Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Barbara Barnett

@b-barnett.bsky.social

I am thrilled to announce that my essay "The Merry Macabre of the Renaissance Faire" will be published in the January issue of Nightmare Magazine in the H-Word column. #horror #nightmaremagazine #renaissancefaire #childballads #darkfantasy

November 28, 2025 at 5:08 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

The Volatile Mermaid

@ohnoshetwitnt.bsky.social

If one Afghan nationalist shooter means all Afghan nationalists are evil, wait until I tell you about white male shooters.

November 27, 2025 at 11:04 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

John Scalzi

@scalzi.com

Just forwarded this to Krissy, either she will laugh or I will die

McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 3d

"You’ve been obsessively trying to prepare for it, but who knows what will actually happen."

Thanksgiving or Perimenopause?

1. There’s a turkey neck situation. 2. Is it four thousand degrees in the kitchen, or is it just you? 3. You love your family, but you also wish th...

buff.ly

November 25, 2025 at 2:20 PM

Barbara Barnett

@b-barnett.bsky.social

blogcritics.org/robin-hood-a... #robinhood #film #movies #TV #ballads

Robin Hood: A Journey Through the Ages - Blogcritics

Robin Hood has returned to our screens With a brand-new series from the streaming service MGM+. Once

blogcritics.org

November 11, 2025 at 1:51 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

StrictlyChristo 🇺🇦🌻🚫👑

@strictlychristo.bsky.social

Amazing! 🙌

November 5, 2025 at 7:48 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Greg Lipper

@theglipper.bsky.social

Whoa.

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 23d

One of the largest school districts in Texas, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, has come to be dominated by the Christian right.

But conservative board members lost 3 seats last night to a slate of candidate running on separating church and education: www.houstonpress.com/news/progres...

Progressives Pick Up All 3 Cy-Fair ISD Trustee Seats - Houston Press

Lesley Guilmart, Cleveland Lane Jr. and Kendra Camarena — a slate of pro-public education candidates who support the separation of church and state in Progressive candidates Lesley Guilmart, Cleveland...

www.houstonpress.com

November 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Jaye

@jaybird54.bsky.social

I don’t like ending the night in a melancholy mood, but a friend sent me this, and I think it really captures how so many of us feel. But I will also end the night on a hopeful note, as I feel so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful group of people here in our blue community.

October 30, 2025 at 1:18 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Josh Manning

@joshmanning.bsky.social

We all lived this in our daily work — watching for indicators and warning of impending government collapse or takeover. We warned policymakers and they dealt with it.

We have warned this country since 2016, and here we are. No policymakers want to do anything to stop the slide. They embrace it.

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · Oct 24

Retired intelligence analysts confirm what the political scientists are telling us — and what the world outside is telling us — the goal of these people is the end of law, the end of democracy, and the end of a recognizable republic.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US ‘on a trajectory’ toward authoritarian rule, ex-officials warn

A network of former intelligence and security officers says democratic decline is accelerating under Trump’s rule

www.theguardian.com

October 24, 2025 at 8:56 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

The Tennessee Holler

@thetnholler.bsky.social

😕🇺🇸

October 23, 2025 at 2:49 AM

Barbara Barnett

@b-barnett.bsky.social

Follow me for updates on a couple of new projects, including the brand new BodiceAndDoublet.com: Pop Culture for the Knight Curious! #popculture #renfaire #history #renaissance #historicalfantasy #romantasy

Bodice and Doublet

Launching Soon

BodiceAndDoublet.com

October 20, 2025 at 5:15 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Mike Sacks

@mikesacks.bsky.social

This rules - @raskin.house.gov straight up called out Roberts to his face.

democrats-judiciary.house.gov/media-center...

Ranking Member Jamie Raskin
Prepared Remarks for the Judicial Conference
September 16, 2025
Thank you, Chief Justice Roberts, for the invitation.
Forgive my directness here but the times are serious, as you know, our time is short. I have just five minutes and don't want to trespass on Senator Cruz's time.
Sometimes these days I feel as if all the foundational principles are being trampled and lost.
Often, I hear my colleagues in the House, and these are fellow Democrats, get up to protest some Executive usurpation of legislative power and they begin their lament with the plaintive cry, "We are a coequal branch of government..."
And I always feel they have lost the argument right there just by repeating that fifth-grade dogma.
First of all, co-equal is not even a word. It's an embarrassing redundancy like "very unique" or
"irregardless.
"

But there's a reason all legislative power is vested in the Congress and there's a reason it's in Article I.
The Founders had a revolution against monarchy and its constant assaults on liberty. In America, the Framers determined, only the representatives of the people would have power to declare wars, pass budgets, impose taxes and tariffs, and so on. Article lis pages and pages of all the powers vested in Congress. Then you get to Article Il, which is tiny.
The key paragraph says a president shall be removed from office upon impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors. If we are co-equal, why do we have the power to impeach, try, convict, remove and permanently disqualify the president and he doesn't have the power to impeach, try, convict, remove and disqualify us?
The core job of the president is plain: "To Take care that the laws are faithfully executed."
That's it. Not abused, not thwarted, not impounded, not redirected, but faithfully executed.
A lot of the cases entering the federal courts are variations on this theme.

Here's the remarkable thing: Americans have brought over 300 cases in federal district courts against the Administration so far for usurping legislative powers, defying federal laws, or violating the rights of the people. This summer, researchers found that plaintiffs were winning an astonishing 77% of the cases in the district courts. Moreover, they found that President Trump was losing about equally before Republican-appointed judges (72%) and Democratic-appointed judges (80%).
The numbers in the federal circuit courts of appeal are similar, with plaintiffs against the Administration winning overwhelmingly and again without a sharp partisan valence to the appeals courts' voting. A good example is the birthright citizenship case where four district court judges, two appointed by Republican presidents and two appointed by Democratic presidents, all struck down the President's purported negation of birthright citizenship. Then, on appeal, three circuit courts again all ruled against the Administration.
But everything is flipped when the cases come to the Supreme Court.

September 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Just_Vicki 🐾🎵💟🕉💙🌈🌻🇺🇲🇺🇦🇨🇦

@justvickimarie.bsky.social

September 25, 2025 at 1:42 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

🗽LOLGOP🗽

@thefarce.org

Good summary of the regime's attack of the First Amendment from @ossoff.senate.gov

Ossoff: On authoritarianism

YouTube video by Jon Ossoff

www.youtube.com

September 24, 2025 at 9:14 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

KittyKatGirl😻🙏💞🐞

@mary1kathy.bsky.social

September 24, 2025 at 4:33 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Marc Elias

@marcelias.bsky.social

Rather than a resistance, the concept of an opposition is more comprehensive and durable. It recognizes that there are no time limits to the effort. www.democracydocket.com/opinion/buil...

Building the Opposition

From Marc | The success of our democracy rests on an effective opposition movement.

www.democracydocket.com

September 23, 2025 at 7:02 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Jimmy Kimmel

@jimmykimmel.com

As I was saying…

Jimmy Kimmel is Back!

YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live

youtu.be

September 24, 2025 at 4:27 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Julie in Cope

@julesette.bsky.social

Sinclair has vowed to continue to preempt Jimmy's show. I don't live in a Sinclair market but those who do need to hit the advertisers www.thewrap.com/sinclair-rep...

Sinclair Will Not Air 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Upon ABC Return Tuesday

The broadcaster, which has demanded an apology and Turning Point USA donation from the late-night host, will replace the time slot with local news programming

www.thewrap.com

September 23, 2025 at 12:03 AM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

The Tobias Literary Agency

@thetobiasagency.bsky.social

Why I Love Horror is a love letter to the horror genre from many of the most influential and bestselling authors in the industry....and it's OUT NOW!

Get yours here ⬇️
andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781668...

Why I Love Horror is a love letter to the horror genre from many of the most influential and bestselling authors in the industry

Out Today

Get yours now!

*“Spratford, well-known in the library world as a horror expert, has gathered the most important voices in the genre today…The results are illuminating, moving, and inspiring.”
-Booklist, starred review

"A big, squishy blood-soaked love letter to horror that fans of the macabre and the dark should devour." -Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic

"Becky Spratford is your favorite horror author's favorite librarian.” -Jenny Kiefer, author of This Wretched Valley and Crafting for Sinners

“A truly remarkable achievement."
-Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

September 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Don Moynihan

@donmoyn.bsky.social

A British newspaper once owned by her Dad

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · Sep 21

Why does it take a BRITISH newspaper to break a story like this? Where the hell is the American media? 🤨

September 21, 2025 at 6:05 PM

Reposted by Barbara Barnett

Kyle Griffin

@kylegriffin1.bsky.social

Gov. Josh Shapiro to NBC:

"Without question, they're trying to stifle dissent."

"Whether you agree with Jimmy Kimmel or not, whether you found him funny or not, to fire someone because he told a joke about the president repeatedly, and the president didn’t like it ... that is dangerous."

September 20, 2025 at 5:55 PM