Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

💙🦋🌊 Political Americans 🌊🦋💙

@politicalamericans.bsky.social

Conservatism was never real.

It was only a cover for shitty rich people.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/o...

Opinion | Trump’s Second Term Has Ended the Conservative Era

www.nytimes.com

January 19, 2026 at 6:18 AM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

wesmontgomery.bsky.social

@wesmontgomery.bsky.social

Those of us who remember when there was a Soviet Union have always seen lifelong gangster Combover Caligula for the Russian puppet he’s always been. He has nearly destroyed our American democracy and our international reputation. We will take decades to recover.

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

The Beacon of Democracy Goes Dark

For nearly 250 years, America promoted freedom and equality abroad, even when it failed to live up to those ideals itself. Not anymore.

www.theatlantic.com

January 19, 2026 at 6:19 AM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

Crawford Kilian

@crof.bsky.social

Absolutely brilliant:

Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 17h

Córy Doctorow with another verbal bullseye: pluralistic.net/2026/01/13/n...

I'm sorry. As a technology writer, I'm supposed to be telling you that this bet will some day pay off, because one day we will have shoveled so many words into the word-guessing program that it wakes up and learns how to actually do the jobs it is failing spectacularly at today. This is a proposition akin to the idea that if we keep breeding horses to run faster and faster, one of them will give birth to a locomotive. Humans possess intelligence, and machines do not. The difference between a human and a word-guessing program isn't how many words the human knows.

I'm sorry. I know that when we talk about "digital sovereignty," we're obliged to talk about how we can build more data-centres that we can fill up with money-losing chips from American silicon monopolists in the hopes of destroying as many jobs as possible while blowing through our clean energy goals and enshittifying as much of our potable water as possible.

January 18, 2026 at 8:31 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

The Scot 💙🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦

@thescot.bsky.social

Interesting that Farage doesn’t mention Greenland, but he is a pal of Putin and Trump.

apnews.com/article/gree...

Europe warns of 'dangerous downward spiral' after Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland

The eight European countries targeted by U.S. President Donald Trump for a 10% tariff for opposing American control of Greenland have criticized the move in an unusually strong joint statement, warnin...

apnews.com

January 18, 2026 at 3:27 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

Love, Ms.O 💋

@maryosteen.bsky.social

Say what? 😂

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

WELKER: What is the national emergency that justifies this new slate of tariffs?

BESSENT: The national emergency is avoiding a national emergency

January 18, 2026 at 3:28 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

Mary Fernando M.D. 🇨🇦

@maryfernando.bsky.social

How Greenlanders feel is heartbreaking: "scared to death" “just want to be left alone"
“We have always lived a quiet and peaceful life here.”

Canadians stand with Greenland.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

a red and white flag with a circle in the middle is waving in the wind

Alt: The flag of Greenland: red and white flag with a circle in the middle is waving in the wind

media.tenor.com

January 18, 2026 at 3:28 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

Charlie Angus

@charlieangus104.bsky.social

I can’t accept the premise that this is the world I am passing on to the next generation. I refuse to leave this mess for them to clean up.
I will do what is necessary to ensure they have a safe and free future.
The haters go no further. It has to stop here.
charlieangus.substack.com/p/it-has-to-...

It Has to Stop Here

I spent my life waiting for the future, and now it is here.

charlieangus.substack.com

January 18, 2026 at 1:53 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

Mike Walker

@newnarrative.bsky.social

Trump’s latest Western Hemisphere fixation: Canada

www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi...

Trump's latest Western Hemisphere fixation: Canada

The president has intensified his criticism of Canada in private conversations with aides in recent weeks over what he sees as the country's vulnerability to U.S. adversaries in the Arctic.

www.nbcnews.com

January 18, 2026 at 2:19 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

John Muller

@mrjohnmuller.bsky.social

So, to summarize: the US is flirting with martial law to suppress resistance to their ethnic cleansing campaign, while at the same time attempting to annex allied territory via threats and economic coercion.

Canada, meanwhile, is positioning ourself in the centre of global trade and influence.

Scott Robertson @sarobertson.bsky.social · 21h

PM Carney announces new partnership with Qatar to increase trade, investment, and defence cooperation.

January 18, 2026 at 2:11 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

The Hill Times

@hilltimes.com

Opinion: Under the Donroe Doctrine, Alberta’s oil belongs to the U.S.

www.hilltimes.com/story/2026/0...

Under the Donroe Doctrine, Alberta's oil belongs to the U.S.

The choice is stark. We can continue clinging to oil, hoping a new American imperial thirst to directly control natural resources doesn't turn toward Canadian territory, all while watching the global…

www.hilltimes.com

January 18, 2026 at 2:01 PM

Reposted by Casey Whitaker

Canadian Paintings

@canadianpaintings.bsky.social

Early Morning Clouds over the Selkirk Mountains
John Hartman
2024

January 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Casey Whitaker

@alphacentauri53.bsky.social

Our sister @rebelb1ue.bsky.social💙 is working hard to rebuild her account. She is the reason may of us are connected here, so please take a minute to vet, follow and repost, many thanks!

go.bsky.app/E7dVmwZ

January 18, 2026 at 1:20 PM