Ben Cooper
@btcooper.bsky.social
Senior data officer at Dogs Trust Research. All about R, data viz, stats, and a whole host of other nerdy pursuits!
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Something worth noting: Rockstar is leaning HEAVILY on the excuse that the unionising employees were "leaking private company information"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
"Rockstar, Rockstar, you're disgusting, we charge you with union busting," the protesters declared.
'All you had to do was follow the damn law, Rockstar!': Workers are protesting outside Take-Two after GTA 6 dev's alleged 'brazen' union-busting
"They can get used to seeing us on their doorstep."
www.pcgamer.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Something worth noting: Rockstar is leaning HEAVILY on the excuse that the unionising employees were "leaking private company information"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Imagining a situation room somewhere under Buckingham palace where they're sliding little figures of nobility and clergy around the country, trying not to let the paedophilia become too concentrated in one area
'Moving Andrew well away from Windsor was clearly felt the better option. More live, infantilising graphics as we have them.'
October 31, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Imagining a situation room somewhere under Buckingham palace where they're sliding little figures of nobility and clergy around the country, trying not to let the paedophilia become too concentrated in one area
Reposted by Ben Cooper
If this happened at a steel plant there would be talk of government bail out to secure jobs
Cuts equivalent to 15,000 jobs planned at UK universities – UCU www.timeshighereducation.com/news/cuts-eq...
Cuts equivalent to 15,000 jobs planned at UK universities – UCU
Proposed job losses almost triple since March as unions prepare to vote on nationwide industrial action
www.timeshighereducation.com
October 13, 2025 at 9:50 AM
If this happened at a steel plant there would be talk of government bail out to secure jobs
Incredible thermal inversion over Edinburgh from the pentlands this morning. Taken from Carnethy hill looking north-east, you can see Turnhouse, Castlelaw, Allermuir and Caerketton hills. What you can't see is any of the city of Edinburgh!
@threadinburgh.scot @secretedinburgh.bsky.social
@threadinburgh.scot @secretedinburgh.bsky.social
October 13, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Incredible thermal inversion over Edinburgh from the pentlands this morning. Taken from Carnethy hill looking north-east, you can see Turnhouse, Castlelaw, Allermuir and Caerketton hills. What you can't see is any of the city of Edinburgh!
@threadinburgh.scot @secretedinburgh.bsky.social
@threadinburgh.scot @secretedinburgh.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Cooper
since we're talking about The Other Place, one now pointless gripe I still have is that actually it could have remained a fair bit more pleasant and usable and useful if more people just used the non-algorithmic timeline and I'll never understand why they didn't just do it
October 12, 2025 at 12:59 PM
since we're talking about The Other Place, one now pointless gripe I still have is that actually it could have remained a fair bit more pleasant and usable and useful if more people just used the non-algorithmic timeline and I'll never understand why they didn't just do it
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Just because an LLM can produce a report with various figures & charts doesn't mean it is good at statistics.
Because good statistics is not about producing code.
It's about deep knowledge of study design & conduct. In my opinion, 95% of all data science problems come from poor questions & design.
Because good statistics is not about producing code.
It's about deep knowledge of study design & conduct. In my opinion, 95% of all data science problems come from poor questions & design.
Y'all. I just got ChatGPT to do everything in R for this manuscript. I mean EVERYTHING. And it's all legit and reproducible. I'm shook.
How are we mentoring our trainees in statistics now? Who needs to learn coding in R line by line, and who doesn't?
scienceforeveryone.science/statistics-i...
How are we mentoring our trainees in statistics now? Who needs to learn coding in R line by line, and who doesn't?
scienceforeveryone.science/statistics-i...
Statistics in the era of AI
How do we mentor, teach, and do stats when AI can do so much of the work?
scienceforeveryone.science
October 9, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Just because an LLM can produce a report with various figures & charts doesn't mean it is good at statistics.
Because good statistics is not about producing code.
It's about deep knowledge of study design & conduct. In my opinion, 95% of all data science problems come from poor questions & design.
Because good statistics is not about producing code.
It's about deep knowledge of study design & conduct. In my opinion, 95% of all data science problems come from poor questions & design.
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Newsletter: This is The Case Against Generative AI, a comprehensive analysis of a financial collapse built on myths I’ll dispel, the markets’ unhealthy obsession with NVIDIA's growth, and the fact that there is not enough money in the world to fund OpenAI.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-case-aga...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-case-aga...
The Case Against Generative AI
Soundtrack: Queens of the Stone Age - First It Giveth
Before we go any further: This is, for the third time this year, the longest newsletter I've ever written, weighing in somewhere around 18,500 wo...
www.wheresyoured.at
September 29, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Newsletter: This is The Case Against Generative AI, a comprehensive analysis of a financial collapse built on myths I’ll dispel, the markets’ unhealthy obsession with NVIDIA's growth, and the fact that there is not enough money in the world to fund OpenAI.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-case-aga...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-case-aga...
Reposted by Ben Cooper
New blog: we *think* the UK government's crucial Warm Homes Plan will launch next month. So what does it need to do to be a success?
I've set out 7 tests for the Warm Homes Plan here - from making electricity cheaper to making local delivery work.
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-t...
I've set out 7 tests for the Warm Homes Plan here - from making electricity cheaper to making local delivery work.
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-t...
Seven tests for the government’s Warm Homes plan
Accelerating the switch from gas to electricity, make electricity cheaper, and balancing electrification with insulation are key policies that could reduce bills and carbon emissions for households
www.nesta.org.uk
September 29, 2025 at 11:06 AM
New blog: we *think* the UK government's crucial Warm Homes Plan will launch next month. So what does it need to do to be a success?
I've set out 7 tests for the Warm Homes Plan here - from making electricity cheaper to making local delivery work.
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-t...
I've set out 7 tests for the Warm Homes Plan here - from making electricity cheaper to making local delivery work.
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-t...
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Despite easily being the most British fighting vehicle ever developed, the mock-Tudor AT-AT programme was sadly cancelled due to budgetary concerns
September 11, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Despite easily being the most British fighting vehicle ever developed, the mock-Tudor AT-AT programme was sadly cancelled due to budgetary concerns
Reposted by Ben Cooper
I don't think it is callous of me to observe that it is weird to see the PM of the UK, the leader of the Opposition of the UK, and the ex UK PM all putting out solemn and devastated tweets about the death of a podcaster who is only a big name if you're constantly on Twitter
September 10, 2025 at 11:10 PM
I don't think it is callous of me to observe that it is weird to see the PM of the UK, the leader of the Opposition of the UK, and the ex UK PM all putting out solemn and devastated tweets about the death of a podcaster who is only a big name if you're constantly on Twitter
Reposted by Ben Cooper
"but we can't support trans rights, it's unpopular!"
just a reminder that US approval for marriage between black and white people at the start of the civil rights movement was 4%, reaching a whopping 20% by the end of the movement
it's 95% now
you don't wait for popularity for a rights movement
just a reminder that US approval for marriage between black and white people at the start of the civil rights movement was 4%, reaching a whopping 20% by the end of the movement
it's 95% now
you don't wait for popularity for a rights movement
September 7, 2025 at 3:52 PM
"but we can't support trans rights, it's unpopular!"
just a reminder that US approval for marriage between black and white people at the start of the civil rights movement was 4%, reaching a whopping 20% by the end of the movement
it's 95% now
you don't wait for popularity for a rights movement
just a reminder that US approval for marriage between black and white people at the start of the civil rights movement was 4%, reaching a whopping 20% by the end of the movement
it's 95% now
you don't wait for popularity for a rights movement
Reposted by Ben Cooper
this is called "doing a streeting" which is to position yourself firmly on the wrong side of an issue for no reason and to no one's benefit
Wes Streeting has defended Lord Peter Mandelson’s relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein after it was revealed the Labour peer called the convicted paedophile his 'best pal'
Wes Streeting defends Lord Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
www.thenational.scot
September 9, 2025 at 9:49 AM
this is called "doing a streeting" which is to position yourself firmly on the wrong side of an issue for no reason and to no one's benefit
Ooof, chilly start to the day...
September 8, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Ooof, chilly start to the day...
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Oh cool, Windows 11 has tabbed file browsing. That feature that's been in most Linux distributions for 15+ years! Well, better late than never!
August 22, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Oh cool, Windows 11 has tabbed file browsing. That feature that's been in most Linux distributions for 15+ years! Well, better late than never!
Reposted by Ben Cooper
one in a billion means statistically it should happen roughly once per lunar cycle in the UK, about 13 times in a calendar year
You might be intrigued by the BBC's coverage of a 'one-in-a-billion' find of a spherical hen's egg but I bring you news that the BBC has brought you news of 2 other separate spherical egg finds in the last 9 months alone
May 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
one in a billion means statistically it should happen roughly once per lunar cycle in the UK, about 13 times in a calendar year
Found in the Highlands and presented without comment
May 24, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Found in the Highlands and presented without comment
Reposted by Ben Cooper
still possible that Mr Blobby bursts through the window and out onto the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square
May 8, 2025 at 4:47 PM
still possible that Mr Blobby bursts through the window and out onto the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square
Reposted by Ben Cooper
the fundamental disconnect between the manosphere and reality is that they are incapable of understanding that this is - according to every woman I’ve ever met - the sexiest thing a man has ever done
eight years ago today we all watched the glory of zendaya falling madly in love with tom holland and the internet was never the same
May 7, 2025 at 3:01 PM
the fundamental disconnect between the manosphere and reality is that they are incapable of understanding that this is - according to every woman I’ve ever met - the sexiest thing a man has ever done
Reposted by Ben Cooper
I have a simple solution to this. Grade students entirely by means of three hour hand-written exams in a big hall with no computers. If they all fail because they never learned to write without AI, sucks to be them
“Massive numbers of students are going to emerge from university with degrees, and into the workforce, who are essentially illiterate…Both in the literal sense and in the sense of being historically illiterate and having no knowledge of their own culture, much less anyone else’s.”
Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College
ChatGPT has unraveled the entire academic project.
nymag.com
May 7, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I have a simple solution to this. Grade students entirely by means of three hour hand-written exams in a big hall with no computers. If they all fail because they never learned to write without AI, sucks to be them
Reposted by Ben Cooper
happy beltane and international workers day my celts and comrades
May 1, 2025 at 11:08 AM
happy beltane and international workers day my celts and comrades
Reposted by Ben Cooper
My standard rule is that before anyone is allowed to talk shit about a university's economic role, they have to tell me how many people they think it employs.
They're normally wrong by a factor of ten.
This should also be the first question to any MP offering thoughts on the topic.
They're normally wrong by a factor of ten.
This should also be the first question to any MP offering thoughts on the topic.
April 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
My standard rule is that before anyone is allowed to talk shit about a university's economic role, they have to tell me how many people they think it employs.
They're normally wrong by a factor of ten.
This should also be the first question to any MP offering thoughts on the topic.
They're normally wrong by a factor of ten.
This should also be the first question to any MP offering thoughts on the topic.
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Cartoon with caption by my buddy @jackhauen.bsky.social
April 29, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Cartoon with caption by my buddy @jackhauen.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Cooper
As the rightwing media machine ramps up the lie that the Spanish Blackout was caused by attempts to mitigate climate-change, it seems that, in fact, it was CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, in ways we can, presumably, look forward to more of in future.
April 29, 2025 at 10:11 AM
As the rightwing media machine ramps up the lie that the Spanish Blackout was caused by attempts to mitigate climate-change, it seems that, in fact, it was CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, in ways we can, presumably, look forward to more of in future.
Reposted by Ben Cooper
Glad to see that the EHCR has issued clear guidelines on going into a pub toilet cubicle with a fox and a chicken and a bag of grain.
April 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Glad to see that the EHCR has issued clear guidelines on going into a pub toilet cubicle with a fox and a chicken and a bag of grain.