The RIF parts are good for federal workers. But they concede a lot. Thing is, the RIFs all year were lawless. There are complex procedures to follow to use RIFs to fire people. It is clear those procedures were NOT followed. A lower court strongly ruled the RIFs were illegal. And SCOTUS dodged. 1/

A critical book, about how Congress has a lot of power to restrain the exec and judicial branches, and shld use it. In fact, Congress using its political powers (like power of the purse, inherent subpoena power, even docket control) is probably required to get us out of this constitutional crisis.

RIF Update: The proposed appropriations legislation would invalidate RIFs conducted between 10/1/25 and 1/30/26. (Section 120). It does not include any provisions invalidating RIFs pre-10/1/25 or preventing future RIFs conducted after 1/30/26. www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

Tonight’s CR bill is out www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

This sounded like something Rs were trying to manifest. But now I am legit worried. Why would you cave now.

Yet another bad thing for society that the Roberts Supreme Court is responsible for: legalizing sports betting.

Robber barons, rails, rents, and RADIO of the next 20 years. (Is what we should now focus on.) 100 years ago, we were in the midst of a fight with those forces. Goebbels used radio to infamous ends. In the US, we had Father Coughlin using radio to chg the info env. Positive: FDR used fireside… /1

British note, but applies in the US too

People familiar with the right and with media will immediately recognize James Watson’s path into full scientific racism. He followed a particular contrarian, trolling descent. According to this obit, he felt his biggest discovery was in his 30s, and later in life he searched for relevance. 1/

Please click through and read this post and the compiled quotes. Thanks to @lpachter.bsky.social for compiling them. This isn’t harmless; making the scientific community welcoming for everyone is part of finding the best ideas and doing the best work. And Pachter is right about uniqueness.

After one particularly egregious set of comments by Watson about blacks and Jews, I and the other authors got legal advice on how to add wording to our contract that would make sure Watson would not be able to insert any deranged ideas into our book

This prescient piece about attacks on universities was written in December 2024.

If you are a scientist or someone interested in science and are seeing the news stories about the passing of Watson, you need to read Lior's important compilation of Watson's statements that reveal him as the racist misogynist and eugenics supporter that we was 🧪

The best part of this piece, and the part I desperately wish science organizations and leaders would internalize, is about who is actually in control of the Republican party.

It's been a crazy week and the next fights are already starting, but take a few minutes and savor the delicious joy of beating this guy and reading one of the best political writers working rn.

Sigh. NIH normally sends several hundred scientists to the SFN annual meeting to learn, exchange info, come up with new ideas, and advance science. (The exchange of ideas is the very core of the scientific enterprise.) This year, no one from NIH will attend due to the gov't implosion.

There is an amazing book on misinformation, “Killer Underwear Invasion.” It is incredible how much of an impact it’s made on my kids. Just a few days ago my kid saw something on TV and said proudly, “that’s man is like the puppy pinchers!”

“Perhaps we should’ve guessed [the Roberts Court’s] extraordinary deference to this president could be outweighed only by its hatred of taxes.” Yes. What today at SCOTUS shows is Roberts has never been about backing Donald Trump _the man_. Roberts is there to protect the Republican Party. 1/

Proud Leslie Knope Stan here. And yes a big part of what’s positive about about her is her optimism. Optimism is vital

I had the pleasure of working closely with Katie @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social on a policy project, and I can say she's the furthest thing from a quitter. She is one of the smartest and most committed people I have ever worked with, on anything.

Last night was a good night for democracy, and science. The two are linked.

"We have bowed at altar of caution and we have paid a mighty price." Zohran Mamdani

'My theory stands as firm as a rock,” Cantor once wrote. His mental health, not so much.' 'Cantor would claim at one point that he had been “logically forced” to discover set theory. “Almost against my will,” he said'

The remarkably long lifespan of bowhead whales could be due to an increased ability to repair DNA mutations, according to research in Nature. go.nature.com/4hzvDN7 🌏 🧪

I am reading a book on John Roberts and his Supreme Court’s decisions (😡), by @thelisagraves.bsky.social. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through it without venting. So, taking an idea from @davekarpf.bsky.social, here is a live thread. 1/

“There is just a general acknowledgement that a lot of what is happening is illegal…" Common threads of this administration: an effort to destroy science, and a willingness to break the law to do so. That’s possible because the Roberts Court is letting them break the law.

The Roberts Court appears to be melting down in several ways

My review of @juliabelluz.bsky.social and @kevinh-phd.bsky.social's new book Food Intelligence finally published on @medscape.com. tl;dr? If you're looking for a detailing of our current understanding of the science of food, eating, and metabolism, this one's for you www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

Good thread here on forward-funding (multi-year funding) policies at NIH. This has dramatically reduced the number of projects across the US funded by NIH this year. (NIH’s main function is supporting science across the US, mainly at universities.) One thing to add: 1/ 🧪

The major takeaway for me here is “democratic space.” Public debate — the public having access to good information about government and society — is critical to the functioning of a democracy. Information spaces are democratic spaces. Macron gets that right.

Yes. And expanding the power of the presidency also means destroying US science, which depends on indep experts inside agencies like NIH. We can and should lean into that.

@willrobinson1776.bsky.social, someone with deep experience on public communication and persuasion, goes hard on Quantbrain Disease. “[they] keep leaning on “social pressure” GOTV tactics because a handful of isolated RCTs said they work.” YES. Data is useful but it cannot replace strategy.

“Furin cleavage site”, that is. Just casually, and naturally, sitting there in one of the most evolutionarily active parts of the genome. Mystery solved.

Every person in science I talked to yesterday brought up the filibuster. (!!) So I recorded a video explainer on it. Should we be worried about getting rid of the filibuster? In short, no. Though there are a few wrinkles.

“Of all the words spoken in opposition to, or aghast at what’s happening in the United States, only one set of remarks has rattled in my head day after day, for going on a month now.” Compelling and insightful article today from @brianbeutler.bsky.social 1/

A reminder that RCV has some pluses, but it doesn’t solve most problems people think it fixes. And it adds new problems. Even ex RCV evangelists like Lee Drutman now recognize that multi parties thru fusion & then proportional representation are the way to go. leedrutman.substack.com/p/how-i-upda...

“If the Trump administration continues to violate the law…” @neguse.house.gov Yes. This is the key point. Congress is standing up in this shutdown to stop the Trump and Vought lawlessness. We cannot have a functioning government if the exec branch is willing to break the law.

For people performing essential work on the NIH campus: please check out the independent businesses on campus. For ex, the building 35 convenience store and the FAES coffee shop are both run by hardworking people who are impacted by the reduced numbers at #NIH now.

do people want an explainer from me/us at NIH about the filibuster threats and what this means for US science? I have been getting a LOT of questions about this.

Judge Talwani has declined to issue a temporary restraining order preventing RIFs at the Community Relations Service---an agency in the DOJ that helps communities struggling with racial discrimination. 1/7 fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldoc...

I am going to be that annoying friend. Get your #COVID & #flu shots. There is little downside to getting immunized and it will spare you from being out sick, having to go to the doctor's office, hospitalization and yes, death. Too many people aren't stepping up to get the shots. Do it this weekend.

having an “I like pancakes” “why do you hate waffles!!!!” moment

will that stop this supreme court? probably not. but we cannot give an inch on the legal interpretation. @evanbernick.bsky.social knows exactly how this goes

Hi all, this headline does not give the right impression of what is going on with these notices. (HHS employee here speaking in my personal capacity about matters of public concern that have been publicly reported—I am not sharing details from inside the agency.) 🧵 1/

Hi all, this headline does not give the right impression of what is going on with these notices. (HHS employee here speaking in my personal capacity about matters of public concern that have been publicly reported—I am not sharing details from inside the agency.) 🧵 1/

Someone asked me the other day*: How do we replace all the science that’s being lost across the US as NIH, NSF etc are being lawlessly destroyed? The answer is: we cannot. It is impossible. The task now is to defend #NIH and public funding for medical research. 1/ 🧪 #neuroscience

“Smaller local media outlets: the best coverage overall.” Fascinating score-based analysis of coverage of the #NoKings day, by @mediaanddemocracy.bsky.social . They calculated a grade for front pages based on headline size, placement, etc. mediaanddemocracyproject.substack.com/p/analysis-o...

It’s such a pleasure to be able to bike to work. This morning it was cold but clear, the leaves are changing and it’s refreshing and recharging to be out there. 🍁🍁🍂

I wrote an explainer about the mass firings—the RIFs. The RIFs all year have been clearly illegal. Russell Vought is using them to lawlessly clean out federal agencies. Lower court judges have said so. But the Calvinball Supreme Court has allowed them. 1/

I enjoyed this conversation with @matthew.flux.community & @markhisted.org. But I will quibble with the subhead. Science isn’t under attack because it left people behind. It is under attack because those attacks serve people in power.