Coca-Cola, the world’s largest maker of sugary sodas, is under fire for giving millions of dollars to a group of scientists who say that lack of exercise is a much more important cause of obesity than poor diets. Are they right? Is Coke using scientists to reverse the recent decline in soda sales? And what are the best ways to solve America's obesity crisis? Kelly Brownell, Dean of the Sanford School of Public Health at Duke University, is our guest.
Read more#11 Will Google Throw The 2016 Election? Robert Epstein: How Do We Fix It?
How does Google play to our prejudices, and could its mighty search engine be used to change election results? 75% of all internet searches are done through Google. Our guest is a well-known psychologist and author Dr. Robert Epstein, Founder of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and former Editor-in-Chief Of Psychology Today. His recent research suggests search rankings can have a dramatic impact on voting intentions.
Read more#10 Big Government Corruption: Glenn Reynolds, How Do We Fix It?
The "revolving door" is a corrupting influence on both government and industry. So says University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds. He's an outspoken critic of Washington insiders and the blogger behind Instapundit.com, one of America's most widely read political weblogs. On our podcast, Reynolds talks about his intriguing solution to slow down the revolving door: a surtax that would be imposed on the earnings of high-paid former government officials.
Read more#6 The Sharing Economy: Middle Class Threat? Marcela Sapone, How Do We Fix It?
The on-demand economy is a hit with consumers. Uber, Lyft, Homejoy, and other companies provide a growing number of convenient services. But there's a heated debate about how they treat their workers. Should they be classified as independent contractors or full-time employees who qualify for health care, disability, and other benefits? Richard and Jim's guest is Marcela Sapone, CEO of Hello Alfred, a startup company that dispatches workers to co-ordinate laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, and other chores. She has useful tips for freelancers and outspoken views about how employees should be treated by companies, communities, and the government.
Read more#4 Government Red Tape Mess. Phillip K. Howard, How Do We Fix It?
All of us pay taxes, but how well is that money being spent? Many government services are poorly delivered. From the local DMV or zoning department to the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs, government can be a big tangled mess. For decades, Philip K. Howard has been a leading expert on how streamline government and make it work for all of us. His latest book is "The Rule of Nobody." In this episode, Richard, Jim and Philip a lively conversation about the problem and how to would fix it.
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