Dr Sian Gramates
@drglam.bsky.social
Biocurator, feminist, molecular neuroscientist, pagan, Drosophila geneticist, comics geek, cat adorer, coping with disability
DrGlam nearly everywhere
DrGlam nearly everywhere
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
On Nov. 22, Vahid Abedini, an Iranian Studies professor at University of Oklahoma, was boarding a flight to attend the Middle East Studies Assn mtg in Washington, D.C. when he was detained by ICE.
OU Prof Joshua Landis says "he has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa."
OU Prof Joshua Landis says "he has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa."
November 24, 2025 at 10:33 PM
On Nov. 22, Vahid Abedini, an Iranian Studies professor at University of Oklahoma, was boarding a flight to attend the Middle East Studies Assn mtg in Washington, D.C. when he was detained by ICE.
OU Prof Joshua Landis says "he has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa."
OU Prof Joshua Landis says "he has been wrongfully detained because he has a valid H-1B visa."
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
ICE kidnapped a 17-year-old U.S. citizen named Christian Jimenez. Jimenez, a high school senior born in Newberg, Oregon, was driving on his school’s lunch break when ICE/CBP agents stopped his car, smashed his window, and abducted him on November 21, 2025.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
November 24, 2025 at 11:36 AM
ICE kidnapped a 17-year-old U.S. citizen named Christian Jimenez. Jimenez, a high school senior born in Newberg, Oregon, was driving on his school’s lunch break when ICE/CBP agents stopped his car, smashed his window, and abducted him on November 21, 2025.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
#Piemageddon2025 is begun! First up, a trio of pumpkin pies (because the One Pie recipe makes 1.5 pies). I got my disaster pie out of the way early by dropping one while sliding it into the oven (fortunately onto a baking sheet that caught the spilled custard). Pretty. Clear which pie it was.
November 25, 2025 at 12:22 AM
#Piemageddon2025 is begun! First up, a trio of pumpkin pies (because the One Pie recipe makes 1.5 pies). I got my disaster pie out of the way early by dropping one while sliding it into the oven (fortunately onto a baking sheet that caught the spilled custard). Pretty. Clear which pie it was.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
DOGE is not really gone, it’s just been made standard operating procedure now. Please stop celebrating DOGE ‘ending’ as a ‘win.’ It’s not. Their cuts have already killed 600,000 people. Elon stole all your data. Don’t fall for the clickbait.
November 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM
DOGE is not really gone, it’s just been made standard operating procedure now. Please stop celebrating DOGE ‘ending’ as a ‘win.’ It’s not. Their cuts have already killed 600,000 people. Elon stole all your data. Don’t fall for the clickbait.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Last year at this time, I had just learned that I would receive a 12-month NEH, and I was excitedly starting to lay plans for a year of research. DOGE halted those plans by canceling my grant outright. Now DOGE is gone too, having accomplished nothing but harm to others. What a year.
November 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Last year at this time, I had just learned that I would receive a 12-month NEH, and I was excitedly starting to lay plans for a year of research. DOGE halted those plans by canceling my grant outright. Now DOGE is gone too, having accomplished nothing but harm to others. What a year.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
15-year-old bug 😐 in an industry that has the highest profit margins possible pretty much
www.theguardian.com/science/2017...
www.theguardian.com/science/2017...
November 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
15-year-old bug 😐 in an industry that has the highest profit margins possible pretty much
www.theguardian.com/science/2017...
www.theguardian.com/science/2017...
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Top official at Association of Food and Drug Officials described what he says was FDA’s delayed, limited and disjointed sharing of critical information needed by state food safety officials about what stores received infant formula linked to botulism outbreak. www.healthbeat.org/2025/11/22/b...
FDA delays left recalled baby formula on store shelves, food safety expert says
The leader of the Association of Food and Drug Officials told Healthbeat that the FDA has been slow to share distribution lists for recalled ByHeart formula. “I’m not sure they recognize the sense of ...
www.healthbeat.org
November 23, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Top official at Association of Food and Drug Officials described what he says was FDA’s delayed, limited and disjointed sharing of critical information needed by state food safety officials about what stores received infant formula linked to botulism outbreak. www.healthbeat.org/2025/11/22/b...
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
It should be a federal crime to make a television with only two HDMI ports.
I have three gaming consoles and a soundbar and you come to me with two HDMI ports?
I have three gaming consoles and a soundbar and you come to me with two HDMI ports?
November 23, 2025 at 2:03 PM
It should be a federal crime to make a television with only two HDMI ports.
I have three gaming consoles and a soundbar and you come to me with two HDMI ports?
I have three gaming consoles and a soundbar and you come to me with two HDMI ports?
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Anti-vaccine sentiment is now a load-bearing plank in the Republican platform.
Democrats haven’t budged on the need for school vaccine requirements since 2019. Republicans have consumed so much disinformation that their support has declined by 27% since then.
Democrats haven’t budged on the need for school vaccine requirements since 2019. Republicans have consumed so much disinformation that their support has declined by 27% since then.
November 23, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Anti-vaccine sentiment is now a load-bearing plank in the Republican platform.
Democrats haven’t budged on the need for school vaccine requirements since 2019. Republicans have consumed so much disinformation that their support has declined by 27% since then.
Democrats haven’t budged on the need for school vaccine requirements since 2019. Republicans have consumed so much disinformation that their support has declined by 27% since then.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
When someone says "financial innovation," it almost always means "a new kind of fraud that hasn't been outlawed yet" (and these new kinds of fraud are usually old kinds of fraud with a fresh coat of paint).
November 23, 2025 at 1:23 PM
When someone says "financial innovation," it almost always means "a new kind of fraud that hasn't been outlawed yet" (and these new kinds of fraud are usually old kinds of fraud with a fresh coat of paint).
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Just an absolutely gutting essay by Tatiana Schlossberg, a writer, mother of two young children, and cousin of RFK Jr who is dying of leukemia.
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Just an absolutely gutting essay by Tatiana Schlossberg, a writer, mother of two young children, and cousin of RFK Jr who is dying of leukemia.
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Good for @globeopinion.bsky.social for calling out the harm of Trump’s new rules for programs serving the homeless. Mandating sobriety and employment won’t fix homelessness, it will fuel it. Let people get safe, so they can then work on recovery and jobs. 1/2 www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/21/o...
Trump’s reckless new policy on homelessness - The Boston Globe
Thousands of people in Massachusetts with a history of homelessness could lose housing due to policy shift.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Good for @globeopinion.bsky.social for calling out the harm of Trump’s new rules for programs serving the homeless. Mandating sobriety and employment won’t fix homelessness, it will fuel it. Let people get safe, so they can then work on recovery and jobs. 1/2 www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/21/o...
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter reut.rs/4abeTdx
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter
The Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have slashed tens of billions of dollars in expenditures, but it was impossible for outside financial experts to verify that because the unit did not provide detailed public accounting of its work.
reut.rs
November 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter reut.rs/4abeTdx
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
There has literally never been a universal basic income trial program that didn't deliver real and measurable results above and beyond any other form of social welfare, and every time another concludes with the same findings the powers that be go "interesting! Anyway," and pretend it wouldn't work.
November 22, 2025 at 6:00 AM
There has literally never been a universal basic income trial program that didn't deliver real and measurable results above and beyond any other form of social welfare, and every time another concludes with the same findings the powers that be go "interesting! Anyway," and pretend it wouldn't work.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Do you feel a sudden sense of fear & uncertainty, as if your life is upended?
That you might lose your health insurance & have to update your resume & apply for jobs in a terrible market?
Did you think your job was secure only to find out it’s not?
Oh no. Anyway
www.rawstory.com/doge-employe...
That you might lose your health insurance & have to update your resume & apply for jobs in a terrible market?
Did you think your job was secure only to find out it’s not?
Oh no. Anyway
www.rawstory.com/doge-employe...
'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them: report
Current and former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers are growing increasingly concerned that the work they did slashing government programs and eliminating jobs will come back to hau...
www.rawstory.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Do you feel a sudden sense of fear & uncertainty, as if your life is upended?
That you might lose your health insurance & have to update your resume & apply for jobs in a terrible market?
Did you think your job was secure only to find out it’s not?
Oh no. Anyway
www.rawstory.com/doge-employe...
That you might lose your health insurance & have to update your resume & apply for jobs in a terrible market?
Did you think your job was secure only to find out it’s not?
Oh no. Anyway
www.rawstory.com/doge-employe...
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
There are going to be prominent Democrats and mainstream media voices who insist that we have to "turn the page" and "forgive and forget" and they should all be roundly ignored, if not mercilessly mocked.
It’s crazy to think about the crimes we’re going to learn about after this regime ends.
We’re already hearing about Watergate level crimes every week. Imagine what will come out after it’s over.
We’re going to need a full accounting of all that’s been done in violation of the constitution.
We’re already hearing about Watergate level crimes every week. Imagine what will come out after it’s over.
We’re going to need a full accounting of all that’s been done in violation of the constitution.
November 22, 2025 at 10:46 PM
There are going to be prominent Democrats and mainstream media voices who insist that we have to "turn the page" and "forgive and forget" and they should all be roundly ignored, if not mercilessly mocked.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
sucks to suck. they’ve killed hundreds of thousands of children.
i won’t lose a second of sleep if they are sentenced to life in prison for violating every national security law in the book
i won’t lose a second of sleep if they are sentenced to life in prison for violating every national security law in the book
'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them: report
Current and former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers are growing increasingly concerned that the work they did slashing government programs and eliminating jobs will come back to hau...
bit.ly
November 22, 2025 at 11:36 PM
sucks to suck. they’ve killed hundreds of thousands of children.
i won’t lose a second of sleep if they are sentenced to life in prison for violating every national security law in the book
i won’t lose a second of sleep if they are sentenced to life in prison for violating every national security law in the book
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
To residents of NW Georgia (Dalton, Rome, and other towns and places) who want to point this out: Congresswoman Greene's DC office telephone number is (202) 225-5211.
As a retiring but still sitting member of the House, MTG has the opportunity to read into the public record documents that otherwise could not be released... and would be protected by the constitution's speech or debate clause from prosecution.
November 22, 2025 at 8:15 PM
To residents of NW Georgia (Dalton, Rome, and other towns and places) who want to point this out: Congresswoman Greene's DC office telephone number is (202) 225-5211.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
Devastating essay about living with a terminal cancer diagnosis at 35, made more devastating by the author's relation to the health and human services secretary who's spent the past year cutting cancer research.
A Battle with My Blood
When I was diagnosed with leukemia, my first thought was that this couldn’t be happening to me, to my family.
www.newyorker.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Devastating essay about living with a terminal cancer diagnosis at 35, made more devastating by the author's relation to the health and human services secretary who's spent the past year cutting cancer research.
Reposted by Dr Sian Gramates
On the patently unlawful boat strikes
It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.
WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:
1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵
It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.
WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:
1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵
White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats
The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:10 PM
On the patently unlawful boat strikes
It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.
WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:
1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵
It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.
WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:
1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵