This week, Will and Norm are joined by the Internet’s Bonnie Burton to discuss quadcopter races, classic pinball machines, Ashley Madison, and dinosaur erotica. Enjoy!
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Adam reveals his surprise Christmas present for his wife--a …
1. Pop a beer
2. Open Illustrator and client-brief
3. Notice new podcast
4. Literal Profit
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Only Norm would go to a State Fair just to watch people fly drones..
With the Michael Keaton upside down sleeping thing. As a kid, when I first saw that it was just obvious he sleeps like a Bat, but in a recent rewatch I noticed there’s weights and bench just beside the frame. So now my adult brain has re-calibrated to “she just caught the end of his morning workout”, to maintain suspension of disbelief.
Bonnie! 😀
The pinball with the LCD screen in the playfield is the P3. You can get more info here.
http://www.multimorphic.com/index.php/p3-pinball-platform
I saw and said hi to Jeremy at CAX wish I’d saw Norm. Lots to do there and fun to play. Sadly the Hobbit Pin from Jersey Jack wasn’t there.
http://www.jerseyjackpinball.com/the-hobbit-limited-edition/
They have done a great job of integrating the sound and video elements into a pinball table.
http://www.pinballarcade.com/ PC/XBOX/PS3/Android/IOS Recreation of actual pinball machines.
http://www.pinballfx.com/ Less realistic mechanics features fantasy games including Marvel and Starwars Themed Games.
http://pinballbulbs.com/products/pinballbulbs-mini-virtual-pinball-combo – The Cabinet mentioned that allows you to play both of these virtual pinball machines.
http://virtuapin.net/ is a full size virtual pinball platform. (also have a ‘min’ version)
My oldest piece of technology in use on a daily basis is a circa 1996 Microsoft Natural Keyboard.
What’s Bonnie’s favourite De La Soul song? Me, myself and I?
WinAMP
like tears in the rain….
In case you needed to know the white/black/grey hat thing, the cryptozoologist of DEF CON , Richard Thieme has a great insight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shQR85Xyau0
One of my favourite games is/was Orbitor. It was unique in that it has a contoured playing board, along with rapidly spinning bumpers…here is a picture of the playing board.
Oh, another thing…there are Panda’s elsewhere in North America….in the Toronto Zoo, to be exact.
http://www.torontozoo.com/pandas/
Welcome, Internet’s Bonnie. This was a fantastic podcast.
Thanks, a great podcast. Very funny – I enjoyed the disruptive element. I feel Bonnie and Gary Whitta together on the show would create lots of energy. I hope Bonnie’s back is better soon – I don’t want her toned down at all.
Instacast is sadly discontinued.
http://9to5mac.com/2015/06/14/instacast-shuts-down-vemedio-podcast-app/
Those back swings are actually really good for your back. Finnish doctors recommend them for people with back problems all the time. (And I’m trying my best not to sound like an a***** when I say this, but I’d trust a Finnish healthcare recommendation over an American one any day.)
They’re also very safe to use once adjusted properly for your height. You can control the angle you’re in simply by adjusting the position of your hands. Hanging there for a couple of minutes at a time really helps to loosen cramping back muscles. I’ve been doing it after a workout for a few years now and my back problems have pretty much disappeared.
I’m torn on this episode. On one hand, Bonnie was really fun and energetic and a joy to listen to. But on the other hand, I found it annoying when Will’s reading a news headline and he gets interrupted twice by silly questions before he can finish.
And oldest piece of technology I use regularly is a Moka Pot. The pot itself isn’t old, but the technology is!
Wait, hang on. When Will was about to launch into the “The Empire was actually the good guys” discussion he said “But we’ll save that for the LEGO episode”.
We’re getting a LEGO with Friends with Bonnie?! Woohoo 😀
Back in the day someone broke into my car and stole my iPod video. They successfully broke NOT the most expensive window. Unfortunately, they had attempted unsuccessfully on four other way more expensive windows which also had to be replaced because they were scratched up from the thief throwing a brick against them. I still have the brick which I use as a bookend. Insurance almost totaled the car because the replacement cost of the windows was more than the car was worth.
Confirmed at the end 🙂 I was also like “wait, LEGO, with Bonnie, hells yeahs” at first mention.
The silliest part of Michael Keaton hanging upside down is that he’s flapping his arms like he’s doing the chicken dance
The oldest piece of technology I use is an HP 48G I bought in 1998. I use it every day all day.
Yeah, I got there later, but was too excited not to post while still listening/watching 😛
Will, Hardwick’s burrito comes from an episode where they were talking about enjoying a great burrito, then realizing that the burrito would soon not be there anymore, so they should enjoy it while it lasts.
That grew into the phrase urging everyone to enjoy life while it lasts, don’t waste it or get depressed about the fact that it will end at some point.. Enjoy your burrito now! 🙂
Thanks for answering my audio question! And for the kudos on how clear it was; I was sat on the couch and used Voice Memos on my iPhone. That’s all.
Yes I agree. I don’t want to be too rude, but really I did find her pretty annoying.
, you mentioned that your wife used Pilates to fix her back problem and I wanted to extend the offer of a tour at Balanced Body Pilates in Sacramento. We are the largest manufacturer of Pilates equipment in the world and build everything right here in Sac. We have two huge CNC wood routers and a full woodshop on site. Here is a video we just released showing how we make a Reformer.
http://www.pilates.com/handmade
Later, Chris
Oldest usable tech I uses, off the top of my head its my Zune HD! it just wont die and my podcast update over wifi.
Bonnie is such a trip! I’d love to hear on the show more. Nice to mix it up with a little more silliness once every so often.
Bonnie is wonderful, and this episode was fricken hilarious. Great podcast.
Great episode, but sad to hear potentially no more Octobercasts. 🙁
There’s also two in Memphis, Tennessee, though I’m not sure how much longer they get to stay before they go back to China.
I’ve been listening for over 2 years. I could not finish this podcast.
I couldn’t finish listening to the episode. That was…painful.
Bonnie is fantastic on the podcast. Good job.
Agreed. Will and Bonnie are made for each other. If you took a drink everytime they interrupted someone in mid-sentence or when Bonnie mentions one of her CNET articles, you’ll be dead in 10 minutes
Worst tested podcast ever.
And no we’re not “over” 9/11.
Excellent show. The new blood is appreciated.
This podcast was fantastic! I’d never heard of Bonnie before but now I think I’d like to marry her.
I’d be ok if you didn’t invite her back. This episode was a bit rough due to her lack of give and take. And no we’re not “over” 9/11.
What part of ” NEVER FORGET ” do you dumb asses not understand? Worst podcast guest ever!
I did find most of the quips hilarious. Would listen again.
Really, do try to have more women on, it adds a different perspective.
Bring Bonnie back. She has been closest to my age and she is hysterical!!
I made it to halfway before I preferred engine noise, while on my ultra boring commute. And that was a first.
Internet Bonnie only seems to have a send button ..
Agree. I really enjoyed the podcast and Bonnie was great… but a calmer Bonnie would be nice. Gave me a headache.
I wont say anything mean. But my least favorite guest on the show.
If you do have her back, can you try to stay slightly more on tech
Many thanks, keep up the great show
This has been by far one of my favorite episodes of This is Only a Test ever.
Christ, and I thought Will hated everything…
Kind of stunned at the lack of moral imagination re: the Ashley Madison breach. Maybe most of the people on there are just run-of-the-mill cheating dirtbags, but people could have very good reasons for being on that site. Off the top of my head,
1. One spouse unilaterally ends the sex a couple of years into the marriage, but divorce is undesirable due to kids.
2. One spouse is physically unable to have sex due to illness. The healthy spouse stays in the marriage to provide physical/moral support, but “cheats” to stay sane.
3. The cheater is on the site with the full knowledge and consent of his/her spouse. Not all marriages are monogamous, guys.
So now these people will be outed and face social awkwardness, maybe even a career-ending scandal, along with the “bad” cheaters. How is that “white hat?”
Hey guys.
I know that there’s been talk of the comments getting negative and I really don’t want to add to that. I’ll just state that I, too, couldn’t finish this one. First one I couldn’t make it through, in fact.
I gave up when both Will and Norm had to spend their time justifying the existence of the Smithsonian… I know there’s more to it than that, but that’s really what it came down to for me.
To be fair, I do understand the Kickstarter fatigue. I just feel that there was a certain lack of vision and understanding on her part around the funding of this particular project. I, for one, plan to donate to the cause. Because, Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit? How cool is that! I don’t even need a perk or a gift. It isn’t about that.
I’ll echo that I’m sad to hear “no more Octobercasts.” I know they must be a hassle to do, but they’re a lot of fun to listen to.
Re: pandas, quite a few zoos in North America have them, including Atlanta and San Diego.
Re: the guest, she definitely walked the line between entertaining and irritating, and if I was listening more for info than entertainment, she would have skewed a lot more to the latter. If you have her back, maybe ask her to lay off the caffeine or something. 🙂
Hi guys.
I have to say that this wasn’t one of my favourite podcasts. I’m sure Bonnie is nice and all, but I prefer Jeremy or Gary.
As for the Ashley Madison white hat/black hat thing, there is a conflicting report from what you noted on the podcast. The hackers weren’t charging the $20, it was Ashley Madison. Apparently, they give you the option to “permanently” delete you data/profile or hide it when you quit. Turns out that the “delete” option is the same as hide.
Old tech that I still currently use on a regular basis is my good old Sony Minidisc player.
The hack wasn’t about that, it was about Ashley Madison charging money for something they didn’t do, which was delete your information. So I believe the first bit they released was from someone who payed for deletion, but his info was still there.
They are demanding that those sites shut down. If their entire userbase is in danger, I don’t see how they shouldn’t agree to the demand.
And in the end, who is to decide which cheating is “good”? You can’t sum up morality in an internet comment, and certainly even case by case it’s going to vary person to person. But the entire point of the site is cheating on your spouse, which taken in general can’t be good.
Sorry, guys this was one of the most unlistenable podcasts I’ve ever heard. Bonnie’s frenetic personality and voice don’t work well on a podcast at all. Nothing against her, but I couldn’t stand her on this podcast.
Subbed since episode one.
First one i couldn’t finish.
5 mins in and Bonny is a game changer. I think I even have a new crush, hi Bonny!
Still love for XBMC / Kodi?
I am not done listening to this pod/vod cast but I thought before I loose train of thought you need to see two things.
A: Archie McPhee is one of the best stores in the world IMHO. My family has been getting the catalog since before I was born. They’re main store is up in Seattle, WA. So next time you are up there you NEED to go. Bring your daughter will, she will have a blast inside. They sell everything nerd/geek, bacon, magic shop, masks, goody bag stuff, party ware and then in the back they have fun vintage/apothecary/medical stuff.
Archie McPhee home- http://mcphee.com/shop/
B: People can be upside down for longer then 15 mins. The only reason I know this is because of this story I read over the weekend of an Artist that F’d up and ended upside down for 3.5 hours screaming for help in the Norwegian Forest. – Link NSFW – https://news.artnet.com/in-brief/art-student-nude-tree-performance-317783
Link button wont work for some reason. Prob my computer but here.
Great pocast! Really enjoyed Bonnie. Don’t understand the hate. Sorry, she doesn’t know as much about computers as Will and Norm.
Does anyone know if there is a way not to sign up with Plex to use it in your LAN?
I liked this one, Bring Bonnie back for sure, she’s refreshing! As for the 911 comment, I’m sure it was an innocent off the cuff remark meant to be silly… Much like her sticking the eyes on the side of a plane, impromptu and silly. Next time you are in DC let me take you to the SPY museum and get some steaks.
She was SO annoying! Couldn’t she stop talking for one minute? She kept interrupting interesting talks with unfunny comments!
Can’t stand Bonnie on this. Uninformed, loud, incessant and uninteresting, she adds nothing positive to the show and actively obstructs the delivery of what I come here for.
Not even halfway through and not sure I’ll make it to the end.
Oh, gods, she just talks over everyone the whole time!
*Noted (voice memos) – thanks
Well I did listen to the second half after stopping the first time and it sort of grew on me. Still a bit less interrupting every other word would have been nice.
Oldest tech I use.. a Myford ML-2 build 1952.
Please have her back. I love hearing Norm getting annoyed. Typically it’s just with Will, but this was great.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of Bonnie’s other offerings across the net, but this one didn’t do it for me.
The 9/11 comment hurt a lot. That event literally changed the entire course of my life (enlisted less than 3 months later) and to have it dismissed hurts.
The comments on Kickstarter fatigue have been brought up, but I didn’t see anyone mention some people like to retain more control or input and not involve producers. That’s a big reason to crowd fund.
I don’t think the format of This is Only a Test was the proper place for Bonnie. I’m looking forward to her Lego build, I suspect that will be much more enjoyable.
Yun
Second both of the above, I know it will only be only be one less viewer but I’ll be avoiding all Bonnie content on tested.
She was a steam roller of opinion (so is Gary, but on more topic) I really did not enjoy this at all. Yes it was different, but that doesn’t make it good. However I do think you need more women on the podcast (and not just Veronica again..).
Never heard of this Bonnie person but was pleasantly surprised. Kept me chuckling during an otherwise dull train journey. Really appreciate having female guests, too. I’d love for you guys to get Jeri Ellsworth on This Is Only A Test — though maybe that’s too big a time sink for her these days.
Would love to see a Bonnie + Gary double guest podcast. The energy would be off the charts, and I can only imagine the hilarious discussions they’d devolve into.
I think Bonnie was a fantastic addition to the podcast. I cannot wait till she comes back. The biggest problem most tech podcasts have is a lack of perspective. It was a role Gary was good at, and Bonnie has the additional perspective of not being a dude.
YES! Fun to have her on but so many tangents and interruptions to the discussions. I’m typically fine with tangents, but only as an interesting tie-in to something every so often. Adam, Will, and Norm do this very well. This episode felt like it struggled to get through most segments.
As I was listening to this podcast I passed by the Air and Space, Washington Monument, and several other Smithsonian museums as you guys were talking about them… it was kind of surreal. Speaking of DC…
If you’re coming to DC, here’s a little known fact for you: NASA HQ is just a few blocks south of the Air and Space. You won’t be able to do much besides walk in the front lobby, but there’s a Nobel Peace prize there along with a gift shop. If you’re looking for spacey souvenirs they’ve got quite a few – all cheaper than the Smithsonian and tax free (it’s a government facility, so they can’t charge tax). Plus, you know, NASA.
I’ll chime in with the folks that did not enjoy Bonnie on the podcast. It was like listening to an audio rendering of ADD. I will definitely skip any future podcasts with her – just too jarring to enjoy.
Norm – I think you meant Lillyhammer, not Longmire.
Also, while I don’t have any interest in watching you do anything with Bonnie, I think it’s bad form to do “premium content” teases like what occurred with the Magnum P.I. cards. It’s one thing to have premium content specifically designed for subscribers, but it seems on the other side of the line to have a guest say, “Hey, I’ve got this cool stuff I’d like to show you” and you then say, “Nope, only for Premium Content.” It goes from treating subscribers with additional care to treating non-subscribers like lower class viewers/listeners. My 2 cents.
Torn as well. At first I was going to stop listening, but I have a habit of giving second chances and riding things out to the end. The whole podcast was a net wash.
1. As a current Captain of 737s I can tell you that Bonnie’s flippancy, ignorance and complete lack of respect to people’s reaction to her slapping googly eyes on the fuselage of a commercial airliner were infuriating. For a second let’s agree that the googly eye stickers are not a danger on the ground. Also, let’s say they were what they were and not something more insidious.
If she had applied those without notice and the aircraft took flight, depending on the size of the “eyes” they could have become detached from the fuselage and ingested as FOD (foreign object damage). The cost of the average CFM56 engine is $5M to $7M. Just sayin’. Aircraft has to declare an emergency, return to the field and nobody is happy. Including Bonnie who’s joke cost her and everyone else their connections.
2. There were shiny moments where her addition to the podcast jelled and I was honestly laughing at the chemistry.
I won’t mention all the ups and downs but in the end, her “highs” were cancelled out by her mean girl style dismissiveness to opposing opinions or anything that didn’t fit her world. In Bonnie style…”whatever”.