Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chris Suellentrop

@suellentrop.bsky.social

6.6K followers 960 following 890 posts

Op-Ed Editor, the Washington Post. Used to be on Friendster. Maybe Orkut, too. Google+ skeptic.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · May 13

It’s always a good day to alert people that bylined articles by outside writers that appear “opposite the editorial” in a print newspaper are op-eds.

2 7

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 7d

I repeat, we are sold out of Bort license plates

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 7d

The Denver Broncos! You just don’t understand football, Marge.

Willow @rockshrimp.bsky.social · 7d

what's the stupidest/randomest Simpsons quote that lives in your head rent free? Mine is the urge to say "you said go to bread" every time I am about to head to bed.

1 2

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 7d

One of my favorite anecdotes from THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: "That doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know."

A few days after this cartoon was published, my syndicate received a very indignant letter from someone representing the Jane Goodall Institute.
Not only did my syndicate and I both get read the Riot Act, there was a vague implication that litigation over this cartoon might be around the corner.
I was horrified. Not so much from a fear of being sued (I just couldn't see how this cartoon could be construed as anything but silly, but because of my deep respect for Jane Goodall and her well-known contributions to pri-matology. The last thing in the world I would have intentionally done was offend Dr. Goodall in any way.
Before I had a chance to write my apology, another complication arose.
The National Geographic Society contacted my syndicate and expressed a

desire to reprint the cartoon in a special centennial issue of their magazine. My editor, aware of what had just occurred, declined, explaining why.
Apparently, whoever it was that sent the inquiry from National Geographic was shocked. They told my editor that "that doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know." They did some checking themselves, and an interesting fact was eventually discovered: Jane Goodall loved the cartoon. Furthermore, she was totally unaware that any of this "stuff" was going on. Some phone calls were made, and the cartoon was not only reprinted in the centennial issue of National Geographic, but was also used by her Institute on a T-shirt for fund-raising purposes.
I've since had an opportunity to visit Dr. Goodall at her research facility in Gombe. It's a wonderful place (sort of like right out of National Geographic).
"To refer to Dr. Goodall as a tramp is inexcusable even by a self-described 'loony' as Larson. The cartoon was incredibly offensive and in such poor taste that readers might well question the editorial judgment of running such an atrocity in a newspaper that reputes to be supplying news to persons with a better than average intelligence. The cartoon and its message were absolutely stupid." —Excerpt from the above-mentioned letter that started the ruckus

28 2.2K 6.4K

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Christopher Gavin @chrisgavin.bsky.social · 8d

"A little surreal."

An underwater glimpse of a great white shark was caught on camera near Block Island.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/30/m...

‘Surreal’: Underwater glimpse of great white shark caught on camera near Block Island - The Boston Globe

“We’ve been reviewing a lot of footage over the years and had to do a triple take on that one,” said Jon Dodd, of the Atlantic Shark Institute

www.bostonglobe.com

4 2

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 8d

Strict speaking, this is a Findings of Fact and Law.

Looks favorably for plaintiffs, but I am distracted by this ancillary thing.

Young closes with a note to his correspondent, inviting him to drop by the Boston courthouse next time he's in town (postcard was postmarked from Philly)

1 36 240

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 8d

OMG this William G. Young opinion that just dropped (12:30pm) in AAUP v. Rubio.
It begins with a postcard sent to Chambers and Young's reply

card: "Trump has pardons and tanks, what do you have?"

WGY: "We the People of the United States — you and me — have our magnificent Constitution"

23 460 1.5K

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 8d

HUD.gov right now.

The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands. The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people.

8 15 39

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 11d

I'm not a big MLS fan, but I see the Portland Timbers are playing all their games and even doing pretty well, despite playing in a war ravaged city.

And Powell's Books, the world's largest independent bookstore, is holding book readings pretty much every night.

Impressive. Like London 1940.

50 240 1.4K

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 11d

It’s about ethics in biscuits and gravy

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 12d

🤷🏿‍♂️

Cracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers Say

Doesn't that make more sense than lots of people caring about Cracker Barrel?

gizmodo.com

2 6

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 12d

As long we’ve got each other

The Press Box @thepressbox.bsky.social · 12d

Nodding... www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

michael röbbins @alienvsrobbins.bsky.social · 12d

repeating the phrase "full books" as I slam my head against my desk until I pass out

4 580 3.1K

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Will Leitch @williamfleitch.bsky.social · 12d

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is as great as you've heard. I've been thinking about it constantly since I saw it. It should not be overlooked how fantastic DiCaprio is in it. I wrote for @washingtonpost.com about how it might be his definitive Gen-X role. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | Leonardo DiCaprio’s growing pains

In “One Battle After Another,” he captures Generation X in middle age.

www.washingtonpost.com

3 14

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Jonathan L. Fischer @jonfischer.bsky.social · 13d

We made something gigantic: The 101 greatest artworks -- movies, songs, buildings, books -- of and about Washington, D.C. www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...

The 101 greatest movies, songs, books, artworks (and more!) about Washington, D.C.

Introducing the D.C. Canon, starring Chuck Brown, Olivia Pope, George Washington, Leonardo da Vinci, Duke Ellington, Rites of Spring and — who could forget? — Gort.

www.washingtonpost.com

3 4 9

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 15d

We can rebuild him

Reposted by Chris Suellentrop

Alasdair Beckett-King @misterabk.bsky.social · 15d

Hey, I'm your streaming app. Did you want to continue watching all these shows with 11 seconds remaining on the episode? Don't you want to know who dubbed them in Svensk?

21 85 850

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 15d

Cool and retro. But if you create "Abraham Lincoln emoticon"...

Annalee Newitz @annaleen.bsky.social · 15d

Very important question: If I write :) instead of 😀 do I look cool and retro or anachronistic and indecipherable?

1 2

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 15d

Will Leitch: Do it for Ueck! www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | This baseball team should make Milwaukee famous

The Brewers can bring America together again, if you’ll let them.

www.washingtonpost.com

1 7

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 15d

John Yoo: If you want to go to war with Venezuela, you can. But you can't go to war with the illegal drug trade. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | A military campaign against the drug trade would be unconstitutional

Trump’s boat strikes against the cartels risk crossing the line between law enforcement and war.

www.washingtonpost.com

1 1

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 15d

One of the greats www.wsj.com/finance/inve...

Jonathan Clements, Longtime WSJ Columnist, Dies at 62

He wrote more than 1,000 personal-finance columns for the Journal and was a favorite of readers.

www.wsj.com

1 2

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 16d

Gift link wapo.st/4nqIhQE

Opinion | I’m an evolutionary biologist. I’m also a former creationist.

The moment I finally admitted that Darwin was right didn’t feel liberating. It felt like grief.

wapo.st

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 17d

Gift link wapo.st/4gubuHO

Opinion | The Jewish High Holidays teach this lost democratic virtue

These days demand humility, which includes acknowledging that we do not have a monopoly on truth.

wapo.st

1 1

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 18d

Gift link wapo.st/46u5tpV

Opinion | I tried mortgage fraud cases. Trump’s revenge prosecutions are a sham.

No competent federal prosecutor would bring baseless charges against political targets.

wapo.st

2 18 52

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 19d

I walked right through the jet bridge into this.

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 19d

Am I the last to learn that basically everyone else on every plane is high?

Chris Suellentrop @suellentrop.bsky.social · 19d

The “good enough” economy as it applies to news (inferior free and low-cost options are preferred to high-quality luxury goods, which news now is)

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 20d

83% of US adults haven't paid for news in the last year.

About half (49%) say their main reason is they can find plenty of free news elsewhere.
www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

Chart showing among the 83% of U.S. adults who have not paid for news in the past year, the most common reason they cite is that they can find plenty of other news articles for free. About half of those who don’t pay for news (49%) say this is the main reason.

Indeed, many news websites do not have paywalls. Others have recently loosened paywalls or removed them for certain content like public emergencies or public interest stories.

Another common reason people don’t pay for news is that they are not interested enough (32%). Smaller shares of Americans who don’t pay for news say the main reason is that it’s too expensive (10%) or that the news provided isn’t good enough to pay for (8%).

1 1