Feature Creep: Built-in Microwave
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Sometimes you just want to listen to some people get off topic as quickly as possible.
Available episodes
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Mar 27, 2023
The Mechanical Turk
Ned tells Meg about the once-fabulous, then not fabulous, and now once-again-fabulous Mechanical Turk, a fraudy machine from the late 1700s that beat famous people at chess, sometimes. The best things about this machine are the weird number of insanely famous people who interacted with it. Meg applauds Edgar Allan Poe’s well-placed skepticism of it. This machine was created for marketing purposes back in the day and was never actually functional as described, but it nonetheless made a big splash and went on tour and everything. As Rubin Farr once said, you can be famous and a fraud; a famous fraud. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick, maybe learn how to play chess for real!
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Mar 13, 2023
Paper Sizes
Ned and Meg chat around ISO 216, the paper standard that dictates sizes and scaling for papers not used in the United States. Here we use letter size and other measurements that don’t scale and don’t work as great as the ISO 216 standards! Anyway, we will tell you all about it if’n you give it a listen, plus discussion of paper weights and US stationery sizes, plus aspect ratios and paper sizing. Oh, and Meg’s frequent dream-based panic attacks. OK super! Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Mar 6, 2023
Lagniappes
Ned and Meg wander through the landscape of lagniappes, describing what we see as we go. In this episode we discuss the etymology of the word “lagniappe” and where the whole idea of them originated. We chat about creole food too, and our seafood preferences before we discuss some of our favorite lagniappes like the ones that kids get at the dentist, in happy meals, at the Sanrio store, at grocery stores, Archie McPhee’s, and our favorite, the Hobonichi lagniappes. Thanks for listening, give someone in your life a lagniappe! Wash your hands, don't be a dick.
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Feb 27, 2023
Vaguely Debate the Nature of the Zombie Genre
Wherein Ned and Meg vaguely debate the nature of the zombie genre. Spoilers on the HBO show The Last of Us. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Feb 20, 2023
Watercolors, Watercolours
Ned undertook a new hobby and tells Meg about his recent experiences with watercolors. Meg is a huge fan, so this was an easy podcast this time! We talk about how Dungeon23 was Ned’s gateway into watercolor painting and its incredible versatility and portability as an artistic medium. We discuss the difference between glutinous paints and glutenous foods. We explore binders, pigments, papers and paints! We chat about illuminated manuscripts and Chinese landscape painting. We also muse about Studio Ghibli and Top Craft whose use of watercolor paint for background artwork in films is really lovely. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Feb 13, 2023
Mason Bees
Meg tells Ned all about the sleeping bees in her refrigerator. Join us for a discussion about the fascinating creatures known as Mason Bees! Solitary nesting bees are EVERYWHERE and they are the coolest little friends you’ll ever make. They’re dynamite pollinators, WAY better than honey bees! We talk about how to raise them, if you are so inclined, and lots of other stuff. Wash your hands, don’t be a dick, read about mason bees. Thanks for listening.
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Feb 6, 2023
Verisimilitude
Ned and Meg discuss verisimilitude in a number of contexts ranging from philosophy to art and in the experiences of everyday life. We talk about capturing and conveying truth, and how two truthful things can be closer or farther from THE truth than each other, but how to measure that? We glance over some philosophers along the way as we discuss writing, movies, paintings, expertise, identity, hermeneutics, medicine, Mark Twain, and a future in which the only reference materials are romance novels. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, try to stay healthy, don’t get anyone sick, don’t be a dick, all the things.
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Jan 30, 2023
Dungeon 23
Ned and Meg discuss the #dungeon23 project. Which Ned is undertaking a long with multitudes of other people. Come join us for an interesting intersection of some of our favorite things. Hobonichi and table top role playing games.
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Dec 19, 2022
Living in Koln as an Expat
Moriah tells Ned all about life in Koln, Germany. Life as an expat!
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Dec 12, 2022
DIY City Megalomaniacs
Ned and Meg revisit a topic we love as we discuss the sheer madness of some of the proposed domestic mega-projects around the world. We’re talking about DIY Cities, and boy are there a lot of these popping up -- but only in the hypothetical so far! We talk about Charlie Munger’s Death Dorm again, plus NEOM’s impossible, sideways skyscraper called The LINE for which people have already died, as well as a totally bogus city of dildo buildings in Senegal named for a one hit wonder in the 2000s American R&B scene. But really, all of this is just to get to the discussion of the one that takes *our* cake so far, Kenya’s Konza Technopolis which is ironically the most likely to succeed logistically but which probably would be the worst to actually live in socially. Join us in complaint, and disbelief. As always, thanks for listening, send us an email if you feel like it, don’t get anyone else sick, and don’t be a dick!
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Dec 5, 2022
Backhanded Compliments, Just Like Grandma Used to Make
Ned and Meg give each other some familial support in the form of backhanded compliments. You know the ones! Why praise someone when you can infantilize them as well? We get off topic and discuss NFTs, Ned’s coffee regimen, lifting people up just to drop them, the fall of the crypto scam empire, and finally, we share with you the best art snack so far, a discussion of the Bobby Fingers diorama of Mel Gibson’s colorful 2006 Malibu arrest. Enjoy! Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Nov 28, 2022
Carrot Cake and Murder Hoboism
Ned and Meg get Ned’s take on reducing sugar, Christmas food cravings, YouTube videos about cake and theater set design, the history of DND, the revival of Old School Renaissance which is not the carrot cake you remember, plus actual Carrot Cake’s much less sweet culinary origin story. Join us! Wash your hands, thanks for listening, don’t be a dick!
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Nov 24, 2022
Steamed Hams But Not Yet
Ned drops some edification on Meg (aka Egg) about Steamed Hams, the Simpon’s episode. Rather, ostensibly it’s about Steamed Hams, but REALLY it’s about the burgeoning art movement reiterating on the theme of Steamed Hams. This is just the beginning folks. Also Meg has shingles AGAIN so feel sorry for her, k thanks. Wash your hands, don’t get shingles, don’t be a dick.
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Nov 10, 2022
Germany Super Friends
Ned chats with some new characters, or new to listeners anyway, in Germany, on a fabulous trip, with super friends. This episode sort of comes full circle for FCBM because right after the podcast started there was a similar trip to Germany and here we find ourselves again! Milestones. Join Ned while he speaks to his expat friends living in Germany!
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Sep 26, 2022
Capitalism Ruins Everything it Butts Up Against
Ned and Meg cover a lot of ground in this one! Tune in for discussion of improbable vacuum levitation trains, kids soccer and the monetization of simple joys, wind turbine reiterative technology, beavers and the environment, additive vs subtractive solutions, self-governance, bad solar citizens, brakes both drum and disc, pressure canning, and the glorious return of the design snack. Strap in, wash your hands, don’t be a dick, thanks for listening!
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Sep 19, 2022
Designing Dystopia, The Prisoner 3
Ned and Meg talk about the final two episodes of The Prisoner (the American series version) and explore the outrageous design elements present during the grand finale of the series. Check out those stove pipe jeans and turtleneck sweaters! Very mod. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Sep 12, 2022
Alternative Takes, The Poisoned Carrot
Ned and Meg dissect some common buzzwords and talk about exit strategies, quiet quitting which our generation basically perfected and owns forever, mindshares, toxic positivity, mouthfeel, internauts on the runway, and so many more. If you like people who complain loudly and randomly about pop culture, this is for you. Thanks for listening, Hi Buster, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Sep 5, 2022
Designing Dystopia, The Prisoner 2
Ned and Meg continue their discussion of design elements from The Prisoner television show. Why is Number Six in black? Why does everyone in town have a cape and an umbrella? Who pairs pea green walls with camel brown textiles? We compare the Disney-like appearance of the village to Portmeirion and rattle off some other works we feel are derivations of the show. Number two in an ongoing, indefinite installment of conversations about this show in specific, and the umpteenth conversation about dystopias. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, watch The Prisoner, don’t infect anyone with coronavirus.
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Sep 1, 2022
Short, The Prisoner 1
Ned and Meg start to talk about design elements from The Prisoner television show, which is very dystopian in nature and thus sparked another Designing Dystopia installment! Just as we are about to get going, we have to stop, so this one’s a short! Thanks for listening, look for more episodes about this, wash your hands, watch The Prisoner, don’t infect anyone with coronavirus.
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Aug 22, 2022
Third Wheel on a Shitty Ice Cream Date
Ned and Meg discuss Ned’s adventures in Germany. We discuss the differences between ice cream and gelato. And then, we get around to THE LINE, which is basically Architectural Menace 2: Electric Boogaloo. Oh, do we have lots to say about that! Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t spread deadly germs, don’t be a dick, don’t move to THE LINE, whatever you do.
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Aug 8, 2022
Rat Dad
Ned and Meg talk about movie reboots and propose a TMNT offshoot wherein Master Splinter is the focus of the story. Did you know that German TMNT fans are much more discerning than American ones? Is serializing the same story over and over again killing creativity? Does it annoy you to be asked endless questions in headers that are supposed to be informative? Us too! Thanks for listening, hi Buster, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Aug 1, 2022
Curing Feet with Hammers, Ein German Medical Stuff Podcasten
Ned and Meg discuss healthcare in the US and in other countries, because we have lots of injuries in lots of geographic locations. Also on the menu is curing feet with hammers, emergency rooms, debilitating injuries, recent meta-research debunking SSRI antidepressants as snake oil, and driving on the autobahn.
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Jun 27, 2022
Is There an Echo In Here?
Ned and Meg gripe about the problem of echo chambers, those ubiquitous spaces that come in literal or figurative form, and share in common the utter lack of critical self-reflection. We cover targeted advertising, the art world, search engines, friend groups, podcasts, Amazon, academia, industries, and abortion protestors. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, listen to criticism, vaccinate the rest of the planet, don’t be a dick.
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Jun 6, 2022
How to Talk to your Cat about Industrial Design
Ned and Meg discuss industrial design, ringspun cotton, data ownership, right to repair, how alexa is always listening, persistent flops, and the amazing book How to Talk to your Cat about Gun Safety. Thanks again for listening and sticking with us as our schedule has been wacky. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, do the things, don’t be a dick, watch for new episodes, enjoy the summer.
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Apr 14, 2022
A True Story
Ned tells Lauren and Meg all about a funny ancient story he read a while back that he’s been dying to share with us. We have been waiting a long time to hear this one. Lucien of Samosata wrote a scathing review of the thought leaders of KingDickLandia, also known as Ancient Greece, and in A True Story he crafts a satire embodied in an epic space opera. True Story! Check it out. Thanks for listening, wash your hands wear a mask get the shots don’t be a dick!
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Apr 4, 2022
Immediate Cries for the Suspension of Disbelief, RIP Dan Graham Conceptual Artist
Ned and Meg have a lovely chat about lovely Dan Graham, a lovely conceptual artist. Or was; he was an artist, but since he is now deceased, RIP Dan Graham. We also talk about Ned’s conceptual art, and Ned’s conceptual art’s paper, and Marcel Duchamp, and ReadyMade, and puppets, lots of puppets, and complicated math, and baby grasshoppers. Thanks to each of you for being an audient to our conversations and musings. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get your shots, don’t be a dick. Hi Buster!
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Mar 14, 2022
The Cheesecake Factory Bankrolls a Cult
Ned and Meg gang up in Southern California for a discussion of Northern California Cults and the restaurants that love them. If you are a fan of the dessert restaurant industry you will want to hear this, it’s wild. Thanks for listening, and also, keep washing your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, do the things, don’t be a dick. Happy Spring!
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Feb 21, 2022
Go Play 1000 White Blank Cards Right Now!
Ned and Meg take you on a leisurely tour through card game design, with the usual pit stops for distractions along the way. We talk about games that shed and catch cards, tarot and other types of cards, drinking games, multi-genre games, fishing, solitaire and tricky games. We stumble onto the best game ever, and we highly advise you drop whatever you’re doing after you listen to this podcast episode in its entirety and go play it. Cards! Wash your hands, wear a mask, get your shots, don’t be a dick, thank you.
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Feb 14, 2022
Serious Discusion of Serious Sculpture
Ned and Meg have a serious discussion about serious sculpture so strap in! We side-swipe James Grashow, Max Zorn, Andrew Erdos, Henry Moore, Peter Draws, Blackbean_CMS, and lots of art! We also chat about our own artistic aspirations with interactive and permissive sculpture.
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Feb 7, 2022
Terror-Based Child Rearing
Ned and Meg discuss Brandolini’s Law, also known as the BS asymmetry principle, and how it relates to current events. We also discuss the Panopticon, we mean Santa, we mean Elf on the Shelf, we mean don’t lie to your children. We laud What We Do in the Shadows, ponder what a good-enough dystopia is, feast on the glory of cake vending machines, sneak peek a new segment, and succumb to decision fatigue. Thanks for listening, Hi to Buster, wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick.
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Jan 31, 2022
The Hidden Gem of Pencilphilia
Ned and Lauren tell Meg all about their coping mechanisms, managing tools, successes,experiences, strategies and trials with ADHD. Also we collectively declare the British Empire to be the worst one ever though we’re open to suggestion, and accordingly we declare caffeine to be the British Empire of drugs, see also humans, British Empire of species. We chat about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which two thirds of us can attest is a living hell, and the other third just wants to be left alone with their attachment issues. Ned’s Design Concept Snack of the Week is Transgenerational Design. Don’t miss it. Thanks for listening! Wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, eat your greens, don’t be a dick.
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Jan 24, 2022
Industrial Strenght Emotional Blender
Our tale today begins as so many have, with a gargantuan misunderstanding between friends followed by a backchannel conversation followed by unintentional hilarity followed by a podcast about it. Meg is always to blame somehow, but this time less so than normal! Things are looking up. Also: book reccs, hand-crank-food-processor-fish-oil-mayo, pain-as-liminal-space, other hyphenated phrases, semantic differentials, plans for when we’re lost at sea, and since our research team is on hiatus we have a new ending segment, Design Concept Snacks courtesy of Ned. Thanks as always for joining us, wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick.
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Jan 17, 2022
Dr. Nutt, the Nutt Job, and the Nutt Case
Ned, Meg, and Lauren talk about a scientific and cultural hero, Dr. David Nutt. Like many people who speak truth to power, his attitudes and research into drugs often offend politicians and policy makers because his discoveries overturn years of taboo and misunderstandings about the relative harms of drugs to individuals and society.
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Jan 10, 2022
Candy Vanning
Ned and Meg get together after a protracted separation over the holidays and new year and record a similarly protracted podcast about the goings on! First topic of the new year, single men in minivans. Then, in not quick succession, what hurts or helps your chances when attempting to pass out candy, internet crazes we missed out on, adjusting expectations around panel vans, squirrel baffle sagas, rabbit poop bonanzas, medical nightmares, Ned’s vacation, OMG omicron, and more. Always more. Thanks for listening, especially to these long winded ones (Buster, I’m looking at you), wash your hands wear a mask get the shots. Don’t be a dick.
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Jan 3, 2022
The Depressingly American Story of the Monopoly Board Game
Ned and Meg revisit the historical waypoints along the existence of Monopoly, our favorite polarizing game. If you are lucky enough to have people in your life still willing to engage you in a game of Monopoly, you are probably a good hearted person. That’s nice. However, everything about Monopoly is ruthless and rewards avarice and that’s what we like to discuss. See also: daring escapes from Nazis, the perpetual rebranding of Monopoly, DIY sets, and so on. Welcome to the cult. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick, thanks for listening!
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Dec 25, 2021
War on Xmas 2021
Ned and Meg revisit what has become an annual episode topic! Oh, the differences in nomenclature between Xmas and Christmas. We discuss the current status of the ongoing War on Christmas, including the oft-misunderstood Catholic Christmas traditions and appreciation for the thoughtfulness of Kwanzaa, plus we cover the big news, which this year is how the Fox Tree was burned down for reasons besides what Fox would have you believe. Amazing! We also apologize for and explain why we disappeared for a bit. It’s because Meg got a disease but it wasn’t Covid! We will be back on track soon, watch for more episodes in early 2022. As always, thanks for listening, wear a mask, wash your hands, get the shots, and don’t be a dick!
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Dec 20, 2021
Fistfull of Peppercorns
Meg and Lauren discuss their favorite peppers and birds who steal fruits. We get into a long discussion about food dehydrators and mushrooms as well. We enthuse about which foods make great powders and which CSAs to sign up for in Minneapolis. Thank you for listening and as always wash yer hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don’t be a dick, hi Buster.
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Dec 6, 2021
Design Methodologies, and a Surprise
Ned and Meg discuss design methodologies and the people who made some of them famous. We also talk about Futurama, rational design, engineering and art, making the abstract real, and the Design Thinking Methods Catalog. Join us, thanks for listening, get your shots, wear a mask, wash your hands, don’t be a dick. That’s that.
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Nov 22, 2021
So Easy a Baby Could Do It
Ned and Meg talk about their podcast production process and the potential for streamlining it because right now our process is a clunker! We also discuss the present, future, and past, and RIP laser discs. Heady stuff. Also laughing. The usual. Thanks for joining us, wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don’t be a dick!
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Nov 15, 2021
Dystopian Dorm Design, Charlie Munger the Architectural Menace (Dwarf Fortress)
Ned and Meg talk about a terrible idea.
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Nov 8, 2021
The Book of Books
Ned and Meg talk about a new book idea. We lay out the case for why we think it’s inspired and then get off track pretty quickly, which is exactly the point of all of this anyway. We discuss the opening lines to some famous books and also gripe about TV we hate. We also have some killer colors of the day today so thanks for listening, wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick.
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Nov 1, 2021
Slippery Sophistry
Riddle me this? What happens if Ned and Meg and Lauren record a podcast episode where we make up garbage philosophy and pass it off as wisdom? Find out. We also bring up Chesterton’s Fence and Sim City 4: Rush Hour Edition. Chicago’s civil engineering gets a shout, and then we round things off with a chat about STIs. Don’t miss it. Wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t be a dick MINNEAPOLIS I’M LOOKING AT YOU AND YOU MESSED THIS UP SO BAD.
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Oct 25, 2021
Vacuum Cleaner Design
Ned and Meg talk about the wide world of vacuum cleaners and how special some of them are to us. For example, the only heirlooms Meg’s family passes down are, in fact, Rainbow vacuum systems. Now you know. We also explore the historical aesthetics of Rainbow and other vacuum cleaners, and compare design elements to what was going on in Sci-Fi movies at the time, which leads us to National Treasure Jeff Bridges. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don’t be a dick.
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Oct 18, 2021
The Big Bad Context
Ned and Meg revisit one of their favorite books, Pragmatic Thinking and Learning, by Andy Hunt, and they discuss the concept of an expansive context. Also, multitasking makes you stoopid, so knock it off and remove that “skill” from your resume. Thank you for listening to us (especially Buster), and wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick.
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Oct 11, 2021
He Was Like, WTF is FCBM?
Ned and Meg confuse Meg's dad over text messages and then talk about it. We reassign the rings of hell and remind people that deterrents are not really useful in the ways that proponents usually expect them to be. We sideswipe MLMs, religion, public education, the benefits of the GED, and naming things. Welcome, thanks for coming, please email us, wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick and thank you again.
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Oct 4, 2021
Nodus Tollens and the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
What’s your sleep plan? Ned and Meg push their bedtime with a late night podcast recording, just like old times. Today, or rather tonight, well, really the other night, we discussed the definition of the made up phrase Nodus Tollens which sounds a lot like Latin but is in fact a contrived phrase that means you’ve lost the plot of your own life story and it no longer makes sense to you. If you’re not totally unsettled by this and other existential ponderings, join us. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick and thanks for listening. Go to bed!
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Sep 27, 2021
Myopic Design
Ned and Meg get miffy about myopic design, a phenomenon that occurs when people design things for all the wrong reasons. The dumbest invention, a shining example of myopic design, is perhaps the now-infamous and totally defunct Juicero. If you love a good long justifiable cathartic complainaroo, this one’s for you. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots, don’t be a dick, and thank you as always.
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Sep 20, 2021
These Two Fabulous Books
Ned and Meg have some book recommendations this week, and also the general recommendation that you do a foot peel, stat. Our book recommendations and discussion today are about *The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions* and *Diary of Edward the Hamster 1990-1990*. Both of these books are formidable in their own right and feature incredible design elements as well as huge doses of imagination. Please read! Also, wash your hands, wear a mask, thank you for listening, get the shots, don’t be a dick. Super Great!
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Sep 13, 2021
Zooming at the Dentist
Ned and Meg and Lauren discuss dystopias again, and this time we fuss over details like the difference between a once-great community after the fall, and dystopias that never reached greatness to begin with. We discuss wretchedness as a function of dystopias, societal trends up and down, victim blaming, participation in your own torure, and how hell is alway personal but dystopias are equal opportunity. How do you measure suffering per square foot? Join us on this uplifting voyage through misery. As always, thank you for listening, wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shots and don’t be a dick!
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Sep 5, 2021
Paper Plate Design
Ned and Meg investigate the origins of the ubiquitous paper plate. We compare the pros and cons of paper plates. We compare old inventors to new ones. We talk about disposable culture. Join us! Thanks for listening, wash your hands, wear a mask, don't be a dick.
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Aug 30, 2021
Color Palettes The Podcast
Ned and Meg get together after Ned’s birthday to talk about colors! People use colors for all sorts of stuff and how they combine those colors matters a whole lot. Dive into the human condition with us and also visit Objectcolor.com because it’s amazing. Thanks for listening to us, wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t be a dick, super great!
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Aug 9, 2021
Disappointment Reliquaries
Ned and Meg have a semi-absurdist conversation about a new thing we invented, sort of. We talk about traditional reliquaries, which are gorgeous mini buildings with gross old bones in them. We revisit the Joy of Melancholy. We discuss the colossal, ubiquitous failure represented by flip flops. Ned expounds on the benefits of a turf lawn, and how regular lawns are just vessels for disappointment, which brings us full circle to our topic title. Enjoy the disappointment with us! Thanks, wash your hands, keep wearing a mask, don’t be a dick.
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Aug 2, 2021
Your Idea Pile Does Not a Philosophy Make
Ned and Meg and Lauren talk about metals, like steel and it’s even cooler friend nitinol. We also talk about how a philosophy is more than an incoherent jumble of opinions, and how Ned’s job is basically just arguing semantics all day (some guys have all the luck). Lauren talks shared meaning, Meg complains a bunch, and we expound on the virtues of the MN State Fair. As forever, thanks for listening, and wash your hands and get the shots and wear a mask anyway and be nice.
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Jul 26, 2021
The Cycle of Discomfort
Dana and Ned and Meg and Lauren discuss the pain avoidance cycle and adapting to discomfort, patterns of behavior, how kinks are more common than not, how great Ted Lasso is, and how annoying some plot devices are. We ask who among us can stand to rewatch something they’ve seen before, and Dana gives us a plethora of excellent reading suggestions. Thank you for listening to us, and for washing your hands and getting the shots and wearing a mask maybe still because it ain’t over til it’s over, kids!
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Jul 12, 2021
Design Is Not Art
Ned and Meg and Lauren talk about the differences between art and design, both of which we love. We also discuss girding loins, medieval torture devices, Jemaine Clement, whose god is it anyway, American tangents, lexical ambiguity, and the Great Buffalo Sentence which some of us had just talked about the other day and some of us were totally ignorant of! Baader-Meinhof! Thanks as always for joining us, and wash your hands and get the shots and don’t be a dick!
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Jul 5, 2021
Polarizing The Lawn Sign
Ned and Meg and Lauren talk about the possibility of Meg having new neighbors to the West and what she’s prepared to do to ensure that only people she likes will buy the house for sale. Ned and Lauren offer moral support. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don’t be a dick! Thanks for listening.
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Jun 28, 2021
Ned's Nautical Nightmare
Ned and Meg and Lauren and Ben from Bisexual Orgies listen to Ned recount a harrowing tale of high seas adventure and high drama aboard a dysfunctional vessel and a dysfunctional captain to match. Sail with us and learn about Ned’s indomitable spirit. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don't be a dick, thanks for listening.
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Jun 21, 2021
Buyers Remorse
Meg tells Ned and Lauren the story of Buyer’s Remorse, which leads to discussion about Lauren’s work as a sexuality educator. Sex ed and sexuality education are different, and we bet you didn’t know that. See? You learn so much with us. Listen to the whole thing! As always, thank you and wash your hands and get the shots and don’t be a dick.
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Jun 14, 2021
Even Though Art Can Go South Sometimes It Doesn't Mean That You Shouldn't Try
Ned, Meg, and Lauren converse about the relationship between art and money, art successes and failures, creating art with others and making lots of art in lots of ways. Wash your hands, get the shot, don't be a dick, thanks for listening.
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Jun 7, 2021
Anxiety in a Cup
Ned and Meg chat on Mother’s Day about how much caffeine makes us psychotic. Meg gets hyperactive depression and Ned has been rabbit-holing an espresso machine and we’re both in a love/hate relationship with coffee beverages. We discuss Ned’s coffee science and dosing schedule. We talk about chasing the high that Ned got at Cafe Madeleine where one may obtain either the best or the worst espresso, depending. We dive into coffee mythology, dissect the merits of espresso machines, and we humbly suggest James Hoffman’s YouTube coffee videos. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get your shots, do all the things, don’t be a dick. Thanks for listening!
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May 31, 2021
Trendliest Tech
Ned and Meg discuss more digital gobbledigook and cryptography, but this time it’s in the context of art! Jim Sanborn made a trio of sculptures that utilize cryptographic puzzles, one of which is called Kryptos, and it lives outside the CIA headquarters in Langley, VA. Three of the puzzles included in the Kryptos sculpture are solved, but the fourth remains elusive. We also discuss old cars, steganography, and Elonka Dunin who is a rad lady who solves puzzles, including the first three in Kryptos. Thanks for listening. Now go get your shots, wash your hands, wash your face, wash your underwear. Be nice.
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May 24, 2021
Step Into Our Wardrobe
Ned and Meg talk about their innate ability to bend and dilate time, Ned's chronostasis affliction, distorted perception, how awe is essentially the experience of perceptual vastness, and how the first and last events in a series of identical temporal events appear to be of different duration even when they are not! Time flies, and does all kinds of other weird business, too. Thanks for listening! Wash your hands, take a walk, wear a mask and get your shots.
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May 17, 2021
Not Fucking Trustworthy
Ned and Meg talk about the latest hype at the intersection of the art world and block chain, NFTs. We dish on digital assets, block chain public ledgers, the black market, intellectual property rights, and all the major problems with NFTs. This whole topic is both as crazy and not as crazy as you may already think. Watch out! This one’s a trip. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don’t be a dick, thanks for listening.
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May 10, 2021
Passive Aggressive Foods
Ned and Meg celebrate May Day by talking all about food. We start with a ranking of passive aggressive foods, which segues into aggressive aggressive foods, peasant foods, and booby trapped foods, with a smattering of English foods just to round it all out. This probably won’t make you hungry but you may want a sweet snack just because this is a long one. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, don’t be a dick. Thanks for listening!
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May 3, 2021
The Ugliest Color
Ned and Meg discuss the grodiest color in the universe known to humans, Pantone 448 C. We analyze this color through several frameworks, including the ISCC NBS, the urban dictionary, the Munsell color system, RGB, CMYK, and of course our own preferences. This one’s a real treat. Enjoy! Wash your hands, wear a mask, get yer shots, be nice.
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Apr 26, 2021
Existential Dread and the Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone of Despair
Ned and Meg get some stuff off their existential chests in this very existential episode about existential dread and a thing called the self-licking ice cream cone of despair. Dread: where does it come from? We say cops, pain, illness, and other people. Hell is always, always, other people. So what should we do, rob banks and go into existential retirement? It worked for Meg, or the latter half of that sentence did anyway. Join us as we further discuss anxiety, fight flight or freeze, how much Zoom sucks as the default communication tool during Covid, and who we might instill dread in by just being ourselves. Wash your hands, get those shots, keep your mask on because of viral variants, and be nice. Also don’t force your coworkers to be your friends, everyone HATES mandated fun. Get a real social life; we’re never coming back to the office. Thanks!
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Apr 18, 2021
Octothorpe Means Different Things to Different People
Ned and Meg and Dana go down the rabbit hole of unusual punctuation and before we know it, we embark on an accidental voyage of discovery where we uncover truths about the many contexts and names for the “#” symbol and explore keyboard layouts. We ask wtf is a hexadecimal?! What’s this about Jim Thorpe?! Who is the mystery man, Doug Kerr?! Find out. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Get yer shots. Stop being a disappointment. Just kidding. Maybe. Thanks for listening!
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Apr 12, 2021
What You Don't Know About Your Flop Sweat Might Be Killing You
Ned and Meg discuss the dangers of flop sweat, as well as Gio Ponti’s daughter, Lisa Ponti, who made exceptional drawings and watercolor paintings, and who died not long ago at the age of 97. Her work is showing in NYC through the end of May 2021. We also discuss blood draws, cleaning house, the height of Roman plumbing and lead abatement as a means of coping with murder trials.
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Apr 5, 2021
I Just Ran Up a Flight of Stairs
Ned and Meg discuss their favorite artist, Peter, of Peter Draws on YouTube. We discuss many of his videos and his aesthetic before moving on to aspirational musings around a future Peter Draws fan convention. Beyond that, we rant a while on abortion rights and introduce a new department in the FC:BM empire, the D.E.A.D. Thanks for joining us once again. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get the shot, don’t be a dick, watch Peter.
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Mar 28, 2021
Toilette Design
Ned and Meg discuss crappers, commodes, and washlets. Join us on a foray into the world of toilet design and see how many variations there are on fulfilling a universal basic human function. Did you know there are toilets that can scan your poo and give data to your doc? Beware! Even toilets are not safe from the internet of things... Wash your hands, wear a mask, get your shots, don’t be a dick!
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Mar 22, 2021
Polka Dots
Ned and Meg discuss Yayoi Kusama, a visionary Japanese artist who works in dots and is probably the most influential living woman artist in Japan. It’s important to note that she is ALIVE, because this episode was inspired by a piece of erroneous information Meg got saying Kusama had died in 2019 but it was a LIE. She is a fascinating individual whose art is so very clearly and thoroughly an extension of her experience of being. This may be the first in a series of episodes about art as a coping mechanism. Wash your hands, get a shot, don’t be a dick, keep that mask on. Thanks for listening. Go see Kusama!
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Mar 15, 2021
Gestalt
Ned and Meg talk Gestalt. Design and more! Gestalt is a German word that means the shape of a thing, or like the quality of its appearance, or its form, we think. Kurt Kafka, German Psychologist, said 'the whole is other than the sum of the parts' which sorta sums up the whole concept. We discuss Gestalt in relation to shifting consciousness, Greg Egan, personal identity, authenticity, Mission Cheese, and then we dive into the Dictionary of Untranslatables, p. 1066 Structure, Pattern, Gestalt.
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Mar 8, 2021
Interrobang!?
Ned and Meg edify the masses and discuss punctuation, too. Interrobangs, interrogative point, and others, no punctuation is too weird for us. You can thank Martin K Speckter for inventing a form of punctuation that is essential and absurd! We also propose punctuation for asking a question in a question, and make fun of Inception for a bit, too. To the staircase, for some wit! Treppenwitz! Wash your hands, get the shots, wear a mask, don’t be a dick and THANKS for listening, kids!
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Mar 1, 2021
Idiomatic Once in a Blue Moon
Ned and Meg and Dana talk about idioms, again! Violent idioms are confusing to us because we don’t want to beat dead horses or kill multiple birds or bite bullets. Meg is pretty fond of idioms with vivid imagery. Ned schools us on snipe hunts. We discuss our intermittent and subjective love of liars. Red herrings etymology, WTF. We revisit our annoyance about the changing definition and use of the word “literally.” We discuss the Wayback Machine, too. Update on the Exceptional Mouse. Object Permanence and ADHD. Also, this retraction/correction: the Oval Pawfice twitter account is NOT official but it’s still cool. Ok, carry on. Wash your hands, wear a mask, get your shots, don’t be a dick, thanks for listening.
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Feb 22, 2021
Harm Reduction
Ned and Meg (well, mostly Meg) talk about the practice of Harm Reduction and why philosophers have totally failed to get into the conversation for the last 30 freaking years. Wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t be a dick, thanks for listening.
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Feb 18, 2021
Short, Recordamaroo
Ned and Meg discuss beheading royals and the optics of even more trolley problems. We run through upcoming titles and subjects for podcast episodes.
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Feb 15, 2021
What's Outside Dana's House and Drive By Abortion Discussion
Ned and Meg and Dana ramble on about a few things. New identities in the white house! Two dogs, a cat and a first second gentleman. The virtuous side of twitter. Wily Husky is wily. Asshole cat is an asshole. Meg has new boots. Presidential signatures, wtf. Nerve pain management regimens. Birds of prey. Fauci Face. Newsom answer avoidance. CA Covid data crunch. The Buford Scale with the Rear Admiral. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Don’t be a dick. Thanks.
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Feb 11, 2021
Short, Dana's Here!
Ned and Meg and Dana get together at long last and you can hear all THREE of us together! WE DISCUSS EDITORIAL FAILURES Bad idea avoidance specialist professionals Pop Physique font probs, poo Parler meta-weirdness Strong Opinions Loosely Held
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Feb 8, 2021
Vampire Bikes
Ned and Meg discuss why you should never trust anyone to leave their crap at your house. Also wear a mask and wash your hands!
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Feb 4, 2021
Short, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers a Book Report
Ned and Meg are captivated by Dana’s retelling of a story written by Becky Chambers, called The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, which coincides with our ongoing discussion of transhumanism in our full length Monday episodes. This book was originally crowdfunded on Kickstarter by the author in 2012 and published around 2014. Listen to us, and then read this book! Wash your hands! Wear a mask! Don’t be a jerkface! Thank you!
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Feb 1, 2021
Transhumanism 3
Ned and Meg plus Dana continue the discussion around Transhumanism, or using technology to improve our own biology through design in order to improve the existence of humans. Topics today include the Theory and Aims of Transhumanism. We raise questions about measuring humanity by its limitations, modifying the self versus future individuals, the age of modifiability, whether transhumanism is narcissistic or serves the greater good, if we don’t die are we still human, and will there be an arms race for enhancement? See also: trickle down rich kid theory, survival vs. other stakes, and the Fermi Paradox. Thanks for going on this adventure with us! Wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t be a dick.
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Jan 28, 2021
Short, Penzey's Spice
Ned and Meg discuss the process of online orders in an age when they've been around for a long time. But their is a twist. Also, wear a mask, wash your hands.
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Jan 25, 2021
Butt Hurt About Everything
Listen, I'm not saying we might complain a lot in this episode, but I'm also not not saying that. If you know what I mean. Also, wash your hands and wear a mask.
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Jan 21, 2021
Short, Reverse Bechdel Test
Ned and Meg chat about the Bechdel Test, which listeners may already know, except we chat about what it means to pass or fail the REVERSE Bechdel test, and there’s some lively conversation about what that even means. We’re not sure we were successful, but maybe you can help! Tell us your secret thoughts. Thanks for listening, wear a mask and wash your hands and be patient for the vaccine, kiddos! End is in sight!
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Jan 18, 2021
Intelligent Design is Stoopid
Ned and Meg bag all over Intelligent Design, a religious conservative propaganda effort designed to undermine science and secure for its apologists various positions of educational and political leadership throughout the USA. Roundly rejected by scientists and people who like to think, we discuss the many ways in which 'ID' is just stoopid. Join us! Wash your hands and keep that mask on til you get your vaccine. Thanks for listening.
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Jan 14, 2021
Short, Exceptional Mouse
Ned listens in stunted horror as Meg describes making friends with a wild mouse that moved into her kitchen. This mouse is no mere mouse, but rather an Exceptional Mouse, and Meg is more than happy to undertake precautionary measures to ensure a safe coexistence until Spring, thus preventing her untimely death from Hantavirus during the Covid Pandemic. Wash your hands twice, and wear a mask! Thanks for listening.
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Jan 11, 2021
Jelery
Ned and Meg discuss Jelery. What even is Jelery? Is it jelly made of celery? Is it ants on a log but with jelly instead of peanut butter? Today we discuss these heavy hitting topics and more, like Meg’s old jobs, Ned’s Xmas party, rescuing animals, open face sandwiches and we address some reader mail! Wash your hands, wear a mask, be patient for that vaccine! Thanks for listening.
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Jan 7, 2021
Short, Exodusters
Ned and Meg discuss the Exodusters! This intrepid group of former enslaved people left the American South after the Civil War ended and headed West as homesteaders. They faced tribulations along the way, and faced hardship once they finally reached their destinations in Kansas. Meg just learned about these resilient people and wanted to share! Enjoy a piece of American History. Wash your hands, wear a mask, be patient for the vaccine, and thanks!
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Jan 4, 2021
Transhumanism 2
Ned and Meg continue the discussion around Transhumanism, or using technology to improve our own biology through design in order to improve the existence of humans. Topics today include the history of Transhumanism and the people who developed the definitions we use today. Also, alzheimer sharks. Wash your hands, wear your mask, don’t quit now! Thanks for listening.
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Dec 31, 2020
Short, Sickle Cell Disease Cure
Ned and Meg discuss the results of CRISPR-Cas9 Sickle Cell Disease treatment. Spoiler: It’s working!
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Dec 28, 2020
Transhumanism
Ned and Meg wade into a discussion about transhumanism. This is the first in a series where we discuss the improvement of the human condition through science and technology. Today’s preliminary musings include French law, germline genetic editing vs genetic treatments, cyberpunk and biopunk genres of Sci Fi, Philip K Dick, Ann Leckie, Ian M Banks, sickle cell anemia, and more we forget.
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Dec 24, 2020
War on Christmas 2020 UPDATE
Ned and Meg discuss the war on christmas, again, again. This amazing year includes Starbucks cups, holiday arson, autopsies.
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Dec 21, 2020
Immanentize the Eschaton
Ned and Meg discuss Eschatonic Immanentization because Meg is learning to program and has mixed feelings. Also included in today’s episode are tech industry woes and complaints, the Swamp of Sadness, David Foster Wallace, bizarro world communism and capitalism, and Frederik Pohl books. This one probably sparked a series because we have a lot of thoughts. Shocker! Wash your hands, wear a mask. We’re in the home stretch, don’t ruin it now!
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Dec 17, 2020
Short, Retro Encabulator
Ned and Meg discuss the Turbo Retroencabulator, a most wonderful machine that does not exist, but if it did, this would be the sales and training video. Do yourselves a favor and watch this short informational video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w), preferably on company time. Also, cat diabetes updates. Wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t be a dick so close to the finish line! Thanks and enjoy.
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Dec 14, 2020
Parcel Delivery Box Redesign
Ned and Meg discuss the travesty that is the current state of parcel delivery box design. From there we veer off into discussion around design variables, why not designing for humans is absurd but not in a good way, transhumanism, science journalism, the problem of reproducibility, biology and falsifiability. Strap in, it’s a long one! Wear your mask, wash your hands, don’t be a dick. Thanks for listening!
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Dec 10, 2020
Short, Obsessively Researched Flatware
Ned and Meg talk silverware, flatware, china patterns and espresso machines. This one is a bit obsessive compulsive and what started as a short discussion turned into a surprise long one. Enjoy and thanks for indulging. Wash your hands, wear a mask, drink decaf?
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Dec 7, 2020
The Trouble With Authenticity
Ned and Meg discuss the difficulties that come with trying to become a notary, or in this case maybe it’s easy? Also, what’s the deal with authentication? What does that mean? Why is it important? Maybe we answer some of those questions. What does it mean to be who you say you are? More questions than answers in this one. Wear a mask, wash your hands. Be kind.
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Dec 3, 2020
Short, Don't Smoke
Ned and Meg discuss the fact that we are both former smokers as we muse over bygone American cigarette culture. Also cigarettes are terrible, don’t start, seriously you’re not missing out on anything good. It’s a trap. OK wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t smoke, thanks for listening.
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Nov 30, 2020
Nonsense Company Names
Ned and Meg discuss the curious phenomenon of nonsensical branding on Amazon and other online retail sites. We take the usual detours and side roads, so conversation also includes supply chain gripes and literary product reviews. Thanks for listening to our inanities, wear a mask, wash your hands!
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Nov 26, 2020
Short, Solving Dumb Design Problems Instead of Saving the World
Ned and Meg discuss trash can liners and a host of other dysfunctional everyday objects that we have to waste time interacting with instead of solving REAL problems. Rant! Thank you as always for listening and commiserating. Wash your hands, wear a mask, don't be a jerk.
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Nov 23, 2020
Headlines You Won't See
Ned and Meg discuss headlines you’re unlikely to see and why. Stories include a preschool coup, building saunas, risk assessment for jumping off tall stuff, schadenfreude, working groups, and gnome surgery. Join us and laugh at other people’s misery! Wash your hands, wear a mask, don’t close talk in the time of COVID! Thanks for palling around with us.
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Nov 19, 2020
Short, Logical Fallacies 3
Ned and Meg undertake the third in our series of shorts on logical fallacies by returning to a superlative source of definitions and examples, the Purdue Owl. We talk about hasty generalizations, post hoc ergo propter hoc, ad hominem, ad populum, and red herrings! Logical fallacies are everywhere, and some are in Latin. Wash your hands and wear a mask and don’t swallow BS.
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Nov 16, 2020
Design Aesthetic of the Jetsons
Ned and Meg set out to discuss the design aesthetic of the Jetsons. Turns out that was a whole can of worms. We attempt to discuss design decisions while navigating the fucked up sexism of the 60’s. It’s not easy.
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Nov 12, 2020
Short, Games in the Time of COVID
Ned and Meg discuss playing games during a pandemic! Role playing games (aka RPGs) and others delight us even during COVID-19. Ticket to Ride is a fun game to play online or on PC, and it started as a board game. Doctor Magnet Hands (available for free at http://lookrobot.co.uk/doctor-magnethands/) and Quest, a simple RPG (available at https://adventure.game) are both delightful and fun as well. Try them out! Tell us about it! Wash your hands and wear a mask! Thanks for listening!
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Nov 9, 2020
Housekeeping
Ned and Meg discuss housekeeping, which Ned basically intended to be housekeeping in the abstract sense, but Meg ran with it and discussed actually keeping house. Anyway, there’s some good stuff in here about cleaning house, both literally and figuratively. Wash your hands, wear a mask, do nice things for people who are not yourself.
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Nov 5, 2020
Short, Quest Trip Report
Ned and Meg revisit gaming as Ned explains the game Quest and offers a trip report on his recent evening playing it with friends. Did you know game mechanics improve over time? For example, role playing games that are heavy on mechanics and rules aren’t always accessible to everyone but Quest solves that by making it easy to join and follow a story! Characters grow and advance, plus the focus is on telling a story. The Manual has lots of ways to mix and match guidelines and lists without bogging down the story flow. Winning is telling a good story. Find Quest at https://www.adventure.game
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Nov 2, 2020
Hyperbolically Dangerous Domestic Inventions
Ned and Meg discuss 'really good ideas!' the likes of which may require inebriation or worse. Try our dishwasher-pressure-cooker-autoclave-garbage-disposal-mulching-mower in one. Feel impervious as you hurl cruel insults at your neighbors from inside your personal moat. It’s going to be great. Watch out world, here come the best domestic inventions that just might kill you.
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Oct 29, 2020
Short, Halloweenies!
Ned and Meg discuss Halloween. Why is it so great? Because it’s a creepy liminal space and there’s nothing we like better than upending all the rules and starting things on fire, plus candy. We talk activities, favorite costumes, and ask what is scary anymore? Happy Halloween, from a couple of Halloweenies. Wash your hands, wear a mask, use a candy chute, celebrate while you can, no one gets out alive!
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Oct 26, 2020
Hexes for the Modern Day
Ned and Meg discuss crafting contemporary hexes. So far we have hexes for butts, elevators, peeling skin, and more. If you would like us to craft a bespoke hex for YOU, we can do that. In the meantime, wash your hands, be nice, WEAR A MASK, don’t be a fascist.
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Oct 22, 2020
Short, The Role Playing Game Quest
Ned talks a little bit about role playing games. He gets a little off track and gets into the weeds with Dungeons and Dragons, but ultimately gets back on track and talks about the game Quest. A role playing game that everyone should try.
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Oct 19, 2020
Gnome-More Pain Surgical Rehabilitation Clinic, Statuary Orphanage & Puppet Burn Ward
Ned and Meg discuss Classical Mythology and garden statuary of Bavaria plus American traditions in art-based humor. This is a weird history lesson with some detours. THANK YOU for listening while the world burns and sinks and wash your hands and wear a mask and watch your butts out there.
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Oct 15, 2020
Short, Fyootility
Meg and Ned briefly explore futility. Talk a little bit about solar powered toasters, and maybe even think about kitchen gadgets!
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Oct 12, 2020
Designing things not usually associated with design, like ennui
Ned and Meg discuss ennui. Mostly this conversation circles around designing a sleepaway camp that ensures max boredom by the end of the week. Highlights include saying ‘no’ a lot, and dialing down enthusiasm for any kind of self-expression. Fun is also disincentivized and you’re gonna hate the food. Welcome back, campers! Wash your hands, drink your milk (not the chocolate kind), wear a mask and be nice even if you’re miserable.
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Oct 8, 2020
Short, Openface Sandwich
Ned and Meg discuss sammiches, but ONLY the openface kind. We like turkey dinner hobby kit, eggs, fruit, weird items, and curry. We chat about the various iterations of openfaced sandwiches. Openface, for what it’s worth, is apparently not a word but it is now, and thus goes the entire conversation about sandwiches here. Enjoy. Wear your mask, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.
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Oct 5, 2020
That One About The 80s Cartoons
Ned and Meg discuss 1980s Cartoons and Saturday morning favorites. Lots of the ones we looked up we never even saw, or it turns out are just complicated ads to sell crap to kids--hooray vertical marketing! Somewhere we lose the cartoons and switch tracks to Alice in Wonderland. Enjoy this nostalgic trip! Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Don't be a dick.
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Oct 1, 2020
Short, Logical Fallacies 2
Ned and Meg attempt to redeem the first episode on our series of shorts on logical fallacies by turning to a better source of definitions and examples, the Purdue Owl. We talk about slippery slopes, genetic and either/or fallacies, begging the question, circular arguments and straw men. Please allow us to edify you a little less clumsily this time. Thank you. Wash your hands and wear a mask and don’t swallow BS.
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Sep 28, 2020
Designing Dystopias, Where Are We?
Ned and Meg attempt to tie all our past conversations about Dystopia into a single summary bundle, with predictably mixed results. We pull a drive-by on religion, conformity, conditions on the ground in the real world, entropy, sci-fi, family and state arrangements, and state sponsored violence. Come aboard with us and sail the high seas of disappointment. Wash your hands, wear a mask, stay away from people, don’t be a jerkface jerk.
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Sep 24, 2020
Short, Logical Fallacies 1
Ned and Meg create a mess out of our initial discussion of logical fallacies. But it’s a fun mess. First and worst in a series on Logical Fallacies. The rest will be examples, not hamfisted, much better, please and thank you. Wash your hands, wear a mask, be nice.
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Sep 21, 2020
A Litany of Human Indignities
Ned and Meg discuss a litany of human indignities. We review other people’s urine, men peeing all over, human incivility, starvation, genocide, war, your OWN urine, the best toilet paper and our insecurity about it, symbiotic bathroom snoops, AI personhood, cellphones, Trainspotting, botched social outings, radiation from coal slurry, and reparations to the African diaspora (get with the program, y’all). Thanks for listening to our meandering complaints. Buy our stuff. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. This list of demands is getting so long we’re gonna need an acronym soon.
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Sep 17, 2020
Short, Mapping Prejudice
Ned and Meg chat about the Mapping Prejudice project that uses GIS data to map racial covenants in housing deeds in Minneapolis, MN, with a goal of explaining and visualizing the effects of discriminatory housing policies over time. You can volunteer to help or read more about this groundbreaking work at www.MappingPrejudice.org. Wash your hands, wear a mask, be nice!
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Sep 14, 2020
Gullibility, The Barnum Forer Effect and Horoscopes
Ned and Meg discuss the Barnum Forer Effect and Horoscopes. Did you know that you have a great deal of unused potential? How human are you today? Bertram R Forer has a test, the 'Diagnostic Interest Blank' to be exact. It’s all BS but people love flattery and celebrity apparently! Call 1-900 Believe A Stranger to get your special predictions now.
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Sep 10, 2020
Short, Close Talking in the Time of Covid
Ned and Meg chat about close talkers in a pandemic spread by close talking. We also take pot shots at updated covid mask designs, dysfunctional citrus presses, and a Niagara of hostile or self defeating design.
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Sep 7, 2020
Designing Dystopia, My Dystopia is Better than Yours
Ned and Meg discuss a letter, sent to George Orwell from his former teacher Aldous Huxley, in which Huxley both celebrates and criticizes Orwell’s vision of dystopia for being excellent but not quite as good as his own. We sideswipe lady gangs, Halloween costumes, tee shirt designs, and the movie Little Shop of Horrors. Here’s mom: wash your hands, wear a mask!
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Sep 3, 2020
Short, Encounter at Farpoint
Ned and Meg chat about the first episode of Star Trek Next Generation (TNG) Episode one, Encounter at Farpoint, aka the one with Q! Ned saw it as a kid and it really made a creepy impression. That leads Meg to complain about M*A*S*H*, the worst entertainment drag on television.
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Aug 31, 2020
Dystopian Movies and More, but not that More
Meg and Ned discuss movies that feature dystopian themes. They don't even come close to exhausting the list of possible movies to discuss but they give it a good try.
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Aug 27, 2020
Short, Designing Dystopia, 'I have no mouth'
Meg and Ned briefly discuss the short story 'I Have no Mouth and I must Scream' by Harlan Ellison. We look at how this relates to our ongoing discussion of designing dystopias.
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Aug 24, 2020
Counting Our Electric Sheep
Ned and Meg discuss Philip K Dick’s novel (the one that inspired Blade Runner the movie) about androids and consider the core tenets of a good dystopia. Part of an ongoing series delving into what makes a dystopia, and how to build the most dystopian dystopia ever.
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Aug 20, 2020
Short, Designing Dystopias with Sir Thomas More or less
Meg and Ned continue their discussions about designing dystopias. In this episode we discuss the origin of the concept and introduce some of Sir Thomas More's thoughts on what makes a utopia and possibly why that utopia would probably be a dystopia for many.
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Aug 17, 2020
Designing Dystopia
This week Meg and Ned discuss the ideas and concepts around designing a dystopia. Why would we talk about such a thing? Because this is an art and design podcast. Also, wash your hands and wear a mask. Turns out we are still in the middle of a pandemic.
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Aug 13, 2020
Short, Hostas
Meg loudly complains at Ned about hostas, the Beanie Babies of the plant kingdom, in this week’s short, that is until Ned points out that they’re not entirely ornamental and can be eaten, which changes Meg’s mind about how much she hates them! Wash your hands! Wear a mask!
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Aug 10, 2020
Louie Mattar on Designing Cars
Ned tells Meg about Louie Mattar’s Fabulous Cadillac Car, now on view at the San Diego Auto Museum! Or, well, it would be if we were allowed to go see anything with other people! That reminds us, wash your hands, wear a damned mask, be nice, mind your own beeswax.
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Aug 6, 2020
Short, Audio Problems
Meg and Ned complain about audio problems in this great time of uncertainty. How are we supposed to get anything done with all this chaos going on? Wash your hands, wear a mask, and stand up for Black lives.
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Aug 3, 2020
Somebody's Going to Die II
Ned and Meg discuss the more absurd permutations of the trolley problem. Quick, pull the lever!
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Jul 30, 2020
Short, Tao Te Ching Chapter 15
Meg and Ned read Chapter 15 of the Tao Te Ching and discuss their thoughts.
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Jul 27, 2020
Fun With Random
Ned and Meg discuss crazy ideas (no surprise there), giant cockroaches (or palmetto bugs if you’re one of those people), and Somebody’s Gonna Die II. Wash your hands. WEAR A MASK! Enjoy.
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Jul 23, 2020
Short, Tao Te Ching Chapters 9, 24, and 5
Meg and Ned read Chapter 9, 24, and 5 of the Tao Te Ching and discuss their thoughts.
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Jul 20, 2020
Vending Machine
Ned and Meg discuss their entrepreneurial and artistic plans for a hypothetical vending machine. Wash your hands. WEAR A MASK!
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Jul 16, 2020
Short, Tao Te Ching Chapters 18 and 19
Meg and Ned read Chapter 18 and 19 of the Tao Te Ching and discuss their thoughts.
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Jul 13, 2020
Conference Quit It!
Ned and Meg discuss the abysmal state of professional educational conferences both before, during, and after Covid-19 pandemic. We demand an overthrow of the current professional conference paradigm and we demand it now. Wash your hands. WEAR A MASK!
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Jul 9, 2020
Short, Tao Te Ching Chapter 13
Meg and Ned read Chapter 13 of the Tao Te Ching and discuss their thoughts.
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Jul 6, 2020
Distressing Definitions of Despair
Ned and Meg discuss what’s terrible about and around despair. Topics include racism, state and police violence, puke, Florida, commercial air travel, and maltitol. This episode was recorded on June 03, 2020. Don’t forget to wash your hands, WEAR A MASK, take to the streets if you have to, and vote in November.
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Jul 2, 2020
Short, Tao Te Ching Chapter 31
Meg and Ned read Chapter 31 of the Tao Te Ching and discuss their thoughts.
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Jun 29, 2020
Speculation
Ned and Meg speculate with Damon. About what? You can speculate, or you can listen to us!
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Jun 25, 2020
Short, Latin American Philosophy
Meg gives Ned a short lesson on Latin American Philosophy, or the short history so far.
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Jun 22, 2020
Ice Cream Trucks And Disappointment
Ned and Meg talk about a local Minneapolis hero with a special kind of vehicle that makes existential deliveries. We expound on art cars, lame covid-19 responses, and not being a shit. Wash your hands. Help your neighbors. Wear a mask!
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Jun 18, 2020
Short, Deesplaining Flowers
In this short, Meg over-explains flowers to Ned and Damon. We discuss Graveolens and Geraniums and the differences between them, which the British have detailed at length.
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Jun 15, 2020
Why Broomsticks Are Not Crack Pipes
Ned and Meg discuss some of what we think are the self-evident causes of the Salem witch trials, as well as some very unlikely causes, which we ridicule. We also crap all over authors who half-ass their work because it’s paltry, pathetic, and they should know their parents are disappointed in them. Wash your hands and wear your mask!
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Jun 11, 2020
Short, Phooey Pantone Bullshit
In this short, we vent about Pantone’s hilariously terrible website and criticize the supposed utility of color matching technology. Wash your hands and wear your mask!
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Jun 8, 2020
I Don't Knowwww
Ned and Meg discuss the FCBM website, our domain name collection/addiction, unscrupulous and repugnant real estate developers, ADHD, escalating dares, and defiance. Take a mental walk with us. Wash your hands!
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Jun 4, 2020
Short, Video Games As Expression
Ned spends a few minutes talking about the concept of video games as an artistic medium.
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Jun 1, 2020
Making Bread With Chet
Ned and Meg and Damon discuss making things to eat. Quarantine gave us a lot of time to make food from scratch and boy were we ever foolish for not doing this sooner. We discuss different delicacies and delectable dishes. Hey it’s June! Wash your hands!
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May 28, 2020
Short, TRISH
Ned and Meg talk about the Translational Research Institute for Space Health! The first week of June we will participate in a series of webinars on behavioral health and performance in space! Wash your hands! Wear a mask!
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May 25, 2020
Quarantine Show And Tell With Wind
Ned and Meg visit with their friend Wind (aka Ria) over the internet while we all isolate, alone, together. We discuss how high fences make good and possibly dead neighbors. We ponder rock sizes. We get a very special virtual tour of Wind’s childhood bedroom. Enjoy! Wash your hands!
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May 21, 2020
Short, Design Rant
Ned and Meg do a snack-sized Thursday podcast about Applied Arts and Design. It’s a rant really, and who doesn’t love those, especially right now. Enjoy. Wash your hands!
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May 18, 2020
Words with Random, The Long One
Ned and Meg are back with more random word games, and this episode is twice as long, and 17 times as funny! Ned made a list of 96 words (overachiever) and used them as prompts for Meg to expound on. This episode has already led to several spinoff projects and spawned a new species of absurdism. Enjoy! Wash your hands!
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May 14, 2020
Short, Words with Random, the Short One
Ned and Me are spilling over onto Thursdays because Monday just can’t contain us. We submit for your approval our 30 minute word association game! Thanks for indulging us, and wash your hands!
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May 11, 2020
How to Do a Thing, Maybe
Ned and Meg talk about their book, which you might have a chance to see soon thanks to Chris! We also chat about project stuff, explosions, growing stuff, space radiation, DIY haircuts, and where Meg's tooth is headed.
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May 7, 2020
Short, Meaningful Play
Ned spends a few minutes talking about the idea of meaningful play in the context of video game design.
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May 4, 2020
Untitled 2
Ned and Meg meander around in quarantine and complain about some stuff. We discuss self-hosting podcasts, TP weirdness, forced heroism, cats and dogs and art, owning music, and go wash your hands!
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Apr 27, 2020
Strange Intervals of Time
Meg and Ned discuss the unusual ways in which we mark the passage of time, as well as the intervals that result. We've been thinking on this one for a long time and the Weird Now seemed like a good time to talk about it. Join us on a temporal trip without leaving your house! Go wash your hands!
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Apr 20, 2020
Death's Door and Other Idioms
In this episode, Ned and Meg discuss fun idioms and violent verses in the English Language (plus one in French)!
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Apr 13, 2020
Our Favorite Foods, Volume 1
Ned and Meg discuss all the things we love to eat. We spend some time on ice cream, discuss mac and cheese purists, and then tackle PB and J, the Pizza universe, tacos, seafood, and the nacho-ice-cream-death-spiral. Bon appetit! Wash your hands!
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Apr 6, 2020
Your Brain is a Construction Zone
Ned and Meg have a late night chat in the midst of a pandemic about our brains’ abilities to do amazing new things. Neuroplasticity -- believe the hype!
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Mar 30, 2020
The Joy of Melancholy
We discuss the joy of depression, or rather, Melancholia, which kinda sorta used to be depression, but maybe now isn’t, and for sure was the name of a movie Meg likes. Anyway! Also in the mix are rites of passage, Hannah Gadsby, planetariums, pancakes, saunas, and life saving bathrooms.
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Mar 23, 2020
Untitled 1
Ned and Meg have a very quiet podcast very early in the morning about all kinds of weird business, like how much I hate squash and wind scorpions, plus commentary on water balloons and betrayal.
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Mar 23, 2020
No Nazis In The Sound Of Music
Until Meg reached the age of 37 she didn’t realize there was a second half to the Sound of Music and that it featured Nazis. We discuss this misconception, lies, and warped memories from childhood, plus we get nostalgic about movies with Ned and Damon and Meg.
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Mar 16, 2020
How To Do A Thing So No One Asks You To Do It Again
Meg and Ned discuss how to do things in such a way that it ensures no one will make the mistake of asking you to do it again. Enjoy some examples from our personal experience. Role play along with us. Weaponize your apologies and diversify your skills. A master class from Ned in passive aggression - don’t miss it!
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Mar 13, 2020
Two Bottles of Corona
Ned and Meg discuss their Friday the 13th COVID-19 pandemic adventures in San Diego, CA. This is the uplifting, funner, prettier, sister episode to our factually informative, nerdy, practical coronavirus episode (posted today also, titled Holy Corony!). Enjoy and hang in there, everybody. And wash your hands!
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Mar 13, 2020
Holy Corony!
This is a bonus episode-slash-public health info bulletin! We talk about what Coronaviruses are, what *this* particular [COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2/novel coronavirus pneumonia/2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease] virus is all about, why it’s a problem for everyone on the planet (i.e. a pandemic), and how to deal with it. It’s worth mentioning that toilet paper will not save you even though you couldn’t get any for love or money.
At the time of posting (March 13, 2020), all schools are closed until April 3, and public gatherings of 250+ people are banned in San Diego, CA. Grocery stores are a Hobbesian nightmare and have been raided for anything shelf-stable. That includes toilet paper, which we reiterate, will not save you. Now go wash your hands.
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Mar 9, 2020
Liminality
Meg and Ned discuss one of Meg’s favorite concepts - that of liminality and existing happily in liminal spaces. Sometimes they knock you sideways and sometimes you can make them happen on purpose, but either way they’re inevitable and you can learn to enjoy navigating them with us!
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Mar 2, 2020
Jon Hamm Can't Mime
Ned and Meg recount several vivid, hilarious, and unlikely dreams for your entertainment. We discuss the qualities and properties of our dreams, including recurring nightmares, whether we dream in color, dreams that make us laugh, and making your own fun when you arrive, no matter how you get there. Thanks for listening!
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Feb 24, 2020
Embedding Failure
Ned and Meg discuss the concept of embedding failure, which we read about in one of our favorite books, Pragmatic Thinking and Learning by Andy Hunt (2008, The Pragmatic Bookshelf). In section 7.3, the author discusses approaches to failure. We talk about adding failure deliberately into our own work process/life process to ensure that we continue to learn and grow. Failure is great, come enjoy it with us!
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Feb 17, 2020
Mittie Era And Other Family Stories
Our guest Damon tells stories about his family, including several about his beloved Great Grandmother, Mittie Era Blevins. She was a tough lady, and that’s usually a virtue, but sometimes not so great. Take a walk down memory lane, back to when people didn't whine about shit.
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Feb 10, 2020
If Meg Were Here
Ned and Chris chat about design and walk a winding path through their own thoughts! Meg wasn’t here for this one but you’ll enjoy it nonetheless. Thanks for listening!
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Feb 3, 2020
Consider The Context
Hey! Don’t you tear down my fence, you clueless jerk! In this episode Ned and Meg discuss GK Chesterton’s Fence, the importance of context when making strategic decisions, John Muir, the critical shortage of wigs on Mars, tomato enzymes, nano-bio-bots, Trent Reznor and open source phones. It’s a real hoot! Join us.
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Jan 27, 2020
Somebody’s Going To Die
The one where we discuss making a game about ethics, or something. We discuss the possibility of creating an ethics game where the classic conundrums in moral philosophy become the mechanics of the game itself. You have to make choices about trollies, organ transplants, whatever -- either way in this game, somebody’s gonna die!
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Jan 20, 2020
Design Volume 4
... And the discussion from Design Volume 3 continues! Listen as we round out our conversation about design principles and challenges. We reach stunning final conclusions and settle the following matters once and for all, no need to ever think about them again: adapting to technology, being well rounded, keeping a holistic perspective, being multidisciplinary, understanding how much you don’t know, uniqueness, Tesla trucks, and butts. Thanks for listening!
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Jan 13, 2020
Design Volume 3
Wherein Ned, Meg, and Chris discuss design challenges and guiding principles. Thrilling topics include the necessity for specificity—say that a few times fast—tight deadlines, moral and financial expediency, balancing thinking and doing, imposing and thriving within limits, and staying relevant. We had so much to talk about we had to split it into two episodes, so be sure to listen to Design Volume 4 next. Super Great!
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Jan 6, 2020
Lifetime Supply Of Things You Don’t Need
Wherein we discuss having to deal with the unique nightmare of owning a lifetime supply of stuff you probably never even need once.
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Dec 30, 2019
Design Volume 2
We have four folks crammed into this podcast about design, including three people who work in design and one who is just real opinionated about things! We talk about the evolving process of design, spaceships, profit motives in design, decision fatigue, and the Oregon Trail. Guests who are becoming regulars include Damon and Chris, plus Ned and Meg keep showing up cause they’re supposed to be steering this thing.
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Dec 23, 2019
How to Support the Troops in the War on Xmas
For once, it actually starts with a real live anticommunist conspiracy. Yeah, for real! And then Bill O’Reilly barges in. We have so many questions like, how do we reconcile this insanity, who do we support in the war, when are they excommunicating Starfucks? How do people who love Christmas and obsessively support troops of any kind reconcile this worldview? Happy Whatever, audience!
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Dec 16, 2019
Absurdism: Video Game Edition
Classic games are mostly absurd! We talk about video games and how fun and weird they are. It’s insane, for example, how popular Pac Man became. Then there’s this Italian plumber, but wait, he doesn’t fix a thing, he just travels through pipes, and is super athletic and kills weird shit? Got it so far, plus Mario's got something about mushrooms and that reminds us of Psychonauts, the best game ever, probably.
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Dec 9, 2019
Words That Have Been Ruined for Me, Forever
The intrepid Ned and Meg explore words that we have to hate now. Highlights include the perennially creepy but formerly benign word ‘moist’, the recent torture inflicted upon the word ‘literally’, plus regional variations on architecture and what we call our houses.
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Dec 5, 2019
Inaugural Space Health Conference 2019
BONUS EPISODE! Ned and Meg go to the Inaugural Space Health Conference (yay!) in San Francisco (boo!) and we have a great but exhausting time. This episode was recorded after we got home from a road trip over three days and back so forgive us if we sound a little subdued. We learned so much! Space is great!
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Dec 2, 2019
Design Volume 1
For our first podcast, Ned and Meg talk shit about design and why we like (and hate) it. We talk about our favorite designers and what we’ve learned, plus feedback loop on product design, economies of scale, and cell phones! Ned and Meg are super interested in design that gets used in space, including revising existing design to be more conscious of human interactivity and the experience of using the object or process.
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Dec 1, 2019
The Trailer
It's here! The summer blockbuster you've been waiting for! Just kidding, it's Feature Creep: Built-in Microwave and it's an absurdist foray into design, storytelling, and science stuff. Give us a listen and share us with your weird friend.
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