Thom Volker
@thomvolker.bsky.social
PhD Candidate in Statistics, Utrecht University
Creates fake data for a living.
thomvolker.github.io
Creates fake data for a living.
thomvolker.github.io
Reposted by Thom Volker
hot take: if people think they can only fit straight lines with linear regression, they should stay yards away from something more complex than linear regression
Confusing stats language:
The "linear" is linear regression means "linear in the parameters".
It does not mean "can only fit straight lines", and things like polynomials and splines can be included in linear models.
online.stat.psu.edu/stat501/less...
1/2
The "linear" is linear regression means "linear in the parameters".
It does not mean "can only fit straight lines", and things like polynomials and splines can be included in linear models.
online.stat.psu.edu/stat501/less...
1/2
November 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM
hot take: if people think they can only fit straight lines with linear regression, they should stay yards away from something more complex than linear regression
Reposted by Thom Volker
lets gooooo! Do some math with me
❗️Our next workshop will be on Dec 11 6 pm CET titled A Gentle Introduction to Mathematical Simulation in R by
@damiepak.bsky.social
Register or sponsor a student by donating to support Ukraine!
Details: bit.ly/3wBeY4S
Please share!
#AcademicSky #EconSky #RStats
@damiepak.bsky.social
Register or sponsor a student by donating to support Ukraine!
Details: bit.ly/3wBeY4S
Please share!
#AcademicSky #EconSky #RStats
November 14, 2025 at 11:17 AM
lets gooooo! Do some math with me
hot take: if people think they can only fit straight lines with linear regression, they should stay yards away from something more complex than linear regression
Confusing stats language:
The "linear" is linear regression means "linear in the parameters".
It does not mean "can only fit straight lines", and things like polynomials and splines can be included in linear models.
online.stat.psu.edu/stat501/less...
1/2
The "linear" is linear regression means "linear in the parameters".
It does not mean "can only fit straight lines", and things like polynomials and splines can be included in linear models.
online.stat.psu.edu/stat501/less...
1/2
November 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM
hot take: if people think they can only fit straight lines with linear regression, they should stay yards away from something more complex than linear regression
Research funding organizations would get so much more bang for their buck if they would collectively bargain a better deal with major publishers, or simply forbid the use of grant money for publishing fees
November 14, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Research funding organizations would get so much more bang for their buck if they would collectively bargain a better deal with major publishers, or simply forbid the use of grant money for publishing fees
Reposted by Thom Volker
We didn't plagiarize, you made us plagiarize by asking questions to which we stole the answers.
"Because its output is generated by users of the chatbot via their prompts, OpenAI said, they were the ones who should be held legally liable for it – an argument rejected by the court."
"Because its output is generated by users of the chatbot via their prompts, OpenAI said, they were the ones who should be held legally liable for it – an argument rejected by the court."
ChatGPT violated copyright law by ‘learning’ from song lyrics, German court rules
OpenAI ordered to pay undisclosed damages for training its language models on artists’ work without permission
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:47 AM
We didn't plagiarize, you made us plagiarize by asking questions to which we stole the answers.
"Because its output is generated by users of the chatbot via their prompts, OpenAI said, they were the ones who should be held legally liable for it – an argument rejected by the court."
"Because its output is generated by users of the chatbot via their prompts, OpenAI said, they were the ones who should be held legally liable for it – an argument rejected by the court."
Reposted by Thom Volker
Reposted by Thom Volker
Reposted by Thom Volker
Omstreden zou zijn om te beweren dat Yesilgöz *geen* leugenaar is www.bnnvara.nl/joop/artikel...
Waarheid over nareis-leugen Yesilgöz, die tot val kabinet leidde, werd bewust achtergehouden tot na de verkiezingen - Joop - BNNVARA
Harde cijfers waren al direct na val kabinet bekend.
www.bnnvara.nl
November 13, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Omstreden zou zijn om te beweren dat Yesilgöz *geen* leugenaar is www.bnnvara.nl/joop/artikel...
Reposted by Thom Volker
Dilan sluit PVV nu uit, maar FvD niet. Op de foto met Zelenskiy, het hele tijd hebben over onze veiligheid maar in love zijn met de lange arm van Poetin in ons land.
GL-PvdA uitsluiten om de NAVO-norm, maar bereid zijn tot coalitie met een partij die NAVO helemaal wil opdoeken💩
GL-PvdA uitsluiten om de NAVO-norm, maar bereid zijn tot coalitie met een partij die NAVO helemaal wil opdoeken💩
November 13, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Dilan sluit PVV nu uit, maar FvD niet. Op de foto met Zelenskiy, het hele tijd hebben over onze veiligheid maar in love zijn met de lange arm van Poetin in ons land.
GL-PvdA uitsluiten om de NAVO-norm, maar bereid zijn tot coalitie met een partij die NAVO helemaal wil opdoeken💩
GL-PvdA uitsluiten om de NAVO-norm, maar bereid zijn tot coalitie met een partij die NAVO helemaal wil opdoeken💩
Je bent natuurlijk ook pas een bezorgde burger wanneer je met een tractor het stadhuis binnen rijdt, vuurwerk naar ambtenaren gooit of een brandende fakkel in een politievoertuig joekelt. Blijf je fatsoenlijk, wordt je weggezet als schattig en aandoenlijk.
November 12, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Je bent natuurlijk ook pas een bezorgde burger wanneer je met een tractor het stadhuis binnen rijdt, vuurwerk naar ambtenaren gooit of een brandende fakkel in een politievoertuig joekelt. Blijf je fatsoenlijk, wordt je weggezet als schattig en aandoenlijk.
Reposted by Thom Volker
instead of saying this was good strategy, maybe senate dems should say: "the republicans were going to kill people by starving them to death, and because we aren't monsters, we decided to let this fight go. We'll keep fighting. Stop electing monsters."
November 11, 2025 at 1:42 PM
instead of saying this was good strategy, maybe senate dems should say: "the republicans were going to kill people by starving them to death, and because we aren't monsters, we decided to let this fight go. We'll keep fighting. Stop electing monsters."
Reposted by Thom Volker
The far right is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Musk keeps posting about "hobbits" because modern scientific racism owes more to fantasy worlds and gaming systems than genetic science, and they see both as effective mediums for right-wing propaganda www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why Elon Musk Needs Dungeons and Dragons to Be Racist
The fantastical roots of “scientific racism”
www.theatlantic.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The far right is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Musk keeps posting about "hobbits" because modern scientific racism owes more to fantasy worlds and gaming systems than genetic science, and they see both as effective mediums for right-wing propaganda www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Thom Volker
Ik neem aan dat Chris vanavond wordt uitgenodigd bij een talkshow om dit splijtende, tegendraadse en genuanceerde verhaal te vertellen. Toch?
Oh nee wacht liever meer feitenvrije onderbuikdiarree natuurlijk. (cynismeknopje uit)
Oh nee wacht liever meer feitenvrije onderbuikdiarree natuurlijk. (cynismeknopje uit)
Wie luistert naar makelaars in angst denkt dat het een puinzooi is rond asielzoekerscentra. Waar hardwerkende blanke burgers worden belaagd en vrouwen om het uur verkracht. Defend-groepen gebruiken het om geweld te plegen. Maar klopt dat narratief eigenlijk wel?
chrisklomp.nl/vals-narrati...
chrisklomp.nl/vals-narrati...
Vals narratief rond asielzoekers - Chris Klomp
Dus als u de komende jaren weer eens een domrechtse partij tekeer ziet gaan tegen asielzoekers, weet dan dat juist zij belang hebben bij het valse narratief. Een kwaadaardige frame dat geen enkele ste...
chrisklomp.nl
November 11, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Ik neem aan dat Chris vanavond wordt uitgenodigd bij een talkshow om dit splijtende, tegendraadse en genuanceerde verhaal te vertellen. Toch?
Oh nee wacht liever meer feitenvrije onderbuikdiarree natuurlijk. (cynismeknopje uit)
Oh nee wacht liever meer feitenvrije onderbuikdiarree natuurlijk. (cynismeknopje uit)
Reposted by Thom Volker
One of my favourite charts (my only contribution was the annotation)
Now this is how you detect whether an election was stolen. Humans choose rounder numbers.
by @TheEconomist
by @TheEconomist
November 6, 2025 at 3:37 PM
One of my favourite charts (my only contribution was the annotation)
Do these people feel like you should only pay for insurances if you actually need health care?
Remember that insurance is actually a thing you hope never to use, and then read this critique.
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Do these people feel like you should only pay for insurances if you actually need health care?
Reposted by Thom Volker
Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage
November 10, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage
Reposted by Thom Volker
![Cartoon by Stephen Collins for The Guardian. Script as follows:
[scene is Winston Churchill in a bbc studio, giving his 'finest hour' speech]
1
CHURCHILL:
The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us.
2
CHURCHILL:
Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war.
3
CHURCHILL:
If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free
and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sun-
BBC PRESENTER:
Thank you prime minister
4
BBC PRESENTER:
Mr hitler, your response?
5
HITLER [in the studio]:
Vell zis is hysterical woke nonsense as usual from mr Churchill
6
HITLER:
What we are proposing -
CHURCHILL:
Hang on
7
HITLER:
Let me finish - what we are proposing eez a simple power-sharing arrangement -
8
CHURCHILL:
What's he doing here
BBC PRESENTER:
It's important we hear both sides of the debate
9
CHURCHILL:
This isn't a debate
You don't debate fascists
10
HITLER:
Oh here we go with ze Godwins law!
11
HITLER:
Why must you people always compare ze things you don't like to 'fascists, Nazis, Hitler'...
CHURCHILL:
Because you are a fascist Nazi Hit-
12
HITLER [standing up, saluting]:
RAUSS!
BBC PRESENTER:
*Please* Mr Churchill let him speak
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreibw4ldc3fhslbvxgy2oqrof2oys5kpgh7zu6a5f3usmx3lf4547qm@jpeg)
Reposted by Thom Volker
Tech guys six months ago: haha yes we’re cutting all this WASTEFUL spending by eliminating medical research and USAID
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
November 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Tech guys six months ago: haha yes we’re cutting all this WASTEFUL spending by eliminating medical research and USAID
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Reposted by Thom Volker
D66 kan en mag niet (!) haar sociaal-liberale waarden verliezen aan een inmiddels geradicaliseerde VVD.
November 8, 2025 at 11:15 PM
D66 kan en mag niet (!) haar sociaal-liberale waarden verliezen aan een inmiddels geradicaliseerde VVD.
Reposted by Thom Volker
Sometimes I see people like 20 tweets deep into an argument with Grok. Like, what are you doing brother? You are trying to win an argument with a vending machine.
August 18, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Sometimes I see people like 20 tweets deep into an argument with Grok. Like, what are you doing brother? You are trying to win an argument with a vending machine.
Reposted by Thom Volker
Reposted by Thom Volker
“How can we make it so that all human beings have enough?”
Superhuman intelligence: well the people who have way too much need to give something up
Techbros: no no no CHANGE THE ALGORITHM
Superhuman intelligence: well the people who have way too much need to give something up
Techbros: no no no CHANGE THE ALGORITHM
November 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
“How can we make it so that all human beings have enough?”
Superhuman intelligence: well the people who have way too much need to give something up
Techbros: no no no CHANGE THE ALGORITHM
Superhuman intelligence: well the people who have way too much need to give something up
Techbros: no no no CHANGE THE ALGORITHM
Reposted by Thom Volker
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
GitHub - hadley/genzplyr: dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap
dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap. Contribute to hadley/genzplyr development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
Reposted by Thom Volker
Wondering why no one likes your posts anymore, even among your friends? It's because @jay.bsky.team and team have decided to hide a huge amount of content from all of our feeds by default.
Here's how to turn it off.
First go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner
Here's how to turn it off.
First go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner
November 6, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Wondering why no one likes your posts anymore, even among your friends? It's because @jay.bsky.team and team have decided to hide a huge amount of content from all of our feeds by default.
Here's how to turn it off.
First go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner
Here's how to turn it off.
First go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner
Reposted by Thom Volker
