Episode 36: Our fabulousness and flaws, as people, are on display. Hear from Patty about how every day can be equally frustrating and entertaining, learn from Rob about understanding your personality type, and listen to Christian’s last-minute song selection from Goapele.

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Meandering Rant: “Agh!” by Patty

Book Report: Personality Types, as presented by Rob

Music Segment: Goapele “Break of Dawn”, brought to you bu Christian

Want to know your Meyers Briggs personality type? Learn more here.

Podcasts and rest are good for your brain.  Help a friend’s brain; tell them to listen to The Slacker Factor.

Episode 35: Jack Johnson uses some percentage of French fry grease to fuel his tour buses, walking in San Diego can spark musical creativity, and living in New Jersey doesn’t guarantee an orange tan-glow. All will make sense when you listen to the conversational lessons of St. Marquis, your favorite Slackers, and the beautiful vocals of Anya Marina.

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Meandering Rant: “Weather Report” by special guest St. Marquis

Book Report: Grease Cars, information by Christian

Music Segment: Anya Marina, brought to you by Patty, featuring the song “All the Same to Me” from Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II http://www.anyamarina.com/

Check out more from St. Marquis, writing as Brett Bickley for the Parsippany Patch.

Episode 34: Well-adjusted children, and Perry Ferrell music, and cultured foods get all talked-up in this podcast; plus, we got Bryan Davis. How can you possibly resist?

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Listen to my song, please:
Mediate featuring Tricky (Robert LaFrance Remix) – INXS

Meandering Rant: “How to Raise Well Adjusted, Semi-Sane, Hopefully Successful Children” by Robert LaFrance

Book Report: Special Guest Bryan Davis from AskBryan.com

• Book: Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz and Sally Fallon
• Bulletproof Diet
• Bulletproof Executive
• GT’s Kombucha

Music Segment: Jane’s Addiction “Irresistible Force”

Love a Slacker. Spread word of The Slacker Factor.

Episode 33: Love George Carlin? Inspired by art? Heard the music of Brett Dennen? Know anything about Dubstep? (If you’re into reggae, you should.) Katy Perry lyrics invading your life? Listen and experience these and more, with fellow slackers Christian, Rob, and Patty.

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Meandering Rant: “A Modern Man” by George Carlin

Book Report: Dubstep 101, a guide to a new dance music genre, by Rob

• Dubstep Wikipedia
• Pitchfork column “The Month in Grime and Dubstep”
• Dubstep radio: Dubstep.fm

Music Segment: Brett Dennen “Song for Leaving”

• Link to Brett Dennen’s web site and videos

Links to Sculpturs and Sculptures that inspire Patty:

• Jaume Plensa
• Jaume Plensa’s Echo at Madison Square Park in New York City
• Constantin Brâncusi
• Winged Victory at the Louvre (The Nike of Samothrace)

Love a Slacker. Spread word of The Slacker Factor.

The Slacker stiffs slip into the abyss with music from the apocalypse.  We explore our musical mortality with two favorites from
each of the Slackers. Fin.

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Apocalyptic Musical Selections:

• “The Apocalypse Song” by St. Vincent
• “The Man Comes Around” by Johnny Cash
• “Leave Them All Behind” by Ride
• “Miami 2017″ by Billy Joel
• “Hallelujah” Live at Sin-E by Jeff Buckley
• “The End” by The Doors

Episode 31: Harmonious yet eclectic is probably the best way to describe the conversations and consternations of this podcast. Your favorite Slackers move from the intensity of dealing with food allergies to the conservatism of protestant religious communities to the 80s Bauhaus throwback music of Slove. Always something to learn, always something to share; thanks for always listening.

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Meandering Rant: “I Fight with Food” by Patty

Book Report: Amish 101, a conversation lead by Christian

Music Segment: Slove “Do We Need?”

• Link to Slove’s YouTube Video
• Slove’s web site (for all our French Fans)

Episode 30: A psychic connection about Paris Hilton, you say? Why, yes, we have that in this podcast. We also have a concerning playground story, a talk about being straight-up with others, a fret about fracking, and Beck-tacular music from a not-so-young Youth. Truthfully, we make your lounge time informatively special.

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Meandering Rant: “Honesty & the Lack Thereof” by Rob

Book Report: Hydraulic Fracturing & the Energy Industry, an interview with Jason Solinas

Music Segment: Thurston Moore “Demolished Thoughts”

Inform yourself and others about Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as Fracing, bywatching Josh Fox’s documentary “Gasland”. Encourage your legislators to save theaquifers and support safe drinking water by passing the Frac Act.

Keep an eye out for Patty in the up-and-coming film on Generation X, “Xingularity”. We’llinterview Manny Merchan, the film’s Director, on a future podcast.

Episode 29: The title, basically, says it all. We begin in the brain of a three-and-a-half-year-old, expound on the how-to’s of scheduling down time, move through mispronounced French grape varietals, and wind up in the former Soviet Union. Can you keep up with the relaxed fervor? Listen in and find out.

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Meandering Rant: “All Work and No Play…Well, Not Enough, Anyway” A VacationRant by Christian

Book Report: Wine, presented by our resident wine enthusiast, Rob

Music Segment: “I was made for you” – Escome Featuring Flyfoxmusic

• Escome’s Sound Cloud
• Flyfoxmusic’s My Space

If you’re interesting in learning more about wines, do what Rob did and learn from GaryVaynerchuk’s online wine stuff at tv.winelibrary.com or his new venture, Daily Grape.

If you’re enjoying our podcast, encourage your friends to listen, too.

Episode 28:  Episode 28: Somehow, in this episode of the podcast, life has become untethered and we get all kinda crazy with stories and ideas and whatnot. Let us take you on a magical adventure where we meet cloned animals, glorified poser karaoke singers, confused stripper cross-dressers, the royalty of little brine shrimp, and music to suit every pretty mood. You can check out any time
you’d like, but you can never leave.

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Meandering Rant: Rob on American Idol… 1:27 seconds That Killed Gen X and Y

Book Report: Patty presents a conversation on Cloned Animals and Our Food:

• United States Food & Drug Administration info on Cloned Animals
• Eat Well Guide

Music Segment: Patty brings you Stereomood.com and they bring us Pretty Lights Isn’t that so

Psst! Thanks for listening and being part of the Slacknation.  Tell your friends.

Episode 27:  Is it the end of the world, as we know it? Patty doesn’t know, and she speaks her doubts about trusting anything anymore. Christian ignites a conversation about vitamin supplements, and whether or not he trusts them. In the end, Rob saves the future, and the podcast, by sharing the retro-bass-beat and video-game-like vocals of Nero. Are you ready?

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Meandering Rant: Trust, by Patty

Book Report: Vitamins, report by Christian

Music Segment: A little dubstep action with Nero “Me & You”

If you love to listen, tell your friends in conversation in real life, or by posting our website link to wherever you communicate in your virtual-real life.

Episode 26: Your favorite slackers talk about the world, once again. This time, they explore Patty’s love life, Christian’s concerns about fuel, Rob’s lack-of-knowledge of the film industry, and we play another of Rob’s DJ music selections. Sound familiar? It is always different and worth a listen, in your down time, of course.

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Meandering Rant: Gas Prices by Christian

Book Report: Spaghetti Westerns, as presented by Christian

Music Segment: Benny Tones “Chrysalis” brought to you by Rob.  Link to Benny Tone’s Soundcloud.

Slackcast loungewear and mugish stuff at: http://www.cafepress.com/TheSlackerFactorSwag.

Episode 25: Tune in to hear concepts for the breakfast of champions, checklist ideas for an improved life, remembrances of a perceived past, and music of the actual past. Positivity,
psychology, and psychodelia infuse every corner of this conversational slackcast.

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Meandering Rant: “A Guide to Everyday Happiness” by Rob

• The Slacker Factor Everyday Happiness Checklist
• 1000 Awesome Things
• Fast Company Article, “The Corporate Pursuit of Happiness”
• Jimmy Kimmel’s Handsome Men’s Club Video

Book Report: Déjà vu, as discussed with Patty

Music Segment: The Black Crowes, presented by Christian

Slackcast loungewear and mugish stuff at: http://www.cafepress.com/TheSlackerFactorSwag.

Episode 24: Get yourself all warm and toasty as we discuss things being overworked, over-outsourced, and over-the-top. Yes, this episode is warm, glittery, snack-worthy, flexible, networky, and filled with typical slactacular goodness, including a hot song from Glitter Mini 9. Rosebud, anyone?

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Meandering Rant: ““Corporate Warming” by Christian

Book Report: Cool Stuff we think is hot – Near Field Communications, Flexible Flyers, and Sriracha

Music Segment: Glitter Mini 9, presented by Patty

Slackcast loungewear and mugish stuff at: http://www.cafepress.com/TheSlackerFactorSwag.

Episode 23: Are we entitled to have services and products which are designed and delivered to meet our standards? When is the last time you sat down for a family meal? Do the blues musical stylings of Cher’s ex-husband still hold up today? What’s the deal with eyebrows, anyway? These oh-so-important life questions are explored and discussed for your entertainment pleasure on Episode 23 of The Slacker Factor. Stir it,slurp it, listen up and soup it.

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Meandering Rant: “I Want It My Way” by Patty Pino

Book Report: “Chicken Soup for the Generation X Soul” by Rob

Music Segment: The Blues of Gregg Allman, featuring “Checking Out My Baby”

Nonnie’s Chicken Soup Recipe (including the note from my Mom):

Slacker Factor Swag:

http://www.cafepress.com/TheSlackerFactorSwag.

Episode 22: Everyone loves a nice prize, a beautiful meal, and a meaningful song. Join the slacker nation for this podcast, with special Book Report guests The Peche, as we talk good things foodie, bluesy, and free.

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Meandering Rant: “Free Prize” by Rob LaFrance

Book Report: “For the Love of Food”, with The Peche food enthusiasts Chris and Karen Thornton. Read their amazing blog, follow them on Twitter @thepeche and @mrsdewinter or friend them in the FaceBook universe.

Music Segment: The Blues of Lucky Peterson, featuring “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” and “Atonement” from his 2010 album “You Can Always Turn Around”

Just Some of the Other Good Stuff Mentioned in this Episode:

• Wine guy and more: Gary Vaynerchuk

• Wine Rob wants you and The Peche to buy: Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego

• As ranted, Seth Godin Free Stuff.

• For cookbooks, recipes, and other good stuff mentioned by The Peche, you gotta read their blog.

 Podcast Bonus: Inspired by his dad, Patty’s Rally for Sanity slogan, and this TSF22 podcast, Rob crafted together some Slackcast loungewear and mugish stuff at: http://www.cafepress.com/TheSlackerFactorSwag. Rumor has it that he has blisters from working the loom, sewing machines, and print screens.

Episode 21:  This expansive episode of the podcast welcomes guest Rantologist and fellow slacker Steve Angiolino, explores our Constitution and Julian Assange, and vibes with the beats of Maceo Plex. Oh, and Patty surprises Christian and Rob, once again, with a real story of our modern world.

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Meandering Rant: “Textification of American Language” by Steve Angiolino

Book Report: The First Amendment and Freedom of Expression

Music Segment: “Vibe your Love” by Maceo Plex.  Here’s the sexy video!

Also mentioned:
Rebel Rave TV - High quality videos of underground dance music culture

Episode 20: In celebration of Episode 20 (and just to have and excuse for a different kind of episode) Christian, Rob, and Patty talk movies, talk music, and share the music of movies. Laugh, cry, dance and sing along, or, don’t try so hard and just listen.

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Note:  We experienced a little Cameron confusion in our conversation.  Cameron Crow directed “Singles” and James Cameron worked on ”Titanic.”

Episode 19: Take a moment to listen to this episode of The Slacker Factor where we contemplate the obsession with leaves, late night TV, life moments, Happy Meals, Government legislation, and the toe-tappin’ rock singing of The Mynabirds. That’s right, kids, our all-over-the-place style gives you 38 minutes chock full of auditory goodness. Cheers!

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Meandering Rant: A Few Minutes by Christian

Book Report: Ban on Happy Meals By Rob

Music Segment: Numbers Don’t Lie by The Mynabirds

Episode 18: We carefully blended television, technology, and mega cool futuristic music together to make another delicious episode of The Slacker Factor. Appreciate the taste of the decade-defining talent of Ed O’Neill, the smell the next phase of online program delivery, and the sweetness of Mathew Deer. The yummy goodness melts in your mouth, not in your hand.

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Meandering Rant: Ed O’Neill by Patty

Book Report: Online TV Part 2 By Christian

Music Segment: Gem by Matthew Dear from his album entitled Black City

Episode 17: What do Mickey Mouse, politics, and Neil Young have in common?  They are all about working toward a beautiful tomorrow, complete with fuzzy, lovable characters and loud
guitar robots.  Listen to the slacker nation, feel the magic, and vote on November 2.

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Meandering Rant: Your Service Blows.com by Rob

Book Report: Get out and Vote. Watch this video for more. By Patty

Music Segment: Neil Young: Le Noise. Watch Le Noise – The Film.

P.S. Look for Patty at the Rally to Restore Sanity on the Mall in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, October 30. Follow her live updates from the event on Twitter @BeingPattyPino.

Episode 16: Experience a strange warp of the time/space continuum with your favorite Slackers as they move from our pathetic future to projections of what’s-cool-what’s-next to bad, ancient funky-rap. A justified podcast not exactly ahead of the curve, but far more entertaining than smoking Chris’pathetic Hawaiian shirt

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Meandering Rant: Our Country’s Pathetic Future by Rob

Book Report: Ahead of the Curve by Patty

Music Segment: Odd Musical Pairings featuring KLF’s Justified and Ancient

From beantown Boston to springtime Brazil, the Slackers are in rare form and are bigtime bitching and loving just about everything. Listen as they share the deliciousness of a hole-in-the-wall seafood place, the specifics of couch sleep, the ridiculousness of ranting and of baby boomers, and a bossa nova classic that was revealed by Seinfeld.

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Meandering Rant: On Ranting by Chris

Book Report: Why Baby Boomers Suck by Rob

Music Segment: Waters of March (Read more about it) (Watch and Listen to Variations)

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Meandering Rant: Endings by Patty

Book Report: Unified Communications by Chris

Music Segment: Shape by Sophie Hunger

Check out TED at ted.com for talks about almost anything of interest and cool music, too.

Links:

Meandering Rant: Dan Folgerberg’s Longer Than by Rob

Book Report: Life Skills by Patty

Marc and Angel Hack Life: 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do:  http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/

The Independent: 20 things everyone needs to know:  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/20-things-everyone-needs-to-know-481270.html

Zen Habits: 20 Things I Wish I Had Known When Starting Out in Life:  http://zenhabits.net/20-things-i-wish-i-had-known-when-starting-out-in-life/

Seven More Skills TSF thinks should be included…

How to Handle a Firearm Safely:

• How to Handle a Firearm Safely: http://www.wikihow.com/Handle-a-Firearm-Safely
• Gun Safety: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1182704/gun_safety_how_to_properly_handle_a.html?cat=11
• Firearm Safety: http://www.pafoa.org/safety

How to Throw & Catch a Ball:

• Tips on Teaching Your Child to Throw & Catch: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/172873/tips_on_teaching_your_child_to_throw.html?cat=25
• How to Catch a Ball Well: http://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-Ball-Well
• How to Throw and Catch a Softball: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Throw-and-Catch-a-Softball/

Do Laundry:

• How To Do Laundry: http://laundry.about.com/od/laundrybasics/ht/howtodolaundry.htm
• Laundry 101: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/laundry/how-do-laundry-00000000000521/index.html
• How To Do Laundry – A Video Guide: www.household-management-101.com/how_to_do_laundry.html

Tie a Necktie:

• Tie and Necktie Instructions: http://www.tieanecktie.com/
• How To Tie A Tie: http://www.pilottie.com/How-To-Tie-A-Necktie.htm
• A Step-By-Step Tie Guide: http://www.2tieatie.com/

Ride a Bicycle:

• Teaching a Kid (and Adult) to Ride a Bicycle: http://www.ibike.org/education/teaching-kids.htm
• Learning How to Ride a Bicycle: http://www.lifespy.com/2007/learning-how-to-ride-a-bicycle/
• How to Ride a Bike Video: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=50012450

Deal with a Hospital Emergency:

• About Emergency Departments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_department
• Know your Emergency room rights: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/KnowYourRights/KnowYourEmergencyRoomRights.aspx
• Dealing with Emergencies: http://firstaid.webmd.com/tc/dealing-with-emergencies-overview

Catch a Fish:

• Take Me Fishing: How to Fish: http://www.takemefishing.org/fishing/fishopedia/how-to-fish
• Learning How to Fish: http://learninghowtofish.com/
• How To Fish: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-fish-2/

Music Segment: LCD Soundsystem

Tune in to see just how the words in the title actually combine to form a coherent episode of The Slacker Factor.

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Links:

Meandering Rant: Business and Competition by Christian

Book Report: Music Piracy by Rob

Music Segment:  Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra

Your crack team of Slackers explores what’s real and what’s faux and Patty decides she’s cooler than Snooki in her “Reality is
Overrated” rant. Christian ponders the future of the suprising long-time coming electric car. And we feast our ears on the alt-pop of Draz. Now that’s a show! (or is it?)

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Links:

Meandering Rant: Reality Is Overrated by Patty

Book Report: Electric Cars by Christian

Music Segment:  Sunday Rain by Draz

Absinthe, three ways. Oh, yeah, and there was also some ranting about something..um… Rob invents an economic theory on the fly and some music by Zero 7…the rest remains a bleary, blurred whirl.

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Links:

Meandering Rant:
Rob invents a new economic theory on the fly (slackernomics?)

Book Report:
Absinthe Tasting – the crew downs three different Absinthes: Lucid, Absente, and La Fee, and barely makes it through the rest of the episode.
The Little Green Book of Absinthe by Paul Owens and Paul Nathan

Music Segment:  Zero 7

The way things are today does not mean they need to stay that way. We can influence the future of music. Our interview with Tammy Erickson, author of Whats Next Gen X? confirms that we can upgrade the quality of professional lives. Listening to the music of Trixie Whitley brings us into the here, right now..

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Links:

Meandering Rant on How We Can Influence the Future of Music by Patty

Book Report: A Conversation with Tammy Erickson, the author of a new book about the challenges Generation X face in the workplace entitled, “What’s Next Gen X”

Music Segment: Trixie Whitley with Daniel Lanois in Black Dub

Lamentations about what we lack – the time to make memories, and our (in)ability to recollect them – drives us through the conversation of this Slackcast. We close with the memory-haunting music of St. Vincent.

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Links:

Meandering Rant on Time by Chris

Book Report: Memories (or lack thereof)

Music Segment: St Vincent

 Getting rid of your pretensions, your cable bill, and the boundaries of your life are the themes of this episode of The Slacker Factor.  Are we all hypocritical?  Will traditional television remain with the availability of online TV?  Have you listened to inspiration in the music of Slacker?

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Links:

Meandering Rant on Hypocrisy by Patty

Book Report: Online TV

Music Segment: Slacker (check out his MySpace here)

Haunted by a love/hate relationship with the music of our past, Rob struggles in his quest not to achieve Nirvana. We are confused by guys/girls and the words around them in a discussion on gender speak. Finally, Chris attempts serenity with NPR’s top songs of the decade and breaks out cool/questionable jazz.

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Links:

Meandering Rant on the Lack of Teen Spirit by Rob

Book Report: Gender Speak

Music Segment: NPR’s 50 Most Important Recordings of the Decade

The group ponders Pattys Small-Mac Attack and Christian rants about the
ever uplifting media coverage of celebrity death.  Rob discusses the
perils of sobriety.  And Patty brings the randomness and angst of the
plastic fantastic music genre that is Scene.

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Links:

Meandering Rant on the Death of Icons by Christian

Book Report: When Rock Stars Get Sober

Music Segment: Scene featuring Porcelain and the Tramps and Scary Kids Scaring Kids

We’re mysteriously hungry for crackers, thirsty for new music, high on caffeine but not motivated enough to get this podcast done in a more timely manner. Subscribe with iTunes

Links:

Meandering Rant on Slacking by Patty Pino

Cool Products Book Report featuring:

• Keurig Coffee Machine
• Mary ‘s Gone Crackers
• Walk Fit Shoe Inserts

Music Segment on Ghostly International and the iPhone application, Ghostly Discovery

Episode 3: Always looking for something else or something other to the somethings we experience every day, we focus on the changed experience of finding new music and the challenges to the way we eat.  We wrap with the Jolly Green Giant’s favorite musician, Scout Niblett.

<Check out Rob’s Why All New Music Sucks, a Meandering Rant from TSF3>

<Read pp’s The Power of Tape, a Meandering Rant from TSF2.>

<Ponder the words of cg’s What it means to be Generation X, a Meandering Rant from TSF1.>

<Without taking a breath, read this episode’s Dust on the Ceiling, a Meandering Rant from TSF0.>