Reconcilable Differences

The boys weigh in on The Civility Debate. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off your first order with the code DIFFS. Sanebox: Clean up your inbox in minutes. Sign up for a two-week free trial and a $20 credit. Links and Show Notes: This week, Merlin has managed his time poorly and John has notes about the verisimilitude of Memoji. John’s daughter is at camp and Merlin thinks the show notes are just a mess. This week’s mini-topic cover’s Merlin’s struggle with a sound bar. This leads to some TV (set) talk. John is in the market for a new one and Merlin asks for some tech advice. Plants are discussed. John brings us up to date on his recent trip to England, and Merlin talks about Cho Chang. John has some notes on Merlin’s ice cream workflow. John has many layers, and Merlin just wants to get back to his life. Merlin’s family raids John’s Plex, and Professor Siracusa has some recommendations. Zelda is discussed, and John has a thought on Link’s gender. The Mann Family Summer Movie Project is discussed. (Recorded on Tuesday, July 17, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. The Rules of the Game - Wikiquote"The awful thing about life is this: Everybody has their reasons."

This week's main topic is "Getting Big in Podcasting." This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Casper: The Internet’s favourite mattress. Get $50 off select mattresses with the code ‘DIFFS’. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Green Chef: The first USDA certified organic meal kit delivery service. Get $50 off your first box. Links and Show Notes: This week starts with an inhale as Merlin fails to solve several of John's musical puzzles. Then, there's some R.E.M. talk. As you do. This week's mini-topic involves Merlin's Summer Projects. Merlin likes choosing the right word, and John doesn't really do projects. This ends up leading to some deep discussion about buying a guitar and trying to get better at it. John can't understand why Merlin would paste a screenshot, and Merlin likes watching John edit the Google Doc. Our fellow Relay host made a video about getting on a podcast network, and this leads to a broad exploration of value, independence, friendship, and the unique power to make something you love. (Recorded on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. How I Joined Relay FM | VEDJ - YouTube Backspace Rethought – Open Prototype – MediumAs keyboards replaced cursive, backspace replaced erasers and whiteout. Then touchscreen keyboards emerged, yet backspace remained unquestioned and unchanged. On a touchscreen, backspace functions as it does on physical keyboards, as if there were a real key with a pressure pad underneath. Then and now, backspace has a very binary 2-bit input: you can TAP or HOLD. Evan Dando | Equipboard® Gibson.com: Gibson Acoustic J-45 Standard Artist Mosaic - Seagull GuitarsThe Mosaic is a solid cedar top guitar with solid mahogany back and sides. The cedar & mahogany combination typically produces a sweet warm sound. The Custom Polished finish further enhances the sweet sound of this combination. This model excels in more intimate musical settings. Radiohead - Paranoid Android - YouTube Why I was FIRED from an Off-Broadway show | Q+A #48 - YouTube Tom Scholz - Wikipedia 43f Podcast: John Gruber & Merlin Mann's Blogging Panel at SxSW | 43 Folders John Gruber & Merlin Mann at SxSW 2009 on Huffduffer The Paralysis of Perfect – Stephen R. Fox – Medium Radiohead - You and Whose Army? - YouTube The Long Winters - Carparts - YouTube R.E.M. King of Comedy - YouTube Lexicon Valley Gibson.com: Gibson SJ-200 Standard The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild for the Nintendo Switch™ home gaming system and Wii U™ console – Official Site

In what ends up being the accidental main topic, John and Merlin dive into the impossibilities of "Keeping House." This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: This week opens with Merlin’s heavy reappraisal of Isle of Dogs, plus an anecdote that involves his wife slapping a remote out of his hands. John shares some strong opinions about motion smoothing and reveals the stunning secrets of Instagram. Your hosts discuss New England. John reveals a new wrinkle in his daughter’s recent dietary radicalization, while Merlin points out that John has a lot of balls in the air. It is agreed that all houses should probably come with documentation. Your hosts may have the ultimate white whine. That said, there are consequences. Stackers and pilers are contrasted, large trucks are hastily hired, and things (still) need to leave John’s house. Fantasy house management is explored, but throwing air conditioners from the attic is, sadly, just not going to happen. (Recorded on Tuesday, June 19, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. yak shaving - WiktionaryCoined by Carlin Vieri in his time at the MIT AI Lab (1993-8)[1] after viewing[2] a 1991 episode of The Ren and Stimpy Show featuring "Yak Shaving Day," a Christmas-like Holiday where participants hang diapers instead of stockings, stuff rubber boots with coleslaw, and watch for the shaven yak to float by in his enchanted canoe. Isle of Dogs (2018) - IMDb What is motion smoothing, and why do all your favorite directors hate it?

This week’s main topic finds John interrogating Merlin about the germophobia threat model. Merlin tries to distinguish his carefulness from a three-letter condition, and John reminds us why he doesn’t make lists. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: eero: Never think about WiFi again. Use code DIFFS for free overnight shipping. Links and Show Notes: This week’s wraparound episode begins with the annual WWDC reporting live from the show floor. Then, Merlin explains a joke and shows John an image you can’t see yet. John has trouble stopping the flow of WIRED, and Apple TV apps are further discussed. Merlin briefly uses his Nest camera as a voice dingus. Very briefly. Your hosts talk about how they handle the Wild West of two-factor authentication, and what happened with that whole Amazon tube lady dustup. John has thoughts on what it would take for these things to get smarter. Merlin accidentally freaks out his landlord with Technology. John provides an update on solo-dadding and his new domestic vegetarian, and Merlin is still up against it with the family’s disruptive snacking workflow. John has follow-up on Merlin’s other program and his recent foray into Instagram. The fretfulness of preparing kid lunches and getting hair brushed is discussed. Also, how hard is it to just pick up the phone and make a call? It’s not that hard. (Recorded on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Thank You For Calling! Threat model - Wikipedia Fecal microbiota transplant - WikipediaFecal microbiota transplantation or FMT is the transfer of fecal material containing bacteria and natural antibacterials from a healthy individual into a diseased recipient. “For Forever” Pussy Hatting | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: read Vision. Hot Hands! | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: swab your bacteria. Learn about using the Google Assistant with your Nest productsThis article shows you how to connect your Nest products to your Google Assistant along with some examples of things you can say and do. For example, you can use your voice to control Nest thermostats, Nest cameras, and the Nest Secure alarm system, and you can have Google Home announce when someone rings your Nest Hello video doorbell. Nest’s indoor security camera now has Google Assistant built in - The VergeSmart home company Nest today announced that a promised Google Assistant update for its Cam IQ security camera has now arrived, which brings Google’s voice-based artificial intelligence platform to the indoor version of the camera. Posted by Owl Grid | Do By FridayThis week’s challenge: get some help.

This week kicks off with a main topic: Kid Independence Projects. Merlin is trying a new thing, and John admits that he’s "pan-fretful." This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off your first order with the code DIFFS. Links and Show Notes: What kind of stuff do you undertake to encourage your kids’ independence and responsibility? What about the fires and the knives? Merlin is proud when his daughter deceives him, but John’s a little disappointed with his kid’s failure to cover her tracks. Can you even imagine your kid having to go to church? In follow-up, John updates us on how his beloved TV fared during the sleepover dance party. Merlin shudders to recall the unbelievable tween drama of a very large sleepover. Merlin was hoping John had forgotten he’d agreed, out of nowhere, to definitely watch Millennium Actress. Would you like to speculate as to whether John remembered? Merlin confesses his Broadway kick. John interrogates Merlin’s sleep and napping habits, then reveals what would happen if he had a week at home alone. Merlin shares an unexpected side-gift of the Kid Independence Project, and both hosts continue to embarrass their daughters very deeply. Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Cautionary Tale (ca. 1988) | Lot going on there. Be sure to … | Flickr How to talk to the Google Assistant through your Nest productsNest Cam IQ Indoor includes the Google Assistant. That means you can speak to your camera to get information, manage tasks, and control the other smart devices in your home. Here’s how to enable the Google Assistant on your camera and some things you can say. A Smart Girl's Guide: Staying Home Alone (Revised): A Girl's Guide to Feeling Safe and Having Fun: Dottie Raymer: 9781609589073: Amazon.com: BooksThis popular book is now updated with new illustrations and advice that will help you feel confident and in control when you're home alone. It includes boredom busters, fun-for-one ideas, quizzes, neighborhood know-how, snack recipes, safety tips, first-aid information, and sibling survival secrets. Plus, this girl-friendly guide features a handy tear-out booklet for keeping track of important information and house rules. Goofball Island | Inside Out Wikia | FANDOM powered by WikiaGoofball Island is one of the Islands of Personality. It consists of a jack-in-the-box, hammer and a merry-go-round. It was spawned when Riley Andersen danced around the house naked with underwear on her head after a bath. It gets started off when Riley makes monkey noises or rides down a railing.

This week’s main topic is tricky to label, but let’s call the jumping-off point, Millenials and Quality. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Linode: High performance SSD Linux servers for all of your infrastructure needs. Get a $20 credit with promo code ‘diffs2018’ RXBAR: Whole food protein bars with simple, real ingredients. Get 25% off with promo code diffs. Instabug: In-App Feedback and Bug Reporting for Mobile Apps Links and Show Notes: This week kicks off punctually, with some follow-up from John on Destiny 2 users getting more vault space to hold all their stuff. Why not 3000 slots? Who even knows? Merlin confesses that he’s terrible at controlling his PlayStation and extolls the magic and perplexity of Movies Anywhere. Siri control of Apple TV is discussed. In more official follow-up, John has updates on the systematic chair cleansing at his office. John has a rooting interest in the last rebel chair, and Merlin wonders if John’s maybe thinking about it a little too much. John also updates us on the status of his peckerhead. Merlin is happy to hear John checked out Monster Factory but continues to be sad that the McElroys aren’t John’s cup of comedy tea. Other homework is reviewed. Next up comes a short and mostly spoiler-free discussion of the movie, Isle of Dogs. John’s curious what Merlin thought was so kid-unfriendly about it, and Merlin obliges, albeit with important additional details. The Fantastic Mr. Fox is lauded. Merlin thinks six podcasts is too much podcast, and John says that’s nothing compared to real performers. For some reason, Les Miz keeps coming up, and Merlin endorses the comedy of John Mulaney. Does curating the stories about one’s possessions potentially represent a subtle generational divide? Merlin has a young and cockamamie theory about why younger people obsess about coffee and backpacks, and John notes that everybody used to keep their houses way nicer. John struggles to identify the things he doesn’t know he doesn’t care about, and Merlin finds portent in his Grandmother’s biannual stripe of cleanliness. Things wrap with John’s concerns for his television in the presence of dancing, and news is shared about a family member’s bold new dietary declaration. (Recorded on Tuesday, May 8, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Isle of Dogs (2018) - IMDbSet in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his lost dog. Reconcilable Differences #77: Prodigal Bird - Relay FMMerlin takes his sleeping pill, then John has some important updates on the return of his chimney's avian peckerhead. John still lives in a drum, and Merlin thinks it's time to deploy a reconnaissance drone. John still really, really doesn't want to fall off his roof. Welcome | Movies AnywhereMovies Anywhere lets you seamlessly store your favorite movies in one place so you can watch them when and where you want. Millennium Actress (2001) - IMDb Monster Factory - “The Final Pam” Jennifer Holliday/ And I'm Telling You Dreamgirls (1982) - YouTube Jennifer Hudson - And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going - YouTube Diner Lobster - SNL - YouTube "One Day More" - LeBaron Family Sings Karaoke - YouTube Half Serrated, Half Stabby | Do By FridayThis week's challenge: buy a bag. Disney, Marvel 4K UHD Movies (Quietly) Accessible on Apple TV – Media Play News Reconcilable Differences #8: Devouring Essence - Relay FMFor the main topic, John educates Merlin about the first-person shooter game, "Destiny." Merlin feels overwhelmed, while John says we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Reconcilable Differences #72: The Seventh Alarm ClockThe episode about self-hacks. The Clay in Stop-Motion Animation at Aardman Studios

This week, John and Merlin come in hot with an accidental main topic: punctuality. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Casper: The Internet’s favorite mattress. Get $50 off select mattresses with the code ‘DIFFS’. Links and Show Notes: Is punctuality important, and how much tardiness can we abide from our pals and business associates? Merlin wonders if expecting punctuality might be a form of privilege, and John has strong feelings about the police, just in general. In follow-up, Merlin clarifies where you can listen to that Simpsons episode of The Incomparable, then applauds Jason Snell's editing skills and suggests ways to give other podcasts your money. John still can't get into the McElroys, and this continues to break Merlin's heart. John says Merlin continues to make fun of him wrong. John also has remarks and some follow-up on Merlin's co-host from another program. Merlin takes his sleeping pill, then John has some important updates on the return of his chimney's avian peckerhead. John still lives in a drum, and Merlin thinks it's time to deploy a reconnaissance drone. John still really, really doesn't want to fall off his roof. Voice-controlled devices are further discussed, but not in a way that will prevent John from saving his best stuff for his more popular program, which used to be about cars. Merlin takes off the gloves to talk turkey about the state of the Apple ecosystem, and John wonders if our nerd complaints are complaints you'd only ever hear from nerds. John answers a portentous final question from Merlin. (Recorded on Tuesday, April 24, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. The Incomparable - Support and Membership Special members-only podcasts - Throughout the year you'll hear stuff that didn't make it into our various shows, and during our annual pledge month the feed will be filled with members-only episodes of many of our shows. (No matter when you sign up, you will get access to everything we've ever put into this feed.) Bootleg podcast feed - Immediately after the show records, we drop an unedited version of the session in this feed, so you can listen without delay and hear all the horrible stuff we said and then had to cut! Total Party Kill video podcast - A video podcast feed version of Total Party Kill, so you can download the show to your podcast app of choice rather than watching on YouTube. A members-only Slack community full of cool people! Masthead - PolygonSenior Video Producer Griffin McElroy Editor-at-Large Justin McElroy Monster Factory: Fallout 4 — Episode 1 - YouTube Reconcilable Differences #52: This Bird Can’t Get Laid - Relay FMIn this week’s accidental main topic, John addresses his new bird-enemy and the Wile E. Coyotean lengths to which his desperation with living in a drum may drive him. Alexa Blueprints Apple Store - Wikipedia It's a Departure | PolygonWith that sage wisdom in mind, it's time for us — Griffin and Justin, who have, for the purposes of this introduction, fused into a singular, fraternal hivemind — to announce some big and bittersweet news: This Friday will be our last day as full-time employees at Polygon. Calling the police on black people isn’t a Starbucks problem. It’s an America problem. - The Washington Post Bigger than Starbucks: Why white people are so quick to call the police - theGrio Starbucks and the Privilege of Calling the Police - The Atlantic Upgrade #189: Obsolescence Isn’t What It Used to Be - Relay FMSpecial Guest Merlin Mann joins Jason to discuss the weather, old speakers, Apple's latest TV acquisition, the long slow fade of 32-bit Mac apps, and the arrival of a new version of his favorite iOS writing app. Tweets by Dan Moren (@dmoren) – Twitter Tweets by Joe Rosensteel (@joesteel) – Twitter

John provides much-requested follow-up on Twitter’s recently announced changes. This leads to a broader discussion of free speech and platform ownership. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Linode: High performance SSD Linux servers for all of your infrastructure needs. Get a $20 credit with promo code ‘diffs2018’ Simple Contacts: Contact lens prescriptions from home: Use offer code diffs for $30 off your contact lenses Slack: Where work happens. Links and Show Notes: This week’s episode has lots of really good follow-up. Follow-up on accents, Face ID, how Roderick records, and Merlin’s new internet friend. John and Merlin embarrass their families, fret about Disney, and talk about some excellent Simpsons lines. Combed, biscuits, chicken, yellow, mailman…very good. (Recorded on Tuesday, April 9, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. Movie Accent Expert Breaks Down 31 Actors Playing Real People | WIRED - YouTubeDialect coach Erik Singer takes a look at idiolects, better known as the specific way one individual speaks. To best break down this concept, Erik analyzes some actors playing real people. Just how close was Jamie Foxx's Ray Charles? What about Cate Blanchett's portrayal of Bob Dylan? Is Daniel Day-Lewis' Lincoln accurate? Movie Accent Expert Breaks Down 32 Actors' Accents | WIRED - YouTubeDialect coach Erik Singer analyzes the accents of some of Hollywood's biggest names. How accurate were they really? Accent Expert Breaks Down 6 Fictional Languages From Film & TV | WIRED - YouTubeDialect coach Erik Singer analyzes some of the most famous "constructed languages" in movie and television history. Which real-life languages inspired "conlangs" like Klingon and Dothraki? Surgical Resident Breaks Down 49 Medical Scenes From Film & TV | WIRED - YouTubeAnnie Onishi, general surgery resident at Columbia University, takes a look at emergency room and operating room scenes from a variety of television shows and movies and breaks down how accurate they really are. Would the adrenaline scene from Pulp Fiction actually play out that way? Is all that medical jargon we hear in shows like Grey's Anatomy and House true-to-life? Is removing a bullet really a cure-all for a gunshot wound? Apps of a FeatherApps of a Feather…Stick Together Motion Picture Production Code - WikipediaThe Motion Picture Production Code was the set of industry moral guidelines that was applied to most United States motion pictures released by major studios from 1930 to 1968. Who Shot Who In The What Now? (The Simpsons) - YouTube Frinkiac - S04E13 - COMBED, BISCUITS, CHICKEN, YELLOW, MAILMAN...

In something like a main topic, your hosts talk about Facebook. Schadenfreude aside, Merlin struggles with why anyone is still there, while John’s not so sure some people will ever leave. This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Away: Travel smarter with the suitcase that charges your phone. Get $20 off with the code ‘diffs’. Eero: Never think about WiFi again. Use code DIFFS for free overnight shipping. Links and Show Notes: This week, things kick into gear quickly with a mini-topic about Instagram. Why isn’t Merlin on it, and why does John like it so much? John likes it as a refreshing break from word things, but Merlin still thinks there are too many hashtags and birds on wires. Merlin really misses the salad days of Flickr, but of course John derails it to yet another goof on Merlin’s pronunciation. And, then, the boys are on to accents. ‘Ello, guv’na! Next, your hosts wind back around to the occasional topic of celebrity relationships. Merlin thinks he could be friends with a given minor celebrity, and, unsurprisingly, John balks. John and Merlin acknowledge and explore their different brands of crippling self-doubt. Finally, your hosts ruefully wonder when they'll know it's time to walk away from the services they do like. (Recorded on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode. At a certain age, it’s impossible to get a good photograph of your child.They refuse to be frozen in time, and so I can feel time slipping through my fingers. The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon • Damn InterestingAnytime the phrase “That’s so weird, I just heard about that yesterday” would be appropriate, the utterer is hip-deep in Baader-Meinhof. Four Yorkshiremen- Monty Python - YouTube Manchester dialect - Wikipedia Yorkshire dialect - Wikipedia Won’t You Be My Neighbor Trailer (2018) Fred Rogers Documentary - YouTube #109 Is Facebook Spying on You? by Reply All from Gimlet MediaThis year we’ve gotten one question from listeners more than any other: is Facebook eavesdropping on my conversations and showing me ads based on the things that I say? This week, Alex investigates. iPhone protected you from Facebook call scraping. Android, not so much. | iMore Network effect - Wikipedia Andy Bowers, reflective | Merlin Mann | Flickr Quotidian Public Radio #3: Nation of Talkers - "Planet Comment" on Huffduffer on HuffdufferSocial Media expert, Dr. Robert Chandler (onFocus University), joins Connor to discuss web-based community and user-generated content. He also takes a few calls from QPR listeners. ‘The Hamilton Polka’ - Weird Al Yankovic - YouTube Ken Jennings on TwitterSpoilers: "John [Roderick], please tell Merlin we are friends now"

This week's main topic concerns The Oscars and the general phenomenon of industry award shows. What makes us get into these things, and who do we pull for? This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by: Linode: High performance SSD Linux servers for all of your infrastructure needs. Get a $20 credit with promo code ‘diffs2018’ Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code DIFFS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Fracture: Photos printed in vivid color directly on glass. Use code DIFFS for 15% off. Links and Show Notes: This week’s first mini-topic concerns John's office chair. Honestly, why can't people just leave John's chair alone? Why always with the moving and the replacing? A chair is a very personal thing, and John likes his chair. So, what, now he has to get a bike lock or something? Merlin wonders if the form is actually hooked up to anything, and John thinks Merlin's cat looks like a towel. The second mini-topic gives Merlin the opportunity to blow off some steam about FaceID. Merlin wonders if he is the only person with a problematic face, and John thinks Merlin might be razzle-dazzled. Cool AR demos are briefly considered. In an accidental mini-topic, your hosts talk about the importance of hot food. Don't they know how they hurt Daddy's heart? Appropriate deployment of the InstantPot is discussed. Who deserves an overdue Consolation Oscar, and why were 90s movies so weirdly unenduring? Merlin thinks of Avatar like The Silence, and John has strong opinions about who gets overlooked. Merlin's relieved John is not his Dad, and John proudly utilizes every part of the star range. (Recorded on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.) Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.