James Burke : Connections, Episode 1, "The Trigger Effect", 2 of 5 (CC)

[EJ160E]

go to 7:13 for a stupid cunt

[Rickyrab]

This brings back memories for me (I was also stuck on a train due to a great blackout, but it was the one in 2003, and that train got going after an hour or two b/c it was in NJ. I hated it at the time b/c it was a hot day and all I wanted was to get home so I could go swimming.)

[Rickyrab]

Oh, so it had nothing to do with a Quantum Leaper plugging in a thousand watt electric doohicky near Niagara Falls on the bad advice of "Ziggy" the computer. Glad we cleared that up.

[forallpurposesonly]

04:34 "What the hell was going on?!" Like that quote!

[Shoknifeman]

I remember that blackout, I was 41/2 years old and we were so glad we had a gas stove we listened to the (battery powered) radio and had Chef Boyardee pizza (it used to come in a kind of kit, with a really thin crust and powdered cheese from a sprinkle can)

[dianac23]

amazing to think that something as complex as that huge energy network was taken down completely by one tiny relay switching its state. Reminds me of the chaos theory, where a butterfly flaps its wings, and around the other side of the world, a hurricane occurs

[KozmoJ68]

It's crazy to think that the hospitals had no backup generators at the time.

[TheRuggedSoldier]

u kno we liv in a different age. look how warm and friendl those ppl on the subway joined in singing happy birthday. u wont find ppl like dat nowadays

[vyudh]

@TheRuggedSoldier : I am sure there would many people who would be happy to sing happy birthday today. Myself included....

[kiapartsdiva]

the old phones work because theyre mechanical not electronic

[Bullettube]

The old fashioned phone system will work even during a power outage, which is why I still have my old fashioned land line phone at my house. Unless there is a storm that takes down the phone lines as well, the land line phones will always work. Even cell phones are vulnerable, their batteries don't last long and the cell towers depend on the grid for power, so they too would go down. I remember the "Great Blackout", I was showering after wrestling practice, and it was dark and scary!

[benwest10]

marvellous voice, ' the day the universe changed' was my personal favourite series by mr burke, all that my school and parents failed to introduce me to and excite me with was here in digestible amounts and in book form. marvellous and less unnerving than connections.

[Pryderi]

Very nice documentary. Is there any posibility to purchase these episodes in DVD or even AVI format?

[akleit]

I saw "The Day the Universe Changed" when it first aired on PBS in the eighties. It changed my life and began my lifelong love of learning. While it pains me to watch this on youtube without Mr. Burke receiving any revenue he rightfully deserves, I plan on purchasing this and his other series on DVD. I cannot wait for my sons to see this, too. I only hope it has the same impact on them that it did on me.

[ryoushii]

One hour later, and still sitting in the subway waiting for help. The story of humanity in all its glorious idiocy.

This show absolutely impacted my view of technology, its limitations, and the incredible fragility of modern civilization.

[incrediblejessen]

@ryoushii Er... what did you expect them to do? they were underground, in the dark. It's not like they could just walk out.

[aleighlewis]

This is an amazing series. Thanks for posting.

[napalmcoffee]

New Yorkers are an interesting breed ! Adversity seems to strengthen them

[napalmcoffee]

they don't make documentaries like this anymore

[malib0osted]

DAMN THIS IS GOOD SHIT!! FUCK!!!

[DancingSpiderman]

WHY are those "New Yorker" actors speaking with British accidents?!?

The acting must have beeen done in England...?

[rrrripbing]

The telephone system does indeed have a back up power system but it only lasts for a relatively short time. After which the telephone system will cease to work.

[darcyperkins]

is this footage of the actual event or a recreation/documentary?

[fluxdust]

the un shutting down doesn't seem like a disaster to me....

[biggieshot2pac]

5:00 "Flight 911 was in trouble".....irony....

[rfm2ckt]

@biggieshot2pac ironic, but not coincidental.

[fredmontier2006]

if 9/11 nuts see this docudrama they obviously will find the hidden message !

[xkamuelax]

how do telephones still manage to work if the power is all shut off?

=/

[Bendarr2]

The telephone system (back then, I dunno about now) has it's own separate power system so that in the case of a power failure the phones would still work.

[DancingSpiderman]

@Bendarr2 Telephone systems still have a bank of batteries in the local telephone buildings called "central offices" that automatically kick in during power anomalies.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Yes (Bebdarr2) is correct. The communications network is considered more vital than the power network (and consumes much less energy).

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Bendarr2

[TheDudeKicker]

the telephone system used to be powered by very very large, low voltage (6 volts I think) DC batteries that were independent from the power grid. I'm not exactly sure this that is still the case today.

[gstone42]

Telephones get their power via DC batteries at the Central Office switches

[1946dodge]

@xkamuelax Never thought of that. I was working at my co-op job at the time in 1965 and coming home. Like a scene from "The Day the Earth Stood Still".

[TheDudeKicker]

the telephone system used to be powered by very very large, low voltage (6 volts I think) DC batteries that were independent from the power grid. I'm not exactly sure this that is still the case today.

[bone00470]

@xkamuelax its called analog. derp

[ChorltonBrook]

@xkamuelax I know you asked a year ago but ... the phone systems have their own separate generators. 6 volt I think.

[JegHarEnLillePik]

@xkamuelax: i think the telephone network is based on direct current (DC), which is based on batteries. While the rest of the power grid is AC-based. It was that way in europe at the same time, and that is what i base my estimation on.

[richintalent]

@xkamuelax telephone lines are DC current

[person025]

@xkamuelax the "old" telephones work on a different electrical system. The only electronics that needed to be powered in those units could be powered by simply being connected into the telephone network. It's always a good idea to have an old phone in your home. They will always work in a power outage. =)

[0cujo0]

@xkamuelax landline phones operate on a separate 48V electrical system(in the US).

[UppruniTegundanna]

Storytelling in documentaries was so much better 30-40 years ago. This, Cosmos and the Ascent of Man are all milestones.

[oker59]

@UppruniTegundanna

For some reason, people were open to true scientific intellectualism back then; today, the irrationalists apologists have taken over(including . . . drumroll . . . Eric Drexler, Chris Phoenix, Mike Treder, Max Moore, and so on).

Anyways, Jacob Bronowski's "Ascent of Man" is good for the first two episodes; after that Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" is good for Greek science history(episode 7), and the city of Alexandria(episode 1 and 10). After that, you view James Burke's stuff.

[oker59]

@UppruniTegundanna

James Burke does an alright job on the scientific revolution, but, perhaps Carl Sagan's account of Kepler(episode 3 I do believe) does better there; i'd say watch "The Mechanical Universe". Of course, James Burke does some fun stuff of science and technology into the 1800s and even 1900s.

Anyways, to bad nobody has done video of the history of mathematics(someone has; but, I don't think it's all that great). Also, nobody has really done the 20th century physics justice .

[oker59]

Nobody has really done the twentieth century physics justice in video form imo.

[Monkor001]

Ooooooooo....

That power outage happening today sends shivers up my spine. I'd like to think it couldn't happen but our infrastructure hasn't been upgraded nationally as much as could be desired since then.

[mrpossibilities]

Aside from the incalculable importance of the material in this documentary, I'm amazed at how it is put together. Notice at minute 1:13, going to minute 1:14 how James Burke continues the sentence, cut in mid-way, by raising the pitch of his voice so it can go over the sound of the engines in the following cut scene. This was carefully done on purpose to increase the dramatic tone of the documentary. Truly remarkable.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

And literally on a shoe-string budget. See "re-connections"

[mrpossibilities]

Thank you! I will.

[drav1dan]

Shows how fragile & unreliable the so called "civilization" is. We are already seeing a preview of how the world economy is based on myths, hopes, dreams & rumors without anything of substance beneath it.

Human DNA is 94% similar to chimpanzee DNA. So, nothing better can be expected.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Agree with the 1st not with the 2nd ;)

The "economy", or rather the system behind it, is surely akin to counting angels on heads of pins. There's rarely anything behind any of it. Take the current "crisis" for instance: NOTHING HAPPENED!

And yet we're in a state of panic, homes being vacated, banks going bust, everyone is out of work, the "mighty" USA crying out to China to uh, "would ya mind to stop producing stuff?" etc. Even this website; paid-for entirely on hope (stocks). Dividend? Nu uh.

[MacondoGroove]

@JamesBurkeWeb Hello, I know this is an old post, but could you please elaborate on this "nothing happened"? I'd greatly appreciate your insight. Thanks.

[crazywill0921810]

we are actually using this video for our paper in my class. I am a college student by the way :)

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Excellent. I'm glad it's being used in classrooms. Where are you located?

[MrGoofylady]

I first started watching in the mid 90's. My son was young,TLC just started and BAM an adhd kid foung something to set his mind to working. Mr Burke, my son challaged your every show until he entered the talented and gifted program in first grade. His TAG teacher asked me how he knew so much science and you got the credit. You ssir, helped to save atleast one parent from madhouse. Thank- you very much.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

I'm grateful for your thanks, but I am not actually James Burke. Just a lowly fan :)

Mr. Burke has changed so many people's lives (including my own) that I had to put this channel up, at least for my own son, at best for the entire world. I hope my son gets as much out of it as yours has.

- JBW

[samandal007]

All because of one lousy dryer!!

[samandal007]

I meant hairdryer!

[PatrickTheFeerick]

Spoilers!

[ayndxo]

Darn it, the warning came too late! I've been spoilered! ;_;

[progrocker74]

I loved this series and he's the perfect character to make this such a fascinating and entertaining show...

[progrocker74]

the flight of the airplane coming into New York without landing lights or radar was #911....how weird is that?...

[JamesBurkeWeb]

About as weird as it was the last time this program was up ;) - meaning it was all anyone could talk about! That and the fact that the twin towers are to be seen in the same clip... etc etc etc

[Keylimedelight]

well that's the Internet, the stomping grounds of schizoid-personality disorders