Back to Work

TOPIC: Drafts for iOS, and Who You Want to Be This week, Dan and Merlin cover two very different topics. First, there's a detailed discussion of one of Merlin's favorite iOS apps, Drafts, including a deep dive on the app's extraordinary interactions with everything from Twitter to calendars to Dropbox. Second, Dan and Merlin have an A-plus conversation on the hardest question you’ll ask yourself this week: “Is this who I want to be?” Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Fancy Monkeys - Scruffy Thinking - Scruffy.TVOn this special That Scruffy Post Show Kanen sits down with Stu Maschwitz and Merlin Mann on their second visit to the show! They discuss delegation, dealing with email and to do lists, assistants, and working hard to make being lazy possible. Does it get better than that? Why 'Adventure Time' Is the Best Sci-Fi Show on TV Right Now | Filmmakers, Film Industry, Film Festivals, Awards & Movie Reviews | IndiewireSometimes you love a show so much it can do weird things to your head. I've gone out on a limb with Cartoon Network's "Adventure Time" by deeming it a groundbreaking form of cartoon storytelling that fuses several eras of animation into a delightfully surreal and yet oddly familiar experience. I also wondered if the entire show was one big metaphor for sex. I stand by the former and wince a little when contemplating the latter as anything other than one more manifestation of the fun possibilities involved in reading into a show that has a deceptively simple surface and tangibly dark interiors. But after last night's wonderful flashback special episode, "Simon and Marcy," I'm convinced of one thing: "Adventure Time" is the best science fiction show on television right now. Quicksilver — Mac OS X at your FingertipsQuicksilver is a fast and free Mac OS X productivity application that gives you the power to control your Mac quickly and elegantly. Quicksilver learns your habits, making your everyday chores simple and efficient. Quicksilver — LoveQuicksilver BlogAfter almost 10 years of testing, Quicksilver lays the beta tag to rest. (If the lack of an eszett brings a tear to your eye, you can always reminisce by hitting ?S on your keyboard). What does this release mean? It means more than just a change in the version numbering system - it signifies a maturity of Quicksilver and a sign of what’s to come. Quicksilver — LoveQuicksilver BlogWith the release of Quicksilver v1.0, I sat with Quicksilver’s lead developers (at our respective far-flung computers) to gather their thoughts on this historic occasion, and to find out a bit more about Quicksilver behind the scenes. Drafts - Agile TortoiseDrafts is a different kind of note taking app. In Drafts, text comes first – open the app and get a new, blank draft. Don’t get bogged down in a timeline to tweet or post to Facebook and App.net. Don’t tap through multiple screens to compose an email or SMS. Don’t navigate folders, create files and name them just to jot down a note or create a todo. Drafts is available for both iPhone and iPad. Amazon.com: "The Road" by Cormac McCarthyGunter - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical! | kung fu grippeDepeche Mode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDepeche Mode (pron.: /dɨˈpɛʃ/) are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group’s original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andy Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter 1980–81). Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album, Speak & Spell, and was replaced by Alan Wilder (keyboards, drums, occasional songwriter) with Gore taking over songwriting. Wilder left the band in 1995; Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher have since continued as a trio. Prolost - AboutStu Maschwitz is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer, with a passion for kinetic storytelling. A graduate of CalArts, Maschwitz spent four years at Industrial Light Stu Maschwitz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaStuart T. Maschwitz, commonly known as Stu Maschwitz, was the co-founder and chief technology officer of The Orphanage, a visual effects company that was based in California. He has worked as senior visual effects supervisor on several films. He previously worked at Industrial Light and Magic. Stu Maschwitz (5tu) on TwitterFilmmaking nerd.Bay Area, CA http://prolost.com Stuart T. Maschwitz - IMDbI Remember You - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Ice King visits Marceline to ask for help in creating a song to attract princesses, but Marceline struggles to deal emotionally with his presence. Simon and Marcy - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Synopsis: Ice King and Marceline 996 years ago. Simon and Marcy/Transcript - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Gunter - The Adventure Time Wiki. Mathematical!Gunter is the name of the penguin that most commonly accompanies the Ice King, although in "Princess Monster Wife," it is shown that multiple penguins have subtle variants of that name but the Ice King pronounces the other penguins' names differently. The Ice King uses Gunter as his personal servant, whereas the other penguins working for the Ice King are more or less slaves. It is not completely clear whether Gunter is male or female. A Bug's Life (1998)David L. Lander - IMDbDunbar's number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDunbar's number is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. These are relationships in which an individual knows who each person is, and how each person relates to every other person.[1] Proponents assert that numbers larger than this generally require more restrictive rules, laws, and enforced norms to maintain a stable, cohesive group. It has been proposed to lie between 100 and 230, with a commonly used value of 150. Audiobus: Live, app-to-app audio.Bring your audio apps together. Drafts for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App StoreDrafts, where text starts on iOS. Sherlock - TV.comThis three-part series retells the tale of England's most celebrated detective but in a modern-day setting, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman taking the leads as Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson respectively. Nuts (Pitiful Old Man) / Remember You - Marceline and The Ice King (aka Simon) - YouTubeThis is from the cartoon Adventure Time from episode 4x25 called 'I Remember You'. Olivia Olson played Marcy and The Ice King is played by Tom Kenny. Anna Debenham (anna_debenham) on TwitterFront-end Astronaut Brighton · http://www.maban.co.uk Marceline & Simon - "Remember You"This magic keeps me alive But, it's making me crazy And, I need to save you But, who's going to save me? Please forgive me for whatever I do When I don't remember you Remember you (Marceline & the Ice King) lyrics - ADVENTURE TIME"Marceline…I can feel myself slipping away" Flexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.The Mac calendar you'll actually enjoy using App Cubby • Hand Crafted iPhone Apps - Launch CenterLaunch actions, not just apps! It’s like speed dial, but for more than just phone calls! Launch Center Pro creates lightning quick shortcuts to specific features buried deep within apps. Call a loved one, message a friend, launch Instagram’s camera to quickly snap a pic, tweet, or turn your iPhone into a flashlight. Launch Center Pro gets you to where you’re going faster than ever before! 5by5 | Hypercritical #15: The Bridges of Siracusa County5by5 | Back to Work #13: The Kid's GreatDan and Merlin talk about "Cranking" - Merlin's latest post at 43folders.com. 5by5 | Mac Power UsersFancy Monkeys - That Scruffy Post Show with guests Merlin Mann and Stu Maschwitz on HuffdufferOn this special That Scruffy Post Show Kanen sits down with Stu Maschwitz and Merlin Mann on their second visit to the show! They discuss delegation, dealing with email and to do lists, assistants, and working hard to make being lazy possible. Does it get better than that? IMDB: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)Fantastic Mr Fox - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFantastic Mr Fox is a children's novel written by British author Roald Dahl. It was published in 1970 by George Allen & Unwin in the UK and Alfred A. Knopf in the U.S., with illustrations by Donald Chaffin. The first UK Puffin paperback edition, first issued in 1974, featured illustrations by Jill Bennett. Later editions have featured illustrations by Tony Ross (1988) and Quentin Blake (1996). The story is about Mr Fox and how he outwits his farmer neighbours to steal their food from right under their noses. Fantastic Mr. Fox | Fox SearchlightOn this special That Scruffy Post Show Kanen sits down with Stu Maschwitz and Merlin Mann on their second visit to the show! They discuss delegation, dealing with email and to do lists, assistants, and working hard to make being lazy possible. Does it get better than that? "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, ListsA searing, postapocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece. A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. Marceline the Vampire Queen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMarceline the Vampire Queen is a main character in the American animated television series Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward. She is voiced by Olivia Olson in most appearances, by Ava Acres as a child and by Cloris Leachman as an old woman. Marceline is a fun-loving 1,000-year-old trickster vampire queen. The name Marceline is based on the middle name of a childhood friend of Ward's, Marie. The artistic design for Marceline was created by Ward, with small changes and additions added by Phil Rynda, former lead character designer and prop designer for Adventure Time. Unlike a traditional vampire, Marceline does not need to drink blood to survive; rather, she eats the color red. Marceline is a musician who plays an electric bass that she made from her family's heirloom battle-axe. About handleOpenURL: - handleOpenURL: Shared Interapp Communication on iOSWe set up handleOpenURL.com because we were looking for a central place where we could find more info about the schemes other apps were using and where we could share the schemes we implemented in our apps. Searching the Internet turned up information scattered all over the net. We thought it would be a nice thing to set up a place where this information is collected. handleOpenURL.com is open to developers to share their URL schemes. IPhone URL Schemes - akosma wikiThis page centralizes code samples for URL schemes available in many iPhone applications, not only in Apple's but in many others. It also includes programming tips and references about implementing apps registering or consuming URL schemes. Writing Kit 3.x · Unitasking at its finestAdvanced Markdown Text Editor…Meets Awesome Researching Tools whacker - The Jargon File v4.4.7A person, similar to a hacker, who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities. Whereas a hacker tends to produce great hacks, a whacker only ends up whacking the system or program in question. Whackers are often quite egotistical and eager to claim wizard status, regardless of the views of their peers. Antonio Gramsci (Hegemony) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFor Gramsci, hegemonic dominance ultimately relied on a "consented" coercion, and in a "crisis of authority" the "masks of consent" slip away, revealing the fist of force. This week's episode of Back to Work is kindly sponsored by: Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK4" for 30% off).

TOPIC: Choosing Your Forks. This week, Dan and Merlin talk about some of the deeper and more slippery issues behind changes in our career and life. In particular, how do we go from a vague tickle to that feeling of full-blown intolerability that can end up driving a change? Are we looking backward at what we should be doing as we slavishly catalog our many petty aggrievements? Or, do we take two giant steps back and apply a cooler eye to what we really want to do next? Even before we find our forks in the road, how can we know a big decision might or should be coming our way? And, how do we stay current on that never-ending need to accept and plan for the changes we never could have anticipated? It's tough at 23, it's super-hard at 30, and, brother, is it ever murder at 50. Sure, it's a little fruity, but, yeah: you need to write the story you really want to live. Rather than just cobbling together a flattering post-mortem on how you magically ended up where you are. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] We Source, Roast, and Ship Coffee. You Brew. | TonxYou're about to join Merlin Mann on a coffee journey. [SPONSOR] PDFpen: Mac PDF Editor - Edit, Sign, and Correct PDFsThe all-purpose Mac PDF editor! Add signatures, text, and images. Make changes and correct typos. OCR scanned docs. Fill out forms. New in version 6: Microsoft® Word export! [SPONSOR] Build a Website - SquarespaceEverything You Need to Create an Exceptional Website [SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Gaining Momentum — The Official Squarespace BlogMomentum is a beautiful, flexible design built especially for photographers and designers who are ready to take their work front and center. With this template, you have the option of showcasing your portfolio with the cinematic full-bleed image display, or preserving the original resolution and visual integrity with the centered image display. You can add information for each image, video, or project to add context to your galleries. Momentum is also our first multi-index template, created for folks that have multiple projects or galleries that they’d like to share. The index view shows all of your galleries with aspect-correct thumbnails, so that visitors can scroll through your work on one page, without interruption. PDFpen for Mac Version 6 on VimeoPDFpen for the Mac version 6 has some great new features including a new user interface, conversion to Word, and auto form generation. This screencast shows off some of my favorite things about the new version. Find The Thing You're Most Passionate About, Then Do It On Nights And Weekends For The Rest Of Your Life | The Onion - America's Finest News SourceI can’t stress this enough: Do what you love…in between work commitments, and family commitments, and commitments that tend to pop up and take immediate precedence over doing the thing you love. Ep. 67: "All of the Small Beer" - Roderick on the Line - Merlin MannThe Problem: Fixing the problem at the attitude level. Pill Organization | WalgreensA whiff of history - The Boston GlobeBut despite its primacy in our lives, our sense of smell is often overlooked when we record our history. We tend to connect with the past visually - we look at objects displayed in a museum, photographs in a documentary, the writing in a manuscript. Sometimes we might hear a vintage speech, or touch an ancient artifact and imagine what it was like to use it. But our knowledge of the past is almost completely deodorized. [[via](https://twitter.com/AdamSholds/status/316591826410811393)] State-dependent learning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaState-dependent learning, or state-dependent memory, is the phenomenon in which the retrieval of a memory is most effective when an individual is in the same state of consciousness as it was when the memory was formed.[1] The term is typically used to describe states of consciousness induced by psychoactive drugs—most commonly, alcohol.[2] [[via](https://twitter.com/djbender/status/316591443563134976)] How to Memorize a Deck of Cards with Dominic O'Brien - YouTubeThis is a great clip from a Dutch TV show, in which Dominic O'Brien shows you how to memorize a deck of cards. [via Athelstane Aamodt] Transactive memory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA transactive memory system is a mechanism through which groups collectively encode, store, and retrieve knowledge. Transactive memory was initially studied in couples and families where individuals had close relationships but was later extended to teams, larger groups, and organizations to explain how they develop a "group mind" [[via](https://twitter.com/emersunn/status/316593415489982465)] You Can Have an Amazing Memory: Learn Life-Changing Techniques and Tips from the Memory Maestro: Dominic O'Brien: 9781907486456: Amazon.com: BooksNever forget a name or a number again! Dominic O'Brien is legendary for winning the World Memory Championship eight times and outwitting the casinos of Las Vegas to win a fortune at blackjack. Here, for the first time, he reveals his secrets for memory mastery. Follow his brain-boosting techniques and turn your mind into a super-powered computer that will recall PIN numbers with ease, remember directions, and help bring you success in business, leisure, and relationships. Good from the First Drop - The New Disruptors - Mule Radio SyndicateTony Konecny, better known as Tonx, has been sourcing and roasting beans for a numbers of years, and recently founded Tonx Coffee, a subscription service that delivers whole beans from small batch roasting every two weeks. It’s not a bean of the month club. It’s a way to bypass the overchoice that one can face in specialty coffee shops, and get the assurance that the beans are fresh and good every time. In this episode, listen to Tonx and his ecommerce guru Nik Bauman talk about the joys of coffee and the joys of starting a business in which you can talk directly to your customers without anyone else getting in the way. There’s a brief interlude in which the host and a friend have a little Tonx tasting, too. Amazon.com: Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac/iPad/iPhone (920-003884): Computers & AccessoriesCharges itself with lamplight or sunlight, indoors or outdoors; Fully charged, it works for at least three months-even in total darkness; Easy-switching Bluetooth connection enables switching from Mac to iPad or iPhone as simple and easy as pushing a button; Unique concave key design delivers fast, quiet typing, with more precision than your iPad or iPhone on-screen keyboard; From the PVC-free construction to the fully recyclable box, designed to reduce its environmental footprint New Field Guide: Markdown — MacSparkyMarkdown started as a clever way to write for the web but has become so much more. This book demystifies Markdown, making it easy for anybody to learn. This book includes 130 pages and 27 screencasts totaling more than one and a half hours of video. There is also an additional hour of audio interviews. This book will take you from zero knowledge of Markdown to being a Markdown pro and change the way you write for the better. Memory and Forgetting - RadiolabRemembering is an unstable and profoundly unreliable process--it’s easy come, easy go as we learn how true memories can be obliterated, and false ones added. And Oliver Sacks joins us to tell the story of an amnesiac whose love for his wife and music transcend his 7-second memory. [[via](https://twitter.com/montewv/status/316594588838162433)] Crazy: The Best Pick Pocket Ever On The Today Show - YouTubeApollo Rollins is a mind-blowing pickpocket. Adam Green: The Spectacular Thefts of Apollo Robbins, Pickpocket : The New YorkerA few years ago, at a Las Vegas convention for magicians, Penn Jillette, of the act Penn and Teller, was introduced to a soft-spoken young man named Apollo Robbins, who has a reputation as a pickpocket of almost supernatural ability. Jillette, who ranks pickpockets, he says, "a few notches below hypnotists on the show-biz totem pole," was holding court at a table of colleagues, and he asked Robbins for a demonstration, ready to be unimpressed. Robbins demurred, claiming that he felt uncomfortable working in front of other magicians. He pointed out that, since Jillette was wearing only shorts and a sports shirt, he wouldn?t have much to work with. "Come on," Jillette said. "Steal something from me." The Rock-afire Explosion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Rock-afire Explosion is an animatronic robot band that played in Showbiz Pizza Place from 1980 to 1990, and in various Showbiz Pizza locations between 1990-1992 as Showbiz rebranded and the band was steadily replaced by Chuck E. Cheese characters. The show was pioneering in many respects to other animatronics shows of the early 1980s, featuring life-sized characters capable of facial expression Steven Seagal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSeagal moved to Japan in his late teens after he went to Japan with his father who was visiting for military purposes and met karate masters and decided to remain in Japan. He received his 1st dan degree (Shodan) under the direction of Koichi Tohei. He continued to train in aikido as a student of Seiseki Abe, Koichi Tohei (whose aikido organization, Ki Society, Seagal refused to join in favor of staying with the Aikikai), Kisaburo Osawa, Hiroshi Isoyama and the second doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba. He attained a 7th dan degree and Shihan in aikido and became the first foreigner to operate an aikido dojo in Japan 5by5 | Quit! #4: The Answer Is "Do Both"Dan talks with Phil Coffman, Shlok Vaidya, Producer Robin Welch, and callers about so-called "moderate success", passion, starting out, paying your dues, making changes, the myth of job security, and finding a mentor. 5by5 | Quit! #14: Don't Run A Sh*tty CompanyDan is joined by David Heinemeier Hansson, Shlok Vaidya, Producer Haddie Cooke to discuss telecommuting vs. being in the office. 5by5 | Quit! #9: Four O'Clock In the Morning CourageDan Benjamin is joined by Joel Bush, Shlok Vaidya, Tina Nikolova and producer Haddie Cooke to discuss what it means to have "four o'clock in the morning courage". Aikido - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaAikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. This requires very little physical strength, as the aikid?ka (aikido practitioner) "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks.[5] Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #1 - Comics by comiXologyThere's a new rule in the galaxy: No one touches Earth! Join the brightest stars in the Marvel U: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and Iron Man, as they embark upon one of the most explosive and eye-opening chapters of Marvel NOW! Søren Kierkegaard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSøren Aabye Kierkegaard (/?s?r?n ?k??rk???rd/ or /?k??rk???r/ Leap of faith - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA leap of faith, in its most commonly used meaning, is the act of believing in or accepting something intangible or unprovable, or without empirical evidence. Chris Bachalo Illustration : ProfileCHRIS BACHALO is internationally recognized as one of the most popular artists in the comic industry. His body of work covers a wide spectrum of genres ranging from the critically acclaimed “Sandman,” “Shade,” “Death, The High Cost of Living” and “Batman” series for DC to “Incredible Hulk,” “Uncanny X-Men,” “The Amazing Spider-man,” “Captain America” and the quirky pop favorite “Generation X,” which he co-created with Scott Lobdell for Marvel Comics. Generation X, became the first title from Marvel that was adapted into a live action film for Fox.The short story “The Wheel” written by Stardust and Beowulf writer Neil Gaimen and illustrated by Chris featured the Death character and was inducted into the library of Congress in 2003. It was created as part of a tribute to 911. His cover work for the title Hunter, The Age of Magic for DC was included as part of a New York gallery show for the Society of Illustrators. He is currently working on Marvels’ newest XMEN title, the critically acclaimed, Wolverine and the X-Men with Jason Aaron. Anna Debenham, freelance front-end developer based in BrightonFreelance front end developer based in Brighton, UK “Hey, everybody! Look at me! I’m Dr. Octagon!” I... | kung fu grippe“Hey, everybody! Look at me! I’m Dr. Octagon!” 5by5 | Systematic #35: Rob Corddry - Fiddling for Fun and ProfitRob Corddry (Daily Show, Hot Tub Time Machine, Warm Bodies...) guests to talk about screenwriting, GTD, workflows and why we spend our free time fiddling with all of the above. Fountain | A markup language for screenwriting.Fountain is a simple markup syntax for writing, editing and sharing screenplays in plain, human-readable text. Fountain allows you to work on your screenplay anywhere, on any computer or tablet, using any software that edits text files.Taking its cues from John Gruber’s Markdown, Fountain files are eminently readable. When special syntax is required, it is straightforward and intuitive. 5by5 | Mac Power UsersLearn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users, one geek at a time since 2009. Robotron: 2084 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRobotron: 2084 (also referred to as Robotron) is an arcade video game developed by Vid Kidz and released by Williams Electronics in 1982. It is a shooting game that features two-dimensional (2D) graphics. The game is set in the year 2084, in a fictional world where robots have turned against humans. The aim is to defeat endless waves of robots, rescue surviving humans, and earn as many points as possible. This week's episode of Back to Work is generously sponsored by: Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK3" for 30% off) Smile's PDF Pen Pro 6 Squarespace (use offer code "CASH" for an additional 10% off). Tonx

TOPIC: Memory. This week, Dan and Merlin try to tackle the complexities of memory. Why do we remember things from childhood with unimpeachable detail, but then forget our own phone number or PIN code? How can the same person remember the name of everyone he's ever met, and then space a phone call a couple hours after it was scheduled? Why do we remember and why do we forget? Unsurprisingly, few concrete answers appear, but there's plenty of lively conversation on savant syndrome, tactical memory aides, and the precise location of Merlin's pills. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Forgetfulness - Billy Collins Animated Poetry - YouTubeThis is real. And, it’s still my favorite email... | kung fu grippeCompose Gmail Message.app I just ““wrote”” my... | kung fu grippeIt’s the world’s dumbest and awesomest Automator app, and it does precisely one thing Tip of the tongue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon (TOT), sometimes called presque vu, is the failure to retrieve a word from memory, combined with partial recall and the feeling that retrieval is imminent.[1] The phenomenon's name comes from the saying, "It's on the tip of my tongue." Papenhausen HardwareWe are now carrying SodaStream products. That's right you can make your own sodas or carbonated water drinks. The machine is simple to use and the cartridges are refillable. Just bring down your empty one and exchange it for a full one. Chunking (psychology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaChunking, in psychology, is a phenomenon whereby individuals group responses when performing a memory task. Tests where individuals can demonstrate "chunking" commonly include serial and free recall tasks Heuristic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn more precise terms, heuristics are strategies using readily accessible, though loosely applicable, information to control problem solving in human beings and machines Jamie Phelps (jxpx777) on TwitterSmartsure and cocksure. Jamie Phelps | Smartsure and cocksureRain Man (1988) - IMDbSelfish yuppie Charlie Babbitt's father left a fortune to his savant brother Raymond and a pittance to Charlie Rain Man (1988) - Trivia - IMDbDustin Hoffman spent a year working with autistic men and their families to understand their complex relationships. Also, when he was a jobbing actor, he had worked in a psychiatric care home, and drew from his experiences then for the film. Kim Peek - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLaurence Kim Peek (November 11, 1951 – December 19, 2009) was an American savant. Known as a "megasavant", he had an exceptional memory, but he also experienced social difficulties, possibly resulting from a developmental disability related to congenital brain abnormalities. He was the inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt, played by Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man. Unlike Babbitt, who had autism, Peek probably had FG syndrome. Kim Peek - The Real Rain Man [1/5] - YouTubeSavant syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSavant syndrome is a condition in which a person with serious mental disabilities, including autistic disorder, demonstrates profound and prodigious capacities and/or abilities far in excess of what would be considered normal Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief: Lawrence Wright: 9780307700667: Amazon.com: BooksA clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower,?the now-classic study of al-Qaeda?s 9/11 attack. Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with?current and former Scientologists?both famous and less well known?and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology. Operating Thetan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn Scientology, Operating Thetan (OT) is a spiritual state above Clear. L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer and creator of Scientology, defined it as "knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time (MEST)" The downside of the outboard brain | 43 FoldersClive Thompson writes on a phenomenon I think about constantly: if you really do start entrusting all your ephemeral memory work to external systems, might your wetware start to atrophy? David Brooks on his "Outsourced Brain" | 43 FoldersNYT's David Brooks on outsourcing memory, reference, and decision-making to things that theoretically do it better: Tips on becoming a better listener | 43 FoldersNo, friend, you will be deeply annoyed to hear me ask you to repeat your name at least twice, and possibly five times, during our inaugural conversation. And, in subsequent meetings, even though your face will be forever etched upon my brain (a skill at which I absolutely excel), I will probably call you "Champ," "Chief," or possibly "Tex." Because, yes, I will have completely forgotten your name. SI Football Phone commercial - YouTubeSports Illustrated Football Phone. Late 80s Albert Einstein - Wikiquote[I do not] carry such information in my mind since it is readily available in books. ...The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think. Who Will Own Your Next Good Idea? (Part Three)"A weekday edition of The New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in seventeenth-century England" --Richard Saul Wurman 5by5 | After Dark #360: After Back to Work #111Wow. Today's Back to Work After Dark is…is…mmmmmmmMMMMMMMM…**UNACCEPTABLE!!!** MI Spliff UB40 - YouTubeNeuroplasticity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaNeuroplasticity (from neural - pertaining to the nerves and/or brain and plastic - moldable or changeable in structure), also known as brain plasticity, refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses which are due to changes in behavior, environment and neural processes, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury. Neuroplasticity has replaced the formerly-held position that the brain is a physiologically static organ, and explores how - and in which ways - the brain changes throughout life. This week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK3" for 30% off).

TOPIC: Stupidity. This week, Dan and Merlin tackle stupidity. And, brother, there sure are a whole lot of flavors of stupid. Are we really talking about being clueless, unaware, dumb, absent-minded, or just plain-old ignorant? Because they're actually pretty different animals. Whether you're dropping your library book in the mailbox, leaving your iPad at home, following baseless medical advice, or doing whatever Dan did with his garage door (don't worry: the car is fine), it's really helpful to understand where your real problem really lives. From a tactical standpoint, try some useful failsafes, rituals, and habits. But, at a higher level, learn to develop the curiosity to keep evolving. Stay open to how you might be wrong by always seeking out the smartest person you can find who disagrees with you. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceBuild a Website - Squarespace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. [SPONSOR] ShutterstockRoyalty-Free Subscription Stock Photography & Vector Art - Search and select from millions of high resolution royalty free images, stock photos, vector art, and stock photography. Superman Family Adventures Vol. 1 (Superman (Graphic Novels)): Franco, Art Baltazar: 9781401240509: Amazon.com: BooksSuperman! Superboy! Supergirl! Krypto the Superdog! The entire Superman family is reimagined here in this energetic all-ages graphic novel. Don't miss the heroes of Metropolis fighting such foes as Bizarro, Metallo, Lex Luthor and more in these tales from issues numbered 1-6 of the all-ages series. b2w-chrome-shortcuts.jpg (668×598)SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #1 | DC ComicsSuperman's closest allies take the stage like you have never seen before, from the Eisner Award-winning team of Art Baltazar and Franco (TINY TITANS) Superman Family Adventures Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologySuperman's closest allies take the stage like you have never seen before. Classic Superman elements reinterpreted for all ages--pack your bags and meet us in Metropolis! An all-new all-ages title from the Eisner Award-winning creative team of TINY TITANS, Art Baltazar and Franco! superman family adventures - Google SearchGamechanging 'Marvel Unlimited' App Offers Digital Subscription Model — Gutters and PanelsThis is news many of us were hoping for - it was just a matter of time. Gizmodo reports that Marvel Comics will now begin offering their digital catalog of back issues for use on iOS (iPhone and iPad, with Android coming soon)? for a flat subscription rate. Prices start at $10 a month, or limited-time offer of $60 for a year of service, which will allow access to over 13,000 digitally-scanned comics from Marvel's extensive history. Marvel Unlimited for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreIntroducing the Marvel Unlimited app for iPhone and iPad - a new benefit of our digital comics subscription program! Dreyfus model of skill acquisition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn the novice stage, a person follows rules as given, without context, with no sense of responsibility beyond following the rules exactly. Competence develops when the individual develops organizing principles to quickly access the particular rules that are relevant to the specific task at hand Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their mistakes. Four stages of competence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn psychology, the four stages of competence, or the "conscious competence" learning model, relates to the psychological states involved in the process of progressing from incompetence to competence in a skill. Dreyfus: A five-stage model of the mental activities... - Google ScholarSE Dreyfus, HL Dreyfus - 1980 Abstract : In acquiring a skill by means of instruction and experience, the student normally passes through five developmental stages which we designate novice, competence, proficiency, expertise and mastery. We argue, based on analysis of careful descriptions of skill acquisition, that as the student becomes skilled, he depends less on abstract principles and more on concrete experience. We systematize and illustrate the progressive changes in a performer's ways of seeing his task environment. We conclude that any skill- training procedure must be based on some model of skill acquisition, so that it can address, at each stage of training, the appropriate issues involved in facilitating advancement. brianmichaelbendis:   Age of Ultron #1 by... | kung fu grippeAesop's Fables: A Pop-Up Book of Classic Tales: Kees Moerbeek, Chris Beatrice, Bruce Whatley: 9781416971467: Amazon.com: BooksView All | Home Inspection Nightmares I | This Old HouseField Notes Memo ArchiveDaredevil, Vol. 1: Frank Miller, Bill Mantlo, Marv Wolfman, Roger McKenzie, David Michelinie, Klaus Janson: 9780785134732: Amazon.com: BooksA classic Marvel hero defined by one of comics' greatest visionaries! A Marvel Comics mainstay since 1964, Daredevil got a new lease on life in a landmark 1979-1983 run by writer-penciler Frank Miller and inker-penciler Klaus Janson, whose daring reinvention of the character quickly made Miller one of the biggest and most influential stars in the comic-book industry. Miller put his own stamp on established cast members such as reporter Ben Urich, femme fatale Black Widow, mad assassin Bullseye, the saw-fisted Gladiator, and monstrous crime boss Kingpin. Miller also introduced Daredevil's mysterious mentor Stick, deadly ninja foes the Hand, and Matt's long-lost love Elektra, a beautiful assassin who would become one of Marvel's most memorable characters. Mixing traditional super-heroics with mysterious martial artistry, doomed romance, and dark personal drama, Miller's character-defining DD run is collected across three titanic trade paperbacks! Collecting Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man Daredevil by Mark Waid, Vol. 1: Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin, Emma Rios, Kano Kano, Khoi Pham: 9780785168065: Amazon.com: BooksA fresh start for the Man Without Fear! Matt Murdock is back in New York and hoping to resuscitate his law practice, but not everyone is happy to see him. And Daredevil hits the streets as Klaw, master of sound, makes his deadly return! Then, a blind client holds the key to a global conspiracy perpetrated by some familiar foes. Can Daredevil protect him long enough to bring down an international criminal organization? And when a piece of cutting-edge technology goes missing, Daredevil and Punisher team up to track it down and clear the Black Cat of the crime. But is Black Cat really innocent?! And after someone exhumes Battlin' Jack Murdock's grave, DD heads underground to find the villain responsible. Mark Waid's fantastic rejuvenation of Daredevil begins here! Amazon.com: Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Ultimate Collection - Book 1 (9780785143888): Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Alex Maleev: BooksDuring a character-defining run, Brian Michael Bendis crafted a pulp-fiction narrative that exploited the Man Without Fear's rich tapestry of characters and psychodrama, and resolved them in an incredibly nuanced, modern approach. Now, this Eisner Award-winning run is collected across three titanic trade paperbacks! In this volume, witness the Kingpin's downfall at the hands of Sammy Silke and see how a down-on-his-luck FBI agent can change Matt's life forever. Collects Daredevil I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What Have You: Ben Peskoe, Bill Green, Scott Shuffitt, Will Russell: 9781596912465: Amazon.com: BooksTo some The Big Lebowski is just a movie, to others it's THE MOVIE. Over the past several years the movie has developed a massive and passionate cult following, led by the creation of Lebowski Fest, a traveling festival celebrating all things Lebowski. Held in a bowling alley, it features bowling, costume and trivia contests, live music, a screening of the movie, White Russians, and what-have-you. Attendance has grown exponentially and the Fest has been featured in virtually every national media outlet, from NPR to the New York Times. The Associated Press called it "kind of a 'Star Trek' convention, but without all the geeks." SPIN Magazine called it one of the "19 events you can't miss!" Now, at last, comes the book that the legion of Lebowski fans (aka Achievers) has been waiting for. I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski is a treasure trove of trivia and commentary, hilarious throughout and illustrated with photos from the film, including dozens taken on the set by Jeff Bridges. It includes interviews with virtually every major and minor cast member including John Goodman, Julianne Moore and John Turturro, as well as the real-life individuals who served as inspiration for the characters such as Jeff Dowd and John Milius. Fellow Achievers Patton Oswalt, Tony Hawk and Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken give their thoughts on the movie and the phenomenon that surrounds it. The book features a handy guide to speaking Achiever, tips on how to Dude-ify your car, office, and living space, Lebowski Fest highlights and so much more. Shortcut to compose Gmail message (without seeing an inbox)Just make a bookmarklet with: https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&shva=1 Maria Hill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMaria Hill is a fictional character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. As the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D., she appears in various storylines in which that organization figures prominently, which often feature the Avengers or members of that group, such as the late 2000s Civil War and Secret Invasion miniseries, and the monthly Iron Man series, in which she was a prominent supporting character during the "Dark Reign" and "Stark Disassembled" storylines. Alternative versions of the Hulk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaIn addition to his mainstream incarnation, Hulk has also been depicted in other fictional universes, in which Bruce Banner's transformation, behavior, or circumstances vary from the mainstream setting. In some stories, someone other than Bruce Banner is the Hulk. Ben-Day dots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDepending on the effect, color and optical illusion needed, small colored dots are closely spaced, widely spaced or overlapping. Magenta dots, for example, are widely spaced to create pink. Pulp comic books of the 1950s and 1960s used Ben-Day dots in the four process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to inexpensively create shading and secondary colors such as green, purple, orange and flesh tones. She-Hulk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaShe-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy: Matthew Reinhart: 9780439882828: Amazon.com: BooksMatthew Reinhart has created another spectacular pop-up book for George Lucas's epic STAR WARS movies! Bestselling pop-up artist and engineer Matthew Reinhart has designed a thirtieth anniversary commemorative edition that comes packed with a variety of novelty features -- pop-ups, working light sabers, pull tabs, and other interactive looks at the exciting and popular movies. This beautiful book will impress all fans of STAR WARS and gives a whole new perspective to the films. Makebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now) on VimeoThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK3" for 30% off) and Squarespace (use offer code "CASH" for an additional 10% off).

TOPIC: Not So Much This week, Dan and Merlin eschew ““topic”” to freely discuss razors, beef, They Might Be Giants, prolapse, Genesis, dogs, Spider-Man (and -Womyn), pretender marteenies, truck butt, the lonely plaster casts of our youth, blind harmonicists, those awesome blue IKEA bags, ceviche, E.L.O., Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, bumping, hypoglycemia, how Merlin named his daughter, Hyman Roth, endive, and, of course, The Big Lebowski. Then, they go and blow it all by unintentionally having a really useful discussion about Merlin's three key elements of optimal and sustainable workflows. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSquarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included. Use offer code "**`CASH`**" for an additional 10% off. Templates.scptOmniFocus is an incredible piece of software. I and countless others rely on it every day to manage increasingly hectic lives and complex, multi-facetted projects.This script is an effort to reduce one of the largest sources of friction remaining in my OmniFocus setup: maintaining and creating projects that don't recur on even intervals, but occur frequently enough that their planning and capture becomes a time sink. Arnold Robbins - O'Reilly Media Arnold Robbins, an Atlanta native, is a professional programmer and technical author. He has worked with Unix systems since 1980, when he was introduced to a PDP-11 running a version of Sixth Edition Unix. He has been a heavy AWK user since 1987, when he became involved with gawk, the GNU project's version of AWK. As a member of the POSIX 1003.2 balloting group, he helped shape the POSIX standard for AWK. He is currently the maintainer of gawk and its documentation. He is also coauthor of the sixth edition of O'Reilly's Learning the vi Editor. Since late 1997, he and his family have been living happily in Israel. Arnold Rothstein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaArnold Rothstein (January 17, 1882 – November 5, 1928), nicknamed "the Brain," was a Jewish-American racketeer, businessman and gambler who became a kingpin of the Jewish mob in New York. Rothstein was widely reputed to have organized corruption in professional athletics, most notoriously conspiring in the fixing of the 1919 World Series. Hyman Roth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHyman Roth is a fictional character in the Godfather series of books and films. He was a Jewish investor and a business partner of Vito Corleone, and later his son Michael Corleone. He is based on the late Florida-based mobster, Meyer Lansky, and played in the movie by Lee Strasberg. Meyer Lansky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMeyer Lansky (born Meyer Suchowljansky; July 4, 1902 – January 15, 1983), known as the "Mob's Accountant," was a Russian-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States. For decades he was thought to be one of the most powerful people in the country. 5by5 | Systematic #33: Merlin Mann - Failing gracefullyMerlin Mann guests to talk about failure, success and self perception in an organic and enlightening conversation. Store Lemons in the Fridge to Keep them Juicier LongerThe folks America's Test Kitchen wanted to see how to keep lemons juicy and fresh as long as possible, and the answer is simple: put them in a zipper bag and toss them in the fridge. [via Joel Housman] Open Compose Takes You Straight to Gmail's New Email Window to Avoid Inbox DistractionsChrome: Your inbox gets distracting […] and sometimes you just want to send an email without seeing everything else requiring a response. Open Compose lets you click a button and compose a message in Gmail, no distraction required. via: https://twitter.com/ledlow/status/307536687746134016 Back to Work, so you can be creative and collect comics — PIE Isn't EasyAndy introduced me to Merlin Mann last year, and since then I kind of feel like we've moved in together.? Unix in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition: Arnold Robbins: 9780596100292: Amazon.com: BooksUnix in a Nutshell is the standard desktop reference, without question. (Manpages come in a close second.) With a clean layout and superior command tables available at a glance, O'Reilly's third edition of Nutshell is an essential to own. Tarsier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTarsiers are haplorrhine primates of the family Tarsiidae, which is itself the lone extant family within the infraorder Tarsiiformes. Although the group was once more widespread, all the species living today are found in the islands of Southeast Asia. Amazon.com: Avenging Spider-Man: My Friends Can Beat Up Your Friends (9780785157793): Zeb Wells, Joe Madureira, Greg Land, Leinil Francis Yu: BooksBack in the team-up biz! He's been Amazing, he's been Spectacular, he's been Sensational. Now, Spider-Man is doing a little Avenging, and he's brought a few of his pals along for the ride. Ever the social animal, the wallcrawler has a proud tradition of fi ghting side-by-side with heroes from across the Marvel Universe. And now that he's a card-carrying member of both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, he can't go far without swinging into a teammate or two. Step forward the rascally Red Hulk, the hotheaded Hawkeye and the legendary Captain America as Spidey bonds with Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Amazon.com: Panasonic ES8103S Men's 3-Blade (Arc 3) Wet/Dry Rechargeable Electric Shaver with Nanotech Blades, Silver: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Braun Series 7- 790cc Pulsonic Shaver System, Silver: Health & Personal CareAmazon.com: Braun Clean & Renew Cart Shaver Refills Frustration Free 4 Pack: Health & Personal CareGenesis - “Turn It On Again” (Duke; 1980) A very... | kung fu grippeA very painful confession. I often listen to this song on repeat literally all morning. The Tourists - "I Only Want To Be With You" (1979)Hit single promo video featuring Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart a mere 12 months before leaving the band to form Eurythmics whilst on tour in Australia. The Tourists - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Tourists (1977–1980) were a British rock and pop band, but are better known for two of their members (Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart) who went on to achieve great success as Eurythmics. The band formed around a nucleus of two musicians from Sunderland in north-east England, Peet Coombes and Dave Stewart. Wallace Shawn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWallace Michael Shawn (born November 12, 1943) is an American actor and playwright. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre (1981), Vizzini in The Princess Bride (1987), and Rex the toy dinosaur in the Toy Story animated film series. The Smart Set: Movers and Shakers - March 4, 2013What’s the difference between SkyMall and the Shakers? One creates products for comfort, the other for independence. Paleo Recipe: Robb Wolf’s Nor Cal MargaritasIngredients: 2 shots (4 oz) of clear alcohol – we used Rum, Robb uses Tequila; juice of one lime; club soda; ice They Might Be Giants - "Ana Ng" (1988)Make a hole with a gun perpendicular to the name of this town in a desktop globe. Exit wound in a foreign nation, showing the home of the one this was written for. Amazon.com: Ultra Pro Resealable Current Size Comic BagsStores current (modern) comics. Bags measure approximately - 6-7/8 x 10-1/2-Inch plus 2-Inch flap. Resealable tape closure on flap. Made from 2mil ultra clear polypropylene. Acid-free, archival quality, safe for long-term storage. Sold in packs of 100. SimplicityBlissBY SVEN FECHNER Cue - Know What's Next - for iPhone and webCue enhances your existing calendar by automatically connecting your events to related phone numbers, people, and addresses. Cue makes it easy to contact the people you care about, get to where you are going, and stay informed. Noodlesoft | Hazel**Your Personal Housekeeper** Hazel is a System Preference pane that works silently in the background, automatically filing, organizing and cleaning. How I went paperless with Hazel and Evernote | MacworldThat process isn’t necessarily difficult, but it is tedious and repetitive. Multiply it by the half dozen or so statements I receive in any given month, and it’s easy to see why I decided to automate the process. Flexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.Fantastical's natural language engine is expressive and intelligent so you can write in your own style. Even better, Fantastical automatically recognizes the location of your event and can even invite people from Contacts (Mountain Lion) or Address Book (Lion and Snow Leopard) to your event. [VIDEO] White Stripes - "Fell in Love with a Girl"She says, 'Come and kiss me by the riverside. Bobby says it's fine—he don't consider it cheating.' Led Zeppelin IV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[Jimmy] Page has explained that the cover of the fourth album was intended to bring out a city/country dichotomy that had initially surfaced on Led Zeppelin III. [IMAGE] Baby covers et al. from DanNobody sends a CARE package like Dan Benjamin sends a CARE package. FRAKTA Shopping bag, large, blue - IKEAEasy to clean; just rinse with water and let dry. Rectal prolapse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRectal prolapse (rectal procidentia) refers to a medical condition where a section of the wall of the rectum prolapses (falls down) from the normal anatomical position with associated pelvic floor dysfunction. This may occur while straining to defecate, or during rest. Urban Dictionary: dockingGenesis - “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight” (Live;... | kung fu grippePentateuch (disambiguation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "CASH" for an additional 10% off).

TOPIC: Shaving a Yak This week, Dan and Merlin talk about The Hierarchy of Fiddling. When does self-improvement silently shade into navel-gazing, and how do we realize that it's happening? Some fixes mean applying a fast change that produces outsized results (a true "life hack"). But, most of our more circuitous excursions into the world of ““productivity”” lead straight into a recursive black hole of lost time, sheer frustration, and soul-sucking existential onanism (let's call that one a "life whack"). Learn how to live with your dirty debit card, just satisfice with your dish-washing skills, and quit trying to solve non-problems with non-solutions. Yes, learn the key commands, but, don't feel like you need to learn all the key commands. Iterate with mindful sanity. And, like it says on the tin: always focus on how you'll get back to work. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac and iOS Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You TimeSave time and effort with TextExpander! Whether it's a simple email signature or several paragraphs of a standard response, you'll love how easy it is to use TextExpander to avoid typing the same thing over and over. yak shaving - Wiktionary(idiomatic) The actually useless activity you do that appears important when you are consciously or unconsciously procrastinating about a larger problem. I thought I'd get more work done if I just fixed a problem with my .emacs file, but then I spent the whole afternoon yak shaving. Yak ShavingStuck in the middle of a stack of stuff you're supposed to do? Sharpen your wool clippers, and stop getting distracted by the pointless activities which surround any serious problem--unless you want to, that is. Shaving the yak. « BRYONY COLEYak-shaving is that time when you set out to do something and end up completely off-track – bogged by little details, that actually seem crucial and dependent on the goal at the time, but later turn out to be irrelevant. bikeshedding - Wiktionarybikeshed +? -ing. The word originates in Berkeley Software Distribution culture and implies technical disputes over minor, marginal issues conducted while more serious ones are being overlooked. The implied image is of people arguing over what color to paint the bicycle shed while the house is not finished. The word has its origins in Parkinson’s Law of Triviality. [edit] Squarespace Commerce is Here — The Official Squarespace BlogGiving our customers the ability to manage and sell products on their websites has been the most requested Squarespace feature of all time. Thanks to the powerful architecture of Squarespace 6, we've built a truly integrated commerce solution that gives our customers amazing power and flexibility within a single platform. 5by5 | Systematic #33: Merlin Mann - Failing gracefullyMerlin Mann guests to talk about failure, success and self perception in an organic and enlightening conversation. 5by5 | Back to Work #4: Failing with StyleMerlin Mann and Dan Benjamin talk about trying to change other people, how things really aren’t that bad, balancing fear or being driven by fear, leaving capacity for when you get The Pitch, procrastination (eventually), and giving yourself permission to fail in an interesting way. You’re not gonna get black lung from a spreadsheet. Consilience (book) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaConsilience: The Unity of Knowledge is a 1998 book by biologist E. O. Wilson. In this book, Wilson discusses methods that have been used to unite the sciences and might in the future unite them with the humanities. Wilson prefers and uses the term consilience to describe the synthesis of knowledge from different specialized fields of human endeavor. Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge: Edward Osborne Wilson: 9780679768678: Amazon.com: BooksHistorically, all of the sciences were once united under the rubric of "natural science." Over time, they became fragmented and specialized. Nevertheless, Wilson argues that there is a genetic and neurological basis for knowledge and that all subjects of human inquiry can be reunited under the umbrella of "consilience." Sugar ant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe sugar ant (Camponotus consobrinus)—also known as the banded sugar ant—is a relatively large ant, identifiable by their orange-brown bodies, black head and mandibles. The sugar ants' name comes from their liking for sugar, but they are attracted to other savory food. Mounds (candy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMounds is a candy bar made by Hershey's, and is the sister product of Almond Joy. Like Almond Joy, it consists of a coconut based center; however, it is enrobed with dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate and does not contain almonds. World War Hulk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe plot is the culmination of a series of events that began with the Hulk being tricked into space by the Illuminati and a life model decoy of Nick Fury, the Hulk's subsequent exile seen in Planet Hulk and his imminent return to Earth to seek revenge on the Illuminati. Image Comics | Saga #10Marko and Alana's long-lost babysitter Izabel finally returns to the fold, but at what cost? Like I say. Help yourself: Three. Hours.... | kung fu grippeLike I say. Help yourself:Three. Hours. DUNGEON.http://i-0.us/three-hours-dungeon Jim Eno - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJim Eno (born February 8, 1966 is the drummer and one of the founding members of the Austin, Texas band Spoon. He is also a record producer and a semiconductor chip designer. Arnold Robbins - O'Reilly MediaArnold Robbins, an Atlanta native, is a professional programmer and technical author. He has worked with Unix systems since 1980, when he was introduced to a PDP-11 running a version of Sixth Edition Unix. He has been a heavy AWK user since 1987, when he became involved with gawk, the GNU project's version of AWK. As a member of the POSIX 1003.2 balloting group, he helped shape the POSIX standard for AWK. He is currently the maintainer of gawk and its documentation. He is also coauthor of the sixth edition of O'Reilly's Learning the vi Editor. Since late 1997, he and his family have been living happily in Israel. Exchequer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles. A similar office existed in Ireland during British rule from 1299 to 1877. Merlin’s Awkward Hair Odyssey - a set on FlickrOne's man's frequently unfortunate journey of discovery. Particoloured - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaParticoloured, particolored or parti-color – showing different, often bright, colors or tints. Twitter / hotdogsladies: Cheese Dog Life Hack"[LIFE HACK] A chili cheese dog can be very messy to eat with your hands. So, eat it over your french fries and—hey—free chili-cheese fries!" Repulsion (1965) - IMDbSafe (1995) - IMDbThis week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Smile's TextExpander.

TOPIC: Compression This week, Dan and Merlin talk about compression. What happens when we don't account for how long something really takes to do? And, worse still, what if we don't think about what has to happen before we can even start it? If you find you're stressed-out, over-scheduled, under-resourced—and not particularly loving the things you're making—there's a pretty good chance you've become a victim of your own compression. Acknowledge and understand the problem, and then learn how to avoid the classic pitfalls by falling in love with your calendar all over again. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] Squarespace[SPONSOR] HarvestHofstadter's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPlanning fallacy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaPlanning Fallacy - Less WrongOvercoming BiasOliver Burkeman on why everything takes longer than you think | Life and style | The GuardianTask Times, The Planning Fallacy, and a Magical 20% | 43 FoldersThe Experience and Perception of Time (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy/Winter 2004 Edition)Time perception - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTimeline of Events in X-Men Comics – 1963-2012 | Comics Back IssuesComic Book Reading Order | Comics Back IssuesThinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman - Penguin BooksThinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman: 9780374275631: Amazon.com: BooksMarkdown Service Tools - Brett TerpstraSearchLink: automated Markdown linking improved - Brett TerpstraTemplate · neocoticComics Back Issues | Back Issue Reading Orders and ListsAlien (1979) - IMDbHomicide: Life on the Street (TV Series 1993–1999) - IMDbDeadpool (2012) #1 Baby Variant cover by Skottie Young | Apps | Marvel.com5by5 | The Pipeline #7: Merlin Mann5by5 | Back to Work #5: Chigger Bites on the Bus DriverMac OS X Automation: Services Manager2013 Ford Super Duty Truck | Powerful, Efficient & Productive | Ford.comCivil War: Mark Millar, Steve McNiven: 9780785121787: Amazon.com: BooksThe Road to Civil War: Brian Michael Bendis, J. Michael Straczynski, Alex Maleev, Ron Garney, Mike McKone, Tyler Kirkham: Amazon.com: Books5by5 | The Comic Shack #26: SuperTeam-BuildingPublication history of Marvel Comics crossover events - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5 Ronin: Peter Milligan, Tom Coker, Dalibor Talajic, Laurence Campbell, Goran Parlov, Leandro Fernandez: 9780785151012: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52) (9781401235413): Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo: BooksFantasy Records - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia5by5 | Back to Work #61: I Handed Him My LukeMint - Personal Finance, Budgeting, Money Management, Financial Management, Money Manager, Budget Planner, Free Budget Software, Online BankingToward a hygienic credit card | 43 FoldersMen's Razors, Buy Razor Blades Online | Dollar Shave ClubRunaways Volume 1: Pride & Joy: Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona: 9780785157328: Amazon.com: BooksAmazon.com: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Graphic Novel) (9780785145905): Eric Shanower, L. Frank Baum, Skottie Young: BooksZita the Spacegirl: Ben Hatke: 9781596434462: Amazon.com: BooksCivil War (comics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaINTERVIEW: Joe Caramagna Letters The Marvel UniverseSatisficing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"…no movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad" —Roger EbertHoist with your own petardThe lady doth protest too much, methinks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWe Source, Roast, and Ship Coffee. You Brew. | Tonx"Bob, darn you, we can't blow cover again!" —Helen ParrAmazon.com: Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker: Kitchen & DiningGood from the First Drop - The New Disruptors - Mule Radio SyndicateNo Country for Old Men - "The Coin Toss" [Friendo!]Template 1.2.0 · neocoticAmazon.com: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth (9780785145349): Victor Gischler, Bong Dazo: BooksSearch in a GiphyManage search engines - Google Chrome HelpStaying on Top of Calendar Events | Jamie PhelpsDerry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEvery Six Weeks (E6W) — Tech & CoffeeFrom Civil War: The Road To Civil War (2007) ... | kung fu grippeThe Aviator (2004) - IMDbFlexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.Way of the FutureThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by: Harvest (use code "5BY5" at checkout and receive 50% off your first month) Squarespace (use offer code "BENDIS" for an additional 10% off)

TOPIC: Duplicates, duplicates, duplicates. This week, Dan and Merlin conclude their discussion of media management by focusing on dealing with duplicates. Just so many duplicates. Music, Photos, Contacts, and Finder files. It's all thorny business, but a canny combination of backup, cool apps, and paranoid discretion can make your digital life more manageable and fun. Also, some handy tips on sharing files, hosting media, and finding a digital home for your comic collection. Links for this episode:[SPONSOR] SquarespaceSnapseed for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreKleenex Cool Touch Moisturizing Tissues | Kleenex®70Decibels - Generational - 021 - Raising a HumanGreat Comic Stuff — Merlin MannThe Immortal Iron Fist, Vol. 1: The Last Iron Fist Story: Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, David Aja, Travel Foreman: 9780785124894: Amazon.com: BooksHawkeye Digital Comics - Comics by comiXologyMatt Fraction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDavid Aja - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBrattoo Propaganda Software - ProductsGemini: The Best Duplicate File Finder and Cleaner for Mac OS X | MacPawCameraSync/ - TextDropGemini F.A.Q. - Frequently asked questions regarding Gemini| MacPawGreat Comic Stuff — Merlin MannJonathan Frakes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDoug's AppleScripts for iTunes ? - dougscripts.comCameraSync for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StorePhoneView for iPhone and iPad - Save SMS, iMessages, Voicemail, Call History, Music, Photos, Notes - Ecamm Networkmacbreak.png 102×83 pixels5by5 | Back to Work #103: Lotta Little Knives5by5 | Back to Work #104: Grab Your Revolver5by5 StoreMac App Store - Contacts CleanerHome - TextDrop - Online text editor for DropboxDrafts for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreComic Book Database Software, organize your comic book collection on Windows or Mac OS XCollectorz.com Connect: merlinmann: My ComicsMoving from a Drobo to a Synology NASAmazon.com: Seagate ST2000DM001 Barracuda 7200RPM 2 TB SATA 6 GB/s NCQ 64 MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive: ElectronicsAmazon.com: Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB SATA III 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache Internal Desktop Hard Drive Bulk/OEM - WD1002FAEX: ElectronicsTwo Cats Comic Book Store - Two Cats Comic Book StoreDoug's Apps for iTunes ? Dupin - iTunes Duplicates Manager - v2.5.4 - Find, FIlter, Delete iTunes DuplicatesKung Fu Grippe - “Keep Watching, Internet Bozos.”Syncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "BENDIS" for an additional 10% off).

TOPIC: Cool stuff Merlin loves. This week, Merlin is delirious and may be in a fugue state, so he and Dan talk about a bunch of cool apps and gadgets--stuff that Merlin likes and really recommends. Special attention goes to Drafts for iOS, the Logitech K760 Bluetooth keyboard, Verbatim's Tuff 'n Tiny USB drive, Cortex Camera for iOS, Cobook Address Book, with many more suggestions along the way, including handy tips based on how Merlin uses each. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: SodaStream REVOLUTION Deluxe Bundle Kit Black & Silver: BabyTwitter / siracusa: The latest addition to our ...And now it’s all thisDrafts for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App StoreAmazon.com: Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac/iPad/iPhone (920-003884): Computers & AccessoriesAmazon.com: Verbatim TUFF 'N' TINY 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 96816 (Purple): ElectronicsAmazon.com: Plugable USB 3.0/2.0 SATA Hard Drive Docking Station (ASMedia Chipset; UASP and 3TB+ Support): Computers & AccessoriesCobook for iPhone for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StoreBusyCalSyncman | Synchronize Address Book with GmailReaddleBokononism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDrafts 2.5.2 and Drafts for iPad 1.5.2 - Blog - Agile TortoiseiOS Automation and Workflows with DraftsReview: Drafts for iPhone and iPad | MacworldDrafts: A Truly Indispenable iOS AppDrafts: Action DirectorySuperDuper!1Password for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App Store1Password 4.1 for iOS adds… way too much great stuff to fit in a post title | Agile Blog1Password for iOS wins an Editor’s Choice Award from The Mac Observer! | Agile BlogJamie Phelps | Smartsure and cocksureJamie Phelps (jxpx777) on TwitterSparse image - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaCoding Horror: The Hot/Crazy Solid State Drive ScaleAmazon.com: NewerTech Voyager Q Quad Interface Dock for 2.5" and 3.5" Serial ATA Drives: ElectronicsEvernote Hello | EvernoteFlexibits | Fantastical for Mac | Meet your Mac's new calendar.nvALT - Brett TerpstraRorschach & Friends Boner. | kung fu grippeMatthew 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."70Decibels - GenerationalMy curtain calls - All thisBalls - All thisApp Cubby • Hand Crafted iPhone Apps - Launch CenterApple URL Scheme Reference: IntroductionIPhone URL Schemes - akosma wikiJonathan CoultonOmniFocus for iPhone - The Omni GroupPastebot — TapbotsSwiss+Tech UKCSB-1 Utili-Key 6-in-1 Keychain Multi-Tool : Amazon.com : AutomotiveAvatar: The Last Airbender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia70Decibels - Generational - 015 - Curiosity and Analytical Thinking with Dr. DrangCortex Camera for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App StorePrednisone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis week's episode of Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "BENDIS" for an additional 10% off) and Kashoo (use code "B2W" for 50% off your annual plan).

TOPIC: Modern Media Management: Metadata and Smart Playlists This week Dan and Merlin continue their 3-part series on Modern Media Management: handling your iTunes Library, iOS Devices, and iTunes Match without making yourself crazy. In this episode, the focus is on fixing audio metadata, with a big discussion of the awesome MusicBrainz and Picard. Links for this episode:Smile Blog[SPONSOR] Build a Website - Squarespace[SPONSOR] Stock Photos, Royalty-Free Images and Vectors - Shutterstock[SPONSOR] TextExpander: Mac Typing Shortcut Utility Saves You TimeSquarespace + Typekit: 65 Professional Fonts for Free — The Official Squarespace BlogMerlin's Smart Playlists for iTunes MatchSearch Results - MusicBrainzb2w e104 smart playlists 2013-01-29Tangled - Mandy Moore - When Will My Life Begin HD - YouTubeWatch Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe Online | NetflixMaria Bamford's One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on VimeoNerdist Podcast: Maria Bamford Returns! « NerdistMusicBrainz - The Open Music EncyclopediaMusicBrainz Picard - MusicBrainzManage your Video Collection with iTunes | iFlicksMac App Store - SmartsApple - iTunes - MatchiTunes Store: Subscribing to iTunes MatchFFmpeg documentation : :Keystone Cops - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTMDb — The Movie DatabaseOnline TV Database - An open directory of television shows for HTPC softwareComic Book DB - The Comic Book DatabaseRoku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player:Amazon:Electronics5by5 | The Crossover #7: We Met at a Tequila BarThis week's episode for Back to Work is sponsored by Squarespace (use offer code "NICE" for an additional 10% off); Shutterstock (use code "BACKTOWORK1" for 30% off); and Smile's TextExpander.