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DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin get hungry, but they've had it with all the bread; the trough food is so costly; no one is sweating Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Marvel-ish movies are discussed, including the new one with Lady Sansa; Merlin is very concerned about aphasias; Dan introduces us to Forbidden Snacks and endorses his new shoe appliance; shoe appliances are then discussed; Dan hasn't had to use his sword…yet; people sure love them some pencils; there was some weather, so the seder got all fakakte; the finer points of Judaism and sundry Hebraica are clarified; Dan got scrolls-on-tape from a sympathetic cantor; Buster Scruggs is recommended; the boys receive a quick surprise visit from the great Tom Waits; and, finally, your hosts talk about a terrific YouTube video about what we can all learn from our worst trainwrecks. Links for this episode:Adam Neely - "My Worst Trainwreck" - YouTube"Train wrecks happen on the bandstand. This is the story of a particularly nasty one at a wedding where we t

DISCUSSED: Dan has just started a new pen; there's some pen, pencil, and eraser talk; Dan has an important anecdote about utilizing eraser-based people skills; Dan's iMac is working fine, but he's concerned about the poofs coming out of the balloon blower; Dan saw Venom and has some thoughts; Merlin commends a comic and a podcast and an app launcher; the evolution of computer interaction has rewired our brains; why do they have to make the print so small?; Merlin has songs in his head; and, finally, Merlin apologizes to Nick Fury. Links for this episode:My Worst Trainwreck - YouTubeAdam Neely - YouTubeFun Fact, a podcast by Arik Devens and Allen PikeArik Devens and Allen Pike serve up fun facts, including the practical, historical, technical, and trivial. New episode every other Friday. Fun Fact — OvercastTwo people talk about topics they find interesting. LaunchBar 6Start with a single keyboard shortcut to access and control every aspect of your digital life. Kneaded eraser - WikipediaPrismacolor MAGIC RUB A

DISCUSSED: What we talk about when we talk about optimism; the power of "Act as Though"; on edibles; a YouTube recommendation, then more YouTube recommendations; how even do we tell YouTube what we never want to see again? HOW?!; the difficulty of sensible algorithms; the fascinating concept of "pareidolia"; Professor Shoelaces's extensive metatags; your hosts answer a listener's question about when to go physical versus when to go digital. Links for this episode:Chris Nagele on Twitter: "In other words, I'm trying to treat my computer more like a sewing machine or table saw. Something to do a job when I need it, and to walk away from it when I don't."In other words, I'm trying to treat my computer more like a sewing machine or table saw. Something to do a job when I need it, and to walk away from it when I don't. Stopping the Noise in Your Head : the New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry: Dr. Reid Wilson PhD: 9780757319068: Amazon.com: BooksForgery Experts Explain 5 Ways To Spot A Fake |

DISCUSSED: Merlin is back on his old cans; Dan is pivoting to video; Cash stepped in paint, and kids are terrible storytellers; a book recommendation; a case for the Oxford comma, please and thank you; Dan starts asking for help with his new iMac; gross nickel–and-diming by Apple; praise for Southwest Airlines; Dan (finally) gets to finish asking for help with his new iMac; a cool new open source Mac video app; the Mac laptop keyboard problems ain't going away; Dan really likes Final Cut; Merlin fights with UPS, both on principle and as a game; Merlin thinks Dan's egg cooker rules. Links for this episode:Rogue Amoeba | Get Audio Hijack 3Brian Regan- You Too! - YouTube"Best Buy Rewards Card"- Pacific Rim Animatic - YouTubeDreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style: Benjamin Dreyer: 9780812995701: Amazon.com: GatewayFresh Air for Feb. 5, 2019: Random House Copy Chief Benjamin Dreyer : NPRMenu for Ted's Farm Barbecue & Coffee Austn, TX MenuOxford commas, Nelson Mandel

DISCUSSED: allergy attack!; big anniversary today; elegy for Two Cats Comics; some D&D talk; Dan got a sword!; yet more D&D talk; key commands for line-moving; Dan got his YouTube URL back; a Theranos book recommendation; Dan almost got cast in a TV show; some observations and reckons about Apple's big Services event. Links for this episode:Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup: John Carreyrou: 9781524731656: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 250 Ohm Closed Dynamic Headphones Bundle with Blucoil Audio 6-Ft Extension Cable and Stick-On Under Desk Dual Headphone Stand Mount: Home Audio & TheaterTexas Renaissance Festival – Tickets and InformationPlayer's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons): Wizards RPG Team: 8601421717694: Amazon.com: GatewayAmazon.com: Frienda Zinc Alloy Metal Polyhedral 7-Die Dice Set for Dungeons and Dragons RPG Dice Gaming D&D Math Teaching, d20, d12, 2 Pieces d10 (00-90 and 0-9), d8, d6 and d4 (Black and Red): Toys & GamesThe Sata

DISCUSSED: Top o' the Morling!; praise for the home release of Spider-Verse; Dan and Merlin offer some more TV recommendations; Merlin endorses an excellent "turns out" podcast; a deep dive on slow-rise squishes and related stress toys; Merlin wears his childhood privilege on his sleeve. Finally, the guys answer an excellent listener question about the complex work of maintaining a household with someone you love. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin MannMERLIN 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, March 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. You're Wrong About... — OvercastReturning to misremembered history PEN15 - WikipediaLove Death + Robots Trailer: David Fincher Presents Animated Anthology | IndieWireStranger Danger — You're Wrong About... — OvercastAmazon.com: TrimakeShop Jumbo Cute Cartoon D

DISCUSSED: Merlin is trying some new things and probably needs to adjust his DIP switches; audio equipment is discussed; remembering Hal Blaine; German words; fish dropsy; dining at Alamo Draft House; kids and crafts; follow-up on Power Puttering; recommending a Siracusa anecdote; recommending a philosophy podcast; recommending several cool products; some strong (if muddled) thoughts on the Michael Jackson documentary. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin MannMERLIN 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, March 21st to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Hal Blaine - WikipediaHal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky Philosophize This! – A free podcast dedicated to sharing the ideas that shaped our world!Philosophize This! — OvercastEpisode #121 … Michel Foucault pt. 1 — Philosophize This! — OvercastReconcilable Differen

DISCUSSED: Merlin is living the Domino lifestyle; R.I.P. Two Cats Comics; praise for iA Writer; Merlin needs help with his sudden Gmail spam; a meditation on comics as some awesome fun and an ugly damned business; nostalgia for hobby shops and Expedition to the Barrier Peaks; and finally Merlin reintroduces the concept of "Power Puttering." Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #25 — Merlin MannFriend, it’s time for this epic arc to come to its conclusion. After five years, twenty-five meet-ups, and countless new friends made and awesome comics recommended, this will be our last Ungainly X-Mann Meetup with our dear friends at Two Cats Comics Three-Twenty West Portal Avenue. My all-time favorite comic shop will be closing for good on March 26th. Amazon.com: AIKEMI Easter Cute Pig Squishy Slow Rising Soft Scented Animal Long Eyelashes Stress Relief Baby Toys Gifts: Toys & GamesiA Writer: The Focused Writing App for Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone and iPadEp. 326: "The Cat and the Kettle" - R

DISCUSSED: Dan has an awesome new video; Spider-Verse is out!; Merlin's dorky Segway is discussed; app recommendations for a clean new Gmail and an even-smarter Dark Sky; Dan spills the beans on his new sound bar setup; TV selection and purchase is a known thistle; idiot trolls hassle poor Carol Danvers; Dan has an important new egg technology; and, finally, the boys fret about Apple's new 2FA requirements a little. Links for this episode:This Is Fireside - YouTubeDark SkyHyperlocal weather forecasting. What Is HDMI ARC?HDMI :: Manufacturer :: HDMI 1.4 :: Audio Return ChannelAmazon.com: All-new Sonos Beam – Compact Smart TV Soundbar with Amazon Alexa voice control built-in. Wireless home theater and streaming music in any room. (Black): GatewayReviews and Ratings - RTINGS.comLG E7 OLED Review (OLED55E7P, OLED65E7P) - RTINGS.comSorry, trolls: Rotten Tomatoes will no longer let users review a movie before its release Yubico | YubiKey Strong Two Factor Authentication for Business and Individual Use.Apple being s

Mostly one big topic: screen time. Links for this episode:How to Fix “Cellular Update Failed” on iPhone with iOS 12.1.2 SMS, LTE, Cellular Data Issues16 Surprisingly Funny Palindromes | Grammarly BlogPessimists Archive PodcastMoral panic - WikipediaAmazon.com: Super Stretchy Banana Assorted and Bouncy Ball Bundle by JA-RU | Stretches Long & Shrink Slow. Smells Good 3340 (Banana): GatewayLeviton 67W82 20 Amp, 277/480 Volt- 3PY, Flush Mounting Locking Receptacle, Industrial Grade, Grounding, Wetguard with Cover, Yellow - Electrical Outlet Covers - Amazon.comFrinkiac - S09E18 - WHAT IS YOUR FASCINATION WITH MY FORBIDDEN CLOSET OF MYSTERY?Brought to you by: Grammarly (For 20% off a Grammarly premium account, go to Grammarly.com/backtowork). eero (Get $100 off the ‘eero base unit and 2 beacons package,’ and 1 year of eero Plus, visit eero.com/backtowork and at checkout enter the code BACKTOWORK).

DISCUSSED: It's the optimistic day, but Merlin really screwed up an edit; there's some Inside Baseball about how podcasts get made; it's nice to have someone notice the shaving cream on your jowl; movie ratings are explored; why all the bosoms in 80s movies?; Dan wonders if he should have approached a celebrity; Merlin introduces further thought technologies for not being a creep with a famous person; the paucity of public experiences; Dan talks about Austin's mussel water; we learn about the prevalence of weevils; meth sourcing; a nice note from a listener about when podcasts are absolutely not evil; and, finally, a desperate plea for podcast platforms to stay independent and open please please pretty please. Links for this episode:macOS Keychain Security Flaw Discovered by Researcher, but Details Not Shared With Apple Over Bug Bounty Protest - MacRumorsAustin Water Responds to Unusual Odor in Water - Water is Safe to Drink | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of AustinAUSTIN - Some customers

DISCUSSED: Gong Hei Fat Choy!; follow-up on the FaceTime bug and the complexity of getting bug and security reports from normals; the weirdness of bug-finders demanding a bounty; Merlin is fascinated to learn about "combinatorial explosion" and how it helps to explain why power-cycling fixes stuff; why you should always blow the dust out of the plug; recent examples of how restarting just fixes stuff; Merlin logs out of email apps and recommends an iOS calendar app; a case for killing OAuth where you don't need it; and, finally, your hosts respond to a listener question about whether podcasts can be "evil." Links for this episode:How to say Happy New Year in Chinese, just in time for Chinese New Year | Metro NewsHow a teenage 'Fortnite' player found Apple's FaceTime bug — and why it was so hard to report it[53:35] Apple goes to war with Facebook and Google — The Vergecast — OvercastCombinatorial explosion - WikipediaIn mathematics, a combinatorial explosion is the rapid growth of the complexity

DISCUSSED: Dan's fighting his computer and explores font corruption; Merlin hates pebbles in his shoe; Dan has an anecdote about massages; Merlin has an anecdote about the FaceTime exploit; this leads to discussion about how big companies deal with huge-scale, unexpected problems; some thoughts on The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect; the problem with journalism about stuff we actually know about; remembering Michael Crichton; Heartbeeps!; a clever way to reduce damage from careless delivery; is there a new Browser War underway?; and answering a question from Listener Stephen about life after Editorial. Links for this episode:Gell-Mann amnesia effect - WikipediaWhy This Bike Company Put a TV on Its BoxMicrosoft exec riles Firefox faithful by telling Mozilla to embrace Chrome - CNETRunaway (1984 American film) - WikipediaDuracel Plastic Family & Creepy Parrot - YouTubeThe Hudsucker Proxy - Wikipedia5by5 | Back to Work #372: Hole That RabbitDrafts: How Merlin uses it and what Greg's doing next | iMoreDrafts is

DISCUSSED: dreams and whether people like hearing them; turns out: Merlin recommends a podcast episode about mental stuff; practice vs. rehearsal; visualization as a rehearsal thing; follow-up on science fair projects; our new, post-search-engine habits; Math is hard; Merlin didn't get Anna's emails; cool screen-grabbing mojo; and Dan reviews excellent listener book recommendations. Links for this episode:363. Think Like a Winner — Freakonomics Radio — OvercastGreat athletes aren’t just great at the physical stuff. They’ve also learned how to handle pressure, overcome fear, and stay focused. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to be an athlete to use what they know. Raul Riera on Twitter: "TIL about COMMAND + SHIFT + 5… "Artemis Fowl: Eoin Colfer: 8601400259580: Amazon.com: BooksThe Chronicles of Prydain: Lloyd Alexander: 8601200472110: Amazon.com: BooksThe Dark Is Rising Sequence: Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree: Susan Cooper: 9781442489677:

DISCUSSED: moisture; kids and watches; some recent media consumption; encouraging kids to have good taste; memories of watching VHS movies in school; follow-up on Dan's new keyboard experiment; Drobo concerns; thinking about modern backup and, gosh, how that's evolved; frustrating typos; Dan and Merlin have iOS concerns; Dan has further thoughts on Bandersnatch. Links for this episode:Becket (1964 film) - WikipediaThe Beths 'A Little Death' | RNZ Music Live Session - YouTubeWeirdly, Merlin's kid likes this one too. The Beths - "Happy Unhappy" (official lyric video) - YouTubeAmazon.com: Vortexgear 75% Programmable Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Grey Alu Casing - PBT DSA Profile Dye Sub Keycaps - Cherry Mx Switches [CNC Aluminium Casing] RGBY Modifiers (Cherry Mx-Brown): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac Clicky MX Blue Mechanical Keyboard (DASK4MACCLI): Computers & AccessoriesMerlin's primary Mac keyboard. Amazon.com: Glorious Gaming Wrist Pad/Rest

DISCUSSED: Optimistic Tuesdays; office cleanup; a grave bleach mishap; follow-up on Wirecutter; a listener suggestion on, of all things, acupressure; Dan loves his cool new keyboard, but has a big caveat; Merlin is working with magnets; on "Hardware Disease"; request for Riordan-style book recommendations; exciting follow-up on the Burger Decay Project; plus, some closing thoughts on Apple's recent results dustup and what it might suggest about near-future tech trends. Links for this episode:iPhone, move over. Make room for Alexa.Upgrade #227: Twenty Nine TeeVee - Relay FMThe new year starts with a bang, as Apple misses its iPhone sales forecast and announces surprising partnerships with Samsung and other TV makers in advance of the launch of its new video service. We discuss these earth-shattering issues in detail, not to mention Jason's world-exclusive trial of a new iPad Pro keyboard. Upgrade 227: Twenty Nine TeeVee — Upgrade — OvercastIt’s a new year and the news is huge: Apple missed its iPhone sales for

DISCUSSED: "Rabbit Rabbit!"; partial shutdown and the toilet problems it creates; updates on options for Bluetooth keyboards; some extremely random and anecdotal reckoning about the recent Big Apple News; your hosts' beef with Wirecutter; some odds and sods recommendations and cool life hacks. Links for this episode:Logitech Backlit Wireless Keyboard for Apple Mac, iPad, iPhone & TVLogitech K380 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Multi-Device with Most OS'sNetflix categories codes - Find all categories codesAmazon.com: Vortexgear 75% - Grey CNC Case - PBT DSA Keycaps - Cherry Mx CNC Aluminium Casing (Mx-Brown): Computers & AccessoriesMy (current) keyboard: Vortex Race 3 - Six ColorsThis is the rare mechanical keyboard that’s civilized to come with a set of alternate keycaps for Mac users (Command and Option rather than Win and Alt), as well as a few variant color keycaps for modifier keys and the arrow keys. (It’s also got a Mac keyboard mode, so all the keys work properly without any remapping require

It's the most wonderful time of the year, so the boys answer listener mail and get a little silly. Happy Holidays, jackals. Links for this episode:Elmore Leonard: 10 Rules for Good Writing - Gotham Writers WorkshopHow Many Exclamation Points Do Great Writers Use?! - The AtlanticApple says some 2018 iPad Pros might ship with a bent chassis, but claims it's not a defect - 9to5MacThey Might Be Giants-Ana Ng - YouTubePurple Toupee - WikipediaLincoln (album) - WikipediaAutoSleepAutomatically track your sleep from your Apple Watch. No buttons to press. Even the Watch app is optional. Just sleep! Is This Andre the Giant Holding a Beer Can?AutoSleep 6: Effortless Sleep Tracking More Accessible Than Ever – MacStoriesUvex S0360X Ultra-spec 2000 Safety Eyewear, Orange Frame, SCT-Orange UV Extreme Anti-Fog Lens - Safety Glasses - Amazon.comThe True Size Of ...@americanbeetlesPower Marketing - Upright Citizens Brigade (Video Clip) | Comedy CentralApple confirms some iPad Pros ship slightly bent, but says it’s norm

Discussed: the harsh mistress of holidays, Hanukah presents, Cash's cool gift, the joys of good UX, some excellent very good recommendations, an exciting Science experiment involving hamburgers, kids are terrible at writing things down, things that changed Merlin's game, and some excellent follow-up on how we recognize number patterns. Happy Holidays, you jackals. Links for this episode:Disney•Pixar Short Film "Bao" - YouTubeThe Impossible Feat inside Your VCR - YouTubeClosed Captioning: More Ingenious than You Know - YouTubeAmazon.com : GPD XD Plus [2018 Update] 5" Touchscreen Android 7.0 Handheld Gaming Console Portable Video Game Player Laptop MT8176 Hexa-core CPU, PowerVR GX6250 GPU, 4GB/32GB, 6000mAh Battery : Computers & AccessoriesODROID-GO – ODROIDDeath Cab For Cutie - 405 (with lyrics) - YouTubeMoby 'Honey' - Official video - YouTubeRecomendo: 500 brief reviews of cool stuff: Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson: 9781726743655: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com : Mel

Discussed: Merlin worries that Dan is getting ground down; web sites are getting very thirsty; Dan thinks it's like pads in football; Dan has updates and more thoughts about doing development work on an iPad; Merlin thinks we should talk more about which devices we choose for doing which things; the boys also have some recommendations. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper, Large, 18 Ounces: Kitchen & DiningSmudging - WikipediaMosh for iOS, Best SSH Client - Blink Shell for iOSQuantum Computing Expert Explains One Concept in 5 Levels of Difficulty | WIRED - YouTube5 Levels - YouTubeLinea Sketch – Drawing tools for your iPadReconcilable Differences #85: Comedy’s Not Funny - Relay FMFinally, the horn fires off at 1:23:13 for a Spoiler Slot on A Quiet Place (2018). Brought to you by: FreshBooks (To claim your month long unrestricted free trial, go to FreshBooks.com/backtowork and enter BACK TO WORK in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section). Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run t