Episodes
Monday Aug 21, 2023
The Basics of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Monday Aug 21, 2023
Monday Aug 21, 2023
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?
Monday Aug 07, 2023
The Basics of Teeth
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
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?
Monday Jul 24, 2023
The Basics of Eyes
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
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?
Monday Jul 10, 2023
The Basics of Guns
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Monday Jul 10, 2023
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?
Monday Jun 26, 2023
The Basics of Building a Podcast
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
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?
Monday Jun 12, 2023
The Basics of Organs
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Monday Jun 12, 2023
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?
Monday May 29, 2023
The Basics of Law
Monday May 29, 2023
Monday May 29, 2023
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?
Monday May 15, 2023
The Basics of Budgeting
Monday May 15, 2023
Monday May 15, 2023
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?
About Us
We bring an eclectic group together: a linguist turned computer scientist, a mechanical engineer, a hospitality manager, a teacher, and a doctor. And that doesn't include our guests. Some would say, "Hey, you're not 'laymen'!" To that we would respond, "Shh..." In reality, we take on various subjects in which we are certainly laymen. Additionally, from a philosophical perspective, we think everyone is a layman sometimes, and that's ok. We should embrace that and learn. So join us in learning. We try to keep it fun and interesting, but mostly we try to bring you along with us as you learn it from a layman.