Derek Sivers
Book
Hell Yeah or No: What's Worth Doing
Derek Sivers
About the book
A collection of thoughts around re-defining yourself, changing focus, and saying yes to less
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Joe Rohde
Book
Floating Mountains: The Art of Imagining the Impossible
Joe Rohde
About the book
From the mind of Disney Legend and experience architect Joe Rohde comes a powerful memoir that explores the art of creativity—where it comes from, how it's expressed, and how to foster it in the real world. Disney legend and former Imagineer Joe Rohde delves into the mysteries of creativity in this memoir that follows him from childhood to life after Disney, dissecting the turning points in life that inspired his own creativity and unravelling what makes for a creative mind.
From GoodreadsJohn Scalzi
Book
Monsters of Ohio
John Scalzi
About the book
A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Pick! "This isn't the Ohio of my youth. Monsters and horror in every small town! This book made me laugh--and shudder. Wonderful chilling fun!" – R.L. Stine, author Goosebumps and Fear Street Monsters of Ohio is a heartfelt exploration of a tentacular solution to the struggles of the modern world from the New York Times bestselling author of Starter Villain
From AmazonRecently Finished
Dennis E. Taylor
Book
The Infinite Extent (Bobiverse, #6)
Dennis E. Taylor
About the book
Audible listeners agree! The “Bobiverse” series is “smart, funny and addictive,” “a love story to science fiction” and “my favorite series ever.” BOBIVERSE TO-DO · Determine who built a vast wormhole network–and why · Investigate mysterious, derelict alien spaceship · Crack faster-than-light travel · Help tens of thousands of refugees find a new planet
From GoodreadsDaniel James Brown
Book
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Daniel James Brown
About the book
For readers of Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit and Unbroken , the dramatic story of the American rowing team that stunned the world at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.
From GoodreadsJ.N. Chaney
Book
An Ancient Light (Backyard Starship Book 34)
J.N. Chaney
About the book
Van Tudor faces a sinister enigma. Powerful people across known space are revealed as simulacra—beings with no DNA. Faced with this growing threat, the crew of the Fafnir seeks answers, launching a dangerous mission into deepest space. Guided by hard-won evidence, Van and crew will probe the remains of an ancient culture who sought power and control across the entire galaxy. Until now, Van counted on powerful allies like the Schegith, the Wut'zur and the Surtsi—but his decades of statecraft will meet the ultimate test as he battles an enemy from the depths of time.
From GoodreadsPeter Clines
Book
God’s Junk Drawer
Peter Clines
About the book
God’s Junk Drawer is a mind-bending tale of mystery and adventure set at the dawn of time. Welcome to the Valley … Forty years ago, the Gather family—James, his daughter Beau, and his son Billy—vanished during a whitewater rafting trip and were presumed dead. Five years later, Billy reappeared on the far side of the world, telling an impossible tale of a primordial valley populated by dinosaurs, aliens, Neanderthals, and androids. Little Billy became the punchline of so very many jokes, until he finally faded from the public eye.
From GoodreadsRandall Munroe
Book
What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Randall Munroe
About the book
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of What If? and How To answers more of the weirdest questions you never thought to ask The millions of people around the world who read and loved What If? still have questions, and those questions are getting stranger. Thank goodness xkcd creator Randall Munroe is here to help. Planning to ride a fire pole from the Moon back to Earth? The hardest part is sticking the landing. Hoping to cool the atmosphere by opening everyone's freezer door at the same time? Maybe it's time for a brief introduction to thermodynamics. Want to know what would happen if you rode a helicopter blade, built a billion-story building, made a lava lamp out of lava, or jumped on a geyser as it erupted? Okay, if you insist.
From GoodreadsStephen Fry
Book
Odyssey: The Greek Myths Reimagined
Stephen Fry
About the book
The legendary Stephen Fry retells the adventures of Odysseus for the fourth and final installment in the internationally bestselling Mythos series. Odysseus’s journey from the battlefields of Troy to his home in Ithaca is one of the greatest stories ever told. From the lotus-eaters to the sirens, from Circe to the Cyclops, this is a tale of thrilling adventures, cunning escapes, and enduring devotion. Stephen Fry breathes new life into the ancient poem with humor and pathos. Illustrated throughout with classical art inspired by the myths, this gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world with a brilliant storyteller as your guide.
From GoodreadsJ.N. Chaney
Book
Escape Velocity (Backyard Starship Book 33)
J.N. Chaney
About the book
In the crush of defeat, Van faces his end—and the end of the Fist of Orion. But the GKU has overplayed their hand. Arrogant, vicious, and cruel, their massed attack pushes Van to a place he swore to avoid. Violence. Vengeance. And a policy of scorched earth that will burn down networks built upon power and greed. Alongside his stalwart family and crew, the Fafnir and her fleet are unleashed in a campaign that will bring centuries of arrogance crashing to a bitter end.
From GoodreadsMatt Dinniman
Book
A Parade of Horribles (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #8)
Matt Dinniman
About the book
It’s off to the races in the explosive eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. As chaos and mass panic spread outside the dungeon in the wake of Faction Wars, Carl and Donut find themselves on the tenth floor, where they’re forced to compete in a surprisingly normal set of tasks. Well, normal for the dungeon. Races. Get from point A to point B, and don’t come in last. After each race, they pick an upgrade for their vehicle and the track gets more challenging. It all seems a little too normal, a little too simple.
From GoodreadsM.R. Leonard
Book
Pilgrims
M.R. Leonard
About the book
Latin was a dead language—until the aliens arrived. Out-of-work Latin teacher and borderline alcoholic Austin DeSantis is determined to spend his final days in the arms of a prostitute—that is if the aliens don’t exterminate humanity first. But when the aliens land at the Vatican, begin speaking Latin, and reveal themselves to be Catholic, the world turns upside down.
From GoodreadsMatt Dinniman
Book
Operation Bounce House
Matt Dinniman
About the book
A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl . All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. As a fan of Earth television and culture, he figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.
From GoodreadsMartha Wells
Book
Platform Decay (The Murderbot Diaries, #8)
Martha Wells
About the book
Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells' bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series. Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good. Having volunteered to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realises that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know.
From GoodreadsAndy Weir
Book
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir
About the book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Now a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with a screenplay by Drew Goddard A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—from the author of The Martian.
From GoodreadsJ.N. Chaney
Book
The Darkest Star (Backyard Starship Book 32)
J.N. Chaney
About the book
Reeling from loss, Van learns two lessons all over again. Life goes on. And your enemies never rest. As the conflict between old allies heats up, Van is forced to decide which way the Fist of Orion will go—toward a lasting peace that he can gift to his children, or a conflict he doesn't want to establish order and justice once and for all. When the GKU moves to seize territories in known space, the die is cast, and the Fafnir, now a vicious class 16, will be on the frontlines for a fight where no one is really sure who's a friend, who's an enemy—and who holds the cards that will determine the future.
From GoodreadsNathan Lowell
Book
The Wizard's Cat (The Wizard's Butler, #2)
Nathan Lowell
About the book
It started with a dandelion. Innocuous. Ubiquitous. Who knew it was a warning? After claiming his big bonus, things are coming up roses for Roger Mulligan. A job he loves. A house that feels like home. Money in the bank. A solid roof over his head and job security. But when he finds a dandelion on the pristine grounds of Shackleford House, he starts down a twisted, garden path. Old man Shackleford says the fairies have a problem, the pixies keep falling down on the job, and the house seems to grow weaker by the day.
From GoodreadsNathan Lowell
Book
The Wizard's Butler (The Wizard's Butler #1)
Nathan Lowell
About the book
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here . "He thinks he's a wizard," they said. For five grand a month and a million dollar chaser, Roger Mulligan didn't care how crazy the old geezer was. All he had to do was keep Joseph Perry Shackleford alive and keep him from squandering the estate for a year. They didn't tell him about the pixies.
From GoodreadsAndy Weir
Book
Randomize (Forward Collection, #6)
Andy Weir
About the book
In the near future, if Vegas games are ingeniously scam-proof, then the heists have to be too, in this imaginative and whip-smart story by the New York Times bestselling author of The Martian . An IT whiz at the Babylon Casino is enlisted to upgrade security for the game of keno and its random-number generator. The new quantum computer system is foolproof. But someone on the inside is no fool. For once the odds may not favor the house—unless human ingenuity isn’t entirely a thing of the past.
From GoodreadsEdward Ashton
Book
Mickey7 (Mickey7, #1)
Edward Ashton
About the book
After several deaths punctuating a series of all-too-brief life spans, a clone reassesses his purpose—and his humanity—in Edward Ashton's Mickey7 . EXPENDABLE \ik'spen-d'-b'l\ n. A human clone utilized for dangerous work on space exploration missions. An Expendable's personality and memories may be transferred intact to a new body if and when the current host dies.
From GoodreadsJohn Cleese
Book
Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide
John Cleese
About the book
The legendary comedian, actor, and writer of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda fame shares his key ideas about that it’s a learnable, improvable skill. “Many people have written about creativity, but although they were very, very clever, they weren't actually creative. I like to think I'm writing about it from the inside.”—John Cleese
From GoodreadsJ.N. Chaney
Book
Battle Born (Backyard Starship Book 31)
J.N. Chaney
About the book
As Earth reaches back out to the stars, there are new ships. And new sheriffs. Riding a wave of exploration and profit, earth governments jockey for position in the new wild west—but there's danger. For every ship that leaves earth orbit, twenty arrive, and some have ill intent. Then, things get interesting. The Six Stars League is coming apart at the seams, and their actions require justice. When Van and the Fist intervene, they aren't alone—the GKU is there to lend a hand, and they arrive in new, lethal ships totally unknown to the Fist.
From GoodreadsListening
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Daily Tech News Show
Why I like it
I listen to DTNS almost every day. Tom Merritt and his team are excellent at identifying the news of the day that will have the most impact on our everyday lives AND summarize it in a way that you can understand.
I've been so happy with the show, that I financially support it on Patreon.
About the show
Tom Merritt and the team help you stay up to date with an independent, authoritative and trustworthy tech news briefing.
Podcast
Cordkillers
About the show
Watch what you want, where you want, when you want on whatever device you please. Take control of your TV, Movies and more.
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World's Greatest Con
Why I like it
This show hooked me from episode 1. Each episode tells a captivating story about outrageous (and successful) cons throughout history. Whether its Operation Mincemeat (where British Intelligence used a dead body to convince the Nazi's that they were going to invade the Baltic instead of Sicily) or how Walt Disney bought the land for Walt Disney World, every episode explores the history of the con and explains why it was successful. Definitely work a listen.
Like Daily Tech News Show, I like this show so much that I support it financially on Pateron.
About the show
Brian Brushwood (Scam School, Modern Rogue, Scam Nation) brings you the hidden stories behind the most audacious con jobs, swindles and heists in history. Email the show at Worlds Greatest Con at Gmail dot comSupport us directly at Patreon dot com slash Greatest Con
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A science guy from the deep south (Destin) and a humanities guy from the wild west (Matt Whitman) discuss deep questions with varying levels of maturity.
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Good Hang with Amy Poehler
About the show
Come hang with Amy Poehler. Each week on her podcast, she'll welcome celebrities and fun people to her studio. They'll share stories about their careers, mutual friends, shared enthusiasms, and most importantly, what's been making them laugh. This podcast is not about trying to make you better or giving advice. Amy just wants to have a good time.
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We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, and hilarious fiascos. They'll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. New episodes every Friday.
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Learn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users since 2009, one conversation at a time. Hosted by David Sparks and Stephen Robles.
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About the show
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk through their successes and failures along the way. Hosted by David Sparks and Mike Schmitz.
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Discover practical, tactical ways to become more productive using artificial intelligence with Chris Bailey and David Sparks. Hosted by David Sparks and Chris Bailey.
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The official channel for the show about everything: four dorks discuss the most amazing facts they’ve learned over the last seven days. The multi award-winning, globe-travelling, 600-million-download phenomenon. Hosted by Dan Schreiber, James Harkin, Andrew Hunter Murray and Anna Ptaszynski.
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Radiolab
About the show
Radiolab is on a curiosity bender. We ask deep questions and use investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you through science, legal history, and into the home of someone halfway across the world. The show is known for innovative sound design, smashing information into music. It is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser.
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Revisionist History
About the show
Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance. To get early access to ad-free episodes and extra content, subscribe to Pushkin+ in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
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WHAT WENT WRONG
About the show
What Went Wrong covers Hollywood’s most notoriously disastrous movie productions, digging into the behind-the-scenes insanity of everything from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters. In each episode, hosts Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer dive into a new film to explore the mind-blowing (and sometimes numbing) reasons why making a movie is nearly impossible (especially a good one). Produced by David Boman. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or Patreon for monthly bonus episodes!
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Board Perspectives, from global consulting firm Protiviti, explores numerous challenges and areas of interest for boards of directors around the world. From environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters to fulfilling the board’s vital risk oversight mandate, Board Perspectives provides practical insights and guidance for new and experienced board members alike. Episodes feature informative discussions with leaders and experts from Protiviti and other highly regarded organizations. Find more of Protiviti’s thought leadership for board members at www.protiviti.com/board.
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About the show
Protiviti, a global consulting firm, presents Powerful Insights. This podcast features leaders and subject-matter experts from around the world offering insights on key issues facing organizations in our dynamic, challenging and competitive global business climate.
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VISION by Protiviti
About the show
Follow the VISION by Protiviti podcast, where we put megatrends under the microscope and look into the future to examine the strategic implications of those transformational shifts that will impact the C-suite and executive board rooms worldwide. In this ongoing series, we invite some of today’s most innovative and insightful thinkers—from both inside and outside Protiviti—to share their vision of the future and explore how today’s big ideas will impact business over the next decade and beyond. Visit www.vision.protiviti.com to learn more about how Protiviti is helping organizations get future ready. For questions or additional information, contact Joe Kornik: [email protected] .
TV Shows
Right Now
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The West Wing
About the show
The West Wing is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior personnel are located, during the fictional two-term Democratic administration of President Josiah Bartlet.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SAFeatured
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Parks and Recreation
About the show
Parks and Recreation is an American political satire mockumentary television sitcom created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The series aired on NBC from April 9, 2009, to February 24, 2015, for 125 episodes, over seven seasons. A special reunion episode aired on April 30, 2020. The series stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a perky mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. The ensemble and supporting cast features Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins, Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford, Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson, Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate, Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz, Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger, Jim O'Heir as Garry "Jerry" Gergich, Retta as Donna Meagle, and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SAWaiting For
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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is an American science fiction television series created by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet for the streaming service Paramount+. It is the 11th Star Trek series and debuted in 2022 as part of Kurtzman's expanded Star Trek Universe. A spin-off from the series Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024), it follows Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the starship Enterprise in the 23rd century during the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA
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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is an American television series created by Gaia Violo for the streaming service Paramount+. It is the 12th Star Trek series and part of executive producer Alex Kurtzman's expanded Star Trek Universe. Set in the 32nd century, the far-future time period that was introduced in the later seasons of the series Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024), Starfleet Academy follows the first new class of Starfleet cadets in over a century as they come of age and train to be officers.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA
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Shrinking
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Shrinking is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein. The series stars Segel as a grieving therapist who decides to become drastically more involved in his patients' lives. Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, Luke Tennie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley also star.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA
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Pluribus
About the show
Pluribus is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction television series created by Vince Gilligan for Apple TV. Set and filmed primarily in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows novelist Carol Sturka, who finds herself isolated after an alien virus transforms the rest of humanity into a peaceful and content hive mind, which nevertheless seeks to assimilate her and other immune individuals.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SAMovies
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Raiders of the Lost Ark
About the movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. Set in 1936, the film stars Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, a globetrotting archaeologist vying with Nazi German forces to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant which is said to make an army invincible. Teaming up with his tough former romantic interest Marion Ravenwood, Jones races to stop a rival archaeologist, René Belloq, from guiding the Nazis to the Ark and its power.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA
Movie
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
About the movie
The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas. The sequel to Star Wars (1977), it is the second film in the Star Wars film series and the fifth chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". Set three years after the events of Star Wars, the film recounts the battle between the malevolent Galactic Empire, led by the Emperor, and the Rebel Alliance, led by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. As the Empire goes on the offensive, Luke trains to master the Force so he can confront the Emperor's powerful disciple, Darth Vader. The ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SALooking Forward to
Movie
Star Wars: Starfighter
About the movie
Star Wars: Starfighter is an upcoming American space opera film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Jonathan Tropper. Produced by Lucasfilm and 21 Laps Entertainment, and set to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is intended to be an installment in the Star Wars franchise and set five years after the events of the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). The film stars Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SARecently Finished
Movie
Dogma
About the movie
Dogma is a 1999 American fantasy comedy film written, co-edited, and directed by Kevin Smith. The film stars Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Alan Rickman, and Chris Rock. It is the fourth film in the View Askewniverse.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA