Confessions of a researchaholic

2025-08-01

AI researchers paid like NBA all-stars

Filed under: Real — liyiwei @ 2:52 pm
Tags: ,

The recent pay scales of some AI researchers have been astronomical in historical standards partly as a reflection of the exponential potential of AI on every aspect of the human society.
However, these attention-grabbing numbers apply only to a few people and there are nuances about claw-backs and performance expectations (similar to CEOs’ pay packages at similar scales).

No less interesting but less noticed is the fact that there are fewer headlines about non-financial aspects of AI researchers’ work, such as work-life balance, sense of purpose, and job satisfaction, which are often more important than the pay scale in the long run.

As we grow older, we may realize that time and life quality are more valuable than money and fame.
Get paid for doing what we love, instead of the other way around.

2025-07-26

Pug into boiled egg

Filed under: Imaginary,Real — liyiwei @ 11:41 am
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I noticed that two of my recent quick sketches, one of a sleeping pug and another of an irregularly shaped boiled egg, have similar overall structures, and experimented to see how video generation would interpret their relationships.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMlSkFWSPvR/

2025-07-20

Honey Bucket

Filed under: Imaginary,Real — liyiwei @ 11:36 am
Tags: ,

Walked by a Honey Bucket portable toilet and wondered how AI would interpret the logo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMVym75yeH2/

2025-07-19

English muffin pizza

Filed under: Imaginary,Real — liyiwei @ 10:19 am
Tags: ,

“English muffin pizza” means a pizza in the size of a muffin instead of a pizza topped with muffins.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMTDXaIPvnd/

2025-07-16

Pizza with ants topping

Filed under: Imaginary,Real — liyiwei @ 4:20 pm
Tags: ,

After a day of jury service and before attending an evening fitness class, he bought a box of pizza from a nearby pizza shop for dinner. He ate two pieces and brought the rest inside the box to the class.

When he arrived at home after the class, he found the pizza crawling with ants, and realized that he had left the pizza out for too long without refrigeration.

After a quick web search, he found that the ants are a potential source of protein, and that the pizza is still edible, so he washed away the ants and ate the pizza.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMMCB9rsw-C/

2025-07-14

A sleeping pug

Filed under: Real — liyiwei @ 8:33 pm
Tags: ,

Chewie is a pug who sometimes sits in my place.

He follows me everywhere when I move, and stays in his beds, which I position around me, when I stay put.

He is quite content for sleeping most of the time and does not seem to care about anything else.

He likes to chew carrot sticks.

He seems to know what I need him to do, and will do it automatically, like going into his cage when I am leaving, going out for a walk when it is time for his biological breaks, and dumping his biological waste when reaching his usual area.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMTybGUy8U2/
https://youtube.com/shorts/QZC-jPEGYLY
https://www.behance.net/gallery/190359367/ExteriorMotoGStylus/modules/1323162713

2025-07-11

Jury service

Filed under: Real — liyiwei @ 11:13 am
Tags:

I finally reported to a jury service after all these years.

The county court house sends out post cards to randomly selected residents as potential jurors. The night before the designated date, the recipients can check the court website to see if they need to report to the court house the next day. I never had to, until this time.

Upon arrival at the court house, I went through a security screening and arrived at a large waiting area with many other potential jurors. The wait could take a while, but not long after I was called into a court room. I can see the defendant, the defense attorney, the plaintiff, several sheriffs, and later the judge, who described the procedure including the principles of jury service, the time line, and the jury selection process.

The potential jurors were then called into the jury sitting area in groups, being questions by the judge and the attorneys, and either being selected or dismissed at the end of each round. The process continued until enough jury (and backup) members were selected. In this case, it took a full day and then spilled over a little bit into the next morning.

On one hand, the process could be run more efficiently, as the attorneys were repeating the same points with individual jury candidates. On the other hand, I can understand why the attorneys would want to do so, as it is a good way to test the jury candidates’ understanding of the rules and their ability to follow the process. I also found such civil engagement helpful for improving the trust in the judiciary system.

The most interesting part was hearing the answers from the jury candidates about their background, their understanding of the rules, and their ability and inability to follow the process. (Some seemed intent to be dismissed.)

As someone who has spent a whole career as a research scientist, I can see some similarities and differences between the jury service and paper reviews and committee meetings.

Similarities:

  • What happens inside the room stays inside; no disclosure outside and thereafter.
  • Follow the rules and procedures, be objective, and avoid potential conflicts of interest.
  • The process is usually long and tedious, but most of the time we just need to listen and wait, and occasionally something interesting happens.
  • Differences:

    • The paper authors could not be present and defend their work in a paper committee meeting, unlike during a trial.
    • The stakes are much higher in a trial, as it is deciding the fate of a person instead of just a paper.
    • The trial focuses on (mostly) one defendant while a paper committee evaluates many submissions.
    • The jury service is mandatory, while a paper committee service is voluntary.
    • No food or drink (except water) inside a court room, while a paper committee meeting is usually accompanied by food and drinks (often too much calories/sugar in my experience).

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DL8k9FtSuha/

    2025-07-07

    Calm after a break

    Filed under: Real — liyiwei @ 4:24 pm
    Tags: ,

    If you worry about coming back to work after a break, just remember that you are not alone, and I often find my colleagues to be still away or no more prepared.

    I also no longer have to think about what to do with my time during the break.

    2025-07-06

    Staycation with museum visits

    Filed under: Real — liyiwei @ 6:38 pm
    Tags: ,

    During this week’s company summer shutdown, I did not travel afar but went out during the usual workweek (Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday) to visit some local museums. The exhibitions are all excellent and I experienced public transport as much as possible.

    Tuesday: Isaac Julien: I Dream a World + Matisse: Jazz Unbound at the de Young Museum, taking Caltrain, BART, and MUNI bus 44.

    Thursday: Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art + Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint at the Legion of Honor, taking Caltrain, light-rail, and MUNI bus 38R.

    Sunday: Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War at the Asian Art Museum, taking BART and some driving.



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