Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 4d

I'm running out of popcorn...

#SSA #data #Congress #law

Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 4d

New lawsuit alleging the Trump Admin used sensitive Social Security data “in secret, without the notice required by law and comment from the public or Congress, and without assessing the privacy implications or risks of error posed by repurposing the data in this way."

www.npr.org/2025/09/30/n...

A lawsuit tries to block the Trump administration's efforts to merge personal data

A class action lawsuit argues that the administration's efforts to combine databases of personal information on Americans violate privacy laws and the Constitution.

www.npr.org

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 4d

#SSA #IRS #Data #FederalGovernment
#popcorn

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 5d

#SSA
#SocialSecurity
#IRS

Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 5d

When you wake up on a Monday and feel like a canary flying into a coal mine...

#data
#datasecurity
#dataaccess

#silenceiscomplicity

AltSSA @altssa.altgov.info · 5d

‼️‼️‼️ We were just informed that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has named SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano the CEO of the IRS 😳😳😳 I cannot explain to you exactly how much of a conflict of interest that is. We are well past five alarm fire. We are Pompeii and Vesuvius just erupted. Wake the fuck up!!

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 10d

Dear Federal Executives in Leadership positions,

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Reposted by Chuck Borges

Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 11d

Today's the last day for 150K+ feds who took the "Fork" (deferred resignation program), including 800+ at the Social Security Administration.

The experience at SSA demonstrates 3 things about the DRP:

1. It's the tip of the iceberg
2. It wasn't really voluntary
3. It hurts service to the public

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 15d

A little light reading for your day:

www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/u...

#SSA #GSA #OPM #DOGE #data #datasecurity #GoodGovernance

www.hsgac.senate.gov

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 15d

🤔

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 15d

Breaking: Microsoft disabled some cloud services used by Israel after it found the defense ministry was using them to surveil Gaza citizens.

Microsoft Cuts Back Work With Israel’s Defense Ministry

The software company found the ministry used cloud services to surveil Gaza citizens.

on.wsj.com

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 16d

www.wired.com/story/how-to...

Useful knowledge for everyone these days. Communicate safely.

Knowing is half the battle... :)

#burner #phone #socialmedia

How to Set Up and Use a Burner Phone

Obtaining and using a true burner phone is hard—but not impossible. Here are the steps you need to take to protect your mobile communications based on the risks you face.

www.wired.com

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 17d

@alt-ssa.altgov.info

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 17d

Oof.

So this thread is... Concerning.

The elimination of paper checks will primarily hit the poor and the disabled, and underserved populations in general.

That FiServ is involved is... Amusing.

Be curious to see how this goes over in the media

#SSA #SocialSecurity #disability #benefits

AltSSA @altssa.altgov.info · 17d

‼️‼️‼️OK so I know it’s late but today brought some really disturbing news that I gotta share with y’all so buckle up, this is a two-parter, and it’s gonna get lengthy. So let’s jump into part one.

a fast and furious advertisement with vin diesel

Alt: Vin Diesel from Fast and Furious says “you might want to buckle up.”

media.tenor.com

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 18d

Got around to unpacking my work bag after I left a month ago.

To the anonymous employee who left me an unsigned thank you note, which I just re-found after this past insane month:

#thankYOU!

Your words mean more than I can say. I hope I can always have your back.

#ethics #SSA #courage

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 19d

A podcast I highly recommend.

#OptimistEconomy

#MealsNotBars

#childcare #children #families

Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · 24d

New episode of Optimist Economy. Is it true that cash doesn't help poor children? Or is that just a really convenient conclusion?

Listen here:
pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9t...

pod.link

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 21d

Just following orders also doesn't work for civil servants.

1) Follow the law
2) Don't put subordinates in ethically/morally questionable situations
3) Document everything
4) Take your head out of the sand + ask questions

If you can't do those, don't lead.

#ethics #justfollowingorders #leadership

Darin Self @darinself.com · 21d

A reminder to uniformed officers "just following orders" is not a sufficient defense.

Department of Shoe @shoe.bsky.social · 22d

Dems ought to be telling people now these letters are worth absolutely nothing.

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 23d

This means 1/3 of seniors couldn't figure out the savings if on an 80$ item with a 10% discount

Feed children, take the stress off families, provide stable education opportunities... If you want to actually ' #MAGA', it starts with #children, families, and #education.

rollcall.com/2025/09/17/b...

We are becoming the world’s D student, latest test results suggest - Roll Call

The latest data for high school seniors offers a grim picture of where America is headed in reading and math, Winston writes.

rollcall.com

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 23d

I will force them to provide children healthy and nutritious meals... For free!

(Clutches pearls)

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 23d

Good luck. Maybe I'll do one at 10K someday... :)

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 24d

Maybe we should be focusing on food security and lowering child care costs for families, so all kids can have more opportunities for development and better outcomes earlier in life, rather than trying to lower the age for punitive punishment.

Meals not Bars

#childcare #nutrition #foodsecurity

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 24d

House lawmakers voted to allow 14-year-olds to be tried as adults and to treat young people more harshly in the D.C. justice system — fulfilling a top request from the Trump administration despite universal opposition among top D.C. elected officials.

House votes to charge D.C. 14-year-olds as adults

The House also voted to restrict judges from giving lighter sentences to young adults, among 14 D.C. crime-related policy proposals from the GOP.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 26d

Put Andromeda Strain before Soylent Green and skip Omega Man LoL

Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 26d

Yeah, we are dorks, but we are proud dorks!

#MIT #tetris #videogames

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 27d

Leadership and management are NOT the same thing.

#leadership
#managers
#integrity
#courage

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 29d

Bumping because #vaccines work.

How quickly people seem to forget the MILLION Americans who either mysteriously vanished (maybe they are on Epstein's island) or DIED in 2020 and 2021.

#Covid #vaccineswork #CDC

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 29d

Mark your calendars - this allegedly begins Sept 15 1️⃣5️⃣

We've heard understandable concerns from folks that this isn't as expansive as it reads or might only apply if the state allows it. So if you're with KP, please let us know about your experience trying to get a COVID-19 shot next week!

Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 29d

🎉🎉🎉Shout out to Kaiser Permanente - they recently updated their website to say that they WILL be covering COVID-19 vaccines all of their members 6 months old and up!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Thank you KP - let's hope their announcement kicks off more like it

kp.org/covidvaccine

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · 29d

Maybe some Congresspeople should read more books... Because books have spines.

Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · Sep 11

Maybe I'll start a website or platform called 'TruthData Social'. Instead of tweets/truths I can just post statistics, source data, validate metrics, and develop tools to help us use data for good...

I can call my posts 'Datas'

Don't be stealing my idea lolol

#data #dataforgood #truthdata

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Chuck Borges @chuckborges5.bsky.social · Sep 11

www.youtube.com/live/ioskch_...

En Banc appeals hearing at the 4th circuit course on the DOGE/SSA case.

#DOGE #SSA #Data

En Banc (Green Courtroom) Oral Arguments - 9:00am Thursday 9/11/2025

Audio livestream of oral arguments for the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. For more information on cases being argued, see the Oral Argument Calendar at: https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/oral-...

www.youtube.com

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