Adam Stirtan's Blog

Mayor LaGuardia knocking over a pinball machine In the annals of quirky historical events, few can rival the spectacle that unfolded on January 21st, 1942. This was the day when New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia decided he had enough of the “slimy crews of tinhorns” who pushed pinball machines, likening them to a gateway to gambling hell. The good mayor took drastic action and ordered a citywide ban on these seemingly innocent arcade amusements. And thus began the Great Pinball Purge. LaGuardia, a tenacious figure of half-Italian, half-Jewish descent, was known for his zealous fight against corruption and crime. He had already made a name for himself by shutting down brothels, rounding up slot machines, and arresting gangsters on any charge he could find. Pinball, in his eyes, was yet another vice to be stamped out. To LaGuardia, pinball machines were not just games; they were insidious devices that tempted the youth into gambling addiction, thereby undermining the moral fabric of...

  The Future of Self: How Wearables Could Unlock a World of Self-Discovery Imagine a world where you can gain deep insights into your own behavior, habits, and even emotional state. No, this isn't science fiction. A recent episode of The Vergecast, "Inside the AI memory machine" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPAcpoxqRRw , explored the potential of AI-powered memory analysis and wearable technology to revolutionize self-awareness. The podcast discussed the idea of an AI that can analyze your life's data – emails, messages, meetings, and even social media interactions – to identify patterns and provide insights into who energizes you, what stresses you out, and even how you communicate with others. While the technical hurdles of processing massive data sets were acknowledged, the conversation sparked my imagination about the possibilities of wearable technology that could analyze our behavior in real-time. Beyond just revisiting memories, what if a wear...