That's it! Nothing more is needed. I hope to see you all over there! I've already put out two episodes, so you've even got no waiting whatsoever.

Thanks,

encaf1

Mentioned:

• The 9th Heroescast
• The story was written for a secret Santa for Buffy Between The Lines; I'll record it someday.
  

Feedback from:

• Arkle (from The Geek Of All Trades podcast)
• Mainframe

Promos:

• Christiana Ellis' Shallow Thoughts - New thoughts, daily. Brilliant, bizarre, funny thoughts.
• Technorama - At least once a month, they put out some sort of special or visit or trip, seen through their wonderfully tech-geeky eyes.
• Geek of All Trades - Not always polished, but not tarnished, either.
• International Detective Dragons From Outer Space - Recently, anim5 has been posting play sessions from online rpging; I've yet to listen, but I'm anticipating mad fun.
• Brazilianisms - The podcast about living in Brazil and understanding (apparently) both nothing and everything about Brazil. ;)
• Bells In The Batfry - He mentioned me in passing in his Christmas episode, which was very kind of him. For the rest of you: it's very funny. And work and family-safe. And surreal. Go listen. You'll thank me.
• The House of Grey audiobook - Episode 20 just dropped, and I listened to it last night. This story is so wonderfully weird.
• Morevi Remastered audiobook - I've been slow in listening to this one, but I'm rapidly catching up. The audio can be a bit rough at times (sorry Tee!) but the story is always outstanding. Pirates, Ninjas and more - the promo doesn't lie!
• Down The Road - Jack Jaffee's interactive fiction experience. Bizarre, creepy, challenging, thought-provoking.. Definitely not work-safe!
• Firefly Between The Lines - From the team that brought you Buffy Between The Lines comes another revival. Want to be involved? Go ahead and do so!

Call: 1-206-203-2292.

Email: weirdshow@gmail.com.

Website: theweirdshow.com (yes, really; the temporary "site not found" crap page should be gone soon..).

And then.. Well, then it's back to semi-regular episodes, I think.

I received feedback from Jack Jaffee of 12 V Theatre, and since it was piling up, I figured it was about time to do something about it. Thanks very much, Jack, for your support and thought-provoking comments.

Promos played:

• Firefly Between the Lines Writer's Promo - Those ambitious folks behind the phenomenal Buffy Between The Lines audio drama series are now setting their sights on another Joss Whedon property. If you are interested in writing for them, you'd better get moving and get your application in!
  
• The House of Grey podiobook - A really good YA(ish) novel following the mysterious Monson Grey in the equally mysterious world of Corem University.
  
• Future Traditions podcast - Jericho was one of those shows that I didn't think would work, but had such really strong characters and intriguing writing that it really did... until it was cancelled. Gone (for now) but not forgotten, this podcast celebrates what Jericho was, what it said and what it might say yet.
  
• Brazilianisms - Want to know more about Brazil? Think you know anything about the country, the culture, the people, the language? I thought so, too -- I was wrong. Excellent podcast.
  
• International Detective Dragons From Outer Space - One of the longest podasts I listen to, and one of the most engaging. Anim5 pokes, prods and questions, and invites discussion of questions from the sublime to the astounding.
  
• Technorama - A couple of geeks with a playful, deeply geeky view on the universe. Great guys, who regular show I miss and whose special features I enjoy -- and so should you!

A flashback to a time when the news was surrounded by a lot more music: December 30, 2000!

I was rummaging around at my mom's place this week and stumbled across even more tapes of my early shows. Back in those days, I had a much less news-focused show, with quirky music stuffed in at seemingly random moments.

This presented a problem: should I podcast it?

The answer is yes! I have cut out the music in the past, but not this time. It's integral to the conversation, and I think it's covered under fair use. I did clip out the PSAs and weather -- although I cleverly replaced them with podcast promos.

So.. don't sue me - I have no money. If there are complaints, however, I might pull the ep and remove the music.

The Music:

• Coffee and TV by Blur.
• Jimmy The Squid by The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets
• Fru Fru The Talking Cat by Radio Free Vestibule
• Stormy Weather by Lena Horne
• The Inn by Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet
• Mir Space Station by The Sin-Tones
• Hitchhike UFO by The Strangemen
• Colour Me Green by The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

The Promos:

• Bells in the Batfry - Wacky comedy from the mind (and voices) of John Bell, Professional Voice Actor.
• Pod Culture - Fun discussions of all things geeky!
• The House of Grey podiobook - While I don't have time to read much fiction currently, I've been thoroughly enjoying this YA novel of mystery, magic and the Corem Vir.
• International Detectives From Outer Space - Deep thoughts, community discussions.
• Christiana's Shallow Thoughts - New thoughts daily.

On the show this week: a show that originally aired on the TWS predecessor, "CAFFEEN!: EXPRESSO!" on November 30, 2002. It's dubbed over from tape this time, but I think the sound processing I did on it made it reasonably listenable. I'm joined by my sometimes-cohost, the Decaffeinated ONE (Jeremy Gorman), who always brought out the great banter.

Leave a message in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of The WEIRD Show, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Theme Song: Caffeine by Grubspoon from The Podsafe Music Network
• Promo: International Detective Dragons From Outer Space
• Promo: The 9th Heroescast
• Promo: 12 Volt Theater
• Promo: Technorama
• Promo: The House Of Grey

Since I'm taking a break, I decided to resurrect a few old archives I have lying around to fill in for me. Here's something from the TWS predecessor show (CAFFEEN!: Expresso!). Here's an episode that originally aired around this time in 2004.

• Theme Song: Caffeine by Grubspoon from The Podsafe Music Network
• Promo: Technorama -- The weekly show may be off the air, but the special on-location recordings are off-the-hook!
• Promo: The House Of Grey -- The current audiobook that I'm listening to. Listen to the podcast-only novel - with Podiobooks or from the site directly. Excellent book! A little slow moving at first, but then it really twists. Fascinating...
• Promo: Movie Mantras -- Daily wisdom in the form of quotes from movies - brilliant!
• Promo: PodCulture -- "Equal opportunity geekness" - yes, they like both Star Wars and Star Trek (I think).

On the show this week:

• Belief It Or Not!?!
• Bio-licious!
• By Any Other Name (It Still Has Thorns)
• Offal (But not that bad!) (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: Should alternative, "fringe" ideas ever be covered seriously by mainstream media -- or are they just "slow news day" items? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of The WEIRD Show, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Bell's In The Batfry
• Generic Radio has many OTR scripts for you to peruse.
• Modern Audio Drama studios:
  • Buffy Between The Lines
  • Decoder Ring Theatre
  • Darker Projects
  • Broken Sea Audio
  • Pendant Audio Productions
  • Giant Gnome Productions

On the show this week:

• The Number of the Beast is 8-8-8
• Maxed Missages
• Ruffled Fringes
• Dividends (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: What is your plan or vision for a long-term plan for you, your country, the world or the human race? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of The WEIRD Show!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Show Notes for TWS105.5: Did The Show Create The Feedback, Or Vice Versa?

Feedback from:

• Bruce! (Mr Gadgets of Voice Mail fame everywhere).
• Arkle! (from The Geek of All Trades podcast)
• Zaphod!
• Jack Jaffee! (of 12 Volt Theatre)
• Emily from Ohio! (also of Cue The Film)
• Legion!
• Larry Winfield! (of The Sundown Lounge)
• Chris! (of The Jesus Geeks)

Honorable mention goes to these fine things:

• Computer King (of the Into the Dark podcast and an applicant to the Evil League of Evil)
• The 9th Heroescast, to which I am a contributor.

Theme Song is Caffeine by Grubspoon from The Podsafe Music Network.

Leave your comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of The WEIRD Show, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Severed Limbs
• Costumes
• The Thin, Red Love Line
• Playing With Your Mind
• Splayed Innards (EXTRA)

This week’s Challenge Question:
Will we ever see actual supervillians?
Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• BRAINS!
• Unexpected Results from Unusual Places
• Unholy leftovers (EXTRA)

This week’s Challenge Question:
What is the scariest movie, book, short story or music that you’ve ever experienced? Why is it scary?
Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Feedback from: Arkle (from The Geek of All Trades podcast), Jack Jaffee (of 12 Volt Theatre and Bruce (Mr Gadgets of Voice Mail fame everywhere).

• Theme Song: Caffeine by Grubspoon from The Podsafe Music Network

Leave your comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

 -- encaf1/MK 

On the show this week:

• Unlikely != Unpossible
• Re: Pocalypse
• Science, the most Nobel of the Asses
• Sidekicks (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: Will we ever see actual superheroes? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Feedback from: Arkle (from The Geek of All Trades podcast) and Bruce (Mr Gadgets of Voice Mail fame everywhere).

• Theme Song: Caffeine by Grubspoon from The Podsafe Music Network

Leave your comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Throwing Everything In, Including The Carbon Sink
• I Betcha It's Nature's Fault
• Whoosh! Headlines! (ALMOST EXTRA)
• Crime Never Really Happens That Way
• Fly, Ptery, Fly! (EXTRA)
• Marginaliens (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: Do we spend too much time just amusing ourselves? Beyond work, should we do something "useful"? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Feedback from: Arkle (from The Geek of All Trades podcast), Reuben Cohen (from Greenbelt, Maryland), Jack Jaffee (from the 12 Volt Theatre podcast, which features the creepy/cool madness of Down The Road) and Legion.

On the show this week:

• The Important Stuff I Usually Don't Get To
• "Obvious" Science Anyone Can See
• Things Getting Off The Ground (EXTRA)
• Lawful Refinement (EXTRA)
• The Stuff That Extra Scrapes Off Its Shoes (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: A) What do you want to see more of different in the next 100 episodes of TWS?
B) Is science too pedantic? Do we focus too much on the tried-and-true? Where is the adventurous scienctist -- or is that not possible? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Feedback from: Mr Gadgets (Bruce!), Fred Trellis and Shaded Spriter

• Religioneering and Evoludicrous
• A Manner of Minding
• Can't Stop (or Explain) The Firefly
• Miscellaneous Etcetera (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: Are we (humanity) genetically (or otherwise) destined to be on top on this planet? Do we have to struggle to stay on top? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Mentioned: Metamor City by Chris Lester. I have subscribed to this and had a chance to listen to only a little bit. Fantastic! Speculative fiction in every way about a futuristic city with a very different past. “What if magic really existed?” turned up to 11. Going to listen to more!

Comment on the web site (theweirdshow.com), send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of the web site, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Life, But Not As You Know It
• Architechnology and Engineerance
• Rapid Apocalyptic Matters (EXTRA)
• Whipped Celery and Onions (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: Are things like the elf-friendly opera house just wastes of money, time and energy? What about "frivolous" PhD's? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Comment on the web site (theweirdshow.com), send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of the web site, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Bigfool
• Health, Wealth and Long Wife
• Things That May Or May Not Be
• I Plead Insanity (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: What's the one place you'd like to visit, and why? And, why aren't you going? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Comment on the web site (theweirdshow.com), send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of the web site, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Thanks!

Comment on the web site (theweirdshow.com), send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of the web site, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Bigfoot or Bigfool?
• Breaking the Laws
• DNAgent In Control
• Colourful Stories Outside My Lines (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: How can we assume personal responsibility if we are just biochemical machines? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week's Challenge Question: How can we assume personal responsibility if we are just biochemical machines? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

So, I take a little time away, and the world goes nuts.. Woo hoo! :)

On the show this week:

• The Montauk Monster
• Bigfeet
• Dr. Ed Michell
• Minor Spectacularities
• EXTRA: Appendage Anomolies Got Cut
• 90% fits in 10% (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: We are more connected as humans than ever more -- but are those connections stronger or weaker? Are we better connected, but the connections are less meaningful? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• It Did Not Come From Uranus
• Sometimes, The End Of The World Seems Appropriate
• Big Shoes To Fill
• Shoe Filler (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: When you have died, what should happen your stuff -- how much of you should be remembered and kept? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week's Challenge Question: When you have died, what should happen your stuff -- how much of you should be remembered and kept? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Believing is Seeing
• Wielding Power
• Everything is Wrong
• The Right Stuff is Wrong Too (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: Can "ufologist" or "ghost hunter" be considered legitimate professions -- or only hobbies? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week's Challenge Question: Can the Earth, as a whole, be considered a "being"? Or is that just over-anthropormorphizing it? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Earth Dies Screaming
• Stuff Makes Me Happy
• That Just Isn't Right...
• The Death Card Means Change (extras)

This week's Challenge Question: Can the Earth, as a whole, be considered a "being"? Or is that just over-anthropormorphizing it? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Clever People Doing Clever Things
• Apocalypsii
• Rebels Come
• Angry Hordes (extras)

This week's Challenge Question: Do you think that a world-changing invention could come from an independent, small-time innovator any more? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Regular show will come up right after.

This week's Challenge Question: Do you think that a world-changing invention could come from an independent, small-time innovator any more? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Unidentified Floating Objects
• Man's Best Friend Leave; Man Needs Hug; Monkey Give Hug
• News From The Future: Water Found!
• Sounds Excellent At The Time
• Flotsam and Jetsam (EXTRAs)

This week's Challenge Question: What do you think deserves a monument, and why? What would the monument look like? Where would it be? Or, should we bother with monuments? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Substance of Superstition
• Flock of Families
• Cavalcade of Communications
• Unspoken Utterances (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: What are your favourite/worst/most memorable "lies-to-children"? Are they good, in general? Bad? Important? Unimportant? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Get Away From It All
• Mind Control
• Lost Baggage (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: When we can simply "upload" to our brains, what will be the best/worst use of this? What unexpected problems or benefits might arise? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Another show from 4 years ago, as I found myself with a deficit of time and stack of time-bill to pay. This time, from May 29, 2004.

This week, I replay an episode from my previous show, Expresso!, because I didn't have time to do a new show.. :(

On the show this week:

• Expresso! 2004-05-31

This week's Challenge Question: What outrageous everyday fashion are you going to adopt? Is fashion dead to the t-shirt? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week, all the little things seem to be on the collective news mind.

On the show this week:

• Small things of importance
• Importance of small things
• Important things that only look small (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: What's the societal "things" humanity no longer needs and should get rid of? What's our vestigial societal norm? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Information Wants To Be Free To Be Forgotten
• Human Mind FTW!
• Self-Important Data (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: What childhood dream invention came true -- or you think will come true? Or, what dream invention of today's kids will come true? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Feedback
• B.R.U.C.E. (the other Bruce!) decided I needed maintenance, and took over..
• Before there was TWS, there was EXPRESSO! Here's an old show from 2004-05-08.

This week's Challenge Question: Are digital memories really our selves? Are we nothing more than the sum of our memories? Is a soul destroyed when you reprogram someone's memories? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Life Will Go On..
• The birds and the bees do it: mysteries of sight unsound...
• Evilization?
• The other 90% of the show. (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: What one things are you going to do to change the future for the better? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• UFOney
• Cray Matter
• Stories covered at 30000 ft (and falling fast)

This week's Challenge Question: Can you truly have mind over matter? Or do you really just shut off senses? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• NASA vs the 13 year old German
• Speak Your Mind/Mind Your Speak
• Oregon FTW (For The Water)
• Hellth
• Stuff I didn't get to
• Last cup.

This week's Challenge Question: Do you believe there was a somewhat advanced ancient island civilization (e.g. Mu, Atlantis, Rly'eh) that was swept away into the sea? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

First, many thanks to Zaphodbblx, Arkle and Mr. Gadgets for their responses to previous weeks' challenge questions. I'm only sorry that A.L.E.X. seems to be touchy about certain things..

Kreg Steppe is half of the dynamic duo of Technorama along with Chuck Tomasi. Technorama is a very fun weekly podcast focusing on "taking a lighthearted look at science, sci-fi and all things geek". A while ago, they had the opportunity to interview Dr. Michio Kaku, renowned populist of science and deep-thinking professor of theoretical physics, and Kreg offered the interview to me to fill-in this episode, and I gratefully accepted.

So, the latter half of this show is that interview. If you enjoyed it, check out Technorama, leave a comment, maybe drop something in their donation bucket. Oh, and look up Dr. Kaku's book, "Physics of the Impossible" and buy it!

Be sure to leave your comments at theWEIRDshow.com, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of The WEIRD Show.com or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• April Fools Bring May Flowers
• The Wonderful Future World We'll Never See

This week's Challenge Question: The destruction of the current way of life seems inevitable. How soon will it be unrecognizeable to us living today? 10 years? 50? 100? What will it look like? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• WE GOTTA GET OFF THIS ROCK!
• Humanufacturing the World

This week's Challenge Question: Is domesticating animals keeping them down - or lifting them up? Will we "uplift" any other animals - through affection, genetics, robotics, cybernetics, etc? Or what *should* we uplift and for what purpose? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Japan FTW!
• Food is What We Eat
• Space is the Place

This week's Challenge Question: (repeat) Where did life on Earth come from? Panspermia, spontaneous chemical reaction, God, aliens.. Make it funny, make it clever or make it serious. Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Criminal Kingdom Pt 1: You filty animals!
• Criminal Kingdom Pt 2: The domain of mankind
• Space is the Place (to survive the apocalypse)

This week's Challenge Question: The Moon, Mars or something Else? Where should the next manned space mission be? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Lots and lots of feedback! Whee!
• Just talkin' 'bout Space, Man.
• Please Pal - Can You Spare Us Some Climate Change?
• Old News is Good News
• Extratopical Solutions (EXTRA)

This week's Challenge Question: (repeat) What non-emergency phone service you like to exist? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• Who ya gonna call? Fire-fighters!
• They, Robot
• It's all in how You See Things
• Underclassifiable (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: (repeat) Have you, or someone you know, ever had an encounter with a UFO or a ghost? Describe it. Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week's episode dedicated, at least in spirit, to the late, great Ripley. Such cats are rare. She will be missed.

On the show this week:

• Tech-now-logy
• Big Brother-In-Law
• Secret Dreams of Organs and Animals
• Spare Parts (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: (repeat) What is a current technology or way of doing things that we should revert to an older way of doing? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• SCIFI IS NOW!
• Life will leave us behind, if we don't do it first.
• Dumbness
• The Indeterminate Past (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: What is a current technology or way of doing things that we should we should revert to an older way of doing things? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Full links to all articles and more at theWEIRDShow.com

On the show this week:

• A few animals I might miss when they go away
• Lost and Found
• Impending Doom
• DN Eh?
• Found Stuff That's Lost Again

This week's Challenge Question: If you were to use genetic engineering to create one thing, one change, what would it be? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to weirdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

Email:  wierdshow [[at]] gmail.com

Website: theweirdshow.com   -or- encaffeinated.ca

Voicemail: 1-206-203-2292

Don't forget that you can always leave a voice message using Mobatalk (look for it on the right-hand side of the site) or comment on any show notes.

On the show this week:

• Rainbows and Kittens (Good)
• Madness and Phantoms (Ugly)
• Death and Destruction (Bad)
• Unclassifiable

This week's Challenge Question: Should we attempt to save all endangered species -- or let "nature" take its course? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Death (but not always in a bad way)
• Everything a bigger story in Texas
• Stuff we made up
• Monkey business
• This show is longer on the inside

This week's Challenge Question: What is an essential skill that people should know -- but they (generally) don't? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Big Picture Items
• Inventions, good and bad
• Food/Not Food
• Death Comes For Us All (Some sooner than others)

This week's Challenge Question: When do 'clothes' become 'laundry'? Or a man go bald? Or a sky get cloudy? Think of a transitional state and discuss it. Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week's Challenge Question: Have you ever had a lucid dream - a dream in which you take control of it? Tell me about it. Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

This week's Challenge Question: What New Years resolution would you want the whole world to make? Or, what one are you making for yourself? Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Do you See What I Hear?
• Lights In The Sky, Guiding Us To... ?
• Gristmiss
• Overstuffing (extras)

This week's Challenge Question: What New Year's resolution would you want the whole world to make? Or, what one are you making for yourself? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• It's (Not) (Not) All In (Not) Your (Not) Mind (Not)
• Bigfoot and Time are both Fleeting
• The Stuff Beyond Time (EXTRAS)

This week's Challenge Question: Is the Christmas Holiday a good thing or a bad thing? Should we eliminate Santa, the reindeer, the tree, the lights -- all these irrational symbols that are weighed down by religious history? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• If you Believe this, I've got some Moonlight in Arizona to sell ya..
• Animals will outsmart us all
• The future stinks
• The Important Stuff (Extras)

This week's Challenge Question: Do you think that you will need to make great sacrifices in your life in order to save the environment? Or, is this not an immediate problem? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to wierdshow[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 1-206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Bigflop
• Life is Disgusting!
• Watch what you're watching!
• EXTRA: Holiday spices mixed with nuts
• EXTRA: Me, X-Mas, WANT!

This week's Challenge Question: Do you beleve that we should all be observed, at practically all times, for our own good? Is a watched society a safe society? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• It's Enough To Put You Off Your Long Pork
• Critters 'n' Machines
• LOL

This week's Challenge Question: Is there such a thing as a Bigfoot, a Yeti, a Skunk Ape, a Wildman? No, really -- not just mistaken identity or falsehood, the real thing!? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Calm Your Emotions and Use Half Your Brain to Believe In Science
• real or Unreal, Life is Weird
• I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time

This week's Challenge Question: Is there a place for faith and religion in the future? Does removing such irrationalities mean the death of art? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• In the Spirit of the Season
• Boldly Having New Old Visions Of The Future
• It's All In Your Mind

No real challenge question this week, but you can answer this if you like: Send in your suggestions for questions! . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

As the 40th anniversary of the most famous sasquatch film ever (the Patterson/Gimlin film), we have the following line up on the show this week:

• All We Need Is Some Piss and Understanding (Crap!)
• Eat, Sleep, Get a Job, Smell, Cry: Things I Learned To Do From Animals
• Braaaainsss....

This week's Challenge Question: What is your best advice for the coming Zombie uprising? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

On the show this week:

• Nobel Prizes for Science
• Noble Prizes for Tech
• Put another naked moth on the barbie

This week's Challenge Question: Do you think that a truly robotic human will emerge in the next 50 years? Why or why not? How about a robot on par with a 10 year old? . Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

• XTREEMLY interesting
• EXTREEEM science!
• Peru and other space objects
• Adaptation Nation

This week's Challenge Question: What traditions do you still honour? What traditions have fallen by the wayside or you never honoured, but you'd like to?. Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

For full show notes, go to Encaffeinated! and say hi!

• It all began in Peru...
• Micro meets Macro
• EXTREEEM!

Challenge Question this weekWhat is the most extreme thing you have ever done -- or plan to do?  (Please keep it PG!)

For full show notes and links to all the stories covered and many more, visit Encaffeinated!

To provide feedback on any story, do one of the following:

• Visit Encaffeinated! and leave a comment after the show notes
• Visit Encaffeinated! and leave a voice comment with the MobaTalk system on the right
• Send email to weirdshow [[at]] gmail.com
• Telephone 206-203-2292

For full show notes and links to all the stories covered and many more, visit Encaffeinated!

To provide feedback on any story, do one of the following:

• Visit Encaffeinated! and leave a comment after the show notes
• Visit Encaffeinated! and leave a voice comment with the MobaTalk system on the right
• Send email to weirdshow [[at]] gmail.com
• Telephone 206-203-2292

For full show notes and links to all the stories covered and many more, visit Encaffeinated!

To provide feedback on any story, do one of the following:

• Visit Encaffeinated! and leave a comment after the show notes
• Visit Encaffeinated! and leave a voice comment with the MobaTalk system on the right
• Send email to encaf1 [[at]] gmail.com
• Telephone 206-203-2292 

• Inventions of Future Past;
• Chronic Ironic;
• Wreck Less Ambition;
• and the new Challenge Question: If you were to get a scientific, sci-fi or generally geeky tattoo, what would it be? And, if you like, where would it be?
  

For full show notes and more, go to Encaffeinated!

To respond to the question or anything else, call the WEIRD line: (206) 203 2292 or email weirdshow@gmail.com 

As mentioned, I have a page on Facebook, where I will also be placing my Questions. Speaking of that, this week's Question: What new device will be created into the future that initially will seem like a dumb idea yet turn into a widely used, must-have thing? Or what device will be just dumb?. Leave your answer in the comments, send your email to encaf1[[at]]gmail.com, record your message via the MobaTalk client on the right hand side of Encaffeinated!, leave an answer on Facebook or call in at 206-203-2292.

For full show notes and more, visit Encaffeinated!.

• Theme Song: Caffeine by Grubspoon from The Podsafe Music Network
• This must be some new meaning of "impossible" I'm not aware of..
• Fingers & toes
• Communicable Ill-Ease
• Miscellaneous Extras

For full show notes, please visit Encaffeinated!

On the show this week:

• How Does That Make You Feel?
• Crime and Punishment
• Life,But Not As We Know It
• The End is Hear... For Now

Just an additional note: I will be taking some time off, 3-4 weeks, and then will returned with renewed vigour to produce the next season. In the mean time, I may throw a few things down the pipe, so stay subscribed!

For feedback, email encaf1 AT gmail.com, leave comments or voice at Encaffeinated.ca, or call (206) 203-2292 and leave a message.

For full show notes, including all the stories I covered and more, visit Encaffeinated!

There's also a special bonus for you podcast listeners: the show is almost 15 minutes longer! I had to cut an entire section for the radio version, but I decided to add it back in to the podcast version. I realize that the show is pretty long to begin with, so let me know if it is getting too long, and I'll try to cap it off.

There's just sooo much stuff to talk about!

For full show notes, including all the stories I covered and more, visit Encaffeinated!.

For full article listings and more, come to Encaffeinated!. 

For full links to all the articles covered (and more!) go to Encaffeinated!. 

I'm back!

After nearly a week of being in the hospital having nice nurses jab me and steal my precious vitae, it feels good to be back in the hotseat again. On this week's show, we have animals trying desperately not to appear like themselves, find nothing on Mars but water, mixing a little biology with your computers and a few miscellaneous morsels.

For full show notes, go to Encaffeinated!.

Due to technical difficulties beyond my control, this episode is on time and twice its normal size. Not sure how that happened, but I think it has something to do with a wild party, an infinite-improbability drive and coincidence of Towel Day and the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars.

It may also have something to do with me forgetting to mention Towel Day..

In any case, this week's set of stories includes: the planetary system starts with a "meh"; optimism vs pessimism regarding the apocalypse; animals living alternative lifestyles; and more!

For full show notes and more, go to Encaffeinated!

If you never leave your own dooryard, and especially never go into your neighbour's dooryard, you will never interact with your neighbour, and thus never get their diseases. You will live a safe life in your bubble, but you will not properly interact with others. Isolation can bring safety, but it brings vulnerability to change. Adversity breeds strength, and strength overcomes adversity.

What does this all mean? I'm afraid we're never getting rid of the common cold. We're just going to give it to the aliens.

Full show notes available at Encaffeinated!.

Full links and show notes at Encaffeinated!.

For full show notes, visit Encaffeinated! 

No story too small, no history so sacred, no cow so sacred that we can't have a steak barbeque over the flames lit from controversial past.

• Theme Song: Hyper Lounge by Scott Helm from The Podsafe Music Network
• Opening quote from Airplane
• Myths, Stories and Half-truths
  • Wait.. being a gladiators wasn't all glamour and steak? - ABC Australia/AFP: Roman gladiators were fat vegetarians
  • What will future history tell of our now?
  • Quote from The Princess Bride
  • Oh, the abuse of power! - The Guardian: It's a scandal: Oklahoma declares watermelon a vegetable
  • What is a fruit, anyway?
  • Quote from The Muppets
  • Next: carrots aren't good for your eyes, fish isn't good for brains, and TV has no affect on your eyes.. - nature: Mozart doesn't make you clever
  • Music does have an effect; unfortunately, my music is a multi-faceted as I am, and trying to find the right music for the mood I'm in is just as hard as figuring out which mood I'm in..
  • Quote from Monty Python's Flying Circus
  • Dreams also reveal the traumatic impact of the Easter Bunny and chocolate cake right before bed. - New Scientist: Dreams may reveal traumatic impact of television
  • Ah, but what is a dream? And can anyone deny that everything you experience has some small effect, likely not larger than any other?
  • Quote from Planet of the Apes
  • Once we evolved emotions like shame, curiousity and jealousy, we really didn't go much further. - The Daily Mail: Chimps are actually more evolved than humans
  • The universe plays dice with us; we rigged the dice, replaced them with a calculator, and are now in control.
  • Mashup of the communication signal from Close Encounters of the Third Kidn and an old Avon commercial
  • It seems that fear of technology still exists... - The Pakistan Daily Times: The Grim Reaper has a phone number: ‘Death call from the dark side’ spooks Karachi
  • EXTRA: Cell phones don't cause cancer, they just kill bees (maybe). Whew.. that's a relief! (Sorta..) - The Independent: Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
  • Cthulhu needs boaters? - The New Zealand Herald/AFP: Yacht found with dinner served, laptop on... but no crew
  • Quote from Futurama
  • Need a new device? Just print one! - New Scientist: Modified ink printer churns out electronic circuits
  • We will build him faster, simpler, cheaper. We have the technology. - The Daily Mail: The artificial bones created from an inkjet
  • I instantly come to grips with this amazing technology and apply it to making toys I couldn't have as a kid.
  • Is this just a scheme to use leftover fish parts? - Russian News & Information Agency: Japan develops technology to make human blood vessels from fish
  • I hate wasting things. Well, other than time, that is..
  • Aaaaachoooo! Whoops, just launched some space dust. - BBC: 'Smart dust' to explore planets
  • It's like an electromagnetic lighthouse.. only one which shoots flames instead of light. - Astrobiology Magazine: Zapping the Moon
  • And yet, no phasers.. - New Scientist: 'Deflector' shields could protect future astronauts
  • Why not use this dangerous energy to charge cell phones on the moon?
  • Quote from Vincent Price; not sure what movie from.
  • All we need now is to see a triangle, and the communication will be complete. - Space.com: Near-Perfect Symmetry Revealed in Red Cosmic Square
  • "Look up, and see the wonders I have seen." - New Scientist: Lyrid meteors to grace the weekend sky
• Old business, show business, and no business I know
  • EXTRA: No, not that business.. - BusinessWeek: The End of a 1,400-Year-Old Business
  • EXTRA: Imagine yourself sitting under a 30 foot fern.. - LiveScience: World’s First Tree Reconstructed
  • EXTRA: What rhymes with "Zeta Reticulan"? - The Oregonian: UFOs: The musical
  • EXTRA: Eventually, everybody will disclose that UFOs exist and we can move on to negotiations.. - The Canadian: Chilean Army Discloses Recordings and Secret Contacts with UFOs
  • EXTRA, FOLLOWUP: Apparently, she made it. - New Scientist: Astronaut completes marathon in space
  • EXTRA: The face is now very well scrubbed off. - Associated Media: NASA Releases New Photos of the Martian Face
  • EXTRA: Sometimes, a statue is just a goat. - Ananova: Prague prefers goat to Freud

In this podcast-only episode, I go on at length about how the universe may be a machine and we are merely cogs ruled by viruses. Before I get too depressed, however, I veer into space to find hope in the prospect that humanity, as a whole smaller than the sum of its divergent parts, wants off this rock, if only so that they can sell it.

• Theme Song: Hyper Lounge by Scott Helm from The Podsafe Music Network
• Opening quote from The Matrix
• Understanding the Machine
  • I dunno.. I think my computer laughs at me frequently.. - Discovery News: Stand-Up Comedy Formula Decoded
  • If you take the derivative of the sandwich formula, do you get the health rate, or the heart attack rate? - Ananova: Revealed: The perfect bacon buttie
  • This time they included the actual formula.. - SkyNews: The Perfect Bacon Buttie
  • Genes are like punchcards for the universal life machine. - Discovery News/AP: Ancient T. Rex Genes Decoded
  • EXTRA: Perfect for the DIY geneticist/mad scientist! - Yahoo!/Reuters: Mammoth on sale at Christie's in Paris
  • Quote from Jurassic Park
  • Quote from 2001
  • Hey! We've got the rhesus pieces! - Discovery News/AP: Research Monkey DNA Mapped
  • Quote from Planet of the Apes
  • Heh.. Bones produces sperm. Insert teenage-level joke here. - New Scientist: Bone stem cells turned into primitive sperm cells
  • No, this is *not* the teenage male fantasy, nor is it a trailer for Grindhouse. - Ananova: Women to rule new town
  • If this were the case, wouldn't there have been a huge boom in females after the early 20th century? - PhysOrg: Study links smoking to female offspring
  • The fall of the rise of man? - Science-a-go-go: The Disappearing Male
• Space! Whee!
  • Quote from The Last Starfighter; this happens to be one of my favourite films.
  • Hoorah! UFOs are still coming! - Cnews: Canuck UFO report issued
  • The Canadian 2006 UFO report. - UFOROM's report
  • Quotes from The Honeymooners and The Moon Landing
  • Will this lead to the first wedgie in space? Although these days, nerds are chic. Well, nerds who aren't me. - BBC: American space 'nerd' blasts off
  • Quote from Doctor Who -- the old one. That was K9.
  • Woohoo! The Space Race is *on*! - MSNBC/Reuters: Russia eyes industrial development of moon
  • Quote from Scooby Doo Zoinks!
  • This just in: other planets have clouds, too. - Yahoo!/Reuters: Signs of water seen on planet outside solar system
  • Quote from Ghostbusters
  • What colour is the Earth in *your* sky? - LiveScience: Early Earth Was Purple, Study Suggests
  • Quote from The Simpsons
• We Are All Sick, That's Why We Do Anything
  • "Why did you hit him Billy?" "A had a microbial infection that aggravated a genetic disorder which, combined with my Attentian Deficit Disorder and Youngest Child Syndrome and the way the light shone on my forehead!" "You see, Mr. Ford, Billy's just a growing boy, and boys will be boys!" - Yahoo!/AP: Disease underlies Hatfield-McCoy feud
  • Tune in, get sick, drop dead. - Alcuin and Flutterby blog: Morgellons mystery
• The stuff I probably should have covered.
  • EXTRA: Yawn.. I think this is the fourth or fifth one now... Show me the prototypes! - Yahoo!/AFP: A real invisibility cloak is in our grasp: scientists
  • EXTRA: A neat party trick, but is it more useful? - New Scientist: Plastic sheets perform auto-origami
  • EXTRA: Is everything moving on its own? - New Scientist: Crystals twist about in response to light
  • EXTRA: Children always have all the right answers.. - LiveScience: Depressed? Go Play in the Dirt
  • EXTRA: If I tried this, the number I would get is likely a depression hotline, a sex line or no longer in service.. - Yahoo!/Reuters: Dreamed up phone number leads man to a bride
  • EXTRA: Surprise? Kids would rather read information about sex in explicit magazines than from the parents or teachers! - Ananova: Kids turn to mags for sex advice