WeAreWaves's recent activity
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Comment on 75% of US scientists who answered Nature poll consider leaving the country in ~society
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Comment on 75% of US scientists who answered Nature poll consider leaving the country in ~society
WeAreWaves (edited )Link ParentIt doesn't look like the poll differentiated between those, but absolutely answering yes to "Are you a US researcher who is considering leaving the country following the disruptions to science...It doesn't look like the poll differentiated between those, but absolutely answering yes to "Are you a US researcher who is considering leaving the country following the disruptions to science prompted by the Trump administration?" could mean anything. They also note that it's a self selected group, so it's almost certainly biased toward people with strong feelings in the affirmative. Still, it's probably indicative of a broad attitude and 75.3% responding yes is pretty wild.
There are a few quotes worth highlighting:
Institutions outside the United States are taking advantage of the Trump turmoil, the researcher says. “From what I’m hearing from the places we’re talking to, and other people who are looking to take international jobs, a lot of universities in these countries are seeing this as a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” he says. “I think it has gone from ‘Can we recruit a few people?’ to ‘How many people can we actually take?’ — because the demand is there.”
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Another respondent is actively applying only to positions in Europe: “I am transgender, and the 1–2 punch makes it improbable that the life I want to live is a viable option in this country.”
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Scientists are already well positioned for being able to move internationally (speaking from personal experience) since academic research is very specialized, the professional community is global, and even small universities and research institutes tend to have the infrastructure to sponsor work visas in a way that private companies are hesitant to.
In a related article, it's reported that the EU is actively encouraging member nations to recruit from the US:
...the European Research Council is planning on doubling the amount of money it offers grantees relocating to the EU, to a maximum of €2 million (US$2.2 million) each.
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The Netherlands’ government has asked its national research-funding council to establish a fund to attract top scientists who are looking to move because of the changing geopolitical climate. Universities in Belgium and France have advertised specific opportunities for US researchers.
The director of research where I work (not in the US) recently told me he was pushing the board to try to find ways to recruit from the US.
It won't be a 75% loss, but I expect that the flow of researchers between the US and other countries will see a pretty dramatic shift over the coming few years. Add to that the realization that the international community can't rely on US data products and things will likely look very different in a decade.
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Comment on Hey parents, how many of you read vs. tell stories before bedtime for your kids? in ~life
WeAreWaves Link ParentDifferent minds of course work differently too. I have basically no mental imagery and never have. I still love reading - it just doesn’t involve any visual element whatsoever. So it’s always...think that sort of ability to “conjure an image” is a muscle that needs training
Different minds of course work differently too. I have basically no mental imagery and never have. I still love reading - it just doesn’t involve any visual element whatsoever. So it’s always possible your kid might not have quite the same experience which could affect the kinds of books or activities he’s ultimately interested in.
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Comment on An ‘administrative error’ sends a Maryland father to a Salvadoran prison in ~society
WeAreWaves LinkAm I reading this right?? They’re admitting they arrested an innocent person and sent them to a prison in El Salvador, and are saying “eat shit” to a judge who says they can’t do that?Am I reading this right?? They’re admitting they arrested an innocent person and sent them to a prison in El Salvador, and are saying “eat shit” to a judge who says they can’t do that?
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Comment on Hey parents, how many of you read vs. tell stories before bedtime for your kids? in ~life
WeAreWaves LinkMy daughter just turned 4 - for Christmas her aunt and uncle gave her The Princess in Black and we’ve been reading them regularly ever since. I actually really enjoy them too. They’re real books...My daughter just turned 4 - for Christmas her aunt and uncle gave her The Princess in Black and we’ve been reading them regularly ever since. I actually really enjoy them too. They’re real books with chapters, character development, POVs, and multiple plots, but there are beautiful pictures on each page too. We read 1-2 per night depending on how much time we have. It’s about 20 minutes or so per book.
We have a couple other series that are similar (Angelina Ballerina, Mercy Watson) but the Princess in Black is the best.
We tried and failed at books without pictures too.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
WeAreWaves Link ParentThat’s interesting - I’ve never heard it put quite like that with that thought experiment. I’m honestly not sure what I’d do… It feels like the main reason I’d choose male is because of my...That’s interesting - I’ve never heard it put quite like that with that thought experiment. I’m honestly not sure what I’d do… It feels like the main reason I’d choose male is because of my relationships, which gets at what you said about it being more of a social thing rather than being inherently me. Hmm. I’ll have to dwell with this.
It’s always been harder for me to really consider my gender as something I could change from what I grew up with. I realized a handful of years ago that I’m pretty far down the asexual spectrum, but that was easier to recognize since it feels more akin to a preference than something “me”. But maybe that’s just part of being asexual?
Clearly I’m still processing all of this.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
WeAreWaves Link ParentSeparating like that is one of my least favorite things to do. It’s so tedious and everything has to go into the dishwasher basically one at a time anyway so it’s no extra time to sort it then.Separating like that is one of my least favorite things to do. It’s so tedious and everything has to go into the dishwasher basically one at a time anyway so it’s no extra time to sort it then.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
WeAreWaves Link ParentI’ve never really had that happen but have heard about it as a worry. If they’re handle down, I imagine there’s enough water pressure to knock them around a little bit. I pre-sorted for years with...I’ve never really had that happen but have heard about it as a worry. If they’re handle down, I imagine there’s enough water pressure to knock them around a little bit. I pre-sorted for years with a basket and never noticed any issues, but now I live somewhere with a drawer at the top.
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
WeAreWaves Link ParentWhat does a “proper breakfast” entail?What does a “proper breakfast” entail?
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Comment on What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others? in ~talk
WeAreWaves LinkOrganize your cutlery in the dishwasher! Sorting a mess of spoons, forks, and knives likely with different sizes, to put them back into the drawer is an awful chore. You can avoid it altogether if...Organize your cutlery in the dishwasher!
Sorting a mess of spoons, forks, and knives likely with different sizes, to put them back into the drawer is an awful chore. You can avoid it altogether if you just have a spot within your basket or drawer in the dishwasher for each type.
Every time I’m emptying the dishwasher and I scoop up all of the small spoons in one hand and all of the big spoons in another, and put them into their respective slots in the drawer, I feel a little bit better about my day.
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Comment on US Department of Government Efficiency plans to rebuild Social Security administration codebase in months, risking benefits and system collapse in ~society
WeAreWaves Link ParentI mean, they do focus on reducing revenue…instead of raising revenue.
I mean, they do focus on reducing revenue…
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Ship carrying highly toxic chemical hit tanker transporting jet fuel for US military
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Comment on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and US influencers bash seed oils, baffling nutrition scientists in ~food
WeAreWaves Link ParentThis feels like very much the wrong aspect of fast food to focus on….This feels like very much the wrong aspect of fast food to focus on….
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Comment on Students and their ChatGPT in ~tech
WeAreWaves Link ParentI think you mean this one? https://thebullshitmachines.comI think you mean this one? https://thebullshitmachines.com
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Comment on Why didn't Keynote take off? in ~tech
WeAreWaves LinkI always preferred Keynote. A lot of features were more intuitive, less clunky, and involved fewer clicks than PowerPoint. I used Keynote for basically all of my presentations from 2009-2021. Then...I always preferred Keynote. A lot of features were more intuitive, less clunky, and involved fewer clicks than PowerPoint. I used Keynote for basically all of my presentations from 2009-2021.
Then I started working at a job that uses PCs fully integrated with the Microsoft system. So now I’ve been 100% PowerPoint for the past four years or so. I still find it frustrating despite many attempts to customize the toolbars and shortcuts in a more efficient way. But that’s me with Microsoft generally. I also think Keynote makes cleaner, more attractive presentations.
I suspect that’s how it is for a lot of people. Microsoft is just so integrated into the working world that it’s going to dominate, and that often leaves no choice for the user. I would not use Microsoft in any capacity were I not forced to by my employer.
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Comment on Volodymyr Zelenskyy Fox News interview after Oval Office meeting in ~society
WeAreWaves Link ParentThat was so crazy to watch the Republican primaries for 2016. All of the other candidates, Fox News, all the Republican commentators, and like 60% of Republican voters saying for months that Trump...That was so crazy to watch the Republican primaries for 2016. All of the other candidates, Fox News, all the Republican commentators, and like 60% of Republican voters saying for months that Trump is wholly unfit for office, a total moron, in it only for personal gain, etc, etc. Only to drop off slowly as it became clear that he was going to be their nominee. And then they all ate their shit sandwiches and went all in. Even so many of the supposedly ideological conservatives made their way through the “anti-anti-Trump” route, which of course just became pro-Trump.
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Comment on Texas officials report that an unvaccinated child has died of measles in ~health
WeAreWaves Link ParentAgreed. 99.7% chance of things being ok. But I feel like we (humans) also often learn the wrong lesson when we do something with a small probability of a catastrophic outcome and then that outcome...A 3 in a 1000 chance does seem fairly "rare" to me
Agreed. 99.7% chance of things being ok. But I feel like we (humans) also often learn the wrong lesson when we do something with a small probability of a catastrophic outcome and then that outcome doesn’t happen. Like the drunk driving example above. I’ve known people who thought they were “good” at driving buzzed because they hadn’t gotten in a wreck. Doesn’t mean they aren’t engaging in high risk behavior.
In the case of vaccinations and drunk driving, our choices also put other people at risk.
We’re talking about diseases where we need high immunization rates to avoid spreading them to people who can’t be vaccinated. With a big outbreak, it’s only a matter of time before someone like that does because of other parents’ choices.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump shares bizarre AI vision of what Gaza will look like under his rule in ~society
WeAreWaves Link ParentAnd on top of that, it’s for absolutely blatant self enriching corruption. What the fuck is wrong with the United States.And on top of that, it’s for absolutely blatant self enriching corruption. What the fuck is wrong with the United States.
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Comment on Algorithmic Complacency: Algorithms are breaking how we think in ~tech
WeAreWaves Link ParentThis is a good point - many people have always had a tendency to let other people do the work for them. Hence snarky websites like Let Me Google That For You. Or did anyone ever come across...This is a good point - many people have always had a tendency to let other people do the work for them. Hence snarky websites like Let Me Google That For You.
Or did anyone ever come across ChaCha? I remember being baffled about why my younger sister and her friends (teenagers, maybe 2010 or so) would text ChaCha a question and then wait for a response instead of just googling it. Literally it was just asking someone else to Google it for them, but I guess it meant they didn’t have to bother evaluating sources.
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Comment on Grammar errors that actually matter, or: the thread where we all become prescriptivists in ~humanities.languages
WeAreWaves (edited )Link ParentI think any semi/bi/demi construction applied to time is ambiguous. It’s just unclear whether it’s being applied to the time as a period / duration (the length of time between events) or the...I think any semi/bi/demi construction applied to time is ambiguous.
It’s just unclear whether it’s being applied to the time as a period / duration (the length of time between events) or the frequency. If you apply the halving to the duration, you double the frequency and vice versa.
For example, annual can be equivalently interpreted as “1 year between events” or “1 event per year”.
Does bi-annual then mean “2 x 1 year between events” or “2 x 1 event per year”? Does semi-annual mean “0.5 x 1 year between events” or “0.5 x 1 event per year”?
This was my experience in Switzerland. Everything above undergraduate level was in English and even the undergraduate courses were typically taught in English, though students usually had the option of submitting assignments in either English or French.
Life outside work, on the other hand, definitely required relearning French.