Comments on: Show #025: The Panoply of Geeks and My Billy Elliot Moment

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:07:44 +0000

For what it’s worth, I noticed your RSS feed for the podcast has a link to episode 24 instead of 25 as well, so whatever the problem, it isn’t just iTunes. (Perhaps iTunes uses the RSS to compile its lists? I don’t know)

By: Roman V.

Roman V. — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:07:23 +0000

Wait, so what I’m reading is Storm is promising to “flash” everyone on Presidents day. [/out of context quote]

I have a bit of Actionscript, though I can’t say I really know it as well, as, say I know Java.

By: Paul and Storm

Paul and Storm — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:57:34 +0000

I’m not lookin’ for nothin’ specific. “The Missing Manual” Flash CS4 has already gotten me off the ground, though my learning curve is a bit steep (I’ve never really programmed before.)

Mostly I’m curious about what has worked for other people, and to learn what the better websites are for handy bits of code and tutorials (since searching on Google is such a hassle).

Thanks to everyone who’s posted or e-mailed; my efforts will likely bear their first fruit on President’s Day.

“S”

By: Aaron P

Aaron P — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:20:10 +0000

I’ve been doing flash animations and games for a while now and I seem to be getting continually better at it. Actionscript is fun when you get into the programm-y mood. Was there something specific you needed help doing? If so send me an email and I will try to help.

By: Tom Walker

Tom Walker — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:43:22 +0000

Learning Flash? Try Lynda.com ! I learned flash in under a week through them. And no I don’t work for them.

By: Roman V.

Roman V. — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:53:59 +0000

I forgot my geek dance. Well I would maybe nominate that Code Monkey dance from the Intertubes or even the “Og Make Fire” dance. Both very good choices.

And if we’re talking about white geeks, then there’s always the YMCA, Electric Slide, and the Chicken Dance you guys seem to LOVE oh so much.

By: Colleenky

Colleenky — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:52:52 +0000

Rich beat me to it! Yes, the Time Warp is defintely the official geek line dance. Another contender, Rasputin by Boney M, which is played for a group dance at our local con every year. We don't do this though. Also an honorable mention to the B-52s's Rock Lobster move. ("Down! Down!") Oh, oh, oh! Can we minions have a special decoder ring to deocde secret messages from the podcast? Pleez? "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine!"

By: Dustin

Dustin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:56:42 +0000

Sadly, the problem isn’t just on itunes. I’m using amarok on Linux to get my podcasts, and I’m also getting episode 24 instead of 25. So, I’m not sure whats up. I’m like a kid getting socks on Christmas morning. All excited, then robbed at the last second.

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:36:54 +0000

Geek line dance: It’s just a jump to the left…

By: Roman V.

Roman V. — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:44:50 +0000

My iTunes has it correct. What sort of printer is it? I am a big fan of HP - most of them "just work" in GNU/Linux. Not to say nothing else works completely or partially. Is "walking the dog" a euphemism? In which case, "Walking the dog in 20 minutes" is the name of my next album. Was it regular rain or the chocolaty variety? I love the way you do guys the live show, with the humorous improvised banter and stuff. You interact with the crowd. You're essentially the anti-Dick Dale. A friend of mine told me he went to a Dick Dale show, where the act basically ignored the audience, and talked trash about the opening acts, etc. Sure, you and JoCo talk trash about each other, but it's funny trash and that's good. You guys sound like you're confusing geeks and nerds. We the nerds are the cool ones - with the irony, and the funny, and the womens, and the etc. We definitely need to separate them by category. For example, RMS would go on the list for sure, but so would Neil deGresse Tyson, just maybe... different lists? Storm was all "SURPRISE PROGRAMZORSZES." Wait, is Storm saying he wants to be a better "flasher"? Flash programming is pretty easy, compared to, let's say programming in C. I don't particularly like Flash, because at the moment its use requires installing a proprietary plugin from Adobe. Because it's proprietary (a social-ethical-moral program) it also has technical issues, namely the fact that it doesn't exist on every platform it can. The iPhone, and a lot of 64-bitness of even common OSs don't have a Flash plugin. This problem always happens when a company things they can make better software by themselves and not ask anyone else their opinion on it - they get to a point where to keep up they HAVE to free their code. (See for example Java. "Manifestations of my Spectrumness" is the name of my psych rock band. Paul? Not a good dancer? Come on. Well if that choreography during Opening Band is any indication.... Speaking of Stepehen Fry - did you know that he LOVES free software? Great 'cast guys. I look forward to free things for minionhood. And the shirt. Can we at least see what it looks like or something?

By: Paul Maki

Paul Maki — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:12:24 +0000

If I was contacting Apple to tell them they screwed up something, I’d have a very hard time not leading off the message with “Hey Genius.”

I would never normally do that, but since they self-appellate with the term, I think it would be justifiable, no?

By: Echo Nolan

Echo Nolan — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:43:52 +0000

Hey P&S, the link above, “Show #025: The Panoply of Geeks and My Billy Elliot Moment” links to show #24 too. It’s not an iTunes issue.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:07:27 +0000

I was at the Saturday night show in PDX and I’m curious — did you guys take all the panties that got thrown there? The pair that was on the microphone for the entire show was the one my boyfriend threw.

By: David Egyud

David Egyud — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:06:05 +0000

The end music is actually two songs back-to-back – the instrumental part is “Carry Me Back” and the sung part is “Mary Rose”. There’s a link on the podcast page to the whole track of the two together.

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:00:44 +0000

Hooray! Forthcoming minion treats!

For tips on geek dancing, you might want to check out the most recent episode of Inside the Actor’s Studio. It features Conan O’Brien doing his awkward, geeky best moves. Hilarious!

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:27:22 +0000

Just FYI: Same problem with the show (#24 instead of #25) on my end via Zune, too. Of course I didn’t realize this until I was on my drive home.

@Gary: “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” by the Tom-Terry Trio

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:26:29 +0000

I haven’t read all the comments on all your episodes, but I ask a question that’s been asked and answered, please forgive.

What is that music you play at the end of you guys talking, but before the music of the week? It sounds vaguely western, but sounds like it’s in German.

By: Paul and Storm

Paul and Storm — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:07:44 +0000

Attention, iTunes subscribers: we’re not sure what the hell’s going on, but yes, at the moment, the show listed as Show 025 on iTunes is a repeat of Show 024. All the links on our end are set correctly and we’ve re-pinged the feed, otherwise looks like a glitch on iTunes’ end. We’re contacting them and hope it’ll get straightened out very soon.

It’s not our fault, we swear!

P&S.

By: Lena

Lena — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:31:22 +0000

Ballroom dance is seriously geeky. I love it, I used to do it, I drove 10 hours to competitions (from which I have a similar bad-weather road story)…

Also, the world of ballroom dance is populated by geeks.

By: Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:12:51 +0000

And as one half of the pirate couple from PDX who won the cookie dough, I would think that Seattle was more of a Rocky Horror crowd, while Portland was far more MST3K. One was rowdier (and Arrrr-ful), but the other was a bit more creative in their heckles.

When are you guys going to do a concert DVD?

By: Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:48:25 +0000

Just as an aside, the iTunes podcast is labelled ep 25, but is actually ep 24 again. And the chicken dance should totally be a part of the nerd dance.