Daniel Dvorkin @medigoth@qoto.org

Hello, all. I've been around for a few days but haven't yet made an #introduction post. So here we go.

I'm a #bioinformatics consultant with [The Bioinformatics CRO](https://www.bioinformaticscro.com/) working on a variety of small and large projects ranging from fundamental genomics to clinical decision support. Before that, for several years I was a postdoc and ORISE fellow specializing in high-altitude medicine and physiology at the University of Colorado Altitude Research Center. My academic background is a nearly even mix of #biostatistics, machine learning, and biology.

The ARC* has been sadly moribund for a few years, but thanks to collaborations with other groups, we're [starting to get more active again](https://harcsummit.org/). Hopefully I will have more to say about that in the future. Meanwhile, feel free to ask me anything about #altitude medicine---I think I still remember most of it.

Years before _that_, I was an Air Force #medic (after a brief stint as an Army infantryman) followed by a couple of years as a civilian EMT. My time in patient care informs my approach to science: the numbers I crunch represent human lives.

Otherwise, I'm an armchair #paleontologist hoping to be able to call myself an _amateur_ paleontologist again one of these days---by which I mean actually spending some time in the field and/or the prep lab---a too-occasional science fiction writer, and chronically sleep deprived. Also, my life is the internet: it's cats all the way down.

*Fellow #Primeval fans may recognize the jacket in the picture. My wonderful fiancée found it for me when I was hired at the ARC, for exactly the reason you think.

Yes. There are no #vaccine #skeptics. There are:

1. Rational people who accept the overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe and effective;

2. Traitors to humanity who lie and say they're not; and

3. Credulous fools who listen to group 2 over group 1.

That's it. There is no fourth option.

Because I am not above shameless self-promotion, get your t-shirts here:

https://www.zazzle.com/pd/spp/pt-zazzle_shirt?dz=116516f4-1106-47f4-ab28-6f7a2b18c749&side_name=front&style=hanes_mens_crew_darktshirt_5250

"#Vaccines work
#Evolution is real
Human activities cause #climate #change
#Chemtrails don't exist
#HAARP doesn't control the #weather
People landed on the #Moon
And FFS, the #Earth is #ROUND"

Seems like this might be particularly important at the moment.

Click to embiggen.

I just got a #spam call from a #bot describing itself as an "#AI #volunteer." Uh ...

Yeah, maybe they should have been "alarmed" a couple of weeks ago. That would have done a lot more good.

I know that if we want to have any chance of salvaging the country from this ongoing train wreck, we're going to need to work with a lot of people who have buyer's remorse. And saying "we told you so" isn't going to be productive. But for the moment, I'm just going to indulge myself in a little snark:

WE FUCKING TOLD YOU SO.

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/17/nx-s1-5193867/farmers-agriculture-experts-reaction-trump-rfk-jr-tariffs

#Kennedy for #HHS. There is no bottom to this well.

Seen in the wild: "Luckily all our #environmental laws are older than 18 years, so Rep. #Gaetz shouldn't have much interest in them."

Read the whole thread. This is serious. For better or worse (I think we can definitely say "worse" now) #Twitter used to a major way #science news propagated across the internet. Even after #Musk took it over, a lot of people who should have known better kept relying on it. Now we're seeing the consequences of that.

We can't rely on *any* one platform to get our messages out, not even #Mastodon. Post here, on #Bluesky, even on #Facebook while it's still not a *complete* shithole, and on any other platform you think might have a chance of reaching a decent-sized audience.

This applies to science and #politics and everything else, but I think with science it's particularly critical. #Xitter and other right-wing platforms are going to be pushing even more #misinformation than they already are. For #scientists to keep speaking up is one of the best ways to fight back.

#Gaetz as #AG. That's just ... [chef's kiss]

Ferocious and brilliant. I really don't know how much #election post-mortems matter at this point. But if you think they do, read this one.

https://www.quora.com/Why-has-the-US-allowed-such-a-despicable-person-to-become-president-again/answer/Kate-Stoneman

Brid is the wrod.

I hate that I have to agree with this. But I do.

#Reagan took a hard line against #Soviet power. #Trump will surrender to #Russia his first day in office. This is a really bizarre comparison.

I mean okay, it’s a MAGAt, so definitely not sweet, and no child of mine. But you know, poetic license.

Arguing about the #ColdWar with someone who told me I “know nothing about #history.” Oh my sweet summer child …

#Humans change. #Dogs don't. And that's just fine.

#Republicans, of course, will spin this as "#Democrats refuse to cooperate with #Trump's #transition team!" I suppose we could reply that we thought Republicans were against transitioning, but I doubt they'd get it.

Upon careful consideration, I believe it is time for us as a #nation to heal the wounds of our #division and move forward together. Therefore, as a #Democrat, I promise to treat #Trump with exactly the same respect and deference #Republicans showed for #Clinton, #Obama, and #Biden. I invite you to join me in this high-minded effort.

You know what, I never want to hear my fellow members of #GenerationX complaining about #Boomers ever again.

(source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/exit-polls)