Episode 54 – Poop Biofuel, J.K. Rowling’s North American Magic, Darth Maul Fan film
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Welcome to another episode of Geek Bytes Podcast.
I’m Ramon Mejia…….and I’m Edgar Acosta
Every podcast we bring you the roundup of the week’s best Geek and Tech news, then we discuss that news and anything else we’re interested in that week.
In Geek News this week, we’ll talk about Poop based Biofuel, A.I. Go Challenger, the Venom movie, the Darth Maul Fan film sweeping the internet, the best Trailers of the Week and More…
In our Discussion section we talk about… J.K Rowling’s Magical History of North America
Before we begin I wanted to give a shout out to some new listeners who I met this weekend: Mike Marquez and Donna M.
Now let’s Begin our show with Geek News
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Geek News
Will Poop power your Car?
This week UCLA scientists posted a video of their poop based biofuel project. By altering microscopic bacteria, the UCLA scientists can feed waste polypeptides to the germs, which then produce biofuels and ammonia. Unlike traditional biofuels, the end product isn’t corrosive to metal. Which, in theory, means you could just fill up your tank with the poop fuel without any special car modifications.
This might be a great way to use up the over 1 billion tons of agricultural waste produced in the U.S. every year.
http://universityofcalifornia.edu/news/will-cars-future-run-poop
A.I. versus Go Champion
In the first 2 of 5 games of Go, DeepMind’s AlphaGo machine intelligence defeated 18-time Go champion Lee See-dol. Lee was surprised how well AlphaGo played but said, “If I do a better job on the opening aspect I think I will be able to increase my probability of winning.” The next three games are at 4AM GMT Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/9/11184362/google-alphago-go-deepmind-result
The SkyWall 100 bazooka captures drones with a giant net
The SkyWall 100 is one of the latest device promising to protect the world from the impending drone takeover. It’s essentially a smart bazooka that fires a canister filled with a net at drones 100 meters away. Boom headshot.
An operator targets the drone and fires a canister that contains a large net that gets tangled in the drone’s rotors. A parachute then delivers the drone back to earth in a civilized manner.
http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/04/the-skywall-100-bazooka-captures-drones-with-a-giant-net/
Bionic fingertip lets amputee feel texture
The scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) have succeeded in designing a bionic fingertip that can make amputees feel textures and even differentiate between rough and smooth surfaces. The team asked Dennis Aabo Sørensen, who lost his left hand in an accident, to test it out. He said the sensations it gave him were almost like what you'd feel with your own hand.
http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/08/bionic-finger-textures/
Amazon's live shopping show
The online retail giant launches its first live show, and it's just to talk about fashion and beauty items you can buy on Amazon. The daily, live show, is called Style Code Live.
The series, which streams on weeknights began Tuesday, is "dedicated to fashion and beauty, featuring useful tips from style experts and viewers, looks the audience can easily shop, and an interactive viewing experience that includes live chat."
http://mashable.com/2016/03/08/amazon-style-code-live/#NuFNYuGjbkqQ
Fable Legends Canceled
In a press statement this week Microsoft announced that is has cancelled the latest Fable game ‘Fable Legends’ and has announced plans to close Lionhead. Founded in 1996 by Peter Molyneux and bought by Microsoft in 2006, the game studio has produced such iconic game franchises as Fable, Black & White, and The Movies. However, in recent years the studio has struggled with overhyped products and poor game sales.
http://kotaku.com/sounds-like-microsoft-is-shutting-down-iconic-game-stud-1763272488
Venom movie in development
Sony Pictures will develop a film based on Spider-Man villain Venom, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The spinoff is not connected to the upcoming Spider-Man film that the studio is co-producing with Marvel.
Dante Harper, who wrote a draft of Edge of Tomorrow, will serve as screenwriter. There is no director attached to the project yet, but longtime Spider-Man producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are involved with the Venom film.
TV Show Renewals
It’s that time of the year folks. TV networks star deciding which current shows will get renewals and which will get the axe. Shows that are getting renewed this week are: Supergirl and Into the Badlands
http://comicbook.com/2016/03/08/into-the-badlands-renewed-for-second-season-at-amc/
http://comicbook.com/2016/03/08/cbs-plans-to-renew-supergirl-for-second-season/
Matt Nable Returns as Ra's al Ghul in DC's Legends of Tomorrow "Left Behind" Episode
In an episode to be released March 31st, Sara, Ray and Kendra find themselves stranded in the 1950s, and Sara goes to meet Ra's al Ghul at the League of Assassins again (for the first time).
Ra’s al Ghul is likely best known as a Batman villain but has made an appearance as a recurring villain on the CWs Arrow.
http://comicbook.com/2016/03/10/matt-nable-returns-as-ras-al-ghul-in-dcs-legends-of-tomorrow-lef/
Eddie Thawne and Pied Piper Return To The Flash in "Flash Back" Episode
In an episode titled "Flash Back”, Barry heads back in time and finds himself pitted against both the Pied Piper and Eddie Thawne. The official synopsis of the episode:
Desperate to find a way to increase his speed, Barry decides to travel back in time and masquerade as his earlier self in order to get his arch-nemesis, Dr. Harrison Wells/Eobard Thawne (Tom Cavanagh), to teach him how to run faster. However, things don’t go as planned and Barry is stunned to face familiar foe Hartley Rathaway (guest star Andy Mientus), as well as old friend Eddie Thawne (guest star Rick Cosnett).
http://comicbook.com/2016/03/10/eddie-thawne-and-pied-piper-return-to-the-flash-in-flash-back-sy/
Darth Maul: Apprentice better than the Star Wars Prequels
To a lot of fans, Darth Maul is the coolest character in the Star Wars prequels. This fan film, which took the crew two years to make, you get a great new Darth Maul story with all the bad ass fight moves you’d expect from the character. Darth Maul: Apprentice focuses on Darth Maul fighting a group of Jedi, and it features an amazing lightsaber choreography, stellar visual effects, and a story that actually adds complexity to Maul's character.
http://epicstream.com/videos/Darth-Maul-Apprentice-is-One-of-The-Best-Star-Wars-Fan-Films-Ever-Made
BEETLEJUICE 2
Fans of Beetlejuice have been awaiting a sequel for decades and they just may get one soon. It’s been reported by many outlets that Tim Burton has confirmed rumors that Beetlejuice 2 is going to be made.
Tim Burton reportedly told ShowbizSpy.com, “The film is a go and has been approved by the Warner Bros. team, we have talked with the cast members we wanted for the film and they are all on board, this includes both Winona and Michael [Keaton]. We have the script in hand everything is in place all we need to do now is get ready to start filming.”
http://nerdist.com/beetlejuice-2-confirmed-by-tim-burton/
That’s it for Geek New
We’ll move on to trailers of the week.
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In our Trailers of the Week section we bring you the best trailers that came out this week. Remember you can watch the full trailers at geekbytespodcast.com; We begin this week with…
Captain America: Civil War
The last trailer before the movie release for Civil War has been released. Giving you more details on the cause of the rift between Cap and Iron Man. Also, the first appearance of Spider Man. May 6th 2016.
Kubo and the Two Strings
The second trailer for this animated film shows a bit more of the story of Kubo, the monsters he faces, and the powers he uses. In theaters Aug. 19th, 2016.
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
Based on the hit kids novel by James Patterson. The story follows Rafe Khatchadorian as he begins middle school and “copes with the awkwardness of adolescence: crushes, bullying, and family issues as he attempts to break every school rule and collect the most points any student's ever been given. Release date: October 7, 2016
The Ranch
Set in the present day on a Colorado ranch, the Netflix Original comedy THE RANCH, stars Ashton Kutcher as Colt, a failed semi-pro football player who returns home to run the family ranching business with his older brother Jameson “Rooster” (Danny Masterson) and father Beau (Sam Elliott), whom he hasn’t seen in 15 years. Debra Winger stars as Colt’s and Rooster’s mother, Maggie, who runs the local town bar. On Netflix April 1st.
That’s it for Trailers of the Week
Now onto our Discussion section
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In our discussion section we talk about anything we’re interested in this week, and this week we’ll begin our discussion with…
J.K Rowling’s North American history of Magic stories
This week Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling released 4 new short story detailing the history of magic in North America. The released stories are part of the world building preparation being done for the Harry Potter Prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in theaters this November, which is set in a 1920s New York.
· 14th-17th centuries
o While muggle Europeans where just discovering the ‘New World’ the magical community had been traveling there by broom or apparition for centuries.
o Americans call non-magic folk ‘No-Maj’ short for “No Magic” and not Muggles as do the Europeans.
o Native American communities sometimes accepted and sometimes shunned their magical members.
§ Native American magicians didn’t use wands but where adept at the advanced hands free magic.
§ The Skin Walker legend was a corruption of stories of Animagi by jealous No-Maj shaman.
· Story 2 covers 17th Century and beyond.
o Salem Witch Trials killed many immigrant witches/wizards and discouraged new ones from European communities from traveling to America.
o Scourers – Witches and Wizards who hunted magical community members for bounties paid by No-Majs or European magical authorities.
o Magical Congress of the United States of America in 1693. The North American wizarding community came together to create laws for themselves, effectively establishing a magical-world-within-a-No-Maj-world such as existed in most other countries. MACUSA’s first task was to put on trial the Scourers who had betrayed their own kind. Those convicted of murder, of wizard-trafficking, torture and all other manners of cruelty were executed for their crimes.
· Story 3 covers Rapport’s Law.
o While being courted by a No Maj, witch Dorcus Twelvetrees revealed the secret addresses of the MACUSA and members of the magical community. Her courter, a descendent of the Scourers, believed all magic evil and revealed the info the public to persecute and kill witches and wizards.
o In 1790, the fifteenth President of MACUSA, Emily Rappaport, instituted a law designed to create total segregation of the wizarding and No-Maj communities. Wizards were no longer allowed to befriend or marry No-Majs. Penalties for fraternizing with No-Majs were harsh.
· Story 4-1920’s Wizarding America
o The magical community ignored prohibition
o In North America there where 4 competing wand makers.
https://www.pottermore.com/collection-episodic/history-of-magic-in-north-america-en
That’s it for us this week. Thanks for listening.
For the Geek Bytes Podcast I’m Ramon Mejia and I’m Edgar Acosta. Now Go Geek out about something.
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Music Credits
"Happy Bee", "Movement Proposition", "Theme for Harold (var.3) ", "Take the Lead"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0