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Lydia Smith

@seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social

480 followers 140 following 260 posts

🎙️ Serious Pod Media: Opening Arguments, Where There's Woke, Gavel Gavel, Serious Inquiries Only with @seriouspod.bsky.social 💕 Mom of 3 🏛️Former exec with CA state government 🧠Experimental Psychology background @lydiapod.51 on Signal

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Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · Jan 24

In addition to being on mic for some of our projects, I also serve in a producer capacity for all of @seriouspod.bsky.social podcasts, including @openargs.bsky.social ! If you have a pitch for a show, reach out! I'm always looking for fantastic guests. #lawsky

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California Freethought Day @freethoughtday.bsky.social · 5d

You DON'T want to miss this Sunday's California Freethought Day (livestreamed and at the State Capitol).

Register at FreethoughtDay.org (1/2)

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Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 10d

This is such a waste of pixels and time. BE BETTER.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 10d

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com

As post-liberal tendencies take hold, “they take substantially different forms on the left versus the right — and those differences help explain why people on either side of the divide struggle so mightily to understand their opponents,” our columnist Ross Douthat writes.

Opinion | Why Left and Right Can’t Understand Each Other’s Fears

Getting past the urge to reduce all politics to existential conflict.

nyti.ms

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A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social · 11d

Zodiac killer murders again, challenging legal bounds

From the New York Times: Breaking news: U.S. attacks Venezuelan boat for fourth time, challenging legal bounds

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Dave Infante @dinfontay.com · 12d

“'The fact that we don't have money to pay journalists, but we have money to pay Bari Weiss between $100 and 200 million is indicative of what the Ellisons' true goal here is,' a network correspondent said. 'And it's not journalism.'"

CBS News staffers are ‘literally freaking out’ about Bari Weiss taking over newsroom

EXCLUSIVE: ‘People are using words like depressing and doomsday – feels like some sort of doomsday,’ one source told The Independent about the mood inside CBS News right now.

www.independent.co.uk

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Benjamin Dreyer @bcdreyer.social · 11d

There are any number of legitimate reasons to use the passive voice, including not knowing who did the action you’re describing, or the whom is more interesting/germane than the who.

Exonerating the Gestapo is not one of those legitimate reasons.

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LOLGOP ❌👑❌ @thefarce.org · 10d

If all of America saw what Stephen Miller has been saying on Fox News in the last few weeks, there would be little doubt about what's going on. But it's unbearable, so who'd seek it out?

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 10d

history teacher in 50 years: So in September, that’s when the president signed an executive order criminalizing anti-fascism and saying all resistance would be crushed

student: oh so that’s when the whole country realized they were living under fascism

teacher: haha what? oh no lol not at all. no.

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Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 10d

I'm just gonna say it - @rejectedjokes.bsky.social would never ❤️

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 10d

I mean, God said it so....

God @thegodpodcast.com · 11d

He's not just unfit to be president, he's unfit to be a human being. He’s unfit to be a carbon based life form. He’s a waste of cytoplasm.

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Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 12d

And the only person who she reports to is the CEO (David Ellison) of the company (Paramount Skydance) that acquired her (and Free Press). Who is the son of the person (Larry Ellison) buying TikTok. So news and information is going to be fucked in both legacy and modern spaces. COOL.

Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 12d

NEW from me:

Several CBS News staffers and insiders told me that the network "is not a good place now" amid the imminent arrival of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief, who one source likened to Michael Scott of The Office based on her lack of qualifications.

www.the-independent.com/news/world/a...

CBS News staffers are ‘literally freaking out’ about Bari Weiss taking over newsroom

EXCLUSIVE: ‘People are using words like depressing and doomsday – feels like some sort of doomsday,’ one source told The Independent about the mood inside CBS News right now.

www.the-independent.com

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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 12d

“Fuck them kids.”

— MAGA Jesus

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 12d

...wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12d

Leavitt: "When an illegal alien goes to the emergency room, who's paying for it? The American taxpayer."

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Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 12d

"He has flaws like we all do." Wow.

Inner City Press @innercitypress.bsky.social · 12d

Combs' Westmoreland: Mr. Combs is just a man. And he's made some mistakes. He has flaws like we all do. But how many of us can say that we've helped so many lives? Countless lives. He's been in jail and he's remorseful. I spend every day speaking with him

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 12d

DO NOT LET CORCORAN, CHRIS RUFO, AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS GO QUIETLY INTO THE WIND. Might be time for an update episode on NCF.

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 14d

You'll be shocked to learn New College of Florida is on the brink of implosion just a couple of years after DeSantis engineered an extreme right-wing takeover

Fun fact: NCF's new overlords spend $134K per student (!!...the average at other FL publics is $10K) www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

Spending Soars, Rankings Fall at New College of Florida

Student outcomes and rankings are slipping at the liberal arts college while spending is up. Critics believe the college is at risk of implosion, and some are calling for privatization.

www.insidehighered.com

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California Freethought Day @freethoughtday.bsky.social · 20d

Join us for the largest #secular event in California on October 12, it's California Freethought Day — in #Sacramento and Livestreamed.

🎫FREE Registration:
freethoughtday2025.eventbrite.com

@electericalee.bsky.social @haramdoodles.bsky.social @sethandrews.com

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Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 19d

STOOOOOOOOP. SERIOUSLY.

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 19d

Yep, he's a scared little baby.

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 19d

Maybe investigate this instead of George Soros, DOJ.

ProPublica @propublica.org · 19d

Two lawsuits allege that Jay McGraw, son of Dr. Phil, is the “principal beneficiary” of tribal lender Minto Money.

CreditServe, a company that McGraw plays a key role in, controls the operation while “the Tribe is merely a front,” the suits said.

(Published May w/ @adn.com)

A 700% APR Lending Business Tied to Dr. Phil's Son Is Dividing an Alaska Tribe

Tribal lender Minto Money has boosted the economy of its Alaska town. But some tribal members are appalled by the millions it's made off desperate borrowers -- much of which, lawsuits allege, has gone to outsider Jay McGraw, son of Dr. Phil.

www.propublica.org

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 19d

Hillary would have never. Just saying.

James Comey @jamescomey.bsky.social · 19d

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 19d

“...we built the wrong prisons,” said Cate. “We built places that are really good at keeping inmates from escaping and are good, typically, at keeping people — especially staff — safe. But they’re a terrible environment for people to change their lives.”

California shrank its prisons with sentencing changes. A new study shows how that's working

California adopted major sentencing changes under Govs. Gavin Newsom and Jerry Brown. A new report provides the first in-depth look at how they’re working.

search.app

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 20d

God, yes. What is this bullshit @nytimes.com ?!?!

Opening Arguments Podcast @openargs.bsky.social · 20d

Listen to Opening Arguments, the legal podcast that doesn't need 36 minutes to tell you that "killing Venezuelans in boats" is extremely fucking illegal

"The US Keeps Killing Venezuelans on Boats. Is That Legal?" asks NYT's The Daily

Lydia Smith @seriouslydiaonly.bsky.social · 20d

Nah, call their bluff.

Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 20d

Is this supposed to be a threat? They did this exact thing while the government was open

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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 20d

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond — who has regularly pushed back on Walters’s actions in office — already has out a statement.

(Drummond is running for governor in 2026; Gov. Kevin Stitt is term-limited.)

Attorney General Drummond comments on resignation of Ryan Walters
OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 24, 2025) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond made the following remarks this evening following the announced resignation of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters.
"Ever since Gov. Stitt appointed Ryan Walters to serve as Secretary of Education, we have witnessed a stream of never-ending scandal and political drama. From the mishandling of pandemic relief funds that resulted in families buying Xboxes and refrigerators to the latest squabbling with board members over what was or wasn't showing on TV, the Stitt-Walters era has been an embarrassment to our state.
"Even worse, test scores and reading proficiency are at historic lows.
"It's time for a State Superintendent of Public Instruction who will actually focus on quality instruction in our public schools.
Gov. Stitt used to say he would make us Top Ten, but after seven years we are ranked 50th in education. Our families, our students and our teachers deserve so much more."
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 20d

BREAKING: Oklahoma Education Superintendent Ryan Walters says he is resigning. (Of course, he announced this on Fox News.)

www.koco.com/article/ryan...

Ryan Walters to resign as
Oklahoma state superintendent for private sector job
State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Wednesday that he will resign from office and take a job in the private sector.
VEWS
Updated: 10:46 PM CDT Sep 24, 2025

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Opening Arguments Podcast @openargs.bsky.social · 27d

As anyone who has been online in the past week already knows the death of Charlie Kirk generated enough to fuel several years of Vapid Response Wednesdays, but we got it down to 2 hrs.

Part I: the man in his own words, & the (very bad) case for Kirk as the "American Socrates"

Charlie Kirk sucked and we won't be pretending otherwise

YouTube video by Opening Arguments

youtu.be

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Opening Arguments Podcast @openargs.bsky.social · 22d

Coming soon to OA:

THE CASE AGAINST "THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED"

are the "Serial" liars behind this HBO series really so desperate that they are trying to pin the murder of Hae Min Lee on a Black man who was already cleared as a suspect? Did this show get *anything* about this case right?

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Katelyn Boo-urns @katelynburns.com · 23d

Only 1 person in the whole study went from identifying as trans to not identifying as trans. The 1/5 number came from youth going between the binary and non-binary spectrum.

This headline and post are misleading on purpose to fit the economist's editorial bent on the political issue.

The Economist @economist.com · 25d

A recent study found that children who transitioned young retained stable gender identities over time. But the fact that nearly a fifth of those in the group did not ought to give advocates of irreversible medical interventions pause

How stable are the gender identities of younger children?

A study finds that one in five who switch gender change their mind

econ.st

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