Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 4d

Pete Kegsbreath gives very strong Luca Brasi vibes.

Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 5d

Currently addicted to the music of Mon Rovia, but this track in particular is living rent-free in my head:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyXc...

Mon Rovîa - Heavy Foot (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by Mon Rovîa

www.youtube.com

Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 5d

"Petra Kelly once told us that, “If we don’t do the impossible, we shall be faced with the unthinkable.” Today we face the unthinkable. But the resilience and resistance of American cities show that another world is possible."

www.commondreams.org/opinion/this...

This Is Not a Drill: Bravery as Strategy in the Face of American Tragedy | Common Dreams

In recent memory, the prospect of a president preventing congressional elections from taking effect has been unimaginable. But today, it is not at all hard to imagine that this could happen.

www.commondreams.org

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

#Reciept #fromthehorsesmouth
(/fin)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXM0...

BREAKING NEWS: Pete Hegseth And Pam Bondi Visit Memphis Safe Task Force Joint Operations Center

YouTube video by Forbes Breaking News

www.youtube.com

Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

MILLER: "I see the guns and badges in this room. YOU ARE UNLEASHED. The handcuffs that you are carrying? They're not on you anymore... On President Trump's promise-- *whatever* we need to get it done, we're going to get it done." (5/6)

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

BONDI: "If you *touch* a police officer, you will be arrested."

KEGSBREATH: "Our job here is to liberate all of you, law enforcement."
(4/6)

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

TN Gov. Bill Lee bent his WHOLE KNEE to say thank you and can I please have another when "War" Sec Pete Kegsbreath, US Atty Gen Pam Bondi, and White Nationalist Stephen KKKMiller showed up to the press conference in Memphis in which they said ALL OF THE QUIET PARTS OUT LOUD, including: (3/6)

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

Then, he found my hometown Memphis, a tiny blue dot in an overwhelmingly red state as his new target. We're about to see how ugly this new fascist regime will get in a city without the resources for effective resistance or the organizational structures like those found in Chicago and LA. (2/6)

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

I moved to Washington, DC on July 16. Trump deployed the National Guard to DC on August 11, after his first deployment (in Los Angeles) proved to be an unmitigated failure. He threatened to send troops into Chicago, saw the utter failure that was going to be, and cowered.🧵(1/6)

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 6d

"That anyone with a rudimentary understanding of history, politics, economics or even pragmatic common sense would call the way these provocateurs operate civil debate says just how poorly prepared any of us are for what lies in front of us."

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...

Opinion | Mourn, or Else

www.nytimes.com

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 9d

There comes a moment in white, academic women's lives, usually in their 50s, where they have to decide whether to adopt bold, aggressive, colorful eyeglasses or not.

I am rapidly approaching that decision point.

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 10d

Born and raised Memphian here.

This checks out.

Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 10d

Elvis is the rare celebrity of yesteryear that if anything would fit in even more today because he was super into self defense and being high on drugs and talking to a crooked President and dating a teenager, he’d 100000% have a crypto thing going on

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Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

William B. Fuckley @opinionhaver.bsky.social · 10d

Posting is a Faustian bargain where in exchange for degrading your mental health you intermittently get access to a far smarter meta-brain.

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Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

Bethlehem Tekola @bethlehem.bsky.social · 10d

This!

Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social · 12d

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 42:
The thesaurus is not your friend. You don’t need new words to make your writing more interesting; you need more interesting things to say using the words you already have.

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Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 10d

Bit woke, that Fourth Amendment.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects,[a] against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 10d

This whole interview is scary on its own and, seriously, Ellison can take a long walk off a short pier... still, I'm over here most concerned that this is the guy who is now in charge of TikTok?!

Yikes.

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 11d

Larry Ellison envisions a surveillance state in which techbros rule. '“Citizens will be on their best behavior, because we’re constantly recording and reporting everything that is going on,” Ellison said in an hour-long Q&A during Oracle’s Financial Analyst Meeting last week.'

Larry Ellison predicts rise of the modern surveillance state where ‘citizens will be on their best behavior’ | Fortune

Oracle's Larry Ellison believes citizens and police alike will be under constant surveillance of each other.

fortune.com

Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 10d

I'd also like to know!

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 11d

If Pat McAfee is going to keep jumping up on his chair for every #GameDay broadcast-- which we ALL KNOW HE IS GOING TO DO-- can we just get him a stable chair without wheels?

Like, this is an unnecessary amount of stress to put viewers through every Saturday morning.

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 11d

“The national security state is a wonderful tool for a skilled authoritarian to crush American democracy.”

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

"Extremely disturbing": What does Trump's "antifa" executive order actually do?

"The national security state is a wonderful tool for a skilled authoritarian to crush American democracy."

www.motherjones.com

Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 11d

This is a terrifying read.

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Project 2026: Trump's plan to rig the next election

From nationalizing voter suppression to flooding the streets with federal agents, the president and his allies are using all the tricks in the authoritarian playbook to tilt the midterms in their favo...

www.motherjones.com

Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

Hotel Bar Sessions podcast @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social · 11d

Hey Hotel Bar Sessions listeners, this is Leigh.

I have some important news to share.

[You should sit down for this...]

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Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

Hotel Bar Sessions podcast @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social · 12d

Once again, alas, HBS is looking for new, smart, engaging "talent" to fill our recently (and abruptly) vacated co-host seats.

Think you have what it takes to carry an interesting conversation? Know someone you'd recommend to fill the open barstools?

Just email us at [email protected]!

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Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

Hotel Bar Sessions podcast @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social · 12d

Episode 198 is now live and this week we're chatting with Mark Balaguer about free will. Check it out!

hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/free...

Episode 198: Free Will (with Mark Balaguer) - Hotel Bar Podcast

One bar, three philosophers, infinite choices... or none at all.

hotelbarpodcast.com

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Reposted by Leigh M. Johnson

Hotel Bar Sessions podcast @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social · 14d

Podcasts may be the last medium semi-immune to corporate/fascist censorship.

Hotel Bar Sessions is independent, listener-funded, and ad-free.

Thanks, y'all.

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 14d

The richest man on earth owns X.

The second richest man on earth is about to be a major owner of TikTok.

The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.

See the problem here?

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Leigh M. Johnson @drleighmjohnson.bsky.social · 15d

Great piece by @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 15d

"Common decency stigmatizes people that do not participate in it—removes them from voluntary association. We indeed have to live with one another, but terms and conditions apply."

me on why Ezra Klein should be ashamed / why shame is Good Actually

www.bostonreview.net/articles/how...

How Can We Live Together? - Boston Review

Ezra Klein is wrong: shame is essential.

www.bostonreview.net

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