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Falken's Maze: An 80s Guide to History

Falken's Maze: An 80s Guide to History
Author: Jason Thomas
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© 2019 Falken's Maze Podcast
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In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
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In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.References:Here I Go Again (1982) by WhitesnakeWitchboard Plot Summary (IMDB)Witchboard Trailer17 Ouija Board Horror Stories That'll Literally Scare The Shit Out Of You (Buzzfeed)The Strange and Mysterious History of the Ouija Board (Smithsonian Magazine)Ouija Board Advertisement (Pittsburg dispatch, February 01, 1891, SECOND PART, Page 12, Image 12)Ouija Board Patent (1891)How the Ouija board really moves (BBC)Music:CBS Special Presentation IntroStreet Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International licensePaint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Apprehensive At Best by Biz Baz Studio
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.References:The Imp of the Perverse by Edgar Allan PoeOn Murder Considered As One of The Fine Arts by Thomas De QuinceyEveryone Loves a Good Train Wreck: Why We Can't Look Away by Eric WilsonThe Pseudocommando Mass Murderer by James KnollMusic:CBS Special Presentation IntroStreet Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International licensePaint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Apprehensive At Best by Biz Baz Studio
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.References:Sneakers ClipThe Darkest Net by Patrick Howell O'Neill (The Kernel)The Tor ProjectMusic:CBS Special Presentation IntroStreet Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International licensePaint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Right About Time Open Music Revolution Innovation Open Music Revolution
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Enemy Mine Trailer
Paul Baran and the Origins of the Internet (Rand Corporation)
Founding Father (Wired Magazine)
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Binary and Data (Khan Academy)
Jaime Escalante Biography
Jaime Escalante, Inspiration for a Movie, Dies at 79
Stand and Deliver Clip
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
WarGames Hacking Clip
AOL Dialup Modem Sound
The Most Human Human: What Artificial Intelligence Teaches Us About Being Alive by Brian Christian
Betty Shannon, Unsung Mathematical Genius by Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman
A Mathematical Theory of Information by C.E. Shannon
How Bits and Bytes Work by Marshall Brain
Binary and Data (Khan Academy)
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Styx - Mr. Roboto (Live 1983)
1816, The Year without a Summer by Gillen D’Arcy Wood
Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter Isaacson
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon mission this month, what better way to honor the legacy of the US space program and the men and women who made it possible, than to spend some time exploring what their work means for all of us today.
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Turner Classic Movies Summary of Rocky IV
Rocky IV - Apollo's Entrance "Living in America"
Rocky IV Speech
American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race by David Brinkley
BBC Interview with Yuri Gagarin
CBS News Special Report on Launch of Sputnik I
President Eisenhower Missile Age Report Speech
What You Didn't Know about the Apollo 11 Mission (Smithsonian Magazine) by Charles Fishman
Luna 15 Accompanied Apollo 11 to the Moon (Discover Magazine) by Amy Shira Teitel
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
Ever want to be an astronaut? In this episode, we explore what it takes to become one and what happens when those requirements go awry, including when they result in an attempted murder and kidnapping. We also discuss diapers. Yes. Diapers.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon mission this month, what better way to honor the legacy of the US space program and the men and women who made it possible, than to spend some time exploring what their work means for all of us today. Over the course of the next three shows, we’re going to delve into the thrilling world of space exploration.
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
He-Man Life Lesson - The right way is the best way
Great Space Coaster Theme Song
US Space Program Astronaut Candidate Requirements
Lisa M. Nowak (COMMANDER, USN) NASA Astronaut Biography
NASA Statement Regarding the Status of Lisa Nowak
Astronaut Faces Attempted-Murder Charges (NPR)
Astronaut Love Triangle: Lisa Nowak's Life 10 Years Later (People Magazine)
E-mails offer clues to astronauts' triangle (USA Today)
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo lunar landing, we delve into the dangers of space exploration, including those that are surprisingly earthbound. We also discuss the relative merits of not filleting your wife.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon mission this month, what better way to honor the legacy of the US space program and the men and women who made it possible, than to spend some time exploring what their work means for all of us today. Over the course of the next three shows, we’re going to delve into the thrilling world of space exploration.
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
WKRP In Cincinnati Opening Theme
IMDB Review of WKRP
Biography of Hawley Harvey Crippen by Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
We Reach the Moon: The New York Times Story of Man's Greatest Adventure by John Wiloford
A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin
Report of the Apollo 204 Review Board by NASA
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Right About Time Open Music Revolution
Innovation Open Music Revolution
In this third and final episode on cryptography, we explore Allied code breaking efforts during WW2 and their connection to one of the Internet’s most bizarre cryptographic mysteries. We also learn that anagrams are the bombe (and yeah, it's really spelled that way).
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, our show demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Alfred Mosher Butts Biography by MIT
History of Scrabble by Hasbro
Sneakers (Setec Astronomy) Clip
Cicadas & Security, Part 2: When a Verified PGP Key Takes You on a Trip to the Desert
Cicada 3301: An Internet Mystery (Video)
The Secret Lives of Codebreakers: The Men and Women Who Cracked the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park by Sinclair McKay
Bletchley Park: Why it Matters by Bletchley Park Trust
The Enigma Machine Explained by Simon Singh
The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
In our quest to understand cryptography, we delve into a little-remembered codebreaking incident during World War I that helped bring the United States into the conflict and also may have denied Metallica the inaugural Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental in 1989. Ok not really on that Metallica part.
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Alice Cooper and Lita Ford Award Announcement (Grammys 1989)
Metallica 1989 Grammy Performance "One"
Johnny Got his Gun by Dalton Trumbo
This Code Has Stumped the FBI for Over 15 Years (Mental Floss March 2017)
FBI - Help Solve and Open Murder Case
If you think you have solved the McCormick coded messages, you can let the FBI know here.
How to Break Codes by the FBI
The Zimmerman Telegram from the US National Archives
Unclassified Summary of the Zimmerman Telegram and its Cryptographic Background
The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh
Cyberspies: The Secret History of Surveillance, Hacking, and Digital Espionage by Gordon Corera
The Zimmerman Telegram by Barbara Tuchman
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Photo by Stijn Swinnen
We explore the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots and Ralphie's quest for a Red Ryder BB gun in our search to discover how codemaking and codebreaking work.
This show kicks off an three-episode exploration of cryptography. In this arc of shows, we’re going to explore the impact of cryptography on modern life. More specifically, we’re going to discover how its used to fight wars, protect the secrecy of our most intimate communication, and enable crooks to further their criminal activity.
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners nostalgic for the 80s but who also want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
A Christmas Story Clip
Execution of Mary Queen of Scots by Sir Richard Wingfield
The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography by Simon Singh
For Your Eyes Only Theatrical Trailer
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Photo: Via James Bond Wiki.
How does revenge porn, Stalinist Russia, and the movie Total Recall (Schwarzenegger's classic version) explain fake YouTube videos? In this one-shot episode, we explore the history of deepfakes, what their arrival means, and how dangerous they really are.
In Falken's Maze, technologist and former professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!! Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Total Recall Clip (1990)
War of the Worlds Broadcast
Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact, NY Times (October 31, 1938)
Stefan Schnabel Obituary
Mark Zuckerberg Deepfake
Rise of the deepfakes, The Week
Few-Shot Adversarial Learning of Realistic Neural Talking Head Models
Pornographic Deepfakes — Revenge Porn’s Next Tragic Act – The Case for Federal Criminalization by Rebecca Delfino
Prepare, Don’t Panic: Synthetic Media and Deepfakes, Witness Media Lab
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Photo: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
In this 3rd and final episode of our series of shows on video games, we take an in-depth look at player behavior, both in-game and out. We'll uncover lying, cheating, and a little early 80s Tom Hanks.
This episode is the third in a three-part series. The overarching goal of this set of shows is to explore the rise of video games and to explain the impact they’ve had on the sociology of the modern world.
In Falken's Maze technologist and former international relations professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Bosom Buddies Original Intro Theme Song
Mazes and Monsters Clip
The Makers Of 'Leeroy Jenkins' Didn't Think Anyone Would Believe It Was Real (Kotaku)
Leeroy Jenkins Clip
Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissel
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Summary Decision by Twin Galaxies on the revocation of Billy Mitchell's world record
Report: Cheating Is Becoming A Big Problem In Online Gaming IForbes Magazine)
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema
In this episode, we explore the seedy side of the video game business, including the rise of Atari corporation and how it helped create a work culture that so many silicon valley companies today are trying to fix.
This episode is the second in a three-part series. The overarching goal of this set of shows is to explore the rise of video games and to explain the impact they’ve had on the sociology of the modern world.
In Falken's Maze technologist and former international relations professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Cool Cops, Hot Show (Time Magazine, Sept. 1985)
Hamster Vice
Miami Vice Theme by Jan Hammer
First-Hand:The Development of Pong: Early Days of Atari and the Video Game Industry by Allan Alcorn
Atari Company and Its Downfall
Once Upon Atari by Howard Warshaw
Nolan Bushnell Interview - The Glory Days of Atari
Game Developers Conference Statement on Pioneer Award
Nolan Bushnell Apology
Macho ‘brogrammer’ culture still nudging women out of tech (Financial Times December 2018)
Music:
CBS Special Presentation Intro
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626 Ft: J Lang, Morusque
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Photo by Adam Birkett
In this episode, we kick off a three-part series on video games and explore why 65% of American adults play them. Think you're not affected? Think again.
This episode is the first in a three-part series. The overarching goal of this set of shows is to explore the rise of video games, their influence on art, literature, and medicine. And to explain the impact they’ve had on the sociology of the modern world.
In Falken's Maze technologist and former international relations professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television.
This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
No Sleep Til Brooklyn by Beastie Boys
Tetris Them Music
January 2019 Netflix Letter to Shareholders
Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture by Johan Huizinga
Starcade Episode (Dragon's Lair)
A 2018 update on trends in eSports
Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane Mcgonigal, PhD
The Last Starfighter Theatrical Trailer
Music:
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license
I dunno by grapes (c) copyright 2008 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626 Ft: J Lang, Morusque
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
This episode is the last in a three-part series of shows. Over these episodes, we’ve discovered how the intersection of artificial intelligence, Soviet-US relations, and a variety of 80s pop culture references helps frame the current discussion around AI. In this final episode, we examine current Russian AI development, calls for banning lethal autonomous weaponry, and a little known episode where the Soviets thought the US had fired five nuclear missiles at them back in 1983.
In Falken's Maze technologist and former international relations professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television. This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars!!
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Sting 28th Annual Grammy Awards Performance - Russians
Sting Interview (Unknown date) - Origination of his song Russians
Russian government Directive on AI Development
Reuters story on Amazon AI debacle
BBC Interview of Stanislav Petrov
Wired story on Stanislav Petrov
Open Letter from Musk et al. on banning autonomous weapons
Popular Mechanics article on development of AI weapons by Kalashnikov
Russian video on autonomous weapons
US-Department of Defense policy on Autonomous Weapons Systems
Music:
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license.
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
This episode is the second in a three-part series. In this episode, we tackle the idea of defining Artificial Intelligence. What is it? What do people mean when they use the term? Where did the idea of machines that could think and reason come from? We examine the life and ideas of Alan Turing and use Knight Rider, the WOPR, and Rene Descartes to find answers.
In Falken's Maze technologist and former international relations professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television. This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
This episode is the second in a three-part series. The overarching goal of this set of shows is to discover how the intersection of artificially intelligent machines, Soviet-US relations, and an intrepid young man hacking his way into almost starting World War 3 helps to explain issues we face today. In this episode, we tackle the idea of defining Artificial Intelligence. What is it? What do people mean when they use the term? Where did the idea of machines that could think and reason come from? We examine the life and ideas of Alan Turing and use Knight Rider, the WOPR, and Rene Descartes to find answers.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars :)
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
Knight Rider Theme
Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game by Andrew Hodges
The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer by David Leavitt
The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885
Alan Turing: The codebreaker who saved 'millions of lives'
Computing Machinery and Intelligence by Alan Turing
Selections from the Principles of Philosophy by René Descartes
WOPR Description (WarGames, 1983)
Music:
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license.
Slow-Sad-Tones by Tj Mothy is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
In this episode, we use the movie WarGames, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, and the downing of Korean Airlines 007 to explore the relationship between the United States and Soviet Union in the 80s, specifically as it relates to nuclear war.
n Falken's Maze technologist and former international relations professor Jason Thomas explores the intersection of technology, history, and culture. Created for listeners who wistfully long for the 80s but want to understand the complexities of today, this podcast demystifies and explains the world's most compelling technologies and events through 80's movies, music, and television. This is where history, tech, and retro pop collide.
This episode is the first in a three-part series. The overarching goal of this set of shows is to discover how the intersection of artificially intelligent machines, Soviet-US relations, and an intrepid young man hacking his way into almost starting World War 3 helps to explain issues we face today. In this episode, we use the movie WarGames, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, and the downing of Korean Airlines 007 to explore the relationship between the United States and Soviet Union in the 80s, specifically as it relates to nuclear war.
CORRECTION: I mentioned that the book Gulag: A History was written by Samantha Power. That is incorrect, it is Anne Applebaum. The link is below in the Reference section.
If you enjoyed the show, tell a friend, leave a review, click some stars :)
Find us online at www.falkenspodcast.com.
References:
The Gulag Archipelago Abridged: An Experiment in Literary Investigation by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Gulag: A History by Anne Applebaum
Music:
Street Dancing by Timecrawler 82 is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) International license.
Paint The Sky by Dysfunction_AL (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.






















