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Silas Maniatis

@manimota.bsky.social

1.7K followers 4.2K following 130 posts

Father and scientist. Doing dad stuff in Brooklyn and science at New York Genome Center. 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 @𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧.𝘣𝘴𝘬𝘺.𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 @𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘢 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 1d

That surprise being the proposal to eliminate all nuclear weapons… To which Reagan said, nah, we’re good. SDI (AKA Star Wars, space based defense against nuclear missiles) is more important.. What a tragedy for the world to have a demented old racist at the helm at a critical moment

Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 1d

Today in 1986, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met for the second time at Hofdi House in Reykjavik, Iceland. The two-day weekend meeting was technically not a US-USSR summit but a working session to discuss mutual reductions in strategic nuclear weapons.

But Gorbachev had a surprise planned …

A color photograph of US President Ronald Reagan greeting General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev at the front door of Hofdi House in Reykjavik. Reagan is wearing a brown suit and tie, while Gorbachev is wearing a grey suit.

A color photograph of Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev posing and smiling for photographers outside Hofdi House in Reykjavik. Reagan is wearing a brown suit and tie, while Gorbachev is wearing a grey overcoat over a grey suit.

A color photograph of Mikhail Gorbachev, left, and Ronald Reagan, right, sitting in armchairs talking to reporters in a room in Hofdi House with windows overlooking the sea. Small sculptures sit on the windowsill behind them and a small plant on a table is between their two chairs.

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 1d

Obviously the CDC’s most important work is in protecting us from pathogens as part of normal life, but it is also a component of our national security, born of the Cold War. It astounds me that these ‘tough guys’ talk so much ish but don’t do the work to be ready. Big never been in a fight energy

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 1d

So what’s the plan if there’s a biological weapon used against the United States? We have no CDC as of last night, so we probably wouldn’t even know until hospitals are so overwhelmed that there’s no way to deny it. Even then, we’ll have no way to know if it’s a weapon or to mount a defense.

Reposted by Silas Maniatis

Rick Steves @ricksteves.bsky.social · 3d

Thread:

A year ago yesterday was a very happy day for me. I had lost my prostate. It was good riddance, as it was riddled with cancer. I’m now cancer-free — and thankful for the tax-funded technology that saved my life.

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 6d

All of a sudden getting lots of inflammatory memeish divisive content pushed to my discover and popular with friends feeds here. Very reminiscent of 2016. Please be cognizant of what is being put in front of you

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 7d

www.instagram.com/90snycity/re...

90's NYC Nostolgia on Instagram: "Canal Street 90s Randomness 90s Canal Street, a carnival of everything and anything you could imagine for sale. Wires, pliers, clamps, duct tape, speakers, hundreds ...

747 likes, 37 comments - 90snycity on October 5, 2025: "Canal Street 90s Randomness 90s Canal Street, a carnival of everything and anything you could imagine for sale. Wires, pliers, clamps, duct tap...

www.instagram.com

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 7d

Environs of NYGC when I moved to NYC. fun fact: those jnko and UFO ‘parachute pants’ started as a style in the NYC junglist scene after my buddy Alex ‘Lex Luger’ Dawson picked up a pair of surplus FRG paratrooper pants from the surplus store w the mortar in 1996

www.instagram.com/90snycity/re...

90's NYC Nostolgia on Instagram: "90s Canal Street Chaos . . . #90snostalgia #90sthrowback #GenX #NYC #TrashCulture #90sCanalStreet #StreetVendors #Electronics #90sCulture #NostalgiaTrip"

Get an immersive experience of 90s Canal Street, with its eclectic mix of vendors, electronics, and NYC street culture. From the streets to the vendors, we're diving into the nostalgia and chaos of th...

www.instagram.com

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 10d

Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers, she said.
“It was heartbreaking to watch,” said Watson, “it was horrible.”

chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'

The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.

chicago.suntimes.com

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 11d

Thank you Dr Goodall for teaching us that non-humans can be sentient, that non-humans make tools, and that deep empathy with a being so different from one’s self is the path to wisdom. But most importantly, thank you for inspiring my daughter and for inspiring me. youtu.be/X-i9kV2Htuc?...

From the archives: Naturalist Jane Goodall

YouTube video by CBS Sunday Morning

youtu.be

Reposted by Silas Maniatis

Maya Kaufman @mayakaufman.bsky.social · 11d

NEWS: The federal govt is sending NYC’s top disease control official to Arizona for a months-long stint at an Indian Health Service facility.

That could complicate local infectious disease response efforts.

“If we have an outbreak, then we’re fucked,” a city health department staffer told me.

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Reposted by Silas Maniatis

eileen chengyin chow @chowleen.bsky.social · 15d

The South Korean Ministry of Defense has awarded medals of merit to 11 officers for disobeying direct orders of superiors during the martial law fiasco, orders that they deemed to be contrary to the constitution and endangerment to democracy.
www.chosun.com/english/nati...

National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders

National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders Honored for rejecting illegal orders during martial law, Marine death probe

www.chosun.com

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 17d

Just a reminder that the plan always was to fire federal workers until every agency’s staffing is at the same level as during a shutdown. They put it in the original DOGE EO. So, please remind your representatives of this when they get worried about firings instead of furloughs.

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · Mar 3

Don’t know how I (and the entire media apparently) missed this, but the plan is to essentially permanently shut down the government. Said so in sec 3C of the EO of 2/11/25. Basically, only the fed workers who work during a shutdown will have a job when done.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Reposted by Silas Maniatis

Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 18d

Today in 1996, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty opened for signature at the United Nations. President Bill Clinton signed that day, as did representatives of 70 other states, including nuclear-weapon states China, France, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom.

A color photograph of President Bill Clinton signing the Comprehensive Nucear-Test-Ban Treaty at a desk during a ceremony at the United Nations on September 24, 1996. A small UN flag is on the desk in the foreground.

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 22d

www.uscis.gov/sites/defaul...

www.uscis.gov

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 22d

Fortunately (I guess) the govt just clarified/announced this is prospective only… for now? What are we even doing?

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 22d

Thinking about and sending good will to all H1B holders abroad at meetings or visiting home etc, scrambling to make it back to the U.S. in the next 2hrs45min. This is unbelievably cruel and self destructive. H1B visa holders are the backbone of US dominance in science, engineering, & tech.

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Reposted by Silas Maniatis

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 26d

TikTok misusing our personal data is bad.

Selling TikTok to a Trump-aligned billionaire family and one of his biggest political donors is even worse.

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · 29d

What the hell? @npr.org is right now platforming Curtis Yarvin on its show ‘open to debate’. The topic of debate: would the U.S. be better off as a dictatorship? This is insanely dangerous and stupid. We fought several wars, including our foundational war, that already answered this ‘question’

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · Sep 13

I mean, I’m merely a backwards American, for whom the renovated LaGuardia is the future, but how come you look like you’re on a space 1999 spaceship version of CDG? Also… I hope the ERC can overlook certain.. things.. regarding the current state of affairs for US involved synergy proposals in Nov!

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · Sep 13

Yes. Of course. They requested 2 people with Hispanic last names come to the desk while boarding group A. TSA was already at the desk. No one came to the desk. By the end of group D, TSA had left the gate area

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · Sep 13

I’m returning from being on a panel at a conference in San Diego, and TSA is at the gate questioning everyone boarding the plane and checking IDs. I’ve never seen this before. They just questioned 4 active duty military personnel as they boarded

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Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · Sep 12

As I fall asleep 24 years later, I know I will never again smell a structure fire without being instantly transported back to that day and the month of smoke that followed. Fuck all of these narcissistic performative little men. And I mean all of them. In every place & for any ‘cause’ they claim.

Brendan Greeley @bhgreeley.bsky.social · Sep 11

www.ft.com/content/ca4a...

Silas Maniatis @manimota.bsky.social · Sep 9

Brooklyn golden hour remains undefeated

Reposted by Silas Maniatis

Ayanna Pressley @ayannapressley.bsky.social · Sep 8

Boston is fired up and ready to get out the victory for @wutrain.bsky.social!

Vote in person tomorrow from 7am-8pm to send our incredible mayor back to City Hall.

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Reposted by Silas Maniatis

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · Sep 8

On this day in 1966, Star Trek first beamed into living rooms across America. None of us could have imagined then the journey it would set us on. And not just the cast and crew, but the millions of fans who would find hope, inspiration, and community in its vision of the future.

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