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This week, Dan and Merlin talk about lots of recent experiences with the weird and often-frustrating world of streaming TV. What a mess. There's also some discussion of sauna suits, The Eagles, Mummers, and Dan's victorious t-shirt. Also, Dan needs your help with solving a terrible problem with one of Cash's iPad games. Links for this episode:Welcome | Movies AnywhereEagles fan gets a tattoo of the Philly Special - NFL.comHulu Says Super Bowl Live-Streaming Outage Was Caused by Program-Extension Glitch – VarietyAn unknown number of Hulu’s live TV subscribers missed the final minutes of Super Bowl LII — just before the last-ditch effort by the New England Patriots to tie up the game failed — and the company on Monday blamed the outage on an error in its system for extending live programming past its scheduled stop time. Philly SpecialJustWatch - Streaming Search Engine for movies and tv showsForecast: A must-have tool for Mac podcasters - Six ColorsRyan HamrickJASON KELCE FULL UNEDITED SPEECH - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES SUPER BOWL PARADE [2.8.18] - YouTubeMummers Parade - WikipediaHome | Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of PhiladelphiaMütter Museum - WikipediaNetflixBrought 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 of a website or a domain). Mack Weldon (Visit MackWeldon.com and use the code BACKTOWORK for 20% off your order!)

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about the Eagles' big win, what constitutes a catch, Dan's cool new shirt, Merlin's surprisingly positive interactions with Kabletown, the seeming magic of Movies Anywhere, some recent TV recommendations, and a great listener tip for using Nuzzel. Your hosts also respond to Listener Daniel's question about new job responsibilities making him feel like an impostor. Links for this episode:Netflix - instantwatcher - The Ultimate Guide for StreamingExplore | Movies AnywhereAmazon.com: ARRIS SURFboard SB6183 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem - Retail Packaging - White: Computers & AccessoriesSuper Bowl Celebrations, Han Solo Trailer Reaction, and the Surprise Cloverfield Movie (Ep. 224) — The Watch — OvercastThe Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald celebrate their beloved Eagles’ win in the Super Bowl (0:54), dissect the movie trailers that debuted during the big game (17:00), and discuss the hits and misses behind the surprise release of ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ (29:06).save in overcast The Philly Special T-ShirtCompleting a Catch | NFL Football OperationsSuper Bowl 2018: Illegal formation doesn’t apply to Nick Foles TD vs. Patriots - SBNation.comAltered Carbon (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDbBrought 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). 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).

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about crazy kids' homework, Dan's exciting nerd field trips in the Bay Area, the magic of PIXAR, a handy Netflix companion site, and using Siri on Apple TV. Things get a little heated during a discussion about all the weirdly fawning coverage of HomePod—and whether or when Apple's new speaker dingus might find a place in your hosts' lives. Recommendations include a podcast with Hawkeye Pierce, an excellent boiled eggs recipe, and some cool TED-Ed videos. Your hosts respond to listener feedback about bitter Nintendo cartridges and field an interesting question about creating consumer-friendly tech support. Links for this episode:List of Movies and TV Shows on Netflix | FlixableAre you wondering what's new – or what's best – on Netflix? Flixable is a Netflix search engine that offers a complete, searchable and browsable list of all the movies and TV shows that are currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S. Alan Alda Wants Us To Have Better Conversations — Hidden Brain — OvercastWe’ve all experienced miscommunications. Their consequences can range from hilarious… to disastrous. The actor Alan Alda — yes, THAT Alan Alda — wants to help us avoid them. Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs - Nom Nom Paleo®Here’s how to make perfectly-cooked hard-boiled eggs that are never overcooked (I hate the gray-green sulfur ring around overdone yolks) and are easily peeled: TED-Ed - YouTubePixar's RenderMan | Renderman HomeThe Food Lab: How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs | Serious EatsYes, Nintendo Switch cartridges taste terrible - The VergeAmazon.com : Onyx Professional Stop The Bite Nail Biting & Thumb Sucking Deterrent Nail Polish 2 Pack 0.5oz : BeautyAmazon.com : Probelle Anti-Bite, Stop Nail Biting and Thumb Sucking, Clear, .5 Fluid Ounces : BeautyHomePod - AppleBrought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). 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).

This week, Dan and Merlin talk a lot about writing and respond to feedback from listeners. Links for this episode:Bacon MethodHow long to grill a steak on a charcoal grill - The rule of threes - Grilling24x7Grilling24x7Rule of three - WikipediaHome – Nintendo Labo Official Site – Trailer, product informationFlu may be spread just by breathing, new study saysBrought to you by: ButcherBox (For FREE bacon and $20 off your first box go to Butcherbox.com/backtowork and enter BACKTOWORK). 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).

This week, Dan has some weather, Cash makes a battery, homework can be a silly drag, management is about scalability and quantification, how to figure out how much you have to do, 80s movies can be problematic, ultracrepidarianism, making fish wanna get nasty, and you gotta give people ONE suggestion. Great listener feedback on the evolution of pro kitchens, real-life risk aversion, and a terrific use of Echo's drop-in functionality. Also, the possibilities and shortcomings of Machine Learning are discussed. Links for this episode:SF Sketchfest 2018: Roderick on the LineTuesday January 16, 2018 8:00pm - 9:30pm Gateway Theatre 215 Jackson Street San Francisco, CA 94111 Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #20 — 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, January 18th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. “The Labour of Two Days, Is That for Which You Ask Two Hundred Guineas!” “No; I Ask It for the Knowledge of a Lifetime.” | Quote Investigator“The Labour of Two Days, Is That for Which You Ask Two Hundred Guineas!” “No “But You Did That in Thirty Seconds.” “No, It Has Taken Me Forty Years To Do That.” | Quote Investigator“But You Did That in Thirty Seconds.” “No, It Has Taken Me Forty Years To Do That.” Ultracrepidarianism - WikipediaUltracrepidarianism is the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one's knowledge. Baghdad Battery - WikipediaCongo tetra - WikipediaC.G.P. Grey - How Machines LearnBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase). Simple Contacts (Get $30 off your contacts at Simplecontacts.com/backtowork or enter code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

This week, your hosts cover some odds and sods, share some recommendations, design some fantasy podcast apps, and introduce an exciting new feature involving the Internet Science Site. They also respond to a listener's thorny question about dealing with negative chatter in the workplace. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #20 — 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, January 18th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Home - My PodLink to your audio and web links and play them through your Amazon Echo. Yerkes–Dodson law - WikipediaResearch has found that different tasks require different levels of arousal for optimal performance. For example, difficult or intellectually demanding tasks may require a lower level of arousal (to facilitate concentration), whereas tasks demanding stamina or persistence may be performed better with higher levels of arousal (to increase motivation). Marchetti's constant - WikipediaMarchetti's constant is the average time spent by a person for commuting each day, which is approximately one hour. Ship of Theseus - WikipediaThe ship of Theseus, also known as Theseus's paradox, is a thought experiment that raises the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. Bruce Timm - WikipediaEp. 273: "One Kilometer" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: It was the first thing that John had ever finished. HuffdufferHorace Dediu on Twitter: "Studies show that the health benefits of riding without a helmet generally outweigh the safety benefits of riding with a helmet, so if helme… https://t.co/zosIxcuwmN"Ditching bike helmets laws better for healthExploring an Alternate Universe | Lapham’s QuarterlyJohn Waite - Missing You [OFFICIAL HQ VIDEO] - YouTubeIt’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) | The Official Bob Dylan SiteJourney (2012 video game) - WikipediaAmazon.com: Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories (9781401231156): Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Various: BooksBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). MissionU (To learn more about MissionU and to earn $500 upon completion of the full year program, go to MissionU.com/backtowork).

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about why they're trending, an exciting update on the Mr. Robot ATV bug, the frustrating opacity of using Apple's stuff, Dan's love for Nintendo Switch, nostalgia for NASA, Merlin's love for the Amazon Spot, the problem of fish food and regret, updates on your hosts' sleep technologies, possible solutions for killing spam on iPhone, and some more thoughts on dealing with Netflix's filtering, ratings, and…jeez kinda just everything about their dingaling interface. Links for this episode:Introducing Echo Spot - Amazon Official Site - Stylish, compact Echo with a screenHow to Disable Alexa's Drop-In FeatureWhat other home “kits” can I assemble? - organization | Ask MetaFilterThe Worst Part of Working Remotely Is Trying to Read MindsMy heart races as that familiar bubble pops up on my screen. My supervisor is typing for what seems like forever. In reality, it’s only a few seconds, but that’s still enough time for me to fall into a full-on worry spiral: Did I make a mistake? Is she mad at me? Finally, the text message appears: “Thank you.” Square Signals : Successful habits through smoothly ratcheting...sarahlemarie on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies Back to Work made it into the bug report on the Mr Robot problem! And it's fixed! Maybe you heard already. Catching up on my… https://t.co/WONENExNEu"@hotdogsladies Back to Work made it into the bug report on the Mr Robot problem! And it's fixed! Maybe you heard already. Catching up on my B2W eps atm and heard you talking about it in Dec 19 show. Amazon.com: rolls MS111 Mic Switch On/Off: Musical InstrumentsAmazon.com: Pro Co Sound CDSS Short Stop Mute Box: Musical InstrumentsGRIFFIN'S Top 5 Games of 2017! - YouTubeSuper blue blood moon eclipse to appear January 31, 2018 | Miami HeraldTotal Lunar Eclipse on January 31, 2018 – Where and When to SeeIntroducing Echo Spot - Amazon Official Site - Stylish, compact Echo with a screenEdward Everett Horton - WikipediaAmazon.com: Ziploc Space Bag- Vacuum Seal Bag- 13 Bag Variety- 4 Travel, 2 Med, 5 Lrg, 2 XL: Home & KitchenAmazon.com: Natural Talalay Latex Foam Pillow Standard with Eco-friendly Hypoallergenic and Anti-mite by SWEESLEEP (Soft, 23"x15"x5"): Home & KitchenNintendo Entertainment System - WikipediaAmazon.com: Nintendo Switch with Joy-Con Pick You Own System Bundle Options: Edition, Color, Games, Extra Controller, Case: Nintendo: Video GamesAmazon.com: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch: Video GamesApple Will Replace the Battery in Your iPhone 6 or Later Even if It Passes a Genius Bar Diagnostic Test - Mac Rumors#104 The Case of the Phantom Caller — Reply All — OvercastBrought to you by: Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards select mattresses). LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout).

The boys wrap up a big year—a huge year—with an unintentionally thematic episode about feelings, expectations, nostalgia, and the black boxes of life, technological and otherwise. Links for this episode:gyrosco.pePatriot (TV Series 2015– ) - IMDbFortitude (TV series) - WikipediaWhich Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? (Part One) - The New York TimesGyroscope V1.10 – GyroscopeiPad Pro — What’s a computer — Apple - YouTubeApple Is Ready to Ditch the Mac | John C. Dvorak | PCMag.comDaring Fireball: Pressing the Side Button to Confirm Payments on iPhone XReconcilable Differences #29: Six Fax Machines - Relay FMTo wit: Merlin can't contain his fascination and admiration with how John's rationality and long view of history has colored and redirected his own conceptions about what the future holds.How does John evaluate and interpolate new technology? How should inchoate cultural vectors inform our thinking? Why do some kinds of change take such improbably more time than others? And how much do we really want to learn about cannibalism? GRIFFIN'S Top 5 Games of 2017! - YouTube038 - Why Are There No New Christmas Songs? — Reasonably Sound — OvercastWatch Saturday Night Live Highlight: Tales of Fraud - NBC.comTo beat President Trump, you have to learn to think like his supporters - The Washington Postdwelling on scandal too much can be counterproductive, then the focus must be elsewhere. Seinfeld - Kramer wants to cancel his mailThrill Rides | Six Flags Great AdventureLooking for thrills? Well, you've found them. In fact, you've found some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, gut-wrenchingest rides in the country-including a few record-breakers. Merlin Mann on Twitter: "I feel like I've got a 5000-word essay about the levels of emotional engagement in this #DoctorWho in me. You're so lucky I don't have a Me… https://t.co/oWzdCCTsEt"I feel like I've got a 5000-word essay about the levels of emotional engagement in this Yass Cat Vine 5 Minute Loop - YouTubeBrought to you by: Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149). TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com.com/podcast for 20% off your first year)!

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about keyboard preferences (and their noises), Merlin catching Dan's weird "Mr. Robot" bug on Apple TV, feedback about "inside jokes," exclusion as a weapon, more good Robert Wright interviews, a deepish dive on Netflix personalization techniques (alongside some speculation on how well it's working), platforms and technologies as lobster traps, the problem with cartoons about screaming, how much kids love YouTube, the challenge of partnering with podcast middlepersons, a new Netflix show Dan likes, possibilities for new Marvel properties, and listener feedback on the potential benefits of using work tools you don't prefer. Links for this episode:Merlin Mann on Twitter: "Umm. @danbenjamin? Yeah. https://t.co/65GTE5UfpP"#102 — Is Buddhism True? — Waking Up with Sam Harris — OvercastA Conversation with Robert Wright Episode 171: Buddhism vs. Evolution with Guest Robert Wright (Part One) — The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast — OvercastHow does Netflix personalise its movie and TV recommendations? - Radio TimesArtwork Personalization at Netflix – Netflix TechBlog – MediumThe Shining (happy version) - YouTubeMaqaroon - YouTube - YouTubeHD & 4K Macaroon Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Macaroon Stock FootageHD & 4K Bourbon Whiskey Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Bourbon Whiskey Stock FootageHD & 4K Podcast Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Podcast Stock FootageUpdated: "Visual Guide to Marvel Character Movie Rights" Infographic by The Geek Twins [Infographic] - The Geek TwinsDoubleX Gabfest on the Democrats as the party of purity, Slack, and “Cat Person.”Bram Stoker's Dracula - Trailer - HQ - (1992) - YouTubeJames Thomson on Twitter: "I ran all the existing Doctor Who episode titles through a Markov chain, and it came up with some great new ones. https://t.co/6tbz00aK9A"Doctor Who Episode Titles - Pastebin.comBrought to you by: Slack (Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). 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). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

This week, Dan and Merlin talk about (partial) resolution to Dan's Apple TV bug, some venting about delivery problems, general complaining about customer service, a good TV podcast episode, a very good Buddhism podcast episode, some excellent Buddhism talk, listener follow-up on Dan's strange video mail package, shakeups and wild innovation in the TV bidness, that creepy/mean Netflix tweet, and a listener's question about whether the tech requirements at a promising new job should be a deal-breaker. Links for this episode:Chapo Trap House | Free Listening on SoundCloudWhat Buddhism got right about the human brain — The Ezra Klein Show — OvercastWhy Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment: Robert Wright: 9781439195451: Amazon.com: BooksThe Best TV of 2017 With Sam Esmail (Ep. 210) — The Watch — OvercastThe Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald are joined for their annual best TV of 2017 discussion with ‘Mr. Robot’ creator Sam Esmail. They cover what they are looking from their own television experience, this year in television (2:00), and their top-10 favorite shows of the year, including ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Mindhunter,’ ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ and more (14:00).save in overcast Verizon, NFL agree to new 5-year deal worth nearly $2.5 billionComcast continues to inject its own code into websites you visitYou Are Two - YouTubeNetflix US on Twitter: "To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?"Brought to you by: eero (For free overnight shipping to the US or Canada, visit eero.com and at checkout select overnight shipping then enter BACKTOWORK to make it free). 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). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30).