When you talk of Doomsday to those of a certain age, the thought of nuclear war comes to mind. But the concept actually dates back thousands of years. In recent months, a fish associated with Doomsday in Japanese folklore has been showing up on a few California beaches. There have been reports of three oarfish washing up on shore this year. While that may not seem strange, until this year, there have only been 19 similar instances in over 100 previous years. The oarfish live in deep waters...

If someone offers you a cup of cocoa, you can assume a few things. It's likely cold outside, and perhaps they don't like coffee. But you might want to consider having a cup more often. Scientists are finding that having a cup when stressed can benefit your health. When people are stressed, they usually reach for fatty foods. And even if you do that, having a cup of cocoa can reduce the effects of those tempting treats. It all concerns flavanols, a compound in apples, green tea, and even...

For years, doctors have been telling us the worst thing we can do for our health is sit behind a desk all day. The lack of movement is bad for us in so many ways. Some think a standing desk is a solution to this lack of movement. But recent research says that it doesn't matter if we're standing or sitting. The lack of movement either way is bad for us. While standing is better than sitting, the overall benefits are negligible. At this point, the research is just preliminary. But the movement...

Law enforcement in Tennessee tells us we have a problem with aggressive driving. And while I think that's an issue everywhere in the US, there's something even more dangerous. Passive-aggressive drivers are an even bigger problem. Aggressive drivers just want to get past everyone. All you have to do is get out of their way, and they're no longer a hassle. But those who refuse to get out of the way or, even worse, speed up when you attempt to go around them are a greater risk. Courtesy on the...

Late at night, my mind wanders as I wind down from the day. I never know where it's going or what will trigger my next Google deep dive. The other night, I was in my home office working on some social media content and watching some raunchy teen comedy from a few years ago. And that's when my mind started to wander. Why do I prefer these movies to the ones that win Oscars? And what is the difference between movies and cinema? I'm the kind of gut that goes to the movies or used to go, but not...

Through the years, people have adorned their lawns, gardens, and porches with many strange things. In the late 1800s, lawn jockeys were extremely popular. Garden gnomes have been popular numerous times in countries throughout the world. For some reason, for a brief time in the 1980s, many midwestern homes displayed a porch goose. What made this concrete goose so unusual is that people often dressed them up in honor of the holidays or even the season. While their popularity was brief, it looks...

Depending on how you want to look at it, buying accessories for your smartphone is either a joy or a pain. I knew I needed to purchase new cables and chargers when I upgraded my iPhone. But I wasn't prepared for how difficult it would be to find what I wanted. When Apple switched from the lightning port to USB-C, it meant you couldn't use any of your old cables and chargers. Plus, the new iPhones also can be charged with a magnetic Magsafe cable. But there are so many choices. And I don't say...

The discovery of fire and the origin of the wheel are two of the most important things to happen in the history of the world. For many years, people thought the wheel dated back roughly 6,000 years. In 4000 BC, it was used to make pottery in Mesopotamia. Then, 500 years later, it was adapted for transportation during the Bronze Age. But now, scientists think their timeline needs to be corrected. They think they've found even earlier examples of the wheel dating back not 6,000 years but 12,000...

More and more people are cutting the cord and switching exclusively to streaming services. But for many, choosing which service or services to use can be frustrating. No one service has everything in one place. Some of the most popular streamers are Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+, but they aren't free. And while there are various free options, keeping up with them is tough. Amazon just announced they are shuttering their ad-supported option, Freevee. And many wonder how much longer...

No, I'm not trying to sell you anything. You may want to look at the title of today's podcast again. Recently, I've noticed people taking pictures of items and placing them beside a banana. These images are all over social media, and they claim that they're doing this for scale. They want to show you the item's size in the picture and to give you a reference point; they're including a banana in the picture. I honestly don't know if they're serious or if this is just some new internet joke. I...

Everyone knows that the NFL is the biggest sport in America and perhaps the world. They took their championship game and branded it as the Super Bowl; the rest is history. And in recent years, they've added new acronyms to our vocabulary. Perhaps you've seen them: SNF, MNF, TNF. They're all used in shining the spotlight on their games when played on Sunday night, Monday night, and Tuesday night. I don't know what they would or will do when they start featuring more games on Tuesday and...

Over the last few years, many chain restaurants have struggled. Changing consumer tastes and bad management often play a part. While some chains have closed locations, others have filed for bankruptcy protection. TGI Fridays recently joined the list of companies that filed for bankruptcy. They claim that the company has never recovered from COVID-19 losses. While they attempt to recover, there's one thing they can't control: people are sitting on nearly $50 million in unused gift cards that...

Fried chicken has been around for hundreds of years. In the 1950s, Harlan Sanders focused on his eleven herbs and spices to create the first fast-food chicken restaurant. But McDonald's in the early 1980s popularized chicken nuggets with the debut of McNuggets. Since then, it has become the go-to meal for kids. Now, you can find variations in nuggets, fingers, strips, and planks. But the key to their popularity isn't the chicken or the fried batter; it's the sauce. It seems that every place...

My nephew, Ty, got his driver's license the other day. Or should I say, finally got it? He turned 16 last January and wasn't in any hurry to get it done. He wrapped up driver training and the coursework a while ago but held off on taking the final tests. Many young people today hold off on getting their licenses. And some never get one at all. That makes no sense to me. I know baby boomers like me have different priorities, but has our world changed that much? Owning a car is one thing, but...

Yesterday was one of those days here in Nashville. It's not something that happens often, but when it does, you feel it. Yesterday was dark and dreary all day. Time change definitely plays a factor. And, of course, the weather plays into it too. We had a few scattered showers, but it never turned into a rainy day. It was almost like there was a dark cloud hanging over the city. Technically, there were a bunch of dark clouds, but the sun never peaked through, and the clouds never broke. It...

Doctors will tell you that proper rest is the key to good health and a long life. We've always been told we should try to sleep eight hours nightly. But many of us know that getting the proper rest is nearly impossible. Doctors and researchers say that our realistic goal should be somewhere between six to nine hours. They also say that while too little sleep can shorten your life, getting too much over 9 hours a night can also be harmful. Catching up on sleep is a myth. While getting the...

So much of the talk leading up to the election is about the Presidential race. And while that's a big deal, it's not the real story this year. Control of the Senate and House of Representatives are likely more important. Very little has been accomplished in Washington over the last 10+ years because of Congress. They're constantly pitting one party against the other. When people complain about nothing getting done, they only have themselves to blame. It may take days to learn who will serve...

For decades, you know that the holidays are upon us when Rudolph And Frosty hit the small screen on CBS. But after 50+ years, they're making a move to NBC. In recent years, when most TV programs leave one of the major networks, they usually move to one of the streaming services. But that's not the case here. In fact, NBC didn't even guarantee that Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer would also air on their streaming service, Peacock. To some, moving from one network to...

It's taken me a long time, but I've come to appreciate alone time, when things are quiet. It took forever, but I now understand the desire for solitude. I don;t know if this is just my world, or if it's everyone's situation, but there are times when I just want to sit around and do nothing. But in recent years, I have found that I have less time for myself. I used to hate when there was nothing to do. But now I relish the infrequent moments to steal away and simply relax. Are you going...

You hear people talk about how much simpler life was in the good old days. In many ways, that's true. It's easy to get nostalgic as we age. Recently, I was thinking back to my good old days. And I often wonder why some things we remember fondly seem to disappear. Perhaps they haven't, and we just don't see them in the world we live in today. For some reason, I was thinking about bake sales from days gone by. Do they still exist? Perhaps in small towns, but I haven't seen one in years. At one...

I've never considered myself to be a typical romantic. I'm not the kind of guy who buys my wife flowers regularly. I don't go all out for Valentine's Day. But every year, on November 1st, I put together a love note for my wife. This year, it marks our 27th wedding anniversary. And while most men would simply buy a greeting card, I prefer to share my thoughts with the world through the podcast. Everyone makes a big deal about the significant anniversaries like the 25th and the 50th. But when...

Recently, I've noticed something strange just after sundown. People seem to forget how to drive. Driving around Nashville is always challenging as we grow by leaps and bounds. But this is something different. People are afraid to change lanes, have a hard time making turns, and drive at a consistent speed. This issue is something new. It hasn't always been this way. Perhaps the upcoming time change is to blame. It could be a delayed reaction from the recent full moon. Everyone is acting like...

When I was younger, Halloween was a celebration that lasted a few hours. If lucky, we might have a party at school and then a few hours of trick-or-treating. Over the years, many have added a weekend party or two. But now, Halloween has turned into an extended holiday. But is it really a holiday? Banks are open, the kids go to school, and we get mail, too. Recently, I've noticed that what was a day has become more than a week of celebrating. This may only happen when Halloween falls in the...

Every company and business is looking for ways to boost sales. For some, you just need to serve your existing audience better, and that effort will help boost business. However, many companies must look for new customers by expanding their audience. Toy manufacturers not only constantly need to come up with new items, but today, they're also looking at a new audience. This audience is known as kidults. Adults who think or act like kids are a growing audience. These nostalgia-loving kidults...