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Episode 453: Shoulder the Brunt Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

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.

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Episode 452: Wine is My Travel Drink Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

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

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Episode 451: I Am Not a Herpetologist Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Our worst episode ever. Enjoy!

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Episode 450: Slow-Motion Hypocrisy Nov 05, 2019

Show notes

Dan is getting a Synology, Merlin has been making stuff, plus the return of "Cool Things I Learned This Week."

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Episode 449: Tom Hardy Blindness Oct 29, 2019

Show notes

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.

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Episode 448: Spaghetti on Spaghetti Oct 22, 2019

Show notes

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!

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Episode 447: Mating for Life Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

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."

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Episode 925: A Mob Boss, A Garbage Boat and Why We Recycle : Planet Money : NPR
Episode 926: So, Should We Recycle? : Planet Money : NPR
Episode 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:" / Twitter
Twitter - 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 — Overcast
Compost, Recycle, & Landfill | Recology San Francisco
How to Recycle and Compost in San Francisco | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our Planet
S.F. Reacts to the Bin-sanity of the New Recycling Landscape - May 22, 2019 - SF Weekly
Dr. 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." / Twitter
Hetch Hetchy System
The 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% Invisible

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Episode 446: Charm Offensive Oct 08, 2019

Show notes

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?

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Episode 445: Hipster DMV Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's OS rollouts, changes in Apple retail, and week two with the new Apple Watch.

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Episode 444: Seasoned Horologist Sep 24, 2019

Show notes

This week, Dan and Merlin focus on the new Apple Watch.

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