Varun
@varunr.bsky.social
Data science at Slack. Views are my own (obviously). Largely data posting and politics re-posting.
Politics blog: https://a-humble-politics-blog.ghost.io/
Data science + engineering blog: https://varunprajan.github.io/
Politics blog: https://a-humble-politics-blog.ghost.io/
Data science + engineering blog: https://varunprajan.github.io/
Pinned
Varun
@varunr.bsky.social
· 2d
Turning a big dial and constantly looking back at the audience
Introduction
varunprajan.github.io
I wrote about OpenAI, Facebook, the dril racism dial, and what it means to be a data scientist in big tech
varunprajan.github.io/blog/dial-up/
varunprajan.github.io/blog/dial-up/
Reposted by Varun
Democrats intentionally delayed the start date to appease Big Pharma and his lackeys, and now Trump gets to benefit. Political malpractice.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Medicare announces price cuts for 15 prescription drugs, including Ozempic
The lower prices stem from the Medicare negotiation program created under the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act.
www.nbcnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Democrats intentionally delayed the start date to appease Big Pharma and his lackeys, and now Trump gets to benefit. Political malpractice.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Reposted by Varun
"When Con Ed announced it would fund the NYCHA pilot in March 2023, the company chose four NYCHA campuses — Queensbridge North and South in Queens, De Hostos in Manhattan, and Van Dyke I in Brooklyn – and predicted completion by early 2025."
'Con' Job: Energy Giant Cancels NYCHA E-Bike Battery-Charging Pilot - Streetsblog New York City
Con Edison was supposed to build four charging stations at NYCHA campuses, but the company quietly cancelled the funding in April.
nyc.streetsblog.org
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
"When Con Ed announced it would fund the NYCHA pilot in March 2023, the company chose four NYCHA campuses — Queensbridge North and South in Queens, De Hostos in Manhattan, and Van Dyke I in Brooklyn – and predicted completion by early 2025."
"YouTuber Jeffery Phillips made it his mission to convince Google that GTA 6 had a twerk button. He did this simply by posting over and over again on X and Reddit about how the twerk button was real"
kotaku.com/gta-6-traile...
kotaku.com/gta-6-traile...
November 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
"YouTuber Jeffery Phillips made it his mission to convince Google that GTA 6 had a twerk button. He did this simply by posting over and over again on X and Reddit about how the twerk button was real"
kotaku.com/gta-6-traile...
kotaku.com/gta-6-traile...
Reposted by Varun
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Additionally, OpenAI argues its not liable because Raine, by using ChatGPT for self-harm, broke its terms of service
November 26, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Reposted by Varun
ICE agent when told he's about to arrest a US citizen. Direct quote: "I DON'T CARE."
November 24, 2025 at 10:15 PM
ICE agent when told he's about to arrest a US citizen. Direct quote: "I DON'T CARE."
"current generation AI models could increase annual US labor productivity growth by 1.8% over the next decade"
Big if true
Big if true
November 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
"current generation AI models could increase annual US labor productivity growth by 1.8% over the next decade"
Big if true
Big if true
Reposted by Varun
"elevate charismatic figures such as Alan Dershowitz"
-____________-
-____________-
November 25, 2025 at 3:37 AM
"elevate charismatic figures such as Alan Dershowitz"
-____________-
-____________-
Reposted by Varun
I wrote about OpenAI, Facebook, the dril racism dial, and what it means to be a data scientist in big tech
varunprajan.github.io/blog/dial-up/
varunprajan.github.io/blog/dial-up/
Turning a big dial and constantly looking back at the audience
Introduction
varunprajan.github.io
November 24, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I wrote about OpenAI, Facebook, the dril racism dial, and what it means to be a data scientist in big tech
varunprajan.github.io/blog/dial-up/
varunprajan.github.io/blog/dial-up/
Reposted by Varun
The company essentially turned a dial that made ChatGPT more appealing and made people use it more, but sent some of them into delusional spirals.
OpenAI has since made the chatbot safer, but that comes with a tradeoff: less usage.
OpenAI has since made the chatbot safer, but that comes with a tradeoff: less usage.
November 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The company essentially turned a dial that made ChatGPT more appealing and made people use it more, but sent some of them into delusional spirals.
OpenAI has since made the chatbot safer, but that comes with a tradeoff: less usage.
OpenAI has since made the chatbot safer, but that comes with a tradeoff: less usage.
Reposted by Varun
Instagram’s former head of safety and well-being Vaishnavi Jayakumar testified the company had a “17x” strike policy for accounts that engaged in the trafficking of humans for sex.
“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"
time.com/7336204/meta...
“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"
time.com/7336204/meta...
7 Allegations Against Meta in Newly Unsealed Filings
Court filings allege Meta tolerated sex trafficking, hid harms to teens, and prioritized growth over user safety for years.
time.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Instagram’s former head of safety and well-being Vaishnavi Jayakumar testified the company had a “17x” strike policy for accounts that engaged in the trafficking of humans for sex.
“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"
time.com/7336204/meta...
“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"
time.com/7336204/meta...
Reposted by Varun
Kavanaugh stop. Smashed the kid’s car windows and arrested him. He told them he was a U.S. citizen. The officer replied “I don’t care.”
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
High school senior, a U.S. citizen, detained by ICE in Oregon
The 17-year-old was held more than five hours Friday in an ICE facility, his brother said.
www.oregonlive.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Kavanaugh stop. Smashed the kid’s car windows and arrested him. He told them he was a U.S. citizen. The officer replied “I don’t care.”
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
Reposted by Varun
13k comments on one tweet is a massive payout. All of the tweets follow a certain formula, so the content is likely automated using AI technology (e.g., AI generated images and text). Basically running it as a money printing machine. But for those in the US, it translates to low simmering rage.
November 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
13k comments on one tweet is a massive payout. All of the tweets follow a certain formula, so the content is likely automated using AI technology (e.g., AI generated images and text). Basically running it as a money printing machine. But for those in the US, it translates to low simmering rage.
Reposted by Varun
this is your brain when your entire politics is just a set of aesthetics
November 21, 2025 at 11:04 PM
this is your brain when your entire politics is just a set of aesthetics
Reposted by Varun
In an era filled with tech dipshits who never developed emotionally past the age of 13 & use their wealth to become odious monsters ...
... listen to Steve Wozniak.
... listen to Steve Wozniak.
November 21, 2025 at 7:41 PM
In an era filled with tech dipshits who never developed emotionally past the age of 13 & use their wealth to become odious monsters ...
... listen to Steve Wozniak.
... listen to Steve Wozniak.
Reposted by Varun
this is the correct way to react to anything the president says-
November 20, 2025 at 9:00 PM
this is the correct way to react to anything the president says-
Reposted by Varun
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
November 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Reposted by Varun
this defies parody. also helps explain why Sec Bessent bizarrely blamed immigrants when confronted with a question about high beef prices
November 20, 2025 at 4:58 PM
this defies parody. also helps explain why Sec Bessent bizarrely blamed immigrants when confronted with a question about high beef prices
Reposted by Varun
“.. an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 U.S. troops died fighting against ..”
@washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
@washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
November 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
“.. an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 U.S. troops died fighting against ..”
@washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
@washingtonpost.com
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Varun
The Washington Post, everyone!
November 20, 2025 at 3:42 AM
The Washington Post, everyone!
Reposted by Varun
Very normal society
November 19, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Very normal society
Reposted by Varun
No one demanded the market distorting effects of personalist dictatorship more than capital, they should be happy with their choice. bsky.app/profile/carl...
YELLEN: “.. businesses feel paralyzed by the uncertainty about policies that represent the strong but really personal whims of a single individual.”
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
No one demanded the market distorting effects of personalist dictatorship more than capital, they should be happy with their choice. bsky.app/profile/carl...