S&L Podcast – #90 – Fake Being an Expert

Do you want to know how to fake being an expert on something geeky? We examine some tips from io9 on folling the geeks, plus Tom explains how he’s legally reading a book that won’t be sold in the US until the summer. And Veronica has some kind words for John Scalzi.  One of those words is boobies.
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Veronica: 2007 Alois Lageder Pinot Noir Alto Adige

Tom: Courvoisier VSOP Cognac

QUICK BURNS

Another Chain Says It Won’t Carry Amazon Books, But Does It Matter? 

“Provacative” Publisher Creates Book That Lets You Talk Back To The Characters

How to Fake Being An Expert in Any Major Media Character, In 7 Easy Steps  

CALENDAR

BARE YOUR SWORD

Buy some John Scalzi books, support breast cancer screenings!

The strangest thing found left in a book? 

Eastercon 2012  

TV, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES

New GAME OF THRONES trailer 

Hunger Games Trailer 2 is out – Super Bowl Trailer 

Sugar Inc. Launches DistrictSugar, their portal for all things Hunger Games

BOOK CHECK-IN

Tom finished Rule 34 – liked it much better the last 2/3 Veronica is about 65% of the way through, is enjoying it much more now as well. Officially wrap-up coming next week.

Tom obtained UK version of Blue Remembered Earth by Alistair Reynolds through Amazon.

Veronica is also reading Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn, for Vaginal Fantasy

EMAIL

I have always loved to read, but ten years ago I lost my sight andhave since become a voracious audiobook listener. I use the term“read” when discussing books all the time which has on occasion causedsome to try to correct me by telling me that I did not read the book Ilistened to it. For which I always reply… The eyes are a medium inwhich the brain reads they’re merely a way to input externalinformation not the body part that reads it and yes I understand thatdifferent parts of the brain are used to identify such externalinformation, but in the end it is the brain that reads no matter theway in which one obtains the information. So when a blind person oraudiobook listener says that they’ve read a book it doesn’t matterwhether they used their eyes, ears or fingers because no matter theway they did it it is still their brain that read it.

Love the podcast and keep up the good work!

-Aaron

Dear Veronica and Tom,

I was catching up on my Sword and Laser listening last night and two of the conversations in the last podcast inspired me to write in with a book suggestion. Another Email mentioned On Basilisk Station, first book in the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. We’re big Weber fans in my household, and most recently my husband and I have been working through Weber’s Safehold Series, which begins with Off Armageddon Reef. In this series Weber has combined his typical Military Sci-fi setting with a Historical setting. There are swords, and yes, there are lasers, though there is no magic (but there are dragons, kinda) so your mileage may vary.

Unfortunately Off Armageddon Reef is not available as part of the Baen Free Library, but it is available on Audible. I’ve read it and listened to it, and enjoyed it greatly both ways. I know it’s not the only book out there to tackle a fantasy styled setting from a sci-fi point of view, but I think it’d be a great way to introduce some David Weber to Sword and Laser.

Thanks as always for the great podcast, I’m excited to see what book you all pick next!

Cheers, Jenn

NEW MEMBER HELLOS

Cristian AKA Grizz, BillTheBloody, Leo, Matthew, Dean, Joe, Phillip, Greg, Andrew, Zack, Steff, Aimee, James, Gregg, Brian, Julia, Luca, Mike, Morgan, Lucas, Jason, Patrick, TJ, John, Megan, Dan, Jordan, Matt, Jake, Marcus, Mick, Paul, Craig, Brad, Stephanie, Doug, Euan 

ADDENDUMS

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 100,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword

 

Tech News Today 431: Does X=TED?

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Verizon and Redbox joined at the kiosk, Amazon opening a retail store? Your deleted Facebook photos are not deleted, and more.

Guest: Peter Ha

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Running time: 47:18

Tech News Today 430: Preloaded With Love

Hosts: Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Anonymous is listening to the FBI, Panasonic and Sharp are hurting, watch those Xooms, and more.

Guest: Darren Kitchen and Stephen Johnson

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Running time: 57:10

Tech News Today 429: 57% Zuck

Hosts: Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Sony’s in the red, Google got itself a Bouncer, the Facebook fallout, AMD’s new strategy, and more.

Guest: MG Siegler and Fr. Robert Ballecer

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Running time: 54:42

Tech News Today 428: Friend Facebook Financially

Hosts: Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Facebook files for IPO, Sony’s new CEO has his work cut out for him, Microsoft and Google are mudslinging, and more.

Guest: Shannon Morse

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Running time: 52:35

Tech History Today – February 2

In 1046: English monks recorded “no man then alive could remember so severe a winter as this was.” They’re analog weather blog entry recorded the beginning of the Little Ice Age.

In 1931, Friedrich Schmiedl launched the first rocket mail (V-7, Experimental Rocket 7) with 102 pieces of mail between Schöckl and St. Radegund, Austria.

In 1935: Detective Leonarde Keeler, co-inventor of the Keeler polygraph, tried out the lie detector on two suspected criminals in Portage, Wisconsin. Both suspects were convicted of assault.

Come back tomorrow for more history.

Tech History Today – February 1

In 1951: TV viewers witnessed the live detonation of an atomic bomb blast, as KTLA in Los Angeles broadcast the explosion of a nuclear device dropped on Frenchman Flats, Nevada.

In 1972, the first scientific hand-held calculator the famous HP-35 was introduced for $395 by Hewlett-Packard. It was the first handheld caluclator to perform logarithmic and trigonometric functions with one keystroke.

In 1985 Shortly after it’s founding the November before, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence kicked off. SETI Institute began operations.

Tech News Today 427: You Got A Frand In Me

Hosts: Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Amazon has good and bad news, Megaupload files are safe for now, Google’s privacy policies, …and more.

Guest: Justin Robert Young

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Running time: 53:37