Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 15h

Now this is a lede: “Republicans have tried more than 70 times over the past 15 years to weaken or kill Obamacare. But their campaign keeps backfiring.”

Why Republicans’ attempts to kill Obamacare keep backfiring

The White House and some Republicans are growing nervous that Democrats’ demand to boost Obamacare as part of a government funding bill has salience with voters.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah the behavior makes sense in the scene, but funny to realize his gripe didn’t fit the situation

Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 1d

One of my favorite pieces of movie trivia/mistakes comes from a Diane Keaton movie—Father of the Bride

In the scene where George is flipping out in the supermarket about hotdog buns, he claims he wants to buy "8 hot dogs and 8 hotdogs buns." He then proceeds to remove 4 buns from three bags of 12. This implies that he wants to buy 24 hotdog buns. If he had only kept the buns in the bags and bought two, he actually would have gotten 24 and saved money at the same time.

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 1d

This is the line to get into the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, which will close in a few hours and not reopen until the shutdown ends

Long line of people waiting to get through security at the museum

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 1d

“When Netanyahu visited the Oval Office, Trump forced him to apologize to Qatar’s prime minister by phone as everyone looked on. Hamas officials later said the spectacle…encouraged them to trust his vows that the peace pact would be enforced.”

time.com/7325169/trum...

Trump’s Earns Praise From the Unlikeliest of Places for Gaza Deal

Hamas credits the floridly pro-Israel U.S. President with coercing Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting a ceasefire deal.

time.com

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Reposted by Aman Batheja

Edward Wong @ewong.bsky.social · 2d

Marco Rubio co-signed a letter in support of the nomination of María Corina Machado for the Nobel Peace Prize. Here’s the letter he and several other GOP lawmakers sent to the Nobel committee last year. Mike Waltz also co-signed the letter. www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/fil...

www.rickscott.senate.gov

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 1d

Trump laid off around 4,200 federal workers on Friday.
At the IRS, at least one employee who was laid off had been working Friday because they had been exempt from shutdown furloughs
www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

Trump’s promised shutdown layoffs lead to at least 4,200 cuts at seven agencies

More RIFs possible as the Trump administration is following through on its threat to leverage the shutdown to implement federal workforce reductions.

www.govexec.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 2d

"Any RIF notices issued in the coming days will likely come with a 60-day notice period before employees are actually terminated. While admin. officials have suggested the layoffs represent a permanent action, OMB has advised agencies they may revise their layoff plans" after the shutdown.

‘Substantial’ layoffs begin at federal agencies, White House says

The Trump administration is following through on its threat to leverage the shutdown to implement federal workforce reductions.

www.govexec.com

Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 2d

“Thousands of U.S.-bound packages shipped by UPS are trapped at hubs across the country, unable to clear the maze of new customs requirements imposed by the Trump administration…the company told NBC News it has begun ‘disposing of’ some shipments.”

UPS is 'disposing of' U.S.-bound packages over customs paperwork problems

Shifting Trump tariffs have created a nightmare for UPS, as thousands of packages from overseas pile up at its hubs while they await customs clearance.

www.nbcnews.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 3d

New: The National Zoo’s Giant Panda Cam will go dark on Sunday. The federal workers who operate it are about to be furloughed.

time.com/7324850/smit...

All Smithsonian Museums to Close Sunday as Shutdown Drags On

The National Zoo's popular Giant Panda Cam will stay turned off until the shutdown is over.

time.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 3d

time.com/7324832/trum...

Trump Loses Nobel Peace Prize He Shamelessly Campaigned For

The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday said the recognition would instead go to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

time.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 3d

Jeff Bezos' Washington Post: "I tracked Amazon’s Prime Day prices. We’ve been played."

"I found products listed as Prime Day discounts that cost the same as I’d paid less than a month earlier."
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Column | I tracked Amazon’s Prime Day prices. We’ve been played.

Here’s what you should do to actually get a good deal on Amazon.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 3d

That wasn't him

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 3d

CNN: Retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy predicts his landmark opinion legalizing same-sex marriage won’t be overturned
www.cnn.com/2025/10/09/p...

Justice Anthony Kennedy predicts his opinion legalizing same-sex marriage won’t be overturned | CNN Politics

The current court majority has shown no collective interest in discarding the decade-old landmark. And Kennedy stressed his belief in a core judicial principle of adherence to precedent, known by the ...

www.cnn.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 3d

As the shutdown continues, all of the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are about to run out of funding, They're all set to close to visitors starting this Sunday—in the middle of a holiday weekend—and won't reopen until the government does.

Screenshot of top of Smithsonian's homepage: "Our museums, research centers, and the National Zoo are open today and will remain open through Saturday, October 11. If the government shutdown continues past October 11, Smithsonian locations will be closed starting Sunday, October 12."

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 4d

“Most federal employees got their last paycheck in the final hours before the shutdown. Their next check—covering pre-shutdown work—should still arrive…But some could miss pay as soon as Friday. Military members are eyeing Oct. 15, when their next paycheck could be in limbo.”

Washington Can’t Even Agree If The Two Sides Are Talking About the Shutdown

Washington is paralyzed by a deepening partisan shutdown, with Trump and Congress trading blame as 750,000 federal workers face growing financial strain.

time.com

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Reposted by Aman Batheja

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 4d

NOTE: Leavitt says Trump will "stop by for his routine yearly check up."

But…Trump had his annual check up already. 5 months ago. On April 11.

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 4d

New — White House says Donald Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday.

"On Friday morning, President Trump will visit Walter Reed Medical Center for a planned meeting and remarks with the troops. While there, President Trump will stop by for his routine yearly check up. He will then return to the White House. President Trump is considering going to the Middle East shortly thereafter." - White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 4d

New: “A growing chorus of Trump allies is urging the President to defy federal court orders, pushing the country toward a direct confrontation between the Executive Branch and the Judiciary—the very outcome the Constitution was designed to prevent.”
time.com/7324353/trum...

Calls Grow on the Right for Trump To Ignore Judges’ Orders

Stephen Miller called a judge’s decision to temporarily block the Portland troop deployment “legal insurrection.”

time.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 8d

Looking through old photos and came across a piece of movie trivia I enjoyed so much I took a photo of it (Years later, I still think it’s fun trivia)

THE 2015 JAMES BOND MOVIE SPECTRE OPENS WITH A CHASE SCENE THROUGH A SPECTACULAR DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS PARADE IN MEXICO CITY. THE NEXT YEAR MEXICO CITY THREW ITS FIRST EVER DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS PARADE.

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Reposted by Aman Batheja

Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 10d

New: Trump’s Promised Shutdown Layoffs Could Be Stuck in Court for Months

"Trump officials have been warned internally that permanent firings during the shutdown could be effectively challenged as violations of appropriations law, according to a senior government official."
time.com/7322826/trum...

Trump’s Shutdown Layoffs Could Be Stuck in Court for Months

Trump officials have been warned internally that the layoffs could be effectively challenged in court, a senior official said

time.com

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Reposted by Aman Batheja

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 9d

Boom!

September jobs numbers: Payrolls rose/fell __k. Unemployment up/down a tick to 4-point-something percent.

Economic data are noisy, yet they still confirm my priors.

Markets are responding exactly as I thought they would.

Another tough moment for the Fed. #JobsReport

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 10d

New: Trump’s Promised Shutdown Layoffs Could Be Stuck in Court for Months

"Trump officials have been warned internally that permanent firings during the shutdown could be effectively challenged as violations of appropriations law, according to a senior government official."
time.com/7322826/trum...

Trump’s Shutdown Layoffs Could Be Stuck in Court for Months

Trump officials have been warned internally that the layoffs could be effectively challenged in court, a senior official said

time.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 10d

“Rather logically, Goose came before Geese…Neither should be confused with the Atlanta nu-metal band Silly Goose.”

Goose Is a Jam Band. Geese Is Indie Rock. They Both Have New Albums.

www.nytimes.com

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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 10d

“Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in a notable break with the Dept. of Justice, claimed late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was ‘the greatest blackmailer ever’ — and may have traded the feds video of his rich…associates getting massages from young women in exchange for a controversial 2008 plea deal.”

Exclusive | Howard Lutnick tells ‘Pod Force One’ ex-neighbor Jeffrey Epstein showed off massage room, made creepy comment during townhouse tour

“This guy was the greatest blackmailer ever. … That’s how he had money,” Lutnick said on the latest episode of “Pod Force One,” out Wednesday.

nypost.com

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Reposted by Aman Batheja

Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 11d

New: Who the Trump Administration Says Is ‘Essential’ in a Shutdown Is Raising Eyebrows
time.com/7322462/gove...

Around Washington, some are speculating that workers are being deemed essential to protect them from layoffs, according to conversations with Hill staffers and other federal workers

Who Trump Admin. Deems Essential in Shutdown Raises Eyebrows

Amid threats of layoffs, the number of federal workers who haven’t yet found themselves furloughed is fueling theories

time.com

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