Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 11h

For all of their undeniable potency in psychological warfare, the Nazgûl are objectively terrible at hand to hand combat

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 11h

I cannot imagine loathing a fictional character more than Samwise Gamgee

1

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 11h

I cry at no fewer than 9 points in the Fellowship of the Ring movie

1

Reposted by Todd Hedrick

AAUP @aaup.org · 5d

The Trump admin’s offer to give preferential treatment to institutions that toe the party line reeks of bribery in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological agenda.

This is corruption.

Adherence to ‘loyalty oaths’ would usher in a new era of thought policing in American higher education.

Universities Must Reject Trump Admin 'Loyalty Oath' Compacts

The AAUP and AFT warn that the Trump administration’s offer to give preferential treatment to colleges and universities that court government favor in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological...

www.aaup.org

3 250 470

Reposted by Todd Hedrick

Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 11d

A pattern is developing where everyone who fights back against a Trump attack inevitably wins with their reputation much better than before, and everyone who caves to him looks like shit and has Trump coming back for more a month later.

360 4.3K 17K

Reposted by Todd Hedrick

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 13d

Halligan thing captures key essentials abt trumpism. Dark dark and will be implemented by a low rent insurance lawyer who’s comically out of her depth. Five days to indict fmr FBI director with case so weak grand jury cld easily just say no.

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 13d

Tick, tock.

Lindsey Halligan, the newly-installed prosecutor in EDVA, has less than a week to secure an indictment against James Comey before a key statute of limitations runs out.

Ben Wittes and I examine her charging options.

Spoiler alert: they all suck.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

LAWFARE
The Situation: Choose Your Own
Adventure: Lindsey Halligan
Edition
Benjamin Wittes, Anna Bower
Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 4:52 PM
Share On: f X in
Any way you play, you lose.

16 66 390

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 13d

It is an indication that, for all of the money and the power, and the being on top of the world, you would never want to actually be Trump: he just cannot stop himself from being consumed by these little slights and grievances, and responding to every situation in the pettiest way imaginable.

8

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 16d

being a reasonable, pragmatic person with romantic sensibilities is the worst - lots of "is now the appropriate time, all things considered, to throw all caution to the wind?"

Reposted by Todd Hedrick

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 16d

All headlines just from today 🇺🇸

280 3.3K 7.4K

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 17d

My crankiest pedagogical idea is to do an intro to philosophy class that's all about first millennium theological controversies (Donatism, Arianism, Manichaeism, Iconoclasm, predestination) and try to figure out what they were about, why people cared about them, what modern analogues might be, etc.

Reposted by Todd Hedrick

Jake Lahut @jakelahut.writes.news · 17d

Damn @carolleonnig.bsky.social with a barn burner of a scoop www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...

Tom Homan was investigated for accepting $50,000 from undercover FBI agents. Trump's DOJ shut it down.

The FBI and Justice officials closed the investigation, which a Justice Department appointee had called a “deep state” probe in early 2025.

www.msnbc.com

33 240 510

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 20d

saying "I want to do a merger" sounds innocuous enough but apparently it means that you are a complete worm and a traitorous enemy of freedom

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 26d

I've started having a very negative reaction to the celebs in sports gambling commercials. Needed some more money, Lebron? You want me to believe that losing money on my phone is an extremely glamorous activity, Wayne Gretzky? Luis Guzman, really?

1

Reposted by Todd Hedrick

Matthew Reichbach @fbihop.press · 26d

Charlotte Hornets have a "Sports Betting" theme night on March 17.

A list of theme nights for hte Charlotte Hornets.

Ranging from Breast Cancer Aweareness on OCt. 30 to Buzz City Kids Day on 12/29 to Sports Betting on March 17.

16 6 48

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 26d

This Department of WAR chest thumping belies the fact that Trump's interest is in using the military to kidnap some nannies, rough up some protesters, maybe murder some people on Caribbean boats, and definitely *not* in deterring peer competitors in Eastern Europe or Asia. So they have a free hand

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 26d

In Trump 1, world leaders seem to have been a little unsettled about what his election meant, even while most of the national security establishment was still in place. In Trump 2, the likes of Xi, Putin, Netanyahu have taken the measure of the man, know he has no stomach for great power competition

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 26d

REPORTER: What's your reaction to Russia's drone incursion into Poland?

TRUMP: It could've been a mistake

1 1

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 28d

And he's on his way to surrendering that, having his court in effect declaring that the law is the sovereign executive's will--so what do we need judicial review for? The more hopeful scenario is that future Democrats expand the court and limit its jurisdiction, due to his fecklessness

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 28d

So it's his bad luck that these pet theories were brought to fruition by a rule-breaking psychopath like Trump. But then, if you wanted to preserve the court's institutional legitimacy, you'd want to demonstrate that the court has some reason for being as an independent branch of government

1 2

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 28d

Expanding a little: Roberts seems to have been a conventional right wing jurist, who had some pet theories about law (the sovereign executive) that seem to me at odds with US constitutional design, but he probably thought they would be wielded by a Reagan-esque figure to brush back annoying libs

1 2

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 28d

Roberts' #1 concern is said to be the institutional legitimacy of the court. If true, he could not be a more massive and complete failure. His weakness and cowardice leads to acquiescence, with the result that his court is an arm of a lawless regime completely at odds with the founders' vision.

12 32 140

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 29d

Trump, a psychopathic rule-ignorer, pushed to the top, nearly lost his life and his freedom, and then won. He feels invincible, nothing can get in his way; this has a euphoric effect on his toadies, who think they'll never face any music; institutional elites with weak values are bowled over

Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 29d

Perceptions of the popularity of anything Trump does are extremely warped among the chattering classes. A lot of people seem to have convinced themselves that deploying troops to American cities is hugely popular. It has like 58% disapproval!

Matt Darling @besttrousers.bsky.social · Sep 7

It's incredibly weird that folks have convinced themselves that the Covid vaccines - which had an ~82^% take up rate - were unpopular.

3

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 29d

Not that anyone asked, but my very sincere advice for church leaders who want Christianity to have a vibrant future in America would be to try to ensure that young people don't associate Christian faith with mean-spirited, tawdry, corrupt authoritarian politics

NBC News @nbcnews.com · 29d

President Trump announced that his family Bible would be displayed in the Museum of the Bible, calling it "an honor."

1

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · 29d

I was going to complain about the latest from the John Roberts' MAGA SCOTUS, but then I looked again at my copy of the constitution, and I guess they do have a point.

2

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · Sep 4

We're surrounded by monsters these days, but RFK is really something special: someone who's had every benefit of elite status and education, he's used the status to indulge delusional, harmful beliefs without bearing consequences, and the education to spout horseshit with utter self-confidence

1

Todd Hedrick @toddhedrick.bsky.social · Sep 1

Please sir it would be such an honor for the country if you would please, it would mean so much to my little girl

Patrick Monahan @pattymo.com · Sep 1

Donald Trump Sir please prove the haters and losers wrong and walk briskly up a steep hill #TrumpWalkUpAHill