Episodes

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_goldenstein [Instagram] 2. Defiant nuns flee care home for their abandoned convent [BBC] 3. Goldenstein Castle Abbey [Histouring] 4. Christina Wirtenberger [Alexandra Stoddard] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter...

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 [Wikipedia] 3. Identification of Migrants in the EU [Robert Bosch Stiftung] 4. Trump wants to recreate a white America that never existed [The Guardian] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Blu...

Learn how nations or individuals, relying on external saviors, can be precarious. Change often starts locally, with people finding ways to adapt, resist, and build resilience while pushing the world’s powers to do more. Supporting links 1. Tuvalu [Climate Change Report] 2. Solomon Islands Renewable Energy Projects [The Borgen Project] 3. The Human Cost of Disappearing Beaches in Solomon Islands [Human Rights Watch] 4. U.S. Yo-Yo Policy in the Pacific Islands [Center For Climate and S...

In this episode, Tracy Pullman shares her transformative journey from being laid off to becoming a successful entrepreneur. She discusses the challenges of navigating uncertainty, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the importance of networking. Tracy emphasizes the power of resilience and the need to treat oneself as a client in the freelancing world. She also highlights the role of AI in marketing and offers practical advice for those facing career transitions. Chapters 00:00 The Journey of R...

Learn how reinvention is a practice, not a moment. Wings was not just a band—it was a way of running toward the future, refusing to let the past define the possibilities ahead. supporting links 1. Paul McCartney [Website] 2. Paul McCartney [Wikipedia] 3. Paul McCartney [Instagram] 4. Wings [Paul McCartney website] 5. Linda McCartney [Website] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.socia...

This story teaches that if there's a single overarching message from modern active threat training, it's this: You have more control over your survival than you think. Supporting links 1. Active Shooter, How To Respond [Homeland Security] 2. Attacks in Crowded and Public Spaces [Ready] Gun Control [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.so...

"My Beloved Monster" by Caleb Carr is more than a cat memoir—it’s a moving exploration of trauma, resilience, and the healing power of the human-animal bond. Charting Carr’s 17-year journey with Masha, a half-wild rescued kitten, the book blends personal memoir, psychological insight, and animal behavior research. A story of companionship, survival, and emotional transformation, it challenges readers to rethink animal consciousness and the role of pets in human healing. supp...

Learn how FoundHer House, an all-female hacker home in San Francisco, where women in A.I. are rewriting Silicon Valley's future, one startup at a time. Supporting links 1. FoundherHouse [Purple MA.I.'a] 2. FoundherHouse [Website] 3. FoundherHouse [Instagram] 4. FoundherHouse [Twitter] 5. FoundherHouse [USA Today] 6. FoundherHouse [VPN WebProNews] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsk...

Learn about Rachel Maddow’s journey from academia to MSNBC, her books, podcasts, and her influence as a leading progressive voice in journalism. Supporting links 1. Rachael Maddow [Official Personal Website] 2. Rachael Maddow [Wikipedia] 3. Rachael Maddow Show [MSNBC] 4. Rachel Maddow: American political commentator [Britannica] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at htt...

Learn from one of the world’s foremost experts on habit formation and personal growth. James Clear is a writer and keynote speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. supporting links 1. James Clear [Website] 2. James Clear [Wikipedia] 3. Atomic Habits in REAL LIFE : Systems vs. Goals [YouTube] 4. Atomic Habits [The Book] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.s...

Learn how the book, We Did OK, Kid, by Anthony Hopkins, is a classic “rags-to-riches” story and an introspective meditation on one man’s life — its triumphs, its regrets, its unanswered questions. supporting links 1. Anthony Hopkins [Wikipedia] 2. Anthony Hopkins Movies [IMDb] 3. Anthonyhopkins [Instagram] 4. We Did OK, Kid: A Memoir [Amazon] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social E...

The refusal of senior economic officials to stand up to Trump — even when they knew better — reveals a collapse of ethical leadership. Their silence wasn’t neutral; it was a green light for political manipulation. Authoritarianism doesn’t rise only through bold, evil acts — it grows quietly, when good people say nothing. Supporting links 1. Kyla Scanlon: “In This Economy? How Money and Markets Really Work” [The Daily Show] 2. CDC [website] 3. Erika Lee McEntarfer [Wikipedia] Bu...

Learn how Robert Fortune, a classic figure of his age—a man whose scientific passions and professional ambitions aligned perfectly with imperial interests, enabling activities that would change not just gardens and botanical collections but the economic fortunes of nations. Supporting links 1. Robert Fortune [Wikipedia] 2. East India Company [World History Encyclopedia] 3. Chinese tea culture [Wikipedia] 4. The Wardian Case: Histories Boxes for Moving Plants [Gale Academic Onefile] ...

David Edward Byrd developed iconic swirling and psychedelic posters and illustrations associated with the best of the rock and theatre era. Supporting links 1. David Edward Byrd Posters [ArtPal] 2. David Byrd Creatives [Laetro] 3. 1968 poster for The Jimi Hendrix Experience [Vintage Poster] 4. Poster Child: The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd [Amazon] 5. Jolino Architectural Mosaics [Website] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.t...

Learn how American humanitarians risked everything to save Jewish refugees and political dissidents from the tightening grip of the Nazis during WW II. supporting links 1. Deborah Dwork [Wikipedia] 2. Robert Jan van Pelt [Wikipedia] 3. Auschwitz [MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode ...

At its heart, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is a quiet protest against the commercialization of the holiday season. Supporting links 1. Charles Schulz [Museum] 2. Lee Mendelson [Los Angeles Times] 3. Peanuts [website] 4. How Charles M Schulz created Charlie Brown and Snoopy [YouTube] A Charlie Brown Christmas: Linus Explains the True Meaning Of Christmas [YouTube] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my web...

If you’re a fan of the WTF podcast, this book by Marc Maron, is a rich distillation of its most powerful themes: love, addiction, failure, mental illness, creativity, recovery, and redemption. supporting links 1. Marc Maron [Wikipedia] 2. WTF with Marc Maron [Podcast] 3. Marcmaron [Instagram] 4. America is Morally Bankrupt [YouTube] 5. President Barack Obama [WTF] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at ...

The charming city of Gouda, renowned for its world-famous cheese, is facing an existential threat. As sea levels rise, this historic hub of Dutch cheesemaking is slowly sinking. supporting links 1. Why the Netherlands is world-famous for its cheese [YouTube] 2. This Dutch city has been sinking for hundreds of years [DUTCHREVIEW] 3. Gouda, South Holland [Wikipedia] 4. Holland is Sinking! What are the Options? [LinkedIn] 5. The Netherlands Is Sinking and Here’s Why [Mother Jones] ...

Learn how Leo Yoshimura walked into an interview for a job on a show he’d never heard of and took a chance. Sometimes, seizing an unexpected opportunity—despite not knowing exactly where it will lead—can launch a long and fulfilling career. 1. SNL 50 [website] 2. Saturday Night Life [Wikipedia] 3. Saturday Night Life [IMDb] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www...

Anne Berest's "The Postcard" isn't just a novel; it's an emotional rollercoaster that will make you laugh and at moments where your emotions will be tested. supporting links 1. Anne Berest [Advance Reading Copy blog] 2. Anne Berest’s Best Story Came From Deep in Her Family’s Past [Lit Hub] 3. Anne Berest on Diving Into Her History for The Postcard podcast [Lit Hub] 4. Introduction to the Holocaust [Holocaust Encyclope...

Learn how Mechanizes bold mission to automate office work 'as fast as possible' is not a pipe dream. Their founders claim it's not about job loss—it's about liberation from drudgery. But is that the whole story? Supporting links 1. CEO of Fiverr Says A.I. Is Definitely Taking Your Job [Entrepreneur] 2. Will AI take your job? The answer could hinge on the 4 S's [The Conversation] 3. Bosses want you to know A.I. is coming for your job [MS...

The L.L.Bean Bootmobile, a giant replica of the iconic Maine Hunting Shoe, offers key lessons in branding. 1. Driver Stories Show the Bootmobile [website] 2. Making of the L.L.Bean Bootmobile | L.L.Bean [YouTube] 3. Bootmobile [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode Review Submit on Apple Podcast Submit on That's...

Overall, Nuclear War, A Scenario serves as a wake-up call to the continuing threat of nuclear weapons and the need for global cooperation to mitigate these dangers. supporting links 1. How would a nuclear war between Russia and the US affect you personally? [YouTube] 2. Author Annie Jacobsen Describes What Nuclear War Would Look Like [YouTube] 3. Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons [Amazon] 4. Now, I Am Become Death, The Destroyer Of Worlds [That’s Life, I Swear podcast...

Why are Gen Z is most challenging generation to work with, according to surveys? 1. ‘Problems’ With Gen Z in the Workplace [Forage] 2. Gen Z is most challenging generation to work with [KRON4] 3. Why Gen Z and Millennials View Work So Differently [YouTube] 4. 5 Reasons Why ‘Gen Z’ Is Struggling In The Workplace—By A Psychologist [Forbes] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email ...