2019 Year Review

So, we come to the end of another calendar year, wow, thank you for all the support and listening to us each week as we look at topics we feel deserve more attention. Now this episode we are doing a year in review and discuss what some of our favourites were, what we felt were some of the highlights and what was just downright funny. So strap in as we look back on a year full of robots, space travel, recycling, and the energetic joy of Katie Bouman, and that is just the start. We also go for a ride looking at the movies and tv series that have made us laugh, cry, scream, and sit in awe throughout the year. We discuss the controversy of crazy violence and insanity in movies such as Rambo – Last Blood. Yep some one has claimed it is… Nope you will need to listen in to know what is happening. Also we look at the year in games and take stock of what has happened. We laugh at some of it, get annoyed at some, and shake our heads in bewilderment at others. We recap what has been some of the most exciting and stand out moments for us this year in terms of topics. We also include some special shout outs, remembrances, birthdays, and events for the end of the year. So as the year draws to a close and the dawn of a new one creeps over the horizon we once more ask you to take care of yourselves, look out for each other, and stay hydrated.

2019 in Science - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_in_science

2019 in Movies, TV & Anime

- https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/biggest-movie-news-2019/

- https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies-2019/

- https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-tv-2019/

2019 in Gaming - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_in_video_gaming

Other topics discussed

Kirigami Robots

- https://www.inverse.com/article/61662-self-folding-kirigami-robots

Boston Dynamics

- https://www.bostondynamics.com/

New Horizons (interplanetary space probe that was launched as a part of NASA's New Frontiers program.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons

SpaceX Dragon (reusable cargo spacecraft developed by SpaceX, an American private space transportation company.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Dragon

Making breathable Oxygen using comets

- https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/comet-inspires-chemistry-making-breathable-oxygen-mars

E-Scooters are not green enough

- https://phys.org/news/2019-08-e-scooters-green-options.html

Textile Recycling

- https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-06-15/textile-recycling-fashion-old-clothes-waste/11197904

Black Hole image makes history

- https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/news/black-hole-image-makes-history

- https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47873592

Katie Bouman: American computer scientist working in the field of computer imagery. She led the development of an algorithm for imaging black holes and was a member of the Event Horizon Telescope team that captured the first image of a black hole

- https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47891902

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Bouman

Nobel prize in Chemistry 2019: Lithium Ion Battery

- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/oct/09/nobel-prize-in-chemistry-awarded-for-work-on-lithium-ion-batteries

Game of Thrones (American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_of_Thrones

Infinity Saga (The Infinity Saga is a saga of films made up of the first twenty three films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, encompassing Phase One, Phase Two and Phase Three. The saga began with Iron Man and concluded with Spider-Man: Far From Home.)

- https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Infinity_Saga

Steven Universe (American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Universe

Mr. Robot (American drama thriller television series created by Sam Esmail for USA Network.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Robot

The Boys (American superhero web television series based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boys_(2019_TV_series)

Watchmen (American superhero drama television series that continues the 1987 DC Comics series Watchmen, created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen_(TV_series)

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (internationally known as Ghostbusters: Legacy) is an upcoming American fantasy comedy film directed by Jason Reitman and written by Reitman and Gil Kenan.

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostbusters:_Afterlife

Charlie’s Angels (2019 American action comedy film written and directed by Elizabeth Banks from a story by Evan Spiliotopoulos and David Auburn.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie%27s_Angels_(2019_film)

Joker (2019 American psychological thriller film directed and produced by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joker_(2019_film)

Rambo: Last Blood (2019 American action film directed by Adrian Grunberg.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo:_Last_Blood

Controversy surrounding Rambo: Last Blood

- https://www.thedailybeast.com/sylvester-stallones-rambo-last-blood-is-a-trumpian-anti-mexican-nightmare

Terry Gilliam and his take on Marvel movies

- https://www.indiewire.com/2019/12/terry-gilliam-marvel-movies-don-quixote-interview-1202197447/

Disney CEO Bob Iger and Martin Scorsese to meet over Marvel comments

- https://www.thewrap.com/bob-iger-martin-scorsese-marvel-meet/

Martin Scorsese: Superhero movies are the same

https://comicbook.com/marvel/2019/11/30/the-irishman-martin-scorsese-seen-enough-marvel-superhero-movies-same-thing-over-and-over/

James Dean now in CGI

- https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/afm-james-dean-reborn-cgi-vietnam-war-action-drama-1252703

Mad Max (1979 Australian dystopian action thriller film directed by George Miller, produced by Byron Kennedy, and starring Mel Gibson as "Mad" Max Rockatansky, Joanne Samuel,Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, and Roger Ward.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Max

Razorback (1984 Australian natural horror film written by Everett De Roche, based on Peter Brennan's novel, and directed by Russell Mulcahy.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razorback_(film)

Star Citizen raised $250 USD millions

- https://www.pcgamer.com/au/star-citizen-has-raised-over-dollar250-million/

Blizzard vs Blitzchung

- https://time.com/5702971/blizzard-esports-hearthstone-hong-kong-protests-backlash-blitzchung/

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_Entertainment#Hearthstone_ban_and_Hong_Kong_protests

EA : Loot boxes are surprise mechanisms

- https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/06/ea-our-loot-boxes-are-actually-surprise-mechanics-that-are-quite-ethical/

Xbox Series X (codenamed Project Scarlett) is an upcoming home video game console developed by Microsoft, scheduled for release in late 2020.

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_Series_X

iPhone X (smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc.)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_X

G2A scandal

- https://www.pcgamer.com/how-does-the-games-industry-get-rid-of-g2a-eliminate-game-keys-altogether/

Epic Games Store

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games_Store

Studio Ghibli Theme Park Is Coming In 2022

- https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgekoutsakis/2018/04/25/studio-ghibli-theme-park-is-coming/#7517eeb620c8

Shoutouts

24 Dec 2019 - Alta Sherral "Allee" Willis passed away, She was famous for her collaboration with Earth, Wind & Fire, for whom she co-wrote hit songs such as "September", "Boogie Wonderland", and "In the Stone". She co-composed singles for other artists that became hits include "Neutron Dance" by the Pointer Sisters, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" by Pet Shop Boys featuring Dusty Springfield, and "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts. "I'll Be There for You" was used as the theme song of the sitcom Friends, and went on to become one of the biggest television theme songs of all time. Willis jokingly referred to this song as "the whitest song I ever wrote”. In 1995 Willis was Emmy-nominated for "I'll Be There for You". She also co-wrote the Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning Broadway musical The Color Purple. As of 2018, a major motion picture based on the musical is in the early stages of development, being produced by Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey,Quincy Jones, and Scott Sanders. She died from cardiac arrest at the age of 72 in Los Angeles, California. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allee_Willis

26 Dec 2019 – Shoutout to the firefighters - https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/25/australias-east-coast-faces-extreme-heat-as-bushfire-threat-looms-again

Remembrances

In memoriam for the people passed away 2019 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2019

Famous Birthdays

26 Dec 1937 - John Horton Conway, English mathematician, known for Conway's Game of Life. He is  active in the theory of finite groups,knot theory,number theory,combinatorial game theory and coding theory. He has also made contributions to many branches of recreational mathematics, most notably the invention of the cellular automaton called the Game of Life. He was born in Liverpool - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Horton_Conway

26 Dec 1959 – Kōji Morimoto, Japanese animator and director. Some of his works include being an animator in the Akira film; shorts in Robot Carnival, Short Peace, and The Animatrix; and key animation in anime such as Kiki's Delivery Service, City Hunter, and Fist of the North Star. He is the co-founder of Studio 4°C. He was born in Wakayama - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dji_Morimoto

26 Dec 1995 - Zach Mills, American actor. Mills has appeared in multiple film and television productions.In 2011, Zach played "Preston" in J.J. Abrams's Super 8 , as well as "Lucas Morganstern" in the Hub miniseries Clue. He was born Lakewood, Ohio - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_Mills

Event of interest

26 Dec 1610 - Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory's crimes and serial murders are uncovered, Count Gyorgy Thurzo makes an investigative visit to Csejthe Castle in Hungary on orders from King Matthias and discovers Countess Elizabeth Bathory directing a torture session of young girls. Bathory was already infamous in the area for her torture and murder of servants and peasants, but her title and high-ranking relatives had, until this point, made her untouchable. Her bloodthirsty activities have led many to cite her as one of the first vampires in history. - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bathorys-torturous-escapades-are-exposed

26 Dec 1846 – The Donner Party is forced to face Cannibalism in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The first corpse had been turned into a meal. It would be three weeks before any of the Donner Party were found — some of the “Forlorn Hope” walking through the snow had managed to find a Miwok tribe. Those at Truckee Lake would have to wait until early February to be found. Levinah Murphy, living in one of the cabins, heard the calls of the rescue team and answered, “Are you men from California, or do you come from heaven?” - https://www.mapsofworld.com/on-this-day/december-26-1846-the-donner-party-is-forced-to-face-cannibalism-in-the-sierra-nevada-mountains/

Intro

Artist – Goblins from Mars

Song Title – Super Mario - Overworld Theme (GFM Trap Remix)

Song Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GNMe6kF0j0&index=4&list=PLHmTsVREU3Ar1AJWkimkl6Pux3R5PB-QJ

Follow us on

Facebook

- Page - https://www.facebook.com/NerdsAmalgamated/

- Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/440485136816406/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/NAmalgamated

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6Nux69rftdBeeEXwD8GXrS

iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/top-shelf-nerds/id1347661094

RSS - http://www.thatsnotcanonproductions.com/topshelfnerdspodcast?format=rss

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nerds_amalgamated/

General Enquiries

Email - Nerds.Amalgamated@gmail.com


NA LOGO alt 2.png