The Focus Group

Shop Talk this week explores the evolving role of AI in the workplace coupled with the importance of judgment and experience. Caught My Eye uncovers a bitcoin scam, and a missing bottle of Cupcake Pinot Grigio is found inside a female on her way to jail. Ruth Graves Wakefield, the inventor of Toll House chocolate chip cookies, is our Business Birthday.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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TFG Unbuttoned is the 20-minute companion podcast from The Focus Group. Happy Pride! This week Tim and John discuss a PRIDE train in Chicago, and an advertising campaign from Hello Fresh that did not land well—according to PRIDE purists. Also, The Great American State Fair, which is to take place on the National Mall starting June 25th, has seen several states say they will not participate due to costs and partisan politics.

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Shop Talk this week explores the science behind procrastination, the impact of emotions, and how stress influences our tendency to delay tasks. Caught My Eye asks whether a model, who sits for a painting now worth millions, should get a little more than the initial day rate as a bonus. Also, was Walt Disney really frozen upon death? William Rosenberg, founder of Dunkin’ Donuts, is our Business Birthday.

We’re all busine...

Up for discussion? Two articles related to acceptance of marriage equality and states that have a hostile LGBTQ business environment. It will surprise no one that “blue states” are more LGBTQ friendly in all aspects when compared to the current “red states”. Also, a descendant of flag maker Betsy Ross donates her sewing table to the Betsy Ross Museum in Philadelphia as the country celebrates its 250th.

Apple...

Shop Talk shares a UK article that advocates understanding your cognitive strengths for better career outcomes. Caught My Eye covers a collector’s missing LEGO collection involving the Bricks & Minifigs franchise. Also, New York, and other US States are cracking down on fake temporary license plates. Jay Van Andel, co-founder of Amway, is our Business Birthday.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

Apple ...

This week, the latest Target misstep around their Pride Collection, Southwest Airlines compromises on their person of size seating, and the Giro d'Italia warns riders not to pee and toss their water bottles to the side of the road. (Why do fans pick them up and drink out of them?)

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Shop Talk this week looks at the top 10 most expensive “Gayborhoods” in the USA. Caught My Eye covers an eye-opening interview by Pam Grier, and a NYC construction worker claims a porta-potty mishap ruined his sex life. David Hans Schmidt, “The Sultan of Sleaze,” is our Business Birthday.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC
Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1
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Unbuttoned covers the death of LGBTQ congressional icon Barney Frank, a town’s use of AI to create a new logo runs afoul of the residents and ponders why so many people are right-handed.

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Shop Talk this week looks at the continued disruption and efficiencies that some companies—big and small—are experiencing with Artificial Intelligence. Caught My Eye looks at a lottery winner who never told his family and still wants people to believe he is “just getting by.” Also, Tim has a McDonalds Filet-O-Fish lunch with listener Robb. Dietrich Mateschitz, co-founder of energy drink Red Bull, is our Busi...

Tim and John cover the recent obituaries of three influential figures. Doris Fisher of The Gap, Wendy’s ad creator Joe Sedelmeier, and cranky film critic Rex Reed, highlighting their legacies and contributions to their fields.

Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC
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Shop Talk this week looks at Social Security retirement benefits and whether we will be able to collect what we were promised. It’s a bit more complicated, but Congress needs to fix it. Caught My Eye looks at a found bag filled with Hot Wheels cars, and a hotelier swallowed by a crocodile. Frank Hornby, the UK inventor of Dinky Toys and Meccano, is our Business Birthday.

We’re all business. Except when we’re not.

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Tim and John cover a story where people find tech, in this case apps like Grindr, are ruining the dating scene. Also, a woman in Utah was given only a few weeks to move a 50-year-old garage or lose power. Finally, the Artemis astronauts explain the nuance of food in space.

Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC
Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1
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YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81
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Shop Talk this week looks at corporations that are cutting back on some employee benefits as the labor market changes. Caught My Eye covers a program in Provincetown, MA that is trying to attract younger tourists. Good luck as the cost of staying in resort areas popular with the LGBTQ traveler is out of reach for many. Also, a viral TikTok trend targeting the Church of Scientology proves disruptive and dangerous. Russell Stover, th...

Tim and John cover a legal case won by the Southern Utah Drag Stars in St. George. Also, a former Chick-fil-A employee is arrested in a mac-and-cheese refund scheme. Finally, the owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, has quietly donated $1million through his foundation to The Trevor Project. When so many are cutting back on supporting LGBTQ+ causes this is welcome news.

Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC
Spotify: spoti.fi/2...

Tag sales—more commonly known as yard sales—are a popular way to declutter and make some cash. However, if you’re planning a tag sale, you’ll learn in Shop Talk what might not sell. Caught My Eye lets you know that condoms may increase in price at least 30% due to the unintended supply chain disruption caused by the Iran War. Also, a serial "LEGO returner" is finally caught after substituting dry pasta for L...

TFG Unbuttoned is the 20-minute companion podcast from The Focus Group. This week Tim and John cover an ICE protest called “Operation Dildo Blitz” in the cities of Chicago, Minneapolis, and Portland. Also, Prego Pasta Sauce is launching “Connection Keeper” in collaboration with StoryCorps. The idea is to bring conversation back to the dinner table. Finally, convenience store chain 7-11 has announced a massiv...

In Shop Talk this week, Tim and John look at the recent interview where Warren Buffett announced he has stopped speaking with Bill Gates due to his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Caught My Eye covers a story about NYC’s SantaCon being investigated for fraud. Also, the history of PEZ is also uncovered. Burt Meyer, the inventor of Lite-Brite and Rock’em Sock’em Robots, is our Business Birthday.

We’re all bu...

Tim and John have declared Caitlyn Jenner and her passport woes as one of the stories of the year thus far. This is what you voted for Ms. Jenner, deal with it. But first, a study out of Sweden finds that lobsters feel pain which may have implications in how we consume them. And Philz Coffee has backtracked on their decision to eliminate the Pride Flag and other LGBTQ imagery at their stores. The new owner failed to read the room o...

In Shop Talk this week, Tim and John look at the recent decline in information gathering that the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is experiencing with fewer companies participating in their Corporate Equality Index (CEI). Caught My Eye looks at American last names that are endangered and a Domino’s Delivery man gets rewarded when his good deed goes viral. Roy Raymond, the founder of Victoria’s Secret, is our Business Birthd...