"Tanning bed usage before the age of 35 is associated with a 75% increase in the risk of melanoma, the most serious and frequently fatal form of skin cancer."

The lowest in recorded history! Baltimore crime statistics started in 1970. Note the work of Mayor Scott and MONSE started in 2021 with the Group Violence Reduction Strategy.

"As is so often the case with commentary about the emergency docket, the Court’s defenders make arguments that sound outwardly reasonable, but that depend entirely on cherry-picking their examples and ignoring the counterexamples." Me on the barrage of commentary attacking the Times' #SCOTUS scoop:

All 22 members of the board that advises and oversees the US National Science Foundation (NSF), a leading funder of basic science, were fired on 24 April without explanation. go.nature.com/42tkCGv

The United States now has the most government restrictions on academic freedom of any high-income country. www.chemistryworld.com/news/academi... Raw data from @vdeminstitute.bsky.social —> academic-freedom-index.net/research/Aca...

Maryland recognizing the need to simplify solar installation (as discussed in recent @volts.wtf episode): environmentamerica.org/maryland/med...

Of note, the former school district won't reinstate the child, nor expunge the infraction from her record.

You may have heard of ICE's 287(g) program; ICE contracts with local or state agencies & empowers them to act like immigration agents. You may also live in a state governed by Dems, and wondering if your state has done anything about this. Have they? Here's our map: boltsmag.org/maryland-new...

An excellent, in-depth piece about why overdoses have decreased. Supports reporting from a recent @tradeoffs.org episode.

Half of renters in the biggest Maryland counties spend over 30% of their income on rent.

"Lobbying firms took in a record $5 billion in 2025" Emma Sullivan and Hien An Ngo, for @opensecrets.org

Just a few of the proposed voting limitations in the MEGA Act:

Homicides at the lowest level since at least the 1800s (as noted by @quattronecenter.org and @jeffasher.bsky.social)

The Sozosei Lab for Decriminalizing Mental Illness released a fantastic framework along with an annotated bibliography grouped by three key questions: www.sozoseifoundation.org/sites/g/file...

A new Yale–Columbia study confirms what many have feared: the Supreme Court is increasingly ruling for the wealthy, with GOP-appointed justices siding with the richer party 70% of the time this decade, up from ~45% in the 1950s.

We are a rogue state, run by a dictator, and the international community should treat us as such including all appropriate economic and diplomatic sanctions

More evidence that people struggling with unmet needs are overrepresented in jails and prisons.

Relatedly, the chronic stress of poverty also contributes to poor (reproductive) health outcomes.

Excellent use of open-source data, but note this is an undercount of people taken (across agencies) with no prior convictions.

Step 1: Fire the experts funding American science. Step 2: Change review process. (You are here) Step 3: Hire partisans to fund ideologues. Step 4: Bemoan the lack progress, gut remaining science funding.

And yet are paid less than $3/day for full-time work (per @prisonpolicy.org www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2017/04...)

More evidence that legacy admissions are unfair and help maintain the status quo.

(Ghost of Christmas Future) Yes. Safe and affordable housing causally reduces violence.

It seems unlikely that the continued wealth growth of the top 0.1% has led to less tax avoidance...

"One factor behind the decrease, [chief prosecutor] Manion believes, is the partnership between police departments and nonprofits focused on curbing gun violence."

25% increase in Maryland homelessness, per @baltfishbowl.bsky.social: baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/trum...

I thought the @redlinemaryland.bsky.social would move Baltimore into another top 10, but @nerd4cities.bsky.social will never visit now... www.thebanner.com/culture/food...

Elon Musk’s charitable foundation grew larger than ever in 2024. But, for the fourth year in a row, the huge charity failed to give away the minimum amount required by law — and the donations it did make went largely to charities closely tied to Musk himself, who is the world's richest man.

Taxpayers subsidizing some of the most valuable companies in history.

Data from Redfin supporting @brian-goldstone.bsky.social, that full-time work does not equate to safe and stable housing: www.redfin.com/news/retail-...

"Large-scale randomized evaluations have found that Housing First programs consistently help people move into housing faster and stay housed in the long term."

In Charleston County, a new process led to faster resolutions, less jail time, reduced recidivism, and huge taxpayers savings. Find out how Justice Innovation Lab and the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office turned evidence into impact: https://bit.ly/3JTCW5U

If you're attending the American Society of Criminology conference #ASCinDC2025, stop by our panel on "Prosecutors and Policy Effects". Research from four jurisdictions and different interventions. Wednesday (tomorrow) at 2PM.

Over nearly three years, @mariamelba.bsky.social and I have examined hundreds of fatal domestic violence shootings in TN to understand how often they are committed by someone legally barred from having a gun, and the gaps victims fall through in the system. 2/7

Of note, breakfast and lunch are free for Baltimore County school children

Seems like a no-brainer to feed children. Additional plus is that caregivers don't need to pack a lunch!

A 2020 study found that Amazon—which shares owner Jeff Bezos with The Washington Post—is one of the largest employers of people on SNAP.

Per @quattronecenter.org, "the vast majority of girls in the juvenile legal system have experienced one or more adverse childhood experiences" (e.g. violence) AND 75% meet criteria for 1+ mental health disorders.

“There are now more students who are homeless in [New York City] than the entire Dallas public school system.” citylimits.org/nycs-record-... By @citylimitsnews.bsky.social’s @patrickspauster.com and Jeanmarie Evelly #housing+ #urbanism+ #urbanism

The “logic” that the government can assassinate random people from Colombia that it suspects of selling drugs with no process because they are at “war” means these people believe they can kill anyone they want whenever they want.

Add Cincinnati to the rapidly expanding list of cities where homeless students sleep in parking lots because their families can't afford a place to live. www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2...

Shameful to not provide healthcare to those that need it and are eligible for it: oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/10/11/o...

The Alabama Solution is well worth the watch: www.imdb.com/title/tt3530... Real footage from inside the Department of "Corrections"

This is an amazing resource

@bikemore.net @electryandorsey.bsky.social 👀

NEW: A majority of Americans report at least one sign of housing precarity, including: - Cutting back on essentials to afford housing (44%) - Reducing other portions of their budget for housing (44%) - Having difficulty paying housing-related costs like utility bills (35%)

Non-fatal shootings, relative to murder cases, have a higher likelihood of catching the shooter. Knowing the frequency of NFS cases can illuminate the need for greater focus.

NEW: November general elections are around the corner, so it’s time to launch my cheat sheet of what’s on the ballot this fall! I guide you thru the *185* elections I'm watching, & why: lawmakers, governors, judges, DAs, mayors, school boards, & dozens of ballot measures. Explore, share, save:

NEW📝: A flood of billionaire money in elections started after the SCOTUS #CitizensUnited decision. Since 2010, billionaire 💰💰 in elections has grown 160x, giving the wealthy huge power over policy while regular voters lose influence. 🧵1/3