Matthew Kay
@mjskay.com
Assoc Prof Computer Science and Communication Studies at Northwestern. Infovis, HCI. Author of tidybayes & ggdist R pkgs. he/him. 🏳️🌈 https://mjskay.com/
Co-director https://mucollective.northwestern.edu
Co-founder https://journalovi.org
Co-director https://mucollective.northwestern.edu
Co-founder https://journalovi.org
Pinned
Matthew Kay
@mjskay.com
· Sep 7
I work in #datavis, best known for uncertainty vis: see my work on election forecast vis (forecasts.cs.northwestern.edu), this talk (youtu.be/E1kSnWvqCw0), or my lab (mucollective.northwestern.edu)
I like writing #rstats 📦s: ggdist (mjskay.github.io/ggdist), tidybayes, ggblend, posterior::rvar...
I like writing #rstats 📦s: ggdist (mjskay.github.io/ggdist), tidybayes, ggblend, posterior::rvar...
Reposted by Matthew Kay
After yesterday’s surrender, we’re launching the largest Democratic primary program that we’ve ever run.
We will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader.
If you’re as pissed as we are, join this campaign to rebuild the Democratic Party. 👇
We will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader.
If you’re as pissed as we are, join this campaign to rebuild the Democratic Party. 👇
Democratic leaders have failed us again. It's time to get new leaders.
After yet another capitulation by Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats, it's clear we need new leadership capable of mounting a serious opposition to Trump's authoritarian regime. We're launching our la...
www.indivisible2026.org
November 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM
After yesterday’s surrender, we’re launching the largest Democratic primary program that we’ve ever run.
We will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader.
If you’re as pissed as we are, join this campaign to rebuild the Democratic Party. 👇
We will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Minority Leader.
If you’re as pissed as we are, join this campaign to rebuild the Democratic Party. 👇
Reposted by Matthew Kay
I scribbled down all my shutdown-related intrusive thoughts and put them in a blog post.
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
The Shutdown Surrender
I just... I mean... Whatever.
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I scribbled down all my shutdown-related intrusive thoughts and put them in a blog post.
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
open.substack.com/pub/davekarp...
Reposted by Matthew Kay
#BREAKING: Justice Jackson has issued an "administrative" stay, temporarily pausing a district court order that would've required the USDA to continue using contingency funds to pay SNAP benefits.
The stay expires 48 hours after the First Circuit rules on USDA's request for a stay pending appeal.
The stay expires 48 hours after the First Circuit rules on USDA's request for a stay pending appeal.
November 8, 2025 at 2:28 AM
#BREAKING: Justice Jackson has issued an "administrative" stay, temporarily pausing a district court order that would've required the USDA to continue using contingency funds to pay SNAP benefits.
The stay expires 48 hours after the First Circuit rules on USDA's request for a stay pending appeal.
The stay expires 48 hours after the First Circuit rules on USDA's request for a stay pending appeal.
Realtor Rococo
November 6, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Realtor Rococo
Reposted by Matthew Kay
New blog post: open-source software packages have surprising problems with the way they calculate weighted medians and other quantiles.
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
Weighted Quantile Weirdness and Bugs – Practical Significance
Computing quantiles is surprisingly complicated. It gets much weirder when you use weights, and popular software behaves in surprising ways that might trouble you.
www.practicalsignificance.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
New blog post: open-source software packages have surprising problems with the way they calculate weighted medians and other quantiles.
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
Reposted by Matthew Kay
Know this, I will be saying "bring the flavor to the rice" for the next, oh, 5 years
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
November 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Know this, I will be saying "bring the flavor to the rice" for the next, oh, 5 years
Reposted by Matthew Kay
WOW. 81% of women 18-29 voted for Mamdani, 80% for Sherril, and 78% for Spanberger.
Gen Z women aren't playing around.
Gen Z women aren't playing around.
November 5, 2025 at 4:07 AM
WOW. 81% of women 18-29 voted for Mamdani, 80% for Sherril, and 78% for Spanberger.
Gen Z women aren't playing around.
Gen Z women aren't playing around.
Reposted by Matthew Kay
For years, but especially for the past year, Democrats have been in thrall to the idea that they need to chase an imagined median voter, and adopt that voter’s positions. Mamdani’s victory shows another way: hold principles, and persuade people to share them.
I wrote about Zohran’s victory. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Mamdani’s victory is a rebuke to the failed strategies of the Democratic party | Moira Donegan
The Democratic party appears listless and unprincipled, unwilling to fight because they do not believe in anything. Zohran Mamdani is the opposite of this
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:13 AM
For years, but especially for the past year, Democrats have been in thrall to the idea that they need to chase an imagined median voter, and adopt that voter’s positions. Mamdani’s victory shows another way: hold principles, and persuade people to share them.
Reposted by Matthew Kay
if you didn't follow the VA governor race you didn't know that Earle-Sears ran like a billion anti-trans campaign ads and Spanberger didn't flinch or pull a Newsom.
going all-in against trans people is a losing move, especially when the federal government has made harming and killing us a priority.
going all-in against trans people is a losing move, especially when the federal government has made harming and killing us a priority.
November 5, 2025 at 1:52 AM
if you didn't follow the VA governor race you didn't know that Earle-Sears ran like a billion anti-trans campaign ads and Spanberger didn't flinch or pull a Newsom.
going all-in against trans people is a losing move, especially when the federal government has made harming and killing us a priority.
going all-in against trans people is a losing move, especially when the federal government has made harming and killing us a priority.
Reposted by Matthew Kay
A message from CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen:
"No service cuts. No layoffs. In fact, CTA will grow."
"No service cuts. No layoffs. In fact, CTA will grow."
November 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
A message from CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen:
"No service cuts. No layoffs. In fact, CTA will grow."
"No service cuts. No layoffs. In fact, CTA will grow."
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor
Professor Lord
Their Royal Professorial Highness, Duke of Knowledge and Defender of the Books
Associate Professor
Professor
Professor Lord
Their Royal Professorial Highness, Duke of Knowledge and Defender of the Books
November 3, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor
Professor Lord
Their Royal Professorial Highness, Duke of Knowledge and Defender of the Books
Associate Professor
Professor
Professor Lord
Their Royal Professorial Highness, Duke of Knowledge and Defender of the Books
Reposted by Matthew Kay
I wrote a lil post on the amazing work that
@ginareynolds.bsky.social does championing ggplot2 extension developers and teaching others to build their own!
The post features the Scrollytelling Quarto extension and the group's cute #RStats hex 🐱:
rworks.dev/posts/ggplot...
@ginareynolds.bsky.social does championing ggplot2 extension developers and teaching others to build their own!
The post features the Scrollytelling Quarto extension and the group's cute #RStats hex 🐱:
rworks.dev/posts/ggplot...
An Introduction to Writing Your Own ggplot2 Geoms – R Works
The ggextenders club provides inspiration and resources for those venturing into the exciting world of creating custom ggplot2 extensions.
rworks.dev
November 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM
I wrote a lil post on the amazing work that
@ginareynolds.bsky.social does championing ggplot2 extension developers and teaching others to build their own!
The post features the Scrollytelling Quarto extension and the group's cute #RStats hex 🐱:
rworks.dev/posts/ggplot...
@ginareynolds.bsky.social does championing ggplot2 extension developers and teaching others to build their own!
The post features the Scrollytelling Quarto extension and the group's cute #RStats hex 🐱:
rworks.dev/posts/ggplot...
Reposted by Matthew Kay
Americans’ trust in information from national and local news organizations has declined after a slight increase earlier this year, according to a new survey. The decline has occurred in both major political parties. www.pewresearch.org/...
November 3, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Americans’ trust in information from national and local news organizations has declined after a slight increase earlier this year, according to a new survey. The decline has occurred in both major political parties. www.pewresearch.org/...
brutalist: what's a "win-dow"
November 1, 2025 at 7:44 PM
brutalist: what's a "win-dow"
Reposted by Matthew Kay
It's a Chicago holiday
November 1, 2025 at 12:06 PM
It's a Chicago holiday
Reposted by Matthew Kay
Not wrong.
Yes, I own one.
Yes, I own one.
Men of a certain age love a “shirt jacket”
October 30, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Not wrong.
Yes, I own one.
Yes, I own one.
take this quiz then tell me you can win over low-info "moderates" on policy
it's just vibes all the way down
it's just vibes all the way down
Take this quiz to die instantly www.americansurveycenter.org/quiz/
Beyond the Ballot Quiz - The Survey Center on American Life
www.americansurveycenter.org
October 29, 2025 at 3:50 PM
take this quiz then tell me you can win over low-info "moderates" on policy
it's just vibes all the way down
it's just vibes all the way down
Reposted by Matthew Kay
Take this quiz to die instantly www.americansurveycenter.org/quiz/
Beyond the Ballot Quiz - The Survey Center on American Life
www.americansurveycenter.org
October 29, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Take this quiz to die instantly www.americansurveycenter.org/quiz/
Reposted by Matthew Kay
Tune in tonight, as Bari Weiss has arranged an exclusive interview with Clyde, the orangutang from the 1978 blockbuster EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE!
October 28, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Tune in tonight, as Bari Weiss has arranged an exclusive interview with Clyde, the orangutang from the 1978 blockbuster EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE!
Reposted by Matthew Kay
U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino is on the witness stand in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis. He is wearing his typical Border Patrol uniform.
"Good morning, your honor," he says.
"Good morning, your honor," he says.
Ellis is calling Bovino to the witness stand.
Will start a new thread for his testimony.
Will start a new thread for his testimony.
October 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino is on the witness stand in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis. He is wearing his typical Border Patrol uniform.
"Good morning, your honor," he says.
"Good morning, your honor," he says.
Reposted by Matthew Kay
Really excited to share this new paper on "Data Visualizations as Propaganda", co-led by PhD students Priya Dhawka and Nina Lutz, which just won a Best Paper award at the CSCW conference: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
[Short thread]
[Short thread]
Data Visualizations as Propaganda: Tracing Lineages, Provenance, and Political Framings in Online Anti-Immigrant Discourse | Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Along with other visual content, data visualizations are increasingly used within
online discourse, including political communication. Though often considered to be
''objective'', data visualizations ...
dl.acm.org
October 27, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Really excited to share this new paper on "Data Visualizations as Propaganda", co-led by PhD students Priya Dhawka and Nina Lutz, which just won a Best Paper award at the CSCW conference: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
[Short thread]
[Short thread]
Reposted by Matthew Kay
NYT pushed its “Dems must go moderate” take again yesterday. In a new piece out today, @adambonica.bsky.social shows even more clearly why the data don’t support it. It also shows what a skilled empiricist and teacher Adam is.
Very proud of my pal’s public work.
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
Very proud of my pal’s public work.
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
The New York Times’ “Moderation Advantage” Is a Statistical Illusion
After accounting for money and incumbency the supposed electoral bonus for moderate candidates vanishes entirely.
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:22 PM
NYT pushed its “Dems must go moderate” take again yesterday. In a new piece out today, @adambonica.bsky.social shows even more clearly why the data don’t support it. It also shows what a skilled empiricist and teacher Adam is.
Very proud of my pal’s public work.
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
Very proud of my pal’s public work.
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
Reposted by Matthew Kay
While reviewing for #CHI2026, I've noticed four new writing issues in #HCI papers, likely due to an increased use of #LLMs / #AI. I describe them here - and how to fix them: dbuschek.medium.com/when-llms-wr...
When LLMs Write Our Papers
Four writing issues I notice as a reviewer — and how to fix them
dbuschek.medium.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
While reviewing for #CHI2026, I've noticed four new writing issues in #HCI papers, likely due to an increased use of #LLMs / #AI. I describe them here - and how to fix them: dbuschek.medium.com/when-llms-wr...
I may have finally had to break my rule of being nice to authors in reviews. If you send me LLM-generated gibberish, I am not obligated to treat you like an adult.
October 24, 2025 at 11:25 PM
I may have finally had to break my rule of being nice to authors in reviews. If you send me LLM-generated gibberish, I am not obligated to treat you like an adult.