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Cathy Hackl, futurist for Nokia and advisor to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), joins the podcast to discuss her fascinating work across the Middle East and her insights on the next generation of AI and connectivity. Learn how nations like the UAE and KSA are strategically positioning themselves to lead in spatial computing, quantum supremacy, and a hopeful, future-forward vision of AI.Cathy details her work in the Middle East, including her residency in the UAE and her advisory roles on massive projects like NEOM and Qiddiya, explaining how these regions are embracing technology as a means to modernize. She shares her perspective on the shift in global venture capital, noting how Europe and the Middle East are providing significant funding that is moving beyond traditional Silicon Valley terms.AI XR News You Should Know:The hosts discuss massive AI funding rounds, including a $1 billion seed round for Advanced Machine Intelligence and a $500 million round for Mind Robotics, highlighting the intense capital war for chips and the boom in robotics. They also cover the rise of YouTube as the world's largest media company and the ethical questions surrounding the collection of human data to train robots.Key Moments[00:01:19] Intro: Friday the 13th and geopolitical news.[00:02:17] Mind Robotics & Advanced Machine Intelligence: Discussing the $500M and $1B seed rounds for robotics and AI startups.[00:04:04] Headband Camera for Robot Training: Debate on the ethics of companies paying people to wear cameras to collect training data for robots, comparing it to "Gargoyles" from Snow Crash.[00:10:12] YouTube Surpasses Disney & Netflix: Discussion on YouTube becoming the world's largest media company with $62 billion in revenue.[00:11:29] AI & Media Market Dominance: Questioning whether today's AI music and video companies will eventually surpass all big film, music, and streaming companies.[00:14:40] Cathy Hackl Interview Begins: Cathy discusses her work as a futurist for Nokia, focusing on AI-native networks.[00:16:26] KSA Projects: Cathy's experience working on the virtual and gaming strategy for Qiddiya and on the KSA Pavilion at the World Expo.[00:22:07] Golden Visa & Gifted Residency: The privileges associated with becoming a resident of the UAE or KSA for highly skilled talent.This conversation offers a vital global perspective on technology, innovation, and culture that is often missed when focusing solely on Silicon Valley. Understanding these geopolitical and technological movements is key for anyone trying to anticipate where the next wave of global innovation will truly come from.This episode of The AI XR Podcast is brought to you by Zappar, the folks behind Mattercraft, a leading visual development environment for building immersive 3D web experiences—mattercraft.io. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full episode on YouTube. https://youtu.be/Mw0yM_qpGG8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, a simple quote about wasting time sparks a deeper conversation about why retirement isn't meant to be endlessly optimized. In the Retirement Toolbox, we compare mutual funds and ETFs, exploring their differences in costs, trading, and tax efficiency. Listener questions cover Roth conversion assumptions, choosing between a pension and lump sum, whether the Shiller PE ratio can predict market crashes, and how to think about portfolio risk without falling into the trap of over-optimization.OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN(00:00) The episode opens with a reflection on the value of wasting time and why not every moment in retirement needs to be optimized or productive.RETIREMENT TOOLKIT(04:06) In today's Retirement Toolkit, Roger breaks down the differences between mutual funds and ETFs, focusing on how structure, trading mechanics, costs, and tax efficiency can impact which vehicle is best suited for different types of accounts and investing strategies. LISTENER QUESTIONS(26:08) A listener asks whether future tax brackets should be adjusted when modeling Roth conversions and why long-term tax projections have significant limitations.(32:40) The pros and cons of keeping a pension versus taking a lump sum are examined, along with a framework for comparing guaranteed income to investment alternatives.(44:54) The Shiller PE ratio is put under the microscope as the conversation explores whether market valuations can reliably predict future crashes or returns.(59:58) Portfolio risk, AI, and the dangers of over-optimization are discussed, with an emphasis on building a strategy that aligns with both goals and temperament.SMART SPRINT(1:00:43) This week's challenge is simple: intentionally waste some time and enjoy activities that have no agenda or productivity goal.DECLUTTERING DEBRIEF(1:01:53) A listener shares the reminder that "the thing is not the memory" and why letting go of possessions doesn't mean letting go of meaningful experiences.ON THE BOOKSHELF(1:02:24) A listener recommendation of Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson as well as Roger's recommendation of The Match, a nonfiction story about a legendary 1956 golf match and the players involved. REFERENCESlivewithroger.com — Register for Noodle Live on June 18!Submit a Question for RogerSign up for The NoodleON THE BOOKSHELFSnow Crash by Neal Stephenson The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever by Mark Frost Note: The opinions expressed are for informational purposes only and should not replace personalized advice from licensed professionals.
Max Levchin (@mlevchin) is a serial entrepreneur and investor in 100+ startups. He's the founder and CEO of Affirm, the payment network powering consumer purchases and merchant growth. An original PayPal co-founder, Max served as CTO until its 2002 acquisition by eBay.This episode is brought to you by:ProLon: science-backed Fasting Mimicking Diet that helps activate cellular renewal through fasting, while still eating nourishing meals: ProlonLife.com/TimMonarch track, budget, plan, and do more with your money: Monarch.com/Tim Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: Shopify.com/timTimestamps:[00:00:00] Start.[00:02:50] The Ronin line that rewired how Max makes every decision.[00:06:09] Paprika-style brain-computer interfaces.[00:09:09] PayPal's founders lived inside a Neal Stephenson novel.[00:19:21] Transformation via Neuromancer and Snow Crash.[00:23:40] The book that found Max his wife.[00:29:24] The real secret to a great marriage.[00:38:29] What's worth tracking, and what's not.[00:44:13] A scrawny kid, a clarinet, and a Kyiv velodrome.[00:46:55] What going all-out on a bike actually gives you.[00:51:02] The mantra by which Max rides.[00:53:02] A Soviet kid's fear of socialism.[01:02:48] Making a profit without destroying society.[01:04:31] What is Affirm, and why did every banker say it would fail?[01:20:18] Why the best mathematicians eschew the lending industry.[01:23:50] Does agentic commerce break Affirm, or supercharge it?[01:28:01] A PhD-level financial advisor in everyone's pocket.[01:29:58] How close are we to buying anything through one AI chat?[01:36:32] Improving your coffee: cheap, intermediate, and Bugatti options.[01:44:33] The books every first-time founder should actually read.[01:48:08] Claude Shannon, Ed Thorp, and the joy of playful genius.[01:51:00] Why physical books still beat every digital reading experience.[01:51:44] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Wondering and Wonder Wondering and Wonder a Trinity Sunday sermon by Rev. J. Christy Ramsey DOWNLOAD A LIVE RECORDING Audio from worship at the 10:00 AM Worship Service May 31, 2026at St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Carson City, Nevada edited from a flawless transcription made by edigitaltranscriptions all errors are mine. Scripture read on Audio: Matthew 28:16-20 Sermons also available free on iTunes Stained Glass Symbol of the Trinity at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Carson City, Nevada. photo by J. Christy Ramsey Hey, it’s Trinity Sunday. Thanks for coming out of your family events and gatherings and celebrations. I’m glad you’re all in your Trinity finest gear. That’s wonderful. Great, great. It’s a really bad Sunday to preach, on Trinity Sunday. There’s nothing. There’s nothing there. I don’t blame Donna for leaving the state. I mean, I’d get far away from the pulpit, too, if I could. Trinity Sunday is about as exciting as looking at your phone and say, “Spam likely.” That guy again. They’re always calling. Or, you know, worse is, “This is your insurance company. We’d like to talk to you about some explanation of your benefits.” Oh. That’s right up there with Trinity Sunday preacher, I’ll tell you. Hey, I bet you didn’t know something. Trinity Sunday is with us every Sunday. I bet you didn’t know this. I bet up here, you know, way before we had these screens – whoo, nifty neat-o, we had screens in church for centuries. We just called it “stained glass.” So I just wanted people saying, oh, I don’t like this new stuff, hey, stained glass has been around for centuries. I don’t know what you’re talking about. So up here – I don’t know if I’m allowed up here, I’m destroying things – I don’t know if you can see it. This is actually a symbol of the Trinity. Everything’s clear now; isn’t it. No, it’s not. But here they’ve got God in the middle. Come up later, if you’re allowed. I don’t know if you’re allowed. But come up later. Árni Dagur, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons They’ve got a dais in the middle, God. And then they’ve got Holy Spirit here, Father up there, Son up there, Father over there on the three. And then they’ve got little connection things. Spirit is not the Father, Father is not the Son, Son is not the Spirit. And then they all go to the middle, they’re all “Is God, Is God, Is God.” Okay. We can pack it up. We’re done. Everybody understands the Trinity now. That’s great. Super. Don’t be telling people you’ve got a fidget spinner in stained glass at your church. I mean, well, unless you want to. People think, oh, that’s pretty cool. I think I’m coming, yeah. Not a fidget spinner. All right. Way back in the 5th Century, there was a guy, his name was Augustine of Hippo. I don’t know. I don’t know, you know, if he was a portly man. But they called him Hippo. I think that’s where he lived. Unfortunate if he was portly. That would have been bad. He said this: “Si comprehendis, non est Deus.” And what that is translated from the Latin is, If you think you understand God, what you understand is not God. - Augustine of Hippo Well, that’s helpful, Augustine. He’s saying if you understand something, then you don’t understand it. The parts you understand about God is not something you understand. The difference between stupid and intelligent people — and this is true whether or not they are well-educated — is that intelligent people can handle subtlety. They are not baffled by ambiguous or even contradictory situations — in fact, they expect them and are apt to become suspicious when things seem overly straightforward. - Neal Stephenson, The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer (1995). And we have a quote up here from a more recent philosopher. Good old Neal Stephenson, author of “Snow Crash,” any classic science fiction – no, nothing. Oh. No, you’re just scratching. Okay. The difference between stupid and intelligent people, and this is true whether or not they are well educated, is that intelligent people can handle subtle – Bill, what’s that word? BILL: Subtlety. PASTOR RAMSEY: Subtlety. Thank you, Bill. That’s why I brought him in here, roped him up to give me that word. Thank you. Subtlety. And they are not baffled by ambiguous or even contradictory situations. Whoo. In fact, they expect them. And they’re apt to become suspicious when things seem overly straightforward. Yeah. Intelligent people are not baffled by ambiguous or even contradictory situations. In fact, they expect them. And they’re suspicious if things are too simple. You’re all intelligent people now; right? Okay. Because you all heard Trinity stuff, oh, the shamrock thing. Who’s heard of the sham – don’t put your hands up. Who’s heard this? Because that’s a heresy. I don’t want you to put your hands up, then let it go, ooh. Not TrinityShamrock, you know, the three in the Trinity, one plant, three things. Sometimes even I said this, and I was wrong, that’s modality, that’s a heresy. This is, like, should be called Heresy Sunday because it’s so easy to slip in heresy when you’re trying to talk about the Trinity. When you’re talking about, you know, oh, it’s like steam and liquid water and ice, you know. No, it’s not. It’s modality. And it’s not even Father, Son, Holy Spirit, you know. As much as Presbyterians love committees, love them, God is not a committee. It’s not like they vote and come together, two out of three goes, you know, none of that. It’s not like, you know, like loving, loved, and beloved, or all these other things that people try to make into some kind of social community rolling around kind of thing inside a God, and that’s Trinity. Just about anything – just like our friend Augustine found out. You know, every time you try to describe a Trinity, you’re probably not describing the Trinity. You’re not describing God. If you think you understand it, you got it wrong. What are we to do? What are we to do? Well, we’re intelligent people. We can handle things that are contradictory or complex or not clear or not simply explained. We can handle that. I mean, you know, they just don’t let anybody in the Episcopal Church; right? There is a little test you’ve got to do before you get in; right? I’m sure there is. They haven’t caught me yet. Ha. It’s like when I go to Trader Joe’s. Does anybody go to Trader Joe’s? I go in there. I am not good-looking enough to be at Trader Joe’s up there in [totsy?] land. They’re going to kick me out because I go, wow, what are these people? Wow. Everybody comes down from Tahoe, and they’re nice? But we can handle it. And we’ve got stories here. We’ve got scriptures here that tell us about complexity. And you can come to these scriptures and be confused. You can come to the Trinity and be confused. And what confused? Well, I don’t understand it, and I should. It’s not good for me. I’m upset. Well, then you’re not intelligent. Here’s a thought. Instead of being confused, be in awe. Instead of being upset you don’t understand something, be in wonder of the glory of God. Because you look at the creation story, and was that a big creation story? You know, I was talking to – that’s a lot of scripture. You know, that’s a big hunk there. And, well, you know, he created the entire universe, you know, give him a chapter. You know, come on. So you look at that, and we’re so familiar with it that we just blow it on by; you know? The first creation story, you know, there’s a – every now and then, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and it was so. You know, that “and” is doing a heck of a lot of work. You look all the way through it, he says something, and it was so. Says something, and God said it was good. Said something, and God said it was good. You know, that “and” is like a billion years of time and space in that “and.” I mean, we’re just skipping over a whole lot of stuff that we would like to understand in that “and.” I’m telling you, all of our scientific endeavor is trying to figure out that “and” bit, between God says it’s going to happen and then he said it was good. We want to know between the “and.” We don’t have to. We don’t have to be confused by complications. And that’s why we had the whole big, you know, some people say, well, you have the Trinity in there because, you know, in the story of Genesis, God is referred to as “we,” in the plural. So that’s the Trinity there. Okay, that’s kind of a reach. I mean, you know, when the King of England or Queen of England says “We are not amused,” they’re not talking that they’re the Trinity, you know, there’s a “royal we” kind of thing. But I like to think they picked that out, the little lectionary elves picked that up because here’s another thing we don’t understand. You’ve got the Trinity. Everybody’s confused. Let’s throw in the creation story, too, just so long as we’re doing a confusion Sunday. But it doesn’t have to be confusion. It could be wonder. Saying, look at all those wonderful things God’s done. You know, God just didn’t do it. I think it’s very important in our times. God said it was good. So when people tell you other people are bad or these people aren’t good enough or these people are below us or beneath us or don’t have the right to be here, or don’t have the right to exist, or should pull themselves up by their own – remember what God said. God said it was good. It was good. People are good. God doesn’t make trash is what they used to say. But not only that, God makes people good. That’s complex. That’s wondering. That’s confusing. We want to understand it, want to dissect it, want to have the PowerPoints. But nope. Just got to go with God is good. God made the world good. God made people good. So if something’s bad in the world, guess what? Guess whose that is? That’s us. Enough of that. Let’s go on to the psalm. Psalm’s great; isn’t it? Psalms? Psalm is great for wonder. Because, you know, you go out there, and you don’t hear the quantum mechanics and the astrophysics of how all the stars are made and move and go and come and red shift and dopplers and all this other stuff. Psalm just goes out there and says, why is God caring about me? In all this, God cares about us. In its infinite vastness of the universe, God cares about us. That’s wonder. Not confusion. It’s living in the joy and in the wonder. It’s a wonderful time. Not a confusing time. I’m angry because God didn’t check it out with me before God went on and did God things. God did explain everything to God. And that goes right on. We’re running now. Keep up with me. That goes right on to the epistle where Paul says – gives it grace, and says, “Grace of the father,” and “Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,” the love and fellowship. And you say, how do we get together on that? Does one come, and then they do like a costume change or put on a different mask or get on a collar? Instead of an open-collar shift they put on a collar with a thing. And then they come out and do the other thing, but it’s the same person. You know, Christy’s sitting in the pew saying Christy up in the collar. No, that’s all heresy. You’ve got to approach that with wonder and say, wow. Look at all that. The love, the grace, the fellowship. It’s all there. I don’t know how it all works, but I’m sure glad it does. Kind of like the way I treat my car. I don’t know how it works. I’m sure glad it moves and goes places. And then the last one, the gospel. In the gospel, don’t you love the disciples? You’ve got to really look at the disciples because they’re a bunch of bumbling fools; you know? And I feel better about myself the more I read about the disciples because I said, if those guys can make it, I’ve got a shot; you know. I’ve got at least a shot. Because they’re in there, you know, here they are, they’re in the end of the ministry, been hanging out with Jesus. I mean, you and me think, oh, if we had met Jesus, we would be onboard. We would be 100% Jesus; you know? But, you know, the disciples, they were there the whole time. And they said, hey, we’re worshiping him. But some doubted. I go, what’s with these guys? You know? And I said, “I feel better about myself because sometimes, you know, maybe I have a doubt or two; you know? Things happen.” But it wasn’t like, okay, Jesus didn’t say, oh, let me explain it all to you and answer all your doubts. We’ll have a town hall. You can all yell at me about how you’re upset about the way I’m running the church, and I’ll explain it to you. We’ll all come into a wonderful happy agreement, and I’ll tell you all the things. No, he said, he knows he had doubt. He says, “Go therefore and go out and do good things. Go out there and make disciples of all the nations. Tell everybody to love one another. Tell them to love their enemies. Tell them to love the stranger.” Oh, no, you’re getting political. “Tell them to love the stranger. Tell them to love the soldier in your land. Tell them that God loves everyone. Tell them that God made everything good. Even countries that aren’t ours are still good.” [Gasp] Political again. He didn’t wait. He didn’t explain it. He didn’t give them the why. He didn’t answer their doubts. He just took them. He just expected them. Show up, doubts and all. Come on in. Come as you are. And these people were disciples. I mean, you know, they’ve got logos and stained glass and people praying to them and stuff. Still doubts. There’s hope for us. We don’t have to be sure and understand everything and remember our good old friend, Fat Man Augustine, that says, “If you think you understand, you don’t understand.” Huh. Huh. I feel better about that. And remember about our favorite science fiction with Neal there, Stephenson, said, “We like to think of ourselves as intelligent people. We don’t expect to understand stuff. We’re okay if things are contradictory.” You know a contradictory thing is, it’s when a teenager – anyone had experience with teenagers? Been a teenager? I was talking to someone, there’s a church that’s misbehaving. They called me in. Ah, there’s a wonder. I’ve got to tell you. Saying come in. And he said, “What are we going to do about this person?” And I go, well, you know, they’re doing everything we asked. Everything we told them to do, they’re doing. They’re just yelling and screaming about it and writing letters about how horrible it is. And that’s kind of like the teenager that you tell them to go up to their room, and they’re going up to their room yelling and screaming at you the whole way. You know? “Why is it so unfair?” They’re going to their room, you know, so you they’re kind of sort of getting it. You know, moving toward obedience, even though they’re yelling about it. And we can handle that as intelligent people. As adult people we can say, “Yeah, that’s kind of messed up, mixed up, crazy there. But, yeah, pretty good mostly. We’re all right. We can handle the creation story.” How did all that happen in one day? That “and” thing is just really blowing my mind between the I’m going to do this, now it’s done. Wait a minute. What’s the middle? We’re okay with that. Mostly. We’re okay with I have some doubts and don’t know everything. Well, that’s okay, go out and tell everybody to love everybody, and that God loves them. Even with the doubts? Yeah, even with the doubts. Do ahead and do that. We so much want to understand stuff. It’s why we keep making heresies out of the Trinity because we try to understand it, we can’t understand it because it’s the basis of God, and we get all upset and try to make it simple. Try to make it into a shamrock, or try to make it into a, you know, the ice cube tray in the refrigerator, you know, the automatic ice cube stuff. How does that work? It’s not what we should do. We’re not supposed to understand it, and that is kind of a little scary for people that aren’t intelligent. I’m complimenting you here now. I’m believing you’re all intelligent people, and you expect to not know everything and be okay with that and be in wonder. Well, how does that work out in a romcom from the 1990s, Christy? I know that is a question everybody asks. Everybody asks. Sure, he’s a good preacher, but what about a romcom from the ‘90s? I need that romcom. I want you to take a look at “Groundhog Day.” This is Rita. Rita is going somewhere between confusion and wonder here. She has questions of she thought she knew this guy, Bill Murray, who’s playing Phil Connors. Thought she knew this guy. And then things happen. And then she has a choice about whether she’s going to get the long or short version of what everything is. Or whether she’s going to commit herself and all that she has to the wonder that is Phil Connors. Rita didn’t need all her questions answered, either the short or the long version, to commit $339.88, her total net worth, I imagine, to be into the wonder of Phil Connors. We do not need the long or short version of the Trinity to know when something good has been created, and that we are invited into relationship with. Take that as your Trinity Sunday sermon. Amen.
How to balance the power of AI with the danger of AI may be the challenge of our age. As a Catholic, and as a parent, this job only gets more difficult. Join me in the next episode of Catholic Life Coach For Men as Andrew Gillsmith and I explore this topic as Catholic parents. He is a fiction author whose upcoming book is intended to explore this issue as a Catholic. We discuss some ideas for how to use it, some possible guard rails that parents might consider, and share our stories. This episode is not intended as a definitive "how-to" but rather as the start of a much larger discussion. We provide some questions for you to think about when deciding how to use AI in your own household. Andrew Gillsmith's new novel, Our Lady of the Artilects, is a mind-bending supernatural science fiction novel where The Exorcist meets Westworld, with a light dusting of Snow Crash. The book is not yet released, but will be soon! I'm happy to announce I have a book out and available! You can find it on Amazon (more options to come.)
The pleasures and perils of nostalgia & reference, the importance of identifying real play versus gamified labor, and whether the internet used to be fun: Matthew Leggat of the Utopian & Dystopian Fictions podcast joins to discuss Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One. Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books. Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Matthew Leggatt Title: Ready Player One by Ernie Cline Host:Jake Casella Brookins Music byGiselle Gabrielle Garcia Artwork byRob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough References: ARB’s Fundraiser!!! Matthew’s Cultural and Political Nostalgia in the Age of Terror, Play in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction, and Wastelands and Wonderlands The Utopian & Dystopian Fictions podcast I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman Chicano Frankenstein by Daniel A. Olivas U&DF episode with Olivas Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash & Reamde William Gibson’s Neuromancer K.A. Teryna’s Black Hole Heart translated by Alex Shvartsman Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenya’s Chain Gang All-Stars Was It Yesterday: Nostalgia in Contemporary Film and Television edited by Matthew Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code Gamergate “Playing the Game of Literature: Ready Player One, the Ludic Novel, and the Geeky ‘Canon’ of White Masculinity” by Megan Amber Condis Captain Crunch: phreaker John Draper Kyle Chayka’s "Why the internet isn't fun anymore" William Gibson’s “The Gernsback Continuum” Ling Ma's Severance Helen MacDonald & Syn Blaché’s Prophet MacDonald’s H is for Hawk Stanislaw Lem's Solaris Alice Landsberg's Prosthetic Memory: The Transformation of American Remembrance in the Age of Mass Culture The television series Stranger Things Mark Fisher's Ghosts of My Life Richard Fleischer’s Soylent Green (based on Harrison’s Make Room! Make Room!) & Paul R. Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb Samuel Butler’s Erewhon B.F. Skinner’s Walden Two Voight-Kampf Test from Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner / Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The "lusory attitude" from Bernard Suits' The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia Ernst Callenbach's Ecotopia Philip Nel’s “I Love the ‘80s: Dystopia, Nostalgia, and Ready Player One” Michael Jackson 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back (That's Mike Nelson of MST3K Fame) High Fidelity by Nick Hornby Jordan Carroll's Speculative Whiteness Paul Hardisty'sForcing trilogy
(00:00:00) Episode 630: Neuromancer (00:00:01) Jack Ryan's Cinematic Evolution (00:00:21) The Jack Ryan Franchise on Screen (00:02:49) Amazon's Missed Opportunities (00:06:59) Video Game Adaptations Galore (00:09:24) The BioShock and Snow Crash Adaptations (00:28:25) The Challenges of World-Building in Adaptations (00:33:05) Silo: A Dystopian Underground Society (00:33:41) The Shocking Truth Behind the Silos (00:34:59) A Localized Apocalypse (00:35:46) The Augmented Reality Deception This week's episode begins with an engaging discussion centered around the highly anticipated new trailer for John Krasinski's return to the gripping world of Tom Clancy. The excitement surrounding Jack Ryan: Ghost War sets the stage for a broader conversation about the immense potential that Amazon Studios has to develop an expansive Tom Clancy Universe. The guys delve into the rich tapestry of Clancy's works, exploring how various characters and storylines could intertwine to create a cohesive and thrilling cinematic experience. They ponder the possibilities of introducing beloved characters from Clancy's extensive bibliography, such as John Clark and Jack Ryan, into a shared universe that could appeal to both longtime fans and new audiences alike. As the conversation evolves, the guys seamlessly transition to discussing other notable Tom Clancy intellectual properties, reflecting on how these could be adapted into different formats, including television series and films. They consider the challenges and opportunities that come with adapting such beloved material, weighing the expectations of fans against the creative liberties that might be necessary for modern storytelling. Additionally, they touch upon the rising trend of video game adaptations, speculating on how Clancy's intricate plots and complex characters could translate into interactive experiences that resonate with gamers. To wrap up the episode, the guys embark on a deep dive into the fascinating realm of classic Cyberpunk novels, focusing specifically on two iconic works: Snow Crash and Neuromancer. They analyze the themes and innovations presented in these groundbreaking narratives, discussing their impact on both literature and the broader cultural landscape. The conversation highlights the unique vision of their authors, exploring how the dystopian futures they depict continue to influence contemporary storytelling in various media. Through this exploration, the guys provide listeners with a richer understanding of the Cyberpunk genre and its significance in shaping modern science fiction. Overall, this episode promises to be a thought-provoking journey through the intersections of literature, film, and gaming, inviting listeners to consider the endless possibilities that lie ahead in these dynamic storytelling realms.Official Website: https://www.comesnaturallypodcast.comOfficial Merchandise: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/comes-naturally-podcast/iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/kqkgackFacebook: http://tinyurl.com/myovgm8Tumblr: http://tinyurl.com/m7a6mg9Twitter: @ComesNaturalPodYouTube: http://tiny.cc/5snxpy
Cathy Hackl, futurist for Nokia and advisor to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), joins the podcast to discuss her fascinating work across the Middle East and her insights on the next generation of AI and connectivity. Learn how nations like the UAE and KSA are strategically positioning themselves to lead in spatial computing, quantum supremacy, and a hopeful, future-forward vision of AI.Cathy details her work in the Middle East, including her residency in the UAE and her advisory roles on massive projects like NEOM and Qiddiya, explaining how these regions are embracing technology as a means to modernize. She shares her perspective on the shift in global venture capital, noting how Europe and the Middle East are providing significant funding that is moving beyond traditional Silicon Valley terms.AI XR News You Should Know:The hosts discuss massive AI funding rounds, including a $1 billion seed round for Advanced Machine Intelligence and a $500 million round for Mind Robotics, highlighting the intense capital war for chips and the boom in robotics. They also cover the rise of YouTube as the world's largest media company and the ethical questions surrounding the collection of human data to train robots.Key Moments[00:01:19] Intro: Friday the 13th and geopolitical news.[00:02:17] Mind Robotics & Advanced Machine Intelligence: Discussing the $500M and $1B seed rounds for robotics and AI startups.[00:04:04] Headband Camera for Robot Training: Debate on the ethics of companies paying people to wear cameras to collect training data for robots, comparing it to "Gargoyles" from Snow Crash.[00:10:12] YouTube Surpasses Disney & Netflix: Discussion on YouTube becoming the world's largest media company with $62 billion in revenue.[00:11:29] AI & Media Market Dominance: Questioning whether today's AI music and video companies will eventually surpass all big film, music, and streaming companies.[00:14:40] Cathy Hackl Interview Begins: Cathy discusses her work as a futurist for Nokia, focusing on AI-native networks.[00:16:26] KSA Projects: Cathy's experience working on the virtual and gaming strategy for Qiddiya and on the KSA Pavilion at the World Expo.[00:22:07] Golden Visa & Gifted Residency: The privileges associated with becoming a resident of the UAE or KSA for highly skilled talent.This conversation offers a vital global perspective on technology, innovation, and culture that is often missed when focusing solely on Silicon Valley. Understanding these geopolitical and technological movements is key for anyone trying to anticipate where the next wave of global innovation will truly come from.This episode of The AI XR Podcast is brought to you by Zappar, the folks behind Mattercraft, a leading visual development environment for building immersive 3D web experiences—mattercraft.io. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full episode on YouTube. https://youtu.be/Mw0yM_qpGG8See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Recorded on 2/6/26 Danny, Oscar, and Gerry talk about Nioh 3, Snow Crash, Iron Lung and more. Email: Unversedpodcast@gmail.com
Jonathan Hillis is the founder and caretaker of Cabin, a network of co-living spaces which link up and vet members in other communities via blockchain technology. His "neighborhood" of intentional living is in beautiful Texas Hill Country an hour outside of Austin, where he lives with friends in a hub-and-spoke model of private accommodation surrounding communal social spaces. He's the former CTO of Coinbase, and you can see how his tech background influences his obsession with scalability (we talk about Metcalf's Law, and the optimum size of "one sauna teams") as well as the non-financial elements of blockchain to that end. It actually reminds me a bit of Neil Stephenson's Franchise-Organized Quasi-National Entities or "burbclaves" in Snow Crash. Cabin strikes me as a kind of libertarian commune (though neither Hillis nor myself ever uses the term). It's big scattered geographic network of modular co-ops you can plug into and out of. Vetting community members is a big thing in communes, and Cabin relies on blockchain technology and somethin akin to personal Yelp reviews to allow people to skip up from Austin, TX to like-minded communities in Santa Fe or Portland, or wherever. He joins to discuss his model, and what day-to-day life is like living in an intentional co-living community.
Tried to make the book's deeper themes a little easier to understand. Failed. Posted the episode anyway.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/
This week we tackle a Cyberpunk Classic that is genuinely pretty good but maybe twice as long as it needs to be.Support the showBlue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/wordsaboutbooks.bsky.socialDiscord - https://discord.gg/6BaNRtcP8CThreads - https://www.threads.net/@wordsaboutbookspodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordsaboutbookspodcastBlog - https://blog.wordsaboutbooks.ninja/
This might be the best sci-fi book out there about nanotechnology. But Stephenson has so many good ones that this one isn't his best book - some of the characters lose their way, and it drags in the middle. Oh, and one more good recommendation we forgot while we were recording - check out Blood Music by Greg Bear if you want a biological twist on nanotech!Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.Similar books we recommend: Snow Crash by Neal StephensonNeuromancer by William GibsonCory DoctorowPrey by Michael CrichtonThis episode is sponsored by Har Megiddon by Ron Bennett.If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro00:47 Book setup1:49 Sponsor - Har Megiddon2:22 Our review 3.25/53:53 Great sections - and stinkers4:47 Incredible technology7:33 Hard to visualize?9:38 Dances with Wolves10:17 Labor saving devices13:59 Neal's infodumps19:25 Book structure25:47 Sponsor - Har Megiddon26:08 Similar books we recommend28:40 Spoilers section - book summary31:30 Spoilers section - discussion
Mormonism, hypocephalus, Egypt, Joseph Smith, Egypt's influence on Mormonism, Ahmehstrahans, Salamander letters, Mark Hoffman, David Lynch, caves, bees, reiki, reiki's influence in Utah, the Goddess in Mormonism, Luxor Hotel & Casino, the Luxor's links to Mormonism, the high weirdness around the Luxor, fly-agaric mushrooms, did Joseph Smith take magic mushrooms?, N. Meade Layne, ether ships, Dessert alphabet, William S. Burroughs, Snow Crash, the metaphysical properties of memory, the Art of Memory, reality creation, Gnosticism, Gnosticism' influence on Mormonism, Scientologists as wannabe Mormons, Twin PeaksMusic by: Keith Allen Dennishttps://keithallendennis.bandcamp.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this week's episode the guys start the episode with a little history lesson on what led to the never made Alien sequel by Neill Blomkamp. This leads down a quick discussion about his many wonderful projects. This then leads to an adaptation Neill has been tapped to write and direct called Blindsight based on the novel by Peter Watts. That then leads down the road of Hard Sci-Fi books including Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. On the news that Netflix has won the bidding war to buy Warner Brothers, Christopher Nolan brings the director's Guild to a meeting with the heads of Netflix to discuss the future of the movie industry. To wrap up the episode Cody shares with Joe that he and Paige have been watching Most Extreme Elimination on a youtube channel titled ConTV.Official Website: https://www.comesnaturallypodcast.comOfficial Merchandise: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/comes-naturally-podcast/iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/kqkgackFacebook: http://tinyurl.com/myovgm8Tumblr: http://tinyurl.com/m7a6mg9Twitter: @ComesNaturalPodYouTube: http://tiny.cc/5snxpy
I briefly talk about two books I've red recently (Servant of the Underworld and Snow Crash), and take a call from Jason. Good stuff!
Whether you like ripping page turners, incredible characters, books that make you laugh out loud, exploring unforgettable new worlds, or literary books that will make you see the world in a new way, there's a great intro to scifi out there for everyone!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord to tell us about your favorite time travel booksOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 00:00 Intro 00:38 Incredible Characters - Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold 3:07 A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers 4:04 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 4:52 Unforgettable Worlds - The Expanse by James S.A. Corey 6:58 Hyperion by Dan Simmons 8:24 House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds 9:20 Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 10:56 The Forever War by Joe Haldeman 12:22 Funny SF - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 13:36 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson 14:50 Old Man's War by John Scalzi 16:01 Page turners - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 17:43 Dark Matter or Recursion by Blake Crouch 18:52 All Systems Red by Martha Wells 20:01 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 21:35 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 22:34 Literary SciFi - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin 24:55 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 26:26 The Road by Cormac McCarthy 27:49 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 28:40 Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Neal Stephenson—legendary sci-fi author who coined "metaverse" in his 1992 novel Snow Crash—and Rebecca Barkin, co-founder of Lamina1, return to the AI XR Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about building a decentralized creator economy, launching their dystopian AI world-building project Artifact, and why blockchain might finally free creators from Big Tech's chokehold. Joined by Charlie, Ted, and Rony, the discussion spans Neal's lost Magic Leap project, the resurrection of the open metaverse dream, and how decentralized platforms could flip Hollywood's power structure on its head.Rebecca details Lamina1's journey from blockchain currency for the open metaverse to Spaces, a multimedia creator platform built on Ethereum that allows IP owners to retain control, set royalties, and build direct relationships with fans. Think YouTube meets Discord, but on decentralized rails. The goal isn't socialism—it's a creative meritocracy where artists get equity in platforms they help build, instead of just one-time payouts while Netflix captures all the value.Neal unpacks Artifact, Lamina1's first creative test case: a post-Singularity world where 12 competing mega-AIs fight over energy, copper, water, and GPUs while humans live in the interstices. Co-created with Weta Workshop using AI tools like World Labs' marble splats, the project invites fans to co-create lore, not just consume it. It's a living experiment in collaborative IP development—and proof that small teams with AI amplifiers can build Grand Theft Auto-scale worlds.Guest HighlightsNeal Stephenson coined "metaverse" in Snow Crash; former Magic Leap creative lead with lost IP still trapped at the company.Rebecca Barkin pivoted Lamina1 from metaverse currency to Spaces: a decentralized platform for multimedia creators retaining IP rights and earning equity.Artifact launches as Lamina1's test case—collaborative world-building in a dystopian post-AI Singularity where fans shape the narrative.Built on Ethereum with Consensus Network backing; uses blockchain to solve micro-transaction volatility and give creators sustainable economics.Signed Bob's Burgers team (Ghosted Media) and other Hollywood refugees seeking autonomy from studio gatekeepers.News HighlightsValve launches PC cube + wireless Index headset—sub-$1000 system to compete with Xbox/PlayStation and revive PCVR market, but will enthusiasts bite?Meta adds real-time computer vision to AI glasses—Ray-Ban smart glasses gain live AI interpretation, pushing toward inflection point for wearables.Google Maps integrates Gemini AI—natural language directions and real-world context awareness transform navigation into conversational copilot.11 Labs launches voice marketplace—Michael Caine licenses voice cloning; Matthew McConaughey invests but won't sell his own likeness.Disney announces AI user-generated content strategy—Bob Iger teases platforms for fans to create with Disney IP, following Lego's remix culture playbook.Big thanks to our sponsor Zappar. Subscribe for weekly insider perspectives from veterans who aren't afraid to challenge Big Tech. New episodes every Tuesday. Watch full episodes on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Adeline Atlas 11 X Published AUTHOR Digital Twin: Create Your AI Clone: https://tinyurl.com/y375cbxnSOS: School of Soul Vault: Full Access ALL SERIEShttps://www.soulreno.com/joinus-202f0461-ba1e-4ff8-8111-9dee8c726340Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/soulrenovation/Soul Renovation - BooksSoul Game - https://tinyurl.com/vay2xdcpWhy Play: https://tinyurl.com/2eh584jfHow To Play: https://tinyurl.com/2ad4msf3Digital Soul: https://tinyurl.com/3hk29s9xEvery Word: https://tinyurl.com/3bzm37hpDrain Me: https://tinyurl.com/bde5fnf4The Rabbit Hole: https://tinyurl.com/3swnmxfjDestiny Swapping: https://tinyurl.com/35dzpvssSpanish Editions:Every Word: https://tinyurl.com/ytec7cvcDrain Me: https://tinyurl.com/3jv4fc5n
Revisiting an annual tradition--Books in the Box! Bryan, Adam, and the Oxide Friends share book recommendations (and--sometimes--anti-recommendations). Take a listen if you're looking for your next read.In addition to Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal, we were joined by some guests noted below:Previously, on Oxide and Friends:OxF s05e06 - A Half‑Century of Silicon Valley with Randy ShoupOxF s05e26 - Technological Revolutions with Jerry NeumannOxF s04e03 - Fork in the Road for TerraformOxF s01e16 - The Books in the BoxOxF s02e18 - Books in the Box ReduxOxF s03e22 - Books in the Box IIIOxF s04e28 - Books in the Box IVOther Notes:Princeton Review: Happiest StudentsUMass Dining Named Best Campus Food by The Princeton ReviewCHM Oral HistoriesNight Rider (and K.I.T.T.)From Bryan and Adam (and others)The Mouse Driver ChroniclesFumbling the FutureSlingshotChip WarTechnological Revolutions and Financial Capital @bcantrill (economics book recommendation)Snow Crash (another Neal Stephenson book)The Big ShortReinventing The WheelEccentric Orbits (recommended by listener)Language Machines Cultural AI and the End of Remainder Humanism (recommended by listener)Molly White's **review ** of Read Write OwnCareless PeopleNOT A RECOMMENDATION If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies (If you are Molly White, please destroy this for us!)Surreal Numbers by Knuth (recommended by listeners)From Oliver HermanOpen CircuitsSystems PerformanceWhy We're Getting PoorerTermination ShockFrom Tom LyonFrom Airline Reservations to Sonic the HedgehogSee also Systems We Love: Life of an Airline FlightThe War of Don Emmanuel's Nether PartsThe NVIDIA WayFrom Dan McDonaldInventing the RenaissanceCharles Sumner: Conscience of a NationIf we got something wrong or missed something, please file a PR! Our next show will likely be on Monday at 5p Pacific Time on our Discord server; stay tuned to our Mastodon feeds for details, or subscribe to this calendar. We'd love to have you join us, as we always love to hear from new speakers!
Epicenter - Learn about Blockchain, Ethereum, Bitcoin and Distributed Technologies
Sci-fi titan Neal Stephenson, whose Snow Crash coined the term "metaverse" and Cryptonomicon sketched the contours of crypto, joins Friederike to talk about his foray into championing empowering creators with direct micropayments and IP sovereignty, without the data-exploiting enclosures of Web2, with Lamina1 as its co-founder. Neal unpacks his detached craft plausible worlds that inadvertently blueprint reality while cautioning against Web3's traps: Criminal stigma, abysmal UX alienating normies, and risks of becoming surveillance superhighways or bank shiny toys. Spotlighting Lamina 1's launch with "Artifact" (a Weta-forged sci-fi game), he envisions success as creative output flourishing where blockchain fades to the background. Topics discussed in this episode:(00:00) Introduction to Decentralization and Blockchain(01:20) The Role of Storytelling in Technology Prediction(03:48) The Balance of Optimism and Pessimism in Fiction(06:27) Web3: Promises and Pitfalls(08:36) The Evolution of the Web: From Decentralization to Centralization(13:37) Metrics for a Decentralized Web(15:55) Lamina One: A New Vision for the Metaverse(23:44) Creating a Financial Layer for the Creator Economy(25:08) Legal Implications of Smart Contracts(27:38) The Strength of Smart Contracts(31:04) Decentralization vs. Centralization in the Creator Economy(36:21) The Decline of Centralized Platforms(41:23) Financialization and the Creative Economy(45:47) The Future of Web3 and User Experience(51:17) Potential Failure Modes of Web3Links mentioned in this episode: Neal Stephenson, Co-founder Lamina1: https://x.com/nealstephenson Lamina 1: https://lamina1.com/home Sponsors: Gnosis: Gnosis has been building core decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem since 2015. With the launch of Gnosis Pay last year, we introduced the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Start leveraging its power today at gnosis.io This episode is hosted by Friederike Ernst.
Paul Travers, founder and CEO of Vuzix Corporation, returns to join hosts Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, and Rony Abovitz for a masterclass in enterprise XR resilience and the long game of hardware innovation. As the architect behind the world's first consumer VR headset (the VFX1 in 1992), Travers has survived every boom and bust cycle in wearable technology for over three decades. Now publicly traded with 80,000 shareholders, Vuzix represents what Rony calls "the GameStop of XR"—a dramatically undervalued company ($200M market cap) that could become the consolidation hub for smaller XR startups while taking on tech giants with superior enterprise focus and manufacturing capabilities.The episode opens with the hosts' unfiltered critique of Meta's recent Connect announcements, where Rony argues that despite $100+ billion invested in Reality Labs, Meta's Ray-Ban display glasses represent minimal advancement over the original Google Glass—a "disappointing" return that small startups with minimal funding are already surpassing. This sets the stage for deeper discussions about Neon, the controversial app paying users $800/month to record conversations for AI training (which Rony compares to Neal Stephenson's "gargoyles" from Snow Crash), and Meta AI's new "Vibes" feed that separates AI-generated content from real-world posts to address deepfake concerns.Guest HighlightsTravers pulls back the curtain on three decades of XR survival:The "Lindy Effect" advantage—how Vuzix's longevity through multiple extinction events creates predictive value for continued success, like "alligators surviving when everything else didn't make it"Enterprise-first strategy—why focusing on warehouse workers, Amazon distribution centers, and pharmaceutical operations (1,000+ systems deployed at Nadro) creates sustainable revenue streams versus consumer fashion battlesManufacturing at scale—Vuzix's Rochester facility produces 1.5 million waveguides annually at 90%+ yield rates, enabling 10,000-unit weekly deliveries and potential silicon carbide waveguide production (the same exotic technology Meta claims costs $10,000 per pair in their Orion prototypes)AI-agnostic platform approach—unlike Meta's closed ecosystem, Vuzix allows BMW, Amazon, and other enterprise clients to run their own AI models locally through NVIDIA Blueprint technology for IP protectionThe "GameStop potential"—with smart money recognizing XR's AI-enabled inflection point, Travers envisions Vuzix becoming the acquisition vehicle for consolidating smaller XR companies, potentially reaching the $20+ billion valuation that experience and manufacturing capability warrantNews Segment HighlightsMeta Connect critique reveals $100+ billion Reality Labs investment yielded minimal advancement over original Google Glass—disappointing monocular displays that startups with minimal funding already surpassNeon app controversy pays users $800/month to record conversations for AI training, creating "voice gargoyles" that transform people into data input mechanismMeta AI launches "Vibes" newsfeed separating AI-generated content from real-world posts to address deepfake and authenticity concerns across social platformsChatGPT privacy settings reminder that users can disable data sharing through hidden personalization and security menus to avoid training their AI replacementsThank you to our sponsors, Zappar and Viture! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Israel's renewed offensive in Gaza City - the largest Palestinian population centre - is being framed as an assault on Hamas's “final stronghold”. But behind that narrative lies a campaign of expulsion and erasure that bears all the hallmarks of an endgame. Contributors: Dana Mills - Writer, Local Call & +972 Magazine Muhammad Shehada - Journalist Saree Makdisi - Professor of English & Comparative Literature, UCLA Tahani Mustafa - Visiting fellow, ECFR On our radar: A new AI-generated website unveiled by an Israeli minister claims to “uncover the hidden ties” between Palestinian journalists and Hamas. And despite its amateurish feel, it follows a pattern of dangerous smears against Palestinians. Post's Tariq Nafi reports. The sci-fi obsessions of the tech elite Silicon Valley's tech titans often say they are shaping a better tomorrow. This is a clique of men - names like Musk, Zuckerberg, Thiel and Altman - who all say they've been heavily influenced by science fiction. But those imagined sci-fi futures often come with a dystopian side, warnings that tech billionaires have seemingly failed to understand. Featuring: Alex Hanna - Director, Distributed AI Research Institute Max Read - Senior editor, New York magazine Tim Maughan - Author and Journalist
TCW Podcast Episode 238 - Quake We dive into the development of Quake, the ambitious and turbulent follow-up to Doom from ID Software. John Carmack set out to build a groundbreaking engine featuring full 3D rendering, dynamic lighting, and client-server multiplayer. This pushed the technical boundaries in a pre-GPU world. To achieve this, he brought in legendary programmer Michael Abrash from Microsoft, selling him on the vision of Quake as a step toward the metaverse as imagined in Snow Crash. Meanwhile, John Romero envisioned Quake as a fantasy RPG inspired by a character from his D&D campaign, but lack of direction and his growing obsession with Deathmatch led to team frustration and eventual fallout. The result was a game that redefined first-person shooters and laid the groundwork for decades of engine development. It also marked the end of an era at ID with the ouster of John Romero. TCW 030 - DOOM!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/doom-1479057917/ TCW 197 - The ID of Game Development: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-id-of-game-development/ Doom States and DeHackEd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTa3diypjv4 P2P vs Dedicated Servers?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt3ZLHKcP2U Token Ring - The Betamax of Networking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjLctlmZSp4 Artie - The Strongest Man In the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Bh3LskNbs Space Strike (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDdEuKFQps Cosmic Crusader (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOTa5iQAw8 Big Top (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXUCacgF72M Snack Attack II (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-SEjcnnjo So You Haven't Read "Snow Crash": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO64ZhBYy9E Ramblings in Realtime by Michael Abrash: https://www.bluesnews.com/abrash/ QuakeWorld Launch Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6BkZ-gdY Quake (DOS 6.22): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyLC1vR9oGk Quake Longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GagGXXUtI Excerpt Quake Postmortem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2OE-74bTQw New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1 Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Best 10 Sci-Fi Books now on the internet and beyond 2025 and why they are so great “Featuring original lyrics by Tale Teller Club and artwork by iServalan, The Book of Immersion: Volume 1 offers a multisensory reading experience that is as poetic as it is provocative. It is not merely a story—it is a threshold to another state of being.” (books.google.com)If you've ever wished a novel could sing to you, paint for you, and then whisper its last line through a vocoder, Sarnia de la Mare's The Book of Immersion is already living in your head. It's literature spliced with sound art and graphic storytelling—a proof-of-concept for sci-fi as total sensory plunge, and a perfect gateway to ten other speculative masterpieces that also stretch the genre in bold directions.1. The Book of Immersion by Sarnia de la MareAmazon listingDe la Mare's debut folds prose, lyrics, and AI-generated visuals into a layered “Strata” structure that mimics a DJ set. The central character—an autistic-coded artificial intelligence named Renyke—experiences emotion like glitching code, making sensory overload a narrative engine rather than a side note. It's part novel, part concept album, part artbook, and wholly immersive. (books.google.com)2. Dune by Frank HerbertWikipediaPublished in 1965 and still the yard-stick for epic world-building, Dune blends ecology, theology, and real-politik into a desert planet saga so persuasive that planetary scientists now name Titan's dunes after its planets. The spice-fuelled power struggles feel uncannily contemporary, reminding us that resource wars are timeless. (en.wikipedia.org)3. Neuromancer by William GibsonWikipediaGibson's 1984 cyberpunk heist hard-wired “cyberspace” into popular vocabulary and imagined console cowboys decades before VR headsets hit shelves. Its neon-noir mood and jacked-in hackers still shape everything from The Matrix to modern infosec slang. (en.wikipedia.org)4. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le GuinWikipediaLe Guin's 1969 classic sends an envoy to an ice-world where inhabitants are biologically ambisexual. The result is anthropology via first-contact, a meditation on gender fluidity decades before the term went mainstream, and a lesson in how culture can be the strangest alien of all. (en.wikipedia.org)5. Snow Crash by Neal StephensonWikipediaStephenson's 1992 roller-blade ride predicted the Metaverse, viral memes as literal viruses, and pizza-delivery drone capitalism. It's equal parts linguistic theory and sword-swinging satire, proving that big ideas and break-neck action can share the same page. (en.wikipedia.org)6. Hyperion by Dan SimmonsWikipediaStructured like The Canterbury Tales in space, Hyperion (1989) threads six pilgrim backstories around the terrifying time-bending Shrike. Genre-hopping—from detective noir to military SF—creates a mosaic about faith, storytelling, and the cruelty of time. (en.wikipedia.org)7. The Three-Body Problem by Liu CixinWikipediaHard science meets Cultural-Revolution history in this 2008 Chinese phenomenon. Liu turns orbital mechanics into existential horror, asking what humanity deserves when the cosmos finally takes notice. (en.wikipedia.org)8. The Fifth Season by N. K. JemisinWikipediaJemisin launches the Broken Earth trilogy with tectonic apocalypse, second-person narration, and magic as geologic force. It's a brutal climate-change parable wrapped in a story about oppressed bodies weaponised by empire. (en.wikipedia.org)9. Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirWikipediaWeir trades Mars for Tau Ceti in a 2021 page-turner where lone-scientist ingenuity—and an unexpectedly endearing alien—stand between Earth and stellar extinction. A film adaptation from Lord & Miller starring Ryan Gosling just dropped its first trailer this week, so read before Hollywood spoils the twist. (en.wikipedia.org, indiatimes.com)10. Ancillary Justice by Ann LeckieWikipediaBreq, an AI once spread across thousands of bodies, is now trapped in one and out for vengeance. Leckie's 2013 debut won the Hugo, Nebula, and Clarke in the same year by queering space opera norms—everyone is “she,” and personhood is a matter of degree, not biology. (en.wikipedia.org)Why these ten?Each title here rewires science fiction in its own way—whether through multimedia experimentation (Immersion), ecological epics (Dune), digital frontiers (Neuromancer, Snow Crash), or radical takes on identity (Left Hand, Ancillary Justice). Together they map a genre that's less about rockets and more about possibilities: new politics, new pronouns, new physics, new artforms. Grab any one of them and prepare to exit the airlock of the ordinary.
Join us tonight as Liz discusses some topics covered in Neal Stephenson's sci-fi novel, Snow Crash, including ancient Sumerian, the Tower of Babel, Glossolalia, STDs, and the cult of Asherah. The article we referenced: http://orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/on-the-gift-of-speaking-in-tongues.aspx Follow our new Bible Study Channel - No Wrong Questions on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKcJ8tSzhySkA-QndkmyFPw Support the show, access all of our episodes ad free, and get bonus OVERDOSE episodes on LOCALS - https://alternatively.locals.comMERCH - https://conspiracypilled.com/collections/all Join the DISCORD - https://discord.gg/c8Acuz7vC9 Give this podcast a 5 Star Review - https://ratethispodcast.com/conspiracypilled NORTH ARROW COFFEE - https://northarrowcoffee.co Use code CONSPIRACY10 to get 10% off your order! The Show — @_Alternatively on XAbby — @abbythelibb_ on X and InstagramLiz — @adelethelaptop on XJon — @Kn0tfersail on XBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/alternatively-formerly-conspiracy-pilled--6248227/support.
Get ready for a blast from the past as we count down the most epic fantasy and sci-fi books of the 1990s! From classic series like Harry Potter and Red Mars to groundbreaking novels like Snow Crash and A Game of Thrones, we're diving into the decade that defined modern fantasy and science fiction. Join us as we explore the books that shaped our imagination, influenced our favorite authors, and continue to inspire new generations of readers. Whether you're a nostalgic 90s kid or just discovering the magic of these iconic novels, this episode is for you!#FantasyForTheAges #ReadingRecommendations #Classics #ClassicLiterature #HugoAwards #SciFi #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #SSF #BestBooks #Top3 #Top10 #booktube #booktuberWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?Barrayar: https://t.ly/yoDxaBlue Mars: https://t.ly/ENDc1City of Bones: https://t.ly/c2lE8A Clash of Kings: https://t.ly/UYaFHThe Death of the Necromancer: https://t.ly/Ug5QRA Deepness in the Sky: https://t.ly/A62tbThe Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer: https://t.ly/t1sUqDoomsday Book: https://t.ly/MebqFEarth: https://t.ly/yjFUzThe Fall of Hyperion: https://t.ly/7EucCA Fire Upon the Deep: https://t.ly/FxnVSForever Peace: https://t.ly/2BLxbA Game of Thrones: https://t.ly/o7bq0The Golden Compass: https://t.ly/7n5sNGreen Mars: https://t.ly/g-8IrHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: https://t.ly/XxEGrHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: https://t.ly/3_MH7Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: https://t.ly/_SxSWMirror Dance: https://t.ly/c5sGyMoving Mars: https://t.ly/Y1AsuOutlander: https://t.ly/tmVjPJurassic Park: https://t.ly/S9O7eParable of the Sower: https://t.ly/ZmygjParable of the Talents: https://t.ly/cZPa5Red Mars: https://t.ly/Qhd1HSlow River: https://t.ly/tiu_sSnow Crash: https://t.ly/auBgEThe Sparrow: https://t.ly/vlmFjStations of the Tide: https://t.ly/FHhzqSteel Beach: https://t.ly/khsNuA Storm of Swords: https://t.ly/FEoNcThe Terminal Experiment: https://t.ly/qQfeiTo Say Nothing of the Dog: https://t.ly/sO2pOTowing Jehovah: https://t.ly/JxbvHVirtual Light: https://t.ly/TwFiJThe Vor Game: https://t.ly/C0a7AWays to connect with us:Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @FantasyForTheAges@nerdculture.de Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim's Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 ————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/
Send us a textWilliam Gibson described Cyberpunk as a fusion of high-tech and low-life, exploring the intersection of technology, cybernetics, and computer networks on human society in a near-future, often dystopian setting.If you don't know who William Gibson is then shame on you.Like most people out there, my first exposure to Cyberpunk was Blade Runner. The 1982 movie by Ridley Scott blew me away. After that I watched movies like Freejack and Johnny Mnemonic, Akira, and Ghost in the Shell. it wasn't until the late 90's that I started diving into the literary world of Cyberpunk with Nuromancer and Snowcrash.I loved the setting, the style, the tech, and the action, but I never got into the roleplaying games. I heard about Cyberpunk, and Cyberpunk 2020. But for some strange reason I never picked them up.Then Mike asked me if I was interested in playing Cyberpunk Red.I jumped at the chance.Mike ran our group though almost a year of Cyberpunk using the Cyberpunk Red rules and we have recently started up again focusing more on the Edgerunner 2077 expansion for Cyberpunk Red.After that much game time, we got opinions.In this episode Mike, Christina and I are going to give you an honest, unbiased review of Cyberpunk Red.But before we do that, Christina, break down the legalese for us.[Kick to Christina so she can go on about how we haven't been paid or compensated in any way for our opinion and we bought the shit with money out of our own pocket.]Now Mike, Start us off on our review of Cyberpunk Red.
This is a Seth’s Picks episode, the very highly regarded, though not much honored at the time Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson. It’s like Ready Player One, but without all the references or terrible writing. (It’s not really like RPO at all, and that’s a very good thing.) This is one of my shorter episodes, … Continue reading "Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson, with guest Leah Borden"
There's a worst case scenario looming here, isn't there? Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, Curtis Yarvin, Freedom Cities, "Anarcho-Capitalism", and the Neofeudal Order Still to Come Special thanks to my Patrons Support this project at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield for exclusive author's notes, deleted material, and other goodies Blog version: https://literatemachine.com/2025/04/13/our-coming-cyberpunk-dictatorship-snow-crash Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2025/04/13/our-coming-cyberpunk-dictatorship-snow-crash#bibliography Music: "What Shall We Do Now?" written by Roger Waters, performed by me Lossless audio version now up on Patreon
Welcome to Mona Lisa Overpod, the show that asks the question "What is cyberpunk?" On each episode, hosts Ka1iban and author Lyda Morehouse dive into the genre that helped define sci-fi fiction in '80s and they break down its themes which remain relevant to our lives in the 21st century. Pull on your mirrorshades, jack into the matrix, and start your run with us today!Was Snow Crash the annunciation of a new era of the cyberpunk genre or its epitaph? Upon its release in 1992, Neal Stephenson's third novel entered a literary world that had grown tired of the pessimistic speculations of tech noir fiction. The public was ready for tales of a future that promised hope and adventure, a little "high life" to go with the "high tech". Snow Crash has been lauded by contemporary critics (and tech CEOs) as a visionary, biting satire of consumerism and cyberpunk tropes in equal measure. But is Stephenson's tale of pizza-delivering hackers a postcyberpunk, postmodernist masterpiece, or is it just a bunch of babble? In this episode, we discuss the environment into which Snow Crash was born, its comic origins, the contiguity of cyberpunk and satire, Stephenson's evolving career, postcyberpunk, the book's eerie prescience, civilization as a virus, the book's influence on our current world, and a "culture medium for a medium culture." We also talk about the Seattle of the Midwest, missing the "meme", baby luaus, doing your own research, repeating bad information, A Irony, Ed Meece bucks, commentainment, status symbol books, boomer hackers and zoomer slackers, hipster sword fights, loving a crapsack world, subverting the "punk", notes of libertarianism, "Sushi K, Tran, and the Rat Things: The Spinoff", AskJeeves+, Wikipedia OMEGA, "skipping the memo", and only reading the second part of Snow Crash?!I love Y.T.! uh...like a little sister...The new edition of Lyda's book, Ressurection Code, is out now!https://wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/books-by-lyda-morehouse/resurrection-code/Join Kaliban on Twitch weekdays at 12pm for the Cyber Lunch Hour!http://twitch.tv/justenoughtropePut Just Enough Trope merch on your body!http://justenoughtrope.threadless.comMLOP is a part of the Just Enough Trope podcast network. Check out our other shows about your favorite pop culture topics and join our Discord!http://www.twitter.com/monalisaoverpodhttp://www.justenoughtrope.comhttp://www.instagram.com/monalisaoverpodhttps://discord.gg/7E6wUayqBuy us a coffee on Ko-Fi!https://ko-fi.com/justenoughtrope
Evan Phoenix (@evanphx), CEO of Miren, joins Robby to explore the subtle but powerful difference between writing code that works and writing code that explains itself. They discuss the role of clarity in maintainable systems, why splitting a monolith can backfire, and what developers can learn from artists and tradespeople alike.Episode Highlights[00:01:30] What Makes Software Maintainable?Evan defines maintainability as how easily a newcomer can make a change with minimal context.[00:02:30] Why Business Logic Should Be ObviousA discussion on domain knowledge leakage and abstracting rules like “can we sell today?”[00:05:00] Programming 'Mouthfeel' and the Trap of PrefactoringEvan explains why prematurely optimizing for reuse can lead to unnecessary complexity.[00:07:00] When to Extract Logic: The Copy/Paste SignalA practical approach to identifying reusable components by spotting repeated code.[00:08:00] Technical Debt as a Reflection of Cognitive LoadWhy forgetting your own code doesn't automatically mean it's “bad” code.[00:10:30] Testing as Emotional InsuranceHow writing even basic checks can build team confidence—especially when test coverage is weak.[00:13:00] Daily Integration Tests: A Low-Pressure Safety NetUsing nightly integration runs to catch invisible bugs in complex systems.[00:14:00] Confidence > 100% Test CoverageWhy fast feedback loops matter more than aiming for exhaustive tests.[00:20:00] Splitting the Monolith: A Cautionary TaleEvan shares how decoupling apps without decoupling the database created chaos.[00:22:00] Shared Models, Split Repos, and Hidden PitfallsThe unexpected bugs that emerge when two apps maintain duplicate models and validations.[00:23:00] Better Alternatives to Splitting CodebasesHow separate deployments and tooling can mimic team separation without architectural debt.[00:28:00] The Hidden Cost of Diverging Business DomainsWhen apps evolve independently, business logic begins to drift—undermining consistency.[00:29:00] Building Miren and Staying MotivatedHow Evan approaches early-stage product development with curiosity and detachment.[00:36:00] How to Know When Your Open Source Project Is “Done”Reframing “dead” projects as complete—and why stability is often a feature.[01:01:00] Signals for Trusting Open Source DependenciesEvan's mental checklist for evaluating if a library is worth adopting.[01:07:00] The Importance of Hiring Junior DevelopersWhy investing in beginners is crucial for the future of our industry.[01:08:00] Book RecommendationsEvan recommends The Inner Game of Tennis and Snow Crash.Links and ResourcesEvan Phoenix's WebsiteEvan on GitHubEvan on MastodonBook RecommendationsThe Inner Game of Tennis (book)Snow Crash by Neal StephensonThanks to Our Sponsor!Turn hours of debugging into just minutes! AppSignal is a performance monitoring and error-tracking tool designed for Ruby, Elixir, Python, Node.js, Javascript, and other frameworks.It offers six powerful features with one simple interface, providing developers with real-time insights into the performance and health of web applications.Keep your coding cool and error-free, one line at a time! Use the code maintainable to get a 10% discount for your first year. Check them out! Subscribe to Maintainable on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOr search "Maintainable" wherever you stream your podcasts.Keep up to date with the Maintainable Podcast by joining the newsletter.
Wie viel Zukunft steckt noch im Cyberpunk? Und was verrät uns das Genre über unsere Gegenwart?In der ersten Teil von unserer Cyberpunk-Retrospektive tauchen Micha und Wolfram tief ein in die Ursprünge, Motive und Denkmodelle des Genres – von dystopischen Megastädten über kybernetische Körper bis hin zu kapitalismuskritischen Utopiefragen. Dabei geht es nicht nur um Neonlichter und Hacker-Fiction, sondern um große philosophische Fragen: Was bedeutet Menschlichkeit in einer Welt voller Maschinen? Wann wird aus technologischer Verbesserung Entmenschlichung? Und warum wirkt der Cyberpunk von gestern heute oft erschreckend real?Die beiden Hosts ordnen Klassiker wie Neuromancer, Snow Crash oder Blade Runner historisch ein, besprechen mediale Einflüsse aus Anime, Literatur und Film – und hinterfragen kritisch, ob Cyberpunk mehr ist als eine ästhetische Spielart. Ein idealer Einstieg für alle, die das Genre lieben oder besser verstehen wollen.Teil 2 folgt nächste Woche mit Fokus auf die Welt der Videospiele! Mit weiteren Ergänzungen zu den Beobachtungen, die wir im diesem ersten Teil geteilt haben. Die Diskussion geht weiter auf unserem Discord – wir freuen uns auf eure Gedanken! Was sind eure Berührungspunkte mit dem Genre? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Charlie, Ted, and Rony welcome Sean Mann, CEO of RP1, whose Metaverse browser can support hundreds of thousands of unique users in a spatial environment. It's earning week in the tech world and the outlook for 2025, after two years of hypergrowth, is downright conservative. Love for Meta's money printing machine continued, despite continued losses on its Metaverse ambitions. Apple's discontinuing AR glasses. Or are they? And Alexa is back. Using RP1's browser, users can share spatial environments, including 1:1 maps of the physical world, on any browser, including VR. Charlie says the MR demo of RP1 that he showed him on Thursday was the most like the mixed reality described in "Snow Crash" he has ever seen. Thank you to our sponsor, Zappar!Don't forget to like, share, and follow for more! Follow us on all socials @ThisWeekInXR!https://linktr.ee/thisweekinxr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jeph Wilkinson, host of Big Campaign Podcast, loves table top role playing games (AKA TTRPGs) and joined Leah to talk about how he found Dungeons & Dragon, the joy of running TTRPGs campaigns with friends, and storytelling. Jeph is an independent podcaster! Follow Jeph online The World of Big Campaign Stories: https://www.bigcampaign.com/ Big Campaign Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/big_campaign_stories Big Campaign Podcast on X: https://x.com/BigCampaignPod Big Campaign Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/big_campaign_podcast Show Notes Upper Middlebrow: https://uppermiddlebrow.com/ Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson: https://bookshop.org/p/books/snow-crash-neal-stephenson/7327954?ean=9780553380958 Dungeons & Dragons: https://dndstore.wizards.com/ Dune by Frank Herbert: https://bookshop.org/p/books/dune-frank-herbert/7502701?ean=9780441172719 Vampire: the Masquerade: https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/world-of-darkness/discover-world-of-darkness/vampire-the-masquerade The Golden Bachelorette: https://abc.com/show/4175a1c6-1594-4c90-9895-02008e6f0550 Żubrówka Bison Grass Vodka: https://zubrowka-vodka.com/ Epic Level Handbook: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Level_Handbook Finding Favorites "Chris Bagg loves Table Top Roleplaying Games": https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/chris-bagg-dnd-ttrpg/ Newcomers: https://headgum.com/newcomers Pathfinder: https://paizo.com/pathfinder Wizards of the Coast: https://company.wizards.com/ High and Mighty: https://headgum.com/high-and-mighty Magic: The Gathering: https://magic.wizards.com/ Clash of Krits: https://linktr.ee/clashofkrits Rainbow Dice Club: https://linktr.ee/rainbowdiceclub How Did This Get Made?: https://www.earwolf.com/show/how-did-this-get-made/ Doughboys: https://headgum.com/doughboys Armchair Expert: https://armchairexpertpod.com/ Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, CDR Paul Grostad discusses the emerging threat of cognitive warfare, emphasizing the importance of information in modern societies and the potential for it to be weaponized. Until recently, Paul led Cognitive Warfare concept development for the NATO strategic warfare development command, HQ SACT, in Norfolk Virginia. NATO defines cognitive warfare as: the deliberate, synchronized military and non-military activities throughout the continuum of competition designed to shape the information environments and affect audience, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors to gain, maintain, and protect cognitive superiority. Recording Date: 29 Nov 2024 Research Question: Paul Groestad suggests an interested student or researcher examine: How can we ethically gain situational awareness and monitor the Information Environment without negatively impacting values like freedom of speech and freedom of the press? How can we effectively deter against non-attributable hostile acts in the Grey Zone, or below the threshold of armed conflict? AI powered influence is on the rise, what are different ways to utilize AI to defend, counter or respond? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #33 August Cole on FICINT and the Cognitive Warfighting Domain #180 Tanna Krewson on Cognitive Warfare Cognitive Warfare Products on the NATO Innovation Hub Cognitive warfare: a conceptual analysis of the NATO ACT cognitive warfare exploratory concept by Christoph Deppe and Gary S Schaal. (FYI: This report is an analysis of an earlier draft version of The Cognitive Warfare EXPLORATORY Concept, which was shared with nations for comments in April 2023. Significant review, analysis and experimentation has gone into the document since then.) Allied Command Transformation develops the Cognitive Warfare Concept to Combat Disinformation and Defend Against “Cognitive Warfare” “Data is the new oil” Clive Humby On Geopolitics: New Cold Wars by David Sanger (2024) On the changing character of warfare: The Dragons and the Snakes by David Kilcullen (2020) New Rules of War by Sean McFate The Weaponisation of Everything by Mark Galeotti (2022) On Russian Strategic Culture and Information Warfare: The Russian Understanding of War by Oscar Jonsson (2019) Unmasking Maskirovka by Daniel Bagge (2019) The Story of Russia by Orlando Figes (2022) On Technology: Our Next Reality by Alvin Graylin and Louis Rosenberg (2024) The Battle for your Brain by Nita Farahany (2023) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (1992) Daemon by Daniel Suarez (2009) Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: CDR Paul Groestad is a Norwegian naval officer with 30+ years experience in Signals, C4ISR, Cyber Operations and Information Warfare at all levels of the Norwegian Armed Forces and the NATO Command Structure. His current position is with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense at the Department for Security Policy and Operations where he is desk officer for Hybrid threats and Malign Influence. In his previous position at NATOs Warfare Development Command, HQ SACT in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, he was the Deputy Branch Head for Concept Development and led the project for NATOs Cognitive Warfare Concept. He is a graduate of the Norwegian Naval Academy and Joint Command and Staff College, holds a Masters degree in Military Art and Science from the Norwegian Defence University College and a Bachelor's degree in Information Science from the University of Bergen. His 2017 Master's thesis was on the topic of Russian Influence Operations. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Amber DaSilva, auto journalist with Jalopnik, is ready to set sail with some very body-horror, Halloween-appropriate prompts: Gooey quorum nautical horror With this strong load out, Jenna and Amber make "Vessel," a game about expanding your network of boats and flesh and flesh boats by conquering other ships at sea. Is this the world's first horror MMO? Is this the world's last Snowcrash fan game? If you're in NYC, check out out T-Climbing! Also read Amber's work at Jalopnik, even though she didn't plug it. Visit the DFTBA Big Game Hunger merch shop at bit.ly/jennamerch. Support this show, and submit your OWN random prompts, by subscribing at Patreon.com/TheJenna. Email the show at BigGameHungerPod@gmail.com. Big Game Hunger is part of the Multitude Collective of podcasts. Created and hosted by Jenna Stoeber. Big Game Hunger is a weekly video game podcast where Jenna Stoeber and a guest get three random prompts and have to make the big next game based on them.
Neal Stephenson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels including Termination Shock, Seveneves, Cryptonomicon, and Snow Crash. His works blend science fiction, historical fiction, and cyberpunk, exploring mathematics, cryptography, philosophy, and scientific history. Born in Fort Meade to a family of scientists, he holds a degree in geography and physics from Boston University. As noted by The Atlantic, his prescient works anticipated the metaverse, cryptocurrency, and AI revolution. His latest novel is Polostan, the first installment in his Bomb Light cycle. Shermer and Stephenson discuss: professional and speculative fiction writing, the interplay of genetics and fate, historical contingency (particularly regarding Hitler and nuclear weapons), atomic bomb development and ethics, game theory in nuclear deterrence, cryptocurrency, AI advancement and mind uploading, human evolution, Mars colonization politics, and philosophical concepts like Peirce's Fallibilism and Platonic realism.
On this week's episode: Marsh will appear magically for some headlines ... Neal Stephenson fans love that Snow Crash allusion ... And Anna Bosnick will join us to remind us that the Christians have the worst version of everything. --- To make a per episode donation at Patreon.com, click here: http://www.patreon.com/ScathingAtheist To buy our book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-Crisis-Religion-Ruined-Pandemic/dp/B08L2HSVS8/ If you see a news story you think we might be interested in, you can send it here: scathingnews@gmail.com To check out our sister show, The Skepticrat, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/the-skepticrat To check out our sister show's hot friend, God Awful Movies, click here: https://audioboom.com/channel/god-awful-movies To check out our half-sister show, Citation Needed, click here: http://citationpod.com/ To check out our sister show's sister show, D and D minus, click here: https://danddminus.libsyn.com/ To hear more from our intrepid audio engineer Morgan Clarke, click here: https://www.morganclarkemusic.com/ Help support the show by checking out our sponsor: https://factormeals.com/scathing50 (code: scathing50) --- Headlines: Glenn Beck appears on Tucker Carlson's Twitter show to say he quit Fox News for Jesus: https://www.christianpost.com/news/glenn-beck-torches-fox-news-as-source-of-spiritual-evil.html?utm_source=ICYMI&utm_campaign=ICYMI&utm_medium=newsletter Public Comment Notice Regarding Reaccreditation of the Naturopathic Doctoral (ND) Program offered by Bastyr University: https://cnme.org/ Pastor claims he miraculously cured a man hospitalized due to voting for Democrats: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/pastor-claims-he-miraculously-cured NBA player explains why he abruptly retired at 21: 'I gave up basketball to follow Jesus': https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nba-player-aj-griffin-explains-why-he-abruptly-retired-21-i-gave-up-basketball-follow-jesus https://people.com/former-first-round-pick-says-hes-leaving-nba-to-become-minister-8720385
Cyberpunk is a cool genre we have never covered exclusively on a Quackcast before. But what IS cyberpunk? It's a subset of SciFi, it's usually near future, involves body modifications, grittiness, street level computer use, techno body modification, and hacking. At least that's the way it started. Formative influences on the cyberpunk genre were the first Tron movie, Bladerunner, and Escape from New York. Tron showed us what cyberspace was, while Bladerunner and Escape from New York gave us gritty near future dystopias with cool tech, modified humans, and most importantly the punk aesthetic which was the gritty street youth fashion of the late 70s and early 80s. Punks plus computers signalled a more universal use of the new technology of computers in the near future world especially as imagined by Willian Gibson with his novel Neuromancer. There were other influential cyberpunk writers like Neal Stephenson with SnowCrash and many more. My fave was Manga creator Masamune Shirow with his books like Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed and more which tackle subjects like trans-humanisim as humans evolve with technology and then INTO technology itself. In the late 80s and early 90s cyberpunk was very influential in anime with the likes of the Ghost in the Shell movie, Bubblegum crisis, AD police, and the amazing milestone that is Akira! A very formative game in the world of cyberpunk was the RPG Shadowrun, which was near future urban fantasy plus cyberpunk in all its pure glory. These days we have the computer game Cyberpunk 2020, but it's an extremely derivative and pale shadow of what had gone before it, it functions as a sort of a retro “greatest hits” of the genre, but it's a good intro into it and that goes for the Netflix anime of the same name. There were various unrelated genres inspired by cyberpunk- Steampunk, Dieselpunk, and the later dubious genres raypunk and atompunk which are just rebranded early standard SciFi. What is your fave example of cyberpunk? Do you know what cyberpunk is? When did you first come to cyberpunk? This week Gunwallace gave us a theme inspired by The Return of Jake Sunrise - A desolate red dirt desert, a wind whistles through and carries with it a torrent of sound and energy, flooding in like a sudden rainstorm, bringing with it life, colour, and revitalisation! The desert blooms. Topics and shownotes Links Featured comic: The Books of Avo - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2024/oct/01/featured-comic-the-books-of-avo/ Featured music: The Return of Jake Sunrise - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/The_Return_of_Jake_Sunrise/ - by Picture_Books, rated E. Special thanks to: Gunwallace - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Gunwallace/ Tantz Aerine - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Tantz_Aerine/ Ozoneocean - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/ozoneocean Kawaiidaigakusei - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/kawaiidaigakusei Banes - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Banes/ VIDEO exclusive! Become a subscriber on the $5 level and up to see our weekly Patreon video and get our advertising perks! - https://www.patreon.com/DrunkDuck Even at $1 you get your name with a link on the front page and a mention in the weekend newsposts! Join us on Discord - https://discordapp.com/invite/7NpJ8GS
Guests: A debate between Tim and Anton, no guests Debate positions: You must buy the majority of cloud security tools from a cloud provider, here is why. You must buy the majority of cloud security tools from a 3rd party security vendor, here is why. Resources: EP74 Who Will Solve Cloud Security: A View from Google Investment Side EP22 Securing Multi-Cloud from a CISO Perspective, Part 3 EP176 Google on Google Cloud: How Google Secures Its Own Cloud Use “The cloud trust paradox: To trust cloud computing more, you need the ability to trust it less” blog “Snowcrash” book VMTD
“We need positive visions of how all this technology gets deployed, because what we visualize is what we build.” –Jane Metcalfe In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Jane talk about the pioneering work she did with Wired during the dawn of the “digital revolution” (3:00); how and why Jane’s professional focus shifted away from digital issues and into food and health issues in the ’00s (15:00); how science is trying to bring in diverse new data points and communication models to improve holistic health worldwide (28:30); how the health of the world’s humans is not separate from the health of the world’s animals, plants, and microorganisms, and how a bio-economy seeks to harness rather than extract the resources of nature (41:00); how regional and cultural differences affect how we perceive health, nutrition, and technology, and the importance of ethics in making scientific decisions (51:00). Jane Metcalfe (@janemetcalfe) is the co-founder of Wired Magazine, and the chair of the Human Immunome Project, a global non-profit working to decode the immune system in order to transform how we prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Notable Links: Notes from a peripatetic salon across northern Thailand (Deviate episode) Hotwired (first commercial online magazine) HotBot (early web search engine) Louis Rossetto (writer, editor, and entrepreneur) Neuromancer, by William Gibson (science fiction novel) Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson (science fiction novel) Cyberpunk (subgenre of science fiction) Electric Word (technology magazine) Digital Revolution (shift from mechanical to electronic technologies) Ethernet (computer networking technology) proto.life (newsletter covering the neobiological revolution) Neo.Life: 25 Visions for the Future of Our Species, by Jane Metcalfe (book) The Non-GMO Project (non-profit organization) David Eagleman (neuroscientist) Human genome (complete set of nucleic acid sequences for humans) Immunome (code set for proteins that constitute the immune system) Single-cell sequencing (context-driven technique for studying cells) Microbiome (community of microorganisms in a habitat) One Health (interdisciplinary approach to ecological health) Zoonotic disease (disease than can jump from non-humans to humans) Bioeconomy (use of biotechnology in the production of goods) CRISPR gene editing (technique to modify genomes of living organisms) Bioengineering (application of biology to create products) Interbeing (philosophical concept in Zen Buddhism) iGEM (worldwide synthetic biology competition) Gene drive (technology of genetic engineering) CRISPRcon (gene editing technology conference) Kevin Kelly (author and futurist) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.
“We need positive visions of how all this technology gets deployed, because what we visualize is what we build.” –Jane Metcalfe In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Jane talk about the pioneering work she did with Wired during the dawn of the “digital revolution” (3:00); how and why Jane’s professional focus shifted away from digital issues and into food and health issues in the ’00s (15:00); how science is trying to bring in diverse new data points and communication models to improve holistic health worldwide (28:30); how the health of the world’s humans is not separate from the health of the world’s animals, plants, and microorganisms, and how a bio-economy seeks to harness rather than extract the resources of nature (41:00); how regional and cultural differences affect how we perceive health, nutrition, and technology, and the importance of ethics in making scientific decisions (51:00). Jane Metcalfe (@janemetcalfe) is the co-founder of Wired Magazine, and the chair of the Human Immunome Project, a global non-profit working to decode the immune system in order to transform how we prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Notable Links: Notes from a peripatetic salon across northern Thailand (Deviate episode) Hotwired (first commercial online magazine) HotBot (early web search engine) Louis Rossetto (writer, editor, and entrepreneur) Neuromancer, by William Gibson (science fiction novel) Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson (science fiction novel) Cyberpunk (subgenre of science fiction) Electric Word (technology magazine) Digital Revolution (shift from mechanical to electronic technologies) Ethernet (computer networking technology) proto.life (newsletter covering the neobiological revolution) Neo.Life: 25 Visions for the Future of Our Species, by Jane Metcalfe (book) The Non-GMO Project (non-profit organization) David Eagleman (neuroscientist) Human genome (complete set of nucleic acid sequences for humans) Immunome (code set for proteins that constitute the immune system) Single-cell sequencing (context-driven technique for studying cells) Microbiome (community of microorganisms in a habitat) One Health (interdisciplinary approach to ecological health) Zoonotic disease (disease than can jump from non-humans to humans) Bioeconomy (use of biotechnology in the production of goods) CRISPR gene editing (technique to modify genomes of living organisms) Bioengineering (application of biology to create products) Interbeing (philosophical concept in Zen Buddhism) iGEM (worldwide synthetic biology competition) Gene drive (technology of genetic engineering) CRISPRcon (gene editing technology conference) Kevin Kelly (author and futurist) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.
Hello, and welcome to our last episode of season four! We're reviewing an icon, our idol, and early cast book in William Gibson's Neuromancer. It's got sexy robots, international heists and apartments the size of NYC closets, what more could you need in your cyberpunk? Seriously, this novel is genre defining and explanation avoiding — which is half the fun of listening to this episode. How do Adam, Shaun and Mike try to explain what is inexplicable (and for Adam, unfinished)? If you want more nerdy goodness while we're off for the summer, why not check out our back catalogue? We've read books like Snow Crash by William Gibson and Walkaway by Cory Doctorow that are in the same dystopian-cyber-maker-fi vein. If you'd rather a more known property, we read the Star Wars villain book Thrawn. There's lots to love for every nerd. We'll see you again in the fall, with Cloud Atlas!
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneIf you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: Primer (2004; dir. Shane Carruth); Motherless Brooklyn (dir. Edward Norton, Jr.)Music: Tiny Desk Unit - Live At the 9:30 Club 1980; Bad Brains - Bad BrainsBooks: The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing To Our Brains by Nicholas Carr, Neuromancer by William Gibson, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson; Motherless Brooklyn by Johnathan Lethem; The Power Broker by Robert Caro; Amerikastudien: “Bright Days for the Black Market”: Color-Coded Crises in Contemporary U.S. Fiction and the Works of Thomas PynchonAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/
Sahil Patel, CEO of Spiralyze, shares his journey to becoming CEO and introduces Spiralyze, a conversion rate optimization company. Spiralyze offers a unique tech-enabled service that combines an agency component with a SaaS product. They scrape data from 34,000 websites that run A/B tests to identify proven winners, which are tests that have been validated by multiple companies. Spiralyze uses this data to design, build, and run tests for their clients, offering performance-based pricing where clients only pay if they achieve a significant lift in conversions. Sahil also addresses concerns about statistical significance and the challenges of running tests with limited traffic in the B2B SaaS space. In this conversation, Sahil Patel discusses the differences in B2B marketing and the challenges of achieving statistical significance in experiments. He emphasizes the importance of taking big swing tests and killing losing and neutral tests early. Sahil also shares insights on the perishability of learnings and the pragmatic approach to testing in the B2B SaaS world. Additionally, he provides advice on managing mental health as a CEO and finding fulfillment in work. The conversation concludes with a book recommendation: Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson.Key TakeawaysSpiralyze is a conversion rate optimization company that combines an agency component with a SaaS product.They scrape data from 34,000 websites to identify proven winners, tests that have been validated by multiple companies.Spiralyze offers performance-based pricing, where clients only pay if they achieve a significant lift in conversions.Addressing statistical significance and limited traffic in the B2B SaaS space can be challenging but can be overcome with data-driven approaches. B2B marketing has meaningful differences compared to other types of marketing, such as lower traffic and different desired actions.Taking big swing tests, rather than meek tests, can lead to quicker statistical significance and more impactful results.In the B2B SaaS world, it is important to kill losing and neutral tests early to optimize resources and time.Learnings from experiments are highly perishable and specific to the test conducted, making them less valuable in the long term.Managing mental health as a CEO requires having a peer group, confidants, and seeking therapy when needed.Personalization and customization are often overrated, and companies should focus on showing relevance and solving customer problems.Finding fulfillment in work involves aligning your strengths with the rewards and characteristics of the environment.The book Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson is recommended for its engaging story and futuristic concepts.Show LinksVisit SpiralyzeConnect with Sahil Patel on LinkedIn and check his BioConnect with David Khim on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Omniscient Digital on LinkedIn or TwitterPast guests on The Long Game podcast include: Morgan Brown (Shopify), Ryan Law (Animalz), Dan Shure (Evolving SEO), Kaleigh Moore (freelancer), Eric Siu (Clickflow), Peep Laja (CXL), Chelsea Castle (Chili Piper), Tracey Wallace (Klaviyo), Tim Soulo (Ahrefs), Ryan McReady (Reforge), and many more.Some interviews you might enjoy and learn from:Actionable Tips and Secrets to SEO Strategy with Dan Shure (Evolving SEO)Building Competitive Marketing Content with Sam Chapman (Aprimo)How to Build the Right Data Workflow with Blake Burch (Shipyard)Data-Driven Thought Leadership with Alicia Johnston (Sprout Social)Purpose-Driven Leadership & Building a Content Team with Ty Magnin (UiPath)Also, check out our Kitchen Side series where we take you behind the scenes to see how the sausage is made at our agency:Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean SEOShould You Hire Writers or Subject Matter Experts?How Do Growth and Content Overlap?Connect with Omniscient Digital on social:Twitter: @beomniscientLinkedin: Be OmniscientListen to more episodes of The Long Game podcast here: https://beomniscient.com/podcast/
In this thrilling episode of Edge of AI, we embark on a journey into the depths of the rapidly expanding AI universe. Our voyage is guided by none other than Walter de Brouwer of Snowcrash, a renowned figure in AI and deep tech. Walter shares insights into novel AI use cases, revealing how video games can prepare us for a more gamified life and discussing the explosive potential for balance sheet growth in the music industry. Support us through our Sponsors! ☕
Neil Stephenson's "Snowcrash" looked at the embryonic Internet and projected a future of VR and avatar onto it. And a world in which nation states had been eclipsed by successor states of corporate "franchulates." Is "Snowcrash" a corporate dystopia, a libertarian utopia, or merely prophetic? Brian Brushwood joins to discuss.
This week, we're sharing an episode of Imaginary Worlds. For the last 30 years, the real world has been catching up to Neal Stephenson's vision of the future in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, which influenced the creators of Google Earth, Second Life, Oculus Rift and more. Now the centerpiece of the novel, a virtual world called The Metaverse, may become a daily part of our lives thanks to Facebook (renamed Meta) and other big tech companies. In this episode of Imaginary Worlds, host Eric Molinsky explores whether it's a good idea to use a satirical cyberpunk novel from decades ago as a blueprint for the future.You can hear more episodes of Imaginary Worlds at https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There Are Now Eight Billion People On Earth. What's Next? Humankind just hit a big milestone this week: a world population of eight billion people. A hundred years ago, there were less than two billion, and now we've more than quadrupled that. But after decades of quick population growth, what will the next few decades hold? Sophie Bushwick, technology editor at Scientific American, explains this to Ira live from the studio. They also talk about other science news this week, like a new initiative from COP 27 to help transition poor countries away from fossil fuels, an ambitious plan to put solar panels in space, how mental health apps aren't protecting user data, what the discovery of the earliest cooked meal in history tells us about human evolution, and the very first lab-grown meat to gain FDA approval. Groundwater Contamination In Springfield, Missouri Kept Secret From Residents Early in 2019, Ed Galbraith faced a crowd of some 200 unhappy Springfield, Missouri residents. He wanted to make amends. Galbraith, then director of Missouri Department of Natural Resources' environmental quality division, acknowledged that the state agency in charge of protecting the environment should have announced sooner that contaminated water had spread from an old industrial site near the Springfield-Branson National Airport. Residents had recently found out that a harmful chemical known to cause cancer had been detected in the groundwater. The contamination came from the site of the now-shuttered Litton Systems, a former defense contractor that had employed thousands of people in Springfield to make circuit boards for the Navy and telecommunications industry. Read the rest at sciencefriday.com. Can A New Surge Of Tech Interest Make The Metaverse A Thing? Late last year, Mark Zuckerberg took the company then known as Facebook in a new direction. He renamed it Meta, short for “metaverse.” And he promised the company would go all in on building a virtual reality world like the first famous metaverse—the fictional topic of Neal Stephenson's 1992 novel “Snow Crash.” While many companies have tried to make metaverses in the 30 years since “Snow Crash” came out, including the popular virtual world called Second Life, we seem to be entering a new era of metaverse hype: besides Zuckerberg, Apple seems to be investing in a VR world. And even Nike wants to make a metaverse. So what are users actually getting if these companies succeed at their goals? And are there other, perhaps better, ways to go about bringing people together virtually? Ira talks to science fiction writer and tech journalist Annalee Newitz, and Avi Bar-Zeev, a pioneer of extended-reality technologies for companies like Disney, Apple, and others.