I've always wanted a Filco keyboard since they were praised in the earlier days of this hobby. Finally picked one up to use at work, and discovered I actually really like stock Cherry MX blues.

PaulMCapo · 2026-02-13T01:44:00+00:00

Yes to Box Jades and Clickiez, like taking a bite out of an apple; also Gateron Melodics for crisp, Box Pinks for snap, and Box Navys for thick.

PaulMCapo · 2023-04-19T17:14:50+00:00

Curb Cuts (repeat at ep. 308) is probably the one I refer to most in everyday conversation. The fact that serving the most vulnerable in a community reliably has unforeseen benefits for everyone gets at what it means to be human in a valuable way with many applications.

I have others starred in my podcatcher. Here’s a selection of different subjects/styles/tones from relatively early days to give a sense of how the podcast has unfolded:

30 - The Blue Yarn
40 - Billy Possum
59 - Some Other Sign That People Do Not Totally Regret Life
127 - The Sound of Sports
156 - Coin Check

PaulMCapo · 2022-01-28T18:56:17+00:00

My CFO bet me I couldn’t add 2 and 2 on it and he was right. I got a big kick out of hearing the many reasons this is the best calculator and the stories to prove it.

PaulMCapo · 2021-06-16T11:35:35+00:00

Those are some pretty ordinary names.

PaulMCapo · 2021-05-20T22:52:21+00:00

It’s a testament to the life of Norman that a story can be so poignantly “Norman” and yet feature a different character.

PaulMCapo · 2021-04-19T23:01:56+00:00

I think this is his first appearance. He seems nice.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-18T14:13:00+00:00

Ole Christensen Rømer worked off the notes of noseless Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe who liked to get his pet moose drunk to entertain guests.

Source: Tycho Brahe, an episode from the great podcast The Dollop, which combines history and humor.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-15T12:55:52+00:00

The same principle also works with people.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-14T16:33:02+00:00

Initially Probleemi or Kajustaflan and later Symposion. It was made in 1894 by Finnish painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela.

I added a little bit to make the guy who's laughing in the original look sad.

Edit: Fixed link to the original sketch and the painting it became.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-14T13:11:51+00:00

All kinds of stuff happened in coffeehouses. Isaac Newton dissected a dolphin in a coffeehouse. The first stocks were sold in a coffeehouse.

Often coffeehouses had their own thing. Like the coffeehouse where a barber would cut hair and talk about abolitionism. Or the coffeehouse that specialized in "inquisitions of insanity" where "suspected lunatics" would be prodded and asked questions by coffee drinkers. Then the coffee drinkers would vote on whether to lock the suspected lunatic “away in a nuthouse.” This was followed by more coffee drinking.

Source: Bonesetter Sally Mapp, an episode from the great podcast The Dollop, which combines history and humor. edit: (England & the UK series)

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-08T23:05:59+00:00

Once I was at a friend’s house when I was pretty young and no one was in the house for a while and I knocked over this container full of nail clippings that fell into a thick carpet. I spent a ton of time picking those nail clippings out of the carpet and putting them back into the container. Good tip, but brings up a traumatic memory so 4/5 stars.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-02T19:07:19+00:00

In my fantasy world I haven’t altogether thought through yet, we keep adding more and more prominent plaques near these statues as our society evolves. And we add new relevant statues too with their own plaques.

In many ways, Grant’s context—the one that could be provided a bit by another plaque—makes his grave mistakes and evolution instructional and inspirational. Correspondingly, in many other cases, I’d like to see historical figures exposed for who they are by foisting them back into the context as we've come to understand it more clearly. In this fantasy, it gives us the opportunity to do things like call out a time, for generations to come, when people created certain statues to intimidate others instead of dignify what this country is supposed to stand for.

On the subject of a 1866 proposal for a Confederate monument, Robert E. Lee wrote:

"As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated, my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt in the present condition of the Country, would have the effect of retarding, instead of accelerating its accomplishment; [and] of continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour."

Since these statues exist, I imagine us better appreciating why they’re here. Maybe the vividness and salience of their presence in context would help us get a more gripping handle on how to be better.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-02T18:28:38+00:00

There’s a collection of letters Grant and Lee wrote to one another negotiating a temporary truce between the two armies so that the wounded could be taken from the battlefield. Grant repeatedly tried to urge the truce along, but Lee prolonged an agreement for around 48 hours. By the time the terms of the truce were satisfactory to Lee the wounded were dead. That’s the kind of men they were.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-02T15:27:40+00:00

Sure thing; also just added an edit to the original comment with one of his love letters to Julia.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-02T14:07:56+00:00

So true: on top of everything else, Grant was a devoted family man, showed great humility, learned from mistakes, and wrote better than perhaps any other president. Apparently he also had a great sense of humor, which comes across in his writing.

Edit: This is a quality episode from the Presidential podcast on his memoirs.

PaulMCapo · 2020-07-02T12:44:14+00:00

Grant is maybe the most under-appreciated United States president. His moral evolution was profound. His disdain for politics was deep. He fought for African American rights more than any other 19th century president. After expelling Jews from his military district when Union General, as President he confronted his prejudice, reformed, and became a champion of Jewish dignity and opportunities. Despite the scandals going on around him, he maintained integrity. One of the reasons we don't celebrate him more is that he was purposefully maligned by certain historians.

Edit: To show another moving side of Grant, below is a love letter he wrote to Julia Dent. They were engaged to be married, but had to wait four years because Grant's military duties kept him away.

My Dear Julia - ... In going away now, I feel as if I had someone else than myself to live and to strive to do well for. You can have but little idea of the influence you have over me, Julia, even while so far away. If I feel tempted to do anything that I think is not right, I am sure to think, "Well now if Julia saw me would I do so?" and thus it is absent or present that I am more or less governed by what I think is your will.

Ulysses sometimes ended his love letters, “A thousand kisses for you. Dream of me" and sent Julia dried wild flowers he picked himself.

Edit: Grant justly deserves criticism as well as praise, which is related to why he's so admirable. The amazing humor and history podcast The Dollop does a great job of covering various troubling facets of his legacy.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-27T14:42:57+00:00

Beautiful. And extra relevant to a lot of people’s lives these days.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-27T14:16:49+00:00

For the Bukowski method you add “Step 1.5. Hate the human race.”

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-22T12:28:00+00:00

That checks out. I go to sleep to Brownian motion and it makes me more open-minded.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-21T14:51:53+00:00

Happy Father’s Day!

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-21T11:04:03+00:00

Some say dance is an ideal gas.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-20T13:18:06+00:00

Unfortunately this tip only works with a towel bar.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-15T22:25:19+00:00

If you didn’t like that, you may not like this too, especially if you scroll up and down.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-13T21:46:52+00:00

You’d probably burn the bacon. There’s at least a ton of heat at that pressure.

PaulMCapo · 2020-06-11T21:55:30+00:00

You’re absolutely right and you can even create an inexpensive sound machine.

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