Back to Work

By 5by5Society & Culture Business Technology Careers

Back to Work episodes

March 30, 2021Episode 524: The Silver Linings Guy
DISCUSSED: iOS has gotten really good; still, there's some Apple stuff we'd love to see get better; some Covid updates; anxiety and OCD in these fraught times; finally, Dan and Merlin need your advice for some networking upgrades.
Links for this episode:
How COVID-19 Affected People With OCD and Anxiety - The Atlantic
The pandemic’s retreat doesn’t necessarily mean life will get easier for people with OCD.
Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs? | The New Yorker
Test-driving a batch of posture-enhancing devices that are supposed to make you stand tall.
Amazon.com: TP-Link WiFi 6 AX3000 Smart WiFi Router (Archer AX50) – 802.11ax Router, Gigabit Router, Dual Band, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Parental Controls, Built-in HomeCare,Works with Alexa: Computers & Accessories
Firewalla | Firewalla: Cybersecurity Firewall For Your Family and Business
Dramatic Drop in Colds and Flu Raises Question: Masks Forever? : Shots - Health News : NPR
Cargo ship news is bad news.
Max Cho, a product manager at Google, joins Felix Salmon and Emily Peck to talk about that cargo ship stuck in the Suez Canal and its effect on supply chains, the bloodbath at Medium and the media in general, and what the post-pandemic return to the office will look like.
Netflix - "Brian Regan - On the Rocks"
Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! on Vimeo
For you, my friends, a free- ONE HOUR HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL - enjoy and download at your leisure- it's yours. Sell it at the Flea Market out of the back of your van with packs of socks and old phones!
ReviewMeta.com - Amazon Review Checker
ReviewMeta analyzes Amazon product reviews and filters out reviews that our algorithm detects may be unnatural.
1 hr 34 min
March 23, 2021Episode 523: My Fingers Know It
DISCUSSED: DST and rebooting sleep; some quick documentary talk; a challenging H.R. Giger poster; updates on sane prepping, looking at some interesting sources for electric power; on rational prepping; oh, boy, fatbergs; and, finally, a quick dive into the joys of "The Everything Button" and the myriad benefits of learning the key commands.
Links for this episode:
Bitfocus AS
Do By Friday
Paletro
Command Palette in any applications on macOS
Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support
By pressing certain key combinations, you can do things that normally need a mouse, trackpad, or other input device.
30 keyboard shortcuts Mac users need to know | Computerworld
Memory: The Origins of Alien - Wikipedia
Jodorowsky's Dune
Amazon.com: [Upgraded]BigBlue 3 USB Ports 28W Solar Charger(5V/4.8A Max), Foldable Portable Solar Phone Charger with SunPower Solar Panel Compatible with iPhone 11/Xs/XS Max/XR/X/8/7, iPad, Samsung Galaxy LG etc.
1900 Galveston hurricane - Wikipedia
Drafts 26: The Customization Update – nahumck.me
Glen Campbell - Galveston - YouTube
Fatberg - Wikipedia
40-ton 'fatberg' the size of a double-decker bus removed from Londo.. - ABC7 San Francisco
Amazon.com : Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000, 1002Wh Solar Generator (Solar Panel Optional) with 3x110V/1000W AC Outlets, Solar Mobile Lithium Battery Pack for Outdoor RV/Van Camping, Emergency : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon.com : Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, 240Wh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V/200W Pure Sine Wave AC Outlet, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Not Included) for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Emergency : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon.com: Jackery SolarSaga 100W Portable Solar Panel for Explorer 240/300/500/1000 Power Station, Foldable US Solar Cell Solar Charger with USB Outputs for Phones (Can't Charge Explorer 440/ PowerPro): Garden & Outdoor
AmazonSmile: Anker PowerCore II 20000, 20100mAh Portable Charger with Dual USB Ports, PowerIQ 2.0 (up to 18W Output) Power Bank, Fast Charging for iPhone, Samsung and More (Compatible with Quick Charge Devices)
(HD Trailer) The Holy Mountain | Alejandro Jodorowsky - YouTube
Warning: Not Safe for…Anything
Acorn 7 | Full Featured Photo Editor for the Mac
Drafts | Where Text Starts
“Easily one of the best iOS apps I’ve ever used.” – Merlin Mann
iOS Changelog - Drafts User Guide
Consensual Disruption | Do By Friday
This week’s challenge: reboot your sleep.
1 hr 23 min
March 16, 2021Episode 522: Where All the Memories Go
Diving deep on the power of infrastructure. Yes, for you, too.
Links for this episode:
The new, improved StyleStealer for Marked 2 - BrettTerpstra.com
This tool is great if you’re on online writer who wants to see how their work will appear on the destination blog or publication. It’s also great if you like to Markdownify articles and be able to read them later with their original look.
Consensual Disruption | Do By Friday
This week’s challenge: reboot your sleep.
Consensual Disruption - After Show
We've unlocked this extremely good after show for you monsters.
THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob Ager
(2) Collative Learning - YouTube
FH Mini #24 - Goofs Twofs — The Flop House — Overcast
Phish - "Farmhouse" - YouTube
The Phish song Merlin likes.
Deborah Ann Woll talks D&D, Acting and Storytelling - YouTube
Ethan Schoonover
Games, Technology, Education, Communications
MkDocs
Project documentation with Markdown.
1 hr 28 min
March 09, 2021Episode 521: Nozzle Tov
DISCUSSED: Merlin has a lot to say about fizzy water and the drugs of Florida; someone please help Dan get his old Twitter name; talking recent media and deciding when a kid is "ready" for it; some Marvel talk; Jack Kirby ruled; finally, hey, tell us what you'd like to hear on topics related to preparation and infrastructure.
Links for this episode:
How to stop overthinking.
"I’m newly married but I can’t stop thinking about an old flame."
AmazonSmile | iSi Classic MeshSodamaker for Making Carbonating Beverages, 1 Quart, Stainless Steel: Seltzer Bottles & Chargers
Siouxsie And The Banshees - Cities In Dust - YouTube
1 hr 7 min
March 02, 2021Episode 520: Preemptive Punishment Food
Preparing isn't just for preppers. But, how do you incorporate scope and infrastructure without turning into a nut?
Links for this episode:
Four-Day Work Week Gains Popularity Around the World - Bloomberg
Merlin Mann's Best Tweet Ever
Deepfake TikTok videos of Tom Cruise watched by millions | News | The Times
Dan Benjamin is creating Videos | Patreon
The Dark Knight with Aubrey Gordon | Why Are Dads?
We unpack the plethora of dad issues presented in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight with the delightful Aubrey Gordon.
Bill Hader Reveals All the Things Seth Taught Him at SNL - Late Night with Seth Meyers - YouTube
1 hr 10 min
February 23, 2021Episode 519: Designated Toilet
DISCUSSED: Dan has updates on Texas's recent weather events and the unanticipated cascading effects on complex and interconnected infrastructures; then, for dessert, your hosts explore the delights and insights of the "isolated tracks" rabbit hole.
Links for this episode:
Van Halen - Dance The Night Away - Guitar Track - YouTube
The Who- Won't Get Fooled Again - John Entwistle's isolated bass (live) HQ SOUND - YouTube
The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Isolated Bass) (Surround Sound) - YouTube
Deconstructing And Your Bird Can Sing (Isolated Tracks) - YouTube
Eddie Van Halen - Unchained - Isolated Guitar Track INCREDIBLE - YouTube
Eddie Van Halen Talks Revolutionary Gear Mods and the Death of Rock in his First-Ever Interview from 1978 | GuitarPlayer
Jas Obrecht – “Eddie Van Halen: The David Lee Roth Years” (2010) | The Beat Patrol
“Pat Travers blew you off? I can’t fucking believe that! Why don’t you interview me? Nobody has ever wanted to interview me.”
—Eddie Van Halen (1978)
Texas energy supplier under fire for five out-of-state board members
Texas controls its own electrical grid, but at least five of the fifteen people serving on the operator’s board of directors do not appear to live in the state, a fact that has angered some state officials as Texas navigates widespread blackouts that have left millions without power.
Austin Today - YouTube
Dan Benjamin is creating Videos | Patreon
Charles looks forward to 2066
"Just set a 2/23/2066 reminder for myself to nag our now-12-year-old that when I was HIS age (57), I was running playing soccer w/ him most days like a much younger rhino. So maybe get up out of that zero-g La-Z-Boy holo-chair orbiting Io & get your 102-year-old dad a space beer."
Van Halen - Unchained - 6/12/1981 - Oakland Coliseum Stadium (Official) - YouTube
Backfire effect - RationalWiki
The effect is claimed to be that when, in the face of contradictory evidence, established beliefs do not change but actually get stronger.
Ryan Deiss on Twitter: "@danbenjamin @maddow Here’s a redneck clip that will probably get me trouble with NBC. :) https://t.co/dHWxdK8YBE" / Twitter
1 hr 12 min
February 16, 2021Episode 518: 10% of a Headache
DISCUSSED: As The Lone Star state struggles with a surfeit of anomalous weather events, your hosts dig into the challenges inherent to all sorts of complex, interconnected systems.
Links for this episode:
Brandon Friedman on Twitter: "Water stored in the bathtub froze solid last night. That's how it's going in Dallas. https://t.co/cJdUMDT6pN" / Twitter
(Show art swiped from this tweet by Brandon Friedman.)
Coldest temperatures in decades continue; more wintry weather mid-week | kvue.com
Causality
Chain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented.
Cautionary Tales – Pushkin
We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these cautionary tales are for the education of the grown-ups — and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “Messy” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They’ll delight you and scare you, but also make you wiser.
Causality — Overcast
Chain of Events. Cause and Effect. We analyse what went right and what went wrong as we discover that many outcomes can be predicted, planned for and even prevented.
Cautionary Tales — Overcast
We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable life lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective” and “The Undercover Economist”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, daring heists and hilarious fiascos. They’ll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
Bernard Purdie - Wikipedia
“Babylon Sisters” by Steely Dan — Strong Songs — Overcast
Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench - Kiss Guy - Austin, TX. 4-18-18 (Yayo Sanchez) Multi-Cameras - YouTube
Led Zeppelin - "Fool In The Rain" - Isolated drum tracks - YouTube
I’ll Do The Procrastination Episode Tomorrow
In an episode that could not be put off any longer, Merlin Mann joins John to unpick the habit of procrastination, how to identify when you’re doing it, why you’re doing it and how to stop yourself from doing it and get yourself back on track.
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie: The Legendary Purdie Shuffle - YouTube
The great Bernard Purdie breaks down exactly how The Purdie Shuffle works. Do not miss.
Steely Dan - The Making of "Aja" - YouTube
Cautionary Tales - La La Land: Galileo's Warning on Stitcher
Galileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely to happen. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos.
La La Land: Galileo’s Warning — Cautionary Tales — Overcast
Galileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely to happen. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos.
Marie-Louise Munter (@missmunter) / Twitter
Friend of the show!
House of Prime Rib | 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco | 415.885.4605
Sloan - The Good In Everyone - YouTube
Easy Rider - Airport dealer - YouTube
Random Walks
A random walk is the process by which randomly-moving objects wander away from where they started.
1 hr 12 min
February 09, 2021Episode 517: How Daddy Make That Paper
DISCUSSED: Doing pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good; Dan discovers a shark is menacingly circling one of his product names; there's a reason Merlin is not in the corner office; your hosts fondly recall the Avon products of their youth; Dan shares a terrific anecdote about George Harrison and Phil Collins; please don't use my things for things those things aren't things to be used for; Mission: Impossible movies are very good; if you want to really appreciate something, it helps to make yourself be an amateur again; a recommendation for a very smart Mac location managing app; Merlin presents a lengthy and disordered jeremiad on HomeKit, HomeKit apps, and the new iOS playground; which is mostly all just to say: why are email apps still so terrible?
Links for this episode:
Phil Collins recalls the time George Harrison played the biggest prank on him - Smooth
Despite two hours of Collins' enthusiastic conga contributions, it was all seemingly a wasted effort when Phil Spector asked the congas to be played – and everyone realised Collins' microphone had been turned off for the entire two hours he'd just been playing.
Phil Collins Was An Extra In The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night” Movie | FeelNumb.com
The “fans” that were there that night were each paid a standard union fee for their appearance and among them was Phil Collins, then a 13-year-old child actor who years later found fame with the band Genesis and as a solo artist.
dustinrue/ControlPlane: ControlPlane - context-sensitive computing for OS X
ontrolPlane - context-sensitive computing for OS X
Homebridge
Bringing HomeKit support where there is none
HomeDash | The Ultimate HomeKit App
The HomeKit App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Home+
With Home you can control more than just your HomeKit accessories.
Mark Cuban is co-founding a podcast app where hosts can talk to fans live and monetize their conversations - The Verge
Burj Khalifa | Mission Impossible | Fandom
Bare Bones Software | Super Get Info Support Home
Fincher and VFX - YouTube
Merlin curates a short list of videos highlighting David Fincher's subtle but powerful use of VFX for ordinary-looking (or even invisible) effects in his films.
ArtStation - Ted Lasso Stadium, Barnstorm VFX
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" Porno Gil (TV Episode 2000) - Reference View - IMDb
A bizarre chain of events starts with Larry accidentally being invited to have dinner with a former porno star, Gil, (Bob Odenkirk).
Simplify Gmail v2: The inbox and keyboard shortcuts - On Simplify
"3. Rewarding you for reaching inbox zero"
Ding Dong Avon Calling - YouTube
1 hr 9 min
February 02, 2021Episode 516: The Steely Dan Dad
No way am I even going to attempt a description this week.
With that said:
[this is a good one]
Links for this episode:
harrumph! still crazy ("Rabbit rabbit!")
"It's the end of the month and you know what that means...."
Donnie Darko: Movie Explanation - A Detailed Explanation Of What happens In Donnie Darko - My ASP.NET Application
Goodfellas Painting | Painting From the Movie Goodfellas
Over the Garden Wall - Wikipedia
Roundball Rock - SNL - YouTube
"I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson" - Netflix
There is no such thing as an ordinary interaction in this offbeat sketch comedy series that features a deep roster of guest stars.
"Netflix Presents: The Characters" (Tim Robinson) - Netflix
Tim Robinson breaks out characters like a frenzied Rat Pack wannabe, a disturbed limo employee, a gun shopper with bathroom issues and more.
I Think You Should Leave | Hot Dog Car Sketch | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTube
Time to get to the bottom of this. Seriously, who crashed this hot dog-shaped car?
'Focus Group' Sketch | I Think You Should Leave w/ Tim Robinson | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTube
We don't make the rules: Paul HAS to marry his mother-in-law!
Baby Of The Year [Full Sketch] | I Think You Should Leave | Netflix Is A Joke - YouTube
Drama, bribery, show tunes, and beauty... which baby will win the most heated competition of the year?
Netflix Presents: The Characters | Tim Robinson | Netflix - YouTube
"You guys pay WHATEVER you think is fair!"
iOS 14.5 features, release date, beta, and everything you need to know | Macworld
Several welcome features are coming soon to your iPhone.
The Pot Roast Principle | Psychology Today
"I don't know why I cut the ends off, but it’s what my mom always did. Why don't you ask your Grandma?"
The Making of "Peg" - Steely Dan - YouTube
Over The Garden Wall | Potatoes and Molasses | Cartoon Network - YouTube
Wirt, Greg, and Beatrice get all mixed up in the musical antics of a schoolhouse of animals, a lovelorn teacher, a grouchy old benefactor, and an escaped gorilla.
1 hr 4 min
January 26, 2021Episode 515: Please Do Not Tapdance for Me
DISCUSSED: There are things that one wants to see less or fewer often; is this particular button actually hooked up to anything?; there is literal must-see TV and you must see it literally immediately; everything is catching on fire; four basic steps for being a successful adult (who has to deal with other adults); thoughts on creativity and focal length; the process of unpandemicizing, or: do we still know how to put a Casual Corner in a mall?; Dan is loving his iPad; Merlin introduces a theory on The Velocity of Writing Instruments; and, finally, a quick celebrity cameo.
Links for this episode:
XY problem - Wikipedia
59 min

About Back to Work

From the publisher's feed

Back to Work is an award winning talk show with Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discussing productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more.