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This week kicks off with John’s candid assessment of Merlin’s new facial hair experiment, and Merlin expresses sympathy for John’s own grave face challenges. Ziti is briefly discussed, and Merlin has a feature request for ATP.

John has some questions about a podcast Merlin likes, and this leads to a discursive walk through what makes a podcast stick. John doesn’t want to know how much Chapo makes each month, Merlin makes some recommendations, and your hosts struggle, as ever, with recommending pretty much anything.

The Relay FM membership drive is on, and we’d love it if you’d consider supporting it.

Ziti is discussed further. John may blog more about video games someday. Maybe.

This week’s mini-topic finds John interrogating Merlin about camping. Merlin doesn’t like leaving the house, and John learns about bear boxes. Merlin shoos his child away, and John reminisces about his young and moist tent days. Merlin has some tips and a lot of gear. John’s daughter’s camping was more—how does one say?—rustic.

John has some follow-up regarding a good opportunity to see Perfect Blue on the big screen, and the boys reminisce about the time when Star Wars was scarce. Merlin remembers when Betamax tapes were costly.

Finally, the horn fires off at 1:23:13 for a Spoiler Slot on A Quiet Place (2018).

(Recorded on Tuesday, August 14, 2018.)