Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Mike Lensi

John Q. Barrett @johnqbarrett.bsky.social · 1d

Here’s EDVa Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan in action, texting secretly with lawyer-journalist @annabower.bsky.social — not smart; flirting with violating grand jury secrecy; maybe violating DOJ policy; leaking.

An ethical AG would discipline, maybe fire, Halligan for this.

But Pam Bondi.

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification.

I glanced down at the message.

“Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began.

So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...

"Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here."
Anna Bower
Monday, October 20, 2025, 5:40 PM
Share On: f X inK My Signal exchange with the interim U.S. attorney about
the Letitia James grand jury.

8 100 300

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 1d

Anna: What’s incorrect about the NY Times account or my summary of it?

Lindsey: I’m the one handling the case and I’m telling you.

---

Halligan presumes she is right not based on facts but by appeal to her own authority! The cronies want so bad to be the authoritarian they so slavishly serve.

1

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 1d

EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification.

I glanced down at the message.

“Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began.

So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...

1.5K 6.7K 21K

Reposted by Mike Lensi

alice @alice.mosphere.at · 2d

happy none pizza left beef day!! it's been 18 years and is now old enough to vote

35 2.1K 4.8K

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Senator Andy Kim @kim.senate.gov · 3d

The corrupt spending by this administration is out of control.   $175M for private jets for the same person who has slowed down funds for disaster relief and national security.   And during a government shutdown when millions stand to lose their healthcare. It’s shameful.

Coast Guard Buys Two Private Jets for Noem, Costing $172 Million

www.nytimes.com

23 100 380

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 4d

I rarely buy physical books, preferring audio or kindle or the library. I have no room. Physical books are a tough sell for me. Yet I bought your latest. Just a few pages into chapter one, I've learned something, and I'm laughing and having a good time. Your books are always an easy sell for me ;)

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Paul Rosenzweig @rosenzweigp.bsky.social · 5d

Jack Smith speaks -- and he outlines a few of the horrors of Trumpism's assault on the Rule of Law, as a reminder of what has happened in the last 8 months (during two recent speeches):
/1

7 97 270

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 6d

Humans on our own are not the most efficient movers. However, humans on a bicycle ARE the most efficient moving machines of all animals and machines.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-hu...

The Most Efficient Traveler Isn’t a Bird or a Fish—It’s You on a Bike

A famous graphic, now updated, compares locomotion in the animal kingdom

www.scientificamerican.com

1

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Sean Carroll @seanmcarroll.bsky.social · 6d

I feel bad for the ordinary person who looks to purportedly respectable scientific figures for insight into the wonders of the universe, only to be met by absurd speculations that an interstellar comet is alien technology. (It is not.)

No better than anti-vax nonsense.

imgur.com/gallery/theo...

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku speculates about the 3 Visitors

Discover topics like michio kaku, atlas 3i comet, Astronomy, and the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, ...

imgur.com

31 32 240

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Bodega Cats @bodegacats.bsky.social · 7d

26 280 3.5K

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 8d

Not a book, but any of Patrick Grim's videos for The Great Courses.

1

Reposted by Mike Lensi

John Allen Paulos @ja-paulos.bsky.social · 9d

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

John Searle, Philosopher Who Wrestled With A.I., Dies at 93

www.nytimes.com

1 1 3

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 10d

Make it 6 Books then. You gotta include "Artificial Intelligence" by Melanie Mitchell @melaniemitchell.bsky.social She's a pioneer in the field of machine learning and this book in particular is eminently readable

Reposted by Mike Lensi

L @banalplay.bsky.social · 11d

non euclidean ass cat

Bampy contorting herself and looking at the camera while Pishi minds her business behind her

15 66 780

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 13d

I will not back down.

Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power.

What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?

Donald Trump Truth Social Post: Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also.

1K 7.6K 26K

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Sean Carroll @seanmcarroll.bsky.social · 13d

Strong truth here from @himself.bsky.social. Civil society has to get its act together and coordinate for the greater good, even if that's not its usual mode. Universities most especially.

Henry Farrell @himself.bsky.social · 13d

"It wanted to signal strength. Instead, it’s revealing its weakness. The administration’s need to break the academy is forcing it to make a desperately risky gamble." www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/o...

Opinion | You Beat Trumpism by Banding Together. It’s as Hard and as Simple as That.

www.nytimes.com

1 18 110

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 15d

I have to stop judging books by their covers, but it's drawing me in!

1 1

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Roger Parloff @rparloff.bsky.social · 16d

Judge Immergut (my new favorite judge) issued her 31-page opinion, barring federalization of 200 National Guard troops in Portland, <48 hrs after entering the case. It’s a model of restrained but powerful prose & reasoning. Read it yourself ...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
1/3

13 110 390

Reposted by Mike Lensi

L @banalplay.bsky.social · 17d

I think the question of AI personhood is pertinent and a discussion that will need to be had in several hundred years when we're close to creating actual sentient AI.

Not so sure why we're having it now when we can't even get others to agree that certain people are people.

11 36 310

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Jake Adelstein @tokyovice.bsky.social · 17d

BREAKING 🚨Japan to have a female Prime Minister
But it's not progress
Sanae Takaichi, "the Brendan Carr" of Shinzo Abe, threatened critical TV networks as communications minister, lies that foreigners kick Nara’s deer, claims she speaks to The Gods
#InsaneSanae bodes badly for Japan
bit.ly/3VRR3ey

The Rise of Japan’s Female Trump: Why Takaichi Sanae Is the Worst Thing to Happen to Japanese Democracy Since Abe 2.0

Takaichi endorsed “Hitler’s Election Strategy” in the ‘90s, threatened TV networks as communications minister, claims foreigners abuse Nara’s deer without evidence and speaks to the Gods #InsaneSanae

bit.ly

8 53 120

Reposted by Mike Lensi

onemorebrown @onemorebrown.bsky.social · 18d

I was reminded today of the what is still the best introduction that I have read about myself!...maybe there is something to 2012 nostalgia ;0

1 2

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Matt Darling @besttrousers.bsky.social · 19d

Ooh, yeah. This does seem a bit better?

1 1 8

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Matt Darling @besttrousers.bsky.social · 19d

Let's say I want to make a ranked list of "Illiad" heroes.

If I use the recorded 1 vs. 1 duels and the Chess ELO rating system, I get this result.

Is there an alternative method that accounts for the data being censored (ie, in most duels the loser no longer appears in the data).

23 22 190

Mike Lensi @clinamina.bsky.social · 20d

"Cats developed floating clavicles and highly flexible shoulders, which allow sharp turns and bursts of agility. Dogs evolved stiffer joints, better for endurance and straight-line travel."

Very cool.

www.earth.com/news/movemen...

#cats #dogs #evolution

Movement in the wild: Why dogs follow paths and cats roam

Dogs follow regular travel routes while cats wander freely showing different evolutionary movement strategies.

www.earth.com

2

Reposted by Mike Lensi

Unseen Japan @unseenjapan.com · 20d

ICYMI: Japanese place names can be notoriously difficult to read - even if you're a native speaker. Here are some of the most difficult as determined by various surveys across the years.

These Are the Hardest Japanese Place Names to Read - Even for Native Speakers - Unseen Japan

Can you pronounce these difficult Japanese place names? If not, don't feel bad: most native speakers can't either!

buff.ly

1 7 31