Onward and Upward!
Bob Kalk Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: In ancient Greece, secret ballots were used to hide votes from people seeking favors. Certain special votes, such as one to ostracize and thereby expel a citizen from Athens were also cast in private. In ancient Rome, the secret ballot was introduced to all … Read more
Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: In the late 1940s, William Shockley led a team at Bell Laboratories to develop a new kind of amplifier for the US telephone system. He, together with John Bardeen and Walter Brattain announced the invention of the bipolar “junction transistor” at a press conference … Read more
Full Transcript: There is a crater on the moon named after William Francis Gray Swann. He is widely recognized for his research into cosmic rays and high-energy physics. His book, The Architecture of the Universe, was published in 1934. In that seminal work Swann, referring to chemical elements, made the statement: Starting from any one … Read more
Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: Most Boomers remember the educational technology of the 1960s as one comprised mostly of flash cards. Today, I’m reminded of one such card in particular. On the front side it read “McCarthyism.” On the flip side it read “A brand of vitriolic, fear-mongering.” Future … Read more
Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: In railroading a switch diverts a train from one track to another. In plumbing, a valve can redirect the flow of water between pipes. In early electronics, directing electrons along a certain path was controlled by what North American scientists called a tube, while British … Read more
Full Transcript: At about 10 years of age Cub Scouts enter into a pact summed up by the acronym WEBELOS which unpacked stands for We’ll Be Loyal Scouts. Fourth grade boys work toward a Webelos Badge, while Fifth Graders work toward what’s called an Arrow of Light badge. These older Scouts carry the responsibility of … Read more
Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: Two days before the United States celebrated Independence Day in 2021, a pathetic majority of justices on the Supreme Court published an opinion that exhibits, not only their reckless indifference to the truth, but also their contempt for the Mission Statement, the Value Proposition, … Read more
Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: An ion is any atom that bears a positive or negative electrical charge. Positively charged ions are called cations; negatively charged ions, anions. The imbalance between quantities of electrons and protons gives rise to electron movement both within and between atoms. Electronics is, therefore, … Read more
Full Transcript: A yoke originally referred to a wooden frame. It could be fitted to a person’s shoulders to help them carry a load in two equal portions. It was used to join two animals, such as oxen, to help them work together. It refers to the bar, at the end of a wagon’s tongue, … Read more
Listen to the Audio and/or Subscribe to the Podcast Full Transcript: I recall an episode of The Odd Couple where Felix was in court representing his roomie; much to Oscar’s dismay. As Felix was questioning a witness about his interpretation of events, the witness said: “Well I assumed. . .” Felix cut him off saying … Read more