Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Don Dechert

Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social · 4h

the actual story here, which the media never talks about, is that police in this country have become a discrete right-wing political operation. the story isn't about cops leaving (they're lying about that), it's about the police trying to exert influence over elections.

Mark Misoshnik 🏴 @misoshnik.bsky.social · 1d

Lmao is this supposed to be a bad thing?

A tweet from Bari Weiss that says “"It's shaken me to my core," a lieutenant said of Mamdani's unexpected victory in June. "The absolute dread I feel is palpable.
"
Today in @TheFP our @Olivia_Reingold talks to the cops who say they will walk if Zohran Mamdani is elected in November:”

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Gregory A. Hargreaves @bordergroves.bsky.social · 9h

Bringing receipts

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Amy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · 8h

Said it a thousand times, but the fact that the general public does not understand the difference between an opinion writer and a reporter is a real fucking problem.

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Joshua Erlich @joshuaerlich.bsky.social · 11h

this pedantic bullshit. if you let irreparable harm happen, you’ve decided the issue. the hint is in the word irreparable. let me break that down for you Amy. Imagine, if you will, a harm that is reparable. now,

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Amy Coney Barrett defends heavy use of the shadow docket: "If we wrote a long opinion, it might give the impression that we have finally resolved the issue, and in none of these cases have we finally resolved the issue."

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Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 1d

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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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 10h

Also, using “thought police” to describe the *critics* of someone who literally launched her career by trying to police the thoughts of her pro-Palestinian professors at Columbia is AMAZING

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 10h

I know it's basically just bait so whatever but if you use "thought police" unironically you should be forced to sit in a corner without your phone for a full hour

Sally Jenkins post with a link to whatever awful Atlantic piece about Bari Weiss reading "Ratio me. Please. It's a badge of honor. If you don't like a link, go follow some chicken-heart who needs the approval of the thought-police. Caitlin Flanagan of
@theatlantic.com
is a tremendous writer and this piece is an excellent read. "

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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 10h

Also seems reasonable to note the transparent racism is reacting to a protest about Palestine, in London with a call to deport Muslims (who may have nothing to do with either Palestine or London!) from the United States.

Racializing a religious identity so he can do racism to it.

Joel S. @joelhs.bsky.social · 10h

United States Congressman calls for the deportation of all Muslims from the US.

All Jewish groups should join together to denounce this.

Tweet from Congressman Randy Fine: "Muslims calling for the destruction of Israel — after the peace deal.

It was never about Gaza.

Why did the UK allow these demons in?

We must ban Sharia in the United States and deport them ALL before this becomes us.

Religion of peace."

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Joe 👻 BOO! 👻 dek @joedudekjd.bsky.social · 10h

The undertone to all of this is that the Supreme Court is duty-bound to reach a stay decision in every (important?) case. They're not. The standards they purport to be applying are supposed to make intervention exceptionally rare. If you don't want to make law, don't make law.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Amy Coney Barrett defends heavy use of the shadow docket: "If we wrote a long opinion, it might give the impression that we have finally resolved the issue, and in none of these cases have we finally resolved the issue."

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Ben K. @benjaminkabak.com · 12h

Bari Weiss does not "cover the news." At best, she's an opinions columnist. At worst - and as documented in many places - she distorts facts or knowingly lies about them to sell a preconceived narrative.

But then again, so do Lance Armstrong defenders. So these two are birds of a feather.

Sally Jenkins @sallyjenx.bsky.social · 13h

This is really smart. Amazed at the hysteria over the ascendance of a woman entrepreneur who clearly knows how to cover and sell news and who's not afraid to take on a mob. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Don’t Bet Against Bari Weiss

The new editor in chief of CBS News triumphs over her critics.

www.theatlantic.com

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 11h

Hi Sally. When Weiss published a supposed expose on the death of George Floyd, a veteran criminal justice reporter showed in deep detail that the piece was not just wrong but filled with falsehoods and misrepresentations. Weiss did not retract the piece. What do you think of that?

Sally Jenkins @sallyjenx.bsky.social · 13h

This is really smart. Amazed at the hysteria over the ascendance of a woman entrepreneur who clearly knows how to cover and sell news and who's not afraid to take on a mob. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Don’t Bet Against Bari Weiss

The new editor in chief of CBS News triumphs over her critics.

www.theatlantic.com

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Old White Nepo Hat @kenwhite.bsky.social · 11h

“I’m a cop. I am not supposed to feel dread. He’s a brown person. HE’S supposed to feel dread!”

Bari nods sympathetically.

Mark Misoshnik 🏴 @misoshnik.bsky.social · 1d

Lmao is this supposed to be a bad thing?

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Don Dechert @dondechert.bsky.social · 11h

Somehow I doubt any of this goes into Infantrydort's calculations.

Troops stung by ‘hard’ credit checks and unexpected denials in USAA’s relief loans

Some troops were surpised by hard credit checks and unexpected denials for relief loans by military-friendly lender USAA.

share.google

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Waitman Wade Beorn, PhD, FRHistS @waitmanwbeorn.com · 11h

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of historians suddenly cried out...

Karly Kingsley @karlykingsley.bsky.social · 17h

History warned us about tyrants. Nobody warned us they’d be this dumb.

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Corey Rayburn Yung @coreyryung.bsky.social · 13h

Every other federal judge has a larger docket, generates greater output, doesn't take summers off, and manages to properly issue preliminary decisions without creating this confusion.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Amy Coney Barrett defends heavy use of the shadow docket: "If we wrote a long opinion, it might give the impression that we have finally resolved the issue, and in none of these cases have we finally resolved the issue."

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Don Dechert @dondechert.bsky.social · 11h

As @williamlidc.bsky.social states later, I guess this is aimed at Trump (?) as a news consumer?

Really, who was this for/aimed at? Or somehow part of her book tour?

Will Li @williamlidc.bsky.social · 11h

Why is a Supreme Court Justice going on a show like this? That’s not how any of this works.

Whose idea was this, and who in their right mind thinks “we shouldn’t write substantive opinions where there isn’t an appealable final judgement” makes any sense to anyone, lay person or attorney?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Amy Coney Barrett defends heavy use of the shadow docket: "If we wrote a long opinion, it might give the impression that we have finally resolved the issue, and in none of these cases have we finally resolved the issue."

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Joshua Erlich @joshuaerlich.bsky.social · 11h

it’s funny when cops admit they are there to protect property, not people, by threatening to quit if they’re asked to prioritize people

Mark Misoshnik 🏴 @misoshnik.bsky.social · 1d

Lmao is this supposed to be a bad thing?

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Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 11h

I’ve been working on this story for years … and he just … said it on television …

Ari Cohn @aricohn.com · 12h

I have some bad news for JD Vance if he thinks violating the oath of office is "pretty criminal."

abcnews.go.com/Politics/pri...

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Don Dechert @dondechert.bsky.social · 11h

Why on Fox News of all places? It hits like Ted Cruz-syndrome, where a lawyer (who should know better) just panders. Is this part of her book tour?

Also from a PR/legitimacy standpoint, what reassurances are sufficient on a MAGA network? Seems quite dubious.

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Will Li @williamlidc.bsky.social · 11h

Why is a Supreme Court Justice going on a show like this? That’s not how any of this works.

Whose idea was this, and who in their right mind thinks “we shouldn’t write substantive opinions where there isn’t an appealable final judgement” makes any sense to anyone, lay person or attorney?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Amy Coney Barrett defends heavy use of the shadow docket: "If we wrote a long opinion, it might give the impression that we have finally resolved the issue, and in none of these cases have we finally resolved the issue."

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 2d

DOGE was a catastrophic failure by any measure except further hollowing out govt to be fleeced by tech guys. So yeah, DOGE seems like a success if rent-seeking is your goal, but no serious policymaker is under any obligation to take these people seriously, and those that do are doing it for the $

He praised Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative to slash federal spending, texting a recent photo of himself hanging out with Mr. Musk and a Tesla robot. He likewise praised David Sacks, another San Francisco tech billionaire and the chairman of Mr. Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

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Drew McKevitt @drewmckevitt.bsky.social · 2d

"subpar tech that was designed for rentseeking rather than performance" is my new favorite way to describe why everything is terrible

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 2d

These guys have gotten incredibly rich by fleecing the government with subpar tech that was designed for rentseeking rather than performance. A smart Dem agenda item would be to build internal tech capacity. The fact that it would punish these guys is just a silver lining.

Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · 2d

Being a billionaire must really fuck with your mind. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

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Don Dechert @dondechert.bsky.social · 11h

Courtesy copies weren't received.

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 13h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

🏰meg⚔️ @Birthright Audiobook! @impavid.us · 3d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand

I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.

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Joshua Erlich @joshuaerlich.bsky.social · 11h

“clerk said it’s fine”

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 13h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

🏰meg⚔️ @Birthright Audiobook! @impavid.us · 3d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand

I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.

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Leah Litman @leahlitman.bsky.social · 13h

“Alito has the opinion”

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 13h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

🏰meg⚔️ @Birthright Audiobook! @impavid.us · 3d

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand

I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.

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Tade Thompson @tadethompson.bsky.social · 14h

Literally THE OPPOSITE of what Dr Manhattan said.

Also, Moore didn't see this as an ideal solution. Moore literally negates the plan in the last panel.

This fucking guy....

Why the hell does he get oxygen to spout word salad?

Sharon @sharonk.bsky.social · 17h

thiel, man, what the fuck are you talking about

He describes the plot of Watchmen, a 1986 graphic novel involving superheroes grappling with moral questions about humanity against the backdrop of impending nuclear war:

The antihero Ozymandias, the antichrist-type figure, is sort of an early-modern person. He believes this will be a timeless and eternal solution – eternal world peace. Moore is sort of a late-modern. In early modernity, you have ideal solutions, ‘perfect’ solutions to calculus. In late modernity, things are sort of probabilistic. And at some point, he asks Dr Manhattan whether the world government is going to last. And he says that ‘nothing lasts forever.’ So you embrace the antichrist and it still doesn’t work.

Thiel later finds biblical meaning in the manga One Piece, discussing how he believes it represents a future where an antichrist-like one-world government has repressed science. He believes that the hero, Monkey D Luffy, represents a Christlike figure.

In One Piece, you are set in a fantasy world, again sort of an alternate earth, but it’s 800 years into the reign of this one-world state. Which, as the story unfolds, gradually gets darker and darker. You sort of realize, in my interpretation, who runs the world and it’s something like the antichrist. There’s Luffy, a pirate who wears a red straw hat, sort of like Christ’s crown of thorns. And then towards the end of the story, transforms into a figure who resembles Christ in Revelation.

Thiel, along with a researcher and writer at Thiel Capital, explored these ideas at greater length in an essay for the religious journal First Things earlier this month.

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