Reconcilable Differences

Things really kick into high gear as your hosts finally (FINALLY) go toe-to-toe on the hot topic of iOS app quitting. Why Merlin is so mad at John and why John insists Merlin is still wrong.

This week opens with John's meditation on pronunciation, accents, and the gradual disappearance of America's once-diverse tapestry of vowel sounds. This somehow leads to a rueful examination of the modern media landscape, focusing on the Big Black Box where all the ugly and capricious business of media distribution probably gets decided.

Merlin confesses his existential dread about appearing on The Incomparable then happily names names regarding his picks for a non-existent Favorite Hosts draft.

Then? Then, things get oddly reconciled as the gloves come off and the boys start tag-teaming on Apple's buggy and broken services, with especially strategic kicks to the biscuit reserved for those inscrutable requests for iCloud logins to which so many fans are treated throughout the working day.

What's it going to take to shore up dwindling confidence and frayed credibility? Why are Google and Dropbox so much better at getting this stuff right? And, when the heck will there finally be enough time to talk about Free Will?

The main topic this week explores how a young John first began measuring the parameters of the world. How can we tell if something is true? Are Bigfoot, telekinesis, and space travel each really a thing?

This week starts with some updates on Merlin’s cat, her newly discovered medical conditions, and Merlin’s ruminations on how much he’s prepared to tolerate regarding her health budget and snack preferences.

In follow-up, the boys address the length of the last episode and debate the merits of chapter markers. Are they an attractive nuisance that encourages people to pick up one of your host’s terrible media consumption hygiene?

Also, more talk on smoking, and we learn that John is surprisingly tolerant about how people talk.

(Episode recorded May 10, 2016)

A logical fallacy is a flaw in reasoning. Logical fallacies are like tricks or illusions of thought, and they're often very sneakily used by politicians and the media to fool people. Don't be fooled! This website has been designed to help you identify and call out dodgy logic wherever it may raise its ugly, incoherent head.

The main topic this week is—wait for it— drugs. In particular, the listener is treated to an epic tour of the "four toadstools" that mark Merlin's journey with the forbidden pharmaceutical wild side.

This week opens with some followup on the ownership of Star Wars and the zero-sum game of ugly corporate distribution battles. John visits San Francisco, sees Todd and Merlin, and there is talk about the modern history of film VFX.

Merlin catches John up on the extraordinary amount of The Walking Dead episodes he's been watching (out of order), and John doubles down on his shocked perplexity regarding how Merlin does almost everything.

Winded and worn, Merlin begins provoking John for answers and anecdotes on the times he's taken crazy risks. Mildly harrowing stories ensue. John tortures himself with thought experiments.

Also, John hates smoking.

(Episode recorded April 26, 2016)

Despite The Walt Disney Company's 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the release rights to all future Star Wars films, Fox still retains original distribution rights to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope "in perpetuity" in all media worldwide.

There was some renewed hope that he might loosen his grip on the movies when he sold Lucasfilm to Disney, but some four years on and there’s been no movement on the matter. At least, not officially, not yet.

The Haight became drug ridden and violent chasing off the gay population who looked for a more stable area to live.

The Big Dig was the most expensive highway project in the US, and was plagued by escalating costs, scheduling overruns, leaks, design flaws, charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials, criminal arrests, and one death.

One notable aspect of Private Stock packaging is that the undersides of Private Stock bottle caps contained words or Rebus puzzles.

Things kick off with a discussion of Star Wars. In particular, there is extensive discussion of your hosts’ preferences regarding fan restorations of the original trilogy. Next, the spoiler horn fires off for a detailed examination of The Walking Dead.

This week, John and Merlin have two really big topics.

Things kick off with a discussion of Star Wars. In particular, there is extensive discussion of your hosts’ interests and preferences regarding preservation and fan restorations of the original trilogy, along with a wish list, speculations, and pipe dreams for an official re-release. We can dream, can’t we?

Next, the dolorous spoiler horn fires off for a detailed examination of The Walking Dead (TV series). Lots of talk about how and when the series works in general, followed by passionate complaints on the controversial Season 6 finale. Are we finally too far gone?

Spoilers start at 01:22:23.

(Episode recorded April 5, 2016)

A small group of fans spent almost half a decade restoring the original Star Wars (in HD) from 35mm film prints. They don't want to make money off of it. They don't want their names publicized. They just want the work to be done. This is their fascinating story, as told by "Mr. Black".

This episode of Scruffy Thinking features a conversation with Merlin Mann and Mike J Nichols. We talk about San Francisco, music, getting a job and... of course, Star Wars: The Phantom Edit.

In it, Mike lucidly highlights his reasons for wanting to make the changes he did, including his thoughtful insights on what the prequel films really wanted to be, alongside detailed but novice-accessible explanations on how he pulled off the insane magic he performed from a technical standpoint.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin follow up on a host of topics: what ails Microsoft, the (slow, partial) democratization of corporate IT, the people vs. George Lucas, perpetual copyright, applications as art, Siri backlash, and the evils of Blu-ray.

Step inside the Lucasfilm art departments for the creation of fantastical worlds, unforgettable characters, and unimaginable creatures. The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will take you there, from the earliest gathering of artists and production designers at Lucasfilm headquarters in San Francisco to the fever pitch of production at Pinewood Studios to the conclusion of post-production at Industrial Light & Magic—all with unprecedented access. Exclusive interviews with the entire creative team impart fascinating insights in bringing director J. J. Abrams’s vision to life; unused “blue sky” concept art offers glimpses into roads not traveled.

Billions of years ago, the technologically-advanced extraterrestrial race known as the Watchers decided it was their duty to help the universe's less advanced races. In their first such experiment, proposed by Ikor, a delegation of four brought atomic energy knowledge to the planet Prosilicus. The Prosilicans accepted the gift, but used it to develop nuclear weapons and engaged in an auto-genocidal war. Ashamed, the Watchers vowed never again to interfere in the affairs of other races. Ikor drafted a code of ethics based upon strict noninterference and passive observation that was so strict that if another being were dying at a Watcher's feet, the Watcher would offer no aid. With their new code established, the Watchers evacuated their homeworld and relocated throughout the galaxies, each Watcher choosing a solar system where they could observe and mentally record the lives of other races for the sake of eventually sharing it with their fellow Watchers. The Watchers would then sporadically reassemble to pool their knowledge and share what they had witnessed.

They said it couldn’t be done! They said it shouldn’t be done! But here we are, talking about “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.” Why are the Jedi such jerks? A little Jedi goes a long way. Also, the biggest letdown of John Siracusa’s life to date, stupid droids, good actors being boring, text versus subtext, the merits of prequels in general, and why this is a movie that makes us dream… of a better movie. Exqueeze me? (Part 1 of 2.)

We conclude our discussion of “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.” We discuss the merits of podracing, debate who the Jedi’s version of Fonzie is, and grapple with tricky euphemisms. Plus, is the final lightsaber duel cool or just over-choreographed? And why is there a hall full of forcefields, next to a room with no guard rails? Party on, Darth! (Part 2 of 2.)

Missed high fives and a misaligned R2 head.

The main topic is sense of humor. How, where, when, and from whom did the boys learn what make them laugh? How come British things seem extra funny? Why does Lisa need braces?

This week, things kick off with a lively discussion of ASMR, furries, bronies, juggaloes, some more car talk, teenaged drinking, and John’s libido.

The main topic is sense of humor. How, where, when, and from whom did the boys learn what makes them laugh? How come British things seem extra funny? Why does Lisa need braces? How did the Harlem Globetrotters get away with using a ladder? Does she go? Eh?

This episode focuses on cars and driving. First, there's the automobiles that their families did or didn't drive and why. Then, John educates Merlin on the evolution of car design. This leads to more personal thoughts on their early days of driving.

This week, John and Merlin kick things off with a discussion of the non-English languages kids get exposed to and how Mandarin maybe isn't the new French.

This week's main topic is meeting your heroes. Who do you wish you could meet and why? John marvels at Merlin’s comfort with his many celebrity connections, and Merlin gives some handy tips on not acting like a total creep.

This week kicks off with some depressing follow-up on Merlin’s stove and his concern that John might think he’s a terrible person. John bemoans the dilapidated state of his own house as well as his grudging tolerance for that state.

"Can you turn it on turn it off?"

This week's main topic is 'trust your mechanic'. How to survive working with the experts who diagnose and fix your problems. John's not a Dead Kennedys fan, and Merlin's just so irrationally mad about the state of his oven.

This week, John and Merlin kick things off with a discussion of the Sturm und Drang around dealing with kids’ homework. Things continue with a mostly spoiler-free discussion of The Leftovers.

'That's how it works'

This week, John and Merlin talk about the value of exposing yourself to new or uncomfortable ideas, before moving on to their main topic: how and when to recommend things to other people.

This week, John and Merlin start out by talking about the value of exposing yourself to new or uncomfortable ideas (and how it can be difficult).

Following a tuneful diversion on their favorite music as kids, the boys jump into the main topic: how and when to recommend things to other people.

What's right and for whom? How do you distinguish the "best" versus your "favorite" as against "the best place to start?"

Why Merlin goes conservative and John is reluctant to recommend things at all. Also: who's right for The Flop House, and how do they score Scorsese, R.E.M., U2, and Wes Anderson?

(Recorded February 2, 2016)

OverviewMusicVideoChartsA Christmas TogetherJohn Denver

The primary topic this week is names and naming. Merlin struggles in vain to pronounce John's name to his satisfaction, John reveals his middle name, and the boys dive deep on the lore, reality, and complexities of how both people get their names.

This week, John ruthlessly critiques Merlin's Google Docs style, followed by a tentative announcement about how listeners can help support the show.

The primary topic this week is names and naming. Merlin struggles in vain to pronounce John's name to his satisfaction, John reveals his middle name, and the boys dive deep on the lore, reality, and complexities of how both people and stuff get their names. Apologies to Daenerys, BETH!, Liz, and Jeh-NIGH-fur.

Finally, Merlin reveals that his family has acquired a PS4 that he doesn't really understand very well and that has been used mainly to repeatedly enter passwords and decorate a makebelieve Disney house. John scolds Merlin for half-heartedly starting Journey.

(Recorded January 5, 2016)

Merle's brother, with crossbow.

In the original series, the Howells are childless.

Mike Seymour, Jason Diamond and Matt Wallin head to a galaxy far, far away to discuss Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens.

"Here's a list of five, lovely podcasts that talked about our little, obscure independent film."

(By friend of the show, artist and sometimes supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic, Todd Vaziri.)