James Burke : Connections, Episode 5, "Wheel Of Fortune", 2 of 5 (CC)

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Episode 5 of James Burke's most well-known series "Connections" which explores the surprising and unexpected ways that our modern technological world came into existence. Each episode investigates the background of usually one particular modern invention and how it came into being. These explorations are an attempt to locate the "connections" between various historical figures who seemingly had nothing to do with each other in their own times, however once connected, these same figures combined to produce some of the most profound impacts on our modern day world; in a "1+1=3" type of way.

It is this type of investigation that is the main idea behind the Knowledge Web project; whereby sophisticated software is used to attempt to discover these subtle interconnections automatically. See http://k-web.org.

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[matatan69]

Nowadays when you turn discovery channel on you only find shit programs like Tattoo stuf or megamovers shit, why don't they show more scientific oriented programs ??

[JamesBurkeWeb]

I think because, generally speaking, science doesn't sell toothpaste and the job of the Discovery Channel, being a commercial network, is precisely to sell more toothpaste (note: replace the word "toothpaste" above with any random consumer commodity).

In fact this series itself discusses why it will likely not appear on your TV screen (see episode 9, closing remarks) and would not have in the first place were it not for public financial support (the BBC, and barely any at that).

- JBW

[nextthought]

The best way to subjugate people is to limit what they can learn. What I love about Mr. Burkes program is that it teaches you lateral thinking...Taking two dissimiliar facts and finding the third one. Critical thinking should be manditory in all schools and if student could make a new mini episode of this show; we would certainly gain a bright future.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Yes, that certainly would follow. Now you've got me thinking of making one ;) - not with any dialogue (since I don't have a mic) but I guess I could use captions or something.... that is, if that feature ever gets repaired!

- JBW

[thors45a]

12-14 years ago I met Mr. Burke at LAX and I had literally seconds to talk to him. I told him how much I loved his work and he replied, "Well. get your TV networks to buy more of my shows!" and that's what we have to do. Light a fire under some asses to get their attention that there is a market out there.

[moxie96]

I loved this show when I was 8...

[BugsWisely]

They could have used alcohol instead of water but someone would drain the clock fluid into their bellies and failed to rise.

[Kurtlane]

Does anyone know who were the new-thinkers in the church, and when it took place.

Thanks.

[xSilverPhinxx]

Love just how simple some of these inventionas are...

[jlg4880]

@JamesBurkeWeb

The reason I canceled my cable subscription--two years ago. I had my fill the incessant advertisements, screeching and propaganda and noticed my outlook dramatically improved once the umbilical cord was severed.

Even had a "representative" from the cable company going from door-to-door, trying to lure me back over to the dark side. He seemed confused when I told I didn't have cable. His expression conveyed the notion it wasn't possible to string those words into a sentence.

[TheGoldenageofhiphop]

Love the suit!

[muttamerican]

I love this program. So glad to see it once again.

[adrastea99]

Also, forgot to mention when Arabs translated Greek works they burned the original and their translations were modified to fit with the Koran

[ryoushii]

Rube Goldberg would have been proud of that alarm clock.

And for those of you who don't know who he was, was a cartoonist who did a comic strip in which he designed incredibly complicated machines to perform simple tasks, like buttering bread, or opening a door, called Rube Goldberg Machines. Think The Incredible Machine software games, or the game MouseTrap.

[Tulipso]

The captions say "arguing in Italian" during the debating monks scene. It's actually latin (e.g. one says "magister nostrum").