John Siracusa and Merlin Mann try to figure out exactly how they got this way.

Navigation

Links

Support this show

Join for $7/month Join for $70/year
Get an ad-free version of the show, plus a monthly extended episode.

#277: A Comma for Christmas

January 2nd, 2026 · 81 minutes

John's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children.


Stream this episode

Download: MP3 (74.93 MB)

Links and Show Notes

John's new art piece leads to a discussion of accuracy and build quality in toys for grown men and sometimes children.


Credits

Merlin's toot: "I may have figured out why my phone keeps dimming."
Maclock on Ali Express
Hatsune Miku figurine at Walmart
Frieren figurine
Hand-painted model kit of Nausicaä riding Kai - Reddit
Stellar Blade’s Eve figurine
Calico Critters
LEGO Friends
LEGO Creator 3in1
LEGO Duplo
LEGO Quatro
Four-Byte Burger recreation story - YouTube

Four-Byte Burger pixel art, by Jack Haegar (1985) re-digitized by Stuart Brown,

Four-Byte Burger recreation (PNG)
Cheltenham (typeface) - Wikipedia

In 2003, The New York Times introduced a more unified Cheltenham typographic palette for its headline use in the print edition.

Elmo's World: Jackets (DVD Rip) - YouTube
James Bond's Aston Martin D.B.5 (261) – Corgi Model Club USA
Russ Hanneman's McLaren - YouTube