Archive for United States of America

For Whom the Bell Curve Tolls

Posted in Statistics, University life with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 19, 2026 by xi'an

Despite protests from the statistical community, incl. mine’s, the Regents of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have voted for the closure of the Statistics Department (as well as three others) and the firing of their faculty. (Several of whom I know personally.) While this is a shocking event, untimely in the age of Data, this alas aligned with the legislative vision of science and academia under the Trump.2.0 yoke. In the meanwhile, the faculty is looking for positions before the termination of their appointment in Lincoln.

They will also hold a “late breaking session” at JSM 2027 in Boston to discuss this shocking elimination. The session will be on Tuesday, August 4 at 10:30AM.

ISBA World meeting(s) 2028

Posted in Books, Travel, University life with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 28, 2025 by xi'an

An item of news I had missed in the June issue of the ISBA Bulletin is that the 2028 ISBA World meeting will take place in Milwaukee, USA. As pointed out by Michelle Guindani, this is is the first time the main conference of ISBA takes place in the United States since 1993 (which I did not attend). Rotation of locations between strategically located places makes sense, esp. in countries with a large IBSA membership like the US. Unfortunately, and as for BayesComp 2027 at Texas A&M, this will take place during the Trump administration, administration that set an entry prohibition for citizens of only dog knows how many countries by then and arbitrary border checks linked with activism that runs counter to their far right ideology. I thus hope hybrid options will be available for those who cannot or fear to attend in person, with many mirror gatherings like the one we ran for ISBA 2022, towards more inclusivity and social interactions.

and it only gets worse [the return]

Posted in Kids, pictures, Travel with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 1, 2025 by xi'an

“The EU has been very tough over the years and was formed to really do damage to the United States in trade through a little bit of a monopoly situation to create a unified force against the United States.” DJ Trump

“We need to get better at treating [deportation] like a business, like (Amazon) Prime, but with human beings.” ICE Director Todd Lyons

“The EU make [sic] it so difficult, the standards and the tests as they drop a bowling ball on the top of your car from 20 feet up in the air and if there’s a little dent, they say no, I’m sorry, your car doesn’t qualify.”DJ Trump

“We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture” JD Vance

“I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up kissing my ass.” DJ Trump

“The implications of the [Trump] government’s position [are] that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress if judicial review is denied unlawfully before removal. History is no stranger to such lawless regimes, but this nation’s system of laws is designed to prevent, not enable, their rise.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor

“I think [the Russian missile bombing of Sumy] was terrible and I was told [the Russian attackers] made a mistake, but I think it’s a horrible thing. I think the whole war is a horrible thing. This war would never have started if I were president. That war is a shame.” DJ Trump

project 2025 in [brute] force

Posted in Books, Travel, University life with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 29, 2025 by xi'an

so many issues…and it’s only the second day!

Posted in Books, Kids, Travel with tags , , , , , , , , , , on January 23, 2025 by xi'an