Something You Should Know

Latest Episodes:

Why We Keep Things We Never Use & The Reason We Keep Track of Time Jan 31, 2022

Show notes

How do you decide when the gas tank in your car is low enough that you need to stop and get gas? This episode begins by explaining why many of us wait too long and when the best time is to refuel. https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/27/2386931/

You probably have a lot of things in your home that you never use. You probably have a lot of things that you don’t even remember you have sitting in boxes. For many of us, getting rid of our possessions is hard - even things we have no use for. Yet, clearing out clutter can be a very freeing and satisfying experience. Here with some interesting insight and practical advice is Matt Paxton. Matt has spent 20 years helping people deal with their stuff. He was a featured cleaner on the TV show Hoarders and now hosts of the Emmy-nominated show Legacy List with Matt Paxton on PBS. Matt is also author of the book Keep the Memories Lose the Stuff (https://amzn.to/3tWDiyj).

We all experience time passing. Yet how we keep track of time has changed. For most of human history, knowing exactly what time it is wasn’t that important. Yet, today we can keep very precise time and all of us agreeing what time it is, is necessary for the world to function. Joining me to talk about time and the fascinating story of how we keep track of it is Chad Orzel 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)

When you look at a car head-on, you have no doubt noticed that often times the front of the car resembles a human face and seems to give the car a personality. Sometimes it looks like a happy face, other cars have an aggressive face. Is that intentional or just a coincidence? Listen as I explain. http://www.fsu.edu/news/2008/11/26/car.personality/

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SYSK Choice: What Makes You - You & How to Explain So People Get It Jan 29, 2022

Show notes

If you ever eat at Taco Bell, you have surely noticed that they sometimes have Nacho Fries on the menu - but most of the time they do not. Why? Why do Nacho Fries come and go? Why don’t they just leave them on the menu all the time? This episode begins with the crafty explanation. https://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-is-bringing-back-nacho-fries-for-the-sixth-time-2021-7

What determines your personality? Obviously there are a lot of things. What you may not realize is that the list might include things like your genes, microbes or even parasites in your gut. Listen as I speak with Bill Sullivan, a professor at Indiana School of Medicine and author of the book Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/2t2VOYT). He explains how these forces can actually determine and even alter who you appear to be.

Have you heard the advice that you shouldn’t store tomatoes in the fridge or that you shouldn’t fry food in olive oil. These are just a couple of common kitchen practices that may not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Listen as I explain why. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4539884/Should-continuously-stir-risotto-soak-onions.html

It can sometimes be hard to explain something to someone so that they really and truly get it. Listen as scientist, Dr. Dominic Walliman offers the four key ingredients that will help you explain anything to anyone. If you would like to hear more from Dominic:

Link to Dominic’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2TaTOIW

Link to Dominic’s books: https://amzn.to/39TRko7

Link to his TED talk: https://bit.ly/2FGCMKp

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The Power of Your Regrets & How Great Ideas Get Their Start Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

Ever notice that your refrigerator has a light inside that comes on when you open the door but your freezer does not. This episode begins with the reason why that is. https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/07/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-and-not-the-freezer/

While some people claim they have no regrets in life - they are probably wrong. Everyone has regrets and the pain they cause is real. What’s so interesting is that those regrets can be very helpful in creating a better life for yourself going forward. Best selling author Daniel Pink has taken a careful exploration into the world of regret and he joins me to explain the different kind of regrets we all feel and what they are telling you, if you are willing to listen. Daniel’s latest book is called. The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward (https://amzn.to/33HJhfY).

People who come up with great ideas are often the people who come up with a lot of little ideas first. That's according to my guest Anthony Fredericks, a nationally recognized educator and author of the book, From Fizzle to Sizzle: The Hidden Forces Crushing Your Creativity and How You Can Overcome Them (https://amzn.to/3u0AMY8). Listen as he explains how great ideas originate and how we are all a lot more creative than we probably think.

When it comes to eating chicken or turkey, there is an overwhelming preference for white meat - at least in the United States. Listen as I explain the reason for that and why it might be worth giving dark meat another try. http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2011/01/the_dark_side_of_the_bird.html

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How to Break a Disagreement Deadlock & A New Habit That Can Change Your Life Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

When you or your child cut a cut or scrape, it is likely you grab some antibiotic ointment to put on it to prevent infection. This episode begins by explaining why that may not be such a good idea. https://www.mindfood.com/article/the-risk-of-overusing-antibiotic-creams-and-ointments/

Nothing is more frustrating than being in an argument with someone when you know you are right, and the other person refuses to see it or agree. So how do you resolve a conflict like this? Listen as I speak with Xavier Amador a clinical psychologist, teacher and author of the book I’m Right, Your’re Wrong, Now What? Break the Impasse and Get What You Need (https://amzn.to/3KqUDpc). Xavier explains a very simple technique that will help you get to a resolution no matter how vehemently you disagree.

Next time you are near a mirror, you may want to look at your earlobes. What you see might reveal something important about your heart health. https://myheart.net/articles/earlobe-crease-and-heart-disease-fact-or-myth/

In the morning, do you jump out of bed, greet the day with enthusiasm - ready to take on whatever comes your way? Or does your day start with a little bit of self-doubt, lack of confidence and dread? No matter where you are on that scale, there is a simple habit you can incorporate into your morning routine that can have a positive impact on how you approach the day and everything it brings. Listen as Mel Robbins explains this technique and the science behind how it works. Mel is an attorney, tv host author and speaker and she is author of the bestselling book The High Five Habit (https://amzn.to/3FDuTlG).

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SYSK Choice: Your Ever-Changing Personality & Procrastination With Less Guilt Jan 22, 2022

Show notes

As you may have discovered over the holidays, finding the right gift to give someone can be difficult. Yet, there is some science to it that can make gift selection and giving a little easier. This episode begins with some interesting insight on how to find the right gift for anyone. to. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4017156/The-science-perfectgift-Focus-experiences-make-sure-usefull-NEVER-suprise-someone.html

Have you ever wondered why you have the personality you have? Where did it come from? How much does it change over time - and more importantly, can you change it if you want to? Christopher Soto is an associate professor of psychology at Colby College in Maine (http://www.colby.edu/psych/personality-lab/) and has studied personality for a long time. Listen as he explains the reasons why you are the person you are and why you might be an even better you, later on.

Being considered a procrastinator isn’t exactly a compliment. Still, everyone procrastinates. So maybe it isn’t all bad – maybe procrastination serves a purpose. Dominic Vogue is Senior Associate Director of The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University (https://mcgraw.princeton.edu) and is an expert on procrastination. You will not only find him fascinating, you may even feel less guilty the next time you decide to put something off.

Police give out speeding tickets for a lot of different reasons: they punish bad drivers, they deter other drivers from speeding and tickets are a source of revenue for local governments. But there is also a problem. Handing out speeding tickets can also be very dangerous. Listen as I explain why. http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a31850/study-finds-that-strict-speedenforcement-is-actually-a-danger/

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Is It Good to Be Cynical? & How We All Screw Up Our Personal Finances Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

What do you crave? Well, whatever it is, the next time you crave it, there is something simple you can do that can make the craving pass quickly to help you avoid temptation. I begin this episode with this very easy tactic that has been proven to work. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyched/201104/clenching-your-fists-increases-willpower

Would you say you are a cynical person? A cynic is someone who doesn’t put much faith in the goodness of others. Many cynics say they are just realists - that people can’t be trusted because humans are motivated by greed and self-interest. Well, when you look a little deeper, cynicism may not be such a great way to view humanity according to behavior scientist Jamil Zaki, PhD, who is an associate professor of psychology at Stanford University. He has a great TED Talk called Escaping the Cynicism Trap and he is also author of the book The War for Kindness (https://amzn.to/2qtq4dX) . Listen as he reveals why some of us are cynics and what being cynical does to a person.

Jamil was on an earlier episode talking about empathy which I think you will enjoy if you haven’t heard it. You can listen to it here: https://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/338-dirty-jobs-host-mike-rowe-offers-a-different-view-of-success-the-awesome-power-of-empathy/

It hopefully comes as a comfort that almost everyone has regrets about how they have handled their finances. So much so that a large number of us have actually shed tears over money mistakes. What’s more important is what are you going to do now with your money? Joining me to discuss that and offer some very specific advice to get your financial house in order is Joe Saul-Sehy, a former financial planner who hosts the popular podcast called Stacking Benjamins https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/ and has a new book out called Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management (https://amzn.to/3KaBYO1).

Joe mentions some financial apps in the episode. Here are the links:

Qube Money: https://qubemoney.com/

Tiller: https://www.tillerhq.com/

YNAB (You Need a Budget): https://www.youneedabudget.com/

Some people claim they can tell if a storm is approaching because they feel pain in their joints. Can that be true or just an old wives tale? Listen to find out. Source: Paul Yeager author of Weather Whys (https://amzn.to/3fonYCj)

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Why We Enjoy Suffering & Understanding Your Freedom of Speech Jan 17, 2022

Show notes

If you enjoy garlic, you are probably well aware that there is a downside to eating it - and that is it can make your breath stink. This episode begins with some easy and simple and practical advice from the Institute of Food Technologists that will neutralize garlic odor from your breath as well as from your fingers so you can eat as much of it as you like and not worry smelling like garlic. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130204142609.htm

It sounds strange when you say it out loud, but we humans like to suffer - sometimes. There are things we do that we probably wouldn’t do if they were easy and painless. It’s the suffering we endure that makes them meaningful. In fact, without suffering, life would be pretty dull 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 why pleasure without suffering is somehow not as satisfying.

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees us the right to free speech. Yet, a lot of people don’t really understand what that right really means or how that right has evolved over time according to 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). He joins me to discuss what the right to free speech does and doesn’t allow.

Most breakfast cereals kids like have a lot of added sugar and sugar consumption is something many parents worry about. However, there is some good news about kids and cereal that parents may find surprising. Listen to hear what it is. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/breakfast-cereal-surprise-kids-ok-with-less-sugar-study-says/

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SYSK Choice: Little Known Benefits of Exercise & Why It’s Good to Talk to Strangers Jan 15, 2022

Show notes

Why do some buildings have revolving doors? After all, they are sometimes heavy and hard to push, and a lot of people hate them. So where did they come from? There must be a purpose to them. Listen to hear a very surprising story. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63378/whats-point-revolving-doors

If your 2022 New Year’s resolution involves exercising more, you really should listen to my guest Kelly McGonigal, research psychologist and lecturer at Stanford and author of the book, The Joy of Movement (https://amzn.to/2N2wide). Kelly explains not only the long-term benefits of movement but the instant and satisfying benefits of moving your body even just a little - right now. You may find what she has to say surprising as it isn't the same old exercise advice you've heard a million times before.

Talking to strangers can be tedious. After all, what’s the point of having a 15 second conversation with someone in line at the supermarket who you will never see again? Perhaps that is not the way to look at it. Kio Stark has been seeking out strangers to talk to for a long time. She loves it. Kio is author of the book When Strangers Meet (https://amzn.to/2s2ihEU). Listen to hear her explain why and what benefits you can get for investing in those brief conversations rather than avoiding them. You can see her TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/kio_stark_why_you_should_talk_to_strangers

When a woman cries it can have a dramatic effect on a man. Not only because she is sad but also because of how her tears smell – seriously. This episode begins with an explanation of the connection between a woman’s tears and a man’s testosterone. http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/06/the-crying-game-womens-tears-dial-down-testosterone/

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Interesting Ways Lifestyle Affects Your Health & A Better Way to Understand Numbers Jan 12, 2022

Show notes

If you haven’t got a New Year’s resolution to work on yet - I’ve got one for you - it’s tackling clutter! This episode begins with some thoughts about what clutter does to your mental health and how you can fix it. http://www.timetoorganize.com/wp-content/uploads/realsimple-article.pdf

There is something called “lifestyle medicine.” It is the idea that what you eat, how you exercise and generally how you live your life will affect your health - for better or worse. That likely comes as no surprise to you, but you probably think the effects are minimal. And you would be wrong. For decades Dr. Dean Ornish has been researching lifestyle medicine and found that small changes in how you live ( actually just 4 changes) can have a huge impact on your health and longevity and even reverse chronic illness. The research is impressive, and the results are compelling. Listen as he discusses how you can make these changes and quickly see real improvement. 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 more info on his program: https://www.ornish.com/undo-it/

Numbers are sometimes hard to grasp. For instance, 1 million seconds equals 12 days. So how long is 1 billion seconds? You will have to listen to this episode to find out but I bet your guess is way off! Since we use numbers every single day, it just might help to find ways to better understand and explain them as well as make them memorable. Joining me with some great insight into this is Chip Heath. Chip teaches at Stanford, has authored several books and his latest is Making Numbers Count (https://amzn.to/3t3AMpG). Listen as Chip makes numbers come alive!

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 long time past the “sell by” date. You may be throwing away food that is perfectly fine. Listen and I will give you foods you can likely hang on to a little longer. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter#1

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How to Set Goals to Make Them Happen and Interesting Differences Between Generations Jan 10, 2022

Show notes

The room where you work, whether that’s at home or in an office, should probably be 77 degrees. Why? This episode begins with an explanation of why 77 degrees is the perfect working temperature. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/Pages/toohottoocold.aspx

This is the time of year when people tend to set new goals for themselves. The process of how you set them can have a big impact on whether or not you actually achieve them, according to 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). Listen as he and I discuss how to set goals and improve your chances that you will actually achieve them.

It’s weird how we lump people into groups depending on what generation they are in. There are baby boomers, millennials, Gen Xers etc. Is there any validity to the idea that people born in a certain generation share traits and characteristics? Is it fair to make generalizations about a group based on when they were born? Those turn out to be interesting and complicated questions according to Bobby Duffy, professor of public policy and director of the Policy Institute at King’s College in London. Bobby is also author of the book, The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think (https://amzn.to/3eUyIrL). Listen as he joins me for a very interesting conversation about this.

One way colds and other germs get spread in a household is by way of your toothbrush. Listen as I explain how that happens and how you can prevent germs from infecting others from your toothbrush. Source: Dr. Philip M. Tierno, author of The Secret Life of Germs (https://amzn.to/3HBF4bV).

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