Game Theory Game Theory
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- Science
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Speakeasy conversation about strategy, competition, economics, history, and policy from two non-experts.
The episodes include some actual economic Game Theory such as the Prisoner's Dilemma, the Traveler's Dilemma, and the Public Good game. Episodes also include conversations on dilemmas in TV/Movies, sports, and board/card games, as well as the history of military, intelligence (spies), politics, and economics.
The objective is simply to think critically about how people make strategic choices regarding the world around them and most importantly, about the people around them.
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111. Recruiting Games: Companies Are Recruiting Earlier; Why Game Play Can Help Find Talent
In this episode, the guys talk about how early major firms are beginning their recruiting process and whether it's possible for game theory to apply to the hiring process.
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110. Pizza Meter - How Pizza Orders Predict War & Waffle House Index - They Unofficial FEMA Designation
Summary
The conversation discusses the concept of the pizza meter, which suggests that an increase in pizza orders from government buildings can be indicative of important political or military events.
The pizza meter has been observed to predict events such as the invasion of Grenada and Panama. The Pentagon has attempted to combat the pizza meter by sending aides out to physically get pizzas and mixing up the orders.
However, the pizza meter remains a popular and intriguing phenomenon. The conversation also touches on the nostalgia and romance associated with pizza, as well as its role in social gatherings and workplace celebrations.
The conversation explores the concept of the pizza meter and its potential implications for national security. It discusses how the frequency of pizza orders to the Pentagon can inadvertently reveal sensitive information to adversaries.
The conversation also touches on other food-related metrics, such as the Waffle House index and the stripper index, which can provide insights into the state of the economy.
The hosts emphasize the importance of paying attention to local knowledge and intuition in understanding societal trends and potential crises.
Takeaways
The pizza meter suggests that an increase in pizza orders from government buildings can be indicative of important political or military events.
The pizza meter has been observed to predict events such as the invasion of Grenada and Panama.
The Pentagon has attempted to combat the pizza meter by sending aides out to physically get pizzas and mixing up the orders.
Pizza holds a nostalgic and romantic appeal, and it plays a role in social gatherings and workplace celebrations. The frequency of pizza orders to the Pentagon can inadvertently reveal sensitive information to adversaries.
Food-related metrics like the Waffle House index and the stripper index can provide insights into the state of the economy.
Paying attention to local knowledge and intuition can help understand societal trends and potential crises.
The hosts highlight the importance of diversifying pizza orders to maintain operational security.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Discussion of Food
10:28 The Pizza Meter and its Predictive Power
16:20 The Pentagon's Attempt to Combat the Pizza Meter
36:43 Food as Indicators: Waffle House Index and Stripper Index
45:24 The Value of Local Knowledge and Intuition
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109. Spotify's Stream Farm Problem & Amazon's Fake Walk-Out Stores
Summary
The conversation explores the fraudulent practices of buying followers and streams in the music industry and social media platforms.
It discusses the incentives for marketing firms to manipulate engagement numbers and the challenges of creating a level playing field.
The conversation also touches on the impact of these practices on the broader public and the difficulty in distinguishing between real engagement and bot activity. The episode highlights the need for platforms to crack down on these fraudulent practices and the potential financial losses for artists and the industry.
In this conversation, the hosts discuss various topics including the decline in the number of teenagers getting driver's licenses, the decrease in sexual activity among teenagers and adults, Amazon's use of workers in India to monitor its just walk out stores, and the manipulation of streaming numbers on platforms like Spotify and TikTok.
They also touch on the formula for writing a popular pop song and the prevalence of content farms and click farms. The hosts express their fascination with these topics and speculate on the future of these issues.
Keywords
fraudulent practices, buying followers, buying streams, music industry, social media platforms, marketing firms, engagement numbers, level playing field, bot activity, driver's licenses, decline, teenagers, sexual activity, Amazon, just walk out stores, India, streaming numbers, Spotify, TikTok, pop songs, content farms, click farms
Takeaways
Fraudulent practices of buying followers and streams are prevalent in the music industry and social media platforms.
Marketing firms manipulate engagement numbers to guarantee results, creating an artificial advantage and raising the bar for competitors.
Distinguishing between real engagement and bot activity is challenging, leading to an unequal playing field.
These practices have broader implications for the public, as the internet becomes inundated with artificial engagement.
Platforms need to crack down on fraudulent practices to protect artists and maintain the integrity of the industry. The number of teenagers getting driver's licenses has declined significantly over the years.
There has been a decrease in sexual activity among teenagers and adults.
Amazon's just walk out stores rely on workers in India to monitor customer behavior.
Streaming platforms like Spotify and TikTok have been accused of manipulating streaming numbers.
There is a formula for writing a popular pop song.
Content farms and click farms are prevalent in the digital world.
Titles
The Impact on the Public: Navigating the Dead Internet
Cracking Down on Fraud: Protecting Artists and the Industry The Decrease in Sexual Activity
The Formula for Writing a Popular Pop Song
Sound Bites
"They're just pressing play over and over and over again."
"They can guarantee a minimum amount of streaming increase and a minimum amount of sales increase."
"It's impossible to put artists on an equal footing with each other or record labels on an even footing with each other."
"Driver's license was where she broke up with a guy and just kept driving past his house. And like, who doesn't relate to that, you know? Like, who doesn't relate to that?"
"So in 95, two thirds of American teenagers 16 to 19 had driver's licenses. And today it's less than half."
"People have been having less sex, whether they're teenagers or 40-somethings. It's just having less."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates
09:06 Unveiling the Fraud: Buying Followers and Streams
26:09 The Impact on the Public: Navigating the Dead Internet
38:00 Amazon's Use of Workers in India for Just Walk Out Stores
47:31 The Prevalence of Content Farms and Click Farms
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108. AI-Generated Content: Sports Illustrated's Scandal; Gothika Cover; The Library of Babel
Summary
In this conversation, the hosts discuss various topics, including the New York State salary listing requirement, the impact of AI on creative expression, the importance of a paper co-authored by prominent thinkers in foreign policy, the revolutionary change brought about by nuclear weapons, and the use of AI in music and art.
They also explore the automation of mundane processes, the joy of buying books, AI-generated book covers, and the romanticization of everyday life through AI-generated images. The conversation concludes with a discussion on a potential strike in Hollywood and the reputability of sources.
Takeaways
New York State requires employers to list the salary for every job posting on the internet.
AI is efficient at making associations and correlations but lacks the ability to generate ideas.
AI has had a profound impact on scientific writing and publications.
AI can automate mundane processes and speed up tasks that require intellectual capital.
AI-generated book covers and images raise questions about the loss of artistic expression.
AI-generated music and art have both positive and negative implications.
The hosts express their love for buying books and the joy of owning them.
The conversation touches on the potential strike in Hollywood and the reputability of sources.
Sound Bites
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Celebration
02:10 New York State Salary Listing Requirement
03:00 Excitement for Future Topics
04:07 Predictability and Clip Reappearance
05:10 AI and Creative Expression
07:00 Prominent Thinkers in Foreign Policy
09:04 Importance of the Paper
11:38 Revolutionary Change of Nuclear Weapons
12:35 AI as Mathematical Correlations
14:15 AI and Music
15:23 AI's Impact on Scientific Writing
15:54 Automating Mundane Processes
18:03 AI-Generated Book Covers
19:50 AI-Generated Music and Art
22:01 AI's Impact on Artistic Expression
23:00 AI-Generated Images and Romanticization
24:06 AI-Generated Music Revisited
25:32 Player 3's Musical Preferences
26:09 Potential Strike in Hollywood
26:47 Reputability of Sources
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107. John Von Neumann - Father of Game Theory, Nuclear Scientist, Super Genius
In this episode, Nick and Chris discuss their hiatus and receive feedback on their Match Day episode. They then introduce John von Neumann, a mathematician, physicist, computer scientist, and polymath who made significant contributions to game theory.
We discuss his biography, academic career, and collaborations with other intellectual giants. They highlight his work on the Manhattan Project and his obsession with game theory.
The episode concludes with a humorous anecdote about von Neumann's clap back to his wife. This conversation explores the perspectives and contributions of John von Neumann, a mathematician and physicist known for his work in game theory and nuclear deterrence.
Von Neumann's view of chess as a well-defined form of computation is discussed, highlighting the distinction between strategy and tactics.
We also delves into the mechanical properties of the universe and the role of bluffing and deception in chess and real life. Von Neumann's life's work in game theory, including the mini max theory and the cake distribution problem, is explored.
Additionally, his involvement in missile development and his impact on national defense strategy are examined. The conversation concludes by addressing some unsavory aspects of von Neumann's life.
Takeaways
John von Neumann was a brilliant mathematician, physicist, and computer scientist who made significant contributions to game theory.
He collaborated with other intellectual giants, such as Einstein and Bohr, and played a key role in the Manhattan Project.
Von Neumann's work on game theory revolutionized the field and has applications in economics, decision-making, and military strategy.
His obsession with game theory led him to develop groundbreaking concepts and models.
Despite his brilliance, von Neumann had a humorous side, as seen in his clap back to his wife. Chess can be seen as a well-defined form of computation, while real life involves bluffing and deception.
Game theory provides a framework for decision-making and optimizing strategies in various situations.
Von Neumann's work in game theory and nuclear deterrence had a significant impact on national defense strategies.
The distinction between strategy and tactics is crucial in understanding complex systems and decision-making.
Von Neumann's contributions to mathematics and physics continue to shape our understanding of the world.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Welcome Back
01:04 Discussion on Medical Match Day
05:49 Feedback on Match Day Episode
07:11 Introduction to John von Neumann
09:17 Biographical Information on John von Neumann
11:31 Contributions of John von Neumann
20:27 Collaboration with Other Intellectual Giants
24:29 Casual Conversations with Einstein and Bohr
25:22 Obsession with Game Theory
26:15 Von Neumann's Clap Back
26:51 Von Neumann's Perspective on Chess and Games
27:43 The Intellectual Period and the Predictability of the Universe
29:06 Mechanical Properties of the Universe
30:03 Chess as a Well-Defined Form of Computation
31:28 Bluffing and Deception in Chess and Real Life
33:09 The Role of Game Theory in Decision-Making
34:35 Von Neumann's Life's Work: Mini Max Theory
37:07 The Cake Distribution Problem
41:57 Von Neumann's Work on Nuclear Deterrence
46:01 Von Neumann's Role in Missile Development
51:45 Von Neumann's Distinction Between Strategy and Tactics
57:23 Unsavory Aspects of Von Neumann's Life
Links:
John von Neumann Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_von_Neumann
Minimax Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimax_theorem#cite_note-1
Theory of Games and Economic Behavior: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691130613/theory-of-games-and-economic-behavior
Klara Dan von Neumann: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kl%C3%A1ra_D%C3%A1n_von_Neumann#:~:text=Kl%C3%A1ra%20D%C3%A1n%20von%20Neumann%20(born,style%20code%20on%20a%20computer.
Reddit Thread on JVN's Contribution to the Nash Equilibrium https://www.redd -
THROWBACK: Medical Match Day, The Stable Marriage Problem, and a Special Guest
In this episode, Nick and Chris are joined by Nick's better half -- Dr. Kim Linden -- to talk about the medical match. What's it like? Do you like it? What are the problems?
We'd all also like to congratulate and wish godspeed upon all those who matched! Remember, this show has a YouTube Channel and you can also check out the website for blogs, etc. Email the show at gametheorymedia1@gmail.com
Follows:
Game Theory on Facebook - https://bit.ly/3u8Jguz
Nick on Twitter - @tribnic
Nick on Insta - @tribnic
Chris on Twitter - @ChrisAndrews315
Special Thanks to Dr. Glaucomflecken and his TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@drglaucomflecken
Googliography:
The Match - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resident_Matching_Program#Matching_algorithm
Match Day -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_Day_(medicine)
Stable Marriage Problem - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stable_marriage_problem#Different_stable_matchings
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