theTrafton
@thetrafton.bsky.social
Developing and evaluating AI applications in radiology. Recovering academic.
A friend sent this to me and it's the best 'end of the year music list' I've ever seen. I do not need your words. I just want your opinions so I can make my own!
Thanks to @robmitchum.bsky.social for putting this together!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Thanks to @robmitchum.bsky.social for putting this together!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Top Albums 2025
docs.google.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:58 PM
A friend sent this to me and it's the best 'end of the year music list' I've ever seen. I do not need your words. I just want your opinions so I can make my own!
Thanks to @robmitchum.bsky.social for putting this together!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Thanks to @robmitchum.bsky.social for putting this together!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
I know you are not supposed to root for your pet theories, but since I was not involved in this, I think I’m allowed to be happy to see the active handoff theory get more support!
New paper!
Evidence for an active handoff between hemispheres during target tracking
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
#neuroscience
Evidence for an active handoff between hemispheres during target tracking
www.jneurosci.org/content/earl...
#neuroscience
Evidence for an active handoff between hemispheres during target tracking
The brain has somewhat separate cognitive resources for the left and right sides of our visual field. Despite this lateralization, we have a smooth and unified perception of our environment. This rais...
www.jneurosci.org
September 22, 2025 at 11:46 AM
I know you are not supposed to root for your pet theories, but since I was not involved in this, I think I’m allowed to be happy to see the active handoff theory get more support!
Reposted by theTrafton
The Department of Homeland Security is holding up more than $100 million preapproved dollars intended to help hurricane-battered North Carolina clean up storm damage and fix infrastructure, according to documents obtained by The Post.
DHS is delaying millions in already approved North Carolina recovery funds, documents show
Communities across the region still need to be reimbursed for about a hundred projects including debris removal, waste water treatment repairs, roads and bridges, damaged buildings and parks, as well ...
wapo.st
August 9, 2025 at 2:00 AM
The Department of Homeland Security is holding up more than $100 million preapproved dollars intended to help hurricane-battered North Carolina clean up storm damage and fix infrastructure, according to documents obtained by The Post.
Reposted by theTrafton
It's important to note here that we're not just talking about faculty & university staff. 100s of U.S. colleges are in towns or small cities where they form the major industry & lifeblood of the community. Loss of students -> loss of rent $, restaurant $, bars, bookstores, gaming stores...
The US could see a 30-40% decline in new international student enrollment, resulting in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and more than 60,000 fewer American jobs. https://www.nafsa.org/fall-2025-international-student-enrollment-outlook-and-economic-impact
August 4, 2025 at 3:41 AM
It's important to note here that we're not just talking about faculty & university staff. 100s of U.S. colleges are in towns or small cities where they form the major industry & lifeblood of the community. Loss of students -> loss of rent $, restaurant $, bars, bookstores, gaming stores...
Reposted by theTrafton
From @aaas.org check-in with Sudip Parikh: a letter by 14 Republican senators urge the Office of Management and Budget to release NIH funding. If this includes your state (AL, ME, WV, SC, KY, KS, AR, PA, NC, IN, AK), Sudip recommends contacting & thanking them for being American science leaders.
July 26, 2025 at 2:52 PM
From @aaas.org check-in with Sudip Parikh: a letter by 14 Republican senators urge the Office of Management and Budget to release NIH funding. If this includes your state (AL, ME, WV, SC, KY, KS, AR, PA, NC, IN, AK), Sudip recommends contacting & thanking them for being American science leaders.
Reposted by theTrafton
Cutting $20 billion to NIH over 25 years may save $500 billion on paper, but it’d end up costing $8.2 trillion in lost human health.
But NIH isn't the only thing being cut. The budget also slashes all NSF-funded science by 73 percent. NASA faces “the biggest single-year cut to NASA in history."
But NIH isn't the only thing being cut. The budget also slashes all NSF-funded science by 73 percent. NASA faces “the biggest single-year cut to NASA in history."
Donald Trump’s proposed budget would gut American science
It would slash cancer research, drug trials, space exploration, and so much more.
www.motherjones.com
May 31, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Cutting $20 billion to NIH over 25 years may save $500 billion on paper, but it’d end up costing $8.2 trillion in lost human health.
But NIH isn't the only thing being cut. The budget also slashes all NSF-funded science by 73 percent. NASA faces “the biggest single-year cut to NASA in history."
But NIH isn't the only thing being cut. The budget also slashes all NSF-funded science by 73 percent. NASA faces “the biggest single-year cut to NASA in history."
Reposted by theTrafton
Total carnage. 20-25% of R1 university budgets incinerated. Massive spillover effects, in terms of staff laid off, courses/majors/enrollment slots slashed, labs/programs/departments shut. There are no backup plans if this stuff becomes permanent in the federal budget.
Here's the NIH's proposed budget - from $48 billion to $27 billion. NIAID, current ~$7 billion cut to ~$4.2 billion.
The proposed 15% cap on indirect costs remains.
Again, these budgets are passed, and our leadership in science, technology, and innovation is gone.
www.hhs.gov/sites/defaul...
The proposed 15% cap on indirect costs remains.
Again, these budgets are passed, and our leadership in science, technology, and innovation is gone.
www.hhs.gov/sites/defaul...
May 30, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Total carnage. 20-25% of R1 university budgets incinerated. Massive spillover effects, in terms of staff laid off, courses/majors/enrollment slots slashed, labs/programs/departments shut. There are no backup plans if this stuff becomes permanent in the federal budget.
Reposted by theTrafton
Massively cutting Medicaid and SNAP isn’t the only way to find savings. We could just forgo tax cuts for Americans making over $500K instead.
My @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social Chart
My @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social Chart
May 22, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Massively cutting Medicaid and SNAP isn’t the only way to find savings. We could just forgo tax cuts for Americans making over $500K instead.
My @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social Chart
My @morningjoe-msnbc.bsky.social Chart
Reposted by theTrafton
🧪 Basic science boosts the economy:
"The proposed dismantling of NSF [and NIH] raises an urgent question: do these cuts actually save money or merely delay spending until the bill gets larger?
The answer is clear: these cuts will cost the economy billions."
"The proposed dismantling of NSF [and NIH] raises an urgent question: do these cuts actually save money or merely delay spending until the bill gets larger?
The answer is clear: these cuts will cost the economy billions."
Trump’s NIH And NSF Cuts Estimated To Cost The U.S. Economy $10 Billion Annually
Economists find public R&D drives a quarter of U.S. productivity growth — and pays for itself
www.forbes.com
May 19, 2025 at 4:33 PM
🧪 Basic science boosts the economy:
"The proposed dismantling of NSF [and NIH] raises an urgent question: do these cuts actually save money or merely delay spending until the bill gets larger?
The answer is clear: these cuts will cost the economy billions."
"The proposed dismantling of NSF [and NIH] raises an urgent question: do these cuts actually save money or merely delay spending until the bill gets larger?
The answer is clear: these cuts will cost the economy billions."
Reposted by theTrafton
This is insane. Republicans have inserted language into the budget reconciliation bill that would ban states from regulating AI in any capacity for 10 years.
from @404media.co
www.404media.co/republicans-...
from @404media.co
www.404media.co/republicans-...
May 12, 2025 at 8:47 PM
This is insane. Republicans have inserted language into the budget reconciliation bill that would ban states from regulating AI in any capacity for 10 years.
from @404media.co
www.404media.co/republicans-...
from @404media.co
www.404media.co/republicans-...
Reposted by theTrafton
The Spencer Foundation is offering rapid response bridge funding for those who lost NSF research grants.
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
Rapid Response Bridge Funding Program
In the face of recent abrupt shifts in federal funding for education research, including large-scale terminations of National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant awards, we have developed a rap...
www.spencer.org
May 2, 2025 at 9:07 PM
The Spencer Foundation is offering rapid response bridge funding for those who lost NSF research grants.
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
Reposted by theTrafton
Every year at the end of the semester, I ask the students in my Psych of Language class to create memes about what they've learned. They then vote for their favorites.
Here's the winner about how the idea of a universal grammar is no longer as compelling as it once seemed.
1/5
Here's the winner about how the idea of a universal grammar is no longer as compelling as it once seemed.
1/5
April 29, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Every year at the end of the semester, I ask the students in my Psych of Language class to create memes about what they've learned. They then vote for their favorites.
Here's the winner about how the idea of a universal grammar is no longer as compelling as it once seemed.
1/5
Here's the winner about how the idea of a universal grammar is no longer as compelling as it once seemed.
1/5
Reposted by theTrafton
Reposted by theTrafton
Highly alarming:
"1/No precedent to changing election rules after election
2/Griffin hasn’t found single example of ineligible voting
3/Only challenging absentee/early votes + ballots in D counties
4/Only challenging votes in his race (not Trump's)
5/ Two recounts already affirmed Riggs victory"
"1/No precedent to changing election rules after election
2/Griffin hasn’t found single example of ineligible voting
3/Only challenging absentee/early votes + ballots in D counties
4/Only challenging votes in his race (not Trump's)
5/ Two recounts already affirmed Riggs victory"
GOP court decision overturning Democratic victory in North Carolina Supreme Court race is 5 alarm fire for democracy. It’s January 6 without the insurrection. Make no mistake, if GOP succeeds in stealing election in NC, they’ll use that playbook everywhere www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Republicans are stealing a North Carolina judicial race. They won't stop there.
It's January 6 without the insurrection.
www.motherjones.com
April 8, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Highly alarming:
"1/No precedent to changing election rules after election
2/Griffin hasn’t found single example of ineligible voting
3/Only challenging absentee/early votes + ballots in D counties
4/Only challenging votes in his race (not Trump's)
5/ Two recounts already affirmed Riggs victory"
"1/No precedent to changing election rules after election
2/Griffin hasn’t found single example of ineligible voting
3/Only challenging absentee/early votes + ballots in D counties
4/Only challenging votes in his race (not Trump's)
5/ Two recounts already affirmed Riggs victory"
Reposted by theTrafton
The Republican judge who ran for North Carolina's supreme court lost by 734 votes
So he started trying to nullify the votes of over 60,000 people
And other Republican judges are helping him do it
ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...
So he started trying to nullify the votes of over 60,000 people
And other Republican judges are helping him do it
ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...
Republicans Are Getting Awfully Close to Stealing a North Carolina Supreme Court Seat
Jefferson Griffin kept getting laughed out of court, until he found one with two Republican judges sitting on it.
ballsandstrikes.org
April 8, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The Republican judge who ran for North Carolina's supreme court lost by 734 votes
So he started trying to nullify the votes of over 60,000 people
And other Republican judges are helping him do it
ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...
So he started trying to nullify the votes of over 60,000 people
And other Republican judges are helping him do it
ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...
Reposted by theTrafton
Today, an unbelievable abrogation of any normal procedure for counting votes.
This case needs to go back pronto to the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has reserved for itself jurisdiction over federal principles - such as equal protection, which applies here.
This case needs to go back pronto to the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has reserved for itself jurisdiction over federal principles - such as equal protection, which applies here.
BREAKING: Republican-majority panel of the Republican-majority NC Court of Appeals rules 2-1 that the Republican candidate for Supreme Court (their colleague on the Court of Appeals) wins the election even though he got several hundred fewer votes than the Dem
appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=...
appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=...
April 4, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Today, an unbelievable abrogation of any normal procedure for counting votes.
This case needs to go back pronto to the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has reserved for itself jurisdiction over federal principles - such as equal protection, which applies here.
This case needs to go back pronto to the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has reserved for itself jurisdiction over federal principles - such as equal protection, which applies here.
Reposted by theTrafton
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: the Republican-majority on the N.C. Court of Appeals rules to overturn the decision of the Wake County Superior Court (and the voters in the state) in a 2-1 decision to disenfranchise more than 65,000 voters from LAST year’s election. ⬇️
appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=2&…
appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=2&…
N.C. Appellate Courts
https://appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=2&…
April 4, 2025 at 4:28 PM
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: the Republican-majority on the N.C. Court of Appeals rules to overturn the decision of the Wake County Superior Court (and the voters in the state) in a 2-1 decision to disenfranchise more than 65,000 voters from LAST year’s election. ⬇️
appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=2&…
appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=2&…
Reposted by theTrafton
Working with an interdisciplinary team, we have developed a website to communicate how the White House's proposed cuts to health research would cause losses of $16B and 68,500 jobs.
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
March 28, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Working with an interdisciplinary team, we have developed a website to communicate how the White House's proposed cuts to health research would cause losses of $16B and 68,500 jobs.
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
Find out how your community may be impacted.
Explore more at SCIMaP: scienceimpacts.org
a 🧵
Reposted by theTrafton
To review what we from @washingtonpost.com are reporting out of the IRS today:
- Projected tax revenue this year is down 10% ($500 billion) as Trump's downsizing is emboldening tax cheats
- IRS is nearing an agreement with ICE to assist on mass deportations
- Projected tax revenue this year is down 10% ($500 billion) as Trump's downsizing is emboldening tax cheats
- IRS is nearing an agreement with ICE to assist on mass deportations
March 22, 2025 at 9:09 PM
To review what we from @washingtonpost.com are reporting out of the IRS today:
- Projected tax revenue this year is down 10% ($500 billion) as Trump's downsizing is emboldening tax cheats
- IRS is nearing an agreement with ICE to assist on mass deportations
- Projected tax revenue this year is down 10% ($500 billion) as Trump's downsizing is emboldening tax cheats
- IRS is nearing an agreement with ICE to assist on mass deportations
Reposted by theTrafton
The NIH is canceling already-funded research on inequality, telling scholars that their studies "are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand or knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not advance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness"
My federal grants with @wendymanning.bsky.social and Ann Meier were terminated last week. The language from the termination is below. It has been sad as we are being forced to say goodbye to members of our team. We are figuring out next steps. We remain deeply committed to studying all families.
March 23, 2025 at 4:27 AM
The NIH is canceling already-funded research on inequality, telling scholars that their studies "are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand or knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not advance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness"
Reposted by theTrafton
This is horrible to post, but I may as well post it. We are essentially shutting down research operations in my group, which is focused on treatments for pediatric brain cancer. I’m a well funded investigator, and there’s no choice. Science can’t function without the stability of NIH
March 15, 2025 at 5:32 PM
This is horrible to post, but I may as well post it. We are essentially shutting down research operations in my group, which is focused on treatments for pediatric brain cancer. I’m a well funded investigator, and there’s no choice. Science can’t function without the stability of NIH
Reposted by theTrafton
18F saved the government millions of dollars for certain, but probably billions. Its liquidation is the clearest possible demonstration that the "Department of Government Efficiency" is a lie. 18F's mission was nominally identical to DOGE. Yet DOGE threw it away literally overnight.
March 4, 2025 at 9:46 AM
18F saved the government millions of dollars for certain, but probably billions. Its liquidation is the clearest possible demonstration that the "Department of Government Efficiency" is a lie. 18F's mission was nominally identical to DOGE. Yet DOGE threw it away literally overnight.
Reposted by theTrafton
18f were a bunch of badasses who actually *did* make government more efficient in a way that actually worked. And they did it while also being good people who cared deeply for the work, for each other, and for the people that used it.
18F, a digital services unit inside the General Services Administration, has been completely laid off, according to an email I’ve seen. The email says that 18F was deemed “non-critical” and the decision was made with the “explicit” direction of the administration and GSA leadership.
March 1, 2025 at 12:10 PM
18f were a bunch of badasses who actually *did* make government more efficient in a way that actually worked. And they did it while also being good people who cared deeply for the work, for each other, and for the people that used it.
Reposted by theTrafton
18F did things like making online government forms (like filing your taxes or submitting VA claims) easier to fill out, create text message notification systems for govt agencies, and streamlining internal data sharing. They were literally making govt more efficient & user-friendly. This sucks.
18F, a digital services unit inside the General Services Administration, has been completely laid off, according to an email I’ve seen. The email says that 18F was deemed “non-critical” and the decision was made with the “explicit” direction of the administration and GSA leadership.
March 1, 2025 at 12:21 PM
18F did things like making online government forms (like filing your taxes or submitting VA claims) easier to fill out, create text message notification systems for govt agencies, and streamlining internal data sharing. They were literally making govt more efficient & user-friendly. This sucks.
Reposted by theTrafton
For those keeping track, we are now at 2 weeks with no new R01s funded. Still only 18 new ("01") grants are fellowships/Ks, a few admin supplements, one R35, and one R03. Same 2-week period in 2024: 143 new grants were awarded and 41 R01s. Devastating.
I've been stalking NIH Reporter to see if any new R01s fund at the 15% F&A rate, but... no new full R01s have funded since 2/10/2025, not a single R01 - across all of NIH - since 2/08. Only 18 grants have been newly funded - I am happy for the F31/F32/F30, R35, K99 trainees who have received $$.
February 22, 2025 at 2:47 PM
For those keeping track, we are now at 2 weeks with no new R01s funded. Still only 18 new ("01") grants are fellowships/Ks, a few admin supplements, one R35, and one R03. Same 2-week period in 2024: 143 new grants were awarded and 41 R01s. Devastating.