Technorama Chuck Tomasi and Kreg Steppe

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QOTW: What is a movie where the main character just can’t get anything right?

Postcard from Jorge in Oslo



On This Day In History for April 24, 2024

This is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 251 days remaining in 2024.



It was on this date in 1704, that The first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, The Boston News-Letter, was published.

On April 24, 1800, The United States Library of Congress was established when President John Adams signed legislation to appropriate $5,000 to purchase “such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress”.

Also on April 24, 1885, American sharpshooter Annie Oakley was hired by Nate Salsbury to be a part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.

It was 129 years ago today that Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail single-handedly around the world, set sail from Boston, Massachusetts aboard the sloop “Spray”.

April 24, 1914, The Franck-Hertz experiment, a pillar of quantum mechanics, was presented to the German Physical Society.

Ernest Shackleton and five men of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition launched a lifeboat from uninhabited Elephant Island in the Southern Ocean to organize a rescue for the crew of the sunken Endurance on this date in 1916.

It was on this date in 1967, that Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov died in Soyuz 1 when its parachute failed to open. He was the first human to die during a space mission.

It was also this date in 1990 that the Hubble Space Telescope was launched from the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-31.

It was 13 years ago today that WikiLeaks started  publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak.



Happy birthday goes out on this date to:



English clergyman and engineer, invented the power loom, Edmund Cartwright, born on this date in 1743.

Gideon Sundback, the Swedish-American engineer and businessman, developed the zipper was born 144 years ago today.

Born April 24, 1899, Russian-American mathematician and academic Oscar Zariski.

David Blackwell, the American mathematician and academic was born 105 years ago today.

Born April 24, 1930, American actor, director, and producer Richard Donner.

Australian-English guitarist and composer, John Williams is 83 today.

Also turning 82 today is American singer, actress, activist, and producer Barbra Streisand.

American actor, Jack Quaid, born on this date in 1992.



Listener Birthdays



26 – Stewe Lundin – Sweden

26 – Frank Lopez

29 – Shepherd Thom from outside of the known universe

29 – Timothy Karre

29 – Dhruv Gupta

30 – Julio Diaz (JulioTijuana)



And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for April 24, 2024



If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link.



News



NASA’s Juno probe captures amazing views of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io (video) | Space

Farewell to Boston Dynamics’ Atlas Robot: Hilarious Bloopers and Triumphs Reel



Hello,

 

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QOTW: What seems to be overpriced, but in reality is 100% worth it?

Voicemail from Krazy Joe

Email from Dave



Hi,

I agree with Kreg, John Carter of Mars isn’t a terrible movie… I’d heard it had poor reviews before watching, but really enjoyed it.

Regarding Kreg’s review of The Tourist.

My feelings about the main character was flipped during the last episode, but having watched and enjoyed season two (small spoiler… the last 30 seconds of season two does it again).

If you have time, I’d still recommend watching season two.

On This Day In History for April 17, 2024

This is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 258 days remaining in 2024.



It was on this date in 1492, that Spain and Christopher Columbus signed the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices.

503 years ago today,  the trial of Martin Luther over his teachings began during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. Initially intimidated, he asks for time to reflect before answering and is given a stay of one day.

April 17, 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano reached New York Harbor.

The Ellis Island immigration center processed 11,747 people, more than on any other day on this date in 1907.

Also on April 17, 1951, The Peak District became the United Kingdom’s first National Park.

It was on this date in 1961, that a group of Cuban exiles financed and trained by the CIA lands at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba with the aim of ousting Fidel Castro – known as the Bay of Pigs invasion.

That same date in 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy.

The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returned to Earth safely on this date in 1970.

Also today in 2014, NASA’s Kepler space telescope confirmed the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star.



Happy birthday goes out on this date to:



Italian priest and astronomer, Giovanni Battista Riccioli, born on this date in 1598.

Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, the German botanist and explorer was born 230 years ago today.

French mathematician and academic, Étienne Bobillier was born 226 years ago today.

J. P. Morgan, the American banker and financier, founded J.P. Morgan & Co. was born 187 years ago today.

Augustus Edward Hough Love, English mathematician and theorist was born on that same date in 1863.

Spanish-American ventriloquist, Señor Wences, born on this date in 1896.

Sidney Garfield, American physician, co-founded Kaiser Permanente was born on that same date in 1906.

Also born on that same date in 1936,  Swiss chemist, Urs Wild.

Czech pianist, composer, and producer, Jan Hammer, born on this date in 1948.



Listener Birthdays



19 – Amanda (SusietheGeek’s daughter & Geek in Training)

21 – Kim and Kreg’s Anniversary



And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for April 17, 2024



If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link.



News



Scientists created a black hole in lab to test a theory, then it started glowing extremely bright – Good

a href="https://www.unilad.com/technology/space/nasa-mars-helicopter-ingenuity-ot...

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QOTW: What is something that you think shouldn’t exist?



On This Day In History for April 10, 2024

This is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 265 days remaining in 2024.



It was on this date in 837, that Halley’s Comet made its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometers/3.2 million miles).

On April 10, 1606, The Virginia Company of London was established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.

Also today in 1710, The Statute of Anne, the first law regulating copyright, came into force in Great Britain.

It was on this date in 1858, that after the original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonnes (32,000 lb) bell for the Palace of Westminster, had cracked during testing, it was recast into the current 13.76 tonnes (30,300 lb) bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

It was 158 years ago today that The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in New York City by Henry Bergh.

It was on this date in 1872, that The first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska.

That same date in 1912, RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton, England on her maiden and only voyage.

April 10, 1916, The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) was created in New York City.

It was on this date in 1925, that The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner’s Sons.

It was 85 years ago today that Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A.’s “Big Book”, was first published.

54 years ago today, Paul McCartney announced that he was leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons.

Also on April 10, 2019, Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announced the first ever image of a black hole, which was located in the center of the M87 galaxy.



Happy birthday goes out on this date to:



German mathematician, physicist, and physician, Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, born on this date in 1651.

John Whitehurst, English geologist and clockmaker was born on that same date in 1713.

Born April 10, 1762, Italian physicist and academic Giovanni Aldini.

Arnold Orville Beckman, the American chemist, inventor, and philanthropist was born 124 years ago today.

American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate, Robert Burns Woodward was born 107 years ago today.

Born April 10, 1927, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate Marshall Warren Nirenberg.

Egyptian actor and screenwriter, Omar Sharif, born on this date in 1932.

Also turning 68 today is English chemist and academic Carol V. Robinson.

English computer scientist and academic, Carole Goble, born on this date in 1961.

Also turning 56 today is American actor, producer, and screenwriter Orlando Jones.



Listener Birthdays



14 – Danny Harnish

16 – Donna Tomasi



And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for April 10, 2024



If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link.



News



NASA investigates whether debris that struck Florida home fell from space – The Washington Post

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Reuters covered one of our stories…

Dogs can associate words with objects, study finds | Reuters

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QOTW: What is your favorite terrible movie?



On This Day In History for April 3, 2024

This is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 272 days remaining in 2024.



It was on this date in 1860, the first successful United States Pony Express run from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, began.

139 years ago today, Gottlieb Daimler was granted a German patent for a light, high-speed, four-stroke engine, which he used seven months later to create the world’s first motorcycle, the Daimler Reitwagen.

On April 3, 1933, was the first flight over Mount Everest, by the British Houston-Mount Everest Flight Expedition, led by the Marquis of Clydesdale and funded by Lucy, Lady Houston.

It was on that same date in 1973 that Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first handheld mobile phone call to Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs.

It was on this date in 1975, that Bobby Fischer refused to play in a chess match against Anatoly Karpov, giving Karpov the title of World Champion by default.

It was also this date in 1981 that The Osborne 1, the first successful portable computer, was unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco.

It was 28 years ago today that Suspected “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski was captured at his Montana cabin in the United States.

It was on this date in 2000, in the court case United States v. Microsoft Corp.: Microsoft was ruled to have violated United States antitrust law by keeping “an oppressive thumb” on its competitors.

On April 3, 2010, Apple Inc. released the first generation iPad, a tablet computer.



Happy birthday goes out on this date to:



German mathematician and astronomer, Michael Neander, born on this date in 1529.

William Watson, English physician, physicist, and botanist was born on that same date in 1715.

Pierre Bretonneau, the French doctor who performed the first successful tracheotomy was born 246 years ago today.

Also born on that same date in 1798, American admiral, geographer, and explorer (d.1877), Charles Wilkes.

Bud Fisher, the American cartoonist was born 139 years ago today.

American publisher, co-founded Time magazine, Henry Luce was born 126 years ago today.

Born April 3, 1909, Polish-American mathematician and academic Stanislaw Ulam.

American colonel, pilot, and astronaut, Gus Grissom was born 98 years ago today.

Bangladeshi engineer and architect, co-designed the Willis Tower and John Hancock Center, Fazlur Rahman Khan, born on this date in 1929.

American actor and comedian, Eddie Murphy is 63 today.



Listener Birthdays



4 – Brian K

4 – Joel McLaughlin (aka Gorkon)

4 – Amy Bowen

5 – Chad Davis, Jon Issler (hsteckylf)

5 – Griffin Sylvester (Ildreancipher)

5 – Martine Tysmans – citytrips, travelling, jokes… (in Dutch)

5 – Ringmaster Greg from Dancing With Elephants

6 – Trevor Litecky (future Geek)

6 – Samwise Gamgee

7 – P.C. Haring



And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for April  3, 2024



If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link...

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QOTW: What movie would be the most improved if you add “vs Predator” to the title?



On This Day In History for March 27, 2024

This is the 87th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 279 days remaining in 2024.



It was on this date in 1513, that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León reached the northern end of The Bahamas on his first voyage to Florida.

On March 27, 1886, Geronimo, Apache warrior, surrendered to the U.S. Army, ending the main phase of the Apache Wars.

It was 112 years ago today that First Lady Helen Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the origin of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Also today in 1915, Typhoid Mary, the first healthy carrier of disease ever identified in the United States, was put in quarantine for the second time, where she would remain for the rest of her life

It was 60 years ago today, that The Good Friday earthquake, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North American history at a magnitude of 9.2 struck Southcentral Alaska, killing 125 people and inflicting massive damage to the city of Anchorage

That same date in 1975, Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System began.

It was 48 years ago today that The first section of the Washington Metro opened to the public.

Also on March 27, 1998, The Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra for use as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, the first pill to be approved for this condition in the United States



Happy birthday goes out on this date to:



French engineer, urban planner, and politician, Georges-Eugène Haussmann, born on this date in 1809.

Edward Augustus Inglefield, the English admiral and explorer was born 204 years ago today.

Born March 27, 1844, American general and explorer, Medal of Honor recipient Adolphus Greely.

German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate, Wilhelm Röntgen was born 179 years ago today.

Born March 27, 1847, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Otto Wallach.

American target shooter, colonel, mountaineer, geographer, geologist, and archaeologist, William Libbey, born on this date in 1855.

Douglas Hartree, the English mathematician and physicist was born 127 years ago today.

American mathematician and computer programmer, Margaret K. Butler, born on this date in 1924.

American science fiction writer, Kevin J. Anderson is 62 today.

Also born on that same date in 1963,  American director, producer, screenwriter and actor, Quentin Tarantino.

Canadian actor, Nathan Fillion is 53 today.



Listener Birthdays



21 – Krazy Joe Fiore, MegaPodTasticand Honey, You’ve *GOT* to See This!

23 – Steve Riekeberg a.k.a. MissingIntellect of Geek Cred

23 – Richard Parkman

25 – Nicholas St Gabriel

26 – Chuck Tomasi

26 – Brina Baird in Hampton, VA

29 – Marc Blackburn 



And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for March  27, 2024



If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link.



News



Mars declared unsafe for humans to live as no one can survive for longer than four years

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QOTW: If humans discovered a way to teleport anywhere on Earth instantaneously, how would this change daily life and global society?



On This Day In History for March 13, 2024

This is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 293 days remaining in 2024.



It was on this date in 1639, that Harvard College was named after clergyman John Harvard.

It was 243 years ago today that William Herschel discovered Uranus.

162 years ago today, The Act Prohibiting the Return of Slaves was passed by the United States Congress, effectively annulling the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and setting the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation.

Also on March 13, 1930, The news of the discovery of Pluto was announced by Lowell Observatory.

It was 55 years ago today that Apollo 9 returned safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module.

The Seikan Tunnel, the longest tunnel in the world with an undersea segment, opened between Aomori and Hakodate, Japan. on this date in 1988

It was also this date in 2020 that President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be a national emergency in the United States.



Happy birthday goes out on this date to:



American astronomer and mathematician, Percival Lowell, born on this date in 1855.

John Hasbrouck Van Vleck, American physicist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate was born on that same date in 1899.

American chemist and Women’s Army Corps officer, Myrtle Bachelder was born 116 years ago today.

L. Ron Hubbard, American author was born on that same date in 1911.

Born March 13, 1916, American engineer and academic Jacque Fresco.

Ralph J. Roberts, the American businessman, co-founded Comcast was born 104 years ago today.

Al Jaffee, American cartoonist was born on that same date in 1921.

American singer-songwriter and pianist, Neil Sedaka is 85 today.

Also born on that same date in 1942,  American computer scientist and engineer, Dave Cutler.

Also turning 79 today is Russian mathematician and academic Anatoly Fomenko.



Listener Birthdays



13 – Johanna Gonzalez a.k.a. MightyJo

14 – Pi Day (3/14)

16 – Michelle Lopez a.k.a. CntrySigns

18 – Gregory Lemon @ GregoryLemon.com

19 – JT Shea of The Gigcast and JT Ukes at 40

19 – Michael R. Mennenga



And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for March 13, 2024



If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link.



News



NASA Launches Astronauts After Finding Crack in Spacecraft During Countdown

Archimedes’ death ray might have worked, teen science project suggests | CNN

Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos-backed fusion energy pioneer claims ‘pivotal moment’ | Recharge

Quantum Computing Takes a Giant Leap With Light-Based Processors



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