Matt Shipman (he/him)

You average normie Democrat in 2026 loves AOC, wants to abolish ICE, and thinks Israel shouldn’t get another penny from us.

It’s laughable how out of touch centrist consultants and politicians are.

Well, I didn’t see (arguably) the top center on the market (Linderbaum) getting signed for more than (arguably) the top QB on the market (Willis), but here we are. #NFL #FreeAgency

The relevant journal article is #OpenAccess, for those interested.
www.nature.com/articles/s42...

Researchers Make Probiotic Safer for Immunocompromised Patients An international team of researchers has modified a probiotic yeast to make it safer for use by immunocompromised people, older adults and infants.

Once in a rare while, a widely-used probiotic yeast spreads from the gut into the bloodstream, causing serious illness. Why? Researchers now think they've found a gene that plays a key role -- and gotten rid of it.
🧪
news.ncsu.edu/2026/03/rese...

After many years of work, our study with @pflieglerlab.bsky.social on a Saccharomyces boulardii probiotic with diminished virulence is now published!! I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the authors for their contributions and support!

www.nature.com/articles/s42...

Study Finds Correlation Between Public Health, Tax Policies The more a state’s budget relied on sales tax revenue, the more likely it was to shorten stay-at-home orders during the early stages of the COVID pandemic.

A new study finds that the more a state’s budget relied on sales tax revenue, the more likely it was to shorten stay-at-home orders during the early stages of the COVID pandemic.

Money shapes everything, even public health policy.
🛟
news.ncsu.edu/2026/03/publ...

Health insurers have claimed for months that AI is driving up health care costs. Now Blue Cross Blue Shield is offering proof.

The ambiguous analysis methods would sow more doubt on the conclusion...if a hospital hadn't told me last year that its AI coding software was targeting this EXACT code.
🩺🖥️

It is absolutely insane that the US appears to have targeted desalination plants first – putting them onto the board. Iran seems to have already retaliated against one in Bahrain. This is one of the most obvious ways this could spiral.

Explaining two moms or two dads is easy. I just did it!

Explaining why anyone should be upset about two moms or two dads, as opposed to one mom and one dad, is difficult.

That’s why people don’t want to talk about this with their kids. They’ll just look hateful.

idk I’ve seen a bajillion kids movies where the kids parents die & let me tell you, having a convo with my kid about how anyone can die at any time & it doesn’t matter if they’re someone’s mom or dad is way harder than having a convo about how sometimes someone has two dads or whatever. And yet

The $90-a-month Foxborough Select Board members taking on FIFA’s Goliath - The Boston Globe The tiny Foxborough Select Board reminds us what elected officials with spine look like.

I find this endlessly entertaining. FIFA, who famously bent the knee to Trump with their ridiculous peace award, is now being brought to their knees by some unassuming select board members in a community close to where I sit right now.

Bring it on.
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/05/m...

Non sequitur: Beef Supreme is a top-notch background character name.

Trump’s ever-changing rationale for war on Iran – how the story has shifted Regime change, nuclear threat – or something else? US officials seem unable to land on one coherent reason for war

Idiocracy.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

So ChatGPT and Claude have facilitated suicides and a school shooting in Canada and the US bombing a school in Iran, but that’s the price you pay to have tools that mean you don’t need to spend as much time dealing with emails or writing code or first drafts, I guess?

If we survive this, I really hope parents take a long look at how they are teaching empathy to their children. It's so obvious that that is the missing ingredient in huge chunks of the population, amplified by social media algorithms and cultural rewards for reactions rather than thoughtfulness.

Pleased to see Crosby was not traded to a team in the NFC, much less the NFC East.

Cool! I think Daniel Lanois has a song called Carla as well. But I think it’s an instrumental.

My impromptu review of the new Harry Styles album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

TL;DR: unfortunately disappointing, but ends on a strong note.

Last track! “Carla’s Song.” Hands down my favorite song on the album. Still dance-able, but brings in some modern rock (War On Drugs?). Most importantly, it sounds more alive than the other songs. It feels lived in, you know?

“Dance No More” is a Bernard Edwards tribute. It’s got roller rink energy (complimentary).

This is a bummer. I was looking forward to this album. I love good pop music.

6th song (Waiting Game) also showed signs of life. Low key but not bad.

Song 7 (Season 2 Weight Loss) goes back to unfun pseudo dance. Reminds of skittery beats that were pretty exciting in the 90s, but without the attitude (or novelty) to pull it off.

Song 8 is generic ballad-with-strings.

“Taste Back” is better (5th song). Maybe the next 7 songs will turn it around. Here’s hoping!

The influences are still clear — he’s clearly been listening to a lot of dance music and 00s NY rock (Interpol, The Strokes). But it lacks the energy of either. It’s not fun or exhilarating (IMO). It’s got the beat, but not the joy or catharsis.

One of the things I’ve found fun about Harry Styles’ solo career has been how he’s worn his influences on his sleeve, creating (mostly) delightful pastiches that also bear his stamp.

I’ve gotten through the first four songs on his new album and, so far, the fun part is missing.

Federal Prosecutor Used Fabricated Quotes in Court Filing An assistant US attorney in North Carolina filed a response with the court that included “fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” and then made “false or misleading statements” of ho...

NEWS: A Justice Dept. line attorney in North Carolina fabricated quotes in court filing, causing judge to order hearing to consider sanctions and holding entire US attorney’s office jointly responsible.
Pro se defendant flagged the errors.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

Nominate somebody, y’all!
🧪 #SciComm

Judging from the prose, the Pentagon appears to be using AI to announce the death of soldiers. If it’s not AI, it’s a person who simply does not care.

Ah, capisce.

Was not familiar with Joel Garner, so just looked him up. And perhaps the most remarkable thing is that he was not inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame until 2010. Given his accomplishments as a bowler, that's startling (to me).