Topic: Radio Shack

Baxter Tidwell, a programmer who worked on the Podcasting 2.0 namespace, is knighted as Sir Lord Tidwell of the Shire. Another producer, Jim Parker, donated $400 representing the value of two heritage breed pigs named "Crackpot" and "Buzzkill" from his ranch in Alaska. The hosts discuss the "mutual agreement" of pigs going to the abattoir and the quality of heritage meats.

A brief discussion on the history of Radio Shack brands identifies "Realistic" and "Optimus" as the company's former high-end audio labels. The hosts recall the era of Tandy Corporation and the decline of the electronics retailer.

A discussion on Google's content reviewers reveals that employees often overhear private conversations when "smart" microphones stay open too long. This prompts a historical anecdote about the era of analog cell phone scanners, where people could use modified Radio Shack equipment to listen in on their neighbors' private calls, ranging from drug deals to personal affairs.

The hosts critique "KQED Learn," a digital platform for students that they claim removes teachers from the equation in favor of "unbiased" media analysis. This is compared to the decline of Radio Shack, where a former employee describes how the company replaced rigorous technical testing with "dumbed down" computer training, leading to the brand's eventual collapse.

John Dvorak discusses the impending bankruptcy of Radio Shack, noting the company has very little cash remaining. Adam Curry mentions purchasing vintage TRS-80 equipment on eBay as collectibles. The show concludes with a reminder about the upcoming newsletter contest and the Sunday broadcast.

A proposal is made to create a "Personal Giant Voice System" using Raspberry Pi hardware and Radio Shack PA horns. The device would function as an RSS aggregator to play specific audio messages or "No Agenda" clips to local neighborhoods. The project aims to mimic official government notification systems to observe public reactions to unauthorized broadcasts.

Adam Curry describes his new minimalist recording setup featuring a wireless lavalier microphone and a custom-built stand made from a Radio Shack alligator clip and a telescopic antenna. He compares the sound quality of the wireless unit favorably against expensive studio microphones. The hosts discuss the "character" added to voices by different hardware and reference old Bay Area radio DJ Dr. Don Rose.

Dvorak describes the specific "Texas executive" accent he encountered while visiting John Roach, the former CEO of Radio Shack, in Fort Worth. He observes that many high-level Texas businessmen seem to speak through their teeth, a style he characterizes as a form of professional mumbling.

The TRS-80 Model 100 is remembered as a pioneering portable computer favored by journalists in the early 1980s. Featuring a built-in 300 baud modem and running Microsoft BASIC, the device allowed reporters to upload stories from the field. The hosts reminisce about the machine's excellent keyboard, its 16-hour battery life on AA batteries, and its 32K maximum RAM.

The episode concludes with a look back at the rise and fall of Radio Shack in the desktop computing market and the popularity of the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. A humorous anecdote explains why the VIC-20 was renamed the VC-20 in Germany due to linguistic taboos. The hosts sign off from the UK and California, inviting listeners to the next installment of No Agenda.