Necessary & Sufficient

This was a blast–a chance to reconnect and ruminate with my old North Hall pal Sofia Klatzker-Miller. I think that I may have first encountered the idea of signal and noise in the title of a song by Peter Gabriel, … Continue reading →

Ontogeny? Phylogeny? Recapitulates? What the what? This is another pairing that’s been rattling around in my brain forever, and a few years ago I was pleased to learn that Ken Schles is also a fan. Enough time passed for him to forget … Continue reading →

Another round of “First World Problems” with Andrew Warman. How would you explain “Jackass 3D” to the aliens? Why would they be interested?

This week Roman Mars and I attempt to sort out the differences between mass and weight. We get thoroughly confused in the process, but I think we end up learning something anyway. We’ll see.

Jeremy is kind enough to serve as guinea pig as I try out a new format. There’s just too much Broomfield goodness here for a single episode, so you’ll get part 2 next week.

A talk with Beth Isaac about a couple of biology terms that might not even be all that related. Or are the they…?

Peter and I get into some multimedia shenanigans here, or at the very least bend one of the conceits of the format. Watch out for the introduction of the first Necessary & Sufficient sound effect, and the sonic havoc wreaked … Continue reading →

Stu and I ponder a question for the ages. This one’s a bit longer than usual, but I just couldn’t bear to cut any of the pearls of wisdom. If you’re following along at home, you can find the the … Continue reading →

Michael Isaac and I discuss an idea that I first came across in High Fidelity. Probably the most ruminative episode so far. Enjoy!

A chat with the inimitable Danny Abelson on one of the subjects that inspired this whole project. Again, wait until after the closing theme for a little extra extra.

The last of three gastronomical explorations. I promise that next week we will go far afield of food, but in the meantime I hope you find this conversation with one Becky Phillips delectable. Make sure to keep listening after the … Continue reading →

This week, the second of three consecutive episodes dealing with the culinary sphere. Erin Barnett is the ultimate good sport in letting me beat a long-dead horse. I had a great time recording this one, and I hope you enjoy … Continue reading →

Podcast number two. The audio is, thankfully, quite a bit better than it was last week (I’m still learning to negotiate the technology here). I spoke with Julie Gordon, another old friend, about one of her many areas of expertise. … Continue reading →

Well, here it is: the first episode of my new podcast project. I don’t want to say too much about form or content, for reasons that might become clear upon listening. This was a conversation that I recorded between me … Continue reading →

Oops, another long break!  But I am thrilled to return with another conversation with Hillary Frank, of the Longest Shortest Time.

Why did it take me so long to have Alex on N&S?  Was I waiting for her to finish her degree?  Well, done and done.

Yeah, it’s been quite a while.  But let’s jump back on this like nothing ever happened, okay?  I’m glad we can agree to agree.

Sporting correspondent Brian Levinson almost, but not completely, convinces me to watch March Madness.  I think his one misstep was comparing game-day action to a Michael Bay movie.  Bayhem!

Josh does me the courtesy of provisionally accepting my homebrew definition of one of this week’s words.  Always a treat to have him back.

It’s always a pleasure to have this dynamic duo back on the podwaves.  The conversation was as lively as you would expect, which is to say, lively.

Lukas is, by now, a certifiable friend of the show.  It was great to have him back again.

Please join us for this special 158th Anniversary Edition.

In which I am, once again, mortified at the things that I say.

Jesse moved from Ithaca to Los Angeles in the time since we recorded this, so try to imagine the same conversation, only warmer.

Next week:  club sauce.

That’s all for Tim and Phill…FOR NOW.

Tim and Phill, of Tim and Phill Talk About Games, talk about games.

This one’s been bugging me for a long time.  So glad I could tackle it with someone so erudite and well-spoken.

We’re back from hiatus with your favorite realtor (and mine), Judd Harris!

Welcoming Jill back to the podcast is a great way to start the year off right!  This was fun.

Sandy takes us to school.  Journalism school.

His name is Erik and he’s here to say, “Stop calling me the chicken man, Hey, chicken, hey!”

Oh man, was this fun.  Tim pulls a switcheroo on me, and comes up with a terrific topic.  Enjoy!

I have completed my set of Buszeks!

josh’s whole thing may be a front.  I have it on good authority that on October 13, 2013, he ate a scuppernong.

Seth is back, for more matters metamusical.

An unwieldy title for a really fun conversation.  And if I haven’t said it enough times yet:  if you haven’t read Gabe’s book, go do it now, okay?

Phill and I take another run at this one, with much more accurate and thorough results.

Another Aussie science correspondent.  Don’t worry–Tim Young has not been replaced, merely augmented.  Why is it that I can’t get anybody on this continent, or even this hemisphere (whichever way you slice it) to talk to me about science?

I told you–same time same place.  Sorry about the cliffhanger.

The first half of a really fun conversation with Seth.  There’s more where this came from.

Science correspondent Tim Young returns to set us straight.

I mean, clearly this podcast is all about telling with almost zero showing, which, I have to say, I now feel a little bit self conscious about.

I told you he’d be back.

Fifty weeks after it was recorded, I bring you one from the vault.

Dan Crowell is a beverage genius who has forgotten more about spirits than you will ever know.  Look upon his works, ye mighty, and despair.

How fun was it to have Erin Judge back on Necessary & Sufficient?  Super fun, that’s how!

Maria’s back for some more heady times.

The first rule of Six Times Club is that you don’t talk about Six Times Club.

Time to consult with your rabbi.

It’s always fun to do this with someone who(m?) I’ve never met before.  Ary and I went to college with each other and (according to Facebook) know a ton of people in common, but here we are meeting 18 years … Continue reading →

I’ve known for a while that teachers make the best podcast guests, and Meg did not disappoint.  We haven’t spoken in at least ten years, and this was a great way to catch up.

This is another live-recorded-but-a-bit-too-quiet one.  You’ll want to turn it UP!

It’s been far too long between Jeremies.

Hey, look who’s back!  It’s Ken Schles, from the early days.  It was a pleasure to catch up with him again.

Boy, two weeks off the podwaves feels like an eternity.  So glad to be back. and to bring you all another dose of Robert Nicol.  See you again next week!

This was so much fun.  Rachel was my professor in grad school, and it was great to connect with her again.  Enjoy.

We get off to a little bit of a slow start here, but things really pick up once we leave the initial topic behind and start to explore some of the bigger implications of role playing games.  Stay with us.

This is one of those occasions where I think I should have spent more time talking about my guest’s credentials.  Erin is a legit and accredited thinker slash smartypants about things photographic AND artistic, not to mention a great pal. … Continue reading →

“Do you want cheap sushi or do you want expensive sushi?”  — me

Yeah, so, it looks like I unwittingly did what I always tell people I’ll never do:  gave a non-expert a couple of specialist topics.  Sorry Stu!  You were a great sport.

This one is a little longer than usual.  I tried to cut it down, really I did, but Heather just said too many smart things, and I want to share them all with the world.  Listen up.

A chat with Joshua Gaylord, the world’s leading expert on Alden Bell.

Call in the experts!  My old friend Marjorie weighs in.

Another week, another Russian-born Eugene.  Once again, we start with a misguided premise, on my end.  Oh well.

Just in time for the big game, I get taken to school on another topic from the sporting life. This one was recorded face-to-face, but the audio is a lot lot lot better than the last one we did like … Continue reading →

This is the last baby-centric episode.  For a while.  Maybe.  It was so great to have Hillary Frank–another one of the voices in my ear–on the podcast.

This one very, very nearly got away from us.  Luckily we had the consummate professionalism of four-time guest W. Seth Hanisek–and the internet–on our side.

Mog is the perfect storm of old friend, hilarious dude, serious thinker, and font of wisdom.  This was so fun.

We’re talking about babies again, but a little more obliquely.  Welcome back, Max.

Just in time for Boxing Day, it’s Lauren.

Lukas is currently being fitted for his “Five Times Club” satin jacket.  He’ll be with you shortly.

What a thrill to have Eugene Mirman on Necessary & Sufficient for the first time?  Oh, did I say “first”?  What could that mean?  Answer:  it all depends on how well Eugene can take a hint.

Becky’s threepeat!

I’m so glad that I could get Seth back on the podcast so soon.  Last time, he complained that I picked a topic from his murky past.  This time, I throw him a meatball, right over the plate.  Sports metaphor!

Maria takes us to school.  Grad school.  As is usually the case when talking to academics, I was pretty far out of my depth here.  Some good words happened, though.

Rebecca “Doctor” Stonger is in the final throes of cooking up a baby in her middle, so I was so happy that we could record this before things got completely out of hand.  I’ve known Rebecca for about ten years … Continue reading →

Sorry this is a day late—I was too nervous to put the finishing touches on the episode, what with the polls.  But all’s well that ends well, right?  Enjoy.

This was so fun.  Josh is one of my new favorite people.  Bonus points for being way into Lego.  Nice work, Josh.

How psyched was I to have Jesse Thorn on the hundredth episode of Necessary & Sufficient?  Billion, with a “b.”

Megan returns for another round of Necessary & Sufficient hardball.  Look out for soft-pitch music recommendations at the end of the episode!

Erik asked me, quite reasonably, why I had picked these words for him.  I must admit that I have no answer to that question.  Sometimes you just get a feeling about someone, am I right?

More technical mumbo-jumbo with Stephan.  But I’m not going to make excuses.  Why are you here, if not for technical mumbo-jumbo?

Today’s episode of Necessary & Sufficient was not kayfabed, but conspiracies abound, of course.

Sean Martin returns to Necessary & Sufficient for a non-trick question.

Another case of “how could I have waited this long?”  My old pal Seth Kibel makes a splendid debut, and seems to remember more than he thought he might.

Tim is fast becoming the de facto (callback!) Necessary & Sufficient science correspondent.  It was great to have him back to discuss a classic pitfall of scientific inquiry.

It’s always a treat to have polymathic Jesse Ross on the podcast.  Sense, sensibility, momentum, inertia, birds, dinosaurs…and pizza.  Is there anything this guy can’t do?

The irony of tackling pedantry and condescension in this forum is lost on no one.

Oops, bonus topic!  I wasn’t even planning for this, but DLS’s knowledge cannot be contained in a single episode.

Technical whiz kid David La Spina returns to Necessary & Sufficient for some hard-core camera geekery.

Lukas returns to Necessary & Sufficient for a fourth time, and faces the heinous psychic torture that is:  The Lightning Round.

Hali is an expert in both me and Necessary & Sufficient, and she’s also one of my top-two favorite people, so I’m glad she finally made it to the podcast.  Actually, both of my faves are on here, if you … Continue reading →

So good to have Michael back after a long hiatus.  In the words of Spider-Man (in that movie about Facebook), he really lawyers up.

The first-ever Necessary & Sufficient recorded live-to-whatever-you-call-the-digital-equivalent-of-tape at N&SHQ in Brooklyn.  Brian was a great guest, and I love his remark about how simple the topic would be, right at the start of what turned out to be a 45-minute … Continue reading →

Things are finally getting racy!  Only a matter of time!  Step up folks, a real-life pornographer joins me on Necessary & Sufficient!  Lisa, if you’re reading this, I mean “pornographer” in the best possible sense.

Here it is–the first-ever live-before-an-audience Necessary & Sufficient!  Recorded the week before last at the Union Square Round Table at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, Mass.  Hang on to your hats.

Another week, another rabbi.  (I almost typed “another rabbit” here.)  My people are an inquisitive people, and Greg was a great guest.  Listen up!

The third resident of Merrick, New York, and the first in a two-week run of rabbis.  Welcome, Ira Ebbin.