Weihuang Wong
@weihuang.bsky.social
Political scientist by training, data scientist by trade. Former corporate bonds PM.
Website: weihuangwong.github.io
Website: weihuangwong.github.io
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
This week on Counting Stuff. Layoffs! I'm in search for a job now! It sucks but here we are!
Now's the ideal time to give me money in exchange for time or a project. Or if you just have leads in quantitative/data/researchy positions across NYC or remotely
www.counting-stuff.com/looking-for-...
Now's the ideal time to give me money in exchange for time or a project. Or if you just have leads in quantitative/data/researchy positions across NYC or remotely
www.counting-stuff.com/looking-for-...
Looking for work, surprise edition
I always told my wife this newsletter was my backup plan...
www.counting-stuff.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
This week on Counting Stuff. Layoffs! I'm in search for a job now! It sucks but here we are!
Now's the ideal time to give me money in exchange for time or a project. Or if you just have leads in quantitative/data/researchy positions across NYC or remotely
www.counting-stuff.com/looking-for-...
Now's the ideal time to give me money in exchange for time or a project. Or if you just have leads in quantitative/data/researchy positions across NYC or remotely
www.counting-stuff.com/looking-for-...
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
NEW: Anthropic will start training its AI models on user data, including new chat transcripts & coding sessions, unless users choose to opt out by 9/28 (it's a pop-up window that will give you the choice). It’s also extending its data retention to 5 years.
www.theverge.com/anthropic/76...
www.theverge.com/anthropic/76...
Anthropic will start training its AI models on chat transcripts
You can choose to opt out.
www.theverge.com
August 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
NEW: Anthropic will start training its AI models on user data, including new chat transcripts & coding sessions, unless users choose to opt out by 9/28 (it's a pop-up window that will give you the choice). It’s also extending its data retention to 5 years.
www.theverge.com/anthropic/76...
www.theverge.com/anthropic/76...
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
it's been a long time coming, but i'm happy to share that my latest creative project is finally here...
@anisota.net is an experimental social client (and game!) for Bluesky and the AT Protocol
i built it for me because i'm kinda weird and needed an equally weird way to experience social media 🕯️
@anisota.net is an experimental social client (and game!) for Bluesky and the AT Protocol
i built it for me because i'm kinda weird and needed an equally weird way to experience social media 🕯️
August 20, 2025 at 2:16 AM
it's been a long time coming, but i'm happy to share that my latest creative project is finally here...
@anisota.net is an experimental social client (and game!) for Bluesky and the AT Protocol
i built it for me because i'm kinda weird and needed an equally weird way to experience social media 🕯️
@anisota.net is an experimental social client (and game!) for Bluesky and the AT Protocol
i built it for me because i'm kinda weird and needed an equally weird way to experience social media 🕯️
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
anisota for Bluesky & ATProto
a new, experimental way to experience social media
anisota.net
August 20, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
August 18, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Explore Wikipedia through a data map. Pages are grouped by semantic similarity, for topic clusters.
Hover to see details, zoom to explore more fine-grained topics, click to go to a page. Search by page
name to find interesting starting points for exploration.
lmcinnes.github.io/datamapplot_...
Hover to see details, zoom to explore more fine-grained topics, click to go to a page. Search by page
name to find interesting starting points for exploration.
lmcinnes.github.io/datamapplot_...
June 22, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Explore Wikipedia through a data map. Pages are grouped by semantic similarity, for topic clusters.
Hover to see details, zoom to explore more fine-grained topics, click to go to a page. Search by page
name to find interesting starting points for exploration.
lmcinnes.github.io/datamapplot_...
Hover to see details, zoom to explore more fine-grained topics, click to go to a page. Search by page
name to find interesting starting points for exploration.
lmcinnes.github.io/datamapplot_...
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
It published! "How to Create Your Own RAG Applications in R"
This uses the latest version of the {ragnar} #RStats 📦 - there were a lot of changes this month - and also {ellmer}. It even uses dplyr-like metadata filtering!
www.infoworld.com/article/4020...
#GenAI
This uses the latest version of the {ragnar} #RStats 📦 - there were a lot of changes this month - and also {ellmer}. It even uses dplyr-like metadata filtering!
www.infoworld.com/article/4020...
#GenAI
How to create your own RAG applications in R
See how to query documents using natural language, LLMs, and R—including dplyr-like filtering on metadata. Plus, learn how to use an LLM to extract structured data for text filtering.
www.infoworld.com
July 17, 2025 at 12:39 PM
It published! "How to Create Your Own RAG Applications in R"
This uses the latest version of the {ragnar} #RStats 📦 - there were a lot of changes this month - and also {ellmer}. It even uses dplyr-like metadata filtering!
www.infoworld.com/article/4020...
#GenAI
This uses the latest version of the {ragnar} #RStats 📦 - there were a lot of changes this month - and also {ellmer}. It even uses dplyr-like metadata filtering!
www.infoworld.com/article/4020...
#GenAI
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Anthropic let Claude run a vending machine business at their HQ.
People tricked it into buying a bunch of tungsten steel cubes that it sold at a loss.
www.anthropic.com/research/pro...
People tricked it into buying a bunch of tungsten steel cubes that it sold at a loss.
www.anthropic.com/research/pro...
Project Vend: Can Claude run a small shop? (And why does that matter?)
We let Claude run a small shop in the Anthropic office. Here's what happened.
www.anthropic.com
June 27, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Anthropic let Claude run a vending machine business at their HQ.
People tricked it into buying a bunch of tungsten steel cubes that it sold at a loss.
www.anthropic.com/research/pro...
People tricked it into buying a bunch of tungsten steel cubes that it sold at a loss.
www.anthropic.com/research/pro...
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
I put together an annotated version of the new Claude 4 system prompt, covering both the prompt Anthropic published and the missing, leaked sections that describe its various tools
It's basically the secret missing manual for Claude 4, it's fascinating!
simonwillison.net/2025/May/25/...
It's basically the secret missing manual for Claude 4, it's fascinating!
simonwillison.net/2025/May/25/...
May 25, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I put together an annotated version of the new Claude 4 system prompt, covering both the prompt Anthropic published and the missing, leaked sections that describe its various tools
It's basically the secret missing manual for Claude 4, it's fascinating!
simonwillison.net/2025/May/25/...
It's basically the secret missing manual for Claude 4, it's fascinating!
simonwillison.net/2025/May/25/...
Causation requires explicit direct effects. It is not causation for two events to be associated unless all confounders are eliminated, all mediators controlled, and a direct effect isolated—a true causal relationship. Terms matter. Scientific rigor matters. Regardless of what "common sense" wants.
Fyi the fundamental problem of causal inference means there can never truly be corruption
One more 747 please
One more 747 please
Corruption requires explict quid pro quo. It is not corrupt to take an action that aligns with the interest of a person who gives you a gift, unless the official action was in direct response to that gift--a bribe. Terms matter. Accuracy and fairness matters. Regardless of what social media wants.
May 12, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Causation requires explicit direct effects. It is not causation for two events to be associated unless all confounders are eliminated, all mediators controlled, and a direct effect isolated—a true causal relationship. Terms matter. Scientific rigor matters. Regardless of what "common sense" wants.
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
What a massively disappointing article.
We have research on the effectiveness of fertility policies. Surprise surprise, it’s the policy they fail to mention even once in the piece: child care.
Why solicit ideas when they can solicit proven solutions?
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/u...
We have research on the effectiveness of fertility policies. Surprise surprise, it’s the policy they fail to mention even once in the piece: child care.
Why solicit ideas when they can solicit proven solutions?
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/u...
Trump Aides Solicit Ideas to Raise Birthrate, From Baby Bonuses to Fertility Planning
The White House is soliciting policy proposals designed to give women incentives to have more children, a priority for many social conservatives.
www.nytimes.com
April 21, 2025 at 1:26 PM
What a massively disappointing article.
We have research on the effectiveness of fertility policies. Surprise surprise, it’s the policy they fail to mention even once in the piece: child care.
Why solicit ideas when they can solicit proven solutions?
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/u...
We have research on the effectiveness of fertility policies. Surprise surprise, it’s the policy they fail to mention even once in the piece: child care.
Why solicit ideas when they can solicit proven solutions?
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/u...
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Eliminating Head Start. Laying off all the CDC employs who work on lead poisoning. Discrediting childhood vaccines during a measles outbreak. Cutting funds for school lunches.
A look at some of the under-the-radar ways the Trump administration is waging war on America's children: wapo.st/4jcUg2f
A look at some of the under-the-radar ways the Trump administration is waging war on America's children: wapo.st/4jcUg2f
Opinion | Donald Trump’s war on children
The administration is divesting from future generations. It will cost America dearly.
wapo.st
April 18, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Eliminating Head Start. Laying off all the CDC employs who work on lead poisoning. Discrediting childhood vaccines during a measles outbreak. Cutting funds for school lunches.
A look at some of the under-the-radar ways the Trump administration is waging war on America's children: wapo.st/4jcUg2f
A look at some of the under-the-radar ways the Trump administration is waging war on America's children: wapo.st/4jcUg2f
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
A friend asked what he should do about his obsession with seaweed.
I said, “Sea Kelp”.
I said, “Sea Kelp”.
April 13, 2025 at 8:32 PM
A friend asked what he should do about his obsession with seaweed.
I said, “Sea Kelp”.
I said, “Sea Kelp”.
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Draft “A Practical Guide to Estimating Conditional Marginal Effects: Modern Approaches” is on arXiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2504.01355
w/ two amazing grad students, Jiehan_Liu & Ziyi Liu 🧵
w/ two amazing grad students, Jiehan_Liu & Ziyi Liu 🧵
April 3, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Draft “A Practical Guide to Estimating Conditional Marginal Effects: Modern Approaches” is on arXiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2504.01355
w/ two amazing grad students, Jiehan_Liu & Ziyi Liu 🧵
w/ two amazing grad students, Jiehan_Liu & Ziyi Liu 🧵
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
You probably don't often turn to the survey methodology world for a good detective story, but here is one from my colleague Anna Brown pewrsr.ch/4isAu2s
How a glitch in an online survey replaced the word ‘yes’ with ‘forks’
Dating back to at least early 2023, a bizarre and alarming technical glitch started popping up in some organizations’ online surveys and forms.
pewrsr.ch
March 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
You probably don't often turn to the survey methodology world for a good detective story, but here is one from my colleague Anna Brown pewrsr.ch/4isAu2s
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
PEOPLE OF BLUESKY! Ahhhhhh, it smells good here. Behold a trailer for season 2 of Poker Face! It’s gonna be a good one. May 8th on the almighty Peacock!
March 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
PEOPLE OF BLUESKY! Ahhhhhh, it smells good here. Behold a trailer for season 2 of Poker Face! It’s gonna be a good one. May 8th on the almighty Peacock!
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Within government institutions, for private research orgs and universities, the result will be the same: fewer researchers, less research.
Whelp ed research orgs had mass lay-offs yesterday
Mathematica: www.linkedin.com/posts/mathem...
MDRC: www.linkedin.com/posts/mdrc_t...
NORC: www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-ga...
RTI: www.linkedin.com/posts/no%C3%...
Westat: www.linkedin.com/posts/westat...
WestEd: www.linkedin.com/posts/amyhre...
Mathematica: www.linkedin.com/posts/mathem...
MDRC: www.linkedin.com/posts/mdrc_t...
NORC: www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-ga...
RTI: www.linkedin.com/posts/no%C3%...
Westat: www.linkedin.com/posts/westat...
WestEd: www.linkedin.com/posts/amyhre...
March 8, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Within government institutions, for private research orgs and universities, the result will be the same: fewer researchers, less research.
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Whelp ed research orgs had mass lay-offs yesterday
Mathematica: www.linkedin.com/posts/mathem...
MDRC: www.linkedin.com/posts/mdrc_t...
NORC: www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-ga...
RTI: www.linkedin.com/posts/no%C3%...
Westat: www.linkedin.com/posts/westat...
WestEd: www.linkedin.com/posts/amyhre...
Mathematica: www.linkedin.com/posts/mathem...
MDRC: www.linkedin.com/posts/mdrc_t...
NORC: www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-ga...
RTI: www.linkedin.com/posts/no%C3%...
Westat: www.linkedin.com/posts/westat...
WestEd: www.linkedin.com/posts/amyhre...
March 8, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Whelp ed research orgs had mass lay-offs yesterday
Mathematica: www.linkedin.com/posts/mathem...
MDRC: www.linkedin.com/posts/mdrc_t...
NORC: www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-ga...
RTI: www.linkedin.com/posts/no%C3%...
Westat: www.linkedin.com/posts/westat...
WestEd: www.linkedin.com/posts/amyhre...
Mathematica: www.linkedin.com/posts/mathem...
MDRC: www.linkedin.com/posts/mdrc_t...
NORC: www.linkedin.com/posts/dan-ga...
RTI: www.linkedin.com/posts/no%C3%...
Westat: www.linkedin.com/posts/westat...
WestEd: www.linkedin.com/posts/amyhre...
Subsidizing child care is bad, and letting people get guns to shoot up elementary schools is good, that's the world we live in now.
January 28, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Subsidizing child care is bad, and letting people get guns to shoot up elementary schools is good, that's the world we live in now.
Enthralling set from John Holiday on NPR Tiny Desk that really deserves more views. I was enraptured by his rendition of Strange Fruit youtu.be/PYcn36-k7lw
John Holiday: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
youtu.be
January 26, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Enthralling set from John Holiday on NPR Tiny Desk that really deserves more views. I was enraptured by his rendition of Strange Fruit youtu.be/PYcn36-k7lw
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Fellow US immigrants and nonimmigrants: INA 264(e) requires us to keep our “evidence of registration” on our person at all times.
I am sure you have always scrupulously observed that requirement, but it’s extra important now.
List of acceptable evidence:
I am sure you have always scrupulously observed that requirement, but it’s extra important now.
List of acceptable evidence:
8 CFR Part 264 -- Registration and Fingerprinting of Aliens in the United States
www.ecfr.gov
January 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Fellow US immigrants and nonimmigrants: INA 264(e) requires us to keep our “evidence of registration” on our person at all times.
I am sure you have always scrupulously observed that requirement, but it’s extra important now.
List of acceptable evidence:
I am sure you have always scrupulously observed that requirement, but it’s extra important now.
List of acceptable evidence:
Reposted by Weihuang Wong
Some rough notes on how I program with LLMs and on how tooling can make it better. crawshaw.io/blog/program...
crawshaw - 2025-01-06
crawshaw.io
January 6, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Some rough notes on how I program with LLMs and on how tooling can make it better. crawshaw.io/blog/program...