Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 6m

MIT showing some courage:

“MIT rejects Trump administration deal for priority federal funding MIT is one of the nine schools that were asked to agree to adopt conservative priorities and policies in exchange for funding perks.”

www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

MIT rejects Trump administration deal for priority federal funding

MIT is one of the nine schools that were asked to agree to adopt conservative priorities and policies in exchange for funding perks.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Alexis Coe @alexiscoe.bsky.social · 1h

Trump heading to Walter Reed for a “semiannual physical.” The White House calls it a “routine annual checkup.”

His last one was in April.

No modern president has had two physicals in a year.

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4h

Fed Governor Christopher Waller: "Job growth has probably been negative the last few months. it doesn't look like it's doing much better. I don't hear anybody with big hiring plans."

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Jim Daley @jimdaleywrites.bsky.social · 1h

I'm at the scene where ICE abducted multiple people from Lincoln and Foster this morning.

A WGN producer was among the people taken, allegedly because she was among a group of bystanders who tried to intervene. ICE agents hit this car while making their getaway.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

C-SPAN caller from Missouri to Missouri Rep. Mark Alford: "I hope you, sir, as an elected official, will think of the people who are in nursing homes, their parents are in nursing homes, their Medicaid is going to be cut. What is going to happen to Missourians whose hospitals are gonna close?"

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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 44m

“The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World”

(Gift article)

I’d welcome thoughts on this piece from people who have actual experience in AI.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/o...

Opinion | The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.org · 3h

University leaders aren’t offering any compromises so our strike continues. If you want help/show solidarity you can contribute to our fighting fund (we’re each going to lose 3-5 weeks pay & being threatened with 50% pay deduction for action short of strike): www.uculeicester.org.uk/leicester-uc...

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Rep. Buddy Carter: "Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. That's why I'm introducing a resolution today that will honor him with the Nobel Peace Prize."

(It doesn't work like that lol)

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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 56m

“Dow drops 270 points in rapid move after Trump says China becoming 'hostile,' cancels Xi meeting”

The markets love it when Trump goes on a deranged rant…

www.cnbc.com/2025/10/09/s...

Dow drops 270 points in rapid move after Trump says China becoming 'hostile,' cancels Xi meeting

Stocks ticked higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite building on their weekly gains.

www.cnbc.com

Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Anthony Michael Kreis @anthonymkreis.bsky.social · 3h

It’s an insane world where militarizing your own civilian streets and ordering extrajudicial murders on the high seas doesn’t get you a prize.

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Roger Sollenberger @sollenbergerrc.bsky.social · 17h

Not a guest writer, not an opinion columnist, but the Washington Post editorial board. Canceled my subscription.

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 20h

Is there a better indication of how superficial and unhelpful mainstream media has become than that they are cutely musing about whether the domestic terrorist who changed "The Department of Defense" to "The Department of War" will get a Nobel Peace Prize—instead of reporting the fascism/terrorism.

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News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · 7h

Nice work Jim Watson, nice work.

A photo from yesterday’s Trunp Cabinet meeting. Taken from a low position the decorations on the wall behind the orange felon make him look like he has devil’s horns.

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1h

Trump posts a bizarre, whiny screed signaling an escalation of tensions with China

Some very strange things are happening in China! They are becoming very hostile, and sending letters to Countries throughout the World, that they want to impose Export Controls on each and every element of production having to do with Rare Earths, and virtually anything else they can think of, even if it’s not manufactured in China. Nobody has ever seen anything like this but, essentially, it would “clog” the Markets, and make life difficult for virtually every Country in the World, especially for China. We have been contacted by other Countries who are extremely angry at this great Trade hostility, which came out of nowhere. Our relationship with China over the past six months has been a very good one, thereby making this move on Trade an even more surprising one. I have always felt that they’ve been lying in wait, and now, as usual, I have been proven right! There is no way that China should be allowed to hold the World “captive,” but that seems to have been their plan for quite some time, starting with the “Magnets” and, other Elements that they have quietly amassed into somewhat of a Monopoly position, a rather sinister and hostile move, to say the least. But the U.S. has Monopoly positions also, much stronger and more far reaching than China’s. I have just not chosen to use them, there was never a reason for me to do so — UNTIL NOW! The letter they sent is many pages long, and details, with great specificity, each and every Element that they want to withhold from other Nations. Things that were routine are no longer routine at all. I have not spoken to President Xi because there was no reason to do so. This was a real surprise, not only to me, but to all the Leaders of the Free World. I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so. The Chinese letters were especially inappropriate in that this was the Day that, after three thousand years of bedlam and fighting, there is PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

I wonder if that timing was coincidental? Dependent on what China says about the hostile “order” that they have just put out, I will be forced, as President of the United States of America, to financially counter their move. For every Element that they have been able to monopolize, we have two. I never thought it would come to this but perhaps, as with all things, the time has come. Ultimately, though potentially painful, it will be a very good thing, in the end, for the U.S.A. One of the Policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America. There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Sarah Primate @langurlover.bsky.social · 1h

Love to hear it! 🐢

Baby giant tortoises thrive in Seychelles after first successful artificial incubation

Exclusive: Trial that has produced 13 hatchlings could help other threatened species avoid extinction

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2h

Independent C-SPAN caller to Rep. Mark Alford: "You're taking credit for $50b that you just gave to the hospital industry. That's after you took away $150b. You don't take credit for just giving back a little bit of money after taking away so much. So quit lying. It just makes you look horrible."

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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 1h

“Dan Rather Slams CBS News Over Appointment of New Boss Bari Weiss”

www.tvinsider.com/1220519/dan-...

Dan Rather Slams CBS News Over Appointment of New Boss Bari Weiss

'It's a dark day in the halls of CBS News.'

www.tvinsider.com

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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 2h

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

What happens when an influential billionaire is really, truly nuts?

I guess we’ll find out.

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

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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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 4h

“Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears engaged in a chaotic debate Thursday night in the campaign for governor of Virginia, with Earle-Sears interrupting almost every Spanberger response and talking over her…”

Loathsome Earle-Sears…

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

8 takeaways from the Spanberger and Earle-Sears debate in Virginia

Republican Winsome Earle-Sears talked over Democrat Abigail Spanberger in a chaotic debate in the Virginia governor’s race that touched on trans students, Trump and more.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 4h

It really feels like they’re trolling our autocrat.

Reuters @reuters.com · 6h

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said as it announced Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 4h

This could be very bad…

apnews.com/article/domi...

Former Republican election official buys Dominion Voting — a target of 2020 conspiracy theories

Voting equipment company Dominion Voting Systems, a target of false conspiracy theories since the 2020 election, has been bought by a firm run by a former Republican elections official.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Oisín McGann @oisinmcgann.bsky.social · 8h

’He is not the hero we deserve, but he is the one that we need right now.’

The Portland Frog, a guy in an inflatable frog costume, facing off against ICE troops in riot gear.

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Sam Litzinger @samlitzinger.bsky.social · 4h

“Los Angeles Times Journalists Authorize a Strike
Eighty-five percent of participating members voted to empower the newsroom union to call a potential work stoppage.”

www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...

Los Angeles Times Journalists Authorize a Strike

Eighty-five percent of participating members voted to empower the newsroom union to call a potential work stoppage.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Birmingham 81 @birmingham81.bsky.social · 8h

The Earlies live in Switzerland in 2005. Very excited to be seeing them tomorrow in Hackney
youtu.be/Ut1LEoVb5uc

The Earlies AVO Session

YouTube video by Christine Curtis-Carr (Curtis-Carr Home)

youtu.be

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Reposted by Sam Litzinger

Jonathan Ladd @jonmladd.bsky.social · 1d

Kristi Noem should never have been confirmed after this. It ended up being a perfect representation of what she would do.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · May 20

HASSAN: What is habeas corpus?

NOEM: Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country

HASSAN: That's incorrect

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