Reconcilable Differences

This week, John and Merlin do some follow-up on John's picky eating and his family's failures at meal planning. Both men cop to loving soup.

Then on to the big topic: how does John's mind work, and how did he get that way?

This week, John and Merlin do some follow-up on John's picky eating and his family's failures at meal planning. Both men cop to loving soup. Also some updates on Destiny.

Then on to the big topic: how does John's mind work, and how did he get that way?

(Recorded July 17, 2015)

A weekly talk show ruminating on exactly what is wrong in the world of Apple and related technologies and businesses. Nothing is so perfect that it can't be complained about.

'No Feigning Surprise'

In his new book, he cites research which suggests handsome defendants get lighter sentences, that parole boards are tougher when they get tired and that some common police practices encourage false identification of suspects. Benforado says there are ways to improve the system to account for unseen biases and cognitive failures that undermine the search for truth. Adam Benforado was an associate professor of law at Drexel University.

John should have said "ill intent," not "ill will." Ill Will is a gun in Destiny.

This time we learn that your hosts and their families are both/all screwed up and hopeless in different ways. Merlin is weird, but not bulimic; John is picky, fretful, and hopeless; and children continue to be a problem that cannot be solved.

This time kicks off with Merlin's torpor, then continues with FU on miscrediting Synecdoche, NY, recommendations on the making of Fury Road, and an extended meditation on the social psychology of web commenting.

Then on to the scintillating topic of the week: food and cooking. In which we learn that your hosts and their families are both/all screwed up and hopeless in different ways. All involved are, as they say, chopped.

Merlin is weird, but not bulimic; John is picky, fretful, and hopeless; and children continue to be a problem that cannot be solved.

This week is dedicated to a spoiler-heavy look at Mad Max: Fury Road. If you haven't seen it, treat yourself to a cinema viewing as soon as you can.

John and Merlin's world is blood and fire.

This week, the boys kick things off with some followup on Merlin's bad media viewing habits, some incomplete homework, and more on the "tells" in Total Recall.

The remainder of the episode is dedicated to a spoiler-heavy look at Mad Max: Fury Road. If you haven't seen it, treat yourself to a cinema viewing as soon as you can.

John and Merlin's world is blood and fire.

Pixar’s latest film, “Inside Out,” tells the unlikely story of the conflict of emotions inside the head of a young girl. Join us as we draw a circle around our own parental sadness and instead focus on the joy of an instant Pixar classic.

Load your shotgun, put on your clear plastic suit, and climb into that suspiciously humming box! We’re here to talk about three very different time-travel movies: “12 Monkeys,” “Looper,” and “Primer.”

"Q: Will this product ensure my path to Valhalla? Do I need to be witnessed as well?"

"That's a new one. 'Blue Sky on Mars.'"

John probes Merlin's spotty history with video games, then sketches out the current console landscape. Merlin is assigned preliminary homework to start catching up.

For this week's primary topic, John probes Merlin's spotty history with video games, then sketches out the current console landscape. Merlin is assigned preliminary homework to start catching up.

'The New York film'

The Incomparable episode about Journey.

The Incomparable episode about Gone Home.

This week, John and Merlin finally set themselves to the task of beginning to argue about their differences.

After a look at their feelings about reviews (and review culture), John takes Merlin to task for his stance on the 1999 film Fight Club (and Fight Club culture). Then, things conclude with a passionate debate on the societal impact of sports (and sports culture).

John's episode of Rocket.

Christina's episode of ATP.

In this episode, John and Merlin discuss the origins of the show, including their contrasting approaches to authority, conformity, and contrariness.

Also, Merlin credits John with helping him become less horrible, and John deposes Merlin about his year in military school.

In this inaugural episode, John and Merlin begin framing the conversation on exactly how they got how they are.

From the dungeons of Usenet to the dragons of roving bullies, origins are explored, and differences are provisionally reconciled.