In the early 80's when I was just learning digital electronics and analog electronics I discovered a few technical manuals that listed every chip that a given company manufactured. It told you every detail you would ever want to know. One of the chips was a WOM, Write Only Memory. The pages referencing the WOM was just as real looking as all the others.
Somebody asked Bob Haggert, who did the original Turbo Encabulator video, how he kept a straight face and he said that it didn't sound any different to him than anything else he was expected to read for technical videos. BTW, there is an actual Hollywood job of writing technobabble for science fiction shows and movies.
I confess, you got me, Steve. I wasn't 45 seconds into that video before I was completely lost. Usually, you do such a good job of explaining things that I never have a problem understanding you. Yesterday, I scrolled down into the comments to see if someone posted something that would clear it all up. Someone did, by pointing out the date.
I normally listen to Steve in the morning and I listen. Took a few minutes before I really need to pay attention because nothing he's saying is registering in my brain. Then it was until toward the end that it finally dawned on me. I wasn't sure if I lived under a rock or Steve went crazy. But then It dawned on me it was April fools day. Loved it!
I love watching your videos. Caught the drift of the joke right away ,and wondered how far it could go before falling apart. Congrats on holding the con together. When working with non car people years ago we often had those folks looking for chrome plated muffler bearings, and frazzle stats,ect. Great story, thanks so much. Cheers,Rex
I still have the Hydroretrofurbulator that was given to me, when I was 8 years old, by a old Army guy who was a radio operator in WWII. It still works after I replaced the magnetic diomontrometer delay 2 years ago. Fortunately the manufacturer was still in business and had the part on the shelf. They shipped it to me free as a gracious gesture for being probably the only owner of one of these devices originally produced for only 3 years in the 1920's.
I was just impressed that you were able to read it and keep a straight face. As I mentioned under the video, I would have been locked up and stuttering about half way through😁
I knew what it was. My Uncle worked for Army Corp of Engineers and he was telling me stories of the some the pranks he and his friends would play on new recruits. One was finding the plans for the Turbo Encabulator so they could build one for the current project they was working on. He'd always laugh and it was funny to watch the new guy run around and hunt in file cabinet after file cabinet for it eventually after about an hour they let him in on the joke.
They had me run over to the gas station across the street to borrow a can of stretch-e-line, because one of the cables we were installing was too short..
Ah, the Turbo Encabulator. That was one of those gadgets we’d send the new guys to fetch from the maintenance shack. Can’t fix any precision machine without one! :-) The maintenance foreman used to get ours from Marchant. War surplus you know … Loved the video! You and your script co-writer have the gift of Techno-babble! And for a guy who generally giggles a bit in your regular videos, you were an astonishingly good straight man. The one question I had was the coat and tie! And now I get it.
In surgery, you send them looking for the Otis Elevator. Usually they come back empty handed. If they find one in the hospital lobby, it's hard to get it into the OR.
As a school kid doing concrete Casting form carpentry in the summer months they asked me to go get the newly adjusted eye measure from the draftsman office. I went and asked:)
Thanks for mentioning the Canadian Robot Lady. I have wondered about her ever since I started watching your channel. After searching for the interview and watching that, things make a lot more sense.
I linked a version from the early 1970s in my comment Saturday. It's rumored that it was made in one take by an experienced announcer who had just done a full day of real training films.
Thanks Steve. I am at your video 'minute 19' where you discuss the Journal of Electro-Mechanical Law. I am a master electrician and electrical engineer and teach electricians and plumbers about, wait for it, the local laws associated with plumbing and electrical practices. I have written 3 books about it and applied to the local BAR to teach lawyers their CLEs with regards to our crazy, twisted knot, electrical legal system. I was turned down. :( Keep up the good work!
Hey Steve, The first time I saw the Turbo Encabulator was at a Chysler training session. It was funny then. The legalese one was even better!! Knowing you're a car guy I can't imagine you did that without cracking up. Great!!
No need to worry about next year: encabulation technology now takes on many forms, whether it be the classic turbo-, the updated and more efficient retro-, or the modern and highly experimental hyper-encabulator. Naturally, with these and many other models, there has been plenty of legal turmoil for you to discuss.
Superbly done. Tricked me into thinking it was generated gibberish by AI. And no, I had never heard of the Turbo Encabulator before. Also, not a car guy. Loved the CRL at the end :)
Years ago while having dinner with my ex-father in law, (Senior fracture analysis for the FAA) I asked him if he'd ever worked on the Turbo Encabulator. He went on for twenty minutes about it's importance and complexity. The ladies were in a trance with his story. That is until I asked if it was at Groom Lake when he worked on it. Then he shut up. His wife, my wife nagged him for months about the Turbo Encabulator. I laughed about that for months.
Yes, you got me. I am retired and did not know it was April fools day. Sent your vid to my gf because it was so strange. She caught on right away. I didn't. It was still a good speal!
I didn't know about the CanadianRobotLady. I always thought that was your wife doing the intros and closings. The encabulator episode dealing with its legalities was wonderful; something us engineers need to keep in mind with our creations. Kiitos!
The one thing you left out was the danger of linking the turbo encabulator to a gonchulator, especially if the gonchulator is one of the knock-offs that was designed without the Lutz diagram.
Nope, I have never heard of the Turbo Encabulator in my 70 years. I took me about a minute to pause the video and Google it then I sorta got it. I have to admit that I didn't know the date and didn't have a clue until I just listened to this video. 🤣🤣🤣
Steve your laughter is my favorite thing about you, that amongst other things makes you enjoyable to listen to. I never miss a video. This video I found especially entertaining, so thanks for that.
The Chrysler guys doing their video were actually trainers and made the monthly master tech videos. After seeing the original version, I couldn't take them seriously anymore. Lol good stuff.
My son and I watched it a Saturday morning 7 min after you posted it. I knew it was April fools, simply because you were in a suit, or at least the top half of a suit. Very fun to watch. Btw my son is 13, and he enjoys your channel and maybe even learns a thing or two as well.
I took a little bit before I remembered the date. Then it made sense! But I then googled it anyway. It was a good story. You need to do it again while consuming good bourbon. I love it.
Jurisprude(Noun): A lawyer that likes everything prim and proper. The correct clothing, and absolutely nothing of naughty, silly, or out of the ordinary.
As an ex-Rockwell Automation employee, I was sold off to another company by our Turbo Encabulator, a calculating rootless machine that was far ahead of the AI curve that is invading the employment labor force of today.
I figured ChatGPT had to be involved, since this kind of writing is basically its specialty, and it was mentioned at the end. Nice to hear that some people are still doing it the old fashioned way.
I'm reminded of some years back I was the manager of a certain department at work, and I was walking to the subway station with one of my direct reports, who was telling me how much he hated the department director, and in fact he was tempted to, the coming Friday, leave his badge, id, and letter of resignation on his desk and fuck right the fuck off, never to be seen again. While I understood why he'd want to do that, and, in fact, wished I could do that too, I asked him as a favor to me not to do it on April 1st...
Alas ,I wasn't able to watch the whole thing (just kept wanting to tear my hair out), but I did check out the ending! Thanks for this explanation though. Much appreciated. (And my wife thought "jurisprude" was an appropriate word for some lawyers.)
Huh .. your favorite word is "ubiquity." Mine is "uniquity," which I thought I had made up, but inspired by your frequent admonitions to look things up, I looked it up several months ago and it is indeed a real word!
I'm watching this before watching the video this is about! I'll find out when I watch that one whether it's was a mistake, or (as I suspect) is of little importance.
I have sen the turbo encabulator videos years ago, even sent a link to a boss suggesting he buy one for his shop. That said I was over half way through your video yesterday wondering why you got in on it before I realized what day it was.
I was half way through the day went it hit me. "It's an April Fools Joke!" The suit should have tipped me off! I'm still waiting for the one about the congculator.
So the legal ramifications of the Turbo Encabulator, is that for the Analog Turbo Encabulator or has the law been updated to include Digitally Controlled Turbo Encabulators? And does it cover non-Turbo Encabulators?
This is a timely comment. You are the goat but maybe not for age worthy :-) thank you so much for doing the update, but truly only the hard color will see this video. That should say hard-core. I’m using Siri sorry.
TECHNO BABBLE! That is the official, technical terminology used to refer to this style/kind of verbiage in science fiction, particularly the star trek franchise. I feel like it was employed most prolifically by the 90s era series. The stargate franchise tends to be rather tongue in cheek & playful with its usage, or they just skip/avoid it entirely.
Steve, this was great and timely. Last October I bought my wife a new car and she was disappointed it didn't have a turbo. I'm going to have her watch the video so she can she why I didn't. Maybe she'll come around to my point of view. Thank you! 😂 Also, one observation not a criticism in any way, but you seem to reference Real Housewives a lot. Makes me wonder about your tv viewing habits. 🤣
In truth it's actually Technically was real at least in one meeting in the 1960's. The component that exists that was once refereed to as a Turbo Encabulator is still in production and A vital piece in a Mechanical Automation system used in Military Equipment. It's how I was introduced to it when I was 7-8 years old. So you can say it's a joke I know a little too well.
I knew sumping was up the second I saw you wearing a suit an tie. Your were out of character. I enjoyed the Turbo Encabulator techno double talk maybe probably because I'm an electrical engineer. I also translated some of the mobo jumbo latin phrases. They actually change the meaning of the sentence. I'm impressed that you didn't crack up laughing in the middle of it. Ummmm .. me mind wonders... Ask ChatGPT to write a techno jargon paper in the voice of Steve Lehto about Turbo Encabulator .... a few seconds later ... Waaa Waa Waa .. total fail. ChatGPT just couldn't do it. You rock Steve !!
