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28 posts found
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Feb 27, 2025
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Links For February 2025

45 min • 6,840 words • 933 comments • 212 likes • podcast (43 min)
Scott shares 50 diverse links covering topics from AI developments to policy changes, with commentary on current events, research findings, and societal trends. Longer summary
In this monthly links roundup, Scott Alexander covers a wide range of topics including AI developments, public policy changes, scientific research, and current events. The post follows a numbered format presenting each item with Scott's characteristic analysis and often humorous commentary. Notable topics include AI safety developments, changes in government policy, climate change updates, and various social and technological trends. The tone alternates between analytical and personal reflection, particularly when discussing potentially concerning political developments. Shorter summary
May 29, 2024
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Links for May 2024

38 min • 5,841 words • 986 comments • 126 likes • podcast (37 min)
A wide-ranging collection of 40 news items and interesting facts, covering AI, politics, science, economics, and culture, with the author's commentary. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 40 diverse links and news items covering topics such as AI developments, politics, science, technology, economics, and culture. It includes updates on OpenAI and Google's AI projects, discussions on religious phenomena, analyses of social and economic trends, and various interesting facts and anecdotes. The author provides commentary and context for many of the items, often with a mix of humor and critical analysis. Shorter summary
Dec 01, 2023
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Links For November 2023

27 min • 4,069 words • 410 comments • 125 likes • podcast (26 min)
A collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering topics from religious practices to AI developments, with brief commentary on many items. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering various topics. It includes discussions on religious practices, video games, political trends, scientific studies, AI developments, economic analyses, historical anecdotes, and cultural phenomena. The author provides brief commentary on many of the items, often with a mix of humor and critical analysis. The links range from academic studies and economic reports to quirky historical facts and contemporary cultural observations. Shorter summary
Oct 31, 2023
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Mantic Monday 10/30/23

21 min • 3,113 words • 151 comments • 62 likes • podcast (16 min)
Scott Alexander reports on the Manifest prediction market conference, new developments in the field, and recent market activity on current events. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the recent Manifest conference for prediction market enthusiasts, highlighting key issues such as regulatory challenges, potential applications in hiring, and the use of prediction markets in journalism. He also covers the launch of Manifold.love, a prediction market-based dating site, and analyzes recent prediction market activity on topics like the Gaza hospital explosion and various political events. The post concludes with updates on prediction market developments and related initiatives. Shorter summary
Feb 09, 2023
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Links For February 2023

40 min • 6,180 words • 1,041 comments • 146 likes • podcast (41 min)
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of 49 links and brief commentaries on various topics, ranging from cultured meat to AI developments and current events. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 49 diverse links and brief commentaries on various topics, including cultured meat, government policies, scientific studies, historical anecdotes, AI developments, and current events. The author, Scott Alexander, provides his thoughts and observations on each item, often with a mix of humor, skepticism, and analysis. The links cover a wide range of subjects from technology and economics to politics and culture, reflecting the broad interests of the blog's readership. Shorter summary
Oct 12, 2022
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Links For October

21 min • 3,111 words • 561 comments • 91 likes • podcast (24 min)
Scott Alexander presents a curated list of 41 diverse links and news items, covering topics from linguistics and technology to politics and popular culture, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 41 diverse links and news items curated by Scott Alexander. The topics range from linguistics, technology, and politics to economics, science, and popular culture. Scott provides brief commentary on each item, often with a touch of humor or skepticism. The post includes updates on current events, interesting scientific findings, cultural trends, and academic debates. It also features some visual content like graphs, images, and embedded tweets. Shorter summary
Apr 18, 2022
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Mantic Monday 4/18/22

15 min • 2,264 words • 458 comments • 45 likes • podcast (21 min)
Scott reviews recent changes in prediction markets covering the Ukraine war, nuclear risk, AI development, and other current events. Longer summary
This post covers several prediction markets and forecasts related to current events. It discusses changes in Ukraine war predictions, nuclear risk estimates, AI development timelines, and other topics like Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition and the French presidential election. Scott analyzes discrepancies between different forecasts and markets, and explores potential reasons for changes in predictions. Shorter summary
Apr 26, 2021
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Mantic Monday: Predictions For 2021

8 min • 1,148 words • 257 comments • 49 likes • podcast (13 min)
Scott Alexander shares his annual predictions for 2021, covering various topics from politics to personal life, with assigned probabilities for each prediction. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents his annual predictions for the upcoming year, covering a wide range of topics including US politics, world events, economics, technology, COVID-19, community matters, personal life, work-related issues, and his blog. The post includes over 100 predictions with percentage probabilities assigned to each. Scott emphasizes that the purpose of these predictions is to calibrate his ability to assess his own knowledge and certainty, rather than to demonstrate expertise on the topics. Shorter summary
Mar 06, 2019
ssc
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Links 3/19: Linkguini

16 min • 2,429 words • 558 comments
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links on topics including architecture, history, science, politics, and economics, offering brief commentaries and insights on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and brief commentaries on diverse topics. Scott Alexander covers subjects ranging from architecture and history to science, politics, and economics. He discusses the Obama Presidential Library, unusual historical facts, effective altruism, AI policy careers, Bitcoin mining, and scientific studies on parenting and voter ID laws. The post also touches on topics like gender discrimination in tech, nuclear energy startups, and dietary trends. Throughout, Scott provides his characteristic mix of curiosity, skepticism, and humor in discussing these wide-ranging subjects. Shorter summary
Jul 30, 2018
ssc
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Links 7/18: URL Mountains

23 min • 3,461 words • 144 comments
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of links and brief commentary on topics ranging from historical anecdotes to recent scientific studies and political developments. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and brief commentary on diverse topics. It covers historical anecdotes, scientific studies, political developments, and cultural phenomena. The post touches on subjects like vegetarian activism, Supreme Court changes, AI alignment, and Silicon Valley culture. Scott Alexander provides concise summaries and occasional personal opinions on these wide-ranging topics, often with a touch of humor or irony. Shorter summary
Apr 05, 2018
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Links 4/18: Siter Plate

15 min • 2,179 words • 638 comments
Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links and news items, covering topics from ancient history to modern politics and technology, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of interesting links and news items on various topics. It covers a wide range of subjects including ancient Sumerian debates, conspiracy theories, academic research, political developments, AI safety, and social issues. The post presents these items in a concise format, often with brief commentary or analysis from Scott. Some notable items include studies on divorce laws and domestic violence, controversial research on firearms and naloxone, updates on AI safety research, and discussions of recent political events in Italy and South Africa. Shorter summary
Jan 21, 2018
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Links 1/18: Helink Of Troy

13 min • 1,904 words • 825 comments
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links on topics ranging from geography and drug policy to technology and economics, with brief summaries and comments. Longer summary
This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles, studies, and news stories. It covers a wide range of topics including geography, drug policy, technology, history, economics, science, and politics. Scott Alexander provides brief summaries or comments on each link, often with a touch of humor or irony. The post doesn't have a central theme but rather serves as a curated list of diverse and intriguing information from various fields. Shorter summary
Oct 30, 2017
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Links 10/17: Martin LuthURL

14 min • 2,116 words • 428 comments
A collection of interesting links covering topics from ancient Roman demographics to modern AI developments, criminal justice issues, and cultural oddities. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting news and articles. Topics include ancient Roman life expectancy data, Chinese censorship expanding to group chats, cruise ship pollution, AI developments like AlphaGo Zero, criminal justice issues around drug rehab work camps and police body cameras, and various other scientific, technological and cultural items. The post maintains a light tone while covering both serious topics like Puerto Rico's ongoing crisis and quirky ones like Viking reenactors and Halloween costumes. Shorter summary
Mar 30, 2017
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Links 3/17: Relinkquishment

16 min • 2,417 words • 752 comments
A links post featuring various news stories, research findings, and interesting facts, from Jewish pirates to ancient Roman artifacts to the fallout of various Trump-related controversies. Longer summary
This is a links post covering diverse topics in news and research. Stories include historical facts (like Jewish pirates in the Caribbean), scientific research (BDNF and sunlight correlation, Leek & Jager's paper on scientific findings), current events (Trump's FDA pick, immigration numbers, anti-Semitic incidents), technological developments (Uber self-driving cars, electric planes), and various social and political topics. The post follows Scott's typical links format, offering brief commentary and often humorous observations on each link. Shorter summary
Feb 14, 2017
ssc
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Links 2/17: Site Your Sources

13 min • 1,974 words • 439 comments
A collection of interesting links from early 2017 covering drugs, education, politics, science and history, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary
This is a links post where Scott Alexander shares various interesting articles and studies he's come across. The post covers a wide range of topics including new drug developments, education statistics, political events around Trump's presidency, scientific discoveries, and historical curiosities. The format follows a typical links post structure with brief commentary on each link, often adding context or witty observations. Many items focus on current events from early 2017, including Trump administration policies and European political trends. Shorter summary
Jan 23, 2017
ssc
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Links 1/17: Inaugurl Address

17 min • 2,587 words • 765 comments
A diverse collection of links covering current events, scientific studies, and cultural developments, with brief commentary on each story's significance or implications. Longer summary
This is a collection of links covering various topics from current events, science, and culture. It includes news about the seasteading institute's deal with French Polynesia, a meta-analysis on red meat and cardiovascular disease, a discussion of authoritarianism by Tom Pepinsky, and various studies on topics like growth mindset and the Flynn Effect. The links also cover political developments like Obama's attempts to close Guantanamo, Trump's health picks, and new research on school choice experiments. The post maintains a neutral tone while providing brief commentary and context for each link. Shorter summary
Jan 06, 2017
ssc
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Predictions For 2017

9 min • 1,346 words • 421 comments
Scott Alexander presents 105 predictions for 2017 on topics ranging from world events to personal life, each with an assigned probability. Longer summary
Scott Alexander makes 105 predictions for 2017 on various topics including world events, European politics, economics, the Trump administration, online communities, his work, and personal life. The predictions cover a wide range of subjects from geopolitical events to personal milestones, each assigned a probability. The post is structured as a numbered list, with predictions grouped into categories such as 'World Events', 'Europe', 'Economics', 'Trump Administration', 'Communities', 'Work', and 'Personal'. Shorter summary
Sep 15, 2016
ssc
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Links 9/16: URL Of The Chaldees

10 min • 1,531 words • 854 comments
A links post featuring stories about AI research, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, ranging from antibacterials in soap to disco riots at baseball games. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting stories and studies. It covers topics ranging from AI research (including MIRI's new paper on Logical Induction and UC Berkeley's new AI safety center), scientific findings (about school entry age and journal quality), historical oddities (like Disco Demolition Night and pay toilets), and current events (like the kratom ban and Seattle's microhousing). The post demonstrates Scott's typical mix of academic research, policy analysis, and interesting historical anecdotes, all tied together with his characteristic dry humor. Shorter summary
Aug 26, 2016
ssc
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Links 8/16: On My Right Hand Michael; On My Left Hand URL

14 min • 2,074 words • 624 comments
A link roundup post covering various topics from video games to scientific studies, with Scott's commentary on each news item or piece of research. Longer summary
A collection of interesting links covering diverse topics including scientific studies (Tylenol and ADHD, obesity genetics), current events (self-driving Uber cars, DoJ ending private prisons), cultural observations, and historical curiosities. Scott provides brief commentary on each link, often critiquing methodology of studies or pointing out interesting implications. The post has a lighter tone when discussing oddities like torpedo juice or Desert Bus, but becomes more analytical when examining research claims or policy changes. Shorter summary
Jan 13, 2016
ssc
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Links 1/16: Link A Thief In The Night

17 min • 2,516 words • 551 comments
Scott shares and comments on various interesting links spanning history, science, economics, and current events, with topics ranging from ancient Greek snake warfare to modern AI development. Longer summary
A collection of diverse links covering various topics, from historical anecdotes about ancient Greek warfare with snakes to modern developments in CRISPR technology and urban policy. Scott presents interesting findings about bullying interventions, Vitamin D supplementation, and mental health in different societies. The post includes commentary on various current events, including Venezuela's economic situation, drug policy debates, and AI development at OpenAI. The post maintains Scott's characteristic mix of scholarly interest and humor throughout. Shorter summary
Sep 28, 2015
ssc
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Links 9/15: Linkua Franca

14 min • 2,071 words • 151 comments
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of interesting links covering politics, science, history, and culture, with brief commentary on each item. Longer summary
A curated collection of interesting links spanning various topics, compiled by Scott Alexander. The post covers a wide range of subjects including political events, scientific studies, historical anecdotes, and cultural phenomena. Among the notable items are stories about medieval fighting myths, a massive Chinese ghost mall, Japanese parliament members' nationalism, and various statistical studies. The post maintains a light, often humorous tone while presenting these diverse pieces of information, occasionally adding brief commentary or connections between different items. Shorter summary
Jun 24, 2015
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Links 6/15: Monsters, Link

15 min • 2,185 words • 287 comments
A diverse collection of links covering recent studies, news stories, and interesting facts, ranging from scientific research to policy debates to unusual historical events. Longer summary
A link roundup post covering various topics from scientific studies to current events. The post includes discussions about studies on bottled water bans, birth month effects on health, probiotics and social anxiety, Mexican drug cartels, intelligence studies, and climate change. It also covers interesting stories like Pakistan's transgender tax collectors, a 1910s plan to introduce hippo ranching in America, and various policy discussions around gun violence, university regulations, and economic studies. The post maintains a light tone while discussing serious topics, often adding humorous asides or interesting historical facts. Shorter summary
Jan 17, 2015
ssc
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Links 1/2014: Link, For You Know Not Whence You Came Nor Why

15 min • 2,190 words • 642 comments
A collection of interesting links covering topics like Chinese religion, economics, science, and technology, with commentary on their broader implications. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies from around the internet. Topics range from Chinese religion to Venezuelan economics, from police body cameras to psychedelics research. Notable items include studies about police body cameras reducing misconduct, BPA affecting brain development, and psychedelics potentially protecting against mental illness. The post also covers geopolitical developments like Cuba-US relations and Venezuela's economic troubles, as well as scientific advances like AI poker and mammoth cloning. Shorter summary
Nov 23, 2014
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Links 11/14: I Link, Therefore I Am

14 min • 2,067 words • 353 comments
Scott shares a collection of interesting links covering various topics from American chestnut restoration to scientific findings, political events, and cultural observations. Longer summary
This is a Links post where Scott Alexander shares and briefly comments on various interesting news and findings. The post covers diverse topics including the genetic engineering of American chestnut trees, revelations about Dr. Strangelove's accuracy, malaria eradication efforts, scientific studies on topics like exercise and weight loss, and cultural observations. Scott provides his characteristic analytical commentary on each item, often highlighting surprising connections or ironies. The post maintains a mix of scientific, political, and cultural topics, with Scott's commentary ranging from serious analysis to humorous observations. Shorter summary
Oct 06, 2014
ssc
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Links For October 2014

8 min • 1,193 words • 313 comments
A collection of interesting links from October 2014 with Scott's commentary, covering topics from Russian deforestation to North Korean politics to scientific research. Longer summary
This is a links post where Scott Alexander shares various interesting articles and news items from October 2014. He covers topics ranging from environmental issues in Russia, food safety mishaps, basic income problems, North Korean politics, and scientific research. The post includes both serious topics like sexual assault prevention research and lighter ones like football chants and textbook covers. Scott provides commentary and context for each link, sometimes with his characteristic humor. Shorter summary
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