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6 posts found
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Mar 10, 2023
acx
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27 min 4,178 words 783 comments 123 likes podcast (23 min)
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and brief discussions on topics including AI developments, social trends, scientific studies, and cultural phenomena. Longer summary
This post is a collection of diverse links and brief discussions on various topics. Scott Alexander covers AI developments, historical events, social trends, scientific studies, and cultural phenomena. He touches on subjects like AI safety concerns, social media effects on mental health, mask efficacy debates, and potential shifts in 'woke' culture. The post also includes interesting anecdotes, thought experiments, and statistical analyses on topics ranging from medieval Mali to modern dating dynamics. Shorter summary
Feb 09, 2023
acx
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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
Dec 30, 2021
acx
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17 min 2,607 words 535 comments 64 likes podcast (21 min)
Scott Alexander shares 34 diverse and interesting links on topics ranging from historical curiosities to current scientific debates, with brief commentaries on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 34 interesting links and brief commentaries on various topics. It covers a wide range of subjects including historical anecdotes, scientific studies, economic theories, technological developments, and social issues. The author, Scott Alexander, provides his thoughts and sometimes skeptical analysis on many of the items. The links are diverse, ranging from a list of games Buddha wouldn't play to discussions about AI safety research opportunities. Shorter summary
Sep 15, 2016
ssc
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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
Jan 13, 2016
ssc
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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
Apr 01, 2013
ssc
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8 min 1,112 words 38 comments
Scott Alexander explores what makes puns truly great, providing numerous examples and discussing various types of exceptional wordplay. Longer summary
Scott Alexander critiques a Buzzfeed list of 'greatest puns', arguing that truly great puns require more than just word similarity. He explores various types of exceptional puns, including those with multiple meanings, anti-puns, and puns requiring extensive background knowledge. Scott provides numerous examples of clever puns, discussing their complexity and creativity. He concludes by nominating what he considers the greatest pun of all time: a multilingual, historically-based pun attributed to Sir Charles Napier, though he notes it's likely apocryphal. Shorter summary
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