Daniel Westreich
@epidbydesign.bsky.social
Epidemiologist, writer, bon vivant. Professor @UNC (opinions my own); co-PI of STAR Cohort; "Morpheus of the Table 2 Fallacy.” He/him.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
Anyone calling for a return to normalcy without consequence needs to have their career ended immediately so we can get people in office willing to do what is needed, which is to build a new and better normal, having disarmed and defunded the corporatist fascist occupation of our government.
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Anyone calling for a return to normalcy without consequence needs to have their career ended immediately so we can get people in office willing to do what is needed, which is to build a new and better normal, having disarmed and defunded the corporatist fascist occupation of our government.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
The CDC’s new autism page reads like an anti-vax blog, and the agency's employees are not happy about it.
The CDC’s new autism page reads like an anti-vax blog, and the agency's employees are not happy about it.
“Embarrassing” and “horrifying”: CDC workers describe the new vaccines and autism page
"The best way I can put it is it feels like we're on a hijacked airplane."
www.motherjones.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 PM
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
The CDC’s new autism page reads like an anti-vax blog, and the agency's employees are not happy about it.
The CDC’s new autism page reads like an anti-vax blog, and the agency's employees are not happy about it.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
Calling something "scientific orthodoxy" rather than "established fact" or even "scientific consensus" is so incredibly damaging.
November 21, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Calling something "scientific orthodoxy" rather than "established fact" or even "scientific consensus" is so incredibly damaging.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
The extent of the damage done to public health, biomedical science, and healthcare in the US in less than a year will take a generation or more to repair. This is the scale of the destruction. Let that sink in. A new president, Congress won't be enough to reverse things fully. It's that bad.
Breaking News: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he personally instructed the CDC to abandon its position that vaccines do not cause autism. The move underscores his determination to challenge scientific orthodoxy — in this case, that vaccines save lives — and bend the health department to his will.
RFK Jr. Says He Instructed CDC to Change Vaccines and Autism Language on Website
In an interview, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited gaps in vaccine safety research. His critics say he is ignoring a larger point: Vaccines save lives.
nyti.ms
November 21, 2025 at 11:43 PM
The extent of the damage done to public health, biomedical science, and healthcare in the US in less than a year will take a generation or more to repair. This is the scale of the destruction. Let that sink in. A new president, Congress won't be enough to reverse things fully. It's that bad.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
The U.S. government is now inarguably spreading medical disinformation that is going to kill babies preferentially.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
November 20, 2025 at 3:29 AM
The U.S. government is now inarguably spreading medical disinformation that is going to kill babies preferentially.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 AM
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
So Harvard is keeping this guy, but Claudine Gay had to step down over ginned up plagiarism accusations and bad-faith accusations of anti-Semitism.
Got it.
Got it.
Larry Summers tells @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
November 18, 2025 at 5:10 AM
So Harvard is keeping this guy, but Claudine Gay had to step down over ginned up plagiarism accusations and bad-faith accusations of anti-Semitism.
Got it.
Got it.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
A guy makes ONE tiny mistake (has a years-long friendship with the world's worst sex trafficker; brags about sexually harassing colleagues; is racist; says women are stupid) and his whole LIFE is blown up (does slightly fewer speaking engagements; keeps teaching at #1 university)??!?!?!?!?!
So Harvard is keeping this guy, but Claudine Gay had to step down over ginned up plagiarism accusations and bad-faith accusations of anti-Semitism.
Got it.
Got it.
Larry Summers tells @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
November 18, 2025 at 10:51 AM
A guy makes ONE tiny mistake (has a years-long friendship with the world's worst sex trafficker; brags about sexually harassing colleagues; is racist; says women are stupid) and his whole LIFE is blown up (does slightly fewer speaking engagements; keeps teaching at #1 university)??!?!?!?!?!
"Could it not be..."? Well, since you're not willing to claim that it IS because of her content - an incredibly easy and low-stakes thing to clarify if it is so - then it obviously is NOT because of her content.
So why'd you suspend Sarah Kendzior?
So why'd you suspend Sarah Kendzior?
False attribution. If a person is suspended it is because of their identity? Could it not be because of their content? I wrote about it here aaron.leaflet.pub/3m52nqqmk322v
Moderating With Humans, For Humans - Trust Issues
aaron.leaflet.pub
November 11, 2025 at 8:06 PM
"Could it not be..."? Well, since you're not willing to claim that it IS because of her content - an incredibly easy and low-stakes thing to clarify if it is so - then it obviously is NOT because of her content.
So why'd you suspend Sarah Kendzior?
So why'd you suspend Sarah Kendzior?
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
Pretty disingenuous to ask, "Could it not be...?" Sure, it could. But in a time of relentlessly rising, violent govt crackdowns on civilian populations (waves from Chicago where they've teargassed elementary schools, pepper sprayed toddlers, broken ribs & killed people) this ban is a huge red flag.
November 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Pretty disingenuous to ask, "Could it not be...?" Sure, it could. But in a time of relentlessly rising, violent govt crackdowns on civilian populations (waves from Chicago where they've teargassed elementary schools, pepper sprayed toddlers, broken ribs & killed people) this ban is a huge red flag.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
Gonna be pretty hard to take you people seriously when you’re banning journalists.
Good work undermining yourselves.
Good work undermining yourselves.
November 11, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Gonna be pretty hard to take you people seriously when you’re banning journalists.
Good work undermining yourselves.
Good work undermining yourselves.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
Submitted for your consideration, for use re: the AI/LLM boom and tech utopianism in general…
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
November 8, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Submitted for your consideration, for use re: the AI/LLM boom and tech utopianism in general…
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
Schumer seems to think that politics is something that just *happens* to politicians, like the weather — rather than something that *politicians actively engage in and shape.*
MSNBC reported Schumer's office felt that the longer that shutdown went on, the more likely it was that people would start to blame the Dems.
My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.
My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.
November 10, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Schumer seems to think that politics is something that just *happens* to politicians, like the weather — rather than something that *politicians actively engage in and shape.*
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
I just want everyone to have the experience of living in dignity with access to sufficient food, safe housing, needed medical care, high quality education, and time to engage with what sparks their curiosity and spirit
this should not be controversial 🫠
this should not be controversial 🫠
November 10, 2025 at 3:16 AM
I just want everyone to have the experience of living in dignity with access to sufficient food, safe housing, needed medical care, high quality education, and time to engage with what sparks their curiosity and spirit
this should not be controversial 🫠
this should not be controversial 🫠
“Why don’t people trust the media?”
Because they hedge so much that they look like liars. They could say that he’s asleep, but instead they are double hedging, saying that he merely *appears* to be closing his eyes.
We can see the picture! His eyes are closed!
Because they hedge so much that they look like liars. They could say that he’s asleep, but instead they are double hedging, saying that he merely *appears* to be closing his eyes.
We can see the picture! His eyes are closed!
Images of Donald Trump appearing to close his eyes at an Oval Office announcement this week rocketed around social media this weekend, with the president’s opponents seizing on the footage to raise questions about Trump’s on-the-job performance.
Images of Trump appearing to close his eyes during Oval Office event spread across social media | CNN Politics
Images of Donald Trump appearing to close his eyes at an Oval Office announcement this week rocketed around social media this weekend, with the president’s opponents seizing on the footage to raise qu...
www.cnn.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:04 PM
“Why don’t people trust the media?”
Because they hedge so much that they look like liars. They could say that he’s asleep, but instead they are double hedging, saying that he merely *appears* to be closing his eyes.
We can see the picture! His eyes are closed!
Because they hedge so much that they look like liars. They could say that he’s asleep, but instead they are double hedging, saying that he merely *appears* to be closing his eyes.
We can see the picture! His eyes are closed!
Submitted for your consideration, for use re: the AI/LLM boom and tech utopianism in general…
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
November 8, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Submitted for your consideration, for use re: the AI/LLM boom and tech utopianism in general…
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
“Beware geeks bearing grifts.”
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
The Washington Post editorial board articles about Mamdani are actually disgusting. It’s hard to surprise me but my jaw dropped when they referred to him as “generalissimo” in the first paragraph.
November 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
The Washington Post editorial board articles about Mamdani are actually disgusting. It’s hard to surprise me but my jaw dropped when they referred to him as “generalissimo” in the first paragraph.
I know this opinion might get me canceled, but "more clear" sounds more correct to me than "clearer."
I'm sorry, that's just how I feel about it.
I'm sorry, that's just how I feel about it.
November 7, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I know this opinion might get me canceled, but "more clear" sounds more correct to me than "clearer."
I'm sorry, that's just how I feel about it.
I'm sorry, that's just how I feel about it.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
November 6, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
heads up to anyone who holds trans kids near: amy harmon from the nyt is searching for and having a hard time finding people to interview to find out exactly what trans kids are doing when their care is limited or cut off, and for purposes of community safety, please shut the fuck up around her.
November 5, 2025 at 8:54 PM
heads up to anyone who holds trans kids near: amy harmon from the nyt is searching for and having a hard time finding people to interview to find out exactly what trans kids are doing when their care is limited or cut off, and for purposes of community safety, please shut the fuck up around her.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
A reminder, if you are anywhere in government or related industry/academia, science-related or otherwise, and you have anything you’d like to chat about or anything you think the public should know, Signal is davelevitan.26 and you can remain anonymous. My recent work here if you’re curious:
Gravity Is Gone
Independent reporting and commentary on science, politics, and policy
www.gravityisgone.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:17 AM
A reminder, if you are anywhere in government or related industry/academia, science-related or otherwise, and you have anything you’d like to chat about or anything you think the public should know, Signal is davelevitan.26 and you can remain anonymous. My recent work here if you’re curious:
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
The USDA is the fail safe for SNAP.
They have a contingency fund to ensure it’s covered in the event of a shutdown.
They’re refusing.
Grocery stores stepped up to try and help by offering discounts to any SNAP recipients and the USDA told them they had to stop.
Starvation as a policy choice.
They have a contingency fund to ensure it’s covered in the event of a shutdown.
They’re refusing.
Grocery stores stepped up to try and help by offering discounts to any SNAP recipients and the USDA told them they had to stop.
Starvation as a policy choice.
November 3, 2025 at 8:08 AM
The USDA is the fail safe for SNAP.
They have a contingency fund to ensure it’s covered in the event of a shutdown.
They’re refusing.
Grocery stores stepped up to try and help by offering discounts to any SNAP recipients and the USDA told them they had to stop.
Starvation as a policy choice.
They have a contingency fund to ensure it’s covered in the event of a shutdown.
They’re refusing.
Grocery stores stepped up to try and help by offering discounts to any SNAP recipients and the USDA told them they had to stop.
Starvation as a policy choice.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
I really can't emphasize enough that OpenAI is, as Dr. Gilliard has described in the past, a social arsonist enabling racism, and I urge colleagues in education using OpenAI's products - including ed-tech platforms that incorporate its products like Khanmigo and MagicSchool - to stop.
Again, this precise use case is why these systems exist-to proliferate people’s racist (transphobic, misogynistic…) imaginary at scale. This should not be seen as a “misuse” but rather the product being used exactly as intended.
Racist Influencers Using OpenAI's Sora to Make it Look Like Poor People Are Selling Food Stamps for Cash
Folks looking for evidence of SNAP recipients as welfare queens have no shortage of AI generated schlock to use as justification.
futurism.com
November 2, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I really can't emphasize enough that OpenAI is, as Dr. Gilliard has described in the past, a social arsonist enabling racism, and I urge colleagues in education using OpenAI's products - including ed-tech platforms that incorporate its products like Khanmigo and MagicSchool - to stop.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
This right here, this exact sentence, is THE problem in American political journalism.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
November 1, 2025 at 12:13 PM
This right here, this exact sentence, is THE problem in American political journalism.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
Reposted by Daniel Westreich
$5 billion has been allotted to keep Americans from starving. Trump would rather starve them.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump administration won't tap contingency fund to keep food aid flowing, memo says
The Trump administration says it won’t use a roughly $5 billion contingency fund to keep food aid flowing in November amid the government shutdown
www.washingtonpost.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:02 AM
$5 billion has been allotted to keep Americans from starving. Trump would rather starve them.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...