Standard Humans

The humans try Johnnie Walker's entire whisky lineup from the budget Red Label to the high-roller Blue Label. Some of the tastes were expected, but there were a few surprising highlights along the way that y'all should definitely try for yourselves if you enjoy the classic Johnnie Walker flavours.

In this episode, the humans bring back transit expert Declan for the final stop of the O-Train Odyssey. They discuss the project's recent news, review what went wrong throughout, highlight lessons for the future, and share their hopes for the upcoming phases and transit in Ottawa more generally. Don't miss the series finale – the conclusion of the long and winding O-Train journey.

A Yearly Theme is a high-level idea that guides you throughout a year or season. It's not a resolution. You don't set any specific metrics to achieve. A theme is not to lose X pounds by the end of the year or read Y books this year. It's more of a high-level idea that guides your decisions throughout the year (e.g. Year of Health, Year of Order, Year of Novelty)In the final episode of 2023, the humans review their themes from last year—Aidan explored "experiences," and Evan focused on "foundation." They share the highlights and challenges from the last 12 months before unveiling their Yearly Themes for 2024. Wrapping up the season with reflections and anticipation for the year ahead.

In this episode, the humans and transit expert Declan explore the notorious grand opening of the Ottawa O-Train Confederation Line. They dive deep into some of the issues, including malfunctioning doors and track problems, while discussing recommendations for improvement suggested by the official inquiry.

In this episode, the Humans dive further into the troubled history of Ottawa's O-Train Confederation Line project. Transit expert Declan joins to explore the challenges faced by this notorious project, sharing lessons for improving transit initiatives in other cities. This episode explores the 2010 municipal election, the procurement model's impact, train quality issues, testing problems, and the influence of a secretive cabal known as the "WhatsApp Group."

In this episode, the Humans introduce part one of a series exploring the cursed history of the Ottawa O-Train Confederation Line project. Special guest and transit expert Declan joins to unravel the challenges faced by one of Canada's most infamous transit projects, offering valuable lessons to improve future projects in other cities. This episode touches on what an LRT is, the history of OC Transit, and the surprisingly successful 2001 Trillium Line pilot project, setting the stage for the series to come.

This is part two of our scotch-tasting extravaganza.Let's drink some scotch!! Y'all might remember that we did an international Whiskey Tasting a year ago where the Scotch won, and then an Irish Whiskey Tasting where the Scotch won again (It was a comparison at the end), so now we are finally diving into the wide world of Scotch Whisky with six bottles from across the country. Part one covered Blended and Speyside scotches; in this part, we cover Islay and Kentucky scotches. There are some really good pours here, so grab a dram of your favourite scotch and enjoy the show. Sláinte!Please drink responsibly and in moderation.

Let's drink some scotch!! Y'all might remember that we did an international Whiskey Tasting a year ago where the Scotch won, and then an Irish Whiskey Tasting where the Scotch won again (It was a comparison at the end), so now we are finally diving into the wide world of Scotch Whisky with six bottles from across the country. This part has the first three scotches and part two will have the next three. There are some really good pours here, so grab a dram of your favourite scotch and enjoy the show. Sláinte!Please drink responsibly and in moderation.

One of the humans visited New York and felt the need to tell you all about it for some reason. It was a pretty neat city, way too much trash lying around everywhere though.

The lads discuss their experiences with urban cycling (Expert and started a month ago), give tips on how to stay safe on a bike, explore what gear you actually need to start, and have a little rant on why SUVs are terrible.

The humans go for a very very very long walk.

How can we build a more fair and representative electoral system for all Canadians? One idea is to look beyond the usual countries we compare ourselves with (the United States and the United Kingdom) and see the methods other countries use to create more representative democracies. From inclusive proportional representation to the well-known and loved ranked-choice voting, in this episode, the humans highlight the standout features, real-world successes, and transformative impact of the best voting systems used around the globe. Gain insights into the principles, mechanics, and democratic implications of these systems, as they unravel the most important lessons for shaping a more fair and representative future for Canadians.

How can we build a more fair and representative electoral system for all Canadians? Join us on this episode of the Standard Humans podcast as we explore voting reform, particularly the history of voting reform in Canada and the issues arising from the First Past the Post system. We've been seriously considering changing how we vote for over a hundred years and have come extremely close a few times. This episode will also give you a great foundation to understand our next conversation exploring the pros and cons of different voting systems worldwide. It's going to be great so make sure you subscribe to not miss it.

In this episode of the Standard Humans podcast, we're going to take you on a wild ride through the top cybersecurity risks you need to be aware of. From phishing emails to ransomware attacks, we're going to show you all the ways hackers can ruin your day (and your bank account). Whether you're a business owner, remote worker, or just someone who spends time online, this episode will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how to stay safe and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Tune in to learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the most common cybersecurity risks out there.This episode specifically covers spear phishing, ransomware, and keeping your financial cards and accounts secure.

In this episode of the Standard Humans podcast, we're going to take you on a wild ride through the top cybersecurity risks you need to be aware of. From phishing emails to ransomware attacks, we're going to show you all the ways hackers can ruin your day (and your bank account). Whether you're a business owner, remote worker, or just someone who spends time online, this episode will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how to stay safe and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape. Tune in to learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the most common cybersecurity risks out there.This episode specifically covers how to think about your threat model, credential stuffing hacks, and why you do actually need to update your software. Including detailed explanations on how the attacks work and steps you can take to protect yourself. Next episode will get into spear phishing, ransomware, and keeping your financial cards and accounts secure.

In this episode, the humans delve into the topic of Lent and how it can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-improvement; even if you're not a christian or religious. Specifically discussing the benefits of disconnecting from the digital world and embracing the power of boredom. So whether you're a seasoned Lenten observer or a curious newbie, tune in to this episode of Standard Humans and discover how you can use non-religious Lent to achieve your personal growth goals.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Hold onto your hats, folks, because in this episode of the Standard Humans podcast, we're going to be ripping apart the classic philosophical work, "How to Think about God" by Cicero. Get ready for some scathing criticism and biting commentary as we explore the book's nonsensical definition of God, laughable arguments for the existence of God, and misguided critiques of popular notions of the divine. Because let's face it, who needs thousands of years of philosophical thought when you can just listen to some random person on a podcast tell you what to think? So, if you're ready to join us in gleefully bashing an ancient philosophical work that's still somehow considered important, then this is the episode for you. But if you're looking for actual insights into the nature of God, well, you might want to look elsewhere.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

In this episode, the humans taste five different Irish whiskeys, and the scotch that one the International Whiskey Tasting episode, to understand the different tastes available from Ireland at a variety of price points. But mostly this is just an excuse to just drink a bunch of whiskey. So pour yourself a dram and enjoy the show. Sláinte!

How do you feel about getting older?Are you worried about losing your energy, strength, and pleasure (yes that pleasure, but also the other pleasures of life and youth)? About inching closer to death every day?In this episode, the humans discuss ‘How to Grow Old‘ by Marcus Tullius Cicero, a book about how exaggerated/mistaken those beliefs are and how great growing old can be, that is just as relevant today as when it was written in 44 BCE.

Do papers, clothes, and more constantly pile up like snow drifts throughout your home?Have you tried tidying up before, only to relapse into messiness?In this episode, the humans talk about the KonMari Method: a system for tidying up developed by organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo. The method promises that if you properly simplify and organize your home one time, you'll never have to do it again in your life. In fact, none of Kondo's thousands of clients have ever relapsed into messiness.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Alcohol is complicated. There are a ridiculous number of categories and tastes to figure out, but if you put a little bit of time and money in, you can start to appreciate the more subtle flavours and entertain friends with your worldly whiskey wisdom.In this episode, the humans taste whiskey from five different countries (Canada, US, Ireland, Scotland, and Japan) to see how the flavours compare. Only mildly descending into a drunken stupor.Please drink responsibly and with moderation.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Investing often seems like a complex and intimidating field full of finance-bros using 10 monitors to steal your life savings, but once you learn the fundamentals it's pretty simple to make a plan and meet your long-term goals. You don't need to check your accounts daily or try to time the market just right. In fact, you'll probably be much better off if you don't think about your investments very often.This episode covers identifying your goals, what you need to do before you start investing, the fundamentals of the economy, determining your time horizon, and picking the right risk level for you and your needs.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Oh hi, we're back. And now we speak for the trees.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

“Is it possible to reach your genetic potential in 6 months? Sleep 2 hours per day and perform better than on 8 hours? Lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing? Indeed, and much more.“ - Tim FerrissIn this episode, the humans discuss The 4 Hour Body, a book by Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss about reaching your peak physical potential with the minimum amount of effort. They discuss the best tools and mindsets for healthy living along with Ferriss' protocols for rapid fat loss and muscle gain.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Can you trust science?In this episode, the humans discuss the replication crisis: a methodological crisis in the sciences in which the results of many scientific studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce. The problem undermines significant findings in everything from psychology, to medical science, to chemistry.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

How much do you enjoy your leisure time?Does your mind feel like a beehive of chaos at times?Flow is "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it." In this episode, the humans discuss Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. They cover what Flow is, Psychic Energy and Entropy, how to enjoy your time off, and the stages of meaning in life.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

A yearly theme is a high-level idea that guides you throughout a year or season. It's not a resolution. You don't set any specific metrics to achieve. A theme is not lose X pounds by the end of the year or read Y books this year. It's more of a high-level idea that guides your decisions throughout the year (e.g. Year of Health, Year of Order, Year of Novelty)Last year the humans both set themes to follow (Aidan's was Year of the Job and Evan's was Year of Contribution) and now it's time to review how they went and set new themes for 2022!Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

What is the best experience you've ever had?Do you more often feel apathetic or engaged throughout your day?Flow is "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it." Does that sound like something you want more of?In this episode, the humans discuss Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. They cover what Flow is, how to structure your life and personality to get more Flow, and the Paradox of Work in our culture.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Ultralearning is a proven framework to learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or budget-busting tuition costs.In this episode, the humans finish their one-month Ultralearning challenge to learn the basics of Irish. They 'attempt' a conversation and discuss what went well, what didn't go well, and what they would change in their next challenge.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Ultralearning is a proven framework to learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or budget-busting tuition costs.In this episode, the humans check in on their one-month Ultralearning challenge to learn Irish. They 'attempt' a conversation and discuss their progress so far, what's been working well and what they've learned.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Do you feel like you're falling behind?Have you ever thought: "I just can't draw/cook/speak that language/{Insert cool skill you're always impressed by when you see others do}"?In this episode, the humans discuss Ultralearning: a proven framework to learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or budget-busting tuition costs. Including: how to pick a learning project, how to find the best learning methods, how to set a learning schedule, and what it takes to stick with it.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

How many trees would you have to plant to offset your carbon footprint?Which countries are environmental leaders? And which are laggards?In this episode, the humans discuss environmentalism and sustainability. Looking at how humanity is doing globally, how Canada matches up to the rest of the world, and what you can do to help.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Do you enjoy your time off?Do you feel refreshed afterwards? Or are you more tired than when you started?In this episode, the humans discuss how to make the most of your time off. Maximizing the enjoyment you get out of it and how refreshed you feel afterwards.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Are you the 'average' person?There are lots of statistics out there talking about what the 'average' person does in a day, but do they apply to you?In this episode, the humans discuss how Aidan spends his workday. Analysing the results of his time audit to see how long he spends on email compared to the average worker described in Cal Newport's A World Without Email. Explaining how to figure out how you spend your time. So you don't have to make decisions based on what the 'average' knowledge worker does.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

What is Radical Candour?How do you improve the feedback you receive from others?Which countries give the most devastating feedback in the world?In this episode the humans discuss Radical Candor by Kim Scott, a book that shows you don't have to choose between being a pushover and a jerk. By implementing Radical Candor―and avoiding the pitfalls of Obnoxious Aggression, Manipulative Insincerity, and Ruinous Empathy―you can be a kind person and great at your job at the same time.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.Shownotes:Radical Candor by Kim ScottOutliers: The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell - Book with the story about Korean AirlinesNo Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed HastingsThe Radical Candor graphKlick HealthArticle with the scale ranking cultures on directnessYuval Noah Harari on Israeli students

How do you show your values on a resume without just listing words?Is it okay to change your long-term goals?How do you find out exactly what to do to achieve your goals?In this episode, the humans return to So Good They Can't Ignore you by Cal Newport. Discussing how they've implemented the lessons they discussed in SH37: So Good They Can't Ignore You.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Is everyone capable of being happy?Are people able to change?Does trauma exist?In this episode the humans discuss The Courage to be Disliked, a book that shows you how to achieve real happiness and free yourself from your past experiences. Giving you the courage to change and ignore the limitations that we and those around us place on ourselves.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Should you talk to strangers on public transit?Does meditation rewire your mind?Is exercise more effective than anti-depressants?In this episode, the humans continue The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. The class reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind working against your well-being, and what research says you can do to change.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

What will you be doing in one year?Will you care about the same things?Will you be at the same job?Will you have achieved your goals?One year ago, the humans ‘wrote‘ a letter to their 2021 selves, describing their lives and hopes for the future. In this episode, the humans listen back and respond to that letter. Discussing how far they have come and all that has changed in the last year.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Can money buy you happiness? (Studies show that it can, if used right)Why do people get so much pleasure out of being kind? How does your happiness change over time? How can you shape your environment to make you more happy?In this episode, the humans continue The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. The class reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind working against your well-being, and what research says you can do to help you change.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

We all know the feeling: You set a goal on New Years' intending to really do it this time, but all of a sudden, the years' gone by, and you completely forgot about your goals. That's why the humans are taking this episode to check in on their yearly themes. Reminding each other of their existence, discussing the progress they've made, and figuring out what they want to do next.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Why is it that no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to be happy? Are there neurological reasons? What can you do to overcome them? Should you fly first-class? These are just a few of the questions the humans are here to answer.In this episode, the humans continue The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. This week is all about the annoying features of the mind that prevent you from being happy and strategies you can use to overcome them.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Happiness is hard. It seems like the more you try to be happy, the less happy you are. Luckily, science has figured out some tried and true methods to increase your well-being. And you can learn it all in an online course from Yale!In this episode, the humans start The Science of Well-Being by Dr. Laurie Santos, an online course offered by Yale. The class reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind working against your well-being, and what research says you can do to help you change.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.

Do you enjoy email? What about Slack? Any other professional messaging system?Obviously you’re less happy, but have you ever stopped to ask if they actually make you more productive? What if they’re actually making the whole organization worse off?In his latest book, A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload, Cal Newport lays out the problems with email/slack and what you can do to improve the situation.In this episode, the humans discuss the book, the issues with email, how the problems started without anyone noticing, and what you can do to improve your productivity and happiness at the same time.Standard Humans is hosted by Aidan Dennehy and Evan.