December 2024 Linkpost

Who knew cosmology could solve dark energy with black holes—talk about a plot twist in the universe’s longest-running mystery!

Philosophy & Human Nature

Ugh Fields (lesswrong.com)
Pavlovian conditioning can cause humans to unconsciously flinch from even thinking about a serious personal problem they have, creating a vicious cycle of procrastination. I would note that if you’re not taking AGI seriously in 2025, you’re probably Ugh Fielding away from it—it’s a memorable framework for understanding those mental blocks that keep us from tackling big issues.

Contra Scott Alexander on Taste (sympatheticopposition.com)
Good taste is the capacity for deep aesthetic pleasure and the discernment to find it, countering the idea that it makes life worse by focusing on flaws—instead, it enhances engagement and joy in art forms. I would observe how this flips the script on elitism, showing that cultivating taste through knowledge pays off in more profound experiences, like savoring literature that transforms your whole consciousness.

Friendly and Hostile Analogies for Taste (astralcodexten.com)
Various analogies frame taste as objective like physics, arbitrary like priesthood rules, or evolving like fashion cycles, questioning its validity amid expert disagreements and rapid changes. I would point out the grammar analogy hits home—rules feel visceral yet often stem from historical quirks, much like avoiding split infinitives, making taste seem more socially constructed than timeless truth.

Boy, Girl, Boy (richardhanania.com)
A personal reflection on naming and raising children, contrasting early intellectual curiosity in the first son with humor and independence in the daughter, while skeptical of bonding at birth. I would share that calling my first son “Boy” keeps things low-key and subordinate, a fun way to push back on overparenting trends while hoping he uses his smarts to critique societal biases.

What If Everyone Did Just? (alltrades.substack.com)
Japan’s high social coordination through shared norms enables child safety, clean streets, and reliable transit, challenging the idea that “everyone just” solutions are impossible. I would highlight how this conformity produces wonders like kids running errands alone, but at the cost of innovation—it’s a useful reminder that strong norms can make society hum, even if it stifles startups.

Academic Research & Science

DESI 2024 V: Full-Shape Galaxy Clustering from Galaxies and Quasars (arxiv.org)
Using over 4.7 million galaxy and quasar redshifts from DESI DR1 across six bins (0.1 < z < 2.1), the study fits the full power spectrum with perturbation theory, achieving 4.7% precision on RSD amplitude and constraining ΛCDM parameters like Ω_m = 0.296 ± 0.010. A buddy would note these new measurements test models with mock-based covariances and blinded analysis to avoid bias, yielding results consistent with Planck and general relativity.

Constraining Cosmological Physics with DESI BAO Observations (arxiv.org)
DESI year-one BAO data, with 12 points from over 6 million objects (z=0.1-4.2), probes inflation, modified gravity, dark matter, and neutrinos using MCMC Bayesian analysis with datasets like CMB and SN. Someone would observe it revives power-law inflation at 2σ, shows 2.4σ deviation from GR, and tightens bounds like N_eff = 3.16^(+0.26)_(-0.11), highlighting DESI’s role in detecting new physics.

Seven Candidates for Dyson Spheres (academic.oup.com)
Analyzing 5 million stars from Gaia, WISE, and 2MASS, the study identifies seven M-dwarf candidates with excess mid-infrared radiation potentially from Dyson spheres, using methodology like spectral type filtering and Hα emission checks. I would add that with sample sizes of millions and data points like flux ratios, it concludes these could be artificial megastructures, though natural explanations like debris disks remain, implying profound astrobiological implications if confirmed.

Biological Risk from the Mirror World (newsletter.rootsofprogress.org)
Mirror bacteria with opposite chirality could evade immune systems and predators, potentially causing mass extinction by colonizing untouched environments in bodies and ecosystems. I would caution that while mirror proteins are safe, creating full cells risks biosecurity—experts predict no defenses exist, urging bans on such research to prune this tech tree branch before it’s an existential threat.

Technology & Society

AI Reshaping Call Center Work in the Philippines (restofworld.org)
In the 1.84 million-worker BPO sector, AI tools monitor calls for tone and script adherence, boosting efficiency but intensifying pressure, with 86% of white-collar Filipinos using AI and estimates of 300,000 job losses in five years. I would reflect on workers feeling like “robots,” handling more calls (e.g., 30 before lunch) while pleasing AI copilots, showing how tech justifies added tasks without wage gains.

Good Cities Can’t Exist Without Public Order (noahpinion.blog)
Dense, walkable cities require public safety to thrive, as crime acts as a congestion cost reducing efficiency and fueling NIMBYism against housing and transit. I would emphasize that while NYC manages with higher crime than Tokyo, better order could counter fears, drawing from studies showing mixed transit-crime links and urging lessons from Asia and Europe.

Imposing Pickup Trucks Symbolize Pakistan’s Power Gulf (dawn.com)
The Toyota Hilux, priced Rs10-15 million, embodies status and intimidation in class-divided Pakistan, used by elites for escorts and linked to abductions, with dealers noting election spikes. I would observe its evolution from rural reliability to urban power symbol, deterring crimes and police stops, but notorious for “fear-spreading” in politics.

Economics & Development

Is It Better to Rent or Buy? A Financial Calculator (nytimes.com)
This tool compares buying vs. renting by factoring home price ($500k example), rent ($2k/month), mortgage (6.75%), growth rates (3%), taxes, and costs, showing renting might save $140k over 10 years. I would note it highlights buying favors longer stays to amortize upfront fees, but ignores non-financial perks—feels like economics scream “buy a house” right now.

Still Donating Half (forum.effectivealtruism.org)
Despite a pay cut to nonprofit work post-FTX collapse, the couple maintains 50% donations (peaking at $781k in 2021), to GiveWell and EA funds, drawing from savings. I would share that starting early and pledging publicly made it identity-driven, showing how EA adapts in tough times—existence proves commitment amid funding constraints.

Reference & Curiosities

Goiânia Accident (en.wikipedia.org)
In 1987, an unsecured caesium-137 source caused contamination in Brazil, killing four (doses 4.5-6.0 Gy), affecting 249 of 112,000 examined, with 44 TBq recovered. I would connect it to inequality debates—beyond poverty or politics, unsecured materials highlight risks in dysfunctional systems, urging better security as IAEA stressed.

10 Distilleries Where You Can Buy an Entire Cask of Whisky (forbes.com)
Distilleries like Arran (£2,250+) and Inchdairnie (£8,500) let buyers own casks matured on-site, yielding hundreds of bottles, with choices like bourbon types. A pal would say it’s a fun way to personalize whisky, funding new ops while securing rare releases—costs double with extras, but beats missing ballots.

The Big Guide to Teaching Little People How to Sound Out Words (theintrinsicperspective.com)
A phonics guide for toddlers uses game-based tiers: letter sounds, blending via sentences, then stories, in 100-200 hours of 1:1 tutoring. I would add skipping rigid rules makes it engaging, like balance bikes for reading—personalized fun trumps traditional slog, with videos showing three-year-olds mastering basics.

Politics & Current Events (2024)

What Are the Checks and Balances on the Power of Elon Musk? (noahpinion.blog)
U.S. systems guard against government power but weakly against oligarchs like Musk, who influenced 2024’s CR failure via 100+ X posts, swaying Trump and Congress. I would warn his quantum “Evil Elon” potential scares people—ultimate check is public backlash, as influence wanes if overplayed.

Grading the World’s Shortest Manifesto (cremieux.xyz)
The killer’s manifesto gets an F for unsupported claims like U.S. healthcare ranking #42 in life expectancy (due to obesity, not system), failing to justify murder. I would critique its lazy greed accusations—profits barely impact care, making the act inhuman, not honest, warranting execution.

Paul Krugman Retires as Times Columnist (nytco.com)
After 25 years, Krugman retires, remembered for making economics addictive and accessible, responding to readers and tackling issues. I would reflect he converted me from Objectivist to social justice thinker via his textbook—his voice cut through complexity, a gift leaving a void in journalism.