The Jordan Harbinger Show

Is ear candling -- the practice of inserting a lit, hollow candle in your ear to remove earwax -- a safe, practical way to get the job done? If you have a burning desire to discover the truth, listen on! Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Where did the practice of ear candling originate? It's got to come from a noble, ancient, shamanic tradition and not some hippies out to make a buck, right? Ear candling is a thriving industry that rakes in about $1.2 million a year. Are there risks to placing a hollow, burning candle in your living human ear canal? In spite of any of its potential dangers, at least ear candling gets rid of excess earwax and other debris like it's supposed to, right? If ear candling is so hazardous to your health, the FDA o

Your father's never been abusive, but you were recently disheartened when he referred to a child sexual assault survivor and advocate who's been in the news lately as a "media-hungry slut." And when you brought up how this made you feel to your mother, she dismissively suggested you should just let it go because he's always been supportive of you. Is there another approach you can try with your parents to make them understand they're missing the whole point about why you're upset? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.c

Anja Shortland is a professor of political economy at King’s College, London who specializes in the economics of crime. She is the author of Kidnap: Inside the Ransom Business and Lost Art: The Art Loss Register Casebook Volume One. What We Discuss with Anja Shortland: How many people are kidnapped every year for ransom, and how many actually return from the ordeal alive? What incentives do kidnappers have to treat hostages nonviolently and bargain for their release in good faith? How do insurers keep vulnerable clients from letting down their guard once a policy has been obtained? The protection theory that explains how crime organizations (e.g., the mafia) effectively stabilize the kidnap-for-ransom industry. Why offering a higher ransom than demanded is the worst strategy for ensuring a hostage's safe release. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/651 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- a

Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) is an associate professor in global politics at University College London, host of the Power Corrupts podcast, and author of Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us. What We Discuss with Brian Klaas: How accurate was historian Lord Acton's assessment that "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"? Why do people become corrupt? Is it the system working on them from the outside or something in human nature working on them from within? What kind of people become corrupt? Is everyone susceptible to corruption's temptations? When it comes to corruption, should our leaders be held to higher standards than the rest of us? How can we create fair systems to incentivize people to resist corruption in favor of the straight and narrow? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/650 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Lik

Parental plans for an arranged marriage threaten a lesbian couple's future. Welcome to Feedback Friday! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/649See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Susan Cain (@susancain) is, in her own words, an "unlikely" award-winning speaker, and bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Her latest book is Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. [Note: This is a previously broadcast episode from the vault that we felt deserved a fresh pass through your earholes!]  What We Discuss with Susan Cain: How “quiet” came to be a pejorative term as the West urbanized and placed more value on personality (extroversion) over character (introversion). Better ways to understand our introverted friends (or selves). Action steps for introverts to become more social. Why being an introvert might actually be an advantage — in social situations, negotiation, and creative pursuits. Why brainstorming doesn’t work and is mostly a social exercise vs. a creative one. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/648 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationsh

Karim Hijazi (@karimhijazi) is the founder, chairman, and CEO of cyber intelligence company Prevailion, and creator and host of The Introverted Iconoclast podcast. What We Discuss with Karim Hijazi: How vulnerable is the Internet and how much of our current infrastructure would suffer if it were to go down tomorrow? What are the biggest threats to the security of your privacy, your bank account, your company, and your country? How cyber warfare can lead to kinetic (i.e., real) warfare with physical consequences. Why the current efforts of companies and governments to mitigate digital security risks are woefully insufficient. What are our best practices for staying as safe from cyber attacks as possible? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/647 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss the show we did with award-winning cybersecurity journalist Nicole Perlroth? C

How concerned should you be about expiration dates stamped on items you buy from the grocery store? Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/646 On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: What really determines the expiration date that gets stamped on an item from the grocery store? Is there a difference between "sell by," "buy by," and "use before" expiration warnings? What federal regulations dictate expiration dates for the protection of the consumer? How dangerous is it to ignore an expiration date on something like a gallon of milk, and what variables might change this? Why most cases of food poisoning have very little to do with the lackadaisical observance of expiration dates, and how you should really be gauging

Everyone knows that when tweetle beetles fight, it's called a tweetle beetle battle. But bridesmaids brawling at a bachelorette bash just make wedding plans more of a pain in the ass. Now, to fend off further fighting, the bride must decide who she's disinviting. Boo, hoo! But who? Which one gets the axe; which one gets to stay? We hope to find out this Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/645 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: After a brawl between two bridesmaids at the bachelorette bash, the bride now has to disinvite one to the wedding. But who should

Laowhy86 (@laowhy86) -- aka Matthew Tye, aka C-Milk -- shared the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of life as an American in China on his YouTube channel for 10 years until he caught the attention of the CCP and barely escaped. This is his story. [This is part two of a two-part episode. Make sure to listen to part one here first!] What We Discuss with Laowhy86: What the Chinese social credit system is, the factors that increase or diminish someone's score, and the consequences someone with a low score faces. How the Kremlin is cribbing the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda playbook for its own nefarious purposes. Why, after 10 years of having mostly positive things to say about life in China, Laowhy86 suddenly found himself on the run from the authorities and barely escaping the country. How Laowhy86 went from lifestyle vlogging to covering things mainstream journalists couldn't (or wouldn't) touch. Myths perpetrated by the CCP that need to be dispelled. And much more... Full show notes and resou

Laowhy86 (@laowhy86) -- aka Matthew Tye, aka C-Milk -- shared the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of life as an American in China on his YouTube channel for 10 years until he caught the attention of the CCP and barely escaped. This is his story.  [This is part one of a two-part episode. Stay tuned for the second part later this week!] What We Discuss with Laowhy86: What the Chinese social credit system is, the factors that increase or diminish someone's score, and the consequences someone with a low score faces. How the Kremlin is cribbing the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda playbook for its own nefarious purposes. Why, after 10 years of having mostly positive things to say about life in China, Laowhy86 suddenly found himself on the run from the authorities and barely escaping the country. How Laowhy86 went from lifestyle vlogging to covering things mainstream journalists couldn't (or wouldn't) touch. Myths perpetrated by the CCP that need to be dispelled. And much more... Full show notes and

Several violent encounters with your erratic, mentally ill neighbor over the years leave you constantly in fear of his return. In spite of being a repeat felon, the law doesn't seem to be doing much to keep him in check -- leaving him to run loose as a danger to himself and others. What can you do to keep your family safe from this menace to your community? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/642 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: How can you keep your family safe from the violent maniac who lives in you

Jordan (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabe (@GabeMizrahi) have helped a lot of people optimize their chances at landing dream jobs, but this is only half of the equation. It's also important to consider the way you end things with your soon-to-be ex-employer so you don't needlessly burn bridges you've built along the way. Don't be that person! Here's a deep dive into how to quit your job the right way. What We Discuss: The important questions to ask before making the commitment to quit your job. How to break the news to your employer in the right order. How to set your team up for success long after you've made your exit. Why you should take the time to craft a great goodbye email to your peers, and what you might say. How to make quitting a transition to a new phase of your relationship with former employers and colleagues rather than a final farewell -- and why you should stay close and connected long past the time you've collected your last paycheck. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found he

Peter Zeihan (@PeterZeihan) is a geopolitical strategist and author of The Absent Superpower, The Accidental Superpower, Disunited Nations, and the upcoming The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization. What We Discuss with Peter Zeihan: How did the Russian invasion of Ukraine become a "now or never" scenario for Putin? Even if Russia "wins" this conflict by sheer numbers, how difficult will it be to maintain control of Ukraine -- and what can we expect Putin's next move to be? What the US and its NATO allies are doing to keep the desperation of a nuclear confrontation at bay. Why Peter believes Putin's ruthless pruning of threats to his personal power -- leaving no competent next-generation successors -- will ensure he's the last president of the Russian Federation as we know it. Are China's designs on Taiwan likely to be deterred by the difficulty faced by Russia's forces in Ukraine? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/

Your significant other has DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), a mental health condition where a person has two or more separate identities. These personalities, or “alters” control the person’s behavior at different times, and each alter often has its own history, traits, likes, and dislikes. It's a very complex disorder — one that clinicians are still coming to understand — and it makes relationships quite hard. So what can you do to be supportive to your loved one as well as yourself? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanha

Yuriy Matsarsky is a Ukrainian journalist turned civilian fighter against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since the incursion began, he's been keeping the world updated with events as they happen as the host of the daily podcast Fighting for Ukraine. What We Discuss with Yuriy Matsarsky: Why did Yuriy -- and so many of his civilian countrymen and women -- turn in the tools of their trades for assault rifles to defend their homeland against the professional army tasked with invading it? Why Yuriy considers these Russian invaders more heartless and brutal against civilians -- including women and children -- than even ISIS terrorists he's encountered in war zones. What Yuriy hopes Westerners come to understand about this conflict sooner rather than later that often gets missed by mainstream media. What day-to-day life and overall morale are like for Ukrainian defenders, and how Yuriy sees this conflict ultimately playing out. Short of picking up a rifle and heading to Kyiv, what can you do to help Yuriy and hi

Bill von Hippel (@billvonhippel) is a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland and the author of The Social Leap: The New Evolutionary Science of Who We Are, Where We Come From, and What Makes Us Happy. What We Discuss with Bill von Hippel: What our eyes tell us about how humans evolved to cooperate with one another. How a psychological phenomenon called the theory of mind makes us aware that mental states of others don't match our own, and why this trait gives human beings a unique advantage in the animal kingdom. Why hunter-gatherer societies are more egalitarian than what we see in modern Western civilization. Why so many of us hate the way we look in photographs. Can animals lie? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/637 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss the conversation we had with scambuster Coffeezilla? Catch up with episode 368: Coff

You and your spouse made the decision long ago not to have children of your own. So was it wrong to hesitate when your brother-in-law asked you to assume guardianship over his children should the unthinkable happen to him? We'll try to get to the bottom of this conundrum and more here on Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/636 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: First off: the good pastor from episode 571 shares what he's been up to since we last spoke. Are you wrong to decline your brother-in-law's request to assume guardianship over his children should t

Joe Barone was born into a life of crime from both sides of his family, became the longest-running mafia informant in the history of the FBI when his father was killed, and now lives in hiding from people in both camps who want him dead or behind bars. [This is part two of a two-part episode. Make sure to catch part one here!] What We Discuss with Joe Barone: The many reasons Joe now considers the FBI to be more treacherous than the mob. What Joe was allowed and not allowed to do by the FBI while blending in with the mob. How Joe prevented the murder of a federal prosecutor and a US district judge. How Joe's relationship with the FBI soured after 18 years of being its top informant. The consequences Joe continues to suffer as a result of this soured relationship, and what he hopes the future brings. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/635 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinge

Joe Barone was born into a life of crime from both sides of his family, became the longest-running mafia informant in the history of the FBI when his father was killed, and now lives in hiding from people in both camps who want him dead or behind bars. [This is part one of a two-part episode. Make sure to catch part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Joe Barone: What it was like being born into -- and growing up in -- a crime family, and how Joe was swayed into the life in spite of aspiring to become a postman. The real glue that ties mob families together has nothing to do with honor or unity. How his father's murder was used to turn Joe into an FBI informant for 18 years. What it was like for Joe to live a double life among mobsters -- keeping his cool while fearing for his life -- during those 18 years as an informant. How much does it cost to hire mafia "assistance" in intimidating or eliminating a personal archnemesis? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jorda