Dave Fernig @DaveFernig@qoto.org

You'd think that a class of drugs that sells in truckloads would be understood a lot better than antidepressants are. Commentary here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/08/well/mind/antidepressants-effects-alternatives.html
But it doesn't even mention regression to the mean: http://www.dcscience.net/2015/12/11/placebo-effects-are-weak-regression-to-the-mean-is-the-main-reason-ineffective-treatments-appear-to-work/
The problem is that it's very hard to say whether or not a drug works in some people but not in others.

BTW - I’m absolutely delighted that we smashed our £90K crowdfunder target to make our 90-min documentary on Brexit.

This will be THE authoritative analysis. And it was funded by over 3,000 of you and counting (broke through 3,000 just now - 3,005 now!).

We’re also getting what we call “hive research” rolling to support the info-gathering. So if you know some key case studies/ data/ resources, please email: BrexitDoc@Byline.TV

https://byline.tv/brexitdocumentary/

I saw that it was Aaron Swartz’ 36th birthday, and looked back at what I wrote about his case, and his suicide, almost ten years ago.

It all holds up, but it’s kind of darkly amusing to figure out that when I was writing this about how well people mask their depression I was profoundly depressed and nobody knew. So, QED, I guess?

https://www.popehat.com/2013/03/24/three-things-you-may-not-get-about-the-aaron-swartz-case/

I forgot the captions so here it is

Elon Musk did not found Tesla, nor did he invent the car.

Tesla was founded and built originally by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.

Elon Musk isn't why SpaceX is successful, either.

That would be the real genius behind the rocket.

His name is Tom Mueller.

And Tom Mueller designed the successful rocket.

Elon Musk is not a genius, and he invents nothing.

He just buys companies and steals all the credit.

Sci Am on being told to 'stay in your lane':
"Science is relevant to every element of society, including policy and politics.
As a publication committed to explaining the world around us, that means that every lane is our lane."
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/every-story-is-a-science-story/

PhD studentship available for research on pregnancy and early childhood using Understanding Society
@iseressex
Can be MSc + Phd, or just PhD
Fully funded!
Full details: https://understandingsociety.ac.uk/research/studentships/pregnancy-and-early-childhood
Apply by 28 Feb

“A plan by ministers to review or repeal all EU laws on the UK statute book by the end of 2023 has suffered another setback after the discovery of 1,400 additional pieces of legislation”

I’ll save the political analysis for someone else because all I have is: LOL 😆

#EURetainedLawBill #UKPolitics #JacobReesMogg #Brexit #RishiSunak

https://on.ft.com/3EdpVP7

Morning folks, time for my first Mastodon thread (!)

Ahead of the #midterms tomorrow, I want to talk about the tragic politicisation of science in the US.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the Republicans became the anti-science party, but the process probably began in the 1980s, when the Christian right first emerged as a major force in conservative American politics.

Since then, the journey has been smooth and swift, and there is now a stunning partisan divide on confidence in science 😥

Okay let’s give this thing a go.

In my column on Friday, I highlighted the shocking fact that Britons now have the worst access to healthcare in Europe, and this is causing worsening health

*1 in 6* UK adults needed medical examination or treatment in the last year but were unable to access it (due mainly to waiting lists), higher than in all 35 other European countries

This link is free for the first 300 readers -> https://enterprise-sharing.ft.com/redeem/da24c14e-795e-4ef7-9e5f-66e9c6178d97

Someone hasn't caught up with minimum #Eurostar check-in now being 45 minutes, not 30! On #seat61 I'm now allowing minimum 2h between trains in Paris northbound towards London, yet online systems are still allowing 1h30, as if nothing had changed.

Some thoughts on the "Lexodus" from Twitter to Mastodon

And why Mastodon is inherently more attractive to any liberal and how it is geared for constructive exchanges

https://davidallengreen.com/2022/11/from-twitter-to-mastodon/

Twitter was really useful for finding people to write about. I’d often stumble across incredible stories of discovery, innovation and leadership. I hope #ScienceMastodon can be the same. If you come across extraordinary, inspirational #WomenInSTEM / researchers from other historically excluded groups, please let me know! #TwitterMigration

Via @fietsprofessor@twitter.com

It's really quite exciting starting up on Mastodon.
Rather like opening a door in a wall and suddenly finding you are in a party with some old friends and lots of new interesting people.
As one who was an early adopter of Twitter, it also is very reminiscent of the old days when I first realised how useful social media could be for meeting new people and learning new stuff.

So here's what I've learned.
Mastodon isn't Twitter.
And that's by design.
You've grown used to things designed to give you that anger rush.
Mastodon is very deliberately built to avoid that.
The temptation is to replicate your Twitter experience.
Picking arguments, amplifying trolls.
Please don't.
This isn't your house, people here put time into building it.
Content warnings, ALT tags.
Don't turn it into a replica of the mess you just left.
If you miss the fights, the birdsite is still there.

Next week, if I'm not too overcome by pain, I'm going to write about why we need to be careful about the Blue Checks—how Blue Check prestige, if imported from Twitter, will wreak havoc on culture here.

I will discuss this in relation to an old book called Revolt of the Masses by José Ortega y Gasset—as well as Mel Conway's "Law of Unfairness".

And hence, why a reconfiguring of Blue Check status will result in centralization of the Fediverse.

But you'll have to wait for that.

Westminster Voting Intention:

LAB: 46% (+2)
CON: 28% (=)
LDM: 8% (-2)
GRN: 6% (+1)
SNP: 4% (=)

Via @OpiniumResearch 2-4 Nov.
Changes w/ 26-28 Oct.