Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 16h

The Lowdown is sooo good. 🤌💯

It started great and keeps getting better. Episode 4 was the best one so far, IMO.

www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

“The Lowdown” Is a Noir for Our Era

Sterlin Harjo’s new series, starring Ethan Hawke as a citizen journalist determined to expose the crimes of the élite, is at once rollicking and timely.

www.newyorker.com

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 8d

Projection

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10d

This is one of the most demented things Trump has posted

John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 11d

Is there any way that @statnews.com could take down the paywall for this article? I have friends and family on FB who would benefit from reading this.

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 14d

This is not OK

Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 14d

I was back at 26 Federal Plaza today, where an ICE agent violently threw this bereft woman to the ground in front of her kids. She had not touched him. She did not pose any threat. She had to be taken to the hospital. (🎥: Elias Eliahu)

John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 14d

This is not OK

Till Eckert @tilleckert.com · 14d

1/ I’m Till Eckert, a ProPublica reporter. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been going to the same NY immigration courthouse.

Nearly every time, I see ICE agents arresting immigrants. Today, a woman was slammed to the ground after begging officials not to take her husband away.

Thread 👇

Reposted by John B

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 15d

Vaccinations have been so successful that “there's been a collective forgetting that measles, and mumps, and rubella—these used to be diseases that would kill people in fairly large numbers,” the Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna tells Jeffrey Goldberg.

Watch more: bit.ly/46a5DUE #TAF25

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 19d

Science vs. Superstition
Facts vs. Feelings
Nobel laureates vs. RFK Jr.

Megan Ranney MD MPH @meganranney.bsky.social · 19d

www.statnews.com/2025/09/20/d...

Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible”

In a Q&A with STAT, Nobel winner Drew Weissman addressed concerns raised about Covid shots at a recent meeting of federal vaccine advisers.

www.statnews.com

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Nature @nature.com · 21d

“I was fired for holding the line on scientific integrity. The stakes are not theoretical — we have already seen the largest [US] measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which claimed the lives of two children.”

go.nature.com/46rhA7s

Three ways ex-CDC chief says that Trump team is sidelining science

Susan Monarez testifies at tense Senate hearing that scientific integrity is being quashed at US health agency.

go.nature.com

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Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 22d

NEW: Per multiple sources, NIH staff have been told that "DOJ has advised" that they "should NOT" attend the American Public Health Association annual meeting, which is taking place in far-off, uh, Washington DC November 2-5.

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · 24d

45 years ago today the world lost the great Bill Evans. 🎹 🎼
The song “September Fifteenth” by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays is a sublime tribute to Evans. #septemberfifteenth

youtu.be/CA3lSTDPPuE?...

Pat Metheny-Lyle Mays- September fifteenth

YouTube video by klaurent13

youtu.be

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · Sep 5

The TV nudity scandal is what RW is getting nationally scolded for, but his authoritarian takeover and decimation of Oklahoma schools is what really deserves attention. His corruption has no bounds.

19thnews @19thnews.org · Sep 5

Ryan Walters' decision to miss a meeting this week, following the cancellation of an August session, has drawn attention to the multiple controversies he’s entangled in and reignited calls for his impeachment.

TV nudity scandal, impeachment calls, a meeting no-show: Troubles pile up for Oklahoma's schools chief

On top of a TV nudity scandal and impeachment calls, Ryan Walters' absence at a board meeting is the latest reason lawmakers from both parties are upset with him.

19thnews.org

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · Sep 4

Trump hopes to win the Nobel War Prize.

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Senator Angela Alsobrooks @alsobrooks.senate.gov · Sep 4

RFK lied to my face. He said he hadn’t fired any scientists.

RFK has fired over 3,000 scientists from HHS. It’s shameful. He must resign.

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Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · Sep 4

RFK JR: We're not going to recommend a product for which there's no clinical data for that indication—is that what I should be doing?

Warren: What you should be doing is honoring your promise that you made when you were looking to get confirmed in this job.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 4

WARNER: Do you accept the fact that 1 million Americans died from covid?

RFK Jr: I don't know how many died

W: You're the secretary of health and human services. You don't have any idea how many Americans died from covid?

RFK Jr: I don't think anybody knows that

W: How can you be that ignorant?

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ASM @asm.org · Sep 3

As national medical, scientific, public health and patient organizations, we call for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ensure the health of the American people. Read our statement: asm.org/press-releas...

Joint Statement Calling for Secretary Kennedy Resignation

The American Society for Microbiology released a joint statement calling for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

asm.org

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Dare Obasanjo @carnage4life.bsky.social · Sep 3

The U.S. Secretary of Energy does not know that electricity is energy.

I'm glad we've gotten rid of DEI programs and are now giving America the leadership it deserves.

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · Sep 2

Wait until Trump officially renames the English language to AMERICAN.

Periodic reminder that English is just another foreign language on this continent.

Stupid stvhvtkē.

Amelia Benavides-Colón @ameliacolon.bsky.social · Aug 20

A source at HUD tells me “people aren’t happy” with the agency’s new directive ending translation services in languages other than English.

“We are one people, united, and we will speak with one voice,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner posted earlier today.

www.notus.org/housing/hud-...

‘People Aren’t Happy’: HUD Cancels Non-English Language Services

“We are one people, united, and we will speak with one voice and one language,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said.

www.notus.org

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Benjamin Wittes @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org · Aug 30

It’s time folks for some #SidewalkChalk civil disobedience. Grab some chalk, go outside with your kids, and draw, write, sketch, vent, play hopscotch. This shit has gone too far. #ChalkCrime

Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · Aug 30

Crime Spree in DC - Yes, this is a real event. No, it’s not sarcasm.
Lmao. Your taxpayer dollars are at work.

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John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · Aug 31

It seems like “one of the world’s foremost experts on public health” would have some basic credentials. Does he have an MD? How about a PhD in a scientific field? Oh, then he must have an advanced degree in Public Health.

No? Perhaps he isn’t an expert after all.

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · Aug 29

Stephen Miller: Secretary Kennedy, one of the world's foremost experts on public health, is working hard to restore the credibility of the CDC as a scientific organization committed to the scientific method

John B @johncburnett.bsky.social · Aug 29

This day will live in infamy.

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

White House taps top RFK Jr. deputy as acting CDC director

The decision comes a day after Trump fired Susan Monarez, the Senate-confirmed CDC director, prompting a series of resignations of other top officials at the agency.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by John B

Alyssa Harad @alyssaharad.bsky.social · Aug 28

This is a hell of a letter. “The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines…will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer….Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated…”

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · Aug 28

Full resignation letter from Demetre C. Daskalakis, a CDC leader, does not hold back.
"The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud."

My resignation letter from CDC.

Dear Dr. Houry,

I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested.

This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough.

While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people. This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles.

The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people. The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership. This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors. Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people.

It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC. The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense. Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function. Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC.

Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc.

I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again. I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season. Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.” We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary. I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources. At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him. To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information.

The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer. I believe in nutrition and exercise. I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability. Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.

The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed.

For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision.

Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically.

Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution. If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.

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Clay Ranck @clayranck.bsky.social · Aug 27

wtf is this nonsense? He thinks he can understand kid’s “mitochondrial challenges” just by looking at them?

This is an insane person.

Acyn
@Acyn
X.com
RFK JR: I'm looking at kids as I walk through the airports today...and I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges, inflammation-you can tell from their faces, movements, and lack of social connection

TEXAS "MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN" LEGISLATION
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.
Health & Human Services Secretary
0:12
From CSPAN
C-SPANG*
15:04 • 8/27/25

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Mark Zaid, Esq @markzaidesq.bsky.social · Aug 27

Abbe Lowell and I represent CDC Director #SusanMonarez. Contrary to govt statements, Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor yet been fired. She will not resign. We have issued the following statement:

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · Aug 25

TRUMP: “A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator.”

He’s saying it. Are you listening? 🇺🇸

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