Tom Zinnen
@tmzinnen.bsky.social
Retired outreacher, formerly at UW-Madison Biotech Center
A nation built on continental expropriation, chattel slavery, and white supremacy never had the high moral ground.
The Strike That Damaged America’s Soul
youtu.be/XlBNPfb1h_w
youtu.be/XlBNPfb1h_w
The Strike That Damaged America’s Soul
YouTube video by Adam Kinzinger
youtu.be
December 12, 2025 at 3:48 AM
A nation built on continental expropriation, chattel slavery, and white supremacy never had the high moral ground.
Read the document. The Constitution limits the presidential power to offenses against the United States.
The U.S. Constitution, in Article II, Section 2: "and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
The U.S. Constitution, in Article II, Section 2: "and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
NEW: President Donald Trump says he is granting a pardon to Tina Peters, who was convicted on state charges related to tampering with Colorado's election systems. Legal experts say presidential pardons do not apply to state charges.
December 12, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Read the document. The Constitution limits the presidential power to offenses against the United States.
The U.S. Constitution, in Article II, Section 2: "and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
The U.S. Constitution, in Article II, Section 2: "and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
Ben Franklin, FRS, weeps.
I mean, the Penn student newspaper isn't wrong, but www.instagram.com/p/DSH1X4EDwP...
December 12, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Ben Franklin, FRS, weeps.
Your skeet failed to mention she'd been convicted of state felony charges.
Why as a journalist would you omit the key fact?
Why as a journalist would you omit the key fact?
President Trump said that he pardoned Tina Peters, a former county clerk in Colorado who was convicted on felony charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Trump asserts he has pardoned county clerk convicted in Colorado case
Trump says he has pardoned Tina Peters, a major cause for MAGA supporters. She was convicted in state court, and it’s unclear if his act has any impact.
wapo.st
December 12, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Your skeet failed to mention she'd been convicted of state felony charges.
Why as a journalist would you omit the key fact?
Why as a journalist would you omit the key fact?
What if he had raised three public school teachers?
Narciso Barranco, the dad of three U.S. Marines, “also spoke to the families of other detainees he met while in custody.
'I want to tell their families they have faith, they miss you all, and even in that place, they have hope,’ he said.” abcnews.go.com/US/santa-ana...
'I want to tell their families they have faith, they miss you all, and even in that place, they have hope,’ he said.” abcnews.go.com/US/santa-ana...
December 11, 2025 at 8:31 PM
What if he had raised three public school teachers?
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
Covid vaccines released last fall sharply decreased the risk of ER and urgent care visits in children, according to new data released by the CDC — providing a striking counterpoint to Trump administration rhetoric about the shots
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/h...
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/h...
Covid Vaccines Reduced Children’s Likelihood of E.R. and Urgent Care Visits, the C.D.C. Reported
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Covid vaccines released last fall sharply decreased the risk of ER and urgent care visits in children, according to new data released by the CDC — providing a striking counterpoint to Trump administration rhetoric about the shots
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/h...
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/h...
Word New To Me: Stoup. My cup-attached-to-the-doorjamb runneth over. You ecclesiastical folks got etymological chops on a par with your nautical brethren. 🍻
I refuse to stoup to this level of discourse.
December 11, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Word New To Me: Stoup. My cup-attached-to-the-doorjamb runneth over. You ecclesiastical folks got etymological chops on a par with your nautical brethren. 🍻
Word New To Me: Lappet. 🍻🙏. Is an even littler one a lapel?
And yet you lappet up…
December 11, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Word New To Me: Lappet. 🍻🙏. Is an even littler one a lapel?
Word New To Me: Pyx (and again, I was an altar boy--didn't know the golden hollow hockey puck had such a cute name). 🍻🙏
You know, when he pyx a side, that’s it.
December 11, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Word New To Me: Pyx (and again, I was an altar boy--didn't know the golden hollow hockey puck had such a cute name). 🍻🙏
Word New To Me: Thurible (and I was an altar boy who chain-swung the censer) 🍻🙏
a thurible ache
December 11, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Word New To Me: Thurible (and I was an altar boy who chain-swung the censer) 🍻🙏
Word New To Me: Beadle 🍻🙏
We’ll beadle judge of that
December 11, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Word New To Me: Beadle 🍻🙏
Word New To Me: Compline🍻🙏
I’m not sure you’re in a position to to compline
December 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Word New To Me: Compline🍻🙏
Which elected bodies watch over the public money given to charter schools, the way elected bodies watch over the public money given to public schools?
Public schools operate like public agencies & charter schools/CMO's operate like private contractors. To learn more read Part II of the Charter School Reckoning report networkforpubliceduc... @jenniferberkshire.bsky.social @krisnordstrom.bsky.social @merkolodner.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Which elected bodies watch over the public money given to charter schools, the way elected bodies watch over the public money given to public schools?
More than a person of interest, more than a suspect, more than the alleged, he is the accused and has been formally charged.
Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, is in court right now.
He has appeared in court before, but only via Zoom — this is his first time appearing in person.
He has appeared in court before, but only via Zoom — this is his first time appearing in person.
December 11, 2025 at 8:05 PM
More than a person of interest, more than a suspect, more than the alleged, he is the accused and has been formally charged.
Religious fervor, Calvinist zeal, and 3% of Reagan’s appeal.
Like its author, “Unintimidated” is unread and uninfluential.
Like its author, “Unintimidated” is unread and uninfluential.
December 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Religious fervor, Calvinist zeal, and 3% of Reagan’s appeal.
Like its author, “Unintimidated” is unread and uninfluential.
Like its author, “Unintimidated” is unread and uninfluential.
For some of us, that’s merely a claim.
But go ahead and call it a theory. What are words to vaunted journalists? Theory, hypothesis, claim, hunch—they’re all the same. Sleigh aweigh, slay away.
At least they did a test.
I wonder what comparisons/ controls they ran, and which ones they didn’t.
But go ahead and call it a theory. What are words to vaunted journalists? Theory, hypothesis, claim, hunch—they’re all the same. Sleigh aweigh, slay away.
At least they did a test.
I wonder what comparisons/ controls they ran, and which ones they didn’t.
The internet would have you think that freezing tapered candles will reduce dripping and extend their burn time. We put that theory to the test.
The Internet Recommends Freezing Your Candles. We Don’t.
The internet would have you think that freezing tapered candles will reduce dripping and extend their burn time. We put that theory to the test.
nyti.ms
December 11, 2025 at 3:48 PM
For some of us, that’s merely a claim.
But go ahead and call it a theory. What are words to vaunted journalists? Theory, hypothesis, claim, hunch—they’re all the same. Sleigh aweigh, slay away.
At least they did a test.
I wonder what comparisons/ controls they ran, and which ones they didn’t.
But go ahead and call it a theory. What are words to vaunted journalists? Theory, hypothesis, claim, hunch—they’re all the same. Sleigh aweigh, slay away.
At least they did a test.
I wonder what comparisons/ controls they ran, and which ones they didn’t.
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
Thinking of that time when my dad, himself a doctor, was thrown by a horse on a trail ride. Punctured his spleen, internal bleeding, got him to an ER just in time. He lived another 20 years. With two hours delay, probably wouldn't have.
We rushed to *nearest* ER. Not comparison-shop for ER prices.
We rushed to *nearest* ER. Not comparison-shop for ER prices.
Roger Marshall: "We want patients to become consumers again. We want patients to see what the actual prices are. We believe that if we would add the price tags to this bill, that it would save the country a trillion dollars a year."
December 11, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Thinking of that time when my dad, himself a doctor, was thrown by a horse on a trail ride. Punctured his spleen, internal bleeding, got him to an ER just in time. He lived another 20 years. With two hours delay, probably wouldn't have.
We rushed to *nearest* ER. Not comparison-shop for ER prices.
We rushed to *nearest* ER. Not comparison-shop for ER prices.
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
I think about this quote from @georgemonbiot.bsky.social a lot:
“The idea that some people may freely poison others is one of the most astonishing but least contested aspects of modern life.”
“The idea that some people may freely poison others is one of the most astonishing but least contested aspects of modern life.”
We are being poisoned every day, so why do we keep voting for more pollution? Ask a lobbyist | George Monbiot
The dirty industries that dominate politics deceive us into accepting dangerous pollutants such as ammonia as part of life, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:07 AM
I think about this quote from @georgemonbiot.bsky.social a lot:
“The idea that some people may freely poison others is one of the most astonishing but least contested aspects of modern life.”
“The idea that some people may freely poison others is one of the most astonishing but least contested aspects of modern life.”
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
As newsrooms shutter and paywalls rise elsewhere, public media delivers critical, unbiased reporting without fear or favor. That's the promise of a free press in a democracy.
Click here to support the network of voices that keeps our public conversation honest and informed: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Click here to support the network of voices that keeps our public conversation honest and informed: n.pr/4pCcFIx
December 10, 2025 at 12:34 PM
As newsrooms shutter and paywalls rise elsewhere, public media delivers critical, unbiased reporting without fear or favor. That's the promise of a free press in a democracy.
Click here to support the network of voices that keeps our public conversation honest and informed: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Click here to support the network of voices that keeps our public conversation honest and informed: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
MINNEAPOLIS: “All I did was step outside as a Somali American citizen, and I got chased by a masked person, assaulted, kidnapped. It was inhumane. If this is what’s happening to a 🇺🇸 citizen on camera, imagine what could happen to your loved ones.”
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 AM
MINNEAPOLIS: “All I did was step outside as a Somali American citizen, and I got chased by a masked person, assaulted, kidnapped. It was inhumane. If this is what’s happening to a 🇺🇸 citizen on camera, imagine what could happen to your loved ones.”
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
👇🎯 Again, a system of government in which the only way in real time to remove a lawless authoritarian executive is an extraordinary mechanism, requiring huge supermajorities, that has never been successfully used, & everyone rules out ex ante as poison, is not actually a functioning democracy.
There's a Hill bubble narrative, posing as savvy realism, in treating impeachment as some radioactive poison and so Democrats must squash any talk of it. But there's zero evidence for that. No polls back it up, nor recent history. It's all just pundit-brained conventional wisdom eating its own tail.
December 11, 2025 at 6:58 AM
👇🎯 Again, a system of government in which the only way in real time to remove a lawless authoritarian executive is an extraordinary mechanism, requiring huge supermajorities, that has never been successfully used, & everyone rules out ex ante as poison, is not actually a functioning democracy.
👍 Striking rocks to create a spark is but one way to start a fire. And the rocks can last eons until the archeologists find them.
Rubbing sticks (plow fire) to generate an ember by friction is another way. But the sticks aren’t as durable as the rocks and likely won’t be around to be found
Rubbing sticks (plow fire) to generate an ember by friction is another way. But the sticks aren’t as durable as the rocks and likely won’t be around to be found
Scientists have discovered the oldest evidence of ancient humans igniting fires.
The question of how far back human ancestors conjured fire is deeply intertwined with some of the biggest outstanding mysteries about human evolution.
The question of how far back human ancestors conjured fire is deeply intertwined with some of the biggest outstanding mysteries about human evolution.
Scientists discover oldest evidence of human-made fire in a 400,000-year-old hearth
A new archaeological find pushes back the timeline on when humans mastered the ability to make fires, a transformative technology.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:32 PM
👍 Striking rocks to create a spark is but one way to start a fire. And the rocks can last eons until the archeologists find them.
Rubbing sticks (plow fire) to generate an ember by friction is another way. But the sticks aren’t as durable as the rocks and likely won’t be around to be found
Rubbing sticks (plow fire) to generate an ember by friction is another way. But the sticks aren’t as durable as the rocks and likely won’t be around to be found
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
Veteran detained by ICE: I identified myself as a US citizen and a veteran, but that didn't matter. Agents smashed my window, sprayed tear gas into my car, dragged me out. Even after I complied, I was held for 3 days without charges. No phone call, no lawyer, no medical care
December 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Veteran detained by ICE: I identified myself as a US citizen and a veteran, but that didn't matter. Agents smashed my window, sprayed tear gas into my car, dragged me out. Even after I complied, I was held for 3 days without charges. No phone call, no lawyer, no medical care
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
"It's just like you really want the least amount done by government possible.” The billionaire then pushed false claims about immigrants being paid to enter the U.S. in “vast numbers” and being “fast-tracked to citizenship.”
DOGE in a nutshell - conspiracy nut wants to make govt as small as possible
DOGE in a nutshell - conspiracy nut wants to make govt as small as possible
The billionaire said instead of DOGE, he would have worked at his companies if he had the chance to go back and do it all again.
Musk Says DOGE Was ‘A Little Bit Successful,’ But He Wouldn’t Do It Again
The billionaire said instead of DOGE, he would have worked at his companies if he had the chance to go back and do it all again.
www.forbes.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:38 AM
"It's just like you really want the least amount done by government possible.” The billionaire then pushed false claims about immigrants being paid to enter the U.S. in “vast numbers” and being “fast-tracked to citizenship.”
DOGE in a nutshell - conspiracy nut wants to make govt as small as possible
DOGE in a nutshell - conspiracy nut wants to make govt as small as possible
Reposted by Tom Zinnen
Rise of anti-science rhetoric has fundamentally changed the relationship between doctors and patients
And it’s getting worse. From @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/12/10/a...
And it’s getting worse. From @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/12/10/a...
Rise of anti-science rhetoric has fundamentally changed the relationship between doctors and patients
“The rise of anti-science and anti-vaccine rhetoric has fundamentally changed the relationship between clinicians and patients.”
www.statnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Rise of anti-science rhetoric has fundamentally changed the relationship between doctors and patients
And it’s getting worse. From @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/12/10/a...
And it’s getting worse. From @krutikakuppalli.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/12/10/a...