Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Katie MacBride

@msmacb.bsky.social

2.9K followers 1.4K following 960 posts

Journalist, dog lover, goat wrangler. I write a newsletter about substance use & addiction recovery: askasoberlady.substack.com. It’s free and I have low self-esteem; please subscribe. Librarian always.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · Aug 20

I hate that I had to write this but I didn’t know how not to askasoberlady.substack.com/p/gluey-brai...

Gluey brain and leaden bones

Sally helped keep me sober for a decade and a half. Now that she’s gone, everything hurts and nothing makes sense.

askasoberlady.substack.com

2 11

Reposted by Katie MacBride

mr. sardonicus @mmcgrath.bsky.social · 1d

it was touch and go for a second there, but I named 3 animals and the entire room broke out in spontaneous applause

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump: "I also did a cognitive exam. Which is always very risky because if I didn't do well, you'd be the first to be blaring it and I had a perfect score. And one of the doctors said he's almost never seen a perfect score. I had a perfect score. That made me well good ... not the easiest test."

5 24

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Luke Steuber @lukesteuber.com · 16h

“Multiplying protest frogs” 🤣

Troops to Portland still on hold, multiplying protest frogs, fact-check on Trump claims: Get caught up

It’s not clear when the 9th Circuit panel will issue its ruling, but it will likely come before an Oct. 17 hearing

www.oregonlive.com

13 110 550

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 2h

The editors of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) were apparently fired today.

The precursor to MMWR began in 1878 to address emerging public health threats rapidly.

We are not “great” without it. We are vulnerable to threats from sporadic foodborne illness to bioterrorism.

20 300 610

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 2h

So they’re using the shutdown as an authorization purge

Quoted post saying that the cdc is being purged of essential “disease detectives”, high level scientists and the entire Washington staff of the MMWR have been RIFed and Erin Kissane saying they can’t overstate how bad it is.

Post from John skiles skinner about mass firings at the cybersecurity and infrastructure security Agency which is the nation’s cybersecurity protection across all levels of government

2 5

Reposted by Katie MacBride

John Skiles Skinner @skiles.blue · 3h

I don't know if there's such a thing as a "world cyberwar" but I think we are in one? and the US is determined to lose it. 🧵

Today the admin is mass-firing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the nation's cybersecurity protection across all levels of government.

79 510 1K

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Erin Kissane @kissane.myatproto.social · 3h

It is difficult for me to express how disastrous this is.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 4h

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

10 180 680

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 3h

When i have to go out for a short time, I’ve been fencing off part of the kitchen for Doris

Came back to find her like this

A small black dog sitting at the kitchen table, looking serious, grumpy, and like she’s waiting for a five course meal

1 6

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Adam Parkhomenko @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social · 3h

“All of these actions reflect a buoyed commander in chief who feels emboldened to go further after feeling as though he has faced surprisingly little resistance to his ambitious agenda in the first nine months. He has even remarked to aides that he is shocked how easy it has all proven to be.”

Trump, Feeling Emboldened, Pushes Agenda Into Higher Gear

Recent moves by the president reflect a commander in chief who has seemingly faced little resistance to his agenda.

www.wsj.com

40 200 420

Reposted by Katie MacBride

hannah gais @hannahgais.bsky.social · 11h

Those are three people in inflatable frog suits.

@MrAndyNgo
Now that the local and national press have started to cover the Portland ICE area round-the-clock in reaction to the President, Antifa have devised a plan where they are encouraging one another to come in animal costumes.

The costumes serve the function of masking the violent extremism to make the direct action appear like a family-friendly gathering on camera, and to whitewash the past ultraviolence.

In 2019, Antifa devised a similar plot by giving out free "milkshakes" at a protest. But they couldn't contain their bloodthirst and nearly killed me when they saw me. In 2020, they mobilized a fake "Wall of Moms" where female Antifa supporters and members wore yellow shirts to act as human body shields while violent rioters behind them hurled projectile weapons.

photo of three people in inflatable frog costumes

330 530 3.3K

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Neşe Devenot, PhD @neselsd.bsky.social · 12h

Announcing: "The Psychedelic Syndicate: How Silicon Valley Used Veterans to Hijack the Psychedelic Industry"

Now on @Psymposia's website in four parts.

www.psymposia.com/psychedelic-...

The Psychedelic Syndicate: Executive Summary

A year-long investigation reveals how a small group of Silicon Valley elites sought to capture the psychedelic therapy industry — using a network of affiliated organizations to scapegoat critics whi

www.psymposia.com

2 10 12

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 16h

News: Bari Weiss just sent a memo to staffers at CBS News asking them to produce a memo explaining "how you spend your working hours—and ideally, what you've made (or are making) that you're most proud of."

One CBS News staffer puts it like this to me: "We just got Elon Musked."

330 1.9K 8.1K

Reposted by Katie MacBride

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 1d

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

1.8K 22K 53K

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 1d

We can’t drink; let us have this askasoberlady.substack.com/p/how-do-i-h...

How do I handle family gatherings where sobriety talk takes over?

"Half of the time, my sober family members sound like they're talking in code."

askasoberlady.substack.com

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 2d

The elimination of USAID is a moral atrocity and all involved made a choice to enable, and then lie about, ending the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

MAE SOT, Thailand (AP) - Mohammed Taher clutched the lifeless body of his 2-year-old son and wept. Ever since his family's food rations stopped arriving at their internment camp in Myanmar in April, the father had watched helplessly as his once-vibrant baby boy weakened, suffering from diarrhea and begging for food.
On May 21, exactly two weeks after Taher's little boy died, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat before Congress and declared: "No one has died" because of his government's decision to gut its foreign aid program. Rubio also insisted: "No children are dying on my watch."
That, Taher says, "is a lie."

82 2.4K 5.1K

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 3d

Lookit this gopher hunting psychopath (fortunately she doesn’t seem very GOOD at finding gophers, just hunting them with gusto)

A black chiweenie on a leash looking away from the camera with her muzzle covered in dirt

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Joshua Erlich @joshuaerlich.bsky.social · 3d

endlessly embarrassing that the powers that be here banned Link. just disqualifying.

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · 4d

“As a neurodiversity advocate and as an autistic person, I’m really grateful for so much of the work that’s been done that allows me to be myself and to be successful being myself.” Link, who has been *banned*!?!? from this platform?

thinkingautismguide.com/2025/06/spac... #AutisticWhileBlack

Space Law, Race, and Neurodiversity: Autistic Advocate AJ Link

We live in a country & society that is built on racism. The neurodivergent community isn't free of that racism—per Autistic advocate AJ Link.

thinkingautismguide.com

7 130 570

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 3d

Like you realize you haven’t heard them in too long and immediately knew they’re either doing the grossest thing you can imagine or something that has killed them

1 2

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 3d

I’ve never had a puppy this high energy, 100% mischievous, and fearless before and let me tell you, I now viscerally understand why parents get nervous when their kids get quiet

1 5

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 3d

Looking to chat with drinkers who have taken a GLP-1 (for any reason) *and no longer do* about how it affected their alcohol use. This is for my newsletter, and you can be anonymous. katiemacwrites at gmail com! #sourcerequest

1 1

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Preorder Read This When Things Fall Apart @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 4d

Beyond not believing that ten cars rammed them, no rational person believed that was even spatially possible on a Chicago street. It makes no sense!

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 4d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 4d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

7 89 390

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 8d

I wish I could say it’s worth the wait…

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 8d

If you read it, I’m curious to hear if you agree!

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 8d

She was so mad that I wouldn’t let her eat my croc that she’s very dramatically ignoring me

Tiny dog sitting on a chair with her back to me looking like she’s about to say “you’re not my real mom!”

2 10

Katie MacBride @msmacb.bsky.social · 8d

I had some issues with the book that didn’t have anything to do with the whole murder plot thing. askasoberlady.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...

Elizabeth Gilbert Falls for the Oldest Trick in the (Big) Book

Experience, strength, and NOPE.

askasoberlady.substack.com

1 4

Reposted by Katie MacBride

Ryan Marino, MD @ryanmarino.bsky.social · 9d

ER doc here! This is a lie. Wait times are up because the American healthcare system is an unsustainable business model and a for-profit national healthcare system just doesn’t work. These problems will continue to get worse until we change that system. It literally has nothing to do with immigrants

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9d

Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"

340 5.3K 15K