Robot Or Not?

What makes a hat a hat? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

I want to run, I want to hide, I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside. Sometimes the streets have no name, but other times they are named roads, or avenues, or boulevards, or drives. What does it all mean? Does Jason live on a road or a drive? When we go there, we go there with you. It’s all we can do. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Spatulas, scrapers, flippers, and home economics. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

A question about cold brew coffee makes us question everything about coffee. Is everything coffee? Probably not. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

A perfectly normal discussion of Italian Ice takes a left turn and goes into outer space, where other ices are available. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

When is someone a musician? Are DJs musicians? And more importantly, are John and Jason musicians? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Some timely news regarding a university warning its community members to “avoid all robots.” John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

On John’s other podcast, Casey Liss often says he lied when he means he made a mistake. So what is a lie? (Trust us, we totally answer this one.) John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Nick wonders what John’s policy on spoilers is. (Spoilers for “Romeo and Juliet” and “Citizen Kane.”) John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Hold on, John, Jason’s got this one. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Live from the Relay FM Podcastathon, Jason and special guest Stephen Hackett ask John a bunch of questions from the Robot Or Not question list. Topics include: Toast, Roadkill, Sandwich Order of Operations, Garage, and Cereal Soup. Please donate to St. Jude and help move us one step closer to the day where no child dies from cancer.

Listener Jamie wonders whether his dog is really sighing. We discuss noises dogs make. Also, after posting our previous episode we realized we got the numbering of the podcast out of order. Sigh.

Listener Andrew is worried that things we say are “the worst” are really just bad.

Listener Magnus is concerned that his favorite podcast is on hiatus. When is something on hiatus and when is it cancelled?

Finally we talk about robots again. If a robot controls a camera, is it a camera robot?

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If it’s never meant to make a cookie, is it still cookie dough? (Also: Peanut Butter Spread, Cheese Food, and other food labeling we have known.)

This time we’re throwing shade. But do sunglasses?

If any device can open a door, is every device a key?

A chair is not a house and house is not a home, but is a house a building? And what about gazebos?