Originally a comment by maddog on Speaking of self-discipline and judgement.

[S]ince 1966, the AAUP has also agreed on a Statement on Professional Ethics. [5] Per this 1966 Statement, professors are obligated to “exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge” and to “practice intellectual honesty”. We take this to mean that as academics, we also have a responsibility to the public to not misconstrue the scope of our expertise, nor comment in our capacity as academics on issues where we lack the requisite expertise. to not tell lies

FIFY

If you want to model the principles of academic ethics, the first principle is: be honest. Don’t lie. Without that first principle, none of the other precepts … Read the rest

Ok then I’ll make my own party, and it will be much better than yours!!

Yeah but bro you’re not even from here. You can’t even vote here.

Musk dreams the impossible dream.

Shares in Tesla tanked by as much as 7.6% in premarket trading Monday after its CEO Elon Musk said he is forming a new American political party, provoking an irate response from US President Donald Trump.

If only we could chain them to each other for life.

“I’m saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late Sunday

Clear symptom of someone who never reads anything, … Read the rest

Jerry Coyne says what I say. Everyone should be saying it.

As of yesterday, the letter was signed by (according to my count) 211 people, 31 of whom who refused to give their names and appear as “anonymous”, 65 who say they are graduate students, and 57 who say they are undergraduates. (See the signers by clicking on this link.) While there is some overlap between these groups, it’s fair to say that about half the signers lack either the courage or the expertise to call out Byrne for “lack of expertise”. What kind of person would refuse to give their names when engaging in such a dogpile?

And note that the “expertise” of those judging Byrne’s expertise

… Read the rest

From Alex Byrne’s Opinion piece in the Washington Post on June 26:

The hostile response to the review by medical groups and practitioners underscores why it was necessary. Medicalized treatment for pediatric gender dysphoria needs to be dispassionately scrutinized like any other area of medicine, no matter which side of the aisle is cheering it on. But in the United States, it has not been.

I was familiar with the other authors — there are nine of us in all — and I was confident that we could produce a rigorous, well-argued document that could do some good. Collectively, we had all the bases covered, with experts in endocrinology, the methodology of evidence-based medicine, medical ethics, psychiatry, health policy and

… Read the rest

Heather Cox Richardson yesterday

Immediately after the catastrophe became apparent, Texas officials began to blame cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS)—part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—for causing inaccurate forecasts. The “Department of Government Efficiency” cut about 600 staffers from the NWS. After the cuts, the understaffed agency warned that “severe shortages” of meteorologists would hurt weather forecasting.

All five living former directors of the NWS warned in May that the cuts “[leave] the nation’s official weather forecasting entity at a significant deficit…just as we head into the busiest time for severe storm predictions like tornadoes and hurricanes…. Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of

… Read the rest

Yeah no.

https://twitter.com/Wommando/status/1941755117121814702 No. See, claims about exhaustion and pressure could explain and perhaps excuse some things, like resort to alcohol or drugs, or playing loud music, or eating a whole pizza. Such claims cannot excuse things like torturing animals or setting people on fire or downloading kiddy torture porn. It’s not relaxing or stress-relieving to torture or harm sentient beings or to look at images of such torture and harm. It may be fun, if you’re a sick fuck, but it’s not stress relief.… Read the rest

Vile colleagues part 3: Dear Professor Byrne

It was alleged in May that you were among the anonymous authors of the HHS report on pediatric trans care. The report, among other things, issues the alarming recommendation that trans youth should not have access to gender-affirming care, despite the leading pediatric medical body in the country supporting the efficacy and life-saving potential of these treatments. [1]

In light of your recent confirmation [2] of these allegations, we as your colleagues at MIT, in philosophy, and in higher-education feel it necessary to speak out.

They’re not actually his colleagues. Most of them are grad students. Some are colleagues, but not most.

[S]ince 1966, the AAUP has also agreed on a Statement on

… Read the rest

Vile colleagues part 2.

“We are happy to grant that your participation in the authoring of the report is an exercise of your academic freedom.”

Another good place to stop and switch to making an argument against Alex’s work.

But no, they prefer to condescendingly attack his credibility instead. pic.twitter.com/WNgo2i5t3W

— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) July 6, 2025

“While you claim to support the right of trans people to live freely, in practice your behavior does not support this right. Since 2020 you have published a number of academic articles, as well as one book, arguing against trans inclusivity.”

Excuse me excuse me – what does the second sentence have to do with the first? The right to live freely is … Read the rest

Yet another witch trial under way.

https://twitter.com/sfmcguire79/status/1941867882083672111

The authors of the open letter are unhappy that Alex worked on the HHS report. They accuse him of:

-perpetuating harm against trans people

-failing to meet his academic responsibilities, and

-collaborating with the Trump admin.

The letter does not engage with his arguments. pic.twitter.com/DwbHoBw4mo

— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) July 6, 2025

…feel it necessary to speak out.

While we are not here calling for official or unofficial sanctions, we the undersigned believe that your behavior (a) perpetuates harm toward the trans community; (b) constitutes a failure to uphold your responsibilities as an academic; (c) is the result of an extremely misguided decision to collaborate with the Trump administration.

Is it still 2015? … Read the rest

Stone the crows, Euan [aka Sophie Molly] has written an article. It’s as bad as you’d expect.

Back in April 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled that, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, the definition of ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ refers to biological sex. This legal clarification, though presented as a matter of statutory interpretation, has had far-reaching and deeply personal consequences for many trans individuals across the country. 

Back in April, he means, or in April this year. “Back in April 2025” is clumsy and ridiculous. He is not a clever man.

More substantively, notice his whine about personal consequences for “trans individuals” [what’s wrong with “people”? Doesn’t sound pompous enough?] while he ignores personal consequences for … Read the rest

Allison Bailey won her case.

A gender-critical lawyer was banned by her vet because of her belief that there are only two biological sexes, a judge has said.

Imagine a vet or dentist or doctor takes exception to you because of your “belief” that humans are not rabbits.

Allison Bailey, a retired criminal defence barrister and co-founder of the LGB Alliance, sued Palmerston Veterinary Group’s surgery in Walthamstow, north-east London, after she was “expelled” from the practice.

The practice claimed she was thrown out for being rude to staff, but the judge rejected the argument, saying she had faced “unlawful discrimination” because of her beliefs.

I hope that vet practice isn’t spaying male dogs and cats and … Read the rest

Aren’t we clever, we’ve resurrected measles.

Falling childhood vaccine coverage and a large, smoldering outbreak that was kindled in an undervaccinated pocket of West Texas have driven the United States to a troubling new milestone: There have been more measles cases in the US this year than any other since the disease was declared eliminated a quarter-century ago.

Nice work, Bob. You’re a real piece of shit.

Experts say this year’s cases are likely to be severely undercounted because many are going unreported. Three people have died from measles this year – two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico, all of whom were unvaccinated – matching the total number of US measles deaths from the previous

… Read the rest

Another bold advertisement of how radically different and horrible the Trump regime is:

Trump says he wants to stage UFC fight on White House grounds

Next year it will be fight to the death gladiators.

US president Donald Trump said Thursday that he’s thinking of staging a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence.

“We have a lot of land there,” said Trump, a UFC enthusiast who has attended several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months and is close friends with Dana White, the league’s president.

Oh good. That’s an excellent reason to celebrate independence with a display of violence.

Military displays serve the same purpose, … Read the rest

Hahahaha you don’t say.

Join us! No wait, don’t, we’re not doing it after all. Pretend we never said anything. Pretend you never heard of us.

The full announcement, which hilariously has not been quietly deleted.

This Pride Month we’re celebrating the diversity of sexual behaviour, biology and reproduction found in nature.

Speak with our scientists about all manner of subjects, from asexual reproduction in Komodo dragons to the marvellous mating methods of molluscs. Watch award-winning drag king Bi-Curious George perform and pick your favourite specimen to use as a muse in one of our art workshops.

Enjoy exploring our galleries away from the daytime crowds, including our new free Fixing Our Broken Planet Gallery. Plus, visit our new exhibition 

… Read the rest

Thick as two short planks.

pic.twitter.com/4oKAb41am5

— Dr Helen Webberley (she/her) (@HelenWebberley) July 3, 2025

She probably didn’t write it herself but she did choose to share it despite the obvious stupidities.

Of course we allow “color critical views.” I dislike beige. I’m allowed to say that. Of course we allow “disability critical views.” Disabilities are bad and nobody wants them. I’m allowed to say that. As for “religion critical views” – ever heard of atheism? There are cultures that frown on it and even some that punish it, but the more prosperous and free cultures allow it. I can confirm: I co-wrote a book about God’s apparent hatred of women and I was never visited by the police for … Read the rest

He could ask Jared…

The Anti-Defamation League on Friday condemned President Donald Trump’s use of the term “Shylock” at a Thursday night rally, saying the president was invoking a “centuries-old antisemitic trope.”

During a campaign-style rally speech in Iowa on Thursday — in which the president basked in his megabill success — Trump touted what he and Republicans have promoted as benefits of the sweeping legislation.

“No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker — and in some cases, shylocks and bad people,” Trump said.

You can see him flailing there even before you get to the “shylock.” He was going to paint banks in general as … Read the rest

Ffs how stupid do you have to be to set off fireworks IN LOS ANGELES?

A woman has been left in critical condition after suffering injuries in a residential fire involving active fireworks that more than 100 firefighters responded to, officials said.

The incident occurred just after 9 p.m. in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, when authorities say that three one-story homes were showing fire when the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to “active fireworks inside a detached garage are exposing more homes and brush in the area,” according to information obtained from the LAFD by ABC News’ Los Angeles station KABC.

Bad writing, but we get the idea – some idiot set off fireworks inside … Read the rest

Erm…sir…

Tomorrow at Pride in London we’ll send a message to the world: in our city you are free to be whoever you want to be, and love whoever you want to love.

We must take a stand against those seeking to roll back hard-won rights. pic.twitter.com/zGPiOMQs3X

— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) July 4, 2025

Leni Riefenstahl would be all over that. … Read the rest

When Pride becomes megalomania:

When Marion Harding contacted the chief executive of Surrey County Council in 2021 to raise safeguarding concerns about her local Pride organisation, she expected a speedy response.

After all, the council itself had given Pride in Surrey tens of thousands of pounds in funding, and her concerns were about the protection of potentially vulnerable young people who came into contact with the LGBTQ organisation, which was set up in 2018 by local activist, Stephen Ireland.

Harding, 62, and her wife, Cathy, 59, had volunteered for Pride in Surrey, but both had a number of worries about Ireland’s conduct, not least that he had appointed himself head of safeguarding – a role that, according to

… Read the rest

Oh goody, an open letter.

Open Letter: “Biological Sex” and Its Variants are Transphobic Slurs

Says Trans Advocacy & Complaints Collective, which I suppose is a person and a phone.

To our Public bodies, MPs, and Media outlets,

When considering the language we use to address a group, particularly a minority group, the most precise and respectful term is the language they choose for themselves. This is a widely accepted principle of respect, yet in recent years, it has been inexplicably overlooked when it comes to addressing transgender people and the trans community as a whole.

Is it? Is it? Is it really?

I don’t think so. The words “a group” can mean almost anything. Say you have … Read the rest