Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
@ijlaba.bsky.social
Mathematician. Childless cat lady. Noise is the new secondhand smoke.
ORCID 0000-0002-3810-6121
ORCID 0000-0002-3810-6121
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
CHOTINER: So you had reasons for visiting the island?
SUMMERS: Is butiful plce
CHOTINER: Is that buttiful or beautiful?
SUMMERS: 51 % of 1. Wmen or seenery, nt shr wich.
SUMMERS: Is butiful plce
CHOTINER: Is that buttiful or beautiful?
SUMMERS: 51 % of 1. Wmen or seenery, nt shr wich.
I am putting my bets on Summers being the first Epstein correspondent to be interviewed by Chotiner: he has exactly the right mix of arrogance and self-righteousness
November 14, 2025 at 12:54 AM
CHOTINER: So you had reasons for visiting the island?
SUMMERS: Is butiful plce
CHOTINER: Is that buttiful or beautiful?
SUMMERS: 51 % of 1. Wmen or seenery, nt shr wich.
SUMMERS: Is butiful plce
CHOTINER: Is that buttiful or beautiful?
SUMMERS: 51 % of 1. Wmen or seenery, nt shr wich.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
In mathematics, I have a hard time thinking of people who *don’t* have any Chinese collaborators or graduate students or postdocs. This proposed law is xenophobic and will also decimate mathematics.
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
U.S. Congress considers sweeping ban on Chinese collaborations
Researchers speak out against proposal that would bar funding for U.S. scientists working with Chinese partners or training Chinese students
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:00 AM
In mathematics, I have a hard time thinking of people who *don’t* have any Chinese collaborators or graduate students or postdocs. This proposed law is xenophobic and will also decimate mathematics.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
Every office has an executive tier whose emails are like:
saw on news , , can we replce complianc dept with web 3
and a worker tier whose emails are like:
Dear Jim,
First of all, I *love* this idea! Unfortunately, I spoke with Legal and identified a few issues with this approach. For starters…
saw on news , , can we replce complianc dept with web 3
and a worker tier whose emails are like:
Dear Jim,
First of all, I *love* this idea! Unfortunately, I spoke with Legal and identified a few issues with this approach. For starters…
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
November 13, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Every office has an executive tier whose emails are like:
saw on news , , can we replce complianc dept with web 3
and a worker tier whose emails are like:
Dear Jim,
First of all, I *love* this idea! Unfortunately, I spoke with Legal and identified a few issues with this approach. For starters…
saw on news , , can we replce complianc dept with web 3
and a worker tier whose emails are like:
Dear Jim,
First of all, I *love* this idea! Unfortunately, I spoke with Legal and identified a few issues with this approach. For starters…
All the best people.
Former Harvard President Lawrence Summers maintained a close personal relationship with convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein until just months before his death, according to emails released by Congress.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Email Cache Reveals How Former Harvard President Larry Summers Stayed in Jeffrey Epstein’s Orbit | News | The Harvard Crimson
A new cache of emails released by a House committee paints a vivid portrait of the relationship between former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers and convicted sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein. The…
www.thecrimson.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:51 PM
All the best people.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
Today is a good day to remember, and to say, that the #MeToo movement was right, and was righteous, and has been vindicated over and over again. There was no overreach. There was no excess. There was no they-went-too-far.
So much work remains to be done.
So much work remains to be done.
November 12, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Today is a good day to remember, and to say, that the #MeToo movement was right, and was righteous, and has been vindicated over and over again. There was no overreach. There was no excess. There was no they-went-too-far.
So much work remains to be done.
So much work remains to be done.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
Seems possible that this is about even more than underage women.
Perhaps money changing hands— corruptly and internationally, and intertwined with underaged women?
Man, oh man.
Perhaps money changing hands— corruptly and internationally, and intertwined with underaged women?
Man, oh man.
The Kremlin disguised a nearly $100 mn payment to Trump in the form of a brokered real estate deal... and both Jeffrey Epstein and William Pulte were involved in the deal. That's very interesting.
November 13, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Seems possible that this is about even more than underage women.
Perhaps money changing hands— corruptly and internationally, and intertwined with underaged women?
Man, oh man.
Perhaps money changing hands— corruptly and internationally, and intertwined with underaged women?
Man, oh man.
Sent from his iPad.
Insights from Larry Summers
"I observed that half the IQ In world was possessed by women without mentioning they are more than 51 percent of population..."
"I observed that half the IQ In world was possessed by women without mentioning they are more than 51 percent of population..."
November 12, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Sent from his iPad.
OMG
Is this why some of my math students just write random handfuls of math-related words and expect *me* to make sense of it? B/c they were taught to read using "3 clues" to approximate the meaning so now they expect me to apply the same method to reading their work?
Is this why some of my math students just write random handfuls of math-related words and expect *me* to make sense of it? B/c they were taught to read using "3 clues" to approximate the meaning so now they expect me to apply the same method to reading their work?
how did i go so long not knowing we were literally teaching people to read wrong. i knew something wasn't right but jesus christ www.apmreports.org/episode/2019...
How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
For decades, schools have taught children the strategies of struggling readers, using a theory about reading that cognitive scientists have repeatedly debunked. And many teachers and parents don't kno...
www.apmreports.org
November 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM
OMG
Is this why some of my math students just write random handfuls of math-related words and expect *me* to make sense of it? B/c they were taught to read using "3 clues" to approximate the meaning so now they expect me to apply the same method to reading their work?
Is this why some of my math students just write random handfuls of math-related words and expect *me* to make sense of it? B/c they were taught to read using "3 clues" to approximate the meaning so now they expect me to apply the same method to reading their work?
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
Photos last year from Juno, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Bosnia.
Remembering, mourning, and hoping this century does not fall victim to the same needless horrors as the last one.
Remembering, mourning, and hoping this century does not fall victim to the same needless horrors as the last one.
November 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Photos last year from Juno, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Bosnia.
Remembering, mourning, and hoping this century does not fall victim to the same needless horrors as the last one.
Remembering, mourning, and hoping this century does not fall victim to the same needless horrors as the last one.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
One thing I've learned is that it's okay to talk about the basics and people really appreciate it when you do a good job explaining them.
What's "basic" to me isn't to them (and vice versa) so trade knowledge freely and make us all better.
What's "basic" to me isn't to them (and vice versa) so trade knowledge freely and make us all better.
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
One thing I've learned is that it's okay to talk about the basics and people really appreciate it when you do a good job explaining them.
What's "basic" to me isn't to them (and vice versa) so trade knowledge freely and make us all better.
What's "basic" to me isn't to them (and vice versa) so trade knowledge freely and make us all better.
Lol yes.
The problem with AI (as currently being pushed within the tech industry)
is the same as the tech industry as a whole:
People (mostly white guys) want to be lauded for being excellent without actually doing the work to be excellent. They want to be seen as amazing while being mediocre.
is the same as the tech industry as a whole:
People (mostly white guys) want to be lauded for being excellent without actually doing the work to be excellent. They want to be seen as amazing while being mediocre.
November 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Lol yes.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
“What is civilisation? I don’t know. I can’t define it in abstract terms, yet. But I think I can recognise it when I see it. And I’m looking at it now.” -Kenneth Clark
24/7 cake vending machine in the middle of nowhere. Maximum Poland.
November 9, 2025 at 10:32 AM
“What is civilisation? I don’t know. I can’t define it in abstract terms, yet. But I think I can recognise it when I see it. And I’m looking at it now.” -Kenneth Clark
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
Already run into kids who, when seeing my wildlife photos, exclaim 'that's AI'
I spotted this on Mastodon and I find it horrible, not least for the speed with which this has happened.
November 9, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Already run into kids who, when seeing my wildlife photos, exclaim 'that's AI'
Or else, they assume that we are "just being emotional". As in, if I tell a guy that a specific professional thing needs improvement, the guy thinks that I'm just saying this because I'm feeling sad and needy for some other completely different reason.
Good thread, and I will add that men DO NOT LIKE IT when women say "hey, you fucked up," and to the extent that women tend to soften the blow with indirectness, it's because men feel like their honor is insulted if they have to take feedback from women.
I'm not linking to that NYT piece today, but of all the horrible parts of it, this was the worst. This was an explanation of "female vices" in the workplace and LET ME JUST TELL YOU...
November 6, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Or else, they assume that we are "just being emotional". As in, if I tell a guy that a specific professional thing needs improvement, the guy thinks that I'm just saying this because I'm feeling sad and needy for some other completely different reason.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
They want to reserve the right to be direct (and harsh) to women, but men *hate it* when women treat them the same way bc they find it disrespectful
November 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
They want to reserve the right to be direct (and harsh) to women, but men *hate it* when women treat them the same way bc they find it disrespectful
I have stories. So many stories. So many.
“An aversion to directness, … you need to be able to give direct feedback to people, including negative feedback.”
Me, woman managing men until recently: “they don’t like it when I’m direct, I have to moderate my comments so their feelings aren’t hurt.”
You know he means women can’t take criticism.
Me, woman managing men until recently: “they don’t like it when I’m direct, I have to moderate my comments so their feelings aren’t hurt.”
You know he means women can’t take criticism.
November 6, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I have stories. So many stories. So many.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
THIS IS AMAZING. ALSO WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID WE FORGET TO RUIN?
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 9:19 PM
THIS IS AMAZING. ALSO WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID WE FORGET TO RUIN?
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
The Venn diagram of men who think women destroyed the workplace and want women to go 50/50 on bills and 98/2 on home chores in their relationships is a circle
November 6, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The Venn diagram of men who think women destroyed the workplace and want women to go 50/50 on bills and 98/2 on home chores in their relationships is a circle
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
well I for one am shocked that "every aspect of your life gets worse forever and also look at my marble bathroom" did not turn out to be a winning election strategy
November 5, 2025 at 3:36 AM
well I for one am shocked that "every aspect of your life gets worse forever and also look at my marble bathroom" did not turn out to be a winning election strategy
This is great! My math students often ask me whether they need to be able to draw by hand when computer drawings are available. I tell them that hand drawings are still valuable, for so many reasons, even when they don't look anywhere as clean and professional. 1/
I wrote this yesterday about what to tell young people who are worried about what work will be in the age of AI:
naomialderman.substack.com/p/preparing-...
naomialderman.substack.com/p/preparing-...
preparing for the working world in the age of AI
or: seven things to tell your kids when they ask what they should study now, or what the point of studying is
naomialderman.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:47 PM
This is great! My math students often ask me whether they need to be able to draw by hand when computer drawings are available. I tell them that hand drawings are still valuable, for so many reasons, even when they don't look anywhere as clean and professional. 1/
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
🧵 This is trending on Korean socials
November 1, 2025 at 7:36 PM
🧵 This is trending on Korean socials
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
wow, this is fascinating. it reminds me of two things:
1. Heart Rate Variance - it is healthier to have minute variations in the time between each heartbeat, because that means your body is actually responding to tiny changes in your system. 'Perfect' in-time beats aren't so good as responsiveness
1. Heart Rate Variance - it is healthier to have minute variations in the time between each heartbeat, because that means your body is actually responding to tiny changes in your system. 'Perfect' in-time beats aren't so good as responsiveness
Yes & this has been going on in music for decades. The gridification of performances- using algorithms to make performances 'perfect'- teaches us to reject difference & unlearn how to move together in time, making democratic coordination much more difficult.
medium.com/the-riff/doe...
medium.com/the-riff/doe...
October 31, 2025 at 2:54 PM
wow, this is fascinating. it reminds me of two things:
1. Heart Rate Variance - it is healthier to have minute variations in the time between each heartbeat, because that means your body is actually responding to tiny changes in your system. 'Perfect' in-time beats aren't so good as responsiveness
1. Heart Rate Variance - it is healthier to have minute variations in the time between each heartbeat, because that means your body is actually responding to tiny changes in your system. 'Perfect' in-time beats aren't so good as responsiveness
Uncle Billy from Paradise would like to say hello.
October 28, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Uncle Billy from Paradise would like to say hello.
Reposted by Izabella Laba 🇨🇦
This sort of thing has happened to me several times recently, with the Google docs “correction” suggesting the exact opposite of what I’m writing. This garbage doesn’t work.
What the FUCK, Google Docs
October 26, 2025 at 2:13 PM
This sort of thing has happened to me several times recently, with the Google docs “correction” suggesting the exact opposite of what I’m writing. This garbage doesn’t work.