GeekNights

Tonight on GeekNights, we review, based solely on a single picture and short description, all of the anime series listed here for winter of 2012-2013 (you can follow along with the image). One normally shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but anime? It's a pretty safe bet in most cases. But before that, Hobbits, Mononoke Hime, Jellies (Nyar), the sad story of WarZ, and the Anime Boston Tipping Guide. We've also launched a new show! GeekNights Presents, starting with a detailed analysis of Shoujou Kakumei Utena. We have about 40 more episodes of this to go, but we won't increase the speed at which we upload/produce them unless you guys spread the word!

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider a topic which should be much more boring than it is: the governance of the Internet, particularly in light of the US's recent refusal to sign a UN treaty related to it. Before that, Rym has further adventures in HVAC, Twitter opens up your tweet history, we lament the "web we lost" and what that really means (hint: an eventual move to a federated replacement for Twitter, or possible to a future G+), we consider the resurgence of an ancient argument about ad blocking (spoiler: if you give me data, I will do with it what I will), and we wonder on the idea that an API could be considered a National Treasure. Also, ConnectiCon 2013 Panel and Workshop submissions are live! And, we launched a new show! GeekNights Presents. And, we're going to MAGFest! And, you should spread the word on our video content if you want us to make more of it!

Tonight on GeekNights, we consider the strange yet common case of very geeky/nerdy people with deep interests who, for whatever reason, seem to have zero connections outside of a tiny, single community related to said interests. They love games, but have never heard of PAX. They love anime, but don't know anyone else who does. They attend one fan convention, and don't know others exist anywhere. They're super into Advance Wars, but didn't know any sequels ever came out. But, before that, in... The Lounge... we consider a tale that hearkens back to The Bamboo, a new subway tunnel(pre-grime), and Google Maps on the iPhone. Also, ConnectiCon 2013 Panel and Workshop submissions are live! And, we launched a new show! GeekNights Presents.

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss the finer points of taking one's turn in another installment of our long running series: How to Not Suck. It turns out there are ten simple things one must do to take one's turn in a timely fashion. Ask rules questions immediatelyPay attention to the gameConsider moves when it's not your turnRecognize when a decision is arbitraryRecognize when a decision is effectively arbitrary due to your own lack of processing abilityDevelop directional heuristicsIf in doubt, maximize the simplest available positional heuristicUse pattern recognition to develop heuristicsLearn mechanical skills (e.g., shuffling cards)Develop a gaming lexiconIn the news, Street Fighter X Mega Man is real, and the Wii-U has ridiculous time-based restrictions in Europe. Also, we'll be presenting at MAGFest, and ConnectiCon panel submissions are coming soon!

Tonight on GeekNights, we talk about network sniffing and programming. But first, rural landlines are dropping calls, but not for the reasons you might expect. iTunes 11 came out, to the usual fanfare and undeserved anger. CDs are old. MagFest is coming (we'll be there presenting)! Our CS:GO server is live. Enforce.

Tonight on GeekNights we are happy to have our good friend and Internet celebrity Conrad Kreyling (@konistehrad) as our guest! You may know him from our PAX Dev panel, or perhaps from Johnny Wander. He's an all around awesome dude who also happens to work at Muse Games (who you may know from the recent hit Guns of Icarus: Online). We talk about how he became an awesome geek and exceptional coder (he's RIT alum: we've known him since he cosplayed as safety barrels cosplaying as Naruto). We hit on Guns of Icarus, MOBAs, video cards, fighting games, Wreck-It Ralph, Looper, James Bond, Tycho's Prostate Rap from PAX East 2011, and Chamisou Original.

Tonight on GeekNights, we review Régis Bonnessée's Seasons. (Spoiler: it has a rondel). It's an OK game, but we find it difficult to recommend to anyone in particular. In other news, the Steam Autumn Sale is in full... steam..., Rym hit up the fancy Fang Gourmet Tea, the Wii-U happened (but we didn't notice), Hotline Miami is good but buggy, Magical Drop V is out (but buggy), and we have an official GeekNights Counter Strike: GO server. We also answer some interesting questions on cheating and "cheapness" from listener Sr.A.

Tonight on GeekNights, thanks to @konistehrad, we have Adam Becker, the Freelance Astrophysicist, as our guest. We talk a lot about science! Along the way, we hit on the differences between a Computational Cosmologist (which Adam is) and other disciplines, consider the true implications of general relativity at the macro scale, ask "where all the lumpy" came from, consider the perfect pencil, question the Standard Model, wonder about "astro" versus "quantum," and finally get into how one gets into a field like this.

Tonight on the GeekNights Book Club, we review Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind. This is the riveting first-person narrative of Kvothe, a young man who grows to be one of the most notorious magicians his world has ever seen. From his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that transports readers into the body and mind of a wizard. All in all, it's OK. Not great, not terrible, enjoyable enough, but not quite as fun as The Lies of Locke Lamora. Do note that we are at times quite harsh on the work, its merits nonwithstanding. Simply put, the book is not bad, or else we would actually have little to say. It is good enough that we must bring to bear our strongest criticisms, for it falls just short of being excellent. We both look forward to the continued growth of the author, and consider this a wonderful young adult fantasy novel. We've discussed this book on two other occasions: relating to arrows and knees, and just as we'd finished it.

Tonight on GeekNights, dateline November 1st, 2012, we bring our our coverage of Burning Con 2012: The TRIADUMVIRATE. Of course, we have more, ranging from hurricanes to hats, Chess (particularly Bobby Fischer's alternate rules) to Hearts. We remember Danish role playing games and sing further praises of Characteristics of Games. In more newsworthy pursuits, we pursue Natural Selection 2 and Guns of Icarus Online (which I hear has boarding). It's a good time for PC gaming, that's for sure!

Tonight on GeekNights, we review the 1985 OAV: Area 88: The Blue Skies of Betrayal (directed by the late Hisayuki Toriumi, also known for Lily C.A.T.). In the news, Rym lost his banana, the awful Tenchi Muyo GXP is airing late at night when nobody will (thankfully) ever see it, and the original Tenchi Muyo movie Tenchi Muyo in Love is actually worth watching.

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss IRC (Internet Relay Chat), from a historical, functional, and cultural perspective (which we've lectured on before). We also consider the uproar around advertisements in Ubuntu (and its ramifications for the state of Desktop Linux, nevermind the idea that the worst computer users need the best hardware) and Twitter takes a nice tack on copyright takedowns. Rym acquired some delicious Applejack, Gchat never truly replaced AIM/ICQ, and a fox with bombs reminds us to celebrate Guy Fawkes day. Most importantly, Ponies are coming.

Tonight on GeekNights, back online from hurricane Sandy, we bring our relatively comfortable hurricane Sandy experience. We would have returned on Tuesday, but Scott is unable to bike in slightly cold weather. In the news, Rym finally gets Scott to talk a little politics as he officially endorses Barack Obama for the US Presidency. You should also check out Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight blog. NBC has some difficulty with the Creative Commons, Scott made a nice time lapse of the hurricane,

Tonight on GeekNights, low on energy and flush with despair, we review the sixth One Piece movie: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (ワンピース the movie オマツリ男爵と秘密の島). It's over 90 minutes of... well, pretty-much every other anime movie based on a franchise but unable to affect the canon of said franchise. But, it was directed by Mamoru Hosoda. In the news, the new My Little Pony comic book is outselling Uncanny X-Men. See you at Burning Con this weekend!

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss the contribution of code or other assets to Open Source projects, focusing on some of the barriers to doing so (e.g., drama, non-code assets, community issues, and so forth). Also, Amazon engages in full DRM-dickitude, and Italy jails scientists for failing to predict an earthquake (echoing North Carolina's ridiculous proposed anti-science legislation).