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Episode 303: A Liver Runs Through It Dec 20, 2016

Show notes

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:

Pastebot
The Hilarious World of Depression | Podcast | APM Podcasts
Bad Medicine, Part 1: The Story of 98.6 - Freakonomics Freakonomics
Maladroite Cheval. on Vimeo
Chang and Eng Bunker - Wikipedia
Apple’s Tim Cook assures employees that it is committed to the Mac and that ‘great desktops’ are coming | TechCrunch
Seinfeld 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 - Apple
Material Dock | Studio Neat
Blue (Joni Mitchell album) - Wikipedia
Joni Mitchell - Blue (1971) [full album] - YouTube
John Moe (@johnmoe) | Twitter

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Episode 302: Rabbi for the Rabbi Dec 13, 2016

Show notes

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 Partners
LOVE BOAT INSANITY
Satisfying Sand Videos (@icutsand) • Instagram photos and videos
Amazon.com: moon sand: Toys & Games
Overwatch
An oral history of 'Get a Mac,' Part 1 | Campaign US
An oral history of 'Get a Mac,' Part 2 | Campaign US
Mac Power Users #355: The iPad as a Mac Replacement - Relay FM
David 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 | Hulu
Watch Dr. Beaman's Office From Saturday Night Live - NBC.com

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Episode 301: Not on My Timeline Dec 06, 2016

Show notes

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 Vimeo
Amazon.com : RUNA Clean Energy, Traditional Guayusa Tea, 16-Count Tea Bags : Black Teas : Grocery & Gourmet Food
Audio Dharma - Welcome to Audio Dharma
090 - Reality - Donald Hoffman — You Are Not So Smart — Overcast
Donald Hoffman: Do we see reality as it is? | TED Talk | TED.com
Apple’s Support Gap — Pixel Envy
This 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 | Dell
Cafeteria Catholicism - Wikipedia
Vaio - Wikipedia
Kremlinology - Wikipedia
Michael Tsai - Blog - Apple’s Support Gap
Advance-fee scam - Wikipedia
Caffeine Pharmacology
Audio Dharma — Overcast
Reconcilable Differences #40: Slippery Slope to Dr. Manhattan - Relay FM
Accidental Tech Podcast: 196: Roasting Your Own Beans

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Episode 300: A Room Where I Don’t Matter Dec 01, 2016

Show notes

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 Everyone
Meth Lab Full of Memories | Do By Friday
This week's challenge: throw something away.
Urban Dictionary: kipple
Kipple 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 & Dining
Amazon.com: The Rook (2015316098809): Daniel O'Malley: Books
'Reply-all' email chain sent to all 1.2 million NHS employees - Business Insider
BlackBerry - Wikipedia
Rogue Amoeba | Audio Hijack: Record Any Audio on Mac OS X
Clutter–Hoarding Scale™ | Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD)
Levels of hoarding: some guidelines for recognizing the problem | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
superman 1978 movie program - Google Search

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Episode 299: Unhook from the Comparison Nov 22, 2016

Show notes

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 | Diffen
Diffen 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 — SMG
Patrick Rothfuss - Official Website
The Name of the Wind: Patrick Rothfuss: 8601300468570: Amazon.com: Books
Manure Digester — Unattended Consequences — Overcast
Author Pat Rothfuss on comparing somebody else's "onstage" to your "backstage."
Unattended Consequences
A 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 Books
Bartimaeus 3-book boxed set (Bartimaeus Trilogy): Jonathan Stroud: 9781423136828: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.com: Diane Duane Young Wizards: Books
Peter and the Starcatchers: Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Greg Call: 9780786849079: Amazon.com: Books
The Chronicles of Prydain (5 Volumes): Lloyd Alexander: 9781250000934: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.com: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (9780385736008): Michael Scott: Books
Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Paperback Boxed Set (new covers w/poster) (Percy Jackson & the Olympians): Rick Riordan, John Rocco: 9781484707234: Amazon.com: Books
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1): Rick Riordan: 9780786838653: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.com: His Dark Materials Omnibus (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) (9780375847226): Philip Pullman: Books
His Dark Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass: Philip Pullman: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.com: brad meltzer i am: Books
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box Set Collection (10 Books): Jeff Kinney: 9780141336466: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.com: The Giver (Giver Quartet) (9780544336261): Lois Lowry: Books
Gabby and Gator: James Burks: 9780316259354: Amazon.com: Books
Len - Steal My Sunshine - YouTube
toxicmoldsyndromemoldremovalnyc1.png (709×567)
Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet): Orson Scott Card: 9780812550702: Amazon.com: Books
Amphigorey: Fifteen Books: Edward Gorey: 8601300252452: Amazon.com: Books
The Gashlycrumb Tinies: Edward Gorey: 9780151003082: Amazon.com: Books
Library Extension - See book availability from your local library | Library Extension
A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet): Madeleine L'Engle: 9780312367541: Amazon.com: Books
Chronicles of Narnia Box Set: C. S. Lewis: 8601400210253: Amazon.com: Books
This is Not a Conspiracy Theory
Broken windows theory - Wikipedia
The Problem with "Broken Windows" Policing | Policing the Police | FRONTLINE | PBS

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Episode 298: Night Boot for Big Beef Nov 15, 2016

Show notes

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 Converter
The Gyroscope App · your health tracking dashboard
Snapseed - Wikipedia
plantar fasciitis sleeping - Google Search
Junecloud
A Wrinkle in Time - Wikipedia
Satanists & Pedophiles Run The World - David Icke - YouTube
Morgellons actually Explained!! - YouTube
Explaining 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 - PCPartPicker
Parametric Part Lists - PCPartPicker
Harry Potter Spell List
The Spells of Harry Potter - Skyler Johnson | Tableau Public
Every spell muttered, flicked, and yelled in the Harry Potter book universe, visualized at occurrence position.
Tickled - Wikipedia
Barkley Marathons - Wikipedia
#3 Concrete – Gimlet Media
From 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 WARS
His Dark Materials - Wikipedia
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows "Three Brothers Story" - YouTube
Serena | Bewitched Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Watch Full Episodes Online of Soundbreaking on PBS

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Episode 297: It Takes Craftspersonship Nov 11, 2016

Show notes

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 Drive
The Talk Show: Ep. 172, With Special Guest Merlin Mann
Merlin 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 — Overcast
Merlin 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 - YouTube
Human Torch (android) - Wikipedia
The Terminal • furbo.org
The Good Wife - CBS.com
Bennett Cerf's Houseful of Laughter: Bennett (ed.) Cerf, Kelly, Price Illus. by Roth: 9781122690799: Amazon.com: Books
Wonder: R. J. Palacio: 8601300239491: Amazon.com: Books
The Show - No Agenda - With Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak
YouTube Red - YouTube

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Episode 296: Surely You Can't be Sirius Nov 01, 2016

Show notes

TOPIC: Leaving Dropbox Vegas

Merlin survives a sleepover, and Dan has a concern about Dropbox.

Links for this episode:

Microsoft OneDrive
iCloud - iCloud Drive - Apple
Google Drive - Cloud Storage & File Backup for Photos, Docs & More
SpiderOak
Secure File Sharing, Storage, and Collaboration | Box
Syncthing
Insync is Google Drive sync & backup with multiple account support
ChronoSync Overview | Econ Technologies Software
Phone Number Search | Truecaller
Westworld: Season 1 (Selections from the HBO® Series) - EP by Ramin Djawadi on Apple Music
HBO Releases Westworld Soundtrack of Old-Timey Rock Covers | Film | News | Hot Press
Golem - Wikipedia
Ravenclaw | Harry Potter Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
The Hogwarts Sorting Quiz (Pottermore Version) | Playbuzz
MacBook Pro - Apple
SRD:Golem - D&D Wiki
Benjamin Button Reviews The New MacBook Pro (Pinboard Blog)
Netflix - Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview
Do By Friday
A weekly challenge show hosted by Merlin Mann, Alex Cox, and Max Temkin.
Dropping Dropbox
Accidental Tech Podcast: 88: Standing on Opposite Sides of the Gym
8.3 filename - Wikipedia
Amazon Drive: Cloud Storage - Online Backup
ExpanDrive for Mac & Windows | SFTP, Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, OneDrive, Box.com, WebDAV, Swift as Network Drive
Synology Cloud Station as DIY Dropbox Alternative
rm -r * by Jeffrey Veen
Roman à clef - Wikipedia
Loanword - Wikipedia
A 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 - IMDb
Steve 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 Djawadi
Ramin Djawadi - Wikipedia
He 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 Music
Radiohead - No Surprises - YouTube
Making of: No Surprises - YouTube
Deadpool (2016) - IMDb
Screens - Control Your Computer Remotely - Edovia
Screens - Control Your Computer Remotely - Edovia
The Good Wife - Wikipedia
Bennett Cerf's Houseful of Laughter: Bennett (ed.) Cerf, Kelly, Price Illus. by Roth: 9781122690799: Amazon.com: Books

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Episode 295: I’m Not Talkin’ for Clapping Oct 25, 2016

Show notes

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 - YouTube
Monty Hall problem - Wikipedia
Birthday problem - Wikipedia
Wonder (Palacio novel) - Wikipedia
Wonder: R. J. Palacio: 9780375869020: Amazon.com: Books
Reconcilable Differences #37: A Useless Angle for Swordfighting - Relay FM
Runa | Guayusa
Flammable vs. Inflammable: What's the difference? | Merriam-Webster
Both 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 Experience
5by5 | Hypercritical #18: Worse and More Diverse
John 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 - Wikipedia
PrivacyStar
Huge phone scam targeting Americans leads to 700 being detained in India | World news | The Guardian
Carl Weathers Got Stew Going - YouTube
Angel Summoner and BMX Bandit - YouTube

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Episode 294: Sufficiently Advanced Friendship Oct 18, 2016

Show notes

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:

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