Data Driven

In this DataPoint, Frank discovers that Chuck E. Cheese is tracking game playing statistics with the use of RFID cards and how to look up your own data with their in store kiosks.  

While grabbing coffee at a recently renovated McDonald’s, Frank ponders the future of work: both low-skill and higher skill work. There’s going to be no hiding from this: we are truly on the Eve of Disruption, where AI will impact everyone everywhere. It’s not all gloom and doom and there might be a strategy to survive and even thrive now and in the next economy.

In this episode, Frank and Andy talk to two guests, Ronald Schmelzer and Kathleen Walch, co-founders of Cognilytica and co-hosts of the AI Today podcast. Links Sponsor: Audible.com – Get a free audio book when you sign up for a free trial! Notable Quotes Cognilytica is amazing!([04:00]) All chatbots are dumb – for now. ([09:00]) Machine Learning vs. Machine Reasoning ([11:30]) The DIKUW Pyramid ([11:55]) More about Knowledge Graph… ([14:00]) More about Common Sense… ([15:00]) On generalization ([16:05]) ML and the Elephant in the Room ([16:22]) Movie reference: Guardians of the Galaxy ([17:00]) How did the AI Today podcast get started? ([18:00]) AI Today podcast with Dragos Margineantu, AI Chief Technologist at Boeing ([19:44]) Is AI retro? ([22:50]) Movie Reference: Short Circuit ([23:30]) Did you find data or did data find you? (0[25:00]) Tech Breakfast DC ([28:30]) AOL plug ([31:25]) What’s your favorite part of your current gig? ([32:00]) More about pseudo-AI… ([33:45]) Shout-out to Brent Ozar (just not by name) ([38:00]) When I’m not working, I enjoy ___? ([39:45]) I think the coolest thing in technology is ___? ([41:12]) Bubble programming language ([42:15]) I look forward to the day when I can use technology to ___. ([45:00]) “Don’t overshare…” ([46:30]) The loneliest people ([47:00]) Warning: Do not watch movies while driving. ([48:30]) Also, eating tacos while driving is difficult. ([49:00]) “Lefties are alright…” – Kathleen ([49:30]) Ron may be a pool shark. ([51:30]) Ron and Kathleen write for TechTarget and Forbes. ([53:00]) Ron’s book recommendation: Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution ([56:00]) Kathleen’s book recommendation: My Not-So-Perfect Life ([57:00]) Kathleen’s other book recommendation: The Glass Castle ([57:40]) You can glamp at Sandy River in Farmville ([1:00:00])

Frank and Andy mix things up a bit and talk about running R in SQL Azure, becoming Anti-Fragile, Appalachia, and how they got blocked by a big time blogger. Links Sponsor: Audible.com – Get a free audio book when you sign up for a free trial! Notable Quotes Andy and Frank agree The Expanse is well-written. ([02:00]) Frank’s super-secret conference… wasn’t. ([04:00]) You should definitely check out Franks World ([04:30]) Keep up with Azure Data Fest on Twitter ([05:00]) AI Super-Powers ([05:20]) Frank and Andy “learned a lot” when we tried to land a “big fish”… ([05:40]) … and were blocked on Twitter ([06:15]) (It’s all Andy’s fault. Frank’s Twitter block was collateral damage.) ([06:30]) Frank is a Microsoft AI Ambassador ([07:15]) Check out the show with Ronald Schmelzer and Kathleen Walch on AI, Enterprises, and Startups ([08:00]) Shoutout to Milena Rodban and her show on Geopolitical Risk, Cybersecurity, and Tennis ([08:30]) Milena’s LinkedIn article ([09:15]) DIVE DIVE DIVE ([10:00]) “R-uh” ([10:45]) Kent’s show ([11:00]) Frank has another certification: AI ([11:15]) “No brakes on the F train…” ([12:00]) Frank has 36 certifications in the past 2.5 years ([12:30]) COBOL mentioned… ([13:00]) Regarding “SELECT *…” ([14:15]) More information about Azure Data Explorer ([15:30]) On dataframes… ([17:30]) Setting up R in Azure ([18:00]) Frank writes the Artificially Intelligent column at MSDN magazine ([20:00]) Learn more about Azure Databricks ([23:30]) Graeme Malcolm is an awesome presenter! ([26:00]) Frank totaled his car in December 2018 ([26:30]) More information on Honda Adaptive Cruise Control ([28:00]) Frank’s role – as a driver – has changed. ([31:12]) Book Recommendation: Anti-Fragile ([35:30]) Frank’s brush with “Ponch” ([36:50]) Interesting article about combination of tolerances ([38:50]) Andy shares thoughts on the economics of self-driving trucks ([43:00]) Frank shares thoughts on the shifting role of a driver in self-driving trucks ([45:30]) “Learn how to code” is not particularly helpful ([47:00]) AFAF == “Anti-Fragile As Frank” ([47:30]) Upcoming show with Anders Schneiderman, who has not (yet) blocked us on Twitter ([50:00]) “Disruption is now the norm.” ([51:30]) Mr. T predicts pain. ([53:30]) Frank’s *DataPoint* Be Playful With Your Data, but Judicious With Your Time ([54:30]) “Potpourri episode” ([55:55]) Book reference: Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (@nntaleb) ([56:15]) Book references: The 10X Rule and Be Obsessed or Be Average by Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) ([57:15]) Nassim Taleb is writing an Incerto. ([58:00]) “You’re not that guy. I’m that guy.” – Amos Burton ([1:00:00]) More love for The Expanse… ([1:01:00]) Love for Star Trek: Deep Space 9 ([1:01:30]) Love for “Stargate: Galactica” (Stargate Universe) ([1:02:30])

In this episode Frank and Andy talk with Milena Rodban, a Geopolitical Risk Consultant and Simulation Designer, which might be the best job title ever. Milena discusses the importance of data and the often overlooked security aspects around data, especially when set against the backdrop of complex business and security environments. Links Sponsor: Audible.com – Get a free audio book when you sign up for a free trial! Notable Quotes Frank and Andy wax rhapsodic about the term “information superhighway.” ([00:45]) Andy has been busy working on new releases at DILM Suite. ([01:50]) Frank has been to super-secret conference… ([02:15]) Happy Birthday, Frank! ([03:00]) Our guest, Milena Rodban, is a Geopolitical Risk Consultant and Simulation Designer at VerSprite Security.([03:30]) “Geo-political flux” ([06:20]) An article on the risk posed by Huawei. ([07:00]) Information on the 2018 Atlanta cyber-attack. ([10:15]) Regarding the challenges of identifying Black Swan events using machine learning… ([12:30]) Milena design simulations that surface internal organizational patterns and expose information vectors. ([14:30]) Are bad actors using automation? ([16:30]) What happens when bad actors begin using AI? ([17:10]) Automation reduces the cost / attack. ([17:40]) Milena asks, “Is there a listening device in use?” when she enters a home. ([19:15]) “The same way you would ask a doctor, ‘What are the side-effects of this medication?’ we should be thinking about the side-effects of introducing this technology into my home.” ([20:20]) Frank: “So it’s a good time to be a bad guy.” Milena: “It’s definitely an easy time to be a bad guy.” ([24:00]) “We have quite enough history to tell us things that things will go wrong and they will go wrong spectacularly if you’re not prepared.” ([25:50]) Milena answers: “What’s a good first step for organizations and people interested in being more mindful of security?” ([26:00]) Did Milena find this field or did this field find her? ([28:20]) Milena tweeted the hashtag #BanDataTorture for a while.([29:10]) More information about Enigma ([31:30]) On predicting the future from the past… ([32:45]) Lots of admiration for Nassim Nicholas Taleb ([33:33]) Milena mentions The Gray Rhino by Michele Wucker ([33:44]) What’s your favorite part of your current gig? ([34:50]) Milena enjoys playing tennis and appreciates IBM’s efforts to data mine the sport. ([35:50]) The coolest thing in technology is connecting with others. ([36:10]) “I look forward to the day when I don’t feel like I want to throw my laptop out the window!” ([37:15]) Milena enjoys scuba diving. ([38:00]) Learn more about Milena Rodban on LinkedIn and at VerSprite.com. ([38:40]) Milena’s writing may be found at her (excellent) website: MilenaRodban.com ([38:45]) For more information about Milena’s upcoming book, Geopolitical Flux, follow the Twitter for @Geopolitical Flux. ([38:55]) Milena recommends The Tyranny of Metrics by Jerry Z. Muller. ([39:10]) Milena is currently reading The Leadership Lab by Chris Lewis and Dr. Pippa Malmgren. ([39:30]) Get a free audio book and support DataDriven – visit thedatadrivenbook.com! ([40:30])

This week, Frank is at (near) Microsoft’s headquarters just outside Seattle, Washington, attending internal, possibly even secret,  training.  In this impromptu Data Point, he chats with fellow attendees about AI, Ethics, and the ever-present Unintended Consequences of technological advancement.

In this Data Point, Frank explains why you should be playful with your data and judicious with your time in this unusually philosophical Data Point

In this episode of Data Driven, Frank and Andy talk to Trey Johnson about ETL, Data, and fixing up old cars.  

In this DataPoint, Andy reflect on software development, SSIS Catalog Compare, and his philosophies on testing software. Also, if you want to grab a cool SSIS t-shirt, get it from Amazon today for $19 . You get some sweet geeky swag and your purchase helps fund the show.

In this free excerpt from Andy’s Fundamentals of Azure Data Factory course, Andy shows off some of his prowess with ADF with our listeners.