Toby Ord recently observed: “I have been surprised to see that some of my friends and acquaintances in the effective altruism community identify as Negative Utilitarians. Negative Utilitarianism (NU) is treated as a non-starter…
A few years ago, I wrote a Less Wrong post about why almost everyone should at least consider working in Australia for a year when they’re young. “Optimal Employment” has since gone on to become one…
Want a single nootropic pill that gives you 18 hours of productivity with no crash? I designed this stack by consulting Scott Alexander’s nootropic survey and also knowing which things stack well together. I…
A year ago, my MacBook was so slow that it often couldn’t take in text as fast as I could type it. I was going to buy a whole new computer, but then I…
According to a 2006 study in Namibia, one of the barriers to condom use in Africa is that people there believe that the condoms themselves contain AIDS. Those in the west dismiss this possibility out…
Thanks to America’s malinvestment in corn subsidies, farmers are now feeding cows tons of surplus candy!! I guess this makes sense in a market where real feedstock costs $315/ton, but excess “ice-cream sprinkles can…
Do you ever have trouble sleeping? I’ve found that even the tiniest amount of light can disturb my sleep and one of the things that improved my sleep almost as much as taking magnesium…
If you’ve ever twisted your ankle or bruised your knee, you’ve probably heard the advice: RICE = Rest + Ice + Compression + Elevation. It’s one of the most central dogmas of sports medicine. And…
Lots of people can paint. Heck, even elephants can paint. But who can paint with their breasts?! Basically just my friend Mason. From her website: “I’m a computer science junkie, animal lover, and psychology…
Want to make life a little easier on those slightly miserable, early-morning versions of yourself? I recommend the 4-Chamber Wall-Mounted Shower Product Dispenser. I recently got one and it makes my morning routine way…
Roman Yampolskiy recently published a new article in the Journal of Experimental & Theoretical Artificial Intelligence, that touches on themes from FAI research, including “counterfeit utility”, literalness, and wireheading. From the abstract: “The notion…
Molly Fitzpatrick recently suggested that perhaps 23andMe has a future as a dating service. While her proposal probably involves a bit too much incest for the average single, there’s another proposal I recently dreamed up…
In 2010, the primary provider of lipids used in American hospitals noticed that they weren’t very profitable… so they stopped producing them. I guess they’re allowed to do that. The main problem though was…
Walgreens wants to incentivize customers to walk more by giving them 20 Balance Rewards Points for every mile they walk with a Fitbit. I earn $5/mo doing this, but someone actually working out could…
I’m planning to win the ACL Rockstar Weekend.
My friend Jed McCaleb is launching a new cryptocurrency startup. I expect it has unusually high expected value and recommend you interview for a job with him now while you still can. They’re looking…
For most kids in high school, the future promises better days. But for a certain group, there’s no time like the past.
Even though it’s just salt water, somehow US manufacturers of saline dropped the ball and can no longer produce enough for domestic use. Fortunately, Norway had excess and was willing to sell to US…
