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Reconcilable Differences

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Sep 17, 2021 • 1h 34min

165: In the Drift

The main topic concerns Merlin's recent turn as Mr. Mom. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Burrow: Get $75 off your Burrow purchase—plus, fast & free shipping. Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: John wonders about up-talk greetings, and Merlin confesses to some recent situational imbibing. Follow-up addresses the "Too-Rye-Ay" question, the enumeration of pasta shapes, and how many kinds of beetles there actually are. Tangents include celebrity biographies, Adam and the Ants video casting, Alta Vista search operators, and the actresses that Merlin collects. Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Give to St. Jude! Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby) Bing Crosby singing Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral "I used to be able to name every beetle that there was…" Van Morrison - "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" - YouTube Dexys Midnight Runners - "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)" - YouTube Brian Wilson Said - Tear for Fears Take On Me (Live From MTV Unplugged) Spotify Landmark: Tears For Fears The 19 ways you can say "ha ha, what" The dog-grooming YouTube channel that John mentioned Amadeus Simon Callow Amanda Donohoe - IMDb Adam & The Ants - "Antmusic" (1980) - YouTubeFeat. Amanda Donohoe Adam & The Ants - "Stand And Deliver" (1981) - YouTubeFeat. Amanda Donohoe and Simon Callow Adam & The Ants - "Prince Charming" (1981) - YouTubeFeat. Simon Callow Drift | Pacific Rim Wiki | FandomThe Drift…is a process that two Jaeger pilots undergo prior to synchronizing with the Jaeger itself. High rising terminal - WikipediaThe high rising terminal (HRT), also known as upspeak, uptalk, rising inflection, upward inflection, or high rising intonation (HRI), is a feature of some variants of English where declarative sentence clauses end with a rising-pitch intonation, until the end of the sentence where a falling-pitch is applied. LockPickingLawyer - YouTube"This is the lock-picking 📈 lawyer…" Simple Minds - "Up On The Catwalk" (1984) - YouTube Betty Everett - Shoop Shoop Song (it´s in his kiss) - YouTube Salt-N-Pepa - Shoop (Official Video) - YouTube Oranger - "Mike Love, Not War" (1998) - YouTube "The Painted Word" by Tom Wolfe"Realism does not lack its partisans, but it does rather conspicuously lack a persuasive theory." Big eyes actress - IMDb
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Sep 3, 2021 • 1h 38min

164: Casual Injustices

There's follow-up on Merlin's Vacation Results, and your hosts wonder which Doctor they'd each be. The big topic of college continues with thoughts on the thistle of standardized testing. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Memberful: Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Give to St. Jude! The Doctor from Doctor Who Merlin "Grandma" meme image The Chaotic Story of Dexys Midnight Runners & "Come On Eileen" - New British Canon WPI moves to "test-blind" admissions WPI's Career Outcomes and Salary information UC Agrees to No Longer Consider ACT/SAT Scores in Admissions - UCSD Guardian Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote
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Aug 20, 2021 • 2h 24min

163: Big Flyers

Merlin shares his Vacation Results. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights Links and Show Notes: Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. @Sage re "diminutives" in Australian English"The word you’re looking for here is “diminutive”. Which gives me an opportunity to share one of my all-time favorite Wikipedia pages" Diminutives in Australian English - Wikipedia"There are over 5,000 identified diminutives in use in Australian English." Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition) by Jon Kabat-Zinn: 9780345536938 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books "The Full Catastrophe" ~ Zorba the Greek (clip from the movie) - YouTube The Full Catastrophe - Wikipedia
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Aug 7, 2021 • 1h 39min

162: A Pile of Bed

Remembering various animal actors, enumerating genres that need a name, considering the philosophies behind "bag in a bag," and contrasting college with the ordinary crucibles of post-adolescent life. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Burrow: Get $75 off your Burrow purchase plus free shipping. Links and Show Notes: Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.
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Jul 24, 2021 • 1h 52min

161: ASCII Salad Bar

Exploring Italian food, celebrating markup languages, and (finally) beginning to tackle the topic of college. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Memberful: Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Links and Show Notes: (Recorded on Tuesday, July 13, 2021) Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Setext - WikipediaSetext (Structure Enhanced Text)[1] is a lightweight markup language used to format plain text documents such as e-newsletters, Usenet postings, and e-mails. TidBITS announces its move to Setext"Welcome to TidBITS-100 and our new setext format!" (January 6, 1992) Little Original Joe's How to make a decent Italian hero at home - YouTube Dean Allen - Wikipedia Daring Fireball: Dean Allen"Every few months, though, it would occur to me that I dearly missed Textism, and I’d think to write Dean and tell him so — and to tell him that his offhand compliment in 2003 was still something I thought about all the time." Daring Fireball: Introducing Markdown"I’ve written a text-to-HTML formatting tool called Markdown, which is now available for download." Dean Cameron Allen"It is with unspeakable sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of Dean Cameron Allen, on January 13, 2018 at the age of 51….His absence is unfathomable. We miss him with every breath." TextismArchive of the late Dean Allen's lovely website, ca. 2001. Markdown reference links Fleetwood Mac - "Tusk" - YouTube E-mail addresses it would be really annoying to give out over the phone - McSweeney’s Illuminion: Infocom - classic text adventures"A venerable old trophy case stands in a corner. You curiously open the lid and peek inside." Inside Job (2010) - YouTube"'Inside Job' is a 2010 American documentary film, directed by Charles Ferguson, about the late 2000s financial crisis."
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Jul 10, 2021 • 1h 47min

160: The Spouse Trap

Merlin just woke up, John is full of beans, and things get a little silly. Meet Lidlicker. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Discourse: Modern forum software for your community. Get 50% off your first 2 months. Links and Show Notes: Credits Featuring additional music this week by Producer Jim. Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. RFC Editor RFC Style Guide RFC Style Guide (plain-text version) A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers BBN: In the Beginning J.C.R Licklider Dogen: Japanese lessons for English-speakers - YouTube Aspirated vs. non-aspirated "k" sound - YouTube WWDC video on sound recognition Wet-bulb temperature Wet-bulb temperature Twitter thread Brain Bag - Backpacks - Laptop Bags – TOM BIHN Synik 30 Backpack (Clamshell, Suspended Laptop Pocket, Comfy Straps) – TOM BIHN George Carlin Talks About "Stuff" - YouTube Hyman Krustofsky | Simpsons Wiki | Fandom
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Jun 25, 2021 • 1h 20min

159: The Narrow Priesthood

Cameras! Just SO much about cameras. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights Links and Show Notes: But, also: amusing primates, Taylor Swift, ““content creation,”” crummy band managers, widespread misunderstanding of Lucille Bluth, the genius and tragedy of Howard Ashman, RFC1178, plus John shares his nostalgia for one indefatigable computer naming scheme. Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. The Problem with Music (Steve Albini, 1993)"Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying sh*t." Taylor Swift masters controversy - WikipediaShe condemned Braun's purchase; although she attempted to make peace, she denounced him as an "incessant, manipulative bully". Taylor Swift - "Change" (2008) The Battle Between the Rolling Stones & Allen Klein'After countless lawsuits, verdicts and settlements (26 in all counting the Beatles), as each party licked its wounds and counted casualties in terms of lost property, wasted time and treasure, perhaps it was the Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards who summed up the battle best: it was “the price of an education.”' Howard Ashman Howard | Disney+ Originals'[…]“Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals including “Little Shop of Horrors.”' Sony A6600 Camera Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony E APS-C (AFB070S700) Sigma 56mm for E-Mount (351965) Sony 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS APS-C Lens (SEL70350G) SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Card Best Memory Cards for Sony A6600 Think Tank Digital Holster 10 V2.0 Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro(Merlin's fancy video camera) Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM Lens Sigma 50mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens RFC1178 - Choosing a Name for Your Computer Cattle, Not Pets [green beans monkey] [banana strings monkey]
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Jun 11, 2021 • 2h 17min

158: Wait for the Wave

As a main topic this week, your hosts discuss Theme Dining Nights. Why can't more experiences be like John's old deli? Differences regarding leftovers are, unfortunately, not reconciled. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Burrow: Get $75 off your Burrow purchase—plus, fast & free shipping. Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights Links and Show Notes: This week kicks off with Merlin offering a heartfelt thank you to John for helping him know where he is. John shouldn't need to wiggle, and Merlin can't imagine ever asking for the return of "contact." Your hosts agree accessibility is good for everybody. John has updates on drama in the NES Tetris Scene, and Merlin remembers bringing a pencil to the arcade so he could cheat. John repurposes an excellent graphic by Neven to ask how buttony a button needs to be to look like it's a button. This leads to a surprisingly interesting mini-dive into practical UX and ways that an affordance can let you know that it's an affordance. John's worries that his dispose-all may be starving to death. (Recorded on Tuesday, June 1, 2021) Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Increase Apple TV screen contrast - Apple Support Jigsaw puzzle glossary – Cloudberries In The Unlikely Event - 99% Invisible Trying Everything on the Menu at an Iconic NYC Restaurant - YouTube NES Tetris "Rolling" technique How "button-y" is your button? It Takes Two - PlayStation game LG G1 vs. Sony A90J - YouTube Pink tint off-axis on LG G1 (starts at 8:21) - YouTube HDMI Cables: Types and Specifications Explained Putting a Bolder Face on Google - The New York TimesHer decision was diplomatic, but it also amounted to relying on her gut rather than research. Since then, she said, she has asked her team to test the 41 gradations between the competing blues to see which ones consumers might prefer. ATP 432: I Shouldn't Need to Wiggle — Accidental Tech PodcastCompacted sugar, Jade theories, TV-remote button feel, and looking — but not reaching! — very far upward. What are Affordances? | Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF)Affordances are properties of objects which show users the actions they can take. Users should be able to perceive affordances without having to consider how to use the items. For instance, a button can be designed to look as if it needs to be turned or pushed. Button-mashing classic Track & Field returns on PS4 and Nintendo Switch – DestructoidTrack & Field is notorious for its button-mashing ways, and has built many legends around the methods used by ’80s kids to get high scores, from having a third hand help out, to the game’s notorious “pencil trick” which saw players see-saw a pencil between their fingers for knuckle-crushing, high-scoring action… Ahh, the suffering we went through just to become number one.
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May 28, 2021 • 1h 32min

157: Champion Snackers

Merlin's household has expressed a renewed interest in PlayStation games, and John has been wondering about "super babies." This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Instabug: Ship Quality Apps with Real-Time Contextual Insights Links and Show Notes: Things kick off with some call confusion, a boombox cameo, and a roundtable on the problematic nature of John Hughes's movies. Automobile? This leads to some nostalgia for the 1979 film, Breaking Away. Your hosts debate which one of them is which character in the movie, but both agree it’s still a stone cold classic. John has a lot of thoughts, but his memory is getting really bad. What happens when two talented people sire a child? Seems like sometimes they inherit their parents’ genius, and other times they just want to run in the opposite direction. What roles do wealth, support, and expectations play? And how about the times when someone would very much prefer that their kid not get into the family business? Your hosts disagree on whether one super baby’s name is terrible but agree that “geriatric pregnancy” is kind of an awful term. (Recorded on Tuesday, May 18, 2021) Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Hypercritical: Great GamesThese are some of my favorite video games. They also happen to be truly great games, though they vary widely in terms of the required time commitment and gaming experience. Andre Agassi - Wikipedia [Relationships and family] "Extraordinary skills" - Jaden Gil Agassi wants to become a professional baseball player · tennisnet.comThe 18-year-old son of Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi is considered a great baseball talent. The career should pick up speed in autumn. Breaking Away (1979) - IMDb "Refund?!" Phone Guy: Hearing Huey Lewis - YouTubeEXT. - OUTSIDE FRIEND'S HOUSE IN TOWN Newcleus - "Jam on It" - YouTube
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May 13, 2021 • 1h 44min

156: Feeding the Meetings

Finally, it's The Reconcilable Differences Quorn Pre-Post-Mortem Spectacular. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Burrow: Get $75 off your Burrow purchase—plus, fast & free shipping. Links and Show Notes: Things kick off with the usual disagreements about who’s driving and who’s in the trunk, but then things briefly settle into an interrogation of the purpose behind begging for podcast ratings and reviews. Does it actually, really help new people to discover the show? John tries to remember a song, and Merlin fondly recalls un cheval maladroit. Next, John has some thoughts on grass and how it grows. Merlin wonders if it might be another “Trust Your Mechanic”-type situation. Both of your hosts agree it seems like there’s maybe a lesson about life in there somewhere. Then, at last, it has come to this: The Reconcilable Differences Quorn Pre-Post-Mortem Spectacular. While it is (obviously) way too early to talk about this business as if it’s done, it does feel like a useful moment to look back at what we’ve learned and what has changed—even as we look forward to what we might continue to learn and what might continue to change. What BS did you miss, and what BS would you be happy to never have to deal with again? Whither handshakes and awkward hugs? When will we stop doing that weird retail crab walk? Will mask people remain mask people? Should more of us learn “the claw?” What about subtlety and uncertainty? What about society and culture? Has the epistemological cherrypicking of The Dumb Guy just become our permanent way of life? (Recorded on Tuesday, May 4, 2021) Credits Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano Music: Merlin Mann The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Cheval Maladroit.aka "Humanity Horse"

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