Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sam Ladner

@sladner.bsky.social

2.1K followers 2.3K following 850 posts

Industry-based sociologist. UX Strategy and Research. Enterprise Software. Future of work. Foresight. Also photography. 🇨🇦 living SF Bay Area. Working on a book on strategic foresight to be published by Routledge. More: https://www.samladner.com/

www.samladner.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · Jan 2

This feels like a good way to start the year.

A group of women grappling over a rugby ball with a much smaller woman trying to take hold of the ball while a tall woman runs forward with the ball in her hands

1 14

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 9h

I cannot imagine asking something like this. The mortification upon receiving such an answer! Good lord.

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 9h

When you aim at the King, you best not miss

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 23h

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

1 2

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 9h

The power of taking good observational notes. Portland Police report "low energy" protests, when Trump claims total riots. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

What’s Really Going On in Portland, According to Police Reports

Protests outside an ICE facility were dwindling in size and at times ”low energy” in the days and weeks before President Trump called in troops, according to official law-enforcement logs.

www.wsj.com

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 10h

I didn't have him as a fan of Latour and Woolgar but maybe I'm wrong.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11h

RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: "It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 23h

Words to live by.

Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 1d

he's going to come after you either way, so you might as well act with integrity

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

A little on the nose

Patrick De Klotz @patdeklotz.bsky.social · 1d

American citizen, read this. www.koin.com/news/portlan...

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

Oh yes, the old "passive usage data" attempt. Not new, I'm afraid. This is from 2008

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

Please enjoy this thoughtful analysis that reveals the Trump administration is much weaker than you may think. When they demand obedience in advance, it means they're not getting it. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/o...

Opinion | Where Trump Is Vulnerable and How to Act on It

www.nytimes.com

1 3 6

Reposted by Sam Ladner

Momster for Gliberty 🧟 @fakegreekgrill.bsky.social · 1d

I think goofiness is a really good protest strategy against these goons. Aesthetics are so important to them, and battling a blow up unicorn is not their preferred look.

Courtney Vaughn @courtneyvaughn.bsky.social · 2d

Streets are still closed off in front of the Portland ICE facility at 8:30pm. Protesters have gathered on a side street. Dance party in progress.

7 20 74

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

Chicago Pastor Sues Trump Admin After **Allegedly** Being Shot by ICE Agents

www.newsweek.com/chicago-past...

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

Well …

a woman is holding a piece of food in her hand and eating it .

ALT: a woman is holding a piece of food in her hand and eating it .

media.tenor.com

1 1

Reposted by Sam Ladner

Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 2d

THIS is the energy we’ve been waiting for. Credit where credit is due.

Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 2d

"So, Democrats have three words for this: no fucking way. It's literally life or death. We will not let Republicans blow up our health care system."

This is, hands down, the best comms work Chuck Schumer has done in YEARS. Surprisingly good.

270 1.8K 6.2K

Reposted by Sam Ladner

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 1d

#WarRavagedPortland

1.3K 11K 36K

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

Dude knows what’s up

1 2

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 1d

Weirdly specific example of something that AKSHULLY happens more like she dies in the parking lot bc of all the pro life medical care available.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Mike Johnson: "If you're a young, pregnant American citizen women who shows up in an ER and you get treated and they pay the hospital less for treating you than some illegal rabble rouser who came in from some South American country to do us harm, that is wrong."

1 1

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 2d

Wow wow o wow.

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2d

Happening right now. To us. In America.

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 2d

Look, you either believe there was a genocide on Ghorman or you don't.

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 2d

coming Oct 10!

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 2d

So much fun to do this with you!

1 1

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 3d

I did and I love them. They look like your office mates who dress up as a group of Santas every year.

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 3d

i had no idea this is how canada's supreme court dresses

Nine members of the Canadian Supreme Court sitting for a photo. They are dressed in red robes trimmed in white.

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 3d

Former Canadian Cabinet Minister to US Ambassador to Canada: "Look in the mirror, buddy" www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...

'I doubt if I'll ever cross the U.S. border again in my lifetime': Trump’s annexation talk, Hoekstra’s remarks draw fire from former MPs, political players

Former eight-term Liberal MP and chair of Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group Wayne Easter says he’s unsure if he will ever set foot into the U.S. ever again.

www.hilltimes.com

Reposted by Sam Ladner

Signal @signal.org · 6d

We are alarmed by reports that Germany is on the verge of a catastrophic about-face, reversing its longstanding and principled opposition to the EU’s Chat Control proposal which, if passed, could spell the end of the right to privacy in Europe. signal.org/blog/pdfs/ge...

signal.org

42 2.4K 3.9K

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 3d

How on earth can anyone believe this?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d

Mike Johnson: "Let me look right into the camera and tell you very clearly: Republicans are the ones concerned about healthcare. Republicans are the party working around the clock everyday to fix healthcare. This is not talking points for us: we've done it."

Sam Ladner @sladner.bsky.social · 3d

Knowing individual researchers involved here, I can say this: These actions were several years ago and not uncommon. The only difference is that researchers warned against something that was obviously illegal. Gray zone calls happen every single day.

Pavel @spavel.bsky.social · 4d

Big tech is laying off user researchers in droves, because it believes that coercing its customers is more profitable than silly things like "making good products people want to buy."

But now the FAFO pendulum is coming around, with Amazon's $2.5B dark pattern settlement and #a11y lawsuits galore.

UX so bad that it's illegal

Big tech is divesting from user-centered design, and getting into hot water with the law.

productpicnic.beehiiv.com

1 7

Reposted by Sam Ladner

Steve Portigal @steveportigal.bsky.social · 3d

At the end of this week @sladner.bsky.social and I will be sharing the first few episodes of "Off the Path with Sam and Steve." Here we're reflecting on a particular episode (Episode 2, "The Good Enough Career") but more specifically about our process in putting these conversations together.

2 4