Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Matt Bellis

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 14h

seems like a non-insignificant percentage of rage against the machine's fanbase are young republican men driving SUVs bopping their head to anti-oil, pro-immigrant songs thinking the lyrics are about how they wish their suburban parents would get off their back

Tom Morello tweets: "Fascinating that all those “don’t tread on me” posers and their AR-15’s are nowhere to be seen and government tyranny is instead being opposed by a guy in an inflatable frog suit."

Someone named Manny replies: "@grok
why do some people say Tom Morello and band mates are RAGE FOR THE MACHINE and not against ?"

180 1.4K 10K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 15h

“We can give $20 billion to Argentina but we can’t afford the CDC’s measles experts” is a hell of an argument

220 4.4K 15K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 19h

New — Video shared with me shows ICE officers in DC detaining a man on Friday.

Bystander filming asks man for his name. ICE agent lies and says he’s not allowed to speak to him “by law” and another says “We’ve arrested American citizens for being too close…If he gets any closer, put him in cuffs.”

200 2.3K 5.1K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Tamara (Rhymes With Camera) Sellman @rhymeswithcamera.bsky.social · 20h

I wish I knew who the artist was

1 30 110

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 22h

UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.

370 5.4K 19K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Katelyn Boo-urns @katelynburns.com · 19h

I wrote a little about some of the little details you might have missed in this video and why it hit me so hard as a trans person this morning:

www.burnsnotice.com/you-have-to-...

50 1.3K 3.6K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Common Dreams @commondreams.org · 17h

Trump's 'Divorced From Reality' Depiction of Portland Ridiculed by Local Officials

US President Donald Trump falsely claims Portland is a lawless wasteland. Local officials and residents debunk his lies.

www.commondreams.org

15 65

Reposted by Matt Bellis

David Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 21h

A classic case of irresponsible both-sidesism from the NYT. The story is that Trump and MAGA propagandists are lying about Portland to incite a conflict, not that there are different views of the matter.

260 1.4K 5.5K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

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

“I’m worried about my community… I’m out here in a frog costume to show how ridiculous the notion that we’re violent terrorists is, and showcase how that narrative is wrong…”

Serious Q: is it too late to give this dude the Nobel Peace Prize? 🐸 🏆

510 5.6K 21K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

NPR @npr.org · 16h

The shutdown is forcing the closure of a number of America's beloved cultural institutions starting Sunday. Twenty-one Smithsonian museums, its research centers and the National Zoo are all affected. n.pr/48scGty

Smithsonian museums and National Zoo set to close as shutdown takes its toll

The shutdown is forcing the closure of a number of America's beloved cultural institutions starting Sunday. Twenty-one Smithsonian museums, its research centers and the National Zoo are all affected.

n.pr

30 250 560

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Sean Carroll @seanmcarroll.bsky.social · 1d

Tragedy is when I am criticized on social media. Comedy is when you are dismembered with a bone saw and die.

Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 2d

With receipts!

www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/o...

‘Amoral, evil’: vitriolic backlash builds against comics who played Riyadh festival

Murder by bone-saw, lashings for rape victims, punishment amputation, jail for satirists … these are the Saudi human rights abuses fuelling the fury being directed at the likes of Louis CK, Dave Chapp...

www.theguardian.com

7 130 560

Reposted by Matt Bellis

PHD Comics @phdcomics.com · 2d

Study for life

2 33 170

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2d

TFW when you realize you're about to fail the Lando test: "Harvard officials have since discussed internally the possibility of seeking additional assurances from the admin. that the university will not be subject to further demands once an agreement has been signed"

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...

3 11 47

Reposted by Matt Bellis

TracketPacer @tracketpacer.bsky.social · 2d

what happens if u cut 4 wires out of an ethernet cable & then plug it into yr PC

16 42 280

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) @hcrichardson.bsky.social · 2d

20 paragraphs down in the NBC News story that broke the information that the administration is considering invoking the Insurrection Act is the report that Stephen Miller is driving the issue.

690 5.4K 14K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Bob Cesca @bobcesca.bsky.social · 2d

From the memory hole: There was a hostage release and ceasefire deal in place by the Biden administration 10 months ago. It was allowed to expire in March, under Donald Trump, and now it's been revived and rebranded, with Donald taking full credit like always.

33 530 1.1K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 3d

I can’t believe I have to say this, but historically, masked men who kidnap families in the middle of the night are usually not the good guys.

890 7.8K 30K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Robert “The Bobby Yaga” McNees @mcnees.bsky.social · 3d

Astronomer Ejnar Hertzsprung was born #OTD in 1873. 🧪 🔭

H-R diagram:

🔵 🟦 🟥
🔵 🟧
⚪️ 🟨
⚪️
🟡🟡
⚬ ⚬ 🟠🟠
⚬ ⚬ ⚬ 🔴
⚬ 🔴
⚫️

3 42 170

Reposted by Matt Bellis

NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 4d

doomscroll break

31 1K 2.5K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 3d

#WarRavagedPortland

1.3K 11K 36K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 4d

I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

1.7K 21K 56K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Amy @lolennui.bsky.social · 4d

George Orwell’s Animal Crossing

Someone in a frog costume facing down a line of police in riot gear

160 2.3K 12K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Randall Munroe @xkcd.com · 4d

Window Screen

xkcd.com/3151/

4-panel comic. (1) [person in front of window, shaped like a trapezoid with a curved top] This weekend, I had to make an oversized screen for a porch window. (2) [person sitting with hands on head surrounded by images of assorted equations and measurements] It involved countless tiny problems, each somehow way harder than it should be. Oblique angles. Curved edges. Noncoplanarity. (3) [person in front of window with screen on it, with building detritus strewn on the ground] ...I solved them all. I measured precisely. I did trigonometry. I made custom parts. And it fit *perfectly.* No gaps, no ripples. (4) [person typing at computer] I know that your foundation normally limits its purview to physics, medicine, peace, chemistry, and literature. However, if you review the attached photos showing how well the screen fits into the...

32 300 2.9K

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 4d

Mark Bray and his family are being forced to move to Europe because of incitement by right-wing operatives because he wrote a book about antifascism.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Rutgers professor moving to Europe after threats over antifa accusations

Mark Bray says threats intensified after a Turning Point USA petition accused him of promoting political violence

www.theguardian.com

29 49

Reposted by Matt Bellis

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 4d

My statement on the two year anniversary of October 7, 2023.

“Two years ago today, Hamas carried out a horrific war crime, killing more than 1,100 Israelis and kidnapping 250 more. I mourn these lives and pray for the safe return of every hostage still held and for every family whose lives were torn apart by these atrocities.

In the aftermath of that day, Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government launched a genocidal war: adeath toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals, and schools into rubble. Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language. I mourn these lives and pray for the families that have been shattered. Our government has been complicit through it all.

This must end. The occupation and apartheid must end. Peace must be pursued through diplomacy, not war crimes, and our government must act to end these atrocities and hold those responsible to account.

These last two years have demonstrated the very worst of humanity. We must answer it by modeling the very best: a relentless pursuit of our higher ideals and an unwavering commitment to universal human rights.”

170 1.3K 6.7K