Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
@merz.bsky.social
"There are no answers; only choices."
– S. Lem
I choose one [o] or two-cell [8] organisms and dissonant music.
Professor of Biochemistry @ UW-Seattle. Any coincidence of my opinions with my employer's is coincidental.
– S. Lem
I choose one [o] or two-cell [8] organisms and dissonant music.
Professor of Biochemistry @ UW-Seattle. Any coincidence of my opinions with my employer's is coincidental.
Pinned
They're malign but never lose track of the fact that they're idiots.
it's going Great as the Trump admin has to admit they made up a cartel
January 6, 2026 at 5:18 AM
They're malign but never lose track of the fact that they're idiots.
Yup. Pam Bondi's DoJ is going to be absolutely torched by contact with minimally proficient lawyers. Yet another example of the wild incompetence of the Trump regime.
How long until they panic over losing at trial and send him to Guantanamo
Justice Dept. Drops Claim That Venezuela’s ‘Cartel de los Soles’ Is an Actual Group
www.nytimes.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:51 AM
Yup. Pam Bondi's DoJ is going to be absolutely torched by contact with minimally proficient lawyers. Yet another example of the wild incompetence of the Trump regime.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
oh
JUST IN: DOJ says it has finished reviewing *less than 1%* of the Epstein Files for potential release.
Only 12,285 documents have been released while more than 2 million remain under review.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Only 12,285 documents have been released while more than 2 million remain under review.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 6, 2026 at 4:49 AM
oh
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
January 6, 2026 at 3:56 AM
My 80 year old mom went on an extended rant yesterday about how horrible FB is and demanded that I remove it from her phone and computer. I mean, she's not wrong…
my 75yo mother told me last night that she’s planning to delete Instagram and Facebook because she’s sick of not being able to tell what’s AI and what’s not, and I genuinely don’t think tech companies have reckoned with this kind of move as an actual possibility
January 6, 2026 at 4:34 AM
My 80 year old mom went on an extended rant yesterday about how horrible FB is and demanded that I remove it from her phone and computer. I mean, she's not wrong…
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
30% of Oregonians cannot or will not be a driver.
However, 100% of Oregonians will, at some point, be a pedestrian.
Drastic transit cuts--including half of a MAX line--should be a five-alarm fire, but it barely made a dent in the news cycle compared to a 6¢/gallon gas tax increase.
However, 100% of Oregonians will, at some point, be a pedestrian.
Drastic transit cuts--including half of a MAX line--should be a five-alarm fire, but it barely made a dent in the news cycle compared to a 6¢/gallon gas tax increase.
you ever notice how transit cuts in the biggest city in the state aren’t talked about as a political risk for the governor, despite being vastly worse for transit riders than an unnoticeable gas tax increase is for drivers?
January 6, 2026 at 12:52 AM
30% of Oregonians cannot or will not be a driver.
However, 100% of Oregonians will, at some point, be a pedestrian.
Drastic transit cuts--including half of a MAX line--should be a five-alarm fire, but it barely made a dent in the news cycle compared to a 6¢/gallon gas tax increase.
However, 100% of Oregonians will, at some point, be a pedestrian.
Drastic transit cuts--including half of a MAX line--should be a five-alarm fire, but it barely made a dent in the news cycle compared to a 6¢/gallon gas tax increase.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
I've personally known two children who completely & permanently lost their sense of hearing after contracting meningitis. 💔 This was in the days before the vaccine was available. It's so hard to accept that people are willing to return to that level of risk.
January 6, 2026 at 3:31 AM
I've personally known two children who completely & permanently lost their sense of hearing after contracting meningitis. 💔 This was in the days before the vaccine was available. It's so hard to accept that people are willing to return to that level of risk.
thisisfine.gif
“ChatGPT started coaching Sam on how to take drugs, recover from them and plan further binges. It gave him specific doses of illegal substances, and in one chat, it wrote, ‘Hell yes—let’s go full trippy mode’”
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
A Calif. teen trusted ChatGPT for drug advice. He died from an overdose.
"Who on earth gives that advice?"
www.sfgate.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:27 AM
thisisfine.gif
RFK and his henchmen changing CDC recco. on bacterial meningitis vaccines has me enraged and sad. It's not worse than other things happning now but I have worked on (and continue to work on) meningococcal meningitis. It is devastating and no family should ever experience it. This is *very* personal.
January 6, 2026 at 3:25 AM
RFK and his henchmen changing CDC recco. on bacterial meningitis vaccines has me enraged and sad. It's not worse than other things happning now but I have worked on (and continue to work on) meningococcal meningitis. It is devastating and no family should ever experience it. This is *very* personal.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
I had a friend in college who had had bacterial meningitis in high school. She said she went to bed with a fever and headache and woke up in the hospital much later as a multiple amputee. Everyone had to be vaccinated for college, but that was too late for her.
January 6, 2026 at 2:20 AM
I had a friend in college who had had bacterial meningitis in high school. She said she went to bed with a fever and headache and woke up in the hospital much later as a multiple amputee. Everyone had to be vaccinated for college, but that was too late for her.
Weeping as I read these posts. This is all so unnecessary.
I have a UK cousin who has been a quad for 15 years, since they were 18, due to meningitis.
January 6, 2026 at 2:17 AM
Weeping as I read these posts. This is all so unnecessary.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
I had bacterial meningitis at 1 year old in 1955. When I heard this news I had a hole in the pit of my stomach
I was saved by the heroic staff at Kingston, General Hospital in Ontario and some second gen antibiotics.
to give my usual response now:
I cannot believe this is actually happening
I was saved by the heroic staff at Kingston, General Hospital in Ontario and some second gen antibiotics.
to give my usual response now:
I cannot believe this is actually happening
January 6, 2026 at 1:49 AM
I had bacterial meningitis at 1 year old in 1955. When I heard this news I had a hole in the pit of my stomach
I was saved by the heroic staff at Kingston, General Hospital in Ontario and some second gen antibiotics.
to give my usual response now:
I cannot believe this is actually happening
I was saved by the heroic staff at Kingston, General Hospital in Ontario and some second gen antibiotics.
to give my usual response now:
I cannot believe this is actually happening
Early in my career I met a doc who had started out as a GP in England. A baby in distress was brought into her rural clinic. She did a spinal tap and ran to the lab. She found gram negative diplococci. She ran back and the child was dead. That was when she went into meningitis research.
Any physician who has cared for a child with meningococcal meningitis is appalled that the meningococcal vaccine will no longer be recommended by the CDC. It is a horrible and preventable illness and kills and maims very quickly. 😢
January 6, 2026 at 2:15 AM
Early in my career I met a doc who had started out as a GP in England. A baby in distress was brought into her rural clinic. She did a spinal tap and ran to the lab. She found gram negative diplococci. She ran back and the child was dead. That was when she went into meningitis research.
Make no mistake. This is what “MAHA” means:
This is purpura fulminans, a severe complication of meningitis (which as of today is no longer on our universal vaccine schedule)
Micro clots & bleeding into the skin cause skin & tissue death. It’s more common in kids & associated with 20-70% mortality.
Those who survive often lose limbs.
Micro clots & bleeding into the skin cause skin & tissue death. It’s more common in kids & associated with 20-70% mortality.
Those who survive often lose limbs.
January 6, 2026 at 2:11 AM
Make no mistake. This is what “MAHA” means:
Prediction: by the end of his trial Maduro will be more popular with US voters than Trump is. I'm entirely serious.
Approval of Maduro removal so far:
40% - Washington Post
34% - YouGov
33% - Ipsos/Reuters
So far it's at or below Trump's overall approval rating, and Americans are not rallying behind his Imperial flag.
40% - Washington Post
34% - YouGov
33% - Ipsos/Reuters
So far it's at or below Trump's overall approval rating, and Americans are not rallying behind his Imperial flag.
January 6, 2026 at 2:02 AM
Prediction: by the end of his trial Maduro will be more popular with US voters than Trump is. I'm entirely serious.
January 6, 2026 at 1:37 AM
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
assistant secretary of what now
The Senate has convened....
There is one vote this evening at 5:30 p.m. on confirmation of Keith Bass to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
www.dailypress.senate.gov
There is one vote this evening at 5:30 p.m. on confirmation of Keith Bass to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
www.dailypress.senate.gov
January 5, 2026 at 8:07 PM
assistant secretary of what now
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
As always, you can find a great overview of the proposed congressional science funding bills from @alesszimm.bsky.social - updated today with the final bills for science funding for nsf, nasa, noaa, and some other agencies.
January 6, 2026 at 12:37 AM
As always, you can find a great overview of the proposed congressional science funding bills from @alesszimm.bsky.social - updated today with the final bills for science funding for nsf, nasa, noaa, and some other agencies.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
Federal Appeals judge affirms prohibition of arbitrary cuts of research infrastructure rates (i.e., the IDC rate slash announcement of early Feb. 2025).
As the ruling explains, NIH's X/Twitter statements contributed to the federal government's loss in court (!!)
🧵
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/u...
As the ruling explains, NIH's X/Twitter statements contributed to the federal government's loss in court (!!)
🧵
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/u...
Appeals Court Upholds Prohibition on Trump’s Medical Research Cuts
www.nytimes.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:16 AM
Federal Appeals judge affirms prohibition of arbitrary cuts of research infrastructure rates (i.e., the IDC rate slash announcement of early Feb. 2025).
As the ruling explains, NIH's X/Twitter statements contributed to the federal government's loss in court (!!)
🧵
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/u...
As the ruling explains, NIH's X/Twitter statements contributed to the federal government's loss in court (!!)
🧵
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/u...
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
Has a court ruled on whether, under Section 230, a web site’s AI generating content based on a user prompt is treated as the web site’s speech? Seems to me it should be, just as if the site operator published speech answering someone’s question.
BWEPRA
BWEPRA
I am not a Section 230 expert but being that Twitter is creating and publishing these photos I wonder if they actually have any civil legal protection? @kenwhite.bsky.social ? @akivamcohen.bsky.social ?
What X is allowing Grok to do is unlawful or regulatory-illegal in multiple jurisdictions, creates clear DSA violations, and continues despite regulator scrutiny. The images do not need to be pornographic, non-consensual sexualised or intimate depictions are enough.
January 5, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Has a court ruled on whether, under Section 230, a web site’s AI generating content based on a user prompt is treated as the web site’s speech? Seems to me it should be, just as if the site operator published speech answering someone’s question.
BWEPRA
BWEPRA
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
These fucking psychopaths are going to destroy NATO. I swear to fucking god.
TAPPER: Can you rule out the US is going to take Greenland by force?
MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO
T: So force is on the table?
M: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over future of Greenland
MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO
T: So force is on the table?
M: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over future of Greenland
January 5, 2026 at 11:37 PM
These fucking psychopaths are going to destroy NATO. I swear to fucking god.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
They're all so *hollow.* Empty shells masquerading as human beings
January 5, 2026 at 11:52 PM
They're all so *hollow.* Empty shells masquerading as human beings
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
this is small comfort given he has state power and i don’t but i am struck by what an obviously weak and fragile man miller is. a blubbering piss baby whose entire affect and personality is an attempt to make up for his profound feelings of inadequacy
MILLER: The US is using its military to secure our interests unapologetically in our hemisphere. We're a superpower. It's absurd we'd allow a nation in our backyard to become a supplier of resources to our adversaries
TAPPER: Sovereign countries shouldn't be able to do what they want?
M: *yells*
TAPPER: Sovereign countries shouldn't be able to do what they want?
M: *yells*
January 5, 2026 at 11:52 PM
this is small comfort given he has state power and i don’t but i am struck by what an obviously weak and fragile man miller is. a blubbering piss baby whose entire affect and personality is an attempt to make up for his profound feelings of inadequacy
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
Parent and pediatrician here.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
January 5, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Parent and pediatrician here.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.
All vaccines are still available & recommended. Talk to your pediatrician for more info.
Know this: Even as our government shifts its recommendation language, I would never forgo the RSV, hepatitis A & B, or meningitis vaccines for my own kids.