Coca-Cola, the world’s largest maker of sugary sodas, is under fire for giving millions of dollars to a group of scientists who say that lack of exercise is much more important cause of obesity than poor diets. Are they right? Is Coke using scientists to reverse the recent decline in soda sales? And what are the best ways to solve America's obesity crisis? Kelly Brownell, Dean of the Sanford School of Public Health at Duke University, is our guest.

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How does Google play to our prejudices, and could its mighty search engine be used to change election results? 75% of all internet searches are done through Google. Our guest is well-known psychologist and author Dr. Robert Epstein, Founder of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and former Editor-in-Chief Of Psychology Today. His recent research suggests search rankings can have a dramatic impact on voting intentions.

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The "revolving door" is a corrupting influence on both government and industry. So says University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds. He's an outspoken critic of Washington insiders and the blogger behind Instapundit.com, one of America's most widely read political weblogs. On our podcast, Reynolds talks about his intriguing solution to slow down the revolving door: a Surtax that would be imposed on the earnings of high-paid former government officials.

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Are you overwhelmed by the flood of information, technology and choices that we all face as consumers? This episode with Jim and Richard features neuroscientist and behavior expert Dr. Peter Whybrow, Director of The Semel Institute at UCLA. His research on the human brain tells us why we make short-term decisions that are often in conflict with our best interests. Dr. Whybrow suggests fixes to help us build better lives and a more caring society.

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Data and identity theft are a threat to all of us. The recent breach of government computers at The Office of Personnel Management was only the latest example of a growing crisis. Adam Levin, founder of credit.com and IDT 911 is a leading expert on data crime. He gives common sense tips and advice on how all consumers can cut their risk of being an identity theft victim.

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"Anything is possible in your financial life as long as you work hard at it, and want it bad enough," says personal financial expert Farnoosh Torabi. The host of the daily podcast, "So Money," Farnoosh is an nationally known author and journalist, who has dedicated her career to explaining the mysteries of money in savvy, sensible and clear ways. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Entrepreneur and many other publications. Learn more about Farnoosh at www.Farnoosh.tv.

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The on-demand economy is a hit with consumers. Uber, Lyft, Homejoy, and other companies provide a growing number of convenient services. But there's a heated debate about how they treat their workers. Should they be classified as independent contractors or full-time employees who qualify health care, disability and other benefits? Richard and Jim's guest is Marcela Sapone, CEO of Hello Alfred, a startup company that dispatches workers to co-ordinate laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping and other chores. She has useful tips for freelancers and outspoken views about how employees should be treated by companies, communities and the government.

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Do helicopter parents need to come in for a landing? Lenore Skenazy, host of the cable TV show, "World's Worst Mom", says yes. The founder of the parenting movement Free Range Kids is Jim and Richard's expert guest. Skenazy argues society fills parents with fear about what might happen to their children. http://www.freerangekids.com/

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Computers, video games and mobile devices are a huge temptation for kids. But are they really a threat, or instead a great opportunity for children to learn about the world? In this show Jim and Richard are joined by developmental psychologist Abigail Baird of Vassar College. The mother of two 6-year old twins and an expert on the teenage brain, Abigail has some fascinating fixes for parents who want to strike the right balance on tech for their kids. http://psychology.vassar.edu/bios/abbaird.html

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The numbers are alarming. A recent Gallup says that less than one-third of American workers are engaged in their jobs. Millions of employees are either bored or completely fed up. In addition to the human misery this causes dysfunctional workplaces damage businesses and harm the economy. Ron Friedman is the author of "The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace." He has some great tips for both employers and employees.http://thebestplacetoworkbook.com/

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