Archive for April, 2015

After Things: Follow What You Love

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
After Things is the official after show of Weird Things Podcast.
Exercising control over exercise. Improving your skills when you already love your techniques. Picks: Made to Stick (http://heathbrothers.com/books/made-to-stick/) and Raymond Crowe (http://www.raymondcrowe.com/)
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings042615.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings042615.mp3[/podcast]

Meet “Han” the Ultra-Realistic-Looking Robot Bust… And a reminder that we’re all doomed.

Monday, April 27th, 2015

Hanson Robotics (no the “MmmBop” band hasn’t regrouped and out to destroy us with robots blaring their only memorable song as retribution) has been hard at work creating our future robot overlords in the form of…um…us.

Recently on display at the AsiaWorld Expo in Hong Kong, Han’s fiberglass bust is covered in a new, extremely life-like rubber compound called Frubber which if fitting since Han was created by an ex Disney Imagineer who’s now looking to take things to a whole new level of interactivity and realism.

Han is able to interact on a limited level with humans and can understand and carry on very basic conversations with those near him. Besides Han’s incredibly realistic expressions based on the conversation that he’s having, sensors in his eyes actually help him look directly into the soft, squishy soul of any human he’s actually speaking with.

Back in 2013 we featured another post about Roboy that had also been created by Hanson Robotics and is just as terrifying as Han.

In either case (as well as all the other similar robots Hanson Robotics has produced) let’s just be glad that Hanson Robotics is focused solely on robot heads….

Heads that, fortunately for us, don’t have legs…

Unless, of course, they get introduced to Boston Dynamics…

Because the thought of a Boston Dynamics Cheetah with a Hanson Robotics Face mounted on it would be a sign we should just prepare ourselves for the end.

[RocketNews24]

Podcast: Flakka Flakka Flakka

Sunday, April 26th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
Just vape some superpowers, bro. Do we have a place in society for medicine to deter obesity with the use of amphetamines? Evolution of wearables and programming for simplistic inputs. The fall of Radio Shack: a signal of online shopping dominance?
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings042615.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings042615.mp3[/podcast]

Picks:

Andrew: Star Wars and Lubor Fiedler

Brian: Hacking the System UK Premiere

Justin: The Empire Strikes Back

After Things: Watched Projects Never Boil

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
After Things is the official after show of Weird Things Podcast.
When can you expect returns from new projects? The meaning of stalled growth. Andrew suggests Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon.
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings041915.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings041915.mp3[/podcast]

Podcast: Star Wars Things

Sunday, April 19th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
The Boys went to Star Wars Celebration last week! They talk about the trailers, exhibits, and new game.
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings041915.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings041915.mp3[/podcast]

Picks:

Andrew: Daredevil

Brian: Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader and

Justin: Game of Thrones and Name of the Devil

After Things: Basic Skills

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
After Things is the official after show of Weird Things Podcast.
Andrew shares some sharp, geeky threads. How to receive and handle advice given. Talent isn’t afraid of talent.
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings041115.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings041115.mp3[/podcast]

Russian Man Volunteers for First – Probably Last – Head Transplant by Controverisal Neuroscientist

Monday, April 13th, 2015

Ripped right out of hundreds of science fiction, comic book and horror stories comes news that a Russian man has decided to be a medical guinea pig or possibly a pioneer….

By having his head removed and attached to another body.

Suffering from a severe case of spinal muscular atrophy, Valery Spiridonov, a 30-year-old Russian man has volunteered to become the first person to go through the process of a head transplant.

Last December, in a TedTalk, Italian neuroscientist Sergio Canavero claimed it’s possible and he was the guy to do it.

Spiridonov says he’s really got nothing to lose as his condition and quality of life deteriorate:

“I’m very interested in technology, and anything progressive that might change people’s lives for the better. Doing this isn’t only an excellent opportunity for me, but will also create a scientific basis for future generations, no matter what the actual outcome of the surgery is. This technology is similar to the first man to walk in space. This is because in the future it will help thousands of people who are in an even more deplorable state than I am.”

The cost and time to transplant Spiridonov’s head onto it’s new body? 11 million dollars and 36 hours of surgery.

Other doctors in the field are calling this a fantasy and a horrible idea that should never even be considered.

We’ll know in 2017 after 36 hours of surgery…

In the broken-English words of Dr. Canavero during the opening of his TedTALK:

“Are you sitting tight? I’m about to give you one hell of a ride.”

[Business Insider]

Podcast: We Want To Know

Sunday, April 12th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
Too Many Encounters! An extraterrestrial first for China. A horrifying image in LA. Send in the best UFOStalker.com stories to justinrobertyoung@gmail.com (“Weird Things” in the subject line)
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings041115.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings041115.mp3[/podcast]

Picks:

Andrew: Halt and Catch Fire and Atari: Game Over

Brian: Apple Watch and Daredevil

Justin: Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back

After Things: The Excuse Store

Wednesday, April 8th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
After Things is the official after show of Weird Things Podcast.
How to play with Elvis. Willpower versus scheduling. The temptation of “well, I tried” and the power of proactivity. The fear of The Bad Deal and being Not Good Enough.
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings040515.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings040515.mp3[/podcast]

Podcast: Rotan Hotep Hoedown

Sunday, April 5th, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
UFO sightings across the world. Delphi’s self-driving car completes cross-country trip. What are the repercussions of inequality from extended life? Send in the best UFOStalker.com stories to justinrobertyoung@gmail.com (“Weird Things” in the subject line)
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings040515.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings040515.mp3[/podcast]

Picks:

Andrew: Mad Max 2: Road Warrior

Brian: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed

Justin: Going Clear

After Things: Cross-fat

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015
Skitched 20110225 175343
After Things is the official after show of Weird Things Podcast.
Andrew’s finished a draft of a new writing project. Brian and Andrew discuss transitioning to healthier eating and sleeping habits.
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Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings032915.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/AfterThings032915.mp3[/podcast]