Episode 993

Traffic Junction
A listener Chris Fredette suggested the wacky gadget of the day, the Japanese Traffic Lights Alarm Clock.  Here's a demo.



New Year's Eve Strangers Parties
On New Year's Eve in Manhattan, people who are going to have large raucous parties put up signs inviting everyone to join the party.  Dick takes the invitation at its face value and often goes to strangers' parties.  Leo thinks it's just a social lubricant and not meant to be taken seriously, like asking people not to bring a present for a birthday party - unlike Bill Gaines and his wedding party when Bill insisted that guests should not bring wedding gifts.

Superior Spork
Chris Fredette has just bought a Spork (Episode 182) for his cousin John Clough, recently returned from service in the Marines from Afghanistan, who thinks the titanium spork is far superior to the spoon servicemen were given along with the ready-to-eat meals in Afghanistan. Chris also says hi to Christina.

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Episode 992

Thrush
In between recording episodes last week, Leo played a number of tunes, including the theme from Man From UNCLE.  Leo asked what THRUSH stood for, and the chatroom said they're just the bad guys.  Sue from Ontario, Canada, who was a fan of Man From UNCLE, would like to clarify that THRUSH stands for the Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity.  Take that!

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Episode 991

Atari School
Dick and Leo play two old farts reminiscing about the Atari 800 and the hoops one had to go through to use it (and Dick had to go to an Atari school).  Dick has covered the Atari Cassette Recorder back in Episode 360 but hasn't done the Atari 800 itself, which is still somewhere in the Gadget Warehouse.

Car Tones
Now that electric and hybrid cars (with quiet engines) are gaining momentum, there is going to be a market for Car Tones, such as EVtones.

When the 12 Days of Christmas Begin
Randal Schwartz, long-time listener of the Daily Giz Wiz, has not written in for a while.  He's been too busy lining up guests for his FLOSS Weekly show.  Either that, or he's been doing too much karaoke.  Pre-occupied as he is, he feels compelled to correct Leo who in Episode 987 said "On Christmas, you get squat," giving the impression that the 12 Days of Christmas end on Christmas Day.  Not so.  They begin on Christmas Day and end at Epiphany on 5 January.

The Epiphany - Frankincense
Kevin Selle of Weather Brains told Dick a story about a nativity play he went to see.  A kid had to step into the role of one of the Three Magi at short notice.  The first Magus said to baby Jesus, "I've brought you gold."  The second Magus said, "I've brought you myrrh."  The third Magus, played by the new kid, said, "Frank sent you this."

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Episode 990

Enesco Motion and Lights Christmas Ornament
Watch Dick demo the warehoused Christmas Ornament, still working after 20 years.  Video from odtv.me.

A Syncking Boat
Gary from Prior Lake, Minnesota is determined to look at a Ford Taurus after Leo talks about the Ford SYNC. Being from Minnesota, he has also considered getting something like that for a boat, but its name is a deterrent.

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Episode 989

WowWee Alive Sleeping Cuties
Video courtesy of odtv.me.

Another Christmas Message from the Giz Wiz
Dick has another holiday greeting for 2009. For previous messages, go to whatthehellisthenameofthatwebsite and bestholidaywishesfromdickdebartolomadsmaddestwriterandthegizwiz.

Greater Moments with Mr Lincoln
In Episode 981, Leo compared the WowWee Alive Elvis to Mr Lincoln at Disneyland, because of the noise of the motors.  Adam from Pittsburg writes to inform Dick and Leo that Mr Lincoln is getting an upgrade, right now, and by the time this episode is aired, will have reopened (on 18 December 2009). Check out Adam’s post Take a Look Inside Mr Lincoln. Here’s a video from Disney’s official blog.

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