Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 1h

The cruelty is the point

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 4h

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 3h

Someone who has discovered a bee's nest, perhaps

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Sarah Rose @thesarahrose.bsky.social · 3h

The gentleman’s agreement that prevented people from reporting on Barron is now over

It is open season

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 1d

Trump said he deserved a cut for brokering the TikTok deal, and at once there was agreement that his son Baron would have a top executive slot... though he hasn't asked for it, and has no apparent qualifications to hold it. This is how Trump 2.0 works. www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025...

Barron Trump tipped for top TikTok job

US president’s 19-year-old son could be appointed to the app’s board

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 3h

Brewers - Mariners please

That is all

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Microplastics Spookmelier @leastactionhero.bsky.social · 4h

today in "predicted by 30 Rock"

Edie Falco on 30 Rock:
I MISSED THE VOTE ON A BILL TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL WHALE TORTURE.

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 4h

"Hm this could mean one of two very different things."

[Sees pinned skeet]

"Ah, well, that works for me."

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Ed Zitron @edzitron.com · 6h

AI has lost the dunce vote. It’s over

Nate Silver
@NateSilver538 • 5h
•.°
I'm just one person, and my programming needs are somewhat unusual (building various kinds of statistical forecasting models). But I'm just not seeing the consistent productivity gains from LLMs that I would have expected if you'd asked me 6 months ago.

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 4h

And when we're talking actual death camp trains we're talking years into Nazi Germany. The guys who are currently shuffling papers for ICE don't even have reprisals on their list of concerns. It's purely financial, assuming that disappearing brown people isn't why they're there to begin with.

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Andrew A. Gill @andrewagill.bsky.social · 4h

Periodic reminder that if you were a Nazi death camp train conductor, you could probably just quit & nothing bad would happen to you. Most soldiers suffered no serious consequences for not participating in executions

bsky.app/profile/andr...

Andrew A. Gill @andrewagill.bsky.social · May 4

It's important to remember that in Nazi Germany, people mostly went along with the genocidal project because they wanted to. Those who refused to go along (at least in the military) typically suffered no serious consequences.

www.jstor.org/stable/1429971

Table from Kitterman, D. H. (1988). Those who said" No!": Germans who refused to execute civilians during World War II. German studies review, 11(2), 241-254.

specifically 250f

TABLE 3
Consequences for Those Refusing Orders to Carry Out Executions

Consequences n %
No negative consequences at all* 49 57.6
Sent to concentration camps 1 1.2
Sent to combat units as punishment 3 3.5
House arrest/investigations, later dropped 5 5.9
Reprimands/threats to send to front, concentration camps, or put on report - not done 15 17.6
Units broken up after officers refused 2 2.4
Transfer to another unit or back to Germany* 14 16.5
Demotion or lack of further promotion 7 8.2
Drive officers to executions, dig pits, guard detail sealing off area 4 4.7
Resigned or removed from position 3 3.5

*Several of these individuals were subsequently promoted.

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 4h

Somehow that makes a lot of sense, actually

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👁🌻🦊⚙️⚓ Bob, Engineer, Pusher of Paper @navmecheng.bsky.social · 12h

> It is 2025 BC. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis

> It is 2025 AD. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis

Soldiers at the Bass Pro Shops pyramid in Memphis, TN.

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 4h

Bottom-left cat will kill again

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 4h

"Wow can't believe you're gonna punish the guy who just drove the trains to the camps."

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 5h

Also: if you work for ICE, even if you’re not one of the ones arresting citizens or tackling 15-year-olds or zip-tying kids together and segregating them by race, you’re part of the mechanism making it happen, and you should suffer long-term social and post-regime-change consequences.

Ari Cohn @aricohn.com · 6h

Some weirdo on Twitter has been absolutely melting down for like 36 straight hours because I posted:

When this is over, do not forget what ICE did, and what ICE is. And do not make room for them in society. Make sure they know that they are, and will continue to be, reviled and beneath contempt.

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 5h

Or if the students nonetheless demonstrate proper mastery of the subject matter then give them the proper grades and accept that the role of professor-as-instructor in the accreditation process isn't absolutely necessary for everyone who is pushed through it.

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 5h

The Onion is getting perilously close to becoming the era's paper of record.

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 6h

theonion.com/ice-raids-my...

MYTH: ICE agents lack proper training.

FACT: Most have been racists their entire lives.

Reposted by Just Ben

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 6h

theonion.com/ice-raids-my...

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 5h

Depressing how most of us would be way better off in life if we'd just engaged in financial crimes.

Reposted by Just Ben

acabylon 👻 BOO! 👻 @acabylonbee.bsky.social · 6h

im just going to say it: even if donald trump didnt diddle kids he still wouldnt be a good president

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 7h

“If you have concerns about our failure to do anything to protect you please make sure not to spread them around. But definitely reach out so we can make a list of disaffected individuals for no untoward reasons.“

LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 @longtimehistory.bsky.social · 8h

Full statement issued by the Hoffman Estates Police Department. ⬇️

"All of this information can be found on our website at hoffmanestates.org."

Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 7h

Dramatically underestimating how angry people are going to be about one group getting paid and not another.

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 11h

I expect that “should the troops get paid” is something most Americans would support if you polled it without any context.

The average American doesn’t give a shit how something happens, they just want good things to happen, however they define that.

Elected Dems haven’t adjusted to that reality.

Reposted by Just Ben

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 12h

This is the thing. Republicans blocked a standalone Dem bill in the House to pay the troops because they thought it would weaken their ability to just get Dems to fold on the clean CR.

Thom Weaver @thomweaver24.bsky.social · 12h

That sound you just heard is Johnson and Thune loudly shitting themselves. He just completely eliminated their leverage

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 12h

Trump says he’s ordered Hegseth to pay the troops during the government shutdown.

“We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”

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Just Ben @justanotherben.bsky.social · 7h

Love to make it clear to multiple people who know who I am and where I live that I’m a fascist collaborator who has just shown a willingness to hand you over to Nazis.

Reposted by Just Ben

hermetician.bsky.social @hermetician.bsky.social · 11h

Also, Dems need to commit to holding high-level officials who distribute these checks, including Trump, personally liable. The next Dem admin should claw back these taxpayer dollars from Trump's personal fortune and Hegseth's assets.

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Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 8h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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