44 posts tagged “timepiece”
Weather Direct WD-3103
4-Day Internet Powered Wireless Forecaster
Link: Weather Direct
Weather Direct by La Crosse Technology makes a huge catalogue of weather stations with a whole range of different functions, which Dick first talked about in Episode 501, after CES 2008. The WD-3103 is described as a 4-Day Internet-Powered Wireless Forecaster. Hook up the Secure Weather Gateway to your router, and 24-hour weather information on your chosen location (from a choice of 60,000 locations) will be sent wirelessly (up to 330 feet) to the display unit. Also included is the TX-50U wireless temperature sensor which sits in your backyard or garden and keeps track of your own outdoor temperature.
No subscription is required for weather information on one selected location. There are subscription packages if you want to receive forecasts alerts or severe wether alerts, or just add 4 more monitored locations. You can also check whether there is a location near you from Weather Direct's list of locations.
One-Click Peril
The WD-3103 is available on Amazon, which means one-click trigger-happy Leo has ordered it through his membership of Amazon Prime. Leo has to ask TWiT intern Abby Laporte, who is around in the studio, to stop him by slapping him hard. This obsessive buying reminds Dick of Bill Gaines. When Bill learned from Dick that the Casio TE2500 Dictionary Watch (Episode 45) was available at a reduced price, he thought it was a great bargain and bought one for everyone at MAD.
A New Journey for Leo
Today, Leo and Henry will be heading to Tokyo on Northwest Airlines Flight 27, en route to his China Tour. Leo is most looking forward to seeing the Forbidden City in Beijing, which commoners were prohibited from entering, in China's imperial days.
Kung Fu
Kung Fu star David Carradine, who played Kwai Chang Caine aka Grasshopper in the show, passed away on 3 June 2009. This reminds Dick of a MAD magazine parody of Kung Fu, featuring "Mosquito" who chose a blade of grass over a sack of gold, and got slammed by his master. Hence the title of the satire - Kung Fool. Check out collectmad.com and look for Issue 164 in January 1974.
A Visit to Skywalker Ranch
Leo had the privilege of visiting the Skywalker Ranch, courtesy of Greg Edmonson and Alan Steinberger, composer and arranger respectively for the sci-fi TV series Firefly, to watch them work with a 70-piece orchestra who were recording music for the PS3 game Uncharted 2. Leo interviewed them on TWiTLive on 10 June 2009, video at odtv.me. Those of us who are less fortunate than Leo would have to content ourselves with watching the virtual tours of the Skywalker Ranch, at Skysound.com.
The Sinkable Titanic
This is the 3rd letter about Episode 844. John Paradox, a parody writer for the Daily Giz Wiz (see Episode 520), reminds Dick and Leo, who were wondering what Titanic musicals there were, about the Unsinkable Molly Brown, which was first a musical, and then a film.
Welcome to Hell
Jeff Lundberg, from Northville, Michigan and long-time listener since Episode 1, has another suggestion for the TWiT Home Office. Dick and Leo have already got Kalamazoo, but how about Hell, Michigan? For souvenirs from Hell, try hell2u.com.
iTalk Clock
Voice-Operated Alarm Clock
Link: Neutrano iTalk
Another voice-operated clock, after the Moshi (Episode 784). The iTalk from Neutrano has the usual voice commands you would expect to operate an alarm clock: setting the time, setting the alarm, choice of alarm sounds etc. It has a larger digital LCD display (with a choice of high/low intensity), and seems to work more reliably than the Moshi. The biggest attraction for Dick is the voice command "Snooze" after the alarm goes off.
A Gadget Double/Triple
On the day this show was recorded, 9 June 2009, the featured TTTT gadget in the podcast (Episode 847) was the Logitech VX Nano, which had been covered previously by Dick, and even Leo himself, in Episodes 523 and 522.
Feedback Report
Leo's sister Eva, who now reads Leo's emails, gives Leo and Dane Golden a weekly report on listeners' feedback. There's the usual bit of moaning, but not about the Daily Giz Wiz - which earns Leo a great deal of good will.
Train on a Hat
Dick has become quite a ladies' man, as he is getting more and more fan mail from lady listeners, including Jennifer, who shares Dick's love of model trains. However, she wants to correct a slip made by Dick in Episode 841, who reversed the N- and Z-gauges. The Z-scale is the size of model trains which can fit on to the brim of a hat. For a photo of an example of that, taken at an Easter Parade in NYC, click here.
Polar F6
Heart Rate Monitor Watch
Link: Polar
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
Leo has become an exercise fanatic, and stresses the importance of monitoring his heart rate while doing his spinning classes, riding his Terratrike, lifting weights and walking on the treadmill, to make sure that he remains in his target training zone, and to avoid going into anaerobic mode. Polar's F6 Heart Rate Monitor consists of a band (the transmitter belt) around Leo's manly bosom as the monitor and a wrist watch for displaying relevant information. It monitors your daily condition and guides you to a suitable exercise intensity or to your manual target zone. It records your exercise data, sends it wirelessly to your Windows PC and displays the information. It's also water-resistant up to 50 meters and so suitable for swimming. There is even an optional bike mount for cycling.
Polar from Finland
Polar Electro Oy is from Finland and has worked for many years with the Finnish Cross-Country Skiing Team. Here's the press release.
Second Rate Snacks
Dick and Leo have often referred to Totino Pizza Rolls, and even fantasised about getting a sponsorship from Totino. Ted Kekatos has written in about pizza rolls vs pizza bites, and lots more. On the website Second Rate Snacks, you can find a lot of snacks "taste-off", where famous snack labels are pitched against less well-known brands, such as Totino Pizza Rolls v Mr P's Pizza Bites, Cola Challenge, Cheez-It v Cheese Nips etc.
SysAdmin Appreciation Day
Leo remembers the name of today's letter-writer, but forgets that Ted Kekatos is the founder of the annual SysAdmin Appreciation Day, the last Friday of every July. This year it's on 31 July.
A Totino Wrap-Up
If you've missed out on earlier episodes and wonder what all the fuss is about Totino pizza rolls on the Daily Giz Wiz, it all started in Episode 253, when Leo received a letter from Eric, a reliability engineer from General Mills, who said he would love to get the company to sponsor the show. That's when the jocular begging for sponsorship began, which continued for a number of shows. Back in those days, it was difficult enough to persuade ad agencies to consider podcasts for advertising, but the cause was certainly not helped by Dick and Leo's constant references to the product as "Tostino" pizza rolls and Leo's complaint that one couldn't even find "Tostino" on Google (Episode 263). By the time their mistake was pointed out to them by listeners (in Episodes 269, 271), it was too late, as confirmed by Eric in Episode 284, and all the begging had been in vain.
But Dick and Leo could pat each other's virtual backs for not getting the sponsorship deal, as General Mills had to recall some of its Totino products due to E. coli contamination in 2007 (Episode 443).
Listen to Episode 857
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Find DGW Info on GizWizSearch
Polar from Finland
Polar Electro Oy is from Finland and has worked for many years with the Finnish Cross-Country Skiing Team. Here's the press release.
Second Rate Snacks
Dick and Leo have often referred to Totino Pizza Rolls, and even fantasised about getting a sponsorship from Totino. Ted Kekatos has written in about pizza rolls vs pizza bites, and lots more. On the website Second Rate Snacks, you can find a lot of snacks "taste-off", where famous snack labels are pitched against less well-known brands, such as Totino Pizza Rolls v Mr P's Pizza Bites, Cola Challenge, Cheez-It v Cheese Nips etc.
SysAdmin Appreciation Day
Leo remembers the name of today's letter-writer, but forgets that Ted Kekatos is the founder of the annual SysAdmin Appreciation Day, the last Friday of every July. This year it's on 31 July.
A Totino Wrap-Up
If you've missed out on earlier episodes and wonder what all the fuss is about Totino pizza rolls on the Daily Giz Wiz, it all started in Episode 253, when Leo received a letter from Eric, a reliability engineer from General Mills, who said he would love to get the company to sponsor the show. That's when the jocular begging for sponsorship began, which continued for a number of shows. Back in those days, it was difficult enough to persuade ad agencies to consider podcasts for advertising, but the cause was certainly not helped by Dick and Leo's constant references to the product as "Tostino" pizza rolls and Leo's complaint that one couldn't even find "Tostino" on Google (Episode 263). By the time their mistake was pointed out to them by listeners (in Episodes 269, 271), it was too late, as confirmed by Eric in Episode 284, and all the begging had been in vain.
But Dick and Leo could pat each other's virtual backs for not getting the sponsorship deal, as General Mills had to recall some of its Totino products due to E. coli contamination in 2007 (Episode 443).
Listen to Episode 857
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Find DGW Info on GizWizSearch
Cateye Micro Wireless
Cyclocomputer
Link: Cateye
Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday
Leo now rides his newly-acquired recumbent Terratrike Cruiser (Episode 837), and is in the middle of kitting it out with accessories. Apart from his pennons, headlights and tail-lights, he's got a loud-sounding horn recommended by kiwinerd, the Delta Airzound Bike Horn which requires no batteries and uses compressed air (refillable from any bike pump) to produce up to 115 db.
But the TTTT gadget for today is the Cateye Micro Wireless, CC-MC100W. It is a bicycle computer (sometimes called a cyclocomputer) which is a speedometer and odometer, with LED backlight, which gives you your speed, maximum speed, distance travelled etc, like a little dashboard on the handlebar of the bike. It is wireless in the sense that it does not need to be wired to the speed sensor which sits on one of the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
Coming Next on TTTT
Leo has an abundance of gadgets to talk about these days. Next week he will cover his new heart-rate monitor.
Health Warning
Many people, including doctors and nurses, have written in after Leo talked about the dangers of swallowing the BuckyBalls (Episode 827). The letter which Leo has picked is from Phil Tilsley of Ferndale, Washington. Phil's wife works as a 911 medical dispatcher, and can confirm that strong magnets pose a serious hazard to children. Strong magnets when swallowed can join together inside the intestines causing a blockage.
Listen to Episode 842
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
But the TTTT gadget for today is the Cateye Micro Wireless, CC-MC100W. It is a bicycle computer (sometimes called a cyclocomputer) which is a speedometer and odometer, with LED backlight, which gives you your speed, maximum speed, distance travelled etc, like a little dashboard on the handlebar of the bike. It is wireless in the sense that it does not need to be wired to the speed sensor which sits on one of the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
Coming Next on TTTT
Leo has an abundance of gadgets to talk about these days. Next week he will cover his new heart-rate monitor.
Health Warning
Many people, including doctors and nurses, have written in after Leo talked about the dangers of swallowing the BuckyBalls (Episode 827). The letter which Leo has picked is from Phil Tilsley of Ferndale, Washington. Phil's wife works as a 911 medical dispatcher, and can confirm that strong magnets pose a serious hazard to children. Strong magnets when swallowed can join together inside the intestines causing a blockage.
Listen to Episode 842
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Moshi IVR Clock
Voice-Operated Clock
Link: Moshi Lifestyle
The Moshi IVR (Interactive Voice Responsive) Alarm Clock takes voice commands from you to set the time, set the alarm, choose the alarm, tell you the time, and put on the night light. In case Moshi gets incalcitrant in refusing to recognise your voice commands, there are buttons at the back to change your settings manually. Available at Hammacher Schlemmer.
Nero Fettled While Rome Burned
Leo is in fine fettle; Dick is in medium fine fettle; Nero fettled while Rome burned, and Dick fiddles with the Moshi all this time.
Those Days Are Dead Gone
No matter how obscure a Warehouse gadget might be, there's always someone who has owned or used it before. Kenneth Helchein was a photography major at the School of Visual Arts in New York. He managed to get hold of a Sony CV-2000 (Episode 770) from the school, and lugged the video camera and portable deck up and down flights of steps, down the subway, walked blocks and blocks to his grandmother (born in 1892, an emigre from Russia) to record stories from her earlier days. "Those days are dead gone!' said Grandma, and all that gear for nothing.
Moshi's Revenge
Dick wouldn't let go of the Moshi, and finally got it to accept his command to set the time. Leo cheered, and kicked his screen to oblivion. Moshi's revenge.
Listen to Episode 784
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Nero Fettled While Rome Burned
Leo is in fine fettle; Dick is in medium fine fettle; Nero fettled while Rome burned, and Dick fiddles with the Moshi all this time.
Those Days Are Dead Gone
No matter how obscure a Warehouse gadget might be, there's always someone who has owned or used it before. Kenneth Helchein was a photography major at the School of Visual Arts in New York. He managed to get hold of a Sony CV-2000 (Episode 770) from the school, and lugged the video camera and portable deck up and down flights of steps, down the subway, walked blocks and blocks to his grandmother (born in 1892, an emigre from Russia) to record stories from her earlier days. "Those days are dead gone!' said Grandma, and all that gear for nothing.
Moshi's Revenge
Dick wouldn't let go of the Moshi, and finally got it to accept his command to set the time. Leo cheered, and kicked his screen to oblivion. Moshi's revenge.
Listen to Episode 784
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Star Trek Shuttlecraft Magellan Clock Radio
Star Trek Clock
Link: Star Trek Gift Shop
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
Telemania used to make telephones modelled as trains and Elvis Presley, but it ventured into making radios for this Star Trek Shuttlecraft Magellan Clock Radio. AM/FM Radio, alarm clock, and you could wake up to the radio or the Star Trek red alert.
Friday the 13th Encore
Listen to Leo explain triskaidekaphobia and try to pronounce paraskavedekatriaphobia, and to Dick's story of Bill Gaines looking for a 13th floor for the Mad Office, as in Episode 590.
Valentine Plans
Dick will still be at the Miami Boat Show for Valentine's Day tomorrow. Leo is leaving later today with Jennifer for San Francisco to spend a romantic evening away at a boutique hotel, and having breakfast in the morning at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store. Leo has got his Valentine present lined up this year - thanks to Cammy Blackstone in Munchcast Episode 58. Jennifer is getting chocolate-covered caramels topped with sea salt from Fran's Chocolates, which happen to be President Obama's favourite, and Obama happens to be Jennifer's favourite at the moment. She's using Obama soap (the Obama Bar - "The Audacity of Soap") and an Obama purse!
We Salute You
Tony Devito doesn't think there was a Salute in Laugh-In (Episode 760), but there was one in Hee Haw and Home Improvement. What Laugh-In did have was the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award.
Listen to Episode 765
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Neverlate Executive Alarm Clock
Alarm Clock
Link: Think Geek American Innovative
Listener Dan McCormick, who suggested the Multi-Colour LED Light Bulb with Remote Control (also carried by Think Geek) in Episode 704, wonders if Dick, who did the original Neverlate 7-Day Alarm Clock in Episode 421, knows that there is a new upgrade model of the Neverlate clock. Does Dick know?
"Dan, Dan, Dan," sighs Dick, "what do you think this is, sitting on my shelf right here?". "Who do you take us for, complete amateurs?" Leo chips in.
The original Neverlate clock features a 7-day alarm schedule (different alarm time for each day). The new Neverlate Executive Alarm Clock, retaining the same 5" cube body design, can best be summarised as a 2x 7-Day Alarm Clock, as it allows you to set two 7-day alarm schedules, for you and your significant other. Plus 7 extra independently configurable alarms in addition to the two banks of 7-day alarms. The alarms can be set as one of 4 buzzers and 20 preset FM/AM radio stations. You can also use the clock as speakers and charger for your MP3 Player via the USB port, too. The best feature for Dick remains the nap timer fuction - one of his all-time favourites was the Westclox Nap Timer (Episode 40).
Power Needs
Dick has heard about the power cut during the ice storm in Kentucky and thinks the folks there could do with his Honda Super Quiet Generator (Episode 69).
In the Year 2020
Dick and Leo talked about doing podasts in 2020 (in Episode 750), and Tobias Robinson has some gadget suggestions, including 4D glasses and the morphing Smart Spork.
A Riddle from Leo
"What gets wetter as you get drier?" Leo asks, hoping to stump Dick. "Leo, Leo, Leo. Who do you take me for, a complete amateur?" - should have been Dick's riposte. Instead, he quips, "A sponge?"
Next Recording Session
Note the change of schedule. Dick will be off to the Miami Boat Show this week, and the next recording session has been brought forward to Monday (today) at 15.15 (Pacific time) or 18.15 Eastern time. Dick and Leo will do 6 shows including the 3rd Anniversary show for 20th February 2009.
Listen to Episode 761
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
"Dan, Dan, Dan," sighs Dick, "what do you think this is, sitting on my shelf right here?". "Who do you take us for, complete amateurs?" Leo chips in.
The original Neverlate clock features a 7-day alarm schedule (different alarm time for each day). The new Neverlate Executive Alarm Clock, retaining the same 5" cube body design, can best be summarised as a 2x 7-Day Alarm Clock, as it allows you to set two 7-day alarm schedules, for you and your significant other. Plus 7 extra independently configurable alarms in addition to the two banks of 7-day alarms. The alarms can be set as one of 4 buzzers and 20 preset FM/AM radio stations. You can also use the clock as speakers and charger for your MP3 Player via the USB port, too. The best feature for Dick remains the nap timer fuction - one of his all-time favourites was the Westclox Nap Timer (Episode 40).
Power Needs
Dick has heard about the power cut during the ice storm in Kentucky and thinks the folks there could do with his Honda Super Quiet Generator (Episode 69).
In the Year 2020
Dick and Leo talked about doing podasts in 2020 (in Episode 750), and Tobias Robinson has some gadget suggestions, including 4D glasses and the morphing Smart Spork.
A Riddle from Leo
"What gets wetter as you get drier?" Leo asks, hoping to stump Dick. "Leo, Leo, Leo. Who do you take me for, a complete amateur?" - should have been Dick's riposte. Instead, he quips, "A sponge?"
Next Recording Session
Note the change of schedule. Dick will be off to the Miami Boat Show this week, and the next recording session has been brought forward to Monday (today) at 15.15 (Pacific time) or 18.15 Eastern time. Dick and Leo will do 6 shows including the 3rd Anniversary show for 20th February 2009.
Listen to Episode 761
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
Mini Motel
Travel Accessory
Link: Mini Motel
Back in Episode 616, when Dick and Leo talked about how airports did everything to prevent you from lying down, Dick referred to an article in the New York Times which reported the invention by someone of an "airport tent". That someone is Frank Giotto, and the airport tent is called the Mini Motel. The package includes all you need to construct a tent, an inflatable mattress, an inflatable pillow and bed sheet, plus an alarm clock, a reading light, ear plugs, and eye shades.
When folded up, the package is only 17" x 12" x 3", but it might be a little difficult to get the tent and all its accessories back into that shape.
Match Game Moments
The Live Stream of Match Game Moments took place on Saturday 29 November 2008, which Dick greatly enjoyed. Unfortunately no one seems to have captured the video stream. Dick hopes that Andy of Stickam has a copy, but if not, he might do it again.
Farewell to Disco Dick
Dick has finally given away his houseboat, complete with a disco, as he told us in Episode 703. He's given it to a charity called Boat Angel. Here's Dick's farewell video:
A Hot Couple
Ralph Evinrude of Evinrude Motors and his singer wife Frances Evinrude had a 100-foot boat. Dick has a story to tell about Evinrude's generosity about replacing Evinrude engines.
When folded up, the package is only 17" x 12" x 3", but it might be a little difficult to get the tent and all its accessories back into that shape.
Match Game Moments
The Live Stream of Match Game Moments took place on Saturday 29 November 2008, which Dick greatly enjoyed. Unfortunately no one seems to have captured the video stream. Dick hopes that Andy of Stickam has a copy, but if not, he might do it again.
Farewell to Disco Dick
Dick has finally given away his houseboat, complete with a disco, as he told us in Episode 703. He's given it to a charity called Boat Angel. Here's Dick's farewell video:
A Hot Couple
Ralph Evinrude of Evinrude Motors and his singer wife Frances Evinrude had a 100-foot boat. Dick has a story to tell about Evinrude's generosity about replacing Evinrude engines.
A Junkie for Flashlights, Pens, Pocket Knives and Everything Collectible
Most frequently read DGW correspondent Steve Miller from Westerville, Ohio confesses to being a pen, pocket knife and flashlight junkie. He bought a Stanley Tripod Flashlight (Episodes 548), and since the Travelon Sheets (Episode 689), has managed to stop buying DGW gadgets for about a month so far, and hopes that Dick will not be covering pocket knives for a while, or he will be broke. For Steve's earlier collection, read the list in Episode 279.
For those interested in flashlights, Steve recommends SureFire, which has the E2D LED Defender, a tactical self-defence flashlight with a crenellated strike bezel.
Listen to Episode 719
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
The Maritimer
The World's First Digital Marine Multi-Chronometer
Dick's Gadget Warehouse
Dick no longer has the gadget for today. It was a very nice gadget which he gave away to a a friend who also had a boat. All Dick has left is the brochure. The Maritimer had 6 digital clocks for high and low tides, stop-watch, the time of the day, a trip timer and so on, with segmented LED display. It cost a whopping $875, set in a beautiful rosewood panel that came with a bracket for mounting on to the dashboard. It's a work of art.
140 Visits To The Gadget Warehouse, Minus 1, and not all on Fridays
As Dick and Leo have verified, Warehouse Friday started in the very first week of DGW (Episode 5, the Acclimator). Leo reckons, after some dodgy arithmetics, that 700 episodes means 140 weeks, so today's show is the 140th visit to the Gadget Warehouse.
Logical, but wrong. Leo should have known that logic has no place in a show like the Daily Giz Wiz.
Due to the celebration of the early centenary episodes (Episodes 100, 200 and 300), all falling on a Friday, no visits were made to the Gadget Warehouse. That's minus 3.
However, Dick did do a Warehouse gadget in Episode 97 for Tuesday 4th July 2006 (the Flag Waver, which suited the 4th July theme, and in anticipation of the celebration for Episode 100). Dick and Leo also recorded a special episode released on Monday 12 February 2007 (Episode 246), when Leo paid a physical visit to Dick's Gadget Warehouse while he was in New York City filming Regis and Kelly. That's plus 2.
So all in all, there have been 139 visits to the Gadget Warehouse (and 137 Warehouse Fridays). That should depress Dick even more.
The Start of TTTT
Dick and Leo remember that Turn-The-Tables-Tuesday started later. The first TTTT was Episode 122 (iCombi bluetooth headphones) on 8 August 2006, and that's 116 TTTTs so far. For the origin of TTTT, see Episode 115 - which ultimately has the Mad Minutes to thank for.
A Weekend with Dane
That's the prize for the 1000th Episode celebration, whether Dane Golden likes it or not. Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much.
A Schedule for TWiTLive Repeats
Tom Stiles, a Mad fan who found out about DGW a month ago, can't watch TWiTLive, and wonders if Leo can post a schedule of repeats so that he can catch up with the live recording of DGW. Leo's problem is that it is difficult to do that in advance, as the lengths of the programmes are irregular.
In the meantime, various fans in the Chatroom have recorded the shows on their computer, such as kiwinerd (aka Professor Amanda Peet, full-time member of the TWiT Army moonlighting as a serious particle physics professor - who was on The Tech Guy explaining the Large Hadron Collider in The Tech Guy Episode 492). She has very kindly put the shows on odtv.me. You can watch the programmes online, or simply download them for viewing.
Christmas Scheduling
After recording this week's shows, Dick and Leo discuss scheduling for Christmas, when Leo will be off to France visiting Abby. There will be 5 more recording sessions before Leo takes off for France, and the tentative suggestion is they will record one more show each week, which will give them 5 more shows for the Christmas break. That may still leave certains days without a show but Leo needs a break.
Listen to Episode 700
Go to TWiT
The Giz Wiz Home Page
G-Shock GLX 5600 Series
Surf Watch
Link: Casio
Dick briefly mentioned this new Casio watch in Episode 694. Part of the G-LIDE (or Glide, for surfing?) series, the G-Shock GLX 5600 series are designed as surfing companions. Water-resistant up to 200m, shock resistant, 29 time zones (48 cities), displaying Tide Graph and Moon Data (presumably relevant to surfing and boating), automatic electroluminescence backlight display with afterglow, and all sorts of timer functions, alarms, sleep and snooze.
The Ears of Alfred E Neumann
At the Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner on 16 October 2008, President--Elect Barack Obama quipped, "It is often said that I share the politics of Alfred E Smith and the ears of Alfred E Neumann." The similarity in the ears has often been noted, and you can find morphs between Obama and Alfred on YouTube, here and there.
WTHII 0810
The Ears of Alfred E Neumann
At the Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner on 16 October 2008, President--Elect Barack Obama quipped, "It is often said that I share the politics of Alfred E Smith and the ears of Alfred E Neumann." The similarity in the ears has often been noted, and you can find morphs between Obama and Alfred on YouTube, here and there.
WTHII 0810
For last month's WTHII, Dick had to tape over the product to hide its name. It's the QuakeAwake, an earthquake detector that was intended to give you a little more time to run for cover or safety, as Leo suspects. An earthquake generates 2 kinds of waves, "primary waves" and "shear waves". Primary waves travel faster but cause no damage, while the shear waves travel more slowly but are the shock waves that give rise to the real destruction.
By sensing the primary waves, the QuakeAwake takes advantage of the time lag between the 2 types of waves and sounds an alarm before the shear waves arrive, giving you up to 30 seconds' advance notice, in some cases, of an earthquake (as "themepark" in the chatroom found out).
The QuakeAwake is installed with a switch mounted on a load-bearing wall. The switch will only be shaken by vibrations coming from the foundations of your building or house, the detection of which will trigger the alarm. Read about it in a 1991 article in the New York Times.
The winner was Todd Wittenmeier who gave the closest answer, a motion detector.
Dick in Michigan?
Mention of Kate Botello in Episode 689 reminds Jeffrey Hackett of his first-time meeting with Kate and Leo when they attended a special ZDTV event in Taylor, Michigan (on 6 November 1999). He still has the ZDTV Cube autogaphed by Kate and Leo. A video of the event is available on YouTube. Now that he's met Leo, when is Dick coming to Michigan?
