SnoutCast #97: Neuroplasticity

This is not our best podcast.


[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]

00:59 - "brainy"
01:17 - "For a Healthy Brain in Old Age, Start Early" (NPR, January 4, 2007)
03:20 - "Stay Mentally Active" (Alzheimer's Association, 2011)
05:14 - "Nine Stubborn Brain Myths That Just Won’t Die, Debunked by Science" (Lifehacker, December 12, 2011)
08:57 - in which DeeAnn goes for walks to not step on salamanders
12:00 - Curtis attempts to define "real" and/or "meaningful"
14:22 - let's talk about engagement
16:00 - in which DeeAnn's nieces and nephews only like "fun" games
18:52 - let's talk about complexity
23:11 - IN CONCLUSION
26:47 - we love listener mail!
28:29 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Re: Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton

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Happy Boxing Day!

And here's all the news from Apartment de Snout, where the women use PCs, the men use both PCs and Macs, and the cats run Linux in Beowulf clusters.


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Christmaaaaaas!!

Honestly, I'm surprised someone didn't do this sooner:

(Source: Kevin David Anderson)

Hope you're all enjoying your winter holiday(s), whichever one(s) you may celebrate! DeeAnn and I will be doing our traditional Christmas Day movie marathon, this year with our friends Karin and Bryan. More on that later.

Friday Flash Fiction: "Meet Suit"

This week's piece is a first-draft excerpt from a longer story which began with "Unanswered Questions."

The current draft of Lirrina's speech in that story is much shorter, because she's only a minor character. I might use a version of this spiel somewhere else, though. Because I'm probably going to write another police procedural at some point. Maybe.

And yes, the title is a pun on "meet cute." Sue me.

Read "Meet Suit" at 512 Words or Fewer

SnoutCast #96: By the Numbers

Math is hard. Let's solve puzzles?


[ Download mp3 - 27 MB ]

00:59 - "statistically significant"
01:40 - compiled for Doctor When: Curtis' personal puzzlehunting history
08:56 - other statistics: regarding this very podcast!
14:48 - five minutes of disclaimers later, a top ten list
22:16 - and the #1 downloaded episode for the last 11 months...probably!
25:42 - (insert "99%" joke here)
28:31 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Chiron Beta Prime" by Jonathan Coulton

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Friday Flash Fiction: "Interview Prep"

More from this year's NaNoWriMo draft, because my capacity for laziness is great. And no, this conversation is not as autobiographical as you might imagine.

Read "Interview Prep" at 512 Words or Fewer

SnoutCast #95: Gamer Profiles - JESSICA & JEFF WALLACE, SharkBait/Briny Deep

Joining us this week from Seattle, Washington: Jessica and Jeff Wallace talk about how they've built their family around Gaming. Literally!


[ Download mp3 - 23 MB ]

00:59 - "kindred"
01:39 - Jessica says, "I am a Puzzle Geek."
03:31 - when Jeff met Jessica (at Microsoft)
06:12 - have puzzlehunts ever conflicted with your family life?
08:20 - Briny Deep vs. Sharkbait
09:47 - day jobs vs. GC
15:13 - the offspring
19:54 - (DeeAnn always has to tell her Halo story)
22:45 - PuzzleHuntCalendar.com and the secret puzzle cabal
24:25 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "You Ruined Everything" by Jonathan Coulton

[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]

   

Friday Flash Fiction: "Police Duality"

It occurred to me this week that I haven't yet exercised my laziness and excerpted any part of my NaNoWriMo output from this year as a 512. So, here you go! (This bit is not particularly skiffy, but rest assured, the novel itself is quite genre-tastic.)

Read "Police Duality" at 512 Words or Fewer

SnoutCast #94: Gamer Profile - CHRIS HARRIS, The Gipper

Kids, if anybody knows the solution to the How I Met Your Mother puzzle, it's probably Chris Harris.


[ Download mp3 - 26 MB ]

00:59 - "comedic"
01:43 - who were The Gipperian Advillains?
05:32 - their adorable application video for WHO Game
06:57 - how Chris stumbled into the world of puzzle hunts
11:04 - do your TV-writer day job skills overlap with The Game?
16:28 - getting the "Big Boss" involved with the WHO Game
23:10 - what is the least you can do, really?
25:06 - plug-o-rama: HIMYM; what's next?
28:06 - The End

Got a comment or question? E-mail podcast@snout.org or post at snout.org/podcast!

Music: instrumentals from "Code Monkey" and "Tom Cruise Crazy" by Jonathan Coulton

[ Subscribe to SnoutCast / iTunes link ]

  

Friday Flash Fiction: "Parents Just Don't Understand"

Yes, I am, in fact, writing my own goddamn fanfic. Because who the hell else is going to do it?

Also note that I would totally have used this picture for the illustration, if it had been properly CC-licensed. (I think the original image is featured here, but I don't speak Portuguese well enough to follow the trail back to its creator and ask permission. Oh well.)

Read "Parents Just Don't Understand" at 512 Words or Fewer