Tower of Technobabble

We discuss how technology is moving faster than society can figure out the boundaries of politeness, real-life trends being used in science fiction, discover a surprising revelation about the Jetsons, discuss what makes good dirt, talk about catholic voodoo, and The Repeater starts a disturbing new advertising trend.

Discussion Pit

Paul Walker Death Hoax Hoax: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/paulwalker.asp

Live tweeting airplane feud a hoax: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/elan-gale-made-epic-note-war-thanksgiving-flight/story?id=21099585

Former NSA head gives background interview on train, conversation is live tweeted: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/10/24/this-dude-just-eavesdropped-on-former-nsa-director-michael-hayden-and-hes-tweeting-about-it/

12 real life inventions that “science fiction is neglecting at its peril”: http://io9.com/12-real-life-inventions-that-science-fiction-is-neglect-1475728547

How to... disappear.

http://lifehacker.com/5676149/how-to-ditch-big-brother-and-disappear-forever

This week, on the tower of technobabble, previously recorded, we entrust me with the preparation of the thanksgiving day meal while we goof off. Or, in other words, business as usual.

Show Notes:

For the love of God, someone please get Towerbot the following books for Christmas?

http://www.amazon.com/Grays-Anatomy-Unabridged-Running-American/dp/0914294083/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1386086855&sr=8-2&keywords=gray%27s+anatomy+book

http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Basics-Dummies-Bryan-Miller/dp/0470913886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386086875&sr=8-1&keywords=cooking+for+dummies

http://www.amazon.com/Dealing-Can%252019t-Revised-Expanded-Edition/dp/0071785728/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1386086891&sr=8-4&keywords=getting+along+with+coworkers

We get ready to rock (Ragnarok, that is), discuss how the educational system let us down in a big way and what we plan to do about it, half-ass some more JFK conspiracy theories, and then examine how 2013's biggest Bigfoot hoax finally ended, not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Show Notes:

Shout-outs to our fellow Podcast denizens who have recently been lovely to us:

Movie Meltdown: 

http://moviemeltdown.libsyn.com/251-totally-who-less

Hillbilly Nerd Talk:

http://www.hillbillynerdtalk.com/episode-9-11-17-13-dentist-ghost-hunting-deer-season-chicken-time-welfare-reform-crochet-ideas-sexy-maid-fetishland/

Here we go again! Get ready for the Viking apocalypse!

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/522565/20131115/ragnarok-viking-apocalypse-end-world-countdown-jorvik.htm

A Shocking Indictment of our Education System in Regard to the Teaching - or Lack Thereof - Of the Subject of History (An introduction into what could be future segments about history in Season 4)

An Untold History of the United States: 

http://www.sho.com/sho/oliver-stones-untold-history-of-the-united-states/home

and for a counterpoint: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/19/oliver-stone-s-junk-history-of-the-united-states-debunked.html

Paul -The latest news from the Kentucky Slim book club

Ruby kills Oswald - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n9VQ-dXrwQ

List of “related” deaths - http://www.jfk-assassination.de/articles/deaths.php

also on JFK:

“Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas?”, book by Bryce Zabel

http://www.whatifkennedylived.com/

JFK was not the picture of health? Wha??

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/15/jfk-s-weak-body-and-strong-spirit.html

Bigfoot Roundup

We say a sad goodbye to Homeless Hank:

http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2013/11/this-man-claims-mib-stole-his-bigfoot.html

… and I guess the big tour is cancelled:

http://bigfoottoday.com/bigfoot-tour/

We get ready for the big Doctor Who anniversary, celebrate the glut of superhero stuff about to be on streaming video, complain about the hipsters who will complain about the glut of superhero stuff about to be on streaming video and then go into why the key to the JFK assassination might have been closer to the oval office than anyone ever thought. Also, how history teaching in high school has been a dismal failure.

Show Notes:

Intro: Ben doesn't get country music (!)

Lyrics to Brad Paisley's "Ticks" (ew!):

http://www.metrolyrics.com/ticks-lyrics-brad-paisley.html

Lyrics to Luke Bryan's "Rain is a Good Thing":

http://www.metrolyrics.com/rain-is-a-good-thing-lyrics-luke-bryan.html

• Marvel and Netflix are ready to blow your damn mind (in 2015, so there's still time if you need your mind for something):

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/11/07/marvel-netflix-superhero-series/3469777/ 

and

http://www.imore.com/marvel-netflix-sign-deal-bring-daredevil-power-man-iron-fist-jessica-jones-and-defenders-small

(and, just for good measure, this is the past that we've evolved from, you freakin' fanboys: 

http://www.worstmoviesevermade.com/wp-content/media/2013/01/david-hasselhoff-nick-fury-agent-of-shield.jpg)

• LBJ offed JFK? OMG!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Man-Who-Killed-Kennedy/dp/1626363137

And for a little background on the author:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Stone

With the news of Blockbuster Video closing down its remaining stores, we wax nostalgic about Elisabeth Shue movies, the distinctive odor of movie rental stores, the special rooms shamefully tucked away in the mom and pop video shops and whatever happened to Red Giraffe. Then we look at Bigfoot hunting gone horribly wrong, and start to wish that the bigfeet would just start shooting back. 

Show Notes:

Discussion Pit: RIP Blockbuster — Is there a place for video stores anymore?

Do Rental places still have a place:

http://gizmodo.com/rip-blockbuster-or-why-cant-i-watch-indiana-jones-1459602835

A local (Louisville) store doing it right:

http://www.wandwvideo.com

Every Video Store had this video:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jstNGYABfFE/UQikJDMmPTI/AAAAAAAAAog/OFp3o0UkIEA/s1600/april+fools+day+vhs.jpg

Bigfoot Roundup: Aww shoot!

RUMOR — Georgia Bigfoot shot, question mark?

http://www.bigfootbuzz.net/rumor-mill-bigfoot-shot-by-florida-hunter-in-terrell-georgia/

Washington Driver Blames "Man In Gorilla Suit" For Causing A Crash:

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Wash-driver-blames-gorilla-for-causing-crash-4955174.php

Man Shoots Friend because he thought the friend was Bigfoot:

http://www.cryptozoonews.com/bf-hunt-suspects/

We pull back the curtains of time to examine the alleged riots that Orson Welles' War of the Worlds caused 75 years ago, and then look at the resurgence of a method of transportation best known for its spectacular explosions.

Show Notes: 

• Did War of the Worlds Broadcast really cause a panic?

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/did-the-war-of-the-worlds-radio-broadcast-really-caus-1453582944/@barrett

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/10/30/241797346/75-years-ago-war-of-the-worlds-started-a-panic-or-did-it

• Zeppelin! The Comeback!

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/11/aeroscraft-zeppelin_n_3904561.html

Old time airships, by the way, were awesome:

http://jalopnik.com/the-world-was-awesome-when-airships-and-blimps-ruled-th-1444551031

Cool online museum from Denmark:

http://mini.ptt-museum.dk/zeppex/en/enExhibition.html

A fleet of blimps will be airshield for Washington DC:

http://gizmodo.com/a-fleet-of-blimps-will-soon-serve-as-a-missile-shield-o-885030187

And here's the company making them:

http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/jlens/

With the approaching 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, we consult an expert from the United Kingdom to school us on the BBC show, do a run down of each actor who has played the character, and what might be coming in the future.

Show Notes

The book that our guest, JR Southall created and edited:

http://youandwho.weebly.com/

The magazine JR writes for:

http://www.starburstmagazine.com/

The Doctor Who podcast that JR hosts:

http://www.starburstmagazine.com/podcasts/blue-box-podcast-listen-to-the-latest-episoide

Trailers for the two recently found Doctor Who 1968 episodes:

http://www.starburstmagazine.com/tv-news/6796-tv-news-doctor-who

A slideshow gallery of all 11 Doctors:

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/gallery/2013/aug/04/doctor-who-actors-peter-capaldi

We've got more truth than you can shake the proverbial stick at. First, we face some hard truths from last week's episode, and then discover the truth about a bigfoot attack, alien autopsies, photos of Christ and a surprising revelation about one of our own team members.

Show Notes:

• House stenographer goes just a little nuts:

http://gawker.com/house-stenographer-dragged-off-floor-yelling-about-free-144683081

• Naked Sasquatch Attack:

http://q13fox.com/2013/10/10/police-naked-man-attacks-hunter-after-referring-to-sasquatch/#axzz2hqrG4aRf

• What is up with UFO photos?

http://ufocon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/authentic-alien-images-from-roswell.html

• Aliens give us photos of Jesus…

http://www.adguk-blog.com/2013/10/aliens-reveal-jesus-near-sea-of-galilee.html

…but it’s a fake:

http://www.spiritdaily.net/Mailbagpainting.htm

It's the inaugural Tower of Technobabble October Salute to the 50 states of the United States of America, with a list of the biggest failings of each state! Oh, and we have huge problems with Ohio's problems. It's a patriotic free-for-all.

Show Notes: 

A Web show of all the various problems of all the various states;

http://www.weather.com/health/worst-thing-about-your-state-20130924

And this is the site that takes the same info and turns it into an infograph map: 

http://www.policymic.com/articles/64665/what-is-the-most-screwed-up-thing-about-your-state-check-this-chart

SHUTDOWN: The Tower Crew deals with incompetence beyond their control in a Very Special Episode.

Show Notes:

There is currently no money in the budget for notes. Once reasonable people knuckle under to yahoos, we hope this will be restored. Thank you, and may God Bless the Tower.