Bad At Magic

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Show Notes

• Josh and Ben discuss corporate technology ecosystems, Josh’s new [not a] webcomic “Becca and Sophie”, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and the unsettling possibility that AI is turning humanity into cows. POLITICS WARNING: they get into a heated debate about the future of American democracy the week before the midterm election. Finally, Josh and Ben recount their adventures in reluctant leadership associated with kids activities.
• Intro & Follow-up (0-24:20)
  • Evermore: The Theme Park That Wasn’t – Jenny Nicholson
  • 2News Exclusive: Brandon Sanderson talks about plans for Evermore Property
  • Portal: Still Alive (song by Jonathan Coulton)
• Josh’s new passion project!: Becca and Sophie (.com)
  • Why ChatGPT Can’t Draw a Full Glass of Wine
• Josh’s Shower Thoughts (24:20-37:40)
  • Reverse Tinkerbell Effect
  • PHP2Shell vulnerability
• What I’m Reading (37:40-1:13:37)
  • Ben: How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time by Sarah Longwell
    • The Bulwark
    • “Will you disavow the muslim brotherhood?”
    • Ranked Choice Voting, Explained
  • Josh: 
    • The Fires of December by Brandon Sanderson
    • He Who Fights With Monsters by Shirtaloon
• Being a Band Parent (1:13:37-end)
  • Hilarious kids sports parent sketches by @Mark_Bland
    • By the decades
    • You can walk
    • Filet mignon 
  • Fantasia – The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Part 1)
  • GTA VI Economic Productivity Projections
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• Josh enlists ChatGPT as a board-game referee, Ben sits around wondering if Weezer is famous enough to make him wait this long, we finally finish our love-language deep dives (with a scoring system for hugs), and discuss Martha Wells’s All Systems Red (aka “Murderbot Diaries” #1).
• Intro & Follow-up (0-24:05)
• Bad at Love (24:05-43:48)
  • The Five Love Languages
    • The Bad at Magic deep dives on the topic:
      • Acts of Service – 134 (@1:01:32)
      • Words of Affirmation – 142 (@33:38)
      • Quality Time – 159 (@21:59)
      • Receiving Gifts – 174 (@54:49)
      • Physical touch – 187 (you’re listening to it!)
  • Mr. Bean clip: no hug, handshake
  • Where we like to be touched (and where we don’t)
  • Love language infographics on Facebook
    • Subtypes
    • Touch Score
• Josh’s Shower Thoughts (43:48-55:15)
  • The Bad at Magic™ Word Cloud
• The Weezer concert & Board Game Survivor (55:15-1:07:06)
• What I’m Reading (1:07:06-end)
  • All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells
  • Murderbot — Official Trailer | Apple TV
  • Star Trek: TNG – Trial of Data
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• Josh falls headfirst into the ChatGPT rabbit hole, Ben rages against bureaucracy (again), and the guys ask whether the latest predictions that AI will kill us all within a decade is actually different than all of the other times we’ve been told the world is about to end (i.e. nuclear war, the population bomb, Y2K, the ozone hole, pandemics, terrorism, et al).
• Intro & Follow-up (0-24:59)
  • Link to Becca and Sophie… Coming Soon… 
• Josh’s Shower Thoughts (24:59-40:47)
  • Michigan Marijuana Lawsuit
  • Utah Lego Controversy
  • Adolescents using NPR podcast comments section as a chat room
• Ben vs Bureaucracy (40:47-58:19)
• What I’m Reading (58:19-1:05:50)
  • Josh: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
  • Ben: movie: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
• The Apocalypse Will be Different This Time (1:05:50-end)
  • The only true victim of the Y2K apocalypse
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• Ben and Josh mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, argue about unfinished stories, discover the limits of corporate conflict-of-interest rules, and rage against bureaucracy (again). Also the guys finally discuss automated license plate readers (ALPRs), AI-enabled surveillance, and the uncomfortable question of what responsibility comes with the power of knowing too much about people’s movements in public.
• Intro & Follow-up (0-29:02)
  • World Conflict Map (live tracker)
  • “That’s terrorists bro.” (9/11 video)
• Bad at Storytelling (29:02-40:48)
  • Bad Endings vs Good Endings
  • Ain’t Going Down (til the sun comes up) 
  • Finding Forrester (2000)
  • That Thing You Do! (1996)
• Bad at Maps & What I’m Reading (40:48-1:23:13)
  • Josh: Catgirls From Outer Space by Edie Skye & Jacob Holo
    • “This better not awaken anything in me.”
  • Ben: The Time Tax by Annie Lowrey
    • The Ezra Klein Show: The Time Tax
    • Braddock Begs for Money (Cinderella Man, 2005) 
    • …then later returns his benefits to the welfare office
    • “blanket party” for justice when due process fails
• Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) (1:23:13-end)
  • Flock cameras used to investigate a legal abortion
  • AI could kill all humans in next decade, warn experts: but how seriously should we take them?
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

Josh rails against the creeping subscription-ification of everything from printers to cars, while Ben revisits a painful Air Force move that left his family trapped between two bureaucracies. Ben also reckons with his old assumptions after reading Michelle Obama’s Becoming, before we revisit The Lego Movie and discover that its absurdly quotable toy-commercial exterior is hiding a surprisingly thoughtful story about creativity, conformity, and parenting.

• Intro & Follow-up (0-34:48)
  • Pentagon 9/11 Memorial
  • The Nose Fingers Trick
  • John Oliver on “Subscriptions”
• Bad at Tech (34:48-49:46)
  • Apple TV+ shows Josh recommends:
    • Ted Lasso
    • Greyhound
    • Murderbot
  • Disney+ show Ben recommends:
    • Wonder Man
  • Paramount+ show to watch???:
    • Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender 
• Ben vs Bureaucracy (49:46-1:17:32)
  • Ben’s Law (in the United Kingdom)
• What I’m Reading (1:17:32-1:35:44)
  • Josh:
    • The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes
    • Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
  • Ben:
    • Becoming by Michelle Obama
      • An Open Letter to Michelle Obama (1:27:37-1:30:17)
• Feature (1:35:44-end)
  • The Lego Movie – Official Trailer
  • Bump the lightbulb
  • Sexy Bionicles
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• We start Season 8 with a bang: Ben nearly burns down his house with a new HVAC system and Josh accidentally drinks eight Mai Tais by the pool. We also talk about self-driving Teslas getting wrecked, spoil Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and disagree on the goodness of The Hobbit as it comes to Magic: The Gathering. 
• Intro & Follow-up (0-18:28)
• Bad at Drinking & Car Buying (18:28-43:49)
• Spoilers for Spider-Man (43:49-1:14:55)
  • Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer
• Bad at Dogs & What I’m Reading (1:14:55-1:34:44)
  • Josh – A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
    • The Egg – A Short Story by Andy Weir (Kurzgesagt animation)
  • Ben – Becoming by Michelle Obama
• Board Game Survivor (1:34:44-end)
  • Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit
  • “I hate this. It is revolting!”
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• The hosts talk AI data center water consumption, July 2026 at the movies (including Spider-Man and The Odyssey), Ben celebrates his parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, Josh’s Hardcore WoW character bites the dust, and the guys talk about why we do the things we do. 
• Intro & Follow-up (0-50:15)
  • Practical Engineering: Dam
  • AI and the Enshittification Era w/ Cory Doctorow | The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
  • @vancityreynolds and maximumeffort (Denimpool at San Diego Comic Con 2026)
  • This is Wrexham on FX/Disney+
  • John Green on Wrexham AFC
• At the Movies (50:15-1:02:49)
  • The Odyssey
  • Spider-Man Brand New Day [NO SPOILERS]
• Bad at Technology (1:02:49-1:08:23)
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
• Celebrating 50 Years of Marriage and other life events (1:08:23-1:37:17)
• What I’m reading right now (1:37:17-1:42:27)
  • Josh: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman
  • Ben: The New Menopause: Navigating your path through hormonal change with purpose, power, and facts by Mary Claire Haver, M.D.
• Why we do stuff (1:42:27-end)
  • Why do YOU do stuff???
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• Ben and Josh talk dogs, swearing, World Cup Soccer, Arena Football, Doritos, Menopause, Star Trek Magic Cards, and last, but definitely not least: How AI is transforming our world today–3.5 years after their first brush with ChatGPT v1.0. 
• Intro & Follow-up (0-6:41)
  • UN Resolution 181
• Bad at Sports & Mortgages (6:41-30:22)
  • England vs. France World Cup Highlights (2-min version)
    • 25-min version
  • Arizona Rattlers
  • American Underdog – $100 Touchdown clip
• Bad at Business & What I’m Reading (30:22-50:22)
  • Why no one buys Doritos anymore (Michael Girdley)
  • Josh: The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman
    • The Dog Tags Scene from Saving Private Ryan 
  • Ben: The New Menopause: Navigating your path through hormonal change with purpose, power, and facts by Mary Claire Haver, M.D.
    • The 2002 Womens’ Health Initiative (WHI) Study that Shaped 2 decades of Menopause Care
• Board Game Survivor (50:22-55:25)
  • The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
  • Link to Infographic
• Main Segment: Is AI reshaping our world? (55:25-end)
  • Episode 89 – ChatGPT was WRONG
  • Stanford Study (published 12 May 2026): “Invisible Failures in Human-AI Interactions” by Christopher Potts and Moritz Sudhof
  • Hank Green on the Jevons Paradox
  • Repurposing Jet Engines for Data Centers
  • Nevada cutting off California town’s energy supply to supply data centers
  • US DoE Nuclear Supply Chain Loans
  • Waymo drives through police standoff
  • Worth more than all the farmland in Australia (sketch)
  • If Google Was A Guy (Full Series)
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

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Show Notes

• We revisit the joys of the 2026 World Cup, Europe has a lot less air conditioning than the United States, Josh is bad at vacationing across 3 states, Ben talks about why Ukraine is now blanketed in thin plastic wires, and in the first Bad at English in a LONG time: Ben teaches about eggcorns. 
• Intro & Follow-up (0-34:19)
  • The Overlooked Reason Europe Doesn’t Have AC by Thomas Chatterton Williams in The Atlantic
  • Two identical movies, 15 years apart 
• Bad at Vacationing (34:19-1:38:28)
  • DOG LOVER WARNING (@1:29:25-1:38:28)
    • I need to calm down. Everything’s fine. I’m an adult. 
• Bad at Warfare (1:38:28-1:43:47)
  • Plastic Optical Fiber in Ukraine
• Bad at English & What I’m Reading (1:43:47-end)
  • What is an Eggcorn?
  • What I’m Reading:
    • Josh: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
    • Ben: The New Menopause: Navigating your path through hormonal change with purpose, power, and facts by Mary Claire Haver, M.D.
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Show Notes

• Summary
  • Colin Jost is made the unofficial mascot of the podcast, Josh has to activate the warranty on his month-old earbuds, Ben goes to see the Dungeons and Dragons movie but with the soundtrack played by a full orchestra, the guys sound off on the World cup coming back to North America for the first time since 1994, they examine the phenomenon of “critic-proof” movies, and finally they are decidedly, definitively Bad at Parenting. 
• Intro & Follow-up (0-9:34)
  • The Ultimate Showdown (of Ultimate Destiny)
  • Badger (badger badger badger badger)
  • Smoothed Brown Noise 8-Hours
• Bad at Tech (9:34-17:19)
  • Raycon Fitness Earbuds
• Bad at Dating (17:19-27:21)
  • Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – In Concert
• Bad at Soccer (27:21-44:41)
  • Norway fans rowing chant
  • The Scots drank all the beer in Boston
• Critic-Proof Movies (44:41-53:33)
  • Fans dancing and singing at ‘Michael’ screenings
• What I’m Reading & Board Game Survivor (53:33-1:15:57)
  • Josh: Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
  • Ben: The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware
    • BBC clip: An Inspector Calls (2015)
  • Magic: the Gathering, Universes Beyond: Marvel Superheroes
• Bad at Parenting (1:15:57-end)
• Join in the discussion on:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadAtMagicPodcast
  • Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/badatmagic/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@badatmagic/podcasts
• Check out our website(s):
  • http://www.badatmagic.live
  • Our YouTube Channel
• Support us on: 
  • Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/badatmagic/
• Credits:
  • Bad at Magic Logos by Jonica Rich
  • Transition music by Jarus Rich
  • Outro music from Cascading by Ammon Rich