Mitch Joel's Blog: Six Pixels of Separation, page 89

SPOS #799 – Cade Metz On The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World

Welcome to episode #799 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #799 – Host: Mitch Joel. Best known for his reporting on artificial intelligence, driverless cars, robotics, virtual reality, and other emerging areas, Cade Metz is a reporter with The New York Times. Previously, he was a senior staff writer with Wired magazine, the U.S. editor of The Register, PC Magazine, and other outlets. His first book is called Genius Makers – The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World. Genius Makers looks are deep questions like: What does it mean to be smart? To be human? What do we really want from life and the intelligence we have, or might create? From the back cover: “The book presents the fierce conflict among national interests, shareholder value, the pursuit of scientific knowledge, and the very human concerns about privacy, security, bias, and prejudice. Like a great Victorian novel, this world of eccentric, brilliant, often unimaginably yet suddenly wealthy characters draws you into the most profound moral questions we can ask. And like a great mystery, it presents the story and facts that lead to a core, vital question: How far will we let it go?” Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 55:01.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Cade Metz.Genius Makers – The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World.Follow Cade on LinkedIn.Follow Cade on Twitter.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #799 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #592

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

Housing, money laundry, speculation and precarity – Pluralistic. “Around the world, we’re suddenly changing housing from a life’s necessity to an asset. Buying up property, then renting it out, allows multinational funds, oligarchs, and money launderers to collateralize their debt and amortize their risk. It’s also a huge loophole: The US is the only nation in the G7 that doesn’t require realtors to comply with money laundering legislation. All this, and more, broken down as only Cory Doctorow can do.” (Alistair for Hugh). Speaking Freely: Ada Palmer – Electronic Frontier Foundation . “I loved this interview with renaissance historian, Ada Palmer. Her thoughts about privacy, data, and the unreasonable power of technology to erase the past are more important now than ever. The physical world offers permanence—when you destroy, you leave a crater, and often witnesses. But when you delete something virtual, you can remove traces surgically, editing history. A sobering read for those of us who live at the intersection of tech and society.” (Alistair for Mitch).Growing Crops Under Solar Panels? Now There’s A Bright Idea – Wired. “I’ve been tinkering a bit with solar panels and rooftop gardening, and was interested to see this great idea for how to make space for solar panels that is beneficial for growing crops as well.” (Hugh for Alistair). Neil Young Reveals the Secrets to Hit Records – Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum – YouTube . “I promise not to send any more Neil Young links after today (for a while, anyway), but it’s been so much fun immersing myself in his music these past few weeks. I’ve done a thorough listen to every album from 1967 through to 1991 (though I did rush through the Shocking Pinks), and I think I’m a better person for it. This interview is such a delight, Neil talking about the mechanics of making hit music in the late 60s and 70s, and how critical the (mostly unknown) producers and session musicians were. These session musicians, arrangers often write the riffs and licks that make a song a hit. In particular, his discussion of the drum track on Heart of Gold (his only #1 hit), by Nashville session drummer, Kenny Buttrey, is fascinating.” (Hugh for Mitch).   Brene Brown’s Empire of Emotion – The New Yorker. “I had the chance to meet and get to know Brene Brown before she became a household name. Before the bestselling books, TED Talks and even Netflix special. Brene and I definitely connected, and her work resonated me with long before the ascent of her stardom that led to this massive profile in The New Yorker. This is well-deserved, but more important is her message: Emotions are not the soft skills… they are the hard skills. In a world of big tech, skeptics and the great resignation (as it’s being called), I’d recommend that everyone spend more time with Brene. If this doesn’t pull you in that direction, try reading her book, Braving The Wilderness (or any other book that she has written).” (Mitch for Alistair). Is Amazon Changing The Novel? – The New Yorker . “The algorithm already knows how big the market is for your book (if you’re an author). It has known for years. When we think of Amazon, it’s almost hard to remember them as the place that people would go to, simply, buy books online. They have become so much more… they have become almost everything. And, in a world of everything, it can be hard to think of what books might mean to an engine of commerce like Amazon. And, if Amazon is so big (and book sales are – somewhat – insignificant to their shareholders), what does the future of the book hold, in a world where the company that dented the book publisher’s universe suddenly isn’t focused on that industry anymore. Read on…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends): 

If You’re Looking For A New MacBook Computer…

Your digital media catch-up is right here.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes:

Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro will have a ‘high power’ mode – Mashable.

If you’re in the market for a new computer, now may be the moment. Apple just launched their latest MacBook series. Along with better screen resolution and the like, we’ve got their new and improved M1 Max processor that is giving super-fast speed along with zero fan spinning silence gold. Perhaps the biggest news is that Apple has brought back the HDMI port, Magsafe power plug, and more USB ports (less dongle hell). Expensive? Yes. Worth it? If you’ve been waiting to upgrade… this is the moment.

Will you be upgrading to the new a MacBook?

App of the week: Mapstr. Mapstr lets you keep track of all your favorite places around the world, tag them, and find them on your very own map (and you can share with friends too).

Once the segment goes live on Jack 103, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage….

Mitch Joel · If You're Looking For A New MacBook Computer – Jack 103 FM – October 26th, 2021

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Alisa Cohn On Startups, Leadership And Growth – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #798 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

Named the Top Startup Coach in the World at the Thinkers50/Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Awards in London, Alisa Cohn has been coaching startup founders to grow into world-class CEOs for nearly twenty years. She is the author of the just-published book, From Start-Up to Grown-Up. This onetime startup CFO, strategy consultant, and current angel investor and advisor has worked with Venmo, Etsy, DraftKings, The Wirecutter, Tory Burch, and more. She is the executive coach for Runway Startups – the incubator at Cornell NYC Tech that helps post-docs commercialize their technology and build companies. She serves on the board of the Cornell Advisory Council. She has coached public and political figures. A recovering CPA, she is also a Broadway investor in productions which have won two Tony Awards and is prone to burst into song at the slightest provocation. That doesn’t happen on this show (sadly). Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via Apple Podcast or whatever platform you may choose): Six Pixels of Separation #798.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

SPOS #798 – Alisa Cohn On Startups, Leadership And Growth

Welcome to episode #798 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #798 – Host: Mitch Joel. Named the Top Startup Coach in the World at the Thinkers50/Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Awards in London, Alisa Cohn has been coaching startup founders to grow into world-class CEOs for nearly twenty years. She is the author of the just-published book, From Start-Up to Grown-Up. This onetime startup CFO, strategy consultant, and current angel investor and advisor has worked with Venmo, Etsy, DraftKings, The Wirecutter, Tory Burch, and more. She is the executive coach for Runway Startups – the incubator at Cornell NYC Tech that helps post-docs commercialize their technology and build companies. She serves on the board of the Cornell Advisory Council. She has coached public and political figures. A recovering CPA, she is also a Broadway investor in productions which have won two Tony Awards and is prone to burst into song at the slightest provocation. That doesn’t happen on this show (sadly). Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 1:00:14.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Alisa Cohn.From Start-Up to Grown-Up.From Start-Up To Grown-Up Podcast.Follow Alisa on LinkedIn.Follow Alisa on Twitter.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #798 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #591

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

The greatest joke in the world – Chris Ferrie – Medium. “Four physicists are riding in a car. You’ve probably heard this one before—but I doubt you’ve heard it with an explanation of the history of quantum physics, taken to an almost philosophical speculation on the meaning of existence.” (Alistair for Hugh). The Fierce Legal Battle at the Heart of the Fight Over Reclining Airline Seats – Slate . “Mitch, we both spend (or spent!) too much time on planes. Who owns that gap between your knees and the seatback? It’s unclear, and airlines like it that way, so they can sell it twice. As this post shows, hacking possession is a good way for many brands to sell the same thing twice, and leave the consumers fighting about the resulting ambiguity.” (Alistair for Mitch).   Public Trees of Montreal . “Every once in a while, I stumble across something authorities have done and I just have to sit down and say: Who was the genius working in civil service who not only conceived this, but made it happen? To whomever it was within the City of Montreal who got this done, I tip my hat to you – you wonderful human. Here’s a map of all the trees planted by the City of Montreal. You can zoom down to the individual tree, including the one on my front lawn, and get species and date it was planted (mine is a skyline honey locust, planted on September 6th 2010).” (Hugh for Alistair). Near Futures with Kim Stanley Robinson – The Dig . “Kim Stanley Robinson has written some fantastic near future scifi, with his last few books focusing on climate change, and his general oeuvre preoccupied with the building and rebuilding of societies. His futures are often both catastrophic and optimistic, which is refreshing: doom only gets you so far (side note: I am so so happy with where podcasting has finally landed, that is: very long conversations with fascinating people that allow us to really dig into ideas).” (Hugh for Mitch). Kat Norton’s spiritual journey to becoming a Microsoft Excel influencer – Quartz at Work . “Who was it that said, ‘If you live long enough, you will see everything’? Sure, we’re in the age of the influencer. Sure, influencers can capture any number of niches. With that, if I asked you to list what categories and verticals might be best suited for an influencer, how long would it take us to land on someone who makes Microsoft Excel spreadsheets this exciting? Dump on the Internet all you want… this is what makes it glorious. There’s a campfire for everything, and you get to decide which one will make you all warm and fuzzy.” (Mitch for Alistair). Survival of the Fittest – The New York Times Review . “I get to thank Hugh McGuire for introducing me to a lot of things over the eleven-plus years that we have been doing these weekly link exchanges, but one of the best intros ever was to the writing of Nicholson Baker (author of this article). In this writing, we get to read his review of the book, Pause and Effect – An Introduction to the History of Punctuation in the West by M. B. Parkes. So, a book review about a book about writing and punctuation. If you’re word nerd (like me)… here’s some glory…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends): 

Never Lose Your AirPods Again

Your digital media catch-up is right here.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes:

It just got much easier to find your lost AirPods Pro or AirPods Max – The Verge.

How many times have you lost your AirPods? Imagine on a plane, in a hotel, etc… Well, Apple really solved for that. They did a firmware update, so if you have Apple’s Find My app enabled (and, you really should), these now include your AirPods. Amazing technology. Think I can embed this tech into my kids? (I’m joking… kinda…).

“Using Apple’s Find My app, it was already possible to view the location where your AirPods were last paired with your iPhone or play a sound to make them easier to dig out of the couch cushions. But this new update greatly expands that functionality. Now you can activate Lost Mode and have millions of other iPhones, iPads, and Macs aid in the search should your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max go missing. If they come within Bluetooth range of another Apple device, you’ll be alerted to their location.”

Aren’t you excited about never losing your headphones again?

App of the week: AlternativeTo – This website lets you find free (or cheaper, but great) alternatives to popular software. Love it.

Once the segment goes live on Jack 103, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage….

Mitch Joel · Never Lose Your AirPods Again – Jack 103 FM – Tuesday, October 19th, 2021

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Let’s Light The Night And Do Some Good…

I walked alone last year. I will walk alone this year.

I try to be a beacon of light.
I try to be a beacon of hope.
I try to be a beacon of positivity.
I try to be a beacon of valuable business information.
I try to be a decoder of the future for business leaders.

Over the years, I also post pictures of my morning walks through the streets of Westmount.
I like it when the sun makes a cameo.
Every year, I do a special walk for a special cause.

It’s called Light The Night.

It started over a decade ago.
When my best friend’s daughter was diagnosed.
Leukemia.
Thankfully, she has been in remission for a long while.
She leads a happy and healthy life.
Many are not so lucky.

Too many kids get AML and don’t make it.
Too many adults get AML and don’t make it.
It’s a cruel blood cancer.

Please support me this year.

There is no grand walk.
There is no grand event.
That will not stop me.

I will still walk.

I will always walk.
I will walk alone.
I will commit to 12 km over two days.
This coming Saturday and Sunday.
I hope that you can commit to helping me out with a kind donation.

I am asking you to support me.
I am asking you to support these kids.
I am asking you to support this cause.

Please help.

This is another different year.
This is another difficult year.
For all of us.
I set a goal of $5000 to raise from family and friends.
If my content has ever struck a chord with you.
If my content has ever made you smile.
If my content has ever help your business think sharper.
Please consider this as the official “tip jar.”

If you can find it in your heart to please give…

Please do.
Over to you.
Thank you.

Please donate right here: Light The Night 2021.

David Schonthal On Innovation And New Ideas – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #797 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

David Schonthal is a Clinical Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses in new venture creation, design thinking, business acquisition, healthcare entrepreneurship, corporate innovation and creativity. He also serves as the Faculty Director of Kellogg’s Zell Fellows Program, a selective venture accelerator program designed to help student entrepreneurs. Outside of Kellogg, David is a Senior Director of Business Design at IDEO, where he focuses on helping organizations build and launch new ventures, design new business models, and establish go-to-market strategies. David also serves as an Operating Partner at 7WireVentures, a healthcare technology-focused venture capital firm, and is a Venture Partner at Pritzker Group. He is also a Global Advisor at Design for Ventures, a Tokyo-based early-stage venture fund that invests in design-led Japanese startups. David is a co-founder of MATTER, a 25,000-square-foot innovation center in downtown Chicago focused on supporting healthcare entrepreneurship, and serves as a member of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot‘s technology, innovation and entrepreneurship council, ChicagoNext. More recently he co-authored the book, The Human Element – Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas with Loran Nordgren. This is for anyone who wants to launch new ideas and innovation into the world and your work. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via Apple Podcast or whatever platform you may choose): Six Pixels of Separation #797.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

SPOS #797 – David Schonthal On Innovation And New Ideas

Welcome to episode #797 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #797 – Host: Mitch Joel. David Schonthal is a Clinical Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses in new venture creation, design thinking, business acquisition, healthcare entrepreneurship, corporate innovation and creativity. He also serves as the Faculty Director of Kellogg’s Zell Fellows Program, a selective venture accelerator program designed to help student entrepreneurs. Outside of Kellogg, David is a Senior Director of Business Design at IDEO, where he focuses on helping organizations build and launch new ventures, design new business models, and establish go-to-market strategies. David also serves as an Operating Partner at 7WireVentures, a healthcare technology-focused venture capital firm, and is a Venture Partner at Pritzker Group. He is also a Global Advisor at Design for Ventures, a Tokyo-based early-stage venture fund that invests in design-led Japanese startups. David is a co-founder of MATTER, a 25,000-square-foot innovation center in downtown Chicago focused on supporting healthcare entrepreneurship, and serves as a member of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot‘s technology, innovation and entrepreneurship council, ChicagoNext. More recently he co-authored the book, The Human Element – Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas with Loran Nordgren. This is for anyone who wants to launch new ideas and innovation into the world and your work. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 53:57.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with David Schonthal.The Human Element – Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas.Loran Nordgren.Kellogg School of Management.Follow David on Twitter.Follow David on LinkedIn.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #797 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.