Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brandon Whitcher

@whitcher.bsky.social

190 followers 110 following 23 posts

Statistician, craft beer fanatic, medical image analysis, early-phase drug development, data scientist, R/Python programmer @[email protected]

Videos

Economics 30%

Biology 17%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · 12h

Premium increases notices will soon arrive in the mailboxes of Americans all over the US.

The average increase? 114%.

For some, the numbers are even higher:

A couple making $129,000 with two adult children at home in Savannah, GA, will pay $3,150 more per month for insurance.

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Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Joe R. Feagin, Brendan Nyhan , and 29 more Anne Applebaum, Joe R. Feagin, Brendan Nyhan, Jesse H. Kroll, Patrick A. Jansen, Daniel L. Millimet, David Feldman, Eric Goldman, Fabián Muniesa, Jacob Montgomery, Juan Cole, Erwin Dekker, Sanford F. Schram, Devon Greyson, Scott A. Imberman, Caroline Fohlin, Florian Keller, Michael D. McDonald, Jason Lyall, Kate Starbird, Victor Pickard, Nelson Flores, Richard M. Carpiano, Klaus Oschema, Meredith Farkas, Brandon Whitcher, Daxton R. Stewart, Albin Wagener, Aviel Roshwald, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Bruce Buchan

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 13h

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 1d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

50501: The People’s Movement ❌👑 @50501movement.bsky.social · 1d

YES! MORE OF THIS! Thank you Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold from Oregon’s National Guard 🙏

Source: www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

#Oregon #Portland #50501Movement

@WinterPolitics1
The Oregon national guard general says if the Oregon National guard were to be deployed they would be instructed under his leadership to protect the protesters not ICE.

And a photo of the Oregon National Guard General

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Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Brendan Nyhan, Mark Rice , and 3 more Joe R. Feagin, Brendan Nyhan, Mark Rice, Nathan Richardson, Brandon Whitcher, Aviel Roshwald

Patrick De Klotz @patdeklotz.bsky.social · 1d

American citizen, read this. www.koin.com/news/portlan...

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Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, Patrick Stokes , and 1 more Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, Patrick Stokes, Brandon Whitcher

Amy @lolennui.bsky.social · 1d

So cool that whenever someone asks the president, “did you eat the Lindbergh baby” he’s like, “no but I’d be allowed to, I have the right to, I might do it later”

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Reposted by Henry Jones, Brandon Whitcher

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d

Gov. Pritzker after Trump calls for him to be jailed: “I will not back down… what else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”

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Reposted by Smith, Nils Zurawski, Brandon Whitcher

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 2d

“Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk.”

Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.

Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans

It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Sorrowscopes @sorrowscopes.bsky.social · 4d

Leo: Psychologists say self-hatred is better than emotional numbness, but why settle for one when you can have both for free!

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

The Onion @theonion.com · 4d

New Study Shows That Bones Are Incredibly Cool

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Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 5d

Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.

Tweet from the VP:
Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been
overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most.
Yet she oozes with contempt.
My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much
happier person if you showed a little gratitude

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Reposted by Anna O. Law, Victor Asal, Brandon Whitcher

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 5d

Every American should read this judge’s stirring rebuke to Trump | Austin Sarat

The court’s opinion in a case on immigrants’ right to free speech is a powerful lesson in civics

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 8 more Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop, Rosemary A. Joyce, Anders Nilsson, Michael Kevane, Julian Go, McKenzie Wark, Anthony Burke, Brandon Whitcher, Dan Immergluck, Kevin Grant

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 6d

I am just so fucking proud of her.

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 7d

Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress just shut down the government.

Why? They don’t want to lower your health care costs.

Graphic Copy:
The government just ran out of money.
How’d we get here?
We're in a health care emergency and costs are going up.
Republicans would rather shut down the government than work with democrats to save health care.
Republicans won’t even come to the table to negotiate, and Trump is telling them “don’t bother.”

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Reposted by Mark A. Lemley, Manuel Puppis, Brandon Whitcher

The Onion @theonion.com · 7d

This is not a paid advertisement. Subscribe at membership.theonion.com to receive the newspaper and see more print-exclusive content.

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Reposted by David Feldman, Robert B. Reich, Mary Jane Curry , and 1 more David Feldman, Robert B. Reich, Mary Jane Curry, Brandon Whitcher

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · 8d

We believe healthcare is a right for every American.

But starting today, millions of people will be notified that they are being priced out of their insurance thanks to Republican policies.

Enough is enough. The GOP may shut down the government, but we will stand tall for YOU.

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 9d

Labour’s Identity Crisis

The new Private Eye is out now.

A photo of the front cover of issue 1659 of Private Eye magazine with the caption “on shelves now.” The front cover headline reads “Labour’s Identity Crisis” and shows Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham talking. Burnham says, “I would like to lead the Labour Party,” to which Starmer replies, “So would I.”

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Reposted by Alan Richardson, Brandon Whitcher

Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 9d

It’s midnight, which means Trump’s government just ran out of money.

Our entire government is shut down because Republicans in power refuse to lower health care costs.

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Reposted by Greg Linden, Brandon Whitcher

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 9d

Excited to introduce Vibes from Meta. Eat your slop, piggies!

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 9d

What "war" in Portland is Trump talking about? The battle of mellow artisans?

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Reposted by Margaret Mitchell, Heike Delitz, Brandon Whitcher

Cats Pajamas @katzpeejays.bsky.social · 11d

Our corner of war-ravaged Portland.

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Reposted by Will Jennings, Juliet B. Schor, Tom Clark , and 12 more Will Jennings, Juliet B. Schor, Tom Clark, Philip Nel, Esther K. Choo, Juan Cole, Sanford F. Schram, John Foot, Daniel W. Drezner, Melanie C. Green, Alan Richardson, Beatriz Gallardo Paúls, Michael D. McDonald, Brandon Whitcher, Timothy D. McBride

Senator Ron Wyden @wyden.senate.gov · 12d

Taken just a few minutes ago outside the ICE facility in Portland that Trump claims is under siege. My message to Donald Trump is this: we don’t need you here. Stay the hell out of our city.

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Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Rosemary A. Joyce, Brandon Whitcher

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 12d

We are a government ruled by viral video fiat now.

You aren't even allowed to research which viral video has whipped the regime into a mania and how they came to believe it, because the research of the systems themselves is viewed as "censorship."

This how you end up randomly invading Portland.

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

nixCraft @cyberciti.biz · 13d

I tried to teach my cat how to use the terminal. But, my cat kept hitting 'F9' or ‘k’ in htop and killing random processes. I guess some habits are hard to break 😅

a cartoon of a penguin wearing goggles looking at a computer

ALT: a cartoon of a penguin wearing goggles looking at a computer

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · 13d

Freedom is not about saying nice things or agreeing with those in power.

It is not flattering the President of the United States.

It is the right to express your point of view without government interference.

We must not allow anybody to take that freedom away.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYTY...

Republicans: Stop Using the Word “Freedom”

YouTube video by Senator Bernie Sanders

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 13d

We have a white supremacist gestapo with complete immunity in our country now.

Right now: As an ICE agent sets up floodlights facing a few protesters outside the Broadview ICE facility, one activist remarks that photos “better not be for your spank bank.”

“Nothing from your genetic lineage would be in my sp…” the agent began to reply, cutting himself off.

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Brandon Whitcher @whitcher.bsky.social · 14d

Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards

We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.

petition.parliament.uk

Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

The Onion @theonion.com · 14d

Trump To Travel With Own Escalator Following U.N. Embarrassment

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher, David Darmofal

NPR @npr.org · 15d

Acclaimed Italian actor Claudia Cardinale, who starred in some of the most celebrated European films of the 1960s and 1970s, has died, AFP reported Tuesday. She was 87.

Claudia Cardinale, star of '8½' and 'The Leopard,' dies at 87

n.pr

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Reposted by Brandon Whitcher

Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 16d

Sadly this adorable cuddly bat is critically endangered. Who do we think we are!? | First Dog on the Moon

Here is my recovery plan to SAVE THIS IMPORTANT BAT * Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published * Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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