and people the way we do. Marcus du Sautoy is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and author of the book How to Count to Infinity (https://amzn.to/3hCTgV6). He joins me to explain the extraordinary history of counting including why the invention of zero was so important and what infinity really is. People who use online dating usually have a photo as part of their profile. And a lot of people need to replace the picture they have if they want to get people to respond. Listen as I explain what makes a good profile photo – and what doesn’t. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/online-dating-profile-picture-research/Why do so many people believe in aliens, UFO’s, Big Foot and conspiracy theories? While the evidence for these things is usually sparse, the number of people who truly believe in them is significant. Cultural historian Colin Dickey decided to explore why. Why do people believe in things that don’t really have a logical explanation or objective proof? Colin is author of the book The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained (https://amzn.to/32VmaLO) and he joins me to share his unique insight into this phenomenon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you learned to drive, you were likely told to keep your hands at 10:00 o’clock and 2:00 o’clock on the steering wheel. Is that really the best and safest place? This episode begins with a discussion on how to best steer your car. http://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/9882/team-oneil-shows-how-to-position-your-hands-on-the-wheelHow do you get someone to tell you the truth when they don’t want to? Jack Schafer knows. As a former FBI agent, he has developed a technique based on some simple psychological principles, that will get people to tell you things they never meant to. Jack is author of the book The Truth Detector: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide for Getting People to Reveal the Truth (https://amzn.to/30we8WU) and he joins me to explain how you can use this technique and why it is so effective.How you describe yourself during a job interview is tricky. For example, it’s tough to brag about how humble you are because how humble can you be if you are bragging about it. There are other words besides humble that are likely left out of your self-description the next time you go on a job interview. Listen and I will tell you what they are. https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-words-you-should-never-use-to-describe-yourself-in-an-interviewYou probably see birds every day – probably lots of birds. Yet, you likely don’t think about them much. Nevertheless, they are fascinating creatures with amazing abilities. For example, did you know that all birds are dinosaurs? Science writer Jennifer Ackerman has written articles for Scientific American, National Geographic and The New York Times. Her latest book is called The Bird Way (https://amzn.to/2ZOvQpw) and she is here to reveal some fascinating information that will give you a new appreciation for birds.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has anyone ever told you that you couldn’t sing or carry a tune? Kids are often told that and it can really embarrass them and leave a lasting impression. The truth is just about anyone can sing and sing well. So forget what you were told and listen to my explanation. https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/02/cant-sing-keep-at-it/The ability to forgive is wonderful. But while people can forgive, we also have the ability (and often the desire) to seek revenge when someone has harmed us. Psychologist Michael McCullough author of the book, Beyond Revenge (http://amzn.to/2BgFwNI) talks with me about how to best deal with someone who has hurt you and he explores whether or not you can make a case for revenge in some circumstances.There is a good chance you have a favorite coffee mug. Lots of people do. And I think you will find it either odd or comforting just how attached people get to their coffee mug and what they feel if someone else uses it or – God forbid – it breaks! https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201602/6-reasons-were-emotionally-attached-our-favorite-mugsAll your life you deal with money. And how well you deal with it and understand it will have a huge impact on you. Jeff Kreisler author of the book, Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter (http://amzn.to/2nMsCiQ) uncovers some of the mysteries of money like why you enjoy spending money on some things but hate spending money on others; how you decide what the value of things are; why you will spend more on vacation than you will at home for the very same things and more.This Week's Sponsors-Netgear. Go to https://www.netgear.com/bestwifi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever put a little more gasoline into your tank after the nozzle has shut itself off? If so, you need to hear the beginning of this episode when I explain what topping off your tank could be doing to your car – and it is not good. https://clark.com/cars/why-you-should-never-top-off-your-gas-tank/The Internet has changed the English language. For one thing, we are all writing more than ever – texts, emails, social media posts, etc. We write so much that we have changed many of the rules for writing to make it more efficient and more expressive according to linguist Gretchen McCulloch. Gretchen writes the Resident Linguist column at Wired, she runs the blog All Things Linguistic and she is author of the book Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language (https://amzn.to/3eILyqs). Listen as she explains how the rules of language have been bent and shaped to work better in the Internet Age.In the United States, we refrigerate eggs. But in many other countries, they do not. Who is right? Well that’s what so interesting. Listen as I discuss why the way you store eggs is important and what can happen if you don’t. http://www.extracrispy.com/food/2668/how-long-can-eggs-be-out-of-the-fridgeFor several generations now, children have spent a lot of free time in front of electronic screens – TV, computers, laptops, phones and tablets. Now with the current pandemic, kids are spending even more time watching videos, playing games and doing all the other things you can on a screen. So how bad is this? Is it doing real damage to our children’s brains? Joining me to discuss this is Joshua Wayne. He works with kids and families in schools, mental health facilities and in private practice – and he is author of the book The Simple Parenting Guide to Technology (https://amzn.to/2ZNi0UF).This Week's Sponsors-Stories of Impact podcast. New episodes every other week. Listen at http:www.storiesofimpact.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a way to drink without getting drunk or feeling the effects of alcohol? Kinda. This episode begins with the story of how a professional beer taster drinks a lot of beer and stays pretty sober. And it is a pretty simple trick. http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/how-to/a26328/how-not-to-get-drunk/You have probably heard the advice that you shouldn’t eat foods that have a long ingredient list or have ingredients your grandmother wouldn’t recognize – but is that really good advice? Is a food with a lot of added ingredients less healthy than an all-natural food? Listen to my guest George Zaidan. He is an MIT trained chemist who created National Geographic’s web series Ingredients: The Stuff Inside Your Stuff and he is author of the book Ingredients: The Strange Chemistry of What We Put in Us and on Us (https://amzn.to/2Zykgij) . He explains what these ingredients are in processed food, why they are there and just how dangerous or healthy they are.Did you know a lot of salmon is dyed pink? Otherwise it would be gray. Did you know that bananas are actually berries, but strawberries are not berries? These are just a few of the fascinating food facts you will learn by listening to today’s episode. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/17/food-facts_n_4788746.htmlThere are a lot of people who really enjoy driving. I am one of them. So the idea of driver-less cars has little appeal to me and – as it turns out – to most Americans. There is something very special about taking the wheel and heading down the open road. Joining me to discuss driving and why we love it so is Matthew B. Crawford author of the book Why We Drive. (https://amzn.to/3fDXcUR). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have likely been the victim of the Doorway Effect. It’s when you walk into a room and forget why you walked in there. We start this episode with an explanation of what this is and why it happens. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-walking-through-doorway-makes-you-forget/Wouldn’t it be great if people regarded you as particularly fascinating? Well it turns out there are specific ways to do that according to Sally Hogshead, speaker and author of the book Fascinate: The 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation (http://amzn.to/2BBZT4I) . Sally reveals what you can do so that others find you interesting and how to use your personal fascination to great benefit. I’m sure you’ve noticed that whenever you cry, you get a runny nose. Why? Listen and find out. http://www.popsci.com/article/science/why-does-crying-make-my-nose-runSooner or later – and probably sooner, you will need to clean something. And no one knows better how to keep your life clean and sparkly bright than Jolie Kerr. Jolie is an advice columnist and host of the podcast, “Ask a Clean Person.” She is also author of the book, My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag (http://amzn.to/2Df2BPL). NO ONE loves to clean like Jolie and you will love her cleaning hacks that I know you will use within hours if not minutes after hearing them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices