Hi guys,

No show this week as Adam's got family stuff going on, so I thought I'd recap some of the Favourite Things I have covered on the show. I've been getting a few requests via Twitter on specifics, so I figure I should throw them up here, and then add a few others.

What qualifies as a Favourite Thing?

Usually in the Favourite Things segment I mention stuff that I've encountered in the past week. I also try to make it something that other people don't already know about. I made fun of Adam once for having a really lame favourite thing that everyone already knew about (I already forgot what it was). So even though Wikipedia is one of the most amazing achievements in the history of human civilization, that won't likely be on the Favourite Things list. My interpretation of Favourite Things is, "what is a thing that most people won't know about, but will make their lives a little better?"

Anything I've mentioned on the show will be noted, but I'll also add a few Favourite Things that I've been using for a while and never mentioned.

Apps and Software

Pocket (ep. 341) allows you to save and queue web pages for later reading. Doesn't sound like much, but it's a major game-changer and time saver if you read a lot of lengthy articles online.

MightyText for Android (ep. 33x ?) gives Android users the ability to SMS from a webpage (iPhone users already had this with iMessage, at least to other iPhone users).

Khan Academy (ep. 33x also?) is a wonderful learning resource. From history to programming to statistics to economics - there's so much to learn at Khan Academy and it's all free. I think that if someone just went through all the KA courses, they would know way more than the typical high school graduate.

Bioforce HRV is an app that measures the standard deviation of the time between the peak of your heartbeats. Why the hell would that be important? I could throw a stack of academic papers at you, but suffice it to say it's a very good measurement of the overall stress in your system and how well your body recovers from that stress.

Books

(Note to mods - the below links contain affiliate links to my Amazon, so I'll get a few pennies if people click through and buy stuff. If this is not ok, let me know.)

Unbroken (the book, not the movie) (ep 348) - really my favourite non-fiction narrative of all time. Reading this is mandatory; watching the movie is optional.

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. Paleo has gotten a bad rap because it's been twisted and misrepresented quite a bit. Here's the original source, although I think it's one that probably needs updating in light of new research. Still essential for people who care about health.

Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Taleb. Such an amazing book explaining how and why humans are bad at math, and so relevant to poker players.

The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. The best book with the worst and most kitschy name. It's really a book full of how to do more with less in the workplace and in life.

I could do way more here because I read a lot, but I'll stop with these. Goodreads.com is great for compiling books. If you go to this link, you'll see the recent books that I've given five stars to (almost entirely books I've read in the last few years). I obviously recommend all of those as well.

Favourite Podcasts:

(Listen to these after you listen to the Pokercast. Twice.)

Hardcore History (ep 346)
Freakonomics Radio
This American Life
The Tim Ferriss Show


Let's hear about your Favourite Things!

Thansk T, great list!

Here's a link to one of my favorite things.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/97...lions-1507407/

Thanks for the list T, and for the tweet the other day. I have already spotted a few books on your good reads list that I fancy picking up.
I really need to take heed of your blog post of wasting time and get more productive activity wedged into my life.

This is just what I'm looking for as a 40+ year old who loves science but have forgotten most of it apart from career based stuff. Also my eldest is taking A-level Chemistry so it's time to revise again.

I actually stumbled across a decent looking website with courses from UK universities, it's called futurelearn. I had a look and it seems they do courses that require you to put in 3/4 hours a week, and you can get certificates etc. for completing them.

This was something Adam mentioned recently, and for a change I actually remembered to take a look.

I was blown away.

If never heard of this kid or what he'd achieved, nor his sad demise.

Everyone should watch this. Aaron Swartz: The Full Story

I got the book an friday after hearing your suggestion on the pokercast and reading some other good reviews. So far its a great read, thanks!

If you like Khan Academy, try Coursera, also. It's a bit more high end, but you get great college level courses taught by very good profs. For example, there was just a course on Game Theory.

Awesome post. You are great on the pokercast Tchan.

Love this book to. Definitely amongst my favourite things. Would also recommend the Black Swan and his other books. All fantastic. Fooled by randomness is such essential reading to anyone dealing with people and probabilities on a regular basis (hello poker players ). Many people ask for reading lists for good books that will help your poker game. This one comes top of my list in many ways. It might not teach you how to play the game, but the ideas put across in the book (how & why people suck at maths & many concepts of probability) are so relevant to the game. The book is relevant to so many aspects of life, just a fantastic read. Great recommendation Mr T Chan.

Terrence, I know you are a SF2 guy. Wondering if you've ever read David Sirlin's book Playing to Win, which I think is an excellent read for anyone who participates in competitive gaming or sports.

I did try to read it a long time ago (it's on my Goodreads list), but I never made it through, though I can't remember exactly why. I just remember not falling in love with the book. Perhaps I will give it a re-try.

T,

If you enjoyed Fooled by Randomness, I recommend you check out Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.

http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-.../dp/0374533555

Just finished my second Game Theory course on Coursera and tbh found them to be a dry hard slog. Ben Polak from Yale is way more entertaining, fun and informative for recreational wannabe academics like myself. http://oyc.yale.edu/economics/econ-159

Thx Adam and Hoggle .... A must watch whether you know Aaron's legacy or not.

We were talking about click bait a few eps ago...

this is some reverse blockerish click bait that actually made me laugh today

8 things no guy over 25 should have in his apartment

Based on the recommendation of the show, I watched season one of Black Mirror. That's a seriously messed up show, but great. I was always aware of it, especially as it was written by Charlie Brooker, who I've always been a big fan of since before he started doing TV work.

When I first became aware of him, he was reviewing games for a UK magazine called PC Zone. In fact, he reviewed a few of the games I designed/worked on back in the day.

Incidentally, he and his wife (Connie Huq, former presenter of kids TV's Blue Peter) holiday with Vicky and David Mitchell.

Can we get the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes 'Favorite Things' sound drop back? Was that a duet you were singing Ross? Maybe you can duet somewhere else. That was awkward as f uck. I was praying for no second verse.

Dan John training advice, though, I'm all over that. Thanks, T. That's just what I'm after. I remember reading about the 2-3 sets of 2-3 reps that Tim Ferriss wrote about in 4 Hour Body. Leave the gym feeling fresh, not destroyed. Have the discipline to do less.

One of my own, float tanks. I'm not sure how new these are to folks anymore, but anyone could benefit from an hour session in one. If nothing else, it's the most relaxed you can be. Find a tank near you at http://floatationlocations.com/where-to-float/

Disagree. That seemed really out of place IMO, but to each their own.

What are peoples favorite websites for, for lack of a better term, more productive time killing? 2p2 is great for this obv, but for the days when a guy wants to branch out...

I'm thinking nothing too in depth that you need serious concentration, but not as drivelly as facebook. For example I love movies, so I enjoy slashfilm, especially the random tidbits in their page 2 feature. That said I'm looking for all kinds of suggestions.

My favorite thing: Sonic Highway on HBO..It's a documentary series done by the Foo Fighters. They go to a different city each episode, meet with local music legends, discuss the history of music in the area and how it played a bigger role industry-wide. I was never the biggest Foo Fighter fan, but Dave Grohl, the former drummer for Nirvana, is the man. If you love music, you would be blown away by this documentary. He basically interviews every living legend of music and gets the best stories about the ones that passed. It's also cool that they make a new song each episode for their new album, Sonic Highway. They record in the most legendary studios they can find like Austin City Limits or some famous producer's residential basement.

The man himself, Ross, crossing borders on another great podcast

http://themansplainingpodcast.podoma...06_00_00-08_00

This is one of my new favorite things: a chance to Back The Kevmath.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...p8cz8m3U4/edit

Although I might back the guy to his left and collect a piece of the bounty.

Favorite thing: Trailer Park Boys (The TV Show)- Not sure why its not bigger in the US but its hilarious. Also, Netflix picked it up and the Second New season starts at the end of the month, so catch up on the new episodes from last Season.

Dan Negreanu Vs. Dan Colman at the PCA- This quick quick (start at 42:59) is almost too perfect in its setting up the One Drop Heads up match.