http://www.anim5.com/IDDFOS/index.html Questions and speculation about absolutely EVERYTHING. Some from me, some from you. Write in and join the conversation. en-us 2008 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST anim5@anim5.com Humanities http://www.anim5.com/IDDFOS/iddfos_144x.jpg 144 144 http://www.anim5.com/IDDFOS/index.html Where Zen and Paranoia collide. Questions and speculation about humans. Some from me, some from you. Write in and join the conversation. anim5 anim5@anim5.com anim5 no 1 Open Ended Series Number 1 - Simon, of The Curio and anim5 of IDDFOS tackle the first of several shows on the topic of UFOs. They only scratch the surface, but plenty of ground is covered. Snippets from the 1950 CBS radio documentary THE CASE FOR THE FLYING SAUCER with Edward R. Morrow - are peppered throughout, indicating just how long this frustrating and fascinating subject has been debated. How much of what they have to say do you agree or disagree with? Please write in! Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Billboards - Dolphins - Lizards - Timewarps - UFOs - Triangles of Travel and the Origin of the Universe! - In other words . . . A SCIENCE show ! Sun, 31 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EST Infrasonic waves, Mystery Music from the fifties - Another thumb out with mine to hitch a ride on a Skype game - and an anim5 ramble about - UFOs as a taboo subject. It will stay that way forever until SOMEBODY comes up with a craft. Produce the hardware. It's making me tired already. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EST The Secret of Success ! The Secret of the Kennedy Assassination ! The Secret of UFOs ! NONE of these are revealed in this episode ! Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EST The Wandering Geek is a year old and an ENnie award Nominee! Emails, Forum Posts, Shoutouts! An old friend becomes a new listener, stories are told, songs are sung and the original producers of Casper the Friendly Ghost were big fat liars! Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST Superhero Factory - Hip Haikus - Norwegian News - Audio Evil Lordings Over - Too Much Pole Prattle - and 50 tons of Vinyl ! It Can't be played on a stage, so you'll have to hear it here ! Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST In honor of philosophy: Houses, Billboards and Telephone Poles are all connected by anim5 confusion. No expense spared! Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EST A roundup and a recap of all transmissions beyond episode 40. Plus some very cool pictures and SCA info from Andros, and an email from Ben of The Absolute Peach! A summong up and up to date episode well worth a listen! Sun, 08 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EST Does the educational infrastructure of the world need an overhaul for the 21st century? Mon, 26 May 2008 06:00:00 EST Medical - Technical - Digital - Immortality. If Given the choice would you take it? And what do we do about all the people arriving, staying and never leaving? The question may be a real one before very long. Sun, 11 May 2008 06:00:00 EST Money - Part 2. The Shape-shifting tool that is only as safe as the humans using it. Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:00:00 EST Logic Puzzle: You live on a planet where rope is currency and you lose it when you use it. You are stuck in a spiked pit about to fill with acid. You have just enough rope to get out. Do you use the rope to climb out or stay in the pit and die because rope is too expensive? Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:00:00 EST Wild Variety, The Rights of Citizens, Hopeful Geek Anecdotes, Orange Rock Men, Tattoos, Dinner with the Famous. Writing a blurb for this episode is like catching water in a net. I Love it that way! Sun, 23 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EST It is Fascinating, Fun and Fast. From Stan Freberg to James Burke - Amazing Meetings to Digital Music . . . and more. A Skype chat licensed to kill, with George Hrab of The Geologic Podcast. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EST yes Personal Identification Through External Works of Art. They don't last forever, but they last long enough. Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:00:00 EST Paintings - Songs - Photos - They can only capture pieces of who we are. Our identities change too often for art to fit permanently. Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:00:00 EST Liminal states, Transitions, Journeys . . . Please move on with us through the beginning of this episode to the end. It's the transformation and the travel from before to after that matters. Sun, 03 Feb 2008 06:00:00 EST When enough fissionable material comes together it reaches a critical mass and explodes. Enough anti-podcast circumstances have melted down this show for the end of January. Please accept my apologies and look for episode 52 next Sunday. Sun, 27 Jan 2008 06:00:00 EST What is Important? It may depend on who you ask, what time it is, where you are or when you are. It seems to be generally agreed though that the friends encircling you rank pretty high on the list. Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:00:00 EST IDDFOS ushers in the future with tales of the past. This New Year's Eve show is saved by the listeners and looks forward to a frightening and exciting 2008. Thanks for staying with me this long and I hope you'll hang around for all that's on the way. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST An episode rich in thought provoking ideas and wealthy with insights and questions from YOU. An excellent Holiday Feast for the end of 2007! Dine at the table or bring your plate into the den. Just don't get hit by the Wii players. Sun, 16 Dec 2007 06:00:00 EST Delayed by chest colds, weather, cardboard, chandeliers and the great god Procrasto - Episode 48 is at long last here. The content is every bit as excellent as IDDFOS listeners have always made it! Hell, even better! Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST It has Juggling! It has Tribbles! It has small crowds of men screaming at each other! It has Large crowds of men beating each other up! Shoplifting! Raging storms and warehousey type noises! It's not nearly as exciting as this description! Anim5 talks non-stop for two-and-a-half hours while making kiddie show scenery in order to keep his sanity at the expense of yours. Sun, 25 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST An unexpected journey into the city marks the one year anniversary of the Tick-Tock-Diner meet-up. It also provides audio documentation of the Trashing-In-Transit of a dozen chandeliers. See pictures from the trip on the IDDFOS home page. Sat, 10 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST Strange gripes with little mystery. Anim5 takes a series of noisy van rides on a Saturday in "Joisey". Self-Checkout Scanners. Shrinking candy Bars - Service Plans that service an elite few. ST Voyager Good / Kate Mulgrew Bad. - What exactly makes yearbook pictures look more and more stupid as the years tick by? Sun, 04 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST Shakespeare Part 2 - Because this much drama needs two acts. Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EST A super-charged ramble across the conversational landscape. Our traveling companion: The Encaffeinated One! Host of "The Weird Show" podcast and radio program. Listen in and watch the bucket of super-bounce-balls rebounding, colliding, zigzagging and generally celebrating variable-speed cerebral chaos. Doses of home grown Canadian humor are also served up with a wild grin! Predictable? . . . NOT. Sun, 30 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EST Once more, anim5 bites off a whole lot more than he can chew for one episode. Shakespeare? Why not just discuss Life, the Universe and Everything? Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EST Entertainment Stink Bombs from the Media Giants. Real turkeys from the film, music and publishing industries. Reminders that the term "Amateur" is relative. Sun, 26 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST A long-awaited conversation with Mick Bradley of "The House of The Harping Monkey" ! Topics range from Story Gaming to Deadly Iron to Theater. Can you find Mick Bradley everywhere in gamer podcasting? . . . Good ! Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST A fun-filled visit with Curt the Camera Guy. Just over an hour of entertaining talk with the Host of "The Wandering Geek Podcast". Topics range from Audio Horror on the road, to Vista horror on the Laptop. There's even a "Chip 'n Dale" RANT in this one. Don't miss it! Sun, 05 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST This episode we have a bit of fun playing into the hands of Andrew Keen. He acted up like a brat wanting attention and we gave it to him. It was kind of fun though. Like bopping a punching clown. Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST An in-depth visit with Mark "Thayan" Reed ! Host of "The Groovy Gamer's Groovecast". Topics range from Play-by-Post to Tabletop to The psychology of the whole gaming world. A fine and lengthy feast of ideas. Chew each bite slowly and sip some ale as you dine. Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST A continuation of "Transhumanism and Idiosyncrasies". New Listener feedback from Dickey the Stealth Geek, Big Jack Brass, Raphael, Sersie and premium audio input from Curt The Camera Guy both for the opening of the show, AND in a topical sound clip from the future! A very rich episode to round off this topic and give it its due. Sun, 08 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST Skype Chat 2! A laid back chat with Dickey of The Stealth Geek podcast. Settle in and eavesdrop on subjects ranging from Toronto architecture to RPG moments to Festival Fried Foods! Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST Transhumanism and Idiosyncrasies. We have the technology. Should we "improve" human beings? Once the more fantastic capabilities are real, how far and how fast will changes to the human species go? Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST A wonderful conversation with Sarah and Nev of "Does My Geek" ranging in topics from Second Life to Podiobooks to Digital Oddities. The very first IDDFOS skype chat! Sun, 10 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST A Mile marker of an episode! Forty shows. ( more really ) Phew! I'm amazed. And I thank you all for listening! This episode includes emails, news, really nifty links - and a summation of episodes 21 through 39 spoken in Three Minutes and Fifteen Seconds (chipmonk style). A compact episode, but a rich one. Hope you enjoy! THU, 31 May 2007 08:00:00 EST A continuation of the Artificial Intelligence topic from episode 38. Robots. . Computers . . Eventual self awareness? No absolutely final answers, but at least one more question. Will it matter if they become self-aware or not? Won't most people believe that they have wills and minds of their own regardless of the circuitry ? TUE, 15 May 2007 08:00:00 EST Anim5 comes crawling back from a craven panic toward the microphone. Fifteen years of employment at a theatrical landmark are very likely to end soon. Change terrifies me. But it's the tiny doses of HOPE that the change won't happen that are doing the most damage. Wed, 02 May 2007 08:00:00 EST Rolls of the cosmic dice and how they change our lives, plus further exploration of gender issues in gaming. A ton of excellent emails! Sun, 01 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST The road to hell is paved with spray adhesive and cardboard. And PROCRASTO, the demon overlord of procrastination, will eventually get around to seeing you there. FRI, 23 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST A great mix of nifty emails from Sarah, Camera Guy, James and Thayan. This episode's topic: Gender issues in Tabletop RPG's and MMO's - specifically the view and treatment of female characters. Multiple viewpoints and some very interesting conclusions. SUN, 11 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST Computer and Console gaming from a woman's perspective. A frank and candid interview with Mrs. anim5 about gender issues in online MMO's and electronic entertainment in general. MON, 05 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST Hopping from Day to Day, Hour to Hour and from one microphone to another - This episode reads feedback and attempts to explore the mystery, popularity and gross stupidities of dining on misery. What the hell is up with all these people who accentuate the negative ALL the time? - And what about the irrational popularity of reading seeing and hearing all about celebrity X every time he/she dresses badly gains 2 pounds or does something imperfect? New Members and fun activity on the IDDFOS forums - We welcome Veilelt to the Frappr Map . . . Plenty O'Stuff in this show. Not enough functioning brain in anim5 to get it posted last week where it belonged. SAT, 24 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST Do we humans create our own reality through shared and focused belief? Do we turn our Myth into Truth effecting that reality in tangible ways? And, Are dogs more important than people? - Plenty of Quality and quantity in the way of Listener feed back! We hear from the Stealth Geek, Mister Tee, Sarah, Maddrjeffe, James Stubbs, Murray, Curt the Camera Guy, Draco-X and we have THREE new members of the Frappr Map to welcome! This episode has a 15 minute chipmonk rant at the end - and - Yes I have another new anti-snore plastic strip on my nose. SUN, 11 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST Another "email extravaganza" with superb feedback and wonderfully stimulating content. The IDDFOS listeners are the best podcast listeners on Earth! SUN, 28 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST A Fantastic Gift From Curt The Camera Guy - New Frappr Map members - A recovered Odeo from Mister Tee - Latin Phrase contest entries - email responses to: The Best Gift You could Get - The Best Gift Humanity could Get. - Dogs and People, who's more important? The Supreme Being returns and busts our chops big time. - Full episode this one. TUE, 16 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST Still not episode 32, but that will post very late tonight. - This is just a "Mini Drama" I wanted to try representing some comically disfunctional game play at a newbie DnD table. Billy tries to introduce the intricacies of Dungeons and Dragons to his Sister Susie, his Aunt Motria and his Uncle Peter. In theory, mirth ensues. If I have totally mangled the game mechanics please be kind. I haven't played in 27 years. MON, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST NOT episode 32 - We've just had episode 31 last week, and we anticipate the real episode 32 some time soon, but this episode consists of - Caroline, Sasha, Tangent, Working Man, Gazeboboy, Nev and myself - All gathered together at the Tick-Tock diner nearly two months ago now. - On November 6th 2006. The topics range from flammable coffee additives to Penn station adventures to Attacking pirates! Hope you enjoy. SUN, 31 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EST Had to commit most of this show to the raw, off-site digital Olympus, but the e-mails are all clean and crisp. And What a great collection of responses for this show too! The Top of the show offers a Lip Sync exercise to hone your gesture and dialogue skills! ( No Music ) There's much to learn about what we'll all miss after a collapse of civilization, as we wrap up the topics of Daniel Quinn's gorilla. Also, we step away from the maze of religion/politics/morality for a while. Episode 32 will take a departure and "lighten up". Throughout the episode - as breaks occur, we get treated to a collection of handy tips written by James Stubbs. Tips for Library patrons that seem to hang their brains on a nail by the door whenever they enter their local public information repository. Listen carefully and do not repeat their Folly! The Questions for episode 32: What would be the absolute best gift you believe you could ever get ? - also - What do you believe would the absolute best gift the human race could get ? ( Yes, absolutely ANYTHING ) - - - - What sentence would you say best sums up this podcast? The Winning answer will appear on IDDFOS "membership cards" as a Latin phrase to go under the graphic. - - - - Are Dogs more important than people? SUN, 24 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EST The Big Three - Oh And it IS big folks. The official topic for this show Is "Jason Godesky's 30 Theses" but in reality it's a Two Hour EMAIL Extravaganza! We hear from Direwolf, Camera Guy, James Stubbs, Bill, Dickey, Mick Bradley, Geek Beard, Derek, Jason Godesky and Holy Crap! - News, shoutouts - Frappr Map Welcomes - So much stuff! So little Time. SUN, 10 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EST Late night Lunatic ramblings in cardboard scenery land - in place of an actual episode. If You're new to IDDFOS, this is NOT the show to sample. Sorry folks. Episode 30 will be done, just not this week. THU, 30 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST Religion - second half WED, 22 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST Religion - first half WED, 22 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST This episode's main purpose is to share with you the email response sent in by Jason Godesky - Techno Shaman and author of "The Thirty Theses", a series of papers detailing the anthropological research supporting the revolutionary ideas of Daniel Quinn. Also, we welcome James Stubbs to the Frappr Map, we hear from Geekbeard, and read a brief letter from Derek. A letter that ties-in to one of the thirty theses with a synchronous idea, but arrives at a tribal behavior from another direction. A quick tip from me about turning large text files into portable mp3's. If you missed this link below, here it is again - CBC's Best of Ideas and the three part interview with Richard Kearney. Look for the mp3 files entitled "The God who May Be." Please treat yourself to a wealth of superb insights and refreshing ideas by hearing what he has to say about his religion of the imagination. As you hear it, keep in mind what Mister Tee wrote, and what you may have heard Tracy Hickman say on the recent Round Table Episode. The CBC page is updated every monday, so if you don't see the files there please search their archives. Episode 29 will explore email responses to Mister Tee's letter in IDDFOS #27 - Thus far we have responses from Camera Guy and Charon, but there's still time for YOU to add your thoughts. Episode 30 will return to the Thirty Theses. I'll be examining those on my own until then, hopefully so that I can discuss one or two points about them without starting at zero :) If you give them a read, and want to comment as well, Please do! SUN, 12 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST Geek Beard and Timewind are welcomed to the Frappr Map! - Sarah shares some mathematical insights into infinity along with the humorous possibility of who may or may not exist according to Douglas Adams. (After meeting Nev, I am now convinced that HE is real, and I am a figment of my imagination.)Curt the Camera Guy lets us in on just how extensive his travels are, and offers a wealth of imagery from all over the United States. Thanks for being handy with that camera! - The main topic for #27: The insanity of religious intolerance. Mister Tee makes a strong case for clearing up our vision and taking a good long look at what's true and what isn't about people, regardless of what faith they practice. Also shared are insights into the Adam and Eve story. WED, 08 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST A round up and collection of all the "play acting" and "mini-drama" audio segments I've done as promotional spots for other podcasts, short bits and stories I recorded years before my podcast, that were never played in the show, and little audio vignettes sandwiched within older episodes. Bonus episode 1 of 2 - All these mini dramas are stuck into this file: Space Opera - DMGLBIT - 7:08 Arathi Who? - 6:38 The Dating Game - 3:50 CourtRoom Drama - 6:46 Beeny and Cecil - 5:34 It's A Wonderful DLI - 3:00 The Perfect Cassette - 6:00 Dragnot - 19:57 WED, 25 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST A round up and collection of all the "play acting" and "mini-drama" audio segments I've done as promotional spots for other podcasts, short bits and stories I recorded years before my podcast, that were never played in the show, and little audio vignettes sandwiched within older episodes. Bonus episode 2 of 2 - All these mini dramas are stuck into this file: anim5 Private Eye for GTP - 3:50 Don't Mess with Myth - 6:00 Tale of the Samurai - 3:55 Polonius Then - 1:28 Polonius Now - 4:02 Fist Full of Shakespeare - 14:58 Heaven-Hell Story - 12:57 Goon Show Nightmare - 30:21 WED, 25 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST A quick note to listeners new and old, then a Mash-Up of what's on those Bonus Episodes. As it is sung on The Simpsons, sorry for the clip show. WED, 25 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST PART 3 of 3 - The Last episode ( for now ) to deal with the topic of humanity and our role on Earth and as a part of nature. Continued fascinating emails from listeners covering more aspects of contemporary and historical human mystery. A long lost Odeo from Sarah! - Infinity is called into question - New members are welcomed to the Frappr map - and some closure is achieved on the Ishmael topic. Episode 27 will be posting two weeks from now ( November 2nd or thereabouts ) and the topic will be determined entirely by listener feedback. This time YOU decide what area of speculation should be explored! email: anim5@anim5.com and stake your claim! THU, 19 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST PART 2 of 3 - Listener feedback enriches the episode with insight, humor and PROOF that Role Playing Gamers know what really matters regardless of how mad the human world becomes. Takers? Leavers? Mythmakers and the end of Civilization? Just what has anim5 got against a telepathic Gorilla? The question for Part 3 - If we weren't supposed to invent civilization, just what were we supposed to do? And since we did, what are we supposed to do now? WED, 11 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST PART 1 of 3 - A listener feedback extravaganza! Goo Faces from Patter! Emails from Nev and Sarah! A New listener email from Camera Guy! A superlative made-for-anim5 "mini-drama" from Sam Chupp! and the long promised discussion of Derek's letter, as we delve into the entire history of the human race. This is one Looong show, and I'm Happy about it d'ya hear? Happy! WED, 04 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST It had a whole extra week to grow in, so it's 23 minutes longer. This episode is the Dream Show. Including a 32 minute anim5 mini-drama portraying a nightmare done in the style of 1950's comedy "The Goon Show". This installment took an extra week to track down and capture, but now that it's uploaded the nightmare is over. WED, 27 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST Homo Sapiens survive by transforming their environment into whatever they need. 'starts with spears and skins, ends in global warming and a poisoned planet. How did evolution churn out dangerous mutants like us? A very uplifting show for me, because of the email I received, how encouraging and complimentary it was and because of the special people it came from! An excellent reply from Nev of "Does My Geek Look Big In This" to last week's question: "Are human beings a part of nature? If we evolved here on earth why did we evolve into a species that no longer belongs here on earth? Or have we?" In depth discussion of Nev's response -and of the main mystery of human evolution. Some goofy playacting in the Cave Man tradition. Two are smart and well fed. Two are dumb and dead. A lament that "Ishmael" by Daniel Quin was delivered too late for me to make use of in this episode. But the topic for this show will be explored again soon, partly because it's so vast and partly because of that book. Thank you Derek from Texas for pointing it out to me! TUE, 12 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST Change the course of mighty rivers? Bend steel in your bare hands? Or chuck the whole daydream and do something useful instead? Episode 21 posts early thanks to a merciful Labor Day weekend ! In this show, we go into the responses to the powers of Superman question from episode 20. A punch up of the sidebar topic "The Seven Wonders of the World" . Then, the announcement and showcase of the wonderful responses and links to the call for creativity. The responses and the creative gifts came in from Diggersstory in the form of links to fine image sites, and from The Norwegian Viking in the form of a link to his graphic design site as well as a fantastic original piece of music. An additional 'creativity' submission too is presented with the Fantasy Adventure Novel " Hosting the Kazimeer " by C.E Sales. And finally . . . A new feature for International Detective Dragons From Outer Space! Old Time Radio episodes ! A new one every week for you to download gratis! The hope is to tie them in to the topic or theme of the IDDFOS episode they'll be presented with. The Question for Next week's episode: Are human beings a part of nature? If we evolved here on earth why did we evolve into a species that no longer belongs here on earth? Or have we? SUN, 04 Sep 2006 08:00:00 EST Heads Up - Round Up - Change Up.Late, short , but potent with news. IDDFOS will be undergoing a change for the better ( I sincerely hope ).Reflections on the show to date, it's pluses and minuses. A decision to change the format - shape, delivery, quality, consistency and all other aspects of the podcast that may serve to make it a more enjoyable audio offering. A brand new 60 second promo! A high-speed summary of all the podcasts from 1 to 19 ( 2 minutes and 50 seconds ) An appreciation of creativity in all it's forms, but especially the forms exercised by you. An invitation to the listeners and a promise from me that's good for the next two weeks. Episode 21 will post 2 weeks from now ( September 6th ). In the intervening time, much work, re-tooling and production will be taking place on my end. One of the subjects for episode 21 will be: " If you had all of the powers of SUPERMAN without any of the moral or ethical constraints associated with him, what would YOU do?" Send in your answers to anim5@anim5.com and they will be read on the show. Best of days and look for a show in September that's more fun to listen to. WED, 23 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EST Confirmation through theoretical physics that everything you or anyone else can possibly imagine, actually exists. One little twist can bend a reality. A practicum in creating your own dimensional paradox with a Mobius strip. Clumsy talk about dimensions beyond the fourth. - Branching timelines are all well and good, but they don't allow for Santa Claus in this universe. For him, we need alternate beginnings. - Simulate the BIG BANG with a paper bag, a few pounds of assorted dice and a baseball bat . . . - When you release a Genie, are you getting your wishes granted here, or are you just getting shifted across realities? ( Next time you release a Genie, please let me know.) - When we add up the collective unconscious + visions of mythic truth + human archetypes, do we get evidence of beings and concepts that bridge the gap between a multitude of genuine alternate realities? THU, 10 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EST Episode 18 takes a step back into episode 12 with speculation about deciphering an alien written language ( Ours - if found inside the granite block ). There's a ton of classic literature we'd like to see sent out into space and discovered millions of years from now. . . but is it reasonable to assume that even the most advanced space faring intelligence would have a snowball's chance in hell of translating anything we've written into their own language? Also, a brief closer examination of our own foul-ups in translation, cultural oddities and obsolete technologies for storing and retrieving information. If we lose the true meaning of translated languages over distance and decades - and our own digital storage is evolving fast enough to make ancient archives ( floppy disks from fourteen years ago ) unreadable, what chance would an alien have of reading one of our DVD's or hard drives? - Speaking in metaphor just like the Tamarians in "Darmok". - The "Felix the Cat" song is a big fat Lie ! What kind of dirty trick was that whole "Tower of Babel" incident? This week's Question comes at the very end. What forms of communication transcend spoken and written language? ( And what information can be conveyed using them? ) WED, 02 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EST Part 2 of 2 - Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Games. No way to fit the topic into a single show, so be sure to check out last week's episode. Here in part two I try to concentrate more on the original questions that prompted these episodes. First a brief treatment of MMO games that are not geared toward violent behavior. Next the audio observations of Mr. Tee - the second of the two audio files he sent for the last episode. And finally an attempt to answer his three primary questions: Can MMORPG's ruin lives? Can MMORPG's save lives? Is Life a Game? SUN, 23 Jul 2006 08:00:00 EST Part 1 of 2 - Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Games. No way to fit the topic into a single show, so next week will be Part 2. How do I begin talking about something that is, essentially an entire world inside this one with real people running around in it. How much of an MMO is "only a game"? If they're supposed to be for role playing, why is it so difficult to find role playing when you enter them? Oddly enough . . . the slightest glance at the most successful online game out there ( World of Warcraft ) displays the very same paradox discussed in the last show. MMORPG's show one of the pinnacles of earthbound human achievement in Art, Music and Technology - with an astounding heap of bloody violence thrown in. Is it an online game or is it theater or is it both? MON, 17 Jul 2006 08:00:00 EST We got here and remain here as human beings. Shall we continue to war with each other, or is it time to replace ourselves with something better? Some time ago I, along with many others, got a request from Patter of "Diggers Story" to take a moment and record a short audio message - defining Peace and what I'm doing to help bring it about. It stopped me dead in the water. While I can certainly define what I think Peace is . . . knowing what to do and taking steps to make it a reality worldwide defies my abilities. It also frames the question for this week. : Is it possible to have universal peace so long as we continue to act like humans? I take an hour here to try and answer that. I'm pretty sure I fail, but in the process I bring out a variety of artistic references that hold a mirror up to bits and pieces of the human animal. Maybe the reflections can help reveal why the goal of world peace has yet to be achieved. SUN, 09 Jul 2006 08:00:00 EST This episode delves into ways of improving character portrayal while playing table-top or other Role Playing Games. What relates this to all humans? The simple fact that acting is lying. Now, admittedly, describing the dynamics of performance and relaying some of my experiences and observations about vocalization and character portrayal, may not be all that useful to experienced RPG veterans. And it can be accurately argued that steady role players have done more acting than I have for the past 15 years, simply by regular Game Play. But even as I think of all these things . . . . somehow it still doesn't manage to shut me up. FRI, 30 Jun 2006 08:00:00 EST Thirty Six BILLION Dollars. The Exxon - Chipmunk rant show with comic interludes. No helium was inhaled during the making of this episode. MON, 18 Jun 2006 08:00:00 EST The Ultimate Time Capsule. - This installment acts on assumptions. Assume that the human race does not survive long enough to colonize the solar system nor move any further out into space. Assume also that an object we send out of the solar system WILL be found by an intelligent space-faring society. The Object is a Granite block 10 feet by 10 feet by 2 feet thick with 12 compartments around its outer edges. Since it will survive the death of our sun and the eventual destruction of the earth, what would you carve on its surface, and what would you place in the sealed compartments as evidence of who we were? WED, 07 Jun 2006 08:00:00 EST PART - 2 Round about the turn of the Last century George Bernard Shaw wrote a play called "Man and Superman" which he called a comedy and a philosophy. The premise of the play was that a wealthy, social revolutionary and confirmed bachelor named Tanner was attempting to run away from a woman he was destined to marry, and was captured by thieves in the desert. In the desert night, he has a dream which is the third act of the play. In the dream, the characters from Mozart's opera ' Don Giavonni ', come to life or rather come to death - and are placed in Hell. These two episodes ( 10 and 11 ) consist of my attempt to re-create a plausible reading from the 1952 Columbia Masterworks album of that Third act dream, popularly titled "Don Juan In Hell". While I may not agree with all the points made in the piece, the dialog - the concepts and the philosophies packed into this work are nothing short of brilliant. As far as the "mission statement" of Internationl Detective Dragons from Outer Space goes, - addressing questions of mystery that are important to all of the Human race . . . . This work fits that purpose like a tailored glove. SUN, 29 May 2006 08:00:00 EST PART - 1 Round about the turn of the Last century George Bernard Shaw wrote a play called "Man and Superman" which he called a comedy and a philosophy. The premise of the play was that a wealthy, social revolutionary and confirmed bachelor named Tanner was attempting to run away from a woman he was destined to marry, and was captured by thieves in the desert. In the desert night, he has a dream which is the third act of the play. In the dream, the characters from Mozart's opera ' Don Giavonni ', come to life or rather come to death - and are placed in Hell. These two episodes ( 10 and 11 ) consist of my attempt to re-create a plausible reading from the 1952 Columbia Masterworks album of that Third act dream, popularly titled "Don Juan In Hell". While I may not agree with all the points made in the piece, the dialog - the concepts and the philosophies packed into this work are nothing short of brilliant. As far as the "mission statement" of Internationl Detective Dragons from Outer Space goes, - addressing questions of mystery that are important to all of the Human race . . . . This work fits that purpose like a tailored glove. SUN, 29 May 2006 08:00:00 EST Good and Evil. That's this week's universal speculation topic. No WONDER it's over an hour! - Obvious evil - grey area bad - indifferent good. - Even when the good guys and the bad guys stand out in clear focus, the right decisions can still be hard to make. - anim5 discovers Good and Evil in a mini-multiplayer-online RPG, but evil had a name change. - Natural forces that get good or bad labels, not because they ARE, but because of how humans feel about them. - Particles and opposites - Can any reality "exist" without conflict? - Far too broad a topic for a single question of the week. FRI, 26 May 2006 08:00:00 EST This installment is for FUN. We depart from heavy speculation and delve into the trivial question posed at the end of the notes from episode # 2. " Who would you send the Fiction Assassins after?" I enlisted the aid of many co-workers to dredge up their long hated fictional personalities and skewer them in the light of present day good taste and sensibilities. ( or at the very least, tar and feather them without any deep analysis.) SAT, 20 May 2006 08:00:00 EST In this episode, we go back to podcast one and grab onto the subject of the afterlife - Musings on the perfect "Heaven" - A T-Shirt Contest! - Infinite possibilities and the Chimps who live them - The Mind as a passenger in a body with "high turnover" - Isaac Asimov and the Encyclopedia. SAT, 13 May 2006 08:00:00 EST Which moment has more reality? Pouring a cup of coffee when you get home from work, or Hamlet sneaking up on Claudius in the chapel with 1,500 people watching? Are RPG's for role playing? Or do they afford a welcome opportunity to STOP the role playing we do constantly already? Explore the facets of reality and imagination as it relates to Role Playing Games, Theater, Religious Ritual and Literature. If every point of view is a unique reality, what happens when all of those realities merge into an audience, a LARP group, a congregation or even the collective consumption of television? FRI, 12 May 2006 08:00:00 EST Words - or . . . "Why to Read" Part 2 of 2 - This special edition two-parter of IDDFOS is directed toward young people who may be wondering just what they're doing in school. It's key message is not "how" to read, but why it's vital that they DO. If you want them to know the secret that allows some folks in life to have more choices . . . ask them to listen. And you might find it more than a bit interesting too. Mon, 08 May 2006 08:00:00 EST Words - or . . . "Why to Read" Part 1 of 2 - This special edition two-parter of IDDFOS is directed toward young people who may be wondering just what they're doing in school. It's key message is not "how" to read, but why it's vital that they DO. If you want them to know the secret that allows some folks in life to have more choices . . . ask them to listen. And you might find it more than a bit interesting too. Mon, 08 May 2006 08:00:00 EST This episode is NOTHING like the others. It's got some tedious ranting in it, so you might want to just Skip forward to the Shoutouts and fun stuff. Sorry. I must have been in one hell of a mood. Apologies for the end of episode two. - Attack of the train whistle - Dark musings and anger about Oil - Energy staring us in the face. - Democracy, a fiction? - The Perfect Entertainment cassette - A shout out to my favorite podcasts along with some promos - Wrap up. Wed, 03 May 2006 08:00:00 EST Play the "Make up a Miracle" game. - Digital proof of everything. - A fable of Heaven and Hell. - And Doctor Smith gets slammed but good! Sun, 30 Apr 2006 08:00:00 EST Have to start somewhere. How about here? Wed, 26 Apr 2006 08:00:00 EST Our 1 minute commercial Sat, 29 Apr 2006 08:00:00 EST