Marsha Berkman
@marshaberkman.bsky.social
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
The nomimated NIH Director said this at his confirmation 10 hours ago.
Meanwhile...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Meanwhile...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
March 6, 2025 at 3:39 AM
The nomimated NIH Director said this at his confirmation 10 hours ago.
Meanwhile...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Meanwhile...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
Study Section meetings actually announced in the Federal Register today!
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings
Search, browse and learn about the Federal Register. Federal Register 2.0 is the unofficial daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as e...
www.federalregister.gov
March 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Study Section meetings actually announced in the Federal Register today!
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
It’s been six days since Chief Justice Roberts’s “administrative” stay in the foreign aid cases. That almost certainly means (1) someone’s dissenting; (2) the Court is trying to reach a compromise; or (3) both. Hard to be sure which it is, but the continuing pause is itself producing plenty of harm.
March 4, 2025 at 3:31 PM
It’s been six days since Chief Justice Roberts’s “administrative” stay in the foreign aid cases. That almost certainly means (1) someone’s dissenting; (2) the Court is trying to reach a compromise; or (3) both. Hard to be sure which it is, but the continuing pause is itself producing plenty of harm.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
This whole country wants bad things for others more than they want good things for themselves.
February 27, 2025 at 5:03 PM
This whole country wants bad things for others more than they want good things for themselves.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
NEW: While Elon Musk and his underlings demand budget cuts and layoffs across the federal government, funding for the agency they operate — the Department of Government Efficiency — has soared to some $40 million, ProPublica found.
DOGE’s Millions: As Musk and Trump Gut Government, Their Ax-Cutting Agency Gets Cash Infusion
The Department of Government Efficiency is funded — and acts — like a federal agency. But the White House has shielded DOGE from the rules that govern such agencies, ProPublica found as it examines…
propub.li
February 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
NEW: While Elon Musk and his underlings demand budget cuts and layoffs across the federal government, funding for the agency they operate — the Department of Government Efficiency — has soared to some $40 million, ProPublica found.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
NEW: Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%.
https://propub.li/43487Tj
https://propub.li/43487Tj
Texas Banned Abortion. Then Sepsis Rates Soared.
ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis is the most detailed look yet into a rise in life-threatening complications for women experiencing pregnancy loss under Texas’ abortion ban.
propub.li
February 20, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW: Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%.
https://propub.li/43487Tj
https://propub.li/43487Tj
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
For some of the most comprehensive USAID reporting yet, @timothypmurphy.bsky.social & I spoke to ~12 USAID workers about how Musk & Trump have screwed over FSOs, interrupted life-saving projects, & shattered the foundations of the entire humanitarian aid industry. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Chaos, harassment, and unpaid bills: Inside Elon Musk's war on USAID
“We’ve given up everything to serve our country overseas, and we’re being maligned by the richest asshole in the world.”
www.motherjones.com
February 13, 2025 at 5:13 PM
For some of the most comprehensive USAID reporting yet, @timothypmurphy.bsky.social & I spoke to ~12 USAID workers about how Musk & Trump have screwed over FSOs, interrupted life-saving projects, & shattered the foundations of the entire humanitarian aid industry. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
It's going to be a long four years, especially if we make ourselves insane misreading budget documents.
This is a story where multiple things are true at the same time and it's a warning about how we consume information going forward
gizmodo.com/the-400-mill...
This is a story where multiple things are true at the same time and it's a warning about how we consume information going forward
gizmodo.com/the-400-mill...
The $400 Million Armored Tesla Story Is a Fake Scandal In a Sea of Real Graft and Horror
The State Department does a lot of business with a lot of different companies and has bought Tesla's before. But freaking out and editing a spreadsheet when it’s pointed out is weird.
gizmodo.com
February 13, 2025 at 4:53 PM
It's going to be a long four years, especially if we make ourselves insane misreading budget documents.
This is a story where multiple things are true at the same time and it's a warning about how we consume information going forward
gizmodo.com/the-400-mill...
This is a story where multiple things are true at the same time and it's a warning about how we consume information going forward
gizmodo.com/the-400-mill...
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
🧵 THREAD
So a number of America’s 93 U.S. Attorneys — top federal prosecutors in districts around the country — have been notified they are being terminated.
In Trump 1.0, then-AG Jeff Sessions asked Obama-appointed U.S. Attorneys to resign.
In Trump 2.0, terminations are coming from White House.
So a number of America’s 93 U.S. Attorneys — top federal prosecutors in districts around the country — have been notified they are being terminated.
In Trump 1.0, then-AG Jeff Sessions asked Obama-appointed U.S. Attorneys to resign.
In Trump 2.0, terminations are coming from White House.
February 13, 2025 at 11:17 AM
🧵 THREAD
So a number of America’s 93 U.S. Attorneys — top federal prosecutors in districts around the country — have been notified they are being terminated.
In Trump 1.0, then-AG Jeff Sessions asked Obama-appointed U.S. Attorneys to resign.
In Trump 2.0, terminations are coming from White House.
So a number of America’s 93 U.S. Attorneys — top federal prosecutors in districts around the country — have been notified they are being terminated.
In Trump 1.0, then-AG Jeff Sessions asked Obama-appointed U.S. Attorneys to resign.
In Trump 2.0, terminations are coming from White House.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
My latest in @theguardian.com argues that Trump’s obsession with immigration is an obsession with it as a tool of segregation and white supremacy, which is how it has long been used in the United States.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/comm...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/comm...
Trump’s obsession with immigration is really an obsession with segregation | Heba Gowayed
His policies are the latest instantiation of a centuries-long American tradition: laws meant to exclude people of color and privilege whiteness
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2025 at 12:19 PM
My latest in @theguardian.com argues that Trump’s obsession with immigration is an obsession with it as a tool of segregation and white supremacy, which is how it has long been used in the United States.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/comm...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/comm...
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
The men and women of our military have endured many hardships and even many shameful humiliations at the hands of their country but surely they don’t deserve being put in Cybertrucks.
After reports circulated Wednesday night of the State Department's intent to purchase Tesla vehicles, the document was edited, at 9:12 p.m., and now says the federal contract is for $400 million worth of "armored electric vehicles," but the word "Tesla" was removed.
www.npr.org/2025/02/13/g...
www.npr.org/2025/02/13/g...
Trump administration set to purchase $400 million worth of armored Teslas
That's according to a public State Department procurement document. It comes as ethics experts raise conflict of interest questions about the chief executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, who is a top White Ho...
www.npr.org
February 13, 2025 at 5:45 AM
The men and women of our military have endured many hardships and even many shameful humiliations at the hands of their country but surely they don’t deserve being put in Cybertrucks.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
Hopes raised for saving Gaza ceasefire as hostage releases reportedly agreed – Middle East crisis live
Hopes raised for saving Gaza ceasefire as hostage releases reportedly agreed – Middle East crisis live
Three hostages will reportedly be freed on Saturday after threats that Israel would resume war if they were not released
Reporting from Rafah in southern Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum states that he can see “hundreds of UN trucks lined up” waiting…
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Hopes raised for saving Gaza ceasefire as hostage releases reportedly agreed – Middle East crisis live
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
An insightful new (declassified) report from Denmark's Defence Intelligence Service. Here's a thread summarising the report's findings on Russia. 1/6 🧵
February 13, 2025 at 9:35 AM
An insightful new (declassified) report from Denmark's Defence Intelligence Service. Here's a thread summarising the report's findings on Russia. 1/6 🧵
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
Interesting: the State Department’s procurement forecast detailing a $400 million order for "armored Tesla" has now been edited to "armored electric vehicles." The document shows the edit was made tonight at 9:12 p.m. -- after it was highlighted in reports
February 13, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Interesting: the State Department’s procurement forecast detailing a $400 million order for "armored Tesla" has now been edited to "armored electric vehicles." The document shows the edit was made tonight at 9:12 p.m. -- after it was highlighted in reports
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
We are hearing today that NIH is restarting issuing grant awards — that is, for awards already approved by council, or renewals that normally happen as matter of course, money will start going out.
Caution, though, before we interpret this as a win...
1/ 🧪
Caution, though, before we interpret this as a win...
1/ 🧪
February 12, 2025 at 6:22 PM
We are hearing today that NIH is restarting issuing grant awards — that is, for awards already approved by council, or renewals that normally happen as matter of course, money will start going out.
Caution, though, before we interpret this as a win...
1/ 🧪
Caution, though, before we interpret this as a win...
1/ 🧪
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
This thread has aged depressingly well. The reporting in it was A+++
Several conversations today w people in the key executive departments. And while the particulars are hard to pin down my impression is that the Musk take over stuff is considerably worse than is being presented in the press. By this I don’t necessarily things they *done* yet but the level of …
February 12, 2025 at 6:34 PM
This thread has aged depressingly well. The reporting in it was A+++
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
Top tip. Don’t have insomnia in the middle of a coup.
An executive order has now given DOGE oversight of all government departments.
It’s a complete takeover of the federal government by Musk. A Musk ‘team lead’ will now make all hiring decisions according to a ‘data-driven’ model
An executive order has now given DOGE oversight of all government departments.
It’s a complete takeover of the federal government by Musk. A Musk ‘team lead’ will now make all hiring decisions according to a ‘data-driven’ model
February 12, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Top tip. Don’t have insomnia in the middle of a coup.
An executive order has now given DOGE oversight of all government departments.
It’s a complete takeover of the federal government by Musk. A Musk ‘team lead’ will now make all hiring decisions according to a ‘data-driven’ model
An executive order has now given DOGE oversight of all government departments.
It’s a complete takeover of the federal government by Musk. A Musk ‘team lead’ will now make all hiring decisions according to a ‘data-driven’ model
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
OK, I wrote my “who’s going to enforce it?” piece. It’s a lengthy read, trying to respond to a lot of questions I’ve gotten over the past three weeks, but it’s about democracy so I decided it was worth it to lay out in depth, with examples, what I’ve been talking about here and elsewhere.
Don't let Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk us out of democracy
Trump and Musk are testing the limits, trying to sell America on being an authoritarian state — but they can’t do it unless we allow them to do so.
www.lawdork.com
February 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
OK, I wrote my “who’s going to enforce it?” piece. It’s a lengthy read, trying to respond to a lot of questions I’ve gotten over the past three weeks, but it’s about democracy so I decided it was worth it to lay out in depth, with examples, what I’ve been talking about here and elsewhere.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
In Germany, the journalists are often the hosts and the politicians are the lucky visitors. www.cjr.org/analysis/ger...
February 11, 2025 at 11:31 PM
In Germany, the journalists are often the hosts and the politicians are the lucky visitors. www.cjr.org/analysis/ger...
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
1. Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old member of DOGE launched an image-sharing website in 2021 that featured custom “shitposting” URLs that redirected to content hosted on his site. URLs that redirected to Coristine’s site referenced the sale of child sexual abuse material, racial slurs, and rape.
DOGE Teen Ran Image-Sharing Site Linked to URLs Referencing Pedophilia and the KKK
The site launched by Edward Coristine in 2021 promised to protect the privacy of its users, stating, “All your images are encrypted. We do not log IP addresses, device agents or anything else.”
www.muskwatch.com
February 11, 2025 at 4:58 PM
1. Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old member of DOGE launched an image-sharing website in 2021 that featured custom “shitposting” URLs that redirected to content hosted on his site. URLs that redirected to Coristine’s site referenced the sale of child sexual abuse material, racial slurs, and rape.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
Cut to NIH grants, initially only blocked for the 22 states included in the lawsuit, now is blocked for all states. Hopefully folks at places like Penn State and Iowa, where they had been told they could not submit or receive NIH grants, get some relief too.
BREAKING: Federal judge in Boston broadens block on Trump's NIH grant 15% overhead limit (indirect cost rates) to all recipients nationwide. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
#TROpalooza ain't done
#TROpalooza ain't done
AAMCOrd021025
www.documentcloud.org
February 11, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Cut to NIH grants, initially only blocked for the 22 states included in the lawsuit, now is blocked for all states. Hopefully folks at places like Penn State and Iowa, where they had been told they could not submit or receive NIH grants, get some relief too.
Reposted by Marsha Berkman
yeah this is a straight-up heist
Trump’s sudden cutoff of funding and staff at USAID has meant the loss of “almost all ability to track $8.2 billion in unspent humanitarian aid…, a government watchdog warned Monday.”
This whole wire report on the accelerating catastrophe bears reading.
www.therepublic.com/2025/02/10/u...
This whole wire report on the accelerating catastrophe bears reading.
www.therepublic.com/2025/02/10/u...
USAID watchdog warns of lack of oversight of $8.2 billion in unspent aid after Trump moves - The Republic News
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Agency for International Development has lost almost all ability to track $8.2 billion in unspent humanitarian aid after the Trump admin...
www.therepublic.com
February 10, 2025 at 11:50 PM
yeah this is a straight-up heist