1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: Hey you welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind. Listener 3 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: mail This is Robert Lamb and this is Joe McCormick. 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: And it's Monday, the day of each week that we 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: read back some messages from the mail bag. If you 6 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: are a listener to Stuff to Blow your Mind and 7 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: you've never gotten in touch before, why not give it 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: a try. You can email us at contact at stuff 9 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: to Blow your Mind dot com. All sorts of messages 10 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: are welcome. If you've got feedback on a previous episode, 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: if you want to add something to our comments, or 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,639 Speaker 1: you know, share a thought you had if you of course, 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: if you have corrections, you can send them on in. 14 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: But also just if you want to share something you 15 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 1: think we'd be interested in, send it our way. And 16 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: also just saying hi is fine too. Yeah, and if 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: you want to connect with us otherwise, I should point 18 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: out that we do have a discord server discord page 19 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: whatever you want, I guess is a server. So if 20 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: you would like to appear on that and to interact 21 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: with other listeners there, we'll just email us. We'll send 22 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: you the link for that. We're also on the Facebook 23 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: group the Stuff to Blow your Mind discussion module, and 24 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: you can if you're on Facebook, you can easily obtain 25 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 1: access to that. And then just for Weird House Cinema, 26 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,199 Speaker 1: we're on letterbox dot com. It's ltt r boxd dot 27 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: com and that's mostly we just use an account there 28 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: Weird House to log all of the movies we've watched. 29 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: For Weird House Cinema, not a lot of commenting going 30 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: on there for us, but if you comment there, I'll 31 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: probably see it. Oh hey, one more administrative note, because 32 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: why not. Not too long ago, we were told by 33 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: our people here at the company that some of you 34 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: out there, some listeners, may have been subscribed to Stuff 35 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: to Blow your Mind and had auto downloads enabled, so 36 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: you thought you were supposed to get new episodes, but 37 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: for various reasons, one of them maybe being if you 38 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: hadn't listened to one of the newest episodes in the 39 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: feed for a while, maybe the five most recent episodes 40 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: the platform you listen through may have turned off your 41 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: automatic downloads, in which case you're no longer getting our 42 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: new shows, even though we are still publishing. If you 43 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: think that may have happened to you, go in and 44 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: check just to make sure that you do have auto 45 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: downloads enabled, of course, if that is what you want. 46 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: And one way to try to avoid that happening in 47 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: the future is too if you can be relatively current 48 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: on listening, to try to listen to at least one 49 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: of the five most recent episodes at any given time. 50 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: But then again, I mean, you know, we're not trying 51 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: to constrict how you listen to the show. If you 52 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: listen at all, we're grateful and we really do appreciate it, 53 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: so do it the way you want it. But to 54 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: try to avoid weird technical glitches, that is apparently one 55 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: thing you can do. And before we get into the 56 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: listener mail, I'm also going to note that we're recording 57 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: this on March fourteenth, so a lot of times we 58 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: end up recording far closer to the publication date, So 59 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: just bear that in mind. If you've sent in an 60 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: email March fourteenth, or even just late in the day 61 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 1: on March fourteenth, we probably haven't seen it yet, and 62 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: that's one of many reasons we may not be reading 63 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: it in this episode. The other reason could be all 64 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: the cursing, so you know, try and keep the language clean, Okay, 65 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: I think that does it for preliminary business. I'm going 66 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: to kick things off with a message from Jeremy which 67 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: is a follow up to a message featured on last 68 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: week's episode. So on last Monday's Listener Mail, Jeremy got 69 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: in touch to share with us that just as he 70 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: was listening to our episodes on Finn McCool, during a 71 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: passage in which we were describing the Giants Causeway, he 72 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: drove past an art installation that appeared to be modeled 73 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: on the Giants Causeway, raising questions, of course, about whether 74 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: we were sort of a lay of heavening Jeremy's environment 75 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: through the Internet. Anyway, we tried to figure out from 76 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: Jeremy's photo, which he attached in the email, where the 77 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: sculpture was and who made it, but no luck, so 78 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: Jeremy wrote back in to fill us in. Turns out 79 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: the photo was from the Babraham Research Campus, which is 80 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: a laboratory campus south of Cambridge in England, and Jeremy 81 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: writes as follows, Hello, Robert and Joe, thank you for 82 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: reading out my emails since you appeared fascinated. I investigated 83 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: further and found the following about the columns the referring 84 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: to the sculpture. Apparently, the artwork is called Hive and 85 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: is designed to represent honeycomb rather than the basalt columns, 86 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: and is linked to the bioscience nature of the research 87 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: going on at the campus. Best regards Jeremy Ps, no 88 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: gray whales were cited, unfortunately, so I looked into this 89 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: a little more. The sculpture, it's called Hive. It is 90 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 1: made to resemble honeycomb or beehive, but it also apparently 91 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: is modeled on the Giants Causeway, so it's both at 92 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: the same time. It's by an artist named Tanya Covots, 93 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 1: and I was reading from the website for the installation, 94 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: which says quote from her studio in Devon. Covots cast 95 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 1: more than two hundred and fifty concrete hexagons that resemble 96 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: the basalt formations of the Giant's Causeway, as well as 97 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: the shapes crafted in bee hives. The work is completed 98 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: by a wildflower meadow and ribbon orchard of fruit trees, 99 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: all of which work together to attract solitary bees with 100 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: places to rest and feed throughout the growing calendar. So anyway, 101 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: very nice sculpture. I like that it's trying to be 102 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: a little bit geological and biological at the same time. Yeah. Absolutely, 103 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: it's neat to know the I guess. I mean, even 104 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 1: in my experience, sometimes you drive past some sort of 105 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: cool roadside art and you never really know the details 106 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: on what's going on there. You don't know what the 107 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,799 Speaker 1: artist's intent is. So here we seem to have finally 108 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: received the full story. I mean, I guess it wouldn't 109 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: be advisable to start trying to like google art installation 110 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: details while you're driving past. Oh no, no, no, All right, 111 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: here's one that comes to us from Kim. Tim writes 112 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: in and says, dear Joe and Robert. First of all, 113 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: thank you very much for everything you do. I've been 114 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: listening for years and it's always a delight. I'm writing 115 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: to you today because of your episode on the Gray Way. 116 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: You mentioned a book by Mark Carwodeen quite a lot, 117 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: and I just wanted to inform you that he is 118 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: best known for his work with the incomparable Douglas Adams. 119 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: Together they traveled the world trying to find some of 120 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: the rarest still living animals. I remember the Kiwi and 121 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: the bay Gee. This is would be the bay Gee. 122 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: This is the yang Ze River Dolphin. The resulting book 123 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: is Last Chance to See and I highly recommend it. 124 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: They even made a TV show where Carboden visited some 125 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: of the animals a couple of years ago in the 126 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: company of Stephen Fry. Very watchable obviously. Thanks for all 127 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: you do, Please keep it up. Greetings from Germany. Tim. Now, 128 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: if I understand correctly, I think the original book by 129 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: Carwardine and Douglas Adams was from maybe like the late 130 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: eighties or something. But then there was this follow up 131 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: television show from the more recently, certainly twenty first century, 132 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: and the main thing I remember, though I haven't seen 133 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: it in full, there was at least one viral moment 134 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: from the show with Stephen Fry because one person involved 135 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: with the show it might have been Mark Carwardine himself, 136 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: they found a rare tropical bird that was trying to 137 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: mate with his head. Oh yes, I do remember this 138 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: going viral. Yeah yeah. Mark Carwardine is as a British 139 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: zoologist and if you want to learn more about his work, 140 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: he has a website Mark Carwardine dot com that's cr 141 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: W A R D, I N E and H. Yeah. 142 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: It has some links to the book to some of 143 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: the books, including the Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises books, a 144 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: book that I was referencing. It looks like there's a 145 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: relatively new edition of Last Chance to See out with 146 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: a forward by Stephen Frye. So yeah, he's been involved 147 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: in a number of great projects, a lot of great 148 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: wildlife to talk or Fean Moore. I just looked it 149 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,119 Speaker 1: up and I think the rare parrot that was trying 150 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: to mate with his head was the caca po oh. Okay, yes, 151 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: a very spirited animal also known as the owl parrot. Yeah, 152 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: this bird came up fairly recently on the show. I 153 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: think we were talking back he remember as a listener 154 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: mail or if it came up in the context of 155 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: another episode, but highly intelligent parrot species sometimes Rex cars. Yes, 156 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: it was a listener mail someone had written in about 157 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: one of these animals tormenting their parents. I think, Okay, 158 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: this next message is from Mike. This one's long, so 159 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: I don't know, we might want to break this up 160 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: part way through or something, but this is a fantastic 161 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: message about firsthand experience with whales, so I wanted to 162 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: feature as much of it as we could. Mike says Hello, 163 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,199 Speaker 1: Robert and Joe. Apologize for the length here. After listening 164 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: to your whale episodes, I wanted to write in about 165 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: my whale experience. I live in Santa Cruz, californ, Ornya. 166 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: We are located right on the northern edge of the 167 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: Monterey Bay. Our waters host many marine mammals, including various pinnipeds, 168 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: sea otters, and of course whales were a major hub 169 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: for gray whales, and I've seen them as well as 170 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: a blue whale, humpback whales in orcas nice. I am 171 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: an avid surfer and that puts me in close proximity 172 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: to many of these creatures. On a daily basis. It's 173 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: not uncommon for me to find myself next to otters, 174 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: sea lions, possibly even an elephant seal in the water. 175 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: As for whales, the blues and orcas don't really come 176 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,439 Speaker 1: in that close to shore, but the humpbacks and grays 177 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: can get very close to the surf zone At the 178 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: right time of the year. It's quite common to see 179 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: them feeding or just engaged in whale leisure just offshore. 180 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: On one occasion, I was outsurfing when significant whale feeding 181 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: was taking place. These were clearly humpbacks engaged in what's 182 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: known as lunge feeding, unlike the way that gray's scoop 183 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: food out of the bottom, and that's referring to the 184 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: feeding behavior we talked about in our gray whale series 185 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: where they'll like slam their head down into the ocean 186 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 1: floor and scoop up sediment to filter organisms out of it. 187 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 1: Back to Mike's message, the humpbacks engage in more active 188 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: pursuit of free swimming food. Lunge feeding involves the whales 189 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: cooperating with each other to herd small fish like sardines 190 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: into a tight bait ball. Then they take turns swimming 191 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: up through the bait ball from below with their mouths agape. 192 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: It's a real spectacle as the feeding whale will breach 193 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: the surface, often to great heights with their mouth agape. 194 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: You really get a good look at these massive creatures 195 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: as they slam their mouths shut, simultaneously ejecting vast quantities 196 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: of water and crashing back down. As the feeding whale breaches, 197 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 1: they tend to push a lot of the bait fish 198 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 1: to the surface. This draws in seabirds by the hundreds, 199 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,719 Speaker 1: as the fish are easy pickings for them. On this 200 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: particular day, multiple whales were breach over and over from 201 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: where I was sitting in the water. I had a 202 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: good view, but still felt quite a safe distance from 203 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 1: the activity. For the most part, all this activity takes 204 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: place in deeper water outside of the surfing area. At 205 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: one point, however, I noticed that the birds had all 206 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: taken up a position directly overhead. I am well aware 207 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: that the birds know exactly where the whales are at 208 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: all times. The birds above surely meant the whales were 209 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: below me. I definitely did not want to be there. 210 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: I moved to paddling closer to shore, but it was 211 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: too late. I felt a strange disturbance in the water, 212 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 1: unlike anything I had felt before. The water started swelling up, 213 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: as though the ocean was filling up from below. The 214 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,479 Speaker 1: birds rained down from the sky all around me. Sardines 215 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: began to explode from the water by the hundreds. I 216 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: was in the worst possible position. I imagine that whale 217 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: charging up from the depths with its huge mouth gaping. 218 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: I didn't think it would eat me, as I've heard 219 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: that humpback's throat is actually only wide enough to smallow 220 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: a few small fish at a time. I was very 221 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: worried that it could violently thrash me around, should I 222 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: accidentally end up in its mouth, or that it could 223 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: breach near me and come crashing down on me. Miraculously, 224 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 1: the chaos stopped, The water calmed down, the sardine stopped emerging, 225 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: the birds relaxed. No whale lunged out of the water. Okay, intermission, 226 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: rob Do you want to take over at this point? Yes, 227 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: hands on attack rope, here we go. Okay, all right. Instead, 228 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 1: three whale surface not far from me. One aimed directly 229 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 1: at me. It advanced and, with seeming intent, pushed me 230 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,839 Speaker 1: aside with its snout or bow. I don't know what 231 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: the proper term for the front of a whale is. 232 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: It's not the nose, that's right. A humpback whale swam 233 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: out to me and gave me a shove. It was 234 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: similar to having a good sized boat passing too close. 235 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: There was enough wake from the whale to kind of 236 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: drag me along in the same direction. As the whale 237 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: brushed past, it rolled a bit so that it could 238 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 1: align its eye with my face. There I was sitting 239 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: in the water face to eye with this whale. Now 240 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: I may be bringing my own preconceptions to the situation, 241 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: but it feels like there's something deeply powerful in that 242 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: gaze behind those eyes burned and intellect that seems curious 243 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 1: and analytical. It seemed more knowing than say, a sea 244 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 1: lion that might be looking at me. No disrespect to 245 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,719 Speaker 1: sea lions, as they are amazing in their own right. 246 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: I felt like I was being sized up, and it 247 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: felt like the whale was intentionally looking me in the face, 248 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: as if to make sure that I noticed it. I 249 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: really got the distinct impression that it was, on some 250 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: level trying to reason with me. Its reasoning was do 251 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: you mind we're working here? Or something similar. It was 252 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: simultaneously the most magical and terrifying thing I've ever experienced. 253 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: It's hard to really understand how huge and powerful these 254 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: animals are until you were in the water with them 255 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: and totally at their mercy. As Robert noted recounting his 256 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: experiences in Mexico, they are surprisingly fast and agile, and 257 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,680 Speaker 1: you really have to see them in person to fully 258 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: appreciate the power. Likewise, it's hard to really understand that 259 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: that weird connection that one feels when they look into 260 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: the eyes of another intelligent species until you were there. 261 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: Note I don't recommend that people try to get in 262 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: the water with the whales and replicate this experience. I 263 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: was there accidentally. I now moved back towards the shore 264 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: a lot sooner when I see this feeding happening. Clearly, 265 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: my presence disrupted the feeding of this whale. I don't 266 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: know if it got another turn or the other whales 267 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: were like, sorry, back to the end of the line. 268 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: It's my turn to lunch the bait ball. For all 269 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: I know, I might have ruined this whale's day. However, 270 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: as much as I try to stay out of their way, 271 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: I still seem to cross pass with them pretty regularly. 272 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: Since that experience, whales have unexpectedly surfaced right next to 273 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: me many times. It's quite possible that some of the 274 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: whales I've seen were the very same whales. Robert Sell 275 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: in Mexico, thanks for reading and putting out such a 276 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: great show. Mike. Oh and then Mike has a ps 277 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: here ps. The Monterey Bay, as seen from Santa Cruz, 278 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: is home to one of the most incredib and persistent 279 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: displays of Fata morgana around, especially in the summer when 280 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: we have warm, still air and cold water. The distant 281 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: shores often consist of these phantom shapes that rise and 282 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: chains throughout the day. It's quite common to see distant 283 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: structures on the far shore repeated and inverted. Just one 284 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: more bit of stuff to blow your mind. Magic that's here. Wow, 285 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: what a fantastic message. Thank you, Mike. Yeah, that was wonderful. 286 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: Yeah I agree with I did not obviously I did 287 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: not have the exact same experience here, but yeah, to 288 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: the extent that our experiences line up, I totally agree 289 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: with everything that Mike shared about looking into the whale's eye, 290 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: being in close proximity to one of these magnificent organisms. 291 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: It's amazing. Okay. This next message is in response to 292 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: our episodes on Horror Vakay and some previous listener mail. 293 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: This is from Gary and it's about well we got 294 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: We got a message from a listener a couple of 295 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: mondays ago about pages in documents and books that are 296 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: labeled this page intentionally left blank. So Gary says, Hi, 297 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: Robert and Joe, just listening to your listener mail episode 298 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: where you talked about blank pages, I was instantly reminded 299 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: of the novel Tristram Shandy by Lawrence Stern, published in 300 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: seventeen fifty nine, which famously has a blank page in 301 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: it where Stern invites the reader to use it to 302 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: describe a character. Big fan of the show, many thanks 303 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: for making such a fun and interesting podcast. Best wishes, Gary. 304 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: This is a great find. Gary, Yeah, a good literary reference. 305 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: And by the way, I know when people talk about 306 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: this book, they always shorten the title to just the 307 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: name Tristram Shandy. But for humor's sake, I do like 308 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: the full title, which is the Life and Opinions of 309 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: Tristram Shandy. Gentleman, You've got to know the opinions. But anyway, 310 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to read the paragraph that leads straight into 311 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 1: this blank page. I think what's going on here in 312 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: the book is the narrator here is describing a character, 313 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: a character that somebody is falling in love with, so 314 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: they are smitten. And it says chapter thirty eight to 315 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: conceive this right, call for pen and ink. Here's paper 316 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: ready to your hand. Sit down, sir, paint her to 317 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: your own mind, as like your mistress as you can, 318 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: as unlike your wife as your conscience will let you. 319 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: Tis all one to me, please put your own fancy 320 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: in it. And then there's just a blank page, this 321 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 1: page one forty seven of this volume. I wonder to 322 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: what extent this is adapted in the film. Maybe it is, Well, 323 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: they just show a blank page, just like picture as 324 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: unlike your wife, as your conscience will allow. Yeah, you 325 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: kind of have like a little intermission there, like, I 326 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: don't know they might have. It seems like a clever 327 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: sort of movie. Maybe they did. It's interesting that this 328 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: is a very experimental kind of thing to occur in 329 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: a book from the middle of the eighteenth century. But 330 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: I know that though I've never read it in full, 331 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: trust from Shandy does have that reputation. In general, it's 332 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: sort of consider to be a kind of ahead of 333 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: its time book in terms of weird experimental forms and 334 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: literary conventions. And I think it has like a lot 335 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: of stream of consciousness stuff in it, which was obviously 336 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: not common of the novels or romances of the time. 337 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: It's sort of, I think thought of as a proto 338 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 1: modernist novel. But I also like how this looks ahead 339 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: to to the way characters are realized in many video 340 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: games of today, where you can like build your own characters. 341 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: You just you know, Yeah, they don't come pre written 342 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,640 Speaker 1: for you. You draw him for yourself. Yeah. Yeah, And 343 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 1: I mean, and of course you still see games go 344 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: both ways, but yeah, there's there's a certain power and 345 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: being able to decide exactly what a what a character 346 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: looks like. You know, And I think I've probably mentioned 347 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 1: this before, but obviously I think we often do this ourselves. 348 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: And I know I did this more when I was 349 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: a younger reader, where I would sort of decide for 350 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 1: myself what a character looked like and then go with it. 351 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 1: But then I would get irritated, you know, halfway through 352 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: the book the author just casually mentioned, oh, this character 353 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 1: has a mustache, or this character had you know, any 354 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 1: description like that. Well, now you've completely thrown me off. 355 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: I already had a certain I had to already had 356 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: this part cast and now you're giving me additional information. Yeah, 357 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: you rebel against the author. This is not your character anymore. 358 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 1: It's mine. Now I get to decide what they look like. 359 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 1: I'm curious. I hadn't thought about this in a while, 360 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:42,719 Speaker 1: but yeah, I used to when I was a young reader, 361 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: like reading like full length novels for the first time, 362 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: I would kind of go through it. I would actually 363 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: cast the characters, often like with particular actors, and I 364 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: would decide ahead of time who was playing what part. 365 00:19:55,880 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: And I don't really do that anymore. Occasionally I'll catch 366 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 1: myself kind of casting and character or sort of course correcting, 367 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: and maybe even at times if there's some confusing characters 368 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: going on, I'll do a little bit of that to 369 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 1: try and keep things straight in my head, but not 370 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: not like I did when I was younger. And of course, 371 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 1: if you're reading a book that there's already a movie version, 372 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: and they're kind of doing that for you, and maybe 373 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 1: that's where that activity came from. All right, Well, it's 374 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: Pinball Wizard time because we have a great bit of 375 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: weird house cinema. Listener mail, this is gonna be the 376 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: last one to read in this episode, but it's a 377 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: it's a weighty one. So here we go from Zach 378 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: Dear Joe and Robert. I've been meaning to get in 379 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: touch for a while. I'm a massive fan of weird 380 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: house cinema, and I just love the verbal imagery you 381 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: can cock for old and weird movies. I must admit 382 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: I haven't seen half of the films you talk about, 383 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: but your elegant descriptions make me feel like I have. 384 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 1: I was inspired to experience the Super Inframan with my 385 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: family because of the revered tones expressed in your podcast. 386 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,480 Speaker 1: I can't thank you enough for the recommendation. Not only 387 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: did I personally delight in the colors and textures of 388 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: that masterpiece, but my family all gains something special from 389 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: the experience. My two little ladies still talk about seeing 390 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: the zippers on those amazing rubber suits, a nuance that 391 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: is lost with the day's seamless computer wizardry. Well, that 392 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: fills my heart with gladness. You know, not many of 393 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: the movies we talked about weird on Weird House or 394 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: not for everyone, but in for Man, I think that 395 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: that's the exception. That's just a movie that I think 396 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 1: everybody should see and nearly everyone would love. Yeah, yeah, 397 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,159 Speaker 1: and it is great to see. I see this night 398 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: in my own son. I've I've talked about this several times, 399 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure, but you know where they're they're seeing through effects, 400 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: but sometimes they're able to experience effects that are not 401 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: absolutely pristine despite being exposed to some really amazing modern effects. 402 00:21:57,119 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: So it's it's great when they can appreciate the older stuff. Yeah. Anyway, 403 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: continuing the email, your recent review of Clash of the Titans, 404 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: one of my all time favorite stop motion animation slash 405 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: Ray Harryhouse Inflix spurred me on to reach out. I'm 406 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,680 Speaker 1: not sure whether you're aware, but there is an interesting 407 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: correlation between b movies and all time classic pinball machines. 408 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: Because pinball was massive in the sixties through the nineties, 409 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,959 Speaker 1: anything at everything could become a theme for a pinball machine, 410 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: so original themes were common. Licensing is more popular today 411 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: than it was back then, and so some unusual choices 412 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: were made for games because of the sheer number of 413 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: games pumped out. Not all pinball machines were particularly great. Some, however, 414 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 1: are regarded as timeless, primarily after hearing of your particular 415 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: fondness for the film Sinbad in the Eye of the Tiger. 416 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: I believe Joe owned it on VHS. I think I 417 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: had a slightly pirated version on VHS. Ah, you'll hopefully 418 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: be delighted to know that the accompanying pinball machine is 419 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: revered as an all time classic. The pinball company Gottlieb 420 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,119 Speaker 1: made hundreds of games back in its heyday, but this 421 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy eight beauty is something special. It has the 422 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: unique feature of two sets of double or inline flippers. 423 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: Is a fast and brutal game and is one that 424 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 1: I own and love well. Rob I had to dig 425 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 1: up some pictures and paste them in the outline here 426 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: for you to look at. So I love the artwork 427 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: on the whatever it's called the backboard where it shows 428 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: the scores. We have here some illustrations that only marginally 429 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: resemble the characters in the movie. But we've got the 430 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: evil sorceress, Queens and Nobia. We've got the bronze automaton 431 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: of minotaur shape called the Minoton. He's a robot bullhead. 432 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,919 Speaker 1: We've got Sinbad here with his sword raised standing in 433 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: front of Valency. The princess I think her name is 434 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,719 Speaker 1: Farrah or Farrah or something, and that's the Jane Seymour 435 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: in the movie, I believe. And then smoke rising in 436 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: the background so it's beautifully painted. And then when you 437 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: look at the actual I don't know what you call it, 438 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 1: the play space or something. Sure, okay, yeah, yeah, But 439 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: the thing I didn't realize exactly what Zach was talking 440 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: about here with the idea of double flippers or inline flippers. 441 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: But they're flippers that when they are not activated, they 442 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: form a straight line. It's the line that makes a 443 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 1: kind of V at the bottom of the pinball space 444 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: where the ball will roll down into the to the 445 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: hole at the bottom. But when you activate them, I'm 446 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: doing a terrible job of explaining this, but instead of 447 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:41,959 Speaker 1: just having one pair of flippers down at the bottom 448 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: of that V, the whole V is made of flippers. 449 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: So there's four flippers and when you flip them, both 450 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 1: of them flip up on each side. Yeah. Yeah, now 451 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: that I see it, I'll see a picture of it 452 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: here on our notes. I totally get it. But yeah, 453 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: this is a beautiful machine. I was I never really 454 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: got timball machines. I was never a huge arcade kid anyway, 455 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 1: but I was always interested in the arcade machines and 456 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: today I can still I can look at these and 457 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 1: I can understand why people go crazy for them, for 458 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 1: the nostalgia of them, for the like the physical playable 459 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: artifacts that they are very cool. Okay, Rob, I'm currently 460 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:24,159 Speaker 1: looking at an big internet list of licensed pinball games, 461 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 1: and there are so many. There are so many that 462 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: you really would not have expected. I'm gonna name three, 463 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: and you tell me which of these is not a real, 464 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: licensed pinball cabinet. Okay, all right, Okay, Apollo thirteen, Aerosmith Baywatch, 465 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say Apolo thirteen is not a pinball machine. 466 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: No it is. They're all real. Oh like wow? All right, Well, 467 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 1: you know, I thought this this quiz was gonna go 468 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: in a different direction. And you're gonna ask me to 469 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: name one film that I wish was a pinball machine. Okay, 470 00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: and I didn't even have to think about it. It's 471 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: gonna be Chuck. Please tell me, Chudd, there's a pinball machine. 472 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: John Heard's face scrawled up on the background. Yeah, in 473 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 1: like subway tunnels. You can imagine, like it seems like 474 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: they could have done something really cool with that, and 475 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: maybe they did. Did they get the pinball factory on 476 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: the phone? I think you've got a white hot idea 477 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: there that it can't lose, all right, but it doesn't 478 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: exist that we know of. All right, Well, we have 479 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: to have some more stuff he wants to share about pinballs, 480 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: and so I'm going to read through them here real quickly. 481 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 1: We also have meteor another late seventies classic, made by 482 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 1: Stern Electronics. Stern Electronics was renowned for making beautiful, fast, 483 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: and cheaply made games that have recently become darlings of 484 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: the US tournament scene. I'm just so many things to 485 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: floor me in this. I did not know there was 486 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: like you still had like Pinball Wizard competitions. In appearance, 487 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't seem to be related to have licensed property. 488 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 1: The art is great, but a bit generic, but it 489 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 1: is actually a direct tie in to the nineteen seventy 490 00:26:55,680 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: nine Sean Connery film I've never even heard of this movie, Meteor? 491 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: Are they trolling us? Is this real? Natalie Wood, Henry Fonda, 492 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 1: Martin Landau, Carl Malden, Huh yeah, in nineteen seventy nine. 493 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: You know, I guess the thing with some of these 494 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: big budget to films, especially some of these big disaster films, 495 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 1: they weren't good. They haven't really stood the test of time, 496 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,719 Speaker 1: so nobody thinks about them today. Like, I really am 497 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: not up on Meteor, but I feel like I've run 498 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 1: across multiple films like this from more or less this 499 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: time period and researching stuff for Weird House, and I'm like, oh, well, 500 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: that's that I did not know that existed, and I 501 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 1: have no interest in seeing it. This is an American 502 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 1: International Pictures. Okay, I think this may need to go 503 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 1: on the list for Weird House. It might be at 504 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: least be something we should check out and see if 505 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: it's worth doing. Yeah, I'm happy to look into it. Okay, 506 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: here's another one. We also have the Shadow licensed from 507 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: that fair to middling Alec Baldwin film. This is a 508 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: highly collectible and fired game that's on my wish list. 509 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: It commands a high price and as an excellent representation 510 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: of all the greatest elements of nineties pinball design. Now, 511 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: this is a film I'm very familiar with because I 512 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:15,120 Speaker 1: believe this was a Russell McKay film. I remember being 513 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: very excited for it when it came out and I 514 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 1: was a kid. And then I remember finding it somewhat disappointing, 515 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 1: But not for reasons I can necessarily articulate. I just 516 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: I have seen it forever. I just remember it did 517 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 1: not win me over the way I wanted it to, 518 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 1: despite a great cast. Speaking of underwhelming and great cast, 519 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: you'll never guess the next movie that they made a 520 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: pinball machine out of yes, I continues, Finally, I know 521 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: you're both fond of the film Crawl. I saw it 522 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: in the cinema back in the day and loved it. 523 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: The pinball machine associated with this license has the legend 524 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: of being a game that only made it to the prototype. 525 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: It has the crazy feature of a second full sized 526 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: playfield located underneath the main play field that is viewed 527 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: via a distorting mirror from above. The mad creativity behind 528 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 1: the design has sadly not been repeated since rob I 529 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: dug up another high def picture of this and put 530 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: it in the outline for you. Okay, so I can 531 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: tell what's going on on the backboard. That we've got 532 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,480 Speaker 1: our main characters from KRUL, or at least one of them, 533 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: I don't remember. I don't know who this lady with 534 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: the big hair and the wizard staff is is. Oh no, 535 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: that's that's our our lady, the lady. Yeah, okay, remember 536 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: remember the beast um has her like dolled up for 537 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: I guess their wedding, you know, Oh okay, but she 538 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: ends up looking like this. There's the Widow of the web, 539 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: the big spider. I see that, and they see some 540 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: people on horses. I guess people ride horses in the movie. Uh. 541 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 1: And then yeah, in the middle of the playfield there 542 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: is I can't even tell what I'm looking at, but 543 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 1: it's like a big It looks like just a big 544 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: glass pane. So this is like a window into a 545 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 1: lower level of play. Wow, it does seem ambitious, maybe 546 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 1: two ambitious, like one wonder glancing? This is this something 547 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: that was as fun to use? Was it innovation over fun? 548 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: Or is a situation where it was fun and innovative 549 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: but more difficult to manufacture? I don't know, you know, 550 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: they really missed an opportunity here to have in the 551 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: middle of the playfield a five sided star of flippers 552 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,040 Speaker 1: that you could all flip simultaneous. Again, be the Glave 553 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 1: of flippers. Yeah, yeah, they should let me design pinball cabinets. 554 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 1: How do you get into this line of work. It's 555 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 1: got to be a very specialized field at this point, right, 556 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: but man it yeah it looks it looks very cool anyway, 557 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: apologies for the essay. Right, So, I actually host a 558 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: podcast called the Pinball Tapes on the Pinball Network, which 559 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: is a historical based podcast that focuses on individual games. 560 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: I'm deep into the hobby as both a restore and player, 561 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: and so I tend to get a bet verbose. I'll 562 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 1: admit my podcast is in its infancy, but I'm really 563 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:01,920 Speaker 1: enjoying the right. Thank you for your time, gents. I 564 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: really love what you do, and I'm very grateful for 565 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: you introducing me to the to a world of weird 566 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: and wonderful aw tours that I didn't know existed. Cheers, Zach. Well, 567 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: thank you so much for the email, Zach, and best 568 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 1: of luck with your podcast. It sounds like you really 569 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: know your stuff. Yeah, it's this is a seems like 570 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: it's a very interesting world to explore for sure. All right, well, 571 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: I think we're gonna have to close it up right there. 572 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: I mean we have to. We have to. We all 573 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: have to go off and like look and see if 574 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: they made like the Chronicles of Riddick pinball machine now 575 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: and so forth. Uh, there's like there's in some so 576 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: many films that seemed like they would be just perfect 577 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: for this kind of treatment. I mean, Chronicles of Riddick 578 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: is basically a pinball machine, so the adaptation writes itself. 579 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: In the meantime, certainly reach out to us. So I 580 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: think we told you some ways to do that at 581 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: the beginning. We'll share the email here in a second. 582 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: Just a reminder listener Maile episodes published on Monday's Core, 583 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: episodes of Stuff to Blow Your Mind on Tuesday and Thursday, 584 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: short form Artifact or Monster on Wednesday, and on Fridays, 585 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: we set aside most serious concerns to just talk about 586 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 1: a weird film on a weirdhouse cinema. Huge thanks to 587 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: our audio producer JJ Pauseway. If you would like to 588 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: get in touch with us with feedback on this episode 589 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 1: or any other, to suggest a topic for the future, 590 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: or just to say hello, you can email us at 591 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: contact at stuff to blow your Mind dot com. Stuff 592 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: to Blow Your Mind is a production of iHeartRadio. For 593 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 594 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.