Erica Weintraub Austin
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ericawaustin.bsky.social
Erica Weintraub Austin
@ericawaustin.bsky.social
1.1K followers 250 following 530 posts
Originator of the Media Literacy Theory of Chge, baker of award-winning Cougar Gold Cheese Coins, and fortunate family partner of talented musicians, a statistician, theoretical physicist and ball-chasing pup. My views may not reflect those of my employer.
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ericawaustin.bsky.social
Screen shot from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/23/rightwing-influencers-outside-us-x-twitter-tool Screen shot from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/23/rightwing-influencers-outside-us-x-twitter-tool
November 23, 2025 at 9:09 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Screen shots posted from Paul Rieckoff and Tara Copp about the Coast Guard change in policy language, clarifying that it specifically sees swastikas and nooses as hate symbols.
November 21, 2025 at 6:03 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Thinking of veterans. My Dad served in Korea, the real M*A*S*H, a POW hospital. It fought a 6-wk mini-war news didn’t cover; his notes remained secret. He wrote a self-censored book, The War in the Wards in 1964; never told the full story until just before his death in 2019.
Example of notes secretly kept during service in the Korean War by Stanley Weintraub https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Weintraub , who wrote The War in Wards, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4959349-war-in-the-wards a book about a 6-wk mini-war at the prisonor of war camp where he served as "Registrar and Admissions Officer" with other "unwritten responsibilities," often secret. A photo of Stanley Weintraub during his service in the Korean War. Stanley Weintraub https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Weintraub , wrote The War in Wards, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4959349-war-in-the-wards a book about a 6-wk mini-war at the prisonor of war camp where he served as "Registrar and Admissions Officer" with other "unwritten responsibilities," often secret. He did not tell the full story until he completed his memoir in 2019, called A Writing Life https://dokumen.pub/a-writing-life-9780944318799-9780944318805-2020936795-0944318797-0944318800.html
November 11, 2025 at 10:14 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
This hunger hotline seems important to share.

You can learn more about @hungerfreeamerica.bsky.social on their website.

www.hungerfreeamerica.org/en-us/nation...
What is the National Hunger Hotline? Hunger Free America operates the National Hunger Hotline. The hotline is a resource for individuals and families seeking information on how to obtain food. The National Hunger Hotline staff connects callers with emergency food providers in their community, government assistance programs, and various social services. The hotline can be reached at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273), for Spanish, from Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Call the Hunger Hotline. Follow the Hunger Hotline on social media for more updates and resources. Click here to visit our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter page! Don't have time to call? Text the hotline! The Hunger Hotline also operates a texting service. Our number is 914-342-7744. Please note that these are automated texts and we do NOT reply or monitor texts. A list of keywords available is listed below. By sending a text you consent to receive messages from us where message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of receiving messages at any time by texting STOP. If you have any additional questions that were not answered over text, please call the hotline at 866-348-6479. https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/en-us/national-hunger-hotline
October 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
According to a BBC-Ipsos study just released, many people believe AI summaries of news content even though AI summaries usually contain mistakes (see previous post), and people may wrongly assign some blame for those mistakes to the original news source. www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/...

#medialiteracy
Ipsos | Trusted News: Audience Use and Perceptions of AI Assistants for News - Report - October 2025 chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/documents/audience-use-and-perceptions-of-ai-assistants-for-news.pdf
October 23, 2025 at 4:37 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Cool opportunity Thurs Oct 24 to think about finding life out in the universe! And to meet my brother. And to look through a telescope if in Nashville. 🧪

Tickets for in person:
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-most-i...
LIVESTREAM the talk for free: www.youtube.com/@dyerobserve...

dyer.vanderbilt.edu
Meet the Astronomer at the Dyer Observatory, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Thurs Oct 24, 7 pm CT. What is the Most Intriguing Evidence that Suggests Life Beyond Earth Might Exist? No, it's not tiny, bacteria-shaped structures in Martian meteorites. No, it's not methane gas in the atmosphere of Mars. No, it's not the material seen in the geysers erupting from the subsurface oceans of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Yes, it's something else entirely. In this fascinating talk, Vanderbilt Professor of Astronomy Emeritus Dr. David Weintraub discusses why the little-known secrets found in the Murchison, Orguiel and Allende meteorites, and in samples from asteroid Bennu might be the best evidence we have to suggest life might be abundant in the universe. See and Hold Parts of Our Solar System It's not every day that one gets their hands on a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite. In addition to learning about the various kinds of space rocks, attendees will also have the opportunity to see and even hold examples of these relics! Following the talk (weather permitting), we will end the night with a grand view of Saturn and its moons through Dyer's historic Seyfert Telescope! Doors open at 6 p.m., and early birds may even have a chance to do a bit of telescope viewing before the talk. The lecture will be held on Dyer's tented back patio, so it is recommended attendees dress in layers for comfort during the lecture and while in the unheated telescope dome. About the Speaker David A. Weintraub is Professor of Astronomy Emeritus and Director of the Communication of Science and Technology Program Emeritus at Vanderbilt University and a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. His research discoveries include identifying the first known, nearby, young star cluster, the TW Hya Association, and pioneering the use of infrared speckle interferometry, infrared molecular hydrogen imaging, and submillimeter continuum imaging to identify material in the circumstellar disks of young stars. He is the 2015 winner of the Klopsteg Award from the American Association of Physics Teachers, which recognizes the outstanding communication of the excitement of contemporary physics to the general public, and the author of The Sky is for Everyone: Women Astronomers in Their Own Words (2022, Princeton University Press), Life on Mars: What to Know Before We Go (2018, Princeton University Press), Religions and Extraterrestrial Life: How Will We Deal With It? (2014, Springer), How Old is the Universe? (2010, Princeton University Press), and Is Pluto a Planet? (2006, Princeton University Press).
October 23, 2025 at 3:58 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
From Andy Borowitz about George Soros:

"The legendary investor said that paying No Kings participants had required him to liquidate his most prized holdings, including his share in the orbital lasers operated by the Rothschild banking family."
Andy Borowitz posts on Substack that George Soros has gone bankrupt due to the huge turnout from the NoKings rallies.
October 20, 2025 at 7:33 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Needed evidence regarding the reality of citizens arrested by immigration agents. #medialiteracy
In a September concurrence, Justice Kavanaugh said citizens stopped in sweeps could promptly prove their citizenship. That idealized interaction with immigration simply isn't what many citizens are experiencing. More stories in Chicago broke as we prepped to publish. Nicole Foy @nicolefoy.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 6:22 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Who's a happy girl?
Kelpie chases a Frisbee on the Oregon Coast Beach in October 2025. Photo by Erica Austin
October 17, 2025 at 9:08 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
And there's your pseudo-Scary World #medialiteracy lesson for today!
What Americans die from and the causes of death the US media reports on. 4 stacked bar charts. showing in short that while heart diseases and cancer constitutes 55% of the causes of death, they receive about 7% of the media coverages. Homicide is under 1% but receives between 42% and 52%. Terrorisme barely registers in the causes of death, but gets between 11% and 18%. The first stacked bar is causes of death in the US in 2023 Heart diseases 29% Cancer 26% Accidents 9.5% Stroke 6.9% Lower respiratory diseases (6.2%) Alzheimer's disease (4.8%) Diabetes (4.0%) Kidney failure (2.4%) Liver disease (2.2%) Suicide (2.1%) COVID-19 (2.1%) Influenza/Pneumonia (1.9%) Drug overdose (1.8%) Homicide (<1%) Terrorism (<0.001%) Media coverage of these causes of death in 2023 in... New York Times Heart disease (2.8%) Cancer (4.1%) Accidents (9.7%) Suicide (3.8%) COVID-19 (5.3%) Drug overdose (7.5%) Homicide (42%) Terrorism (18%) Washington Post Heart disease (2.9%) Cancer (4.7%) Accidents (5.9%) Suicide (3.3%) COVID-19 (7.9%) Drug overdose (9.5%) Homicide (46%) Terrorism (12%) Fox News Heart disease (2.3%) Cancer (3.8%) Accidents (6.1%) Suicide (4.1%) COVID-19 (6.0%) Drug overdose (9.8%) Homicide (52%) Terrorism (11%) Note: Based on the share of causes of death in the US and the share of mentions for each of the causes in the New York Times, the Washington Post and Fox News. All values are normalized to 100%, so the shares are relative to all deaths caused by the 12 most common causes + drug overdoses, homicides and terrorism. These causes account for more than 75% of deaths in the US. A "media mention" is a published article in one of the outlets which mentions the cause (e.g. "influenza) or related keywords (e.g. "flu") least twice. Data sources: Media mentions from Media Cloud (2025); deaths data from the US CDC (2025) and Global Terrorism Index. Fox News
October 8, 2025 at 9:38 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Does cover if they force their way in. I guess we need to share widely. Aclu.org for share-able copies of additional materials.
If ICE agents show up at your door. 1. You do not have to open the door. If you do, stay calm - you have rights. 2. Ask what they are there for (and ask for an interpreter if you need one) 3. If they ask to enter, ask if they have a warrant signed by a judge, and if so, ask to see it through a window or slipped under the door. 4. If they do not have a warrant signed by a judge you may refuse to let them in. Ask them to leave any information at your door. 5. If they force their way in, do not resist. Tell everyone in the residence to remain silent. 6. If you are arrested, you have the right to remain silent. Do not sign anything until you speak to a lawyer. Aclu.org
October 4, 2025 at 2:41 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Share-able Know Your Rights resources on immigrants' (and citizens') rights at aclu.org
More specifics at Aclu.org. You have the right to tell people their legal rights, even when the person has broken or is breaking a law. They still have legal rights. Which can include due prices and protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Telling people their rights can include offering practical advice for interacting with law enforcement or suggesting specific words they can say to involve their rights or understand they're under arrest.
October 4, 2025 at 2:24 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Viruses are going round and round. If you are confused about what you might have, this chart from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases might be helpful. Vision-impaired users may need some assistance with the color coding. www.nfid.org/resource/how...
A chart showing How to tell the differences between flu, RSV, COVID-19, and the common cold - from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Common symptoms may include cough, headaches, sneezing, runny nose, and congestion. Different symptoms may include aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, fever, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, and wheezing. The chart is color coded with red meaning most often, often sometimes, green rarely. https://www.nfid.org/resource/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-flu-rsv-covid-19-and-the-common-cold/
October 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Hey thanks to @aramsinn.bsky.social for the alert
"bravo" entry from the Merriam Webster dictionary. It is about to release its new edition with a video press release mocking AI.
October 1, 2025 at 4:08 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Statements today from FCC Commissioner Gomez and Marc Elias of Democracy Docket.
Media Contact: Gomez.Press@fcc.gov For Immediate Release COMMISSIONER GOMEZ ON JIMMY KIMMEL SUSPENSION AND GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP WASHINGTON, September 18, 2025 – FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez issued the following statement in response to ABC’s decision to capitulate to government pressure that violates the First Amendment and threatens free expression: “We cannot allow an inexcusable act of political violence to be twisted into a justification for government censorship and control. First, an ABC reporter was told that his coverage amounted to hate speech and that he should be prosecuted simply for doing his job. Then, the FCC threatened to go after this same network, seizing on a late-night comedian’s inopportune joke as a pretext to punish speech it disliked. That led to a shameful show of cowardly corporate capitulation by ABC that has put the foundation of the First Amendment in danger. “This FCC does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes. If it were to take the unprecedented step of trying to revoke broadcast licenses, which are held by local stations rather than national networks, it would run headlong into the First Amendment and fail in court on both the facts and the law. But even the threat to revoke a license is no small matter. It poses an existential risk to a broadcaster, which by definition cannot exist without its license. That makes billion-dollar companies with pending business before the agency all the more vulnerable to pressure to bend to the government’s ideological demands. “When corporations surrender in the face of that pressure, they endanger not just themselves, but the right to free expression for everyone in this country. The duty to defend the First Amendment does not rest with government, but with all of us. Free speech is the foundation of our democracy, and we must push back against any attempt to erode it.” ### Offi…
September 18, 2025 at 11:37 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
(At least) two school shootings today. Both tragic and inexcusable. Be careful what you believe and share.

#medialiteracy
1. In the immediate aftermath, news outlets will get it wrong. 2. Don't trust anonymous sources. 3. Don't trust stories that cite another news outlet as the source of the information. 4. There's almost never a second shooter. 5. Pay attention to the language the media uses. - "We are getting reports"... could mean anything. - "We are seeking confirmation"... means they don't haveit. - "[News outlet] has learned"... means it has a scoop or is going out on a limb. 6. Look for news outlets close to the incident. 7. Compare multiple sources. 8. Big news brings out the fakers. And photoshoppers. 9. Beware reflexive retweeting. Some of this is on you.
September 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Latke bidding farewell to the farmer's combine after several long days of harvest and dog romping interludes. Latke's buddy, Copper, got to ride along with the farmer a lot of the time.
Dog in front of a combine parked in a field at sunset after finishing its harvest of garbanzo beans.
September 6, 2025 at 4:04 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Waves of harvested field at sunset as the moon rises over a happy pup.
Brown pup sitting in a harvested garbanzo field under the rising moon at sunset. Sept 2025
September 5, 2025 at 3:40 AM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Non-peer reviewed EPPC "evidence" of adverse events?

ectopic pregnancy -- when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus -- Pills can't move it out of the uterus and into the fallopian tubes.

Also regular consultations.

Serious events = 0.3 to 0.5 % -- not nearly 10% as alleged.
Screenshot of the Ethics & Public Policy Center website taken April 30, 2025, with edits to reflect its inaccuracies
September 4, 2025 at 8:21 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
DATA from ‪@lemistith.bsky.social: "I know we’re still short by dozens of trans shooters from even approaching parity in shootings with cisgender people. (Like… at a rough 1% of the population, on this chart we were missing 25 shooters. Which put us in the 1/10th of ‘normal’ range.)" #medialiteracy
Description from ‪Sarah ‪@lemistith.bsky.social‬: I’m going to have to get my data updated. I know we’re still short by dozens of trans shooters from even approaching parity in shootings with cisgender people. (Like… at a rough 1% of the population, on this chart we were missing 25 shooters. Which put us in the 1/10th of ‘normal’ range.)
August 28, 2025 at 6:07 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
Some asking about leadership and backgrd of Subway business, given Sandwich Guy?

Answer: its CEO since 7/25, Jonathan Fitzpatrick, has no records on Open Secrets.

Subway was bought out by Roark Capital in '24. Princ investor Neal Aronson. Open Secrets record: www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup...
Sandwich Guy posters near DuPont Circle, Washington DC, Aug 2025. Displays man wearing a face covering and a backwards baseball cap hoisting a subway Sandwich, prepared to throw it. Artwork and photo credit unknown.
August 17, 2025 at 10:37 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
¿Está criando aves de corral domésticas? ¡Entonces esta encuesta es para usted! Los CDC están interesados en saber más sobre los dueños de aves de corral domésticas y sus aves. redcap.link/backyardflock
¿Está criando aves de corral domésticas? ¡Entonces esta encuesta es para usted! Desde marzo del 2024, han ocurrido 70 casos de influenza aviar A(H5) en seres humanos en los Estados Unidos, en su mayoría entre trabajadores expuestos a vacas lecheras infectadas y granjas avícolas comerciales. Sin embargo, también han ocurrido casos entre personas expuestas a aves de corral domésticas. Los CDC están interesados en saber más sobre los dueños de aves de corral domésticas y sus aves. La encuesta anónima pregunta sobre: o Las características de los dueños de aves de corral domésticas, sus familias y sus aves. o Lo que saben sobre la influenza aviar H5, y los signos y síntomas de la influenza aviar H5 en las aves y los seres humanos. o El riesgo percibido y las preocupaciones que tengan sobre la influenza aviar H5 en sus aves de corral domésticas, sus familias y ellos mismos. o Sus actitudes sobre la notificación de aves enfermas o muertas y las medidas de protección, como vacunar sus aves. o Las prácticas que usan para proteger a sus aves y protegerse a sí mismos contra la influenza aviar H5. Los CDC usarán los resultados de la encuesta para mejorar las actividades de prevención de la influenza aviar H5. Se pueden enviar preguntas a h5flustudy@cdc.gov.
August 14, 2025 at 6:11 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
The CDC is trying to reach backyard flock owners in the U.S. to better understand H5N1 in non-commercial/backyard flocks and provide resources for this community. Survey in English and Spanish. More info in the alt-text. Survey link: redcap.link/backyardflock
This is a flyer promoting a survey from the CDC about H5 bird flu. Since March 2024, there have been 70 human cases of avian influenza in the U.S., mostly linked to commercial poultry or dairy cattle, but some have occurred in people with backyard flocks. CDC and state/local health departments will use the survey results to strengthen prevention activities and educational materials. State-specific results will be shared with state/local health departments. The survey takes 10–15 minutes, is completely anonymous, and is open to participants aged 18 or older who have at least one bird (chicken, goose, duck, or other poultry). Suvey link is https://redcap.link/backyardflock Questions can be sent to h5flustudy@cdc.gov
August 14, 2025 at 6:03 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
In Philly/NY/MA and want to shake your Tuchus?

Shpilkis, “Seattle’s slammin’ klezmer brass band,” blows through Aug 10-17!

www.shpilkisseattle.com/tour

Special tuchus shakes to @klezmerinstitute.bsky.social & @yiddishbookcenter.bsky.social
https://www.shpilkisseattle.com/ Shpilkis is Seattle’s slammin’ klezmer brass band bringing you old-school Yiddish grooves with tuchus-shaking energy. Shpilkis is: Zimyl Adler / Clarinet Jimmy Austin / Trombone Layne Benofsky / Euphonium Stefanie Brendler / French Horn, Tenor Horn Michael Grant / Trumpet Nancy Hartunian / Saxophone Gary Luke / Tuba Joey Ziegler / Drums Dear Friends & Collaborators Peter Lipman / Trumpet Maia Brown / Dance Bernice Maslan / Dance
August 6, 2025 at 6:41 PM
ericawaustin.bsky.social
This was the infographic viewed by the control group in the media literacy experiment. Infographics were designed to appear similar in style and controlled cognitive demand based on layout, images, colors, and word count.

Details, cites in the pub (open source).
This infographic, viewed by the control group in the experiment testing a media literacy infographic, was a modified version of one created by the National Weather Service that explained the difference between a weather watch and a weather warning. Participants in the experiment group viewed How to Recognize Misinformation Both infographics controlled cognitive demand based on layout, images, colors, and word count, because the text and visual features of infographics can improve information processing. Pub at https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2538732 Produced by the Murrow Center for Media & Health Promotion Research, Murrow College of Communication, Wash State University, Murrow.Wsu.Edu - Lab site https://labs.wsu.edu/ericawaustin/
July 29, 2025 at 3:30 PM