Tootfinder

Is #AI really just dumb statistics? "Olympiad-level physics problem-solving presents a significant challenge for both humans and artificial intelligence (AI), as it requires a sophisticated integration of precise calculation, abstract reasoning, and a fundamental grasp of physical principles," says the (abstract of the) paper https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.10515: "The Chinese Physics Olympiad (CPhO), renowned for its complexity and depth, serves as an ideal and rigorous testbed for these advanced capabilities. In this paper, we introduce LOCA-R (LOgical Chain Augmentation for Reasoning), an improved version of the LOCA framework adapted for complex reasoning, and apply it to the CPhO 2025 theory examination. LOCA-R achieves a near-perfect score of 313 out of 320 points, solidly surpassing the highest-scoring human competitor and significantly outperforming all baseline methods." Oops ...?

When it's observable that the very rich are steadily growing richer while the vast majority of people are growing poorer, it's obvious that the tax system is not neutral: it is actively redistributing wealth upwards. For the tax system to be neutral, it MUST tax the very rich much more. To do so is not redistributive, at least until it actively causes a net movement of wealth towards the poor: rather it is simply neutral.

How Has Inequality Changed? - Equality Trust
Levels of inequality changed dramatically over the course of the 20th century. Overall income inequality fell from a high point in the 1930s, remained fairly static until 1979, and then increased dramatically from 1979 to 1991. Since 1991, the trend has been more volatile, affected by Great Recession of the late 2000s and the Covid-19 […]

The United States renamed it to Department of War. They already said out loud what this is about!

On a atteint 10% des 100k signature pour que nos politiques bougent de X, continuons de signer : https://petitions.assemblee-nationale.fr/initiatives/2610

Cesser d'utiliser X (anciennement Twitter) pour les communications officielles du gouvernement - Cesser d'utiliser X (anciennement Twitter) pour les communications officielles du gouvernement - Plateforme des pétitions de l’Assemblée nationale
Cessez d'utiliser cette plateforme comme l'un des principaux porte-parole des communications officielles en France. Il existe des alternatives bien mieux modérées et régulées, et il est même possible de gérer sa propre plateforme. Si vous allez ailleurs, les journalistes et les citoyens qui veulent consommer l'information du gouvernement français iront aussi ailleurs. Le propriétaire de cette plateforme est ouvertement opposé aux valeurs de la Constitution française. Il publie régul…

As Trump threatens Iran, Venezuela, Mexico, Greenland and more,
renowned historian Alfred McCoy says the United States is
“an empire in decline,”
following a predictable pattern
of militarism abroad and political instability at home
as it loses power and influence on the world stage.
“American politics become increasingly contorted and irrational,”
says McCoy.
“I think the thing to do is to realize that we are an empire in decline, …
…

“Empire in Decline”: Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond
As President Trump threatens Iran, Venezuela, Mexico, Greenland and more, renowned historian Alfred McCoy says the United States is “an empire in decline,” following a predictable pattern of militarism abroad and political instability at home as it loses power and influence on the world stage. “American politics become increasingly contorted and irrational,” says McCoy. “I think the thing to do is to realize that we are an empire in decline, … and it will continue for another decade…

RE: https://mastodon.art/@wandklex/115258430458624588
Mein letzter Versandtag vor Weihnachten ist dieses Jahr Freitag, der 19. Dezember, das sind ab heute noch 34 Tage. (Dabei sind Samstage und Sonntage schon mitgezählt, weil die für mich sowieso stets normale Arbeitstage sind.) Daher kurz nochmal der Reminder:

Mémoire.
Un patient travail de numérisation m'attend. Je ne connais pas la plupart de ces gens, et pourtant ils me semblent tellement familiers. Normal, il s'agit de ma famille... Il y a des photos incroyables, des photos d'une époque, des photos floues, mal cadrées, sombres, au trois-quarts effacées. Mais toutes émouvantes. #tresor
J'en publierai régulièrement sur mon compte …

McClatchy is eliminating its real-time national news operation, closing its Washington bureau, and withdrawing from the White House press pool (Oliver Darcy/Status)
https://www.status.news/p/mcclatchy-layoffs-dc-bureau

McClatchy’s Quiet Cuts
McClatchy, the 168-year-old newspaper chain, has gutted its national news operation—another reminder of how once-towering newspaper giants are struggling to survive.

Reminder: The Jan 6th attack on the Capitol was an act of treason. Those who committed it, planned it, and egged it on are guilty of treason, for they declared war on the United States.
Anyone trying to cover it up or pretend it didn't happen is giving aid to America's enemies, who declared war on the United States. That is also treason.
No, this is not hyperbole. This is fact. This is a national disgrace.

Most of the math I know beyond "business calculus" is math I picked up in grad school (economics) or taught myself later. I'm constantly reminded there are gaps in my knowledge. For example, trigonometry doesn't come up much in economics or statistics. (1/n)
#math #learning