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Back to Work

English, Management, 1 season, 643 episodes, 2 days, 7 hours, 19 minutes
About
Back to Work is an award winning talk show with Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discussing productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more.
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Episode 644: A Tony Bennett Hair Hat

An important discussion about aging as examined and explained through the lens of James Howlett.
4/3/20241 hour, 52 seconds
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Episode 643: The Price of Lies

Merlin thinks LLMs have raised the bar for voice assistants in general and Siri in particular. Dan and his kid watch the excellent HBO series, Chernobyl. Merlin’s weird, truncated contexts in Things.
4/1/20241 hour, 29 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 642: A Better Roll of Toilet Paper

Your hosts discuss facial hair, notebooks, the metric system, flexing about local weather, and becoming the bathroom supplies you want to see in the world.
3/20/20241 hour, 42 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 641: Germans in the Wild

Travel is not always about traveling, but it is definitely always about your life.
3/13/20241 hour, 17 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 640: Bob's Big Mess

A classic odds n' sods episode. Plus, Merlin has thoughts about memory and ecosystems, and Dan is considering jetting through an eclipse. e640 Bob Evans https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/9RoymJk5.jpeg
3/12/20241 hour, 19 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 639: The Commodore's Club

Dan talks about what he's learned from traveling a bunch, and Merlin thinks a lot of weirdness comes from our twin fears of boredom and inconvenience.
3/5/20241 hour, 15 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 638: A New Kind of Bullet

A classic odds n' sods episode.
1/23/20242 hours, 14 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 637: The Minimally Viable Log Cabin Channel

Merlin conducts a deep dive on being busy versus being time-constrained, and Dan has some updates on his task management odyssey.
1/17/20241 hour, 35 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 636: Honoring My Pivot Table

Dan is navigating the landscape of task management apps, and, shockingly, Merlin has some thoughts.
1/9/20241 hour, 21 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 635: Buffet de Canard

Dan and Merlin kick off the new year with a wide-ranging look at how tools and motivations evolve with how we work.
1/3/20241 hour, 20 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 634: Nominally Future-Resistant

A fairly epic episode covering health tracking and self-quantization. Remember: data doesn't have to hurt.
12/13/20231 hour, 20 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 633: A Self-Aware Old Man

Your hosts talk about how we perceive the world and the challenge of mindfully updating our perceptions.
12/5/202357 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 632: Big Strong Beef Boy

Dan and Merlin are excited about technologies that have found a place in their lives. What a blessed season of thanks! Runner-Up Titles: A Lot of Their Unhappiness Came from Me The Smell of a 15-Year-Old My Trans Daddy is a Fox Las Vegas Poops
11/28/20231 hour, 23 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 631: Little Bit of Dirty Grey

Merlin has more on generative AI, and Dan has a sweet new watch.
11/14/20231 hour, 10 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 630: Monchichabowsky

On AI and curiosity.
11/7/20231 hour, 15 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 629: Benjamin Franklin's Disease

And and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion.
10/24/202351 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 628: Beating Yourself Up at Scale

Talk of eyes, intentionalities, and HDMI.
10/11/202358 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 627: Unscheduled Dirt Event

Merlin claims he's not going to do any work for this one, and Dan has some advice for travelers.
10/3/20231 hour, 6 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 626: Chekhov's Lightsaber

Your hosts catch up on some great media, and Merlin expounds on the magic of Channels. Also, Merlin logrolls a recent podcast episode and re-extolls the power of dictation.
9/26/20231 hour, 10 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 625: Chapters of Madness

Dan and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion.
9/6/202344 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 624: Rectangle Time

Dan and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion about technology, and Merlin lays the groundwork for several spirited rants.
8/29/202354 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 623: My Terrible Adhesion

Over the course of this classic Odds n' Sods episode, it becomes clear that all Merlin cares about is babies and 3D printing.
8/22/20231 hour, 30 seconds
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Episode 622: A Gentleman's Malt Liquor

Dan returns from a nice trip, and Merlin has been printing lizards.
8/15/20231 hour, 14 minutes, 28 seconds
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Episode 621: Hairy Legs and the Whole Nine

You’re either early or you’re late; leave time for a flat tire; have you tried melatonin?; a new search engine and some enthusiasm for blogs.
7/18/20231 hour, 9 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 620: Happy to be a Chair

With Merlin on the mend, your hosts discuss actors named Hurt, comic books, and old Macs.
7/11/202358 minutes
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Episode 619: A Beautiful Jam-Up

DISCUSSED: A self-hypnosis recommendation leads to another look at meditation (as well as not-meditation), plus Merlin has a few more beta finds that contribute to the Tiny Life Improvement Project.
6/27/20231 hour, 15 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 618: The Living Room Test

DISCUSSED: Dan sets up his little office, your hosts talk about the new Apple dingus, and Merlin highlights some strong OS updates.
6/13/20231 hour, 7 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 617: Trailer for the Future

Dan needs your help with a flooring dilemma, and your hosts share some thoughts on WWDC announcements.
6/6/20231 hour, 11 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 616: Archipelagos of Functionality

Dan dives deep on his Sonos setup, and Merlin explores official state things.
5/23/20231 hour, 10 minutes, 56 seconds
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Episode 615: An Attractive Nuisance

DISCUSSED: Merlin's family doesn't understand him; an extremely funny TV show is recommended; your hosts address some of the trade-offs that continue to hinder easy smart home adoption; Dan teases a big smart audio episode next week; and Merlin starts trying to tackle an unusual Thought Technology that's become very important to him: First, Make a Hole. e615-herzog https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/b_p4tcMq.jpg
5/17/20231 hour, 15 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 614: Sloppy Boy

Try to make sure fear is always preceded by curiosity.
5/3/20231 hour, 23 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 613: That's Hair and That's Robot

Merlin has a lot of thoughts about AI stuff.
4/18/20231 hour, 4 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 612: See All of Your Face

Dan's house continues to get smarter, and Merlin has some very good media picks.
4/12/20231 hour, 4 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 611: Running FFMpeg on Myself

Dan has big updates about his smart home setup, and Merlin is getting intimate with a robot.
4/4/20231 hour, 28 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 610: Hero Light

DISCUSSED: Steve Buscemi is celebrated, and The Big Lebowski is congratulated; the guys continue their dive into the state of smart home hardware with a focus on switches. e610-buscemi https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/4yea3CGk.jpg (https://twitter.com/MichaelWarbur17/status/1637904652061777920)
3/23/20231 hour, 30 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 609: A Reverse Egg

Dan is curious about AI voice transcription, and Merlin has yet more smart home advice for a new homeowner.
3/14/20231 hour, 9 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 608: Charles Entertainment Berry

DISCUSSED: Merlin has some been analyzing a very misleading song about beaches, and Dan has been visiting more with ChadGPT.
3/1/20231 hour, 4 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 607: Age of Garbage

DISCUSSED: Dan has a new iPad keyboard, and Merlin is intrigued by ChatGPT. Also, Merlin almost tunes his guitar.
2/21/20231 hour, 14 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 606: Goodnight, Night

DISCUSSED: Dan's takes some smart baby steps into home automation, and Merlin has a lot to say about everything.
2/7/20231 hour, 12 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 605: A Case for a Life

DISCUSSED: Dan begins a new journey into smart home living, and Merlin is excited about common misconceptions. e605-infants https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/_kkzmi44.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions)
1/31/20231 hour, 4 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 604: Grandpa's Automation

DISCUSSED: After settling some confusion about Anna Borg, the boys settle into an amble about the state of voice assistants and the future of the theoretically smart home. As ever, Merlin is pretty excited about music, but he also needs your help figuring out where in the hell he got this new software keyboard. Alexa is doing great. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/hmTv2yDH.jpeg TeeKay keyboard in action https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/1Mn6HRaE.PNG
1/24/202359 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 603: A Jaws of Life for Playgrounds

DISCUSSED: Merlin is extremely happy with a suggestion that Dan made, and Dan has a bunch of apps he's excited about. e604-adam-12 https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/GIyvad17.jpg
1/17/20231 hour, 10 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 602: Apple Juice Flood

Typing on an iPad, rhyming compulsively, default media, and taking a young foodie out on the town.
1/11/20231 hour, 2 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 601: Big Broom

DISCUSSED: Merlin is excited about reading, and Dan sometimes puts his time in a box. Also: Breaking Bad.
1/4/20231 hour, 12 minutes, 28 seconds
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Episode 600: The Trauma of My Chumby

DISCUSSED: Merlin recommends an exciting new beta; Dan gets a new e-reader; and Merlin has a lot to say about taking notes. e600-notebook https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/Rvq_tvqm.jpg
12/20/20221 hour, 13 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 599: Self-Involved at Scale

DISCUSSED: a classic odds n' sods episode encompassing a missing remote (and a failed system), some wallet FU, cool help with playlist management, unsubscribing in dribs and drabs, and a big-ass RV.
12/6/20221 hour, 10 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 598: Chewbacca Credit Union

Merlin is still on Island Time, so discussion is mostly limited to Columbo, Star Wars, Merlin's playlists, Ellsworth, and, of course, wallets. We almost talked about _Triangle of Sadness_ https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/zO-NbGOf.jpeg
11/29/202254 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 597: The Bronze Hour

DISCUSSED: Dan has a new concern; some thoughts on resistance; Merlin shares a new insight on creativity and sleep; Dan has FU directly from the Nosferatu band; Merlin serves a turducken of suggestions related to text editing; and, finally, Dan needs your advice on wallets, while Merlin makes a case for currency. e597-calamari https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/kitCpEKp.jpg
11/16/20221 hour, 6 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 596: Turkey Legs in the Renaissance

DISCUSSED: Merlin is playing with his new dingus; Dan almost talks about wallets; try Tailscale to make your stuff work better together; why you (yes, you) need a VPN; Dan is getting enthused about Obsidian; Merlin is freshly re-enthused about Daytum; and finally Dan is very excited about a Dracula he saw.
11/8/20221 hour, 17 minutes
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Episode 595: Blessèd Vessel

DISCUSSED: Halloween Follow-Up; exit interview for Season 4 of What We Do in the Shadows; how Apple could build users' confidence and stimulate their curiosity with better documentation; Merlin makes his case for spreadsheets as your potential place where stuff goes.
11/1/20221 hour, 21 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 594: Honey Sun Bear

Fortunately, Merlin had thoroughly prepared for 62 minutes of lizards, Morgellons, animal powers, and Tom Cruise. e594-bears https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/NQ9f9_D-.jpeg
10/18/20221 hour, 6 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 593: One of the Eel Women

Sleep, practice, infrastructure, power, and OCD are themes. As per usual. e593-power https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/gu-haXo7.jpg
10/11/20221 hour, 31 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 592: Dirt Cat

Dan has Covid, so Merlin agrees to carry him, and yet Dan improbably carries them both.
10/4/20221 hour, 3 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 591: A Closeted Magical Thinker

There are a few odds and sods, but, yeah, it's mostly about adjudicating Peak Cruise. Runner-Up Titles Bespoke Slime Hole Gavin Assumed Nom De Repair Species-Ending Annoyance Mosquito Tasks One Set of Footprints The Thing You Do Before It Breaks Creating Conditions Old People Jam-Up Don't Give Me Notes The Boston Janitor Movie
9/30/20221 hour, 4 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 590: A Load-Bearing Feeling

Feeling bad about feeling bad is ultimately optional. 2022-09-13 Rhys Darby https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/2S54RNRq.jpg
9/13/20221 hour, 5 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 589: The Outgassing of Ancient Woods

From choosing a pencil to relocating your ladder, one big and complex part of Knowledge Work is deciding how to do what you do.
9/6/20221 hour, 36 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 588: Quid Pro Crow

DISCUSSED: Your hosts talk about some of their favorite Mac apps available via Setapp (https://setapp.com/). TK e588 https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/3yl4LC40.jpg
8/30/20221 hour, 13 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 587: I'm a Map

We've got a man on the boat.
8/16/20221 hour, 9 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 586: We Have Met the Audience, and He Is Us

DISCUSSED: A very moist man's lawyer learns how Dropbox works; Merlin introduces "The Bump"; Dan has a cool new calendar technology; and Merlin speed-rounds some odds and sods.
8/9/20221 hour, 6 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 585: The Wahlberg Uncertainty Principle

Frankly, it was a bit of a fever dream, but your hosts discuss sportsball, collective singular nouns, Coleridge's trap street, LEGO, and a handful of Merlin's recent wins. Lego https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/nko9p8p_.jpg
8/2/20221 hour, 16 minutes, 31 seconds
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Episode 584: Groomsman Gifts for the Funeral

Merlin has thoughts on survival, aging, and whether to bother trying to understand whatever NFTs are. Next up, the triumphant return of "Cool Thing I Learned This Week" brings updates on iOS dictation and a very Merlin video about organization. Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. —Nick Fury, The Avengers (2012) (https://gist.github.com/merlinmann/b64360ee2192b33b7a41eaa423cc4b86)
7/29/20221 hour, 36 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 583: The Dentist Picks the Chair

Your hosts discuss dramaturgy, package managers, and monospaced fonts. Ladies?
7/15/20221 hour, 19 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 582: Dadsplaining

DISCUSSED: Dan misses going to the movies; cool ways to save your bacon in Git; and Merlin is excited about a (new to him) app for personal tracking and quantization.
6/28/20221 hour, 19 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 581: A Frog That No One Saw

DISCUSSED: Merlin runs the table this week with: unseasonable heat; the joy of realizing when someone obviously loved (and probably had to fight for) the thing that they made; and finally, an extended meditation on a phone charger and the decisions that seek to bridge past and future.
6/21/20221 hour, 38 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 580: Not All Avenues

A classic odds n' sods episode. Merlin needs help with a journaling via voice solution; your hosts look at password enhancements in the Apple betas; praise for Apple's SF fonts and SF symbols; a trippy video about paper sizes (and the universe); and, oh, those whacky Mormon sects.
6/14/20221 hour, 22 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 579: Memento Morey Amsterdam

Dan & Merlin are live from the show floor, sharing their thoughts on the WWDC 2022 keynote address.
6/7/20221 hour, 16 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 578: Raft of Anchors

On memory, security, and sleeping injuries.
5/31/202259 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 577: Transylvanian Meditation

Considering the value of finding something new to suck at. Runner-Up Titles Stop Trying to Meditate and Just Breathe I’m That Guy in My Own Head The Confidence of the New Idiot
5/24/20221 hour, 22 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 576: People Who Don’t Want to Talk to a Lamp

It's a very special "Oops! All Automation Check-ins" episode. But, of course—as always—there's also a philosophical component.
5/17/20221 hour, 34 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 575: You're Being Scared Wrong

DISCUSSED: Dan's new tenants flip him the bird, and Merlin has strong feelings about email. Runner-up titles: Glass Surfing I Don't Believe in a Lizard Binary A Game Stop and a Bathroom A Mother Son Relationship That Is Weird The Allergies of Childhood Medium-Sized Important Breakthrough The Cultural Installation of Fear
5/10/20221 hour, 8 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 574: Tired and Fourteen

Your hosts are finally back in action with vital updates on #productivity and #creativity. Also, ginger ale and egg substitutes.
5/3/20221 hour, 14 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 573: Shovels, Not Teaspoons

DISCUSSED: Updates on new Plex functionality; praise for Severance; plus some updates on Merlin's new setup—and pursuing the life that you'd like to have. Runner-Up Titles: Shoulders Come in Pairs Meaty and Sad Sucked Up Into My Body Cavity Really Hurts Your Roller Skating Muscle It's a Nice Box I Saved Some Nice Boxes
4/13/20221 hour, 15 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 572: My Open Source Thomas Edison Film

DISCUSSED: Big news from Plex; Merlin has an expansive new computer project; and Dan continues to make his way at a new gig using his trusty calendar.
4/5/20221 hour, 21 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 571: Open Faced Sandwich of Reality

DISCUSSED: Dan is doing new things that require a new approach to his calendar. Merlin proposes some appropriate Calendar Kyber Crystals.
3/29/20221 hour, 9 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 570: Toilet Experiments

DISCUSSED: Dan is back from reporting on the show floor; recommendations for some Back to Work-adjacent podcast episodes; incidental thoughts and advice on presentations as performance; everybody wants a better email app; and Dan shares his thoughts on The Batman; Runner-Up Titles Two Bags of Dongles Just a Butt in a Chair Dirty Little Secret About Daddy A Face in the Brady Bunch Grid The Washington Fulfillment Society
3/21/20221 hour, 29 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 569: An Incurious Outsider

DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's latest event and consider what the future looks like from Cupertino.
3/8/202252 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 568: Assistant to the Regional Danager

3/4/202258 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 567: Sit on Me

DISCUSSED: the Russians are coming; Dan has thoughts on Marvel TV shows, and Merlin has thoughts on Hawkeye specifically; Merlin bravely and boldly recommends watching a film that's often considered the greatest ever made; in Follow-Up, Dan has an update on Taskpaper as well as wanting advice on how to fire Photoshop; Merlin seems weirdly excited about his new pencil; yet more praise is heaped on Rogue Amoeba; and, finally, in an unexpected twist, both your hosts realize they did the same thing last week. Bando (After Pixelmator) Fresh Baby (Before Pixelmator) Fresh Baby (After Pixelmator) Lemongrab (with Pixelmator ML Super Resolution) Octagonal Brass
2/22/20221 hour, 17 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 566: Vice-President of Doing It Wrong

DISCUSSED: your hosts can't complain (but, sometimes, they still do); a provisional craving for secular pre-cana; what are your canonical family holidays?; Dan has to sign something; a quick clarification on eels; Dan has some camera struggles, but Merlin offers advice that's costly and not actually all that useful; as Merlin re-approaches his World of Text, he is obviously getting even more gaybones for VS Code; and, finally, Merlin begins sketching his new project about energy, fuel, and courageous non-vacations. Runner-Up Titles A Defensive Fist My Uneasy Gait Your Backdoor Camera A Brace of Nips If I’m to Be Your Gamera
2/15/20221 hour, 35 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 565: The Injustice of Youth

DISCUSSED: boiling ATX water and the long-term return of the Bang-Bang Machine; thought-provoking insight on youth, hustle, and work-life balance from Slate Political Gabfest; and Dan tries his hand at TaskPaper. Makebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now)
2/8/20221 hour, 10 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 564: The Elephants of Style

DISCUSSED: 🐇🐇; Dan shares follow-up on surviving his Covid week; a listener emails the show with a fascinating offer; your hosts discuss childhood mail; in Breaking News, the actor, M. Emmet Walsh is still alive; it's fun to say "Jackery"; praise for Maira Kalman; some initial thoughts on Apple's Universal Control; and finally, advice on the wisdom of running betas. Emmet Walsh https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/VvOWGzkx.jpg Runner-Up Titles The Elephants of Style A Birthday Party for Monkeys Poor Professor Lumens
2/1/20221 hour, 30 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 563: Bang-Bang Machine

An epic journey that begins with Dan's viral week and ends with a misunderstanding about the first Chicago album.
1/25/20221 hour, 41 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 562: No More Attempts on My Father’s GitHub

DISCUSSED: Memories of Super Dave; KEYnote by LockPickingLawyer; Dan gets conspiracy theory-curious; the tapestry of entertainment by cults; Dan helps Merlin understand Git; and Merlin gets a new hub. Links for this episode:LockPickingLawyer - YouTubeKeynote - LockPickingLawyer - YouTubeThe Super Bob Einstein Movie (HBO)"Curb Your Enthusiasm" Palestinian Chicken (TV Episode 2011) - Reference View - IMDbSuperdave Osborne on Letterman, 1990 - YouTubeSuper Dave - King Of The Road - YouTubeEntertainment Made By Cults - YouTubeSo... YOU can't hear auto tune? No problem, NOW YOU CAN SEE IT!!! - YouTubeFixing Led Zeppelin with Autotune - YouTubeThat Mitchell and Webb Look - "Corner Shop" - YouTubeEleventy, a simpler static site generator.Git and GitHub for Poets - YouTubeWhat can Avengers: Endgame teach us about Git?Chemtrails,SA Geoengineering,Morgellons. The Dark Agenda of Synthetic Biology.Full Power point - YouTube
1/11/20221 hour, 27 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 561: Flip the Telescope Around

Taskapalooza begins. Rock me, Joseph Alberto Santiago. Links for this episode:Kiss - "Love Gun" - YouTubeWhy 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Is a Better Disinfectant Than 99% Isopropyl Alcohol - Mun GlobalCalm CalendarTaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for MacPixies - "Wave of Mutilation" - YouTubeDan does not like the guitar bends on this song. Pixies - "Gigantic" (Live, 1988) - YouTubeMeat Puppets - "Up on the Sun" - YouTubeWings - "Listen to What the Man Said" - YouTube
1/5/20221 hour, 39 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 560: The Cat of Amontillado

Wrapping up the year with thoughts on unearned Covid optimism, defining "normal," Roomba training, Microsoft Visual Studio, plus a new (and decidedly more positive) reframing for New Year's resolutions. Links for this episode:@thesunnypodcast | LinktreeThe Always Sunny Podcast on Apple PodcastsThe Gang Goes Jihad — The Always Sunny Podcast — OvercastThis Is How Michael Caine Speaks - The Trip - BBC Two - YouTubeSteve Coogan & Rob Brydon in The Trip - James Bond & Liam Neeson - YouTubeThe Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma: van der Kolk M.D., Bessel: 9780143127741: Amazon.com: BooksVSCodium - Open Source Binaries of VSCodeVisual Studio Code - Code Editing. RedefinedThe Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.: 9780143127741 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: BooksThe Zombies - This Will Be Our Year - YouTubeThe Kinks - Better Things (Audio) - YouTubeSmart Maps and Map EditingGetting Started with Imprint™ Smart MapsAdding New Areas/Rooms To My Map (My Map Doesn’t Look Like My Cleaning Area)Random impressions - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #371: Avocado PeopleAlso, your hosts finally (finally!) address a listener's excellent and very difficult question about her millennial employee's use of social media. Lot of levels! 5by5 | Back to Work #372: Hole That RabbitIn extensive follow-up, your hosts talk about the listener who was having trouble with addressing employees and social media use. This goes lots of interesting places. (1) Robbie Collin on Twitter: "Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon and Michael Winterbottom have literally done this four times" / TwitterSteve Coogan, Rob Brydon and Michael Winterbottom have literally done this four times Alan Partridge - Sports reporter, 1994. Part 1 of 2. - YouTubeSold out every day! The hamburger that won the 1st place in the US Best Burger Awards 3 times!DUKTIG Play kitchen, birch, 28 3/8x15 3/4x42 7/8" - IKEA
12/28/20211 hour, 33 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 559: Grade on the Curve of Time

Talking Spider-Man and phones for kids. Links for this episode:Magneto | Marvel Database | FandomDimensions | Into the Spider-Verse Wiki | FandomGriffin Explains Electro's Origins in Amazing Spider-Man 2 | Blank Check with Griffin and David - YouTubeMerlin's Wisdom Project (Draft)
12/22/20211 hour, 28 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 558: Pseudism

Merlin's Best of 2021™ kicks off with the return of "Cool Things I Learned This Week." Links for this episode:The Talk Show #331 – “John Was the Problem,” with Merlin MannMerlin Mann returns to the show to discuss two brief topics (with a few asides): my dream of opening a steakhouse, and Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary Get Back. Overcast - ‘John Was the Problem’, With Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — OvercastWatch The Beatles: Get Back | Disney+ttscoff/KeyBindings: DefaultKeybindings.dict for Mac OS XFive-Minute Coronavirus Stress Resets - The New York TimesRelease v1.4.0 · swiftbar/SwiftBarHow to Calm Down from Extreme Emotions in 30 Seconds - Mindfulness MuseThe Mammalian Diving Response: An Enigmatic Reflex to Preserve Life?5by5 | Back to Work #372: Hole That RabbitIn extensive follow-up, your hosts talk about the listener who was having trouble with addressing employees and social media use. This goes lots of interesting places. 5by5 | Back to Work #371: Avocado PeopleAlso, your hosts finally (finally!) address a listener's excellent and very difficult question about her millennial employee's use of social media. Lot of levels! SonicCloud Personalized Sound - HomeHearing Test Apps — Mimi HealthiOS 15 brings powerful new features to stay connected, focus, explore, and more - AppleEagle - Organize all your reference images in one placeMerlin's Wisdom ProjectMimi Hearing Technologies | Mimi Hearing Test now integrated into Apple HealthAccessibility - Hearing - AppleHigher-order volition - WikipediaHigher-order volitions (or higher-order desire), as opposed to action-determining volitions, are volitions about volitions. Meta-emotion - WikipediaMeta-emotion is "an organized and structured set of emotions and cognitions about the emotions, both one's own emotions and the emotions of others". Stur DrinksMr. Show The New Ku Klux Klan - YouTubedead kennedys - nazi punks fuck off (in studio) - YouTubeDead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia - YouTubeAmazonSmile : Kassa Large Whiteboard Wall Sticker Roll - 17.3" x 96” (8 Feet) - 3 Dry Erase Board Markers Included - Adhesive White Board Wallpaper for Fridge, Office & Kids Room - Peel and Stick Paper Decal : Office ProductsThe Technium: Always-On Spatial AudioThis Conversation Will Change How You Think About Trauma — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcast
12/14/20211 hour, 31 minutes, 32 seconds
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Episode 557: Food Court of Pain

A classic odds and sods episode covering: Rush lyrics; personal pronoun tips; Fitness+ meditation; more melees with various voice assistant ecosystems; a big shout-out to the iconic Listener Rachel A.; and Merlin's newfound love of Keyboard Maestro. Links for this episode:The Wisdom Project (Draft)Keyboard Maestro 10.0.2: Work Faster with Macros for macOSDavid Smith extends his Apple Watch battery – Six ColorsWearing an Apple Watch in Glencoe - David Smith, Independent iOS Developer20-Minute Calm Meditation with JoAnna - Apple Fitness+Just put the bag down. The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its Tens of Millions of Users – The MarkupMerlin's Keyboard Maestro MacrosKey commands to add Notes and Reminders in Safari. Naming and organizing your Movie files | Plex SupportIf using the (non-“legacy”) Plex Movie agent available in Plex Media Server v1.20.1 and newer, you can also include the IMDb or TheMovieDB ID number in curly braces to help match the movie. It must follow the form {[source]-[id]}.
12/7/20211 hour, 28 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 556: The Only Way Out Is Claws

The Boys are back, and they're not sure how big this thing gets. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Celery Man : Alexa SkillsGood morning, Paul. What will your first sequence of the day be? Alexa, load up Celery Man!
12/3/20211 hour, 20 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 555: The Accretion of Non-Essential Things

DISCUSSED: Dad stuff; flying too close to the smart home sun; appreciating the magic of Wes Anderson; the virtues of UPS battery backup; and, finally, Merlin starts tentatively sketching a unified field theory for rethinking how we think about and use space. Links for this episode:Drew on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies I had the same problems with Google Docs rich copy/paste. Turned out to be TrackerZapper. Might be worth toggling that to see if that fixes it." / TwitterWhy Do Wes Anderson Movies Look Like That? - YouTubeFutura & Wes Anderson: a love story - YouTubeHow Wes Anderson moved beyond Futura - YouTubeThe Needle Drop — What Fuels the Best Movie Soundtracks? - YouTubeThe Wes Anderson Style Explained — The Complete Director's Guide to Wes Anderson's Aesthetic - YouTubeWes Anderson Explains How to Write & Direct Movies | The Director's Chair - YouTubeYou Know It's Wes Anderson IF... - YouTubeWes Anderson: American Express "My Life, My Card" in HD - YouTubeAmazon.com: CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD Intelligent LCD UPS System, 1500VA/900W, 12 Outlets, AVR, Mini-Tower : ElectronicsAmazon.com: CyberPower CP425SLG Standby UPS System, 425VA/255W, 8 Outlets, Compact'Megaspider' is biggest of its kind we've ever seen, Australian reptile park says - CNNDid Olivia Rodrigo steal from Paramore? (analysis) - YouTubeThe Velvet Underground — Official Trailer | Apple TV+ - YouTubeWhat We Do In The ShadowsFrom the very talented designer's portfolio site. Tank Chats #68 T-34 | The Tank Museum - YouTubeInside the Chieftain's Hatch: T-34-85, Episode 1 - YouTubeThe Wisdom Project (Draft)It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Walsh, Peter: 8601419123933: Amazon.com: BooksBeef with Broccoli | Kenji's Cooking Show - YouTubeChinese-American Beef and Broccoli With Oyster Sauce Recipe
11/16/20211 hour, 35 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 554: Not the Water's Problem

DISCUSSED: please stop changing the clocks; our kids are not us; the people of England have spoiled or corrupted several very good words; The Ellis Island Bit; surnames mean things; getting pelted with rocks and garbage; a Michael Penn playlist for 1 to 3.5 of you jackals; some Mad Max talk; it's always two things with Kevin Kelly; and, finally, some Marvel talk. Links for this episode:Spotify – "In a Nutshell" - A Gentle Introduction to Michael PennGetting started with one the great, under-appreciated pop geniuses of my generation. Apple Music – "In a Nutshell" - A Gentle Introduction to Michael PennGetting started with one the great, under-appreciated pop geniuses of my generation. Merlin's Wisdom Project (Draft)Or: “Everybody likes being given a glass of water.” Simple Product Management Tricks - Jacob Kaplan-MossThe Technium: Class 1 / Class 2 ProblemsHomeKit Troubleshooting: When Your Philips Hue Lights Don't Work - AppleToolBoxNew Catch Phrases Collection on Letterman, 1984-91 - YouTube
11/9/202150 minutes, 31 seconds
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Episode 553: Bioavailable Chambers of Flexibility

This is what happens when Merlin stays up til 2 a.m. watching a movie and then has to record a podcast at 9 a.m. Because, your day is a continuum. Links for this episode:YANSS 218 – How anxiety hides in our unhealthy habits, why you can’t think your way out of it, and science says you should do instead – You Are Not So SmartDr. Brewer teaches us map our brains to discover our triggers, defuse them with the simple but powerful practice of curiosity, and to train our brains using mindfulness and other practices that his lab has proven can work. 5by5 | Back to Work #531: Where Grog Got EatenPsychiatrist Breaks Down Mental Health Scenes From Movies & TV | GQ - YouTubeAMERICAN PSYCHO: How a box office failure became the most important film of a generation - YouTubeMaking of Aliens 1986 documentary (2003) - YouTubeSuperior firepower "Making of Aliens" (2003) [eng] - YouTubeAlien Next Door: Spiotto, Joey: 9781785650260: Amazon.com: BooksSee a new, caring side to the legendary science fiction monster as he tends to Jonesy the cat, endeavours to keep his house cleaner than the Nostromo, and searches for his place on a cold, new, alien world: Earth. Women in Refrigerators (Website) - TV TropesWomen in Refrigerators is a site by comic book writer Gail Simone, created in March 1999, to list super-heroines who have been "either de-powered, raped, or cut up and stuck in the refrigerator" in an effort to illustrate that female superheroes are disproportionately likely to be brutalized in comic books, usually to further the character arc of male super heroes. Watch James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction Season 1 | Prime VideoAward-winning writer, director and producer James Cameron explores science fiction’s roots. Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Wiki | FandomThe Burgundy Loaf - YouTube
11/2/20211 hour, 4 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 552: Youth is the Anomaly

Dan has all the waiters singing at him, and Merlin tries to buy the non-existent SIMS 4 for the Mac. Main topic is considering how best to set up a device that provides structure and motivation without all that beeping, beeping, beeping. Links for this episode:On the Internet, We’re Always Famous | The New YorkerWhat happens when the experience of celebrity becomes universal? Jane Jacobs Versus The Kardashians - by Steven Johnson - Adjacent PossibleIs talking to strangers on the Internet making us crazy? What's That Feeling? Oh, It's Fall Regression - by Anne Helen Petersen - Culture StudyInstead of masking that brokenness, lean into it. Give the wound some oxygen. Be vulnerable and needy with one another. Go ahead and consider or even make big life decisions. You’re not acting emotionally Why Do Actors Keep Working With Wes Anderson? - The New York Times“I often employ people with their own pets in the background.” John Dickerson - EB White quote"It's quite possible that the Presidency of the United States has become an impossible job for one man, and what we need two men-an Acting President, to answer questions, make decisions, attend meetings, and listen to reports and gossip, and a Passive President, who merely watches, reflects on it, and finally, if a thought occurs to him, gives the country the benefit of it." macOS 12 Monterey: The Ars Technica review | Ars TechnicaCasio MT-40 - WikipediaSuperDuper!The Missing Package Manager for macOS (or Linux) — HomebrewThe Missing Package Manager for macOS (or Linux) Merlin Mann - "Sick of You" (1992)(Drums by Casio MT-40) Merlin's Wisdom (Draft)Yesterworld: The History & Downfall of McDonaldland and the Disney-McDonalds Happy Meal - YouTubeSir Ian McKellen, On Acting - YouTubeAmazonSmile : Kassa Clear Dry Erase Board Sticker - 17.3" x 78” (6.5 Feet) - 3 Dry-Erase Markers Included - Transparent Adhesive White Board Film for Refrigerator, Desk, Office - Glass Dry Erase Board Alternative : Office Products
10/27/20211 hour, 30 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 551: Life Is for Using

DISCUSSED: Your hosts talk about music, Apple Watch, and getting out of your kid's way. Also: life and MacBooks Pro. Links for this episode:Michael Penn - Try - YouTubeMichael Penn – Try Lyrics | Genius LyricsI would choose to accuse you Strike the fire Issue a decree Ask you why Watch you take the fifth as I Give you the third degree Michael Penn: Try (Video 1997) - Reference View - IMDbMusic video for Michael Penn's 'Try', shot by Paul Thomas Anderson and other cast and crew from 'Boogie Nights' in a single take in the longest hall-way in North America. Exile from Dongletown – Six ColorsUnder the Radar - Relay FMFrom development and design to marketing and support, Under the Radar is all about independent app development. It's never longer than 30 minutes. 2022 Apple Hardware Calendar by Stephen Hackett — KickstarterA custom wall calendar for Apple nerds, featuring important dates concerning the company's various hardware products. Merlin's Wisdom (Draft)An admittedly ambitious project to document as much of the best life stuff I've figured out in one place. A work in progress. Children of Men: Don't Ignore The Background - YouTubeChildren of Men 2006 Long Take - YouTubeChildren of Men 2006 Long Take 2 - YouTubeChildren of Men 2006 Long Take 3 - YouTubeEveryday Use - WikipediaThe story follows the difference between Mrs. Johnson and her shy younger daughter Maggie, who both still adhere to traditional black culture in the rural South, and her educated, successful daughter Dee, or "Wangero" as she prefers to be called, who takes a different route to reclaiming her cultural identity. [Fiction] Everyday Use, By Alice Walker | Harper's Magazine“Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!” she said. “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.” Blow the dust out of the connector - The Old New Thing“Okay, sometimes the connection gets a little dusty and the connection gets weak. Could you unplug the connector, blow into it to get the dust out, then plug it back in?” Night Ranger - Don't Tell Me You Love Me (HQ) Official music video - YouTube"I've got a pistol for action." 'Crazy Train' from "Thirty Years After The Blizzard" DVD - YouTube
10/19/20211 hour, 25 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 550: Ampersands and Raisins

DISCUSSED: Dan and his son are up to Daniel Craig in their Bond journey, and this leads to an exploration of how our feelings about movies and their characters can change over time; considering the media you're scared to rewatch since it's probably not as good as you remember; your hosts dive further into browser extensions and why they're so critical to filtering your world. The Leftovers Neil Breen License to Clown Links for this episode:StopTheMadnessStopTheMadness TestTweaks for TwitterStopTheScriptJeff Johnson (@lapcatsoftware) / TwitterTrackerZapper for MacMuffling and Muting Tweets in Twitterrific (iOS and macOS) / Twitterrific / Knowledge Base - The Iconfactory SupportMuffling does not remove filtered tweets from your timeline entirely, but instead minimizes them, out of the way of your reading experience. Fixerrific12ft LadderKenzo World - YouTubeMargaret Qualley is amazing. The Facebook Files - WSJVivaldi Browser | Now with built-in Translate, Mail, and Calendar
10/12/20211 hour, 39 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 549: A Typical Feisty Boy Child

DISCUSSED: Exploring rural voices; the things that kids (and we) have had stolen away over the past couple years; what movie would get your butt back into a cinema seat?; an opinionated dive into Safari's new approach to tabs (and why it feels so concerning); and, finally, Merlin shares a bunch of Safari extensions that do new stuff—or do old stuff in a cool or interesting way. Links for this episode:Safari Keyword Search hits 2.0, comes to iOS – Six ColorsUsing Safari at night gets easier with Noir – Six ColorsSafari Keyword SearchGitHub - horimislime/safari-markdown-linker: A handy Safari extension that helps user copying URL as markdown formatNoir – Dark Mode for SafariSuper Agent - Automatic Cookie ConsentDownie - YouTube Video Downloader for macOS - Charlie Monroe SoftwareGitHub - johnspurlock/app-privacy-report-viewer: Local viewer for App Privacy Reports in iOS 15Time Magazine December 13 1976 Howard Hughes Exclusive: His Secret Life: Time Magazine, Pink Room Pp: AmazonSmile: BooksDaring Fireball: The Tragedy of Safari 15 for Mac’s ‘Tabs’Youtube Downloader - Online Youtube Video Downloader | YT1s.comHTML Color CodesGet HTML color codes, Hex color codes, RGB and HSL values with our color picker, color chart and HTML color names. Greg Pierce on those weird Safari tabs"Mac is Catholic, DOS is Protestant" by Umberto Eco I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant. Search TemplatesSolarized
10/6/20211 hour, 21 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 548: The Results of This Dog

DISCUSSED: Merlin considers a black market medical purchase; the anatomical anomalies of the problematic sleeper are considered; some favorite YouTube finds are discussed; and, finally, your hosts begin scratching the surface of iOS 15's many clever and life-enhancing new features. Links for this episode:Safari Keyword Search hits 2.0, comes to iOS – Six ColorsUsing Safari at night gets easier with Noir – Six ColorsSafari Keyword SearchSafari Keyword Search is a simple extension for Safari on macOS amd iOS that enables keyword searching from the address bar. This is a simple but powerful feature that gives you access to several search engines using simple keywords. For example, you can search Wikipedia for information on monkeys by typing w monkeys in the address bar. horimislime/safari-markdown-linker: A handy Safari extension that helps user copying URL as markdown formatMarkdown Linker is a Safari App Extension that helps user copying website's URL as markdown format. Noir – Dark Mode for SafariSuper Agent - Automatic Cookie ConsentDownie - YouTube Video Downloader for macOS - Charlie Monroe Softwarejohnspurlock/app-privacy-report-viewer: Local viewer for App Privacy Reports in iOS 15Local viewer for App Privacy Reports in iOS 15 iOS 15: 10 hidden features you need to know | MacworldEp. 439: "Dick Meningitis" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannEp. 125: "All the Great Shows!" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John wasn’t actually a big fan. All The Great Shows - The Story of John RoderickAll The Great Shows is one of the most famous bits of the show. It has been introduced in Episode 125 of Roderick on the Line. Nelson's Weblog: life / cpap-obstructive-sleep-apneaRick Beato - YouTubeWhat Makes This Song Great? Ep.31 RADIOHEAD - YouTubeFor Mia · Owen BeverlyProduced by Rick Beato Rick Beato Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | AllMusicRick Beato - The Beginning, Benefits of Good Pitch and The Future of Music — Niclas JeppssonI did a record a few years ago with an unsigned artist named Owen Beverly, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter. He ended up not getting a record deal but we made an incredible EP which I ended up getting a lot of other projects from. It was a failure because he couldn’t get a record deal because he couldn’t pull off the song live but the record did incredibly well and got me a lot of work.  Outkast - Hey Ya! (Official HD Video) - YouTubeSpotify – MagazineWhat Really Happens When Lightning Strikes Sand | Discover MagazineDallas couple asked to leave restaurant for wearing masks inside | KXAN AustinCasting a Fire Ant Colony with Molten Aluminum (Cast #043) - YouTubeAmazonSmile : Leather Journal Cover for Field Notes, Notebook Cover for Moleskine Cahier, Handmade Vintage Leather Cover for 3.5" x 5.5" Notebooks, Coffee : Office ProductsAmazonSmile: Logitech BRIO Ultra HD Webcam for Video Conferencing, Recording, and Streaming - Black : ElectronicsMatt Haughey (@mathowie) / TwitterGuardian Firewall - Guardian FirewallGuardian is the safest and most secure way to protect your privacy and data while using apps and browsing the web on your iOS device. The Future of This Channel - YouTubeiOS 15: How to Use Visual Lookup in Photos to Identify Landmarks, Plants, and Pets - MacRumorsThe Drunk Lover EP | Owen Beverly and INDIANOLAImproving saves from Twitter and YouTube
9/27/20211 hour, 14 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 547: Backyard Butt Doctor

Dan and Merlin almost talk about iOS 15. Links for this episode:The Different Types of Twilight, Dawn and DuskBlues Traveler - Hook - LIVE! - YouTubeiConnectHue | The essential Philips Hue Lights App for iPhone and iPad"If I Leave Here Tomorrow" - NetflixMom and Daughter Libby Adame, Alicia Galaz Killed Adult Star Karissa Rajpaul With Butt Implants, LAPD Says
9/22/20211 hour, 8 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 546: Snow Day for Nerds

Reporting live from the show floor and looking at options for time tracking. Links for this episode:Toggl: Time Tracking, Project Planning and Hiring Tools to Help Teams Work BetterReliable time tracking software loved by 5M users Timery for TogglTimery for Toggl: The MacStories Review - MacStoriesRescueTimerknightuk/TrackerZapper: Menubar app to remove link tracking parameters automaticallyTrackerZapper is a Mac app that sits in your menubar and silently removes tracking parameters from any links you copy. Clockify - 100% Free Time Tracking SoftwareOn The Job - Professional Time & Expense Tracking and Invoicing - Stunt SoftwareInvoices, Estimates, Quotes and Time-tracking with Billings Pro on Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch - MarketcircleHours - Time Tracking App Online - Try Hours For Free!Time tracking radically simplified - Daily for MacTimemator - Automatic Time Tracking for Freelancers (Mac & iPhone)Day-Timer Personal & Professional Planners, Organizers & RefillsThe paradox of abundance – Jon Udell
9/13/202156 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 545: The Cat's Fine

DISCUSSED: The rules of "Rabbit Rabbit"; exploring the magic of Domino's probability-altering powers; forests versus trees and past versus future; Chevy Chase and a familial ninety-ten inversion; and, finally, praise for Lulu Miller's mind-blowing thoughts on the downsides of imposing "order" onto chaos. Links for this episode:Organizing Chaos — On the Media — OvercastOrganizing Chaos | On the Media | WNYC StudiosWhy Fish Don't Exist | Book by Lulu Miller | Official Publisher Page | Simon & SchusterPart biography, part memoir, part scientific adventure, Why Fish Don’t Exist is a wondrous fable about how to persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail. Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life , Miller, Lulu - Amazon.comNo Such Thing As A Fish | NosuchthingasafishEach week Dan, James, Anna and Andy discuss their favourite facts unearthed in the past seven days. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma: van der Kolk M.D., Bessel: 9780143127741: Amazon.com: BooksOpinion | This Conversation Will Change How You Think About Trauma - The New York TimesThe core argument of the book is that traumatic experiences — everything from sexual assault and incest to emotional and physical abuse — become embedded in the older, more primal parts of our brain that don’t have access to conscious awareness. Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Bessel van der Kolk - The New York TimesThey Podcast | Blank Check with Griffin and David Wiki | FandomThey Podcast is a miniseries covering the films of John Carpenter beginning in August 2021 @BlankCheckPod | LinktreeDomino (character) - WikipediaIn addition to her exceptional marksmanship and hand-to-hand skills, Domino possesses mutant probability-altering powers, similar to those of the mutant Longshot.
9/7/20211 hour, 4 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 544: Tentpole of Nostalgia

Links for this episode:Scotch-Mount™ Extreme Double-Sided Mounting Tape | 3M United StatesCommunity (TV series) - WikipediaMagneto | Marvel Database | FandomStory Structure 101: Super Basic Shit | Channel 101 Wiki | Fandom(10) Blade Runner 2049 Cells Interlinked Scene 1080p - YouTubeMatterList of James Bond films - Wikipedia
8/31/20211 hour, 5 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 543: Clownitentiary

DISCUSSED: Nicholson movies; Synology yums and yucks; difficulties of shows about music; upcoming rabbit rabbit plans. Links for this episode:One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest What’s Up With the Epigraph? | Shmoop1962–1966 - Wikipediaa/k/a "The Red Album" 1967–1970 - Wikipediaa/k/a "The Blue Album" The Beatles’ RED & BLUE Albums - Their BEST Compilations? - YouTubeThe Chaotic Story of Dexys Midnight Runners & "Come On Eileen" | New British Canon - YouTubeDexys Midnight Runners - "There, There My Dear" - YouTubeDexys Midnight Runners - "Geno" (TotP, 1980) - YouTubeDexys Midnight Runners - "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" - YouTube
8/24/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 542: MRSA Mann

DISCUSSED: Catching up; Merlin's Travel Results; praise for Best in Show, SCTV, and public libraries; Dan has a new computer. Links for this episode:Reconcilable Differences #162: A Pile of Bed - Relay FMRemembering various animal actors, enumerating genres that need a name, considering the philosophies behind "bag in a bag," and contrasting college with the ordinary crucibles of post-adolescent life. Home | Nanoleaf » USA » Consumer IoT & LED Smart Lighting ProductsBest in Show (film) - WikipediaTop Gun Auditions - SNL - YouTubeAmazonSmile: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, Most Streamers & Other A/V Devices : ElectronicsAmazonSmile: IKEA 172.283.40 Frakta Shopping Bag, Large, Blue, Set of 5: Home & KitchenBest in Show (3/11) Movie CLIP - We Met at Starbucks (2000) HD - YouTubeBest in Show (1/11) Movie CLIP - Two Left Feet (2000) HD - YouTubeBest in Show (5/11) Movie CLIP - Where's Winky? (2000) HD - YouTubeSchitt's Creek - Moira's Commercial - YouTubeKnocked Up: We Can't Legally Ask You to Lose Weight - YouTubeInteset Universal Remote Control Device Code LookupThe Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: Gawande, Atul: 9780312430009: Amazon.com: Books
8/17/20211 hour, 18 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 541: Proprietary Escape Key

A celebration of M1 devices, the benefits of learning how to learn, and considering when a new learning curve might be worth the climb. Links for this episode:Gordon Solie - WikipediaFinal Cut Pro - Wikipedia2022 Mac Pro Rumored to Use Intel's Ice Lake Xeon W-3300 Chips - MacRumorsSystem Of A Down - Chop Suey! (Official Video) - YouTubeDescript | All-in-one audio/video editing, as easy as a doc.All-in-one audio Aldus Pagemaker - The Interface Experience: Bard Graduate CenterSystem Of A Down's Toxicity at 20: inside the new issue of Metal Hammer | LouderTabs versus Spaces - YouTube
7/27/20211 hour, 24 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 540: Extreme Medical Sloth

Find the tool you need—but, keep asking yourself, "Soooooo…now what?" Links for this episode:The paradox of abundance – Jon UdellCould Gen Z Free the World From Email? - The New York TimesDifference Between Temples, Synagogues & Shuls | JewishBostonSchool Lunches, P-Hacking and the Original “Pizzagate” — Maintenance Phase — Overcast469. The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not — Freakonomics Radio — OvercastTony Buzan | Inventor of Mind MappingHow To Mind Map With Tony Buzan (Using 3 Simple Rules) | MindMaps UnleashedAmazonSmile : Cambridge Limited Business Notebook, Legal Ruled, 8-1/2" x 11", Top Bound, Action Planner, Black (06092) : Wirebound Notebooks : Office ProductsWild Animals: Chimp Uses Twig to Fish for Termites - YouTube
7/20/20211 hour, 9 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 539: Where the Ghosts Live

Things get pretty silly, yet somehow land on some extremely Back to Work points about time management, compression, values, and moving your own goalposts. For some reason, McDonald's becomes an important controlling metaphor. Links for this episode:Could Gen Z Free the World From Email? - The New York Times“It’s actually crazy how outdated it is.” People born after AOL Mail was invented seem to prefer to communicate in almost any other way. Is work from home working?White-collar workers are heading back to the office. Will anything be different after a year and a half away? Wes Anderson Horror Trailer - SNL - YouTubeDeceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky JayHofstadter's law - WikipediaIt always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law. Alison Agosti on Twitter: "When is one of these white male billionaires gonna try to have a baby it’s the true final frontier" / TwitterWhen is one of these white male billionaires gonna try to have a baby it’s the true final frontier
7/13/20211 hour, 19 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 538: Tossed Salad of Remembrance

DISCUSSED: Dan begins a journey into new worlds of voice control and home automation. Links for this episode:Run Farther, Faster: tips from Endure author Alex Hutchinson.To run farther and faster, you must first train your mind. MacdrifterDan MorenInside The Cameras Of Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” | by NYU Local | NYU LocalJ.F. Sebastian | Off-world: The Blade Runner Wiki | FandomEve | evehome.com4 more victims found in rubble; death toll rises to 32Spoon - "Gimme Fiction" (reverse track order)
7/6/20211 hour, 31 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 537: Insane Corner of My Own Design

DISCUSSED: Some ups and downs of living the smart speaker lifestyle. Also: the dramatis personae of The Land of Make Believe; feeding the demon dogs; and learning to be careful with the words we put in front of other words. Links for this episode:I Midwest Hate Myself | Do By FridayThis week’s challenge: explore smart lighting.
6/29/20211 hour, 10 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 536: Fonzie Slap

DISCUSSED: Merlin and his wife realize the moment they crossed a line; in Follow-Up, your hosts celebrate the late great Fred Willard; in further Follow-Up, the state of the union in smart voice devices is considered; and, finally, the long arc of calendar talk starts to wind down with some hard talk on disambiguation and actually really getting real. Links for this episode:BusyCal - The Best Calendar App for MacFlexibits | Fantastical | The calendar and tasks app you won't be able to live without.He Layeth on High - YouTube
6/22/20211 hour, 20 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 535: Long-Term Play Value

DISCUSSED: Dan finally gets more three-six-five, and Merlin gets extremely deep in the stack. Also, just a little more calendar talk, including a model for deciding where something goes. Links for this episode:Most Days on VimeoI'm Merlin, and I'm making a video most days. Sometimes. S. I. Hayakawa - WikipediaAmazon.com: Language in Thought and Action: Fifth Edition (9780156482400): S.I. Hayakawa, Alan R. Hayakawa, Robert MacNeil: BooksWatch Special When Lit: A Pinball Documentary | Prime VideoSir Ian McKellen's acting process - YouTubeExtras David Bowie - YouTubeArcade | PlexLet the gaming begin. Play old school Atari classics plus your own collection of game ROMs and emulators on your favorite devices, courtesy of Plex Labs and Atari. It’s a guaranteed win! GE Profile™ Opal 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker - XPIO13SCSS - GE AppliancesWatch The Sci-Fi Boys | Prime VideoWatch Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary | Prime VideoWatch Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons and Dragons | Prime VideoWatch The Image Revolution | Prime VideoWatch Plastic Galaxy | Prime VideoWatch Astonishing X-Men: Gifted Season 1 | Prime VideoWatch Chris Claremont's X-Men | Prime VideoWatch Starring Adam West | Prime VideoWhat's new on Descript
6/16/20211 hour, 24 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 534: Manga and Others

DISCUSSED: Merlin runs into some problems reporting live from the show floor; is social media making us as happy as we'd like to think?; thoughts on pro wrestlers and the films of John Carpenter; finding the triggers for action that you didn't know you needed; recommendations for videos and Firefox extensions; why we use the web browsers that we use; your hosts dive into their favorite announcements coming out of WWDC; how exactly do you decide where something should go?; Dan reveals he has become the third kind of calendar person; exploring the ineffable (but indisputably real) value of finding technologies and experiences that you actually enjoy; and, finally, Merlin shares a novel misunderstanding with a voice dingus. Links for this episode:Fakespot Fake Amazon Reviews and eBay Sellers (Firefox extension)Protect yourself from bad sellers and fake reviews on Amazon and more ReviewMeta.com Review Helper (Firefox extension)ReviewMeta analyzes millions of reviews and helps you decide which to trust Mental health days: Learning from Naomi Osaka - The Washington PostWhy There are Now So Many Shortages (It's Not COVID) - YouTubeRandy Savage - WikipediaDownload Firefox Browser — Fast, Private & Free — from MozillaFakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviews and counterfeitsmacOS 12 Monterey upgrades Continuity with Universal Control | TechCrunchJazz in the Background | Spotify PlaylistWords That Mean Nothing - In These TimesOur political discourse is dominated by issues that don’t exist Cancel Culture — You're Wrong About — OvercastHow China Broke the World's Recycling - YouTubeHow Universal Control on macOS Monterey works - The VergeIt’s simpler — and cleverer — than I expected The Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be (Official Music Video) - YouTubeLucas With the Lid Off on VimeoWhy Planes Don't Fly Faster - YouTubeVideoWriter - WikipediaOriginal Talking Moose - YouTube
6/9/20211 hour, 55 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 533: A Container for Your Future Plans

DISCUSSED: Part one of a deep dive into calendars. Links for this episode:206 - Narcissism — You Are Not So Smart — OvercastDark triad - WikipediaIn psychology, the dark triad comprises the personality traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Increase Apple TV screen contrast - Apple SupportIn Settings on Apple TV, go to Accessibility > Increase Contrast > Focus Style, then choose High Contrast. Kaleidoscope (software) - WikipediaLarry Miller (comedian) - WikipediaI Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson - WikipediaATP 432: I Shouldn't Need to Wiggle — Accidental Tech PodcastChris Voss FBI hostage negotiator on being assertiveI disable bombs for a living. But I hate confronting people. Never Split The Difference | Chris Voss | TEDxUniversityofNevada - YouTubeThe art of misdirection | Apollo Robbins - YouTubeHailed as the greatest pickpocket in the world, Apollo Robbins studies the quirks of human behavior as he steals your watch. In a hilarious demonstration, Robbins samples the buffet of the TEDGlobal 2013 audience, showing how the flaws in our perception make it possible to swipe a wallet and leave it on its owner's shoulder while they remain clueless. selective attention test - YouTube463. How to Get Anyone to Do Anything — Freakonomics Radio — OvercastThe Lick - YouTubeAdam Neely - YouTube
6/1/20211 hour, 46 minutes
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Episode 532: That's Not My Ghost

DISCUSSED: Merlin is full of beans this week. Links for this episode:Adam Neely - YouTubeOnce More, With FeelingThread BenefitsHomeKit over Thread | evehome.comBacon Ray - "Sundays in a Row" (1995)Wrong Tools Cost Lives — Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford — OvercastSublime Text 4 - News - Sublime HQMr Show - Thrilling Miracles! - YouTube(see if you can spot a young Judd Apatow in the audience) Company Broadway revival starring Raul Esparza Great Performances 2006 - YouTubePBS Great Performances, Stephen Sondheim's Company-Not Getting Married Today - YouTubeRaul Esparza - Being Alive - YouTube
5/25/20211 hour, 36 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 531: Where Grog Got Eaten

DISCUSSED: A classic, old-school “Odds ’n Sods” episode that includes: Apple’s audio upgrade announcement; AirTags and the promising future of UWB; lots of thoughts on anxiety; caffeine weaners; tongue-rolling; and a salt and pepper of media recently enjoyed (and now recommended). Links for this episode:PSA: AirTag can be used as an NFC tag for Shortcuts automation - 9to5Macts1/BLEUnlock: Lock/unlock your Mac with your iPhone, Apple Watch, or any other Bluetooth LE devicesAmazonSmile : Tieman's Fusion Coffee, Low Acid Dark Roast, Ground, 10 ounce bag (pack of 6) : Grocery & Gourmet FoodHow Well Can You Hear Audio Quality? : The Record : NPRUnwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind - Kindle edition by Brewer, Judson. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Belkin Secure Holder with Key Ring for AirTag – Black - Appletroglodyte modeThe Computer-free Automation of a Jukebox (Electromechanics) - YouTubeQuentin Tarantino and the Poetry Between the Lines - YouTubeSpotify: Weezer - "Pinkerton"Apple Music: Weezer - "Pinkerton"[Sleep Anxiety audio Merlin likes]Do you inherit the ability to roll your tongue? - BBC FutureIt’s long been thought that the ability to roll your tongue is a clear-cut case of genetics. BBC Future finds it’s not that simple.
5/18/20211 hour, 13 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 530: Nouns in America

DISCUSSED: Merlin has been cracking nuts, and Dan is enjoying a beverage; in Follow-Up, Dan has made great progress with his new voice assistant; Merlin has thoughts on choosing a dingus ecosystem that’s right for you; words mean things, and often you want the right “procedure word”; Merlin has some good Back to Work-adjacent media recommendations; do we really want to rebuild The Embarcadero Freeway? Really?; and, Dan has some new scholarship on the films of Stanley Kubrick. Links for this episode:Opinion | That Anxiety You’re Feeling? It’s a Habit You Can Unlearn. - The New York TimesEfficiency is the EnemyUnwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind - Kindle edition by Brewer, Judson. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.Watch YouTube TV on your Google Nest Display - Google Nest HelpProcedure word - Wikipedia(7) Collative Learning - YouTubeEmbarcadero Freeway | CNUOld San Francisco: A Look At Before And After The Embarcadero Free Came Down | by UpOut SF | MediumAn ode to the Embarcadero Freeway, the blight by the bayAmazon.com: Celery Man: Alexa Skills
5/11/20211 hour, 7 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 529: Different Flavors of Fear

DISCUSSED: Dan is actively gaslighting Merlin, and this can be proven; please stop stealing focus; praise for Ferris Bueller in general and the knees of Sloane Peterson in particular; passing thoughts on fear, procrastination, impostor syndrome, and solving the right problem; Merlin is delighted to discover a much-improved Little Snitch; Dan has thoughts on his Ford’s weird button; in gadget updates, Dan has found some useful headphones and has thoughts on trying to use his new Google dingus; finally, just in general, try to keep your hands away from the dragon’s mouth. Links for this episode:Little SnitchAs soon as you’re connected to the Internet, applications can potentially send whatever they want to wherever they want. Most often they do this to your benefit. But sometimes, like in case of tracking software, trojans or other malware, they don’t. How to overcome impostor syndrome.How to overcome impostor syndrome. Why You Should Talk to Yourself in the Third PersonEvidence suggests that there are real benefits of talking to yourself in the third person—in your head, not out loud. Does Distanced Self-Talk Facilitate Emotion Regulation Across a Range of Emotionally Intense Experiences? - Ariana Orvell, Brian D. Vickers, Brittany Drake, Philippe Verduyn, Ozlem Ayduk, Jason Moser, John Jonides, Ethan Kross, 2021Research indicates that a subtle shift in language—silently referring to oneself using one’s own name and non–first-person-singular pronouns (i.e., distanced self-talk)—promotes emotion regulation. Amazon.com: AFTERSHOKZ Air Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones, Slate Grey, AS650SGFront Door Camera Package - Google StoreTwitterrific: Twitter Your WayAir – AfterShokz<p>Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones</p> | WH-1000XM4/B | Sony USVincent Adultman | BoJack Horseman Wiki | FandomHis right hand is a broom and his left hand is a mannequin hand.
5/4/20211 hour, 26 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 528: Half a Parachute

Merlin has a whole new setup, and Dan has a whole new TV. Links for this episode:My Secret Sauce of BloggingThis is where I give away all of my blogging secrets. I’ve decided to divest myself of any advantages Macdrifter has built over the past 12 years. The Technium: 99 Additional Bits of Unsolicited AdviceI have another birthday, and another bunch of unsolicited advice.  How to overcome impostor syndrome.I’m Great at My Job. So Why Do I Feel Like a Fraud? How to overcome impostor syndrome. Why You Should Talk to Yourself in the Third PersonDoes Distanced Self-Talk Facilitate Emotion Regulation Across a Range of Emotionally Intense Experiences? - Ariana Orvell, Brian D. Vickers, Brittany Drake, Philippe Verduyn, Ozlem Ayduk, Jason Moser, John Jonides, Ethan Kross, 2021Research indicates that a subtle shift in language—silently referring to oneself using one’s own name and non–first-person-singular pronouns (i.e., distanced self-talk)—promotes emotion regulation. The Bureau (TV series) - WikipediaAmazon.com: SAMSUNG 55-inch Class Q80A Series – QLED 4K UHD Smart TV with Alexa Built-in (QN55Q80AAFXZA, 2021 Model): ElectronicsAmazon.com: Jay Strongwater Kong Pave Gorilla Figurine: Home & KitchenEasy macOS Loads By Way of Homebrew Bundle — Liss is MoreAmazon.com: RECUR Large Albino Gorilla Toys King Kong White Realistic Hand Painted Walking Gorilla Ape Wild Animal Figurine Model – Replica Gorilla Godzilla vs Kong 2021 Figure Gift for Collectors Boys Kids 3+: Toys & GamesReconcilable Differences #147: Pan-Pan! - Relay FMAs something like a main topic, Merlin offers a sheepish series of recent anecdotes regarding technology and hasty decision-making. He seems not to remember this being his idea (he did that), which he is surprisingly not all that sheepish about. But, let's be honest. Technology can be terrible and very confusing.
4/27/20211 hour, 30 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 527: Classic Mentos Situation

DISCUSSED: Merlin is reporting live from the show floor; sleep is complicated; food is complicated, too; Dan tries to build muscles the right way; he also has strong feelings about TV shopping; Merlin just wants someone to tell him which is The Good One. Links for this episode:Feeling Blah During the Pandemic? It's Called Languishing - The New York TimesThe neglected middle child of mental health can dull your motivation and focus — and it may be the dominant emotion of 2021. The Importance of Routines, Even Interrupted by a Pandemic - The New York TimesBy setting routines for myself, I was able to shield myself from chaos. Then the pandemic happened. I set out to get them back on track. Reviews and Ratings - RTINGS.comHDMI 2.1: What you need to know - CNET::: LG | webOS TV Developer :: Discover webOS TVAndroid TVLG Smart TV w/ webOS: A World of Content | LG USALG CX 65 inch Class 4K Smart OLED TV w/ AI ThinQ® (64.5'' Diag) (OLED65CXPUA) | LG USAMerlin's beloved fancy TV. LG CX OLED Review (OLED48CXPUB, OLED55CXPUA, OLED65CXPUA, OLED77CXPUA) - RTINGS.comTV Tools - RTINGS.comTake things into your own hands. Use our tools and find the best TV for your needs TV Size to Distance Calculator and Science - RTINGS.comUse our size to distance calculator to see which size TV you should get based on how far away you'll be sitting from the screen. Reconcilable Differences #150: The Stands - Relay FM"Next, the focus turns to TV stands. While pretty much all of them are incompatible with John's house, this generates a careful visual interrogation of the bizarre manner in which Sony thinks your home works." [Siracusa, picking nits at his best]
4/20/20211 hour, 4 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 526: Above-Average Practices

DISCUSSED: some important movie follow-up; films (and other media) can be a powerful way to talk about things we aren't supposed to be talking about; Merlin has some links to help think about what comes next as we get back to ““normal""; plus, follow-up on Dan's Kindle journey, including some really useful tips. Links for this episode:Pinboard: Merlin's Covid BookmarksWelcome to Kindle UnlimitedDan's Godzilla MoviesSome Kung Fu Movies for DanThe Celluloid Closet (1995) - Reference View - IMDbA documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film. Dirty Ho (1979) - The Prince's Bodyguard - YouTubeDirty Ho (1979) - Wine Tasting - YouTubeDirty Ho (1979) - Final Fight - YouTube
4/13/20211 hour, 33 seconds
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Episode 525: The Pollution of Modernity

DISCUSSED: fake southern accents lead to some movie talk; Merlin apologizes; Dan does not want to spend a night in The Box; please utilize the restroom that conforms to the color of your gender; a guardsman pitches Merlin's wife; Merlin goes off on a surprisingly long tangent on kung fu movies--especially the work of The Great Gordon Liu; Dan needs a syllabus to get Cash even more into Godzilla movies; there are some words on DC movies; your hosts begin a dive into the Kindle ecosystem that turns into a dive into ""The Kindle Ecosystem""; Friend-of-the-Show, Moisés, provides some beneficial real-time follow-up regarding the king of monsters; Merlin needs some movie backstory but also wants wants to make it extremely clear that he is very attracted to an English actress. Links for this episode:Standard Ebooks: Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover."Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover." (The awesome website Merlin couldn't remember) We Have All Hit a Wall - The New York TimesThe 36th Chamber of Shaolin - WikipediaGordon Liu - WikipediaDirty Ho (1979) - The Prince's Bodyguard - YouTubeDirty Ho (1979) - Wine Tasting - YouTubeAmazon.com: Kindle Paperwhite – Now Waterproof with 2x the Storage – Ad-SupportedEx-Men: Gambit - YouTubeShin Godzilla - WikipediaThe Libby App by OverDrive: Free ebooks & audiobooks from the librarycalibre - E-book managementFree eBooks | Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks Welcome to Open Library | Open LibraryAmazon.com: Kindle Unlimited: Kindle StoreLetterboxd: "Some Kung Fu Movies for Dan"Merlin does some quick curation. Mr Show - Senator Tankerbell (season 1) - YouTubeTerrigen Mist | Marvel Database | FandomTerrigen Mist is a mutagenic, or mutation-causing, substance arising as a vapor from the Terrigen Crystals, which are able to alter Inhuman biology. Rogue (Anna Marie) (Earth-616) | Marvel Database | FandomRogue was not able to control her absorption power at first Rebecca Hall - IMDb
4/6/20211 hour, 30 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 524: The Silver Linings Guy

DISCUSSED: iOS has gotten really good; still, there's some Apple stuff we'd love to see get better; some Covid updates; anxiety and OCD in these fraught times; finally, Dan and Merlin need your advice for some networking upgrades. Links for this episode:How COVID-19 Affected People With OCD and Anxiety - The AtlanticThe pandemic’s retreat doesn’t necessarily mean life will get easier for people with OCD. Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs? | The New YorkerTest-driving a batch of posture-enhancing devices that are supposed to make you stand tall. Amazon.com: TP-Link WiFi 6 AX3000 Smart WiFi Router (Archer AX50) – 802.11ax Router, Gigabit Router, Dual Band, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Parental Controls, Built-in HomeCare,Works with Alexa: Computers & AccessoriesFirewalla | Firewalla: Cybersecurity Firewall For Your Family and BusinessDramatic Drop in Colds and Flu Raises Question: Masks Forever? : Shots - Health News : NPRCargo ship news is bad news.Max Cho, a product manager at Google, joins Felix Salmon and Emily Peck to talk about that cargo ship stuck in the Suez Canal and its effect on supply chains, the bloodbath at Medium and the media in general, and what the post-pandemic return to the office will look like. Netflix - "Brian Regan - On the Rocks"Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on VimeoFor you, my friends, a free- ONE HOUR HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - enjoy and download at your leisure- it's yours. Sell it at the Flea Market out of the back of your van with packs of socks and old phones! ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review CheckerReviewMeta analyzes Amazon product reviews and filters out reviews that our algorithm detects may be unnatural.
3/30/20211 hour, 33 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 523: My Fingers Know It

DISCUSSED: DST and rebooting sleep; some quick documentary talk; a challenging H.R. Giger poster; updates on sane prepping, looking at some interesting sources for electric power; on rational prepping; oh, boy, fatbergs; and, finally, a quick dive into the joys of "The Everything Button" and the myriad benefits of learning the key commands. Links for this episode:Bitfocus ASDo By FridayPaletroCommand Palette in any applications on macOS Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple SupportBy pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device. 30 keyboard shortcuts Mac users need to know | ComputerworldMemory: The Origins of Alien - WikipediaJodorowsky's DuneAmazon.com: [Upgraded]BigBlue 3 USB Ports 28W Solar Charger(5V/4.8A Max), Foldable Portable Solar Phone Charger with SunPower Solar Panel Compatible with iPhone 11/Xs/XS Max/XR/X/8/7, iPad, Samsung Galaxy LG etc.1900 Galveston hurricane - WikipediaDrafts 26: The Customization Update – nahumck.meGlen Campbell - Galveston - YouTubeFatberg - Wikipedia40-ton 'fatberg' the size of a double-decker bus removed from Londo.. - ABC7 San FranciscoAmazon.com : Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000, 1002Wh Solar Generator (Solar Panel Optional) with 3x110V/1000W AC Outlets, Solar Mobile Lithium Battery Pack for Outdoor RV/Van Camping, Emergency : Garden & OutdoorAmazon.com : Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, 240Wh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V/200W Pure Sine Wave AC Outlet, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Not Included) for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Emergency : Garden & OutdoorAmazon.com: Jackery SolarSaga 100W Portable Solar Panel for Explorer 240/300/500/1000 Power Station, Foldable US Solar Cell Solar Charger with USB Outputs for Phones (Can't Charge Explorer 440/ PowerPro): Garden & OutdoorAmazonSmile: Anker PowerCore II 20000, 20100mAh Portable Charger with Dual USB Ports, PowerIQ 2.0 (up to 18W Output) Power Bank, Fast Charging for iPhone, Samsung and More (Compatible with Quick Charge Devices)(HD Trailer) The Holy Mountain | Alejandro Jodorowsky - YouTubeWarning: Not Safe for…Anything Acorn 7 | Full Featured Photo Editor for the MacDrafts | Where Text Starts“Easily one of the best iOS apps I’ve ever used.” – Merlin Mann iOS Changelog - Drafts User GuideConsensual Disruption | Do By FridayThis week’s challenge: reboot your sleep.
3/23/20211 hour, 22 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 522: Where All the Memories Go

Diving deep on the power of infrastructure. Yes, for you, too. Links for this episode:The new, improved StyleStealer for Marked 2 - BrettTerpstra.comThis tool is great if you’re on online writer who wants to see how their work will appear on the destination blog or publication. It’s also great if you like to Markdownify articles and be able to read them later with their original look. Consensual Disruption | Do By FridayThis week’s challenge: reboot your sleep. Consensual Disruption - After ShowWe've unlocked this extremely good after show for you monsters. THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob Ager(2) Collative Learning - YouTubeFH Mini #24 - Goofs Twofs — The Flop House — OvercastPhish - "Farmhouse" - YouTubeThe Phish song Merlin likes. Deborah Ann Woll talks D&D, Acting and Storytelling - YouTubeEthan SchoonoverGames, Technology, Education, Communications MkDocsProject documentation with Markdown.
3/16/20211 hour, 27 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 521: Nozzle Tov

DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot to say about fizzy water and the drugs of Florida; someone please help Dan get his old Twitter name; talking recent media and deciding when a kid is "ready" for it; some Marvel talk; Jack Kirby ruled; finally, hey, tell us what you'd like to hear on topics related to preparation and infrastructure. Links for this episode:How to stop overthinking."I’m newly married but I can’t stop thinking about an old flame." AmazonSmile | iSi Classic MeshSodamaker for Making Carbonating Beverages, 1 Quart, Stainless Steel: Seltzer Bottles & ChargersSiouxsie And The Banshees - Cities In Dust - YouTube
3/9/20211 hour, 6 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 520: Preemptive Punishment Food

Preparing isn't just for preppers. But, how do you incorporate scope and infrastructure without turning into a nut? Links for this episode:Four-Day Work Week Gains Popularity Around the World - BloombergMerlin Mann's Best Tweet EverDeepfake TikTok videos of Tom Cruise watched by millions | News | The TimesDan Benjamin is creating Videos | PatreonThe Dark Knight with Aubrey Gordon | Why Are Dads?We unpack the plethora of dad issues presented in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight with the delightful Aubrey Gordon. Bill Hader Reveals All the Things Seth Taught Him at SNL - Late Night with Seth Meyers - YouTube
3/2/20211 hour, 9 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 519: Designated Toilet

DISCUSSED: Dan has updates on Texas's recent weather events and the unanticipated cascading effects on complex and interconnected infrastructures; then, for dessert, your hosts explore the delights and insights of the "isolated tracks" rabbit hole. Links for this episode:Van Halen - Dance The Night Away - Guitar Track - YouTubeThe Who- Won't Get Fooled Again - John Entwistle's isolated bass (live) HQ SOUND - YouTubeThe Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Isolated Bass) (Surround Sound) - YouTubeDeconstructing And Your Bird Can Sing (Isolated Tracks) - YouTubeEddie Van Halen - Unchained - Isolated Guitar Track INCREDIBLE - YouTubeEddie Van Halen Talks Revolutionary Gear Mods and the Death of Rock in his First-Ever Interview from 1978 | GuitarPlayerJas Obrecht – “Eddie Van Halen: The David Lee Roth Years” (2010) | The Beat Patrol“Pat Travers blew you off? I can’t fucking believe that! Why don’t you interview me? Nobody has ever wanted to interview me.” —Eddie Van Halen (1978) Texas energy supplier under fire for five out-of-state board membersTexas controls its own electrical grid, but at least five of the fifteen people serving on the operator’s board of directors do not appear to live in the state, a fact that has angered some state officials as Texas navigates widespread blackouts that have left millions without power. Austin Today - YouTubeDan Benjamin is creating Videos | PatreonCharles looks forward to 2066"Just set a 2/23/2066 reminder for myself to nag our now-12-year-old that when I was HIS age (57), I was running playing soccer w/ him most days like a much younger rhino. So maybe get up out of that zero-g La-Z-Boy holo-chair orbiting Io & get your 102-year-old dad a space beer." Van Halen - Unchained - 6/12/1981 - Oakland Coliseum Stadium (Official) - YouTubeBackfire effect - RationalWikiThe effect is claimed to be that when, in the face of contradictory evidence, established beliefs do not change but actually get stronger. Ryan Deiss on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @maddow Here’s a redneck clip that will probably get me trouble with NBC. :) https://t.co/dHWxdK8YBE" / Twitter
2/23/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 518: 10% of a Headache

DISCUSSED: As The Lone Star state struggles with a surfeit of anomalous weather events, your hosts dig into the challenges inherent to all sorts of complex, interconnected systems. Links for this episode:Brandon Friedman on Twitter: "Water stored in the bathtub froze solid last night. That's how it's going in Dallas. https://t.co/cJdUMDT6pN" / Twitter(Show art swiped from this tweet by Brandon Friedman.) Coldest temperatures in decades continue; more wintry weather mid-week | kvue.comCausalityChain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented. Cautionary Tales – PushkinWe tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these cautionary tales are for the education of the grown-ups — and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “Messy” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They’ll delight you and scare you, but also make you wiser. Causality — OvercastChain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented. Cautionary Tales — OvercastWe tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They’ll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries. Bernard Purdie - Wikipedia“Babylon Sisters” by Steely Dan — Strong Songs — OvercastFoo Fighters - Monkey Wrench - Kiss Guy - Austin, TX. 4-18-18 (Yayo Sanchez) Multi-Cameras - YouTubeLed Zeppelin - "Fool In The Rain" - Isolated drum tracks - YouTubeI’ll Do The Procrastination Episode TomorrowIn an episode that could not be put off any longer, Merlin Mann joins John to unpick the habit of procrastination, how to identify when you’re doing it, why you’re doing it and how to stop yourself from doing it and get yourself back on track. Bernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTubeThe great Bernard Purdie breaks down exactly how The Purdie Shuffle works. Do not miss. Steely Dan - The Making of "Aja" - YouTubeCautionary Tales - La La Land: Galileo's Warning on StitcherGalileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely to happen. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos. La La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — OvercastGalileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely to happen. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos. Marie-Louise Munter (@missmunter) / TwitterFriend of the show! House of Prime Rib | 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco | 415.885.4605Sloan - The Good In Everyone - YouTubeEasy Rider - Airport dealer - YouTubeRandom WalksA random walk is the process by which randomly-moving objects wander away from where they started.
2/16/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 517: How Daddy Make That Paper

DISCUSSED: Doing pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good; Dan discovers a shark is menacingly circling one of his product names; there's a reason Merlin is not in the corner office; your hosts fondly recall the Avon products of their youth; Dan shares a terrific anecdote about George Harrison and Phil Collins; please don't use my things for things those things aren't things to be used for; Mission: Impossible movies are very good; if you want to really appreciate something, it helps to make yourself be an amateur again; a recommendation for a very smart Mac location managing app; Merlin presents a lengthy and disordered jeremiad on HomeKit, HomeKit apps, and the new iOS playground; which is mostly all just to say: why are email apps still so terrible? Links for this episode:Phil Collins recalls the time George Harrison played the biggest prank on him - SmoothDespite two hours of Collins' enthusiastic conga contributions, it was all seemingly a wasted effort when Phil Spector asked the congas to be played – and everyone realised Collins' microphone had been turned off for the entire two hours he'd just been playing. Phil Collins Was An Extra In The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night” Movie | FeelNumb.comThe “fans” that were there that night were each paid a standard union fee for their appearance and among them was Phil Collins, then a 13-year-old child actor who years later found fame with the band Genesis and as a solo artist. dustinrue/ControlPlane: ControlPlane - context-sensitive computing for OS XontrolPlane - context-sensitive computing for OS X HomebridgeBringing HomeKit support where there is none HomeDash | The Ultimate HomeKit AppThe HomeKit App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Home+With Home you can control more than just your HomeKit accessories. Mark Cuban is co-founding a podcast app where hosts can talk to fans live and monetize their conversations - The VergeBurj Khalifa | Mission Impossible | FandomBare Bones Software | Super Get Info Support HomeFincher and VFX - YouTubeMerlin curates a short list of videos highlighting David Fincher's subtle but powerful use of VFX for ordinary-looking (or even invisible) effects in his films. ArtStation - Ted Lasso Stadium, Barnstorm VFX"Curb Your Enthusiasm" Porno Gil (TV Episode 2000) - Reference View - IMDbA bizarre chain of events starts with Larry accidentally being invited to have dinner with a former porno star, Gil, (Bob Odenkirk). Simplify Gmail v2: The inbox and keyboard shortcuts - On Simplify"3. Rewarding you for reaching inbox zero" Ding Dong Avon Calling - YouTube
2/9/20211 hour, 8 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 516: The Steely Dan Dad

No way am I even going to attempt a description this week. With that said: [this is a good one] Links for this episode:harrumph! still crazy ("Rabbit rabbit!")"It's the end of the month and you know what that means...." Donnie Darko: Movie Explanation - A Detailed Explanation Of What happens In Donnie Darko - My ASP.NET ApplicationGoodfellas Painting | Painting From the Movie GoodfellasOver the Garden Wall - WikipediaRoundball Rock - SNL - YouTube"I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson" - NetflixThere is no such thing as an ordinary interaction in this offbeat sketch comedy series that features a deep roster of guest stars. "Netflix Presents: The Characters" (Tim Robinson) - NetflixTim Robinson breaks out characters like a frenzied Rat Pack wannabe, a disturbed limo employee, a gun shopper with bathroom issues and more. I Think You Should Leave | Hot Dog Car Sketch | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTubeTime to get to the bottom of this. Seriously, who crashed this hot dog-shaped car? 'Focus Group' Sketch | I Think You Should Leave w/ Tim Robinson | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTubeWe don't make the rules: Paul HAS to marry his mother-in-law! Baby Of The Year [Full Sketch] | I Think You Should Leave | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTubeDrama, bribery, show tunes, and beauty... which baby will win the most heated competition of the year? Netflix Presents: The Characters | Tim Robinson | Netflix - YouTube"You guys pay WHATEVER you think is fair!" iOS 14.5 features, release date, beta, and everything you need to know | MacworldSeveral welcome features are coming soon to your iPhone. The Pot Roast Principle | Psychology Today"I don't know why I cut the ends off, but it’s what my mom always did. Why don't you ask your Grandma?" The Making of "Peg" - Steely Dan - YouTubeOver The Garden Wall | Potatoes and Molasses | Cartoon Network - YouTubeWirt, Greg, and Beatrice get all mixed up in the musical antics of a schoolhouse of animals, a lovelorn teacher, a grouchy old benefactor, and an escaped gorilla.
2/2/20211 hour, 3 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 515: Please Do Not Tapdance for Me

DISCUSSED: There are things that one wants to see less or fewer often; is this particular button actually hooked up to anything?; there is literal must-see TV and you must see it literally immediately; everything is catching on fire; four basic steps for being a successful adult (who has to deal with other adults); thoughts on creativity and focal length; the process of unpandemicizing, or: do we still know how to put a Casual Corner in a mall?; Dan is loving his iPad; Merlin introduces a theory on The Velocity of Writing Instruments; and, finally, a quick celebrity cameo. Links for this episode:XY problem - Wikipedia
1/26/202158 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 514: Chicken Wipe

DISCUSSED: Dan continues to explore the exciting possibilities of his latest hardware acquisition. Links for this episode:Wisdom From MerlinOr: “Everybody likes being given a glass of water.” It's only advice for you because it had to be advice for me. Paperlike, the iPad Screen Protector: write and draw like on paper
1/19/20211 hour, 2 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 513: A Preferred Testicle

DISCUSSED: life's relentlessness continues apace; Cash enjoyed Dan's modified Godfather trilogy; celebrating Lil' Inappropriate Books; a terrific recent use of "Layla"; some Inside Baseball talk about a recommended app segment; then, for the balance of the episode, your hosts start diving into Dan's exciting new acquisition and how best to put to good use. Links for this episode:‘Y’all don’t wanna hear me, you just wanna dance’: A cognitive approach to listener attention in OutKast’s ‘Hey Ya!’ - Matthew Voice, Sara Whiteley, 2019Toolbox ProJohn Cazale - WikipediaSolfège - WikipediaMusic That Sounds Like The Lyrics - YouTubeiPad Pro - AppleGoodfellas Proud Boys"As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a patriot." I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale (2009) - Reference View - IMDbHomeDash | The Ultimate HomeKit AppThe HomeKit App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Home+Home 4 is the most advanced iOS app to control and automate your HomeKit accessories. RoomScan LiDAR — Locometric®Jay J. Armes - Wikipediathe double amputee you can play with: J. J. ARMES - YouTubeCool Stuff: Pixar Artist Josh Cooley's Lil' Inappropriate Golden Book Movies R Fun – /FilmMovies R Fun!: A Collection of Cinematic Classics for the Pre-(Film) School Cinephile (Lil' Inappropriate Books): Cooley, Josh: 9781452122335: Amazon.com: BooksVelvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies To God - Amazon.com Music
1/13/20211 hour, 16 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 512: You Have a Mustard Fetish

DISCUSSED: Merlin looks at a shelf and then, for some reason, discusses it; walls and Japanese beds and jokey-sized dishwashers all benefit from wheels; life is different when you live on a boat; it's important to find the right tool for the job; some people see forests, while others see trees; Merlin performs his very good Gordon Ramsey impression; Merlin also performs his very good David Lynch impression; in Follow-Up, we learn the extremely unsatisfying reason Personal Requests weren't working on a HomePod; there is discussion of the power of Siri alongside frustrations with its poor documentation; interesting bugs are discussed; your hosts explore the similarities between good documentation and good recipes; weird comic book feet are explored; tips on good media your hosts are enjoying; and, finally, there's some rapid-fire app and scripting recommendations. Links for this episode:Personal Requests not working : HomePod"Turn off hey siri recognition on your iphone and set it up again." How To Control Your Apple TV with the HomePod – Shane WhatleyMy favorite shortcuts to use with my Apple TV | iMoreThese shortcuts and automations are great to use with your Apple TV. Siri Shortcuts plus HomePod is amazing! : appletvConversational Siri Shortcuts for the Smart Home! | HomeKit Siri Shortcuts for the Apple HomePod - YouTubeMaster and Commander: The Far Side of the World - WikipediaNoodlesoft – Noodlesoft – Simply Useful SoftwareAmerican Gods (TV series) - WikipediaOrder of operations - WikipediaIn mathematics and computer programming, the order of operations (or operator precedence) is a collection of rules that reflect conventions about which procedures to perform first in order to evaluate a given mathematical expression. simple machine | Examples, List, & Facts | BritannicaSimple machine, any of several devices with few or no moving parts that are used to modify motion and the magnitude of a force in order to perform work. They are the simplest mechanisms known that can use leverage (or mechanical advantage) to increase force. The simple machines are the inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, and screw. Garner's Quotations: A Modern Miscellany - Kindle edition by Garner, Dwight. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ AmazonSmile.Coach John Wooden - Pyramid of Success - UCLACoach Wooden's 'Pyramid of Success' is his 15 building block initiative in the form of a pyramid. The cornerstones were Industriousness and Enthusiasm, climbing to such strived-for human traits as Intentness, Team Spirit, Poise and Confidence, all leading to the top of the pyramid to reach the ultimate goal of Competitive Greatness. AmazonSmile: Cover Run: The Dc Comics Art of Adam Hughes (Adam Hughes Cover to Cover) (9781401227821): Hughes, Adam: BooksDreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style - Kindle edition by Dreyer, Benjamin. Reference Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.The 40 Worst Rob Liefeld DrawingsBut he doesn't "draw" comics. Oh God, no. Just…ugh, just let me show you. Craft - Create Amazing DocumentsBuilt for digital devices from the ground up, Craft brings back the joy to writing.
1/5/20211 hour, 12 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 511: One Ringy-Dingy

DISCUSSED: Making a problem go away is not the same thing as solving the problem. Links for this episode:Craft - Create Amazing DocumentsBuilt for digital devices from the ground up, Craft brings back the joy to writing. Craft Review: A Powerful, Native Notes and Collaboration App - MacStoriesCraft is the strongest 1.0 note-taking app I’ve ever used. It offers a thoroughly native experience, taking advantage of all the best system features across its respective platforms, while also retaining the power and versatility of modern web-based services like Notion. MacStories Selects 2020: Recognizing the Best Apps of the Year - MacStoriesCraft, a note-taking app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, is the kind of new experience that not only singlehandledly redefines a category, but it’s so exquisitely well thought-out, so elegantly designed, it pushed me to reconsider the very basics of my note-taking workflow. XY problem - WikipediaThe XY problem is a communication problem encountered in help desk and similar situations in which the person asking for help obscures the real issue, X, because instead of asking directly about issue X, they ask how to solve a secondary issue, Y, which they believe will allow them to resolve issue X. Air quality matters but don’t trust Foobot on it | by DHH | MediumSo in summary: There’s nothing wrong, and even if there was, it would be too expensive to do it right!
12/29/202047 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 510: I Cannot Afford Your Loyalty

DISCUSSED: The generational struggle to understand things we can't understand, dealing with other people, and Star Wars. Links for this episode:Craft - Create Amazing DocumentsCraft Review: A Powerful, Native Notes and Collaboration App - MacStoriesMacStories Selects 2020: Recognizing the Best Apps of the Year - MacStoriesUltimate Fakebook - Far Far Away - YouTubeBlank Check with Griffin & David — OvercastNot just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors’ complete filmographies episode to episode. In A Galaxy Far Far Away… - The Phantom Podcast — Blank Check with Griffin & David — OvercastSkullcrusher Mountain - YouTube
12/22/20201 hour, 37 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 509: The End of the River

Sometimes, no one can see the ball—let alone reach the ball.
12/15/20201 hour, 2 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 508: Oscarbation

DISCUSSED: Habits, cycles, and patterns of thinking. Why it's difficult to rehearse success—but surprisingly easy to rehearse failure. Links for this episode:Linky Linky - This has to become a regular thing.Brought to you by: Backblaze(Get a 15-day free trial at Backblaze.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
12/8/202052 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 507: Voltron of Luck

Discussed: the paths of thought and emerging from a rut the size of the Grand Canyon.
12/1/202043 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 505: Everything is Everything

DISCUSSED: From Jerry Lewis to a drinking bird in a scant 80 minutes. Links for this episode:Opinion | Your Brain Is Not for Thinking - The New York TimesHook – Find without searchingHook’s nimble context-sensitive navigator is loved by people who need to focus on project info, such as professors, researchers, lawyers, software developers King of Comedy: The Life and Art of Jerry Lewis: Levy, Shawn: 9780312132484: Amazon.com: BooksJonah Hill 'hospitalised' after snorting so much fake cocaine on Wolf of Wall Street | The Independent | The IndependentJerry Lewis and Dean Martin Reunion 1976 MDA Telethon - YouTubeTop 100 | Project Gutenberg5 Hours of The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4! - YouTubeThe Evening ReadDan Benjamin - YouTube
11/24/20201 hour, 26 minutes, 55 seconds
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Episode 504: Double Wrong

DISCUSSED: lot of projects going on!; praise for Nicki Minaj; some recent TV shows that are important to your hosts; Merlin is a little obsessed with a new Mac productivity app; interrogating problems with deliveries and porch pirates; vehicle theft can be very confusing; and, finally, some insight nobody asked for into Merlin's ambitious new hardware project. Links for this episode:The Omni Show: How Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin Creates “Cognitive Productivity” Software - The Omni GroupHook – Find without searchingLink NetflixHBO MaxBillions (TV series) - WikipediaHow 'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek became America's most beloved TV icon, as told by contestants - The Washington PostThe Woke Oracle | Do By FridayThis week's challenge:draft your Diamond Dogs from Ted Lasso. "Monster" - Kanye West, ft. Nicki Minaj, et al. - YouTube
11/17/20201 hour, 26 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 503: My Emotional Porthole

DISCUSSED: Merlin's additions to Bunch have him stepping on his own dingus; maybe it's time to invert the permissive legacy model for who gets access to us (as well as how and when); there's no amount of technology that can make other people be decent; Oh. Hey. Defaults? Be better; also, please quit stealing my focus; Dan is not buying anything new; your hosts talk about the various (often non-obvious) costs of adding, changing, or removing features; maybe building your whole business on Facebook wasn't such a great idea; passing discussion of Bloom County, Muppet dogs, and a Tilikum bottle; the tale of Underscore's unexpected success, and the costs it brought; talk of affordances; and, finally, Just cough up some dough, Mac! Links for this episode:Can U2’s Songs of Innocence Be Removed From Apple Account?ELECTION PROFIT MAKERSStrong Songs is creating podcasts about music | PatreonBlackfish (film) - WikipediaThe Manchurian Candidate (1962 film) - WikipediaOpus the Penguin - WikipediaThe Flop House Animated - The Porthole of Time - YouTubeBunch - BrettTerpstra.com15 Early Telephone Etiquette Rules We Should Bring Back | Mental FlossSemantic satiation - WikipediaSemantic satiation is a psychological phenomenon in which repetition causes a word or phrase to temporarily lose meaning for the listener, who then perceives the speech as repeated meaningless sounds. Brought to you by: Teamistry (Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts)! Command Line Heroes (Search for Command Line Heroes anywhere you listen to podcasts)! Remote Works (Search for Remote Works anywhere you listen to podcasts)!
11/10/20201 hour, 23 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 502: Lifestyle Billy Butcher

DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot to say about the benefits of making lists; this leads to an old-school stemwinder on "Journal" calendars, functional playlists, shared Notes, the lessons of the cutlery drawer, desire paths, arbitrary grids, "Reference" albums, urban bike hooks, auxiliary paper towel holders, and more; praise for The Boys; the magical combination of Halide and Pixelmator Photo; Dan resurrects a beloved podcast; and, finally, Merlin endorses a really weird British weather report that can help you sleep. Links for this episode:Desire path - WikipediaThe Pot Roast Principle | Psychology Today "I don't know. That's just the way my mom always cooked it. Why don't you ask her?" Star Trek Dr. McCoy Pop Art T-ShirtMy Happy Place - YouTubeVideos I watch pretty often when I need a little pick-me-up. "The Boys" (Prime Video)HalidePixelmator PhotoQUIT! with Dan BenjaminDan's amazing podcast QUIT! has returned! The Secret History: Howard Hughes, Bizarre Billionaire - YouTube5 Hours of The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4! - YouTubeThe Shipping Forecast.mp3.zipThe Shipping Forecast: A Miscellany: Compton, Nic: 9781785940293: Amazon.com: BooksWhat are Affordances? | Interaction Design FoundationBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). SaneBox (Visit the link and get a $25 credit applied to your account on top of the 14-day free trial).
11/3/20201 hour, 10 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 501: You're Sad Wrong

DISCUSSED: hey, it's an advice episode!; San Francisco has a lot of available office space; a musical unguent for your soul; a cool font that makes accessibility pretty; getting in front of your next wave of depression; the Emotional Police are here to cite you for your numerous infractions; and, finally, Merlin highly recommends a recent podcast episode about why we're all so exhausted and what we might want to do about it. Links for this episode:Visualizing the Vacant Office Space in San FranciscoIn other words, there’s roughly 8.7 Salesforce towers, or 516 Salesforce tower floors, worth of empty office space in San Francisco at the moment, which is roughly enough space to accommodate between 67,000 (based on an average, pre-Covid, density) and 91,000 (a la twitter) worker bees. Nick Lowe & The Southsea Alternative Choir - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding - YouTubeDownload the Atkinson Hyperlegible Font | Braille InstituteEverything is Exhausting | To The Best Of Our KnowledgeEverything is Exhausting — To The Best Of Our Knowledge — OvercastHelp for people who suffer seasonal and pandemic depression - The Washington PostWatch SEDUCED: INSIDE THE NXIVM CULT Online: Stream Full Series on STARZ - Free TrialThis four-part documentary series follows the story of India Oxenberg's perilous journey through the dark and criminal world of the notorious self-help-group-turned-sex-slave-cult NXIVM. Reconcilable Differences #141: The Panopticon of Frasier - Relay FMNo spoilers, but if you're a big fan of Facebook, you might want to skip this one. Because, oh boy, do your hosts ever go off. Marked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writersMarked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save. Why Zoom School Is So Awful for Parents and KidsWe're only a few weeks in. We can't keep doing this. President Donald Trump: The 60 Minutes 2020 Election Interview - YouTubeHow to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy: Odell, Jenny: 9781612197494: Amazon.com: BooksSalesforce Tower: Official Web SiteJohn Mulaney: New in Town - Ice-T on "SVU" & Old Murder Investigations - YouTubeBrought to you by: Linode (Get started on Linode today with a $100 in free credit by visiting linode.com/backtowork). Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
10/27/20201 hour, 9 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 500: The Legacy of Guessing

DISCUSSED: Sending good vibes to The Dude; Merlin has a couple awesome app recommendations; some Follow-Up on the Apple Event, including what your hosts are ordering and what they're each excited about; which kinds of things your hosts do and do not find useful about the Apple Rumor Industrial Complex; Dan tries on a new iOS camera app; Merlin recommends a clever web cam app; some of our voice friends hear well, others understand well, and some sound good, but none (for now) do it all; finally, Dan finds some productivity insight, courtesy of The Buddha. Links for this episode:An overly complex hack for finding books on cluttered shelves (Interconnected)Memos - Private MemoryBunch - BrettTerpstra.comReincubate Camo - Use your phone as a pro webcam, freeMarriage Logic MapAdittapariyaya Sutta: The Fire SermonJeff Bridges Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters | GQ - YouTubeJeff Bridges Remains 'Chill' During Troubling Times - YouTubeJeff Bridges, John Goodman And Steve Buscemi Talk ‘The Big Lebowski’ In Extended Inteview | TODAY - YouTube10 Questions for Jeff Bridges - YouTubeDakota Johnson & Jeff Bridges Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED - YouTubeToo Many Cooks | Adult Swim - YouTubeBrought to you by: Teamistry (Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts)! Linode (Get started on Linode today with a $100 in free credit by visiting linode.com/backtowork). LinkedIn Talent Solutions (Get $50 off your first job post by going to LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK).
10/20/20201 hour, 27 minutes, 7 seconds
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Episode 499: Where the Boulder Lives

DISCUSSED: Merlin is reporting live from the show floor; Dan is due for a new phone; nostalgia for buying a carton of cigarettes; praise for Netflix's "Challenger" series; Merlin shares some updates on his big resource-leveling project; gotta find those big rocks, amirite; interruptions are the death of the tech person's day; remember, your work is part of your life—not separate from it. Links for this episode:"Challenger: The Final Flight" (Netflix)Apple’s new HomePod mini speaker revealed in leaked images - The VergeNostromo patch | EtsyNASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Shuttle Carrier Aircraft | NASAF-1 Rocket Engine | National Air and Space MuseumYou Are Allowed 20 Birthday Parties - YouTubeBrought to you by: Linode (Get started on Linode today with a $100 in free credit by visiting linode.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
10/13/202055 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 498: Soviet Satellite Hair

DISCUSSED: Merlin craves an easy visit with Floyd; Spirit's lawsuit no longer winds on down the road; Question: what obligation does a company have to support their developer tools? And for how long exactly?; when are new film editions not "the good one?"; despite swearing not to do so, a popular service for monetizing indie content is, as they say, put on blast; lot of talk about business things; waiters shouldn't lie to people who used to be waiters; exciting developments in the Drafts ecosystem; and, finally, Merlin unleashes an old school stem-winder on taking a recent stab at resource-leveling—using technology! Links for this episode:Introducing the ThoughtAsylum Suite for Drafts | ThoughtAsylumThoughtAsylum - Tasks & Lists | Drafts Action DirectoryAirtableGuide to kanban view – Airtable - SupportIntroduction to Kanban Guide – What is Kanban? | PlanviewWhat Is Kanban And How Can It Be Used To Increase Productivity? | by Sandeep Kashyap | MediumLed Zeppelin emerges victor in 'Stairway to Heaven' plagiarism case | Reuters40 Years Ago: George Harrison Found Guilty of 'My Sweet Lord' PlagiarismAn update on Patreon’s API - Updates - Patreon CommunityPatreon raises $60M Series D, targets international growth and more customization | TechCrunchPatreon Tops $1 Billion Valuation as Pandemic Brings a Surge in Creators to Platform - WSJKanban (development) - WikipediaAlien: The Differences Between Theatrical & Director's CutUltimately, the director’s cut of Alien doesn’t drastically change much for fans of the movie. Even Ridley Scott himself considers the theatrical release the true version of the film and representative of his vision for it. Why the Katy Perry/Flame lawsuit makes no sense - YouTubewarner music claimed my video for defending their copyright in a lawsuit they lost the copyright for - YouTubeEvery Melody Has Been Copyrighted (and they're all on this hard drive) - YouTubeQuote by Kurt Vonnegut: “Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist wh...”“Dr. Hoenikker used to say that any scientist who couldn't explain to an eight-year-old what he was doing was a charlatan.- Said by Dr. Asa Breed Brought to you by: Teamistry (Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts)!
10/6/20201 hour, 19 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 497: HBO Plus 98 XP for the Enterprise

DISCUSSED: the boys update one another on some very good media they're enjoying; everybody loves a movie with a big world; Merlin pitches Dan on the improbable magic of Ted Lasso; talk turns to some new features of Apple's recent OS updates; at length, Merlin makes a case for exploring the amazing new functionalities of widgets, complications, and especially the apps of Underscore David Smith; Guardian gets an exciting update and a pro plan; there's some talk of the challenge in finding a VPN that actually does what you think it's doing; it seems like the show is over, but then there's twelve minutes of movie talk with a focus on children and boobs; finally, Merlin kinda busts a gut about trying to run a Mr. Rogers on the kids you care about. Links for this episode:Ep. 397: "Open Ticket" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John likes to divide his life up into stories. Shortcuts Catalog – Matthew CassinelliRaised by Wolves (American TV series) - WikipediaHBO MaxChris Gethard Loves Kit Fisto | Blank Check with Griffin and David - YouTube@BlankCheckPod | LinktreeIn A Galaxy Far Far Away… - The Phantom Podcast — Blank Check with Griffin & David — Overcast5by5 | 5by5 Specials #32: Film Review: Goodfellas with John SiracusaCapabilities - Guardian FirewallFruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —coconutBattery 3.9 - by coconut-flavour.comVincent Schiavelli - WikipediaChristopher Lloyd - WikipediaJim Ignatowski - WikipediaMay 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications - YouTubeAn American Coach in London: NBC Sports Premier League Film featuring Jason Sudeikis - YouTubeThe Backfire Effect – You Are Not So SmartThe Backfire Effect: Why Facts Don’t Always Change Minds – EffectiviologyBlue Monday (New Order song) - WikipediaIt cost so much to produce that Factory Records actually lost money on each copy sold. Which VPN Providers Really Take Anonymity Seriously in 2020? * TorrentFreakTo help you pick the best one for your needs, we asked dozens of VPNs what their logging policies are, how they handle torrent users, and what else they do to keep you anonymous. VPN Comparison by That One Privacy GuyThis section is meant to be a resource to those who value their privacy, specifically those looking for information on VPNs (that isn’t disguised advertising). Apps - David Smith, Independent iOS DeveloperVincent Schiavelli - IMDb
9/29/20201 hour, 22 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 496: The Costume Beej

DISCUSSED: Folks, this one is a doozy, and that's all I'm gonna say about that. Links for this episode:Inbox Zero: Merlin Mann's Tips for Managing Your Life Online | GQ“I've come to think of it as more of a philosophy than a methodology,” he says now. “It’s about trying to put a stake in the ground with regard to your attention. It’s a way of saying, ‘Some people are allowed to have some of me, some of the time. Regardless of what the world demands of me, here’s what I’m offering.’” On Chasing the Right "Zero" | kung fu grippeIn my view, the titular ‘zero’ in Inbox Zero is not about the number of email messages that are sitting in your inbox at a given time. And, contrary to popular opinion, it’s absolutely not about spending hours of your precious day trying to achieve that empty inbox at any cost. That’s just monkeyballs. Social rules - Recurse CenterFeigned surprise is when you act surprised when someone doesn’t know something. Responding with surprise in this situation makes people feel bad for not knowing things and less likely to ask questions in the future, which makes it harder for them to learn. Henry V - Saint Crispin's Day Speech (1989) - YouTubeFor he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition… Henry V - SCENE III. The English camp.Henry V (1989) - IMDbIn the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415. iOS 14: 14 Tips for Apple’s New iPhone Operating System | WSJ - YouTubeiOS 14 popular features: how to use them all - 9to5MacAirPods Pro now support 'spatial audio' for movies & TV series - FlatpanelsHD5 Best iOS 14 HomeKit Features: Adaptive Lights, Activity Zones | Digital TrendsiOS 14: Explore All the New Features. Start Here.Gmail can now be set as the default iOS 14 email app - The VergeAnnouncing the Shortcuts Catalog for iOS 14, feat. 300 shortcuts & 300 actions – Matthew Cassinelli9 hidden iOS 14 features you'll love discovering on your iPhone - CNETiOS 14: All the New Features With Guides and How Tos - MacRumorsiOS 14 Widgets Offer iPhone Users Creative Home Screen Ideas - MacRumorsThe iOS 14 Privacy and Security Features You Should Know | WIREDNo feigning surpriseI, Podius | Maximum FunRoom 237 | The Shining Wiki | Fandom
9/22/20201 hour, 13 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 495: Even the Mammals

DISCUSSED: Merlin is reporting live from the show floor; remember to photograph your kid's room; some bearded dragon updates; some thoughts on pets; Merlin's grandfather was a reluctant dog obsessive; Dan wants to read you a label; Merlin met a fellow cadet; check out Dan's videos; Merlin is loving iOS 14, especially the smarter Siri suggestions; speculation on how machines learn; your hosts still want Macs to be Macs; Big Sur notifications are basically a Bop It; are we getting diminishing returns from theoretical Mac improvements?; Dan has a really good analogy involving wrist watches; there's a reason normal people don't like their apps to change; Merlin puts review requests on blast; an edit button would still be nice; Merlin finds himself with an unusual opportunity to field test some disused home tech; and, finally, it is hoped that Frasier will leave of his own volition. Links for this episode:Cataract surgery - Mayo ClinicDan Benjamin - YouTubeAmazon.com: Craftsman 9-31794 Slotted Phillips Screwdriver Set, 17 Piece: Home ImprovementMerlin Mann on Twitter: "No new @RoderickOn this week, but I did make something new with something old, mostly for my own amusement. "In a world…" https://t.co/6UicdysnES" / TwitterMerlin made a trailer for the "Supertrain" episode of Roderick on the Line. Bop It - Wikipedia
9/15/20201 hour, 14 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 494: The Sucker’s Sort

DISCUSSED: California has no shortage of crises; Dan's got a brand new bag; thoughts on exercise as prophylactic medicine; extremely anecdotal data on the rise of fake ratings and reviews on Amazon; the return of "A cool thing I learned this week" brings some very neato apps, tips, and whatnot. Links for this episode:TextSniper is a great Mac utility for converting graphics to text - 9to5MacTextSniper - Capture any text from your Mac's screenLaunchBar Help (Clipboard History)Use Time Machine on your Mac to back up to multiple disks - Apple SupportTime Machine rotates the backup schedule among the disks. For each disk, Time Machine backs up everything that’s changed since the last time that disk was used. If you designated items that shouldn’t be backed up, the list of excluded items applies to all backup disks. Versys VS.1 | Century Martial ArtsKnixx on Twitter: ""My back hurts all the time for no reason." How I sit every day: https://t.co/E8W9PDfYSc" / TwitterHigh-intensity interval training - WikipediaSeconds iOS AppEp. 396: "Yreka Bakery" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: We were ruining the world. TextSniper - Capture any text from your Mac's screenjakehilborn/displayplacer: macOS command line utility to configure multi-display resolutions and arrangements. Essentially XRandR for macOS.Service Station – Customize your Right-Click MenuLate Show with David Letterman - "Please Stop Calling Me Chief" 06-26-2001 - YouTubeJohn Bonham - Led Zeppelin - Fool In The Rain - Isolated Drum Track AWESOME - YouTubeBernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTubeDan Benjamin - YouTubeTimeMachineEditorTimeMachineEditor is a software for macOS that lets you change the default one-hour backup interval of Time Machine. PhotoScan – scanner by Google PhotosDon’t just take a picture of a picture. Create enhanced digital scans, with automatic edge detection, perspective correction, and smart rotation. ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review CheckerReviewMeta analyzes Amazon product reviews and filters out reviews that our algorithm detects may be unnatural. ReviewMeta.com: iPhone Cable,Sharllen Metal Spring iPhone Charger Cable Lightning Cable 3FT/6FT/10FT Long Charging&Syncing iPhone Charging Cord Data Wire Compatible iPhone 11/XS/Max/X/8/8Plus/7/7P/6/6 P/6S/iPad Black Amazon Review AnalysisAn example of some VERY sketchy product reviews. Use Magnifier with your iPhone or iPad - Apple SupportWith Magnifier, you can turn your iPhone or iPad into a magnifying glass so you can zoom in on objects near you.
9/8/20201 hour, 12 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 493: Flimsy, but Useful

DISCUSSED: Rabbit, rabbit!; Dan wants to be sedated; at some point, Merlin had most of the optimism bred out of him; a lot of problems and small beefs get overlooked for survival and sanity reasons right now; Dan shares listener recommendations for movies like the Missions Impossible; time was, you went to the weird video store and just hoped you got the good guy; Dan wants to remind you that he signed a letter of agreement—a CONTRACT; maybe it's time we abandon that increasingly meaningless term, "screen time"; Merlin thinks you can give a baby a name that's funny in only one way, but never in more than one way; every generation demonizes a new technology that they're sure will corrupt the youths; Dan has strong thoughts on the Indiana Jones trilogy (yes, there are exactly three and only three); no one is as persuasive as Sean Connery; Merlin made some movie lists; sometimes you get something that's "mostly for your kid" when it's totally not for your kid; Dan draws inspiration from Roald Dahl's work setup; this is probably a pretty good time to be risk-averse; a reminder that there are still always opportunities to improve how you operate; this leads to an examination of "desire paths" and learning from what your intuition and previous behaviors are trying to tell you; Merlin's Infrastructure Week is extended as he goes ham on speeding up his Mac; and, finally, Merlin discusses a useful Mac utility before putting it on blast. Links for this episode:Marvel Classic Sticker Book: Marvel Entertainment: 9781419743436: AmazonSmile: Books[Podcast] Cheat Sheet: How To Ace Zoom SchoolWith thoughts on "screen time." Merlin’s Weird Movies for WeirdosKeep yourself occupied with these weird movies for weirdos. I want so many more movies like these. TIP: if you see some movies you love here, you can trust my taste. If you don’t, you will probably hate these. They are all weird. All of them. Some Next-Level ShitOkay. Your concerns have been heard. Those ““Weird Movies”” weren't weird enough for you, huh? Well, buckle up, Buttercup. This is movie fandom on Difficult Mode. Jack Kirby - WikipediaCleanMyMac X: Make Your Mac As Good As NewThe most user-friendly problem fixer for Mac. Delete system junk, unwanted apps and malware, and tune your Mac for maximum speed. For a slow computer, use immediately. Roald Dahl interview and short film - Pebble Mill at One 1982 - YouTubeWhy Everyone Is So Clumsy During Quarantine - The AtlanticI’m running out of glasses. EtreCheckGo64Quickly scan your disk for applications, see which ones are 32-bit, and find upgrade information with the click of a button. (309) Wes Anderson's visit to Roald Dahl's Buckinghamshire home - YouTubeRamones - I Wanna Be Sedated (Official Music Video) - YouTubeThe Shining (1980) - Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance - IMDb"…retweets are not endorsements…"I saw your disclaimer about how retweets are not endorsements, and I appreciate this sage, lawyerly sentiment, but maybe another option is to stop retweeting shit that any garden-variety human who hasn't carefully reviewed your disclaimer will definitely assume is an endorsement. Merlin has thoughts on recommending media Ted Lasso on Apple TV+Desire path - WikipediaThe path usually represents the shortest or most easily navigated route between an origin and destination. The Why You Only Need to Test with 5 UsersElaborate usability tests are a waste of resources. The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford. Apple accidentally approved malware disguised as Flash, new report finds - The Verge
9/1/20201 hour, 11 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 492: Siracusa Daylight Time

DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot of infrastructure going on; your hosts share strong feelings on time zone discrimination and its attendant big-timing; Dan has more cool videos coming to his channel; some boring nerd talk on voice recording options; Dan needs your suggestions for more movies like the Missions Impossible; in Follow-Up, there's some good news and some bad news related to both COVID and San Francisco; hurricanes are coming!; Merlin figures out why Safari on his Mac got so slow; thoughts on DNS Server choices; Merlin endorses a podcast episode that involves some very Back To Work ideas; everything is copy; and, finally, some concerns about nicknames plus several important questions about the consensuality of Jake Robert's titular snake. Links for this episode:Dan Benjamin - YouTubeComedian Tig Notaro advice on dealing with crazy neighborsThe standup comedian helps our listener stand down and have some laughs. Nora Ephron in Jacob Bernstein's 'Everything Is Copy': Prophet of Privacy - The AtlanticBad things keep piling on — when is enough enough in the Bay Area? - SFChronicle.com‘AeroNabs’ Promise Powerful, Inhalable Protection Against COVID-19 | UC San FranciscoHow to Get the Best Guest Audio for Podcasting - YouTubeAmazonSmile: ARRIS SURFboard SBG7400AC2 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem & AC2350 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Router, Approved for Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity & others (black): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Cloud Microphones CL-1 Cloudlifter 1-Channel Mic Activator - Feedback Reducer Bundle with 10-FT Balanced XLR Cable, and 5-Pack of Reusable Cable Ties: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Universal Audio Arrow Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface,Gray: Musical InstrumentsMerlin Mann on Twitter: "Unrelated but related, here's my own (admittedly less interesting) March list of weird movies for weirdos in lockdown. https://t.co/yNfNmtWvKu" / Twitter1.1.1.1 — the Internet’s Fastest, Privacy-First DNS ResolverDynamic Host Configuration Protocol - WikipediaHurricane Laura updates: Storm is intensifying with Texas, Louisiana in crosshairs - The Washington PostI'm Still Here - Elaine Stritch - YouTube203: Recordings for Someone - This American LifeTropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names1.1.1.1 — The free app that makes your Internet faster.Cloud Delivered Enterprise Security by OpenDNSMore Than Half Of San Francisco Storefronts Closed Due To Pandemic – CBS San FranciscoNumber of Homes for Sale in SF Surpasses Recession-Era MarksElection Day Asteroid: Is an Asteroid Really Hitting Earth Nov 2?Brought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). eero (Go to eero.com/backtowork and enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get FREE overnight shipping with your order).
8/25/20201 hour, 25 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 491: You and Your Hog

DISCUSSED: time is hard; X-Men for eight cellos; in follow-up, Dan has some clues for troubleshooting his jumpy screen; it's valuable to understand what problem you didn't solve; then, of course, comes the extended weekly airing of COVID grievances; Merlin needs advice on choosing a Zoom recorder; check out Dan's new thing!; recommendations for Ted Lasso and Ethan Hunt; some lessons to bring home from vacation; plus, some more reckons on life after COVID. Links for this episode:How Dan Records Back to WorkHow to slit and fold a map for special use (ArmyStudyGuide.com)Miura fold - WikipediaHow to Fold a Topographic Map and Other Techniques - ITS TacticalHome design is adapting to the pandemic, too - MarketplaceCOVID-19Samara Ginsberg on Twitter: "I had A LOT of requests for this one! X-Men: The Animated Series https://t.co/D1W5TAAs0I" / TwitterParents are furious that schools can’t reopen - The Washington PostWhat we’ve learned about this coronavirus.The pandemic moves quickly. The scientific consensus changes slowly. Did we waste time waiting for data when we could have adopted low-cost safety measures?Guest: New York Times reporter Apoorva Mandavilli. Apoorva Mandavilli - The New York TimesApoorva Mandavilli is a reporter for The Times, focusing on science and global health. She is the 2019 winner of the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting. Amazon.com: Zoom H4n Pro All Black 4-Track Portable Recorder (2020 Model), Stereo Microphones, 2 XLR/ ¼“ Combo Inputs, Guitar Inputs, Battery Powered, Multitrack Recorder for Music, Audio for Video, Podcasting: Musical InstrumentsMic Technique - YouTubeAmazon.com: Zoom F6 Field Recorder/Mixer, Professional Field Recording, Audio for Video, 32-Bit Float Recording, 14 Channel Recorder, 6 XLR Inputs, Timecode, Ambisonics Mode, Battery Powered, iOS Wireless Control: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Zoom F8n Multi-Track Field Recorder with Protective Case For F8n Recorders Bundle: Musical InstrumentsTed Lasso on Apple TV+Rosanne Cash - Seven Year Ache - YouTube‘A Smoking Gun’: Infectious Coronavirus Retrieved From Hospital Air - The New York TimesAirborne virus plays a significant role in community transmission, many experts believe. A new study fills in the missing piece: Floating virus can infect cells. Opinion | Yes, the Coronavirus Is in the Air - The New York TimesTransmission through aerosols matters — and probably a lot more than we’ve been able to prove yet. Viable SARS-CoV-2 aerosols detected in a hospital room with COVID-19 patientsRecently, the WHO said aerosol transmission is confirmed, especially in areas that are not well-ventilated. Previously, the WHO said that airborne transmission is only possible in hospitals via medical procedures that involved the release of aerosols, including nebulization and suctioning. Spotify – 7. I Don't Care, Fire Me - An Oral History of The Office | Podcast on SpotifyWe pull back the curtain in a room that is usually kept from the public: the writers room. The Office writers share their tricks for coming up with ideas, why they pulled in the actors to help, and what they did to help launch an industry-wide battle. Sturgis Rally 2020: Despite Coronavirus Thousands Converge in South Dakota - The New York Times“We are allowed to make our own choices,” she said. “If we get it, we chose to be here.” Zoom H4 Handy Recorder - WikipediaReport Shows Record Increase in San Francisco Real Estate Listings as People Continue Moving to More Affordable CitiesWith remote work more popular than ever — amid companies like Google and Facebook now saying employees can work from home well into 2021 — people are leaving SF in throngs. A new Zillow report further supports that idea, showing a 96 percent year-over-year increase in local inventory listings. Nearly 2 times as many San Francisco homes are for sale - Business InsiderSan Francisco is just one of the major cities across the country is at the center of a debate around the post-coronavirus future of urban areas. Brought to you by: Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
8/18/20201 hour, 7 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 490: Penetration Engineer

DISCUSSED: Dan is joining a campaign, and Merlin's eyesight now precludes him from being an AD&D dungeon master; Dan has a concern about his laptop screen and needs your help; then, the boys settle in for a good, old-fashioned recommendations episode; podcasts, pens, video editing apps, a 3D printer, a new SoundSource, hard drives, and even a moisturizing cream for your little patch. Links for this episode:AmazonSmile : MUJI Aluminum Body Fountain Pen - Fine Nib - with 2 Refill Ink Cartridge : Office ProductsBlank Check with Griffin & DavidNot just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Each new miniseries, hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims delve into the works of film’s most outsized personalities in painstakingly hilarious detail. RoboCop — Blank Check with Griffin & David — OvercastAmazonSmile: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black 4/pk: Office ProductsAmazonSmile : PALOMINO BLACKWING 3Pencils SET(Original, 602, Pearl 1each) : Office ProductsMonoprice MP Voxel 3D Printer, Fully Enclosed, Easy Wi-Fi, Touchscreen, 8GB On-Board Memory, Polar Cloud Enabled - Monoprice.comOFFICIAL Wondershare Filmora9 Video Editor (Win & Mac) | Download Filmora9!Professional video editor | Adobe Premiere ProThingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical ObjectsRogue Amoeba | SoundSource: A Superior Sound ControlRogue Amoeba | Quality Audio Software for MacOSAmazon.com: SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD 2TB - Up to 1050MB/s - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive, Black (MU-PC2T0K/WW): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: WD 2TB My Passport SSD External Portable Drive, USB 3.1, Up to 540 MB/s - WDBKVX0020PSL-WESN: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: AnuMed Vitamin D3 Cream with Magnesium 10,000 IU | Healthy Skin Care & Face Cream | Maximum Calcium Absorption | Non-Greasy Moisturizer for Dry Skin - 3 Ounces: Health & Personal CareBrought to you by: Indeed (Try Indeed out with a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/BACKTOWORK. This is their best offer available anywhere). Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com/backtowork and enter promo code BACKTOWORK).
8/11/20201 hour, 6 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 489: Not a Monkey Man

DISCUSSED: the joys of a movie that reveals itself over multiple viewings; good storytelling is difficult but so rewarding; as you know, Bob, a lot of movies have that Walk Hard problem; Merlin has questions about Dan's day-to-day in Travis County; people are cooking the books; why do so many people have the Extremis virus these days?; we could still make a big dent; and, finally, wow, the demands for performance sure can be exhausting. Links for this episode:Fair Play Mystery (Concept) - Comic VineEdgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy - YouTubeAmazon.com: 2 PCS Men Women Safety Face Shields with Protective Clear Film, Reusable plastics Elastic Band and Comfort Sponge. Eye Protection: Home ImprovementWhy the Pandemic Is So Bad in America - The Atlantic(49) AXIOS on HBO: President Trump Exclusive Interview (Full Episode) | HBO - YouTubeLampshade Hanging - TV TropesChekhov's gun"If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off." As You Know, Bob…You Are Not So Smart #185 - MasksBrought to you by: Mint Mobile (To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to mintmobile.com/backtowork
8/4/202042 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 488: Uncle Dad

DISCUSSED: Merlin has discovered a unique new voice emerging from the medical and spiritual communities; your hosts interrogate the implications of this new material; Dan and Merlin have media recommendations; as a main topic, your hosts explore the many, intertwined complexities of trying to figure out "the future" right now. Links for this episode:Stella Immanuel, Trump’s New COVID-19 Doctor, Believes in Alien DNA, Demon Sperm, and HydroxychloroquineWalls Are Back - The AtlanticPersonal space is finally back in style, but re-creating it after two decades of its destruction is hardly a straightforward task. Parents are furious that schools can’t reopen - The Washington PostI can’t be the only parent who finds containing my anger about this to be a full-time job on top of the two I’m already performing poorly. America’s Schools Are a Moral and Medical CatastropheCompanies are quickly learning lessons about the varied necessities of remote work, from appropriate tools to new styles of management. Fortunes may be won or lost as innovators and upstarts bet on what best suits a homebound workforce. 9 Future of Work Trends Post-COVID-19As the pandemic resets major work trends, HR leaders need to rethink workforce and employee planning, management, performance and experience strategies. The future of work after COVID-19 | Deloitte InsightsAs they stage the return to work, organizations need to ask themselves critical questions to help them prepare for the perceived and actual ethical impacts of business decisions. 185 - Masks - You Are Not So Smart - Omny.fmHumans are notoriously bad at assessing their risk. In a pandemic, that’s a problem - SFChronicle.comWhy I Can’t Believe in ‘Spirit Husbands’ and ‘Spirit Wives’ - TGC AfricaWatch the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast reunite for 10th anniversary table read | EW.comMichael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, director Edgar Wright, and more got together for the special event. 185 - Masks — You Are Not So Smart — OvercastGerald McRaney - WikipediaNote: Gerald McRaney is not David McRaney Kobayashi Maru scenario | Memory Alpha | FandomKobayashi Maru - WikipediaBrought to you by: Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork). Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).
7/28/202059 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 487: Nostradamus Pants

DISCUSSED: There's really only one topic right now, and it's not going away any time soon. Many analogies and historical echoes are explored. The future, if it exists, is going to be very weird. Links for this episode:And the Band Played On (film) - WikipediaCooter (30 Rock) - WikipediaAnd the Band Played On streaming: where to watch online?What teachers really think about school reopening in the fall.Four teachers on their fears and frustrations heading into the 2020 school year. There Is No Plan (For You) - In These TimesUnemployment, evictions, business failure, a pandemic and health crises are all here at once. The federal government doesn’t care. Splitting (psychology) - WikipediaMSNBC: Atlanta Mayor: Despite rising cases, Georgia Governor ‘wants to silence me’Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says that in Atlanta, the city is facing 13% left in ICU capacity, yet Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ‘wants to silence me.’ Adam Alma on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies let me be the nth Floridian to tell you about the wagon wheel closing just last month. Sorry if you mention it later in the show, only 20 mins in https://t.co/3yBdluXoxg" / TwitterIconic Wagon Wheel Flea Market closes after five decades in Pinellas ParkSkyfall - WikiquoteNo. You take them, and release them into the trees. Only now, they don't eat coconut anymore. Now they will only eat rat. You have changed their nature. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). Indeed (Try Indeed out with a free $75 credit at Indeed.com/BACKTOWORK. This is their best offer available anywhere).
7/21/202056 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 486: The Ballad of Danny Knife

DISCUSSED: knife talk and flea market nostalgia; a deep dive on state knife law; knife tips from listeners; Merlin reinstalled Homebrew; comfort viewing amidst these challenging times; also, a healthy fear of Australian spiders. Links for this episode:Flea Market | Drive in Movies| Florida Swap ShopCalifornia’s Knife Laws – What You Need to KnowCalifornia Knife Laws - Rules On Possession And UseCalifornia Knife Laws 2019 - Is It Legal to Carry One? - Riderz LawCrater C33T Knife | LeathermanLEATHERMAN, Skeletool Lightweight Multitool with Combo Knife and Bottle Opener, Stainless Steel - - Amazon.comWagon Wheel Flea MarketVendorsaden films - YouTubeChoir! Epic! Nights with Colin Hay - Men At Work "Overkill" - YouTubeChoir! Choir! Choir! sings Sloan - Coax Me - YouTubeOlive Wagyu in Japan - The rarest Steak in the World - YouTubeThe Law of Hot Places | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: check out some flashlights and knives. Gerber EAB Pocket Knife [22-41830] - Gerber Knives - AmazonSmileSeymour Duncan Unleashing The Mysteries Of A Scalloped Fingerboard - Guitar Pickups, Bass Pickups, Pedalsa-ha - Take On Me (Live From MTV Unplugged) - YouTubeBrought to you by: Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
7/14/20201 hour, 12 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 485: Travis County, P.I.

DISCUSSED: Merlin has flies in his bathroom; Dan's town is really going through some times; there's some COVID talk, duh; Merlin solved a very strange iOS beta bug; main topic involves some thoughts on the Apple betas and the tantalizing future that they imply; Dan has a new keyboard and an accompanying conspiracy theory; leathers men are discussed; and, finally, Merlin needs to use the bathroom—provided the flies will allow it. Links for this episode:European Union - WikipediaOur Ability to Process Information Is Reaching a Critical LimitAmazon.com: Logitech MX Keys Advanced Wireless Illuminated Keyboard - Graphite: Computers & AccessoriesAmazonSmile: LEATHERMAN, Wingman Multitool with Spring-Action Pliers and Scissors, Built in the USA, Stainless Steel with Nylon Sheath: Sports & OutdoorsLEATHERMAN, FREE P4 Multitool with Magnetic Locking, One Hand Accessible Tools and Premium Nylon Sheath and Pocket Clip, Built in the USA - - AmazonSmileLEATHERMAN, Squirt PS4 Keychain Multitool with Spring-Action Scissors and Aluminum Handles, Built in the USA, Black - Multitools - Amazon.comChicago (typeface) - WikipediaCharcoal (typeface) - WikipediaSystem 6 | Apple Wiki | FandomSystem 6 was the name of the operating system of the Apple Macintosh computer, which was introduced in April 1988, prior to the introduction of System 7. Brought to you by: Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork). Mint Mobile (To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to mintmobile.com/backtowork
7/7/20201 hour, 14 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 484: Default Settings for America

DISCUSSED: the things we can and cannot do anything about; the things that can and cannot change; and the wisdom to know all of the differences. Links for this episode:Ep. 389: "The New March" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannState Flag - 1845 - Florida Department of StateOn March 3, 1845, Florida became the twenty-seventh state. Citizens of Tallahassee presented incoming Governor William D. Moseley with a flag that flew at his inauguration. However, because of a controversy surrounding its motto, it never became an official state flag. The flag shown here is reconstructed from a written description. Apple introduces macOS Big Sur with a beautiful new design - AppleEuropean Union - Wikipedia"Fawlty Towers" The Germans (TV Episode 1975) - IMDbBrought to you by: Backblaze(Get a 15-day free trial at Backblaze.com/backtowork).
6/30/20201 hour, 15 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 483: You Are Free to Leave

DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin take a first look at Apple's recently-announced iOS and iPadOS updates. Links for this episode:iPad Keyboards - ApplePaul Verhoeven - WikipediaSecure, Fast & Private Web Browser with Adblocker | Brave BrowserAmazonSmile : Arlo Pro 3 – Wire-Free Security 2 Camera System | 2K with HDR, Indoor/Outdoor, Color Night Vision, Spotlight, 160° View, 2-Way Audio, Siren | Works with Alexa | (VMS4240P) : Camera & PhotoWWDC 2020 Special Event Keynote — Apple - YouTubeBrought to you by: Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork). Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
6/23/20201 hour, 9 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 482: Two Pills Only

DISCUSSED: Merlin is nauseated, and Dan has advice on what you definitely should or should not buy at a gas station; Merlin says he'll be brief, but, as usual, it turns into a real stem-winder as…; Merlin addresses the complexity of treating mental illness in a way that doesn't upend your body and life; Dan needs some TV show recommendations, but has very strong feelings about talking animals; Merlin wonders aloud if he's ever met @Darth; case close. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight. darth™ (@darth) / TwitterDSM-5 Criteria for ADHD – ADD Resource CenterADHD DSM-5® Criteria | Diagnostic Criteria for ADHDDepression and anxiety spike among black Americans after George Floyd's death - The Washington PostBrought to you by: Zendesk (Get your free 6 months today by visiting Zendesk.com/backtowork).
6/19/202058 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 481: Feelings of Mouth

DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin talk about hot dogs. Links for this episode:Uncured Beef Frankfurters (Natural Casing) | Boar's HeadProducts - Hot Dogs - ApplegatePRODUCTS « KahnsDonate - Howard Brown Health"Howard Brown was established on the premise that healthcare in the LGBTQ community should be a readily accessible right, not a luxury – that those who lack the privilege of adequate health coverage or access to competent medical providers should be able to find care in a confidential and supportive environment." Does Bond’s product placement go too far? - BBC CultureMaria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on VimeoVINTAGE 1967 ARMOUR HOT DOGS COMMERCIAL - KIDS MARCHING & SINGING - YouTubeTo Differentiate: High Ceilings and Low Floors |PredictIt: Search ResultsBrought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). Memberful (Memberful is the easiest way to sell memberships to your audience, used by the biggest creators on the web. Sign-up for FREE by visiting the link).
6/9/20201 hour, 12 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 480: A Gracious Dyad

DISCUSSED: not everything can be everything; pain accumulates; getting weepy about a cool teacher; expanding on our new thought technology for reframing negative thoughts and feelings; abstracting that new thought technology to tons of different endeavors; why won't they just let me win this video game?; the scissors and Scotch Tape are wherever you left them; the joys of ritual and control; the importance of infrastructure; break the big thing into a bunch of little things; Merlin performs a brief recitation of Back to Work's Greatest Hits; please cut up my food for me please; theme dining nights rule; praise for Daniel Kahneman; it used to be so confusing when TV shows had inside film and outside film. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #479: Use or AvoidDan Columbos Merlin with a question about napping, which leads to some surprising insights on our feelings about success and failure. Thinking, Fast and Slow - WikipediaFawlty Towers - Wikipedia"Fair is…"Penny Arcade - News - Dear DiarySo I’ve always worried about things. I also always knew that most of the time there was nothing to worry about. For me it wasn’t even just worrying about something. I understand that everyone worries. The best way I can describe it is "Chain worrying." 5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Laozi - WikiquoteA journey of a thousand miles started with a first step. Rocky & Philadelphia Morning - YouTubeBird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life: Lamott, Anne: 8601404243813: AmazonSmile: Books"The first draft is the child's draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later." The Men Who Started a Thinking Revolution (Ep. 271) - Freakonomics FreakonomicsStarting in the late 1960s, the Israeli psychologists Amos Tversky and Danny Kahneman began to redefine how the human mind actually works. Michael Lewis’s new book The Undoing Project explains how the movement they started — now known as behavioral economics — has had such a profound effect on academia, governments, and society at large. Think Fast with Daniel Kahneman | Hidden Brain : NPRWe found our own mistakes very funny. What was fun was finding yourself about to say something really stupid. CaddyShack Cinderella Story - YouTubeThe War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles: Pressfield, Steven, Coyne, Shawn: 8601420220232: Amazon.com: BooksOne Zoom to Rule Them All | Reunited Apart LORD OF THE RINGS Edition - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
6/2/20201 hour, 10 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 479: Use or Avoid

DISCUSSED: Skype struggles; nobody likes parsnips; Dan remotely teaches Merlin to cut his own hair; Dan introduces a new game show, and Merlin is dealing with poop; life is not currently optimized for multiple-event days; Merlin challenges you to remember when exactly eight minutes has gone by; why we'll eventually each discover what the hell happened on our personal Galápagos; the exhaustion of Zoom calls; an omnibus recommendation related to movies; finally, Dan Columbos Merlin with a question about napping, which leads to some surprising insights on our feelings about success and failure. Links for this episode:30 Singular Films to Watch in Quarantine - The AtlanticThese films, each unforgettable in its own way, are essential viewing. Mad Max: Fury Road with Emily Yoshida — Blank Check with Griffin & David — OvercastRoboCop — Blank Check with Griffin & David — OvercastThe Book of Henry — Blank Check with Griffin & David — OvercastBlank Check with Griffin & David is creating Podcasts | PatreonMerlin Mann on Twitter: "Are you a weirdo? Do you enjoy movies? Cool. I got the hook-up. https://t.co/UVog1T7Ide" / TwitterUncut Gems on Netflix: What’s the True Story Behind Howard Ratner’s Bet?Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they can | Graham Shaw | TEDxHull - YouTubeDavid Sims: 30 Movies That Are Unlike Anything You’ve Seen Before - YouTubeMerlin Mann on Twitter: "Power is the ability to make strangers live your "normal."" / TwitterThe reason Zoom calls drain your energy - BBC Worklife5 reasons why Zoom meetings are so exhausting[1986] The Housemartins • Happy Hour - YouTubeAmazon.com : Wahl Color Pro Complete Hair Cutting Kit, #79300-400T : Hair Clipper Kits And SetsBrought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). ExpressVPN (So protect your online activity today and get an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package by visitingexpressvpn.com/backtowork).
5/26/20201 hour, 12 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 478: Morbidly Obese Clemenza

DISCUSSED: discussion of The Freshman and thoughts on what makes a movie "hold up"; has anyone ever craved a three-star movie?; what Merlin really wants is a smart friend; Dan is enjoying On Becoming a God in Central Florida; the difficulty of making weird good; I didn't buy it a beer; your mask is not a case for your beard; Dan has follow-up on bikes; Merlin has follow-up on companies and WFH help; thoughts on what we know and don't know about the difficulties of ““reopening””; the benefits and challenges of being a chain-worrying project manager; praise for the Austin Grackles. Links for this episode:The Freshman (1990) - IMDbBruno Kirby - Biography - IMDbCarmine Said One Boy - YouTubeFreeway movie review & film summary (1997) | Roger Ebert"Occasionally an unsuspecting innocent will stumble into a movie like this and send me an anguished postcard, asking how I could possibly give a favorable review to such trash. My stock response is Ebert's Law, which reads: A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it." Penny Arcade - News - Dear Diary'So I’ve always worried about things. I also always knew that most of the time there was nothing to worry about. For me it wasn’t even just worrying about something. I understand that everyone worries. The best way I can describe it is "Chain worrying."' Idiot plot - Wikipedia'In literary criticism, an idiot plot is "a plot which is kept in motion solely by virtue of the fact that everybody involved is an idiot," and where the story would otherwise be over if this were not the case.' Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
5/19/20201 hour, 13 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 477: The Immediacy Filter

DISCUSSED: Here we are in Spain; a lot went on behind the scenes of The Wizard of Oz; also Modern Problems existed; further discussion of 80s movies; they used to make more movies; B-MO gets a show?; secrets of the child whisper network; Saturday morning memories; C19 is making a lot of holes and gaps in kids' lives; what even is the deal with colleges?; wisdom from the great Kevin Kelly; it's one thing to know something, but it's another thing to know something; and, finally, beginning to explore how best to level resources and expectations as many of us work from home. Links for this episode:Merlin's Twitter poll from Monday"Poll: as your company prepped for people to WfH, how much interaction did you have to address your specific challenges, get extra resources, and set individual expectations?" National Remote Work SurveyThe Technium: 68 Bits of Unsolicited AdviceIt’s my birthday. I’m 68. I feel like pulling up a rocking chair and dispensing advice to the young ‘uns. Here are 68 pithy bits of unsolicited advice which I offer as my birthday present to all of you. New BeginningsAfter he goes to Jerusalem and sleeps on what is supposedly the very spot where Jesus was crucified, Kevin Kelly has a revelation: that he should live the next six months as if he would die at the end of them. Modern Problems - WikipediaADVENTURE TIME: DISTANT LANDS Official Teaser Trailer (HD) HBO MAX Series - YouTubeSuspend SAT for UC admissions, Janet Napolitano says - Los Angeles TimesValley Girl (1983) - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTubeSpotify – Valley Girl SOUNDTRACKSlim Whitman Commercial 1980 - YouTubeSlim Whitman All MY Best 1979 Record Commercial - YouTubeThe Best Of Red Sovine TV Commercial - YouTubeZamfir Master of the Pan Flute Commercial - YouTubeClassic Freedom Rock Commercial 1988 Best Quality on You-Tube!!! - YouTubeI Hanker for a Hunka Cheese - YouTubeWonderama with Bob McAllister - YouTubeEight Men Out (1988) - Reference View - IMDbA dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series. Coronavirus: CSU to have mainly online classes in fall 2020 - Los Angeles TimesBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
5/12/20201 hour, 14 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 476: Paul Williams Sat Alone

DISCUSSED: Dan has concerns!; every road has many parts, but you seriously need to show your humanity; stop signs are really just velocipede serving suggestions; not all wood floats; too soon; an ambitious crossover is proposed; Cormac McCarthy rules; Phillip W. Battery sure has a lot going on for a busy and attentive new dad; as a main topic, your hosts bounce off a terrific recent episode of Merlin's beloved You're Wrong About; hey, what B2W-ish lessons can be drawn from the response to the Y2K "bug"?; ultimately, it is just so hard to solve one problem without potentially creating five other problems; memories of New Year's Eve, 1999; for once, Dan wasn't concerned at all; more praise for YWA, and a humble apology to Sarah; hey, listen, don't be ashamed to find delight; praise for Slugline 2; a recommendation for a James Franco movie. Links for this episode:You're Wrong AboutWith Michael Hobbes & Sarah Marshall The Y2K Bug — You're Wrong About — OvercastYou're Wrong About is creating a podcast | PatreonLa La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — OvercastBlood Meridian (Audiobook) by Cormac McCarthy | Audible.comIs Motorcycle Lane Splitting Legal in Texas? Bike Crash Legal InfoStranger Danger — You're Wrong About — OvercastThe Satanic Panic — You're Wrong About — OvercastKonrad Lorenz: Godfather of Animal Imprinting Theory - How Animal Imprinting Works | HowStuffWorksSluglineFrom Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (read by... | kung fu grippeBrainstorm (1983) - Reference View - IMDbResearchers develop a system where they can jump into people's minds. But when people involved bring their personal problems into the equation, it becomes dangerous - perhaps deadly. Brainstorm (1983) [Trailer] - YouTubeY2K | 2 weeks after Mad and I met; 2 weeks before she moved … | Flickry2k | New Year's Eve at Michael's house on McAllister. 10 da… | FlickrSaturday Night (2008) - YouTubeBehind the Planet of the Apes | ConsiderableAmazonSmile: On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft eBook: King, Stephen: Kindle StoreGrimes - We Appreciate Power (Lyric Video) - YouTubeMerlin's thoughts on Phillip W. BatteryAfter Twitter rant, Elon Musk lists two California homes - SFGateFolk devil - Wikipedia5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver — Back to Work — OvercastBasement Jaxx - Rendez Vu ( Official Video ) Remedy - YouTubeBrought to you by: Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500). Meh (Head on over to Meh.com to see what's on sale today!)
5/5/20201 hour, 23 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 475: ¿Why Not Dos Otros?

DISCUSSED: Merlin is having a strange day, and Dan notices everything; please remember that fear and stress and anxiety are pretty terrible motivators; praise for On Becoming a God in Central Florida and 1Password; security theater vs. security reality; Dan's new mouse is as quiet as a…what's the word?; Brushing with Hardest Available Toothbrush Considered Harmful; Dan is gently exposing his son to one of the great films. So what?; a couple great pieces on making actual good passwords; recommendations for a Sondheim special and a terrific YouTube guy; extensive advice and suggestions for a listener moving to a Mac; learning almost anything is a lot like learning The Metric System; and, finally, praise for the great Peter N. Lewis. Links for this episode:Multiple Level Thinking | Levels Of Thought In PokerEp. 378: "Lion, Tiger, Horse, Monkey" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John has rarely driven a car hard and hung it up wet. Ep. 379: "Garbage Island" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John feels like the world is changing. Ep. 380: "The Impossible Me" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John is trying not to paddle alone in life. Password Manager for Families, Businesses, Teams | 1PasswordTake Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration - YouTubeWhen can Mario retire? | Unraveled - YouTubebrian david gilbert - YouTubeMerlin Mann on Twitter: "You know it's been a sound night's sleep when you wake up at 3:50am thinking, "Huh. It's been a while since I watched Holy Mountain." https://t.co/aVbNYqwTIV" / TwitterToward better Master Passwords | 1PasswordThe strength of a password creation system is not how many letters, digits, and symbols you end up with, but how many ways you could get a different result using the same system. xkcd: Password StrengthCOVID-19 Response - Removing trial limits to help businesses work securely from home | 1PasswordAmazon.com: Logitech M330 Silent Plus Wireless Mouse – Enjoy Same Click Feel with 90% Less Click Noise, 2 Year Battery Life, Ergonomic Right-Hand Shape for Computers and Laptops, USB Unifying Receiver, Black: Computers & AccessoriesHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3 (Audiobook) by J.K. Rowling | Audible.comBartender 3 - Organize your menu bar icons on MacMizage - ShushDaring Fireball: Interarchy Interview: Peter N Lewis and Matthew DraytonThe Holy Mountain (HD Trailer - HD) | ABKCO Films - YouTubeThe Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play: Fiore, Neil: 8601400338544: AmazonSmile: BooksWork in multiple spaces on Mac - Apple SupportWitch · Many TricksThe built-in macOS app switcher is great if all you use are one-window applications. But you probably have many windows open in many apps, possibly with many tabs, and navigating them all is a pain. Enter Witch, with which you can switch everything… uBar - The Dock replacement for the MacThe Dock replacement for the Mac. Boost your productivity with the most advanced and versatile app and window manager for the Mac. Moom · Many TricksMoom makes window management as easy as clicking a mouse button—or using a keyboard shortcut, if you're one of those types of people.With Moom, you can easily move and zoom windows to half screen, quarter screen, or fill the screen folivora.ai - Great Tools for your Mac!BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to customize various input devices on your Mac. Keyboard Maestro 9.0.5: Work Faster with Macros for macOSWhether you are a power user or just getting started, your time is precious. So don’t waste it. You can quickly benefit from Keyboard Maestro. Let Keyboard Maestro help make your Mac life more pleasant and efficient. Kirsten Dunst Just Couldn’t Let Go of On Becoming a God in Central Florida | Vanity FairOn Becoming a God: Seasons, Episodes, Cast, Characters - Official Series Site | SHOWTIMEThis dark comedy series stars Kirsten Dunst as Krystal Stubbs, a minimum-wage water park employee who lies, schemes and cons her way up the ranks of the cultish, multibillion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her family to ruin in the first place. Acorn 6 | Full Featured Photo Editor for the MacAcorn has everything you need in an image editor. Pixelmator PhotoA powerful photo editor created exclusively for iPad. LaunchBar 6Start with a single keyboard shortcut to accessand control every aspect of your digital life. TextExpander – Communicate SmarterEasily insert text snippets in any application from a library of content created by you and your team. JAY-Z - Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)... - YouTubeBrought to you by: ExpressVPN (So protect your online activity today and get an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package by visitingexpressvpn.com/backtowork). Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).
4/28/20201 hour, 13 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 474: The Confidence to Keep Pedaling

DISCUSSED: our perception of value is definitely personal and maybe even a little generational; sometimes, the only thing you can afford is the best; a listener question about where your hosts are with comics; further praise for TaskPaper; updates on macOS text editing; Merlin capitulates to Catalina; Dan answers a listener question about coping with chronic back pain; learning how to stop rehearsing frailty by embracing the wonders of momentum. Links for this episode:CBR and CBZ Files (What They Are and How to Open One)nvALT - BrettTerpstra.comSublime Text - A sophisticated text editor for code, markup and proseBare Bones Software | BBEdit 13TaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for Macalefore/edge: Edge - a text editorRowing Machine - Model D with PM5 | Concept2Amazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper Barista's Choice - Bonus 100 Filters Included (18 oz Large, Clear): Kitchen & DiningThe Incomparable | Kids Have Bad Taste (Episode 104)Brought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).
4/21/20201 hour, 6 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 473: French on Tom Sawyer

DISCUSSED: Dan loves it when things just work and so does Merlin; Dan is composting, and Merlin is down to clown; ¡repita después de mi!; massive real-time follow-up; playing with iBeacons; excellent follow-up and notes from listeners; many reccomendations; memories of Grad Night; this is a very silly one. Links for this episode:The Weirdly Enduring Appeal of Weird Al Yankovic - The New York TimesEstimote – experts in location and proximity solutionsWe are experts in location and proximity solutions folivora.ai - Great Tools for your Mac!BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to customize various input devices on your Mac. Netflix - "Unorthodox"PicPedant (@PicPedant) / TwitterCelery Man - YouTubeAmazon.com: Celery Man: Alexa SkillsBar None // ShaunInman.comMac Power Users #528: The Merlin Awakens - Relay FMMPU Hall of Famer Merlin Mann returns to discuss using plain text, home automation, the Apple TV and more. Automators #39: Automating iBeacons - Relay FMIn this episode, David and Rosemary try all sorts of iBeacons and look at why, where, when, and how you use these little devices. Releases · JetBrains/JetBrainsMonoRasmus Andersson on Twitter: "Inter is now available from @googlefonts! https://t.co/IoTMQDefNN Congrats to @ThunderNixon who worked tirelessly on getting Inter on-boarded to Google Fonts. https://t.co/tSVb9nLM2c" / TwitterHow I got to 200 productive hours a monthBookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.Botany books!Paul Bruno on SpotifyFeed the Animals by Girl Talk on SpotifyDazz Band – Let It Whip Lyrics | Genius LyricsDisneyWorld Grad Night Bands 1972-2008 - The DVC Boards at MouseOwners.com - the place to talk DVC and Walt Disney WorldThe Elements of Typographic Style: Bringhurst, Robert: 9780881791327: Amazon.com: BooksThe Elements of Typographic Style: Version 4.0 (-20th Anniversary)Renowned typographer and poet Robert Bringhurst brings clarity to the art of typography with this masterful style guide. Combining the practical, theoretical, and historical, this edition is completely updated, with a thorough revision and updating of the longest chapter, -Prowling the Specimen Books, - and many other small but important updates based on things that are continually changing in the field. The New TypographySince its initial publication in Berlin in 1928, Jan Tschichold's The New Typography has been recognized as the definitive treatise on book and graphic design in the machine age. First published in English in 1995, with an excellent introduction by Robin Kinross, this new edition includes a foreword by Rich Hendel, who considers current thinking about Tschichold's life and work. Down to Clown (Harris Wittels Tribute) - Chris LaCroix - YouTube"Feed me," you said, and I was feeding you, Jack.Felt letterboard trend history: how the vintage product became inescapable.Merlin Mann on Twitter: "I really like Rachel Maddow, but when she gets particularly worked up, it kinda feels like she's explaining something to her cats." / TwitterDifference Between Rotate & RevolveRotation and revolution are terms that describe the angular motion of objects, that is, motion about a real or imaginary axis. They are often confused not only for this reason, but also because they often apply in different ways to the same object at the same time (especially in astronomy) and to some extent because the words look somewhat alike in English. High School Seniors: What is a Grad Night?Exile - kiss you all over - YouTubePushcut - Triggers & notifications that kick off your automationTriggers Amazon.com: Exercise? I Thought You Said Extra Fries! Graphic T-Shirt: ClothingThe Meadowlands by The Wrens on SpotifyRogue Amoeba | SoundSource: A Superior Sound ControlGet truly powerful control over all the audio on your Mac! Parks and Recreation - flintstones work whistle - YouTubeinsidegui/PodcastMenu: Put Overcast on your Mac's menu barBrought to you by: Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout). Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).
4/14/20201 hour, 12 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 472: Sunday Afternoon Feeling

TW: very brief mention of suicide around minute 24. DISCUSSED: a classic three-act episode! Expertise is difficult to explain—let alone to teach; the Sunday Scaries are real; it's an interesting (and surprising) time for people with anxiety and depression; let's keep trying to give each other a break; some follow-up on Descript and the One-Drawer Project; You Look Nice Today is back; finally, Dan has some tips on surviving working from home. Links for this episode:Coronavirus Is Making a Lot of People Anxious and Depressed. But Some Sufferers Actually Feel Better Now.Lucy Dacus - "Addictions" (Official Music Video) - YouTubeReconcilable Differences #127: Advice Nurse - Relay FMIn a main topic, your hosts try to share some ideas on sustainably working remotely from home. History and experience can be pretty good teachers, but working yourself to a damaged nub is a terrible game for the young and should be considered harmful. You Look Nice TodayCalifornia KingCalifornia King Episode 1: What is HØL?Our work was done. We'd said all we needed to say. We apparated from this world, much like monks who retreat to a mountaintop hovel. Only for us, we apparated via Greyhound and hoveled in an abandoned Bauxite mine outside Eufaula, Alabama. Descript | Create podcasts, videos, and transcriptsBootstrap · The most popular HTML, CSS, and JS library in the world.Amazon.com: Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM2: Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Microphone - Hi Res Audio and Active Sound Cancellation - Black (2017 model): ElectronicsAmazon.com: Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones, 40H Playtime, Hi-Res Audio, Deep Bass, Memory Foam Ear Cups, for Travel, Home Office: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Plantronics Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat - Headphones (Black & Tan) (Pro 2)Amazon.com: Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3: Wireless Bluetooth Over the Ear Headset with Mic for phone-call and Alexa voice control - Industry Leading Active Noise Cancellation – Black: ElectronicsTrattoria Da VittorioTrattoria Da VittorioPodcast Hosting and Analytics - Welcome to Fireside!"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."The earliest attribution of this to Gandhi yet located is in a T-shirt advertisement in Mother Jones, Vol. 8, No. 5 (June 1983), p. 46 Toxoplasma gondii - WikipediaThe OTHER Godii. The 'Sunday Scaries' Are Real — This is WhyThis what happens to your body when you get the Sunday blues. Generalized anxiety disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo ClinicBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). eero (Go to eero.com/backtowork and enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get FREE overnight shipping with your order). Audible (Start your spring off completely lost—in comedy delight! Escape From Virtual Island. Listen free with a 30-day trial. Just go to audible.com/virtualisland or text VIRTUAL ISLAND to 500500).
4/7/20201 hour, 18 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 471: One-Drawer Project

In this very intimate episode, Dan and Merlin share some ideas for positive yet do-able projects to improve your life and world in these dumb, scary times. Also, covered in this episode: recommendations for Max Richter's Sleep and an insane new podcast production app called "Descript". Links for this episode:Sleep (album) - WikipediaMax Richter: Sleep Album Review | PitchforkThe audacious composer Max Richter has created an eight-hour piece meant to serve as a sleep aid. But it is more than that. For these 31 uninterrupted pieces, Richter accepts the extraordinary challenge of not only aiding sleep but also translating the act into art. If you listen while you’re awake, many of these pieces conjure dreamy states, where ideas seem fluid and flexible and the world around you seems somehow softer. Max Richter SLEEPThe glacially-paced movements slide in and out of focus throughout the concert inviting the audience to experience what Richter essentially considers a protest against our relentlessly ‘switched on’ lives. Offering the unique opportunity to participate in this confrontation of our mechanized way of living. On the Mattress for ‘Sleep,’ an 8-Hour Lullaby - The New York TimesComposers from that movement were Mr. Richter’s earliest inspirations. As a boy in small-town Britain in the 1970s, he would get records from his family’s milkman, an artist who was tapped into the music of La Monte Young, Terry Riley and Philip Glass. He fell in love with Satie’s furniture music, and, eventually, the ambient soundscapes of Brian Eno. On The Nature Of Daylight, a song by Max Richter, Louisa Fuller, Natalia Bonner, John Metcalfe, Philip Sheppard, Chris Worsey on SpotifyDescript | Create podcasts, videos, and transcriptsIt’s how you make a podcast. folivora.ai - Great Tools for your Mac!BetterTouchTool is a great, feature packed app that allows you to customize various input devices on your Mac. Council of Dads author Bruce Feiler on how to be a better family.Quarantine - YouTubeHello. We're Sandwich.Podcast MethodMerlin's Tweet About DescriptIncludes cool screen grabs It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff - Kindle edition by Walsh, Peter. Crafts, Hobbies & Home Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.The Only Thing Better Than Netflix's Tiger King Are the Memes / TwitterFour Yorkshiremen- Monty Python - YouTubeScott Pilgrim Vs. The World - Black Sheep [HD] - YouTube5 Hours of The Shipping Forecast on BBC Radio 4! - YouTubeVery low cello music with binaural effect, peaceful and mourning - YouTubeWindham Hill Records – Windham Hill Fan Discography and CommunityIn the Age of Disco, Windham Hill Founder Will Ackerman Helped Solo-Acoustic Guitar Thrive – Acoustic GuitarSleep by Max Richter on Spotifyquotes to get right runx.mdMerlin's very good quotes text file "Rock Island" The Music Man (opening scene) - YouTubeThe Eisenhower Matrix: Introduction & 3-Minute Video TutorialDuck Soup (1933) - IMDbSpeech disfluency - WikipediaA speech disfluency, also spelled speech dysfluency, is any of various breaks, irregularities, or non-lexical vocables which occur within the flow of otherwise fluent speech. Definitions and Examples of Filler WordsDrums and Wires - WikipediaDrums and Wires is the third studio album by the English rock band XTC, released 17 August 1979 on Virgin Records. It is a more pop-oriented affair than the band's previous, Go 2 (1978), and was named for its emphasis on guitars ("wires") and expansive-sounding drums. Brought to you by: ExpressVPN (So protect your online activity today and get an extra 3 months FREE on a one-year package by visitingexpressvpn.com/backtowork).
3/31/20201 hour, 6 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 470: Battery Car Man

Difficult times and the Venn overlap between anxiety and OCD. Hang in there, everybody. Links for this episode:Epistemic Trespassing | Mind | Oxford AcademicEpistemic trespassers are thinkers who have competence or expertise to make good judgments in one field, but move to another field where they lack competence—and pass judgment nevertheless. We should doubt that trespassers are reliable judges in fields where they are outsiders. On "epistemic trespassing"In which Merlin has learned a useful new concept! Found My Place - BlogFound My Place is a creative musical project by me, Merlin Mann. It is generously sponsored by Squarespace, in conjunction with their kind support of the Back to Work podcast I do with my pal Dan Benjamin. I hope you enjoy it, and many thanks to Squarespace for making this possible. Attractive nuisance doctrine - WikipediaIt states that a landowner may be held liable for injuries to children trespassing on the land if the injury is caused by an object on the land that is likely to attract children. The Picard, a Podcast About Star Trek: PicardBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
3/24/202057 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 469: Israel, Jr.

DISCUSSED: “CATS — Now and Forever!”; BokBok.wtf; on civic responsibility; Dan browses worms, and Merlin finds him a spider; Dan wants some keyboard advice, and Merlin just needs a ride; some thoughts on engaging versus escaping right now; praise for Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo; suggestions for leveraging the wonder of libraries today; Dan is working on a big Minecraft project, also some listener letters. Links for this episode:Bok Bok — Merlin Mann (BokBok.wtf)'How come Merlin says “Bok Bok” on Back to Work?' Amazon's Supply Chain Is Breaking and Small Businesses Are Screwed - VICELive Insects & Feeders | Josh's FrogsEpisode #302 – CATS The Flop HouseSilent Mechanical Keyboard - Razer BlackWidow Litesilent Kanopy - Stream Classic Cinema, Indie Film and Top DocumentariesLibby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooks15 Things You Didn't Know You Could Get From the Library | My Money | US News11 Things You Can Borrow From Libraries Besides Books | Mental Floss200 Things You Can Check Out of a Library Besides Books | MoneyAn Incomplete List of the Non-Book Things You Can Get at the Library | Literary HubLocal files - SpotifyRichard Reid - Wikipediaaka ““The Shoe Bomber”” Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Here's the origin of my oft-quoted line about The Flintstones and why I think it's important. https://t.co/2Lis7nciE7" / TwitterHere's the origin of my oft-quoted line about The Flintstones and why I think it's important. Mr. Trump Sir / TwitterThank you for your service Mr. Trump Sir Oingo Boingo - "Dead Man's Party" - YouTubeOingo Boingo - "Weird Science" - YouTubeWatch Parks and Recreation Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial)Elizabeth Warren Is Unlikely to Endorse Bernie Sanders. Here’s Why. - The New York Times“But at the same time, I come from the lens of an organizer, and if someone doesn’t do what you want, you don’t blame them — you ask why. And you don’t demand that answer of that person — you reflect. And that reflection is where you can grow.” —AOC Alf Clausen - WikipediaKelso on Twitter: "From UCSF COVID-19 Panel: A bit of a read but a somewhat scary realization I think people should be aware of. https://t.co/JhUU8fYAb2" / TwitterFrom UCSF COVID-19 Panel: A bit of a read but a somewhat scary realization I think people should be aware of. Jobbo — You Look Nice Today — OvercastCHVRCHES - "The Mother We Share" - YouTubeBat'leth - WikipediaMerlin Mann on Twitter: "From my anxiety and minor situational depression, may 10,000 flowers bloom! https://t.co/AtVStqSrTg" / TwitterBrought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). MasterClass (Get unlimited access to every MasterClass, and as a Back to Work listener, you get 15% off the Annual All-Access Pass! Go to masterclass.com/backtowork).
3/17/20201 hour, 18 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 468: Cancellation Christmas

DISCUSSED: heck, yeah, there's a lot of uncertainty; the woeful knock-on effects of COVID-19, from SxSW to presidential handshaking; Dan graciously accepts Merlin's apology; it's so important that you not touch the fish's face; Dan's Podcast Method is back, baby; you can tell an ecosystem is healthy when the advice about it diversifies; Dan explains the Kelvin Timeline and why he hates it; a Celebration of Bones emerges; Merlin is intrigued by Otter and a little unsure about Jumbo; Dan wants you to know it's still him; breaking handshake news; the boys get a nice letter from a listener; Merlin kinda busts a gut about where his head was at when Back to Work launched; audio is afoot; recommended starter episodes are offered; and, finally, praise for Lost and Japanese Queer Eye. Links for this episode:Otter Voice Meeting Notes - Otter.aiJumbo: Take back control of your data and privacyAt Jumbo, we believe that your data belongs to you. That’s why our app empowers you to take control of your privacy and security, right from your phone. Podcast MethodIran's Coronavirus Problem Is a Lot Worse Than It Seems - The AtlanticThe surprising number of Iranian government officials succumbing to COVID-19 offers a hint that the disease is far more widespread than the official statistics indicate. 5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a Living5by5 | Back to Work #52: Walk the Coastline, Bitches#158 The Case of the Missing Hit — Reply All — OvercastKelvin Timeline - Official Star Trek Online WikiYesterday's Enterprise - WikipediaCritic Marc Bernardin described the episode as Star Trek's "smartest time-travel experiment" and a fan favorite. Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Sei kein schmutziger kleiner Junge. Wasche deine Hände. https://t.co/RnreVrwYqM https://t.co/7BkCmaNpJj" / TwitterSei kein schmutziger kleiner Junge. Wasche deine Hände. Omakase - Wikipediaa Japanese phrase that means "I'll leave it up to you" Brought to you by: Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout). Handy (Get your first 3-hour cleaning for ONLY $29 when you sign up for a cleaning plan by visiting the link).
3/9/20201 hour, 11 minutes, 56 seconds
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Episode 467: I Loved My Garden

DISCUSSED: Merlin's uvula thing is back; some handy one-liner suggestions; the boys are loving uBar, and this leads to a dive on how they use the macOS Dock; praise for Witch; Ultraman is back, baby!; 500,000° is very, very hot; some nebulous, initial thoughts about a bracing call to focus on doing the work (and not how it looks to others when you're doing the work); a listener letter on alternatives for music hosting and streaming in the Apple ecosystem; wow, hard drives sure got super-cheap, huh?; nostalgia for those awesome old Jasmine BacPac hard drives; and, finally, a listener needs your help finding good episodes about surviving and thriving while working in a corporate environment. Links for this episode:Drafts | Where Text StartsTypora — a markdown editor, markdown reader.Marvel reveals cover and story details for ULTRAMANuBar - The Dock replacement for the MacThe Dock replacement for the Mac. Boost your productivity with the most advanced and versatile app and window manager for the Mac. Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Early candidate for the best 26 seconds of wisdom I've heard this month. Minister describing why he welcomes all visitors to his church—including gawking white tourists. https://t.co/OPwwvrV7op" / Twitter695: Everyone’s a Critic — This American Life — OvercastMerlin’s Playlists — Merlin MannI love making playlists for myself and my pals, and, since you're a pal, you may enjoy these too. TotThe Official DragThing Home PagePCalcbashoneliners.com | Bash One-Linersmaxresdefault.jpg (JPEG Image, 1280 × 720 pixels)Setapp | The best apps for Mac in one suiteWitch · Many TricksUltraman (1966 TV series) - WikipediaBeta Ultraman (character) - WikipediaIn-group and out-group - WikipediaTracy K. Smith changed how I read poetry — The Ezra Klein Show — Overcastmoved off of itunes | malvasia biancaPrism | A versatile music player for iOSAmazon.com: Seagate Expansion Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC Laptop (STEB8000100): Computers & AccessoriesUltra Rare Jasmine BacPac Hard Drive for Compact Macs - 100mg | eBayThe Official DragThing Home PageJustWatch - The Streaming Guide1970s Vintage Dixie Cups Mod Fruit Design | EtsyArchers of Loaf - Raleigh Days (Official Audio) - YouTubeRaleigh Days, a song by Archers Of Loaf on Spotify5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the BathroomIn the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction. 5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus DriverMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about the black art of paying attention to the right things, how lamps are no substitute, that it's hard whether you’re working from home or a cube, being honest about your expertise before looking for independence, and the need to move past inspiration. 5by5 | Back to Work #7: Vocational WheelMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin relate to Richard–a listener in the middle of a quarter life crisis working jobs he doesn't like–with stories from their pasts, suggestions to combat the cascade of seriousness, and some first steps for breaking out of the vocational wheel. 5by5 | Back to Work #9: Out of Scope!Dan and Merlin improvise topics this week and get from Synechode, NY to dopamine, being scared and being safe, believing your thoughts and coloring your dreams, and solving problems by moving your hands instead of thinking. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
3/3/20201 hour, 15 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 466: The Maturation of Pillow Forts

DISCUSSED: Skype steals focus, and Merlin ate your poem; music is pretty great; some odds and sods and recommendations; everyone should have a bell; learning to trust your system (and yourself); listener mailbag; Dan loves his new backpack; more on bulwarks against madness. Links for this episode:Carole King 1971 - YouTubeUSBPre 2 Troubleshooting Steps - Sound DevicesHow to turn your Mac startup chime back onSay It, Don't Spray it: Specific Tasks for Specific Outcomes - YouTubeBBC Four - In Concert, Carole KingThe Midnight Special (TV series) - WikipediaRick Wakeman - Wikipedia"Don't Mine At Night" - A Minecraft Parody of Katy Perry's Last Friday Night (Music Video) - YouTubeRick Wakeman The Myths and Legends of King Arthur / Knights of the Round Table Vinyl Album Side 1 - YouTubeAppleInsider PodcastHow novelty and comedy songs topped the charts before memes.Daypack - Ballistic Nylon - DSPTCHWhere's the One? on SpotifyAmazon.com | Side by Side Travel Tech Bag Organizer - Cables & EDC Gear Pouch - Electronics & Cord Case. Power Packer Shadow | Packing OrganizersFruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —George Carlin Talks About "Stuff" - YouTubeYouTubeBee Gees - Musical Evolution (1960-2016) - YouTubeCategory:Songs written by Carole King - WikipediaList of songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin - WikipediaCulture Gabfest: Gender Swap — Slate Culture — OvercastBrought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!
2/25/20201 hour, 18 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 465: That 20-Minute Sting

DISCUSSED: Merlin isn't quite awake yet and has some audio struggles in the midst of a new project; Dan is bringing back The Podcast Method; committing something to media can still be very special; podcasts are cool, and you should make one; praise for Temple Grandin, a Jason Snell video, and a big upgrade over the stock Home app for iOS; solid syncing has raised a lot of boats; updates on the iOS text editor landscape; and, finally, thoughts on the future of sustainable iOS app development. Links for this episode:Podcast MethodAudient iD4 Merlin's guitar interface. The world needs all kinds of minds | Temple Grandin - YouTubeAutism activist Temple Grandin talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids. RØDE Microphones - PodMicVideo: Editing Podcasts with Ferrite and Apple Pencil - Six ColorsHome+ 4 Released with Refreshed Design and iOS 13 Features - MacStoriesHome+ 4Home+ 4 is the only full featured HomeKit app on the App Store which supports all HomeKit automation features. You can control all your HomeKit accessories from different manufacturers in one app and create your very own smart home. MouselessWMNF | Community Conscious RadioVintage Ross Solid State Stereo Cassette Deck Tape Player Recorder Model 6350 for sale online | eBayThe Very Best of Jiminy Glick - YouTubeDon’t Kiss Your Pet Hedgehogs, C.D.C. Warns - The New York Times5by5 | Podcast MethodBrought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
2/18/20201 hour, 25 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 464: Winter's Not Done with Me Yet

DISCUSSED: new muting!; infrastructure is hard; on dogs; Dan gets a podcast recommendation from his fish guy; who we're 'shipping on Star Trek; a free musical performance for a beloved sponsor; some good TED talks; do we like ligatures in monospace fonts?; Dan is getting restarted with OmniFocus, and Merlin has many, many thoughts and suggestions; finally, your hosts conclude by communicating The Pig Joke. Classic. Links for this episode:Joe Smith: How to use a paper towel | TED TalkMouseless on Setapp | Unleash your keyboard’s superpowerAmazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDPB Panic Button Microphone Routing Box: Musical InstrumentsAllows entertainers to switch the mic signal path from front-of-house to backstage or an alternate location. The A/B switch allows the unit to be used as a muting switch. Built-in status indicator light. AC power supply is included. Pretty Lady Mouth | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: do more with Drafts. Fall of Civilizations PodcastLBJ and the Great Society — OvercastThe Top 15 Star Trek Fanfiction 'ShipsVan Tour | 2019 Sprinter Conversion, Full Shower, Kitchen, Garage, & Open Concept - YouTubeApollo Robbins: The art of misdirection | TED TalkIntroduction | IBM PlexIBM/plex: The package of IBM’s typeface, IBM Plex.GitHub - fabrizioschiavi/pragmatapro: PragmataPro font is designed to help pros to work betterDownloadingWant to be notified of new releases in fabrizioschiavi/pragmatapro?Sign inSign up PragmataPro coding font designed by Fabrizio SchiaviPragmataPro - WikipediaTask Management Software Built For Pros - OmniFocus - The Omni GroupDogs' Dazzling Sense of Smell | NOVA | PBSShe Transformed A $1,900 Vintage RV Into A Gorgeous Tiny House On Wheels - YouTubeWoman Builds £1000 Tiny Earthen Home To Live Close To Nature In Welsh Woods - YouTubeThis Ultra Modern Tiny House Will Blow Your Mind - YouTubeAdam Friedland on Twitter: "Took my dog to the beach to piss https://t.co/jjsrWfc1mb" / Twitter"Took my dog to the beach to piss" West Side Story - Tonight Quintet and Chorus (1961) HD - YouTubeGreat Performances | "Company" Opening Number with Neil Patrick Harris | PBS - YouTubeGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). MasterClass (Get unlimited access to every MasterClass, and as a Back to Work listener, you get 15% off the Annual All-Access Pass! Go to masterclass.com/backtowork).
2/11/20201 hour, 35 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 463: Begloved in Otherness

DISCUSSED: thoughts on hand-washing and habit-building; Dan has a really good scarecrow joke; Merlin still can't figure out how many 12-year-olds Dan owns; Dan has a question about laptops and backpacks; the Tao of Backpacks; how to listen to a podcast; Dan has a question about iPhone cases; what we talk about when we talk about ad blocking; Merlin recommends a TED talk and a podcast about delight; Dan's new Picard podcast is going well; Dan has questions about OmniFocus; finally, Dan has questions about Los Angeles and, then, repeatedly ruins Merlin's very good endings. Links for this episode:Ligatures in programming fonts | Butterick’s Practical TypographyTim Harford — Cautionary TalesCautionary Tales — OvercastA powerful way to unleash your natural creativity | Tim Harford - YouTubeThe Show of Delights - This American LifeIn these dark, combative times, we attempt the most radical counterprogramming we could imagine: a show made up entirely of stories about delight. Amazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDSS Short Stop Mute Box: Musical InstrumentsJoe Smith: How to use a paper towel | TED TalkMyriam Sidibe: The simple power of hand-washing | TED TalkDSPTCH Daypack Review - MatterfulDaypack - Ballistic Nylon - DSPTCHSynapse 25 - Backpacks - Travel Bags – TOM BIHNShort Stop - Pro Co SoundHow To Use Plaque Disclosing TabletsTalking Heads - Live in Rome 1980 [Full Concert] - YouTubeBrought to you by: [Health IQ][(http://healthiq.com/backtowork) (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz. Depending upon your score, as well as other related qualifying factors, you can save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers).
2/4/20201 hour, 4 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 462: A Contract About Your Future

Merlin is pretty out of it this week, and Dan shares some listener questions. Links for this episode:Reilly's a match for show business / Actor-director here in one-man show - SFGateThe Complete Adventure Time Timeline | Channel Frederator - YouTubeThe PicardAmazon.com: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black 4/pk: Office ProductsThe Sopranos - WikipediaMad Men - WikipediaThe Duffer Brothers - WikipediaDust Brothers - WikipediaLADDA Rechargeable battery - IKEADownload your data - Google Account HelpCharge Apple Watchjohn on Twitter: "hbd to this man https://t.co/xajeX4NoZD" / TwitterI Remember You | Adventure Time Season 4 DVD | Cartoon Network - YouTubeAdventure Time | Simon and Marcy's Origins Story | Cartoon Network - YouTubeAdventure Time | Simon & Marcy | Cartoon Network - YouTubeBrought to you by: Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
1/28/20201 hour, 9 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 461: Dead Noon

DISCUSSED: strongly-held podcast preferences; Skype hates you; praise for Rogue Amoeba and Strong Songs; a small B2W milestone passes; Dan likes 1917; what Jack did; praise for Match Game; a couple app and font reccos; tips for tricking out your Logitech mouse; no, seriously, Skype actively hates you; Merlin nabs an excellent new domain name for the program; Merlin continues his deep dive into LaunchBar; and, finally, some thoughts on burritos and tacos. Links for this episode:“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin — Strong Songs — Overcast“Tiny Dancer” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John — Strong Songs — Overcast“Satisfied” from Hamilton — Strong Songs — OvercastThe Talk Show: ‘SPORT MODE’, WITH SPECIAL GUEST MERLIN MANNSpecial guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include the renewal of U.S. law enforcement officials’ disingenuous campaign against iPhone encryption, the Houston Astros cheating scandal, how that cheating scandal relates to the Trump impeachment saga, and Catalyst and the art of Mac software design. But mostly we talk about finding a good pair of slippers. JetBrains Mono: A free and open source typeface for developers | JetBrains: Developer Tools for Professionals and TeamsIntroduction | IBM PlexGitHub - insidegui/PodcastMenu: Put Overcast on your Mac's menu barPodcastMenu is a simple app which puts Overcast on your Mac's menu bar so you can listen to your favorite podcasts while you work. Download Logitech Options to Increase Work ProductivityLogitech Options is a powerful and easy-to-use application that enhances your Logitech mice, keyboards, and touchpads. Customize your device with Options and do more than you thought possible. Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple SupportBy pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device. LaunchBar HelpLaunchBar Help - Instant SendInstant Send is an extremely efficient way to send files or text selections to LaunchBar, and optionally send them further to other items such as applications, folders, email contacts or search templates. LaunchBar Help - Instant OpenInstant Open is a powerful technique to open items via LaunchBar even more quickly. You no longer have to press the Return key - you just hold down the last entered abbreviation character and the selected item opens immediately. LaunchBar Help - Modifier TapsAs an alternative to LaunchBar’s Command-Space shortcut it’s also possible to activate LaunchBar by tapping a modifier key. 5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the BathroomIn the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction. No man's land - WikipediaDan's Mouse: Logitech G305Amazon.com: Kidrobot Adventure Time The Lich 8-Inch Medium Vinyl Figure: Kidrobot: Toys & GamesAmazon.com: Zeiss Lens Care Pack - 2 - 8 Ounce Bottles of Lens Cleaner, 2 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: Health & Personal CareStar Wars (radio series) - WikipediaAn expanded radio dramatization of the original Star Wars trilogy was produced in 1981, 1983, and 1996. The first two radio series, based on Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, were produced and broadcast by National Public Radio (NPR) as part of NPR Playhouse. A dramatization of Return of the Jedi was produced by most of the same team and it was also broadcast on NPR. Hit Parade with Chris Molanphy.What makes a song a smash? Talent? Luck? Timing? All that—and more. Song ExploderStrong SongsThe English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom [Official Music Video] - HQ - YouTubeEnglish Beat: "Save It For Later" - YouTubeMerlin Mann | PatreonThe excellent projects to which Merlin gives money. Match Game Marathon (Top 25 Best Episodes Of All Time) - YouTubeMBMBaM - "PLAY with me in the space!" - YouTubeBack to Work dot LimoNailed it. Guardian Firewall - Guardian FirewallBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
1/21/20201 hour, 32 minutes, 56 seconds
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Episode 460: Listen to the Jar

DISCUSSED: A fun and creepy new face swap app; Twitter is not creating much new happy; this leads to a discussion of generational perceptions about what's acceptable or even desirable (especially with Apple products); praise for the podcast, The Dream; Merlin gets a new clock; the origin of #MerlinsPoopList; who pays $168 for a bikini?; Merlin has uvula problems; Dan explores P&S Liquid and an upsetting gurgling noise; and, finally, "Back to the Mac 2020™" kicks off with a first dive into the magic of Obdev's LaunchBar. Links for this episode:Digital Calendar Alarm Day Clock - with 8" Large Screen Display, am pm, 5 Alarm, for Extra Large Impaired Vision People, The Aged Seniors, The Dementia, for Desk, Wall Mounted, WhiteLaunchBar 6Instant SendAmazon.com: JALLHypercritical: Front and CenterHypercritical: Front and CenterDOUBLICAT | Face swap in GIFsHour of CodeSmartphones: 72% of people will use only mobile for internet by 2025S2 E4: Take With Caution — The Dream — OvercastS1 E1: Wanna Swim in Cash? — The Dream — OvercastPhenol topical Reviews & Ratings at Drugs.comswall Action Movie FXHome | MasqueradeMerlin Mann on Twitter: "I legit love you guys, but here’s one thing to think about: The happier I am, the less I look at Twitter. And, the less I look at Twitter, the happier I am." / TwitterChristmas Eve Twitter feels like the raw and ill-advised Twitter of 2007Toolbox ProPushcut - Smart notifications that trigger your automationLaunchCuts | LaunchCuts is a powerful, customizable, and elegant launcher for shortcuts on iOS. Organize your shortcuts manually into folders or create smart folders using tags.Quicksilver (software) - WikipediaAlfred - Productivity App for macOSButler · Many TricksComparison of desktop application launchers - WikipediaThese desktop application launchers work with the Apple macOS operating system only. That's a Reference on Twitter: "233-31:40 @Siracusa “That should be the title of my biography…” DONE cc @hotdogsladies https://t.co/s30a7O70Bl" / TwitterNarrow your search results on Mac - Apple SupportA Slack comment by Merlin"…how many of the folks at Apple right now grew up using iOS way more than a Mac?" Connected #276: Symbiosis, Osmosis, Whatever - Relay FMBrought to you by: Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping). HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!
1/14/20201 hour, 16 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 459: Alley Oop to Yourself in the Future

Merlin needs help in the NOC; Dan discovers sensitive sauce; there are thresholds; hurting your roller skating muscles; new printer; and, finally, Merlin conducts a long exploration of unnecessary efficiencies, evolved technologies, and the minimum viable productivity system. Links for this episode:Sensitive Marinara Sauce | Rao's HomemadeAmazon.com : Rao's Sauce Homemade Marinara Sensitive, 24 oz : Tomato And Marinara SaucesAmazon.com: Lenox Gold Titanium Coated Utility Knife Blades - 10 Pack - Last 3X Longer Than Standard Blades: Home ImprovementBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).
1/7/20201 hour, 8 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 458: 2 Fury 2 Road

For this very special end of the century, fin de siècle episode, Dan and Merlin make bespoke personal recommendations for music, podcasts, apps, TV shows, YouTube videos, and gadgets. Links for this episode:Pen Computing Magazine: VisorPhoneHandspring (company) - WikipediaSetapp | The best apps for Mac in one suiteThe frontier platform that packs 160 Mac apps into just one. A personally curated membership for $9.99/mo. MailMateFastmailAmazon.com: Tenergy TN438 16 Bay Smart Charger with LCD and Built-in IC Protection, AA/AAA NiMH/NiCd Rechargeable Batteries Charger with AC Wall Adapter and Car Adapter: Home Audio & TheaterText CaseInteract Scratchpad for Mac | Agile TortoiseZotero | Your personal research assistantJellyfish - Joining a Fan Club - YouTubeDan Reeder - Clean Elvis - YouTubeCHARMPIT - Bridges Go Burn (Official Music Video) - YouTubePete Holmes & Friends: "Ex-Men"Amazon.com: Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu Ray Player with 4K HDR and Dolby Vision + 6FT HDMI Cable - (UBP-X700): Electronics40. David Letterman — Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend — Overcast45. Paul Rudd — Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend — OvercastYou're Wrong About... — OvercastThe O.J. Simpson Trial: Nicole Brown Simpson Part 1 — You're Wrong About... — OvercastMerlin Mann on Twitter: "Dammit, that guy who plays Ethan on Silicon Valley—what the hell do I remember him fr…oooohhh, yeah! Snikt! https://t.co/Q4lP37XRN5" / TwitterPredestination streaming: where to watch online?HalideFilmic Pro Mobile VideoAmazon.com: Attmu 50 PCS Reusable Fastening Cable Ties, Microfiber Cloth 6-Inch Hook and Loop Cord Ties, Black: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch – Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con - HAC 001 (Discontinued by Manufacturer): Video GamesOfficial site | MinecraftThe Top 10 TV Shows of the Decade | The Watch — The Watch — OvercastAmazon.com: Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard – Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV Compatible – with FLOW Cross-Computer Control and Easy-Switch up to 3 Devices – Dark Grey: Computers & Accessories5by5 | Back to Work #38: Sorry. You Can't Have a Candle.Dan and Merlin talk about bombing the deck, advancing the slides, and striving to improve the self-perpetuating bad culture of presentations.Slide?!? Full text of "Harrison Bergeron (& Activity)"Folk devil - Wikipedia‘Star Trek’ Movie: ‘Fargo’s Noah Hawley In Talks To Write & Direct For Paramount – DeadlineBrought to you by: [Health IQ][(http://healthiq.com/backtowork) (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz. Depending upon your score, as well as other related qualifying factors, you can save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers).
12/31/20191 hour, 12 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 457: A Buddhist Gift

DISCUSSED: holiday lizard talk; some benefits of using "Environment" and "Journal" calendars; nostalgia for the Palm family of products in general and Graffiti in particular; responses to listener letters about: finding a "hook" for a new habit, physical media follow-up, HomeKit dinguses, Markdown editors, the joys of the TaskPaper lifestyle, advice on recovering from a disruption, and, finally, some thoughts on the unexpected benefits of disruption. Links for this episode:Brumation Dormant Period in ReptilesAmazon.com : Feeding Tongs 15" 2 Pcs Super Thick Stainless Steel Forceps Curved and Straight Snakes, Reptile, Lizards, Gecko, Spider Long Tweezer : Pet SuppliesAmazon.com : Josh's Frogs Hornworms Habitat Cup (25 Count Cup) : Pet Suppliesbearded dragon cat friends - Google SearchPalm VII - WikipediaGraffiti (Palm OS) - WikipediaDoonesbury comic strip on Newton - CHM RevolutionAmazon.com : Palm V Hand held PDA : Handhelds And Pda Gps Peripherals : ElectronicsRevisiting the Palm Pilot's uncanny alphabet: Design ObserverThe Gadget We Miss: The Palm V - People & Gadgets - MediumWemo Mini WiFi Smart PlugWemo Mini Smart Plug, 2-packThe Social Life of Paper | The New YorkerThe solution to our paper problem, they write, is not to use less paper but to keep less paper. Mark TextMind Mapping by Tony Buzan, a great effectiveness tool | ToolsHeroTony Buzan – Inventor of Mind MappingDavid Allen (author) - Wikipedia"Allen was also one of the founders of Actioneer, a company specializing in productivity tools for the PalmPilot." Mitch Kapor Introduces Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet Software - YouTubeThe Hacker's Diet - WikipediaUsing Drafts 5 Taskpaper with OmniFocus – Rosemary OrchardTaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for MacTake Control of Shortcuts for iOS with Rosemary Orchard's New Book – The Sweet SetupTake Control of Shortcuts – Take Control Books5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver5by5 | Back to Work #7: Vocational WheelTim Harford — PodcastsTim Harford — Article — Cautionary Tales Ep 7 – Bowie, jazz, and the unplayable pianoBowie, Jazz and the Unplayable Piano — Cautionary Tales — OvercastBenefits of Forced Experimentation: Striking Evidence from the London Underground Network* | The Quarterly Journal of Economics | Oxford AcademicWe show that a strike on the Underground, which forced many commuters to experiment with new routes, brought lasting changes in behavior. This effect is stronger for commuters who live in areas where the Underground map is more distorted, which points to the importance of informational imperfections. "A mistake is a Buddhist gift."Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
12/24/20191 hour, 23 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 456: Urinal Cup

DISCUSSED: Dan presents a curious new bathroom project; some thoughts on OCD, procrastination, and empathy; praise for Fury Road, Inglourious Basterds, and Dunkirk; Dan has follow-up on his awesome new laptop and the state of Unix shells; Merlin makes the case for occasionally getting unused to things. Links for this episode:I’ll Do The Procrastination Episode TomorrowThe MacBook Adorable — Liss is MoreMoving to zsh – Scripting OS XApple replaces bash with zsh as the default shell in macOS Catalina - The VergeAmazon.com: Samson Q2U USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone Recording and Podcasting Pack (Includes Mic Clip, Desktop Stand, Windscreen and Cables): Musical InstrumentsCausalityCompartmentalization (psychology) - WikipediaCompartmentalization is a subconscious psychological defense mechanism used to avoid cognitive dissonance, or the mental discomfort and anxiety caused by a person's having conflicting values, cognitions, emotions, beliefs, etc. within themselves. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
12/18/20191 hour, 15 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 455: Talc Mandala

DISCUSSED: Drafts for Mac is out!; check out Damon Lindelof on The Watch; suggestions for HomeKit power strips; and responses to listener letters on rediscovering the joys of physical media and getting started with addressing chronic pain. Links for this episode:Plex launches a free, ad-supported streaming service in over 200 countries | TechCrunchDrafts | Where Text Starts“Easily one of the best iOS apps I’ve ever used.” – Merlin Mann Damon Lindelof on the World-building of ‘Watchmen’ | The Watch — The Watch — OvercastAmazon.com: VOCOlinc Smart Power Strip Multi Outlet, Surge Protector, Energy Monitoring, USB Fast Charging (QC3.0), Timers, Works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, No Hub Required, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, PM2: Home ImprovementAmazon.com: Smart Power Strip WiFi Power Bar 5ft  Extension Cord Compatible with Alexa,Google Home and IFTTT, TECKIN Surge Protector with 4 USB Charging Ports and Smart AC Plugs for Multi Outlets: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Wemo Bridge - Works with Apple HomeKitCDs and vinyl are more popular than digital downloads once again - The VergeThe Official Watchmen Podcast — OvercastThe official podcast of the HBO series Watchmen. Over three episodes, host Craig Mazin (HBO’s Chernobyl) discusses Watchmen with its Executive Producer and Writer, Damon Lindelof. Join Mazin and Lindelof as they divulge narrative choices, explore the show’s connection with the groundbreaking graphic novel, and how it reflects our modern times. Watchmen airs Sundays on HBO at 9 PM. It's My Plastic Straws | Do By FridayChris Walker on Twitter: "me to my kid: “if you trip while running that way, you’ll Naruto Knock Your Front Teeth Out.”" / Twitter
12/10/20191 hour, 12 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 454: Enough Women Nation

Discussed: the commercials you get in your head listener feedback on music management first results of Merlin's own deep dive on music management alternatives thoughts on the "safety" that ends up making us less safe the perverse magic of "ghoti" thoughts on Dan's cool new laptop getting the shell you want sometimes Daddy needs to go in the closet Links for this episode:The Plain Text ProjectMusicBrainz PicardJRiver Media Center softwareVolumio - The Audiophile Music Playerfoobar2000MinimServerDLNAWhat is the difference between DLNA and UPNP? - Super UserAudio Station | Synology Inc.La La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — OvercastTim Harford — PodcastsThe Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety: Alan W. Watts: 8601300190136: Amazon.com: BooksGhoti - Wikipedia“Paranoid Android” by Radiohead — Strong Songs — OvercastTurbo Boost Switcher for OS X – rugarciap.comBrought to you by: Bombas (Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/backtowork). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!
12/3/20191 hour, 8 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 453: Shoulder the Brunt

DISCUSSED: Merlin has an email confession; Dan steps up with a shoulder; listeners have given your hosts a season of the show; praise for HBO's Watchmen; a discussion of curating media for kids; Merlin exercises Personal Privilege; everybody is different!; praise for the new MacBook Pro (and who it may or may not be good for); the beginnings of what could be an extensive series on reclaiming control of your own media; some Plex homework for both listeners and your hosts; a brief rant on the downsides and limitations of renting other people's music; Merlin is birthday-gifted with Planty II plus some awesome @pants materials. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, most Streamers and other A/V Devices: Electronicsgoogle sheets - how do I find the values that are in one column but not in the other - Stack OverflowISNA Amazon.com: Seagate Expansion Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC Laptop (STEB8000100): Computers & AccessoriesCommon Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for FamiliesOver the Garden Wall (TV Mini-Series 2014) - Reference View - IMDbNathan HaleOver the Garden Wall - WikipediaNathan HaleList of expressions related to death - Wikipedia28 Profoundly Beautiful Quotes About Life And Death360 Death Quotes That Will Bring You Instant CalmSoundJam MP - WikipediaOver The Garden Wall | Potatoes and Molasses | Cartoon Network - YouTubeMusicBrainz - The Open Music EncyclopediaMusicBrainz Picardmr. joshua (@pants) / TwitterLUMBERJANESBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Kensington (Test drive a docking solution today with the Kensington Pro C program by visiting Kensington.com/backtowork).
11/27/20191 hour, 19 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 452: Wine is My Travel Drink

updates on travel and packing a new notebook Merlin likes finding a notebook that accommodates both your brain and the shape of your day Merlin's bespoke six-block notebook method Dan struggles mightily with his hotel room a notional badge for gauging lifetime exposure to a ubiquitous TV celebrity some more travel talk, including the promise for a future dedicated episode on travel updates a suggestion for trying iOS Voice Control finally, in some detail, we return to Synology Corner Links for this episode:STANDARD ISSUE NOTEBOOK No.12 | GREEN – DesignWorks InkSTANDARD ISSUE NOTEBOOK NO.3 | GREEN – DesignWorks InkHaving a bad day? Dave Eggers can help. — The Ezra Klein Show — OvercastTweet on iOS Voice ControlUse Voice Control on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple SupportHow to use Voice Controls on iPhone and iPad | iMoreThe Trick That Lets You Set Your Hotel Thermostat to Any Temp You WantAmazon.com: WD 8TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive - USB 3.0 - WDBWLG0080HBK-NESN: Computers & AccessoriesSeagate Expansion Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD – USB 3.0 for PC Laptop (STEB8000100)WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESNSeagate IronWolf 4TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 5900 RPM 64MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage – Frustration Free Packaging (ST4000VN008) “The Theme System Journal” graphic notebook by Cortex Podcast. | Cotton BureauPanobook – Studio NeatMead Data Center - YouTubeMead Data Center & The Organizer (1986) Trapper Keeper - YouTubeAmazon.com: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, most Streamers and other A/V Devices: ElectronicsBrought to you by: RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork). Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout). Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).
11/19/20191 hour, 27 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 451: I Am Not a Herpetologist

Our worst episode ever. Enjoy! Links for this episode:Mark TextCommonMark SpecVenice ‘on its knees’ after second-worst flood ever recordedSweeping Study Points To Devastating Impact Of Climate Change On Global Health : Goats and Soda : NPRNotational Velocity - WikipediaBunch - BrettTerpstra.comnvUltra - Searchable, portable, MultiMarkdown notesAccidental Tech Podcast: 352: No One Else Had CalipersPi-hole®: A black hole for Internet advertisements – A black hole for Internet advertisementsTitleCase - Text Conversion SolutionsDrafts | Where Text StartsTableFlip - Simple Table Editor for MacBrought to you by: RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). HealthIQ (To see if you qualify, go to healthiq.com/backtowork to take the proprietary Health IQ quiz where it's possible to save up to 41% on your life insurance premiums compared to other providers)!
11/14/20191 hour, 34 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 450: Slow-Motion Hypocrisy

Dan is getting a Synology, Merlin has been making stuff, plus the return of "Cool Things I Learned This Week." Links for this episode:Keyboards, Computer Keyboards, Wireless Keyboards | LogitechShortcuts - Drafts User GuideDraft ItMerlin's Bluetooth Keyboards - Google SheetsKeyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets - Computer - Docs Editors HelpAmazon.com: Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 5900 RPM 64MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage – Frustration Free Packaging (ST4000VN008): Computers & AccessoriesTaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for MacShortcuts Archive - MacStoriesiOS and iPadOS 13: The MacStories Review - MacStories - Part 17Rana Foroohar joins Slate Money to discuss political ads on social media, the NCAA, and the California wildfires.Matthew Cassinelli (@mattcassinelli) / TwitterBrought to you by: RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Bombas (Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/backtowork).
11/5/20191 hour, 6 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 449: Tom Hardy Blindness

DISCUSSED: coincident birthdays; mathowie's gigantism and very online Ex Machina house; extensive actor and media talk; you probably hadn't heard, but, The Revenant was very difficult to make; Apple TV+ is getting…not great notices; success is a great deodorant, but could iPhone : 2010s Apple :: Windows : 1990s Microsoft?; hardware follow-up on Merlin's new modem and UPS setup; the value of always showing hustle, and why you should always run out first base; Dan's in a jam-up with his internet provider over a seemingly unnecessary piece of harware; further hardware follow-up from Merlin on spreading his wings with his Synology; Dan has a new keyboard he loves; praise for several Logitech products; and, finally, why Merlin just can't quit his MX Master Mouse. Links for this episode:Locke (film) - WikipediaThe Drop (film) - WikipediaAmazon.com: Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard – Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV Compatible – with FLOW Cross-Computer Control and Easy-Switch up to 3 Devices – Dark Grey: Computers & AccessoriesSee on Apple TV+: Less Game of Thrones, more unintentionally funny SyFy | Ars TechnicaAmazon.com: APC Sine Wave UPS, 1500VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector, Back-UPS Pro Uninterruptible Power Supply (BR1500MS): ElectronicsAmazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard Docsis 3.1 Gigabit Speed Cable Modem, Approved for Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity, (SB8200 Frustration Free): Computers & AccessoriesNAS Selector | Synology Inc.Amazon Prime Now: Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Touch TV Keyboard with Easy Media Control and Built-In Touchpad: Computers & Accessories5by5 | Hypercritical #44: A Little Bit More SadBrought to you by: RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork). Kensington (Test drive a docking solution today with the Kensington Pro C program by visiting Kensington.com/backtowork). Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).
10/29/20191 hour, 17 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 448: Spaghetti on Spaghetti

This week, Dan and Merlin dive into the benefits (and fun) of a NAS project. Also, Merlin goes off about the horror show of letting old people determine the future. Also, also, hey, kung fu movies! Links for this episode:Kids these days: Why the youth of today seem lacking | Science AdvancesMerlin Mann on Twitter: ""I don't need my Dad to understand why I think 'Future is Good.'" —Andy Greenwald https://t.co/WatUkVcQCl" / Twitter"I don't need my Dad to understand why I think 'Future is Good.'" —Andy Greenwald Amazon.com: Synology 6 Bay NAS DiskStation - DS1618+ (Diskless): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard (16x4) DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem, approved for Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity & more (SB6183 Black): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard Docsis 3.1 Gigabit Speed Cable Modem, Approved for Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity, (SB8200 Frustration Free): Computers & AccessoriesBreaking Down the Season Premiere of ‘Watchmen’ | The Watch — The Watch — OvercastCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - Reference View - IMDbIp Man (2008) - Reference View - IMDbHero (2002) - Reference View - IMDbAdam Ruins Everything - truTV - Official SiteAdam Ruins Himself | Adam Ruins Everything Full Episodes | truTVA Former TV Critic Puts Himself Under the Microscope - The New York TimesRegina King on Twitter: "Part 1 of a note to all who are already devoted fans of Watchmen and to those who will hopefully soon become fans. #WatchmenHBO tonight 9pm.. https://t.co/1H9578Dtmx" / TwitterHiija EZ RJ45 Crimp Tool Pass Through Cat5 Cat5e Cat6 Crimping Tool for RJ45/RJ12 Regular and End-Pass-Through connectors with 50PCS Connectors, 50PCS Covers and Network Wire Stripper - - Amazon.comAmazon.com: Monoprice Cat6 Ethernet Bulk Cable - Network Internet Cord - Solid, 500Mhz, UTP, CMR, Riser Rated, Pure Bare Copper Wire, 23AWG, 250ft, Blue: Computers & AccessoriesHow to Make a Category 6 Patch CableBrought to you by: RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork). Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout). Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).
10/22/20191 hour, 20 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 447: Mating for Life

It's Infrastructure Week! Dan and Merlin start with California's power crisis and end up pivoting to phones, cable TV, and, of course, Apple. What happens when a resource we think of as a solved part of our infrastructure suddenly isn't so solved? And, what would Apple look like if it treated all of its services as seriously as it once treated the Mac? Also: lizard updates, but please don't Google "hornworms." Links for this episode:Episode 925: A Mob Boss, A Garbage Boat and Why We Recycle : Planet Money : NPREpisode 926: So, Should We Recycle? : Planet Money : NPREpisode 926: So, Should We Recycle? : Transcript"China was not very careful about what got into their ocean for a long period of time. And if some of the plastic piles were just too corrupted, they could do whatever they wanted with it." Brian EdwardsTiekert on Twitter: "Hello everyone who's mystified by all the blackout posts coming from California's #Powerpocalypse , here's an explainer thread:" / TwitterTwitter - Bando - @BandoManndo"Chill West Coast Lizard." #925: A Mob Boss, A Garbage Boat and Why We Recycle — Planet Money — Overcast#926: So, Should We Recycle? — Planet Money — OvercastCompost, Recycle, & Landfill | Recology San FranciscoHow to Recycle and Compost in San Francisco | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our PlanetS.F. Reacts to the Bin-sanity of the New Recycling Landscape - May 22, 2019 - SF WeeklyDr. Drang on Twitter: "Given the past few weeks of software releases from Cupertino, I didn’t think this needed explaining, but I guess it does. I’m not complaining about the quality or style of the presentations." / TwitterHetch Hetchy SystemThe cities, water districts and private utilities represented by the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) rely upon the Hetch Hetchy system for water to protect the health, safety and economic well being of 1.8 million citizens, businesses and community organizations. National Sword - 99% InvisibleBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). RingCentral (Sign up today and get instant access to RingCentral’s award-winning powerful phone system with phone, fax, video conferencing and more. Take advantage of a special holiday bundle offer; don’t pay a single penny until 2020 by visiting RingCentral.com/backtowork). Feals (Become a member today by going to Feals.com/backtowork and you'll get 50% off your first order with free shipping).
10/17/20191 hour, 18 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 446: Charm Offensive

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about living in a world of hardware choices. How do you decide which device is best suited to a given task? Which ones do you find yourself preferring to use because they're friction-free—or just fun? And, in what ways do our previous behaviors, habits, and expectations end up unconsciously coloring our future decisions? Links for this episode:Spotify rolls out Siri support and new Apple TV app - The VergeSmartSockets® Table Top Surge Protector with USB | Surge Protector & Power Strips | Smartsockets® - Kensington | KensingtonTHE CHURCH | The Blurred Crusade | Live Concert 1982 - YouTubeThe Church - Almost With You (Video) - YouTubeKLOE4 Outlet eu - Koogeek.comAmazon.com: VOCOlinc Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip Multi Outlet, Surge Protector, USB Charging, Timers, Works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, No Hub Required, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, PM2E: ElectronicsAmazon.com : Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant : ElectronicsAmazon.com : Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant : ElectronicsBrought to you by: Kensington (Test drive a docking solution today with the Kensington Pro C program by visiting Kensington.com/backtowork). Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).
10/8/20191 hour, 9 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 445: Hipster DMV

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's OS rollouts, changes in Apple retail, and week two with the new Apple Watch. Links for this episode:Release dates for iOS 13, iPadOS 13, macOS Catalina, watchOS 6, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, and more | MacworldBroken iCloud reminders are the latest reason to delay your iOS 13 upgrade - The VergeThis App May Be the Culprit Causing Your Apple Watch's Battery to DrainBunch - BrettTerpstra.comApple confirms iOS 13 Reminders will be fixed with macOS Catalina rolloutBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Bombas (Save 20% on your first purchase when you shop at Bombas.com/backtowork).
10/1/20191 hour, 15 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 444: Seasoned Horologist

This week, Dan and Merlin focus on the new Apple Watch. Links for this episode:New iPhone set up: Transfer data directly to a new iPhone wirelessly, or using a cableSiri on Apple Watch: The ultimate guide | iMoreWhat is a Moonphase? | Complete Guide to Moon Phases on WatchesMissing Meridian watch face - Apple CommunityBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout).
9/24/20191 hour, 35 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 443: Immediate Electric Smugness

DISCUSSED: Merlin has a cool new voice from talking to friends late last night; Dan has an automotive collision anecdote, while Merlin has thoughts on how preparation fails us in extreme moments; in follow-up, Listener Steve has terrific advice on dealing with bad hotel room technology; your hosts love insider information from pilots and other category pros; Dan ordered a watch, and Merlin is apparently not actually wrecking a plane; the guys respond to listener letters about ages of people in movies, Dan's world-destroying Disney fact (that he can't remember), plus a listener's concern about company password hygiene; and finally, Dan has great news about refreshing an iMac, but less great news about household password hygiene. Links for this episode:Lizzo: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert - YouTubeAmazon.com: Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use with Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku, Media Center/Kodi, Nvidia Shield, most Streamers and other A/V Devices: ElectronicsOverride Your Hotel Room Thermostat and Set It As Hot or Cold You LikeRivals of Waterdeep - YouTubeScooters (and Roller Skates) — Pessimists Archive Podcast — OvercastAs cities freak out over e-scooters today, it’s worth looking back at when these devices were actually new. Why did people love motorized scooters in 1915, what’s different a century later, and what does all of this have to do with roller skates? They’re big questions. And the answers just might lead us to rethink how our cities are designed. Inteset Universal Remote Control Device Code LookupSteve Whittaker (@swhitt) / TwitterSteve Whittaker on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Also I always enable VIP mode on my hotel thermostat if it matches this guy: https://t.co/19pNzwgRCx" / TwitterHotel remote trickCockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections, Patrick Smith, eBook - Amazon.comAskThePilot.com » THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE SITE FOR EVERYONE WHO FLIESToward better Master Passwords | 1PasswordThe strength of a password creation system is not how many letters, digits, and symbols you end up with, but how many ways you could get a different result using the same system. xkcd: Password Strength129 Cars - This American LifeWe spend a month at a Jeep dealership on Long Island as they try to make their monthly sales goal: 129 cars. If they make it, they'll get a huge bonus from the manufacturer, possibly as high as $85,000 — enough to put them in the black for the month. If they don't make it, it'll be the second month in a row. So they pull out all the stops. Amazon.com: Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 1TB - USB 3.1 External SSD (MU-PA1T0B/AM), Black: Computers & Accessories(Merlin's hotel room SSD drive. Load it up!) DIY Bundle 1.0TB OWC 6G SSD and HDD Kit for 21.5" iMac (2012 and later)Brought to you by: Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout). Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork).
9/19/20191 hour, 19 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 442: Dog Eating Chair Digestion

Dan and Merlin discuss the upcoming big Apple event and why this one's potentially interesting. Also, dog anecdotes. Links for this episode:AVIATOR VISUAL EFFECTS - BEHIND THE SCENESThe Dark Crystal - WikipediaThe Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance - WikipediaUpgrade #261: The 2019 iPhone Event Draft - Relay FMSupported devices - Computer - YouTube TV HelpWatch YouTube TV on your TV - YouTube TV HelpSamoyed Dog Breed InformationBrought to you by: Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
9/10/20191 hour, 13 minutes
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Episode 441: Boggle, Boggle!

hurricanes! hyperactivity exposing kids to the canonical films that weird, affected Hollywood accent a name for that time comparison phenomenon making your voice interactions more fun catching up on the Platinum Age of TV dealing with device charging at scale Links for this episode:Saffir–Simpson scale - WikipediaHURRICANE DORIANMike's Weather Page... powered by Sparks Energy!Hurricane Neddy - WikipediaHurricane Neddy | Simpsons Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaThe Aviator (2004 film) - WikipediaTechnique Critique - YouTubeBen Affleck’s Armageddon commentary resurfaces, along with a few other confessionals - PolygonCan you bike to the top of GTA 5, with ONLY your voice? - YouTubePop overachievers Genesis—including Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel—competed head to head on the charts.Meet chart overachievers Genesis: ’70s prog rockers turned ’80s pop juggernaut, spinning off multiple careers, countless hits, and thundering drums. The Invisible Miracle Sledgehammer Edition — Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia — OvercastUltimate Sticker Collection: Marvel Studios: With more than 1000 stickers: DK: 9781465478863: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: CKCOCO Multi Charger Cable 2Pack 5FT Nylon Braided Universal 4 in 1 Multiple USB Charging Cord Adapter with 8Pin x2/Type-C/Micro USB Port Connectors for Cell Phones Tablets and More (Charging Only): Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: USB C Charger, Anker 60W PIQ 3.0 & GaN Tech Dual Port Charger, PowerPort Atom III (2 Ports) Travel Charger with a 45W USB C Port, for USB-C Laptops, MacBook, iPad Pro, iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel and More: Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Portable Charger Anker PowerCore 20100mAh - Ultra High Capacity Power Bank with 4.8A Output and PowerIQ Technology, External Battery Pack for iPhone, iPad & Samsung Galaxy & More (Black): GatewayBrought to you by: Monday.com (Start your 14-day free trial by going to monday.com/backtowork). Cirkul (Get your own Cirkul bottle plus two flavor cartridges for just $5 by going to DrinkCirkul.com/backtowork and using code BACKTOWORK). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).
9/3/20191 hour, 43 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 440: It's Never Been About the Suit

Lots of talk about the changing media landscape, plus some odds and sods. Links for this episode:Jia Tolentino on what happens when life is an endless performance — The Ezra Klein Show — OvercastDisney World: Celebrating Utopia — Nice Try! — OvercastMarried to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando: Richard E. Foglesong: 9780300098280: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion (9780525510543): Jia Tolentino: BooksAmazon.com: Logitech Rugged Protection Combo Keyboard and Folio Case for iPad 9.7 (5th Gen) / (6th Gen) - Bulk Packaging - Navy Blue: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: CKCOCO Multi Charger Cable 2Pack 5FT Nylon Braided Universal 4 in 1 Multiple USB Charging Cord Adapter with 8Pin x2/Type-C/Micro USB Port Connectors for Cell Phones Tablets and More (Charging Only): Cell Phones & AccessoriesTechPilot Labs - TechPilot LabsSchoolMDM Mobile Device Management for Schools - TechPilot LabsThe intuitive, cloud-based MDM designed specifically for schools. We bring simplified mobile device management to Apple deployments. Monster Factory: Fallout 4 — Episode 1 - YouTubeHyperice | Hypervolt featuring Quiet Glide™ technologyi-Puffy Massage Cushion - Relax The Back[593] Gallium vs. Titalium - Abus Padlock Meets a Gruesome End - YouTubeJoe Rosensteel on TwitterFollow Joe! Brought to you by: Native (For 20% off your first purchase, visit nativedeodorant.com and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout). Monday.com (Start your 14-day free trial by going to monday.com/backtowork). Zapier (Right now through November, try Zapier free for 14 days by going to Zapier.com/backtowork). Casper (Get $100 toward select mattresses by visiting Casper.com/backtowork and using BACKTOWORK at checkout).
8/27/20191 hour, 38 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 439: Servant of the Red Badge

DISCUSSED: finding an actor's age and height; time analogies; Merlin needs help naming two critical phenomena; Dan is dissatisfied with how cars look; could Wolverine get a Caillou tattoo, and would it grow back, hmmmm?; Merlin is getting into plants (no, not sexually); the return of that time when Danny held the license plate; and finally, Merlin has a long stemwinder on an admittedly amorphous topic: the unimpeachable benefits of undoing most of the buttons we've clicked. Links for this episode:How Old Were the ActorsTropic Thunder (2008) - IMDbList of cognitive biases - WikipediaMaking the Clackity Noise | kung fu grippestar wars release date to today - Wolfram|Alpha5by5 | Back to Work #27: Danny, Hold the License PlateEp. 348: "The Other Oregon" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: It was mostly pranks. iOS 12 on iPhone: How Many Daily Notifications? - Ask Dave TaylorBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Monday.com (Start your 14-day free trial by going to monday.com/backtowork). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).
8/20/20191 hour, 30 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 438: The Mashed Potatoes Need You

DISCUSSED: Merlin has a little visitor today. Dan has some thoughts on conference scheduling. This leads to a broader discussion of the sensitivities we may or may not have to other peoples' limitations and constraints. It's nice to meet people. For some reason, religion, churches, and clergy are discussed. "This is what Peter did say!" Finally, the guys answer a listener question about working from home. Merlin poses a challenge. Links for this episode:Disney’s Surprise Star Wars Stumble Hammers Quarterly ResultsRamadan - WikipediaJon Stewart On Religion - YouTubeJohn Siracusa on Twitter: "@atpreferences Why does everyone forget the comma?" / TwitterBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Away (Visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get $20 off a suitcase). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).
8/13/20191 hour, 13 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 437: The Credit Section

Dan and Merlin explore the complexities of personal style. Not personal style as in fashion, but as in preferences, identity, and modes of interaction. How do we let others know how we are? How do we derive a sense of what works best for us, and why is it such a shameful struggle to effectively communicate that to others? What do AirPods, Snapchat, and Bloomberg Terminals potentially have in common? And, would it be cool if I just listen to this podcast instead of talking about my blouse and the weather? Links for this episode:"Nathan for You" Private Investigator/Taxi Company (TV Episode 2013) - IMDbThe Bloomberg terminal: clunky, costly, addictive, ubiquitous | Financial TimesThe Egg Is Bigger Than Before: What Is 5-Minute Crafts?5by5 | Back to Work #435: Scanner of HorizonsBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Warby Parker (Head to warbyparker.com/backtowork to order your free Home Try-On’s today).
8/6/20191 hour, 5 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 436: Better Than a Lipstick

DISCUSSED: the admirable candor of B.B. King; the simple joys of the Ordinary Night; movies that are or are not dated and how that affects your enjoyment; how sci-fi seemed to mostly miss the internet; our embarrassment of media options; tech in media and what it means for plot stuff; technology adoption curves are definitely speeding up; doing everything you can not to use your phone as a phone; more generational stuff; how time and context changes our perception; should they take all the smoking out of movies and tv?; remember: you're not making errors—you're adding information; and, finally, Dan has an exciting announcement and a wet notebook. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #434: Grist for an Unnecessary MillH. P. Lovecraft - WikipediaH. G. Wells - Wikipedia"The Office" Chair Model (TV Episode 2008) - IMDbChart: The Rising Speed of Technological AdoptionSeeing What’s Next | Asymco5by5 | Amplified #157: A Three Year ColdWho Are Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z?Starman (film) - WikipediaAmazon.com: Starman: Karen Allen, Jeff Bridges, Charles Martin Smith, Ted White, Richard Jaeckel, John Carpenter, Larry J. Franco, Columbia Pictures Corporation: Movies & TV5by5 | AmplifiedAmazon.com : Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Top-Spiral Notebook, 3" x 5", Black Cover, Universal Pattern, 3 Pack (No. 735-3) : Gateway"Detective Jigsaw" -MBMBAM Animatic - YouTubeTOSLINK: That one consumer fiber optic standard - YouTubeMerlin Mann on Twitter: ""Remember, you're not making errors; you're adding information." —Isaac the Gamescape Guy (on figure painting)" / TwitterThe Boys in the Band (1970) - IMDbBrought to you by: Rhone (Get 20% off your first purchase by going to Rhone.com/backtowork).
7/30/20191 hour, 10 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 435: Scanner of Horizons

DISCUSSED: kindness; eyeglasses, at length—including eyeglasses indignities, discounts, and injuries; a renewed surfeit of dingalings, fake friends, and a dumb podcast hit piece; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener question on getting stressed about personal quantization. Links for this episode:How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail - Scientific AmericanAmazon.com: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm Closed Dynamic Headphones Bundle with Blucoil 6-FT Headphone Extension Cable (3.5mm) and Headphone Hook: Home Audio & TheaterAmazon.com: AS2M (1053121), Long Point Sharpener, sharpens in 2 steps; 2 spare blades includes. With lead pointers for 2 mm and 3.2 mm. BLUE only: GatewayPortlandia - The Knot Store - HD - YouTube"I think we've arrived." His Dark Materials: Season 1 | San Diego Comic-Con Trailer | HBO - YouTubeDorkus Malorkus - YouTubeXY problem - WikipediaThe XY problem is a communication problem encountered in help desk and similar situations in which the real issue, X, of the person asking for help is obscured, because instead of asking directly about issue X, they ask how to solve a secondary issue, Y, which they believe will allow them to resolve issue X. MBMBaM 188: Holler Smarts — My Brother, My Brother And Me — Overcast"Have you considered LegalZoom?" 5by5 | Back to Work #433: The Muscle of WorryThinking, Fast and Slow - WikipediaThe central thesis is a dichotomy between two modes of thought: "System 1" is fast, instinctive and emotional Brought to you by: Manscaped (Get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code BACKTOWORK at Manscaped.com).
7/23/20191 hour, 14 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 434: Grist for an Unnecessary Mill

Show notes are short this week because Merlin had to go buy contrast paints for his figs. Main topic is speculating about speculation. Links for this episode:Steve Troughton-Smith on Twitter: "Wow. For a single coat, Contrast looks amazing. Maybe the hype is real? Of course, I understand it’s a very situational paint, but for organics and cloth this could be perfect… https://t.co/10RBmU49mC"The TRUTH behind GW Contrast Paints - YouTubeCitadel Contrast Paints: Resisting the Hype? - YouTubeWarhammer (game) - WikipediaSqueezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 1988The Perils and Rewards of Travel | The Hilarious World of DepressionMacular degeneration - WikipediaYngwie Malmsteen-Arpeggios From Hell - YouTubeMerlin Mann on Twitter: "Weird how the most competent and well-run aspect of United is their website for tracking your lost luggage."Weird how the most competent and well-run aspect of United is their website for tracking your lost luggage. Angie Tribeca | TBS.comMBMBaM: Candlenights 2017 | Maximum FunBrought to you by: Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
7/16/20191 hour, 13 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 433: The Muscle of Worry

DISCUSSED: Dan has found a terrific solution for his son's iPad case; on the benefits (and challenges) of getting away from our devices for a while; listener recommendations for YouTube keyboard commands, a book about cities, and some Disney scholarship; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener's question about "circular thoughts." Links for this episode:Keyboard shortcuts for YouTube - YouTube HelpLen Testa and TouringPlans.com - Part One: The Origins - Coaster101Last month, we were able to connect with Len Testa, President of TouringPlans.com, and co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, and The Unofficial Guide to British Theme Parks, to learn more about how TouringPlans got its start, how a Touring Plan “works,” and to learn more about this vital Disney vacation planning guide. The Works: Anatomy of a City: Kate Ascher: 8601400935996: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Logitech Rugged Protection Combo Keyboard Case for iPad 9.7 (5th and 6th Generation) - Bulk Packaging - Navy Blue: Computers & AccessoriesPenny Arcade - News - Dear DiaryThe best way I can describe it is "Chain worrying." Meet the designer cats with wild blood - YouTubeyak shaving - WiktionaryStack (abstract data type) - WikipediaSmart Playlist Creation Help - General / General Discussions - Plex ForumQuote by Pema Chödrön: “You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just th...”“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.” Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Linode (Visit linode.com/backtowork to learn more)
7/2/20191 hour, 8 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 432: Fingerspace Pollution

DISCUSSED: Merlin is a little hoarse; but what's an actual pony versus an actual little horse?; there's a lot of sadness and housing problems in the Hundred Acre Wood; the challenges of recommending starter media; the further challenges of being a media super-fan; (and how this relates to not seeing The Flintstones and stealing a copy of Fight Club from Blockbuster Video); Florida is hot; may everyone live long enough to feel bad for saying something really stupid on a podcast; is Piglet a small pig or just a pig baby?; Dan needs your help to find Cash a durable iPad case and keyboard solution; Merlin needs your help understanding the logic of keyboard media keys; to Dan, Piglet was always a baby pig; then, there's some follow-up on Disney parks; Dan again threatens to permanently ruin Disney for you, but he promises to clearly bracket it; and, finally, Dan has had it with people stealing flu valor. Just stop it, people. Links for this episode:The Chernobyl Podcast — Overcast20+ Mac Productivity Hacks from CEOs, Artists, Developers, Youtubers and More | Boxy SuiteNetflix - "Dark"Piglet (Winnie-the-Pooh) - WikipediaiPad 9.7-inch - AppleAmazon.com: ZAGG – Rugged Messenger – Backlit Case and Bluetooth Keyboard – Compatible with 2018 (G6) and 2017 (G5) Apple iPad 9.7” – Durable Case with Built-In Stand – Multiple-Device Pairing – Black: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: OtterBox DEFENDER SERIES Case for iPad Pro9.7" VERSION - Retail Packaging - BLACK: Computers & AccessoriesRoller Coaster Safety: How to Manage Too Many Trains at Once - YouTube‘Deadwood: The Movie’ and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge | The Watch — The Watch — OvercastOur Vlog About Opening Day at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge - YouTubeStar Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – MediumStar Trek: Deep Space Nine In 82.5 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – MediumThe Replacements - Unsatisfied (REMASTERED) - YouTubeSatisfied - Hamilton Musical - YouTubeBrought to you by: Rhone (Get 20% off your first purchase by going to Rhone.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
6/25/20191 hour, 15 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 431: Costly Branded Waiting

First and most importantly, Dan is back! Woo! Second, now, listen: please bear with me, and do not leave. Because, when I say we talked mostly about Disney—and especially Disney properties—it's way more interesting than you'd think. Or, so we hope. Essentially, Walt Disney World in particular has the control, data, and means to be extremely good at resource management, and that's just fascinating to think about. There's also some thank-you's, as well as some podcast recommendations, plus a response to a listener's question about choosing to use Apple's native apps. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #430: Shiny Red ClericDan's away this week, so Merlin tries going it alone. Episode 348: David Epstein — Longform — OvercastLayers — OvercastA Miniature Painting Podcast Food Safety Talk 185: Hot Diapers — Food Safety Talk — OvercastRemain Seated Please - The Hoot and Chief Story (Epcot Horizons) - YouTubeDisney's $1 Billion Bet on a Magical Wristband | WIREDWhat is a MagicBand? | Walt Disney World ResortManaging Multiple MagicBands | Walt Disney World ResortAnnual Disney Park Attendance Statistics and Charts | Disney ResourcesEverything We Know About Disney's Star Wars HotelBackup Software for Mac and WindowsMerlin on the complexity of SF transit options"Trying to explain anything about transit is insane…" Stock keeping unit - WikipediaJust-in-time manufacturing - WikipediaBrought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout. Mack Weldon, it's better than whatever you're wearing right now). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).
6/20/20191 hour, 41 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 430: Shiny Red Cleric

Dan's away this week, so Merlin tries going it alone. Topics include lessons from painting D&D minifigs, listener letters, and some recommendations. Feel better soon Dan; we need you! Links for this episode:Dan Benjamin (@danbenjamin) | TwitterNational Park TypefaceA TYPEFACE DESIGNED TO MIMIC THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SIGNS THAT ARE CARVED USING A ROUTER BIT. Band of Brothers (miniseries) - WikipediaGamescapeExcellent games and nerd store on Divisadero here in San Francisco. Amazon.com: Miniatures Paint Set, 10 Model Paints with FREE Highlighting Brush, 18ml/Bottle, Miniature Painting Kit, Non Toxic Acrylic Paint Set, Wargames Hobby Starter Paint Set by The Army Painter (New Version): GatewayAmazon.com: D&D NMU: Human Male Paladin W3: GatewayChvrches - The Bones of What You BelieveCHVRCHES - The Mother We Share - YouTubeAmazon.com: Tile Pro with Replaceable Battery - 2 pack: GatewayMINIATURE BASICS - HOW TO PAINT MINIATURES THE EASY WAY! FOR BEGINNERS! - YouTubeHow to Paint Miniatures - The Basics - NPC Chris Vlog 004 - YouTubeMiniature Painting -Beginner Tutorial ( 1 mini in under 1 hour) - YouTubeTony Buzan – Inventor of Mind MappingThe COMPLETE Game of Thrones Recap | CRAM IT - YouTubeWings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5 (Wings of Fire): Tui T. Sutherland: 9780545855723: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Funko 5 Star: Game of Thrones - Jon Snow: Toys & GamesTestors PaintsEp. 10. Murder on the Rockport Limited - Episode One | Maximum FunTile Pro and Tile Mate Review: The Best Key Finders Just Got BetterBrought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
6/14/201959 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 429: A Seer of Trees

DISCUSSED: Merlin has a catastrophic off-by-one-week error; Roderick's June is very triggering to your hosts; sometimes, it's nice to be exposed to stuff you didn't expect, but…; at a certain point in life, you mostly just see trees of inconvenience and risk; this leads to a long (and surprisingly pretty good) meditation on FOMO, acceptance, and not pretending to be a person you never actually were; Dan helps Merlin unpack a scene near his workplace; Merlin gets in the weeds about Roger Deakins, Torquay, and two different Richards Burton; then, there's a brief side trip into the reboot of Nick Fury; and, finally the boys answer listener questions about taking notes in college and feeling resistance to completing tasks. Links for this episode:Alexa Privacy Settings @ Amazon.comThe Wild Way Samuel L. Jackson Got The Role Of Marvel’s Nick FuryThe original Nick Fury, i.e. the one from the main Marvel Comics universe, Earth 616, is a white man, but in the Ultimate universe continuity, which launched in 2000, he's a black man who looks just like Samuel L. Jackson. That wasn't initially the case, but when writer Mark Millar began penning The Ultimates limited series in 2002, he decided to model Fury after Jackson, who was his favorite actor. As Millar told THR, he had no idea that Jackson was a comic book fan, and after seeing his likeness alongside these Marvel heroes, the actor called up his agents, who got in touch with Marvel. The company apologized and promised to include Jackson in future movie adaptations, should they even be made. The Cornell Note-taking System – Learning Strategies CenterRule of three (writing) - WikipediaBottom Of The Hill > Calendar & Tickets1299a.jpg 1,637×1,265 pixelsThe Waves on the Curvy Wife Guy, the incels seeking out plastic surgery, and Fleabag.Brought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today). Backblaze (Visit Backblaze.com/backtowork to receive a fully featured 15-day no-risk free trial).
6/4/20191 hour, 32 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 428: Prepare for Draculas

DISCUSSED: Nobody got enough sleep last night, but they're gonna power through anyhow; your hosts fawn over the amazing Chernobyl miniseries; various hardware mute button options are discussed; Merlin can't draw but is very excited about making pictures on an iPad; Dan is looking forward to seeing more Olyphant; your hosts address a listener's question about their "everyday carry," but honestly mostly end up talking about bags; also, you really need a bag in a bag in a bag; and, finally Merlin has an admittedly privileged aspiration involving keys. Links for this episode:Discover ProcreateBrain Bag - Backpacks - Laptop Bags – TOM BIHNBASE CAMP TRAVEL CANISTER | United StatesFenix LD12 320 Lumen LED Tactical Flashlight USB rechargeable kit with EdisonBright AA battery - - Amazon.comPro Co Short Stop | SweetwaterPro Co Power Mute | SweetwaterLinea – Drawing tools for your iPad and iPhoneTimothy Olyphant, episode #14 of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend on EarwolfDanny Cordray | Dunderpedia: The Office Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaLEATHERMAN - FREE P4 Multitool with Magnetic Locking, One Hand Accessible Tools and Premium Nylon Sheath and Pocket Clip - - Amazon.comAmazon.com: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black 4/pk: Office ProductsFreudian Slip - Travel Accessories – TOM BIHNRBMK - WikipediaSynapse 25 - Backpacks - Travel Bags – TOM BIHNPatagonia Atom Backpack 18LAmazon.com: tomtoc Laptop Accessories Pouch Bag Sleeve fit for Laptop Tablet Power Adapter, Charger, Mouse, Cable, Hard Drives, Pen Case Pencil Pouch, Travel Toiletry Organizer Shaving Dopp Kit Cosmetic Bag: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: tomtoc Portable Canvas Storage Pouch Bag Case Accessories Organizer compatible with Laptop Mouse, Power Adapter, Cables, Cellphone, SSD, HDD Enclosure, Power Bank: Computers & AccessoriesChernobyl. Cleaning the roofs. Soldiers (reservists). 1986. - YouTubeBrought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Twist (Visit twist.com/5by5 to get $100 in Twist Unlimited credits when you sign up for a new account). Chartable (Sign up for Chartable podcast analytics for FREE right now by visiting Chartable.com). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
5/28/20191 hour, 24 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 427: C. Thomas Hobbled

DISCUSSED: nasty, brutish, and short sleep; watching TV with a game controller; Dan has to deal with suite concatenation; your hosts crave the expertise of a craftsman; Merlin realizes he and his lady friend see very different forests (spoiler: hers is way better); popcorn ceiling comes in cans; your hosts contrast their views on kipple, sentimentality, and need; Dan struggles to turn off his buttons, and Merlin loves his iPad's Paste button; provisional, anecdotal praise for AT&T's Call Protect service; there's a distinction between long sleep and good sleep; Dan has to stab a prestige TV doppelgänger, and Merlin learns about Night Company; Merlin has recommendations for a Mac automation app, a new David Sparks Field Guide, and a handy new IoT dingus; speculation that smart home adoption truly won't tip until the interactions get less dorky; mobile charging options for travel are debated; everybody needs a Dad Hat; and, finally, with only three days of school left, Dan receives a very concerning email. Links for this episode:Bunch - BrettTerpstra.comBunch is a little macOS app that sits in your Dock. It doesn’t have any windows. When you right/ctrl-click it, it gives you a list of “Bunches” you can select from, each one launching a group of applications that you configure. Bunches can be configured to open apps, specific files in an app, and even web pages in your default browser. Announcing Release of the Keyboard Maestro Field Guide — MacSparkyLutron Aurora Always Ready smart bulb dimmerPopcorn ceiling - WikipediaRogue Amoeba | Audio Hijack: Record Any Audio on MacOSRecord any application's audio, including VoIP calls from Skype, web streams from Safari, and much more. Save audio from hardware devices like microphones and mixers as well. You can even record all the audio heard on your Mac at once! If you can hear it, Audio Hijack can record it. Startly - QuicKeys 4 for Mac OS XPinworm InfectionBronn | Game of Thrones Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaLord Bronn is the Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Reach, Master of Coin, and the founder of his house. Bronn is a skilled and dangerous sellsword who comes to prominence when he champions for Tyrion Lannister in his trial by combat at the Eyrie. Bronn subsequently enters Tyrion's service as his personal bodyguard, assassin, and enforcer and in return was given knighthood, power, and wealth. Amazon.com: Game of Thrones: The Complete Seasons 1-7 (BD + Digital): Various: Movies & TVSecurity Apps to Protect You & Your Phone - AT&THue Tap switch 046677473365 | PHILIPSThe Talk Show: Ep. 251, With Special Guest Merlin MannVery special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include sleep and sleep-tracking (with Apple Watch), regional fast-casual dining, the nature of podcasting, and, of course, more. Brought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Twist (Visit twist.com/5by5 to get $100 in Twist Unlimited credits when you sign up for a new account). Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout). Rhone (Get 20% off your first purchase by going to Rhone.com/backtowork).
5/21/20191 hour, 38 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 426: New Wave Night

DISCUSSED: Dan has a new setup, and Merlin randomly recommends a kids' book; your hosts remember too much; Dan realizes he took the wrong shop class, and Merlin realizes why Generation X was (and remains) mostly useless; Dan walks us through his new setup, and the boys talk about the joys of VNC; Merlin is excited about the new "Guard" functionality of the Amazon voice dingus; Ferris Bueller's Day Off is still very good; what is the sound of one Koan falling?; your hosts discuss an article proposing why everything should take 20 minutes; Merlin dives deep on his own longstanding use of this heuristic; this leads to some classic #productivity talk; there's some instamatic camera nostalgia; Dan has a new project, and you should maybe contact him; Once AGAIN!; the glory of Spirited Away is discussed; Dan recommends a good TV show for date night; and, finally, Dan and Merlin admit they'd probably watch basically anything about Watchmen. Links for this episode:Everything should take 20 minutes | The OutlineCornell Notes - WikipediaThe Cornell Notes system (also Cornell note-taking system, Cornell method, or Cornell way) is a note-taking system devised in the 1940s by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University. Pauk advocated its use in his best-selling book How to Study in College Everyday Carry - What are your EDC essentials?Alexa GuardScreens for macOS - Control Any Computer Remotely from your MacAmazon.com: GUND Spirited Away Ootori-Sama Fluffy Chicken Stuffed Animal Plush, 6": Gund: Toys & GamesAmazon.com: Kimkoala Spirited Away No Face Man Figure Figurines Anime Toy Home Gardening Decor Micro Landscape Decoration Ornaments Resin Crafts Doll: Toys & GamesCooter (30 Rock) - WikipediaCiboSausalitoMount Tamalpais State ParkThe Incomparable | A Real Imaginary Friend (Episode 194)Grab your black cat and portable radio, climb on your mom’s broomstick, and join us for a king-sized discussion of Hayao Miyazaki’s classic animated film “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” This film features a climactic scene featuring an out-of-control dirigible, so you know we love it. Put It On the List: Kristen Darbyshire: 9780525479062: Amazon.com: GatewayBrought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
5/14/20191 hour, 28 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 425: Off the Cushion

DISCUSSED: Dan explains what the photos he sends mean; Merlin encourages Dan to air a beef, and Dan kindly assents; Oh, boy, Windows! My old nemesis…Windows!; the Mac's interoperability glory days were amazing; it really sucks to watch a computer start up and start up and start up; ports confuse Merlin, who is now officially an old; Dan and Merlin talk about a few things they enjoyed watching on YouTube; Merlin has a recommendation for downloading internet videos (purely for educational reasons); Merlin also recommends a really good podcast episode about "data-driven parenting"; then, Merlin kinda pops off a little; hey, listen: you can rarely have benefits without risks (and kinda vice-versa); Dan's watching Deadwood again, and Merlin gets kinda excitable again and does lots of quotes for some reason; and, finally, Merlin has a super-tip about improving your results in Apple Health. Links for this episode:Manage Health data on your iPhone, iPod touch, or Apple Watch - Apple Support376. The Data-Driven Guide to Sane Parenting — Freakonomics Radio — OvercastThe Data-Driven Guide to Sane Parenting (Ep. 376) - Freakonomics FreakonomicsHumans have been having kids forever, so why are modern parents so bewildered? The economist Emily Oster marshals the evidence on the most contentious topics — breastfeeding and sleep training, vaccines and screen time — and tells her fellow parents to calm the heck down. Universal Audio | Audio Interfaces | UAD Plug-InsDownie - YouTube Video Downloader for macOS - Charlie Monroe Softwareyoutube-dlTarget Disk Mode - Wikipedia19 useful Mac startup key combinations you should familiarize yourself withHow to use disk mode on your iPod - Apple SupportWWF - Mankind vs The Undertaker (Hell in a Cell) - video dailymotion5by5 | After Dark #530: After Back to Work 424Dr. John Ioannidis Exposes the Bad Science of Colleagues - The AtlanticBrought to you by: Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today). Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Twist (Visit twist.com/5by5 to get $100 in Twist Unlimited credits when you sign up for a new account).
5/7/20191 hour, 30 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 424: A Roach Riding a Rat

DISCUSSED: the restorative tonic of a good night's sleep; a return to sleep as video game; it's okay to tweet your hosts about hoagies and Publix; concerns about butt cancer; Dan recommends a Netflix series; Merlin endorses Overcast clips; the difficulty of balancing user requests with reality; Merlin commends the deliberate simplicity of his daughter's spork; Merlin recommends a podcast; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener's email about the therapeutic benefits of "controlling a small area." Links for this episode:Clip sharing with Overcast – Marco.orgWith today’s 2019.4 update, you can now share audio or video clips, up to a minute each, from any public podcast. Simply tap the share button in the upper-right corner. Against the Rules with Michael Lewis — OvercastBreaking Government with Michael Lewis — Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes — OvercastMise en place - Wikipedia5by5 | Back to Work #385: A Picture of a ClownDan and Merlin also answer listener questions about mise en place and doubting one's future after college. 5by5 | Back to Work #222: Full-Stack ObsessiveMerlin and Dan use The Aviator as a jumping-off point to talk about OCD as it relates to perfectionism, creativity, and drive in the workplace. They discuss rituals and their consequences, the importance of mise en place, and eliminating disruptive processes. Why Cleaning Makes Some People Feel Less Anxious - TonicIf you're one of those people, there could be a few explanations for why cleanliness translates to lower levels of stress and anxiety for you, says Darby Saxbe, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Southern California. “[Cleaning] gives people a sense of mastery and control over their environment,” she says. “Life is full of uncertainty and many situations are out of our hands, but at least we can assert our will on our living space. Clutter can be visually distracting, too, and serve as a nagging reminder of tasks and chores undone.” AutoSleepSleep Watch App — Apple Watch Sleep Tracker AppYass Cat (Original Vine) - YouTubeNetflixNetflix Commercial - SNL - YouTubeList: E-mail Addresses It Would Be Really Annoying to Give Out Over the Phone - McSweeney’s Internet TendencyFireside Podcast HostingUse promo code DRAGONGLASS for 20% off for three months. "Mr. Show with Bob and David" Life Is Precious and God and the Bible (TV Episode 1998) - IMDbStructured ProcrastinationBrought to you by: Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Away (Visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get $20 off a suitcase).
4/30/20191 hour, 13 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 423: It Only Hurts for a Minute

DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin get hungry, but they've had it with all the bread; the trough food is so costly; no one is sweating Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Marvel-ish movies are discussed, including the new one with Lady Sansa; Merlin is very concerned about aphasias; Dan introduces us to Forbidden Snacks and endorses his new shoe appliance; shoe appliances are then discussed; Dan hasn't had to use his sword…yet; people sure love them some pencils; there was some weather, so the seder got all fakakte; the finer points of Judaism and sundry Hebraica are clarified; Dan got scrolls-on-tape from a sympathetic cantor; Buster Scruggs is recommended; the boys receive a quick surprise visit from the great Tom Waits; and, finally, your hosts talk about a terrific YouTube video about what we can all learn from our worst trainwrecks. Links for this episode:Adam Neely - "My Worst Trainwreck" - YouTube"Train wrecks happen on the bandstand. This is the story of a particularly nasty one at a wedding where we totally butcher a perfectly decent Elton John ballad." Adam Neely - YouTubeForbidden SnacksAmazon.com: Set of 2 Metal Shoe Horns, 7.5" Long - Top Quality: ShoesAgainst the Rules with Michael Lewis — OvercastAphasia - WikipediaAmazon.com: Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk (9780785120124): Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan, Aaron Lopresti, Juan Santacruz, Gary Frank, Takeshi Miyazawa: BooksThe 12 Marvel movies you need to see to make the most of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ next week – BGRHome | Peanut Chews | Celebrating 100 Years | Join the PartyDestroying angel (Bible) - Wikipedia"Planet Hulk" - NetflixShabbat elevator - WikipediaActivities prohibited on Shabbat - WikipediaTango till they're sore -- Tom Waits - YouTubeFiasco! - This American LifeStories of when things go wrong. Really wrong. When you leave the normal realm of human error, fumble, mishap, and mistake and enter the territory of really huge breakdowns. Fiascos. Things go so awry that normal social order collapses. This week's show is a philosophical inquiry in the nature of fiascos — perhaps the first ever. 5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowBrought to you by: Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more). Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)
4/23/20191 hour, 28 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 422: Magic Rub

DISCUSSED: Dan has just started a new pen; there's some pen, pencil, and eraser talk; Dan has an important anecdote about utilizing eraser-based people skills; Dan's iMac is working fine, but he's concerned about the poofs coming out of the balloon blower; Dan saw Venom and has some thoughts; Merlin commends a comic and a podcast and an app launcher; the evolution of computer interaction has rewired our brains; why do they have to make the print so small?; Merlin has songs in his head; and, finally, Merlin apologizes to Nick Fury. Links for this episode:My Worst Trainwreck - YouTubeAdam Neely - YouTubeFun Fact, a podcast by Arik Devens and Allen PikeArik Devens and Allen Pike serve up fun facts, including the practical, historical, technical, and trivial. New episode every other Friday. Fun Fact — OvercastTwo people talk about topics they find interesting. LaunchBar 6Start with a single keyboard shortcut to access and control every aspect of your digital life. Kneaded eraser - WikipediaPrismacolor MAGIC RUB Art Eraser, Vinyl, Dozen | OfficeSupply.comPentel Clic Eraser Pencil-Style Grip Eraser, Black | OfficeSupply.comMedium Kneaded Rubber | Winsor & NewtonA medium size ‘plastic’ or ‘putty’ rubber which may be moulded to a fine point for minute erasures. Useful for picking out highlights and erasing pencil, chalk or charcoal without smearing. Amazon.com : Pilot Precise V7 RT Retractable Rolling Ball Pens, Fine Point, Black Ink, 6 Pack : GatewayAmazon.com: Sakura 44162 8-Piece Identi-Pen Permanent Marker Set, Assorted Colors: GatewayAmazon.com : Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil, 2mm. 780BK : Steatdler Mechanical Pencil : GatewayApple Mac Upgrades - RAM, SSD Flash, External Drives and MoreAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender: The Complete Collection Volume 1 (8601418338321): Rick Remender, Leonardo Manco, Jerome Opena, Rafael Albuquerque, Esad Ribic, Billy Tan, Mark Brooks, Robbi Rodriguez: GatewayAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Force, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Solution (9780785148555): Rick Remender, Jerome Opena, Leonardo Manco: BooksBrian Regan-You Too and Stuff - YouTubeCHVRCHES - The Mother We Share - YouTubeNick Fury: Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on."Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on." —Nick Fury (2012) WTOG 44 Tampa - Commercials from 1986 - YouTubeMaido — Kinokuniya USABrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout. Mack Weldon, it's better than whatever you're wearing right now).
4/16/20191 hour, 10 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 421: Black Dress Cowboy Boots

DISCUSSED: What we talk about when we talk about optimism; the power of "Act as Though"; on edibles; a YouTube recommendation, then more YouTube recommendations; how even do we tell YouTube what we never want to see again? HOW?!; the difficulty of sensible algorithms; the fascinating concept of "pareidolia"; Professor Shoelaces's extensive metatags; your hosts answer a listener's question about when to go physical versus when to go digital. Links for this episode:Chris Nagele on Twitter: "In other words, I'm trying to treat my computer more like a sewing machine or table saw. Something to do a job when I need it, and to walk away from it when I don't."In other words, I'm trying to treat my computer more like a sewing machine or table saw. Something to do a job when I need it, and to walk away from it when I don't. Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Dr. Reid Wilson PhD: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: BooksForgery Experts Explain 5 Ways To Spot A Fake | WIRED - YouTubeMovie Accent Expert Breaks Down 31 Actors Playing Real People | WIRED - YouTubeExploring the World of E-Ink - YouTubeRipple Training - YouTubeLarry Jordan - YouTubeRemain Seated Please - The Hoot and Chief Story (Epcot Horizons) - YouTubeExploring the World of E-Ink - YouTubeMovie Accent Expert Breaks Down 31 Actors Playing Real People | WIRED - YouTubeAglet - WikipediaIan's Shoelace Site – IntroductionProfessorShoelace - YouTubeBack to Work Listener Survey 2019Pacific Rim (2013) - Quotes - IMDbToday, we are canceling the apocalypse! Nick Fury: Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.Nick Fury: "Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on." Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Mack Weldon (For 20% off your first order, visit mackweldon.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout. Mack Weldon, it's better than whatever you're wearing right now).
4/9/20191 hour, 12 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 420: Baby Thorin

DISCUSSED: Merlin is back on his old cans; Dan is pivoting to video; Cash stepped in paint, and kids are terrible storytellers; a book recommendation; a case for the Oxford comma, please and thank you; Dan starts asking for help with his new iMac; gross nickel–and-diming by Apple; praise for Southwest Airlines; Dan (finally) gets to finish asking for help with his new iMac; a cool new open source Mac video app; the Mac laptop keyboard problems ain't going away; Dan really likes Final Cut; Merlin fights with UPS, both on principle and as a game; Merlin thinks Dan's egg cooker rules. Links for this episode:Rogue Amoeba | Get Audio Hijack 3Brian Regan- You Too! - YouTube"Best Buy Rewards Card"- Pacific Rim Animatic - YouTubeDreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style: Benjamin Dreyer: 9780812995701: Amazon.com: GatewayFresh Air for Feb. 5, 2019: Random House Copy Chief Benjamin Dreyer : NPRMenu for Ted's Farm Barbecue & Coffee Austn, TX MenuOxford commas, Nelson Mandela, and Stephen King | Sentence firstIINA - The modern media player for macOSAmazon.com: Dash Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity Electric Egg Cooker for Hard Boiled Eggs, Poached Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, or Omelets with Auto Shut Off Feature - Black: Electric Egg Cookers: GatewayDave Itzkoff on Twitter: "“Walter, I’m sure there’s a reason you brought your dirty undies.” “That’s right, Dude. The weight. The ringer can’t look empty.”… https://t.co/edrOW3ELK5"Brought to you by: Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today). Luna Display (Get 10% discount on Luna Display by going to www.lunadisplay.com and enter the promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout) Digital Ocean (Discover why developers love DigitalOcean and get started with a free $100 credit at do.co/backtowork).
4/3/20191 hour, 7 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 419: The Elephant in the Sword

DISCUSSED: allergy attack!; big anniversary today; elegy for Two Cats Comics; some D&D talk; Dan got a sword!; yet more D&D talk; key commands for line-moving; Dan got his YouTube URL back; a Theranos book recommendation; Dan almost got cast in a TV show; some observations and reckons about Apple's big Services event. Links for this episode:Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup: John Carreyrou: 9781524731656: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm Closed Dynamic Headphones Bundle with Blucoil Audio 6-Ft Extension Cable and Stick-On Under Desk Dual Headphone Stand Mount: Home Audio & TheaterTexas Renaissance Festival – Tickets and InformationPlayer's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons): Wizards RPG Team: 8601421717694: Amazon.com: GatewayAmazon.com: Frienda Zinc Alloy Metal Polyhedral 7-Die Dice Set for Dungeons and Dragons RPG Dice Gaming D&D Math Teaching, d20, d12, 2 Pieces d10 (00-90 and 0-9), d8, d6 and d4 (Black and Red): Toys & GamesThe Satanic Panic — You're Wrong About... — OvercastMerlin Mann on Twitter: "“I would marry my firstborn daughter to a juggalo before I let her date a juggler.” —Justin McElroy"Lawrence M. Schoen - Wikipedia"Schoen founded the Klingon Language Institute…" KeyBindings - BrettTerpstra.comDan Benjamin - YouTubeApple Arcade - AppleApple Card - AppleBrought to you by: Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today). Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).
3/26/20191 hour, 42 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 418: This Man…This Monster!

DISCUSSED: Top o' the Morling!; praise for the home release of Spider-Verse; Dan and Merlin offer some more TV recommendations; Merlin endorses an excellent "turns out" podcast; a deep dive on slow-rise squishes and related stress toys; Merlin wears his childhood privilege on his sleeve. Finally, the guys answer an excellent listener question about the complex work of maintaining a household with someone you love. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, March 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. You're Wrong About... — OvercastReturning to misremembered history PEN15 - WikipediaLove Death + Robots Trailer: David Fincher Presents Animated Anthology | IndieWireStranger Danger — You're Wrong About... — OvercastAmazon.com: TrimakeShop Jumbo Cute Cartoon Dinosaur T-Rex Kawaii Cream Scented Squishies Very Slow Rising Kids Toys Doll Gift Fun Collection Stress Relief Toy Hop Props, Decorative Props Large: GatewayAmazon.com: AIKEMI Easter 6.5'' Slow Rising Squishies Slice Jumbo Soft Rainbow Sheep Cream Scented Squeeze Hand Wrist Gifts (Sheep): Toys & GamesPomodoro Technique - WikipediaReconcilable Differences #98: You’re Killing Your Father - Relay FMJohn has a mental model about how the TV remotes flow, but no one seems very interested. Unsurprisingly, this leads to the airing of household grievances.Can't we just always have the flaps face the same way? Shouldn't we just stack the forks here in the forks area? Why is Daisy leaving caltrops in the hallway? Does a child's backpack really need to extend seventeen feet? Can we please just leave some space that accommodates the snack bags? Do we really need all this toothpaste? Question from Listener SophieBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).
3/19/20191 hour, 13 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 417: Fish Bishop

DISCUSSED: Merlin is trying some new things and probably needs to adjust his DIP switches; audio equipment is discussed; remembering Hal Blaine; German words; fish dropsy; dining at Alamo Draft House; kids and crafts; follow-up on Power Puttering; recommending a Siracusa anecdote; recommending a philosophy podcast; recommending several cool products; some strong (if muddled) thoughts on the Michael Jackson documentary. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, March 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Hal Blaine - WikipediaHal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky Philosophize This! – A free podcast dedicated to sharing the ideas that shaped our world!Philosophize This! — OvercastEpisode #121 … Michel Foucault pt. 1 — Philosophize This! — OvercastReconcilable Differences #99: Coconut Scenario - Relay FMMerlin needs to be rebooted, and John shares a harrowing ordeal involving Apple IDs. Reconcilable Differences 99: Coconut Scenario — Reconcilable Differences — OvercastSiracusa's Apple ID ordeal begins after 1:14:09 Arrow | Desktop Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface | Universal AudioAmazon.com: Universal Audio Arrow Portable Studio Recorder, Gray: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: WHOOSH! Award-Winning Screen Cleaner – Safe for All Screens – Smartphones, iPads, Eyeglasses, Kindle, LED, LCD & TVs – Includes 3.4 Oz Bottle + 1 Premium Antimicrobial Microfiber Cloth: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Zeiss Lens Care Pack - 2 - 8 Ounce Bottles of Lens Cleaner, 2 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: TechMatte MagGrip Universal Air Vent Magnetic Mount Car Phone Holder with Powerful Magnetic Grip Technology (1 Pack) - Black: Cell Phones & AccessoriesAddalock - (1 Piece ) Portable Door Lock, Travel Lock, AirBNB Lock, School Lockdown Lock - Door Levers - Amazon.comSlate’s Culture Gabfest on Michael Jackson abuse documentary Leaving Neverland.This week, Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss Leaving Neverland, a new documentary from HBO that centers on Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege that they were sexually abused by Michael Jackson beginning when they were 7 and 10 years old, respectively. Michael Jackson, the Leaving Neverland documentary, and the limits of cancel culture.Nor would that be going far enough. Merlin Mann - "Go Through Hell"Merlin's pop song based on The Waste Land and Dan. The Ronettes - Be My Baby (Audio) - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get fifty dollars off your first job post).
3/12/20191 hour, 10 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 416: A Squishy for the Ages

DISCUSSED: Merlin is living the Domino lifestyle; R.I.P. Two Cats Comics; praise for iA Writer; Merlin needs help with his sudden Gmail spam; a meditation on comics as some awesome fun and an ugly damned business; nostalgia for hobby shops and Expedition to the Barrier Peaks; and finally Merlin reintroduces the concept of "Power Puttering." Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin MannFriend, it’s time for this epic arc to come to its conclusion. After five years, twenty-five meet-ups, and countless new friends made and awesome comics recommended, this will be our last Ungainly X-Mann Meetup with our dear friends at Two Cats Comics Three-Twenty West Portal Avenue. My all-time favorite comic shop will be closing for good on March 26th. Amazon.com: AIKEMI Easter Cute Pig Squishy Slow Rising Soft Scented Animal Long Eyelashes Stress Relief Baby Toys Gifts: Toys & GamesiA Writer: The Focused Writing App for Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone and iPadEp. 326: "The Cat and the Kettle" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John could funny crash. 5by5 | Back to Work #344: The Microwave MomentDude smokes the world's hottest pepper(Carolina Reaper) : HadToHurtBrave man vapes a Carolina Reaper, the world's hottest pepper - YouTubeDomino (comics) - WikipediaIn addition to her exceptional marksmanship and hand-to-hand skills, Domino possesses mutant probability-altering powers, similar to those of the mutant Longshot. Domino (Neena Thurman) | Characters | MarvelGiven good luck thanks to her powers, Neena Thurman has served as both a dangerous mercenary and a tough and resilient hero. Domino | Comics | Marvel.comDomino’s “good luck” powers activate, she escapes and takes up the life of a mercenary and eventually becomes a super hero as a mainstay member of X-Force. "One Last Time" - Hamilton At The White House #ObamaLegacy - YouTubeExpedition to the Barrier Peaks - WikipediaExpedition to the Barrier Peaks is a 1980 adventure module for the Dungeons Reconcilable Differences #97: Invisible Work - Relay FMThis week's sprawling main topic is "Emotional Labor." Why is it that women usually get saddled with being the Office Mom (as well as the "House Mom"), and why the heck doesn't Ralphie's dad help Randy put on his snowsuit? Who ends up ordering the birthday cake as well as justifying the ways of boss to employee? Further, how do we account for the tonnage of invisible work that, by custom more than policy, some people end up having to both identify and do? Amazon.com : Kershaw Clash Black Serrated Pocket Knife (1605CKTST) 3.1" Stainless Steel Blade with Black-Oxide Coating; Glass-Filled Nylon Handle with SpeedSafe Open, Locking Liner and Reversible Pocketclip; 4.3oz : Hunting Knives : Sports & OutdoorsBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Care/of (For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50).
3/5/20191 hour, 15 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 415: Fifty and Monogamous

DISCUSSED: Dan has an awesome new video; Spider-Verse is out!; Merlin's dorky Segway is discussed; app recommendations for a clean new Gmail and an even-smarter Dark Sky; Dan spills the beans on his new sound bar setup; TV selection and purchase is a known thistle; idiot trolls hassle poor Carol Danvers; Dan has an important new egg technology; and, finally, the boys fret about Apple's new 2FA requirements a little. Links for this episode:This Is Fireside - YouTubeDark SkyHyperlocal weather forecasting. What Is HDMI ARC?HDMI :: Manufacturer :: HDMI 1.4 :: Audio Return ChannelAmazon.com: All-new Sonos Beam – Compact Smart TV Soundbar with Amazon Alexa voice control built-in. Wireless home theater and streaming music in any room. (Black): GatewayReviews and Ratings - RTINGS.comLG E7 OLED Review (OLED55E7P, OLED65E7P) - RTINGS.comSorry, trolls: Rotten Tomatoes will no longer let users review a movie before its release Yubico | YubiKey Strong Two Factor Authentication for Business and Individual Use.Apple being sued because two-factor authentication on an iPhone or Mac takes too much timeThe curse of the Twitter reply guyOn Twitter, a place where a lot of bad things happen, there's a mostly harmless but decidedly annoying phenomenon. A lot of people, mostly women, have noticed that one or two men always, no matter what, reply to their tweets. Dash Rapid Egg Cooker: 6 Egg Capacity Electric Egg Cooker for Hard Boiled Eggs, Poached Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, or Omelets with Auto Shut Off Feature - BlackBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Keeps (Stop worrying about hair loss for good! To receive your first month of treatment for free, go to keeps.com/backtowork).
2/26/20191 hour, 10 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 414: Inheritance of Pain

Mostly one big topic: screen time. Links for this episode:How to Fix “Cellular Update Failed” on iPhone with iOS 12.1.2 SMS, LTE, Cellular Data Issues16 Surprisingly Funny Palindromes | Grammarly BlogPessimists Archive PodcastMoral panic - WikipediaAmazon.com: Super Stretchy Banana Assorted and Bouncy Ball Bundle by JA-RU | Stretches Long & Shrink Slow. Smells Good 3340 (Banana): GatewayLeviton 67W82 20 Amp, 277/480 Volt- 3PY, Flush Mounting Locking Receptacle, Industrial Grade, Grounding, Wetguard with Cover, Yellow - Electrical Outlet Covers - Amazon.comFrinkiac - S09E18 - WHAT IS YOUR FASCINATION WITH MY FORBIDDEN CLOSET OF MYSTERY?Brought to you by: Grammarly (For 20% off a Grammarly premium account, go to Grammarly.com/backtowork). eero (Get $100 off the ‘eero base unit and 2 beacons package,’ and 1 year of eero Plus, visit eero.com/backtowork and at checkout enter the code BACKTOWORK).
2/19/20191 hour, 11 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 413: Bumbleditch Cumperdam

DISCUSSED: It's the optimistic day, but Merlin really screwed up an edit; there's some Inside Baseball about how podcasts get made; it's nice to have someone notice the shaving cream on your jowl; movie ratings are explored; why all the bosoms in 80s movies?; Dan wonders if he should have approached a celebrity; Merlin introduces further thought technologies for not being a creep with a famous person; the paucity of public experiences; Dan talks about Austin's mussel water; we learn about the prevalence of weevils; meth sourcing; a nice note from a listener about when podcasts are absolutely not evil; and, finally, a desperate plea for podcast platforms to stay independent and open please please pretty please. Links for this episode:macOS Keychain Security Flaw Discovered by Researcher, but Details Not Shared With Apple Over Bug Bounty Protest - MacRumorsAustin Water Responds to Unusual Odor in Water - Water is Safe to Drink | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of AustinAUSTIN - Some customers are experiencing an unusual odor in their water. Water provided by Austin Water continues to meet all regulatory standards and is safe to drink. Austin Water director apologizes, says zebra mussels a known riskExponent 162 — Why Exponent Isn’t on Spotify — Exponent — OvercastNetflixDo By FridayReconcilable Differences - Relay FMBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get fifty dollars off your first job post).
2/12/20191 hour, 16 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 412: A Hobo in a Cartoon

DISCUSSED: Gong Hei Fat Choy!; follow-up on the FaceTime bug and the complexity of getting bug and security reports from normals; the weirdness of bug-finders demanding a bounty; Merlin is fascinated to learn about "combinatorial explosion" and how it helps to explain why power-cycling fixes stuff; why you should always blow the dust out of the plug; recent examples of how restarting just fixes stuff; Merlin logs out of email apps and recommends an iOS calendar app; a case for killing OAuth where you don't need it; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener question about whether podcasts can be "evil." Links for this episode:How to say Happy New Year in Chinese, just in time for Chinese New Year | Metro NewsHow a teenage 'Fortnite' player found Apple's FaceTime bug — and why it was so hard to report it[53:35] Apple goes to war with Facebook and Google — The Vergecast — OvercastCombinatorial explosion - WikipediaIn mathematics, a combinatorial explosion is the rapid growth of the complexity of a problem due to how the combinatorics of the problem is affected by the input, constraints, and bounds of the problem. Combinatorial explosion is sometimes used to justify the intractability of certain problems. 2019 Super Bowl was the least-watched in a decade - MarketWatchSuper Bowl Ratings Hit 10-Year Low In Patriots’ Win | DeadlineBoring Game Plus New Orleans Rebellion Leads to Ratings Drop - The New York TimesDiagnosis and Management of Supernumerary (Mesiodens): A Review of the LiteratureBug Reporting - Apple DeveloperBlow the dust out of the connector – The Old New ThingHere's the trick: Don't ask "Are you sure it's plugged in correctly?"If you do this, they will get all insulted and say indignantly, "Of course it is! Do I look like an idiot?" without actually checking.Instead, say "Okay, sometimes the connection gets a little dusty and the connection gets weak. Could you unplug the connector, blow into it to get the dust out, then plug it back in?" Calendar 366 by n.spektor - For Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch & iPadThe Dropout Podcast - ABC RadioGood QA JokeOlivia Colman — David Tennant Does a Podcast With… — OvercastDavid Tennant talks with Olivia Colman. Stories about The Crown, The Favourite, Broadchurch and more. If you’re easily offended, there are some swears. Merlin Mann's subscriptionsMerlin Mann's podcast subscriptions Big Star - "September Gurls" (1974) - YouTubeBrought to you by: Honeybook (So get started at HoneyBook.com today, and use promo code BACKTOWORK for 50% off your first year). Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).
2/5/20191 hour, 16 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 411: It's Not Butt

DISCUSSED: Dan's fighting his computer and explores font corruption; Merlin hates pebbles in his shoe; Dan has an anecdote about massages; Merlin has an anecdote about the FaceTime exploit; this leads to discussion about how big companies deal with huge-scale, unexpected problems; some thoughts on The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect; the problem with journalism about stuff we actually know about; remembering Michael Crichton; Heartbeeps!; a clever way to reduce damage from careless delivery; is there a new Browser War underway?; and answering a question from Listener Stephen about life after Editorial. Links for this episode:Gell-Mann amnesia effect - WikipediaWhy This Bike Company Put a TV on Its BoxMicrosoft exec riles Firefox faithful by telling Mozilla to embrace Chrome - CNETRunaway (1984 American film) - WikipediaDuracel Plastic Family & Creepy Parrot - YouTubeThe Hudsucker Proxy - Wikipedia5by5 | Back to Work #372: Hole That RabbitDrafts: How Merlin uses it and what Greg's doing next | iMoreDrafts is developed by Greg Pierce and used the hell out of by Merlin Mann. They sit down together to talk direction, workflows, and what's coming next. 1Writer - A beautiful and rich-featured Markdown editor for iPhone and iPadBear - Notes for iPhone, iPad and MacBear is a beautiful, flexible writing app for crafting notes and prose. How a teenage 'Fortnite' player found Apple's FaceTime bug — and why it was so hard to report itAmazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle Devices - The New York TimesIn a move that angered customers and generated waves of online pique, Amazon remotely deleted some digital editions of the books from the Kindle devices of readers who had bought them. Brought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Hopsy (Go to tryhopsy.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK to get the SUB home draft machine, 2 mini-kegs of beer (equivalent to 2 six packs), 2 Hopsy glasses and free membership in the monthly beer Club for $99).
1/29/20191 hour, 21 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 410: The Childhood Cocktail

DISCUSSED: dreams and whether people like hearing them; turns out: Merlin recommends a podcast episode about mental stuff; practice vs. rehearsal; visualization as a rehearsal thing; follow-up on science fair projects; our new, post-search-engine habits; Math is hard; Merlin didn't get Anna's emails; cool screen-grabbing mojo; and Dan reviews excellent listener book recommendations. Links for this episode:363. Think Like a Winner — Freakonomics Radio — OvercastGreat athletes aren’t just great at the physical stuff. They’ve also learned how to handle pressure, overcome fear, and stay focused. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to be an athlete to use what they know. Raul Riera on Twitter: "TIL about COMMAND + SHIFT + 5… "Artemis Fowl: Eoin Colfer: 8601400259580: Amazon.com: BooksThe Chronicles of Prydain: Lloyd Alexander: 8601200472110: Amazon.com: BooksThe Dark Is Rising Sequence: Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree: Susan Cooper: 9781442489677: Amazon.com: BooksSub-Human (Post-Human): David Simpson, Autumn J. Conley, Jennifer Simpson: 9781478343981: Amazon.com: BooksWool: Hugh Howey: 9781476733951: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: So You Want to Be a Wizard: The First Book in the Young Wizards Series (9780152162504): Diane Duane: BooksAlcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians): Brandon Sanderson, Hayley Lazo: 9780765378941: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Skyward (9780399555770): Brandon Sanderson: BooksAmazon.com: The Last Magician (9781481432085): Lisa Maxwell: BooksAmazon.com: Divergent Series Four-Book Paperback Box Set: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four (0752423331765): Veronica Roth: BooksAmazon.com: The Maze Runner Series Complete Collection Boxed Set (5-Book) (9781524771034): James Dashner: BooksArlo Finch in the Valley of Fire: John August: 9781250294258: Amazon.com: BooksMortal Engines 8 Book Collection: Philip Reeve: 9781338348910: Amazon.com: BooksWings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5 (Wings of Fire): Tui T. Sutherland: 9780545855723: Amazon.com: BooksBartimaeus Series 4 Book Set including: The Amulet of Samarkand / The Golem's Eye / Ptolemy's Gate / Ring of Solomon Prequel: Jonathan Stroud: 0719534865596: Amazon.com: BooksFablehaven Complete Set (Boxed Set): Fablehaven; Rise of the Evening Star; Grip of the Shadow Plague; Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary; Keys to the Demon Prison: Brandon Mull, Brandon Dorman: 8601419663026: Amazon.com: BooksThe Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set: Chris Colfer: 9780316480840: Amazon.com: BooksThe Ranger's Apprentice Series (Complete 12 Book Set) : John Flanagan: 0680474137794: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Another Fine Myth (Myth, Book 1) (9780441023622): Robert Asprin, Walter Velez: BooksAmazon.com: Janitors (Janitors series Book 1) eBook: Tyler Whitesides, Brandon Dorman: BooksAmazon.com: Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle) (9780375846311): Christopher Paolini: BooksAmazon.com: Stormbreaker (Alex Rider) (9780142406113): Anthony Horowitz: BooksThe Ender Quartet Boxed Set: Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind (The Ender Quintet): Orson Scott Card: 8601419656288: Amazon.com: BooksThe Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set: Chris Colfer: 9780316480840: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The White Tower (The Aldoran Chronicles: Book 1) eBook: Michael Wisehart: BooksThe Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit: David Eddings: 8601404908262: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Redwall (9780142302378): Brian Jacques, Gary Chalk: BooksAmazon’s Wish List with Stacy Mitchell — Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes — OvercastWhat does Amazon want from us? For consumers, Amazon can be a frictionless gateway to find everything from bed frames to dog food, baby clothes to award winning original tv series. There’s nothing quite like it – a position they’re in not by accident but by design. Thieves' World - WikipediaDungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History: Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer, Joe Manganiello: 9780399580949: Amazon.com: BooksBrought to you by: Bombfell (Get $25 off your first purchase by visiting bombfell.com/backtowork). Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
1/22/20191 hour, 1 minute, 23 seconds
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Episode 409: He Says Hard

DISCUSSED: moisture; kids and watches; some recent media consumption; encouraging kids to have good taste; memories of watching VHS movies in school; follow-up on Dan's new keyboard experiment; Drobo concerns; thinking about modern backup and, gosh, how that's evolved; frustrating typos; Dan and Merlin have iOS concerns; Dan has further thoughts on Bandersnatch. Links for this episode:Becket (1964 film) - WikipediaThe Beths 'A Little Death' | RNZ Music Live Session - YouTubeWeirdly, Merlin's kid likes this one too. The Beths - "Happy Unhappy" (official lyric video) - YouTubeAmazon.com: Vortexgear 75% Programmable Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Grey Alu Casing - PBT DSA Profile Dye Sub Keycaps - Cherry Mx Switches [CNC Aluminium Casing] RGBY Modifiers (Cherry Mx-Brown): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Clicky MX Blue Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACCLI): Computers & AccessoriesMerlin's primary Mac keyboard. Amazon.com: Glorious Gaming Wrist Pad/Rest - SLIM TENKEYLESS - Black - Mechanical Keyboards,Stitched Edges,Ergonomic | 14x4 inches/13mm Thick (GSW-87) Slim Tenkeyless (Black): Computers & AccessoriesLenovoEMC - WikipediaWest Side Story - "Maria" (1961)"Say it soft and it's almost like praying." Brought to you by: Honeybook (Visit Honeybook.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK to get 50% off your first year). LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get $50 off your first job post). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).
1/15/20191 hour, 4 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 408: The Pwn Key

DISCUSSED: Optimistic Tuesdays; office cleanup; a grave bleach mishap; follow-up on Wirecutter; a listener suggestion on, of all things, acupressure; Dan loves his cool new keyboard, but has a big caveat; Merlin is working with magnets; on "Hardware Disease"; request for Riordan-style book recommendations; exciting follow-up on the Burger Decay Project; plus, some closing thoughts on Apple's recent results dustup and what it might suggest about near-future tech trends. Links for this episode:iPhone, move over. Make room for Alexa.Upgrade #227: Twenty Nine TeeVee - Relay FMThe new year starts with a bang, as Apple misses its iPhone sales forecast and announces surprising partnerships with Samsung and other TV makers in advance of the launch of its new video service. We discuss these earth-shattering issues in detail, not to mention Jason's world-exclusive trial of a new iPad Pro keyboard. Upgrade 227: Twenty Nine TeeVee — Upgrade — OvercastIt’s a new year and the news is huge: Apple missed its iPhone sales forecast and announced surprising partnerships with TV makers. Also Jason got to try the forthcoming Brydge keyboard for his iPad Pro.save in overcast Amazon.com: Nayoya Back and Neck Pain Relief - Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set - Relieves Stress, Back, Neck, and Sciatic Pain - Comes with a Vinyl Carry Bag for Storage and Travel - As Seen in USA Today: Health & Personal CareScience Snacks: Projects and Activities You Can Do! | ExploratoriumHungry for fresh, exciting science activities based in amazing phenomena? Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested, and use cheap, available materials. Satisfy your curiosity without ever getting full. Hardware disease - WikipediaHardware disease is a common term for bovine traumatic reticuloperitonitis. It is usually caused by the ingestion of a sharp, metallic object. These pieces of metal settle in the reticulum and can irritate or penetrate the lining. Magnetic Lines of Force: Physics & Magnetism Science Activity | Exploratorium Teacher Institute ProjectIron filings trace out the lines of a magnetic field in three dimensions. Portal from Facebook: Voice Enabled Hands-Free Video CallingFixing HomePod for 2019 - YouTubeI Gave a Bounty Hunter $300. Then He Located Our Phone - MotherboardBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). One Month (Head to OneMonth.com/backtowork for 10% off any coding course). ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK).
1/8/20191 hour, 15 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 407: The Wad-Shooter Option

DISCUSSED: "Rabbit Rabbit!"; partial shutdown and the toilet problems it creates; updates on options for Bluetooth keyboards; some extremely random and anecdotal reckoning about the recent Big Apple News; your hosts' beef with Wirecutter; some odds and sods recommendations and cool life hacks. Links for this episode:Logitech Backlit Wireless Keyboard for Apple Mac, iPad, iPhone & TVLogitech K380 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Multi-Device with Most OS'sNetflix categories codes - Find all categories codesAmazon.com: Vortexgear 75% - Grey CNC Case - PBT DSA Keycaps - Cherry Mx CNC Aluminium Casing (Mx-Brown): Computers & AccessoriesMy (current) keyboard: Vortex Race 3 - Six ColorsThis is the rare mechanical keyboard that’s civilized to come with a set of alternate keycaps for Mac users (Command and Option rather than Win and Alt), as well as a few variant color keycaps for modifier keys and the arrow keys. (It’s also got a Mac keyboard mode, so all the keys work properly without any remapping required.) The keycaps feature very pleasant capital letters dead center, and come in shades of gray. I’ve swapped in a red Esc key, yellow arrow keys, and a blue Enter key. Twitter: Scott McNulty on the Apple NewsHere’s my hot take: most people look at their smartphones as an appliance not as a device that needs to be upgraded often. Just check out how many people are using phones with shattered screens. Only nerds with too much money and not much sense update every cycle (I’m one!). Daring Fireball: Steve Jobs and Apple’s Last Previous Earnings WarningFruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —coconutBattery 3.7.2 - by coconut-flavour.comBrimley/Cocoon Line (@BrimleyLine) | TwitterWhen 'Cocoon' reached theaters on June 21, 1985, Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old. This account makes note of people who have reached that age. The Best Shower Curtain for 2018: Reviews by Wirecutter | A New York Times CompanyNetFlix Streaming by Alternate GenresFraser Speirs (@fraserspeirs) | TwitterThe teacher who set up the world's first 1:1 iPad school. Between podcasts right now. On Switching from iOS to Android — Fraser SpeirsI may be having the most boring mid-life crisis that any man has ever had, or I may be opening a whole new chapter of my computing life. I don’t know. On Switching from an iPad Pro and a Macbook to a Pixelbook — Fraser SpeirsThe point, though, is that GSuite is so powerful and so much at the heart of everything I do at school that if you asked me to decide between giving up GSuite and giving up iPad, I’m afraid iPad has to go. It is for this reason that I have been vocally advocating that Apple make iOS Safari as close to a “desktop class” browser as it can be. I don’t know the technical reasons why GSuite can’t be accessed in Safari on iOS. I don’t know if the browser has limitations that mean the apps genuinely can’t run in it, or whether they could but Google just chooses not to allow it. Reviews and Ratings - RTINGS.comStraight to the point buying recommendations. We purchase our own products and put them under the same test bench, so that you can compare the results easily. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. No ads. Only real tests. List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | FlixableBrought to you by: Care/of (For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order of the best seller variety pack, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
1/3/20191 hour, 33 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 406: Peak Burger Decay

It's the most wonderful time of the year, so the boys answer listener mail and get a little silly. Happy Holidays, jackals. Links for this episode:Elmore Leonard: 10 Rules for Good Writing - Gotham Writers WorkshopHow Many Exclamation Points Do Great Writers Use?! - The AtlanticApple says some 2018 iPad Pros might ship with a bent chassis, but claims it's not a defect - 9to5MacThey Might Be Giants-Ana Ng - YouTubePurple Toupee - WikipediaLincoln (album) - WikipediaAutoSleepAutomatically track your sleep from your Apple Watch. No buttons to press. Even the Watch app is optional. Just sleep! Is This Andre the Giant Holding a Beer Can?AutoSleep 6: Effortless Sleep Tracking More Accessible Than Ever – MacStoriesUvex S0360X Ultra-spec 2000 Safety Eyewear, Orange Frame, SCT-Orange UV Extreme Anti-Fog Lens - Safety Glasses - Amazon.comThe True Size Of ...@americanbeetlesPower Marketing - Upright Citizens Brigade (Video Clip) | Comedy CentralApple confirms some iPad Pros ship slightly bent, but says it’s normal - The VergeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).
12/24/201859 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 405: Can You Feed Coke to Rocks?

Discussed: the harsh mistress of holidays, Hanukah presents, Cash's cool gift, the joys of good UX, some excellent very good recommendations, an exciting Science experiment involving hamburgers, kids are terrible at writing things down, things that changed Merlin's game, and some excellent follow-up on how we recognize number patterns. Happy Holidays, you jackals. Links for this episode:Disney•Pixar Short Film "Bao" - YouTubeThe Impossible Feat inside Your VCR - YouTubeClosed Captioning: More Ingenious than You Know - YouTubeAmazon.com : GPD XD Plus [2018 Update] 5" Touchscreen Android 7.0 Handheld Gaming Console Portable Video Game Player Laptop MT8176 Hexa-core CPU, PowerVR GX6250 GPU, 4GB/32GB, 6000mAh Battery : Computers & AccessoriesODROID-GO – ODROIDDeath Cab For Cutie - 405 (with lyrics) - YouTubeMoby 'Honey' - Official video - YouTubeRecomendo: 500 brief reviews of cool stuff: Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson: 9781726743655: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com : Melitta Coffee Maker, 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer with Glass Carafe, 1-Count : Single Serve Brewing Machines : Grocery & Gourmet FoodAmazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper, Large, 18 Ounces: Kitchen & DiningTechnology Connections - YouTubeAlice Walker under fire for praise of 'antisemitic' David Icke book | Books | The GuardianDECONSTRUCTING: Dear Evan Hansen - YouTubeHow Long Does it Take for Fast-Food Burgers to Decay? | First We Feastbyta - insulated stainless tumblerWhole Earth Catalog - WikipediaPackage Thief vs. Glitter Bomb Trap - YouTubeMark Rober - YouTubeGiuliani’s Quest to Confuse Us Into Submission — Omnishambles — OvercastWill Sommer (@willsommer) | TwitterTech and internet reporter @thedailybeast—I write a newsletter about conservative media http://www.rightrichter.com —email william.sommer at http://thedailybeast.com  Numbers Guy | The New YorkerDayenu - WikipediaBrought to you by: One Month (Head to OneMonth.com/backtowork for 10% off any coding course). Honeybook (So get started at HoneyBook.com today, and use promo code BACKTOWORK for 50% off your first year). Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).
12/18/20181 hour, 22 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 404: Very Advanced Camping

Discussed: Merlin worries that Dan is getting ground down; web sites are getting very thirsty; Dan thinks it's like pads in football; Dan has updates and more thoughts about doing development work on an iPad; Merlin thinks we should talk more about which devices we choose for doing which things; the boys also have some recommendations. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper, Large, 18 Ounces: Kitchen & DiningSmudging - WikipediaMosh for iOS, Best SSH Client - Blink Shell for iOSQuantum Computing Expert Explains One Concept in 5 Levels of Difficulty | WIRED - YouTube5 Levels - YouTubeLinea Sketch – Drawing tools for your iPadReconcilable Differences #85: Comedy’s Not Funny - Relay FMFinally, the horn fires off at 1:23:13 for a Spoiler Slot on A Quiet Place (2018). Brought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).
12/11/20181 hour, 13 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 403: It's Just a Salad

Discussed: Why Tuesday is the optimistic day; pourover coffee for Dan's wife; confirm shaming; updates on iPad keyboards and covers; approximately annual history of "Bawk Bawk!"; some thoughts on Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart; kids and learning Programming; the things that are difficult to teach anyone. Links for this episode:Jay Little on Twitter: "@danbenjamin if you're still looking for a cheap ipad case, this one has been fine with strong magnets when closed and in the triangle https://t.co/I4DqGljeYi"Amazon.com: MoKo Smart Folio Case Fit iPad Pro 11" 2018 - [Support Magnetically Attach Charge/Pair] Slim Lightweight Shell Stand Cover, Strong Magnetic Adsorption, Auto Wake/Sleep for iPad Pro 11 Inch - Black: ElectronicsconfirmshamingMelitta Coffee Maker, 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer with Glass Carafe, 1-Count: Amazon.com: Home & KitchenAmazon.com: Logitech Keys-To-Go Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Keyboard for Android and Windows, Black: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Logitech Wireless Keyboard | Keys-to-Go: Ultra Portable Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Desktop and More (Red): Computers & AccessoriesThank you Easter Bunny, Bawk Bawk! - YouTubeSwift Playgrounds - AppleWhy this awful sounding album is a masterpiece - YouTubeCaptain Beefheart - Frownland - YouTubeLogo (programming language) - WikipediaTurtle graphics - WikipediaReconcilable Differences #39: Rocks Aren’t Magic - Relay FMThis week’s main topic covers teaching kids about technology. When, how, and what should young students learn about computers at school? How far have things come since Merlin’s Business Administration class and the lectures John suffered on RAM vs. ROM? Monster Factory: Fallout 4 — Episode 1 - YouTubeGriffin and Justin play around with Fallout 4, and incidentally create one of the most horrific creatures to ever roam the wasteland. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order of the best seller variety pack, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
12/4/20181 hour, 22 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 402: Watches & Barbecue

Discussed: Thanksgiving; spatchcock chicken; kids and their stupid eating; Dan's concern about how we talk to each other; Merlin encourages people to try not to be terrible. Also, some odds and sods on iPad Pro updates, and thanks to our nice listeners. Links for this episode:Foobot - it's all about Indoor Air Quality MonitoringFoobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor for Homeowners Renters & HVAC Pros - Measures VOC PM2.5 Humidity Temperature - Works with 120+ IoT Devices via Wifi - Best Protection from Mold & Indoor Air Pollution: Amazon.com: Industrial & ScientificNebo | MyScriptNebo 2.0: Boost Your Productivity – MyScript Apps – MediumWe’re coming with a new version of our note-taking application based on artificial intelligence. It’s super-duper, and it’s super easy. Ztotop Case for iPad Pro 11Use Notes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple SupportBrought to you by: Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
11/27/20181 hour, 23 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 401: Carrier Fluid

Discussed this week: Dan's MOSH setup on iPad; Dan's new NEW iPad; ease of setup on iOS; some iOS photo editing app recommendations; two things Merlin learned this week; and a little rant about how everybody apparently already knows everything. Links for this episode:welcome home : vim onlineKrissy Brierre-Davis on Twitter: "How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped.… "How come you guys never told me this iPhone trick? I feel duped. Brought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Care/of (For 25% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50). eero (Get $100 off the ‘eero base unit and 2 beacons package,’ and 1 year of eero Plus by visiting eero.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).
11/20/20181 hour, 17 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 400: In The Penal Colony

Dan and Merlin talk about their first week using the new iPad Pro. Links for this episode:The Talk Show: Ep. 234, With Special Guest Merlin MannSpecial guest Merlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include the new iPad Pro and the state of iOS as a work platform, the mid-term election results, and holiday parties of yore. 234: ‘Welcome to Dongletropolis’, With Special Guest Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — OvercastAmazon.com: Newly Released Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac, Version 5: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Viozon ipad Pro Stand, Tablet Stands 360° Rotatable Aluminum Alloy Desktop Mount Stand for Ipad Pro Ipad Air Ipad Mini Surface and Surface Pro: Cell Phones & AccessoriesBuy iPad Pro 11-inch Smart Folio - AppleBrydge - Award Winning Bluetooth Keyboards for iPad & Surface ProMerlin’s Playlists — Merlin MannSometimes I make playlists, especially for the particularly musical episodes of podcasts I do. I really like making these, so I'll probably do more. In the Penal Colony - WikipediaBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Hopsy (Go to tryhopsy.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK to get the SUB home draft machine, 2 mini-kegs of beer (equivalent to 2 six packs), 2 Hopsy glasses and free membership in the monthly beer Club for $99)!
11/12/20181 hour, 16 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 399: Blue Whale Salt

Discussed this week: coffee water, voting, inertia, new iPads on the way, difficult buying decisions, returning merchandise (as a thing), some TV suggestions, Dan's new ODROID, 80s video game nostalgia, asking for your iPad-at-work input, plus seeking suggestions for apps for new joggers. Links for this episode:Building A Better Ballot Box — To the Best of Our Knowledge — OvercastBrydge - Award Winning Bluetooth Keyboards for iPad & Surface ProCREATE - Logitech SupportBodyguard (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDbstart [ODROID Wiki]Amazon.com: ODROID-GO open source gaming console : Assembly and learning WHY, CODING CAMP: Video GamesODROID-GO Game Kit — ameriDroidODROID | HardkernelGorf - WikipediaLG UltraFine 4K Display - AppleLG UltraFine 5K Display - AppleLindsey Vehlewald on Twitter: "1/[Thread] Storytime. Listen up. It’s a long one. But it's important, I promise."LG Corporation - WikipediaEp. 312: “Always is How” - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John hasn’t earned a chair. Reconcilable Differences #90: Cargo-Cult Thoreau - Relay FMThis week kicks off with some Dear Evan Hansen talk, and Merlin admits he still hasn’t earned the second act. This leads John to interrogate this odd affliction of Merlin’s. Both hosts finally address how, whether, and when they commit to the full consumption of cultural products. Why does John so often stick with the whole season of a C-plus TV show, and when does Merlin know he’s ready for the second half of a given Broadway hit? Brought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).
11/6/20181 hour, 6 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 398: So Much Unnecessary Beauty

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's Fall event in Brooklyn today. They liked the event. Brought to you by: Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase). GreenChef (For $50 off your first box of Green Chef, go to GreenChef.us/backtowork). Care/of (For 25% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK).
10/30/20181 hour, 23 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 397: My Manager is Water

Discussed: nailing it, the optimistic valence of Tuesdays, difficulties finding replacement parts on Amazon, headphone preferences, Alexa's service outage and new whisper mode, Austin's big water crisis and what it says about epistemology, reason, and society, plus 20 years of The Big Lebowski. Links for this episode:Jeff Bridges, John Goodman And Steve Buscemi Talk ‘The Big Lebowski’ In Extended Inteview | TODAY - YouTubeJeff Bridges Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters | GQ - YouTubeAmazon.com: Twisted Veins HDMI Cable 30 ft, 2-Pack, Premium HDMI Cord Type High Speed with Ethernet, Supports HDMI 2.0b 4K 60hz HDR Except with Apple TV 4K and Xbox One X Where it Only Supports 4K 30hz HD: Home Audio & TheaterAlexa whisper mode rolling out to Echo starting today, here's how to enable it - 9to5MacAmazon.com: Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xDG LIMITED EDITION Professional Studio Monitor Headphones: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Plantronics Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat - Headphones (Black & Tan) (Pro 2): Cell Phones & AccessoriesStatus overview | DowndetectorGoogle Home Hub review: the best digital photo frame - The VergeExpanding Brain | Know Your MemeEpistemology - Wikipediamale answer syndrome - WiktionaryAmazon Alexa down? Current problems and outages | DowndetectorHome - Great Wall HardwareGreat Wall Hardware | Your Home Improvement CenterAmazon Dash Wand With Alexa: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet FoodBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
10/23/20181 hour, 20 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 396: Bean in the Sleeve

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the FitBit Charge 3 and where it fits into their worlds—as well its place in the larger tracker and smart watch ecosystems. Excursions also include: BroBot, weather stations, weather apps, some TV and movie talk, some space talk, plus children's failures to understand how time basically works. Links for this episode:Dew point - WikipediaAmazon.com: AcuRite 01014M Weather Station with AcuRite Access for Remote Monitoring, Compatible with Amazon Alexa: Home & KitchenFirst Man (2018) - IMDbAbove and Beyond: NASA's Journey To Tomorrow (TV Movie 2018) - IMDbThe Girl in the Spider's Web (2018) - IMDbAbove and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow | Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to TomorrowVoyager 1 - WikipediaVoyager 2 - WikipediaFSNotes Appglushchenko/fsnotes: Notes manager for macOS/iOSBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). The Growth Show (Subscribe to the Growth Show on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen).
10/16/20181 hour, 21 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 395: My Sleeves are Dynamic

Discussed: the tyranny of earliness, the benefits of timeliness, an interesting horology episode about Apple Watch, more watch talk, a blog recommendation, a quick look at Merlin's new FitBit, an update on home WiFi options, Merlin raps a little, Dan gets wired for Ethernet, what we'd like so see in an updated Mac Mini, some listener followup on Bear export and (deliberately) slow interfaces, considering oneself touch-ed, skeuomorphic sounds, and various Florida wildlife encounters. Links for this episode:Fitbit Charge 3 | Advanced Health and Fitness TrackerMichael Tsai - Blog - Why Matthew Green Is Done With ChromeGoogle is losing users’ trust.I used to trust some of its products, like Chrome. I increasingly don’t. Apple And The Future Of Watchmaking — HODINKEE Radio — OvercastThis week we’re talking all things Apple Watch. Stephen sits down with Ben and Jack just a few hours after they received their Apple Watch Series 4 sample units to get their first impressions and to hear what else they had to say about the Apple Watch and its relationship to the more traditional watches we tend to cover every day. Also, Stephen has a one-on-one interview with John Gruber, the proprietor of Daring Fireball, the premier blog covering all things Apple. Enjoy.delete Michael Tsai - BlogAmazon.com: Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker, Graphite/Black, One Size (S & L Bands Included): Health & Personal CareExport your notes - Bear - Faq and supportFlying Meat Software - Awesome SoftwareBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). CacheFly (Bandwidth for this show and all shows on 5by5 provided by CacheFly, the world’s most reliable CDN. Learn more at 5by5.CacheFly.com)
10/9/20181 hour, 7 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 394: Dead or Angry

This week: some TV and movie stuff, Dark Mode and accessibility, OS stability and beta temptation, Merlin has an anecdote, the powers and frustrations of Siri via Apple Watch, updates to the Fitbit family, tech that does enough, Dan tried Bear, updates on the Chrome login thing, and an intriguing listener comment about Apple's ASP/inch3. Links for this episode:Shop Fitbit Charge 3™ Advanced Fitness TrackerFitbit Charge 3 Hands-On Preview | Digital TrendsFitbit Charge 3 hands-on: Better controls come with a trade-offCary Fukunaga - WikipediaBear - Notes for iPhone, iPad and MacAtomHow to Turn Off the Auto Sign-In Link in Gmail and ChromeInside Amazon’s Warehouse, Human-Robot Symbiosis - MIT Technology ReviewOn the other side of the warehouse, workers pack products into boxes for shipping with help from Amazon’s central computer systems. Items retrieved from storage shelves are automatically identified and sorted into batches destined for a single customer. The computer knows the dimensions of each product and will automatically allocate the right box, and even the right amount of packing tape. Further along, before products are sent to different trucks for dispatching, boxes are weighed to make sure no mistakes have been make in packing. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Linode (Visit linode.com/backtowork and use the promocode backtowork2018 for a $20 credit).
10/2/20181 hour, 16 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 393: Legacy Meat Stuff

This week, Merlin's got a LOT going on. Full Catastrophe Living! Discussed: booger colors, some tv and movies, a dream deferred, various X-Persons, loving GoodTask 3, plus Dan and Merlin just cannot remember many, many things. Next, your hosts dive into their first day with Mojave and reminisce about the days when you could make your Finder look all steampunk. This leads to a deeper dive on what the future of Macs might be and why they feel how they do (hint: they are both kind of old). They also both want to know what the heck is going on with Chrome, and Dan pitches a movie. Links for this episode:Canvas #70: Task Managers in 2018 - Relay FMThis week, Fraser and Federico take a look at the "Big Four" task managers on iOS - Things, OmniFocus, Todoist and Apple Reminders - and consider how the iOS ecosystem has changed since the early days. GoodTask 3 - Task Manager with iOS Reminders & CalendarsUngainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. 15 Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaCharlie Sexton - Beat's So Lonely - YouTubeBox (Roger Bochs) Powers, Villains, History | MarvelWatch The First Online at HuluI Brook No Truck With You « Historically SpeakingAppearance Manager - WikipediaKaleidoscope (software) - WikipediaLocke (film) - WikipediaWhy I’m done with Chrome – A Few Thoughts on Cryptographic EngineeringFull Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness: Jon Kabat-Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh: 8601300234281: Amazon.com: BooksGreenfield project - WikipediaIn many disciplines a greenfield project is one that lacks constraints imposed by prior work. The analogy is to that of construction on greenfield land where there is no need to work within the constraints of existing buildings or infrastructure. Corner case - WikipediaBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Linode (Visit linode.com/backtowork and use the promocode backtowork2018 for a $20 credit). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
9/25/20181 hour, 28 minutes, 7 seconds
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Episode 392: Gentleman's Calling

A classic odds-and-sods episode, featuring important discussions about sleep tracking, the Apple Watch, Succession, sound bars, Chris Nolan's Batman, and Nintendo Online. Links for this episode:Amazon.com Help: About AmazonSmileUngainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Ep. 305: "The Hostess" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John has more of a comment than a question. Sleep Watch App — Apple Watch Sleep Tracker AppApple drops official Apple Watch Link Bracelet price, some already sold out | 9to5MacWatch - AppleMarvel Studios' Captain Marvel - Official Trailer - YouTubeSuccession: Roman Roy Doesn’t Know How Chairs WorkPricing Plans – Nintendo Switch Online – Nintendo Switch™ Official siteNintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online – Nintendo Switch™ Official siteScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) - IMDbScott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Amazon Prime Video (Start your free trials of over a hundred channels by visiting tryprimechannels.com/backtowork).
9/18/20181 hour, 20 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 391: The September Issue

Discussed: upcoming Apple announcements; do people with bigger screens use more apps more often?; some follow-up on adaptive testing; and comics for kids. Your hosts answer a listener question about knowing when it's time to quit something. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #24 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Project Jupyter | HomeThe Jupyter Notebook is an open-source web application that allows you to create and share documents that contain live code, equations, visualizations and narrative text. Uses include: data cleaning and transformation, numerical simulation, statistical modeling, data visualization, machine learning, and much more. Do By FridayApple to Broaden Its iPhone Screens -- WSJBone (comics) - WikipediaBrought to you by: Kiite (To see if Kiite is what your company needs visit Kiite.ai/backtowork). Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase). Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).
9/11/20181 hour, 16 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 390: A Festive Merry-Go-Round for the Very Lonely

Skype gets way too ambitious; sprinkling sauce on a service; a mandatory social network for doorbells; Dan acquires a new deity; some excellent listener follow-up on Computerized Adaptive Testing; Dan takes his boy to see a bona fide cinema classic; Dan has some great TV recommendations; Merlin reports in from the deep weeds of a fraught smart speaker ecosystem. Links for this episode:The Podcast Digest: TPD 156 - Merlin Mann "An Old Man's Reframe"For the 4 year anniversary episode of TPD, it was my pleasure to have been joined by one of my favorite podcasters of all time - Merlin Mann!  I talk with Merlin about his history in podcasting, working with his co-hosts, the difference in his shows and some of his favorite podcasts!   The Podcast DigestAmazon.com: All-new Sonos One - Smart Speaker with Alexa voice control built-In. Compact size with incredible sound for any room. (black): Home Audio & TheaterThe Dude Abiding kit5by5 | Back to Work #389: Butt BakingCA Parent Opt-OutChain of Command (Star Trek: The Next Generation) - Wikipedia2001: A Space Odyssey (film) - Wikipedia2001: A Space Odyssey - in-depth analysis - by Rob Ager 2008Computerized adaptive testing - WikipediaBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses). Chegg (For $5 off your first month’s subscription, go to chegg.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK).
9/4/20181 hour, 15 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 389: Butt Baking

Discussed: homework and testing; wallets and wallet philosophies; things to learn from wallet philosophy; how to fall asleep; watching Star Trek; Dan's new smart speaker; Merlin yells at Alexa several times. Links for this episode:How to Fall Asleep in 120 Seconds – Member Feature Stories – MediumDonorsChoose.org: Support a classroom. Build a future.Google’s Mark Risher changes our passwords — Converge with Casey Newton — OvercastComputerized adaptive testing - WikipediaCan a Test Ever Be Fair? How Today's Standardized Tests Get Made. | EdSurge NewsAre You Smart But Scoring Low on the SAT/ACT? What To DoFall Asleep Fast — In 2 Minutes or Less | Art of ManlinessCombating Fighter Pilot Fatigue | GO FLIGHT MEDICINEBison Leather Front-Pocket Wallet / Bison Leather Front-Pocket Wallet -- OrvisAmazon.com: Taxi WalletColorful Mini Card Book v2 | mochithingsStar Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – MediumAmazon.com: All-new Sonos One - Smart Speaker with Alexa voice control built-In. Compact size with incredible sound for any room. (black): Home Audio & TheaterBrought to you by: Kiite (To see if Kiite is what your company needs visit Kiite.ai/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
8/28/20181 hour, 24 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 388: Defcon Water

Discussed: courting a vegetarian; The Information Problem; FU on Dan's new slide remote and keyboard; also, belts; travel pre-screening options; a recommended article on hypocognition; Dan saw IT; thoughts on Twiki and Erin Grey; and Dan's recent home problem. Links for this episode:Episode 75: I Set Up a Fake Child – AppStoriesJohn is joined by Merlin Mann to discuss managing family tech use and the upcoming iOS 12 Screen Time family features. Guide - Grey - Arcade Belts | Arcade BeltsUnknown Unknowns: The Problem of Hypocognition - Scientific American Blog NetworkWe wander about the unknown terrains of life, complacent about what we know and oblivious to what we miss PsycNET Record Display - PsycNETTwiki | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia#83 Voyage Into Pizzagate — Reply All — OvercastA conspiracy theory, a pizza related map, and a website fighting for its very soul. This episode originally aired in December of 2016.save in overcast Amazon.com: Logitech R500 Laser Presentation Remote with Dual Connectivity Bluetooth or USB for PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Prezi: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Soft Tactile MX Brown Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACSFT): Computers & AccessoriesRAID™ BELT in Men Hats, Belts, Accessories | KÜHL ClothingBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
8/21/20181 hour, 26 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 387: Deploy the Dongle

Discussed: tech that's gotten so much more dependable (and, yeah, so much less dependable); Dan needs a new presenter remote; Marvel's First Family (finally) returns; who would win if The Hulk fought The Thing?; Merlin introduces Dan to the Ponyverse; some camp equipment follow-up; and Merlin goes off on the awesomeness of libraries with some hot new service recommendations. Links for this episode:Kanopy - Stream Classic Cinema, Indie Film and Top DocumentariesLibby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooksShop | Arcade BeltsFantastic Four (2018-) #1 - Marvel ComicsGuide – Grey | Arcade BeltsAmazon.com: Jackery Portable Travel Charger Bar 6000mAh Pocket-sized Ultra Compact External Battery Power Bank Fast Charging Speed with Emergency Flashlight for iPhone, Samsung and Others - Orange: Cell Phones & AccessoriesPortable Power Supply Solutions – Power Outdoors | Jackerykeep your volkswagen alive - Google SearchAmazon.com : Kensington Wireless Presenter with Red Laser Pointer (K33374USB) : Presentation Remotes : Office ProductsGargac! | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: be nice to someone. Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers MoneyAmazon should open their own bookstores in all local communities. They can replace local libraries and save taxpayers lots of money, while enhancing the value of their stock.  Recirculated 7: Merlin Mann [2015] — Circulating Ideas — OvercastBack in September 2015, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of my favorite podcasters, Merlin Mann, about his view on libraries, which included a visit from the Library Elf. DEADLY CLASS Official Trailer (Comic Con 2018) Teen, Action Series HD - YouTubeTV Show based on the comic book series of the same name. The Meaning of Preliteracy | Scholastic | ParentsEmergent Reading Skills: Preliteracy Skills to Teach Your ChildLibrary Extension - Chrome Web StoreFind books at your public library again as you browse the internet. Ike Perlmutter Under Spotlight Over VA Role in Trump's AdministrationBrought to you by: Kiite (To see if Kiite is what your company needs visit Kiite.ai/backtowork). Away (Visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout to get $20 off a suitcase).
8/17/20181 hour, 11 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 386: Cherry Brown

Discussed: Merlin sounds like a saxophone, keyboards are extensively discussed, pros and cons of various MacsBooks Pro, Dan likes using one monitor, pining for best-of-class hardware from Cupertino, Merlin has dorky and boring follow-up, recommending an Apple Watch sleep app and an iOS location tracker, some excellent ice replacements, Dan's favorite bespoke cooler, a disappointing belt, a very good belt, Dan gets a creepy email, Merlin did NOT forget something, Cash gets more cool stuff, and Merlin recommends a Zelda tome. Links for this episode:Gyroscope · The new OS for the human bodyA new operating system for the human body Sleep Watch App — Apple Watch Sleep Tracker AppTrack sleep with your Apple Watch automatically. No buttons to press. Just wear your Watch to bed and wake up to AI-powered, personalized insights about your sleep. Automatically log your data and follow your sleep trends with powerful charting tools. Amazon.com : 3 Pack Large 18°F Cooler Ice Packs 10" by 14" - No More Ice! Replaces 18 lbs. of Ice and is Reusable - Easy Fill - You Add Water and Save! 12 lbs. Total When Filled (Screw Cap) : Sports & OutdoorsThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The Complete Official Guide: -Expanded Edition: Piggyback: 9781911015482: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: WASD 6-Key Cherry MX Switch Tester: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Soft Tactile MX Brown Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACSFT): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Griffin 2001-ADB iMate/Universal ADB to USB adapter: ElectronicsMatias Tactile Pro & Mini Tactile ProAmazon.com: Newly Released Matias Laptop Pro Keyboard for Mac, Version 5: Computers & AccessoriesDas Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Mechanical KeyboardAmazon.com: Viozon ipad Pro Stand, Tablet Stands 360° Rotatable Aluminum Alloy Desktop Mount Stand for Ipad Pro Ipad Air Ipad Mini Surface and Surface Pro: Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: (2 pack) Lampari lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack aux adapter for iPhone 7/7 Plus -(iOS 10.2,10.3) White: Cell Phones & AccessoriesTundra Ice Chests | YETIAmazon.com : Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler : Ultimate Extreme Wheeled Cooler : Sports & OutdoorsPatagonia Men's Quandary Pants - RegularKUHL Raid Belt - Men's | REI Co-opList: E-mail Addresses It Would Be Really Annoying to Give Out Over the Phone - McSweeney’s Internet TendencyChild Passenger Safety | Features | CDCWhenever you’re on the road, make sure children are buckled in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, or seat belts. Children under age 13 should ride properly buckled in the back seat on every trip. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat or in front of an airbag. Airbags can kill young children riding in the front seat. Brought to you by: Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
8/7/20181 hour, 21 minutes
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Episode 385: A Picture of a Clown

Discussed: current monospaced font preferences, experimenting with text sizing, getting on the sucker list, old McDonalds had some styrofoam, new tech that would kill old stories, kids bewilderment with old tech, the bonkersness of Face/Off, wonderful listener gifts for Cash, a book about anxiety Merlin likes. Dan and Merlin also answer listener questions about mise en place and doubting one's future after college. Links for this episode:The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety: Alan W. Watts: 8601300190136: Amazon.com: BooksMise en place - WikipediaMise en place: setting the stage for thought and action Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Reid Wilson: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | Back to Work #222: Full-Stack ObsessiveMerlin and Dan use The Aviator as a jumping-off point to talk about OCD as it relates to perfectionism, creativity, and drive in the workplace. They discuss rituals and their consequences, the importance of mise en place, and eliminating disruptive processes. 5by5 | Back to Work #236: Finished for NowThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about the perilous wonders of practice of all kinds. Mise en place - WikipediaMise en place is a French culinary phrase which means "putting in place" or "everything in its place." It refers to the set up required before cooking, and is often used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that are expected to be prepared during a shift.[ Introduction | IBM PlexAll the President's Men (film) - WikipediaFace/Off - WikipediaInconsolataWhat is eero Labs? – eero Help Centereero Plus | eeroWhat is Family Profiles? – eero Help CenterTexas Instruments TI-99/4A - WikipediaBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
7/31/20181 hour, 17 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 384: Cosmic Jazz Hands

Merlin really likes the ones where Dan prepares. Discussed: four-twenty in The Mile High state, some tv and movie recommendations, the creativity that comes from constraints, The Information Problem, plus thanks for some lovely gifts to Cash from listeners. Most of the episode focuses on a provocative new article about whether podcast hosting should be "free." Merlin nerds out on iOS Trackpad mode, and Dan drops a Science Corner about heat versus temperature. Also: Star Trek. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #23 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, July 26th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Why You Should Never Pay For Podcast Hosting – Nir Zicherman – MediumWe don’t want a podcaster to ever pay for hosting again. We believe real change in this space is long overdue, and we can’t wait to show you what we’re working on. Manton Reece - Anchor on free podcastingSome things are worth paying for. I share Nir’s goal that podcasting should be more accessible and more affordable to more people, but it’s dangerous to give one company too much control over podcasting. Anchor’s business model demands scale. It’s still unclear how that will play out. There's no such thing as free podcast hosting - Six ColorsThere’s no such thing as a free lunch. Anchor is spending some of its millions in venture-capital investment to give free hosting to podcast users with a business model in mind: create enough volume that it can eventually monetize those podcasts by inserting ads and taking a cut. Reconcilable Differences #82: Summer of Intentionalities - Relay FMThis week's mini-topic involves Merlin's Summer Projects. Merlin likes choosing the right word, and John doesn't really do projects. This ends up leading to some deep discussion about buying a guitar and trying to get better at it. How to use trackpad mode on iPhone and iPad | iMoreTurn your keyboard into a trackpad for even easier editing. iOS 12 brings trackpad mode to every iPhone and iPad | Cult of MacIn iOS 12, this neat trick comes to all iPhones, even those without 3-D Touch. Bonus tip: It also makes it even easier to use on your iPad. New in iOS 12: keyboard trackpad mode on non-3D Touch iPhonesApple customers have been able to leverage 3D Touch to turn their iPhone keyboard into a trackpad since iOS 9. Wouldn’t it be great if you could select text with precision on non-3D Touch devices, like older iPhones or the sixth-generation iPod touch? With iOS 12, you can!This lets you swipe on the keyboard to position the cursor accurately when editing text. Why won't Parker Solar Probe meltA Quiet Place (2018) - Rotten TomatoesHBO Succession review: introducing my favorite show of the summer - VoxPatrick Melrose: Seasons, Episodes, Cast, Characters - Official Series Site | SHOWTIME‘Succession’ and Updates on ‘Y: The Last Man’ and ‘Briarpatch’ - The RingerHow does Temperature Differ from Heat?Heat vs temperature - Energy EducationHeat and temperature (article) | Khan AcademyMinutemen - "Corona" - YouTubeStar Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours – Maxistentialism Blog – MediumFear, uncertainty and doubt - WikipediaFear, uncertainty and doubt (often shortened to FUD) is a disinformation strategy used in sales, marketing, public relations, talk radio, politics, cults, and propaganda. FUD is generally a strategy to influence perception by disseminating negative and dubious or false information and a manifestation of the appeal to fear. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth - GrammaristThe phrase butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth or butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth describes someone who appears demure, innocent or sincere but is in fact unkind, devious or insincere. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). CacheFly (They’re the fastest most reliable CDN in the business. Check them out at Cachefly.com).
7/24/20181 hour, 8 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 383: Funding the Unicorn

This week: Dan may or may not be sanguine, and Merlin is having another meetup; comics, movie and TV discussion (and recommendations) abound; Cash is impatient for a red DS; the magic of ubiquitous capture is extolled; Merlin has a problematic thumb and spends hours on the phone with AT&T; a book about anxiety is endorsed; handles for the emotional suitcase are offered; a new unicorn is born; and, Merlin has a summer project for you to try. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #23 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, July 26th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Merlin’s Playlists — Merlin MannSometimes I make playlists, especially for the particularly musical episodes of podcasts I do. I really like making these, so I'll probably do more. Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Reid Wilson: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: BooksBatman’s WeddingCatwoman revealed as bisexual in new DC comic | Books | The GuardianHard science fiction - WikipediaThe Trip Michael Caine - YouTubeRandom impressions - YouTubeMusical fractals - YouTube‘Succession’ Finds Its Stride and the ‘GLOW’ Showrunners on Season 2 - The Ringer‘Succession’ and Updates on ‘Y: The Last Man’ and ‘Briarpatch’ - The RingerBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
7/10/20181 hour, 15 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 382: Bad Tech Dad

Dan's ex-cold, some media recommendations, strobe light problems, Dan's new phone, bad eyeglasses, your fault versus your problem, plus listener feedback about estimating hours and costs. Links for this episode:#850: The Fake Review Hunter — Planet Money — OvercastFrequently Asked Questions - ReviewMeta BlogGame Night (film) - Wikipedia(2) Marques Brownlee - YouTubeBrought to you by: Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase). Casper (For a limited time, visit Casper.com/savings and save up to $225 off your order. Limited time only!)
7/3/20181 hour, 18 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 381: Sandwich Doctor

Discussed this week: head colds, Florida, vitamin shots, Pleiades, Pigeon Pose, a new kind of spam, some media recommendations, iOS 12, and a listener question about a job they just don’t wanna do. Links for this episode:Making Vitamin B12 Injections Accessible to Everyone in the Bay AreaGot Vitamin B12’s fun, pop-up style Happy Hours take place in 20 different locations around the Bay Area. Trained and licensed medical professionals are at every Happy Hour to provide personalized guidance for our B12 injection cocktail menu and serve up the shot of your choice. You don't need to make an appointment. Just come to Got Vitamin B12 for the healthiest cocktail out there! Learn the King of Hip Openers: Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) - Yoga JournaliOS 12 Beta: Our Favorite Tidbits and Hidden Features (So Far) – MacStoriesiOS 12 public beta is out for all - Six ColorsIsle of Dogs on iTunesVisionary director Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast Trash Island, Atari sets off in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. With the assistance of his newfound mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture. Amazon.com: The Ringer - The Original Stainless Steel Cast Iron Cleaner, Patented XL 8x6 inch Design: Home & KitchenAstroturfing - WikipediaFrequently Asked Questions about Vitamin B12 InjectionsBrought to you by: Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).
6/26/20181 hour, 12 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 380: Chung Chung Machine

Follow-up on the Benjamin family phone plan, what it's like to use a phone that's not a phone anymore, excitement for Siri Shortcuts, an AR measurement app recommendation, Dan's new TV recommendations, some travel headphone recommendations, massive disruption in the fizzy water space, some pseudo-insider-ish follow-up on Siri, plus Dan's adventure back into the world of Android and how it went. Links for this episode:troglodyte modeMeasureKit - AR ruler app for iOS 11Whatever you want to measure, we have a tool for that WWDC 2018 - Videos - Apple DeveloperIntroduction to Siri Shortcuts - WWDC 2018 - Videos - Apple DeveloperSiri Shortcuts FAQ: Everything you need to know! | iMoreRise Up on the App StoreSafe (TV series) - WikipediaCharlize Theron Finally Speaks Out About Her Failed Romance With Sean Penn, Says She Didn't 'Ghost' Him | Entertainment TonightBad Boys (1983 film) - WikipediaAmazon.com: Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM2: Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Case - Black: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Plantronics Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat - Headphones (Black & Tan) (Pro 2): Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Jabra Move Wireless Stereo Headphones - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a LivingBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).
6/12/20181 hour, 32 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 379: Permanent Hole

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of their favorite announcements at the big computer show. They also deep dive into how to handle the Benjamin family's need for a new phone. Links for this episode:Libby, by OverDrive - an app for library ebooks and audiobooksHow Instagram’s algorithm works | TechCrunchWorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library CatalogiOS 12 Preview - AppleiOS 12 FAQ: Everything you need to know! | iMoreiOS 12: The MacStories Overview – MacStoriesUnder the banner of helping users gain more understanding and control of how they use their devices, iOS 12 introduces improved features for Do Not Disturb and notifications, alongside a brand new area of analytics and monitoring controls called Screen Time. Apple iOS 12 update: the 17 biggest new features coming to the iPhone - The VergeAmazon.com: Tech21 Evo Mesh Protection Case for iPhone 7 Plus 5.5 Clear + Black: Cell Phones & AccessoriesApple iPhone product line comparison | Comparison tables - SocialCompareHobby HorseBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
6/5/20181 hour, 11 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 378: A Hong Kong Phooey Situation

Discussed this week: media dustups, the deleterious career effects of social media, a week or so of Instagram, love of dogs, a podcast appearance, two great services for spotting fake Amazon reviews, some Netflix recommendations, Inspector Gadget, remastering Star Trek, kids and black & white movies, serious mail, inventing The Sabbath, and some freestyle advice. Links for this episode:@hotdogsladies/Political Twitter on TwitterFree Agents #48: Lousy With the Stink of Freedom, with Merlin Mann - Relay FMPodcaster Merlin Mann joins us to discuss his long journey as an independent worker, during which he's pivoted from tech guy to productivity expert to a specializer in cult hits. Fakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviewsWant to analyze the reviews of a product? ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review CheckerReviewMeta.com analyzes millions of reviewsand helps you decide which ones to trust How merchants use Facebook to flood Amazon with fake reviews - The Washington PostThere, an economy of paid reviews has flourished. Merchants pledge to drop reimbursements into a reviewer’s PayPal account within minutes of posting comments for items such as kitchen knives, rain ponchos or shower caddies, often sweetening the deal with a $5 commission or a $10 Amazon gift card. Facebook this month deleted more than a dozen of the groups where sellers and buyers matched after being contacted by The Post. Amazon kicked a five-star seller off its site after an inquiry from The Post. 'Roseanne' canceled after star's racist Twitter rantWhat It’s Like When Elon Musk’s Twitter Mob Comes After YouWhen female journalists like me dare to question the SpaceX and Tesla founder, there’s a predictable result: We get called bitches, idiots, and worse. How do I share a photo or video to my Instagram story? | Instagram Help Center5by5 | Back to Work #287: You Are Now Cleared for Salad5by5 | Back to Work #293: The Frame for Our Relationship5by5 | Back to Work #305: Quadruple DownMirror, Mirror (Star Trek: The Original Series) - WikipediaThe Tholian Web - WikipediaThe City on the Edge of Forever - WikipediaNetflix18 Things You Might Not Know About 'Inspector Gadget' | Mental FlossPocket-Run Pool is indie dev Zach Gage's version of 8-Ball | GamesBeatBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
5/29/20181 hour, 10 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 377: Packs a Lot of Lux

Discussed: trust my method, beards, foo bar baz, casting Mysterio, villains of Peter Spiderman, an unpaid debt to Dan, medieval electric billing, endorsing Evil Genius and Belief, the power of Spotify podcasts via Alexa, more on Apple TV and voice commands, the pain of scrubbing, 4k HDR via Movies Anywhere, a question on soundbars, Hulu's awesome new "Live Guide" (finally!), a word on TV remote usability, eero's new "Labs," updates to Spark, a new light therapy lamp, and some suggestions on getting a FitBit. Links for this episode:Help article: How do I use the Fitbit app to capture GPS data?Introducing eero Labs: Building the future of home WiFi - The DownloadThe Live TV Guide Has Arrived – Hulu Press SiteNetflix - "Evil Genius"Amazon.com: Verilux HappyLight Liberty 10,000 LUX Light Therapy Energy Lamp: Health & Personal CareUse Siri on your Apple TV 4K or Apple TV (4th generation) - Apple Support"Fast-forward two minutes." A movie is missing from my Movies Anywhere library – Movies Anywhere HelpMovies Anywhere currently supports movies from the following participating studios, but not all movies from these participating studios are eligible for Movies Anywhere. Check back regularly as our movie catalog and list of participating studios changes: Disney Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Universal Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Spark 2 Hands-On: Email for Teams with App Integrations – MacStoriesEero lets you test new Mesh WiFi features in its appband steering Jake Gyllenhaal 'joining the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie cast' | Daily Mail OnlineGame Night (2018) - IMDbNetflix - "Belief"'Exorcist' Director Makes A New Movie About Exorcism (It's A Documentary) : NPRFriedkin tracked down the late Rev. Gabriele Amorth, who was the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, and asked if he could ever watch an exorcism. Passover Seder - WikipediaShould you buy the 32 GB or 64 GB new Apple TV? | iMoreFitbit Charge 2™ Heart Rate + Fitness WristbandHelp article: How do I track my sleep?The Apple Watch has found a surprisingly useful home with everyone that works on their feet — QuartzMetasyntactic variable - WikipediaVictor Wooten - Isn't She Lovely - YouTubeBrought to you by: Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code B2W for 20% off your first purchase).
5/22/20181 hour, 17 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 376: Alexa, Light It Up!

Discussed: lame patents, Salvador Dalí, allergy season, backpack discrimination, friend cosplay, things Dan can't say, AT&T woes, Merlin saw a bear, a YouTube rabbit hole, and some excellent historical Disney content. Dan and Merlin answer a listen's questions about sleep tracking and leveraging Alexa at the office. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Vintage Disneyland Tickets: The Disney Look - 1977Custom Alexa responses can now be created right from the Alexa app | AFTVnewsAlexa Routines are a powerful feature that allow you to automate a series of customizable actions using a single voice command of your choice. So when you say “Alexa, I’m leaving,” for example, you can have multiple actions occur, such as turning off all of your smart lights and setting a specific temperature on your thermostat. Defunctland - YouTube - YouTubeDefunctland: The Failure of Euro Disneyland - YouTubeDefunctland: The History of Disney's Worst Attraction Ever, Superstar Limo - YouTubeSupreme Court declines to hear “podcasting patent” case, handing win to EFF | Ars TechnicaUS8112504B2 - System for disseminating media content representing episodes in a serialized sequence - Google PatentsCNN on Twitter: "Watch clouds of pollen rise from a shaken tree in Millville, New Jersey https://t.co/MeFOyzg7LW… "Bohemian Rhapsody | Teaser Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTubeHere's How to Set Up Amazon Alexa Routines on your Echo Device | Digital TrendsHow to Create an Alexa Smart Home RoutineSince You've Been Gone - YouTube - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or a domain). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).
5/15/20181 hour, 10 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 375: Night Punching

Discussed: time flies, nesting dolls, cloud saves for Switch, oy vey the service subscriptions, wheat and chess boards, WiFi and health, abdomen cinchers, more Netflix recommendations, the hollow face illusion, Marked 2 update, and a couple more recommendations. Dan and Merlin answer a listener's question about balancing work momentum and "down time." Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Marked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writersMarked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save. With robust features for previewing, reviewing and exporting beautiful documents, you can work in plain text while reveling in rich formatting. See what's new! Hollow-Face illusion - WikipediaThe Hollow-Face illusion (also known as Hollow-Mask illusion) is an optical illusion in which the perception of a concave mask of a face appears as a normal convex face. OK Go - The Writing's On the Wall - Official Video - YouTubeHome | Automation OrchardThe place to find resources to help you automate your life AFTVnews | Amazon Fire TV & Fire TV Stick News, Guides, and DealsThe Best of Pema Chödrön: Life, Quotes, and BooksOne of the most beloved of American Buddhist teachers, Pema Chödrön has devoted her life to inspiring people to awaken and has changed many lives in the process. She is the author of many influential books, such as When Things Fall Apart, Living Beautifully, and The Places that Scare You. Her writing, which explores Buddhist concepts and offers paths to conquering subjects such as suffering, fear, and difficult times, has inspired people worldwide. Lion’s Roar has published many powerful teachings authored by Pema. Read below for some of our favorites and to learn about her life and work. Words on Words: John Bremner: 9780231044936: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Adventure Time Wood Nesting Dolls - Set of 5: Toys & GamesNintendo Switch Online service will include cloud saves - PolygonThe Switch feature fans have been asking for is coming A Penny Doubled EverydayMerlin’s Playlists — Merlin MannSometimes I make playlists, especially for the particularly musical episodes of podcasts I do. I really like making these, so I'll probably do more. Is WiFi Safe? Simple Steps to Reduce The Negative Effects | Wellness MamaAmazon.com: BELLY ARMOR Anti-Radiation Maternity Embrace Belly Band (Nude, Medium) | EMF Protection for Pregnancy: Health & Personal CareGringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee - WikipediaNetflixNanette Burstein - WikipediaThe Cake Server | Joseph's Most Complex Machine Ever! - YouTubeOK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine - Official Video - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). Stack Overflow for Teams (Try it today, with your first 14 days free. Go to s.tk/backtowork).
5/8/20181 hour, 19 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 374: Pouchboy

Discussed: places that are closed, dinosaur eyes that follow you, a TV show about makeup, some thoughts on Infinity War, the joy of content that really nails the medium, more on B2W shirts, Merlin hates everything, eminent domain, Dan has questions about Venom, Merlin recommends Uncanny X-Force (Remender & Opeña), and Rob Liefeld's pouch life. Your hosts also answer listener questions about finding a mentor and knowing if it's time to move on from a job. Links for this episode:You might want to stop taking your vitaminsUngainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. T Rex Optical Illusion - How The Trick Works! - YouTubeImgur: The magic of the InternetAmazing T-Rex Illusion - How to make ?! - YouTubeFace Off (TV series) - WikipediaRick Baker (@therickbaker) • Instagram photos and videos‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Mega-pod, Plus ‘Killing Eve’ - The RingerChris and Andy review this weekend’s big release and discuss ‘Killing Eve’ Killing Eve - WikipediaNebula Transformation Timelapse | Legacy Effects - YouTubeThe Masks | The Twilight Zone Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaUncanny X-Force - WikipediaAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Force, Vol. 1: The Apocalypse Solution (9780785148555): Rick Remender, Jerome Opena, Leonardo Manco: Books[fan-art] THE POUCH. Created by Rob Liefeld. Drawn by Donal Delay. Colored by OP. : comicbooksDonal DeLay (@DonalTDeLay) | TwitterThomas Robert Malthus - WikipediaRandom SerlingRandom Serling is a show where I am joined by a guest to discuss a randomly selected episode of either The Twilight Zone or Night Gallery, two shows created by the late Rod Serling, master of suspense. New episodes will follow each week until we run out of material. Brought to you by: Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).
5/1/20181 hour, 25 minutes, 7 seconds
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Episode 373: Red Cheekums

Discussed: Dan's gummi vitamins, vitamins in general, the childhood shame of those weird plaque pills, exotic sickness images, Fifth Disease comes to Austin, Dan's car troubles, Faraday Cages and how to build them, a potential t-shirt for you. Dan was cleaning out his garage, and Merlin has a lot to say about the philosophy and practical components of getting rid of junk at scale. Also, Dan really kills it on eBay. Merlin is very excited about Fantastic Four coming back and has some potential warnings about the new Wes Anderson film. Spoilers: there's nothing weak about knowing what freaks you out. Also, the boys discuss why Merlin changed his mic setup. Which is fascinating. Links for this episode:A little-known California law is Silicon Valley's secret weapon - VoxApple, Google give high tech workers an extra $90 million in “no-poach” suit | Ars TechnicaUngainly X-Mann Meetup #22 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, May 17th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. flickr downloadr - Batch download your flickr photos!Amazon.com: Nature's Way Alive!® Immune Gummies, Food-Based Blend (150mg per serving) and Elderberry, Gluten Free, Made with Pectin, 90 Gummies: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Jarrow Formulas Methylcobalamin (Methyl B12), Supports Brain Cells, 5000 mcg, 60 Lozenges: Health & Personal CareThe Basics on Fifth DiseaseAmazon.com: Blocsilver High Protection EMF Wifi Radiation Shield Bed Canopy (Californian King): Home & KitchenSara Pichelli's Excellent Tumblr [NSFW!]Fantastic Four Returns this Summer from Dan Slott and Sara PichelliThe Return of the Fantastic Four - The New York TimesMarvel Age-by-Age Guide | Common Sense MediaIsle of Dogs Movie ReviewDoes the Dog Die?Isle of Dogs [2018] [PG-13] - 1.5.2Merlin Mann on Twitter (re: "Isle of Dogs")Weird datapoint. “Isle of Dogs” was a movie I expected to utterly adore, then only kinda liked in the theater, but now I keep thinking about it a lot a lot. So, I think maybe I liked it more than I thought? Walter Hickey on Twitter: "#justice4hawkeye… "Brought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
4/24/20181 hour, 48 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 372: Hole That Rabbit

This week, the boys discuss Drafts, The Archive, Merlin's love of Spotify, some great playlists, and weird rules for cheerleaders. In extensive follow-up, your hosts talk about the listener who was having trouble with addressing employees and social media use. This goes lots of interesting places. Next up, even more input from listeners on social media policies and living life in a fishbowl. Links for this episode:Drafts | Agile TortoiseDrafts (@draftsapp) | TwitterVector with Rene Ritchie: 033: Drafts, with Greg Pierce and Merlin MannDrafts is developed by Greg Pierce and used the hell out of by Merlin Mann. They sit down together to talk direction, workflows, and what's coming next. Upgrade #189: Obsolescence Isn’t What It Used to Be - Relay FMBaby's Breath · Bill Callahan"Wild, Wild Country" playlist on SpotifyHow N.F.L. Teams Use Social Media to Promote, and Control, Cheerleaders - The New York TimesSmog - Your Wedding - YouTubeBurt Bacharach - The Look of LoveKey & Peele - Substitute Teacher - YouTube"Ay-ay-ron?" Brought to you by: RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK). Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com).
4/17/20181 hour, 31 minutes
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Episode 371: Avocado People

Bula vinaka, bee tee dubs nation! This is an epic odds and sods episode, replete with TV follow-up, font follow-up, and Wild, Wild Country follow-up, along with book recommendations, happy Splatoon 2 talk, and a pretty terrible 70s board game. Also, ubi sunt retail amirite? Also, your hosts finally (finally!) address a listener's excellent and very difficult question about her millennial employee's use of social media. Lot of levels! Links for this episode:Rules of Thumb: A Life Manual: Tom Parker: 9780761150732: Amazon.com: BooksThe Order of Things: Hierarchies, Structures, and Pecking Orders: Barbara Ann Kipfer: 9780761150442: Amazon.com: BooksDrawing on the Right Side of the Brain: The Definitive, 4th Edition: Betty Edwards: 9781585429202: Amazon.com: BooksToys R Us blames Amazon, Target, Walmart for dealing death blow over holidaysKid80s.com: M&M's "Thanks, Easter Bunny" Commercial from the 80s - YouTubeSplatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Game DetailsSplatoon 2 - Turf War Gameplay - YouTubeSplatoon 2 Review - YouTubeSplatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch – Official Sitetonsky/FiraCode: Monospaced font with programming ligaturesThe Times Issues Social Media Guidelines for the Newsroom - The New York TimesThe new guidelines underscore our newsroom’s appreciation for the important role social media now plays in our journalism, but also call for our journalists to take extra care to avoid expressing partisan opinions or editorializing on issues that The Times is covering. [PDF] Starbucks Dress CodeBBQ and Foot MassageBrought to you by: Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout). Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).
4/10/20181 hour, 34 minutes, 55 seconds
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Episode 370: King Jeremy the Wicked

This week, Dan and Merlin discuss Jessica Jones and the problem of super power constitution, plus some more Netflix recommendations ("Look away! Looooook awaaaaay!"). They also do a dive into updates on the monospace fonts they like and use. Next, up they talk about the new app, The Archive, contrasting with nvALT. Finally, your hosts answer an excellent listener question about struggling to manage more experienced developers. Links for this episode:The Archive (macOS) • Zettelkasten MethodJessica Jones (TV series) - WikipediaAlias (comics) - WikipediaMax (comics) - WikipediaKrysten Ritter - WikipediaAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - WikipediaTop 10 Programming FontsIntroduction | IBM PlexGetting Apple’s SF Mono Font in macOS – Shashikant Jagtap – Mediumsource-foundry/Hack: A typeface designed for source codeRoboto Mono - Google Fontsmozilla/Fira: Mozilla's new typeface, used in Firefox OSDIN Schriften™ - Desktop font « MyFontsFactor Rainbows | Worksheet | Education.comRainbow method to find all factors of a number - MAT0018 Additional resources - Oliver - LibGuides at Polk State CollegeAmazon.com: ART Pro Audio HeadAmp 4 Four Channel Headphone Amplifier: Musical InstrumentsNetflix - A Series of Unfortunate EventsBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).
4/3/20181 hour, 40 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 369: Comic Blood

This week, your hosts say "Bula Vinaka!" They also discuss phone cards, some Netflix recommendations, Merlin's phone usage, and "accidentally" getting punched in the face by your kid. Of course, they also talk about the TV and voice control ecosystems. They also respond to listener questions about better active listening, and how they each take notes for podcasts. Links for this episode:AT&T Fiji Commercial - YouTubeNetflixWild Wild Country | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTubeNetflixNetflixFlint water crisis - WikipediaList of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | FlixableCustomer relationship management - WikipedianvALT - BrettTerpstra.comWould ‘Black Panther’ Work As TV? Plus Guilty Pleasures and New Music In the Mailbag | The Watch (Ep. 236 ) — The Watch — OvercastMichael Wolfe's answer to Why is Dropbox more popular than other programs with similar functionality? - QuoraBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
3/27/20181 hour, 19 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 368: Call the Mouse Guy

This week, your hosts discuss Steely Dan, digital mastering, The Police, Dune, high-quality VCRs, and Dan's brother-in-law's close call. Next, they dive into a fascinating article on why projects fail. Finally, the boys respond to a listener's question about cautious workplace enthusiasm. Links for this episode:The meaning of snafu, clusterfuck, and shitshow: There's a difference — Quartz at WorkSPARS code - WikipediaBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
3/20/20181 hour, 14 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 367: A Favorite Child

This week, your hosts talk about some stuff they're doing, loving Spotify, some Echo podcast-listening tips, the attraction of Google Drive, some thoughts on backup strategies, getting swole, the joys of rock tumbler ownership, scary times in Austin, weird iMac problems, some more thoughts on backup strategies, Merlin's obsession with drumming videos, and yet more Apple TV foibles. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #21 — Merlin MannAmazon adds follow-up mode for Alexa to let you make back-to-back requests | The VergeMindfulness in Plain English - Audiobook | Audible.comBeatles '66 - Audiobook | Audible.comAll the Pieces Matter - Audiobook | Audible.comThe Dragonet Prophecy - Audiobook | Audible.comSpotifySpotify Integration - FiresideAmazon.com: My Pod: Alexa SkillsHome - My PodUsing Google Drive - New Features, Benefits & Advantages of Google Cloud StorageMicrosoft OneDriveGoogle Photos - WikipediaHow to use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac - Apple SupportShirt PocketSuperDuper!EtcherHow to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple SupportHow to download macOS Sierra - Apple SupportCory Doctorow's craphound.com | Cory Doctorow's Literary WorksAudiobooks matching keywords percy jackson | Audible.comSchool for Good and EvilBernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTubeNo Retreat, No Surrender - WikipediaJean-Claude Van Damme - WikipediaThe Doctor's Promise - YouTubeNetflixBrought to you by: Audible (Audible is offering you a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to audible.com/B2W or text B2W to 500-500 and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs. Bombfell (For $25 off your first purchase, visit bombfell.com/backtowork).
3/13/20181 hour, 19 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 366: Five Sides of the Street

This week, your hosts talk about using Windows, technology modalities, making sane decisions as a developer, reality TV, 20th anniversary of The Dude, Merlin's new fondness for Spotify, analyzing takes on the HomePod, options for high-quality in smart speakers, dealing with recurring financial (and psychological) eels, competitive heat in the smart home ecosystem, Canadians, and the name of Scotland Yard. They also answer a listener question about feeling overwhelmed by content options. Links for this episode:Amazon Alexa (Choose default music services) STAMP - Move to Apple Music, Spotify or Google MusicStamp moves tracks and playlists across various services - Apple Music, Spotify, Google Music and others! Amazon.com: AcuRite 01014M Weather Station with AcuRite Access for Remote Monitoring: Home & KitchenUnder the Radar #120: Productivity by Inefficiency - Relay FMAdopting inefficient hacks to save developer time, since hardware is so fast that it's often a worthwhile tradeoff. Under the Radar #70: The Hacks We Ship - Relay FMThe difference between good and bad hacks, and some glorious hacks we've shipped in our apps. GitHub Octoverse 2017 | Highlights from the last twelve monthsGitHut - Programming Languages and GitHubSid the Science Kid, “Checking Out Charts” on VimeoNetflixCredit union - Wikipedia(1) The Difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and England Explained - YouTubeGreat Scotland Yard - WikipediaBored and Brilliant | WNYCThe Beatles discography - WikipediaBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses).
3/6/20181 hour, 23 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 365: Volume Eight

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about weather as a thing and giving up on Cash's dumb iPad problem. This leads to discussion about the risks, opportunities, and frustrations of having lots of data in different places (probably). The main topic this week is an exploration of TickTick. Neat app. They also almost talk about Black Panther. Links for this episode:TickTickOverview · TickTick User GuideDew point - WikipediaJaz drive - WikipediaMusicBrainz PicardQueen - Somebody To Love (Official Video) - YouTubeTickTick - Todo & Task List - Chrome Web StoreSTAMP - Move to Apple Music, Spotify or Google MusicNetflixBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).
2/27/20181 hour, 23 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 364: The New Fudge

This week, Dan and Merlin talk a little too much about Harry Potter, but also manage to cover some other media properties as well as the shockingly limited options for British casting. Dan has a new task management app, and Merlin decides to give it a spin too. The need for help from the jackals who make Cash's iPad app is escalated. In a somewhat classic style, the conversation moves to considering Big Issues around work, friction, modality, usability, and apps for pound-sign productivity. Twitter, its apps, and its perplexing (lack of?) company direction are discussed. Merlin has something like a razor for this. Dan is told that he is upset. Links for this episode:Thought-terminating cliché - RationalWikiA thought-terminating cliché is a saying, often a tautology, that is repeated in order to relieve the stress of cognitive dissonance by avoiding all further consideration of a matter. Everyday examples include "it is what it is," "it's just common sense," and "you gotta do what you gotta do." 5by5 | Back to Work #299: Unhook from the ComparisonThis week, Merlin shares some useful thoughts (via Patrick Rothfuss) on being careful about how we compare ourselves to others. Manure Digester — Unattended Consequences — OvercastBehind the scenes: Professor Flitwick - PottermoreTickTick: Todo list, checklist and task manager app for Android, iPhone and WebMerlin's Trick for Remembering HP ages and orderThe Mythical Man-Month - WikipediaTowards a Bra-free Instagram Experience – NewCo ShiftWelcome to Willow ManagementDouglas Adams - WikipediaBrought to you by: RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). Molekule (Visit Molekule.com and use the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for $75 off your first purchase).
2/20/20181 hour, 24 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 363: She's My Horcrux

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about lots of recent experiences with the weird and often-frustrating world of streaming TV. What a mess. There's also some discussion of sauna suits, The Eagles, Mummers, and Dan's victorious t-shirt. Also, Dan needs your help with solving a terrible problem with one of Cash's iPad games. Links for this episode:Welcome | Movies AnywhereEagles fan gets a tattoo of the Philly Special - NFL.comHulu Says Super Bowl Live-Streaming Outage Was Caused by Program-Extension Glitch – VarietyAn unknown number of Hulu’s live TV subscribers missed the final minutes of Super Bowl LII — just before the last-ditch effort by the New England Patriots to tie up the game failed — and the company on Monday blamed the outage on an error in its system for extending live programming past its scheduled stop time. Philly SpecialJustWatch - Streaming Search Engine for movies and tv showsForecast: A must-have tool for Mac podcasters - Six ColorsRyan HamrickJASON KELCE FULL UNEDITED SPEECH - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES SUPER BOWL PARADE [2.8.18] - YouTubeMummers Parade - WikipediaHome | Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of PhiladelphiaMütter Museum - WikipediaNetflixBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or a domain). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
2/13/20181 hour, 20 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 362: A Yuck and a Yum

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the Eagles' big win, what constitutes a catch, Dan's cool new shirt, Merlin's surprisingly positive interactions with Kabletown, the seeming magic of Movies Anywhere, some recent TV recommendations, and a great listener tip for using Nuzzel. Your hosts also respond to Listener Daniel's question about new job responsibilities making him feel like an impostor. Links for this episode:Netflix - instantwatcher - The Ultimate Guide for StreamingExplore | Movies AnywhereAmazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard SB6183 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem - Retail Packaging - White: Computers & AccessoriesSuper Bowl Celebrations, Han Solo Trailer Reaction, and the Surprise Cloverfield Movie (Ep. 224) — The Watch — OvercastThe Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald celebrate their beloved Eagles’ win in the Super Bowl (0:54), dissect the movie trailers that debuted during the big game (17:00), and discuss the hits and misses behind the surprise release of ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ (29:06).save in overcast The Philly Special T-ShirtCompleting a Catch | NFL Football OperationsSuper Bowl 2018: Illegal formation doesn’t apply to Nick Foles TD vs. Patriots - SBNation.comAltered Carbon (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDbBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
2/6/20181 hour, 9 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 361: Caveman Arithmetic

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about crazy kids' homework, Dan's exciting nerd field trips in the Bay Area, the magic of PIXAR, a handy Netflix companion site, and using Siri on Apple TV. Things get a little heated during a discussion about all the weirdly fawning coverage of HomePod—and whether or when Apple's new speaker dingus might find a place in your hosts' lives. Recommendations include a podcast with Hawkeye Pierce, an excellent boiled eggs recipe, and some cool TED-Ed videos. Your hosts respond to listener feedback about bitter Nintendo cartridges and field an interesting question about creating consumer-friendly tech support. Links for this episode:List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | FlixableAre you wondering what's new – or what's best – on Netflix? Flixable is a Netflix search engine that offers a complete, searchable and browsable list of all the movies and TV shows that are currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S. Alan Alda Wants Us To Have Better Conversations — Hidden Brain — OvercastWe’ve all experienced miscommunications. Their consequences can range from hilarious… to disastrous. The actor Alan Alda — yes, THAT Alan Alda — wants to help us avoid them. Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs - Nom Nom Paleo®Here’s how to make perfectly-cooked hard-boiled eggs that are never overcooked (I hate the gray-green sulfur ring around overdone yolks) and are easily peeled: TED-Ed - YouTubePixar's RenderMan | Renderman HomeThe Food Lab: How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs | Serious EatsYes, Nintendo Switch cartridges taste terrible - The VergeAmazon.com : Onyx Professional Stop The Bite Nail Biting & Thumb Sucking Deterrent Nail Polish 2 Pack 0.5oz : BeautyAmazon.com : Probelle Anti-Bite, Stop Nail Biting and Thumb Sucking, Clear, .5 Fluid Ounces : BeautyHomePod - AppleBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
1/30/20181 hour, 23 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 360: I Haven't Lost My Knife

This week, Dan and Merlin talk a lot about writing and respond to feedback from listeners. Links for this episode:Bacon MethodHow long to grill a steak on a charcoal grill - The rule of threes - Grilling24x7Grilling24x7Rule of three - WikipediaHome – Nintendo Labo Official Site – Trailer, product informationFlu may be spread just by breathing, new study saysBrought to you by: ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
1/24/20181 hour, 16 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 359: You Can't See Inside the Dog

This week, Dan has some weather, Cash makes a battery, homework can be a silly drag, management is about scalability and quantification, how to figure out how much you have to do, 80s movies can be problematic, ultracrepidarianism, making fish wanna get nasty, and you gotta give people ONE suggestion. Great listener feedback on the evolution of pro kitchens, real-life risk aversion, and a terrific use of Echo's drop-in functionality. Also, the possibilities and shortcomings of Machine Learning are discussed. Links for this episode:SF Sketchfest 2018: Roderick on the LineTuesday January 16, 2018 8:00pm - 9:30pm Gateway Theatre 215 Jackson Street San Francisco, CA 94111 Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #20 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, January 18th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. “The Labour of Two Days, Is That for Which You Ask Two Hundred Guineas!” “No; I Ask It for the Knowledge of a Lifetime.” | Quote Investigator“The Labour of Two Days, Is That for Which You Ask Two Hundred Guineas!” “No “But You Did That in Thirty Seconds.” “No, It Has Taken Me Forty Years To Do That.” | Quote Investigator“But You Did That in Thirty Seconds.” “No, It Has Taken Me Forty Years To Do That.” Ultracrepidarianism - WikipediaUltracrepidarianism is the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one's knowledge. Baghdad Battery - WikipediaCongo tetra - WikipediaC.G.P. Grey - How Machines LearnBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase). Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
1/16/20181 hour, 18 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 358: Dumb Ohio Mouth

This week, your hosts cover some odds and sods, share some recommendations, design some fantasy podcast apps, and introduce an exciting new feature involving the Internet Science Site. They also respond to a listener's thorny question about dealing with negative chatter in the workplace. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #20 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, January 18th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Home - My PodLink to your audio and web links and play them through your Amazon Echo. Yerkes–Dodson law - WikipediaResearch has found that different tasks require different levels of arousal for optimal performance. For example, difficult or intellectually demanding tasks may require a lower level of arousal (to facilitate concentration), whereas tasks demanding stamina or persistence may be performed better with higher levels of arousal (to increase motivation). Marchetti's constant - WikipediaMarchetti's constant is the average time spent by a person for commuting each day, which is approximately one hour. Ship of Theseus - WikipediaThe ship of Theseus, also known as Theseus's paradox, is a thought experiment that raises the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. Bruce Timm - WikipediaEp. 273: "One Kilometer" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: It was the first thing that John had ever finished. HuffdufferHorace Dediu on Twitter: "Studies show that the health benefits of riding without a helmet generally outweigh the safety benefits of riding with a helmet, so if helme… https://t.co/zosIxcuwmN"Ditching bike helmets laws better for healthExploring an Alternate Universe | Lapham’s QuarterlyJohn Waite - Missing You [OFFICIAL HQ VIDEO] - YouTubeIt’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) | The Official Bob Dylan SiteJourney (2012 video game) - WikipediaAmazon.com: Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories (9781401231156): Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Various: BooksBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). MissionU (To learn more about MissionU and to earn $500 upon completion of the full year program, go to MissionU.com/backtowork).
1/9/20181 hour, 32 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 357: Scrolling Carousel of Pain

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why they're trending, an exciting update on the Mr. Robot ATV bug, the frustrating opacity of using Apple's stuff, Dan's love for Nintendo Switch, nostalgia for NASA, Merlin's love for the Amazon Spot, the problem of fish food and regret, updates on your hosts' sleep technologies, possible solutions for killing spam on iPhone, and some more thoughts on dealing with Netflix's filtering, ratings, and…jeez kinda just everything about their dingaling interface. Links for this episode:Introducing Echo Spot - Amazon Official Site - Stylish, compact Echo with a screenHow to Disable Alexa's Drop-In FeatureWhat other home “kits” can I assemble? - organization | Ask MetaFilterThe Worst Part of Working Remotely Is Trying to Read MindsMy heart races as that familiar bubble pops up on my screen. My supervisor is typing for what seems like forever. In reality, it’s only a few seconds, but that’s still enough time for me to fall into a full-on worry spiral: Did I make a mistake? Is she mad at me? Finally, the text message appears: “Thank you.” Square Signals : Successful habits through smoothly ratcheting...sarahlemarie on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Back to Work made it into the bug report on the Mr Robot problem! And it's fixed! Maybe you heard already. Catching up on my… https://t.co/WONENExNEu"@hotdogsladies Back to Work made it into the bug report on the Mr Robot problem! And it's fixed! Maybe you heard already. Catching up on my B2W eps atm and heard you talking about it in Dec 19 show. Amazon.com: rolls MS111 Mic Switch On/Off: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDSS Short Stop Mute Box: Musical InstrumentsGRIFFIN'S Top 5 Games of 2017! - YouTubeSuper blue blood moon eclipse to appear January 31, 2018 | Miami HeraldTotal Lunar Eclipse on January 31, 2018 – Where and When to SeeIntroducing Echo Spot - Amazon Official Site - Stylish, compact Echo with a screenEdward Everett Horton - WikipediaAmazon.com: Ziploc Space Bag- Vacuum Seal Bag- 13 Bag Variety- 4 Travel, 2 Med, 5 Lrg, 2 XL: Home & KitchenAmazon.com: Natural Talalay Latex Foam Pillow Standard with Eco-friendly Hypoallergenic and Anti-mite by SWEESLEEP (Soft, 23"x15"x5"): Home & KitchenNintendo Entertainment System - WikipediaAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch with Joy-Con Pick You Own System Bundle Options: Edition, Color, Games, Extra Controller, Case: Nintendo: Video GamesAmazon.com: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch: Video GamesApple Will Replace the Battery in Your iPhone 6 or Later Even if It Passes a Genius Bar Diagnostic Test - Mac Rumors#104 The Case of the Phantom Caller — Reply All — OvercastBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses). LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).
1/2/20181 hour, 26 minutes, 31 seconds
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Episode 356: Politics or Gender or Iron Man

The boys wrap up a big year—a huge year—with an unintentionally thematic episode about feelings, expectations, nostalgia, and the black boxes of life, technological and otherwise. Links for this episode:gyrosco.pePatriot (TV Series 2015– ) - IMDbFortitude (TV series) - WikipediaWhich Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? (Part One) - The New York TimesGyroscope V1.10 – GyroscopeiPad Pro — What’s a computer — Apple - YouTubeApple Is Ready to Ditch the Mac | John C. Dvorak | PCMag.comDaring Fireball: Pressing the Side Button to Confirm Payments on iPhone XReconcilable Differences #29: Six Fax Machines - Relay FMTo wit: Merlin can't contain his fascination and admiration with how John's rationality and long view of history has colored and redirected his own conceptions about what the future holds.How does John evaluate and interpolate new technology? How should inchoate cultural vectors inform our thinking? Why do some kinds of change take such improbably more time than others? And how much do we really want to learn about cannibalism? GRIFFIN'S Top 5 Games of 2017! - YouTube038 - Why Are There No New Christmas Songs? — Reasonably Sound — OvercastWatch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Tales of Fraud - NBC.comTo beat President Trump, you have to learn to think like his supporters - The Washington Postdwelling on scandal too much can be counterproductive, then the focus must be elsewhere. Seinfeld - Kramer wants to cancel his mailThrill Rides | Six Flags Great AdventureLooking for thrills? Well, you've found them. In fact, you've found some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, gut-wrenchingest rides in the country-including a few record-breakers. Merlin Mann on Twitter: "I feel like I've got a 5000-word essay about the levels of emotional engagement in this #DoctorWho in me. You're so lucky I don't have a Me… https://t.co/oWzdCCTsEt"I feel like I've got a 5000-word essay about the levels of emotional engagement in this Yass Cat Vine 5 Minute Loop - YouTubeBrought to you by: Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149). TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com.com/podcast for 20% off your first year)!
12/29/20171 hour, 19 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 355: Eleven Dollars and a Bottle of Yoo-hoo

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about keyboard preferences (and their noises), Merlin catching Dan's weird "Mr. Robot" bug on Apple TV, feedback about "inside jokes," exclusion as a weapon, more good Robert Wright interviews, a deepish dive on Netflix personalization techniques (alongside some speculation on how well it's working), platforms and technologies as lobster traps, the problem with cartoons about screaming, how much kids love YouTube, the challenge of partnering with podcast middlepersons, a new Netflix show Dan likes, possibilities for new Marvel properties, and listener feedback on the potential benefits of using work tools you don't prefer. Links for this episode:Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Umm. @danbenjamin? Yeah. https://t.co/65GTE5UfpP"#102 — Is Buddhism True? — Waking Up with Sam Harris — OvercastA Conversation with Robert Wright Episode 171: Buddhism vs. Evolution with Guest Robert Wright (Part One) — The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast — OvercastHow does Netflix personalise its movie and TV recommendations? - Radio TimesArtwork Personalization at Netflix – Netflix TechBlog – MediumThe Shining (happy version) - YouTubeMaqaroon - YouTube - YouTubeHD & 4K Macaroon Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Macaroon Stock FootageHD & 4K Bourbon Whiskey Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Bourbon Whiskey Stock FootageHD & 4K Podcast Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Podcast Stock FootageUpdated: "Visual Guide to Marvel Character Movie Rights" Infographic by The Geek Twins [Infographic] - The Geek TwinsDoubleX Gabfest on the Democrats as the party of purity, Slack, and “Cat Person.”Bram Stoker's Dracula - Trailer - HQ - (1992) - YouTubeJames Thomson on Twitter: "I ran all the existing Doctor Who episode titles through a Markov chain, and it came up with some great new ones. https://t.co/6tbz00aK9A"Doctor Who Episode Titles - Pastebin.comBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).
12/19/20171 hour, 39 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 354: One Whale

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about (partial) resolution to Dan's Apple TV bug, some venting about delivery problems, general complaining about customer service, a good TV podcast episode, a very good Buddhism podcast episode, some excellent Buddhism talk, listener follow-up on Dan's strange video mail package, shakeups and wild innovation in the TV bidness, that creepy/mean Netflix tweet, and a listener's question about whether the tech requirements at a promising new job should be a deal-breaker. Links for this episode:Chapo Trap House | Free Listening on SoundCloudWhat Buddhism got right about the human brain — The Ezra Klein Show — OvercastWhy Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment: Robert Wright: 9781439195451: Amazon.com: BooksThe Best TV of 2017 With Sam Esmail (Ep. 210) — The Watch — OvercastThe Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald are joined for their annual best TV of 2017 discussion with ‘Mr. Robot’ creator Sam Esmail. They cover what they are looking from their own television experience, this year in television (2:00), and their top-10 favorite shows of the year, including ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Mindhunter,’ ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ and more (14:00).save in overcast Verizon, NFL agree to new 5-year deal worth nearly $2.5 billionComcast continues to inject its own code into websites you visitYou Are Two - YouTubeNetflix US on Twitter: "To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?"Brought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).
12/12/20171 hour, 45 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 353: Superagency

This week, Dan and Merlin discuss theories on Dan's Mr. Robot/Apple TV bug, living in an opinion bubble, an update on flu shot efficacy, Dan's recent insane mail delivery, speculation on how giant ad buys work, consternation about memory-holed media. Your hosts respond to a listener's question about the difficulty of choosing a career path that wasn't what you'd expected. Merlin also explains his shaving strategy. Links for this episode:Bizarre bug in Apple TV 4k - can’t access specific programme | MacRumors ForumsVincent Racaniello on Twitter: "On recent B2W discussion of flu vax @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin there are 3 viruses in the vaccine, even if one is mismatched with circulati… https://t.co/Z5rVkBEqOW"On recent B2W discussion of flu vax @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin there are 3 viruses in the vaccine, even if one is mismatched with circulating strains, vax will still prevent severe disease/death, and others will still provide protection! List of Mr. Robot episodes - WikipediaSocial media bubbles: One graph shows how morally outraged tweets stay within their political spheres — QuartzConfirmation bias - WikipediaAmy Sherman-Palladino on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselMarvelous Mrs. Maisel costume designer breaks down the looksDel Tha Funkee Homosapien - Mistadobalina (Video Version) - YouTubeDel the Funky Homosapien - WikipediaDan Benjamin on Instagram: “I have been sent a YouTube video in the mail.” • InstagramDan Benjamin on Instagram: “How it works ...” • InstagramThe Adventures of Pete & Pete - WikipediaAmazon.com: Braun Series 7 790cc Men's Electric Foil Shaver / Electric Razor, with Clean & Charge Station, Cordless: BeautyHere are the Monkees and Mister Bob Dobalina | dinnerfornooneEddie Money - Shakin' - YouTubeBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). MOTIV (For $20 off your first order, visit mymotiv.com and at checkout enter BACKTOWORK). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
12/5/20171 hour, 40 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 352: Get Away From My Formular!

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about…so many things. Merlin had a lot of coffee. Big topics include: Flickr nostalgia (and smart photo backup tips) Dan's crazy Apple TV bug A terrific podcast episode about Buddhism and the human mind A tough listener question about gracefully leaving a job Links for this episode:What Buddhism got right about the human brain — The Ezra Klein Show — OvercastI’m interested in mindfulness, and so have read a lot of books on the subject. This isn’t like those. It’s a not a how-to guide, or an argument for meditation’s health benefits. It’s a deep dive into theories of the mind, informed both by Wright’s scientific background and his study and practice of Buddhism. It’s about how our minds evolved to keep us alive, not to keep us happy or satisfied — and what can be done about it. What Buddhism got right about the human brain‘Flu-pocalypse’ Predicted Due To Ineffective Flu Shots, Doctors Say « CBS PhillyWhy do you need to get a flu shot every year? - Melvin Sanicas - YouTubeFlying monkeys (psychology) - WikipediaConfirmation bias - Wikipediadan/hivelogic-flickrtouchr: A Python script to grab all your photos from flickr and dump them into a directory, organized into folders by set name.How to download your Flickr photo library and transfer it to Google Photos or iCloud Photo library | MacworldBrattoo Propaganda Software - ProductsLisa on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies I think the font you liked in the video might be Formular."@hotdogsladies I think the font you liked in the video might be Formular. RunPee: because theaters don't have pause buttons. on the App StoreBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com.com/podcast for 20% off your first year)! RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). Circle with Disney (Use code BACKTOWORK at meetcircle.com to get Free Shipping and $10 OFF your Circle with Disney device).
12/1/20171 hour, 43 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 351: Your Chest Is a Tunnel

This week, your hosts discuss: holiday disruptions, life patterns, the joys of regularity, discovering unnecessary existential vulnerabilities, scheduling as a video game, getting your head around sous vide cooking, modern kids' arithmetic, CBD dosage stuff, using the Sway app, meditation for improving attention management, dealing with the character who speaks your internal voice, some hot tips on starting meditation, a historical video series Merlin's family likes, a quest for a typeface, nostalgia for teeny tiny fonts, a listener question about how to end a conference call, a recommendation for Netflix's The Punisher, and some angry attempts to conceal ma' secret formular. Links for this episode:SwayPAUSERadiohead – Man of War (Piano Cover) - YouTubeRadiohead – Paranoid Android (Piano Cover) - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #331: Hidden in WigsHow does Amtrak deal with time changes? - One Mile at a TimeFood Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) — Food Safety TalkMerlin Mann joins Don and Ben for a discussion on food safety and cooking using science at home. Food Safety Talk 85: I'm the jerky police — Food Safety TalkHD & 4K Thanksgiving Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Thanksgiving Stock FootageHD & 4K Revenge Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Revenge Stock FootageHD & 4K Food Poisoning Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Food Poisoning Stock FootageHD & 4K Podcast Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Podcast Stock FootageAn Introduction to Mindfulness MeditationHow To Start a Meditation PracticeAncient Rome in 20 minutes - YouTubeAncient Greece in 18 minutes - YouTubeSilkscreen is a small free font for your Web graphicsDownload Sevenet 7 FontMini 7 - Desktop font « MyFontsDIN 1451 - WikipediaJon Bernthal - WikipediaElizabeth Olsen - WikipediaCreate New Customer AccountFormular - Webfont & Desktop font « MyFontsFormular Fonts by Brownfox » FontspringItem 17233 - Oral Dispenser with Tip Cap, Comar®, 1mL - AmberBrought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).
11/21/20171 hour, 30 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 350: Stacking Stones and Inspiration

TOPIC: Integrity and Fear. This week your hosts discuss: sandwiches, solar power, some recent movies and what makes them memorable (or not), the glory of Edgar Wright, fun movie commentaries, Dan's rowing machine, big changes for Chairman Bendis, a cool free font from IBM, awesome creativity from a listener, some thoughts on apps for meditation and relaxation (and the important distinction between those things), the downside of Competitive Mindfulness and similar, some excellent feedback on last week's episode, the fear of integrity loss, Dan's trip to NYC, follow-up on resetting an iPhone, and the fine art of computer troubleshooting. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, November 16th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Plica Plica Semi-Acapella Back To Work Theme by bakerhoodDC on Twitter: "We’re so excited to start working with @BRIANMBENDIS! https://t.co/v1tgsMaNTr"Miles Morales, Jessica Jones creator Brian Michael Bendis signs exclusive deal with DC Comics - PolygonBrian Michael Bendis Leaves Marvel, Signs Exclusive Deal With DC ComicsBrian Michael Bendis Signs DC-Exclusive Deal | CBRIBM TypeThanks for your interest in IBM Plex, IBM’s new corporate type family. IBM Plex is open source, and should be used by IBMers for all typographical situations, replacing Helvetica Neue, whenever possible. Sway is a slick meditation app that makes sure you relaxWind River (film) - WikipediaEdgar Wright - WikipediaBaby Driver - WikipediaHot Fuzz - WikipediaAmazon.com: Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (8601421062619): Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley: BooksNetflixJim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017) - Rotten TomatoesFonts - Apple DeveloperHow to use Apple’s SF Mono font in your editor – Blog post - Simon Fredsted’s blogSway on the App StoreSway is an ‘interactive meditation’ experience. It uses your phone to track movement and provides feedback to help you gain focus and improve your attention. PAUSE - Relaxation at your fingertip on the App StoreBased on the ancient principles of Tai Chi and mindfulness practice, PAUSE brings the act of focused attention to your mobile device. Using a patent-pending technique and a unique approach to modern technology, you can easily start the journey to relaxation – anywhere and anytime. Before You Call a Song "EASY," Watch THIS! - YouTubePace Picante Sauce commercial - "Why this stuff's made in New York City!" - 1989 - YouTubeHD & 4K Chihuahua Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Chihuahua Stock FootageHD & 4K Crystals Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crystals Stock FootageHD & 4K Zen Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Zen Stock FootageHD & 4K Business Cards Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Business Cards Stock FootageReconcilable Differences #64: All Fight - Relay FMMerlin has a long history of cockamamie, and John fervently hopes that he only ever develops problems Real Science understands. The contemporary bugaboo of gluten and its ilk are discussed and argued by both anecdote and analogy. Elaine looks like she put on five, ten pounds. Adam Neely - YouTube - YouTubeBrought to you by: Slack (Thanks to Slack for supporting Back To Work. Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
11/14/20171 hour, 42 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 349: The Kid Who Never Won Anything

TOPIC: Trials, Trophies, and Trying Harder. This week, the boys arrive from either the past or future to talk about Dan's spoon problem, the refuse racket, the slog of incremental improvement, the perils of black and white thinking, folding paper seven times, and Dan’s mad cart-riding skills. This leads to this week’s main topic: an epic exploration of success and failure. No spoilers, but this is a good one. Links for this episode:Aseptic processing - WikipediaMego King Kong Drinking Straw Commercial - YouTubeAmazon.com: Stainless Steel Drink Straws- Set of 4 straws straws + Cleaning Brush - CocoStraw Brand Drinking Straw - FUN! Handy, Elegant, Metal,Washable, SAFE, NON-TOXIC non-plastic or glass - UNbreakable!: Kitchen & DiningThe Backfire Effect – You Are Not So SmartEnvironment & Innovation | Recology San FranciscoRecycling Signs | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our PlanetSan Francisco Recycles | What goes whereAll Products | HorizonUrban Dictionary: horseshoes and handgrenadesBackfire effect - RationalWikiAre plastic bags and plastic wrap recyclable in San Francisco? | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our PlanetTwo Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!Brought to you by: ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). TopResume (For 10% off a resume writing service package, visit topresume.com/backtowork). Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
11/7/20171 hour, 44 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 348: Optionitis

Dan and Merlin talk about Halloween, the Chromebook, Apple, WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), and hair removal. Links for this episode:SNL Transcripts: John Goodman: 03/16/96Mark Rober - YouTube - YouTubeGloZell! Hairiest Man in Australia uses Nad's Hair Removal!!! - YouTubeDeath Becomes Her - WikipediaiPad2 Halloween Costume- Gaping hole in torso - YouTubeAmazon.com: Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 - Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black & Tan): Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: JLab Audio Epic2 Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sport Earbuds, GUARANTEED fitness, waterproof IPX5 rated, skip-free sound, pristine high-performance 8mm sound drivers, 12hr play time w/ microphone - Black: Home Audio & TheaterSmoky Beef & Poblano Chili Recipe | HelloFreshWindows Subsystem for Linux - WikipediaHome – Google ChromebooksHD & 4K Scream Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Scream Stock FootageHD & 4K Clowns Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Clowns Stock FootageHD & 4K Emo Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Emo Stock FootageBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/podcast for details on the PDFpen Family). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).
10/31/20171 hour, 21 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 347: Beast Coast

TOPIC: Too much ambiguity in time. This week, your hosts discuss hot weather adjustments, Merlin's Skype woes, the state of the union on Skype replacement contenders, ruminations on Mac troubleshooting, the fraught future of retail comic book stores, a side rant on the really dumb economics of the comics industry, hobby shop nostalgia, lobby bell techniques and triangle mounting options, some great tips for pressing things on iOS Safari, the joys of Safari Reader mode, Chrome vs. Safari, changing our browser habits, and Dan's weird screen problem. Then, Merlin just goes freaking OFF on the problems with how we talk about time. Links for this episode:ZencastrVideo Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing - ZoomComic Shop Locator| Find Your Nearest Comic Book, Graphic Novel and Pop-Culture Store - There's A Lot to See and Do at Your Local Comic Shop!Two Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!Austin Books & ComicsUngainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin MannA Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal. Tips and Tricks: Ten Safari long-press shortcuts for iPhone and iPad | 9to5MacRush - YYZ (HQ) - YouTubeHD & 4K Hacker Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Hacker Stock FootageHD & 4K Crying Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crying Stock FootageHD & 4K Fidget Spinner Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Fidget Spinner Stock FootageSwatch Internet Time - WikipediaTime ZonesMarvel Two-In-One By Chip Zdarsky And... Jim Cheung For Marvel Legacy In December - Bleeding Cool News And RumorsDaylight Saving Time Explained - YouTubeHave you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.comBrought to you by: Slack (Thanks to Slack for supporting Back To Work. Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Videoblocks (Go to Videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).
10/24/20171 hour, 29 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 346: Disagreement of the Genders

TOPIC: Turns out. This week, the boys talk about audio problems, hot dogs, kegeling, Merlin's next meet-up, Tsum Tsums, comic suggestions, Battle of the Sexes, excellent recent TV series, All the President's Men, the app Pacifica, warming buns, Dan's encounter with Koo Koo Kanga Roo, a dearth of good information about VPNs (yikes!), levels of "Turns Out," a podcast episode about gluten, and hot phones with possibly low batteries. In a very surprising "turns out," Dan has a surprising call that leads to a very interesting experience with a hardware device. Dan really wants macOS on an iPad. Don't at him. There's also some fruitful if fraught discussion about habit-building. Merlin is not a fan of "The Countdown." Dan is attacked by a sky spider and might have to move now. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, November 16th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Tips and Tricks: Ten Safari long-press shortcuts for iPhone and iPad | 9to5MacWhy You Can Focus in a Coffee Shop but Not in Your Open OfficeDaylight Saving Time Explained - YouTubePacifica - Daily tools for managing stress, anxiety and depression.Klok - Time Zone Converter Widget on the App StoreHave you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.comPanobook – Studio NeatProducts - Hot Dogs - ApplegateThe Sixth Gun - WikipediaAmazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: BooksHow David Fincher Hijacks Your Eyes - YouTubeAmazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: BooksWe Taste-Tested 10 Hot Dogs. Here Are the Best. - The New York TimesThe Show That Never Ends | W. W. Norton & CompanyKoo Koo Kanga RooThe Demonization of Gluten - Freakonomics Radio - WNYCKegel exercise - WikipediaDisney Tsum Tsum - Soft & Plush Toys | Disney StoreBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
10/23/20171 hour, 19 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 345: Chow Mein Hour

TOPIC: Surface Tension. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss names of cities in Florida, wireless neckbands, elliptical bikes, chore systems (and parental withholding), iOS battery life, canny Mac laptop battery monitoring, how battery cycles work, Todd, and things you already know (unless you don't already know them). Two pretty good YouTube channels are recommended. Your hosts talk about that weird thing where iOS throws up a password pop-up, including some recent bad news on how it might be exploited. Gross. There's also some exciting news about possible Brand Synergies. Things wrap with responding to listener questions about smart home location woes and choosing a VPN. Murrrrrrph! Links for this episode:Wireless neckband allows first voiceless phone call - YouTubeBlack Widow Spider vs. ScorpionBeanMeister22Recommended for you EverythingApplePro - YouTubeWhat we talk about when we talk about talking: The CIA's guide to semanticsPhilips Hue Labs - Multi user geofencingiOS 11 Review! Should You Update? - YouTubeWhy We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us - The New York TimesiOS Privacy: steal.password - Easily get the user's Apple ID password, just by asking — Felix KrauseMac Power Users #399: Workflows with Merlin Mann - Relay FMThis week for episode 399 our original workflow guest, Merlin Mann, returns to share how he's using his iPad(s), Mac, and that "voice stuff". Taintsville, Florida - WikipediaTED-Ed - YouTube - YouTubeBrainstorm (1983) - IMDbFruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —coconutBattery 3.6.4 - by coconut-flavour.comDetermining battery cycle count for Mac notebooks - Apple SupportTwitterrific: Making Twitter Extra TerrificThe Twitter app for people who actually use Twitter. Now all-new for macOS. Which VPN Services Keep You Anonymous in 2017? - TorrentFreakVPN services have become an important tool to counter the growing threat of Internet surveillance. Encrypting one's traffic through a VPN connection helps to keep online communications private, but is your VPN truly anonymous? We take a look at the logging policies of dozens of top VPN providers. Tunnel Your Internet Traffic Through an OpenVPN Server2GB Ram for $10/mo - LinodeHow to connect to Synology's VPN Server using a Windows PC or Mac | Synology Inc.Merlin Mann - Worst Website Ever - (SXSW 2008)538520.jpg 640×480 pixelsBrought to you by: ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit rxbar.com/backtowork and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout.)
10/10/20171 hour, 21 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 344: The Microwave Moment

TOPIC: You're not supposed to pet the car. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss Nest Cam updates, Ring doorbell tracking, Echo family additions, HDMI questions, the fraught landscape of 4K HDR TV stuff, and how shopping makes Merlin feel kind of vulnerable. Two excellent music podcasts are recommended. Dan has a new MacBook Pro and a lot to say about it. Merlin introduces something he calls "Power Puttering." Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Cable Matters Combo, 270 Degree and 90 Degree HDMI Male to Female Adapter: ElectronicsAll-New Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD and Alexa Voice Remote | Streaming Media PlayerDissect – A Serialized Music PodcastDissect - A Serialized Music Podcast — OvercastCole Cuchna is creating Dissect Podcast. | PatreonHit ParadeHit Parade — OvercastCustomize MacBook Pro - AppleLG UltraFine 4K Display - AppleMaking Better Use of the Touch Bar - TidBITSThe Touch Bar’s Future – 512 PixelsLG fixing Wi-Fi interference problems with UltraFine 5K Display, new units will be unaffected | 9to5MacAmazon.com: OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock: Computers & Accessories(1) How QWERTY conquered keyboards - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase).
10/3/20171 hour, 40 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 343: Lo Sierra Mucho

TOPIC: Publix Hustle This week, Dan and Merlin talk about grocery store promotions, transactional help, the racket of school photos, Occam's Razor for public schools, Time Machine troubleshooting, the scourge of The Crackle, and BMO the salesman. The boys help a lot of people by responding to listener questions about the state of Siri, making friends after college, and the seeking of universal truth. Links for this episode:OmniFocus for iOS 11 Adds Extensive Drag and Drop and Siri Support – MacStoriesEpisode 791: Tips From Spies : Planet Money : NPRAmazon.com: A Spy's Guide to Thinking (Kindle Single) eBook: John Braddock: Kindle StoreDoing D-A-D-A | Inside VendoCognitive bias - WikipediaMichael Tsai - Blog - OmniFocus and Siri on iOS 11OmniFocus 2.21 for iOS User Manual - OmniFocus ExtendedShelves and Clippers for iOS 11iPad Shelf Apps: A Roundup of the Best – MacStoriesAlways BMO Closing | Adventure Time Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaHow to move multiple iPhone Home screen apps icons on iOS 11 using drag and drop [Video] | 9to5Mac#105 At World's End - Reply All by Gimlet Media#102 Long Distance - Reply All by Gimlet MediaScientific wild-ass guess - WikipediaScientific wild-ass guess (SWAG) is American slang meaning a rough estimate made by an expert in the field, based on experience and intuition. It is similar to the slang word guesstimate, a portmanteau of guess and estimate.[1] Apple Watch Series 3's "LTE problems" are actually an existing Wi-Fi bug | iMoreBrought to you by: PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/b2wfor details on the PDFpen Family). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
9/26/20171 hour, 22 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 342: Ultraman Scenario

After some Followup and Front Matter, your hosts dive into iOS 11. (Spoilers: it's really good.) Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin MannVideo: Those 'Shot on iPhone' ads are not what they seem: Digital Photography ReviewCheckmark 2 on the App StoreIs MSG Bad for Your Health? - Science FridayiOS 11: The MacStories Review – MacStoriesiOS 11 reviewiOS 11 review: Smarter, better, faster, bolder | iMoreHere Come the iOS 11 UpdatesSnapseed on the App StoreMerlin's go-to iOS image editor Home - LEGO® Worlds - LEGO.comAmazon.com: Tech Restarter Digital Outlet Timer - Keep Your Devices Running Like New With this Tech Digital Outlet Timer, 2 Outlets: Home Audio & TheaterCentury 7 Day Heavy Duty Digital Programmable Timer - Dual Outlet (Both Control) - - Amazon.comAT&T Fiji Commercial - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).
9/19/20171 hour, 21 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 341: Rich Boy Phone

This week, Dan and Merlin convene to talk about today's big Apple event. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Just Press Record on the App StoreESPN launches rebranded Apple TV app w/ new design, live stream auto-play & on-demand content | 9to5MaciPhone 8 - AppleiPhone X - AppleApple Watch Series 3 - AppleApple TV 4K - AppleApple Events - Keynote September 2017 - AppleApple stock falls on disappointment about iPhone X release dateBrowseTheStacks, More Marvel(ous) Covers Of Bill SienkiewiczBrent Jones on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @hotdogsladies Dan is mistaken about the camera orientation. 8 & 7 are the same. It’s the X that’s vertical."Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Wait. You wrote a letter from a wrecked car?"Brought to you by: Care.com(To save 30% off a Care.com Premium membership visit Care.com/backtowork when you subscribe.) FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
9/12/20171 hour, 36 minutes
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Episode 340: It's-a Me, Dan!

This week, Dan has useful updates on Windows backup options and answers questions about building a Hackintosh. Both of your hosts extoll the virtues of their new Apple TV remote case dinguses. The big topic this week is Nintendo Switch, and Dan has a lot of great stuff to share about his family's first weekend with their new console. (Spoiler: everybody likes it!) Your hosts respond to listener questions about iOS wishlist items and how to freshen up a moribund OmniFocus setup. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Nintendo Switch™ - Official site – Nintendo gaming systemHackintosh MethodStraight-forward recommendations and suggested parts lists by Dan Benjamin for building a Hackintosh capable of running macOS Sierra 10.12 (and Windows 10, Linux, etc.). Canvas #36: Wishes for iOS 11 - Relay FMThis week Fraser and Federico welcome special guest Merlin Mann to discuss opportunities for improvements that may - or may not - arrive in iOS 11. Amazon.com: Remote Case for Apple Tv 4th Generation, Akwox Light Weight [Anti Slip] Shock Proof Silicone Remote Cover Case for New Apple Tv 4th Gen Siri Remote Controller with Lanyard (Black): ElectronicsMacrium Software | Your Image is EverythingProtect your personal documents, photos, music and e-mails. Upgrade your hard disk or try new operating systems in the safe knowledge that everything is securely saved in an easily recovered backup file. Macrium Reflect supports backup to local, network and USB drives as well as burning to all DVD formats. This version is for non-commercial home use. The Best Computer Backup Software - Acronis True Image 2018How To Run A Portable Version Of Windows From A USB Drive | Lifehacker AustraliaJunecloudDeliveries will help you track your packages from UPS, FedEx, DHL, TNT, and many other shipping companies. You can also track orders from services like Amazon and Apple before they ship. Your full tracking details are just a tap away, and you can also see your package’s location on a map. If you like you can view the shipping company’s web page, or easily share your shipment over email, text message, or AirDrop. Deliveries can even add estimated delivery dates to your calendar. Nintendo Switch Console in Stock Checker, Tracker and LocatorAmazon.com: Piggy / The Original Piggy Cell Phone Stand 6-pack / iPhone 6 / Samsung Galaxy S5 / Traveling Cell Phone Stand / Cell Phone Holder / Cell Phone Accessory / Piggy Back /: Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Con: Video GamesMack Weldon | Men's Pima Long Sleeve - 100% Peruvian Pima CottonAmazon.com: amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2017 (2-Pack): Video GamesAmazon.com: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch: Video GamesAmazon.com: Splatoon 2 - Nintendo Switch: Video GamesAmazon.com: Mario Kingdom Battle - Nintendo Switch Standard Edition: Video GamesAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch - Joy-Con (L/R)-Neon Red/Neon Blue: Video GamesAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch - Joy-Con Charging Grip: Video GamesAmazon.com: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch: Video GamesAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch Game Traveler Deluxe Travel Case: Video GamesBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
9/5/20171 hour, 32 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 339: True Love Weighs

TOPIC: Don't provoke Dan. This week, Dan and Merlin (once again) complain about what works and what just kiiiinda works with smart devices. Who's winning the voice control game, and who's struggling to play catchup? Ecosystems! Next up, the boys talk about some surprisingly handy and useful cases for that befuddling Apple TV remote. Also, Dan needs your help to back up Cash's Windows box. Merlin has an important request, too. Also provided are scientific updates on how much a scale weighs. Finally, Merlin offers a whole goddamned book's worth of awesome productivity advice via a cheap notebook and five (5) daily bullet points. Links for this episode:Amazon Echo devices now support multi-room audio playback | AFTVnewsAfter several leaks, Amazon has now added support for multi-room audio to the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. The new feature allows you to group together multiple Echo devices and play music on all devices simultaneously. The feature is also being made available to 3rd-party speaker manufacturers so non-Echo devices can also sync music with Amazon’s own speakers. 5by5 | Back to Work #262: Large Platinum SpoonTOPIC: Staying out of Technology Detention Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Upgrade #156: The Silly Season - Relay FMSpecial guest Merlin Mann joins Jason to talk about Apple event rumors, why we care about Apple kremlinology, our approaches to keeping and deleting files in our digital libraries, and Jason's recent 11-day road trip to the total eclipse. Remote Case for Apple Tv 4th Generation, Akwox Light Weight [Anti Slip] Shock Proof Silicone Remote Cover Case for New Apple Tv 4th Gen Siri Remote Controller with Lanyard (Black)Amazon.com: elago R1 Intelli Case [RED]-[HEAVY SHOCK ABSORPTION][MAGNET TECHNOLOGY][LANYARD INCLUDED] for apple TV Remote: Cell Phones & AccessoriesDeep Learning for Siri’s Voice: On-device Deep Mixture Density Networks for Hybrid Unit Selection Synthesis - AppleMack Weldon | Men's Pima Long Sleeve - 100% Peruvian Pima CottonMore Pima, more comfort. Designed with a slim fit and an enzyme wash for a smooth finish, this crew neck long sleeve T offers premium softness on colder days, indoors or out. Imported. SuperDuper!Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything5by5 | Back to Work #337: Cognitive BottleneckGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: Books"True Love Ways" Buddy Holly - YouTubeRing Video Doorbell for Your Smartphone | RingMerlin Mann on Twitter: "OMG. Just tried this and it totally works. Synced and everything. Holy crap. (h/t @joesteel) https://t.co/6sGGhElISf"Sonos to announce new smart speaker on October 4th - The VergeBrought to you by: TextExpander (Try TextExpander FREE for 30 days when you visit textexpander.com/b2w. Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!) SendPro from Pitney Bowes (Visit pb.com/backtowork to learn more, and when you sign up you’ll get SendPro FREE for 90 days, you’ll get a free 10-pound scale, and when your free trial is over, you’ll get SendPro for only $5 a month).
8/29/20171 hour, 26 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 338: Ambush Site

TOPIC: It's like elevator buttons. This week, Dan and Merlin talk a lot about komodo dragons. Also, homework sucks, seed codes rule, and @Movesapp drools. How do we get so scared about things? How cool did flying used to be? Your hosts respond to listener questions about the state of self-tracking, and the scourge of extraneous device notifications. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. San Francisco Zoo on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies She is correct! He recently got the pins (used to help stabilize his back) taken out after 18 months to continue mobility improvement!"She is correct! He recently got the pins (used to help stabilize his back) taken out after 18 months to continue mobility improvement! Komodo Dragon!We are so excited to announce that our new Komodo dragon has arrived from the Memphis Zoo. This is the first time in the history of the San Francisco Zoo that we have had a Komodo dragon. This 2-year old male is 47 inches long and weighs just under 5 pounds. He is adjusting nicely to his new home and has been very active! The former Binowee Landing entrance is being transformed into a new “Komodo Alley” exhibit to accommodate the special needs of this fascinating species, which include creating temperature gradients above 85 degrees with isolated hot spots in the 110-120 degree range. Komodos can reach a length of over nine feet, weigh close to 150 pounds and live up to 25 years. Come meet him in person! The Freshman Komodo Dragon - YouTubeCarmine Said One Boy - YouTube#22 | Fight or Flight — Twenty Thousand Hertz — OvercastConservation status - WikipediaBlue jay - WikipediaExist.ioKomodo dragon - WikipediaGyroscope · The new OS for the human body"True Love Ways" Buddy Holly - YouTubeBrought to you by: Formstack (Visit formstack.com/backtowork for a free trial and to receive a promo code for 25% off your first three months). ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).
8/22/20171 hour, 26 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 337: Cognitive Bottleneck

TOPIC: How do you know when you're legitimately overwhelmed? This episode, your hosts catch up on Florida, schedule and sleep consistency, ladders vs. walls, travel mania, and the fraught landscape of personal device security. Your hosts respond to listener feedback and questions regarding feeling overwhelmed and dealing with dumb clocks. Links for this episode:As You Climb the Ladder of Success, Be Sure It’s Leaning Against the Right Building | Quote InvestigatoriOS 11's SOS Feature Allows You to Temporarily Disable Touch ID and Require Passcode - Mac RumorsAmazon.com: La Crosse Technology WT-3181PL Atomic Outdoor Clock with Temperature & Humidity-18 inch: Home & KitchenAtomic clock - WikipediaHorology - WikipediaAmazon.com: G-Shock GWM5610-1 Men's Solar Black Resin Sport Watch: Casio: WatchesBrought to you by: Formstack (Visit formstack.com/backtowork for a free trial and to receive a promo code for 25% off your first three months). SendPro from Pitney Bowes (Visit pb.com/backtowork to learn more, and when you sign up you’ll get SendPro FREE for 90 days, you’ll get a free 10-pound scale, and when your free trial is over, you’ll get SendPro for only $5 a month). Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork.
8/18/20171 hour, 11 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 336: Town Centre Plaza Spot

TOPIC: Keep your hand away from the giant's mouth! This week, Dan and Merlin look back on summer and forward to the new school year. Also, some excellent ad hoc Business Analysis about the past and future of malls and other retail outposts. Your hosts respond to listener feedback and questions regarding domain name speculation and options for tracking multiple currencies Links for this episode:MailinatorUngainly X-Mann Meetup #18 — Merlin MannMagic Calculator on the Mac App StoreEpisode 653: The Anti-Store : Planet Money : NPR#653: The Anti-Store — Planet Money — OvercastTwo Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!Comic Shop Locator| Find Your Nearest Comic Book, Graphic Novel and Pop-Culture Store - There's A Lot to See and Do at Your Local Comic Shop!Disposable email address - WikipediaA list of alternate domains that point to @mailinator.com · GitHubSoulver | AcqualiaHome | BetterBrought to you by: Formstack (Visit formstack.com/backtowork for a free trial and to receive a promo code for 25% off your first three months). eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase).
8/18/20171 hour, 5 minutes, 32 seconds
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Episode 335: Personal Assistant to Darius

TOPIC: Start treating yourself like a dummy today. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about iOS 11, the trade-offs of running betas, and waking up to how we're using devices differently. Merlin has thoughts on the usefulness of the will to live. Dan has a new approach to dealing with PR pitches, and the boys undertake an exciting new social experiment. Your hosts answer listener questions about the mechanics of calendar scheduling and best practices for building new habits. Links for this episode:Amazon AI Designed To Create Phone Cases Terribly Malfunctions, Fills Store With 31,000+ Hilarious Products | Bored PandaInspiroBotDefocused | Every Day is a Winding Refn (Episode 158)There’s squish and there’s also crunch. The return of Special Guest Merlin Mann! (Talking about "Drive") xkcd: Wifi vs CellularCloak VPN - Cloak - Super-simple VPNSurf anonymously online with VPN services from CactusVPNHome | BetterBetter on the Mac App StoreBetter World Club - Roadside Assistance, Insurance and TravelLiberal arts education - WikipediaLife Below Zero - National Geographic ChannelLife Below Zero - WikipediaNetflixMack Weldon | Men's Pima Long Sleeve T-Shirt - 100% Peruvian Pima CottonMore Pima, more comfort. Designed with a slim fit and an enzyme wash for a smooth finish, this crew neck long sleeve T offers premium softness on colder days, indoors or out. Imported. The Imitation Game (2014) - IMDbThe Imitation Game - WikipediaJeffrey Dean Morgan - WikipediaMarco Arment on Twitter: "Beta 4 is much buggier than 3 was for me. No showstoppers, just lots of rough edges. iOS 11 has been the buggiest beta series since iOS 7."STREAKS. The to-do list that helps you form good habits. For iPhone.The to-do list that helps you form good habits. Merlin Mann on Twitter: ""Every day, somebody's born who's never seen The Flintstones." —WXIX Station Manager, ca. 1973"Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Here's the origin of my oft-quoted line about The Flintstones and why I think it's important. https://t.co/2Lis7nciE7"Tydlig - Calculator Reimagined on the App StoreBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
8/1/20171 hour, 32 minutes, 56 seconds
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Episode 334: The Little White One

TOPIC: Mapping Your Focus and Motivation This week, Dan talks about a cool new addition to his Fireside.fm service, and Merlin interviews him about how he likes to choose, plan, and evolve the features of an app. Two questions this week, both from Listener Jonathan. First, your hosts address the era of Peak TV, including how they choose their TV services and how they recommend narrowing in on finding the best stuff to watch (and when). Next, the evergreen topic of calendars and todos returns. How do you decide what goes where? And how do combine focus and motivation to derive a functional map of your time terrain? Dan considers acquiring a house mammal. Links for this episode:Hulu is getting every episode of Bob’s Burgers, Futurama, and more - The VergeDobis P.R.: What We Do and Who We Are - YouTubeTV Talk Machine - a podcast from The Incomparable[NSFW] Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Season 4 | Prices - YouTubeGilbert Huph | Pixar Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaBrought to you by: TextExpander from Smile (To try TextExpander free for 30 days visit textexpander.com/b2w)! Jet (For 20% off your first 2 orders over $35, visit Jet.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout)! ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).
7/25/20171 hour, 15 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 333: Your Whiteboards Will Not Survive Reality

TOPIC: Help! My bosses are doing a really dumb thing! This week, Dan and Merlin help a listener and his youngster get started with Spider-Man. Also, hey, support your Local Comic Shop! Listener Molly asks how to help prevent a terrible, damaging change from happening inside her company. Dan talks about War for the Planet of the Apes, and Merlin knows when to exit on a good bit. Links for this episode:Instant PotSpider-Man: Homecoming's Lack of Spidey Sense Explained | ColliderHow Do I Deal With An Incompetent Boss? | FiveThirtyEightUltimate Spider-Man Ultimate Collection Book 1 (Trade Paperback) | Ultimate Marvel | Comic Books | Comics | Marvel.comZojirushiAmazon.com: Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker, 1.8-Liters, Premium White: Home & KitchenAmazon.com: Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Power and Responsibility (9780785139409): Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley: BooksComic Shop Locator| Find Your Nearest Comic Book, Graphic Novel and Pop-Culture Store - There's A Lot to See and Do at Your Local Comic Shop!Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man - WikipediaSpider-Man: Brand New Day - WikipediaRemembering Darwyn Cooke’s Catwoman | Nothing But Comics100 Best Comics And Graphic Novels : NPRAndy Serkis Becomes Gollum To Read Trump's Tweets - YouTubeCassandra (metaphor) - WikipediaThe Cassandra metaphor (variously labelled the Cassandra 'syndrome', 'complex', 'phenomenon', 'predicament', 'dilemma', or 'curse') occurs when valid warnings or concerns are dismissed or disbelieved. The Instant Pot® Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: Easy Recipes for Fast & Healthy Meals: Laurel Randolph: 0642688056285: Amazon.com: BooksQuick Pressure Release or Natural Pressure ReleaseDC: The New Frontier - WikipediaBrought to you by: Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork. Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at slack.com).
7/18/20171 hour, 20 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 332: Piggybacking on Anger

TOPIC: Making the spice flow. This week, Dan and Merlin dive into the thriving ecosystem of Florida's ad hoc roofing and lawn care professionals. Merlin gets The Boeing Contract, and Dan leaves a check under the mat. Your hosts admit they don't really understand the big kerfuffle over 1Password, but they admit to feeling the pain of being an indie developer today. Dan just wants the beef ribs he'd been promised. Around 1:19:30, the spoiler horn fires off for a squee-filled celebration of Spider-Man: Homecoming. (Seriously. Just go see this movie.) Links for this episode:What Happened When the CEO of Dropbox Was Late to an All-Hands Meeting (About Being on Time) | Inc.comFits + Starts: 18: Eventually it sucks less (with Merlin Mann)Merlin stops by to talk about finding a job that fits you, prototyping your future, and manufacturing care. Then we have a lot of rapid fire questions for him. Why Security Experts Are Pissed That ‘1Password’ Is Pushing Users to the Cloud - MotherboardKing Worm (episode) | Adventure Time Wiki | FANDOM powered by WikiaKing Worm - WikipediaThe series follows the adventures of Finn (voiced by Jeremy Shada), a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake (voiced by John DiMaggio), a dog with magical powers to change shape and grow and shrink at will. In this episode, Finn and Jake find themselves trapped in their own subconscious by the King Worm (voiced by Estrada). Ultimate Spider-Man - WikipediaAmazing Spider-Man Vol 1 33 | Marvel Database | FANDOM powered by WikiaSpider-Man is trapped by tons of iron and finds it in himself to raise the giant mechanism trapping him to rid himself of guilt given by Uncle Ben’s death and to save Aunt May. The Amazing Spider-Man #33 - The Final Chapter (Issue)Spider-Man attempts to find the ISO-36 serum that may provide a cure for Aunt May. But from whose hands must he acquire this unique formula? Peter must make some difficult choices to save the ones he loves. “The Final Chapter!”: Peter Parker, Steve Ditko, and the Greatest Spider-Man Story Ever Told | Sequart OrganizationPeter Parker, Steve Ditko, and the Greatest Spider-Man Story Ever Told Chekhov's gun - WikipediaBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free)! SendPro from Pitney Bowes (Visit pb.com/backtowork to learn more, and when you sign up you’ll get SendPro FREE for 90 days, you’ll get a free 10-pound scale, and when your free trial is over, you’ll get SendPro for only $5 a month). ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).
7/11/20171 hour, 40 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 331: Hidden in Wigs

TOPIC: Time Tetris in Difficult Mode This week, Dan and Merlin do a VERY deep dive on one listener's question about life with an excruciating shared Google Calendar. Merlin, unsurprisingly, has a lot to say about this. No. Like, really. A lot a lot. Other topics include Food Lion bleach meat, God's only sandwich, Adventure Time Mashup Pack (Finally!), Agape love, and, importantly, "What’s Happening To Sleep Train?" Links for this episode:Fits + Starts: 18: Eventually it sucks less (with Merlin Mann)Merlin stops by to talk about finding a job that fits you, prototyping your future, and manufacturing care. Then we have a lot of rapid fire questions for him. Adventure Time comes to Minecraft! | Minecraft[Update: Thanks to the mystery of time, "Soon" has tranformed into "Now"! It's out today - July 6th - on Pocket and Windows 10! Totally orthogonal!] SoundCloud » A note from Alex LjungWith more focus and a need to think about the long term, comes tough decisions. Today, after careful and painful consideration, we took the difficult step to let go of 173 SoundCloud staffers and consolidated the team into two offices: Berlin and New York. We are extremely grateful for the contributions of each and every staff member who will be leaving SoundCloud, and we wish all of them the best. Without them, we would not be where we are today. Analyst: Food Lion never recovered from food-bleaching investigation - Jacksonville Business JournalWelcome to Publix | Publix Super MarketsPublix Thanksgiving "Salt and Pepper" Commercial - YouTubeThe landmark Food Lion case | Reporters Committee for Freedom of the PressThe Seventh Sign - WikipediaFAQ - Sleep Train is Now Mattress FirmStarting in February, Sleep Train stores are being re-named to Mattress Firm. Customers will see store signs change from Sleep Train to Mattress Firm through March. You’ll continue to experience the same great people, service and guarantees — just under a new name. Sleep Train and Mattress Firm merged in 2014 and have been working in collaboration for the past two years. They will now share the same brand name. Agape - WikipediaAgape is a Greco-Christian term referring to "love; the highest form of love, charity", and "the love of God for man and of man for God". Joan Lee Dead: Wife of Marvel Comics Legend Stan Lee Was 95 | Hollywood ReporterThe pair, who met when the Marvel boss was supposed to take her friend on a date, were married for 69 years. Henry V (Modern, Folio) :: Internet Shakespeare Editions be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition. Cat Stevens - Peace Train - YouTubeAmazon Dash Wand With Alexa: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet FoodBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). *  Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase).
7/7/20171 hour, 31 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 330: Frowny Face for You

TOPIC: Drawing effective water. In this week's tight and bright episode, Dan and Merlin do dome followup on food bars and CBD oil, then discuss how to get better at letting people just enjoy what they like. In this week's main topic, your hosts address how to think more productively (and more realistically) about what you need from a task management app. Links for this episode:195: Existing as a Curiosity with Merlin MannMerlin Mann, podcaster, man about the internet, and devastatingly handsome provocateur, joins Brett to talk about the state of writing on the web, Merlin's podcasts, and maybe even some politics. Amazon.com: Vega Maca Chocolate Bar, 1.4oz, 24 Count: Health & Personal Care5by5 | Back to Work #29: I Download FLACCarrie Coon - WikipediaDamon Lindelof - Wikipedia'Watchmen' TV Series From Damon Lindelof in the Works at HBO | Hollywood ReporterUnjustly Maligned | "Watchmen" with Merlin Mann (Episode 15)Writer and podcaster Merlin Mann joins Antony to stand up (mostly) for the “Watchmen” movie, discuss the difficulty of separating source material from its adaptation… and then there’s that ending. Brought to you by: SendPro from Pitney Bowes (Visit pb.com/backtowork to learn more, and when you sign up you’ll get SendPro FREE for 90 days, you’ll get a free 10-pound scale, and when your free trial is over, you’ll get SendPro for only $5 a month). ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE). PDFpen 9 (Visit SmileSoftware.com/b2w to learn more about the new PDFpen 9).
6/27/20171 hour, 1 minute, 35 seconds
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Episode 329: Stop all the OTUS

TOPIC: Thirty cable boxes. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about beloved late night talk shows, Planet of the Apes, and the future of TV. Dan introduces his new thought technology about "Protoforms." Your hosts also respond to listener questions about using Chromecasts and how to start the day. Links for this episode:Mindfulness Meditation: The Basics — 10% HappierMinecraft Adventure Time Mash-Up pack! - YouTubeItem 17233 - Oral Dispenser with Tip Cap, Comar®, 1mL - AmberDavid Letterman First Ever Appearance On The Tonight show With Johnny Carson - 1978 - YouTubeDon Giller - YouTubeAmazing old Letterman TV spots. The Tonight Show Band - WikipediaDoc Severinsen - WikipediaSlacker (film) - WikipediaVidAngel Launches Netflix and Amazon Content Filtering Service | VarietyMonty Python - Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook - YouTubeLetterman - GE Handshake - YouTubeBrought to you by: Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork. SendPro from Pitney Bowes (Visit pb.com/backtowork to learn more, and when you sign up you’ll get SendPro FREE for 90 days, you’ll get a free 10-pound scale, and when your free trial is over, you’ll get SendPro for only $5 a month). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit rxbar.com/backtowork and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout.) ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE).
6/20/20171 hour, 51 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 328: Donkey in a Biscuit

TOPIC: Asterisks and Question Marks. This week, Dan and Merlin cover corgis (and other pets), asking for lettuce wraps, high-floor sandwiches, bread in a tube, John Wick (no spoilers), and the wonderful comic infographics of Kate Willaert. There is some ecosystem talk regarding ride sharing statistics and Apple's announced addition of podcast listening analytics. How many bits of identifying information are you sending? Your hosts answer Listener Tim's question about when to accept that you can't do everything and should just let go of old project ideas. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #17 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, June 15th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. How to Sleep - The AtlanticShould you drink more coffee? Should you take melatonin? Can you train yourself to need less sleep? A physician’s guide to sleep in a stressful age. Corgi Cross Breeds Are Cute (25 Pictures)Queen's Corgis are fed 'in order of seniority' - and each has specially designed menu - Mirror OnlineCarl's Jr. - WikipediaJohn Wick - WikipediaThe Evolution Of Catwoman Just in time for the...Lyft and Uber drivers generate 20 percent of miles driven on SF streets - Curbed SFHub City Vintage | Vintage Seiko Watches, Seiko WatchesUpgrade #145: Wandered into the Unicorn Grove - Relay FMJason and Myke pick up many threads from WWDC 2017, including San Jose’s suitability as an event host, the first reviews of the iPad Pro, a bunch of news we didn’t know about during our last episode, and Jason’s close encounter with a functioning HomePod speaker. PanopticlickiFunbox | the File and App Management Tool for iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch.Review: The 10.5-inch iPad Pro is much more “pro” than what it replaces | Ars TechnicaDrag and Drop on iPhone in iOS 115by5 | Back to Work #237: Slow Your RollWombat - WikipediaBrought to you by: *  Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). StoryWorth (Visit StoryWorth.com/backtowork for $20 off when you subscribe).
6/13/20171 hour, 43 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 327: Slightly Semitic Bird

TOPIC: She was only 15 years old! This week kicks off with some thoughts on yesterday's WWDC Keynote and some potentially promising signs for Apple's future. Dan declares YouTube videos from The Trip to be the greatest thing Merlin has ever shown him, and he is correct. Merlin is infatuated with Nebo. Then, the boys answer listener questions about calendars, GTD and Buddhism, and how to choose a browser. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #17 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, June 15th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Nebo, The best way to take notes | MyScriptNebo’s Handwriting Recognition Elevates Your Notes – MacStoriesJaron Lanier - Wikipedia5by5 | Pipeline Classic #1: Markus "Notch" PerssonMarkus "Notch" Persson, creator of the indie game Minecraft, talks with Dan Benjamin about inspiration, creativity, and the future of gaming. Random impressions - YouTubeSome very amusing competitive impressions from Rob Bryden and Steve Coogan. Michael Caine impression Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon in The Trip - James Bond & Liam Neeson - YouTubeThis Is How Michael Caine Speaks - The Trip - BBC Two - YouTubeBrave Software | Building a Better WebThe new Brave browser automatically blocks ads and trackers, making it faster and safer than your current browser. Brought to you by: Away (Visit awaytravel.com/fathersday and use the code BACKTOWORK for $20 off any carry-on purchase, a free Harry's shave kit & stories collection book). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
6/6/20171 hour, 26 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 326: The Ronald McDonald of Feeds

TOPIC: "The results have been increbidle." This week, Dan and Merlin opine about various Apple feelings and wondering where the heck things are going. Merlin is sanguine. Merlin is mad at KFC, and Dan reminds us how great 1974 was for movies. Finally, your hosts respond to listener feedback. Links for this episode:A fascinating graphic novel about the origins of Dungeons & Dragons | Ars TechnicaCanvas #36: Wishes for iOS 11 - Relay FMThis week Fraser and Federico welcome special guest Merlin Mann to discuss opportunities for improvements that may - or may not - arrive in iOS 11. The best email app for iPhone iPad and Mac | SparkHow Power Nap works on your Mac - Apple SupportSnap-on - WikipediaBaja Blast | Mountain Dew Wiki | Fandom powered by WikiaThe Cat from Outer Space - WikipediaThe Cat From Outer Space (1978) - Trailer - YouTubeBeyond the Door (1974) - Trailer - YouTubeBeyond the Door (trailer) 1974 - YouTubeThe Legacy (1978) Trailer - YouTubeButterfield DIET - YouTubeConnected #144: The Barometer of Happiness - Relay FMBrought to you by: PDFpen (To learn more about the new PDFpen 9 visit smilesoftware.com/b2w) Bombfell (Visit Bombfell.com/backtowork to get $25 off your first purchase).
5/30/20171 hour, 37 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 325: The Real Celebrity Chefs of the Hollywood Hills

TOPIC: Again with the motivation. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about what motivates the companies who make set-top boxes vs. the providers of the content for those dinguses. What attracts fans to a given platform, and why are we getting so resistant to straight-up buying movies and TV shows? ("I learned it by watching you!") In listener feedback, your hosts examine whether and how various apps and services can be deployed in the service of building better habits. Links for this episode:Quotidian Public Radio #3: Nation of Talkers - "Planet Comment""Social Media expert, Dr. Robert Chandler (onFocus University), joins Connor to discuss web-based community and user-generated content. He also takes a few calls from QPR listeners." Soundgarden - WikipediaGoliath (TV series) - WikipediaTodd Vaziri on Twitter: "More basement cleanup: all DVDs now in sleeves and binders. All jewel cases and inserts recycled. This is about 1/4 of the collection. https://t.co/u3ymdqywKt"2016–2017 TV Season in 5 Really Depressing ChartsTodd Vaziri - IMDbBiofeedback - WikipediaTheremin - WikipediaHome - PavlokDefending the Border | Do By Friday(The one where everybody shocks each other) Apple’s New Campus: An Exclusive Look Inside the Mothership | WIRED441: When Patents Attack!Upgrade 142: You Want Applause — Upgrade — OvercastBrought to you by: *  Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork.
5/23/20171 hour, 22 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 324: Delivery Status Not Updated

TOPIC: Odds 'N Sods In this sprawling "odds 'n sods" episode, Dan and Merlin discuss: superheroes, scary movie trailers, (yes, more) egregious package delivery drama, customer service Buddhism, some excellent kids books, updates on the pretty good Hulu Live TV service, commercials for prescription drugs, politics and blood pressure, the joys of Nuzzel.com, auditing your online authorizations, why Meh.com are jackals, spray-on hair, delivery tracking services, and, yes, some deep updates on emails pitching visits from guests. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Superman: Birthright (9781401202521): Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, Leinil Francis Yu^Gerry Alanguilan, Dave McCaig: BooksSuperman: Birthright - WikipediaShazam! Intro - YouTubeKids-In-Mind: Movie ratings & parents' reviews that actually workReviews & Age Ratings - Best Movies, Books, Apps, Games for KidsMarco Arment on Twitter: "Called AT&T to have them fix *their* screwup, and about 15 of the 25 minutes were them selling me HARD on DirecTV service I kept declining."The Top 100 Comic Book Villains - IGN.comWings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5 (Wings of Fire): Tui T. Sutherland: 9780545855723: Amazon.com: BooksPercy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Paperback Boxed Set (new covers w/poster) (Percy Jackson & the Olympians): Rick Riordan, John Rocco: 9781484707234: Amazon.com: BooksThe Pilgrim's Progress - WikipediaThe Phantom Tollbooth - WikipediaNuzzel - News From Your FriendsTwitter / SettingsAccount - DropboxSign-in & security1990's INFOMERCIAL HELL #19: Spray paint the bald away with GLH, by Ronco, of course! - YouTubeWilfully ObscureDunkirk Trailer #2 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers - YouTubeTHE BOOK OF HENRY - Official Trailer [HD] - In Theaters June 16 - YouTubeEp. #230 - Monster Trucks — The Flop House — OvercastStuart Wellington's bad theater experience with _Logan_. Elvis Has Left the Building - YouTubeBrought to you by: *  Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Meh.com (Use code BACKTOMEH for $1 off. Yes, seriously.)
5/16/20171 hour, 32 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 323: A Horse Named Chili

TOPIC: Lady in a tube. This week, Dan and Merlin unexpectedly end up doing a pretty deep dive on Amazon voice products and the evolving ecosystem around them. Which is way more interesting than it sounds. Deep dive. Links for this episode:QI - "No Such Thing As A Fish" Podcast"A weekly podcast in which the QI researchers share their most interesting recent discoveries." Chumby - WikipediaSMALT-The smart home device that elevates your dining experienceIntroducing Echo Look - Hands-Free Camera and Style AssistantIntroducing Echo Show - Amazon Official SitePaul Haddad on Twitter: "Introducing the Amazon Echo Show, for all those people who want a non-portable 7” $230 tablet! https://t.co/8iHwnzuHyb"Amazon.com: Invoxia Smart Portable Speaker with Amazon Alexa, Grey: Home Audio & TheaterAmazon.com: Invoxia Smart Portable Speaker with Amazon Alexa, Grey: Home Audio & TheaterTriby - Smart Portable Speaker with Alexa Voice ServiceSonos | Wireless Speakers and Home Sound SystemsAmazon.com: Sonos PLAY:1 Compact Wireless Smart Speaker for Streaming Music (Black): ElectronicsAmazon.com: Sonos PLAY:3 Mid-Sized Wireless Smart Speaker for Streaming Music (Black): ElectronicsAmazon Echo Now Lets You Control Your Sonos Speakers | WIREDConnected #141: The Espresso Debacle - Relay FMThe band is back together just in time to talk about Federico's new iPhone case, the Echo Show, Phil Schiller's comments on App Store upgrade pricing and more. Bluetooth Headphones Mega-Review – Marco.orgMerlin loves these: "Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2: $200. Excellent all-around package, with great sound, comfort, and controls at a great price." Hulu Live TV has the potential for greatness, but it's a tough sellWatch Live TV Online and Stream On-demand | HuluUngainly X-Mann Meetup #17 — Merlin MannBrought to you by: Alibaba (Visit Gateway17.com/WORK to save 75% off the registration fee, while event passes last). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
5/9/20171 hour, 25 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 322: The Passive Voice of Water

TOPIC: Curiosity before fear. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the experience of Apple stores and repairs, The Handmaid's Tale, Dan's invertebrate-sensing skills, and some follow-up on "look left, go left." Listener Molly asks about how to become a morning person, and Listener Lance wants help with the anxiety of moving someplace new. Links for this episode:Dan's CBD Oil RecommendationBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). Alibaba (Visit Gateway17.com/WORK to save 50% off the registration fee, while event passes last).
5/3/20171 hour, 24 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 321: Need Some Velocity

TOPIC: Velocity! This week Dan and Merlin talk about lice, Kenny Rogers, strange memory phenomena, an intriguing new oil, and popcorn nugs pricing. A question from Listener Ben leads to suggestions for finding velocity. Links for this episode:Desire path - Wikipedia"A Lie Agreed Upon: David Milch's Deadwood" | MZS | Roger EbertWhy Walking through a Doorway Makes You Forget - Scientific AmericanCan CBD Oil Help Cure Anxiety?Understanding The Differences Between Hemp and CannabisMenuRobert M. Pirsig - Wikipedia'Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' Author Robert M. Pirsig Dies At 88 : The Two-Way : NPRYesterdays WeatherDan's CBD Oil RecommendationBrought to you by: TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com/b2w to start your free trial). Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork. Flow (Visit getflow.com/bokbok to start a free trial today. Listeners of Back to Work will save 20% on a monthly plan or 30% on an annual subscription at checkout!)
4/27/20171 hour, 28 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 320: Log Cabin Portal

TOPIC: Triangles Everywhere! This week, Dan and Merlin shuck and/or jive about stealing, Publix, airlines, driver’s ed, douchebagerié, Twitter bots, and more. Main topic this week is a question from Listener Brian about project management. Merlin expounds at length at this dark art and what it can teach us about life. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #16 — Merlin MannFacebook Fraud - YouTubeProject management triangle - WikipediaThe Project Management Triangle (called also Triple Constraint or the Iron Triangle) is a model of the constraints of project management. It is a graphic aid where the three attributes show on the corners of the triangle to show opposition. It is useful to help with intentionally choosing project biases, or analyzing the goals of a project. Critical path method - WikipediaResource leveling - WikipediaIn project management, resource leveling is defined by A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) as "A technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply."[1] Lectins Could Become the Next Gluten - The AtlanticPlant proteins called lectins are an emerging source of confusion and fear. Shirky: Power Laws, Weblogs, and InequalitySquarespace Help - Accepting Apple PayKitchen work triangle - WikipediaUniversal design - WikipediaWeekends were made for Michelob 1977 TV ad - YouTubeAngela Brett on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Apparently that's what facebook bots do, so I wouldn't be surprised. https://t.co/mVKgZENwgG"Archers of Loaf - WikipediaDick on Kipple | 43 FoldersThere's the First Law of Kipple... 'Kipple drives out nonkipple.'...Kipple is useless objects, like junk mail or match folders after you use the last match or gum wrappers or yesterday's homeopape. When nobody's around, kipple reproduces itself. For instance, if you to go bed leaving any kipple around your apartment, when you wake up there is twice as much of it. It always gets more and more.No one can win against kipple, except temporarily and maybe in one spot. Urban Dictionary: kippleKipple is a word coined by the remarkable science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. It refers to the sinister type of rubbish which simply builds up without any human intervention. Eventually, one day, the entire world will have moved to a state of kipplization. Desire path - WikipediaA desire path (formally referred to as desire line in transportation planning, also known as a game trail, social trail, herd path, cow path, goat track, pig trail or bootleg trail) can be a path created as a consequence of erosion caused by human or animal foot-fall or traffic. The path usually represents the shortest or most easily navigated route between an origin and destination. Width and erosion severity can be indicators of how much traffic a path receives. Desire paths emerge as shortcuts where constructed ways take a circuitous route, have gaps, or are non-existent. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Hotjar (By visiting hotjar.com/b2w you will get a 30 day (extended) free Business trial of Hotjar and all its functionality). HireLoop (Visit hireloop.io/b2w to get a free credit towards their Professional features).
4/25/20171 hour, 49 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 319: Contract with the Universe

TOPIC: Oh my GOD, this is torture. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about—amongst other odds and sods— the Mean FedEx Guy, the weird future of gig economies, and Adventure Time. Then, there's some handy tips on how to leverage iOS Accessibility settings for a better and more efficient experience on your device. Listener Michelle writes in to ask about dealing with colleagues who use the hallway as an ad hoc one-on-one meeting. What strategies can we employ to be civil and collegial about careless interruptions without lowering our standards or losing our minds? Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #16 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, April 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. How to use Theater Mode on the Apple Watch | iMoreIncludes a great tip on making a bespoke theater-friendly custom watch face. Brat Pack (actors) - WikipediaRival buys SF's biggest cab company for chump change - SFGateFor less than a million bucks, CityWide gets Yellow Cab's color scheme, its famous phone number (415) 333-3333, 160 of its cabs and the sublease to Yellow Cab's property. Adventure Time Pilot - YouTubeAnimated short/Transcript | Adventure Time Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia[The episode starts with Pen sleeping under a tree and a meditating Jake floating. Pen wakes up and rushes to Jake.] U-Haul Lesbian Moment | Do By FridayEquestria Girls - Helping Twilight Win the Crown [HD] [Bluray] + MP3 - YouTubeTesla passes General Motors to become the most valuable US automakerTesla's market capitalization is now bigger than General Motors', making it the largest U.S. based automaker by that metric. 933 Clipper St - Google MapsClipper Street! One of San Francisco's "Magic Streets." It's like a portal. Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Hotjar (By visiting hotjar.com/b2w you will get a 30 day (extended) free Business trial of Hotjar and all its functionality).
4/11/20171 hour, 26 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 318: Emotional Goggles

After some brief shucky-jivey, the boys resign themselves to discussing the big Apple announcement. They ponder why and how the message was delivered in the way it was as well as what it means. Dan has thoughts on modularization and Merlin reveals a new unified field theory. Then, yay, lots more responses to excellent questions from listeners. Links for this episode:Weezer - Paranoid Android - YouTubeUpgrade #135: Trashed The Can - Relay FMOccam's razor - WikipediaAmong competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected John Scalzi on Twitter: "Courtesy of @joshtpm, a principle henceforth to be known as "Trump's Razor." https://t.co/YL8xZMJMMt https://t.co/7WwopC4pSe"The Ennoblement of Water | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: meditate like a venture capitalist. Amazon.com: Thoughts Without A Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective (9780465050949): Mark Epstein: BooksInsight Meditation Center: Insight Meditation CenterHome | dhammatalks.org5by5 | UnwoundRobert McKee - WikipediaSleep Hypnosis for Anxiety Reduction & Reversal - YouTubeRoger Miller - You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd - YouTubeWe Bare Bears TV ReviewBrought to you by: Flow (Visit getflow.com/bokbok to start a free trial today. Listeners of Back to Work will save 20% on a monthly plan or 30% on an annual subscription at checkout!) FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
4/5/20171 hour, 12 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 317: Zero Gun Salute

After some very important follow-up, and more than a little shucking and jiving, your hosts answer questions from listeners. This is a good one! Links for this episode:Brian Regan - Stand Up Comedy Full HD - Best Comedian Ever - YouTubeBacon Ray - “Tomfoolery” 7-inch (AAJ Records, 1995)Source of that song "Sundays in a Row" AND the Back to Work closing theme. Download 'em for free! Hard Boiled Eggs | Wilcox FarmsObertoAmazon.com : Oberto All Natural Original Beef Jerky, 3.25-Ounce Bag (Pack of 4) : Jerky And Dried Meats : Grocery & Gourmet FoodAmazon.com: Epic - Epic Bars Variety Pack, 9 Flavors (9 Pack): Grocery & Gourmet FoodRadiohead - Ceremony (Joy Division cover) - YouTubeRadiohead play The Smiths - YouTubeBrought to you by: TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com/b2w to start your free trial). Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork.
3/31/20171 hour, 20 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 316: Corona MacGuffin

This week, Dan and Merlin have one of their beloved "odds and sods" episodes. Something for everyone in this diverse and bewildering episode. "Same day delivery!" Links for this episode:Bacon Ray - “Tomfoolery” 7-inch (AAJ Records, 1995)Source of that song "Sundays in a Row" AND the Back to Work closing theme. Download 'em for free! Sorry for the Delayed Response - The New YorkerA Prairie Home Companion Highlights — OvercastGitHub - kdeldycke/awesome-falsehood: Curated list of falsehoods programmers believe in.Falsehoods Programmers BelieveFalsehoods programmers believe about addressesFalsehoods programmers believe about time: @noahsussman: Infinite UndoMr. ZIP - WikipediaComparing Family Life In New Zealand And The U.S. : NPRDear America | Scholastic.comThe OA - WikipediaLegion (TV series) - WikipediaAppliance Direct (@appliancedir) | TwitterPhonto - Text on PhotosOver – Add beautiful text & artwork to photos.Typorama - Typography Designer & Easy Graphics App - AppertoYour calendrical fallacy is thinking...Random impressions - YouTubeBacon Ray - Tomfoolery (Vinyl) at DiscogsBrought to you by: Flow (Visit getflow.com/bokbok to start a free trial today. Listeners of Back to Work will save 20% on a monthly plan or 30% on an annual subscription at checkout!) FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
3/21/20171 hour, 11 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 315: The Nakamichi Deal

TOPIC: "Delivery Attempted." This week, Merlin struggles with his coffee-making options, and Dan recalls his days of fishing lures. USPS deliveries, several TV shows, and Wolverine's disturbing bone claws are also discussed. Listener Jackson writes in to ask about dealing with failings of self-discipline. Links for this episode:Stop Auto-Play Videos from Annoying You in Your Browser on macOS | KirkvilleOnline Grey Noise Generator | Hearing CalibratedSound of My Voice - WikipediaScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) - IMDbpeg.gd: Bacon Ray - “Tomfoolery” 7-inch (AAJ Records, 1995)Great Performances: Hugh Jackman, "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" | Oklahoma! | PBS - YouTubeOKLAHOMA "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" with lyrics - YouTubeThe Birthday Party- Big Jesus Trash Can - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). eero (To get eero at this new low price, visit eero.com, Best Buy, or Amazon today!)
3/14/20171 hour, 36 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 314: Which Fellini You Want to Be

TOPIC: "Remember this film is supposed to be a comedy." This week: Dan struggles with his progressive lenses, but he really liked the movie, Logan. Merlin's daughter has made four piles, and he finally accepts that he really should be watching more movies for his "work." Then, there's follow-up on that crazy S3 typo and some pretty poor Oscars® OPSEC. Then we're on to answering listener feedback via two futurist hats and a parenting hat: Listener Andrew, on self-driving cars and the mainstreaming of ponderous tech punditry. Listener Jason, on whether a future of voice computing will become a sociopathic blight. Listener Mark, on where the heck to find reasonable resources on better parenting. Links for this episode:FUNNY New LeBron James Sprite Commercial with Lil Yachty 2016 - YouTubeOperations security - WikipediaReconcilable Differences - Relay FMReconcilable Differences #47: Now I Dream in French - Relay FMBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
3/7/20171 hour, 41 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 313: Parents, Old People, and Perverts

TOPIC: You can't perfect life. This week opens with the carnage of today's Amazon S3 problems and why so much of the internet seems broken. A brief history of outage monitoring is provided and a praxis for improving the process is proposed. Dan and Merlin debate what can be learned from how kids and other non-olds use technology "wrong." Should they be learning from us or should we be learning from them? This leads to some deeper ruminations on how we can choose to get better at doubting our own perceptions and correcting our own weird thinking. The future still isn't here yet—and that's kinda what makes it the future. After some discussion of mental health and creativity, the show pivots into yet more discussion of emerging technology, and how it consistently scares the crap out of people until…it just doesn't. Dan and Merlin wrap by answering a listener's question about whether it's better to be good at writing or at speaking. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #16 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, April 27th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Ep. 179: The Battle for Tech Supremacy With Ben Thompson by The Bill Simmons Podcast | Free Listening on SoundCloudPixies - Wikipedia4CPThis obscure desire for beautyAmazon AWS S3 outage is breaking things for a lot of websites and apps | TechCrunchPolitics and the English Language - WikipediaGeorge Orwell: Politics and the English Language'River On Fire' Explores Genius, Madness And The Poetry Of Robert Lowell : NPRKay Redfield Jamison's new book describes how Lowell's manic-depressive illness influenced his life and work. "His manias tended to lead him into writing a fresh kind of poetry," she says. Bipolar And Creativity: A Study Of Poet Robert Lowell — Fresh Air — OvercastAuthor Kay Redfield Jamison’s new book describes how Lowell’s manic-depressive illness influenced his life and work. “His manias tended to lead him into writing a fresh kind of poetry,” she says. Lloyd Schwartz reviews a reissue of ‘Chimes At Midnight’ starring Orson Welles, and jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album from saxophonist Miguel Zenón.delete Netflix - instantwatcher - The Eighties / Season 1The Eighties | NetflixPessimists Archive (@PessimistsArc) | TwitterThe Walkman by PessimistsArc | Pessimists Arc | Free Listening on SoundCloudTravel back to the 80s with us, where the portable cassette player was accused of turning people into “wind-up non-humans,” laws were passed to keep them on the streets, and one New Jersey man risked jail time for his right to walk with headphones. shopgoodwill.com - Welcome5by5 | Back to Work #38: Sorry. You Can't Have a Candle.On improving presentation culture.Dan and Merlin talk about bombing the deck, advancing the slides, and striving to improve the self-perpetuating bad culture of presentations.Slide?!? Steve Martin's Dirty Trick to Play on a 3-Year Old Kid - YouTubeOrigins of "May I mambo dogface on the banana patch?" - Straight Dope Message BoardUrban Dictionary: Mambo dogface to the banana patch?Amazon S3 Outage 2017: how to watch it online - The VergeThey Might Be Giants "Dr. Worm" - YouTubeMan, It's So Loud In Here-They Might be Giants - YouTubeAnother Day of Sun - La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - YouTubeWaking in the Blue - Poems | Academy of American PoetsCock of the walk, I strut in my turtle-necked French sailor’s jersey before the metal shaving mirrors, and see the shaky future grow familiar in the pinched, indigenous faces of these thoroughbred mental cases, twice my age and half my weight. Brought to you by: Mott and Bow (Visit MottandBow.com and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout for 20% off your first purchase!) Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE—with FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork.
2/28/20171 hour, 34 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 312: Snake Eating Its Own Goodwill

TOPIC: You're living in the future! This week, Merlin is in a bit of a tizzy as he tries to make coffee, redo his ads, and change his productivity system at the same time. Todoist and the evolving landscape of task apps are discussed. Dan likes Trello and Merlin likes tearing everything down and maybe just starting over. iPhone call ID and blocking apps get the treatment and Merlin has some recommendations. Dan has some questions about comics, and the boys reminisce about The Simpsons. As you do. Things get a little dark as your hosts look at deploying web ad (and tracker) blocking as survival and safety OPSEC. This leads to the donning of Futurist Hats and some subsequent speculation about the unfathomable things we might expect from our devices in the coming years. Links for this episode:How to use trackpad mode on iPhone and iPad | iMoreUngainly X-Mann Meetup #15 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, February 23rd to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Overcast 3: Design walkthrough – Marco.orgOvercast 3.0: iOS 10 Features, UI Changes, Easy Queuing, and an Interview with Marco Arment – MacStoriesCortex #46: External Thinking Tool - Relay FMStop robocalls and telemarketers with NomoroboPhone Number Search | TruecallerFind Your Keys, Wallet & Phone with Tile’s Bluetooth Tracker and Save Up to 30%. | TileBrought to you by: TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com/b2w to start your free trial, and learn how companies such as WordPress and Desk multiply their productivity using TextExpander.) FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
2/21/20171 hour, 38 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 311: A Fair Eight

TOPIC: Alice hopes to hear from you. This week's episode is packed—literally, packed—with useful tips, tricks, and even a crazy challenge. Psyching yourself into falling asleep, learning how to breathe, using your iPhone's secret trackpad, and a gauntlet thrown (or maybe dropped?) to make yourself do everything with your voice for a day. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #15 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, Do By Friday, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, February 23rd to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Pogue’s Basics: The secret trackpad on the iPhone... - David PogueLittle by little, the iPhone is revealing its secret ambition to be a laptop. Mack Weldon | Men's Pima Long Sleeve - 100% Peruvian Pima CottonIrwin Tools 233250 Carpenter Pencil Sharpener - - Amazon.comEminem - The Real Slim Shady (Uncensored) - YouTubeThree Breathing Exercises and Techniques | Dr. WeilThe 4-7-8 Breath: Health Benefits & Demonstration2007-01-09 Before the Twitter. Before the... | kung fu grippeThe Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God - YouTubeThe Pogues The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn 1985 RTE - YouTubeNobody Tells Me Nothing - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
2/14/20171 hour, 13 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 310: Nominally Mine

TOPIC: My place is here—I fight with you! This week, Dan and Merlin cover a meetup announcement, Merlin's Les Mis obsession, Dan's new Hackintosh Method, and the Benjamin Family's slippery bar problem. Merlin advocates for "The Tiny Life Improvement Project." Pens and pencils are recommended, desks are discussed, and LBJ speaks out about his bespoke slack needs. The boys talk about the FTC's actions over Vizio's super-creepy user tracking, and wonder what questions to ask about the future of privacy on our smart devices. Things wrap with a quick discussion of culture-specific cargo culting and why we still cut the ends off the roast. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #15 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, February 23rd to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert - "One Day More""Tomorrow we'll discover what our God in Heaven has in store!" macfixer on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @hotdogsladies In “Didn’t we cover that years ago?” news — there are now Shabbat-friendly LED light bulbs. https://t.co/hp1X4WzH3F"What Vizio was doing behind the TV screen | Federal Trade CommissionLorAnn OilsGovernment Confirms Vizio TVs Spy on You: How to Stop It"Add it all up and Vizio captured as many as 100 billion data points each day from millions of TVs." Amazon.com: VIZIO E3D420VX 42 Inch Class Theater 3D LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps (2011 Model): ElectronicsHackintosh MethodPodcast MethodBacon MethodBlackwing - PalominoAmazon.com : Pilot Precise V7 RT Retractable Rolling Ball Pens, Fine Point, Black Ink, 6 Pack : Office ProductsAmazon.com : Palomino Blackwing Pencils - 12 Count : Wood Lead Pencils : Office ProductsAmazon.com : KUM Long Point Pencil Sharpener with Lead Pointer : German Pencil Sharpener : Office ProductsList of Oval Office desks - WikipediaResolute desk - WikipediaWalk and talk - WikipediaLyndon Johnson Held Meetings On The Toilet - KnowledgeNutsVizio TVs were spying on their owners, the government says - Chicago TribuneVizio settles case that said its smart TVs spied on owners - LA TimesMost smart TVs are tracking you — Vizio just got caught - The VergeJewish Jokes - GantsehMegillah.com"I don't know why you do it" says the old woman, "but I never had a pan that was large enough!" LBJ's Bunghole Needs Room! - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
2/7/20171 hour, 19 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 309: Hard Pass

TOPIC: Celebrating your successful failures. This week, Dan and Merlin kick off with discussion of night bears, the ascendance of Netflix, and some very nice emails from listeners. Merlin also shares an important life hack for Twitter. Merlin brings in a new thought technology via Jen Kirkman guesting on John Moe's wonderful podcast, The Hilarious World of Depression: learning how to talk back to the voices in your head. Dan gives some big updates to his (theoretical) project to build a (theoretical) Hackintosh. Huge week. Finally, Merlin shares a thought on how to potentially find success in your miniature failures. What happens when you decide to keep doing something not because you want to succeed at it…but just because it's a thing that you do? Links for this episode:B. F. Skinner - WikipediaThe Hilarious World of Depression | Podcast | APM PodcastsA show about clinical depression...with laughs? Well, yeah. 7: Jen Kirkman, Bad Therapy, Good Therapy, and Nuclear Invasion — The Hilarious World of Depression — OvercastBefore she was a successful LA comic with a new Netflix special, Jen Kirkman was a somewhat confused kid growing up in Boston. Hear how she got screwed up by nuclear war anxiety, found her calling in comedy, and ultimately learned to leverage her creativity and imagination to take on depression and anxiety.delete Morning Pages | Julia Cameron LiveMorning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing,done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages–they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are aboutanything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyesonly. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize andsynchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just putthree pages of anything on the page...and then do three more pages tomorrow. The Good Place - NBC.comThe Good Place: Season 1 - Rotten TomatoesKristen Bell and Ted Danson knock it out of the park with supremely entertaining, charming performances in this absurd, clever and whimsical portrayal of the afterlife. Drunk John Wayne speaks to young cadets - YouTubeHear JW say rigoddamndiculous, excrement, and tell people he's not "trying to talk for clapping". How to make someone unfollow you on Twitter | GadgetteHow to soft block someone on Twitter LAMBORGHINIS IN MY LAMBORGHINIS ACCOUNT - YouTubeTy Lambo shares ““Knowledge.”” Hackintosh MethodBrought to you by: MailButler (Visit mailbutler.io and use the code MAILBUTLER_5BY5 for 15% off both MailButler Professional Monthly and MailButler Professional Yearly). The PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/b2w for details on the PDFpen Family).
1/31/20171 hour, 17 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 308: When Does the Fork Go on the Sat?

TOPIC: Act like you're somebody that you like. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the evolution of voice recognition and touch interfaces and reminisce on the early days of making the turtle move. Dan brings in the topic of how fears of both failure and success lead to missed opportunities. Your hosts talk about how to track down the nagging bad feelings about these regrets and troubleshoot what we can learn from them. Merlin talks about recently returning to “Morning Pages,” what he’s learning from doing it, as well as some tips to help you get started with doing your own daily brain dump. Links for this episode:Morning Pages | Julia Cameron LiveMorning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages– they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page...and then do three more pages tomorrow. Joe Smith: How to use a paper towel | TED Talk | TED.comLearn | Code.orgNetflix - instantwatcher - The Eighties / Season 1KQED Public Media for Northern CAdoujinshi: here in my... | kung fu grippeTy Lambo! Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy: David D. Burns: 8580001040905: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, 2nd Edition (9781590302613): Natalie Goldberg: BooksNumberphile - Videos about Numbers and StuffChuck Garabedian on VimeoThinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374533557: Amazon.com: BooksSWOT analysis - WikipediaSWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT matrix) is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and is a structured planning method that evaluates those four elements of a project or business venture. Cost–benefit analysis - WikipediaThe Elephant 6 Recording Company - WikipediaArtisan Coffee | Black Cat Project Espresso™ | Intelligentsia CoffeeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
1/24/20171 hour, 38 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 307: #43 on The Ladder of Kindness

TOPIC: Youth is the aberration. This week, Dan provides updates on his Hackintosh project, which leads to a discussion of finding reviews and advice with context. The hosts realize, acknowledge, and quickly move past their program’s 6th anniversary, spending more time on that drum sound Merlin makes with his mouth. Recent email pitches are discussed, and advice is offered on smarter ways to pitch strangers on practically anything. Merlin responds to a question from a listener about learning to find inspiration in the absence of crisis. Links for this episode:Mack Weldon | Men's Merino Long Sleeve - Our Custom Blend: Merino Wool and Natural TencelAmazon.com: Yeti Coolers Rambler Colster 12oz and Comes With Limited Edition Can: Amazon LaunchpadYETI | Rambler Colster® Beer Insulator5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the BathroomThe SweethomeHome | tonymacx86.comHow to Win Friends and Influence People - WikipediaSchoolhouse Rock- My Hero, Zero - YouTubePogue's Basics: Life: Essential Tips and Shortcuts (That No One Bothers to Tell You) for Simplifying Your Day: David Pogue: 9781250080431: Amazon.com: BooksBetteridge's law of headlines - WikipediaCrash and the Boys - Im So Sad, So Very, Very, Sad. - YouTubeRobert Lowell - WikipediaAlthough Lowell's manic depression was often a great burden (for himself and his family), the subject of that mental illness led to some of his most important poetry, particularly as it manifested itself in his book Life Studies. Connected #125: Tiny Adorable Fort - Relay FMReconcilable Differences #43: Pack Mule with a Checkbook - Relay FMGreen Day Basket Case - Pachelbel Canon.wmv - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #308: When Does the Fork Go on the Sat?Brought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!) eero (For free overnight shipping, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter the promo code BACKTOWORK to make it free).
1/17/20171 hour, 38 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 306: Sunday Pant

TOPIC: Reframing the conversation with yourself. This week, Merlin talks about his weird mortgage ads and compliments the literally fancy pants he got from the silver underpants people. Suggestions are offered for running a dehumidifier in a “smart home.” Dan and Merlin have a lot to say about terlets (hey, it’s been a while). Merlin shares a service for intelligently correlating personal tracking data, a listener has success with some B2W email advice, and another listener asks for tips on doing better self-talk. Dan shares his cool new project to build a Hackintosh. Links for this episode:LETTERHEADYExist.ioTrack everything in one place. Understand your life. AmazonSmile: 70-Pint Dehumidifier with Effortless Humidity Control, White: Home & KitchenAmazon.com: WeMo Insight Switch Smart Plug, Wi-Fi, Energy Monitoring, Works with Amazon Alexa: Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: AcuRite 00613 Indoor Humidity Monitor: Home & KitchenEncore: Regina Spektor's New Album Reflects On Darker Side Of Life : NPRAnd once she said that, some kind of a weight lifted, and I was thinking, yeah, you know, there is this uncertainty, and I can have anxiety about it. Or I could just try and have a lot of fun and laugh and just enjoy the fact that we're just these silly little people that are a little family now, you know? The Rook Audiobook | Daniel O'Malley | Audible.comAmazon.com: Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier - Premium Humidifying Unit with Whisper-quiet Operation, Automatic Shut-off, and Night Light Function: Home & KitchenThundarr the Barbarian TV cartoon intro (1980) - YouTubeMoves - Activity Diary for iPhone and AndroidRegina Spektor - "Better" [ALTERNATE VERSION] - YouTubeA Prairie Home Companion for January 6, 2017Cognitive behavioral therapy - WikipediaHome | tonymacx86.comA fast and open replacement for Windows and macOS ? elementary OSApplehead Chihuahua - Google SearchRegina Spektor: ‘I See My Family … In Everybody’ : NPR — merlinmann on Huffduffer — OvercastBrought to you by: Speedtest.net/b2w (Download Speedtest for Mac or Windows at Speedtest.net/b2w or search for Speedtest by Ookla in your favorite app store). FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Audible (You can’t make more time, but you can make the most of it. Turn your walk into something more with a 30-day free trial at Audible by going to audible.com/b2w).
1/10/20171 hour, 47 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 305: Quadruple Down

TOPIC: This is a feeling I'm feeling. This week, your hosts look at the announcement of Dish's new Air TV box, along with the rapidly evolving landscape for cord-cutters. Also, fantasies of monk holes are entertained. The big topic this week is a discussion of a listener's question about the role of positive thinking. [This is a good one.] Links for this episode:Dish unveils a 4K Android TV streaming box with Netflix, Sling TV, and local channels - The Verge5by5 | Back to Work #304: The 2016 Compilation EpisodeThis is the Best of 2016 Compilation Episode, featuring your favorite moments of the show over the last 12 months. Each clip was suggested and submitted by you, our amazing listeners.Have a great new year! 5by5 | Back to Work #47: Utter Failure & Hotel SteakTOPIC: Resolving to skip the New Year's resolutions.In the last episode of 2011, Merlin and Dan talk about fresh starts and modest changes rather than rehearsing for sucking. You don't need a calendar to tell you to change. Whether you want to give up nail biting, onanism, or drinking a gallon of vodka a day, you need a plan and a tolerance for failure. Plus, a little care never hurts.How to do it? Keep it small, keep it time-limited, keep it action-oriented.Happy New Year, jackals. We love you. Fire TV - Amazon Official Site - Streaming Media PlayerAmazon.com: elago® R1 Intelli Case [RED]-[HEAVY SHOCK ABSORPTION][MAGNET TECHNOLOGY][LANYARD INCLUDED] for apple TV Remote: Cell Phones & AccessoriesFakespot | Elago R1 Intelli Case Red Heavy Shock Absorption Magnet Technology Lanyard Fake Review AnalysisJoe Rosensteel (@joesteel) | TwitterVFX artist, and nerd. VFX reel: http://artofjoe.com  Personal blog: http://joe-steel.com  Podcasts: http://defocused.co  http://unhelpful-suggestions.com  Gang BeastsDouble Down | Definition of Double Down by Merriam-Websterto double the original bid in blackjack in exchange for only one more card Priest hole - WikipediaAlien Next Door: Joey Spiotto: 9781785650260: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Star Wars The Black Series Rogue One K-2SO: Toys & GamesAmazon.com: LEGO STAR WARS K-2SO 75120: Toys & GamesDan Benjamin on Instagram: “Got my own K-2SO as a Christmas present. Thanks @haddiebird!”Amazon.com: House of M (9780785117216): Brian Michael Bendis, Olivier Coipel: BooksIrredeemable Premier Vol. 1: Mark Waid, Peter Krause: 9781608867882: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: House of M (9780785117216): Brian Michael Bendis, Olivier Coipel: BooksHouse of M (Book, 2006) [WorldCat.org]Welcome Back to Work Listeners - Fireside5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Expectation on VimeoBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)
1/3/20171 hour, 29 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 304: The 2016 Compilation Episode

This is the Best of 2016 Compilation Episode, featuring your favorite moments of the show over the last 12 months. Each clip was suggested and submitted by you, our amazing listeners. Have a great new year! Links for this episode:Jane Krakowski - WikipediaBrought to you by: FreshBooks (FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial. Just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back to Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
12/31/20161 hour, 1 minute
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Episode 303: A Liver Runs Through It

TOPIC: Is Tim firing us? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the challenge of dealing with email that's only kind of from a real person. There's some follow-up on Apple and wishing they'd just give us a "Get out of here!" Merlin recommends some podcasts and a terrific new clipboard manager from Tapbots. Dan talks about why he finally gave in and treated his eyes to a bigger phone. Just don't get him started on progressive lenses. Links for this episode:PastebotThe Hilarious World of Depression | Podcast | APM PodcastsBad Medicine, Part 1: The Story of 98.6 - Freakonomics FreakonomicsMaladroite Cheval. on VimeoChang and Eng Bunker - WikipediaApple’s Tim Cook assures employees that it is committed to the Mac and that ‘great desktops’ are coming | TechCrunchSeinfeld Scripts - The Pilot (1)GEORGE: How could you be a doctor and not say "get outta here"? It should be part of the training at medical school: "Cancer? Get outta here!" "Go home! What are you crazy? It's a little test. It's nothing. You're a real nut. You know that?" (Jerry gives him half of his sandwich to hopefully shut him up) I told you that God would never let me be successful. I never should've written that pilot. Now the show will be a big hit, we'll make millions of dollars, and I'll be dead. Dead Jerry. Because of this. (showing his lip) Tech21 Evo Elite Case for iPhone 7 Plus - AppleMaterial Dock | Studio NeatBlue (Joni Mitchell album) - WikipediaJoni Mitchell - Blue (1971) [full album] - YouTubeJohn Moe (@johnmoe) | TwitterBrought to you by: Smile Software (Give the gift of Smile, and give someone the most precious gift of all: more time. For more info, see SmileSoftware.com/b2w.
12/20/20161 hour, 32 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 302: Rabbi for the Rabbi

This week, the boys talk about slicing sand, unboxing videos, Overwatch, and some recommended TV viewing. Odds and sods, as you say. Main topic is follow-up re: listener feedback on recent Apple conversations. Links for this episode:Hour of Code | Disney PartnersLOVE BOAT INSANITYSatisfying Sand Videos (@icutsand) • Instagram photos and videosAmazon.com: moon sand: Toys & GamesOverwatchAn oral history of 'Get a Mac,' Part 1 | Campaign USAn oral history of 'Get a Mac,' Part 2 | Campaign USMac Power Users #355: The iPad as a Mac Replacement - Relay FMDavid gave up his laptop and went iPad only for several months and now shares both the joy and the agony. Watch Saturday Night Live: Family Dinner | HuluWatch Dr. Beaman's Office From Saturday Night Live - NBC.comBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress).
12/13/20161 hour, 15 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 301: Not on My Timeline

TOPIC: Vaio Life! This week, Dan and Merlin respond to listener feedback and talk about the tightrope walk of caffeine consumption. Merlin suggests a new AudioDharma talk, which leads to a discussion of whether you have to be an X to learn about Y. Spoiler Alert: you don't. Dan updates us on his son's hot new gaming PC, and your hosts can't stop themselves from ruminating (again, again) on why Apple's hardware choices feel be so frustrating…and disappointing. Links for this episode:Anxiety Worry and Fear — Audio Dharma — Overcast(New talk) Andrea Fella: Anxiety Worry and Fear(Old talk) Most Days (2016-12-05) on VimeoAmazon.com : RUNA Clean Energy, Traditional Guayusa Tea, 16-Count Tea Bags : Black Teas : Grocery & Gourmet FoodAudio Dharma - Welcome to Audio Dharma090 - Reality - Donald Hoffman — You Are Not So Smart — OvercastDonald Hoffman: Do we see reality as it is? | TED Talk | TED.comApple’s Support Gap — Pixel EnvyThis seems like a pretty significant gap. Of all the things that may have changed about Apple in the past fifteen years, the ability to walk into one with your gear and get personalized service hasn’t wavered. Whenever I ask someone why they stick with Apple over time, one of the reasons I almost always hear is the retail and support experience. I sincerely hope that this gets resolved soon. Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop | DellCafeteria Catholicism - WikipediaVaio - WikipediaKremlinology - WikipediaMichael Tsai - Blog - Apple’s Support GapAdvance-fee scam - WikipediaCaffeine PharmacologyAudio Dharma — OvercastReconcilable Differences #40: Slippery Slope to Dr. Manhattan - Relay FMAccidental Tech Podcast: 196: Roasting Your Own BeansBrought to you by: FreshBooks (FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial. Just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back to Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Foot Cardigan (Visit FootCardigan.com and enter the code WORK at checkout for 10% off and get some awesome socks!). Squarespace (Visit squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase).
12/6/20161 hour, 41 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 300: A Room Where I Don’t Matter

TOPIC: Kipple and Boomboxes This week Dan and Merlin start by talking about purging junk and answering listener feedback about kids and phones and teachers dealing with email. Main topic this week is whither Apple? Based on how the company is evolving, who do we think their future products will be for? Links for this episode:Plex Gets Its Own Kodi Add-On, Plex Media Player Now Available to EveryoneMeth Lab Full of Memories | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: throw something away. Urban Dictionary: kippleKipple is a word coined by the remarkable science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. It refers to the sinister type of rubbish which simply builds up without any human intervention. Eventually, one day, the entire world will have moved to a state of kipplization. Amazon.com: Ikea Frakta Shopping Bag, Large, Blue, Set of 5: Kitchen & DiningAmazon.com: The Rook (2015316098809): Daniel O'Malley: Books'Reply-all' email chain sent to all 1.2 million NHS employees - Business InsiderBlackBerry - WikipediaRogue Amoeba | Audio Hijack: Record Any Audio on Mac OS XClutter–Hoarding Scale™ | Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD)Levels of hoarding: some guidelines for recognizing the problem | Pittsburgh Post-Gazettesuperman 1978 movie program - Google SearchBrought to you by: PDFpenPro (Get 20% off new PDFpenPro 8 purchases by visiting SmileSoftware.com/b2w before December 15, 2016). MailChimp (Join more than 14 million people who use MailChimp to grow their businesses on their terms). Meh (Definitely don't click this link for Meh. It's horrible and terrible. Each day they have a new thing they're selling and funny videos. Who wants that?)
12/1/20161 hour, 51 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 299: Unhook from the Comparison

TOPIC: Your "backstage" vs. their "onstage" This week, Merlin shares some useful thoughts (via Patrick Rothfuss) on being careful about how we compare ourselves to others. The hosts also share some terrific listener suggestions for fantasy books for kids. Also, Dan has strong feelings about poultry. Links for this episode:Diffen - Compare Anything. Diffen. Discern. Decide.Diffen:About - Difference and Comparison | DiffenDiffen lets you compare anything. What is the difference between DVD+R and DVD-R? What is the difference between a pub and a bar? An alligator and a crocodile? What is the difference between 401(k) and IRA? Treasuries and bonds? AMD Turion and Athlon processors? How is a Pentium Core 2 Duo different from Pentium Dual Core? How does the work environment at IBM compare with working at Microsoft? How does living in Seattle compare with living in Amsterdam? What is the difference between a Plasma TV and an LCD TV? Cal Tech and UCLA? Yankees and the Red Sox? You can find or write all these comparisons on Diffen. Episode 10: Throwing Away Your Shot with Merlin Mann — SMGPatrick Rothfuss - Official WebsiteThe Name of the Wind: Patrick Rothfuss: 8601300468570: Amazon.com: BooksManure Digester — Unattended Consequences — OvercastAuthor Pat Rothfuss on comparing somebody else's "onstage" to your "backstage." Unattended ConsequencesA weekly conversation between Patrick Rothfuss (Name of the Wind) and Max Temkin (Cards Against Humanity). Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life - Anne Lamott - Google BooksBartimaeus 3-book boxed set (Bartimaeus Trilogy): Jonathan Stroud: 9781423136828: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Diane Duane Young Wizards: BooksPeter and the Starcatchers: Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Greg Call: 9780786849079: Amazon.com: BooksThe Chronicles of Prydain (5 Volumes): Lloyd Alexander: 9781250000934: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (9780385736008): Michael Scott: BooksPercy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Paperback Boxed Set (new covers w/poster) (Percy Jackson & the Olympians): Rick Riordan, John Rocco: 9781484707234: Amazon.com: BooksThe Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1): Rick Riordan: 9780786838653: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: His Dark Materials Omnibus (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) (9780375847226): Philip Pullman: BooksHis Dark Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass: Philip Pullman: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: brad meltzer i am: BooksDiary of a Wimpy Kid Box Set Collection (10 Books): Jeff Kinney: 9780141336466: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The Giver (Giver Quartet) (9780544336261): Lois Lowry: BooksGabby and Gator: James Burks: 9780316259354: Amazon.com: BooksLen - Steal My Sunshine - YouTubetoxicmoldsyndromemoldremovalnyc1.png (709×567)Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet): Orson Scott Card: 9780812550702: Amazon.com: BooksAmphigorey: Fifteen Books: Edward Gorey: 8601300252452: Amazon.com: BooksThe Gashlycrumb Tinies: Edward Gorey: 9780151003082: Amazon.com: BooksLibrary Extension - See book availability from your local library | Library ExtensionA Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet): Madeleine L'Engle: 9780312367541: Amazon.com: BooksChronicles of Narnia Box Set: C. S. Lewis: 8601400210253: Amazon.com: BooksThis is Not a Conspiracy TheoryBroken windows theory - WikipediaThe Problem with "Broken Windows" Policing | Policing the Police | FRONTLINE | PBSBrought to you by: FreshBooks (FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial. Just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back to Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
11/23/20161 hour, 14 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 298: Night Boot for Big Beef

This week, Dan and Merlin do another of their beloved Odds 'n Sods episodes, with tons of great recommendations for movies, TV, apps, services, and nighttime medical appliances. Links for this episode:Word to Markdown ConverterThe Gyroscope App · your health tracking dashboardSnapseed - Wikipediaplantar fasciitis sleeping - Google SearchJunecloudA Wrinkle in Time - WikipediaSatanists & Pedophiles Run The World - David Icke - YouTubeMorgellons actually Explained!! - YouTubeExplaining chemtrail? What are morgellons?Who made them and Why? What are they made from? Where did they come from? What is the purpose for their purpose? What will it really mean for us? Pick Parts, Build Your PC, Compare and Share - PCPartPickerParametric Part Lists - PCPartPickerHarry Potter Spell ListThe Spells of Harry Potter - Skyler Johnson | Tableau PublicEvery spell muttered, flicked, and yelled in the Harry Potter book universe, visualized at occurrence position. Tickled - WikipediaBarkley Marathons - Wikipedia#3 Concrete – Gimlet MediaFrom the dawn of human civilization, to the end of days: Concrete will outlast us all. Additional Reading Göbekli Tepe and “The Birth of Religion” by Charles C. Mann for National Geographic Concrete Planet: The Strange and Fascinating Story of the World’s Most Common Man-Made Material by Robert Courland The Facts The Reverend John DeLore… SAND WARSHis Dark Materials - WikipediaHarry Potter & The Deathly Hallows "Three Brothers Story" - YouTubeSerena | Bewitched Wiki | Fandom powered by WikiaWatch Full Episodes Online of Soundbreaking on PBSBrought to you by: Warby Parker (Head to warbyparker.com/dan to order your free Home Try-On’s today).
11/15/20161 hour, 25 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 297: It Takes Craftspersonship

This week, Dan and Merlin are a little out of sorts, so, after some chat and followup, they talk about some of the things that make them happy. Plus, awesome Mac key commands. Links for this episode:GitHub - Obbut/iCloud-Control: User-controlled selective sync for iCloud DriveThe Talk Show: Ep. 172, With Special Guest Merlin MannMerlin Mann returns to the show to discuss the election, by which we mostly talk around the election. I hope we never do another show again with such heavy hearts, but whatever you think about this election, I think you’ll like this show. Ep. 172: ‘Holiday Party’, With Special Guest Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — OvercastMerlin Mann returns to the show to discuss the election, by which we mostly talk around the election. I hope we never do another show again with such heavy hearts, but whatever you think about this election, I think you’ll like this show. The Law You Won't Be Told - YouTubeHuman Torch (android) - WikipediaThe Terminal • furbo.orgThe Good Wife - CBS.comBennett Cerf's Houseful of Laughter: Bennett (ed.) Cerf, Kelly, Price Illus. by Roth: 9781122690799: Amazon.com: BooksWonder: R. J. Palacio: 8601300239491: Amazon.com: BooksThe Show - No Agenda - With Adam Curry and John C. DvorakYouTube Red - YouTubeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). Tommy John (For 20% off your order visit tommyjohn.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK).
11/11/20161 hour, 28 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 296: Surely You Can't be Sirius

TOPIC: Leaving Dropbox Vegas Merlin survives a sleepover, and Dan has a concern about Dropbox. Links for this episode:Microsoft OneDriveiCloud - iCloud Drive - AppleGoogle Drive - Cloud Storage & File Backup for Photos, Docs & MoreSpiderOakSecure File Sharing, Storage, and Collaboration | BoxSyncthingInsync is Google Drive sync & backup with multiple account supportChronoSync Overview | Econ Technologies SoftwarePhone Number Search | TruecallerWestworld: Season 1 (Selections from the HBO® Series) - EP by Ramin Djawadi on Apple MusicHBO Releases Westworld Soundtrack of Old-Timey Rock Covers | Film | News | Hot PressGolem - WikipediaRavenclaw | Harry Potter Wiki | Fandom powered by WikiaThe Hogwarts Sorting Quiz (Pottermore Version) | PlaybuzzMacBook Pro - AppleSRD:Golem - D&D WikiBenjamin Button Reviews The New MacBook Pro (Pinboard Blog)Netflix - Steve Jobs: The Lost InterviewDo By FridayA weekly challenge show hosted by Merlin Mann, Alex Cox, and Max Temkin. Dropping DropboxAccidental Tech Podcast: 88: Standing on Opposite Sides of the Gym8.3 filename - WikipediaAmazon Drive: Cloud Storage - Online BackupExpanDrive for Mac & Windows | SFTP, Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, OneDrive, Box.com, WebDAV, Swift as Network DriveSynology Cloud Station as DIY Dropbox Alternativerm -r * by Jeffrey VeenRoman à clef - WikipediaLoanword - WikipediaA loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word adopted from one language (the donor language) and incorporated into a different, recipient language without translation. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) - Quotes - IMDbSteve Zissou: I'm right on the edge. I don't know what comes next. Craig on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies @danbenjamin #b2w CallKit problems are allegedly addressed in 10.1.1.""@hotdogsladies @danbenjamin #b2w CallKit problems are allegedly addressed in 10.1.1." Spotify Web Player - Westworld: Season 1 (Selections from the HBO® Series) - Ramin DjawadiRamin Djawadi - WikipediaHe is also known for his works on movies such as Pacific Rim and Warcraft or television series as Prison Break, Person of Interest and Westworld. Westworld: Season 1 (Selections from the HBO® Series) - EP by Ramin Djawadi on Apple MusicRadiohead - No Surprises - YouTubeMaking of: No Surprises - YouTubeDeadpool (2016) - IMDbScreens - Control Your Computer Remotely - EdoviaScreens - Control Your Computer Remotely - EdoviaThe Good Wife - WikipediaBennett Cerf's Houseful of Laughter: Bennett (ed.) Cerf, Kelly, Price Illus. by Roth: 9781122690799: Amazon.com: BooksBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). eero (For free overnight shipping of your brand new eero wifi system visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter the code BACKTOWORK to make it free).
11/1/20161 hour, 43 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 295: I’m Not Talkin’ for Clapping

Dan's still a little under the weather What home automation is good at right now (and what it mostly isn't) Updates on Hiya and call-blocking apps not working so much Merlin is getting pretty good at making Trump hands Hey! Follow-up and listener questions! Listener Greg wisely reframes the communication problem If you want to help people: offer something specific John Siracusa just wants toast in a reasonable amount of time Listener Johnathan has trouble getting timely responses from his busy manager Tip: It pays to ask around and maybe escalate Everybody feels vulnerable about something Listener Brian doesn't want to pester people about his side project Tip: Scale up and act like a magazine editor Ooooo…The Monty Hall Problem! Listener Matt needs tips on being a new dad Tip: You're not as bad at this as you think (or fear) Links for this episode:Jamie Buck on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Thanks for the white gaffers tape shout out. A cool surprise on my drive to work."John Wayne Drunk Speech.wmv - YouTubeMonty Hall problem - WikipediaBirthday problem - WikipediaWonder (Palacio novel) - WikipediaWonder: R. J. Palacio: 9780375869020: Amazon.com: BooksReconcilable Differences #37: A Useless Angle for Swordfighting - Relay FMRuna | GuayusaFlammable vs. Inflammable: What's the difference? | Merriam-WebsterBoth words mean the same thing, but one of them is bound to confuse most people. Hiya: Caller ID, Call Blocker & Protection for a Better Phone Experience5by5 | Hypercritical #18: Worse and More DiverseJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin put the TV technology and PHP topics to bed, touch on SSD reliability again, then discuss what's wrong with Twitter and why toaster ovens are worse today than they were a few decades ago. Occam's razor - WikipediaPrivacyStarHuge phone scam targeting Americans leads to 700 being detained in India | World news | The GuardianCarl Weathers Got Stew Going - YouTubeAngel Summoner and BMX Bandit - YouTubeBrought to you by: TextExpander ( Visit Smilesoftware.com/b2w for more info and to claim a 50% discount on your first year of a TextExpander Life Hacker subscription. Offer ends November 15th).
10/25/20161 hour, 19 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 294: Sufficiently Advanced Friendship

TOPIC: How to pester people responsibly. Dan's a little under the weather. Maybe kids should be in balls. Who knows? "Wrap a hot towel around your head." Westworld. It's definitely a thing. Follow-up… TaskPaper 3.5 is awesome. Yes. There are good board games. Sorry about that. How Merlin made Candyland more interesting. But only a little. Followup on smoke detectors. What a mess! More advice on covering up dumb LED lights. Merlin has an amazing rice cooker. Harry Potter talk. Movies we like, etc. Cool new Harry Potter prints. MAIN TOPIC: How to pester people responsibly. Trouble getting a response: what's the real problem here? Merlin learned a lot from being an unsuccessful project manager. If your results are at odds with your expectations? Something isn't working. Dan talks about his new interest in informal journaling. Writing is a 3D printer for your thoughts. Links for this episode:Strange Animals (@StrangeAnimals) | TwitterTaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for Mac3M Lithographers Tape 616 Ruby Red: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific5by5 | Back to Work #293: The Frame for Our RelationshipTaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for MacUniversal Security Instruments | HomeZojirushiAmazon.com: Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker, 1.8-Liters, Premium White: Kitchen & DiningAmazon.com : Mahatma Long Grain Jasmine Rice, 32 oz : Jasmine Rice Produce : Grocery & Gourmet FoodOlly Moss on Twitter: "Announcing 7 new officially licensed Harry Potter art prints, produced in collaboration with @Pottermore. Link: https://t.co/jU85tYnUet https://t.co/yMNcoN5Kht"Home / OLLY MOSS SHOPHarry Potter Print Set / OLLY MOSS SHOPAcceptance and commitment therapy - WikipediaWrap A Hot Towel Around Your Head - YouTubeRobot & Frank (2012) - IMDbMars Sazerac | Bob's Burgers Wiki | Fandom powered by WikiaConnie Sellecca. Nothing wrong that, huh | The Nap quotesConnie Sellecca. Nothing wrong that, huh? Unit testing - WikipediaKobayashi Maru - WikipediaQuote by Pema Chödrön: “You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just th...”“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.” Apollo Robbins: The art of misdirection | TED Talk | TED.comTony Buzan | Inventor of Mind MappingMind map - WikipediaPreposterous TV censorship: Fight a Stranger in the Alps - YouTubeBrought to you by: Blue Apron (Check out this week’s menu and get your first THREE meals FREE—WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/backtowork. Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase).
10/18/20161 hour, 48 minutes, 32 seconds
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Episode 293: The Frame for Our Relationship

TOPIC: The Minimum Viable Waste of Time. Some awesome odds and sods, a great new Markdown editor for OS X, and a main topic on dealing with those aggressive email follow-up people. Dan's Concern™ regarding his annoying smoke detectors Why things seem to get worse and more diverse Evaluate the credulity of Amazon reviews with Fakespot Scary edge cases for Samsung Note fires Cary's great DNS switching trick Merlin is loving Typora, a clever and powerful new desktop Markdown editor Pandoc does many file conversion things Homebrew makes Mac package management a doddle Brett Terpstra's Markdown Service Tools are essential TableFlip is a cool app for making and editing Markdown tables Fountain and Slugline are awesome for Markdown-like screenplay writing Also, hey. Editorial for iOS can totally handle Fountain files. Turns out! Merlin and Dan are still really liking iOS 10 It's definitely worth the time to prune your iOS notifications Main Topic: How should we deal with all those "just circling back" people? iPhone spam call blocker Hiya seems to be working now Links for this episode:Typora — a minimal markdown reading & writing appTypora will give you a seamless experience as both a reader and a writer. It removes the preview window, mode switcher, syntax symbols of markdown source code, and all other unnecessary distractions. Replace them with a real live preview feature to help you concentrate the content itself. Typora Support - Typora SupportRelease pandoc 1.17.2 · jgm/pandoc · GitHubScary Cary???? on Twitter: "#HotTip: Add different Locations for different DNS records in macOS: cc: @hotdogsladies #BackToWork https://t.co/VSyPgiLz8b"TableFlip - Simple Table Editor for MacThe Markdowntable editor. Infomercials fanvid - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - YouTubeJon Plummer on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Do you have a smoove way to reply to the inveterate email follower-uppers? I lightly blew up at one today and I'm not proud."Editorial for iOSFountain | A markup language for screenwriting.Slugline. Simply Screenwriting.Paul Williams Still Alive (2011) - IMDbTermite.com <> WESTERN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITESSmoke detector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPaul Williams (songwriter) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Hypercritical #18: Worse and More DiverseFakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviewsHomebrew — The missing package manager for macOSMarkdown Service Tools - BrettTerpstra.comHiya: Caller ID, Call Blocker & Protection for a Better Phone ExperienceThe Rambling Taoists: Real Life Tao - No Fight, No BlameScreenplay Markdown — ProlostMultiMarkdownSherman's March (1986 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Beatles – I Am The Walrus Lyrics | Genius LyricsBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). Away (For $20 off your order, visit awaytravel.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK during checkout. Travel smarter with the suitcase that charges your phone).
10/11/20161 hour, 49 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 292: Rat King of Crush

TOPIC: A Surfeit of Merlin Mannsplaining. This week, Dan and Merlin produce an undisputed instaclassic odds and sods episode. When technology makes you feel crazy. Are retweets endorsements? Universal New Yorker captions. Cursed Images is amazing. Vatican Cameos! A totally smooth way to stop talking about someone when they walk into the room. iOS 10 call-blocking apps. Do they even? How to send an 'E mail' - Database - 1984 - YouTube BIG ACTUALLY-USEFUL SEGMENT: Two super-interesting matrices. How to plan your day. What Percentage Alcohol? WHAT PERCENTAGE? We still miss Phil Hartman. A recommended RSS option. Apple caters to Dan's News needs. Dim your LEDs! "Alexa, who is the Mother of Dragons?" Fast gloss on Plex's very interesting new Cloud Sync offering. This is one for the books. Links for this episode:Flow (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEp. 218: "The Valve" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: He tried to solve his darkness. Amazon.com: APC Battery Backup & Surge Protector (BE350G) - 350VA 6-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: CyberPower CP350SLG Standby UPS 350VA 255W Compact: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: ezOutlet - Internet IP-Enabled Remote Power Reboot Switch (AC Power / Single Outlet / iOS / Android / Web Interface): Home Audio & TheaterEphedrine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediacursed images (@cursedimages) | TwitterWhat is spear phishing? Webopedia DefinitionWatch Compulsion by Calvin Kleen From Saturday Night Live - NBC.comLightDims Original Strength - Light Dimming LED covers / Light Dimming Sheets for Routers, Electronics and Appliances and more. Dims 50-80% of Light, in Retail Packaging. - Light Dims Led Light Blocker - Amazon.comExpanDrive for Mac & Windows | SFTP, Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, OneDrive, Box.com, WebDAV, Swift as Network DriveBen Y. Faroe on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @hotdogsladies Thought you'd enjoy this. Note 4-digit pwd, rotary dial, etc Electronically yours, Ben https://t.co/nwi4gzPQKD"Cloud Sync Overview – PlexA Scandal in Belgravia | Baker Street Wiki | Fandom powered by WikiaVatican Cameos is a codeword used between Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson. A New Universal 'New Yorker' Cartoon Caption: 'I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.' - The Atlanticpre taped call in show - YouTubeEp. 163: "The Maisie Glotz File" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannKidde Fire Safety Products: Shop Smoke Alarms, Carbon Monoxide Detectors, Fire ExtinguishersScary Cary???? on Twitter: "#HotTip: Add different Locations for different DNS records in macOS: cc: @hotdogsladies #BackToWork https://t.co/VSyPgiLz8b"Brought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial. Just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back to Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section. Get the all new FreshBooks today).
10/4/20161 hour, 12 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 291: Three Healthy Holes

TOPIC: The Unreliable Narrator of You This week, Dan and Merlin talk about weather, compost, small changes, plus some Sling TV followup. The main topic involves Merlin helping Dan sanely enter the Philips Hue Light ecosystem. It's not just for nerds any more. (Although, sure, yeah, it's still mostly for nerds.) Links for this episode:80 hi-res, textless posters - ImgurAmazon.com: Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband, Black, Large: Health & Personal CareBreathe: How Apple Watch's new app will help you live and feel better | iMoreAetna to Provide Apple Watch to 50,000 Employees, Subsidize Cost for Customers - Mac RumorsAutomatic: Connect Your Car to Your Digital LifePhilips 456210 Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 Bulb Starter Kit 2nd Generation, Works with Alexa - - Amazon.com"Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants" - YouTubeReconcilable Differences #35: A Lot of Them Are Tricks - Relay FMPhilips 456186 Hue White and Color Ambiance Extension A19 Bulbs, 2nd Generation - - Amazon.comAmazon.com : Canary All-in-One Home Security Device - Black : Camera & PhotoPhilips 458158 Hue Dimmer Switch - Frustration Free Packaging - - Amazon.comAmazon.com: Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband, Black, Large: Health & Personal CareDrew Struzan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArcher - Phrasing Compilation - YouTubeBrought to you by: TextExpander (Try TextExpander free for 30 days when you visit Smilesoftware.com/b2w). Criquet (Visit Criquetshirts.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your first purchase).
9/27/20161 hour, 31 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 290: Table Scraps for Cable Cutters

TOPIC: Nobody's favorite thing. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about update failures, magic, and attention. Their ongoing dive into the fractured and frustrating world of the modern cord-cutter ecosystem continues. It's ponderous. Links for this episode:Star Wars Stickers on the App StoreSticker Pals: Animate Your Messages! on the App StoreAmazon.com: Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router: ElectronicsLinksys WRT54G series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrick (electronics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA Brief Look at Texting and the Internet in Film - YouTubeYou Can’t Think and Hit at the Same Time | Quote InvestigatorThe art of misdirection | Apollo Robbins - YouTubeYou Suck at Drinking: Matthew Latkiewicz: 9780762451043: Amazon.com: BooksYou Can Do Better - truTV - Official SiteSling TV - Watch Live TV Programming Any Time and AnywhereWatch in any room, on any screen. | TiVoAcromioclavicular joint - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSherlock (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAre You the Favorite Person of Anybody? - YouTubeApparently Rihanna Can’t Wink and the Internet Is Losing It | TIMEJargon File - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWatch Annals of Ideas | The Tricks of a Master Pickpocket | The New Yorker Video | CNECortex #37: Doomsday Bunker - Relay FMDavid Brent's first scene - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #285: A Baller VCRBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). Zendesk (Visit zendesk.com/backtowork to learn more and to get native, in-app support to your app quickly and easily.)
9/20/20161 hour, 26 minutes, 7 seconds
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Episode 289: John Rhetoric

TOPIC: Every week (and every time you think of it) This week, Dan and Merlin start by talking about some of the great updates iOS 10—alongside the usual strident advice about backing up before you do anything. Merlin also shares the late-night debacle of trying to order a new iPhone. There's some talk about weird 80s Budweiser commercials and then a deep dive on how (and whether) to setup and use the neato Plex DVR. Links for this episode:iOS 10 is now available to download | The VergePSA: Be careful when considering an install of iOS 10 - Six ColorsStatus overview | Down DetectorWhisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) - Icicle Works - YouTubePlanet Simpson: How A Cartoon Masterpiece Defined a Generation: Chris Turner: Amazon.com: BooksWhat Is That Song?Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell - Amazon.com MusicPlex DVR for Cord Cutting | PlexAmazon.com: Mohu Leaf 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110584: Home Audio & TheaterAmazon.com: Mohu Leaf 30 TV Antenna, Indoor, 30 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 10 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110598: Home Audio & TheaterAmazon.com: SiliconDust HDHR4-2US HDHomeRun CONNECT (2-Tuner): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: SiliconDust HDHomeRun EXTEND.FREE Broadcast HDTV (2-Tuner): ElectronicsTop-Rated Online Fax Service | HelloFaxiOS 10: The MacStories Review – MacStoriesGetting iOS 10 right from the start - Six ColorsKubo and the Two Strings (2016) - IMDbDevo - Girl U Want - YouTubeApple is attemping to sort out iPhone Upgrade Program preorder issues | MacworldNuzzel: News From Friends And InfluencersWhen does new HBO original programming become available on HBO NOW?Simultaneous release - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). MorningSave by Mediocre (Go and check out Meh and MorningSave by the awesome people at Mediocre).
9/13/20161 hour, 40 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 288: History is Not Made for Horses

TOPIC: Find My Mac. Please. With Apple's big iPhone event coming tomorrow, Dan and Merlin discuss what makes this particular day such a black box in Apple's history. This is likely to be the last day for some time when we will know SO very little about where Apple is heading. Also, there's some discussion of which kinds of technology we're most resistant to and maybe why that is. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: 100 Gram Pack of 10 "Dry&dry" Silica Gel Packets Desiccant Dehumidifiers: Home & KitcheniPhone 6s best-selling smartphone both in U.S. & worldwide, iPhone SE #3 in U.S. | 9to5Mac‘Epic’: Hillary suffers 2 violent coughing fitsThe Worst Yet! Hillary Clinton Suffers Serious Coughing Fit In Cleveland - BreitbartChildhood's End - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArrival (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHumans Need Not Apply - YouTubeThe Simple Solution to Traffic - YouTube1982 Aamco "Wait for an Appointment" Commercial - YouTubeThe Mind of an Architect - 99% InvisibleUpton Sinclair - Wikiquote"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!" Reconcilable Differences #20: Stove Vigilance - Relay FMThe main topic is trust your mechanic. How to survive working with the experts who diagnose and fix your problems. John's not a Dead Kennedys fan, and Merlin's just so irrationally mad about the state of his oven. Apple’s evolving PR boilerplate – 512 PixelsFor ages, at the bottom of press releases, Apple has included a statement about its business, and over the years, this boilerplate statement has changed numerous times. Chip Card Nightmares? Help Is on the Way - WSJHook and loop fastener - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Talk Show ?: Ep. 166, With Special Guest Rene RitchieFacing a Holocaust Denier | JewishBostonBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). eero (For free overnight shipping of your brand new eero wifi system visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter the code BACKTOWORK to make it free).
9/6/20161 hour, 38 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 287: You Are Now Cleared for Salad

TOPIC: Frantic SM 10 Pieces This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the problem with wraps, the problem with notebooks, and the problem with Amazon reviews. Links for this episode:Apple Is Working on iPad Upgrades and Refreshed Mac Lineup - BloombergAmazon.com : Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook : LaunchpadRocketbook Wave Smart Notebook Fakespot - Analyze Fake Amazon Reviews - Chrome Web StoreFakespot | Lion Sm Slave Passion Sex Bondage Kit Set Bed Restraints For Fake Review AnalysisWreck This Journal: Keri Smith: 9780399533464: Amazon.com: BooksYou purchased this item on December 1, 2009. Fakespot | Analyze and identify fake reviewsAmazon.com: Lion SM Slave Passion Sex Bondage Kit Set Bed Restraints for Couple Lover Adult (Leopard): Health & Personal CareAmazon Launchpad: New Products from Today's Brightest StartupsChekhov's gun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEp. 98: "A Mastiff of Spinach" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannAmazon.com: TubShroom The Revolutionary Tub Drain Protector Hair Catcher/Strainer/Snare, White: Launchpad"TED CRUZ" — A Bad Lip Reading - YouTubeBrought to you by: PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/b2w for details on the PDFpen Family: PDFpen for macOS, PDFpen for iPad & iPhone, and PDFpen Scan+). Soylent (Get your first case of Soylent for 50% off when you start a subscription via the special link soylent.com/5by5.)
8/30/20161 hour, 29 minutes, 55 seconds
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Episode 286: Secret Rap Name

TOPIC: Hey, try this. This week, Dan and Merlin have a shortie, so they talk about stuff they're loving right now and make some recommendations on gadgets, music, movies, and more. Also, the scientific link between chemtrails and morgellons can finally be revealed. Links for this episode:NEET Zippered Cable Tie M - Cable Organizer Sleeve designed for all mo | NEET ProductsThe Mindset List: Class of 2016 List | Beloit CollegeAmazon.com: MicFlip 2.0 - Fully Reversible Cable [ Micro USB & Standard USB Plugs ] Red Black 6 ft Braided Aluminum Shell Strong Best Charger (Red Black 6 ft ( 200cm )): Computers & AccessoriesMicFlip 2.0 Trello makes its Power-Ups available to free users | TechCrunchAmazon.com: JLab Audio Epic2 Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sport Earbuds, GUARANTEED fitness, waterproof IPX5 rated, skip-free sound, pristine high-performance 8mm sound drivers, 12hr play time w/ microphone - Black: Home Audio & TheaterUvex S0360X Ultra-spec 2000 Safety Eyewear, Orange Frame, SCT-Orange UV Extreme Anti-Fog Lens - Safety Glasses - Amazon.comAmazon.com: UE ROLL 2 Volcano Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Waterproof): Computers & AccessoriesNeiko® 53925A Adjustable Safety Ear Muffs | ANSI S3.19-1974 Approved | NRR 26 dB - Hearing Protection - Amazon.comAmazon.com: CyberPower CP350SLG Standby UPS 350VA 255W Compact: Home Audio & TheaterAmazon.com: Kent 20T Folding Comb: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Wine Preserver, Kollea Stainless Steel Wine Vacuum Pump Wine Saver & 2 Bottle Stoppers: Kitchen & DiningAmazon.com: SpyDots - Selfie Cam/Web Cam Covers for Privacy on your Tablet, Smartphone, Laptop & other Devices: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum rechargeable electric toothbrush, White Edition, HX9112: BeautyAmazon.com : No Soliciting Outdoor Metal Yard Sign for Home, House and Business | Stylish Laser Cut | Made with Heavy Duty DiBond Aluminum : Patio, Lawn & GardenAmazon.com: Primal Kitchen Primal Fuel Low-Carb Meal Replacement Shake Vanilla Coconut 2lbs: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com : Stamina Air Rower (Black, Chrome) : Exercise Rowers : Sports & OutdoorsAmazon.com : Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine (Black) with PM5 : Sports & OutdoorsAmazon.com: Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones, Black: Home Audio & TheaterLake Street Dive - Rich Girl (Live @Pickathon 2013) - YouTubeLake Street Dive - Call Off Your Dogs [Official Video] - YouTubeflavors - LaCroix Sparkling WaterELECTION PROFIT MAKERSA PODCAST ABOUT ELECTION-RELATED PREDICTION MARKETS, HOSTED BY TWO FRIENDS WHO USED TO PLAY IN A SECRET BAND NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO KNOW ABOUT Green Room (2015) - IMDbMorgellons actually Explained!! - YouTubeAmazon Movie Reviews (@AmznMovieRevws) | TwitterDead Revolution | Hammers Of MisfortuneNetflixViMediaManagerHammers of Misfortune "Dead Revolution" (OFFICIAL) - YouTubeWeiner (2016) - IMDbOur Incredible Journey[Essay] | The Devil's Bait, by Leslie Jamison | Harper's MagazineScreens - Control Your Computer Remotely - EdoviaAmazon.com: Urnex Cafiza Espresso Machine Cleaner - 20 ounces: Coffee Machine And Espresso Machine Cleaning Products: Kitchen & DiningGravity Falls: Journal 3: Alex Hirsch, Rob Renzetti, Andy Gonsalves, Stephanie Ramirez: 9781484746691: Amazon.com: BooksLo And Behold: Reveries Of The Connected World (Official Movie Site) - Directed by Werner Herzog - In Theatres, on Demand, on Amazon Video and on iTunes August 19thMorgellons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMorgellons also called Morgellons disease or Morgellons syndrome, is the informal name of a self-diagnosed skin condition that is actually a form of delusional disorder in which individuals believe they are infested with inanimate material like sand, hairs, thread, or fibers, while in reality no such infestation is present. Lake Street Dive Plays "I Want You Back" On a Boston Sidewalk - YouTubeBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
8/23/20161 hour, 18 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 285: A Baller VCR

TOPIC: Kids don't need VCR Plus+. This week, Dan and Merlin continue their series on updates. The topic this week is all about media consumption—in particular, the massive changes to how they learn about, locate, obtain, schedule, and consume media over the past decade or so. Sure, there's the usual old man talk about how How It Used To Be, but there's a heavy focus on how these changes are changing the way media is funded and produced. What's that media landscape gonna look like when a 5-year-old playing with an iPad becomes the producer of media in a very few years? Links for this episode:iOS, Android, and macOS Apps Now Open Source | SimplenoteThe Inner Light (Star Trek: The Next Generation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Measure of a Man (Star Trek: The Next Generation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours — Maxistentialism Blog — MediumStar Trek: Deep Space Nine In 82.5 Hours — Maxistentialism Blog — MediumRandom Trek | "Death Wish" (VOY) with Merlin Mann (Episode 55)Creamed, Canned And Frozen: How The Great Depression Revamped U.S. Diets : The Salt : NPRDo people think about food more in times of scarcity than in times of plenty? Married culinary historians Jane Ziegelman and Andy Coe think so. Ziegelman and Coe are the authors of A Square Meal, which examines the impact of the country's decade-long Great Depression on American diets. HBO 1983 Intro (HBO) - YouTubeResearcher finds huge security flaws in Bluetooth locksAmazon.com: CISNO Studio Condenser Mic Microphone Shock Mount With Metal Wind Screen Pop Filter Combo Mask Shield For Recording: Musical InstrumentsKevin Kline Takes a Bow, Several Times - Here's The Thing - WNYCKevin Kline is one of the most acclaimed entertainers working today. So how did the kid from St. Louis end up with an Oscar, two Tony awards, and a career that has intersected with those of Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury, John Cleese, and Kenneth Branagh, to name just a few? My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Helping Twilight Win The Crown - (HD) - YouTubeTrump: What's the Deal? Trump: What's the Deal?Pessimists Archive (@PessimistsArc) | TwitterBrought to you by: Squarespace (Head to squarespace.com/backtowork and use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
8/16/20161 hour, 44 minutes, 55 seconds
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Episode 284: Wake Up, Van Hœt

This week, Dan and Merlin open with an unintentionally deep dive on how Merlin has been tricking out his house with home automation stuff. The main topic this week returns to the theme of updates; in this case, how ubiquitous devices have changed pretty much everything. Links for this episode:Weiner (2016) - IMDb5by5 | Back to Work #280: The Big Filter5by5 | Back to Work #281: The Mayor of Chocolate Sundaes5by5 | Back to Work #283: Cognition to CompletionEverything From This 1991 Radio Shack Ad You Can Now Do With Your PhoneThere are 15 electronic gimzo type items on this page, being sold from America’s Technology Store. 13 of the 15 you now always have in your pocket. Processing Power ComparedA single Apple iPhone 5 has 2.7 times the processing power than the 1985 Cray-2 supercomputer. iPhone, iPad, and iPod Benchmarks - Geekbench BrowserWelcome to Primate Labs' iPhone, iPad, and iPod benchmark chart. The data on this chart is gathered from user-submitted Geekbench 3 results from the Geekbench Browser. Amazon.com: Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 Energy Star Dehumidifier with Effortless Humidity Control, 70 pint: Home & KitchenAmazon.com: WeMo Insight Switch Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring, Wi-Fi, Works with Alexa: Cell Phones & AccessoriesPhilips 452524 Personal Wireless Lighting Hue Tap Switch - - Amazon.comPhilips 452532 Personal Wireless Lighting Hue Tap Switch - - Amazon.comPhilips 458158 Hue Dimmer Switch - Frustration Free Packaging - - Amazon.comAmazon.com: Philips 456210 Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 Bulb Starter Kit 2nd Generation, Works with Alexa: Home ImprovementPhilips 800284 Hue Lightstrip Plus, 2nd Generation - - Amazon.comExplore and add IFTTT Recipes - IFTTTCanary - A complete security system in a single device.'FITTEST ON EARTH' on Netflix USA - NewOnNetflixUSAFittest On Earth 2015: Documentary Trailer - YouTubeGeneration Iron for Rent on DVD - DVD Netflix4 of the Best Bodybuilding Documentaries to Watch on NetflixGeneration Iron - OFFICIAL Trailer 2013 - YouTubeMy Cousin Vinny (1992) - Quotes - IMDbwhat would the correct ignition timing be on a 1955 Bel Air Chevrolet, with a 327 cubic-inch engine and a four-barrel carburetor? Brought to you by: Warby Parker (Head to warbyparker.com/dan to order your free Home Try-On’s today). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
8/9/20161 hour, 38 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 283: Cognition to Completion

This week, Dan and Merlin continue their series on updates, talking about the evolution of electronic task management in their lives. Hint: simplify, simplify. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” How Exhaustion Became a Status Symbol | New Republic"From sloth to burnout, each age remakes exhaustion in its own image." Hey Siri"Hey-Siri.io is a large list of commands you can use on your iOS and macOS Devices. We're still working to improve the site and add more commands to the list." Dig the 60sA blog dedicated to the grooviest decade of the 20th century. Retro Sci-FiA new Markdown Service Tool for easy MultiMarkdown tables - BrettTerpstra.comAdam WarRock "Gravity Falls" [Gravity Falls Theme] - YouTubeAdam WarRock, Adam WarRock “Gravity Falls"  Lyrics:  Me & Dipper...Pop! | FunkoJeff Bridges more than happy to play The Dude again in Big Lebowski sequel | News | Culture | The IndependentVoyager Golden Record - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAn Idiot Abroad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDetectorists - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for MacKey elements of Sprint Retrospective - Scrum AllianceMonterey Bay Aquarium – Official SiteBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
8/2/20161 hour, 37 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 282: Boring and Yet Wonderful

TOPIC: Orinoco Flow This week, Dan and Merlin continue their series on updates, focusing on the difference between the days before and after ubiquitous wifi. Also, lots of fun odds and sods on Scrivener and surviving summer with kids. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Vintage Geek CultureMicrosoft to rip up P2P Skype, killing native Mac, Linux apps • The RegisterLiterature and Latte - Scrivener Writing Software | macOS | Windows | iOSTypewriter. Ring-binder. Scrapbook. Scrivener combines all the writing tools you need to craft your first draft, from nascent notion to final full stop. Clockwise #146: Marvel Has Killed Me - Relay FMReading comics digitally, smart home confusion, Twitter verification, and teaching programming. FoldifyCreate 3D figures on iPad. Then print and fold them from paper. Wi-Fi Networking NewsAmazon.com: Epson WorkForce 845 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Copier, Scanner, Fax, iOS/Tablet/Smartphone/AirPrint Compatible (C11CB92201): ElectronicsWelcome | PVRblogBrought to you by: TextExpander (Boost your productivity and learn more by visiting the link). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). eero (For free overnight shipping of your brand new eero wifi system visit eero.com/backtowork and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
7/26/20161 hour, 16 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 281: The Mayor of Chocolate Sundaes

TOPIC: Way of the future. This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion on updates to their systems and their productivity worlds. In particular: how have new technologies and critical masses of users led to wanting or needing fewer intermediary communications layers? For years, email was more than just the lingua franca; it was that one internet communication protocol that every user could be counted upon to have and use. But, today? Options, baby, options! Sometimes for worse, but, so often, for much better. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Allergic to life: the Arizona residents 'sensitive to the whole world' | US news | The GuardianIt was decided that the best way to get us straight from the car into the shower, where we could wash the outside world’s chemicals away, was to enter the house completely naked. So we took off our clothes and marched without dignity across the gravel driveway. Rocket—faster emoji for your MacCritical mass (sociodynamics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn social dynamics, critical mass is a sufficient number of adopters of an innovation in a social system so that the rate of adoption becomes self-sustaining and creates further growth. Network effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn economics and business, a network effect (also called network externality or demand-side economies of scale) is the effect that one user of a good or service has on the value of that product to other people. calibre - E-book managementAmazon AlexaWhen you buy music from the Digital Music Store, you can immediately play it from your music library. You can also import songs to your Amazon Music library and play it on your Alexa device. Eligible Prime members can also listen to Prime Music. Build and cultivate your own community - Ning.comReconcilable Differences #29: Six Fax Machines - Relay FMMerlin Mann on Twitter: "My Parks & Recreation Primer: Start with: s02e07 (Greg Pikitis) Best Ep: s04e11 ("Get on Your Feet!") Sentimental Fave: s07e11 (Goodbyes)"My Parks & Recreation Primer: Start with: s02e07 (Greg Pikitis) Best Ep: s04e11 ("Get on Your Feet!") Sentimental Fave: s07e11 (Goodbyes) Free ebooks by Project Gutenberg - GutenbergProject Gutenberg offers over 50,000 free ebooks: choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online. Category:Social networking services - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of defunct social networking websites - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWarez scene - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJunecloudLearning the bash Shell, 3rd Edition - O'Reilly Media"Parks and Recreation" Greg Pikitis (2009)Brought to you by: Amazon Songs of Summer (Visit the link to checkout the Amazon Songs of Summer playlist). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
7/19/20161 hour, 42 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 280: The Big Filter

TOPIC: Updates on Productivity and a modern Kobayashi Maru Scenario This week, Dan and Merlin start a new series on updates. Which sounds really boring, but it isn't, we swear. This time out, the boys start by diving deep on how and why just so much of their productivity systems have changed over the years. Innumerable ways in which technology and life has evolved to where so many of the old systems seem fiddly, unnecessary, or both. [This is a good one.] Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #14 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, August 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” The Hill on Twitter: "FBI gives up on DB Cooper case after 45-year investigation https://t.co/whFdDCloni https://t.co/OZD2o7RVNn"Every Second Counts: The MovieFittest On Earth 2015: Documentary Trailer - YouTubeFittest On Earth: Now Available on iTunes | CrossFit GamesFastball (2016) - IMDbIrredeemable - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIrredeemable: Volume 1: Mark Waid, Peter Krause, John Cassaday, Grant Morrison: 9781934506905: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon (Marvel NOW!) (0880789539393): Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido: BooksAmazon.com: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns 30th Anniversary Edition (9781401263119): Frank Miller: BooksCortex #33: Cortek - Relay FMGrey has finished conferencing, Myke's ready to give advice, and they both are upset with Evernote. You aren't gonna need it - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediayak shaving - WiktionaryBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) - Rotten TomatoesMac Power Users #132: Merlin Returns - Relay FMReturning for his annual appearance, Merlin Mann joins Katie and David to talk Evernote, GTD, iPad, Podcasting and his favorite Apps. Tinderbox: The Tool For NotesSmart information management and web research for Mac - DEVONtechnologiesZengobi - Curio - Note Taking, Mind Mapping, Brainstorming, and Task Management for Mac OS XBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
7/12/20161 hour, 37 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 279: The Fishery Loophole

TOPIC: …and, then what happens? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the unexpected cognitive benefits of ritual, repetition, and thinking through the fascinating question: "…and, then what happens?" Links for this episode:4th of July Fireworks Photos: 2016! | cabel.meThe Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and HowIt's Transforming the American Economy: Charles Fishman: 9780143038788: Amazon.com: BooksGravity Falls | Official Site | Disney XDGravity Falls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaParegoric - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPhilips 426353 Hue White and Color, Starter Kit, 1st Generation, Works with Alexa - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.comPhilips 455303 Hue White Starter A19 Kit, 2nd Generation, Works with Alexa - - Amazon.comPhilips 452532 Personal Wireless Lighting Hue Tap Switch - - Amazon.comPhilips 259515 Friends of Hue Personal Wireless Lighting Bloom Single, Retail - - Amazon.comShopkins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShopkins - Official SiteThe Checklist Manifesto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBooks of The Times - Hospital How-To Guide - Atul Gawande?s ?Checklist Manifesto? - Review - NYTimes.comAmazon.com: REAL Professional Premium Grade Gaffer Tape by Gaffer Power® - Made in the USA - Black (Available in White, Red, Green, Blue) 2 Inch X 30 Yards - Heavy Duty Gaffer's Tape - Non-Reflective - Waterproof - Multipurpose - Better than Duct Tape!: IThe Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: Atul Gawande: 9780312430009: Amazon.com: BooksI Dreamed a Dream - Anne Hathaway (HD) - YouTubeFlorida's bizarre fireworks law still in place - Florida PoliticsStatutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine"Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the importation, purchase, sale, or use of fireworks used or to be used solely and exclusively in frightening birds from agricultural works and fish hatcheries." Put It On the List: Kristen Darbyshire: 9780525479062: Amazon.com: BooksThe Wal-Mart You Don't Know | Fast Company | Business + InnovationThe Man Who Said No to Wal-Mart | Fast Company | Business + InnovationBrought to you by: Hover (Visit Hover.com to find the domain of your dreams and use the offer code TIMETRAVEL to get 10% off your first purchase). Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). Wealthfront (Visit Wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
7/5/20161 hour, 41 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 278: Yelling at an Idea

TOPIC: People, amirite? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the complexities of communicating with each other. And, brother, is it ever complicated. Links for this episode:Blood Meridian Audiobook | Cormac McCarthy | Audible.comThe Butterfield Diet (Peter Serafinowicz) - YouTubeGeek Feminism Wiki - WikiaResources for allies - Geek Feminism Wiki - WikiaFox News host Bret Baier “grills” the Dalai Lama: “Have you ever seen the movie ‘Caddyshack’?” - Salon.comApple doesn't understand photographyLanguage in Thought and Action - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEpisode 430: Black Market Pharmacies And The Spam Empire Behind Them : Planet Money : NPROn today's show, we have answers. Yes, people click on those links. Smart, sound-minded people are choosing to buy pharmaceuticals through black market pharmacies that spam them and just about everyone with an inbox. And those sound-minded people are happy to tell you how it worked out for them, right down to the odd packaging that shows up in their mailbox. North Beach tenant's rent increased from $1,800 to $8,000 a month - SFGateNeil Hutchinson, who has lived in the building at Columbus and Scotland streets for six years, has been hit with a rent increase of 344 percent. Flash plugin failed to load This is Water - David Foster Wallace - YouTubeBrought to you by: PDFpen (Visit smilesoftware.com/b2w to learn more about PDFpen).
6/28/20161 hour, 30 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 277: Everything's Hard

TOPIC: Varieties of pain. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's progress on building fireside.io and its imminent beta release. Lots of fascinating details on why he's made it and who it might be great for. Then, there's discussion of the unexpected mental benefits of physical training, and the influence that various sorts of pain (real or imagined) can have on us. Links for this episode:Lying in repose - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShop Tommy Bahama | TommyBahama.comFireside - Podcast hosting and analytics by podcasters for podcastersWar dialing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Back to Work #153: Anxiety's a GoatNinety-ninety rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"The first 90 percent of the code accounts for the first 90 percent of the development time. The remaining 10 percent of the code accounts for the other 90 percent of the development time." Unattended ConsequencesMerlin Mann on Twitter: "If you want to learn what someone fears losing, watch what they photograph."Brought to you by: FreshBooks (For a 30 day free trial, just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back To Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Parachute (Visit Parachutehome.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $25 off your first purchase).
6/21/20161 hour, 37 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 276: Do You Even Lift?

TOPIC: Merlin's never sent his heartbeat. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of this week's WWDC announcements, the past and future of Apple, and that awkward feeling of wondering whether and when new technology is personally relevant. Links for this episode:Apple Events - WWDC Keynote June 2016 - AppleChandler (software) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDiscover Music via Samples, Cover Songs and Remixes | WhoSampledIzzo (H.O.V.A.) - Jay Z | WhoSampledDo You Even Lift? | Know Your MemeEverything is a Remix Remastered (2015 HD) on VimeoWilliam Gibson (@GreatDismal) | TwitterThe Hedgehog and the Fox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing" Les Misérables - "One Day More" (2012) - YouTubeBroadway Carpool Karaoke ft. Hamilton & More - YouTubeWest Side Story - "Quintet" - YouTubeOne Day More - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress). eero (For free overnight shipping of your brand new eero wifi system visit eero.com/backtowork and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free).
6/14/20161 hour, 36 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 275: The Lies of Big Shoe

TOPIC: Fill one bag. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about our relationship with the stuff in our lives and how overwhelming it can be. Solutions are offered—throw out that old cinnamon! Links for this episode:The Talk Show ?: Ep. 156, With Special Guest Merlin MannMerlin Mann returns to the show to talk about artificial intelligence and Eddy Cue’s flip-flops. comiXology UnlimitedIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: BooksHamilton - Official Broadway SiteAmazon.com: StarTech.com USBHAUBMB3 3 Feet USB to Micro USB and Mini USB Combo Cable - A to B: ElectronicsYou Must Remember ThisHamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) by Various Artists on iTunesHandycam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSKWM T-shirtBest Enjoyed By - 99% InvisibleCortex #12: The Rule of Two - Relay FMBrought to you by: Hover (Visit Hover.com to find the domain of your dreams and use the offer code BACKTOWORK to get 10% off your first purchase). Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). FreshBooks (For a 30 day free trial, just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back To Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section).
6/7/20161 hour, 36 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 274: A Goat in the Pipe

TOPIC: Disruptions in Service This week, Dan and Merlin talk about that ineffable but growing feeling of disconnection from the collections we used to treasure. Music, Photos, Movies, Books—all the stuff we increasingly entrust to The Cloud. Seems like there's a weird confluence of changing culture and buggy technology that makes us feel sadly meh about making everything work. And that feels weird. Also? Don't be Randyll Tarly. That guy's a total choad. Links for this episode:Roller Coasters & Thrill Rides | Busch Gardens Tampa BayMontu Inverted Roller Coaster | Busch Gardens TampaKumba Roller Coaster | Busch Gardens TampaMedusa Steel Coaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSix Flags Great AdventureRocksteady - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaApple May Introduce Next-Gen Natural Language API in its Amazon Echo Competitor - Mac RumorsPessimists Archive (@PessimistsArc) | TwitterPessimistic reactions to technologies throughout history New for 2016 at Six Flags Great AdventureOn this new unbelievable adventure, you'll soar outside the confines of the track in wing cars facing other riders. You'll take an elevator-style lift straight up 120 feet in the air. When you reach the top, you'll begin to tumble head-over-heels, free-falling down two beyond 90-degree raven drops and experiencing at least six weightless flips. SUPERMAN: Ultimate Flight | Six Flags Great AdventureYou’ll ride the way Superman flies—face down and head first. This is the ultimate way to experience the challenge of the mind-ripping new legend, the pretzel loop! Once you clear the first ten story drop, you’ll fly into this totally innovative loop design, which is really two inversions in one. You can tell from the name of the pretzel loop that you’ll be more than slightly twisted by this warped track! parental controls settings won't save | Apple Support CommunitiesHome Internet Security | OpenDNSThe Beast (roller coaster) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Beast is a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. When it opened in 1979, it was the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world.[1] The Beast is still the longest wooden coaster in the world and the longest roller coaster in the US. It spans more than 35 acres (14 ha) utilizing the surrounding terrain for many of its elements. It also features a lengthy ride time that lasts more than four minutes.[2] Kings Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrady Bunch at Kings Island 1973 pop up video - YouTubeThe Racer (Kings Island) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Racer is often recognized with being a vital part of the roller coaster renaissance of the 1970s, generally referred to as the industry's second golden age. Reconcilable Differences - Relay FMJohn Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Somehow my iTunes Match copy of "The Black Album" is now the Clean Version. I can't even tell what one of my 99 Problems isn't. Jiminy."Somehow my iTunes Match copy of "The Black Album" is now the Clean Version. I can't even tell what one of my 99 Problems isn't. Jiminy. MusicBrainz - The Open Music EncyclopediaMusicBrainz is an open music encyclopedia that collects music metadata and makes it available to the public. MusicBrainz PicardPicard is a cross-platform music tagger written in Python. Download Picardv1.3.2 for OS X 10.7 The Paragons - "The Tide Is High" (Official Audio) - YouTubeThe Paragons original, seminal Rock Steady version of 'The Tide Is High', as later successfully covered by Blondie and Atomic Kitten. I Made You a Mixtape – MacStoriesI've always loved the idea of someone else making a mixtape for me. In Praise of the A-List - Six ColorsThe A-List playlists, curated by smart music editors for each genre and updated regularly under Apple Music’s New tab, are my single favorite feature of the service. Brought to you by: TextExpander (Visit smilesoftware.com/b2w to check out the new TextExpander). Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase).
5/31/20161 hour, 36 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 273: Knives and Spoons

TOPIC: True or false dilemmas? This week, things kick off with a discussion of how to be helpful. Especially at your kid's school, but really just in general. This leads to a rumination on "roots" and what makes us feel like we're part of a community. The main topic is about the future of machine learning, voice control, and all things "smart." What do we want, what can we imagine, and how do our own biases and habits constrain our sense of possibility? Links for this episode:Coherence (2013) - IMDbCoherence (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPrimer (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCausal loop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPredestination (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAll You Zombies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Infinite Man (2014) - IMDbThe Infinite Man (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFerris Bueller's Day Off - Nine Times - YouTubeBruno Kirby - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis Is Spinal Tap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBest in Show (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWaiting for Guffman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIf Google’s right about AI, that’s a problem for Apple – Marco.orgDaring Fireball: Marco Arment on Apple and AICraig Mod on Twitter: "When the interface becomes invisible and data based, Apple dies: https://t.co/bflfdsBqTw"What Happens Next Will Amaze YouThe Fake Traffic Schemes That Are Rotting the InternetWhen The Data Bubble Bursts, Companies Will Have To Actually Sell Things Again | Co.Exist | ideas + impact39 Fun Questions to Ask Amazon Echo | Mental FlossGilmore Girls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Freshman (1990) - Quotes - IMDbLarry London: Carmine said one boy, here are two! Best In Show Nuts Scene - YouTubeBrought to you by: FreshBooks (For a 30 day free trial, just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back To Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Warby Parker (Visit Warbyparker.com/dan to begin your free home try on experience today).
5/24/20162 hours, 8 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 272: Surprise Endoscopy

TOPIC: Such small hands. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's acquisition of an iPhone SE and how much he's loving it. This leads to some ruminative discussion about how we pick devices based on how we prefer to use them. Also, some love for Spider-Man in the Civil War movie. Links for this episode:Official Google Blog: Meet Gboard: Search, GIFs, emojis & more. Right from your keyboard.Call Recorder for Skype - The Skype Audio/Video HD Call Recording Solution for Mac - Ecamm NetworkThe Giver Audiobook | Lois Lowry | Audible.comAmazon.com: Tech21 Evo Mesh Case (Drop Protective) for iPhone 6/6S (4.7") - Clear/White: Cell Phones & AccessoriesRoderick on the Line | Cotton Bureau: hand-picked tees, tanks, and hoodies for people of all ages. Submit yours today.“Ding!” graphic designer t-shirt, pullover crewneck, and pullover hoodie by Roderick on the Line. | Cotton Bureau: hand-picked tees, tanks, and hoodies for people of all ages. Submit yours today.Let the world know you really nailed it. Ding! “#SUPERTRAIN” graphic designer t-shirt, pullover crewneck, and pullover hoodie by Roderick on the Line. | Cotton Bureau: hand-picked tees, tanks, and hoodies for people of all ages. Submit yours today.Pack a small bag with a remix of the very first official Roderick on the Line shirt. somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond | Academy of American Poetsnobody,not even the rain,has such small hands The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (text of 1834) - Poetry FoundationThe Giver - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCase Study: How to make a Captain America wimp | fxguideDirector Joe Johnston rejected notions of having a separate actor play the wimpy Steve Rogers, and Evans was keen to perform as directly as possible both sides of his character's persona, as we discovered when we spoke to Edson Williams, visual effects supervisor for Lola VFX. Brought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress). Audible (Visit audible.com/b2w to get a free 30-day trial membership and a free audiobook. Browse the over 250,000 audio programs – download a title free and start listening. It’s that easy).
5/17/20161 hour, 42 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 271: Gravy Dumpster

TOPIC: Grow what? Grow HOW? This week, Dan and Merlin have a surprisingly passionate discussion about growth. Companies gotta "grow," right? But…what the hell does that really even mean? Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous. Also, an important update on Pek Pongpaet. Links for this episode:Sherbit“Ding!” graphic designer t-shirt, pullover crewneck, and pullover hoodie by Roderick on the Line. | Cotton Bureau: hand-picked tees, tanks, and hoodies for people of all ages. Submit yours today.Let the world know you really nailed it. Ding! “#SUPERTRAIN” graphic designer t-shirt, pullover crewneck, and pullover hoodie by Roderick on the Line. | Cotton Bureau: hand-picked tees, tanks, and hoodies for people of all ages. Submit yours today.Pack a small bag with a remix of the very first official Roderick on the Line shirt. Apple’s actual role in podcasting: be careful what you wish for – Marco.orgA Current Affair (U.S. TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPhil Rizzuto - The Money Store - YouTubeWNYW 1993 Fox 5 A Current Affair Commercial - YouTubeCritic's Notebook: Why the Return of HBO's Best Shows Actually Spells Doom - Hollywood ReporterHBO Is Making Life A Lot Harder for 'Games of Thrones' Pirates5by5 | Quit #4: The Answer Is "Do Both"Podcasts Surge, but Producers Fear Apple Isn’t Listening - The New York TimesLongform Podcast #159: Ira GlassTV Talk Machine | Come To Us, We Love You (Episode 80)Back after a birthday weekend away from the podcast, Tim’s got the details on HBO’s huge debut weekend—and some serious trepidation about where the network goes next. Avengers EMH: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Theme Song (Lyrics) - YouTubeAmazon.com: New Avengers, Vol. 1: Breakout (9780785114796): Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch, Danny Miki: BooksEp. 200: "There's No Anything" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannBrought to you by: FreshBooks (For a 30 day free trial, just go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter Back To Work in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Parachute (Visit Parachutehome.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $25 off your first purchase).
5/10/20161 hour, 52 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 270: According to the Cabinet

TOPIC: Opinion at Scale. This week kicks off with a confession that Dan and Merlin are increasingly less interested in coverage of Apple's finances and the related Kremlinology and blind guessing about the company. Merlin announces the unlikely product he'd love for Apple to create (and why it'll probably never happen). Also, lots of followup on apps and services for fitness and personal tracking. Links for this episode:Put It On the List: Kristen Darbyshire: 9780525479062: Amazon.com: BooksKremlinology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediagyrosco.peApple CEO Tim Cook Teases 'Great Innovation' in Product Pipeline on CNBC's Mad Money - Mac RumorsNeuromancer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCyberpunk: The Documentary (60p) - YouTubeZenobaseNorthcube | Games & Health appsGoodTask 3 - Task Manager with iOS Reminders & CalendarsReconcilable Differences - Relay FMHome | Masqueradebugs bunny & evil scientist ether mishap - YouTubeWhat Every BODY Is Saying Audiobook | Joe Navarro, Marvin Karlins | Audible.comAlexander Hamilton Audiobook | Ron Chernow | Audible.comFive hindrances - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAt Tampa Bay farm-to-table restaurants, you’re being fed fiction | Farm to Fable | Food | Tampa Bay TimesMSQRD — Live Filters & Face Swap for Video Selfies on the App StoreBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase). Audible (Visit audible.com/b2w to get a free 30-day trial membership and a free audiobook. Browse the over 250,000 audio programs – download a title free and start listening. It’s that easy).
5/3/20161 hour, 36 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 269: 65 Cigarette Butts

TOPIC: Finding stories and insights hiding in your data. This week, Dan and Merlin dive deep into the new world of personal tracking. Dan has a new FitBit, and Merlin has a surprisingly complicated system involving many devices and apps. Great stuff you can try for yourself. Also discussed: Merlin's weird cat, Deadpool, Pek Pongpaet the Professional Podcast Pundit, Alexa on Fire TV, a defense of Reed Richards, and Dan's advice on how to setup your own VPN. Links for this episode:Architecture of RadioThe Architecture of Radio is a site-specific iPad application that visualizes this network of networks by reversing the ambient nature of the infosphere Unjustly Maligned | "Reed Richards" with Andy Ihnatko (Episode 52)He can stretch and change his body in “Fantastic” ways, but to many comic readers, he’s anything but a role model. Journalist Andy Ihnatko joins Antony to defend the honor of the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards. Amazon.com Help: Alexa on Fire TVIn addition to voice search, you can use your Fire TV voice remote or remote app to interact with Alexa. Setup a VPN server with El Capitan server 10.11 | Macminicolo Blog - Tips, tutorials and reviews on running a Mac mini serverecho 'net.inet.ip.forwarding=1' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf Setup a VPN with Yosemite Server 10.10 | Macminicolo Blog - Tips, tutorials and reviews on running a Mac mini serverHelloSleep soundly knowing that Sense’s Smart Alarm will gently wake you up while you’re in the lightest part of your sleep cycle, but always by your set time. Wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day, every day. Fitbit Charge HR™ Wireless Heart Rate + Activity WristbandFitbit DashboardCanary - A complete security system in a single device.Meet Canary. The all-in-one home security system you control from your phone. It’s built to learn and sends intelligent alerts with HD video and audio directly to your phone. WithingsGet high-accuracy weight and body fat measurements, as well as your Body Mass Index. Pick the right body type to optimize the fat mass measurement — if you exercise vigorously on a regular basis, switch to "Athlete mode". Withings Smart Body AnalyzerHuman - Activity & Calorie Tracker30 minutes of daily activity are the best form of preventive medicine. Every minute you spend walking, running or biking throughout the day counts towards your goal on Human. It's never been this easy to stay motivated along the way, every day. Addapp: Personal tips to get healthier.Data from your health apps Introducing Activity++ - David SmithThe iPhone component of Activity is geared around trying to create the most motivating interface I could imagine. My goal is to make screen that displays your activity data in a way that drives you to hit your goals. How to wear your Apple Watch 24/7 - David SmithThe TL/DR is to charge your Apple Watch in the morning while you get ready for your day (take a shower, get dressed, etc) and then again in the evening while you get ready for bed (brush teeth, put on pajamas, etc). Then put your Apple Watch in Airplane Mode while you sleep. Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.comAngels' Eyes for Dogs and Cats - Tear Stain Remover - 1800PetMedsImpekable: From Mortal Kombat to App Development with Pek PongpaetHave you been sending emails to bloggers with little success? Well today’s guest tells us how he made it really easy for publications such as Mashable, Forbes, Wired and many more to write about his app. Also, listen to how he applies lessons from his days as a Mortal Kombat motion artist to running his business. Ad-free time! | Say goodbye to annoying ads and say hello to more contentCloak VPN - Cloak - Super-simple VPNStay safe online with our super-simple VPN Amazon.com: ASUS Dual-Band Wireless Router (RT-AC56U): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband, Black, Large: Health & Personal CareSleep Cycle alarm clock on the App StoreFitLink - The Premier Online Fitness CommunityThe Naming Of Cats by T S Eliot - Famous poems, famous poets. - All PoetryThe Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, The Recurse Center User's Manual - Recurse CenterThe first rule means you shouldn't act surprised when people say they don't know something. Startpage - Sleep Cycle alarm clockThe 'Unitasker' Kitchen Gadgets Alton Brown Loves To Loathe : The Salt : NPR"I have railed against unitaskers for 20 years. I've come around to liking them as strategic gifts for people you don't like." Episode #196 – Aloha The Flop HouseDAN: "Aloha." STUART: "Hello!" ELLIOTT: "Goodbye." Does Ted Cruz Really Wear Two Watches? - The AtlanticCg7R1OU0AAtMAa.jpg:large (713×1205)Dan likes the ones where Merlin prepares. TwitterWho Will Debunk The Debunkers? | FiveThirtyEightBrought to you by: Quip (Head on over to Quip.com/backtowork to learn more). PDFpenPro (Try the free demo download of PDFpenPro today at smilesoftware.com/b2w). Meh (So head on over to Meh.com to see what their deal is today...before it's gone!)
4/27/20161 hour, 54 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 268: Tumblo Drylo

TOPIC: Putting an Overt Stake in the Ground. This week, Dan and Merlin end up talking about the surprising stuff a Fitbit can do for you. Dan even buys one. Also, some discussion of pope hats, NASCAR, (the amazing) Screens 4, and that failing restaurant by Dan's office that kinda looks like Terminus. Links for this episode:Screens - Control Your Computer Remotely - EdoviaScreens 4 brings one-touch passwords, groups, redesign - Six ColorsLeaving Everywhere(hilarious open letter/quit generator) [via (https://twitter.com/fire_wally/status/720972024735109120)] GNARLY COVERSSource Code in TV and FilmsTerrible real estate agent photographsUniversal Life Church - Official Site - Est. 1977Dudeism - The Religion of The Big Lebowski | Free online ordination as a minister at DudeismMitre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSolomon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDepp, Heard issue somber apology over dogsBubble tea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmerican Community Survey (ACS)Amazon.com: Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband, Black, Large: Health & Personal CarePrincess Bride Wedding - YouTubeHelp article: How do I measure and adjust my stride length?peacocking - WiktionarySync SolverSync data from Fitbit to Apple Health Download Now Terminus - Walking Dead Wiki - WikiaHow to wear your Apple Watch 24/7 - David SmithCg_7R1OU0AAtMAa.jpg:large (713×1205)Brought to you by: Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). Parachute (Visit Parachutehome.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $25 off your first purchase). Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up.)
4/19/20161 hour, 46 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 267: Dear Iowa, I Have Enjoyed Your Corn

TOPIC: But, alas. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Smile's updated announcement about TextExpander and the ugly problem of blind internet rage. Also, lots of talk about ponderous 80s movies and old TV shows, including Dan learning which program had that tiny tabletop robot. Also, we are endeavoring, ma'am, to construct a mnemonic memory circuit using stone knives and bearskins. Links for this episode:TextExpander Adjustments | SmileThe Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Quotes - IMDbiOS 8, iPhone 6, Conditional Call Forwarding - Marcel BrowniPhone Tip: How to Use Conditional Call Forwarding - The iPhone and iPad BlogDrawing Wizards, Witches and Warlocks (Academy of Fantasy Art): Chris Hart: Amazon.com: BooksDrawing Wizards, Witches and Warlocks by Christopher Hart | 9781933027685 | Paperback | Barnes & NobleDrawing Wizards, Witches and Warlocks by Christopher Hart — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, ListsSlacker (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Trek: The Next Generation In 40 Hours — Maxistentialism Blog — MediumStar Trek: Deep Space Nine In 82.5 Hours — Maxistentialism Blog — MediumBiblioCommonsElf | Your Personal Email Library Reminder ServiceBionic Bigfoot: The Incredible Drag Racing Sasquatch Beast.Bigfoot and Wildboy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Greatest American Hero - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Krofft Supershow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJason of Star Command - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSigmund and the Sea Monsters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOscar Goldman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBigfoot and Wildboy TV intro (1977) - YouTubeThe City on the Edge of Forever (episode) - Memory Alpha - WikiaThe City on the Edge of Forever - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRoomis Igloomis - Gilligan's Island - YouTubeSmile: Mac Software for PDF Editing, Text Expansion and CD/DVD Label DesignHere’s just how huge Miitomo, Nintendo’s new game, is"Star Trek" The City on the Edge of Forever (TV Episode 1967) - Quotes - IMDbSlacker (1991) - IMDbTodd Vaziri (@tvaziri) | TwitterDaniel Kahneman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of characters in "Slacker" | kung fu grippeBrought to you by: Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress). Meh (Visit the link to check out their awesome daily deals).
4/12/20161 hour, 39 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 266: European Bachelor

TOPIC: Wow, times change. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the challenges and opportunities of subscription-based payment models. When do they work (or not) and how quickly does autopay fatigue kick in? Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #13 — Merlin MannStarz Launches Standalone Streaming Service | VarietyThe New TextExpander | SmileTextExpander Updates Focus on New Service – MacStoriesThe biggest changes to TextExpander on the Mac and iOS are not the apps themselves, but the new service that ties them together. Starz hits Apple TV with $8.99/month package, Twitter scores live NFL “Thursday Night Football” streams | 9to5MacAmazon.com: On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction (9780060891541): William Zinsser: BooksOn Writing Well - William Zinsser - PaperbackOn Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing NonfictionDim your screen further than Control Center allows (and other cool iOS 8 tricks) | iMoreHemingway EditorHeadhunters (2011) - IMDbDas Keyboard - The Ultimate Mechanical Keyboard Experience for BadassesDaniel Bryan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRorschach (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWatchmen (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWatchmen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia'Superman,' The Inside Story: Director Richard Donner Remembers Meeting Stallone to Play the Lead, Working With Brando, and a Near-Fatal Knife Attack - Hollywood ReporterAdventures of Superman (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDistrict 9 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDaniel Bryan's retirement speech - WWE Raw 2.8.16 - YouTubeStar Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens Movie ReviewRaising Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDisneyToysFan - YouTubeElsa and Anna Bean Boozled Challenge. DisneyToysFan. - YouTubeXuxa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaXuxa (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLarry David: A Pretty Good Tribute - YouTubeEclipse desktop & web IDEsAtomRuby on Rails IDE :: JetBrains RubyMineSquarespace - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTextExpander Dev | Simply IndispensableShareware - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKagi — HomeBare Bones Software | BBEdit 11Steam (software) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWho the F*@% is Frank Zappa (Save the Vault, Tell the Story) by Alex Winter — KickstarterLotteries: America's $70 Billion Shame - The AtlanticXuxa - "trampoline" episode (Part 1) - YouTubeThe Dalrymple Report: Episode 28: Rat on a StickJim and Merlin talk about the highlights from NAMM, Sherlocking, and the blues. Brought to you by: Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). Quip (Head on over to Quip.com/backtowork to learn more and get real work done faster and smarter!) Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off).
4/5/20162 hours, 4 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 265: Especially Doris

TOPIC: Welcome to Costco. I love you. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about breakfast sandwiches, the pain and suffering of dealing with Apple IDs, managing kids and their iOS devices, Merlin's weird week with Playstation Vue, and the science (or otherwise) behind iOS's Night Shift. The main topic this week focuses on quality, values, and self-improvement. Are Dan and Merlin just cloud-yelling old men for wishing writers (and everyone for that matter) would try a little harder? Maybe. Maybe not. Links for this episode:confirmshaming"when a site asks you to sign up for their thing and then the 'no thank you' link is some hot garbage." 5by5 | Home Work #197: Season 2: Episode 4 - Email with Merlin MannDave and Aaron sit at the feet of Merlin Mann, the father of the Inbox Zero method of email management. How has email changed over the last decade or so? Find out in this episode! Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #13 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, April 7th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” PlayStation™Vue | PlayStation™NetworkBreak free of annual contracts, surprise fees and TV that ties you down. With PlayStation™Vue get the TV you love - over 100 of your favorite channels, now including ESPN, Disney and more. GitHub - mortenjust/cleartext-mac: A text editor that only allows the top 1000 most common words in EnglishA text editor that only allows the top 1000 most common words in English Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words: Randall Munroe: 9780544668256: Amazon.com: BooksHave you ever tried to learn more about some incredible thing, only to be frustrated by incomprehensible jargon? Randall Munroe is here to help. In Thing Explainer, he uses line drawings and only the thousand (or, rather, “ten hundred”) most common words to provide simple explanations for some of the most interesting stuff there is… Dual Breakfast Sandwich Maker | Breakfast Sandwich Maker | Hamilton BeachJust choose your bread and layer on the fixings: egg, cheese, precooked meat, or the ingredients of your choice. Cook two breakfast sandwiches to perfection and to your preferences, and know when it’s ready with the built-in digital timer. iOS 9.3: The new Night Shift feature probably won’t help you sleep better | MacworldThere’s no solid evidence that mobile screens’ color temperature is the real culprit to keeping you up at night. In Pod-Based Community Living, Rent Is Cheap, But Sex Is Banned | MotherboardRather than having 100 beds under one roof like a hostel, PodShare has 10 to 30 beds, which turn into desks by day. Mapping San Francisco’s Rent Prices (March 2016)San Francisco, the small city with the most expensive rental rates in the nation, saw a slight growth in rent prices last month. One bedroom units increased 2.6% to a median of $3,590, while two bedrooms saw a jump of 3.8% to a median of $4,870. Though up, prices remain below the peak seen at the end of summer 2015. Simple English Wikipedia - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArticles in the Simple English Wikipedia use shorter sentences and simpler words and grammar than the English Wikipedia.The Simple English Wikipedia is also for people with different needs. Simple English WiktionaryWelcome to Wiktionary in Simple English, an online dictionary that uses simpler words so it is easier to understand. We currently have 24,446 entries. Use the search box provided to find words in Wiktionary, or get a random page. 1Blocker - Block ads, tracking scripts, anythingiCloud Music Library: Understanding differences between Apple Music and iTunes Match - Apple SupportLearn more about the differences between Apple Music and iTunes Match, and how iCloud Music Library handles your music when you subscribe to one or both services. Set up Family Sharing - Apple SupportUse these steps to set up Family Sharing. You can start a new family group and invite people to join, or you can join someone else's family group.  Family Sharing and Apple ID for your child - Apple SupportWith Family Sharing, you can create Apple IDs for children under 13. Apple IDs allow them to participate in Family Sharing and use other Apple services such as iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and Game Center. Dr. Cleaner: Clean Disk and Memory, Uninstall Apps and Optimize System on the Mac App StoreCocktail - A perfect mixture for Mac OS XCocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets you clean, repair and optimize your Mac. It is a powerful digital toolset that helps hundreds of thousands of Mac users around the world get the most out of their computers every day. Sunk costs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCleanMyDrive 2: Manage and Clean External DrivesEasily drag-and-drop files directly to any drive, check disk stats and automatically clean hidden junk from external drives. CleanMyDrive 2 opens from the menu bar and is always there when you need it. ANNIE WUMot Juste | Definition of Mot juste by Merriam-WebsterAmazon.com: The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition (9780205309023): William Strunk Jr., E. B. White, Test Editor, Roger Angell: BooksRe/code | Tech News, Reviews & AnalysisBuilt to Spill - Three Years Ago Today - YouTubeArchie ComicsIdiocracy (2006) - IMDbLarry David: A Pretty Good Tribute - YouTubeBeatles WigsActual - Battlestar Wiki"Actual" is the wireless callsign for the commanding officer, borrowed from the real-world communications term for the officer-in-charge (e.g. the commander of a military vessel, task force or unit). The Hustler of Money - YouTubeStar Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens Movie ReviewThe New TextExpander | SmileBrought to you by: Harry's (Visit Harrys.com and use the code COMICS at checkout to get $5 off your first purchase). Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). Quip (Head on over to Quip.com/backtowork to learn more and get real work done faster and smarter!) *PDFpenPro 7 (Visit the link to try the free demo download of PDFpenPro 7 today.)
3/29/20162 hours, 4 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 264: This Made Me Think of You

TOPIC: Serving the super-motivated super-fan. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about: a modest request from Merlin some interesting new options for viewing OTA broadcast television on Apple TV the evolution (and often lost opportunities) of media delivery highlights of yesterday's Apple event Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #13 — Merlin MannPlayStation™Vue | PlayStation™NetworkMrMC media centerHilo Book 1: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth: Judd Winick: 9780385386173: Amazon.com: BooksFear Agent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTony Moore (artist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShakira - Try Everything (Official Video) - YouTubeBacon MethodBlink (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEllen Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKitty Pryde - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPatrick Stewart on Extras - YouTubeSir Ian McKellen, On Acting - YouTubeExtras David Bowie - YouTubeAmazon Echo: Always Ready, Connected, and Fast.Amazon.com: Echo DotUnder the Radar #19: Improving the App Store, Part 1 - Relay FMIn the first of a two-part series, we discuss whether the App Store needs improvement for our benefit, or whether it's working well enough for Apple and customers already. ANNIE WU: Portfolio: Illustration.Covers — TONY MOORE ILLUSTRATIONABBA - Waterloo (Eurovision 1974) HQ - YouTubeNapster's Sean Parker wants to bring movie releases to your home; legally | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & AnalysisScreening RoomThing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words: Randall Munroe: 9780544668256: Amazon.com: BooksBrought to you by: GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit the link today to learn more). Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off). Bench (Visit the link to get 20% off your first six months).
3/22/20161 hour, 59 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 263: The Working Definition of Love

TOPIC: No one cares about your demo anymore. This week Dan & Merlin talk about realizing when life isn't all about you and getting better at learning how to say "thank you." Also, lots of great practical (and philosophical) suggestions for getting started with or back into comics. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #13 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, April 7th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Amazon.com: How to Fall Forever (Black Science) (9781607069676): Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, Dean White: BooksAmazon.com: Black Science, Vol. 2: Welcome, Nowhere (9781632150189): Rick Remender, Dean White, Matteo Scalera: BooksAmazon.com: Black Science, Vol. 3: Vanishing Pattern (9781632153951): Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera: BooksAmazon.com: Saga, Vol. 1 (9781607066019): Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples: BooksAmazon.com: Saga, Vol. 2 (9781607066927): Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples: BooksAmazon.com: Saga, Vol. 3 (9781607069317): Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples: BooksAmazon.com: Sex Criminals Volume 1: One Weird Trick (9781607069461): Matt Fraction, Chip Zdarsky: BooksAmazon.com: Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop (9781632151933): Matt Fraction, Chip Zdarsky: BooksAmazon.com: Sex Criminals Volume 3: Three the Hard Way (Sex Criminals Tp) (9781632155429): Matt Fraction, Chip Zdarsky: BooksAmazon.com: Tokyo Ghost Volume 1: Atomic Garden (9781632156631): Rick Remender, Sean Murphy: BooksAmazon.com: Batman: Year One (9781401207526): Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli: BooksAmazon.com: Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition (9781401216672): Alan Moore, Brian Bolland: BooksAmazon.com: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (9781563893421): Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley: BooksAmazon.com: Batman: The Long Halloween (9781401232597): Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale: BooksAmazon.com: Batman: The Black Mirror (9781401232078): Scott Snyder, Jock, Francesco Francavilla: BooksAmazon.com: Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52) (8601200478310): Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo: BooksVidAngel | Watch Movies However The BLEEP You WantAmazon.com: Tablo SPVR2-01-NA DVR for HDTV Antennas, 2-Tuner with Wi-Fi: ElectronicsJack Kirby - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFrank Miller (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPaul Smith (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWhy I finally broke down and re-attached the cable TV cord | ZDNetLive election coverage and live sports may be the only remaining lock the cable networks have on your TV watching habits. Top ScallopsDana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaReview: Synology NAS, a solid backup solution and great home media server with Plex | 9to5Macis available to buy for $299 Amazon.com: WD Red 3TB NAS Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD30EFRX: Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon (Marvel NOW!) (0880789539393): Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido: BooksReconcilable Differences #19: Four Toes - Relay FMFollowing a tuneful diversion on their favorite music as kids, the boys jump into the main topic: how and when to recommend things to other people. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) - IMDbTiVo Superstore | Upgraded TiVo DVRs, Remotes, Parts, RepairsNew X-Men Vol 2 44 - Marvel Database - WikiaNew X-Men (2004) #44 | Messiah CompleX | Comics | Marvel.comNew X-Men - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBBC Two - Stewart Lee's Comedy VehicleStewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (TV Series 2009– ) - IMDbAss Face - YouTubeBrought to you by: Harry's (Visit Harrys.com and use the code COMICS at checkout to get $5 off your first purchase). GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit the link today to learn more). Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free). Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up.)
3/15/20162 hours, 7 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 262: Large Platinum Spoon

TOPIC: Staying out of Technology Detention This week, Dan and Merlin do another giant-size grabbag episode that covers a lot of ground, including: movies, kids, and ratings, oh my! better text editing on iPad, faster typing on iOS complexities of picking the right pairings of Apple devices what's up with apps not launching in iOS? Hound, and the future of voice-controlled computing staying provisionally joyful about the possibilities of new technology exploring Merlin's early experience with a Synology NAS Links for this episode:Tablo 2-Tuner Over-The-Air HDTV DVRAmazon.com: Synology Disk Station 2-Bay Diskless Network Attached Storage (DS216play): Computers & AccessoriesKids-In-Mind: Movie ratings & parents' reviews that actually workDeadpool [2016] [R] - 8.8.10The Big Lebowski [1998] - 5.5.10Finding Nemo [2003] [G] - 0.3.0The Big Lebowski (1998) - Alternate Versions - IMDbBig Lebowski - Edited For TV... Badly - YouTubeCanvas #5: Typing - Relay FMThis week Fraser and Federico dig into how to be more efficient with typing and text entry on iOS. Editorial for iOSSoundHound - Hound AppAmazon.com: Echo DotThe Best NAS for Most Home Users | The WirecutterAmazon.com: WD Red 4TB NAS Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD40EFRX: Computers & AccessoriesCompatibility - Synology - Network Attached Storage (NAS)Episode 12: Make the Lobster Sit in a Cell and Watch TV — Top Scallops — OvercastMerlin and Max do terrible impressions of Bane. Reviews & Age Ratings - Best Movies, Books, Apps, Games for KidsBrought to you by: Igloo (Sign up now and try it for free at IglooSoftware.com/BackToWork). GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit the link today to learn more). Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off). Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
3/8/20162 hours, 23 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 261: The Illusion of Ease

TOPIC: That's Not How the Future Works. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about evolving technology culture, the weird landscape of semi-smart devices, and why Merlin does and kinda doesn't do Getting Things Done so much anymore. Links for this episode:Unjustly Maligned | "R.E.M., early" with Merlin Mann (Episode 48)On a day that shouldn’t exist comes a podcast equally paradoxical. Merlin Mann joins Antony to sit still, garden at night, and talk about the passion of rock band R.E.M.’s early work. Notes from Japan — MediumMy trip to Japan was preceded by a truly neurotic amount of research and preparation. I am an anxious traveler (before this trip I became very concerned with precisely which bowls of ramen I should eat, and on which days), but fortunately I was able to channel some of my nervous energy into gathering advice from people who have actually spent time in Japan and know what they’re talking about. LiarTownUSATerrible real estate agent photographsRich Kids Of Instagram70s Sci-Fi Art: atomic-chronoscaph: 1970s Lunchboxes1970s Lunchboxes Strange Magic (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWinTV Support for LinuxThe Dalrymple Report: Episode 31: Lamborghini of VRJim and Merlin talk about how automated technology can benefit or harm daily life, the Apple v. FBI case, and a slew of great [Animation] What Intersections Would Look Like in a World of Driverless CarsApple confirms OS X update broke Ethernet port on some Macs, here’s how to fix | 9to5Maceero - Finally, WiFi that worksFileMaker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUUCP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCaddyshack (1980) - Quotes - IMDbSandy: I want you to kill every gopher on the course!Carl Spackler: Check me if I'm wrong Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers, they're gonna lock me up and throw away the key...Sandy: Gophers, ya great git! Not golfers! The little brown furry rodents!Carl Spackler: We can do that... we don't even have to have a reason. Caddyshack Kill All The Gophers - HD - YouTubeLiarTownUSA - Bakersfield, California 1977-78 View-Master Reel:...Miserable Men (@miserablemen) • Instagram photos and videosWreck This Journal: Keri Smith: 9780399533464: Amazon.com: BooksSave For Web ClawsCrazy WallsFOR WHEN A SCRAPBOOK IS NOT CRAZY ENOUGH Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksPessimists Archive (@PessimistsArc) | TwitterPessimistic reactions to technologies throughout history James Burke (science historian) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaConnections (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Day the Universe Changed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCtrl-Walt-Delete: Walt and Nilay reset your router | The VergeAfter Walt's review of the Eero, the duo discuss in detail the usage of wireless systems and the surprisingly numerous devices one uses in the household with a Wi-Fi internet connection. THRASH IT OUTWe listen to a heavy metal album, and then argue about it. 5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a LivingThis week, Dan and Merlin start a long-overdue three-part storyline on David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done. Brought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress.) GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit the link today to learn more). Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up.) Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
3/1/20162 hours, 2 minutes, 55 seconds
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Episode 260: Stuck in Green Forever

TOPIC: Grab Bag. This week, Dan and Merlin cover the waterfront. This wide-ranging episode covers lots of listener feedback, corrections of egregious errors, D&D alignment, the danger of guessing why people are how they are, some fun Tumblr recommendations, considering the yak-shaving ordeal of time-shifting broadcast TV, plus further discussion of last week's topic re: kids and computer access. Links for this episode:Ed Brubaker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia“Did You Lose the Keys Here?” “No, But the Light Is Much Better Here” | Quote InvestigatorHDHomeRun CONNECT - US - Watch Streaming TV AnywhereAmazon.com: SiliconDust HDHomeRun CONNECT. FREE broadcast HDTV (2-Tuner): Computers & AccessoriesChannels — Live TV on your Apple TVCaptain America by Ed Brubaker (Reading Order)Captain America Reading Order | Brubaker, Winter Soldier, More! | Comic Book HeraldSpider-Man and His Amazing Friends - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEpisode 10: There's An Old Guy Going Crazy On This Hotdog | Top ScallopsPottermore Sorting Quiz (all possible questions)Online Alignment TestThe Alignment System - Neutral GoodAPELADBONE #1: Out from Boneville: Jeff Smith: 9780439706407: Amazon.com: BooksFirelight (Amulet #7): Kazu Kibuishi: 9780545433167: Amazon.com: BooksThe Stonekeeper (Amulet #1): Kazu Kibuishi: 0000439846811: Amazon.com: BooksFirelight (Amulet #7): Kazu Kibuishi: 9780545433167: Amazon.com: BooksSRA Reading Laboratory5by5 | Road Work #3: I Now Declare This Mall Open5by5 | Back to Work #259: The Transitive Quality of MisunderstandingI recently told Apelad (nee “Adam Koford”) how... | kung fu grippeJodorowsky's Dune - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia70s Sci-Fi ArtHayao Miyazakideep-dark-fearscraigslistmirrorsPut You In A Better Mood.com -The Bristol BoardThe Marvel Comics of the 1980sSci-fi SpaceshipsRestaurant Recipes - Popular Restaurant Recipes you can make at Home: Copykat.com - CopyKat Recipes - You have loved that recipe in the restaurant, now make that recipe at home.Studio Ghibli GifsEpisode #196 – Aloha The Flop HouseWorld of Tomorrow (2015) - IMDbWatch The Bachelor TV Show - ABC.comMark Sullivan Research | SULLIVAN GENERATORTVs on The WirecutterThe Best TV | The WirecutterThe Lowell Cats #96 on Flickr. - APELADAmazon.com: Mohu Leaf 30 TV Antenna, Indoor, 30 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 10 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110583: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Mohu Leaf 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110584: ElectronicsTV FoolAntennaWeb.orgEyeTV 3 | elgato.comTV Foolantennaweb.orgA Minor Origin Story | kung fu grippeOn September 21, 2012, Rob Corddry and I had one of our periodic ManCalls™, and the topic du jour was my newfound obsession with comics. Colonel Sanders Botches KFC Ad Voiceover - YouTubeyou found me. | game designer, author, future forecaster, PhDJane McGonigal: Gaming can make a better world | TED Talk | TED.comJane McGonigal (@avantgame) | TwitterRaz-KidsCard Wars - Adventure Time Card Game on the App StoreTatiana Maslany - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off). Bench (Visit the link to get 20% off your first six months). GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit the link today to learn more). PDFpen (Visit the link to see what PDFpen can do for you).
2/23/20162 hours, 1 minute, 58 seconds
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Episode 259: The Transitive Quality of Misunderstanding

TOPIC: Epistemology and Parenting as Dumpster Fire This week, Dan and Merlin end up talking a lot about what they don't know and how they know they don't know it. The biases, errors, and frames that make us feel wiser than we probably are. Sometimes it pays to learn how to be a dummy. Also, Dan learns what a "film projector" is. Links for this episode:Heraclitus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPottermore Sorting Hat QuizAmulet (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEveryone’s offended these days / fuzzy notepadI love Stephen Fry, really I do, but this oft-repeated quote is bullshit and he is perfectly demonstrating why that is. What he’s really saying is this: everyone else’s feelings don’t matter, but his do, because he frames them as universal rules of discourse rather than feelings. Merlin Mann (@hotdogsladies) | TwitterToo many people have peed in the pool - Official site of Stephen FrySnapchat like the teensBecket (1964 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaReconcilable Differences #19: Four Toes - Relay FMThis week, John and Merlin start out by talking about the value of exposing yourself to new or uncomfortable ideas (and how it can be difficult). Elgato Home | elgato.comHauppauge Computer Works - watch TV on your PC! Or record HD game play or from cable or satellite TV!EyeTV Hybrid | elgato.comHauppauge Computer Works : WinTV-HVR-955Q Product DescriptionPusheen the catEmotional intelligence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEmotional intelligence (EI) or emotional quotient (EQ) is the capability of individuals to recognize their own, and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. Fraser SpeirsFraser Speirs (@fraserspeirs) | TwitterJaime Green - On Opening Jars & Self CompassionNextwave - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFear Agent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRick Remender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPhineas and Ferb - My Nemesis Full Song with Lyrics - YouTubeJim Dale reads Harry Potter in B&N party [Part 1 of 6] - YouTubeRickRemender.comYES. THAT WAS THE JOKE.Harry Potter Hogwarts Knit Hat & Scarf Set | HarryPotterShop.com“Did You Lose the Keys Here?” “No, But the Light Is Much Better Here” | Quote InvestigatorBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off). Bushel (Your first three devices are free forever, and each additional device is just $2 per month with no contracts or commitments. Learn more at Bushel.com/BacktoWork). GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit the link today to learn more).
2/16/20161 hour, 44 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 258: Means of Egress

TOPIC: Feelings, Slide Rules, and The Franklin Test This week Merlin hasn't had enough coffee and may have early-onset toxoplasmosis, so he and Dan respond to great feedback from listeners, mostly on feeling feelings. Links for this episode:High-grade Amazing Fantasy #15 Anchors Heritage February Comics & Comic Art Auction - In The NewsThree Ring Binder Tickets, Multiple Dates | EventbriteTHREE RING BINDERMerlin Mann and Scott Simpson talk to each other and to you. "Maybe My Brain Wasn't As OK As I Thought It Was": Daniel Bryan Explains Concussions-Driven Retirement On WWE RawAmazon.com - Rabbit Air BioGS 2.0 Ultra Quiet HEPA Air Purifier (SPA-550A) - Hepa Filter Air PurifiersEnemy of the State (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Conversation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRosey Grier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGrier served as a bodyguard for his friend, United States senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. He was guarding Ethel Kennedy, the Senator's wife, who was then expecting a child, the night that Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968. Grier and Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson heard shots fired ahead of them. As Grier caught up he saw men wrestling with gunman Sirhan Sirhan. "Bewitched" My Friend Ben (TV Episode 1966) - IMDbAfter Aunt Clara conjures up Benjamin Franklin, he gets arrested for stealing an antique firetruck as part of a supposed advertising stunt. Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews Announces Retirement | San Jose InsideBrought to you by: Harry's (Visit Harrys.com and use the code COMICS at checkout to get $5 off your first purchase). Warby Parker (Head to WarbyParker.com/Dan to order your free Home Try-On’s today). Igloo (Sign up now and try it for free at IglooSoftware.com/BackToWork).
2/9/20161 hour, 45 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 257: Homemade Science Mayonnaise

TOPIC: Information, Context, and Courage. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the reaction to last week's episode about work and identity and respond to follow-up questions from listeners. Also, Merlin buys a faucet. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #256: Every Minute Weighs the SameTOPIC: Coder, Kayaker, Father, Person.This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's attempt to vastly rejigger his schedule in the interest of mental and physical health.This leads to a long discussion of work, identity, expectations, and choosing which of the voices in your head to listen to and when. Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #12 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, February 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Toy Box | Disney Infinity - United StatesTokusatsu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSleep++ on the App StoreStewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xDG LIMITED EDITION Professional Studio Monitor Headphones: Musical InstrumentsMerlin's awesome new cans. Amazon.com: Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone: Musical InstrumentsDan's cans. Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings, Diamonds, Charms. Jewelry from Kay Jewelers, your trusted Jewelry StoreEvery Kiss Begins with Kay. Amazon.com: Philips Sonicare for Kids Connected Sonic Electric Toothbrush, HX6321/02: BeautyPhilips Sonicare For Kids on the App StoreThinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374533557: Amazon.com: BooksThinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374533557: Amazon.com: BooksThe Flop HouseUh-oh! Daniel Kahneman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWith Amos Tversky and others, Kahneman established a cognitive basis for common human errors that arise from heuristics and biases (Kahneman Thinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe book's central thesis is a dichotomy between two modes of thought: "System 1" is fast, instinctive and emotional Prospect theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCognitive bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLoss aversion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFraming effect (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLearning to Play With a Lion's Testicles: Unexpected Gifts From the Animals of Africa: Melissa Haynes: 9781933016825: Amazon.com: BooksRorschach Journal - November 1st, 1985 (Final Entry) - YouTubeAmazon.com: Old School with New Tools: The Extra 5% that Takes You to the Top of your Sales Game and Keeps You There. eBook: Tim Brown, Dan Streeter, John Woods, Debbie Harmsen: BooksIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: BooksBreaking Away trailer - YouTubeScott Pilgrim vs. the World: Black Sheep - FULL music video - YouTubeHow you may end up a criminal under the UK’s new poppers law - Gay Star NewsTop ScallopsJobbo | You Look Nice TodayJamón y jabón, computerized career counseling, [email protected], Sandwich does the Boogie Oogie, skating to college, Checkin’ Out!, Angus Young-brand smelling salts. Intrinsic and extrinsic properties - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaScott Pilgrims Precious Little Boxset: Bryan Lee O'malley: 8580001049953: Amazon.com: BooksTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book Store"Certified New Reader Friendly!" Category:Daniel Craig - The Flop House Wiki - Wikia"Where's My Cut?": On Unpaid Emotional Labor - The Toast - The Toast“Where’s My Cut?”: On Unpaid Emotional Labor | MetaFilterBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase.) Hello Fresh (For $35 off your first week of deliveries, visit HelloFresh.com and enter COMICS when you subscribe!) Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress.)
2/2/20161 hour, 34 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 256: Every Minute Weighs the Same

TOPIC: Coder, Kayaker, Father, Person. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's attempt to vastly rejigger his schedule in the interest of mental and physical health. This leads to a long discussion of work, identity, expectations, and choosing which of the voices in your head to listen to and when. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #12 — Merlin MannCostumed character - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZentai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUltraman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCortex #21: The E-Myth Revisited - Relay FMAbe Vigoda, Sunken-Eyed Character Actor, Dead at 94 - ABC NewsParis syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJerusalem syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Talk Show: Ep. 143, With Special Guest Merlin MannMerlin Mann returns to the show. Topics include Winter Storm Jonas, the politics of sick kids, sweating out a fever, people going insane over the rumors that the next iPhones will omit the standard headphone jack, the seven-hour The Godfather Epic, and more. Flannery O'Connor:"A Good Man is Hard to Find""She would of been a good woman," The Misfit said, "if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life." Sleep++ on the App StoreStewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaResource leveling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Archies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHot Dog: mascot / conductor Salvatore Tessio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSalvatore "Sal" Tessio is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and the film based on it. In the film, Tessio was portrayed by Abe Vigoda. Ep. 143: ‘A Squirrel Eating a Duck’, With Special Guest Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — OvercastSkip straight to 2:06:08, where Gruber and Merlin talk about The Godfather. Kid Charlemagne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA Good Man Is Hard to Find - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA Good Man Is Hard to Find (short story) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEpisode 7: Oatmeal and Blood Broccoli | Top ScallopsBrought to you by: PDFpen (Come see what PDFpen can do for you at SmileSoftware.com/b2w.) MailRoute (Stop spam today with a free 30-day trial: go to mailroute.net/B2W. Listeners get 10% off for the lifetime of their account.) Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up.)
1/26/20161 hour, 37 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 255: A Ladle of Ladling

TOPIC: Say something funny. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about entertainment as a career and how difficult it can be to know whether you're suited for it. Plus, discussions of X-Men, San Francisco's collapse, and the best way to get vomit out of the bathroom sink. Links for this episode:Zentangle |Amazon.com: Design Originals, Joy Of Zentangle (0023863053983): Marie Browning CZT, Suzanne McNeill CZT, Sandy Bartholomew: BooksStudio Series Artist's Tiles: White (75 pack): Peter Pauper Press: 9781441316318: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Sakura 50011 11-Piece Zentangle Clamshell Pencil SetWatch David Bowie: Five Years | HuluStewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStewart Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaYou Look Nice Today - “Parlor Parlor” (XOXO 2015) on VimeoYou Look Nice Today - Layers 2015 on VimeoJim Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Pipeline Classic #14: Jesse ThornPaul Smith (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUngainly X-Mann Meetup #12 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, February 4th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Brass Eye: Drugs (Episode 2) - YouTubeDoes the Dog Die?Henry V - Band of Brothers - YouTubeLost Weekend Video, 1-2-3-4 Go! Planning to Relocate to New Spaces | Art Wire | KQED ArtsLongtime Market Street art supply store Flax moving to Oakland - SFGateyour monkey calledAlison Agosti - IMDbTim Siedell (@badbanana) | TwitterScott Simpson (@scottsimpson) | TwitterFood Safety Talk 85: I'm the jerky police — Food Safety TalkAmazon.com: Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (Audible Audio Edition): Steve Martin, Simon & Schuster Audio: BooksReconcilable Differences #17: Don’t Touch the Banana - Relay FMFinally, the boys tackle the topic of jobs. First jobs, early jobs, what they did or didn't learn from them, and how their younger work lives shaped their later future employment choices. PBS: Public Broadcasting System | 500Watchmen [2009] [R] - 9.9.6Brought to you by: Igloo (To learn more and to try it for free visit IglooSoftware.com/BacktoWork.) Harry's (Harry’s is giving you $5 off your first order with the promo code COMICS. Stop overpaying for a great shave and start the new year off right!) MailRoute (Stop spam today with a free 30-day trial: go to mailroute.net/B2W. Listeners get 10% off for the lifetime of their account.) Squarespace (To get a free trial and 10% off your first purchase visit Squarespace.com/BacktoWork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW.)
1/19/20161 hour, 46 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 254: Fixed Points in Time

TOPIC: Budgeting the Primary Secondary Project This week, Dan and Merlin do a deep dive on a very old and very thorny topic: managing time. Thing is: this is not about bookkeeping—it's about accounting. Being honest, humble, and diligent in mindfully applying your time and seeing how it went. (This is a good one.) Links for this episode:Fixed point in time - Tardis - WikiaFixed points in time were moments in the space-time continuum at which events were set in stone and could never, ever be changed, no matter what, with dire consequences if such a thing happened. Banking time - BobulateWhile we’re taught the value of saving money, we’re never really taught the value of saving time. Not saving time so we are more efficient elsewhere, but actually banking time. Saving it for later. 5by5 | Back to Work #47: Utter Failure & Hotel SteakTOPIC: Resolving to skip the New Year's resolutions. 5by5 | Back to Work #48: An Abrupt Existential JerkTOPIC: How habits get made.  Rogue Amoeba | Loopback: Cable-Free Audio RoutingCreate virtual audio devices to take the sound from applications and audio input devices, then send it to audio processing applications. Loopback gives you the power of a high-end studio mixing board, right inside your Mac! The Path and the Goal by Waking Up with Sam Harris | Free Listening on SoundCloudA conversation between Sam Harris and Joseph Goldstein about the practice of meditation.MeditationVipassanaDzogchenJoseph GoldsteinSam HarrisConsciousnessthe self Can The Best Financial Tips Fit On An Index Card? : All Tech Considered : NPRBrought to you by: Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up.) Harry's (Harry’s is giving you $5 off your first order with the promo code COMICS. Stop overpaying for a great shave and start the new year off right!)
1/12/20161 hour, 13 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 253: Ty Lambo

TOPIC: Elephants all the way down. This week, Dan and Merlin do a deep dive on communication, perception, persuasion, empathy, and understanding, as illustrated by everything from The Force Awakens to Don LaPre to PR emails to Donald Trump to a variety of elephants—plus a famous photo of a man and the fake dead triceratops he supposedly killed. Links for this episode:Tailopez.comTai Lopez - YouTubexkcd: Duty CallsFour-quadrant movie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHow Donald Trump Answers A Question - YouTubeLambos!"i bumped into a LAMBORGHINI and another LAMBORGHINI and a few more LAMBORGHINIS" Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives: George Lakoff, Howard Dean, Don Hazen: 9781931498715: Amazon.com: BooksDon Lapre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDon Lapre Sells Tiny Classified Ads - YouTubeJoyce Carol Oates and that picture of Steven Spielberg with a 'dead' dinosaur | Books | The GuardianBlind men and an elephant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MENA Whole Bunch Of People On Facebook Thought Steven Spielberg Killed A Real DinosaurQuote by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.: “And I urge you to please notice when you are ha...”“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.” —Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country Rey - Wookieepedia - WikiaTreehouse of Horror VI - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLisa goes to the ad agency that created those advertising characters, and an executive suggests the citizens stop paying attention to the monsters as they are advertising gimmicks, and attention is what keeps them motivated. Five people who are much more enjoyable if you imagine them as pro wrestlers | 5ivesAmazon.com: Metaphors We Live By (9780226468013): George Lakoff, Mark Johnson: BooksMenopoly: female lead missing from Star Wars Monopoly game / Boing BoingBest Of Enemies (2015) - Rotten TomatoesWork-at-home scheme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWork-at-home schemes have been around for decades, with the classic "envelope stuffing" scam originating in the United States during the Depression in the 1920s and 1930s. Home Based Business Scams.htmlGet-rich-quick scheme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRuminant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe process of rechewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate digestion is called rumination. The word "ruminant" comes from the Latin ruminare, which means "to chew over again". The Good Dinosaur (2015) - Rotten TomatoesBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit squarespace.com/backtowork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW to get a free trial and 10% off your new website). Casper (Sleep better in 2016 by visiting Casper.com/BackToWork and use the code BACKTOWORK for $50 towards your new mattress).
1/5/20161 hour, 53 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 252: The Chocolate Boys

TOPIC: Something something the things we own. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the way shopping changes how we buy stuff—and how buying is changing what we can actually shop for. Then, there's a ruminative discussion of the Mast Brothers chocolate dust-up and what it might say about our sense of story, identity, and "authenticity." Links for this episode:What the Mast Brothers Scandal Tells Us About Ourselves - EaterOne of the ascendant virtues of the new culinary landscape is the murky, poorly defined quality of authenticity. It's an idea that means wildly different things depending on who's saying it and what they're applying it to, but in all circumstances it boils down to a fundamental notion of quality by fiat: if something is authentic, it is necessarily good. Authenticity implies a purity of history, a purity of purpose — in short, if something is authentic, it isn't enjoyed because we've been barraged with external indicators that have instructed us to enjoy it Milgram experiment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVeblen good - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVeblen goods are types of luxury goods, such as expensive wines, jewelry, fashion-designer handbags, and luxury cars, which are in demand because of the high prices asked for them. Snob effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn microeconomics, the snob effect is a phenomenon referring to the situation where the demand for a certain good by individuals of a higher income level is inversely related to the demand for the good by individuals of a lower income level. The Emperor's New Clothes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMast Brothers Admits It Hasn't Always Made 'Bean-to-Bar' Chocolate - EaterUgly Christmas Sweaters & Tacky Christmas Sweaters21-87 (English Version) by Arthur Lipsett - NFBReconcilable Differences #15: Emotional Swimsuit Season - Relay FMCaillou - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBookshop West Portal | Your Neighborhood BookstoreKitbashedFour-quadrant movie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the movie industry, a four-quadrant movie is one which appeals to all four major demographic "quadrants" of the moviegoing audience: both male and female, and both over- and under-25s Arthur Lipsett - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Spiritual Disenchantment of the Super Machine Age — KitbashedDr. Zaius Song - YouTubeDr. Zaius - YouTubeNarcissism of small differences - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by: TextExpander 5 (Visit SmileSoftware.com/b2w to download a free demo of TextExpander and improve your communication today). lynda (Visit lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10-day trial access to their 3,000+ courses). GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today! You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit to GoToWebinar.com today to learn more).
12/23/20151 hour, 47 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 251: Manna Goy

TOPIC: Maybe quit being so "busy." This week, Dan and Merlin drop a lot of science on the miraculous taxonomies of Judaica. Mazel Tov! For the big topic, Merlin launches into an animated jeremiad on words meaning things, with a focus on being terminally "busy" versus being willfully "time-constrained." Links for this episode:Conceptual metaphor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Metaphors We Live By (9780226468013): George Lakoff, Mark Johnson: BooksHTTPS Everywhere | Electronic Frontier FoundationMiracles of the SaintsMiracle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: uni-ball Signo 207 Retractable Gel Pens, Micro Point, Blue Ink, 12-Pack (61256): Office ProductsAmazon.com: Palomino Blackwing 602 - 12 Count: Office ProductsAmazon.com : Blackwing Long Point Sharpener : Pencil Sharpeners : Office ProductsAmazon.com: Kum AS2, Two Hole Automatic Long Point Pencil Sharpener, Mfg Part Number 1053021 ( extra lids not included )Coastline paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBinding of Isaac - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaReconcilable Differences - Relay FMJohn Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. 5by5 | Back to Work #97: Pope of the OfficeMr Show - Thrilling Miracles! - YouTubeScott Pilgrim Vs. The World - Theatrical Trailer HD - YouTubeScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) - IMDbScott Pilgrim vs. the World - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFood Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) — Food Safety TalkMerlin Mann joins Don and Ben for a discussion on food safety and cooking using science at home. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Black Sheep - FULL music video - YouTubeScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) - Trivia - IMDbAppendix A to Compliance GuidelinesExperts dispel myths about foodborne illnessManna - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Searzall Torch Attachment, Small, Stainless: Kitchen & DiningBrought to you by: Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up). Casper (Visit Casper.com/BackToWork and use the code BACKTOWORK to get $50 towards any mattress choice). GoToWebinar (Get started with GoToWebinar today! You focus on the content. GoToWebinar handles the rest. Visit to GoToWebinar.com today to learn more).
12/15/20151 hour, 27 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 250: Don't Dress Like the Hamburglar

TOPIC: Sunrise, Sunset. This week, Dan and Merlin celebrate their 250th episode with an extensive discussion of McDonaldland and its horrific culture and citizenry. The main topic addresses the ““sunsetting”” of the Mailbox iOS app—and what it highlights about deciding where to put our stuff, what apps we choose to use, and what contingency plans it's probably wise to have in place. Links for this episode:Saying goodbye to Carousel and Mailbox | | Dropbox BlogDropbox Kills Mailbox, an App It Bought for $100M | WIREDUpgrade #66: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good Apps? - Relay FMCrazy WallsOur Incredible JourneyPutting the ack! in acquihire Phil Gyford (@philgyford) | TwitterTop Scallops - Top Chef PodcastEp. 182: "House Trotter" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannYou Look Nice Today - "Parlor Parlor" (XOXO 2015) on VimeoRecorded live on stage at XOXO Fest in Portland, Oregon in September, 2015. Coulrophobia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA specific fear of clowns has sometimes been discussed in terms of a specific phobia. McDonald's Relaunches New, Grown-Up Hamburglar MascotWhy? by They Might Be Giants on SpotifyYeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps - YouTubeMaps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShe explains: "They were real tears. My boyfriend at the time [Angus Andrew] was supposed to come to the shoot – he was three hours late and I was just about to leave for tour. I didn't think he was even going to come and this was the song that was written for him. He eventually showed up and I got myself in a real emotional state." Ted Leo - Since U Been Gone / Maps - YouTubeYeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps [Acoustic][Sessions@AOL] - YouTube5by5 | The Frequency #82: A Road Paved in BonesThe Chicken and the Pig - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of mergers and acquisitions by Google - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of McDonald's characters - McDonald's Wiki - WikiaThis is the list of McDonald's characters that appeared in McDonaldland commercials, merchandise, or other media related to its franchise. Hamburglar - McDonald's Wiki - WikiaHe was revised in 1985, when his look changed from a trollish old man to a red-head Dennis the Menace-type child who spoke and wore a shorter-brimmed hat and a black cape with yellow on the inside. Fagin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the preface to the novel he is described as a "receiver of stolen goods", but within the text he is more frequently identified as the "merry old gentleman" or simply "the Jew." Japanese McDonald's Ad - YouTubeThis Photo Of The Original Ronald McDonald Will Give You NightmaresCreepy First Ronald McDonald Commercial Featuring Willard Scott | Village VoiceBarry Manilow - BarryNet - His Music - Commercial JinglesBarry Manilow performed or co-wrote a number of commercial jingles early in his career, most notably the following: Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTed Leo - Biomusicology - YouTubeTed Leo - Parallel Or Together? - YouTubeSchool House Rock -The Preamble - YouTubeEd Gein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHis crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes from their bones and skin. Collyer brothers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHomer Lusk Collyer (November 6, 1881 – March 21, 1947) and Langley Wakeman Collyer (October 3, 1885 – c. March 9, 1947), known as the Collyer brothers, were two American brothers who became infamous for their bizarre natures and compulsive hoarding. Shark Tank - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEasy Com-mercial, Easy Go-mercial - Bob's Burgers Wiki - WikiaBrought to you by: Younity (Stream and share all the media on your computer from your iPhone or iPad for free at getyounity.com). Slack (Visit Slack.com/backtowork and create a new team and you’ll get $100 in credit you can use when you decide to upgrade to a paid plan). lynda (Visit lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10-day trial access to their 3,000+ courses).
12/8/20151 hour, 57 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 249: A John Nash Moment

TOPIC: Personal Crazy Walls This week, Dan and Merlin start by covering a lot of things that you might actually be thinking of. The meat of the episode focuses on a listener question about deciding what things go where—leading to a pretty nerdy exegesis of Notes vs. text files, reminders vs. task managers, and where stuff goes vs. where it probably should go. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #11 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, December 3rd to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” There's a Hole in My Sidewalk Quotes by Portia NelsonKobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Panasonic NN-SD681S Stainless 1200W 1.2 Cu. Ft. Countertop/Built-in Microwave with Inverter Technology: Countertop Microwave Ovens: Kitchen & DiningCaptain America: Civil War - Trailer World Premiere - YouTubeAltered States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Challenger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitterMarkdown and Automation Experiments with 1Writer – MacStories1Writer - A beautiful and rich-featured Markdown editor for iPhone and iPadEditorial for iOSDrafts | Agile TortoiseCrazy WallsCrazy WallsA Beautiful Mind (2001) - IMDbEvidence Dungeon - The Flop House Wiki - WikiaMentioned in Episode 8: I Know Who Killed Me, the lair of a killer, which is full of all the things a good serial killer needs to do their work...and to be charged with said work by the police when they find the Evidence Dungeon. Programmers Notebook"Just pretend that you've got a microphone... and that microphone is always on." Log BookDefinition: A notebook…where you log and probably describe and explain your activities while performing it. Not an agenda. TrelloPodcast Universe Map — MuffinWorksEpicenter vs. CenterHank Williams - My Bucket's Got A Hole In It - YouTubeThomas Keller’s [3-Ingredient] Roasted ChickenGetting rid of Open With duplicates - All thisUpgrade #65: Holiday Firewall - Relay FMSpecial guest host Merlin Mann joins Jason to talk about the holidays, Apple TV, iPad Pro, and how to recommend Apple products. Pensieve - Harry Potter Wiki - WikiaThe Pensieve is an object used to review memories. It has the appearance of a shallow stone or metal basin, into which runes and strange symbols are carved and precious stones are fitted. The Expanse (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAdventure Time Pilot Episode - YouTubeSisyphus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by: Younity (Stream and share all the media on your computer from your iPhone or iPad for free at getyounity.com). Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up). Squarespace (Get a free trial and 10% off your first purchase when you use the code ITSYOURSHOW).
12/1/20151 hour, 49 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 248: A Rye Bread Made of Birds

TOPIC: More Songs About Buildings and Food This week, Dan and Merlin talk about transitions, microwave ovens, air conditioning, and the likelihood of salmonella. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (9780060589462): Robert M. Pirsig: BooksDiscipline of Do Easy by Gus Van Sant - YouTubeThe discipline of DE (do easy) - MELANCHOLIA.Homer's Enemy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFood Safety TalkFood Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) — Food Safety TalkMerlin Mann joins Don and Ben for a discussion on food safety and cooking using science at home. Brought to you by: TextExpander (Visit SmileSoftware.com/b2w to download a free demo of TextExpander and improve your communication today). Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during sign up).
11/24/20151 hour, 32 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 247: On a Farm with a Monkey

TOPIC: A Mark on a Page This week, Dan and Merlin kick off by talking about Dan's recent interview with "Weird Al" and how he's such an interesting harbinger of changing times for media and platforms. Next, Merlin responds to a listener's question about how he uses a notebook, which leads to an extended dissertation on how to ruin your notebook in the best way possible. Nothing doesn't go in here. Links for this episode:5by5 | The Ihnatko Almanac #161: Project DonewayOn the eve of the finale of "Project Runway," Andy and special guest Merlin Mann talk about Season 14. Along the way, they talk about creativity, working under pressure, and the differences between how one processes failure in their Twenties and failure in their Forties. "Weird Al" Yankovic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMandatory Fun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMandatory Fun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Many Loves of Howard Hughes: Katharine Hepburn, 1938 (YMRT #11) — Karina LongworthChris Hardwick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWreck This Journal: Keri Smith: 9780399533464: Amazon.com: BooksWreck This Journal (Black) Expanded Ed.: Keri Smith: 9780399161940: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, 2nd Edition (9781590302613): Natalie Goldberg: BooksNothing Doesn't Go In Here | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Spectre (2015) - Box Office MojoProduction Budget: $245 million Siracusa on Toasters — Liss is MoreFast forward four years. John, Marco, and myself are now hosting ATP. When Cards Against Humanity decided to sponsor our show, Max decided as usual to eschew a normal ad read. Instead, he had a brilliant idea: CAH would send John a toaster to review. We’ve been asked more than once to have a compendium of all of these reviews. This is it. I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been. - Wayne Gretzky at BrainyQuoteI skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been. Commonplace book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCommonplace books (or commonplaces) were a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. Such books were essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: medical recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulas. Cards Against HumanityBrought to you by: lynda (Visit lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10-day trial access to their 3,000+ courses). Hover (You can get 10% off your first purchase by going to Hover.com and using the code LIBRARYELF at checkout).
11/17/20151 hour, 23 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 246: Venn Diagram of Confusion

TOPIC: Medieval or Renaissance? This week, Dan and Merlin start out by helping listeners learn to identify the subtle differences between all things Renaissance and Medieval. The remainder of the show is split between an in-depth introduction to the Plex media ecosystem, and a philosophical and practical meditation on choosing how to spend a given day. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac, Clicky (DASK4MACCLI): Computers & AccessoriesA Scottish historian on Brave | Film | The GuardianWhich era does 'Game of Thrones' most resemble from history?Steampunk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCinderella Castle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRobin Hood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMiddle Ages - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRenaissance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[VIDEO] John Cleese on Creativity - YouTubeMedia Preparation – PlexCloak VPN - Cloak - Super-simple VPNJohn-Cleese-on-Creativity/Transcript.markdown at master · tjluoma/John-Cleese-on-Creativity · GitHubYou know, when Video Arts asked me if I'd like to talk about creativity I said "no problem!" No problem! Because telling people how to be creative is easy, it's only being it that's difficult. PlexDan Benjamin on Instagram: “Turkey Leg.”Dan Benjamin on Instagram: “Fantastic Rabbit Man.”MASQUERADE: Kit Williamson Amazon Duck Soup (1933) - IMDbRufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale. Harpo Marx's Tattoos - YouTubeAmazon.com: Palomino Blackwing 602 - 12 Count: Office ProductsTreat yo self - YouTubeSquared Soft Notebook - Large - Moleskine ®Siracusa on Toasters — Liss is MoreI skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been. - Wayne Gretzky at BrainyQuoteBrought to you by: Slack (Visit Slack.com/backtowork and create a new team and you’ll get $100 in credit you can use when you decide to upgrade to a paid plan). Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during signing up) Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/BackToWork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off) Harry's (It's Movember! So go to Harrys.com now and you’ll get $5 off if you type in the code COMICS with your first order).
11/10/20151 hour, 54 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 245: The Least Broken

TOPIC: First impressions of the new Apple TV This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the triumphs and travails of their first few days with the fourth generation Apple TV. Links for this episode:New Apple TV: Tips, Tricks, Siri Remote Shortcuts and Useful Settings - Mac RumorsTo complement our coverage of the new Apple TV, which includes a trio of hands-on videos, an Apple TV apps roundup, several tidbits, and a reviews roundup, we have created the following list of tips, tricks, and shortcuts for the new streaming device, some of which are outlined in the Apple TV user guide. The tips are centered upon useful Siri Remote shortcuts and Apple TV settings. Brought to you by: lynda (Visit lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10-day trial access to their 3,000+ courses). Casper (Go and get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting Casper.com/BackToWork and use the code BACKTOWORK).
11/3/20151 hour, 57 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 244: You Have to Be a Stag

TOPIC: You are who you choose to be. This week Dan and Merlin talk about making buying decisions, dealing with unsolicited email, preventing stupid from sticking to you, and finding systems that may or may not work. Links for this episode:Travel Basket Key Tray and Wallet Valet by Red Oxx MfgIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: BooksBEST Haka EVER on HD - All Blacks Haka - Rugby World Cup Final 2011 Vs. France - YouTubeBullseye with Jesse Thorn: Brad Bird & Ernie Isley | Maximum FunFTC Unveils New E-mail Address for Deceptive Spam: [email protected] | Federal Trade CommissionKnoll (verb) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKnolling is the process of arranging related objects in parallel or 90-degree angles as a method of organization. The Fake Traffic Schemes That Are Rotting the Internet - Bloomberg BusinessMarketers thought the Web would allow perfectly targeted ads.Hasn’t worked out that way. Its All Too Much | 43 FoldersThe History of the ThinkPad NameIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff - Peter Walsh - Google BooksThe Iron Giant: Signature Edition - Official Trailer [HD] - YouTubeImageMagick: Convert, Edit, Or Compose Bitmap Imagesscrncst :: mnmlst dsk on Vimeo5by5 | Back to Work #56: One Giant Beholder DinosaurSee: it's not a red snapper problem, it's an emotional problem. So, quit being scared of your fridge, or your inbox, or your todo list. Just suck it up, buy some contractor bags, and never organize another thing that's not worth keeping. 5by5 | Back to Work #202: Choosing is a Radio ButtonThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about organization, multitasking and new year's resolutions. Cool Tools – It’s All Too MuchUltimately, it’s not just a question of tidying your house Brought to you by: PDFpen 7 (Visit the link to learn more and start editing PDFs on the go) Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during signing up) Casper (Go and get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting Casper.com/BackToWork and use the code BACKTOWORK).
10/27/20151 hour, 55 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 243: The Device at Hand

TOPIC: It's Business All the Way Down. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about joys and frustrations of contemporary consumer technologies. So great yet so frustrating. So powerful yet so hobbled. It's weird how, as great as the newest tech ever gets, we so quickly find we're bumping right up against business, business, business. Then, there's some more discussion of updates in iOS 9 and what we can now do with iPhone 6s, highlighting the astonishing power of trackpad mode. Finally, some updates on Dan's cord-cutting and how one may choose how and what we're each willing to pay for—and how it's just no fun to amortize other people's garbage with your own time. Links for this episode:How to use the keyboard as a trackpad on your iPhone 6s | iMoreFirst, Let's Get Rid Of All The Bosses | MetaFilterThe Act of Killing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Look of Silence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Act of Killing (2012) - IMDbIntroducing the Plex Media Player - Plex Blog : Plex BlogIt’s true: Drug companies are bombarding your TV with more ads than ever - The Washington PostThe Act of Killing - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTubeCan I Stream.It?: Search Netflix, Hulu, Google Play, iTunes, and more, for movies to stream instantly, rent, and buy.Tango till they're sore -- Tom Waits - YouTubeKarina LongworthYou Must Remember This — Karina LongworthBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/BackToWork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your new website) lynda (Visit lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10-day trial access to their 3,000+ courses)
10/20/20151 hour, 35 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 242: Not My Bird

TOPIC: Procrastination is a life sentence. This week, after some high-level discussion on the topics of Marvel and media reduxes, Dan and Merlin (maaaaybe) wrap up their initial and very positive impressions of iOS 9 on modern Apple devices. More fawning talk of Siri, plus tips on easily adding items to Reminders and Notes. Dan also lays out his freeing new philosophy and implementations for doing sane email on an iPad. Then, Merlin goes off a little on why constantly feeling bad about yourself is a terrible idea. Links for this episode:Beyonce buys The Big Lebowski mansion | EW.comPerhaps the most unfortunate thing about Beyonce not giving interviews anymore is that no one has had the chance to ask her about her love for The Big Lebowski. The iconic singer, who once sampled a French dub of Maude Lebowski’s (Julianne Moore) monologue about feminism in her song “Partition,” has reportedly purchased the mansion seen in the film.  Pro Art 8.5" x 11" 20 lb. (75 gsm) 3D Graph Paper 50 Sheet Tape Bound Pad - C2F, Inc. - Wholesale Art Supply DistributorAmazon.com : VELA Graph Paper, 8.5 x 11, 65 Loose Sheets, Premium 24lb Heavyweight Paper, Class-2 'Optimized' Paper (Isometric Grid Variation) : Office ProductsCloudlifter CL-1 | Cloud Microphones | "Elevate Your Sound"The Incomparable | Love Machine (Episode 205)In the long tradition of big, giant robots came 1999’s “The Iron Giant,” the film Brad Bird made before he made “The Incredibles.” It was kind of a flop in its initial release, but this animated feature has become rightfully recognized as a classic. We debate the Giant’s original purpose, break down a surprisingly large succession of poop jokes, and ponder the Giant’s ultimate destiny to be the benevolent robot-king of Iceland. Iron Man 2 (2010) - IMDb5by5 | Hypercritical #45: Star Wars is Not a Blog PostJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin follow up on a host of topics: what ails Microsoft, the (slow, partial) democratization of corporate IT, the people vs. George Lucas, perpetual copyright, applications as art, Siri backlash, and the evils of Blu-ray. Reconcilable Differences #11: Frog Board Room - Relay FMThe ball really gets rolling when John ruefully updates us on the stressful state of renovations to his house—and how his quest for quality collides with whatever passes for quote-unquote craftsmanship today. Random Trek | "The Corbomite Maneuver" (TOS) with Clayton Morris (Episode 72)Clayton Morris, news guy, podcaster, and speaker, joins Scott to discuss the classic Original Series episode The Corbomite Maneuver (TOS S1E2). Topics discussed include the evolution of space exercise equipment, the ton of interesting shots used in this episode, space salads, and the horrible fate of Dave Bailey. Plus salient points on how odd looking, but well cast, Clint Howard is (we say it with love, Clint). How Well Can You Hear Audio Quality? : The Record : NPRTodd Vaziri (@tvaziri) | Twitter5by5 | Back to Work #241: We Went to PrincetonThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's new iPad Air 2 and continue their discussion of how much iOS 9 on modern devices is already changing how we do our work.Also, some nerdy updates on how Merlin uses synced text files via Drafts, Editorial, and nvALT. Jeff Lynne celebrates ELO's 40th anniversary by re-recording new versions of old songs · Newswire · The A.V. Club“I’m not saying the old versions aren’t good Jeff Lynne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHow Squeeze seized the keys to their back catalogue | Music | The GuardianOf course there is a commercial element to be considered, which is that when the songs are deployed by Universal we only see a small percentage of the income. They might argue that they took the initial risk financially and are now reaping the rewards – that's business. But we have no control and most of our records, besides the hits, aren't available either on CD or on iTunes. ONoffON - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMission Of Burma - The Setup - YouTubeTonight (The Move) - YouTubeSuperheroes a 'cultural catastrophe', says comics guru Alan Moore | Books | The GuardianWatchmen author tells interviewer that they have become a dangerous distraction, and that he plans to withdraw from public life "Broken Meetings (and how you'll fix them)" on VimeoIron Man 2 (2010) - Rotten TomatoesBrought to you by: Squarespace (Visit Squarespace.com/BackToWork and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your new website) lynda (Visit lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10-day trial access to their 3,000+ courses) Warby Parker (Visit WarbyParker.com/Dan to get free 3 day shipping on your brand new frames).
10/14/20151 hour, 33 minutes, 26 seconds
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Episode 241: We Went to Princeton

TOPIC: iOS Amazement This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's new iPad Air 2 and continue their discussion of how much iOS 9 on modern devices is already changing how we do our work. Also, some nerdy updates on how Merlin uses synced text files via Drafts, Editorial, and nvALT. Links for this episode:What does “Spotlight Suggestions” turn off? - alexwlchanI’m no expert, but holy crap the hacking on Homeland was bad | Ars TechnicaOn trackpad mode in iOS 9 and the iPhone | iMoreLipophobicity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUV Light Sanitizing | Clean & Polish Devices with PhoneSoapUltraviolet germicidal irradiation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTextastic - Text, Code, and Markup Editor with Syntax Highlighting - FTP, SFTP, Dropbox - for iPadWorking Copy, Git on iOSnvALT - BrettTerpstra.comDrafts | Agile TortoiseEditorial for iOSAnne Hathaway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUnderworld - Born Slippy - YouTubeBrought to you by Pond5 (For 25% off your next purchase of royalty-free media just visit Pond5.com and enter the 'BACKTOWORK' at checkout), Slack (Visit Slack.com/backtowork and create a new team and you’ll get $100 in credit you can use when you decide to upgrade to a paid plan), and Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during signing up).
10/6/20151 hour, 38 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 240: The Third Phase Is Now

TOPIC: Speed, Reliability, and Expectations This episode, Dan and Merlin talk about this week's massive leaps forward with the pairing of iOS 9 and iPhone 6s. Links for this episode:Siri’s Headphone Tax | Bitsplitting.orgIf It Ain’t Fixed, Break It | Bitsplitting.orgChildhood's End - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGreat. My seven-year-old has discovered... | kung fu grippeOS X El Capitan review: Mac upgrade that's as solid as a rock | MacworldHow to pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus | iMoreMonty Python And The Holy Grail - Let's Not Bicker And Argue About Who Killed Who - YouTubeAutomatic: Connect Your Car to Your Digital LifeIf your iOS 9 device is stuck on Slide to Upgrade - Apple SupportWho’s got two thumbs and a bricked family iPad? ... | kung fu grippeHow to Use Siri, Full list of Siri Commands, Siri Questions VideoBrought to you by Smile Software (Smile loves podcasts, and everyone loves a deal, so Smile is offering 20% off new licenses purchased directly from Smile through October 15th if you use the code B2W at checkout), Pond5 (For 25% off your next purchase of royalty-free media just visit Pond5.com and enter the 'BACKTOWORK' at checkout), and Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during signing up).
9/29/20151 hour, 43 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 239: Starving African Child

TOPIC: Block! Block! Body blow! Uppercut! This week, Dan and Merlin talk less about ad-blocking and more about what kind-of feels like (but might not actually be) a point of change for web advertising, podcasting, and media as a whole, which could affect, like, everything, man. Links for this episode:Internet History Podcast | From Netscape To The iPadPolitical Gabfest on the second Republican presidential debate and the possible government shutdown over the Planned Parenthood controversy.On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the second round of Republican debates and how each candidate performed, and the potential government shutdown over Planned Parenthood funding and what it means for the 2016 election. They also talk to writer, speaker, and broadcaster Merlin Mann about time, attention, and productivity. Circulating Ideas | the librarian interview podcastSteve chats with Merlin Mann about his history with libraries, the importance of the library as a community space, why libraries aren’t dead, and checking in with the Library Elf. Reconcilable Differences - Relay FMJohn Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way. Quarterly rent report confirms: There are zero affordable neighborhoods for renters in S.F. - On The BlockThe overall median price for a 1-bedroom in SF hit $3,530 earlier this month This is what $350,000 buys you in San Francisco’s crazy housing market - On The BlockThe two-bedroom, one-bath “beauty” built in 1906 offers 765 square feet of living space and just went on the market for $350,000. That’s $458 per square foot, which might be considered a “bargain” since the average price per square foot in San Francisco is $957, according to real estate site Trulia. Amazon.com: Shure BETA 87A Supercardioid Condenser Microphone for Handheld Vocal Applications: Musical InstrumentsBETA 58A Vocal Microphone | Shure AmericasFlavor Enhancer - Food Flavor Enhancers - Accent FlavorHoward Hughes: His Life and Madness: Donald L. Barlett, James B. Steele: 9780393326024: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The Aviator: Martin Scorsese, John Logan, Warner Bros., wb: Amazon Digital Services , Inc.5by5 | Road WorkThe September Issue (2009) - IMDbGHOSTERY Home PageBrought to you by Harry's (Use the code COMICS to get $5 off the starter shave set), Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off of your first purchase), Pond5 (For 25% off your next purchase of royalty-free media just visit Pond5.com and enter the 'BACKTOWORK' at checkout), and Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during signing up).
9/23/20151 hour, 49 minutes, 28 seconds
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Episode 238: A 100-Year Problem

TOPIC: Knowing what you'll need to know. This week, Dan and Merlin answer a listener question about how the "slow your roll" thought technology can apply to learning new skills. Links for this episode:Political Gabfest SFTickets | Slate Magazine's Political Gabfest | City Box OfficePolitical GabfestJohn Dickerson - How to Process a Hotel RoomJohn Dickerson, Journalist & Handsomeman | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Are People Really More Busy? The Rise of Shadow Work | The Art of ManlinessUnited States Guide: The American school system, Grades, school hours and terms: Most children start schoolChildren usually start in kindergarten or grade one at the age of five or six and go up one grade each year until reaching grade 12 at the age of 17. Occasionally a student must repeat a grade because of prolonged absence or low marks, although this is rare. The 12 years following the kindergarten year are usually organised under what is known as the ‘6-3-3 plan’ where grades 1 to 6 are in elementary (primary) school, grades 7 to 9 in junior high or middle school and grades 10 to 12 in a (senior) high school. Texas State Highway Loop 1 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVIDEO: "Advanced Tricycling" talk by Merlin Mann (2014)Magneto - Marvel Comics DatabaseThe case of the 500-mile emailDunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: Atul Gawande: 9780312430009: Amazon.com: BooksA Life-Saving Checklist - The New YorkerIf something so simple can transform intensive care, what else can it do? Life hack. Boom. | kung fu grippeLife hack. Boom. Ep. 170: "The Wilder Universe" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: They billed John $300. Learning the bash Shell: Unix Shell Programming (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)): Cameron Newham: 9780596009656: Amazon.com: Books100-year flood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK to get $50 towards your brand new mattress), Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free), lynda (Learn something new today by visiting lynda.com/backtowork to get a free 10 day trial to their 3,000+ courses), and Freshbooks (Visit the link to try FreshBooks free for 30 days and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section during signing up).
9/15/20151 hour, 55 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 237: Slow Your Roll

TOPIC: Stop that train! This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some ideas for noticing and then battling the surfeits of negative thought that sometimes threaten to overrun us. Also: talk of a cool new computer mouse, evolution in the comic book industry, and what constitutes "real camping." Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse (910-004337): Computers & AccessoriesUrban Dictionary: slow your rollTerm used to inform a homie that he's getting outta control and he might want to shut the hell up before he gets beat the hell up."Yo dawg, you better slow your roll fool." What does slow (one's) roll mean? slow (one's) roll Definition. Meaning of slow (one's) roll. OnlineSlangDictionary.comLogitech MX Master Review! - YouTubeTech YouTuber Mouse v2 has arrived! Amazon.com: SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad (Black): ElectronicsQ: Will this mouse pad work with my mac? A: No. This mousepad is incompatible with Macs. The gripping material on the underside of the mat is 58c9x Wally spec from Indonesia. While this spec fits nicely into 64 bit Windows architecture, it will mix up the mainframe if you try to put this into an Apple Macintosh chipset. Podcasting Microphones Mega-Review – Marco.orgIt’s hard to find useful microphone recommendations for podcasters: most people have only tried one or two, except pro audio engineers, who have very different needs and record in very different environments. And almost no reviews include audio samples to compare.So I set out to change that. Some commonly recommended mics were disappointing, some were right on, and I’ve found some real gems that were previously unknown in my podcasting circles. Gamma World - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAirstream USA, Airstream Travel Trailer, Silver Bullet | AirstreamSocial • XOXO Festivalcatastrophize - WiktionaryTo regard a bad situation as if it were disastrous or catastrophic Brought to you by JustWorks (Get 15% off your first year when you visit justworks.com/backtowork to sign up and use the code BACKTOWORK), Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free, Backblaze (Don’t lose your work, back it up! Get a two week free trial by going to Backblaze.com/BackToWork), and Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off of your first purchase).
9/8/20151 hour, 38 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 236: Finished for Now

TOPIC: Practice, practice, practice. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the perilous wonders of practice of all kinds. Links for this episode:How Portability Ruined the Telephone - The AtlanticAmazon.com: Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Coldcalm Tablets for Colds, 60 Count: Prime PantryPractice (learning method) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Making of an ExpertActually, practice doesn’t always make perfect — new study - The Washington PostMalcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 Hour Rule for deliberate practice is wrong: Genes for music, IQ, drawing ability, and other skills.Drafts | Agile TortoiseEditorial for iOSnvALT - BrettTerpstra.comnvALT 2.2b 106 - BrettTerpstra.comMarkdown Service Tools - BrettTerpstra.comTaskPaper — Simple to-do list software for MacInput: Fonts for CodeAdding straight single and double quotes to Inconsolata'The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness' reveals the tortured genius of Studio Ghibli | The Vergemac system kaleidoscope - Google Searchmac system kaleidoscope The Dalrymple Report5by5 | Bingeworthy: Mr. Robot #1: PrimerMise en place - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMise en place (French pronunciation: ?[mi z?? ?plas]) is a French culinary phrase which meant "putting in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that are expected to be prepared during a shift For A More Ordered Life, Organize Like A Chef : The Salt : NPRThe system that makes kitchens go is called mise-en-place, or, literally, "put in place." It's a French phrase that means to gather and arrange the ingredients and tools needed for cooking. Brought to you by JustWorks (Get 15% off your first year when you visit justworks.com/backtowork to sign up and use the code BACKTOWORK), lynda (Learn something new today by visiting lynda.com/backtowork to get a free 10 day trial to their 3,000+ courses), and Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
9/1/20151 hour, 35 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 235: This is a Thing

TOPIC: Losing hit points. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the stuff you have to do to stay healthy and well—and the rocky path to realizing when you have to actually "make it a thing." There's also some follow-up on OTA antennas, car keys, and how little most of us really understand about the media industries. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #10 — Merlin MannStrandpromenade / By the seaside Ringtone iOS LOOP 10 Min - YouTubeSutro Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSutro Tower is a 297.8 m (977 ft) three-pronged antenna tower near Clarendon Heights in San Francisco, California. Rising from a hill between Twin Peaks and Mount Sutro, it is a prominent part of the city skyline and a landmark for city residents and visitors. Nalgene | The original water bottle. Made in the USA. BPA Free.Amazon.com | Thermos 12 Ounce Funtainer Bottle, Pink: Thermos For Kids: Pasta BowlsAmazon.com | Thermos 12 Ounce Funtainer Bottle, Batman: Pasta BowlsLumberjanes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNimona: Noelle Stevenson: 9780062278227: Amazon.com: BooksNoelle Stevenson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHarry Houdini - The Death of Harry HoudiniBrought to you by TextExpander 5 (To learn more and download a free demo of TextExpander 5 today visit the link), JustWorks (Get 15% off your first year when you visit justworks.com/backtowork to sign up and use the code BACKTOWORK), and Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free).
8/25/20151 hour, 22 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 234: Two Inches Behind the Board

TOPIC: Compensatory muscles This week, Dan and Merlin talk about how much emotions can become like physical injuries—and what happens when we try to overcompensate for either. Links for this episode:5by5 | The Ihnatko Almanac #152: Project RunwayAndy is joined by Merlin Mann to discuss Project Runway. nevver: Peanuts | kung fu grippeadam baldwin - Google Searchvincent d'onofrio - Google Searchwilford brimley age in 1984 - Wolfram|AlphaFeeling Good: The New Mood Therapy: David D. Burns: 0071001008999: Amazon.com: BooksFeeling Good | The website of David D. Burns, MDIt follows from this model that all emotional... | kung fu grippeIt follows from this model that all emotional change is ultimately brought about by cognitions Reconcilable Differences #7: 50 Shades of John - Relay FMThis week, John and Merlin do some follow-up on John's picky eating and his family's failures at meal planning. Both men cop to loving soup. Also some updates on Destiny.Then on to the big topic: how does John's mind work, and how did he get that way? 5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Faraday cage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThieves using a $17 device to break into cars with keyless systemsCar Thieves Hack Remote Keyless Entry Systems with $17 Device - TechliciousHigh-tech car thieves may be breaking in by amplifying key fob signal - CBS NewsChoosing the Best TV Antenna for San Francisco, CaliforniaHDTV Antenna Selection Guide, Reviews and InformationAmazon.com: Mohu Leaf 50 Indoor HDTV Antenna (formerly Leaf Ultimate): Electronics5by5 | Road WorkAmazon.com: The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety (8601300190136): Alan W. Watts: BooksDavid Foster Wallace: The 'Fresh Air' Interview : NPRTwitterCard Wars - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Unjustly Maligned | "Monopoly" with Cory Casoni (Episode 24)Brought to you by Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free), lynda (Learn something new today by visiting lynda.com/backtowork to get a free 10 day trial to their 3,000+ courses), and Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off of your first purchase).
8/18/20151 hour, 41 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 233: Emotional Density

TOPIC: Can I ask you a question? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the complexities of communicating effectively via email. They also begin to sketch out a unified field theory for escalating communication media based on informational and emotional destiny. Also, more thoughts on The Smiths, plus some recommendations on books and comics for kids. Links for this episode:Food Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) — Food Safety TalkMerlin Mann joins Don and Ben for a discussion on food safety and cooking using science at home. How Long Does Food Last? Shelf Life & Expiration Date GuideThe Podcast Resurgence: Your Definitive Listening Guide - WSJSUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #1 | DC ComicsAmazon.com: Superman Family Adventures, Vol. 1 (9781401240509): Art Baltazar, Franco: BooksThe Complete Wreck (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-13): Lemony Snicket, Brett Helquist: 9780061119064: Amazon.com: BooksHarry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7): J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPre: 9780545162074: Amazon.com: BooksDutch angle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Dutch angle, also known as Dutch tilt, canted angle, oblique angle or German angle, is a type of camera shot where the camera is set at an angle on its roll axis so that the shot is composed with vertical lines at an angle to the side of the frame, or so that the horizon line of the shot is not parallel with the bottom of the camera frame. R.E.M. - Letter Never Sent - YouTubeReconcilable Differences - Relay FMFans Petition Fox To Sell Fantastic Four Rights Back To Marvel Studios | Comicbook.comBrought to you by Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $15,000 managed for free), and lynda (Learn something new today by visiting lynda.com/backtowork to get a free 10 day trial to their 3,000+ courses).
8/11/20151 hour, 19 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 232: You Got This.

TOPIC: Don't just be the meatbag in the room. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about "the fill-in guy," TV shows they're loving, listener feedback, improving presentations, The Smiths, the evolution of podcasts, contact management woes, and remembering what you're capable of. Links for this episode:'Mad Max: Fury Road' Will Be On iTunes Soon So Catch Up With Some Of Your Favorite Heroines First | BustleConversation Parade: An Adventure Time Podcast | Podcast | Infinite Guest Podcast NetworkIn this limited-run series, Open Mike Eagle (rap artist and host of Infinite Guest’s Secret Skin) and John Moe (host of Infinite Guest's Wits) talk about the characters, story lines and themes in the hit Cartoon Network animated series Adventure Time. John and Mike also talk with the creative forces behind the show, interviewing the actors, storyboard artists, producers and others who make Adventure Time. She'll be right - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShe'll be right (often followed by a friendly term of address such as mate) is a frequently used idiom in Australian and New Zealand culture that expresses the belief that "whatever is wrong will right itself with time", which is considered to be either an optimistic or apathetic outlook. Fake, soiled underpants for home security. » Coolest GadgetsDirty Underwear Hidden Safe | Cheaters Spy ShopAmazon.com: The Brief Safe Hidden Contents Travel Passport Wallet - Diversion Safe: ClothingBona Drag - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Smiths - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Police - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLouder Than Bombs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSmiths - Hatful of Hollow - Amazon.com MusicSmiths - Queen Is Dead - Amazon.com MusicSmiths - Smiths - Amazon.com MusicSyncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailMac App Store - Contacts CleanerMan. People. | kung fu grippeMacular degeneration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMacular degeneration, often age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition that usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macula) because of damage to the retina. 5by5 | Back to Work #38: Sorry. You Can't Have a Candle.The Smiths : Hand in Glove (Old Grey Whistle Test 1983) - YouTubeBrought to you by Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off of your first purchase), Casper (Visit Casper.com/backtowork and use the code BACKTOWORK to get $50 towards your brand new mattress), and Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $10,000 managed for free).
8/5/20151 hour, 53 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 231: Hot Rod Hospital Ship

With Merlin on sabbatical (returning next week), Dan is once again joined by John Roderick. They discuss the significance of dreams, sleep paralysis, unexplained phenomenon, alien abductions, a relationship with magic, the importance of history, night terrors, and leaving a legacy. Links for this episode:Sleep paralysis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDiaper-wearing astronaut jailed in love triangle plot - The Denver PostLisa Nowak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNeil deGrasse Tyson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNo Iran Deal - Rick Santorum for PresidentPATEK PHILIPPE SA - Men's WatchesBrought to you by Harry's (Start shaving smarter today by using the code COMICS at checkout to get $5 off the starter set), TextExpander 5 (To learn more and download a free demo of TextExpander 5 visit smilesoftware.com/b2w), lynda (Start learning something new today by visiting lynda.com/backtowork to get free 10 day trial access to their 3,000+ courses), and Wealthfront (Visit wealthfront.com/5by5 to get your first $10,000 managed for free).
7/28/20151 hour, 58 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 230: My Emotional Reservoir

With Merlin on sabbatical, Dan is joined by John Roderick to talk about being a candidate, taking care of yourself, managing introversion, trying on ideas without fear, the Thirty Years War, and the struggle of being a generalist. Links for this episode:John Roderick for Seattle City CouncilThirty Years' War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEp. 163: "The Maisie Glotz File" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannEugenics in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrought to you by HipChat (Visit HipChat.com/backtowork to get 90 days of HipChat Plus for free), Harry's (Use the code COMICS to get $5 off the starter shave set), and lynda (Learn something new today by visiting lynda.com/backtowork to get a free 10 day trial to their 3,000+ courses).
7/21/20152 hours, 8 minutes, 32 seconds
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Episode 229: Shrimp in the Desert

TOPIC: The perils and joys of just getting started. This week's episode is chockablock with awesomeness, from the sublime to the ridiculous. It ends on a very inspiring note. But, en route: Mexican guys love Morrissey Shabbos goys cause fire to be created An eruv is an ad hoc house described by string Merlin has Aloha for Judaism Teaching History is hard America owes some apologies Endorsing "Ordinary People Change the World" books Endorsing Mr. Robot and Humans Thanks for great Holacracy feedback (more later) Feedback on Merlin's lightning cable corrosion Dan's Concern: Acura recall What's up with "over the shoulder syndrome?" Is it dangerous to talk on a phone in the car? Is it dangerous to approbate? HUGE followup on "perfect is the enemy of the good" Just make a mark on a page. Links for this episode:MaxFunCon: Merlin Mann on Doing Creative Work; The Sound of Young America | Maximum FunMerlin Mann talks about the process of doing creative work, and particularly how to abandon the quest for perfection, get off your butt and get started. How email became the most reviled communication experience everCBT is becoming less effective, like everything else « Mind HacksTime management is only making our busy lives worse - QuartzThe Avalanche of Options — MediumCollision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) | 2014 Acura MDX | Acura Owners SitePart of the Advance Package, the Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with heads-up warning was developed to help reduce the likelihood of a frontal collision. The system is designed to alert the driver of a potential collision and take steps to help mitigate the severity of a frontal collision if the system determines it to be unavoidable. Shabbos goy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShabbat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaActivities prohibited on Shabbat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEruv - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEruv - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLisa's Substitute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Christopher Eliopoulos: BooksI am Abraham Lincoln (Ordinary People Change World): Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos: 9780803740839: Amazon.com: BooksDouglas Adams Quote Rules that describe our reactions to technologies... The Sisters Of Mercy - This Corrosion HQ - YouTubeThe Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - YouTubeGoogle Ngram Viewerapprobation Why do Mexican Americans love Morrissey so much? - The Washington PostWhat is the appeal of Morrissey (or “Moz”) to this community? With help from Nancy Marie Arteaga, a former diehard Moz fan, I asked three major Morrissey fans about the Latino fixation. Resolved: Stop Blaming the Pancake | 43 FoldersBrought to you by Warby Parker (Visit WarbyParker.com/dan to get free 3 day shipping on your final frame choice), HipChat (Visit HipChat.com/backtowork to get 90 days of HipChat Plus for free), Squarespace (Visit the link and use the code ITSYOURSHOW to get a free trial and 10% off your brand new website).
7/14/20151 hour, 32 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 228: Tibet's Next Top Buddha

TOPIC: What kind of "perfect" can you tolerate? This week, Dan and Merlin have a big week. A huge week. Opening with a thank you to generous listeners, the boys then proceed to tackle some FU on the complicated world of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III (he is recognized!). Next up is some preliminary discussion on Pando's recent hit piece on Tony Hsieh, his weird edict for Holacracy at Zappos, and his strange and checkered history with theoretically transforming downtown Las Vegas. Moving forward, "Merlin's Concern" about his bizarre lightning cable problem is addressed and assigned to further research by the Fun Bunch. Finally, the meat of the episode is served in an extended meditation on whether and when "perfect is the enemy of good"—and how that concept maybe relates to aspects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Links for this episode:Pasadena Artist Who Claims To Be Buddha Reincarnated Is Wanted In China: LAistA Pasadena man who claims to be the reincarnation of Buddha is selling his art for millions. He's also wanted by the Chinese government for fraud. Worship long-haired handsome at cult-museum on first Thursdays | SF ArtsStill, new favorite museum. It has a treehouse, holograms, and I wasn't abducted despite the fact that there was maybe one other visitor there on the first Thursday I was waved in from the sidewalk. The other visitor was a guy who talked loudly on his cell phone about how he was "just checking out some museum man, they like said it was free so I was like cool." Pasadena man Dorje Chang, known to followers as Buddha, is gaining followers in art worldShe described Buddha as a ?holy being? who can cure ailments, conjure nectar and move objects with his mind. Dorje Chang Buddha III has been recognized: True Buddha Dharma spoken by H.H. Tathagata"H.H. Tathagata Dorje Chang Buddha III is recognized!" Holacracy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHolacracy is a social technology or system of organizational governance in which authority and decision-making are distributed throughout a holarchy of self-organizing teams rather than being vested in a management hierarchy. Holacracy has been adopted in for-profit and non-profit organizations in the U.S., France, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. A Holacracy of DuncesI’m a sucker for stories of giant risks and giant rewards, so it took me a while to figure out why Holacracy made me feel queasy rather than excited. I’d watched before as Hsieh had made big announcements which turned out to be disasters. People had lost their jobs before, and there had even been suicides. Why did his plan for Holacracy somehow seem even more reckless? Perfect is the enemy of good - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Perfect is the enemy of good is an aphorism which is commonly attributed to Voltaire, who quoted an Italian proverb in his Dictionnaire philosophique in 1770…" Negative Thought Patterns and Cognitive Therapy CBTAll-or-Nothing Thinking. "I have to do things perfectly, because anything less than perfect is a failure." Disqualifying the Positives. "Life feels like one disappointment after another." Negative Self-Labeling. "I feel like a failure. I'm flawed. If people knew the real me, they wouldn't like me." Catastrophizing. "If something is going to happen, it'll probably be the worst case scenario." Kundun (1997) - IMDbAmazon.com: Uni-Ball 207 Retractable Micro Point Gel Pens, 12 Black Ink Pens Plus 2 Bonus Pens (1905408): Office ProductsFeeling Good: The New Mood Therapy: David D. Burns: 0071001008999: Amazon.com: BooksApple Lightning connector pinout diagram @ pinouts.ruLightning Cables Failing Due to Corrosion, Cause Unclear - Mac RumorsSmart bracelet changes design with the touch of a button - ArabianBusiness.comInsight Meditation Center: Insight Meditation CenterAmazon.com : Sanford Prismacolor Premier Markers, 5-Pack, Fine Line, Black (14171) : Artists Markers : Office ProductsHow Netflix Reinvented HR - HBRLord of the Flies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLord of the Flies is a 1954 dystopian novel by Nobel Prize-winning English author William Golding about a group of British boys stuck on an uninhabited island who try to govern themselves with disastrous results. Won't You Pimai Neighbor? - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAt the party a number of objects, one of which belonged to Sanglug, are laid out on a rug for the candidates to choose from The meeting room hardware virusThen, someone else forced this into their Mac. Perhaps two pins tried to go into just the one socket. At any rate, it would now break the socket and get it all out of whack. That socket, used with another adapter in another room, would then break that adapter. This new broken adapter would then go on to break even more Macbook DVI connectors. 5by5 | Back to Work #227: The Treasure Room[AUDIO] Andrea Fella: "Anxiety Worry and Fear"Highly recommended talk that Dan and Merlin both love. Brought to you by HipChat (Visit HipChat.com/backtowork to get premium features like unlimited file storage, unlimited message history and guaranteed support FREE for 90 days) and Harry's (Use the code COMICS to get $5 off the starter shave set).
7/7/20151 hour, 18 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 227: The Treasure Room

TOPIC: Learning to shut up and relax. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the challenges and benefits of getting out of your own head. Links for this episode:Art Museum | San Francisco | International Art Museum of AmericaThe International Art Museum of America - Museums - SoMa - San Francisco, CA - Reviews - Photos - YelpInside Out (2015) - IMDbLife Is Beautiful - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWhy Stoicism is one of the best mind-hacks ever – Lary Wallace – AeonStoicism is, as much as anything, a philosophy of gratitude – and a gratitude, moreover, rugged enough to endure anything. Stoicism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection", would not suffer such emotions. Stoicism | Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyStoicism is essentially a system of ethics which, however, is guided by a logic as theory of method, and rests upon physics as foundation. Stoicism 101: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs | The Blog of Author Tim FerrissThe Dalrymple ReportSummer camp: Where kids grow up on their own and parents back home stay the same.They are moments you experienced truly for yourself. In Homesick and Happy, Michael Thompson writes about a study where people were asked about their happiest childhood memory The Practice of Loving-Kindness (Metta): As Taught by the Buddha in the Pali CanonFacets of Metta by Sharon SalzbergDan's Wish ListMerlin's WishlistSponsored by Casper. Use code BACKTOWORK to get $50 off your awesome new mattress, and by Smile the makers of PDFPenPro for Mac.
6/30/20151 hour, 21 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 226: Only Child*

TOPIC: Hitting and sharing and dietetic lunch. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about having and not having siblings (and what it may or may not actually mean) as well as addressing some of the rapid changes coming to the business of podcasting. Links for this episode:Reconcilable Differences #3: Helena Sell - Relay FMThis week, John and Merlin finally set themselves to the task of beginning to argue about their differences.After a look at their feelings about reviews (and review culture), John takes Merlin to task for his stance on the 1999 film Fight Club (and Fight Club culture). Then, things conclude with a passionate debate on the societal impact of sports (and sports culture). The Dalrymple ReportUngainly X-Mann Meetup #9 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, Reconcilable Differences, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, June 23rd to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” 5by5 | Quit #66: Pick up the BandsawTil Debt Do Us Part (Season 2, #8) — StartUp — Gimlet MediaThe tensions start out small. But then things quickly escalate into arguments over equity and roles in the company. Lauren and Emma find themselves having conversations with each other they never thought they’d have. Plus, they get some advice from someone in the business of dealing with cofounder disagreements, the CEO Whisperer. A Practical Guide to Sous Vide CookingOn Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen: Harold McGee: 9780684800011: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | Amplified #141: I'll Eat My Own HandCulture GabfestSponsored by MailRoute (To remove spam from your life for good visit the link and get a free trial and 10% off the lifetime of your account).
6/23/20151 hour, 25 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 225: A Different Kind of Happy

TOPIC: You can't have ALL the phone calls. This week, Dan and Merlin battle Skype to talk about Dan't hissing floor, text editing on iOS, plus more followup on WWDC announcements. Spotlight on a second look at last week's conversation about how we do and don't communicate. Links for this episode:Special 2: The Original Trilogy of Merlin MannIn August 2012, Brett interviewed Merlin Mann on the now-legendary 6th episode of Systematic. Thus was a trilogy born. From processes to pills and apps to naps, one of Systematic's signature returning-guest series was born.Using the latest in bleeding-edge digital technology, we have restored these episodes to the original creative vision that was literally, figuratively, and metaphysically impossible at the time.We've gone all the way back to the original masters, removing and modifying content (ads) that distracts from the auteur's intent. What results is a bespoke, artisanally created Special Edition product unlike any in the crowded Merlin Mann Podcast market today.This presentation of The Original Trilogy of Merlin Mann includes bonus, never-before-heard, ultra-exclusive deleted content, presented in the most ridiculous and semi-obtrusive way possible that does not involve a Blu-ray player.Special Thanks to George Lucas, the Fair Use Clause, The United States of America, and The Merlin Mann Trust.Artwork Sacrilege performed by Philip Mozolak NBD. Just two grown men eating nuts in the... | kung fu grippeGoogle Photos is fun. | kung fu grippeUlysses5by5 | Back to Work #224: Sugar Pills and a Pack of CigarettesTOPIC: Poundsign CommunicationThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about evolutions in how we do and don't communicate with each other. Sponsored by lynda.com (To start learning something new today visit the link to get free 10 day access to their 3,000+ online courses) and MailRoute (To remove spam from your life for good visit the link and get a free trial and 10% off the lifetime of your account).
6/16/20151 hour, 30 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 224: Sugar Pills and a Pack of Cigarettes

TOPIC: Poundsign Communication This week, Dan and Merlin talk about evolutions in how we do and don't communicate with each other. Links for this episode:Reconcilable Differences #1: We All Ruined It Together - Relay FMIn this inaugural episode of Season 1, John and Merlin begin framing the conversation on exactly how they got how they are.From the dungeons of Usenet to the dragons of roving bullies, origins are explored, awkwardness is catalogued, and differences are provisionally reconciled. Unjustly Maligned | "Watchmen" with Merlin Mann (Episode 15)Writer and podcaster Merlin Mann joins Antony to stand up (mostly) for the “Watchmen” movie, discuss the difficulty of separating source material from its adaptation… and then there’s that ending. Apple - Live - June 2015 Special Event? Brian Tong's Apple Watch Review - 5 Things to Like/Dislike - One Month In - YouTubeSponsored by Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off) and Citrix GoToMeeting (Try it free for 30 days by visiting GoToMeeting.com and click the “TRY IT FREE” button).
6/9/20151 hour, 52 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 223: Normal is Whatever is There

TOPIC: Interstitial time and why you want it back. This week, after some preliminary discussion of smoking and the children who throw rocks and run track, Dan and Merlin answer questions from listeners. Links for this episode:OpenDNS: Cloud-Delivered Security Enforcement & IntelligencePublic DNS   |   Google DevelopersAd-free time! | Blocking ads, unblocking Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, BBC and moreStatus overview | Down DetectorInflight smoking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHome and Family solutions | OpenDNSBetterTouchToolSpark - fast and smart email for your iPhone on the App Store on iTunesMicrosoft Outlook on the App Store on iTunesSponsored by Lynda - visit http://lynda.com/backtowork for a free 10-day trial, and by Squarespace - use code ITSYOURSHOW for 10% off your first purchase.
6/2/20151 hour, 10 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 222: Full-Stack Obsessive

Merlin and Dan use The Aviator as a jumping-off point to talk about OCD as it relates to perfectionism, creativity, and drive in the workplace. They discuss rituals and their consequences, the importance of mise en place, and eliminating disruptive processes. Also, Merlin invokes the term "workflows". Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #221: Minimally Viable InterruptionTOPIC: Time, Stones, and Giving Yourself a BreakJust…give yourself permission to not feel like a dick today. Especially if you think you don't deserve it. Outside the Lines: An Artists' Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations: Souris Hong-Porretta: 9780399162084: Amazon.com: BooksNetflix June 2015: What's Coming? What's Going?The Aviator (June 1): Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio team up for a sweeping Howard Hughes biopic. Stanley Kubrick's Boxes (TV Movie 2008) - IMDbStanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001) - IMDbMise en place - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaa French phrase which meant "putting in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organising and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that are expected to be prepared during a shift. For A More Ordered Life, Organize Like A Chef : The Salt : NPRThe system that makes kitchens go is called mise-en-place, or, literally, "put in place." It's a French phrase that means to gather and arrange the ingredients and tools needed for cooking. Ratatouille (2007) - IMDbJohnny Carson: The First King Of Late Night - Esquirenervous How It All Began: A Brief History of the Kitchen Brigade - Food - The Austin ChronicleSponsored by Casper (Visit the link and enter the code BACKTOWORK for $50 toward your new mattress purchase), PDFpen Scan+ by Smile Software (Visit the link to learn more and start scanning documents to your mobile device), Wealthfront (Visit the link and get your first $10,000 managed for free), and JustWorks (Let JustWorks handle your benefits, payroll, and HR by visiting the link and using the code 'backtowork' when you sign up to get 15% off your first year).
5/28/20151 hour, 42 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 221: Minimally Viable Interruption

TOPIC: Time, Stones, and Giving Yourself a Break Just…give yourself permission to not feel like a dick today. Especially if you think you don't deserve it. Links for this episode:Dogs CAN see in colour: Scientists dispel the myth that canines can only see in black and white | Daily Mail OnlineThe Dalrymple ReportMac Power Users #257: Workflows with Merlin Mann: Episode VI - Relay FMColor Therapy: An Anti-Stress Coloring Book: Cindy Wilde, Laura-Kate Chapman, Richard Merritt: 9780762458806: Amazon.com: BooksBalance (Angie's Extreme Stress Menders Volume 1): Angie Grace: 6063887956581: Amazon.com: BooksCreative Haven Creative Cats Coloring Book (Creative Haven Coloring Books): Marjorie Sarnat: 9780486789644: Amazon.com: BooksThe Dalrymple Report — OvercastCreative Coloring Animals: Art Activity Pages to Relax and Enjoy! (Design Originals): Valentina Harper: 9781574219715: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Sargent Art 22-7251 50-Count Assorted Colored PencilsAmazon.com : Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, 48 Assorted Color Pencils : Wood Colored Pencils : Office ProductsAmazon.com : Kum Long Point Pencil Sharpener with Pointer : Office ProductsSunrise Launches ‘Meet’, a Custom Keyboard to Schedule Meetings – MacStories5by5 | Back to Work #139: Tap Your Meat Stack5by5 | Back to Work #133: I'm Glad Your Computer DiedMysterious red light puzzles Cocoa Beach residents5by5 ShowbotThe Flashing Lights - 01 Where The Change Is - YouTubeIron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson gets cancer all-clear | Music | The GuardianFLAX art & design - The Source for Arts & Crafts SuppliesElton John - I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues - YouTubeSponsored by Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit the link and click the “TRY IT FREE” button to get a free 30 day trial and have your first meeting up and running in minutes), Wealthfront (Visit the link to get $10,000 managed for free), JustWorks (Visit the link and get 15% off your first year of HR, benefits, and payroll needs by using the code 'backtowork'), lynda (Learn something new today by visiting the link for free 10 day trial access to their 3,000+ courses).
5/19/20151 hour, 38 minutes, 7 seconds
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Episode 220: Canadian Gentle

TOPIC: Hopeless and Impossible. This week, Dan and Merlin, delve deeper into the impossibly hopeless nature of email. Links for this episode:Girl Talk - All DayGirl Talk - Feed the AnimalsMaking Time to Make: Bad Correspondence | 43 FoldersLetters of Note: Just personal enough? The Kids in the Hall - Hard Day - YouTubeHBO: Living With Lincoln: HomeQueen - Somebody To Love - YouTubeRoman à clef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 ShowbotSponsored by Harry's (Use the code COMICS for $5 off your first purchase), Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off), lynda (Visit the link and get 10 day free trial access to their 3,000+ courses), and Wealthfront (Visit the link and get your first $10,000 managed for free).
5/12/20151 hour, 33 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 219: At Sixes and Sevens

TOPIC: Jumping Over the Precipice. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about what to be courageous about and when. It's rarely as easy or as simple as it seems. Links for this episode:Inside Amy Schumer - Pretentious Hotel - YouTubeAt sixes and sevens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTo be "at sixes and sevens" is a British English idiom used to describe a state of confusion or disarray. Axolotl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJohn Cleese on Creativity - YouTubeSponsored by Slack (The messaging app for teams), Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit GoToMeeting.com and click the “TRY IT FREE” button), Wealthfront (Visit the link to get $10,000 managed for free) and MailRoute (To remove spam from your life for good visit the link and get a free trial and 10% off the lifetime of your account).
5/5/20151 hour, 36 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 218: The Tigers in Your Kitchen

TOPIC: Fear, Anxiety, and Existential Whack-A-Mole This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Color Guard, the science of binge watching, and the uncertain future of podcasts. But, mainly, they talk a lot about fear and anxiety. Deep dive here. How are fear and anxiety different? What's a habitual thought feel like? And, what are some little ways to start gently climbing out? Links for this episode:TeeVee | Daredevil Rewind: Episodes 4-6 (Episode 64)In this episode we crest violent bloodshed and flow with universe building. Characters are further fleshed out as the tides begin to rise again. Merlin “The Hammer” Mann and Dan “The Anvil” Moren bring their pipes to help Hell’s Kitchen. Color guard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaQueen & David Bowie vs. Taio Cruz - Dynamite Pressure [DJ Tripp] - YouTube5by5 | Cash's Corner #3: A Psychic Ability5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the BathroomIn the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction. 5by5 Showbot11 LET ME SEE YOU - YouTubeMashup (music) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA mashup (also mesh, mash up, mash-up, blend, bootleg[1] and bastard pop/rock) is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another. Sponsored by PDFpen Scan+ (Visit the link and start scanning documents easily right from your mobile device), TripCase (Make all of your travel simple and organized for free today), Wealthfront (Visit the link and get your first $10,000 managed for free), and lynda (Learn something new today by visiting the link for free 10 day trial access to their 3,000+ courses).
4/28/20151 hour, 35 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 217: The Worst Most Advanced Teenager

TOPIC: Take it personal and make it personal. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about culture, solipsism, hiring, and needle-moving things. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #8 — Merlin MannSteve Albini: State of the Music Industry 2015 - yewknee? A Few Good Men Introduction - YouTubeJohn Gholson on Twitter: "Recolored KILLING JOKE looks like a totally different book. http://t.co/wcKz73nhHH"#19 Underdog — Reply All — Gimlet Media5by5 | Hypercritical #12: Nothing Is So PerfectJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin turn a critical eye towards last week's episode on criticism, then try to pick the single biggest challenge facing three different wildly successful companies: Google, Facebook, and yes…Pixar. Hypercritical: OS X ReviewedNearly 15 years ago, I wrote my first review of Mac OS X for a nascent “PC enthusiast’s" website called Ars Technica. Nearly 15 years later, I wrote my last. Though Apple will presumably announce the next major version of OS X at WWDC this coming June, I won’t be reviewing it for Ars Technica or any other publication, including the website you’re reading now. 5by5 ShowbotMr. Show - "The Five Voices" Sketch"He takes it personal and MAKES it personal." Here's What It Really Looks Like When Classic Comics Get RecoloredEarlier today, Marvel unveiled its "remastered" edition of the 1977 comic adaptation of Star Wars. Many were unhappy to see the art of Howard Chaykin redone with a modern comic's color palette, including writer John Gholson, who took to Twitter to show how much a comic loses when it's recolored. Scrum Sprint Planning MeetingAfter the sprint review meeting, the team and the ScrumMaster get together for the retrospective meeting. During this meeting, the team considers what went well, what didn’t, and what improvements could be made in the next sprint. Team members should be able to speak frankly about the sprint’s successes and failures. It’s an especially important opportunity for the team to focus on its effectiveness and identify strategies to improve its processes. Moreover, it allows the ScrumMaster to observe common impediments that impact the team and then work to resolve them. After fifteen years, Ars says goodbye to John Siracusa’s OS X reviews | Ars TechnicaStandard WordPress cannot handle a Siracusa review. Sponsored by Slack (The messaging app for teams), Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit GoToMeeting.com and click the “TRY IT FREE” button), Wealthfront (Visit the link to get $10,000 managed for free) and TripCase (Make all of your travel simple and organized for free today).
4/21/20151 hour, 59 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 216: Safety Sword

TOPIC: Kremlinology and Verbing This week, Dan and Merlin follow-up on Dan's neighbor and The Trailer Incident. They also undertake a rather circuitous exploration of how little we understand about how stuff gets made. This leads to a semi-useful discussion of how the verbs we verb do and don't constitute the nouns we noun—and when we realize that. Links for this episode:5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #3: The Big Lebowski - "A Life of Achievement"Dan Benjamin and Merlin Mann talk about The Big Lebowski, which is just, like, their opinion, man. 5by5 ShowbotWhat is Catastrophizing? | Psych CentralCatastrophizing is an irrational thought a lot of us have in believing that something is far worse than it actually is. Pain catastrophizing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKremlinology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off), lynda (Visit the link for a free 10 day trial and access to their 3,000+ courses), Tripcase (Visit the link and start making all of your travel simple and organized for free with Tripcase), and Wealthfront (Visit the link and get your first $10,000 managed for free with Wealthfront).
4/14/20151 hour, 11 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 215: Legacy Cat

TOPIC: With great power comes…uh, uh, what-have-you. This week, Dan and Merlin cover a lot of ground. What makes a great comics movie. What movies to show (and not show) your kids. The majesty of The Big Lebowski. And, what exactly Dan should do about a construction trailer and a crawfish-pinching doctor. Links for this episode:5by5 | Getting There #33: Merlin Mann Shows Us His PanaceaIn which we talk with the brilliantly undefinable—yet always gracious—special guest: Merlin Mann. Best known as a cornerstone of the classic indie band Bacon Ray, he’s apparently also a prolific podcaster, renowned blogger, sometimes-comedian, and index card enthusiast. However, he’s here today because of his (and all joking aside) amazing insight into, advice about, and dissection of the areas of productivity, motivation, and, well, just trying to get there. As he tackles our listeners' questions (as well as our own), we get a couple hours of some classic Merlin-Mann-ing. 5by5 | Getting There #33: Merlin Mann Shows Us His Panacea on Huffdufferhuffduff-videoExtracts the audio from videos on YouTube, Vimeo, and many more sites and sends it to Huffduffer. Kieron Gillen Talks WATCHMEN Could you... | kung fu grippeWomen in RefrigeratorsBatman: The Killing Joke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDeath of the Family - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Cash's Corner #1: Double Thumbs Upkung fu grippe - "Phone’s Ringin’, Dude"Scratching my own itch, here’s the ringtone from The Dude’s portable phone. As .m4r, .m4a, and .mp3. 5by5 ShowbotHonest Trailers - Interstellar - YouTubeThe Making of "The Big Lebowski"Part 1. PeterExline.com - The Big LebowskiSo, I'm telling the story about my car getting stolen and finding a kid's homework in the car, then tracking the kid and calling his folks. Lew and I went over there. Lew had a briefcase and inside it were baggies filled with stuff from the car. One baggie had a Whopper wrapper, another the kid's homework. The kid's father lived in the living room in a hospital bed. Older guy. Don't think he and the kid played a lot of baseball in the backyard. Turns out he had a thirty year career in Hollywood. Kieron Gillen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKieron Gillen (born 1975) is a British comic book writer and former computer game and music journalist. He is known for his creator-owned comic Phonogram, created with artist Jamie McKelvie, published by Image Comics, and for numerous projects for Marvel Comics, such as Journey into Mystery and Uncanny X-Men. Amazon.com: Watchmen (9781401245252): Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons: Books5by5 | After Dark #515: After Back to Work 215Sponsored by Slack (The messaging app for teams), Warby Parker (Visit the link to get free 3-day shipping on your order), PDFpen 7 for OS X (Visit the link to learn more about PDFpen 7 for OS X from Smile Software), JackThreads (Visit the link and use the code BACKTOWORK for an additional 15% off on top of the already exclusive, daily prices).
4/7/20151 hour, 40 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 214: Destroyed by Farm Equipment

TOPIC: Youth as exception. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about chess, the problem with SEO, and why getting old is normal (if you're lucky). Links for this episode:I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What Have You: Ben Peskoe, Bill Green, Scott Shuffitt, Will Russell: 9781596912465: Amazon.com: BooksSearch results for the big lebowski on Can I Stream.It?Dudeism - Ordination by the Religion of The Big LebowskiiTunes - Movies - The Big LebowskiAmazon.com : Aqua Notes - Waterproof Notepad 40 Sheet Mountable Pad : Memo Paper Pads : Office ProductsAmazon.com: No Stress Chess: Game: Toys & GamesAmazon.com: Monopoly Junior Board Game: Toys & GamesExpressed as a Vest | You Look Nice TodayUnhealthy ligatures, a course of Prednisone, “I’m not following you!”, obscure chess moves, smoking for the cure, misused orifices, we pass as nosies, Karl Van Hœt. TV Talk Machine | Werewolf Don Draper (Episode 27)Expressed as a Vest — You Look Nice Today — OvercastTime management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "The Eisenhower Method" Varsity: Pilot PenMozart of Chess: Magnus Carlsen - YouTubeSponsored by lynda (Visit the link to get free 10 day access to their 3,000+ courses), Wealthfront (Visit the link to get your first $10,000 managed for free), and Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit the link and try it free for 30 days).
4/1/20151 hour, 16 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 213: That's Not Where Rogue Goes!

TOPIC: Thinking Patterns and Thinking Bias This week, Dan and Merlin talk in detail about how our unconscious patterns of thinking can damage our quality of life and hinder our ability to grow. Links for this episode:Cognitive bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDon't You Dare Use 'Comprised Of' On Wikipedia: One Editor Will Take It Out : NPRFor single-minded devotion to grammatical rectitude, you'd be hard-pressed to match a Wikipedia editor named Bryan Henderson, who goes by the user name of Giraffedata. He was the subject of a piece by Andrew McMillan on the long-form site Medium that provoked a lot of debate. Giraffedata has a single bee in his bonnet, the phrase "comprised of." He has written a 6,000-word essay on his Wikipedia user page explaining why he thinks it's an egregious error. And to drive home his point, he has made 47,000 edits over the last eight years, most of them aimed at purging the phrase wherever it occurs on the Wikipedia site. He doesn't show it any mercy even when it appears in a quotation — in his view, it's a kindness to writers not to quote their mistakes. Thinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374533557: Amazon.com: BooksAvailability heuristic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a given person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method or decision. List of cognitive biases - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCognitive biases are tendencies to think in certain ways that can lead to systematic deviations from a standard of rationality or good judgment, and are often studied in psychology and behavioral economics. Fundamental attribution error - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn social psychology, the fundamental attribution error, also known as the correspondence bias or attribution effect, is people's tendency to place an undue emphasis on internal characteristics to explain someone else's behavior in a given situation, rather than considering external factors. Ep. 148: "Can't Find the Starch" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: You need the belt to see the belt. 5by5 ShowbotXanadu (Rush song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaConspiracy (TV Movie 2001) - IMDb
3/24/20151 hour, 16 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 212: That Tuesday Feeling

TOPIC: A lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. This week, Dan and Merlin are all thrown off since they're recording on a Monday. Weird, right? They mostly talk about the respective states of comics and Apple fandom. Links for this episode:MailMateMailMate is an IMAP email client for Mac OS X featuring extensive keyboard control, Markdown supported email composition, advanced search conditions and drill-down search links, equally advanced smart mailboxes, automatic signature handling, cryptographic encryption/signing (OpenPGP and S/MIME), tagging, multiple notification methods, alternative message viewer layouts including a widescreen layout, and much more. A quick overview is given below, but an extensive list of screenshots is also available. You can read about MailMate and its developer here. 30: Beyond Continuity PornWe help new, long-time, and lapsed comic book fans alike discover characters, stories, and creators worth reading. Part panel discussion, part creator interview, all-new, and all-different each week.Co-hosted by John Gholson Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited | Comics | Marvel.com5by5 | After Dark #512: After Back to Work #211phil noto - Google SearchSponsored by Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off) and lynda (Visit the link to get a free 10 day trial).
3/16/20151 hour, 12 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 211: Squeeze the Teabag

TOPIC: The weather is not the sky. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about discovering the challenges that help you to thrive—and grow. Links for this episode:Email overload: Building my own email app to reach Inbox Zero.Search | San Francisco Public Library | BiblioCommonsCostco Business Delivery - Wilcox Organic Hard Cooked and Peeled Eggs, 2 pk, 12 ctMonodraw for Mac — HelftoneIngenuiTEA Teapot from Adagio TeasAmazon.com : Tazo Earl Grey Filter Bag Tea, 24-Count Packages (Pack of 6) : Black Teas : Grocery & Gourmet FoodCostco Connection MagazineM?nuka honey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com : Manuka Health MGO 400+ Manuka Honey (20+) 250gm : Grocery & Gourmet Food5by5 | Back to Work #29: I Download FLACWith Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by TV’s Rob Corddry (Children’s Hospital, The Daily Show, Hot Tub Time Machine) to talk about Getting Things Done, writing, fear, and finding success as a blood-soaked clown.Special guest Rob Corddry. I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79: Lauren Tarshis, Scott Dawson: 9780545459396: Amazon.com: BooksWhen Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570623448: Amazon.com: BooksPema Chödrön - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPema Chodron Foundation — Buddhist Monastic Life in the West - Gampo AbbeyWhen Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics): Pema Chodron: 9781570623448: Amazon.com: BooksSponsored by Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit the link and click the “TRY IT FREE” button to get a free 30-day trial), and FreshBooks (Visit the link and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How did you hear about us” section for a free 30-day trial).
3/10/20151 hour, 7 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 210: Fighting with Garbage Can Lids

TOPIC: Less of an Island. This week Dan and Merlin talk about time, negotiations, and what we want (and don't want) from our email apps. Links for this episode:Eudora (email client) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMicrosoft Outlook - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSlack: Be less busyMacromedia HomeSite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off), lynda (Visit the link to get a free 10 day trial), and Casper (Use the code "BACKTOWORK" for $50 off your mattress order).
3/3/20151 hour, 35 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 209: Habitual Ritual

TOPIC: Throwing Stars and Managers This week, Dan and Merlin talk about working in a beehive and discuss whether they played D&D properly. Links for this episode:Brain Games (National Geographic) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrain Games (TV Series 2011– ) - IMDbApollo Robbins, The Master Pickpocket: Tricks of the Trade - YouTubeapollo robbins - Google SearchAmazon.com : Aqua Notes - Waterproof Notepad 40 Sheet Mountable Pad : Memo Paper Pads : Office Products5by5 | The Dan Benjamin HourUngainly X-Mann Meetup #7 — Merlin MannSponsored by PDFpenPro 7 (Visit the link to learn more and start using PDFpenPro 7 today), Squarespace (Use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off), and FreshBooks (Visit the link and make sure to enter BACK TO WORK in the “How did you hear about us?” section to get FreshBooks free for 30 days).
2/25/20151 hour, 40 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 208: Don't Touch Daddy

TOPIC: Illness, Late Night TV, AI in the home, and Talking Baby Dolls This week, Merlin battles the flu to talk with Dan about late night television, binge watching, talking baby dolls, and the kind of artificial intelligence we really need. Links for this episode:"Portlandia" One Moore Episode (TV Episode 2012) - IMDbThe Arsenio Hall Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowTheanine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAdderall: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Safety Info - Drugs.comAmazon.com: Baby Wanna Walk: Toys & GamesOral-B’s Bluetooth Toothbrush Offers App Features It Doesn’t Necessarily Need | TechCrunchPortlandia - One more episode... - YouTubeSponsored by Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off) and lynda (Visit the link and do something good for yourself in 2015, sign up for a FREE 10-day trial).
2/18/20151 hour, 33 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 207: Vampires in the Wallpaper

TOPIC: Scoping the Minimally-Viable Me This week, Dan and Merlin catch up on illness, Marvel comics, and what-have-you, but end up talking a lot about who we really are—who "I" actually am. Merlin eventually slips into an imbued and mildly-psychedelic fugue state that may strike the listener as alternately insightful and insane. Links for this episode:Review: HAWKEYE #21 | ComicosityHawkeye #21 - Comics by comiXologyUpdated: "Visual Guide to Marvel Character Movie Rights" Infographic by The Geek Twins [Infographic] ~ The Geek TwinsFrom 'Batman' To 'Birdman,' Michael Keaton Knows Suits And Superheroes : NPR5by5 ShowbotThe Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety: Alan W. Watts: 8601300190136: Amazon.com: BooksJoCo Cruise Crazy 5: Jan 31-Feb 8, 2015 | An 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, with Jonathan Coulton and friends | JoCo Cruise CrazyBirdman (2014) - IMDbMarvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop! (2014) on VimeoMarvel Studios - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLouis CK - Incurable Shitty Ankle - YouTubeFantastic Four | Official Teaser Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTubeSponsored by Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit the link and click the “TRY IT FREE” button to get a free 30-day trial),FreshBooks (Visit the link and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How did you hear about us?” section for a free 30-day trial), and lynda (Visit the link and do something good for yourself in 2015, sign up for a FREE 10-day trial).
2/10/20151 hour, 40 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 206: Talking to Santa

TOPIC: Work as Practice This week Dan and Merlin chew on some of the numerous eternal imponderables of creative work—with a special focus on "work as practice." Links for this episode:Cotton Bureau – #SUPERTRAIN by Roderick on the LinePack a small bag with the very first official Roderick on the Line shirt. 5by5 | Back to Work #31: You Can Polish AC/DC All Day Long5by5 | Back to Work #205: Obsolete, circa 19935by5 | After Dark #503: After Back to Work 205Ep. 25: "Supertrain" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety: Alan W. Watts: 8601300190136: Amazon.com: BooksRicky Jay: Deceptive Practice ~ Film Trailer and Synopsis | American Masters | PBSRicky Jay - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAudio Dharma - Lovingkindness (Metta)Metta, or lovingkindness is the heartfelt wish for the well-being of oneself and others. The practice of Metta meditation is the systematic cultivation of our capacity for lovingkindness. Cultivating friendliness and goodwill is an important partner to mindfulness meditation. "Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants" - YouTubeIf You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, SAY IT IN ALL CAPS | This American LifeFlow (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Magic Number | You Look Nice TodayThe Mind - Alan Watts - YouTubeAlan Watts speaks on worrying and compulsive thinking. Sponsored by FreshBooks (Visit the link and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How did you hear about us?” section for a free 30-day trial) and PDFpen for iPad & iPhone (Visit the link to learn more and start editing your PDFs anywhere you are).
1/27/20151 hour, 18 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 205: Obsolete, circa 1993

With Merlin on sabbatical, Dan is joined by John Roderick to discuss his recent visit to Africa, the military, corporate friends, strategic thinking, the Internet, digital books and albums, echoes, playmobil figures, measuring your arms, the tribal world, selling coats on the internet, and more. Links for this episode:Lockheed AC-130 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRoderick on the Line - Merlin MannNeoconservatism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJCI - Cold acclimation recruits human brown fat and increases nonshivering thermogenesisFar-left politics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHow to Sharpen Pencils: A Practical & Theoretical Treatise on the Artisanal Craft of Pencil Sharpening for Writers, Artists, Contractors, Flange Turners, Anglesmiths, & Civil Servants: David Rees, John Hodgman: 9781612193267: Amazon.com: BooksArtisanal Pencil SharpeningJonathan CoultonDon't miss the Three Johns at Camp... - Armed Forces EntertainmentSF Sketchfest 2015: Roderick on the Line with Merlin Mann an...Sponsored by Casper (Visit the link and use code COMICS for $50 towards your comfy new mattress purchase), Harry's (Start shaving smarter today and use the code COMICS for $5 off your first purchase), and Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off).
1/22/20152 hours, 8 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 204: Space Geisha

TOPIC: "I am NOT talking about bartending." A kind of two-parter this week. First up, a meditation on invasive thoughts, how they can take over our lives, and how we can maybe learn to deal with them. Second (starting about 38 minutes in), a VERY SPOILER-HEAVY dissection of the amazing new time travel movie, Predestination. Links for this episode:Predestination (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia'"—All You Zombies—"' - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPredestination paradoxes in popular culture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEP 200: All You Zombies - Escape Pod : Escape PodPredestination International TRAILER 1 (2014) - Ethan Hawke Sci-Fi Thriller HD - YouTubemutewinter/ShowbotEclipse desktop & web IDEsAmazon.com: Etymotic Research HF5 Portable In-Ear Earphones (Black): ElectronicsPredestination (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaInvisibilia : NPRBatman | This American LifeThe Man Who Couldn't Stop: OCD and the True Story of a Life Lost in Thought: 9781447238287: Amazon.com: BooksWhy OCD Is 'Miserable': A Science Reporter's Obsession With Contracting HIV : Shots - Health News : NPR5by5 | Build and Analyze #37: Happy in Three PlacesRoswell That Ends Well - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA time traveller's primer | Ryan North | TEDxUofT - YouTubeParadox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTemporal paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPredestination paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGrandfather paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBootstrap paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Man Who Folded Himself - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBy His Bootstraps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPrimer (2004) - IMDbSeawater - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"However, drinking seawater to maintain hydration is counterproductive; more water must be excreted to eliminate the salt (via urine) than the amount of water from the seawater itself." The Incomparable | Monkey with a Tinfoil Sandwich (Episode 153)TopatoCo: Time Traveler Essentials PrintHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - IMDbHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMikeBeasterfeld/Shewbot-ircbot · GitHubrob liefeld pouches - Google SearchMikeBeasterfeld/Shewbot-rails · GitHubI made this timeline of events for the time travel movie Predestination (2014) - ImgurSF Sketchfest 2015: Roderick on the Line with Merlin Mann an...Sponsored by lynda (Visit the link and do something good for yourself in 2015, sign up for a FREE 10-day trial to lynda.com), Citrix GoToMeeting (Visit the link and click the “TRY IT FREE” button to get a free 30-day trial), and Warby Parker (Visit the link and get free 3-day shipping on your order).
1/13/20151 hour, 43 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 203: I Blame the Media.

TOPIC: The things you did or didn't say. This week, Dan and Merlin sympathize with their pal Marco's recently becoming "way too popular for a day." What happens when something we said or wrote gets quoted, misquoted, taken out of context, or amplified a thousand times more than we'd expected? Links for this episode:Bursitis Definition - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo ClinicBursitis (bur-SY-tis) is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs — called bursae (bur-SEE) — that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed. Yad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA yad (Hebrew: ???, literally "hand" Chopper Command - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPitfall! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSuperman (1979 video game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe player(s) takes control of the DC Comics character Superman, who must repair the bridge destroyed by Lex Luthor, capture Luthor and his criminal underlings, enter a phonebooth to turn back into Clark Kent, then return to the Daily Planet in the shortest amount of time. To slow Superman's progress, Kryptonite has been released by Luthor. If hit by Kryptonite, Superman loses his abilities to capture criminals and fly. To regain them, he must find and kiss Lois Lane. Superman - Atari 2600 - YouTubeYars' Revenge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaApple has lost the functional high ground – Marco.orgWhat it’s like to be way too popular for a day – Marco.orgPanic Blog » Panic’s lost 1982 artwork. Found.Quote approval – Marco.org5by5 ShowbotMeet Belty, the ridiculous but strangely popular showstealer of CES Unveiled - CNETSponsored by Audible (Click the link and get a free audiobook of your choice and a free 30-day trial membership) and Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for 10% off your first purchase).
1/6/20151 hour, 31 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 202: Choosing is a Radio Button

TOPIC: The Life You Actually Want. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about organization, multitasking and new year's resolutions. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: ARRIS / Motorola SB6121 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem - Retail Packaging: Electronics"Requires Cable Internet Service" deep-dark-fearsThe Cost of Continuously Checking Email - HBRSuppose each time you ran low on an item in your kitchen—olive oil, bananas, napkins—your instinctive response was to drop everything and race to the store. How much time would you lose? How much money would you squander on gas? What would happen to your productivity? In search of lost time: Why is everyone so busy? | The EconomistTHE predictions sounded like promises: in the future, working hours would be short and vacations long. “Our grandchildren”, reckoned John Maynard Keynes in 1930, would work around “three hours a day”—and probably only by choice. Economic progress and technological advances had already shrunk working hours considerably by his day, and there was no reason to believe this trend would not continue. Whizzy cars and ever more time-saving tools and appliances guaranteed more speed and less drudgery in all parts of life. Social psychologists began to fret: whatever would people do with all their free time? Amazon.com: Elenco Electronic Snap Circuits, Jr. Kit: Toys & GamesIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: BooksGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | Back to Work #173: The Best Days End in TearsCapgras delusion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFive Somewhat Novel Compulsions I had at one time or another | 5ivesSimulation hypothesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAre You Living in a Computer Simulation?The Fermi Paradox - Wait But WhyGreat Filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFermi paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA time traveller's primer | Ryan North | TEDxUofT - YouTubeAdventure Time #6 - Comics by comiXology5by5 Showbotkolpanic/Achiever · GitHubMihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness | Talk Video | TED.comFlow (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFlow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: 9780061339202: Amazon.com: Booksdeep-dark-fears: deep dark fears | kung fu grippeSponsored by FreshBooks (Visit the link to and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How did you hear about us?” section and get a free 30-day trial of FreshBooks) and lynda (Visit the link and do something good for yourself in 2015, sign up for a FREE 10-day trial to lynda.com).
12/30/20141 hour, 26 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 201: Never Enough Bathrooms

TOPIC: The Opacity of the Stack In this depressing holiday episode, Dan and Merlin talk about how tenuous our modern infrastructures feel. How great it is when everything in the stack "just works"; how increasingly seldom all the pieces work; and how frustrating it can be to figure out exactly what's broken. Links for this episode:Spider-Woman Gets Her First Costume Change in DecadesSpider-Woman Rocks A Great New Look, Courtesy Of Kris AnkaAmazon.com: LEGO Star Wars 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer Building Toy: Toys & GamesAmazon.com: LEGO Star Wars 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer Building Toy: Toys & GamesDinosaurology (Ologies): Jack Fawcett, Various: 9780763667399: Amazon.com: BooksAll Things Considered for December 22, 2014 : NPRWe Ask A Scholar: How Does Ridley Scott's 'Exodus' Compare With The Bible's? : NPRNPR's Robert Siegel asks Robert Alter, a professor of Hebrew and comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley, for his thoughts on the film. Alter has translated most of the Hebrew Bible, including the five books of Moses, and he's a leading secular scholar of Scripture. Exodus: Gods and Kings | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX - YouTubeWhat's at stake in the legal battle over Comcast's home WiFi hotspots - GeekWireStuxnet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStuxnet is a computer worm that was discovered in June 2010. It was designed to attack industrial programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Clarke's three laws - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAny sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. UPS will ship 34 million packages today | The VergeMerlin Mann on Twitter: "USPS delivery tracking appears to have exactly three states: 1. We never heard of it 2. We got no idea where it is 3. We assume you got it"Sponsored by lynda (Visit the link and sign up for a FREE 10-day trial to lynda.com and start learning something new) and MailChimp (Visit the link and send 12,000 emails per month, to 2,000 subscribers, forever).
12/23/20141 hour, 8 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 200: Blitzkriegscheiße

TOPIC: He'll only do three of these. This week, Dan and Merlin mark their 200th episode by responding to listener feedback and talking about Led Zeppelin and lunch tables. Links for this episode:peg.gd: Bacon Ray - “Tomfoolery” 7-inch (AAJ Records, 1995)BBC Radio 4 Extra - Raw Meat RadioChris Morris is known by most for his ground-breaking film and television work but, like most good things he 'started on the radio'. Described by the man who suspended him from Radio 1 (Matthew Bannister) as 'one of the greatest talents working in British broadcasting', Morris developed his anarchic and surreal style in local radio. It was at BBC Bristol and GLR in the late 80s and early 90s that he honed his trademark technical skills and first adopted some of the sketches and personas that would later help make his name. Workflow | Powerful automation made simple.Powerful automation made simple. ? Skee-Lo - I Wish (Official Video) - YouTubeHow the West Was Won (Led Zeppelin album) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLed Zeppelin- LA Drone/The Immigrant Song (HTWWW) - YouTubeSearch Result: Robert Plant"I Wish" T-Shirts & Hoodies by Jacob King | RedbubbleAmazon.com: Culturelle Digestive Health Probiotic, 80 Capsules: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Led Zeppelin: How The West Was Won: MusicChris Morris - Trying To Book A Flight - YouTubeChris Morris and Paul Garner Taxi-Bothering - YouTubeSponsored by FreshBooks (Visit the link and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How did you hear about us?” section to get FreshBooks free for 30 days), Backblaze (Visit the link to get your free trial and then it’s just $5/month per computer for unlimited backup, and it backs up fast), and PDFpen Scan+ (Visit the link to learn more and get the power of your office in your pocket).
12/16/20141 hour, 12 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 199: Merlin Mann's Best of 2014

TOPIC: When You Love a Voice. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about podcasts they're loving right now. And, yeah, Merlin rants a little about overthinking and fetishizing podcast production. Links for this episode:5by5 | Hypercritical #93: A Magic Elf in My ComputerJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin talk more about Forstall's departure from Apple, Surface storage, and Fusion Drive, then discuss US voting technology, Google voice search, and how Apple's design problems are more than skin deep. One Man's Epic Quest To Sanitize Your Filthy, Germ-Riddled Coffee Cup Lid | Fast Company | Business + InnovationFor the past seven years, Levey has been working to invent a hygienically sealed takeout coffee cup lid that he calls Clean Coffee. In essence, it is a standard plastic takeout lid with an adhesive seal covering the drinking hole and part of the rim, which can be peeled off like a sticker once the user is ready to drink from it. "This is the simplest way to accomplish that objective," Levey says of his patented prototype’s design, for which he's currently working to secure a manufacturer. You Made It Weird #237: Patton Oswalt « NerdistSlate’s Culture Gabfest on British TV import Black Mirror, cultural obsession, and the decline of TV comedyThis week on the Slate Culture Gabfest, the critics talk about British television import Black Mirror, newly available on Netflix. The show’s dystopian vision of our tech-saturated present (and possible future) is darkly thrilling. But does it quite live up to the hype that has preceded it from across the Atlantic? Next, a double whammy of Willa Paskin. Slate’s television critic joins the gabfest to talk about her analysis of cultural obsession and the way we talk about things we love today. Finally, television comedy is in sad decline. Why don’t we watch comedy any more, and can the genre be rescued? Episode #133 – Bullet to the Head The Flop HouseJeff Altman | The Carson PodcastThe hilarious Jeff Altman talks to Mark performing his Johnny Carson impression at the Comedy Store in front of Johnny, his Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson appearances, becoming friends with legendary drummer Buddy Rich, his numerous Letterman appearances, and the NBC cult classic Pink Lady and Jeff. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) - IMDbImage Comics | Releases | Bitch Planet #1BOOM! Studios - Come Innovate With Us. - BOOM! Studios |Lumberjanes Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyJo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together...and they're not gonna let any insane quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! Not only is it the second title launching in our new BOOM! Box imprint but LUMBERJANES is one of those punk rock, love-everything-about-it stories that appeals to fans of basically all excellent things. 99% Invisible | A Tiny Radio Show About Design with Roman MarsEp. 125: "All the Great Shows!" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann**The Problem**: John wasn’t _actually_ a big fan. A Christmas Story - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVideo: Johnny Carson: King of Late Night | Watch American Masters Online | PBS VideoJohnny Carson's last TV appearance - YouTubeEx-Men: Wolverine - YouTubeSearch Result: Robert Plant5by5 | Hypercritical #42: The Wrong GuyJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin discuss Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs. Topics include Isaacson's failings as an author and biographer, the technical cluelessness on display in the book, and Steve Jobs, Enemy of Progress. At-will employment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAt-will employment is a term used in U.S. labor law for contractual relationships in which an employee can be dismissed by an employer for any reason (that is, without having to establish "just cause" for termination), and without warning. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Manhattan, New York City on March 25, 1911 was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city, and one of the deadliest in U.S. history. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers – 123 women and 23 men [1] – who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or jumping to their deaths. Triangle Fire . American Experience . WGBH | PBSIt was the deadliest workplace accident in New York City’s history. A dropped match on the 8th floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sparked a fire that killed over a hundred innocent people trapped inside. The private industry of the American factory would never be the same. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)Organizational Dynamics: Retiring in Place by Dr. Lynn Friedman, psychologist in Washington DCHe is, as they say, "retired in place." No one counts on him, ever. Unless of course, you count not counting on him as a form of counting on him. Dudes!! Tomorrow’s the day!! Bitch Planet #1 is... | Bitch PlanetDudes!! Tomorrow’s the day!! Spider-Man & The X-Men #1 - Comics by comiXologyMeet the Jean Grey Academy's new guidance counselor: Spider-Man! What's a non-mutant doing at a school for mutants? What secret suspicion has fueled the formation of his special student class? And because you demanded it! Sauron and Stegron the Dinosaur Man! The villain team 65 million years in the making! You didn't demand it? Well somebody did. 5by5 Showbot43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 FoldersEx-Men: Gambit - YouTube5by5 | Podcast MethodDan Benjamin answers your questions about podcasting and recording, audio and video equipment, software, mic technique, pre- and post-production, workflows, and more. OvercastA powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player. 5by5 | The Incomparable #173: Santa-Based Christmas'Tis the season for holiday music! Unfortunately, while we unabashedly love the holidays, only some holiday music strikes our fancy. Join us as we talk about what makes a good holiday song and then stick around (if you dare) as we complain about some of the worst the season has to offer. Happy holidays, folks! Special guests David J. Loehr, Erika Ensign, Lisa Schmeiser, Monty Ashley, Philip Michaels, and Steve Lutz. Inquisitive #11: Merlin As A Service - Relay FMThe Dick Cavett Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBONANZA! #4: Roving Reporter - Relay FM5by5 ShowbotSponsored by FreshBooks (Visit the link and enter 'Back to Work' in the “How did you hear about us?” section to get FreshBooks free for 30 days), Oscar (To learn more about Oscar's health insurance plans or to get a quote, visit the link or call for 1-844-OSCAR-23), and Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off).
12/9/20141 hour, 21 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 198: Gardening Leave

TOPIC: Time to reboot. This week, Dan and Merlin respond to a note from Listener Tim on how to stay busy and active during his garden leave. The Boys encourage him to experiment with the personal rebooting that's almost impossible to do when you're stuck at an official jobby-job. Links for this episode:[VIDEO] Flake Music - "Spanway Hits"Garden leave - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGarden leave or gardening leave describes the practice where an employee leaving a job – having resigned or otherwise had their employment terminated – is instructed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remaining on the payroll.[1] This practice is often used to prevent employees from taking with them up-to-date (and perhaps sensitive) information when they leave their current employer, especially when they are leaving to join a competitor. Seki Edge Stainless Steel Fingernail Clipper: Amazon.comButter, Bacon, and Bone Broth: A Week on the Lakers Diet «Amazon.com: Marvel Legends Modok Series Spider-woman Action Figure: Toys & GamesRight-to-work law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaReal MayonnaiseCowboys QB Tony Romo reveals his disappointments in preparing for Eagles | Dallas Morning NewsMeatballs (1979) - IMDbBreaking Away (1979) - IMDbYorkshire pudding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRatatouille (2007) - IMDb5by5 | Five Minute Tech News #318: Jackie Chan and Solar PanelsNetflix says a former executive collected kickbacks from vendors he helped connect to the streaming video company. Now Netflix is suing its former employee, who is currently Yahoo’s chief information officer. Dishwashing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSpider-Woman (Jessica Drew) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSpider-Woman (Jessica Drew) is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight Legal Stuff"Garrison Keillor sure owns a lot of words!" Garden leave - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Garden leave or gardening leave describes the practice where an employee leaving a job – having resigned or otherwise had their employment terminated – is instructed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remaining on the payroll." Power Pack - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPower Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues. The characters have since appeared in other books. Avengers vs. X-Men - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAvengers vs. X-Men (abbreviated AvX) is a 2012 crossover event that was featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The event, consisting of an eponymous limited series and numerous tie-in books, involves the return of the Phoenix Force and the subsequent war between the Avengers and the X-Men. A Friendly Car Wash - New Port Richey - New Port Richey, FL | YelpA review: "You can judge a book by its cover.  This place looks run down and antiquated and the teenagers working there are lethargic and completely unmotivated." Sponsored by MailChimp (Visit the link and send 12,000 emails per month, to 2,000 subscribers, forever) and lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a FREE 10-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses).
12/2/20141 hour, 18 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 197: Way of the Brown Lego

TOPIC: Mail Bag. This week, Dan & Merlin respond to listener email and toots. Specifically, dealing with passive-aggressive team members, bulbous "CC:" lines, and what constitutes "stability." Links for this episode:Image Comics | Releases | Bitch Planet #12014 Best Writer Eisner Award nominee KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and VALENTINE DE LANDRO (X-Factor) team up for the very third time to bring you the premiere issue of BITCH PLANET, their highly-anticipated womenin- prison sci-fi exploitation riff. Think Margaret Atwood meets Inglourious Basterds. PREVIEWSworld - Kelly Sue DeConnick Cuts Loose On Bitch PlanetYou’ve hears the old expression “good things come to those who wait”? Well, sometimes the best things come out of those who wait for a really, really long time. Like years. Like what Kelly Sue DeConnick  just did with launching Bitch Planet Turkey in a Can - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBob is excited about a three-day brine recipe for the Thanksgiving turkey. The holiday is further complicated by Tina's insistence on sitting at the adults' table this year, to Bob and Linda's refusal, and Gayle and her cats staying with the Belchers for the holiday. zdarsky: 100% wholehearted agreement ... | kung fu grippethings like this book make me excited to jump online and scream as loudly as I can.  you know that feeling when an author you really like just knocks one out of the park. this is what this book is. P8RIOT — AMAZING!!! Artwork of 12 different universes of...Here's The Thing: Ira Glass - WNYCAlec Baldwin sits down with Ira Glass to compare notes on interviewing, the afterlife, and how to find one’s voice – with a microphone or a camera lens. Amazon.com: Lords of Waterdeep: A Dungeons & Dragons Board Game: WIZARDS RPG TEAM: Toys & GamesD&D Lords of Waterdeep on the App Store on iTunes5by5 ShowbotListener-submitted titles for this episode. Gist: Fast Markdown Link in Textexpander`[![%filltext:name=field 1% img][]][%filltext:name=field 1% link]` Paging Tim and Eric. Unrelated: I can’t tell you... | kung fu grippeMicronauts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDeath Cab For Cutie - Pictures In An Exhibition - YouTubeGitHub · Build software better, together.Sponsored by Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit the link you'll get 5 users free forever), MailChimp (Visit the link and send 12,000 emails per month, to 2,000 subscribers, forever), TextExpander Touch 3 (Visit the link to learn more about TextExpander Touch 3 with a custom keyboard that lets you expand custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text snippets on your iPhone or iPad), and Squarespace (Use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off).
11/25/20141 hour, 42 minutes, 56 seconds
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Episode 196: The Circle of Lice

TOPIC: Hakuna Matata. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about home pest control, misleading beef jerky, and becoming a more conservative electronics consumer. Links for this episode:'Sync Solver' Allows Fitbit Users to View Fitness Related Data in Apple's Health App - Mac RumorsThe $0.99 app provides a daily sync of eleven different pieces of data from the Fitbit into the Health app. The points of data accrued include: active calories, resting calories, dietary calories, body fat percentage, body mass index, flights of stairs climbed, sleep analysis, walking and running distances, weight, and steps taken. My Big Truck Book (My Big Board Books): Roger Priddy: 9780312511067: Amazon.com: BooksDo It Yourself Pest Control SuppliesDo It Yourself Pest Control Products & Supplies | Do My Own Pest ControlFamily Circle - Teens, Family, Food, Style and MorePork Maple SausagesThe Flop HouseFitbitEpisode #133 – Bullet to the Head The Flop HouseWalter Hill has made several great movies in his career. Is Bullet to the Head one of them? Meanwhile, Stuart unveils a new impression in his repertoire, Dan inspires a discussion about the horrors of gorilla sex, and Elliott keeps missing our special celebrity guest. Raising Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAMC Javelin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRaising Arizona (1987) - Original Theatrical Trailer - YouTubeAncillary Justice Audiobook | Ann Leckie | Audible.comThe Martian Audiobook | Andy Weir | Audible.comAncillary Justice Audiobook | Ann Leckie | Audible.comiPad Air 2 - Buy iPad Air 2 - Apple Store (U.S.)Amazon.com: MERLIN D MANN: WishlistThis list is for: MERLIN D MANN snopes.com: Cockroach EggsThe Talk Show ?: Ep. XCIX, With Merlin MannVery special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show to talk about Comcast customer service, cable-cutting, Marlins Man (no relation) and his showboating-spectator predecessors, and the state of podcasting today. Also: daylight saving time and Roman numerals. Accidental Tech Podcast: 92: You Don't Know My Pants"Post-show: John's iPhone activation woes" Creative NOMAD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRio (digital audio players) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRaising Arizona (1987) - Quotes - IMDb"Edwina's insides were a rocky place where my seed could find no purchase." Overcast - accidental tech podcast 92: You Don’t Know My PantsJohn Siracusa's iPhone activation woes. Valley Girl (1983) - Trailer - YouTubeSponsored by lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a FREE 10-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses), Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever), Warby Parker (Visit warbyparker.com/dan to get FREE 3-day shipping on your order of boutique-quality, classically crafted eyewear at a great price), and Audible (Visit the link to get a free audiobook of your choice and a free 30-day trial membership to Audible).
11/20/20141 hour, 48 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 195: Prima Facie Butter Coffee

TOPIC: Working alone together. This week, Dan and Merlin look at the many ways workplaces have changed over the years, and how they can be great or not so great. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #6 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, November 13th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” The Talk Show: Ep. XCIX, With Merlin MannVery special guest Merlin Mann returns to the show to talk about Comcast customer service, cable-cutting, Marlins Man (no relation) and his showboating-spectator predecessors, and the state of podcasting today. Also: daylight saving time and Roman numerals. Wikipedia:Unusual articles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"This page is for Wikipedians to list articles that seem unusual. These articles are valuable contributions to the encyclopedia, but are a bit odd, whimsical, or something you would not expect to find in Encyclopædia Britannica." [via Metafilter] Sockarooni Pasta Sauce | Newman's OwnAmazon.com: Newman's Own All Natural Sockarooni Pasta Sauce: Everything ElseBio-Hack: 5 Reasons Why Everyone is Suddenly Putting Butter In Their Coffee | NextSharkFirst World War Poems - In Flanders Fields by John McCraeIn Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. Sometimes There’s a Man (Part I) MP3 Download ... | kung fu grippeAs heard on Back to Work s01e14, here’s the first part of my rock opera about Dan Benjamin. Internet Arcade : Free Software : Download & Streaming : Internet ArchiveDr. Schaffner, Rutgers SEBS: Department of Food ScienceDon Schaffner (@bugcounter) | TwitterFood Safety TalkMerlin’s Awkward Hair Odyssey - an album on FlickrBrooklyn Nine-Nine | Latest BuzzOver the Garden Wall (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOver the Garden Wall - VideoDouble Robotics - Telepresence Robot for TelecommutersEpisode #61 – Surrogates The Flop HouseImagine you were a robot. Now imagine everyone else is a robot. Now imagine Bruce Willis is a robot. Two out of three of those things are pretty hard to imagine, right? Welcome to the world of Surrogates. Meanwhile, Elliott imagines a lost Disney live-action hit, Stuart tells us what his surrogate would look like, and Dan plucks the low-hanging fruit. Greg - “Potatoes and Molasses” (Over the Garden... | kung fu grippeGreg - “Potatoes and Molasses” (Over the Garden Wall)I. LOVE. This. Show. Segmented sleep - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBBC News - The myth of the eight-hour sleepDuring this waking period people were quite active. They often got up, went to the toilet or smoked tobacco and some even visited neighbours. Most people stayed in bed, read, wrote and often prayed. Countless prayer manuals from the late 15th Century offered special prayers for the hours in between sleeps. Joust (video game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe 10,000 Hour Rule Is Not Real | Smart News | SmithsonianThe biggest meta-analysis of research to date indicates that practice does not make perfect Sponsored by Harry's (use the code COMICS at checkout for $5 off your order and change the way you shave forever), Doodle (Start making scheduling an enjoyable experience with Doodle), MailChimp (Send 12,000 emails per month to under 2,000 subscribers, forever), and Backblaze (Visit the link and start backing up your computer with unlimited data for just $5 a month).
11/11/20141 hour, 42 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 194: The Company of a Clown

TOPIC: What gets us on the moon? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about varieties of clowns, rogue walruses, bloody elevator buttons, taking risks, and catching footballs. Links for this episode:Charli XCX - SuperLove (Official Video) - YouTubeInquisitive #11: Merlin As A Service - Relay FMThis week Myke is joined by Merlin Mann. They talk about preparing for changes in life and preparing for podcasts, trying to understand what people enjoy, avoiding analytics and a look back at inbox zero. Inquisitive #11: Merlin As A Service - Relay FM on HuffdufferThis week Myke is joined by Merlin Mann. They talk about preparing for changes in life and preparing for podcasts, trying to understand what people enjoy, avoiding analytics and a look back at inbox zero. BONANZA! - Relay FMHosted by Myke Hurley and Matt Alexander, Bonanza! is an important show about nothing in particular. Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #6 — Merlin MannA Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal. MERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, November 13th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” BBC News - A Point of View: Four types of anxiety, and how to cure themBut how to worry - and how not to, that's the question. I am a professional worrier, anxious by vocation - one thumb always hovering above the panic button, which is at least helpful when there's a real problem. My Thoughts: The Rogue WalrusMan on Wire (2008)A look at tightrope walker Philippe Petit's daring, but illegal, high-wire routine performed between New York City's World Trade Center's twin towers in 1974, what some consider, "the artistic crime of the century." A Natural Fix for A.D.H.D. - NYTimes.comTo compensate, they are drawn to new and exciting experiences and get famously impatient and restless with the regimented structure that characterizes our modern world. In short, people with A.D.H.D. may not have a disease, so much as a set of behavioral traits that don’t match the expectations of our contemporary culture. ? Supernatural pickpocketing skills!! Awesome to watch! - by Apollo Robbins - YouTubeBanksy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHis satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed in a distinctive stencilling technique. Such artistic works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world. Madison Bumgarner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPenn and Teller Explain Sleight of Hand - YouTubeApollo Robbins: The art of misdirection | Talk Video | TED.comHailed as the greatest pickpocket in the world, Apollo Robbins studies the quirks of human behavior as he steals your watch. In a hilarious demonstration, Robbins samples the buffet of the TEDGlobal 2013 audience, showing how the flaws in our perception make it possible to swipe a wallet and leave it on its owner’s shoulder while they remain clueless. Tom Magliozzi, Popular Co-Host Of NPR's 'Car Talk,' Dies At 77 : NPRThank you Easter Bunny, Bawk Bawk! - YouTubeJohn Wayne Gacy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGacy became known as the "Killer Clown" due to his charitable services at fundraising events, parades and children's parties where he would dress as "Pogo the Clown", a character he devised himself. ShowbotListener-submitted suggestions for this week's episode title. World Series 2014: Madison Bumgarner pitches Giants past Royals for title - The Washington PostAmazon.com: LEGO Creator Small Cottage 31009: Toys & GamesAccessories include sausage, tongs and a skateboard. Features lamp, drawers, swivel chair, table, removable roof and opening rear wall. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers: Mordicai Gerstein: 9780312368784: Amazon.com: BooksThe man who walked between the towers (Book, 2003) [WorldCat.org]Philippe Petit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPhilippe Petit (born 13 August 1949) is a French high-wire artist who gained fame in 1974 for his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, on the morning of 7 August. Amazon.com: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (9780743203043): Robert D. Putnam: BooksDr.Katz - Ray Romano - Ep. 102 Pretzelkins - YouTubeFeeling strong, Bumgarner gets critical Game 5 nod | MLB.comSloan Concert Setlist at Croatian Cultural Centre, Vancouver on November 9, 2001 | setlist.fmVeteran of the Psychic Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe 10,000 Hour Rule Is Not Real | Smart News | SmithsonianSponsored by Casper (Visit casper.com/backtowork and enter the code COMICS to get $50 toward your mattress purchase), lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a FREE 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses), Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever), and Doodle (Start making scheduling an enjoyable experience with Doodle).
11/4/20141 hour, 24 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 193: Disappointment Delivery Mechanism

TOPIC: You Are That Little Dot. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about notifications, beeps, bloops, flashes, and all the stuff we have zero control over. There's about a million ways people can contact us and just as many ways we can unintentionally disappoint every one of them. There's sanity in realizing which stuff you actually control, which stuff you have to let go, and how many of the expectations in-between can be reasonably managed. Links for this episode:Email Drafts the Hard Way"I learned a hard lesson early in my adventures of writing words on a computer screen: The last thing you write is the recipient address." peg.gd: Bacon Ray - “Tomfoolery” 7-inch (AAJ Records, 1995)Reminder: you can download the theme song from B2W for free here. selfdeterminationtheory.org — An Approach to human motivation & personalityHome - selfdeterminationtheory.orgSilver Surfer Vol. 1: New Dawn - Comics by comiXologyThe Silver Surfer, sentinel of the cosmos, is often alone on his quest to defend space. All that changes when Surfer meets earthling Dawn Greenwood, a young woman determined to push the Surfer's boundaries. Plus, the introduction of the villain known as Never Queen! When Surfer tries to return Dawn home, he finds himself in his strangest battle yet with Shuma-Gorath! Technical Difficulties - 080 - A History of Computing with Dr. DrangDr. Drang returns to explore his background in computing from the late 1970s to today. Along the way we discover what happens when you mess up a punchcard, what Linux was like in the early days, why he uses a Mac today, and his perspectives on the near future of computing. 5by5 | The Incomparable #217: Weird Reverse Hidden CharismaCome with us if you want to live! It's time for our re-watch of 1984's classic sci-fi/horror/monster/car chase movie "The Terminator." It's a film that offers a fine distillation of everything '80s, from Linda Hamilton's Guess jeans to the pulsating Casio keyboard soundtrack. How do Kyle Reese's stolen pants remind him of home? And whatever you do, keep an eye out for a gigantic Austrian!With panelists Erika Ensign, David J. Loehr, and Steve Lutz. Benedict Cumberbatch As ‘Doctor Strange': Actor Cast In Marvel Movie | DeadlineScratch — Your Quick-Input NotepadDrafts - Agile TortoiseEditorial for iOSByword • Simple and efficient text editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad.Sugar: The Bitter Truth - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #192: Party City TrophiesTOPIC: Reinforcement, Aikido, and FearThis week, Dan and Merlin try to tackle positive versus negative reinforcement. Just give me all the bacon and eggs you have... - YouTubeShowbotListener-submitted titles for this episode. Film Crit Hulk Smash: ON DESPAIR, GAMERGATE AND QUITTING THE HULK | Badass DigestHulk attempts to make sense of the maelstrom.  Home - Woodworkers Collective - Los Angeles - Offerman WoodshopReinventing iOS Automation: Editorial Review – MacStoriesSponsored by Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever) and TextExpander Touch 3 (TextExpander Touch 3 gives you custom keyboards that let you expand custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text snippets on your iPhone or iPad.)
10/28/20141 hour, 35 minutes, 56 seconds
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Episode 192: Party City Trophies

TOPIC: Reinforcement, Aikido, and Fear This week, Dan and Merlin try to tackle positive versus negative reinforcement. Links for this episode:Ad-free time! | Blocking ads, unblocking Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, BBC and moreErnie Kovacs - Droongo - YouTubePublished for the First Time: a 1959 Essay by Isaac Asimov on Creativity | MIT Technology Review24 Surprisingly Divisive Pooping HabitsEp. 129: "Museo De Garbagemen" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannDeep dive on the Savannah Cat mentioned after recording last week. Guitar for the Practicing Musician - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe awesome 'Guardians of the Galaxy' mixtape will be released on cassette | The VergeBig Red Machine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSteve Garvey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStephanie's New Born Lamb  | LEGO ShopAmazon.com: LEGO Friends 41029' Stephanie's New Born Lamb: Toys & GamesIs This Working? | This American LifeStories of schools struggling with what to do with misbehaving kids. There's no general agreement about what teachers should do to discipline kids. And there's evidence that some of the most popular punishments actually may harm kids. Restorative practices - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShowbotStanley Jordan playing "Over the Rainbow" - YouTubeTapping - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other. Autograph - Turn up the Radio - YouTubeThe Mountain Goats - "Cubs in Five"Aikido - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUeshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. "AVOL" How I look to my kid the morning after... | kung fu grippeThis episode was sponsored by Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off) and by Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever).
10/21/20141 hour, 33 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 191: Heisenberg Uncertainty Dog

TOPIC: People, amirite? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about neighbors, dogs, Macs, MLB.tv, and flavors of reinforcement. Links for this episode:Support Dan Benjamin creating Podcasts and videosShowbot5by5 | Back to Work #190: C-3PO's BeardWatch Live Streaming Major League Baseball Games Online with MLB.TV | MLB.com: SubscriptionsLOT of asterisks there. Neighbors | This American Life"Stories of people trying to love their neighbors...and failing." Sponsored by Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off and don't forget to check out all the brand new Squarespace 7 has to offer), lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a FREE 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses), and consider supporting 5by5 on Patreon.
10/14/20141 hour, 27 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 190: C-3PO's Beard

TOPIC: The Ultimate Existential Investor This week, Dan and Merlin vent about Apple as only its superfans really can. What happens when things…don't…just work? Links for this episode:Three Ring Binder Tickets, San Francisco - EventbriteBatgirl (2011-) #35 - Comics by comiXologyBarbara Gordon is no stranger to dusting herself off when disaster strikes so when a fire destroys everything she owned, she spots the opportunity for a new lease on life—and seizes it! FoxPro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRunning and Cycling GPS Tracker, Performance Analytics, Maps, Clubs and Competition | StravaiOS 8 Adoption Stagnates Just Two and a Half Weeks After Launch - Mac RumorsAmazon.com: Gan Mao Ling, 100 ct, Plum Flower: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Bi Yan Pian, Nose Inflammation Pills, 120 Tablets: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Gan Mao Ling ECONOMY SIZE, 500 ct, Plum Flower: Health & Personal Care$50.00 For sale since 2010. Fifty dollars. ... | kung fu grippeBATGIRL #35 | DC ComicsThe New 52: Futures End - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAbsolutely No Machete Juggling » The Star Wars Saga: Introducing Machete OrderRamsay Hunt syndrome type II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDavid Fincher - And the Other Way is Wrong - YouTubeEdgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy - YouTubeShowbotEpisode #139 – Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones The Flop HouseThe three peaches spend this episode cloning around about Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, as part of a podcrawl with Read it and Weep (who took on Episode I) and Proudly Resents (who will be taking on Episode III).  Meanwhile, Dan’s space gaydar is misaligned, Elliott explains the proper way to steal a cake, and the greatest secrets of Stuart’s nerdiness are revealed. Colloidal Silver: Risk Without BenefitSponsored by Citrix GoToMeeting (If you sign up for GoToMeeting before October 10, 2014 – you’ll get another Citrix product of your choice FREE for 6 months!) and Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off).
10/7/20141 hour, 21 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 189: That's How You Roll When You're a Lobster

TOPIC: Starting the stuff we haven't started. This week—after some entertaining random talk and a handful of hardware and software recommendations—Dan and Merlin dive back into a familiar evergreen topic: why is it so hard to get started with a project? And, just as importantly, what can we learn from that persistent difficulty? In a nut? Just start trying to suck more regularly. Links for this episode:Advanced Tricycling - Merlin Mann - Constant Contact 2014Video of Merlin's recent presentation on the elusiveness of getting better—and learning what to get better _at_. Presented on September 12, 2014 at Constant Contact's e4e Developer conference in Waltham, Mass. Amazon.com: Marvel Infinite Series Rocket Raccoon Figure, 3.75": Toys & GamesList of supernatural beings in Chinese folklore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLibrary Extension - Chrome Web StoreBan Lan Gen (Isatis Root)Main functions are to clear heat-toxicity, cool blood, and relieve sore throat. Main usage and indications are macula due to pestilential toxicity invasion, high fever, headache, infection with swollen head, dark reddish purple tongue, scarlet fever, erysipelas, mumps, pharyngitis, sore boils and bunacles, chicken pox, measles, hepatitis, cold and flu, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, epidemic encephalitis B, pneumonia, unconsciousness, hematemesis, bleeding from five sense organs or subcutaneous tissue, swollen throat, pinkeye causing by inflammation, shingles, and osteomyelitis, etc. Library Extension - See book availability from your local library while you browse Amazon.com | Library Extension for ChromeLibrary Extension The TemplateTunnelBearASUS Dual-Band Wireless Router (RT-AC56U) at Amazon.comAmazon.com: TP-LINK TL-WR702N Wireless N150 Travel Router, Nano Size, Router/AP/Client/Bridge/Repeater Modes, 150Mpbs, USB Powered: Computers & AccessoriesEdimax N150 Wireless Personal Hotspot and Travel Router (BR-6258nL) at Amazon.comShowbotListener-submitted suggestions for this week's episode. It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!: RSI Theory and Therapy for Computer Professionals: Suparna Damany MSPT, Jack Bellis: 9780965510998: Amazon.com: BooksLes Fleurs du mal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"—Hypocrite lecteur,—mon semblable,—mon frère!" MaxFunCon: Merlin Mann on Doing Creative Work; The Sound of Young America | Maximum FunMerlin Mann talks about the process of doing creative work, and particularly how to abandon the quest for perfection, get off your butt and get started. Situation awareness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSituation awareness is the perception of environmental elements with respect to time and/or space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status after some variable has changed, such as time, or some other variable, such as a predetermined event. It is also a field of study concerned with perception of the environment critical to decision-makers in complex, dynamic areas from aviation, air traffic control, ship navigation, power plant operations, military command and control, and emergency services such as fire fighting and policing Resource leveling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaResource leveling as defined by PMBOK is a (project management) "technique in which start and finish dates are adjusted based on resource constraints with the goal of balancing demand for resources with the available supply". The Flop HouseMerlin's pick for the podcast you should already be listening to and obsessing over. Episode #133 – Bullet to the Head The Flop HouseMerlin's provisional candidate for the best episode of The Flop House to start with. Elf | Your Personal Email Library Reminder ServiceSponsored by Lynda. For a free 7 day trial, visit lynda.com/backtowork.
9/30/20141 hour, 17 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 188: The Smell of Snake Anxiety

TOPIC: Media, Rarely Well Done This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the modern consumer media landscape and how we seem to be changing almost as fast as the technology. Almost. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #5 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, September 25th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Introducing Exclusive iOS 8 Updates For All Readdle Apps | ReaddleWithout further ado lets dive into the hottest news our team has prepared for you. Ep. 125: "All the Great Shows!" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John wasn’t actually a big fan. BIRDMAN - Official International Trailer - YouTubeAlejandro G. Iñárritu, Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis | Birdman | Fox SearchlightAmazon.com: Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone, Cardioid: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Presonus AudioBox 22VSL 24-Bit/96 kHz 2x2 USB 2.0 Audio Interface: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Marvel Famous Firsts: 75th Anniversary Masterworks Slipcase Set (9780785191285): Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Don Heck, Joe Sinnott, Joe Orlando, Bill Everett, Marie Severin: BooksJackal PodcastsNatureBoxDescription: Enjoy the comforting sweetness of cookie dough without the guilt. The only problem is deciding whether you should share these hand-made Nom Noms! Amazon.com: Marvel Famous Firsts: 75th Anniversary Masterworks Slipcase Set (9780785191285): Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Don Heck, Joe Sinnott, Joe Orlando, Bill Everett, Marie Severin: BooksiPhone 6 Plus slightly bent after 2 days - MacRumors ForumsPlex Media Server: Your Media on all of Your Devices - Plex.tvSmile Blog: TextExpander Snippet Expansion Comes to Every App in iOS 8iOS 8’s New Key LoggerMeet “Ultimate Productivity Bundle” by Readdle | ReaddleFlexibits | Fantastical 2 for iPhone | The fast and friendly calendar app.Edge of Spider-Verse #2 - Comics by comiXologyGwen Stacy as Spider-Woman! In one universe, it wasn't Peter Parker bitten by the radioactive spider, but Gwen Stacy! She's smart, charming and can lift a car, just don't tell her Police Chief father! How is she involved in Spider-Verse? Jackal PodcastsThis episode hosted by Mike Beasterfeld. Guest for this episode was TwistByrn. Upcoming price increase for NEW Plex Pass subscriptions - Plex Blog : Plex BlogInterview: John Darnielle, Author Of 'Wolf In White Van' | Mountain Goats Singer Writes About Pain : NPRA5 ChordNasturtium (genus) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Flop HouseTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreShowbotNerd.is Tumblr Edition — Fully funded! Thanks to everyone who supported the...Sponsored by PDFpen Scan+ (Start scanning documents right from your iPhone and iPad with PDFpen Scan+), SOLARO (Start studying for all your 3rd-12th grade courses online and get 50% the entire life of your SOLARO subscription when you use the code GOAHEADCALLER at checkout), Citrix ShareFile (Click the link then click on the microphone at the top of the homepage and enter the code BTW for a special 30-day FREE trial), and Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off).
9/23/20141 hour, 48 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 187: Peeling a Dangerous Onion

TOPIC: Knowing What You'll Need to Know This week, Dan and Merlin talk about a recent presentation Merlin gave on expertise and curiosity. They also pour out a 40 for Macworld Magazine. Links for this episode:If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going | Quote InvestigatorIn conclusion, the above citations represent a snapshot of current knowledge and future discoveries are possible. QI would tentatively credit Douglas Bloch with the adage containing the phrase “don’t stop” based on the 1990 citation. Analog(ue) #5: The Only Way Out Is Through - Relay FMOn this episode Casey and Myke are joined by Stephen Hackett. They talk about what it's like to share private family matters on the internet. Hero InitiativeThe Hero Initiative creates a financial safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. Since inception, the Hero Initiative has been fortunate enough to benefit over 50 creators and their families with over $500,000 worth of much-needed aid, fueled by your contributions! It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. Witless to history: Inside the first issue of MacworldHaving a whole new magazine devoted to the Mac was pretty cool back in 1984. You've seen the cover of the first issue, right? Engineers4Engineers 2014 Developer ConferenceSean Hussey (seanhussey) | TwitterDreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLetter of recommendation — Hair-Breened IdeasBut I’m not here to feed Internet tittle-tattle. Rather, as someone who’s been with Macworld (and MacUser before it) for a very long time, I’d like to provide potential employers (and those who are simply interested in their favorite writers) some details about my departed colleagues. When a door closes | MacworldThe Incomparable - a podcast from The IncomparableThis episode was sponsored by our friends at Casper (It's time for you to lay down on a premium mattress that you got at a fraction of the price. Use the code COMICS for $50 towards towards your order and for every bed sold Casper will donate $50 to the charity chosen by Merlin & Dan), lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a free 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses), and by Citrix ShareFile (Click the link then click on the microphone at the top of the homepage and enter the code BTW for a special 30-day FREE trial).
9/16/20141 hour, 29 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 186: I Wish John Siracusa Were Here

TOPIC: Grab bag. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about—what? Well. They talk about privilege, empathy, bikes, bass players, Merlin's new mic, more bathroom signs, and a controversial anecdote about how Apple was maybe kinda not nice to a customer. Links for this episode:What is the blue light from our screens really doing to our eyes? — Tech News and Analysis“I discovered that using light at night is bad for people’s health and interferes with their sleep. I felt a moral obligation to do something about it, particularly when I learned it’s the blue component in ordinary white light that is suppressing the production of melatonin. And melatonin not only helps you sleep but is a marvelous material that has a very big influence on health in general What My Bike Has Taught Me About White Privilege | A Little More Sauceblanco on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Sorry for the delay your Samson Microphone package should be there today. Hope you enjoy it."Samson — C01U ProLouis CK - Time Travel is Excluslively a White Privilege - YouTube(30) On August 18, 2014 we lost our house and many... - Karen Scholz LeibfredMighty Fine Burgers Fries & Shakes – AustinApple - Support - AppleCare+ - iPhoneDaring Fireball: Security Trade-OffsI’ve heard from Genius Bar staffers who eventually left the job because of the stress of dealing with customers suffering data loss. Engineers4Engineers 2014 Developer ConferenceShowbotRestorative practices - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRestorative practices is a social science that integrates developments from a variety of disciplines and fields — including education, psychology, social work, criminology, sociology, organizational development and leadership — in order to build healthy communities, increase social capital, decrease crime and antisocial behavior, repair harm and restore relationships. Olestra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the late 1990s, Olestra lost its popularity due to side effects, but products containing the ingredient can still be purchased at grocery stores in some countries. The Flop HouseLetter of recommendation — Hair-Breened IdeasSponsored by Squarespace (use code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off) and Harry's (Get a better more affordable shave by using the code COMICS at checkout and you'll get $5 off your first purchase).
9/9/20141 hour, 6 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 185: David Foster Wallace Morning

TOPIC: The Durable Impossibility of Email. This week, Dan and Merlin return to an evergreen topic: the impossibility of email. Chaotic, paradoxical, debilitating, frustrating, buoyant, and occasionally capable of causing short-term madness, email is still the medium that we'll never get right. But, quixotically, it never stops us from trying. Links for this episode:Engineers4Engineers 2014 Developer Conference[VIDEO] Two-Wheelin’ Per this week’s Back to Work. ... | kung fu grippeIn which Merlin's kid scoots like a big kid. Rotten Tomatoes: Movies | TV Shows | Movie Trailers | ReviewsJackal PodcastsA weekly interview show with fans of podcasting DaisyDisk - Analyze disk usage and free up disk space on MacIron Maiden - Flight Of Icarus - YouTubeKeyboard shortcuts for Gmail - Gmail HelpLearn them. Love them. MailboxWe redesigned the inbox to make email light, fast, and mobile-friendly. Quickly swipe messages to your archive or trash and scan entire conversations in a chat-like view. It's a whole new inbox. Dispatch: TextExpander-enabled Email App for iPhoneDispatch makes it easy to act on mails even when you're on the move. Based on Merlin Mann's idea of managing your inbox, it helps you tame your inbox by letting you delete, defer, delegate, generate actions and even respond to your mails with ease. ParisLemon — Yes, Another Email RantI know all of this sounds crazy. But given my hatred of email, I often find myself thinking about the psychology behind it. And thinking about if there’s something here to give me the upper hand. Fresh Start: The Email DMZ | 43 FoldersLike a lot of the best fresh starts, this one's a total psych-out Guardians of the Galaxy - Rotten TomatoesInfinite Jest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe lengthy and complex work takes place in a semi-satiric future version of North America, centering on a junior tennis academy and a nearby substance-abuse recovery center. A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the title essay, originally published in Harper's as "Shipping Out", Wallace describes the excesses of his one-week trip in the Caribbean aboard the cruise ship MV Zenith, which he rechristens the Nadir. Le Show - Harry ShearerSodium laureth sulfate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSodium laureth sulfate, or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), is an anionic detergent and surfactant found in many personal care products (soaps, shampoos, toothpaste etc.). SLES is an inexpensive and very effective foaming agent Amazon.com: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1: Cosmic Avengers (Marvel Now) (9780785166078): Brian Michael Bendis, Steve McNiven, Sara Pichelli: BooksGuardians of the galaxy 1 : cosmic avengers . (Book, 2014) [WorldCat.org]Dropbox - How do I save space on my computer?Selective Sync is a feature of the Dropbox desktop application that allows you to select only the folders you want to be synced to your computer. Selective Sync gives you the control to ensure you have only the files you need on any computer. It's especially handy if you want to save space on netbooks and other computers with small hard drives. Satisficing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaContrast | Launch Center ProAutopen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis episode was sponsored by our friends at lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a free 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses), and Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever).
9/2/20141 hour, 29 minutes, 52 seconds
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Episode 184: Days of Bathrooms Past

TOPIC: Is there anything else you want to tell me? This week, Dan and Merlin discuss what bathrooms can teach us about learning, expertise, and empathy. Links for this episode:Rules of the Road - San Francisco Bicycle CoalitionThe SF Bicycle Coalition is proud to be the leading resource for street safety in San Francisco. Every year, we reach tens of thousands of people with the Bicycle Rules of the Road. Here are the 10 bike laws you need to know to pedal safely and legally: 5by5 | 5by5 Specials #29: Four Places at OnceDan and his 6 year old son Cash discuss antenna breaks in the upcoming iPhone 6 housing, iPad as a gaming platform, the technology of podcasting and live streaming, the limits of Magneto's powers, Adventure Time, deadly amoebas, visiting Four Corners, Bigfoot, rodeos, a crystal tooth, and more. California Law Now Requires All Smartphones to Have Built-In Kill Switches By July 2015 - Mac RumorsThe law requires smartphones to include software or hardware that will render the device inoperable to an unauthorized user in the event that the phone is misplaced or stolen. The anti-theft technology, which has to be able to withstand a hard reset or operating system downgrade, must prevent reactivation of the smartphone on a wireless network except by the authorized user. The anti-theft tools must be installed during the phone's initial setup process, and it must be reversible so an authorized user can unlock the device if it is returned to their possession. Life after death: Resuscitating a drowned iPhone 5 | MacworldCalling my iPhone “unsinkable” might be a bit much—in all fairness, it did actually sink. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Paul Emerson on Twitter: @sween My brother thought the edge of an Airblade was a place to squeegee the water off your hands.5by5 | Back to Work #183: Remember Who Has the CannonTOPIC: Wait, what'd I DO?!? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about anger, misunderstandings, and trying to do the right thing. How bewildering (and emotional) it can be to feel misunderstood—as well as trying to better understand what we may have done wrong. Emotions are armor-piercing bullets. Amazon.com: Wherever You Go, There You Are (9781401307783): Jon Kabat-Zinn: BooksWhen Wherever You Go, There You Are was first published in 1994, no one could have predicted that the book would launch itself onto bestseller lists nationwide and sell over 750,000 copies to date. Ten years later, the book continues to change lives. In honor of the book's 10th anniversary, Hyperion is proud to be releasing the book with a new afterword by the author, and to share this wonderful book with an even larger audience. ShowbotListener-submitted titles for this episode. The Doorknob Effect - Carol BergmanDreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon Affiliate Stores | Fresh Store BuilderSponsored by Squarespace (Create your own professional website and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase), Smile (Download a free demo, and see how easily you can edit PDFs with PDFpen), and Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever).
8/26/20141 hour, 28 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 183: Remember Who Has the Cannon

TOPIC: Wait, what'd I DO?!? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about anger, misunderstandings, and trying to do the right thing. How bewildering (and emotional) it can be to feel misunderstood—as well as trying to better understand what we may have done wrong. Emotions are armor-piercing bullets. Links for this episode:David Letterman airs Robin Williams tribute | PopWatch | EW.comLetterman gave us a glimpse of just how electric Williams’ late night appearances were with a compilation video of his times on the show. The video features some of Williams’ trademark physical, over-the-top comedy, but it also focuses on Williams’ laughter, how he threw his head back and guffawed. Going Deep With David Rees | National Geographic ChannelThought Stopping: Why it doesn't work, and what works better."Treat Worry like a Heckler, not a Mugger" All About Change"What, when I do it, will lead to my long-term well-being and happiness?" Matthieu Ricard: The habits of happiness | Talk Video | TED.comWhat is happiness, and how can we all get some? Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard says we can train our minds in habits of well-being, to generate a true sense of serenity and fulfillment. ShowbotListener-submitted titles for this episode. 5by5 | The Incomparable #207: I Am GrootLane Splitting is Legal in CaliforniaDefensive driving - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMett? - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis episode was sponsored by our friends at lynda.com (Start learning something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a free 7-day trial where you can access all of their 2,400+ courses), Harry's (Get a better more affordable shave by using the code COMICS and you'll get $5 off your first purchase), and Varonis DatAnywhere (Try turning your own network shares into a private cloud free for 30 days with an unlimited amount of users and if you visit varonis.com/backtowork you get 5 users free forever).
8/19/20141 hour, 30 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 182: Non-Canonical Suspenders

TOPIC: Thinking, Thinking, Thinking. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the inextricable links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They also take some time to fondly remember Robin Williams. Links for this episode:BIOGRAPHY: Robin Williams LifetimeWilliams was bullied badly during childhood for being chubby and would often spend much of his time playing alone in the family's large home to avoid his tormentors. Eventually, he conquered his overweight label though by joining the wrestling and tracks teams, and realised he could make the other children laugh as a way of gaining respect from them. Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life: Steve Martin: 9781416553656: Amazon.com: BooksChris Evans (actor) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChristopher Robert "Chris" Evans (born June 13, 1981)[1] is an American actor and film director. Evans is best known for his superhero roles as Johnny Storm / Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) [VIDEO] Craig Ferguson and Robin Williams InterviewThereIsHelp - Mefi WikiRemembering Robin Williams | Best Of MetaFilterAmong many stories and reminiscences, some members recall their IRL experiences with Robin Williams, "mensch, great talent... genuine soul" ‘Captain America’ Star Chris Evans is Ready to Leave the Marvel UniverseFor A More Ordered Life, Organize Like A Chef : The Salt : NPRThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "ITSYOURSHOW").
8/12/20141 hour, 27 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 181: A Broom Pusher for Johnny Carson

While Merlin takes a short sabbatical, Dan is joined by special guest David Sparks to talk about presentations, making your thing, balancing acts, iBooks author, paying for your kids' school with side projects, old man glasses, and more. Links for this episode:5by5 | Mac Power UsersLearn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users, one geek at a time since 2009.Hosted by David Sparks and Katie Floyd. MacSparkyTHE WAKE #1 | VertigoPresentations — MacSparkyMind map - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA mind map is a diagram used to visually organise information. A mind map is often created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank landscape page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added. Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas branch out from those.Mind maps can be drawn by hand, either as "rough notes" during a lecture, meeting or planning session, for example, or as higher quality pictures when more time is available. Dragon Dictate for Mac - Dragon Dictate speech recognition for the Mac - Nuance | NuanceDavid Sparks (MacSparky) on TwitterSponsored by lynda (Learn something new by visiting lynda.com/backtowork and get a 7-day free trial where you can access to over all of their 2,400 courses), Warby Parker (visit warbyparker.com/dan to get FREE 3-day shipping on your order of boutique-quality, classically crafted eyewear at a great price), and Smile (Start editing your PDFs the easy way with PDFpen from the great people over at Smile Software).
8/6/20141 hour, 7 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 180: Deus Ex Machina for Your Gut

TOPIC: Stupid can't stick to me. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the distinction between being against something vs. not having an opinion about it vs. just choosing not to let the world stick to you. Links for this episode:Marked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writersMarked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save. With robust features for previewing, reviewing and exporting beautiful documents, you can work in plain text while reveling in rich formatting. Presentations — MacSparkyMost presentations are terrible. That, however, does not need to be the case for your presentations. Author David Sparks, a trial attorney and seasoned technology speaker, explains how to create your own exceptional presentation. This Presentation Field Guide explains how to plan a presentation that will connect with your audience, the technical wizardry to create a stunning presentation, and walks you through presentation day to make sure it goes off without a hitch. The elegant art of not giving a shitGiving a shit does not necessarily mean you’re doing anything useful, but it makes it seem like you are. It feels like there’s some kind of justice that you’re getting closer to with every moment you give a shit. But that’s not true, because giving a shit, by itself, is only thinking — and thinking has little use aside from figuring out what to do. Keyboard ShortcutsA floating panel with a shortcut cheat sheet is available from the Help menu, or by pressing ??K. The Flop HouseHome Page - Television Tropes & IdiomsInconsolataInconsolata is my first serious original font release. It is a monospace font, designed for code listings and the like, in print. There are a great many "programmer fonts," designed primarily for use on the screen, but in most cases do not have the attention to detail for high resolution rendering. Technical Difficulties - 077 - Learning Vim with PotatowirePotatowire finally leaves the crib, joining Gabe and Erik to discuss command-line text editing with vim. We learn how he started, why he uses a forty-year old text editor, and some cool things you can do when your hands never have to leave the keyboard. Pale Man - Villains Wiki - villains, bad guys, comic books, animeThe Pale Man is a secondary villain from Guillermo del Toro's 2006 fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth. He was played by Doug Jones (who also portrayed the faun). 5by5Use the form below to subscribe to The Back to Work Newsletter. Sent only when we release an episode, the newsletter contains the latest episode's details, description, notes, and links, delivered right to your inbox. The Exorcist (1973)5by5 | Hypercritical #12: Nothing Is So PerfectJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin turn a critical eye towards last week's episode on criticism, then try to pick the single biggest challenge facing three different wildly successful companies: Google, Facebook, and yes…Pixar. The Flop House: Episode #34 – Mirrors The Flop HouseWe watch Kiefer Sutherland in Mirrors. We mean the movie– we didn’t break into his bathroom or anything. Meanwhile, Elliott pitches a crypt keeper movie, Dan inadvertently casts Dean Martin in his greatest role ever, and Stuart has a little problem comprehending the film’s ending. Episode #150 – Grudge Match The Flop HouseWe talk about Grudge Match, the movie that pretends DeNiro has a chance against steroidal Stallone. Meanwhile Dan discusses Kevin Hart’s need to do only Kevin-branded movies, Elliott uncovers Sean Connery’s strange belief he’s in every movie, and one of Stu’s relatives makes an unexpected appearance. 5by5 | Mac Power Users #204: Presentations: A MacSparky Field GuideShowbot5by5 | Back to Work #3: The Second ArrowMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Remembering Actress Mercedes McCambridge : NPRMcCambridge died March 2 at the age of 87. McCambridge chilled audiences in the 1970s as the voice of the Devil in The Exorcist. She won an Academy Award for her first film role — in 1949 for All the King's Men. She also starred with Joan Crawford in Nicholas Ray's western, Johnny Guitar. Put You In A Better Mood. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Presentations — MacSparky - David Spark's new iBook on becoming a better presenter. MailChimp - Send up to 12,000 emails per month for free.
7/22/20141 hour, 10 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 179: 7 Most Important Breasts for Your Re-Fi

TOPIC: A Personal History of Personal Publishing This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the constantly-changing landscape of online publishing. How we got from home pages to blogs to social media and beyond. Things move around, things get shorter (or longer), and things get super-weird and unpredictable. How do you decide where your stuff goes and who do you expect it to reach in this whackadoodle environment? You won't believe what happens next! Links for this episode:Ep. 117: "Put on the Carrot Hat" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: John’s Siri just speaks to him in Welsh. Chrome Web Store - Library ExtensionNerd Merit Badges - 02: Inbox ZeroYou’ve reached an empty email inbox. For extra credit, you maintain an empty inbox from Monday through Friday! Doomed to Repeat It — The Message — MediumThere’s always some big deal in email—in 2013 it was Mailbox, an app that made it easy to sort and process email. There was a long waiting list for people who wanted to download and use the software. It was like the cronut of apps. Later, Mailbox was acquired by Dropbox for about $100 million. People stopped talking about it after that. YANSS Podcast 027 – The New Science Communicators with Joe Hanson « You Are Not So SmartI recently collaborated with Joe Hanson of the YouTube channel It’s Okay to be Smart and helped him write an episode about pattern recognition. 5by5 | CMD+Space #103: Everything in Moderation, with Matt HaugheyThis week Myke is joined by Matt Haughey. They talk about Metafliter's past, it's troubles with advertising, accidental crowd-funding and the site's future. I Never MetaFilter I Didn't Like with Matt Haughey (Episode 78) — The New DisruptorsMatt Haughey founded MetaFilter, a well-moderated forum for discussions about interesting things that expanded to also answer questions. At just a few months over 15 years old, it's a veterans of many Internet lifecycles. In the last couple of years, however, MetaFilter began to face an existential challenge, which we'll talk about in this episode, along with its history, nature, and future. Title Recess - Because names are what we call thingsWhile the "Global Internet" has been a bonanza for tiny camera marketers and penis cream pitchmen, there's been precious little opportunity to create and share fake titles for Guided by Voices songs. That is why we now present TitleRecess.com. Please note that we also have a small but very real side interest in fake Dickens characters, fake Goth names, and fake terrible names for dot-coms. kung fu grippe | weblog by merlin mannMerlin's Kottke-inspired blog, circa 2003. ShowbotListener-suggested titles for this episode. Blogger Lunch (January, 2005) Damn. This... | kung fu grippe43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 FoldersSxSW ’09 - Gruber & Mann - HOWTO: 149 Surprising Ways to Turbocharge Your Blog With Credibility! My pal, John Gruber (from daringfireball.net), and I presented a talk at South by Southwest Interactive on Saturday, March 14th. We talked about building a blog you can be proud of, trying to improve the quality of your work, reaching the people you admire, and maybe even making a buck (in a way that doesn’t blow your deal). Here’s what we had to say: Daring Fireball: The Talk Show: Ep. 86: ‘Free Alcoholic Beverages’, With Dave WiskusTopics include Samsung getting pinched from Apple on the high end and Xiaomi (at least in China) on the low end, Android and the importance of software differentiation, wearable devices, and more. Diesel Sweeties Store: Music & Pixel T-Shirts & Socks - "F*ck This." Ice ScraperTwitter / Search - justin follow meOn Chasing the Right "Zero" | kung fu grippePut to best use, Inbox Zero is merely a philosophical practice of learning to be parsimonious about which and how many inputs we allow into our lives—and, then, to responsibly but mindfully tend to those inputs in a way that is never allowed to hinder our personal commitment to doing the work that really matters to us. Once you’ve dedicated yourself to making the things you love, every inbox can and should become a well-monitored servant rather than a merciless master. Algonquin Round Table - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Algonquin Round Table was a celebrated group of New York City writers, critics, actors and wits. Gathering initially as part of a practical joke, members of "The Vicious Circle", as they dubbed themselves, met for lunch each day at the Algonquin Hotel from 1919 until roughly 1929. At these luncheons they engaged in wisecracks, wordplay and witticisms that, through the newspaper columns of Round Table members, were disseminated across the country. Shirky: Power Laws, Weblogs, and InequalityWe are all so used to bell curve distributions that power law distributions can seem odd. The shape of Figure Ouroboros - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Lynda.com (7-day free trial!)
7/15/20141 hour, 16 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 178: Fake Laminated Bull Poop

TOPIC: Yes. Yes. This week, Dan and Merlin follow-up on their recent 5by5 at the Movies episode about Glengarry Glen Ross, talking more about sales culture, media consumption, how our personal data gets used to close us, and why Dan admires Ricky Roma. Or, Tony Roma, as you call him. Links for this episode:5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #3: A Slight Burglary: Glengarry Glen RossMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about Glengarry Glen Ross. A Slight Burglary: Glengarry Glen Ross on HuffdufferSee You at the Top: Zig Ziglar: 9789971643096: Amazon.com: BooksNaked Consumer: How Our Private Lives Become Public Commodities: Erik Larson: 9780140233032: Amazon.com: Booksround tuit - WiktionaryA circular object giving its owner the ability to get done everything that would have otherwise been put off to a later date. 'Original' Round Tuit! - Round Tuit gifts - Round Tuit Coins - Round Toit Origins - Round Tuit HistoryShowbotWatch Planet Hulk Online | NetflixWhen Earth's superheroes exile the volatile Incredible Hulk to a distant planet called Sakaar, the muscle-bound green monster is sold into slavery. Twitter / URFLAW_derek: @Hotdogsladies & @danbenjamin ...@Hotdogsladies & @danbenjamin - glengarry leads = femininity/object of desire (coloring in film & ornamentation). On Social Media, Some Are Susceptible to Internet Outrage - NYTimes.comBut Internet outrage often says more about the commenter than the cause, and its deployment may do more harm than good, to the instigator and the issue. The Naked Consumer « Erik Larson : Best-selling Author of In the Garden of BeastsAfter receiving a sudden surge of junk mail directed at new parents—even though my wife at the time was merely pregnant—I set out to explore the lengths companies go to spy on individual consumers. It was fascinating, and a little scary. For example, I discovered one market-research firm that put human spies in stores to follow every move a shopper made, and another company that secretly commandeered viewers’ televisions to show them commercials no one else got to see. The naked consumer : how our private lives become public commodities (Book, 1992) [WorldCat.org]Tony Roma’s Steakhouse Restaurant With Seafood, Ribs & More“She looks so pregnant!” - an album on FlickrA celebration of Celebrity Baby Pr0n 5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #1: GoodfellasDan Benjamin and John Siracusa discuss Goodfellas. Avengers (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe first adventure featured the Asgardian god Loki seeking revenge against his brother Thor. Using an illusion, Loki tricked the Hulk into destroying a railroad track. Watch The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Online | NetflixThe Avengers -- Thor, Ant-Man, Hulk, Iron Man and other heroes -- are ready to save the day from villains such as Loki, HYDRA and the Red Skull. The Incredible Hulk: Grey Hulk aka Joe FixitThis incarnation can lift approximately 75 tons. This incarnation does possess the "madder he gets, the stronger he gets" ability but at a much slower rate since this incarnation has some level of intelligence and reasoning and would not "lose control" as easy as the Savage Hulk incarnation. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "ITSYOURSHOW").
7/8/20141 hour, 19 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 177: Motivation Has Pit Stains

TOPIC: Motivation This week, Dan and Merlin talk about their upcoming 5by5 at the Movies episode on Glengarry Glen Ross, which segues naturally into a discussion of the many aspects of motivation. Carrots, sticks, bonuses, fear, status, and just growing up all shape our understanding of why we (and, yeah, others) do what we do. What happens when our motivation starts better accounting for how other people are motivated? Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. Links for this episode:A B2W HeroesCon Greeting on VimeoDan Benjamin and Merlin Mann host a well-known (comics) podcast called "Back To Work". They couldn't be at HeroesCon 2014, so we put together a nice greeting, featuring a few favorite comics creators. Guest Post: Breaking The Low Mood Cycle | Captain Awkward"Thoughts influence behavior, which influences outcome, which in turn feeds back into your thoughts." [[via](https://twitter.com/tiff_frye/status/483644723425329152)] 5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #3: Glengarry Glen RossMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about Glengarry Glen Ross live at 1pm ET on Thursday, July 3, 2014. Join us! The Aviator (2004) - IMDbThe Aviator (2004 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Big Lebowski (1998) - IMDbThe Big Lebowski - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGlengarry Glen Ross (1992) - IMDbGlengarry Glen Ross (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCinephilia and Beyond • These precious commentaries were on the Pioneer...Don't miss Jack Lemmon's **fantastic** commentary track for _Glengarry Glen Ross_. How Charles Schwab Got His Workers To Produce More Steel - Business InsiderBest Ways to Pay Your Sales Staff - Businessweek5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #1: GoodfellasDan Benjamin and John Siracusa discuss Goodfellas. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Harry's ($5 off your purchase with discount code, "COMICS") Lynda.com (7-day free trial!)
7/1/20141 hour, 20 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 176: "ENJOY YOUR MEAL"

TOPIC: (Not) Solving People Problems With Technology. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the challenge of finding business workflows that…actually work. And, what happens if you try to fix a "people problem" with a technical solution. Also, detailed discussion on Wolverine's healing factor, gruesome hand-shaving, Florida's giant grasshoppers, dangerous bourbon foil, and varieties of elves. Come to Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #4 PSA: Hey, if you live in the Bay Area and you like comics and/or Merlin, please come out to Two Cats Comics on Thursday night and hang out with Merlin. [more »] Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #4 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, June 26th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Is West Portal the ‘new Noe’? - On The Block5by5 | The NewsWBP SYSTEMS / Heap CRM / Keep all your information together, with the Small Business CRM / Messages, Contact Manager, Address Book, Calendars, Automation and TasksMarketcircle | Daylite | OverviewHighrise: Small Business CRM, Web-Based Contact ManagerOnline Form Builder with Cloud Storage Database | WufooX-Men (2000) - Quotes - IMDbROGUE: When they come out...does it hurt? WOLVERINE: Every time. Wolverine (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"While the adamantium in his body stops or reduces many injuries, his healing factor must also work constantly to prevent metal poisoning from killing him." Romalea guttata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIt can reach nearly 3 inches (8 cm) in size. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí (Dover Fine Art, History of Art): Salvador Dali: 9780486274546: Amazon.com: BooksThe Secret Life of Salvador Dalí - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"enjoy your meal" - YouTubeJodorowsky's Dune - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJodorowsky's Dune (2014) - HD Trailer - YouTubeFlammable vs. inflammable - GrammaristJosh Centers (jcenters) on TwitterThe Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FLEggs on the Plate without the PlateShowbotThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: PDFpen Scan+ by Smile Lynda.com (7-day free trial!)
6/24/20141 hour, 15 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 175: Andy is the Stuff of Nightmares

TOPIC: "Creativity" where you din't expect it. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about PIXAR, creativity, and FoldingText before finally succumbing to the treachery of Skype. Links for this episode:FoldingText — Plain text productivity for Mac usersFor Mac users who love plain text. FoldingText is the markdown text editor with productivity features. Unlike other editors, FoldingText does outlining, todo lists, and more. 5by5 | The Incomparable #197: Fail FastWe love Pixar, and we're a bunch of creative professional types. So as you can imagine, we devoured "Creativity Inc.", by Pixar president Ed Catmull. Is it a business book or an anti-business book? How do you foster creativity? Is Pixar's formula one that provides safety while preventing works of staggering genius? How much is a director or writer the author of a Pixar movie, and how much is the studio itself? And is the wild success of "Frozen" proof of anything?Panelists John Siracusa, Glenn Fleishman, Lisa Schmeiser, and David J. Loehr. Pet Pig Saves Family From Fire - NBC News.com[via doktorbuzzo](https://twitter.com/doktorbuzzo/status/476268511526801408) Why a Publix-Whole Foods deal makes sense - and why it doesn't - Austin Business JournalIt seems like a foodies’ dream, too delicious to ignore: Publix, Florida’s No. 1 supermarket chain, considering a purchase of Whole Foods, the upscale grocer known for organic products. Ed Catmull, Pixar: Keep Your Crises Small - YouTube5by5 WWDC 2014 Party - YouTubeCreativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration: Ed Catmull, Amy Wallace: 9780812993011: Amazon.com: BooksThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Lynda.com (7-day free trial!) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "TURNSOUT")
6/10/201450 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 174: I Dont Deal in Abstractions

TOPIC: Dan & Merlin in Fancy San Francisco This week, Dan and Merlin visit across a table in a darkened room to talk about WWDC, San Francisco's lesser-known features, and how to spend less time bogged down in day-to-day junk. Links for this episode:Episode 20: Self Doubt with Merlin Mann — The NudgeCotton Bureau – Sportsball by Jory RaphaelCelebrate your love of sportsball with this officially sanctioned National Sportsball Association League shirt. Just in time for the Super World Bowl Series Championships. 5by5 WWDC 2014 Party - YouTubeThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "ITSYOURSHOW") - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. BusyCal - Powerful time-saving calendar features in a friendly, easy-to-use package.
6/5/201456 minutes, 55 seconds
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Episode 173: The Best Days End in Tears

TOPIC: Culture is what we DO. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about processing a hotel room and leading by example. Links for this episode:John Dickerson - How to Process a Hotel RoomHOWTO process your new hotel room Replace any... | kung fu grippeRed Oxx Air Boss Carry-on Bag Designed for 1 Bag Business Travelers.Red Oxx Travel Basket Key Tray and Coin ValetHONEY, WHERE'S THE ROOM KEY? LOOK IN THE VALET! NEVER MISPLACE YOUR ESSENTIALS AGAIN. YOUR PERSONAL VALET. ShowbotListener-submitted titles for this episode. It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: BooksSponsored by PDFpen Scan+ from Smile.
5/27/20141 hour, 14 minutes, 8 seconds
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Episode 172: Somewhere Between a Habit and a River

TOPIC: How to undig a river. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about an email message from a listener who's having trouble getting away from his inbox long enough to do what he needs to, introducing a mindfulness exercise that may help point to a deeper problem. (This is a good one) Links for this episode:7: The Passionate TaskRich Stevens and Merlin Mann join Moisés and John to discuss the state of digital comics, content discovery, and recommend some good reads. "Melnibonér" - kung fu grippeShowbotListener-submitted titles for this episode. Cultural hegemony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn Marxist philosophy, however, the term describes the domination of a culturally diverse society by the ruling class, who manipulate the culture of the society — the beliefs, explanations, perceptions, values, and mores — so that their ruling-class worldview becomes the worldview that is imposed and accepted as the cultural norm Nonsense From the Huffington PostThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Lynda.com (7-day free trial!)
5/22/20141 hour, 3 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 171: Put a Sweatshirt In My Wallet

TOPIC: It's like wallets and backpacks. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about H.R. Giger, Dan's latest Android experiment, more on app privacy, and why we need both wallets, backpacks, and suitcases. You know. Analogies. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] Online Eyeglasses & Sunglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby Parker5by5 | The Incomparable #194: A Real Imaginary FriendGrab your black cat and portable radio, climb on your mom's broomstick, and join us for a discussion of Hayao Miyazaki's classic animated film "Kiki's Delivery Service." This film features a climactic scene featuring an out-of-control dirigible, so you know we love it.With panelists Merlin Mann, John Siracusa, and Steve Lutz. Bonus Track | Mann Canon (Episode 194b)Many digressions from our “Kiki’s Delivery Service” episode, including all the stuff John Siracusa told us to remove because it’s just him making references to Merlin’s podcasts so obscure even Merlin doesn’t remember them.May 10, 2014 • 17 minutes • Jason Snell with Merlin Mann, Steve Lutz and John Siracusa Judge Expresses Concerns Over Casey Kasem's Safety - ABC NewsA judge on Monday ordered an investigation into the whereabouts of Casey Kasem after an attorney for the ailing radio personality's wife said the former "Top 40" host had been removed from Los Angeles without his children's knowledge. H.R. Giger Has Passed AwaySwiss artist H.R. Giger, made famous for his work designing the iconic creatures in the Aliens series, has passed away at the age of 74. Crimson Tide (1995) - IMDbThe Hunt for Red October (1990) - IMDbCool Tools – What’s in My Bag? Mark FrauenfelderEVERYDAY CARRY I need more knives. And a giant... | kung fu grippe5by5 | SuperchargedShowbotListener-submitted titles for Episode 171. Judas Priest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Subliminal message trial)Milius (2013)The true story of the greatest filmmaker you never knew The Hunt for Red October (1990)Miguel Sandoval - IMDbThe Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976) - YouTubeThe Paul Lynde Halloween Special - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Paul Lynde Halloween Special is a Halloween-themed television special starring Paul Lynde broadcast October 29, 1976 on ABC. It featured guest stars Margaret Hamilton in her first reprisal of her role as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. Also guest starring are Billie Hayes as Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf, Tim Conway, Roz Kelly, Florence Henderson, rock band KISS, Billy Barty as Gallows the Butler, Betty White and, in an unbilled surprise appearance, Donny and Marie Osmond. MailboxWe redesigned the inbox to make email light, fast, and mobile-friendly. Quickly swipe messages to your archive or trash and scan entire conversations in a chat-like view. It's a whole new inbox. Dispatch: TextExpander-enabled Email App for iPhoneDispatch makes it easy to act on mails even when you're on the move. Based on Merlin Mann's idea of managing your inbox, it helps you tame your inbox by letting you delete, defer, delegate, generate actions and even respond to your mails with ease. danah boyd | apophenia » Best Of ApopheniaThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "TURNSOUT") Warby Parker (HOME TRY-ON: 5 days; 5 pairs; 100% free)
5/13/20141 hour, 17 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 170: Useful, Creepy, Gross

Merlin and Dan talk about Marked, Drafts, MLKSHK shutting down, App.net, routers, Hong King Phoey, poisoned meatballs, and more. Links for this episode:Hansure - Product DetailsHansureTM is a wearable device that makes hand sanitization possible at the point of patient care. Where tradional approaches to increase hand hygiene compliance rely on monitoring, judging, forcing, penalizing and collecting HCW's data, HansureTM is built on the fundamental principle to simplify the hand hygiene process for the HCWs. HansureTM ensures that no opportunity for hand hygiene is ever missed by any HCW by addressing the real challenges that prevent HCWs from being compliant to the hand hygiene guidelines. HansureTM is available in two versions - A cost effective mechanical version and a fully automated electronic device. More suspected poisoned meatballs in S.F. - SFGateMarked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writersMarked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save. With robust features for previewing, reviewing and exporting beautiful documents, you can work in plain text while reveling in rich formatting. Drafts - Agile TortoiseAccidental Tech Podcast: 63: I Hold My Children To A Higher StandardMLKSHK Shutting Down - mlkshkApp.net State of the Union | App.netThe bad news is that the renewal rate was not high enough for us to have sufficient budget for full-time employees. After carefully considering a few different options, we are making the difficult decision to no longer employ any salaried employees, including founders. Dalton and Bryan will continue to be responsible for the operation of App.net, but no longer as employees. Additionally, as part of our efforts to ensure App.net is generating positive cash flow, we are winding down the Developer Incentive Program. We will be reaching out to developers currently enrolled in the program with more information. Amazon.com: ASUS Dual-Band Wireless Router (RT-AC56U): Computers & AccessoriesHow Videogames Changed the World - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHow Videogames Changed the World was a one-off television special by Charlie Brooker which first aired on Channel 4 in November 2013. The show examines the 25 most significant video games according to Brooker, and through that, covers the history of the medium and its impact on wider culture. Cincinnati Milling Machine Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | CMD+Space #94: Words Are My Thing, with Brent SimmonsSponsored by lynda (for 7 day free trial), Squarespace (use code TURNSOUT for 10% off), and Harry's (use code COMICS for $5 off your purchase).
5/6/20141 hour, 34 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 169: Upgrade Your Skateboard

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about comiXology and the future of online digital purchases. Links for this episode:Wonder Woman (2009) (V)A modern man's trespass of the island of the Amazons enables an imprisoned war god to escape and Princess Diana wins the responsibility to recapture him. Nonsense From the Huffington PostSquarespace Metrics for iPad — The Official Squarespace BlogWith its fluid design and powerful inspection tools, Squarespace Metrics provides valuable insight into your data through key performance indicators, interactive charts, and dynamic views – all with a beautiful interface you can truly enjoy. Starting today, we’re pleased to offer Metrics for the iPad as a universal download. The House Rules | The Thom Zahler WeblogSo, I’m taking the opportunity of the New Year to post my schedule. It’s important to manage expectations. How fast should you be expected to respond to an email? When is too early to call? So, here we go with my five house rules. Captain America: Man Out of Time Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyWhen the Avengers pull a frozen soldier from the sea, they bring back the Living Legend of World War II---a man whose memories of life 60 years ago are as fresh as yesterday! How will Steve Rogers adapt to the world of the 21st century? Showbotevilhero/mylar · GitHubSponsored by PDFpen Scan+ by Smile Software.
4/29/20141 hour, 27 minutes, 24 seconds
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Episode 168: It's Okay for Cats to Wander Around on Planes

TOPIC: Standing up to Attention Bullies. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the world's impossible expectations regarding each of our own time, attention, and access. What happens when we tacitly allow the universe to ask us anything any time for any reason? How do we develop the sympathy to understand how vastly our schedules and priorities differ at a given moment? Well. One possible solution is to learn to find the courage to not be terminally ""busy"" all the time. That's all on us. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Harry's - Quality Men’s Shaving Products. Fair Prices. Simple.Warren Ellis » How To See The FutureBut I’ll suggest to you something. The theories of atemporality and manufactured normalcy and zero history can be short-circuited by just one thing.Looking around. Morgan Stanley's Parker On Email Access - Business InsiderIn a new note to clients, Parker writes that he got an email from someone saying they had "limited access" to their email. He proceeds to explain how that's a lame excuse in this day and age. 30 Pilots And Flight Attendants Confess Their Best Kept Secrets | Viral QuakeThese questions were asked on Reddit, and the answers are insane. Are these true??? My mind has officially been blown. I travel a lot, so some of this is pretty scary if you ask me. Here is the text leaked from Reddit: Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) - "Nose Speech" & "Fencing Ballade" - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #153: Anxiety's a GoatTOPIC: The thoughts we think. And think. And think.This week, Dan and Merlin talk about anxiety, compulsive thoughts, and how to at least crack an air hole in a big problem. ShowbotLive, listener-submitted title suggestions for this week's episode. Roderick on the Line, Ep. 34: "A Shit Barge Full of Long Pigs"That Mitchell and Webb Look - Send us your reckons - YouTubeWonder Woman (2009) (V)A modern man's trespass of the island of the Amazons enables an imprisoned war god to escape and Princess Diana wins the responsibility to recapture him. Getting Things Done®, GTD® and David Allen & CO | HomeThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Harry’s Quality Men’s Shaving Products. ($5 off your purchase with discount code, “QUIT”)
4/22/20141 hour, 11 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 167: Second Banana

TOPIC: Ubi Sunt, LCS? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the uneasy future of local comic shops—especially in light of Amazon's announced acquisition of comiXology. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] lynda.com Favorite Podcasts for Writers | The Star-Dusted Sirens"But some episodes also cover more esoteric issues like agency or creativity. Merlin excels at taking all those nebulous ideas about work that we’ve all had, and then nailing down the core of them so they can’t wiggle off the examining table and back into the dark recesses of our minds before we’ve at least identified the problem. Dan will then diffidently explain how the Buddha approached the same issue. And did I mention the comic books? They talk about comic books. A LOT." Interview: Martin Blaser, Author Of 'Missing Microbes' : NPR"He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross that with the overuse of antibiotics, as well as some other now-common practices like cesarean sections, we've entered a danger zone — a no man's land between the world of our ancient microbiome and an uncharted modern world." Monsters Inside Me: Animal PlanetThe Amazing Spider-Man - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Amazing Spider-Man has been the character's flagship series for his first fifty years in publication, and was the only monthly series to star Spider-Man until Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man in 1976 (although 1972 saw the debut of Marvel Team-Up, with the vast majority of issues featuring Spider-Man along with a rotating cast of other Marvel characters). Most of the major characters and villains of the Spider-Man saga have been introduced in Amazing, and with few exceptions, it is where most key events in the character's history have occurred. The title was published continuously until comiXology - Pull, Rate, Preview, DiscussSuper Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe: Tim Leong: 9781452113883: Amazon.com: BooksThe comic book universe is adventurous, mystifying, and filled with heroes, villains, and cosplaying Comic-Con attendees. This book by one of Wired magazine's art directors traverses the graphic world through a collection of pie charts, bar graphs, timelines, scatter plots, and more. Secret Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA cosmic entity called the Beyonder observes the mainstream Marvel universe. Fascinated by the presence of superheroes on Earth and their potential, this entity chooses a group of both heroes and supervillains and teleports characters against their will to "Battleworld", a planet created by the Beyonder in a distant galaxy. This world has also been stocked with alien weapons and technology. The Beyonder then declares: "I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all that you desire shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!" Secret Wars II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSecret Wars II is a nine-issue comic book limited series and crossover published from 1985 to 1986 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Marvel's then Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and primarily pencilled by Al Milgrom. Dynamite (magazine) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDynamite was a magazine for children founded by Jenette Kahn and published by Scholastic Inc. from 1974 until 1992. The magazine changed the fortunes of the company, becoming the most successful publication in its history[1] and inspiring two similar periodicals for Scholastic, Wow and Bananas. New Avengers Vol. 1: Breakout - Comics by comiXologyIn the wake of the systematic destruction of the original Avengers, just what sort of threat to the world could persuade Captain America to assemble an all-new team? And following the events of AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED, who could possibly be on this team? comiXology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaComiXology is a cloud-based digital comics platform with over 200 million comic downloads as of September 2013. Secret Avengers (2014-) Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyThe all-new Secret Avengers are ready to get started. Are they going to be the world's most effective secret squad? Or will their personal issues tear them apart? Featuring Hawkeye, Black Widow and other of your favorite clandestine heroes. [VIDEO] Federal Express commercial with John Moschitta - YouTube"Pittsburgh's perefct, Peter. May I call you 'Pete?'" ShowbotListener-submitted title suggestions for episode 167 Dry drowning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMerlin's Amazon WishlistThere's a Black Cat in there somewhere. Adventures of Superman (2013-) #50 - Comics by comiXologyThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by lynda.com (Start learning now with a 7-day free trial)
4/15/20141 hour, 12 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 166: 404 - Friends Not Found

TOPIC: The future we can't know. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about how quickly technology is evolving, how janky that evolution can be, and how terrible we all are at forecasting what will come next and beyond. Could Merlin have ever imagined he'd pay $3.00 for an episode of Under the Gunn? No, he could not. Links for this episode:The health effects of a world without darkness – Rebecca Boyle – AeonYou Are Not So SmartList of cognitive biases - RationalWikiCognitive bias describes the inherent thinking errors that humans make in processing information. Some of these have been verified empirically in the field of psychology, while others are considered general categories of bias. These thinking errors prevent one from accurately understanding reality, even when confronted with all the needed data and evidence to form an accurate view. End-of-history illusion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe end-of-history illusion is a ubiquitous psychological illusion in which teenagers and adults of all ages believe that they have consistently experienced significant personal growth and changes in tastes until now, but will somehow not continue to grow and mature in the future.[1] That is, despite knowing how much they have changed in the last ten years, they believe that ten years from now, they will think and feel the same as they do today. YANSS Podcast 020 – James Burke and Matt Novak ponder the future and why we are terrible at predicting it « You Are Not So SmartIn this episode of the You Are Not So Smart Podcast we sit down with James Burke and discuss the past, the present, and where he sees us heading in the future. Burke says we must soon learn how to deal with a world in which scarcity is scarce, abundance is abundant, and home manufacturing can produce just about anything you desire. Project Runway: Under the Gunn - Episodes, Videos & Schedule - myLifetime.comYANSS Podcast – Episode Four – The Self Illusion « You Are Not So SmartConfirmation Bias « You Are Not So SmartThe Misconception: Your opinions are the result of years of rational, objective analysis.The Truth: Your opinions are the result of years of paying attention to information which confirmed what you believed while ignoring information which challenged your preconceived notions. Accidental Tech Podcast: 59: The Little Puck That Couldchit | Definition at Dictionary.com MobileThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “TOOTHFAIRY”) BusyCal - BusyCal is an alternative to the built-in Calendar app on OS X that provides powerful time-saving features in a friendly, easy-to-use package.
4/8/201454 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 165: The Opposite of Attrition

TOPIC: Words mean things. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the blight of buzzwords, jargon, and douchespeak writ large. Links for this episode:Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism popularized the term "thought-terminating cliché". This refers to a cliché that is a commonly used phrase, or folk wisdom, sometimes used to quell cognitive dissonance. Though the clichéd phrase in and of itself may be valid in certain contexts, its application as a means of dismissing dissent or justifying fallacious logic is what makes it thought-terminating. 5by5 | CMD+Space #90: The First Bar, with Merlin MannThis week Myke is joined by Merlin Mann, for an impromptu episode of CMD Space. They talk about scheduling your content to meet the needs of your audience, allowing your work to become 'yours', breaking the mould in your in environment, setting standards for your work and being a creative person in a corporate culture. Roderick on the Line - Ep. 104: "Talismans of a Dead Age"The Problem: John does not believe in The Cloud. Emerson, "The American Scholar," 1837Man Thinking must not be subdued by his instruments. Books are for the scholar's idle times. When he can read God directly, the hour is too precious to be wasted in other men's transcripts of their readings. But when the intervals of darkness come, as come they must, -- when the sun is hid, and the stars withdraw their shining, -- we repair to the lamps which were kindled by their ray, to guide our steps to the East again, where the dawn is. We hear, that we may speak. . . . Silver Surfer (2014-) #1 - Comics by comiXology"NEW DAWN". The universe is big. Bigger than you could ever imagine. And the SILVER SURFER, the lone sentinel of the skyways, is about to discover that the best way to see it... is with someone else. Meet the Earth Girl who's challenged the Surfer to go beyond the boundaries of the known Marvel U-- into the strange, the new, and the utterly fantastic! Betty (episode) - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!When a ritual changes Ice King back into Simon Petrikov, he enlists the help of Marceline, Finn, and Jake to recontact Betty in the past to tell her he's sorry for everything he has done. Showbot (Back to Work 165)Listener suggestions for this week's episode title. Roman à clef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRoman à clef or roman à clé (French pronunciation: ?[??m?? a kle], Anglicized as /ro??m?n??kle?/), French for novel with a key, is a novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction. Jodorowsky's Dune - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediacat (Unix) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe cat program is a standard Unix utility that concatenates and lists files. The name is an abbreviation of catenate, a synonym of concatenate. Gaslight (1944 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “TOOTHFAIRY”) Lynda.com (Start learning now with a 7-day free trial)
4/1/20141 hour, 13 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 164: Back in the Medieval Village

TOPIC: Curiosity & Creativity This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about expertise and how it relates to the ineffable qualities of curiosity and creativity. Can curiosity be inspired or taught? Or, is it just something you either have or don't? How do we buck the implicit authority to explore the vast universe of "unnecessary things?" Links for this episode:21 Compelling Reasons Why Florida Should Be Kicked Out Of The United States | Thought CatalogLet me just start this by saying that I was born in Florida, lived there for a while, and have/visit many a family member there. Losing Florida will be an emotional hit for me as well. But it’s high time we just took that table saw of democracy and severed Florida off to float in the Atlantic. Here is why. 5by5 | Back to Work #163: Head Lice :-(TOPIC: LEGO and ExpertiseThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about LEGO and what becoming a Master Builder can teach us about expertise.Also: tooth fairies, binder clips, and the pedagogical warning shot.WARNING: This episode of B2W contains information about holiday-related personalities that may be of a sensitive nature. Listener discretion is advised. 5by5 | Mac Power Users #183: Episode V: Merlin Strikes BackMerlin Mann returns to Mac Power Users for his annual visit. This year we dive deep into Merlin's new obsession with home automation and talk about what makes some apps stick while others never do.Thanks to MPU listener Jigar Talati for assistance with the shownotes this week! Knocking on wood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKnocking on wood, or to touch wood, refers to the apotropaic tradition in western folklore[citation needed] of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that you are doing or intend same, in order to avoid "tempting fate" after making a favourable observation, a boast, or declaration concerning one's own death. Nasal irrigation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNasal irrigation or nasal lavage or nasal douche is the personal hygiene practice in which the nasal cavity is washed to flush out excess mucus and debris from the nose and sinuses. The practice is generally well-tolerated and reported to be beneficial with only minor side effects.[1] Nasal irrigation in a wider sense can also refer to the use of saline nasal spray or nebulizers to moisten the mucous membranes. Consumer Updates > Is Rinsing Your Sinuses Safe?Oil pulling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOil pulling or oil swishing is a traditional folk remedy where oil is swished or held in the mouth. Ayurvedic literature states oil pulling is capable of improving oral and systemic health, including a benefit in conditions such as headaches, migraines, diabetes mellitus, asthma,[1] and acne, as well as whitening teeth.[2] Oil pulling is known as "Kavala" or "Gandusha" in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita.[1][3] Its promoters claim it works by "pulling out" "toxins", which are known as ama in Ayurvedic medicine, and thereby reducing inflammation.[4] Swishing With Oil for Oral Health: Not Recommended - Julie Beck - The AtlanticThe Internet’s new quasi-health obsession is actually very old. Oil pulling—swishing oil  (coconut and sesame seem popular, preferably unrefined) around in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes—is an oral health practice that has been done in India for years and years. It’s mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, one of the key texts of the Indian traditional medicine known as Ayurveda. Amazon.com: Flents Dental Disclosing Tablets (30) - Eliminate Plaque Build-up: Health & Personal CareDan Slott Unveils "Spider-Verse," Featuring "Every Spider-Man Ever" - Comic Book ResourcesMarvel divulged the first details of what exactly that teaser was teasing with a "Next Big Thing" press call, headlined by "Amazing Spider-Man" writer Dan Slott and senior editor of the Spidey titles, Nick Lowe. The preview art released by Marvel to accompany the call provided some very strong hints about the upcoming event: The story will start November 2014, it will feature "Every Spider-Man Ever" (including Spider-Man 2099, Peter Porker the Spectacular Spider-Ham and the original Scarlet Spider, among others). It also involves Morlun, a villain created by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr. during their 2001 "Amazing Spider-Man" run. Watch this: people illegally BASE jumping from the top of 1 World Trade Center | The VergeA group of men who BASE jumped from the top of the 1,776-foot tower at 1 World Trade Center last September turned themselves in to police on Monday. The men — three of whom parachuted from the building, while a fourth kept watch — questioned the level of security in and around the tower. Andrew Rossig, one of the men who was involved with the stunt, said "we just kind of walked in." ShowbotListener-suggested titles for this week's episodes. Upper respiratory tract infection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUpper respiratory tract infections (URI or URTI) are the illnesses caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx or larynx. This commonly includes: tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, otitis media, and the common cold. Valeria Richards - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShe was revealed to be the second, unborn child of Reed and Sue Richards, whom Sue had seemingly miscarried years before, and who had originally been named Valerie Meghan Richards. Under the guidance of Roma, Franklin had used his powers to save the child, taking her from her native reality and sending her "someplace else" where she was raised by another Invisible Woman who had married a heroic Doctor Doom after the death of her first husband. As the FF went up against the cosmic menace of Abraxas, she was summoned by Roma and fulfilled her purpose by merging her powers with Franklin and reconstituting Galactus to stop Abraxas. In the restructuring of reality that ensued, Valeria was regressed to a fetus within Sue's womb once again, on the cusp of being born. Edmond Halley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaQuote Details: Albert Einstein: You see, wire telegraph... - The Quotations PageYou see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat. Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPhilosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, Latin for "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy", often referred to as simply the Principia, is a work in three books by Sir Isaac Newton, in Latin, first published 5 July 1687. Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism popularized the term "thought-terminating cliché". This refers to a cliché that is a commonly used phrase, or folk wisdom, sometimes used to quell cognitive dissonance. Though the clichéd phrase in and of itself may be valid in certain contexts, its application as a means of dismissing dissent or justifying fallacious logic is what makes it thought-terminating. Silicon's Valley's Brutal Ageism | New Republic"In talking to dozens of people around Silicon Valley over the past eight months—engineers, entrepreneurs, moneymen, uncomfortably inquisitive cosmetic surgeons—I got the distinct sense that it’s better to be perceived as naïve and immature than to have voted in the 1980s." This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “YOURSHOW”) New Relic (Use code “BACKTOWORK” to get your extended 30-day Pro trial) PDFpen Scan+ by Smile HostGator (Use code “BACKTOWORK” for 30% off)
3/25/20141 hour, 38 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 163: -(

TOPIC: LEGO and Expertise This week, Dan and Merlin talk about LEGO and what becoming a Master Builder can teach us about expertise. Also: tooth fairies, binder clips, and the pedagogical warning shot. WARNING: This episode of B2W contains information about holiday-related personalities that may be of a sensitive nature. Listener discretion is advised. Links for this episode:How Much Good Is Antibacterial Soap Doing You? - YouTubeIt's Been 25 Years Since World Wide Web Debuted : NPRSince then it's transformed daily life. To look back at how far the web has evolved and where it may be headed in the next 25 years, Renee Montagne talks to Kevin Kelly, a founder of Wired magazine. To Keep Teenagers Alert, Schools Let Them Sleep In - NYTimes.comNew evidence suggests that later high school starts have widespread benefits. Life as a LEGO ProfessionalTwitter / danbenjamin: Serious question and something ...Serious question and something to think about: have you ever bought a LEGO set and found a piece missing? Me: never once in my entire life. Dreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the fields of education and operations research, the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition is a model of how students acquire skills through formal instruction and practicing. Brothers Stuart and Hubert Dreyfus proposed the model in 1980 in an influential, 18-page report on their research at the University of California, Berkeley, Operations Research Center for the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The original model proposes that a student passes through five distinct stages: novice, competence, proficiency, expertise, and mastery. Zotero | Groups > Research on Teaching in Higher Education Online > Library > A Five Stage Model of the Mental Activities Involved in Directed Skill Acquisition[PDF] Five-Stage Model of the Mental Activities Involved in Directed Skill Acquisition. (PDF of the original 1980 paper by the Dreyfus brothers) lego : Shutterstock Stock PhotographyFour stages of competence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com : LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon 7965 : Toy Interlocking Building Sets : Toys & GamesKids ages 9 to 14 will be happy the old man got the tractor beam out of commission when they blast off with the Millennium Falcon LEGO Star Wars Set. Straight from the Death Star escape scene of Episode IV: A New Hope, this replica of Han Solo's iconic starship is crafted from more than 1,200 LEGO pieces for a detailed, articulating display. With twin flick missiles, rotating laser cannons, and detachable cockpit cover, this Millennium Falcon set's got more than a few surprises left in it. Amazon.com : LEGO Star Wars 75030 Millennium Falcon : Toys & GamesEnter a mini LEGO Star Wars universe with the Millennium Falcon microfighter. This fun mini version of the fastest ship in the galaxy features a quad laser cannon with 2 flick missiles and a mini cockpit on top for Han Solo to sit in! Engage the hyperdrive and get after those Imperial ships! Includes a Han Solo minifigure with a blaster pistol. I wanna tell you about the princess I invented.... | kung fu grippe"I wanna tell you about the princess I invented…" Amazon.com : LEGO Star Wars 75032 X-Wing Fighter : Toys & GamesFight mini LEGO Star Wars battles in space with the cool X-Wing Fighter microfighter. This great micro-version of the iconic Rebel star fighter has a surprising level of detail, like moveable wings, 4 flick missiles, Astromech Droid section and a mini cockpit for the X-Wing Pilot to sit in! Fuel up and get ready for mini-sized combat. Includes an X-Wing Pilot minifigure with a blaster pistol. Amazon.com : LEGO Star Wars 75031 TIE Interceptor : Toys & GamesPlay out your own miniature LEGO Star Wars space battles with the TIE Interceptor microfighter. This fun version of the real Imperial starfighter crams in lots of details, including 2 flick missiles and a mini cockpit for the TIE Fighter Pilot to sit in! So jump on and prepare for mini battle. Includes a TIE Fighter Pilot with a blaster pistol. Amazon.com : LEGO Superheroes 76015 Doc Ock Truck Heist : Toys & GamesDoctor Octopus needs money, diamonds and gold to finance his evil plans. so he decides to make a cash withdrawal, bad guy style! Use his adjustable arms to rip the roof off the money truck and while the truck driver sprints for safety, blow open the back with the dynamite and secret button. But what's this? Spider-Man has spotted Doc Ock and swoops in to save the day! Can he tie him up with his super-strong spider web? Includes 3 minifigures: Spider-Man, Doc Ock and a truck driver. Amazon.com : LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon : Toy Interlocking Building Sets : Toys & GamesGet ready to battle the dark side with the Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon, Lego Star Wars Set 10179. One of Lucas Licensing's favorite Star Wars models in 2007, this replica of Han Solo's famous starship is crafted from over 5,000 Lego pieces. With so many little pieces and such unbelievable detailing, the Millennium Falcon is recommended for advanced Lego builders ages 16 and up. Amazon.com : LEGO Star Wars Death Star (10188) : Toy Interlocking Building Sets : Toys & GamesBattle inside the Death StarTM! Recreate the action and adventure of the Star WarsTM movies with the ultimate Death Star playset! This amazingly detailed battle station features an incredible array of minifigure-scale scenes, moving parts, characters and accessories from Episodes IV and VI on its multiple decks, including the Death Star control room, rotating turbolaser turrets, hangar bay with TIE Advanced starfighter, tractor beam controls, Emperor's throne room, detention block, firing laser cannon, Imperial conference chamber, droid maintenance facility, and the powerful Death Star superlaser...plus much more! Swing across the chasm with Luke and Leia, face danger in the crushing trash compactor, and duel with Darth Vader for the fate of the galaxy! Reenact the final duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room! Death Star measures 16" (41cm) tall and 16?" (42cm) wide! TIE Advanced measures 3?" (9cm) wide! Rescue Princess Leia from the detention block cell, then escape through the secret hatch to the trash compactor below! Amazon.com : LEGO Movie 70808 Super Cycle Chase : Toys & GamesBacon MethodMAKE PERFECT, CRISPY BACON EVERY TIME SFUSD: Restorative PracticesRestorative Practices are based on principles that emphasize the importance of positive relationships as central to building community and involve processes that restore relationships when harm has occurred. Restorative practices - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRestorative practices is a social science that integrates developments from a variety of disciplines and fields — including education, psychology, social work, criminology, sociology, organizational development and leadership — in order to build healthy communities, increase social capital, decrease crime and antisocial behavior, repair harm and restore relationships.[1] Showbot (Listener-suggested titles for this episode) Logos - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOriginally a word meaning "a ground", "a plea", "an opinion", "an expectation", "word", "speech", "account", "reason", it became a technical term in philosophy, beginning with Heraclitus (ca. 535–475 BC), who used the term for a principle of order and knowledge. SRA Reading MaterialsThe levelled approach of this programme helps you get the most from every minute of learning time. Zero for Conduct (1933)In a repressive boarding school with rigid rules of behavior, four boys decide to rebel against the direction on a celebration day. The LEGO Book: Daniel Lipkowitz: 9780756666934: Amazon.com: BooksLEGO.com About Us About the LEGO Group - The LEGO Group - The LEGO historyThe name 'LEGO' is an abbreviation of the two Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well". It’s our name and it’s our ideal. Super Cycle! And it only took us three hours to... | kung fu grippeAnd it only took us three hours to assemble.We are so master builders. Slaughterhouse-Five - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSlaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death (1969) is a satirical novel by Kurt Vonnegut about World War II experiences and journeys through time of a soldier named Billy Pilgrim. It is generally recognized as Vonnegut's most influential and popular work. Vonnegut's use of the firebombing of Dresden as a central event makes the novel semi-autobiographical, as he was present during the bombing. Equestria Girls - Helping Twilight Win the Crown [HD] [Bluray] + MP3 - YouTubeMakebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) on VimeoAre You An Expert?This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Harry’s (Add a 4-pack of blades to your cart then apply the discount code and you will get the 4 pack of blades for free with discount code “BACKTOWORK”) FreshBooks (60-day free trial. Tell ’em you heard about it on “Back to Work”) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “YOURSHOW”) Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code, “BACKTOWORK314”)
3/18/20141 hour, 26 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 162: We're All Waiting in the Same Line

TOPIC: ““Experiencing Issues”” with Customer Service This week, Dan and Merlin analyze what's really going wrong when we get bad customer service. Spoiler: The brand is only as sound as its day-to-day implementation. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #161: Zeitgeist HelmutTOPIC: Time, Sleep, and AspirationsThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about impossible trade-offs and the benefits of remembering this is actually your life. The 40 Worst Rob Liefeld Drawings - Progressive BoinkThis is Rob Liefeld. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about Rob Liefeld ... well, I'm sorry for this in advance. Ron Swanson Supercut - YouTubeBeam & Whiteside NFS daemon - Google Groups|>         I would like to know if anybody else than myself is using Beam Judaism 101: TorahThe word "Torah" is a tricky one, because it can mean different things in different contexts. In its most limited sense, "Torah" refers to the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. But the word "torah" can also be used to refer to the entire Jewish bible (the body of scripture known to non-Jews as the Old Testament and to Jews as the Tanakh or Written Torah), or in its broadest sense, to the whole body of Jewish law and teachings. 2: Hostile ProfessionalismAirlines: we hate them, and it feels like they hate us. Is our only choice to "ride in the fucking toilet"? A former airline employee joins us to help peel back the curtain at Gate 21. (Part 1 of 2)Panelists: John Roderick, Jim Dalrymple, Lex Friedman, Brent Billings 3: Willing to NegotiateAirlines: we've heard the horror stories. Now we dig deeper into how to get the results we want at the gate, on the phone, and in the air. (Part 2 of 2)Are we stuck in a breadline in Kiev back in '78, waiting for shitty vouchers for shitty airlines, or could we eventually see Our Own Fuckin' Airline? Seattle News and Events | Eliminator Was ZZ Top's Best Album.I'm not going to bore you by waxing sentimental over the undeniable mastery of early ZZ Top, or by singing the praises of their first seven records. Each one is a flawed masterpiece, some more flaw than masterpiece, which you can discover in your own time the same way I did, after you have fully absorbed the superlative greatness of Eliminator. Yes, that's right, ELIMINATOR! Amazon.com: Nasacort Allergy 24 Hour 120 Sprays, 0.57 Fluid Ounce: Health & Personal CareIf You Had Wings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe ride began with a vaguely simulated "takeoff" in which the ride ascended a slope, while projections of animated silhouettes of seagulls and airplanes swept past on the walls, enhancing the feeling of motion and gently suggesting flight. Riders passed through a series of colorful theater-like sets with embedded small screens looping rear-projected short filmed scenes, while their cars swiveled on their bases to afford good views throughout. In all, thirty-eight 16mm projectors were used in the attraction. The scenes showcased various Eastern destinations and appealed to potential tourists with straw-hat markets, fishermen, limbo dancers, steel drum bands, and more. Many scenes had their own special sound effects. The omnipresent theme music featured a chorus of singers tunefully chanting, Methuselah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRe-Creating my Nonhuman Art from Deities & Demigods by Jeff Dee — KickstarterRe-Creating AD&D Module Cover Paintings Part 2 by Jeff Dee — KickstarterExpedition to the Barrier Peaks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaExpedition to the Barrier Peaks is a 1980 adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game written by Gary Gygax. While Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is typically a fantasy game, the adventure includes elements of science fiction, and thus belongs to the science fantasy genre.[1] It takes place on a downed spaceship; the ship's crew has died of an unspecified disease, but functioning robots and strange creatures still inhabit the ship. The player characters fight monsters and robots, and gather the futuristic weapons and colored access cards that are necessary for advancing the story. Illustration Rates [Jeff Dee]I am available to do artwork on commission! This web page gives you an idea of my rates. Sometimes I have to turn jobs down when I'm too booked up, so please email me first. skottie young commission - Google SearchRob Liefeld's uncanny Domino bathingBACTISAFE — Expedition to the Barrier Peaks5by5 | After Dark #447: After Back to Work 162Insertwords comments on I Am A Walgreens checkout cashier. I greet you and wish you a good day, and I handle your condoms and tampons with a smile. AMA.If I stopped using Comcast, I wouldn’t have the... - Fun Size Bytes"(Let the record also reflect that Dan Benjamin snort laughed when Merlin mentioned this.)" HostGator (Use code "BACKTOWORK" for 30% off) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "YOURSHOW") New Relic (Use code "BACKTOWORK" to get your extended 30-day Pro trial) LegalZoom (Use code "BACKTOWORK" for a free, 3-month trial)
3/11/20141 hour, 24 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 161: Zeitgeist Helmut

TOPIC: Time, Sleep, and Aspirations This week, Dan and Merlin talk about impossible trade-offs and the benefits of remembering this is actually your life. Links for this episode:More Reflection, Less Action - NYTimes.comCAPS To Launch Original Art Auction to Benefit Stan Sakai and Family - Comic Book ResourcesContributors include: Adam Hughes, Alex Maleev, Arthur Adams, Batton Lash, Eric Powell, Jan Duursema, Jerry Ordway, Jordi Bernet, Matt Groening, Michael Allred, Mike Mignola, Paul Gulacy, Sanjuliàn, Scott Shaw!, Jim Steranko, Tim Sale, William Stout, Bill Sienkiewicz, Cameron Stewart, Dan Brereton, Daniel Parsons, Dave Gibbons, Dean Yeagle, Doug Sneyd, Dustin Nguyen, Bill Morrison, Tone Rodriguez, Sergio Aragonés, Fabio Moon, Francisco Francavilla, Gene Ha, Geof Darrow, Gilbert Hernandez, Jack Davis, James O'Barr, Kevin Eastman, Jeff Lemire, Jeff Smith, Kazu Kibuishi, Liam Sharp, Tom Richmond, Michael Jantze, Olivia, Oscar Martin, Paul Chadwick, Richard Corben, Tom Mandrake, Walter Simonson, Charles Vess, Dan Spiegle, J. Scott Campbell and many more. Astonishing X-Men - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAstonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic book series from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, with its first run written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was then written by Warren Ellis with art by Phil Jimenez.[1] Daniel Way and Christos Gage then took over the title writing alternating stories. They were followed by James Asmus who wrote one issue, then Greg Pak, who took over for four issues in November 2011.[2] Marjorie Liu wrote the final 21 issues of the series until its end at issue Buy the goLITE BLU energy light HF3332/60 energy lightAmazon.com: Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device: Health & Personal CareConfirmation bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaConfirmation bias (also called confirmatory bias or myside bias) is the tendency of people to favor information that confirms their beliefs or hypotheses.[Note 1][1] People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. The effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs. People also tend to interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing position. Biased search, interpretation and memory have been invoked to explain attitude polarization (when a disagreement becomes more extreme even though the different parties are exposed to the same evidence), belief perseverance (when beliefs persist after the evidence for them is shown to be false), the irrational primacy effect (a greater reliance on information encountered early in a series) and illusory correlation (when people falsely perceive an association between two events or situations). Thinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374533557: Amazon.com: BooksThinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThinking, Fast and Slow is a 2011 book by Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics Daniel Kahneman which summarizes research that he conducted over decades, often in collaboration with Amos Tversky.[1][2] It covers all three phases of his career: his early days working on cognitive bias, his work on prospect theory, and his later work on happiness. Category:Cognitive biases - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediapopcord™: unforgettable keyring charger - iPhone & micro usb by Powergoat — KickstarterSkottie Young Blasts Off with "Rocket Raccoon" Ongoing - Comic Book ResourcesThoughts About Thinking | To the best of our KNOWLEDGEIt’s funny when a six-year-old girl says it. I... | kung fu grippeShowbotThe National - Fake Empire - YouTubeShowbotMTV Mobile News: Exclusive: Rocket Raccoon Spins Off 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Into Solo Comic SeriesThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: FreshBooks (60-day free trial. Tell 'em you heard about it on "Back to Work") HostGator (Use code "BACKTOWORK" for 30% off) Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code "BACKTOWORK314") Warby Parker (Free 3-day shipping for Back to Work listeners)
3/4/20141 hour, 32 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 160: Reverse Spider Sense

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about shaving, lights, and Dan's amazing new superpower. Links for this episode:5by5 | CMD+Space #85: Being a Geek, with John SiracusaThis week Myke is joined by John Siracusa. They discuss what it means to be a Geek and explore what John is geeky about.Special guest John Siracusa. Ep. 98: "A Mastiff of Spinach" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: They made John check his jingle stick. Twitter / settern: I don't think I'm going to ...(In which Serenity gets 59,000 on Threes) Moxibustion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMoxibustion (Chinese: ? Amazon.com: Braun Series 7- 790cc Pulsonic Shaver System, Silver: Health & Personal CareShaving - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThere are two types of manual razors: straight razor and safety razors. Safety razors are further subdivided into double-edged razors, single edge, injector razors, cartridge razors and disposable razors. Be A Part Of ItZero Charisma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZero Charisma is a 2013 American comedy film written by Andrew Matthews and co-directed by Matthews and Katie Graham. The film premiered at the South By Southwest film festival in 2013 and later screened at multiple North American Film Festivals including the Maryland Film Festival, the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and the Newport Beach Film Festival. How Light Affects Our Sleep | Mark's Daily AppleBlue light has its place, of course. A British study found that blue light-enhanced white lights in the workplace improved alertness, performance, and even nighttime sleep quality in employees. That’s during the day, though, when blue light exposure is normal and expected. Nighttime exposure to blue light disrupts our sleep hormones. Television, computer screens, even digital clocks with blue numbers – they’re all common sources of late night blue light that can affect our production of melatonin. troglodyte modeProgramming with the lights turned off, sunglasses on, and the terminal inverted (black on white) because you've been up for so many days straight that your eyes hurt (see raster burn). Loud music blaring from a stereo stacked in the corner is optional but recommended. Silver Surfer Soars Back Into Stores from Dan Slott And Mike Allred - Updated - Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and RumorsLectric ShaveDollar Shave Club - Our Blades Are F***ing GreatThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: FreshBooks (60-day free trial. Tell 'em you heard about it on "Back to Work") HostGator (Use code "BACKTOWORK" for 30% off) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "SLEEP") PDFpen Scan+, by Smile
2/26/20141 hour, 14 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 159: You Become Your Catch Phrases

Merlin and Dan talk about Library Elf, app launchers like Quicksilver and Alfred, Stanley Kubrick, pushing people to create greatness, not knowing what you like until you see it, the typefaces of Moon, and more. Links for this episode:Elf | Your Personal Email Library Reminder ServiceMoon | Typeset In The Future[VIDEO] Camper Van Beethoven - "Good Guys and Bad Guys""And let me plaaaaaaaay your guitar." The One Literary Reference You Must Know to Appreciate ?True DetectiveTrue Detective takes us to the void at the center of meaningThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “SLEEP”) Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code “BACKTOWORK214”) BackBlaze BusyCal
2/18/20141 hour, 27 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 158: Merlin-Sized Hole

TOPIC: Why We Have Doors. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about internet nostalgia, hacking vs. whacking, and why we have doors for a reason. Links for this episode:FAQ Friday - What have you wondered about sleep? : askscienceTips for a good night of sleep are usually referred to in a scientific context as "good sleep hygiene". Here is a list from the National Sleep Foundation. Finger protocol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn computer networking, the Name/Finger protocol and the Finger user information protocol are simple network protocols for the exchange of human-oriented status and user information. Defeating Emailfarce definition - Google Searcha comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations. Adventure Time #24 - Comics by comiXologyPrincess Bubblegum faces the consequences of her science experiment gone wrong as she finally finds a way to save the day! But is it too late? Find out if Princess Bubblegum is able to right all her wrongs or if her friends will never be themselves again, it's a crazy conclusion to this arc! Jack-Jack Attack. on VimeoShowbotEudora (email client) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEudora - New mail - - YouTubeThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: New Relic (Use code "BACKTOWORK" to get your extended 30-day Pro trial) lynda.com (Start learning now with a 7-day free trial) FreshBooks (They're giving away birthday cakes! Tell 'em you heard about it on "Back to Work") HostGator - (Use code "BACKTOWORK" for 30% off)
2/11/20141 hour, 38 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 157: Non-Dominant Hand

TOPIC: The Spreadsheet of You This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about sleep and how self-quantization can goose your mindfulness. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Application Performance Management & Monitoring | New Relic[SPONSOR] Website Hosting Services, VPS Hosting & Dedicated Servers - HostGatorUngainly X-Mann Meetup #3 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, February 13th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” John Nack on Adobe : ** Announcing a big change: I’m going to Google.Ben Sherman Menswear | The Official Ben Sherman Online StoreAmazon.com: Zoom H4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder: Musical Instrumentsjohn roderick (johnroderick) on TwitterRescueTimeRescueTime helps you understand your daily habits so you can focus and be more productive. Pink Floyd - The Story of Wish You Were Here 2012 legendado PT-BR - YouTubeAmazon.com: Zoom H4 Handy Recorder: Musical InstrumentsFitbit® Flex™Saga – The Essential Lifelogging App on the App Store on iTunesSaga is the easy way to keep track of where you go and what you do, and share the true story of your life with friends, family, and followers. Live your life, and let Saga write your digital autobiography. Moves on the App Store on iTunesMoves automatically tracks your everyday exercise, commuting and time spent in important places. Just carry your phone in your pocket or bag. Pedometer++ on the App Store on iTunesTake advantage of the step counting capabilities in your iPhone 5s to improve your health. Pedometer lets you easily keep track of your daily and weekly step counts, without any impact on your battery life. ARGUS - Motion and Fitness Tracker by Azumio on the App Store on iTunes24/7 Steps and active Calorie counter, GPS mapping of Running, Cycling and Driving SyncmetricsWe help you synchronize and analyze fitness and health data from Cycling Analytics, FatSecret, Fitbit, Garmin, iHealth, MapMyFitness, Nike , RunKeeper, Strava and Withings Strava Run - GPS Running, Training and Cycling Workout Tracker on the App Store on iTunesTrack your runs with GPS, analyze your performance, join Challenges and see how you stack up against friends. In Which We Sleepwalk At Our Convenience - Home - This RecordingIt is impossible to describe insomnia to people who are sound sleepers. These are the people who trust that getting in bed will be followed by falling asleep, as surely as night follows day 5by5 | Back to Work #156: Not the Monk I Used to BeTOPIC: Better Sleep HabitsThis week, Dan and Merlin do a deep dive on building better sleep habits with a focus on the paradoxes and planning of daily activities that can make all the difference. Stasi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK" for 30% off) New Relic (Use code "BACKTOWORK" to get your extended 30 day trial) Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code "BACKTOWORK214") Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "SLEEP")
2/4/20141 hour, 22 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 156: Not the Monk I Used to Be

TOPIC: Better Sleep Habits This week, Dan and Merlin do a deep dive on building better sleep habits with a focus on the paradoxes and planning of daily activities that can make all the difference. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Application Performance Management & Monitoring | New Relic[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] lynda.com library | Trial Subscription[SPONSOR] Smile - Welcome Back to Work Fans!5by5 | Amplified #87: No Mac Pro for MeWhile at NAMM, Jim joins Dan and special guest Merlin Mann to talk about their favorite Macs new and old, the future of the computer in the home, the power of portable and wearable devices, amps, guitars, Yamaha's purchase of Line 6, new gear, why Jim isn't getting a new Mac Pro, and more.Special guest Merlin Mann. Logos Made Simple — The Official Squarespace BlogSquarespace Logo helps anyone create a simple logo on their own. Logos can be comprised of a few basic elements: text, a tagline, and an icon. With the help of The Noun Project and Google Fonts, we provide a huge array of icons (7,000 and growing!) and fonts that you can easily turn into a unique logo for your business. A Redesigned Help Experience — The Official Squarespace BlogRod Smart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTorrold DeShaun "Rod" Smart (born January 9, 1977) is a former professional American football player. He played college football for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, and began his professional career in the short-lived XFL, where he played running back for the Las Vegas Outlaws and was known by the nickname "He Hate Me". He then played briefly in the Canadian Football League (CFL) before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He then spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers, 2002–2005, playing in Super Bowl XXXVIII. He has also been on the roster for the San Diego Chargers (in 2000) and the Oakland Raiders (in 2006) and was selected to play in the never launched All American Football League. "Bob's Burgers" (2011)Bob's Burgers centers on the Belcher family (consists of Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene and Louise) who own a hamburger restaurant How Sleep Deprivation Decays the Mind and Body - Seth Maxon - The AtlanticSleep deprivation is nearly as misunderstood as sleep itself, but it can physically and mentally harm people in myriad ways. Losing sleep can cause hallucinations, psychosis, and long-term memory impairment. Some studies have linked sleep deprivation to chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and bipolar disorder. The Trouble with Snooze Buttons (and with Modern Sleep) : The New YorkerOne of the consequences of waking up suddenly, and too early, is a phenomenon called sleep inertia. First given a name in 1976, sleep inertia refers to that period between waking and being fully awake when you feel groggy. The more abruptly you are awakened, the more severe the sleep inertia. How sleep makes your mind more creative « Mind HacksThe experiment illustrates that combining what we know to generate new insights requires time, something that many might have guessed. Perhaps more revealingly it also shows the power of sleep in building remote associations. Gaines, on Brains: Alcohol, Sleep, and Why You Might Re-think that NightcapThis yielded an interesting result: despite falling asleep faster, the subjects who consumed more alcohol woke more frequently had experienced lighter sleep during the second half of the night. 19 Scientific Reasons Why You Should Take More NapsNapping is more useful than coffee for getting over your midday slump. Goodnight. Sleep Clean. - NYTimes.com5by5 | Back to Work #90: Quit!™This week, Dan and Merlin talk about sleep—why we need it, why most of us don't get enough of it, and why we all strain to find a million excuses for perpetually walking around like a sad zombie. SRD:Monk - D&D WikiAmazon.com: Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband, Black: Health & Personal Care? Viking - YouTubeThe Forehead Ticket Trick | 43 FoldersThe car doesn't move until each person takes out their ticket and holds it to their forehead.Been doing it for 20 years, and you’d be amazed how often it saves the day. Strother Martin - IMDb5by5 | Back to Work #155: Newton's Fifth Law of PolitenessThe Rook: A Novel: Daniel O'Malley: 9780316098809: Amazon.com: BooksThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: New Relic (Use code “BACKTOWORK” to get your extended 30 day trial) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “FEAR”) lynda.com (Start learning now with a 7-day free trial) PDFpen by Smile
1/28/20141 hour, 41 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 155: Newton's Fifth Law of Politeness

TOPIC: Isolation and Identity This week, Dan and Merlin talk about civility, identity, Florida, and how you can't unsee Idiocracy. Links for this episode:The Living Wiccan, Curse Removal & ReversalWhy Songs Get Stuck in Your Head - Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis - The AtlanticWhat Are You Doing Right Now? - Merlin Mann"Is this really what you want to be doing right now?" "Right Now, What Are You Doing?" | 43 Folders5by5 | Amplified #86: Nobody's Getting My PantiesThis week, Merlin Mann sits in to chat with Jim about the Nest acquisition, the problem with Google's opaque creepiness, Jim's upcoming trip to NAMM, plus some special interactive tips from Jim on working the pentatonic blues solo.Homework: Practice on GnR's "Knocking on Heaven's Door."Special guest Merlin Mann. Idiocracy (2006)The Future Is A No Brainer Idiocracy (Release) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn The New York Times, Dan Mitchell argued that Fox might be shying away from the cautionary tale about low-intelligence dysgenics, because the company did not want to offend either its viewers or potential advertisers portrayed negatively in the film noting that in the film, Starbucks delivers handjobs, and the motto of Carl's Jr. has degenerated from "Don't Bother Me. I'm Eating." to "F*ck You! I'm Eating!" "Deceptive Practice" (2012)With wit and charm -- and lots of rare footage -- legendary illusionist Ricky Jay reveals his influences and offers insight into a secretive world. "Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants" (1996)"Penn and Teller at Caesar's Palace" - YouTubePenn and Teller demonstrate the seven basic principles of magic. Stanford prison experiment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaErikson's stages of psychosocial development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaErikson's stages of psychosocial development, as articulated by Erik Erikson, explain eight stages through which a healthily developing human should pass from infancy to late adulthood. In each stage, the person confronts, and hopefully masters, new challenges. Each stage builds upon the successful completion of earlier stages. The challenges of stages not successfully completed may be expected to reappear as problems in the future. College Level Examination Program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a group of standardized tests that assess college-level knowledge in several subject areas that are administered at more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the United States created by the College Board.[1] There are 2,900 colleges which grant CLEP credit.[2] Each institution awards credit to students who meet the college's minimum qualifying score for that exam, which is typically 50, but it does vary by school and exam.[3] The tests are useful for students who have obtained knowledge outside the classroom, such as through independent study, job experience, or cultural interaction.[4] CLEP also offers students (including international and homeschool students) the opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in subject areas and bypass undergraduate coursework. Blackfish (2013)Never capture what you can't control. Stories We Tell (2012)A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers The Crash Reel (2013)The mind has mountains Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations: Clay Shirky: 9780143114949: Amazon.com: BooksAccessibility | SFMTASan Francisco Muni’s accessible services and features. Ep. 01: "Keep Moving and Get Out of the Way" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannPunctuality, Freud, reasons, John’s brutal introversion, R.E.M.’s sense of humours, listening with toolboxes, the explicit honesty of volcano science, and ultimately rethinking humanity’s Latifahesque, fleece-and-beards struggle with the two a priori laws. Keep Moving and Get Out of the Way on VimeoIt's really very simple: * if you're in the way, keep moving * if you stop moving, get out of the way. This is Ape Law, and we must teach it to our young. THE Lance Arthur (thelancearthur) on TwitterElfers, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia(n.b.: since Merlin's teen years, the median age has plummeted to a youthful _45_) The Criterion Collection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Criterion Collection (or simply Criterion) is a video-distribution company that sells "important classic and contemporary films" to film aficionados. The Criterion series is noted for helping to standardize the letterbox format for widescreen films, bonus features, and special editions for home video. Months After 'Blackfish' Release, Controversy Over SeaWorld Grows : NPRLast month, SeaWorld finally responded. The park published an "open letter" in several newspapers that didn't mention Blackfish but defended its record of caring for killer whales. And this week, the company released an interim financial report, saying it had record attendance in the fourth quarter and that it expects to report its highest-ever annual revenue in March. Temple Grandin by Errol Morris (part 1 of 3) - YouTubeThis documentary about Temple Grandin was filmed by Errol Morris. It aired in his First Person series on Bravo US and Channel Four UK in 2000. Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)Autism gave her a vision. She gave it a voice. Bob's Burgers Exclusive Clip: Tina Admires Jimmy Jr.'s Magic Touch - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.comThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: FreshBooks (They're giving away birthday cakes! Tell 'em you heard about it on "Back to Work") New Relic (Use code "BACKTOWORK" to get your extended 30 day trial) Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code "BACKTOWORK114")
1/21/20141 hour, 31 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 154: Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

TOPIC: The Attention Stack This week, Dan and Merlin talk about—what?—maybe the attention stack. How what we pay attention to (and, yes spend our time on) can't help but affect how we see, think, feel, and decide. Not happy with any of those things? Start working your way down the stack. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Designer Frames & Online Eyeglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby Parker[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] lynda.com/backtowork | Trial Subscription[SPONSOR] FreshBooks - Online Invoicing, Accounting & Billing SoftwarePronoia (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn 2008 the writer and Electronic Frontier Foundation co-founder John Perry Barlow defined pronoia as "the suspicion the Universe is a conspiracy on your behalf". Bokononism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBokononism is based on the concept of foma, which are defined as harmless untruths. A foundation of Bokononism is that the religion, including its texts, is formed entirely of lies What's new with the LayoutEngine? | 6 Squarespace Customer Care5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the BathroomIn the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction. Windsor (typeface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Monkey's Paw - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"The Monkey's Paw" is a horror short story by author W. W. Jacobs. It was published in England in 1902.The story is based on the famous "setup" in which three wishes are granted. In the story, the paw of a dead monkey is a talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate. Untangling the Present: The Role of Appropriate AttentionAs anyone who has solved a complex problem knows, the trick to finding its solution lies in how you frame the issue: identifying the problem and sorting out the pattern of factors related to it. Seeing the pattern, you can decide which factors to focus on as crucial to its solution, and which ones you have to ignore so as not to get led down blind alleys. Framing the issue also means deciding how to approach each of the crucial factors so that instead of maintaining or exacerbating the problem, they aid with its solution. What this boils down to is, when faced with a problem, knowing which questions are helpful to ask about it, and which questions aren't. Amazon.com: Woolite Darks Laundry Detergent, 50 Ounce: Health & Personal Care5by5 | Back to Work #153: Anxiety's a GoatThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about anxiety, compulsive thoughts, and how to at least crack an air hole in a big problem.Way of the future. Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia, Revised and Expanded: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings: Rob Brezsny: 9781556438189: Amazon.com: BooksBrezsny persuasively advises readers to go along with the universe's good intentions, but his rejection of cynicism and a bleak view of human nature isn't rooted in denial. On the contrary, he makes a case for a cagey optimism that requires a vigorous engagement with the dark forces. Cat's Cradle: A Novel: Kurt Vonnegut: 9780385333481: Amazon.com: BooksCat’s Cradle is Kurt Vonnegut’s satirical commentary on modern man and his madness. An apocalyptic tale of this planet’s ultimate fate, it features a midget as the protagonist, a complete, original theology created by a calypso singer, and a vision of the future that is at once blackly fatalistic and hilariously funny. A book that left an indelible mark on an entire generation of readers, Cat’s Cradle is one of the twentieth century’s most important works—and Vonnegut at his very best. Tetris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe game has been noted to cause the brain to involuntarily picture tetris combinations even when the player is not playing (the Tetris effect), although this can occur with any computer game or situation showcasing repeated images or scenarios, such as a jigsaw puzzle. Put This On, Episode 1: Denim on VimeoThe Living Wiccan, Curse Removal & ReversalSo, here it is. Where I will discuss different methods to remove, reverse, and break curses that you’ve cast or that have been cast on you. Removing Curses, Hexes, BindingsCollect the hair, nail clippings or anything of the person upon whom the spell was cast. Consecrate the ground and cover it with a layer of salt to prevent evil from interfering. Pile the Oak wood and light it. Place what ever was collected from the person into water in the cauldron and boil. Add mistletoe and perform an incantation. The spell is reversed. Brain Games & Brain Training - LumosityDesigning Web Graphics Edition: Linda Weinman: 9781562055325: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | Myke HurleyYoung Girl-Old Woman Illusion -- from Wolfram MathWorldA famous perceptual illusion in which the brain switches between seeing a young girl and an old woman MojoMojo, in the African-American folk belief called hoodoo, is an amulet consisting of a flannel bag containing one or more magical items. It is a "prayer in a bag," or a spell that can be carried with or on the host's body. Alternative American names for the mojo bag include hand, mojo hand, conjure hand, lucky hand, conjure bag, trick bag, root bag, toby, jomo, and gris-gris bag. This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: FreshBooks (They’re giving away birthday cakes!) lynda.com/backtowork (Start learning now with a 7-day free trial) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, “FEAR”) Warby Parker (free 3-day shipping for Back to Work listeners)
1/14/20141 hour, 23 minutes
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Episode 153: Anxiety's a Goat

TOPIC: The thoughts we think. And think. And think. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about anxiety, compulsive thoughts, and how to at least crack an air hole in a big problem. Way of the future. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockThe Rook: A Novel: Daniel O'Malley: 9780316098809: Amazon.com: BooksIMAGE EXPO 2014Thursday January 9th at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts San Francisco, CA Surviving Anxiety - Scott Stossel - The AtlanticI've tried therapy, drugs, and booze. Here’s how I came to terms with the nation's most common mental illness. Interview: Scott Stossel, Author Of 'My Age Of Anxiety' : NPRStossel's own fears include turophobia, a fear of cheese Five hindrances - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances (Sanskrit: pañca niv?ra?a [AUDIO] Andrea Fella: Anxiety Worry and Fear[VIDEO] "The Office (UK)" - Keith - "Fanny means your arse. Not your minge."Buddhism Is Not What You Think: Finding Freedom Beyond Beliefs: Steve Hagen: 9780060730574: Amazon.com: BooksBuddhism is Not What You Think is a clear, direct, and engaging guide to the most essential elements of spiritual inquiry: attention, intention, honesty with oneself, compassion, and the desire to awaken. A renowned Zen teacher, Steve Hagen offers a valuable hands-on guidebook in which examples from everyday life are presented alongside stories from Buddhist teachers past and present to banish misconceptions and inspire the newcomer and the knowledgeable practitioner alike. Buddhism is Not What You Think—it is both more…and less. Buddhism Plain and Simple: Steve Hagen: 9780767903325: Amazon.com: Books"Buddhism Plain and Simple" offers a clear, straightforward treatise on Buddhism in general and on awareness in particular. Steve Hagan presents the Buddha's uncluttered, original teachings in everyday, accessible language unencumbered by religious ritual. [VIDEO] Ronco Mister Microphone Commercial (1981)The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play: Neil Fiore: 9781585425525: Amazon.com: BooksThe Triumph of New-Age Medicine – Marco.orgIntroducing LayoutEngine 2 — The Official Squarespace BlogWhat's new with the LayoutEngine? | 6 Squarespace Customer CareHot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing (Live 1976) - YouTubeMy Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind: Scott Stossel: 9780307269874: Amazon.com: BooksAs recently as thirty-five years ago, anxiety did not exist as a diagnostic category. Today, it is the most common form of officially classified mental illness. Scott Stossel gracefully guides us across the terrain of an affliction that is pervasive yet too often misunderstood. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "FEAR") Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code "BACKTOWORK114")
1/7/20141 hour, 15 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 152: Tiny Hands, Large Desires

TOPIC: Consistency, Change, and Counting-Down This week, Dan and Merlin return to the evergreen topic of new year's resolutions. Remember: in the main, you are what you've already done a lot. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. 5by5 | Back to Work #47: Utter Failure & Hotel SteakTOPIC: Resolving to skip the New Year's resolutions.In the last episode of 2011, Merlin and Dan talk about fresh starts and modest changes rather than rehearsing for sucking. You don't need a calendar to tell you to change. Whether you want to give up nail biting, onanism, or drinking a gallon of vodka a day, you need a plan and a tolerance for failure. Plus, a little care never hurts.How to do it? Keep it small, keep it time-limited, keep it action-oriented.Happy New Year, jackals. We love you. Amazon.com: LEGO Creator 31013 Red Thunder: Toys & GamesAmazon.com : LEGO Small Storage Head : Toy Interlocking Building Sets : Toys & GamesRevell - The Authentic Model-Building Experience since 1945Since 1945, Revell has been the leader in plastic model kits. Our designers are passionate about scale model authenticity and model building. Choose from our huge selection of accurately detailed cars, trucks, ships, aircraft, spacecraft plus much more and say "I Made That!" Amazon.com: Lego Sort and Store: Toys & GamesAmazon.com : LEGO Friends Downtown Bakery : Toy Interlocking Building Sets : Toys & Games5by5 | The Talk Show #72: H.R. FluffypuffThis week, John Gruber and Dan Benjamin wonder about girl hobbits, updating HR FluffyPuff to Ice Cream Sandwich, transforming tablets, RIM and Baghdad Bob, all the Kindle Fires under Christmas Trees, John's driving record, and John makes someone a millionaire with whiteout diamonds. Interview: Scott Stossel, Author Of 'My Age Of Anxiety' : NPRThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (10% off everything with discount code "grocerylist")
12/31/20131 hour, 15 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 151: The Christmas Pants

TOPIC: Christmas and Control This week, Dan and Merlin meander through holiday matters, including the Winter Warlock-like impotence of having your electric meter blow up on Christmas Eve Eve. Links for this episode:The 'Homeland' Finale, Reviewed : The New YorkerWhen John le Carr? concocted such maneuvers, we saw the characters? machinations but didn?t understand their intent. ?Homeland,? by contrast, just did it all off-screen, and I can?t be the only viewer who felt misled, as opposed to misdirected, when it all was revealed. The Incomparable #173: Santa-Based Christmas'Tis the season for holiday music! Unfortunately, while we unabashedly love the holidays, only some holiday music strikes our fancy. Join us as we talk about what makes a good holiday song and then stick around (if you dare) as we complain about some of the worst the season has to offer. Happy holidays, folks! Gaslighting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFrankfurt School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMeanwhile, many of these theorists believed that traditional Marxist theory could not adequately explain the turbulent and unexpected development of capitalist societies in the twentieth century. Critical of both capitalism and Soviet socialism, their writings pointed to the possibility of an alternative path to social development. The Christmas Shoes (song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code "BACKTOWORK1213")
12/24/20131 hour, 7 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 150: Ask for John Klumpp

TOPIC: Enough. This week, Dan and Merlin meander around the meaning of, "enough," pondering the deep existential pit we dig for ourselves and maybe how to get out of it. Merry Christmas. Get your head out of your ass. Links for this episode:Even An 85 MPH Highway Can't Fix Austin's Traffic Tangle : NPRAustin is the largest city in America with only one interstate running through it. Just six lanes wide through downtown, Interstate 35 backs up for miles regularly. The Postal Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Postal Service was an American electronic musical supergroup composed of vocalist Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie), producer Jimmy Tamborello (of Dntel and Headset) with Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley) on background vocals/keyboards & samplers live. For the band's reunion tour in 2013, Laura Burhenn (of the Mynabirds) joined the lineup throughout the tour to provide additional vocals and instruments, with Jen Wood filling in for a few shows. Operator assistance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA person-to-person call is an operator-assisted call in which the calling party wants to speak to a specific party and not simply to anyone who answers. The caller is not charged for the call unless the requested party can be reached. This method was popular when telephone calls were relatively expensive. F.D.A. to Require Proof That Antibacterial Soaps Are Safe - NYTimes.comThe Food and Drug Administration announced on Monday that it was requiring manufacturers of antibacterial soaps to demonstrate that their products are safe for long-term use or reformulate them. Should We Toss Our Vitamin Pills? - NYTimes.comOne in two adults takes a daily vitamin pill, and Americans spend tens of billions of dollars each year on supplements. Now, a small coterie of physicians writing in a leading medical journal has offered this blunt advice: “Stop wasting money.” Twitter / hotdogsladies: Appropriatism'It's not that I'm opposed to "minimalism"—but, in practice, I get way more interesting results from "appropriatism."' Twitter / hotdogsladies: Minimalism'A blog series about introversion is like a cat lady about minimalism.' ChromecastAmazon.com : Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player : Streaming Media Clients : ElectronicsAmazon.com: Roku LT Streaming Media Player (Purple) (2700R) (2013 Version): ElectronicsAmazon.com: Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player: ElectronicsAmazon.com : Roku 3 Streaming Media Player : Streaming Media Clients : ElectronicsSet up a 3rd-gen Apple TV with a tap from your iOS 7 deviceHave a third-gen Apple TV and an iDevice running iOS 7? If you've yet to set up Cupertino's set-top box, you can do so now by simply touching your iPhone or iPad to the Apple TV. Okay, Apple's take on Bump requires a few more steps than that Studio Neat — CosmonautThe Cosmonaut was born out of our desire to have a really great stylus for our iPads. We love to sketch out quick ideas or doodle on our tablets, and using a stylus is much better than a finger for such tasks. The problem is, all the styluses on the market are designed to look and feel like a pen. But why? Writing or drawing on the iPad feels nothing like using a pen or pencil. The perfect tablet stylus is one that feels like a dry erase marker: fast, simple, low fidelity. Ep. 92: "Born on a Ball" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: A snowstorm of quotation marks.Programming note: Hey, come out to see John 2013: The Year 'the Stream' Crested - Alexis C. Madrigal - The Atlantic"Remember that line: permanently unfinished." Pencil | FiftyThree"PENCIL.THINK WITH YOUR HANDS." Frozen (2013/I)Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "GROCERYLIST") HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK12" for 30% off)
12/17/20131 hour, 27 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 149: Vixen Haler

TOPIC: Criticism and Its Discontents This week, Dan and Merlin talk about criticism, people who don't like you, and how much to let each have anything to do with the work you produce. Links for this episode:Better - Merlin MannPolitics, celebrity gossip, business headlines, tech punditry, odd news, and user-generated content. These are the chew toys that have made me sad and tired and cynical. Snell-o-vision (How to watch "Doctor Who")As someone who became a fan of the show in the mid-’80s and who re-engaged with the show during its 2005 comeback, I have happily promoted it to numerous people and I hope I’ve learned a few lessons along the way. At the very least, I have opinions.So here are a few different ways to get into “Doctor Who.” [For my ultimate recommendation, scroll down to the bottom.] TextExpander Help: Detailed Release NotesUngainly X-Mann Meetup #2 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, December 12th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You TimeStock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockOver 30 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos Vicks VapoInhaler for Nasal Congestion ReliefLip Care | Skin Care | Carmex Lip Care | Carmex Skin Care | Carmex Lip Balm & Skin Care ProductsCarmex - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Vicks Vapoinhaler 0.007 Oz: Health & Personal CareVitamin C, Linus Pauling was right all along. A doctor's opinion - Medical News TodayTop 10 Programming FontsPragmataPro™, coding font designed by Fabrizio SchiaviM+ Fonts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitter / Walmart: @danbenjamin Hi Dan - Perhaps ...Use Only as Directed | This American LifeOne of the country's most popular over-the-counter painkillers — acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol — also kills the most people, according to data from the federal government. Over 150 Americans die each year on average after accidentally taking too much. And it requires a lot less to endanger you than you may know. We reported this alongside ProPublica. Their stories here and here. Accidental Tech Podcast: 41: Penny Wise, Pound FoolishExtended after-show: how we deal with criticism, trolls, and our own flaws when facing our audience. 5by5 | The Incomparable #169: A Man with a Long Scarf50 years ago some very clever people invented "Doctor Who." 50 years later we still love it. On the occasion of the show's golden anniversary, here's our unabashed lovefest for the BBC's most clever invention. Four American fans discuss how we discovered the show, our favorite Doctors and stories, and the unique and welcoming culture of sci-fi fandom. Special guests Erika Ensign, Glenn Fleishman, and Chip Sudderth. 5by5 | The Incomparable #170: Let Zygons Be ZygonsIn this special unedited flashcast edition, we talk about the 50th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who, "The Day of the Doctor," immediately after viewing it! It just about made our heads explode and we want to watch it again immediately. Join us for our post-episode breakdown of what we saw and what we liked. Special guests Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, Scott McNulty, and Serenity Caldwell. Blink (Doctor Who) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Blink" is the tenth episode of the third series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 9 June 2007 on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The episode was directed by Hettie MacDonald and is the only episode in the 2007 series written by Steven Moffat. The episode is based on a previous short story written by Moffat for the 2006 Doctor Who Annual, entitled "'What I Did on My Christmas Holidays' By Sally Sparrow". The Dark Side of Linus Pauling's LegacyPauling is largely responsible for the widespread misbelief that high doses of vitamin C are effective against colds and other illnesses. In 1968, he postulated that people's needs for vitamins and other nutrients vary markedly and that to maintain good health, many people need amounts of nutrients much greater than the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). And he speculated that megadoses of certain vitamins and minerals might well be the treatment of choice for some forms of mental illness. He termed this approach "orthomolecular," meaning "right molecule." After that, he steadily expanded the list of illnesses he believed could be influenced by "orthomolecular" therapy and the number of nutrients suitable for such use. No responsible medical or nutrition scientists share these views. HuffdufferThe Rite of Spring - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Rite of Spring is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1913 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company Tagged "applebeesandme" | Chip ZdarskyReye's syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSamantha West The Telemarketer Robot Who Swears She's Not a Robot | TIME.comWhen Scherer asked point blank if she was a real person, or a computer-operated robot voice, she replied enthusiastically that she was real, with a charming laugh. But then she failed several other tests. When asked “What vegetable is found in tomato soup?” she said she did not understand the question. When asked multiple times what day of the week it was yesterday, she complained repeatedly of a bad connection. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time Shutterstock (25% off everything with discount code "BACKTOWORK1213")
12/10/20131 hour, 19 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 148: Activity Seat

TOPIC: Gooseneck Options This week, with Dan re-sick and Merlin full of beans, the boys do a deep dive on hand washing, purpose-built bathroom activity gadgets, and the benefits of arming our children. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: CTA Digital Pedestal Stand for iPad 2/3/4 with Roll Holder: Computers & AccessoriesTechnical Difficulties - 057 - Reinventing Yourself with Merlin MannGabe and Erik are joined by Merlin Mann to talk about starting over, what you really should be doing with your life, verbing, inventors, and emotional petshops. Anastasia Helicopter - Unprofessional - Mule Radio SyndicateMerlin Mann joins Dave and Lex to talk about Jimmy Carter and vocabulary words. Accidental Tech Podcast: 41: Penny Wise, Pound FoolishUngainly X-Mann Meetup #2 — Merlin MannMERLIN MANN (Back to Work, Roderick on the Line, You Look Nice Today, et al.) invites you to drop by Two Cats Comics on the evening of Thursday, December 12th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” Cubs - Bobcat RankBoy ScoutsCub ScoutsSilver Beaver Award - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not actively seek it. As Rent Soars, Longtime San Francisco Tenants Fight To Stay : NPRA recent city report finds that Ellis Act evictions have increased 170 percent over the past three years. Low- and middle-income tenants are unlikely to find another affordable apartment in San Francisco, where the median monthly rent has risen to about $3,400. craw - definition of craw by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.The crop of a bird or insect. The stomach of an animal. Amazon.com: CTA Digital 2-in-1 iPotty with Activity Seat for iPad: BabyAmazon.com: Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season: Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, William Hill: Movies & TVAmazon.com: Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy): Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, William Hill: Movies & TVAmazon.com: Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray): Various: Movies & TVAmazon.com: Potty Putter Toilet Time Golf Game: Sports & OutdoorsBad Wolf meme - Tardis Data Core, the Doctor Who WikiBad Wolf was a meme created by "the Bad Wolf" to inspire Rose Tyler to save the Ninth Doctor from the Game Station. (TV: The Parting of the Ways) It also prefigured the return of Rose into the Tenth Doctor's life, following his regeneration, as well as the crisis they would face together. (TV: Turn Left) "Bad Wolf" was thus both warning for the end of the universe and signpost. A Good Man Goes to War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"A Good Man Goes to War" is the seventh episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was first broadcast on BBC One on 4 June 2011 and served as a mid-series finale. The episode was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Peter Hoar. Demons Run Poem - Doctor Who - Digital Spy Forums"Demons run when a good man goes to war…" The Eleventh Hour (Doctor Who) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the episode, the newly regenerated Doctor (Matt Smith) crashes his time and space machine, the TARDIS, into the small English village of Leadworth, where he meets a young Scottish girl named Amelia Pond (Caitlin Blackwood). The Doctor is forced to leave, but promises Amelia he will return in five minutes. However, he arrives twelve years late and is confronted by the grown-up Amelia, now known as Amy (Karen Gillan), who does not trust him. He attempts to gain her trust to help return the shape-shifting alien Prisoner Zero to the galactic police, the Atraxi, before they destroy the planet. iTunes - TV Shows - Doctor Who, Season 55by5 | The Incomparable #169: A Man with a Long Scarf50 years ago some very clever people invented "Doctor Who." 50 years later we still love it. On the occasion of the show's golden anniversary, here's our unabashed lovefest for the BBC's most clever invention. Four American fans discuss how we discovered the show, our favorite Doctors and stories, and the unique and welcoming culture of sci-fi fandom. Special guests Erika Ensign, Glenn Fleishman, and Chip Sudderth. 5by5 | The Incomparable #170: Let Zygons Be ZygonsIn this special unedited flashcast edition, we talk about the 50th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who, "The Day of the Doctor," immediately after viewing it! It just about made our heads explode and we want to watch it again immediately. Join us for our post-episode breakdown of what we saw and what we liked. Special guests Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, Scott McNulty, and Serenity Caldwell. Need / Curated Shopping for Men [Nudie’s Grim Tim jeans]Nudie’s Grim Tim jeans ought to be a staple of any and all male wardrobes.Designed to be worn incessantly without wash for months at a time, Nudie denim will evolve, shape, and age to fit you perfectly. They’ll adjust ever-so naturally to your lifestyle and their tone will deepen and brighten as they abide by your habits. 5by5 | BionicOnce, Bionic was a show dedicated to the analysis of competing technological and media ecosystems. Today, with what began as subtle references to selfies, sexy cruises, and tearaway trousers, Bionic has grown into a weekly examination of absurdity, intrigue, British culture, and, from time-to-time, technology. X-Men Vol 1 125 - Marvel Comics DatabaseSynopsis for "There's Something Awful on Muir Island!": On Muir Island, Moira MacTagger begins examining Jean Grey to learn the upper limits of her Phoenix powers. After some examination she points out that Jean had unconsciously put up barriers to keep her powers at her previous levels following saving the universe from the M'Kraan Crystal but now they seem to be returning to their cosmic level powers, and would like to know why. As Jean finishes up her test for the day, she recalls the events that brought her to Muir Island following the supposed deaths of her comrades. To come (publishing) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"To come" is a printing and journalism reference abbreviated "TK." It is used to signify that additional material will be added at a later date. Toy Gender Wars: Team Pink Or Team Blue? : NPR'Tis the season! Tell Me More's parenting roundtable weighs in on navigating toy shelves this year. Are gender neutral toys the best way to go? And is the pink presidential Barbie politically correct or just a hot mess? Host Michel Martin talks toys with parents Sarah Maizes, Neal Hoffman and Jamila Bey. X-Men: Proteus (Marvel Premiere Classic): Chris Claremont, Ann Nocenti, Fabian Nicieza, John Bolton, Mark Bright, John Byrne: 9780785137689: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Samsung UN85S9 85-Inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV: ElectronicsList Price: $44,999.99 Price: $39,997.99 Amazon Prime-eligible. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK12" for 30% off).
12/3/20131 hour, 1 minute, 38 seconds
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Episode 147: Five-Dollar Murray

TOPIC: Perfectionism and Procrastination This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why the classic meanings of perfectionism mostly miss the mark; it's less about being scared to finish and more about being terrified to start. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] PDFpenPro: Mac PDF Editor - Create PDF Forms, PDF Table of ContentsEverything PDFpen can do and more! Make interactive forms, build tables of contents, and convert Web pages to PDFs when you go PDFpenPro. New in version 6: Microsoft® Word export! [SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockOver 30 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos [SPONSOR] Website Hosting Services, VPS Hosting & Dedicated Servers - HostGatorWeb Hosting made EASY and AFFORDABLE! “One Dog Goes One Way And The Other Dog Goes The Other Way” | Broadsheet.ie5by5 | The Best of 5by5 #1: November 17 - 23, 2013Highlights from this week's shows. 5by5 | The Incomparable #170: Let Zygons Be ZygonsIn this special unedited flashcast edition, we talk about the 50th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who, "The Day of the Doctor," immediately after viewing it! It just about made our heads explode and we want to watch it again immediately. Join us for our post-episode breakdown of what we saw and what we liked.Special guests Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, Scott McNulty, and Serenity Caldwell. Fun food fact of the week: Why asparagus makes urine smell funny - The Daily CalifornianAll-New X-Men, Vol. 1: Yesterday's X-Men: Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen: 9780785168201: Amazon.com: BooksHawkeye, Vol. 1: Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido, Francesco Francavilla, Alan Davis, Jesse Hamm: 9780785184874: Amazon.com: BooksX-Men: Battle of the Atom: Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Wood, Jason Aaron, Frank Cho, Stuart Immonen, David Lopez, Chris Bachalo, Esad Ribic: 9780785189060: Amazon.com: BooksBatman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52): Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo: 9781401235420: Amazon.com: BooksSuperior Spider-Man, Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy (Spider-Man (Graphic Novels)): Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman: 9780785167044: Amazon.com: BooksBatman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52): Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo: 9781401242343: Amazon.com: BooksSuperior Spider-Man, Vol. 1 (Marvel Now): Dan Slott, J. M. DeMatteis, Jen Van Meter, Richard Elson, Humberto Ramos, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stephanie Buscema, Ryan Stegman: 9780785185215: Amazon.com: BooksAll-New X-Men, Vol. 1: Yesterday's X-Men: Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen: 9780785168201: Amazon.com: BooksSuperior Spider-Man, Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy (Spider-Man (Graphic Novels)): Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman: 9780785167044: Amazon.com: BooksThe Adventure Time Encyclopaedia (Encyclopedia): Inhabitants, Lore, Spells, and Ancient Crypt Warnings of the Land of Ooo Circa 19.56 B.G.E. - 501 A.G.E.: Martin Olson, Hunson Abadeeer: 9781419705649: Amazon.com: BooksWolverine & the X-Men, Vol. 1: Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo, Duncan Rouleau, Matteo Scalera, Nick Bradshaw: 9780785156802: Amazon.com: Books"Born different? The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning is the place for you! A staff of experienced X-Men will teach you everything you need to know to survive in a world that hates and fears you. And your headmaster is none other than Wolverine - the best there is at what he does. Hope you survive the experience!" Wolverine has taken half the X-Men back to Westchester to start over with a new school and a new mission. Schism tore them apart, but can Wolverine lead the new Children of the Atom into the future? Only if they survive the new Hellfire Club and the return of another classic villain! Young Marvel: Little X-Men, Little Avengers, Big Trouble: Skottie Young, Dan Slott, Ruben Diaz, Chris Claremont, Gurihiru Gurihiru, Mark Buckingham, JJ Kirby, Tom Raney: 9780785184980: Amazon.com: BooksThe Children of the Atom meet the Mitey 'Vengers in this giant-sized collection of pint-sized super heroics! There's no pacifying Cyclops and Cap, who swap "ABC" for "AVX" as the playground becomes a battleground! Then, when Mojo kidnaps Wolverine to star in his arena of death, it's Longshot, Dazzler, and the uncannily cute X-Babies to the rescue! And when these junior X-Men stand up to the Brotherhood of Mutant Bullies in a murderous game show produced by Mojo and Arcade, will they be outdone by new kids on the block - or will one of their number dissolve back into the neoplasm from which they were formed? Plus: a gallery of Skottie Young's ever-adorable Marvel NOW! variant covers! [VIDEO] Lilo & Stitch - "My Friends Need To Be Punished"Battle of the Atom Reading OrderAmazon.com: Samsung UN85S9 85-Inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV: ElectronicsThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: PDFPen Pro by Smile HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK11" for 30% off) Shutterstock (use discount code "BACKTOWORK1113" for 25% off any package)
11/26/20131 hour, 20 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 146: Phantom Bell Syndrome

TOPIC: Going Mobile-er. This week, Dan and Merlin are very sick, so they talk about being sick. Then, they talk about what it would take to move to using just an iPad Air on the road. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] OmniFocus - The Omni GroupOmniFocus is designed to quickly capture your thoughts and ideas to store, manage, and help you process them into actionable to-do items. Perfect for many different systems, OmniFocus helps you work smarter by giving you powerful tools to stay on top of all the things you need to do. From ‘Call mom’ to ‘Submit Annual Report to Investors’. [SPONSOR] BusyCalBusyCal is an alternative to the built-in Calendar app on OS X that provides powerful time-saving features in a friendly, easy-to-use package. My_Feedback.ppt - The Talk Show - Mule Radio SyndicateVery special guest Merlin Mann joins John Gruber for an as-usual rambling discussion about presentation slides, the new iPads, the Major League Baseball schedule, and Malcolm Gladwell. iTunes - Movies - The World's EndSimon Pegg and Nick Frost reteam with director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) in this wildly entertaining thrill ride that critics call “funny as hell” (Richard Roeper, WLS-AM Chicago) and “sheer comic perfection” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). The Three Flavours Cornetto® Trilogy - Download The Three Flavours Cornetto® Trilogy on iTunesFilm Crit Hulk Smash: ALCOHOL, WITHNAIL AND GARY KING [Lower Caps Bruce Banner Edition] : Edgar Wright HereThe following essay by Film Critic Hulk is kindly re-blogged from: BadAssDigestThanks also go to Hulk for allowing me to publish this as a special lower case ‘Bruce Banner’ version. If you enjoy the article be sure to read the expansive and emotional comments on the original page. 5by5 | The Incomparable #164: Put In the Zom and Out Comes ComGrab a pint and marinate your brain as we discuss the "Cornetto Trilogy," three films by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright that are linked in theme if not in characters: "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," and recent release "The World's End." Why aren't there more smart genre comedies? How do Pegg and Wright so deftly handle different genres? How are these movies like the Commedia dell'arte? Why do Jason and Jeff want to punch Nick Frost, then hug him? Plus, we give even more Incomparable love to "Spaced." The Seven Things You're Not Supposed to Talk About | This American LifeProducer Sarah Koenig's mother lives by a set of rules about conversation. She has an actual list of off-limits topics, including how you slept, your period, your health, your diet and more. You don't talk about these things, she says, because nobody cares. This week we try to find stories on these exact topics that will prove her wrong. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s ‘Star Wars’ | kung fu grippeSimon Pegg and Nick Frost’s ‘Star Wars’ Email Field Guide — MacSparkyThis book tackles your over-stuffed inbox. The Email Field Guide covers both why email has become such a problem for everyone and how to manage it more effectively. Bookshelves (October, 2004) Time flies when you’re having…wait, now…what is it I do again? A Complete iOS App Overhaul — The Official Squarespace BlogAs Squarespace's functionality continues to expand, we’ve focused on creating an entire suite of applications around Squarespace’s core product. This lets us focus each app on specific functionality, providing a clear, targeted interface that helps you accomplish exactly what you need to do on the go. Panic - Prompt, nice SSH for iOS - Supportps (Unix) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTextastic - Text, Code, and Markup Editor with Syntax Highlighting - FTP, SFTP, Dropbox - for iPadRogue Amoeba | Nicecast: Broadcast Any Audio To The Internet, Right From Mac OS XAmazon.com: Griffin Technology iMic USB Audio Device: Computers & AccessoriesBacon Method - The Perfect Bacon Cooking MethodTaxi Driver (1976)FILM CRIT HULK! HULK BLOG! | HULK HAVE DEEP AND ABIDING LOVE OF CINEMA. HULK RECOGNIZE INHERENT VALUES OF POPULAR, NARRATIVE, AND EXPERIMENTAL STYLES. WWW.TWITTER.COM/FILMCRITHULKHULK HAVE DEEP AND ABIDING LOVE OF CINEMA. HULK RECOGNIZE INHERENT VALUES OF POPULAR, NARRATIVE, AND EXPERIMENTAL STYLES. ? Bananarama - Cruel Summer (HD) - YouTubeThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: BusyCal OmniFocus Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "nice")
11/19/20131 hour, 35 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 145: Nine-Thousand Words of Holden Caulfield

TOPIC: Grab bag This week, Dan takes a minute to sit down with Merlin to talk about bathroom GIFs, Marvel movies, private school ejection, and a new interview with Merlin that is very very long. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Website Hosting Services, VPS Hosting & Dedicated Servers - HostGatorThe best way to pee into a urinal, according to science - The WeekThat splash is due to a fluid dynamics term called the Rayleigh Instability. Basically your stream loses power about 6 inches from the urethra, scattering your spray into messy droplets. VineScope - Different ways how I open the bathroom doorDisney Shows Off The First Poster Of Angelina Jolie As MaleficentShe really is Maleficent brought to life. Who else could carry off this bone structure? [INTERVIEW] The Great Discontent: Merlin Mann"It’s been one anxious block of uncertainty after another." 5by5 | Systematic #69: The Health Episode with Dr. Pam PeekeShow 17: Spoilers | UnansweredAmazon.com: The World's End (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD with UltraViolet): Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, Edgar Wright, Nira Park, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner: Movies & TVBoxing Helena - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSoundHound Inc.SoundHound on the App Store on iTunesMoving Units - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe band was formed in 2001 by Chris Hathwell, Blake Miller, and Johan Boegli, when Hathwell's previous band, Festival of Dead Deer, broke up.[1] They released their debut EP, Moving Units, on Three One G in early 2002. Their touring experience includes opening slots for Hot Hot Heat, Pixies, Blur and Nine Inch Nails. Their debut full-length album, Dangerous Dreams, was released on October 12, 2004 by Palm Pictures. hipgnosis - Google SearchParisLemon — Disney's Massive 2015 SlateDisney's Marvel and Netflix Join Forces to Develop Historic Four Series Epic plus a Mini-Series Event | News | Marvel.comLed by a series focused on "Daredevil," followed by "Jessica Jones," "Iron Fist" and "Luke Cage," the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking Netflix members deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell's Kitchen, New York.  Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, thirteen episodes series and a culminating Marvel's "The Defenders" mini-series event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters. The Wolverine (2013)Wolverine: Chris Claremont, Frank Miller, Paul Smith: 9780785137245: Amazon.com: BooksWolverine: Weapon X: Barry Windsor-Smith: 9780785137269: Amazon.com: BooksThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK11" for 30% off everything) Shutterstock (use discount code "BACKTOWORK1113" for 25% off any package)
11/12/201355 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 144: Habituate a Goat

TOPIC: Perception and Perspective. In their second ever live, face-to-face episode, Dan and Merlin talk about goats, noise gate, and taking a step back for a better view of where you are. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Designer Frames & Online Eyeglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby Parker[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] OmniFocus - The Omni Group5by5 | Bionic #66: Crossover EventThis week – with Matt on a secret Vlcnr mission – Myke is joined by Merlin Mann. They discuss the fact that Matt is probably on witness protection, the movies of Edgar wright, a little about Comic books and Blackberry in the enterprise. Scat Academy (Part 1) | You Look Nice TodayWelcome to the You Look Nice Today® Scat Immersion Program™.No dogs, babies, or squares allowed. Need / Curated Shopping for MenImproving Squarespace Analytics — The Official Squarespace BlogThe new Squarespace Analytics platform uses a method similar to Google Analytics, recording data from the browser using Javascript. This method provides a much better filter for non-human traffic from bots and crawlers. 5by5 | The Frequency #146: Dr. Ridley Scott6 places germs breed in a plane - CNN.comPark Madison Lighting PMF-3127-31 Contemporary Design 72-Inch High 150-Watt Incandescent Torchiere Floor Lamp, Black Finish with White Shade - Amazon.comGE Lighting 97763 50/100/150-Watt 615/1540/2155-Lumen A21 3-Way Light Bulb, Soft White, 2-Pack - Amazon.comTwitter / ErikJFisher: @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin ...Twitter / thanland: @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin ...joker "anthony misiano" - Google Search Warby Parker (get FREE 3-day shipping on your order) Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "nice") OmniFocus
11/6/20131 hour, 19 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 143: Chimpanzee Scallop Throwing

TOPIC: Preparation This week, Dan and Merlin talk about preparation. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock Over 30 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos [SPONSOR] PDFpen Scan+: Scanning and OCR for iPad and iPhonePDFpen Scan enables you to scan multi-page documents, articles, receipts, and more, using the iPhone or iPad camera. Scans are cropped, sized to standard paper sizes, and visually enhanced for legibility. PDFpen Scan includes OCR (optical character recognition), making it possible to copy the text in a scanned document for use in another document or email message, or to export a PDF containing searchable text to a variety of popular cloud services. Twitter / gruber: This CableCARD stuff is just ...This CableCARD stuff is just weird. Two hours after Comcast tech left, second card started working. Still no HBO ( 6 places germs breed in a plane - CNN.comA random sampling of 327 unnamed domestic and international aircraft caused a stir in 2004 when some water samples tested positive for E. coli, one strain of which is the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S. Coffee and tea are brewed on board with such water and don't typically reach hot enough temperatures to kill E. coli. When bottled water runs out, some planes have been known to fill fliers' glasses from the tank. "Checkpoint Friendly" Laptop Bags | Transportation Security AdministrationTo help streamline the security process and better protect laptops, TSA recently encouraged manufacturers to design bags that will produce a clear and unobstructed image of the laptop when undergoing X-ray screening. A design that meets this objective will enable TSA to allow laptops to remain in bags for screening. Incase 13" City Collection Briefcase for MacBook Pro - Apple Store (U.S.)Steam Room Disadvantages | LIVESTRONG.COMThe hot, humid environment of the steam room is an ideal environment for many germs and fungi. Highly trafficked or poorly cleaned steam rooms are particularly likely to be unsafe. If you do choose to use the steam room, make sure it has been recently cleaned. Follow the advice given by "Newsweek," and never enter a sauna with bare feet. Wear rubber shower shoes, or flip flops, to prevent athlete's foot. Steam Room Disadvantages | Healthy Living - azcentral.comA warm and wet environment is a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. A steam room acts as an expectorant and may cause your nose to run. If a previous user had a cold or cough, his germs may be growing in the steam room. According to Mayo Clinic.com, life-threating infections like MRSA can thrive in these environments. Protect yourself by washing hands and feet upon entering and leaving. In addition, use a towel or other protective barrier between your skin and the seats inside. Steam room vs. sauna | Go Ask Alice!Also, beware that steam rooms provide ideal breeding conditions for various infection-producing microbes. For example, athletes' foot or other fungal infections can be better avoided if you wear a towel and shower shoes or flip flops in the steam room (and in the sauna, for that matter). Duck Dynasty - Episodes, Video & Schedule - aetv.comWatch Marc Maron: Thinky Pain Online | NetflixKnown for his "WTF" podcast and hilarious appearances on late-night talk shows, comedian Marc Maron focuses his acidic, self-loathing wit on everything from religion to pornography in this standup special filmed in a New York nightclub. Pocket universe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn narrative, pocket universes are fictional artificially-created universes that exist within the bounds of another universe. The term pocket universe is derived from its illustration in the actual universe where it is usually portrayed as an orb which would fit in a pocket. Enrico Fermi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEnrico Fermi (Italian: [en?ri.ko ?fe?.mi] Amazon.com: UNO 40th Anniversery Edition Card Game: Toys & GamesThe Uno 40th anniversary edition card game features throwback graphics on the fronts and backs of the cards that are sure to invoke a sense of nostalgia in players. The rules are the same as normal Uno, with the only notable difference being the retro design of the cards. Hundredth monkey effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia? Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance - YouTubeThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK11" for 30% off everything) Shutterstock (use discount code "BACKTOWORK1113" for 25% off any package)
10/29/20131 hour, 22 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 142: 86 Jam Pack

TOPIC: Traveling Like a Gentleman. This week, Dan and Merlin revisit the travails of air travel. How to prepare, how to survive--and how to be a better and more mindful person along the way. Also, some timely discussion of this morning's Apple product announcements. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] Air Display 2 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on the iTunes App Store[SPONSOR] Web Hosting Services, Reseller Hosting, VPS Hosting, and Dedicated Servers by HostGatorSquarespace for Musicians — The Official Squarespace BlogWith audio collections, you can upload music directly to Squarespace and easily share your albums from your website, complete with a beautiful, integrated player and album art display. To add an audio collection, log into your website and click “Add Page” under the Content area of your site manager. Select “Album”, then upload your album art and music files by dropping them directly into the collection. Squarespace recognizes the metadata of your audio files, so information like song title and artist name will be populated automatically. New Template Design: Forte — The Official Squarespace BlogForte provides a powerful way to display your portfolio with full-screen imagery, putting your best shots front and center, then allowing visitors to navigate to projects they want to see. It’s a template that’s especially well suited for creative firms, designers, or artists. Twitter / scottjohnson: So lets see what I got here ...5by5 | Mac Power Users #160: Getting Ready for MavericksDavid and Katie talk about getting your Mac ready for OS X Mavericks. Mac Pro - Buy Mac Pro Computers - Apple Store (U.S.)MacBook Pro - Buy MacBook Pro with Retina display - Apple Store (U.S.)Apple - iPad mini with Retina displayApple - iPad AirApple — iPad — Compare iPad models.Twitter / maxvoltar: Apple now sells 20 different ...Travelpro Flight Crew 4 22" Rollaboard - Luggage - ProductsRed Oxx Air Boss Carry-on Bag Designed for 1 Bag Business Travelers.SeatGuru Seat Map American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-80 (M80)Airport | Video | Saturday Night Live | NBCBBC iPlayer - Digital Human: Series 4: WanderNow that off-grid is on-grid and we can send emails from mountaintops, have we sacrificed the pleasure of travelling to discover new places and ourselves? Why We Cry on Planes - Elijah Wolfson - The AtlanticThe Incredible Shrinking Plane Seat - WSJ.comThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Air Display 2 by Avatron HostGator (use coupon code "BACKTOWORK10" for 30% off) Squarespace (use offer code "GOBLIN" for 10% off)
10/22/20131 hour, 33 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 141: Counterclockwise. Like a Gentleman.

TOPIC: Learning the Wheres and Whens of Productivity This week, Dan and Merlin talk about learning from how you work to improve your basic productivity infrastructure, with specific attention to using Perspectives in OmniFocus. Whether it's consolidating shopping lists, eliminating task rot, or leveraging geolocation, there are innumerable tricks for lightly tweaking a system in powerful, non-fiddly ways. Also: learn Dan's Unified Field Theory of Grocery Shopping. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Web Hosting Services, Reseller Hosting, VPS Hosting, and Dedicated Servers by HostGatorSquarespace for Musicians — The Official Squarespace BlogWith Audio Collections, you can upload music directly to Squarespace and easily share your albums from your website, complete with a beautiful, integrated player and album art display. To add an Audio Collection, log into your website and click “Add Page” under the Content area of your site manager. Select “Album”, then upload your album art and music files by dropping them directly into the collection. Squarespace recognizes the metadata of your audio files, so information like song title and artist name will be populated automatically. 5by5 | Back to Work #140: Silicon CircusTOPIC: Special Guest, Matt Alexander This week, Merlin is joined by Bionic co-host, Matt Alexander. They discuss ““technology ecosystems,”” life as a self-described trans-atlantic, tech scenes that thrive and don't, dating someone from Florida (and her Mum), and getting back into Marvel comics. Special guest Matt Alexander. 5by5 | Systematic #65: Mimicking Normalcy with Merlin MannMerlin Mann joins Brett to talk about caffeine replacements, feeling normal and mature approaches to nerding out. [VIDEO] "Ex-Men: Wolverine"Wolverine gets fired for cause. How to Care for Domestic Rabbits - PetfinderRabbits may be easy to love, but they’re not quite as easy to care for. These lovable, social animals are wonderful companions for people who take the time to learn about their needs. Though providing care for these adorable creatures isn’t difficult, rabbits have a long lifespan—more than 10 years—and many specific care requirements. Anyone considering adding a rabbit to their family should carefully research books and web sites on rabbit care before making a decision. Using OmniFocus | Mastering ProductivityCreating Flow with OmniFocus helps you build your day to do the things you want to do with a clear mind. Learn to easily guide your work, play, and productivity throughout the days, weeks, and years using the strength of OmniFocus, the most powerful task management system made. Creating Flow with OmniFocus guides you from the basics to the most advanced uses one step at a time. OmniWeb - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOmniWeb is a proprietary Internet web browser developed and marketed by The Omni Group. It is available exclusively for Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X operating system. Although it is not open source, like many of its competitors in the Macintosh alternative browser market - Mozilla's Firefox and Camino, for instance - OmniWeb is available as a free download. swan (bird) -- Encyclopedia BritannicaMale swans, called cobs, and females, called pens, look alike. Chard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla),[1] is a leafy green vegetable often used in Mediterranean cooking. Shopster - The geo-learning groceries list for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on the iTunes App StoreShopster is a new kind of groceries list app that learns what youpurchase and where, so it can remind you later on. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksNaked Consumer: How Our Private Lives Become Public Commodities: Erik Larson: 9780140233032: Amazon.com: BooksOmniFocus - The Omni GroupOmniFocus is designed to quickly capture your thoughts and ideas to store, manage, and help you process them into actionable to-do items. Perfect for many different systems, OmniFocus helps you work smarter by giving you powerful tools to stay on top of all the things you need to do. From ‘Call mom’ to ‘Submit Annual Report to Investors’. Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDog Whisperer with Cesar Millan is a reality television series that featured Cesar Millan's work with problem dogs. 5by5 | BionicBionic is a show dedicated to the analysis of competing technological and media ecosystems. With a specific view toward the mobile landscape, your two co-hosts bring years of Apple experience to a new world of context and insight. Hosted by Matt Alexander and Myke Hurley. The Godfather: Part II (1974)The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba. 5by5 | The Incomparable #158: Peak ClooneyIt's time for the second Incomparable Film Festival! We pick 35 films that we think are worth seeing, in fantasy draft format. From horror to comedy to drama to sci-fi to kung-fu, we've got just about every genre covered. (Part 1 of 2.) Special guests Andy Ihnatko, Dan Moren, David J. Loehr, John Siracusa, Monty Ashley, and Steve Lutz. The simple problem of shared groceries lists | SimplicityBlissMy requirements are what I consider basic, but still there is not one app that really addresses them all. Sponsored by Shutterstock (use code BACKTOWORK1013 for 25% off) and HostGator (use code BACKTOWORK10 for 30% off).
10/15/20131 hour, 13 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 140: Silicon Circus

TOPIC: Special Guest, Matt Alexander This week, Merlin is joined by Bionic co-host, Matt Alexander. They discuss ““technology ecosystems,”” life as a self-described trans-atlantic, tech scenes that thrive and don't, dating someone from Florida (and her Mum), and getting back into Marvel comics. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. [SPONSOR] MailRoute: Email Protection - Spam and Virus Filtering ServicesMailRoute is a secure, hosted email filtering service that you can have up and running in minutes. There's no hardware or software to install - just sign up, change your mx record, and you're protected! Matt Alexander (mattalexand) on TwitterMatt Alexander@mattalexand Person on the Internet. Founder of Need (http://needlifestyle.com ). Coming soon. Dallas/London · one37.net 5by5 | BionicBionic is a show dedicated to the analysis of competing technological and media ecosystems. With a specific view toward the mobile landscape, your two co-hosts bring years of Apple experience to a new world of context and insight.Hosted by Matt Alexander and Myke Hurley. 5by5 | Matt AlexanderMatt Alexander is the founder of OneThirtySeven. Born and raised in London, Matt now lives and works in Dallas, where he's working on his forthcoming startup, Need. OneThirtySeven - AuthorBorn and raised in London, England, Matt Alexander has spent the last seven years living in Dallas, Texas. All-New X-Men, Vol. 1: Yesterday's X-Men: Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen: 9780785168201: Amazon.com: BooksTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreCollectorz.com Connect: merlinmann: My Comics5by5 | Bionic #51: United Queendom"Matt and Myke do not know what they have done here. There was some discussion about Moto X and some other small topics—but it's mixed in between absolute insanity. Enjoy!" (The episode where Merlin kinda fell in love with Matt) NeedNeed Is a One-Of-A-Kind Men's Publication, Retailer, and Subscription Service Launching Later This Year. American Experience | Summer of Love | The Film and More | Film Description | PBSAmerican Experience presents Summer of Love, a striking picture of San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district during the summer of 1967 -- from the utopian beginnings, when peace and love prevailed, to the chaos, unsanitary conditions, and widespread drug use that ultimately signaled the end. This week's episode of [Back to Work][b2w link] is kindly sponsored by: MailRoute (15-day free trial -- AND get 10% off for the lifetime of your account with promo code BACKTOWORK) Squarespace (use discount code GOBLIN for 10% off)
10/8/20131 hour, 24 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 139: Tap Your Meat Stack

TOPIC: Grab Bag, plus Tasks vs. Calendar Items This week Dan and Merlin administer an epic grab bag episode, chockablock with new app, book, podcast, and music suggestions. Also, a return to the evergreen topic of where stuff goes. How to decide whether a given thing goes on a calendar, a todo list, reference files, or an alarm. Great ninja stuff. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Air Login, Air Display, Air Sharing: useful mobile apps | Avatron SoftwareNow you can connect to your Mac from anywhere! Plus, you can connect to any number of computers at the same time. [SPONSOR] PDFpen Scan+: Scanning and OCR for iPad and iPhonePDFpen Scan enables you to scan multi-page documents, articles, receipts, and more, using the iPhone or iPad camera. Scans are cropped, sized to standard paper sizes, and visually enhanced for legibility. PDFpen Scan includes OCR (optical character recognition), making it possible to copy the text in a scanned document for use in another document or email message, or to export a PDF containing searchable text to a variety of popular cloud services. [SPONSOR] MailRoute: Email Protection - Spam and Virus Filtering ServicesMailRoute is a secure, hosted email filtering service that you can have up and running in minutes. There's no hardware or software to install - just sign up, change your mx record, and you're protected! [VIDEO] Charli XCX - “SuperLove” Merlin's enthusiastic pick for pop hit of the year. OmniFocus - The Omni GroupOmniFocus 2 for iPhone sports a brand new look just for iOS 7, and a new, uniform color set so you always know what you’re looking at. Enter multiple actions even faster with Save . At-a-glance Summary Dots and a peek at your Forecast on the home screen make every glance more informative. With iOS 7's Background App Refresh, syncing happens in the background. Find important actions with Search Anywhere, and get more done with OmniFocus 2. Evernote Essentials, The Definitive Getting-Started Guide for EvernoteI call it Evernote Essentials and – as that name implies – it’s everything you need to both get started with and master the powerfully useful tool that is Evernote. Marked 2 - Smarter tools for smarter writersMarked is a previewer for Markdown files. Use it with your favorite text editor and it updates every time you save. With robust features for previewing, reviewing and exporting beautiful documents, you can work in plain text while reveling in rich formatting. 5by5 | Mac Power Users #157: Security Problems and SolutionsIn this episode, David and Katie cover frequent security problems and offer their solutions. Marked Help (What's new in Marked 2)Plain English Campaign - About usSince 1979, we have been campaigning against gobbledygook, jargon and misleading public information. We have helped many government departments and other official organisations with their documents, reports and publications. We believe that everyone should have access to clear and concise information. Twitter / _DavidSmith: I wrote a free app for looking ...I wrote a free app for looking at the motion data tracked on the 5s. Essentially turning your phone into a pedometer Pedometer++ for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on the iTunes App StoreTake advantage of the the new motion tracking capabilities in your iPhone 5s to improve your health. Pedometer lets you easily keep track of your daily and weekly step counts. You can also set the app to dynamically show your current step count as the applications badge. This will update dynamically throughout the day. Strava Run - GPS Running, Training and Cycling Workout Tracker for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on the iTunes App StoreTrack your runs with GPS, analyze your performance, join Challenges and see how you stack up against friends. Calendars 5 - Smart Calendar and Task Manager with Google Calendar Sync for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on the iTunes App StoreCalendars 5 is complete re-imagining of what the best mobile calendar experience should be. Organize your life and business - WunderlistRemember The Milk: Online to-do list and task managementAmazon.com: Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband, Black: Health & Personal Care5by5 | Back to Work #138: Mindfulness...Whether I Want It or NotTOPIC: Informal Background Self-Quantization This week Dan & Merlin discuss the merits of self-quantization. Which is fancy way of saying, "Merlin got a new Fitbit." Why is anecdotal self-reporting a sucker's bet? What are the benefits of making your life a little video game? And, why is Merlin's scale accessing APIs via the internet? Men's Timex® Fullsize Weekender Stripe Slip ... : TargetIron Man - Mark II Test Flight - YouTubeIron Man armor (Mark II) - Marvel Movies Wiki - Wolverine, Iron Man 2, ThorThe Mark II armor was designed and created by Tony Stark after his return from Afghanistan. It features much of the articulation and sleek-design which would appear in the final, Mark 3 armor. While testing the flight mechanism, he noted that 'icing' would become a major problem with the Mark II when upper altitudes were reached. It was hinted that Rhodey would be using the Mark II armor in the sequel. BrettTerpstra.comRogue Amoeba | Fission: Fast & Lossless Audio Editing For Mac OS XThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: MailRoute (use code backtowork for 15-day free trial plus 10% off your lifetime account) Air Login by Avatron PDFpen Scan+ by Smile
10/1/20131 hour, 25 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 138: Mindfulness...Whether I Want It or Not

TOPIC: Informal Background Self-Quantization This week Dan & Merlin discuss the merits of self-quantization. Which is fancy way of saying, "Merlin got a new Fitbit." Why is anecdotal self-reporting a sucker's bet? What are the benefits of making your life a little video game? And, why is Merlin's scale accessing APIs via the internet? Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] HostGatorHostGator is a leading provider of web hosting, reseller hosting, vps hosting, and dedicated servers. Over 8,000,000 websites trust HostGator for their web hosting needs. [SPONSOR] BusyCalBusyCal is an award winning calendar app that provides powerful time-saving productivity tools in a friendly, personalized, easy-to-use package." 5by5 | Amplified #72: I Have to Shiv a Guy at 7This week, Jim is joined by Back to Work's Merlin Mann to talk about hands-on experiences with Apple's new iPhone 5s and 5c and iOS 7. Including a deep dive on Touch ID; how easier security measures could boost iTunes sales; Jim's new-found photo skills with the 5s camera; what Jim looks for in the wiring under his wood; and more. Special guest Merlin Mann. iTunes - Books - Writing On The iPad: Text Automation with Editorial by Federico Viticci"Writing On The iPad: Text Automation with Editorial" demonstrates how Markdown and iOS power users can take their iPad productivity to the next level by crafting automated workflows and scripts to speed up writing, editing, and publishing. The Wake Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyWriter Scott Snyder and artist Sean Murphy explore the horrors of the deep, probe the origins of human history, and leap far beyond to a frightening future. Runa Focused Energy, Traditional Guayusa Tea, 16-Count Tea Bags: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet FoodTraditional Guayusa is energizing, smooth, and rich, with a hint of natural sweetness, guayusa helps you be awake and alert. Guayusa (why-you-sa) provides balanced, sustainable energy without bitterness, jitters, or crash. Video of iPhone 5s' slow-mo - Boing BoingAt the terrifically fun XOXO Fest in Portland last weekend I met Haddie Cooke and Dan Benjamin of the 5by5 podcast network. They produce two of my favorite podcasts: The Ihnatko Almanac and Latest in Paleo. When I met them, they were hanging out with Duncan Davidson, who had just picked up the iPhone 5s. He was showing how the new 120 fps slo-mo video works. 5by5 | Amplified #72: I Have to Shiv a Guy at 7 on HuffdufferMac Power Users 156: Editorial with Federico Viticci | Mac Power UsersDavid and Katie are joined by Federico Viticci of Macstories.net to talk about writing on the iPad and the newest text editor with built in automation functions, Editorial. Amazon.com: Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband, Black: Health & Personal CareNever stop moving with Fitbit Flex. Wear this slim, stylish device all the time and get the motivation you need to get out and be more active. It tracks steps, distance, and calories burned and shows you how you?re stacking up against your daily goals. At night, it tracks your sleep cycle, helps you learn how to sleep better, and wakes you silently in the morning. Access your stats anytime on your computer, tablet, or from smartphones ? both iPhone and Android. Flex is your perfect companion, and stays with you everywhere - even in the shower. Amazon.com: Withings Wireless Scale WS-30, White: Health & Personal CareSyncMetricsTime Management & Productivity Tracking Software (Mac/PC/Android/Linux) | RescueTimemerlin mann on Huffduffermerlinmann on HuffdufferEp. 85: "Steamin' John" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: It’s just a long circle of brother-in-laws. Macular degeneration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macula) because of damage to the retina. It occurs in "dry" and "wet" forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults (>50 years). Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces, although enough peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life. American Vampire Vol. 1: Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque: 9781401229740: Amazon.com: BooksPunk Rock Jesus: Sean Murphy: 9781401237684: Amazon.com: BooksThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: BusyCal HostGator (use discount code "BACKTOWORK9" for 30% off)
9/24/20131 hour, 30 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 137: Alice Two Arrows Bob

TOPIC: Etiquette, Intros, and Endorsements This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the surprisingly complicated topic of email introductions. Who emails whom? Who gets cc'd and for how long? How much homework are we making (or accepting)? And, thorniest of all, how do you ““introduce”” someone you'd reeeeeeally rather not introduce? Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. [SPONSOR] ShutterstockStock Photos | Shutterstock: Royalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. [SPONSOR] HostGatorSince its establishment in 2002, HostGator has been a world-leading provider of web hosting service. Unicode Character 'LONG LEFT RIGHT ARROW' (U+27F7)⟷ Calendars 5 - Smart Calendar and Task Manager with Google Calendar Sync for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on the iTunes App StoreCalendars 5 is complete re-imagining of what the best mobile calendar experience should be. Amazon.com: Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband, Black: Health & Personal CareNever stop moving with Fitbit Flex. Wear this slim, stylish device all the time and get the motivation you need to get out and be more active. It tracks steps, distance, and calories burned and shows you how you?re stacking up against your daily goals. At night, it tracks your sleep cycle, helps you learn how to sleep better, and wakes you silently in the morning. Access your stats anytime on your computer, tablet, or from smartphones ? both iPhone and Android. Flex is your perfect companion, and stays with you everywhere - even in the shower. Path to enlightenment: how walking inspires writers | Books | theguardian.comA new book that claims walking and writing are one activity uses great dreamers to make its point, but the walker-writers passing through Connemara seem to have drawn on simpler inspirations Watch "Spaced" | NetflixIn this surreal sitcom, slacker artist Tim Bisley and brooding writer Daisy Steiner decide to pose as a young professional couple. The reason? So they can move into an affordable flat, where they do everything possible to avoid adulthood. Better Template Switching — The Official Squarespace BlogOne of Squarespace's unique strengths is the ability to change your site's template on the fly while keeping all of your data intact. While perfecting this feature has been a challenge, we've recently made significant improvements to the template switching experience on our platform. Brass No Soliciting Sign - Amazon.comSay in an elegant way, solicitors please, please, stay away. This distinctive and durable handcrafted sign tastefully states your wishes. Our signs are made from hand cast brass. Each is unique. Each custom made. Allow the sign to patina over time for an elegant old world charm or keep it as bright as the day it arrived by periodically buffing it with a Scotch Brite pad. The World's End (2013)Good food. Fine ales. Total Annihilation. BusyCalBusyCal is an alternative to the built-in Calendar app on OS X that provides powerful time-saving features in a friendly, easy-to-use package. Cobook Contacts - enjoyable contact management for iPhoneENJOYABLE CONTACT MANAGEMENT [VIDEO] The World’s End - “One Tap Water”"WHHHHH-AAAAAAAT?!?" Calendars 5 for iOS review: Combine your calendars and tasks into one beautiful, easy to use app | iMoreThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: HostGator (use discount code "BACKTOWORK9" for 30% off) Shutterstock (use discount code "BACKTOWORK9" for 25% off any package) Squarespace (use offer code "BATMAN" for 20% off)
9/17/20131 hour, 24 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 136: Scared of Your Own Life

TOPIC: Fear of Your Own TODO List This week, Dan and Merlin cover a topic suggested by listener, @jeff_nordstedt: not wanting to look at your todo list. From capture to completion, there are a million ways to fall off the path. The boys take a deep dive on what those ways might be as well as how to get yourself straightened out and, as you say, back to work. Honestly. It's why people hate TODO lists. Well. That and the odor. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. [SPONSOR] Designer Frames & Online Eyeglasses - $95 Rx Glasses | Warby ParkerVintage-inspired prescription eyeglasses starting at $95. Image Metadata Importing — The Official Squarespace BlogWith this new feature, Squarespace can now autofill the Title, Description, and Tags for your images using the metadata you've already assigned to it in your editor. 5by5 | The Incomparable #157: Bros and ArrowsAn entire comic book about Hawkeye, the lesser Marvel superhero with a bow and arrow? Okay... this looks bad. But seriously, bro, this is one of the very best comics being published today. We cover the first two trade-paperback editions of Fraction and Aja's series, including Lucky the Pizza Dog, 50 Shades of Purple, and how hooking up a laserdisc player is similar to defusing a bomb. Hop on board and join us--we're great at boats. Special guests Dan Moren, Lisa Schmeiser, Merlin Mann, and Tony Sindelar. Ungainly X-Mann Meetup! — Merlin Mann A Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal. Twitter / jeff_nordstedt: @danbanjamin @hotdogsladies ...@danbanjamin @hotdogsladies A modest B2W topic suggestion: Not wanting to look at your to do list. All capture tools in world won’t help. 'Hawkeye's' Matt Fraction And David Aja Talk About Their Acclaimed ComicI couldn't launch a book with Doctor Strange and Iron Fist and the Silver Surfer and the Hulk, but Pizza Dog sells out Editorial WorkflowsIf you view this page on your iPad (with Editorial installed), you can download the linked workflows directly, by tapping on the Install Workflow button on the preview pages. Tweet2CiteA quick, easy, and free way to convert a Tweet into various properly formatted citations. Paste a link to the Tweet you want to cite in the field below, click 'Go', and you're on your way! Dansent.meDiscounts for 5by5 listeners from Dan Benjamin Does That Look Clean To you?Daring Fireball: Thoughts and Observations on Today's iPhone 5C and 5S IntroductionHere’s the thing. The iPhone 5C has nothing to do with price. It probably does have something to do with manufacturing costs (which are lower for Apple), but not price. Apple’s years-long strategy hasn’t really changed. One Thing WellManatee County, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaManatee County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. Its 2010 population was about 300,000.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Bradenton. Manatee County is a part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area and along with Sarasota County to the south and several counties to the north is often considered part of the Tampa Bay Area. Chasco Fiesta | New Port Richey | Pasco County | Events, Concerts, ParadesChasco Fiesta™ offers nine days of family fun and entertainment along the banks of the beautiful Pithlachascotee River in downtown New Port Richey, Florida. New Avengers, Vol. 1: Breakout: Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch, Danny Miki: 9780785114796: Amazon.com: BooksSuperman Family Adventures, Vol. 1: Art Baltazar, Franco: 9781401240509: Amazon.com: BooksThe World's End (2013)The World's End (2013) Movie Tickets, Reviews, and Photos - Fandango.comEdgar Wright HereEdgar Wright - IMDbLutz, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreThree Flavours Cornetto trilogy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (also known as the Blood and Ice Cream trilogy or the Cornetto trilogy) is a series of comedic genre films directed by Edgar Wright, written by Wright and Simon Pegg, produced by Nira Park, and starring Pegg and Nick Frost. The films are Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End. "Six Nights in the Life of…" Analyzing a modern... | kung fu grippeTaintsville, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTaintsville is an unincorporated community in Seminole County, Florida, United States. It is located in between Oviedo and Chuluota. On December 14, 1971 it was formally designated as the Village of Taintsville by Seminole County. This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Warby Parker (use discount code "dan" for three-day delivery) Squarespace (use offer code "BATMAN" for 20% off)
9/11/201358 minutes, 59 seconds
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Episode 135: There's No "I" in Success

TOPIC: Joss Whedon GTD; Meeting Redux This week, Dan and Merlin talk about getting specific with your productivity and why every meeting needs an agenda. Now, take a drink. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. [SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art [SPONSOR] PDFpen by SmileMac PDF Editor - Edit, Sign, and Correct PDFs - PDFpen is a powerful Mac PDF editor Ungainly X-Mann Meetup! — Merlin MannA Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal. How To Be Prolific: Guidelines For Getting It Done From Joss Whedon | Co.Create | creativity + culture + commerceThe writer-producer-director who made Much Ado About Nothing while editing The Avengers, and who’ll return to TV this fall with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., knows a bit about “getting things done.” In fact, he cites David Allen’s book of that title as an important guide--even if he never finished reading it. 5by5 | Back to Work #29: I Download FLACWith Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by TV’s Rob Corddry (Children’s Hospital, The Daily Show, Hot Tub Time Machine) to talk about Getting Things Done, writing, fear, and finding success as a blood-soaked clown. Special guest Rob Corddry. 5by5 | Back to Work #115: Invitation to a Blame PartyTOPIC: Fixing the Culture of MeetingsThis week, Dan and Merlin address the problems with meetings, and how we can each choose to improve them. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods. [VIDEO] "In Search of Steve Ditko" Jonathan Ross: "His name is, 'Steve Ditko.' And, I’m going looking for him." In Search of Steve Ditko - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRoss, accompanied by Gaiman, met Steve Ditko at his New York office but he declined to be photographed or interviewed for the show. He did however give the two a selection of some of his old comic books. At the end of the show Ross said he has since spoken to Ditko on the telephone and was now on first name terms with him. Twitter / WriterRyan: @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin ...The Unofficial "Back to Work" Drinking Game - Hey, Slab!Created through the help of the jackals. I strongly recommend that you lie down on your stomach after you finish so you don’t go like Jimmy Hendrix did. Also, maybe throw that sucker in a randomizer and cut it down to 20 or so per category so your liver doesn’t explode. Yeesh. .mp3 audio Dhamma talks archive page - dhammatalks.org[VIDEO] A 1982 roundtable discussion with John Landis, John Carpenter, and David CronenbergGorf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGorf consists of five distinct "missions", each with its own patterns of enemies. The central goal of each mission is to destroy all enemies in that wave, which takes the player to the next mission. Successfully completing all five missions will increase the player's rank and loop back to the first mission, where play continues on a higher difficulty level. The game continues until the player loses all their lives. The player can advance through the ranks of Space Cadet, Space Captain, Space Colonel, Space General, Space Warrior, and Space Avenger, with a higher difficulty level at each rank. Along the way, a robotic voice heckles and threatens the player, often calling the player by his current rank (for example, "Some galactic defender you are, Space Cadet!"). Some versions also display the player's current rank via a series of lit panels in the cabinet. [VIDEO] Mitchell & Webb - "Football!""THE FOOTBALL IS OFFICIALLY GOING ON FOREVER!" Behind the Candelabra (2013)Based on the autobiographical novel, the tempestuous 6-year relationship between Liberace and his (much younger) lover, Scott Thorson, is recounted. [VIDEO] Adventure Time: "I floop the pig""I told you corn fields are AWESOME!" "Six Nights in the Life of…" Analyzing a modern... | kung fu grippeSteve Ditko - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStephen J. "Steve" Ditko (born November 2, 1927) is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist and co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Spirit of victory prevails at opening of new Bay Bridge | Transportation | San Francisco ExaminerThe $6.4 billion eastern span of the Bay Bridge, which took 11½ years to complete and features the world's largest self-anchored suspension span as well as a bike and pedestrian path, officially opened for business Monday night at 10:18 p.m. Ken Nordine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKen Nordine (born April 13, 1920) is an American voice-over and recording artist, best known for his series of Word Jazz albums. His deep, resonant voice has also been featured in many commercial advertisements and movie trailers. One critic wrote that "you may not know Ken Nordine by name or face, but you'll almost certainly recognize his voice." PDFpen by Smile Shutterstock (use discount code "BACKTOWORK9" for 25% off any package) Squarespace (use offer code "BATMAN" for 20% off)
9/3/20131 hour, 20 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 134: A Boss You Don't Even Know About

TOPIC: Talk Shows, Baseball, and Inboxes. This week, Dan and Merlin cover a range of topics related to expertise, experience, professional repetition, and management, culminating in a tour of Merlin's current email filtering strategy. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceUngainly X-Mann Meetup! — Merlin MannA Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal. Schumpeter: In praise of laziness | The EconomistYet the biggest problem in the business world is not too little but too much—too many distractions and interruptions, too many things done for the sake of form, and altogether too much busy-ness. The Dutch seem to believe that an excess of meetings is the biggest devourer of time: they talk of vergaderziekte, “meeting sickness”. However, a study last year by the McKinsey Global Institute suggests that it is e-mails: it found that highly skilled office workers spend more than a quarter of each working day writing and responding to them. Ep 7: Humour, comedy and benign violation - The NudgeHow does the world of humour effect what we do in our jobs? We speak to an expert about the science of humour and comedy, the right time to use humour in design and how to judge it better. We also try to find out if analysing a thing too much can kill it. Letterman And 'Tonight' Vet Go Behind The Scenes Of Late Night : NPRFred de Cordova: "If you do one show a year or one show every three months or one show every four months, you have an awful lot of time to realize what a failure you've been," he said. "But we do kind of a baseball season: We do a show one night and we hope it's wonderful, and if not that, we hope it's good and we hope it isn't bad. But even if it's a great show or even if it's not such a good show, we do another show the next night and we have no time, except in self analysis, to decide why it wasn't good or even why it was very good." Rim Fire At 234 Square Miles And Counting; SF Power And Water Supplies Threatened: SFistIt is only 15 percent contained, and pushing quickly toward the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and O'Shaughnessy Dam, San Francisco's primary sources of water and power. Two of three hydroelectric power stations have been forced to shut down, and SF's public utility commission has begun buying power on the open market. Amazon.com: Ledwholesalers 400 Nm Uv Ultra Violet Blacklight Flashlight 3 Aaa, 7301uv400: Home ImprovementAmazon.com: Sharpie Type Invisible Ink UV Marking Pen Marker: Everything ElseTwitter / Search - @danbenjamin #squarespaceFrederick de Cordova - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFrederick "Fred" Timmins de Cordova (October 27, 1910 - September 15, 2001) was an American stage, motion picture and television director and producer. He is best known for his work on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Moneyball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMoneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is a book by Michael Lewis, published in 2003, about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its general manager Billy Beane. Its focus is the team's analytical, evidence-based, sabermetric approach to assembling a competitive baseball team, despite Oakland's disadvantaged revenue situation. A film based on the book starring Brad Pitt was released in 2011. Moneyball (2011) - IMDbOakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players. Eight Men Out - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEight Men Out is a 1988 American dramatic sports film, and based on Eliot Asinof's 1963 book 8 Men Out. It was written and directed by John Sayles. The film is a dramatization of Major League Baseball's Black Sox scandal, in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox conspired with gamblers to intentionally lose the 1919 World Series. Eight Men Out (1988) - IMDbA dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series. AwayFind - Mobile notifications for priority messages. The email management solution for Gmail and Exchange.It gives me confidence todo what I need withouthovering over my inbox 24/7— I highly recommend. Marvel Age #16 in merlinmann's Comic Collector Connect collectionThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Shutterstock (use discount code “BACKTOWORK8” for 25% off any package) Squarespace (use offer code “HOWARDCHICKEN” for 10% off)
8/27/20131 hour, 29 minutes, 28 seconds
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Episode 133: I'm Glad Your Computer Died

TOPIC: How many keys do you really need? This week, Dan and Merlin return to the question, "What do you want ten times more of?" and weigh the risks and benefits of increasing the amount of complexity in your life. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceEditorial for iPadPowerful Markdown Editing and Workflow Automation for iPad Editorial for iPad: A Landmark in iOS Text EditorsIf that gets you curious, then read on. I have something wonderful to show you. Reinventing iOS Automation: Editorial ReviewOle Zorn knows how to push the boundaries of iOS. His latest app, Editorial for iPad, redefines the market of text editors for iOS, and, in many ways, sets a new standard for iOS automation and desktop-class apps. Editorial makes me want to work from my iPad. BusyCalBusyCal supports iCloud, Exchange, Google Calendar, and other CalDAV servers, enabling you to sync and share your calendars with other Macs running BusyCal or the built-in Calendar app on OS X, as well as iPhones and iPads running the built-in Calendar app on iOS. PythonistaBring the Zen of Python to iOS. 5by5 | The Incomparable #154: Seahorse on Line OneDo you like stories, love, and life? Then even if you're not a regular comic book reader, you should read "Saga," by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. (Unless naked robot sex disturbs you, in which case you shouldn't.) We cover the horns and the wings, bad connections on the interstellar cellphone network, seahorse agents, super space high school, a frog with a banjo, the wisdom of hiring a ghost as your babysitter, and much more. PopClip ExtensionsAdd extra actions using PopClip extensions.Download extensions from this page, then double click to install. Ep. 81: "It Tastes Like the Forest" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: Cruising now is part of John’s lifestyle. Butterick’s Practical TypographyButterick’s Practical Typography (Equity Type Face)Equity is used for body text in this book. Equity was orig­i­nal­ly de­signed for le­gal writ­ers, but any pro­fes­sion­al writer can benefit from its many conveniences: Butterick’s Practical Typography (Concourse Type Face)Concourse is the sans serif font used in this book—for headings, side­bars, tech­ni­cal in­struc­tions, and elsewhere. Amazon.com: Watchmen Collector's Edition: Ultimate Cut + Graphic Novel [Blu-ray]: Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Zack Snyder: Movies & TVMac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhoneThis page provides a product summary for each Apple model. The intent is to provide our best recommendations regarding current product cycles, and to provide a summary of currently available rumors for each model. The Notorious MSG's Unlikely Formula For SuccessThe “umami” craze has turned a much-maligned and misunderstood food additive into an object of obsession for the world’s most innovative chefs. But secret ingredient monosodium glutamate’s biggest secret may be that there was never anything wrong with it at all. How To Be Prolific: Guidelines For Getting It Done From Joss Whedon | Co.Create: Creativity \ Culture \ CommerceThe writer-producer-director who made Much Ado About Nothing while editing The Avengers, and who’ll return to TV this fall with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., knows a bit about “getting things done.” In fact, he cites David Allen’s book of that title as an important guide--even if he never finished reading it. Squarespace Commerce Now Available in the UK — The Official Squarespace BlogWith Stripe’s official launch, we’re thrilled to announce that Squarespace Commerce is now available to everyone in the UK. Accidental Tech Podcast: 26: Three Phones AgoThe case for RAID | Ars TechnicaEight Men Out (1988)This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Shutterstock (use discount code “BACKTOWORK8” for 30% off any package) Squarespace (use offer code “HOWARDCHICKEN” for 10% off)
8/20/20131 hour, 14 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 132: C+ Objective Stack

TOPIC: Fraud vs. Failure This week, Dan and Merlin dive into what makes us feel like frauds and what makes us feel like failures. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceBatman: Year One - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein. It originally appeared in issues Watchmen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWatchmen is a graphic novel by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins. It was serialized as a limited series by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987, and collected in 1987. Watchmen originated from a story proposal Moore submitted to DC featuring superhero characters that the company had acquired from Charlton Comics. As Moore's proposed story would have left many of the characters unusable for future stories, managing editor Dick Giordano convinced Moore to create original characters instead. Batman: The Killing Joke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBatman: The Killing Joke is a one-shot superhero graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland. Published by DC Comics in 1988, it has remained in print since then, and has also been reprinted as part of the trade paperback DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore. Sid and Nancy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSid and Nancy (also known as Sid and Nancy: Love Kills[1]) is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman), bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). Batman: The Long Halloween - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBatman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997.[1] It was inspired by the three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials by the same creative team. The entire series has been collected in both trade paperback, and as part of the DC Comics Absolute Editions. The series' success led to Loeb and Sale to reteam for two sequels, Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome, which parallels the events in Dark Victory. Hush (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHush is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He was usually an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman The Dark Knight Returns - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Dark Knight Returns is a 1986 four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Jason, and published by DC Comics. When the series was collected into a single volume later that year, the story title for the first issue was applied to the entire series. The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of Bruce Wayne, who at 55 years old returns from retirement to fight crime and faces opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government. Maus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMaus is a graphic novel completed in 1991 by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman. It depicts Spiegelman interviewing his father about his experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. The book uses postmodern techniques—most strikingly in its depiction of races of humans as different kinds of animals, with Jews as mice, Germans as cats and non-Jewish Poles as pigs. Maus has been described as memoir, biography, history, fiction, autobiography, or a mix of genres. In 1992 it became the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. How I Self-Published My Book — Shawn BlancOn today’s episode of Shawn Today, I talked about this in great detail, and perhaps sometime I’ll write about it more here as well. But in short, the launch day was incredibly emotional for me. I was nervous, of course. But I also woke up feeling like a fraud, before I had even shipped the book. I felt fearful that people would consider the content of my book and the interviews to be not worth paying for, and yet here I was charging $29. Let Us Now Praise Famous Walgreens - Let’s Make Mistakes - Mule Radio SyndicateMerlin Mann joins Mike and Jessie to talk about the differences between Walgreen’s they’ve known, and why everyone is always trying to email everyone else. Merlin says bespoke. Vince Gilligan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVince Gilligan (born February 10, 1967) is an American writer, director, and producer. He is best known as the creator of the highly acclaimed television series Breaking Bad, and has also worked on the hit series The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen. Impostor syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe impostor syndrome, sometimes called impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome, is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be. 5by5 | The Cocktail Napkin #21: Creative ModalityMerlin Mann and I cover a lot of territory, from creative failure to creative modality and how being in the wrong mode at the wrong time might bring on that failure. Throat Nut and the Long Chocolate - The Shakes - Mule Radio SyndicateMerlin Mann joins us as a live beta test of having guests on the show. We think it went pretty well. Except for Quinn’s throat peanut that kept her choking off-mic for half the show.We revisit “creative wives”, dicsuss Lead Tickets, Battle Royale, and spaghetti night. Halftone 2 - Comic Maker for iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + 4G, iPad (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini and iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular on the iTunes App Halftone 2 is an Apple Editors' Choice app that makes it easy to become a superhero in your own comic! Vince Gilligan, episode #16 of By The Way, In Conversation with Jeff Garlin on EarwolfBreaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan sits down to chat with Jeff about writing comedy scripts in college, what lead to his first TV job working on The X-Files, why he uses an old laptop that cannot access the internet, and his phone conversation with Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of Gilligan’s Island. Plus, Vince comes prepared with a question for Jeff regarding his Baywatch past. Watchmen - “You’re locked in here with ME.” ... | kung fu grippeThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code “HOWARDCHICKEN” for 10% off)
8/13/20131 hour, 14 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 131: The Peacock Dance of Men

TOPIC: Power, Yelling, and Airport Kung Fu This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion of power and how it does or doesn't work. Do real leaders actually talk like the douchebags, serial entrepreneurs, and screamy travelers struggling to imitate them? Not really. That's one way you can tell they're leaders. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespacePint Of Code — Back to BelgiumSquarespace for Restaurants — The Official Squarespace BlogIntroducing Donations, Service Products, and Form/Product Integrations — The Official Squarespace BlogLet Us Now Praise Famous Walgreens - Let’s Make Mistakes - Mule Radio SyndicateMerlin Mann joins Mike and Jessie to talk about the differences between Walgreen’s they’ve known, and why everyone is always trying to email everyone else. Merlin says bespoke. New Template: Marquee - Squarespace PluginsSquarespace’s latest template, Marquee, helps tell your story in a dynamic, engaging, and fun way. Amplify the narrative of your website and giving your visitors a memorable viewing experience through stunning, full-screen imagery. b2w-131 : Shutterstock Stock PhotographyDéjà vu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDéjà vu, from French, literally "already seen", is the phenomenon of having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced has been experienced in the past, whether it has actually happened or not. Jamais vu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOften described as the opposite of déjà vu, jamais vu involves a sense of eeriness and the observer's impression of seeing the situation for the first time, despite rationally knowing that he or she has been in the situation before. 5by5 | Bionic #51: United QueendomMatt and Myke do not know what they have done here. There was some discussion about Moto X and some other small topics—but it's mixed in between absolute insanity. Enjoy! 5by5 | BionicBionic is a show dedicated to the analysis of competing technological and media ecosystems. With a specific view toward the mobile landscape, your two co-hosts bring years of Apple experience to a new world of context and insight. Wolverine & the X-Men (2011 - Present) | Comic Books | Comics | Marvel.comWolverine & the X-Men, Vol. 1:Amazon:BooksNew X-Men Omnibus:Amazon:BooksAvengers: The Enemy Within Vol 1 1 - Marvel Comics DatabaseAvengers: The Enemy Within (2013) #1 | Comics | Marvel.comDigital Baubles: For some reason I couldn’t reblog my own post, so I’m cutting and... | kung fu grippeThe Vitamin Myth: Why We Think We Need Supplements - Atlantic MobileNPR.org » Boston Hopes Red Sox Owner Can Turn Around 'Globe'[AUDIO] "Technobabler"Per today’s B2W. Merlin's sketch for a new dance song. It’s a start. This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Shutterstock (use discount code “BACKTOWORK8” for 30% off any package) Squarespace (use offer code “HOWARDCHICKEN” for 10% off)
8/7/20131 hour, 27 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 130: Cobb Salad Lawyer

TOPIC: Delays This week, Dan and Merlin talk about delays, agency, power, and why yelling at people about your problems rarely helps anyone. Links for this episode:Yad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA yad, literally, "hand," is a Jewish ritual pointer, popularly known as a Torah pointer, used by the reader to follow the text during the Torah reading from the parchment Torah scrolls. Beyond its practical usage, the yad ensures that the parchment is not touched during the reading. There are several reasons for this: handling the parchment renders one ritually impure and the often-fragile parchment is easily damaged. Moreover, the vellum parchment does not absorb ink so touching the scroll with fingers will damage the lettering.[1] While not required when chanting from the Torah, it is used frequently and is considered a hidur mitzvah ("embellishment of the commandment" of reading the Torah). This Week in Tech 416 | TWiT.TVNew Music Videos | Watch Shows Online | Entertainment News & Celeb Gossip - MuchMusic.comNerdist Comics Panel #4: Wolverine: Season One « NerdistComics Edition #4: Celebrating the release of Wolverine: Season One, written by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker. Adam Beechen hosts, Wolverine creator Len Wein weighs in, and NWP Comics Edition co-host Heath Corson wears a tuxedo. Recorded live at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood on June 6, 2013. Ep. 78: "Driving Lesson Costume" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: I can text more picture. Hawkeye Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyThe breakout star of this summer's blockbuster AVENGERS film and self-made hero Hawkeye fights for justice! He's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! One more superhero costume infographic for...One more superhero costume infographic for HalloweenCostumes.com, completing the trilogy that began with Iron Man and Superman.  SFO - San Francisco International Airport - Home PageMy TSA - "Search Results For: NITROGEN""Item Not Found" Pizza is My BusinessArt by David Aja Feed the Animals - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia BusyCal Igloo Software Shutterstock (use discount code “backtowork7” for 30% off any package)
7/30/20131 hour, 28 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 129: Putting Your Meat by the Pool

TOPIC: Lists This week, Dan and Merlin talk about 3½ kinds of lists that can change your game. Merlin knows a lot about Productivity. Links for this episode:Interstate (typeface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaInterstate is a digital typeface designed by Tobias Frere-Jones in the period 1993–1999, and licensed by Font Bureau. The typeface is closely related to the FHWA Series fonts, a signage alphabet drawn for the United States Federal Highway Administration in 1949. Brother's Little Helper/Quotes - Simpsons Wiki'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! You can't just go ““OFF”” Focusyn!' Shiksa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPastebot — Command Copy & Paste for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StorePastebot is a powerful new clipboard manager that stores text and images copied from your iPhone/iPod Touch. Copy something you want to save, run Pastebot and it automatically gets imported for you to access later. Goodfellas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGoodfellas (stylized as GoodFellas) is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film follows the rise and fall of Lucchese crime family associates Henry Hill and his friends over a period from 1955 to 1980. 5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #1: GoodfellasDan Benjamin and John Siracusa discuss Goodfellas. Goodfellas - Tommy's mother's house - YouTubeThe Keep on the Borderlands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Keep on the Borderlands is a Dungeons Little Printer | BERG CloudLittle Printer lives in your home, bringing you news, puzzles and gossip from friends. Use your smartphone to set up subscriptions and Little Printer will gather them together to create a timely, beautiful miniature newspaper. Mac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhoneThis page provides a product summary for each Apple model. The intent is to provide our best recommendations regarding current product cycles, and to provide a summary of currently available rumors for each model. The Rogues Gallery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Rogues Gallery was a supplement listing hundreds of pre-generated non-player characters for use by the Dungeon Master, including characters from all the standard first edition AD GROGNARDIA: Retrospective: The Rogues GalleryOne Year of Squarespace 6 — The Official Squarespace BlogOne year ago today we launched Squarespace 6, a culmination of our best thinking in content management and site publishing coalesced over eight years of running Squarespace. This launch resulted in a period of growth like we’ve never seen before: The number of customers using Squarespace 6 surpassed the number of Squarespace 5 customers within nine months of launch. That’s only nine months to exceed what initially took eight years to create. Consider us exceptionally proud. Lightbox of TopicsPastebot — TapbotsPastebot is a powerful clipboard manager that stores text & images copied from your iPhone/iPod Touch. Organize, apply filters to, and copy clippings to be pasted or sent to other apps. Don’t just use Copy & Paste. Command it! Amazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksBoys' Life magazineAdmiral Farragut Academy | Private School For Boarding And Day StudentsFocusyn - Simpsons WikiIt was given to Bart Simpson when it became apparent that he had ADD. Brother's Little Helper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the episode, Bart floods the school gymnasium, which prompts the school's principal Seymour Skinner to diagnose Bart with ADHD. Bart is prescribed a psychostimulant drug called Focusyn (a parody of Ritalin), and initially starts paying more attention to his studies. After a while however, Bart starts turning psychotic and is convinced that Major League Baseball is watching over the people of Springfield. This week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Shutterstock (use discount code “BACKTOWORK7” for 30% off any package) Smile’s PDFPen Squarespace (use code “LITTLEKNIVES” for 10% off)
7/23/20131 hour, 32 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 128: Eating Scones in the Closet

TOPIC: Time Awareness & Scope Wormholes This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why we (and Frank) are terrible at estimating time, as well as what we can do to get better at it. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] TransporterTransporter (use code "btw" for 10% off) 5by5 | Back to Work #107: Pull Out Your DingusThis week, Dan and Merlin talk about compression. What happens when we don't account for how long something really takes to do? And, worse still, what if we don't think about what has to happen before we can even start it? Parasites in cat poop | barfblogEach year in the United States, cats deposit about 1.2 million metric tons of feces into the environment, and that poop is carrying with it what may be a vast and underappreciated public health problem, say scientists July 9 in the journal Trends in Parasitology, a Cell Press publication. Can Washroom Soap Can Make You Sick? - Blog About Infographics and Data Visualization - Cool InfographicsBattle Royale (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBattle Royale is a 2000 Japanese action thriller film adapted from the 1999 novel of the same name by Koushun Takami. It is the final film directed by Kinji Fukasaku, the screenplay written by his son Kenta, and stars Takeshi Kitano. The film tells the story of Shuya Nanahara, a high-school student struggling with the death of his father, who is forced by the government to compete in a deadly game where the students must kill each other in order to win. The film aroused both domestic and international controversy and was either banned outright or deliberately excluded from distribution in several countries. Battle Royale (2000)In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act. Hofstadter's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHofstadter's Law was a part of Douglas Hofstadter's 1979 book Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. The law is a statement regarding the difficulty of accurately estimating the time it will take to complete tasks of any substantial complexity.[2] It is often cited amongst programmers, especially in discussions of techniques to improve productivity, such as The Mythical Man-Month or extreme programming.[3] The recursive nature of the law is a reflection of the universal experience of difficulty experienced in estimating complex tasks despite all best efforts, including knowing that the task is complex. The Mythical Man-Month - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering is a book on software engineering and project management by Fred Brooks, whose central theme is that "adding manpower to a late software project makes it later". This idea is known as Brooks' law, and is presented along with the second-system effect and advocacy of prototyping. Second-system effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe second-system effect (also known as second-system syndrome) refers to the tendency of small, elegant, and successful systems to have elephantine, feature-laden monstrosities as their successors due to inflated expectations.[1] Planning fallacy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe planning fallacy is a tendency for people and organizations to underestimate how long they will need to complete a task, even when they have experience of similar tasks over-running. The term was first proposed in a 1979 paper by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky.[1][2] Since then the effect has been found for predictions of a wide variety of tasks, including tax form completion, school work, furniture assembly, computer programming and origami.[1][3] In 2003, Lovallo and Kahneman proposed an expanded definition as the tendency to underestimate the time, costs, and risks of future actions and at the same time overestimate the benefits of the same actions. According to this definition, the planning fallacy results in not only time overruns, but also cost overruns and benefit shortfalls.[4] The bias only affects predictions about one's own tasks Task Times, The Planning Fallacy, and a Magical 20% | 43 FoldersAlthough it's no inoculation against the (apparently immutable nature of) Hofstadter's Law -- and you'll still end up short most of the time -- it can help you do one thing much better: manage expectations. Because you're a project manager, not a magician. Magicians get cooler hats. Optimism bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe optimism bias (also known as unrealistic or comparative optimism) is a bias that causes a person to believe that they are less at risk of experiencing a negative event compared to others. There are four factors that cause a person to be optimistically biased: their desired end state, their cognitive mechanisms, the information they have about themselves versus others, and overall mood.[1] The optimistic bias is seen in a number of situations. For example: people believing that they are less at risk of being a crime victim,[2] smokers believing that they are less likely to contract lung cancer or disease than other smokers, first-time bungee jumpers believing that they are less at risk of an injury than other jumpers,[3] or traders who think they are less exposed to losses in the markets.[4] Harnessing your interstitial time | 43 FoldersRather than always seeing these changes as an intractable liability, try to look at them as opportunities to liberate unexpected pockets of time and focus. While literally non-stop interruptions are likely to make any of us nutty, a slight adjustment to your planning and outlook can lead to fast gains in productivity and a much-improved attitude about your working environment. Amazon.com: Samsung SE-506BB/TSBD 6X USB2.0 External Slim Blu-ray Writer Drive (Black): Computers & AccessoriesThis sleek Samsung SE-506BB/TSBD External Slimline USB Blu-ray Writer gets all the power it needs from a USB connection so there is no hassle of power cables. The Samsung Blu-ray RW is also supported on both PC and Mac systems. The Samsung SE-506BB/TSBD External Slimline USB Blu-ray Writer can also function on your multimedia Television if it has a USB input, so you can watch Blu-ray and DVD's on your own TV! Apple - Logic Pro X - What’s new in Logic Pro X.Logic Pro X introduces an advanced yet intuitive new interface designed for pro musicians, a ton of inspiring new plug-ins and sounds, and more powerful tools that keep the creative process flowing. 5by5 | The Frequency #134: Did We Meet This Woman?Haddie and Dan discuss cleanliness of cats and bathrooms along with the exit of Tim Stevens of Engadget, how men's clothes should fit, Instagram finally getting web embeds, and more. Kitties Litter Playgrounds, Spreading Harmful Parasites : Shots - Health News : NPRThese oocysts are easily transmitted to humans, and researchers have explored their possible link to various mental health problems, including schizophrenia. More recently, studies of school-age children show a correlation between testing positive for T. gondii and having difficulty in school. One Year of Squarespace 6 — The Official Squarespace BlogOne year ago today we launched Squarespace 6, a culmination of our best thinking in content management and site publishing coalesced over eight years of running Squarespace. This launch resulted in a period of growth like we’ve never seen before: The number of customers using Squarespace 6 surpassed the number of Squarespace 5 customers within nine months of launch. That’s only nine months to exceed what initially took eight years to create. Consider us exceptionally proud. Bee and PuppyCat Part 1 on Cartoon Hangover - YouTubeRelease early, release often - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRelease early, release often (also: time-based releases, sometimes abbreviated RERO) is a software development philosophy that emphasizes the importance of early and frequent releases in creating a tight feedback loop between developers and testers or users, contrary to a feature-based release strategy. 5by5 | Back to Work #51: Living Inside the NonsenseMerlin and Dan talk about managing projects, scheduling calls, and being home when you scheduled a party. It SEEMS SO SIMPLE but then Jeannie has to go to Guam and slipping is your SOP. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Transporter (use code "btw" for 10% off)
7/19/20131 hour, 33 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 127: Loki Situation

TOPIC: Employers, Bosses, Leaders, and Managers This week—in what may easily turn into a multi-episode arc—Dan and Merlin talk about bosses. Whether we're looking at it from up or down, management is tricky business. The question is, what makes a boss a good manager, and what makes a good manager a great leader? Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceUse code "**`LITTLEKNIVES`**" for 10% off. So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love: Cal Newport: 9781455509126: Amazon.com: BooksIn this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice. Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. After making his case against passion, Newport sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving what they do. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers. Matching your job to a preexisting passion does not matter, he reveals. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it. Thor (2011)The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders. Journey Into Mystery Featuring Sif - Volume 1: Stronger Than Monsters (Marvel Now): Kathryn Immonen, Valerio Schiti: 9780785161080: Amazon.com: BooksAn all-new journey begins, starring Sif...the Berzerker?! She may be a Lady, but girly ain't her style! When the latest crop of beasties beset Asgard, our sword-slinging heroine leads the battle charge - but that no-holds-barred zeal for glory may be the very thing that brings the realm down around her winged helm! Finding herself newly minted with an ancient version of the Berzerker spell, Sif returns to an unsuspecting Midgard...and with no patience for relative peace, starts putting out fires with gasoline! And things heat up even further when our heroine falls in with a group of brutal Asgardian savages - and joins them in their millennia-old battle against monsters! But can the berzerkers keep their bloodlust in check? Guest-starring the Superior Spider-Man and a collection of Marvel superstars! When 140 characters aren't enough. - The owner yells out “IS THAT FOR ME!" whenever I...The owner yells out “IS THAT FOR ME!" whenever I put a call through to anyone, no matter where he is in the office. Then he gets mad when he gets to his desk and can’t see which line the call (that’s not for him) is on, then when he finds out the call was not, in fact, for him, he again gets mad and says, “Well why’d you call me!?" even though his name was never said, ever. Then he goes back to cutting his toenails or eating the office peanut butter right out of the jar. Congratulations, Cap. | kung fu grippeFile:Koala Kare changing table open.JPG - Wikimedia CommonsEquus (film) - Wikiquote5by5 | The Incomparable #144: Hangin' With the TotesKoala Kare ProductsIncredible Hulk: Planet Hulk: Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan, Aaron Lopresti, Juan Santacruz, Gary Frank, Takeshi Miyazawa: 9780785120124: Amazon.com: BooksWorld War Hulk: Greg Pak, John Romita Jr.: 9780785125969: Amazon.com: BooksAn epic story of anger unbound! Exiled by a group of Marvel "heroes" to the savage alien planet of Sakaar, the Hulk raged, bled, and conquered through the pages of last year's "Planet Hulk" epic, rising from slave to gladiator to king. Now the Hulk returns to Earth to wreak his terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Reed Richards, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt - and anyone else who gets in the way! Stronger than ever, accompanied by his monstrous Warbound gladiator allies, and possessed by the fiercest and purest rage imaginable, the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half! Collects World War Hulk #1-5. Avengers Disassembled: Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch: 9780785114826: Amazon.com: BooksThe powerhouse team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes! It begins with the return of a team member thought dead - and by the time it's over, everything you know about the Avengers will have changed! The event that will rock the entirety of the Marvel Universe starts here! Collects Avengers #500-503; Avengers Finale. 24 Diner — Central Austin Restaurant, 6th Street + Lamar, Open 24 HoursWhen you hear the word diner, you probably think greasy spoon. 24 Diner is anything but. Essentially, we took all the elements of the concept we liked — classic American cuisine, good service, fun atmosphere — and turned it up about 10 notches. We offer chef-inspired comfort food, local lady sif jaimie alexander - Google Search5by5 | Capital #1: What Do You Do, Jesse? (Tim Hwang)For the first episode, Joel Bush and Tim Hwang talk ROFLCon, the Awesome Foundation, accidentally secretly going to law school and more. The Waste Land, read by T.S Eliot (whole poem with notes) - YouTubeEQUUS - Dr Dysart - YouTubeRichard Burton as Doctor Dysart in EQUUS (1977) Jenny Agutter - IMDbJenny Agutter was born on December 20, 1952, in Taunton, Somerset, England, UK. The daughter of an army officer, she spent her childhood traveling and living in different countries. Brainstorm (1983)Brilliant researchers Lillian Reynolds and Michael Brace have developed a system of recording and playing back actual experiences of people... "The World at War" (1973)A series of accurate documentaries about World War II. Thor: The Mighty Avenger: The Complete Collection: Roger Langridge, Chris Samnee: 9780785183815: Amazon.com: BooksRoger Langridge (Muppet Show, Eisner and Harvey Award nominee) and Chris Samnee (Siege: Embedded) re-imagine the God of Thunder! Thrill as Thor battles robots the size of cities! Gasp as he tames the mightiest sea creatures! Swoon as he rescues damsels from the vilest villains! It's Thor as you've never seen him, as the god of thunder tests his might against the Sub-Mariner, learns why he was banished from Asgard, battles Fin Fang Foom, takes on raging robots, and fights side-by-side with Iron Man for the very first time! Plus: when mischievous Loki's machinations throw Thor and a World War II-era Captain America into King Arthur's court, it's a time-twisting tale of Camelot craziness that neither Avenger will ever forget! Quote by Nietzsche: The thought of suicide is a great consolation: ...“The thought of suicide is a great consolation: by means of it one gets through many a dark night.” —Friedrich Nietzsche Loki Laufeyson (Earth-616) - Marvel Comics Database"I am Loki, whose whim brought Asgard crashing down. I am Loki, whose tongue was an anvil where the sharpest lies were forged. I am Loki, and I have things to say that you must know. I am Loki, who you must not trust." Keyboard Maestro 6.1: Work Faster with Macros for Mac OS XThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (use code "LITTLEKNIVES" for 10% off).
7/9/20131 hour, 33 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 126: Howard Chicken

TOPIC: How many Saturdays do you get? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about time. Its scarcity, its passing, its tyranny, and its possibilities. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Drafts - Agile Tortoise[SPONSOR] Build a Website — Squarespace[SPONSOR] Transporter | Data RedefinedEnding the Tyranny of the Open-Plan Office - BusinessweekThe key to making workers happy and productive is having a mix of spaces for different activities. Gensler found that workers spend more than half their time at work in deep focus and about one-fourth in collaboration, with the rest split between learning, socializing, and other tasks. Of course, office workers still spend most of the day at their desks, but when it’s time to do some hard-core collaborating or learning, moving to a different environment can help them shift gears. So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love: Cal Newport: 9781455528042: Amazon.com: BooksSatellite Sam #1 - Comics by comiXologyThe star of beloved daily television serial "Satellite Sam" turns up dead in a flophouse filled with dirty secrets. The police think it was death by natural causes but his son knows there was something more? if only he could sober up long enough to do something about it. This noir mystery shot through with sex and violence exposes the seedy underbelly of the golden age of television. Image Comics - SEX, DEATH, AND LIVE TVTheir new Image Comics seriesSATELLITE SAM, debuting in July, takes a look at the darkness behind the small screen when, in 1951, Carlyle Bishop, the star of the beloved serial _Satellite Sam_ turns up dead in a filthy flophouse. Satellite Sam • • SATELLITE SAM #1 - ON SALE NOWWe’ve been quiet and decidedly un-posty here at Satellite Sam World HQ but don’t let that stop you from checking the book out today, either in stores on at comixology. there’s a midtown variant, too, and below is an Image Expo exclusive that went out yesterday in San Francisco. Big Week Not gonna lie. Little shaky, here. What... | kung fu grippeNot gonna lie. Little shaky, here. What a gentleman. I definitely need to lay down. Twitter / hotdogsladies: @draftsapp You’re doing God’s ...@draftsapp You’re doing God’s work. Seriously. Easily one of the best iOS apps I’ve ever used. Drafts and Drafts for iPad 3.0.6 - Agile TortoiseNew - Custom actions now support [[line|1]], [[line|2]], etc. tags to reference specific line numbers. This should be useful to create a few more structured types of custom actions. See tag docs for details.New - Custom actions now support [[created|format]], [[modified|format]] tags. These work the same as the “date” tag, but return the creation and modification dates for the draft, rather than the current time. See tag docs for details. Drafts: Templates and Tags - Agile TortoiseDrafts custom actions support a number of tags for dynamically inserting text when an action is performed. These can be used in most fields that accept text in Email, Message, Dropbox, Evernote and URL actions. Drafts: Action DirectoryThis directory contains pre-configured custom actions to extend Drafts beyond the actions that come preinstalled with the app. If you have Drafts, browse this directory on your iOS device – when you find an action that interests you, tap the "Install" link and it will be installed in your local version Drafts. Any actions you install can be modified or deleted in the Drafts settings. Using Drafts Line Tags with URL Schemes and ActionsIn a minor 3.0.6 update released last night, developer Greg Pierce added an interesting new feature to Drafts that will come in handy to further customize the app’s powerful URL, Dropbox, and Evernote actions. In the new version of Drafts (both for iPhone and iPad), you can now specify line numbers as template tags. Bayes: How one equation changed the way I think - YouTubeBayes' Rule is a simple formula that tells you how to weigh evidence and change your beliefs. I don't go around plugging numbers into a formula all the time, but nevertheless, becoming familiar with Bayes has shifted the way I think in some important ways. [KFG] How many Saturdays do you get? A silly and unforgivably mawkish topic, to be sure. But, something I like to try and keep in mind. Merlin Mann | SSKTNFor episode 20 I’m joined by Merlin Mann who likely needs little to no introduction if you’ve come this far.It would be hard to overstate how much of an influence Merlin Mann has had on my online escapades. From the way I blog on my weblog, toot on my Twitter or tumble on my tumblr. You get the idea. This was 5 parts therapy, 8 parts fun and 10 parts nervous, giddy laughter (on my part). A total of 23 parts. Or a “full Merlin” as I like to call it. So fun. Most Days (2009-01-22) on VimeoThor (Marvel Comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLike all Asgardians, Thor is incredibly long-lived and relies upon periodic consumption of the Golden Apples of Idunn to sustain his extended lifespan, which to date has lasted many millennia. Being the son of Odin and the elder goddess Gaea, Thor is physically the strongest of the Asgardians.[187][188][83][189][62] If pressed in battle, Thor is capable of entering into a state known as the "Warrior's Madness" ("berserkergang" in Norwegian), which will temporarily increase his strength and stamina tenfold, although in this state he attacks friend and foe alike. The Aviator (2004)For some men, the sky was the limit. For him, it was just the beginning. Amazon.com: The Aviator: Leonardo Dicaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly: Amazon Instant VideoAmazon.com: The Aviator (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition): Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Stanley DeSantis, Alan Alda, Kelli Garner, Edward Herrmann, Ian Holm, Danny Huston, Jude Law, Frances CoAmazon.com: The Aviator [Blu-ray]: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Stanley de Santis, Sam Hennings, Edward Herrmann, Ian Holm, Vincent Laresca, J.C. MacKenzie, Frances Conroy, Brent Spiner, Alan Alda, DanniTunes - Movies - The AviatorAn epic biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes' career, from the late 1920's to the mid-1940's. Big League Chew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBig League Chew is a brand of bubble gum that is shredded and packaged in an aluminum foil pouch. It was created by Portland Mavericks left-handed pitcher Rob Nelson, and pitched to the Wrigley Company (longtime owners of the Chicago Cubs) by former New York Yankee All-Star Jim Bouton, a Maverick teammate of Nelson's, as a fun alternative to the unhealthy tobacco-chewing habit common among ballplayers in the 1970s. Over 500 million pouches of Big League Chew have been sold since 1980. Transporter StoreDownload Dhamma talks and books by Thanissaro Bhikkhu - dhammatalks.org - home pageThis site offers a multitude of downloads of audio Dhamma talks, talk collections and Buddhist chants, e-books of Dhamma talk transcriptions, essay collections, treatises, study guides, translations and essays. Thanissaro Bhikkhu of Metta Forest Monastery is the speaker, author, or translator in all cases unless otherwise noted. Gil Fronsdal: Reference PointsE-Class Sedans: E350, E350 BlueTEC, E550, E63 AMG | Mercedes-BenzHoward Chaykin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHoward Victor Chaykin (born October 7, 1950) is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material. Chaykin’s influences include the comic-book artist Gil Kane and the mid-20th century book illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker. Urban Dictionary: french exitTo make an early exit without saying good-bye Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?: Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons: 9781401227319: Amazon.com: BooksChick Cartoon TractsJack T. Chick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChick's company, Chick Publications, claims to have sold over 750 million tracts,[4] comics tracts, videos, books, and posters designed to promote Protestant evangelism from a Christian fundamentalist perspective or point of view. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Drafts from Agile Tortoise Squarespace (use code "LITTLEKNIVES" for 10% off) Transporter (use code "btw" for 10% off)
7/4/20131 hour, 53 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 125: Hakuna Potato

TOPIC: There are Only Two Prices: Free and What It Costs This week, Dan and Merlin return to the classic lineup and some classic topics, including knowing your value, learning what to charge, and realizing what you can live with. Also: jury duty, traveling, bathrooms, the sliding scale of suffering, and what-have you. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Transporter | Data RedefinedTransporter is a private cloud storage device for syncing, sharing, accessing, and protecting your digital life. No cloud, no fees, no privacy concerns. Your files are only stored on your Transporters and computers and mobile devices that you authorize. [SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. (Use offer code "**`BMO`**" for an additional 10% off) [SPONSOR] PDFpen: Mac PDF Editor - Edit, Sign, and Correct PDFsPDFpen is a powerful Mac PDF editor: add text, images, and signatures to PDFs, make corrections on a PDF, fill out PDF forms, OCR scanned pages. 5by5 | Back to Work #124: The Tuesday Afternoon Version of MeTOPIC: The Chinese Symbol for 'Pants' Inside of The Chinese Symbol for 'Jury Duty.'This week, Dan's away, so Merlin goes solo, taking a break from jury duty to talk about the opportunities that can be hiding inside change, inconvenience, and tumult. Hawkeye #11 - Comics by comiXologyMarvel.com description: "Pizza is my Business - …before it’s too late for us. THE breakout character of 2012… becomes the breakout character of 2013... as PIZZA DOG gets his own issue.Literally… the entire issue… it’s all from the dog’s point-of-view.Pizza Dog gets hired to solve a crime -- the grizzly murder that shocked Team Hawkguy -- and the only thing more shocking than THAT… is what happens the end of THIS.Seriously. This is not a joke! Even the coloring. Dog issue. We’re all gettin’ fired. PLEASE READ…" Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon (Marvel NOW!): Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido: 9780785165620: Amazon.com: BooksThe breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good. Hawkeye: Little Hits, Vol. 2: Matt Fraction, David Aja, Javier Pulido: 9780785165637: Amazon.com: BooksArtist David Aja returns to the most critically acclaimed comic of 2012, as ace archer Clint Barton faces the digital doomsday of - DVR-Mageddon! Then: Cherry's got a gun. And she looks good in it. And Hawkeye gets very, very distracted. Plus: Valentine's Day with the heartthrob of the Marvel Universe? This will be...confusing. Marvel architect Matt Fraction continues his exciting, adventurous reinvention of the arrowed Avenger! Roderick on the Line, Ep. 76: "The Cherry of Somebody's Appeal"The Problem: This is why John can’t go to karaoke. persistent.info: Getting ALL your data out of Google ReaderReader has Takeout support, but it's incomplete. I've therefore built the reader_archive tool that dumps everything related to your account in Reader via the "API". This means every read item3, every tagged item, every comment, every like, every bundle, etc. There's also a companion site at readerisdead.com that explains how to use the tool, provides pointers to the archive format and collects related tools4. Reader is Dead by mihaipA collection of tools to help with the impending Google Reader shutdown Twitter / mihai: Thanks to @siracusa I have ...Thanks to @siracusa I have a new name pronunciation guide http://persistent.info/files/name.mp3 (P.S. you got it, rhymes with margarita) A Beautiful Mind (2001)After a brilliant but asocial mathematician accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn to the nightmarish. SecretsMaintain – CocktailOnyx Mac – Instant Download Onyx for Mac OS XffmpegX a DVD, SVCD, VCD, CVD, VOB, DivX, XviD, H.264, PSP, iPod, MP4, MOV, FLV encoder for Mac OSXFFmpeg5by5 | Mac Power Users #143: RSS and Replacing Google ReaderDavid and Katie talk about the impending shutdown of Google Reader and their solutions for RSS David Blaine Street Magic: YouTube Edition! - YouTubeDavid Blaine brings his famous street magic to YouTube. Watch as the famous magician blows the minds of two Los Angeles idiots. WARNING: This magic is amazing. Fundamental attribution error - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn social psychology, the fundamental attribution error (also known as correspondence bias or attribution effect) describes the tendency to overestimate the effect of disposition or personality and underestimate the effect of the situation in explaining social behavior. The fundamental attribution error is most visible when people explain the behavior of others. It does not explain interpretations of one's own behavior — where situational factors are more easily recognized and can thus be taken into consideration. This discrepancy between attributions for one's own behavior and for that of others is known as the actor–observer bias. Penn and Teller Magic bullet catch complete - YouTubeThe Great Escape (1963)Allied POWs plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II. Bayes' theorem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn probability theory and statistics, Bayes' theorem (alternatively Bayes' law or Bayes' rule) is a result that is of importance in the mathematical manipulation of conditional probabilities. It is a result that derives from the more basic axioms of probability. Kung Fu Grippe: [Merlin's love letter to Hawkeye 11]I’ve only read Hawkeye #11 five or six times since yesterday. So, I feel utterly unqualified to declare that it’s one of the best single comic issues of the Modern Age as well as an empirically teachable model of economical visual storytelling with a literal heart. Nell (1994)In a remote woodland cabin, a small town doctor discovers Nell - a beautiful young hermit woman with many secrets. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Transporter Squarespace (Use offer code "BMO" for an additional 10% off) PDFpen 6 by Smile
6/28/20131 hour, 59 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 124: The Tuesday Afternoon Version of Me

TOPIC: The Chinese Symbol for 'Pants' Inside of The Chinese Symbol for 'Jury Duty.' This week, Dan's away, so Merlin goes solo, taking a break from jury duty to talk about the opportunities that can be hiding inside change, inconvenience, and tumult. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock Over 25 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos [SPONSOR] 1Password for iOSHave you ever forgotten a password? 1Password can remember them all for you and keep them secured behind your Master Password. So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love: 9781455528042: Amazon.com: BooksiTunes - Books - So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal NewportIn this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice. Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. Cool Tools – So Good They Can’t Ignore You“Follow your passion” is the dogmatic advice for building a career. But it is woefully incomplete and even misleading for some people. Better advice is “Become so good they can’t ignore you” A Time Traveller's Primer: Ryan North at TEDxUofT - YouTubeRyan North is the author of the long-running Dinosaur Comics (qwantz.com), the acclaimed Adventure Time comic series (kaboom-studios.com), and the recordbreaking To Be Or Not To Be: That Is The Adventure (hamletbook.com) a choose-your-own-path re-imagining of Hamlet. He also coedited the bestselling Machine of Death anthology (machineofdeath.net). 5by5 | Back to Work #123: I Want to See Your Face the Whole Time (LIVE)This week—after 122 episodes, plus almost a decade of internet pal-dom—Dan and Merlin finally meet and record in a room together for the first time. Voir dire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia'Voir dire' is a legal phrase that refers to a variety of procedures connected with jury trials. It originally referred to an oath taken by jurors to tell the truth (Latin verum dicere), i.e., to say what is true, what is objectively accurate or subjectively honest, or both. It comes from the Anglo-Norman language. admonition legal definition of admonition. admonition synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary.Any formal verbal statement made during a trial by a judge to advise and caution the jury on their duty as jurors, on the admissibility or nonadmissibility of evidence, or on the purpose for which any evidence admitted may be considered by them. A reprimand directed by the court to an attorney appearing before it cautioning the attorney about the unacceptability of his or her conduct before the court. If the attorney continues to act in the same way, ignoring the admonition, the judge will find him or her in Contempt of court, punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both. In criminal prosecution, before the court receives and records the plea of the accused, a statement made by a judge informing the accused on the effect and consequences of a plea of guilty to criminal charges. Amazon.com: Daredevil: End of Days (9780785124207): Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Klaus Janson, Bill Sienkiewicz: BooksRevealed at last...how it all ends for the Man Without Fear! In the near future, the Kingpin and Daredevil have been murdered - but that's just the beginning of the story. Investigative reporter Ben Urich has one last story to write...what was Matt Murdock's final secret? Ben digs deep into the seedy underbelly of the Marvel Universe, tracking down Matt's buried sins and past loves to discover the secrets behind his death - but who is the new Daredevil that's tracking Ben? You won't believe your eyes when the mystery behind Daredevil's final days stands revealed! It's a story years in the making, brought to you by some of the greatest creators in Daredevil history! Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Welcome to the Post-Productivity WorldIt was the tantrum of a talented writer whose pursuit of readers had led him astray. He expressed frustration with the superficiality of online writing, calling it “a diet comprised mostly of fake-connectedness [and] makebelieve insight.” The 1Password Show: 002 – Clown With A Sodastream | Agile BlogYour hosts, Stu & Chris, get up close and personal with our good friend Merlin Mann about all things 1Password, including some of Merlin’s favourite features of 1Password and a few great tips along the way. Code 47: Live From WWDC 2013 - The Talk Show - Mule Radio SyndicateRecorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco, John Gruber is joined by Guy English, Scott Simpson, and a cavalcade of very special surprise guests. BBC - Podcasts and Downloads - Documentary of the WeekSimon Armitage tries out Oblique Strategies cards which were devised in the early 1970s by artists Peter Schmidt and Brian Eno and were aimed at providing a creative spur to artists searching for new directions for their work. David Bowie famously used the cards during his 'Berlin' period. your monkey called · Last week it was my pleasure to tell jokes for 500...Last week it was my pleasure to tell jokes for 500 or so nerds as part of the live taping of John Gruber’s The Talk Show.And it was my double-extra-creamy pleasure to unveil, with the help of my YLNT buds Adam and Merlin, a proposal for the future of language.(Also maybe this is the dumbest thing I have ever written. Sandwich and Merls kind of saved it.) Infinity (2013 comic) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaInfinity is an upcoming 6-issue comic book limited series crossover event published by Marvel Comics that is scheduled to debut in August 2013. The series will be written by Jonathan Hickman with artwork by a rotating rotating team of artists including Jim Cheung, Jerome Opeña, and Dustin Weaver. Age of Ultron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Age of Ultron" (abbreviated AU) is a 10-issue limited series comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics, that involves the return of Ultron and his conquest of the earth. "L.A. Law" (1986)The lives and work of the staff of a major Los Angeles law firm. ...And Justice for All. (1979)An ethical Baltimore defense lawyer disgusted with rampant legal corruption is asked to defend a judge he despises in a rape trial. But if he doesn't do it, the judge will have him disbarred. My Cousin Vinny (1992)Two New Yorkers are accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college, and one of their cousins--an inexperienced, loudmouth lawyer not accustomed to Southern rules and manners--comes in to defend them. A Few Good Men (1992)In the heart of the nation's capital, in a courthouse of the U.S. government, one man will stop at nothing to keep his honor, and one will stop at nothing to find the truth. Ryan North (ryanqnorth) on TwitterEverything's fine. I have no idea what the police are investigating. Toronto · about.me/ryanqnorth The Sickness Unto Death - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Sickness Unto Death (Danish Sygdommen til Døden) is a book written by Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard in 1849 under the pseudonym Anti-Climacus. A work of Christian existentialism, the book is about Kierkegaard's concept of despair, which he equates with the Christian concept of sin, particularly original sin. Most Days on VimeoHey, everybody. I’m Merlin. And this is a new thing I’m doing most days. Espetus Churrascaria Brazilian Steak House | San Francisco and San MateoFLAX art & design — Inspiring Creativity since 1938Jeffrey's Toys, San Francisco, CaliforniaThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: 1Password for iOS Shutterstock (user offer code DANSENTME6 and get 30% off any package)
6/24/201349 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 123: I Want to See Your Face the Whole Time (LIVE)

TOPIC: First Meeting, Gifts, and Grifts This week—after 122 episodes, plus almost a decade of internet pal-dom—Dan and Merlin finally meet and record in a room together for the first time. With only passing nods to the nominal topic of "gifts," Dan and Merlin mostly get to know each other. Why is Dan staring so penetratingly at Merlin? Does Dan think Merlin is fat as well as old? Why does Dan keep looking at his phone? Does that look clean to you? Whose show is it, really? Is John Siracusa slender or sickly? Why can't I show you the sole of my shoe? Should we stand up? Who am I thinking of? Is it hot in here or is it just me? Which one am I? Also, bathrooms. Inarguably, a Very Important Episode™. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Tonx CoffeeTonx sources, roasts, and ships to your door every-other-week some of the freshest and finest beans on earth. Sign up now for The Standard (or bigger) subscription to Tonx and we’ll throw in another great tool: a FREE Aeropress! ($30 value). [SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceEverything You Need to Create an Exceptional Website. (Use offer code "**`BMO`**" for an additional 10% off) [SPONSOR] OmniPresence - The Omni GroupOmniPresence is the best way to sync all of your documents across all of your devices. And it works on most web hosts, including OS X Server, which means you can store all of your data yourself. Does That Look Clean to You? Sound Clip and Quote - HarkHoward: Does that look clean to you? Ava: Nothing's clean, Howard. But we do our best, right? $5000 in 1950 dollars - Wolfram|Alpha$48,792 in 2013 dollars. Jason Snell (jsnell) on TwitterEditorial director for @Macworld/@TechHive/@PCWorld. @theincomparable podcaster. Writer, primate, parent. Mill Valley, CA · intertext.com Glen Glenn - IMDbTrivia: Founder of Glen Glenn Sound Systems which has been used for sound in over 20,000 motion pictures to date. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Squarespace (Use offer code "BMO" for an additional 10% off) Tonx (Sign up for a Standard (or bigger) subscription by Father's Day, and get a FREE Aeropress) OmniPresence (The best way to sync all of your documents across all of your devices)
6/11/20131 hour, 29 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 122: The Crowbar of Loyalty

TOPIC: Loyalty, Altruism, Reality Check, or Extortion? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about what we talk about when we talk about "loyalty." Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] ShutterstockStock Photos | Shutterstock: Royalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. [SPONSOR] Less MeetingLess Meeting helps you improve meeting planning, running meetings, and meeting follow-up. Less Meeting improves your ability to plan a meeting with meeting agenda templates and it helps you improve meeting minutes and action item follow-up. [SPONSOR] BackblazeEasiest online backup service for $5 month unlimited storage. Backblaze's remote backup automatically backs up your data to our secure datacenter. 15 day free trial. Graceland - a set on Flickr (Jimmy Marks)[[via](https://twitter.com/jimmymarks/status/341964747979235329)] Elvis: Albert Harry Goldman: 9780140059656: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Secret War Brian Michael Bendis, Gabriele Dell Otto: Kindle StoreCollects Secret War (2004) #1-5. When Nick Fury finds a connection between many of Marvel's deadliest villains, he puts together a team of the most misunderstood heroes for a secret mission to do what the U.S. government could never allow. 5by5 | The Incomparable #136: We Waited 16 Years For This?They said it couldn't be done! They said it shouldn't be done! But here we are, talking about "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace." Why are the Jedi such jerks? A little Jedi goes a long way. Also, the biggest letdown of John Siracusa's life to date, stupid droids, good actors being boring, text versus subtext, the merits of prequels in general, and why this is a movie that makes us dream... of a better movie. Exqueeze me? (Part 1 of 2.) Special guests Dan Moren, Greg Knauss, John Siracusa, Monty Ashley, Serenity Caldwell, and Steve Lutz. 5by5 | The Incomparable #137: Go Wash a DroidWe conclude our discussion of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." We discuss the merits of podracing, debate who the Jedi's version of Fonzie is, and grapple with tricky euphemisms. Plus, is the final lightsaber duel cool or just over-choreographed? And why is there a hall full of forcefields, next to a room with no guard rails? Party on, Darth! (Part 2 of 2.) Special guests Dan Moren, Greg Knauss, John Siracusa, Serenity Caldwell, Steve Lutz, and Monty Ashley. Toxoplasmosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaToxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.[ The parasite infects most genera of warm-blooded animals, including humans, but the primary host is the felid (cat) family. Animals are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of feces of a cat that has itself recently been infected, or by transmission from mother to fetus. Cats are the primary source of infection to human hosts, although contact with raw meat, especially pork, is a more significant source of human infections in some countries. Fecal contamination of hands is a significant risk factor. Toxoplasmosis Parasite May Trigger Schizophrenia And Bipolar DisordersThe team from the University of Leeds? Faculty of Biological Sciences has shown that the parasite may play a role in the development of these disorders by affecting the production of dopamine -- the chemical that relays messages in the brain controlling aspects of movement, cognition and behaviour. Links Between Toxoplasmosis and Schizophrenia - PsychiatryMrs. Dash-Original Seasoning Blend, 6.75 oz: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet FoodU.S. Wellness Meats — Our Animals Eat Right So You Can Too.4 (8 oz.) Organic Grass-Fed Tri-tip Steaks: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet FoodHearst Ranch :: Grass-fed Tri-Tip Roast5by5 | The Conversation #27: Missionless StatementsIn this special episode, Dan Benjamin talks with two of his heroes, Merlin Mann and Jeff Veen about independence, free thinking, email, productivity, and changing your game. Life Model Decoy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLife-Model Decoys (LMD's) are a S.H.I.E.L.D. designed robot that takes the form of a living person, thus making a recreation of that person. The owner can see through, speak through, and control everything the LMD does. Nick Fury's LMD's are probably the most common in the Marvel Universe. Sous Vide Grass Fed Tri-Tip Roast | Award-Winning Paleo Recipes | Nom Nom PaleoSecret War (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe storyline involves a large scale super-hero crossover featuring Marvel characters such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Daredevil, Luke Cage and Nick Fury fighting a wide array of super-villains who have received hi-tech armaments from a mysterious benefactor. Braxton Hicks contractions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBraxton Hicks contractions, also known as prodromal labor or practice contractions, or incorrectly as false labor, are sporadic uterine contractions that sometimes start around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, they are not usually felt until the second trimester or third trimester of pregnancy. Don Ameche - IMDbAmeche was a versatile and popular film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV. Skottie Young • X-Men #1 Young Variant. No Boys Allowed. X-Men #1 Young Variant. No Boys Allowed. Being There - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEve brings Chance to their home to recover. Drinking alcohol for the first time in the car ride home, Chance coughs as he tells Eve his name. Eve mishears "Chance the Gardener" as "Chauncey Gardiner". Judging from Chance's appearance and manners, Rand assumes that Chance is an upper class, highly educated businessman. Chance's style and seemingly insightful ways embody the qualities Rand admires. Chance's simplistic utterances about gardens are interpreted as allegorical statements about business and the state of the economy. "Hogan's Heroes" (1965)If you liked World War II, you'll love Hogan's Heroes! Downfall (2004) - SynopsisThe narrative begins in November of 1942. Traudl Junge and four other young women are arriving at F?hrer's Headquarters Wolf's Lair in Rastenburg, East Prussia. The women are met by Hitler's valet, Heinz Linge. After he gives the women an introduction, Hitler emerges from his office and proceeds to individually ask each woman her name and where she is from. Traudl Junge is the first woman chosen to have her secretarial skills tested and is eventually chosen to be Hitlers personal secretary. Herve Leger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHervé Léger was founded in 1985 by the designer Hervé Peugnet, currently known as Hervé L. Leroux. Leroux adopted his current name after he lost the rights to the Hervé Léger name. 5by5 | Back to Work #115: Invitation to a Blame PartyThis week, Dan and Merlin address the problems with meetings, and how we can each choose to improve them. Martin and Lewis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTheir success at the 500 led to a series of well-paying engagements up and down the Eastern seaboard, culminating with a triumphant run at New York's Copacabana. Abbott and Costello - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWilliam "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo), were an American comedy duo whose work in vaudeville and on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and early 1950s. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one of the greatest comedy routines of all time and set the framework for many of their best-known comedy bits. 5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus DriverMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about the black art of paying attention to the right things, how lamps are no substitute, that it's hard whether you’re working from home or a cube, being honest about your expertise before looking for independence, and the need to move past inspiration. Olestra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStarting in 1996, an FDA-mandated health warning label read "This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E, and K have been added." These symptoms, normally occurring only by excessive consumption in a short period of time, are known as steatorrhea, and caused by an excess of fat in stool. Visiting Nicolas Cages estate saleThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Backblaze (get a 15-day free trial) Shutterstock (user offer code "DANSENTME6" and get 30% off any package) Less Meeting (use the special code "DANSENTME6" for 10% off lifetime for your whole team)
6/4/20131 hour, 46 minutes, 15 seconds
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Episode 121: I Just Had a Dog Delivered

TOPIC: Dan's Recent Bathroom Incident, et al. This week, Dan and Merlin exhale. Don't search for secret doors. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] TextExpander Touch 2 by SmileTextExpander Touch: Type more with less effort on your iPhone or iPad! Expand custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text snippets. Grab your favorite snippets from your Mac! [SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. Use offer code "**`enchiridion`**" for an additional 10% off. "Unacceptable Condition" by Thenamelessavenger"I wanted to teach myself how to use Audiosnap (a timing repair tool) in Sonar. So instead of faking a sloppy take and adjusting for rhythm, i sampled Lemongrab from Adventure Time into an entirely new composition. I am going to bed beaming tonight at how well this came out. Oh my god! I hope you like it too." [[via](https://twitter.com/Josh_Harper/status/339403954817470464) and [via](https://twitter.com/blindeschildpad/status/339404606280957952)] Adventure Time - "Shmowzow!" (NOTE: makes noise)TextExpander touch for the iPhone and iPad: Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!iOS app developers: learn more about the free TextExpander touch SDK. Drafts for iPhoneDrafts, where text starts on iOS. Version 3.0 bring even more power and extensibility to one of the most popular productivity apps on the App Store! Drafts for iPadTwitter / bencochran: @danbenjamin @hotdogsladies ...@danbenjamin @hotdogsladies I spent way too long fussing with photoshop, but uh: http://f.cl.ly/items/3H2D1r441r262n2V0q0q/door-handle2.gif … http://f.cl.ly/items/3s3m1y3t1F401f312R0V/door-open2.gif … 5by5 | Back to Work #85: Schrödinger's Soap HolderTOPIC: One Operational Paper Towel; One Safety Paper Towel. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss how to use a public restroom. There's some other stuff, too. But, yeah. Mostly Dan and Merlin discuss how to use a public restroom. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) - Quotes - IMDbShowing all 62 items Amazon.com: The Aviator (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition): Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Stanley DeSantis, Alan Alda, Kelli Garner, Edward Herrmann, Ian Holm, Danny Huston, Jude Law, Frances Coanothercutenerdblog: sirkeren: The Girls Of... | kung fu grippeThe Girls Of Adventure Time [Cosplay] Ben Cochran (bencochran) on TwitterI make iOS apps for Mobiata. The Aviator (2004)A biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes' career, from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s. Simon Petrikov and Marcy from Adventure Time - Daily Cosplay .comAmazon.com: Infinity Gauntlet (9780785156598): Jim Starlin, George Perez, Ron Lim: BooksIt's the Avengers, the New Warriors, the X-Men and more against the omnipotent Eternal, Thanos! The Mad Titan has become the most powerful being in the universe, and enslavement or destruction may be the only choices he gives it! The successive Starlin sagas that shook space and time start here! Assessment of the environmental microbiological cross-contamination following hand drying with paper hand towels or an air blade dryer - Margas - Journal of Applied Microbiology - Wiley Online Library"The two drying methods led to different patterns of ballistic droplets and levels of microbial contamination under heavy use conditions. Whilst the increase in microbial levels in the environment is not significant if only non-pathogenic microorganisms are spread, it may increase the risk of pathogen contamination of the environment when pathogens are occasionally present on people's hands." [via Dr. Donald Schaffner (https://twitter.com/bugcounter/status/339542873055842304)] This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by TextExpander Touch 2 by Smile; and Squarespace (use offer code "enchiridion" for an additional 10% off).
5/28/20131 hour, 9 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 120: Egg MacGuffin

TOPIC: What would you do differently if you had a "safety net?" This week, Dan and Merlin congratulate their pal, Marco, on the acquisition of a company he helped co-found. Which leads to the nominal topic: what kind of safety net would you need to feel secure, do the things you'd like, and mostly banish the more persistent cumulonimbus clouds of your own anxiety? Many angles are explored. Why was Elvis unhappy? How is habitual Schadenfreude and automatic bile ensmallening our culture? Can we ever be—let alone feel—truly secure? And, how much of our old selves do we end up lugging along inside every suitcase we carry? Pretty great episode. Especially if you like the ones where Merlin gets all mad. Those are usually good ones. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockSign-up for a free browse account, go to Shutterstock.com, no credit card needed. When you find the images you like and decide to purchase, user offer code "**`DANSENTME5`**" and get 30% off any package. Comic Book Reading Order | Comics Back IssuesWhen it comes to finding a comic book reading order online, the resources out there are either incomplete or “too” complete. Some sites will focus only on trade paperbacks, while others will split books up by page, sending a flashback from 2009 all the way back to 1972.  Neither allows you to put your single issues in the order they were meant to be read.  It’s with this goal that we set out to create our first reading order, and upon many requests have spread out to many other popular franchises. Adventure Time - “BMO’s Pregnant Song” (Adventure... | kung fu grippeOh! Oh, BMO!How’d you get so pregnant?“Who’s the mother? Oh, who’s the father?” "That's where 'Tumbalog' comes in." | kung fu grippeOn February 12, 2007, I pitched my pal, Nelson Minar, on an idea for a web service we could build that would make it easy for people to setup their own mini-site where they could post random bits of text, photos, etc. See You on Larry’s Island - The Talk Show - Mule Radio SyndicateVery special guest Merlin Mann joins John Gruber to discuss 43-year-old Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, career-ending injuries for writers and podcasters, and whether Larry Page more resembles a Bond villain or Magneto. In other words, the usual. 5by5 | CMD+Space #43: Option+CMD+H, with Merlin MannThis time Myke is joined by Merlin Mann. They have a very 'Back to Work'-esque discussion covering Adventure Time and Comics books (naturally), but with a great discussion around what it's like to work in large companies, living with a routine and why achieving tenure might not be all what it's cracked up to be. The One-Person Product – Marco.orgAs for me, while I wasn’t a “founder” financially, David was generous with my employee stock options back in the day. I won’t make yacht-and-helicopter money from the acquisition, and I won’t be switching to dedicated day and night iPhones. But as long as I manage investments properly and don’t spend recklessly, Tumblr has given my family a strong safety net and given me the freedom to work on whatever I want. And that’s exactly what I plan to do. [UPDATED] " Back to Work Media Survival GuideAn informal appendix of movies and TV shows that are compulsively quoted or referenced by Dan and Merlin. See? It all makes sense now! Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Harry Tosses Perry's Gun - YouTubeAdventure Time - “I’m Just Your Problem” -... | kung fu grippeThat Olivia Olson has some serious pipes.She not only voices Marceline’s speaking voice, but sings many of her awesome songs. Amazon.com: ACT Restoring Mouthwash, Cool Splash Mint, 18-Ounce Bottle (Pack of 4): Health & Personal CareFacebook, One Year Later: What Really Happened in the Biggest IPO Flop Ever - Khadeeja Safdar - The AtlanticAfter Facebook's disastrous debut, the preferred clients of big banks walked away with huge profits. How? Public documents and interviews with dozens of investment bankers and research analysts reveal that the Street caught wind of something the public didn't. The social network and the banks told half the story. Here is the other half. Edited for television: Best and worst - Straight Dope Message BoardWhat, in your opinion, have been the most memorable things censors have changed when movies are aired on the small screen? I always try to remember what swear words came where, to see what they'll do to them on television. Big Lebowski - Edited For TV... Badly - YouTube"You see what happens Larry? You see what happens when you find a stranger in the alps?!?!" The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety (Vintage): Alan W. Watts: 9780307741202: Amazon.com: Books"We spend too much time trying to anticipate and plan for the future; too much time lamenting the past. We often miss the pleasures of the moment in our anxious efforts to ensure the next moment is as enjoyable. Drawing from Eastern philosophy and religion, Watts argues that it is only by acknowledging what we do not and cannot know, that we can find something truly worth knowing. In order to lead a fulfilling life, one must embrace the present—live fully in the now." [VIDEO] Blake's monologue from "Glengarry Glen Ross""Go and do likewise gents. Money's out there. You pick it up, it's yours. You don't, I got no sympathy for you. " The Godfather Saga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Godfather Saga is a TV miniseries that combines The Godfather and The Godfather Part II into one film. It originally aired on NBC over four consecutive nights (one three-hour segment and three two-hour segments) in November 1977. The Godfather Saga is also known as The Godfather: The Complete Novel For Television, The Godfather: A Novel for Television, and The Godfather Novella. The television version was the basis for a shorter, 1981 video release known as The Godfather 1902–1959: The Complete Epic. Following the release of The Godfather Part III in 1990, a third unified version was released to video in 1992 entitled The Godfather Trilogy: 1901–1980. "The Godfather: A Novel for Television" (1977)The first two Godfather films were re-edited together in chronological order with additional footage added. Neighborhood Watch - The Bold Italic - San Francisco"I have seen knife fights before. I have never seen one before breakfast." I Am Not Spock: Leonard Nimoy: 9781568496917: Amazon.com: BooksI Am Spock: Leonard Nemoy: 9780786889105: Amazon.com: BooksThe X-Men #129 - God Spare The Child... (Issue)Note: This is the first appearance of the popular X-men Kitty Pryde, Carmen pryde, Terri Pryde, Donald Pierce, Harry Leland, and Emma Frost (who was a villain during her first appearances). And one of the greatest X-men-villains, Sebastian Shaw. Secret Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKenner had licensed the DC Heroes. Mattel had He-Man, but wanted to hedge in case superheroes became the next big fad. They were interested in Marvel's characters, but only if we staged a publishing event that would get a lot of attention, and they could build a theme around. Fans, especially young fans often suggested to me "one big story with all the heroes and all the villains in it", so I proposed that. It flew. Mattel thought that kids responded well to the word "secret", so after a couple of working names bit the dust, we called the story "Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars". Nelson's WeblogAspartame - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. In the European Union, it is codified as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first sold under the brand name NutraSweet; since 2009 it also has been sold under the brand name AminoSweet. It was first synthesized in 1965 and the patent expired in 1992. Paper | FiftyThree"Five essential tools optimized for the creative process to Sketch, Write, Draw, Outline and Color. Start with Draw and purchase additional tools from the in-app store." [VIDEO] Glengarry Glen Ross - "Oh, what a big MAN you are!""Your pal closes, and all that comes out of your mouth is BILE. Ewwww! " [VIDEO] Scared Shitless | 43 Folders"You can be scared and still do it anyway. Regardless of whatever it is." Monster of rock: Allen Klein swindled The Stones and broke up The Beatles and is still rock 'n' roll's most ruthless Svengali | Mail Online"In Britain we only really became aware of Klein when the Rolling Stones' first manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, suddenly sold the group to him, without consulting them." Top 10 Music Managers Who Fucked Over Their Clients - Los Angeles - Music - West Coast SoundBilly Joel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn August 1989, just before the album was released, Joel fired his manager (and former brother-in-law) Frank Weber after an audit revealed major discrepancies in Weber's accounting. Joel subsequently sued Weber for $90 million, claiming fraud and breach of fiduciary duty and in January 1990 he was awarded $2 million in a partial judgement against Weber; in April, the court dismissed a $30 million countersuit filed by Weber. Rob Corddry - Los Angeles Premiere of "Pain & Gain" held... | Rob Corddry Picture 3622432 | Contactmusic.com'Pain & Gain' L.A. Premiere: Mark Wahlberg, Rebel Wilson Wow on the Red Carpet (PHOTOS)Quote Details: Henry David Thoreau: Beware of all enterprises... - The Quotations Page"Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes." Zero–sum game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn game theory and economic theory, a zero–sum game is a mathematical representation of a situation in which a participant's gain (or loss) of utility is exactly balanced by the losses (or gains) of the utility of the other participant(s). If the total gains of the participants are added up, and the total losses are subtracted, they will sum to zero. Thus cutting a cake, where taking a larger piece reduces the amount of cake available for others, is a zero–sum game if all participants value each unit of cake equally (see marginal utility). In contrast, non-zero–sum describes a situation in which the interacting parties' aggregate gains and losses are either less than or more than zero. A zero–sum game is also called a strictly competitive game while non-zero–sum games can be either competitive or non-competitive. Zero–sum games are most often solved with the minimax theorem which is closely related to linear programming duality, or with Nash equilibrium. 5by5 | The Incomparable #141: Tony Stark Wants the CreditPut on your high-tech suit of armor and join us for our discussion of "Iron Man 3." We talk about Tony's post-traumatic stress, his problematic relationship with technology, and his questionable choice to use remote armor to give a present to his girlfriend. We also discuss the pros and cons of the first two Iron Man movies, analyze how this film fits in as a post-"Avengers" story, and appreciate Tony's MacGyver moment. Special guests Lisa Schmeiser & Scott McNulty. Fan service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFan service, fanservice, or service cut, is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want". Fan service usually refers to "gratuitous titillation", but can also refer to intertextual references to other series. Superchunk - "Seed Toss" (1991)"You're tossing your SEEDS around!" Starting from Scratch | This American LifeSegment: "Making Money The Old Fashioned Way." Mary Beth Kirchner documents one day in the life of a hustler named Joe, who wakes up every morning broke, hustles as much as $10,000 during the day and then loses most of it by the time he goes to bed. What it's like to start from scratch every day of your life. The Specials - Nelson Mandela - YouTubeThis week’s episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Shutterstock (use discount code “DANSENTME5” for 30% off any package).
5/21/20131 hour, 36 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 119: Big Bag of Pandora's Potatoes

TOPIC: Macintosh Nostalgia and Utter Apple ID Madness. This week, after an entirely appropriate amount of very important follow-up, Dan and Merlin talk about Susan Kare's original Mac icons, why they're not going to be appearing on John Siracusa's t-shirt, plus the litany of completely monkeyballs problems that now has Merlin ready to literally shoot his Apple ID in the back of the head, mob-style. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Squarespace.comBuild a Website - Squarespace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. Beyond the To Do List - "Merlin Mann Interview"For the 1st time, the origin story behind Back to Work can be told. 5by5 | The Incomparable #140: The Sublime Magicks of ExpositionNo more mutants! We discuss the 2005 Marvel Comics miniseries "House of M," in which writer Brian Michael Bendis gets to show off his love of meetings, Doctor Strange, and meetings chaired by Doctor Strange! Also, there's a crazy "What If?" style parallel universe, approximately a billion spin-offs, and in the cruelest twist, Peter Parker is briefly allowed to be happy. And finally there's a shocking finale that set the tone for mutant storylines up to the present day. Listen before the Scarlet Witch wishes this podcast out of existence!Special guests Andy Ihnatko, Lisa Schmeiser, Merlin Mann, and Moisés Chiullan. 5by5 | After Dark #372: No More Merlins: Cut From The Incomparable #140Plenty of comics nerdery from The Incomparable's "House of M" episode.Special guests Andy Ihnatko, Jason Snell, Lisa Schmeiser, Merlin Mann, and Moisés Chiullan. Creative Think - Roger von OechRoger von Oech is an author, inventor, and speaker. His seminars and products have enriched the creativity of millions of people around the world. Roger von Oech - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRoger von Oech (born Feb. 16, 1948) is an American speaker, conference organizer, author, and toy-maker whose focus has been on the study of creativity. Roger von Oech (RogervonOech) on TwitterAuthor (A Whack on the Side of the Head, Creative Whack Pack), inventor (Ball of Whacks, X-Ball, Y-Ball), iPhone/iPad App http://j.mp/cwpap Status Board (iPad app by Panic)You've got data. The news. Your calendar. Active projects and e-mail queues. Sales totals and bug counts. Your data isn't going away. Let's make data beautiful.Status Board takes your data and gives it meaning. Use the easy built-in panels. Or massage your data for our Graph and Table panels. It's going to be awesome. Age of Ultron Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyFor years the heroes of the Marvel Universe have lived in fear that the artificial intelligence known as Ultron would one day evolve to fulfill its desire to wipe out all organic life and take over the Earth -- that day has arrived. The Avengers worst nightmare is here-- the Age of Ultron has begun. Age of Ultron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Age of Ultron" (abbreviated AU) is a 10-issue limited series comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics, that involves the return of Ultron and his conquest of the earth. On preventing a tug-of-war"By far the best way to prevent a tug-of-war is to not pick up your end of the rope." —Don Lancaster Making musical influences your own, a followup | Nathan ShubertI think it’s incredibly important for all creative people to actively search out that which inspires them, and to figure out what it is about it specifically that speaks to them. But after that, it’s time to move on to the artist persona, to create something truly your own. [IMG] In which disapocrypha gets Siracusa close to different metal.5by5 | Mac Power Users #136: iOS AutomationDavid and Katie talk about their favorite apps and tools for automating tasks on iOS The Devil's Advocate (1997 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Devil's Advocate (marketed as Devil's Advocate) is a 1997 American mystery thriller film based on Andrew Neiderman's novel of the same name. It is directed by Taylor Hackford and stars Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, and Charlize Theron. Merlin Mann on Inbox Zero, Getting Things Done, Opportunity Cost and Sunk Cost Fallacy – BTTDL032Susan Kare - User Interface Graphics - Apple Mac IconsApple Lisa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Lisa is a personal computer designed by Apple Computer, Inc. during the early 1980s. It was the first personal computer to offer a graphical user interface in an inexpensive machine aimed at individual business users. Apple II series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Apple II series (trademarked with square brackets as "Apple ][") is a set of 8-bit home computers, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products,[1] designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) and introduced in 1977 with the original Apple II. In terms of ease of use, features and expandability the Apple II was a major technological advancement over its predecessor, the Apple I, a limited-production bare circuit board computer for electronics hobbyists that pioneered many features that made the Apple II a commercial success. The Model III TRS-80 SystemThe TRS-80 Model III was one of the most successful computers ever built. It was used in schools throughout the United States, replacing the failing Commodores. It was used in offices, factories, and homes. By 1983, when it was replaced by the Model 4, a couple of million must have been sold. (Radio Shack has never given out the figures.) It was supported by the largest software libraries in existence up to that time, and several other operating systems were written for it. It became the standard grade school computer in thousands of school districts and the mainstay of small business. The Enchiridion (book) - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!The Enchiridion (which translates to "The Handbook" or "The Manual") was an ancient book with codes of conduct, guidelines, and other helpful information for heroes. The book had great power which allowed it to tear open worm holes between dimensions in the multiverse. It was destroyed by Finn in "The Lich" in order to stop the Lich from gaining access to the multiverse (although, the Lich still made it. See "The Lich" for more details.) HIGH-INTENSITY CIRCUIT TRAINING USING BODY WEIGHT: Maximum R... : ACSM's Health & Fitness JournalTo address the limitations of traditional exercise protocols and provide an effective and efficient program for our clients, one of the exercise strategies we use is high-intensity circuit training (HICT) using body weight as resistance. Our approach combines aerobic and resistance training into a single exercise bout lasting approximately 7 minutes. Participants can repeat the 7-minute bout 2 to 3 times, depending on the amount of time they have. As body weight provides the only form of resistance, the program can be done anywhere. Devil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn some religions and traditions, these titles are separate demons Demons in Christian Belief - ReligionFacts.comIn Christian belief, angels were created good but were endowed with free will just as humans were. Some of them rebelled against God, were banished from heaven, and became demons. The English word "demon" comes from the Greek daemon (δαίμων), which originally referred to any spirit but came to be associated with only evil spirits.In Christian teaching, the leader of the rebellious angels was Satan, who has became humanity's chief adversary. He is identified with the serpent who tempts Adam and Eve in Genesis. Lectric Shave"Blade Close. Lectric Smooth™" Age of Ultron, #5 Erm. That’s actually Tony’s MK III armor. It's Showtime, Folks - YouTubeClassic Roy Scheider in _All That Jazz_. hard coded Dutch subs"Learning Dutch the hard way." Tiger Balm UltraWhen you're ready to nuke the pain, you're ready for Tiger Balm Ultra. "greg land" o face - Google SearchLisa Schmeiser (lschmeiser) on TwitterShrineless Maniac 5by5 | Lisa SchmeiserLisa Schmeiser is normally very good about making her New Years' resolutions happen, but it looks like this will be yet another year where "write a scintillating biography in the third person" is a nonstarter. She is a veteran writer and editor with expertise in covering the technology and business worlds. The Avengers #213 (1981) Hank Pym is such a... | kung fu grippeHank Pym is such a dick. Meetings can be…awkward."Everyone assumed someone else would bring bagels.But, alas: no one brought bagels." Brian Michael Bendis LOVES meetings. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "enchiridion" for an additional 10% off).
5/14/20131 hour, 28 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 118: One-Step Corn Kerneler

TOPIC: Toward an (Admittedly Dubious) Unified Field Theory of Creativity This week, Dan and Merlin consider a framework for understanding the basic modes and focal lengths involved in producing creative work. Why and how do we get so hung up and frustrated about getting good at what we do? Why's it so hard to take an abstract idea for making something great, then end up feeling pathologically stymied when we struggle to actually make it? The boys return to the classic topic of expertise, especially the frustrating ironies that separate the pro from the amateur from the, as they say, "failure." Also under consideration is Roger Von Oech's fascinating modal, character-based approach to making stuff—acknowledging the very different work of the Explorer, Artist, Judge, and Warrior. But, critically, also striving to keep those characters in the right order and on the right parts of the right task at the right time. Then, knowing when to change things up. Finally, there's a bit of discussion on Merlin's squirrely obsession with focal length—to not only choose the right mode at the right time, but to stay open to the idea of alternately zooming way out and way in at each step of the process. Accepting the benefits and trade-offs of switching between your macro and fish-eye lenses. It's a really good episode—at least way better than it sounds. And, the hosts agree that, until you find a better model for understanding How to Make Stuff, you could do a lot worse than giving this admittedly Byzantine method a spin for yourself. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Shutterstock.comOver 25 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos. Use code "**`BACKTOWORK5`**" for 30% off. Selection of Merlin's TextExpander 4 SnippetsExtremely random stash of Merlin's TextExpander snippets, as mentioned in [*Back to Work*](http://5by5.tv/b2w), [Episode #116](http://5by5.tv/b2w/116). This explains everything | Flickr - Photo Sharing!In which Merlin presents his highly dubious Unified Field Theory of Creativity. [AUDIO] kung fu grippe - "Origin Stories: John Siracusa on Flu Shots"5by5 | Hypercritical #38: Virtually Spotless (October 14, 2011) Genesis of The Siracusa Flu Principle. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley: 9781563893421: Amazon.com: BooksWritten by Frank Miller. No spoilers, please. Pym Particles - Marvel Comics DatabaseDr. Henry Pym originally discovered and isolated a rare group of subatomic particles, which have become known as the "Pym Particles", which could increase or decrease the size and mass of objects or living beings. The Pym Particles work by stunting matter into the Kosmos Dimension when shrinking an subject or accruing extra matter from that dimension when enlarging. Pym Particles (Concept)Pym particles first existed in an elixir form that had to be splashed on the object to enlarge or shrink it. Eventually this elixir was made into a gas so if could be quickly aspirated for easier transportation. After accidentally transforming into Giant-Man, Pym further refined the chemical into a variety of color-coded pills. The particles still proved unstable as they trapped Pym at a height of 12 feet. Pym Particles work by the user either shunting mass to the Kosmos Dimension (for shrinking) or taking mass (for growing). camping : Shutterstock Stock PhotographyAmazon.com: Intex Raised Downy Queen Airbed with Built-in Electric Pump: Sports & OutdoorsRaised queen-sized inflatable airbed with dual chamber construction Amazon.com: Aqua Notes - Waterproof Notepad: Home & KitchenAquaNotes? provides a convenient method for preserving notes, sketches, and records without having to worry about the soggy results that occur when trying to write on traditional paper in wet environments. Let AquaNotesTM meet your need for a paper pad that can take whatever the weatherman dishes out! [VIDEO] "The Shining" - "Have you ever had a SINGLE moment's THOUGHT about MY responsibilities?!?"JACK TORRANCE: Have you ever had a SINGLE MOMENT'S THOUGHT about my responsibilities? Have you ever thought, for a single solitary moment about my responsibilities to my employers? Has it ever occurred to you that I have agreed to look after the OVERLOOK Hotel until May the FIRST. Does it MATTER TO YOU AT ALL that the OWNERS have placed their COMPLETE CONFIDENCE and TRUST in me, and that I have signed a letter of agreement, a CONTRACT, in which I have accepted that RESPONSIBILITY? Do you have the SLIGHTEST IDEA, what a MORAL AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLE IS, DO YOU? Has it ever occurred to you what would happen to my future, if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? Has it ever occurred to you? HAS IT? "Back to Work" Media Survival GuideIt's a start. Deconstructing Creativity: The 4 Roles You Need to Play to be Fully Creative - LitemindThese concepts above are not new. The idea of the four creativity roles comes from Roger Von Oech‘s classic work on creativity A Whack on the Side of the Head, as well as the Creative Whack Pack (which is a deck of cards where each of the four roles is a suit — very fun, do check it out too). The four roles of the creative process | creative.web.netThe following is from A Kick in the Seat of the Pants: Using Your Explorer, Artist, Judge, A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative: Roger von Oech: 9780446404662: Amazon.com: BooksA Kick in the Seat of the Pants: Using Your Explorer, Artist, Judge, and Warrior to Be More Creative: Roger Von Oech: 9780060960247: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | Back to Work #62: Cultural MolassesTOPIC: Karmasucks, No-Sayers, and Black and White Thinking. Dan and Merlin consider the karmasucks and black and white thinking that lead to inertia and a culture of derision. Anyone can laugh at an agenda, and it only takes one turd in the punchbowl to ruin the party, so don't ask permission, ask yes or no questions, and keep your judge behind your explorer. [IMG] kung fu grippe - Awesome Comic Book Keyboard StickersDan is awesome. Ellie put most of the stickers on herself. What a cool present. Regretsy | Where DIY Meets WTFMacbook Keyboard Super Hero Skin by killerduckdecals on EtsyTired of typing away, answering the same emails, writing the same invites, posting the same status updates.... typing the same item descriptions? Super Hero's (and villains) unite! Its like the comic book alphabet bending to the power of your almighty fingertips. This will actually fit both the wireless 13", 15" MacBooks and most MacBook Airs. PLUS it won't block out the awesome backlit keys of the keyboards underneath. Amazon.com: Amco One-Step Corn Kerneler: Kitchen & DiningAmco Houseworks, an award-winning brand, has been making cooking and cleaning easier since the 1970s. It's a commitment that's earned it the love and respect of professional and home cooks around the world. Amco Houseworks creates quality, innovative, stylishly designed kitchen tools and accessories that help people enhance the quality of their cooking and entertaining. Amco Houseworks uses commercial grade stainless steel to craft its top quality kitchen utensils and accessories. We specialize in combining precision and performance to create stylishly designed premium kitchen tools. Our products are innovative, are intuitive and easy to use for the cooking enthusiast. This Amco one-step coren kerneler easily removes kernels from the cob in one quick motion. Place the corn kerneler at the narrow end of the cob and press straight down to the bottom of the cob. All kernels will collect neatly and there'll be no more kernel mess to clean up. It holds approximately 2 ears of kernels. To empty, pour kernels from the spout and start again. It is designed with a stainless steel blade that adjusts to the width of the corn and is top rack dishwasher safe. Inedia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBreatharianism is a related concept, in which believers claim food and possibly water are not necessary, and that humans can be sustained solely by prana (the vital life force in Hinduism), or, according to some, by the energy in sunlight (according to Ayurveda, sunlight is one of the main sources of prana). The terms breatharianism or inedia may also refer to this philosophy practised as a lifestyle in place of the usual diet. 5by5 | The Pipeline #7: Merlin MannMerlin Mann is an independent writer, speaker, and broadcaster. He's the creator of 43 Folders, the co-host of You Look Nice Today, a regular guest on MacBreak Weekly, and the author of an upcoming book entitled Inbox Zero.We discuss figuring out and focusing on your values, a new perspective on productivity, ignoring the lizard brain, doing what you like, rejecting novelty, serving the right audience, Picaso, cognition, action, self-discovery, mindfulness, buddhism, and the new book.You can find out more about Merlin on his website, via his weblog, Kung Fu Grippe, and by following him on Twitter. On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft:Amazon:Books“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told. The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life:Amazon:BooksAll it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with thirty-two practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable thirty-five-year career. How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way: Stan Lee, John Buscema: 9780671530778: Amazon.com: BooksStan Lee, the Mighty Man from Marvel, and John Buscema, active and adventuresome artist behind the Silver Surfer, Conan the Barbarian, the Mighty Thor and Spider-Man, have collaborated on this comics compendium: an encyclopedia of information for creating your own superhero comic strips. Using artwork from Marvel comics as primary examples, Buscema graphically illustrates the hitherto mysterious methods of comic art. Stan Lee's pithy prose gives able assistance and advice to the apprentice artist. Bursting with Buscema's magnificent illustrations and Lee's laudable word-magic, How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way belongs in the library of every kid who has ever wanted to illustrate his or her own comic strip. 8½ (1963) - The Criterion CollectionMarcello Mastroianni plays Guido Anselmi, a director whose new project is collapsing around him, along with his life. One of the greatest films about film ever made, Federico Fellini’s 8½ (Otto e mezzo) turns one man’s artistic crisis into a grand epic of the cinema. An early working title for 8½ was The Beautiful Confusion, and Fellini’s masterpiece is exactly that: a shimmering dream, a circus, and a magic act. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK5" for 30% off).
5/7/20131 hour, 35 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 117: The Flu Shots of Siracusa County

TOPIC: Offices, and when to get out of them. This week—in what will surely be remembered as the greatest Back to Work episode of all time—Dan and Merlin eventually talk about working at a desk and when to take it someplace else. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Squarespace.comBuild a Website - Squarespace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. GIRL TALK - ALL DAY - ILLEGAL ARTAll Day is intended to be listened to as a whole. It is broken up into individual tracks only for easier navigation.This album is a free download.Girl Talk thanks all artists sampled. SluglineFinally, a simple, elegant app for writing screenplays on your Mac. Slugline is a minimal, distraction-free environment for the most important part of screenwriting—the writing part.There are plenty of apps for your final draft. How about one for your first 99? "Double Fantasy," indeed | Flickr - Photo Sharing!humberto ramos (humberto_ramos) on Twittercomic book creator, karaoke singerneverland · https://www.facebook.com/ramos.comic Humberto Ramos - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHumberto Ramos (born 27 November 1970) is a Mexican comic book penciller, best known for his work on American comic books such as Impulse, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and his creator-owned series Crimson. Humberto Ramos Official SiteAccidental Tech PodcastA TECH PODCAST WE ACCIDENTALLY CREATED WHILE TRYING TO DO "A CAR SHOW." FEATURING MARCO ARMENT, CASEY LISS, AND JOHN SIRACUSA. Avengers: The Origin (Avengers (Marvel Paperback)): Joe Casey, Phil Noto: 9780785144007: Amazon.com: BooksRedefining the origin of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Iron Man! Thor! Ant-Man and the Wasp! Individually, each has the power to fight injustice and protect the innocent. But even the strongest heroes can only do so much when they stand alone. When the mischief god Loki uses the rampaging Hulk as his pawn of destruction in his bid to escape exile, it's up to Earth's Mightiest Heroes to stand together and stop him! The adventures of the Avengers echo throughout history, and it all begins here! Mjölnir - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNike Killshot 1979 / Tennis / Vintage Nike - Arkamix : Nike, jordan ,nike retro, nike air force one, vintage nike, running nike, collector nikeVirtually identical to Merlin's all-time favorite sneakers. Ep. 11: "Everybody Knew What Mr. Finnell Did" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problems: the status of Napoleon’s hat; historically significant panties on the auction block; major issues in corporal punishment; Liza’s mostly lifelike Naugahyde partner; recovering our Oprah memories; John’s investigative broom closet journalism; the IMAX technology that was wasted on the Gunther Gebel Williams clan; conspiracy theories around Pee-wee’s Sarasota jam-up; why Seattle’s goin’ hungry in the lemon yellow sun; Mr. Finnell’s copy is goldenrod; Donovan’s probably fake smile; tackling our usual authenticity issues; some “e”-zy diaeresis häcks; why John’s just not a fan; the salient différence; Merlin’s glass-lined taxi driver problems; how the sunshine bores the daylights out of the one Rolling Stones lick Merlin knows; knowing how or whether to marry the other one from Wham! (U.K.); an opium-dulled death by a thousand mimeographs; the varieties of childhood paddles; in Soviet Alaska, Teamsters bust you; knowing when to save those pedagogically-stained Dolphin shorts; the seasonal difficulties of adjudicating clowns; some sensitive cultural subtleties of ping-pong; and the complex reasons why John can’t stop playing solitaire in traffic. [VIDEO] Grandpa Simpson explains elderly union-bustingGRANDPA SIMPSON: We can’t bust heads like we used to. But we have our ways. One trick is to tell stories that don’t go anywhere. Like the time I caught the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for m’shoe. So I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt. Which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on ‘em. Gimme five bees for a quarter, you’d say. Now where was I… oh yeah. The important thing was that I had an onion tied to my belt, which was the style at the time. You couldn’t get white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones… E-Book Tarnishes The Reader-Book Relationship : NPRCommentator Andrei Codrescu is upset that passages on his eBook reader are highlighted. This happens automatically by a crowd-sourcing program. Codrescu says it takes the privacy out of reading. Underworld - Born Slippy [Trainspotting] - YouTubeBrian Eno Ambient 1: Music for Airports (Whole Album) (HQ) - YouTubeThe Wrens - Ex Girl Collection - YouTubeThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "yakshaving" for an additional 10% off).
4/30/20131 hour, 31 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 116: Beagle Removal Service

TOPIC: Quit & Analyze, and Marvel Character Speculation. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Dan's "Quit & Analyze" episode, then proceed into a very useful conversation about which characters from the Marvel Universe they're each most like. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You TimeType more with less effort! TextExpander saves your fingers and your keyboard, expanding custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text and pictures... Noteboard®: The pocket whiteboardEvery Noteboard is durable, portable, and infinitely rewritable folds up map-style. 5by5 | Quit! #21: Quit & AnalyzeDan is joined by a familiar guest, Marco Arment, to take calls and discuss Marco's very recent sale of Instapaper. They delve deeper and discuss when to hire, outsourcing, feeling burnt out, when to sell, and being selective about which company gets to buy what you've built. They take some listener calls and answer questions about job-seeking in a new town, how to come up with the next great idea, the reinvention of the corporate stooge, what to consider when you're desperate for freelance work, and what to do when you get let go from your job. She-Hulk Vol. 1: Single Green Female: Dan Slott, Juan Bobillo: 9780785114437: Amazon.com: BooksSingle Green Female, outgoing, intelligent, great sense of humor. Enjoys clubbing, dishing with gal-pals and saving the universe. Ready to put old issues behind and make a fresh start. Contact Jen W. at Avengers Mansion. That's right...everyone's favorite Jade Giantess, She-Hulk, has returned for tons of fun, both on and off the field of battle! Collecting SHE-HULK TextExpander and Secure InputUnfortunately, there are a few situations where Secure Input is left in its “enabled” state when it should not be—when you have finished entering sensitive information, or when you have begun to use a different application than the one that turned on Secure Input. In these cases, you will not be able to use TextExpander until Secure Input is disabled. So how can you disable Secure Input? 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time was a series of trade paperbacks published in 2001 by Marvel Comics. Earlier in the year, the publisher had held a poll asking readers to vote on their favorite issues of Marvel comic book series. The top 25 issues were then reprinted in trade paperback form, with a list in the back of each volume listing the results of the poll from the 100th issue to the last issue contained in that particular volume. Numbers 25 to 6 were published in volumes one through five, each of which contained four issues. The top five issues were each reprinted in their own volumes (volumes six through ten).[edit] Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOmega level mutants - X-Men Wiki - Wolverine, Marvel Comics, OriginsThe terms "Alpha" and "Omega" (roughly meaning "first" resp. "final") are blurry in-universe terms used by some writers to categorise different characters. Omega mutants are, in theory, supposed to be the most powerful class of mutants, but with time the scope of the term has widened to include a much wider scope of characters that, following the same logic, could technically qualify half the ones in existence. Omega Level Mutants - Marvel Comics DatabasePROVEN Omega Level Mutants. A character can only be added to this category if they have a reference for when they were 'outed' as an Omega. White noise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn signal processing, white noise is a random signal with a flat (constant) power spectral density. In other words, a signal that contains equal power within any frequency band with a fixed width. The term is used, with this or similar meanings, in many scientific and technical disciplines, including physics, acoustic engineering, telecommunications, statistical forecasting, and many more. (Rigorously speaking, "white noise" refers to a statistical model for signals and signal sources, rather than to any specific signal.) Brown note (disambiguation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA brown note is a hypothetical sound wave that would cause involuntary defecation. Methuselah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaExtra-biblical tradition maintains that he died on the 11th of Cheshvan of the year 1656 (Anno Mundi, after Creation), at the age of 969, seven days before the beginning of the Great Flood. Your Nice New Outfit(Phil Noto's awesome Tumblr site.) The Monkey's Paw - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe story is based on the famous "setup" in which three wishes are granted. In the story, the paw of a dead monkey is a talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate. The Howling Fat Men of the Coen Brothers - YouTubeEnjoying My Coffee - YouTubeGlengarry Glen Ross - Will you go to lunch? (Kevin Spacey) - YouTube"Megan Draper," as drawn by Phil Noto.[IMG] "SNAP"Poor Gwen. Poor Spidey. Ugh. Twitter / hotdogsladies: I really like Greg Land, but ..."I really like Greg Land, but I wish he'd meet some women with a second facial expression." Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 121 - Marvel Comics Database"She was dead before your webbing reached her! A fall from that height would kill anyone before they struck the ground." -- Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) Markdown Service Tools - BrettTerpstra.comSluglineThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Smile's TextExpander.
4/29/20131 hour, 34 minutes, 32 seconds
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Episode 115: Invitation to a Blame Party

TOPIC: Fixing the Culture of Meetings This week, Dan and Merlin address the problems with meetings, and how we can each choose to improve them. Ten quick ideas? Purpose Agenda Grazing Policy Hard Edges Scheduling Guests Timekeeper No Ratholes Focus Follow-Up Consistency Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - ShutterstockOver 25 million stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos [VIDEO] Merlin Mann - "Broken Meetings (and how you'll fix them)"There's a big elephant in the office today that's becoming harder to ignore—meetings.Even the best meetings can eat up massive person-hours, but those really awful ones will just kill you. You know the type.Those time-wasting, rudderless, repetitious, zombie meetings where "deep dives," "drill downs," and "face time" often mean much is debated, little is accomplished, and everybody leaves feeling broken--AND, often as not, late for their next meeting.In the premiere of this all-new presentation, Merlin Mann attacks Bad Meeting Culture with the same brand of practical, funny, and thought-provoking advice that his popular Inbox Zero talks brought to the topic of email. [SLIDES] BROKEN MEETINGS (and how you'll fix them)[ESSAY] Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule (by Paul Graham; 2009)When you're operating on the maker's schedule, meetings are a disaster. A single meeting can blow a whole afternoon, by breaking it into two pieces each too small to do anything hard in. Plus you have to remember to go to the meeting. That's no problem for someone on the manager's schedule. There's always something coming on the next hour Drafts - Agile TortoiseWhat’s New in Drafts 3.0Extend Drafts with ready-to-install Actions from the Action Directory! ?Drafts is a different kind of note taking app. In Drafts, text comes first – open the app and get a new, blank draft. Don’t get bogged down in a timeline to tweet or post to Facebook and App.net. Don’t tap through multiple screens to compose an email or SMS. Don’t navigate folders, create files and name them just to jot down a note or create a todo. Drafts is available for both iPhone and iPad. Mushroom War - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!The Mushroom War (usually referred to as the Great Mushroom War) is the cause of the post-apocalyptic condition of the Land of Ooo. Not much is known about the war at the moment, but the inclusion of "mushroom" in the title is probably referring to the mushroom shaped explosion generated by atomic weapons. If so, then it is likely that the Land of Ooo and the creatures who inhabit it were created from the nuclear fallout that irradiated the land. The Mushroom War is most likely started by mankind being at war with one another, but on a nuclear scale (such as during the Cold War or the end of WWII). The Enchiridion (book) - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!The Enchiridion (which translates to "The Handbook" or "The Manual") was an ancient book with codes of conduct, guidelines, and other helpful information for heroes. The book had great power which allowed it to tear open worm holes between dimensions in the multiverse. It was destroyed by Finn in "The Lich" in order to stop the Lich from gaining access to the multiverse (although, the Lich still made it. See "The Lich" for more details.) Amazon.com: The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia (Encyclopedia): Inhabitants, Lore, Spells, and Ancient Crypt Warnings of the Land of Ooo Circa 19.56 B.G.E. - 501 A.G.E.What time is it? Adventure Time?! Explore the magical world of Ooo with Jake the dog and Finn the human, along with the Ice King, Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and all your favorite Adventure Time characters, in this first official guide to Cartoon Network?s hit animated series.Written and compiled by the Lord of Evil himself, The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia matches the playful, subversive tone of the series, detailing everything anyone will ever need to know about the postapocalyptic land of Ooo and its inhabitants?secret lore and spells, fun places you should visit and places where you will probably die, whom to marry and whom not to marry, how to make friends and how to destroy your enemies?plus hand-written marginalia by Finn, Jake, and Marceline. An indispensable companion to the show, this side-splittingly funny love letter to Adventure Time is sure to appeal to fans of all ages. Heck yeah! [GUIDE] Success! Install 10.8 on old unsupported Mac - MacRumors ForumsHi, Welcome. First of all. What is "MLPostFactor" you might ask. Well. As we all know, Apple has dropped OSX Mountain Lion support for older generation of Macs (2006~2008 Macs). The goal of the project is to support all those "drop out" Macs. So we designed this app to do just that. Read more @ Post Billy - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Billy was a character who first appears in "His Hero." Billy is Finn and Jake's idol and the most powerful hero seen in the series. Thus, the two are immense fans of him. The Lich (episode) - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Finn is led by Billy on a quest to save the world and beyond from the Lich. Image Comics | East of West #1"OUT OF THE WASTELAND"The things that divide us are stronger than the things that unite us. A Sci-Fi Western set in a dystopian America where all hope for the future rests in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse...who just happen to be trying to kill the President of the United States. One of the most exciting new books of the year, this is EAST OF WEST, a brand new, ongoing, monthly comic from the award-winning team of Marvel's FF, JONATHAN HICKMAN and NICK DRAGOTTA. East of West Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyThe things that divide us are stronger than the things that unite us. A Sci-Fi Western set in a dystopian America where all hope for the future rests in the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse...who just happen to be trying to kill the President of the United States. One of the most exciting new books of the year, this is EAST OF WEST, a brand new, ongoing, monthly comic from the award-winning team of Marvel's FF, JONATHAN HICKMAN and NICK DRAGOTTA. Twitter / trammell: Watching @hotdogsladies' talk ...Watching @hotdogsladies' talk "Broken Meetings (and how you'll fix them)". Again. It's the best. http://vimeo.com/15579561  Passwords for the Manly ManGenerating passwords so strong and secure they rise like the phoenix. Twitter / hotdogsladies: After a mere 30 hours in LA, ...After a mere 30 hours in LA, I’m already awesome at casually scoping out someone more important to talk to. Actually…could you excuse me? Amazon.com: The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary Edition (2nd Edition) (0785342835953): Frederick P. Brooks Jr.: BooksFew books on software project management have been as influential and timeless as The Mythical Man-Month. With a blend of software engineering facts and thought-provoking opinions, Fred Brooks offers insight for anyone managing complex projects. These essays draw from his experience as project manager for the IBM System/360 computer family and then for OS/360, its massive software system. Now, 20 years after the initial publication of his book, Brooks has revisited his original ideas and added new thoughts and advice, both for readers already familiar with his work and for readers discovering it for the first time. The Mythical Man-Month - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrooks' observations are based on his experiences at IBM while managing the development of OS/360. He had added more programmers to a project falling behind schedule, a decision that he would later counter-intuitively conclude to have delayed the project even further. He also made the mistake of asserting that one project — writing an ALGOL compiler — would require six months, regardless of the number of workers involved (it required longer). The tendency for managers to repeat such errors in project development led Brooks to quip that his book is called "The Bible of Software Engineering", because "everybody quotes it, some people read it, and a few people go by it." The book is widely regarded as a classic on the human elements of software engineering. QPR: Quotidian Public Radio - QPR: Quotidian Public Radio - “Commentary by Anton...Commentator Anton Cantrusku has been thinking about technology, communication, and the future of books. End-of-life (product) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEnd-of-life (EOL) is a term used with respect to a product supplied to customers, indicating that the product is in the end of its useful lifetime and a vendor will no longer be marketing, selling, or sustaining a particular product and may also be limiting or ending support for the product. In the specific case of product sales, the term end-of-sale (EOS) has also been used. The term lifetime, after the last production date, depends on the product and is related to a customer's expected product lifetime. Different lifetime examples include toys from fast food chains (weeks or months), cars (10 years), and mobile phones (3 years). Diceware - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDiceware is a method for creating passphrases, passwords, and other cryptographic variables using an ordinary die from a pair of dice as a hardware random number generator. For each word in the passphrase, five rolls of the die are required. The numbers from 1 to 6 that come up in the rolls are assembled as a five digit number, e.g. 43146. That number is then used to look up a word in a word list. In the English list 43146 corresponds to munch. [PHOTO] kung fu grippe - "Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in _Alien_ - Riddley Scott 1979"Sigourney Weaver in…uhhhhh…_a space helmet_. Really very special. [VIDEO] Merlin Mann - "Steampunk DIY"As you may know, I'm an ardent fan of "steampunk." Here's a DIY project I recently completed. Dr. Nick (The Simpsons) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDr. Nick Riviera, usually referred to as Dr. Nick, is a recurring fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria, and first appeared in the episode "Bart Gets Hit by a Car". Dr. Nick is an inept quack physician, and a satire of incompetent medical professionals. Dr. Nick is known for his exclamation of "Hi, everybody!" upon entering a scene, which is immediately followed by the other characters present with, "Hi, Dr. Nick!", with one exception: in "Who Shot Mr. Burns?", Mr. Burns replies with "Ho, mersimp son!", but with the same inflection as the usual greeting. Pain & Gain (2013)A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK4" for 30% off).
4/26/20131 hour, 39 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 114: I'm Moving to FudgePacker

TOPIC: Quicksilver and the OS X App Launcher Landscape This week, Dan triumphantly returns from two weeks of crippling illness. So, the boys ease their way back into the groove with a grab bag of great follow-up, some Adventure Time talk, and a longer discussion of popular OS X App launchers, including Quicksilver 1.0, LaunchBar, and Alfred 2. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Build a Website — SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. New Template Design: Adirondack — The Official Squarespace BlogAdirondack is a modern, clean design built with small business owners and savvy entrepreneurs in mind. Minimal navigation and full header images provide a bold framework for your company or brand. The template is characterized by scrolling effects New Feature Roundup: Page Duplication and More — The Official Squarespace BlogWhile we’re pushing out changes and improvements to Squarespace 6 almost daily, we wanted to point out a few recent updates that you might find helpful: [PODCAST] 70Decibels - CMD+SPACE - 038 - Inbox Zero and New Projects, with Merlin MannOn a very special episode of CMD SPACE Myke is joined by Merlin Mann to discuss Inbox Zero, starting New projects and a fun discussion about Adventure Time (as well as a little about comics, of course). [PODCAST] 5by5 | Mac Power Users #132: Merlin ReturnsReturning for his annual appearance, Merlin Mann joins Katie and David to talk Evernote, GTD, iPad, Podcasting and his favorite Apps. Fat Cat Software – iPhoto Library ManageriPLM also gives you the ability to copy your photos from one library to another, while keeping track of photo metadata that is normally lost when exporting from one library and importing into another. Titles, dates, descriptions, keywords, ratings, faces, and place information are all transferred along with the photos, ensuring that you keep all that information you spent hours entering into iPhoto. Event and albums are also reconstructed when copied, and both the edited and original copies of each photo are copied as well. You can split up a large library into multiple smaller libraries, merge entire libraries together into a big one, or rebuild a corrupt library that is causing iPhoto to hang or crash. Drafts: Action DirectoryThis directory contains pre-configured custom actions to extend Drafts beyond the actions that come preinstalled with the app. If you have Drafts, browse this directory on your iOS device – when you find an action that interests you, tap the "Install" link and it will be installed in your local version Drafts. Any actions you install can be modified or deleted in the Drafts settings. [GUIDE] Success! Install 10.8 on old unsupported Mac - MacRumors ForumsHi, Welcome. First of all. What is "MLPostFactor" you might ask. Well. As we all know, Apple has dropped OSX Mountain Lion support for older generation of Macs (2006~2008 Macs). The goal of the project is to support all those "drop out" Macs. So we designed this app to do just that. Read more @ Post App Cubby • Hand Crafted iPhone Apps - Launch CenterIt’s like speed dial, but for more than just phone calls! Launch Center Pro creates lightning quick shortcuts to specific features buried deep within apps. Call a loved one, message a friend, launch Instagram’s camera to quickly snap a pic, tweet, or turn your iPhone into a flashlight. Launch Center Pro gets you to where you’re going faster than ever before! [PODCAST] 5by5 | Mac Power Users #133: Alfred 2David and Katie take a deep dive into Alfred 2.0, an application launcher and productivity application for Mac. Forecast[awesome web app with detailed weather conditions] Allen Hoskins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAllen Clayton Hoskins (August 9, 1920 – July 26, 1980) was an American child actor, most famous for portraying the character of Farina in 105 Our Gang short films from 1922 to 1931. Quicksilver — Mac OS X at your FingertipsQuicksilver is a fast and free Mac OS X productivity application that gives you the power to control your Mac quickly and elegantly. Quicksilver learns your habits, making your everyday chores simple and efficient. Quicksilver — LoveQuicksilver BlogAfter almost 10 years of testing, Quicksilver lays the beta tag to rest. (If the lack of an eszett brings a tear to your eye, you can always reminisce by hitting ?S on your keyboard). What does this release mean? It means more than just a change in the version numbering system - it signifies a maturity of Quicksilver and a sign of what’s to come. Quicksilver — LoveQuicksilver BlogWith the release of Quicksilver v1.0, I sat with Quicksilver’s lead developers (at our respective far-flung computers) to gather their thoughts on this historic occasion, and to find out a bit more about Quicksilver behind the scenes. Alfred App - Productivity App for Mac OS XAlfred is an award-winning productivity application for Mac OS XAlfred saves you time when you search for files online or on your Mac. Be more productive with hotkeys, keywords and file actions at your fingertips. Share your Workflows - Alfred App Community ForumShare your workflows with fellow Alfred v2 users. LaunchBar 5LaunchBar is a smart and powerful, keyboard driven productivity utility that lets you access and control every aspect of your digital life. Whatever you want to get done on your Mac – with LaunchBar it’s only a few keystrokes away. LaunchBar - Switcher’s FAQsWe’ve noticed an ever increasing number of former Quicksilver users who switched over to LaunchBar, so we’d like to provide an overview of some of the differences and to answer the most frequently asked questions in this regard. Butler · Many TricksButler's purpose is to ease all those routine tasks you do every day: controlling iTunes, opening programs and documents, switching users, searching for stuff on the web, and more. Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde | This American LifeDr. Benjamin Gilmer gets a job at a rural clinic. He finds out he’s replaced someone — also named Dr. Gilmer — who went to prison after killing his own father. But the more Benjamin’s patients talk about the other Dr. Gilmer, the more confused he becomes. Everyone loved the old Dr. Gilmer. So Benjamin starts digging around, trying to understand how a good man can seemingly turn bad. Ep. 69: "Campfire Spaghetti Party" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: People would treat you so differently if you were literally riding a bear. malinger - Wiktionarymalinger (third-person singular simple present malingers, present participle malingering, simple past and past participle malingered)(intransitive) To feign illness, injury, or incapacitation in order to avoid work or obligation.It is not uncommon on exam days for several students to malinger rather than prepare themselves.[edit] kung fu grippe - "Chasing the RIght Zero"Once you’ve dedicated yourself to making the things you love, every inbox can and should become a well-monitored servant rather than a merciless master. Because, at the risk of sounding a little fruity, I believe that a life in which we habitually abandon the known Good Things in order to helplessly stab at ““managing”” a nebulous morass of chaoses that we can never control is not much of a life at all. Snitchware – WeatherSnitch 2The search for the perfect weather app is over.Beautiful weather conditions, a brilliant interface,and all the weather information you need. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1: Cory Walker, Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley: 9781582405001: Amazon.com: BooksGet in on the ground floor! This massive hardcover collects the first 13 issues of Robert Kirkman's Eisner-Nominated super-hero, along with all the extras from the first three trade paperback volumes and even more on top of that! Invincible: The Ultimate Collection, Volume 1 is a can't-miss for anyone who's wanted to start reading Invincible, but needed an easier way to start from the beginning. The Enchiridion (book) - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!The Enchiridion (which translates to "The Handbook" or "The Manual") was an ancient book with codes of conduct, guidelines, and other helpful information for heroes. The book had great power which allowed it to tear open worm holes between dimensions in the multiverse. It was destroyed by Finn in "The Lich" in order to stop the Lich from gaining access to the multiverse (although, the Lich still made it. See "The Lich" for more details.) Simon & Marcy - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Ice King and Marceline 996 years ago. A Glitch Is a Glitch - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Ice King creates a computer virus to delete everybody except him and Princess Bubblegum. Dad's Dungeon - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Jake feels conflicted when his father forces him to try and hold Finn back in a dungeon meant to toughen Finn up. Please Stop Fighting About Your Smartphone | Gadget Lab | Wired.comHere’s the thing: Every phone can be right, for the right reasons. Every platform can be wonderful. (Do you know how easy it would be to make a BlackBerry joke right here? Do you? I’ve got the joke right here in my pocket. You sense it even. You’re dying to make it yourself. Go ahead. This one time. Just do it. Whisper it. I’m listening.) Here’s the thing. That Blackberry Z10? It’s right for someone, somewhere. It really is. There’s someone out there who will take that phone home and love it. Just completely love it. Not in a romantic, or sexual way. (I hope.) But nonetheless, love. Mac OS X Automation: Services Manager[An _indispensable_ app for turning OS X Services on and off and easily setting command keys] Cobook Contacts - the new iPhone and Mac address bookA better address bookFind contacts faster and organize them with tags. Get integrated social profiles and keep contacts up-to-date automatically. Soulver | AcqualiaSoulver helps you work things out. It's quicker to use than a spreadsheet, and smarter and clearer than a traditional calculator. Use Soulver to play around with numbers, do "back of the envelope" quick calculations, and solve day-to-day problems. Drafts - Agile TortoiseDrafts is a different kind of note taking app. In Drafts, text comes first – open the app and get a new, blank draft. Don’t get bogged down in a timeline to tweet or post to Facebook and App.net. Don’t tap through multiple screens to compose an email or SMS. Don’t navigate folders, create files and name them just to jot down a note or create a todo. Drafts is available for both iPhone and iPad. Accidental Tech Podcast A Tech Podcast We Accidentally Created While Trying to Do a Car Show. Featuring Marco Arment, Casey Liss, and John Siracusa. Drafts - Agile TortoiseThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "YAKSHAVING" for an additional 10% off).
4/17/20131 hour, 21 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 113: Entropy's Gonna Do Its Business

TOPIC: Drafts for iOS, and Who You Want to Be This week, Dan and Merlin cover two very different topics. First, there's a detailed discussion of one of Merlin's favorite iOS apps, Drafts, including a deep dive on the app's extraordinary interactions with everything from Twitter to calendars to Dropbox. Second, Dan and Merlin have an A-plus conversation on the hardest question you’ll ask yourself this week: “Is this who I want to be?” Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Fancy Monkeys - Scruffy Thinking - Scruffy.TVOn this special That Scruffy Post Show Kanen sits down with Stu Maschwitz and Merlin Mann on their second visit to the show! They discuss delegation, dealing with email and to do lists, assistants, and working hard to make being lazy possible. Does it get better than that? Why 'Adventure Time' Is the Best Sci-Fi Show on TV Right Now | Filmmakers, Film Industry, Film Festivals, Awards & Movie Reviews | IndiewireSometimes you love a show so much it can do weird things to your head. I've gone out on a limb with Cartoon Network's "Adventure Time" by deeming it a groundbreaking form of cartoon storytelling that fuses several eras of animation into a delightfully surreal and yet oddly familiar experience. I also wondered if the entire show was one big metaphor for sex. I stand by the former and wince a little when contemplating the latter as anything other than one more manifestation of the fun possibilities involved in reading into a show that has a deceptively simple surface and tangibly dark interiors. But after last night's wonderful flashback special episode, "Simon and Marcy," I'm convinced of one thing: "Adventure Time" is the best science fiction show on television right now. Quicksilver — Mac OS X at your FingertipsQuicksilver is a fast and free Mac OS X productivity application that gives you the power to control your Mac quickly and elegantly. Quicksilver learns your habits, making your everyday chores simple and efficient. Quicksilver — LoveQuicksilver BlogAfter almost 10 years of testing, Quicksilver lays the beta tag to rest. (If the lack of an eszett brings a tear to your eye, you can always reminisce by hitting ?S on your keyboard). What does this release mean? It means more than just a change in the version numbering system - it signifies a maturity of Quicksilver and a sign of what’s to come. Quicksilver — LoveQuicksilver BlogWith the release of Quicksilver v1.0, I sat with Quicksilver’s lead developers (at our respective far-flung computers) to gather their thoughts on this historic occasion, and to find out a bit more about Quicksilver behind the scenes. Drafts - Agile TortoiseDrafts is a different kind of note taking app. In Drafts, text comes first – open the app and get a new, blank draft. Don’t get bogged down in a timeline to tweet or post to Facebook and App.net. Don’t tap through multiple screens to compose an email or SMS. Don’t navigate folders, create files and name them just to jot down a note or create a todo. Drafts is available for both iPhone and iPad. Amazon.com: "The Road" by Cormac McCarthyGunter - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical! | kung fu grippeDepeche Mode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDepeche Mode (pron.: /dɨˈpɛʃ/) are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group’s original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andy Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter 1980–81). Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album, Speak & Spell, and was replaced by Alan Wilder (keyboards, drums, occasional songwriter) with Gore taking over songwriting. Wilder left the band in 1995; Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher have since continued as a trio. Prolost - AboutStu Maschwitz is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer, with a passion for kinetic storytelling. A graduate of CalArts, Maschwitz spent four years at Industrial Light Stu Maschwitz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStuart T. Maschwitz, commonly known as Stu Maschwitz, was the co-founder and chief technology officer of The Orphanage, a visual effects company that was based in California. He has worked as senior visual effects supervisor on several films. He previously worked at Industrial Light and Magic. Stu Maschwitz (5tu) on TwitterFilmmaking nerd.Bay Area, CA http://prolost.com Stuart T. Maschwitz - IMDbI Remember You - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Ice King visits Marceline to ask for help in creating a song to attract princesses, but Marceline struggles to deal emotionally with his presence. Simon and Marcy - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Synopsis: Ice King and Marceline 996 years ago. Simon and Marcy/Transcript - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Gunter - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Gunter is the name of the penguin that most commonly accompanies the Ice King, although in "Princess Monster Wife," it is shown that multiple penguins have subtle variants of that name but the Ice King pronounces the other penguins' names differently. The Ice King uses Gunter as his personal servant, whereas the other penguins working for the Ice King are more or less slaves. It is not completely clear whether Gunter is male or female. A Bug's Life (1998)David L. Lander - IMDbDunbar's number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDunbar's number is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. These are relationships in which an individual knows who each person is, and how each person relates to every other person.[1] Proponents assert that numbers larger than this generally require more restrictive rules, laws, and enforced norms to maintain a stable, cohesive group. It has been proposed to lie between 100 and 230, with a commonly used value of 150. Audiobus: Live, app-to-app audio.Bring your audio apps together. Drafts for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App StoreDrafts, where text starts on iOS. Sherlock - TV.comThis three-part series retells the tale of England's most celebrated detective but in a modern-day setting, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman taking the leads as Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson respectively. Nuts (Pitiful Old Man) / Remember You - Marceline and The Ice King (aka Simon) - YouTubeThis is from the cartoon Adventure Time from episode 4x25 called 'I Remember You'. Olivia Olson played Marcy and The Ice King is played by Tom Kenny. Anna Debenham (anna_debenham) on TwitterFront-end Astronaut Brighton · http://www.maban.co.uk Marceline & Simon - "Remember You"This magic keeps me alive But, it's making me crazy And, I need to save you But, who's going to save me? Please forgive me for whatever I do When I don't remember you Remember you (Marceline & the Ice King) lyrics - ADVENTURE TIME"Marceline…I can feel myself slipping away" Flexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.The Mac calendar you'll actually enjoy using App Cubby • Hand Crafted iPhone Apps - Launch CenterLaunch actions, not just apps! It’s like speed dial, but for more than just phone calls! Launch Center Pro creates lightning quick shortcuts to specific features buried deep within apps. Call a loved one, message a friend, launch Instagram’s camera to quickly snap a pic, tweet, or turn your iPhone into a flashlight. Launch Center Pro gets you to where you’re going faster than ever before! 5by5 | Hypercritical #15: The Bridges of Siracusa County5by5 | Back to Work #13: The Kid's GreatDan and Merlin talk about "Cranking" - Merlin's latest post at 43folders.com. 5by5 | Mac Power UsersFancy Monkeys - That Scruffy Post Show with guests Merlin Mann and Stu Maschwitz on HuffdufferOn this special That Scruffy Post Show Kanen sits down with Stu Maschwitz and Merlin Mann on their second visit to the show! They discuss delegation, dealing with email and to do lists, assistants, and working hard to make being lazy possible. Does it get better than that? IMDB: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)Fantastic Mr Fox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFantastic Mr Fox is a children's novel written by British author Roald Dahl. It was published in 1970 by George Allen & Unwin in the UK and Alfred A. Knopf in the U.S., with illustrations by Donald Chaffin. The first UK Puffin paperback edition, first issued in 1974, featured illustrations by Jill Bennett. Later editions have featured illustrations by Tony Ross (1988) and Quentin Blake (1996). The story is about Mr Fox and how he outwits his farmer neighbours to steal their food from right under their noses. Fantastic Mr. Fox | Fox SearchlightOn this special That Scruffy Post Show Kanen sits down with Stu Maschwitz and Merlin Mann on their second visit to the show! They discuss delegation, dealing with email and to do lists, assistants, and working hard to make being lazy possible. Does it get better than that? "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, ListsA searing, postapocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece. A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. Marceline the Vampire Queen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMarceline the Vampire Queen is a main character in the American animated television series Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward. She is voiced by Olivia Olson in most appearances, by Ava Acres as a child and by Cloris Leachman as an old woman. Marceline is a fun-loving 1,000-year-old trickster vampire queen. The name Marceline is based on the middle name of a childhood friend of Ward's, Marie. The artistic design for Marceline was created by Ward, with small changes and additions added by Phil Rynda, former lead character designer and prop designer for Adventure Time. Unlike a traditional vampire, Marceline does not need to drink blood to survive; rather, she eats the color red. Marceline is a musician who plays an electric bass that she made from her family's heirloom battle-axe. About handleOpenURL: - handleOpenURL: Shared Interapp Communication on iOSWe set up handleOpenURL.com because we were looking for a central place where we could find more info about the schemes other apps were using and where we could share the schemes we implemented in our apps. Searching the Internet turned up information scattered all over the net. We thought it would be a nice thing to set up a place where this information is collected. handleOpenURL.com is open to developers to share their URL schemes. IPhone URL Schemes - akosma wikiThis page centralizes code samples for URL schemes available in many iPhone applications, not only in Apple's but in many others. It also includes programming tips and references about implementing apps registering or consuming URL schemes. Writing Kit 3.x · Unitasking at its finestAdvanced Markdown Text Editor…Meets Awesome Researching Tools whacker - The Jargon File v4.4.7A person, similar to a hacker, who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities. Whereas a hacker tends to produce great hacks, a whacker only ends up whacking the system or program in question. Whackers are often quite egotistical and eager to claim wizard status, regardless of the views of their peers. Antonio Gramsci (Hegemony) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFor Gramsci, hegemonic dominance ultimately relied on a "consented" coercion, and in a "crisis of authority" the "masks of consent" slip away, revealing the fist of force. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK4" for 30% off).
4/2/20131 hour, 21 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 112: Touching Pizza and Robotron

TOPIC: Choosing Your Forks. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of the deeper and more slippery issues behind changes in our career and life. In particular, how do we go from a vague tickle to that feeling of full-blown intolerability that can end up driving a change? Are we looking backward at what we should be doing as we slavishly catalog our many petty aggrievements? Or, do we take two giant steps back and apply a cooler eye to what we really want to do next? Even before we find our forks in the road, how can we know a big decision might or should be coming our way? And, how do we stay current on that never-ending need to accept and plan for the changes we never could have anticipated? It's tough at 23, it's super-hard at 30, and, brother, is it ever murder at 50. Sure, it's a little fruity, but, yeah: you need to write the story you really want to live. Rather than just cobbling together a flattering post-mortem on how you magically ended up where you are. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] We Source, Roast, and Ship Coffee. You Brew. | TonxYou're about to join Merlin Mann on a coffee journey. [SPONSOR] PDFpen: Mac PDF Editor - Edit, Sign, and Correct PDFsThe all-purpose Mac PDF editor! Add signatures, text, and images. Make changes and correct typos. OCR scanned docs. Fill out forms. New in version 6: Microsoft® Word export! [SPONSOR] Build a Website - SquarespaceEverything You Need to Create an Exceptional Website [SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Gaining Momentum — The Official Squarespace BlogMomentum is a beautiful, flexible design built especially for photographers and designers who are ready to take their work front and center. With this template, you have the option of showcasing your portfolio with the cinematic full-bleed image display, or preserving the original resolution and visual integrity with the centered image display. You can add information for each image, video, or project to add context to your galleries. Momentum is also our first multi-index template, created for folks that have multiple projects or galleries that they’d like to share. The index view shows all of your galleries with aspect-correct thumbnails, so that visitors can scroll through your work on one page, without interruption. PDFpen for Mac Version 6 on VimeoPDFpen for the Mac version 6 has some great new features including a new user interface, conversion to Word, and auto form generation. This screencast shows off some of my favorite things about the new version. Find The Thing You're Most Passionate About, Then Do It On Nights And Weekends For The Rest Of Your Life | The Onion - America's Finest News SourceI can’t stress this enough: Do what you love…in between work commitments, and family commitments, and commitments that tend to pop up and take immediate precedence over doing the thing you love. Ep. 67: "All of the Small Beer" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: Fixing the problem at the attitude level. Pill Organization | WalgreensA whiff of history - The Boston GlobeBut despite its primacy in our lives, our sense of smell is often overlooked when we record our history. We tend to connect with the past visually - we look at objects displayed in a museum, photographs in a documentary, the writing in a manuscript. Sometimes we might hear a vintage speech, or touch an ancient artifact and imagine what it was like to use it. But our knowledge of the past is almost completely deodorized. [[via](https://twitter.com/AdamSholds/status/316591826410811393)] State-dependent learning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaState-dependent learning, or state-dependent memory, is the phenomenon in which the retrieval of a memory is most effective when an individual is in the same state of consciousness as it was when the memory was formed.[1] The term is typically used to describe states of consciousness induced by psychoactive drugs—most commonly, alcohol.[2] [[via](https://twitter.com/djbender/status/316591443563134976)] How to Memorize a Deck of Cards with Dominic O'Brien - YouTubeThis is a great clip from a Dutch TV show, in which Dominic O'Brien shows you how to memorize a deck of cards. [via Athelstane Aamodt] Transactive memory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA transactive memory system is a mechanism through which groups collectively encode, store, and retrieve knowledge. Transactive memory was initially studied in couples and families where individuals had close relationships but was later extended to teams, larger groups, and organizations to explain how they develop a "group mind" [[via](https://twitter.com/emersunn/status/316593415489982465)] You Can Have an Amazing Memory: Learn Life-Changing Techniques and Tips from the Memory Maestro: Dominic O'Brien: 9781907486456: Amazon.com: BooksNever forget a name or a number again! Dominic O'Brien is legendary for winning the World Memory Championship eight times and outwitting the casinos of Las Vegas to win a fortune at blackjack. Here, for the first time, he reveals his secrets for memory mastery. Follow his brain-boosting techniques and turn your mind into a super-powered computer that will recall PIN numbers with ease, remember directions, and help bring you success in business, leisure, and relationships. Good from the First Drop - The New Disruptors - Mule Radio SyndicateTony Konecny, better known as Tonx, has been sourcing and roasting beans for a numbers of years, and recently founded Tonx Coffee, a subscription service that delivers whole beans from small batch roasting every two weeks. It’s not a bean of the month club. It’s a way to bypass the overchoice that one can face in specialty coffee shops, and get the assurance that the beans are fresh and good every time. In this episode, listen to Tonx and his ecommerce guru Nik Bauman talk about the joys of coffee and the joys of starting a business in which you can talk directly to your customers without anyone else getting in the way. There’s a brief interlude in which the host and a friend have a little Tonx tasting, too. Amazon.com: Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac/iPad/iPhone (920-003884): Computers & AccessoriesCharges itself with lamplight or sunlight, indoors or outdoors; Fully charged, it works for at least three months-even in total darkness; Easy-switching Bluetooth connection enables switching from Mac to iPad or iPhone as simple and easy as pushing a button; Unique concave key design delivers fast, quiet typing, with more precision than your iPad or iPhone on-screen keyboard; From the PVC-free construction to the fully recyclable box, designed to reduce its environmental footprint New Field Guide: Markdown — MacSparkyMarkdown started as a clever way to write for the web but has become so much more. This book demystifies Markdown, making it easy for anybody to learn. This book includes 130 pages and 27 screencasts totaling more than one and a half hours of video. There is also an additional hour of audio interviews. This book will take you from zero knowledge of Markdown to being a Markdown pro and change the way you write for the better. Memory and Forgetting - RadiolabRemembering is an unstable and profoundly unreliable process--it’s easy come, easy go as we learn how true memories can be obliterated, and false ones added. And Oliver Sacks joins us to tell the story of an amnesiac whose love for his wife and music transcend his 7-second memory. [[via](https://twitter.com/montewv/status/316594588838162433)] Crazy: The Best Pick Pocket Ever On The Today Show - YouTubeApollo Rollins is a mind-blowing pickpocket. Adam Green: The Spectacular Thefts of Apollo Robbins, Pickpocket : The New YorkerA few years ago, at a Las Vegas convention for magicians, Penn Jillette, of the act Penn and Teller, was introduced to a soft-spoken young man named Apollo Robbins, who has a reputation as a pickpocket of almost supernatural ability. Jillette, who ranks pickpockets, he says, "a few notches below hypnotists on the show-biz totem pole," was holding court at a table of colleagues, and he asked Robbins for a demonstration, ready to be unimpressed. Robbins demurred, claiming that he felt uncomfortable working in front of other magicians. He pointed out that, since Jillette was wearing only shorts and a sports shirt, he wouldn?t have much to work with. "Come on," Jillette said. "Steal something from me." The Rock-afire Explosion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Rock-afire Explosion is an animatronic robot band that played in Showbiz Pizza Place from 1980 to 1990, and in various Showbiz Pizza locations between 1990-1992 as Showbiz rebranded and the band was steadily replaced by Chuck E. Cheese characters. The show was pioneering in many respects to other animatronics shows of the early 1980s, featuring life-sized characters capable of facial expression Steven Seagal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSeagal moved to Japan in his late teens after he went to Japan with his father who was visiting for military purposes and met karate masters and decided to remain in Japan. He received his 1st dan degree (Shodan) under the direction of Koichi Tohei. He continued to train in aikido as a student of Seiseki Abe, Koichi Tohei (whose aikido organization, Ki Society, Seagal refused to join in favor of staying with the Aikikai), Kisaburo Osawa, Hiroshi Isoyama and the second doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba. He attained a 7th dan degree and Shihan in aikido and became the first foreigner to operate an aikido dojo in Japan 5by5 | Quit! #4: The Answer Is "Do Both"Dan talks with Phil Coffman, Shlok Vaidya, Producer Robin Welch, and callers about so-called "moderate success", passion, starting out, paying your dues, making changes, the myth of job security, and finding a mentor. 5by5 | Quit! #14: Don't Run A Sh*tty CompanyDan is joined by David Heinemeier Hansson, Shlok Vaidya, Producer Haddie Cooke to discuss telecommuting vs. being in the office. 5by5 | Quit! #9: Four O'Clock In the Morning CourageDan Benjamin is joined by Joel Bush, Shlok Vaidya, Tina Nikolova and producer Haddie Cooke to discuss what it means to have "four o'clock in the morning courage". Aikido - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. This requires very little physical strength, as the aikid?ka (aikido practitioner) "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks.[5] Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #1 - Comics by comiXologyThere's a new rule in the galaxy: No one touches Earth! Join the brightest stars in the Marvel U: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and Iron Man, as they embark upon one of the most explosive and eye-opening chapters of Marvel NOW! Søren Kierkegaard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSøren Aabye Kierkegaard (/?s?r?n ?k??rk???rd/ or /?k??rk???r/ Leap of faith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA leap of faith, in its most commonly used meaning, is the act of believing in or accepting something intangible or unprovable, or without empirical evidence. Chris Bachalo Illustration : ProfileCHRIS BACHALO is internationally recognized as one of the most popular artists in the comic industry. His body of work covers a wide spectrum of genres ranging from the critically acclaimed “Sandman,” “Shade,” “Death, The High Cost of Living” and “Batman” series for DC to “Incredible Hulk,” “Uncanny X-Men,” “The Amazing Spider-man,” “Captain America” and the quirky pop favorite “Generation X,” which he co-created with Scott Lobdell for Marvel Comics. Generation X, became the first title from Marvel that was adapted into a live action film for Fox.The short story “The Wheel” written by Stardust and Beowulf writer Neil Gaimen and illustrated by Chris featured the Death character and was inducted into the library of Congress in 2003. It was created as part of a tribute to 911. His cover work for the title Hunter, The Age of Magic for DC was included as part of a New York gallery show for the Society of Illustrators. He is currently working on Marvels’ newest XMEN title, the critically acclaimed, Wolverine and the X-Men with Jason Aaron. Anna Debenham, freelance front-end developer based in BrightonFreelance front end developer based in Brighton, UK “Hey, everybody! Look at me! I’m Dr. Octagon!” I... | kung fu grippe“Hey, everybody! Look at me! I’m Dr. Octagon!” 5by5 | Systematic #35: Rob Corddry - Fiddling for Fun and ProfitRob Corddry (Daily Show, Hot Tub Time Machine, Warm Bodies...) guests to talk about screenwriting, GTD, workflows and why we spend our free time fiddling with all of the above. Fountain | A markup language for screenwriting.Fountain is a simple markup syntax for writing, editing and sharing screenplays in plain, human-readable text. Fountain allows you to work on your screenplay anywhere, on any computer or tablet, using any software that edits text files.Taking its cues from John Gruber’s Markdown, Fountain files are eminently readable. When special syntax is required, it is straightforward and intuitive. 5by5 | Mac Power UsersLearn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users, one geek at a time since 2009. Robotron: 2084 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRobotron: 2084 (also referred to as Robotron) is an arcade video game developed by Vid Kidz and released by Williams Electronics in 1982. It is a shooting game that features two-dimensional (2D) graphics. The game is set in the year 2084, in a fictional world where robots have turned against humans. The aim is to defeat endless waves of robots, rescue surviving humans, and earn as many points as possible. This week's episode of Back to Work is generously sponsored by: Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK3" for 30% off) Smile's PDF Pen Pro 6 Squarespace (use offer code "CASH" for an additional 10% off). Tonx
3/26/20131 hour, 34 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 111: You Get There Early for Pancake Day

TOPIC: Memory. This week, Dan and Merlin try to tackle the complexities of memory. Why do we remember things from childhood with unimpeachable detail, but then forget our own phone number or PIN code? How can the same person remember the name of everyone he's ever met, and then space a phone call a couple hours after it was scheduled? Why do we remember and why do we forget? Unsurprisingly, few concrete answers appear, but there's plenty of lively conversation on savant syndrome, tactical memory aides, and the precise location of Merlin's pills. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Forgetfulness - Billy Collins Animated Poetry - YouTubeThis is real. And, it’s still my favorite email... | kung fu grippeCompose Gmail Message.app I just ““wrote”” my... | kung fu grippeIt’s the world’s dumbest and awesomest Automator app, and it does precisely one thing Tip of the tongue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon (TOT), sometimes called presque vu, is the failure to retrieve a word from memory, combined with partial recall and the feeling that retrieval is imminent.[1] The phenomenon's name comes from the saying, "It's on the tip of my tongue." Papenhausen HardwareWe are now carrying SodaStream products. That's right you can make your own sodas or carbonated water drinks. The machine is simple to use and the cartridges are refillable. Just bring down your empty one and exchange it for a full one. Chunking (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChunking, in psychology, is a phenomenon whereby individuals group responses when performing a memory task. Tests where individuals can demonstrate "chunking" commonly include serial and free recall tasks Heuristic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn more precise terms, heuristics are strategies using readily accessible, though loosely applicable, information to control problem solving in human beings and machines Jamie Phelps (jxpx777) on TwitterSmartsure and cocksure. Jamie Phelps | Smartsure and cocksureRain Man (1988) - IMDbSelfish yuppie Charlie Babbitt's father left a fortune to his savant brother Raymond and a pittance to Charlie Rain Man (1988) - Trivia - IMDbDustin Hoffman spent a year working with autistic men and their families to understand their complex relationships. Also, when he was a jobbing actor, he had worked in a psychiatric care home, and drew from his experiences then for the film. Kim Peek - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLaurence Kim Peek (November 11, 1951 – December 19, 2009) was an American savant. Known as a "megasavant", he had an exceptional memory, but he also experienced social difficulties, possibly resulting from a developmental disability related to congenital brain abnormalities. He was the inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt, played by Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man. Unlike Babbitt, who had autism, Peek probably had FG syndrome. Kim Peek - The Real Rain Man [1/5] - YouTubeSavant syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSavant syndrome is a condition in which a person with serious mental disabilities, including autistic disorder, demonstrates profound and prodigious capacities and/or abilities far in excess of what would be considered normal Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief: Lawrence Wright: 9780307700667: Amazon.com: BooksA clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower,?the now-classic study of al-Qaeda?s 9/11 attack. Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with?current and former Scientologists?both famous and less well known?and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology. Operating Thetan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn Scientology, Operating Thetan (OT) is a spiritual state above Clear. L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer and creator of Scientology, defined it as "knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time (MEST)" The downside of the outboard brain | 43 FoldersClive Thompson writes on a phenomenon I think about constantly: if you really do start entrusting all your ephemeral memory work to external systems, might your wetware start to atrophy? David Brooks on his "Outsourced Brain" | 43 FoldersNYT's David Brooks on outsourcing memory, reference, and decision-making to things that theoretically do it better: Tips on becoming a better listener | 43 FoldersNo, friend, you will be deeply annoyed to hear me ask you to repeat your name at least twice, and possibly five times, during our inaugural conversation. And, in subsequent meetings, even though your face will be forever etched upon my brain (a skill at which I absolutely excel), I will probably call you "Champ," "Chief," or possibly "Tex." Because, yes, I will have completely forgotten your name. SI Football Phone commercial - YouTubeSports Illustrated Football Phone. Late 80s Albert Einstein - Wikiquote[I do not] carry such information in my mind since it is readily available in books. ...The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think. Who Will Own Your Next Good Idea? (Part Three)"A weekday edition of The New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in seventeenth-century England" --Richard Saul Wurman 5by5 | After Dark #360: After Back to Work #111Wow. Today's Back to Work After Dark is…is…mmmmmmmMMMMMMMM…**UNACCEPTABLE!!!** MI Spliff UB40 - YouTubeNeuroplasticity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNeuroplasticity (from neural - pertaining to the nerves and/or brain and plastic - moldable or changeable in structure), also known as brain plasticity, refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses which are due to changes in behavior, environment and neural processes, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury. Neuroplasticity has replaced the formerly-held position that the brain is a physiologically static organ, and explores how - and in which ways - the brain changes throughout life. This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK3" for 30% off).
3/19/20131 hour, 18 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 110: Okay, Then.

TOPIC: Stupidity. This week, Dan and Merlin tackle stupidity. And, brother, there sure are a whole lot of flavors of stupid. Are we really talking about being clueless, unaware, dumb, absent-minded, or just plain-old ignorant? Because they're actually pretty different animals. Whether you're dropping your library book in the mailbox, leaving your iPad at home, following baseless medical advice, or doing whatever Dan did with his garage door (don't worry: the car is fine), it's really helpful to understand where your real problem really lives. From a tactical standpoint, try some useful failsafes, rituals, and habits. But, at a higher level, learn to develop the curiosity to keep evolving. Stay open to how you might be wrong by always seeking out the smartest person you can find who disagrees with you. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceBuild a Website - Squarespace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. [SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Superman Family Adventures Vol. 1 (Superman (Graphic Novels)): Franco, Art Baltazar: 9781401240509: Amazon.com: BooksSuperman! Superboy! Supergirl! Krypto the Superdog! The entire Superman family is reimagined here in this energetic all-ages graphic novel. Don't miss the heroes of Metropolis fighting such foes as Bizarro, Metallo, Lex Luthor and more in these tales from issues numbered 1-6 of the all-ages series. b2w-chrome-shortcuts.jpg (668×598)SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #1 | DC ComicsSuperman's closest allies take the stage like you have never seen before, from the Eisner Award-winning team of Art Baltazar and Franco (TINY TITANS) Superman Family Adventures Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologySuperman's closest allies take the stage like you have never seen before. Classic Superman elements reinterpreted for all ages--pack your bags and meet us in Metropolis! An all-new all-ages title from the Eisner Award-winning creative team of TINY TITANS, Art Baltazar and Franco! superman family adventures - Google SearchGamechanging 'Marvel Unlimited' App Offers Digital Subscription Model — Gutters and PanelsThis is news many of us were hoping for - it was just a matter of time. Gizmodo reports that Marvel Comics will now begin offering their digital catalog of back issues for use on iOS (iPhone and iPad, with Android coming soon)? for a flat subscription rate. Prices start at $10 a month, or limited-time offer of $60 for a year of service, which will allow access to over 13,000 digitally-scanned comics from Marvel's extensive history. Marvel Unlimited for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreIntroducing the Marvel Unlimited app for iPhone and iPad - a new benefit of our digital comics subscription program! Dreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the novice stage, a person follows rules as given, without context, with no sense of responsibility beyond following the rules exactly. Competence develops when the individual develops organizing principles to quickly access the particular rules that are relevant to the specific task at hand Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their mistakes. Four stages of competence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn psychology, the four stages of competence, or the "conscious competence" learning model, relates to the psychological states involved in the process of progressing from incompetence to competence in a skill. Dreyfus: A five-stage model of the mental activities... - Google ScholarSE Dreyfus, HL Dreyfus - 1980 Abstract : In acquiring a skill by means of instruction and experience, the student normally passes through five developmental stages which we designate novice, competence, proficiency, expertise and mastery. We argue, based on analysis of careful descriptions of skill acquisition, that as the student becomes skilled, he depends less on abstract principles and more on concrete experience. We systematize and illustrate the progressive changes in a performer's ways of seeing his task environment. We conclude that any skill- training procedure must be based on some model of skill acquisition, so that it can address, at each stage of training, the appropriate issues involved in facilitating advancement. brianmichaelbendis:   Age of Ultron #1 by... | kung fu grippeAesop's Fables: A Pop-Up Book of Classic Tales: Kees Moerbeek, Chris Beatrice, Bruce Whatley: 9781416971467: Amazon.com: BooksView All | Home Inspection Nightmares I | This Old HouseField Notes Memo ArchiveDaredevil, Vol. 1: Frank Miller, Bill Mantlo, Marv Wolfman, Roger McKenzie, David Michelinie, Klaus Janson: 9780785134732: Amazon.com: BooksA classic Marvel hero defined by one of comics' greatest visionaries! A Marvel Comics mainstay since 1964, Daredevil got a new lease on life in a landmark 1979-1983 run by writer-penciler Frank Miller and inker-penciler Klaus Janson, whose daring reinvention of the character quickly made Miller one of the biggest and most influential stars in the comic-book industry. Miller put his own stamp on established cast members such as reporter Ben Urich, femme fatale Black Widow, mad assassin Bullseye, the saw-fisted Gladiator, and monstrous crime boss Kingpin. Miller also introduced Daredevil's mysterious mentor Stick, deadly ninja foes the Hand, and Matt's long-lost love Elektra, a beautiful assassin who would become one of Marvel's most memorable characters. Mixing traditional super-heroics with mysterious martial artistry, doomed romance, and dark personal drama, Miller's character-defining DD run is collected across three titanic trade paperbacks! Collecting Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man Daredevil by Mark Waid, Vol. 1: Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin, Emma Rios, Kano Kano, Khoi Pham: 9780785168065: Amazon.com: BooksA fresh start for the Man Without Fear! Matt Murdock is back in New York and hoping to resuscitate his law practice, but not everyone is happy to see him. And Daredevil hits the streets as Klaw, master of sound, makes his deadly return! Then, a blind client holds the key to a global conspiracy perpetrated by some familiar foes. Can Daredevil protect him long enough to bring down an international criminal organization? And when a piece of cutting-edge technology goes missing, Daredevil and Punisher team up to track it down and clear the Black Cat of the crime. But is Black Cat really innocent?! And after someone exhumes Battlin' Jack Murdock's grave, DD heads underground to find the villain responsible. Mark Waid's fantastic rejuvenation of Daredevil begins here! Amazon.com: Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Ultimate Collection - Book 1 (9780785143888): Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Alex Maleev: BooksDuring a character-defining run, Brian Michael Bendis crafted a pulp-fiction narrative that exploited the Man Without Fear's rich tapestry of characters and psychodrama, and resolved them in an incredibly nuanced, modern approach. Now, this Eisner Award-winning run is collected across three titanic trade paperbacks! In this volume, witness the Kingpin's downfall at the hands of Sammy Silke and see how a down-on-his-luck FBI agent can change Matt's life forever. Collects Daredevil I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What Have You: Ben Peskoe, Bill Green, Scott Shuffitt, Will Russell: 9781596912465: Amazon.com: BooksTo some The Big Lebowski is just a movie, to others it's THE MOVIE. Over the past several years the movie has developed a massive and passionate cult following, led by the creation of Lebowski Fest, a traveling festival celebrating all things Lebowski. Held in a bowling alley, it features bowling, costume and trivia contests, live music, a screening of the movie, White Russians, and what-have-you. Attendance has grown exponentially and the Fest has been featured in virtually every national media outlet, from NPR to the New York Times. The Associated Press called it "kind of a 'Star Trek' convention, but without all the geeks." SPIN Magazine called it one of the "19 events you can't miss!" Now, at last, comes the book that the legion of Lebowski fans (aka Achievers) has been waiting for. I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski is a treasure trove of trivia and commentary, hilarious throughout and illustrated with photos from the film, including dozens taken on the set by Jeff Bridges. It includes interviews with virtually every major and minor cast member including John Goodman, Julianne Moore and John Turturro, as well as the real-life individuals who served as inspiration for the characters such as Jeff Dowd and John Milius. Fellow Achievers Patton Oswalt, Tony Hawk and Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken give their thoughts on the movie and the phenomenon that surrounds it. The book features a handy guide to speaking Achiever, tips on how to Dude-ify your car, office, and living space, Lebowski Fest highlights and so much more. Shortcut to compose Gmail message (without seeing an inbox)Just make a bookmarklet with: https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&shva=1 Maria Hill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMaria Hill is a fictional character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. As the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D., she appears in various storylines in which that organization figures prominently, which often feature the Avengers or members of that group, such as the late 2000s Civil War and Secret Invasion miniseries, and the monthly Iron Man series, in which she was a prominent supporting character during the "Dark Reign" and "Stark Disassembled" storylines. Alternative versions of the Hulk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn addition to his mainstream incarnation, Hulk has also been depicted in other fictional universes, in which Bruce Banner's transformation, behavior, or circumstances vary from the mainstream setting. In some stories, someone other than Bruce Banner is the Hulk. Ben-Day dots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDepending on the effect, color and optical illusion needed, small colored dots are closely spaced, widely spaced or overlapping. Magenta dots, for example, are widely spaced to create pink. Pulp comic books of the 1950s and 1960s used Ben-Day dots in the four process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to inexpensively create shading and secondary colors such as green, purple, orange and flesh tones. She-Hulk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShe-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy: Matthew Reinhart: 9780439882828: Amazon.com: BooksMatthew Reinhart has created another spectacular pop-up book for George Lucas's epic STAR WARS movies! Bestselling pop-up artist and engineer Matthew Reinhart has designed a thirtieth anniversary commemorative edition that comes packed with a variety of novelty features -- pop-ups, working light sabers, pull tabs, and other interactive looks at the exciting and popular movies. This beautiful book will impress all fans of STAR WARS and gives a whole new perspective to the films. Makebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) on VimeoThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK3" for 30% off) and Squarespace (use offer code "CASH" for an additional 10% off).
3/12/20131 hour, 42 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 109: Two Paragraphs on Bourbon

TOPIC: Not So Much This week, Dan and Merlin eschew ““topic”” to freely discuss razors, beef, They Might Be Giants, prolapse, Genesis, dogs, Spider-Man (and -Womyn), pretender marteenies, truck butt, the lonely plaster casts of our youth, blind harmonicists, those awesome blue IKEA bags, ceviche, E.L.O., Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, bumping, hypoglycemia, how Merlin named his daughter, Hyman Roth, endive, and, of course, The Big Lebowski. Then, they go and blow it all by unintentionally having a really useful discussion about Merlin's three key elements of optimal and sustainable workflows. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. Use offer code "**`CASH`**" for an additional 10% off. Templates.scptOmniFocus is an incredible piece of software. I and countless others rely on it every day to manage increasingly hectic lives and complex, multi-facetted projects.This script is an effort to reduce one of the largest sources of friction remaining in my OmniFocus setup: maintaining and creating projects that don't recur on even intervals, but occur frequently enough that their planning and capture becomes a time sink. Arnold Robbins - O'Reilly Media Arnold Robbins, an Atlanta native, is a professional programmer and technical author. He has worked with Unix systems since 1980, when he was introduced to a PDP-11 running a version of Sixth Edition Unix. He has been a heavy AWK user since 1987, when he became involved with gawk, the GNU project's version of AWK. As a member of the POSIX 1003.2 balloting group, he helped shape the POSIX standard for AWK. He is currently the maintainer of gawk and its documentation. He is also coauthor of the sixth edition of O'Reilly's Learning the vi Editor. Since late 1997, he and his family have been living happily in Israel. Arnold Rothstein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArnold Rothstein (January 17, 1882 – November 5, 1928), nicknamed "the Brain," was a Jewish-American racketeer, businessman and gambler who became a kingpin of the Jewish mob in New York. Rothstein was widely reputed to have organized corruption in professional athletics, most notoriously conspiring in the fixing of the 1919 World Series. Hyman Roth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHyman Roth is a fictional character in the Godfather series of books and films. He was a Jewish investor and a business partner of Vito Corleone, and later his son Michael Corleone. He is based on the late Florida-based mobster, Meyer Lansky, and played in the movie by Lee Strasberg. Meyer Lansky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMeyer Lansky (born Meyer Suchowljansky; July 4, 1902 – January 15, 1983), known as the "Mob's Accountant," was a Russian-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States. For decades he was thought to be one of the most powerful people in the country. 5by5 | Systematic #33: Merlin Mann - Failing gracefullyMerlin Mann guests to talk about failure, success and self perception in an organic and enlightening conversation. Store Lemons in the Fridge to Keep them Juicier LongerThe folks America's Test Kitchen wanted to see how to keep lemons juicy and fresh as long as possible, and the answer is simple: put them in a zipper bag and toss them in the fridge. [via Joel Housman] Open Compose Takes You Straight to Gmail's New Email Window to Avoid Inbox DistractionsChrome: Your inbox gets distracting […] and sometimes you just want to send an email without seeing everything else requiring a response. Open Compose lets you click a button and compose a message in Gmail, no distraction required. via: https://twitter.com/ledlow/status/307536687746134016 Back to Work, so you can be creative and collect comics — PIE Isn't EasyAndy introduced me to Merlin Mann last year, and since then I kind of feel like we've moved in together.? Unix in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition: Arnold Robbins: 9780596100292: Amazon.com: BooksUnix in a Nutshell is the standard desktop reference, without question. (Manpages come in a close second.) With a clean layout and superior command tables available at a glance, O'Reilly's third edition of Nutshell is an essential to own. Tarsier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTarsiers are haplorrhine primates of the family Tarsiidae, which is itself the lone extant family within the infraorder Tarsiiformes. Although the group was once more widespread, all the species living today are found in the islands of Southeast Asia. Amazon.com: Avenging Spider-Man: My Friends Can Beat Up Your Friends (9780785157793): Zeb Wells, Joe Madureira, Greg Land, Leinil Francis Yu: BooksBack in the team-up biz! He's been Amazing, he's been Spectacular, he's been Sensational. Now, Spider-Man is doing a little Avenging, and he's brought a few of his pals along for the ride. Ever the social animal, the wallcrawler has a proud tradition of fi ghting side-by-side with heroes from across the Marvel Universe. And now that he's a card-carrying member of both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, he can't go far without swinging into a teammate or two. Step forward the rascally Red Hulk, the hotheaded Hawkeye and the legendary Captain America as Spidey bonds with Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Amazon.com: Panasonic ES8103S Men's 3-Blade (Arc 3) Wet/Dry Rechargeable Electric Shaver with Nanotech Blades, Silver: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Braun Series 7- 790cc Pulsonic Shaver System, Silver: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Braun Clean & Renew Cart Shaver Refills Frustration Free 4 Pack: Health & Personal CareGenesis - “Turn It On Again” (Duke; 1980) A very... | kung fu grippeA very painful confession. I often listen to this song on repeat literally all morning. The Tourists - "I Only Want To Be With You" (1979)Hit single promo video featuring Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart a mere 12 months before leaving the band to form Eurythmics whilst on tour in Australia. The Tourists - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Tourists (1977–1980) were a British rock and pop band, but are better known for two of their members (Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart) who went on to achieve great success as Eurythmics. The band formed around a nucleus of two musicians from Sunderland in north-east England, Peet Coombes and Dave Stewart. Wallace Shawn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWallace Michael Shawn (born November 12, 1943) is an American actor and playwright. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre (1981), Vizzini in The Princess Bride (1987), and Rex the toy dinosaur in the Toy Story animated film series. The Smart Set: Movers and Shakers - March 4, 2013What’s the difference between SkyMall and the Shakers? One creates products for comfort, the other for independence. Paleo Recipe: Robb Wolf’s Nor Cal MargaritasIngredients: 2 shots (4 oz) of clear alcohol – we used Rum, Robb uses Tequila; juice of one lime; club soda; ice They Might Be Giants - "Ana Ng" (1988)Make a hole with a gun perpendicular to the name of this town in a desktop globe. Exit wound in a foreign nation, showing the home of the one this was written for. Amazon.com: Ultra Pro Resealable Current Size Comic BagsStores current (modern) comics. Bags measure approximately - 6-7/8 x 10-1/2-Inch plus 2-Inch flap. Resealable tape closure on flap. Made from 2mil ultra clear polypropylene. Acid-free, archival quality, safe for long-term storage. Sold in packs of 100. SimplicityBlissBY SVEN FECHNER Cue - Know What's Next - for iPhone and webCue enhances your existing calendar by automatically connecting your events to related phone numbers, people, and addresses. Cue makes it easy to contact the people you care about, get to where you are going, and stay informed. Noodlesoft | Hazel**Your Personal Housekeeper** Hazel is a System Preference pane that works silently in the background, automatically filing, organizing and cleaning. How I went paperless with Hazel and Evernote | MacworldThat process isn’t necessarily difficult, but it is tedious and repetitive. Multiply it by the half dozen or so statements I receive in any given month, and it’s easy to see why I decided to automate the process. Flexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.Fantastical's natural language engine is expressive and intelligent so you can write in your own style. Even better, Fantastical automatically recognizes the location of your event and can even invite people from Contacts (Mountain Lion) or Address Book (Lion and Snow Leopard) to your event. [VIDEO] White Stripes - "Fell in Love with a Girl"She says, 'Come and kiss me by the riverside. Bobby says it's fine—he don't consider it cheating.' Led Zeppelin IV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[Jimmy] Page has explained that the cover of the fourth album was intended to bring out a city/country dichotomy that had initially surfaced on Led Zeppelin III. [IMAGE] Baby covers et al. from DanNobody sends a CARE package like Dan Benjamin sends a CARE package. FRAKTA Shopping bag, large, blue - IKEAEasy to clean; just rinse with water and let dry. Rectal prolapse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRectal prolapse (rectal procidentia) refers to a medical condition where a section of the wall of the rectum prolapses (falls down) from the normal anatomical position with associated pelvic floor dysfunction. This may occur while straining to defecate, or during rest. Urban Dictionary: dockingGenesis - “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight” (Live;... | kung fu grippePentateuch (disambiguation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "CASH" for an additional 10% off).
3/5/20131 hour, 25 minutes, 51 seconds
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Episode 108: What Can I Spray?

TOPIC: Shaving a Yak This week, Dan and Merlin talk about The Hierarchy of Fiddling. When does self-improvement silently shade into navel-gazing, and how do we realize that it's happening? Some fixes mean applying a fast change that produces outsized results (a true "life hack"). But, most of our more circuitous excursions into the world of ““productivity”” lead straight into a recursive black hole of lost time, sheer frustration, and soul-sucking existential onanism (let's call that one a "life whack"). Learn how to live with your dirty debit card, just satisfice with your dish-washing skills, and quit trying to solve non-problems with non-solutions. Yes, learn the key commands, but, don't feel like you need to learn all the key commands. Iterate with mindful sanity. And, like it says on the tin: always focus on how you'll get back to work. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac and iOS Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You TimeSave time and effort with TextExpander! Whether it's a simple email signature or several paragraphs of a standard response, you'll love how easy it is to use TextExpander to avoid typing the same thing over and over. yak shaving - Wiktionary(idiomatic) The actually useless activity you do that appears important when you are consciously or unconsciously procrastinating about a larger problem. I thought I'd get more work done if I just fixed a problem with my .emacs file, but then I spent the whole afternoon yak shaving. Yak ShavingStuck in the middle of a stack of stuff you're supposed to do? Sharpen your wool clippers, and stop getting distracted by the pointless activities which surround any serious problem--unless you want to, that is. Shaving the yak. « BRYONY COLEYak-shaving is that time when you set out to do something and end up completely off-track – bogged by little details, that actually seem crucial and dependent on the goal at the time, but later turn out to be irrelevant. bikeshedding - Wiktionarybikeshed +? -ing. The word originates in Berkeley Software Distribution culture and implies technical disputes over minor, marginal issues conducted while more serious ones are being overlooked. The implied image is of people arguing over what color to paint the bicycle shed while the house is not finished. The word has its origins in Parkinson’s Law of Triviality. [edit] Squarespace Commerce is Here — The Official Squarespace BlogGiving our customers the ability to manage and sell products on their websites has been the most requested Squarespace feature of all time. Thanks to the powerful architecture of Squarespace 6, we've built a truly integrated commerce solution that gives our customers amazing power and flexibility within a single platform. 5by5 | Systematic #33: Merlin Mann - Failing gracefullyMerlin Mann guests to talk about failure, success and self perception in an organic and enlightening conversation. 5by5 | Back to Work #4: Failing with StyleMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about trying to change other people, how things really aren’t that bad, balancing fear or being driven by fear, leaving capacity for when you get The Pitch, procrastination (eventually), and giving yourself permission to fail in an interesting way. You’re not gonna get black lung from a spreadsheet. Consilience (book) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaConsilience: The Unity of Knowledge is a 1998 book by biologist E. O. Wilson. In this book, Wilson discusses methods that have been used to unite the sciences and might in the future unite them with the humanities. Wilson prefers and uses the term consilience to describe the synthesis of knowledge from different specialized fields of human endeavor. Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge: Edward Osborne Wilson: 9780679768678: Amazon.com: BooksHistorically, all of the sciences were once united under the rubric of "natural science." Over time, they became fragmented and specialized. Nevertheless, Wilson argues that there is a genetic and neurological basis for knowledge and that all subjects of human inquiry can be reunited under the umbrella of "consilience." Sugar ant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe sugar ant (Camponotus consobrinus)—also known as the banded sugar ant—is a relatively large ant, identifiable by their orange-brown bodies, black head and mandibles. The sugar ants' name comes from their liking for sugar, but they are attracted to other savory food. Mounds (candy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMounds is a candy bar made by Hershey's, and is the sister product of Almond Joy. Like Almond Joy, it consists of a coconut based center; however, it is enrobed with dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate and does not contain almonds. World War Hulk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe plot is the culmination of a series of events that began with the Hulk being tricked into space by the Illuminati and a life model decoy of Nick Fury, the Hulk's subsequent exile seen in Planet Hulk and his imminent return to Earth to seek revenge on the Illuminati. Image Comics | Saga #10Marko and Alana's long-lost babysitter Izabel finally returns to the fold, but at what cost? Like I say. Help yourself: Three. Hours.... | kung fu grippeLike I say. Help yourself:Three. Hours. DUNGEON.http://i-0.us/three-hours-dungeon Jim Eno - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJim Eno (born February 8, 1966 is the drummer and one of the founding members of the Austin, Texas band Spoon. He is also a record producer and a semiconductor chip designer. Arnold Robbins - O'Reilly MediaArnold Robbins, an Atlanta native, is a professional programmer and technical author. He has worked with Unix systems since 1980, when he was introduced to a PDP-11 running a version of Sixth Edition Unix. He has been a heavy AWK user since 1987, when he became involved with gawk, the GNU project's version of AWK. As a member of the POSIX 1003.2 balloting group, he helped shape the POSIX standard for AWK. He is currently the maintainer of gawk and its documentation. He is also coauthor of the sixth edition of O'Reilly's Learning the vi Editor. Since late 1997, he and his family have been living happily in Israel. Exchequer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles. A similar office existed in Ireland during British rule from 1299 to 1877. Merlin’s Awkward Hair Odyssey - a set on FlickrOne's man's frequently unfortunate journey of discovery. Particoloured - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaParticoloured, particolored or parti-color – showing different, often bright, colors or tints. Twitter / hotdogsladies: Cheese Dog Life Hack"[LIFE HACK] A chili cheese dog can be very messy to eat with your hands. So, eat it over your french fries and—hey—free chili-cheese fries!" Repulsion (1965) - IMDbSafe (1995) - IMDbThis week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Smile's TextExpander.
2/26/20131 hour, 28 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 107: Pull Out Your Dingus

TOPIC: Compression This week, Dan and Merlin talk about compression. What happens when we don't account for how long something really takes to do? And, worse still, what if we don't think about what has to happen before we can even start it? If you find you're stressed-out, over-scheduled, under-resourced—and not particularly loving the things you're making—there's a pretty good chance you've become a victim of your own compression. Acknowledge and understand the problem, and then learn how to avoid the classic pitfalls by falling in love with your calendar all over again. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Squarespace[SPONSOR] HarvestHofstadter's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPlanning fallacy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPlanning Fallacy - Less WrongOvercoming BiasOliver Burkeman on why everything takes longer than you think | Life and style | The GuardianTask Times, The Planning Fallacy, and a Magical 20% | 43 FoldersThe Experience and Perception of Time (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy/Winter 2004 Edition)Time perception - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTimeline of Events in X-Men Comics – 1963-2012 | Comics Back IssuesComic Book Reading Order | Comics Back IssuesThinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman - Penguin BooksThinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374275631: Amazon.com: BooksMarkdown Service Tools - Brett TerpstraSearchLink: automated Markdown linking improved - Brett TerpstraTemplate · neocoticComics Back Issues | Back Issue Reading Orders and ListsAlien (1979) - IMDbHomicide: Life on the Street (TV Series 1993–1999) - IMDbDeadpool (2012) #1 Baby Variant cover by Skottie Young | Apps | Marvel.com5by5 | The Pipeline #7: Merlin Mann5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus DriverMac OS X Automation: Services Manager2013 Ford Super Duty Truck | Powerful, Efficient & Productive | Ford.comCivil War: Mark Millar, Steve McNiven: 9780785121787: Amazon.com: BooksThe Road to Civil War: Brian Michael Bendis, J. Michael Straczynski, Alex Maleev, Ron Garney, Mike McKone, Tyler Kirkham: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | The Comic Shack #26: SuperTeam-BuildingPublication history of Marvel Comics crossover events - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5 Ronin: Peter Milligan, Tom Coker, Dalibor Talajic, Laurence Campbell, Goran Parlov, Leandro Fernandez: 9780785151012: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52) (9781401235413): Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo: BooksFantasy Records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Back to Work #61: I Handed Him My LukeMint - Personal Finance, Budgeting, Money Management, Financial Management, Money Manager, Budget Planner, Free Budget Software, Online BankingToward a hygienic credit card | 43 FoldersMen's Razors, Buy Razor Blades Online | Dollar Shave ClubRunaways Volume 1: Pride & Joy: Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona: 9780785157328: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Graphic Novel) (9780785145905): Eric Shanower, L. Frank Baum, Skottie Young: BooksZita the Spacegirl: Ben Hatke: 9781596434462: Amazon.com: BooksCivil War (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaINTERVIEW: Joe Caramagna Letters The Marvel UniverseSatisficing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"…no movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad" —Roger EbertHoist with your own petardThe lady doth protest too much, methinks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWe Source, Roast, and Ship Coffee. You Brew. | Tonx"Bob, darn you, we can't blow cover again!" —Helen ParrAmazon.com: Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker: Kitchen & DiningGood from the First Drop - The New Disruptors - Mule Radio SyndicateNo Country for Old Men - "The Coin Toss" [Friendo!]Template 1.2.0 · neocoticAmazon.com: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth (9780785145349): Victor Gischler, Bong Dazo: BooksSearch in a GiphyManage search engines - Google Chrome HelpStaying on Top of Calendar Events | Jamie PhelpsDerry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEvery Six Weeks (E6W) — Tech & CoffeeFrom Civil War: The Road To Civil War (2007) ... | kung fu grippeThe Aviator (2004) - IMDbFlexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.Way of the FutureThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by: Harvest (use code "5BY5" at checkout and receive 50% off your first month) Squarespace (use offer code "BENDIS" for an additional 10% off)
2/20/20131 hour, 22 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 106: Enough Candy to Last Forever

TOPIC: Duplicates, duplicates, duplicates. This week, Dan and Merlin conclude their discussion of media management by focusing on dealing with duplicates. Just so many duplicates. Music, Photos, Contacts, and Finder files. It's all thorny business, but a canny combination of backup, cool apps, and paranoid discretion can make your digital life more manageable and fun. Also, some handy tips on sharing files, hosting media, and finding a digital home for your comic collection. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSnapseed for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreKleenex Cool Touch Moisturizing Tissues | Kleenex®70Decibels - Generational - 021 - Raising a HumanGreat Comic Stuff — Merlin MannThe Immortal Iron Fist, Vol. 1: The Last Iron Fist Story: Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, David Aja, Travel Foreman: 9780785124894: Amazon.com: BooksHawkeye Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyMatt Fraction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDavid Aja - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrattoo Propaganda Software - ProductsGemini: The Best Duplicate File Finder and Cleaner for Mac OS X | MacPawCameraSync/ - TextDropGemini F.A.Q. - Frequently asked questions regarding Gemini| MacPawGreat Comic Stuff — Merlin MannJonathan Frakes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDoug's AppleScripts for iTunes ? - dougscripts.comCameraSync for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StorePhoneView for iPhone and iPad - Save SMS, iMessages, Voicemail, Call History, Music, Photos, Notes - Ecamm Networkmacbreak.png 102×83 pixels5by5 | Back to Work #103: Lotta Little Knives5by5 | Back to Work #104: Grab Your Revolver5by5 StoreMac App Store - Contacts CleanerHome - TextDrop - Online text editor for DropboxDrafts for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreComic Book Database Software, organize your comic book collection on Windows or Mac OS XCollectorz.com Connect: merlinmann: My ComicsMoving from a Drobo to a Synology NASAmazon.com: Seagate ST2000DM001 Barracuda 7200RPM 2 TB SATA 6 GB/s NCQ 64 MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB SATA III 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache Internal Desktop Hard Drive Bulk/OEM - WD1002FAEX: ElectronicsTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreDoug's Apps for iTunes ? Dupin - iTunes Duplicates Manager - v2.5.4 - Find, FIlter, Delete iTunes DuplicatesKung Fu Grippe - “Keep Watching, Internet Bozos.”Syncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "BENDIS" for an additional 10% off).
2/12/20131 hour, 36 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 105: Fissures of Men

TOPIC: Cool stuff Merlin loves. This week, Merlin is delirious and may be in a fugue state, so he and Dan talk about a bunch of cool apps and gadgets--stuff that Merlin likes and really recommends. Special attention goes to Drafts for iOS, the Logitech K760 Bluetooth keyboard, Verbatim's Tuff 'n Tiny USB drive, Cortex Camera for iOS, Cobook Address Book, with many more suggestions along the way, including handy tips based on how Merlin uses each. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: SodaStream REVOLUTION Deluxe Bundle Kit Black & Silver: BabyTwitter / siracusa: The latest addition to our ...And now it’s all thisDrafts for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreAmazon.com: Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac/iPad/iPhone (920-003884): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Verbatim TUFF 'N' TINY 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 96816 (Purple): ElectronicsAmazon.com: Plugable USB 3.0/2.0 SATA Hard Drive Docking Station (ASMedia Chipset; UASP and 3TB+ Support): Computers & AccessoriesCobook for iPhone for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StoreBusyCalSyncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailReaddleBokononism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDrafts 2.5.2 and Drafts for iPad 1.5.2 - Blog - Agile TortoiseiOS Automation and Workflows with DraftsReview: Drafts for iPhone and iPad | MacworldDrafts: A Truly Indispenable iOS AppDrafts: Action DirectorySuperDuper!1Password for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App Store1Password 4.1 for iOS adds… way too much great stuff to fit in a post title | Agile Blog1Password for iOS wins an Editor’s Choice Award from The Mac Observer! | Agile BlogJamie Phelps | Smartsure and cocksureJamie Phelps (jxpx777) on TwitterSparse image - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCoding Horror: The Hot/Crazy Solid State Drive ScaleAmazon.com: NewerTech Voyager Q Quad Interface Dock for 2.5" and 3.5" Serial ATA Drives: ElectronicsEvernote Hello | EvernoteFlexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.nvALT - Brett TerpstraRorschach & Friends Boner. | kung fu grippeMatthew 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."70Decibels - GenerationalMy curtain calls - All thisBalls - All thisApp Cubby • Hand Crafted iPhone Apps - Launch CenterApple URL Scheme Reference: IntroductionIPhone URL Schemes - akosma wikiJonathan CoultonOmniFocus for iPhone - The Omni GroupPastebot — TapbotsSwiss+Tech UKCSB-1 Utili-Key 6-in-1 Keychain Multi-Tool : Amazon.com : AutomotiveAvatar: The Last Airbender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia70Decibels - Generational - 015 - Curiosity and Analytical Thinking with Dr. DrangCortex Camera for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StorePrednisone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "BENDIS" for an additional 10% off) and Kashoo (use code "B2W" for 50% off your annual plan).
2/5/20131 hour, 24 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 104: Grab Your Revolver

TOPIC: Modern Media Management: Metadata and Smart Playlists This week Dan and Merlin continue their 3-part series on Modern Media Management: handling your iTunes Library, iOS Devices, and iTunes Match without making yourself crazy. In this episode, the focus is on fixing audio metadata, with a big discussion of the awesome MusicBrainz and Picard. Links for this episode:Smile Blog[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You TimeSquarespace + Typekit: 65 Professional Fonts for Free — The Official Squarespace BlogMerlin's Smart Playlists for iTunes MatchSearch Results - MusicBrainzb2w e104 smart playlists 2013-01-29Tangled - Mandy Moore - When Will My Life Begin HD - YouTubeWatch Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe Online | NetflixMaria Bamford's One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on VimeoNerdist Podcast: Maria Bamford Returns! « NerdistMusicBrainz - The Open Music EncyclopediaMusicBrainz Picard - MusicBrainzManage your Video Collection with iTunes | iFlicksMac App Store - SmartsApple - iTunes - MatchiTunes Store: Subscribing to iTunes MatchFFmpeg documentation : :Keystone Cops - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTMDb — The Movie DatabaseOnline TV Database - An open directory of television shows for HTPC softwareComic Book DB - The Comic Book DatabaseRoku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player:Amazon:Electronics5by5 | The Crossover #7: We Met at a Tequila BarThis week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "NICE" for an additional 10% off); Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK1" for 30% off); and Smile's TextExpander.
1/29/20131 hour, 33 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 103: Lotta Little Knives

TOPIC: Modern Media Management: iTunes Match This week Dan and Merlin begin a 3-part series on Modern Media Management: handling your iTunes Library, iOS Devices, and iTunes Match without making yourself crazy. In this episode, they cover setting up and using iTunes Match, being safe and paranoid, what to do after you get the iTunes ping, some smart playlists that will help you exclude kwanzaa music, find stuff you don't want to listen to, and maintain your sanity. Next episode they'll discuss wrangling metadata and smart playlists. Then in the last episode of the series, they'll cover managing the libraries on your devices and some grab bag stuff. Links for this episode:Pokemann - Check out this 8bit version of Plica Plica that...iTunes Store: Subscribing to iTunes MatchDealing with iTunes Match's 25,000 Track Limit | MacworldApple - iCloud - All your content on all your devices.Apple - iTunes - Match[SPONSOR] Squarespace (use offer code `NICE` for an additional 10% off)5by5 | Back to Work #41: Carpal Tunnel DiemHow to upgrade tracks to iTunes Match, fast | MacworldiTunes Match: One year in | MacworldSquarespace Service BlogInscribed Something very, very special has... | kung fu grippeDebutante - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJohn Bonham - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia8-Bit "Plica Plica" [B2W theme song] by slashramPokémannA podcast with Merlin: SodaStream, BULKBUG, comics - 2000 NickelsMaintain – CocktailSecretsTransmetropolitan, Vol. 1: Back on the Street: Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson: 9781401220846: Amazon.com: BooksAnimal Man Vol. 1: The Hunt (The New 52): Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman: 9781401235079: Amazon.com: BooksStar Wars continuity mistakes - YouTubeCocteau Twins - Wax and Wane - YouTubeFugue state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "NICE" for an additional 10% off).
1/23/20131 hour, 39 minutes, 12 seconds
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Episode 102: Hunter Ready to Write

TOPIC: Creative Costumes vs. Pushing Out Product This week Dan and Merlin talk about how the legends and mythologies around creative people and beautiful losers can become such a destructive MacGuffin for us aspiring civilians. Getting gakked out on Hunter S. Thompson's cocaine and buying Sylvia Plath's oven are unlikely to take you anyplace useful, interesting, or…creative. Also: "BRIANMICHAELBENDIS!" Links for this episode:List of Spider-Man Comics in Order to Amazing Spider-Man #700Template 1.2.0 · neocoticDaredevil Visionaries - Frank Miller, Vol. 2: Frank Miller: 9780785107712: Amazon.com: BooksNerdist Podcast: Warren Ellis « NerdistSpider-Man Read Order[SPONSOR] Shutterstock [SPONSOR] Frank & Oak How to Start Reading Avengers Comics!Amazon.com: Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human (9780812981384): Grant Morrison: BooksMarvels: Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross: 9780785142867: Amazon.com: BooksSpider-Man: Big Time - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human (9780812981384): Grant Morrison: BooksMarvels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitter / ewanmorgan: A day in the life of Hunter ...Phil Noto - THUNDERBOLTS  This is the first image I drew of...The 1940s were super-weird. | kung fu grippe“Ha! Ha! Ha!” From Wonder Woman #6 (1943) I’ll... | kung fu grippeWarren Ellis on "writer's block"Twitter / ewanmorgan: A day in the life of Hunter ...Captain Marvel, Vol. 8 #1A in merlinmann's Comic Collector Connect collectionThe Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 2 #669G - Spider-Island - Part Three: Arachnotopia in merlinmann's Comic Collector Connect collectionAsk • The Smiths - YouTubeNorman Osborn's HairSpider-Man: Big Time Ultimate Collection: Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos: 9780785162179: Amazon.com: BooksLiz Hurley: Beauty and the beasts - Celeb News, Independent Woman - Independent.ieWarren Ellis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWarren Ellis bibliography - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Wire - Season One Opening Scene - YouTubeConversion disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFugue state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) - IMDbWilliam Faulkner: Trouble in OxfordTop 15 Great Alcoholic Writers - ListverseBuzz Bissinger: I Was Deluded to Believe Lance Armstrong When He Denied Doping - The Daily BeastBlack Cat (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKelly Sue DeConnickWarren Ellis.mattfractionJ I N X W O R L D | The Official Site for Brian Michael BendisDominic West - IMDbPandora One - Listen to Pandora with No Ads, Higher Quality Audio, and MoreHumberto Ramos Official SiteMailChimp Annual ReportWalt Simonson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Mighty Thor, Vol. 1, #348 (Oct. 1984) Okay,... | kung fu grippe[Brown-Haired Rapunzel Sampler]Tangled (2010) - IMDb[Rapunzel with awesome, short, choppy brown hair]The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - IMDbDan Slott - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGrant MorrisonGrammar Girl : Ampersand :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™kung fu grippe - Current Back to Work lock screensSeven Inches of Bendis (Detail) [per] | kung fu grippeHunter S. Thompson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLadies. What? I needed a long-sleeved shirt.... | kung fu grippeThis week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Frank & Oak (use code "BACKTOWORK10" for 10% off your first purchase) and Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK1" for 30% off).
1/15/201357 minutes, 37 seconds
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Episode 101: Sprinting Straight Into a Wall

TOPIC: Those New Years When We're Not Actually Resolved. This week, Merlin and Dan step back from resolutions and shooting yourself in the face with a wrist rocket to talk about what you're actually trying to change. You're failing and feeling bad and eating a whole bag of cookies because you're resolving to be someone you're not (yet). What are you really trying to address? Are you being honest with yourself? Where do you actually start? Find the real reasons, build a real infrastructure, and build yourself a real habit. Links for this episode:Loyalty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Squarespace(use offer code `NICE` for an additional 10% off) [SPONSOR] Frank & Oak(use code `BACKTOWORK10` for 10% off your first purchase) Ep. 21: "Dead Rubber Girl in My Closet" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThousandfold: Some podcast fan art. Love me some 5by5Make a Given Wish | You Look Nice Today5by5 | The Comic Shack #23: Lying Cat is My Spirit AnimalAmazon.com: Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned (9781563899805): Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra: BooksBrian K. Vaughan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCollectorz.com Connect: merlinmann: My ComicsSkottie Young - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCulper Ring - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRobert Earl Hughes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA Man’s Belt Guide – What you need to know when buying a men’s beltWu Tang-Triumph - YouTubeResolved: Stop Blaming the Pancake | 43 FoldersBird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life: Anne Lamott: 9780385480017: Amazon.com: Books9 Tips on How to Do a Figure Four Leg Lock - wikiHowIntestinal fortitude - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster DictionaryBackpack: Graphic Novelist 2.3This week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Frank & Oak (use code "BACKTOWORK10" for 10% off your first purchase) and Squarespace (use offer code "NICE" for an additional 10% off).
1/8/20131 hour, 29 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 100: Go Ahead, Caller.

TOPIC: Yes. The caller is there. This week, in celebration of their hundredth episode, Dan and Merlin do the first call-in episode of Back to Work. A bevy of the beloved jackals and nerds ask questions about GTD, creative autonomy, sleep and energy, interpersonal work communications, moving up at work, self-publishing, finding your rabbi, Marines, X-Men, and more. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksAstonishing X-Men By Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Ultimate Collection - Book 1: Joss Whedon, John Cassaday: 9780785161943: Amazon.com: BooksAstonishing X-Men, Vol. 4: Unstoppable: Joss Whedon, John Cassaday: 9780785122548: Amazon.com: BooksAstonishing X-Men By Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Ultimate Collection Book 2: Joss Whedon, John Cassaday: 9780785161950: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | The Comic Shack5by5 | Quit!Zita the Spacegirl: Ben Hatke: 9781596434462: Amazon.com: BooksBird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life: Anne Lamott: 9780385480017: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library) (9781590307946): Natalie Goldberg: BooksThe Truth Beyond the Sky (The Epic of Aravinda): Andrew M. Crusoe: Amazon.com: Kindle StoreRoderick on the Line - Merlin MannKobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Back to Work #7: Vocational WheelBaldwin's Beans (baldwinsbeans) on TwitterSaga, Vol. 1: Brian K Vaughan, Fiona Staples: 9781607066019: Amazon.com: BooksSaga Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyThree Days of the Condor (1975) - IMDbAmazon.com: I Started Out As a Child: Bill Cosby: MusicAmazon.com: Bill Cosby Is A Very Funny Fellow Right!: Bill Cosby: MusicAmazon.com: To Russell My Brother, Whom I Slept With: Bill Cosby: Music
1/3/20131 hour, 29 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 99: Nobody Wants to Live in a Scaffolding

TOPIC: Troubleshooting for Saner GTD This week, Dan and Merlin wrap up their epic summer crossover series on David Allen's book Getting Things Done, focusing on the trouble spots, hang-ups, and occasional rat holes that people often encounter in implementing and maintaining their GTD system. Links for this episode:Saga #1 - Comics by comiXology [Get it FREE!!!][Huffduffer MP3] Productive Talk Compilation: 8-episode podcast with GTD's David Allen (2006)5by5 | The Frequency #45: Something of a Hipster GeekDoes this "next action" belong someplace else? | 43 FoldersMental dialogues, yak-shaving & the triumph of the 'mini-review' | 43 Folders[SPONSOR] OmniFocus 2 Debut[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimpProductive Talk Compilation: 8-episode podcast with GTD's David Allen | 43 FoldersAmazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksFractal Implementation, or, On the Dangers of David Allen's Finger | 43 FoldersBack to GTD: Do a fast "mind-sweep" | 43 FoldersBack to GTD: Simplify your contexts | 43 FoldersGTD: Priorities don't exist in a vacuum | 43 Folders6 powerful "look into" verbs (+ 1 to avoid) | 43 FoldersA Year of Getting Things Done: Part 2, The Stuff I Wish I Were Better At | 43 Folders43 Folders: Best of GTD | 43 FoldersThe OmniFocus SetupOmni’s Plans for 2013 - Blog - The Omni GroupCollectorz.com Connect: merlinmann: My ComicsComplete Marvel Comics Reading Order | Marvel Comics in OrderMarvel Chronology Project - MainPublication history of Marvel comics crossover events - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEp. 59: "Insufferabilityism" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannAnita Ekberg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Freshman (1990 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazing Spider-Man #669 Amazing Fantasy Comics variant cover by Todd Nauck | Apps | Marvel.comAvengers, Vol. 5 #1C [Avengers Babies!]Using OmniFocus | Mastering Productivity [GREAT ebook!]First Look: Amazing Spider-Man #700 | News | Marvel.comCharlene - "I've Never Been To Me" - YouTubeAnita Ekberg modeling for Milton Greene, 1954 | kung fu grippeIt's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: BooksPaper Snowflakes - Free InstructionsGetting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 FoldersBecause buying new running shoes is more fun than actually running | 43 FoldersDo Stuff — MacSparkyThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by MailChimp and The OmniFocus 2 Debut.
12/22/20121 hour, 35 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 98: Bagged and Boarded

TOPIC: Working Getting Things Done to stay current, complete, and creative. This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion of David Allen's Getting Things Done system. Learning how to leverage GTD's modality to firewall time for guilt-free creative work. Links for this episode:5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a Living5by5 | Back to Work #96: Compensatory Muscles5by5 | Back to Work #97: Pope of the OfficeDavid Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®About GTD | David Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®Getting Things Done - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGettingThingsDone - MineZone WikiGetting things done : the art of stress-free productivity (Book, 2001) [WorldCat.org]Getting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 FoldersTrigger List - 43FoldersWikiCollectorz.com Connect: merlinmann: My ComicsAll New X-Men #1C in merlinmann's Comic Collector Connect collectionSkottie Young (on Tumblr)FF, Vol. 2 #1A - Parts of a Hole in merlinmann's Comic Collector Connect collection[SPONSOR] Ting - Mobile That Makes Sense[SPONSOR] The Omni Group - "The OmniFocus Setup" - Jan 31, 2013 in San Francisco[SPONSOR] Build a Website with SquarespaceImage Firsts A delightfully dark and wonderfully... | kung fu grippeFantastic Four #575 The Ben Love The Ben. Love... | kung fu grippeHeraclitus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaParmenides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Texts of Early Greek Philosophy: The Complete Fragments and Selected Testimonies of the Major Presocratics: Daniel W. Graham: 9780521845915: Amazon.com: BooksIn the Valley of the Shadow of Doubt - RadiolabNothing is so obvious that it’s obvious. | kung fu grippeTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Ting ($50 off your first device), Squarespace, and The Omni Group.
12/18/20121 hour, 36 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 97: Pope of the Office

TOPIC: Using GTD to sanely and intelligently decide what to do, and when, and where. This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion of David Allen's Getting Things Done system. Hopping over the basic workflow and setup (you'll definitely need the book for that), this is all about doing—leveraging the horizontal and vertical axes of GTD to intuitively choose exactly the right task at any given moment. Regardless of interruptions, regardless of unexpected change, and regardless of what you're mindfully not doing. David Allen calls GTD, "The Art of Stress-Free Productivity," and this is the episode where you'll find out how having put this system in place can yield astronomical improvements in how your actual things get done. Also included: a teaser for January's "iTunes management" series, plus recommendations for the three best comic series Merlin read this week. Links for this episode:Getting Things Done - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGetting Things Done is a book by productivity consultant David Allen that describes the method/procedure that he created with the same title name, often referred to simply as GTD. The Getting Things Done method rests on the idea that a person needs to move tasks out of the mind by recording them externally, so the mind is free from the job of remembering the tasks that need to be completed. One can then concentrate on performing the tasks, instead of remembering. Getting things done : the art of stress-free productivity (Book, 2001) [WorldCat.org]Trigger List - 43FoldersWikiGettingThingsDone - MineZone WikiAmazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksFrom core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down. Getting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 FoldersDavid Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®About GTD | David Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®GTD® is the shorthand brand for "Getting Things Done®," the groundbreaking work-life management system by David Allen that provides concrete solutions for transforming overwhelm and uncertainty into an integrated system of stress-free productivity. gtd workflow map pdf - Google Search[SPONSOR] PDFpen: Mac and iOS - Edit, Sign, and Correct PDFsPDFpen: Mac PDF Editor - Edit, Sign, and Correct PDFs - PDFpen is a powerful Mac PDF editor: add text, images, and signatures to PDFs, make corrections on a PDF, fill out PDF forms, OCR scanned pages. [SPONSOR] Hover - domain name and email management made simpleWelcome to Hover. We simplify domain management. Get yourself a great domain name. [GTD Series, Part 1] 5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a Living**TOPIC**: Intro to David Allen's "Getting Things Done" This week, Dan and Merlin start a long-overdue three-part _storyline_ on David Allen's book, _Getting Things Done_. How do you unwad that giant crapball of _stuff_ you call a life? The answer is simple, but it's not so easy. You need a trusted system in which to collect, process, review, and---yes---**do** all the things that matter. [GTD Series, Part 2] 5by5 | Back to Work #96: Compensatory MusclesTOPIC: A Better System for Dealing with Life’s “Stuff” This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion of David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done. PDFPen - Signing a PDF on iOSIndispensable. Matt Killmon (killmoms) on TwitterThe very generous gifter of Merlin's "67 Points of Articulation" Spider-Man. [AUDIO] Productive Talk Compilation: 8-episode podcast with GTD's David Allen | 43 FoldersAs promised, here's the single-file compilation of the Productive Talk podcast interviews I did with David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done. The final version's eight episodes clock in at a considerable one hour and twenty-six minutes, so this should give you plenty to listen to while you're in line at the DMV. Moon Knight, Vol. 1: Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev: 9780785151708: Amazon.com: BooksSaga, Vol. 1: Brian K Vaughan, Fiona Staples: 9781607066019: Amazon.com: BooksUltimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli: 9780785157137: Amazon.com: BooksUltimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 2: Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Samnee, Sara Pichelli, David Marquez: 9780785157144: Amazon.com: Books[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace 6 Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills: Chris Claremont, Brent Anderson: 9780785157267: Amazon.com: BooksWolverine: Weapon X: Barry Windsor-Smith: 9780785137269: Amazon.com: BooksSecret War: Brian Michael Bendis, Gabriele Dell'Otto: 9780785142287: Amazon.com: BooksScarlet, Book 1: Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev: 9780785152514: Amazon.com: BooksX-Men: Days of Future Past: Chris Claremont, John Byrne: 9780785164531: Amazon.com: BooksSpider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic, Book 1: Tom DeFalco, J. M. Dematteis, Terry Kavanagh, Howard Mackie, Tom Lyle, Liam Sharp, Sal Buscema, John Romita Jr., Phil Gosier, Tom Palmer, Steven Butler, Ron Lim, Mark Bagley: 9780785144625: Amazon.com: BooCaptain America: The First Avenger (2011) - IMDbAfter being deemed unfit for military service, Steve Rogers volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending USA ideals. Saga Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyY: THE LAST MAN writer BRIAN K. VAUGHAN returns to comics with red-hot artist FIONA STAPLES for an all-new ONGOING SERIES! Star Wars-style action collides with Game of Thrones-esque drama in this original sci-fi/fantasy epic for mature readers, as new parents Marko and Alana risk everything to raise their child amidst a never-ending galactic war. The adventure begins in a spectacular DOUBLE-SIZED FIRST ISSUE! The Dark Knight Rises (2012) - IMDbEight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - IMDbThe X-Men must travel in time to change a major historical event that could globally impact on man and mutant kind. kung fu grippe - Looking really surprisingly goodEspecially for someone who’s been stuck living in Bane’s wrecked, nightmarish, and amenity-constrained Gotham City for five months. So. Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 1: The Fantastic: Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, Adam Kubert, John Dell, Danny Miki: 9780785113935: Amazon.com: BooksX-Men: Season One: Dennis Hopeless, Jamie McKelvie: 9780785156451: Amazon.com: BooksFantastic Four: Season One: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, David Marquez: 9780785156413: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Spider-Man: Season One (9780785158202): Cullen Bunn, Neil Edwards: BooksSecret War: Brian Michael Bendis, Gabriele Dell'Otto: 9780785142287: Amazon.com: BooksDaredevil by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev Omnibus, Vol. 1: Brian Michael Bendis, Lee Weeks, David Mack, Alex Maleev, Manuel Gutierrez, Terry Dodson, Gene Colan, Klaus Janson, John Romita, Joe Quesada: 9780785131120: Amazon.com: BooksAn epic of ambition, betrayal, and comeuppance culminates with the world learning the devil's mask hides a pair of blind eyes! The hero of Hell's Kitchen is assailed as both civilian and super hero by a wave of his worst enemies - including the Owl, Mister Hyde, Bullseye, Typhoid, and the Kingpin of Crime! But it's the heart of the Man Without Fear that gets the real workout with not only the introduction of Milla Donovan - but also the Black Widow, Elektra, and Echo! Who? Echo! Plus: the mystery of Leap-Frog and the trial of the White Tiger! Also featuring Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and enough other guest-stars to fill a jury box! Collects Daredevil Alex Ross - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAlex Maleev - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHe first teamed with Bendis on Todd McFarlane's Sam and Twitch series in 2000-2001 before they were recruited for Daredevil. In 2006, Maleev finished his run with Bendis in Daredevil and planned a collaboration with the writer on a new ongoing Spider-Woman series. Bendis and Maleev collaborated once again on the much delayed four part Halo: Uprising miniseries from Marvel Comics. Bendis and Maleev are currently working on a creator owned comic book named Scarlet and on Moon Knight Vol. 4.[2] Brian Michael Bendis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrian Michael Bendis (born August 18, 1967) is an American comic book writer and former artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work. BENDIS! [Tumblr site by Brian Michael Bendis]OmniFocus for Mac - The Omni GroupOmniFocus for iPhone - The Omni GroupnvALT 2.1 - Notational Velocity ForkDrafts for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreNebulous NotesEpicenter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates. The word derives from the New Latin noun epicentrum, the latinisation of the ancient Greek adjective (epikentros), "occupying a cardinal point, situated on a centre", from (epi) "on, upon, at" and (kentron) "centre". Baldwin's BeansBaldwin's Beans is a small operation. So small, in fact, that I roast each bag of coffee beans you order, one at a time. I'm picky about my coffee, and you should be, too. I'm in Columbus, Indiana, a town of about 40,000 people with two Starbucks locations and exactly zero options for fresh, locally produced coffee, so I took matters into my own hands and started doing it myself. Jaime Sommers (The Bionic Woman) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBorn in 1949, Jaime is the daughter of James and Ann Sommers. Jaime was raised in Ojai, California, and she showed high potential in the sport of tennis Estelle Getty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDoug's AppleScripts for iTunes - dougscripts.comDownload 444 (and counting) free user-contributed AppleScripts for Apple's iTunes that will help make managing your digital music collection easier and more fun! A Therapeutic Dose of Imodium - The Talk Show - Mule Radio SyndicateVery special guest Merlin Mann joins John Gruber to talk about booze, iTunes 11, and the sorry state of over-the-counter cold medication in the U.S. MusicBrainz - The Open Music EncyclopediaMusicBrainz is an open music encyclopedia that collects music metadata and makes it available to the public. MusicBrainz Picard - MusicBrainzMusicBrainz Picard is a cross-platform (Linux/Mac OS X/Windows) application written in Python and is the official MusicBrainz tagger. Release group “Revolver” by The Beatles - MusicBrainz5by5 | After Dark #297: After Back to Work #96In which Dan totally schools Merlin on the surprising extent of Spider-Man's powers. College Level Examination Program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThere are 2,900 colleges which grant CLEP credit. Each institution awards credit to students who meet the college's minimum qualifying score for that exam, which is typically 50, but it does vary by school and exam. The tests are useful for students who have obtained knowledge outside the classroom, such as through independent study, job experience, or cultural interaction. Ethan SchoonoverEthan Schoonover (ethanschoonover) on TwitterAmazon.com: Puro Caff, 20oz: Kitchen & DiningKobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBeatles Metadata? Fixed! Guru. Productivity... | kung fu grippeSaga #4 So great. | kung fu grippeMoon Knight (2011) Brian Michael Bendis and Alex... | kung fu grippeJean Vander Pyl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[MG01] Good NightTopatoCo: Skullcrusher Mountain ShirtNary a Dude | You Look Nice TodayThis week's episode of Back to Work is very kindly sponsored by Smile's PDFpen, Squarespace, and Hover (use code DANSENTME for 10% off),
12/11/20121 hour, 44 minutes, 9 seconds
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Episode 96: Compensatory Muscles

TOPIC: A Better System for Dealing with Life's "Stuff" This week, Dan and Merlin continue their discussion of David Allen's book, Getting Things Done. Links for this episode:Fractal Implementation, or, On the Dangers of David Allen's Finger | 43 FoldersBeginner's Mind, Metropolis, and all our unnecessary parts | 43 FoldersAmazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksGetting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 FoldersMac App Store - Flycut (Clipboard manager)Theatrical superstitions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAbout GTD | David Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalogkung fu grippe • 67 Points of Articulation. [Merlin's Amazing Spider-Man]Life Hacks: Tech Secrets of Overprolific Alpha Geeks (11 February, 2004)Notes from Danny's session at O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference; 11 February, 2004; San Diego, CA [SPONSOR] Ting[SPONSOR] Studio Neat5by5 | Back to Work #95: She's Five for a LivingTrigger List - 43FoldersWikiYou can do anything - but not everything. | Fast CompanyMeet the man who can bring order to your universe | Technology | The GuardianGettingThingsDone - MineZone Wiki[AUDIO] Productive Talk Compilation: 8-episode podcast with GTD's David Allen | 43 FoldersNext actions: Both physical AND visible | 43 FoldersA Year of Getting Things Done: Part 1, The Good Stuff | 43 FoldersA Year of Getting Things Done: Part 2, The Stuff I Wish I Were Better At | 43 FoldersSystems, ciphers, and the dirty little secret of self-improvement | 43 FoldersCringe-Busting your TODO list | 43 Foldersgtd-workflow.jpg (1051×1630)OmniFocus for Mac - The Omni GroupSchrodinger's Conference Bag | You Look Nice TodayEp. 57: "Unfair" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannKnowledge worker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe term was first coined by Peter Drucker ca. 1959, as one who works primarily with information or one who develops and uses knowledge in the workplace. GTD: Priorities don't exist in a vacuum | 43 FoldersWreck-It Ralph (2012) - IMDbWreck-It Ralph - Movie Trailers - iTunesMerlin Mann at Google on Time and Attention (Getting Things Done) - YouTubeVideo: Merlin's Time & Attention Talk (Improvised Rutgers Edition) | 43 FoldersThis week's Back to Work is sponsored by Studio Neat and Ting.
12/4/20121 hour, 41 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 95: She's Five for a Living

TOPIC: Intro to David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” This week, Dan and Merlin start a long-overdue three-part storyline on David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done.[1] How do you unwad that giant crapball of stuff you call a life? The answer is simple, but it’s not so easy. You need a trusted system in which to collect, process, review, and—yes—do all the things that matter. Getting Things Done is inarguably one of the best and most influential self-help books of all time for a good reason: it’s a candid, realistic, and painfully honest way to get out of your hole, and then stay out. This week, we start with the philosophical and psychological underpinnings of GTD, as well as the myriad and thorny problems it can help you address. So, pick up your own copy of GTD, read it through, then join us for a detailed tour of the system that changed Merlin’s game and helped jumpstart his online career. ©DavidCo, 2001.  ↩ Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksGetting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 FoldersGetting Things Done | 43 FoldersDavid Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®About GTD | David Allen, Getting Things Done® and GTD®gtd workflow map pdf - Google SearchNew GTD Workflow Map | D*I*Y Planner[IMG] gtd-workflow.jpg (1051×1630)[VIDEO] David Allen: Getting Things Done - YouTube[SPONSOR] Stock Photos and Royalty-Free Images by Subscription - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace 6[SPONSOR] Hover - domain name and email management made simpleAmazon.com: Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac/iPad/iPhone (920-003884): Computers & AccessoriesClarks Desert Boot - Zappos.com Free Shipping BOTH WaysJamie Phelps (jxpx777) on Twitter[BUY THIS!] Jonathan Coulton & John Roderick - "One Christmas at a Time"Song Premiere: John Roderick & Jonathan Coulton - "The Week In Between" and "2600" :: Featured Audio :: Paste5by5 | The Crossover #1: You Just Got Curatedkung fu grippe • Thanks…Bub Special thanks to my pal, emersunn,...Logitech.com – Logitech® Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac®, iPad® or iPhone®Danny O'Brien (American football) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFolders Stock Photos, Folders Stock Photography, Folders Stock Images : Shutterstock.comWhite Guys Shaking Hands Stock Photos, White Guys Shaking Hands Stock Photography, White Guys Shaking Hands Stock Images : Shutterstock.comEp. 25: "Super Train" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mannchown - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUNIX permissions5by5 | The Talk Show #57: The Banana Window5by5 | Back to Work #49: The Field of CompletionAdmixture | Define Admixture at Dictionary.comComicBookLoverGetting Things Done - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGetting things done : the art of stress-free productivity (Book, 2001) [WorldCat.org]ISBN.NU: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free ProductivityComic Book Database Software, organize your comic book collection on Windows or Mac OS XWheel (Unix term) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediawheel - The Jargon File v4.4.7A Confederacy of Dunces - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA Confederacy of Dunces:Amazon:BooksEggs on the Plate Without the Plate - Salvador Dali's oil paintingEntombed (band) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOmniFocus for Mac - The Omni GroupShutterstock (coupon code backtowork11), Hover use the code (dansentme for 10% off), Squarespace (use the code broastedbird for an extra 10% off).
11/27/20121 hour, 30 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 94: A False Sun

TOPIC: How to be a proper list-maker This week, Dan and Merlin discuss the pros and cons of lighting your environment properly, how we fall into bad list making habits and how to solve these issues. Also, Merlin makes some sounds for your enjoyment. Links for this episode:New Business Templates: Aviator and Devlin — The Official Squarespace Blog5by5 | The Conversation #27: Missionless StatementsHammock Stock Photos, Hammock Stock Photography, Hammock Stock Images : Shutterstock.comAmazon.com: Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device: Health & Personal CareShutterstock (use code "dansentme10" for 30% off), Ting ($50 off your first device for Back to Work listeners), and Squarespace (use code "broastedbird" for 10% off).
11/20/20121 hour, 31 minutes, 27 seconds
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Episode 93: 67 Points of Articulation

TOPIC: Florida, Education, and Peaking This week, Dan and Merlin continue their purging personal odyssey through the state of Florida. Isolation, education, and a parting admonition not to throw your cap in the air. Also, for the comic nerds, Merlin recommends checking out the exciting new stuff happening with "Marvel NOW!" Links for this episode:Superheroes Stock Photos, Superheroes Stock Photography, Superheroes Stock Images : Shutterstock.comkung fu grippe • I ? My Freezer Door I’m a lucky little man.kung fu grippe • In Which We Literally Marvel This is part...Shutterstock: Merlin's "Superheroes" LightboxSuperheroes : Shutterstock Stock PhotographyHow To Pitch With TextExpanderMarvel NOW! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMarvel Now | Comics | Marvel.comBrian Posehn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAvengers vs. X-Men: Collected Edition - Comics by comiXologyAVX: Consequences Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyAmazon.com: Spider-Man 2: The Movie - 18" AMAZING SPIDER-MAN SUPER POSEABLE Action Figure - 67 POINTS OF ARTICULATION!: Toys & Games5by5 | The Comic Shack #7: Snakt!5by5 | Giant Size5by5 | Back to Work #7: Vocational WheelBack to Work: Vocational Wheel, unofficial transcriptAvengers Disassembled: Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch: 9780785114826: Amazon.com: BooksHouse of M: Brian Michael Bendis, Olivier Coipel: 9780785117216: Amazon.com: BooksX-Men: Messiah Complex: Ed Brubaker, Mike Carey, Craig Kyle, Chris Yost, Peter David, Marc Silvestri, Billy Tan, Chris Bachalo, Humberto Ramos, Scot Eaton: 9780785123200: Amazon.com: BooksX-Men: Second Coming: Christopher Yost, Craig Kyle, Mike Carey, Matt Fraction, Zeb Wells, David Finch, Mike Choi, Terry Dodson, Ibraim Roberson, Greg Land: 9780785157052: Amazon.com: BooksX-Force/Cable: Messiah War: Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Duane Swierczynski, Ariel Olivetti, Clayton Crain, Mike Choi: 9780785131731: Amazon.com: BooksGiant-Size X-Mann - The Education of a Non-Talented Non-YoungsterMiddle School | This American LifeNew College of Florida - Florida's Public Honors College for the Liberal Arts and Sciences - New College of FloridaFeatured Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyThis week's Back to Work is sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "backtowork11" for 30% off), Hover (10% off for Back to Work listeners), and Smile's TextExpander.
11/13/20121 hour, 36 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 92: The Florida Episode

TOPIC: Florida. Hinted at since Episode 1—and repeatedly threatened nearly every week since—here, at last: The Florida Episode. The heat, the driving, the isolation, the driving, the white driveways, the early-bird specials, the menacing parking-lot violence, the driving, the people, the stop lights, the gates, the urology clinics, the driving, the short pants, the driving, and much MUCH more. In part one of what will surely be an epic, multi-episode arc, Dan and Merlin finally start coming to terms with their undistinguished youths in the Sunshine State. Links for this episode:Google MapsPublix - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWinn-Dixie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFlorida Stock Photos, Florida Stock Photography, Florida Stock Images : Shutterstock.comLaissez-faire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLittle Boxes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNew Google Search App With Siri-Like Voice Responses Finally Approved For iOSGuayabera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEdward Scissorhands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFlorida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGulf High SchoolNew College of Florida - Florida's Public Honors College for the Liberal Arts and Sciences - New College of FloridaElfers, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPensacola, FL to Key West, FL - Google Maps (a 13-hour drive)1987 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (Merlin's in New College's Palm Court)[SPONSOR] Ting - Mobile That Makes Sense[SPONSOR] Stock Photos | Shutterstock: Royalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector ArtSantería - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShutterstock (use code "dansentme10" for 30% off) and Ting ($50 off your first device for Back to Work listeners).
11/7/20121 hour, 18 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 91: Compiling Stallman From Source

TOPIC: The tech you want, and the tech you can live with. On our second Last Show Ever™, Merlin and Dan talk about parenting, Gatsby hats, note taking and sharing, the Techno-Organic virus, and more. Links for this episode:kung fu grippe • Features: Our Gatsby Summer Afternoon - Nested...Our Gatsby Group | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Mr. Mann & the Girls | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Techno-organic virus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWarlock (New Mutants) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSnapseed | Snap it. Tweak it. Love it. Share it.Nebulous NotesSponsored by Squarespace and Hover. Use code "DANSENTME" for 10% off.
10/30/20121 hour, 10 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 90: Quit!™

TOPIC: Sleep and How to Get It This week, Dan and Merlin talk about sleep—why we need it, why most of us don't get enough of it, and why we all strain to find a million excuses for perpetually walking around like a sad zombie. Chock-a-block with painful personal anecdotes, horrible cautionary tales, and scary hand-waving about Recent Medical Science, your hosts make their best case for taking your own sleep more seriously. Now. Also, loaded with tips on how to sleep better, with a heavy emphasis on a wonderful iOS app called, "Sleep Cycle." Pretty good for our last episode. (Guys, we were kidding! KIDDING!) Links for this episode:Turn your iPhone into a cough button - Brett TerpstraMonte Cristo sandwich - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSleep Cycle alarm clockf.lux: software to make your life betterDan Benjamin vs Sarlacc PitThe Walking Dead,Book One (Book 1): Robert Kirkman,Tony Moore,Charlie Adlard,Cliff Rathburn: 9781582406190: Amazon.com: BooksMarvel Now | Comics | Marvel.comWatchmen: Alan Moore,Dave Gibbons: 9780930289232: Amazon.com: Bookskung fu grippe • "Watchmen" Credit Shotkung fu grippe - "Continuity Stickler"The Mattress Scam | How to Buy a MattressCat Power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPodcast Survivor: Back to Work #88 - So Many Reasons To Cry | Radio SurvivorFalling Down (1993)Blue Dog Coalition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNaming convention - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIcelandic name - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNetwork Naming SchemesStudio Neat — CosmonautThe Employee's Guide to Reduction in ForceHarvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta [1997] - I'm Not Sick But I'm Not Well! - YouTubeDeadpool - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaM. Emmet Walsh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - "no movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad."How Lack of Sleep Is Killing You - National - The Atlantic WireYou Can't Do Your Job if You Don't Sleep - Tony Schwartz - Harvard Business ReviewSleep - RadiolabInternal Time: The Science of Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You're So Tired | Brain PickingsHow Little Sleep Can You Get Away With? - NYTimes.comBBC News - The myth of the eight-hour sleepSleep, Sleep, Sleep! How artificial lighting and cortisol impact zzz’sNew 'Light' On Fascinating Rhythms Of Circadian ClockHow to Naturally Reset Your Sleep Cycle in One Night | Wise BreadThe Truth About Sleep & Productivity | Inc.comIn Which We Sleepwalk At Our Convenience - Home - This Recording'Power naps' may boost right-brain activity - CNN.comRethinking Sleep - NYTimes.comNeuroLogica Blog » Sleep and WeightDan’s Plan | Eat Move Sleep Blog | Social jet-lag: The difference between the social clock and the biological clockSales engineering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Silence of the Lambs (1991)Heaven and Hell in Jewish Tradition - My Jewish LearningOrange & Green | Flickr - Photo Sharing! [Merlin at 190 lbs.]Pinboard: bookmarks for merlinmann tagged 'eatsleeplove' [Merlin's eating & sleeping bookmarks]Twitter / hotdogsladies: “Oh! Were you noticing my ...A Love Supreme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediafamily circus not me - Google SearchWalter Hudson (1944–1991) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Ting.
10/23/20121 hour, 25 minutes, 20 seconds
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Episode 89: Burlap Sack Full of Oranges

TOPIC: Programming Your Kid's Danger Room. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss the parenthood racket: the advice and expectations, the doubt and the fear, the assessment, the concentric circles, the snow cones. Parenting means programming a Danger Room that teaches you and the kid to handle the hovering, the hitting, the losing, and the play structure. Links for this episode:Shmuel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe name is Bond. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!At the playground (ya know?)Hippie | Flickr - Photo Sharing!The Author at Work | Flickr - Photo Sharing![SPONSOR] iOS Engineering - Mutual Mobile[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace 6[SPONSOR] Stock Photos and Royalty-Free Images by Subscription - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] Hover - domain name and email management made simpleEp. 51: "In Pursuit of an Errant Leaf" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannTwitter / danbenjamin: GF dining in NYC at L'Asso ...Hop 'n Play Kids Indoor Playground in Tanforan Shopping Center (San Bruno, CA)"The Shining" - Production Script5by5 | Build and Analyze #99: The Podcast5by5 | Hypercritical #89: Lazy SundayDanger Room - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDanger Room - Marvel Universe Wiki: The definitive online source for Marvel super hero bios.x-men "danger room" - Google Image SearchFiddler on the Roof - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGlengarry Glen Ross speech - YouTubeThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Hover, Mutual Mobile, Shutterstock, and Squarespace.
10/16/20121 hour, 31 minutes, 10 seconds
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Episode 88: So Many Reasons to Cry

TOPIC: Finding Grit. This week, Dan and Merlin return to a popular topic from last week: grit. Why is it we stick with some things but totally abandon so many others? Why'd Merlin give up on learning "Little Brown Jug" on the trombone, then double-down on nailing "Pinball Wizard" on guitar? How come Dan got so good at programming, but can't kick a damned football to save his life? Is there a framework for understanding why we remember hit points, don't travel, can't draw, and forget why every good boy deserves fudge? Along the way, Merlin accidentally—grudgingly—reveals that he actually knows things about sportsball, Dan breaks down the exhilarating rewards of immediate feedback, and both hosts wonder how Mariano Rivera can keep his cool after giving up a two-run homer. Also, there's a pseudo-interesting rathole on why Merlin may or may not start spending more time with App.net. Links for this episode:New Squarespace 6 Template: DovetailNew Squarespace 6 Template: FiveCharacter Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification: Christopher Peterson,Martin Seligman: 9780195167016: Amazon.com: BooksSalad days - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaYour Nice New OutfitJeff Dee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFive rejected names for Austin BBQ restaurants | 5ivesRe-Creating my Art from S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks by Jeff Dee — KickstarterHoratio Alger, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMariano Rivera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChateaubriand steak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGiant-Size X-MannNew X-Men,Vol. 1: Grant Morrison,Frank Quitely,Ethan Van Sciver,Leinil Francis Yu,Igor Kordey,Tom Derenick: 9780785132516: Amazon.com: BooksJason Sweeney (sween) on Twitterrob corddry (robcorddry) on Twitterhotdogsladies on App.net[video] The Simpsons - "I Have A Ham Radio"Amazon.com: I Can Do That Games Curious George Hide and Seek Zoo: Toys & Games[SPONSOR] Smile Software[SPONSOR] Shutterstock[SPONSOR] SquarespaceOscar Wilde's 1895 MartyrdomLittle Brown Jug (song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDrawing on the Right Side of the Brain: The Definitive,4th Edition: Betty Edwards: 9781585429202: Amazon.com: BooksDreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMoonrise Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDeus ex machina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by Smile Software, Shutterstock and Squarespace.
10/9/20121 hour, 51 minutes
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Episode 87: Nothing to Declare But My Coconuts

TOPIC: Grit, Confidence, and Intuition. This week, Dan and Merlin begin a conversation on what researchers and educators are learning about why students of all ages do or don't succeed. Yes, it's about intelligence and other cognitive skills, but it's also about tenacity, courage, self-restraint, and resolve. It's really about grit. See our show notes for lots of links to the stuff that inspired our topic, but definitely tune in for Merlin's slight addendum to the formula: mixing in our growing confidence in our own intuition. Links for this episode:Back to School | This American LifeWhat if the Secret to Success Is Failure? - NYTimes.comkung fu grippe • [MP3] Back to School | This American Life ...TwitterHow Children Succeed: Grit,Curiosity,and the Hidden Power of Character: Paul Tough: 9780547564654: Amazon.com: BooksPaul Tough - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWhat Makes a Good Teacher? - NYTimes.com‘How Children Succeed,’ by Paul Tough - NYTimes.comAmazon.com: Seven (Single Disc Edition): Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, John C. McGinley, Darius Khondji, David Fincher, Arnold Kopelson, Phyllis Carlyle, Gianni Nunnari, Dan Kolsrud, Anne Kopelson, Andrew Kevin Walker: Movies & TVAmazon.com: Seven: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, John C. McGinley: Amazon Instant VideoGeneral Educational Development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGrit (personality trait) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTeams - Back to WorkEXCLUSIVE - Waffle House grill cook cheat sheet | Flickr - Photo Sharing!The J-Walk Blog: Waffle House Code Cracked[SPONSOR] Igloo Software (Check out our **amazing** "Back to Work" community)Grit, character and academic success: thoughtlessness, part 3 « Granted, but…Response: An Interview With Paul Tough On Character & Schools - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher'Children Succeed' With Character, Not Test Scores : NPRHow Children Succeed book excerpt: What the most boring test in the world tells us about motivation and IQ. - Slate MagazineWhy kids need to fail to succeed in school - The Globe and MailThe Future of Self-Improvement, Part I: Grit Is More Important Than Talent :: Articles :: 99UThe Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde - Project GutenbergLady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde - Project GutenbergThe Importance of Being Earnest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaI have nothing to declare but my geniusSleep Cycle Alarm Clock for iOSYour Nice New OutfitYour Nice New Outfit: ArchiveYour Nice New Outfit | Jean 1977Your Nice New Outfit | Kitty and LockheedGiant-Size X-MannMonday is D day for bags, a dime apiece - SFGatefastball special - Google SearchFastball Special - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDock Ellis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSe7en (1995) - IMDbAggressive S.F. panhandlers, tourist complaints up - SFGateOscar Wilde's 1895 MartyrdomYour Nice New OutfitYummy, Yummy X-Men | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Structured ProcrastinationHere's The Thing: Chris Rock - WNYCThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Igloo Software. Check out our amazing B2W community site!
10/2/20121 hour, 31 minutes, 18 seconds
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Episode 86: The Talmud of Claremont

TOPIC: Anxious about the Change This week Merlin updates Dan about his schedule changes. They're going to come, but it's probably the anxiety, not the change, that is the problem. Take heart, it may be the change that you need. While you're at it, take the opportunity to plan your buffers and ramp up times. Your schedule will work better, your vacation may be less stressful, your pie will stay alive. Bonus: Dan and Merlin's comic book recommendations for new readers. Links for this episode:Squarespace Service Updates - Service BlogSquarespace Developer CenterHome - Back to WorkWiki - Back to Workkung fu grippe • Just in terms of a little background. Catching...Now, don't take this the wrong way...Back to School | This American LifeWhat if the Secret to Success Is Failure? - NYTimes.comFeedburner, Reader and Google's PrioritiesAstonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted: Joss Whedon,John Cassaday: 9780785115311: Amazon.com: BooksAstonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted - Comics by comiXologyMerlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin MannManage your Video Collection with iTunes | iFlicksTMDb — The Movie DatabaseOnline TV Database - An open directory of television shows for HTPC softwareBENDIS!High-fructose corn syrup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitter / pablosquirrel: @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin ...kung fu grippe • [MP3] Back to School | This American Life ...As Children’s Freedom Has Declined, So Has Their Creativity | Psychology TodayManage your Video Collection with iTunes | iFlicksMaker's Schedule, Manager's ScheduleAmerican Vampire Vol. 1: Scott Snyder,Stephen King,Rafael Albuquereque: 9781401229740: Amazon.com: BooksAmerican Vampire Vol. 2: Scott Snyder,Rafael Albuquereque: 9781401230708: Amazon.com: BooksAmerican Vampire Vol. 3: Scott Snyder,Rafael Albuquereque: 9781401233334: Amazon.com: BooksAmerican Vampire Vol. 4: Scott Snyder,Rafael Albuquereque: 9781401237189: Amazon.com: BooksScott Snyder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaComic Book DB - The Comic Book Database[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`dingus`") [SPONSOR] Shutterstock [SPONSOR] Igloo Software (Check out the amazing "Back to Work" community)Nominate the ONE comic for a new comic nerd. - Back to WorkTwitter / hotdogsladies: Just for reference, the connector ...The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)Caddyshack (1980) - Memorable quotesCaddyShack Cinderella Story - YouTubeBinary BonsaiMusicBrainz Picard - MusicBrainzMusicBrainz - The Open Music EncyclopediaAwayFind - Mobile notifications for priority messages. The email management solution for Gmail and Exchange.Guided by Voices - MusicBrainzGrant Shellen: "It's not a successful @hotdogsladies encounter unless you walk away with an inflammatory index card: instagr.am/p/P95M-7HR74/ "Amazon.com: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: Nintendo Wii: Video GamesDiscography - Hi, How Are You?Steenbeck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Igloo Software, Shutterstock and Squarespace.
9/25/20121 hour, 42 minutes, 31 seconds
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Episode 85: Schrödinger's Soap Holder

TOPIC: One Operational Paper Towel; One Safety Paper Towel. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss how to use a public restroom. There's some other stuff, too. But, yeah. Mostly Dan and Merlin discuss how to use a public restroom. Links for this episode:Flickr: The 5by5 PoolRoderick on the Line • Roderick on the Line Ep. 48 Trailer - “Wherever...Twitter / nebulousapps: Just submitted Nebulous Notes ...Nebulous Notes 6.0 Features - Pastebin.comSandwich Videolonelysandwichchit - WiktionaryDyson Airblade™ hand dryerThe Aviator towel scene - YouTubeHoward Hughes - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - YouTubeHow to Use a Public Restroom: 12 steps - wikiHowCleanliness and Hygiene in Public Restrooms - Tork Experts on Designing Spaces - YouTubeBathroom Hygeine Guide, Tips About Bathroom Germs, Bathroom Cleanliness TipPublic toilet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKick procrastination's ass: Run a dash | 43 FoldersThe Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play: Neil Fiore: 9781585425525: Amazon.com: BooksEat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time: Brian Tracy: 9781576754221: Amazon.com: BooksGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksGanging your mosquito tasks | 43 FoldersTwitter / hotdogsladies: @velorg Are you a ...Infectious Disease Special Edition - Neckties for Physicians: Rethinking the PracticeExcel Hand Dryer | Hand Dryers | XLERATORAdam Lisagor (lonelysandwich) on TwitterScott Simpson (scottsimpson) on TwitterThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Igloo Software and Shutterstock.
9/18/20121 hour, 22 minutes, 17 seconds
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Episode 84: Every Genie is an Actuary

TOPIC: Superpowers, Madness, and the Pursuit of Interesting Problems Dan and Merlin talk about the superpowers you have and can't control as well as the demons and drivers that our heroes have and can't control. How sometimes we find ourselves craving the screaming in someone else's head. Because, we surely do love and revere our Beautiful Losers and Genius Lunatics. Entered into evidence: Hunter S. Thompson, The Incredible Hulk, Sylvia Plath, Brian Wilson, Nightcrawler, Van Gogh, Syd Barrett, Tom Waits, Robert Lowell, Howard Hughes, and Corporate Stooges (n.b.: Dan said that; not Merlin). The upshot? Try not to get too obsessed with someone else's ether in the convertible or, for that matter, the cake in your own conference room. Get excited about constantly releasing that "better version of yourself"—and make the world a happy beneficiary of your own particular madness. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] PDFpen for iPad: PDF Editing Software for Mac iOSEfficiency Ninja Part 3: A Tablet, a Stylus, a Man, and a Plan | GeekDad | Wired.comHow to Transfer Kids' Activity Books to the iPad (GeekDad Wayback Machine) | GeekDad | Wired.com5by5 | Back to Work #31: You Can Polish AC/DC All Day LongScratching an itch through the scalp to the brain : The New Yorkerkung fu grippe • Way of the future. Way of the future.Amazon.com: The Aviator (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition): Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Stanley DeSantis, Alan Alda, Kelli Garner, Edward Herrmann, Ian Holm, Danny Huston, Jude Law, Frances CoAmazon.com: The Aviator [Blu-ray]: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Stanley de Santis, Sam Hennings, Edward Herrmann, Ian Holm, Vincent Laresca, J.C. MacKenzie, Frances Conroy, Brent Spiner, Alan Alda, DannAmazon.com: The Aviator: Leonardo Dicaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly: Amazon Instant VideoThe Aviator (2004 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHoward Hughes: His Life and Madness: Donald L. Barlett,James B. Steele: 9780393326024: Amazon.com: BooksUltra Man Intro - YouTubeActuary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaALL THAT JAZZ. Show time - YouTube[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`dingus`") The Aviator ending scene ("The way of the FUTURE.") - YouTubekung fu grippe • “That’s What You Do.” Viz. Ibid. Bless you,...Synecdoche, New York (2008)God Only Knows - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThere Will Be Some Changes Made - YouTubeHell's Angels (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTom Waits - Rockpalast 1977 02 Invitation To The Blues - YouTubeTom Waits - Invitation to the blues - YouTubeThe Mountain Goats - "Cubs in Five"Syd Barrett - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRobert Lowell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRal Partha Enterprises - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Mac Power Users #102: Workflows with Jim DalrympleDan at Ultraman-watching AgeThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Smile Software, and Squarespace. Smile's PDFpen is a powerful Mac PDF editor at an affordable price: add text, images, and signatures, make corrections, fill out forms, edit images, OCR scanned pages and more Sign up for Squarespace today to get an extra 10% off any new account with the offer code "soold" (as in, "Merlin looks sooooooo old!"). Watch Merlin's new Squarespace 6 site get built in real time (including screencasts) at http://merlinm.com/s6.
9/11/20121 hour, 43 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 83: Way of the Future

TOPIC: Obsessions, Compulsions, Obsessions, and Compulsions. Also, Obsessions—and Compulsions. This week, Dan and Merlin lick the doorknob five times, tap their heads with their shoes, and ponder the problem of obsessions and compulsions. Links for this episode:Staying on Top of Calendar Events — Jamie PhelpsMorning Glory | You Look Nice TodayStaying on Top of Calendar Events — Jamie PhelpsSafe (1995)Five Somewhat Novel Compulsions I had at one time or another | 5ives5by5 | Back to Work #29: I Download FLACHow To Start a Meditation PracticeThe Aviator ending scene , the way of the future. - YouTubeCognitive behavioral therapy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Aviator ending scene , the way of the future. - YouTubeIn Which We Sleepwalk At Our Convenience - Home - This RecordingEdge of Sanity | This American LifeHistory of Cognitive-Behavioral TherapyCognitive behavioral therapy - MayoClinic.comBest "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" Titles[SPONSOR] Ting - Mobile That Makes SenseTrepanning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Naked (9780316777735): David Sedaris: BooksAttractive nuisance doctrine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHearts of SpaceWinston Churchill and Manic Depression: A fatal curse or the root of his genius?Ice Station Zebra (1968)Amazon.com: Don't Think Of An Elephant!/ How Democrats And Progressives Can Win: Know Your Values And Frame The Debate: The Essential Guide For Progressives (Paperback + DVD edition) (9781931498821): George Lakoff, Howard Dean, Don Hazen: BooksLatest Anxiety Reliever — Jamie Phelps“Number eighteen in 1988, Charlie Babbitt squeezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 1988.”Positive feedback - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Ting.
9/4/20121 hour, 32 minutes, 39 seconds
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Episode 82: Blue Food in Your Refrigerator

TOPIC: Capture, Contracts, and Mapping the Territory. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about keeping an honest calendar and ensuring you regularly review your "contracts" with yourself. Chock-a-block with practical COM-ponents for making sure your map is up to date with the territory. ¿Spanish question marks? ¡Si! Zibba-zabba! Fax my gal! Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`soold`") Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin Mann[Screencast] Ep. 03: Blocks Intro — Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin MannQ: What would you like to see here? — Merlin’s Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin MannTwitter / hotdogsladies: Offer—mail me a SASE and ...Back to Work Starter Pack — Merlin MannI…uh…have plenty to spare. - mlkshkGarden Gnome | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Rondo Hatton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • Hooooly shit. Looks like a few people want them...kung fu grippe • rotl: For serious scholarship only. Two hundred...Timeboxing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Aveda Self Control Hair Styling Stick, 2.6 oz (75 g): Beauty[SPONSOR] Ting - Mobile That Makes SenseFugue state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Back to Work #61: I Handed Him My LukeInverted question and exclamation marks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Tap Bell -Desk Bell - Nickle Plated, Black base: Sports & OutdoorsBack to GTD: Do a fast "mind-sweep" | 43 FoldersGarden Gnome | Flickr - Photo Sharing!John Roderick: A Night on the Town - a set on FlickrGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksDay One | A simple JournalApp Store - DSLR Camera Remote Professional Edition[43f] Philip K. Dick: "There's the First Law of Kipple... 'Kipple drives out nonkipple.'"Map–territory relation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ("The map is not the territory")Two Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreJohn Forbes Nash, Jr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRecipes « World Aeropress ChampionshipThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Ting and Squarespace. Sign up for Squarespace today to get an extra 10% off any new account with the offer code "soold" (as in, "Merlin looks sooooooo old!"). Watch Merlin's new Squarespace 6 site get built in real time (including screencasts) at http://merlinm.com/s6.
8/27/20121 hour, 26 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 81: LAMP for Your Productivity

TOPIC: Honesty and Sociopathy Go to Work Merlin and Dan talk about the cultural divide between you and your work. Coping with work is a little like being a sociopath so you better make sure you're taking away the right lessons and being honest about the right things. Anything else is a little dishonest. You don't need to quit your job, but you made want to at least resign your certainty. Nice!™ Links for this episode:"We're officially broken-up for ten minutes" TextExpander snippet5by5 | Systematic #6: Merlin Talks A LotGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: BooksMerlin Mann - Independent Writer, Speaker, and BroadcasterSquarespace 6 Blog — Merlin MannEp. 01: Quick Intro — Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin MannEp. 02: Content Collections — Squarespace 6 Blog — Merlin Mann[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`soold`") [SPONSOR] 1Password - Have you ever forgotten a password?[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!Super-Fast WordPress Blog Posts via E-Mail with TextExpander 4 « The OverthinkerTextExpander Snippet (using AppleScript) to open the currently visible page in Safari in Chrome — GistTextExpander shell script snippet to set Safari 6 default fonts - Mac OS X HintsThe Safari 6 URL crisis - All thisToward Better Master Passwords | Agile BlogUrban Dictionary: mann's assumptionMe & YouMe & YouR. Lee Ermey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVoice procedure - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaProcedure word - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia {"Say Again")"Accept loss forever"5by5 | Back to Work #77: Sadness HarmonicaRetroactive continuity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of retcons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWanda Maximoff (Earth-616) - Marvel Comics DatabaseStory of R. Lee Ermey's "Full Metal Jacket" auditionkung fu grippe • Nice!™Anhedonia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by 1Password, Smile Software, and Squarespace. Sign up for Squarespace today to get an extra 10% off any new account with the offer code "soold" (as in, "Merlin looks sooooooo old!"). Watch Merlin's new Squarespace 6 site get built in real time (including screencasts) at http://merlinm.com/s6.
8/20/20121 hour, 29 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 80: Cascading Wave of Bad

TOPIC: Kicking and Screaming Merlin has been dragged kicking and screaming into at least two things this week. Sometimes, that works out, and sometimes it doesn't. But, how many of those things do we need? How many can you sign up for? How often do you see Beast coming down the hall? There aren't that many things you have to do, but how can you see it coming? Well, you know where your cumin is and you haven't checked your MySpace this week. How's that for complicated? Links for this episode:1Password is Ready for John the Ripper | Agile BlogBlizzard and insecurity questions: My father’s middle name is vR2Ut1VNj | Agile Bloglowe/zxcvbnPassfault Demo: Password Evaluationkung fu grippe • Merry Christmas. My office bathroom is a very...Sublime Text 2 Tips and Tricks (Updated) | Nettuts+Passfault Demo: Password Evaluation5by5 | Build and Analyze #90: This Person Isn't Really Heredan on App.net[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`soold`") [SPONSOR] Back To Work - Igloo Software (giving away a "Giant-Size X-Mann Bundle")Some Sublime Text 2 packages of note - Brett TerpstraSublime Text Packages by the Community – wbondkung fu grippe • "Non-Canonical" (in which two Jean Greys totally make out)kung fu grippe • You happy now, bitch?[SPONSOR] 1Password - Have you ever forgotten a password?Toward Better Master Passwords | Agile Blogtextmate/textmateTextmate: Recent enhancements | 43 Folders (Merlin's first post on TextMate, ca. 2005)Ep. 34: "A Shit Barge Full of Long Pigs" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by 1Password, Igloo Software, and Squarespace.
8/13/20121 hour, 29 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 79: Mayor Pro Tem of Hoboville

TOPIC: Adapting to the Danger Room of Life Dan and Merlin talk about how the protagonist of your story handles change in personal and work environments. How do you respond in the face of change you haven't anticipated or isn't conducive to who you want to be? What is the worst that could happen? Who can help you except you? Links for this episode:kung fu grippe • I’m The Old One I love this photo. [via]Merlin’s Awkward Hair Odyssey - a set on Flickrbadtz & me - march '99 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!FL Driver's License; Summer, 1991 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Manhattan, 1989 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!5by5 | Hypercritical #79: Grandpa Uncle Joe[BUY THIS!] Back to Work 'That's Fine for Merlin' T-Shirtkung fu grippe • Sweet Dreams (I love you, Alex Hardy)Twitter / danbenjamin: In the box http://t.co/NAAGyX9EAvalanche (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCognitive bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMeriln Mann - Indie Writer, Speaker, and BroadcasterPro tempore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`soold`") Amazon.com: Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted (9780785115311): Joss Whedon, John Cassaday: BooksGenosha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDanger Room - Marvel Universe Wiki: The definitive online source for Marvel super hero bios.Amazon.com: Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting (9780060391683): Robert McKee: BooksMagical thinking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | The Comic Shack #7: Snakt!Kobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia'Rubric' - Part 4 of 'Glassworks' - Philip Glass - YouTubeTony Robbins firewalking injuries: Why doesn’t everyone who walks on hot coals get burned? - Slate MagazineNearly Two Dozen Injured at Tony Robbins Seminar - NYTimes.comCharles Whitman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • the-x-gene: X-Men Season One by Dennis Hopeless...kung fu grippe • “I am the walrus?” Part of me thinks it ought to...kung fu grippe • Li’l ByrneList of Sanrio characters (Badtz-Maru)Squarespace 6 Template Tool - Squarespace PluginsSquarespace PluginsPeakRead Me — PeakI'm Waiting for the Man - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAngst - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace. Visit Squarespace.com today to get an extra 10% off any new account with the offer code "soold" (as in, "Merlin looks sooooooo old!") And, watch Merlin's new Squarespace site get built in real time at http://merlinm.com. Screencasts of the process coming soon.
8/6/20121 hour, 24 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 78: Scream, Poop, and Run

TOPIC: Gut Churn, Pointing Arrows, and Recognizing Change This week, Dan and Merlin talk at length about a recent article by Radiolab's Jad Abumrad, called, "The Terrors & Occasional Virtues of Not Knowing What You’re Doing." From the genesis of Radiolab through casting about for what comes next, Jad's article reads like a Greatest Hits of Back to Work. Just terrific. It all comes down to working through the times you don't know what you're doing and making, then accepting that—even once you do know—you still have to push through change and evolution. Working through the fear to make something awesome? Well. That's Fine for Jad Abumrad. Links for this episode:Transom » Jad AbumradBehaves So Strangely - RadiolabPodcasts - RadiolabHome - RadiolabJad Abumrad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaProtools-Screen-Shot.png 1,677×1,020 pixelsBehaves So Strangely - RadiolabBinary BonsaiMerlin Mann's WishlistOfficial Squarespace 6 Templates and ThemesBack to Work That's Fine for Merlin T-Shirt | 5by5Jad Abumrad (JadAbumrad) on TwitterAmazon.com: Radio: An Illustrated Guide (9780967967103): Jessica Abel, Ira Glass: BooksRetraction | This American LifeIra Glass on Storytelling, part 1 of 4 - YouTubeIra Glass on Working Through the Suck | 43 Folderskung fu grippe • I’m The Old One I love this photo. [via]People - Oliver Sacks - RadiolabRadiolab (Radiolab) on TwitterTransom » Radiolab: An Appreciation by Ira Glass“There are some people who don’t wait.” Robert Krulwich on the future of journalism | Not Exactly Rocket Science | Discover MagazineThe 'Decline Effect' and Scientific Truth - On The Mediakung fu grippe • John Cleese - “A Lecture on Creativity” ...WAR GAMES Gen. Beringer SPARK PLUG - YouTube[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`yourshow`") Rosacea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (9780743235266): Twyla Tharp: BooksAmazon.com: Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones: ElectronicsMerlin Mann's WishlistThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace. Visit Squarespace.com today to get an extra 10% off any new account with the offer code "yourshow".
7/30/20121 hour, 17 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 77: Sadness Harmonica

TOPIC: Motivation, Hardware Stores, and Fighting the Last War This week, Dan and Merlin talk about motivation—how it changes, how it doesn't, and how it can be fueled by anxiety and cognitive dissonance. There is also discussion of Merlin's pear tart problem, the challenge of the engineering triangle, and, yeah, a new t-shirt That's Fine for Merlin. Links for this episode:Back to Work That's Fine for Merlin T-Shirt | 5by5And now it’s all thisCommuting Takes Its Toll: Scientific Americanfjohnrickert: "@hotdogsladies That doesn't look like you at all! Where are the wrinkles? And the cane?"[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`yourshow`") [SPONSOR] DocuSign (Support 5by5 with a free 30 day trial)5by5 | The Comic Shack #7: Snakt!Letters: Marx-Engels Correspondence 1864kung fu grippe • Ubiquitous Capture I already mostly forgot what...Gastroesophageal reflux disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCognitive dissonance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTracy, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFletch (1985)Search results for 'hipster pda' - All thisB1 battle droid - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki5by5 | Mac Power Users #95: Engineering Workflows with Dr. Drang5by5 | SystematicMy curtain calls - All thisBolt upright - All thiskung fu grippe - "Jeff Goldblum"This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace and Docusign.
7/23/20121 hour, 25 minutes, 43 seconds
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Episode 76: The Avatar of Dorian Gray

TOPICS: Better Meat & Working Backwards This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the many strategic and tactical benefits of reverse-engineering your next project. There is also extensive discussion of choosing, preparing, and cooking meat. It's not food until is sounds like food and it smells like food. Links for this episode:5by5 | The Incomparable #98: Obscure References and Sadness[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!TextExpander: bit.ly with authentication - Brett TerpstraTextExpander 4.0 Fill-In Feature on VimeoHow to Tell If That Steak is DoneAmazon.com: Jaccard Supertendermatic 48-Blade Tenderizer: Home & KitchenNetflix's lost year: The inside story of the price-hike train wreck | Internet & Media - CNET NewsThe Finger Test to Check the Doneness of Meat | Simply RecipesAmazon.com: Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food (9780596805883): Jeff Potter: BooksCooking For Engineers - Step by Step Recipes and Food for the Analytically MindedCode Library - Squarespace Code LibraryTwitter / hotdogsladies: @MailChimp @markdicristinaAmazon.com: The Complete Meat Cookbook (9780618135127): Bruce Aidells, Denis Kelly: BooksAmazon.com: Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (9780684814650): Cheryl Mendelson, Harry Bates: Books[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`yourshow`") Amazon.com: Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Volume 4 (Marvel Masterworks (Numbered)) (9780785158691): Chris Claremont, John Byrne, George Perez: BooksAmazon.com: Little Owl Lost (9780763650223): Chris Haughton: Bookskung fu grippe - (Phoenix at Comic-Con. Sigh.)Fernet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[Merlin's MailChimp visitor badge]Flat iron steak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | After Dark #193: Grillin' with Marco and DanThe Picture of Dorian Gray - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - Project GutenbergEp. 13: "Then There Was Pump Chili" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannTextExpander Shortcuts (per Back to Work e76) — Gist2011/12 Creative Mornings with Ben Chestnut on VimeoScreencast on TextExpander 3 fill-in snippets (by Merlin)PURE Solutions: Hypoallergenic Hotel Rooms, Purifiers, BeddingGuerras Deli & Meats, San Francisco Deli, Bay Area Deli, Steak, Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb, Sausages, Poultry, online deli orderingHome :: EmpireStateSouth.comNPR.org » Delicious Turkey Tips From Food ScientistsFarm Egg - "ESS pepperoni, crisp carolina gold rice, corn puree, beech mushrooms, lambs quarter"Interpunct - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPrime Rib or Standing Rib Roast - Recipe File - Cooking For EngineersThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by two of our favorite friends, Smile and Squarespace. Pick up Smile's TextExpander 4 with awesome new fill-in features. And, visit Squarespace.com today to get an extra 10% off any new account with the offer code "yourshow".
7/16/20121 hour, 27 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 75: The Mayor of Perspective

TOPIC: Feeling Stuck in the Middle This week, Dan and Merlin talk about a topic suggested by listener, @toddsandends: what happens when you're stuck enforcing rules you don't agree with? Whether you're a security guard, an RA, a SysAdmin, a character on The Wire, or pretty much anybody else, sometimes there's just stuff you gotta do. Even when you think it's a terrible idea. So, who's allowed to corrupt you, what's it worth, and how long is that going to be okay with you? As ever, work is a lot of work. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`yourshow`") kung fu grippe - A Sense of Scale I’ve wanted to see what’s...The Wire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediadog diapers - Google SearchX - See How We Are - (Acoustic) - YouTubekung fu grippe - Trinity “C’mon, help ol’ Gil out here!”Brainstorm (1983)Brainstorm Movie Trailer - YouTubeSF bay area all housing classifieds "birds" - craigslistMarsEdit 3 - Desktop blog editing for the Mac.The Wire - "These are for you McNulty" - YouTubeDog Whisperer Cesar Millan | Achieving balance between people and dogsSan Francisco Multimedia Gulch Nostalgia via Yahoo MapsOnline NewsHour: Multimedia Gulch -- July 20, 1999Making sense of Multimedia Gulch - SFGateGil Gunderson - Simpsons WikiLBi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our good friends at Squarespace. Get an extra 10% off your new account with offer code "yourshow".
7/9/20121 hour, 27 minutes, 31 seconds
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Episode 74: Cheap Liberal Arts Relativism

TOPIC: How Much Honesty Can We Stand? This week, Dan and Merlin talk about how ridiculously complex "Honesty" can be. Do "Candor," "Transparency," "Frankness," and all those other Capital Letter Nouns mean the same thing? Links for this episode:Things said can't be unsaid - selfesteem cruelty brutalhonesty | Ask MetaFilterThe 'Busy' Trap - NYTimes.com[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`yourshow`") Gellies Local 416 | You Look Nice Today107.7 The Bone / KSAN-FM San Francisco > Homekung fu grippe - Mixed GrillJester - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaI Think You're Fat - EsquireRadical Honesty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: On Bullshit (0218681122946): Harry G. Frankfurt: BooksPowerMate Support | Griffin TechnologyTed From The Internet: On a recent 5by5 AD, Dan and Merlin were throwing around the idea of a 5by5 Morning Zoo.Great Tools For Your Mac By Andreas Hegenberg » BetterTouchTool, BetterSnapTool & SecondBarTackling keyboard shortcut woes in OS X | MacFixIt - CNET ReviewsHow to use services in Mac OS X | Macworldcough button - WiktionaryTwitter / hotdogsladies: M: Sorry about my office tThe Fantastic Mr. Fox's 'Trademark'John Hummer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUrban Dictionary: back door bragPolitics and the English Language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGeorge Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946Pseudologia fantastica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNeighbors | This American Life5by5 | Back to Work #57: Start with Anger, End with a SignPittsburgh in Words - Can You Say ... 'Hero'? by Tom JunodMerlin and Chauncey GardinerThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our good friends at Squarespace. Get an extra 10% off your new account with offer code "yourshow".
7/2/20121 hour, 24 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 73: Permission to Unclench

TOPIC: Aspects of Letting Go This week, Dan and Merlin talk about two very different viewports into doing what you want to do and being who you want to be. There's the non-fiddly value you earn from getting junk out of your head and into a place you trust (in this instance, OmniFocus location-based contexts). Then, there's the "what the cuss?" situation faced by listener, "Evan," who's struggling with a work conundrum that's hard on the office freezer and his feelings. How do you move toward doing the right thing in the face of a lot of wrong? And, how do you take care of the piddly crap that's made your brain such a messy white board? Also, there's our new t-shirts, some boot scoots, lots of tickles, plus, that total tool who pushed Shlomo out. Don't even get Merlin started. Literally. Links for this episode:5by5 | Mac Power Users #91: Workflows with Merlin Mann III5by5 | Subscribe to the NewsletterColor Merlin![SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`laydown`") [SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time![SPONSOR] Igloo SoftwareRecipes « World Aeropress ChampionshipTim Wendelboe » Blog Archive » Top 3 Aeropress MethodsTextExpander 4.0 Fill-In Feature on VimeoMe & You • In the second issue of the BULK BAG! newsletter of...Me and You: Tuck and Roll from _A Bug's Life_kung fu grippe - The Mandrill Thing For Joel Benjamin and family.xkcd: Duty CallsLos Vengadores - LHMPDM 1x06 Español (España) - YouTubeRoderick on the Line (Merlin's Favorite Episodes)The Long Winters - "New Girl" ["No! YOU are!"]OmniFocus for Mac - The Omni Grouprm (Unix) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaClobbering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - “Here. Put this bandit hat on.” My God, I love...kung fu grippe - “You Cussing With Me?” (Fantastic Mr. Fox)kung fu grippe - In Contexts Hey. You. Tune in to Mac Power Users...kung fu grippe - “Divide that by nine, please.” It’s real...Fantastic Mr. Fox (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - IMDbAmazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: BooksRogue Amoeba | Freebies (SoundSource)revans/bash-it5by5 | The Pipeline #7: Merlin Mannrm -r * by Jeffrey Veen5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus DriverRecology SF • Curbside Recycling Program FAQThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace, Igloo Software, Smile Software.
6/25/20121 hour, 40 minutes, 19 seconds
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Episode 72: Rocky Balboa Moment

TOPIC: Confidence, Courage, and the Problem with Thinking This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why we may or may not feel confident to do stuff. How do other people seem to get it so easily, and where do they find the courage? Well. You walk through The Forum, you check the mics, and you never let thinking get in your way. Too much thinking? UNACCEPTABLE! Dungeon. Seven years. No trials. Links for this episode:Dalrympled (Dan)Dalrympled (Merlin)solipschtick — By this point in my life, I’d also had enough...Me & YouTwitter / hotdogsladies: All of you. Dungeon. SevenHerb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - A Taste of Honey (1967)_HQ - YouTubeTandoor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDesigner drug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaToilets in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Accomplished entirely with that Peter Jackson...Biblical Mount Sinai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTom Baker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPresentation ZenThe Mosquito Coast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Inspire yourself…every day!!!!!Amazon.com: Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations that Inform, Motivate, and Inspire (Business Skills) (English and English Edition) (9780735627352): Cliff Atkinson: BooksFake AmazonToastmasters International - HomeChafing-dish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSterno - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChrome Web Store - TemplateLEMON GRAB UNACCEPTABLE - YouTubeCaltrop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaToto - Washlet S400Glassboard: Know who you're sharing with.The Fantastic Mr. Fox: You Cussing With Me - Movie Trailers - Video Detectivekung fu grippe - “You Cussing With Me?” (Fantastic Mr. Fox)[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`laydown`") [SPONSOR] MailChimpkung fu grippe - x-mann: Yeah. I went there.5by5 | 5by5 Specials #7: Dan Benjamin Guests on Episode #111 of The Bro ShowAmazon.com: Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (2nd Edition) (Voices That Matter) (9780321811981): Garr Reynolds: BooksBath Salts: Deep in the Heart of America's New Drug Nightmare | SPINoubliettekung fu grippe - Nerds of the Cornkung fu grippe - “So.”kung fu grippe - jxpx1138, shreddingMakebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) | 43 FoldersAmazonCritical précis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - The Mandrill Thing For Joel Benjamin and family.This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace and MailChimp.
6/18/20121 hour, 27 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 71: Sorry to Lose You as a Son

TOPIC: The Problem with Passive-Aggression. If that's okay with you. This week, Dan and Merlin apologize if they've made you unhappy with an episode about passive-aggressiveness, wussy non-communication, and non-apology apologies. But, maybe, that'll just have to be okay with them. But, could you PLEASE take your tuna out of the fridge, pick up after your dog, make more coffee, change the toilet paper roll, and help with taking trash to the curb? Thank You In Advance For Your Cooperation! — The Management Links for this episode:kung fu grippe - Q: What’s my next X-Men? Obviously, a lot of you...Twitter / defunkt: Soon: http://t.co/ufqZ8FiZPassive–aggressive behavior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPassiveAggressiveNotes.comDays of Future Past - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDays of Future Passed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMultiverse (Marvel Comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEarth-616 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPDFpen for iPad: PDF Editing Software for Mac iOSBULK Bag! Issue #05kung fu grippe - The Avengers - “Hulk smashes Loki” I can watch...Five power tools of the unintentionally creepy guy | 5ivesLeave-A-Sign-About-Dog-Poop Guy | Flickr - Photo Sharing!5by5 | Back to Work #57: Start with Anger, End with a Signkung fu grippe - FIN Sigh. Finished #137 last night, drawing The...The Silent Treatment | PassiveAggressiveNotes.com[SPONSOR] MailChimp[SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`laydown`") [SPONSOR] Smile (save $15 on PDFpen or PDFpenPro)IMG: Original "twttr" logo Twitter / rsa: "I have decided that @lonelysandwich, @scottsimpson and @hotdogsladies need to start a podcast. The absence of said podcast is a crime."This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by MailChimp, Smile, and Squarespace.
6/11/20121 hour, 39 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 70: Expectation Zero

TOPIC: Recalibrating Expectations This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about struggling with expectations. Everybody's expectations. Including yours. Why it's worth recalibrating your own expectations, managing others' expectations, and accepting the impossibility of knowing—let alone meeting—the expectations of the entire world. Because, that's monkeyballs. We also learn that Merlin likes his buttons touched very gently. Links for this episode:Language Log » “Factlets”Back To Work - Igloo SoftwareHearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Back to Work: “Like Patty Hearst in a Closet” ...Back to Work (b2wshow) on TwitterAmazon.com: Apocalypse Now (Apocalypse Now / Apocalypse Now Redux / Hearts of Darkness) (Three-Disc Full Disclosure Edition) [Blu-ray]: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Francis Ford Coppola: Movies & TVAmazon.com: Heart of Darkness (Dover Thrift Editions) (9780486264646): Joseph Conrad, Stanley Appelbaum: Books[SPONSOR] Igloo Software[SPONSOR] MailChimpDruthers, CA | You Look Nice TodayEp. 34: "A Sh*t Barge Full of Long Pigs" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mannkung fu grippe - “Now, I have cloud hair.” ASTONISHING X-MEN...Sign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! Newsletter5ives | Merlin's Lists of Five Things5by5 | Build and Analyze #80: Please, Go to StarbucksChris Elliott as Brando on Letterman - Banana dance - YouTubeVIDEO: "I swallowed a bug." —Marlon Brando (1976)kung fu grippe - In Which Merlin Buys Some DollsTwitterThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Igloo Software and MailChimp.
6/5/20121 hour, 25 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 69: Seven Dwarfs of Bad Emotion

TOPIC: Boogers and Expectations Are you making perfect reports when your boss just wants them on time? Are you making crème brûlée when you should be jumping in a trench? Are wangs and boogers causing problems at work? This week, Dan and Merlin talk more about expectations – whether you're willing to or not – and the risks of expectations of partners, bosses, and kids. How can you handle expectations? There aren't a lot of easy answers. As you'd probably expect. Links for this episode:middleclasstool - Blog - Something Something Meth JokePre-Cana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHanlon's razor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZagg Pepper | We’re super excited to show you our latest and...Found My Place - BlogTales of Wonder - Marvel Masterworks Uncanny X-Men Vol 2 New Ed TPConfessions of a Car Salesman - Print Friendly[SPONSOR] MailChimp [SPONSOR] Squarespace (10% off with offer code, "`goaheadcaller`") [SPONSOR} Warby Parker (10% off with discount code, "`5BY5TV10`") David Mamet’s Master Class Memo to the Writers of The Unit - Movielinegolden balls. the weirdest split or steal ever! - YouTubePrisoner's dilemma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGame theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFound My Place - Blog - Song: "Lost in Space"Amazon.com: The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 2 (Marvel Masterworks) (9780785137047): Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne: BooksDiplomacy (game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - "Public libraries rule." - In Which _Uncanny X-Men Masterworks Vol. 2_ Arrives!kung fu grippe - "I Love My Blended Family" - In Which Merlin Prepares to Read 5 Years of _X-Men_[KFG] You Look Nice Today - “Lot About a Thing Guy”Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls - YouTube'Actors should be treated like cattle.' —Alfred HitchcockThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Warby Parker, MailChimp, and Squarespace.
5/29/20121 hour, 37 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 68: The Black Queen is Killing Me

TOPIC: Incentive, Inspiration, and Motivation This week, Dan and Merlin are inspired to talk about the incentive and the motivation to make something. Inspiration is marketed as something you're missing, but it has a short expiration date, and if you're more scared than uninspired then it doesn't matter how many pieces of candy you're offered. And what do you do if selling bottled water cozies affects your intrinsic motivation to make them? Well. It's complicated. As usual. Links for this episode:Replication studies: Bad copy : Nature News & CommentThe Coffee Collective Blog: Updated Aeropress brewing methodLetters of Note: It has never got easierkung fu grippe • “La la laaaaaaaa…” (Sneaky Peek of next Squarespace song)[SPONSOR] PDFpen from Smile: A Proud Sponsor of Back To WorkSign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! Newsletter 5by5 | 5by5 Specials #6: Regarding The Talk Show5by5 Radio iOS AppAmazon.com: AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker with Bonus 350 Micro Filters: Kitchen & DiningNerd BoyfriendnvALT 2.2 Public Beta - Brett TerpstraMarked - smart tools for smart writersMarked 1.5 Sneak Peak - Brett Terpstrattscoff (Brett Terpstra) on GithubSimpsons - Sideshow bob steps on rakes - YouTubeBulk Bag at Amy's Ice Creams | Flickr - Photo Sharing!marvel comics - Why can't adamantium cut through vibranium? - Science Fiction and FantasyAdamantium - Marvel Comics DatabaseDignan (Character)VIDEO: Roxanna & Adam - "The Aristocrats" on VimeoPinboard: global tag page for eatsleeploveJamie Phelps (jxpx777) on TwitterBlog - jxpx777.com—Personal website of Jamie Phelps [SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp Get Previous Issues of Back to Work's "BULK Bag!" NewsletterHearts of SpaceCEOs and the Candle Problem - A Mad Hemorrhage Blog | Nature Publishing GroupThe Smiths - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNerd Boyfriend - Pacino and WalkenAeroPress “Ritual” on VimeoThe Dark Phoenix Saga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • "The Black Queen"Jean Grey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus (v. 1) (9780785121015): Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne: BooksAmazon.com: X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga (9780785164210): Chris Claremont, Jo Duffy, John Byrne, Mike Collins, John Buscema, Jerry Bingham: BooksIntellivision® TV Commercial: Major League Baseball - YouTubeParis Review - The Art of Fiction No. 21, Ernest HemingwayInterviews, Writers, Quotes, Fiction, Poetry - Paris ReviewMeat is Murder by the Smiths (Album Version) - YouTubeThe Smiths - Reel Around the Fountain - Live - YouTubeThe Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - YouTubeThe Smiths - This Charming Man - YouTubeNVAlt Tips « MacdrifterSimplicity Is BlissgridwriternvALT 2.1 - Notational Velocity ForkVoodooPad: New Stuff in VoodooPad 5My Bodyguard (1980) - IMDbThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Smile and MailChimp.
5/21/20121 hour, 14 minutes, 16 seconds
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Episode 67: Ad Hoc Bra

TOPIC: Trying On The Change This week, Dan and Merlin (who might not have mentioned he didn't sleep much) discuss the balance between placing nickel bets versus going all-in—or at least thinking all-in. You might be talking yourself into stasis or change, but if you don't really try it on first, you may find out the techno and combat boots are nothing compared to living under incontinent grackles. Links for this episode:kung fu grippe • Example Portraiture (Tanforan Mall) Hm. Hm. ...kung fu grippe • 3rdmartini: Taco night was apparently a success....Found My Place - BlogIt's a Wonderful Life - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPictures & Photos from It's a Wonderful Life - IMDbits-a-wonderful-life_592x299.jpg 592×299 pixels"And don't tell me there isn't one bit of difference between null and space, because that's exactly how much difference there is. :-)"New TextMate Bundle, Edit Templates and Campaigns | MailChimp Email Marketing BlogThe surprisingly complicated legacy of Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee - GrantlandHofstadter's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCommon Grackle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBullseye | Maximum FunCleric (Dungeons & Dragons) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaYa Blew It... - YouTubeTim and Eric's Awsome Show Great Job- Mr.Henderson - YouTubeMarsEdit 3 - Desktop blog editing for the Mac.Amazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 1 (9781401229740): Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquereque: BooksAmazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 2 (9781401230708): Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquereque: BooksAmazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 3 (9781401233334): Scott Snyder: BooksAmazon.com: American Vampire Vol. 4 (9781401237189): Scott Snyder, Rafael Alburqurqe: Books[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp [SPONSOR] Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace (Extra 10% off with offer code, "`goaheadcaller`") Sign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! Newsletter Found My Place - Blog - Song: "Just Fine"CHRONIC JET-LAG INCREASES MORTALITY IN AGED MICECircadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders: Part I, Basic Principles, Shift Work and Jet Lag DisordersAn American Academy of Sleep Medicine ReviewExperimental ‘Jet Lag’ Inhibits Adult Neurogenesis and Produces Long-Term Cognitive Deficits in Female HamstersThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at MailChimp and Squarespace.
5/15/20121 hour, 20 minutes, 25 seconds
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Episode 66: Horseradish on My Raccoon

TOPIC: The Pete Campbell Problem Ever notice how you never really "arrive?" Or, have you ever noticed that right when you think you've "arrived," you don't stay arrived for very long—but now have a whole big bunch of new stuff to do? Yeah, us too. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about expectations, the wrong kinds of ambition, and the unquenchable lust for prestige and respect. Good practitioners practice, great leaders lead, and crummy managers just get their fingers all brown from digging around in your chocolate bag. How to see yourself more as your team does—and less as That Guy who deserves more everything. Because there will always be more "everything." Links for this episode:Found My Place - Blog - Song: "Staying Up"I loved Merlin Mann’s song Staying Up so much I...Orchestra hit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Arrival (1996) - IMDbMad Men's Pete Campbell: An interview with Vincent Kartheiser - Slate Magazine[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace (Extra 10% off with offer code, "`goaheadcaller`")Sign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! NewsletterPiriformis muscle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVanishing twin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Apple Magic Trackpad: ElectronicsSrirachaTapatio Hot SauceBeaverton Foods - Beaver Brand Mustards, Horseradish, Mayo, Tartar, Coctail Sauce and More!The Dark Phoenix Saga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe: "SCOTT! JEAN!"UnderscorefunkDesign (underscorefunk) on TwitterUnderscorefunk DesignNew Order - True Faith - YouTubeNew Order - Thieves Like Us - YouTubeNew Order - Bizarre Love Triangle Music Video - YouTubeFireballed.org - The Anti-FireballNew Order - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNew Order live, 1984, 'Temptation' - YouTubeCos Cob, Connecticut - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPete Campbell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • With success comes a level of sadness. You think,...Patton Oswalt – "You Are Allowed 20 Birthday Parties"Buddhism Plain and Simple: Steve Hagen: 9780767903325: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre (9780878301171): Keith Johnstone: BooksThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at Squarespace and MailChimp.
5/7/20121 hour, 23 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 65: A Light Dusting of Life

TOPIC: Stressing Out About Stress Dan and Merlin talk about what happens when stress meets stress, anxiety feeds anxiety, and 10 guys maybe try to jump you in the woods. Which kinds of stress are simply unavoidable? Which ones are addictive? Which ones can be tolerated? And, yes, which kinds of stresses can be vanquished by firing your boss? Links for this episode:FoundMyPlace.net (Merlin's Music Project with Squarespace)[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimpSign-up for Back to Work's BULK Bag! NewsletterAeroPress “Ritual” on Vimeo[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Create a Blog - SquarespacePricing - SquarespaceAmazon.com: Das Keyboard Model S Professional Mechanical Keyboard: ElectronicsThe Stenciled Approach | You Look Nice TodayMN 82: Ratthapala SuttaDorothy Parker: "If all the girls attending it were laid end to end…"Dorothy C. Fisher: "A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary."Prayer (Direct petitions to God) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (9780449208397): Erma Bombeck: BooksThe Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank: Erma Bombeck: 9780345471727: Amazon.com: BooksThe World's Greatest Joke - "One penguin says, 'You look like you're wearing a tuxedo.…'"The Special Pig Joke - "OK, Fred. So just tell me. How did he get the wooden leg?"The Aristocrats (joke) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Aristocrats (2005)Gruber's Das Keyboard | Flickr - Photo Sharing! [1]Gruber's Das Keyboard | Flickr - Photo Sharing! [2]Ratatouille (2007)Ed Gein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGregg shorthand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPincer movement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[Weltanschauung] World view - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[MP3] "Obstacle Race" by Merlin MannFree Custom Domain Names — The Official Squarespace Blogkung fu grippe • Sickening. It’s like replacing a supermodel with...The Super Hero Squad Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitter / @hotdogsladies: "My 'z' key broke."This episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at MailChimp and Squarespace.
5/3/20121 hour, 30 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 64: Frozen Poster

TOPIC: The Surprising Problems of "Doing What You Love" Merlin has some follow up on Agency: be in control of what you give away and why you charge what you charge, and Dan is interested in what happens when you stop loving what you love when you do it as a job. There are no guarantees, so don't mistake the Federalist Papers for Constitutional Law, and if you miss the signs you shouldn't be sailing, you'll just end up vomiting in your bucket hat. You're not going suddenly arrive and do what you love. You get there through course correction: look back at all the ugly birdhouses and look ahead for the next step toward building a home. Links for this episode:Mad Men's Pete Campbell: An interview with Vincent KartheiserTwitter / @danbenjamin: At last, the Bulk Bag at @ ...The Unofficial 5by5 SoundboardMicah's tumblog - It’s the post that @danbenjamin and @hotdogsladies...Greenview Studios - Journal - Back to WorkAmazon.com: Apogee JAM Studio Quality Guitar Input for iPad, iPhone and Mac: Electronicsbucket hats, Accessories at Zappos.com[SPONSOR] MailChimp[SPONSOR] SquarespacePlease don't let me hit the ground. on VimeoThe Man Who Broke Atlantic City - Magazine - The AtlanticWelcome to Amy's Ice CreamsAmy's Ice Creams - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia100-sided die - Google SearchZocchihedron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe • “I want some ‘book bag.’” It’s “BULK Bag,”...Prolost - Blog - Chasing WildebeestsChasing Wildebeests - Scruffy - Scruffy | ThinkingCherryPy — A Minimalist Python Web FrameworkSubscribe to Back to Work's "BULK Bag!" Newsletterhorace greeley - Google SearchCranking | 43 FoldersHow Long Is the Coast of Britain? Statistical Self-Similarity and Fractional Dimension - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 FoldersEp. 29: "Eventually My Scabs Healed" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannHarry Nilsson - Me and my Arrow - YouTube"You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way"Dollar Shave ClubPhineas and Ferb Agent P PJ Pal for Boys | PJ Pals | Disney StoreJudy Garland - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - YouTubeGalette - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis episode of Back to Work is sponsored by our friends at MailChimp and Squarespace.
4/23/20121 hour, 38 minutes, 38 seconds
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Episode 63: Bold with the Scissors

TOPIC: Agency, Independence, and Outing Your Makebelieve "Partners." Dan and Merlin return to the topic of agency. Who's allowed to speak and act on your behalf? And, what happens when you discover people who've unilaterally decided by fiat to speak and act on your behalf? Well. If your work (and your business) matters to you, you tell them to knock it off. How to reclaim your own stuff, set your own terms, and fire all the non-silent non-partners of the lucrative Free Compliment Industry. Links for this episode:Workshops | Squarespace Workshops - archive - Beyond the BlogWorkshops | Squarespace Workshops - archive - Building a PortfolioSimplifed Plans and Pricing — The Official Squarespace Blog[SPONSOR] Squarespace.com. Use offer code `turnsout` for 10% off. [SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!iTextEditors - iPhone and iPad text/code editors and writing tools compared"If you think it's fancy to expect permission to sell stupid shit people said, just wait until you start saying stupid shit worth selling."5by5 | Back to Work #12: Chewie's Medal is Not CanonicalFree as in "Me" | 43 FoldersGiant Steps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHenry's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Sodastream Fountain Jet Soda Maker Starter Kit: Kitchen & DiningAmazon.com: A Confederacy of Dunces (9780802130204): John Kennedy Toole, Walker Percy: Books5by5 | After Dark #143: After Back to Work #63Merlin's Frequently Asked Questions - Merlin MannSponsored this week by our pals at Squarespace and Smile. Please visit the show notes for this episode to find links, tips, and special offers.
4/16/20121 hour, 20 minutes, 21 seconds
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Episode 62: Cultural Molasses

TOPIC: Karmasucks, No-Sayers, and Black and White Thinking Dan and Merlin consider the karmasucks and black and white thinking that lead to inertia and a culture of derision. Anyone can laugh at an agenda, and it only takes one turd in the punchbowl to ruin the party, so don't ask permission, ask yes or no questions, and keep your judge behind your explorer. Links for this episode:Why isn't that Buddha statue fat?Monty Python - "Election Night Special" - YouTubePhineas and Ferb - "My Nemesis" - YouTubeWaldorf education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCreative Think - Roger von OechAmazon.com: A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative (9780446404662): Roger von Oech: BooksAmazon.com: A Kick in the Seat of the Pants: Using Your Explorer, Artist, Judge, and Warrior to Be More Creative: Explore similar itemsJonathan Coulton with John Roderick - "Nemeses" - YouTube[SPONSOR] Squarespace.com. Use offer code `turnsout` for 10% off.It's About Time! - Phineas and Ferb Wiki - Your Guide to Phineas and FerbMy Nemesis - Phineas and Ferb Wiki - Your Guide to Phineas and FerbDAYTUMFalse dilemma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSplitting (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBorderline personality disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCreative Prob-solving (KISP)Spicynodes : Fostering creativityGrace Hopper: "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission.""Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade.""It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!"VIDEO: "John Cleese - A Lecture on Creativity" (Do **NOT** miss!)"Bill Cosby: Himself" - Part OneBill Cosby: Himself (1983)Ep. 14: "Big City Apology" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannTim & Eric - "Gravy Robbers Training Video" (with Zach Galifianakis)Tim & Eric - "Gravy Robbers!" - YouTubeElection Night Special - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPrimer (2004)DAYTUM: Merlin's Running Sodastream StatsMitchell & Webb - "That's Numberwang!"Sponsored by Squarespace. Use offer code, turnsout for 10% off.
4/9/20121 hour, 2 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 61: I Handed Him My Luke

Dan and Merlin talk about Dancing Han Solo, going to college in Florida, and developing smarter patterns for Getting Things Diaried. Whether you're calling collect, person-to-person, or station-to-station, it's time to get serious, get realistic, and just get it on the calendar. Send the invite, work those Telephone Thursdays, and make that call E6W ("Every 6 Weeks"). Pick the system that supports your intentions. Then use it. Links for this episode:LensRentals.com - Hammerforum.comLobster Farm | You Look Nice Today"Old, Old Friend" - Threadless.com - Best t-shirts in the worldDancing to "I'm Han Solo" on Kinect Star Wars - YouTubeA Sextodecimestrial Letter to YLNT Shareholders | You Look Nice TodayYou Look Nice Today — The You Look Nice Today Starter Packsimplecomic - An uncluttered comic viewer for os-x - Google Project HostingVachina | You Look Nice TodayWolverine - Marvel Comics DatabaseJean Grey - Marvel Comics Databasekung fu grippe - Siracusa "LIKE AN ANIMAL!" ringtoneApp Store - Comic Zeal Comic ReaderAwayFind - Mobile notifications for priority messages. The email management solution for Gmail and Exchange.Tungle.me | Scheduling Made EasyCash DukeClaude Zeins (czeins) on Twitter
4/2/20121 hour, 9 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 60: Living Inside an Unfinished Thing

Dan and Merlin consider how to rethink your work as a platform. It's not just a job, or just a career, or (God forbid) just a brand--it's about deciding when you need to take your time and attention pro. How the stuff you've made and done can be leveraged into the next things you'd like to make and do; how to find the orthogonal angles and unexpected branches; how to learn what you need to learn; and how to take your work so seriously that you'll dare a quick dip in the douche pool. Links for this episode:Why People Remember Negative Events More Than Positive Ones - NYTimes.comTwitter / @rands: Reputation is the sum tota ...Video for Merlin's "Inbox Zero" talk | 43 FoldersDamocles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEveryday Use - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSorry to Lose You (sorrytoloseyou) on TwitterRaynaud's phenomenon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMPU 023: Workflows with Merlin Mann « Mac Power UsersSimple Comic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Byword • A Simple Text Editor for Mac and iOSHow Companies Learn Your Secrets - NYTimes.comA compelling take on breaking bad habits - FT.com37signals: Web-based collaboration apps for small business"If you're proud of your work, don't worry whether everyone loves it…"Amazon.com: The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (9781936891023): Steven Pressfield, Shawn Coyne: BooksAmazon.com: The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (9780743235273): Twyla Tharp, Mark Reiter: Bookskung fu grippe • Donny & Marie - “May Tomorrow Be A Perfect Day” ...Kill file - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Byword, a Simple Text Editor for Mac and iOS
3/26/20121 hour, 10 minutes, 30 seconds
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Episode 59: Brains All the Way Down

This week, Dan and Merlin tackle the problem of changing cultures at work. It's not a snapshot, it's not a kitchen table, and it may actually have surprisingly little to do with you. Which is complicated. Links for this episode:App Store - Flow Powered by AmazonRL Classic for iPhone, iPod touch (4th generation), iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad (3rd generation) and iPad Wi-Fi + 4G on the iTunes App StoreStealth Mountain (stealthmountain) on Twitterttscoff/Brett-s-TextExpander-SnippetsTE-snippets | TextExpander snippets beter the bullitsTE-snippets | TextExpander snippets beter the bullits[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!TextExpander Tools - Brett Terpstradrdrang/te-url-snippetsdrdrang/tedist[SPONSOR] Squarespace (30% off 3 months with `buttonitup`)[SPONSOR] Byword • A Simple Text Editor for Mac and iOSfsck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[img] X-Men & Amazon FlowUse “Mobile Documents” Folder To Sync Files with iCloud Across MacsEternal September - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaApplejack Project PageRadius 81/110 - All thisLaurelhurst Market Restaurant and Butcher Shop Portland, ORVideo: Merlin's Time & Attention Talk (Improvised Rutgers Edition) | 43 FoldersSponsored by Byword, Squarespace, and Smile.
3/19/20122 hours, 1 minute, 36 seconds
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Episode 58: Girl with the QR Tattoo

TOPIC: Changing Inputs Dan turns Merlin's technical difficulties into a discussion of discovering and paying attention to things that have a high ROI. It's not about who you think you are, or the latest and loudest thing. You'll miss something even if you follow 1000 blogs, so remember who you really are. La pregunta: ¿Que hacer? Links for this episode:Squarespace Food Truck (@ SxSW, Mar 9-17)[PDF] Squarespace-Food-Truck-MenuBrightkite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTime Management, Productivity, & Project Tracking Software (Mac/PC) | RescueTimeSpirited Away - drikin.com - the Mac wayHibari: A Mac Twitter client with keyword filtering, muting, inline saved search results, inline conversations, tweet lookup, and moreThe Beatles in Hamburg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRazzledazzle | You Look Nice TodayMarked: MultiMarkdown preview, everywhereNoodlesoft | HazelLearn more about Labs features - Google Calendar HelpAwayFind - Mobile notifications for priority messages. The email management solution for Gmail and Exchange.OtherInbox | Save your inbox for real peopleSuperDuper!OmniFocus for Mac - Products - The Omni GroupYour Outboard Brain Knows AllMy Blog, My Outboard Brain - O'Reilly MediaOne Foot Tsunami by Paul KafasisThe PresurferkickingbearGmail - Priority Inbox – mailMakebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) | 43 FoldersDreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple opinion and news | The LoopTip of the tongue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFlow (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFile:Challenge vs skill.svg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Unix in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition (9780596100292): Arnold Robbins: Bookskung fu grippe • tedfromtheinternet: On a recent 5by5 AD, Dan and...AppleJack Project PageSponsored by Squarespace.com (30% off 3 months, with offer code, buttonitup)
3/12/20121 hour, 12 minutes, 44 seconds
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Episode 57: Start with Anger, End with a Sign

Merlin and Dan talk about successful lawn care secrets and getting angry over dog poop, paper towels, duck crossings, and the Dark Side. No one ever saw the error of their ways because they saw a note from Management. Instead of counting piles and grabbing coals, maybe act a little more like Mr. Rogers. Links for this episode:Rogue Amoeba | Piezo: Charmingly Simple Recording From Applications and Audio Devicesdop-poop-piles.jpg (768×1024)Neighbors | This American LifePittsburgh in Words - Can You Say ... 'Hero'? by Tom JunodPassiveAggressiveNotes.comRight versus pragmatic – Marco.orgThe Elimination of Anger: With two stories retold from the Buddhist textsThree poisons (Buddhism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFive Precepts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFour Noble Truths - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNoble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Wars: Machete OrderTragedy of the commons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Edit » Fanedit.org – Home of the faneditsStar Wars Episode 2: Attack Of The Phantom » Fanedit.org – Home of the faneditsMike J. Nichols (theeditdoctor) on TwitterWoody Allen: "Eighty percent of success is showing up."Arthur Treacher - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"There is 1 person with the first name 'Fedow' in Florida."[SPONSOR] Squarespace.com (30% off 3 months, with offer code, buttonitup)
3/5/20121 hour, 33 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 56: One Giant Beholder Dinosaur

Merlin and Dan talk about your attachment to old coffee cups, Captain America glasses, and Grandma's underwear cabinet—all the physical (and emotional) clutter that keeps you from making the things you love and having the life you want. The Kipple. See: it's not a red snapper problem, it's an emotional problem. So, quit being scared of your fridge, or your inbox, or your todo list. Just suck it up, buy some contractor bags, and never organize another thing that's not worth keeping. Links for this episode:Right versus pragmatic – Marco.orgAmazon.com: It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff (9780743292658): Peter Walsh: BooksSodastream Fountain Jet Soda Maker Starter Kit: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Diningikea lamp - YouTubeAmazon.com: Husky PA3242HD 42-Gallon Contractor Clean-Up Bags, 32-Count: Patio, Lawn & GardenAmazon.com: Tuff Sak CCB750 42-Gallon Heavy Duty Contractor Clean Up Bags: Home ImprovementCool Tools: It's All Too MuchMedical uses of silver - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLeon Trotsky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMy War on Clutter: Never "organize" what you can discard | 43 FoldersMy War on Clutter: Inspiration for Independence Day | 43 FoldersMy War on Clutter: The Tools to Purge BIG | 43 FoldersClutter War II: Attack of the Giant Baby | 43 Folderskung fu grippeSponsored by TinyLetter and Shopify.
2/28/20121 hour, 27 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 55: The Pickles Never Touch

This week Dan and Merlin ponder why there's so much variability in the quality of our work.  Whether we're making code, scrubbing toilets, or stinking up the Arby's, what explains our individual drive to do something better? Links for this episode:Features - SquarespaceSponsored by 1Password and Squarespace.
2/21/20121 hour, 47 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 54: Freemium Mason

Merlin and Dan talk about returning to paleo, the nature of wieners and discouragement, crown vic habits and anxiety addiction. You won't beat it without a cocktail of grit and care with just the right amount of sacrifice. Links for this episode:BRYCE DOT VCHot dog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | 5by5 Specials #4: KindacriticalStudio Neat — WelcomeMy Family’s Experiment in Extreme Schooling - NYTimes.comWhat if the Secret to Success Is Failure? - NYTimes.comBear CSS - Helping you build a solid stylesheet foundation based on your markupCreators of Daily Challenge - MeYou HealthQuills Coffee - Welcome to Quills CoffeeQuit Touching My Toilet PaperPortland Hotel | Downtown Portland Oregon Hotels | Courtyard by Marriott HotelStu Maschwitz (5tu) on TwitterProlost - BlogIMDb - Stuart T. MaschwitzSimon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action - YouTubeHot Pockets - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLaurelhurst Market Restaurant and Butcher Shop Portland, ORThe Paleo Diet: A Link PrimerLo-Carb Chicago Dog | Flickr - Photo Sharing!United Airlines - Airline Tickets, Airline Reservations, Flight AirfareSponsored by Smile and Squarespace.
2/16/20121 hour, 35 minutes, 2 seconds
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Episode 53: The Wages of Security

In the most average episode ever, Merlin and Dan talk physical and digital work environments so you can get going in the right direction and don't have to spend all day on it. And, when do you know you don't want 10 times more of something and what do you do about it? There's no guarantee of security, even if you show up sober, so start acting like an entrepreneur and choose what you want 10 times more of. Links for this episode:An Unfortunate Little Man - Merlin MannSlideshow 2.0 - Blog - The Official Squarespace BlogTop 10 Programming FontsSolarized - Ethan Schoonoverdeplorableword/textmate-solarized - GitHubfilmgirl/TextMate-Themes - GitHubAppearance Manager - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaByword • A Simple Text Editor for Macoctothorpe - WiktionaryCalepinMerlin’s Calepin ThingeePelican — Pelican v2 documentationPygments — Python syntax highlighterSanta's Village artifacts | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Slideshow 2.0 - Blog - The Official Squarespace Blogkung fu grippe • An Unfortunate Little Man For today’s Back to...kung fu grippeAwkward Stock PhotosHibari: A Mac Twitter client with keyword filtering, muting, inline saved search results, inline conversations, tweet lookup, and moreCD-i - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaVIDEO: Mitchell & Webb - "A New Führer"The Front Linekung fu grippe • “Yet, here we are.” Same way, if you’re caught...Rabbit #2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing![SPONSOR] Squarespace.com - 15% off 6 months with code `bulkbag`Five terrible fake “Morning Zoo” teams | 5ivesLife Without Gluten: Perspectives | KQED Public Media for Northern CASci-Fi Hi-Fi - "How to form a stampede of engineers at Tumblr HQ."The compleat Menlo/Vera Sans comparison - All thisAmazon.com: The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety (Vintage) (9780307741202): Alan W. Watts: BooksM+ OUTLINE FONTS | DESIGNScared Shitless | 43 Foldersviolasong | Hibari design philosophySponsored by Squarespace.
2/7/20121 hour, 55 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 52: Walk the Coastline, Bitches

TOPIC: The Hidden Cost is the True Cost Merlin is back from MacWorldPipeiWorld to talk with Dan about the True Cost of iceberg lettuce, an anchor tenant, 20 minutes of your time, and how much of your life you're going to eat sand. You don't have a TARDIS to make it back to pick up your kid or make it to Built to Spill so walk the coastline. Links for this episode:Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: Natalie Portman from Comedy Deathray, Between Two Ferns, Natalie Portman, Zach Galifianakis, Scott Aukerman, and BJPorterBetween Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Conan O'Brien & Andy Richter from Between Two Ferns, Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien, Zach Galifianakis, Comedy Deathray, Scott Aukerman, and BJPorterMandy Patinkin - IMDbAlien Nation (1988) - IMDbMerlin Mann - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediasnopes.com: Handyman's Invoice5by5 | After Dark #75: PamphletMichael Wolfe's answer to Engineering Management: Why are software development task estimations regularly off by a factor of 2-3? - QuoraThat design is money! A better ATM experience from Wells FargoHow Long Is the Coast of Britain? Statistical Self-Similarity and Fractional Dimension - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFractal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace.
1/31/20121 hour, 16 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 51: Living Inside the Nonsense

TOPIC: Slipping on Dates, Sliding on Days Merlin and Dan talk about managing projects, scheduling calls, and being home when you scheduled a party. It SEEMS SO SIMPLE but then Jeannie has to go to Guam and slipping is your SOP. The way out of this quagmire is to admit you can't get out of it. You can't change a culture of slipping with a poster or a fairy princess. You have to fix the slides if you want to fix the slips. Links for this episode:Google Web FontsAgile Online StoreSponsored by 1Password and Squarespace.
1/24/20121 hour, 22 minutes, 32 seconds
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Episode 50: The Pork Soup Paradox

TOPIC: What to do if you fear a layoff. Merlin and Dan talk about rumors of layoffs—when the fear gets you, and you start filing in the narrative with a panther, even if you're developing the best-of-breed cereal portal or have been in the newspaper's Accounts Payable department for 20 years. What do you do at the fork in the road? Do you interview with The Bobs? Do you just grow up and ask what the hell's happening? Do you try to pray away the hurricane? Or, do you just get tragically okay with being 10 times more terrified for 10 more years? Yes: there are lessons from The Wire. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: The DV Rebel's Guide: An All-Digital Approach to Making Killer Action Movies on the Cheap (9780321413642): Stu Maschwitz: BooksStu Maschwitz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaProlost - BlogNoble savage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Wire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Industry Standard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Big Lebowski (1998) - IMDb5by5 | 5by5 at the Movies #1: GoodfellasRodgers Forge Snow Journal: Curbside Lawn Chairs and Parking Wars - Towson, MD PatchGorf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArcadeCab- MAME cabinet plans and related information5by5 | Back to Work #49: The Field of Completion5by5 | Back to Work #1: Alligator in the Bathroomcn_image.size.s-guantanamo-bay.jpg (630×427)"If anyone wants me, I’ll be in my autographed Batgirl photo with the Big Lebowski reference. "Chasing Wildebeests - Scruffy - Scruffy | ThinkingOffice Space (1999) - IMDbAmazon.com: Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner: Health & Personal CareColors of noise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaX-Men Vol 1 110 - Marvel Comics DatabaseSponsored by Smile and Squarespace.
1/18/20121 hour, 24 minutes, 3 seconds
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Episode 49: The Field of Completion

John Gruber joins Merlin to talk about blog engines, Lego, bias, credibility, the project triangle, and (duh) Star Wars.  Links for this episode:Project triangle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Wars Vintage KENNER Commercial - Death Star - YouTubeThe Phantom Edit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStar Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Edit » Fanedit.org – Home of the faneditsstar wars despecialized - Google SearchBehind the Scenes of Harmy's Star Wars "Despecialized Edition" - Screened5by5 | The Talk Show #57: The Banana Window5by5 | The Talk Show #71: HashcowLegacy Tobacco Documents Library: About the Collectionsre: agreements between Stallone and Asso... (hlm56b00)Amazon.com: Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy (9780439882828): Matthew Reinhart: BooksAmazon.com: Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives (9781931498715): George Lakoff, Howard Dean, Don Hazen: BooksEco - "Writings: IBM vs. Mac"43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 Folderskung fu grippe • Star Wars Pop-Up Book Per Back to Work #49. ...Bullshit – Marco.orgSponsored by Harvest and Rackspace.
1/10/20121 hour, 41 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 48: An Abrupt Existential Jerk

TOPIC: How habits get made.  Dan and Merlin are back for 2012 to discuss how habits are like little hairs or inertia or homeostasis or something. How we build habits, how they get built for us, and what we can learn about habits from making our daily coffee. Links for this episode:Shutting Down My Porno Site | Pat DryburghAmazon.com: Thinking, Fast and Slow (9780374275631): Daniel Kahneman: BooksAvailability heuristicTurn your key, sir!Photic sneeze reflexkung fu grippe • annicka: zombiesenelghetto: Black Flag,...HomeostasisAmazon.com: Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker, Black/Brushed Metal: Kitchen & DiningFood drives: Charities need your money, not your random old food. - Slate MagazineBetterAmazon.com: Sakura IDenti-Pen Permanent Dual-Point Pen, Black: Arts, Crafts & SewingAmazon.com: uni-ball Gel RT Micro Point Retractable Pens, 12 Blue Ink Pens(69035): Office ProductsAmazon.com: uni-ball Deluxe Fine Point Roller Ball Pens, 12 Black Ink Pens (60052): Office ProductsJetPens.com - Japanese Pens and StationeryThinking, Fast and Slow - FT.comThis explains so much. | MetaFilterThe Forehead Ticket Trick | 43 FoldersUseful Landmines - 43FoldersWikiDaniel Kahneman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Squarespace.com (use code `bigweek` for 30% off 3 months)Between the Lines - Features - Los Angeles magazineAntonio Gramsci - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCategory:Cognitive biases - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGolden Gate Bridge: Construction InformationBig Miracle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace and Sponsor 5by5.
1/4/20121 hour, 17 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 47: Utter Failure & Hotel Steak

TOPIC: Resolving to skip the New Year's resolutions. In the last episode of 2011, Merlin and Dan talk about fresh starts and modest changes rather than rehearsing for sucking. You don't need a calendar to tell you to change. Whether you want to give up nail biting, onanism, or drinking a gallon of vodka a day, you need a plan and a tolerance for failure. Plus, a little care never hurts. How to do it? Keep it small, keep it time-limited, keep it action-oriented. Happy New Year, jackals. We love you. Links for this episode:Neven Mrgan's tumbl - "Focused dabbling"5by5 | The Talk Show #72: H.R. FluffypuffLooking back at our fresh starts & modest changes | 43 FoldersFight with kniveskung fu grippe - Blue-Sky SolutioneeringFive cues that Robert Plant is ready to have sexual intercourse with you « 5ivesTwitter - "GoDaddy's the insane roommate…"Ep. 14: "Big City Apology" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannSaturday Night Live: "Kings of Catchphrase Comedy Tour Vol. 2"Fresh Start: The Email DMZ | 43 Folderskung fu grippe • Fresh Start: The Email DMZ | 43 Folders Per B2W...iTunes - TV Shows - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Remastered Editionlivin' the dream · A Step-by-Step Guide to Transfer Domains Out Of GoDaddyAmazon.com: Horton Hears A Who! (9780394800783): Dr. Seuss: BooksExtensible Provisioning Protocol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSodastream | Turn Water Into Fresh Sparkling Water And SodaWater intoxication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOnan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace and Sponsor 5by5.
12/28/20111 hour, 4 minutes, 11 seconds
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Episode 46: Not Counting the Mezzanine

Topic: The Meta-Distractions of "Minimalism" This week, Merlin and Dan get all "Zen" about bias and minimalism. Your background won't get any blacker, so stop burning cycles arguing on the internet or worrying about what other people think or how minimal you are. It's not about the bird skeletons, lion skins or barefoot girls. Unless that's what works. Just make sure it really works.  Links for this episode:kung fu grippe • Meet Thorstenson Finlandson[SPONSOR] Squarespace (30% off 3 months with code `fineformerlin`)[SPONSOR] 1Password (40% off everything for B2W listeners)The Hudsucker Proxy - "Thorstenson Finlandson"Fresh Starts & Modest Changes | 43 Folderskung fu grippe • 43 Simple Ways To Simplify Your LifeLarry Wall [Wikipedia]Marked: MultiMarkdown preview, everywhereRay Bradbury's Desk - mlkshkA man, a ball, a hoop, a bench (and an alleged thread)… TELLER! - Las Vegas WeeklyAmazon.com: Zen Flesh Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings (9780804831864): Paul Reps, Nyogen Senzaki: BooksAmazon.com: Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center (9781582432540): Michael Downing: Bookskung fu grippe • when love breaks downkung fu grippe • Non-Canonical So.Twitter / @TJLuoma: After 14 years of putting ...Paris Review - The Art of Fiction No. 21, Ernest HemingwayVIDEO - môr mnml - Merlin's Minimalist Workspace VIDEO - Penn & Teller's Bullet Catch Illusion (amazing!)kung fu grippe - Intro to RockpileMacBreak: Minimize distractions on your Mac | 43 FoldersMacGuffin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaM-OF.lux: software to make your life betterAmazon.com: Histoire De Babar Le Petit Elephant (9782010025198): Jean de Brunhoff, Jean Brunhoff: Bookskung fu grippe - "Please Read"Dem Bones - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSatori - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMusic Jokes, U2Is it safe to use baby powder on my baby? | BabyCenterThe View from Nowhere: Questions and Answers » PressthinkTwitter: "Turns Out…"Zazen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | The Talk Show #71: HashcowOn The Verge, Episode 002: John Gruber | The VergeOfficial Gmail Blog: 2 hidden ways to get more from your Gmail addressDuran Duran - Planet Earth - YouTubeIMG: "Some Hot Chick Typing in Her Underwear"Amazon.com: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (9781590308493): Shunryu Suzuki, David Chadwick: BooksIMG: kung fu grippe • Minimally ZenVIDEO: Delta Rhythm Boys - "Dem Bones"kung fu grippe • ‘sda’ TextExpander saves you countless...Sponsored by 1Password, Squarespace, and Stitcher.
12/20/20111 hour, 23 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 45: Finagling the Tree Bag

Topic: The Narcissism of Small Differences This week, Merlin has a quiz for Dan to determine whether Ben Franklin, "The Immigrant Song," or Quantum Mechanics has the most cultural impact--as well as his teasing out Dan's go-to for uninstalling Android apps. Paying attention to the same degree you care goes nicely with keeping a sense of humor. Especially about those small differences regarding couch cushions, pink spaceships, and Sgt. Pepper's. The answers are Moby Dick, Julian calendars, ZoSo, chigger bites, and--yes--The Greater Nerd Theory. Links for this episode:Benjamin Franklin's daily schedule | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Twitter / @joelhousman: @hotdogsladies @danbenjami ...Niels Bohr - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | The Talk Show #70: Pre-Lit5by5 | Back to Work #39: A Source of Rice with VelocityMerlin's Essay: BetterNarcissism of small differences - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZoSo - Google Searchkung fu grippe • Easily, the best edition of this very important...Amazon.com: How the West Was Won: Led Zeppelin: MusicLarry Wall QuotesMcSweeney’s Internet Tendency: List: E-mail Addresses It Would Be Really Annoying to Give Out Over the Phone.My Faith in Nerds: Stronger Than Any Gelatinous Cube | 43 FoldersElvis Presley - "Too Much" [worst. guitar solo. ever.]Led Zeppelin - "Heartbreaker" (live) [Slamming version; asinine guitar solo][SPONSOR] Smile Software (20% off with code `lastchance`)[SPONSOR] Squarespace (30% off 3 months with code `fineformerlin`)All My Love (song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Sponsor 5by5, Smile, and Squarespace.
12/13/20111 hour, 9 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 44: Circuitous Bridge of My Own Design

Topic: Moving from dumb nouns to awesome verbs. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the problem with Capital Letter Nouns; how real and specific verbs will always trounce Excellence, Effectiveness, and Mission Statements--even in the Best-of-Breed Pursuance of Five-Nines Quality Across The Enterprise. They also look at transitive and intransitive flavors of "feasance," finding your keyboard's Excellence Key, opting-in for The Johnson Treatment, lancing that actionable boil, and (as ever) shooting the obvious fish in the obvious barrel. Links for this episode:Merlin Loves 1Password on Vimeo5by5 Illustrated[SPONSOR] Squarespace (offer code: `fineformerlin`)[SPONSOR] 1Password (40% off everything for B2W listeners)Capgras delusion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSix Sigma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUrban Dictionary: johnson rodAntiques, Collectibles, Shows, Clothing, Food, By the Bay, Alameda Point Antiques Faire and Michaans AuctionsCapital Letter Nouns v. lower-case verbs | 43 FoldersMission statement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAgile software development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMarsEdit 3 - Desktop blog editing for the Mac.malfeasance legal definition of malfeasance. malfeasance synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary.App Store - Squarespace for iOSTexas Instruments TI-99/4A - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: The Uncanny X-Men: An Origin Story (9781423142997): Rich Thomas, Storybook Art Group: BooksAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus (v. 1) (9780785121015): Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne: Books5by5 | The Conversation #27: Missionless StatementsIMAGE: Merlin's Giant X-Men OmnibusAmazon.com: Extreme Programming Pocket Guide (9780596004859): chromatic: BooksIMAGE: Merlin's New FramesFrakintosh - "Hi."5by5 | Back to Work #2: Picture of a BoatSanta Claus Is Comin' to Town (TV special) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV special) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWelcome to BrettTerpstra.com, home of Brett Terpstra and his nerderyFor your enjoyment and potentially limited usefulness - Blog -5by5 Illustratedkung fu grippe • “Remember…” Dan has confirmed that this handsome...Sponsored by 1Password, Sponsor 5by5, and Squarespace.
12/7/20111 hour, 13 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 43: I Return Null

Topic: Asking questions in order to find better questions This week, Dan and Merlin pick up their discussion of asking better questions and how sometimes the point of asking a question isn't to get an answer, but to get another, even better question. How do you do this? Blundell Chains, hypotheses, the clackity noise, and iteration. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] TextExpander (coupon code: LASTCHANCE)[SPONSOR] Squarespace (offer code: `fineformerlin`)5by5 | Back to Work #42: Coconut HeadphonesAdam Lisagor – interview by Merlin MannVisual Customization | Squarespace Help & SupportAdvanced Customization | Squarespace Help & SupportRoderick on the Line - Merlin's new podcast Dan won't listen to.kung fu grippe - Check out TextExpander’s new “Fill” functionality....Amazon.com: The Essential Don Murray: Lessons from America's Greatest Writing Teacher (9780867096002): Donald M. Murray, Thomas Newkirk, Lisa C. Miller: BooksAmazon.com: A Writer's Coach: The Complete Guide to Writing Strategies That Work (9781400078691): Jack R. Hart: BooksAmazon.com: Spot Bakes a Cake (9780399227011): Eric Hill: Bookskung fu grippe - I got the “Spot” cake No words.The Man Who Sold the World (song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHüsker Dü - "New Day Rising"kung fu grippe - Return of Humanity Horse Still brutal. ...JYI.org :: The Psychology of TimeMore of Jack Hart’s practical writing tips for authors, from A Writer’s Coach: The Complete Guide to Writing Strategies That WorkGetting Into the Writing Game, With Words of Advice From a Coach | Special English | Learning Englishkung fu grippe - Appreciating Donald Murraykung fu grippe - Making the Clackity Noisekung fu grippe - Questions, questions 43 Folders - “Makebelieve...Video: Merlin's Time & Attention Talk (Improvised Rutgers Edition) | 43 FoldersExamples - Squarespacekung fu grippe - Sample Blundell Chain Super-useful. (Featured...Sponsored by Sponsor 5by5, Smile, and Squarespace.
11/30/201158 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 42: Coconut Headphones

This week Dan and Merlin talk about asking good questions instead of massaging your real problem until it fits the comforting solution you found on the cover of a magazine. Links for this episode:Macworld Check your music's iCloud Status | Music and AudioMacSparky - Blog - Macworld 2012 - Rob Corddry and a Magic Show The Mountain Goats - "This Year" (2005)Lyrics: The Mountain Goats - "This Year"[SPONSOR}: Squarespace.com (offer code = `soangry`)Publication bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAs Dutch Research Scandal Unfolds, Social Psychologists Question Themselves - Research - The Chronicle of Higher EducationThinking, Fast and Slow - FT.comArrow’s other theorem « Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social ScienceHow to upgrade tracks to iTunes Match, fast | MacworldFive terrible fake AC/DC songs about how hard it is to be in a band « 5ivesEarth-616 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe: "…And Snacks"Jack ChengGive Me Something To ReadLongreads: The best long-form stories on the webfile-drawer effect - The Skeptic's Dictionary - Skepdic.comMagical thinking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCargo cult - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCold reading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOfficial Web Site of The Secret and The PowerThe Secret (book) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGhost in the Machine (The Police album) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science - Atlantic MobileSophie's Choice (1982)The Greatest Salesman in the World - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaZig Ziglar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCategory:Self-help books - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Degrees of Gray in Philipsburg by Richard Hugo ...Bank of America hires Malcolm Gladwell to attract small business clients | The Raw StoryA Very Old Man with Enormous Wings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAndré Breton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | After Dark #60: After Back To Work #42VIDEO: Makebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) [43 Folders]kung fu grippe - Questions, questions 43 Folders - “Makebelieve...kung fu grippeSponsored by Sponsor 5by5, Reinvigorate, and Squarespace.
11/22/20111 hour, 16 minutes, 4 seconds
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Episode 41: Carpal Tunnel Diem

Dan and Merlin talk more about why we get stuck and how might re-think getting "unstuck." Looking at process over product, remembering how you got here, and getting clear about what you're really trying to make. Merlin also has some updates and tips for your iTunes Matching and your Google searching. Links for this episode:The Great Style Revival - Blog - The Official Squarespace BlogSearch using your terms, verbatim - Inside SearchCaptain Beefheart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Hypercritical #42: The Wrong GuyThe Metamorphosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaElizabeth Gilbert's official websiteKeyBindings: new, improvedMarked scripts: nvALT, Evernote, MarsEdit, Scrivener - Brett TerpstraElizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity | Video on TED.comSestina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBallpark Seating Chart | SFGiants.com: BallparkCastilian Spanish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Squarespace.comOne Hundred Years of Solitude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAbout a little thing called 750 WordsAmazon.com: Captain Beefheart: The Biography (9780815411901): Mike Barnes: BooksThe Stranger (novel) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Steve Jobs (9781451648539): Walter Isaacson: BooksThinking, Fast and Slow - FT.comIMG: Smart Playlist for troubleshooting iTunes Match errorsHow to write a book, part 2 « Scott Berkun(Planet Money) The Giant Pool of Money | This American LifeCheck your music's iCloud Status | MacworldAmazon.com: Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction (0790145196705): Steve McConnell: BooksAmazon.com: Led Zeppelin III: Led Zeppelin: MP3 DownloadsAmazon.com: The Uncanny X-Men: An Origin Story (9781423142997): Rich Thomas, Storybook Art Group: BooksAmazon.com: Uncanny X-Men Omnibus (v. 1) (9780785121015): Chris Claremont, Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne: BooksPocket Full of Kryptonite - Spin Doctors | AllMusicFingertips - TMBW: The They Might Be Giants Knowledge BaseMacworld '12 - "40 OS X Tips in 40 Minutes" - David Sparks, Brett Terpstra, Merlin MannDusty Rhodes (wrestler) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChampionship Wrestling from Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Making the Clackity NoiseAnti-pattern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Reinvigorate, Sponsor 5by5, and Squarespace.
11/16/20111 hour, 21 minutes, 46 seconds
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Episode 40: Dirty South Is Off the Menu

Dan and Merlin talk about what it means for Google to change the meaning of "plus," and how it might bolster the production of "stuff and needy." They also consider options for "getting unstuck" with a creative project—how, sometimes, the constraints can help a lot more than the options. Links for this episode:Code Library - Squarespace Code Library[SPONSOR] Squarespace.com (offer code: `soangry`)Sponsored by Squarespace.
11/9/20111 hour, 39 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 39: A Source of Rice with Velocity

On strength and tolerance. Dan and Merlin talk about the many facets of strength, including the complexity of knowing what to be strong about, to whom, and when. It's about way more than nailing the "clean and jerk" or yelling at Sips-His-Coffee-Really-Loud Guy. It's also about accepting all the things they just can't stand about you. Also covered: the inescapability of Italian disco, maintaining an unassailable lawn, confronting skinny ladies in heels, negotiating D-minus hip-hop, and finding the will to spelunk all the way down the personal productivity stack. Links for this episode:GarageBand for iOS goes universal, adds new features | Macworld@hotdogsladies: "Watched a homeless guy throw fried rice at a pigeon for an hour. Would've left sooner but having an audience made them both try WAY harder."Ted (ted) on TwitterRoderick On The Line - a set on Flickr (Ted's awesome Roderick on the Line art)Giorgio Moroder ? Chase (theme from Midnight Express) - YouTubeGiorgio Moroder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGiorgio Moroder Discography at DiscogsClean and jerk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPriapism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAbilify Side Effects | Drugs.comParrhesia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSlaughterhouse-Five: "Vy you? Vy anybody?"kung fu grippe - Plastic Dim Sum Thingee (from the artist’s...[SPONSOR] Squarespace (use coupon code: `soangry`)Prolapse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCelebration, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLil Wayne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMetallica - Fade to Black (1985)Sponsored by Bare Bones and MailChimp.
11/1/20111 hour, 20 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 38: Sorry. You Can't Have a Candle.

On improving presentation culture. Dan and Merlin talk about bombing the deck, advancing the slides, and striving to improve the self-perpetuating bad culture of presentations. Slide?!? (Also, kid germs in the spaghetti, meeting the angry corn guy, and moving closer to the metal with our Showbot hero.) Links for this episode:Jeremy Mack (mutewinter) on TwitterKurtis Beavers IllustrationTurtle Log | A Programmer BlogAnapanasati - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Squarespace.com (use coupon code `merlinlovesus`)In which Crabby learns The Angry Dancing Corn is called, "Cornzilla" | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Amazon.com: Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate, and Inspire (Bpg-Other) (9780735620520): Cliff Atkinson: BooksAmazon.com: Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (9780321525659): Garr Reynolds: Bookskung fu grippe - No pressure or anything.kung fu grippe - Prepping my “slides”Cedilla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSWVideo: Merlin's Time & Attention Talk (Improvised Rutgers Edition)Scared ShitlessSeth Godin: Quieting the Lizard Brain on Vimeo[Merlin's Remote] Targus Multimedia Presentation Remote | AMP09USApp Store - Presentation ClockHow I Made My Presentations a Little Betterkung fu grippe - How my weird brain works If you’re curious—and...Sample: Presenter ModeVideo: Merlin's Macworld '09 Talk, "Toward Patterns for Creativity" - Merlin's Media - Video, Audio, Photos and More - Merlin Mann2 types of stories "1. Hero goes on a journey 2. Stranger comes to town."The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWebstock '11: Tom Coates - Everything the Network Touches on VimeoAmazon.com: A Writer's Coach: An Editor's Guide to Words That Work (9780375423277): Jack R. Hart: BooksViddler.com - Merlin Mann - Worst Website Ever - SXSW 2008 - Uploaded by rooreynoldsBusiness is Rockin | Stock Photo | iStockphoto.comCountryman Associates, Inc.Presentation ZenSponsored by Squarespace and TinyLetter.
10/25/20111 hour, 19 minutes, 23 seconds
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Episode 37: It's Never Not Everywhere

This week, Merlin loves and hates iCloud while loving and REALLY loving Dropbox. He and Dan observe angry corn, discuss emailing files to yourself, wonder what to do with an ugly photo, and explore Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle. Links for this episode:Apple - iCloud stores your content and pushes it to your devices.TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!The SetupDropbox: The Inside Story Of Tech's Hottest Startup - ForbesDropDAV: HomeInstapaper 4: Deciding to Read | 43 FoldersThe Combine 2011 - EventbeeSponsored by Sponsor 5by5, Smile, and Squarespace.
10/18/20112 hours, 4 minutes
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Episode 36: Writing on the Wind

Merlin Mann talks with Dan Benjamin about his dogged obsession with the flexibility of index cards—for propping up tables, giving very small cuts, and getting babies hygienically removed. Then, there is much talk of graphing your focal length against your time and attention. Links for this episode:The Dan Patrick Show | Official Home43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 Folderskickingbear» Blog Archive » About SteveAnne Lamott on index cards | 43 FoldersRichard Stallman Eats Something From His Foot - YouTubeNew Podcast: "Roderick on the Line" - John Roderick and Merlin MannScared Shitless | 43 FoldersGeena Davis - The Fly - YouTubeIntroducing the Hipster PDA | 43 FoldersMole (unit) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediakung fu grippe - Synecdoche, New York - Official Trailer I...This explains everything | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Armand Van Helden - Hear My Name - YouTubegladwell dot com - the social life of paperMake Magazine: "Death to Paper! Long Live Paper!"Video: Merlin's Macworld '09 Talk, "Toward Patterns for Creativity" - Merlin's Media - Video, Audio, Photos and More - Merlin MannSteve Jobs: a personal remembranceDaring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass UnderfootA Strange Sort of Prison, a Strange Sort of FreedomPassenger 57 (1992) - IMDbHype Williams videography - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon: "The Creative Habit" by Twyla Tharpe[SPONSOR] - Squarespace - Build a Website, Create a Blog (coupon code: "`MerlinLovesUs`")[SPONSOR] - Byword • A Simple Text Editor for Mac[SPONSOR] - Byword on the Mac App StoreStallman: "Steve Jobs, the pioneer of the computer as a jail made cool, designed to sever fools from their freedom, has died."[SPONSOR] - Adding an Audio Podcast | Squarespace Help & Support5by5 | 5by5 Specials #2: Thank You, Steve JobsJoe Mande - R.I.P. The Andy Rooney GameMy Neighbor, Steve Jobs - Palo Alto, CA PatchWhat if the Secret to Success Is Failure? - NYTimes.comFocal length - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShould I Email Marco Arment? — Please don't email me.43 Folders: Thanks, SteveNo One Needs Permission to Be Awesome | 43 FoldersClassic Hype Williams Video: "Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check" by Busta RhymesMarked: MultiMarkdown preview, everywherenvALT 2.1 - Notational Velocity ForkMarkdown Service Tools - Brett Terpstra5by5 | The Talk Show #60: I Tip ProfuselySponsored by Sponsor 5by5, Byword, and Squarespace.
10/12/20111 hour, 21 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 35: Why My Pants Were On Fire

How to handle job interviews. Merlin and Dan can't solve the problem of interviews being dumb, but Merlin will tell you what is wrong with you, how long you'll have to wait for your resume to get you a job, how Larry Wall interviews for a Perl job, and whether or not the answer is always Yes, like they were just telling Stephen (yes, Hawking). Links for this episode:Seduction community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMerlin's Talk: "With All Due Respect to the Seduction Community"Larry Wall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTwitter / @hotdogsladies: "You guys know if there's any Monopoly Guy/Sir Topham Hatt slash fiction?"Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream CateringBlackjack ClassroomSerial position effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: What Color Is Your Parachute? 2011: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (9781580082709): Richard N. Bolles: BooksJobHuntersBible.com:Résumé of Merlin Mann (10/2000)Alexandre Dumas, père - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAlexandre Dumas, fils - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCategory:Candy bars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRésumé of Dan Benjamin (06/2001)Awesome B2W-related sketchbook drawing. So great.kung fu grippe - You stay classy, MarriottKeyBinding madness - Brett TerpstraSiracusa said so. - Actual quotes, complaints, and wise sayings from John Siracusa as heard on 5by5's entertaining Hypercritical broadcast.Sales Representative at 5by5 Studios ~ Authentic JobsGood Will Hunting - Funny Job Interview (Ben Affleck) - YouTubeViddler.com - Merlin Mann - Worst Website Ever - SXSW 2008 - Uploaded by rooreynoldsQuote Details: Woody Allen: Eighty percent of success... - The Quotations PageAphasia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTumblrSponsored by Sourcebits and Sifter.
9/27/20111 hour, 34 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 34: Rectangular Door Conspiracy

How to say "no." Merlin talks with Dan about saying No to toilet paper diamonds, mints on pillows, and things you don't have the wallet for instead of saying Yes to a crate of bananas you don't have enough information about or giving a qualified Yes to planning Christmas parties you don't have any interest in. Links for this episode:THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob AgerAmazon.com: Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy (9780385531733): Martin Lindstrom: Books5by5 | Hypercritical #34: Pride in CraftsmanshipCognitive dissonance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHow Whole Foods "Primes" You To Shop | Fast CompanySponsored by HelpSpot and Rackspace.
9/20/20111 hour, 4 minutes, 34 seconds
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Episode 33: The Hypocrite You Can Live With

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin have a totally natural emotional reaction to the unreasonable demands they place on themselves after reading The Spongebob Report. Maybe they wouldn't have offended non-ex-Marines if they had just taken some time and consulted their Manager of Expectations. Links for this episode:kung fu grippe - [Probably the Greatest Keynote Slide of All Time]Dan Benjammin' (danbenjammin) on TwitterEddie Van Halen: The Complete 1978 Interviews[Dan] with the Les Paul (circa 1991) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Is SpongeBob SquarePants Bad for Children? - NYTimes.comkung fu grippe - ["the visual equivalent of being told you’re eating human flesh"]Macramé - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGuided by Voices - Game of Pricks (Amoeba Records) - YouTubeAshton Kutcher's Lady in Her PantiesHypercritical #33 [Jay-Sir on Markdown and why he doesn't use it]Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science - Magazine - The Atlanticsnopes.com: Microwaving Plastic Releases Cancer-Causing AgentsFAQs: Using Plastics in the MicrowaveTech Myth: Is it Safe to Microwave Plastic? | Apartment Therapy UnplggdChancre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAwayFind - Mobile notifications for priority messages. The email management solution for Gmail and Exchange.Gesneriaceae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCaillou: Games, Coloring and Activities | PBS KIDSDesigning With Web Standards, 3rd EditionWon’t somebody please think of the gerbils? [dive into mark]Blueprint: A CSS Framework | Spend your time innovating, not replicatingThe Effects of Fast-Paced CartoonsNickelodeon Responds to Study Claiming ‘SpongeBob’ Hinders Preschoolers’ Attention Spans - ABC NewsDorf on Golf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDorf On Golf 1 of 3 - YouTubeBuild and Analyze #42 [Dan explains 'The Double Speed Bit'] Don Draper: "No. You do not 'COVER' for me; you MANAGE people's expectations."Sponsored by Campaign Monitor and Shopify.
9/13/20111 hour, 11 minutes, 35 seconds
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Episode 32: The Beertruck Scenario

Merlin and Dan talk about Dan's sabbatical, hotdogs, services, triggers, Quicksilver, Launchbar, and why there's no 'I' in 'ordnance.' Sponsored by MailChimp and Smile.
9/6/20111 hour, 26 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 31: You Can Polish AC/DC All Day Long

With Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by John Roderick of The Long Winters to talk about life as a bull in a china closet, craving real-world constraints, making better records, and being banned for life from Interpol’s corn chip bowl. Links for this episode:Van Halen - Hot For Teacher - YouTubeDef Leppard- Bringing on the Heartbreak - YouTubeRobert John "Mutt" Lange - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHighway to Hell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaUniversity of Washington - washington.eduThe Long Wintersjohn roderick (johnroderick) on TwitterJohn Roderick (musician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia012: Interview: John Roderick | The Merlin Show016: Interview: John Roderick, Part 2 | The Merlin Show017: Interview: John Roderick, Part 3 | The Merlin Show018: Interview: John Roderick, Part 4 | The Merlin ShowVideo: John Roderick on String Art Owls, Copper Pipe, and Bono's Boss | 43 FoldersFlickr: Merlin's extensive "John Roderick" gallery"Blue Diamonds" - the Long Winters - YouTubeThe Long Winters: "The Commander Thinks Aloud" - YouTubeThe Long Winters - Through With Love Preview - YouTubeHarvey Danger - Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo - YouTubereading room | the long winters library & archiveImpasto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHelen Frankenthaler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRichard Hugo reads "Degrees of Grey in Philipsburg"Wesley Stace | John Wesley HardingMISSPEAK: "For Those About to Rock We Salute You" (not "Highway to Hell")Space Shuttle Columbia disaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp[PDF] The Believer: John Roderick Interview (June/July 2005)Venom (band) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAshcan Rantings: Interview with John Roderick of The Long WintersHarm's Way by Jeff DeRoche - Seattle News - The Stranger, Seattle's Only NewspaperThe Animals - House of the Rising Sun (1964) High Definition [HD] - YouTubeJohn Roderick: A Night on the Town - a set on FlickrAlex Van Halen: Artists: Modern Drummer MagazineComparative History of Ideas ProgramCheer-Accident - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJohn VandersliceAC/DC - “Back In Black” (1980) kung fu grippe - "Before my heart overflowed."Air-Raid #60: Hobos of the Future with John Roderick – The Air-Raid PodcastHanford SiteMr. Show: Gay Son/Grass Valley Greg - YouTubeWestern State Hurricanes "Car Parts" - YouTubeTampabay: 'They said they were glad it wasn't me'kung fu grippe - Jim? What a horrible, foul-mouthed little man. ...Sponsored by Byword, MailChimp, and Smile.
8/30/20111 hour, 42 minutes, 22 seconds
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Episode 30: I'm Not Working in an Abattoir

With Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by Jonathan Coulton to talk about traveling, horn sections, and Jonathan’s new album, Artificial Heart. Links for this episode:Jonathan Coulton - Home PageJoCo Cruise Crazy II: February 19–26, 2012 | A 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise on Holland America’s ms Westerdam, with Jonathan Coulton and friends | JoCo Cruise Crazy IIThing a Week Redux002: Interview: Jonathan Coulton | The Merlin Show007: Interview: Jonathan Coulton, Part 2 | The Merlin Showabattoir - definition of abattoir by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) - IMDbPaul and Storm » Original Comedy Music from Professional Singing PersonsJonathan Coulton - First Track from Artificial HeartJonathan Coulton - StoreJohn Flansburgh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJohn Flansburgh - TMBW: The They Might Be Giants Knowledge BaseJonathan Coulton - Shirts and StuffTopatoCo: Skullcrusher Mountain ShirtJonathan Coulton - TMBW: The They Might Be Giants Knowledge BaseA Conversation With John Flansburgh And Jonathan Coulton | The AwlArtificial Heart (album) - JoCopedia, the Jonathan Coulton wikiSticking It To Myself - JoCopedia, the Jonathan Coulton wikiToday With Your Wife - JoCopedia, the Jonathan Coulton wikiJonathan Coulton - "Mr. Fancy Pants" in SF - YouTubeZendrum | CatalogRick Springfield - Love Is Alright Tonite - YouTubePut Your Heart In It | This American LifeStan Harrison- Composer and Saxophone PlayerDan Levine - TMBW: The They Might Be Giants Knowledge BaseBrazil (1985)Thing a Week - JoCopedia, the Jonathan Coulton wikiJonathan Coulton & Merlin Mann | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Jackson Browne - The Load Out / Stay - Live 1978 - YouTubeJonathan Coulton (jonathancoulton) on TwitterRoad to … - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[SPONSOR] Byword • A Simple Text Editor for Mac[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time!MP3: Exclusive New Jonathan Coulton Song on Blurt OnlineSponsored by Byword, MailChimp, and Smile.
8/23/20111 hour, 37 seconds
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Episode 29: I Download FLAC

With Dan on sabbatical, Merlin is joined by TV’s Rob Corddry (Children’s Hospital, The Daily Show, Hot Tub Time Machine) to talk about Getting Things Done, writing, fear, and finding success as a blood-soaked clown. Links for this episode:Who Are You in Sex and the City? from Naked Babies and Jordan_MorrisRob Corddry Has A Broner from Funny Or Die, Rob Corddry, and BradX Lossless Decoder: Lossless audio decoder for Mac OS XHowardStern.com - Official site of The Howard Stern ShowHoward Stern denies 'Super 8' bootleg | Inside Movies | EW.comYouTube Blog: Broadcast YourselfAdult Swim Presents: Childrens Hospital Season 3Productive Talk Compilation: 8-episode podcast with GTD's David Allen | 43 FoldersBruce Seeds (bruceseeds) on Twitter [Thanks for help finding that SPY article!]PDF: "Celebrity Refuseniks" - _Spy_ March 1993Amazon.com: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (9780142000281): David Allen: Books[SPONSOR] Email Marketing and Email List Manager | MailChimp[SPONSOR] Website Builder - Build a Website, Create a Blog - Squarespace[SPONSOR] Wufoo: Online Form Builder - Create Web Forms & SurveysBloody Clowns, Sex, and Sickness: Childrens Hospital Premieres on Adult Swim Sunday - Page 3 - Blogcritics VideoAmazon.com: Let It Beard: Boston Spaceships: MusicAmazon.com: Bakesale: Sebadoh: MusicThelonious Monk - Monk's Dream - YouTubeBuild and Analyze #35: Fair and Balanced - 5by5Fluxtumblr - Guided By Voices "Empties Crushed and Fired Away"Ladies? | Flickr - Photo Sharing!BigChampagne - Online Media MeasurementFX Networks - Louie - Full Episodes and Exclusive VideoHairless Whisper - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 06/10/03 - Video Clip | Comedy CentralFlotsametrics and the Floating World: ExcerptChildrens Hospital Gets Renewed for Season 4 - News - TV.comblackrimglasses.comLake Bell - IMDbMPU 050: Workflows with David Wain « Mac Power UsersRob Corddry - IMDbDavid Wain - IMDbJonathan Stern - IMDbLostpedia - The Lost EncyclopediaOccam's razor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJ.J. Abrams - Lostpedia - The Lost EncyclopediaDamon Lindelof - Lostpedia - The Lost EncyclopediaBrian K. Vaughan - Lostpedia - The Lost EncyclopediaRob Corddry on Getting Things Done as an ActorThe Winner (TV Series 2007) - IMDbHarold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) - IMDbRob Corddry's Boston - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 07/27/04 - Video Clip | Comedy CentralSponsored by MailChimp, Squarespace, and Wufoo.
8/16/20111 hour, 22 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 28: One Little Red Egg

Dan and Merlin talk about kid stuff, including the threat of Hot Wheels® donation, the inevitability of skinned knees, the nefariousness of the hospital gift basket, plus an important way every Dad has to go pro. Links for this episode:Wherein I go a touch more insane | dooce®30 Years Ago Today: The Day the Middle Class Died | MichaelMoore.comWoodcarving: What is your secret? « Outside the CaveAmazon.com: Naked Consumer: How Our Private Lives Become Public Commodities (9780140233032): Erik Larson: BooksPrepping. - mlkshkNeurosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition) (9780316778008): William Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, James Sears: BooksCurb Your Enthusiasm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBob Einstein - IMDbWelcome to Amy's Ice CreamsShabbos goy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[Sponsor] Sponsor: Smile SoftwareTextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You Time![Sponsor] Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace[Sponsor] Wufoo: Online Form Builder - Create Web Forms & SurveysTheodor Herzl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSandwich VideoBreathless (1960 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHysteria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Smile, Squarespace, and Wufoo.
8/9/20111 hour, 25 minutes, 58 seconds
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Episode 27: Danny, Hold the License Plate

Merlin and Dan discuss the shameful state of film school, the realities of Ape Law, Merlin's rock opera, and the subliminal downside of Spongebob's big promotion. Links for this episode:We Commissioned A Rock Opera | MailChimp Email Marketing BlogSlideshows, Slideshows Everywhere - Blog - The Official Squarespace BlogWufoo Docs · Notification SettingsSometimes There's A Mankung fu grippe - Get that "Plica Plica" songNetflix: Joan Rivers: A Piece of WorkWufoo Blog · Using Wufoo for Project Inquiry FormsAlexanderTechnique.comAlexander technique - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Marketplace of IdeasHam the Chimp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaham chimp - Google SearchTwitter / @hotdogsladies: Show of hands: Who wants ...ccMixter - Welcome to ccMixterBuild a Website - Create a Blog - SquarespaceAMC Javelin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA VC: Subconscious Information ProcessingSponsored by Flow, Squarespace, and Wufoo.
8/2/20111 hour, 24 minutes, 50 seconds
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Episode 26: Spaghetti Guy Hits Close to Home

This week Wutang Dan and The MZA bring the ruckus to finding a job, selling your Mustang, and putting your house on the market: remember that you can't negotiate with reality, Merlin can't do anything to make you love him, enthusiasm is irreplaceable, and you've got to find your position of strength. Protect ya neck! Links for this episode:A Sandwich, A Wallet, and Elizabeth Taylor's Cousin | 43 FoldersFlow: Task Management and Online Collaboration for TeamsWufoo: Online Form Builder - Create Web Forms & SurveysBuild a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespacepony interior - Google SearchFord Mustang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaKat Von D - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: What Color Is Your Parachute? 2011: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (9781580082709): Richard N. Bolles: BooksBack to Work #24: The Daddy for your Destiny - 5by5Back to Work #23: Failure is ALWAYS an Option - 5by5The Marketplace of IdeasSin-eater - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFolk devil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Flow, Squarespace, and Wufoo.
7/29/20111 hour, 33 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 25: My Food Court of Functionality

Dan and Merlin talk about nerds getting problems and about using Markdown in BBEdit, Textmate or any text app because you need to find tools that remove friction, not distractions. Links for this episode:OS X Lion and the state of the new 1Password extension (Updated) | Agile BlogDaring Fireball: MarkdownMultiMarkdownAnd now it’s all this (Blog of "Dr Drang")Welcome to BrettTerpstra.com, home of Brett Terpstra and his nerderyMacromedia HomeSite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCoeliac disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBuild and Analyze #34: My Best Dan Benjamin Impression - 5by5TextMate — The Missing Editor for Mac OS XBare Bones Software | BBEdit 10 is here!Posting style - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaText files and me IV - BBEdit and TextMate - All thisProjects - Brett TerpstranvALT 2.0 - Notational Velocity ForkBlogsmith Blogging Bundle for TextmateMarkdown Service Tools - Brett TerpstraSodastream | Turn Water Into Fresh Sparkling Water And SodaTextMate Manual » BundlesByword • A Simple Text Editor for MacUntitled-1.jpgTextMate Blog » Introduction to scopesByword MultiMarkdown GuideThink of Microsoft Word as the internetScott Schwartz - IMDbMPU 046: Workflows with Merlin Mann II « Mac Power UsersSponsored by OmniPlan 2 and Harvest.
7/22/20111 hour, 13 minutes, 36 seconds
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Episode 24: The Daddy for your Destiny

Dan's in a closet, but Merlin has a lot of FU from the last show: good jobs don't get posted on Craigslist and while you may not know what's gonna happen next, you're not just gonna install Xcode and retire on your angry bird so either do your research, get mercantile and take the leap of faith or you'll be polishing your golden handcuffs. Links for this episode:MacSparky - Blog - JugglingSatisficing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPrinciple of good enough - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRational ignorance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaYouTube - "Preparing for John Siracusa's Review of OS X Lion"Karl Van Hœt (karlvanhoet) on Twitterkung fu grippe - Hi. I’m 12. How am I even allowed to go to...kung fu grippe - "Plica Pilca" (Back to Work Theme Song)Anatomy of a Crushing (Pinboard Blog)Pinboard: social bookmarking for introvertsBack to Work #23: Failure is ALWAYS an Option - 5by5Sci-Fi Hi-Fi: PodWorksAfter Dark #34: After Back To Work 024 - 5by5Amazon.com: Don't Make Me Think! A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (0029236723101): Steve Krug, Roger Black: BooksCybernetics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Secrets of Successful Web Sites (0752059038236): David Siegel: BooksAmazon.com: Creating Killer Web Sites (2nd Edition) (0752059043315): David Siegel: Bookskung fu grippe - “My Business Papers” Dan’s cover letter. The...backtowork_final | Flickr - Photo Sharing!The Wand of Brooklyn [Thanks, chainmailformanatees]Clutch (eggs) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCollective noun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaList of collective nouns for birds - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShowbot | Turtle LogDavid Siegel - "The Project Cycle" (1997)Sponsored by 1Password, Squarespace, and Flow.
7/12/20111 hour, 32 minutes, 45 seconds
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Episode 23: Failure is ALWAYS an Option

This week, Dan and Merlin determine that even the Chico Marx of notebooks is the right one if you're writing in it, failure is ALWAYS an option: fully committing didn't do Pickett any good, but you should commit to narrowing scope and deciding what success is. Why? Fact or Fiction: You can start a business on the side. Links for this episode:kung fu grippe - Robb Wolff on "Perfection"Letters of Note: PERSISTQPR: Jim Fairness and the 14-Second Work YearQPR: Commentary by Anton CantruskuPickett's Charge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJek Tono Porkins - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiWedge Antilles - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiToward Better Master Passwords | Agile Blog B2W Squarespace Signup (coupon code: "backtowork7") AgileBits: 1Password kung fu grippe - Need a fast primer on storytelling? The Civil...The Civil War . In the Classroom . Using the Series . Episode Five | PBSkung fu grippe - “Disjointed” A View to a Kill: Just giving up.Programmers NotebookHypercritical #23: No Sentence Left Behind - 5by5Schecter/Giffin 'Telecaster'-style Guitars | Pete Townshend’s Guitar Gear | WhotabsNorth Coast Music: Rickenbacker 660/12damn the torpedoes tom petty - Google SearchYouTube - M&Ms Commercial - "Thank you Easter Bunny, Bawk Bawk!"Tigermilk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLeaked! Dan's new show, "Go Ahead, Caller!"Anti-pattern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNetflix - Watch Ken Burns: The Civil Warkung fu grippe - Need a fast primer on storytelling? [Merlin's Notebook] Nothing Doesn't Go In Here - a set on Flickr American: The Bill Hicks Story (2009 Documentary)Risk and the Bin Laden Raid - Notions: John Dickerson's BlogPlayboy Interview With John Lennon and Yoko OnoJack Purvis - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiNothing Doesn't Go In Here: "Two Words" | Flickr - Photo Sharing!story in a grocery: Back to WorkWord play: A top newspaper editor helps demystify the writing process: PRSAGetting Into the Writing Game, With Words of Advice From a Coach | Special English | Learning EnglishCrapping on your Dream: Freelancing 101The Weight of a Good Notebook « The Bygone BureauSponsored by MailChimp and Sound Studio 4.
7/5/20111 hour, 17 minutes, 57 seconds
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Episode 22: My Baby Likes Aluminum Foil!

This week, Merlin and Dan share their Pick: The Macintosh Computer. Also, a 17-minute experimental startup sound, catching conflicts, shivving the stagecoach, machine-gunning with SoundMaster, the dangers of ResEdit, and the future of recumbent bike baskets. But not Charcoal. Are you KIDDING me? Links for this episode:Thoughts on (and pics of) the original Macintosh User Manual : peterme.comWelcome to AgileBitsToward Better Master Passwords | Agile BlogB2W Squarespace Signup (coupon code: "backtowork6")(NSFW) Mars bar party - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWebstock '11: John Gruber - The Gap Theory of UI Design on VimeoUmberto Eco's piece on Mac and DOS, Catholic and ProtestantMusic Thing: TINY MUSIC MAKERS: Pt 2: The Microsoft SoundWelcome to The 1920's Radio NetworksBritish Sixties Radio: Your Time Machine to Swinging London! - Live on the InternetDaring Fireball: It's All SoftwareiCloud and Apple’s truth: can you win if you don’t play? | This is my next...ResEdit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Folklore.org: Macintosh Stories macintosh system 6 - Google Search Ambient 1: Music for Airports - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDaring Fireball Linked List: Windows Phone 7 on the Carriers' Pay-No-Mind List?Appearance Manager - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFanedits.com Fan Edits - Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope "Revisited" [NTSC] (Adywan) - fanedits.comYouTube - Music For AirportsYouTube - Brian Eno - Music For Airports InterviewSan Francisco (typeface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCharcoal (typeface) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCrystal Quest - mlkshkAfter Dark #32: After Back To Work 022 - 5by5Squidward Tentacles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMacintosh User Manual - Appendices | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Kids in the Hall: Daves I Know | MilkandCookiesBrainstorm (1983) - IMDbSponsored by Squarespace, Sponsor 5by5, and 1Password.
6/29/20111 hour, 10 minutes, 41 seconds
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Episode 21: Assistant TO the Regional Monkey

Merlin and Dan talk about the problem of permanent zeroes, desiring not to desire, why "hypocrisy" is killing you, stepping back on the path without apologizing, Merlin's new tattoo, and—yeah—going a little easier on yourself. Also, how almost everything is like a glass of water and John Siracusa is literally and uniquely Squidward.  Links for this episode:Heraclitus - The FragmentsSchadenfreude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Wire (TV Series 2002–2008) - IMDbSarlacc - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wikithe size of tiny changes in the heart[audio] Alan Watts: “Yet, here we are.”…"You are a wave of the stream itself. So, get with it!" - kung fu grippe[audio] Introduction to Buddhism by Alan Watts The Philosophies of Asia--Alan Watts (Introduction to Buddhism) The Sad, Beautiful Fact That We're All Going To Miss Almost Everything : Monkey See : NPRMaha-satipatthana Sutta: The Great Frames of ReferenceThe Agendas of MindfulnessBrahmana Sutta: To Unnabha the BrahmanRight Now by Thanissaro Bhikkhu | D.I.Y. DharmaThe 84th ProblemMindfulness: The practice of being "here" | 43 FoldersLifehacked by Matt Haughey; mindfulness, ho | 43 FoldersSometimes There's a Man - mlkshkDecision Maker ProUntranslatability - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaB2W Squarespace Signup (coupon code: "backtowork6")"Adulthood ultimately means becoming a hypocrite on your own terms.""People who regard honesty & hypocrisy as incompatible strike me as either dishonest, hypocritical, or both. Is that hypocritical? You bet.""David Simon: 'F*ck the Average Reader'" - kung fu grippeWabi-sabi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAfter Dark #30: After Back To Work 021 - 5by5Jan Tschichold - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSponsored by Squarespace and Sponsor 5by5.
6/22/20111 hour, 1 minute, 51 seconds
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Episode 20: Muscle of Failure

Merlin and Dan talk about getting started, putting on your shoes instead of shopping for pedometers, false dilemmas, doing as much work with your hands as you've done in your head, why you should leave some water in the pump, meta-fiddling, and getting better. Links for this episode:Yeah, THIS just happened. Breville. 1800 watts. Toast. BOOM!Photo courtesy of @e_shirt - mlkshkAmazon.com: Breville BOV650XL Compact 4-Slice Smart Oven with Element IQ: Kitchen & DiningHypercritical #21: Reading Playboy for the Articles - 5by5MaxFunCon: Merlin Mann on Doing Creative Work; The Sound of Young America“Outline” - MaxFunCon Talk | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Wampa - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars WikiAmazon.com: Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis (9780805048919): Joan Bolker: BooksAmazon.com: Ernest Hemingway on Writing (9780684854298): Larry W. Phillips: BooksPhotography, and the Tolerance for Courageous Sucking | 43 FoldersAmazon.com: Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (9780786880706): Jon Kabat-Zinn: BooksYouTube - Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-ZinnJanuary 18, 2011 - Wolfram|AlphaFake Rocks, Salami Commanders, and Just Enough to Start | 43 FoldersUm. Feel the magic first-hand: Episode... - kung fu grippeOn The MediaYouTube - HAPPY DAYS - Richie Almost DiesFlickr: chrisglass' PhotostreamChris GlassAmazon.com: Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: Camera & Photoparislemon.YouTube - Ira Glass on Storytelling, part 3 of 4NPR Fresh AirBack to Work - 5by5WikiBack to Work - iTunes. (Wanna leave us a nice review?)"Serial Entrepreneur. That's internet for 'I installed WordPress TWICE.'"Lawn darts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediajohn hodgman mustache - Google SearchAbout little thing called 750 Words on 750 WordsHOME « McKee StorySponsored by FreshBooks and Sound Studio 4.
6/14/20111 hour, 13 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 19: Corner Casey Kasem

Merlin and Dan talk about mindful tool adoption, screwdriver museums, why Vi users may (or may not) be cannibalistic insects—plus debate on whether a home video of a toy horse falling down in someone's bathroom is about Humanity. Also, Dan effs with Merlin's head. Again. Links for this episode:Maladroite Cheval. on VimeoVimeoTumult HypeYouTube - David Lynch - Funny MomentsHow and where not to do The Fishstick on VimeoThe most popular file utility for the MacintoshFetch SoftworksTextMate — The Missing Editor for Mac OS XDropboxElements — Dropbox powered text editor for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch from Second GearNotesyNebulous Notesvi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIntroducing "?—": A Distraction-Free Writing Environment - kung fu grippeBare Bones Software | WelcomeCoyote Tracks - Text Editor InterventionSublime Text: The text editor you'll fall in love withAcorn, a great Mac image editor, built for humans.PixelmatorTweetbot — Tapbotsgoodiware.com :: products :: GoodReaderPanic - Shockingly Good Mac Software.The Omni GroupByword • A Simple Text Editor for MaciA WriterContacts Cleaner on the Mac App StoreSyncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailMailplane - the best way to use Gmail on the MacSparrow — The new mail for MacBusyCal - Sync calendars on your Mac with MobileMe, Google, and the iPhoneFlexibits | Fantastical | Meet your new assistant.BlacktreeLaunchBar 5Alex Payne — How I Use TextMateQuickCursor — Your text editor anywhere for Mac.Tags - Simply OrganizedNoodlesoft: HazelSpirited Away - drikin.com - the Mac wayRogue Amoeba | Freebies: Free Software for Mac OS XAmazon.com: Sakura IDenti-Pen Permanent Dual-Point Pen, Blue: Arts, Crafts & SewingAmazon.com: Moleskine Plain Reporter, 9cm x 14cm (9788883705502): Moleskine: BooksField Notes — “I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.”Notational VelocityTuneIn: Listen to Online Radio, Music and Talk StationsSponsored by Rackspace and Shopify.
6/7/20111 hour, 22 minutes, 48 seconds
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Episode 18: Forking the Question

Merlin and Dan talk about educating "That's Just a Button Guy," practicing more humane pushback, asking better questions, why laundromats don't accept "focus," plus what happens when you put WAY too much crap in your five-pound bag. Links for this episode:Mindfulness in Plain EnglishSponsored by iStockphoto and MailChimp.
5/31/20111 hour, 25 minutes, 1 second
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Episode 17: Brick Building Full of Lies

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about checking email under the table to catch up on your 27 high priority tasks, a good time to use the word priority, blowing cycles on meeting with Narnia's stakeholders, and getting tasks out of your dreamcatcher. Links for this episode:BONUS AWESOME: Too Close to the Metal Wallpapers (Chainmail for Manatees)ESSAY: Mud Rooms, Red Letters, and Real Priorities | 43 FoldersESSAY: GTD: Priorities don't exist in a vacuum | 43 FoldersESSAY: First, care. | 43 FoldersWIKI: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Importance vs. Urgency)WIKI: Alan Lakein (Lakein's question: "What is the best use of my time right now?")CONCEPT: GTD & "The Four-Criteria Model for Choosing Actions in the Moment" - Google BooksROCKET: Estes 1948 Big Bertha Flying Model Rocket Kit (Amazon.com)CONCEPT: Time and motion study - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWEBB: Cheaper by the Dozen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSONG: Bacon Ray - Sundays In A RowBONUS AWESOME: Cut the bullshit, do the hard work, on your desktop — Ice To The BrimCHART: covey quadrants - Google SearchROCKET: 001948 - Big Bertha™ - Skill 1 - Kits By Skill Level - RocketsVIDEO: Caddyshack: Playing Through ("Over on Briar")POEM: "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot as hypertext BOOK: The Waste Land: A Facsimile and Transcript of the Original Drafts Including the Annotations of Ezra Pound BOOK: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Amazon)HOWTO: Getting started with "Getting Things Done" | 43 Folders HOWTO: Building a Smarter To-Do List, Part I | 43 Folders OAK of a Man: Ken Case — The Omni Group OBVIOUS Raymond Carver Joke: "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" (WIKI)VIDEO: American Tourister "Gorilla" Commercial (1971)DIAGRAM: Anatomy of the Derail: “You shouldn’t be throwing anyone.” Sponsored by Harvest and Sound Studio 4.
5/27/20111 hour, 26 minutes, 14 seconds
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Episode 16: Bracing for the Blow

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin aren't afraid of lawyers, dentists, negative feelings, or of not being afraid of something. Sponsored by Rackspace and Shopify.
5/18/20111 hour, 12 minutes, 6 seconds
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Episode 15: Marionette of my own Design

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin are here to discuss the awareness of fear, asking yourself why, and knowing the problem instead of chasing fake confidence, patches, and hacks. Links for this episode:Hetty Green - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNoble Eightfold Path - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMindfulness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAudio Dharma - Gil Fronsdal's Dharma TalksAmazon.com: Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition (9780861713219): Bhante Henepola Gunaratana: BooksMindfulness In Plain EnglishAbba - "Knowing Me, Knowing You"MP3: Sometimes There’s a Man - Part II "Then, When?" - kung fu grippe Canonical Photo of Hetty GreenAlan Watts - "The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety" YouTube - Joni Mitchell - "Talk To Me" YouTube - Joni Mitchell - "Blue"Sponsored by FreshBooks and OmniGroup: OmniFocus.
5/10/20111 hour, 9 seconds
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Episode 14: Velocity of Disappointment

Merlin Mann joins Dan Benjamin to talk about problems that are impossible, problems that are boring, problems that you're scared of, and why you need to differentiate between fear and anxiety so you can be scared of something interesting. Links for this episode:5C6017AB.jpg 277×277 pixelsPrincess Ardala - Google SearchDo I love Terry Gross? - your monkey calledJeff Dee's Home PageDeities & Demigods - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaExpedition to the Barrier Peaks - [Merlin's favorite AD&D module]After Dark #20: After Back To Work 014 - 5by5 Sometimes There’s a Man (Part I) MP3 Download ... - kung fu grippe Sponsored by Webtrends and MailChimp.
5/3/20111 hour, 7 minutes, 53 seconds
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Episode 13: The Kid's Great

Dan and Merlin talk about "Cranking" - Merlin's latest post at 43folders.com. Links for this episode:Cranking | 43 Folders100% New Zealand BaconNetflix: Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run: 30th Anniversary Edition: Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to RunNetflix: Cyrano de Bergerac» Chip Scanlan | Poynter.Male Answer SyndromeNetflix - Watch Louis C.K.: Chewed Up Amazon.com: The Triggering Town: Lectures and Essays on Poetry and Writing - Richard HugoBruce Springsteen - "Thunder Road" - London, 1975YouTube: Cyrano de Bergerac Theatre SceneThe Poetry of Project Management, by Jeffrey Veen "May I mambo dogface to the banana patch?" - kung fu grippe After Dark #18: After Back To Work 013 - 5by5 Sponsored by Worldview and Intuit.
4/26/20111 hour, 30 minutes, 13 seconds
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Episode 12: Chewie's Medal is Not Canonical

Merlin Mann has some "followup" before he and Dan Benjamin discuss entrusting your agency to others, how to reclaim it, and picking the right balance between expertise and challenge instead of fixing your metadata. Links for this episode:The ASC -- American Cinematographer: Post Focus:002: Interview: Jonathan Coulton | The Merlin ShowDon't Run DOS - 30 Seconds with Phone Guy - Merlin MannKinda My Idea - 30 Seconds with Phone Guy - Merlin Mann_Inbox Zero_ cover - Merlin's Mockup ANH:R Change List | Star Wars Revisited NewsCsikszentmihalyi: Challenge vs Skill.jpegIn The Life Of...The Beatles: Purple Chick Discographykung fu grippe - RE: Chewie's MedalWIKIP: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (That "Flow" Guy)Video: John Roderick on String Art Owls, Copper Pipe, and Bono's Boss | 43 Folders Of Sawdust and Mistakes - kung fu grippe Sponsored by Audible and MailChimp.
4/19/20111 hour, 4 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 11: Johnny Heuristic

Merlin Mann joins Dan Benjamin to talk about futureproofing your passion by finding your obsession and voice, putting away your buggy whip and evolving, spreading your chips out across safe and risky investments, and taking smarter chances. Links for this episode:The Pipeline #49: Philip Elmer-DeWitt - 5by5Sponsored by Shopify and King of the Apps.
4/12/20111 hour, 18 minutes, 47 seconds
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Episode 10: At Last the 'Inspiration' Show

Dan and Merlin try to remove the airquotes from "inspiration" by talking about what it's great for (shipping better and more interesting stuff), what it's terrible for (getting started). Also covered: Dan's Old Testament name(s), part of Merlin's body that was once believed to be inspired by air, the problem with Some Hot Chick Typing in Her Underwear, TKTKTK writing tips, plus Batgirl. Always with the Batgirl. Links for this episode:Music Thing: Practice in front of a bush: Captain Beefheart's rules for guitaristsSalvador Dali Museum (thedali.org) / The official site of the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, featuring a comprehensive collection of works by Salvador Dali.750 WordsTime Management, Productivity, & Project Tracking Software (Mac/PC) | RescueTimeLetters of NoteTSoYA: "With All Due Respect to the Seduction Community…" (Merlin Mann on Doing Creative Work)Amazon.com: MERLIN D MANN: WishlistWriter's Block 1 by =ScherbiusKick procrastination's ass: Run a dash | 43 FoldersProcrastination hack: '(10+2)*5' | 43 FoldersAt Last the 1948 Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHack your way out of writer's block | 43 FoldersFresh Starts & Modest Changes | 43 FoldersMPU 046: Workflows with Merlin Mann II « Mac Power UsersWebstock 2011 - Merlin Mann -" Scared Shitless: How I (Mostly) Learned to Love Being Afraid of Pretty Much Everything" [Merlin cries like a hobo pussy. Happy now?]“Distraction,” Simplicity, and Running Toward Shitstorms | 43 Folders"Some Hot Chick Typing in Her Underwear" (Now re-Tumblr-d 8656 times. KILL ME. —mdm) Wu Tang Clan - "Triumph" - In which Inspectah Deck drops the SINGLE GREATEST VERSE in hip-hop history [~00:00:36-00:01:25] Foo Fighters - "Everlong" Kraftwerk - "Autobahn" The Wrens - "Everyone Choose Sides" R.E.M. - "Moon River" & "Pretty Persuasion" (Live, 1984) Captain Beefheart on Letterman (ca. 1982) Blogsmith Bundle - Brett Terpstra Markdown Service Tools - Brett Terpstra Sponsored by Sound Studio 4 and Worldview.
3/29/20111 hour, 21 minutes, 49 seconds
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Episode 9: Out of Scope!

Dan and Merlin improvise topics this week and get from Synechode, NY to dopamine, being scared and being safe, believing your thoughts and coloring your dreams, and solving problems by moving your hands instead of thinking. Links for this episode:Literature and LatteBetter - Merlin MannFour Years | 43 FoldersGreat Tools For Your Mac By Andreas Hegenberg » BetterTouchTool, BetterSnapTool & SecondBarYouTube - SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK : Official Trailer -- HDLouis CK - Turning 40 ("That's just a new *thing* you do")Amazon.com: Mac at Work (9780470877005): David Sparks: Books"Each time I sit down to write..." - Don MurrayAudiobook: "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie GoldbergAmazon.com: Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting (9780060391683): Robert Mckee: Books Making the Clackity Noise - kung fu grippe MPU 023: Workflows with Merlin Mann « Mac Power Users (March 13th, 2010)Sponsored by MailChimp.
3/22/20111 hour, 11 minutes
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Episode 8: Little Velvet Hands

This week, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin eighty-six their restaurant jobs—emptying grease traps, handling logs of meat, and sharing what they learned by bringing mostly bad food to America's table. Dan burns velvet hands, Merlin's Mom gives the guy with the coupon a kung fu, and old people want a monkey dish of sauce before they boost all your Sweet'N Low. Links for this episode:43F Podcast: The Perfect Apostrophe | 43 FoldersSponsored by Sourcebits and Audible.
3/15/20111 hour, 13 minutes, 5 seconds
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Episode 7: Vocational Wheel

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin relate to Richard–a listener in the middle of a quarter life crisis working jobs he doesn't like–with stories from their pasts, suggestions to combat the cascade of seriousness, and some first steps for breaking out of the vocational wheel. Links for this episode:Quarter-life crisis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSaturn return - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArtist's DatesThe Artist's WayMorning PagesWCA: "Paul's Case"Amazon.com: Writing Down the Bones eBook: Natalie Goldberg, Staughton Lynd: Kindle StoreNATALIE GOLDBERGMaking the Clackity Noise - kung fu grippeThe Artist's WayWhere Is the Ham? | You Look Nice TodayFL Driver's License; Summer, 1991 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!Excerpts from Natalie Goldberg/Writing Down the Bones and Wild MindDoodle: easy schedulingdaybooksAmazon.com: The Essential Don Murray: Lessons from America's Greatest Writing Teacher (9780867096002): Donald M. Murray, Thomas Newkirk, Lisa C. Miller: BooksVachina | You Look Nice TodayWriting sensible email messages | 43 Folders Idiocracy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mind Tools - Management Training, Leadership Training and Career Training How to Make a Mind Map® Appreciating Donald Murray (a/k/a, “Quit trying... - kung fu grippe YouTube - Idiocracy (2006) [trailer] Baron Karza - Google Image Search [SWEET Micronauts]"Sounds like pops and buzzes from here" [ERRATA] Melrin Regrets the Error: Back to Work, s01e07Vinyl Fever to close its doors this weekend Sponsored by FreshBooks and Rackspace.
3/8/20111 hour, 22 minutes, 29 seconds
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Episode 6: Expectational Debt

Merlin Mann is back from Webstock and ready to recap with Dan Benjamin, which leads back to caring first, performance and fear, meditation, hypnotherapy, and why you really need the hard answer instead just more tips. Links for this episode:The Conversation #27: Missionless Statements - 5by5MacSparky - Blog - Mac Power Users - Workflows with Merlin MannIntroducing the Hipster PDA | 43 FoldersMacGuffin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAmazon.com: Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware (Pragmatic Programmers) (9781934356050): Andy Hunt: BooksAmazon.com: The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master (0785342616224): Andrew Hunt, David Thomas: BooksBack to GTD: Do a fast "mind-sweep" | 43 FoldersBOOK: "Creating Flow with OmniFocus," by Kourosh Dini, M.D. (HIGHLY recommended by Merlin)Hivelogic - The Paleo Diet: A Link PrimerAUDIO: Quotidian Public Radio - "The 14-Second Work Year"VIDEO: Makebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) | 43 Folders PHOTO: "We Look Nice Today" by lonelysandwich - kung fu grippe Clear and Present Danger (1994)Amazon.com: The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play (9781585425525): Neil Fiore: Books Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology : The New Yorker Sponsored by MailChimp and CodeConf 2011.
3/1/20111 hour, 3 minutes, 40 seconds
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Episode 5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about the black art of paying attention to the right things, how lamps are no substitute, that it's hard whether you’re working from home or a cube, being honest about your expertise before looking for independence, and the need to move past inspiration. Links for this episode:Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTheory of Forms - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Software Integrity Blog » Blog Archive » The Dreyfus Model - Back In The Spotlight? Sponsored by Shopify and King of the Apps.
2/15/20111 hour, 19 minutes, 33 seconds
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Episode 4: Failing with Style

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about trying to change other people, how things really aren’t that bad, balancing fear or being driven by fear, leaving capacity for when you get The Pitch, procrastination (eventually), and giving yourself permission to fail in an interesting way. You’re not gonna get black lung from a spreadsheet. Links for this episode:Why Wesabe Lost to Mint - Marc Hedlund's blogViktor Frankl - Wikipedia ("…finding meaning in all forms of existence…")Sponsored by MailChimp and Sourcebits.
2/8/20111 hour, 3 minutes, 7 seconds
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Episode 3: The Second Arrow

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Links for this episode:Best of WikipediaMindfulness In Plain EnglishMindfulness in Plain English [Amazon]Red Barber - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWebstock 2011 — 14th-18th February 2011Amazon.com: The Wisdom of Insecurity (9780394704685): Alan W. Watts: BooksBacon Ray - "Tomfoolery" 7-inch (1995) [DL B2W's theme song, "Plica Plica"]Anne Lamott: Put the puppy back on the paper | 43 Folders Hillbilly Excel - 30 Seconds with Phone Guy - "It's all buttoned up…"Book: Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life [MDM: "...book with brown and green cover..."]Merlin @ Webstock 2011: Keynote + Two New WorkshopsHüsker Dü - Zen Arcade (Side 2 of 4) ["Punch it!"]Webstock 2011 will be the mostest bestest scientifically proven amazingest conference ever. In the history of the world. Fact.
2/1/20111 hour, 10 minutes, 54 seconds
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Episode 2: Picture of a Boat

Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin formulate a five-minute warning tactic before discussing the reality of bringing change to your company, some patterns that work for startups, solving the right problem at the right level, why you can’t find the innovation button, and using PathFinder as a Finder replacement. Links for this episode:Video: Interview: Chris Wetherell | The Merlin ShowVideo: Interview: Chris Wetherell, Part 2 | The Merlin ShowBook: The Pragmatic Programmer by Andy Hunt and David ThomasVideo: Path Finder video demo on MacBreak | 43 FoldersBook: Dynamics of Software Development by Jim McCarthy, Denis GilbertBook: Pragmatic Thinking and Learning by Andy HuntWorkshop: "Sinking your Sailboats: Managing Innovation by Saying True Things" by Merlin @ Webstock 11App Pick: Path Finder 5 by Cocoatech (OS X File Browser/Finder Replacement)Skunkworks project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Image: One of Pavlov's dogs.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia MacGuffin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Evan Williams | evhead: Ten Rules for Web Startups [2005]Cognitive bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaQuote: "The awful thing about life is this: Everybody has their reasons" (La règle du jeu, 1939) Image: "Leave-A-Sign-About-Dog-Poop Guy" This episode is sponsored by The Omni Group, makers of fine Mac and iOS apps like OmniFocus, OmniGraffle, and OmniOutliner.
1/25/20111 hour, 8 minutes, 42 seconds
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Episode 1: Alligator in the Bathroom

In the inaugural episode of Back to Work, Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss why they’re doing this show, getting back to work instead of buying berets, the lizard brain, and compare the Shadow of the Mouse to San Francisco, and eventually get to some practical tips for removing friction. Links for this episode:Welcome to BrettTerpstra.com, home of Brett Terpstra and his nerderycarlhuda/janus - GitHubpractically efficient — technology, workflows, lifeMacSparky - BlogThe Brooks ReviewAnd now it’s all thisDan Rodney's List of Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts & Keystrokes43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 Folderswaffle software · ThisServiceOne Thing Wellhtml2text: THE ASCIINATOR (aka html2txt)The Conversation #27: Missionless Statements - 5by5Smash into Vim [Screencast]Sponsored by Postmark and Rackspace.
1/18/20111 hour, 29 minutes, 28 seconds