Merrill Barr
@merrillbarr.com
📝 Wordsmith & Entertainment Enthusiast 📺 | Disabled but Unstoppable 💪
Links and $ accounts: beacons.ai/merrillbarr
Links and $ accounts: beacons.ai/merrillbarr
There is some sick moral to be found in antivaxxers only being willing to allow pregnant women a vaccine because it might prevent a child from being born with autism after taking that vaccine away because they were convinced it would cause autism, I just don’t have the energy to go searching for it.
NEW: A Harvard study found that the children of women who contracted COVID-19 while pregnant may be at an increased risk for autism and other neurodevelopmental diagnoses, raising new concerns about the CDC’s decision to stop recommending the vaccine to pregnant women.
Amid Confusing CDC Guidance About Vaccines, Study Highlights New Risk of COVID-19 During Pregnancy
A Harvard study found that the children of women who contracted COVID-19 while pregnant may be at an increased risk for autism and other diagnoses, raising new concerns about the CDC’s decision to stop recommending the vaccine to pregnant women.
www.propublica.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:29 PM
There is some sick moral to be found in antivaxxers only being willing to allow pregnant women a vaccine because it might prevent a child from being born with autism after taking that vaccine away because they were convinced it would cause autism, I just don’t have the energy to go searching for it.
November 26, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Reposted by Merrill Barr
Something I really don’t like about the big budget streaming era is everyone just gets to have their expensive needle drops. No one ever has to swap to something cheaper because no, you can’t have Free Bird for a 20 second fight just because. We used to have to find sound-a-likes that hit the mood.
November 26, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Something I really don’t like about the big budget streaming era is everyone just gets to have their expensive needle drops. No one ever has to swap to something cheaper because no, you can’t have Free Bird for a 20 second fight just because. We used to have to find sound-a-likes that hit the mood.
I can’t wait for @pearlmania500.bsky.social’s next podcast.
BREAKING: new emails CONFIRM my reporting that there are TRAINING VIDEOS instructing FBI personnel on how to review the Epstein Files. Plus, a lot more…
The emails reveal the special training given to FBI personnel working on what it called the “Epstein Transparency Project.” In some instances they referred to it as the “Special Redaction Project.” The training entailed PowerPoint slide presentations and video instruction on how to review the files.
November 26, 2025 at 2:52 AM
I can’t wait for @pearlmania500.bsky.social’s next podcast.
Reposted by Merrill Barr
1. I see elsewhere on Bluesky that the discourse has turned toward telling writers not to be ashamed to admit they have day jobs or other sources of income (or spousal/family financial support), and you know what, that's 100% correct. Day jobs and support from loved ones are great if you have them!
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 AM
1. I see elsewhere on Bluesky that the discourse has turned toward telling writers not to be ashamed to admit they have day jobs or other sources of income (or spousal/family financial support), and you know what, that's 100% correct. Day jobs and support from loved ones are great if you have them!
The spec script I wrote earlier this year and it would star Glen Powell and MJF.
If you were a despotic president, what movie would you force Hollywood to make? I want to see Quentin's Star Trek movie or maybe Kill Bill Vol 3.
November 26, 2025 at 12:49 AM
The spec script I wrote earlier this year and it would star Glen Powell and MJF.
All the Friday Apple shows are new tonight, BTW. Which means I get early doses of Pluribus and the most enjoyable dumb show on television right now: The Last Frontier. Its murderer’s row of a writer’s room is doing the best B-movie TV since Strike Back. I wish MJ Bassett had directed some of it.
November 26, 2025 at 12:34 AM
All the Friday Apple shows are new tonight, BTW. Which means I get early doses of Pluribus and the most enjoyable dumb show on television right now: The Last Frontier. Its murderer’s row of a writer’s room is doing the best B-movie TV since Strike Back. I wish MJ Bassett had directed some of it.
Reposted by Merrill Barr
47 years ago today, dozens of turkeys met their unfortunate demise in a Cincinnati parking lot.
November 24, 2025 at 8:59 PM
47 years ago today, dozens of turkeys met their unfortunate demise in a Cincinnati parking lot.
You're kidnapped. The characters from the last show you watched are coming to rescue you.
Well I’m screwed.
Well I’m screwed.
November 25, 2025 at 7:59 PM
You're kidnapped. The characters from the last show you watched are coming to rescue you.
Well I’m screwed.
Well I’m screwed.
What?!
I teased this last night in What I’m Hearing but now confirmed: Paramount WILL release Rush Hour 4 after prodding from Trump on behalf of Brett Ratner. Distribution deal. Producer Tarak Ben Ammar is lining up financing. Get ready for the dumbest possible state-controlled media.
November 25, 2025 at 5:56 PM
What?!
It's amazing that Wonder Woman pilot exists. It really is. They should complete it and release it as a Max easter egg.
New on the What Else Is Alan Watching? bonus tier: a sequel to the TV Shows That Don't Exist column, this time looking at high-profile series that made episodes but never aired:
TV Shows That Don't Exist, Part 2
These shows were produced but never aired
www.whatsalanwatching.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
It's amazing that Wonder Woman pilot exists. It really is. They should complete it and release it as a Max easter egg.
Reposted by Merrill Barr
New on the What Else Is Alan Watching? bonus tier: a sequel to the TV Shows That Don't Exist column, this time looking at high-profile series that made episodes but never aired:
TV Shows That Don't Exist, Part 2
These shows were produced but never aired
www.whatsalanwatching.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
New on the What Else Is Alan Watching? bonus tier: a sequel to the TV Shows That Don't Exist column, this time looking at high-profile series that made episodes but never aired:
Iiiiiiinteresting.
By the numbers and polling, it’s a lot easier to get people to vote down ticket than for individual candidates.
With a full slate, the DNC can advertise as a full dem push and just run the “blue no matter who” strategy statewide.
Won’t work in every race but could be good.
By the numbers and polling, it’s a lot easier to get people to vote down ticket than for individual candidates.
With a full slate, the DNC can advertise as a full dem push and just run the “blue no matter who” strategy statewide.
Won’t work in every race but could be good.
Something Big Changed In Texas Politics
Texas Democrats Close To A Full Slate
Texas Democrats recruited candidates to run in every federal and state race, the State House, State Senate, Congress, all Statewide seats, all the way to the State Board Of Education.
open.substack.com/pub/lonestar...
Texas Democrats Close To A Full Slate
Texas Democrats recruited candidates to run in every federal and state race, the State House, State Senate, Congress, all Statewide seats, all the way to the State Board Of Education.
open.substack.com/pub/lonestar...
Will Texas Democrats Have A Full Ticket?
We’ll know in 14 Days.
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Iiiiiiinteresting.
By the numbers and polling, it’s a lot easier to get people to vote down ticket than for individual candidates.
With a full slate, the DNC can advertise as a full dem push and just run the “blue no matter who” strategy statewide.
Won’t work in every race but could be good.
By the numbers and polling, it’s a lot easier to get people to vote down ticket than for individual candidates.
With a full slate, the DNC can advertise as a full dem push and just run the “blue no matter who” strategy statewide.
Won’t work in every race but could be good.
Reposted by Merrill Barr
First Secretary of Defense you could defeat by painting a tunnel on the side of a boulder.
November 25, 2025 at 1:55 PM
First Secretary of Defense you could defeat by painting a tunnel on the side of a boulder.
Okay… wait… what? That escalated REAL fast.
November 25, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Okay… wait… what? That escalated REAL fast.
And he was never seen again…
November 25, 2025 at 6:43 AM
And he was never seen again…
I wish I could do this now.
November 25, 2025 at 6:34 AM
I wish I could do this now.
*stares at current WIP*
Honestly… why am I doing this to myself?
Honestly… why am I doing this to myself?
a man is holding his head in his hands and saying `` why do i put myself thru this ? '' .
Alt: a man is holding his head in his hands and saying `` why do i put myself thru this ? '' .
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:58 AM
*stares at current WIP*
Honestly… why am I doing this to myself?
Honestly… why am I doing this to myself?
Reposted by Merrill Barr
Reposted by Merrill Barr
95% of authors are not making a living through book publishing. The public needs to understand this.
November 25, 2025 at 2:24 AM
95% of authors are not making a living through book publishing. The public needs to understand this.
Reposted by Merrill Barr
Of all the things for bluesky's aggressive content filter system to NOT mark as adult content
Nintendo Kirby Face Fuzzy Slipper Socks $8.94 via Box Lunch. https://ow.ly/TwOz50XwRzb
November 25, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Of all the things for bluesky's aggressive content filter system to NOT mark as adult content
Reposted by Merrill Barr
This is the kind of stuff that really radicalizes me and should infuriate any decent person: Big Pharma’s abuse of the patent system.
I know this sounds naive, but something has got to change… there’s no constituency for Big Pharma!
And no one, except for the lobbyists, wants higher drug prices.
I know this sounds naive, but something has got to change… there’s no constituency for Big Pharma!
And no one, except for the lobbyists, wants higher drug prices.
Big Pharma Can Tweak Drugs to Keep Generics Off the Market
Taking advantage of a broken patent system, Big Pharma is making minor tweaks to medications just to keep affordable generics off the market, a new report suggests. They’ve made billions of dollars in...
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 3:12 AM
This is the kind of stuff that really radicalizes me and should infuriate any decent person: Big Pharma’s abuse of the patent system.
I know this sounds naive, but something has got to change… there’s no constituency for Big Pharma!
And no one, except for the lobbyists, wants higher drug prices.
I know this sounds naive, but something has got to change… there’s no constituency for Big Pharma!
And no one, except for the lobbyists, wants higher drug prices.
Reposted by Merrill Barr
Another Los Angeles offering - Thanksgiving specific:
November 25, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Another Los Angeles offering - Thanksgiving specific:
Reposted by Merrill Barr
Years ago this used to be a pastime of mine that only revolved around an Entenmann’s sheet cake, but over time it has grown to include lemon meringue pie or an ice cream cake
i bought a pie at the store a couple days ago and i’ve just sort of been. eating it? like there’s no occasion. just me slowly depleting a pecan pie by myself
November 25, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Years ago this used to be a pastime of mine that only revolved around an Entenmann’s sheet cake, but over time it has grown to include lemon meringue pie or an ice cream cake