In a stunning move, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has axed 22 federal contracts worth nearly $500 million for mRNA vaccine development, calling the technology ineffective against respiratory infections like COVID and flu. The decision, affecting giants like Pfizer and Moderna, marks a sharp turn in U.S. vaccine strategy.
Kennedy plans to shift funding toward “broader, safer” platforms—but scientists are sounding the alarm. Experts warn the cancellation could cripple pandemic readiness, calling it a “self-inflicted vulnerability” with life-threatening consequences. Critics also point to Kennedy's wider overhaul of vaccine policy, including the controversial dismissal of CDC advisers and restrictions on vaccine-related research.
WAIT I JUST REMEMBERED THE WHOLE REASON I REDOWNLOADED TUMBLR IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS TO MAKE A POST COMPARING PSYCHONAUTS AND CRANIUM COMMAND AND I FORGOT TO DO THAT-
well, better late than never!
(long ass post under cut!)
context
to provide context for both properties as they're relatively obscure: "cranium command" is an extinct attraction from epcot's "wonders of life" pavillion, opening in 1989, and officially closing in 2007. it was an animatronic theatre show that brought guests into the human mind, where "cranium commando" troops would pilot the brain and make rational decisions in the face of stress.
"psychonauts" is a 3d platformer videogame produced by DoubleFine in 2005. the story follows a young psychic as he enters and navigates the mental worlds of various characters, honing his skills until he can become a "psychonaut"- a psychic secret agent.
aside from the obvious concept parallels of "a look inside the brain", these two stories have a lot more in common than you might think!
comparisons
(ill talk about it in a second, but as far as i know, these are all just crazy coincidences!)
first of all: the protagonists, buzzy (cc) and raz (pn) have a lot in common! and i'm not just talking about their green shirt/ brown jacket combos, or the circular eyewear. both are young, inexperienced, but capable recruits for an organization they are passionate about and yearn to participate in. (while his age isn't explicitly stated, buzzy pilots and shares a voice actor with a 12-year-old boy, whereas raz is 10.) both express a desire to work hard to prove themselves to their superiors/mentors they look up to.
next is the funniest comparison, in my opinion. the left brain is another character in cranium command's story. he is a stoic, logical, and organized man who's home is within a black and white cube. sasha nein, in psychonauts' story, is a stoic, logical, and organized man who's home is within a black and white cube.
(this one is very difficult to demonstrate due to the low quality of cranium command's archived footage, but i did my best.) this comparison is a bit weaker, but i can't mention the left brain without including the right brain, and i can't mention sasha nein without including milla vodello, sasha's partner and fellow agent. the right brain was portrayed in cranium command as a creative, funloving, groovy and imaginative fellow in a colorful carousel of many shapes and colors. milla shares most of these traits, but has a distinct disco-pinball aesthetic. the right brain is often seen floating in clouds, while milla is a master of levitation.
perhaps the most obvious comparison is that of general knowledge (cc) and coach morceau oleander, who are both strict and boisterous military personnel in charge of training recruits.
i mean, come on. both stories start with nearly identical opening speeches in front of a photo of a brain...
...which is interrupted by the main character showing up fashionably late to join an audience of their peers. in both stories!
conclusions
like i said earlier, cranium command opened in 1989 and ran until 2007. psychonauts started development in 2001, and was released in 2005, though the original concept dates back as early as 1993. this makes it entirely plausible for Tim Schafer to have viewed and been influenced by cranium command's story at some point during (or even before) development. the wonders of life pavilion was far from an unforgettable location in the disney parks, but it was still a location in the disney parks, and cranium command was seen as a hidden gem in an otherwise "skippable" area. it's not out of the question that someone at doublefine was inspired by it.
but is that what really happened? almost definitely not. Tim Schafer has shared several influences that inspired the creation of the game, but cranium command was never mentioned, as far as i'm aware. most of the parallels can be chalked down to popular depictions of the left and right brain, a general military aesthetic, and common tropes in the writing. none of these are exclusive to either property, it's just funny to look at both of them and go "heh thats similar"
but what do i know? i'm not an expert. i don't have scholarly sources. this entire post might be 100% misinformation. i'm just a guy with google and too much time on his hands. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Iacon's social hierarchy is built upon a caste system that they call frame classes. Most are born into a certain class and stay in that class during their time online. Alterations, marriage, and scandal/promotions can cause one's frame class to change.
𐔌 Percentages are how much of Iacon falls into that category. Rounded. 𐦯
0.1% ― Servos of Primus : outliers, the largest and/or strongest of their kind, considered the ultimate authority (besides halo prime), are culled by sentinel prime (unbeknownst to the public), halo prime is the only bot above this rank as it is the true prime
1% ― Blessed Be : council members and other small government leaders, priests/priestesses, often veiled or wear a mask and visor―they must hide their visage as it truly belongs to primus, have their own interior guard members protecting them, priests/priestesses are almost never seen outside their respective religious temples (only leaving them if the danger is too great or for a religious ceremony outside of the temple), have some of the most intricate plating designs, it is not only a show of their status but also their devotion to halo prime and primus, mostly pastel/soft paint and polish, almost all of them are seekers but aren't allowed to participate in seeker culture; it's seen as too worldly
10% ― Acknowledged : scholars, interior guard, are either born into a line in this frame class or rose from laborer, there is a specific ceremony and set of tests you have to pass if you are to rise to this class, scholars have a more muted color pallette with shading, interior guards have very bold colors, scholars are forbidden from showing their optics to anyone below their frame class (sentinel blinds them, so if they grow too wise to his plans, it's easier to offline them; he tells the scholars that all you need is primus's love to help you see; they have script writers and readers, who are laborers, to help them in their studies), interior guards have specific frame alterations; they are never to be seen outside their armor unless commanded; if an interior guard is stripped of their armor then they have been deemed a traitor who will soon be offlined
30% ― Servants of Primus : laborers ("skilled" workers), soldiers, have a functional T-cog―at worst can be lightly damaged, above the surface, average height and weight, little variation in plating and polish (solid color—no decorations), make enough to cover their basic needs and engage in a hobby or two, look down at the lower two classes, are taught to always give way to those above them (avoid eye contact, speak only when spoken to, aren't allowed in the upper districts or fancy joints unless specifically invited), seekers and decorated soldiers are seen as the highest sub-class(es) in this frame class
50% ― Fallen Below : miners ("unskilled" workers), if you lack a T-Cog then you are automatically assigned as an "unskilled" worker, work under the surface, dangerous conditions, very few precautions set in place, little oversight of those who command the miners, earn no shanix (unless you get a bonus or are a commander of the miners), basic needs are barely cared for, scratched/dented/faded painting and polish, often made up of bots who are outcasts/deformed or disabled in some way/orphans, made up of many frames that are broad and bulky (in order to mine better)
9% ― The Forsaken : minibots/cassettes (less than eight feet tall), quite often abused and enslaved, forced to bond to masters, there are no laws protecting them, their lack of height and strength "proves" that primus deems them inferior. also reserved for those that were deemed traitors but are jailed or those who have done something so reprehensible that they aren't fit for society.
When stressed,scared, most times even while sleeping, ball pythons curl into a tight, protective ball with their head tucked safely in the center. That’s exactly how they got their name! It’s a super effective defense (even against other preys trying to swallow them!). In the wild, they might stay balled up for hours.
