Mark D. Garfinkel, Ph.D.

To paraphrase Carl Sagan — and older sources too — “we come from stardust, and to stardust we will return.”

Some nuclear waste isotopes have very long half-lives & trace amounts could be detectable for >10e6 years. (Yucca Mountain, or similar.)

The Apollo instruments & LM descent stages left on the Moon a half-century ago might also survive intact that long too, don’t you think?

And of course … V’ger !

A firing squad would be too… humane.

They need to be put through a wood-chipper. Slowly.

I’m old enough to remember multiple invocations of “The Protocols…”

…And it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest

Was the low spark of high-heeled boys”

— Winwood & Capaldi, of Traffic, 1971

“The percentage you're paying is too high-priced

While you're living beyond all your means

The man in the suit has just bought a new car

From the profit he's made on your dreams

But today you just read that the man was shot dead

By a gun that didn't make any noise…

/1

The historical parallel is too apt … because there are so-called Christian Nationalists in the US who would say that “Jews don’t belong in American society.”

Suggestion — the Twentieth-Anniversary Edition Macintosh from 1997. Design inspired by (ripped off from?) this classic B&O product.

This is part of Russell Vought’s strategy of arrogating to OMB/EOWH all spending authority that resides in Congress. He is functionally impounding funds in violation of statutes & constitutional separation of powers. He _wants_ to provoke litigation that will force SCOTUS to strike down the ICA.

With the important difference being that Ted Koppel on ABC at 1130pm ET in 1979-1981 had dramatically more viewers than CNN does today. My guess — a factor of ten larger!

...and on the subject of debts...

I am always grateful for the tireless efforts of Suzy Brown and the entire @genetics-gsa.bsky.social staff, who make our #Drosophila annual meetings, including #dros26, run so smoothly.

Hip-hip... hooray!

Hip-hip... hooray!

Hip-hip... hooray!

This will sound... bizarre. Did I miss a #dros26 slide show & call-out for "In Memoriam" — a tribute to members of the #Drosophila community who passed away last year?

We stand on the shoulders of giants: men & women who taught us, nurtured us, encouraged us. We should acknowledge our debt to them.

I looked for local coverage of the #StandUpForScienceChicago rally to get a better estimate of crowd size. All I could find were reports about the #SUFS rally held at the same site on Mar 7th _2025._

Lots of photographers were present, but no tv crews. That disappointed me.

#dros26 #drosophila

You may come to regret the “stock exchange” image of traders with eyeshades when “contango” and “backwardation” become commonplace Fly People jargon. :)

“Take your damn hat off” AND bow your head to mimic a prayerful demeanor.

The man ain’t got no _culture._

“Specter of the Gun.” And yes, it is an entirely forgettable episode from the mostly forgettable third season of ST-TOS.

It’s a pale retelling of the ST-TOS first season episode _The Corbomite Maneuver._

He’s channeling the fictional mad king Denethor:

“Think better of me, father,” said Faramir, as he left for a quixotic mission to retake Osgiliath.

“That will depend upon the _manner_ of your return.”

_Counterpart._

Got back from #SUFS #Chicago. ~300 people attended. All ages, including families w/ young children. Jack Szostack was the keynote speaker in an excellent lineup, but the real star was the UofC evol grad student who gave a shoutout to #Flybase.

Got back from #StandUpForScienceChicago. ~300 people attended. All ages, including families w/ young children. Jack Szostack was the keynote speaker in an excellent lineup, but the real star was the UofC evol grad student who gave a shoutout to #Flybase.

Y’all should have come!

#Drosophila #dros26

“Surely they have to spend the money” — not according to Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. He is the Machiavelli/Rasputin/Svengali running the funds. Vought is the most important & most malevolent appointee most people have never heard of. He wrote “Project 2025.”

“Perfect” now must include “consistent with the president’s agenda.”

We’re entering a Stalinist/Lysenkoist period where political commissars are in charge. They must be obeyed.

Today’s the National Day of Action called by #SUFS

standupforscience.net/march7

Quote-posted for my FOFs…

#dros26
#drosophila
#genetics

More data to support the call-to-action issued by #SUFS.

Interesting idea! It’s consistent with the total lack of cultural awareness that permeates this administration.

I’m also attending #dros26, and I don’t think I’ve bumped into either of you.

I knew I should have refilled my car before leaving home to attend #Dros26…

Joe Biden is speaking at the funeral for Jesse Jackson.

Biden’s warmth, thoughtfulness, basic human decency, and self-deprecating sense of humor are _so_ sorely missed in Washington DC.

Quote posted to add relevant hashtags…

#drosophila
#dros26
#genetics
#genomics
#evolution

In some families “JD” stands for “juvenile delinquent.”