Hans De Loof

By now, we've all seen the video of Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) being forcibly removed and handcuffed for asking a question during Kristi Noem's press conference.

But what Noem said just moments before the video was taken is "classic authoritarian red-baiting," points out @davidcorn.bsky.social.

“I’ve studied McCarthyism’s impact on higher education for 50 years. What’s happening now is worse.” -Ellen Schrecker, historian

Academic freedom in the United States has found itself periodically under siege, but the current attacks from the federal government raise a new level of alarm. nyer.cm/u405qvQ

Our A.I. times ;-)

Another day of reminding everyone of Carl Sagan’s eerily accurate warning about the dangers of not being able to ask skeptical scientific questions to those in power or authority.

Eighty years ago, enemies laid down their arms.

Since then, we, Europeans, have built something extraordinary: a Union of peace, democracy, and solidarity. An anchor of stability.

Our Union was born as a peace project, and it remains one today.

This is from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson aired on May 20th, 1977.

Carl Sagan says something very important, a strong message that didn't lose any validity since then.

On becoming an autocracy @newyorker.com
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Last week in SLC!
Inspiring!

I saw Condors yesterday at the Navajo bridge on highway 89A

Important paper on rethinking heart disease, with a focus on atheroma and primary prevention, not just blood supply impairment (reactive, today's mode of secondary prevention) A @thelancet.bsky.social Commission
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

"When a complex system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order." Iya Prigogine, Noble prize-winning chemist

"When a complex system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order."

Iya Prigogine, Noble prize-winning chemist

what to tip in a fully automated restaurant

Our digital times :-)

How Can Genome Sequencing Be Used for Patient Diagnosis? Genome sequencing can help diagnose patients with rare diseases and unexplained diseases, but many patients can’t access this genetic test. Lack of knowledge and awareness among both clinicians and patients is one of the barriers to access. Watch this video to learn about what genome sequencing is, its potential benefits and limitations, how often it leads to diagnosis, and what patient groups...

edhub.ama-assn.org/jn-learning/...

Don’t wait out four hard years: speak truth to power The importance of diversity in science is an unshakeable reality that the scientific community must stand by.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

RFK Jr. Falsely Claims Measles Vax Causes Deaths 'Every Year' Vaccine expert debunks recent statements from nation's top health official

RFK Jr. Falsely Claims Measles Vax Causes Deaths 'Every Year' | MedPage Today

Just listen

Click www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdi...

YouTube video by SXSW Bluesky's CEO on the Future of Social Media | SXSW LIVE

Every few years, we sign up for yet another platform just to keep in touch with our friends. Private platforms have locked users in for too long, causing a lack of innovation & competition in social media.

Bluesky aims to fundamentally change this.

Live in 20 min with @jay.bsky.team:

This

"Absence of evidence, is not the evidence of absence"

- Carl Sagan

Opinion | The MAGA War on Speech If only the powerful are free to speak their minds, it’s not free speech.

"Politicians are allowed to criticize the press," writes the editorial board. "But there is a difference between using language and using muscle." The Trump administration "is mustering the arms of government to suppress speech it doesn’t like and compel words and ideas it prefers."

Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025!

Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide!

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

At Least Now We Know the Truth It’s ugly, but necessary to face.

Trump & Vance are disgusting PIGS rambling on about how Zelensky didn't thank them and how bad that is... THIS was a publicity stunt for King Trump to show Putin that he's a STRONGMAN -and on Putin's side. This was a planned public flogging of Zelensky. Pathetic.

www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people.

Be strong, be brave, be fearless.
You are never alone, dear President Zelenskyy.

We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.

Extract from the book Serving the Reich about the failure of universities, academies and scientific institutions to respond to Nazi expulsions.

Today's extract from Serving the Reich.
What makes it worse is that I don't even need to add any explanatory comment, do I?

A classic word of warning before you start studying statistical mechanics.

From "States of Matter", David L. Goodstein.

Using Machine Learning to Reassess Clinical Guidelines This Medical News article is an interview with Harvard’s Sanjat Kanjilal, MD, MPH, about his study using machine learning to assess whether current clinical guidelines for uncomplicated urinary tract ...

Nice interview in JAMA about the link between patient data and updated guidelines!

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

It takes more than clinical knowledge and technical skills to reach your full potential in pharmacy practice. Professional skills are equally important for delivering high-quality patient care. Find our collection of dedicated resources here 👇 #professionalskills

https://buff.ly/4hnQnac

What if We Can't Rely on PubMed? - Absolutely Maybe PubMed is incredibly reliable. And a lot depends on it. It’s an ecosystem built around MEDLINE, the steady feed of new publications…

Yes. I think using PubMed to help flood the zone is one tactic here. Hence my latest post - on risks and alternatives:

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/02/14/w...

Establishing the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.

Giving infectious disease research a break, as promised by the MAHA agenda.

Let's break down what exactly this Executive Order is *really* saying.

Fortunately, I speak fluent anti-vax grifterese & can translate.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...