Back to Work

Latest Episodes:

Episode 203: I Blame the Media. Jan 06, 2015

Show notes

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 Clinic
Bursitis (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 encyclopedia
A yad (Hebrew: ???, literally "hand"
Chopper Command - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pitfall! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Superman (1979 video game) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 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 - YouTube
Yars' Revenge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Apple has lost the functional high ground – Marco.org
What it’s like to be way too popular for a day – Marco.org
Panic Blog » Panic’s lost 1982 artwork. Found.
Quote approval – Marco.org
5by5 Showbot
Meet Belty, the ridiculous but strangely popular showstealer of CES Unveiled - CNET

Sponsored 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).

Episode 202: Choosing is a Radio Button Dec 30, 2014

Show notes

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-fears
The Cost of Continuously Checking Email - HBR
Suppose 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 Economist
THE 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 & Games
It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: Books
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen: 9780142000281: Amazon.com: Books
It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff: Peter Walsh: 9780743292658: Amazon.com: Books
5by5 | Back to Work #173: The Best Days End in Tears
Capgras delusion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Five Somewhat Novel Compulsions I had at one time or another | 5ives
Simulation hypothesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?
The Fermi Paradox - Wait But Why
Great Filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fermi paradox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A time traveller's primer | Ryan North | TEDxUofT - YouTube
Adventure Time #6 - Comics by comiXology
5by5 Showbot
kolpanic/Achiever · GitHub
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness | Talk Video | TED.com
Flow (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: 9780061339202: Amazon.com: Books
deep-dark-fears: deep dark fears | kung fu grippe

Sponsored 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).

Episode 201: Never Enough Bathrooms Dec 23, 2014

Show notes

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 Decades
Spider-Woman Rocks A Great New Look, Courtesy Of Kris Anka
Amazon.com: LEGO Star Wars 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer Building Toy: Toys & Games
Amazon.com: LEGO Star Wars 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer Building Toy: Toys & Games
Dinosaurology (Ologies): Jack Fawcett, Various: 9780763667399: Amazon.com: Books
All Things Considered for December 22, 2014 : NPR
We Ask A Scholar: How Does Ridley Scott's 'Exodus' Compare With The Bible's? : NPR
NPR'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 - YouTube
What's at stake in the legal battle over Comcast's home WiFi hotspots - GeekWire
Stuxnet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stuxnet 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 encyclopedia
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
UPS will ship 34 million packages today | The Verge
Merlin 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).

Episode 200: Blitzkriegscheiße Dec 16, 2014

Show notes

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 Radio
Chris 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) - YouTube
How the West Was Won (Led Zeppelin album) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Led Zeppelin- LA Drone/The Immigrant Song (HTWWW) - YouTube
Search Result: Robert Plant
"I Wish" T-Shirts & Hoodies by Jacob King | Redbubble
Amazon.com: Culturelle Digestive Health Probiotic, 80 Capsules: Health & Personal Care
Amazon.com: Led Zeppelin: How The West Was Won: Music
Chris Morris - Trying To Book A Flight - YouTube
Chris Morris and Paul Garner Taxi-Bothering - YouTube

Sponsored 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).

Episode 199: Merlin Mann's Best of 2014 Dec 09, 2014

Show notes

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 Computer
John 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 + Innovation
For 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 « Nerdist
Slate’s Culture Gabfest on British TV import Black Mirror, cultural obsession, and the decline of TV comedy
This 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 House
Jeff Altman | The Carson Podcast
The 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 encyclopedia
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) - IMDb
Image Comics | Releases | Bitch Planet #1
BOOM! Studios - Come Innovate With Us. - BOOM! Studios |
Lumberjanes Digital Comics - Comics by comiXology
Jo, 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 Mars
Ep. 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 encyclopedia
Video: Johnny Carson: King of Late Night | Watch American Masters Online | PBS Video
Johnny Carson's last TV appearance - YouTube
Ex-Men: Wolverine - YouTube
Search Result: Robert Plant
5by5 | Hypercritical #42: The Wrong Guy
John 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 encyclopedia
At-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 encyclopedia
The 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 | PBS
It 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 DC
He 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 Planet
Dudes!! Tomorrow’s the day!!
Spider-Man & The X-Men #1 - Comics by comiXology
Meet 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 Showbot
43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 Folders
Ex-Men: Gambit - YouTube
5by5 | Podcast Method
Dan Benjamin answers your questions about podcasting and recording, audio and video equipment, software, mic technique, pre- and post-production, workflows, and more.
Overcast
A 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 FM
The Dick Cavett Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BONANZA! #4: Roving Reporter - Relay FM
5by5 Showbot

Sponsored 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).

Episode 198: Gardening Leave Dec 02, 2014

Show notes

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 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.[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.com
Butter, Bacon, and Bone Broth: A Week on the Lakers Diet «
Amazon.com: Marvel Legends Modok Series Spider-woman Action Figure: Toys & Games
Right-to-work law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Real Mayonnaise
Cowboys QB Tony Romo reveals his disappointments in preparing for Eagles | Dallas Morning News
Meatballs (1979) - IMDb
Breaking Away (1979) - IMDb
Yorkshire pudding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ratatouille (2007) - IMDb
5by5 | Five Minute Tech News #318: Jackie Chan and Solar Panels
Netflix 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 encyclopedia
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spider-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 encyclopedia
Power 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 encyclopedia
Avengers 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 | Yelp
A 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).

Episode 197: Way of the Brown Lego Nov 25, 2014

Show notes

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 #1
2014 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 Planet
You’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 encyclopedia
Bob 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 grippe
things 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 - WNYC
Alec 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 & Games
D&D Lords of Waterdeep on the App Store on iTunes
5by5 Showbot
Listener-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 grippe
Micronauts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Death Cab For Cutie - Pictures In An Exhibition - YouTube
GitHub · 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).

Episode 196: The Circle of Lice Nov 20, 2014

Show notes

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 Rumors
The $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: Books
Do It Yourself Pest Control Supplies
Do It Yourself Pest Control Products & Supplies | Do My Own Pest Control
Family Circle - Teens, Family, Food, Style and More
Pork Maple Sausages
The Flop House
Fitbit
Episode #133 – Bullet to the Head The Flop House
Walter 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 encyclopedia
AMC Javelin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raising Arizona (1987) - Original Theatrical Trailer - YouTube
Ancillary Justice Audiobook | Ann Leckie | Audible.com
The Martian Audiobook | Andy Weir | Audible.com
Ancillary Justice Audiobook | Ann Leckie | Audible.com
iPad Air 2 - Buy iPad Air 2 - Apple Store (U.S.)
Amazon.com: MERLIN D MANN: Wishlist
This list is for: MERLIN D MANN
snopes.com: Cockroach Eggs
The Talk Show ?: Ep. XCIX, With Merlin Mann
Very 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 encyclopedia
Rio (digital audio players) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Raising 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 Pants
John Siracusa's iPhone activation woes.
Valley Girl (1983) - Trailer - YouTube

Sponsored 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).

Episode 195: Prima Facie Butter Coffee Nov 11, 2014

Show notes

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 Mann
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.”
The Talk Show: Ep. XCIX, With Merlin Mann
Very 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 Own
Amazon.com: Newman's Own All Natural Sockarooni Pasta Sauce: Everything Else
Bio-Hack: 5 Reasons Why Everyone is Suddenly Putting Butter In Their Coffee | NextShark
First World War Poems - In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
In 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 grippe
As 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 Archive
Dr. Schaffner, Rutgers SEBS: Department of Food Science
Don Schaffner (@bugcounter) | Twitter
Food Safety Talk
Merlin’s Awkward Hair Odyssey - an album on Flickr
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Latest Buzz
Over the Garden Wall (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Over the Garden Wall - Video
Double Robotics - Telepresence Robot for Telecommuters
Episode #61 – Surrogates The Flop House
Imagine 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 grippe
Greg - “Potatoes and Molasses” (Over the Garden Wall)I. LOVE. This. Show.
Segmented sleep - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BBC News - The myth of the eight-hour sleep
During 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 encyclopedia
The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Not Real | Smart News | Smithsonian
The 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).

Episode 194: The Company of a Clown Nov 04, 2014

Show notes

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) - YouTube
Inquisitive #11: Merlin As A Service - Relay FM
This 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 Huffduffer
This 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 FM
Hosted by Myke Hurley and Matt Alexander, Bonanza! is an important show about nothing in particular.
Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #6 — Merlin Mann
A 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 them
But 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 Walrus
Man 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.com
To 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 - YouTube
Banksy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
His 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 encyclopedia
Penn and Teller Explain Sleight of Hand - YouTube
Apollo Robbins: The art of misdirection | Talk Video | TED.com
Hailed 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 : NPR
Thank you Easter Bunny, Bawk Bawk! - YouTube
John Wayne Gacy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gacy 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.
Showbot
Listener-submitted suggestions for this week's episode title.
World Series 2014: Madison Bumgarner pitches Giants past Royals for title - The Washington Post
Amazon.com: LEGO Creator Small Cottage 31009: Toys & Games
Accessories 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: Books
The man who walked between the towers (Book, 2003) [WorldCat.org]
Philippe Petit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Philippe 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: Books
Dr.Katz - Ray Romano - Ep. 102 Pretzelkins - YouTube
Feeling strong, Bumgarner gets critical Game 5 nod | MLB.com
Sloan Concert Setlist at Croatian Cultural Centre, Vancouver on November 9, 2001 | setlist.fm
Veteran of the Psychic Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Not Real | Smart News | Smithsonian

Sponsored 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).

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected