Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 6h

Finally caught "The Long Walk" today and honestly this is the dystopia movie America needs right now. Loved every second of it. @stephenking.bsky.social never stops cooking.

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 6h

I would like to inform everyone that I have recently acquired $10 million and am now a fabulously wealthy man.

Reuters @reuters.com · 7h

Trump, 79, has "cardiac age" of 65-year-old, doctor says reut.rs/4mZNZbu

Trump, 79, has "cardiac age" of 65-year-old, doctor says

Donald Trump was found to be in "exceptional health" in a medical evaluation, the U.S. president's doctor said in a memo released by the White House on Friday, with his "cardiac age" 14 years younger than in "chronological age."

reut.rs

Reposted by Con Flambers

sam @wisconsam.bsky.social · 19h

My latest story dives into how structural and social transphobia make trans people more vulnerable to disaster and also shares lessons in community care

Yale Climate Connections @climateconnections.bsky.social · 19h

After a hurricane, many people worry about losing power. For trans Floridians, it can mean losing access to lifesaving medication and navigating hostility at disaster shelters. But one woman’s hurricane response team is stepping in:

When a hurricane hits, she shows up for those left behind » Yale Climate Connections

Trans advocate Jasmine McKenzie is building a lifeline for Black and trans Floridians who often can’t safely access disaster services from FEMA or religious organizations.

yaleclimateconnections.org

7 13

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 16h

When I first heard about October 7th, my main reaction was "wow, a lot of people are going to die, huh?" and never in my life have I wished I was completely, totally wrong as much as then.

BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 17h

it was obvious from the moment the attack happened that this was not only a tragedy for Israel but was going to become a tragedy for Palestine, and I still remember who was cheering it on.

Michael E. Carter @deckofcarterhist.bsky.social · 17h

If you were online on October 7, 2023, this is no surprise.

Overshadowed by the fact that Israel retaliated with a genocidal war is the reality that amid the attack seemingly professional/moral people spent days praising every report they found of Israelis, including children, being murdered.

1 6

Reposted by Con Flambers

Matthew Downhour @matthewdownhour.bsky.social · 16h

Alex Jones tried to warn us about this

Reverend Jesus "H" Christ @reverendjesus.com · 20h

Blessed are the frogs, for they keep making authoritarians look incredibly stupid

Three persons in inflatable frog costumes. One of them is holding a nicely painted sign with two little cartoon frogs holding hands, below the text "FROGS TOGETHER STRONG"

3 58 340

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 17h

This doesn't just mean a "low approval rating for Trump." Trump's approvals in his first term were even worse than they are now and that was not enough to stop him from coming back. This guy has to be utterly reviled in the way we revile segregationists like Thurmond or Wallace for all coming time.

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 17h

And here's my basic take: Unless a solid majority of Americans come to realize this presidency is a massive disgrace and that returning this man to power was a catastrophic mistake, we are cooked. I actually think it is that simple.

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 17h

And here's my basic take: Unless a solid majority of Americans come to realize this presidency is a massive disgrace and that returning this man to power was a catastrophic mistake, we are cooked. I actually think it is that simple.

3

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 17h

This is one thing I appreciate writers like Ta-Nehisi Coates. He does not let his analytical frame be bound by some simple notions of vote-getting. He is interested in exploring this question, and what it truly means, even if the answer paints many Americans in an unflattering light.

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I think that this moment calls for a reckoning that goes beyond the bounds of electoral politics, important as elections are. Because I don't think you truly safeguard against this kind of thing happening again without reckoning with why so many people were willing to enable it in the first place.

1 2

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

Pretty notable that a Democrat who, for the most part, has run a fairly standard center-left campaign has emphatically come out against giving Israel more weapons. Expect pro-Israel orgs to spend significantly on Van Orden, who thinks it's awesome that Netanyahu's gov't kills Palestinians.

1

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

ICYMI: Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke, running to unseat Derrick Van Orden in light red WI-03, comes out against further weapons assistance to Israel, saying, "I do not think US taxpayer dollars should fund the killing of children."

1 1 7

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I think that this moment calls for a reckoning that goes beyond the bounds of electoral politics, important as elections are. Because I don't think you truly safeguard against this kind of thing happening again without reckoning with why so many people were willing to enable it in the first place.

4

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I've accepted that despite my many efforts on behalf of the Democratic Party, an institution I've never felt fully at ease with (see: Israel), I will likely never have a paid position within it. One reason is that I am simply unwilling to lie to people about what many American voters believe.

1 3

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I think one way in which I am different from a lot of electoral politics people is that I do think Trump's 2 victories point to a deep rot in America that cannot be fixed by a simple shift within the internal dynamics of the Democratic Party lol

1 7

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

Ah yes, Operation Rolling Thunder. What I think of when I think of "US military restraint"

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d

Trump: "The problem with Vietnam, we, you know, we stopped fighting to win. We would've won easy. We would've won Afghanistan easy. We would've won every war easy. But we got politically correct. 'Oh, let's take it easy.' We're not politically correct anymore, just so you understand."

1

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

1

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

The Republicans in VIRGINIA, a state with more per capita federal workers than almost any other (I think Maryland has more), are running on lavishing praise on DOGE's hatchet job.

Not sending their best etc

1

Reposted by Con Flambers

mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 1d

When prices were going up under Biden there was a constant deluge of news stories about it because the media did not like Biden and wanted him to lose. Under Trump there is not a constant deluge of news stories about coffee prices because they like Trump and want him to win

delrayser @delrayser.bsky.social · 1d

everything is on fire these days, sure, but how is it that 50% of all news stories are not about how I just spent $20 on a bag of store brand coffee at fucking costco

45 1K 4K

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

Alright I gotta give credit where credit is due this is what I wanna be seeing from congressional Dem leadership

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 1d

This is good, from Hakeem Jeffries. More of this please, in every conceivable forum:

"Sycophants who aid and abet the President’s vengeful schemes will not be able to hide from the serious legal consequences of their behavior. They will be held accountable."

2

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah, absolutely, and it doesn't help that even institutions and organizations that are not right-wing (explicitly, anyway) constantly flatter and validate their out-of-touch and insane ideas.

Reposted by Con Flambers

Nathan Goldwag @goldwagnathan.bsky.social · 1d

Fond memories of 2020, when it was decided by the media that it was definitionally impossible for Republicans to be homophobic even if they opposed SSM or gay rights, in the same way that "everyone agrees" that racism is bad, ergo nobody important can ever be accused of racism.

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 1d

An exchange in tonight's VA Gov debate:

AS: My opponent has previously said that she does not think gay couples should be allowed to marry.

WES: That’s not discrimination!

AS: She said that she is, quote-unquote, morally opposed to same-sex marriage.

WES: That’s not discrimination! (1/2)

6 50 300

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I have a distinct memory of arguing with a then-mutual friend of both me my high school girlfriend over gay rights - said friend was evangelical. For a while I wondered if I was wrong to pick a fight with a friend of ours over that. And I've seen realized that nope, it was based as hell to do that.

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I went to high school with evangelicals. Even the nice ones were casually prejudiced against gay people.

3

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

I went to high school with evangelicals. Even the nice ones were casually prejudiced against gay people.

1

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 1d

Earle-Sears is a diehard evangelical Christian from what I remember so hating gays and viewing them as degenerates unworthy of rights is kinda just accepted as a fact of life in that realm.

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 1d

An exchange in tonight's VA Gov debate:

AS: My opponent has previously said that she does not think gay couples should be allowed to marry.

WES: That’s not discrimination!

AS: She said that she is, quote-unquote, morally opposed to same-sex marriage.

WES: That’s not discrimination! (1/2)

1 1 3

Reposted by Con Flambers

Justin Salhani @justinsalhani.bsky.social · 2d

Al Jazeera: Israeli forces have continued their attacks on Gaza despite the announcement, carrying out strikes in both the north and south of the enclave.

Justin Salhani @justinsalhani.bsky.social · 2d

I have little faith either the US or Israel will be faithful to this deal (just look at Lebanon’s ceasefire). But the ‘I’m powerless’ play was nonsense when US spent 31$ bn supporting/assisting Israel’s war across the region across 2 admins. Some care more about Biden’s rep than our lives

Nick Brumfield @nickjbrumfield.bsky.social · 2d

"It won't last" maybe yeah but it's undoubtedly better than "eh, this is just kind of the new normal"

1 69 170

Con Flambers @themagicconch19.bsky.social · 2d

Like apparently Israel is still attacking Gaza City. Not exactly a bull sign. We'll see what happens. I hope that it is implemented and that Palestinians in Gaza get a meaningful respite from 2 years of terror.

1 3