Episodes

  • Nonsense Season 2: That’s a Wrap!

    Nonsense Season 2: That’s a Wrap!
    Dec 19 2024
    (0:00) Pre-Show (1:32) Open (1:49) National Oatmeal Muffin Day (2:30) cj's week: Die Hard! (3:55) Jeff's Week: Changes Afoot. (4:25) Headline: The New Jersey drone hysteria exposes one salient truth (7:09) Headline: Intel has a win! (7:58) Headline: Supreme Court will hear TikTok ban arguments in January (8:51) Headline: Lost Luggage? Share Your AirTag Location With These Airlines (10:44) Nonsense Season(s) Wrapped (11:16) Update: Ineffective Drugs: Nasal Decongestants (S02E15 - Apr 2024) (15:48) Update: Robotaxi Deployments (S02E14 - Apr 2024) (22:22) Update: Olive Oil Update (S01E50 - Dec 2023) (25:30) Update: How Technology Is Changing Sports Update (S01E39 - Sept 2023) (30:50) Update: AI / AGI Update (Every Other Episode) (40:55) cj’s recommendation: Robotaxi Depot Shenanigans (43:40) Jeff’s Recommendation: Remember the Night The end of the year brings with it the close of another season of Nonsense! We are over the moon to have delivered 35 hours of the Nonsense you’ve come to enjoy across 44 episodes this season. Because of you dear listener, our audience grew substantially, thank you for telling your friends! For our last episode before the holiday break, and after a quick news update, we revisited some of the most popular episodes from the year to bring you current. Where else can you tune in for ineffective drugs, robotaxi deployments, olive oil, sport tech, and artificial intelligence all in the same 45 minutes?! That’s right, nowhere else. Thank you for supporting our take on technology, business, and entertainment for another year. We are looking forward to bringing you even more Nonsense in 2025 - hopefully in color! Headlines The New Jersey drone hysteria exposes one salient truth: no one knows anything - The Verge Crop circle - Wikiwand Intel has a win! Waymo's robotaxi service in Los Angeles open to everyone The Hidden Autopilot Data That Reveals Why Teslas Crash | WSJ The Zoox robotaxi rolls into San Francisco Supreme Court will hear TikTok ban arguments in January - The Verge Lost Luggage? Share Your AirTag Location With These Airlines AirTag 2 upgrade could bring significant improvements to Apple’s trackers | TechRadar Segment FDA’s Proposal to Remove Oral Phenylephrine from the OTC Monograph Isn’t a Surprise but What is Left “Over-the-Counter”? 54 NEW Artificial Intelligence Statistics (Dec 2024) Close The woman who filmed Waymo's honking robotaxis got an apology promo — then spent all day using it | TechCrunch Robotaxi Depot Shenanigans: When the plane lands and everybody gets up at once Send us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠voice message⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!
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    46 mins
  • A Technology Bonanza!

    A Technology Bonanza!
    Dec 12 2024
    (0:00) Pre-Show (0:41) Open (0:54) Universal Health Coverage Day (1:45) cj's week: A Technology Bonanza! (7:11) Jeff's Week: Colon Cancer Surgery (9:12) Headline: Google launched Gemini 2.0, its new AI model for practically everything (11:36) Recommendation: ARC Skyscraper 486/C (12:37) Segment: Missed Headlines (13:31) Missed Headline: AWS details Project Rainier AI compute cluster (18:22) Missed Headline: Cruise’s robotaxi service will likely shut down as GM pulls its funding (25:25) Missed Headline: Amazon’s online car ‘dealership’ with Hyundai is now live (28:24) Missed Headline: USDA mandates federal bird flu testing in milk (33:59) Missed Headline: They taught rats to drive a car, and it may help us lead happier lives (38:00) cj’s recommendation: Yann LeCun’s Convolutional Network Demo from 1989 (41:32) Jeff’s Recommendation: Conclave Throughout our time producing Nonsense, we have learned and been reminded of many things. Most notable is that both hosts of this show talk, a lot! Usually over each other, but we’ll save that for another day. As a result of said talking, we don’t get to cover nearly as many headlines as we would like to every episode. So this time we are covering only news to try and catch you up on what we’ve all been missing of late. Headlines Google launched Gemini 2.0, its new AI model for practically everything Vintage Advert Get The Goods - ARC Skyscraper486/C Monster! Segment AWS details Project Rainier AI compute cluster with hundreds of thousands of chips - SiliconANGLE Amazon Unveils Project Rainier: A Game-Changer in AI Computing | by Types Digital | Dec, 2024 | Cubed Amazon announces new ‘Rainier’ AI compute cluster with Anthropic | Semafor Project Ceiba – Largest AI Super Computer Co-Built with NVIDIA - AWS Cruise’s robotaxi service will likely shut down as GM pulls its funding - The Verge Zoox (company) - Wikiwand Zoox Robotaxis Are Hitting Public Roads Amazon’s online car ‘dealership’ with Hyundai is now live - The Verge USDA mandates federal bird flu testing in milk Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth Second Edition I taught rats to drive a car, and it may help us lead happier lives Close Convolutional Network Demo from 1989 [restored version] Conclave (2024) - IMDb Send us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠voice message⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!
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    45 mins
  • A Regular-Sized, No-Color Friday

    A Regular-Sized, No-Color Friday
    Dec 5 2024

    (0:00) Pre-Show

    (1:29) Open

    (1:42) National Communicate with Your Kids Day

    (3:37) cj's week: Black Friday Recovery Aftermath

    (5:18) Jeff's Week: Colon-scopey, Hackery, & Hoosiery

    (9:10) Headline: Intel approaches candidates for CEO role

    (10:23) Recommendation: TWINCOM 24/96

    (11:48) Segment: Black Friday

    (40:29) cj’s recommendation: A Charlie Brown Christmas

    (42:38) Jeff’s Recommendation: Wicked


    In this episode, we explore the (relatively) modern concept of a Black Friday. No, not the Black Friday that crashed the gold market, and no, not the one that caused traffic congestion in Philadelphia 75 years ago. As you guessed, it’s the Black Friday that you’ve come to associate with tramplings at Walmart, cheap flat-screen TVs, and Furbies. How did it start, where did it come from, and how’s it doin’?

    But first, Intel kicks off its new CEO search in a (feeble?) attempt to right the ship. It’s almost time to add your Bunny Men to your collection of pets.com mascots and “Be Kind, Please Rewind” stickers. :-(


    Headlines

    Intel approaches candidates for CEO role, including former board member Lip-Bu Tan | Reuters


    TWINCOM 24/96 Modem + Fax


    Segment

    When was the first Proper Thanksgiving Celebrated in L.A.?!?


    20 Most Insane Black Friday Incidents

    ​​

    Black Friday (1869) - Wikiwand articles


    Black Friday (shopping) - Wikiwand


    Close

    A Charlie Brown Christmas - Wikiwand


    ‘Wicked’ Review: We’re Off to See the Witches


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    45 mins
  • Science: Making Food Better

    Science: Making Food Better
    Nov 28 2024
    (0:00) Pre-Show (0:50) Open (1:02) The National Dog Show Broadcast Day (2:31) cj's week: To Turkey or Not to Turkey (5:42) Jeff's Week: Real Thanks (6:50) Headline: Florida's surgeon general advises against adding fluoride to drinking water (9:19) Headline: Russian ship docks to space station, astronauts report a foul smell (10:23) Recommendation: CCS Time EPROMs (11:18) Segment: Technological Advances in Cooking (42:15) cj’s recommendation: The Dor Brothers AI-Generated Videos (43:45) Jeff’s Recommendation: Seth Meyer’s Dad Man Walking It is only fitting to talk about food on an episode dropping on Thanksgiving! So this time the guys dig into some of the technological advances that have pushed the art of cooking forward. From instant-read thermometers to maintain food safety, to a more durable approach on ceramic cookers from millennia ago, there’s all sorts of delicious, edible tech this time. But before that, we’ve got a quick discussion around Florida’s new One Cavity Per Child plan followed by some good ol’ finger-pulling on the ISS. It’s a weird world. Open The Bizarre Truth About Purebred Dogs (and Why Mutts Are Better) - Adam Ruins Everything Recommendation Knots Landing - Wikiwand Computer Shopper Magazine, October, 1988, Volume 8, Number 10 Headlines Florida's surgeon general advises against adding fluoride to drinking water After Russian ship docks to space station, astronauts report a foul smell - Ars Technica Segment Modernist Cuisine The Original Vertical Roaster - Spanek ThermoPro FireBoard Labs Big Green Egg How to use the Pixel 8 Pro's thermometer to take the temperature of almost anything | ZDNET Meet Meathead, The BBQ Whisperer, Mythbuster, And Barbecue Hall Of Famer Close The Dor Brothers - YouTube Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking | HBO Send us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠voice message⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!
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    46 mins
  • The Internet Giveth and Taketh Away

    The Internet Giveth and Taketh Away
    Nov 21 2024

    (0:00) Pre-Show

    (0:58) Open

    (1:30) Use Less Stuff Day

    (3:15) cj's week: DRW Lose, Markus Wins!

    (5:25) Jeff's Week: Dalton Knecht

    (7:09) Headline: Netflix served the Tyson vs. Paul fight to 60 million households

    (7:55) Headline: NFL fans worry Netflix’s bad Tyson vs. Paul stream means it can’t handle football - The Verge

    (11:24) The Internet Giveth and Taketh Away

    (40:28) cj’s recommendation: Send to YouTube

    (42:45) Jeff’s Recommendation: Indiana Football


    Some Nonsense listeners may be surprised to learn that humanity survived quite a while without the use, nor even the existence of, the Interwebs.

    Just kidding! The average Nonsense listener remembers their fingers getting pinched by rotary phones vividly, so the internet might as well be considered brand-spankin’ new!

    This episode the guys talk a bit about the evolution of the Internet - how it started, how they _thought_ it started, and how it’s going. You’re going to love it, we promise. You might even laugh. You’ll probably snicker. You shouldn't cry.

    No promises.


    Open

    Legend of the Octopus - Wikiwand / articles


    Headlines

    Netflix served the Tyson vs. Paul fight to 60 million households - The Verge


    NFL fans worry Netflix’s bad Tyson vs. Paul stream means it can’t handle football - The Verge


    Netflix’s live entertainment juggernaut adds Beyoncé - The Verge


    Segment

    Robin Berjon


    Building The Next Web


    The Web Is For User Agency


    Solid (web decentralization project) - Wikiwand / articles


    ActivityPub Over ATProto


    Close

    IMG_0416 - ben-mini


    IMG_0001


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    46 mins
  • Science, in Memoriam

    Science, in Memoriam
    Nov 7 2024
    (0:00) Pre-Show (1:00) Open (1:30) Men Make Dinner Day (2:55) Our Week: Hello Darkness Our Old Friend… (10:40) Segment: Missed Headlines (11:10) Missed Headline: Google's 'Big Sleep' AI Project Uncovers Real Software Vulnerabilities (17:53) Missed Headline: TSMC suspended shipments to China firm after chip found on Huawei processor (25:18) Missed Headline: GM is ditching Apple CarPlay (35:50) Missed Headline: Semaglutide Effective at Treating Arthritis (39:40) Missed Headline: Threads now has 275M monthly active users (41:52) cj’s recommendation: Lee Greenwood: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) (43:32) Jeff’s Recommendation: Will & Harper Nonsense is off to a slow start this November, but there are a few stories we have missed in the past month that we still want to share with y’all. So this episode, after a brief bit of mourning, we wax on about Google’s Naptime, TSMC fixing the leak, GM ditching the one thing that’s working for them, and two more surprising wins for Ozempic et al. All served with the numerous Nonsense tangents that you’ve come to love and expect from this show. Enjoy! Google's 'Big Sleep' AI Project Uncovers Real Software Vulnerabilities | PCMag TSMC suspended shipments to China firm after chip found on Huawei processor, sources say | Reuters Huawei reportedly facing bad AI chip yields for processors made at Chinese fab SMIC: Report | Tom's Hardware ByteDance Reportedly Acquires 100,000 of Huawei's Ascend 910B AI Chips Why GM is ditching Apple CarPlay, with software boss Baris Cetinok - The Verge Android Auto vs. Android Automotive vs. Google Automotive Services (GAS) Semaglutide So Effective at Treating Arthritis That Patients Were “More or Less Were Treated Out of the Study” Patients Taking Ozempic Are Up to 70 Percent Less Likely to Develop Alzheimer’s, Research Finds Threads now has 275M monthly active users | TechCrunch Close Lee Greenwood: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) Watch Will & Harper | Netflix Official Site Harper and Will Go West (from the Netflix Documentary "Will & Harper") Send us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠voice message⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!
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    46 mins
  • The First AI

    The First AI
    Oct 31 2024

    (0:00) Pre-Show

    (1:34) Open

    (1:47) National Doorbell Day

    (2:15) cj's week: Parent-Teacher Conference

    (3:11) Jeff's Week: Dodgers & Doorbells

    (3:43) Headline: Ban on Chinese tech so broad, US-made cars would be blocked, Polestar says

    (10:08) Headline: Russian Court Wants Google to Cough Up $2x10^34

    (11:25) Advanced Technology: Artificial Light

    (39:28) cj’s recommendation: SMB3 100% Speed Runs

    (42:51) Jeff’s Recommendation: The Donut King


    Every technological advancement stands on the shoulders of the tech that came before it. Certainly, today’s AI would not exist if not for the boom in computing over the past half-century.

    Of course, before computing could exist, electricity needed standardized generation and ubiquitous delivery mechanisms. Surely the flowing of electrons must be one of the earliest technological marvels, taken for granted, that enabled today’s AI.

    But in this episode, the guys look at an even earlier technology that we rarely, if ever, give thought to - artificial light. Relatively speaking we have spent a very brief portion of our existence as a species utilizing light from non-solar sources. When we realized the sheer volume of technological development completed under the glow of artificial light, we knew we had to talk about it.

    But before we explore sesame oil lamps and delicious tallow candles, what would Nonsense be without some banned Chinese technology drama, and more Google fines (this time with extra zeros!)


    Headlines

    Ban on Chinese tech so broad, US-made cars would be blocked, Polestar says - Ars Technica


    Atlas Goes Hands On


    Boston Dynamics’ new video shows that its humanoid robot doesn’t need a human - The Verge


    Russian Court Wants Google to Cough Up $2x10^34


    Segment

    Genius and blood: How cheap light transformed civilization


    Timeline of lighting technology - Wikiwand


    Gas lighting - Wikiwand


    Close

    The History of Super Mario Bros 3 100% World Records


    'The Donut King' Documentary Trailer



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    45 mins
  • Because Money

    Because Money
    Oct 24 2024
    (0:00) Pre-Show (0:54) Open (1:18) United Nations Day (2:35) cj's week: Old, Dying Tech (5:05) Jeff's Week: Dodgers, WNBA, & Lakers (8:18) Headline: The Juul class action lawsuit is paying people huge amounts of money (9:18) Headline: US Moves to Block Large Transfers of US Data to China, Russia, and Iran (10:58) Missed Headline: U.S. reportedly probes TSMC for alleged work with Huawei (33:34) Missed Headline: U.S. lawmakers put pressure on Japan to increase Chinese chip restraints (40:48) cj’s recommendation: Dodgers (w)in the NLCS! (44:03) Jeff’s Recommendation: My Old School Some people do things that make us go “wow, that doesn’t make sense; why in the world would they do that?” As it turns out, the answer can usually be summed up simply as “because money.” While there is a seemingly infinite set of examples where this “phenomon” occurrs, we only have time for a couple in this episode. Looking to sell intimate data on U.S. citizens that could easily lead to spying, blackmail, and other abuses? Why not, because money! Is Taiwan selling advanced chips to China while under imminent threat of being sucked back into PRC control? Sure thing -- because money! Open Amid officiating controversy, Georgia shows it's still an SEC juggernaut with road win over top-ranked Texas - Yahoo Sports Ludo Lefebvre Headlines The Juul class action lawsuit is paying people huge amounts of money US Moves to Block Large Transfers of US Data to China, Russia, and Iran | PCMag Missed Headlines U.S. reportedly probes TSMC for alleged work with Huawei | Fortune Asia Huawei’s 5G chip breakthrough needs a reality check.- MIT Technology Review TSMC Rejects U.S. Investigation Rumors After Reports Link Its Chips to Huawei - Techopedia US suspects TSMC helped Huawei skirt export controls, report says - Ars Technica TSMC Cuts Off Client After Discovering Chips Sent to Huawei - Bloomberg TSMC reportedly uncovers Huawei's plot to circumvent US export controls — Chinese tech giant may be using a proxy to produce chips at TSMC | Tom's Hardware How China's chip production boomed in 2023 despite sanctions Chip wars: How ‘chiplets’ are emerging as a core part of China’s tech strategy | Reuters U.S. lawmakers put pressure on Japan to increase Chinese chip restraints My Old School | Rotten Tomatoes Send us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠voice message⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!
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    47 mins