The IFOD
The Interesting Fact of the Day Blog
Nothing is as Bad or as Good as it Seems
In his book Algebra of Happiness, Scott Galloway notes that "nothing is ever as bad or as good as it seems" and sets this notion out as the formula above. While not an absolute rule, there's wisdom in his view. Raj Raghunathan, a happiness researcher at the University...
Were the Dark Ages Faked?
I love a good conspiracy theory, so I was excited to be told of one last week that was new to me: the "Phantom Time Hypothesis," which claims that nearly 300 years of history never happened. Under this theory, it's not 2023; rather, we're living in 1726. How fun! The...
What if ChatGPT is Like Calculators?
Handheld calculators were introduced in the 1970s. Here's what a popular mid-70s model looked like (for those of you of a certain age, this will be nostalgic): Canon Palmtronic 8 Mini Handheld Electronic Calculator Handheld calculators were a big deal. Prior to...
Happy Pi (and STL Day)!
Today is March 14th or 3/14, 3.14, or just 314. It's a day when all things Pi is celebrated. Now, hang on to your hat for some amazing 314 facts. Pi is a Really Long Number Pi, of course, is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It is an irrational...
To Improve Your Writing Avoid Weasel Words
Want to write better? Limit your use of weasel words. What's a weasel word? According to Josh Bernoff in his book Writing Without Bullshit, "A weasel word is an adjective, adverb, or noun that indicates quantity or intensity but lacks precision . . . they’re the words...
The Downside of the Quest for Financial Success
Most of us (all of us?) would rather be richer than poorer. This makes sense. Having more financial resources allows us to have nicer houses and cars, take better vacations, to access better education, and is associated with living longer. Plus, those with higher...
Cute Aggression: Why We Want to Squeeze, Smush or Pinch Really Cute Things
The other day, I heard someone say, "OMG, that puppy is so cute I could just squeeze it to death." On one hand, this is a really messed up sentiment. Why would you want to squeeze a cute puppy to death? On the other hand, I can relate because sometimes I also want to...
Heteronyms: Yet Another Reason that English is So Hard to Learn
There are about 7,000 languages spoken on our planet. English is the most widely spoken language in the world, with about 1.5 billion speakers. Note, however, that over 2/3rd of that number consists of non-native speakers. Check out this chart from the World Economic...
What Makes Us Happy (In the Moment)?
Determining what makes us happy is complex. Short-term unpleasantness (like studying for an exam) can lead to long-term satisfaction (being better educated or getting a degree). But life is a string of moments, so knowing what makes people happy in the moment is...
The Coming Demographic Cliff For Colleges
Being a wealth manager during 2008-2009 was unbelievably stressful. As I write in my upcoming book, "The Uncertainty Solution," the Financial Crisis of 2008 was "a watershed event that sliced my life into two parts and changed who I am professionally and...
Happy Groundhog Day and The IFOD Turns Six!
Groundhog Day is my third favorite holiday (behind Thanksgiving and Christmas). I love it not because I believe that Punxsutawney Phil can predict winter’s duration but because I think the notion that a large rodent has weather-predicting abilities is hilarious. It is...
Happy Backward Day!
Today is National Backward Day, a national holiday that has been celebrated since 1961. The point of Backward Day is to look at how we usually do things and consider doing them backward. My morning guided meditation -- the Daily Calm on the Calm app -- mentioned the...

Get in Touch
Want to book John at your next event? Or, do you have a question for him, a topic you'd like him to explore on his IFOD blog, or just want to say hey? Reach out here, he responds to all inquiries (although it might take some time—he gets a lot of fan mail).
Read
Contact
314-719-1523
jjennings[at]Stlouistrust.com