Dan Goldstein
@dggoldst.bsky.social
Partner Research Manager at Microsoft Research NYC. AI, Economics, Decision Science.
Makers of pumpkin spice dish soap: just because you can doesn't mean you should
November 15, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Makers of pumpkin spice dish soap: just because you can doesn't mean you should
Despite its flaws, AI is amazing
November 14, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Despite its flaws, AI is amazing
Benefits as a function of seconds in my mind
November 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Benefits as a function of seconds in my mind
Quick update from Peru
The Incas somehow shaped rocks to have flat faces and precise angles so they fit together with no gaps.
The top of the wall was reconstructed later and has big gaps.
Some things get worse as time goes on.
The Incas somehow shaped rocks to have flat faces and precise angles so they fit together with no gaps.
The top of the wall was reconstructed later and has big gaps.
Some things get worse as time goes on.
November 1, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Quick update from Peru
The Incas somehow shaped rocks to have flat faces and precise angles so they fit together with no gaps.
The top of the wall was reconstructed later and has big gaps.
Some things get worse as time goes on.
The Incas somehow shaped rocks to have flat faces and precise angles so they fit together with no gaps.
The top of the wall was reconstructed later and has big gaps.
Some things get worse as time goes on.
Everywhere I go, the countries look different, but the shopping malls look strikingly similar. This is Lima, Peru.
October 28, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Everywhere I go, the countries look different, but the shopping malls look strikingly similar. This is Lima, Peru.
i thought up how i wanted this program to work and got it working in 5 mins using bluesky's least favorite general purpose technology. it added features i didn't specify (e.g., real time controls). my daughter liked it and got the point quickly.
October 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
i thought up how i wanted this program to work and got it working in 5 mins using bluesky's least favorite general purpose technology. it added features i didn't specify (e.g., real time controls). my daughter liked it and got the point quickly.
kids tend to mess up problems like "what's the chance you'll roll at least one 6 if you roll a die 3 times". in this program, the ball rolls right if you roll a 6, left otherwise--so bins 2, 3, 4 are one or more sixes. You can avoid dealing with them by taking 1 minus the no 6s probability (bin 1)
October 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
kids tend to mess up problems like "what's the chance you'll roll at least one 6 if you roll a die 3 times". in this program, the ball rolls right if you roll a 6, left otherwise--so bins 2, 3, 4 are one or more sixes. You can avoid dealing with them by taking 1 minus the no 6s probability (bin 1)
October 10, 2025 at 11:06 PM
when kids are trying to understand something they use ai in smarter ways than we give them credit for
October 10, 2025 at 11:36 AM
when kids are trying to understand something they use ai in smarter ways than we give them credit for
According to economist Thomas Schelling, if 2 strangers had to meet in NYC without planning, many would choose the info booth at Grand Central at 12:00 PM on January 1.
At 8:38 PM on October 9th it was just me and the info booth guy.
At 8:38 PM on October 9th it was just me and the info booth guy.
October 10, 2025 at 12:52 AM
According to economist Thomas Schelling, if 2 strangers had to meet in NYC without planning, many would choose the info booth at Grand Central at 12:00 PM on January 1.
At 8:38 PM on October 9th it was just me and the info booth guy.
At 8:38 PM on October 9th it was just me and the info booth guy.
Repeating this prediction (that Susan Athey will win the Nobel) until I'm right.
October 6, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Repeating this prediction (that Susan Athey will win the Nobel) until I'm right.
Just curious did you use Gen AI to help solve the problem?
After I read your answer I asked it.
After I read your answer I asked it.
October 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Just curious did you use Gen AI to help solve the problem?
After I read your answer I asked it.
After I read your answer I asked it.
Having a good ol' fashioned Manhattan BBQ
September 28, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Having a good ol' fashioned Manhattan BBQ
In which I identify all of the countries in Africa
September 23, 2025 at 8:18 PM
In which I identify all of the countries in Africa
I just saw a V train in NYC which is interesting because there is no V train in NYC 🤔
September 19, 2025 at 10:39 PM
I just saw a V train in NYC which is interesting because there is no V train in NYC 🤔
My family and I are always wondering about why places in the city go out of business.
Take Bareburger. Always a line. All the locations. Then it started getting easier to get a table. Then it was mostly empty. Then one by one they closed.
Who cannot wonder why? The need for narrative is so strong.
Take Bareburger. Always a line. All the locations. Then it started getting easier to get a table. Then it was mostly empty. Then one by one they closed.
Who cannot wonder why? The need for narrative is so strong.
September 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
My family and I are always wondering about why places in the city go out of business.
Take Bareburger. Always a line. All the locations. Then it started getting easier to get a table. Then it was mostly empty. Then one by one they closed.
Who cannot wonder why? The need for narrative is so strong.
Take Bareburger. Always a line. All the locations. Then it started getting easier to get a table. Then it was mostly empty. Then one by one they closed.
Who cannot wonder why? The need for narrative is so strong.
Here's how to do it
1) Sand it down until the bare metal shows
2) Spray paint it white
3) Sand off the spray paint on the surface, which will leave it inside the etched lines
1) Sand it down until the bare metal shows
2) Spray paint it white
3) Sand off the spray paint on the surface, which will leave it inside the etched lines
August 18, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Here's how to do it
1) Sand it down until the bare metal shows
2) Spray paint it white
3) Sand off the spray paint on the surface, which will leave it inside the etched lines
1) Sand it down until the bare metal shows
2) Spray paint it white
3) Sand off the spray paint on the surface, which will leave it inside the etched lines
Restored a metal yardstick today
August 17, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Restored a metal yardstick today
Was visiting my old neighborhood and came across one of my favorite intersections: West 4th Street and West 11th Street intersecting as if they weren't violating the laws of nature
August 7, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Was visiting my old neighborhood and came across one of my favorite intersections: West 4th Street and West 11th Street intersecting as if they weren't violating the laws of nature
European countries that subtitle rather than dub English-language TV content have better English skills. This paper argues the effect is causal and large: www.ifo.de/DocDL/cesifo...
July 28, 2025 at 10:37 AM
European countries that subtitle rather than dub English-language TV content have better English skills. This paper argues the effect is causal and large: www.ifo.de/DocDL/cesifo...
To put that into perspective that's more than half the size of California
June 24, 2025 at 2:31 AM
To put that into perspective that's more than half the size of California