Writer & Geek

By Ep.Log MediaSociety & Culture Documentary Science Technology History

Writer & Geek episodes

March 08, 2019 062 - Beer Talk: Life 'n' stuff
In this episode, the boys sit down to discuss life ‘n’ stuff.
37 min
February 12, 2019 061: Personal Finance Ft. Naga From Passion People Podcast
This week, Vishnu is joined by Naga Subramanya from Passion People Podcast to discuss personal finance
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 hr 4 min
February 12, 2019061 - Personal Finance ft. Naga from Passion People Podcast
In this episode, Vishnu is joined by friend and fellow podcast producer Naga Subramanya from The Passion Poeple Podcast to discuss personal finance. Vishnu is a noob and Naga is an expert when it comes to personal finance. Enjoy their conversation, there are many gems of knowledge in this one.
Some of the stuff we discuss:
Power of compounding

Mutual funds

Saving then spending

Credit Cards and Debt

Loans

Insurance and why term insurance.
You can reach out to Naga here:
The Passion People Podcast

Passion Poeple Podcast on Twitter

Naga’s email: [email protected]
unsplash-logoSharon McCutcheon
1 hr 4 min
January 22, 2019 060: Cholanaikkans: The Lost Tribe
This week, we talk about the tribe of Cholanaikkans
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
30 min
January 22, 2019060 - Cholanaikkans: The Lost Tribe
The Cholanaikkans are an ethnic group of India, primarily inhabiting the southern Kerala State, especially Silent Valley National Park. They are one of the last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes of the region.
Population: 190-200 (2001 census: 360~)

Found in the late 1970s

Live in caves and rely on hunting and gathering

Do not cultivate due to the destruction of produce by animals such as elephants

Said to have moved to South due to natural disasters such as floods or fleeing due to their defeat under the dynasties from the North

Worships trees and follow animism which is the belief that everything (living or non-living) is bound by some spiritual connection

They are short in stature, wheatish to dark complexion, and well-built

Have their own distinctive language

Follow a patriarchal family structure

The literacy rate is around 16% with one graduate among them. Most drop out after one semester in school

We also talk about the Sentinelese from the Sentinel Islands. Enjoy!
Image credits: Dhruvaraj S from India - A Cholanaikkan Nilambur. Cropped 1:1 ratio.
30 min
January 09, 2019 059: The Humble Toilet
This week, we talk about good humble 'ol toilets
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
31 min
January 09, 2019059 - The humble toilet.
History of toilets
Toilets and sewers came into being as early as 3000 B.C.

Mohenjodaro had earliest forms of toilet which resembled western toilets. Waste was deposited into pits or drains.

In Harappa, a primitive form of water cleaning toilet was used which utilised flowing water to remove waste.

Indus valley civilisation is well known for its network of sewers built under the ground.

In the west, toilets that used water were built in the Orkney Islands on the northern tip of Scotland dating back to 3100 B.C - 2500 B.C.

By 18th century B.C, toilets made appearances in Egypt, parts of Greece and Persia.

Remains of toilets have been found from a Neolithic village in Vietnam dating back to 1500 B.C.

Romans used public toilets along with public baths. These toilets were elevated platforms over sewers that were periodically flushed with water.

Greeks and Romans also used Chamber Pots that were brought to public meal and drinking parties! Yeah, let them sink in for a moment.

Han dynasty in China used Pig toilets. An outhouse was connected to a pigsty and the waste was consumed by the pigs. Hence the reputation Pork!

During medieval times Garderobes were used as toilets, especially in Castles. Basically, a flat piece of wood or stone spanning from wall to wall with a hole in the middle. The holes were placed above pipes that dropped the waste outside the wall of the room. Usually these rooms were placed away from bedrooms to prevent smell and sometimes near kitchen or fireplace for warmth.

Chamber pots were also extensively used in medieval times. The waste was excreted into pots made of metal or ceramic and they were emptied into street gutters.

Rural Denmark, until 18th century, had no toilets. Instead, people defecated in farmlands so that the waste could be used as manure for the crop. Cycle of life!

By 16th century, to avoid the clogging on gutters around the streets, cesspools and cesspits were dug near houses to collect waste. The toilet was connected to the cesspools by a pipe with sometimes water to clean the waste. Gong farmers cleaned out these pits by pumping out the liquid waste and removing the solid waste. This was done mostly during the night and the solid waste came to be known as the night soil and was used as manure.

While water closets were something that wealthy could afford, the working class and in towns and cities, Privy Midden and Pail closets were used. Privy midden was an outhouse with a waste dump and had a bad reputation for being difficult to clean. Pail closet was a toilet with a bucket into which people defecated and local authorities cleaned out the buckets on regular basis and either got rid of the waste or used it as manure.

It was not until early 19th century that public sanitation was considered a necessity and mid 19the century is when underground sewer networks were constructed to carry away waste.

The building codes in London did not require an indoor toilet until after the First World War.

Water closet, although invented during the Tudor era in 1596 by Sir John Harington, Queen Elizabeth’s godson, it wasn’t perfected until 1770 by Alexander Cumming and Joseph Bramah. Around 1850s, water cosets started moving inside the houses.
In India
Manusmriti: At least 40 hands distance is to be observed while urinating near a river or temple and defecation should be at least at a distance of 400 hands.

Toilets were constructed only after Mughals came to India.
Links
O2Pod Meetup

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unsplash-logoGabor Monori
31 min
December 29, 2018 058: Serial Killer Files Part 6 - The Gangster From Madras
This week, we talk about the gangster who terrorised Madras in the 80s
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
30 min
December 29, 2018058 - Serial Killer Files Part 6: The gangster from Madras
Auto Shankar is the nickname of an Indian serial killer Gowri Shankar. Shankar and his gang were found guilty of six murders, committed over a period of two years in 1988–1989.
Name: Gowri Shankar

Known as: Auto Shankar

DOB: January 21, 1954,

Place: Kangeyanallur village, Vellore

Number of victims: 6

Cause of death: Hanging

Death: April 27, 1995

Crime Spree: 1988-1989
unsplash-logoFancycrave
30 min
December 18, 2018 057: The Wonderful Chocolate
This week, we talk about the delicious chocolate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
33 min