Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Katie Drummond @katie-drummond.bsky.social · 2h

This is a jaw-dropping, terrifying number. The CDC's workforce has decreased by 3,000 people since January.

Another round of terminations, combined with previous layoffs and departures, has reduced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workforce by about 3,000 people since January.

www.wired.com

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2h

City Hall does like to give preferential treatment to dubious "reporters" from super-niche outlets. Folks and brands you've never heard of, with almost no reach at all -- except in City Hall.

Chris Sommerfeldt @c-sommerfeldt.bsky.social · 2h

On The Reset Talk Show, Mayor Adams claims "a reporter" reached out to him via text this morning and wanted "to be honest" before congragulating him on how "there's never been a mayor that has done more around housing, around safety, around bringing businesses back."

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 14h

Eric Adams' last gift to Trump, perhaps.

nymag.com/intelligence...

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 14h

You can say amazing things if you know that the follow-up question will be "wow."

(Smith didn't plant anything at Mar-a-Lago because he was hired months after it was searched.)

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

Eric Trump: "We found out that Jack Smith was actually planting classified folders in Mar-a-Lago"

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 14h

This means three bidders remain for up to three casinos in New York. And one of those bidders owes the Trump Organization $115 million if they win.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/n...

In a Surprise, MGM Drops Bid for N.Y. Casino License, Leaving 3 Competitors

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 23h

Sam Altman went from “AI will cure cancer" to "ChatGPT porn" in less than a month

ChatGPT boss predicts when AI could cure cancer

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases.

In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing).

In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.
12:02 PM · Oct 14, 2025
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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 1d

Remember when Republicans got mad that the federal government might be CENSORING political content on social media? Remember when they spent three years holding hearings trying to prove it happened? And threatened to jail anyone involved?

How times change!

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 1d

Statement from AG Pam Bondi:

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 1d

Joint statement from the networks declining to agree with the Pentagon's new press policy. Fox News, Pete Hegseth's former employer, is a signatory.

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 1d

D’Angelo, the neo-soul trailblazer and modern visionary whose three albums were all heralded as classic works of art, has died at age 51.

Access the free article here: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 1d

D’Angelo was one of the most widely revered artists of the past 30 years.

He began his career as a songwriter for other artists, but quickly asserted himself as a solo star with his 1995 debut 'Brown Sugar.'

More: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 1d

"Voodoo" was a goddamn revelation when it came out, and remains so to this day. RIP to a musical genius.

Pop Base @popbase.tv · 1d

D’Angelo has passed away at the age of 51 following battle with pancreatic cancer.

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Dan Mihalopoulos @dmihalopoulos.bsky.social · 1d

This version is confirmed, by Hoffman Estates police, puncturing the official DHS statement.

At this point, there is a statement from DHS re 🧊 activities in the Chicago area that’s refuted in similar fashion on nearly a daily basis at a minimum over the past week

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi @congressmanraja.bsky.social · 1d

Despite what some, including at DHS, are claiming, this video isn’t from a year ago in Chicago. It was Friday in Hoffman Estates, in my district, a street I’ve walked myself. It appears to show a child being violently detained by ICE. It’s real, and I’m demanding accountability.

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 1d

I hate to post something from the other site but this has to be seen to be believed.

x.com/infolibnews/...

Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 on X: "Trump's current and former US Ambassadors to Israel, Mike Huckabee and David M. Friedman, performed a rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama" in Israel titled "Sweet Home Yerushalayim." The lyrics were changed to push for Greater Israel. (Please forgive me for posting this.) https://t.co/hwvfueiG7S" / X

Trump's current and former US Ambassadors to Israel, Mike Huckabee and David M. Friedman, performed a rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama" in Israel titled "Sweet Home Yerushalayim." The lyrics were changed to push for Greater Israel. (Please forgive me for posting this.) https://t.co/hwvfueiG7S

x.com

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Asawin Suebsaeng @swin24.bsky.social · 1d

I’m part of the problem because I completely forgot about this

Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 2d

oh. right.

www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

ProPublica @propublica.org · 2d

Trump promised free plane tickets and $1,000 “exit bonuses” to immigrants who opted to self-deport.

ProPublica spoke to a dozen Venezuelan immigrants who said they followed the president’s instructions, yet never received the promised assistance.

“I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore”: They Tried to Self-Deport, Then Got Stranded in Trump’s America

Venezuelan immigrants signed up for a Trump-promoted app called CBP Home, which promised a safe and easy way to leave the country, and prepared to leave on their given departure dates. Those dates hav...

www.propublica.org

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

WHAT IF SHE'S A JEW FOR JESUS??!?!? EVERY THINK OF THAT, YOU ANTISEMITE?!?!?!?

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

a) screaming "antisemitism" at everything robs the phrase of its meaning, opening the door to real hatred;

b) the internet is lowering the planet's collective IQ.

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

I've blocked and hidden as many of them as I could, but the number of unhinged antisemitic and islamophobic responses to this post is really not a great sign for the future of this platform.

Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

Zohran is speaking at my synagogue. These folks are outside.

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 2d

ICE agents blocked an ambulance that was trying to take an injured protester to hospital.

"We are still not being allowed to leave by ICE officers.” an EMT said on radio

When driver tried to get out, an agent yelled, "DON’T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN, I WILL SHOOT YOU"

www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

Documents Allege a Federal Agent at Portland ICE Threatened to Shoot an Ambulance Driver

Feds delayed medics who had come to pick up an injured protester. Then, according to confidential incident reports, the agents became aggressive.

www.wweek.com

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Tim Dickinson @timdickinson.bsky.social · 2d

Fierce, unruly joy in Portland at the emergency naked bike ride

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

If you're not getting @wired.com in print, you're missing out

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

This is pretty great www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A5G...

Weekend Update: Concerned New Yorker Rhonda LaCenzo on Zohran Mamdani - SNL

YouTube video by Saturday Night Live

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Noah Shachtman

Tim Dickinson @timdickinson.bsky.social · 2d

Live from the Emergency Naked Bike Ride 🚲 where the crowd hase just erupted in cheers with the arrival of the Unipipier

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

These people protested an event that ended with hundreds of people praying in Hebrew that today would be the day the hostages were finally brought home.

Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

Zohran is speaking at my synagogue. These folks are outside.

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Noah Shachtman @noahshachtman.bsky.social · 2d

Cuomo has been invited, too. But I don't think he's accepted the invitation, at least not yet.

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