"I doubt Senator Kelly will see this blog, and if he does see it, I imagine he will not be pleased with it. He’ll probably find it embarrassing. His humility likely makes him bristle at stuff like this. Well, that’s just too damn bad, Senator."

UC Davis Coffee House Introduces Reusable Containers www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davi...

New in @nytimes.com on how some research on human origins and genetics are being cut from federal science programs. @carlzimmer.com interviews Brenna Henn, who has done much to illuminate the genetic variation and history of southern African peoples. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/s...

A moderately strong winter storm this wknd will bring low pressure and onshore/southerly winds to the SF Bay region. When combined w/ very high astronomical (King) tides, plus aggregate effect of long-term sea level rise, a 2.5+ feet elevation of SF Bay water levels is expected.

I don't think you non-science people realize what it takes to get a grant funded by NIH. Started experiments in Sept 2021 to generate 3 new mouse mutants to model human disease. Prelim dara shows they have relevant disease phenotypes worthy of study. Need a small grant first to characterize /1

If you are a resident of California, the state now has a portal where you can demand deletion of your personal data from 500+ registered data brokers with a single request form, for free. consumer.drop.privacy.ca.gov

NEW: Four key lessons that we can and must take out of 2025. It was a long and difficult year as President Donald Trump and his administration sought to push America into authoritarianism. But, they are losing — and we can get through this. Closing out the year at Law Dork:

Not sure I understand why the Trump administration cares about Christians in Nigeria and not Christians in Ukraine

In case you missed it: I’ve got a new (warning: somewhat intense) story on @npr.org about all the ways faith leaders have pushed back against the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign this year — including clergy directly confronting ICE agents and police. www.npr.org/2025/12/24/n...

"ICE officials are also investigating the couple for other crimes. They were found with a substantial amount of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 'What are those luxury goods doing in their possession?' asked the ICE spokesman, taking a moment to adjust his mask."

BREAKING: Judge James Boasberg rules for those deported under the Alien Enemies Act on March 15 — certifying a class, finding the U.S. maintained constructive custody over them at CECOT, finding they were not given due process, and ordering return or that such process be given by Jan. 5, 2026.

Before and after DOJ realized they left Trump’s name in an Epstein document:

"So far, some 622,000 immigrants have been deported since Trump took office in January."

German Shepherds are awesome.

The White House says the Kennedy Center board vote was “unanimous”… BULLSHIT. @repbeatty.bsky.social, a Congressional member of the board, was on the call. They muted her and didn't let her voice opposition. This is beyond absurd, totally illegal, and a disgrace to the memory and legacy of JFK.

Y'all, I just got out of the NSF-BIO webinar where they explained changes to peer review. It's not good. 🧪 scienceforeveryone.science/changes-to-n...

Republicans fought release of Epstein materials every step of the way, are now refusing to release the second strike boat video, and won’t let Jack Smith testify in public. They constantly hide everything they are doing from the American people.

AGU has a Congressional email and call script up on NCAR:

December 17, 2025

“NCAR has played a greater role in advancing weather prediction & atmospheric modeling than perhaps any other single entity in the world,” says @weatherwest.bsky.social Dismantling NCAR would be “like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet.” KH

The former Justice Department special counsel told the House Judiciary Committee that his team developed "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump took part in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election. n.pr/3N5wwln

"Not since the ransacking of the Library of Alexandria have we witnessed such a wanton, intentional assault on scientific knowledge."

Our local Putah Creek boasts record returns for Chinook salmon! At least 2,100 this fall. This little creek, brown and muddy as it is, is such a bright spot for our region and state. @wfcbucdavis.bsky.social @ucdaviswater.bsky.social @ucdavis.bsky.social www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news...

Due to a combination of widespread anomalous to record-breaking warmth & a mix of low precip (in Rockies/northern Sierra) and heavy warm rain (vs snow, in Pac NW), numerous locations throughout the American West are reporting their lowest Dec 15 snow water equivalents on record.

“We almost had a midair collision up here,” the JetBlue pilot said, according to a recording of his conversation with air traffic control. “They passed directly in our flight path. … They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/14/p...

We sang a Lakota lullaby, “Chante Waste Hoksila” today and will repeat it shortly as part of a service of Lessons & Carols. Composer William Lithicum Blackhorse dedicated this piece to the Uvalde victims. m.youtube.com/watch?v=YmBR...

Zoe Weissman - survivor of 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL Mia Tretta - survivor of 2019 Saugus High School shooting in Santa Clarita, CA Both are now students at Brown University in Providence, RI.

No parent wants this text. Thinking of the Brown University community.

Our climate scientist Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social discussed the flooding in Washington, the record-warm airmass across the West & Central Valley tule fog, and possible rain in California in December. If you missed it, see the recording at the link below

Important piece on Trump’s “problematic and ethically dubious” effort to gin up a case against UCLA: “Multiple attorneys who worked on it told us they were relieved they’d left the DOJ before they could be asked to sign it.”

JANM is honored to announce that it has received a second transformative gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The gift of $20 million is the largest single gift in JANM’s history. Our statement: www.janm.org/press/releas...

The first paragraph of Judge Breyer‘s opinion granting an injunction in the California National Guard case is a banger.

Trump keeps attacking women. We’re still not responding. open.substack.com/pub/joycevan...

The U.S. military is deployed to mass round-up of innocent immigrants and American citizens. Tens of thousands of American families are forced to live in hastily constructed prison camps — enduring inhumane conditions — while government officials scramble to figure out what to do.

Great to hear @JamesCTobias on @npratc talking about the big series by @highcountrynews and @propublica on grazing on federal lands and massive government subsidies for wealthy ranchers

Growing more common as the climate warms, once-rare “atmospheric rivers” could ultimately accelerate ice loss. https://scim.ag/3MloK6R

Some of the same churches that are part of the Undocumented Underground in New York played key roles in the fight against slavery. They are springing back into action to defend migrants. talkingpointsmemo.com/feature/insi...

Current NIH policy under Bhattacharya (at the behest of Project2025 architect Russell Vought) is killing the next generation of researchers. If you value research, tell your members of Congress that the NIH needs more than funding. It needs sound leadership. www.statnews.com/2025/12/08/t...

My teen, who had dreamt of being an astrophysicist, just told me he wants to go to law school because, “Science isn’t going to be a priority in the US in the future…I don’t want a job where I’ll be constantly worried my funding will be taken away.” Gutting. How many future scientists have we lost?

The UC Davis Ecology and Evolution in Working Landscapes REU provides undergrads with research experience in ecology and evolution in natural and managed landscapes. Apply now through Feb 15 via etap.nsf.gov Contact me or @clhom.bsky.social for questions!

This is too much.

On this World AIDS Day, we leave you all with a message from @drdemetre.bsky.social former Director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. #WorldAIDSDay #2025 #AIDS #HIV #PublicHealth #Prevention #Treatment #Remember

Now Senate Armed Services Committee and House Armed Services Committee - vow "vigorous oversight" and "full accounting" of Secretary Hegseth's alleged "kill them all" order and double-strike operation. Rare joint statements by GOP Chairman and Ranking Member on both committees

Check out the CNN story of Manzanar Committee member Joyce Nakamura Okazaki as she recalls her experience at #Manzanar stating: "We were incarcerated. We were in prison. We were in concentration camps." Joyce shared: "It is important to remember your history so it is not repeated again" #NeverAgain

Lets explain how escalating/manufacturing a military confrontation with Venezuela gives the administration a legal “hook” to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, one of the oldest national-security laws still on the books. This statute allows a president to detain, restrict, or deport non-citizens

Former US military lawyers speak out: "The Former JAGs Working Group unanimously considers both the giving and the execution of these orders, if true, to constitute war crimes, murder, or both." Statement on Media Reports of Pentagon “No Quarter” Orders in Caribbean Boat Strikes 1/2

This is murder. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Stephen Miller’s ancestors were Jewish refugees from the pogroms in czarist Russia. They came to the U.S. in the early twentieth century, even as racists said this same stuff about them.

The Trump DOJ played down the risk of deploying the National Guard to DC, despite warnings, and now one of them is dead. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

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.