Hannah Graunke

RFK Jr. has cancelled federal grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics, claiming the work they fund “no longer aligns with departmental priorities.” Those grants weren’t about ideology.

YouTube video by KFF Health News Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence

Susan Monarez, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 in her first public remarks since she was fired. youtu.be/YW7PyPV8mZI?...

One of the projects that has been most meaningful for me during my time at Duke-Margolis!

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Ruling says more than 60,000 N.C. voters must prove eligibility in court race A court ruled that tens of thousands of votes whose ballots were challenged by a losing Republican state Supreme Court candidate should be given 15 days to verify their eligibility.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Friday that more than 60,000 votes cast in the state’s tight Supreme Court race last year should be verified and recounted, potentially changing the outcome of the election.

Musk staffers are in the process of seizing control of the Peace Corps’ headquarters.

financial advice in a weird time:

-- develop a plan
-- find friends who support you
-- preferably 10 of them
-- steal $160 million from the Bellagio, the Mirage, and the MGM Grand
-- yes those are Terry Benedict's casinos
-- get your wife back
-- one of the friends should be Don Cheadle btw

simple

Hearing from all corners of HHS this morning about a total bloodletting — firings of scientists, analysts and many more as delayed RIFs take effect.

Many folks didn’t see early AM email and showed up, only to be turned away when badges didn’t work. Was sent this photo of long lines at one HHS site.

Search terms that NIH staff should use include:

Media literacy (!!!)
Disinformation
Social media
Misinformation
Social distancing
Lockdown
Masks

The guidance instructs staff that "it is most important to identify studies that would appear to be attempts to manipulate public opinion".

Not sure if this has been shared here yet, but this is video of Rumeysa Ozturk's arrest posted by WCVB. It's terrifying.

Thom Tillis casting the deciding vote to confirm Hegseth, and his shameful silence yesterday, should be a major issue in the 2026 NC Senate race.

Jeffrey Goldberg thinking he was being pranked and then realizing he was actually just in the war plans group chat is such a good microcosm of how it feels to be alive right now, everything seems fake until you realize it’s actually real and incredibly stupid

From a source: “Just had a co-presenter for a buildings research conference bow out. She’s a dual citizen and the FBI came knocking to ask her about her involvement in coauthoring chunks of the Paris Agreement.

Climate science is being literally (and I mean literally) criminalized.”

Breaking: FDA's March meeting to select flu shot strains for 2025-2026 season has been canceled per email sent to committee members, a VRBPAC member told me. drug companies need about 6 months leeway to make shots in time for fall vax campaigns. #healthpolicy

JD Vance owns AcreTrader, an app that lets wealthy—often foreign—investors buy up U.S. farmland.

Guess who’s deliberately tanking farm economies so JD and his billionaire tech buddies can scoop it up for pennies.
civileats.com/2024/09/18/j...

Trump administration yanks CDC flu vaccine campaign As flu rages, the Trump administration has pulled the plug on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flu immunization campaign that targeted high-risk groups, including pregnant women.

Alright well, if the campaign is halted I’ll do my part to share it.

The flu vaccine can of course help prevent spread, but in the case that you do still get the flu, the vaccine can dramatically lessen symptoms. We’re in the midst of a particularly bad flu season — not too late to get your shot!

The average person with the flu gives it to around 1.4 people. The average person with measles gives it to between 12 and 18 people.

*screams in public health angst and rage*

If you find yourself reconsidering where to buy your books in light of Target ending DEI, don't forget your local independent bookstores! I'll happily spend a bit more, and wait a little longer for my pre-ordera #booksky #target

Don’t worry, Coconut is moving too 🥥

So proud of Andrew for getting through this intense part of the journey!