In Podcasts

If your doctor wears a necktie, you might want to keep your distance from it. Research has found that doctors’ ties can harbor some pretty nasty germs — and those ties can come awfully close to patients during an examination. So just how much of a problem is this, and should doctors stop wearing ties altogether? ⁠https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1382570/⁠

English is a strange language. Why do tough, through, and dough look so similar but sound completely different? Why do some words break every rule, and why do familiar words sometimes change their meanings? It can all seem maddeningly inconsistent. But it turns out that many of these oddities have fascinating explanations. Linguist Arika Okrent, author of ⁠Highly Irregular: Why Tough, Through, and Dough Don’t Rhyme—And Other Oddities of the English Language (https://amzn.to/3CWVCsQ),⁠ joins me to reveal the surprising stories behind the quirks of English and why our language is so wonderfully weird.

Do you ever agree to things you don’t want to do, avoid speaking up, or let other people get their way just to keep the peace? If so, you’re hardly alone. But being passive can leave you feeling frustrated, resentful, and taken advantage of. Dennis Adams, a therapist, former minister, and self-described former passive person, has developed an approach he calls “Honest, Direct, and Respectful.” He is the author of ⁠Honest, Direct Respectful: 3 Simple Words That Will Change Your Life (https://amzn.to/2Q0tMrs)⁠. Listen as he explains how three simple words can help you stand up for yourself without becoming aggressive or confrontational.

We’ve all tried to hold in a sneeze, especially when the timing is inconvenient. But is that harmless, or could stopping a sneeze actually hurt you? There are some surprising risks to suppressing a sneeze, and one in particular may make you think twice before doing it again. ⁠https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dont-stifle-that-sneeze-you-could-get-hurt

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS

NATIVEPATH: NativePath Bone Health Collagen is a simple addition to other important bone-supporting nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Go to ⁠⁠https://GetBetterBones.com/SYSK⁠⁠ to save up to 48% and get a frother, shaker, free shipping and a 365 day money back guarantee!

AQUATRU: Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back!

BEAM DREAM: Beam’s Dream Powder is made with clean, natural ingredients formulated to fall asleep and wake up refreshed! Go to ⁠⁠https://ShopBeam.com/SYSK⁠⁠ and get 50% off during Beam’s Cyber Sale!

TREES.COM: Right now, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Trees.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠have great deals on planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get 20% OFF their purchase when using the promo code SYSK at checkout.

KA’CHAVA: Ka’Chava’s new Salted Caramel is the perfect balance of mouthwatering flavor and benefits. Embrace your salty side. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kachava.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use promo code SYSK to get 15% off your first order!

VINTED: Ready to clean out your closet and make some extra money?Download the Vinted app for free and start listing! With no seller fees, you keep every dollar you earn and for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted.

QUINCE: Give the gift of quality this holiday season at Quince! Download the Quince App for exclusive offers or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!

DELL: Shop at ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠ for Black Friday and find great PCs like the Dell XPS 13 laptop with a long battery life, beautiful design and powerful performance with Intel® Core™ processors. Upgrade your whole setup for less!

PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, this is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts!

INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:

Source for the story about doctors’ ties: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1382570/

Amazon link for Arika Okrent’s book, Highly Irregular: https://link.amazon/B0gMOZhdv

Amazon link for Dennis Adams’ book, Honest: https://link.amazon/B077jq2jw

Source for the story about sneezes: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dont-stifle-that-sneeze-you-could-get-hurt

screenshot-2026-11-01-180803
Arika Okrent
71olzwokyrl._sl1500_
Click to Buy on Amazon
screenshot-2026-11-01-181715
Dennis Adams
91tv8dedyl._sl1500_
Click to Buy on Amazon
Contact Us

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Not readable? Change text. captcha txt

Start typing and press Enter to search