The Connect2 Podcast: Recent Episodes
Connect2 by Mark Hughes and Jeff Cullen
A conversation between Mark and Jeff, two information junkies, about a wide range of contemporary issues. We discuss current events, nerdy things, business concepts, marketing, technology, media and photography. As we are based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, there are lots of local topics. The podcast is generally upbeat and often covers current events and we occasionally have guests. Each episode typically has a central focus for most of the podcast but also lots of other regular topics including what they learned in the last week and what media they are consuming.
What are the pros and cons of renewable energy? Sometimes in this politically fractured environment, people have talking points about renewable energy that has little to do with reality. Mark and Jeff discuss the actual pros and actual cons of both Solar and Wind Power and compare them in general terms to other forms of energy.
Forever chemicals are manmade chemicals that are related to the production of teflon related products. They don't breakdown and can be found everywhere on the planet and in particular are an issue with drinking water. Certain variants are toxic to humans and in many places of the world the levels found in our drinking water is dangerous to humans. Mark and Jeff explore this topic.
Some people have a very hard time recognizing faces. This is a problem in many social interactions and environments. Similarly, there are people who are Super recognizers and can recall faces of people that they only saw briefly even years previously. In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss a number of stunning facts surrounding this condition
Neuroplasticity is the ability of your brain to rewire itself either by learning new skills or as a result of recovering from injury. You can learn skills even as you get older but there are some things you can do to help keep your brain sharp. We review 8 things that can help your brain
China was having some challenges prior to the tariffs introduced by the US. This has made them more vulnerable to the impact of these tariffs but not for normal reasons. Mark and Jeff discuss some of the infrastructure issues that have presented China with challenges as they have grown and developed into a manufacturing superpower.
Porn has changed dramatically over the decades and the money involved has skyrocketed. Porn has been the silent engine for change for the internet as it represents a huge amount of money despite being mostly not discussed in public. Mark and Jeff discuss the impact that porn has had on shaping the internet.
A research group is predicting the rise of Superhuman AI and what the implications are for the world. There are two paths, a dystopian one and a utopian one. The timing is closer than everyone thinks and the consequences will reshape our world. What's more disturbing is that this group has a track record for their predictions previously and most of them were correct. Mark and Jeff discuss this in detail.
Carol Cadwalladr is an investigative journalist that published information about the Cambridge Analytics data breach and reporting related to Brexit. She was hit with a SLAPP (Strategic lawsuits against public participation) lawsuit, about her Brexit reporting, specifically related to a TED talk she did. Although she won most of the case, she did lose an aspect on appeal and ended up having to pay damages to a billionaire she discussed. She is now in the news again because she has published a new TED talk about the current digital coup going on
Purchasing a new car is a large and tricky investment that people do relatively infrequently but it is a lot of money and there is a lot of sales pressure from the various dealerships. Right now with all the new US tariffs, this makes things even trickier for the manufacturers and trying to find the cars can be a challenge depending upon where they are made. Mark is in the process of buying a car and is going through that experience right now and shares some of his thoughts
The world is going through an epochal event and the trauma from the constant stream of bad news from ever changing world events is difficult to manage. This is especially true with all the significant self inflicted damage that the US is currently doing to its own population. It may be the fall of the American Empire. This is a pretty difficult thing to watch because there are negative consequences for almost everyone. In this episode, we discuss how to maintain your mental health and what you can do to protect yourself from these difficult times.
Mark took several Waymo rides (self driving cabs) in Los Angeles. It was an awesome experience. Mark and Jeff discuss the state of Autonomous self-driving taxis
Mark just returned from travelling to the USA and times are difficult between the two nations. The current administration is also very tough on many visitors with some visitors being detained or deported from the USA for limited reasons and with little due process. As it stands is it not hostile to Canadians yet... but that might change if things get difficult in the US and they are looking for a scapegoat. Mark describes his experience while Mark and Jeff discuss current challenges being reported in the news for travellers from abroad.
Mark and Jeff discuss the importance of storytelling to conveying concepts, engaging people, and helping to remember life events. Stories change how your brain works and is critical to connecting to the information being conveyed.
Mark and Jeff discuss the current outbreaks of measles, a disease that was considered eradicated decades ago in Canada. This is particularly relevant to travellers and to individuals that were originally vaccinated in the 1960's
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the unique bond between humans and dogs and compares them to humans and cats as well as humans and horses. The differences might surprise you
Have you ever gone to a meeting, taken written notes only to find you can't read your own notes and can't remember what you committed to? Well, there are AI notetaking apps to help you with your meetings. Mark and Jeff discuss AI notetaking apps
In this episode, Mark and Jeff look at stats for Cannabis useage in Canada and how it has changed since Cannabis was legalized in Canada.
Mark has been attending clown school and has learned a lot about clowning and himself. In this episode, we discuss how clowning works in Canada and what you can learn about yourself when taking clown school
Trump has been inaugurated and the daily chaos has begun! Just like last time. Hold on to your hats! Mark and Jeff discuss the implications of the new Trump administration for Canada/US relations. They are pretty sure Americans will not get cheaper eggs. Welcome to the Tech Bro Oligarchy
Mark and Jeff, discuss US and Canadian politics just prior to the inauguration of Donald Trump. This episode will come out just after he is inaugurated but the discussion is more far reaching about the differences between Canada and the US, between US protectionist tactics and the implications of his proposed threats. The political uncertainty will have lots of implications for both countries with nobody winning.
Mark and Jeff discuss their predictions from a year ago for 2024 to see how things turned out. They also discuss what their predictions for 2025 are. They are broken down into high confidence, medium confidence and low confidence. They also discuss what they learned in the past week, sample some coffee and discuss what media they are consuming right now.
Mark and Jeff get ready for a short break over the Christmas holidays and discuss things that they are grateful for in the past year. As usual, they discuss what they learned in the past week as well as what media they are consuming.
Mark and Jeff continue their discussion about making meaningful connections in the modern world. We also discuss the new Spotify Wrapped results for 2024, what we learned this week, taste some great coffee and discuss what media they are consuming
Mark and Jeff explore how to make meaningful connections with people in a time of digital communications. We have never has such great methods of communication but have also never felt lonelier. Why is that? Mark and Jeff explore this over a multipart series to discuss and connect with one another.
Mark, as a pet photographer is familiar with some dog sports and competitions, but recently learned about more and decided to dig a little deeper and there were over 45 recognized dog sports and dog competitions. In this episode we go through them and discuss each of them (briefly). As usual we also discuss what media we are consuming and what we learned in the past week
Mark and Jeff discuss the facets that form the foundation of a friendship and how that works as you age as well as what the differences are between acquantances, casual friends, close friends and long term friends. As usual, they also discuss what they learned this week and what media they are consuming
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the decision making process for evaluating when the time has come to let your dog pass. It all flows from quality of life issues. Mark and Jeff discuss what has happened in the past in their experiences and what values should dictate your approach to helping understand when it is time to let go. Often a dog's suffering is related to late decisions and the desire to keep the dog going for personal reasons rather than the dog's quality of life.
Our political landscape is incredibly fractured and the recent US election has left many people not understanding what is going on and for many on the losing side there is a lot of grief over the results from the election. In this episode, we talk about the Overton window, what it is and what is means, as well as how to deal with loss (political or otherwise). Loss is a big thing that people can get over but there are some simple steps to help you find a way to move forward.
Social media ads are often touted as a great way to reach clients but does it work? Mark and Jeff exam the realities of marketing through social media, what it takes to succeed and what success looks like. Many people only do half-hearted efforts on social media and are surprised when it doesn't work. The need to be known, trusted and liked are key factors to leveraging reach through social media
Mark was travelling this week but managed to set up an interview with Sarah DeRemer a dog photographer based out of LA who is also known as dogtographer.la on Instagram. She's an amazing photographer who took the time to sit down with Mark and talk about her photography and her first visit to the Canadian Rockies.
There are polls on just about everything, but how do they work? Why are they correct a certain percentage, 19 times out of 20? What does that mean? Mark and Jeff discuss the foundation of polls and the problems with how polling is conducted. With elections all over the place, what do the polls mean in relation to the elections being conducted? Can we rely upon them?
Mark and Jeff, after episodes exploring different types of AI ask the question, what makes an AI work? When will a computer become sentient? What defines sentience? What are the drawbacks of AI? Lots of interesting questions
There is a new AI product that will take your content and create a podcast from it. Meet Google Notebook LM. It works differently from ChatGPT because it uses the information you upload and becomes an instance expert at your stuff. It even generates a podcast discussing your documents/slides/sound files. Pretty cool stuff
Have you ever thought about being in two places at one time? In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss and experiment with voice replacements and an AI Agent. This is a follow up to a podcast series by Evan Ratliff where he replaced himself in a bunch of situations with an AI version of himself with interesting results. As usual we also discuss what we have learned in the past week and what media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss a AI voice agents as potentially becoming more and more present in podcasts. They also discuss the possibility of Griefbots to help people deal with the loss of their loved ones. As usual, Mark and Jeff discuss what they learned this past week and what media they are currently consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the changes to the podcasting business environment and why some types of podcasts are no longer around as well as the need for some podcasts to only book controversial guests! New season, new intro (live version of our regular intro music)
In the last episode of Season 3, Mark and Jeff make predictions for the fall of 2024 and then compare them to those made by ChatGPT 4o. The results were interesting.
Mark recounts the past week where he went to go see Grizzlies in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly bear sanctuary
Fun in one's life helps people live longer but what makes things fun? Mark and Jeff discuss the components of fun and how you can differentiate between True Fun and Fake Fun
Mark and Jeff discuss the current state of US politics in the wake of the recent change in the Democrats' presumptive nominee and how the Republicans are managing it. At least what we see from outside the US. Canada is affected by US politics but has no ability to influence the elections.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss why people are so easy to fall to the lure of conspiracies rather than believe the obvious. They discuss a wide variety of conspiracy theories and why people want to believe them.
If you learned as a kid that there are only 5 senses and that the 6th sense is precognition, you have missed the boat. There are many more senses than 5 but not all are agreed upon. Despite this there are many additional senses that are agreed upon. In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the additional senses
Today we have a special guest with Kadie Isaac who is interviewed by Mark (Jeff is away). Kadie is a long time member of the Society for Creative Anachronism and tells us all about this great organization, what she loves about it and her plans to travel to Pennsic
Alcohol is a significant part of our culture and society at large, but is it good for you? If it is bad for you, how much is too much? What are the risks? Mark and Jeff discuss the swing from people thinking alcohol was good for your in the mid 1980's to people thinking no quantity is safe to a more measured understanding of that actual risks involved.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss some fundamental aspects of psychedelic drugs (hallucinogens) and what sets them apart from other illegal drugs such as Opiods
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss what is happening to Koalas in Australia, they are dying off at a high rate from a variety of causes... In this episode, we discuss some of the details of what threatens Koalas.
In this episode, we discuss the deteriorating state of global nuclear balance. China and Russia are now each other's biggest trade partners and things are not getting better globally. This is as bad as it was in the 1980's but it seemed even worse back then and people seem to be oblivious to the state of global precariousness as it relates to nuclear stability. We also talk about how people pick their PINs and bad movies we recently saw
In this episode, Mark and Jeff talk about things that have made for great movie and TV franchises, where they have stumbled and what has made them work so well. We focused on Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, James Bond and Aliens (but there are many more). Lots of long lived franchises have definitely had down times and then reboots.
We're back! Mark and Jeff discuss Sleep Token the Band as well as the controversy related to Ticketmaster's monopoly. This was a result of a recent trip by Mark to NYC to see the band Sleep Token at Radio City Music Hall as part of their Teeth of God tour. Spoiler alert! It was a great concert. There was some drama leading up to the concert but everything turned out well in the end.
Well, in a not to everyone being replaced by AI, this week's topic (and title) were generated from ChatGPT's new 4 Omni. The suggested topic was more specifically addressing people's mental health when dealing with social media. ChatGPT even provided some talking points. Mark and Jeff took it from that starting point. We also discussed things we learned in the past week and what media we are consuming.
Jeff discusses his 40 year high school reunion and what he experienced trying to go back. Things have changed a lot, so have the people. Some are recognizable, others are not. Very interesting discussion and experience. We also discuss what we learned in the past week, sample some coffee and discuss what media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the importance of sports, both as a participant and as an observer to mental health. They also discuss the difference on a team between talent and teamwork, lessons that can be applied to the workplace. As usual, there are a few dad jokes, coffee sampling, talk about alien life and media being consumed.
You are what you eat and weight control is entirely tied to diet. In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss things that worked for them in the past as well as some misconceptions about how you can lose weight. We also discuss what we learned in the past week and media we are currenty consuming
Mark and Jeff talk today about a variety of issues but the main topic is understanding coffee and different types of ways of preparing coffee. This episode will help you when you are considering getting a coffee from your local coffee specialty store (as long as it is not Starbucks because they misuse certain coffee naming conventions). As usual we discuss what we learned and what media we are currently consuming
Transgender is currently a hot button issue at this time and lots of people have strong opinions on the topic. Unfortunately most of those opinions, on both sides of the topic are not strongly founded on science. The research, for the most part, appears to be quite limited and often flawed. Many of the studies approach the topic from a political approach which leaves big holes in the conclusions. This is something few people discuss but is very important to transgender individuals and their families.
Mark and Jeff discuss how people thing of themselves and how they form the identity that makes them who they are. We also discuss the politics of identity and the confusion regarding gender pronouns, where it started and where it has ended up as a political thing. As usual we sample coffee, tell some dad jokes, discuss what we learned this week and contemplate the media that we have been consuming
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss Mark's recent trip to Las Vegas where he went to see U2's last show at the Sphere (spoiler alert.... it was amazing) and then attended the Wedding and Portrait Photographer's conference (WPPI) one of the biggest photography events in the world. As usual, the guys discuss what they learned this past week as well as what media they are consuming. As a bonus, Mark and Jeff discuss the great photoshop faux pas of Kate Middleton (was it even her?)
Mark and Jeff discuss the major decision from Apple to kill its autonomous EV project. Over 10 years of development and $10 Billion and a staff of 2000. Staff will be reassigned and scattered amongst Apple projects. As usual, we sample coffee, tell a couple of dad jokes, discuss what we learned this week and review media we consumed.
Positive thinking has long been thought of as important to your health and wellness. Mark and Jeff do a deep dive into how that works and what positive thinking means to them. As usual we discuss things we learned in the past week (often space related), a few corny dad jokes and media we are consuming. Check out our facebook group for links to the topics we cover (we basically fact check ourselves)
Mark and Jeff discuss the concepts of Corporatism vs Capitalism vs the need to regulation in modern western societies. In particular discussing where capitalism and be made accountable for decisions that affect society and the environment. As usual there are a few dad jokes, things we learned in the last week and media we a currently consuming.
Back after a week's hiatus, Mark and Jeff discuss the significance of synchronicity and it's impact on your life. When are things coincidences and when are they more than that? We also discuss things we learned this week including tales of time travel and what media we have been consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss fake bands and in particular the virtual band Gorillaz. A band that has had a fair bit of success and was created as a bit of a thumb towards the music industry. The band has a complicated and detailed back story for the animated band members. Gorillaz is the brainchild of Damon Albarn (from Blur) and Jamie Hewlett (a graphic artist known for Tank Girl)
There are a lot of misconceptions about what ASMR is and why people might like it. Mark and Jeff discovered that ASMR is not really what they thought it was and its a little odd/unusual, bordering on fetishness. Today's episode is a little shorter than usual but in this episode Jeff/Mark used an additional microphone to capture some ASMR trigger sounds. Unfortunately this podcast is recorded in mono, so you won't get the full effect of the sounds in each ear but you can hear the sounds of the triggers chosen for ASMR. Neither Mark nor Jeff were triggered by these sounds.
Mark and Jeff explore the famous photo essayist W. Eugene Smith and his life, particularly when he went to Japan to cover something called Minamata disease. One of his most famous images was taken there and there was a feature film based upon his life and travels to Minamata starring Johnny Depp. The movie is excellent but did not do well at the box office and is a little harder to find. Worth your time as Johnny Depp does an excellent job portraying the difficult photographer that was Eugene Smith.
Dr. Temple Grandin is know for two things, her autism and how she has used it to help inform her professional career in Animal Science. She has singlehandedly changed the food processing industry by making it significantly more humane. She is a fascinating individual and the main topic of this podcast. As usual we discuss what we learned in the past week, as well as what media we have been consuming.
Mark and Jeff take stab at predictions for 2024. Recorded during the Christmas break, Mark and Jeff discuss what they were most surprised about from last year as well as predictions (with differing confidence levels) for 2024. This episode covers a lot of territory and is pretty free ranging. Enjoy and have a happy new year!!!
Mark and Jeff discuss how a retirement age of 65 was originally arrived at. Hint, it's not what you expect and its not scientifically arrived at. The original reason for a social security program was to support people whose physical jobs were something they could no longer do to support themselves, but few were expected to take advantage of the programs at the time they were introduced. Times have changed and so have expectations. Not Christmassy (sp? is that even a word?) and not a rerun
Bryan Johnson is a Silicon valley millionaire (almost billionaire) who sold his company at the age of 34 and now focuses on his anti-aging quest through the Blueprint protocol. This protocol is an open source method of trying to extend your life based upon empirical data and evidence based science. He sounds a little crazy (and he may be) but there is something to what he is proposing. It's also important to note that he is not running this to make money. He provides his entire system for free.
Most small businesses do not have pension plans or easy ways to extract their business' value. To that end sometimes small businesses think they should buy their building to reduce their costs or at least having their payments to back to them. There are pitfalls to this approach and anyone considering doing it should really think it hard and carefully. Mark and Jeff discuss and provide context on what business owners should consider when looking at buying real estate.
As part of our series on Neurodivergent (or suspected) celebrities, this episode dives into the enigma that was Stanley Kubrick the auteur film maker known for feature films such as the Shining, 2001: A Space Odessey, Eyes Wide Shut to name a few. A man obsessed with detail, his meticulous attention to all aspects of a film would often mean they would take a long time to come to fruition. He would often take an extraordinary number of takes and he would spend an inordinate amount of time sourcing historically accurate props and practical lighting effects.
In the past week and a half there has been much turmoil at OpenAI, the company that has developed and launched ChatGTP (as well as Dall-E). Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI was fired on Friday Nov 17, 2023, subsequently tried to come back only to have the board decide not to hire him, hired by Microsoft and then rehired back on the following Tuesday. It is big tech news because ChatGPT has taken the tech world by storm and is valued somewhere in the region of $80 Billion US. Mark and Jeff do a deeper dive into the background of Sam Altman and discovered some surprising facts about him.
Mark and Jeff do a deep dive into the Artist known as Banksy. Where he came from what he did and what seems to drive him. Banksy is a complicated artist whose identity is not known (although it was recently revealed!). His work is all political with lots of pranks. He did a documentary in 2011 that was nominated for an academy award. He has also done a huge amount of political commentary both by his images, what they show and where they are placed. He is a street artist that still does illegal works (sometimes), in the streets.
Elon Musk is a complicated person. Some people idolize him, others think he is a villain. He has attributes of both and although he gets some visionary things accomplished because he is relentless, he would be a very difficult person to work for. It is easy to understand how some of the things he had done can be interpreted more than one way. Mark and Jeff discuss some of his accomplishments as well as some of the problems he has caused.
Mark was interested in a biography of Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson as a result of a podcast from Scott Galloway and Kara Swisher (Pivot). He has been reading the book and feels the criticism by Kara Swisher on the writer is poorly founded (actually it feels like she was reading some other book). Her critique is that Walter Isaacson never states if he liked Elon, but that seems to have completely missed the way the book is structured. Mark also feels that Kara fundamentally doesn't understand Elon's behaviour. What is clear is that Elon is Neurodiverse and it really explains a lot of his behaviour. In this episode we dive deep into this topic.
As people age, at some point in time you need to deal with either an aging relative or your own inevitable demise. Many people try to avoid thinking about it until too late. In this episode, after we talk about some space stuff, we discuss common issues as people age as well as how to plan for the future. It is a difficult issue that sometimes only gets discussed or resolved when a medical crisis occurs. Even if you know better, sometimes people avoid the work to plan for their own retirement and long term care. We also talked about Ganymede and Artemis as well as the problems with the Star Wars universe.
This is a correction on the podcast file that was uploaded on Oct 24, 2023 which seems to have had the previous episode incorrectly uploaded. Thanks to a listener for noting the error. Enjoy
Streaming has fundamentally changed how we experience music as well as the economic landscape. A music genre that was once dominant in the 70's and 80's now is a relatively uncommon sight on the charts. The last #1 Rock song on the charts was Nickelback in 2001. Now, an Italian rock band with a Danish name Maneskin is tearing up the charts (still not number 1 though). They are big in Europe and won the Eurovision competition a few years ago but now to stay relevant they are pushing to be heard in the US.
Just over a week ago, there was a vicious attack by Hamas on Israel that has horrified the world. This terrorist act has led to a significant conflict re-igniting again in the middle East (it has basically been there for a long time but it flared up again). Mark and Jeff discuss some of the issues and why both sides are in untenable positions and how everyone loses in this conflict. This is a rapidly changing issue and was recorded on Wednesday October 11, 2023, as a consequence some conditions may have changed since the recording. As usual Mark and Jeff sample some coffee, tell a few dad jokes, talk about what they learned this week as well as what media they are consuming. Check out our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Connect2podcast
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss what music they listen to, how to discover new music as well as old formats and what they used to do. They also sample some coffee, tell some dad jokes, discuss what they learned this week and what media they are consuming. Check out the podcast's facebook page for links to referenced topics at https://www.facebook.com/Connect2podcast
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss how they manage dealing with the incredibly fast pace of technology change. They also discuss what they learned with past week, Jeff recites a poem, a few dad jokes and they also discuss what media they have been recently consuming.
After a long trip to the Southern USA, Mark has returned. He drove for 108 hours, 8135KM over 3 weeks. He visited 7 National Parks, State Parks and Monuments. This was after he went to see Dave Matthews at the Gorge in Washington State and then attended a conference in Las Vegas on Dog Photography (Shutterhound). Mark debriefs Jeff on where he went and what he saw. There is some salty language at the beginnning
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss screen time and how much we as a society watch our phones, tablets and computers (spoiler... its a lot!). They also discuss what they learned in the past week and what media they are consuming. Mark is going to be travelling for the early part of September so there will be a gap until the next episode.
In this episode, Mark interviews his wife as part of the celebration of 35 years of marriage. As part of this podcast, Mark digs into Lori's career, skills and interests. As she is a renaissance woman, she has many diverse skill and interests. We discuss things we learned in the past week, current interests as well as media being consumed.
Mark and Jeff discuss their favourite destinations to visit in Alberta and BC. They also discuss what they learned in the past week, what media they are consuming and tell a few dad jokes while enjoying good coffee.
Well, Jeff was away this week with family commitments so today's episode was recorded while camping in BC. Mark interviewed Les Wold, a partner with Effect Home Builders and a really great guy. In this episode, Mark and Les discuss his work, his interests and what he likes to do. As usual we sample some coffee, tell dad jokes, discuss what we learned in the past week and what media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the lifespan of social media influencers. Those that are successful and those that are just one trick ponies. We also discuss the source of the most comments on our Facebook page (hint... the comments are from scammers), we discuss things we learned in the last week, tell a few dad jokes and discuss media we are currently watching
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the trials and tribulations of Jeff as his Facebook account has been hacked. The hacker changed the email address and phone number for verification. As a consequence he cannot recover the account. One step further, Facebook has no customer support. If you can't solve it with an automated assistant you can't solve it. Mark and Jeff also discuss other current events, media they are consuming, tell a few bad dad jokes and review what they learned in the past week.
Well hello! For the first Episode of Season 3 Mark and Jeff discuss the state of social media including statistics and general usage metrics. Mark and Jeff sample some coffee, tell a few dad jokes, discuss what they learned in the past week and media they have been consuming. Come Join us as you do other things!!!!
We finished our second season of the Connect2 Podcast with an episode discussing real life glitches in the matrix Mark and Jeff discuss things they learned this past week, sample some coffee, tell a few lame dad jokes and discuss some current media they are consuming. While this is the end of Season 2 (our 104th episode), we will return with Season 3... next week!!!! A whole new season. Join us and check our our facebook page for links to subjects and cool things we discuss in the podcast
In the penultimate episode of this season, Mark discusses Freezer burn, an Alberta Regional Burning Man Event that he attended. In this episode, Jeff and Mark discuss what is Burning Man and what is Freezer Burn like. It was an unusual experience, so what is it all about.
In this episode, Mark discusses his adventure in trying to photograph the Grizzly bears of the Khutzeymateen. Located near Prince Rupert in BC, the sanctuary is not accessible on land and there are strict rules for access. Despite these limitations, the tour was fantastic with so many Grizzlies. As usual, coffee is samples, dad jokes told, discussion about what we learned in the past week and what media we are consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss the benefits and traps of Google reviews for small businesses. Google reviews are increasingly being seen as a major way people decide on purchasing services and goods. The catch is that negative reviews can have devastating consequences for small businesses. Some competitors even use them to sabotage people providing the same services or goods. Mark and Jeff also discuss the Vision Pro headset from Apple and as usual, discuss things they learned this week and what media they are consuming.
Hooray! This episode marks our 100th release. In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss what is trans-formative AI and how/when it will lead to obsolescence of humans. P (doom) is the probability that AI will somehow lead to the destruction of humankind. Some people's P (doom) is low but for others familiar with AI tech, that number is somewhat higher. Mark and Jeff discuss some of the risks ahead with trans-formative AI. As usual we also sample coffee, tell some Dad jokes, discuss what we learned in the past week and what media we are consuming. Thanks for joining us for our 100th episode. We will have an accompanying video but that will be released later on June 6th 2023. Check our our Facebook page for links to relevant information discussed during our podcast.
After a brief hiatus (Mark was away), we return in this special episode (our 99th). Mark and Jeff discuss the current Alberta election on May 29 2023 and make a few predictions, comment on the politics behind the vote and give some insight into how people decide their votes. Alberta has an issue with generational voting where people vote regardless of policy or candidates. This tends to lead to a disincentive for politicians from listening to the voters. More recently the level of competence of some of the candidates has become a real issue.
As usual we also discuss what we learned recently and what media we are consuming. There are a few dad jokes and we sample some coffee.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss renewal, reinvention and rebirth as spring is here. We also talk a lot about different aspects of AI in this episode. As usual, we discuss what we learned and what media we are consuming.
Mark is away for three weeks, so we will be taking a break. We are two episodes away from Episode 100 so we will be celebrating that in early June. See you then. Live long and prosper.
In this episode Mark and Jeff review things people generally don't discuss about getting old as well as wiping out some myths about aging. We also discuss the Cult of Moloch, AI in general, Zombie Ants, Toxoplasmosis as well as media they are consuming
Mark and Jeff start the episode with a plan of what they are going to discuss and end up discussing a lot of different current events as well as recent travel plans. They discuss things they learned in the past week and media they are currently consuming
Mark and Jeff discuss how people deal with childhood trauma and discuss some personal instances where this has affected people as adults. It does wander a bit but we also discuss a topic that we only know about from more personal experienced. We also discuss things we learned in the past week and media we are currently consuming.
In this episode Mark discusses with Jeff what cameras are compatible with other manufacturers lenses. This relates to some specific equipment Mark recently purchased that provided new life to some old lenses that he still had but was no longer using. Mark and Jeff discuss what they learned this past week as well as what media they are currently consuming.
More crazy AI developments. ChatGTP 4 is released in a pay to play model. LLaMa, a standalone AI from Facebook gets limited release only be to freed into the wild. Mark and Jeff discuss things they learned in the past week and media they are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss why Chess has become so popular particularly with young influencers. The reason might surprise you. As usual, they discuss things they learned in the past week as well as media they have been consuming including Picard, the Mandalorian, the Menu and Shrinking.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss their summer plans that involve travel. They discuss where they are going and when. It should be a fun summer. They also discuss what they learned in the past week as well as media they are consuming including: Rescue Me!, The Consultant, Stutz, Chris Rock's Selective Outrage, Picard Season 3 and the Mandalorian.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) or the need to buy the latest and greatest with a specific emphasis on camera gear. Mark and Jeff also discuss what they learned in the past week and what media they are currently consuming including Shrinking, the Consultant and Picard Season 3
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the rise of the alt-right crazy people and how they are starting to insinuate themselves into mainstream politics. The discussion focuses on what has changed to allow this to happen. Mark and Jeff also discuss things they learned in the past week, tell dad jokes and review what media they are consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss the latest news regarding Bing's new ChatGPT based search engine and chatbot and the craziness that transpired in the past week when it expressed love for one of it's users as well as darker desires. This is scifi come to life or AI emulating scifi? Links to all the material we discussed is found on our facebook page for the podcast
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss what is ADHD, provide some insight into how it manifests (resources on facebook group) and do an online test to determine if they might have it. They also discuss what they learned in the past week as well as what media they are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss mortality and the need to plan for your later years. Unfortunately, most people live like they will never die and put things off for too long and then don't get a chance to enjoy their retirement years.
Mark and Jeff also discuss what they learned, tell too many dad jokes and what media they are currently consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the use of a SWOT analysis and how to use the information contained in it to help your business thrive. They also discuss things they learned and media they have been consuming.
Mark and Jeff discuss the exploration of what constitutes the outward expression of one's identity. As part of burning man, participants are encouraged to dress and design costumes that represent the personal identity of the participants. How does one figure that out? We discuss this as well as things we learned in the past week and media we are consuming
Change is hard but is often good. Change as you get older is harder but sometimes necessary. In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss change later in life and how to handle it. We also discuss things we learned and media we are consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss when and how you should assess if it is time to quit something (not necessarily just your job). Mark is a notoriously bad quitter and tends to stick to things way too long. Jeff teaches sunk cost fallacies as part of his courses at NAIT. Mark discusses Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and both Mark and Jeff discuss media they consumed over the holidays. Note: Mark gives a huge spoiler about The Banshees of Inisherin because he really hated that movie (he also mispronounces it all through the episode)
In this episode, Mark and Jeff review their predictions for 2022 and how they turned out in the past year. We also discuss some Christmas favourites.
In this episode Mark and Jeff play with ChatGTP and explain what it is and what it does. They then continue to discuss the implications of this new technology. As usual, they also review what they learned this past week, what media they are consuming and tell a few dad jokes.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the past year both globally and personally and how things have changed in the past year. Mark and Jeff also review things they learned in the past week and media they are currently consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discusses why they enjoy Christmas and what for them makes it such a great time of year.
As usual we discuss things we learned in the past week and media we are currently consuming including Andor and the Peripheral
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss the five basic laws of human stupidity. Mark learns the differences between being stupid and being a bandit. Jeff and Mark discuss whether Elon Musk qualifies as stupid. They also discuss things they learned this week and what media they are consuming
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss controversial topics including the craziness at Twitter with Elon in charge, the wingnut premier that is Danielle Smith in Alberta and the lunacy that was FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange. We also discuss what we learned (Artemis 1 successfully launched) and media we consumed (Black Panther: Wakanda forever). Some (very little) salty language.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss Jeff's recent family trip to Maui. Jeff got to go on a helicopter ride over Molokai and enjoy Prison Street Pizza. We also discussed the chaos at twitter, Red Hydrogen, Andor, the Peripheral and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
For this episode, we have a special guest co-host, Shannon Dickie. Jeff is away on Maui so Mark and Shannon talk about backcountry camping, something that Shannon loves to do. Shannon provides us with nine tips that she thinks really makes for a more successful backcountry camping adventure. We also discuss what we learned in the past week (including the drama at twitter and getting locked in a box) and what media we have been consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss vacation destinations on their bucket list. As usual, they also discuss things they learned in the past week and media they have consumed in the past week. They also sample coffee and tell dad jokes.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss wine and break them down into nine main types. We also discussed things we learned this week (Existentialism, Titan Space Plans, failed destroyer programs) and the media we have been consuming (Andor, Dark, Ozark and audiobooks).
In this episode Mark and Jeff have a special guest (Paulette Dekelver) who joins the discussion with incredible tips about different kinds of bias and how it affects your perspective. Paulette is a Lawyer and Meditator who joins Mark and Jeff to celebrate Conflict Resolution Day. As usual we also discuss things we learned as well as media we consumed. We discuss She-Hulk and why this character speaks to non-superhero fans and women in particular.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the keys to making effective presentations including those on Zoom. As usual, they will discuss what they learned in the past week as well as what media they are currently consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss the 10 principles behind burning man. Mark and Jeff also discuss what they learned this week as well as media that they are consuming
Mark and Jeff discuss standard of living for prior and future generations. They also discuss Ray Kurzwell's singularity
As usual, Mark and Jeff discuss what they learned and what media they are consuming
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss their experiences with being an entrepreneur. They also sample coffee, tell dad jokes, discuss things they learned in the past week and media they are consuming.
Mark and Jeff discuss quiet quitting and how it is affecting the workplace and the culture of work. We also discuss a range of related topics, talk about what we learned in the past week as well as what media we are consuming.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss learning and understanding mental health issues and the need to remove the stigma associated with it. Everyone has mental health issues to varying degrees and need to understand and acknowledge that. They also discuss things they learned about Artemis 1 and media they have been consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss what they have been doing to try to stay fit, especially during Covid. We also review what we learned this week and what media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff reminisce on their childhoods in Montreal and Jeff recounts his experiences as a scout at Tamaracouta camp in Quebec. We also discuss what we learned in the past week (including the passing of Anne Heche and Ben Stelter) as well as media they are consuming (the Sandman)
Mark and Jeff discuss different streaming services and what they use. As usual we cover stuff we learned and media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the difficulty of terminating employees as well as being terminated. Mark and Jeff also discuss what they learned this week including dead spider robots, inverted aeropress techniques and Nichelle Nicols. We also discussed media we have currently been consuming. Check out our facebook group for details on the topics mentioned.
After a brief 1 week hiatus, we are back in business and Jeff has returned from a 1 week trip back country camping on the West Coast Trail. Jeff relays his adventure and how it was a spiritually rejuvenating for him. As usual, we discuss what we learned this week as well as media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss Mark's trip to the Yukon as well as swatting and doxxing, how north american cities assess speed limits, as well as media we are consuming including (Strange new worlds, Ms. Marvel, The Boys, Kenobi and others).
We will miss next week as Jeff is away on a well earned vacation. We will be back in two weeks
Mark just got back from the Yukon and Jeff is about to hike the west coast trail. We will have a regular full episode next week but thought we would tell people why we missed the episode on Tuesday
In this Episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the need for planning when getting your travel plans in order. Successful travel planning involves planning for contingencies. Mark and Jeff also discuss what they learned in the past week as well as dad jokes, and what media they are currently consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss their most unusual movie going experiences. Times have changed and so have our movie experiences. As usual, Mark and Jeff discuss what they learned in the past week, corny dad jokes and media they are currently consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss Memes. Where they come from, what makes a meme and generally look at how the internet has changed how we share experiences. In this episode, we learn about how your memory works, different types of bias, how the James Webb Telescope is hardened for meteor strikes as well as media including Ozark, The Boys, Stranger Things, Obi Wan Kenobi and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. This episode can be viewed on Youtube. That link will be posted in a couple of days. Check out our facebook page for links to all the content referenced.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the trials and tribulations of retiring and things you need to consider to help prepare. We also discuss the need to change management as you sell your business and transition from a role that might define your identity. We talk about the three things you need to have a successful retirement.
We also discuss things we learned, introduce a new cast member and review media we have consumed including Top Gun Maverick, Ozark, Strange New Worlds and Obi-Wan Kenobi
In this episode Mark and Jeff, reintroduce themselves and talk about highs and lows of podcasting for the past year. As usual we discuss what we learned this week and what media we are consuming. We talk about volcanism on Pluto, the crash of Terra/Luna's Crypto, how Shazam works, Exit planning for entrepreneurs, photography, Star Trek Strange New Worlds, Hanna, Ozark and Obi-Wan Kenobi
In the season 1 finale, Mark and Jeff discuss the most dangerous things they have ever done (and realize they are not danger seekers). They also discuss things they learned this past week and media they have been consuming on various streaming services as well as movie theatres. Next week... we start a new season and will be recording it to post on Youtube
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss some of the difficult talks and circumstances as relatives age. They also discuss the some of the less discussed issues surrounding aging. In addition, they discuss things they learned in the past week and media they are consuming....
In this episode, Mark and Jeff examine some interesting details on the Russian war on Ukraine. In particular, we examine the app that the Ukrainians are using to target Russian positions. We also discuss the affect of having Finlanders as part of the foreign legionnaires in Ukraine. We also examine what we have learned and the media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff start out with the best of intentions of discussing travel during a pandemic which was overshadowed by the leak of a draft opinion from the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) that would overturn a landmark decision from 1973 of Roe v. Wade. Mark and Jeff also discuss what they learned this week including how many nuclear warheads countries actually have, where solar panels lose power, Lucid motors, military spending in the US, Moon knight, Better Call Saul, Picard and Dr. Strange: the Multiverse of Madness
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the craziness surrounding Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter. Typical of the short attention span required of twitter, the episode discusses a lot of other subjects too as topics led to other topics. In this episode we also discuss things we learned (how much pee is in pools, virtual cashiers at Freshii, Aristotle's wheel paradox, bullet trajectories and Ryerson's name change) We also discuss media we are consuming including Venom: Let there be carnage, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Chronical 2067, Moon Knights, Picard and Tenet)
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss their top 10 favourite movies and why they picked them. We also discuss getting over COVID, a couple of DAD jokes, the coffee we are sampling, the treat we had as well as the media we are consuming (Alien Covenant, Better Call Saul, Moon Knight and Picard)
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the possibility of time travel and how it would work. We also discuss things we learned including Emergence theory in physics, where hot dog meat comes from, Elon Musk and twitter, where to buy crypto and what coffee we drank. We also discussed media we are consuming including Moon Knight, 1917 (the 2019 movie), The Tourist television series, the new season of Better Call Saul and Star Trek: Picard
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss a new type of crypto that may have avoided some of the pitfalls of other types of crypto. We also discuss things we learned this week and media we are currently consuming
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the benefits of solar power, touch on SMR as a green energy solution for Alberta as well as media they are consuming. They also discuss the benefits of the croughnut with an on air sampling.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss their best and worst business decisions. As usual, we also discuss what we learned this week as well as what media we have been consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the stupidest things they have ever done. As usual, we also discuss things we learned this week and media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the loaded phrase "Cancel Culture" vs the concept of accountability. We also discuss Shame vs Guilt. As usual we also discussed things we learned this past week and media we are consuming. (This is also the first time we have had to bleep a word to keep our clean rating)
In this episode, we discuss why the Ukraine has been winning the social media battle against the Russians and then we move on to lighter fare discussing our first jobs. As usual we also discuss what we learned in the past week and media we are consuming.
*warning: there is the occasional little bit of background noise from a neighbour's drill that I couldn't get entirely get rid of...
In this episode, Jeff and Mark discuss the incredible business tool that is core values. Sometimes dismissed as a marketing stunt (and sometimes only used for marketing purposes) Core Values can really be a corporate game changer. We discuss this and the concept of personal core values and using them to find a match with your employer's core values. We also discuss what we learned this week and media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the 5 D's of business succession that every entrepreneur should know about. As usual we discuss what we learned this past week and what media we are consuming.
In this episode, Jeff and Mark discuss where they want to travel in a post pandemic world once travel restrictions start to loosen. As usual we discuss things we learned as well as media we are consuming.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss some interesting information about coffee, where is comes from and how to improve your coffee. We also discuss media we are consuming and what we learned... we spent some time discussing the Mandalorian and the next James Bond.
In this episode Jeff and Mark discuss why Cryptocurrency is an inherently flawed investment instrument (it is not very liquid and is highly speculative) and why NFTs are highly problematic for creatives (and potentially a scam). As usual we also discuss media and things we learned
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss instances in their past where their lives flashed before their eyes and how things could have turned out so differently. As usual, Mark and Jeff discuss media they are consuming and things they learned in the last week.
In this episode, Jeff and Mark explore their favourite TV shows growing up in the 60's, 70's and 80's. We also discuss all the media we consumed over the Christmas break.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss things they hope will happen in 2022. As usual, nerdy things we learned in the past week as well as coffee and media we are consuming are discussed.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff speculate on predictions for what will come in 2022 in the areas of entertainment, politics, societal, personal and sports. We also review the things we learned in the past week and media we are currently consuming.
*This episode has some minor sound issues related to the software issues and environment we were recording in. They are pretty minor, but we apologize in advance.
In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss good things and bad things that happened in 2021 in the areas of Entertainment, Tech, Politics, Societal and Sports.
In this episode and to reflect the time of year, Mark and Jeff discuss what they are grateful for. As usual we also discuss things we learned this week and media we are consuming.
In this episode, Jeff discusses the history and legend behind that jolly old fellow.... Santa Claus including his origins and historical mixing from different cultures as well as the influence of New York City on the legend.
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss 12 gifts for your photography friend for under $150 CAD. We also discuss things we learned this week and media we are consuming.
In this episode, Jeff discusses the gamification of business and how it affects the relationship between employees and employers. We also discuss things we learned this week and media we are consuming.
In this episode, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of a number of tv/movies but be warned there are SPOILERS. The movies include: The Eternals, Dune, The Squid Game, Shang Chi and as a bonus we eventually spoil Black Widow. We also taste more coffee (pour over) and discuss things we learned in the past week.
In this episode we discuss why pop music sucks as well as current movie and television releases. All this is done while sipping a cappuccino
In this episode, we discuss how police record and analyze statements to determine if people are being deceptive. We also discuss what we have recently learned and media we are consuming.
In this episode, we sample more coffee and then discuss how people dream and what types of dreams there are. We also discuss who's the best Bond as well as other media we consumed. Check out our facebook page for links to the subjects we discussed.
Bonus episode because we hit our 20th episode earlier this week. In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss the icon for coffee pour-overs... the Chemex. As usual we discuss new things we learned this week as well as media we are consuming.
We have hit 20 episodes... Today Jeff and Mark discuss the importance of mental health and things that you can do to improve your own mental health. In honour of our 20th episode we will have a bonus episode coming out Friday this week.
In this episode, we welcome our first guest! Paulette DeKelver, who owns DeKelver Dispute Resolution in Edmonton (dekelverdr.com) who discusses with us how to use kindness and holding space for people as a way to seek dispute resolution and avoid the adversarial court system. Paulette joined us in honour of Conflict Resolution Day 2021 (October 21, 2021) and this year's theme is Kindness and Communication.
In this we explore the importance of business succession planning and how it is something many business owners don't consider when they start or run a business - how to leave. In addition we discuss the process of figuring out the value and how you assess what you are going to do after. As usual we discuss new things we learned last week and media we are consuming
In this episode we discuss the need to print digital photos as a method to store and easily access/share your memories with others. As usual we also review what we learned this week and what media we are consuming
In this episode, we explore the phenomena of the fake business guru industry, where in the actual business is to get you to sign up for advice rather than the actual advice. We also review the two new things we learned this week and what media we are consuming.
In this episode Mark discusses techniques to make videos go viral on YouTube. As usual, Mark and Jeff discuss current media consumption and two things they learned this past week.
In this episode, Jeff discusses an open source effort to defang music copyright trolls. As usual, we discuss new things we learned this week and media we are currently consuming.
In this episode, Mark discusses the process for visual storytelling to help create videos that are engaging and informative. As usual we discuss what media we are consuming and what two things we learned in the last week
In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss details about LinkedIn that most people are not aware of, particularly recruitment and the sharing of controversial opinions in a platform that seemingly is a business form of Facebook... or is it?
In this episode, Jeff talks about the importance of making sure your team believes in your core values before setting out on team building exercises. As usual we also review media we are consuming and new things we learned this week. Send feedback to connect2podcast@gmail.com
In this episode, Mark discusses why the Apple M1 chip may represent an inflection point for computing power moving forward and why Intel in particular has dropped the ball with their development and manufacturing of chips. As usual, we review new things we learned this week and discussed media we are consuming.
In this episode, Jeff discusses is great love for Star Trek and how it's optimism distinguishes it from other more conventional dystopian sci-fi. He also discusses how even though it is optimistic, it reflects humankind passing through a very dark time before getting there.
During the pandemic, Mark had a ton of opportunities to improve his cooking skills. In this episode, Mark discusses 10 cooking skills/tips that he learned during the pandemic. As usual, we review two things we learned this week and discuss what media we have been consuming. We also have a Facebook page now
In this episode, Jeff discusses the concept of Daring vs Armoured leadership according to Brene Brown and what this means in practical terms to business management. Mark and Jeff also discuss space travel and scale as well as the media they are currently consuming
In this episode Mark discusses current philosophies for dog training and how it has evolved over time. As usual Mark and Jeff discuss streaming media suggestions.
In this episode, Jeff recounts his experiences with paranormal incidents from his life that cannot be explained. Mark gives a short review of the new Amazon Prime movies Tomorrow War as well as a few other streaming TV series that are currently available.
In today's episode, Mark and Jeff discuss photography as an art form rather than a documentary tool for capturing moments (selfies and family photos). In between they find time to discuss old TV show actors (including their non-acting careers) and the self awareness of TikTok influencers on the mechanics of their medium.
Jeff and Mark discuss the concept of Servant leadership and how it affects productivity and performance in the workplace. They also discuss current events and media
Mark and Jeff talk about how crowd sourcing a project works comparing Kickstarter to Indiegogo. We also discuss how some business' disappointing customer service affects customer satisfaction and how that unnecessarily leaves people with a poor impression of that business.
Meet Jeff and Mark, your two hosts for the Connect2 Podcast. This positive and inspiring podcast will cover a wide variety of topics but fundamentally is about connecting authentic thoughts of two people that are long time friends. In this episode we will introduce you to your hosts, describe the format of the show, layout the show's positive message and provide a little bit of background of your two hosts.