John Kubale
@johnkubale.bsky.social
2.6K followers 1.1K following 280 posts
Infectious disease epidemiologist and research assistant professor at the University of Michigan @icpsr.bsky.social. Cat dad, data nerd, and Cincinnati sports fan. he/him
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Reposted by John Kubale
belongia.bsky.social
CDC has been a global leader in public health & played a key role in smallpox eradication. Health depts in red states & blue states rely on CDC expertise & support. The CDC EIS program trains the next generation of public health leaders & disease detectives.

They are burning it to the ground.
JAMA Health Forum Oct 9, 2025 by LO Gostin and P Lurie.
Abstract
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long served as the cornerstone of the US
public health system, combining technical expertise, evidence-based policy recommendations, and high-quality health information. Yet, it is undergoing profound weakening by the Trump administration, including major funding cuts, the dismissal and resignation of experienced senior staff, and the erosion of its scientific independence. With tightening political control, public trust in
the CDC is diminishing. Undermining the agency’s reputation and capacities will reverberate for generations, making the nation less prepared for future health emergencies, including diseases of
pandemic potential. At this perilous moment, we document the current assault on the CDC that will inevitably have serious repercussion
johnkubale.bsky.social
"I will not be the only person who makes this decision, and those who are invested in Texas’s future should recognize this warning...Recruiting new faculty is essential, and Texas diminishes its ability to attract the next generation of scholars when its government interferes with its universities."
Why I Withdrew From My Dream Job
At Texas A&M, politicians, not professors, decide what is taught in classrooms.
www.chronicle.com
Reposted by John Kubale
bbkogan.bsky.social
Three key points:
1) The admin has been planning mass firings to begin in October since February
2) The work necessary to carry out mass firings is illegal during a shutdown, violating the Antideficiency Act, which carries a criminal penalty
3) This harms America, ridding us of talent and expertise
Russ Vought v @russvought
The RIFs have begun.
12:27 PM • 10/10/25 • 15K Views
Reposted by John Kubale
profgabriele.com
I know this case is all over - & it should be - but Turning Point USA has waged a harassment campaign against faculty for more than a decade. I know of at least a half dozen other faculty, personally, who have received death threats and several of those who felt so unsafe they too left their homes
davidho.bsky.social
Are we great yet?

Mark Bray, a Rutgers University professor and expert on anti-fascist groups, is fleeing to Spain with his family due to death threats that stem from a campaign by Turning Point USA and other conservative groups to get him fired, falsely labeling him as an antifa member.
Antifa expert at Rutgers University says he is moving to Spain because of death threats
An expert on anti-fascist groups who teaches at New Jersey’s flagship state university is moving his family overseas.
apnews.com
Reposted by John Kubale
profannawatts.bsky.social
Lol the Nobels can't even acknowledge women's contribution to discovery. But sure let's acknowledge The Machines.
Headline from an article in Nature this week that states "Prizes must recognize machine contributions to discovery. The future of science will be written by humans and machines together. Awards should reflect that reality."
johnkubale.bsky.social
Yeah that’s a good point. Still it’s good to have even a fuzzy picture to help demonstrate how big of a gap there is! Even if it were truly 2%, that is far too low.
johnkubale.bsky.social
Sadly I'm surprised it's even that high.
johnkubale.bsky.social
100%! @umich.edu just closed its incredible statistical consulting unit. What other universities have you seen go this poorly considered route?
Reposted by John Kubale
vermontgmg.bsky.social
All year, we’ve seen this administration treat appropriations bills less as laws-to-follow and more like Lucy playing football with Charlie Brown. What should make this moment any different? www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/there-is-n...
There is no budget "deal" to be made
President Trump in has so broken the constitutional framework as to make joint normal, responsible government impossible.
www.doomsdayscenario.co
johnkubale.bsky.social
Depends a bit on whether you’re looking for things that remain unavailable or were ever taken down. @datarescueproject.org is a pretty good place to start though. If you’re looking for more real-time tracking of changes/availability thats a bit tougher, but I’ll list some resources below.
johnkubale.bsky.social
Though the Ponce example isn’t highway specific. You can definitely see this just looking at the neighborhoods that 85 cuts through.
johnkubale.bsky.social
The name changes of streets North/South of Ponce in Atlanta is another stark reminder.
johnkubale.bsky.social
Most savage one I remember hearing in Kentucky growing up was “the lifeguard was away when they dove into the gene pool”.
johnkubale.bsky.social
From the @icpsr.bsky.social side I have to say that this was a massive lift that would not have been possible without a few incredible folks at USAID (who were RIF'd) and @datafirst.bsky.social. Many thanks to @datarescueproject.org too! It was a pleasure working with you all to preserve these data!
datarescueproject.org
Good news today! All USAID-funded education data - almost 1,000 datasets - have been rescued! We helped out with a hackathon, but big shout out to @icpsr.bsky.social and @datafirst.bsky.social for all of their efforts!

www.linkedin.com/posts/activi...
johnkubale.bsky.social
Great thread highlighting that the damage which has been done to US farmers is likely to be persistent.
sarahtaber.bsky.social
US farmers are saying they "just need temporary help, until things get better."

Here's the thing. US farm exports- which are mostly soy- CANNOT get better.

Other countries expanded their soy industries to fill China's demand.

We've walled ourselves out of the global market, folks. This is it.
johnkubale.bsky.social
Urban turkeys are one of my favorite quirks of the upper midwest.
johnkubale.bsky.social
Earlier this month @maggielevenstein.bsky.social and I spoke to BBC's More or Less about what is happening with US government data. Thanks to @timharford.ft.com for having us! #databs #statistics #episky
opiniontoday.bsky.social
The Case of the Missing US Data: In early February, something strange started happening across US government websites. Decades of data began disappearing. We speak to Maggie Levinstein and @johnkubale.bsky.social to find out why, and why it matters.
(@timharford.ft.com)
www.bbc.com/audio/play/p...
Reposted by John Kubale
sbagen.bsky.social
“By rushing to overturn injunctions with no regard to who is being harmed, as well as creating seemingly arbitrary technicalities to prevent future injunctions, the message from the supreme court is clear: It doesn’t matter how many laws they broke.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The US government is facing a crisis of legitimacy | Daniel Mendiola
As the constitutional order frays, the US could look to Brazil as a demonstration of a functioning democracy
www.theguardian.com
johnkubale.bsky.social
I loved the 2 years I spent in LR. Still miss Travs games and seeing shows at Whitewater Tavern. It has its issues for sure, but I’ll always have a soft spot for the state.
johnkubale.bsky.social
I remember soon after starting at the Arkansas Dept of Health having to hide my shock when a meeting was started with a prayer. Where in AR are you from?