The Power of Puffery in Ads

FULL EPISODE: What's Better Than a Commodore 64? - June 19, 2026

Technology analyst Carmi Levy [https://bsky.app/profile/carmilevy.bsky.social] wishes David a happy 40th birthday on It's Time For Technology Time and then covers the following: NASA's X-59 reaches speed and altitude milestones ahead of first quiet supersonic flights [https://www.engadget.com/2193925/nasa-x-59-reaches-speed-and-altitude-milestones-ahead-of-first-quiet-supersonic-flights/]; Commodore's newest gadget is a flip phone that blocks social media and browsers [https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/commodores-newest-gadget-is-a-flip-phone-that-blocks-social-media-and-browsers/]; and Why your cardiologist might tell you to skip AirPods [https://gizmodo.com/smart-glasses-would-legally-require-a-recording-light-under-proposed-law-2000768694]. Network science researcher Sagar Kumar [https://www.sagarkumar.net/about] goes over their research showing that fashion's "plus-size" models are still smaller than the average American woman [https://www.psypost.org/new-research-shows-fashions-plus-size-models-are-still-smaller-than-the-average-american-woman/]. Psychology professor Andrew Koepp [https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/andrew-e-koepp] reveals how a third grader's afternoon restlessness predicts their chances of finishing college [https://www.psypost.org/how-a-third-graders-afternoon-restlessness-predicts-their-chances-of-finishing-college/]. Psychology professors Gray Atherton and Liam Cross [https://www.neuroplaylab.com/ab] outline how board games aren't just a fun hobby as they can help build connections and reduce stress [https://theconversation.com/not-just-a-fun-hobby-board-games-can-help-build-connections-and-reduce-stress-279299]. Speaker, consultant, therapist, and coach Komal Bhasin [https://insayva.com/about/] discusses norm shock – a term she coined to describe the uneasy feeling when the shared rules that you thought everyone agree on start to unravel around you [https://komalbhasin.substack.com/p/norm-shock]. Business news reporter Henry Chandonnet [https://www.henrychandonnet.com/] explains how in the 2010s we were promised sex robots by now, yet they're nowhere to be found [https://www.businessinsider.com/we-were-promised-sex-robots-2026-6]. Segments: * (00:00) Introduction * (01:01) Carmi Levy pt. 1 * (10:00) Carmi Levy pt. 2 * (20:00) Sagar Kumar * (30:00) Andrew Koepp * (39:50) Gray Atherton & Liam Cross * (49:50) Komal Bhasin pt. 1 * (59:50) Komal Bhasin pt. 2 * (1:09:50) Henry Chandonnet * (1:19:09) Sign-off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Strange Way Humans Walk; Why Mosquitos Bite Some More Than Others

Professor ⁠Jesse Rogerson⁠ [https://www.jesserogerson.com/about] brings the following science news stories to the show: * Scientists discover a strange global pattern in the way humans walk⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-discover-a-strange-global-pattern-in-the-way-humans-walk]; * Earliest flickering quasar ever seen could explain monster black holes⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/earliest-flickering-quasar-ever-seen-could-explain-monster-black-holes]; * Researchers finally discover how Venus flytraps snap shut so fast⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-finally-discover-how-venus-flytraps-snap-shut-so-fast]; and * Why mosquitoes bite some people more than others⁠ [https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-reveal-why-mosquitoes-bite-some-people-more-than-others]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Do Police Body Cams Prevent Excessive Force?

Lecturer in criminology ⁠Michael Cain⁠ [https://experts.deakin.edu.au/51843-michael-cain] explores whether ⁠mandatory body cameras actually reduce police brutality⁠ [https://theconversation.com/do-mandatory-body-cameras-actually-reduce-police-brutality-284555]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

On Aging Gracefully

Given that David is turning the big four-oh tomorrow, for Therapy Thursdays on a Wednesday, therapist and social worker ⁠Gary Direnfeld⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/GaryDirenfeldSocialWorker/] walks us through why getting older freaks us out, and what the upsides of aging are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Men's Careers Benefit From Parental Leave. Women's Do Not.

Management professors ⁠Anja Krstić⁠ [https://profiles.laps.yorku.ca/profiles/krstica/] and ⁠Ivona Hideg⁠ [https://sites.google.com/view/ivonahideg/ivona-hideg] explain that ⁠when men take parental leave, their careers may benefit, but women's do not⁠ [https://theconversation.com/when-men-take-parental-leave-their-careers-may-benefit-but-womens-do-not-282950]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]