Episodes
Monday Apr 18, 2022
The Basics of Tax Policy
Monday Apr 18, 2022
Monday Apr 18, 2022
We are joined by Dr. Larry Walters--PhD in public policy and management--to discuss tax policy. What are the various types of taxes governments use? Why do governments use multiple types of taxes instead of just one? How is the electric grid in Texas run? Are all/any taxes tied to specific government projects? What's a flat tax? How do the wealthy avoid paying taxes so often? Do Tim's taxes cover most of the federal budget? How do taxes affect corporations differently than individuals? What limits are there on a government's ability to tax? Do countries/states that tax less just offer less government services? Are there specific states where you pay less in taxes?
Monday Apr 11, 2022
The Basics of Memory
Monday Apr 11, 2022
Monday Apr 11, 2022
We discuss the basics of memory. How does memory work in the brain? We talk about encoding, storage, and retrieval of memory from the brain. Is there subconscious memory? What is a flashbulb memory? Was Cameron a butterfly once? Why isn't your wedding day a flashbulb memory? How does forgetting work? Why can't you find your keys and how is that different than forgetting an old friend's name? Can you suppress memories? Did Jonny get his medical degree from the mafia? Is photographic memory real? What is Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory? How can you improve your memory?
Friday Apr 01, 2022
The Basics of World War II - 1943
Friday Apr 01, 2022
Friday Apr 01, 2022
We continue our WWII podcast series by discussing the events of 1943. What is the unconditional surrender doctrine? Who was Friedrich Paulus and why did Hitler promote him to field marshal? What is the Mareth Line and how did the Codebreakers affect the war in North Africa? What is heavy water? What are operations Freshman and Gunnerside and did they help avert nuclear war? How did the attack on Pearl Harbor help turn the tide on the war in the Atlantic? What is the Dambusters raid and was Rogue Squadron involved? What was the V2 rocket? What were the Hamburg air raids and did the Allied forces bomb civilians? How was the battleship USS Iowa that FDR was riding on fired on by another US destroyer? And how did that prove FDR is a boss?
Friday Mar 11, 2022
The Basics of College
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Friday Mar 11, 2022
We discuss the basics of college. What factors do you need to consider when selecting a college or university? Is selecting a college and major a calculus problem? Do public servants burn money? What are AP classes and are they worth taking? What is concurrent enrollment? Should you try to get as much college credit as quickly as possible? How do you prep for college entry essays? Should you deliver a baby to help your college application stand out? Can you get a scholarship for underwater basket weaving? What factors should you consider when selecting your major? Should you chase your dreams? Do you really need to go to college at all?
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
The Basics of World War II - 1942
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
We continue discussing WWII. What happened at the battle of Midway? Was radar used and why was it not very effective? What is Leningrad and where is it? Where and what is Stalingrad? Why are there so many grads? What happened at the Wannsee Conference? What were the 1000 bomber raids? Why was Malta important in WWII (and so many other wars)? Did the airplanes Faith, Hope, and Charity really hold off the Luftwaffe? What was the German "Happy Time" in the battle of the Atlantic? Who was Erich Hartmann and why were the Germans the highest scoring pilots of all-time? What did Charles Charles de Gaulle do? How did Erwin Rommel's North African campaign go in 1942? What happened at Guadalcanal? Did Japan ever hit American mainland during WWII? Who was Enrico Fermi and what did he do?
Friday Feb 25, 2022
The Basics of William Shakespeare
Friday Feb 25, 2022
Friday Feb 25, 2022
We discuss the basics of William Shakespeare. Where was Shakespeare from? How prolific was he? Was Shakespeare poor? Are there direct descendants of Shakespeare today? Did Shakespeare actually write the plays and sonnets attributed to him? Why should the layman be familiar with his works and is there a practical way to read Shakespeare? Come learn with us.
Wednesday Feb 09, 2022
The Basics of World War II - 1939 through 1941
Wednesday Feb 09, 2022
Wednesday Feb 09, 2022
We discuss the basics of the first half of WWII. What was happening in Spain before WWII? Does Luftwaffe mean "air waffle"? Why did Hitler hate the Jews? What was the Winter War? Who was Simo Häyhä? What was the Maginot Line? What was the Vichy government? How long could the German airplanes fly once over England? What did the German navy look like? Who was Francisco Franco? Had the Japanese officially declared war on the US before the attack on Pearl Harbor? What was the Bataan Death March? How did the Americans know to prepare for the Battle of Midway? Come learn it from a layman.
Friday Jan 28, 2022
The Basics of Philosophical Razors
Friday Jan 28, 2022
Friday Jan 28, 2022
We discuss some basic philosophical or logical razors. What is a razor? What is Hanlon's razor? When someone calls you stupid are they just cutting you some slack? What does the Sagan Standard have to do with cold fusion? What is Popper's falsifiability principle? Should scientists be passionate? What name is better than Newton's Flaming Laser Sword? What is Grice's razor and is it related to the Mines of Moria? How many blades should a razor have?
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.