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Rachel K

@xrkulik.bsky.social

290 followers 490 following 410 posts

health policy and political science PhD candidate at the University of Michigan, studying the politics of data in American institutions. GEO steward. mixed race Chinese American. she/her

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · Dec 6

3 years ago a now-advisor had to convince me I was asking a political science question in my public health PhD application; 1 year ago I first asked about joining the UM poli sci department; 2 months ago I passed the American politics prelim, and today I am finally, officially, a joint student!

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 9h

I should add, horrifying and monstrous and evil

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 10h

Bleak

I'm Margaret! I'm the best! Blah Blah Blah! @vt-vagabond.bsky.social · 10h

There’s a lot in here that deserves a pull quote, but this is the most egregious. I need people to recognize the gravity of the situation here in Chicago;

SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY
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"The ones that are getting out are coming home to no home," Watson said.
According to her, after the raid occurred, building management stole or threw out residents belongings, including visas and important documents.

ICIRR is still trying to determine the identities of all the people detained in the raid. Castro said that the organization usually can do that by following up with family members or loved ones. "In this instance, there was nobody left to work with," she said. The only detainee name they're sure of is that of a person who passed their Venezuelan passport to a neighbor as they were being taken away.

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 2d

“Constant attempts to reach Kennedy’s office were fruitless, said Houry, who resigned on 27 August.”
“Then when Susan [Monarez] was ousted we knew that there was absolutely no scientific leadership at that point.”
Upper bureaucrats who care about health trying desperately to do their jobs.

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 2d

“…there are few experienced leaders left at the CDC; some 80% of experienced center leaders were laid off or terminated, or have resigned or retired. Houry was the only permanent career official in the CDC’s office of the director by the time she left; there were 10 political appointees remaining”

Prof Sheena Cruickshank @sheencr.bsky.social · 3d

This is another damning picture of Kennedy refusing to meet with senior scientists and get advice about infections or vaccines whilst he spreads disinformation #healthpolicy

A ‘hostile takeover’: ousted CDC official raises alarm over RFK Jr approach to infectious disease

Debra Houry speaks after testifying on eight months under Kennedy, who critics say shuns science and spreads falsehoods

www.theguardian.com

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 3d

WHO??
(this is the only time I get mad about passive voice)

CNN @cnn.com · 4d

Adults and children alike were pulled from their Chicago apartments, crying and screaming, during a large overnight raid that has left tenants and neighbors shaken. https://cnn.it/4pPCXIt

37 people arrested and American kids separated from parents after ICE raid at Chicago apartments | CNN

Adults and children alike were pulled from their Chicago apartments, crying and screaming, during a large overnight raid that has left tenants and neighbors shaken.

www.cnn.com

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 6d

Walking at a park is the best way to take organizing meetings, that is all

Reposted by Rachel K

NE Ohio Regional Sewer District @neorsd.org · 7d

I’m a sewage system. I also have a great personality.

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD
@elizabethjacobs.bsky.social
I'm an epidemiologist. Sewage systems are sexy.

Dosco Jones @doscojones.bsky.social
I'm an engineer. Sewage systems are sexy.

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 9d

AI is great! This is not the first time it's been suggested that I write the opposite of what I mean.

My statement in a Google slides presentation "The implementation of a pregnancy checkbox caused some deaths to be inaccurately attributed as maternal deaths, even though the individual was not pregnant or postpartum"

"inaccurately" has a red line under it, and Google"accurately" is trying to correct it to

Reposted by Rachel K

Meredith Shiner @meredithshiner.com · 10d

@peoplesfabric.com is so good on so many Chicago topics. A vital part of our information ecosystem and was just exercising First Amendment rights to document government activity and the protests against it (the latter of which also used to be protected by 1A)

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 10d

Chaos again, feds tackling protesters at random.

They just detained @peoplesfabric.com.

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Reposted by Rachel K

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 10d

Happening now: at the Broadview ICE facility outside Chicago, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and other CBP/ICE agents emerge to patrol Beach Street and escort a vehicle out.

They ordered people out of the street, walked to the end of it and then back to the fence.

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 12d

I used this in an undergrad class ~10 years ago so it might be too low level and/or out of date, but I remember quite liking Keeling & Rohani Modeling Infectious Diseases

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Reposted by Rachel K

sara simon @sarambsimon.bsky.social · 12d

it just lights my fire

“I’M THE TYPE of person where, like, if you push me I’ll push back. I don’t like to live in a mindset of despair and negativity. When these people do this shit, it just lights my fire. It makes me more fucking mad. This used to be the best job I’ve ever had, the best environment I’ve ever had, the best culture I’ve ever had—and they fucking ruined it. I will never ever forget how much they ruined it. I’m like, fuck these people. They can’t get me scared. I will not give them what they want. I will not just leave. I’m going to make it as difficult as possible for these fuckheads.” —FEMA employee

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 14d

I am mildly annoyed we're paying attention to Sunstein again and found the interview less comedic and more infuriating than I expected

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 14d

also, literally in the disclaimer to access FAERS data:

• FAERS data alone cannot be used to establish event rates, evaluate changes in event rates over time, or compare event rates between products.

• The number of reports cannot be interpreted in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with drug products.

• Confirming whether a drug product caused a specific event can be difficult based solely on information provided in each report.

• Therefore, FAERS data should be interpreted in the context of other available information when making drug or biologic-related
treatment decisions.

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 14d

a reminder from a friend that I printed and keep in my office

printed out blue text messages saying
"But some of the dumbest people ever have written dissertations and books. And ur decidedly not dumb"

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 17d

I think Maude is my favorite cat-who-I-haven't-met

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 18d

what could go wrong?

(e.g. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...)

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 20d

Data (alone) can’t solve social or health problems but lack of data & the dismantling of surveillance systems certainly doesn’t help

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 20d

Dr Houry: When we [play politics with health] we trade proven gains for avoidable harms.

Dr Houry notes how HHS has already crippled CDC’s surveillance systems, leaving American less ready for serious disease. Our nation is on track to see drastic increases in preventable diseases.

Reposted by Rachel K

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 20d

RFKJ directed me to pre-approve, in advance, all ACIP recommendations. He also required me to fire career staff without cause. If I refused either directive I should resign.

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 21d

"Wyoming did not consistently report data among kindergarteners, so the most consistent reported value was used instead: one-dose MMR among 19- to 35-month-olds."
^ this is *not the same* as being fully compliant with all required vaxes in kindergarten. They're showing both in the same graph?

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 21d

also: part of what is going on in NM-
"New Mexico includes 5- and 6-year-olds in its data, and state officials told NBC News that the inclusion of children before they enter kindergarten is one reason its vaccination rates are lower than in other places."

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 21d

I am annoyed that they provide neither the data nor the specific methodological choices

(www.nbcnews.com/health/healt... is not sufficient for data this complicated and non comparable!!)

and a google doc editable by literally anyone is not the way
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Behind the data: Tracking the rate of vaccination and school exemptions across the U.S.

A generation ago, infectious childhood diseases were nearly wiped out in the U.S., thanks to immunization programs. In the most comprehensive data investigation of its kind, we show how that remarkabl...

www.nbcnews.com

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Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 22d

I feel your pain!

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 22d

Not me panicking because I left my notebook with a bunch of dissertation notes in my APSA hotel room, but thankfully I have a friend still in Vancouver who will rescue it (I owe her one)

Rachel K @xrkulik.bsky.social · 23d

I just found a citation I’ve been looking for on and off for MONTHS in a text thread with a friend from April 2024. Note to self: save *everything* to Zotero

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