Technorama Ep441: Still Attacking the Darkness

Coming up in this episode…

  • Women are tougher than you think
  • Giant fighting robot challenge
  • Read your clothing tags

Listen below with the audio player or Click Here for complete show notes and video from the show.

Feedback

  • Last week’s question: Where is the geekiest place you would like to visit (real or sci-fi?)
    • Ben: The TARDIS
      • Cory: And it can take you to the other places
    • Myron: The holodeck from Star Trek or the Nexus from ST: Generations
    • Tim: The Large Hadron Collider
  • Audio clip: Star Tours Fun Unlimited

On This Day In History for July 8, 2015

This is the 189th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 176 days remaining until the end of the year.

  • It was on this date in 1497 that Vasco da Gama sets sail on the first direct European voyage to India.
  • That same date 136 years ago, the sailing ship USS Jeannette departs San Francisco carrying an ill-fated expedition to the North Pole.
  • The first issue of The Wall Street Journal is published on this date in 1889.
  • July 5, 1932, the Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22.
  • Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident on this date in 1947.
  • 55 years ago today, Francis Gary Powers is charged with espionage resulting from his flight over the Soviet Union.
  • Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program 4 years ago today.

Happy birthday goes out on this date to

  • The inventor of Coca-cola, John Pemberton, born on this date in 1831.
  • Eli Lilly, American industrialist, soldier, and pharmaceutical chemist was born today in 1838.
  • Born on the same date in the same year, founder of the Zeppelin Airship Company, Ferdinand von Zeppelin.
  • Founder of the Standard Oil Company, John D. Rockefeller was born today in 1839.
  • Several actors are celebrating their birthdays today including:
  • Marty Feldman who would have been 81
  • Kevin Bacon turns 57
  • Will Smith’s son, Jaden Smith is 18.
  • And finally Chef and Actor Wolfgang Puck turns 66.

And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for July 8, 2015

News

 

Listener Birthday Calendar

  • 08 – Mark Lee (aka geekdad72) Stardate -351519.09
  • 08 – Alan Ralph (a.k.a. MonTemplar)
  • 10 – KHD a.k.a. The Devin
  • 11 – Steven Truax (rednecktech)
  • 12 – Shadowbird712 of Shadowbird Studios (http://shadowbirdsrandomcrap.blogspot.com/) (Sorry for the cheap plug, y’all)
  • 12 – François Pominville nickname: Bookaroo (Year: 11110110001, Canada)
  • 13 – Ben Ragunton of TGGeeks
  • 18 – Lord Doomicus
  • 18 – Nikolai from Dancing With Elephants
  • If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our Wiki.

Hacks & Strange Stories

Shout out to the chat room

We still need your help with the software upgrade fun to get back “on the air”. Consider being a subscriber or single donation to the cause: http://bit.ly/technoramadonation

Media Corner

  • Giant Robot Battle Challenge

In other sad robot news, MegaBots, a U.S. robotics company, has challenged a Japanese robotics company (Suidobashi Heavy Industries — the maker of the Kuratas personal mech) to a giant robot battle. Now I’m not much of a betting man (I’m a former gambling addict, among a bunch of other kinds of former addict) but I’m pretty sure when it comes to robots you bet your money on Japan.

MegaBots is touting a 12,000 pound two person bot against Japan’s 9,000 lb single seater. Both need modifications to be combat ready which is why MegaBots is challenging Suidobashi to name the battlefield and be ready in one year.

(UPDATE: 7/6/15 11:00AM) – It’s going to happen.

Geek Library

 

Question of the week:

  • What video game would you like to see remade/remastered/rebooted?

End of Show Stuff

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Also Thanks to

  • Mad Marv for providing the great blog content
  • Everyone who sent us links during the week
  • Those who joined us in the hangout
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