
Funny laws and unlikely examples of best practices in compliance. New fields of study that apply principles of hard sciences to economics and policy gives rise to. Crises in economics and technology that are making law more accessible. Gender biases in the practice of law. Essential but light economics reading.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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Film quote, presumed under Fair Use: The voice of Gregory Peck from To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Atticus Finch addresses the jury on the obvious inequalities in the US justice system.
Coins icon by ultimatearm.
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Links:
The Origin of Left and Right in Politics
https://www.spectator.co.uk/2014/02/the-great-debate-by-yuval-levin-review/
‘Things’ used to be laws!
https://www.etymonline.com/word/thing
As other countries of the world banned plastic, Michigan went another way.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/30/yes-this-is-real-michigan-just-banned-banning-plastic-bags/
You might have broken the law when you had that drink last night.
https://www.bloombergquint.com/law-and-policy/in-maharashtra-serving-liquor-at-home-can-get-you-arrested-heres-how-to-avoid-that
Liability vigilance! British construction firms caution Indian municipalities about bridges they built during the Raj.
https://www.mid-day.com/articles/bridge-on-mumbai-goa-highway-too-old-uk-government-had-warned-state-government-in-2013/17495198
Peter Turchin predicted that civilization might collapse in 2020!
https://www.nature.com/articles/463608a
An example of Econophysics
http://www.pnas.org/content/106/26/10570
Paul Romer and Jean Tirole on the problems in their discipline
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/19/its-time-to-junk-the-flawed-economic-models-that-make-the-world-a-dangerous-place
The 2013 Nobel Prize in Economics was shared between two economists who disagree on a fundamental question in their discipline.
https://hbr.org/2013/10/what-the-great-fama-shiller-debate-has-taught-us
Even at the Supreme Court, women lawyers get interrupted far more than male counterparts.
https://psmag.com/social-justice/female-lawyers-are-interrupted-more-frequently
Ditto the justices!
https://hbr.org/2017/04/female-supreme-court-justices-are-interrupted-more-by-male-justices-and-advocates
A GitHub repository of the entire German code of law, uploaded by a German citizen
https://github.com/bundestag/gesetze
Book recommendations:
The Undercover Economist : https://www.amazon.in/Undercover-Economist-Tim-Harford/dp/0349119856
Economics Rules: https://www.amazon.in/Economics-Rules-Rights-Wrongs-Science/dp/0393246418
Core-Econ: https://www.core-econ.org/
May 31, 2020
28 min

Are scientists fallible? Is science? Contributions of forgotten scientists of the past and of #WomeninScience in the future. The funny side of science and engineering. Some of the challenges facing how science progresses and some of the new projects trying to address them. Profiles of labs knitting the future and stories from scientists at work.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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Film quote, presumed under Fair Use: Voices of Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern from Jurassic Park (1992). Dr. Ian Malcolm and Dr. Ellie Sattler on a tour of the island, musing aloud their thoughts on humans toying with nature.
Telescope icon by icongeek26.
= = =
Links:
Steam-power is 2000 years old
https://www.britannica.com/technology/aeolipile
‘Algorithms’ come from Uzbekistan
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/91544/how-algorithm-got-its-name
Iraqis were among the first scientists in today’s sense
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7810846.stm
When they blew smoke up you to save you from drowning
https://gizmodo.com/blowing-smoke-up-your-ass-used-to-be-literal-1578620709
Stonehenge building not such a mystery
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/05/23/stonehenge-wasnt-so-hard-to-build-after-all-archaeologists-disco/
The real housewives of the Enlightenment
https://www.nature.com/scitable/forums/women-in-science/ever-heard-of-marie-anne-lavoisier-58817208/
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Library-and-Information-Services/Exhibitions/Women-and-Geology/Mary-Buckland
Some of Newton’s more dubious thoughts
https://listverse.com/2018/07/26/10-strange-stories-from-isaac-newtons-descent-into-madness/
Some of Einstein's more dubious thoughts
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/world/einstein-travel-diaries.html
Trying to avoid all GMO food? Might be harder than you thought.
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/05/05/404198552/natural-gmo-sweet-potato-genetically-modified-8-000-years-ago
Who’s paying for this research?
https://listverse.com/2019/01/18/10-ridiculously-elaborate-scientific-studies-no-one-asked-for/
When not to trust experts
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/unknown-unknowns-the-problem-of-hypocognition/
Responses to crises in science publication
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-017-07325-2
Goodbye to animal testing!
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190122-how-bodies-on-a-chip-can-transform-animal-welfare
Insects inspire the best robots
https://www.technologyreview.com/f/613886/robot-bee-solar-powered-flying-drones/
Why Russia has more women in science than common in the West
https://qz.com/1746284/socialist-countries-employ-more-women-in-math-and-science/
Story Collider podcast
http://StoryCollider.org
One of the best Twitter handles in Science
https://www.statnews.com/2019/04/15/in-mice-twitter-account-hype-science-reporting/
Astrobiology with Neil De Grasse Tyson and Richard Dawkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RExQFZzHXQ
Profile of Berkeley rock star scientist Dr. Jennifer Doudna
https://vcresearch.berkeley.edu/faculty/jennifer-doudna
One of the cooler labs out there
https://media.mit.edu
May 24, 2020
30 min

Though the modern computer and internet are relatively recent inventions, the importance of maintaining data and the power that comes with it was not lost on our ancestors. A surprising source of inspiration for the creation of the world-wide web. On a lighter note, how petroleum jelly is essential for internet access and on a sombre one, how the internet is changing for the better and the worse.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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TV quote, presumed under Fair Use: The voice of Thomas Middleditch from Silicon Valley. Richard Hendricks gives an impassioned testimony to the US Congress.
Computer icon from Smashicons.
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Links:
First, erratum: earliest programmable device was an Iraqi flute in 9th century, not a French loom in the 18th.
http://historymesh.com/object/automatic-flute-player/
One of the very first demographic databases:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30725-X/fulltext
Florence Nightingale was a data wiz!
https://understandinguncertainty.org/coxcombs
The map that the other John Snow’s made against a mortal threat:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/mar/15/john-snow-cholera-map
The link from British colonisation of India to the loom that inspired computers, A PhD dissertation at Maastricht University:
https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/4083287/c5295.pdf
Petroleum jelly protects your face and deep sea cables!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve810FHZ1CQ
The looming Balkanization of the internet:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/05/24/239073/trumps-feud-with-huawei-and-china-could-lead-to-the-balkanization-of-tech/
The decentralised internet from HBO’s Silicon Valley might soon be a reality.
https://www.wired.com/2017/06/pied-pipers-new-internet-isnt-just-possible-almost/
The computer game that runs more websites than a (specific) country:
https://www.cnet.com/news/north-korea-accidentally-allows-international-access-to-its-28-websites/
Counterpoint to the Target story in our Marketing episode. Tesco sets an example:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/05/17/239101/grocery-bills-can-predict-diabetes-rates-by-neighborhood/
Blockchain and sex:
https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2018/08/30/the-promise-of-the-blockchain-technology
Progress in translating the language of the brain (recognising faces):
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-we-save-face-researchers-crack-the-brains-facial-recognition-code/
Your child’s ‘external hard disk’ at the office could be ‘alive’!
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dna-data-storage-is-closer-than-you-think/
Full circle from jacquard looms... knitting is like coding:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/science/math-physics-knitting-matsumoto.html
Tips to incorporate sound into UI, UX design projects:
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2019/05/future-design-voice-prototypes/
Profile of Dr. Barbara McGillivray, a computational linguist:
https://www.mmll.cam.ac.uk/bm517
Who’s the greatest musician (/painter/actor/writer) of all time? Hard numbers.
https://www.pantheon.media.mit.edu
May 17, 2020
34 min

The idea of delicacy varies, but is the range wider across time or across geography today? You’ll find it hard to decide when you hear of some popular foods in history and abroad. And where are creative chefs looking for inspiration with ingredients and recipes? New kinds of experiences in dining, the impact of technology on hospitality, and of course, advances in sustainability of the industry.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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Film quote: the voices of Helen Mirren and Om Puri from The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014). Star chef neighbours spar over cultural differences in the defining good cuisine.
Dish icon from Pause08.
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Links:
The very first dinner party
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19376-tortoise-banquet-remains-of-the-oldest-feast-found/
A very presidential club with a nearly-extinct menu
https://www.saveur.com/history-of-turtle-soup-hunting/
Popular foods once weren’t
https://www.history.com/news/once-forbidden-foods
Ketchup was once a medicine
https://www.fastcompany.com/1673352/how-500-years-of-weird-condiment-history-designed-the-heinz-ketchup-bottle
In Japan, chillies first went into socks
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2015/07/17/food/history-vegetable-hated-japanese-children/
‘Hawaiian’ pizza?
http://time.com/4814056/hawaiian-pizza-pineapple-sam-panopoulos-death/
World’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal
https://www.businessinsider.in/RANKED-The-50-cheapest-Michelin-starred-meals-in-the-world/articleshow/66005549.cms
Experiential dining: Ukraine style
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/15/world/city-tied-to-masochism-finds-link-painful-sure-but-some-like-it.html
Zero-tolerance coffee
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190402-these-coffee-snobs-ban-milk-and-sugar
Entomophagy is the future!
https://guides.loc.gov/entomophagy/internet-resources
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/whats-stopping-us-from-eating-insects/
Paradigm-challenging foods: China
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-urine-eggs/urine-soaked-eggs-a-spring-taste-treat-in-china-city-idUSBRE82S0EE20120329
Paradigm-challenging foods: France (Foie gras is not their cruelest dish.)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11101187/Ortolans-could-Frances-cruellest-food-be-back-on-the-menu.html
How green is your cafe? A paper cup grown on trees!
https://www.dezeen.com/2018/07/31/creme-creates-sustainable-plastic-cup-alternative-from-gourds/
Brazilian chef bringing indigious foods to fine dining tables
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/world/daring-fare-from-the-amazons-mouth-to-yours.html
Foraging for fine dining
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Y6cJvIQwY
Fighting unhealthy eating at the restaurant itself
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0224
A business promoting Home chefs
https://www.authenticook.com/
May 10, 2020
28 min

What was that very first ad for? What medium saw the first product placement? A look at some funny fails since the Mad Men era and archaic mores once seen in ads. Challenges in the content industries and emerging opportunities for them in voice and video. Marketing trends from China and beyond.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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TV quote, presumed under Fair Use: Voice of John Hamm from Mad Men. Don Draper expounds his advertising philosophy.
Advertising icon by Eucalyp.
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Links:
What was the oldest ad for?
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/murals-pompeiis-brothel-showcase-sex-lives-ancient-romans/
Spam in the 15th century
https://medievalbooks.nl/2014/12/05/medieval-spam-the-oldest-advertisements-for-books/
Subliminal advertising is as old as professional advertising firms!
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30878843
History of product placement in films
https://www.fastcompany.com/3044049/why-you-bought-those-reeses-pieces-a-history-of-product-placement-in-movies
Flights that barred women!
https://theweek.com/speedreads/557710/united-airlines-used-offer-menonly-flights
The don’ts of advertising
https://hbr.org/2012/03/bad-reviews-can-boost-sales-heres-why
Rockstar pioneers in marketing strategy. No literally.
https://www.businessinsider.com/marketing-tips-from-the-grateful-dead-2010-8
Extreme consumer-needs prediction by Target
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/#3f6b49a26668
Chinese liquor company’s content-based strategy
https://hbr.org/2019/05/what-western-marketers-can-learn-from-china
Product placement or content-based marketing? Rap and beer:
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/04/breaking-ad-when-hip-hop-first-went-corporate/390930/
BBC’s new voice service:
https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/bbc-news-audio-versions-articles-newfronts-1203200130/
Smart Assistants and their conflict of interest:
https://slate.com/technology/2019/05/alexa-amazon-voice-assistant-conflict-interest-regulation.html
Advertisers among the least trusted:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/224639/nurses-keep-healthy-lead-honest-ethical-profession.aspx
The company with pans for billboards in space:
https://startrocket.me/
Gamification examples
https://medium.com/the-red-fish/7-inspirational-examples-of-gamification-in-experiential-marketing-839b9099a144
ASMR in commercials!
https://www.cmo.com.au/article/657953/asmr-flash-marketing-pan-something-more/
May 3, 2020
28 min

A wide range of activities has qualified as entertainment through history. And we mean wide. Among those we still enjoy, meta-analyses help explain just what works in this sphere today, and why. Pioneers using technology for innovations that challenge long-held biases, and literally change the way we consume entertainment.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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TV quote, presumed under Fair Use: Voices of Julie Kavner and Nancy Cartwright from The Simpsons. Marge supports Bart's new foray into showbiz.
Oscar statuette icon from Freepik.
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Links:
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The Hungarian predecessor of the modern rockstar: Franz Liszt
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/lisztomania-19th-century-pop-phenomenon-made-beatlemania-look/
Primer on the Kuleshov Effect, with clips
https://nofilmschool.com/Kuleshov-effect-definition
1991, the year when pop music changed, and the Shazam effect
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2015/05/1991-the-most-important-year-in-music/392642/
Netflix algorithms that customize catalogues
https://netflixtechblog.com/ava-the-art-and-science-of-image-discovery-at-netflix-a442f163af6
John Plant’s Primitive Technology channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAL3JXZSzSm8AlZyD3nQdBA/featured
Why Pokemon Go is so addictive
https://www.wired.com/2016/07/psychology-pokemon-go-gets-inside-brain/
Father surprised disabled son had forged close bonds in online game worlds
https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-47064773
The Makings of a Successful Film
https://phys.org/news/2017-11-explores-movie-successful.html
The Evolutionary family tree of Stories
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0078871
Examples from crowdsourced lexicons to help analyze film scripts (or fictional plots)
https://www.standoutbooks.com/lampshade/
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlotArmor
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Redshirt
“Bisexual lighting”
https://www.vulture.com/2018/02/janelle-mone-steps-into-her-bisexual-lighting.html
Is there a colour palette common to successful films?
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/26/colour-grading-orange-teal-hollywood
Never mind The Voice, music criticism is not as objective as you hoped
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/08/16/1221454110?sid=b8b25559-54b1-481c-9c2d-e6226ae1a4e7
Daniel Radcliffe’s nifty trick to get the paparazzi off his back
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/501844/daniel-radcliffes-clever-trick-evading-paparazzi
Ava Berkofsky, DP correcting decades-long bias in camera and lighting technology
https://www.mic.com/articles/184244/keeping-insecure-lit-hbo-cinematographer-ava-berkofsky-on-properly-lighting-black-faces#.shzAu6F49
AI-authored Harry Potter fan fiction (animated version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-uDnlGJRdk
Shimon, the marimba-playing robot who can improvise
https://qz.com/689827/moogfest-shimon-music-robot/
Apr 26, 2020
36 min

Sport has long been one of humankind’s favourite pastimes, but for just how long? From a rather high-stakes Mayan football game to when the Olympics doubled up as an exhibition of surprising range of talents. Some of the thorniest questions in sport and how nuanced data analysis may answer at least a few.
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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Film quote, presumed under Fair Use: Voices of Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt from Moneyball (2011). Peter Brand makes his pitch to Billy Beane for a new way of drafting a team.
Basketball icon from Smashicons.
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Links:
Essays, Poetry and Glee singing competitions in the Olympics:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-the-olympics-gave-out-medals-for-art-6878965/
Strychnine used as energy drink in the 1904 Olympics marathon
https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2016/jul/21/the-cocktail-of-poison-and-brandy-that-led-to-olympic-gold-strychnine
Some of earliest balls games were played in Mesoamerica
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/06/soccer-world-cup-origins-mesoamerica-ball-games-archaeology-science/
China’s investments in sports
https://thebastion.co.in/politics-and/sports/the-dragons-growing-might-chinas-big-bet-on-sports/
Why Egypt produces so many squash champions
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/why-egypt-crushes-at-squash/383062/
Origin of the word ‘badminton’
https://scroll.in/video/830040/watch-the-time-when-badminton-was-called-poona
Tennis was close to being called ‘sphairistike’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/d4437526-3b92-32f4-89a6-bd3c29f296f0
Weightlifting and wrestling hold a special place in Iran
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/the-ancient-roots-of-irans-wrestling-and-weightlifting-olympic-dominance/260919/
Usain Bolt’s fastest 100m run, which is not in the record books
https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/bolt-runs-1435-sec-for-150m-covers-50m-150m-i
Contrary to sexist stereotypes, women are no worse than men, at least in track and field events
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/we-thought-female-athletes-were-catching-up-to-men-but-theyre-not/260927/
Tricky legal, ethical questions like those regarding intersex athletes present emerging career options
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-47640359
David Epstein’s The Sports Gene
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/22/sports-gene-david-epstein-review
Automated Strike zones in baseball
https://events.sporttechie.com/soti-2019
Publicly listing English football clubs was not a very successful experiment in the 1990s
https://www.economist.com/game-theory/2012/07/12/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed
The diet and lifestyle of a professional e-sports team
https://www.businessinsider.in/Heres-what-life-is-like-in-the-cramped-gaming-house-where-5-guys-live-together-and-earn-amazing-money-by-playing-video-games/articleshow/47164755.cms
Andy Dinh, founder of Team SoloMid
https://www.forbesindia.com/article/cross-border/andy-dinh-the-derek-jeter-of-esports/51647/1
Master’s in Sports History at De Montfort University (DMU)
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/17/ball-watching-through-the-ages-studying-the-history-of-sport
Sports for Development:
Project Khel - https://projectkhel.org/
Dribble Academy - https://pradyutvoleti.com/dribble-academy/
1 Million Hockey Legs - http://onemillionhockeylegssocialprojects.com/
Apr 19, 2020
47 min

Not just ultra futuristic designs, but also the diversity of old architecture across India. Surprising ancient building materials and reasons for their longevity and cutting edge (ancient) materials. How long do architects intend a design for? If their work lasts 2000 years, it will be put to some creative uses. Why not get creative at the beginning and apply some VR, AR and LIDAR on your next work!
© 2020 Tanay and Sach
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Film quote, presumed under Fair Use: Voices of Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon from There's Something About Mary (1998). He claims to be an architect; she takes him to an exhibit as a surprise!
Golden Gate bridge icon by mynamepong.
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Links:
On the mysteries of Roman concrete
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/07/why-modern-mortar-crumbles-roman-concrete-lasts-millennia
‘Subtractive building’ (rock temples of India)
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/in-cave-16-the-kailasa-temple/article24604281.ece
World’s earliest construction was not for housing but for religion!
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2011/06/gobeki-tepe/
Traditional disaster-proof architecture in India
https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/the-earthquake-proof-huts-of-kutch/
NASA looked at Henry VIII’s armour for inspiration!
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/blog/audio/2009/apr/01/henry-viii
Modular homes
https://www.americaninno.com/austin/austin-startup/home-stretch-kasita-has-a-new-ceo-and-plans-to-expand/
Container Architecture
https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/shipping-container-homes-460309
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gallery/2017/apr/23/shipping-container-architecture-in-pictures
Wooden skyscrapers!
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/wood-skyscrapers/
Additive ‘temples’
https://www.fastcompany.com/90109358/this-is-the-most-complex-architectural-structure-in-history
Casa Brutale
http://inhabitat.com/crazy-home-carved-into-a-coastal-cliff-has-a-swimming-pool-roof/
Eiji Nakatsu’s birds and trains
https://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/10/19/how-one-engineers-birdwatching-made-japans-bullet-train-better
Apr 9, 2020
35 min
