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  • Paul Bearer is the vocalist for one of the most influential and underrated New York Hardcore bands of all time: Sheer Terror. Sheer Terror came out of the very strange New York Hardcore scene of the 80s — before the music became codified into the metallic, bouncy mosh parts we think of as NYHC today. While Sheer Terror is certainly no stranger to blending metal and punk, their sound is much more Tom G. Warrior plus Oi! rather than syncopated, single-string riffs. Nothing against bouncy mosh parts, but Sheer Terror is much more my cup of tea, personally.

    Paul and I talk not only about the weird world of punk and hardcore in New York in the 80s, but also about Paul’s cooking and his aggressive and comical pet Russian tortoises.

    Learn more from Paul and Sheer Terror here: Instagram: @djdontlikeu | @officialsheerterror Facebook: @sheerterror | @joecoffeeband Merchandise: Dead City Merchandise | Socks at Omerta Mia

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Many of these interviews are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

    Show Notes: [02:36] Paul’s DJing and the dangers of developing a habit collecting Northern Soul records [13:36] How to get into Northern Soul. And, artists finding out they’re unexpectedly famous. [27:20] The difficulty of being creative during the pandemic. And, Paul burned all his old, unused lyrics notebooks. [37:42] Paul’s specialty dishes [43:51] Obsessive music collecting and getting into punk. Plus a meditation on aging and hard living. [56:19] Paul’s thoughts on fitness (Don’t miss this…) [58:50] New York was a weird place during the 80s and New York Hardcore was a weird scene. Plus, the violent, sketchy world of skinheads and the evolution of anti-establishment politics. [1:15:51] New Sheer Terror music and how to buy Sheer Terror socks Links and Resources Mentioned: Northern soul The Jackson 5 Lee Charles Eunice Collins Northern Soul: An Oral History | Red Bull Music Academy Daily Throbbing Gristle Industrial Records Major Lance Keisha Lance Bottoms Searching for Sugar Man Russian tortoise Polish Hunter Stew The Sweet & Savory Spot Humble Pie Alice Cooper Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Mott The Hoople David Bowie Bruce Springsteen Nancy Spungen No Wave Compilation The Dickies The Stranglers “Bring On The Nubiles” The Plasmatics Red Hot Chili Peppers “One Hot Minute” Craig Setari Antidote Bad Brains MDC Crass Thin Lizzy “Baby Please Don’t Go” Infanterie Sauvage Bowling For Soup
  • Monetary policy is confusing. What even is The Fed? How do they control interest rates? Is The Fed different than the Treasury? Why do different cities have different feds? And, most importantly, do people with laser eyes on Twitter actually know anything about inflation?

    These are all things that I've wondered about — fortunately, my friend Chris Russo is a post-graduate research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and an expert on monetary policy. And, he lifted some weights at South Loop Strength & Conditioning while pursuing his education at the University of Chicago.

    Chris does a great job of breaking down how monetary policy impacts our daily lives, and gives an enlightening explanation of some of the plumbing that keeps our monetary system functioning. Plus, we discuss a zoomed out perspective on how to think about the inflation numbers in the news.

    Learn more from Chris here: Website: www.russoecon.com | Mercatus Profile Twitter: @RussoEcon

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    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [02:06] What is the US Treasury? What is The Fed? What do the Treasury and the Fed have to do with inflation? [13:36] A history of the organization of The Fed including: why cities have their own Fed, how the fed regulates monetary policy, and what it means to “print money” [27:44] How does the money supply impact prices and inflation? And, the importance of the equation of exchange: MV = PQ [33:10] Paul Krugman’s babysitter club analogy and how it explains monetary policy [45:40] Why does The Fed target 2% inflation? [51:02] Interest rates, full employment and the Fed’s mechanisms for inflation targeting [01:02:11] How should people think about inflation numbers in the news? [01:12:11] Summary of key takeaways on monetary policy Links and Resources Mentioned: United States Department of the Treasury Federal Reserve United States Treasury security Full Employment Definition Federal Funds Rate Hamilton vs. Jefferson on Monetary Policy Why Does Missouri Have Two Federal Reserves? Federal Open Market Committee Why Does The Fed Buy Mortgage-Backed Securities? The Great Depression According to Milton Friedman The Equation of Exchange “Baby-Sitting the Economy” by Paul Krugman The Impact of Interest Rate Changes by the Federal Reserve Why Is Deflation Bad for the Economy? Helicopter money Neo-Fisherism vs. Conventional Central Banking Wisdom The Fisher Effect “Inside the Black Box: The Credit Channel of Monetary Policy Transmission” by Ben Bernanke The Taylor Rule: An Economic Model for Monetary Policy Consumer Price Index
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  • I first encountered Spenser’s work through his writing for the Morning Chalk Up, and at some point I clicked on enough links to realize that the majority of his work is on voting rights and election reform.

    I’ve been a subscriber to Spenser’s voting rights newsletter, so I wanted to get his take on how things went with New York City’s experiment in ranked choice voting in their Democratic mayoral primary.

    While election fraud and voter suppression are hot-button culture war issues, there are also a lot of low-hanging fruit for bipartisan election reforms. Spenser’s understanding of the voting rights landscape is deep and nuanced, so I’m thrilled that he decided to indulge my questioning.

    We also discuss Spenser’s forthcoming book with Mat Fraser, in which Mat finally spills the beans about his training, his injuries (that he didn’t want competitors to know about), and more. You can pre-order Hard Work Pays Off here.

    Learn more from Spenser here: Substack: spensermestel.substack.com Website: www.spensermestel.com Book: “Hard Work Pays Off” by Mat Fraser and Spenser Mestel Twitter: @SpenserMestel Instagram: @spensermestel

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [02:35] How has ranked choice voting gone in the New York mayoral primary? And, what’s the deal with the New York Board of Elections? [10:57] Did any of the theoretical benefits of ranked choice voting show up when it was tested in New York? [27:42] What is the “steelman” case for voting rights restrictions? What is the prevalence of voter fraud? [34:02] There is a history of political machines and electioneering. How concerned should we be with these kinds of manipulations? [39:32] What’s the deal with voter ID requirements? And gerrymandering? [52:50] Writing a book with 5 time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser — and the mental challenges of being an elite athlete [1:05:55] Learn more from Spenser and subscribe to Spenser’s Super Tuesday Links and Resources Mentioned: Ranked-choice voting 2021 Georgia runoff election Vote Tally Mistake Causes Confusion In New York City Mayoral Race | NPR First-past-the-post voting Voter Fraud Map: Election Fraud Database | The Heritage Foundation Machine Politics Study: voter ID laws don’t reduce voter fraud — or voter turnout | Vox Leaked Audio: Trump Adviser Says Republicans Rely on Voter Suppression | Business Insider Gerrymandering Mathew Fraser How I Conquered 'American Ninja Warrior' by Spenser Mestel | Rolling Stone
  • Dave Bland is one of the most creative drummers currently playing extreme music. While technical wherewithal with blindingly fast blast beats is always appreciated, the ability to adapt to the varied styles present on Full of Hell records as well as the more straightforward death metal of Jarhead Fertilizer requires much more perspicacity.

    I first met Dave over 10 years ago when he was a high school student who left to go on tour with Full of Hell without his parents’ permission. Since then, Full of Hell has grown into one of the best bands in extreme music, and Dave’s drumming has become unbelievably impressive.

    Dave’s death metal project Jarhead Fertilizer finally released their debut full length album this year on Closed Casket Activities after letting it marinate for several years.

    In this interview, Dave discusses his difficult upbringing as well as his late father’s run ins with the law — and how those experiences shaped him as well as proving inspiration for Jarhead’s music.

    Dave also discusses his best tips for smoking meats (he works as a chef while not touring) and whether he prefers small or big sunglasses.

    Learn more from Dave, Full of Hell, and Jarhead Fertilizer here: Bandcamp: Jarhead Fertilizer | Full of Hell Instagram: @davebland | @fullofhell | @jarhead_fertilizer

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

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    Show Notes: [02:10] Dave’s tips for smoking meats and wearing shades [10:54] The evolution of Jarhead Fertilizer [13:51] Dave’s late father’s wild life story — and how that comes out in Jarhead’s lyrical content. [26:00] Lessons learned from Dave’s upbringing [33:50] Meeting Spencer and joining Full of Hell as a child [41:40] Dave’s skills as a guitar player and how he writes Jarhead Fertilizer songs [46:00] Dave’s forthcoming solo record — and how he things about collaboration, improvisation, and writing songs with a focus on drums [56:20] Creating a cohesive vision from disparate influences [01:06:30] All of Dave’s upcoming releases — and starting a YouTube channel Links and Resources Mentioned: Like Rats Kung Fu Necktie Louisiana State Penitentiary Globe Gastro Theatre Bolt Thrower Britney Spears’s Python Do snakes have ears? Kool Keith Tony Williams Billy Cobham John Caution Machines with Magnets Seth Manchester The Body Daughters Lightning Bolt Kurt Ballou Developing Nations Recording Closed Casket Activities Sepultura “Inner Self” Eloy Casagrande Igor Cavalera
  • Humans have an intuitive sense for who is important and well-connected. We like knowing “movers and shakers,” and we regularly engage in complicated social machinations — conscious or otherwise — to position ourselves close to the seat of influence.

    But what about the formal study of the spread of information through human networks? Matthew O. Jackson is a professor of economics at Stanford, and his book “The Human Network” is a fantastic primer on the complex dynamics of human relationships. He’s also done fascinating work on the spread of microfinance in southern India with Arun Chandrasekhar and Nobel Laureates Abhijit Bahnerjee and Esther Duflo.

    In this podcast, we discuss the spread of microfinance in villages in rural India — as well as some unintended consequences that that came as a result of disrupting the social structures of these villages. And, as sometimes happens, we also had a brief detour to discuss Frank Herbert’s “Dune.”

    Learn more from Matthew here: Website: Stanford Homepage Books: The Human Network | Social and Economic Networks Twitter: @jacksonmmatt Coursera: Instructor Page

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    Show Notes: [02:08] “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” [05:56] The spread of microfinance in southern India provides a natural experiment for tracking the flow of information through social networks — and the consequences of altering the social graph in communities. [20:17] How did companies try to spread loans in India? What types of people best spread information about microfinance in their communities? [26:30] Information spread “decays” the further out in the network it gets. What causes this? [38:00] A quick detour into Dune and Lord of the Rings [42:26] The consequences of microfinance on the social networks in villages — and externalities on those who already have week social ties [55:40] Does disrupting the social networks of rural villages cause any positive externalities like less caste segregation? [01:00:17] Using “policy cocktails” to help counteract the unintended consequences of interventions. [01:10:00] How to learn more from Matthew, follow his research, and purchase his books. Links and Resources Mentioned: Eigenvector centrality Centrality Abhijit Banerjee Esther Duflo Arun Chandrasekhar Microfinance Dune Twitter’s main character Def Leppard Dune (1984 film) J.R.R. Tolkien Marxism and the theory of “Long Waves” Sericulture Robert D. Putnam Bowling Alone WEIRD Psychology
  • Yautja plays lurching, uncomfortable music, so it is fitting that their new album is called “The Lurch.” I first met Kayhan back in approximately 2010 when I was on tour with Weekend Nachos and we stayed at Kayhan’s place in Birmingham, Alabama. At the time, Kayhan was in a band called Legion (funny enough), and since then has gone on to play in several excellent hardcore and metal projects like Coliseum, Die Young, and — of course — Yautja.

    Yautja’s most recent record is fantastic, so I wanted to get Kayhan on the podcast to discuss how they write such weird but catchy songs. The conversation also took a detour into some of Kayhan’s wild experiences working at his family’s convenience store during a pandemic, so stick around for that as well.

    Learn more from Kayhan and Yautja here: Bandcamp: yautja.bandcamp.com Instagram: @yautjagram Facebook: @YautjaTN

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [01:29] The power of naming things “Legion” [06:50] Being viewed as an off-the-rails weirdo due to an interest in extreme music — and the differences between music, sci-fi, and fantasy fandoms [15:04] Getting into hardcore and punk, and the benefits of a mid-sized scene on creativity in Birmingham, Alabama [20:28] Straddling genre lines with Yautja and being the misfit band on most concert bills [29:17] The impacts of the country music industry on the Nashville underground music scene [35:07] Yautja’s songwriting process — and the importance of rhythm, variations, and other subtleties in their compositions [47:17] Yautja plays difficult and weird riffs, but is not really a “technical” band [57:55] Yautja’s plans as the US emerges from the pandemic [01:03:29] Kayhan’s comical and frustrating experiences working in his family’s convenience store during a pandemic [01:14:14] How to purchase “The Lurch” and support Yautja Links and Resources Mentioned: Weekend Nachos Legion Deicide “Legion” Integrity “Dawn of a new Apocalypse” Legion in popular culture Birmingham Legion FC The Home Despot Wish Machine Head “Burn My Eyes” Keep Staring I Might Do a Trick T-Shirt Doctor Who The Lord of the Rings Robert Jordan George R. R. Martin Darkman Virus (1999 film) In Defence Revocation Exhumed Rivers of Nihil Voivod “Dimension Hatröss” Morbid Angel “Formulas Fatal to the Flesh” Morbid Angel “Gateways to Annihilation” Hella Gnarwhal Mutilation Rites Alraune Steve Cloutier and Luc Lemay of Gorguts guitar lesson Gorguts “Obscura”
  • I’ve often spoken on the Legion Strength & Conditioning podcast about the desire for “simple solutions to complex problems.”

    I figured I’d reframe and refine that discussion for a solocast based upon the cynefin decision-making framework, Julia Galef’s great new book “The Scout Mindset,” and some marketing intuition from years of running a small business.

    Over years of creating content for a fitness audience, I’ve learned that the things that resonate with people are often not the things that are actually correct. Understanding the difference between a “complicated” environment and a “complex” environment has helped me clarify what’s going on here.

    People tend to listen to podcasts, read articles, and buy coaching products to solve problems that they know they have. Most people intuitively frame things as “complicated” problems — meaning that there is established expertise out in the world that, messy as it may be, can come up with a flow chart or system that will guarantee an outcome if followed correctly.

    Instead, most real-life things are complex — meaning that outcomes are only loosely coupled with the “correctness” of inputs, nonlinearities, emergent phenomena, and threshold effects dominate, and it’s really hard to extract signal from noise.

    So, if I were being more parsimonious in my statement, I could rephrase it as “people want complicated solutions to complex problems.” Here’s why the best way to market yourself as a coach is not the best way to actually coach.

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [00:13] Introduction to the cynefin framework — Obvious | Complicated | Complex | Chaotic [05:14] Moving from the realm of the complicated to the complex in real life environments like training, coaching, and business [11:40] The Scout Mindset — and the weakness of epistemic humility when marketing to people thinking in a “complicated” not a “complex” way [16:10] The prestige trap — and the desire to copy what successful people do under the misconception that there is a linear path to accomplish what they’ve accomplished (like people complaining that Mat Fraser’s new programming doesn’t show exactly what he did leading into his final CrossFit Games championship) Links and Resources Mentioned: Cynefin framework “A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making” from the Harvard Business Review Emergence Threshold Effects Insulin resistance Julia Galef “The Scout Mindset” by Julia Galef Philip E. Tetlock ‎Hybrid Unlimited: Ep.83 Putting a strength coach in your pocket ft Mat Fraser and Ian Kaplan Dr. Ian Kaplan Hayden Bowe
  • At some point in the last year or so, I started listening to the Epidemiology Counts podcast. I was thrilled to learn that the host, Bryan James, is a Chicago local at Rush University — and he’s a CrossFitter at Goose Island CrossFit. Bryan and I recently collaborated on an article for BarBend about controlling the spread of Covid in gym, as well: COVID In Gyms: What The Research Says About Mitigating Spread.

    In his day job, Bryan’s research focuses on the epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease, so I wanted to get his take on some common misconceptions about Alzheimer’s. Most of us have a family member who has been touched by Alzheimer’s or dementia, and my family is no different. Bryan’s work focuses on population-level analysis of some of the things that give us “buffering capacity” to delay the onset of dementia, as well as some of the hidden costs of Alzheimer’s and dementia that don’t always show up in our statistics.

    In Bryan’s role as a podcast host, he is also an expert communicator about nuanced epidemiological topics and public health. There’s a lot to talk about with the litany of public health communication catastrophes we’ve seen through the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the descent into epistemic nihilism playing out daily on our social media feeds. Bryan has been wrestling with some of these problems in his own work, so his insight here is invaluable.

    Learn more from Bryan here: Podcast: Epidemiology Counts | Episode 1: Why should I trust that new health study? Website: Rush Profile Twitter: @bryandjames | @rushalzheimers Selected Publications: Late-Life Social Activity and Cognitive Decline in Old Age | Contribution of Alzheimer disease to mortality in the United States

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [01:51] The difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia — and the role of cognitive reserve capacity in preventing dementia [13:36] How to determine causality in a multifactorial complex system — and the changes in “prevalence” and “incidence” of Alzheimer’s over time [24:50] What does epidemiology tell us about developing cognitive reserve capacity? [33:29] Bryan’s paper on the correlation between social activity and Alzheimer’s [41:47] Controlling for reverse causality and potential outside causes in epidemiological research [50:04] The challenges in public health communication and the flaws in the way epidemiology research is presented in the media. [01:03:24] Misinformation, publicly communicating nuanced topics, combatting epistemic nihilism, and restoring trust in institutions that have made public mistakes [01:10:10] The Epidemiology Counts podcast and properly weighting the information from observational studies Links and Resources Mentioned: Grandpa Simpson walking in and out Lewy body dementias TDP-43 Pathology, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia in Old Age Amyloid plaques Neurofibrillary tangle Cognitive reserve in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease Epidemiology, Prevalence and Incidence Image of Alzheimer’s Brain vs Normal Brain Reverse Causality U.S. POINTER Study Person, woman, man, camera, TV “Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV” Video MoCA Montreal – Cognitive Assessment Assessment of memory complaint in age-associated memory impairment: the MAC-Q Controlling for a variable Effect of purpose in life on the relation between Alzheimer disease pathologic changes on cognitive function in advanced age “SARS-CoV-2 and Potential Airborne Transmission” from the CDC “FAQs on Protecting Yourself from Aerosol Transmission” from Jose-Luis Jimenez “Still Alive” Astral Codex Ten Gell-Mann Amnesia Malleus Maleficarum Prior probability
  • James Pligge is back by popular demand. This time, we talk about some of the many misconceptions that people have about James and Harm’s Way — as well as James’s ill-fated attempt to make a protein shake with Coca-Cola.

    To be honest, talking about making a protein shake from Coca-Cola probably doesn’t do a lot to correct any of those popular misconceptions about James…

    Either way, this is a hilarious conversation. James explains why Harm’s Way is more influenced by The Jesus Lizard than by Madball and also ridicules contemporary powerlifting culture.

    Learn more from James and Harm's Way here: Website: www.harmsway13.com | Bandcamp Twitter: @harmsxway Facebook: @harmsxway Instagram: @harmsway13

    These interviews are also posted on YouTube with video. Check out my channel here.

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [01:19] The challenges of remote learning (and teaching) [10:25] James’s hatred of metalheads in high school [15:20] The tribalism of adjacent subcultures [22:20] James’s tough guy reputation [28:23] Misconceptions that people have about Harm’s Way — and the challenges of making your art legible to an audience that doesn’t share the same background [37:33] Powerlifting has become embarrassing [47:40] James’s Coca-Cola protein shake [52:15] Writing music in quarantine for the next Harm’s Way album [01:06:40] The artistic direction of new Harm’s Way material [01:16:45] How to follow Harm’s Way online. And the importance of Interpunk and No Idea Records mailorder on our development years. Links and Resources Mentioned: Zoombombing Dimmu Borgir Youth Of Today Throwdown Madball The Legendary Study That Embarrassed Wine Experts Across the Globe Terror Cannibal Corpse Ghostemane Godflesh Sepultura – Chaos AD The Jesus Lizard Suffocation “Liege of Inveracity” Suffocation “Funeral Inception” Larry Wheels James Harden Jay Cutler’s Coca-Cola Post-workout Shake Save Our Stages The Locust Saetia Circle Takes The Square Planes Mistaken for Stars Beneath the Wheel Five Fingers Half a Hand Interpunk.com No Idea Records Vitamin X Combatwoundedveteran
  • I feel like I say this about a lot of my friends that I have on the podcast, but John Caution is one of the weirdest and funniest people I know. I’m happy to talk to John endlessly about funny things that people we both know did 15 years ago, but, in this interview, we talk about the legacy of Weekend Nachos.

    We talk about the trolling instinct, the impulse to create — either in riff form or otherwise, and being in a band that defined the identity of a lot of angry but funny social misfits.

    I laughed pretty hard during this interview, and I laughed even harder while relistening to it. John’s instinct for saying hilarious things and pushing people’s buttons remains as strong as ever, even as a suburban father.

    John is currently working on a book detailing the history of Weekend Nachos, so wish him happy and painless writing on that endeavor.

    Learn more from John here: Bandcamp: Weekend Nachos | Sawblade | Ledge Twitter: @weakenednachos

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [01:03] Spontaneous experimental trolling — and how the trolling instinct helped create Weekend Nachos [13:57] How Weekend Nachos incorporated both anger and humor into their music [19:30] Creating a blend of different styles of music that sounds cohesive [23:58] Having a brain that is constantly full of riffs — and the social consequences thereof [35:20] John is a suburban dad now and will call the cops on any local punk shows. [44:17] Does John want his daughter to get into punk? And how extreme music helps people channel aggressive emotions. [50:20] John’s experiences with therapy, marriage counseling, and dealing with negative emotions as an adult with a family [01:05:10] The forthcoming book on the history of Weekend Nachos Links and Resources Mentioned: Born from Pain Pele Circle Takes the Square Orchid Portraits of Past Slayer “Altar Of Sacrifice” Slayer Demos Slayer “Disciple” Slayer “Jesus Saves” Trap Them Black Breath Bad Luck 13 Blood for Blood First Blood Hoodie Jacob Bannon Kid Dynamite
  • Speaking with Matt is like being blasted with a firehose of information. He is entwined in the worlds of politics, database engineering, and 3D printing, and he speaks in dense, reference-laden paragraphs. This is thrilling to me, since I love information. I also feel empathy for folks who have been subject to my own tendencies to speak in dense, reference-laden paragraphs, since it’s not always easy to keep up.

    While infrastructure isn’t exactly a sexy topic, we’ve seen a lot of institutional failings over the last few years, so I wanted to get Matt’s take on why we see so much bureaucratic rot and ineptitude — and what we can do about it.

    I also wanted to get his significantly more optimistic take on the future of small-scale manufacturing, since he is starting a new company with plans to democratize 3D printing. The costs and infrastructure required to make small runs of products in your own home are plummeting, and we will likely see a revolution in direct-to-consumer businesses because of it.

    Enjoy this conversation with the always fascinating, always reference-laden Matt Parlmer.

    Learn more from Matt here: Website: Substack | General Fabrication Twitter: @mattparlmer

    Enjoy this conversation with the always fascinating, always reference-laden Matt Parlmer.

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

    You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list.

    Show Notes: [01:45] Is it “time to build”? And, why have we seen so many institutional and infrastructural failures since the 1970s? [10:47] Matt’s take on the Texas power grid failure [19:24] The engineering parable of the construction of the London sewers [27:10] Why are we better at digital infrastructure than physical infrastructure? [34:34] Lessons from the iterative development practices of technical infrastructure that can be applied to physical infrastructure [41:54] Matt’s nuclear power pitch — and how the regulatory state has failed on nuclear [56:53] The coming transition from “needing a warehouse full of equipment” to “at home manufacturing” [01:06:45] What is changing that will cause massive cost reductions in small-scale manufacturing and electrochemical machining [01:16:17] General Fabrication, 3D printing farms, and the “direct from producer” business model [01:28:30] How to learn more from Matt and why you should really reach out to him about manufacturing and 3D printing Links and Resources Mentioned: 2021 Texas power crisis Nassim Taleb’s Black Swan Thanksgiving Turkey Isambard Kingdom Brunel “How London got its Victorian sewers” from OpenLearn Square–cube law Howard Hughes 2020 United States federal government data breach “MySpace admits losing 12 years’ worth of music uploads” from BBC News Version control Idaho National Laboratory Hydraulic empire “Loan program that funded Solyndra finds success in Tesla and many others” from The Mercury News Nuclear Regulatory Commission West Africa Squadron Mainframe computer Blackpill Electrochemical machining “How Switzerland Came to Dominate Watchmaking” from The New York Times “Neuromancer” by William Gibson Red Hat’s Business Model China Using Anal Swabs for COVID Testing
  • Andy is one of the most talented musicians I know. Some people think of musical talent as a preternatural gift for shredding through neoclassical riffs on guitar or ripping through Chopin concertos as a pre-teen. In Andy’s case, this talent manifests itself as incredible taste and intuition for songwriting and audio production. When you hear a song written by Andy — whether it’s the, uh, powerviolence of Weekend Nachos or the alt rock throwback of Sourmouth — you know it’s an Andy song.

    Fortunately, Andy gets to share his gift with others not just with his own music but through his work as a producer and audio engineer at Bricktop Recording.

    I didn’t expect to make ill-founded quantum mechanics analogies with Andy in this conversation about songwriting, but that’s what happened.

    Learn more from Andy here: Website: Bricktop Recording Instagram: @bricktoprecording | @andyheybro Twitter: @andyheybro Bandcamp/Spotify: Like Rats | Weekend Nachos | Belonger | Sourmouth | 2*Sweet Selected Production: Never Ending Game | 156/Silence | Bather | Kharma | Lurk

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    Show Notes: [01:27] How Andy writes an album’s worth of songs every few months — across different genres [11:46] The difference between “idea generation” and “idea editing” in songwriting [23:19] How does Andy facilitate creativity in the studio while still keeping sessions on track? [31:13] The difference between “producing” and “engineering” [40:27] The value of a skilled editor in any creative endeavor. And, why it’s easier to edit other people’s work than your own. [48:45] How to avoid getting too precious with your own creative ideas. [54:29] Getting spacey with some theoretical physics analogies to songwriting [01:07:54] How to learn more from Andy Links and Resources Mentioned: Daniel Higgs Killing Joke Killing Joke “What’s THIS For…!” Preston Weippert (Of Feather and Bone | Volunteer Coroner) Interview Wristmeetrazor Isaac Hale Polyptych Guitar Pro Lurk Mike Watts Oasis) Attractor Wave function collapse Morrissey Robert Smith Jaz Coleman Jeff Tweedy Noel Gallagher Double-slit experiment Spelling Bee – The New York Times
  • Jeff edits many of these podcasts…and now it is time for him to speak!

    Jeff is a prolific musician and artist — creating in a variety of genres and formats. His works appear as stand-alone albums, as complements to performance art, and on pirate radio stations.

    I’ve long been a fan of Jeff’s music, and, in 2020, he released two of my favorite albums of his: Ditch and Scale with Zeena Parkins.

    I wanted to talk to Jeff about the differences between creating for “the art world” vs creating as a musician, as well as the role of improvisation in his process. Jeff also has some wild and hilarious stories about the variety of things that can go wrong when making art.

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    Show Notes: [01:59] Did Jeff inspire the Nathan For You sketch about smoke detectors? [18:40] How does creation differ between “making sound art: and “making music”? How does composition change when complimenting a performance vs “making an album”? [37:50] The crossover between punk, skate culture, and high art — and Jeff’s background in BMX [45:24] Jeff’s record with Zeena Parkins — and the role of improvisation in music and dance. [01:07:47] Jeff’s radio project Radius — and using radio as an “art form” [01:14:27] How the live performance of “Ditch” resulted in Jeff at the New York City police department at 6am [01:24:00] Check out Jeff’s Bandcamp and listen to Radius Links and Resources Mentioned: Nathan Fielder Nathan For You “Nathan’s Band” Nathan Fielder Trolls Austin Police Department with Fake Thank-You Cards “Smoke Detector” by Jeff Kolar Circuit bending Creation is Crucifixion “Gameboy AKA This is Where Technology and Anarchy Fuck” Chiptune Jennifer Monson Zeena Parkins Björk Ben Frost Dark (TV series) Chernobyl Chernobyl Soundtrack BMX Tabletop The High Line Brian Eno Five Finger Death Punch Pantera Obituary Watain “You Coulda Called Him Al” from the Miami New Times
  • Of Feather and Bone put out one of the best records of 2020 with Sulfuric Disintegration, so I was really excited to speak with drummer Preston Weippert.

    Like Rats played with Of Feather and Bone in Baltimore a few years back, and I was very impressed with them. Since then, they’ve released two albums and dropped any pretense of being anything other than a death metal band.

    Fascinatingly, they compose most of their music through improvisation and jamming, which is not typical for most death metal bands. Of course, I wanted to get into the weeds with Preston and really understand their creative process, and how they hold their output to such a high standard while creating music through improvisation. Hint: they’re willing to scrap an entire album’s worth of material if they think it isn’t up to snuff.

    Learn more from Preston here: Bandcamp: Of Feather and Bone | Volunteer Coroner | Trust Collective Instagram: @v_coroner | @offeatherandbone

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    Show Notes: [01:54] Is it cheating to do a two foot blast? [04:30] Of Feather and Bone writes their songs by jamming together—which is somewhat unusual for a death metal band. How much is pure improvisation? [12:29] Of Feather and Bone’s most recent record “Sulfuric Disintegration” is a rewrite of an entire album that was scrapped. [19:37] Many bands start strong and get worse over time, but Of Feather and Bone has had the opposite trajectory. And, the interplay between hardcore, death metal, and other extreme genres. [29:10] More on improvisational composition and developing the skill of improvising. [39:28] Denver has an excellent scene for extreme music. Where did this come from? How are bands handling Covid? [48:28] Preston’s electronic project Volunteer Coroner—and learning to appreciate ambient and noise music [01:00:49] Learn more from Of Feather and Bone, Volunteer Coroner, and Trust Collective Links and Resources Mentioned: Morbid Angel Immolation Incantation Celtic Frost A389 Anniversary Bash His Hero Is Gone Tragedy Urko Battalion of Saints Discharge Dead Congregation Drum Cam Funeral doom Primitive Man Ethan Lee McCarthy (Primitive Man | Many Blessings) Interview Spectral Voice Suffering Hour Profound Lore Records Blood Incantation Casket Huffer Vermin Womb Mayhem “Silvester Anfang” I said that the Mayhem intro was composed by Morton Subotnick but it was actually Conrad Schnitzler Skin Crime Dada Posh Isolation Vanity Productions Total Black Prurient Outsider Art
  • Like many, I am deeply concerned with the impact social media has had on our brains, our attention, and our society. I have a slightly different take on what the root of the problem is, though. While those worried about distraction, polarization, algorithms, and censorship all have a right to be concerned, I think the real issue is deeper and more fundamental. By creating a hyperconnected network for information flow, we seem to have kicked off a negative ratchet that leans on several compounding forces to fundamentally change the identities of those who carelessly venture onto the modern internet.

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

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    Show Notes: [00:10] I might as well pile on with everyone else criticizing social media companies. [08:55] How the internet erodes trust in institutions and kicks off a negative ratchet of polarization, outrage, and epistemic nihilism [14:21] Is the criticism of social media an unjustified moral panic? Most other new communications technologies were criticized widely at the time. [20:31] Why I think “filter bubbles” are overrated—and why viewing alternate realities through the lens of identity and music fandom may be more helpful [30:44] The internet creates an environment that evolves apex predator memes mimetic concepts [38:31] Almost everyone recognizes that there’s a problem with social media. Not everyone agrees on what the problem is or what to do about it. Where should we go from here? Links and Resources Mentioned The Social Dilemma Tristan Harris Your Undivided Attention Podcast Albert Kao, PhD (Santa Fe Institute) on the Wisdom of Crowds and Hyperconnected Networks “Why Bankers Need to Be Put Into Little Boxes” from the Harvard Business Review Inside Job “The Revolt of The Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium” by Martin Gurri “A ratchet with leverage” by Seth Godin European wars of religion John R. Brinkley Nuts! “Bowling Alone” by Robert Putnam Joshua Becker, PhD on Polarization, Collective Intelligence & Social Tipping Points How did you get in to metal? Who was your “gateway band”? Renée DiResta K-pop Dreamcatcher “Good Night” Mr. Bungle “Travolta” Chiodos “The Undertaker’s Thirst For Revenge Is Unquenchable…” Attack Attack! “Stick Stickly” Falling In Reverse “Bad Girls Club”
  • This episode with James from Harm's Way is one of the most consistently downloaded episodes of the podcast, so figured this would be a good time to revisit it.

    If you haven't seen the Harm's Way Running Man memes that offered a much needed moment of levity this summer, then spend some time giggling right here.

    And, the original show that sparked the memes from hate5six's YouTube channel is absolutely fantastic as well. Check that out here.

    New shows will return in January 2021.

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

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  • This conversation is a repost from the From Coach to Business podcast that I did with my friend Brandon last year.

    With the recent announcement that San Francisco CrossFit is closing their doors, I wanted to revisit this conversation since there were several key takeaways on operational excellence.

    In the best of times, running a functional fitness gym in a major urban environment is already a grueling, low-margin business.

    When a global pandemic devastates the entire fitness industry while simultaneously causing huge swaths of the population to vacate major urban environments like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, welll...that's 2020 for ya.

    While San Francisco CrossFit rests in peace, the Starretts are still going strong with The Ready State so be sure to check them out there.

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

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  • This is a holiday repost, which pairs very nicely with the recent episode with Cedric Chin discussing tacit knowledge, expert intuition, and deliberate practice. If you enjoyed that episode, you will hopefully also find Scott Young's work fascinating—since he distills research-based best practices in learning and skill acquisition into highly actionable strategies and tactics.

    Here's the original episode post:

    I’ve long been a Scott Young fan from my early days of reading blogs (miss you, Google Reader), so I was thrilled to get the chance to interview him about his new book Ultralearning.

    As a relentless consumer of information and a sometimes autodidact, I’ve found Scott’s blog to be very insightful in terms of approaching new projects and learning skills like coaching and coding without going through a formal educational process.

    With the current ubiquity of information – including entire college curriculums, endless video interviews with world-class experts, and entire industries of online courses – we should be able to learn just about anything we want.

    However, as anyone who has either attempted to learn a new skill or, God forbid, teach someone else a skill has experienced, learning is really, really hard.

    How can we actually transfer what we learn from theoretical lectures and books to real-life application? How can we practice skills in a way that makes us better at the skill itself – not just at random drills?

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

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    Check out more from Scott here: Website: www.scotthyoung.com Book: Ultralearning Show Notes: [1:50] Scott seems to understand that learning is most successful in an environment of doing and not in one of reading, lecture attendance, and video watching. However, he’s published a book about learning – so what exactly is its purpose and why did he choose to write it? [4:21] There’s a lot more to learning than simply practicing, as certain skills seem to involve endless amounts of practice while others have more apparent, speedy transfer. Learning becomes more difficult when the type of practice performed deviates from how the skill is used in a real-life setting. Scott gives some examples of when these transfer problems arise and how transfer problems can arise even in learning about theoretical ideas. [8:46] Directness and actual application are significant in order to learn all skills, but the order in which they’re performed matters. A learning strategy is likely transferring effectively when exposure to a skill is direct prior to performing any sort of drill and, once drills are introduced, it becomes important to return back to those situations of direct exposure regularly. [13:01] Skills can be built up individually while lacking functionality outside of largely abstract situations, meaning that drills must be specific and relative to real performance of the skill. Feedback on those drills (and, generally, on performance of the skill being learned) shows to be a nonessential piece of the learning process. [20:12] We can get knowledge into our heads, but accessing a learned skill isn’t done by pulling out a ‘saved’ memory from the brain and feedback is self-generated through realization of what is not able to be recalled – that aspect of retrieval is vital to performance of any skill, making the sophistication of recall more effective than repeated exposure. [24:38] Studies may not be representative of all populations since skills vary so greatly in context – amount of acquired knowledge and ease of retrieval positively correlate, and sample sizes tend to be small. Giving learners opportunities to apply what they’ve learned can be a step toward bridging the gap in education where people review and ‘understand’ concepts but cannot seem to make any real change behaviorally. [25:54] Experience is one of the many reasons experts perform better than novices at almost any skill – an expert’s experience in a particular skill allows them to chunk things together and to see prior patterns, obvious mistakes, and recognition of solutions to problems more readily than a novice, who likely attempts to piece together a multitude of individual parts of a larger concept. [33:13] Learning a skill in order to solve problems rather than to simply know the information and to have it ‘stored’ can improve one’s ability to transfer. Autonomy is a necessity though: being able to apply a skill that you don’t really want to use is unlikely, no matter what super effective strategies or level of established intelligence or personality traits are present. Anyone can learn almost anything if they want to. [43:04] Many people have negative experiences with learning and associate learning struggles with failure. Once you know how to put together a puzzle, it isn’t a puzzle anymore, but confidence and persistent engagement are keys to keep trying at that puzzle. [53:10] Knowledge decay isn’t as serious as many believe because large ideas are retained – making a habit of performing physics problems or speaking in a particular language can help in maintaining those learned skills, but even more abstractly reminding yourself of formulas that exist can be helpful. [57:38] Attitudes surrounding learning are the difference between either merely knowing about many concepts and drowning in self-doubt or having the confidence to succeed in complicated areas of work such as ultra learning. Can we make it prestigious to be a motivated self-educating person? [1:04.35] Being able to copy someone else’s behavior or learn how someone else performs well at a particular skill by being able to watch and communicate with them about the subject can enhance and expedite the learning process. However, it’s possible that this is true in skills with more clearly defined ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs.’ [1:14.10] How to get Scott’s book if you want it. And you probably want it. And you probably also want to check out some more Scott content. So here’s how to get all of that. Links and Resources Mentioned Duolingo “Learning With Retrieval-Based Concept Mapping” by Janell Blunt and Jeffrey Karpicke Many-worlds interpretation (Quantum Mechanics) Copenhagen interpretation (Quantum Mechanics) “The Classical Theory of Fields: Volume 2” by L D Landau and E.M. Lifshitz “The Secret of Our Success” by Joseph Henrich Speedrunning Roger Bannister “The Roger Bannister Effect: The Myth of the Psychological Breakthrough” from The Science of Running
  • Certain clusters of nerds on the internet can find it very frustrating when successful people say a lot of incorrect stuff ("Just focus on your passion and be yourself!") about how they found success in their field.

    To be clear, I am such a nerd.

    Cedric Chin has researched and written extensively about the academic literature on skill acquisition and expertise—and has made these concepts extremely practical for knowledge workers looking to improve their career skills at his Commonplace blog.

    Through Cedric's writing, we can build a better model of how experts build their models, which should help us develop our own skills, especially in areas of complexity and uncertainty like management, building a business, or growing an audience.

    If you are interested in developing practical expertise, check this episode out and follow Cedric's work for more great info.

    Learn more from Cedric here: Website: www.commoncog.com | Commonplace Blog Twitter: @ejames_c Selected Articles & Series: The Tacit Knowledge Series The Chinese Businessman Paradox A Framework for Putting Mental Models to Practice

    If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show.

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    Show Notes: [01:55] A disagreement on tacit knowledge vs deliberate practice—and establishing some definitions [14:00] Why “purposeful practice” is useful to almost everyone—and why “deliberate practice” has a much more narrow application [22:10] The necessary conditions for expertise—and why most of the skills that people want in their lives aren’t easy to research [25:50] “Tacit knowledge” is knowledge that can’t easily be put into words. Experts aren’t very good at explaining what they’re doing, but naturalistic decision-making researchers are able to extract what’s actually going on. [32:27] How athletes make quick decisions—with examples from judo, racquet sports, and Cristiano Ronaldo [40:48] Experts are able to prioritize the most important things in complex environments and are able to easily recognize different “prototypes”—plus a practical management example [49:51] How should someone create an environment that helps people learn and recognize prototypes? [56:25] Having an accurate model of the world doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be more successful [01:06:10] Sometimes having an inaccurate model of the world is beneficial and makes people more successful in marketing and in sport [01:19:50] How to develop the skill of trial and error [01:25:00] How to learn more from Cedric Links and Resources Mentioned “The Making of an Expert” by K. Anders Ericcson “Deliberate Practice and Proposed Limits on the Effects of Practice on the Acquisition of Expert Performance: Why the Original Definition Matters and Recommendations for Future Research” by K. Anders Ericcson and Kyle W. Harwell “Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise” by K. Anders Ericcson Manager Tools Todd Nief’s Show: Sarah Sentes (Manager Tools) on managing in industries that resist management Naturalistic decision-making “The Two Settings of Kind and Wicked Learning Environments” by Robin Hogarth and Tomás Lejarraga “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized world” by David Epstein “Superior self-paced memorization of digits in spite of a normal digit span: The structure of a memorist’s skill.” by Yi Hu and K. Anders Ericcson The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance “The relationship between expertise and visual search strategy in a racquet sport” by Bruce Abernethy and David G. Russell “Conditions for Intuitive Expertise: A Failure to Disagree” by Gary Klein and Daniel Kahneman Recognition primed decision “Developing cognitive task analysis and the importance of socio-cognitive competence/insight for professional practice” by Julie Gore and Adrian P. Banks “Friendly casualty outcomes: choice of counter Improvised Explosive Device tactics matters on the asymmetric battlefield” by Larry D Baca and Michael D Proctor Cristiano Ronaldo scores in complete darkness Jimmy Pedro “Sources of Power” by Gary Klein “The Power of Intuition: How to Use Your Gut Feelings to Make Better Decisions at Work” by Gary Klein “A New Model of Scheduling in Manufacturing: Tasks, Roles, and Monitoring” by Sarah Jackson and John R. Wilson Explicit and tacit rationality Expected utility hypothesis Bayesian inference Lean startup “Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction” by Philip Tetlock “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It” by Chris Voss “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman “Psychobiology of Fatigue During Endurance Exercise” by Samuele Marcora Predictive coding “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport
  • Leonard Suryajaya creates lush, harrowing, and hilarious images in his photography, and I was fortunate enough to be a part of his process for his recent work with The New York Times.

    While I initially wanted to talk to Leonard about his creative process, I couldn’t help but indulge and take a detour into the history of Indonesia.

    Leonard’s story of immigrating from a repressive culture in Indonesia to a theater department in California is fascinating, as are his insights about American and Indonesian society.

    He also has an enlightening perspective on how people can use fitness to “punish themselves,” and his own learning about being gentler on himself in training.

    If you haven’t seen Leonard’s photographs, please spend some time on his website at www.leonardsuryajaya.com.

    Learn more from Leonard here: Website: www.leonardsuryajaya.com Instagram: @leonardsuryajaya The New York Times: “The Comforts of Clutter”

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    Show Notes: [01:22] How God initially disapproved of and then finally approved of Leonard’s name [08:47] The history of conflict in Indonesia—and how it impacted Leonard’s ethnically Chinese family [13:26] Leonard’s drive to leave Indonesia, and what surprised him about moving to America. [25:59] How the repression of the Indonesian government created tension in Leonard’s family [41:09] Getting your family to do absurd things in the name of creating art [49:47] How Leonard incorporates humor and confrontation in his photos [01:00:30] How does one improve at photography? What skills are necessary? [01:04:44] How did Leonard create his photographs for his recent New York Times piece? [01:14:10] What are the challenges of being into both art and fitness [01:20:19] Learning not to always push through and punish yourself in the gym [01:35:54] How to learn more from Leonard and check out his photos Links and Resources Mentioned Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66 Chinese Indonesians The Act of Killing The Look of Silence List of islands of Indonesia Dutch East Indies What is ISO? (And Why ISO Matters in Photography!) Bulldog Rubber Mat Scrubber