Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 44m

This is really true, btw, I've been to North Korea (twice) and was warned quite seriously about his on my first flight there.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 45m

This reminds me of how, in North Korea, you have to watch how you fold the newspaper because folding or creasing any photo of the "Dear Leader" is illegal.

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 59m

Leave it to Trump to take issue with a glowing cover story about a ceasefire deal—that may come to define his term—because he doesn’t like the way he looks in it.

The picture isn’t even that bad. He always looks like that. trib.al/Se5wB9r

Trump Melts Down Over His Hair Disappearing on Time Magazine Cover

“What are they doing, and why?” Trump fumed in the middle of the night.

trib.al

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

George Hahn @georgehahn.com · 1h

This is the way. So far, Washington Post, NYT, CNN, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Reuters, NPR, Associated Press, HuffPost and more. This is the way.

US news outlets refuse to sign new Pentagon rules to report only official information

Defense department policy requires outlets to vow not to obtain unauthorized files and restricts access to some areas

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 2h

They are terrified of the No Kings rallies and doing everything they can to discredit them.

If you're on the fence about going, just think of how much it'll piss off these assholes.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Emmer: "We call it the 'Hate America' rally because you'll see the hate for America all over this thing when they show up. The rumor is that they can't end this shutdown because this small but very violent and vocal group is the only one that's happy about this."

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 58m

Heading into the holiday weekend, the Trump administration dismissed more than 4,000 staffers across seven federal agencies, and a senior official promised that more job cuts would be on the way soon.

Shutdown layoffs target services for vulnerable students, homeless, seniors

The most at-risk Americans will suffer from the Trump administration’s latest layoffs, current and former federal officials warned.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Jim Swift @jimswift.bsky.social · 57m

“All of the sudden I am really enjoying cancel culture.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/u...

She Despised Charlie Kirk. He Resolved to Make People Like Her Pay.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 16h

The government’s own data and detentions like the ones we reported on in Chicago raise serious doubt about whether the Trump administration’s mission is to target “the worst of the worst” at all. New reporting from @msnbc.com. www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...

Trump says migrants drive violent crime in Illinois. But ICE can’t find many violent criminals.

Masked ICE agents and other federal forces showed up in Chicago to go after gangsters. Instead, they keep catching people who are just living their lives.

www.msnbc.com

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen.bsky.social · 16h

Multiple airports are now announcing they will refuse to play Kristi Noem’s government-funded video blaming “Democrats” for the government shutdown.

“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” one airport said.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 19h

I just spent about 1.5 hours kicking back and talking about economics, politics, and everything in between. Check it out.

Machine Pun Kelly @kellyscaletta.bsky.social · 21h

Right NOW, on the Pun Show, let's talk economics with an actual economist. youtube.com/live/ThbxcKj...

The Pun Show with Economist Patrick Chovanec

YouTube video by Machine Pun Kelly

youtube.com

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 20h

There's probably enough material for media outlets to be doing front page stories just about every day on foreign government efforts to influence Trump through deals involving his family business. Not sure why the media isn't doing more with this.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21h

Trump's conversation with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is caught on a hot mic. Hard to tell exactly what they are talking about, but Subianto asks Trump about meeting Eric Trump and Don Jr, who supposedly have nothing to do with government while they run the family business.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

I think tariffs hurt consumers, police shouldn't wear masks, and the President must obey the law - and shouldn't use his office to run personal profit-making schemes on the side.

This apparently makes me a radical Marxist.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

My problem isn't really with any given opinion writer, whether I disagree with them or not. It's when billionaires hire opinion writers to basically flak for them under the banner of long-trusted news brands.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

Looks interesting.

David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 22h

NEW POST: In Bloody Crowns, @michaellivingston.com argues that the "Hundred Years War" is really a two hundred years, and was started by the French, fought in what today we call France, and won by people who got to define what France would be.

- from me and @profgabriele.com

Book Review: "Bloody Crown" by Michael Livingston

A New History of the Hundred (or maybe Two Hundred) Years War

buttondown.com

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

Or perhaps more accurately, the business model isn't journalism, it's sponsored PR disguised as journalism.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

When someone pays $150 million for a publication that makes $15 million in annual revenue, it’s not the business that's being bought.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

Of course you don’t bet against Bari Weiss, she’s backed by the house.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 22h

THEN WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY??

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

REPORTER: We know the president moved forward with mass layoffs. We're also learning there were significant cuts to staff at special education services. Are you comfortable with those cuts?

MIKE JOHNSON: I haven't seen the specifics of that and I don't know

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Meredith Shiner @meredithshiner.com · 1d

It’s impossible to overstate how much “abolish ice” is the normie position now here in chicago — just countless random moms at toddler soccer on a park district field asking me where I bought my anti-ice t-shirt. average people don’t like our neighborhoods being terrorized.

laura olin @lauraolin.bsky.social · 1d

A friend ran the Chicago marathon today and said he couldn’t count the number of FUCK ICE signs along the way.

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 1d

Will I be able to follow the plot of World War 4 if I haven’t seen 3 yet?

Alex Jones
@RealAlexJones
X.com
WORLD WAR 4 HAS BEGUN!
cc
3:04

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 23h

It says bacon, so I’ll trust it.

Avard Woolaver @avardwoolaver.bsky.social · 1d

Scotch Village, Nova Scotia, 2022

#photography

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 23h

One would think that “No Kings” would be the most Republican sentiment ever. Literally.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 23h

Americans: “No kings!”

Republicans: “How un-American”.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 23h

I am old enough to remember when large numbers of American adults went over to each other’s houses to play bridge.

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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 23h

What legitimate services was he performing for the undercover FBI agent who reportedly paid him the money? Genuinely curious.

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 1d

Vance: I’m sure that in the course of his life he has been paid more than $50,000 for services. The question is did he do something illegal.

Stephanopoulos: I’m asking if Homan accepted the $50,000

Vance: Is it illegal to take a payment for doing services? Low income women can’t get food

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Reposted by Patrick Chovanec

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 23h

The Trump administration has frozen billions in research grants to universities it accuses of bias unrelated to the research, jeopardizing the development of new medications that could prove lifesaving or life-changing.

Trump slashed funding for universities that helped create these vital drugs

Medications that prevent HIV, shrink tumors and treat seizures were invented with government funding. At research universities, that money is now canceled or in jeopardy.

www.washingtonpost.com

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