Hey, it's only been 6 months! We're back, in a new space, and talking some sh*t. We read a handwritten letter sent from a Jehovah's Witness, talk about the General Conference of the Mormon church, Diddy, Baldwin, buying or selling a house in this economy, the possibility of failure in the U.S., and a couple research topics we will be diving into so…

Do you remember The Fundamentals podcast? Well, we’re back - New name, same great taste! After 4 years we finally sit down to reboot the show, explain the rebranding, where we’ve been, and chat about many topics - aging politicians, aliens, the latest happenings in Scientology and Mormonism, mortality, legacy, the differences in podcasting since we…

From the early years of the podcast and the hours of off-topic conversations, comes a special collection of our favorite bits from the original Extra Fun series! — From the original episodes in order of appearance : (00:00) : Moynahan v. Monaghan - Tom Brady’s ball scandal, and continually mixing up Bridget Moynahan and Michelle Monaghan - March 20…

As we mentioned in the last episode on Mormonism, Dan & his sister Lisa have started a new podcast called Siblings in Zion! Today we present an episode from that show in which the siblings discuss the LDS practice of 'Patriarchal Blessings'. Check out the links below and subscribe! --- In this episode Dan and Lisa read their super special, *very* u…

In this season finale (more on that at the end of the episode), Dan's sister Lisa joins us to conclude our series on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She talks about the structure of missionary life bleeding over after she returned, her struggle to conform to the expectations of women in the church, some of the very weird things she…

Finally, Dan's sister Lisa joins us to talk about growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being baptized by her brother, attending BYU-Idaho, and serving a full-time mission for 18 months before eventually beginning to question the claims of Joseph Smith, the origins of the Book of Mormon, and the history of the church.…

Church on Saturday? Jesus Christ: Private Investigator? In 1844, after 'The Great Disappointment' of the Millerite movement, Ellen G. White began having visions. Eventually, she was among the founders of a new christian denomination known as the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We'll talk about how their beliefs and practices differ significantly from…

We ponder death and its place as the motive of religion. Yes, of course we talk about Mormonism, and Dan comments on the progress of having more honest communication with his Mormon family.

In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth in the Vostok 1 spacecraft, becoming the first human being in outer space. He returned to great celebration and lived as a hero in his homeland. That is, until his still mysterious death in 1968 ...

There are a lot of products out there with the promise of energy, mental focus, and greater performance. Sales of 'energy drinks' generate more than $10 billion annually, but what are you really paying for? What is actually in them? Are they safe? We talk about all this as we taste test a variety of popular brands. Let's rip the lid off it!!! Video…

We watch a video entitled Evidences of the Book of Mormon: Complexity ... and we have some things to say. Watch the video version here: https://bit.ly/2PqgDnQ

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. There is a reason for that order. Despite our best efforts and intentions, recycling is not the idyllic process most of us assume it is. Now that China has enacted the 'National Sword' policy, it is even more difficult to carry out. We need to be aware of what is possible for us to do, and how we can maximize our actions wit…

Current political bulls**t, data privacy, the Facebook apocalypse, the Mormon temple in Rome, the idea of inviting Mormon missionaries to speak with us on the show, future president The Rock, and Darren pops a dad boner over fixing appliances! Video version: https://youtu.be/6qpSKwAMUrE

Darren tells the story of his wife's heroic delivery of their new baby daughter. They say the second one comes faster ... no kidding!

Capital Punishment. The Death Penalty. Human Sacrifice. It has been been practiced since antiquity. What was once a more physically brutal and public event has become primarily a medical procedure behind locked doors. We talk about the ethical arguments, the various ways it has been applied throughout history, its current role in the societies that…

We watch a Scientology propaganda video, compare the Mormon and Scientology churches considering their financial dealings and property holdings, moral relativism, apocalyptic future scenarios, and the imminent arrival of Darren's baby daughter ...

An abridged history of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; from the birth of Joseph Smith, Jr. to the present day as the church spread from New York to Kirtland, Nauvoo, Salt Lake City, and eventually across the world. Enhanced video version on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2RZPnRw

Stocks. Bonds. Mutual Funds. Buy! Sell! Whether you let it ride or play it safe, we the people can play the game of business. We talk about the fundamentals of financial investment, how it has changed over time, and how it influences our economy. The Fundamentals of The Stock Market.

With Darren's second child due any day, we sat down with Dan's dear friend and professional midwife Charli Zarosinski to talk about the fundamentals of midwifery practice, its benefits, misconceptions, and the differences between childbirth at home and hospital. Visit hearthandhomemidwifery.com & listen to Charli's show The Homebirth Midwife Podcas…

All of The Fun Men are together, and the tables have turned. This time, Dan takes the lead to present his research and personal history concerning the religion he was born into, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What was meant as a broader overview ends up being just the beginning ... Further Resources: The History of the Mormon…

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But, where did he really go? Where did he think he went? Does he deserve all the credit he has accumulated? We're talking about the fundamentals of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

We're back! ... mostly! Talking about the expansion of the McCarthy clan ... a precursor to our examination of Mormonism ... rumination on past topics, Infinite Jest, hyenas, Road Rules, COPS, evolution, future episodes, and more ...

Here we all are, back again. The table is set and the Bloosh™ is loose. We're talkin' horse races, TGIF™, Talkboy™, politics, ThighMaster™, oysters, Transformers™, Unsolved Mysteries™, DACA, Power Rangers™, and more ...

Alex Jones and the pig people, Neanderthal blood, and a discussion about diet and health from our perspectives as 'meat-eater' and 'vegan'. Opinions! Documentaries! Facts?

Darren's interest in the emerging issue of Chronic Wasting Disease in deer populations prompted a look at a similar and rare form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (sponge brain) in humans known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Its origins are mysterious, it is typically fatal within a year, and there is no cure ... *gulp*…

Heroin. Morphine. Codeine. Oxycodone. Fentanyl. On and on, the list of powerful and dangerous forms of natural opiates and synthetic opioids is long, and they have become a major liability for human beings. We talk about how it all started, what these drugs do, and how we found ourselves in an epidemic of misuse and death. And stats! Oh, do we have…

In this bonus conversion we talk about corruption in the Catholic Church, Bill Cosby, ISIS, the end times, the omnipotence of God ... it's actually a good time! --- Originally published July 2017. Remastered February 2025.

Everyone has their quirks. We, your humble hosts, certainly have our own neuroses. But, what categorizes behaviors under Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? We talk about various examples of how it manifests, treatments, and our own examples of questionable behaviors. Darren also shares a harrowing story of the last time he really cried ... because it's…

As the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S., a stroke kills someone every 4 minutes. And yet, 80% of occurrences are preventable. Special guest Neil Hunt joins us as we discuss the anatomy of a stroke, common causes, prevention, aftermath, as well as his own experience as a healthy 28-year-old suffering a stroke of relatively uncommon circumstanc…

Most of us are aware of their publication 'The Watchtower', and their practice of door to door evangelism. But, how do the doctrine and specific beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses separate them from more traditional religions and other restorationist denominations of Christianity? And why won't they come to your birthday party?! ... and stick around af…

While it is actually an umbrella term, Chemotherapy has become synonymous with cancer treatment. It seems that pharmaceutical companies are ultimately concerned with rolling out the next drug, so can we ever expect an actual cure in the age of medicine as big business? Also, if approximately 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed ... which one of us is do…

It's been a year since our last episode ... a HELL of a year. We talk about what has happened, where we've been, nostalgic tech, childhood accidents, reviving this podcast, and why there are only two of us ... Originally published April 2017. Remastered January 2024.

Red States. Blue States. Gerrymandering. As we approach the end of a historic 2016 Presidential primary, let's take a look at how this whole United States voting process actually works ... or doesn't. Is your vote as important as you think? The Fundamentals of The Electoral College. --- Originally published May 2016. Remastered January 2024.…

The inspiration for Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. A true monster of European history. And ... kind of a bad ass. We're talking about the legend of Vlad the Impaler. Warning: we describe some pretty gnarly acts of violence. The Fundamentals of Vlad III - Voivode of Wallachia. --- Originally published April 2016. Remastered December 2023.…

Although the technology has been around for over 30 years, we now find ourselves in an age where instead of going to the store to buy a measuring cup, you can print yourself one right at home. We're talking about 3D printing, its capabilities, its limitations, and its potential effects on the industries of manufacturing and commerce. We also talk a…

We're talking all about light: How we use it, the various products and technologies we have created that utilize it, and its many effects on us and our world. We also have some input from our special correspondent, Navy physics professor Wes McComb! The Fundamentals of Light. Originally published February 2016. Remastered November 2023.…

What exactly are the Hormones in our bodies? What do they really do? There are many of them, from the commonly known to the misunderstood, all with unique effects. Yet, we usually refer to them as a group and often blame them for our feelings and actions. Do they control us, or do we control them? The Fundamentals of Hormones. --- Originally publis…

There may be a program designed to use all of our collected online information to create a digital version of us in a simulated world event. That program is called Sentient World Simulation (SWS). We talk about what we learned it is, what it could be, and its possible implications; virtual and otherwise. The Fundamentals of Sentient World Simulatio…

He made his mark on cinema with 'Citizen Kane'. He drove people to hysteria with his radio broadcast of 'War of the Worlds'. He also ate a lot and got real drunk ... The Fundamentals of Orson Welles. --- Originally published October 2015. Remastered July 2022.

We discuss man's journey under the sea: How far down we have been, the discoveries we have made, and the measures we must take in order to return to the surface without exploding. Also: the majestic James Cameron. The Fundamentals of Deep Sea Diving. --- Originally published September 2015. Remastered July 2022.…

Quantum Mechanics. Dark Matter. Jesus Spiders. Black Holes. Spaghettification. With pink champagne on the brain, The Fun Men talk some serious physics. So, put on your thinking caps and hold on to your buns! The Fundamentals of Gravity. Originally published August 2015. Remastered June 2022.

We are joined by special guest Beau Kuther, drummer of Smallpools & Kaddisfly, to talk all about blood: What it's made of, what it does for us, how much we have, how much we can live without. And of course, blood alcohol content and some of the drunkest people of all time. Get ready for some vocabulary words! The Fundamentals of Blood. --- Original…

There is so much plastic in our lives. Where does it all come from? Where does it all go? What has been its impact on our planet, on our bodies, and how can we improve the methods of its disposal? The Fundamentals of Plastic. --- Originally published July 2015. Remastered January 2022.

This very special episode is collection of conversations we recorded with people about online dating and relationships from various perspectives: male, female, gay, straight, success, failure, optimism and cynicism. Among these conversations are people in the middle of their first date, as well as a couple whose relationship began in the 7th grade …

With more options than ever, the internet has proven a very popular way to connect with potential mates. When did it start? How many people are doing it? Does it work? We talk about what we learned and our own experiences. And a first for our show: some interviews! The Fundamentals of Online Dating - Part 1. --- Originally published March 2015. Rem…

A chess prodigy by the age of 13. A grandmaster at 15. An elusive recluse for most of his adult life, and a real a**hole at the end of it. The Fundamentals of Bobby Fischer: Who was he and what happened to him? --- Originally published February 2015. Remastered June 2021.

Why would you want to remove a piece of your skull? One of the oldest surgical procedures is still being sought out today, with some people electing to do it themselves! We chat about this disturbing yet fascinating agenda with our first guest: Dave Carrico. The Fundamentals of Trepanation. *Warning: Graphic Material* --- Originally published Febru…

Over 5 million people, including many celebrities, participate in the practice of TM. But, what is it? Who started it? What does it do for you? Why should you have to pay for it? And of course, we can't help but notice a resemblance to another topic of discussion ... The Fundamentals of Transcendental Meditation. --- Originally published February 2…

Where did we come from? ... Where are we going? ... Where are we?!! The Fundamentals of GPS: How it really works, and how it changed our lives. --- Originally published January 2015. Remastered November 2020.