John Orchard
@drjohnorchard.bsky.social
Sport and exercise medicine physician, injury and illness prevention. Cricket, football, sports cardiology, climate emergency, covid-cautious, pro-vaccine, evidence-based medicine. Adjunct Professor University of Sydney @medsky.social
Pinned
John Orchard
@drjohnorchard.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Had a great SCG launch of #cricketsportsmedicine at the SCG this week during NSW vs Vic Shield game. link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Reposted by John Orchard
Our reporters Nate Halverson and Sam Van Pykeren caught up with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) at Alex Pretti's memorial in Minneapolis on Monday.
"To lose a 37-year-old son, and then to have that son insulted as a terrorist as opposed to celebrated as a hero...I was furious."
"To lose a 37-year-old son, and then to have that son insulted as a terrorist as opposed to celebrated as a hero...I was furious."
January 28, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Our reporters Nate Halverson and Sam Van Pykeren caught up with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) at Alex Pretti's memorial in Minneapolis on Monday.
"To lose a 37-year-old son, and then to have that son insulted as a terrorist as opposed to celebrated as a hero...I was furious."
"To lose a 37-year-old son, and then to have that son insulted as a terrorist as opposed to celebrated as a hero...I was furious."
Reposted by John Orchard
Protest sign in Minnesota today...
January 24, 2026 at 7:07 AM
Protest sign in Minnesota today...
Reposted by John Orchard
WHO removing Us Flag
January 23, 2026 at 9:45 PM
WHO removing Us Flag
Reposted by John Orchard
1. This short thread is about the issue that dominates almost every aspect of politics, and causes or exacerbates most of our problems: the extreme wealth of a small number of people. Here’s the amazing thing: almost the entire political class aligns with the ultra-rich against the rest. 🧵1/10
January 23, 2026 at 11:30 AM
1. This short thread is about the issue that dominates almost every aspect of politics, and causes or exacerbates most of our problems: the extreme wealth of a small number of people. Here’s the amazing thing: almost the entire political class aligns with the ultra-rich against the rest. 🧵1/10
Reposted by John Orchard
10. It’s time to recognise how deeply weird this is, reserve our votes for people who give us what we want, and stop subscribing to media outlets that lie on behalf of oligarchs.
More on this subject, with facts and figures, in my most recent column: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
More on this subject, with facts and figures, in my most recent column: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
At the root of all our problems stands one travesty: politicians’ surrender to the super-rich | George Monbiot
There are many excuses for failing to tax the ultra-wealthy. The truth is that governments don’t tackle the problem because they don’t want to, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2026 at 11:38 AM
10. It’s time to recognise how deeply weird this is, reserve our votes for people who give us what we want, and stop subscribing to media outlets that lie on behalf of oligarchs.
More on this subject, with facts and figures, in my most recent column: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
More on this subject, with facts and figures, in my most recent column: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by John Orchard
Rob Hirst was a force of nature, a born showman who led Midnight Oil from the back
Rob Hirst was a force of nature, a born showman who led Midnight Oil from the back
Phenomenal drummer and percussionist was an equally accomplished songwriter who embodied the band’s bloody-minded spirit
*
Rob Hirst, Midnight Oil drummer and founding member, dies aged 70
Ask Midnight Oil fans what drummer Rob Hirst will be remembered for, and the most likely answer will be his drum solo on Power and the Passion, one of the band’s big early hits. It’s an explosive minute of almost literal madness – Hirst was on the verge of a breakdown when the track was recorded in 1982, for their breakthrough album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Drum solos had, by that time, become a symbol of rock excess. But this wasn’t just another vulgar display of virtuosity. It was more musical than most guitar solos, enhancing a song already full of moving parts. Live, much of it was played on a corrugated iron water tank Hirst retrieved from the desert on the Oils’ Blackfella/Whitefella tour in 1986. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:48 AM
Rob Hirst was a force of nature, a born showman who led Midnight Oil from the back
Reposted by John Orchard
Vale Rob Hirst - drummer in Midnight Oil. A champion for social justice and credited for many of their songs.
This from his prime #auspol
youtu.be/6RaMvEk55kQ?...
This from his prime #auspol
youtu.be/6RaMvEk55kQ?...
Midnight Oil - Best Of Both Worlds (triple j Live At The Wireless - Goat Island 1985)
YouTube video by ABC Music
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 7:11 AM
Vale Rob Hirst - drummer in Midnight Oil. A champion for social justice and credited for many of their songs.
This from his prime #auspol
youtu.be/6RaMvEk55kQ?...
This from his prime #auspol
youtu.be/6RaMvEk55kQ?...
Reposted by John Orchard
Rob Hirst has had a massive impact on Australian culture. He was the engine driving one of the greatest live bands of all time. RIP, dear Rob. You are irreplaceable, one of a kind, and myself, my family, and all the rest of this great country will miss you so much.
January 20, 2026 at 7:05 AM
Rob Hirst has had a massive impact on Australian culture. He was the engine driving one of the greatest live bands of all time. RIP, dear Rob. You are irreplaceable, one of a kind, and myself, my family, and all the rest of this great country will miss you so much.
Reposted by John Orchard
Reposted by John Orchard
Murphy: "As their agenda becomes more unpopular, they then become more dependent on trying to rig out democracy and rig the next election, bc nobody is gonna vote these guys back in ... You gotta connect the dots here. What they are trying to do is rationalize violence."
January 8, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Murphy: "As their agenda becomes more unpopular, they then become more dependent on trying to rig out democracy and rig the next election, bc nobody is gonna vote these guys back in ... You gotta connect the dots here. What they are trying to do is rationalize violence."
Reposted by John Orchard
Is there much COVID around? Do I need the new booster shot LP.8.1?
theconversation.com/is-there-muc...
My new article for The Conversation
theconversation.com/is-there-muc...
My new article for The Conversation
Is there much COVID around? Do I need the new booster shot LP.8.1?
As we prepare for the festive season, it’s easy to let COVID boosters fall off our to-do lists. But COVID is still circulating and new shots are available.
theconversation.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Is there much COVID around? Do I need the new booster shot LP.8.1?
theconversation.com/is-there-muc...
My new article for The Conversation
theconversation.com/is-there-muc...
My new article for The Conversation
Reposted by John Orchard
@zeteo.com Compare and contrast Donald Trump's response to Rob Reiner's murder with Biden and Harris's responses to Charlie Kirk's murder.
There is no 'both sides'. Just one side - Trump - that is cruel, sociopathic, unhinged.
There is no 'both sides'. Just one side - Trump - that is cruel, sociopathic, unhinged.
December 16, 2025 at 4:32 AM
@zeteo.com Compare and contrast Donald Trump's response to Rob Reiner's murder with Biden and Harris's responses to Charlie Kirk's murder.
There is no 'both sides'. Just one side - Trump - that is cruel, sociopathic, unhinged.
There is no 'both sides'. Just one side - Trump - that is cruel, sociopathic, unhinged.
Reposted by John Orchard
The father was licensed for six firearms. How can you possibly be licensed for SIX firearms? We need to tighten our gun laws
December 14, 2025 at 8:33 PM
The father was licensed for six firearms. How can you possibly be licensed for SIX firearms? We need to tighten our gun laws
Reposted by John Orchard
The second covers children under 18. Like the young adults, outcomes simply much better if you are vaccinated against Covid versus not, and this data is from an era where majority of people have already had covid +/- primary vaccine so it concerns value of a booster www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
Effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children...
This report describes COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness among children ages 9 months to 17 years.
www.cdc.gov
December 13, 2025 at 2:00 AM
The second covers children under 18. Like the young adults, outcomes simply much better if you are vaccinated against Covid versus not, and this data is from an era where majority of people have already had covid +/- primary vaccine so it concerns value of a booster www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...
Reposted by John Orchard
Another small Australian December (!) #flu thread.
In the ~13 days since my last update (03DEC), detections have risen by 16,155. That's a daily rate of 1,616 (_up_ again, from 1,293 in the previous update).
In the ~13 days since my last update (03DEC), detections have risen by 16,155. That's a daily rate of 1,616 (_up_ again, from 1,293 in the previous update).
December 13, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Another small Australian December (!) #flu thread.
In the ~13 days since my last update (03DEC), detections have risen by 16,155. That's a daily rate of 1,616 (_up_ again, from 1,293 in the previous update).
In the ~13 days since my last update (03DEC), detections have risen by 16,155. That's a daily rate of 1,616 (_up_ again, from 1,293 in the previous update).
Reposted by John Orchard
Leavitt worships Republican Jesus. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and radically different ideas than Bible Jesus. bsky.app/profile/acyn...
Mother of Karoline Leavitt’s Nephew speaks out after ICE arrest: I think what I would have to say to Karoline is just because you went to a catholic school doesn't make you a good catholic.
December 13, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Leavitt worships Republican Jesus. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and radically different ideas than Bible Jesus. bsky.app/profile/acyn...
@thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social @1goodtern.bsky.social @youarelobbylud.bsky.social @mon4kooyong.bsky.social @thatingrid.bsky.social @drericding.bsky.social @drseanmullen.bsky.social …please spread the word to put pressure on governments to approve kids covid vaccines given latest evidence
Two studies just published showing that COVID vaccination is strongly associated with reduced hospitalisation and death in young adults and children. The first: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults in France
This cohort study uses the data from all adults aged 18 to 59 years living in France on November 1, 2021, to evaluate whether there is an association of receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with long-t...
jamanetwork.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:11 AM
@thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social @1goodtern.bsky.social @youarelobbylud.bsky.social @mon4kooyong.bsky.social @thatingrid.bsky.social @drericding.bsky.social @drseanmullen.bsky.social …please spread the word to put pressure on governments to approve kids covid vaccines given latest evidence
Two studies just published showing that COVID vaccination is strongly associated with reduced hospitalisation and death in young adults and children. The first: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults in France
This cohort study uses the data from all adults aged 18 to 59 years living in France on November 1, 2021, to evaluate whether there is an association of receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with long-t...
jamanetwork.com
December 13, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Two studies just published showing that COVID vaccination is strongly associated with reduced hospitalisation and death in young adults and children. The first: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by John Orchard
I’ve added an Excess Deaths Comparison page to my analysis on that topic. Here I’m comparing the UK, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, to June 2025.
My method projects "Expected Deaths" using a linear regression on the weekly deaths (4-week average) from a baseline of 2015-2019 deaths.
🧵
My method projects "Expected Deaths" using a linear regression on the weekly deaths (4-week average) from a baseline of 2015-2019 deaths.
🧵
November 30, 2025 at 12:59 AM
I’ve added an Excess Deaths Comparison page to my analysis on that topic. Here I’m comparing the UK, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, to June 2025.
My method projects "Expected Deaths" using a linear regression on the weekly deaths (4-week average) from a baseline of 2015-2019 deaths.
🧵
My method projects "Expected Deaths" using a linear regression on the weekly deaths (4-week average) from a baseline of 2015-2019 deaths.
🧵
Reposted by John Orchard
It's budget time so at the end of our interview w/ Mayor Bachynski, we gave him a printed poster of the image below. It's the density vs services vs taxes venn diagram that @brenttoderian.bsky.social often shares around. It includes Regina-related explanatory notes. #yqrcc
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
November 29, 2025 at 3:51 PM
It's budget time so at the end of our interview w/ Mayor Bachynski, we gave him a printed poster of the image below. It's the density vs services vs taxes venn diagram that @brenttoderian.bsky.social often shares around. It includes Regina-related explanatory notes. #yqrcc
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
youtu.be/FMwOpoT4IAw?...
Reposted by John Orchard
Australia just recorded zero cervical cancer cases in women under 25 for the first time since records began in 1982. The amazing result of HPV vaccination.
November 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Australia just recorded zero cervical cancer cases in women under 25 for the first time since records began in 1982. The amazing result of HPV vaccination.
Reposted by John Orchard
🏏🏏🏏
Proud to be an author in this fantastic book
Proud to be an author in this fantastic book
Had a great SCG launch of #cricketsportsmedicine at the SCG this week during NSW vs Vic Shield game. link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
November 14, 2025 at 10:36 AM
🏏🏏🏏
Proud to be an author in this fantastic book
Proud to be an author in this fantastic book