Ben
@benfields.net
🇺🇸immigrant in LDN
recovering academic
Trying to understand humanity with data, music, libations
Might not be looking in the right places
–
currently: Head of Data @lakaHQ
previously: @bbc @futurelearn @funandplausible
cf https://assemblag.es/@alsothings
recovering academic
Trying to understand humanity with data, music, libations
Might not be looking in the right places
–
currently: Head of Data @lakaHQ
previously: @bbc @futurelearn @funandplausible
cf https://assemblag.es/@alsothings
"We rarely stop to ask whether the metric captures the thing itself [...] Judge teachers by test scores and classrooms narrow into mere drilling; judge academics by citation counts and scholarship tilts towards reference trading"
Wondering how much data has (have) been collected in totality by coating everything in Google Analytics. And where all that data is (are). And what anyone has ever done with it (it)
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Compulsive tracking doesn’t measure what really counts
Centuries of the subtle craft of measurement have given way to gadgets that spew numbers
giftarticle.ft.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:51 PM
"We rarely stop to ask whether the metric captures the thing itself [...] Judge teachers by test scores and classrooms narrow into mere drilling; judge academics by citation counts and scholarship tilts towards reference trading"
Reposted by Ben
The bit where you skip over formulating a hypothesis and just start collecting as much data as possible in the hope it might one day be useful is, in my opinion, anti-scientific
December 27, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The bit where you skip over formulating a hypothesis and just start collecting as much data as possible in the hope it might one day be useful is, in my opinion, anti-scientific
Reposted by Ben
Reposted by Ben
In 1932, FDR was elected with 57.4% of the vote. He brought us the New Deal.
In 1964, LBJ was elected with 61.1% of the vote. He brough us the Great Society.
In 2025, Trump was elected with 49.8% of the vote. He's attempting to destroy everything FDR & LBJ built.
The rest is commentary.
In 1964, LBJ was elected with 61.1% of the vote. He brough us the Great Society.
In 2025, Trump was elected with 49.8% of the vote. He's attempting to destroy everything FDR & LBJ built.
The rest is commentary.
December 27, 2025 at 4:55 PM
In 1932, FDR was elected with 57.4% of the vote. He brought us the New Deal.
In 1964, LBJ was elected with 61.1% of the vote. He brough us the Great Society.
In 2025, Trump was elected with 49.8% of the vote. He's attempting to destroy everything FDR & LBJ built.
The rest is commentary.
In 1964, LBJ was elected with 61.1% of the vote. He brough us the Great Society.
In 2025, Trump was elected with 49.8% of the vote. He's attempting to destroy everything FDR & LBJ built.
The rest is commentary.
Reposted by Ben
It’s pretty wild that the most rabidly anti-immigrant administration in recent memory is comprised of a President married to an immigrant, a VP married to the daughter of immigrants, an assistant AG in charge of Civil Rights who’s an immigrant (Dhillon), & it was all funded by an immigrant (Musk).
December 27, 2025 at 12:12 AM
It’s pretty wild that the most rabidly anti-immigrant administration in recent memory is comprised of a President married to an immigrant, a VP married to the daughter of immigrants, an assistant AG in charge of Civil Rights who’s an immigrant (Dhillon), & it was all funded by an immigrant (Musk).
Reposted by Ben
more confirmation that lurking clearly behind this idea of the “heritage american” is a straightforward contempt for the actual history and tradition of this country, such that vermeule has to hallucinate a framework to justify his desire to jettison the clear meaning of the 14th amendment
I had missed this latest delirium by Adrian Vermeule on birthright citizenship
'Common law?! NAH, it's the Roman law of adoption that should govern the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution!'
thenewdigest.substack.com/p/immigratio...
'Common law?! NAH, it's the Roman law of adoption that should govern the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution!'
thenewdigest.substack.com/p/immigratio...
December 27, 2025 at 12:01 AM
more confirmation that lurking clearly behind this idea of the “heritage american” is a straightforward contempt for the actual history and tradition of this country, such that vermeule has to hallucinate a framework to justify his desire to jettison the clear meaning of the 14th amendment
Reposted by Ben
joining the "cybertruck owners only" group on fb is one of the best decisions i've ever made. every so often when i'm scrolling through fb getting pissed off, i get to see a little treat like this
December 26, 2025 at 4:11 PM
joining the "cybertruck owners only" group on fb is one of the best decisions i've ever made. every so often when i'm scrolling through fb getting pissed off, i get to see a little treat like this
Reposted by Ben
where’s the profile of the hipster coffee shop stuck in a gerrymandered republican district controlled by country diners
December 26, 2025 at 5:33 PM
where’s the profile of the hipster coffee shop stuck in a gerrymandered republican district controlled by country diners
Of course Bestham shouldn't be confused with Westham, Eastham, or Newham
I've been thinking about this sign for 6 months. a phrase I'll treasure forever. a metaphor with boundless potential
December 26, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Of course Bestham shouldn't be confused with Westham, Eastham, or Newham
Boop boop be doop: public domain!
When the clock strikes midnight on January 1, creative works from 1930 & sound recordings from 1925 will enter the public domain in the US, like:
💄 Dizzy Dishes, first Betty Boop cartoon
🕵️♀️ First 4 Nancy Drew novels
🚂 The Little Engine That Could
🎩 Morocco
🍑 Georgia on My Mind
and many more!
🧵👇
💄 Dizzy Dishes, first Betty Boop cartoon
🕵️♀️ First 4 Nancy Drew novels
🚂 The Little Engine That Could
🎩 Morocco
🍑 Georgia on My Mind
and many more!
🧵👇
December 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Boop boop be doop: public domain!
It's almost like the OG Defund ICE crowd was on to something
ICE detain father shopping on Christmas Eve—then steal his family's groceries.
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
December 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
It's almost like the OG Defund ICE crowd was on to something
Reposted by Ben
If you need to fly a flag to show you’re patriotic, you probably aren’t.
December 26, 2025 at 1:12 PM
If you need to fly a flag to show you’re patriotic, you probably aren’t.
Reposted by Ben
I did not understand this: one of the five Europeans the US has barred from traveling to the United States...is a permanent resident who lives with his family in the US.
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Judge Blocks Detention of British Researcher Who Scrutinizes Online Hate
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:55 AM
I did not understand this: one of the five Europeans the US has barred from traveling to the United States...is a permanent resident who lives with his family in the US.
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Reposted by Ben
The Guardian accused me of hubris because I dared post at 3pm.
The Calais Appeal donations are shooting up.
Maybe the King might like to donate too? Or maybe the Government could actually implement a fair & managed migration system?
A Christmas miracle!
The Calais Appeal donations are shooting up.
Maybe the King might like to donate too? Or maybe the Government could actually implement a fair & managed migration system?
A Christmas miracle!
December 25, 2025 at 3:48 PM
The Guardian accused me of hubris because I dared post at 3pm.
The Calais Appeal donations are shooting up.
Maybe the King might like to donate too? Or maybe the Government could actually implement a fair & managed migration system?
A Christmas miracle!
The Calais Appeal donations are shooting up.
Maybe the King might like to donate too? Or maybe the Government could actually implement a fair & managed migration system?
A Christmas miracle!
Split California seven ways!
I only want incremental change, like merging the Dakotas and splitting New Jersey into North and South Jerseys along Route 78.
December 25, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Split California seven ways!
Reposted by Ben
There’s decades of evidence from industrialized countries with universal health care about all sorts of things—costs, outcomes, approval of new drugs & treatments, research.
The idea that Americans should argue about these things based on what they believe (without evidence) would happen is weird.
The idea that Americans should argue about these things based on what they believe (without evidence) would happen is weird.
December 25, 2025 at 4:19 AM
There’s decades of evidence from industrialized countries with universal health care about all sorts of things—costs, outcomes, approval of new drugs & treatments, research.
The idea that Americans should argue about these things based on what they believe (without evidence) would happen is weird.
The idea that Americans should argue about these things based on what they believe (without evidence) would happen is weird.
Reposted by Ben
“Who is going to invest in new curative therapies. You ?”
In fact, yes!
You! And me. Everyone. Everyone who pays taxes invests in new curative therapies, because so much of it is funded with public dollars through government.
In fact, yes!
You! And me. Everyone. Everyone who pays taxes invests in new curative therapies, because so much of it is funded with public dollars through government.
December 25, 2025 at 3:33 AM
“Who is going to invest in new curative therapies. You ?”
In fact, yes!
You! And me. Everyone. Everyone who pays taxes invests in new curative therapies, because so much of it is funded with public dollars through government.
In fact, yes!
You! And me. Everyone. Everyone who pays taxes invests in new curative therapies, because so much of it is funded with public dollars through government.
Reposted by Ben
Tomorrow is the 5th anniversary of the American city bombing we rushed to forget about: Christmas 2020 in Nashville.
December 24, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Tomorrow is the 5th anniversary of the American city bombing we rushed to forget about: Christmas 2020 in Nashville.
whaaaaaat!?!!
he's...
he's...
out for his own interests?!!?
well this is the first anyone's heard of that, certainly not his entire shtick.
I mean if it was his an obvious entire deal it would really be an huge indictment (not legal, alas) against everyone who voted for him over and over and over
he's...
he's...
out for his own interests?!!?
well this is the first anyone's heard of that, certainly not his entire shtick.
I mean if it was his an obvious entire deal it would really be an huge indictment (not legal, alas) against everyone who voted for him over and over and over
The president “appears to be considering political, personal and financial interests and not the interests of the American public." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon
Even some of the president’s closest advisers have been surprised by a number of the recent series of pardons.
www.wsj.com
December 24, 2025 at 10:04 PM
whaaaaaat!?!!
he's...
he's...
out for his own interests?!!?
well this is the first anyone's heard of that, certainly not his entire shtick.
I mean if it was his an obvious entire deal it would really be an huge indictment (not legal, alas) against everyone who voted for him over and over and over
he's...
he's...
out for his own interests?!!?
well this is the first anyone's heard of that, certainly not his entire shtick.
I mean if it was his an obvious entire deal it would really be an huge indictment (not legal, alas) against everyone who voted for him over and over and over
Reposted by Ben
Bari Weiss’ two accomplishments so far are hosting an interview that she desperately wanted people to watch (but they didn’t) and trying to spike a news story that she desperately wanted nobody to watch (but they did)
December 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Bari Weiss’ two accomplishments so far are hosting an interview that she desperately wanted people to watch (but they didn’t) and trying to spike a news story that she desperately wanted nobody to watch (but they did)
Reposted by Ben
Americans will spend the next 20 years paying the price - a market of last resort for Trump's petrostate oligarch allies whose oil reserves would otherwise go stranded.
It's funny how us parochial Americans generally seem to perceive that the EV revolution is stalling or reversing when in fact it's accelerating rapidly worldwide. 25% of cars sold globally in 2025 were EVs!
It's mostly just the US that's being left behind
It's mostly just the US that's being left behind
December 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Americans will spend the next 20 years paying the price - a market of last resort for Trump's petrostate oligarch allies whose oil reserves would otherwise go stranded.
Reposted by Ben
Filed under signs we're in a bubble
December 24, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Filed under signs we're in a bubble
Reposted by Ben
concentration camps.
ICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses
The Trump administration wants to build seven large-scale deportation hubs to speed up deportations, internal ICE documents show.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:55 PM
concentration camps.
Reposted by Ben
WHOA. I am genuinely *shocked.*
December 24, 2025 at 2:04 AM
WHOA. I am genuinely *shocked.*