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Episode 243: The Device at Hand Oct 20, 2015

Show notes

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:

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Episode 242: Not My Bird Oct 13, 2015

Show notes

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.com
Perhaps 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 Distributor
Amazon.com : VELA Graph Paper, 8.5 x 11, 65 Loose Sheets, Premium 24lb Heavyweight Paper, Class-2 'Optimized' Paper (Isometric Grid Variation) : Office Products
Cloudlifter 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) - IMDb
5by5 | Hypercritical #45: Star Wars is Not a Blog Post
John 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 FM
The 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 : NPR
Todd Vaziri (@tvaziri) | Twitter
5by5 | Back to Work #241: We Went to Princeton
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.
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 encyclopedia
How Squeeze seized the keys to their back catalogue | Music | The Guardian
Of 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 encyclopedia
Mission Of Burma - The Setup - YouTube
Tonight (The Move) - YouTube
Superheroes a 'cultural catastrophe', says comics guru Alan Moore | Books | The Guardian
Watchmen 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 Vimeo
Iron Man 2 (2010) - Rotten Tomatoes

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Episode 241: We Went to Princeton Oct 06, 2015

Show notes

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:

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Episode 240: The Third Phase Is Now Sep 29, 2015

Show notes

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:

Brought 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).

Episode 239: Starving African Child Sep 22, 2015

Show notes

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 iPad
Political 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 podcast
Steve 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 FM
John 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 Block
The 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 Block
The 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 Instruments
BETA 58A Vocal Microphone | Shure Americas
Flavor Enhancer - Food Flavor Enhancers - Accent Flavor
Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness: Donald L. Barlett, James B. Steele: 9780393326024: Amazon.com: Books
Amazon.com: The Aviator: Martin Scorsese, John Logan, Warner Bros., wb: Amazon Digital Services , Inc.
5by5 | Road Work
The September Issue (2009) - IMDb
GHOSTERY Home Page

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Episode 238: A 100-Year Problem Sep 15, 2015

Show notes

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 SF
Tickets | Slate Magazine's Political Gabfest | City Box Office
Political Gabfest
John Dickerson - How to Process a Hotel Room
John Dickerson, Journalist & Handsomeman | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Are People Really More Busy? The Rise of Shadow Work | The Art of Manliness
United States Guide: The American school system, Grades, school hours and terms: Most children start school
Children 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 encyclopedia
VIDEO: "Advanced Tricycling" talk by Merlin Mann (2014)
Magneto - Marvel Comics Database
The case of the 500-mile email
Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: Atul Gawande: 9780312430009: Amazon.com: Books
A Life-Saving Checklist - The New Yorker
If something so simple can transform intensive care, what else can it do?
Life hack. Boom. | kung fu grippe
Life hack. Boom.
Ep. 170: "The Wilder Universe" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin Mann
The Problem: They billed John $300.
Learning the bash Shell: Unix Shell Programming (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)): Cameron Newham: 9780596009656: Amazon.com: Books
100-year flood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kobayashi Maru - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Episode 237: Slow Your Roll Sep 08, 2015

Show notes

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 & Accessories
Urban Dictionary: slow your roll
Term 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.com
Logitech MX Master Review! - YouTube
Tech YouTuber Mouse v2 has arrived!
Amazon.com: SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad (Black): Electronics
Q: 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.org
It’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 encyclopedia
Airstream USA, Airstream Travel Trailer, Silver Bullet | Airstream
Social • XOXO Festival
catastrophize - Wiktionary
To regard a bad situation as if it were disastrous or catastrophic

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Episode 236: Finished for Now Sep 01, 2015

Show notes

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 Atlantic
Amazon.com: Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Coldcalm Tablets for Colds, 60 Count: Prime Pantry
Practice (learning method) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Making of an Expert
Actually, practice doesn’t always make perfect — new study - The Washington Post
Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 Hour Rule for deliberate practice is wrong: Genes for music, IQ, drawing ability, and other skills.
Drafts | Agile Tortoise
Editorial for iOS
nvALT - BrettTerpstra.com
nvALT 2.2b 106 - BrettTerpstra.com
Markdown Service Tools - BrettTerpstra.com
TaskPaper — Simple to-do list software for Mac
Input: Fonts for Code
Adding straight single and double quotes to Inconsolata
'The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness' reveals the tortured genius of Studio Ghibli | The Verge
mac system kaleidoscope - Google Search
mac system kaleidoscope
The Dalrymple Report
5by5 | Bingeworthy: Mr. Robot #1: Primer
Mise en place - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mise 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 : NPR
The 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.

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Episode 235: This is a Thing Aug 25, 2015

Show notes

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 Mann
Strandpromenade / By the seaside Ringtone iOS LOOP 10 Min - YouTube
Sutro Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sutro 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 Bowls
Amazon.com | Thermos 12 Ounce Funtainer Bottle, Batman: Pasta Bowls
Lumberjanes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nimona: Noelle Stevenson: 9780062278227: Amazon.com: Books
Noelle Stevenson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harry Houdini - The Death of Harry Houdini

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Episode 234: Two Inches Behind the Board Aug 18, 2015

Show notes

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 Runway
Andy is joined by Merlin Mann to discuss Project Runway.
nevver: Peanuts | kung fu grippe
adam baldwin - Google Search
vincent d'onofrio - Google Search
wilford brimley age in 1984 - Wolfram|Alpha
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy: David D. Burns: 0071001008999: Amazon.com: Books
Feeling Good | The website of David D. Burns, MD
It follows from this model that all emotional... | kung fu grippe
It follows from this model that all emotional change is ultimately brought about by cognitions
Reconcilable Differences #7: 50 Shades of John - Relay FM
This 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 Arrow
Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discuss ADD, Buddhism, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.
Faraday cage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thieves using a $17 device to break into cars with keyless systems
Car Thieves Hack Remote Keyless Entry Systems with $17 Device - Techlicious
High-tech car thieves may be breaking in by amplifying key fob signal - CBS News
Choosing the Best TV Antenna for San Francisco, California
HDTV Antenna Selection Guide, Reviews and Information
Amazon.com: Mohu Leaf 50 Indoor HDTV Antenna (formerly Leaf Ultimate): Electronics
5by5 | Road Work
Amazon.com: The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety (8601300190136): Alan W. Watts: Books
David Foster Wallace: The 'Fresh Air' Interview : NPR
Twitter
Card Wars - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!
Unjustly Maligned | "Monopoly" with Cory Casoni (Episode 24)

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