Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 4h

On Wisconsin! Go community #solar!

John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 6h

A reminder than well-functioning democracies don't let the ruling party govern in a partisan way, and that the obligation should be to serve all people fairly.

Justin Gerdes @justingerdes.bsky.social · 7h

During the shutdown, "the Trump administration has frozen or canceled nearly $28bn that had been reserved for more than 200 projects primarily located in Democratic-led cities, congressional districts and states." www.nytimes.com/interactive/... by @tonyromm.bsky.social and @lazarogamio.bsky.social

Trump Halts Billions in Grants for Democratic Districts During Shutdown

The Trump administration has frozen or canceled nearly $28 billion primarily located in Democratic-led districts, according to an analysis by The New York Times.

www.nytimes.com

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 1d

I don't think this is what you're getting at, but Mark Ellis has been talking about how utility book value has been rising far more than capital investment, due to the premium return on equity awarded by state commissions. But that's a market valuation of a company, not accounting for its assets...

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 1d

I’m also a big fan of this idea.

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 2d

It would have the added benefit of pushing out the extremist candidates because House members would have to pursue the median voter, not the median party member.

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 2d

What really sucks about this ratcheting battle for Congress is that is means fewer and fewer competitive elections, leaving more and more Americans rightly feeling powerless and un-represented. We'd be much better off with as many competitive seats as possible.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina announced plans on Monday to redraw the state’s already gerrymandered congressional maps to further favor their party. The most likely target is the First Congressional District, which has the state’s only competitive House seat.

North Carolina Republicans Plan to Redraw Congressional Map to Add a Seat

The Trump administration has pushed Republican leaders to redraw House district maps before the midterm elections next year. His party already holds 10 of North Carolina’s 14 congressional seats.

nyti.ms

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 3d

It's hard to find another country without universal health care to deport people to...

Julie DiCaro @juliedicaro.bsky.social · 3d

So Kilmer Abrego-Garcia will not challenge a deportation to Costa Rica, who has agreed to for him residency, but DHS won’t agree to send him there because it’s not cruel enough.

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

For weeks, Mr. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who is married to a U.S. citizen, has made clear that he would not challenge his deportation if he were sent to Costa Rica, which has promised him legal residency and guaranteed that he would not be sent back to El Salvador.

But the Trump administration has refused to deport him to Costa Rica, and in an earlier hearing this week, Judge Xinis pressed the administration to consider the option or clarify why it was unacceptable.

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Reposted by John Farrell

Matt Owen @mjowen174.bsky.social · 3d

If you could please do us a favour and RT (or whatever it is on here) my writing CV I would be extremely grateful. I am a very capable writer of words, mainly “humorous”’ and if you have some PROPER paid work for me, please DM me. Thank you for your time www.mathew-owen.co.uk

Home | Matt Owen | Freelance Writer

I offer a broad and diverse range of writing services. Get in touch!

www.mathew-owen.co.uk

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 5d

It takes brave politicians to break the vicious cycle of monopoly power abuse by utility companies.

A graphic from ILSR showing how utilities pour their profits into political activity defending their interests, use their platform monopoly to hinder their competitors, and then overcharge captive customers to pad shareholder returns.

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 8d

Three big reasons Minnesota utility regulators should not allow monopoly Xcel Energy to charge its customers for building storage at distributed sites across the state unless it opens the program to competition:

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 9d

Thinking about our National Guard service members who are being called away from their full time jobs for such glorious, politically-motivated duty such as trash clean up in DC or watching peaceful protests in Portland.

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 12d

Another misuse of government by Trump for his selfish and partisan purposes

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 14d

Yes, but don't stop at data centers! We should try meet ALL new grid needs with local resources first through this kind of investment in efficient appliances, solar, and energy storage!

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 14d

Today on Volts: the folks at @rewiringamerica.bsky.social have an idea. Hyperscalers desperately need to free up grid capacity for data centers, right? Why not let them buy that capacity by paying for residential heat pumps & solar/storage systems? I discuss it w/ the head of RW & a rep from PG&E.

Could we get hyperscalers to buy heat pumps for households?

Ari Matusiak and Carla Peterman join me to discuss a wild new idea: getting data centers to pay for your next heat pump.

www.volts.wtf

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 14d

This sure beats fighting utility companies to build transmission lines that aren't solely to boost their shareholder returns!

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 14d

Today on Volts: the folks at @rewiringamerica.bsky.social have an idea. Hyperscalers desperately need to free up grid capacity for data centers, right? Why not let them buy that capacity by paying for residential heat pumps & solar/storage systems? I discuss it w/ the head of RW & a rep from PG&E.

Could we get hyperscalers to buy heat pumps for households?

Ari Matusiak and Carla Peterman join me to discuss a wild new idea: getting data centers to pay for your next heat pump.

www.volts.wtf

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 14d

You should be unelectable for misusing government email. I remember when that mattered a lot.

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 15d

SCOOP — The White House instructed all federal agency leadership on Tuesday to send out a mandatory message to workers blaming the impending potential government shutdown on House Democrats, The Handbasket was first to learn. Absolutely no modifications to the email were permitted.

My story:

Trump mandates all federal agencies send email blaming Dems for potential gov’t shutdown

Workers call the partisan email "a vile slap in the face."

www.thehandbasket.co

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 15d

Gross. I haven't served but have known several people who have. I think they would be disgusted by the idea that their job defending the Constitution is being defined by the SecDef as "killing people and breaking things."

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15d

Hegseth: "A few months ago I was at the White House when President Trump announced his liberation day for America's trade policy. It was a landmark day. Well, today is another liberation day. The liberation of America's warriors ... you kill people and break things for a living."

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 16d

Imagine thinking affirmative action is a problem and then cheering for woke coal policies that will make your electricity and hospital bills skyrocket.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16d

Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Fox: "We're announcing today expanded programs to help the American coal industry. We're helping it because for years it has been under assault. It was out of fashion with the chardonnay set in San Francisco, Boulder, and NYC ... coal just makes the world go round."

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 16d

A suspicious-minded person might note that utilities benefit from killing a very successful program that reduces electricity costs because it lowers demand for utility capital investment and profit and proves that utilities suck at using distributed assets well.

Eric Wesoff @ericwesoff.bsky.social · 16d

www.canarymedia.com/articles/vir...

Did California just screw up the largest virtual power plant in the…

Lawmakers axed funding for the state’s most promising effort yet to cut grid costs with solar-charged batteries and smart thermostats. Can the program be…

www.canarymedia.com

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 20d

Can we talk about how embarrassing it is to have our president sit in a room designed like to make him look like fake royalty? He already had a gold throne at Mar a Lago...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20d

Trump: "We're gonna take some of that tariff money that we've made, we're gonna give it to our farmers who for a little while are going to be hurt until the tariffs kick in to their benefit."

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 20d

A reminder that a normal, functional Justice Department does not go on fishing expeditions against the President's perceived political enemies

Screenshot of NYT article about Justice Department proposal to investigate George Soros and his foundation

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 20d

If Walz wants to protect Minnesota taxpayers and have any hope of winning a third term, he needs to clean house at DHS.

max nesterak @maxnesterak.bsky.social · 20d

They were warned: How state government kept allowing the theft of the people’s money minnesotareformer.com/2025/09/25/t...

They were warned: How state government kept allowing the theft of the people's money • Minnesota Reformer

It’s like we were putting our cherished Christmas gifts right into the Grinch’s bag of stolen goods.

minnesotareformer.com

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 21d

It's criminal that we have the technology at our fingertips to cost-effectively manage grid growth and that utility companies (for lack of a profit motive) are allowed by state regulators to just ignore it.

Eric Walters @ericwalters.bsky.social · 21d

And utilities LOVE spending gobs of money on outrageously expensive transmission and distribution boondoggles, even when it would be far cheaper to tap into their own customers’ solar panels and batteries

www.canarymedia.com/articles/vir...

California could save big if virtual power plants target ‘sweet spots’

The state’s utilities could use rooftop solar, batteries, and EVs to cut $13.7B in costs — by applying those to the right parts of stressed-out local…

www.canarymedia.com

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 21d

This is the devil in the details of our electric utility system. Those profit payments to utility companies go on for decades and inflate the cost of everything.

Kevin J. CREATURE @kevinjkircher.com · 21d

Why are electric bills so high? If your monopoly utility spends $10 million on wires and transformers, your state will let them increase prices to recover the $10M plus ~$1M per year, every year for the foreseeable future. You and your neighbors will pay ~$35M for ~$10M of infrastructure.

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John Farrell @johnffarrell.bsky.social · 22d

Yesterday's Tylenol and today's UN speech are just one more "anything but the Epstein files" effort from the dear leader.

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Reposted by John Farrell

Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 22d

If you told me I could have a great review of my new book from the NYT or from Cory Doctorow, I'd take the latter in a heartbeat
pluralistic.net/2025/09/23/o...

Pluralistic: The enshittification of solar (and how to stop it) (23 Sep 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

pluralistic.net

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