My spouse and I watched it last year and even voted for it. I think it was our first year watching it live? Anyway, we were getting ready to do the same this year until I saw the video I linked in the grandparent post, like the day before the event. That woke me up to the fact that it had already been fucked up the year before too, so we decided to skip it.

Relevant video: 8 Ways Eurovision Is Rigged for Israel

True, that could also happen, but I wonder how transferable this type of research project is. Does the research lead actually own it and can take it with him or her to a new place, or does Scripps own it? I don’t know the answer.

The irony of an EDM DJ hating on LGBTQ+ and POC. What the hell?

https://edmmaniac.com/lgbtqia-dance-music-origins/

Now consider that Scripps Research, who is developing this, is US-based and receives a lot of federal government funding, and that Trump/Musk/DOGE have been slashing and burning all kinds of federal science staffing and funding. Also consider that their main federal funding comes from HHS, which RFK Jr., notorious vaccine hater, heads.

Then weep. Progress on this may be stalled for a long time.

Well, consider all the money that pharmaceutical companies make every year on over the counter medicines for cold symptoms. I’m sure it’s not a perfect example of malfeasance like “hey, we have this perfect cure for the cold in our pockets but we make more profits from our over the counter cold medicines so let’s just bury the cure”, but through a complicated process they often end up at a similar result.

Recent example: https://www.propublica.org/article/how-big-pharma-company-stalled-tuberculosis-vaccine-to-pursue-bigger-profits