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merlinmann / better.md
Created February 19, 2010 17:16
Original version of Merlin Mann's Better. See http://www.merlinmann.com/better

open mic nite

Politics, celebrity gossip, business headlines, tech punditry, odd news, and user-generated content.

These are the chew toys that have made me sad and tired and cynical.

Each, in its own way, contributes to the imperative that we constantly expand our portfolio of shallow but strongly-held opinions about nearly everything. Then we're supposed to post something about it. Somewhere.

From businesses we've never heard of, to countries we've never visited, to infants who've had the random misfortune to be born into a family that's on TV -- it's all grist for obvious jokes and shortsighted commentary that, for at least a few minutes, helps both the maker and the consumer feel a little less bored, a little less vulnerable, and a little less disconnected. For a minute, anyway, it makes us feel more alive. Does me, anyway.

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merlinmann / mmd_template.md
Last active February 14, 2022 00:20 — forked from fonnesbeck/mmd_template.txt

Title: MultiMarkdown Document Subtitle: Adventures in MultiMarkdown Author: ${TM_FULLNAME}
Affiliation: ${TM_ORGANIZATION_NAME}
Email: ${TM_EMAIL} Web: ${TM_URL} Date: ${TM_DATE} Copyright: ${TM_YEAR} ${TM_ORGANIZATION_NAME} This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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merlinmann / Merlin's Descript Fan Art.html
Last active February 14, 2022 02:01
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="US">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" />
<title>Merlin's Descript Fan Art</title>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<style id="mkstylesheet">
body{-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif;margin:30px 0 0;padding:0;background:#fff;color:#303030;font-size:14px;line-height:1.45}#wrapper{padding:20px}li{font-size:110%}li li{font-size:100%}li p{font-size:100%;margin:.5em 0}h1{color:#000}h2{color:#111}h3{color:#111}h4{color:#111}h5{color:#111}h6{color:#111;font-style:italic}p,td,div{color:#111;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,Verdana,sans-serif;word-wrap:break-word}a{color:#0d6ea1;text-decoration:none;-webkit-transition:color .2s ease-in-out;-moz-transition:color .2s ease-in-out;-o-transition:color .2s ease-in-out;-ms-transition:color .2s ease-in-out;transition:color .2s ease-in-out}a:hover{color:#3593d9}h1,h
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merlinmann / MMGtL on Pasta.md
Last active February 14, 2022 02:02
Source of Merlin's beloved "Bachelor Pasta" recipe

PASTA FOR MODERN MEN

“Pasta.” The Modern Man's Guide to Life, by Denis Boyles et al., Harper & Row, 1987, pp. 450–451.

How to cook pasta: Salted water boils faster, so put a teaspoonful of salt in a gallon or so of water and bring it to a rolling boil. At this point, you can add a little olive oil to the water if you want. It seems to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Break the spaghetti in half and let it fall gradually out of your hand and into the water. Try to allow the sticks to fall horizontally, and not in a big, lopsided pile. Give the water a stir and let it boil uncovered until it's cooked.

When's that? When it sticks to the wall it's done, at which time you pour the pasta into a colander, rinse it very briefly with cold water to stop the cooking process and return it to the pot.

Five Good Pasta Dishes:

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merlinmann / Harry-Potter-Years.md
Last active March 2, 2022 14:48
A fast trick to knowing Harry Potter's age, time, and book/film order.

The Harry Potter Trick

Here's a fast trick to knowing ages, time, and order. JK makes it super-simple for us:

Harry's age, the school year, the chronological year, the book number, and the movie number each end with the digit "1," then just increment up.

Book & Movie Number Chron. Year HP Age Book Movie Year Pp.[^1]
1 1991 11 Stone 2001 233
2 1992 12 Chamber 2002 251
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merlinmann / pig-area.txt
Created July 13, 2022 22:43
Pig Cursor Resting Area
⌨️ Official Cursor-Resting Area:
╭―――――――—――╮
│ > 🐽 < │
╰――――――――—―╯
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merlinmann / Intentionality Plan.md
Last active July 27, 2022 01:59
When I… …my intentionality is to… …and not … …so I will.
take a walk look for the chimneys not get absorbed in my usual bummer thoughts gently incline myself back to the chimneys
foo bar baz bat
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merlinmann / things that need a name runx.md
Last active October 14, 2022 19:04
things that need a name

Things That Need a Name

  • The Chicken Problem
  • The Photoshop Problem
    • cf. Unix
    • How do you know enough to know which five commands are twenty times more important than all the others?
    • banner vs. cd
    • "Posterize" vs. "Unsharp Mask"
  • The Kawaii Marriott Reaction
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merlinmann / dreamx and night thoughtx 2017-03-12.md
Last active November 11, 2022 15:48

All the rage was the Scarlet Johansson-branded protective helmet. It's a colorful helmet, it is a planter with 11 specific draining holes, and it's an important crucible for ideas.

We met at a media event held at a junior high. Scarlet was polite, but perfunctory.

Then there was a very small hotel room with glass walls and doors. Stocked with Herbal Bourbons — ice machine didn't work. Scarlet said "No way am I drinking that shit." She was serious and smart. Might be Las Vegas.

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merlinmann / sous-vide-tests.md
Last active March 17, 2023 06:16
sous vide cooking times

Sous Vide Cooking Times

Good? FOOD TIME TEMP COMMENT
CANON! pork chops, MED 1:30 143°
CANON! prime rib roast, MR 6:00 129.5 Works every time!
CANON! pork chops SUPER thick 1:45 142° solid MR+
YES ribeye, frozen, R 1:30 126° Awesome at low temp
YES thick pork chops, MR 1:30 142° SO good
XXX filet mignon, MR 1:30 130° XX