[jump to video]

Long story (not very) short? One night in 2003--after killing it in front of audience of about 30 lucky people in Oakland--The Long Winters needed a place to crash, and my wife and I were happy to oblige. 

So, they drove their Big Stinky Blue Van over the bridge, slept on our floor, and by breakfast the next morning, it'd become clear to me that I'd provided lodging to a man who was not only very likely a member of my karass--he was also one of the smartest bullshit artists I'd ever met. 

Almost eight years later, although I don't see him nearly as much as I'd like, I still count the guy as one of my best pals ever.

That's John Roderick. And, I think you need to know about him.

John doesn't read this site--he's more of a Twitter person--so I don't risk feeding his astounding excess of dignity by saying he's one of the most gifted writers and bon vivants of our generation. He's just the best. In large part because he's congenitally incapable of suffering bullshit.

This was never more apparent than the Saturday morning in 2007 when we sat in my back yard and talked about a lot of stuff. Playing guitar, advertising on the web, the evil work of promoters, and why everyone is always trying to shortchange everyone on copper pipe. 

That talking became a four-part interview I ran on the late and occasionally lamented The Merlin Show, and, to this day, it's one of my favorite things I've been lucky enough to post to the web.

So, y'know how I'm definitely "not for everyone?" Well, John is really "not for everyone."

He's opinionated and arrogant and undiplomatic and unironically loves Judas Priest--meaning everyone will find at least one thing not to like about him. Despite being hairy and enjoying laying on your bed, John is not exactly a teddy bear. 

But, John's also right a lot. And, he never sands off the edges of his personality or opinions to make you theoretically "like" him. Which, it will come as no surprise to you, is a big reason I love the guy more than a free prime rib dinner. 

So, why the jizzfest about that awful jerk, John Roderick?

Because, as I noted the other day on the Twitter, in our first episode of Back to Work I misattributed a line that should have been credited to John. Which in itself is unimportant, except inasmuch as finding that link to correct the error got me watching our 50-some minutes of chatting again. I also received some at-responses and emails that reminded me how much people enjoyed our chat. 

But, really it made me realize how much that rambling morning in my back yard still resonates so much with stuff I care a lot about. Independence. Agency. Directness. And, never apologizing for wanting to get paid. Also, guitars and talkative hippies.

So, anyway. John. 

I edited all four parts of the video into one big (streamable/downloadable) movie that should make it way easier to watch at a sitting. Should that interest you. Which it may not. Which, as ever, is totally fine, and kind of the point.

But. If you like Dan and my new show (and, seriously—God bless you magnificent bastards who helped briefly make B2W the most popular podcast in the world [gulp]), I think you'll really like this interview a lot too. I hope so, anyway.

Thus, submitted for your disapproval, permit me to present my four-year-old visit with the acerbic, opinionated, and reportedly unlikeable bullshit artist whom I respect and adore more than just about anybody. 

Meet Hotrod.

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Have you heard of Locorotondo, Italy? Locorotondo is one of Southern Italy’s most beautiful villages, in my opinion, but it isn’t yet overwhelmed with tourist crowds. A true hidden gem, Locorotondo is just a 12-minute drive from busy Alberobello in the Puglia region, but feels like a world away. Planning your trip to Locorotondo last […]

The post Visiting Locorotondo, Italy – A Guide to the Trulli Town appeared first on Adventurous Kate.

There are so many fantastic things to do in Siena, Italy. This small city in Tuscany is an excellent day trip from Florence, showcasing the beauty of urban Italy, with far fewer tourists than in Florence. Many tourists visit Siena on a day trip from nearby Florence — and it’s even better when paired with […]

The post 16 Cool Things to Do in Siena, Italy appeared first on Adventurous Kate.

Winter is my favorite time of year and I always look forward to local festivals and events featuring colorful holiday displays. Last week I got to check out a new event here in the Bay Area, WinterFest at California’s Great America. On November 25, the Silicon Valley theme park was transformed into a winter wonderland […]

The article A Winter Wonderland in Silicon Valley originated at EverInTransit.com

Get a taste of Japan — without leaving San Francisco! I’m excited to see my latest post is up on Thrillist. Some of my favorite Japan-inspired things to do and ways to experience Japanese history, art, and culture here in the Bay Area. Check it out: How to Experience Japan in San Francisco

The article EIT Elsewhere | How to Experience Japan in San Francisco originated at EverInTransit.com

Touch down in Vancouver and it was raining. Listening to friends from the Pacific Northwest talk, I always kind of suspected that they were lying when they complained about how grey it was and how much it rains. I’d been to the region four or five times, at across all time of the year and always […]

The article A Perfect Day in Vancouver (Finally!) originated at EverInTransit.com

A quick note to point you toward this piece I wrote for P&G’s Signal publication. Since its inception, I’ve been co-editor of the monthly outlet, which covers innovation in large enterprise. This month I went in search of proof that the hype around generative AI – fueled in large part by both Google and Microsoft … Continue reading "Can GenAI Change Big Companies?"

Websites are Blocking the Wrong AI Scrapers (Because AI Companies Keep Making New Ones) – 404 Media *** I had a call the other day with the Dean of a top-five school of public health, and in between furiously scribbling notes (yes, I still take notes), it struck me that here in the United States … Continue reading "Consume First, Deal with the Shit Later"

Five years ago I was posting a lot to a publication called NewCo Shift, which is now offline. I got ahold of the archives, and found this review, which hasn’t lost any of its relevance – in fact, it kind of reads like it was written last week.  Everyone in tech loves Yuval Noah Harari. … Continue reading "From the Archive: Tech Must Get Over Its Superman Complex, Or We’re All Screwed"

Mark Fisher was co-founder of the Rhode Island chapter of BLM. He voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Does he have buyers remorse? Yeah, you could say so. His viral video is causing a stir... but there's more to that story.

The post Former BLM Chapter Co-Founder Switches To Trump In ’24 … What Changed His Mind? appeared first on Clash Daily.

There is a reason Joe Rogan became the world's largest podcaster. He doesn't take his audience -- or his guests -- for granted. He wants MEANINGFUL conversations.

The post Joe Rogan Officially Backs A Candidate… Could Be The Biggest Endorsement Yet appeared first on Clash Daily.

For anyone thinking that 'social justice' is less about 'justice' and more about being a delivery system for a poisoned ideology, the story of Dr Hassan Diab, is the proverbial 'Exhibit A'.

The post Convicted Jihadi Terrorist Hired As Social Justice Prof In Western University appeared first on Clash Daily.

It's all over but the crying for a campaign that was supposed to be characterized by 'joy'. There will be no concession speech tonight. At little before 1 am, Kamala is running like a scared rabbit.

The post Cowardly Kamala Pulls A Hillary — Refuses To Concede As Trump Paints The Country Red appeared first on Clash Daily.

Trump asked the question: are you better now than when I was in office? America's answer could not have been more clear.

The post TRUMP TRIUMPHS: Victory Speech As He Completes The YUGE Comeback appeared first on Clash Daily.

While the rest of us were busy cheering (or crying) about the election results, the world kept turning and events continued to unfold at home and around the world.

The post Trump Scores Three Big Wins Less Than One Day After The Election appeared first on Clash Daily.

Team Biden thought it was a clever work-around to open up the border without looking like they were opening the border. Texas took the cheat to court.

The post AMNESTY: Texas & American First Legal Score BIG Win Against Open Border Policy appeared first on Clash Daily.

Claims that FEMA specifically skipped homes with Trump signs were blown off as 'hoaxes'... until they were proven true. Now the fallout of that story is spreading FAR beyond the official responsible.

The post FEMA FAIL: The Claim, The Lie, & The Consequences appeared first on Clash Daily.

Did you know that the Marines just celebrated their 249th birthday? This is one helluva tribute.

The post VETERAN’S DAY: You’re Gonna Love What One Patriotic Coffee Company Did For The Marines! appeared first on Clash Daily.

You know it's bad when you give the Democrats a whoopin and the corprate media clowns have no choice but to concede your point.

The post GLORIOUS: Scott Jennings Gets Van Jones To Cry ‘Uncle’ Live On CNN appeared first on Clash Daily.

A.F. Branco Cartoon – The Media (CBS, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, etc. are showing their complete bias in support of Kamala..

A.F. Branco and Joe Dan Gorman discuss Tony’s recent toons and related issues, along with some videos and a few..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – The DOJ is Suing Virginia over purging illegal registrations from their voter rolls. The Biden DOJ..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Gov Walz trying to load his shotgun was emblematic of his entire reign in Minnesota. Now,..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Free Market Capitalism is great, but when big corporations merge with the Government, it begins to..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Democrats, the party of child genital mutilation and late-term abortion, are outraged at Trump for his comments alluding to..

A.F. Branco and Joe Dan Gorman discuss Tony’s recent toons and related issues like the 2024 election, along with some..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – It’s been a lousy week for Kamala and a great week for Trump as he surges..

A.F. Branco Cartoon — Harris-Biden’s last four years in office have been a total wreck on the American people, and..

A.F. Branco Cartoon — Desperation has consumed the Harris campaign, which has brought out the “Trump is Hitler” card just..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Gov Walz and the Minnesota Democrats are in a war with police and the people of Minnesota, well documented in..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Mainstream leftist media, along with the Democrats (The Party of the KKK), are trying their best..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – After years of Democrat lawfare, phony impeachments, attempted assassinations, and media-biased lies against Trump, he is..

A.F Branco Cartoon – The choice in this election is clear: Sleight-of-hand leftist Tricks or the abrasive truth in the..

A.F. Branco’s Cartoon – The Legend of the Headless President, has seeded its place in American history. Biden is now..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Some say Gov. Walz is celebrating a bit too early on winning the 2024 election despite..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Compare and contrast. Fight, Fight, Fight against Kamala’s Marxist tyrannical government. It’s what’s at stake in..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Families are at risk under the biden/HARRIS regime promoting taking away parental rights in the name of helping..

A.F. Branco and Joe Dan Gorman discuss The debate, Tony’s toons and related issues, along with some videos and some..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Trump wins the 2024 presidential election. Now it’s time to clean up the mess and get..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – After almost four years of Democrats trying to shove Marxism down Americans’ throats, We, The People,..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Gov. Tim Walz lost his own Blue Earth County in Minnesota. Trump also flipped three other..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Revised from 2018 and revised for 2024 Veterans Day. Our Veterans are being left in the..

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Trump supporters are rooting for Rick Scott to be the next Senate Majority Leader, hoping he..

Chairman Klein and members of the Senate Industry, Business and Labor Committee- My name is David Heinemeier Hansson, and I’m the CTO and co-founder of Basecamp, a small internet company from Chicago that sells project-management software and email services. I first testified on the topic of big tech monopolies at the House Antitrust Subcommittee’s field… keep reading

Republicans have solidified their control of Washington by retaining control of the House of Representatives. President-elect Donald Trump’s overwhelming victory in the presidential race, coupled with GOP control of the […]

The post Breaking: Republicans Retain Control Over House of Representatives, Handing Trump the Keys to His Agenda appeared first on The Western Journal.

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his secretary of state, reports late Monday indicate. According to The Wall Street Journal, while the nomination isn’t […]

The post Trump to Pick Senator Marco Rubio for Crucial Cabinet Position: Report appeared first on The Western Journal.

Three years ago, Chris Wallace walked away from Fox News over concerns that those at the “Fair and Balanced” network were beginning to, as he put it, “question the truth.” […]

The post CNN Host Reportedly Leaving Network After Short-Lived Stay: His Career Change Is Completely Absurd appeared first on The Western Journal.

Melania Trump will not be traveling with her husband to Washington on Wednesday when President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have a formal transition meeting, according to multiple reports. […]

The post Melania Trump to Give Jill Biden the Cold Shoulder This Week: Report appeared first on The Western Journal.

Retired Gen. Mark Milley is afraid of retribution. The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a four-star Army general made no bones about his feelings about former […]

The post Mark Milley Fears He Will Face a Court-Martial When Trump Enters White House appeared first on The Western Journal.

Candidates and pundits were not overstating things when they characterized the 2024 election as the most important in decades or perhaps even in the nation’s entire history. Every election is […]

The post Only One Thing Can Cool the Nation's Political Rhetoric appeared first on The Western Journal.