Back to Work

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Episode 353: Superagency Dec 05, 2017

Show notes

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 Forums
Vincent 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 - Wikipedia
Social media bubbles: One graph shows how morally outraged tweets stay within their political spheres — Quartz
Confirmation bias - Wikipedia
Amy Sherman-Palladino on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel costume designer breaks down the looks
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien - Mistadobalina (Video Version) - YouTube
Del the Funky Homosapien - Wikipedia
Dan Benjamin on Instagram: “I have been sent a YouTube video in the mail.” • Instagram
Dan Benjamin on Instagram: “How it works ...” • Instagram
The Adventures of Pete & Pete - Wikipedia
Amazon.com: Braun Series 7 790cc Men's Electric Foil Shaver / Electric Razor, with Clean & Charge Station, Cordless: Beauty
Here are the Monkees and Mister Bob Dobalina | dinnerfornoone
Eddie Money - Shakin' - YouTube

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Episode 352: Get Away From My Formular! Nov 30, 2017

Show notes

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 — Overcast
I’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 Philly
Why do you need to get a flu shot every year? - Melvin Sanicas - YouTube
Flying monkeys (psychology) - Wikipedia
Confirmation bias - Wikipedia
dan/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 | Macworld
Brattoo Propaganda Software - Products
Lisa 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 Store

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Episode 351: Your Chest Is a Tunnel Nov 21, 2017

Show notes

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:

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Episode 350: Stacking Stones and Inspiration Nov 14, 2017

Show notes

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 Mann
MERLIN 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 bakerhood
DC 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 - Polygon
Brian Michael Bendis Leaves Marvel, Signs Exclusive Deal With DC Comics
Brian Michael Bendis Signs DC-Exclusive Deal | CBR
IBM Type
Thanks 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 relax
Wind River (film) - Wikipedia
Edgar Wright - Wikipedia
Baby Driver - Wikipedia
Hot Fuzz - Wikipedia
Amazon.com: Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (8601421062619): Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley: Books
Netflix
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017) - Rotten Tomatoes
Fonts - Apple Developer
How to use Apple’s SF Mono font in your editor – Blog post - Simon Fredsted’s blog
Sway on the App Store
Sway 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 Store
Based 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! - YouTube
Pace Picante Sauce commercial - "Why this stuff's made in New York City!" - 1989 - YouTube
HD & 4K Chihuahua Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Chihuahua Stock Footage
HD & 4K Crystals Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crystals Stock Footage
HD & 4K Zen Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Zen Stock Footage
HD & 4K Business Cards Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Business Cards Stock Footage
Reconcilable Differences #64: All Fight - Relay FM
Merlin 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 - YouTube

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Episode 349: The Kid Who Never Won Anything Nov 07, 2017

Show notes

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:

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Episode 348: Optionitis Oct 31, 2017

Show notes

Dan and Merlin talk about Halloween, the Chromebook, Apple, WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), and hair removal.

Links for this episode:

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Episode 347: Beast Coast Oct 24, 2017

Show notes

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:

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Episode 346: Disagreement of the Genders Oct 23, 2017

Show notes

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 Mann
MERLIN 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 | 9to5Mac
Why You Can Focus in a Coffee Shop but Not in Your Open Office
Daylight Saving Time Explained - YouTube
Pacifica - Daily tools for managing stress, anxiety and depression.
Klok - Time Zone Converter Widget on the App Store
Have you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.com
Panobook – Studio Neat
Products - Hot Dogs - Applegate
The Sixth Gun - Wikipedia
Amazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: Books
How David Fincher Hijacks Your Eyes - YouTube
Amazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: Books
We Taste-Tested 10 Hot Dogs. Here Are the Best. - The New York Times
The Show That Never Ends | W. W. Norton & Company
Koo Koo Kanga Roo
The Demonization of Gluten - Freakonomics Radio - WNYC
Kegel exercise - Wikipedia
Disney Tsum Tsum - Soft & Plush Toys | Disney Store

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Episode 345: Chow Mein Hour Oct 10, 2017

Show notes

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 - YouTube
Black Widow Spider vs. ScorpionBeanMeister22Recommended for you
EverythingApplePro - YouTube
What we talk about when we talk about talking: The CIA's guide to semantics
Philips Hue Labs - Multi user geofencing
iOS 11 Review! Should You Update? - YouTube
Why We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us - The New York Times
iOS Privacy: steal.password - Easily get the user's Apple ID password, just by asking — Felix Krause
Mac Power Users #399: Workflows with Merlin Mann - Relay FM
This 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 - Wikipedia
TED-Ed - YouTube - YouTube
Brainstorm (1983) - IMDb
FruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —
coconutBattery 3.6.4 - by coconut-flavour.com
Determining battery cycle count for Mac notebooks - Apple Support
Twitterrific: Making Twitter Extra Terrific
The Twitter app for people who actually use Twitter. Now all-new for macOS.
Which VPN Services Keep You Anonymous in 2017? - TorrentFreak
VPN 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 Server
2GB Ram for $10/mo - Linode
How 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 pixels

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Episode 344: The Microwave Moment Oct 03, 2017

Show notes

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:

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