Richard the Fearless - Norman Centuries

The second episode of Norman Centuries is out - this much expected podcast. Norman Centuries is the next production of Lars Brownworth, who created the legendary series of defining history podcasts: 12 Byzantine Rulers.

12 Byzantine Rulers, it now has come to my attention, did not start in 2005, but rather as early as 2004 as downloadable mp3's and only by 2005 it became technically a podcast, when it was finally syndicated. Syndication of Norman Centuries, of course, is immediate. And in its second episode it pays attention to Richard the Fearless.

This is the story of a grandson of Rollo (who was featured in part 1), that started out as a hostage boy, a thirteen year old king, destined to become the puppet of the new king of France. Yet, in an astonishing turn of diplomatic power, Richard managed to grow into one of the most successful Norman Kings. I leave it to Lars Brownworth to tell you the story - the podcast will take less than 10 minutes to listen to.

NB: The Norman Centuries website also offers reading material to go along with the podcast. For this episode there are files downloadable about Robert the Devil and the issue of a lack of sources about the Normans.

More Norman Centuries:
Norman Centuries - Lars is back!.

Electronics, then and now - Ersatz TV

There is more than the item about electronics in this long awaited 11th issue of Ersatz TV. Annik Rubens kicks off with sirens. The old metal pots on German roofs are no longer worth the maintenance and the question rises: what system will replace it? How can we alert the whole population of war and disaster.

Then there are the pictures of Munich's Oktoberfeste, with emphasis on the Ferris Wheel attraction type contraptions. Among others, one hand driven device built in 1924.

But the high-light is Hartmut Grawe's interview with the Physicist Dr. Ernst Hofmeister about the development of micro-electronics in the 1980's. Very nice.



More Ersatz TV:
The last before Summer break,
Ersatz TV from the Underground,
The way of the plants,
The experts love Ersatz TV,
Deja-vu on Ersatz-TV.