Ned and Meg chat about the Simming Problem, which is a concept from Iain Banks, a sci-fi writer, about the ethics of simulating entities or individuals or whatever. The *whatever* bit is because how we define all these things gets real dicey and yet makes all the difference. What is an agent, or an intelligence, or a substrate or authenticity and is consciousness an emergent property of sufficiently complex systems? Who fucking knows! Hard question! How do you get ChatGPT to say fuck fifteen times? Turns out that's easy. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don't be a dick.

Ned and Meg admire the magnificent Dieter Rams, who pointed and shrugged his way into our hearts, and we discuss his legendary ten principles of good design.

Ned and Meg have some thoughts about content, content creation, and what the fuck is going on. Also this one is as the name says, so we sorta forget what happens after that. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Ned and Meg give their thoughts about Derry Girls, a cute and adorable television show set in Ireland in the 1990s with The Troubles and a Catholic school setting as hilarious and relatable backdrops to the lives of teenage friends. We get sidetracked by pizza and fish that share a name, how everything costs $300 now, endless road trips, and a list of Neds. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don't be a dick!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

Ned and Meg discuss beheading royals and the optics of even more trolley problems. We run through upcoming titles and subjects for podcast episodes.

Ned and Meg give their thoughts about Derry Girls, a cute and adorable television show set in Ireland in the 1990s with The Troubles and a Catholic school setting as hilarious and relatable backdrops to the lives of teenage friends. We get sidetracked by pizza and fish that share a name, how everything costs $300 now, endless road trips, and a list of Neds. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don't be a dick!

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.

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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Ned and Meg have some thoughts about content, content creation, and what the fuck is going on. Also this one is as the name says, so we sorta forget what happens after that. Thanks for listening, wash your hands, don’t be a dick.

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.

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!

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.

Ned and Meg discuss the results of CRISPR-Cas9 Sickle Cell Disease treatment. Spoiler: It’s working!

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.

Ned and Meg discuss the war on christmas, again, again. This amazing year includes Starbucks cups, holiday arson, autopsies.

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!

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.

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!

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?

Sierra and Ned spend a lovely afternoon debating the merits of recording an audioboook. Join in and find out all about Ned's angst for the US medical system. Oops, I mean all about the our ideas for a new art project.

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.

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.

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!