Introduction to Rivulet
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gpl's recent activity
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Jeffrey Epstein alleged in emails that US President Donald Trump knew of his conduct
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
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Comment on Study suggests that the Universe's expansion 'is now slowing, not speeding up' in ~space
gpl Link ParentSorry for the late reply! I fell into it sort of by happenstance. I had the chance to work in a group doing computational cosmology research (think, those big simulations of the cosmic web you...Sorry for the late reply!
I fell into it sort of by happenstance. I had the chance to work in a group doing computational cosmology research (think, those big simulations of the cosmic web you sometimes see images of), and found that I really liked it. When I was applying to grad school I applied with a focus in cosmology, and ended up working with cosmic microwave background data as its one of the best probes we have of the early universe, which is what I'm fundamentally interested in.
I'm pretty early in my career, but my research so far has focused on trying to develop some data-driven methods to shed light on existing "tensions" in cosmology. Most of this has focused on an era of cosmic history called "recombination", which is when the universe had cooled enough so that electrons could bond to hydrogen nuclei and form neutral atoms about 380,000 years after the big bang. My work has been in seeing how new physics, like new particles that could have been around back then but are not now, would impact this process and whether that is observable in the data we have today. As with many cosmologists, I use the early universe as a sort of laboratory to explore scenarios that are hard too here on earth.
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Comment on Study suggests that the Universe's expansion 'is now slowing, not speeding up' in ~space
gpl Link ParentMy area of expertise is the cosmic microwave background, but I regularly interact with people doing SN or baryon acoustic oscillation stuff, and use both data sets as required.My area of expertise is the cosmic microwave background, but I regularly interact with people doing SN or baryon acoustic oscillation stuff, and use both data sets as required.
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Comment on Study suggests that the Universe's expansion 'is now slowing, not speeding up' in ~space
gpl LinkI am a cosmologist and want to weigh in on this. This is not the opening salvo in this argument — this same group at Yonsei has been making this claim for a while. I do not believe it holds up to...- Exemplary
I am a cosmologist and want to weigh in on this. This is not the opening salvo in this argument — this same group at Yonsei has been making this claim for a while. I do not believe it holds up to scrutiny, and my impression is that the rest of the cosmology community working on supernovae agrees. These measurements are really difficult to get right, and a vast and incremental community effort has developed a robust understanding of possible systematics and errors over the last 20 years.
This group uses a small and non-representative set of supernovae, some of which have not even been confirmed to be type Ia supernovae (which is necessary for this type of analysis). Furthermore, they are relying on old measurements from ~2010 that are essentially obsolete. Papers like this are useful and can sometimes develop into serious challenges to the standard model of cosmology, but most of the time they serve to strengthen it by identifying possible systematic errors. Happy to answer questions about this, but in short, I would not go updating your understanding of what the cosmology community agrees on based on this.
This isn't an example of bad science, but it is an example of science media amplifying the conclusion of a single paper, without providing the appropriate context from others in the community.
Note: I also took the liberty to edit the title of this post to better reflect this uncertainty. I hope I am not stepping on anyone's toes by doing so.
(@okiyama @wervenyt @mild_takes — just tagging as you might find this perspective interesting given the comments left here).
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Comment on What are your favorite low cost main dishes/meals? in ~food
gpl Link ParentGlad to hear it! The misir wat recipe on that same site is also great, it is in my rotation and I make it pretty frequently. I skip the nitter kibbeh and substitute with either butter or ghee,...Glad to hear it! The misir wat recipe on that same site is also great, it is in my rotation and I make it pretty frequently. I skip the nitter kibbeh and substitute with either butter or ghee, along with around a table spoon of the homemade berbere. That's in addition to the berbere that the recipe calls for. I honestly usually eyeball that too. It's hard to go wrong when the base flavors are already so strong and tasty.
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Comment on What are your favorite low cost main dishes/meals? in ~food
gpl Link ParentWell first, just a disclaimer, I’m a white dude from the Midwest so this absolutely should not be taken as gospel. But basically, I start with this recipe but I’m pretty flexible with it. If I’m...Well first, just a disclaimer, I’m a white dude from the Midwest so this absolutely should not be taken as gospel. But basically, I start with this recipe but I’m pretty flexible with it. If I’m missing a spice or two I don’t sweat it, and sometimes I’ll add in other spices I have on hand. The ratios in that recipe are a good place to start though. I toast the whole spices before grinding them and I usually double or triple the recipe so I end up with a small jar’s worth.
It turns out really good in my opinion. I’ve since bought some berbere from the local ethiopian place and it’s very good, but different. The homemade stuff is comparable imo.
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Comment on What are your favorite low cost main dishes/meals? in ~food
gpl LinkMisir wot is mostly lentils and onion. Making the berbere spice mix can be an up front investment though as spices aren't cheap. Although you can find cheap bulk spices usually at Indian grocers,...Misir wot is mostly lentils and onion. Making the berbere spice mix can be an up front investment though as spices aren't cheap. Although you can find cheap bulk spices usually at Indian grocers, in my experience, and make a big batch.
Rice and beans of course. The quintessential low cost food. Great with a little shredded cheese on top.
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Comment on What code editor / IDE do you use (2025)? in ~comp
gpl LinkI've been using Cursor, which is basically just VS Code with an LLM integration that I find useful at times. For quick stuff I use vim.I've been using Cursor, which is basically just VS Code with an LLM integration that I find useful at times. For quick stuff I use vim.
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Comment on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Official trailer in ~tv
gpl Link ParentThank you! I totally agree. Season 3 was so bad I couldn't even finish it, which was such a shock because seasons 1 and 2 were great, and ended on such a great cliff hanger. Every episode of...Thank you! I totally agree. Season 3 was so bad I couldn't even finish it, which was such a shock because seasons 1 and 2 were great, and ended on such a great cliff hanger.
Every episode of season 3 felt like a gimmick, wrapped up too neatly, and had some honestly "cringey" writing, and I hesitate to use that word. Star Trek has always had a little cheese to it which I totally dig, but this season was different. Also, it felt like every plot line was them going rouge to accomplish the mission, which is fine every now and then, but not when its literally every episode.
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Comment on Messenger, a cute little 3d browser game in ~games
gpl LinkThis is amazing and charming! I can't quite tell, are these other messengers others playing at the same time, or NPCs?This is amazing and charming! I can't quite tell, are these other messengers others playing at the same time, or NPCs?
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Comment on Has anyone here tried bone conduction headphones? in ~tech
gpl LinkI recently bought the newer Shokz model, the Openrun Pro 2. I had previously tried the Openrun Pro a few years back so I have a point of comparison. The Openrun Pro 2 is a big improvement over the...I recently bought the newer Shokz model, the Openrun Pro 2. I had previously tried the Openrun Pro a few years back so I have a point of comparison.
The Openrun Pro 2 is a big improvement over the older version, in my opinion, and solves most of the shortcomings that others have identified. They are solidly in the "casual use" tier for me. The Openrun Pro 2's, in addition to bone conduction, can use "air conduction" as well which is just a marketing term for having a tiny directional speaker pointed into your ear, in addition to the bone conduction device. This is basically like having a normal open-ear headphone in addition to the bone conduction. This improves both volume (especially in windy areas or activities) and range, with bass being particularly improved. For headphones that allow you to maintain pretty good situational awareness, the quality is hard to beat. I prefer them over my airpods for working out for this reason, coupled with the fact that they do not fall out easily and have a great battery life. The Pro 2's have USB-C charging instead of the older magnetic port. They are comfortable for me — I can wear them along with sunglasses and a bike helmet and they don't get in the way. I even reach for them for other casual activities where I may want some headphones but don't necessarily want to use my big over-the-ear ones, like walking the dog.
They're not audiophile quality headphones, far from it. But for the niche they do fill (workout headphones), I have yet to find something I enjoy using more. Highly recommend checking out the Pro 2's even if you have prior experience with other models.
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Comment on The rise of 'conspiracy physics' in ~science
gpl Link ParentMy perspective as a cosmologist is that Hossenfelder has burnt any credibility she may have had. I would not place much stock in her criticisms these days. I think once upon a time she was more...My perspective as a cosmologist is that Hossenfelder has burnt any credibility she may have had. I would not place much stock in her criticisms these days. I think once upon a time she was more measured and had hit on a few points that, at a minimum, were worth discussing regarding funding priorities in basic physics research. But I think the attention and audience she has gained via Youtube has warped her perspective and that now she just makes videos that will maximize views.
For what it’s worth, I think it would be rare to find a physicist who doesn’t have complaints about how funding is allocated in their field. I don’t think that’s a sign of systemic inertia or misplaced priorities, but rather a sign of generally insufficient funding to pursue all interesting a valid lines of inquiry!
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Comment on Mastodon now has a Quote Post feature in ~tech
gpl Link ParentQuote posts (in my experience) tend to lead to a culture of "dunking" in which people broadcast their reply to some post via a quote as opposed to a direct reply, fragmenting the conversation...Quote posts (in my experience) tend to lead to a culture of "dunking" in which people broadcast their reply to some post via a quote as opposed to a direct reply, fragmenting the conversation while also tailoring the audience to be a more favorable one to their view/reply since the quote is primarily seen by followers. This can direct more quotes/dunks at the original post even without a specific call for harassment. While you can do this with a screenshot and an @, having a quote feature lowers that barrier even further (its essentially a screenshot and @ hotkey). I also think people feel less inhibited to be assholes when they're talking about someone via a quote as opposed to talking to someone via a reply.
I think detaching quotes is a good remedy for these issues, for what its worth.
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Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society
gpl Link ParentGiven that there are myriad armed right wing reactionary militias active in the US, yeah, I’m more concerned about retaliatory violence in response to this killing. It’s not handwringing. Cycles...Given that there are myriad armed right wing reactionary militias active in the US, yeah, I’m more concerned about retaliatory violence in response to this killing. It’s not handwringing. Cycles of violence are easy to start and hard to stop, and each step along the way reinforces this. I don’t think this shooting was the start of the cycle, but I do think it has accelerated it, and I think we all lose when that happens.
It’s not handwringing to be apprehensive about how fascists, currently in power, will wield this.
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Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society
gpl LinkDeseret news is reporting that Charlie Kirk is dead, according to Utah Speaker Mike SchultzDeseret news is reporting that Charlie Kirk is dead, according to Utah Speaker Mike Schultz
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Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society
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Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society
gpl Link ParentHere is what NYT has to say:Here is what NYT has to say:
The police have determined that a person who was taken into custody after the shooting was not actually the shooter, according to Scott Trotter, a university spokesman. The university had earlier said a suspect was in custody.
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Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society
gpl Link ParentNewest info (per NYT) is that that man is not the shooter.Newest info (per NYT) is that that man is not the shooter.
Had something similar last night! Sliced garlic sauteed in olive oil, mountain of spinach (and some leftover tuscan kale we had laying about), salt, pepper, and a squirt of yuzu juice. Yum.