Shop Talk looks at a McKinsey Study results about the impact of AI on the workforce and the skills needed to thrive in an evolving job market. Caught My Eye highlights a young innovator’s origami project that could revolutionize emergency shelters, and a humorous story about a couple who accidentally purchased a dirt alley instead of a house. Craig Newmark, founder of Craig’s List, is the Business Birthday.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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Tackled on this week’s show. ‘Phillumenism,’ the declining perception of the value of a college degree, a political candidate’s creative response to an anti-LGBTQ survey, and the nostalgic return of matchbooks as collectible items. (Phillumeny is the practice of collecting matchbooks.)

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The John approved Dash Egg Cooker from last week’s show had several listeners report back that they bought one—plus, two of them know Gilded Age star Claybourne Elder. In Caught My Eye: frozen popcorn becomes a thing, and a $9.2 million Superman comic turns up in an attic. We celebrate Facebook’s Chris Hughes for the Business Birthday, and in Shop Talk, Warren Buffett reminds us to manage regret—and maybe draft the obituary we want.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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Tim and John spotlight a GoFundMe created to support the beloved Oscar’s in Palm Springs. Then, two Texas would-be warlords hatch a delusional plan to “invade” a Haitian island of nearly 90,000 residents—complete with vile fantasies straight out of a bad movie script. And finally, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveils a slate of new military operation names that, frankly, sound a lot more like titles from a gay adult film catalog than official Pentagon campaigns.

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This week on The Focus Group, John discovers the Dash Egg Cooker thanks to actor Claybourne Elder of HBO’s The Gilded Age, and Tim reassures us that the penny isn’t going anywhere—there are 300 billion of them still in circulation. The Business Birthday honors Sylvan Goldman, inventor of the shopping cart, and in Shop Talk, the guys share simple tactics to cut filler words.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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This week Tim and John tackle everything from premature Christmas décor to the politics of holiday gifting and community support. They break down a disturbing act of anti-gay vandalism, call out boneheaded decisions like hurling frozen water balloons at cars, and question the price tag of renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War.

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How To Know to Say No at Work

Tim and John explore the theme of people pleasing in the workplace, discussing the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say no. Caught My Eye recommends a December NYC subway ride on the Nostalgia Train and details the frenzy surrounding Starbucks’ limited edition Bearista cups. DeWitt Wallace, co-founder of Reader’s Digest, is the Business Birthday.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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Tim and John serve up a full plate: from Thanksgiving chaos and the rising cost of, well, life itself—to Miss Mexico’s Miss Universe drama, an in-flight fiasco on Delta, and Carol Burnett’s heartwarming gift to UCLA.

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Tim and John get creative with bestselling author Aurora Winter, whose insights on storytelling inspire a lively conversation. Mentalist Oz Perlman also catches their attention as a future guest wish. In Caught My Eye, a dad raids his kid’s savings for vacation cash, and the national penny shortage starts hitting home. The Business Birthday honors design legend Raymond Loewy. We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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Tim and John go from Halloween tricks to political treats. Reddit’s co-founder makes a bold move, the Democrats need a rebrand, and the latest Kardashian product you didn’t know you needed (or wanted). Smart talk, sharp laughs.

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