Reconcilable Differences

In a surprisingly robust main topic, John recalls his youth spent playing handball and many other New York street games that Merlin had assumed were just made up. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Bombfell: Find the right clothes for you. Get $25 OFF YOUR FIRST purchase. Links and Show Notes: This week, Merlin helps a friend and John disallows an awkward neologism. John wonders who refills the store-smell machine. John surprises Merlin by (finally) watching the film, Les Misérables, and shares his impressions. What works, what doesn’t, and why does the sewer need to be so sewery? Dodgeball is debated, Merlin shares his very very sad homemade games, and John reluctantly learns about stolen valor and the people who pretend to be cops. Less surprisingly, there’s some important Follow-Up on…Follow-Up. John revisits the provenance of his invention and its legacy, and reveals a double-turns-out about the role Merlin’s bit may unintentionally play in ensuring its proper credit. Merlin just wishes everyone could be happy with how everybody already likes them, but John makes sure Merlin’s week in the barrel includes some candid feedback from listeners. Finding themselves suddenly short on time, your hosts talk about Merlin’s recent acquisition of a MacBook Adorable and why it can sometimes be so danged hard to recommend Apple products. John looks at the background of photos, star-effs with a showrunner, and explains why he documented his withdrawal of a very nice gift to The Original Peaches. (Recorded on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. It's showtime, folks! - YouTube American handball - Wikipedia Ringolevio - Wikipedia Biggles Dictates a Letter - YouTube Touched the Dirty Santa | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: watch Les Misérables. #70 Stolen Valor – Gimlet Media Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye - YouTubeWe're all sensitive people. Bluetooth Headphones Mega-Review – Marco.org Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 - Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Black Tan Accidental Tech Podcast: 217: Apology Mac Pro H.I. #39: Getting Things Done — Hello InternetGrey and Brady discuss: Hello Internet babies, humblebragging time warp, how likely is your job to be automated, a new corner, John Nash, losing weight, and collecting the Getting Things Done homework. Words that Sound Like Other Words | The Flop House Wiki | Fandom powered by WikiaA super-fan purchased the domain wordssoundlikeeachother.com, configuring it to redirect to the Flop House's blog.  Said super-fan has subsequently let this domain expire, partially in protest of the fact that the Original Peaches could never accurately recall or convey the actual joke that the domain name embodied—much like this very wiki page.  It was a revelation—Wow, words sound like each other!—not the name of a category (Words that sound like other words.)

This week’s main topic is Follow-Up. John has strong feelings about properly crediting the provenance of this segment, and, honestly, he really asks for so little in life. This leads to a discussion of how one’s ideas often develop a life of their own. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Hover: Domain names for your ideas. Get 10% off your first purchase. Casper: Because everyone deserves a great night sleep. Get $50 off with the code ‘DIFFS’ Eero: Blanket your home in fast, reliable WiFi. Links and Show Notes: This week kicks off with John analyzing Merlin’s various mouth noises, self-styled music cues, and personal sound effects. Both hosts get songs stuck in their heads. John lays a trap for Merlin, and Merlin shares an important new dream with the Ancient Bird. At length, your hosts get a little meta, with follow-up on things Merlin still hasn’t watched. Many mini topics are considered, discussed, and/or discarded, but what John wants—what’s most important to him—is that Merlin just pick one damned topic already. Credit is also reassigned for things your hosts didn’t actually invent. General-purpose strategies for the proper deployment of bits is discussed. Things wrap up with a meditation on Aimee Mann, the layers of performance, plus an important adjustment to Merlin’s ongoing directive for eventually introducing John to famous people. Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Many thanks to Jim Metzendorf for editing this episode! Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. 5by5 | Hypercritical #2: Backup VortexJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin tie up some loose ends from the TV show before talking about backups, the onus on Apple to make them work, Apple's past and present attempts, the failings of external hard drives, personal backup regimes, and online backups. 5by5 | Hypercritical #100: MetacriticalJohn Siracusa and Dan Benjamin end the Hypercritical podcast with a discussion of the show itself, followed by a final Q About the Finder… | Ars Technica Spatial file manager - Wikipedia Eric Heisserer Interview, The Arrival - MoviesOnline Hollywood Studios Win Injunction Against Streamer VidAngel | Hollywood Reporter On Chasing the Right "Zero" | kung fu grippeMerlin's updated take on Inbox Zero. "Once you’ve dedicated yourself to making the things you love, every inbox can and should become a well-monitored servant rather than a merciless master." Seinfeld - I Had A Pony - YouTube Watch Mary Katherine Gallagher at St. Monica's Spelling Bee From Saturday Night Live - NBC.com Sarah Brightman - "Tell Me on a Sunday" I Dreamed a Dream - Anne Hathaway (HD) - YouTube A Guide to RADIOHEAD - YouTube Radiohead - Everything in its Right Place on Vimeo Everything In Its Right Place - YouTube [DVD] Radiohead - Meeting People Is Easy [1998] - YouTube The Godfather (1972) - Quotes - IMDbMICHAEL: What I want... what's most important to me is that I have a guarantee: no more attempts on my father's life. Aimee Mann Aimee Mann - "Wise Up" (Studio Version) Aimee Mann - "Wise Up" (Magnolia Version) Aimee Mann - "Deathly" (Live) God bless @moltz for making me want to hear this... | kung fu grippe"Not gonna lie. This was a special moment." Les Misérables - Teaser Trailer (HD) - YouTube Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #16 — Merlin Mann Do By FridayA weekly challenge show hosted by Merlin Mann, Alex Cox, and Max Temkin.

Merlin gets his time in the barrel as John disabuses him of his self-styled situation as "the dumb one." Merlin tries gamely to change the subject to how status works in improv, but finds his knife further sharpened in the bargain. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Flow: Simple project management for teams everywhere. Save 20% on a monthly plan or 30% on an annual Links and Show Notes: This week kicks off with John talking about the new Zelda game alongside thoughts on what it takes to keep a franchise great. In follow-up, John addresses online angst and agita about the recent discussion of Arrival. Your hosts reluctantly accept that their college friends may no longer be 19. At 1:17:17, we turn to the Spoiler Slot, featuring that long-teased discussion of the whackadoo Netflix series, The OA (as well as passing references to Sound of My Voice). Then (then!), at 2:11:15, we have an unprecedented second Spoiler Slot for follow-up forensic analysis of Arrival. (Episode recorded Tuesday, March 14, 2017) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" The OA (TV Series 2016– ) - IMDbHaving gone missing seven years ago, the previously blind Prairie returns home, now in her 20s with her sight restored. While many believe she is a miracle, others worry that she could be dangerous. The OA - WikipediaThe OA received generally favorable critical reception, although reviews ranged from highly positive to highly negative, with several reviewers drawing both favorable and unfavorable comparisons with Stranger Things, another science fiction series that debuted on Netflix earlier in the year. Decoding the Clues in Netflix’s Mind-Boggling New Series 'The OA' - The AtlanticThis article contains spoilers through all eight episodes of The OA. ‘The OA’: Producers Explain Netflix’s Mysterious New Drama | VarietySPOILER ALERT: Do not read until you’ve watched all eight episodes of “The OA,” which debuted today on Netflix. Review: The Cryptic Sparkles in ‘The OA.’ Reality Disappoints. - The New York TimesTelevision loves a mystery box lately — puzzle series like “Westworld” and “Mr. Robot ” — and with the sudden announcement of “The OA” just days before its premiere on Friday, Netflix dropped one on our doorstep, rang the doorbell and ran. Dead Man Walking (film) - Wikipedia Becky (It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge) | Simpsons Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Dirty Dozen (1967) - IMDb Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre: Keith Johnstone: 9780878301171: Amazon.com: Books The Status Transaction | People-triggersWhen we talk about status “transactions”, we are essentially talking about social dominance and submission.  The terms “status hierarchy” and “submission hierarchy” could be used interchangeably.  This idea presupposes a couple of assumptions based in evolution science, for example: L'esprit de l'escalier - Wikipedia 200 - Stewart Lee — The Comedian's Comedian Podcast — OvercastOne of the most iconoclastic, pioneering and influential comedians in Britain, Stewart Lee has forged his post-punk ideals into a thrillingly funny live act, with the very form at his fingertips. We explore the deliberately uncomfortable tension between the man and the stage persona Eric Heisserer Interview, The Arrival - MoviesOnline

This week’s first topic is self-driving cars and how soon they’re likely to be ready, as they say, for prime time. Later, you'll find The Spoiler Slot filled with a discussion of the 2016 movie, Arrival. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Casper: Because everyone deserves a great night sleep. Get $50 off with the code ‘DIFFS’ Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: Merlin admits to almost watching something on TV and encourages John to talk him out of buying a new laptop. John has concerns about dander diamonds, and Merlin briefs John on the mechanics of modern version control. John cannily revisits his Parameters of the World and, no, he doesn’t need your damned telemetry. Later, you'll find The Spoiler Slot filled with a spoiler-heavy discussion of the 2016 movie, Arrival. If you haven’t seen the film yet, be sure to bail out before the spoiler horn is deployed at (1:13:13). [Watch it. It’s good.] Merlin pulls a pretty dramatic turnaround but still has some beefs, while John has very strong opinions about whether one character might be a monster. Merlin has no difficulty choosing the saddest line in the movie. (Recorded on Tuesday, February 28, 2017) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" DARPA Grand Challenge - WikipediaThe DARPA Grand Challenge is a prize competition for American autonomous vehicles, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the most prominent research organization of the United States Department of Defense. Deep neural networks are easily fooled: High confidence predictions for unrecognizable images | Evolving AI Lab The Incomparable | Panspermia, but for Clothes (Episode 328)We deconstruct and reconstruct the recent release “Arrival,” staring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker, and based on a story by Ted Chiang that we discussed nearly 300 episodes ago. There’s praise for the story’s restraint, quiet tone, beautiful scenes of solitary obelisks in remote cow pastures, and realistic portrayal of its main characters. We also enter a spirited debate about the film’s sci-fi plot mechanism, the way its aliens (and alien language) are portrayed, and the morality of a choice that one character may—or may not—have made. Linguistic relativity - WikipediaThe principle of linguistic relativity holds that the structure of a language affects its speakers' world view or cognition. Popularly known as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, or Whorfianism, the principle is often defined to include two versions. The strong version says that language determines thought, and that linguistic categories limit and determine cognitive categories, whereas the weak version says that linguistic categories and usage only influence thought and decisions. Charles Nelson Reilly High Quality Bic Banana - YouTube Buy the Dyson V6 Animal cordless vacuum cleaner | Dyson store Appa (character) - Wikipedia Humans Need Not Apply - YouTube The Simple Solution to Traffic - YouTube Red Barchetta - WikipediaThe song's lyrics tell a story set in a future in which many classes of vehicles have been prohibited by "the Motor Law". The narrator's uncle has kept one of these now-illegal vehicles (the titular red barchetta sports car) in pristine condition for some "fifty-odd years" and keeps it hidden at his secret country home (previously a farm before the enactment of the aforementioned Motor Law). Rush - "Red Barchetta" - YouTube General-purpose - Wikipedia Herd immunity - Wikipedia Arrival (2016) - IMDbWhen twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks is tasked with interpreting the language of the apparent alien visitors. List of accolades received by Arrival - Wikipedia Arrival’s Ending ExplainedWarning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Arrival ahead

Main topic this week is Valentine’s Day. Why Merlin hates it, and why John thinks it has its purposes. Why is tonight’s Holy Day of Obligation different from all others, and why exactly did John have a mat? This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off with the code DIFFS. Ministry of Supply: Dress smarter. Work smarter. Get 15% off your first purchase. Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping. Links and Show Notes: This week, things open with a shockingly thorough discussion of chickens that somehow pivots to Costco caskets, TV buying decisions, Merlin's increasingly strange pronunciations, and John’s reluctant agreement to become a cron job. Follow-up covers John finding those charts about global living conditions and Merlin finally figuring out how to remember the name of that one song. There's a fair amount of memory talk, including more explorations of John's perpetual memory doubts and mistrust, plus, Merlin introduces another one of his “runx” files. (Recorded on Tuesday, February 14, 2017) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" CMD Space #34: A Man of the Internet, with John Siracusa - Relay FM HDMI 2.1 - Wikipedia A history of global living conditions in 5 charts - Our World In DataA recent survey asked “All things considered, do you think the world is getting better or worse, or neither getting better nor worse?”. In Sweden 10% thought things are getting better, in the US they were only 6%, and in Germany only 4%. Very few people think that the world is getting better. What is the evidence that we need to consider when answering this question? The question is about how the world has changed and so we must take a historical perspective. And the question is about the world as a whole and the answer must therefore consider everybody. The answer must consider the history of global living conditions – a history of everyone. The Notwist - "Pilot" - YouTubeMerlin remembered the song! List of chemistry mnemonics - Wikipedia Mnemonic: Sentences to remember the elements Original Ginsu 1 Ad - YouTube Pre-Cana - Wikipedia Chang's Kitchen | Order Online | San Francisco | BeyondMenu"Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings" Vision API - Image Content Analysis  |  Google Cloud Platform Nonsense images that computer vision algorithms are convinced are real things RoboCop - WikiquoteED-209: You now have 15 seconds to comply. You are in direct violation of Penal Code 1.13, Section 9. The Elf on the Shelf | A Christmas Tradition Sound of My Voice (2011) - IMDb Netflix - instantwatcher - The OA / Season 1Seven years after vanishing from her home, a young woman returns with mysterious new abilities and recruits five strangers for a secret mission. Stay Alive (Beach) Commercial - YouTube"I'm the sole survivor!" U.S. Postal Service - "Good News" (PSA #1, 1981) - YouTube"…because my little Danielle used the right zip!" Cute, Scented, Collectible Characters | Num Noms"Nested lip gloss ice creams" Holy day of obligation - WikipediaIn the Catholic Church, holy days of obligation (also called holydays, holidays, or days of obligation) are days on which the faithful are obliged to attend Mass. Deep neural networks are easily fooled: High confidence predictions for unrecognizable images | Evolving AI Lab Cot–caught merger - Wikipedia

Main topic this week is John's Cautious Tech Optimism. How does John see technology's role in potentially bringing out our better angels? Why is dystopian sci-fi so depressingly myopic? How much does technology ever really change human nature? This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Hover: Simplified domain management. Use code RECDIFFS to get 10% off your first purchase. Eero: Blanket your home in fast, reliable WiFi. Use code DIFFS for free overnight shipping. Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off with the code DIFFS. Links and Show Notes: This week starts off ignominiously, with John and Merlin both not remembering several things. Merlin proposes The File Card Effect, and John knows not to be too smart when searching Google. John celebrates the proper use of Title Case, while Merlin frets over wearing his memories down to a nub. Mini-topic this week is Merlin’s latest fraught and stressful experience on jury duty (yes, again). John voir dires Merlin about his eligibility and poor continence, and Merlin introduces John to how one anxiously, tentatively chooses to play The C.G.P. Grey Card. And what hinders a culture from doing a more ambitious job of yoking technology to the problems it might be great at addressing? (Recorded on Monday, January 31, 2017) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" David Foster Wallace interview with Charlie Rose (03/1997) - YouTube David Foster Wallace - Wikipedia John Kenneth Galbraith - Wikipedia John Kennedy Toole - Wikipedia A Confederacy of Dunces - Wikipedia Frida Kahlo - WikipediaOn September 17, 1925, Kahlo and Gómez Arias were on their way home from school when the wooden bus they were riding collided with a streetcar. Several people were killed, and Kahlo suffered nearly fatal injuries—an iron handrail impaled her through her pelvis, fracturing the bone. She also fractured several ribs, her legs, and a collarbone H.I. #77: Woah, Dude — Hello InternetGrey and Brady discuss: Hello Internet listening party surprise, plane crash corner, elf on the shelf revisited, Rogue One and The Force Awakens revisited, mailing habits of Americans, Mastermind, some sports stuff or whatever, Sum, and Brady runs a brain-bending Limerick contest. The One About Destiny — The Important Thing — OvercastIn the second episode, I am excited to be joined by my fellow Guardian John Siracusa to discuss the video game Destiny. Proudest moments, total time wasted, and the reality of the Hunter handicap – it’s all there. Destiny overview…delete TitleCase - Text Conversion Solutions Jury nullification - WikipediaJury nullification is a finding by a trial jury in contradiction to the jury's belief about the facts of the case. CGP Grey - "The Law You Won't Be Told" - YouTubeCGP Grey's excellent video on jury nullification. Must-watch. Apple's Activation Lock Website Played Key Role in Hack, Perhaps Explaining its Removal - Mac RumorsThe Activation Lock scheme that steals valid serial numbers from existing iOS users potentially explains a mysterious Apple ID bug that's been plaguing iPhone owners for months. The Incomparable | 20 Minutes Into the Future (Episode 337)Charlie Brooker’s anthology TV series “Black Mirror” has been compared to “The Twilight Zone”, with its dark, twist-laden tales about the advance of technology and how it affects society. Does it live up to the hype? Our panel watched all 13 episodes—all currently available on Netflix—and is here to report back on the strengths and weaknesses of the series. We also discuss our five favorite episodes in detail, so you can skip to the highlights if you don’t want to utterly darken your soul. The Incomparable | ...But Too Much (Episode 337b)You’ve heard us talk about the best of “Black Mirror”, now hear us talk about… the rest of “Black Mirror.” Cut from the main episode for time, here’s our (unedited) discussion of “Fifteen Million Merits”, “The Entire History of You”, “The Waldo Moment”, “Playtest”, “Men Against Fire”, “The National Anthem”, “White Bear”, and “Shut Up and Dance.” Dead Set - Wikipedia Thinking, Fast and Slow - Wikipedia Roger McGuinn on Twitter: "Pandora played "Eight Miles High" 228086 times in the second quarter of 2016 and paid me $1.79 😀" A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Merlin's Frequently Asked Questions - Merlin Mann"What’s up With That Weird Username You Use Sometimes? Does 'hotdogsladies' Mean Something Dirty?" Voight-Kampff machine | Off-world: The Blade Runner Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia

For the main topic, your hosts address Money on the Internet. How have technological and cultural changes altered our idea about what's valuable and how much people are willing to pay for it? This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three free meals with free shipping. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: This week, it doesn't take long to get deep in the stack on texting people in the same room, John's take on pound-sign hashtags, and the location of Merlin's missing meat. The mini-topic this week is tattoos. Specifically, why Merlin has developed such strong feelings about tattoos, plus John's vision of a world free of theoretical tattoo discrimination. What happens when VCs are mostly investing in other VCs? How come Lucky Smells Lumbermill pays its employees in coupons? And, is there a company out there that could provide us one-millionth of the web ads while getting paid to protect our data? John takes pity on The Algorithm. (Recorded on Monday, January 16, 2017) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" Bad tattoos dump - Album on Imgur HI #75: "World’s Most Interesting Podcast" — Hello InternetBrady & Grey chat about: the world chess championship, Norwegian Bank notes, Brady does antiquing through twitter, behavior control and Santa, Brady’s level of fame, a bird comes back to grey, the new elements, ugly YouTube ads, and consumable synthetic muscle tissue. Dust on the Telescope | Do By Friday Quote by Douglas Adams: “I've come up with a set of rules that describe ...”“I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.” Humans Need Not Apply - YouTube What's in the Box? - YouTube Three Laws of Robotics - Wikipedia Guided By Voices (GBV) - Watch Me Jumpstart - Alien Lanes - YouTube Padma Lakshmi - WikipediaTwo days after her discharge from the hospital, she was in a car accident in Malibu, California, which left her with a fractured right hip and a shattered right upper arm. The injury to her arm required surgery, which left her with a 7-inch scar between her elbow and shoulder. A New Colloidal Silver "Blue Man" Becomes a Media Darling Man turns blue after self medicating "Colloidal Silver" : WTF

The main topic this week is Dad Stuff. Dad Jokes, Dad Hats, and Dad…everything. In particular, when did Dad Jokes become a thing, and exactly what part of that label is supposed to be so bad and insulting? This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Casper: Because everyone deserves a great night sleep. Get $50 off with the code ‘DIFFS’ Ministry of Supply: Dress smarter. Work smarter. Get a free pair of Smarter Dress Socks with your first purchase. Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three free meals with free shipping. Links and Show Notes: This week, John won’t talk about his job, Merlin has jury duty (yes, again), and your hosts do some follow-up on documentaries. The disappearing of classic episodes of older PBS shows is lamented. John finds a lot to like about true Dad humor, while Merlin finds himself overwhelmed by a rapidly-widening aperture. Following a bracing blast by an increasingly contextual spoiler horn (1:25:58), John and Merlin float into the epic, three-to-five-dimensional world of Christopher Nolan's 2014 science fiction epic, Interstellar. (Recorded on Tuesday, January 3, 2017) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" Watch Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music Online at Hulu Amazon.com: American Experience: New York Season 1: Ric Burns, WGBH Steeplechase Films: Amazon Digital Services LLC Watch The OA Online | NetflixSeven years after vanishing from her home, a young woman returns with mysterious new abilities and recruits five strangers for a secret mission.JOIN FREE FOR A MONTH NOVA | Battle of the X-Planes | PBS Jesco White - Wikipedia My Heart Leaps Up - Wikipedia Child Is Father of the Man - Wikipedia The Giving Tree - Wikipedia Mom Jeans: Support - Saturday Night Live - YouTube Urban Dictionary: Dad Joke Dad joke - WikipediaMany dad jokes may be considered anti-jokes, deriving humour from an intentionally unfunny punchline. Interstellar (2014) - IMDb Seinfeld Coke machine - YouTube Best of NOVA Volume 1 Rockschool - WikipediaRockschool was a television series aired by the BBC and PBS in 1985. The series explored the history of rock music and gave instruction in popular performance techniques. Seinfeld - "I Had A Pony!" - YouTube Fair-Play Whodunnit - TV Tropes"In 1928, the writer Father Ronald Knox created a "Ten Commandments" of plot devices (Knox's Decalogue) that more or less codified the rules of the Fair-play whodunnit:" Primer (2004) - IMDbFour friends/fledgling entrepreneurs, knowing that there's something bigger and more innovative than the different error-checking devices they've built, wrestle over their new invention.

The main topic this week is Merlin’s documentary obsession. Turns out: there are a lot of turns-outs. John and Merlin explore what’s so tantalizing (or off-putting) about some documentary films—as well as the whole genre as a thing. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Casper: Because everyone deserves a great night sleep. Get $50 off with the code ‘DIFFS’ Links and Show Notes: This week, Merlin introduces John to a thriving culture of internet busybodies. What happens when we’re only ever exposed to people who look or think like we do? What would we do with free access to an all-you-can-eat Fun Dip buffet? In follow-up, John learns about “Bay Lake,” but badly confuses his celebrity folk heroes. Around a YouTube series Merlin a perimeter creates. Your hosts debate which movies really are mostly terrible. (Murrrrrph!) Also, Merlin’s Netflix account gets borrowed for a morning. Merlin suggests watching A Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love In the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation, and John is very reluctant to recommend 18 hours of New York history. Merlin learns how Jesus died. (Recorded on Tuesday, December 20, 2016) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" Movies with Mikey - YouTube"Movie Charcuterie. A film show focused on celebrating movies and hopefully making you laugh along the way. Best with Cornichons and a smoky, velvety Gruyère." The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - Movies with Mikey - YouTube Episode #2: Maria Bamford Talks Bipolar II While Her Pugs Eat Nilla Wafers | The Hilarious World of Depression | APM Podcasts"For some people, treating depression is a matter of going to a doctor or therapist, maybe getting some meds, and then feeling better. For comedian and actress Maria Bamford, the path to doing better was way longer and more complicated. She shares her experiences with depression, OCD, hypomania, and persistent, unwanted disturbing thoughts, as well as bad therapy, ineffective in-patient treatment, and breakdowns. A diagnosis of Bipolar II, which covered a lot of what was wrong with her, and some Googling helped put her on track to become the healthier person she is today." Jane Krakowski - Wikipedia Reedy Creek Improvement District - Wikipedia Movies with Mikey - YouTube New York: A Documentary Film - Wikipedia Patton Oswalt- Steak - YouTube R.E.M. - Finest Worksong - YouTube Nextdoor: Join the free private social network for your neighborhoodNextdoor The private social network for your neighborhood. Hoodline The Windows of Main Street, U.S.A. (The 626) - Disney DispatchThe businesses referenced on the window are all skeleton companies once used by Walt to buy the land in Florida that would eventually become Walt Disney World. Sherman's March (1986 film) - WikipediaMcElwee initially planned to make a film about the effects of General William Tecumseh Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas (the Georgia portion of which is commonly called the "March to the Sea") during the American Civil War. A traumatic breakup McElwee experienced prior to filming made it difficult for him to separate personal from professional concerns, shifting the focus of the film to create a more personal story about the women in his life, love, romance, and religion. New York: A Documentary Film - WikipediaNew York: A Documentary Film is an eight-part, 17½ hour, American documentary film on the history of New York City. It was directed by Ric Burns and originally aired in the U.S. on PBS. Andre (@torrez) | Twitter Las Vegas isn't Las Vegas - YouTube Will Rogers Today"...out here I had been putting what little money I had in Ocean Frontage, for the sole reason that there was only so much of it and no more, and that they wasent making any more..." “Around the survivors a perimeter create.”“Around the survivors a perimeter create.” – Yoda The Illusionist (2006) - IMDb Broken windows theory - Wikipedia Hidden Brain : NPR site:npr.org "turns out" - Google Search New York: A Documentary Film - Documentary History - YouTube

Lots of follow-up on Free Will, including thoughts on Heisenberg, tail-chasing, and provocative recent scholarship on whether what we see is “reality.” Around 01:45:00, we fire off the spoiler horn for a discussion of season 1 of HBO’s Westworld. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Foot Cardigan: Fantastic socks delivered to your mailbox every month. Get 10% off any subscription plan with the code DIFFS Away: Travel smarter with the suitcase that charges your phone. Get $20 off with the code ‘diffs’. Links and Show Notes: This week kicks off with some contentious claims that Merlin is a crammer and John is a monster. Merlin reminds John that he is out of his depth, and John remembers things. Also, some brief talk on Apple router alternatives and learning to tolerate morning notifications. A mini-topic spins out of listener feedback: what’s the distinction between being clever versus being smart? This leads to an exploration of humor, creativity, and the attraction of trying to make the right joke at the right time. (Recorded on Tuesday, December 6, 2016) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Mr. Show - "Pre-Taped Call-In Show" Alessia Cara – How Far I'll Go (Radio Version) Lyrics | Genius Lyrics"See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me…" Biz Markie - Just A Friend (Official Video) - YouTube Donald Hoffman: Do we see reality as it is? | TED Talk | TED.comCognitive scientist Donald Hoffman is trying to answer a big question: Do we experience the world as it really is ... or as we need it to be? In this ever so slightly mind-blowing talk, he ponders how our minds construct reality for us. 090 - Reality - Donald Hoffman — You Are Not So Smart — OvercastHoffman has developed a new theory of consciousness that, should it prove true, may rearrange our understanding of reality itself. Listen as Hoffman talks about the bicameral mind, the umwelt, and the hard problem of consciousness in this mindbending episode about how we make sense of our world, our existence, and ourselves. The Interface Theory of Perception. - PubMed - NCBI The Case Against Reality - The AtlanticA professor of cognitive science argues that the world is nothing like the one we experience through our senses. Cosmos on Nautilus: Extraterrestrials May Be Robots Without ConsciousnessHumans may have one thing that advanced aliens don’t: consciousness. Donald Hoffman: Do we see reality as it is? | TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript | TED.com Donald D. Hoffman | University of California, Irvine Cosmos, Consciousness & Meaning TV Series on PBS - Closer to Truth The Act of Creation - WikipediaKoestler's fundamental idea is that any creative act is a bisociation (not mere association) of two (or more) apparently incompatible frames of thought. Maria Bamford's One-Hour Homemade Christmas Stand-up Special - YouTube John's Westworld/Moana YouTube video Westworld (TV Series 2016– ) - IMDb Rules of Fair Play | Seattle Mystery BookshopIn 1930, during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, a number of famous British writers (Christie, Sayers, Chesterton, and Orczy to name a few) formed the Detection Club. During one of their dinners they wrote the rules of fair play. These rules were meant to allow the reader a fair chance of figuring out who committed the crime before the end of the story. While the rules have relaxed a bit over the years they are still relevant in mystery writing today. The Incomparable | Team Killer Robot (Episode 330)Get your cowboy hat and your favorite Radiohead playlist, because it’s time to venture into the park for our first-season review of HBO’s “Westworld.” Is Anthony Hopkins running Westworld the park or “Westworld” the show we’re watching? Why can’t the Man in Black take a hint? Who is good and who is evil? Are the hosts sympathetic characters or empty, scripted shells? (And can’t you ask that question that about any fictional character?) We provide some quick analysis and also ponder where the show might take us in season two. Unjustly Maligned | "Clue" with John Cecil (Episode 67)Was it John Cecil, in the loft, with the microphone? Actually, yes — and that’s more straightforward than anything in the puzzling murder-mystery-comedy-movie-of-the-board-game “Clue”, which John’s here to defend. Would anyone care for fruit, or dessert?