Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 17h

My aim is a better society. Democracy is just a side interest. If we deliberately retain a system to ignore a bunch of cunts by choice, we're choosing to deprive them of their vote. Sort of putting those cunts in a pre-1918 situation, not allowed to vote because their betters will decide for them.

Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 2d

Sometimes people talk about possible electoral outcomes of different voting systems as the pros and cons. To me, that's like the voting system choice equivalent of gerrymandering. We should be looking at what system best reflects the breadth of views across the country. Better democracy is the aim.

Electoral Reform Society @electoralreform.bsky.social · 2d

Nobody can predict the next election. But you can choose a system that behaves predictably – one that translates votes into seats in a consistent, transparent way.

The danger of choosing a voting system that works for you today

We all have a party we lean toward. Maybe we’ve stuck with them for decades, maybe our loyalties shift with the times. But when it comes to how we elect our parliament, our choices sho

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auonsson @auonsson.bsky.social · 2d

Estonia has closed off a road/border passing through Russia after larger than usual groups of troops have been spotted.

Comment: I am hard pressed to find any insignia on those filmed and SE news claims "little green men".

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 2d

Even fans of the USA becoming a fascist dictatorship, if they are also patriots, should be concerned that Trump is going to drop military research and development when war has just massively changed and Russia has apparently worked out how to make ballistic missiles dodge Patriot air defences

Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 2d

Unconstitutionally taking money that the law says must be spent on one purpose & using it for something else—when it's to establish personalist control over the FUCKING MILITARY—is about as dangerous a constitutional crisis/failure as you can imagine

Via: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.

A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.

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Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 4d

You won’t believe what degrading practice the Pope just condemned

Communication must be freed from clickbait and misguided thinking, head of Catholic church tells journalists The Pope has condemned clickbait as a “degrading” part of journalism, at a private audience with global newswires. Australian media representatives were among those to hear directly from Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday with about 150 members of newswire alliance MINDS International. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 4d

after careful study, I believe only people born between 1975 and 1995 should be allowed to use the internet

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 5d

CHICAGO — Outside an elementary school during dismissal… horrifying. What have we become?

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 4d

US academic who is being targeted by the far right as an anti-fascist has been prevented from escaping to Europe.

Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 4d

US anti-fascism expert blocked from flying to Spain at airport www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US anti-fascism expert blocked from flying to Spain at airport

Rutgers University professor who published book on antifa was informed at boarding gate that his trip was cancelled

www.theguardian.com

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 4d

This is my favourite use of #journorequest

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escapedexplorer.bsky.social @escapedexplorer.bsky.social · 5d

WWII "Friend" poster series from the Allied Forces, originally demonstrating the various Allied forces (British, Australian, Chinese, French, Dutch, etc.) and their appearances

It reads:

"This man is your FRIEND

He fights for FREEDOM"

The image is a sepia/black and white toned image of the Portland Frog protester, simply labelled FROG

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 5d

How can you hold in the same head being a Doctor Who fan and being a Tory?
(See also Kemi Badenoch liking Terry Pratchett's Discworld books.)

Dan Davies @dsquareddigest.bsky.social · 5d

A real sign of what's wrong with this country is that I thought this might be an indie band

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 6d

I wonder what harm someone like that imagines is done to them by some people choosing to eat meat-like vegetarian foods

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Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 6d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 6d

Honestly, with most veggie sausages, I doubt anyone is on the fence. It takes a commitment. Pass me that salted veg-protein tube!

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 6d

I could understand if this was a regional thing where you couldn't call something a hamburger unless it was made in Hamburg, but that ship is long sailed. Also sausages: no-one is misled by "veggie sausage". Banning the phrase "veggie sausage" won't boost meat sales.

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 6d

Ludicrous.
Hamburgers have been popularly around for 100 years.
Veggie burgers have been around for 40 years, or maybe 80 years.
No-one is eating veggie burgers accidentally thinking they're eating a meat burger.
There is no problem that this would solve.
The meat industry lobby is weird.

Euractiv @euractiv.com · 6d

Parliament pushes for ‘veggie burger’ ban

Lawmakers back stricter labelling for meat alternatives

dlvr.it

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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 6d

There may be unforeseen costs to downgrading our understanding of the national language

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Electoral Reform Society @electoralreform.bsky.social · 6d

If the referee can be leaned on by one team, trust in the game evaporates. The Electoral Commission must return to being independent. buff.ly/KdNBguT

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The Ass is the father of the legs @internethippo.bsky.social · 8d

Thinking how Stephen Bannon got fired in 2017 because Trump got mad that people were saying he's the real president. Probably wouldn't work with Miller because they only feed Trump AI slop now. They got him in the Professor X rig watching videos of himself leading troops in battle

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Alan Smith @mralanjohnsmith.bsky.social · 6d

To be fair, one enemy combatant can be heard inviting her to come down so they could throw a sandwich at her.

Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 6d

Kristi Noem confronts enemy combatants in the Portland war zone today.

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Alex Sobel MP @alexsobel.co.uk · 6d

Watch me discuss how I think we could raise revenue to scrap the two child benefit cap ⬇️

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Aunty Em @everycourthouse.bsky.social · 6d

He froze because he realized, in real time, that what he’d just said carried serious constitutional implications. Which now will be used against the Trump administration in court. He invoked “plenary authority.” That phrase means complete authority, basically the president has dictatorial powers.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d

CNN: Does the administration still plan to abide by that court ruling?

STEPHEN MILLER: The administration filed an appeal this morning ... ... ...

CNN: Stephen? Stephen? Can you hear me?

MILLER: ... ... ...

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Paul Eric Scannell @pauleric70.bsky.social · 6d

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson just signed an order making city property off-limits to ICE. As federal troops deploy to Chicago, this is a bold stand for accountability and human rights. No city should ever be turned into a battleground for political power.

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Jinx Hex @jayneagain.bsky.social · 6d

Saw yer mam and yer nana down Aldi’s again

Picture of a fridge shelf in Aldi that says “large tarts” on it

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Laura Phillips @lauraphillips.bsky.social · 6d

@pippacrerar.bsky.social: ‘Lord Sumption, former supreme court judge, says Robert Jenrick's plan for lord chancellor (justice sec) to appoint judges would be serious mistake.’ 1/

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