WTF-Beta

Large language models can write essays, solve math problems, and generate computer code, but it’s not fully understood how they do it. Researchers can observe the billions of parameters inside these systems changing during training, yet the internal logic of the models remains largely hidden. In a sense, the engineering is ahead of the science. Can science catch up and make LLMs and other deep neural networks mechanistically interpretable?

https://cacm.acm.org/news/can-we-understand-how-large-language-models-reason/

@ShiroKuro said:

I actually thought it was recommended by someone here at WTF

I passed along bachophile's recommendation of Mason's book.

https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/25491

Josh Shapiro goes big for down-ballot Dems

The Pennsylvania governor is pouring millions into a coordinated campaign to help elect other Democrats. It could serve as a launchpad to a presidential bid.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/17/josh-shapiro-down-ballot-dems-01001996

This $25 Bottle Is America’s Best Straight Bourbon, According to the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition

The bottled-in-bond whiskey earned 98 points and a coveted Gold Outstanding medal, an honor awarded to just 1.3% of spirits entered this year.

All Old Bardstown bourbons are distilled from a mashbill of 72% corn, 13% rye, and 15% malted barley. (Among Kentucky bourbon producers, that’s a notably high barley content.) The whiskey enters the barrel at 125 proof, and Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond ages for at least four years before bottling at 100 proof. If you’re looking to pick up a bottle, you may need to travel. This is generally a Kentucky-only release — fortunately for shoppers, it’s readily available on shelves in the state for around $25.

https://www.foodandwine.com/old-bardstown-bottled-in-bond-earns-gold-outstanding-medal-at-international-wine-and-spirit-competition-2026-12019951

D&D players raise millions in real-life campaign against ‘corporate elite’

Brennan Lee Mulligan’s Dungeons and Dragons push is part of a wider trend using tabletop games for political action

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/16/dungeons-dragons-tabletop-games-politics

@jon-nyc Sounded to me that Tillis left that possibility open.

"And I'm trying to get to yes, but this is a very important part of getting to yes."

@Rontuner said:

Up to 385 now from the sensor not far from us. Thanks for posting the picture that allowed me to find the airnow.gov site

There's another site, too, IQAir. That crazy reading is in Northbrook (it's up to 860 now) and the sensor is an Illinois EPA device.

https://www.iqair.com/profile/illinois-epa

This one station that's nearby is reading crazy high; others are more in the 350-450 range. Not sure what's going on.

Regardless, it's wicked miserable out there.

549, no signs of letting up.

@dolmansaxlil - how bad is it up by you?

Immigration and tariffs affecting the Senate race in Texas.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/12/trumps-deportation-drive-tests-gop-gains-in-texas-00993955

‘Death by a thousand cuts’: Inside Trump’s remaking of American elections

The president remains laser-focused on an electoral system he claims is rigged — and his administration is uprooting entire chunks of the current structure ahead of the midterms.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/16/inside-trumps-remaking-american-elections-00999693

Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Thursday he will not vote to confirm acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the permanent role until Blanche meets with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse.

https://www.axios.com/2026/07/16/tillis-withholds-blanche-support-esptein

Just ran over to the library and the grocery store. Wasn't outside but 10 minutes total but can feel the burning in my throat.

I think I know why.

There’s an arrow on the right side of the photo that lets you scroll through all the pics, though they are displayed one at a time. I just tried it on my iPad and it let me see maybe four photos before the login screen comes up. On my Windows PC, I could scroll thru all of them.

FB is weird

Does this work? I'm not on FB but looks like I can see all these fabulous photos!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1024830867134479

The monitor in Pleasant Prairie, WI, which is about halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, is reading 446.

Ours is climbing, now at 225.

Wow. Hard to believe it's been 10 years. Wishing you many more.

Oh, and good move on postponing the bike ride.....

Air quality index over 200 here today. Going to be in the 90s temp-wise. Smells like every house in the neighborhood is having a barbecue party.