Charles Connaughton
@econn.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Trulaske College of Business @ Mizzou. Researching the language of innovation. Bayesian.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
I read this paper in 2021 and since then I have tried to block accounts that regularly post moral outrage (especially if I agree with the underlying message).
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
December 26, 2025 at 9:31 AM
I read this paper in 2021 and since then I have tried to block accounts that regularly post moral outrage (especially if I agree with the underlying message).
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
This is a fascinating paper. It's the first (afaik) to actually document food&drink&retail scheduling unpredictability using actual firm data.
It illustrates v clearly why unpredictable scheduling makes these jobs so difficult:
It illustrates v clearly why unpredictable scheduling makes these jobs so difficult:
Check out Hannah awesome JMP on job schedule unpredictability and how minimum wage policy affects such unpredictability: hannahfarkas.github.io/files/The_Ec...
November 25, 2025 at 5:03 PM
This is a fascinating paper. It's the first (afaik) to actually document food&drink&retail scheduling unpredictability using actual firm data.
It illustrates v clearly why unpredictable scheduling makes these jobs so difficult:
It illustrates v clearly why unpredictable scheduling makes these jobs so difficult:
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
This may be the best thing ive read yet on AI in higher ed, and its written by a Yale undergrad. Highly recommend.
Inside Yale’s Quiet Reckoning with AI | The New Journal
Amid ChatGPT's rising popularity and a computer science cheating scandal, Yale students, professors, and administrators wrestle privately with the proper role of AI in education. What happens when eve...
thenewjournalatyale.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This may be the best thing ive read yet on AI in higher ed, and its written by a Yale undergrad. Highly recommend.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
“52% of all autocratization episodes become U-Turns, which increases to 73% when focusing on the last 30 years. The vast majority of U-Turns (90%) lead to restored or even improved levels of democracy”
V-Dem data
V-Dem data
When autocratization is reversed: episodes of U-Turns since 1900
The world is in a “wave of autocratization.” Yet, recent events in Brazil, the Maldives, and Zambia demonstrate that autocratization can be halted and reversed. This article introduces “U-Turn” as ...
www.tandfonline.com
September 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
“52% of all autocratization episodes become U-Turns, which increases to 73% when focusing on the last 30 years. The vast majority of U-Turns (90%) lead to restored or even improved levels of democracy”
V-Dem data
V-Dem data
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
New post!
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
What’s new in biology: September 2025
Gene therapy, narcolepsy drugs, parasite removal, protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of genomes, and more.
www.worksinprogress.news
September 16, 2025 at 11:38 AM
New post!
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
A round up of the latest advances in biotech and medicine by @nikomccarty.bsky.social and me.
Prime editing, curing whipworm, a new narcolepsy drug, designing protein nanoparticles, the 3D structure of E. coli's genome and more!
Read it all here: www.worksinprogress.news/p/whats-new-...
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
“Over the past 20 years, Paris has undergone a major physical transformation, trading automotive arteries for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces.
Part of the payoff has been invisible — in the air itself.”
Leadership, strategy, real action, common sense. #Paris
Part of the payoff has been invisible — in the air itself.”
Leadership, strategy, real action, common sense. #Paris
Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.
Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 29, 2025 at 4:57 PM
“Over the past 20 years, Paris has undergone a major physical transformation, trading automotive arteries for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces.
Part of the payoff has been invisible — in the air itself.”
Leadership, strategy, real action, common sense. #Paris
Part of the payoff has been invisible — in the air itself.”
Leadership, strategy, real action, common sense. #Paris
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
A careful study of every populist episode since 1900 finds catastrophic consequences, which play out slowly.
On average, incomes fall behind by nearly 15% over 15 years.
For the U.S., this is a cost of about $13k per person per year. Over a lifetime, that's million bucks.
On average, incomes fall behind by nearly 15% over 15 years.
For the U.S., this is a cost of about $13k per person per year. Over a lifetime, that's million bucks.
August 26, 2025 at 2:15 PM
A careful study of every populist episode since 1900 finds catastrophic consequences, which play out slowly.
On average, incomes fall behind by nearly 15% over 15 years.
For the U.S., this is a cost of about $13k per person per year. Over a lifetime, that's million bucks.
On average, incomes fall behind by nearly 15% over 15 years.
For the U.S., this is a cost of about $13k per person per year. Over a lifetime, that's million bucks.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
"Specialization and trade is such a powerful, productivity-boosting strategy that plants that abstain from it are practically the exception that prove the rule."
"what we're looking at is decentralized decision making."
Great piece:
www.npr.org/sections/pla...
"what we're looking at is decentralized decision making."
Great piece:
www.npr.org/sections/pla...
August 26, 2025 at 11:24 AM
"Specialization and trade is such a powerful, productivity-boosting strategy that plants that abstain from it are practically the exception that prove the rule."
"what we're looking at is decentralized decision making."
Great piece:
www.npr.org/sections/pla...
"what we're looking at is decentralized decision making."
Great piece:
www.npr.org/sections/pla...
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
It is important to remember that Waymo only operates within an operational design domain that is literally “where we know it will operate safely and well.” That’s why it doesn’t run on all roads, or in all cities, or in all weather conditions. (1/?)
It seems like there is not enough of a policy response to the existence of self-driving cars, with 57M miles of data, Waymo’s autonomous vehicles experience 85% less serious injuries & 79% less injuries overall than cars with human drivers
2.4 million are injured & 40k killed in US accidents a year
2.4 million are injured & 40k killed in US accidents a year
August 23, 2025 at 5:49 PM
It is important to remember that Waymo only operates within an operational design domain that is literally “where we know it will operate safely and well.” That’s why it doesn’t run on all roads, or in all cities, or in all weather conditions. (1/?)
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
We highlight a fact that at least a lot of economists I talked to didn't really understand well enough, which was that in 1965, 2% of the entire US economy was public science. One in every $50 was public science. That's now about half a percent of GDP.
3/n
3/n
July 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
We highlight a fact that at least a lot of economists I talked to didn't really understand well enough, which was that in 1965, 2% of the entire US economy was public science. One in every $50 was public science. That's now about half a percent of GDP.
3/n
3/n
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
we're living through a major, civilization-altering technological revolution and it has nothing to do with AI
Just recorded a pod on solar+storage and holy shit y'all, if you are not tracking this market on a daily basis, you have no idea how wild it is. The global average price of a battery pack fell 40% *from 2023 to 2024*. That dropped the LCOE of a solar+storage plant by 22%. In a year!
July 2, 2025 at 10:23 PM
we're living through a major, civilization-altering technological revolution and it has nothing to do with AI
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
American men are now in a cultural doom loop of consuming misogynistic alpha male content that makes them unattractive to women and ceding college education & thus higher paying jobs to them as well.
I’ve been seeing this anecdotally on Twitter & Threads for years but it’s now being backed by data.
I’ve been seeing this anecdotally on Twitter & Threads for years but it’s now being backed by data.
Why US Men Think College Isn’t Worth It Anymore
Rising tuition, the spread of more traditional ideas of masculinity on social media and a desire for an immediate income are working together to set boys on a different path.
www.bloomberg.com
April 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
American men are now in a cultural doom loop of consuming misogynistic alpha male content that makes them unattractive to women and ceding college education & thus higher paying jobs to them as well.
I’ve been seeing this anecdotally on Twitter & Threads for years but it’s now being backed by data.
I’ve been seeing this anecdotally on Twitter & Threads for years but it’s now being backed by data.
Thinking of a point by @fchollet.bsky.social - intelligence is a society level, not an individual level, construct. Your own intelligence is deeply entwined with your information environment.
Relevant as we integrate AI into our workflows - and also navigate an increasingly toxic media landscape.
Relevant as we integrate AI into our workflows - and also navigate an increasingly toxic media landscape.
April 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Thinking of a point by @fchollet.bsky.social - intelligence is a society level, not an individual level, construct. Your own intelligence is deeply entwined with your information environment.
Relevant as we integrate AI into our workflows - and also navigate an increasingly toxic media landscape.
Relevant as we integrate AI into our workflows - and also navigate an increasingly toxic media landscape.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
The sharp stock market correction—down 10% over three days— is only in response to that part of the tariff plan that was unexpected. And even today, it prices in a (substantial?) chance the President backs off.
It follows that the market reaction *understates* how much damage these tariffs will do.
It follows that the market reaction *understates* how much damage these tariffs will do.
April 7, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The sharp stock market correction—down 10% over three days— is only in response to that part of the tariff plan that was unexpected. And even today, it prices in a (substantial?) chance the President backs off.
It follows that the market reaction *understates* how much damage these tariffs will do.
It follows that the market reaction *understates* how much damage these tariffs will do.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
Today is April 1st, the only day of the year that many (most?) people pause to critically evaluate information that they encounter online before deciding whether to accept it as true.
April 1, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Today is April 1st, the only day of the year that many (most?) people pause to critically evaluate information that they encounter online before deciding whether to accept it as true.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
In 25 years of covering national security, I’ve never seen a story like this: Senior Trump officials discussed planning for the U.S. attack on Yemen in a Signal group--and inadvertently added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans
U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.
www.theatlantic.com
March 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM
In 25 years of covering national security, I’ve never seen a story like this: Senior Trump officials discussed planning for the U.S. attack on Yemen in a Signal group--and inadvertently added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
I hate saying breaking news, but that’s what’s happening. This story is going to be everywhere.
March 17, 2025 at 11:08 PM
I hate saying breaking news, but that’s what’s happening. This story is going to be everywhere.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
Having watched with growing alarm the developments of the last 24 and 36 hours in Washington, I thought I’d take a stab at how the US media would cover this story if it was happening in a foreign country. Here’s that story that should be written this weekend: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/musk-s-jun...
Musk's Junta Establishes Him as Head of Government
Imagining how we'd cover overseas what's happening to the U.S. right now
www.doomsdayscenario.co
February 1, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Having watched with growing alarm the developments of the last 24 and 36 hours in Washington, I thought I’d take a stab at how the US media would cover this story if it was happening in a foreign country. Here’s that story that should be written this weekend: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/musk-s-jun...
People opposing the separation of church and state implicitly believe merging the two will make the government (which they do not like) more like their religion (which they do). However, in practice, it instead makes their religion more like their government.
January 21, 2025 at 12:28 AM
People opposing the separation of church and state implicitly believe merging the two will make the government (which they do not like) more like their religion (which they do). However, in practice, it instead makes their religion more like their government.
The worrisome part of our speech norms isn't the CCP flooding the discourse with party-friendly propaganda, nor is it exporting censorship via platforms they control, either explicitly or implicitly.
The worrisome part is that every alternative I've seen is even more prone to abuse.
The worrisome part is that every alternative I've seen is even more prone to abuse.
January 19, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The worrisome part of our speech norms isn't the CCP flooding the discourse with party-friendly propaganda, nor is it exporting censorship via platforms they control, either explicitly or implicitly.
The worrisome part is that every alternative I've seen is even more prone to abuse.
The worrisome part is that every alternative I've seen is even more prone to abuse.
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French far right leader, died today.
If you wonder how many French people feel about that, these are the scenes of celebration on the streets of Paris this evening.
One sign reads “The dirty racist is dead”.
(🎥 Luc Auffret)
If you wonder how many French people feel about that, these are the scenes of celebration on the streets of Paris this evening.
One sign reads “The dirty racist is dead”.
(🎥 Luc Auffret)
January 7, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French far right leader, died today.
If you wonder how many French people feel about that, these are the scenes of celebration on the streets of Paris this evening.
One sign reads “The dirty racist is dead”.
(🎥 Luc Auffret)
If you wonder how many French people feel about that, these are the scenes of celebration on the streets of Paris this evening.
One sign reads “The dirty racist is dead”.
(🎥 Luc Auffret)
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
Posting this story about how Ann Telnaes got censored not least bc it'll disseminate the image Jeff Bezos censored.
anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui...
anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui...
Why I'm quitting the Washington Post
Democracy can't function without a free press
anntelnaes.substack.com
January 4, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Posting this story about how Ann Telnaes got censored not least bc it'll disseminate the image Jeff Bezos censored.
anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui...
anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui...
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
Once any space becomes less than 40% male, (straight) men tend to cede it entirely while shouting about how it “went woke”. Fascinating read:
Why aren't we talking about the real reason male college enrollment is dropping?
We would rather talk about literally everything else.
celestemdavis.substack.com
January 1, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Once any space becomes less than 40% male, (straight) men tend to cede it entirely while shouting about how it “went woke”. Fascinating read:
The biggest failure in American health insurance is how we continue to allow all tail risk to fall on the patient, who has the least ability to bear or adjudicate that risk.
(That lack of power is, of course, exactly why the patient bears all the risk)
(That lack of power is, of course, exactly why the patient bears all the risk)
December 21, 2024 at 9:44 PM
The biggest failure in American health insurance is how we continue to allow all tail risk to fall on the patient, who has the least ability to bear or adjudicate that risk.
(That lack of power is, of course, exactly why the patient bears all the risk)
(That lack of power is, of course, exactly why the patient bears all the risk)
Reposted by Charles Connaughton
Since everyone’s finding old and new friends, take a moment to read my story, I’m a 32yo polio survivor because I was not vaccinated. Pass on my story, repeat it, tell it to any vaccine hesitate parent. No kid deserves vaccine preventable diseases
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...
I’m a Polio Survivor. I Don’t Want You to Get It.
Polio is once again a public health threat in the United States. Grace is disappointed, though not surprised.
www.voicesforvaccines.org
November 10, 2024 at 10:02 PM
Since everyone’s finding old and new friends, take a moment to read my story, I’m a 32yo polio survivor because I was not vaccinated. Pass on my story, repeat it, tell it to any vaccine hesitate parent. No kid deserves vaccine preventable diseases
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...
www.voicesforvaccines.org/as-a-polio-s...