Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Patrick De Klotz @patdeklotz.bsky.social · 8h

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

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 8h

Bray is a historian at Rutgers who received death threats after landing on Turning Points USA's Professor Watchlist. As a result, he announced he was moving to Europe. And then this happened.

This kind of harassment and abuse of scholars is Charlie Kirk's legacy and it's only getting worse.

Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 8h

“Someone” cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second.

We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’

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Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 8h

“Someone” cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second.

We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’

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Laura Lopez @ohdearz.bsky.social · 8h

Ohio State astronomy is still waiting to see what happens with the federal funding landscape before deciding whether to proceed. With programs that are still TBD, I recommend waiting right now because *application fees do not get refunded if they decide to cancel after you have already paid*!!

Laura Lopez @ohdearz.bsky.social · 8h

So far the astronomy PhD programs that have cancelled admissions are Washington, Michigan State, and Case Western.

Meg Schwamb @megschwamb.bsky.social · 1d

Sad to see the University of Washington Astronomy Department has suspended graduate admissions for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. astro.washington.edu/graduate-adm...

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Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 8h

Michigan Avenue right now.

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 10h

OK. It's going to be coming out soon because of the relentless investigations of Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, so I might as well admit it before the news breaks:

I am the General Counsel of Antifa.

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🎃scarecrowcialism👻 @swolecialism.bsky.social · 9h

He had an "annual physical" like five months ago, BTW

Department of Shoe @shoe.bsky.social · 10h

Time for an oil change

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darth™️ @darthbluesky.bsky.social · 9h

"we are going to murder americans without due process"
~pam bondi, US attorney general

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 12h

My gosh. After the US bombed multiple boats in the middle of the ocean, murdering people on grounds that they were allegedly "carrying drugs," the US Attorney General says "Just like we did with cartels, we're going to take the same approach, President Trump, with Antifa."

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emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 11h

I've had a long day and so can't really do this myself, yet.

But I hope people realize this shitshow propaganda fest needs a very coordinated vigorous response?

Like rap sheets for all the people present?

Mockery? Music videos?

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 12h

"Antifa has been around in various iterations for almost 100 years in some instances, going back to the Weimar Republic in Germany."

- Jack Posobiec at Trump's roundtable on antifa

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ıllıllı FREE ŁINK ıllıllı @rvbdrm.com · 11h

Yep. He’s a Nazi.

Mr. President, thank you so much for having us here today and holding this roundtable. Antifa is real. Antifa has been around in various iterations for almost 100 years in some instances, going back to the Weimar Republic in Germany. And it's now been just under one month since we saw a far leftist murder Charlie Kirk. And we saw thousands upon thousands of people, other far leftists and people in positions of authority, people like nurses and pilots and doctors and HR departments celebrating the death and the murder of Charlie Kirk. The sickness that's out there is absolutely real. And Mr. President, thank you for mentioning it.

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Rolando Valdés Aguilar @rvathz.bsky.social · 11h

is their last name Tannen?

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Rolando Valdés Aguilar @rvathz.bsky.social · 11h

this is it.

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 11h

genuinely think they are feeding him AI videos

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12h

Trump: "I don't know what could be worse than Portland. You don't even have stores anymore. They don't even put glass up. They put plywood on their windows."

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 11h

genuinely think they are feeding him AI videos

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12h

Trump: "I don't know what could be worse than Portland. You don't even have stores anymore. They don't even put glass up. They put plywood on their windows."

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 11h

The White House Antifa Roundtable is one of the best displays I’ve seen of this-is-how-bad-it’s-gotten — just a sewer of open fascism, dementia, morons and freaks, and incoherent rage.

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ACLU @aclu.org · 13h

Congress is considering a provision in the Intelligence Authorization Act that would end Senate confirmation of the chief lawyers responsible for secretly shaping policies on surveillance, detention, and interrogation at U.S. intelligence agencies.

Keep Senate confirmation for top intelligence lawyers, civil liberties groups urge

A provision in the 2026 annual intelligence community bill would lift Senate confirmation rules for the chief counsels of the CIA and ODNI. Advocates warn the change would weaken transparency and publ...

www.nextgov.com

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 12h

Who needs cameras in the courtroom when you’ve got this

Doodle of parties at the comet arraignment. Messy stick figure drawings

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 12h

JUST IN: Written scheduling order setting trial and pre-trial motions dates in Comey’s case.

U.S. v. Comey (criminal case)
ORDERED that this matter is scheduled for a jury trial on Monday, January 5, 2025. In the interests of fairness, efficiency, and justice, the Court ORDERS as follows: The first round of motions shall be due on Monday, October 20, 2025. The Government's response brief(s) shall be due on Monday, November 3, 2025. Defendant's reply briefs) shall be due on Monday, November 10, 2025. The Court will hold a hearing on these motions) on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Any additional pre-trial motions shall be due on Thursday. October 30, 2025. The Government's response brief(s) shall be due on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Defendant's reply briefs) shall be due on Thursday, November 20, 2025. The Court will hold a hearing on the motion(s) on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
All briefing must be filed by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the briefing deadline. Signed by District Judge Michael S Nachmanoff on 10/8/2025. (Icre, ) (Entered: 10/08/2025)

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Rolando Valdés Aguilar @rvathz.bsky.social · 12h

This gets at something that I've believed for a while: those who end up in leadership positions at universities/professional societies do so by learning not to ruffle any feathers. The have more experience acquiescing to than challenging authority. So now they keep their heads down.

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 2d

I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

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jeremymberg.github.io

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Defector @defector.com · 13h

Bill Burr keeps cycling through excuses for doing the Riyadh Comedy Festival: defector.com/bill-burr-ke...

Bill Burr Keeps Cycling Through Excuses For Doing The Riyadh Comedy Festival | Defector

By default, Bill Burr exists in a state of his ass being chapped, but clearly it’s been feeling more chapped than usual. The comedian has continued to address his decision to perform at the Riyadh…

defector.com

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Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 13h

Elon Musk said he was going to cut spending by $2 trillion dollars, but instead spending is higher this year than we thought it would be before Trump took office. Truly incredible stuff.

Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 13h

CBO fy2025 projections for deficit/spending/etc are out

Some issues make simple comparisons apples-to-oranges, so I'll do apples-to-apples & explain in the thread

Relative to pre-Trump projections:
-Primary deficits ⬆️ $34 bn
-program spending ⬆️ $97 bn
-revenues ⬆️ $63 bn
www.cbo.gov/publication/...

2025 (January estimate, adjusted to fix issues) 2025 CBO estimate (remove student loan one-time revaluation) 2025 (adjusted for student loans) vs. 2025 projection (adjusted to fix issues)
Spending 7061 7166 105
Program spending 6108 6205 97
Interest 953 961 9
Revenue 5163 5226 63
Primary deficit 945 979 34
Total deficit 1898 1940 42

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Stephen Totilo @stephentotilo.bsky.social · 13h

SCOOP: Last year, Ubisoft cancelled an Assassin's Creed game set during Reconstruction. Was to feature a Black Assassin who, among other things, fought the rise of the Klan

Sources: Leadership nixed it over concerns re: U.S. political climate, backlash to Yasuke

www.gamefile.news/p/scoop-ubis...

Scoop: Ubisoft cancelled a post-Civil War Assassin’s Creed last year

Company leadership deemed the project too controversial for the moment, sources tell Game File

www.gamefile.news

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Elizabeth Joh @elizabethjoh.bsky.social · 13h

🚨A quarter of all FBI agents have been assigned to immigration enforcement www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

A quarter of FBI agents are assigned to immigration enforcement, per FBI data

Nearly a quarter of FBI agents are currently assigned to immigration enforcement, with the number climbing above 40 percent in the bureau’s largest field offices.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 15h

Reporter's notebook: I actually began working on this story shortly after footage of the incident showed up last month.

But by the time I finally got ahold of folks, the story grew: 2 *other* faith leaders I spoke with *also* reported being shot w/pepper balls while protesting this ICE facility.

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 1d

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

(RNS) — Last month, the Rev. David Black stood in front of a Chicago-area U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and spread his arms wide. Adorned in all black and wearing a clerical collar, the pastor looked up at a group of masked, heavily armed ICE agents on the roof and began to pray.

“I invited them to repentance,” Black, a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), said in an interview. “I basically offered an altar call. I invited them to come and receive that salvation, and be part of the kingdom that is coming.”

But when Black began to lower his arms a few seconds later, the agents responded to his spiritual plea by firing pepper balls, or chemical agents that cause eye irritation and respiratory distress, video footage shows. One struck Black in the head, exploding into a puff of white pepper smoke and forcing him to his knees. Fellow demonstrators rushed to his aid, and as the pastor rubbed his face in pain, the agents continued to fire.

“We could hear them laughing,” Black said.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

Pritzker: "He wants to militarize major cities because he wants us to get used to the idea of troops on the streets. I believe he's gonna post people outside of polling places and if he needs to in order to control those elections, he'll assume control of the ballot boxes & count the votes himself"

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Coach Finstock @coachfinstock.bsky.social · 15h

Florida Man burned down LA

Editing the Blue-Gray Lady @nytdiff.bsky.social · 15h

Change in Abstract

Before: The fire in Los Angeles is believed to have been tied to an earlier fireworks-sparked blaze on New Year’s Day. Federal officials are expected to announce details of the arrest at a news conference.
After: Officials say that Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Melbourne, Fla., had intentionally set an earlier fire that rekindled a week later into a devastating blaze that killed 12 people.

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