STEMtheBleeding Profile picture
Medically Retired Marine. Biochemist and mathematician. Integrity trumps all. 🔄/📮/🐘/🐳 STEMTheBleeding
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Oct 4 8 tweets 2 min read
Harris may be the first Dem in modern history who finally understands the power of "net voters", a concept used by Republicans for decades to maintain stranglehold on states and rural districts.

And judging by the comments, it needs some explanation.

1/ "Nevertrumpers won't support Harris!"

That's not their role, even though some have endorsed her. If they did that, they'd lose their effectiveness.

Their job isn't to convince Trump voters to support Harris, (a net +2 vote), but rather vote AGAINST Trump (a net +1 vote)
2/
Jun 30 10 tweets 2 min read
Seeing a lot of idiots ask "hOw cAn BiDeN sToP pRoJecT 2025?"

Project 2025 requires two things:

1) an executive branch willing to take the power

2) a judicial branch willing to give it to them.

Reelecting Biden addresses both. 1) Biden's executive branch has not stripped power from the cabinet agencies and legislative branch. In fact they've given them more autonomy to accomplish their tasks, which is why we have things like the Teton Pass being reopened without a 3 ring circus and sharpies.
Oct 10, 2022 9 tweets 2 min read
Obama in 2009: We need children to eat healthier in schools.

DOD in 2009: If we don't address childhood obesity, we won't be able to maintain our military readiness.

GOP "Fuck you!"

GOP in 2022: "Why are #recruiters having such problems finding 18 year olds who are qualified?" For those wondering what I mean, let me explain:

Every June, recruiters get a list of the next years high school seniors from the counselor who didn't opt out of being contacted by recruiters.

We then have pool members from that school start marking off names.
Oct 8, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
So on the way home from helping my GF's aunt with some electrical work, we were rear ended at a light.

No injuries, cosmetic damage to my car, none to his (he was very apologetic and professional, as was the NC state trooper that stopped)

I'm curious.

Would you feel a claim? Basic details:

We stopped at the red light, he was behind us, the car at the front of the line went, but the jeep in front of us didn't. The driver behind us saw the 1st car go, and proceeded to drive into the back of us.
Aug 31, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
Remember: Trump's legal team DEMANDED this response.

The DOJ was forced to reply to his "special master" request - and boy did they. They eviscerated him. They destroyed his legal "arguments" and they showed America a small subset of America's secrets he stole. If anyone ever found these documents unsecured, meaning "not in a vault in a SCIF, or at DNI approved workstation or workspace", the entire facility would be locked down, everyone in the building at the time would surrender their devices and sign an Art 31 statement.
Aug 29, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
I'm torn on this assessment, particularly the part about your curriculum is at fault if you can't teach it in 40 minutes or less 3-5 days a week. It doesn't work for every subject, nor every student. But should homework be tabulated in grades? I think no. It should be test prep. On one hand, let's be honest: in a 50 minute class, you may have 40 minutes of actual learning time, with the first 5 minutes spent w/ students powering on laptops or opening books, and the last 5 w/ them thinking about getting to their next class. 20% of class time is lost.
Jun 30, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
If Dems do manage to end the #filibuster, and then NOTHING is passed afterwards, will you vote for Dems in the midterms? And if you hesitated for even a second before saying yes, then that's exactly why Dems won't end the filibuster.

Because if Dems end the filibuster, then their voters need to come out no matter what is blocked by senate procedure, stripped by the parliamentarian, etc.
May 3, 2022 7 tweets 2 min read
This. Sadly.

By saying "abortion isn't enumerated in the Constitution", Alito is making the 10th amendment argument, sidestepping the "when does life begin?" issue altogether.

But because of that, since codifying abortion into law would not change its lack of enumeration... it would be challenged by any state with a ban (TX), quickly sail through the district court (stacked w/ Trump appointed Rs), enjoined by the circuit court (stacked w/Trump appointed Rs) and end up where? Right back in Alito's lap because he oversees the 5th circuit.
May 3, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
For no particular reason today, I'm going to share a little chemistry knowledge about how to store medications.

First and foremost, compounds DO break down over time. This is unavoidable.

But you can do a couple of things to delay that breakdown. Medications have three main enemies.

1) Oxygen
2) humidity
3) temperature

Oxygen exposure breaks compounds down through chemical reactions.

What a lab will do is blow N2 gas over their compounds to displace oxygen.

What you can do is ensure the packaging isn't damaged.
May 2, 2022 4 tweets 2 min read
You know what's worse than putting down 3 1/2 pallets of sod?

Having to rip out and throw away 3 pallets of it because the seller didn't tell you that it was frost damaged the day before it was cut.

We not only have to pay for new sod, but also pay to remove 3 tons of sod. Here's a representation of what @TurfMastersLC sent me. (note: this is the stuff I'm trying to save. That's how bad the rest of it was.)

That's < 1 month in.

Are you proud of this product? Should I post these pics on my HOA board so my neighbors know what they're getting?
Dec 2, 2021 10 tweets 3 min read
In light of what's transpired today, I think I should share a little story about why I and many other Dems who were screaming about the importance of the judiciary are angry today.

And no, it's not the SCOTUS. It's the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (5th CCA) First some facts:

In 2016, because of the Reid/McConnell agreement, it only took a simple majority to fill judiciary appointments (not SCOTUS)

And in 2016, the 5th CCA had 6! vacancies.

Also: Any contested bill from TX/MS/LA gets adjudicated in the 5th CCA.

It's a big deal
Dec 1, 2021 5 tweets 2 min read
At first blush: this is a stupid question. How could you want a new strain to flood the country?;

But it's actually less dumb than one might think, and there's been considerable thought given to it by virologists. Here's the logic:

Omicron is more transmittable than the other variants, but seems to cause less severe symptoms. So if we let a highly contagious/low lethality virus become the predominant strain, that effectively works as a vaccine, right?
Nov 6, 2021 5 tweets 3 min read
So in one fell swoop, Dems;

tricked the squad into voting with coal and pharmaceutical lobbyists

Let them tell Black families that their protests for clean water in Flint were nothing but a lie

and defused the GOP talking point that the socialist left runs the party.

Smart. @BySallyAlbright
@BlueSteelDC
@TheeKHiveQueenB
@layneashley222
@Mermaids4Kamala
@thepoliticalcat
@1StrongBlack1

Thoughts?
Sep 16, 2021 6 tweets 7 min read
@TheSportsBetty @laverdad80 @rckfsh @erinokp99 I'll try, but suicide inhibitors are covered in grad school biochemistry classes because they require a LOT of organic chem knowledge to explain.

Normal inhibitors bind an enzyme, prevent it from doing it's job, and release (think of someone sitting in your chair at your desk) @TheSportsBetty @laverdad80 @rckfsh @erinokp99 2/

a suicide inhibitor creates a covalent bond with the enzyme pocket, changing the structure of it's receptor. To further the previous example, someone sits in your chair and breaks it trying to adjust it to fit to their liking. Now when they get up, you can't sit down either
Sep 16, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
LtCol Vindman is acknowledging a painful reality that we in the military experience often: sometimes we must take a course of action KNOWING the consequences, weighing them, and deciding the benefits to others exceed them to us. Sometimes, it's running into almost certain death to save a civilian.

Sometimes, it's ending your career to avoid following an "unlawful order".

Sometimes, it's taking the punishment for the actions of your subordinates, because "you're in charge."

Gen Milley knows this.
Sep 14, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
So let's ignore the elephant in the room regarding his past to pose an even simpler question.

WHERE?

Minnesota? He's going to primary Amy Klobuchar?!? Not a chance. He'd get destroyed.

He can't run against Tina, she has 4 more years.

So that means relocating.

But where? Where in the US is a white man with a questionable history regarding women going to be able to run in 2022?

Against a Republican? Maybe in OH. It's swingy enough, and Tim Scott doesn't seem that strong.

But do we REALLY want to hand a GOPer that easy card to play against us?
Aug 17, 2021 11 tweets 3 min read
Man, I picked a good day to mostly stay off this site today.

The number of bad takes by people who couldn't find Afghanistan on a map were coming fast and thick, and simultaneously ignoring the actual experts, ie those of who survived by understanding Afghanistan is NOT the west "We trained the army for 20 years!"

The average ANA service time was measured in weeks and months before they'd disappear, not years.

Very few "veterans" in the ANA, and those who did exist were often reassigned to be VIP guards or other non-infantry roles
Aug 9, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
For those of you in (or related to someone in the military who are hearing about the #DODVaccineMandate in Sept 15, and thinking about refusing it, let me just put on my Marine Corp SNCO hat and mention 3 things.

86. 92. 134.

Those are the articles you'll be tried under. Corps!

That's what happens when I turn on predictive text..

But yes it is that simple: if you're ordered to go to the clinic and you refuse, you can be charged UA (Art 86), and under Art 91 for violating a lawful order + art 134 for being a general pain the ass.
Mar 18, 2021 15 tweets 5 min read
For #WomensHistoryMonth I'm going to tell you a story of a #womaninSTEM who:

- 95% of you have never heard of
- 4% of you that have only know her name from a test question
- 100% of us depend on her work to enjoy our modern lives.

Her name is Maud.

Dr. Maud Menten. Maud Leonora Menten was born in 1879 in Ontario. She went to school at the University of Toronto, where she studied medicine.

In 1904, she got her BA.
Her M.B. in 1907.
Her M.D. in 1911.
And her Ph.D. in 1916 .

But she did her thesis work in Chicago and Germany.

Why?
Mar 18, 2021 13 tweets 3 min read
So I decided to convert one of my crockpot recipes over to Instant-Pot, and thought I'd share the results and the recipe.

This isn't a fancy dinner, but it's classic comfort food and great for a cool rainy evening. Ingredients: (serves 4, we have lots of leftovers)
2 lb sirloin tip roast
1 small bunch rosemary
1 small bunch thyme
1/2 bag of baby carrots
1/2 package cleaned white mushrooms (sliced)
2 clove garlic
2 cups beef stock
potatoes for mashing
2 tbsp. butter
Salt/pepper
1/2 shallot
Dec 15, 2020 17 tweets 4 min read
Watching Trump supporters scream about all of the money they lost on betting sites today when the electoral college voted might by my new favorite thing about 2020.

These idiots went on #betfair and got rickrolled by professional gamblers who took their money with a smile... Wait … they GENUINELY believe that the LARP electors today actually were something genuine, they don't know that the only way a state can be "contested" is if two CERTIFIED slates of electors are sent by the governor (Hawaii 1960), and that Powell lied about cases in SCOTUS.