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In this episode of The 50 Cups Podcast, host Jim Baker, a bestselling author and successful entrepreneur, discusses various hot takes with his co-host. They explore topics ranging from skepticism about global warming predictions and personal anecdotes about restaurant service and tipping culture to the pervasive issue of noise pollution. Jim also shares two heartwarming acts of kindness he experienced, underscoring the inherent goodness in society. The episode wraps up with a discussion about the health benefits of different kinds of tea offered by Jim’s 50 Cups Tea company, emphasizing unity and wellness.
00:00 Introduction and Dan Rather's Global Warming Prediction
00:51 Welcome to the 50 Cups Podcast
01:10 The 50 Cups Tea Company
01:43 Health Benefits of Tea
03:18 Waiting for the Check: A Restaurant Rant
07:21 Tipping Culture and Service Quality
10:45 Noise Pollution: The Unseen Menace
18:39 Global Warming: Fact or Fiction?
23:34 Questioning the Heat Wave Narrative
24:17 Historical Temperature Data Analysis
25:18 Media's Role in Climate Fear
26:19 Dependence on Government Policies
26:37 Buffalo's Temperature Trends
27:26 Skepticism Towards Climate Predictions
28:17 Common Sense and Weather Patterns
36:49 Acts of Kindness in Everyday Life
41:01 The Benefits of Turmeric
43:20 Concluding Thoughts and Tea Benefits
Creators & Guests
Host
Jim Baker
Author of "The Adventure Begins When The Plan Falls Apart" Converting a Crisis into Company Success, Jim is a husband and father of 4, Baker has spent the last 30 years in the business world as an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. He had a successful exit in 2014 after owning and managing a CRO and functional services company, Ockham, specializing in Oncology. During that time prior to exit, Baker grew ASG and then Ockham both organically and through M&A. Over time Baker has experience in acquiring and selling companies, working with investment bankers, private equity, and mezzanine debt funding. In addition, has vast experience in business branding and managing and leading people. After the sale to Chiltern International, Baker started Sumus Development Group, an advisory business focused on operational excellence, exit strategy and marketing. In addition, Baker is an active investor in the business community.
What is Hot Takes: 50Cups?
United We Sip – Dive into the fascinating world of American culture with "Hot Takes: 50Cups." Join founder Jim Baker as he shares his hot takes on everything from day to day life, business trends and societal shifts, uncovering how we are all more united than we think.
At 50Cups, we believe in the power of community and the shared goal of living a healthy, fulfilled life. Our mission is to inspire you through organic, great-tasting teas, education, and awareness, uniting us all in our quest for better living.
Each episode of "Hot Takes: 50Cups" features Jim's candid and insightful commentary on the challenges, triumphs, and everyday experiences that shape our collective journey. From entrepreneurial wisdom, cultural observations, to health topics and nutrition this podcast offers a fresh perspective that will leave you inspired and enlightened.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a business leader, or simply curious about the threads that bind us, this podcast is your gateway to understanding and connection.
Subscribe now and join the conversation!
Bill LuMaye: [00:00:00] I saw a piece from Dan Rather. You remember that? Reputable CBS reporter? Yes. He actually had a piece from 42 years ago. Then he was proclaiming at that point that scientists have confirmed global warming and he showed a map of Florida and that the sea rise [00:00:15] was, was so incredible that Florida would be 25% gone.
Well, that was 42 years ago, and Florida hasn't changed at all. [00:00:30] [00:00:45] This is the 50 Cups Podcast with bestselling author and a very successful entrepreneur, Jim Baker and Jim, it's great to see you again.
Yeah, you as [00:01:00] well. How you been? I'm doing well. And you know what, I, I'm not a tea guy, right? I'm not trying to get you there. Well, I'm telling you, I'm, I'm loving this stuff. Now, last week we talked a little, well, let's. First fill people there. You're also a owner of many companies, but the one that is the the 50 Cup Tea [00:01:15] Tea Company?
Jim Baker: Yes. 50 cups tea.com. We are a wholesale and direct to con consumer online tea business, and our whole goal is to unite all of us around health and around tea. [00:01:30] Tea is the number two drink in the world. Obviously. We all live every day, hopefully. Praying and maintaining our health so we don't die.
And I think that unites us all. And our motto is United, we sip. And today, bill, I have [00:01:45] a little immune booster tea. Not that this is the cold and virus season but I thought I'd just give you a little sample. The tea we had last podcast was the refresher and the detox tea. Yes. But I really liked this.
This has a nice [00:02:00] minty fresh flavor. It's kind of cool this time of year. I mean, it's 91 degrees outside today and mm-hmm. Got a little flavor to it. Oh, that's good. So that is really good that we would sample that today. And of course you can always buy it online@fiftycupstea.com and if you [00:02:15] spend over $40, we'll give you free shipping.
Nice. Spend, little pull
Bill LuMaye: for today. Well, you know, we were talking before and we'll get into your hot takes and that was how more and more people are really begin becoming aware of the fact that all these herbs and, and [00:02:30] teas and supplements can really make a difference in the body. So when it comes to the teas, I know that's kind one of your goals.
It's always been let's make you healthy through, in this case, tea and it works. It does. I mean, there's
Jim Baker: a lot of organics. These, these are organic teas, [00:02:45] by the way. Right. So they're clean. Yeah. And on top of that, you know, based on the different types of tea, I mean there's flavor noise and polyphenols and, and other things that are there that have been known, you know, to be, very [00:03:00] health benefit visual to the body.
And as we all know, when you get sick. Especially when you were a kid. What'd your mom do? She made you a cup of tea, you know, and there's a reason why she did that.
Bill LuMaye: What I like about your tea is the tea that my wife gives me when I'm sick tastes like medicine. This, this [00:03:15] doesn't, this is very this is very enjoyable to drink.
Let's talk about your hot takes. There's one on your list. I, I still don't know where you're going with this actually, and that is waiting for the check. There's lots of, lots of people waiting for checks. I'm not sure which one you're waiting for. [00:03:30] Yeah,
Jim Baker: so I don't know if you've been to a restaurant. Oh, yeah.
In the past, I'm sure everybody has. And, you know, you sit down within a normal period of time, you know, the server will come over and ask you if you want a drink, and you'll order the drink, and then [00:03:45] you'll, so he or she will come back with the drink, and then we, you'll order off the menu and, and then your food comes in within a reasonable 10, 15 minute timeframe.
You have a nice meal. Usually the servers coming to you, you know, four or five times while you're. Eating to either [00:04:00] refill your drinks or to ask if you need anything else. I'm sure the boss is telling them to continue to ask 'cause they want to upsell. You sure you want dessert, for example, appetizers, so on and so forth.
And you're going through this thing and in your mind, you know, you're thinking, well, it's been [00:04:15] close to an hour and we're kind of done. And now comes time for the check and suddenly the server disappears and you're kind of giving it five minutes, maybe 10 minutes. You're kind of looking around and suddenly you're looking for that person and [00:04:30] don't seem to be anywhere, or they're running around like they're chicken with their head cut off, but they're not coming back to you.
And I'm thinking to myself as a business owner, you know, the most important thing after the introduction of the customer is to close the customer, which get 'em out as [00:04:45] a restaurant, right? You wanna move the table. Yeah. And you wanna get the cash, right? Yes. You wanna get the payment. Absolutely. And so, and that's sometimes you experience in that in the us if you're in Europe, for example.
It's go through that same [00:05:00] process, but then it's customary. They're not gonna come up and give you the check. You have to ask for it. Oh. And it's totally normal to ask for it. And I remember I was in New York once a few years ago, and you know, when you have adult kids, they're, they're the experts in how you conduct yourself in society.
[00:05:15] Of course. And, we we're at this Brooklyn Pizza place. Mm-Hmm. Where you're sitting on picnic tables in a tent in December. So it's a little chilly outside. But you're supposed to be honored that. You're there as opposed to the other way around. I'm picking up a
Bill LuMaye: [00:05:30] little sarcasm folks. Continue though.
And same thing happened, right? Yes. So,
Jim Baker: you know, and there's only four or five of us and you know, we're going through the whole night and everything's great and then boom, gone and it's, and now you're freezing to death and it's a half an hour later. Yeah. Right? And [00:05:45] so finally I did the old, you know, wave my hand and motion over and my daughter is like, dad, what are you doing?
Like getting the, the server and that's rude. That's ridiculous. They're not gonna respond that way to you In [00:06:00] New York, I said, I don't care. I need the check. If they wanna get paid and she wants to get tipped, gotta be able to make the payment, right? Yes. So thankfully you suppose
Bill LuMaye: that is Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.
No, no. So
Jim Baker: thankfully the server did come over and eventually able to close out the [00:06:15] tab and
Bill LuMaye: and move on. You know, I one of my first jobs in the restaurant, I, I know that they, the waitresses, you know, the tips and you, you gotta turn those booth and tables over as fast as you possibly can. So what's changed, do you suppose?[00:06:30]
Jim Baker: I don't know. Maybe they don't have enough server help. So when it gets busier, you know, that person kind of disappears. Mm-Hmm. Could just be pure. Well, I've done the bulk of my work. Maybe I need a break. Maybe they're, they [00:06:45] went outside, you know, to hang out for a while. Maybe so I, I don't know.
It's, it, that's the problem. That's why it's kind of a hot take of mine. It's just very, it's frustrating 'cause they're, I'm in the, I was in the retail business. Now granted we didn't have table service, we just had counter service. [00:07:00] So you paid at the, at the point of sale, basically. Right. And but I mean, first and foremost, you know, before you even start making a drink, you wanna make sure you got, you got the money and, so I, I don't know. I don't, in lack of management, I, I don't know what [00:07:15] it is. It's, it's frustrating, but, and then they expect a, the other hot take is this tipping society that we're in at this point in time.
Bill LuMaye: Well, what do you tip, if I may ask? And do you, and do you grade it based on the service you receive?
If you, if
Jim Baker: the server is phenomenally [00:07:30] good uhhuh, so just getting the meals out on time and all that good stuff. And then they're also, they don't drive me nuts by coming by every five seconds. And, but they have a, a way about them, they're somewhat personable. Like, I don't need to know about your life story.
And vice [00:07:45] versa. They don't need to ask me about mine, but they just kind of get the whole thing. Then yeah, I'll go 20, 25, maybe 30% sure. You know, if you're just doing your job, you know, then it's 15. If you're gonna make me wait for the check, I'll probably still give you [00:08:00] 15, but it's frustrating, you know, at that point it is.
Bill LuMaye: I've gotten to the point, and I know exactly what you're talking about, that I will ask for the check. When they bring the food, when you get a chance, could you give me the check? Because otherwise you're sitting there and you wanna leave and you can't. Right. So, I don't know, but is that a [00:08:15] bigger statement for the overall service we seem to be receiving today?
Is that just one of the symptoms of
Jim Baker: Yeah, could be. I mean, I think Covid kind of, you know, obviously blew out the, the service industry for a while. Yeah. And it's coming back. [00:08:30] I do know that from my, my perspective, it at times it was difficult to. Bring in employees, and I'm sure other restaurants have had that problem, and I dunno about you, but you know, you sometimes you walk into a restaurant and half the restaurant's empty.
Yes. And they tell you, you got a 45 [00:08:45] minute wait. Yes. And you're looking around. It's a ghost town. And but they don't have enough servers. So, so they say, but I, but the, getting back to this tip thing, I mean, even counter servers now they have electronic point of sy, point of [00:09:00] sale systems, POS, and you're expected to tip.
When you're doing all the work, you know they flip that thing around. Oh yes. And it's staring at you in the face where it's 10, 20, 30% or custom tip and you know that person's looking at the screen on the other end to see what you're gonna do. [00:09:15] Right. And so suddenly, you know, you're, you're spending an extra two or three bucks, you know, at a point of sale.
'cause you're tipping somebody for pretty much doing nothing.
Bill LuMaye: I saw a me where I don't tip, if I have to stand in order, you know, this was one of them. It's [00:09:30] crazy. oh, I noticed this, that I tip generously, especially where I live.
There aren't many restaurants and I always thought, Jim, that they, they got to know my name and my usual because I was just a good customer and a good looking kind of guy. [00:09:45] I got the sense now, Jim, that it may have something to do with tipping. Have you noticed that as well? I, in a sense, mean you go out a lot, right?
You go out to restaurants if you tip well, aren't you treated differently than someone who isn't if they know you?
Jim Baker: Yes.
Bill LuMaye: But get, so you have assume [00:10:00] that
Jim Baker: the server's gonna be there for a while.
Bill LuMaye: Yeah. Well that's
Jim Baker: true. And I would have to ask you this question. How often are you going at this place? Like, are you too much?
Are you Norm and cheers where you're coming in every single day day? Pretty
Bill LuMaye: much. Pretty much. The, yeah, pretty much. It's, it's, that's a whole nother story, and it's not my [00:10:15] story we're talking about. Hot takes from Jim Picker. So let's move
Jim Baker: on.
Bill LuMaye: So
Jim Baker: to your point though, I don't know what the solution is other than I don't either.
I guess if we're gonna, you know, reduce the stress of a hot take when it comes to waiting for the check, then simply just ask for the check when the food [00:10:30] comes. I guess
Bill LuMaye: that's what I've been doing. Now, see, I'm used to the good stuff, you know Jim brings in the delicious tea that helps my health and serves it to me.
Now, I'm not sure I'm sitting. Do I have to tip you when I leave? Is that You do not. Oh, thank you. Another one of your hot takes on this [00:10:45] one. I am, it's affected me personally. And that is noise pollution. And I'm wondering what your take is on that.
Jim Baker: Yeah, so my kids will tell me my hearing isn't that great anymore.
Another criticism and, [00:11:00] but I've been noticed like everywhere you go there's noise. Oh yeah. Except for the studio right now. But if you go to Starbucks, for example music's always in the background. It's always loud. Yes. Chairs are squeaking against the floor. If you're outside, [00:11:15] you know eating, there's always a, a guy cutting the grass or blowing the sidewalks.
Yeah. If you're in, inevitably it seems like some of these motorcycles and cars, you know, have the souped up, [00:11:30] you know, muff mufflers in the back. Yes. That don't modify the noise, they actually increase it. And where I live. We're within the, the flight path of the airport. So inevitably there's always a jet that's either landing or [00:11:45] flying over us taken off rather.
And so I'm like, I think our whole society's consumed with noise at
Bill LuMaye: this point in time. I don't think people really fully, and I don't either. I have never been in a, well, this room's very quiet, but I can still hear background noise [00:12:00] in a truly quiet environment. And I don't know if people have said this about when you purchased your home and the flight path, ah, you'll get used to it.
And you do though, you do kind of, oh, well, the highway's nearby and you absorb it and you don't care about it. But, [00:12:15] I don't know what it's like to be in a quiet, silence free environment. Do you, what,
Jim Baker: what does that now really No, and I'm, and to, I think with this work from home, in this mobile society now, I mean, you are gonna be in [00:12:30] some places where you need to take a business call, for example, right?
And. It seems like every time I would start one in a public place, suddenly the noise would increase by 15 fold, and you're hitting the mute button, you're trying to go to a quiet area [00:12:45] which there's no such thing, you know. Then you go out into the street and suddenly, you know, somebody's coming down the street and you know, obviously it's rude for the recipient on the call.
But you just start to thinking yourself, man, it, this is a very noisy [00:13:00] country and I did some research. And I guess Congress about 40 years ago, you know, took up the Noise Reduction Act. I don't think anything was ever passed, but it basically said that anything over 85 decibels, is harmful to your [00:13:15] hearing, increases your in stress, increases stress, and potentially could be physically harmful to your, your cardio health.
So to give you an example of 85 decibels, car, car horns. [00:13:30] Obviously those mufflers, just general car traffic. Yes. That's moving. You're looking at hairdryers, you're looking at just typical noise in restaurants. Sirens obviously would be louder. [00:13:45] Music obviously concerts are in the a hundred plus decibel range, so I mean, there's a lot of things just in our day-to-day life that are over the limit that Congress had set.
Bill LuMaye: In fact, I've noticed that and I don't [00:14:00] know if you've noticed this, that emergency vehicles have a tough time moving through traffic. And I think it's because it's, it is tough to break through all that noise. Sure. But you're right about the physical aspects and the, and the even the mental aspects.[00:14:15]
What are your thoughts on that? I mean, you mentioned cardio, I'm assuming you're talking heart and that kind of thing. Mm-Hmm. I mean, can it give you a heart attack?
Jim Baker: Research I read didn't go that far, but it did say that it can lead to, 'cause it obviously [00:14:30] it increases your stress. Yes. And then if you're not used to, you know, the unpredictable noise based on your health, I mean, that could, you know, create a cortisol moment and that could set your body out of balance and potentially you could have a heart attack.
I don't know. The other thing [00:14:45] too, if you don't really care about the human aspect of it, but you're a wildlife lover.
Bill LuMaye: Yes.
Jim Baker: They've done studies where birds, have they, they find their mate through communication, through noise. [00:15:00] And so if the noise is being drowned out by other noise, they're not gonna find the mate.
They're gonna miss the boat, and therefore they're not gonna be able to procreate as fast. So they have noticed that the, there's been less and less chicks born. In certain areas [00:15:15] due to the noise level.
Bill LuMaye: Well, that would make sense. I mean, it impacts humans. It's gotta impact the, the animal life as well.
Jim Baker: And you know, nothing against whales. I think they're phenomenal mammals, but a lot of, some people think that they're the, the most intelligent mammal on earth. [00:15:30] A lot of noise in the ocean itself. You know, you got ships, submarines you have, you got
Bill LuMaye: the wind turbines now that are also causing some issues.
Jim Baker: Who knows? There's other underground technology that's underneath the ocean as well, and that's. Had an effect on, on [00:15:45] Calfing as as well.
Bill LuMaye: So I, I guess I would ask the obvious question, what are the solutions other than putting on some silencing headphones?
Jim Baker: Yeah, so the eu they've passed laws where they are forcing communities.
And I'm not sure, you know, [00:16:00] having government intervenous is always the best idea, but they force communities to, you know, reduce noise pollution by 30%. You know, so there's quiet areas, for example, you know, in public school in within public places. Within, you know, certain towns and municipalities and what [00:16:15] have you.
They regulated, you know, I don't think they have those loud mufflers over there. And I know they've done a lot. Both the US and and Europe have done a lot to try to reduce jet engine noise, you know, with the newer technology. But the problem with [00:16:30] our carriers is that they all use, you know, 1970 planes still.
Yes. But if you go overseas, you're flying in a 2000. To 2020 plane. Like the equipment's totally different, over there than it's here. I did not know that. Oh yeah. It was in [00:16:45] Africa last year. Yes. We got on one of those Airbus three fifties you know, which is a new plane that was designed and, you know, back, I guess went into public back in like 20 15, 20 16.
I mean, it's phenomenal. It's [00:17:00] gigantic. It's clean, it's quiet, it's just amazing. And over here we're still rolling around in seven 50 sevens and. Seven 60 sevens and they're just loud, old, banged up planes. Kind of feel like Cuba of a
Bill LuMaye: sudden with all the 57 Chevys. We should do better [00:17:15] than that. We're America.
We should have the new
Jim Baker: planes. I mean, when the electric cars make noise, and I think by yes law, they have to yes. Because otherwise you wouldn't hear 'em. But you know, you might be able to tone it down a little bit.
Bill LuMaye: You know, I was reading a little bit about that. And yes, electric cars. It's been a study [00:17:30] and they are hitting, more people are being hit by electric cars 'cause they just simply don't hear them.
But that was also a solution that was being offered that, you know, if you went more with electric, obviously you wouldn't have the ver room vroom noise. But it is. Well, and I, I hear, I have [00:17:45] hearing aids for that precise reason because of the loud noises I experienced in different environments. Some of it my own fault, some of it, not my own fault, but it can impact your life in a big way.
Yeah. And the thing about the whole loud. Truck car thing is, [00:18:00] I just don't understand what the purpose is. You know Jim, I don't know if that's our age. I'm older than you, but I turn to my little 8-year-old and I say I wish I had a car that sounded like that with great sarcasm. And now she's old enough to understand sarcasm.
But at the time when I was, you know, [00:18:15] 16 getting my first car, I dunno what it was, something about a loud muffler
Jim Baker: there. I don't know what, but there was something about it. So people would look at you. I don't know, was there like a. The comfort, like misogynist feeling in the car with a muffler of vibrations, like what was going [00:18:30] on.
Bill LuMaye: Oh, heavy into puberty at that time. I don't fully understand anything I did at that time, but no, I'm with you on that. I am absolutely with you on it. Have you noticed how hot it is? Do you think it's Jim, do you think it has anything to do with any of this [00:18:45] global warming stuff might be true and stuff?
I mean, it's June what? I mean, this comes around once a year,
Jim Baker: something like, so what are you trying to say? It's funny you mentioned that I was, what I was doing this a couple weeks ago and maybe it was last week, [00:19:00] and you know how when you log on, sometimes your, whatever your browsers, they give you like a quick newsfeed.
Mm-Hmm. And I saw a little news feed of the governor of New York and she was having. You know, an emergency YouTube session basically. Yes. [00:19:15] Talking about, and she had the heat map of New York. Yes. This was last Monday actually. And she had the heat map in New York behind her, and she was talking about how the state's prepared.
And if you need help, you know, the state's going to get there for you. [00:19:30] And this heat, heat is unprecedented, especially in northern communities of the state, not necessarily New York City per se. Right. And. It's an unusual event. It's got nothing to do with just traditional summertime [00:19:45] heat. She was intimating that it's man cost.
Yes. You know, and, Buffalo's not used to it, Syracuse, et cetera, et cetera. New York City is not used to it but we're there and her approval rating's 34%. [00:20:00] So I think maybe that's what compelled her to get on tv. But there was two couple hot takes going on, and we'll certainly talk about the heat piece of it.
But the other hot take is. I think government feels like they're forced to always have to say something or do something [00:20:15] to make the citizenry feel safe because our citizenry isn't used to, some of them aren't used to being able to take care of themselves. Not the ones that are unhealthy [00:20:30] are are disabled, but just in general, people, you know, just have to look for help where.
The majority of, especially in the city, every building is air conditioned for the most part. And mm-Hmm. [00:20:45] It's kinda like when it's cold, you stay inside. Yes. And when it's warm, wait second,
Bill LuMaye: you stay inside. You're starting to, trying to throw common sense my way now. But no, that's a very, very excellent point.
That's the reason they put the sign at the corners in [00:21:00] New York where it says, look up. From your phone when you cross the street. Yeah. I mean, I'm serious. It's a serious warning. [00:21:15] [00:21:30] [00:21:45] so anyhow, I did some research.
Yes. Tell me the research.
Jim Baker: Yes.
So I looked at New York City first. Yes. And just basically looked at June [00:22:00] temperatures, average temperatures for the last four years. Alright. Alright. So June of 1984, the temperature was 74.5.
That was the average temperature in June, right? 1984, right? Right. 40 years earlier. [00:22:15] June of 23, it was 70. June of 22 was 71.4 and June of 21, 74 0.3, so almost to the 84 year. Temperatures. Sure. This [00:22:30] year data's not totally in yet, but you're looking somewhere around those numbers again. So historically, Mm-Hmm.
It was hotter in other years than it has been recently, [00:22:45] especially last week. And I'm thinking to myself back in 1984 when I think Mario Cuomo was the governor of New York, would he have gone on tv? To tell everybody how hot it's gonna be and that we're here to help you.
Bill LuMaye: No, I think they treated their [00:23:00] constituency with maybe a little more respect.
They expected more out of them. I remember though, Jim, and it usually happened in Europe where you'd have this heat wave hit and you would have people die. And this was like in the seventies and eighties and I don't know if you recall that. And, [00:23:15] and every now and then we'd get the, get the fan out campaign in some of the cities.
So. I guess when I see a governor come on television and, and express this concern, it, it's, it's in a sense [00:23:30] that's unprecedented because as you're saying, this really hasn't happened until now. So my question to you is, is it because it's a real concern for the populace or is there something else going on here, some kind of political agenda that's trying to be [00:23:45] substantiated?
Jim Baker: Well, I think, doing some research. And again, I'm not trying to make this into a political No, no, I'm discussion. But I do think because her numbers are down so low, she probably feels compelled that she has to do something. Right. Right. But I think also [00:24:00] having listened to a lot of this, her, her broadcast she obviously talked a lot about the heat, but she intimated that this wasn't a natural.
Weather related heat wave. This was, I think that was actually what she said, right. In her warning. [00:24:15] An unnatural heat of it. Correct?
Bill LuMaye: Yes.
Jim Baker: Correct. And, and, but then I'm looking at the data and there was must, so let, let me go back to 1984 again. Mm-Hmm. The highest temperature in June was 96 degrees. Excuse me.
The yeah, the highest temperature was [00:24:30] 96 degrees and 23. In June it was 84 and 22 was 87, and in 21 it was 98. So. I guess in 84 there was a lot of unnatural heat events Yes. Going on at that point in time. I'm so [00:24:45] I just I get obviously hot, taped, frustrated when people just come out and start scaring us.
Mm-Hmm. When in reality, if you look back at the data over the last 30 to 40 years, [00:25:00] this is just another warm June compared to some of the other years that it was warm.
Bill LuMaye: Well, and it's so true, and there's obviously, when there is heat like this, you if you are concerned, there are things you can do. And nowadays, Jim, there's, there's really almost, as you [00:25:15] pointed out, anywhere you can go to escape the heat.
But I, I saw a news piece where they were highlighting the unprecedented heat and the unprecedented cost of cooling your home. Broke records and then they [00:25:30] blamed it on climate change. But certainly there are lots of variables that would affect the cost of, of things like that. But your underlying point is there's this, this, can I call it fear margarine.
It almost feels that way. They want to get [00:25:45] people afraid. And I don't know if it's for an agenda or if it's because you need me kind of without me, you, you're not gonna survive. I don't know what it is. But it continues and I've never seen anything quite like it. It seems to be getting worse. Well,
Jim Baker: yeah, I, and I, [00:26:00] we'll put most of the onus on, on the policies that have been delivered, you know, to the populace.
Mostly by unelected officials. Just the elected officials. Yes. The ones that are Yes. Are gonna either have to sell [00:26:15] it or they're the ones who, you know, ultimately have to sign off on it. Yeah, I think we live in a state of fear all the time. I think no matter what it is, and today, just this week just happens to be the weather.
And I just, for additional information, instead of just looking at New York City, I decided I'd [00:26:30] go further north and look at Buffalo.
Bill LuMaye: Oh man, that's where all the snow is, Jim. It never gets warm up there.
Jim Baker: Never. What did you find? So I found that it is unusual for it to spike over 90 degrees. Mm-Hmm. But this month, there's just two [00:26:45] days that it was in the nineties and that was last Wednesday and Thursday.
The rest of the time it's been in the eighties and seventies and usually this time of year the average temperatures, you know, are somewhere in the high seventies to low eighties. Right? So yeah, two [00:27:00] days of over 90, but that doesn't mean it never happened before. It has happened in multiple years as well.
Right? Similar to New York City. Whenever New York was hot, usually Buffalo was hot as well, right? So yes, it happens. It happens all the time. There's [00:27:15] nothing new. But you would never know that. Based on the state of fear, you know, that we, we constantly live in, in this country at this point in time.
And I think the only thing I can think of is the agenda at the end of the day is not [00:27:30] to, you know, make you self-reliant and make you just go fix it yourself, but it's to be dependent on the folks in government so they can, I don't know, get votes. Tax you more. I don't know [00:27:45] what it is. But it's just, it's frustrating because I think, it's more frustrating that people just don't look this stuff up.
They just believe, you know what somebody's telling them.
Bill LuMaye: Well, and you know, I'm curious where do you even go nowadays? It's become [00:28:00] harder and harder if you are somebody like yourself and really everybody should do this, is when you see something like this, is it, is it really true? And do you Google it?
Or what do you do? You know, and you've seen where the platforms themselves have been impacted and, and. They're [00:28:15] beginning to edit. Mm-Hmm. What? What comes up to the top? So it's hard to do, but a lot of this is common sense too. You have life experiences for goodness sakes. I do it.
It's always been hot in summer. Yeah. And there's always been heat waves and it's always [00:28:30] been very cold in winter and there have been extreme colds. It's just seems natural to me. So, okay. I'm looking for you to come give, gimme the golden answer. This is what we need to do, but there really isn't one is there.
Just so you know, the high
Jim Baker: temperature in Buffalo today is gonna be [00:28:45] 79.
Bill LuMaye: So see, that's beautiful. That's a perfect temperature.
Jim Baker: Yeah. And not to focus on New York, but because she had come out and made that statement, I thought that'd just something that just reinforced my hot take. Good for you. The solution is just to be aware.
[00:29:00] Yeah. Of what is really going on. And the good news is, whether it's Google, DuckDuckGo Edge, there's, you can get the data and you can look back and you, if you truly believe, [00:29:15] you know, the earth is melting. Then I, if I were you, I wouldn't just assume that we're gonna, you know, all be in the ocean. In 10 years, I would go back and look.
And if. The governments and everybody else thought [00:29:30] we truly were gonna be, you know, going underwater at some point in time. 'cause the sea levels were rising. Then why do we continue building coastal communities? Why do we continue taking more land in cities to expand them, into the water? I mean, it [00:29:45] doesn't make any sense.
Bill LuMaye: So, no, you're right, you're right about that. I saw a piece from Dan Rather. You remember that? Reputable CBS reporter? Yes. He actually had a piece from 42 years ago. Then he was proclaiming at that point that scientists have confirmed global warming [00:30:00] and he showed a map of Florida and that the sea rise was, was so incredible that Florida would be 25% gone.
Well, that was 42 years ago, and Florida hasn't changed at all. And this is, I only bring this up, is. Your own [00:30:15] eyes, your own life experiences, and you brought this up last podcast about just common sense, taking a moment and believe in your own eyes, your own ears, you know, and, and you got a God-given brain.
You ought to be able to connect the dots, don't you think?
Jim Baker: I do. And I had to laugh [00:30:30] too because I think she did say recommend that stay indoors and, you know, make sure you stay within in an air conditioned environment. Keep the temperature at 78 so you're not burning excess energy. Then I thought, well, aren't you part of the same [00:30:45] group of lawmakers that decided to put new through the green deal?
New environmental laws in place for H-V-A-V-A-C? So if you're outdoor air conditioner brakes, you can probably replace that now for [00:31:00] four to $7,000, depending on how big it is next year. Double the price. Sure. Because you have to change all the internal. Venting duct work, et cetera, et cetera. So I'm thinking to myself, well, how does that help the [00:31:15] person that can't
Bill LuMaye: afford a new air conditioner down the road?
Well, I think that's a legitimate point, and with your research that you've done doesn't seem there's really a need to jump through all those hoops. I've often wondered if you're gonna spend trillions of dollars on whatever it is that, that [00:31:30] we've decided to do with global warming or whatever why not?
Why not build infrastructure, you know, rather than. Eliminating things that actually benefit people. But I guess I'm just not smart enough, Jim. I'm just not
Jim Baker: I think I read a month or so ago that [00:31:45] they're predicting another record Hurricane Landfall year.
Yes. Now, every year they predict the same thing, and every year for the most part, it doesn't happen. Right? Yes. Yes. So, 'cause of course the, the temperatures are warming in the ocean. Or they [00:32:00] blame. Nino or El Nina, like there's always something. Yes. You know, and I'm thinking, why can't we just be normal?
Like this is the weather. We have to deal with it. I love
Bill LuMaye: the the new terminology they've come up with for. For [00:32:15] all these things that we've experienced in our lifetime. And I'm trying to think off the top of my head, but you know, a very cold, what is it? The polar whatever they Oh, the polar vortex.
The polar vortex rather than a cold front from the arctic circle, you know? [00:32:30] So they've come up with all of these very descriptive, scary terms to basically describe something that has happened and will continue to happen.
Jim Baker: Well, not only that, I mean common sense. Right. So the polar vortex comes down to North Carolina.
Yes. You, they tell you, hey, usually the [00:32:45] jet stream goes across Canada, in the northern part of the country in the wintertime. Yes. Well now it's gonna come down a little bit further and I'm thinking, well, all the people in Minnesota and in Canada, they're all alive and they deal with the vortex every single day.
Yes. I think we'll be okay down here. [00:33:00] 'cause we're all living in houses just like they have houses up north. We have heat. They have heat, and by the way, our energy's cheaper and we'll survive the three or four days at a polar vortex.
Bill LuMaye: I don't know, I, I, I went immediately to the governor's channel. I didn't know what to do, Jim.
I didn't know what to do [00:33:15] thought, should I put a coat on or not put a coat? So I'm teasing the dead. But in any case, all of the, these hot techs impact your life. They really do. This one particularly. I, I think, impacts us in so many [00:33:30] different ways from freedoms to, you know, actual dollars that are being spent that would be better spent from your family.
That I, I, I just wish we had a magic wand to say, let's, let's go back maybe 50 years or so when people kind of use their [00:33:45] common sense and seem to have more independence. You know, I, I don't, I don't know what it's,
Jim Baker: so in 1955 in New York, oh, you stat. Yeah. The average temperature that year was you know.
Almost as high as it was in 1984. Like 84 [00:34:00] point whatever. Holy cow. Well, back then there was no ac. No, I don't, for the most part. I know like how about those guys back then? I mean, they dealt with it though. My mom was 17 years old. My dad was 20. Yeah. [00:34:15] They lived in New York. They never, I don't think growing up they ever told me about how hot it was in 1955.
It's just part of life.
Bill LuMaye: My dad's bedroom was out on the porch in the wintertime in Wisconsin, and he was in charge of getting the cold to, to, to put in there. [00:34:30] And I, Jim, I don't wanna shock you, but Andy Griffith had a show about North Carolina. He and Oi I heard it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. He and Opie, and Gomer and all those folks get damn hot in North Carolina, and I never once.[00:34:45]
Except they may have gone to the theater once for that ac they were talking about, but I, they sat on the front porch and played guitar. I, I, there's no question. It would seem to me that all the things that these [00:35:00] people are trying to ban or make more difficult for people to use are the very things that save people's lives.
You know, air conditioning, you know, the heater, the furnace, and that people live a lot. Are safer today with our environment than [00:35:15] if we were to allow what they're proposing to continue. Right. But with their salt on fossil fuels that
Jim Baker: fuel the power plants. Yeah. You know, we could turn in the, especially on the east coast, you could turn into California someday where there's, they have to have rolling brownouts every once in a while.
It gets hot because they buy their energy elsewhere because they won't, [00:35:30] yes. There's too many environmental controls on the power plants. So, but we have this stuff, right, and it's just, we can go on and on, we can spiral forever, but at the end of the day. In the summertime it's gonna be warm, and wintertime, it's gonna be cold, it's [00:35:45] gonna be wet.
You know, we haven't had rain in North Carolina for I think 20 days and it's pretty dry out there. Yes. But I can assure you the rain's gonna come at some point in time and it always does. And for those that are, wanna look it up. I think North Carolina is the second [00:36:00] most porous state. So we have the most water, fresh water other than Minnesota in the country.
So swap plans, lakes, ponds, things like that. So, I think we'll be okay.
Bill LuMaye: You know, we should do a [00:36:15] podcast on Jim's fun facts. 'cause I did not know that. No, I mean, I did not know that. Let's sit on something good.
Jim Baker: Yeah, let's go to a warm take,
Bill LuMaye: not a hot take.
Jim Baker: Yeah. So, as I told you earlier, I believe we are more united than we are divided [00:36:30] and.
If you drink art tea, you'll really be reunited. I truly believe that, and I think we've been sold a bill of goods by our media politicians because I think fear, obviously, at the end of the day and anger drives people [00:36:45] more than happiness does. Or in the short term, not in the long term. So it came back from Colorado late on Wednesday.
I was in the Denver airport and I noticed a woman who was in a motorized scooter. [00:37:00] She was older, clearly she had some health issues. But she was holding a roller board 'cause she didn't wanna check her bag. And, which I, at first I'm like, why won't you just check that bag? And then I thought, you know what?
Good [00:37:15] for you, you know, if you can handle this thing. This is great. Yeah. So anyhow, she ends up getting on the plane before me and she's scootering down the jet way, you know, with the roller board. She's holding this roller board and she's got like a basket with stuff in it and everything else. I was maybe seven or eight [00:37:30] people behind her and she, you know, where you people have to put their strollers and all that stuff?
Sure. So the people from down below can get the stuff and stick it underneath the plane. So she basically parks a scooter there and she's struggling at this point in time [00:37:45] to get this bag. So there's a woman that's next to her and says, Hey, can I help you? She goes, yeah, that'd be great. And she said, lemme take your bag.
She goes, what seat are you in? She goes, I'm in seven a. So this woman basically takes, the bag was big by the way. It was like a piano case, but she takes the [00:38:00] bag and sticks it up there for her woman safely, gets on the plane, and so on and so forth. And I thought that's a very nice act of kindness. It is, right?
And just reinforces the fact that, you know, not everybody's crazy in this country. So fast forward to the next morning. After I get [00:38:15] back, I'm debating, should I just go for a walk this morning? Five 30 in the morning or should I go for a run? Didn't really feel like running 'cause it's kind of, kind of warm and or should I ride my bike?
So I opted to ride my bike. So I don't really like to ride on [00:38:30] the roads anymore 'cause people like to text when they're driving and do all a probably, you know, do makeup, do whatever in their car instead of Yes. Instead of driving. So I get on a trail, which eventually it's a greenway that eventually leads me to Umstead and the state park in, [00:38:45] in Raleigh.
And, so I'm riding and I'm going over a bridge and I'm about to take a left onto another trail and it's, I'm leaving the sun to go into shade. So it's around six 30 in the morning and I look both ways. I didn't see anybody, and as I'm [00:39:00] turning, I see this biker coming right at me. He's trying to take a right while I'm taking a left fairness to him.
He's on the right side of the path, and I'm in the middle side of the path. I should have been on the right side of my, I tried to cut the corner. I paid for that [00:39:15] mistake because the next thing I know, I'm going over the handlebars.
Bill LuMaye: Oh.
Jim Baker: And, and then within nanosecond, I'm thinking, okay, don't hit your head.
Thankfully I landed on my hands, so I'm a little banged up still. I landed on my hands and then the handlebars hit my ribs and then [00:39:30] my ankle got stuck in the bar, the bike, but the bike didn't not flip over me, thankfully. So this person who I almost hit, thankfully I didn't hit. He obviously comes to my aid.
He asked me if I'm okay and thinking, well, I have [00:39:45] this really thin skid start thinking I'm gonna be a bloody pulp. Yes. And I'm looking around, I'm like, wow, I kind of lucked out. There's not much blood. And then I, you know, in my head at least, I don't have any aches and pains. It doesn't look like I broke anything or bruised anything.
[00:40:00] So other than my ribs being hurt and my hand hurting, and so I get up and, he is like, are you all right? And I said, yeah, I'm good because I just wanna get back on the bike and finish. You know, I go a little further to go before I turn around, let's get some water. He [00:40:15] says, and I'm like, I'm thinking to myself, what's with water?
Every time somebody gets hurt you have to have water. So have some water. Yeah. So maybe they're checking to see if you can swallow. I don't know. So anyhow, I I'm like, no, no, I'm good. And he was like, no, come on, let's get some water. So that just happened to be a water fountain, maybe 20 yards [00:40:30] down this path that I was trying to get on.
So we go over to the water fountain and he's he goes, do you mind if I touch you? And I said, sure. And so he starts fidgeting with my shoulders and massaging me. 'cause I landed on my shoulder. He goes, [00:40:45] are you okay? And I said, yeah, I'm fine. And meanwhile proven to him that I can drink water. So I sip some water out of water fountain.
And so I looked at him, I said, are you a doctor? And he says no. He says, I'm just, you know, wanna make sure you're okay. And he goes, but I'll give you a [00:41:00] tip. I said. He goes, do you take turmeric? And I said, or turmeric. And I call it turmeric. And he said I said, I take a capsule a day. It's an anti-inflammatory, but it's a natural thing.
And [00:41:15] he's like, well, here's what I want you to do. Get some milk. You boil up that milk, take a tablespoon of turmeric a day for the next three days. You mix it up, you drink it. Which in our tea world, when we had the retail shop. Without the tea. That's basically called a [00:41:30] golden milk latte. Okay. And we had a customer that sidebar customer come in one day and she ordered the golden milk latte to go and she said her husband had it a couple weeks earlier and it cured his rheumatoid arthritis.
Oh my. [00:41:45] No idea if that's true or not, but she seemed to think it did. And therefore she would come in on a regular basis to get that Golden milk latte. So I do know there's benefits to turmeric because that's what's in the, that's, that's within the Golden milk latte. Okay. So anyhow, I'm like, all right, [00:42:00] cool.
I'll take your advice. And I said, thank you, thank you for helping me. He said, glad you're okay. And he took off. And then I took off. And then I thought I would see him on the way back because I thought he would do the turnaround ba [00:42:15] basically where I started. And I never saw him. So I thought to myself.
Wow, this, this is a figment of my imagination. You know, this actually happened, or maybe this person, I'm sure he just turned off the trail at some point in time. But as I was riding [00:42:30] back, I really was reinvigorated by the kindness, you know, of our society. He did not have to do what he did. He could have easily helped me up.
'cause he's got a workout to do and said, okay, [00:42:45] cool. You're good. I'll see you. Sorry it happened.
Bill LuMaye: Watch where you're going next time.
Jim Baker: Yeah, exactly. It was my fault. And but he took time out. Yeah. You know, just to, for five or six minutes to gimme a recipe, by the way, which I tried, by the way. It does work.[00:43:00]
It's a little if you need some GI cleansing, it's also very good as well. So be careful how about how much you put in. But it's it was a great tip and every time I will. I see turmeric every day, basically. And every time I do, I will be thinking of [00:43:15] him. He's just a genuinely nice person who took time out of his day to see if I was okay.
And so that just reinforced the fact that as you're going through society whether you're still waiting for the check in the restaurant [00:43:30] or you're, you know, just living day to day, we're not fighting with each other. We're not screaming, yelling at each other. We're getting along, we're helping each other.
A lot of us get paid for it. But nonetheless, you know, we're overall, we're [00:43:45] still a very kind society. And that is my warm take for today.
Bill LuMaye: I like that. I like that. I saw an accent before my eyes on I 40 just a few days ago, and it was close enough that I [00:44:00] stopped, but so did everybody else. And everybody else ran to the guy to just reinforce what you just said, that, you know, I don't know who they vote for.
They don't, and I don't think people care. You know, we're all kind of in this together, all trying to accomplish the same [00:44:15] thing. So, you know, more of that kind of thing I think is is kind of a nice way to end the, utterly this podcast. But if people got more of that, they might. Their view of the world and where we are might change too.
Jim Baker: Yeah. I think weirdly too, it's, you know, we've been conditioned to just [00:44:30] mind your own business. Yeah. Because maybe that person who you think you're trying to help will get the wrong attention from you. Mm-Hmm. And I would just encourage you, if you truly see somebody that's disabled on the road or you know, wrecking a bike or you know, looks like they're in [00:44:45] distressing, just go up and try to help 'em.
Bill LuMaye: Yeah. I love that Joe. That's great. That's a great way to end a podcast. Now the, the tea is delicious as well. I wanted to comment on that. I'm not gonna get sick for what, six months, 10 months. [00:45:00] It does help though the immune system. This particular tea, how, how do people get. A list of the teas that you offer?
Yeah, just the
Jim Baker: benefits that they derive from it. Easy. Just go to the website and we have a, we have a bunch of, content, you know, that's out there through our our [00:45:15] blog area, and we have other content around the teas. And we will tell you what the recipes are and you know, what the benefits are, you know, for those tees.
And we really have. Four classic flavors, which are herbal teas [00:45:30] with health benefits in each category. And then we have our two excuse me, our four healthy blend teas. Then we have our two classic blends, which are the traditional Earl Gray and the English breakfast. And believe it or not, there's a lot of health [00:45:45] benefits of black teas especially around.
The cardiac cardiology area, English breakfast in particular. So maybe that's why the people in the UK and India don't have better hearts than we do in the US 'cause they drink [00:46:00] black tea a lot. But yeah, website, 50 cups tea.com and five zero cups tea.com and you know, until next time thanks for
Bill LuMaye: having me.
Yeah, this was delicious. I can't wait for the next cup when we meet again. [00:46:15] Thank you all for joining us. [00:46:30] [00:46:45]