Two In The Think Tank - 42 - The 'Shocking' rivalry of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse

Episode Date: August 10, 2016

It's the story of one of the biggest power struggles of all time, who wins- Thomas Edison or George Westinghouse? And why are dogs and an elephant involved? Twitter: @DoGoOnPodInstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: [e-mail] the show and get rewards like bonus episodes:www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPod  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey everybody, Jess and Dave, just jumping in really quickly at the top here to make sure that you are across all the details for our upcoming Christmas show. That's right, we are doing a live show in Melbourne Saturday December the 2nd, 2023, our final podcast of the year, our Christmas special. It's downstairs at Morris House, which usually be called the European beer cafe. On Saturday December the 2nd, 2023 at 4.30pm, come along, come one, come all, and get tickets at dogoonpod.com. Most weight loss programs are short-term fixes, but managing your weight needs a long-term solution,

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That's bombas.com slash lockdown code lockdown. Are you working way too hard for way too little? There's never been a better time to consider a career in IT. You could enjoy a recession-resistant career and a rewarding field with plenty of growth opportunities and often flexible work environments. Go to mycomputercareer.edu and take the free career evaluation. You could start your new career in months, not years.

Take classes online or on campus, and financial aid is available to qualified students, including the GI Bill. Now is the time. Mycomputercareer.edu. Hello and welcome to do go on my name is Dave Wannakke and I am here with just Perkins and Matt Stewart guys how it be it be grand it's big it's a big grand well it's pretty nice good strong start I look straight up always look what I look while I've got your attention day I just wanted to let you know that I feel he asked you how you are. I feel really good I hope you're having a I hope you have an lovely day. I am hanging out with my favorite lads of course I'm having a good day

Thank you. Lads not out. Lads not out with the lads not out Lads out for the boys. Let's all the boys everybody now. Lads out for the boys. Let's out for the boys Let's out for the boys. Let's out for the boys Matt are you mad at me? I tried to clap and I made my headphones go flying. Sorry everybody. I tried a clap. I tried a clap Matt oh yeah, sorry, listen. It's not just about us. It's also about you are the you're the fourth you're the host You're the fourth host out there. You are the guest hosts. What are you talking about? I just wanted to say, I was gonna jump straight into it, but I had to realize that maybe you haven't heard this before. Maybe the first time you've heard my dulcet turns, explain to you that this is a show where we do a report on a topic.

Well, one of us does report on the other two. Have no idea what the other person's gonna talk about. And I get to sit back and chill. Sit back, chuck into autopilot. And learn. And learn, that's live live laugh learn learn lament that's all about it and uh lingueini oh yum yes please yes please you should have said I regret my whole life we regret your whole life too

do ever regret you existing oh why do you say we, are you talking about the world? The world, yep, thought so. It's not gonna make sure you're getting it all in there. Well, now I've been told that. I'm less, less enthused to do the show, but I'll, but I'll solve it. We are the world, we think Dave should kill himself. We are the world, we all say fuck off day. How have you turned on me? Why am I the bad guy? No, no. It's always someone's turn. To be honest, it's usually you. Yeah. You're

turn to step up. Well, I mean for starters, you're an Nazi sympathizer. Oh, no. No, no, no, no. Despite how that is an ongoing joke, putting in a... Oh, so it's a joke because it's true, is that what you mean? Yeah, no, no. Dig it a hole. It's got a thing about this one. Hang on, give me five minutes. I'll come back with my answer. Yeah, like it's true, Nazi.

We'll just proceed with the show, let us know when you're ready. Okay, I'll let you know. I do a report. It is my turn. Did you tell everyone what that means? I'm glad that you're listening. Yes, I did. Great.

I thought you did. I heard you say something about them being the fourth host and I'm like, I'm not gonna listen to this. This mumbo jumbo. Is he talking about? Okay, so is that permission for us to not listen to your mumbo jumbo? Oh no, God, for God's sake, please. I need you.

Just to justify the last six hours of my life researching this crap. Yeah, I did, I have spent more time on this one than I have in a while and I'm still more super happy with it. And you're about to make someone's good day. It's a story. Because you're about to read out someone who has suggested this topic. Yeah, this one always goes. Always going to the hat.

Plucked out of that, I love the hat. I live with the hat, I love with the hat. Oh God, we have to go with that hat. Can you not love with the hat? Please love with a different hat. Yeah, go on, put on a different hat when you go and skip your hand in the hat. Oh no, no my hat. Oh No, no, no. Oh, yes, yes

Creepy anyway, so we normally sell the question. I ask a question say Usually the lead to the topic. Yeah, in his case it is this one's very specific. I'm actually gonna give give away Pretty much give away the topic, but I'm just curious if you've heard of it. So the question is, so the name of the topic as suggested by Great Listener Ian Astolosh at Ian Astolosh 23 on Twitter. Thank you Ian. It feels like I might be mispronouncing that but but jeez, it's a great name, either way. It's actually I.N. I.N. has to rush. Sorry, I.N. I'm pretty happy with that one, I.N.

No, it's good I enjoyed that. So I'm going to give you the topic as it gave it to me and see if you can tell... It's a question in each topic. My question is... Here's a question. The topic is Moscow 1984. Yeah, yeah, sort of. So the topic is the shocking rivalry of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse.

My question to you is, what was the rivalry about? Just, do you guys know? At all for me, a devil-soaking my piece. Oh, pink size. Well, was it, was it, was it, Peein size size question from Jess? Peen. Who had a bigger pink?

I mean, or a smaller peen, maybe back in the, in the, in the, that era. It was all about the small. On some level, yes. I mean, it's a pissing guy, it is. It's all bloody, what a pissing guy. It's all bloody dick. No, I've invented more and my dick's bigger.

Is it about who's invented more or is it about something to the end? The that's the one that Edison's always it's sort of a lot yeah it's kind of a lot of comes off the back of that and the Westinghouse is that the brand Westinghouse is it is yeah yeah what's Edison got named after him fuck all well you'll yeah I mean he does a lot of company in this story and he calls it Edison Electric Company Oh, come back. Okay. I was asking the question. Um, sorry I'm sorry. I'm trying to learn But the live-obs on the right track or it was yeah, so This battle has a more common name and that name is the war of currents

the war of currents yeah a.k.a the Battle of Currents a.k.a the Battle of the Currents a.k.a the War of the Currents I mean it all Currents Battle yeah a.k.a battle in with the Currents and the Boys here we go cool okay that one I just, I like a bit of rivalry. Meet, meet, do you guys have a,

would you ever had a rival? Oh yeah. Oh yeah, oh, who's your rival? She knows what she'd do. No, I don't think I have actually. I'm gonna make it. Have you met me, I'm bloody delightful. Are you?

No. Matt, ever had a rival. No that I'm familiar with. How could, like, how could you rival Matt, you I had a rival? No, that I'm familiar with. How could you rival Matt, you know? Yeah. I'm running my own race. Well, if you guys have never had a rival, I'll step up and say that I have. You have?

That's a better rival. The year was 2002. You were 12 years old. 12 years old. Thank you, Jess, my official biographer. I was in grade six, the final year of the primary school. That was attending. Where I was school captain. Very good. It's Times tables. Times tables come together. What's nine times 19? I'm a specific one to 12. 171. He just see how he stole there. Yeah, very transparent one to 12 though and one times 12

171 god, he's good. He's good. Oh Diffectic I'm terrible at them. So I'm just gonna go with you. Well, there was a competition in my classroom and I was dominating Course you were I was I was winning gold star after gold star Of course you were can you believe this a champ and then is here one of my close friends decided that he too It's gonna step up would memorize So I was he stuck the time sailor to the back door of his toilet every time he went he would memorize He pooped a lot he pooped a lot. He was a big guy. Okay. He was a growing young man He ate a lot of Mexican. Yeah, all right. So this guy, all right.

Leave him alone. He defended him now. Nice, my rental. Yeah, how dare this guy try and learn time's tables. And then one day, he challenged me and one. But I came back and I beat him a few more times. And suddenly there was a rivalry between him and I who was going to be the best at time's tables.

And then primary school finished. We went to high school and never saw him again But I can only assume that he's still on that toilet counting One one twelve is twelve two twelve is 24 three twelve is 36 etc. etc. The poo goes on Poo go on And that boy's name Thomas Edison I don't think I broke I didn't break just last week so I'm pretty happy that I've broken her again.

She look we just might need a minute here just looks like she might. Someone did tweet in. In a moment. Someone tweeted in the words, never edit Jess's love. First mistake, because that minute was edited. I cut it down. Anyway. Not incredible. That, like, in the studio that day, that did feel like.

How was it? I had a nap. How have you actually flipped? How have none of us ever come up with poo go on yet? Poo go I know what episodes 42 episodes I never I like Poo humor Puma Fuck your phone fire. She's so you don't like poo humor. Puma. I don't like Yeah, I'm Pima full of Puma Puma. Puma. I don't like Puma, no. Yeah, I Puma. Call it Puma. I like Puma. Thank you.

Poo go on. I think poo is so funny. It is. It's not at all relevant to the story. There's no poo. No. Sorry. Well, that was my referee. I want to hear about the second greatest raviour in history. The War of Currents. It sounds so trivial now compared to the time-st two types of lighting systems. There was arc lighting which ran on alternating current mainly and incandescent lighting which ran on direct current. So as AC versus DC. Oh my god.

The arc lamp was the first of the two to be used widely and they'd been around for a much of the 1800s but it wasn't until the late 1870s that they were being installed in cities on a larger scale. They needed high voltage power. High voltage rock and roll. Yes. And as such, often required AC power. AC, DC power. So is the AC a bit more powerful? AC is able to, yeah, get a, it's able to be sent over much longer distance. But it, it is bigger.

I'm, I'm sciencey. Cool. Right, so, but the of Don't ask questions. The DCO stream has advantages of people are okay. The disadvantage of our colliding was it was it needed a lot more maintenance. Oh, it made buzzing sounds.

Oh, no. It also started fires every day. And was a fire hazard. Fuck you AC. And it was a fire hazard. Oh, was that genuinely thing? You a bitch. Fuck you AC. It was a fire hazard. Oh was that genuinely thing? You're true, you're right. Look that was a bit of a joke that became too real.

I'm sorry to all the people that burned. Please, Poo go on. It was only, I didn't say everything today. No, no, please. Please, come on mate, you're better than that. Better than Puma, I think so. It was only really suitable for outdoor lighting and was dangerous to work with.

I love a bit about the lighting. Due to the high voltage required. Great, so you said all the advantages and I was like, why would anyone not use that? And now you said that I'm thinking, why would anyone use that? It sounds awful. In 1878, invented Thomas Edison, saw a market for a system that could bring electric lighting

into the customer's home or business. Something that arc lighting systems were unable to do. So Edison set up his Edison illuminating company by 1882 and bases system on a relatively low 110 volt direct current system DC. So Edison's DC. Edison's the DC man. His system, his DC systems would be sold to cities throughout the US and it quickly became the standard with Edison controlling all the tech development and holding all of the key patents.

So he was making a lot of money. He was making it rain. Yeah, it was making it rain. Cash. He's making it rain. Yeah, it was me was making it rain cash and light and light Yeah, and lightning. He's the God of the God. I am Thor The system worked Thomas. Sorry, I always say that wrong The system worked well Appowed the incandescent lamps Which were the main load at the time,

which is also something he had invented. It's what he's most famous for, probably inventing those lights, the light bulbs. And it gave his system gave consistent and efficient performance. His system was able to also incorporate a battery. So when there were problems with the generator, you wouldn't lose power.

So it'd be a nice and consistent. AC had issues with that. Okay, so DC is wiping the floor in my opinion so far. But is there a gap? Is there a gap? Edison also invented a usage meter. The meant consumers were only build for the power they use, which is a cool new thing as well. The main downside of Edison's DC system was that it kept calling your mum a bitch.

Oh, fucking de-serry. But it said it with a very, you know, polite tone. I'm terribly sorry, Tindrum. I just wanted to say, you know, that your mother's being a little bit bitchy anyway, chin chin chin to a roof. Yeah, that's close. That's actually a direct one. On top of that, it also had a really short transmission range, which meant that the generating plants had to be situated in population centers and were only able to supply power to the

houses and businesses less than a mile from the plant. Oh, that's a lot of plants. Yeah. So, and they were more expensive to make it and install. Oh, no, I didn't know what to think. I had to feel. Realising that one of the biggest limitations of DC powers, that it was hard to send across large distances without losing a lot of energy, Edison tasked a young Serbian employee with the job of solving this issue. That young Serb was none other than legendary mathematician and engineer Nicola Tesla. That's it. The story goes that Edison told Tesla that if he could do it, he would pay him 50 grand. What?

If he could solve his problem. That's a lot of cash. A lot of, that's a lot of. 50 grand in the, like, 80-90s. That's, 80-90s. So much money. 50 grand, is that being adjusted? Oh, I know that was what he said at the time.

Wow. That's like telling someone, if you can solve my problem, I'll give you one million, billion, trillion, zillion dollars. I'll take that bet. problem. I'll give you one million billion trillion Zillion dollars. I'll take that bet. Yeah, I'll give it a crack Tesla accepted the challenge was able to come up with ways to improve the service and economy of the system But when he went to Edison for the money supposedly Edison refused replying Tesla you don't understand our American humor

What a Series? understand our American humor. What a... Are you serious? Apparently. I mean, there is some doubt about this story. As apparently Edison was a super taught ass, and it was pretty unlikely that he would have promised such a large summer cash. But Tesla maintained.

Maintained. So this day, he still told him about it. He was 177 or something there. Yeah, so Tesla told Edison that the future He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it.

He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it.

He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it.

He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still talking about it. He's still Making electricity go further is dumb. I want power, I want to power plant on every corner in New York City by the end of this year. Huh? That's what I want. Make it happen, 50 grand, is that? I'll give you every room in your hands. I'll give you every 150 grand. You don't get my humor.

I just think you get humor. People keep asking for Depe's bill at the restaurant. When I order that pizza and ate it, you don't get my humor. That's a good American humor. That's a American humor. I'm and ate it, you don't get my humor. You don't get my American humor. It's American humor. I'm American. You're in America. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, we're all American. Yeah, you don't get it. Yeah, you don't get it though. You don't get it. Maybe you get the humor. You don't know me. Your mom's a bitch. Oh no.

Well, not again. Judah Edison not listening to him or paying him what he believed he was a Tesla quit and went to start his own company the Tesla electric light and manufacturing company with the help of some investors he found down on the street. Hello, would you like to invest in this business? I'll give you 50 grand. I'm not supposed to laugh right away. Yeah, people are going, I'll invest 50 grand. It's like, I get it now.

All right, man. If you didn't want to invest, just say no, thank you. No, I mean, it is a right check right now. Yeah, I mean, it is very good. You're being kind of a dick now. It's offensive. You take this suit case full of money. Good.

All right, man. I'm actually trying to start a business here Okay, you know that I've had enough good day sir. No, no, I'm really trying I said good day Not long after Tesla was forced out of his own company by the money men the investors leaving in broke and He even lost control of the patents he'd created to the company. They were signed over to the company and then he was sort of forced out of the company That's a fucking sad story. That is.

Not long after this Tesla met a couple of dudes, Alfred S. Brown, everyone had a middle initial work then, apart from everyone else I've mentioned so far. I'd be just a Perkins. Just a Perkins. Dave J. Warnocky, Matt J. I think that's what I'm saying. I couldn't be Dave. I'd have to be David J. You can't be. David J. Yeah, I don't think you can shorten part and extend another part. Yeah, what are you doing? You think I'm made of 50 grand?

Good day, sir. Good day you don't get it. The Tesla met Alfred S Brown and Charles F PEC soon after. F PEC. F PEC. These men were experienced in starting up companies and turning inventions and patents into sweet cash. They were impressed by Tesla's previous patents and ideas and they agreed to become his new financial backers. And best friends. And yeah, they became best youth.

Well, that's so cute. Yeah, I mean, that was a subtext. I was reading between the lines, but those guys. Oh, they went out every night. Yeah, they played pool. Yeah, they just, you know, shot the breeze. Did their families all know each other as well? And they went on like family holidays, the all of them?

They actually, the three families bought, had the three-year-old in the country telling Outbacko Hio, where some of Alison's from, or Hio, Outback. It's a place in America. Outback. And they decided to, in their backyards,

they took down parts of the fence and put gates so their kids could run in between the three backyards. Get out. I guess that's one. I mean, I just want to take all the fences down and have one big backyard over again. Yeah, and I hope something's a commune. They're a cult.

Oh, you're right, then they're a cult. Yeah, okay, there's a fine line. Gates, you want some boundaries. The difference between friendship and a cult is a gate. Yeah, absolutely right. Hey, Matt. I live by those words. Please Pugo on.

I will not Pugo on. Pugo on. Hashtag Pugo on. We're not Pugo on. Pugo on. Ah. Hashtag Pugo on. Hashtag Puma. Tag Matt and your Pugo on Tweets, he wants it. He loves it. Don't want it. Pugo on.

No, I'm definitely asking for it, I don't know. I'm going to edit it all out. All your Pugo on. Well, that to me, the whole episode would just be me just going Pugo on, Pugo on, Puma, Pugo on, Pugo on, Puma, Pugo on, Pugo on. So with the new financial backers, the three of them formed the Tesla electric company in 1887.

Interesting that Tesla still gets to be the name. So now there's two Tesla electric companies. So it's strange, right? With a deal that meant the cash generated from patents would get be divided three ways. One third to Tesla, one third to Peck and Brown, and the final third to be funded to go back into development. Oh, so they share it? So Peck and Brown get a sixth. But he's doing all the work. He's coming up with the IG's. Financial

backers. Yeah, they're just kind of like I think that's a good deal for them. And best friends. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The kids are good. I mean, but if you are best friends and one of them's getting paid twice what you are That's great tension in front you twice the work Well like Dave you do more work than Matt and I and I do get Two thirds of the cash that we make which is nothing exactly so two thirds of nothing is Yeah, that's all right, but it's better than one third of the time that we make. Which is nothing. Exactly. So two thirds of nothing is still better than nothing. Yeah, that's all right. But it's better than one third of nothing.

The top tables are good. He's trying to come to four. Two thirds time zero. 171. God, he's so quick. They set up a lab in Manhattan Tesla where they're developing new types of electric motors, generators and other little bonuses.

Later in the year, Tesla developed an induction motor that ran on AC power, which is what it was sort of trying to get Edison onto. This innovative electric motor was patented the following year, and then in 1888, it was arranged for Tesla to demonstrate his alternating current system, his AC system, at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Now that sounds like a party weekend, right? Like you think of any music festival that you would go to. This week, that convention is going to be...

POSTER CHEERS! Central. Can you imagine how bright the lights would be? Probably very. Probably pretty good. So many babes there. So many are the electricity babes. Heart babes.

You guys have got to see some photos of George Westinghouse. That guy, some of the finest facial hair you'll see. Oh. But we haven't met him yet, have we? No. A couple of years earlier, in 1884, engineer and entrepreneur George Westinghouse. Here he is.

Enter the beast. Enter the beast. Enter the electric lighting business when he started to develop his own DC system. Same as Edison. Oh, so Westinghouse is a fish. But after reading about great developments to AC power in Europe, he turned his attention

to make his own alternating current system. Oh, so he's a side-changer. He can't trust this guy. Oh! I've just drawn a little graph, but he's gone from DC to AC. He's got your route. New developments in AC power meant that it could be stepped up to reach long distances. You know, the power could be ramped up, the voltage would be ramped up.

But now it could also be stepped down at the other end. So when it came to, needed to come into the home, it could be stepped down to a useful level. Oh, like a dimmer switch. Yeah, it's basically a big old dimmer switch. Just turn it, turn down the electricity will you? Downloads a dimmer. So that, yeah.

That'd have a guy outside every house house. Yeah that's the difference. It's either have a power plant on every corner or a man at every house. With a switch. With this the Westinghouse Electric Company was formed in 1886. Before the end of the year Westinghouse with the help of his right-hand man, William Stanley Jr. and Oliver B. Schellenberger. Oliver B. A babe. They'd built the first commercial AC power system in the US. That's the United States. Oh, so is this before Tesla?

So I sort of just backtracked a little bit then. So we're back now. Tesla is demonstrating his alternating current system at the Babe convention, including induction motor at the Babe convention with the engineers. And the babes, some of which were in some engineers from the from the Westinghouse electric and manufacturing company were there at that demonstration. They reported back to their boss, Westinghouse, George Westinghouse very good Dave. And that, I love that their name companies after themselves It's very easy to remember it does make it medicine who it is and what was that the

He's charge of the Tesla company. No, no, he had the Edison come great Right got it. They reported back to Westinghouse that Tesla had a viable AC motor and related power system And that was something that Westinghouse was keen to get on to because he's obviously trying to just improve his technology all the time. Keane for Ose. He was Keane. Keane for. More efficient use of AC power.

That's the official hashtag of the week. As well as Pugo on. Matt, speaking of which, can you please poo go on. It's so good. I love it. Poo. Brown and Peck. Because Brown is the color of poo. Hahaha. Tessler's business partner is Brown and Peck. Negotiated a licensing deal with your dressing house for Tessler's induction motor and transformer designs. And you got paid quite a pretty penny for that.

He actually got, he finally got paid. You got paid. But Westinghouse also hired Tessler for a year for the fee of two grand a month to be a consultant. What? Which is a round. The thing about one has had two grand a month. Which, just bloody haven't enjoyed with you.

Which today is about 50 grand a month in today's money. So just like, super sweet cash. I wouldn't even know what to do with that much money. I would. What should I do? money. I would. What would she do? Probably. Pooh. I'd poo and then go to some sort of baby convention.

Lunches on me, ladies. Seriously treat yourself. Treats off. I'll be in the corner. I'm not eating on you. You can eat that sushi. It's good stuff. Healthy.

And also good to eat on the go. He was so far. See when I get rich I start caring about people. At the moment I couldn't give a fuck but if I was rich I'd be a better person than what I'm trying to say. We should make Dave rich. I'd be a must-be a better person. If everyone donated money to me I'd be a better person. You can. If everyone donated money to me, I'd be a better person. You can buy my personal grant. $1.00 a time. How much?

Yeah, how much would you need to throw a noticeable 50 grand a month? OK. Tesla hit the right figure. OK. Well, that's a lot of money. 60 grand a year. Before tax, I'm going to pay my way.

I don't. I don't. Yeah, I don't know if I can quite. Yeah, I don't know. I don't think I can. I will set up a Patreon for you. Yeah, just for Dave. For me. Yeah, when I said for you, that's what I meant. You fucking weed. Yeah, I just wanted to get specifically on tape. When we set up a Patreon, it will all go to me. Yeah, making David a better person, the Patreon. I'm just imagining it can't wait. You can be the Patreon saint of...

I'm the Patreon saint of Patreon. So she's here! That's my motto. But also, good for the guy. Yeah, good for all. The lady has things to do. Don't worry about this. People to see.

Put in a handbag. but not for more than an hour because you'll get sick. I'm actually keeping it in that little container so it doesn't get ricid yet. Nice little handbag. Make sure you're tuts. Pick up a couple of those little fishes for the soy sauce. They're pretty cute.

Ha, ha, ha, ha. This episode is brought to you by Progressive. Most of you aren't just listening right now. You're driving, cleaning, and even exercising. But what if you could be saving money by switching to Progressive? Drivers who save by switching save nearly $750 on average, and auto customers qualify for an average of 7 discounts. Multitask right now.

Quote today at Progressive.com. Progressive casualty and trans company and affiliates, National Average 12 Month savings of $744 by new customer surveyed who saved with progressive between June 2022 and May 2023. Potential savings will vary. Discount is not available in all safe and situations. Are you working way too hard for way too little? There's never been a better time to consider a career in IT.

You could enjoy a recession-resistant career in a rewarding field, with plenty of growth opportunities and often flexible work environments. Go to mycomputercareer.edu and take the free career evaluation. You could start your new career in months, not years. Take classes online or on campus, and financial aid is available to qualified students, including the GI Bill. Now is the time, mycomputercareer.edu. Westing House had forked out money for other patents and even taken some other competing companies out, like bought and bought them out, such as consolidating electric light, water house, electric light company and the United States illuminating company

in order to control all the major incandescent lamp patents not controlled by Edison. See, their problem was that they didn't name their companies after themselves. Yeah, so they called it like the warnakey light company that's to be going. Yeah, they were very broad. But anyway, so he's bought them all out.

Anyone he can. Anyone, so he's just like, you can't get Edison's gear, so he's trying to just get everyone else's. of like he's playing monopoly and buying all of the utilities Yeah, it is kind of spying everything. Well, you've got Parkland and Mayfair. Well, I've got everything else Yeah, so what would you freaking do Edison? See you in jail. Do not pass go all right You did all right. We'll have to pay you for that one but next time don't don't don't

Good record of jail the acquisition of Tesla's AC motor gave Westinghouse a key patent in the building of a completely integrated AC system. But the financial strain of buying up patents and hiring the engineers needed to build it meant that development of Tesla's motor had to be put on hold for a while. I'll see you later, Kat. Yeah, it was running only had to focus on other things, more pressing issues, unfortunately. While Tesla's ideas were put on the back burner, Westinghouse had so much ambition and it was clear that he was making inroads that he had

Edison's attention. Edison immediately recognized this threat to his business. He immediately recognized the testless. The Westing House was moving in around him. So he was like, hang on, he's buying everything. I think you might be a threat. Yeah, that's good. I sent him. I sent that Thomas Edison was a smart man. I'm imagining Edison like standing by his window,

but there's also a fireplace. So he's like standing on a mantle piece. He's leaning on a mantle piece looking at a window And it's dark and he's holding He's holding a glass of brandy and he's talking to his cat And he's like Yes I will have him He grows stronger every day. Last Western house does not know that Edison also grows stronger every day.

And is studying karate. Karate! The final showdown will be soon. Please tell me to have a fight at the end. Did I have a fight? Does Edison know karate? He planets that really weird, I don't know if you... Karate. No, it's Taekwondo. That's a bad idea. You can pronounce that really weird, I don't know if you... That's it.

No, it's Taekwondo. Oh, my apologies. Wessinghouse Electric... That's a bad idea. Wessinghouse Electric had begun installing its own AC generators around the country. Wessinghouse focused on installing his systems in less populated areas, which is places that Edison couldn't Go because it just didn't work. It didn't make sense the economy is scale to have the power plant and every mile Yeah, in those small part it just wouldn't pay for itself

Not in the areas that weren't populated enough whereas Westing House could have one system like To do the whole town. To do a huge area where people were more spread out. Strategically, Westinghouse was also selling power at a loss in some of the bigger cities to try and cut into Edison's existing markets. He was quickly making headway and Edison was becoming increasingly concerned. His sales team was becoming demoralized as they couldn't dream of selling systems to the

more remote areas that Westinghouse could. And on top of that, they were losing ground in the biggest cities because he's had a lot of trouble. He had a lot of trouble. Yeah, exactly. Pretty quickly, Westinghouse had already built up nearly 70 power stations across the country compared to the more established Edison's 120. Oh! So we was catching up to him quite fast. By this day, the battle of the currents was well underway. I get it now. I get it now.

Thomas Edison's DC versus George Westinghouse's AC. The battle to become America's electricity system. Let's get ready to rumble. As I read this story, I read it on a few different sources, but the first time I read through it, I genuinely didn't know who was going to come out on top of the end. Do you know? Don't say, just in case listeners don't, would you know who won AC or DC? I want to say AC, DC. But you don't. I'm trying to read your face and you're not really reacting much. No, I'm not really asking for you to answer. I'm just wondering if you know. I don't know. Do you know Dave? I don't know. I genuinely didn't know, which is probably pretty silly.

I'm science-assailing out of strong suit. I'm only doing this because bloody Ian, I made Ian wanted me to, you know. I'll let Ian do. Come at Ian down. Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm. Both Westinghouse and Edison knew that in the long run, there was only room for one of their systems.

This country is not big enough for the two of us. And so they worked very hard to make their own come out on top while simultaneously undermining the other. Obviously we've sort of heard about how Westinghouse is doing his best. But yeah, I'm just wondering is it as boring for the people now as you know how then as electricity is now, you know, power companies, they make commercials that are like, we make power because we love energy, you know this stuff. And you're like, I don't give a fuck to give it to me cheap and make sure the lights stay

on. Yeah. Like they always have this wonky backstory like we started a small business in Melbourne. And now we've come across, I've never seen it. I don't remember the thing any of those. This energy. It's. It's made of energy.

It always has this. It's like a really wide through field. And there's like light. And they're holding it in their hands. And they're like, and we don't, we don't, we take it from your renewable sources. And it's all very good. It's like, I don't give a fuck where it's from.

Give me dirty coal. I just want, I just want to hold my hot electric shower. Oh, yeah. What's wrong with that Matt? I'm just saying. I was just putting Dave's dance in a words. He was doing a dance. Yeah, it was weird that he was dancing, but it was an interpretive dance. I didn't know there was a dance in the middle. You interpreted me quite well. Electric shower. A little trick blue. Who go on? Becoming increasingly fearful of Western houses, push for power, Edison had a brain wave.

This is a car, hopefully this is where it gets interesting. Because to me, he's, I really enjoy what how he goes about trying to undermine Western-S. Oh, hopefully you will too. Bit of a sneak, is he? He had a brainwave, right? While Western-House systems may have had the ability to reach further, the fact that they

had to have more voltage passing through their wires in his mind must have meant that the systems were more dangerous, right? More voltage, more danger. Right. And his, this is a quote, apparently, if somebody said, just a certain as death, Edison predicted. Westinghouse will kill a customer

within six months after he puts in a system of any size. This is a bully. So he's starting to, he's playing that. I mean, hey. Probably gonna kill people. Hey, sure. Yeah, sure. Hey, I'm not, I mean, it's your decision. If you wanna go with Westinghouse, that's fine.

That's totally fine. I'm a cool dude. I don't mind what you do. Well, I mean, he's gonna kill someone, but you know, that's it. What's that? You hadn't heard, oh, well, I mean, he's totally gonna kill probably everyone.

What's that? You're someone. Oh. I mean he's totally the kill probably everyone. What's that you're someone? Oh? Oh, you know other people Sorry to hear that. Do you have a good black outfit for funerals because you're gonna be going to a lot of it. Do you have life insurance? Anyway, I'll just leave my card here. Bye DC power out I bet it's always on DC power out I bet it's always on a A little while earlier than this Edison had received a letter from a man named Alfred P. Southwick Not a middle initial who was wanting to develop a more humane method of executions and hanging

Hanging was you know the way to do it back then if you wanted to get rid of a crime Legally your hang. I think. Yeah, yeah. Get the body noose around their neck and just, you know, drop them down that whole thing and bang a bang. Nothing easy. Here we go. I'll fear pop. Crack crack. Crack crack. Anyway, Alfred P. Southwick wanted to develop a more humane way than this. And he was struck with that. How about don't execute people, just an idea? I just think there's gotta be a nicer way to kill people. It's interesting, isn't it?

I think it might be more, there's a business opportunity here. Yeah, don't paint yourself as the hero. It's just not really fair to kill them. Yeah, it's not fair to kill them that way yeah but it's fair to kill them this way but I'll profit from pretty much instantly that there's got to be a more human more people someone's got a profit may as well be me I'm the best blog he was so Alfred he was struck with the idea so Alfred was struck with the idea.

So Alfred was struck with an idea after witnessing a drunk man accidentally killing himself by touching an electric generator. What the fuck is this thing on? I mean, we've all had crazy satellite nights, but who's going to the power plant? And also, who's witnessing that and then going, well, there's an idea. And also, we've seen it going for the ambulance. Yeah, it turns like traumatized. He's like, arresting.

Hang on a second. You know, he's witnessing that guy. My pole goes up. No, money, he's got to double his impulse. You know what? That looked a lot nicer than when I saw that guy be hanged last week. I think this is a much nicer way to go drunk at a bar. I'm gonna be rich

So Southwick believed that electricity was the key to a quicker less painful alternative to hang I disagree And in his letter he invited Edison to help on his quest He's quest, he's an else's quest for death Edison was opposed to capital punishment. He thought it should not happen. But, and he wanted it, he, if he had his preference, it would stop. And that would be, if he had his way, there'd be no capital punishment. So he initially declined the offer. But Southwick asked again a

few times. And his persistence paid off. This time he put the word quest in bold. I actually got some like glitter paint. I like that. It's like, let's put a bit of effort in. I'll offer him 50 grand. Classic beans! Got em, funny. So after some persistence from Southwick, it's probably Southwick, is it? My Southwick sounds good. Southwick, I want to stick to Southwick, because in America they pronounce things right. We call the guy Puss in Boots for the entire of Southwick. I think I call the guy Jones in, he's in the blue-legged James.

Whoops! I think you can call this guy Southwick, that's fine. So, after the persistence from Southwick, Edison saw an opportunity, right? Because he sees some opportunity sometimes. And the one people are persistent. And he told Southwick that he thought electricity could play a role. And he thought it, yeah, he's like, yeah, I think you're maybe onto something here. And he's sort of, Edison's sort of like an electricity expert.

He's like, yeah, I think you're right, this could work. But he stressed that when it came to the kind of electrical system that could kill, he said, the most effective of these, he wrote, are known as alternating machines manufactured principally in this country by Mr. George Westinghouse of Pittsburgh. So yeah, I agree. But if you want to kill with electricity, Mr. Westinghouse's stuff hit. Oh, you come. Oh, that's the cremdala cremd.

He's killing people every day. I mean, I wish I shouldn't tell. I wish I could be as good as him, but he's just the best at killing people. Honestly, I've tried. I really have tried, but months is too safe.

Yeah, I'll leave my card here and give us a call. Edison Edison. So he chants his own name with his Edison started to get it. He was already like a bit of a celebrity before this whole war came up he was an inventor yeah and he was on celebrity inventor vrigbrilla he was on shocked in yes dragon's then you mix up the yeah I think one of them is I think they're the same thing the ones called drinks definitely so he's already a celeb so he's already a celeb You've mixed up that yeah, I think they're the same thing but one's cold drink

Definitely so he's already a celeb so he's already a celeb is that because he's invented a lot of stuff Yeah, he was already pretty famous inventor before that. Um, he have you heard of? I mean, I wanted his yeah, it's cool nickname cuz he said it was it was a young Tommy Because he said it was it was a young Tommy Tommy Hey, he was it was it was like a young one-to-kind sort of inventor guy And he he had this nickname the Wizard of Menlo Park. That was very set up all his That's a wheeze That's a whiz. The whiz.

The whiz. The whiz. The whiz. Down nickname. I'm jealous. God, I wish I had that nickname. God, it's a cosmic name. I've never wanted to call it the whiz.

Come in the whiz of men like Park. I'm gonna change my name to whiz. Whiz of Berkins. Whiz of Berkins. Whiz of Gerkens. They'll never know what's me. I said I said it's a lot of podcasts. Pigger one.

So yeah, he was already a kind of a celebrity and bit of a big deal. He'd invented the phonograph, I think, and the one-pulls on. Yeah, it's like the recorded music was invented by him. Yeah, he did a lot of cool things. That's really amazing. He's a pretty clever dude. He's still like, I think he's still sane as a real hero in America. Like he's a pretty big deal over there

Never really here of Westing House. I know we've got washing machines around But But yeah, apparently Westing House is admired as well But from here it's sort of to me it just sounds like Edison is a bit of a weirdo But anyway, I don't want to I don here, to me it just sounds like Edison is a bit of a weirdo. But anyway, I don't want to foul mouth, bad mouth. I don't want a bad mouth, you know what I'm saying? I don't want a bad mouth, but he's awful. He's a bad, bad man.

I mean, you make up your own mind. So he's got this idea now. Yeah, I can show that AC power is a killer. By making them kill people. Edison began to demonstrate the lethal power of AC, electricity for journalists. It was a part of this campaign, sort of like a bit of a scare campaign is killed.

Can I get a volunteer from the audience? At one point, he killed them. He does animals, doesn't he? At one point, he rigged a sheet of tin to AC power before leading a dog onto the tin. As soon as the dog touched the metal, it yelped and fell dead. What the fuck? See, journalist, see, I told you.

Huh? That was Westing, Westing house did that. Westing house did that. But why is it so strange isn't it that it's so much worse because it's a dog? Yeah, if it was like, if it was say a poor person... Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Soon after the demonstration, Edison told a reporter that electricity will kill a man in a 10,000th part of a second, stressing that the current should come from an alternating machine. Also, that could never kill, but also an ending kind of...

Hey, I've tried, I've tried to make DC kill and I just can't do it. It makes my hair a bit frizzy at worst, don't say it. Too safe, I'm sorry, too safe, I tried. I'm sorry, It's too safe. I tried. I'm sorry, it's so safe. I mean, you can talk to my old buddy, you're asking us. We want to kill everyone, but for me, I can't do it. I've got six dogs and he's got none.

I'm trying. I've tried to kill my dogs. I'm just, I can't. They, they, they, anything, it's gonna add years of their life. I'm a really old dog. They're really, they're like 40. My dogs are 40. Six of them. It's fucked. It's fucked.

Anyway, also any current bad. Here's my card. Slides are all over. Sliding cards. It's my card. Slides all over. Sliding cards. He's got cards. Did he invent business cards? Yes, business cards are one of his. Wessing else wasn't that.

He wasn't super cool with what Edison was doing. So he wrote a letter. He wrote a letter. He's pretty much saying, wait a minute, isn't this it? And Thomas Edison's studies card. And all the cards are just sent to us. No. I just took a sheet on the letter. I'll let my poo do this one. I will poo go on. And what Westinghouse invited Edison to come out to Pittsburgh to have a look at his factory show and what he does

Oh, he shuddle over that factory See you later George Goes to shake his hand it's covered in poo Edison while he just said he was too busy. He just wrote a picture. Oh, he didn't go. That's probably about a real shit. Too busy killing dogs with your power.

That's a busy, man. There's probably a better option than shitting in a factory. I get staged from this. That's it. The letter didn't dissuade Edison. Didn't dissuade him? And he continued his public experiments at varying levels of voltage with multiple stray dogs.

Supposedly they were purchased cheaply from neighborhood bullies. About 50 cents a pop, does that make 25 cents? Okay, you're doing that dog over there? You might have found it, that makes 25 cents. Okay, you doing it in the middle? That dog over there? You mind if I just grab that dog? Here you go. Give you a quarter. That's awful.

Edison's experiments were setting out to prove that alternating current was beyond all doubt more fatal than continuous current, which is gonna to be DC. In a later demonstration for a committee who were investigating the use of electricity in executions, so that whole thing was Southwick was picking up some steam and in New York City they were looking to maybe experiment with it, so they had an experiment there where Edison- wide electrodes to some calves and a horse. And it said she's kind of fucked it though the animals did not die quickly the committee

was impressed. Oh my god. it's so awful. And the New York State, they can't hang a horse. They're next to thick. I've tried. Believe me, I've tried. They do it in the same dark and everything that the horse is feet to sit the ground, the horse is there going. The land's up going.

This is weird, mind them. Like you startled him a bit. Yeah, I was robbed him. Yeah, why'd you drop me? What's that for? Why's this thing around my neck? It's a funny looking ring. Fitting this hole. This is uncomfortable at best.

And at worst, a real bloody pain in my ass. Let me out of here. I'm gonna mating this afternoon for some reason. I'm gonna call it my horse. I'm gonna call it my horse. I've got some horse training. I guess that's the thing that happens. So the committee, after that demonstration,

we're keen to purchase three Westinghouse AC Dynamos. From Thomas Edison. Westing? It's so bizarre. No, no, this wasn't, this was through Southwick. This wasn't through Edison. All right, so I thought Thomas Edison. Westing. It's so bizarre. No, no, it wasn't. So this wasn't, this was through Southwick. This wasn't through Edison. Oh, right. So I thought Thomas Edison was like, look at this other guy's machine.

What it does. I'll sell it. He said, I mean, through that whole thing, they're like, it's got to be the Westing Islands because they, they're the best killers. Westing House refused to sell them knowing the purpose. Because it's bad, it would be bad PR. That's pretty bad PR. He'd been in PR's. Good PR would be bad PR. That's pretty bad PR. Yeah, but any PR's good PR. Unfortunately, though, he his refusal wasn't enough to stop

them as dude called Harold Brown. He was commissioned to build the electric chair was able to find a few, a few Westinghouse Donamos. Just lying about that. Just lying about, just found him. Boy. I think, and it was sort of like Edison was like, discreetly paying this guy as well. Hey, look what's over here under this sheet. What? Donut Mike, what are you doing?

I'm just taking $50,000. Bye. Add a seven to the other one. I found a chair. Do you want that? I don't help. Anyway, that? No, it'll help. Anyway, this is a next... So, it's all happening.

The New York's down for it. The first man to be put to death by what they were now calling electrocution. Oh! Which is, you know, execution and electricity. A portmanteau. A portmanteau, yes. So, the first man to be put to death Tricity. Portman Toe. Portman Toe, yes.

So the first man to be put to death with electrocution was murderer William Kamla. What'd he do? At the time, Edison. He killed some people. At the time, Edison. Did he kill any dogs? killed some people. At the time, at the time, I've kind of feel like killing dogs is the first step before you know, that's like a beginning of a bit of a Thomas Edison was the show on some signs. Bigger serial killer of all time. Kids start with ants and then dogs

and then other people. This was just another HH homes, like Ulter Ego. Yeah. So at the time, Edison said that killing criminals with electricity is a good idea. It will be so quick that the criminal can't suffer much. So driving his messages home, Edison told the press that the criminals would be Westing House.

Oh, try to call it. Oh, they'll be Westing House. Oh, boy. Trying to coin it. Oh, they'll be Westing House. He's just laying it on the sofa. Wow. It's like so over the top, isn't it? He's just at any stage just keeps dropping. He just feels like he's got like a cane and he's like winking all the time.

He's just, he's trash talking. He's like Muhammad Ali all over again. Yeah. And that, they won't be Edison, because that just means having a great home full of safe electricity, Westinghouse, I mean, death for everyone. Death for everyone, especially the criminals.

Wow. It was a really clever propaganda campaign and was gaining some traction in the public because they became increasingly concerned with the dangers of AC electricity. Westinghouse was pissed. No, really? Yeah, he was he was P.O. Was he taking it personally? Yeah, he was He's on name the campaign was already costing him cash and it was set to cost him millions

His strategy his strategy at that stage was to pour money into Kamla's appeal the criminals appeal You try to get the murder off. He will hit you. Wow. So, Kamala's appeal in the Supreme Court was arguing that death in the electric chair amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. So Kamala was trying to get out of that particular kind of death, which I guess also just, you know, there would have been a legal strategy to just prolong his life. The appeal was unsuccessful, and on August the 6th, 1890, Camila was set to make history

as the first man executed by electric chair by alternating current, of course. When the electricity hit him, Kamla's fist clenched so tight that blood started trickling, and the people there were witnesses there, like it was a bit of an audience. And they could see the blood trickling out from his hands. His face contorted, and after 17 seconds they turned the machine off. Arthur Southwick, who was there,

you know, the dude who kind of counted it all, he was there and oh no. Proudly told, oh I thought he said he didn't put him off. No, no, he after after it was done, he stood up in front of the crowd. It's in front of the audience. See you next week folks. And he proudly told everyone in attendance that this is the culmination of 10 years work and study. We live in a higher civilization today. Oh my god. As Southwick spoke, behind him, Kemla started shrieking for air.

Oh no! So he wasn't dead. 17 seconds. No, it'll he wasn't dead. 17 seconds. No, it'll kill him so far. He'll be in no way. Wasn't supposed to be one 10,000 of a second. Yeah. It's 17 seconds, they turned it off and he's still alive. There was a scramble to power up the chair again, but it needed time to warm up.

Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Kemlo weighs them gas before the horrified witnesses as the electricity again began to call through his body. So that's a pretty full on. What does Southwick... Southwick was like, anyway, I was trying to make a speech.

Yeah, so you can sort of say he's like, he starts wheezing like this, and he went back to his seat. I practiced that in front of the mirror. My wife said it was a great speech. Okay, I was, fuck man. It looked so hard on that. And you ruined my moment. I was saying how we live in a highest society.

And he stands up for a second time. I was saying we live in a higher society. Oh no. Did it kill him the second time? I was saying, we live in a higher society. Oh no. Ooh. Did it kill him the second time? It did. They really made sure of it the second time.

They cooked him. We'll have to wait a couple of minutes. Some of the witnesses vomited, some passed out. Oh, would I? Honestly, I think I would vomit. I'll be dumb. The back of his coat caught fire for a little while. Cammlers.

And it took minutes until he finally went rigid. Is this two grays, but imagine the smell. Oh yeah, it would be. It would be. Perentous. Yeah, I throw up, big time. Unless you were a big, like, meat eater, then maybe it would, maybe it's, but it smells like a roast.

No, it smells like burnt flesh. It's not like, I don't think it's like animal. I don't know, I guess it's not. Where are animals, don't we? I don't know, yeah, I wonder. I wonder if it's that different, but just knowing what it is, I guess. Yeah. Because I reckon if you didn't know, yeah, that's not I wonder I wonder if it's that different but just knowing what it is I guess because I reckon if you didn't know there's probably someone coming down the hall going what's going on in here I open the door like

The thing concerning the vomit I hate vomit Put me off the ropes. But I couldn't smell that much. I guess there's a different kind of cooking. But my question is, that is so horrifying, but would you rather watch that? No, no, no, someone who's been hanged and their neck doesn't break and they've struggled for 12 minutes.

Yeah, both are horrible. One for them. I couldn't watch either. You've been hanged and the neck doesn't break and they've got you struggling for 12 minutes. Yeah, both are horrible. One for them. Couldn't watch either. I mean if I had a choice, it probably wouldn't watch either. But I mean I don't have a choice. So I'm going to watch them both. Bloody hell.

What kind of... What a high civilization is this. So the current... When the current stopped, he was pronounced dead by the doctor on the scene. Edward Spitzker, which is a sick name. She's been having, well, the olden days names are great. So great.

And at the time the doctor there predicted there will never be another electrocution. Oh. Westing house, he was quite wrong. Westing house commentate, he commented the event and coming up now We have criminal number two. He's 180 pounds three murders two attentive matters The power will not kill him you might give it a go, but I mean I see his father. He is fine Westinghouse commented later. it has been a brutal affair.

They could have done better with an axe. Oh! Alright, third one, which you are the one, someone get the head chopped up with an axe. But it doesn't chop and they're just like- Yeah, it takes about four or five goes. And like a headless chook, they just sort of run around for a bit. I don't think that's how it works. No, I think it is.

No, no, no. Matt was dancing. No, he was running works. Nah, I think it is. Matt was dancing. No, he was running without a head. I got it. Edison was dancing. Sorry. Edison was confident that future executions by AC Power would go more smoothly. And to further demonstrate how lethal AC Power was, he held a big event in Tony Island, New York.

What better way? A bunch of creeps. Power was he held a big event in Tony Island, New York Where he planned to murder an elephant named Topsy in front of a large crowd what the actual fuck What did Topsy do what the fuck what did Topsy do well? She was seen to be crushed seven people she was seen to be too dangerous to be around people, which made her job as a circus performer pretty hard. Because she's a fucking wild animal that you're making too trick. Because she weighs four tons. She's just trying to give you a cuddle and she accidentally sits on you. She'd killed three men in racing years, so that was why.

So, but she's not a murderer? They tried to hang her. One of them... It just didn't work. By her own trunk. Oh, wow. One of the people, one of the men she'd killed was... You can't say murdered, because she didn't do it maliciously. What, what, so one of the...

You should have seen the look in her eye. She was, she's a killer. She knew what she was doing. Yeah. One of the, tell me everything, this this is fair, if this is true. Apparently one of the people she killed was a trainer of hers who tried to feed her a lit cigarette. Okay, well, well, first of all, terrible trainer.

Yeah, terrible trainer. She's not doing what I say. I don't know what we'll get her going. Fire in a mouth. One for you. So I love the, so she was like. She put the size of a cigarette. You put that on my size of an elephant because they're very intelligent animals I just say ow dead now yeah you die now

Ellie, what are you squishing? why would you have food? would we have if you seen the size of me I'm gonna have to kill you now I think that that self defense self defense in my opinion yeah justifiable homicide yeah I'm on have to kill you now. I think that that self defense self defense in my opinion justifiable homicide. Yeah, I'm on top see said Edison fitted top see with Go to that. Oh, but it was the we got all the way So we what are you guys doing on the weekend? Oh, I'm gonna go watch an elephant get better. Oh my god

We should all go together. She's gonna get fairy flasks. She killed my uncle chainsmaker He also hit his wife a lot, so oh my god, she got it right So I'm in topsy's corner Edison fitted topsy with copper wire copper wire sandals Edison fitted topsy with copper wire sandals. Oh no! Oh no! And in front of a crowd of thousands of people, thousands of people.

No, thousands. He pumped an AC current of 6,000 volts through her until she fell down dead. Took a little while. Well, I mean, it's like, yeah, I think you can kill an elephant if you use way more volts than what would be going into a home with AC power, but anyway So yeah, he lost it in my mind Edison. It isn't crazy. He just killed an elephant. Yeah, why? Why?

That's so crazy and all those people that turned up to watch it are fucking monsters absolute animals You know topsy was too good for this world. Yeah. She deserved better. And I hope she's got better in elephant heaven. Plating up there in elephant heaven, which is... It's one of the best time. No cigarettes up there.

What goes on in elephant heaven? Peanuts everywhere. Yeah. Peanuts. Peanuts everywhere. Peanuts everywhere. Oh, big ones. Huge.

Elephant ones. Huge peanuts everywhere. She, big ones. Huge. I love her ones. Huge, penis everywhere. She just goes bad. It doesn't have to do any circus tricks. She doesn't want it. She wants to do them. Go for it. Have a great time.

If you don't want it, that's totally cool, babe. Just read a book. You want to go to the beach, go to the beach. That's cool. We got beaches. Hey, you want to murder someone? That's also cool. Yeah, we got all sack of trainers over there.

You probably don't need to because you have to do it. You still have what you need to do. You're respected here. And we love you by the years. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, you've got a really big back. It looks so fun. I shouldn't have grabbed you by the years. Oh, I love elephants.

And enough. Too big of a spread. Is that? Is that so cute? Can you picture a little baby wanna count an elephant? I just love the tone of like, I'm gonna run, but they don't like that. That's so sweet. He'll make him but. But I don't like it.

You know, you're no better than the trainer than are you? Yeah. I'm sure he didn't think Topsy was going to enjoy that cigarette. Anyway, who go on? So you know our man Harold Brown, Harold P. Brown, he could get man Harold P. Brown, he made the electric chair. He'd also been running a bit of a scare campaign against H.C. Power. Is he a dentist? Yeah, he's a dentist.

How do you know that? Question coming off in this week's quiz? On the quiz you work for? Yeah, that's right. All about the future. That is amazing. That is amazing. That is so weird. Honestly, had nobody doing this topic.

Actually, I think I had... Yeah, that kind of rings a bell, the electric chair was invented by dentists. So, every week we have a true or false question, this week it's true or false, the electric chair was invented by dentists. Wow, well this will be... True.

It's true. Amazing, yeah, that's so funny, yeah, that's true. So he's and he's doing a scare But he's also been he's also been Running the scare campaign against AC power so he was sort of in on that he obviously got a lot of traction with that as well But all along he he'd been being sick as I was saying before secretly being paid by Edison So he's out in public and he swore that he wasn't being paid by Edison Multiple times. So no, no, no, this is just an engineer a madentist a my weird guy who likes to watch just people die in He get electrocuted himself. No, I may be probably I was just hoping that I would like the like of the

Segway inventor the people who died from their own inventions like this this um One there's this ancient so awful Like um, it's just where they used to kill people is called a brazen bull That's like a giant copper or metal ball. That's hollow on the inside and that you lock someone in that Oh, yeah, and he's set a fire underneath it and then they get... Have we turned to that? No, I don't think we have. But the guy that invented it, he showed it to...

Oh, I think it's Greek, I think, but I don't know. Showed it to the Emperor and said, check this out. And the whole idea was that the mouth was shaped in a way that the screams from someone inside would make it sound like the ball was making noise. That's disgusting. So fucked up. And the Emperor was so horrified at that the screams from someone inside would make it sound like the bull was making noise So fucked up and the Emperor was so like horrified at that that he's like, okay, and he shows how it works And he locked the guy that invented it in there and boiled him alive. That's awful. Yeah, it was like, oh fuck He was like you're really fucked up for inventing that. So I'm gonna see how it works. Yeah, get him in

Yeah, so killed by his own thing. Let's see how it works. Get him in. Yeah. So I killed by his own thing. That's messed up. So I was just really hoping that I haven't done this guy because he's, if he's swearing that he didn't get paid in the years. Oh. Yeah, just, yeah. Low dog. Oh, you sick dog.

You sick dog. It deserves to be electrocuted, you dog. No, you don't. Not, wait, it's very confusing how we use dog, isn't it? Yeah, it is now. Yeah, you're better than a, no worse than a dog. You low. So for a few years, he'd been denying that

and being quite a prominent anti-AC campaigner. But then on August 25th, 1889, the New York Sun Runner story had lined for shame, brown, disgraceful facts about the electric killing scheme Queer work for a state's expert paid by one electric company to injure another so it was all exposed Which dealt dealt a pretty big blow to the his whole campaign obviously it killed off his Yeah, his What's the word credibility credibility? I was gonna say believableness but credibility is even better either all

That's good No wrong answers here and the story was based on 45 letters that was stolen from his office Bilt out his collusion. He does get writing down. Dear Thomas Edison. Yes, I'm doing your dodgy work. I can't believe these stupid fucks think that I'm not working for you. How fucking dumb are people? I hope no one ever reads this.

Love. Brown. And they're all framed up on his wall. We're like special lighting. Don't look up here. Please. So I'm just a little pluck on it. And whatever you do, don't read these. Very incriminating. He addresses one to the New York Times and gives it to his secretary. Please never send this. In tomorrow's mail. I'm putting a stamp on it.

Just. But don't use it. Just make sure we never end it. I mean, I had this spare stamp and I had to put it somewhere. I've got to put it somewhere. I'll store it on this letter. I'd already licked it. And it's like, I can't put it back in the packaging. That's the first question. I just put it on the slot.

I'm packed. I'm packed. I'll boil it off and use it again later. But for now, we'll just put that in tomorrow's outgoing mail. But don't send it. Thanks, Pam. I'm going to put it in the middle outgoing mail. But don't send it, thanks Pam. I'm gonna put it in the middle of the pile and you didn't actually see which one it was.

You know I'm not sure. We're gonna put them all behind my back, shuffle them up and put them back. I'm gonna store this one in the post box down the road. Oh no, that was a good idea. What if I don't? Oh no, anyways, it was a bright spark. Bruns spark. Bruns spark.

Bruns spark. People. By this stage, Edison was also becoming marginalizing his own company. He'd lost majority control. Yeah, because he's a fucking lunatic. What? Well, they'd like, you probably shouldn't

kill that elephant dude. And shit. And he, but people were also saying, maybe AC, it's where to go. And there was an merger with this company, so it'd become Edison General Electric. On April 15, 1892, a deal was made, which put the management of another company, the Merge Company, Thomas and Houston in control of the new merge company, which has now dropped Edison's name altogether

and is now called General Electric, which is obviously still a huge company. That's cool. Thomas Edison was not aware of the deal until the day before it happened. Low. That's brutal. Oh hey, Thomas. We are. We are. We are. Low. It's brutal. Oh, hey, Ty. Oh, hi. We accidentally sent him a letter.

We're going to have. Just by the way, you remember Kelly and Steve, we're having lunch with them at the golf club on Sunday, 12 o'clock, where you best shit. Also, I have re-skid with that meeting for next week because I know you said you needed to get to that optometrist appointment. Also, the business is no longer yours and... Yeah, don't come around here no more. Okay. Okay, bye. Have a good weekend. See ya. Monday's burrito day. Not for you obviously. Yeah, both everyone else. Just in case you were wondering, whatever I was excited.

No, the reed over you. What's a burrito? Well, you know. Ask me in a hundred years. Maybe you should never have killed an elephant. Yeah, we've really turned on him. I bet there's people that killed the elephant no You're wrong. I based a lot of this on an article. I read on the Smithsonian website Well, that's actually anything more trustworthy than that come on. No, let's get real about this and also Wikipedia

Okay, well now that we've said that let's move on all right all right you guys ready and history.com Anyway, you don't need it. Slash elephant facts. Slash elephants fucked. No elephants. That just sounds like elephant porn. Yeah, no, I was meant to be like, fucked up in dead. Alright, let's just move past. We're almost at the end here. Despite all of Edison's best efforts, and despite his attempts to persuade the general electric board otherwise, the superiority of the AC power was too much for Edison and his DC system to overcome.

In 1893, Westinghouse won the contract to light the Chicago world's fair. Apparently he'd under under underprice that so he didn't really make any money out of it, but it really pretty wanted to be on the stage and put them on the big stage and it basically sealed the fate of almost a lot of people. Some people said that was what ended the battle. So I said that came a little bit later. That's the world fair that introduced the Ferris wheel. Yes, it's also what

Disney's dad worked there as a carpenter or something I think. She's interesting, where apparently yeah, he got some of his ideas for Dindy Land. Oh, cool. And the world fair, you know, brought a lot of positive publicity to AC power and basically led to it becoming the industry standard. I did read it in one place that I think it was on that Smithsonian article that Edison apparently later admitted he regretted not taking Tesla's advice and sort of changing his company's direction back in the D.

Oh, of course you would regret that. Feels like you should, but I mean, I regret not being Westing House. But you know when you're so focused on something you really believe it, I reckon a lot of people and you hear this a lot, like old politicians, they're not going, yeah, no, they're right, they're going, like Tony, like in Australia, the most recent Prime Minister who was disposed, he's still saying, like, you know, my budget was everyone, like no one on any side of politics things, it was a good budget and he's still saying,

you know, it was a tough budget, but it was the right budget. People never, even with time, they don't go, yeah, I should have, I've learned my lessons. But at any point, did you reckon you weren't now probably shouldn't have killed the elephant though? Yeah. All those dogs should have taken some pet dogs off some nice young children and killed them.

I don't know, I reckon a hundred years, it was just like animals were just nothing. No. I reckon, I mean, that's why they were in circles and stuff. That's why thousands of people wanted to rock up. They just couldn't give a fuck about it. It's just scum. I mean, it's just old school entertainment, killing things. Casting.

They don't, it's just, I reckon people still have that in them now. It's just that society won't really let them do it. Good. So just five years prior, there were 15 electric companies. Now they're only the two moving towards the end of the century. There's General Electric and Westinghouse. Both companies still exist in one way or another now. I think Westinghouse existed up to 99,

and then they reformed as a new company, still called Westinghouse, but specializing in nuclear power, I think. And obviously, General Electric, you'd still be familiar with. So from this point on... G finance. Yeah, I think, is that, are they related to that? I think they're just, if I'm right, I think G, I think they're just one of those massive, massive companies that have a finger in every pie.

And also general studies that they taught in New Seven of my school. General education. Yeah. They're just general. They own it. They own it. They own it all. Everything.

General. So from that point on, you know, moving towards the end of the century, both companies were now marketing, alternating current systems. AC power. So they dropped the D. D AC wins the D got dropped two soon both men live live long lives and Like the elephant

Yeah, the elephant unfortunately, yeah, and they don't do victims Yeah, Edison lived in his 80s 84 and Yeah, Edison lived in his 80s, 84, and George wrestling asked not quite as long. He lived until the age of 67, died in 1914. Not quite as long by a long shot. But still, I mean, still pretty old at that stage, Erkin, in the early 1900s. Yeah, so, and did you get the feeling that Thomas Edison, he got cut out, but he probably would have been a wealthy man. Yeah, I think he's already made some sort of a fortune.

Yeah, he would have made it. Even though I have it also heard that he is tight, which he said before. Yeah, apparently pretty famous to be in a little bit tidy. But that's how you keep your fortune, you know. He had Edison had a couple of wives, one died and he remarried and had six kids. One of them who lived right up to 1992. Wow. Really?

That's amazing. Yeah. We were alive in the time of Thomas Edison's child. Yeah, that's kind of cool. Yeah, he lived 1898 to 1992. Theodore Miller Edison. Great name. Wow.

Cool. Fascinating. Wow. Cool. Fascinating. Fascinating fade out to the episode. That is very interesting. That is very interesting. And so AC wins today? AC won, yeah. Cool.

Go AC. I didn't know any about any of that. Yeah, so it was, that was tedious bits. I found it really interesting, but I was so into that. I was really, and I didn't know who was going to come in on top. Yeah, I really, I was, for some reason, I'm like, I've heard of Edison more, so I thought it was going to be Edison. Yeah, it's assumed.

And often, you know, it doesn't, it's not always the one that makes the most sense that wins. Sometimes it is a business thing, or, or he does a negative campaign that works somehow, and then it's just, it's set in stone, it's too hard to change a system that's been laid across the country, so it just never gets changed. But... Yeah, they did.

They did. Yeah. Very, very cool. Very cool. Very cool. Pretty cool. So thanks again to Iron for the... Solution.

Yeah. What a bloody... What a champ. What a champ. And if you two want to be a champ, like Ion, you can get in contact. Like I am. Like I am. Mm-hmm.

Getting in contact with us, of course, I said this at the end of every episode, but we do love to hear from you. email dogoonpod at gmail.com. You can tweet us at dogoonpod. Facebook's less dogoonpod. And yeah, get the ideas in the hat, give us some feedback. I'm 5-star reviews, or is that? I mean, if you're gonna give a review, 5-star is a good place to start. If you're a reviewer, so subscribe on iTunes or whichever podcast platform you're on that does help.

People come along and look at and go, this must be all right, I'll give it a go. Tell your mum about it. What are you, Dad? Are we friends? No, don't tell your friends. Just your mom and dad. But what if they are your friends? Well, that gets tricky. Send an email in and we'll make a judgment.

Got based judgment. Exactly. Yeah. Case by case, as we always do. I'll be moving back next week with another episode and until then, have a good week. another episode until then have a good week. Oh okay. Have a good week.

Don't kill any elephants. Yes please. If there's one thing we can take away from this episode, please don't kill an elephant. And until next week, I say goodbye. Bye. Bye. This episode is brought to you by Progressive. Most of you aren't just listening right now. You're driving, cleaning, and even exercising. But what if you could be saving money by switching to Progressive?

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