Angela
@bourb.xyz
New here, just looking around and trying things out. @AngelaInBold on twtr
PhD in math. Moved to computer science + data science. Recently left academia.
Lover of: FFXIV, mechanical keyboards, karaoke
PhD in math. Moved to computer science + data science. Recently left academia.
Lover of: FFXIV, mechanical keyboards, karaoke
Reposted by Angela
Public smoking bans just got in under the wire, too. Younger folks might not realize how rare they used to be and how hard they were to enact.
it is MIRACULOUS that we got rid of lead paint and asbestos when we did. if we had tried that today, there would be people whining about how we're restricting their rights.
Bring back residential-use lead paint, you cowards.
December 4, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Public smoking bans just got in under the wire, too. Younger folks might not realize how rare they used to be and how hard they were to enact.
What the fuck.
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
What the fuck.
Besides this being a One Tree Hill poster rip off, the weirdest thing to me is that they're literally touching (fake, green screen?) grass. Interesting choice for a SPACE academy.
🚨 BREAKING - New Star Trek: #StarfleetAcademy Poster!
The first season of the new #StarTrek live-action series premieres January 15th on Paramount+
🖖 Will YOU be watching?
The first season of the new #StarTrek live-action series premieres January 15th on Paramount+
🖖 Will YOU be watching?
December 4, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Besides this being a One Tree Hill poster rip off, the weirdest thing to me is that they're literally touching (fake, green screen?) grass. Interesting choice for a SPACE academy.
Reposted by Angela
Klingon teenager: welcome to the OC b’Itch
December 4, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Klingon teenager: welcome to the OC b’Itch
A fun thing about revisiting a bunch of music I haven't listened to in 20-30 years, after being with a professional musician for 10 years, is I'm hearing things so differently now. But not in a "oh my taste was shit when I was young" way but in a "appreciating parts I never noticed before."
December 3, 2025 at 1:27 PM
A fun thing about revisiting a bunch of music I haven't listened to in 20-30 years, after being with a professional musician for 10 years, is I'm hearing things so differently now. But not in a "oh my taste was shit when I was young" way but in a "appreciating parts I never noticed before."
Reposted by Angela
Years ago, when I still wrote for SPIN, the great @danielkohn.bsky.social let me write about "A Long December", so of course I wrote a little about death and sadness and choosing to believe things can get better.
www.spin.com/2021/12/a-lo...
www.spin.com/2021/12/a-lo...
‘A Long December’ Always Gives Me Reason to Believe
December is a month of traditions. A myriad religious observances, baked goods, decorations and familial obligations. We all have our conventions, taking time t
www.spin.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Years ago, when I still wrote for SPIN, the great @danielkohn.bsky.social let me write about "A Long December", so of course I wrote a little about death and sadness and choosing to believe things can get better.
www.spin.com/2021/12/a-lo...
www.spin.com/2021/12/a-lo...
Lmao at the AI commercial I just saw. The entire message is "Has your AI ever done something wrong? Our AI will undo that."
What are we doing here?
What are we doing here?
November 30, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Lmao at the AI commercial I just saw. The entire message is "Has your AI ever done something wrong? Our AI will undo that."
What are we doing here?
What are we doing here?
It was clear from when the info first went public that he isn't at all sorry because he does not believe he did anything wrong. Like many mediocre white men, he cannot fathom that a woman exists on this planet that isn't dreaming of the day she can finally see his dick.
Since Louis CK is in the news again, it's worth restating that he never gave an honest accounting of his sexual misconduct—his initial "apology" and his subsequent statements have been contradicted by the testimony of his victims, and contained elisions and gaps intended to exonerate him.
November 29, 2025 at 11:17 PM
It was clear from when the info first went public that he isn't at all sorry because he does not believe he did anything wrong. Like many mediocre white men, he cannot fathom that a woman exists on this planet that isn't dreaming of the day she can finally see his dick.
Reposted by Angela
“Cancellation limbo”: when you’re definitely not cancelled but not as celebrated as you used to be. This is one reason why “cancel culture” discourse is so tiresome: a lot of people are using it to mean “my life was affected in some negative way by my actions”
www.newyorker.com/culture/crit...
www.newyorker.com/culture/crit...
November 29, 2025 at 1:21 PM
“Cancellation limbo”: when you’re definitely not cancelled but not as celebrated as you used to be. This is one reason why “cancel culture” discourse is so tiresome: a lot of people are using it to mean “my life was affected in some negative way by my actions”
www.newyorker.com/culture/crit...
www.newyorker.com/culture/crit...
Setting aside the fact that the writing is terrible and absolutely not college level... her only sources are "Trust me, bro."
Her argument immediately falls apart with a counterexample. I am a cis woman and I do not "naturally want to do womanly things." >>
Her argument immediately falls apart with a counterexample. I am a cis woman and I do not "naturally want to do womanly things." >>
Turning Point at OU posted this girl's essay in full and man is it rough
November 29, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Setting aside the fact that the writing is terrible and absolutely not college level... her only sources are "Trust me, bro."
Her argument immediately falls apart with a counterexample. I am a cis woman and I do not "naturally want to do womanly things." >>
Her argument immediately falls apart with a counterexample. I am a cis woman and I do not "naturally want to do womanly things." >>
More like Revenge of the Jocks, amiright
November 29, 2025 at 7:16 PM
More like Revenge of the Jocks, amiright
Reposted by Angela
Really, the Cowboys beating the Chiefs on Thanksgiving is just too on the nose
November 27, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Really, the Cowboys beating the Chiefs on Thanksgiving is just too on the nose
This is a funny observation about the uselessness of genAI tools, but it also underscores the only thing LLMs do: regurgitate the most common thing it's "read" back to you. The most common answer to "I'm a man who wants to cook on a first date; what should I make?" is "Pasta."
Needing ChatGPT to tell you make pasta for a first date as though dudes haven’t been doing that since the beginning of time
November 27, 2025 at 10:13 PM
This is a funny observation about the uselessness of genAI tools, but it also underscores the only thing LLMs do: regurgitate the most common thing it's "read" back to you. The most common answer to "I'm a man who wants to cook on a first date; what should I make?" is "Pasta."
Reposted by Angela
Jack White is the king of “indie dudes love sports too” representation matters baby
November 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Jack White is the king of “indie dudes love sports too” representation matters baby
Reposted by Angela
The sheer number of ads touting AI tells you how fucked and over-leveraged these companies are. You don't spend this much on marketing a thing you called "inevitable" unless you are seriously underwater and it ain't inevitable
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 PM
The sheer number of ads touting AI tells you how fucked and over-leveraged these companies are. You don't spend this much on marketing a thing you called "inevitable" unless you are seriously underwater and it ain't inevitable
Reposted by Angela
I would like to know which "AI experts" they asked
It's not this platform. It's all of society that hates AI
November 26, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I would like to know which "AI experts" they asked
No one has told Tom Brady it's called the "Red Zone" yet? Just because he used to be a player doesn't mean he can just change names for things.
November 27, 2025 at 7:14 PM
No one has told Tom Brady it's called the "Red Zone" yet? Just because he used to be a player doesn't mean he can just change names for things.
This first NFL game of Thanksgiving Day is rough to watch. Not because of the football game itself, but because of Tom Brady being one of the commentators and SO MANY commercials for genAI, all of which are completely falsely advertising their capabilities (ie, lack thereof).
November 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This first NFL game of Thanksgiving Day is rough to watch. Not because of the football game itself, but because of Tom Brady being one of the commentators and SO MANY commercials for genAI, all of which are completely falsely advertising their capabilities (ie, lack thereof).
In a conversation last week, my mom sheepishly said "I've been meaning to ask you... with the degree you have... are you technically a doctor?"
I earned my PhD over 10 years ago and have been called "Dr. B" more over that time than I have been called by my first time. >>
I earned my PhD over 10 years ago and have been called "Dr. B" more over that time than I have been called by my first time. >>
As I said in a reply to this, families are complicated and personal. Some people have no interest in learning what you do or why and are just kinda jerks. I'm sorry.
But some people really want to understand, and too few scientists learn how to talk to non-scientists. I can help with that!
But some people really want to understand, and too few scientists learn how to talk to non-scientists. I can help with that!
Every year around Thanksgiving, I see tons of grad students post heartbreaking messages on social media about how their loved ones don’t understand or support their decision to study what seems like something pointless or silly.
Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!
🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!
🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
November 26, 2025 at 3:48 PM
In a conversation last week, my mom sheepishly said "I've been meaning to ask you... with the degree you have... are you technically a doctor?"
I earned my PhD over 10 years ago and have been called "Dr. B" more over that time than I have been called by my first time. >>
I earned my PhD over 10 years ago and have been called "Dr. B" more over that time than I have been called by my first time. >>
Thanksgiving was traditional (read: "basic bitch") in my family: turkey, potatoes, green beans, corn, rolls.
But my dad's parents were Italian and owned a successful restaurant in my small rural hometown, so we did homemade sauce, pasta, meatballs, and bread on Christmas.
But my dad's parents were Italian and owned a successful restaurant in my small rural hometown, so we did homemade sauce, pasta, meatballs, and bread on Christmas.
it fascinates me how most everyone in the U.S. does turkey for Thanksgiving, but we are all over the map as to what we eat for Christmas (as is proper for a hugely diverse nation).
I come from a Christmas prime rib roast family, myself.
I come from a Christmas prime rib roast family, myself.
I also use the bacon method. Although turkey is Christmas dinner where I come from.
November 26, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Thanksgiving was traditional (read: "basic bitch") in my family: turkey, potatoes, green beans, corn, rolls.
But my dad's parents were Italian and owned a successful restaurant in my small rural hometown, so we did homemade sauce, pasta, meatballs, and bread on Christmas.
But my dad's parents were Italian and owned a successful restaurant in my small rural hometown, so we did homemade sauce, pasta, meatballs, and bread on Christmas.
The researchers who gave this talk (ie, did the analysis behind this slide) made their data available and now all I want to do is play with that instead of doing work for my day job.
First Qs I have:
-What if XIV is separated by expac?
-What if named/main chars are separated from NPC randos?
First Qs I have:
-What if XIV is separated by expac?
-What if named/main chars are separated from NPC randos?
The proportion of female to male dialogue in Final Fantasy. #advx25
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The researchers who gave this talk (ie, did the analysis behind this slide) made their data available and now all I want to do is play with that instead of doing work for my day job.
First Qs I have:
-What if XIV is separated by expac?
-What if named/main chars are separated from NPC randos?
First Qs I have:
-What if XIV is separated by expac?
-What if named/main chars are separated from NPC randos?
Wow. The maintainers handled this so well. I am sincerely jealous of their professionalism and patience.
The AI bro just kept doubling down with "Go ahead, ask me any question and I will have an LLM answer it. I have no thoughts of my own" and thought that was somehow useful and convincing?
The AI bro just kept doubling down with "Go ahead, ask me any question and I will have an LLM answer it. I have no thoughts of my own" and thought that was somehow useful and convincing?
One of the many joys of using AI for programming is the creation of huge PRs on complex topics that the authors barely understand, but still suggest "because they work". Here's a great example from #OCaml github.com/ocaml/ocaml/...
Kudos to OCaml's maintainers for handling this so gracefully.
Kudos to OCaml's maintainers for handling this so gracefully.
DWARF support for macOS and Linux by joelreymont · Pull Request #14369 · ocaml/ocaml
DWARF v5 Debugging Support for OCaml Native Compiler
This PR adds DWARF v5 debug information to the OCaml native compiler, allowing proper source-level debugging in GDB and LLDB.
What's Impleme...
github.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Wow. The maintainers handled this so well. I am sincerely jealous of their professionalism and patience.
The AI bro just kept doubling down with "Go ahead, ask me any question and I will have an LLM answer it. I have no thoughts of my own" and thought that was somehow useful and convincing?
The AI bro just kept doubling down with "Go ahead, ask me any question and I will have an LLM answer it. I have no thoughts of my own" and thought that was somehow useful and convincing?
This is the Bluesky echo chamber description I can get on board with.
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 25, 2025 at 3:06 AM
This is the Bluesky echo chamber description I can get on board with.
Reposted by Angela
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
I spent years trying to get my students to understand why the first step always needs to be "understanding the problem." Now I shudder to imagine how many students and professionals (!) are just skipping right to useless "solution-shaped objects" without thinking at all. 😭
"writing code to solve a problem" used to have "understanding the problem" as a prerequisite. but vibecoding allows solution-shaped objects to be produced without any of the hard-won understanding. beware of solution-shaped objects.
November 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I spent years trying to get my students to understand why the first step always needs to be "understanding the problem." Now I shudder to imagine how many students and professionals (!) are just skipping right to useless "solution-shaped objects" without thinking at all. 😭