Author | Lightnews

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 11h

A friendly reminder:

“Social media is not real life.”

“Unfortunately, too many people today have fallen under the Svengali spell of social media, interpreting the accounts of their preferred influencers as absolute truth.”

https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2025/09/15/opinion-social-media-is-not-real-life/

Opinion | Social Media Is Not Real Life | CT News Junkie

Social media is not real life. That's the thought that came immediately to mind as I read an essay by Adrienne LaFrance, the executive editor of The Atlantic, in the aftermath of the horrific assassin...

ctnewsjunkie.com

4

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 11h

“Research-backed services like after-school programs and mental health supports help to create a positive school climate. Some states, like Connecticut and Maryland, have invested millions of dollars in wrap-around services like mental health support and at-home visits.”

NPR @npr.org · 11h

A new study says several states are doing the right things to get students to show up to school regularly. n.pr/3JrZP0k

Fewer students are missing school. These state policies may have helped

A new study says several states are doing the right things to get students to show up to school regularly.

n.pr

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 1d

“The fate of the country rests on the recovery of republican virtue, cultivation of active passion for public interest, and a willingness to sacrifice individual interests for the common good.”

Not very reassuring.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/10/trump-authoritarianism/684773/

Trump’s Plan Is Now Out in the Open

It’s getting ever harder to avoid connecting the authoritarian dots.

www.theatlantic.com

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 1d

The government is shut down, SNAP is about to stop, healthcare is in danger…at least he has his priorities in order.

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent primer on misinformation for journalists! It’s also essential for news consumers to understand the topic. As a teacher of media literacy, I often use resources from the News Literacy Project to instruct students about misinformation.

https://newslit.org/news-and-research/misinformation/

newslit.org

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 2d

THIS! 👇

Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 2d

As I’ve explained: one of the best ways to protect your heart health is to keep up with your Covid and flu vaccinations. Don’t listen to antivaccine activists they don’t care about you or your family www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...

Covid and Flu Can Triple Your Risk of Heart Attack

www.nytimes.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 2d

“Other than lack of funds, perhaps the only thing holding us back is rising health disinformation that blocks our ability to effectively communicate with the populations at risk or their health-care providers.”

Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 4d

My opinion on the decline of our national pandemic preparedness and risks to biosecurity in @issuesinst.bsky.social @nationalacademies.org

issues.org/unprepared-p...

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 2d

“Trump remains an unstable leader in a world far more unstable than it was during his first term. No president has been anything close to a perfect steward of America’s national security and its nuclear arsenal, but Trump is less qualified than almost any previous leader to manage a nuclear crisis.”

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 2d

We are living through one of the more febrile periods of the nuclear era, @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.social wrote in June. The world is locked in a game of nuclear roulette—and the only way to win is to stop playing.

Nuclear Roulette

The only way to win is to stop playing.

bit.ly

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 2d

“In the space of one short announcement, he managed to get a lot wrong, which is worrisome, because he’s the only person in America who has the authority to order the use of nuclear arms.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/trump-nuclear/684758/

Trump Is Very Confused About Nuclear Weapons

The president says he wants to resume nuclear testing but doesn’t seem to know why.

www.theatlantic.com

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 5d

My latest "Football Chronicles" installment:

"Friday was all about 'family' for Chase, a popular, soft-spoken young man among peers at Haddam-Killingworth High School."
medium.com/@barthkeck/f...

Football Chronicles 2025: It’s All About ‘Family’ (Chapter 11)

Author’s note: This is the 11th installment of “The HK Cougar Football Chronicles,” 2025 edition. As an assistant coach, I hope to offer…

medium.com

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 6d

Such a small, petty man — changes a U.S. trade policy because he feels slighted by an advertisement (which is factually correct).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/25/trump-canada-tariffs-reagan-ad/

Trump raises tariffs on Canada by 10% over Reagan ad

The president had halted trade talks with Canada over a provincial government’s ad that has since been canceled.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 8d

The NBA gambling scandal reminds me of this op-ed I wrote four years ago:

https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2021/11/01/op-ed-its-a-good-bet-that-app-based-gambling-will-cause-problems/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR55El5UyXy4lL84XKFK34MAhtdRfivRkiZLyPk_O_ChoAdg2uWQZ2U24S71aw_aem_2I9k5JvYbdXKEKpANJWirQ

OP-ED | It’s a Good Bet That App-Based Gambling Will Cause Problems | CT News Junkie

At a time when viewers are rapt watching "Squid Game," our state has turned smartphones into gambling devices. What could go wrong?

ctnewsjunkie.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 10d

Are we winning yet? 🙄

Dr. Matt Schabath (he/him/his) @mattschabathphd.bsky.social · 10d

🧪🧪 Texas has the highest number of measles cases as data shows unprecedented surge across US -- The U.S. is seeing a rise in measles cases that is unprecedented in the 21st century. In 2000, the disease was declared eliminated around the country.

www.themirror.com/news/health/...

The state with the highest number of measles cases as US sees huge surge

The U.S. is seeing a rise in measles cases that is unprecedented in the 21st century. In 2000, the disease was declared eliminated around the country.

www.themirror.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 10d

The so-called “Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act,” proposed legislation in Ohio, lists 25 religious topics for the classroom, “with no religions other than Christianity mentioned.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2025/10/21/in-ohio-a-bill-to-put-christianity-in-the-classroom/

In Ohio, A Bill To Put Christianity In The Classroom

Lawmakers have proposed a bill that would allow students to receive religious instruction without leaving their public school classroom.

www.forbes.com

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 11d

A true symbol of the occupant. So sad, so wrong.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/20/white-house-begins-demolishing-east-wing-facade-build-trumps-ballroom/

White House begins demolishing East Wing facade to build Trump’s ballroom

The president had claimed construction of the $250 million ballroom wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 12d

My latest Football Chronicles:

"Bye week. Time to slow down. Take a breath. Relax. It will pass before you know it."
medium.com/@barthkeck/f...

Football Chronicles 2025: Bye Week Can Reveal ‘Bright Gems’ (Chapter 10)

Author’s note: This is the 10th installment of “The HK Cougar Football Chronicles,” 2025 edition. As an assistant coach, my aim is to offer…

medium.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 14d

"That’s where we are now. The people in power have embraced the restoration of white primacy as single-mindedly as the woke pursued wokeness on their wokest day. It’s a feature of the people who have taken charge, not a bug."
www.ctinsider.com/opinion/arti...

Colin McEnroe (opinion): Rebirth of a racist nation

'People in power have embraced the restoration of white primacy as single-mindedly as the woke pursued wokeness on their wokest day,' Colin McEnroe writes.

www.ctinsider.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 14d

“Social control is best managed through fear.”
- Michael Crichton

Santiago Mayer @santiagomayer.com · 14d

Reminder to disable biometrics on your phone before attending any protests. If police ask for the passcode, you do not have to provide it.

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 15d

"Vance grasps that openly defending references to Black people as 'watermelon eaters' and quips about sending political rivals 'to the gas chamber' would hurt his political standing, but he needs these Young Republican if he hopes to consolidate the Trump base behind him."

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 15d

The leaked Young Republicans’ group chats— filled with endorsements of rape and praise for Hitler—have brought condemnation from some Republicans. J. D. Vance had a different, and more telling, response, Jonathan Chait argues:

Vance’s Telling Defense of a Racist Group Chat

How a trove of bigoted and violent texts among young Republicans indicates the future of the party.

bit.ly

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 16d

A democracy without a free press is not a democracy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/10/15/reporters-leave-pentagon-en-masse-after-refusing-sign-new-rules/

Reporters leave Pentagon en masse after refusing to sign on to new rules

After turning in their press credentials, journalists covering the Defense Department walked out of the Pentagon rather than comply with its restrictive policies.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 16d

Trump policy = cutting off your nose to spite your face.

“These seasonal workers – some from Mexico, some from South Africa and other countries – are granted a visa for up to nine months after being interviewed to determine whether they qualify.”

https://x.com/abc/status/1978562787317108798?s=46

ABC News on X: "The U.S. Labor Department is warning of a potential food crisis linked to the Trump administration’s immigration raids due to a resulting worker shortage. https://t.co/VxlTPcj0Uu" / X

The U.S. Labor Department is warning of a potential food crisis linked to the Trump administration’s immigration raids due to a resulting worker shortage. https://t.co/VxlTPcj0Uu

x.com

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 17d

Hmmm. MTG puts country over party. 🤷🏻‍♂️

“Whether it’s Gaza, whether it’s Epstein, or whether it’s now the ACA [Affordable Care Act] credits, she’s been 180 degrees opposite of Trump,” one House Republican vented.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5550346-marjori-taylor-greene-split-republicans/

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Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 19d

Or maybe it’s a greedy tech bro. 🤷🏻‍♂️

“In the 21st century, the Antichrist is a Luddite who wants to stop science. It’s someone like Greta Thunberg or Eliezer Yudowsky,” a critic of tech industry, he said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/10/10/peter-thiel-antichrist-lectures-leaked/

Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist’ and U.S. destruction

In leaked recordings of private lectures by tech billionaire Peter Thiel he argued that “the Antichrist” is likely to take the form of a critic of technology.

www.washingtonpost.com

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 20d

My latest edition of the Football Chronicles:

"This week’s matchup against MSW, owners of an 0–4 record, looked to be just what the doctor ordered to get HK back on track. Then again, it could also be a 'trap game.' As it turned out, it was a little of both."
medium.com/@barthkeck/f...

Football Chronicles 2025: A Win Is a Win, But… (Chapter 9)

Author’s note: This is the ninth installment of “The HK Cougar Football Chronicles,” 2025 edition. As an assistant coach, my aim is to…

medium.com

1

Barth Keck @keckb33.bsky.social · 20d

"Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said on multiple occasions that safeguarding students with disabilities, and making sure they have access to the educational resources they're legally entitled to, is a top priority."

Um, sure. 🙄
www.yahoo.com/news/article...

Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says

The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

www.yahoo.com