Learn It From A Layman

We're joined by distinguished guest Brent Christensen to discuss the basics of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Why is ICAO one of the most important organizations you've never heard of? What is America's role in the ICAO? Does ICAO work with preflight safety? What kind of powers does ICAO have? What was ICAO's role in Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? Does ICAO work directly with businesses or just national governments? What current issues is ICAO working on? How long until civil aviation is carbon neutral? Did Brent get to meet his predecessor Captain Chesley "Sully Sullenberger, or his currently-nominated successor Charlie Crist?

We're joined by resident physicist and newly minted dentist Peter Vogel DDS to discuss the basics of teeth. What are the different layers of a tooth? What is fluoride and is it helpful or harmful? Is there a right way to brush your teeth? How does sugary food or soda affect the chemistry of your mouth? Are there certain toothbrushes or toothpastes that are better? Why shouldn't you brush your teeth right after eating? How does oral health affect diabetes and cardiovascular health? What happened to the tooth regeneration drug that was in the news a while back?

We're joined by Ian Christensen MD and discuss the basics of eyes. What is an ophthalmologist vs an optometrist? Are ophthalmologists just eye dentists? What tools do ophthalmologists use? What is the process of Lasik? What are other laser eye surgeries? Why is wearing your contacts while you sleep bad? Is rubbing your eyes bad for them? What are floaters and flashers? Do we really see things upside down? What is blindness and are there any effective treatments for blindness? What can the layman do to protect their eyes?

We discuss the basics of guns. Where were guns invented and when? What are the various parts of a firearm? What made shooting accurately possible? What does caliber, gauge, and millimeter measure in a gun? What is a flintlock firearm? Are laser guns ever going to be a reality? How did guns work on airplanes with propellers?

We discuss the basics of building a podcast. How many downloads can you expect? What is the "top 5%" of podcasts in terms of new-episode downloads? How do you build a sustainable podcast? What is the timeline to build an audience? Can a layman produce a successful podcast? Who did Learn It from a Layman's music? Should Tim start a merch store?

We discuss the basics of organs. What is an organ? What is the duodenum? What does your liver do and how many livers do you actually have? How long does food stay in your stomach? Have you ever had the biggest bowel movement in the world? How do the heart and lungs work together? What do your kidneys do?

We are joined by attorney Mick McGirr in discussing the basics of law. What is a trust? What are the different types of law? What is statutory law? Are an attorney and a lawyer the same thing? What is "the bar"? What does a layman need to know about law and lawyers?

What are the basic considerations when making a budget? What is mandatory spending vs discretionary spending? How fast does your internet need to be? How much data do you use on your phone? Why did Tim chose to be a teacher? Should anyone eat pickled okra? When should you choose a higher interest rate over paying PMI?

We discuss the basics of mechanical engineering with first-time guest Curtis Rands. What kinds of problems do mechanical engineers solve? What is tolerance in engineering and how do you measure it? What are static vs dynamic forces? Is there a layman explanation for the d'Alembert principle? Can you establish a speed limit for a specific component given potential forces? How much does weather affect an engineering project? What are the 3 M's of mechanical engineering? How does new technology affect mechanical engineers' work? Did Tim really find his way back out of the AI?

We discuss the basics of robotics. What is a robot? What are the 5 elements of a robot? Is a moving walkway a robot, and should the ground always transport Matt? What sensors do robots need? What is control logic and how does it apply to artificial intelligence? Has Tim become part of the singularity?

David Traina, owner and CEO of Traina, a San-Diego based branding agency, joins us to discuss the basics of branding. What is the most important element of branding? How do you measure branding ROI (return on investment)? Can Dave help our podcast brand, or at least the logo? What are some branding success stories and branding fails? When should a company start considering their brand strategy? What educational background do you need to work in branding?

We discuss the basics of banking. Why do banks fail? What are the primary roles of banks, and what are their vulnerabilities? What is fiat money? What are bonds and securities? Why does Cameron keep his money under his mattress? What is the history of bank regulation in the United States and why is this a tricky issue? What is the FDIC and what is the Fed? How can the laymen protect their money? Is Cameron's dog robbing him and internet shopping?

We discuss the basics of diets. What is the best diet? What are the things you need to consider before starting a diet? Is going vegan or vegetarian a good choice and what are the benefits of those diets? What is the difference between a health diet and a weight loss diet? What impact does only eating cocktail weenies have on your health? Is scurvy a real concern? How can the layman make small but meaningful changes in diet? 

We discuss ten questions in physics. Do gaps form in light? Can you accidentally create a blackhole? Can two atoms touch each other? What does touching mean? What is Wi-Fi? Why does time only go one way? Are there other dimensions? How many dimensions is Cameron OK with?

We bring our World War II podcast series to a close. Was what happened in Europe a fait accompli after Normandy? Was FDR naïve in his approach to Stalin? What happened in Dresden and why? How many casualties were there in WWII and how can a layman put that in perspective?

We discuss the basics of American government. What is a democratic republic? What is the difference between the federal and the state governments? What is gerrymandering? Is Tim running for office? What are the roles of the judicial, executive, and legislative branches? What is the difference between a recall and an impeachment? 

We talk trivia. What is the most volcanic moon? Why is Tim talking about sperm whale anatomy and organs? What is the smallest mammal? How fast can a heart beat? What land animal can drink salt water? What are the most spoken languages in the world?

For our 100th episode, we go back to our roots, with a twist. We discuss the 10 best ways to die in nature. Are there actual homeopathic pirates? Can you be clicked to death? Has anyone ever died by meteor strike? Can a tortoise kill you? How do pythons kill their prey? Was jungle book based on a true story? Come celebrate our milestone with us!

We discuss the basics of programming languages. What familiar experiences can a layman relate to programming? Why do we need programming languages? What is ambiguity in human language and can there be any in a computer language? What is a compiled language vs a script language? Why aren't all apps available on all phones? Do computers use "little zaps"? Why are there so many different programming languages? What are the top programming languages? Can Carl speak French?

We discuss attention. What does paying attention mean? What's happening in the brain when you pay attention to something? Do humans really have a shorter attention span than a goldfish? Did Tim actually fall asleep while talking to his class? Can caffeine help with attention? What does cognitive modeling tell us about attention? Can we improve our attention span and ability to focus?