Calls for civility are almost always attempts by the powerful to silence the less powerful and the powerless.

Dr Saad having a sad because the Nobel Laureate is a woman who doesn't smile prettily enough for his liking

Yes! One small step at a time. Don’t change too many things at once so you know if it’s helping or not; if it’s doable and sustainable or not.

I was due - are you? Every 10 years for adults, friends. In 2023, there were ~7,000 US cases of pertussis; last year, almost 29,000 cases (!), & 16 deaths - more than from measles. Pertussis vaccination for kids is below a 90% target goal for all but 4 states. My state did best (93%); ... 🧵 1/3

In essence, NIH’s Center for Scientific Review will now seek input from expert reviewers, ask them to evaluate proposals, collect scores, and then intentionally hide scores from investigators & program officers.

If the NIH succeeds in hiding reviewer scores, both program officers and investigators will have access to less information, increasing the risk that other factors (including political priorities) will be used to shape the future of US science and biomedical research.

The NIH proposal to conceal reviewer scores from program officers, investigators, and advisory councils is ill-conceived, introduces disproportionate weight to small percentile differences, diminishes the role of scientific peer review, and should be withdrawn in its entirety. a 🧵

Years ago I wrote this essay, and the clamor for compromise and one-sided pandering marches on, and of course David Brooks is a standard-bearer in the parade. As Jamelle Bouie notes, what if they are Nazis?

Same in CA. Find your local drop box and use it:

Done. My ballot went in a few days ago. Waiting for online confirmation that it was received and processed.

That time someone dumped a toy house on the cemetery wall and, when I crouched a bit, some ✨ Hollywood Magic ✨ occurred.

The notion that we fight fascism by pretending it's not occurring has brought us here to a place where Nazi cheerleaders have taken over our government, occupying our cities, abducting our neighbors & trafficking immigrant children.

Man who has never run for office, nor likely even knocked a voters' door, offers advice to someone who has done both - and won. Man who made his living valorizing capitulation by calling it "civility" would like all others to do the same. Groundbreaking.

Reminding myself that if I send any more emails over the weekend they will definitely all come back to haunt me on Tuesday

Amazing photo in New York Times of Gen Z protests in India.

Yeah I’m here multiple times a week

what are you planning?