SkillSet

winds of change

Ah, yes … 2021, you really didn’t disappoint. I tend to lean toward the positive-outlook side of things, but I also consistently underestimate humanity’s ability to really “F” things up. Half the country wants freedom, and the other half wants to lock down until we can have freedom. I know that last sentence doesn’t make much sense, but neither have the previous 365 days. So, let’s just roll with the punches here … When we decided to run a “Predictions” issue, our first thought was to be 100% serious and give the Skillsetfam a heads up for the coming year. But—and you know this as well as I do—nothing can be accurately forecasted in this day and age. By the time you are reading this, I do not doubt that some…

puff, puff, pass

Who knew dolphins were the Cheech & Chong of the Seven Seas? These aquatic super fish can fight off sharks, detect anti-ship mines and even jump through hoops of fire for your kid at SeaWorld. But behind closed doors, addiction runs deep. While the puffer fish is known to be deadly to humans, its toxins are like black tar heroin to our blowhole buddies. It isn’t uncommon to see a school of dolphins passing a chewed-up puffer among each other and then drifting off into the deep blue in a trance-like state of euphoria. So, the next time you see a dolphin washed up on the beach or tied up in a tuna net, have some sympathy and let them know that “If you can quit for a day, you…

follow the science

Back in the mid-1800s, Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician, made claims that washing your hands could prevent the spread of disease. Due to the fact that he had no real evidence to support this claim, his fellow colleagues mocked his opinions and bullied him to the point of a nervous breakdown. He was committed to a mental institution and was eventually beaten to death by the asylum’s guards. A few years after his death, Louis Pasteur, the famous French microbiologist, confirmed his theory and implemented this hygienic practice with great success. Need a quick survival hack to help cover an unexpected laceration? Try covering it in spiderwebs. That’s right, back in ancient Greece, doctors used spiderwebs to make bandages for their patients. These webs can help keep wounds clean and…

so, you’re saying there’s a chance?

Americans spend around $72 billion every year for lottery tickets, and the chances of winning are less likely than being killed by murder hornets, having identical quadruplets, being crushed by a vending machine, winning an Academy Award or being elected president. But don’t be dismayed by your lack of phenomenal luck; it’s not as great as it sounds. In fact, the odds of going broke after winning the lottery are pretty good since one out of three lotto winners will eventually file for bankruptcy.…

back in my day…

Ever wonder why your generation’s music is so good and your kid’s music just plain sucks? Well, as much as we want to tell you that Prince’s “Purple Rain” is 100 times better than Cardi B’s “WAP,” it actually has to do with puberty. Between the ages of 12 and 21, your brain housing group undergoes fast neurological development, and for some reason, the music we listen to during that time gets embedded into our frontal lobes for life. This music will forever trigger memories that send hits of dopamine to stimulate your pleasure circuits. The more connection you had with a song, the more juice your brain gets. This is the neurochemical bliss you experience when that “oldie but goodie” comes on the radio and you are caught at…

“you pathetic humans...”

Ever wonder why your cat brings home dead animals even though you have its food bowl filled with kibble? It’s because they think you are a worthless hunter and you probably can’t survive on your own. Truth be told, they are probably right (about 80% of Americans don’t even know how to start a fire), and there is really nothing you can do to stop them. Unlike our canine companions, who we can domesticate and turn into lazy furballs, cats still retain their predatory instincts and will always have the will to hunt. Plus, cats are known to be assholes, and they love to boast to their pitiful human companions.…