This week we review Skin In The Game: Hidden Asymmetries In Daily Life by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Taleb may hate (professional) book reviewers, but we both really enjoyed this book: the man is never dull! Timestamps below:0:08 - Taleb is angry on Twitter...0:59 ...but calm and collected herePart 1: Intellectuals vs Risk-Takers3:11 - The Intellectual…

This week we review "Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps" by Daniel Drescher. Blockchain hype may have waned, but we're still aboard the blocktrain destined for untold crypto riches. Look below for timestamps:Part 1: How The Blockchain Works1:55 - The blockchain is a plain old transaction ledger...2:34 - ...but with no centr…

This week we review "Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy" by Cathy O'Neil. From terrible teacher evaluations to dodgy credit decisions, algorithms make plenty of mistakes - but are they really worse than the alternative? Timestamps:0:23 - Three traits of a bad model1:48 - Terrible teacher evaluatio…

This week your Random Talkers Matt and Adam review Ray Kurzweil's epic 2004 treatise, “The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology.” This book has everything, from nanobot-fueled virtual reality to the enticing possibility of life and no death. Timestamps below:1:47 - Exponential growth fuels Kurzweil's bold predictions5:43 - Always look…