20151123 - Michio Kaku - Sciencey Stuff - Live Show Chat

[K_Dubb]

Keep in mind, his languages informed by Japanese. Although he's pretty damn good at speaking English these days is original language was not English so he still inform slightly by Japanese inflection I would bet. It's not as easy to read someone whose mother tongue is not English

Good point; I haven't been around too many Japanese to know.  For a scientist he's pretty engaging and willing to speculate, which is what I appreciate most.  Most are so so close-lipped or hedgy where they have no data.  Have to get a few beers in them before they'll give you the good stuff.

[FLLFlash]

Spartacus's gay brother?

I thought the comment was rich enough.

Then I started scrolling and the pic was revealed. Sheesh!

[albrecht]

Have to get a few beers in them before they'll give you the good stuff.

I wonder if he would 'flush' like many Asians do after some booze. Funny thing to see.

[FLLFlash]

You had to wait till I left for the night to say that?

PUSSY!

I had it covered, sweetie!

[K_Dubb]

I wonder if he would 'flush' like many Asians do after some booze. Funny thing to see.

Indeed!  I have seen some spectacular cases, shirt off, dancing on the chair after two beers.  Yet some are strangely immune, and can drink me under the table.  A great genetic mystery.

[Auslandia]

Indeed!  I have seen some spectacular cases, shirt off, dancing on the chair after two beers.  Yet some are strangely immune, and can drink me under the table.  A great genetic mystery.

m

You just need to shout kampai every once in a while and throw up the 2 peace fingers in all your photos. 

[FLLFlash]

Keep in mind, his languages informed by Japanese. Although he's pretty damn good at speaking English these days is original language was not English so he still inform slightly by Japanese inflection I would bet. It's not as easy to read someone whose mother tongue is not English

His original language is English. He's was born in San Jose to Japanese-American parents. His father was fluent in both Japanese and English. Michio went to Harvard and has a Ph.D. from Berkeley. Lack of primary fluency in English is not the issue.

What most of the complainers are picking up on is academic affectation. I was educated by a bunch of high academics and they almost all have it - some more that others. It doesn't really bother me, but it seems many people find it off-putting. In reality we're pretty lucky the guy spends as much time speaking to the public as he does. That his feet don't quite touch the terra firma of reality shouldn't really be a surprise. Such is the case with many physicists and mathematicians. Most of them can't speak to anyone outside their profession, let alone the general public.

On the other hand it could have been NdT. I'll take Kaku any day. (Or maybe some of these folks would prefer Bill Nye the pseudoscience guy.)

[albrecht]

Indeed!  I have seen some spectacular cases, shirt off, dancing on the chair after two beers.  Yet some are strangely immune, and can drink me under the table.  A great genetic mystery.

Koreans, the Irish of the Orient, can drink. Man. It would be fun to see him after a few; flushed, shirt off, shouting about string-theory on top of the table etc.

[K_Dubb]

Koreans, the Irish of the Orient, can drink. Man. It would be fun to see him after a few; flushed, shirt off, shouting about string-theory on top of the table etc.

Ah that would explain it; the gentleman in question was Taiwanese (so northern Chinese originally?), and ex-military, strangely.  I always thought the Koreans and Japanese were genetically indistinct, but I must be wrong.

Hahaha I pray that some of his colleagues have witnessed this as recompense for his academic affectations, as Flash has put it.

[starrmtn001]

She looks exactly like her avatar. 

Thank you for having my back Flash. (Do any of us really look like our avatars)?

ZZZ should have this avatar.

[Ciardelo]

His original language is English. He's was born in San Jose to Japanese-American parents. His father was fluent in both Japanese and English. Michio went to Harvard and has a Ph.D. from Berkeley. Lack of primary fluency in English is not the issue.

What most of the complainers are picking up on is academic affectation. I was educated by a bunch of high academics and they almost all have it - some more that others. It doesn't really bother me, but it seems many people find it off-putting. In reality we're pretty lucky the guy spends as much time speaking to the public as he does. That his feet don't quite touch the terra firma of reality shouldn't really be a surprise. Such is the case with many physicists and mathematicians. Most of them can't speak to anyone outside their profession, let alone the general public.

On the other hand it could have been NdT. I'll take Kaku any day. (Or maybe some of these folks would prefer Bill Nye the pseudoscience guy.)

Nye the climate guy makes Hoaxland look like a frickin genius.

[FLLFlash]

Thank you for having my back Flash. (Do any of us really look like our avatars)?

ZZZ should have this avatar.

Excuse me while I ROTFLMFAO! 

[zeebo]

...For a scientist he's pretty engaging and willing to speculate, which is what I appreciate most. ...

Good point on MK.  I understand how for some an aversion to personality can trump content - e.g. this conflict is exactly what I feel about N.D. Tyson.

However for me I find MK brimming with excitement for the possibilties of science and by extension humanity's growth into the future.  He's articulate and open-minded and interested in the big ideas. 

I'll listen to any Art/Michio show that ever did happen or will happen anytime.  Great show last nite.

[ItsOver]

Thank you for having my back Flash. (Do any of us really look like our avatars)?

ZZZ should have this avatar.

I'm pretty sure Zeebo doesn't look like his avatar.  Squirrels don't wear jackets.  On the other hand MV does resemble his avatars.  He's a person.of many faces.

[FLLFlash]

Nye the climate guy makes Hoaxland look like a frickin genius.

NdT is one of his climate brethren.

It baffles me how people can come here and complain about authentic hard science guests (as boring, uncool, affected, etc.), seemingly longing for the many highly suspect fringe phenomena professors who have preceded. Yet at the same time the climate change hoaxsters get a total bye. They aren't even valid entertainment. They are dangerous propagandists.

Sandwiched between islamo-fascists peddling terrorism and climate change hoaxsters peddling pseudoscience based on fudged data perseverance becomes a very trying course. At least Art provides with an always entertaining and frequently informative alternative to get us through the night.

[Ciardelo]

I'm pretty sure Zeebo doesn't look like his avatar.  Squirrels don't wear jackets.  On the other hand MV does resemble his avatars.  He's a person.of many faces.

OK. Explain bateman please.

[FLLFlash]

I'm pretty sure Zeebo doesn't look like his avatar.  Squirrels don't wear jackets.  On the other hand MV does resemble his avatars.  He's a person.of many faces.

Praise MV and his multifaceted representations.

[starrmtn001]

I'm pretty sure Zeebo doesn't look like his avatar.  Squirrels don't wear jackets.  On the other hand MV does resemble his avatars.  He's a person.of many faces.

Not Zeebo fer cryin' out loud!  ZZZZillionaire made the comment.  Zeebo so rocks!

[ItsOver]

OK. Explain bateman please.

Noory is still asking for that.  It's best left to Goatse.  Pray for Goatse.

[lonevoice]

I'm pretty sure Zeebo doesn't look like his avatar.  Squirrels don't wear jackets.  On the other hand MV does resemble his avatars.  He's a person.of many faces.

On the other hand, this really does look like Ace Frehley

[starrmtn001]

On the other hand, this really does look like Ace Frehley

Hi there Lonevoice!

[lonevoice]

Hi starr!  Catching up on the Michio podcast now and loving every minute of it.

[Auslandia]

 Holy sweet Jesus. In San Francisco? Why the hell does he have an accent ?? Lol  dammit I hate being wrong

[K_Dubb]

Holy sweet Jesus. In San Francisco? Why the hell does he have an accent ?? Lol  dammit I hate being wrong

Well your point still holds.  He sounds like he as an accent to me, and the most likely influence is Japanese.

[zeebo]

I'm pretty sure Zeebo doesn't look like his avatar.  Squirrels don't wear jackets.  ...

Oh I admit it's a bit unorthodox, but I like to think I'm on the leading edge of small mammal fashion.

[Robert]

What most of the complainers are picking up on is academic affectation. I was educated by a bunch of high academics and they almost all have it - some more that others. It doesn't really bother me, but it seems many people find it off-putting. In reality we're pretty lucky the guy spends as much time speaking to the public as he does. That his feet don't quite touch the terra firma of reality shouldn't really be a surprise. Such is the case with many physicists and mathematicians. Most of them can't speak to anyone outside their profession, let alone the general public.

That's why Richard Feynman was so loved.

At least it doesn't seem to be such a problem w biologists, chemists, & engrs.  The ones I've known could go from very technical to just plain people-talk in an instant, no problem.

[FLLFlash]

That's why Richard Feynman was so loved.

At least it doesn't seem to be such a problem w biologists, chemists, & engrs.  The ones I've known could go from very technical to just plain people-talk in an instant, no problem.

I went to an Ivy League school and my degree is B.S.E/Electrical Engineering (really Computer Science which did not exist as a department at the time). However, I was also an honors math student, which put me in many classes with the math majors. I know exactly the divide you mention above. There were a few of us EE/Math types and we could mix with anybody - the pure Math majors were OK, but a little bit more out of it. The physics majors were way out there. I had to take two physics major track courses as an freshman engineering student and I hated them. The professors were OK, the small group teachers were nerd grad students and the really good physics students were total nerds. The department filed away your freshman exam papers - if you later wanted to join as a physics major those papers came back out and were closely reviewed. I hope mine were immediately burned. The math department wasn't like that. There were many fewer math students and the department's impression of you was much more personal.

Now I would rather watch a basketball game. Aren't the Warrior's on soon?

And yes, Feynman was a real mensch in every sense of the word.

[Pele]

Kaku?  Glibness.  Even though he has great expertise, I always get a sense with him that he's speaking with unjustified self-assuredness.

Interesting that you feel that way. I just listened to the show last night and I have always found him to seem earnest and humble, at least when compared to most scientists of his stature. As zeebo pointed out, he is generally optimistic and enthusiastic and I also appreciate that about him.

Good point on MK.  I understand how for some an aversion to personality can trump content - e.g. this conflict is exactly what I feel about N.D. Tyson.

However for me I find MK brimming with excitement for the possibilties of science and by extension humanity's growth into the future.  He's articulate and open-minded and interested in the big ideas. 

I'll listen to any Art/Michio show that ever did happen or will happen anytime.  Great show last nite.

I agree wholeheartedly. I have had the same aversion to Neil deGrasse Tyson's personality. I usually get condescending from him, but his appearance on MITD turned me around a bit on him. He's still arrogant, but I found him to be less patonizing than usual.  I like and agree with his message so I want to like him.

[ZomZom]

Loved this show.  Kaku seemed less fringe than in years past.  One thing that troubled me, though, is that his explanation of the EM drive didn't jive with my understanding.  I thought the drive was propellant-less, but Kaku talked about it using plasma or electrons as propellant, equating it with existing ion drives.  I thought it used microwaves.

[zeebo]

Loved this show.  Kaku seemed less fringe than in years past.  One thing that troubled me, though, is that his explanation of the EM drive didn't jive with my understanding.  I thought the drive was propellant-less, but Kaku talked about it using plasma or electrons as propellant, equating it with existing ion drives.  I thought it used microwaves.

Yes I was a little confused too.  I'm familiar with the ion drives but still don't get what EM is all about.  MK may have overly simplified that one - a pitfall of the science popularizer perhaps.