Back to Work

By 5by5Society & Culture Business Technology Careers

Back to Work episodes

December 13, 2023Episode 634: Nominally Future-Resistant
A fairly epic episode covering health tracking and self-quantization.
Remember: data doesn't have to hurt.
Links:
calibre - E-book management
Bacon Ray - Indie Rock from Tallahassee, Florida
— "Bacon Ray is a soon-to-be defunct indie band from Tallahassee, Florida." (August, 1999)
Homepage - Quantified Self
App and Tracker For Better Sleep and Daily Energy | Rise Science
Athlytic
AutoSleep Track Sleep on Watch on the App Store
Chronicling – An iOS, iPadOS and watchOS app to track anything
Daytum
— Daytum helps you collect, categorize and communicate your everyday data.
Five: Our Most Powerful Wireless Hi-Fi Speaker | Sonos
Amazon.com: tomtoc Portfolio Case for iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2022/2021/2020, Protective Sleeve with Accessories Pocket, Carrying Storage Bag for iPad Pencil/Adapter/Hubs/Cables/Magic Keyboard, Fits Surface Pro 12.3 : Electronics
Beam: The Smart TV Soundbar with HDMI Input | Sonos
1 hr 21 min
December 05, 2023Episode 633: A Self-Aware Old Man
Your hosts talk about how we perceive the world and the challenge of mindfully updating our perceptions.
Links:
Twinkly
58 min
November 28, 2023Episode 632: Big Strong Beef Boy
Dan and Merlin are excited about technologies that have found a place in their lives. What a blessed season of thanks!
Runner-Up Titles:
A Lot of Their Unhappiness Came from Me
The Smell of a 15-Year-Old
My Trans Daddy is a Fox
Las Vegas Poops
Links:
Apple’s China ties under Congressional scrutiny after Jon Stewart cancellation | Ars Technica
I Reviewed the Most Ridiculous Gadgets from my Spam Folder - YouTube
Polycam - LiDAR & 3D Scanner for iPhone & Android
@hotdogsladies | Polycam
Create a 3d Model using your Phone! PolyCam 3D Scan Tutorial - YouTube
Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support
iPad Keyboards - Apple
calibre - E-book management
1 hr 24 min
November 14, 2023Episode 631: Little Bit of Dirty Grey
Merlin has more on generative AI, and Dan has a sweet new watch.
Links:
Original Takes for Orson Welles Wine Commercial - YouTube
Matt Berry - What's In My Bag? - YouTube
IT'S KEVIN Amish Sex Pistols - YouTube
The Butterfield Diet Plan 🍰 | The Peter Serafinowicz Show - BBC - YouTube
OpenAI DevDay, Opening Keynote - YouTube
New Products: A Deep Dive - YouTube
boygenius - not strong enough (Live from SNL) - YouTube
Kevin Eldon - Wikipedia
Sony Watchman - Wikipedia
NHTSA Early Estimates: 2022 Traffic Crash Deaths | NHTSA
— The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its latest projections for traffic fatalities in 2022, estimating that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes
1 hr 11 min
November 07, 2023Episode 630: Monchichabowsky
On AI and curiosity.
Links:
Monchhichi Blue Bib Boy · Kappa Toys
Career Day - SNL - YouTube
Monchhichi Dolls Commercial - YouTube
Drama Actors Roundtable: Pedro Pascal, Evan Peters, Kieran Culkin, Damson Idris & More - YouTube
Pedro Pascal & Oscar Isaac Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED - YouTube
Like Stories of Old | Nebula
— I believe that movies, just like the stories of old, contain valuable lessons and insights, and to better understand them is to better understand life.
The Inner Chronicle of What We Are – Understanding Werner Herzog - YouTube
‎Films directed by Werner Herzog • Letterboxd
‎How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck (1976) directed by Werner Herzog • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
— A documentary short examining the language and performance of auctioneering, filmed at the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in Pennsylvania.
‎God's Angry Man (1981) directed by Werner Herzog • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
— The documentary follows Gene Scott, famous televangelist involved with constant fights against FCC, who tried to shut down his TV show during the 1970s and ’80s, and even argues with his viewers, complaining about their lack of support by not sending enough money to keep going with the show.
OpenAI DevDay, Opening Keynote - YouTube
Protective Mom - SNL - YouTube
Fancam Assembly - SNL - YouTube
Wing Pit - SNL - YouTube
1 hr 16 min
October 24, 2023Episode 629: Benjamin Franklin's Disease
And and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion.
Links:
Rams Palette. – Present & Correct
Present & Correct
Modern notes manager for macOS and iOS | FSNotes App
— FSNotes is modern notes manager for macOS and iOS. App respects open formats like GitHub Flavored Markdown, so you can easily write documents on iPhone and MacBook. It's simple and blazing fast!
Swap email for Slack: How to save employees 11 hours a week | Slack
C.H.U.D. - Wikipedia
MonoLisa - A font family designed for software developers. Font follows function.
JetBrains Mono: A free and open source typeface for developers | JetBrains: Developer Tools for Professionals and Teams
Career Day - SNL - YouTube
52 min
October 11, 2023Episode 628: Beating Yourself Up at Scale
Talk of eyes, intentionalities, and HDMI.
Links:
Chipotle tests automation for burrito bowls and salads
Orion — HDMI Monitor for iPad
Amazon.com: Sakura 44181 Identi-Pen Blister Card Permanent Marker, Black : Office Products
Ex-Dodger Steve Garvey launches a Senate campaign heavy on nostalgia, light on specifics
— "So far, his campaign promises to be heavy on 1970s baseball nostalgia and light on policy or specifics."
Amazon.com: Tul Retractable Gel Pens 0.5mm Needle Point, Black (8 Pack) : Office Products
Amazon.com: The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy Box Set: The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty; Beauty's Punishment; Beauty's Release: 9780452294752: Roquelaure, A. N.: Books
— "In 1983, before E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey and Sylvia Day's Bared to You, Anne Rice, writing as A.N. Roquelaure, began the first installment of the series that is now considered a forerunner of erotic literature."
What is Buddhism? — Information is Beautiful
Taskmaster Champion of Champions - Episode 1 - YouTube
Exploring the Depths of Buddhist Thought: An Infographic Guide — Information is Beautiful
— An infographical flyover of key Buddhist thought, detailing notions of enlightenment, higher states of consciousness and the principle of ‘dependent origination‘.
59 min
October 03, 2023Episode 627: Unscheduled Dirt Event
Merlin claims he's not going to do any work for this one, and Dan has some advice for travelers.
Links:
Doom developer John Carmack thinks AGI could debut in 2030 • The Register
The Unusual | Dan Benjamin | Substack
The Better Boarding Method Airlines Won't Use - YouTube
Boarding a Plane Shouldn’t Be This Hard - Key & Peele - YouTube
Merlin's 3D Little Guys - ungainly
1 hr 7 min
September 26, 2023Episode 626: Chekhov's Lightsaber
Your hosts catch up on some great media, and Merlin expounds on the magic of Channels. Also, Merlin logrolls a recent podcast episode and re-extolls the power of dictation.
Links:
Mac Power Users #711: Getting Some Wisdom with Merlin Mann - Relay FM
— Merlin Mann comes back to the Mac Power Users to talk about task management, iOS 17 improvements, and wisdom.
DevUtils - All-in-one Toolbox for Developers
— "All-in-one Toolbox for Developers"
(Available via Setapp)
DFB234DUOH01G | Sanding | Sanding Sponges & Pads | Sanding Block
TypingMind — A better UI for ChatGPT
— A better UI for ChatGPT
Dr. Manhattan, Time, Causality, and Freedom – The Ratty
You Are Two - YouTube
Why You Probably Don't Have Free Will | Philosophy Break
Is Free Will an Illusion? - Scientific American
‎Merlin Mann’s profile • Letterboxd
‎Billy’s profile • Letterboxd
Channels — Live TV & DVR
— Watch and record your favorite shows and movies from every TV and device. From your living room, second home, hotel room, or even on your commute, Channels lets you watch your personal media your way.
Channels Support - Commercial Skipping
1 hr 11 min
September 06, 2023Episode 625: Chapters of Madness
Dan and Merlin have a wide-ranging discussion.
Links:
TextFX
— AI-powered tools for rappers, writers and wordsmiths.
TypingMind — A better UI for ChatGPT
— A better UI for ChatGPT
Omnivore
(141) Paddle to the Sea - YouTube
45 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.