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Tara C. Smith

Tara C. Smith

@aetiology.bsky.social

33K followers 2.8K following 5.3K posts

Collector of social media sites. Infectious disease epidemiologist. Writes about vaccine hesitancy, science misinfo, zombies. Probably somewhere on a trail. Views own etc.

The Smith special counsel investigation was a special counsel investigation that was opened by U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland on November 18, 2022, three days after Donald Trump announced his campaign for the 2024 United States presidential election. The investigation was created to continue two investigations initiated by the Justice Department (DOJ) regarding former U.S. president Donald Trump. Garland appointed Jack Smith, a longtime federal prosecutor, to lead the independent investigations. Smith was tasked with investigating Trump's role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack and Trump's mishandling of government records, including classified documents. .. more

Political science 39%

Economics 19%

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Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 1h

Of course he leaves out this "heritage American" also running as governor as a Republican. Wonder why.

Newspaper article "Heather Hill is running for governor of Ohio. Who is she?" Showing a Black woman in a gray blazer sitting on a porch

Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 3h

Saaame

Reposted by John Horgan, Rosemary A. Joyce, Juan Cole , and 3 more John Horgan, Rosemary A. Joyce, Juan Cole, Smith, Caroline T. Schroeder, Lisa Diedrich

Ebony Elizabeth Thomas @ebonyteach.blacksky.app · 5h

The lecturer in question is our colleague in children’s literature studies. She is a brilliant scholar and from all accounts a gifted teacher.

This ruling is infuriating… at the end of the day, it is our students’ education that will suffer.

Texas Tribune @texastribune.org · 1d

Texas A&M University will not reinstate a lecturer who was fired after a video of her teaching about gender identity in a children’s literature class went viral, despite a faculty appeals panel unanimously concluding that her dismissal was not justified.

Texas A&M won’t reinstate fired lecturer despite findings

A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”

www.texastribune.org

Reposted by Smith

NPR @npr.org · 6h

The Trump administration wants to revamp U.S. childhood vaccination recommendations to align with some other peer nations, including one tiny country in northern Europe. n.pr/4atOAzx

Should the U.S. model its vaccine policy on Denmark's? Experts say we're nothing alike

The Trump administration wants to revamp U.S. childhood vaccination recommendations to align with some other peer nations, including one tiny country in northern Europe.

Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 19h

Cat hid on a bunk bed where no dogs could reach her.

Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 19h

They thought so! DNA said shepherd/husky/lab.

Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 19h

Chaos of the best kind. One cat too but she was understandably in hiding most of the time.

Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 19h

The size extremes.

Chihuahua with a blep

German shepherd mix with oldest son

Tara C. Smith @aetiology.bsky.social · 19h

My Christmas celebration included 6 dogs ranging in size from chihuahua to German shepherd so I'd say that was a successful event.

Reposted by Smith

Dr Emma L Briant @emma-briant.co.uk · 1d

But expecting that any instructor in any discipline needs to be able to essentially grade a theology paper loosely related to the subject based on ideas and texts (if students bother with them) from any major religion is just plain unrealistic and unreasonable.

Reposted by Smith

Dr Emma L Briant @emma-briant.co.uk · 1d

There is also the important point that any course is meant to evaluate students within the parameters of the content of that course itself. Essentially, they need to have understood it, engaged with all of the required readings, show their knowledge of it and ability to engage with it critically.

Reposted by Smith

Dr Emma L Briant @emma-briant.co.uk · 1d

meant to expect these standards only of secular students? Because if that's what's being expected, it means universities creating two tiers of students - and letting all students down in the process.

Reposted by Smith

Dr Emma L Briant @emma-briant.co.uk · 1d

The whole point of university is to have your ideas challenged - whoever you are. To learn to support your arguments with evidence, how to evaluate evidence and apply it, the difference between theory, ideology and empirical data, how data informs theory, and how theory guides research. Are teachers

Reposted by Smith

Star Trek Minus Context @nocontexttrek1.bsky.social · 1d

O holy night

Scene from Star Trek The Next Generation's Christmas Special and it's a real Worf masterpiece. He's standing, in uniform, and holding his arms out gripping the air like Macho Man Randy Savage pumping up the crowd. There are two black cattle prod looking objects with glowing red lights on the end of them being poked into his chestal region, basically straight in them nipples. His face is alive with the fire of a thousand suns. Merry Christmas.

Reposted by Smith

Jonathan Howard @joho.bsky.social · 2d

Here. sciencebasedmedicine.org/professor-st...

Professor Stephen Macedo: How Does it Feel to Have Elevated MAGA/MAHA Propagandists?

The fault is not yours alone. You were just a bit player in a larger misinformation media ecosystem that was devoted to rewriting the history of the pandemic, numbing people to the grave risk We Want

sciencebasedmedicine.org

Reposted by Smith

David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 2d

I gotta book coming?

The Public Scholar

A Practical Handbook

www.press.jhu.edu

Yoel Roth @yoyoel.com · 2d

A small (personal) example of this book’s intellectual dishonesty:

My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.

Huh? When did I say that?!

A passage from the book In Covid’s Wake, with a highlighted sentence reading: “Yoel Roth, the former head of trust and safety at Twitter, states that "the FBI went beyond strategic information sharing and made direct moderation demands," including demands involving domestic speech.”

Reposted by Roger A. Pielke, John McLaren, Philip N. Cohen , and 12 more Roger A. Pielke, John McLaren, Philip N. Cohen, Paul E. Johnson, Juan Cole, Smith, Alan Richardson, David R. Miller, Els Torreele, Brian Keegan, Aurélien Mondon, Mark Rice, Richard M. Carpiano, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Dan Immergluck

Michael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 2d

This is genuinely horrifying. Fact-free far-right agitprop given accolades by credible media across the political spectrum.

Princeton University Press @princetonupress.bsky.social · 4d

Congratulations to Stephen Macedo & Frances Lee, whose book In Covid's Wake has been recognized as:

⭐ A @newyorker.com Best Book of the Year
⭐ An @economist.com Book of the Year
⭐ A @wsj.com Best Book of the Year

Learn more about this eye-opening book: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

In Covid's Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us by Stephen Macedo and Frances Lee. A New Yorker Best Book of the Year; An Economist Best Book of the Year; A Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year

Reposted by Smith

The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 3d

Sweeping science cuts in 2025 halted clinical trials, erased public health data and forced researchers into impossible choices.

“This year nearly broke me as a scientist,” one writes.

Six researchers share their stories: buff.ly/u2MHIQo 🧪

‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives

US science lost a great deal in 2025, including tens of billions of dollars of federal funding, entire research agencies and programs, and a generation of researchers.

Reposted by Smith

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 3d

NEW: Ohio has just restricted mail voting, banning the so-called 'grace period' that allows mail ballots to come in the day after Election Day as long as they've been postmarked in time.

This is likely to lead to thousands of Dem-leaning ballots to be rejected.

Ohio is following Trump's demands.

Ohio Bans Grace Periods for Mail Ballots, Fulfilling Trump’s Wishes - Bolts

Ohio is the fourth GOP-run state this year to ban ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive after. A Supreme Court case could force that policy nationwide next year.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Lesley A. Hall, Trevon D. Logan , and 5 more Anna O. Law, Lesley A. Hall, Trevon D. Logan, Smith, Alan Richardson, R. M. Wilson, Sarah Roberts, Aviel Roshwald

3ccentric @thereal3ccentric.bsky.social · 3d

What's an insult you'll never forget?

Reposted by Smith

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 3d

In eastern Congo, where rape is widespread, the cancellation of USAID funding has left many victims vulnerable, according to nearly 50 interviews. https://wapo.st/3YKZmdm

Reposted by Jesse M. Shapiro, Smith

Zamin Iqbal @zaminiqbal.bsky.social · 3d

Hey folks, am looking for examples of circularised/full plasmid sequences from "unusual " bacterial species, sequenced since 2020 (as independent validation for a plasmid identification tool that was trained on refseq2020+plsdb). Any tips? #microsky

Reposted by Smith, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

Leon Thomas @renegadecut.bsky.social · 3d

60 minutes CECOT segment. Recorded through my browser. HD quality. Not phone. Spread it around. If you're press, it's yours. Go nuts.

It's streaming on a Canadian website, but there is no telling for how long.

www.filemail.com/d/wkcdttnacp...

Banned 60 Minutes CECOT Segment - Filemail

Get it while it's hot.

www.filemail.com

Reposted by Colin F. Camerer, Smith

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 4d

i always look back on this email as predictive of where she was heading

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Daniel Webster , and 11 more Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Daniel Webster, Megan L. Ranney, Rita Rubin, Laia Balcells, Juan Cole, Smith, Alan Richardson, Scott A. Imberman, Joanna L. Grossman, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Timothy D. McBride, David Darmofal

Yale School of Public Health @yalesph.bsky.social · 4d

A new report from researchers at the Yale School of Public Health warns that the U.S. government’s abrupt cancellation of funding for mRNA vaccine research could have devastating health and economic consequences for the nation.

New report sounds alarm on health fallout from mRNA vaccine funding cuts

A new report from the Yale School of Public Health warns that the U.S. government’s abrupt cancellation of funding for mRNA vaccine research could have

Reposted by Smith, Scott A. Imberman

Scott Gottlieb, MD @scottgottliebmd.bsky.social · 4d

My segment on CNBC today

Gottlieb: ‘If We Go to the Danish Model and We Substantially Reduce Vaccination … We’re Going to Have to Build New Pediatric Hospitals’

grabien.com/story?id=562...

Gottlieb: ‘If We Go to the Danish Model and We Substantially Reduce Vaccination … We’re Going to Have to Build New Pediatric Hospitals’

‘These aren’t benign diseases’

Reposted by Smith

weeder @weeder.bsky.social · 4d

If you got a problem, yo, I'll solvent, check out the gunk, isopropyl dissolves it

Reposted by Smith

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 4d

Cheryl Hines in the phase of her career where she’s becoming the lead gen mechanism for propaganda about dead kids. Career is really taking off!

From today’s Children’s Health Defense newsletter.

TE
NG
CHD.TV
DID NOT
EXCLUSIVE
DIE
INTERVIEW:
OF MEASLES' CHERYL HINES
'They Did Not Die of Measles' + Exclusive Interview With Cheryl Hines

Reposted by A. E. Dessler, Stefan Rahmstorf, Peter Thorne , and 4 more A. E. Dessler, Stefan Rahmstorf, Peter Thorne, Gavin A. Schmidt, John Fasullo, Smith, Leah Stokes

Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 4d

I look forward to the legally required, transparent peer review process required by the US Global Change Research Act and the Information Quality Act. I always thought they would try to do a NCA with Judith Curry, five old men and a LLM.

It’s the gold standard of US climate research. Contrarians could write the next one.

Researchers who have downplayed the threat of global warming have been asked to author the next National Climate Assessment.