100%!!!

Institutions are failing us, including universities that, in principle, ought to be standing up for academic freedom. Academic friends, if you want to survive this moment, join the AAUP. Help yourself and colleagues at other institutions.

Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"

What is it like for a U.S. citizen to be kidnapped by CBP? What are they like, how do they talk when they speed off with you in their car? Hear it directly from this woman with extraordinary courage and presence of mind, who bravely shamed them and non-violently fought back until they released her.

Infinitely worse for non-U.S. citizens of course. This is why U.S. citizens must stand up and do what we can

A happy post: Went oystering with a couple of friends in West Falmouth harbor last night, a delightful demographically diverse local event. The town farms oysters, which removes nitrogen from the water, then dumps the oysters in the harbor for us to harvest. A fabulous roasted oyster feast ensued.

My reviewing style has changed over time. Rather than litigate every little thing, and pushing my own ideas, I focus only on 2 things: (1) Are the claims interesting/important? (2) Does the evidence support the claims? Most of my reviews these days are short and focused.

Shame on us!

Great advice on fellowship essay writing:

If you're a Jewish New Yorker who can't understand why people in your city voted for @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social , ask your children. They probably did too.

NEWS: Federal agents crashed with woman’s car, pointed guns at her, dragged her out by legs, tossed her in a minivan, held her and (eventually) let her go without charges. This as Chicagoans say the immigration blitz is out of control. (DHS blames her.) www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/03/c...

Important wisdom from @mashagessen.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/o... "To be a good citizen of a bad state, one has to do scary things. It may be writing an op-ed calling for your own country’s isolation, as Sfard did, knowing that it would cost him friendships...

It was a blast ‪@standehaene.bsky.social‬, with one fantastic talk after another, thank you so much for inviting me! And OMG the roof deck of the College de France!

A funny conversation with a newcomer at the contra dance in Woods Hole last night: Me: What brings you to Woods Hole? He: I’m a neuroscientist, working on octopuses. Me: I’m a neuroscientist too! I study patches of human cortex that do ridiculously specific things. He: Oh like that Kanwisher stuff?

I love my lab!

15 million Americans are going to lose their health care.

The US isn't giving Sudan+Syria weapons to commit those crimes. If Michael Oren is concerned about Sudan, he should urge Israel to impose sanctions on the UAE, which is arming genocidal militias there. But he couldn't care less about Sudan. It's a transparent effort to deflect criticism of Israel.

Important analysis from @stevevladeck.bsky.social explaining that Stephen Miller's claim that ICE officers have federal immunity is "wrong on its face": www.stevevladeck.com/p/186-when-c... Exerpts follow...

Unacceptable and outrageous. Do not get used to this stuff.

A poll from the journal Nature found that 75% of researchers in the U.S. are considering leaving the country. That includes a man who’s been dubbed the "Mozart of Math." Stephanie Sy examines what’s behind a potential scientific brain drain.

The people yearn for (democratic) socialism (this one will make you cry)

Why fundamental research is fundamental to progress, seeding major breakthroughs Editorial @nature.com this week And 7 basic science discoveries that changed the world nature.com/articles/d41... nature.com/articles/d41...

An important victory: www.juancole.com/2025/10/2276...

One year ago

So you should really watch this. Just 2 minutes. But a window into the truly radical nature of the people Trump is nominating. When pressed today, the nominee to be Ambassador to South Africa refuses to oppose reinstituting laws to prevent black people from voting in America.

2/3 Imagine if NFL coaches were hired because they were friends with the White House. You’d end up with bad football teams pretty fast. Same deal with NIH IC Directors and science.

The NIH institute director firing last Friday is very bad. I made a video explainer about why. Stay for last post, w link to @science.org story from @jocelynkaiser.bsky.social 1/4 🧪

Why I hate unitary executive theory with a strength of 10,000 suns. Turns out having a President who exercises total control over hiring and firing creates perverse incentives for people to commit to one man over a democracy.

Important work using ANNs to test computational implications of modularity.

I scrolled through the @1stforall.bsky.social's gallery of print front pages for local coverage of "No Kings" protests. Here are some of the standout papers, starting with the Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction, Colorado:

OK I was trying to be cautious and way underestimated the crown in Falmouth Ma yesterday. Organizers tell me that they are estimating we had 2400 people: "It was definitely way more than No Kings 1, which we counted (mostly) and was at least 1700." @indivfalmouth.bsky.social #NoKings

“likely the largest single-day political demonstration since 1970” www.gelliottmorris.com/p/second-no-...

The bell in First Congregational Church in Falmouth, MA was forged in 1796 by Paul Revere. It has been rung over 30,000,000 times. Today the congregation rang it especially for the No Kings event.

I have a million photos & videos from today’s amazing #NoKings in #Portland, but I’m pretty sure nothing will top the frogs dancing to “Peace Train” on the packed Portland waterfront #NoKingsPDX

Purdue to the rescue of IU student newspaper, whose institution was attempting censorship. Details in alt!

America-hating Antifa showing up for a *second* time today.

Seattle No Kings from the monorail

this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.

Here's me and John in uniform, ready for our 28-person procession through town to the demo. hard to tell but i am guessing at least 1K people on the village green today.

😍 Boston, you are beautiful. #NoKings

#NoKings Falmouth!

The inflatable frog has gone global. Today’s #NoKings #NoTyrants rallies in Japan, Australia, Spain, and Germany.

#NoKing #NoKingsParis getting a good crowd!!! Don’t have a sign, but wearing my protest shirt. It’s a nice day in Paris, come and join!

This is gonna be fun. Build the FOMO. NoKings.org

#NoKings, Florence, Italy, showed up!!

BREAKING: UVA rejects the Trump Administration's Compact.

"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." –Justice Louis Brandeis Words spoken many years ago that are just as relevant today. We must continue the fight to get big money out of politics.