TMO Background Mode Special Edition Chat #6 with Kelly Guimont

Kelly Guimont is a long-time podcaster, Contributing Editor for The Mac Observer, the host of the Mac Observer’s Daily Observations podcast, a tech support guru, and a Founding Volunteer of App Camp for Girls.

Kelly first appeared here in December, 2015 to tell her career story and has returned several times for interesting technical discussions. In this encore special edition, we chat about our favorite TV shows of late. John: Stargate SG-1 (Amazon), Endeavour (Amazon), Electric Dreams (Amazon). Kelly: Daredevil & The Punisher (Netflix), The Goldbergs (ABC), and Westworld (HBO). Join us as we explore together why we like these shows and how, in some cases, our feelings have changed upon repeat viewing.

New vs. Used/Refurb, USB Disconnects, Notifications, and Ethernet Locations – Mac Geek Gab 760

This week your two favorite geeks tackle your questions about USB disconnects, “no Internet connection” reports, creating short video clips from long segments, and when (and whether!) to buy new or look for refurb/used. Listen as John and Dave talk you through all of this and much, much more. Press play, download, and enjoy learning at least five new things!

Not all USB-C Is Created Equal – Mac Geek Gab 759

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more confusing, USB-C cables can add some additional questions to the mix. Add to this lots of Cool Stuff Found, a discussion about the best desktop Mac to buy, some tips and follow-ups from recent episodes, and you’ve got yourself this week’s Mac Geek Gab. You’re guaranteed to join John and Dave in learning at least five new things. Press play, and enjoy!

TMO Background Mode Interview with Cosmologist Dr. Andrew Friedman

Dr. Andrew Friedman is an astronomer, cosmologist, and data scientist. He’s currently an NSF funded Assistant Research Scientist at the University of California at San Diego Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences. He is also a Research Affiliate in the MIT Program in Science, Technology and Society. He holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Harvard.

We chatted about how science fiction inspired him as a youth to become a cosmologist. Also, how important it is to have a Ph.D. thesis advisor who’s enthusiastically supportive. Then, we got into some cool topics of cosmology: using Type Ia supernovae to measure the rate of expansion of the universe, why infrared observations of those stars are helpful, whether quantum entanglement suggests a substrate on which spacetime resides, the multiverse, and the implications of the Planck length and Higgs field for our very existence.

TMO Background Mode Interview with Author and Artist Michael Benson

Michael Benson works at the intersection of art and science as both a writer and artist. His new book, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece examines the four year long production of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Michael saw the movie 2001 at age six, and it had a profound influence on his career, especially in his art and science/photography books. We chatted about his book: how Arthur Clarke and Stanley Kubrick met, Kubrick’s view of the best scifi movies of the time, the development of the 2001 script, the depiction of artificial gravity in the legendary centrifuge apparatus, the depiction of aliens, the visual contributions of Douglas Trumbull, and the enduring influence this movie has had on our technology and psyche.

Communal Head Scratching to Help Solve Your Problems – Mac Geek Gab Podcast 758

It’s true, your two favorite geeks have come together again to have a “communal head scratch” about all the questions and problems you’ve submitted. Then it’s on to some happy tips, including one about working around the new Dropbox limitations. Download, press play, and learn at least five new things… and get your questions answered, too!