EP #256 - NOW PLAYING Feb. 18, 2026: Vanishing Lifelines: The Hidden 💵 Cost of America’s War on Rural Health 🩺 Care

Coming-EP #257 Feb. 25, 2026: A Farewell Bathroom 🚽 Flush: Saying Goodbye to REI 🧻 SoHo

Every week, Rick Barron, invites you to a discussion about life’s happenings in this world that conjure up such words as complicated, intriguing, frightening, life-changing, inspiring, and more.

Podcasting in all 50 United States, plus 79 out of 195 countries worldwide...and growing! My largest overseas audience is in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Finland.

Thoughts and perspectives will cover politics, climate change, human behavior, people’s beliefs, overcoming obstacles, and more. He’ll touch on life’s imperfections as well as its celebrations, along with what life’s happenings can teach us and what we can learn. After all, that’s life, I swear.

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Vanishing Lifelines: The Hidden Cost of America’s War on Rural Health Care
Feb. 18, 2026

Vanishing Lifelines: The Hidden Cost of America’s War on Rural Health Care

Learn how Health care access shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code, your income, or the politics of your state. This story is a reminder that when ideology drives health policy, it’s everyday people — not politicians — who pay th...
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The Next Flood May Not Be Kind: New York’s Climate Reckoning
Feb. 17, 2026

The Next Flood May Not Be Kind: New York’s Climate Reckoning

Learn how flooding used to be framed as a coastal problem or a once-in-a-generation disaster. This story shows that’s outdated thinking. Supporting links 1. New York City’s Next Superstorm [YouTube] 2. Superstorm Sandy/New Yo...
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Shadow Tactics: Inside Putin's Campaign to Destabilize Europe
Feb. 12, 2026

Shadow Tactics: Inside Putin's Campaign to Destabilize Europe

Learn how security in the modern age is as much about resilience, literacy, and adaptability as it is about spies and soldiers. The battlefield is no longer somewhere else—it is embedded in the systems we rely on every day. S...
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Trapped in Student Debt: How Gen X Lost the Promise of College
Feb. 11, 2026

Trapped in Student Debt: How Gen X Lost the Promise of College

Learn the sobering lesson about the long-term consequences of student debt, especially for Generation X—a generation that bought into the promise of higher education as the surest path to success, only to find that promise tr...
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The Great Escape: Why Three Nuns Fought to Return Home
Feb. 4, 2026

The Great Escape: Why Three Nuns Fought to Return Home

The story of the Austrian nuns reminds us that aging with dignity isn’t about rules or institutions, it’s about home, belonging, and the power of community to stand by us when it matters most. Supporting links 1. nonnen_golde...
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When the Elephants Fly: Decoding Trump's Radical Foreign Policy Shift
Feb. 3, 2026

When the Elephants Fly: Decoding Trump's Radical Foreign Policy Shift

Learn how the loss of faith in institutions and leaders fuels instability, with some leaders exploiting divisions rather than uniting the country. Supporting links 1. Thomas Friedman [Wikipedia] 2. National Security Strategy ...
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Reviews

Engaging.

"Rick's podcasts are engaging and thought provoking. Let's jump into this!He covers a wide range of topics including historical, political, social, topical, environmental, and entertainmental(okay …"

Beth Verge | May 21, 2023

Well spoken

"These podcasts are very well researched and they make you think. There is a little bit of humour thrown in and it makes them more relatable. I would highly recommend you check them out. I have enjoye…"

Rhonda M | May 23, 2023

That’s Life I Swear, Rick Barron’s podcast

"I have been enjoying Rick Barron‘s podcasts for over a year now. I love the way he puts together big and small events from the news and life.Rick has caught my interest in topics I knew nothing …"

Wendy Michalowicz | May 23, 2023

Learn new things, I swear

"When listening to these podcast topics, Rick's extensive research becomes abundantly clear. From book reviews to current events, you can expect to learn about new things from an informed host. Wel…"

Trav | May 25, 2023

Things I like about Rick’s podcasts:

"Things I like about Rick’s podcasts:There’s often a gentle introduction. I love his voice, calm, and even-toned for the most part, infused with passion at other times. Listening to Rick’s podcast…"

Wendy Michalowicz | Jan. 3, 2024

Riveting and Relatable

"Rick Barron's podcasts are a captivating blend of intelligence, fairness, and humor, which makes them a standout in the realm of podcasting. I love his ability to dissect a wide array of topics—from …"

Amy Wong | May 1, 2024

Engaging interviewer!

"I had the pleasure of being interviewed for Rick's podcast, That's Life, I Swear, last month. We had a wonderful time preparing for the interview, and spent a session discussing the interesting que…"

Mariah Bonner | June 3, 2024

Interview #2: Judy Barron - Genealogy Isn't Just About Names and Dates

"I see Rick pretty much every day, working at finding, researching and building out great podcast stories and interviews. But, interviewing me was a pleasant surprise. His approach for the interview w…"

Judy Barron | Oct. 18, 2024
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