Two Bit Geeks
A cherished franchise returns for one final chapter. But was it worth the wait?
info_outline Episode 55: Maroon Duct TapeTwo Bit Geeks
It’s election season, and Ped has invested in maroon duct tape, Tom is withholding any endorsements, and they both discuss whether chess is a sport.
info_outline Episode 54: The TimberdoodleTwo Bit Geeks
Ped & Tom continue their appreciation of nature with a discussion on the ethics of animal welfare and eating fish, observing wildlife through drawing, painting, and nature journaling, and a surprising foray onto Instagram.
info_outline Episode 53: The Meandering PathTwo Bit Geeks
Ped & Tom take the meandering path through such subjects as dealing with hydrophobia, the automated safety features of modern cars, and a review of some favorite video and board games.
info_outline Episode 52: Animal Story TimeTwo Bit Geeks
Ped got a new cat toy, Tom has some animal stories. Also, pondering cultured meat, inoculation with a fake news vaccine, and more listener questions.
info_outline Episode 51: Joe Biden Eating a SandwichTwo Bit Geeks
Ped & Tom careen through a cavalcade of conversational categories, including competitions, carbon dioxide, Chernobyl, conservation, committee life, coaxial cable, communication constellations, and countless collections of warblers. Geek out!
info_outline Episode 50: (やる気 + 環境) x 時間Two Bit Geeks
In this special episode, Ped & Tom are joined by the elusive Brother X, a triathlete and professional translator, who calls in from Yokohama, Japan. He shares some of the differences he sees in Japanese and American language and culture after having spent over two decades living in Japan.
info_outline Episode 49: Ultimate Fate of the UniverseTwo Bit Geeks
In this episode, Tom has unwelcome visitors in the middle of the night, Ped has a new Star Wars theory, and they both geek out to the first image of a Black Hole before musing on the Ultimate Fate of the Universe.
info_outline Episode 48: Sugar Shacks and Barred OwlsTwo Bit Geeks
The interminable New England Winter is almost over and it's time for a Spring Clean for Ped & Tom as they start their Digital Declutter. With more time away from digital distractions, Tom finds a new hobby.
info_outline Episode 47: Our Fraught Relationship with TechnologyTwo Bit Geeks
Ped & Tom review the new book "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport and discuss the benefits of reducing your daily interactions with technology and social media.
info_outlineCelebrating the luminous, quiet and noisy joys of the season, Quentin Tarantino has phasers set to kill for Captain Picard, and AlphaZero ushers in a new era of mostly fear for Ped and Tom as they ponder the perils of the new AI. Happy Holidays, humans!
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Yay, snow; nay, leaf blowers [00:27]
- Annual Average Snowfall for New England
- Your average American household at Christmas
- Cats in Christmas Trees
- It’s simple and quiet when it snows
- At least Jean-Luc is on board
- First world problems: noisy machines
Tarantino + Trek: A match made in … ? [14:00]
AlphaZero and the new AI [26:49]
- Long ago, Deep Blue beat Kasparov with brute force
- In Just 4 Hours, Google’s AI Mastered All the Chess Knowledge in History
- AI’s Hype cycle has now circled back, and this time it means business
- Quickly drawing neural networks back in Episode 04
- Machine Learning neatly explained by CGP Grey
- AlphaZero is AI’s Trinity Test moment
- Minority Report’s PreCogs
- Mutual assured destruction
- The Only Winning Move
- Universal Paperclips
- Final thought to ponder: Eponymous Link
Music by Lee Rosevere (CC by 4.0)