Roderick on the Line: Ep. 134: "A Minimum of Eels"
December 18, 2014 5:35 AM - Subscribe

The Problem: The Emperor went to Pepperdine.

John and Merlan are all over the map, covering: Skype as a social network; out of date operating systems; podcast quality; phone upgrades; getting more AT&T in your life; a lesson from Modern Communication 101; giving your life over to apps and recurring payments, and how that can lead to death by 1000 paper cuts; apps as remoras on sharks (which John called eels); how many eels are on you (and are they slowing you down?); the rise of the Macklemore Haircut and its role as a cultural demarcation; cable TV show theme song and incidental music; Netflix vs Hulu; punishment advertising (another eel); About John's Mac; John is allergic to Christmas Trees; The String-Savers problem & curating garbage; Hoarder Levels; the cluttered mind house.
posted by jazon (11 comments total)
 
I recently learned the Macklemore Haircut has a name: The Undercut.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:13 AM on December 18, 2014


I'm pretty sure the undercut ist just that part on the side. I remember people having an undercut under long hair back in the 90s.
posted by dominik at 9:18 AM on December 18, 2014


I think you are right in that the part of a haircut where part of the head is shaved and other parts are left long is called an undercut (I actually had one in the 90's for a brief time). But I think if you are talking about a hairstyle called "The Undercut" you are talking about Macklemore hair. But like I said, I just learned this recently, so I may be wrong.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:34 AM on December 18, 2014


Yeah, "Undercut" feels more nineties, and how I used to shave the sides and back of my head below my shoulder-length hair (don't ask). I hear people calling the Macklemore a "high and tight" most often in hip Portland barbershops, because no one wants to say the original name for it, the "Hitler Youth" cut.

This was a great show, and although a couple times a year I try and purge every monthly payment (eels is a perfect metaphor) I'm not using, I am kind of glad I don't use a financial tracking app like Merlin that could tell me straight away that I am spending $X on monthly eels from various companies, because I think the number would shock and disappoint me.

They mention me early on, making a joke about my house having Internet of Things products attached to it, which actually did happen to me and I joked about it on Twitter. A week after that tweet, my phone did lock up and die while I was out and I was locked out of my house until someone could let me in hours later.
posted by mathowie at 10:00 AM on December 18, 2014 [3 favorites]




I totally forgot they mentioned you, Matt. I try to note the conversation's twists and turns, but I was also trying to mail a package during that part and didn't get it written down.

I used to use the day after Thanksgiving to go through and unsubscribe from mailing lists, etc, as another way to purge "eels". I missed this year, I should go do that during my down time next week.
posted by jazon at 10:38 AM on December 18, 2014


This guy is what I picture as "the Macklemore / 2014 hipster" look.
posted by jazon at 10:43 AM on December 18, 2014


Eels.
posted by Grangousier at 1:22 PM on December 18, 2014


Remoras are not eels. They used modified dorsal fins to attach to their hosts. The relationship is commensal, not parasitic. That is, the remora benefits from the relationship and the shark, whale or turtle does not seem to be significantly affected. However there is a species of eel that has been know to worm its way into the chambers of a shark heart and may be feeding off their blood. Details and pictures here.
posted by cephalopodcast at 4:30 PM on January 1, 2015


I really wish cephalopodcast's remora correction began with "So..." if only because that's what was happening in my head as I was listening.
posted by Jako at 3:29 PM on January 3, 2015 [1 favorite]


Also, I am totally a full-Macklemore lumbersexual. AMA.
posted by Jako at 3:31 PM on January 3, 2015


« Older Podcast: Serial: Episode 12: W...   |  Movie: White Christmas... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments