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Rick Steves @ricksteves.bsky.social · 2d

Thread:

A year ago yesterday was a very happy day for me. I had lost my prostate. It was good riddance, as it was riddled with cancer. I’m now cancer-free — and thankful for the tax-funded technology that saved my life.

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Patrick De Klotz @patdeklotz.bsky.social · 8h

One would think headlines couldn‘t get more abnormal, but they can. www.oregonlive.com

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 6h

Nice recap

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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 7h

You are now my mother’s favorite. 80 and no cosmetic doctors involved!

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LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 @longtimehistory.bsky.social · 16h

ICE secretly kidnap autistic boy during bathroom break—never notify parents.

Mother reported him missing a week ago—turns out ICE had him detained the whole time.

He was helping sell fruit and asked to go to the restroom—by the time she was done helping a customer he was gone.

Houston, Texas

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Bat 🦇 Borus @matthewborus.bsky.social · 14h

In February, I feared they might turn IDEA into a block grant, which would be bad. I wrote, “Families who already must fight to ensure that their children receive the schooling they deserve will be put on weaker footing.”

But the wholesale (and illegal) firing of this office seems markedly worse.

Sara Partridge, Ph.D. @sarapartridge.bsky.social · 14h

There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.

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Colette Delawalla @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 14h

Have not confirmed this, but this is VERY very bad if true.

Also, more evidence of their eugenics roots.

Sara Partridge, Ph.D. @sarapartridge.bsky.social · 14h

There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.

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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 15h

My 80 year old mother (a lifelong registered Republican until 2018 and, by god, is not one for protesting) is making her voice heard on our small-town New England town green.

Picture of my mom holding a sign saying if some of us are unsafe none of us are SOLIDARITY. My stepdad holding a a sign titled Slashing ICE. And my mother does not look even close to 80.

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 16h

New — Video shared with me shows ICE officers in DC detaining a man on Friday.

Bystander filming asks man for his name. ICE agent lies and says he’s not allowed to speak to him “by law” and another says “We’ve arrested American citizens for being too close…If he gets any closer, put him in cuffs.”

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Matt Hartings @matthartings.bsky.social · 16h

Hey, normal people, tracking disease and keeping people from unnecessarily getting sick and dying is a "Democrat-thing." Vote accordingly.

Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 16h

RFK fired the CDC official (w/decades of experience) leading the measles outbreak response. It's been decades since we've had such a large outbreak. And just to ensure they they can spread the measles outbreak even farther, they also fired the leadership for the center focused on immunization.

Figure showing the largest measles outbreak in the US in decades. There are over 1500 cases as of October 7 2025

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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 16h

RFK fired the CDC official (w/decades of experience) leading the measles outbreak response. It's been decades since we've had such a large outbreak. And just to ensure they they can spread the measles outbreak even farther, they also fired the leadership for the center focused on immunization.

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Miriam Posner @miriamposner.com · 1d

Found this just incredibly depressing, more than anything.

An easel sign reads, “UCLA
ATTENTION
No events are permitted in this area today. Per Policy 852, this location is NOT designated for public expression activities.
Individuals participating in an event or a public expression activity in this area are subject to discipline and/or arrest.
Scan for policy information.”

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Charlie Rahal @crahal.com · 1d

We're holding brief/extremely informal 15 minute meetings with anyone who is interested in either of these positions, scheduled for 19.11.2025 and 17.11.2025, respectively. Email or DM for more information!

Please do share details within your network; I think these projects are pretty cool!

Charlie Rahal @crahal.com · Sep 1

🚨It's that exciting time of year!🚨

Our team has got TWO open DPhil (PhD) positions in #datascience + #health here at @oxforddemsci.bsky.social for 2026🎉! See for details:

1️⃣ 👉 crahal.com/HDS_2026.html
2️⃣ 👉 crahal.com/pophealth_2026.html

Please share and help us to find our future teammates ❤️!

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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 1d

New from me at Cato: I go through the numerous and massive First Amendment and academic-freedom violations of Trump's proffered "compact" with universities and then talk about the mechanism by which it would be enforced, by way of what I describe as a "retroactive push-button guillotine."

Universities Must Defend Their Independence by Rejecting Trump's "Compact"

The Trump administration has proffered a “compact” to universities that would require them to surrender their independence and academic freedom. How many First Amendment violations can we identify in ...

www.cato.org

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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 1d

Hey, are you interested in a bridge I have to sell?

Raw Story @rawstory.com · 1d

President Donald Trump's newly released physical results from the White House sing the praises of his health and physical fitness, and claim that he, in fact, has the heart of a man in his mid-60s, rather than late 70s.

White House says Trump's heart tested 14 years younger than his 'chronological age'

President Donald Trump's newly released physical results from the White House sing the praises of his health and physical fitness, and claim that he, in fact, has the heart of a man in his mid-60s, rather than late 70s."President Donald J. Trump successfully completed a scheduled follow-up evaluatio...

bit.ly

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 1d

RIFs can’t be done without agency leadership so this is RFK Jr extending his purge of CDC scientists to help Vought’s shutdown agenda. Genuine public health risks created by aggrieved men.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 1d

My first thought was “wow I hope this guy didn’t give out his name because he could absolutely be charged” and yup, he is correct to stay anonymous.

This man’s account is shocking. His neighbors’ situation is shocking. The entire Chicago raid is shocking.

On the other side was a mom and her 7-year-old daughter, pleading for his help.
"I wasn't planning on letting her stay, but I didn't know what the hell was going on," the man said of his Venezuelan migrant neighbors. But he quickly relented. The little girl was inconsolable and hid under his bed.
"I didn't want them to take her," said the man, who didn't want to be named because he fears he'll be targeted by federal authorities for his actions.
"I gave her my bedroom, and I just told her,
'Just stay there. Don't open, don't, shh, just stay quiet," he recalled telling the mom and daughter as he choked back tears.

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Alyssa Harad @alyssaharad.bsky.social · 1d

Jesus.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

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mattlaslo.bsky.social @mattlaslo.bsky.social · 1d

“There’s a hospital in the state of New Mexico — an IHS facility — that no longer offers support for moms delivering kids or having babies. And that’s all because of the Trump administration,” Sen. Luján tells me.

My latest for National Native News is live: www.nativenews.net/friday-octob...

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Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 1d

An early career philosopher turning down a tenure track job at a large R1—when there is not another job waiting. That’s how bad things have gotten at A&M.

Eric Goldman @ericgoldman.bsky.social · 1d

"The message is clear: Texas A&M does not permit teaching LGBT topics. Politicians, not professors, decide what is taught in Texas classrooms. Anyone who crosses this line may be fired on flimsy pretext"

www.chronicle.com/article/why-...

Why I Withdrew From My Dream Job

At Texas A&M, politicians, not professors, decide what is taught in classrooms.

www.chronicle.com

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Trevon Logan @trevondlogan.bsky.social · 1d

Loved the part where they note MIT does not have legacy admissions— an item curiously missing from the administration’s demands about “fairness” and “merit”

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Kathleen Clark @kathleenclark.bsky.social · 1d

A master class from MIT in responding to authoritarian overreach:

Your “premise … is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
… America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking & open competition for excellence.

Dear Madam Secretary,
I write in response to your letter of October 1, inviting MIT to review a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." I acknowledge the vital importance of these matters.
I appreciated the chance to meet with you earlier this year to discuss the priorities we share for American higher education.
As we discussed, the Institute's mission of service to the nation directs us to advance knowledge, educate students and bring knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges.
We do that in line with a clear set of values, with excellence above all. Some practical examples:
• MIT prides itself on rewarding merit. Students, faculty and staff succeed here based on the strength of their talent, ideas and hard work. For instance, the Institute was the first to reinstate the SAT/ACT requirement after the pandemic. And MIT has never had legacy preferences in admissions.
• MIT opens its doors to the most talented students regardless of their family's finances. Admissions are need-blind. Incoming undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000 a year pay no tuition. Nearly 88% of our last graduating class left MIT with no debt for their education. We make a wealth of free courses and low-cost certificates available to any American with an internet connection. Of the undergraduate degrees we award, 94% are in STEM fields. And in service to the nation, we cap enrollment of international undergraduates at roughly 10%.

source:
https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/regarding-compact

• We value free expression, as clearly described in the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. We must hear facts and opinions we don't like - and engage respectfully with those with whom we disagree.
These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they're right, and we live by them because they support our mission - work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law.
The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
In our view, America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education.
As you know, MIT's record of service to the nation is long and enduring. Eight decades ago, MIT leaders helped invent a scientific partnership between America's research universities and the U.S. government that has delivered extraordinary benefits for the American people. We continue to believe in the power of this partnership to serve the nation.
Sincerely,
Sally Kornbluth

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George Conway 👊🇺🇸🔥 @gtconway.bsky.social · 1d

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Brady West @bradytwest.bsky.social · 1d

💯

samuel mehr @mehr.nz · Dec 14

it's wild that R, the ubiquitous statistical computing language, was co-created by a Māori prof (Ross Ihaka) — and yet the vast majority of scientists who use R don't know

this is like inventing the toaster. possibly the largest impact of a single member of an indigenous community on modern science

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 2d

VIRGINIA CALLER: “As a Republican, I'm very disappointed in my party, and I'm very disappointed in you… I am begging you to pass this legislation. My kids could die... the audacity of someone who makes 6 figures a year to do this to military families is insane.” #TrumpShutdown

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