Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2h

Make Argentina Great Again

1

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4h

It's not covert if you announce it, it's overt.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/u...

Trump Administration Authorizes Covert C.I.A. Action in Venezuela

www.nytimes.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4h

Make China Great Again. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/china-has-...

China Has Overtaken America

And Trump’s policies guarantee that we will never catch up

paulkrugman.substack.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 6h

"Just hours after Trump caved, national security experts expressed alarm at the Qataris’ move to Mar-a-Lago, warning that they would have access to highly sensitive classified documents stored in the club’s public bathrooms."
open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...

Qataris Reject Trump’s Idaho Offer and Demand Airbase at Mar-a-Lago

“We gave you a 400-million-dollar 747. You’re not sticking us in some Idaho shithole.”

open.substack.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 1d

Make Measles Great Again.

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 1d

They could have their own rallies, called Yes to Kings, We Want A King or Enough Already With Democracy.

11

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 1d

"The holes are an accessibility feature for sight-impaired voters. Republican leaders opposing the measure worry false conspiracy theories spreading online could suppress voter turnout against it on Nov. 4." www.latimes.com/california/s...

California ballot design prompts false conspiracy theories that the November election is rigged

California's secretary of state refutes viral claims that holes in ballot envelopes allow election officials to see how people voted on Proposition 50.

www.latimes.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 1d

"Trump said that thousands of people running in the streets was a common occurrence in “Democrat cities,” noting that what happened in Chicago over the weekend has also taken place in New York and Boston." open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...

Trump Claims Thousands of Chicagoans Were Seen Running for Their Lives Over Weekend

“You’d run, too, if you were being chased by Antifa.”

open.substack.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 1d

Airports are shutting down ICE Barbie's shutdown propaganda.
www.washingtonpost.com/transportati...

Airports say they won’t air Kristi Noem shutdown video at TSA checkpoints

Travelers in Cleveland, L.A., Phoenix, Seattle and other cities will not see the footage, which blames congressional Democrats for shutdown-related flight delays.

www.washingtonpost.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

The Russian military has failed in Ukraine. Most of their attacks are against civilian targets, i.e. war crimes. Using Ukraine military images would be more appropriate.

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

Absolutely. It's an indispensable second language for functioning in today's economy.

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

"Ihren Ausweis, bitte."

1

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

It's not the first glitch and it won't be the last one. It's the season of the glitch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhnA...

Season of the Witch

YouTube video by Release - Topic

www.youtube.com

1

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

"It’s bad when the world sees you as a bully; it’s worse when the world also sees you as weak. The man who promised to make America great again has probably ended our position of global leadership for the foreseeable future."
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/how-trump-...

How Trump Is Making China Great

Why we’re going to lose the trade war, and much more besides

paulkrugman.substack.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

"Now Trump is learning, to his obvious shock, that other nations can also play trade hardball. His reaction to China’s new export controls on rare earths, which are crucial to digital technology, would be comical if the stakes weren’t so high."
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/how-trump-...

How Trump Is Making China Great

Why we’re going to lose the trade war, and much more besides

paulkrugman.substack.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

"But in a testy exchange with reporters on Monday, the nonessential employee vehemently rejected the widespread claims of his abject uselessness, declaring, “I have been working around the clock protecting pedophiles.”"
open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...

Americans Mystified Why Nonessential Federal Employee Still Has Job

The still-employed man performs no identifiable function, Americans noted.

open.substack.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 2d

They're the POTF, Party of Trump Fellators.

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 3d

Some of their base don't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 3d

Fellow Californians, Stick it to Trump. Vote Yes on Prop 50.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=weIk...

California: Stick it to Trump on November 4th. Vote on “Yes” on Prop 50

YouTube video by Tom Steyer

www.youtube.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4d

"At press time, a follow-up report found that the statistic extended to toddlers and babies as well." theonion.com/ice-boasts-z...

ICE Boasts Zero Murders Committed By 5-Year-Olds Since Child Detainments Began

WASHINGTON—Touting a new crime report as evidence their ramped-up operations were improving American life, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced Friday that there had been zero murde...

theonion.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4d

"MYTH: ICE agents lack proper training.
FACT: Most have been racists their entire lives.

MYTH: ICE raids do nothing to reduce crime.
FACT: A fruit vendor who sold mangoes that weren’t quite ripe is now off the streets."
theonion.com/ice-raids-my...

ICE Raids: Myth Vs. Fact

As Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations ramp up across the country, so has misinformation. The Onion dispels common myths surrounding ICE raids. MYTH: ICE agents lack proper training. FACT:...

theonion.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4d

"Gelb then introduced Senator Chuck Schumer, who said, “The arts are under attack,” prompting several people in the crowd to reply, “Do something about it!” Others shouted, “Endorse Mamdani!” When a Met crowd starts getting feisty, all is not well in the land." www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

A Season of Rage at the Philharmonic and the Met

Gustavo Dudamel conducts John Corigliano’s blistering First Symphony, and Chuck Schumer faces a hostile crowd at the opening night of “Kavalier & Clay,” Alex Ross writes.

www.newyorker.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4d

"Now he is brushing against a fresh wave of repression, this time from the White House. This summer, he planned to bring the flagship orchestra of El Sistema to the Hollywood Bowl, but the appearances were cancelled, on account of Donald Trump’s travel ban." www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

A Season of Rage at the Philharmonic and the Met

Gustavo Dudamel conducts John Corigliano’s blistering First Symphony, and Chuck Schumer faces a hostile crowd at the opening night of “Kavalier & Clay,” Alex Ross writes.

www.newyorker.com

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 4d

"A product of the Venezuelan music-education program known as El Sistema, he long remained silent about human-rights issues in his home country. Then, in 2017, he voiced concerns about the regime of Nicolás Maduro, resulting in a years-long absence from Venezuela." www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

A Season of Rage at the Philharmonic and the Met

Gustavo Dudamel conducts John Corigliano’s blistering First Symphony, and Chuck Schumer faces a hostile crowd at the opening night of “Kavalier & Clay,” Alex Ross writes.

www.newyorker.com

1

Richard Bellikoff @bellikoff.bsky.social · 5d

Last night, while the Nobel Peace Prize was being awarded to Venezuelan democracy activist María Corina Machado instead of the wannabee king who wants to end USA democracy, I was at a concert in L.A., a city the wannabee king hates, enjoying the work of the Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.