Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Tina Bessias

Amber Speaks Up @amberspeaks.bsky.social · 19h

It is true that authoritarians manufacture crisis so they can consolidate power.

The gov shutdown isn’t chaos — it’s choreography. Agencies gutted, public trust eroded, then rebuilt under more control.

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

NC Newsline @ncnewsline.com · 1d

North Carolina state and local leaders gathered Monday at Oak Grove Elementary School in Raleigh to call on the General Assembly to fund the state’s Farm to School program, warning that federal cuts could threaten student nutrition and local farmers. ncnewsline.com/2025/10/13/f... #nc #ncpol

Federal cuts threaten NC school lunches, local farmers, advocates say • NC Newsline

Advocates are urging NC lawmakers to cover federal funding cuts that could threaten student nutrition and local farmers.

ncnewsline.com

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 5d

since denver launched its e-bike rebate program - the have sold 10,000 e-bikes and reduced an estimated 1,000,000 car trips - replacing millions of VMTs and reducing air pollution

there are no climate silver bullets... but damn - e-bikes and e-cargo bikes are close

denvergov.org/Government/A...

Denver Celebrates 10,000 E-Bike Rebates

Since its inception in April 2022, Denver has distributed over 10,000 electric bikes (e-bikes) to community members through its pioneering e-bike rebate program. As the first U.S. city to implement su...

denvergov.org

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 1d

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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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

This is literally an oil pipeline and not only do we massively subsidize it with our tax dollars but it is our leading cause of disabling injury and premature death.

We are not an especially clever people.

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Tina Bessias @tbessias.bsky.social · 1d

Tragic.

Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 2d

Promoting the editor-in-chief's personal side project. Zero named sources in a story that promotes the editor-in-chief's personal political position. Misspelling the subject's name. It took one day for CBS News to become a conservative blog.

www.cbsnews.com/video/some-n...

CBS News: Some NYPD officers worry about Mandani becoming NYC mayor the Free Press reports.

Reposted by Tina Bessias

Dr. Elizabeth Sawin @bethsawin.bsky.social · 1d

Will fossil fuels be extractable and refine-able and transportable to keep the hungry data centers humming?

Nothing grows forever within a finite system. The outputs of AI may be non-material, but the inputs surely are.

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Tina Bessias @tbessias.bsky.social · 1d

This is important.

Dr. Elizabeth Sawin @bethsawin.bsky.social · 1d

These grandiose visions of AI becoming ever more powerful seemingly without limit, do they account for the fact that AI, like humans, is a dependent part of the earth?
Will chip supply chains keep flowing at 3 degrees of warming? At 3.5? Will data centers stand through flood and fire?

Reposted by Tina Bessias

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 1d

John Oliver is a treasure, and I'm glad that this staggering work of genius also took the time to discuss Wari Beiss' Fake University, along with all the other things.

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Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 3d

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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Reposted by Tina Bessias

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 4d

Reminder: Trump vaccinates himself 👇🏽

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 3d

A policy expert described Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s push in favor of private schools as a “great American heist,” funneling money from public schools: “It’s a strategic theft of the future of our country, our kids and our democracy.”

By @megomatz.bsky.social & @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 3d

👇🎯 Congrats again to Chief Keyser Söze, whose greatest trick was convincing the world that actual John Roberts doesn't exist

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Tina Bessias @tbessias.bsky.social · 3d

Bravo President Kornbluth and Trustees of MIT!

Reuters @reuters.com · 4d

MIT refuses to accept White House terms for funding, other schools still mulling reut.rs/471tkNZ

MIT refuses to accept White House terms for funding, other schools still mulling

Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth on Friday said she "cannot support" a memo that the White House sent to nine elite U.S. universities last week detailing policies they should follow to get preferential consideration for federal funding.

reut.rs

Reposted by Tina Bessias

✨ A Goddess has NO KING ✨ @the-goddess-speaks.bsky.social · 3d

Citizens demanding transparency and lawfulness from their public servants.

📢This is the way.
#ChicagoStrong

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 5d

www.stepupspeakout.org

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Pete Buttigieg @petebuttigieg.bsky.social · 6d

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Tina Bessias @tbessias.bsky.social · 12d

Beautiful. See subsequent post, too.

Dr. Elizabeth Sawin @bethsawin.bsky.social · 12d

The path between here and a just and livable future is not a smooth curve of managed transition any more (if it ever was). It's white water, surprises, confusion, advance, retreat, learning, messing up, grieving, celebrating, experimenting, truth telling, pausing in the beauty.

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 12d

Matthew 15:29-31: And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them after verifying their citizenship status.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics @ameracadpeds.bsky.social · 12d

Currently, millions of children are unable to access COVID-19 vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, a program that provides free vaccines to families that are unable to afford them. Read the full story in AAP News. publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

Pediatricians express frustrations over delay in COVID vaccines for children in federal program

Millions of children are unable to access COVID-19 vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program because federal health officials have not finalized recommendations on who should get vaccinated.

publications.aap.org

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

zensoul.bsky.social @zensoul.bsky.social · 12d

#ProudBlue Fair elections, made in California, decided by voters.

Vote YES on Prop 50 on November 4th to stop Republicans from rigging the 2026 midterms.
#YesOnProp50

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 13d

The legendary Jane Fonda “has relaunched the Committee for the First Amendment, the McCarthy-era initiative started by her father, Henry Fonda ...” www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...

Jane Fonda relaunches free speech group started by her father during the McCarthy era

In wake of the Trump administration’s censorship threats, the actor re-established the Committee for the First Amendment with A-list support

www.theguardian.com

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Tina Bessias @tbessias.bsky.social · 13d

Following in the footsteps of Francis, (Pope) Leo called on "everyone in society ... [to] put pressure on governments to develop and implement more rigorous regulations, procedures and controls" to fight climate change and protect the environment.” www.politico.eu/article/pope...

Pope Leo rebukes climate skeptics after Trump calls warming a ‘con job’

The Illinois native’s comments come a week after the U.S. president derided the fight against climate change.

www.politico.eu

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Tina Bessias @tbessias.bsky.social · 13d

Yes! Rep. Dean is telling it straight. Dems need to should this from the rooftops and ask every Republican what they’re going to do about it.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

MADELEINE DEAN: The president is unhinged. He's unwell

JOHNSON: A lot of folks on your side are too

D: Oh my god, please. That performance in front of the generals?

J: I didn't see it

D: It's so dangerous! Our allies are looking elsewhere. Our enemies are laughing. You have a POTUS who's unwell.

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Reposted by Tina Bessias

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 14d

Lisa Murkowski
Susan Collins
Thom Tillis
David Valadao
Bryan Steil
Etc.

Every day, the entire National Conversation is laser-focused on What Democrats Must Do, & these supposedly "moderate" Republicans get total free passes. They're the ones who can end it all. Find them. Ask the hard questions.

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 15d

It is incredibly difficult to get folks to understand that there are literally 20-30 people in DC who could end all of this tomorrow, & all of them are Republicans in Congress, & no one in the National Conversation seems interested in paying attention to that.

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