Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 10h

For all the scaremongering about the 'threat' from China no one in this administration seems to recognize how this mercurial behavior likely makes Chinese 'stability' seem like a pretty good deal. But then I suppose we don't believe in diplomacy or alliances or trust amymore, really.

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 10h

Here's the reality: On any given day the President might impose an effective embargo on trade with China. This is the second time he's done it *this year*. They may patch it up again, but the pattern has been set, and it will shape expectations for the rest of his term.

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Committee to Protect Journalists @pressfreedom.bsky.social · 13h

The targeted Oct. 13, 2023 Israeli attack that killed @reuters.com journalist Issam Abdallah and wounded 6 others in south Lebanon was a war crime, a United Nations rapporteur said Friday.

Journalists are civilians under international humanitarian law — they are #NotATarget.

tinyurl.com/y6e42uhb

UN: Deadly 2023 Israel attack on Reuters, AFP journalists in Lebanon was war crime

A United Nations rapporteur on Friday said an Israeli attack on south Lebanon on Oct. 13, 2023, that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded others, including two from AFP, was a war crime.Morris...

tinyurl.com

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Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai @lorenzofb.bsky.social · 16h

SCOOP: Spyware maker NSO Group confirmed to us that the company has been acquired by a U.S. investment group.

NSO's spokesperson said the group "has invested tens of millions of dollars in the company and has acquired controlling ownership," but declined to say who is behind the investment.

Spyware maker NSO Group confirms acquisition by US investors | TechCrunch

NSO Group confirmed to TechCrunch that an unnamed group of American investors has taken “controlling ownership” of the surveillance tech maker.

techcrunch.com

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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 18h

MIT's response to the Trump admin's proposed "compact" is excellent and should be a model for other universities. orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 16h

Washington and Brussels are taking opposite paths to contest social media power. The US is moving to strip TikTok from China’s grasp, while the EU digs into corporate accountability. One fights geopolitics, the other governance — with Washington having more immediate impact, writes Mark Scott.

In the Social Media Wars, Washington, Not Brussels, is the Victor | TechPolicy.Press

US aims are primarily focused on national security, while those of the EU are centered on transparency and accountability, writes Mark Scott.

www.techpolicy.press

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 16h

Greta Byrum reports back from the Global Gathering, a conference of digital rights and internet freedom advocates and technologists. Amid rising authoritarianism, those who value free expression are ever more dependent on the work of this group, which is increasingly under threat, writes Byrum.

Amid Threats, Global Gathering Seeks to Reseed Digital Rights Ecosystem | TechPolicy.Press

Greta Byrum reflects on her experience attending the Digital Rights Defenders Global Gathering in Portugal.

www.techpolicy.press

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 20h

a close up of a fox 's face with the words chaos reigns above it

ALT: a close up of a fox 's face with the words chaos reigns above it

media.tenor.com

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 20h

Okay he has a point here

Thiel also talked about other powerful figures in technology. He accused fellow tech investor Marc Andreessen of “pure Silicon Valley gobbledygook propaganda,” according to the recordings, in Andreessen’s 2023 essay titled “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto” that predicted AI would rapidly transform society in many positive ways.

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 20h

Uh-huh

Thiel’s comments about Trump were more complex, according to the recordings. “If you, in a sincere, rational, well-reasoned way are willing to make the argument that Trump is the Antichrist, I will give you a hearing,” he said. “If you’re not willing to make that argument maybe you have to be open to possibility that he’s at least relatively good.”

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 20h

All these anxious billionaires....

“It’s become quite difficult to hide one’s money,” Thiel said, according to the recordings. “An incredible machinery of tax treaties, financial surveillance, and sanctions architecture has been constructed.” Wealth gives the “illusion of power and autonomy,” Thiel added, according to the recordings, “but you have this sense it could be taken away at any moment.”

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 21h

Thiel "argued that those who propose limits on technology development not only hinder business but threaten to usher in the destruction of the United States and an era of global totalitarian rule, according to the recordings."

Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist’ and U.S. destruction

In leaked recordings of private lectures by tech billionaire Peter Thiel he argued that “the Antichrist” is likely to take the form of a critic of technology.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

No spoilers!

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

And an amazing show from.some dude named Monet...

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

While we're on the subject of arts in New York, check out works by Malian photographer Seydou Keïta at the Brooklyn museum.

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

I'm not sure a review has ever inadvertently presented such a ringing endorsement; I've been meaning to buy tickets to Waiting for Godot (though not in these seats!) and this is a great reminder.

Lux "Nightmare" Alptraum @luxalptraum.com · 2d

TFW you paid $1400 to see Beckett’s most famous work without knowing anything about it

One Star Review of Waiting for Godot on Broadway
I recently attended Waiting for Godot on Broadway and spent over $1,400 for two Row C seats (103 and 104). I'm a longtime admirer of Broadway productions and even hold a season pass for Shea's Performing Arts Theatre, so I came in with genuine enthusiasm and high expectations. Unfortunately, this show was unlike anything ! have ever experienced —and not in a good way.
What I encountered was not the artistry, music, or emotional storytelling I usually associate with Broadway, but instead what felt like an endless cycle of nonsensical conversation between characters who seemed trapped in their own madness. I tried-truly tried-to find meaning, symbolism, or even a thread of emotional resonance. I stayed through the first half hoping the second would offer clarity. But by intermission, it was clear: this was a waste of both time and money.
Keanu Reeves is an actor I respect greatly, but I cannot fathom why he would agree to participate in such a disjointed, inaccessible production. His talent was lost in a performance that defied reason rather than provoked insight.
To anyone considering attending: unless you are drawn to highly abstract, nearly incomprehensible theater, I strongly caution you against this show. For the average, educated, thoughtful theatergoer, it is far more frustrating than fulfilling. In my opinion, this was the single most disappointing Broadway experience I've ever had - an unfortunate waste of money and, more importantly, of time.

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Will Oremus @willoremus.com · 1d

Our personal tech columnist @geoffreyfowler.bsky.social tracked the prices of a bunch of items on Amazon ahead of the latest Prime Day sale.

Turns out only a few prices went down, many stayed the same... and several went significantly *up.* www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Column | I tracked Amazon’s Prime Day prices. We’ve been played.

Here’s what you should do to actually get a good deal on Amazon.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 1d

The policy discourse around information integrity has a disconnect between democratic rhetoric and action, writes Research ICT Africa’s Scott Timcke. The dirty work of democracy online requires bringing ideological critique to bear on information integrity, he says.

Fighting Disinformation Demands Confronting Social and Economic Drivers | TechPolicy.Press

The dirty work of democracy online requires bringing ideological critique to bear on information integrity, writes Scott Timcke.

www.techpolicy.press

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Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 2d

The “compact” for higher ed is an unserious document written by unserious people from a position of spectacular ignorance. No one should take it seriously. Sadly, my bosses are taking it seriously.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Asha Rangappa @asharangappa.bsky.social · 2d

⬇️

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Schiff: "You begin to wonder -- do they believe they have the authority by putting some groups on a list, even domestic groups, to use lethal force against them, with no trial, no due process, no nothing? The reality is we can't rule that out."

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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 2d

Siva Vaidhyanathan on the Trump admin’s proposed “compact” for universities (to give up academic freedom in exchange for favorable treatment by the Trump government): “This ‘compact’ is more like an invitation to borrow money from the mob, with substantial control and future penalties assured.”

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 2d

And from me:

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 2d

"The Pentagon has investigated nearly 300 Defense Department employees, including service members, civilian workers and contractors, for comments appearing online after last month’s shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post."

Hegseth’s sprawling hunt for Charlie Kirk critics spans nearly 300 investigations

The inquiry, resulting in a smattering of disciplinary action so far, follows an extraordinary directive aimed at silencing criticism of the slain activist and Trump supporter.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 2d

China last month banned companies from purchasing Nvidia’s H20 chips, signaling a breakdown of a corporate strategy designed to navigate complex geostrategic tensions, Leevi Saari writes. www.techpolicy.press/the-rise-and...

The Rise and Fall of Nvidia’s Geopolitical Strategy | TechPolicy.Press

Nvidia's geopolitical balancing act between the US and China flopped after an arduous lobbying campaign, Leevi Saari writes.

www.techpolicy.press

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 2d

Mario Draghi, hailed as “the oracle,” is steering Europe toward tech sovereignty. But his vision for industrial reform may repeat old and costly mistakes, writes Tech Policy Press fellow William Burns.

It’s Time to Stop Worshipping Mario Draghi | TechPolicy.Press

Mario Draghi is steering Europe toward tech sovereignty. But his vision for industrial reform may repeat old and costly mistakes, writes William Burns.

www.techpolicy.press

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 2d

"Cruz plans to introduce a bill in the coming weeks that would codify protections against government-driven censorship, and make it easier for consumers to win monetary damages in lawsuits, he said in an interview."

Exclusive | Ted Cruz Wants to Make It Easier to Sue the Government for Censorship

The senator said he hopes the reaction to Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension might help his new bill find bipartisan support.

www.wsj.com

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Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 2d

Meta and Apple "are in the final stages of agreeing a deal with European regulators to change a range of business practices after being fined a total of €700mn in April for breaching the EU’s landmark Digital Markets Act, according to officials briefed on the discussions."

Meta and Apple close to settling EU cases

US Big Tech groups in final stages of agreeing deal with Brussels to avoid series of escalating fines

www.ft.com

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