Superlinear

Investigations of an itinerant scholar, mostly trying to make sense of this crazy place called South Africa through data science and culture.

[Superlinear @superlinearza]

THREAD/ Here's a map of the main groups pushing #SouthAfrica's vote rigging "Big Lie" conspiracy on X. Note: not all users shown are pushing the conspiracy. Some, like @tshidi_lee are just doing their job and reporting on what politicians say. #SADecides2024 #SAElections2024

[Brandon Stewart @b_m_stewart]

1/ New @Nature! We study how powerful institutions shape the information environment for LLMs. Commercial LLM training is opaque, so we trace a path from state-coordinated media -> training data -> model responses.

[murmur intel @murmur_intel]

We do a lot of work in the misinformation space, and something in it has been bothering us: a gap between what the industry targets and what the problem actually is. Our co-founder Aldu Cornelissen wrote three short articles trying to work it out. Here's a thread on the first: the problem with "truth", starting from Shannon's 1948 definition of information...
https://t.co/tFKHoL5Jvd

1/7

[Chris Roper @ChrisRoper]

https://t.co/7caaGigLUb

[Jeff Wicks 🇿🇦 @wicks_jeff]

The Shadow State on the shelves at @ExclusiveBooks CTIA - and all other stores across the country. Remember the price paid by Babita Deokaran for the good of our country.

[Msunu ka Johann Rupert @ZizinjaAbelungu]

Dear Americans

This is what you will be dealing with now on a daily basis with the White Afrikaners.

They are now your problem, goodluck!!!

[Phumzile Van Damme @zilevandamme]

The 7th most popular country in the world? That is, ranked 7th among countries viewed most positively by the global community. The southernmost tip of Africa, the Republic of South Africa, Mzansi, Southy, Msawawa. The 2025 Perceptions of Democracy Index. 🇿🇦

[Nicholas Fabiano, MD @NTFabiano]

Psychiatric disorders can be perceived as energy landscapes.

OCD has deep valleys - neural activity gets stuck.

Schizophrenia has shallow valleys - neural activity roams too freely.

[Superlinear @superlinearza]

@_ma2c @MVC_SA @AfricaCheck The Outlier is another possible group to speak to: https://t.co/hUStux0wzx

[Chris Roper @ChrisRoper]

The impact on media, the lifeblood of democracies and of anti-authoritarian information.
"In 2023 [USAID] funded training and support for 6,200 journalists, assisted 707 non-state news outlets, and supported 279 media-sector civil society organizations dedicated to strengthening independent media.
"All over the world, media outlets and organizations have had to halt some of their activities overnight."
https://t.co/5ZAsL15Txn

[Artur Rehi @ArturRehi]

The average life expectancy of a Russian assault trooper after signing a contract is from two weeks to a month. The Russian offensive continues and it has made advances in several areas at once. Russian troops have advanced to the areas of Kurakhove, Rozdolne,
1/11

[Brian Allen @allenanalysis]

People are breaking down on TikTok because they just realized Obamacare *is* the Affordable Care Act.

The heartbreaking part? So many have pre-existing conditions.

One man admitted he voted for Trump without knowing it was Obamacare that allowed his mother with stage 4

[Palesa Morudu Rosenberg @palesa_morudu]

Something is up in Mozambique.

[Superlinear @superlinearza]

If you are an #OSINT researcher, you owe it to yourself to attend #CapeTown

[BSides Cape Town @BSidesCapeTown]

📢 Workshop Announcement 📢
"Better open-source investigations with Ubikron" -6 December - 13:00-18:00- @RoelofTemmingh

Learn how to conduct open-source intelligence investigations and research using the new Ubikron system.

Buy workshop tickets now: https://t.co/ADaXMLff46

[Andrew Fraser @Arfness]

Money launderers and bankers must be shitting themselves now that Dewald is on the case. I've never seen a forensic investigative journalist more capable.

[ActionSA Gauteng @ActionSA_GP]

[HAPPENING NOW] ActionSA National Chairperson @ME_Beaumont & Gauteng Provincial Chairperson @Funzi_Ngobeni meet with @ActionSATshwane Regional Executive Committee members & councillors to discuss strategic matters.
#WeAreActionSA

[JvL 🇿🇦 @JvanLogg]

Anton Harber | Two back-door attacks on journalistic freedom this week. Be alert! https://t.co/vm1CSCh30l

[Daily Maverick @dailymaverick]

In a time in which social media popularity can drive consumer choices and sway public opinion, political parties, organisations, and individuals have quietly turned to an increasingly influential yet shadowy force: anonymous influencers. https://t.co/ExjGeQYyIA

[Superlinear @superlinearza]

@Tokamak137 @DanCorderOnAir My understanding is that Eskom's recent exemption from preferential procurement rules which favoured small, local, *sometimes* unskilled middlemen also helped remove the incentive for *some* of them to sabotage to drive business.

[Superlinear @superlinearza]

@DanCorderOnAir These are pretty boring, non-conspiratorial, factors, some of which took years to set in place. They are also systemic which bodes well for the future.

[Superlinear @superlinearza]

@DanCorderOnAir Less loadshedding is due to factors from de Ruyter's tenure & Ramokgopa's leadership:
1) Govt taking on Eskom debt to free liquidity for maintenance
2) Renewables reducing Eskom demand
3) Procurement exemption allowing Eskom to work with major suppliers
4) Improved team morale