Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 1h

The problem is that far too many congressmen are only concerned with protecting their PRIVILEGES, not their powers. And the best way to do that is to let someone else make all the decisions, so you’re never at fault.

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 1h

The Founders counted on Congress being interested in protecting its own powers vis a vis the executive. They certainly didn't foresee a speaker like Mike Johnson. www.thebulwark.com/p/speaker-mi...

The Speaker of the House Is Abetting Authoritarianism

Every Trump needs his Johnson: a flunky who will rationalize his crimes.

www.thebulwark.com

Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

utopia deferred @utopia-defer.red · 2h

absolutely unthinkable to help pass a budget as long as he feels comfortable saying this

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3h

Trump: "We're just at the start. We're going to go into other cities that we're not talking about purposely. We're getting ready to go in."

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3h

Again, NO ONE ELECTED THIS MAN TO ANYTHING.

Reuters @reuters.com · 4h

White House budget director Vought plans to shut down CFPB within months, says it's no longer protecting consumers reut.rs/4qjMIyT

White House budget director Vought plans to shut down CFPB within months, says it's no longer protecting consumers

White House budget director Russell Vought said he wants to close the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and expects to do so within the next two to three months.

reut.rs

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

Greg Pak @gregpak.net · 23h

Hey Georgia! @hankgreen.bsky.social has a convincing pitch for why you should vote AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS in the upcoming Georgia Public Service Commission special election! Potentially save consumers money, kick out some Rs, feel good! YOUR VOTE WILL COUNT HUGELY! www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...

I Need 1% of Georgia to Watch This Video

YouTube video by Hank Green

www.youtube.com

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 9h

🙀🙀🙀

Altmetric @altmetric.com · 10h

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the more than 2,200 episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience do not link to research items even once.

Altmetric @altmetric.com · Apr 1

The team decided to run our algorithm across all available episodes of the Joe Rogan Podcast.

At 2261 eps, 3-4 hours long, this was a big task.

The algorithm detected not a single citation in nearly 7,000 hours of content.

The Altmetric team shed a collective tear.

It had worked flawlessly.
9/17

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 19h

Evolutionarily speaking, octopi are the anti-pandas.

Cephalopods Daily @cephalopodsdaily.bsky.social · 1d

Maori octopuses (Macroctopus maorum) are a large octopus species with even larger arms. They have a max mantle length of 30 cm, but their longest pair of arms can reach 3 m!

In 2012, a dolphin tried to eat a Maori octopus, but the octopus took the dolphin down with them.

#OCTOtober

A Maori octopus (Macroctopus maorum) sitting among some rocks. It is partially between a gap between to rocks, and it is facing into the gap and away from the camera. The octopus has its papillae raised, so its mantle and head look very bumpy. It has yellow eyes. It has a dark purple colour on its mantle and head, with its arms being a mix of purple and white, with white spots.

A Maori octopus (Macroctopus maorum) floating while clutching a swim fin, while a diver in a wetsuit appears to be exasperated. The octopus's mantle is smaller than the fin. The octopus is a purplish brown and covered in white spots. There are sea plants in the water.

A Maori octopus (Macroctopus maorum) sitting in among seaweed and extending its long arm at the camera. The seaweed looks like a bush, and its probably attached to a rock that the octopus is sitting on. The octopus is partially concealed, with its head and part of its mantle sticking out. The arm is rather long, although it might look a bit longer from how the camera was set up. It extends from the seaweed, curving down, then curving up while twisting, then going back down and then turning right and then steeply up. The tuckers are clearly visible as they are facing the camera at the end. They are cream coloured, contrasting with the brown of the rest of the octopus. There are two rows of offset suckers, and they are appear to have a brown rim with little fringes. There is not great visibility in the water in the background, but some pillars are visible in the background, possible part of a pier.

A New Zealand Octopus (Macroctopus maorum) on the seafloor. It is reaching towards the photographer, with two of them lifted up and curving back, exposing their suckers towards the camera. The two arms take a significant part of the photo, so they make it look like the octopus is trying to block the camera. The octopus is dark orange and has a wrinkly texture with lots of larger bumps. There are fish swimming in the background and the sea floor is covered in medium sized rocks.

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 1d

How 64% of independent voters say prices are the “most” important while 56% say it’s healthcare and 58% say it’s jobs?

That’s not how percentages work!

G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 1d

Voters say Republicans aren’t focused enough on pocketbook issues www.gelliottmorris.com/p/independen...

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

🎃 public HELLth guy 🎃 @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 2d

that last line

Under Dr. Mermin’s leadership, new H.I.V. infections in the nation dropped by 36 percent, and resurgent sexually transmitted infections showed the first signs of a plateau nationwide.

He also directed health departments to spend the bulk of their money on prevention. It was “a very precise and scientific and logical approach” to make the biggest impact for the least money, said Greg Millett, who worked as a deputy for the Office of National AIDS Policy in the Obama White House.

Now, however, Dr. Mermin is spending his days at home with his chickens and his misbehaving cat. The fate of the H.I.V. division hangs in the balance, and he worries that lawmakers may not realize its importance. “What if no one cares?” he said.

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 2d

If you lost your wallet with $200 in it, you’d be mad.

If you lost your wallet with $1000 in it, you’d be FURIOUS, to the point where if someone “found it” with $800 still in it, you’d be thrilled to have recovered most of it.

This is their entire RIF strategy and has been from Day 1.

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 2d

~1300 fired on a Friday, about half unfired the next day, due to an apparent “coding error”. But sure, your data will be secure.

They’re all in a competition for who can be the most maliciously incompetent. So much winning. Participation trophies for eveyone. Nobel Prizes in Nonsense.

CDC purge hits 600 workers in key offices despite reversals

The casualties include employees working on health statistics, injury and violence prevention, congressional outreach and human resources.

www.axios.com

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 2d

SO good.

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 2d

Public health works!

Saskia Popescu @saskiapopescu.bsky.social · 2d

Maldives becomes the first country to achieve ‘triple elimination’ of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B

hq_who_departmentofcommunications.cmail19.com/t/d-e-gwgjl-...

Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 2d

So appreciative of these efforts to help us be informed voters in our municipal elections!

Rough Draft @roughdraftatlanta.com · 2d

Atlanta Election 2025: Q&As with Atlanta City Council candidates

Rough Draft sent questionnaires to all the candidates who officially qualified for the City of Atlanta municipal election on Nov. 4. These are the responses we have received so far from the candidates running for Atlanta City…

Atlanta Election 2025: Q&As with Atlanta City Council candidates

Rough Draft sent questionnaires to all the candidates who officially qualified for the City of Atlanta municipal election on Nov. 4. These are the responses we have received so far from the candidates running for Atlanta City Council. This post will be updated if/when we receive additional responses. Early voting begins Oct. 14 and closes Oct. 31. See a list of early voting locations in both Fulton and DeKalb counties here. To check your voter registration, visit the GA My Voter Page. Post 1 At-Large Matt Rinker mattforatlanta.com…

roughdraftatlanta.com

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

Adam Weinstein @adamweinstein.bsky.social · 2d

A consistent thing about Trumpists in power is how they want everyone else to believe that people only do things for money

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Sean Duffy: "The No Kings protest, Maria, really frustrating. This is part of antifa, paid protesters. It begs the question who's funding it."

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

Alander Rocha @alander.bsky.social · 2d

Early voting starts tomorrow for two seats in the Public Service Commission, which is responsible for regulating utilities in the state. Republicans, who are fearful Dems may flip one or both seats, are turning to national, culture wars themes while Democrats are running on energy affordability.

Georgia Recorder @georgiarecorder.com · 2d

A unique off-year election for two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission, a body responsible for regulating utilities in the state, has Republicans vocally concerned, especially considering concurrent municipal elections that they worry could favor Democratic mobilization.

Georgia Republicans say they fear local elections could help Democrats in statewide utilities race • Georgia Recorder

The special election for the Georgia Public Service Commission seats has Republicans concerned about turnout, fearing local elections could favor Democrats.

georgiarecorder.com

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3d

I manage the comms for my son’s middle school. In order to compile the weekly newsletter, I have to check ~23 different sources (inboxes, messaging apps, webpages, FB pages, etc) to make sure I don’t miss anything. Objectively INSANE.

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3d

The value in many of these datasets is the ability to track longterm (multi-year and even multi-decade) trends. Even if a future administration reinstates them, there will ALWAYS be data gaps that weaken what can be learned.

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 3d

More CDC Cuts :: NCHS Edition 📊🔫

At least 1/3 of the staff at the National Center for Health Statistics has been cut (and remain cut). This is catastrophic for our nation’s health data.

Say goodbye to national health statistics that you can trust, healthcare surveys, NHANES and data systems.

Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3d

Aah!! Love seeing your faces. We had plans to go to the parade today but kiddo is aching from his vaccine shots yesterday. It’s such a beautiful day today, I wish we were there!!

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3d

Setting aside that all of this is highly illegal…

This is yet another example of this administration overtly stating that some people are more worthy and deserving than others and it is INFURIATING that people are not calling this out more.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

WELKER: During the 2019 shutdown when Trump was president, no federal workers were laid off. Why are these firings necessary?

VANCE: Who do we care more about- federal bureaucrats or the troops getting the payment they need?

WELKER: But layoffs are a priority?

VANCE: They have forced us to choose

Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 3d

a key thing about vought — and all of these guys — is that they have a totally top down and hierarchical vision of the world. they believe that the cultural changes they hate can be turned off by destroying the federal government because they can’t imagine that they emerged bottom-up in society

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 3d

What he’s railing against is a profound shift in culture, status… He’s obsessed with the idea that America is controlled by a leftist “ruling elite” - but “elite” isn’t defined socio-economically or by political power, it means something like: Getting to define “real America” and who gets to belong.

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3d

About fucking time.

Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 3d

Sens. Schumer, Merkley, Murray, and Peters are calling for the resignation of OMB Director Russell Vought.

"By impounding billions of dollars … and aggressively pursuing the illegal use of pocket rescissions, Vought has done everything in his power to gut the federal government piece by piece."

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · May 30

No words

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 3d

So to summarize:

- There is a pattern where Vought makes the RIFs too wide, apparently to flood the zone with sh*t and see who will draw protests.
- They restore some people after outrage and work by us.
- But we are still left with many who remain fired at the end.

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Reposted by Kristen Sager Cincotta

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 4d

All of the credit for the destruction of the CDC and the health and safety of the United States goes to the Republican Congress and the MAGA voters who elected them.

If they ever realize what they have done, it will be far too late.

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Kristen Sager Cincotta @kscincotta.bsky.social · 3d

Was waiting to hear about this. There are people at SAMHSA that are very important to me and I’m waiting on edge to hear what happened to them.

NPR @npr.org · 3d

EXCLUSIVE: Sources tell NPR that more than 100 employees have been laid off at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Agency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had some cuts reversed late Saturday.

Trump slashes mental health agency as shutdown drags on

Sources tell NPR that more than 100 employees have been laid off at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Agency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had some cuts reversed late Saturday.

n.pr