Daniel Dvorkin @medigoth@qoto.org

This is a horrifying but illuminating microcosm of #antivax in action: https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b

#Vaccination is quite possibly the most heavily studied kind of #healthcare in existence. We have more data about the #safety and #efficacy of #vaccines than *anything else* we do to keep people alive and healthy. The conclusions from that data are overwhelming and inescapable: vaccines work.

Antivaxers will never, ever accept any amount of evidence. Nothing will ever satisfy them. You will never change their minds. They have chosen the side of lethal #pathogens over the side of their fellow human beings, and they are fixed in their #treason.

Thanks to current politics, they now have the power to propagate their lunacy via the law. We can no longer, on a national level, protect ourselves from them by #publichealth means. So what can you do to stay alive?

First, cut them out of your life. They may be your parents or siblings or children, your spouses or lovers, your oldest and closest friends. Doesn't matter. The people you thought you knew and loved are dead—as dead as they want to make you. Cast out the walking corpses wearing their skin.

Second, stop wasting time. Don't try to reason with them. They will happily goad you into presenting a long, carefully reasoned argument, and then laugh at you, gleefully spraying infectious spittle across your face. The space between their ears is nothing but disease.

Third, do what you can locally. States and cities and businesses can, at least for now, deny services to the walking dead. Every school, every office, every store, *especially* every clinic and hospital, can and must make them pariahs.

And frankly, even if this kind of self-defense becomes illegal, it's probably still worth the risk. Consider the alternative.

In short, stop treating them like they're people. Maybe they used to be, and it's natural to remember that. But they're not now, and they never will be again.

Mourn them and move on. Do what you can to keep yourself safe, and those still worthy of your love. Survive.

This looks useful. #Authoritarian #regimes always cut off public access to #statistics that might prove embarrassing, and the #CDC has a whole lot of those. *Even if* we find our way back to sanity at some point, there's going to be a huge amount of #missing #data. Get what you can. 🧪⚕️🖥️🧬

https://archive.org/details/20250128-cdc-datasets

Next will be updating my credentials. I'm thinking of describing myself as a Digital Creator with a PhD in Common Sense from the School of Hard Knocks, University of Life.

I've decided to go underground to infiltrate #MAGA. My first move will be to replace all pictures of myself currently online with #selfies taken wearing #sunglasses, in a #truck, holding up a #fish.

I'm sick of reading about it. I'm sick of talking about it. I'm sick of feeling like I can't look away from it for a moment, even though it's going to keep happening with or without my attention. I'm sick of all of it.

And I bet you know exactly what "it" is.

A FOAF asks, "What's wrong with trimming the #federal #workforce anyway? How much has it grown since 2000?"

Well, here's the answer: it's been essentially flat for decades. Sorry if that doesn't fit the narrative you'd already decided on, buddy. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CES9091000001

Alleged #leftists who use the phrase "#Democrat #Party" are about half a step from going full #MAGA ... and that may be a bit too generous on my part.

If you're one of them—that, way off over there, is the off to which you can fuck. No, farther than that. Keep going.

Not reposting because I don't want to give it a boost. All I will say is ... HOW THE FUCK DO YOU THINK WE GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Watching my fellow #veterans turn on their own to defend the bloated coward in the White House is really pathetic. It's not the worst aspect of this insane time, nor the most dangerous—although it may be pretty high on the list. But it's one of the most personally disgusting.

From a long-ago conversation: "... #fantasy stories that read like a retelling of someone's #DnD campaign inspired by Sword Of #Shannara fanfic."

It was funny at the time. Now we're living in the #dystopian sci-fi equivalent.

From a friend: "How many commercial #jets crashed into US #Army #helicopters while #Biden was #president? Zero."

I'm totally hearing this sung to the tune of This Corrosion.

"Most people seem to be unaware that there is such a thing as the #Gothic #language."

"I’m still reasonably fluent, but I have admit it's a very limited language. Mostly good for expressing gloom and ennui."

A friend's brilliant nickname for White House Press Secretary Karoline #Leavitt: "Klaus Barbie".

Puts a whole new spin on "I identify as an attack helicopter," doesn't it?

The very stable genius asks: "Why didn't the #helicopter go up or down, or turn?"

Helicopters must be … [gasp] … WOKE!

Whenever I see anyone mention #American #Primeval, I get some cognitive dissonance, because I'm a big fan of the #British series #Primeval, which is about something *completely* different. It's even weirder because there was a short-lived sequel series titled Primeval: New World (set in #Canada, not the #US, but still). Not that a crossover wouldn't be fun ...

I laughed, but this is a serious concern. Even if he drops dead tomorrow (entirely possible given his age and lousy health habits) the Party might decide he's too useful to let go.