Alton B.H. Worthington
@abhw.bsky.social
Social Science Shop Teacher in the vocational training division of a sports entertainment and medical services conglomerate. Views expressed represent nobody, even myself. ∃ RPs ∉ {Endorse} ∧ ∀ Posts ⊂ {Nonsense}. PV=NRT. "Car weirdo."
Pinned
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
I just want to point out that’s Doug Wilson speaking at the Pentagon. Doug Wilson wants: the 19th amendment repealed, non-Christian religions outlawed, the death penalty for homosexuality, women barred from working or holding office, blasphemy laws, and one party theocratic rule.
February 18, 2026 at 7:22 PM
I just want to point out that’s Doug Wilson speaking at the Pentagon. Doug Wilson wants: the 19th amendment repealed, non-Christian religions outlawed, the death penalty for homosexuality, women barred from working or holding office, blasphemy laws, and one party theocratic rule.
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
Edsall asked me to quote but mine weren’t included so I’ll poast my response here.
Turnout matters, but isn’t mentioned in the piece. It’s not the same group of voters.
Also see @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social on how black and white people define “I identify as conservative” differently
Turnout matters, but isn’t mentioned in the piece. It’s not the same group of voters.
Also see @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social on how black and white people define “I identify as conservative” differently
February 18, 2026 at 6:59 PM
Edsall asked me to quote but mine weren’t included so I’ll poast my response here.
Turnout matters, but isn’t mentioned in the piece. It’s not the same group of voters.
Also see @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social on how black and white people define “I identify as conservative” differently
Turnout matters, but isn’t mentioned in the piece. It’s not the same group of voters.
Also see @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social on how black and white people define “I identify as conservative” differently
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
First time I listened to Gladwell talk about something I didn’t know much about:
Wow! This guys is pretty smart! And he explained this in a way I found accessible!
Vs.
First time I listened to Gladwell talk about something I did know about:
FUCK. This guy is wrong all the time, isn’t he?
Wow! This guys is pretty smart! And he explained this in a way I found accessible!
Vs.
First time I listened to Gladwell talk about something I did know about:
FUCK. This guy is wrong all the time, isn’t he?
February 18, 2026 at 10:29 PM
First time I listened to Gladwell talk about something I didn’t know much about:
Wow! This guys is pretty smart! And he explained this in a way I found accessible!
Vs.
First time I listened to Gladwell talk about something I did know about:
FUCK. This guy is wrong all the time, isn’t he?
Wow! This guys is pretty smart! And he explained this in a way I found accessible!
Vs.
First time I listened to Gladwell talk about something I did know about:
FUCK. This guy is wrong all the time, isn’t he?
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
solid poasting energy in this slide about how many people don't want AI forced on them
February 18, 2026 at 10:40 PM
solid poasting energy in this slide about how many people don't want AI forced on them
Just appalling ignorance, both of the independence of the Federal Reserve System Banks and the point of empirical economics. (A field in which Hassett has a doctoral degree.)
It's an embarrassment to CEA, the University of Pennsylvania, and, honestly, the nation.
It's an embarrassment to CEA, the University of Pennsylvania, and, honestly, the nation.
Kevin Hassett says NY Fed economists should be "disciplined" for research paper that says 94% of the tariff incidence was borne by the U.S. in the first eight months of 2025.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Who pays for the US tariffs? The answer may not surprise you
But it has shocked Kevin Hassett to his very core
giftarticle.ft.com
February 18, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Just appalling ignorance, both of the independence of the Federal Reserve System Banks and the point of empirical economics. (A field in which Hassett has a doctoral degree.)
It's an embarrassment to CEA, the University of Pennsylvania, and, honestly, the nation.
It's an embarrassment to CEA, the University of Pennsylvania, and, honestly, the nation.
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
His criticism is thick with irony given Hassett's May 5th prediction of covid deaths dropping to zero by mid-May 2020
February 18, 2026 at 10:28 PM
His criticism is thick with irony given Hassett's May 5th prediction of covid deaths dropping to zero by mid-May 2020
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
Bleak. I love it
Proposal: measure journal decision times in tenure clock units. I.e. divide by five years, because that's usually when you have to submit documents.
Examples:
- I received a desk rejection today. 0.083 units.
- My JMP took 0.1 units to be reviewed and rejected at a journal.
#EconSky
Examples:
- I received a desk rejection today. 0.083 units.
- My JMP took 0.1 units to be reviewed and rejected at a journal.
#EconSky
February 18, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Bleak. I love it
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
An absurd thing is that New Mexico is the last state to not pay its legislators (they get per-diems) which among everything else explains why it's mostly lawyers that can take 1-2 months off every year writing all our laws.
New Mexico voters will decide in November whether lawmakers should receive salaries after the Legislature approved a resolution placing the question on the statewide ballot.
NM Legislature approves resolution for lawmaker pay, sending question to voters on November ballot
New Mexico lawmakers approved a resolution asking voters to decide in November whether legislators should receive salaries, potentially ending the state’s long-standing unpaid Legislature.
www.organmountainnews.com
February 18, 2026 at 8:18 PM
An absurd thing is that New Mexico is the last state to not pay its legislators (they get per-diems) which among everything else explains why it's mostly lawyers that can take 1-2 months off every year writing all our laws.
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
As someone that does markets for a living I find prediction markets very useful...as one tool in a bigger toolbox. They aggregate lots of information quickly, which can give them a huge value-add relative to more latent analysis (polling, etc). But they're not always reliable info aggregators!
It seems nuts to me that CNN has partnered with an online gambling site (Kalshi) and hypes their betting lines as “news” to report.
February 18, 2026 at 7:17 PM
As someone that does markets for a living I find prediction markets very useful...as one tool in a bigger toolbox. They aggregate lots of information quickly, which can give them a huge value-add relative to more latent analysis (polling, etc). But they're not always reliable info aggregators!
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
Good Authority's Erik Voeten used country-level UN vote data to create ideal points, similar to how political ideology is measured. It shows the massive shift in U.S. foreign policy in 2025, relative to the rest of the world. goodauthority.org/news/the-wor...
February 18, 2026 at 7:14 PM
Good Authority's Erik Voeten used country-level UN vote data to create ideal points, similar to how political ideology is measured. It shows the massive shift in U.S. foreign policy in 2025, relative to the rest of the world. goodauthority.org/news/the-wor...
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
three answers suggesting you might want to think about the question a little bit and one releasing you from ever thinking about anything again
February 18, 2026 at 4:59 PM
three answers suggesting you might want to think about the question a little bit and one releasing you from ever thinking about anything again
Let's go to the tape: They don't (without traded inputs), it didn't, it didn't, it didn't, it didn't, and they weren't. So basically, six strikes on six pitches. Good job, Director Hassett, sterling economic analysis all around.
Hassett: "The basic theory of President Trump's tariffs is sure, we're importing stuff from China, but we've got producers in US who make stuff, maybe at alightly higher place. If we bring stuff home, create demand, then that will hurt China & drive up wages & American consumers will be better off."
February 18, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Let's go to the tape: They don't (without traded inputs), it didn't, it didn't, it didn't, it didn't, and they weren't. So basically, six strikes on six pitches. Good job, Director Hassett, sterling economic analysis all around.
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
"Many fall for AI-generated junk online" — youth demand social media ban for people above 40.
Excellent headline by a German satire magazine.
Excellent headline by a German satire magazine.
February 18, 2026 at 4:57 PM
"Many fall for AI-generated junk online" — youth demand social media ban for people above 40.
Excellent headline by a German satire magazine.
Excellent headline by a German satire magazine.
signing off to do some grading and watch a youtube documentary about some madlads who did a 1000-mile pylon air race in a DC7, g'night
February 18, 2026 at 4:19 AM
signing off to do some grading and watch a youtube documentary about some madlads who did a 1000-mile pylon air race in a DC7, g'night
Also, good excuse to post a paper I've enjoyed:
www.coxlydia.com/papers/Acost...
(honorable mention to a new paper from Clausing and Obstfeld:
www.nber.org/system/files...)
www.coxlydia.com/papers/Acost...
(honorable mention to a new paper from Clausing and Obstfeld:
www.nber.org/system/files...)
February 18, 2026 at 3:09 AM
Also, good excuse to post a paper I've enjoyed:
www.coxlydia.com/papers/Acost...
(honorable mention to a new paper from Clausing and Obstfeld:
www.nber.org/system/files...)
www.coxlydia.com/papers/Acost...
(honorable mention to a new paper from Clausing and Obstfeld:
www.nber.org/system/files...)
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
It's hard to believe that you could be the trade representative for a major power and not know that tariffs are regressive.
My econ 101 students know what the word regressive means, and that tariffs are regressive. Many could even cite studies on the subject.
My econ 101 students know what the word regressive means, and that tariffs are regressive. Many could even cite studies on the subject.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on tariffs: "It's not regressive. Most consumption in America is done by the wealthiest people. So the idea it's somehow regressive is just wrong."
February 18, 2026 at 2:50 AM
It's hard to believe that you could be the trade representative for a major power and not know that tariffs are regressive.
My econ 101 students know what the word regressive means, and that tariffs are regressive. Many could even cite studies on the subject.
My econ 101 students know what the word regressive means, and that tariffs are regressive. Many could even cite studies on the subject.
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
I hate that we have to now pretend that "Globalists" are an actual thing. Absolutely terrible article in Foreign Affairs btw.
February 18, 2026 at 2:03 AM
I hate that we have to now pretend that "Globalists" are an actual thing. Absolutely terrible article in Foreign Affairs btw.
"Signal 30" audio also used in an absolute wild track by Public Service Broadcasting (here's the live performance on KEXP): youtu.be/0obMOfvCN5k
February 18, 2026 at 2:50 AM
"Signal 30" audio also used in an absolute wild track by Public Service Broadcasting (here's the live performance on KEXP): youtu.be/0obMOfvCN5k
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
This language on the TrumpRx site.
February 18, 2026 at 1:07 AM
This language on the TrumpRx site.
thread up and down, imo, but as a "computers are best when they are deterministic" person, coming to grips w this aspect of LLMs is... complicated.
One thing that examples like this show is that this mode of thinking is out the window with LLMs. In traditional computing world, when output is produced, it means your instructions were followed and, as long as your instructions were right, the output is correct. Not so with LLMs, evidently.
February 17, 2026 at 10:03 PM
thread up and down, imo, but as a "computers are best when they are deterministic" person, coming to grips w this aspect of LLMs is... complicated.
the worst market trend you know just made a great point
AI driven RAM pricing forcing developers to get better at resource use is a very funny outcome
February 17, 2026 at 10:01 PM
the worst market trend you know just made a great point
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
In the large: Mortality in France, 1816-2016.
February 17, 2026 at 9:56 PM
In the large: Mortality in France, 1816-2016.
1) honestly curious about the remit given to the composer, as it's a kinda convex combination of european-and-some-americas anthems, imo
2) it does seem weird to ask folks to stand for an anthem for an "unstate", but the flag is weirder
3) instrumental of "one shining moment" would have been fun
2) it does seem weird to ask folks to stand for an anthem for an "unstate", but the flag is weirder
3) instrumental of "one shining moment" would have been fun
they used to use the Olympic Anthem for athletes competing under neutral flags, but then they decided they didn't want the Russian/Belarussians to get the Olympic Anthem, so ahead of 2024 they wrote a special Individual Neutral Athletes anthem that they'll use if any of them win
February 17, 2026 at 9:52 PM
1) honestly curious about the remit given to the composer, as it's a kinda convex combination of european-and-some-americas anthems, imo
2) it does seem weird to ask folks to stand for an anthem for an "unstate", but the flag is weirder
3) instrumental of "one shining moment" would have been fun
2) it does seem weird to ask folks to stand for an anthem for an "unstate", but the flag is weirder
3) instrumental of "one shining moment" would have been fun
Reposted by Alton B.H. Worthington
It’s just so depressing how corporations (because of course they did) trained LLMs to produce bullshit designed to exploit their users while making them dependent on the experience. Social media but even more insidious.
We know that the Oligarchs exploit our every vulnerability and yet we type our most sensitive questions into their "please exploit my vulnerabilities" machines.
February 17, 2026 at 9:43 PM
It’s just so depressing how corporations (because of course they did) trained LLMs to produce bullshit designed to exploit their users while making them dependent on the experience. Social media but even more insidious.