Scott Alexander celebrates Slate Star Codex's fifth anniversary by thanking the many people who have contributed to the blog's success and growth. Longer summary

Scott Alexander celebrates the fifth anniversary of Slate Star Codex, thanking numerous individuals and groups who have contributed to the blog's success. He expresses gratitude to those who have helped with technical aspects, moderation, organization of meetups, and content creation. Scott also thanks his supporters, advertisers, and even his critics for their decency. He acknowledges the value of the blog's community, particularly in comments and survey participation, which has enabled interesting research findings. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander attends the Effective Altruism Global 2017 conference, describing both the practical charity work and bizarre philosophical speculations of the movement, ultimately admiring their genuine commitment to doing good. Longer summary

Scott Alexander describes his experience at the Effective Altruism Global 2017 conference in San Francisco. He details the impressive scale of charitable work being done by various EA organizations, but also highlights the more unusual and philosophical aspects of the movement. These range from concerns about wild animal suffering to speculations about consciousness and fundamental physics. Scott reflects on how the EA movement combines practical, data-driven charity work with deeply weird philosophical explorations. He concludes by expressing admiration for the genuine goodness and dedication of the EA community, seeing them as a bright spot in a troubled world. Shorter summary

Scott reviews 'The Hungry Brain' by Stephan Guyenet, exploring the neuroscience of eating behavior and obesity, presenting a model focused on brain regulation of body weight. Longer summary

Scott reviews 'The Hungry Brain' by Stephan Guyenet, which explores the neuroscience of eating behavior and obesity. The book presents a 'third model' of obesity, focusing on how the brain regulates body weight through a complex system involving hormones like leptin. It discusses how modern hyperpalatable foods can overwhelm our natural satiety mechanisms and potentially damage the brain's weight regulation system. The review delves into various studies on obesity, including experiments with rats and humans, and explores the genetic factors influencing weight gain. Scott finds the book insightful but notes some ambiguity in reconciling different aspects of eating behavior and weight regulation. Shorter summary

A curated collection of interesting links spanning medicine, economics, social issues and quirky stories, with Scott's commentary on various developments and findings. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links and news curated by Scott Alexander, covering a wide range of topics from medical research to economics, social issues, and quirky stories. The post includes discussions of new medical findings about heart receptors, debates about alcohol health effects, archaeological stories, studies about demographics and education, and various social and economic developments. Scott adds his own commentary and insights to many of the links, particularly around housing policy, scientific studies, and mental health care. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares his Cyber Monday product recommendations, focusing on items that have improved his daily life and work experience. Longer summary

Scott Alexander provides product recommendations for Cyber Monday, focusing on items that have improved his quality of life. He discusses collar extenders, comfortable shoes, razors from Dorco, earplugs and earmuffs for noise sensitivity, a bug vacuum, a transformable laptop, portable speakers, and the Codex Seraphinianus book. He also mentions MealSquares, a nutritionally complete food alternative. Scott's recommendations are often practical solutions to personal discomforts or quirks, and he provides honest assessments of each product's benefits and drawbacks. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links on topics ranging from politics and economics to scientific studies, offering brief commentaries and critiques. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and brief commentaries on various topics. Scott Alexander covers a wide range of subjects including politics, science, social issues, and economics. He discusses studies on poverty traps, the relationship between poverty and crime, and the effects of marijuana legalization. The post also includes quirky facts, book reviews, and observations on cultural phenomena. Scott's tone is analytical and often skeptical, particularly when discussing scientific studies and their interpretations. Shorter summary