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    Technology

    The Local Maximum with Max Sklar

    Join Max Sklar and guests in this podcast about AI, technology, and society. Email localmaxradio@gmail.com for questions and feedback.

    Show notes page on the website: www.localmaxradio.com

    localmaximum.substack.com

    Advertise

    Copyright: © All rights reserved

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    Latest Episodes:
    Ep. 326 - James Barnes, The Autobiographer Oct 24, 2024

    The Local Maximum returns from a hiatus with today’s interview of James Barnes, founder of Autobiographer, and AI-based app developed at Betaworks that helps you tell your own story.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 325 - Eric Daimler: Perspectives on AI Aug 28, 2024

    Today’s guest is Eric Daimler, co-founder and CEO of Conexus (conexus.com). Max talks to Eric about the enormous shift in focus in the industry since his last appearance in 2022, and gets his perspective on the promise and pitfalls of the latest generation of AI.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 324 - The Technological Singularity Part II Aug 19, 2024

    Max and Aaron go deeper into the ideas of the singularity and the law of accelerating returns as articulated in Ray Kurzweil’s Singularity is nearer. They talk about Nanotechnology, Longevity Escape Velocity, and Computronium.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 323 - The Technological Singularity Part I Aug 09, 2024

    Max and Aaron discuss Ray Kurzweil’s new book, The Singularity is Nearer, and talk about the prospect for a technological singularity by 2045 and AGI by the end of this decade.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 322 - Coding in the Age of AI Jul 16, 2024

    On Freund, co-founder and CEO of Wilco, talks to Max to explore the future of software development in a post-AI world. Learn about the evolving roles of developers, the significance of real-world problem-solving, and the continuous journey of upskilling and reskilling.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 321 - Exploring AI with Itamar Friedman Jul 01, 2024

    Max talks to Codium.ai Founder Itamar Friedman about the rise of LLMs, the evolution of AI as practiced, and the philosophical ideas that will help us get the most out of it.

    https://codium.ai/


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 320 - Startups, Foursquare, and NYU Jun 12, 2024

    Max and Aaron discuss Max's new initiatives in startups and academia, his concerns about the current direction of Foursquare, and the structure and evolution of computer science courses. Max talks about his role next semester as the data structures course instructor at NYU, and all that might entail. They shared their personal experiences in being students at Yale and MIT.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Insightful Conversations with Tiffany Grossman May 30, 2024

    Max talks to Tiffany Grossman, a blogger, marketing specialist, and co-host of the 'Spill the T' podcast. Tiffany shares her journey into the podcasting world. We delve into the importance of networking, the challenges of starting a podcast, and choosing topics that resonate personally while providing value to listeners.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 318 - Geospatial Visualization with Isaac Brodsky of Fused.io May 01, 2024

    Today’s interview is with Fused.io cofounder Isaac Brodsky. We talk about geo-spatial visualization, dealing with large amounts of data, computer science, and career.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 317 - Cellular Automata and Artificial Life Apr 25, 2024

    Today’s discussion is on Cellular Automata by looking at Conway’s Game of Life, William Poundstone’s “The Recursive Universe” and Stephen Wolframs “A New Kind of Science”. We run into concepts like artificial life, Von Neumann probes, and more!


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 316 - Forty Apr 22, 2024

    Max reflects back on his podcast and radio show as he turns forty, and discusses the non-stop news events of this month of a seemingly epoch-defining nature, from the earthquake to the eclipse, to the Bitcoin halving.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 315 - Robots, Casinos, and Digital Minimalism Mar 26, 2024

    Fresh off of his trip to the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation for the Yale Alumni Service Corps, Max talks to Aaron about his trip. They then get into some of the ideas of Cal Newport and Digital Minimalism, as well as a recent warning from Jonathan’s Haidt’s research on children and mobile technology.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 314 - AI Intensified Feb 27, 2024

    Max talks about the intensifying AI trends in 2024, including video creation and context windows, as well as Google's misstep with their image generation in Gemini. Will we be replaced by AI?


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 313 - Ori Keren: Software, Sports, and LinearB Feb 05, 2024

    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 312 - Michael Callahan: Interaction, Identity and Ideology Jan 24, 2024

    Michael Callahan, host of "Where We Go Next" (wherewegonext.com) comes onto the Local Maximum to share what he's learned about hosting open conversations about Identity and Ideas.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 311 - Where We Go Next Jan 10, 2024

    Max appears on the podcast Where We Go Next with Michael Callahan to talk about technology’s effects on the health of society.https://wherewegonext.com/episodes/max-sklar


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 310 - Another Year, Another Local Maximum Jan 04, 2024

    Max and Aaron welcome 2024 by talking about the most interesting episodes of 2023, and possible areas for exploration in the New Year. Their conversation runs the gamut from copyright to crypto to digital habits and to international politics.


    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe
    Ep. 309 - The Next Saeculum Dec 26, 2023

    Max and Aaron finished their discussion on "The Fourth Turning is Here" and talk about what may be in store for the rest of the Fourth Turning Crisis and what the next several decades might look like as a result.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 308 - Generations, Awakenings, and Gen X Comedy Dec 19, 2023

    Max just finished reading the 450-page book "The Fourth Turning is Here" by Neil Howe, so he has a new discussion with Aaron about Generational Theory and its relationship to cultural trends.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 307 - The Constitution and Shifting Language Dec 14, 2023

    Max's talks about the constitution and shifts in the language with Christopher Nesbitt of citizensacademy.us.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 306 - Spotify Shrinks, OpenAI Returns, and Household Robots Emerge Dec 06, 2023

    In today's December news update, Max talks about industry events like the layoffs at Spotify and the recent turmoil with OpenAI's management. He also talks about the NYU/Meta collaboration on household robot technology called DobbE.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 305 - Fragmented: Health Care and Data with Ilana Yurkiewicz Nov 28, 2023

    Today's guest is Ilana Yurkiewicz, author of Fragmented: A Doctor's Quest to Piece Together American Health Care. The conversation starts with our health data, but goes into practical advice for patients and doctors.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 304 - OpenAI Fails to Align Nov 21, 2023

    Max covers the dramatic conflict between the board of directors of OpenAI, and former CEO Sam Altman who they voted to remove over the weekend. Is this about AI Alignment? Personality clashes? Or oddball Corporate governance?
    localmaxradio.com/304
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 303 - Pharaohs and the Exodus with Alexander Hool Nov 07, 2023

    Max talks to Alexander Hool, author of Pharaoh: Biblical History, Egypt, and the Missing Millennium about alternative theories on the chronology of ancient Egypt as it relates to the Exodus and other biblical narratives. Max also talks about his further dives into ancient Egypt and what he's learned.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 302 - Sturbridge Village Retreat Oct 31, 2023

    Max and Aaron talk about this year's retreat at Sturbridge Village, MA. They go over the best and worst of their predictions from previous retreats, and what predictions they make for the future.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 301 - Cultural Contradictions: War, Academia, and Entertainment Oct 24, 2023

    Max and Aaron continue their conversation last week, this time covering the reaction to world events in Universities and cultural institutions; as well as the contradictions around calls for free speech. Max also reviews the movie "Dumb Money" which covers the Game Stop short squeeze and is an early narrative builder on the handling of the Covid pandemic.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 300 - War in the Middle East, Part I Oct 17, 2023

    Max and Aaron react to the terror attack in Israel earlier this month, and discuss both its geopolitical significance and dealing with the shock and grief.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 299 - Sam Kamani with an Intro to Web 3 Oct 12, 2023

    Max talks to investor, founder, and podcaster Sam Kamani about Web 3.0, Crypto, AI, and Podcasting.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 298 - Veto Powers, Programming Languages, and Terminals Oct 03, 2023

    Max and Aaron discuss recent works at Local Maximum Labs, including feedback on the new Great Compromise constitution, and the programming language for newmap.ai
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 297 - Stephan Kinsella: The Fallacy of Intellectual Property Sep 27, 2023

    Max talks to Stephan Kinsella, a libertarian intellectual property lawyer who ardently challenges the very foundations of IP. Kinsella delves deep into the core arguments underpinning intellectual property and the inherent fallacies. They also discuss the impact of generative AI on the copyright landscape.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 296 - Government vs Google and Amazon Anti-Trust Sep 19, 2023

    Todays guest is Adam Kovacevich of Chamber of Progress who brings us the latest in the suits that federal government agencies are bringing against Google and Amazon. Who is behind this, what is being alleged, why now, and what might be the consequences?
    localmaxradio.com/296
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 295 - Rewriting the Constitution: Did the Founders Screw up the Senate Sep 12, 2023

    Max and Aaron talk about Max's newly-released research paper, Toward a New Great Compromise, which includes a refresh of the US Constitutional structure. Max shares what he learned about the founders of the country and why some of our institutions have been failing as of late.
    localmaxradio.com/295
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 294 - State Chains and Copyright Claims Sep 07, 2023

    Max describes "state chain" technology, which he believes could solve some of the problems associated with the previous crypto collapse. He also gives an update on the court cases around copyright infringement and whether you can copyright an AI-generated work that are currently make their way through the American judicial system.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 293 - Twitter Rants: Jon Stewart, Scrum, and Just Plain Numbers Aug 29, 2023

    Max and Aaron have a little fun in a late night record, and examine Twitter rants about the rise of late night snark comedy, and scrum. They talk about the nature of corporate fads, and end on going down a rabbit hole of continued fractions.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 292 - Copyright Clashes, Literary Science, and Rational Distributions Aug 21, 2023

    Max and Aaron do an August news update with discussion about the closure of Prosecraft, a small site dedicated to literary analysis which was shut down due to copyright and ownership concerns. Will these types of internet mobs and legal actions bring a chilling effect on innovation?
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Max's First Idea on Rational Distributions
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 291 - Publishers vs Librarians, Artificial Digital Scarcity, and Revisiting Bertrand Aug 16, 2023

    Max discusses the legal troubles of the Internet Archive as it get pummeled by publishers and copyright lawyers. A new paper on Bertrand's Paradox claims to resolve it.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 290 - Generational Turnings versus Technological Change Aug 09, 2023

    Max talks about how Strauss-Howe generational theory and the turnings interact with technology as he reviews the book "The First Turning: A Vision of America and a World at Peace" by Carol Engler.
    Distribution of the Week: The Wishart Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 289 - Revamping Dental Tech with Melissa Luvisi Aug 01, 2023

    Max interviews Melissa Luvisi from tab32 as they dissect the intersection of dentistry and technology. They explore the software deficits plaguing the medical field, how dentistry is lagging, and how it can take a quantum leap forward. Luvisi shares her insights on harnessing health data, addressing security and privacy issues, and the promising future of dental tech.
    localmaxradio.com/289
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 288 - Is Artificial Intelligence a Threat to Humanity? Jul 25, 2023

    Max and Aaron discuss the arguments put forth by Eliezer Yudkowsky and some AI researchers about "existential threats" posed by the technology. They end with some predictions on the subject.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 287 - The Rise and Fall of ESG with Peter Earle Jul 18, 2023

    Today's guest is Peter C. Earle, economist at AIER. The topic is ESG: Environment, Social, and Governance regulations, and the theory behind it that says corporations should be run for the benefit of interests outside the shareholders. They explore the rise of ESG criteria in a low interest rate environment, and ask whether ESG on its way out.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 286 - Consciousness Bets, Reverse Turing Tests, and Display Tech Jul 12, 2023

    Max talks about a bet that two academics made 25 years ago about the nature of consciousness that has recently been settled. He also talk about the idea of a "reverse Turing Test".
    We also get an update on the latest display tech, with reviews on foldable phones and color e-ink making a comeback.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 285 - Max Changes the Constitution, Part III Jul 04, 2023

    Max and Aaron complete their discussion on Max's constitutional proposals, now focusing on the representative-ness of the house and electoral college as a counterbalance to the senate and executive council.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 284 - Max Changes the Constitution, Part II Jun 27, 2023

    Max and Aaron continue their discussion on Max's constitutional proposals, this time focusing on the function of the senate and the possibility of an executive council.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 283 - Max Changes the Constitution, Part I Jun 20, 2023

    Max woke up one day and decided to do a rewrite of the US constitution with a long amendment. Aaron discusses this with him over drinks outdoors in the dead of night.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 282 - Meganets with David Auerbach Jun 12, 2023

    Max talks to author and software engineer David Auerbach about his new book Meganets: How Digital Forces Beyond Our Control Commandeer Our Daily Lives and Inner Realities.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 281 - The Mixed Reality Moment Jun 06, 2023

    Max and Aaron discuss Apple's announcement of the Vision Pro at WWDC, and what it means for mixed reality, the metaverse, and emerging technology.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Student's T-Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 280 - How to Attack Truth Seeking May 31, 2023

    Max responds to a recent account of high school debate judges and how the process of truth seeking is under attack.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Cauchy Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 279 - Covid and Civil Liberties May 23, 2023

    Max and Aaron discuss Neil Gorsuch's statement in a supreme court decision that emergency measures during Covid may have been the greatest peacetime intrusion on American civil liberties in history.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Von Mises-Fisher Distribution and Circular Distributions in General
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 278 - Proof of Stake, Map Powers, and Google answer OpenAI May 17, 2023

    Max talks about Ethereum's move to proof of stake and what tradeoffs it brings to the crypto markets. He also discusses Google's plan to upgrade maps at their IO conference, and their new product Bard in relation to chatGPT.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 277 - Open Source Sagas with Max Howell May 09, 2023

    Max talks to Homebrew creator Max Howell about open source software, package managers, and his new project tea.xyz.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 276 - The Dictator of Easton at 21 May 02, 2023

    Max and Aaron discuss and provide commentary for their 2002 high school film, The Dictator of Easton.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 275 - Connecticut Chronicles, Columbia Conferences & Questioning Bots Apr 25, 2023

    Aaron talks to Max about his move to Connecticut. They review Columbia University's data science day. A touch of Twitter news and a tweet we thought was interesting on rationality.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Multivariate Gaussian Distribution (or Normal Distribution)
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 274 - Quantum Computing with Ian MacCormack Apr 18, 2023

    Today's discussion is all about Quantum Physics and Quantum Computing as Max talks to Ian who has a PhD in Physics and is actually a practitioner when it comes to quantum computing.
    localmaxradio.com/274
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 273 - Stop Making AI Boring Apr 12, 2023

    Max grumbles about the corporate and dry nature of MLConf and the talks from top companies, even as the world of AI and ML explodes in controversy, breakthroughs and new applications.
    - Should AI research be Paused for 6 months?
    - Are "X for Good" talks always evil?
    - Are engineers afraid to share any perspective slightly outside the mainstream?
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 272 - Data Science History with Chris Wiggins and Matthew Jones Apr 04, 2023

    Chris Wiggins and Matthew Jones dive into a new book called "How Data Happened: A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms" with Max. We learn that we can reach back into data history and find stories that experienced scientists and engineers are will find surprising at present.
    Chris Wiggins is an associate professor of applied mathematics at Columbia University and the Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times. Matthew is the James R. Barker Professor of Contemporary Civilization at Columbia University.
    localmaxradio.com/272
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 271 - Semiconductors, Lithography, and Moore's Law with Adam Kane of ASML Mar 28, 2023

    Max interview's Adam Kane of ASML about the industrial processes which make hardware innovation possible. They cover extreme UV lithography, the law of accelerating returns, and implications for software engineers.
    www.localmaxradio.com/271
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 270 - Exciting and Terrifying: NYT Podcast Trashing, GPT4, and Bank Runs Mar 21, 2023

    Todays news update starts on the lighter side with an article from the New York Times that seeks to denigrate podcasters by branding them as the "podcast bro". Then we get into the release of GPT4 just months after chatGPT shook the world of AI and tech, and the bank runs at Silicon Valley Bank and elsewhere.
    Probability distribution of the week: Exponential Distribution
    localmaxradio.com/270
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 269 - Image Recognition Technology for Health with Susan Conover Mar 14, 2023

    Today's guest is Susan Conover, cofounder and CEO of Piction Health, which brings Image Recognition AI technology to the practice of dermatology. This Boston-based company has started to launch their product throughout New England. Susan talks to Max about how the technology could be used to help patience more effectively, and the challenges of bringing change to healthcare and being an entrepreneur.
    https://www.localmaxradio.com/269
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 268 - Pascal's Mugging, Doomsday Clocks, and the AGI Debate Mar 07, 2023

    Max discovers Pascal's Mugging, the counterpoint to Pascal's Wager. He speculates about the category of errors (and sometimes scams) made by doomsayers in every field including most recently general artificial intellgence.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Gamma Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 267 - Bernoulli's Fallacy with Aubrey Clayton Feb 28, 2023

    Could the crisis in modern science be a result of fallacious probabilistic thinking? Mathematical researcher and writer Aubrey Clayton joins the Local Maximum to discuss his book Bernoulli’s Fallacy: Statistical Illogic and the Crisis of Modern Science.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 266 - Simplicity, Complexity, and Text Classification with Joel Grus Feb 21, 2023

    We are joined by Software Engineer, Data Scientist, and Author Joel Grus for a discussion that ranges from the latest NLP techniques to thoughts on how to think about complexity costs.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 265 - The Multi-Armed Bandit Feb 14, 2023

    Max talks about the multi-armed bandit - an important concept in the Data Science world. The news of the day is Microsoft's plan to integrate generative text (from open AI) into it's Bing search engine, and whether Google can turn around from negative news stories and compete with this.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Dirichlet Distribution
    localmaxradio.com/265
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 264 - Talking Tik Tok, Privacy, and Propaganda with Adam Kovacevich Feb 07, 2023

    Max talks to Adam Kovacevich, the Founder and CEO of Chamber of Progress in DC, to talk about several issues that have caught to attention of policymakers. We discuss the concerns of the rise of Tik Tok as a potential arm of the Chinese government, and whether similar concerns about domestic services are warranted.
    Chamber of Progress: https://progresschamber.org/
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 263 - Relative Probability Jan 31, 2023

    Aaron talks to Max about his new pamphlet entitled "Relative Probability on Finite Outcome Spaces".
    arXiv Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.14555
    Probability Distribution of the Week: The Normal Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 262 - Category Theory, Google Responds, and Another Covid Retro Jan 24, 2023

    Max describes category theory as a branch of mathematics, and asks whether it will become more important in the age of AI. We then discuss the issues of the day:
    - looks at John Stossel's Video on how governments responded to Covid, and where their decisions stand three years later
    - Google's Recent Moves in Response to ChatGPT as well as layoffs
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Beta Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 261 - Generative AI's Grand Entrance Jan 18, 2023

    As Generative AI has captured the imagination, Max thinks about it from many different angles. How does it actually work under the hood? What does it mean for media creators, investors, and job seekers? And what does it mean for humans and their comparative advantage with respect to this new technology? All the big questions of our time!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 260 - New Year Predictions: Generative AI, Self Driving Cars, and Web3 Jan 10, 2023

    Max and Aaron start off the New Year with a predictions show for the short, medium, and long term outlook for technical advances. Today's episode focuses on generative AI and self driving cars.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Continuous Uniform Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 259 - New Years Thoughts Jan 03, 2023

    Max looks back at the previous New Year's episode, and was surprised by how right he was on the changes we saw in our channels of information online this year. He reviews the news of the year, particularly the innovations in AI that have come to the forefront, and comments on Clay Shirky's Twitter rant.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 258 - Sports and AI: Jason Syversen Changing the Game with SportsVisio Dec 27, 2022

    Max interviews SportsVisio CEO Jason Syversen about how artificial intelligence can be applied to sports video, including automated highlights, scoring, and refereeing. Jason also shares details about his startup's innovative product for basketball.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 257 - Lessons from the of Debate with Gene Epstein Dec 20, 2022

    Gene Epstein, founder of the Soho Forum monthly debate series, comes on The Local Maximum to discuss and critique Max's recent debate performance on Democracy vs Monarchy.
    - Also: Max's 9 Things I learned from the Debate, Gene's debate with Binyamin Appelbaum of the New York Times.
    localmaxradio.com/257
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 256 - The Broken World of Big Tech Dec 14, 2022

    Max talks about the breakage in both the crypto industry and the social media landscape in 2022, and the long term ways of thinking about it.
    Probability Distribution of the Week: Non-Homogeneous Poisson
    localmaxradio.com/256
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    Ep. 255 - AI's Got Chat: The Rise of chatGPT Dec 06, 2022

    Max and Aaron discuss the launch of the chatGPT product demo taking the internet by storm and the potential applications of this technology. The title of this episode doesn't make sense 100% - but it was generated by chatGPT when asked for an amusing title.
    Probability distribution of the week: Poisson Distribution
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 254 - Alexa Disappoints, Tesla Self Drives, and Hurricane Addendum Nov 29, 2022

    Max talks about the developments surrounding Amazon's Alexa, where it's been revealed that layoffs are coming and the initiative has been costing an eye-popping 10 Billion per year. Max believes there is a future for these devices, and discusses where that might be.
    Max also adds some details that he missed from the discussion on hurricane Sandy, and his experience in a Tesla self-driving car.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 253 - Make Better Decisions with Helen and Dave Edwards Nov 22, 2022

    Max talks to guests Helen and Dave Edwards about the human side of decision making, and how we can use research in behavioral and cognitive science to practice better decision making.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 252 - Hurricane Sandy After Ten Years Nov 15, 2022

    Max recalls to Aaron his experiences in New York in 2012, and the hurricane (Superstorm Sandy / Frankenstorm) that cut power in Manhattan for days during Halloween and devastated the coastal areas.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 251 - Debate: Monarchy vs Democracy Nov 08, 2022

    Max defends representative democracy in an October 26th public debate for the Live Free and Debate series in New Hampshire. The resolution was "Monarchy is better than representative democracy" with Alu Axelman arguing in the affirmative and Max arguing in the negative.
    It's a long one, but it was a good time with expanded perspectives all around!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 250 - The Bird Flips Nov 01, 2022

    As the keys to Twitter get turned over to Elon Musk, Max talks about how the development of the open internet is proceeding. He traces back to previous predictions about the upcoming fallout from short-sighted content politics of the previous social media management, and how the dream of a decentralized communication network is progressing.
    localmaxradio.com/250
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 249 - The Sleeping Beauty Problem Oct 25, 2022

    Max and Aaron dive deeper into the sleeping beauty problem, which starts as a probability question, then wades into philosophy and finally theoretical cosmology. They take a listener email on the MLB playoff rules, and the distribution of the week is the Zeta distribution.
    localmaxradio.com/249
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    Ep. 248 - The Globe as Hexagons with Isaac Brodsky Oct 18, 2022

    Today's guest is Foursquare Principal Engineer and Unfolded Founder Isaac Brodsky, talking about the mission of location visualization and how this was achieved by tiling the world with Hexagons using the H3 open source framework and Foursquare's Hex Tiles. We learn a lot about the geometry of the globe!
    localmaxradio.com/248
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    Ep. 247 - Twitter, Paypal, and Ukraine (Musk's World) Oct 11, 2022

    Headlining today is Elon Musk's re-takeover of Twitter, after seemingly backing out earlier. Updates from the war in Ukraine. Paypal says it will fine you $2500 if you say certain forbidden things - but then quickly backtrack. Biden's administration aspires for new "AI" regulations - and finally - Ziph's Law is the distribution of the week!
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    Ep. 246 - AJ Jacobs: The Puzzler Oct 04, 2022

    Today's Guest is AJ Jacobs, author of The Puzzler: One Max's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, from Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life. Max and AJ talk about what he's learned about puzzles on the way, the benefits and strategies of problem solving, and finally wade into the sleeping beauty problem probability controversy.
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    Ep. 245 - Axioms of Probability Sep 28, 2022

    Max starts with a brief news update on ethereum, and then moves to the Kolmogorov axioms of probability. What is an axiom system anyway - and why would someone want to change it?
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    Ep. 244 - Phyl Terry: Never Search Alone Sep 20, 2022

    Phyl Terry - a pioneer in customer experience for decades - talks to Max about how he has applied these principles to crack the job search (and even revolutionize it!) in the new book "Never Search Alone".
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    Ep. 243 - Eric Daimler on Conexus and Category Theory Sep 13, 2022

    Todays guest is CEO and co-founder of Conexus, the first spinoff of the MIT math department that takes discoveries in high level mathematics (category theory) and applies them to make databases intelligent across many industries.
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    Ep. 242 - Artificial Art, Reverse Proxies, and Extraterrestrial Dice Sep 06, 2022

    This week's news update starts with a discussion of an AI project that won an art competition, followed by Cloudflare's decision to block access to one of its clients. The probability distribution of the week is the roll of a pair of dice, and we down a deep philosophical rabbit hole that leads to the multiverse.
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    Ep. 241 - No Code Aug 30, 2022

    Today's guest is Žiga Fajfar, a tech entrepreneur who is focusing on scaling Flowout, who talks to Max about the "no-code" trend in building software.
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    Ep. 240 - Turning The Crypto Corner Aug 23, 2022

    Max looks at what's next in the Cryptocosm following the recently declared "winter". He covers the complicated Ethereum merge as well as the government crackdown on tornado cash and what that means for privacy.
    Distribution of the week: Multinomial Distribution
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    Ep. 239 - Local Maximum Tech Retreat Panel Aug 16, 2022

    Over the weekend, listeners and friends gathered in Rollinsford New Hampshire to discuss technology, ideas, and predictions. We ended up getting on stage and running a free-for-all panel where participants and Max discuss the issues of the day
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    Ep. 238 - New York Times Finally Against Censorship Aug 09, 2022

    Ok, maybe only when it's in other countries - but we'll look at that dichotomy. Also - we talk about the entertainment industry and the recently shelved Batgirl project.
    Probability distribution of the Week: Binomial Distribution
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    Ep. 237 - Thinking about Quality with Jonathon Wright Aug 02, 2022

    Max talks to Jonathon Wright about what quality means for AI, and goes through a wide range of examples.
    Jonathon Wright is the Chief Technology Evangelist and heads up Solution Engineering (R&D) for Eggplant a Keysight Technologies company, and hosts the QA Lead Podcast.
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    Ep. 236 - Alzheimer's Research Setback and Facebook News Demoted Jul 26, 2022

    On today's news update, Max and Aaron talk about several stories related to the consequences of confusing science and truth.
    - Alzheimer's research reported to have major setback after results from the 2000s found to be manipulated
    - Updates on the Google AI Saga
    - Facebook is de-emphasizing professional news
    Distribution of the day: Uniform Categorical Distribution
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    Ep. 235 - Seasteading with Tony Olsen Jul 19, 2022

    Max talks to Tony Olsen, founder of Freedomhaven about the idea of Seasteading, and the practical and theoretical issues it raises.
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    Ep. 234 - Simplexes and Distributions Jul 12, 2022

    Max discusses a fascinating geometrical object - the simplex - that generalizes to many dimensions, and its connection to the categorical distribution. Starts with some thoughts about Elon Musk spurning the Twitter deal, and the future of Social Media.
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    Ep. 233 - Crypto Winter Raging Jul 05, 2022

    Max and Aaron break down the cascade of liquidity crises affecting major crypto firms, the larger cycle and growth story of bitcoin, and announce a new segment for listeners to learn about probability distributions.
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    Ep. 232 - Intro to Inflation Jun 28, 2022

    Max talks gives an intro course on inflation, what it is, it's causes, and its effects. He also talks about the history of the monetary system in the United States and how credit expansions, politics, and wars have contributed to the problem of inflation.
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    Ep. 231 - The Increasing Cost of Intelligence Jun 21, 2022

    Max discusses the increasing centralization of AI research into large corporate institutions, with its causes and dangers.
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    Ep. 230 - Another Google AI Spat, Self Awareness, and the Eliza Effect Jun 14, 2022

    An engineer in Google Research was put on leave after claiming that their Lambda AI Chatbot is sentient. Max breaks down the situation, and the long-term drama that comes out of Google's AI programs.
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    Ep. 229 - Fun with Bayesian Statistics with Will Kurt Jun 07, 2022

    In a wide-ranging conversation, Max talks to Will Kurt, author of "Bayesian Statistics the Fun Way" about math, writing, philosophy, truth, and of course Bayesian techniques!
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    Ep. 228 - All Things Bayesian May 31, 2022

    Today's Episode is an interview Max gave on Learn Bayesian Statistics by Alex Andorra in 2019, covers the trajectory of his career and interests, and all the different uses of Bayesian Inference.
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    Ep. 227 - Deepmind's Gato and Dreams of Human Level Artificial Intelligence May 24, 2022

    Max talks about Alphabet's DeepMind launch of Gato AI - a large scale transformer model. Some of the researchers believe that they are on the path to human level intelligence while others disagree.
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    Ep. 226 - Podcasting 2.0 with Adam Curry May 17, 2022

    One of the founders of podcasting itself, Adam Curry, joins The Local Maximum today to talk about podcasting 2.0, podcastindex.org, and how to keep podcasting decentralized.
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    Ep. 225 - The Tsunami Arrives and Architecture Astronauts May 10, 2022

    Max talks about the financial tsunami predicted last year starting to come to fruition, and then dives into a 2001 article by Joel Spolsky and takes a more positive view of architecture astronauts.
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    Ep. 224 - Living on Crypto with Joel Valenzuela May 03, 2022

    Joel Valenzuela visits the Local Maximum studio to talk about how he lives off of cryptocurrencies, the value in coins like Dash over Bitcoin for this purpose, liberty in New Hampshire, and general analysis of recent developments.
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    Ep. 223 - Elon's Twitter Takeover Apr 26, 2022

    We learn about corporate governance and corporate politics in order to understand Elon Musk's bid to takeover Twitter.
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    Ep. 222 - Techno-Pessimism in the Stupid Ages Apr 19, 2022

    Max talks about Professor Johnathan Haidt's article in the Atlantic "Why the Past 10 Years of American Life have been Uniquely Stupid". We compare the techno-optimism of 2011 to the techno-pessimism of today, and contrast the different prescriptions on what to do about it.
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    Ep. 221 - Emotion and AI with Alan Cowen Apr 12, 2022

    Today’s guest is Dr. Alan Cowen, CEO of hume.ai, to discuss fascinating new research on human emotional states, and how machine learning and AI techniques can be used to distinguish between them.
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    Ep. 220 - Twitter's Musk Factor, Chat Bot Intelligence, and Pizza Apr 05, 2022

    Max responds to the news that Elon Musk has bought a considerable stake in Twitter. A recent blog post by Andrew Gelmans shows that while language models from OpenAI and Google are exciting, they still don't know what they are talking about!
    localmaxradio.com/220
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    Ep. 219 - Artificial Intelligence for Construction with René Morkos Mar 29, 2022

    Max talks to René Morkos, CEO of ALICE Technologies about how AI is being used to make construction projects more efficient.
    localmaxradio.com/219
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    Ep. 218 - Sampling Bias Correction Mar 22, 2022

    Max talks to Aaron about his newly published academic paper, "Sampling Bias Correction for Supervised Machine Learning".
    Paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2203.06239.pdf
    localmaxradio.com/218
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    Ep. 217 - Voices from Ukraine Mar 15, 2022

    Max talks to and accepts submissions from Ukrainians who are living in that country and around the world to tell their stories about the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war. These uncensored stories give a different side to what's happening on the ground.
    localmaxradio.com/217
    supportukrainenow.org
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    Ep. 216 - Corona-Fascism with Alu Axelman Mar 08, 2022

    Today's guest is Alu Axelman, author of Corona-Fascism that excoriates policies and attitudes imposed to fight the coronavirus.
    Max talks about his strategy on covid.
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    Ep. 215 - Polina Shevchenko: Growing up in Donetsk Mar 03, 2022

    Today's conversation is with Polina Shevchenko, who is a data analyst at Bolt in Tallinn. She grew up in Donetsk, which is one of the breakaway regions related to the Russia invasion. Max talks to Polina about growing up in Donetsk, and what the last week has been like for Ukrainians abroad and in their home country.
    localmaxradio.com/215
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    Ep. 214 - War in Ukraine, New York Times Bias Mar 01, 2022

    In a late night discussion, Max and Aaron think about recent developments in Ukraine and Max's trip there a few years ago.
    Max finds headlines in the New York Times that are using the crisis to disparage cryptocurrencies and Duck Duck Go, while also getting some interesting information from those same articles.
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    Ep. 213 - Artificial Consciousness Controversy Feb 22, 2022

    Max discusses the recent tweet by OpenAI scientist leaving open the possibility of their AI being a little bit conscious, and the ensuing ridicule and strong disagreement from the AI community. He goes in-depth on the philosophy and thinking that drives AI research, and how to frame the debate around consciousness and intelligence.
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    Ep. 212 - Bitcoin and the Lightning Network with Guy Swann Feb 15, 2022

    Max talks to Bitcoin Audible host Guy Swann about the developing lightning network, including (recent) historical background and how to use it.
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    Ep. 211 - Competition, Consolidation, and Shock Feb 08, 2022

    The drop in Meta stock shows the effects of increased competition over users, ad dollars, and privacy controls. Max talks about this along with other industry updates.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 210 - Metaverse Hype and Infinite Sets Feb 01, 2022

    Max and Aaron discuss the hype around the metaverse with Microsoft's recently monster-sized acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Then, they move on the philosophical discussion of the axiom of infinite sets, and the meaning of numbers.
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    Ep. 209 - Wiped Off the Face of the Internet Jan 25, 2022

    Max talks about the ultimately futile attempts by tech companies to silence their critics and political enemies.
    - includes a tweet storm that was recently banned even from the internet archive.
    localmaxradio.com/209
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    Ep. 208 - Bitcoin and the Fourth Turning with Brandon Quittem Jan 18, 2022

    This interview with Brandon Quittem covers generational theory, the fourth turning, and Bitcoin.
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    Ep. 207 - Max Returns with Priors Jan 11, 2022

    Max returns for an in-person recording. Discussion of political comedy and the return of Jon Stewart. Then we ask: how do you form uninformed Bayesian priors?
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    Ep. 206 - Topics for the New Year Jan 04, 2022

    Max brings up a bunch of new news topics and expands on some old ones that are likely to be important in the new year.
    - Is the New York Times being sneaky in the Tech Section?
    - Would you like an alexa that moves around in your house?
    - Recognizing that there is a war for truth.
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    Ep. 205 - Developer Hegemony with Erik Dietrich Dec 28, 2021

    Max exchanges views with author Erik Deitrich on the drawbacks of software engineering organizations and what to do about it.
    localmaxradio.com/205
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    Ep. 204 - Free Speech, Moderation, and Censorship with Johnny Nelson Dec 21, 2021

    Max talking to Johnny Nelson (@generativist) about how platforms that use a top-down approach to content moderation can lead to the worst of all worlds, and how we might build a bottom-up system.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 203 - Iraq and Social Choice Theory Dec 14, 2021

    Max and Aaron discussion the rule change that the Iraqi government has made in their elections and what this means from a social choice theory stand point. They compare world political systems, and discuss the problem of apportionment and the mathematical paradoxes it creates.
    localmaxradio.com/203
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    MESSAGE for Local Maximum Listeners - 2021/12/12 Dec 12, 2021

    December 12, 2021
    Max shares a personal update to long time Local Maximum listeners.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 202 - Tech Giants at their Saturation Points Dec 07, 2021

    Max discusses recent developments in Twitter, Facebook, and Google, all tech giants who have reached their saturation points and how they are dealing with it. Jack Dorsey ditches Twitter and hands it off to go off the rails towards a editorial/propaganda network. Facebook's "Meta" change is like Mark Zuckerberg's Mid-Life Crisis according to Marc Cenedella. Chris Dixon's Tweet Storm about Web 3 explains what's happening.
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    Ep. 201 - Andrew Gelman, Statistical Insights Nov 30, 2021

    Max interviews Professor Andrew Gelman of Columbia on Bayesian Inference, Research, Political Prognostication, Descriptive vs Causal work, and areas of computational research.
    localmaxradio.com/201
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    Ep. 200 - Milestone Metachat Nov 23, 2021

    Max and Aaron pull out some interesting stats from the first 200 episodes of the Local Maximum
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 199 - Regenerating the Past with AI Nov 16, 2021

    Max looks at the recent availability of AI technologies including GANs and ML Techniques in open source software to take old photos and videos and restore them to today's standards. He also discusses what this tech success might mean for the future. How well can we generate a 3d world from a photograph, and how would machines be filling in the blanks?
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    Ep. 198 - Passive Computing Nov 09, 2021

    Max breaks out his 2016 blog posts on passive computing, a possibility for the next wave of computer human interfaces and software platforms. We discussion how much of it has actually played out.
    localmaxradio.com/198
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    Ep. 197 - Industry Shifts with Meta, Rumble, and Locals Nov 02, 2021

    Max discusses Facebook's rebranding to Meta, the merger between Rumbles and Locals, and the upcoming mayoral election in NYC.
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    Ep. 196- Viking Tree Rings and the Prospects of a Trump Social Oct 26, 2021

    Max and Aaron get together late one night to give you the October New Update, covering
    - The dating of the Viking Settlement in Newfoundland
    - The Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong hailing his policy of removing political activism at work 1 year on
    - The prospects of a Trump Social Network, and our predictions about it
    - A previous of a future episode where we'll discuss a previous blog post from Max on Passive Computing
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    Ep. 195 - Why We Sample Oct 19, 2021

    Max talks about sampling, the reasons for it, and reviews what he's learned about it. Also following stories on the AI Bill of Rights, and Employee power and activism in the workplace.
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    Ep. 194 - Steve Jobs Oct 12, 2021

    On the 10th anniversary of his death, Max and Aaron review the lessons and warnings from the life of Apple-founder Steve Jobs.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 193 - New Beginnings Oct 05, 2021

    Max is interviewed by Aaron about his recent departure from Foursquare (again), the upgrades to the podcast studio, and future plans.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 192 - What is Intelligence Sep 28, 2021

    In the context of artificial intelligence and machine learning, today's episode focused on the nature of intelligence, and how it related to concepts like understanding, consciousness, and programmability. The show also opens with a discussion of the explainability of in AI, and research on toxic language models.
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    Ep. 191 - Tracking Big Trends with Ed McCormack Sep 21, 2021

    Today's guest is DChained Founder EdMcCormack, and we talk about some of the long term trends on the internet - social media, big data, privacy, blockchain, and business models.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 190 - Layers in Truth Seeking, Smart Toilets, and Set Theory Counting Sep 14, 2021

    Today's solo episode covers:
    - Peter Boghossian's Resignation Letter and the Evolution of the Academy away from Truth Seeking to Ideological Rigidity
    - How to create layers of communities for truth and peace
    - The latest news in smart toilets, promise of health plus security concerns
    - The set theory principle of inclusion and exclusion in set theory and how the mathematical jump from "union" to "addition" is a difficult one
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    Ep. 189 - September 11th Recall Part II - Memories, Aftermath, Rebuilding Sep 11, 2021

    Our discussion on 9/11 continues with memories of that day, the immediate aftermath, and the rebuilding of ground zero as the new world trade center and oculus.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 188 - September 11th Recall Part I - The Before Time Sep 07, 2021

    On the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, Max and Aaron have a 2 part discussion to combine personal recollections with some light historical research. This part covers the key differences between life and the news cycle in 2000-2001 and today along with personal experiences leading up to the morning of September 11th.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 187 - Coding from Natural Language, NYT Tech Walkout, Off Predictions Aug 31, 2021

    Today's news update covers OpenAI's Demo where they showed how a natural language interface could be used to write code. What does this mean, and where will it be useful? We also cover the walkout of tech journalists at the New York Times, and people talking about their failed tech predictions on Twitter.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 186 - Cubans embrace Bitcoin amidst Monetary Oppression, and the Last Jew in Afghanistan Aug 24, 2021

    Today's news update goes international to talk about the intersection between technology and global events. Cubans are using Bitcoin to go around their country's insane currency system. OnlyFans bans porn to placate banks in the UK. In Afghanistan, the last remaining Jewish residence refuses to leave the country as the Taliban come in.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 185 - Goldbacks in Your Pocket with Benjamin Shaffer Aug 17, 2021

    Max talks to Benjamin Shaffer about a new product called Goldbacks, which are bills that can fit in your wallet and are made of gold. This innovation allows people to transact in small denominations of gold. They discuss how this fits in with our changing monetary system of fiat and bitcoin.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 184 - Academic Freedom, Crypto Regs, and Security Devices Aug 10, 2021

    Max talks about a video on anti-Semitism by professor Henry Abramson getting censored on YouTube, the meaning of academic freedom, and the fight over Bitcoin and crypto regulations in the US Senate. Then, he proposes a new personal security device that may one day be ubiquitous.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 183 - The Metaverse and Digits Aug 03, 2021

    Max and Aaron discuss Facebook's plan to develop a metaverse, and Max shares his thoughts and theories on our number system
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    Ep. 182 - Focal Points and Written Constitutions Jul 27, 2021

    Max talks about a concept in game theory called a Focal Point. Also, looking at US history, talks about ways in which written constitutions can succeed or fail.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 181 - Redacting your Secrets Jul 20, 2021

    Patricia Thaine, CEO of Private AI, talks to Max about using AI for redaction, and preserving privacy.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 180 - Branson, Bezos, and Musk dash to Space Jul 13, 2021

    Today's discussion centers around the space race among privately owner companies. This includes Richard Branson's first voyage to with virgin galactic. Also - the proposed flying car!
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    Ep. 179 - New York attempts Ranked Choice Voting Jul 06, 2021

    New York City's democratic primary is in the midst of a vote-counting debacle that may go on for weeks. This is their first time using ranked choice voting, but criticism of RCV can be conflating with other problems in the electoral process. Max and Aaron break it down with inside knowledge of NYC politics, social choice theory, and potential solutions.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 178 - How Design Makes the World with Scott Berkun Jun 29, 2021

    Author Scott Berkun joins the Local Maximum to talk about his new book How Design Makes the World. We cover the relationship between design and engineering, design ethics, failure modes, and organizational behavior.
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    Ep. 177 - Lessons from Past Predictions on Autonomous Vehicles, Bitcoin, Covid, and Decentralization Jun 22, 2021

    Max goes deeper into some of the topics and predictions going back to 2015 brought up from the predictions panel earlier this month. He finds lessons and raises questions about lockdowns, the tyranny and unraveling of big tech, bitcoin, and self driving cars.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 176 - Gene Epstein on Economics, Capitalism and Innovation Jun 15, 2021

    Today's guest is Gene Epstein, former economics editor at Barron's Magazine and founder of the SoHo forum debate series. We talk about his debates with socialism, the role of innovation in the economic, his experience producing these debates, and the calls for so-called "stakeholder capitalism".
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 175 - Predictions Panel on Decentralization, Language Models, and Post-COVID Jun 08, 2021

    This year's prediction panel features discussions on Decentralization, Language Models, Life After Covid, New York City, Social Media Embracing Fake News, and more.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 174 - Jeremy Kauffman, CEO of Odysee and LBRY for Decentralized Video Jun 01, 2021

    Today’s guest is Jeremy Kauffman, founder and CEO of Odysee and LBRY. LBRY is the underlying technology and blockchain that powers a decentralized video hosting service, but Odysee sits on top of it, and makes it a credible and increasingly popular YouTube alternative. Max talks to Jeremy about how he did it, and how the blockchain strategy can be replicated.
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    Ep. 173 - The Fourth Turning Part II - Emerging from the Crisis May 27, 2021

    Max and Aaron finish their discussion of the Fourth Turning, including evaluations of the theory, how it could be tested, what it predicts, and speculation on how the coming crisis could play out.
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    Ep. 172 - The Fourth Turning Part I - Cycles of History May 25, 2021

    Max and Aaron dive into the theory of the Fourth Turning and the cycles of history as put forth in the 1997 book of the same name by Strauss and Howe.
    CORRECTION: Jerry Seinfeld is a classic boomer, not in Gen X
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    Ep. 171 - Ransomware, Security First, and Crypto-corporations May 18, 2021

    Max talks about the recent ransomware attack on the colonial pipeline that let to gas shortages in the southeastern US, how this could encourage security-first principles in design, and the promise and flexibility of crypto-corporations.
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    Ep. 170 - Bayesian Inference Regulations and Network Algorithms May 11, 2021

    Today’s episode discusses the proposed regulations of AI from the European Union, including regulations on Bayesian Inference. This includes the danger and folly of regulating mathematics, but also good practices for decision making and transparency. Finally, we cover graph algorithms, PageRank, and Split Complex Numbers for online dating recommendations.
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    Ep. 169 - Basecamp’s Boundary on Politics May 04, 2021

    Basecamp asks employees not to discuss too much politics at work, and some of them (plus the media) freak out! The Local Maximum gets a new setup.
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    Ep. 168 - Urban Augment Reality with Iracema Trevisan Apr 27, 2021

    Designer, artist and researcher Iracema Trevisan talks to Max about the future of Augmented Reality in cities.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 167 - Blockchain Rising: Wordproof and DeFi Apr 20, 2021

    Today's guest is Sebastiaan ven der Lans, founder of wordproof with a goal to fight fake news through blockchain technology. Max and Sebastiaan talk about this application of blockchain. Later, Max gives an introduction to Decentralized Finance (defi).
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 166 - Lockdown Memory Holes and Rates of Return Apr 13, 2021

    Today Max discusses the efforts by media and tech giants to censor all alternative viewpoints on the Covid Lockdowns, and efficacy of the lockdowns themselves. Are there any remaining justifications for them? He also discusses 2 ways of looking at investments and gambling: expected value and expected rate of return, and why you might want to prefer the latter.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep 165 - Peter McCormack of the What Bitcoin Did Podcast Apr 06, 2021

    Today’s guest Peter McCormack is the host of the highly acclaimed What Bitcoin Did podcast. We cover the recent history of getting into Bitcoin with infighting around block sizes and custodial solutions to the near future where Bitcoiners are becoming more confident in achieving their goals of rebooting the world economy on a solid foundation.
    localmaxradio.com/165
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    Ep. 164 - Anne Griffin on Attracting Employers and AI Product Mar 30, 2021

    Today’s guest is Anne Griffin, a leader in product management, a startup advisor, and subject matter expert in AI, blockchain, tech ethics and product inclusivity.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 163 - Flying Cars, Causality, and Digital Art Storage Concerns Mar 23, 2021

    Today's March News Update includes:
    - NFTs, concerns about how they are being stored, Filecoin
    - Jetson's Act in New Hampshire to legalize flying cars
    - Talk about causality and its trickiness in AI
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    Ep. 162 - Assaf Lev - Cofounder and CEO of Locals Mar 16, 2021

    Today we talk to Assaf Lev who is the cofounder and CEO of Locals.com. Assaf Founded locals in 2019 along with Dave Rubin as an alternative social space for independent creators.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 161 - Fighting for Free Speech with Sam Jacobs Mar 09, 2021

    Max talks to Sam Jacobs of the Resistance Library Podcast and Ammo.com about the war being wages on free speech by large tech corporations and platforms.
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    Ep160 - Digital Art, Tokens, and Rationalists Mar 02, 2021

    Today's Local Maximum dives into a recently popular idea of "non-fungible tokens" to represent art ownership, and also dive into a New York Times article about the rationalist community.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 159 - Gresham's Law, More Google Drama, Self Driving San Francisco Feb 23, 2021

    In today's February News update, we go over Gresham's Law, more firings at the Google AI ethics lab, Waymo expanding driverless cars to San Francisco, and the future and past of audio with the passing of Rush Limbaugh and the rise of Clubhouse.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 158 - Live Free or Die Feb 16, 2021

    Max brings Aaron on the show to make an announcement on moving to the state of New Hampshire. The Local Maximum gets a new home base, and reflections on nearly 15 years in New York City - both from working in software/tech to the city lifestyle.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 157 - Financial Tsunami on the Horizon Feb 09, 2021

    Max and Aaron talk about the vast changes our economy and government would undergo if Bitcoin wins. They also discuss Gamestop and Generational Theory.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 156 - Machine Vision with Iain Smith Feb 02, 2021

    Today's episode covers the explosion of applications of machine vision in industrial automation with guest Iain Smith.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 155 - Why Oppose Censorship Jan 25, 2021

    Max talks about his long-standing skepticism and opposition to censorship, dives into some history of Twitter, a 2007 supreme court dissent from John Paul Stevens, and how locking down the flow of ideas goes against both the science and startup mentality.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 154 - Googlezon Jan 19, 2021

    The Local Maximum takes a look back at a video that circulated the internet in 2004 called "Epic 2014" that predicts a merger between Google and Amazon, an upheaval in the media landscape, and the rise of internet giants. Max and Aaron review the predictions made in this video, and talk about what it means for our present and future.
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    Ep. 153 - Decentralizing Before our Eyes Jan 12, 2021

    The internet is about to go into a massive phase shift over the next few years, and the arms race was kicked off in 2021 with the deplatforming of Parler and Donald Trump. In this solo show, Max talks about the development of the internet, the rise of decentralized services like Mastodon, and the rise of decentralized finance.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 152 - Computational Breakthroughs: Advances in Ramsey Theory and Quantum Computing Jan 05, 2021

    Max and Maryam discuss the theory of computation and the recent breakthroughs in Ramsey Theory by a team of young mathematicians and in Quantum Computational Complexity. Other topics include Graham's number and the halting problem.
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    Ep. 151 - The Pivotal Year 2020 Dec 29, 2020

    Max and Aaron look at the episodes, topics, and stories that have been covered on the Local Maximum in the year 2020, some thoughts on the podcast itself, and hopes for 2021.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 150 - City Living, Waymo Driving, Protein Folding, and Bitcoin Popping Dec 22, 2020

    Max takes on all of the tech stories that we want to cover on The Local Maximum by the end of the year. First an announcement about New York City, and comments on the new leadership philosophy espoused by politicians with a contrasting view on what they need to do. Then, a series of self driving car updates with Waymo, Uber, Aurora, and Tesla. Third, the breakthrough in protein folding in AlphaFold 2 and what it means. And finally, we cover the big moves in the Bitcoin markets along with some lesser known crypto-related stories.
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    Ep. 149 - Chaos at Google, Woke AI, and Ultimatums Dec 15, 2020

    Today we talk about the controversial departure of AI Ethics researcher Timnit Gebru from Google, by first going over the facts and why it's a big deal. Then we talk about what the research was about, bias in race and gender in AI, and the activist mindset that pervades these organizations. Finally, we talk about modern workplace dynamics and what this means for Google specifically.
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    Ep. 148 - Lisa Palmer on Real Time Decision Making and Augmented Intelligence Dec 08, 2020

    Today’s guest is Lisa Palmer, Chief Technology Advisor at Splunk, to talk about the latest trending in technology and AI. Topics include real time decision making, wildfires, manufacturing, augmented intelligence, augmented reality, chatbots, and business to business.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 147 - Joining Locals, Media Decline, and Internet Detox Dec 01, 2020

    ANNOUNCING maximum.locals.com, a community for Local Maximum listeners and supporters. They also discuss the decline in quality of the dominant social media platforms, and the idea of internet detoxification.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 146 - Math, Language, and Intelligence with Tai-Danae Bradley Nov 24, 2020

    Mathematician Tai-Danae Bradley joins The Local Maximum to discuss authoring a graduate level book on Topology, the mathematics of language, and the application of quantum probability to machine learning. Don’t miss today’s fascinating discussion!
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    Ep. 145 - What is probability: A Philosophical Question with Practical Implications Nov 17, 2020

    Today’s episode features Max’s talk at pymcon 2020 on the interpretation of probability.
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    Ep. 144 - Brian Mac Mahon of Expert Dojo on Startups Nov 10, 2020

    Today’s guest is Brian Mac Mahon, CEO of Expert DOJO Startup Accelerator to talk about some of his startups that are succeeding internationally right now and how startup founders handle crisis.
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    Ep. 143 - The Last Election Episode Nov 03, 2020

    Max and Aaron discuss the 2020 election one last time until election day. They give listeners reasons not to panic.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 142 - Marsbot for Airpods Launched! Oct 27, 2020

    This week Max and the Foursquare Labs team launched Marsbot for Airpods, a personal assistant that plays contextual audio through your headphones about the specific spots you pass by as you walk throughout your town or city. Aaron interviews Max about the product, and Maryam Aly rejoins The Local Maximum for a more technical and insider discussion with Max. Then, we talk about a related announcement in the AR space.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 141 - Social Media Giants and the Election, 2016 vs 2020 vs 2024 Oct 20, 2020

    Max talks about the recent blackout of a New York Post article on Twitter and Facebook in the larger context of the evolving approach that these companies are taking to controlling your information diet. Also, Max looks at potential sources of error in the presidential polling and where they might come from if they do indeed exist.
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    Ep. 140 - Why Polls are Tricky with Alex Andorra Oct 13, 2020

    Max talks to Alex Andorra of pollsposition.com to discuss why election polling is so difficult, and what could go wrong with the polls in the US presidential election.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 139 - Coinbase Goes Apolitical, Libra Languishes, and Deepfakes Rise Oct 06, 2020

    Max and Aaron do a tech update about Coinbase's controversial new policy of going apolitical, Facebook's Libra currency behind schedule, and what Deepfakes will mean for social media.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 138 - Life on Venus, Viking DNA Sep 29, 2020

    On this science update on the Local Maximum, we discuss the possibility of life in the atmosphere of Venus, as well as a surprising finding about Viking genetics.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 137 - Bayesian Covid Tests, Topological Computation, and Electoral Systems Sep 22, 2020

    Today’s show features callers and emails from the Local Maximum Audience. One listenered learned about Bayesian inference and published a manuscript on Bayes Rule applied to Covid-19 Testing. Another listener introduced me to a topological approach to representing numbers in computer science. A third listener had some point to make on the Electoral College.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 136 - Election Martingales and Microsoft’s Milestone Sep 15, 2020

    In today’s episode, Max talks about why election predictions that veer too far off from 50% and have high variance over time carry little weight. We learn several arguments why, plus we learn about the idea of a probability martingale. Also, it’s been 25 years since the introduction of Windows 95. Why is that interesting and what does it say about the nature of human computer interaction and tech marketing.
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    Ep. 135 - Meaning, Memory, or Just More Semantics Sep 08, 2020

    Today’s Local Maximum continues the discussion of the difference statistical models, and the knowledge needed to understand something like language. Also - can AI be used to extend our memory, and discussion of an op-ed that disputes the remote work trend.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 134 - AI Breakthrough and understanding "understanding" Sep 01, 2020

    Max talks about current tech news, including openAI's GPT-3, and wrapping our heads around natural language understanding.
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    Ep. 133 - Pointless Topology Aug 25, 2020

    What is topology, and could there be an application in AI?
    Max and Aaron use common language to talk about a field of mathematics known as topology, and an interesting subfield of that known as pointless topology. They end with knot theory and meticulous predictions.
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    Ep. 132 - Rob Bernstein on Podcasting, Politics, and Porch Tours Aug 18, 2020

    Rob Bernstein (@robbiethefire) - standup comedian and host of the Run Your Mouth podcast - joins the Local Maximum. The conversation with Max covers podcasting, comedy during the pandemic, his ongoing summer porch tour, New York City, and the presidential election.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 131 - Structure, Creativity, and Remote Work with Jeff Meyerson Aug 11, 2020

    Today’s guest is Jeff Meyerson, host of the Software Engineering Daily Podcast. Max and Jeff talk about his talk last year “You are not a commodity” to software engineers, the assembly line mentality, remote work, and podcasting in general.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 130 - Science on the Tightrope Aug 04, 2020

    Today's discussion centers around the difficulty in pursuing truth, knowledge, and engineering feats in an age of hyper-politics. Max and Aaron start with Lawrence Krauss's article in the Wall Street Journal on "The Ideological Corruption of Science", then move into whether it's possible to remain apolitical, and considering the ethical implications of research. Finally, they give an update on "Fake Faces" and how they are being used to push slanted news articles.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 129 - Language Translation Tech with João Graça Jul 28, 2020

    Max talks to João Graça, CTO of multilingual translation platform Unbabel to talk about the past, present, and future of translation technology and the role of machine learning.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 128 - Urban Dynamics, Amazon Go, and Smart Carts Jul 21, 2020

    Today's discussion centers on recent speculation about long term population transfers between the city, the suburbs, and the countryside, and the issues facing cities in America right now. We also talk about the rise of Amazon Go stores, and why and how this technology might spread to other types of stores around the world.
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    Ep. 127 - Data Visualization with Kristen Sosulski Jul 14, 2020

    Max checks in with Kristen Sosulski, NYU Professor and Author of Data Visualization Made Simple. They discuss some of the basic principles of data visualization, and some common approaches and pitfalls.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 126 - Electoral Systems: Models vs Reality Jul 07, 2020

    This companion to episode 125 on the Electoral College starts with an interview of Ernie Dronenberg in California who was a member of the Electoral College in 1980!
    Afterwards, Max talks about different models of voting systems in social choice theory: Rankings, Condorcet Methods, Condorcet Paradoxes, Monotone Boolean Functions, and Shapley values.
    This ends with a discussion of the ways in which mathematical models of voting do not match the social dynamics of a real election, the positive properties of the electoral college, and what reforms to look for.
    localmaxradio.com/126
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    Ep. 125 - Why We Need the Electoral College with Tara Ross Jun 30, 2020

    Today begins a 2 part series on the Electoral College, and the way in which the President of the United States is elected. Tara Ross is a nationally recognized author and expert on the electoral college, and her recent book, “Why We Need the Electoral College” provides a justification and defense of the electoral college system. Today’s interview covers:
    - Some of the mechanics of a presidential election
    - Responses to some common criticisms of the electoral college
    - Comparisons between the electoral college and other electoral systems, both internationally and within the United States
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    Ep. 124 - Socials in the Fact Checking Business Jun 23, 2020

    Today’s discussion centers around the trend of the big social networks (Twitter and Facebook) to fact-check certain accounts. Can fact checking be fair, and is it consistent with open discussion? This episode also covers the activist culture and pressures faces by companies and workplaces today. Also, a new image processing ML algorithm which generates an image from a pixelated version has promise and pitfalls.
    localmaxradio.com/124
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    Ep. 123 - Everybody Lies with Seth Stephens-Davidowitz Jun 16, 2020

    Today’s episode features Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of the book Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who we Really Are. Discussion topics include research on NBA demographics, horse racing, Google search data and Coronavirus, and validating Google analytics.
    localmaxradio.com/123
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    Ep. 122 - What are we going through? Jun 09, 2020

    This episode focuses on life in 2020 with pandemics, lockdowns, protests, curfews, looting, and more. Max gives an update on New York city. At the end of the show, hospital administrator Ben Geboe calls in with his pandemic experiences.
    localmaxradio.com/122
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    Ep. 121 - The Tumultuous Week Jun 02, 2020

    Max and Aaron return for a June news update. In addition to providing a first hand account of the protests and disturbances in Fort Greene, they update us on:
    - The private space race, SpaceX’s Launch, and Future Moon Landings
    - The heist of 20 million in Bitcoin by a Westchester teen, and what you can do to protect yourself
    - The breakdown of social media and the war between Twitter and Donald Trump
    localmaxradio.com/121
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    Ep. 120 - The Reopening: Confounders, Colliders, and Simpson’s Paradox May 26, 2020

    Max makes his case on the ineffectiveness of lockdowns. Concepts of the week include confounders and colliders, which are subjects in causality theory, and Simpon’s Paradox where correlations flip based on how the data is bucketed.
    localmaxradio.com/120
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    Ep. 119 - Advocating for Bayesian Inference with Brian Blais May 19, 2020

    Today’s guest is Brian Blais, a professor of Science at Bryant University. His approach to teaching statistical inference includes taking the Bayesian approach instead of delegating it to an advanced or elective topic. We talk about the Bayesian vs Frequentist debate, how to navigate the disconnect between them, and the role of imagination when discovering truth.
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    Ep. 118 - Learning vs Memorization, Bitcoin Halvening, and Antibody Tests May 12, 2020

    The Local Maximum cover a wide range of topics in this Local Maximum May news update with Max Sklar and cohost Aaron. Max said “this is one of the most fun episodes to do, but all the best stuff is at the end so you better listen through”.
    Concept of the week is the separation of test and training set in machine learning. We discuss why it is important, how it separates learning and memorization, and where the grey areas are.
    Other Topics include:
    - The Bitcoin halving - a once-in-4-years watershed moment for the fledgling currency
    - Revealing information from coronavirus antibody tests
    - A 5 year old driver in Utah
    - The predictive power of Demolition Man and other movies (at the end)
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 117 - A.I. Hype and the Expert Problem with Christian Hubbs May 05, 2020

    Today’s Local Maximum features Chistian Hubbs, host of the Artificially Intelligent podcast. We talk about the most recent examples of AI Hype, more on the Coronavirus models, and the nuanced problems of listening to the experts.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 116 - Cytometry and Machine Learning with Hefin Rhys Apr 28, 2020

    Cytometrist and author of the new Machine Learning text (ML with R the tidyverse, and mlr) joins the Local Maximum to tell us about some of the biological applications of machine learning and making it more accessible to all.
    We cover model evaluation, unsupervised learning, and the curse of dimensionality.
    Podlocalmax19 is the promo code to get 40% off all books at manning.com
    localmaxradio.com/116
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    Ep. 115 - Surprises in the Coronavirus Models Apr 21, 2020

    Today Max dives into the Coronavirus pandemic models. He talk generally about statistical models of this sort, and how epidemiological models are usually performed. Then, he finds that the models followed by the state and federal governments do nothing of the sort!
    Also:
    - What actions should individuals and governments take?
    - Do lockdowns affect viral spread?
    - What's the story with asymptomatic people?
    localmaxradio.com/115
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    Ep. 114 - Biden joins the Podoverse, The Market for Credibility, and Smart Toilets Apr 14, 2020

    The Local Maximum takes a break from continuing Coronavirus coverage to talk about larger social trends. Stanford University researchers proposal for a smart toilet goes too far as it scans your from the bottom up for login credentials. Established media throws shade at podcasting as a dangerous medium, even as they are guilty of the same crimes. Max explains the necessity of the long form podcast in our fractured information news economy. Joe Biden starts a podcast - meaning that this could be the start of a new era of communications tools in presidential elections. The New York Magazine review says it’s too much Biden. Welcome to 2020!
    localmaxradio.com/114
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    Ep. 113 - Quarantined Predictions Panel discusses Telemedicine, Virtual Reality, and Urbanization Apr 07, 2020

    The annualish Local Maximum predictions panel continues virtually even though under quarantine. They make future predictions, but also review past predictions for today’s time. Max gives a Coronavirus update from New York. Here are some questions that we tackle:
    - Will Urban or Rural spaces grow in the future?
    - Why did some virtual reality predictions fail, and what can turn that platform around?
    - Will doctors finally treat patients remotely on a regular basis?
    - How long will we be stuck in our homes?
    localmaxradio.com/113
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    Ep. 112 - Naomi Brockwell on Coronavirus Coverage, Encryption Laws, and Internet Freedom Mar 31, 2020

    Naomi Brockwell returns to the Local Maximum to share her knowledge of recent events. Naomi was reporting and sounding the alarm of Coronavirus before almost all of the media, but many dismissed her warnings. The discussion also includes:
    - Government reaction and mismanagement of the pandemic as well as misinformation
    - Ways to stay calm and protect yourself
    - The role of Censorship in preventing an informed public
    - Proposed laws against internet privacy and encryption (the EARN IT act) that can make us less secure online
    - The future of bitcoin and cryptocurrency
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    Ep. 111 - Covid Data Deluge, Zoombombing, and Wager Math Mar 24, 2020

    Max does a solo show during hist third week of staying at home during the Coronavirus outbreak. He covers:
    - The large amounts of stories about the virus coming in from all corners, and how it's difficult to evaluate them
    - The current situation in New York City, both everyday life, and policy
    - How we're getting set up to do more video chats and calls, some ideas for rigging up a home studio, and the popularity of zoom
    - The mathematics behind wagers and risks
    - Listener email on Logical Probability
    localmaxradio.com/111
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    Ep. 110 - Pandemic Update! Media Overload, Symptom Distribution, Estimating Fatality Rate Mar 17, 2020

    As Max is holed up at home, he talks to Aaron about the current coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.
    localmaxradio.com/110
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    Ep. 109 - Experimental Design with Adam Kapelner Mar 10, 2020

    Today’s guest is Adam Kapelner, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Queens College, to talk about the nature of probability, some of the theoretical and philosophical foundations of statistical inference, and his research into some basic questions of experimental design.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 108 - What is Probability, Bloomberg vs Bernie on Boards, and Password Guessing Mar 03, 2020

    Max will tell you his definition of probability - which is his secret to clearly thinking about truth and inference - on the heels of last week’s discussion. Also some updates:
    - What’s the difference between the Google Photos leak and the iCloud leak? What is end-to-end encryption?
    - Now stories are coming out about Venezuela that contradict the positive stories being posted a few weeks ago
    - Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth want corporate board members to answer to other interests besides shareholders, such as employees. Bloomberg says this is throwing away capitalism. Who is right?
    localmaxradio.com/108
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    Ep. 107 - Bob Murphy: Probability, Economics, and Human Action Feb 25, 2020

    Economist Bob Murphy shares his insight into Ludwig von Mises’s ideas on Probability from the mid 20th century treatise Human Action. They work to square this with Max’s conception of probability in his own experience as a machine learning engineer. Topics include:
    - The differences between subjective and objective probability (and case vs class probability in Human Action)
    - Use of probability in decision making
    - The controversial meaning of subjective probability
    - Whether insurance companies are gambling
    - Contrasting visions of Bayesian Inference from the 20th to the 21st centuries.
    This is a fascinating discussion that involves the clashing of different schools of thought, which is by no means definitive and will be expanded upon in later episodes!
    localmaxradio.com/107
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    Ep. 106 - Incredible Map Tech, Venezuela 1% Free, and The 4 Crypto Seasons Feb 18, 2020

    Today’s news update focuses on the 15 years of Google Maps and Location technology in general. Max relates to his experience on Stickymap and Foursquare. We talk about Satellite Imagery, Mapquest, and recent efforts to create digital models of cities on the ground level using Machine Learning on Photos. Finally, we talk about what the augmented reality City might look like.
    Other topics include a recent spate of articles about Venezuela selling off part of it’s nationalized company, and whether the socialist revolution has run its course in that country. Max also coins the 4 seasons of cryptocurrency.
    localmaxradio.com/106
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    Ep. 105 - Joys of Bayes, Belief Networks, and Aerodynamics with Sophie Carr Feb 11, 2020

    Today’s guest is Sophie Carr, a mathematician who specializes in Bayesian Inference and Aerodynamics. Max asks about her analogies for wrapping one’s head around Bayesian Inference, and applying it in the real world.
    Max also follows up on Encryption laws.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 104 - Connected Cars, Coronavirus, and Communication: Privacy under assault in Digital Age Feb 04, 2020

    Today’s news update covers issues related to big data and privacy. We start with how big data from public information is being used to track and fight coronavirus, followed by the possibility that the car of the future will be spying on you. Finally, we get into a proposal in Congress to criminalize encryption technology, which will make our data less secure. Finally, the New York Times puts out another Bitcoin hitjob, complete with inaccurate links about criminal activity.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 103 - Dave Rubin on Launching Locals and Taking Power back from Big Tech Jan 28, 2020

    Dave Rubin stops in to The Local Maximum to discuss his new venture called Locals, a subscription-based community solution that gives power to creators, not platforms. He discusses the current problems with our online platforms and communication systems on “big tech” and his approach to fixing it.
    Dave Rubin is a talk show host, comedian, and TV personality. He is the host of The Rubin Report, a talk show about big ideas and free speech, heralded for it's politically incorrect and open approach to discussing complex issues and current events. The show has garnered a huge fan base from across the world, by having honest conversations about important topics in a thoughtful and candid manner rarely seen in mainstream media. The show is a top political YouTube channel and leading political podcast on iTunes.
    localmaxradio.com/103
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    Ep. 102 - Logical Induction, Building Ordinals, and Compounding Errors Jan 21, 2020

    Max give his take on Logical Induction and the construction of mathematical objects, a topic that he's been interested in for years.
    Topics include:
    - Intro to Mathematical Induction
    - Tradition Induction vs Ordinal Induction vs Epslion Induction
    - The Dominos analogy
    - Logical arguments vs Physical Arguments
    - Problems with compound implications in the real world
    - Spotting arguments that hide compound errors
    localmaxradio.com/102
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    Ep. 101 - Robots Taking All Our Jobs? Antony Sammeroff’s Rebuttal Jan 14, 2020

    These days there’s a lot of angst about job loss due to automation, AI, and Robotics. This led to a formal debate at the SoHo forum in New York about the implications of robotics and automation technology on the job market and what our response should be. Today’s guest, Anthony Sameroff, successfully argued against the resolution which predicts widespread joblessness due to automation.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 100 - Milestones, Questions, and Wisdom from the First Hundred Episodes Jan 07, 2020

    Max talks about all the exciting developments from 100 episodes of producing The Local Maximum Podcast. He also answers listener questions relating to the first 100 episodes, the podcast as a whole, and where it can go in the future.
    localmaxradio.com/100
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    Ep. 99 - Tech Trends of the 2010s Dec 31, 2019

    Aaron and I start by responding to listener emails, and talking about how our predictions are faring on Metaculus and PredictIt. Then we go over our short list of technological trends of the decade which includes:
    - The ubiquity of mobile and cloud computing
    - Consolidation of Social Networks
    - Status of Wearables and Audio
    - Populist Movements of all kinds fuels by mass communication
    - Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency
    - AI, Machine Learning, and Personal Assistants
    - Success and Failures of the “Uber for X” trend
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 98 - Bayesian Stats and Political Trends with Alexandre Andorra Dec 24, 2019

    Alex Andorra, host of the new podcast Learning Bayesian Statistics joins The Local Maximum today to talk about these fascinating issues:
    - The growing role of Bayesian Analysis in Science and Technology
    - How the pollsters and journalists cover election data, and how it can be improved
    - Ways to look at election polls from a Bayesian standpoint
    - Strategic voting, comparative political systems, and social choice theory
    - Approaches to explaining these topics in audio (podcast) form!
    localmaxradio.com/98
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    Ep. 97 - Classic Computer Science Problems with David Kopec Dec 17, 2019

    Today we dive into the world of Computer Science with David Kopec, author of Classic Computer Science Problems in Python. Topics include misconceptions about computer science, what the general public should know, stumbling blocks for students, graph algorithms, and genetic algorithms.
    localmaxradio.com/97
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    Ep. 96 - Climate Protests, Pascal’s Wager, and the Duplicitous Science Press Dec 10, 2019

    Ep. 96 - Climate Protests, Pascal’s Wager, and the Duplicitous Science Press
    Max gives a first hand account of the climate protests during the Yale Harvard football game which delayed the game by almost an hour. He breaks down the arguments made by climate activists, and relates it to Pascal’s Wager, a concept in probabilities that relates to infinite values, and how it can be abused. Max and Aaron discuss a couple of news articles on scientific discoveries and break down how they analyze them.
    localmaxradio.com/96
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    Ep. 95 - Ideas and Inspiration from Gaming Dec 03, 2019

    Panelists Craig Lorentzen and Foursquare Founder Dennis Crowley discuss inspiration, lessons learned, and career shifts they’ve obtained from playing video games as kids and as adults.
    localmaxradio.com/95
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    Ep. 94 - Dividing By Zero, Infinite Ratios, and Ice Cream Sales Nov 26, 2019

    Today Max talks about his long-term fascination with the concept of infinity, including several different forms and definitions that infinity can take on. Then, we do a deep dive into what it means to extend the real number line and divide by zero.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 93 - Innovation, Consolidation, and Entrenched Industry Doctrines Nov 19, 2019

    In our second November news update, we cover articles and stories on:
    - The consolidation of the internet
    - The dispute over whether Facebook centralized or decentralized speech
    - Calls to “re-decentralize” the internet with personal servers, and the practicality of that
    - How podcasting has been caught up in some internet trends, and left out of others.
    - A/B testing and shrinking emphasis on it
    Also, we go off on a bunch of tangents!
    localmaxradio.com/93
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    Ep. 92 - Political Game Theory and Self Driving Drama Nov 11, 2019

    This news update covers Ranked Choice Voting in New York City, Twitter’s decision to ban political advertising as we enter the 2020 political campaign season, and Waymo and Uber fighting it out for dominance in the self driving car market.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 91 - Ad Tech Intrigues with Shoshana Wodinsky Nov 05, 2019

    Max talks to Adweek reporter Shoshana Wodinsky about the fraud, the scandal, the propaganda, that goes out through online ad industry.
    localmaxradio.com/91
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    Ep. 90 - Narrative Confirmation Bias, Loaded Questions in Congress, Molyneux’s Misinformation Oct 29, 2019

    In this solo show, Max talks about Narrative building, and the confirmation bias that can be associated with it. To illustrate his points:
    The recent hearings in Congress of Mark Zuckerberg over the Libra Project
    A professor who claims to have the winning system to predict the presidential election
    Stefan Molyneux’s use of a combination of statistical and linguistic tricks to build his society narrative.
    localmaxradio.com/90
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    Ep. 89 - Building Liberland! How to claim Your own Sovereign Territory with Vit Jedlicka Oct 22, 2019

    Max interviews Vit Jedlicka, president and founder of Liberland, which is a project to create a new country on unclaimed territory between Serbia and Croatia.
    Liberland was founded as a free republic with the goal of building new institutions to safeguard personal and economic freedom in a way that isn’t being done in any country including the western democracies today.
    We discuss the legal and organizational challenges in pursuing this project, as well as the technologies - blockchain, mobile communication, and geo-location - that make this possible.
    Also present is Thomas Walls, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Liberland.
    Localmaxradio.com/89
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    Ep. 88 - Occam's Razor, Hanlon's Razor, and Layers of Conspiracy Oct 15, 2019

    Today's Concept of the Week is Occam's Razor, along with other related ideas like Hanlon's Razor.
    - The Dragon in My Garage
    - Fermi Estimation
    - Why your iPhone is probably not recording all your conversations; but if it was what how it might do it.
    - How early is too early for Halloween?
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    Ep. 87 - Deep Learning and AI with Mark Ryan Oct 08, 2019

    This week’s guest is Mark Ryan, author of the upcoming book Deep Learning with Structured Data.
    We cover:
    - How machine learning has come to dominate Artificial Intelligence over the last few decades
    - How the deep learning, which can solve problems like natural language understanding and image recognition - is becoming more and more practical, and gets results even in more traditional datasets
    - How to learn to become a machine learning engineer through online tutorials and frameworks
    - Where this is going in the future, and discussions on superintelligence and the technological singularity
    Get 40% off the book with the discount code podlocalmax19, at Manning Publishing: https://www.manning.com/books/deep-learning-with-structured-data
    localmaxradio.com/87
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    Ep. 86 - Audio Augmented Reality and More Metaculus Predictions Oct 01, 2019

    On the news that Amazon wants to put Alexa into wearable devices, we discuss the idea that the focus in consumer tech has moved to sound, including voice controls, augmented reality, and podcasting.
    Max gives an update on the Betaworks Hearing Voices conference that highlighted the latest tech, demos, and ideas in this area.
    Plus - we follow up on previous episodes, including Aaron’s predictions on the Metaculus engine, and how Max missed a subway stop because he was reading Reddit.
    localmaxradio.com/86
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    Ep. 85 - Metaculus: Aggregating emotions, expertise, and data into Prediction Engine Sep 24, 2019

    Part 2 of Max's discussion with Anthony Aguirre, cofounder of the Metaculus prediction engine. Topics include:
    - The difference between making short term, long term, and theoretical predictions
    - The human mind and human emotions - as imperfect as they are - being world's best tool for prediction making
    - Calibrating your probabilities, on an individual and group level
    - Predictions of humor-detecting AI, waking up after being cryogenically frozen, and political developments
    localmaxradio.com/85
    metaculus.com
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    Ep. 84 - Big Questions about the Universe with Anthony Aguirre Sep 17, 2019

    Max talks to cosmologist Anthony Aguirre about the fundamental nature of the universe, with the following questions:
    Is the Space Discrete or Continuous?
    How does our physics differ from Virtual Reality, or the model we have in our brain?
    What is Fourier space?
    What does it mean that the universe is made of information?
    Is there a fundamental bit?
    In most cases, things aren’t what they seem! Check out Anthony’s Book on the subject: Cosmological Koans.
    localmaxradio.com/84
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    Ep. 83 - Bitcoin Energy Alarmists, Musk and Ma in Different AI Universes, and Gab picks a fight Sep 10, 2019

    Max follows through on his promise to take down the big lie about Bitcoin - that it’ll consume all our energy and destroy the earth. He goes through the simple math that shows this won’t be a problem, and talk about how Bitcoin can encourage better energy technology.
    Jack Ma and Elon Musk were recently in a debate/discussion about AI in Shanghai, and they are in such opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their philosophical outlook! We talk about what they said, and where they agreed.
    Finally, Max starts by responding to Gab CEO Andrew Torba, who threw shade at Foursquare in a recent blogpost.
    localmaxradio.com/83
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    Ep. 82 - Learning Should Be Free! Henry Abramson on Teaching Jewish History to the Global Classroom Sep 03, 2019

    Henry Abramson, Dean of Touro College in Brooklyn, tells us about how he took his Jewish History Lectures online. We talk a bit about the historical shift in communication, information, and education that the internet and YouTube represent and his dealings with feedback, trolling, and algorithms.
    Finally, we learn about his biggest influences, and some specific lectures and why the internet has gravitated towards them.
    localmaxradio.com/82
    henryabramson.com
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    Ep. 81 - Junk Science, Click Bait, and Meaningless Experiments Aug 27, 2019

    Ever feel like there’s something wrong with all the news and information you consume, even when you get it from professional scientists and doctors?
    We tackle the reproducibility crisis in science today starting with taking a look at some mudslinging between high profile online academics Andrew Gelman and Cass Sunstein.
    We also talk about the probable over-publishing of studies in stock market prediction and elsewhere, and scientists reading too much when interpreting results to fit their narrative and ideology.
    localmaxradio.com/81
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    Ep. 80 - Tumblr and Fall: Challenges for the Quirky and Creative Platform Aug 20, 2019

    The recent sale of the creative and niche site Tumblr to Wordpress from Verizon shows an over 99% loss of value from it’s original sale to Yahoo in 2013. We look back at the phases Tumblr’s been through, and how this fits with the larger social, technological, and business trends.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 79 - Creating Virtual Worlds with Timoni West Aug 13, 2019

    This is a conversation with Timoni West at Unity Labs about the emerging tech of Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed reality. We talk about how these new worlds are being created, the challenges that need to be overcome, and how they will be different than you may have assumed from watching your favorite sci-fi movies.
    localmaxradio.com/79
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    Ep. 78 - Bayesian Thinking: Flat Earth Priors, The Mises Brothers, and Curb Your Analogy Aug 06, 2019

    As Max returns from Lviv Ukraine where he offered a course on Bayesian thinking, he shares his knowledge and insights.
    - What are the drawbacks and limitations to Bayes rule vs other approaches?
    - Is probability objective or subjective?
    - How did Larry David illustrates argument by analogy?
    - The von Mises brothers include one free market economist (Ludwig) and one statistician (Richard) - what did they have to say on this topic?
    - What’s the problem with a Flat Earth Prior?
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 77 - Competitive Foosball Jul 30, 2019

    Frequent Local Maximum contributor Maryam Aly comes on to discuss her career into competitive foosball, and how she achieved a top ranking in the global foosball leaderboard. We also discuss lessons on teamwork and communication that Maryam has transferred from Foosball over to the software engineering realm!
    localmaxradio.com/77
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    Ep. 76 - Bitcoin and Google Invade Politics Jul 23, 2019

    Politicians and bureaucrats in the US are talking about Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency after Facebook announces that they’ll get in the game - including a Trump tweet. Some people are sending Bitcoin through the radio waves to prepare for an extreme scenario. Googlers clearly want to elect a democrat in 2020 - and this is affecting their product decisions. Researchers say an AI is learning science - but Max and Aaron break down what this really means.
    Plus - find out about Max’s new job!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 75 - The Market Loves You: Jeffrey Tucker on the nature of Innovation Jul 16, 2019

    I discuss with AIER director Jeffrey Tucker his new book, The Market Loves You, covering triumphs of markets and innovation such as the railroad, the word processor, and shoes. We turn to today’s big ideas in Bitcoin, Social Media, and the App Frenzy, and the unresolved problems that the next crop of entrepreneurs, engineers, and consumers will tackle.
    Finally, we cover the nature of innovation itself. Why do people become entrepreneurs? What is the role of engineers and product developers? And what is quality?
    There’s also something about a chicken stick at the airport, and big announcement for me!
    localmaxradio.com/75
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    Ep. 74 - Gerrymander USA, The End of Civilization, and Monkey Business Jul 09, 2019

    The US Supreme Court says that it can’t weigh in on Gerrymandered districts. We look at the idea of Gerrymandering in the United States, armed with the new social choice tools that we picked up in previous episodes.
    A Cloudflare outage temporarily takes down a portion of the internet. This may be evidence of a central point of failure, but could that central point be shrinking?
    Finally we talk about a Bayesian argument in the Wall Street Journal and recently released book that claims to predict the end of the world. We break down what it’s claiming, how the tools of Bayes and Lindy fit in, and how much weight to put on the prognosis. How can we avoid our Turkey Consumption Holiday of Choice?
    Then - we go completely off script, covering the possibility of continuing civilization on Mars and on pockets in Earth after a Nuclear disaster, the asteroid made of gold, and some monkeys finally reaching the stone age.
    You have reached another Local Maximum indeed!
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    Ep. 73 - Talking Python with Michael Kennedy Jul 01, 2019

    Talk Python To Me host Michael Kennedy discusses a range of issues with Max, including Python's popularity as a programming language and what we can learn from that, hosting a podcast as part of a business, and how programming skills can fit well with other careers and in our education system.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 72 - Voting Power, Consortiums, and Facebook's Currency Jun 24, 2019

    Facebook’s proposed cryptocurrency called Libra is supposed to aid international transactions. Does it compete with banks, or does it compete with Bitcoin? And what are the chances that Facebook and their 100-member consortium of companies will follow through on this over the next few years?
    We then turn to the idea of voting power, and learn about one important metric when it comes to analyzing voting systems: The Shapely Power Index. We’re dive into how it’s computed, what it means, and what it’s limitations are.
    Today’s co-host is Maryam Aly.
    localmaxradio.com/72
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    Ep. 71 - Science and The City: From Urban Theory to Mobile Apps with Tassos Noulas Jun 18, 2019

    We hear from Tassos Noulas, faculty fellow at the NYU Center for Data Science about Urban Data Science and the related theory and projects. In the age of big data, scientists have found a better understanding of how cities develop, how to improve transport networks, and some ideas for future products that can be built around taxis and AR.
    Topics include the Future Cities Challenge, Taxi price comparison apps, retail gravitation, central place theory, the relationship with fractal geometry, and wiki atlas.
    localmaxradio.com/71
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    Ep. 70 - Centralizers vs Extremists and an Ode to the Podoverse Jun 11, 2019

    I look at the woe’s of social media and YouTube today, and discover that similar problems have occurred throughout history. Covering the rise of radio in the 1920’s and 1930’s including Fascist orators and federal intervention of radio in the 1930s, Cable News Fights, the FCC worried about explicit content in the 1990s and 2000s.
    Finally, I compare the truly decentralized universe of podcasts - the podoverse - with the tech-giant run social media systems like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and why their business models, and the complexity of running such systems have led to internet malaise while at the same time a golden age of podcasting commences.
    localmaxradio.com/70
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    Ep. 69 - Apple Unbundles iTunes, Cuba Update, and Content Distribution in the 21st century Jun 04, 2019

    Apple announces that they are unbundling iTunes into several apps at WWDC. Some feared this means the end of iTunes, but we discuss how it's actually a design upgrade.
    Foursquare and Placed brought together in a big spinoff-merger deal. What does that mean for the future of location, ads, and attribution?
    Lots of emphasis on privacy at WWDC. Cubans to get private wifi - are they slowing joining the 21st century?
    localmaxradio.com/69
    Finally, we look at the history of the content creation and distribution business (music, movies, tv, and podcasts) in the 21st century. P2P file sharing apps, to Apple's iTunes store, and a summary of the business models emerging as standard today.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 68 - 6 University Courses that Influenced Me in Surprising Ways May 28, 2019

    Aaron and I discuss my list of 6 university courses that in retrospect have influenced me in surprising and unexpected ways, even after many years. The list is:
    Yale's Writing Seminar (Yale)
    Functional Programming (Yale)
    Philosophy and Computer Science (Yale)
    Emerging Technology and Business Innovation (NYU Stern)
    Machine Learning (NYU Courant)
    Electronic Communities (NYU Stern)
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    Ep. 67 - Social Credit Scores and Re-education Camps in China May 21, 2019

    The episode starts with a game of thrones discussion for 2 minutes (how can it not)! And then Max discusses some related news items coming out of China:
    The Rise of The Social Credit Score
    The Re-Education Camps the Uighers and others in Western China are being forced into
    Causality Myths
    The Big Debate on Socialism vs Capitalism
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    Ep. 66 - Dennis Crowley, Hypertrending at Foursquare May 14, 2019

    I visited Foursquare HQ to check in with Executive Chairman Dennis Crowley.
    - Personal stories and the Innovative mind
    - Industry trends in consumer apps/big data
    - Foursquare's latest labs project: hypertrending at SXSW
    I also follow up on last weeks episode, with more details on voting affecting the outcome of an election, and the turkey vs email problem.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 65 - The chance of something that has never happened before May 07, 2019

    How can one estimate the probability of an unprecedented event - something that has never happened before - happening? It seems like a hopeless endeavor, but there actually are valid strategies to tackle this problem.
    We also recap the interviews that occurred in the 5 previous episodes, and the continuing closure and censorship of our social networks as they are increasingly becoming associated with violence in the real world - and how we're going to get out of this.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 64 - Pro Tips for Your Resume with Marc Cenedella Apr 30, 2019

    Marc Cenedella is the CEO of Ladders, Inc, and today he talks to Max about the Ladders Job Search service, and the job matching problem in the 21st century. After diving into The Ladders’ specific audience and product approach, the conversation turns to Max’s resume. The advice provided is invaluable to all job seekers - present and future - out there.
    localmaxradio.com/64
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    Ep. 63 - Transfer Learning, Career Cliffs, and Investing for the Future with Bethany Crystal of USV Apr 23, 2019

    Today’s interview is with Bethany Crystal at Union Square Ventures. We cover a lot of ground
    Building Network Effects as a means to Market Power
    Building Careers, avoiding the career cliff
    Inspiration from the Idea of Transfer Learning
    Diversification in investments and in the self
    Check out Bethany’s blog: http://bethanycrystal.com/blog/
    I also talk about the launch of the Luminary Podcast Network: luminarypodcasts.com
    Also - get my take on Google’s ill-fated AI Ethics panel.
    localmaxradio.com/63
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    Ep. 62 - Capitalism, Competition, and Wealth: A Conversation with Denise Hearn Apr 16, 2019

    Today's interview was done at a Tech2025 event where participants were asked to think about wealth and the present state of the US and Global economy. I spoke to Denise Hearn, author of "The Myth of Capitalism" about the trend towards Oligopoly and its causes.
    Also included are discussions about the definition of capitalism, the definition of wealth, the price of a free good, regulatory capture, and the role of our monetary system in distorting the economy.
    localmaxradio.com/62
    https://www.mythofcapitalism.com/
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    Ep. 61 - Facebook vs Capitalism Apr 09, 2019

    Michael Bronspigel runs the Facebook capitalism page and tells the story of how Facebook’s algorithm and policies affected his group. We also talk about
    - the nature of online properties
    - the story of how he started the group and turned it into a business
    - retro internet memes
    - the push to further crack down on content
    The group: fb.com/capitalists, capitalismisfreedom.org
    Show notes: localmaxradio.com/61
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    Ep. 60 - Hilary Mason, Machine Learning Research in Action Apr 02, 2019

    I caught up with Hilary Mason, GM of Machine Learning at Cloudera and former founder of Fast Forward Labs. We cover how to:
    - Generate ideas for Machine Learning Research
    - Hold a good brainstorm
    - Break into tech as a Data Scientist
    - Give an engaging and successful tech talk
    I also asked Hilary about the evolving role of Machine Learning and Data Science, and what she wants to build in the future!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 59 - Internet in Cuba, Bitcoin in Venezuela Mar 26, 2019

    Today we have a look at how information technology is affecting life in authoritarian socialist regimes such as Cuba and Venezuela. Particularly, we discuss the introduction of 3G cellular service in Cuba, and how it has needed to compromise on allowing more connectivity to its citizens over the last decade.In the case of Venezuela, we look at how cryptocurrency (and Bitcoin in particular) is being used to work around currency controls and hyperinflation. It’s still speculative on how much this is really going on, but we talk more generally about how crypto technology can be used in a social-upheaval type situation in the future.We also check in on Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s recent 3.5 hour long interview on Joe Rogan. The main topic, which we have covered here in the past, is on content moderation and bias at social media companies. We round up the different viewpoints expressed and continue to provide our ongoing analysis.
    localmaxradio.com/59
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    Ep. 58 - Using Reflection from Media to Engineering with Mark Weiss Mar 19, 2019

    Today's interview is with Mark Weiss, Data Engineer at Beeswax and host of Using Reflection which is a podcast where engineers talk about what they love and what they've learned in their careers. I asked him about what he personally has learned from his interviews and from his own career started in the news media.
    Then, we turn to the craft of data engineering - on which the viability of all the internet services you love (or hate) hinge upon. There is so much change going on in the data engineering world, and I asked Mark about that change, and where he hopes and thinks it can go in the future.
    localmaxradio.com/58
    usingreflection.com
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    Ep. 57 - Data Science Glut, Analogies, and Nearest Neighbors Mar 12, 2019

    There's a lot of confusion over what a "data scientist" is these days, and the job titles can mean multiple things to multiple people. It's also getting tougher for new entrants into the job market. Max breaks it down and gives advice for those looking to break in.
    On the technical side, Max starts with the argument from analogy, a philosophical argument that works alongside Bayes which we use without knowing every single day. Then, a connection to machine learning is made with a description of the Nearest Neighbor (kNN) algorithm, and the specific use case at Foursquare.
    localmaxradio.com/57
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    Ep. 56 - True News, Fake Faces, and Adversarial Algorithms Mar 05, 2019

    Google's "VP of Trust and Safety" has put out Google's strategy for weeding out fake news. Do they have the right definition? Will it work? What is a VP of Trust and Safety? We'll discuss whether Google is looking out for their users.
    In that vein, we wanted to discuss new ways fake news might be generated, and found this site thispersondoesnotexist.com created images of people who are not real but look pretty convincing. They use Generative Adversarial Networks. After listened, you'll know how those work to create plausible images.
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    Ep. 55 - Bitwise: A Life in Code with author David Auerbach Feb 26, 2019

    Author David Auerbach covers Bitwise: A Life in Code. We discuss:
    - The consequences of data everywhere from the 1980s to today.
    - Taxonomies and their bias and imperfection. Applications to Mental Illness, personality (meyers-briggs + PI), marketing age buckets
    - Dealing with Bias in AI and Humans
    - David's Role in the fight for compatibility between MSN messenger and AIM
    Get the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Bitwise-Life-Code-David-Auerbach/dp/1101871296/
    Show notes page: localmaxradio.com/55
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    Ep. 54 - 5G and the AI AR VR Connection Feb 19, 2019

    We discuss 5G and what that means for mobile tech in the 2020s, as well as augmented reality, virtual reality, mesh networks, gaming, and self driving cars.
    See the show notes: localmaxradio.com/54
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    Ep. 53 - Live Behavioral Assessment Results with Swati Doshi Feb 12, 2019

    Swati Doshi, Founder and Managing Director of Human Results, has Max and Maryam take time-tested behavioral assessments. We learn about our results live and respond to them on-air. Also covering:
    - Why these assessments can be useful in forming teams.
    - Considering team chemistry
    - Examples from Foursquare Labs
    Take the assessment Swati gave to Max and Maryam here or write to info@humanresults.com.
    Show notes: localmaxradio.com/53
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    Ep. 52 - A Look Back at Foursquare, What's Next, and Superuser Shoutout Feb 05, 2019

    Today I look back at my 7 years, 8 months, and 1 day working at Foursquare, including:
    - How my career splits into 2.5 year increments
    - The initial data team at Foursquare
    - More discussion on the Swarm/Foursquare app split
    - More on Marsbot and Recommender Systems
    - Superuser voting, and a shoutout to Foursquare Superusers
    - My new role starting February 6th
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 51 - Swarm Lifelogging, Microsoft Evolving, and Sports Analyzing with Avneesh Kohli Jan 29, 2019

    Foursquare Swarm PM Avneesh Kohli tells us about the lifelogging app and more. We cover:
    - The controversial Foursquare/Swarm app split of 2014
    - The importance of Slack reaction emojis
    - Editing and Storytelling in consumer apps
    - Timehop
    - The evolution and turnaround of Microsoft during Avneesh's time there
    - The growing role of data analytics in basketball strategy
    localmaxradio.com/51
    @avneeshk91 @maxsklar
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    Ep. 50 - Gatekeepers Bypassed, Anonymous Tips, and Facebook's Familiar Frustrations Jan 22, 2019

    Facebook is definitely not going to allow me to advertise this one!
    - Cryptocurrency/Bitcoin as the alternative to Patreon and the Credit Cards
    - Anonymous Reddit Users seems to know inside details about the Google Memo Situation
    - An article comes out about Facebook's internal problems among employees, but how much of this is common?
    Affiliate Link
    Trezor Hardware Wallet to hold your cryptocurrency: https://shop.trezor.io/?offer_id=10&aff_id=1299&source=ShowDesc50&tiny_url=1
    Show Notes:
    localmaxradio.com/50
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    Ep. 49 - Happier Maps, Better Routes, and the Tyranny of Efficiency with Daniele Quercia Jan 15, 2019

    Daniele Quercia, Professor of Urban Informatics, talks about his research into what makes a city and a travel route good. Our algorithms aren't measuring things like sights, smells, and ambiance, and these are the things that can affect our mood and overall wellbeing. We discussion:
    - The change in focus from Efficiency to Exploration
    - The Political Map (or technically accurate map) versus the phychological mind-map
    - Making daily habits more inspiring
    - Ideas for urban planners and for changes to the modern workplace
    Go to localmaxradio.com/49 and goodcitylife.org for more information.
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    Ep. 48 - Chasing the Perfect Voting System with Daniel Kronovet Jan 08, 2019

    Today's discussion with Daniel Kronovet is about social choice theory and voting systems. The topics include:
    - The history of the theory versus the practice which is much older (American founder and ancient Greece)
    - Multi-party voting, ranked voting, and Condorcet
    - Arrow's Theorem
    - Relation to Surveys and Foursquare
    - Blockchain voting and allocating budget.
    The notes for this show are on localmaxradio.com/48
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    Ep. 47 - Max on Stage with the Year in Review Jan 01, 2019

    Today you'll hear Max's first attempt at newsroom-style standup comedy - taking place at the Foursquare 2018 talent show at Foursquare HQ in Flatiron.
    Afterwards, a discussion with Aaron about the bit, the previous 2 episodes, and our favorite and memorable episodes throughout the year. Also our hopes for 2019 on the Local Maximum.
    Have your own hopes for the show in 2019? Email localmaxradio@gmail.com.
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    Ep. 46 - The Audio Internet with Shani Offen Dec 25, 2018

    The web was designed for text and images, and all of the interactive elements we use today, and all of the advertising technology backing it up was developed as such. Spotify Machine Learning Engineer Shani Offen asks how we can apply this to audio content like music, podcasts, and audiobooks.
    We cover:
    - The role of advertising in driving innovation.
    - The difficulties of building audio chatbots.
    - Brainstorming on interactive sound and voice.
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    Ep. 45 - Inside Google, Engineer Maryam Aly with a Comprehensive Account Dec 18, 2018

    A riveting long-form interview with former Google engineer Maryam Aly as she gives us a close-up insight into what it's like to work for the tech giant, and the culture and structures inside. We do not shy away from the hot topics which include:
    - Google’s Interview and Recruitment Process
    - Approach to security and privacy
    - Google's product decision-making and roadmaps
    - Gravity of search results and the potential for Bias or tampering
    - Atmosphere during and after the circulation of the James Damore Memo.
    - Google’s specific approach to running a diverse workplace
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    Ep. 44 - Ranking Foursquare Tips with Enrique Cruz Dec 11, 2018

    If you want to know how machine learning is used to solve real world problems (even first world problems like helping you out at restaurants) - then this episode is for you.
    Max and Enrique Cruz talk about how Foursquare ranks its tips, how we used machine learning in the process, and our takeaways from how content is ranked online generally.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 43 - Self Driving Cars and the Cycle of Adoption Dec 04, 2018

    Self Driving Cars are often in the news, and this month the chatter has picked up! Waymo wants to launch in Phoenix, and GM is investing heavily in it's self driving division.
    But what does this mean? Will we see true autonomous taxis soon, or will there be a transition period - and what will it look like? We cut through news articles that try to paint a positive or negative story based on the same facts.
    Aaron joins me today to discuss these issues. localmaxradio.com/43
    Also - Google Hangout's demise alongside Google Plus!
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    Ep. 42 - Untouched Civilizations, Media Evolution, and GPlus Collections Nov 27, 2018

    We discuss the story of an American missionary killed on North Sentinel Island - a forbidden Island off the coast of India which has been isolated for tens of thousands of years.
    Also:
    - Complaints about the trains in the northeast US
    - Some updates on my sabbatical projects
    - Followup on my discussion with David Pietrusza: Teddy Roosevelt, and the society at the turn-of-the-20th-century.
    - Answer a listeners question about Google Plus's strategy
    localmaxradio.com/42
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 41 - The Presidents and Communication Technology with David Pietrusza Nov 20, 2018

    Discussion with political historian David Pietrusza about the Presidents and the changing political landscape. We cover how our political system was affected by the rise of radio, television, film, and connecting it to today's technological trends.
    - Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, Pre-1920 use of Phonographs.
    - the Rise of Radio in the 1920s, FDR's fireside chats
    - Television, late night, JFK, Nixon, and Reagan
    - Reality TV, Social Media, and targetted advertising in the age of Obama and Trump.
    http://davidpietrusza.com/
    localmaxradio.com/41
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    Ep. 40 - Charlie Oliver on Tech 2025, Open and Thought Provoking Conversations about our Near Future Nov 13, 2018

    Tech 2025's Charlie Oliver stops by the Foursquare office to discuss her approach to engaging and energizing the public with topics on emerging technology. We discuss:
    - The evolving attitudes of some of the industry leaders and technical experts, and the disconnect between themselves and the people affects by their creations.
    - How to engage the public on topics like Machine Learning, AI, and Blockchain without going the route of the "technical boring lecture"
    - How passions and emotions can be stirred up by product creation; and can take the creators completely by surprise.
    This is a packed episode. Check out tech2025.com, and enjoy!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 39 - Paradox Nov 06, 2018

    I explore logical paradoxes, especially those ultimately caused by circular logic, or circular definitions. Also includes the Twitter fight about the 2018 midterm elections between Nate Silver, Dinesh D'Souza, and Nassim Taleb.
    Paradoxes include:
    - Liar's Paradox
    - Russell's Paradox
    - Curry's Paradox
    - Berry's Paradox
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 38 - Predictions Panel on Virtual Services, Rise of the Outer Suburbs, and Zombie Coins Oct 30, 2018

    During the Fall 2018 Local Maximum Tech Retreat, we did a panel on the predictions that we make about the future of technology, consumer applications, and society.
    Topics and analysis include virtual fitness training, online doctors visits, social media moderation, self driving cars, education, complex voice assistants, and more.
    Including panelists Aaron and Crystal Astrachan (Amazon).
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 37 - Naomi Brockwell on Blockchain Tech and Producing for YouTube and TV Oct 23, 2018

    I talk to Naomi Brockwell about Bitcoin and Blockchain - the technology of freedom!
    In addition to her work in popularizing this emerging technology, and some of it's implications on human liberty and global human development, we also talk about her media career, moderating debates, interest in video, popularizing this emerging technology, and her work with John Stossel and on the Hard Fork TV series.
    Includes a promo for Swarm 6.0 and clips of Naomi's YouTube videos!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 36 - The Google Graveyard Oct 16, 2018

    With Google's announcement of the impending demise of Google Plus, we discuss various Google products that have succeeded and failed over the years, and what we can learn from it.
    Also: the security breaches from Facebook and Google Plus, Amazon's AI hiring program and the bias it sustains, and Tim Berners Lee's dream of a decentralized web.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 35 - Camille Fournier and the Manager's Path Oct 09, 2018

    Camille Fournier joins the Local Maximum today to discuss her book on engineering management, Rent the Runway, company culture, engineering ladders, and more!
    Plus, learn about Foursquare for Good and Max responds to listener messages about ads and censorship.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 34 - Data Engineering with Joe Crobak, Foundations of Smart Software Oct 02, 2018

    Now with extra mappers and reducers!
    I talk to Joe Crobak of the Data Engineering Weekly newsletter about data engineering, and it's importance in modern software projects. We cover:
    - The definition of data engineering
    - Hadoop, MapReduce, and Spark
    - How data engineering has evolved over the last decade.
    - Joe's experiences working in government vs. startups. The US Digital service, and the paperwork reduction act.
    Remember to check out the new website at localmaxradio.com, and Joe's site at dataengweekly.com.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 33 - Ads, Bias, Censorship, Democracy Sep 25, 2018

    The Social Media giants can't handle the fact that they can't control the system they've created. Another "smart" podcaster backs us up on the futility of fixing internet moderation through Machine Learning alone.
    Also - how are our elections affected by new communications technology? It's possible that our current situation has been repeated many times in history - but it's also possible that the pendulum is swinging more wildly.
    And Facebook's ridiculous ads system finally hits me personally, where they'll block ads for asinine reasons, and push through bad ones.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 32 - Woohoo no work! Cross examining my sabbatical plans Sep 18, 2018

    Aaron interviews me about what I plan to work on while I take 6 weeks off from Foursquare. We'll talk about the future of this podcast, several prototype ideas that I want to build, and my reading list.
    Can I get all this done? Probably not ALL of it - but I hope a good chunk of it!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 31 - The Problem of Causality with Shirin Mojarad Sep 11, 2018

    We do things every in the hope that it will cause something good to happen as a result. And we're also bombarded with information trying to convince us on what to buy, who to vote for, and how to live.
    But most of the time, it's very difficult to tell whether A causes B, or if they are merely correlated. I talk to subject matter expert Shirin Mojarad of McGraw-Hill to break down how scientists can detect causality and what to look for in a causality study.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 30 - Entropy is a Decision Tree: Game of Thrones Predictions Sep 04, 2018

    Some data scientists are attempting to use data and machine learning to predict the outcome of the next season of game of thrones. In this solo show I discuss the merits of this approach, give an overview of decision trees, adversarial problems, and the role of information theory.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 29 - Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Decentralization with @clydevanel of the New York State Assembly Aug 28, 2018

    Assembly Member Clyde Vanel and I talk about new technology that affect the State of New York and the world!
    - The rise of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies
    - The possibility of blockchain technology being used to maintain state government records like birth, death, and voting registration.
    - Automation and Jobs
    - Entrepreneurship; the opportunities in the new economy
    - 3d printing and the Rubik's Cube
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 28 - Alex Jones, Jack Dorsey, and the Censorious Social Media Reporters Aug 21, 2018

    Twitter's Jack Dorsey is being pressured by a bunch of social media reporters from CNN to silence voices like Alex Jones; and all of the big socials are caving in fast. It's time to unmask the seemingly reasonable justifications for these bans for what they are - censorship.
    I add to the voices calling for a freer flow of information, and I call for entrepreneurs, engineers, and product designers to come up with a new generation of platforms that will be better than the old.
    We also talk about millennial and their avocado toast, rip on Long Island, explain the difference between New York City and Long Island, talking about organizational bias as a way of dealing with it, and my answers on a public interview keeping me up at night.
    This is sure to be the most controversial Local Maximum to date. Check it out!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 27 - Big Algo, Fat Tails, and Converging Priors Aug 14, 2018

    Today we dive into the current Bayesian flame wars on Twitter. Do Bayesian priors converge? As Nassim Taleb (@nntaleb) points out, not necessarily until a fat tail or power law distribution. We'll talk about what that means, and the wonders worked by Bayes rule even under some seemingly preposterous priors.
    Also - the military wants to do machine learning with less data. Is the era of big data over and giving way to the era of the big algorithm? The results of the Twitter Shadow Ban poll, QA bias, the Streisand effect and the Alex Jones banning
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 26 - Chris Messina on Conversational Commerce, Relationship Design, and the Future of Brands Aug 07, 2018

    Chris Messina and I go over a recent article of his on the evolution of conversational commerce and bots, and how to steer the industry towards better products. Relationship Design, Augmented Reality, and Natural Language.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 25 - The Great Twitter Purge of 2018 Jul 31, 2018

    I may be on vacaction, but I still snuck in some time to put together a show! Decided to go solo this week and focus on Twitter's purging of bots and trolls. There is wide agreement that they need to do something to fix their platform, but there is not wide agreement on what exactly the problem is and what should be fixed. Can they focus on the experience and wellbeing of their enduser, or will they fall victim promoting fashionable political trends and end up with censorship?
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 24 - Enjoying the A.I. Summer with Christian Hubbs Jul 24, 2018

    Artificially Intelligent Host Christian Hubbs talks to Max about what he's learning in the field of AI through his work. Industries and use cases for AI. When are self driving cars coming? And - what's the end game for humans and machines. We also talk about Christian's interest in reinforcement learning, and how that's being used to have computers play games like go.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 23 - NLP in the Lands of Foursquare with Kris Concepcion Jul 17, 2018

    Kris Conception talks about Natural Language Processing, Natural Language Understanding, and machine translation. We then go into how we build the taste ontology at Foursquare to supercharge the best city guide in the world, and how it connects concepts through languages and cultures.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 22 - Bayes Rulez, Death to P-Hacking! Jul 10, 2018

    So the overall theme of the show today is applying what we learned last time. Bayesian Probability is good. P-Value hacking - is where we get into trouble. Death to P-hacking!
    We start by following up on my monologue from last week about Beliefs and Probability. This leads us into an article about the Reverend Thomas Bayes himself, and how his ideas transformed our thinking on probability and belief.
    And finally, are most of the scientific studies that you hear about wrong? Worry about p-hacking, and think like a Bayesian, and maybe we won't be misled as often; let’s begin to attempt to figure out how to make sense of it all.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 21 - Probability, Belief, and The Truth Jul 03, 2018

    I explore the nature of probability, and my approach to thinking about facts and belief. I talk about problem solving a lot; here I go into the fundamentals and work to justify how I think about it.
    What problem does probability solve? Should we always think in terms of probability? What's the difference between an artificial language (code, math) and natural language? How many water molecules are in the Atlantic Ocean? Sometimes we have vague questions and make vague statements - should that be ok?
    This episode is a little different, but I hope this is the beginning of a back-and-forth conversation with the Local Maximum listenership to try to get to the bottom of these deep issues.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 20 - Imperfect Bots, Marketplaces, and the AI Economy Jun 26, 2018

    Aaron and Max have a stream-of-consciousness discussion where we look at some recent discussions on the tech web: Fred Ehrsam on Blockchain AI Marketplaces, and Chris Messina on the effect of AI agents on the economy.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 19 - Information Theory with Daniel Kronovet, Horse Racing, and Fractional Bits Jun 19, 2018

    Daniel Kronovet and Max discuss the world of information theory. We go into how it was invented by Claude Shannon at Bell Labs, the meaning of information and entropy, and the difference between measurement and processing. Catch references to a Jim Carrey movie and the Belmont stakes!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 18 - AI Gone Psychopathic, Embellishment vs Fact Jun 12, 2018

    An article about MIT research claims that they've built a psychopathic AI. We think the article is a little off base, and try to determine what's actually going on. We cover related examples, of Microsofts Twitter Bot learning from the worst people, and a cool Google Image Program that sees animals everywhere.
    I also check in with Christian Hubbs, host of Artifically Intelligent, about his podcast. I was interviewed for todays episode, so check that out!
    I also define a Convolutional Neural Net, but only on the highest of high level! More on that could come in future episodes.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 17 - Comedy and Big Data Mixed Up with @robbiethefire Jun 05, 2018

    Run Your Mouth Podcaster and Stand-Up Comic Rob Bernstein joins me on the Local Maximum to talk about Comedy, Podcasting, Facebook, AI, Big Data, and of course MS Paint.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 16 - Overfitting Toddlers and Underfitting Curmudgeons May 29, 2018

    Today's concept is underfitting vs. overfitting. Someone who underfits doesn't adapt quickly enough to new data. But if you think that's bad, an overfitter will read TOO MUCH into new data and come up with wild ideas. How do you balance between them and what are some examples?
    We also talk about Warren Buffet's Recent statements on Bitcoin as Rat Poison Squared, and the response from Union Square Venure's Fred Wilson. How does Bitcoin get it's value? We look at underfitters and overfitters in the crypto space.
    Finally, the value of the Turing Test. When General AI comes, will it be the fabled machine that can pass as human, or will that idea be sidelined as more profitable uses taken precedent.
    Also, we learn what an Ornithopter is, and get an update on Yanny-Laurel.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 15 - Poke, Chipotle, Green Needle: Data to Headline with Sarah Spagnolo May 22, 2018

    Sarah Spagnolo tells us how we turn data insights into news stories. Does marijuana legalization affect bar-going? What's it like to go on TV? I also have to weight in on #teamyanny and #teamlaurel. Plus an update on the news stories we're tracking on Google and Facebook. How far along is Google's conversational AI demo?
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 14 - Robot Communism Sucks, and AI on line one May 15, 2018

    A Washington Post OpEd believes that advances in AI will lead to a new centrally-planned economy. Google's Bots call unsuspecting businesses to save you time - but what are the implications? Bill Gates and Warren Buffet go sour on Bitcoin.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 13 - Applied Artificial Intelligence with Mariya Yao May 08, 2018

    I talk to Mariya Yao about AI and Machine Learning as applied to a variety of business problems and across industries. We cover:
    - What are some of the misconceptions around AI?
    - If I have an AI product, how can I talk about it to business leaders? How do I sell it externally? How does it become a business?
    - Where are various industries on this?
    - And what are some of the pre-requisites for AI; I’m talking about data collection, and organizational issues.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 12 - Virtual Friends & Enemies, Building Products that look out for us with Marissa Chacko May 01, 2018

    Aren’t you getting tired of using an internet that’s built to waste YOUR time - I know I am!
    Product Manager Marissa Chacko and I discuss the promise and perils of these bots and push notifications. We worked on Foursquare's bot Marsbot together, and produced it to help the user first. What are some ways we can focus on building apps that help users, and what are some of the bad habits that have gotten us apps which aren't looking out for our interests?
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 11 - Max speaks to CS Undergrads @ The Yale Computer Society Apr 24, 2018

    Engineer and Podcaster Max Sklar shares his story about building software from his time at Yale to the Foursquare Innovation Lab. He’ll cover:
    What he has learned about working on vast location databases, building large-scale machine learning algorithms, and designing chatbots and apps that people actually want to use.
    Different ways to approach career and on working in teams
    His thoughts about where the tech/software industry is going in the next decade and encourage Yalies to follow up on their ideas.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 10 - Zuckerberg Testifies, The Great Moderation War Continues Apr 17, 2018

    Aaron comes back on the program to discuss the Mark Zuckerberg testimony before congress, particularly the part pertaining to moderation and censorship. In the last episode, I described the current approach that companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google have towards this problem and why it might be flawed. Today, we see this theory play out in the Facebook CEO's answers.
    We discuss the case of Diamond and Silk, which I mentioned last week but had no idea would appear in the hearings. Also, Facebook's approach of ensuring that it's tools are used for good, and what this directive means for Facebook's future and how the internet will look in a decade.
    Also, I finished the 10 episode challenge! This podcast is all grown up now.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 9 - Fixing Facebook and Lindy's Law Apr 10, 2018

    Today I answer the question of how I would handle moderation for Facebook and Twitter - and I break down the problems that they're facing and why. Don't hold your breath expecting them to try out my proposal!
    I also discuss Lindy's Law, which is a helpful rule of thumb in technological and social forecasting. As popularized by @nntaleb, it's another tool in your toolkit for understanding the world.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 8 - Bad Ideas, the Power of Suggestion, and Marsbot Apr 03, 2018

    Today I post-game my discussion with Dennis Crowley. I share his goal of wanting people to execute on their ideas, but what are the common blockers? I talk to Aaron about how it broke his code, and the AI couldn't do it on it's own but only with my help - all because my brain was influenced by the power of suggestion. Plus - answer to a listener question about Marsbot!
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 7 - Dennis Crowley on Inspiration, Innovation, and Future Tech Mar 27, 2018

    Today I talk to famed Foursquare Founder Dennis Crowley. His approach to being a tech entrepreneur has inspired us all! Just listen.
    We talk about his approach to trying out new ideas, and also the current landscape for consumer technology and where we may be headed. Finally, we talk about Foursquare's recent foray into bots and beyond.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 6 - Facebook Data and the Election, Decentralization to the Rescue Mar 20, 2018

    The big news right now is around an analytics company that used a dataset from Facebook - gotten by the company under false pretenses - to help the Trump campaign in 2016. Everyone is SHOCKED - but this kind of data mining was glorified and extolled as a social good when it was used for Obama in 2012. The comparison of the coverage is stark.
    How are we going to get out of this? What exactly is the problem? I think that the vast centralization of data services has led to all sorts of problems, and the answer is well articulated in VC Chris Dixon's article from last month about the coming decentralized services. I summarize his article which adds to my optimism about the future.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 5 - Bitcoin, Ethereum, and What's a Smart Contract Anyway? Mar 13, 2018

    It seems like yesterday when we had to get used to Bitcoin, and now new currencies are cropping up all the time - including the crypto-juggernaut Ethereum. To help us keep up and understand what's going on, I have Ethereum developer Christian Lundkvist from ConsenSys on the show. We talk about why Ethereum is separate from Bitcoin, and what the world-changing applications of these cryptocurrencies might be in the next few years.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 4 - Codebreaking, Bizarro Harry Potter, and the Proper way to Gerrymander Mar 06, 2018

    IN WAS NDE BESN OF NIZES IN WAS NDE WORSN OF NIZES IN WAS NDE ACE OF WISTOZ IN WAS NDE ACE OF FOOLISDGESS IN WAS NDE EPOUD OF BELIEF IN WAS NDE EPOUD OF IGURETMLINY IN WAS NDE SEASOG OF LICDN IN WAS NDE SEASOG OF TARQGESS IN WAS NDE SPRIGC OF DOPE IN WAS NDE WIGNER OF TESPAIR WE DAT EVERYNDIGC BEFORE MS WE DAT GONDIGC BEFORE MS WE WERE ALL COIGC TIREUN NO DEAVEG WE WERE ALL COIGC TIREUN NDE ONDER WAY (I'll explain!)
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 3 - The Perfect 10, Foursquare's rating system Feb 27, 2018

    I have a discussion with Stephanie Yang about how we used machine learning and sentiment analysis to build Foursquare's critically acclaimed venue rating system. Some anecdotes and what we learn along the way.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 2 - Maryam Aly on Building a Global User Base: Translation, Localization, and I18n Feb 19, 2018

    In my first interview, I speak to Google engineer Maryam Aly who worked on Foursquare's Internationalization Stack for several years. This includes making sure that the foursquare city guide and swarm apps work all around the world. Sometimes, a simple translation isn't enough - we had to deal with the quirks of each language, and puns and cultural references that don't carry through.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 1 - Bayesian Inference Applied to the Hawaii ICBM Scare Feb 13, 2018

    In the rest of my discussion with Aaron, we discuss the how Bayes rule can apply to news items like the Hawaii ICBM Scare, the murder of DNC Staffer Seth Rich, Medical Diagnosis, Conspiracy Theories, theology, and politics.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

    Ep. 0 - The great beginning, and how to Update Your Beliefs Feb 03, 2018

    Max Sklar starts off the Local Maximum podcast. He goes over the purpose of the podcast, and the push for 10 episodes. Aaron Bell interviews Max on Bayesian vs Frequentist Statistics. Mathematical reverends, German Enigma's, and Tampered Dice.
    Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

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