Technorama

In this episode... * A hill of beans actually does amount to something * Another perfectly normal thing shaped like a gun * Have you seen the new iPad? Are you sure? Listen below with the audio player or Click Here for complete show notes and video from the show. Introducing the team... * Shout out to the chat room * Happy Birthday to: * 23 - Steve Riekeberg a.k.a. MissingIntellect of Geek Cred (http://www.geekcred.net/) * 23 - Richard Parkman * 25 - Nicholas St Gabriel * 26 - Chuck Tomasi * 26 - Brina Baird in Hampton, VA * If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our Wiki. * Join us on the Google+ hangout every Sunday night at 9:30PM ET to see and hear the show raw and unedited. Just circle Technorama Podcast, Kreg, or me and you’ll see the announcement when we join the hangout. On This Day In History for March 21, 2012 This is the 81st day of the year. There are 285 days remaining in 2012. * It was on this date in 1871 that Journalist Henry Morton Stanley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Morton_Stanley) begins his trek to find the missionary and explorer David Livingstone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Livingstone). * Also on this date in 1928 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1928) – Charles Lindbergh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh) is presented with the Medal of Honor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor) for the first solo trans-Atlantic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean) flight. * Alcatraz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz), a federal penitentiary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison) on an island in San Francisco Bay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay), closes on this date 49 years ago. * NASA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA) launches Ranger 9 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_9) which is the last in a series of unmanned lunar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon) space probes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_probe), March 21, 1965. * Today in 1970 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970) – The first Earth Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day) proclamation is issued by Mayor of San Francisco (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_of_San_Francisco) Joseph Alioto (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Alioto). * It was also March 21, 1980 – On the season finale of the soap opera (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera) Dallas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_(TV_series)), the infamous character J.R. Ewing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.R._Ewing) is shot by an unseen assailant, leading to the catchphrase (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catchphrase) "Who shot J.R.? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_shot_J.R.%3F)" * and 13 years ago Bertrand Piccard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Piccard) and Brian Jones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Jones_(aeronaut)) become the first to circumnavigate the Earth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth) in a hot air balloon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon). Happy Birthday goes out on this day to: * German composer 1685 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1685) – Johann Sebastian Bach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_Bach), (d. 1750) * French mathematician 1768 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1768) – Joseph Fourier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fourier), (d. 1830) * American chemist, Nobel Prize (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Chemistry) laureate 1932 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932) – Walter Gilbert (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Gilbert), * The man who plays Alexi Volkhoff on one of our favorite shows, actor Timothy Dalton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Dalton), turns 66. * American computer scientist Scott Fahlman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Fahlman) celebrates his 64th birthday today * and finally Ferris Beuller, actor Matthew Broderick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Broderick), turns 49. It’s also

In this episode... * Think it’s cool to be in a Star Wars film? Think again. * The stupid things people put on Facebook * A lot of interesting stuff from yester-year Listen below with the audio player or Click Here (http://wp.me/pe53l-Ud) for complete show notes from the show. Introducing the team... * Shout out to the chat room * Happy Birthday to: * 16 - Michelle Lopez a.k.a. CntrySigns * 18 - Gregory Lemon of Myth Show and Myth Minute * 19 - JT Shea of The Gigcast (http://www.thegigcast.com/) and JT Ukes at 40 (http://www.nightgig.com/jt) * If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our Wiki. * Join us on the Google+ hangout every Sunday night at 9:30PM ET to see and hear the show raw and unedited. Just circle Technorama Podcast, Kreg, or me and you’ll see the announcement when we join the hangout. On This Day In History for March 14, 2012 This is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, there 292 remaining in 2012. * It was on this date in 1794 that Eli Whitney (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Whitney) is granted a patent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent) for the cotton gin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_gin). * That same date in 1903 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1903) The Hay-Herran Treaty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay-Herran_Treaty), granting the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) the right to build the Panama Canal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal), is ratified by the United States Senate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate). The Colombian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia) Senate would later reject the treaty. * It was also March 14 1910 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910) that the Lakeview Gusher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeview_Gusher), the largest U.S. oil well gusher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_gusher) near Bakersfield, California (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakersfield,_California), vented to atmosphere. * Orvan Hess (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orvan_Hess) and John Bumstead became the first in the world to successfully treat a patient, Anne Miller, using penicillin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penicillin) today in 1942. * 48 years ago today a jury in Dallas, Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas,_Texas), finds Jack Ruby (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ruby) guilty of killing Lee Harvey Oswald (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Harvey_Oswald), assumed assassin of John F. Kennedy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy). * Linux kernel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel) version 1.0.0 is released today in 1994. * Astronaut Norman Thagard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Thagard) becomes the first American astronaut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut) to ride to space on-board a Russian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia) launch vehicle on this date in 1995 Happy Birthday goes out on this day to: * Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Schiaparelli), born on this date in 1835 * German scientist and Nobel laureate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize_in_Physiology_or_Medicine) Paul Ehrlich (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ehrlich), was also born today in 1854 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1854) * Also born today in 1863 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1863) – American railroad engineer Casey Jones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Jones) * A name everyone recognizes, Mr. E=Mc2, Albert Einstein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein) was born today in 1879 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1879) * Polish mathematician Waclaw Sierpinski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waclaw_Sierpinski) was born 130 years ago today * Aircraft designer for the Douglas Aircraft company,  Ed Heinemann (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Heinemann) was born on this date in 1908 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908) * American astronaut and CEO Frank Borman turns 83.

Coming up in this episode... * It’s election season and one of our favorites has won * What ever happened to toys of mass destruction? * A social network I’ll never be joining - EVER! Listen below with the audio player or Click Here (http://www.chuckchat.com/technorama/2012/03/06/technorama-ep-336-sign-on-the-dotted-line/) for complete show notes and video from the show. Introducing the team... * Shout out to the hangout * Happy Birthday to: * 07 - Ben Maddox a.k.a. CptRootbeer * 07 - Caleb from Dancing With Elephants (http://dwithe.com/) * 08 - Ali Zein Yousuf a.k.a. superAL1394 * 08 - BJ Keifer a.k.a bjk * 11 - Andy Helsby of Absoblogginlutely! (http://absoblogginlutely.net/) * 11 - Ken Kitzman a.k.a kitzken * 13 - Johanna Gonzalez a.k.a. MightyJo * If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our Wiki. * Join us on the Google+ hangout every Sunday night at 9:30PM ET to see and hear the show raw and unedited. Just circle Technorama Podcast, Kreg, or me and you’ll see the announcement when we join the hangout. Feedback Will Shattuck writes: “Hey Guys, Here's a social engineering hack.  A security expert used several social engineering techniques to sneak in to the RSA Security Conference.  Kind of ironic, huh? :) Take care, Will” On This Day In History for March 7, 2012 * It was on this date in 1876 that Alexander Graham Bell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Graham_Bell) is granted a patent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent) for an invention (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention) he calls the telephone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone). * The German (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany) liner SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Kaiser_Wilhelm_der_Grosse) becomes the first ship to send wireless (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy) signals to shore today in 1900. * and it was 100 years ago today that Roald Amundsen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen) announces that his expedition had reached the South Pole (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole) nearly 3 months earlier. * on March 7, 1950, The Soviet Union (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) issues a statement denying that Klaus Fuchs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Fuchs) served as a Soviet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) spy. * it was today in 1985 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985) that The song "We Are the World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_the_World)" has its international release. * Divers from the USS Preserver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Preserver_(ARS-8)) locate the crew cabin of Challenger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-51-L) on the ocean floor 26 years ago today. * and today in 1994 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994), the U.S. Supreme Court (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States) rules that parodies of an original work are generally covered (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_v._Acuff-Rose_Music,_Inc.) by the doctrine of fair use (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use). * the Kepler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler_(spacecraft)) space observatory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_observatory), designed to discover Earth-like planets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrestrial_planet) orbiting other stars, is launched exactly three years ago today. Happy Birthday goes out on this day to: * French physicist Antoine César Becquerel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_C%C3%A9sar_Becquerel) born on this date in 1788 * Also born today in 1792 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1792) – John Herschel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Herschel), the English mathematician and astronomer * Astrophotography pioneer Henry Draper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Draper) was born on this date in 1837 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1837) * American television broadcaster Willard Scott

Craig Glassner (https://plus.google.com/u/0/107776597198552698436/posts) is a long time Technorama listener as well as a Park Ranger that works at Alcatraz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_Island) and has for quite a while. He is very knowledgeable and knows all the ins and outs. (http://www.chuckchat.com/technorama/files/2012/03/FileAlcatraz_dawn_2005-01-07-150x150.jpg) We talk to Craig about the history of Alcatraz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatraz_Island) and the Hollywood history as well, and perhaps come up with a few things you didn't know about the place.

Coming up in this episode... * McFood you didn’t McKnow about * Strange animal and strange music come together * Hollywood got it wrong, again? Listen below with the audio player or Click Here (http://wp.me/pe53l-TM) for complete show notes from the show. Introducing the team... * Shout out to the chat room * Happy Birthday to: * No birthdays on the calendar this week! * If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our Wiki. * Listen to the audio stream if you happen to be around. If you cannot make it, you can find us on ustream.tv. Search for Technorama. Feedback * Voice mail from Bruce Barr On This Day In History for February 29, 2012 * It was on this date in 1504 that Christopher Columbus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus) uses his knowledge of a lunar eclipse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse) that night to convince Native Americans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_(Americas)) to provide him with supplies. * Did you know there was a February 30th? Today in 1712 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1712) – February 29 is followed by February 30 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_30) in Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden), in a move to abolish the Swedish calendar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_calendar) for a return to the Old style (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar). * Also today in 1916 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916) In South Carolina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina), the minimum working age (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_age) for factory, mill, and mine workers is raised from twelve to fourteen years old. * Bill Keane’s comic Family Circus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_Circus) makes its debut today in 1960. * An earthquake in Morocco (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco) kills over 3,000 people and nearly destroys Agadir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agadir) in the southern part of the country that same day in 1960. * Also on this date in 1972 – Hank Aaron (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Aaron) becomes the first player in the history of Major League Baseball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball) to sign a $200,000 contract. * and 16 years ago today – Faucett Flight 251 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faucett_Flight_251) crashes in the Andes, killing 123 people. Happy Birthday goes out on this day to: * Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gioachino_Rossini), born on this date in 1792 * Also born today in 1840 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1840) – Submarine designer and inventor John Philip Holland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Philip_Holland), * The man for whom punch cards were named, American statistician Herman Hollerith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Hollerith) was born today in 1860 * Film director William A. Wellman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_A._Wellman), was also born today in 1896 * as was band leader Jimmy Dorsey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Dorsey) in 1904 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904) * Vance Haynes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vance_Haynes), the American archaeologist turns 84 today * and mathematician Gene Golub (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Golub) was born on this date in 1932 * Finally American astronaut Jack Lousma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lousma) celebrates his 76th birthday today And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for February 29, 2012 News * Why do astronauts crave spicy food? (http://io9.com/5888296/why-do-astronauts-crave-spicy-food-in-space) * Check your cables before announcing you’ve made a breakthrough discovery (http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2012/02/23/loose-cable-may-explain-speed-of-light-mystery) Hacks & Strange Stories * McDonalds foods you may not have known about (http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2012/02/26/the-mcdonalds-you-never-knew-about/)