Back to Work

This week, Dan and Merlin discuss theories on Dan's Mr. Robot/Apple TV bug, living in an opinion bubble, an update on flu shot efficacy, Dan's recent insane mail delivery, speculation on how giant ad buys work, consternation about memory-holed media. Your hosts respond to a listener's question about the difficulty of choosing a career path that wasn't what you'd expected. Merlin also explains his shaving strategy. Links for this episode:Bizarre bug in Apple TV 4k - can’t access specific programme | MacRumors ForumsVincent Racaniello on Twitter: "On recent B2W discussion of flu vax @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin there are 3 viruses in the vaccine, even if one is mismatched with circulati… https://t.co/Z5rVkBEqOW"On recent B2W discussion of flu vax @hotdogsladies @danbenjamin there are 3 viruses in the vaccine, even if one is mismatched with circulating strains, vax will still prevent severe disease/death, and others will still provide protection! List of Mr. Robot episodes - WikipediaSocial media bubbles: One graph shows how morally outraged tweets stay within their political spheres — QuartzConfirmation bias - WikipediaAmy Sherman-Palladino on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselMarvelous Mrs. Maisel costume designer breaks down the looksDel Tha Funkee Homosapien - Mistadobalina (Video Version) - YouTubeDel the Funky Homosapien - WikipediaDan Benjamin on Instagram: “I have been sent a YouTube video in the mail.” • InstagramDan Benjamin on Instagram: “How it works ...” • InstagramThe Adventures of Pete & Pete - WikipediaAmazon.com: Braun Series 7 790cc Men's Electric Foil Shaver / Electric Razor, with Clean & Charge Station, Cordless: BeautyHere are the Monkees and Mister Bob Dobalina | dinnerfornooneEddie Money - Shakin' - YouTubeBrought 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). MOTIV (For $20 off your first order, visit mymotiv.com and at checkout enter BACKTOWORK). 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…so many things. Merlin had a lot of coffee. Big topics include: Flickr nostalgia (and smart photo backup tips) Dan's crazy Apple TV bug A terrific podcast episode about Buddhism and the human mind A tough listener question about gracefully leaving a job Links for this episode:What Buddhism got right about the human brain — The Ezra Klein Show — OvercastI’m interested in mindfulness, and so have read a lot of books on the subject. This isn’t like those. It’s a not a how-to guide, or an argument for meditation’s health benefits. It’s a deep dive into theories of the mind, informed both by Wright’s scientific background and his study and practice of Buddhism. It’s about how our minds evolved to keep us alive, not to keep us happy or satisfied — and what can be done about it. What Buddhism got right about the human brain‘Flu-pocalypse’ Predicted Due To Ineffective Flu Shots, Doctors Say « CBS PhillyWhy do you need to get a flu shot every year? - Melvin Sanicas - YouTubeFlying monkeys (psychology) - WikipediaConfirmation bias - Wikipediadan/hivelogic-flickrtouchr: A Python script to grab all your photos from flickr and dump them into a directory, organized into folders by set name.How to download your Flickr photo library and transfer it to Google Photos or iCloud Photo library | MacworldBrattoo Propaganda Software - ProductsLisa on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies I think the font you liked in the video might be Formular."@hotdogsladies I think the font you liked in the video might be Formular. RunPee: because theaters don't have pause buttons. on the App StoreBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. TextExpander (Visit textexpander.com.com/podcast for 20% off your first year)! RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit RXBAR.com/backtowork and enter the code BACKTOWORK at checkout). Circle with Disney (Use code BACKTOWORK at meetcircle.com to get Free Shipping and $10 OFF your Circle with Disney device).

This week, your hosts discuss: holiday disruptions, life patterns, the joys of regularity, discovering unnecessary existential vulnerabilities, scheduling as a video game, getting your head around sous vide cooking, modern kids' arithmetic, CBD dosage stuff, using the Sway app, meditation for improving attention management, dealing with the character who speaks your internal voice, some hot tips on starting meditation, a historical video series Merlin's family likes, a quest for a typeface, nostalgia for teeny tiny fonts, a listener question about how to end a conference call, a recommendation for Netflix's The Punisher, and some angry attempts to conceal ma' secret formular. Links for this episode:SwayPAUSERadiohead – Man of War (Piano Cover) - YouTubeRadiohead – Paranoid Android (Piano Cover) - YouTube5by5 | Back to Work #331: Hidden in WigsHow does Amtrak deal with time changes? - One Mile at a TimeFood Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) — Food Safety TalkMerlin Mann joins Don and Ben for a discussion on food safety and cooking using science at home. Food Safety Talk 85: I'm the jerky police — Food Safety TalkHD & 4K Thanksgiving Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Thanksgiving Stock FootageHD & 4K Revenge Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Revenge Stock FootageHD & 4K Food Poisoning Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Food Poisoning Stock FootageHD & 4K Podcast Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Podcast Stock FootageAn Introduction to Mindfulness MeditationHow To Start a Meditation PracticeAncient Rome in 20 minutes - YouTubeAncient Greece in 18 minutes - YouTubeSilkscreen is a small free font for your Web graphicsDownload Sevenet 7 FontMini 7 - Desktop font « MyFontsDIN 1451 - WikipediaJon Bernthal - WikipediaElizabeth Olsen - WikipediaCreate New Customer AccountFormular - Webfont & Desktop font « MyFontsFormular Fonts by Brownfox » FontspringItem 17233 - Oral Dispenser with Tip Cap, Comar®, 1mL - AmberBrought 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). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

TOPIC: Integrity and Fear. This week your hosts discuss: sandwiches, solar power, some recent movies and what makes them memorable (or not), the glory of Edgar Wright, fun movie commentaries, Dan's rowing machine, big changes for Chairman Bendis, a cool free font from IBM, awesome creativity from a listener, some thoughts on apps for meditation and relaxation (and the important distinction between those things), the downside of Competitive Mindfulness and similar, some excellent feedback on last week's episode, the fear of integrity loss, Dan's trip to NYC, follow-up on resetting an iPhone, and the fine art of computer troubleshooting. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — 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, November 16th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Plica Plica Semi-Acapella Back To Work Theme by bakerhoodDC on Twitter: "We’re so excited to start working with @BRIANMBENDIS! https://t.co/v1tgsMaNTr"Miles Morales, Jessica Jones creator Brian Michael Bendis signs exclusive deal with DC Comics - PolygonBrian Michael Bendis Leaves Marvel, Signs Exclusive Deal With DC ComicsBrian Michael Bendis Signs DC-Exclusive Deal | CBRIBM TypeThanks for your interest in IBM Plex, IBM’s new corporate type family. IBM Plex is open source, and should be used by IBMers for all typographical situations, replacing Helvetica Neue, whenever possible. Sway is a slick meditation app that makes sure you relaxWind River (film) - WikipediaEdgar Wright - WikipediaBaby Driver - WikipediaHot Fuzz - WikipediaAmazon.com: Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 (8601421062619): Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley: BooksNetflixJim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017) - Rotten TomatoesFonts - Apple DeveloperHow to use Apple’s SF Mono font in your editor – Blog post - Simon Fredsted’s blogSway on the App StoreSway is an ‘interactive meditation’ experience. It uses your phone to track movement and provides feedback to help you gain focus and improve your attention. PAUSE - Relaxation at your fingertip on the App StoreBased on the ancient principles of Tai Chi and mindfulness practice, PAUSE brings the act of focused attention to your mobile device. Using a patent-pending technique and a unique approach to modern technology, you can easily start the journey to relaxation – anywhere and anytime. Before You Call a Song "EASY," Watch THIS! - YouTubePace Picante Sauce commercial - "Why this stuff's made in New York City!" - 1989 - YouTubeHD & 4K Chihuahua Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Chihuahua Stock FootageHD & 4K Crystals Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crystals Stock FootageHD & 4K Zen Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Zen Stock FootageHD & 4K Business Cards Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Business Cards Stock FootageReconcilable Differences #64: All Fight - Relay FMMerlin has a long history of cockamamie, and John fervently hopes that he only ever develops problems Real Science understands. The contemporary bugaboo of gluten and its ilk are discussed and argued by both anecdote and analogy. Elaine looks like she put on five, ten pounds. Adam Neely - YouTube - YouTubeBrought to you by: Slack (Thanks to Slack for supporting Back To Work. Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). 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). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149). 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).

TOPIC: Trials, Trophies, and Trying Harder. This week, the boys arrive from either the past or future to talk about Dan's spoon problem, the refuse racket, the slog of incremental improvement, the perils of black and white thinking, folding paper seven times, and Dan’s mad cart-riding skills. This leads to this week’s main topic: an epic exploration of success and failure. No spoilers, but this is a good one. Links for this episode:Aseptic processing - WikipediaMego King Kong Drinking Straw Commercial - YouTubeAmazon.com: Stainless Steel Drink Straws- Set of 4 straws straws + Cleaning Brush - CocoStraw Brand Drinking Straw - FUN! Handy, Elegant, Metal,Washable, SAFE, NON-TOXIC non-plastic or glass - UNbreakable!: Kitchen & DiningThe Backfire Effect – You Are Not So SmartEnvironment & Innovation | Recology San FranciscoRecycling Signs | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our PlanetSan Francisco Recycles | What goes whereAll Products | HorizonUrban Dictionary: horseshoes and handgrenadesBackfire effect - RationalWikiAre plastic bags and plastic wrap recyclable in San Francisco? | sfenvironment.org - Our Home. Our City. Our PlanetTwo Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!Brought to you by: ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE). Casper (Visit Casper.com/itsyourshow and use the code ITSYOURSHOW for $50 towards your new mattress). TopResume (For 10% off a resume writing service package, visit topresume.com/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).

Dan and Merlin talk about Halloween, the Chromebook, Apple, WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), and hair removal. Links for this episode:SNL Transcripts: John Goodman: 03/16/96Mark Rober - YouTube - YouTubeGloZell! Hairiest Man in Australia uses Nad's Hair Removal!!! - YouTubeDeath Becomes Her - WikipediaiPad2 Halloween Costume- Gaping hole in torso - YouTubeAmazon.com: Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 - Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black & Tan): Cell Phones & AccessoriesAmazon.com: JLab Audio Epic2 Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sport Earbuds, GUARANTEED fitness, waterproof IPX5 rated, skip-free sound, pristine high-performance 8mm sound drivers, 12hr play time w/ microphone - Black: Home Audio & TheaterSmoky Beef & Poblano Chili Recipe | HelloFreshWindows Subsystem for Linux - WikipediaHome – Google ChromebooksHD & 4K Scream Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Scream Stock FootageHD & 4K Clowns Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Clowns Stock FootageHD & 4K Emo Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Emo Stock FootageBrought to you by: LinkedIn Learning (You can get a free 30-day trial with LinkedIn Learning today, by visiting LinkedIn.com/backtowork. PDFpen Family (Visit smilesoftware.com/podcast for details on the PDFpen Family). HelloFresh (For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit HelloFresh.com and enter promo code BACKTOWORK30). Videoblocks (Go to videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

TOPIC: Too much ambiguity in time. This week, your hosts discuss hot weather adjustments, Merlin's Skype woes, the state of the union on Skype replacement contenders, ruminations on Mac troubleshooting, the fraught future of retail comic book stores, a side rant on the really dumb economics of the comics industry, hobby shop nostalgia, lobby bell techniques and triangle mounting options, some great tips for pressing things on iOS Safari, the joys of Safari Reader mode, Chrome vs. Safari, changing our browser habits, and Dan's weird screen problem. Then, Merlin just goes freaking OFF on the problems with how we talk about time. Links for this episode:ZencastrVideo Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing - ZoomComic Shop Locator| Find Your Nearest Comic Book, Graphic Novel and Pop-Culture Store - There's A Lot to See and Do at Your Local Comic Shop!Two Cats Comic Book Store | Certified new reader friendly!Austin Books & ComicsUngainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — Merlin MannA Nerdy SF Comics Event with Merlin Mann, hosted by Two Cats Comics in West Portal. Tips and Tricks: Ten Safari long-press shortcuts for iPhone and iPad | 9to5MacRush - YYZ (HQ) - YouTubeHD & 4K Hacker Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Hacker Stock FootageHD & 4K Crying Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Crying Stock FootageHD & 4K Fidget Spinner Videos - VideoBlocks: Royalty-Free Fidget Spinner Stock FootageSwatch Internet Time - WikipediaTime ZonesMarvel Two-In-One By Chip Zdarsky And... Jim Cheung For Marvel Legacy In December - Bleeding Cool News And RumorsDaylight Saving Time Explained - YouTubeHave you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.comBrought to you by: Slack (Thanks to Slack for supporting Back To Work. Slack: Where work happens. Find out why at Slack.com). Videoblocks (Go to Videoblocks.com/backtowork to get all the stock footage, audio, and images you can imagine for just $149).

TOPIC: Turns out. This week, the boys talk about audio problems, hot dogs, kegeling, Merlin's next meet-up, Tsum Tsums, comic suggestions, Battle of the Sexes, excellent recent TV series, All the President's Men, the app Pacifica, warming buns, Dan's encounter with Koo Koo Kanga Roo, a dearth of good information about VPNs (yikes!), levels of "Turns Out," a podcast episode about gluten, and hot phones with possibly low batteries. In a very surprising "turns out," Dan has a surprising call that leads to a very interesting experience with a hardware device. Dan really wants macOS on an iPad. Don't at him. There's also some fruitful if fraught discussion about habit-building. Merlin is not a fan of "The Countdown." Dan is attacked by a sky spider and might have to move now. Links for this episode:Ungainly X-Mann Meetup #19 — 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, November 16th to hang out, talk about comics, and just say, “Hi.” It's free and it's fun. Tips and Tricks: Ten Safari long-press shortcuts for iPhone and iPad | 9to5MacWhy You Can Focus in a Coffee Shop but Not in Your Open OfficeDaylight Saving Time Explained - YouTubePacifica - Daily tools for managing stress, anxiety and depression.Klok - Time Zone Converter Widget on the App StoreHave you tried rebooting? - BrettTerpstra.comPanobook – Studio NeatProducts - Hot Dogs - ApplegateThe Sixth Gun - WikipediaAmazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: BooksHow David Fincher Hijacks Your Eyes - YouTubeAmazon.com: Rock Candy Mountain Volume 1 (9781534303171): Kyle Starks, Chris Schweizer: BooksWe Taste-Tested 10 Hot Dogs. Here Are the Best. - The New York TimesThe Show That Never Ends | W. W. Norton & CompanyKoo Koo Kanga RooThe Demonization of Gluten - Freakonomics Radio - WNYCKegel exercise - WikipediaDisney Tsum Tsum - Soft & Plush Toys | Disney StoreBrought 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).

TOPIC: Surface Tension. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss names of cities in Florida, wireless neckbands, elliptical bikes, chore systems (and parental withholding), iOS battery life, canny Mac laptop battery monitoring, how battery cycles work, Todd, and things you already know (unless you don't already know them). Two pretty good YouTube channels are recommended. Your hosts talk about that weird thing where iOS throws up a password pop-up, including some recent bad news on how it might be exploited. Gross. There's also some exciting news about possible Brand Synergies. Things wrap with responding to listener questions about smart home location woes and choosing a VPN. Murrrrrrph! Links for this episode:Wireless neckband allows first voiceless phone call - YouTubeBlack Widow Spider vs. ScorpionBeanMeister22Recommended for you EverythingApplePro - YouTubeWhat we talk about when we talk about talking: The CIA's guide to semanticsPhilips Hue Labs - Multi user geofencingiOS 11 Review! Should You Update? - YouTubeWhy We Miss Objects That Are Right in Front of Us - The New York TimesiOS Privacy: steal.password - Easily get the user's Apple ID password, just by asking — Felix KrauseMac Power Users #399: Workflows with Merlin Mann - Relay FMThis week for episode 399 our original workflow guest, Merlin Mann, returns to share how he's using his iPad(s), Mac, and that "voice stuff". Taintsville, Florida - WikipediaTED-Ed - YouTube - YouTubeBrainstorm (1983) - IMDbFruitJuice -- battery maintenance app for Apple Mac laptop computers. —coconutBattery 3.6.4 - by coconut-flavour.comDetermining battery cycle count for Mac notebooks - Apple SupportTwitterrific: Making Twitter Extra TerrificThe Twitter app for people who actually use Twitter. Now all-new for macOS. Which VPN Services Keep You Anonymous in 2017? - TorrentFreakVPN services have become an important tool to counter the growing threat of Internet surveillance. Encrypting one's traffic through a VPN connection helps to keep online communications private, but is your VPN truly anonymous? We take a look at the logging policies of dozens of top VPN providers. Tunnel Your Internet Traffic Through an OpenVPN Server2GB Ram for $10/mo - LinodeHow to connect to Synology's VPN Server using a Windows PC or Mac | Synology Inc.Merlin Mann - Worst Website Ever - (SXSW 2008)538520.jpg 640×480 pixelsBrought to you by: ZipRecruiter (Visit ziprecruiter.com/backtowork to post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE). RXBAR (For 25% off your first order, visit rxbar.com/backtowork and enter promo code BACKTOWORK at checkout.)

TOPIC: You're not supposed to pet the car. This week, Dan and Merlin discuss Nest Cam updates, Ring doorbell tracking, Echo family additions, HDMI questions, the fraught landscape of 4K HDR TV stuff, and how shopping makes Merlin feel kind of vulnerable. Two excellent music podcasts are recommended. Dan has a new MacBook Pro and a lot to say about it. Merlin introduces something he calls "Power Puttering." Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Cable Matters Combo, 270 Degree and 90 Degree HDMI Male to Female Adapter: ElectronicsAll-New Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD and Alexa Voice Remote | Streaming Media PlayerDissect – A Serialized Music PodcastDissect - A Serialized Music Podcast — OvercastCole Cuchna is creating Dissect Podcast. | PatreonHit ParadeHit Parade — OvercastCustomize MacBook Pro - AppleLG UltraFine 4K Display - AppleMaking Better Use of the Touch Bar - TidBITSThe Touch Bar’s Future – 512 PixelsLG fixing Wi-Fi interference problems with UltraFine 5K Display, new units will be unaffected | 9to5MacAmazon.com: OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock: Computers & Accessories(1) How QWERTY conquered keyboards - YouTubeBrought 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). Bombfell (Visit bombfell.com/backtowork for $25 off your first purchase).