Back to Work

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 are experiencing an unusual odor in their water. Water provided by Austin Water continues to meet all regulatory standards and is safe to drink. Austin Water director apologizes, says zebra mussels a known riskExponent 162 — Why Exponent Isn’t on Spotify — Exponent — OvercastNetflixDo By FridayReconcilable Differences - Relay FMBrought 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). LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get fifty dollars off your first job post).

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 of a problem due to how the combinatorics of the problem is affected by the input, constraints, and bounds of the problem. Combinatorial explosion is sometimes used to justify the intractability of certain problems. 2019 Super Bowl was the least-watched in a decade - MarketWatchSuper Bowl Ratings Hit 10-Year Low In Patriots’ Win | DeadlineBoring Game Plus New Orleans Rebellion Leads to Ratings Drop - The New York TimesDiagnosis and Management of Supernumerary (Mesiodens): A Review of the LiteratureBug Reporting - Apple DeveloperBlow the dust out of the connector – The Old New ThingHere's the trick: Don't ask "Are you sure it's plugged in correctly?"If you do this, they will get all insulted and say indignantly, "Of course it is! Do I look like an idiot?" without actually checking.Instead, say "Okay, sometimes the connection gets a little dusty and the connection gets weak. Could you unplug the connector, blow into it to get the dust out, then plug it back in?" Calendar 366 by n.spektor - For Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch & iPadThe Dropout Podcast - ABC RadioGood QA JokeOlivia Colman — David Tennant Does a Podcast With… — OvercastDavid Tennant talks with Olivia Colman. Stories about The Crown, The Favourite, Broadchurch and more. If you’re easily offended, there are some swears. Merlin Mann's subscriptionsMerlin Mann's podcast subscriptions Big Star - "September Gurls" (1974) - YouTubeBrought to you by: Honeybook (So get started at HoneyBook.com today, and use promo code BACKTOWORK for 50% off your first year). Hullo Pillow (Visit hullopillow.com/backtowork to learn more).

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 developed by Greg Pierce and used the hell out of by Merlin Mann. They sit down together to talk direction, workflows, and what's coming next. 1Writer - A beautiful and rich-featured Markdown editor for iPhone and iPadBear - Notes for iPhone, iPad and MacBear is a beautiful, flexible writing app for crafting notes and prose. How a teenage 'Fortnite' player found Apple's FaceTime bug — and why it was so hard to report itAmazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle Devices - The New York TimesIn a move that angered customers and generated waves of online pique, Amazon remotely deleted some digital editions of the books from the Kindle devices of readers who had bought them. 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). Hopsy (Go to tryhopsy.com/backtowork and use promo code BACKTOWORK to get the SUB home draft machine, 2 mini-kegs of beer (equivalent to 2 six packs), 2 Hopsy glasses and free membership in the monthly beer Club for $99).

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: Amazon.com: BooksSub-Human (Post-Human): David Simpson, Autumn J. Conley, Jennifer Simpson: 9781478343981: Amazon.com: BooksWool: Hugh Howey: 9781476733951: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: So You Want to Be a Wizard: The First Book in the Young Wizards Series (9780152162504): Diane Duane: BooksAlcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians): Brandon Sanderson, Hayley Lazo: 9780765378941: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Skyward (9780399555770): Brandon Sanderson: BooksAmazon.com: The Last Magician (9781481432085): Lisa Maxwell: BooksAmazon.com: Divergent Series Four-Book Paperback Box Set: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four (0752423331765): Veronica Roth: BooksAmazon.com: The Maze Runner Series Complete Collection Boxed Set (5-Book) (9781524771034): James Dashner: BooksArlo Finch in the Valley of Fire: John August: 9781250294258: Amazon.com: BooksMortal Engines 8 Book Collection: Philip Reeve: 9781338348910: Amazon.com: BooksWings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5 (Wings of Fire): Tui T. Sutherland: 9780545855723: Amazon.com: BooksBartimaeus Series 4 Book Set including: The Amulet of Samarkand / The Golem's Eye / Ptolemy's Gate / Ring of Solomon Prequel: Jonathan Stroud: 0719534865596: Amazon.com: BooksFablehaven Complete Set (Boxed Set): Fablehaven; Rise of the Evening Star; Grip of the Shadow Plague; Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary; Keys to the Demon Prison: Brandon Mull, Brandon Dorman: 8601419663026: Amazon.com: BooksThe Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set: Chris Colfer: 9780316480840: Amazon.com: BooksThe Ranger's Apprentice Series (Complete 12 Book Set) : John Flanagan: 0680474137794: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Another Fine Myth (Myth, Book 1) (9780441023622): Robert Asprin, Walter Velez: BooksAmazon.com: Janitors (Janitors series Book 1) eBook: Tyler Whitesides, Brandon Dorman: BooksAmazon.com: Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle) (9780375846311): Christopher Paolini: BooksAmazon.com: Stormbreaker (Alex Rider) (9780142406113): Anthony Horowitz: BooksThe Ender Quartet Boxed Set: Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind (The Ender Quintet): Orson Scott Card: 8601419656288: Amazon.com: BooksThe Land of Stories Complete Paperback Gift Set: Chris Colfer: 9780316480840: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The White Tower (The Aldoran Chronicles: Book 1) eBook: Michael Wisehart: BooksThe Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit: David Eddings: 8601404908262: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Redwall (9780142302378): Brian Jacques, Gary Chalk: BooksAmazon’s Wish List with Stacy Mitchell — Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes — OvercastWhat does Amazon want from us? For consumers, Amazon can be a frictionless gateway to find everything from bed frames to dog food, baby clothes to award winning original tv series. There’s nothing quite like it – a position they’re in not by accident but by design. Thieves' World - WikipediaDungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History: Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer, Joe Manganiello: 9780399580949: Amazon.com: BooksBrought to you by: Bombfell (Get $25 off your first purchase by visiting bombfell.com/backtowork). Molekule (For $75 off your first order, visit Molekule.com and enter BACKTOWORK at checkout).

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 - SLIM TENKEYLESS - Black - Mechanical Keyboards,Stitched Edges,Ergonomic | 14x4 inches/13mm Thick (GSW-87) Slim Tenkeyless (Black): Computers & AccessoriesLenovoEMC - WikipediaWest Side Story - "Maria" (1961)"Say it soft and it's almost like praying." Brought to you by: Honeybook (Visit Honeybook.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK to get 50% off your first year). LinkedIn (Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/BACKTOWORK and get $50 off your first job post). Grammarly (Go to Grammarly.com/backtowork to get 20% off your Grammarly premium account today).

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 forecast and announced surprising partnerships with TV makers. Also Jason got to try the forthcoming Brydge keyboard for his iPad Pro.save in overcast Amazon.com: Nayoya Back and Neck Pain Relief - Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set - Relieves Stress, Back, Neck, and Sciatic Pain - Comes with a Vinyl Carry Bag for Storage and Travel - As Seen in USA Today: Health & Personal CareScience Snacks: Projects and Activities You Can Do! | ExploratoriumHungry for fresh, exciting science activities based in amazing phenomena? Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested, and use cheap, available materials. Satisfy your curiosity without ever getting full. Hardware disease - WikipediaHardware disease is a common term for bovine traumatic reticuloperitonitis. It is usually caused by the ingestion of a sharp, metallic object. These pieces of metal settle in the reticulum and can irritate or penetrate the lining. Magnetic Lines of Force: Physics & Magnetism Science Activity | Exploratorium Teacher Institute ProjectIron filings trace out the lines of a magnetic field in three dimensions. Portal from Facebook: Voice Enabled Hands-Free Video CallingFixing HomePod for 2019 - YouTubeI Gave a Bounty Hunter $300. Then He Located Our Phone - MotherboardBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). One Month (Head to OneMonth.com/backtowork for 10% off any coding course). ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK).

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 required.) The keycaps feature very pleasant capital letters dead center, and come in shades of gray. I’ve swapped in a red Esc key, yellow arrow keys, and a blue Enter key. Twitter: Scott McNulty on the Apple NewsHere’s my hot take: most people look at their smartphones as an appliance not as a device that needs to be upgraded often. Just check out how many people are using phones with shattered screens. Only nerds with too much money and not much sense update every cycle (I’m one!). Daring Fireball: Steve Jobs and Apple’s Last Previous Earnings WarningFruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —coconutBattery 3.7.2 - by coconut-flavour.comBrimley/Cocoon Line (@BrimleyLine) | TwitterWhen 'Cocoon' reached theaters on June 21, 1985, Wilford Brimley was 18,530 days old. This account makes note of people who have reached that age. The Best Shower Curtain for 2018: Reviews by Wirecutter | A New York Times CompanyNetFlix Streaming by Alternate GenresFraser Speirs (@fraserspeirs) | TwitterThe teacher who set up the world's first 1:1 iPad school. Between podcasts right now. On Switching from iOS to Android — Fraser SpeirsI may be having the most boring mid-life crisis that any man has ever had, or I may be opening a whole new chapter of my computing life. I don’t know. On Switching from an iPad Pro and a Macbook to a Pixelbook — Fraser SpeirsThe point, though, is that GSuite is so powerful and so much at the heart of everything I do at school that if you asked me to decide between giving up GSuite and giving up iPad, I’m afraid iPad has to go. It is for this reason that I have been vocally advocating that Apple make iOS Safari as close to a “desktop class” browser as it can be. I don’t know the technical reasons why GSuite can’t be accessed in Safari on iOS. I don’t know if the browser has limitations that mean the apps genuinely can’t run in it, or whether they could but Google just chooses not to allow it. Reviews and Ratings - RTINGS.comStraight to the point buying recommendations. We purchase our own products and put them under the same test bench, so that you can compare the results easily. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. No ads. Only real tests. List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | FlixableBrought to you by: Care/of (For 50% off your first month of personalized Care/of vitamins, visit TakeCareOf.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK50). 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). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order of the best seller variety pack, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

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 normal - The VergeBrought to you by: Squarespace (Start your free trial site today, at Squarespace.com and when you sign up make sure to use the offer code ITSYOURSHOW to get 10% off your first purchase). Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).

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 : Melitta Coffee Maker, 6 Cup Pour-Over Brewer with Glass Carafe, 1-Count : Single Serve Brewing Machines : Grocery & Gourmet FoodAmazon.com: Clever Coffee Dripper, Large, 18 Ounces: Kitchen & DiningTechnology Connections - YouTubeAlice Walker under fire for praise of 'antisemitic' David Icke book | Books | The GuardianDECONSTRUCTING: Dear Evan Hansen - YouTubeHow Long Does it Take for Fast-Food Burgers to Decay? | First We Feastbyta - insulated stainless tumblerWhole Earth Catalog - WikipediaPackage Thief vs. Glitter Bomb Trap - YouTubeMark Rober - YouTubeGiuliani’s Quest to Confuse Us Into Submission — Omnishambles — OvercastWill Sommer (@willsommer) | TwitterTech and internet reporter @thedailybeast—I write a newsletter about conservative media http://www.rightrichter.com —email william.sommer at http://thedailybeast.com  Numbers Guy | The New YorkerDayenu - WikipediaBrought to you by: One Month (Head to OneMonth.com/backtowork for 10% off any coding course). Honeybook (So get started at HoneyBook.com today, and use promo code BACKTOWORK for 50% off your first year). Palm (Go to palm.com to learn more, and run to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).

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 to your nearest Verizon store to check out Palm for yourself).