Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Kari Williams

Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 25d

Incredible. Trump drags the reputation of a highly regarded economist, first Black woman to be a Fed gov, thru the mud claiming she committed mortgage fraud. But the documents his appointee to run Fannie & Freddie got for him & that he said showed fraud don’t actually say that.

Aaron Fritschner @fritschner.bsky.social · 25d

The mortgage fraud claim against Lisa Cook is false, per documents obtained by Reuters.

Bill Pulte's accusation, the sole pretext Trump used to fire her from the Fed, was that she claimed two homes as primary residence.

These docs show she did not.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fed...

Exclusive: Fed Governor Cook declared her Atlanta property as “vacation home,” documents show

A loan estimate for an Atlanta home purchased by Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor accused of mortgage fraud by the Trump administration, shows that Cook had declared the property as a “vacation home,” according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

www.reuters.com

290 2K 6.4K

Reposted by Kari Williams

Trevon Logan @trevondlogan.bsky.social · Aug 28

Openly telling us that the goal is to completely politicize the Federal Reserve and monetary policy.

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · Aug 28

Vance on undermining the Federal Reserve: "I don't think we allow bureaucrats to make decisions about monetary policy and interest rates without any input from the people that were elected to serve the American people...POTUS is much better able to make these determinations."

11 100 350

Reposted by Kari Williams

Alvaro M. Bedoya @bedoyausa.bsky.social · Aug 26

Dear journalists:

The President has not fired Lisa Cook. The President is *trying* to illegally fire her.

Your words shape people’s reality. Please be accurate in your reporting.

480 8.3K 30K

Reposted by Kari Williams

Trevon Logan @trevondlogan.bsky.social · Aug 26

UPDATE: Governor Cook has issued a statement.

“President Trump purported to fire me ‘for cause’ when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022.”

13 350 1.5K

Kari Williams @kcww.bsky.social · Aug 7

Day two of the Data-Intensive Research Conference is officially underway (thanks @hpostel.bsky.social for kicking us off)! @ipums.bsky.social @umnlifecourse.bsky.social

Auditorium of people watching presentation

1 2 5

Reposted by Kari Williams

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · Aug 6

Wonderful lunch and keynote today at the Data-Intensive Research Conference @umnlifecourse.bsky.social

View from above of full tables at a keynote presentation

People sit around tables eating lunch and listening to a keynote presentation

3 3

Reposted by Kari Williams

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · Aug 6

Off to a great start here at the Data-Intensive Research Conference! @umnlifecourse.bsky.social

Auditorium with speaker and audience for the conference

4 7

Reposted by Kari Williams

dldmagnuson.bsky.social @dldmagnuson.bsky.social · Aug 6

Today is going to be an IPUMStastic day 💙 @ipums.bsky.social @umnlifecourse.bsky.social

3 5

Reposted by Kari Williams

taylr @taylordahlin.com · Aug 5

there is a search going on right now at minnehaha falls for missing 12 year old child victoria alexandria jackson and they need more people helping if anyone can go join, please share this flyer!!!

2 130 110

Reposted by Kari Williams

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · Aug 1

The 2024 NHIS data are now available through IPUMS NHIS, with updates to nearly 700 existing variables from core and rotating sections, along with new variables on loneliness, long COVID, and GLP medication intake. nhis.ipums.org/nhis/

IPUMS NHIS

IPUMS NHIS is a project dedicated to collecting and distributing census data from around the world. Its goals are to Collect and preserve data and documentation, Harmonize data, Disseminate the data a...

nhis.ipums.org

1

Kari Williams @kcww.bsky.social · Aug 4

Packed house for the @ipums.bsky.social workshop on full count data ahead of the Data-Intensive Research Conference!

1

Reposted by Kari Williams

Lars Vilhuber @larsvil.bsky.social · Aug 2

With government statistics, it's pretty simple. If you liked the February, March, and April numbers, then you have to accept all the next ones, too. They are produced in the exact same way, it's what the computer spits out, based on the inputs provided. You do not get to cherry pick your stats.

Erica Groshen @ericagroshen.bsky.social · Aug 2

The Friends of #BLS protest the firing of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer.

The rationale for firing her is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers.

4 21 66

Reposted by Kari Williams

Chris Uggen @chrisuggen.bsky.social · Aug 2

As US social scientists we should do all we can to protect the integrity of the federal statistics we rely upon in our teaching and research — on labor, crime, health, demography, education, climate, and pretty much everything else we study.

Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · Aug 1

What to make of POTUS's attempt to fire the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?

Let's run down what knowledgable people are saying...

13 36

Reposted by Kari Williams

Jed Kolko @jedkolko.bsky.social · Aug 1

For six months, I've said that threats to economic data have been more collateral damage than intentional harm.

No longer.

Firing the head of the BLS is five-alarm intentional harm to the integrity of US economic data and the entire statistical system.

28 380 1.3K

Kari Williams @kcww.bsky.social · Jul 15

😳

Hansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · Jul 15

UPDATE: A GOP-controlled House Appropriations subcommittee voted 9-6 along party lines to advance a funding bill that calls for excluding people living in the states without legal status from #2030Census results that the 14th Amendment says must include the “whole number of persons in each state”

Republicans renew a bid to remove noncitizens from the census tally behind voting maps

GOP lawmakers are trying again to exclude millions of non-U.S. citizens living in the states from census counts that the 14th Amendment says must include the "whole number of persons in each state."

www.npr.org

Kari Williams @kcww.bsky.social · Jun 12

In case it is helpful info: IPUMS has all core DHS, MIS, and SPA data (either available via dhs.ipums.org or preserved on our servers), as well as shapefiles and GPS data. We don't have the HIV data. We also have all final reports, including questionnaires, for the core DHS/MIS/SPA datasets.

IPUMS-DHS

IPUMS-DHS facilitates analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys, administered in low- and middle-income countries since the 1980s.

dhs.ipums.org

1 3

Reposted by Kari Williams

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · Jun 11

The IPUMS API now includes support for metadata browsing and data extracts for IPUMS IHGIS, as do ipumspy and ipumsr. Find them at tech.popdata.org/ipumsr and ipumspy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

An R Interface for Downloading, Reading, and Handling IPUMS Data

An easy way to work with census, survey, and geographic data provided by IPUMS in R. Generate and download data through the IPUMS API and load IPUMS files into R with their associated metadata to make...

tech.popdata.org

3 7

Reposted by Kari Williams

Annie Waldman @anniewaldman.bsky.social · Jun 12

NEW: The Trump administration said their research did not "enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness."

Thousands of scientists disagreed.

We heard from +150 researchers impacted by the NIH grant terminations on what is being lost in the cuts. 🧵👇
projects.propublica.org/nih-cuts-res...

Shattered Science: The Research Lost as Trump Targets NIH Funding

The Trump administration cut research funding that sought cures for future pandemics, examined the causes of dementia and tried to prevent HIV transmission. More than 150 researchers shared with ProPu...

projects.propublica.org

14 420 790

Reposted by Kari Williams

Jon Freeman @freemanjb.bsky.social · May 21

🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees

Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday

📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful

Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj

26 520 540

Reposted by Kari Williams

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · May 9

We are so honored to be recognized as the Research, Science & Technology Institution of the Year at the Geospatial World Leadership Awards. We're committed democratizing access to global population data and advancing geospatial research. geospatialworld.net/news/press-r...

Geospatial World Leadership Awards 2025: Recognizing Excellence in Geospatial Innovation

The Geospatial World Leadership Awards 2025 celebrated visionary leaders, exceptional innovations, and transformative contributions to the geospatial industry. Hosted at the Geospatial World Forum, th...

geospatialworld.net

2 8

Kari Williams @kcww.bsky.social · May 16

I know there is a lot going on right now. If you are an #IPUMS data user and you have 3 minutes in your Friday, please complete this survey. Tell us what we can improve about IPUMS and what is perfect exactly as it is.

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · May 16

This is the last day (5/16) to complete the IPUMS Data User Survey! Please take a few minutes to tell us what you love about IPUMS and what ideas you have for improvement. Your response helps us report to funders and plan for the future. z.umn.edu/IPUMS-Survey

Kari Williams @kcww.bsky.social · Apr 29

Federal statistical agencies depend on the specialized knowledge of senior staff. The current administration has proposed a change that further threatens the expertise and resilience of federal statistical infrastructure.

**Respond to the FR and contact your reps TODAY**

COPAFS @copafs.bsky.social · Apr 28

ACTION ALERT: We are very concerned about the potential impact on federal statistics of Schedule Policy/Career, a reclassification and politicization of senior federal employees.
Please 1) Write your Congressperson and 2) Comment on the Federal Register TODAY.

www.friendsofbls.org/updates/2025...

Schedule Policy/Career Rule is a Threat to Federal Statistical Agencies. Take Action Today. — The Friends of the Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Friends of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is very concerned about the potential impact on federal statistics of Schedule Policy/Career Rule, a proposed change to federal employment policy....

www.friendsofbls.org

Reposted by Kari Williams

Steven Ruggles @stevenruggles.bsky.social · Apr 21

Congratulations!

Scott Markley @snmarkley.bsky.social · Apr 10

Pleased to announce that my article with Steve Holloway, "Underestimating Racism? Decoupling Race and Redlining," in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers has received the IPUMS Spatial Research Award.

🔗 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

1 2

Reposted by Kari Williams

Scott Delaney @scott-delaney.bsky.social · Apr 19

🙏 We need your help 🙏

The government continues to cancel grants at both NIH and NSF to censor science it doesn't like.

We're tracking terminations to organize and advocate. Please report your terminated grants:

NIH:
forms.gle/J2znQ7y7YpeP...

NSF: airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...

w/ @noamross.net

17 490 630

Reposted by Kari Williams

IPUMS @ipums.bsky.social · Apr 17

IPUMS microdata access sites are down for scheduled maintenance this morning. This affects IPUMS USA, IPUMS CPS, IPUMS International, IPUMS Global Health, IPUMS Health Surveys, IPUMS Time Use, and IPUMS Higher Ed. Sorry for the inconvenience!

a close up of a laptop keyboard with a bird standing on top of it

ALT: a close up of a laptop keyboard with a bird standing on top of it

media.tenor.com

1 5