Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 18m

And then there were my covid lockdown-era research discoveries, like the refugee grandparent who always claimed to be an only child but had an adult sibling in Europe who lived until the 1990s. Or the great aunt who nobody ever wanted to talk about because she was a courier for NKVD.

Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 47m

One grandfather’s wartime experience was much more brutal than he told his kids. My dad and his sisters didn’t find out until decades after he died, by which time they were in their 50s and 60s and my grandmother was on her deathbed.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 1h

Just a random Maytag!

A selection knob on a clothes dryer. Among the settings are regular and normal

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 1h

I have many questions about the world.

One is why the clothes dryer has separate settings for “normal” and “regular.”

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Reposted by Justin

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 1h

Masked soldiers & paramilitaries are occupying DC and LA and Chicago, & so, of course, Wari Beiss is over at the Nazi bar tweeting about the absolute dread in our cities

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 1h

Now I feel ashamed for getting all ticked off about that.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 1h

He’s pandering to evangelicals by trying to sound like a believer who will sacrifice his soul for theirs.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 1h

Several members of my family lived through it. One of the only times being a poor, urban-dwelling Jew gave a person slightly better chances of survival.

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Reposted by Justin

Professor KPA 🗃️😷 @kpanyc.bsky.social · 3h

When the Bolsheviks couldn't figure out why nothing was working as they'd planned, they invented a whole social category that didn't exist (kulaks, rich capitalist peasants of all absurd things). They dispossessed and murdered thousands of people in the name of kulaks.

Drew Abides @drewabides.bsky.social · 4h

It’s an ideology not an organization. These people want a bogeyman, and bogeymen are fictional.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 2h

It’s just incredibly insulting to hear someone think that anyone doesn’t understand why Weiss is in the position and her mission from Larry Ellison.

The people running this fascist project have been candid about their intentions, including following Hungarian and Russian models for media control.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 2h

Sounds like someone who has not heard a single one of the actual concerns people have articulated about Weiss running CBS.

Like was there some phantom group saying they love her politics, just think she’s not a good enough at running a business?

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 3h

The hypocrisy is a red herring. They didn’t wake up and acknowledge the benefits of foreign aid if it’s for friends.

This admin _doesn’t_help_others_ unless there are tangible near-term personal or political benefits for the people in charge.

This $20b buys something.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 2d

“Stabilizing Argentina is ‘America First’.”

🇦🇷 🇺🇸

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 3h

I also like how the only institutions she holds to account are the ones that are supposed to hold an increasingly dictatorial government to account.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 3h

Need an X [Twitter] strategy.

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 7h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

Archives banned making copies.

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 8h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 3h

Besides, we all know this isn’t an experiment in search of knowledge.

One of the five richest people on the planet bought a major news outlet. He is avowedly anti-democracy. You think he’s doing that to screw around with experiments?

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 3h

It’s an experiment with one of four national sources of free televised news.

One likely outcome of said experiment is that CBS News ceases to operate in the public interest, instead using unethical practices to promote the political interests of its billionaire owner.

Wouldn’t get IRB approval.

Sally Jenkins @sallyjenx.bsky.social · 5h

Agree. She may become a Chris Licht. But she's no worse of an experiment.

Sara Luterman @slooterman.bsky.social · 5h

Not here to ratio you, but I am here to respectfully disagree. Building something as financially successful as FP is genuinely impressive, but it doesn’t necessarily demonstrate competence at running a real newsroom with real reporting and real journalism standards.

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 4h

What an incredibly disingenuous take.

People are hysterical bc we aren’t AREN’T betting against Bari Weiss.

We are hysterical because we believe that if she’s successful in her mission at CBS that will be terrible for society.

Sally Jenkins @sallyjenx.bsky.social · 6h

Ratio me. Please. It's a badge of honor. If you don't like a link, go follow some chicken-heart who needs the approval of the thought-police. Caitlin Flanagan of @theatlantic.com is a tremendous writer and this piece is an excellent read. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Don’t Bet Against Bari Weiss

The new editor in chief of CBS News triumphs over her critics.

www.theatlantic.com

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 4h

I’ve been buying used print books like crazy over the past few years, especially when there are promotions on eBay and the like. Always well under $10 apiece.

I even have a few copies of favorites so that I can loan or give away!

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 4h

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Reposted by Justin

Jon Shaffer @jonshaffer.bsky.social · 1d

"Grasping the industrial-scale deception at the core of MAGA politics is essential."

Yes. And,

Generative AI is a crucial component of shoring up that industrial-grade deception.

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 1d

The conventions of political reporting today are not well equipped to handle this concerted use of pretexts for instrumental purposes and the bottomless bad faith they employ. Grasping the industrial-scale deception at the core of MAGA politics is essential. 6/

newrepublic.com/article/2016...

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 16h

And very recently

Three Serbs charged over paint attack on France's Jewish sites, Russian involvement suspected

Three Serbian nationals have been charged by a French judge for vandalising several Jewish sites in Paris, a judicial source said Friday, adding that investigators suspected Moscow of being behind the...

www.france24.com

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 16h

And

Exclusive: Sources Say Oligarch Funded Scheme to Paint Swastikas in Ukraine

A Ukrainian businessman offered payouts for an aimed at bolstering Putin's claim that Ukraine was a Nazis hotbed, sources tell Rolling Stone

www.rollingstone.com

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 16h

For example:

Star of David graffiti in Paris - the Russian connection

Around 250 blue Stars of David - similar to the one on the Israeli flag - appeared on Paris buildings.

www.bbc.com

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 16h

I’m not saying this wasn’t legit, but there are several confirmed cases of Russia hiring people to vandalize synagogues in an attempt to sow division.

Dr Anna Hájková @ankahajkova.bsky.social · 16h

www.jta.org/2025/10/09/u...

Minneapolis synagogue targeted with antisemitic, pro-Hamas graffiti on Oct. 7 anniversary - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Mayor Jacob Frey, who is Jewish and has attended services at Temple Israel, said the vandalism was "a reminder that hate still tries to find a foothold."

www.jta.org

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Justin @sitkaworldsfair.bsky.social · 16h

Ok what is wrong with some people? There are like 10,000 hobbies to choose from. Go play sports or volunteer somewhere or read a book or something. One of my hobbies is fixing old wristwatches. It’s not cool but it’s also not pickleporn.

A wristwatch mechanical movement in a vise

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