1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: My Heart Radio. Hey, welcome to Stuff to Blow your 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Mind listener Mail. My name is Robert Lamb and I'm 4 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: Shoe McCormick, and I think we can start today by 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: jumping right in on the first batch of listener mail, 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: which is in response to our episodes on sinkholes. Are 7 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: you ready rob it okay? This first message comes to 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: us from Thomas. Thomas says, I was just listening to 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: your episode on sinkholes. While not actually a sinkhole. The 10 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: episode reminded me of an event that happened while I 11 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: was living in the loop in downtown Chicago. I was 12 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: in law school at the time and in turning at 13 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: a law firm on Whacker Drive. I had an office 14 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: with a window overlooking the Chicago River. Pretty sweet for 15 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: a young intern. One day, I was watching as a 16 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: crew were driving pilings basically giant logs into the river 17 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: bed next to the Kinsei Bridge. I could feel the 18 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: reverberation of the pounding even up in the high rise 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: where I was located. Suddenly everyone started running around like 20 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: something bad had happened. Looking toward the water, I could 21 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: see what was causing the chaos, a giant whirlpool had 22 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: appeared right where they were pounding the pilings. Within minutes, 23 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: the area was surrounded by fire trucks and emergency vehicles. 24 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: Then helicopters appeared. After a period of time, a voice 25 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: came over the emergency system in the building and announced 26 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: that there had been ordered an evacuation of the loop 27 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: and that we had to leave the building. Going downstairs, 28 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: I walked out into what I can only describe as 29 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: a calm version of a Godzilla movie. The streets were 30 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: filled with people and police and firemen were directing everyone 31 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: to leave the loop immediately. They had called in the 32 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: L train cars and just started piling everyone into them 33 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: and sending them outside of the loop. I ended up 34 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: on the South side of Chicago, and I eventually made 35 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: it to a friend's house and was unable to returned 36 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: to my apartment for several days. It ends up that 37 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: what had occurred was one of the pilings pierced through 38 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: the roof of an abandoned subway line. The water immediately 39 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: started rushing in and sucked the piling through the hole. 40 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: The hole then started expanding, and the Chicago River was 41 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: effectively draining through the hole and filling the entire underground 42 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: rail system, and the reason for the evacuations the sub 43 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: basements of the high rise buildings in the loop. The 44 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: fire department was concerned that they were going to lose 45 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: integrity of the sub basements for buildings like the Sears Tower, 46 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: and like dominoes, they would topple over. They tried everything 47 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: to cover the whole, but the force of the water 48 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 1: was too strong. At one point they had put divers 49 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,119 Speaker 1: in the water with a large metal plate, but even 50 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: that got sucked through and almost killed one of the divers. Finally, 51 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: they were able to block the hole with a quick 52 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: drawing cement that is used in underwater construction. This gave 53 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: them enough time to put permanent covers over the whole, 54 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 1: and they were finally able let everyone back into the loop. 55 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: This lasted for three or four days, and the damage 56 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: cost almost two billion dollars. The humorous side of the 57 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: story is that while they call it the Great Chicago 58 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: Flood of nine two, it was a flood with no 59 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: visible water. There is also a humorous story about why 60 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: they call it the Great Leak. It ends up that 61 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: floods are not covered under insurance, but leaks are so 62 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: they tried to classify it as a leak for insurance purposes. 63 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: And then he links to a wiki for the event 64 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,239 Speaker 1: and a link to a Chicago Tribune article from which 65 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: has some black and white pictures. So, and then finally 66 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: Thomas says, I hope this blows your mind. Well, that 67 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: definitely did. I was not aware of this event. Yeah, yeah, 68 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: I mean neither. This is this is all new to me, 69 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: the great leak. I like it, though, I mean I'm 70 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: not in favor of great leaks occurring and causing property damage, 71 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: but it's it's a fascinating little bit of history that 72 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: I had somehow missed out on. What really scary part 73 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: to me is imagining being a dive or sent down 74 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: to try to cap the league while it's still suctioning 75 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: water through it. Yeah. It's like urban cave diving or something. Yeah, yeah, 76 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: but with a drain at the bottom. All right, here's 77 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: another one. This one comes to us from Eric. Greetings, 78 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: My good sirs. I just listened to part one of 79 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: your episode on sinkholes, where you speculate about the reason 80 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: heaven always seems to be in the sky whereas hell 81 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: always seems to be under the Earth, and I have 82 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: a theory to contribute. It's because of gravity. Ancient people 83 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: didn't understand gravity the way we do, and they could 84 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: easily observe its effects on the surface of the Earth. 85 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: And so it makes sense to me that Heaven would 86 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: be above where humans cannot go freely, if at all, 87 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: whereas Hell would be below, where unwise or unlucky humans 88 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 1: can end up whether they want to or not. In short, 89 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: you must drive to reach Heaven, but must drive not 90 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: to end up in Hell, which seems to me like 91 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: both literally and metaphorically sound. What do you think about that, Joe, Oh, yeah, 92 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: I think that kind of makes sense. I mean, another 93 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: way I would put it is that I think some 94 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: ancient ideas of hell as a place of punishment evolved 95 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,799 Speaker 1: from a sort of afterlife concept that is more generally 96 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 1: the grave. I talked about this some with Bard Irmin 97 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: when when he was a guest on the podcast last year, 98 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: and he wrote a whole book about the evolution of 99 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: at least the Jewish and Greco Roman and Christian beliefs 100 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: about heaven and hell, and there I think the the 101 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: older ideas is that in most cultures of the region, 102 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: there was no like reward or punishment in the afterlife 103 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: early on. The earlier beliefs are just that when you die, 104 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: you go to this place that might be called something 105 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: like sheol, which is like the gray if if there 106 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 1: is any life after death, it's just this kind of 107 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 1: like shadow of your former existence where nothing much happens 108 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: and it's kind of gloomy and boring. Or maybe there's 109 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: no afterlife at all. You're just in the ground, and 110 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: over time that translates more into the afterlife you don't want. 111 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: It becomes associated with a place of punishment after death, 112 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: whereas there's some kind of other existence in some other 113 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: place if you're being rewarded, and that could be a uh, 114 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: that could be a temporal afterlife in which at some 115 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: point you are resurrected bodily from the grave to your reward, 116 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: or it could be as in the like the Greek view, 117 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:25,239 Speaker 1: the Platonic view, a place where the immaterial soul goes 118 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: after death. Yeah, yeah, I think that that sounds sounds reasonable. 119 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: I also, I guess have to to come back to 120 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: this idea that just the idea of beings or voices 121 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: originating from places that cannot be reached by humans or 122 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: are not easily reached by humans, really resonates with us. 123 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: So certainly that you know that can apply to the 124 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: sky and to the cosmos above, you know, the visible 125 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: uh universe, but also the unseen world beneath the earth 126 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 1: mountain tops, but also um interior spaces like the hollows 127 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:02,159 Speaker 1: of volcanoes. I'm instantly reminded of the uh uh the 128 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: the documentary, the Herza documentary that we we recently watched 129 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: on the volcanoes talking about the where they're talking to 130 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: the individual who had gone to the volcano and uh 131 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: and had like met with being with a with a 132 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: being from the interior, that sort of thing. Yeah, But 133 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: despite all that, I mean, I also very much can 134 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: see the intuitive logic of what Eric here is saying that, 135 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: like if if they're if you're sorting afterlives or other 136 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: planes of existence into a good place that is good 137 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: to get too, but hard to get to, in a 138 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: bad place that is easy to get to and painful. Yeah, 139 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: the the updown trajectory seems quite clear there. I wonder 140 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: if they're I've never run across it, but I wonder 141 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: if there is a culture that has an inversion of 142 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: that or perhaps some sort of fantasy treatment that intentionally 143 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: goes through the sort of world building exercise of inverting 144 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: that of having you have to work to earn your 145 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: place in the ground in the world below, but if you, 146 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: you know, just live a careless lifestyle, then you'll eventually 147 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: float free and be lost to the uh you know, 148 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: the cosmic horrors above, the lay and the Morlocks. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 149 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: They never any reversal of that. That That would be interesting. 150 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: They well, it's need how the the other Way and 151 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: the Morlocks were both horrible fates in their own way, right, Yeah, 152 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: all right, Well that was just half of Eric's uh 153 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: that I don't want to skip over the praise section 154 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: of the email. Uh, he writes, Anyway, just a thought 155 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: I had while listening, and I wanted to share. I've 156 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: been listening to the podcast for ages, not only since 157 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: before Christian left, but before Joe and Christian joined, and 158 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: I've rarely missed an episode. I was disappointed when the 159 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: Invention podcast stopped being its own thing, but I'm pleased 160 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 1: that you've kept the spirit of it going with your 161 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 1: periodic Invention episodes, and I've really enjoyed the little artifact 162 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: shorts and Weird House Cinema. Keep up the great work 163 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: and thank you for the excellent content. Farewell and stay 164 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: safe Eric. Thanks Eric. Yeah. Oh and you know, speaking 165 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 1: of Christian we had mentioned Christians Kickstarter recently on the 166 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: show for Corridor Magazine. That kicks or was successful. So 167 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: Corridor Magazine is going to be a real thing. It's 168 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 1: going to be a reality in the months ahead. When 169 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: they have like a date and or website announced, I'll 170 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: share it with everybody, probably in the listener mail episode. 171 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: That is excellent news. Everybody keep an eye out if horror, 172 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: weird fiction is your thing. All right, it looks like 173 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: the mail bot is coming forth with more um hellish 174 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: content for us here Joe, Yeah, more afterlife stuff. So 175 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: this comes from Rachel. Rachel says, Hi, guys, I've been 176 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: listening to your show for many years now, and I 177 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 1: really enjoyed the things you discuss. Some of the stuff 178 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: is a bit over my head, but fun to listen to. Nonetheless, 179 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: as a former neuroscience major in college and future neurologist 180 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:50,239 Speaker 1: in medical school currently, especially like the brain related episodes. 181 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: I've also got a soft spot for the monster episodes 182 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: as a fan of horror Anyway, the reason for this 183 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: email isn't related to any of that, as you might 184 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: have guessed by the subject line. What I'm really writing 185 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: for is to ask this. A while ago, one of 186 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 1: you mentioned a companion to Dante's Divine Comedy, or maybe 187 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: just the Inferno. I can't remember that. Gave good footnotes 188 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: and such for understanding the context of the time, but 189 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: I can't recall which episode it was in, so I 190 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: can't go back and check. Do you remember which author 191 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: translator you recommended? From a quick Internet search, it sounds 192 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: like maybe the one by Mark musa Is is a 193 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 1: good start. I'm not sure if either of you guys 194 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: had other thoughts. It'll probably be quite some time before 195 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: i'll actually get around to reading it. I've got a 196 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: whole shelf full of untouched books that I've collected while 197 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: in school and haven't had time for, but I'm hoping 198 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: to get to it someday. Thanks Rachel, Well, Rachel, I'm 199 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: I'm no Dante scholars, so I don't have extensive opinions. 200 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,719 Speaker 1: I haven't surveyed like a lot of different translations, but 201 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: I can tell you the ones I've read and and 202 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: my thoughts on them. So when I read The Divine 203 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: Comedy last year, I read, uh, the The Inferno translation 204 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: by the American poet Robert Pinsky, and that translation has 205 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: some in to no it's with it that are pretty good. 206 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: For the Purgatorio and the Paradiso actually used two different translations, 207 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: combining the translations and the notes there. One was the 208 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: additions of the Purgatorio and the Parody so by Jean 209 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: and Robert Hollander. I think Gene Hollander was a poet. 210 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: Unfortunately she passed away just the other year, um, but 211 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: I think she did the translation and her husband, Robert, 212 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,199 Speaker 1: who is a Dante scholar or medieval literature scholar, did 213 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 1: the did the notes. But then also for the Purgatorio 214 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: and parody, so we kind of read them concurrently with 215 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: the John Chardie translation and footnotes, and in my experience, 216 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: we really liked the Gene Hollander translation, but chartis footnotes 217 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: were the most accessible, and sometimes they were they were 218 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: rather funny. They were good footnotes if you really don't 219 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: know anything and and just want to understand what's being 220 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,319 Speaker 1: talked about in the poem at a at a pretty 221 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: basic level. The Hollander translation has great notes, but they 222 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: go deep. That seems more like a good resource for 223 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: scholars or something. Is just pages and pages of notes 224 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: on every canto. Awesome. Yeah, that that does sound like 225 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: like really good, good additions to to look to. For 226 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: my own part. I did uh Inferno and Purgatory via 227 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: the Robert M. Durling translations illustrated by Robert Turner. I 228 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: found those to be excellent. I I read those as 229 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: part of a college class on on Dante. I had 230 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 1: I forget that the professor's name, but I have was 231 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and there is 232 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: this um, this fabulous Dante teacher, and he was this 233 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: kind of shortish Italian American man, and so he had 234 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: he had a wonderful accent, and he had this just 235 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: real enthusiasm for Dante. And I remember him talking about 236 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: how he was going to dresses Dante for Halloween, and 237 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,079 Speaker 1: I asked him if he was going to have the pas? 238 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: Is it peace on the forehead as in Purgatory that 239 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: one has to work off? Oh? Yes, yes, the angel 240 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: carve seven pas into Dante the pilgrim's forehead, and there 241 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: each each time he goes up one level of the 242 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: Mountain of Purgatory, one of the peas is erased because 243 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: he's been purged of that one of the seven sins. Yeah. 244 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: So so I asked him he's gonna have the peas 245 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: on his forehead and he says, no, I'm in heaven. 246 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: You know, of course he's not going to go as 247 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: the as the infernal or the Purgatory Dante. He's the 248 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: Heavenly Dante. Um. But speaking of heaven. When I read these, um, 249 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: Durling and Turner had not put out their Paradiso yet. 250 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: I believe it's out there. It's probably been out for 251 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: like fifteen years at this point. But but I really 252 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: enjoyed those. But I also had it was also had 253 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: the benefit of being in a class and having a 254 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: really cool teacher, so I think he had some supplemental 255 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 1: information that he gave to us as well. Um. I 256 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: I feel like it's definitely a text that if you 257 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: can have the original Italian like in an opposing page, 258 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: like many of these do, and I think I think 259 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: Darlings did. It's it's cool, but you know, to get 260 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: even if you don't know Italian or not learning Italian, 261 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: it's neat to kind of pick out some of the words, 262 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: and it suspect actually neet with some of the demon names, 263 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: because I've noticed some additions do a full translation of 264 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,959 Speaker 1: the demon names and others leave them um with their 265 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: sort of fantastic sounding names like scarmiglion um you know, 266 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: and you don't you don't necessarily want that translated into whatever. 267 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: I forget what Scarnigleon's calling him evil claws or what 268 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: evil clause or you know, or or pig nose or 269 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: whatever the case may be. But having those of those rich, 270 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: you know, Italian names, this is wonderful. Yeah, So anyway, 271 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: I recommend all the ones I used, I think they're good. 272 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: But but I would say, if you're looking for good 273 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: succinct footnotes, I think maybe the John Chardi translation is 274 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: the best to go with, just because the footnotes are 275 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: so accessible and so and it was a good translation 276 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: to he actually tries to do the rhyme, which some 277 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: of the other one must focus on less. But I 278 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: also really love Geene Hollander's translation. I don't know, So 279 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: I don't know. Just take your pick from the following, 280 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: but but I will emphasize yet again, like if you 281 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: are interested in reading the Divine comedy. It is not 282 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: going to make a lick of sense unless you get 283 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: some good footnotes to go along with it. Like it, 284 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: it is just crammed with with medieval like church politics 285 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: and and Tuscan Italian politics and and rest references to 286 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: recent history and the centuries previous. Yeah. Yeah, it is 287 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: not going to make the slightest bit of sense to 288 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: you unless you you get an addition that has some 289 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 1: good footnotes and you can explain what all the references 290 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: to proper nouns and all that are about. Absolutely all right, 291 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: here's another one. This comes to us from Shanny. Shanny 292 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: writes then and says, hi, too interesting notes about keys 293 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: from my culture of origin, Orthodox Judaism. I'm no longer observant, 294 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: but I am pretty enmeshed in the community because of 295 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: my very religious family. Number One, there is a Jewish 296 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: law the prohibits carrying anything outside of your home on 297 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: the sad, including your house keys. As a loophole, some 298 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: people have their keys set in jewelry or accessories such 299 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: as a bracelet, um, a broad brooch, or a belt, 300 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: because if the keys are part of your attire, it 301 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: is permissible to wear outside. Number two there is a 302 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: Jewish custom that before the first Sabbath after Passover, remembering 303 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: how the Jews were freed from Egypt and then wandered 304 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: homeless around the desert for forty years, many women will 305 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: place a key into their chola dough before baking it 306 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: as a uh segula, loosely defined good omen to always 307 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: have a home to live in. I'm not sure where 308 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: this tradition originated. I have a feeling that it is 309 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: based on an old Christian Easter tradition of forming bread 310 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: to look like a cross, but I haven't found anything 311 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: to substantiate that. I love your podcast, especially when it 312 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: somehow tries different cultures. I'm sorry, I think it's supposed 313 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: to be ties different cultures and histories together best shiny. 314 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: I also like it when it does that. Thank you, Seanny. Yeah, 315 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: this is really interesting. I love rituals like this like 316 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: the Another thing that I like when they come together 317 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: are the intersections of religious beliefs, rules and prohibitions sort 318 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: of interacting with the practicalities of life as we see explained, 319 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: especially in your first point there, Rob, do you'll do 320 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: you'll ever get holl of bread? Um? I guess we do. 321 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: I'm not remembering it offhand, um, but I think we have. Yeah, 322 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: there's some some places in town that make good. Yeah, 323 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: it's good. I am. I'm very much in favor of bread. Um. 324 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:34,880 Speaker 1: I wonder have we ever done an episode that really 325 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:39,360 Speaker 1: goes into any bit of Hebraic ritual. I mean, obviously 326 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: we've dealt with like the Ark of the Covenant and 327 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: all that, but any trying to come up in technology 328 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: based invention episodes. Yeah, I feel like it's come up 329 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: a good bit here and there. Maybe I'm just blinking. 330 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: I can only remember the arc all of a sudden, 331 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: so it's kind of all consuming like that. We had 332 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: a great piece of listener mails sometimes last year when 333 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: we did a couple of episodes about pointing that involved 334 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: the yawd, the little pointer stick with the finger on 335 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: it used for reading the Torah. That's right. Yeah, that's that. 336 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: That was a really good one. Okay, all right now 337 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 1: I feel better, Okay, Um, But yeah, I would like 338 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: if there any other topics of that nature, uh that 339 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: that we could be covering. Yeah, we'll have to let 340 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: us know, listeners. All right. This next message is about chemistry. 341 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: It refers back to our episode on heavy water, but 342 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: also a subsequent listener mail and it is from Brett 343 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: who has written in before. Brett says hello Robert and Joe. 344 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 1: I hope you were both doing well, and has treated 345 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: you kindly thus far. It's Brett again. I recently wrote 346 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: in about die chloro methane or d c M for 347 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: organic synthesis and the Christmas tree ornament which you read. 348 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: Thank you. During that listener mail, another listener wrote in 349 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: about heavy water her and it was then I realized 350 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 1: I missed that podcast and had to go back, so 351 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: pardon the late response. Deuturated water has a great history 352 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 1: and thank you for sharing it. As an organic chemist, 353 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: people in my field rely on the properties of deuterium daily, 354 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: not just for incorporation into potential active ingredients which you mentioned, 355 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: but also for for solvent to characterize our compounds that 356 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: we synthesize. Let me explain. I mentioned that chemists use 357 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: nuclear magnetic resonance or n MR to help provide us 358 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,199 Speaker 1: with information about the type of carbon hydrogen bonds that 359 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 1: our compounds possess. The NMR is so finely tuned that 360 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: it detects the presence of these carbon hydrogen bonds with 361 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: great accuracy and precision reproducible, but in order to obtain 362 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 1: a spectra for the most part, we use deuturated solvents, 363 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: which all derive from heavy water. Deuturated solvents such as chloroform, methanol, 364 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: and dimethyl soul. Fox side allow the NMR to lock 365 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: and shim and I look that up. I didn't know 366 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: what that was, but that is a term in in UH, 367 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 1: the nuclear magnetic resonance to lock and shim based on 368 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: the carbon deuterium bond, allowing the instrument to focus on 369 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 1: the small amount of material we are concerned with. If 370 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: the solvent did not contain deuterium and only hydrogen, then 371 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: the solvent would drown out the signal for our compounds 372 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: because of how many more molecules of solvent there would 373 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: be compared to our material. And then Brett says, maybe 374 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: you know about the mole the m o L. I 375 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: don't know much about it. I think that is that 376 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: is a measure used in chemistry of like the number 377 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: of elementary particles in a sample. Or I think it's 378 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: the number of elementary particles that are equal to like 379 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: a certain number of grams of carbon or something um 380 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: but I'm no expert on that, but so I obviously 381 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: don't know a lot about it. Um Brett goes on. 382 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 1: We also use a deuterated solvent to help us understand 383 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: the mechanism of reaction, how a reaction might proceed by 384 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: change by exchanging a hydrogen for a deuterium adom which 385 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 1: when using n m R the carbon deuterium bond would 386 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,719 Speaker 1: not be present. Amazing how we can obtain information on 387 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: something we cannot see, and how we rely on instruments 388 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: to help us figure out what we're doing. Thanks again 389 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,679 Speaker 1: for always providing great fodder for the mind. Tritium topic 390 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: anytime soon, Best Brett, Tritium, of course, being the even 391 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 1: heavier hydrogen. You know, we were talking mainly about deuterium 392 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 1: in that episode, which is hydrogen that's got a one 393 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: neutron in the nucleus where it normally would have no neutrons. 394 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: Tritium has two neutrons and and it gets it gets 395 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: really hairy. Yeah, I've I've mined a lot of it 396 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: in No Man's sky before I forget what it's for 397 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: und because I've been I haven't played it in about 398 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: a month, but I look forward to picking him back 399 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: up it kind of. I think it's ultimately you know, 400 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: it's not the most educational games, but it's a it's 401 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: a pretty tame one to play with my son around 402 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 1: and let him play it some and it will hopefully 403 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: educate him about some of these elements. Maybe not like 404 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: what their actual purposes are, but the names of them are. Yeah, 405 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 1: just like the names will sink in and the abbreviations 406 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 1: will sink in. Like that's that's more than I had 407 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 1: in video games at his age. So yeah, same here. Great, 408 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: So yeah, maybe we go to even heavier hydrogen, will 409 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 1: do something on tridium, and then we can do what's 410 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: beyond heavy heavy hydrogen, like like death hydrogen or thrash hydrogen, 411 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: rash hydrogen, symphonic death hydrogen. That sounds good, all right. Um, 412 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: you know, we also receive some weird house Cinema listener 413 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: mails here, so we'll we'll dig into these a little bit. Uh. 414 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: And and I have to say that Carney the mail 415 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: butt has been very excited, um, because you know he's 416 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: he's very much into the idea of Champion combat. Uh. 417 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: This first one comes to us from Jim and New Jersey, 418 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: who of course is a is a regular listener mail 419 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: Um writer. He says, Robert and Joe. In Friday's Weird 420 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: House Cinema, you featured arena where you mentioned that the 421 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: password to a casino was swordfish. I don't know if 422 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 1: this is the first use of swordfish, but it appears 423 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: in the Marx Brothers movie Horse Feathers as the password 424 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 1: to a speak easy and Jim includes a clip. I 425 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: went and watched this, and this is a wonderful scene. 426 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: You know, the comedy of EON's past is uh, sometimes 427 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 1: just not very funny anymore, and often the often comedy 428 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: does not translate across generations very well. But this scene 429 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: is still really funny. It's great. It's uh, Groucho and 430 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 1: is it Checo or Checho a spell like Chico? I 431 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: guess Chico or Checho. Marks Um is on the inside 432 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: and Grouchos on the outside, and they're they're talking through 433 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: the little window in the door, and and Groucho has 434 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,199 Speaker 1: got like three guesses to figure out how what the 435 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: password is, and he gets the hint that it's the 436 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: name of a fish, and his first guess is Mary, 437 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: which made me laugh a lot. Yeah, I I haven't 438 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: really seen in a bunch of Marx Brothers, um, and 439 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: I'm struggling to I mean, outside of just a few bits, 440 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: you know, clips here and there, Like I think they 441 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: did a mirror gag that that I think everybody has seen. 442 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: But but it is notable that, you know, especially for 443 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 1: like a previous generation of filmmakers would have been even 444 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 1: more familiar with Marx Brothers, you know, so it makes 445 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: sense that we see these little nods in these films 446 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: to some of their work. There's that great scene in 447 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade where Sean Connery has 448 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 1: mailed his diary to Harrison Ford in order for safe 449 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: keeping because he's been captured by the Nazis, and then 450 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: Harrison Ford brings it with him when he comes to 451 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: rescue him. The Nazis get it, and Sean Connery says, 452 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: I should have mailed it to the Macks Brothers. Oh yeah, 453 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: I remember that. I haven't seen that one in forever. 454 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: I need to give it another go. Okay. This next 455 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: message comes from Tend. It is also about Arena. Uh. 456 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: Tend says, Dear Robert and Joe. I've been a listener 457 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: of your show for years and in particularly enjoying the 458 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 1: recent weird House Cinema episodes. The choices you featured really 459 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 1: are my types of movies. I think that's because I 460 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: appreciate seeing how well a production company, film crew, and 461 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: actors can do without having much of a budget. Even 462 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: though this means the walls sometimes shake and performances are 463 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 1: less than convincing, I love seeing those involved earnestly strain 464 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: in their depictions. I had a real flutter of excitement 465 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: when I saw you picked Arena to discuss, as I've 466 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: watched it not so long ago with my wife and 467 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: brother in law. We were very much entertained by the 468 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: varied and inventive alien designs as you described them. There 469 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: was one thing I was waiting for you to point 470 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: out about the movie, something I couldn't believe I had 471 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: seen and so needed to rewind and pause it to confirm. 472 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: As we watched. During fight scenes in the arena itself, 473 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: the camera often cuts to the audience and you can 474 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:54,679 Speaker 1: see many unmoving dummies filling out the crowd. It's unbelievably 475 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: badly done, looks fully ludicrous, and just made me love 476 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: it more. You won't be able to watch Arena now 477 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 1: without seeing this, I promise. Thanks to you and your 478 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: team for all your work. I'm looking forward to the 479 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: future episodes. Uh. And then there's a different name at 480 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: the end of this than the name at the beginning, 481 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: which was Tended. I'll just stick with tend. Well. I 482 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: didn't I did not notice these, um these mannequins when 483 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: watching the film, too distracted by the cool aliens. But 484 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: it makes sense that they would be there. You need 485 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: to fill out a stadium, or if something that looks 486 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: like a stadium, you might want to plant some some 487 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: fake butts in the fake seats. You know what this 488 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: means is you were so riveted to the action in 489 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 1: the center of the frame that you were not You 490 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: were not even tempted to wander around with your eyes 491 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 1: to the periphery and see who might be sitting in 492 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: the audience. Another thing could be you know, at this 493 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: point in the pandemic like it, we're just not used 494 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: to seeing live crowd shots anymore. So it's like, wow, 495 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: that that looks right, that that must be what it's 496 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 1: it looks like to watch sports or something with with 497 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 1: with an audience viewing it. So this is weird. There 498 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: are some shows that are they have they're used to 499 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: having a live studio audience, and now they still do, 500 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: but it's clearly a much reduced like people are sitting 501 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: very far apart from each other and there are many 502 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: fewer of them, and so when they clap, it sounds 503 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 1: so pathetic. You know, it sounds like five people clapping, 504 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: and it's just like it would be better without any 505 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: applause than every joke or line getting like a you know, 506 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: a smattering of laughter from five or six people, or 507 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: you know what what sounds like two people clapping in 508 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 1: an empty hall? Is this of what it was Saturday 509 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: Night Live? Do? This is this way you're referencing. No, 510 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:33,919 Speaker 1: I feel like I've I've just seen a couple of 511 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: like talk shows, like late night talk shows doing something 512 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 1: like this. Okay, well, I guess my my only experience 513 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 1: has been watching stuff like um like Colbert and Daily Show, 514 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 1: which don't have they are not even pretending to have 515 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,199 Speaker 1: an audience. And then I kind of keep up with 516 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: some of the pro wrestling, so I kind of note 517 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: how different players in that sport have been reacting to 518 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 1: it like you have. For instance, you know, some places 519 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: and in sometimes during the pandemic just having no audience 520 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: at all, or to having like a completely fake audience 521 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 1: of just people from the locker room come out and 522 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 1: and you know, be enthusiastic. Or you have a smattering option, 523 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 1: or you have like a high tech like fill the 524 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: audience with TV screens and have people like zoom into 525 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: a tend I mean, there's there's so many different approaches 526 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: that have been taken, none of them perfect, but but 527 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: it's interesting to see. It's kind kind of like the 528 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: listener mail earlier talking about the earnest straining, right, Sometimes 529 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: that is the most interesting part. I've got an idea 530 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: that I think they should do. This seems perfectly realistic 531 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 1: to me. I mean, so on one hand, it would 532 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: seem very fake if you were to just pipe in 533 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: fake laughter or fake applause at each applause line, like 534 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 1: in a sitcom, you know, But I think you could 535 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: do real electronic laughter or applause where there are a 536 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: bunch of electronic viewers and they can like press a 537 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: certain button. They're watching in real time and they can 538 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 1: press a certain but every time they want to either 539 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: laugh or applaud, and that will create one sound of 540 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: one person laughing or applauding, And so you get real 541 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: reactions like the jokes that actually get up roorious laughter 542 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: will get up roarious laughter uh organically but mediated through 543 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: electronic devices. And and the ones that kind of bomb, 544 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 1: you'll hear them bomb. That's what I think should happen. Yeah, yeah, 545 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: all right, here's another one. This one comes to us 546 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 1: for me and Ian Rites. Even though this isn't a 547 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: comedy podcast, I derived some great belly laughs from your show. 548 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 1: You both know when to use it and when not. 549 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: To better leave some songs unsung than to sing them 550 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: out of season, right, your wise and worthy singers. Anyway, 551 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to tell you, Joe that I genuinely laughed 552 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: out loud by myself when you said I want to 553 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: see Chewbacca fight job of the Hut from Marina episode 554 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: L O L. You couldn't have picked a funnier match 555 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: from Star Wars. Good Jess, Sir, peace out, Love you guys. 556 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: Uh Ian from St. Louis uh Ian the Far Too Kind. 557 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: But I think I am I seeing this right that 558 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: you were quoting from the Kalavla. I think right. If 559 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: I'm getting this right, I think at the beginning of 560 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: your your message, you're quoting a couple of lines the 561 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: better to leave some songs on sung than sing them 562 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: out of season. Is that not from the Kala Vla 563 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: that we read in a previous episode? I think you 564 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: might be right. Yeah, yeah, very very good. Uh deep 565 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: deep reference there. Yeah, and yeah, Chewbacca fighting job of 566 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: the Hut. It's a good matchup there. They're probably some 567 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: others we could we could really brainstorm if we set 568 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: our mind to it. I don't know. Um, like a 569 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: Wampa versus four Javas stacked on top of each other 570 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: in a trench coat. That would be neat. But if 571 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: you had a fight between Obi Wan Kenobi and Boba 572 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: Fette's dad, that'd be really weird. We had that, we 573 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 1: had that? That was that. I watched that one. That joke. Yeah, 574 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: the boy and I watched the first half of Attack 575 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 1: of the Clones together. Um and uh and that's a 576 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 1: pretty solid fight scene. I like that one. Okay, you've 577 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: got the various Mandalorian weapons uh in in in play 578 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 1: there against the Jedi. You've got kind of a kind 579 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 1: of a neat fight environment. Oh here's what I think 580 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: we should someday. Uh, if we're if we're feeling especially fresh, 581 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: we should do an episode of invention that's basically a 582 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: Boba Fette Invention special where we discuss all of his gadgets. 583 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 1: This we know actually did a blog post about this 584 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 1: at smooda music dot com where I um, I kind 585 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: of waxed. Uh maybe not philosophical, but I I contemplated 586 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: the weapons of the Mandalorian and was thinking about like 587 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: the idea of of the Mandalorian armor as being on 588 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: one hand, everything is geared about fighting a Jedi, like 589 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 1: how to best engage a Jedi and survive or even 590 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: um emerge victorious. But then also you get into this 591 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: idea of their armor and their weapons being at parts 592 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 1: of their religion, which is a fabulous topic with with 593 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: parallels to the real world. You think of things like 594 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: the Sikh religion and all um. But it may got 595 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: me thinking like what additional connotations might be absorbed by 596 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 1: some of these weapons, like the idea of say, like 597 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: the jet pack does the jet pack then becomes something 598 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: that symbolizes not is you know, not just about escaping distance, 599 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: creating distance between yourself and a JETI who's a deadly 600 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:29,479 Speaker 1: melee combatant, but also something about the spirit, you know, 601 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: like the ascension of the spirit um, perhaps the fire 602 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: of the little flamethrower and the wrist like that becomes 603 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: something about like the purifying flame or something. You know, 604 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: Like there's so many directions you could go in with 605 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 1: all these different details of the armor that could almost 606 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: be like the iconography you encounter in a Hindu deity. 607 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: Like each you know, each little detail has some sort 608 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: of important meaning. Uh to those who would be you know, 609 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 1: a literate of those symbols. Well, if you're going to 610 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 1: be realistic about jet packs, it would unless I've not 611 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 1: kept up to date about what jet packs are capable 612 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: of these days, it seemed like it should symbolize riding 613 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: a dragon or riding a tiger, you know, something that 614 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: will very likely kill you and get out of control. 615 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: That that's often how it goes for the Mandalorians. But 616 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: you know, it's like short term victories, I guess, is 617 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: what they're they're focused on. All right, Well, the buzzer 618 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 1: on the mail body is going off. That means that 619 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: the time is is ended for today. That's it for 620 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: this episode of Stuff to Blow your Mind Listener Mail. 621 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: But we'll be back next week with more listener mail, 622 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: So just tune in then, uh in the meantime, definitely 623 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 1: feel free to reach out to us, your responses to 624 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 1: past episodes, your responses to this listener mail, uh, you know, 625 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: keep the conversation going by getting in touch with us, 626 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: and if you would like to listen to the show. 627 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,960 Speaker 1: Just remember the Stuff to Blow Your Mind pod cast 628 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: feet can be found wherever you get your podcasts and 629 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 1: wherever that happens to be. 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