Subtitle: Everything becomes crab.

Updates on match cuts, the college ranking racket, and some historical perspective on t-dropping.

Links and Show Notes:

Follow-Up brings updates on match cuts, the college ranking racket, and some historical perspective on t-dropping.

The main topic is kind of hard to pin down, but it might come down to a word choice on a website. Making it an ideal topic for this program.

In this month’s member bonus episode, there's some more discussion of scrobbling and media consumption, plus John watched The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015), and Merlin wants to hear how it went.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and help support our program.

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

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Kieran Healy's Mastodon thread about college admissions selectivity

"The selectivity racket is driven by the US News & World Report Rankings…"

Kieran Healy's essay about "Engines of Anxiety: Academic Rankings, Reputation, and Accountability" (PDF)

The Grammarphobia Blog: Uh-oh, it’s the glottal stop

'English speakers have been glottalizing the letter “t” since at least the mid-19th century.'

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (Video 2007) - IMDb

John's Wristies

This Is Water, by David Foster Wallace - Wikipedia

Todd Vaziri's website - fxrant.blogspot.com

Maria Menounos - Wikipedia

The story of "Sidetalkin'" on the Panic Podcast

Merlin's old Treo smartphone

Some information about the Helmac lint roller

How did Last.fm come with the term "scrobble"?

The origins of "Scrobbler" - Audioscrobbler and Last.fm

The Lobster (2015)

Merlin introduces a new segment, and John shares Application Results.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Grist: A modern, open source spreadsheet that goes beyond the grid. Try it for free today.

Links and Show Notes:

Merlin introduces a new segment, and John shares Application Results.

(Recorded on Tuesday, December 17, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

The Flop House Mini #116: The Definitive Action Hero Ranking Pt. 1

The origin of the Lucky Dip.

Stuart Wellington: “ And the final third category, of course: Lucky Dip! That’s where we randomly roll, and the game gets a little bit crazy.”

The Flop House Mini #117: The Definitive Action Hero Ranking Pt. 2

More Lucky Dips.

Lucky Dip - Cambridge Dictionary

"a game in which you pay to pick a prize out of a container with many different prizes in it, without being able to see what you are picking"

(Apparently, it's kind like what we yanks call a "grab bag.")

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Match cut - Wikipedia

Seven Sisters - Wikipedia

Subtitle: It's free real estate.

John has a new project and Merlin has a new Thought Technology.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.

Links and Show Notes:

John has a new project and Merlin has a new Thought Technology. It is, admittedly, early days for both projects.

In Follow-Up, listeners share advice on avoiding YouTube spoilers and John figures out why his brain thought "safflower."

As a main topic, John is dealing with a new large appliance, and Merlin thinks he might be the only one who ever cleans out the lint trap.

In this month’s member bonus episode, John pitches Merlin on the new Dune show, and Merlin has a bone to pick with Survivor.

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(Recorded on Tuesday, December 10, 2024)

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The Incomparable #744: Pineapple of Disappointment

@smartasshat

Hal from The Diplomat

AeroGarden is going out of business

Oceanliner Designs YouTube channel

The Sinking of Britannic - Titanic's Forgotten Sister Ship - YouTube

John's new washing machine: LG WT7900HBA

Bartleby (1969)

Dune: Prophecy

Dune (1984)

Dune (2021)

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Jessica Barden

Travis Fimmel

Charlie Hunnam

Rebuilding "Tally Ho."

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.

Links and Show Notes:

Things kick off with a listener's field report that a millennial tic has been spotted in the wild. John says Merlin mispronounces his mispronunciations wrong.

The main topic is on Rebuilding Tally Ho, a YouTube series about an ambitious project to restore a century-old sailing yacht.

(Recorded on Tuesday, November 26, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

Ethan Weed: “I heard it! Impor'nt”

A timestamped link to the word in question - YouTube

"im-POOR-uhn."

Karl Shea's original recommendation post

Rebuilding TALLY HO - from the beginning - YouTube

Building the boat shed - YouTube

An example of Leo's standard intro - YouTube

“Hi. My name's Leo, and I'm a boatbuilder and a sailor, and I'm on a mission to rebuild and restore this 109 year old classic sailing yacht, Tally Ho.”

The Ship of Theseus episode of the Tally Ho rebuild - YouTube

Sherman's March (1986)

Iguana chased by killer snakes | Planet Earth II: Islands - BBC - YouTube

Subtitle: Your egg salad costs too much.

Election results.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.

Links and Show Notes:

Election results.

Then, in this month’s member bonus episode, your hosts debate the merits of self-checkout.

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(Recorded on Tuesday, November 12, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

The Talk Show #413 with Merlin Mann

This again. Jiminy. Well, once more, let’s talk around another election, and try, by doing so, to maybe express something about it.

CLEP Exams

The origin of “Whuffie” - Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, by Cory Doctorow

Flooz - Wikipedia

Beenz - Wikipedia

Grandfather clause - Wikipedia

Dinobots - Wikipedia

Marty the Stop and Shop robot

Sanewashing - Wikipedia

Trump’s Rambling Speeches Reinforce Question of Age - The New York Times

MSNBC on the “sanewashing” of Trump - YouTube

S&H Green Stamps - Wikipedia

Subtitle: No tea towels on the hob.

Main topic this week is "ceilings and floors."

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.

Links and Show Notes:

In Follow-Up, listeners share updates on John's new smart home hub. Also, there's a new installation of Dog Justice Corner that finds some cheeky chappies getting ASBO'd by the bobbies.

This week's main topic is ceilings and floors. Can metaphorical limits help us make smarter decisions and mitigate risk given incomplete information? John thinks Merlin is way too optimistic about meatballs, and Merlin thinks gift cards might be hillbilly bitcoin.

(Recorded on Tuesday, October 29, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

Trash Theory - YouTube

The YoLink FAQ

LoRa radio communication - Wikipedia

The Average German Supermarket: Discounters and Rules at the Checkout - YouTube

BBC story about a tea towel on the hob

Floor and Ceiling functions - Wikipedia

Diner Lobster on SNL - YouTube

Product 19 cereal - Wikipedia

Just Wonders - YouTube

Bleachers - "Tiny Moves" (Official) - YouTube

Directed by: Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley To Play 'Victorian Psycho' After 'Substance' Hit

Scammer Payback Answers Scam Questions | Tech Support | WIRED - YouTube

John has a new angle on smart home monitoring, and Merlin shares some new thoughts about "The Godfather" (1972).

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.

Links and Show Notes:

In Follow-Up, John has updates on his health journey, and Merlin shares a fun cameo appearance by the Magic Marker System. Also, there's a new twist on the Millennial Tic project.

John has a new angle on smart home monitoring, and Merlin has some new thoughts about The Godfather (1972).

In this month’s member bonus episode, your hosts discuss the importance of door management.

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(Recorded on Tuesday, August 20, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

The episode of Last Week Tonight where John Oliver talks about Waffle House

Reconcilable Differences #232: Ham Means One

The episode where we discuss the Waffle House Magic Marker System™.

Semantic satiation - Wikipedia

The Rule of Thirds - PetaPixel

A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software

Waffle House Training - Pull Drop Mark Order Calling Method - YouTube

"Easy!"

Eve Door & Window sensor

YoLink Smart Hub and two Temperature Sensors

YoLink Water Leak Detector

The YoLink store at Amazon.com

Don Corleone's Mustache Turns into a Tree

Chad L. Coleman - Wikipedia

Morgan Jones from The Walking Dead - Wikipedia

The Stallman report

The uneven paces of technological and personal progress.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.

Links and Show Notes:

Merlin checks in with John to see if he's started noticing the Millennial Speech Tics. Of course, this leads to a lot of discussion about how people do and don't talk.

In Follow-Up, John shares a French meat word, and then he updates us on his health.

The main topic this week seems like it's going to be about best practices for phone charging. Fortunately for the listener, it broadens into a slightly more interesting exploration of the uneven paces of culture, technology, and personal habits.

(Recorded on Tuesday, October 1, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

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Who has the most repetitive intonation? - YouTube

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Iron Sky (2012)

Megalopolis (2024)

Tom and Ray Magliozzi's 1999 MIT Commencement Address - YouTube

Unrealistically easy phone-booth hacking in WarGames - YouTube

The History of Pets vs. Cattle, and How to Use the Analogy Properly

Subtitle: Even Lou noticed it.

John and Merlin argue about whether John's new avatar is extremely bad.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

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• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.

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John and Merlin argue about whether John's new avatar is extremely bad. Opinions differ.

Merlin identifies John's new catchphrase, and John catches us up on his health. In further Follow-Up, there's some bad news for liver sausage enthusiasts.

Mini-topics include: fake swearing, garlicky pasta, poor line management, and your hosts' unusual food equipments.

In this month’s member bonus episode, your hosts discuss John's HBO updates, plus Season Two of House of the Dragon.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, support this program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, September 17, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

Give to St. Jude!

Doug DeMuro's YouTube channel, featuring "…but anyway…"

The John Siracusa paper doll, by David Galletly

Boar’s Head Shuts Down Virginia Plant Tied to Listeria Deaths

The "starn" video, which attempt to explain the Australian "Oh NAUR" pronunciation

Paprika recipe manager app

$h*! My Dad Says

DVRs Can’t Handle New Show’s Title - The New York Times

JustWatch website

JustWatch apps

Kanopy

Blur Vs. Oasis: Who Won The Battle of Britpop? - YouTube

The Story of Pulp and COMMON PEOPLE - YouTube

Wonderwall at Know Your Meme

Finally! Best Pliers I've Ever Tested! Not Even Close! - YouTube

Simply Saline™ Allergy & Sinus, Seasonal Congestion

Subtitle: Italy is not immune to stochastic anomalies.

Your hosts relitigate this shameful cultural moment in which people keep blaming sweet precious angels for human stovetop cock-ups.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

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John is under the weather and hands over the keys to Merlin who very much does not want the keys handed to him.

In Follow-Up, there are updates on misleading names and a theory on why everyone's a doctor now. Project Farm Todd has some fun with a bit about YouTube, but, gratefully he doesn't do the voice.

John considers officially becoming a real Italian.

Most importantly, your hosts relitigate this shameful cultural moment in which people keep blaming sweet precious angels for human stovetop cock-ups. John will not stand for it, and Merlin begs people to just stop asking cops questions.

(Recorded on Tuesday, September 3, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

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Stewart Lee's stand-up show - YouTube

How French Drains Work - YouTube

French drain - Wikipedia

German chocolate cake - Wikipedia

An example of Austrian title fever

iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 Now Supports Jiggle Mode

Todd Osgood “imitates” other YouTubers

Another dog unjustly blamed for a fire

Dozens injured, pets killed in fires causing Samsung to recall 1.1M stoves

Kerry Condon

Sleep the Clock Around - YouTube

Subtitle: There are no Tuddies in Ohio.

Merlin demands an opportunity to defend his honor, and John encourages him to get more adult supervision.

This episode of Reconcilable Differences is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DIFFS.
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Links and Show Notes:

Things kick off with Merlin demanding an opportunity to defend his honor and John encouraging him to get more adult supervision.

Next up, there's so much good Follow-Up on new Things It Took Me Too Long to Realize, the judge from a Jonathan Coulton song, which dwarf didn't get the tattoo, plus further insight on whose notes live in the margins of John's The Power Broker.

In this month’s member bonus episode, your hosts finally talk about Merlin's soundbar.

You can sign up today to hear all the member episodes, get more bonus stuff, and, yes, support our program.

(Recorded on Tuesday, August 20, 2024)

Credits

• Audio Editor: Jim Metzendorf
  
• Admin Assistance: Kerry Provenzano
  
• Music: Merlin Mann
• The Suits: Stephen Hackett, Myke Hurley

Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

Krud Kutter Brand Page

It's simple. We believe cleaners should be tough on krud, but gentle on nature.

Original Krud Kutter Cleaner & Degreaser

Removes really tough soils as quickly and effectively from so many different surfaces. Cuts grease, grime, oil

The Must for Rust - Rust Remover & Inhibitor

The proprietary formulation penetrates into every void of a metal surface and dissolves rust/oxidation through chemical action. Then tiny, rust-inhibiting crystals are formed and become integral with the surface molecules of the metal to resist future rusting.

Kenesaw Mountain Landis is a Jonathan Coulton song

Gimli didn’t get the tattoo

Lord of the Rings cast members showing off their matching tattoos

Lord of the Rings cast reunion Zoom call in 2020

Location details for the Lord of the Rings cast tattoos

The margin note in John's copy of The Power Broker

The back cover of John's copy of The Power Broker

Chimp Crazy

Sherman's March documentary

Thomasin McKenzie

Alfred Molina Breaks Down His Career - YouTube

Sir Ian McKellen's acting process - YouTube

Siracusa and the meta-meta-bit

In general, I love any meta-meta-bit where Siracusa refuses to participate in the meta-bit.

What Roy Wood was capable of. | Everybody's a critic. | Flickr

Merlin's toddler learned how to work a stereo receiver pretty early on.