Daniel Dvorkin @medigoth@qoto.org

I think my direct deposit paperwork got screwed up.

That meme going around about how #rattlesnakes are evolving to lose their rattles because humans keep killing the ones that rattle? It's a just-so story. I get why those are often satisfying, but they're just as often nonsense. And for all its sins, Google is still your friend when it comes to this kind of thing.

https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/snakeblog/science-and-education/are-rattlesnakes-evolving-to-rattle-less-or-losing-their-rattles/

#seemslegit

[climbs out of acid bath] You mean I've been doing this wrong the whole time?

"Making fun of #antivaxers isn't the best way to educate them."

"It is very difficult to educate mass murderers as to why mass murder is bad."

Because this keeps coming up, and it's good to have a reference: there was never, ever a time when #climatologists were predicting #globalcooling on a human scale.

There was a brief time in the '70s when it looked like we might be headed into another #glacial period of the current ice age (yes) a little faster than expected, which got a lot of media attention. If this had actually happened, it would have been over centuries rather than the usual millennia, but of course that wasn't sensationalist enough, so there was considerable hype.

Meanwhile, researchers in the then-young science of #climatology accurately predicted continued #warming and the accompanying #climatechange: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/89/9/2008bams2370_1.xml

"Scientists used to warn us about global cooling, now they say it's #globalwarming! Make up your minds, stupid scientists!"

Of course, even if there had been legitimate fears about global cooling fifty years ago, that wouldn't invalidate modern concerns about warming. One of the most fundamental principles of science is updating your knowledge base when new information comes along.

As it happens, this isn't even an example of that. Just another lie from the anti-#science loons. You won't convince them with the above link, but the lurkers might take note.

There's a line I've used in many contexts, but particularly enjoy when responding to people who express contempt for #academic #credentials and those who have worked hard to get them:

"It's really impressive how wrong you manage to be about so many things. Like you have a #PhD in wrongology."

I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed in #AOC for making fun of her perception of Stephen #Miller's height, or in the many otherwise decent human beings who have repeated it with approval.

Anyway, don't do that. Dude's a fucking #kapo, you can find other ways to mock him.

Perhaps I was luckier than I thought when my academic career ended prematurely.

No matter where you go ... there you are.

You know, I'm good with this.

#Bioinformaticists need a set of Greek theater masks.

I'm horribly amused that at least on my server, the picture of Dr. Marrazzo's face is blurred out as "sensitive content."

#Noem is slaying her thousands, and #Hegseth may slay his tens of thousands. #Kennedy will slay his millions. Single-digit millions if we're *lucky*. Tens or hundreds aren't out of reach.

I know I keep repeating this. Because it's true.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-fires-nih-vaccine-whistleblower-dr-jeanne-marrazzo/

They may take our lives, but they'll never take our snark.

"#FEMA is overrated anyway half the time they get it wrong to right before hurricane or tornado hits they can’t control the weather" [sic]

"#Weather #control is #HAARP's job. Do try to keep up."

Nature is so beautiful.

"#Correlation is not #causation" is right up there with "according to science" and "read a history book" on my list of thought-terminating cliches. Even when it's applicable—which is less likely than you think—there's nearly always a better and more specific way to make your point. Trust me on this.

I've been so eager to learn the truth about #Amelia #Epstein.

About Jared #Polis and #RFK Jr.

When Donald #Trump announced #Kennedy as his nominee for Secretary of #Health and Human Services, most Democrats reacted with alarm and disgust. Kennedy has amply justified that reaction: I've written at length about it and no doubt will again, but that's not the point here.

One prominent Democrat endorsed the nomination: Jared Polis, currently Governor of Colorado. Since that happened, I've seen many otherwise rational people make excuses for him, often citing this Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/jared-polis-colorado-trump-rfk-jr

The article doesn't exonerate Polis. Quite the opposite.

Antivaxers are mass murderers. Decent people do not "look forward to working with" traitors to humanity. Say if I found out Vladimir #Putin was just as much into paleontological science fiction as I am (probably not) I still wouldn't invite him to collaborate on my time travel stories.

One specific quote from Polis really jumped out at me: "[RFK Jr.] helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and will help make America healthy again by shaking up #HHS and #FDA."

Vaccine mandates are not something to be "defeated." They're among the most effective public health measures in history. Every rational person knew Kennedy's "shaking up" would mean the destruction of HHS, FDA, and every other agency whose work is based on science rather than murderous ideology.

Polis may well run for Senate in 2028. If he does, and gets the nomination, I'll probably vote for him, because he's practically guaranteed to be better than whoever is the Republican nominee. But I'll oppose him every step of the way before that.

From comments on a years-ago Facebook conversation: "Well, okay, I used to be #Chekhov, and on my good days I still am. But I can feel myself turning into #Bester." The transition is just about complete now.