Viewer questions, 2017

130 viewer questions, requests and challenges answered in 22 videos uploaded in 2017, grouped by topic (the domain of the part of the video the answer is in), in upload order within a topic. Each question is followed by the answer as summarised, with the speaker and timestamp. Question Tuesday marks the Q&A series. Back to the overview.

Topics: Nerdfighteria (38) · Books & writing (29) · Everyday life (21) · Pop culture (8) · Economics (6) · History & curiosities (6) · Philosophy & meaning (6) · Internet & YouTube (5) · Projects (4) · Personal life (3) · Science & nature (2) · Global development (1) · US politics & society (1)

Nerdfighteria

• Q: “What is the new Republican healthcare plan all about?” (00:00:24) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Hank says there is no new Republican health care plan: Republicans want to keep Obamacare's good parts but make it cost less by waving their hands around. (00:00:28)
• Q: “Is flying to space the fastest way for Superman to fly?” (00:00:43) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Hank says flying through space is probably not Superman's fastest route: air resistance shouldn't matter much to him, and a bigger radius means a longer circumference. (00:00:54)
• Q: “How do you properly pronounce thistle?” (00:01:09) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Asked how to pronounce 'thistle', Hank says he doesn't know how to pronounce anything and uses the HowJSay app, whose narrator has said nearly every word. (00:01:11)
• Q: “When people come to VidCon, do they typically rent a car?” (00:01:32) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Hank says VidCon visitors shouldn't rent a car because parking and driving in Los Angeles are terrible; take a cab to the hotel, probably walk to the convention center, use Uber. (00:01:32)
• Q: “How do you eat a pear without getting pear juice all up on your nose?” (00:01:42) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: A self-declared pear connoisseur, Hank avoids pear juice on his nose by cutting a square around the core, nibbling the core, then eating the rest in strips. (00:01:47)
• Q: “Would Bernie have won?” (00:02:17) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Asked whether Bernie would have won, Hank sings that he doesn't know and nobody does; anyone sure is wrong, since it is too easy to be certain of the unprovable. (00:02:17)
• Q: “How's Dave?” (00:02:32) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Asked how Dave is, Hank says that if they mean the fish, Dave is less good: he can barely hold up his string but is still floating. (00:02:32)
• Q: “How many cats is too many cats?” (00:02:39) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Hank says his cat thinks two cats would be too many, which is terrible for him because his own answer is maybe eight. (00:02:41)
• Q: “Is the S or the C silent in scent?” (00:02:50) — Too Excited about Pears! (Question Tuesday with Hank) · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: So, Hank concludes, it is the C that is silent in 'scent'. (00:03:07)
• Q [request]: “Phoenix wants us to scream for four minutes” (00:01:50) — Screaming for Four Minutes Straight (with WheezyWaiter)
  • Hank: Asked by a viewer to scream for four minutes, Hank says it is something he feels like doing anyway after this week (week of 23 January 2017). (00:02:04)
• Q: “Do rich people have better Wi-Fi or does Beyonce have to unplug her router sometimes?” (00:00:00) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked whether rich people have better Wi-Fi, John says money can buy almost anything but not freedom from Comcast; Beyoncé surely resets her router like everyone. (00:00:10)
• Q: “Favorite fictional depiction of time travel?” (00:01:48) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John's favourite fictional depiction of time travel is probably Back to the Future, which has had an outsized influence on his life. (00:01:50)
• Q [request]: “I want to know everything about your new book.” (00:02:02) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says he doesn't know everything about his new book because it is not finished yet. (00:02:03)
• Q: “Are you tired of people asking about your new book?” (00:02:08) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John is not tired of people asking about his new book: it's nice that people care, he just wishes he had more to tell them. (00:02:08)
• Q: “What's your favorite river?” (00:02:13) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John's favourite river is the White River in Indianapolis: beautiful and mostly deserted, so you can kayak for hours without seeing anyone. (00:02:13)
• Q: “Do you like the number 53?” (00:02:41) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says 53 is probably in the top half of two-digit numbers, but 43 is the best. (00:02:43)
• Q: “Do you ever go by any nicknames?” (00:02:47) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says some high-school friends still call him Kuffs because he once said Christian Slater never made a bad movie. (00:02:50)
• Q [request]: “(crowd: peanut butter face!) That's spoken like people who've never done peanut butter face” (00:01:25) — PUNISHED: Blenderized Audience Choice: LIVE!
  • John: When the crowd chants 'peanut butter face', John answers that's spoken like people who've never done peanut butter face. (00:01:27)
• Q: “What's in the boxes?” (00:00:35) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John (joke): Asked what's in the boxes, John claims an absolutely true story: he opened one and was stunned to find inside it another box. (00:00:37)
• Q: “Do caterpillars know they'll turn into butterflies” (00:00:52) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says butterflies seem able to remember smells from when they were caterpillars, though that is not quite self-awareness. (00:00:57)
• Q: “How do you cope with uncertainty?” (00:01:08) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says he copes with uncertainty quite poorly: he desperately wants to close the loop on his thoughts and be absolutely certain of something. (00:01:09)
• Q: “What are you looking forward to most about VidCon?” (00:01:21) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: At VidCon John most looks forward to the annual Nerdfighter meetup, where they talk about future plans for Crash Course and more. (00:01:42)
• Q: “How's life post-100 days?” (00:01:48) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked about life after 100 Days, John says it is good: he finished his first half marathon in two hours and seven minutes. (00:01:48)
• Q: “My brother's expecting a baby soon. How can I prepare to be a great aunt?” (00:01:50) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: To a viewer whose brother expects a baby, John jokes she will be a regular aunt, not a great aunt; taking 'great' as excellent, he says not to worry, she'll be great. (00:02:09)
• Q [request]: “I want to listen to the Mountain Goats, but where should I start?” (00:01:57) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: For starting with the Mountain Goats, John always recommends the album All Hail West Texas. (00:02:05)
• Q: “what's your best advice for a long and happy marriage?” (00:03:12) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: For marriage advice, Sarah reminded John of a Philip Larkin poem ending 'we should be careful of each other, we should be kind while there is still time'; John wishes the same for him and Hank. (00:03:23)
• Q: “Vulcans or Klingons?” (00:02:03) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked Vulcans or Klingons, John picks both. (00:02:05)
• Q: “Coffee or tea?” (00:02:09) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked coffee or tea, John again picks both. (00:02:10)
• Q: “How do you feel about animals with no necks?” (00:02:11) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John finds animals with no necks profoundly disturbing. (00:02:13)
• Q: “Best hotdog you ever consumed?” (00:02:25) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John's best hot dog came from a stand in Reykjavik, Iceland, where hot dogs cost about a dollar: one of the two or three best meals he has ever eaten; he sometimes dreams of it. (00:02:27)
• Q: “Who's your least favorite American founding father?” (00:02:40) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says James Wilkinson was an actual secret agent working against the United States. (00:02:43)
• Q: “Is Turtles All the Way Down going to be translated into Spanish and/or other languages?” (00:02:50) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says Turtles All the Way Down will be translated into Spanish and other languages, and shows the Spanish cover. (00:02:53)
• Q: “Pineapple or no?!” (00:00:59) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked 'pineapple or no', John says he'd take a pineapple, or might take 'no', which he finds a very useful word. (00:01:06)
• Q: “What's your pizza eating method, John?” (00:01:10) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • John: John's pizza-eating method: he takes it off, rolls it up and slices it so it is like a cinnamon roll. (00:01:10)
• Q: “opinions on next day Pizza?” (00:01:28) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Hank is strongly in favour of next-day pizza, eaten cold straight out of the fridge. (00:01:30)
• Q: “Would you rather have a pizza-sized John or a John-sized pizza?” (00:02:33) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • John: On a pizza-sized John or a John-sized pizza, John says that if a miniature version of yourself showed up you would have to let it decide for itself. (00:02:38)
• Q: “Have you ever eaten real pizza in Italy?” (00:02:53) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • John: John has eaten pizza in Italy; it had too many olives, and he finds Italian pizza a little overrated. (00:02:53)
• Q: “How does one explain Pizza John to somebody who doesn't know about Pizza John?” (00:00:46) — Definitely Not A Pecan Orchard: A Pizzamas Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked how to explain Pizza John, John says he doesn't: it is not something you explain, just something you accept. (00:00:51)

Books & writing

• Q: “How excited are you for VidCon Europe in April?” (00:01:46) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John is very excited for VidCon Europe in April, partly because he hasn't been back to Amsterdam since the TFIOS movie came out and will visit his old haunts. (00:01:48)
• Q: “Any YA book recommendations?” (00:01:54) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John recommends Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give, out later this month (February 2017), which he truly believes will be a classic that even people who don't love books will love. (00:01:56)
• Q: “Lots of people were like, ' are you going to sign all the pre-orders? Will all the pre-orders be signed?” (00:00:31) — UNBOXING
  • John: Asked whether all pre-orders of Turtles All the Way Down will be signed, John says clearly no. (00:01:13)
• Q: “Are you literally signing 200,000 sheets of paper?” (00:00:12) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: John signs every sheet and sends them to Pennsylvania, where they are bound one by one into copies of Turtles All the Way Down. (00:00:16)
• Q: “Are you aware that your signature is currently worth negative four dollars on Amazon?” (00:00:30) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: Asked whether his signature is worth negative four dollars on Amazon, John thinks it is negative three: the signed edition is currently cheaper there than the unsigned one. (00:00:34)
• Q: “How many paper cuts have you gotten so far?” (00:00:50) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: John has amazingly had no paper cuts yet, though he worries about them a lot. (00:00:52)
• Q: “Why two hundred thousand?” (00:00:56) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: Why 200,000? At the time it seemed like enough, but not too much. (00:00:57)
• Q: “Why u do dis?” (00:01:01) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: Not totally sure why he does it, John says one reason is that it is unfair that people far from big cities or unable to attend author events get signed books only by paying a surcharge. (00:01:04)
• Q: “Does your hand hurt?” (00:01:39) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: His hand doesn't hurt: very effective physical therapy for his ulnar nerve entrapment during the Fault in Our Stars signing means he can now sign all day. (00:01:40)
• Q: “How consistent does your signature tend to be?” (00:01:59) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: John thinks his signature varies wildly; Sarah thinks he spends far too much time looking at it. (00:02:01)
• Q: “How many papers can you sign in an hour?” (00:02:09) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: Signing a thousand takes about two hours, so the whole project will take around 400 hours. (00:02:11)
• Q [request]: “Would you please put that pen to work on another book instead of a zillion fairly anonymous tokens?” (00:02:16) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: Asked to put the pen to work on another book instead of a zillion anonymous tokens, John says the pen does not want to work on another book. (00:02:20)
• Q: “What kind of pen are you using?” (00:02:24) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: John signs with Sharpies, lots of them, and is in something of a blue period. (00:02:25)
• Q: “Are you sponsored by Sharpie?” (00:02:29) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: John is not sponsored by Sharpie, though he'd happily sell out; he buys his own Sharpies. (00:02:30)
• Q: “How do you decide what colors to sign in?” (00:02:35) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: Viewers' votes are deciding the colour breakdown of the last hundred thousand signatures. (00:02:37)
• Q: “What good media have you been enjoying while signing?” (00:02:47) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: While signing John mostly listens to podcasts, and also Pride and Prejudice on audiobook, which is still great. (00:02:50)
• Q: “When you first started signing the books, did you think it was fun?” (00:03:14) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: John honestly still thinks signing is fun. (00:03:17)
• Q: “Where can I buy the book?” (00:03:19) — Signing 200,000 Autographs
  • John: The signed edition has its own ISBN, with links in the doobly-doo, but the book is available pretty much wherever books are sold. (00:03:22)
• Q: “Q: Where are you going?” (00:00:24) — I Love and Apologize to (Insert Location Here): Surprise Thursday Bonus Video!
  • John: John lists the tour's 19 stops in one take, from New York through the South, Midwest and Northwest to two San Francisco Bay Area shows and Los Angeles, including Hank's high school auditorium in Orlando. (00:00:25)
• Q: “Q: Are these shows gonna be spoiler free?” (00:01:48) — I Love and Apologize to (Insert Location Here): Surprise Thursday Bonus Video!
  • John: John says the shows will be spoiler-free about his books, though there may be Star Wars spoilers. (00:01:50)
• Q: “Q: Is it weird if I come alone?” (00:01:53) — I Love and Apologize to (Insert Location Here): Surprise Thursday Bonus Video!
  • John: John says lots of people will come to the shows alone, and the program will have a special letter just for them. (00:01:54)
• Q: “Q: How much for the tickets?” (00:02:04) — I Love and Apologize to (Insert Location Here): Surprise Thursday Bonus Video!
  • John: John says ticket prices were set by the host bookstores so they don't lose money, so they vary by city and venue. (00:02:05)
• Q: “Q: WIll there be a book signing?” (00:02:15) — I Love and Apologize to (Insert Location Here): Surprise Thursday Bonus Video!
  • John: John says there will be no signing after the shows, partly because of the venues' size but mostly because of his brain malfunctioning; he is sorry and has struggled with it. (00:02:16)
• Q: “Q: Will you guys be singing together?” (00:02:31) — I Love and Apologize to (Insert Location Here): Surprise Thursday Bonus Video!
  • John: Apologising, John says the brothers will probably sing together, but only briefly. (00:02:33)
• Q: “Are you dreading or looking forward to the book tour?” (00:01:35) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John is very much looking forward to the book tour: being on tour with Hank brings him great joy (don't tell Hank). (00:01:37)
• Q: “Hey, what cities on the Turtles tour are sold out or close to being sold out?” (00:01:43) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says the Turtles tour shows in Bellingham, Chicago and Atlanta are sold out, sorry it happened so fast. (00:01:47)
• Q: “Do you ever feel like something you've finished isn't good enough?” (00:02:55) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John feels that something he finished isn't good enough every Tuesday evening, and every three to six years when he publishes a book. (00:02:57)
• Q: “Do you listen to music while you're writing your books?” (00:02:33) — Turtles All the Way Down!!! A Reunion Video
  • John: Asked whether he listens to music while writing, John says, unsurprisingly, that he does: only the Mountain Goats. (00:02:33)
• Q: “How does it feel to have Hank be a published author?” (00:02:38) — Turtles All the Way Down!!! A Reunion Video
  • John: Asked how it feels to have Hank be a published author, John says he is so psyched, so happy and so proud of Hank. (00:02:38)

Everyday life

• Q: “Diet Dr. Pepper or Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper?” (00:00:40) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: Cherry Diet Dr Pepper being almost impossible to find is great news to John, since plain Diet Dr Pepper is already perfect. (00:00:43)
• Q: “What's your opinion on bears?” (00:00:51) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John (joke): Asked his opinion on bears, John gives a rapid string of contradictory verdicts, from strongly in favor to overrated to opposed. (00:00:53)
• Q: “What's your opinion of glitter?” (00:01:01) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: Glitter Alice puts on John's face survives days of washing, which makes him think billions of bacteria probably can too. (00:01:02)
• Q: “If you had a Tardis and could go anywhere in space and time, where would you go?” (00:01:14) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: With a TARDIS John would probably just go to present-day New Zealand: the past was worse, he isn't confident in the future, and New Zealanders seem nice. (00:01:18)
• Q: “And I've been asked, " how do you do it?” (00:00:03) — Some Unhealthy Productivity Tips (and some Healthy ones)
  • Hank: Asked how he does so many things, Hank says he's not sure he does, hasn't thought much about it, doubts he is healthy about it, and thinks many of his secrets aren't good for him. (00:00:03)
• Q: “how much plasma would I have to sell to pay for an engineering degree?” (00:00:12) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank (joke): Asked how much plasma it takes to pay for an engineering degree, Hank says an engineering student should do the calculation herself, and it is far more than she has. (00:00:12)
• Q: “Do I go to a college 1,500 miles away that I love or one nearer home and help my parents with my million tiny siblings?” (00:00:31) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank: To a student torn between a loved college far away and one near family, Hank says a great benefit of college is breaking off from the life built around you to see who you are on your own; but family matters too. (00:00:31)
• Q: “Should I major in something that I'm passionate about or something that's more financially secure?” (00:01:05) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank: Asked whether to major in a passion or something financially secure, Hank says we don't know what will be financially secure: which careers and skills will be useful is changing fast. (00:01:13)
• Q: “Favorite class you took?” (00:01:57) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank: Hank's favourite college class was anthropology: at that point in his life it was amazing to see how many different ways there are to be people. (00:01:57)
• Q: “How expensive was it?” (00:02:17) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank: Hank says his school's tuition in 1998, his first year, was $22,000 a year; with scholarships he paid about $10,000 a year, around $14,000 in today's dollars. (00:02:19)
• Q: “Is journalism dying?” (00:02:42) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank: Asked whether journalism is dying, Hank says no: journalism is suddenly having a revival, with people paying for it again. (00:02:42)
• Q: “Hank, are hotdogs sandwiches?” (00:02:01) — Definitely Not A Pecan Orchard: A Pizzamas Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says that on tour he and Hank decided they have too many opinions, so each day they each abandon one opinion. (00:02:07)
• Q: “How can you be supportive when a friend of yours gets a haircut you find really weird?” (00:00:55) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank: Asked how to support a friend with a weird haircut, Hank says all haircuts are weird: human hair grows forever, like only domesticated dogs bred to have dumb hair. (00:00:59)
• Q: “What if, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, I want to believe that there's no place like home, but also I don't know exactly where home is?” (00:01:22) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank: To a viewer who wants to believe there's no place like home but doesn't know where home is, Hank answers: welcome to adulthood. (00:01:28)
• Q: “What should be the signature dish that I bake to impress new friends?” (00:01:31) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank (joke): Asked for a signature dish to bake for new friends, Hank flounders through nachos, baked potatoes, biscuits and gravy and corn dogs, which are fried. (00:01:36)
• Q: “I spoiled his secret talent! How do I tell him?” (00:01:56) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank: To a viewer who discovered their brother secretly plays guitar and sings, Hank says don't tell him: it's his secret, and he should be let to practice in peace. (00:01:57)
• Q [request]: “Would you be willing to support me in becoming the world's dictator?” (00:02:34) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank (joke): Asked whether the brothers would support a viewer becoming world dictator, loyalty rewarded, Hank says the viewer had him until the end. (00:02:40)
• Q: “As a turtle biologist, I must ask: What is your favorite kind of turtle?” (00:02:42) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank: Asked his favorite kind of turtle, Hank says he likes sea turtles a lot, especially baby ones, and also Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (00:02:46)
• Q: “Does this happen to you?” (00:03:08) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank: Asked whether writing that feels bad turns out better on rereading, Hank says yes: trust not the moment of fixing and breaking, but how the finished product reads afterwards. (00:03:11)
• Q: “How will I ever know if I've actually succeeded?” (00:03:29) — I Have (a little bit) HAD IT!
  • Hank: Asked how to know you have succeeded, Hank says you never know: you succeed at individual events but failure is always around the corner, so find things that sustain you. (00:03:32)
• Q: “Where do I get last-minute Christmas presents?” (00:02:02) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank (joke): For last-minute presents, Hank suggests unused soap from the cupboard, such as Irish Spring. (00:02:04)

Pop culture

• Q: “What's been your favorite part of 100 Days so far?” (00:02:09) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John's favorite part of 100 Days is how bad he and Chris are at high fives: best friends for a decade, they have never completed one. (00:02:11)
• Q: “Favorite song on the Hamilton mixtape?” (00:02:19) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John's favorite song on the Hamilton Mixtape is Immigrants. (00:02:21)
• Q: “What's the secret of life?” (00:02:21) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John thinks the secret of life may be understanding that you deserve to love and be loved. (00:02:23)
• Q: “All-time favorite dystopia novel?” (00:02:26) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John calls 1984 a great dystopian novel, but jokes that the dystopia we're living in has amazing world-building. (00:02:28)
• Q: “What's your favorite Pokemon?” (00:02:34) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked his favorite Pokemon, John relays that Henry says it is Mega Mewtwo EX, whatever that means. (00:02:35)
• Q: “What's the most important song you've ever listened to?” (00:02:39) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: The most important songs are not necessarily the best: a few songs John needed gave form to something deep inside him he couldn't understand or look at directly. (00:02:42)
• Q [request]: “Review Broadway shows just based off their descriptions on Wikipedia " This is a great idea!” (00:00:32) — Reviewing Musicals from their Wikipedia Pages
  • Hank: The chosen suggestion, from Morgan, is to review Broadway shows based only on their Wikipedia descriptions; Hank calls it a great idea and says this person should choose all his topics. (00:00:32)
• Q: “Is it like the films? I've never experienced Christmas day with people who celebrate Christmas.” (00:00:12) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank (joke): Asked whether Christmas is like the films, Hank says it is exactly like Die Hard. (00:00:16)

Economics

• Q: “Is it better for your credit score to carry over some debt on credit cards month to month or just pay it off completely?” (00:00:10) — How to Invest (and other money questions with The Financial Diet)
  • a guest: A guest says it is better to pay off credit card balances in full if you have the money, without depleting the cash reserves you need for emergencies. (00:00:20)
• Q: “Should I meet with a human person or just go on E-Trade?” (00:01:12) — How to Invest (and other money questions with The Financial Diet)
  • a guest: A guest warns there is very little regulation of who can advise you with your money, so advisers may give bad or unqualified advice. (00:01:21)
• Q: “How do I eat less fast food and also spend less money on fast food?” (00:01:52) — How to Invest (and other money questions with The Financial Diet)
  • a guest: To eat and spend less on fast food, stop driving past it: plan an alternate route avoiding the places that tempt you most. (00:01:55)
• Q: “Why shouldn't I rack up my credit cards if it just goes away when I die?” (00:02:20) — How to Invest (and other money questions with The Financial Diet)
  • a guest: Racking up card debt because it disappears at death ignores the years before then: unpaid bills have effects almost immediately. (00:02:24)
• Q: “they were wondering if they should just take their 401k out and pay off their student loans with it.” (00:02:40) — How to Invest (and other money questions with The Financial Diet)
  • a guest: Don't cash out a 401k to pay off student loans when changing jobs: the 401k is a very good deal and loans are probably at a low rate, so paying them as they come is better. (00:02:47)
• Q: “Why are jeans so expensive?” (00:03:02) — How to Invest (and other money questions with The Financial Diet)
  • a guest: Jean prices depend on the kind; jeans began as workman's clothes, are very durable, and a good pair lasts five years. (00:03:21)

History & curiosities

• Q: “CGP Grey asked how in the world the word Cheyenne, this word, is pronounced like a girl named Anne who doesn't talk very much” — asked by CGP Grey (00:00:10) — Let's Talk About Stress!
  • Hank: Asked by CGP Grey how 'Cheyenne' comes to be pronounced 'shy-ann', Hank says there is probably a real reason: the word went through several rapid rounds of loanword adaptation. (00:00:22)
• Q: “Whose idea was it to bring a tree inside and then decorate it?” (00:00:45) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank: Asked whose idea indoor trees were, Hank and Katherine credit Germans, or rather Germanic folk, since Germany didn't exist yet. (00:00:49)
• Q: “What do people in summer climates do for Christmas?” (00:02:36) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank: People in warm climates do the same stuff at Christmas, probably minus the sweaters. (00:02:36)
• Q: “Why is it traditional to have a fruitcake?” (00:02:43) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank: Fruitcake was traditional because fruit was special at this time of year: dried fruit soaked in booze is the closest thing to fresh fruit in midwinter. (00:02:46)
• Q: “What do Americans do on Boxing Day? What do you call that?” (00:03:06) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank: Americans don't observe Boxing Day: they call it the day after Christmas and go back to work. (00:03:09)
• Q: “What's the deal with the pickle?” (00:03:16) — Christmas Questions Answered (With Katherine and Hank)
  • Hank: Several viewers asked about the Christmas pickle; Hank doesn't know what it is and wonders if they are being messed with. (00:03:19)

Philosophy & meaning

• Q: “How do I cope with the fact that there's no real meaning in life?” (00:00:18) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says meaning in life may be constructed by us rather than derived from some objective truth, but that does not make it any less real. (00:00:22)
• Q: “Do thoughts mean consciousness?” (00:02:55) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: John spends much of his free time wondering whether he is made of his thoughts and whether his thoughts belong to him, without reaching any conclusions. (00:02:55)
• Q: “Why have people become so obsessed with being right rather than developing richer ways of thinking?” (00:02:55) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked why people are obsessed with being right, John says he doesn't know, and that he is practising saying 'I don't know' more because it is a really underutilized phrase. (00:03:08)
• Q: “If your greatest hope and your greatest fear challenged each other to a duel, who would win?” (00:03:22) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked whether his greatest hope or greatest fear would win a duel, John says he doesn't know who would win between absolute oblivion and a cure for malaria. (00:03:24)
• Q: “How is the world going to end?” (00:00:05) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John notes that tuatara have been on Earth over 150 million years while humans emerged maybe 300,000 years ago, at most 0.2% of tuatara history. (00:00:14)
• Q: “So what's even the point of getting out of bed?” (00:00:38) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John thinks the point of getting out of bed is to seek a reason to get out of bed: fulfilment and meaning will not descend on us miraculously. (00:00:40)

Internet & YouTube

• Q: “Why hasn't live news taken off on YouTube?” (00:01:26) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John asks whether we really need more live news; what he needs is a pause button that contextualizes the news and tells him what it means. (00:01:28)
• Q: “How are you coping with all the scary stuff in the world?” (00:01:37) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John (joke): Asked how he copes with the scary stuff in the world, John jokes that he is a happy lobster in a pot of cool water, then asks if the water is getting warmer. (00:01:40)
• Q: “Where did you write Turtles All the Way Down?” (00:00:58) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says he wrote Turtles All the Way Down mostly in bed, so he does not follow his own advice. (00:01:00)
• Q: “The internet makes me feel worse, but I can’t stop using it question mark?” (00:01:04) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: John thinks some pockets of the internet make us feel better, but the wiring of the human brain and the architecture of the social internet make it hard, for him at least, to stay in them. (00:01:07)
• Q: “Are you still mad that pennies exist?” (00:01:31) — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. · Question Tuesday
  • John: Asked if he is still mad that pennies exist, John says not mad so much as disappointed. (00:01:32)

Projects

• Q: “cool decorating ideas?” (00:02:49) — Life is not a Job Training Program
  • Hank: Hank announces a back-to-school sale at DFTBA.com and the first-ever Nerdfighter backpack, with giraffes and Nerdfighter crests, which he designed with backpack company Spiral. (00:02:49)
• Q: “John, how sad are you to be missing out on Saturday at PodCon?” (00:01:02) — Definitely Not A Pecan Orchard: A Pizzamas Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John will miss PodCon's first day, Saturday, because he is interviewing former Vice President Joe Biden; there will still be plenty of live Dear Hank and John. (00:01:08)
• Q: “Hey Hank, where can I get Pizzamas gear and for how much longer?” (00:03:18) — Definitely Not A Pecan Orchard: A Pizzamas Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Answering a viewer, Hank says Pizzamas gear is at DFTBA.com and available only until Friday (10 November 2017). (00:03:24)
• Q [request]: “Can we get a discount code for Pizzamas merch?” (00:03:36) — Definitely Not A Pecan Orchard: A Pizzamas Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: Granting a viewer's request, John announces the discount code 'Pizza' for one percent off anything at DFTBA.com for the next 24 hours. (00:03:36)

Personal life

• Q: “Will you come to my wedding in September?” (00:01:14) — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? · Question Tuesday
  • John: Answering a viewer's wedding invitation, John jokes that of course they cannot come, then says if it's in Indianapolis with an open bar, they'll be there. (00:01:43)
• Q: “how do you decide?” (00:00:10) — Should I Have a Baby?
  • Hank: Answering the DadCast's most common question, how to decide to have a child, Hank says you don't know: it is like buying 378 bottles of olives without ever tasting one. (00:00:22)
• Q: “How is Willy?” (00:02:43) — Boxes, Butterflies, and Regular Aunts: Live from the Past, It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: John says Willy is not doing great: he has a very slow-growing cancer, but he is much loved and has a relatively good prognosis, so they are hopeful. (00:02:43)

Science & nature

• Q: “What would you do inside a whale?” (00:01:58) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Hank says a blue whale's heart is big enough that a person could probably be inside its aorta. (00:02:11)
• Q: “Is it true that whale nuts are on the inside?” (00:03:13) — Where are Whale Balls? Question Tuesday: Pizza Edition · Question Tuesday
  • Hank: Asked how he knows, Hank admits he simply looked up one day where whale testes are. (00:03:17)

Global development

• Q: “Can we start with some good news?” (00:00:13) — Good News, YA Books, and Bears: It's Question Tuesday · Question Tuesday
  • John: There's a pretty good chance no human will contract polio this week (week of 6 February 2017), something rarely possible over the last several thousand years. (00:00:14)

US politics & society

• Q: “Why don't you run for office?” (00:01:04) — Why I Won't Run for Office
  • John: Answering commenters who ask why he doesn't run for office, John says being a politician means constant meetings, and he hates meetings with a white-hot passion. (00:01:04)