Episode 122: The Crowbar of Loyalty

TOPIC: Loyalty, Altruism, Reality Check, or Extortion?

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about what we talk about when we talk about "loyalty."

Links for this episode:

• [SPONSOR] Shutterstock
  Stock Photos | Shutterstock: Royalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography.
• [SPONSOR] Less Meeting
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• [SPONSOR] Backblaze
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• Graceland - a set on Flickr (Jimmy Marks)
  [[via](https://twitter.com/jimmymarks/status/341964747979235329)]
• Elvis: Albert Harry Goldman: 9780140059656: Amazon.com: Books
  
• Amazon.com: Secret War Brian Michael Bendis, Gabriele Dell Otto: Kindle Store
  Collects Secret War (2004) #1-5. When Nick Fury finds a connection between many of Marvel's deadliest villains, he puts together a team of the most misunderstood heroes for a secret mission to do what the U.S. government could never allow.
• 5by5 | The Incomparable #136: We Waited 16 Years For This?
  They said it couldn't be done! They said it shouldn't be done! But here we are, talking about "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace." Why are the Jedi such jerks? A little Jedi goes a long way. Also, the biggest letdown of John Siracusa's life to date, stupid droids, good actors being boring, text versus subtext, the merits of prequels in general, and why this is a movie that makes us dream... of a better movie. Exqueeze me? (Part 1 of 2.) Special guests Dan Moren, Greg Knauss, John Siracusa, Monty Ashley, Serenity Caldwell, and Steve Lutz.
• 5by5 | The Incomparable #137: Go Wash a Droid
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• Toxoplasmosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.[ The parasite infects most genera of warm-blooded animals, including humans, but the primary host is the felid (cat) family. Animals are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of feces of a cat that has itself recently been infected, or by transmission from mother to fetus. Cats are the primary source of infection to human hosts, although contact with raw meat, especially pork, is a more significant source of human infections in some countries. Fecal contamination of hands is a significant risk factor.
• Toxoplasmosis Parasite May Trigger Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorders
  The team from the University of Leeds? Faculty of Biological Sciences has shown that the parasite may play a role in the development of these disorders by affecting the production of dopamine -- the chemical that relays messages in the brain controlling aspects of movement, cognition and behaviour.
• Links Between Toxoplasmosis and Schizophrenia - Psychiatry
  
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• Hearst Ranch :: Grass-fed Tri-Tip Roast
  
• 5by5 | The Conversation #27: Missionless Statements
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• Life Model Decoy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Life-Model Decoys (LMD's) are a S.H.I.E.L.D. designed robot that takes the form of a living person, thus making a recreation of that person. The owner can see through, speak through, and control everything the LMD does. Nick Fury's LMD's are probably the most common in the Marvel Universe.
• Sous Vide Grass Fed Tri-Tip Roast | Award-Winning Paleo Recipes | Nom Nom Paleo
  
• Secret War (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  The storyline involves a large scale super-hero crossover featuring Marvel characters such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Daredevil, Luke Cage and Nick Fury fighting a wide array of super-villains who have received hi-tech armaments from a mysterious benefactor.
• Braxton Hicks contractions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as prodromal labor or practice contractions, or incorrectly as false labor, are sporadic uterine contractions that sometimes start around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, they are not usually felt until the second trimester or third trimester of pregnancy.
• Don Ameche - IMDb
  Ameche was a versatile and popular film actor in the 1930s and '40s, usually as the dapper, mustached leading man. He was also popular as a radio master of ceremonies during this time. As his film popularity waned in the 1950s, he continued working in theater and some TV.
• Skottie Young • X-Men #1 Young Variant. No Boys Allowed. 
  X-Men #1 Young Variant. No Boys Allowed.
• Being There - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Eve brings Chance to their home to recover. Drinking alcohol for the first time in the car ride home, Chance coughs as he tells Eve his name. Eve mishears "Chance the Gardener" as "Chauncey Gardiner". Judging from Chance's appearance and manners, Rand assumes that Chance is an upper class, highly educated businessman. Chance's style and seemingly insightful ways embody the qualities Rand admires. Chance's simplistic utterances about gardens are interpreted as allegorical statements about business and the state of the economy.
• "Hogan's Heroes" (1965)
  If you liked World War II, you'll love Hogan's Heroes!
• Downfall (2004) - Synopsis
  The narrative begins in November of 1942. Traudl Junge and four other young women are arriving at F?hrer's Headquarters Wolf's Lair in Rastenburg, East Prussia. The women are met by Hitler's valet, Heinz Linge. After he gives the women an introduction, Hitler emerges from his office and proceeds to individually ask each woman her name and where she is from. Traudl Junge is the first woman chosen to have her secretarial skills tested and is eventually chosen to be Hitlers personal secretary.
• Herve Leger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Hervé Léger was founded in 1985 by the designer Hervé Peugnet, currently known as Hervé L. Leroux. Leroux adopted his current name after he lost the rights to the Hervé Léger name.
• 5by5 | Back to Work #115: Invitation to a Blame Party
  This week, Dan and Merlin address the problems with meetings, and how we can each choose to improve them.
• Martin and Lewis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Their success at the 500 led to a series of well-paying engagements up and down the Eastern seaboard, culminating with a triumphant run at New York's Copacabana.
• Abbott and Costello - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo), were an American comedy duo whose work in vaudeville and on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and early 1950s. Their patter routine "Who's on First?" is considered one of the greatest comedy routines of all time and set the framework for many of their best-known comedy bits.
• 5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus Driver
  Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about the black art of paying attention to the right things, how lamps are no substitute, that it's hard whether you’re working from home or a cube, being honest about your expertise before looking for independence, and the need to move past inspiration.
• Olestra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Starting in 1996, an FDA-mandated health warning label read "This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E, and K have been added." These symptoms, normally occurring only by excessive consumption in a short period of time, are known as steatorrhea, and caused by an excess of fat in stool.
• Visiting Nicolas Cages estate sale
  

This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by:

• Backblaze (get a 15-day free trial)

• Shutterstock (user offer code "DANSENTME6" and get 30% off any package)

• Less Meeting (use the special code "DANSENTME6" for 10% off lifetime for your whole team)