Dr Zara Bain
@zaranosaur.bsky.social
Some kind of philosopher | mama of toddlers (yes, plural) | disabled, chronically ill and neurofuntimes | professionally tired | founder and director of disabled-majority transcription and closed captioning social biz @aat-transcribes.bsky.social | goof
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
🚨URGENT🚨
We in Gaza were flooded and our tent was destroyed by the rain.
We are still homeless without a tent.
A new storm is hitting us today,😭
We are pleading with you to save us.
We are asking for your donations; we only need $50 to buy a tent ⛺️
Please Help to save us
chuffed.org/project/1580...
We in Gaza were flooded and our tent was destroyed by the rain.
We are still homeless without a tent.
A new storm is hitting us today,😭
We are pleading with you to save us.
We are asking for your donations; we only need $50 to buy a tent ⛺️
Please Help to save us
chuffed.org/project/1580...
December 15, 2025 at 11:42 AM
🚨URGENT🚨
We in Gaza were flooded and our tent was destroyed by the rain.
We are still homeless without a tent.
A new storm is hitting us today,😭
We are pleading with you to save us.
We are asking for your donations; we only need $50 to buy a tent ⛺️
Please Help to save us
chuffed.org/project/1580...
We in Gaza were flooded and our tent was destroyed by the rain.
We are still homeless without a tent.
A new storm is hitting us today,😭
We are pleading with you to save us.
We are asking for your donations; we only need $50 to buy a tent ⛺️
Please Help to save us
chuffed.org/project/1580...
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
when we talk about Overton window moving to the right, this is what we mean
December 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
when we talk about Overton window moving to the right, this is what we mean
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
Ah, but the other 5% have "legitimate concerns" about intellectual property... ;-)
December 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Ah, but the other 5% have "legitimate concerns" about intellectual property... ;-)
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
95% of respondents think theft is wrong.
December 15, 2025 at 2:26 PM
95% of respondents think theft is wrong.
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
Full government report: www.gov.uk/government/p...
Copyright and artificial intelligence statement of progress under Section 137 Data (Use and Access) Act
www.gov.uk
December 15, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Full government report: www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
(Remember the government's 'preferred option', a new copyright exception plus opt-out for rights holders? 3% of respondents went for this.)
December 15, 2025 at 11:50 AM
(Remember the government's 'preferred option', a new copyright exception plus opt-out for rights holders? 3% of respondents went for this.)
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
- Only 3.5% want a new copyright exception for AI training (3% want an exception + opt-out for rights holders, 0.5% an exception with no opt-out)
These results are absolutely overwhelming. The government should rule out a new copyright exception immediately.
/end
These results are absolutely overwhelming. The government should rule out a new copyright exception immediately.
/end
December 15, 2025 at 11:22 AM
- Only 3.5% want a new copyright exception for AI training (3% want an exception + opt-out for rights holders, 0.5% an exception with no opt-out)
These results are absolutely overwhelming. The government should rule out a new copyright exception immediately.
/end
These results are absolutely overwhelming. The government should rule out a new copyright exception immediately.
/end
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
I did not ask for this, nor did I consent to this.
December 15, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I did not ask for this, nor did I consent to this.
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
CoPilot is like a carbuncle on my work device. I uninstall it and it's still in Word trying to rewrite my manuscripts
“tests from earlier this year found that AI agents failed to complete tasks up to 70% of the time, making them almost entirely redundant as a workforce replacement tool.”
—
Microsoft Scales Back AI Goals Because Almost Nobody Is Using Copilot :: Extremetech
www.extremetech.com/computing/mi...
—
Microsoft Scales Back AI Goals Because Almost Nobody Is Using Copilot :: Extremetech
www.extremetech.com/computing/mi...
Microsoft Scales Back AI Goals Because Almost Nobody Is Using Copilot
Google's Gemini is on pace to push Copilot into third place.
www.extremetech.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:56 PM
CoPilot is like a carbuncle on my work device. I uninstall it and it's still in Word trying to rewrite my manuscripts
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
[jaunty music plays]
December 15, 2025 at 5:54 PM
[jaunty music plays]
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
One argument I used to make to my students about why it was important to learn history (and historical thinking) is that someone was always going to be trying to tell you things were natural or had always been this way and that you needed to be able to see that as an exercise of power.
December 7, 2025 at 10:09 PM
One argument I used to make to my students about why it was important to learn history (and historical thinking) is that someone was always going to be trying to tell you things were natural or had always been this way and that you needed to be able to see that as an exercise of power.
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
and then, perhaps, “the problem with eugenics back then was that they dehumanized the wrong set of traits” doesn’t sound so compelling
December 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
and then, perhaps, “the problem with eugenics back then was that they dehumanized the wrong set of traits” doesn’t sound so compelling
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
discussed this in seminar yesterday, albeit with reference to “race science” generally. If you understand science as a historical phenomenon then the question is what was science then, not whether it would count as science now, and the implication is that what science is now is not forever, either
1. Historically, eugenics was not a pseudoscience. It was *science* Almost every scientist, social scientist, academic, etc. believed in the validity of eugenics. You would have to search far & wide to find a scientist that didn't believe in some form of it. They taught it in college!
December 4, 2025 at 1:24 PM
discussed this in seminar yesterday, albeit with reference to “race science” generally. If you understand science as a historical phenomenon then the question is what was science then, not whether it would count as science now, and the implication is that what science is now is not forever, either
Nobody near me has any second class stamps and this is very annoying!!
December 15, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Nobody near me has any second class stamps and this is very annoying!!
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
Go to your doctor and get your measles titers checked to make sure you are still immune and if not get re-vaccinated. It’s more and more likely all of us are going to eventually come in contact with it.
The thing about measles is that it’s the only known virus that triggers immune amnesia - it causes your immune system to forget everything it has previously learned. Meaning you essentially reset to zero and are now at risk of basically everything.
It can take 2-3 years to get immunities back.
It can take 2-3 years to get immunities back.
December 14, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Go to your doctor and get your measles titers checked to make sure you are still immune and if not get re-vaccinated. It’s more and more likely all of us are going to eventually come in contact with it.
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
I learned that Makary & his top vaccine regulator Vinay Prasad forced FDA scientists to withdraw a paper from Vaccine. I am co-Editor-in-Chief of Vaccine. The data had been presented publicly. It showed the benefits outweigh the risks of COVID vaccines for all ages.
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Whistleblowers say Makary silenced internal researchers who supported COVID-19 vaccine access. Their studies were buried or delayed. The agency meant to protect public health is now struggling to protect its own scientists from retaliation.
December 14, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I learned that Makary & his top vaccine regulator Vinay Prasad forced FDA scientists to withdraw a paper from Vaccine. I am co-Editor-in-Chief of Vaccine. The data had been presented publicly. It showed the benefits outweigh the risks of COVID vaccines for all ages.
bsky.app/profile/save...
bsky.app/profile/save...
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
Makary wasted no time establishing that the FDA would now ensure that food is safe to eat and medicine actually works based on ideology, not evidence.
bsky.app/profile/save...
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Inside the FDA, Makary has reportedly overridden advisory committees, halted vaccine approvals, and pressured scientists to retract data that contradicted his agenda. Under his leadership, evidence-based medicine has been replaced by optics and obedience.
December 14, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Makary wasted no time establishing that the FDA would now ensure that food is safe to eat and medicine actually works based on ideology, not evidence.
bsky.app/profile/save...
bsky.app/profile/save...
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
NEW: Trump’s DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence That UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism
An investigation by ProPublica and @chronicle.com reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.
An investigation by ProPublica and @chronicle.com reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.
Trump’s DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence that UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism
An investigation by ProPublica and The Chronicle of Higher Education reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.
www.propublica.org
December 12, 2025 at 12:15 PM
NEW: Trump’s DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence That UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism
An investigation by ProPublica and @chronicle.com reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.
An investigation by ProPublica and @chronicle.com reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.
it’s a fair cop but also you know what I mean!
and what I mean is that it doesn’t start at the start of December!
and what I mean is that it doesn’t start at the start of December!
...it is, just right at the end. Dec 25 through Jan 6.
December 12, 2025 at 12:24 PM
it’s a fair cop but also you know what I mean!
and what I mean is that it doesn’t start at the start of December!
and what I mean is that it doesn’t start at the start of December!
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
We got the PhilPapers feminist philosophy of science category philpapers.org/browse/femin... moved up from "miscellaneous" to "general philosophy of science" proper 🎉 Combatting disciplinary marginalisation and recognising the strength of feminist work on sciences! #philsky
PhilPapers
philpapers.org
December 12, 2025 at 9:06 AM
We got the PhilPapers feminist philosophy of science category philpapers.org/browse/femin... moved up from "miscellaneous" to "general philosophy of science" proper 🎉 Combatting disciplinary marginalisation and recognising the strength of feminist work on sciences! #philsky
Ready to start fighting people about when the 12 days of Christmas start. Hot tip: it’s not December!
December 12, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Ready to start fighting people about when the 12 days of Christmas start. Hot tip: it’s not December!
Reposted by Dr Zara Bain
My colleague reviewed a paper for the journal Climate and discovered it has been written by AI (citations that didn’t exist). Not only did the journal keep the paper, they asked her to re-review it. We are so cooked.
December 10, 2025 at 4:23 AM
My colleague reviewed a paper for the journal Climate and discovered it has been written by AI (citations that didn’t exist). Not only did the journal keep the paper, they asked her to re-review it. We are so cooked.
I’ve just had a long parents review with nursery and for the first time theyre suggesting additional support likely connected to neurodivergence
I was expecting this in a way, because I’ve been flagging its probability since the start, but having the convo hits different
I was expecting this in a way, because I’ve been flagging its probability since the start, but having the convo hits different
December 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
I’ve just had a long parents review with nursery and for the first time theyre suggesting additional support likely connected to neurodivergence
I was expecting this in a way, because I’ve been flagging its probability since the start, but having the convo hits different
I was expecting this in a way, because I’ve been flagging its probability since the start, but having the convo hits different
I am on day six indoors with two sick kids. I am now sick myself. So is my partner.
I have begun narrating our days in the style of the Big Brother voiceover guy, because it feels like day 40+, easily.
I have begun narrating our days in the style of the Big Brother voiceover guy, because it feels like day 40+, easily.
December 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
I am on day six indoors with two sick kids. I am now sick myself. So is my partner.
I have begun narrating our days in the style of the Big Brother voiceover guy, because it feels like day 40+, easily.
I have begun narrating our days in the style of the Big Brother voiceover guy, because it feels like day 40+, easily.
win: kids and us slept in til almost ten am, a practically unheard of lie in with small children
lose: within two minutes everyone under 5 was screaming
lose: within two minutes everyone under 5 was screaming
December 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
win: kids and us slept in til almost ten am, a practically unheard of lie in with small children
lose: within two minutes everyone under 5 was screaming
lose: within two minutes everyone under 5 was screaming