Something You Should Know

Something You Should Know

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Something You Should Know episodes

  • Backstories of Christmas Songs and Traditions & How to Have the It Factor

    We all know how easy it is to overspend when we go shopping. Plus, it is no secret that retailers do everything they can to encourage you to spend even more while you are in the store. This episode begins with some strategies to help you spend a bit less and avoid those impulse purchases that you often wish you hadn’t made once you get home. http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/g1877/how-to-stop-impulse-buying/

    Why do people kiss under the mistletoe? Why do we drag evergreen trees into our homes and decorate them with ornaments? Why is Jingle Bells such a popular Christmas song when it is really a Thanksgiving song? Ace Collins author of Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas (https://amzn.to/2QfN1NA) and Stories Behind the Best Loved Songs of Christmas (https://amzn.to/2Up4wtg) joins me to reveal the fascinating stories about some your favorite holiday traditions and songs.

    Do you have the “It” factor? It’s that thing that makes people want to get to know you and perhaps become part of your life and maybe even help you succeed. Mark Wiskup is a top communications expert and coach and he is author of the book The It Factor (https://amzn.to/2EbHMXX). He joins me to explain how anyone can acquire the It factor even if you consider yourself shy or introverted.

    Doing household chores may not be exciting but it turns out there are some great health benefits. Things like making your bed or doing the dishes can actually be good for you. Listen as I discuss some great reasons to tackle those chores you have been putting off. https://www.rd.com/list/health-benefits-chores/

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    45 min
  • How to Be an Adult & Why Traffic Jams Happen and How to Fix Them

    Remember a few years ago when people were saying, “Sitting is the new smoking”? Seriously, what could possibly be so bad about sitting? This episode begins by explaining the problem and what you can do to counter the effects of too much sitting. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/10/tv.heart.health/

    Something has shifted over the last few generations. It used to be that kids looked forward to growing up, becoming an adult and leaving home. Yet, many young people today dread the thought. Why? Apparently, “adulting” just doesn’t look all the appealing plus many young people are unprepared to handle adulthood. That's according to Julie Lythcott-Haims, a writer, former college dean, former attorney and author of the book Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. (https://amzn.to/3q89LOB). Listen as she joins me to explain why this has changed and what we can do to help young people become better adults. 

    I sometimes think road traffic has a mind of its own. Why does traffic slow down here but speed up there? Why is this lane moving but the one I am in standing still? What makes traffic work when it works and what screws it up when it doesn't? Listen and find out as I speak with 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 

    Why do people seem to universally love music? Well for one thing it seems to be good for you. Listen as I explain the benefits of listening to music according to a lot of research on the topic.https://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml

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    52 min
  • SYSK Choice: How to Optimize Your Speaking Voice & How Animals Affect You

    For many of us, the Christmas holiday season is very special. Yet, there was a time in the United States when it was illegal to celebrate Christmas. The episode begins with an explanation of when and why Christmas was outlawed. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g2972/surprising-christmas-facts/?slide=25

    A big part of the image you present to people is from your voice and the way you speak. Yet, a lot of people don’t like their voice and wish it sounded better or different. If you would like to optimize your voice, listen as I talk with Dr. Jackie Gartner-Schmidt a voice-specialized speech language pathologist and professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She has a TED talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGmGKAk3y-0&feature=youtu.be

    If you are sending packages to people this holiday season you need to hear these simple suggestions from people who actually deliver packages. Their advice will help your Christmas gifts get their safely, on time and undamaged. http://www.rd.com/culture/confessions-ups-handler/

    You have likely heard of the health benefits to owning a dog or cat. But our beneficial connection with animals goes well beyond that according to Richard Louv author of the book Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives―and Save Theirs (https://amzn.to/2RUzdHX). Listen as he explains why we need animals in our lives and what all of our encounters with animals do for us - and the animals.

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    Get a $75 CREDIT at https://Indeed.com/Something

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    49 min
  • Why Having Fun Really Matters & Powerful Strategies to Tame Your Email


    Why do people sometimes choke when they swallow? Is it really because it went down “the wrong pipe”? This episode begins with an interesting look at what swallowing is all about and why sometimes thing go wrong. Source: Joel Herskowitz, author of Swallow Safely (https://amzn.to/3pXFjqv)

    You probably think that having fun is something you do after the hard work is done. Fun is a reward, not a necessity. Yet, there is some solid evidence that having fun is good for you. In fact, making it a priority is essential to your well-being. Journalist and speaker Catherine Price author of the book The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again (https://amzn.to/32113to) joins me to explain how you may be spending a lot of time having time on “fake fun” rather than true fun. And how having more true fun can transform your life.  

    Catherine’s website is https://howtohavefun.com/

    You likely have a lot of information coming at you all day long in the form of emails, texts, notifications and other forms of communication. All of that incoming information can sap your time, productivity and energy. To the rescue is Maura Nevel Thomas author of The Happy Inbox (https://amzn.to/323ZUkt). Maura has some really easy and simple strategies that will help you tame all those messages and notifications so you can stay focused on what’s important yet still be available for those 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 really the motto or creed of the USPS. Listen as I explain where that motto came from and what WILL prevent your mail carrier from delivering mail if you re not careful https://about.usps.com/publications/pub100.pdf

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    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! 

    Go to https://stamps.com click the microphone at the top of the page, and enter code SOMETHING to get a 4 week free trial, free postage and a digital scale!

    Get a $75 CREDIT at https://Indeed.com/Something

    Discover matches all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! Learn more at https://discover/match

    Go to https://FarewayMeatMarket.com promo code: SYSK to get $100 off The Butcher's Holiday Collection and site wide free shipping!

    Go to https://backcountry.com/sysk to get 15% OFF your first full-priced purchase!

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    51 min
  • What You Never Knew About Your Favorite Holiday Movies & What Sarcasm Does

    Which is better at stopping a cough - cough syrup with codeine or chocolate? This episode begins with some surprising intel on what works to stop that nagging urge to cough. https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/chocolate-can-fight-coughs-better-than-some-cold-medicine/

    What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Could it be White Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life or maybe Home Alone? Well, whatever it is, it will likely come up in my conversation with film historian Jeremy Arnold. Jeremy teamed up with Turner Classic movies and is author of a book called Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics To Celebrate the Season. (https://amzn.to/3GzDZ3S). Listen as we discuss some of the interesting back stories and facts about several of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time. 

    If you are having a flare-up of allergy symptoms, it could be your Christmas tree. 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/

    Sarcasm is really a strange way to communicate. Yet we all do it. Why? Well, it can be very effective and also very funny. And it has other effects on us you likely don’t realize. Penny Pexman, a professor of psychology at the University of Calgary studies sarcasm and she has some wonderful insight into who tends to be more sarcastic, why and what it does to our interactions and relationships with other people. BTW, Penny has a free coloring book for kids to help them understand sarcasm. You can download it at: www.Childresearchgroup.ca

    PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

    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! 

    Go to https://stamps.com click the microphone at the top of the page, and enter code SOMETHING to get a 4 week free trial, free postage and a digital scale!

    Get a $75 CREDIT at https://Indeed.com/Something

    Discover matches all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! Learn more at https://discover/match

    Go to https://FarewayMeatMarket.com promo code: SYSK to get $100 off The Butcher's Holiday Collection and site wide free shipping!

    Go to https://backcountry.com/sysk to get 15% OFF your first full-priced purchase!

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    50 min
  • SYSK Choice: The Science of Smiling & The Power of Radical Candor


    If I asked you, could you tell me where your main water shutoff valve is for your home? Do you leave your garage door opener in your car? These are just a couple of important questions you should ask yourself. This episode begins by answering those and other questions and answers you really need to know. https://www.familyhandyman.com/smart-homeowner/things-every-homeowner-must-know/

    As sincere as you think you are, most of the smiles you make throughout the day are fake ones. That’s just one of the fascinating things about smiling I discuss with Marianne LaFrance, professor of psychology at Yale University and author of the book Why Smile? The Science Behind Facial Expressions (https://amzn.to/31n2v8X). Listen as she explains why we smile, what smiling can do for you and what your smile communicates to other people.

    More people put up artificial Christmas trees than real ones. Artificial trees look a lot more realistic than they used to but are they a better choice? Actually there are pros and cons to both. Listen and decide which you should choose this year. https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/real-christmas-tree-vs-artificial-christmas-tree

    Of course, you have heard the expression: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” However, that wisdom is flawed according to Kim Scott, CEO of Candor Inc and author of the book Radical Candor (https://amzn.to/2rcq6XI). This is particularly true in the workplace where we need to be honest and direct. Listen as Kim reveals how important it is to say what needs to be said and how to do it without sounding like a jerk.

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    46 min
  • How Old Will You Get To Be? & Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Explained Simply


    Have you heard of “touch starvation”? It’s a real thing that happens when you don’t have the skin-to-skin physical contact with others that you need or that you are used to. This episode begins with a brief discussion about how the pandemic has deprived people of touch and why we need to be aware of it. https://www.webmd.com/balance/touch-starvation

    What can you do to live as long a life as possible? That is what biologist and science writer Andrew Steele set out to discover. And what he found is amazing. Andrew is author of the book Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old (https://amzn.to/3pAtIxx) and he joins me to explain the very latest on what we can all do to improve our chances of living much longer and staying healthier in those later years. He also describes some of the fascinating research that may result in treatments in our lifetime so we can all live even longer.

    If you haven’t checked your tire pressure in a while, now is the time to do it since the weather has gotten colder. Listen as I explain why the weather makes a difference. https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/ideal-tire-pressure-cold-weather/

    You have heard of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, but do you understand what they are or what they are worth or who uses them and why? David Sacco is a Practitioner in Residence in the Finance program and serves as a full-time instructor in the Finance, Economics, Management and Entrepreneurship programs at the University of New Haven and he is here to help us all understand cryptocurrencies and what they mean to you. 

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    52 min
  • How Technology Changes Who You Are & The Nuts and Bolts of Making Friends

    How many times have you opened up a new box with electronics or shoes or maybe even some beef jerky and found one of those silica gel packs? If you look closely, they usually have warnings not to eat them - that doing so could be hazardous to your health. So, what exactly would happen if you did eat one of them? Just how dangerous are they? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-silica-gel

    For a few centuries now, humans have been interacting with machines in all kinds of ways. In the process, those interactions have changed who we are and how we live. As machines become more advanced with robotics and AI, our interactions with those machines will become deeper and more intimate. In some cases, it already has. Could we one day actually have relationships with machines - could robots actually be our friends - or even lovers? Debora Spar believes the ways humans and machines relate to each other is something we should all be interested in. Debora is a professor of business admin at Harvard Business school, former president of Barnard College. She is also author of the book Work, Mate, Marry Love: How Machines Shape Our Human Destiny (https://amzn.to/3xMLhOo) and she joins me to offer some fascinating insight into how machines have and continue to change us. 

    Everyone knows Santa but we don’t know much about Mrs. Claus. Listen as I explain who she is and why we seem to know so little about this mysterious woman who helps keep Santa’s workshop buzzing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Claus

    People report that they have fewer friends and feel more isolated than in previous generations. Especially around the holidays, that feeling of isolation can really sting. And the only solution is to connect with people. But how do you do that if it doesn’t come easily to you? Psychologist Dr. Elicia Nademin joins me to offer simple yet effective ways to connect with the people around you that will make you feel great and who know -- could lead to friendship or even romance. 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).

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    53 min
  • SYSK Choice: Your Suggestible Brain & Must-Ask Doctor Questions

    People often listen to music while they are working because they believe it helps concentrate and possibly makes them more productive. Does it? This episode begins by exploring which, if any kind of music can help your concentration and productivity. https://www.businessinsider.com/10-minute-trick-to-boost-your-productivity-2016-1

    Are you suggestible? Could you be hypnotized into believing something that isn’t really true? What about placebos? If I tell you a sugar pill will cure your headache, will your headache go away? It’s fascinating to think that the human brain can be fooled into thinking and doing things. Erik Vance is a science writer who has explored why it seems your brain is so suggestible – even if you believe it isn’t. He is the author of the National Geographic book, Suggestible You: The Curious Science of Your Brain’s Ability to Deceive, Transform, and Heal (https://amzn.to/2L5ptqn) and he joins me to shed light on this interesting phenomenon of the human brain and what it means.

    You know when you go to drug store and right next to the name brand lotion or shampoo or pain reliever is the store brand in a bottle that looks kind of like the name brand but a lot cheaper? So is it the same as the name brand? Listen to discover the answer. (Shopsmart magazine 12/2014 issue)

    If you are sick and you go to the doctor, you expect the doctor will treat you somehow. He’ll give you medicine or something. And the doctor knows you expect him or her to do something – so you walk out with a prescription. But there is a flaw in that process that is leading to a lot of patient overtreatment. Norway neurosurgeon Christer Mjåset has explored this problem and has come up with 4 questions to ask your doctor went he prescribes a medication or medical test. Hear what they are and discover why this is so important. Dr. Mjåset did a TED talk on this which you can see here: https://www.ted.com/talks/christer_mjaset_4_questions_you_should_always_ask_your_doctor?language=en

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    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! 

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    Go to https://FarewayMeatMarket.com promo code: SYSK to get $100 off The Butcher's Holiday Collection and site wide free shipping!

    Go to https://backcountry.com/sysk to get 15% OFF your first full-priced purchase!

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    44 min
  • How to Finish What You Start & Strange Ways Germs Spread at Home and Work


    Something is probably missing in your old holiday photos. In fact, the older you get, the more you notice what’s not in them and you really regret it. This episode begins with that missing ingredient in your older pictures and advice on how to make sure you don’t make the same mistake with your holiday photos from now on. Source: Cheryl Lightle author of “The Creative Memories Way: https://amzn.to/3riziqL

    It’s a pretty universal problem - you start something but never finish. I bet it has happened to you. I also bet there are some things you say you want to accomplish but never quite find the time to actually get around to starting them? You are not alone. Jon Acuff, author of the book Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done (https://amzn.to/3lkzGBc) researched the science of setting and achieving goals. He joins me to explain where people go wrong and how to set and reach goals that are truly important to you.

    Can you really rely on the 5-Second Rule ? What about double dipping - is it really so bad? And just how gross is it to eat birthday cake after someone blows out the candles? Listen as I explore all of these questions about food and germs and illness with scientist and Clemson University professor Paul Dawson, author of the book Did You Just Eat That? (https://amzn.to/2PqKLOw)

    Seems like texting doesn’t really require punctuation. Yet maybe it should – at least sometimes. Listen as I explain why certain punctuation can make you sound more sincere and other punctuation makes you sound less sincere. What’s so interesting is it only applies to texts but does not apply to any other type of written communication. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563215302181


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    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! 

    Design like a pro with Canva Pro! Get a FREE 45-day extended trial. Visit https://canva.me/something

    Go to https://FarewayMeatMarket.com promo code: SYSK to get $100 off The Butcher's Holiday Collection and site wide free shipping!

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    48 min

About Something You Should Know

From the publisher's feed

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…

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