May 15, 2010

Evil Steve’s search for a vintage motorcycle helmet turns into a funny tale of buying a small collection, while Dr. Dave compares it with his own pen collecting. Dr. Dave marks fifty years of the laser and later gives an especially personal account of the Space Shuttle Atlantis: a friend who worked on its tiles told him the engineering felt like their childhood experiments, only far more expensive. The previous week’s failed drive job receives a complete ending—Dr. Dave accepted the recovery burden, recovered the data and tells listeners that no amount of experience eliminates surprises or the need to keep learning. The show also explores privacy as an individual risk choice, practical security on Facebook, the early rivalry between open Android and controlled iPhone systems, whether internet use adds happiness or isolation, and the emerging risks of computerized cars.

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