Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Reconstructionist @unavaleable.bsky.social · 1h

doing this while the WH threatens to nuke money in blue states is uh choice

Politico @politico.com · 5h

Senate GOP leaders are looking to pressure Dems to advance a three-bill package to fund a handful of federal agencies during the shutdown, per sources with direct knowledge of the plans.

Senate GOP will try to advance 3-bill 'minibus' during shutdown

Republicans are attempting the effort as a way to pressure Democrats.

www.politico.com

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Michael Ian Black @michaelianblack.bsky.social · 1h

Old enough to remember when scenes like this would have been unthinkable in America. (It was 9 months ago)

PritzkerPosting @pritzkerposting.bsky.social · 1h

Chicago: Zero Regard for Safety, ICE Escalation in Chicago Leaves Baby in Harm’s Way

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Daniel Drezner @dandrezner.bsky.social · 48m

Not a sign of insecurity! You‘re the one who’s insecure!

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 2h

NEW: Pentagon officials are forcing staff to watch Pete Hegseth's "Warrior" speech he forced generals to listen to.

Officials are even "testing" staff to see if they watched — and are threatening consequences if they lie about watching it or if they mock it, sources tell @swin24.bsky.social and I.

The Pentagon Is Ordering Staff to Watch Hegseth’s ‘MAGA Garbage’ Speech… Or Else

Defense Department sources tell Zeteo that staff have been warned that if they don’t watch or read the speech, or if they speak negatively of it, they could face severe consequences.

zeteo.com

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 6h

Jimsonweed.

Pwnallthethings @pwnallthethings.bsky.social · 7h

Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?

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William Shakespeare @shakespeare.lol · 7h

Thou sayest the King grows mad, I’ll tell thee, friend,
I am almost mad myself.

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 6h

Unlike older Republicans who save their racism for the country club and speak it in a more refined manner.

Jared Holt @jaredlholt.bsky.social · 9h

One of the craziest stories I've seen in a long time. If you think Trump and his administration are extreme and depraved, just wait until you learn about the young guns who are positioning themselves to take over the reigns in the next few decades

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat

Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

www.politico.com

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Jared Holt @jaredlholt.bsky.social · 9h

One of the craziest stories I've seen in a long time. If you think Trump and his administration are extreme and depraved, just wait until you learn about the young guns who are positioning themselves to take over the reigns in the next few decades

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat

Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

www.politico.com

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Gizmodo @gizmodo.com · 7h

Facebook Removes ICE-Tracking Group Under Pressure From Trump Regime https://gizmodo.com/facebook-removes-ice-tracking-group-under-pressure-from-trump-regime-2000672106

Facebook Removes ICE-Tracking Group Under Pressure From Trump Regime

It's against Facebook's terms of service to reveal the identity of secret police.

gizmodo.com

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 7h

My first thought was “Why the hell is the US importing cooking oil from China of all places?”. Turns out there’s a program that encourages the importation of *used* cooking oil (UCO) to make biodiesel. The cooking oil you buy in the store is domestically produced.

www.reuters.com/markets/comm...

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Barry Ritholtz @ritholtz.bsky.social · 7h

Good news (I guess)?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is calling back some employees to produce the Consumer Price Index for September. That data is needed to calculate the annual cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security beneficiaries.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/b...

www.nytimes.com

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 7h

Well —> We’ll

Damn you autocorrect.

digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 7h

We’ll, not a collapse, but certainly some indigestion going on in the Argentine stock market today after a $20 billion threat.

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Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 1d

You need to see this:

“The show of force is the point. They want these images to be out…The Department of Homeland Security is walking around Chicago with a film crew.” @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social

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Saganism @sagan.bsky.social · 14h

"Many religions have attempted to make statues of their gods very large, and the idea, I suppose, is to make us feel small. But if that's their purpose, they can keep their paltry icons. We need only look up if we wish to feel small."

-Carl Sagan, The Varieties of Scientific Experience.

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Stanford CIS @stanfordcis.bsky.social · 14h

Europe's Digital Services Act lets users challenge platform moderation decisions through independent certified bodies. Article 21 dispute settlements cover takedowns, suspensions & more. @pjleerssen.bsky.social interviewed by @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/what-we-can-...

What We Can Learn from the First Digital Services Act Out-of-Court Dispute Settlements? | TechPolicy.Press

Ramsha Jahangir spoke to two experts to unpack what the early wave of disputes tells us about how the out-of-court system is working under the DSA.

www.techpolicy.press

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 21h

Thanks, I’m familiar with Unger’s work.

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Kieran Healy @kjhealy.co · 1d

A couple of parking signs for anyone who wants to print them out for this coming Saturday.

Parking Signs

If you want to print out a poster for October 18th, here are two; fully-guaranteed countrywide but maybe especially suitable for in and around New York. No King Anytime sign ...

kieranhealy.org

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 1d

development in NYC back then without ”family involvement”.

2/2

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 1d

Christie could be implying something more serious here. Trump’s original attorney when he was just starting out in the RE business was Roy Cohn. Cohn also represented John Gotti(Gambino family), Fat Tony Salerno(Genovese family) and Carmine Galante(Bonanno family). And you didn’t do RE

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Republicans Against Trumpism @rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social · 1d

Chris Christie: “Thie is no longer, the Department of Justice, is no longer the premier prosecuting office in America. What it is now is a capo regime who goes out and executes hits when directed by the Don to do so. That’s what it is.”

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

This is the response I received from ICE when I inquired about the 13-year-old they abducted from Everett, Mass. on Friday:

Good afternoon, Marisa.
Please see the below from DHS on the 13-year-old alien.
Please feel free to direct any questions to them.
Respectfully,
James

Tricia McLaughlin
@TriciaOhio • 6h
S...
Here are the facts: he posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet including violent assault with a dangerous weapon, battery, breaking and entering, destruction of property.
He was in possession of a firearm and 5-7 inch knife when arrested.

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 1d

After getting zero firm commitments to this point from the first nine invitees, the Trump administration is extending its proposed compact to all colleges. Expect some red-state publics to say yes.

Trump Offers All Colleges Preferential Funding Plan Rejected by MIT

The Trump administration is inviting all US colleges to participate in a compact — initially rejected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that would grant preferential federal funding in re...

www.bloomberg.com

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

There isn’t another side to the argument. Every actor in the system—from defense attorneys to Justices on the Supreme Court—recognizes what is happening. The only question is how the criminal justice system should respond.”

open.substack.com/pub/harrylit...

The Irredeemable DOJ

Why James has an even stronger case of selective prosecution than Comey.

open.substack.com

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digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 1d

Good explainer here by an MLB writer.

www.mlb.com/news/near-ho...

digitaldesert.bsky.social @digitaldesert.bsky.social · 1d

One whacky double play here.

CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 1d

what in the hell just happened in Milwaukee

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Amytiville Hoyrror @amyhoy.bsky.social · 1d

a lot of the cool new shit i’m finding in multiple areas of interest is not only made in china but designed in china, they are seriously innovating and really so good at taste & aesthetics, too. and western companies are just sitting on their asses for some reason

Justin Mikulka @justinmikulka.bsky.social · 1d

“You get this sense of a change, where China’s competitiveness has gone from being about government subsidies and low wages to a tremendous number of highly skilled, educated engineers who are innovating like mad.”

headline: western executives who visit China are coming back terrified

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