Mastodawn

Jaclyn Ferreira

@jaclynmacrae

233 Followers

143 Following

1.3K Posts

Mum of 3 | Wife | #AuDHD #NDSquad | Disability, Rare Disease & Education Advocate | Producer | Photographer | Recovering Journo | Writer | Researcher | Rower & Runner | Zoo Keeper! | YVR via YYZ | #resist | Born 334.19ppm CO2

#SARS2IsAirborne #BringBackMasks #MakeSchoolsSafe #Equity

Twitter	@jaclynmacrae
Instagram	@jaclynmacrae
Blog	https://babybytes.wordpress.com/
Linktree	https://linktr.ee/jaclynmacrae

Jaclyn Ferreira Mar 21, 2023

In 2021, deaths of pregnant women soared by 40 percent in the United States. A report by the Government Accountability Office has cited #COVID-19 as a contributing factor in at least 400 maternal deaths in 2021, accounting for much of the increase. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/health/covid-pregnancy-death.html

Covid Worsened a Maternal Mortality Crisis in the U.S.

In 2021, deaths of pregnant women soared by 40 percent in the United States, according to new government figures. Here’s how one family coped after the virus threatened a pregnant mother.

The New York Times

Jaclyn Ferreira Mar 21, 2023

Great illustration of how astroturf groups and unchecked opinion pieces create doubt in science. Sound familiar?

https://jensorensen.com/2014/03/17/corporate-cosmos/

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 21, 2023

On This Day In History Feb 20, 2023

Today in 1905, 118 years ago: The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of Massachusetts's mandatory smallpox vaccination program in Jacobson v. Massachusetts.

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 18, 2023

PeterD 🇩🇪 🇨🇦Feb 18, 2023

#Ford government #slammed for '#troubling' inaction during #ConvoyProtest in Emergencies Act report
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-emergencies-act-ontario-1.6752465
"#Premier Doug Ford and province's solicitor general both #refused to #participate in commission." Whose side was #DougFordFail on?

Ford government slammed for 'troubling' inaction during convoy protest in Emergencies Act report | CBC News

A long-awaited report on Ottawa's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act during last year's convoy protest slammed Doug Ford's government for its "reluctance" to help resolve the situation.

CBC

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 17, 2023

Yaneer Bar-Yam Feb 17, 2023

The haunting brain science of long Covid

https://statnews.com/2023/02/16/the-haunting-brain-science-of-long-covid/

The haunting brain science of long Covid

In an essay by @WesElyMD, here's Matt Fitzgerald describing his life with long Covid: "It's terrifying. I mean, I've had to dig real deep. How much longer will I feel like this? I'm scared."

STAT

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 15, 2023

J.H.Noyes Feb 15, 2023

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/long-covid-now-looks-like-a-neurological-disease-helping-doctors-to-focus-treatments/

A hefty dose of misinformation from Scientific American.

Long COVID Now Looks like a Neurological Disease, Helping Doctors to Focus Treatments

The causes of long COVID, which disables millions, may come together in the brain and nervous system

Scientific American

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 13, 2023

Scott Small 🇨🇦Feb 13, 2023

Question for people using screen readers:

Assuming proper camel-casing was used, can your screen reader pick up on the difference between the #SuperBowl and #SuperbOwl hashtags?

Yes, they sound different

72.2%

No, they sound the same

27.8%

Poll ended at Feb 14, 2023 at 5:46am.

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 13, 2023

Caroline Orr Bueno Feb 13, 2023

This is ultimately a battle for your mind, but you aren’t helpless, even in the face of a threat of this magnitude. One of the most effective counter-strategies is acknowledging that the threat exists. Why? Because the success of those waging war in the cognitive domain relies largely on the ability to deny that such a battle is even taking place. #cognitivesecurity #cogsec #disinformation #informationwarfare

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 13, 2023

Caroline Orr Bueno Feb 13, 2023

This was revealed during an exchange between Rep. Raskin and Twitter’s former head of Trust and Safety, Yoel Roth. I’m astounded that this revelation was largely overlooked and has gone totally unreported, and I’ve contacted both Roth and Raskin for additional information.

The alarming development also comes at a time when Elon Musk has just dismantled many of the teams tasked with monitoring/mitigating foreign interference, and is actively trying to discredit the work they did.

Jaclyn Ferreira Feb 13, 2023

Caroline Orr Bueno Feb 13, 2023

I wrote about the most-overlooked part of Wednesday’s Oversight Committee hearing: The revelation that “thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands” of Russian disinformation accounts are still active on the platform, waging an ongoing war on reality.

This is the first we’ve heard of an ongoing foreign disinfo campaign of this magnitude, and the implications are staggering.
https://weaponizedspaces.substack.com/p/twitter-exec-says-hundreds-of-thousands

Twitter exec says 'hundreds of thousands' of Russian disinformation accounts still active on Twitter

Twitter's former head of Trust and Safety told Congress that "counterfeit" Russian accounts targeting the US are still active as part of an "ongoing campaign."

Weaponized

×

Great illustration of how astroturf groups and unchecked opinion pieces create doubt in science. Sound familiar?

https://jensorensen.com/2014/03/17/corporate-cosmos/

Michael Busch Mar 20, 2023

@luckytran I regret to report the contents of my spam folder; which has sometimes included black hole denialists.

This does not negate the point of the cartoon.

It is to say that disinformation about almost all facts exists; and is selectively promoted by various groups of people according to their goals.

Karl Magnacca Mar 21, 2023

@michael_w_busch @luckytran Andy Schlafly (Phyllis’ son, who runs Conservapedia) had a lengthy post about how black holes are a liberal conspiracy to keep people from reading the Bible. As you said, it’s not what crankery is out there, it’s what gets astroturfed to the larger public.

Chusi Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran Very familiar

aiformal Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran @aloa5 @charles_ex

Voron Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran astroturfed 🤔 oh you mean a group that appears to be a grass roots thing but is really orchestrated & funded by ultra rich types?
🤔
Weird how a lot of our problems keep coming back to that 👆
Maybe there was a reason for a massively high top tax bracket, high estate tax, having stock buy backs illegal, etc… just maybe they learned something after the rich almost destroyed the country before 🤷‍♂️

Espinada Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran
Taking advantage of the ignorant to destroy the world.

Supportive Tree-based lifeform Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran
Oil companies be like "its just good business".

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran @SoftwareTheron It is fascinating how chemists were employed by oil companies and that’s when global warming was discovered

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, CHEMISTRY” so the chemists brought in the climate scientists

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, SCIENCE” so the scientists brought in the mathematicians

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, MATHS” so the mathematicians brought in the philosophers

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran @SoftwareTheron By this stage people were getting proper scared, and the philosophers were the most feeble ones yet

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, TRUTH” so people called the police, the lawyers, anyone for help

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, GOVERNMENT” and everyone said right, let’s vote on it

A couple of people raised a finger and murmured
“wait, don’t you think, you should expect again…”

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@luckytran @SoftwareTheron

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, DEMOCRACY” and this time everybody looked around nervously … and noticed some people had disappeared. Finally, a businessman rose up and pleaded: at least just think about the cost?

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, ECONOMY” and suddenly everyone noticed a lot more folks had gone, and the rest were looking a bit dirty or just tired. Before anyone could rush to stop it, someone cried out that they were in pain.

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, HEALTH” and everything was suddenly silent. People knew. Everyone’s thoughts were aligned. Nobody had to say anything. And yet, most of them were glad when one person quietly, but clearly, wished out loud they weren’t controlled by someone else.

The billionaires said “SHUT UP, FREEDOM” and nobody knew what really happened next because it was pitch dark. Nobody could hear each other. But at least they could speak to themselves, and hear their own thoughts.

DeterioratedStucco Mar 21, 2023

@ckent @luckytran First global warming prediction involving actual science, that I know of, is Svante Arrhenius, in 1896, at which time he was a university lecturer.

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran I’m fascinated by the first person who didn’t just know about it, but also believed it and then lied about *not* believing it

Which would almost certainly have been an oil industry executive

This was shortly before the first person who actively heard about it and chose not to believe it. For deniers to exist, first you need a believer who becomes a traitor.

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran FWIW I think we’ve spent so many decades trying to shore up the arguments and scientific proof

When that was never the problem. It was all the lying from people who already knew the truth, that was the real problem

Somebody is always patient zero when it comes to spreading lies

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Imagine the societal benefit if we found a really long-ago liar and they (“he”, surely) decided to confess that they invented a part of climate denialism and were lying all along

And if that person was the one who designed a way to spread it via things like the Cato Institute or Heritage Foundation, and explained that method in a confession

The impact would eclipse anything from yet another IPCC report confirming what we already knew

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Since Rio 1990, too much of the consensus view’s reaction to the insincere opposition has been relying on reason to win over public opinion

When it’s never reason that wins this kind of debate, but emotion

Psychology knows this. There are books about how to help friends and family escape cults.

DeterioratedStucco Mar 21, 2023

@ckent @luckytran Problem is, if we are to reject the reasoned approach, you don't want books about getting out of cults.
You need a book about forming them.

Christian Kent Mar 21, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Both approaches work, and you can apply reason to handle unreasonable people

But your book sounds too much like Goebells and his propaganda manual?

DeterioratedStucco Mar 22, 2023

@ckent @luckytran You've rejected a reasoned approach. So...

Christian Kent Mar 23, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Well I’m reasoning that cults are effective but also dangerous 😓

DeterioratedStucco Mar 24, 2023

@ckent @luckytran Is anything else effective?

Christian Kent Mar 24, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Yep, and the many examples of unintended government incentives are weird and surprising: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/22919305 by Andrew Leigh, ALP MP — who just needs you to know, policy is more important than you thought

Meanwhile, deprogramming people from cults requires an emotional link (and not at all an appeal to reason): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45318399-stop-being-reasonable

Goodreads

Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

Goodreads

Christian Kent Mar 24, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran I also get uncomfortable when people join me on clean energy for cult-ish reasons

That's mostly because of personal taste, heritage & responsibility. But there's a practical side to prevent abuse of good will:

The 'plastic straws' & 'carbon footprint' initiatives channel all that good will into a delay and distraction mechanism that benefits big polluters who actually make the big decisions to pollute. They invented high-hanging fruit for more effort, less impact.

DeterioratedStucco Mar 24, 2023

@ckent @luckytran Disagree. We are in a dire position and we need everyone on side, because every gram makes a difference. The key to me is in taking that willingness to act and extending it; not disparaging it, not reducing it.
What we need is "Good; what next?"

Christian Kent Mar 28, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Interesting and I take your argument in sincerity

Do you however, believe or not that the intended goal was achieved when BP invented "carbon footprint" for propaganda?

DeterioratedStucco Mar 28, 2023

@ckent @luckytran Don't know, don't care.
INVOLVE people!
You will not get change any other way. Any other way will just be an imposition, and people will push back (which will instantly be weaponised by those who want to keep fossil fuels).

Christian Kent Mar 29, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran OK.

Well, if there's any chance I can change your mind — (and Mastodon is a nice place where this isn't the meat-and-potatoes of discussion) — I'd like everybody to know and care

BP did get people involved (except of course the people never knew who started it).

BP's little invention soaked up enthusiasm. In a way that didn't reduce CO2, or 1% as much as BP kept increasing it.

BP's little invention also deflected the same people from demanding BP to change.

Christian Kent Mar 29, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Nobody explains it better than James Hoffman in 25 seconds, as a quick aside during a discussion about disposable coffee pods (Nestlé, looking at you):

https://youtu.be/i8B8wDsORz4?t=48

Coffee Pods Are Good For The Planet Now?!

YouTube

Christian Kent Mar 29, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Climate Town guy is definitely one of the biggest climate activists on all of YouTube

(Do you like him? Agree with him? If not I'd love to hear why — he knows more facts and history than anyone else I've seen)

This is the one where he tackles it: https://youtu.be/1J9LOqiXdpE

Why your 'Carbon Footprint' Is A Lie | Climate Town

YouTube

Christian Kent Mar 29, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Yet of course you're absolutely right:

Correct: You will not get change any other way.

Correct: Any other way will just be an imposition, and people will push back

Correct: (which will instantly be weaponised by those who want to keep fossil fuels)

And that's why the polluters — with billions in their pocket — use the Four Stage Strategy that's been around since "Yes Minister" explained it in 20 seconds https://youtu.be/nSXIetP5iak

Deflection is death to success

The Four Stage Strategy.

YouTube

DeterioratedStucco Mar 30, 2023

@ckent @luckytran It may have delayed it. But now people can see that it can be done; that they can produce change. That can be turned into action.
IMO you still need government, because anything else is too slow.

DeterioratedStucco Mar 24, 2023

@ckent @luckytran Thanks, I'll read the Leigh book.
But the idea that we can do what we need with _unintended_ incentives? Non-starter.

Christian Kent Mar 28, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran yep :-) I mean, Andrew Leigh's thesis is to CHERISH government policy and the power it wields

But just, first, be aware of its power

Because I can bet you, it wasn't a woman's idea to commence the Baby Bonus policy on a nominated calendar date

DeterioratedStucco Mar 28, 2023

@ckent @luckytran Power's the point... won't work without it.

Christian Kent Mar 29, 2023

@SoftwareTheron @luckytran Right, well, the "paper straw" cult is effective at replacing plastic straws, as we've seen

But it's only high-hanging fruit at best. The single biggest cause of ocean plastic pollution is 5,000 worse IIRC.

DeterioratedStucco Mar 21, 2023

@ckent @luckytran We have the Exxon studies from the 1980s. That seems not to have scratched the surface.