The Connect2 Podcast

Episodios

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  Which AI Model Should You Use? 29.09.2026 1h 4m

  The Frontier labs are producing more and more models.  As a casual user, you are presented with a number of options as to which version of the model you can select for your task.  How do you decide.  Mark and Jeff go through the different models and versions (as of Sept 2026) and help you understand.  We also, briefly, discuss the current Alex Formenton controversy and how it fits into the culture of the Edmonton Oilers that have a long history of recruiting many players, coaches and GM's that have had tainted pasts to give them an opportunity for a second chance.  
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  Is There Any Good News Out There? 22.09.2026 40m

  It seems like everyday you look at any news feed all you see is terrible stuff.  Earthquakes, volcanoes, Super El Nino, Polarizing Politics, War, etc...  Everything seems so negative and honestly its a little draining.  Today's episode is about some good news stories.... things that are positive and hopeful.  Oh, and the coffee was great!
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  Canary in an AI Coalmine? Are we ready for AI Swarms? 15.09.2026 1h 3m

  Back in the day, underground miners would have canaries in a cage to test the air to make sure it was safe to breath.  If the canary stopped singing and died, it meant that the air was bad and a big risk to the miners (they needed to get out!).  Did we just see an AI equivalent of a dead canary?  The Hugging Face attack by Open AI agents in July was so much worse than originally thought with the agents persistently attacking the Hugging Face infrastructure to figure out how some phantom graders would be assessing the agents' performance. There was so much to unpack.  Mark and Jeff discuss this and the real fear for the future, which is not a single sentient AI but a swarm of powerful misguided AI agents trying to do something and devastating the internet or world.
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  Photographic Competitions - Why They Help Improve Your Images 01.09.2026 1h 6m

  Mark has a special guest today with Kayla Gordon, from Winnipeg, with whom Mark has been travelling all over this planet with on several photographic trips.  Both Mark and Kayla have competed in a number of image competitions with a range of results.  They discuss the process and what you get as a benefit from these competitions.  Just a special note, the recording was done via a zoom meeting, so the sound is not quite good as usual (sorry about that).
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  Supersonic Flight - Why we don't travel that fast 25.08.2026 57m

  We have been able to travel at supersonic speeds for decades, the technology is well know as are the consequences of going very fast.  There used to be Concordes but nothing after them.  What happened, why don't we do air travel at supersonic speeds (at the moment) and why almost all commercial airplane travel is in a sweet spot of about 0.85 Mach (speed of sound) at an elevation of 35,000 - 45,000 feet.
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  Shhh! What's your Password? 11.08.2026 1h 1m

  Passwords protect our digital online lives but they keep getting more complicated and there is so many of them, people start getting lazy so that they can actually remember their passwords.  This makes passwords unreliable as a security feature.  Passwords are the first line of defense for your personal information but there are other options including password managers and Passkeys. Mark and Jeff discuss online security and what your options are to protect yourself.
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  Directions - How Google Maps gets you to your destination 04.08.2026 1h 3m

  In this day and age, we are now relying on mapping applications on our phones to get us to our destination more and more.  Google Maps and Apple Maps are great.  They find a route to where you are going fast and predict the time so much better than even a couple of years ago.  But, how do they do that?  How do they predict how long it takes and how do they know about traffic.  Better yet, which one is better.  Mark and Jeff explore this topic
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  How Dangerous is Alcohol? 28.07.2026 57m

  Alcohol is ingrained and accepted in our society.  But is it safe to consume?  Alcohol is a Class 1 carcinogen just like Tobacco and Asbestos.  What???  Yep.  So why do we consume it still?  Good question.  Let's explore that.
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  GPS - Finding Where You Are 21.07.2026 54m

  GPS is a technology that has been around for a while and has become incredibly integrated into our lives.  It is so ubiquitous but most people don't know how it works.  Some people think the system is dumbed down from Military systems but that's not entirely true and there are multiple systems out there.  The physics about GPS is very cool
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  Out of Africa! Mark Returns 14.07.2026 57m

  Mark just went on a trip to Africa to photograph animals and tribes in some remote parts of Africa and has now returned.  In this episode, we discuss where he went, what he saw and what he experienced.  Whoo hoo!
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  Special Episode - Quebec Culture in 2026 16.06.2026 1h 23m

  While Mark was away, Jeff had the opportunity to talk with a childhood friend Daniel St. Onge to discuss Quebec Culture.  Daniel still lives in Quebec and Jeff moved away when he was in his mid 20's
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  The State of Global Travel 09.06.2026 48m

  The world has been radically disrupted by regional conflicts, political realignments, global warming and supply chain disruptions (e.g. fuel).  What does that actually mean for travel in 2026 and moving forward.  Mark and Jeff discuss the changes in approaches to global travel as a result of these factors and what is actually happening 
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  The Origin of the Anti-Vax Movement 02.06.2026 1h 3m

  How did we become a society that successfully used Vaccines to eradicate several types of diseases only to now have a significant portion of the population distrusting vaccines as a whole?  Where and when did it start?  Mark and Jeff explore the origins of the fabricated study that launched then entire anti-vaxx movement.  Previously it was very fringe and although the origin has been proven to be false, nobody seemed to notice the correction until it was way too late.
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  How Credit Cards Make Money for Banks 26.05.2026 1h 4m

  Many people pay off their credit cards monthly, so how do the banks make money off of lending you money to pay for your purchases when they don't charge you interest unless you are late with payments?  Mark and Jeff discuss how the credit card companies (and in Canada the banks) make money off your purchasing habits
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  How to Keep Your Brain Sharp as You Age 19.05.2026 47m

  As people age, their brain starts to be a little less sharp.  Despite this there are things one can do to try to keep your mental acuity as sharp as possible.  Mark and Jeff discuss those techniques as well as the usual review of coffee, things they learned this week as well as media consumed.
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  Disinformation is Monetized: Can you trust what you see on Youtube? 12.05.2026 50m

  Currently there is an ongoing disinformation campaign about Alberta Separation going on that is getting a lot of views +40 million.  Why is it disinformation?  Because is it mostly AI generated, often using actors pretending to be someone with inside information, and the people generating it don't really care about the politics, they are more interested in the emotional spin and how that can translate into monetized channels.  PS.  It is also not just Alberta Separation, there has been an even bigger disinformation campaign by the same people in the UK just last year.
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  Getting a Puppy? How to decide on your choice 05.05.2026 55m

  As a dog photographer, Mark sees lots of dogs.  As he is currently about to start looking for a new puppy for his family, Mark discusses with Jeff considerations on types of breeds and where you should get puppies from.  
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  Creator Burnout - Online creators getting tired of the grind 28.04.2026 1h

  As the podcast and online creation systems are getting mature, some creators are getting burned out or exhausted.  They started with a great idea, things started generating content that got eyeballs watching.... but its a grind and they need to keep up with content creation or their revenue slips as the algorithm rewards you less.  Mark and Jeff discuss burnout.
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  Peptides! What are they and should you be taking them? 21.04.2026 54m

  Ozempic or GLP-1 is a drug people are taking to reduce weight, but did you know that it is a peptide?  There are other, less studied peptide out there that are being taken for a wide variety of benefits and symptoms.  Do they work and how much do we know about them
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  What Sports do Women Dominate over Men? 14.04.2026 1h

  Women's sports are definitely on the upswing.  Even though this is the case, people in the manosphere sometimes suggest that women's sport is an afterthought.  Clearly this is not true, but are there some sports where women's sport dominates over men's?  How would you even measure that?  Money? Fame? Performance?  Mark and Jeff discuss their thoughts on the status of women's sport