All the way down in Asheville. Camera adds a lot, but even with the naked eye this was a deep purple/pink. Gonna listen to some Prince now.

THIS IS WHY ID PEEPS AND EPIDEMIOLOGISTS CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS DR TITANJI!! It’s extra bad for me because my friends think, “well, if he isn’t talking about weird food poisoning cases, he’s probably going to be telling a story about dog butts or something.”

It’s officially potluck season withoffice parties galore. 🦃🥘 If, like me, you harbor an irrational fear of food poisoning, I’ve got you covered. Here’s your ID doctor–approved guide to surviving the season’s buffets w/out ending up in the ER. 🧤🍽️💀 open.substack.com/pub/bktitanj...

Ok, best scientific article of the year! Rats giggle when tickled, and they have figured out optimal tickle protocols that differ by sex.

Fireside Boocat

The only problem with wearing a sweater on these cold days is the crazy amount of lint I pick up. Took forever to roll this big chunk off.

Pretty crazy that this shipwreck was only 50 years ago. Something about the telling of it in Canada’s greatest ever folk song makes it feel ancient.

While they’re still screwing about with SNAP, it’s a good idea to donate to pet shelters, too. If you dare show up with “poor people shouldn’t have pets”, I will tear such a new one it generates a black hole. apnews.com/article/pets...

Public Health Hip Hop Club alert! 🚨 @boghuma.bsky.social @leylaaa.bsky.social @gavinyamey.bsky.social Let me know what you think. The samples are 🧑‍🍳 And billy woods and Elucid are at the peak of their talents. Crazy guests too. Quelle Chris, Earl Sweatshirt.

Huge flock of Brown Headed Cowbirds with a smattering of other species mixed in. The pics don’t do the flock size justice. And every now and then a huge flock takes flight and lands again. I can’t help but hear Leonard Cohen when I see something like this.

Hell yes. Loving this article from Katherine Wu. Don’t tell me that public health shouldn’t be political when several of the greatest public health threats have politics as a component cause.

Really great breakdown of the tragic, but necessary cull of the birds at the center of the Canadian H5N1 Ostrich saga that roped in people like RFK and Dr Oz (who only added to the stupidity) What an absolute fucking shitshow. Scott covers all of the angles here. Great blog post

My hotel has no fourth floor, but it does have a 13th floor? And what’s weird is that there’s a pause when you from 3 to 5. Maybe that’s where Lazlo lives?

Really great breakdown of the tragic, but necessary cull of the birds at the center of the Canadian H5N1 Ostrich saga that roped in people like RFK and Dr Oz (who only added to the stupidity) What an absolute fucking shitshow. Scott covers all of the angles here. Great blog post

The Universal Ostrich saga has come to a close, with CFIA culling the herd. There are a lot of layers to this scenario, and science has taken a backseat to politics, anti-government sentiment and grift. Some final thoughts.... www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2025/11/arti...

Yes, some people's legacies are complicated. For example, Watson. After all, though he was racist, don't forget his other traits. For example, he was also sexist. And also anti-semitic. And a data / idea thief. So let's not forget all the different facets.

Thinking about the cat I saw that ate some of the Ritalin that the kid was throwing under the bed because she didn’t like it. That cat’s reason? Epic Rage.

Have John Fetterman and Marjorie Taylor Greene been Freeky Friday'd ?

Raise a glass for Rosalind Franklin tonight and honor her memory and scientific contributions

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Raleigh. Not like I remembered it. Used to be peaceful. Now there’s weapons shops on every corner.

And just in case there’s any question about what to put on hot dogs, they have a sign informing customers that they’ll be told to leave if they ask for ketchup 🚫🚫

Obviously stuffing my face with Hot Weiners if I’m in Raleigh. For lunch, at the Roast Grill, which has been in the same spot since 40s(?) Definitely unchanged since I was last here 20 years ago. Get your minds out of the gutter. It’s a family place.

Visited my daughter who is a freshman at UNC and got to show her where I defended my dissertation just over 17 years ago—when she was 2! She was most excited that she now had a cool new spot to study in within an easy walk from her dorm.

And if so, does that mean a hot dog is a???

Does the sandwich acquittal mean its ok to throw a hot dog? 🤔

The army of strawmen these folks have conjured up are creating a tremendous fire hazard at The NY Times.

Sometimes you get to hold a floofy puppy at just the right moment.

This is a really cool paper, and a great reminder that *infection* and *infectious disease* are not synonymous.

Oof. Sad seeing Thorin Oakenshild shatter Orcrist when he hit into that DP.

What a slap by Will Smith!

Don’t forget, it’s really an hour earlier than it is right now.

Those games lasting so long and going into extra inning have me feeling like Mr Meseeks.

Reading about this amazing class makes me miss teaching (and being a student). How fun!

On halloween there’s nothing spookier than a future without CDC

This album will be greeting the first wave of trick or treaters (we get a lot). I don’t listen to a ton of metal, but holy crap this album is amazing. And dark.

HHS hasn't provided evidence for breaking up the MMR vaccine because none exists. As I wrote earlier this month, "No safety data justify abandoning a program that has protected millions of children for more than 50 years." @cidrap.bsky.social www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-va...

I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet. Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times. Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀 #PublicHealth

Who’s in charge of putting rainbow fentanyl in the skittles this Halloween?

I look forward to the movie about a vaccine-induced apocalypse starring Kirk Cameron as a CDC whistleblower who, through the power of prayer and Kid Rock’s arsenal of flamethrowers and assault rifles, must protect the last remnant of unvaccinated babies from hoards of mutant liberals.

I know I’m the millionth person to share this op-ed… But damn, this piece has more hits than a Beyoncé album. “It means believing that racism is not a natural condition of poverty but a political weapon that rich men use to constrain poor people’s political power.” 🔥

Alright, everyone got the memo, right? Baseball games are 9 innings. That’s it. Preferably 8.5 tonight. Some of us have to go to work the next day.

Mamdani at a campaign event referred to a little kid as a "Boss" however it is unclear what employment relationships exist between them.

A client just told me her dog is having “little seizures” and now I’m hungry for pizza and lunch is a few hours away.

Per our Health Department Board meeting last week, SNAP leads to $13 million a month in spending in Buncombe County (which includes #Asheville). You’d think this would even grab the attention of the people who don’t care about their neighbors going hungry.

This op-Ed is written by the HCA installed CEO of Mission Hospital, a formerly beloved #Asheville institution until HCA took it over and completely ruined it. We are now in our second period of immediate jeopardy, an emergency designation by HHS indicating that patient safety is compromised. 1/3

Interesting and informative interview with @bachynski.bsky.social - history, public health, law, ethics of football helmets

TURBO REMISSION* *Ok that’s a huge overstatement. But, this is really exciting. I can’t wait for the RCT to see if this finding holds up.

Napoleon’s assault and retreat is immortalized in the greatest data visualization of all time (h/t Edward Tufte). Minard’s map shows the march on Moscow in brown, and the retreat in black. The width of these lines is the size of the army. They were already decimated before they reached Moscow.

Boocat of Yotei.

If the Democratic Party helps you ascend to the highest levels of power for the low bar of removing your Nazi tattoos, then we are truly cooked.