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samlitzinger

@[email protected]

Mostly retired #journalist (ex-CBS News, ex-AP, etc). Master’s degree in #philosophy. Friend to #animals. Usually annoyed about something. Thank you for reading my posts. https://www.samlitzinger.com/ #journalism #philosophy #animals #history #music

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@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“In a 63-page dissent, written by Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., the dissenters also raised concerns that the decision would lead to chaos, at least in the short term as importers who have already paid the tariffs seek refunds.”

When did these guys suddenly switch from being originalists to being consequentialists?

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Courts have ruled 4,400 times that ICE jailed people illegally. It hasn’t stopped. - https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/courts-have-ruled-4400-times-that-ice-jailed-people-illegally-it-hasnt-stopped-2026-02-14/

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

There is no hell hot enough for these people…

“Trump revokes EPA endangerment finding in huge blow to climate change efforts”

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/12/trump-epa-endangerment-finding-climate-change-greenhouse-gas.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“Bezos didn’t let the Post die. He chose which part lives. He spent the last two years remaking the opinion section into his ideological megaphone while letting the newsroom bleed out.”

https://www.readtpa.com/p/jeff-bezos-gutted-the-newsroom-he

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“Terribly frustrating”: After USPS changes, more newspapers aren’t reaching subscribers on time
Newspaper delays are just one consequence of cost cuts and changes to a fraying 250-year-old system.

https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/terribly-frustrating-after-usps-changes-more-newspapers-arent-reaching-subscribers-on-time/

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

He lied.

And now he’s daring anyone to do something about it.

https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-howard-lutnick-2ead9f281ba2491e0581aced50a0533d

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Judge denies Minnesota’s request for immediate end to immigration crackdown

“Minnesota and the Twin Cities had not definitively shown that the administration’s decision to flood the state with agents was unlawful or designed to force local officials into cooperating with the administration’s objectives, U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez said in her ruling.”

Remember her name.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/31/minnesota-immigration-surge-court/

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
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@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Whiskey Pete rouses himself from his drunken stupor to weigh in:

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“National Anger Spills Into Target Stores, Again
Videos of immigration officers dragging an employee out of a store near Minneapolis, the retailer’s hometown, set off renewed political debate after years of boycotts.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/business/target-immigration-minneapolis.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

At this point, it’s simply bad journalism to parrot what government officials are claiming about situations like this without talking to witnesses or trying to get other information.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal officer shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis after being attacked with a shovel and broom handle while trying to make an arrest Wednesday, officials said.

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“Let’s make sure every single night has something with viral potential,” Ms. Weiss, the new editor in chief of CBS News, wrote to top producers as they prepared for the show’s new anchor, Tony Dokoupil, to start his tenure this month with a two-week tour of the country.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/business/media/cbs-evening-news-bari-weiss.html?unlocked_article_code=1.EFA.VDJQ.0WgSSItp7vxi&smid=nytcore-ios-share

samlitzinger OP ,
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“Mr. Dokoupil’s teleprompter flub last week came about after Ms. Weiss asked to add an on-air analysis of why Mr. Trump had extricated Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela.

In the rush before airtime, the new material was inadvertently added twice into the script, the three people with knowledge of the evening’s events said. Mr. Dokoupil was flummoxed when he encountered the same words twice, asking his producers out loud which segment he was supposed to turn to next.”

samlitzinger OP ,
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“Privately, Ms. Weiss has been deeply frustrated by the negative reaction to her decisions, and has blamed some subordinates for not stanching the criticism, three people familiar with internal discussions said.”

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Choose your framing:

“U.S. payrolls rose 50,000 in December, less than expected; unemployment rate falls to 4.4%”

  • CNBC

“Employers added 50,000 jobs in December, a solid end to a weak 2025”

  • The Washington Post

“Hiring Continues at Modest Pace, but Weaknesses Are Evident
Employers added 50,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent. But total job gains last year were the weakest since 2020.”

  • The NY Times
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is bullshit. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed,” Frey said. “There’s little I can say that will make this situation better, but I do have a message for our community and our city and for ICE. To ICE: Get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/07/us/minnesota-shooting-ice?smid=nytcore-ios-share

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Important work by NPR:

https://apps.npr.org/jan-6-archive/

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

From battleships to buildings: Trump's name is everywhere - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/battleships-buildings-trumps-name-is-everywhere-2025-12-31/

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

It occurs to me that it was exactly 50 years ago that I attended my first “big” rock concert - Led Zeppelin in Pittsburgh.

I managed to score one of the cheap seats: $6.50!

image/png

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

So, yeah, we’ll just go ahead and keep breaking the law if that’s OK with you…

https://apnews.com/article/senate-epstein-files-trump-justice-department-bipartisan-fe7de7947b4e5b0bd7f8194cdc760f1f

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

US national park gift shops ordered to purge merchandise promoting DEI

https://apnews.com/article/national-parks-dei-review-6feb21b4f2e8b495b33444d04f9a28fc

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

I’m told the new Bari Weiss-led overlords at CBS News have decided to kill the evening edition of the CBS World News Roundup as well as the CBS Weekend Roundup.

The Roundup was anchored by such folks as Bob Trout, Douglas Edwards, Christopher Glenn and occasionally (improbably) me.

Not sure if they’ll keep the morning Roundup. Almost no radio stations carry the whole show anymore.

Here’s a piece I did for the 75th anniversary of the Roundup:

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/cbs-radio-news-world-news-roundup-turns-75/

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

CBS News is done for.

“Bari Weiss to moderate CBS News town hall with Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk”

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/dec/03/bari-weiss-erika-kirk-cbs-town-hall?_bhlid=35c63766898bc7b9c898d9579656653c969a9ab9

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Absolute bullsh*t.

“Pentagon says it's investigating Sen. Mark Kelly for video urging troops to defy 'illegal orders'”

https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-mark-kelly-troop-investigation-4882f76b05dcdfa3060c284c2c84dd12

samlitzinger OP ,
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@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Key elements in Trump’s 28-point peace proposal and why much of it is unacceptable for Ukraine

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-peace-trump-e51319da741e5b3e83ae9e99953637f0

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Thousands of arrests by Trump's crime-fighting task force in Memphis strain crowded jail and courts

https://apnews.com/article/memphis-crime-task-force-trump-jail-courts-a59db72f7f195b7517518e94e9cd20bd

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“The Post’s opinion desk has also ventured well beyond its blandly libertarian new ethos, we’re told, and sought to recruit one of Washington’s leading socially conservative journalists, The Daily Wire’s Mary Margaret Olohan, an anti-abortion correspondent whose work has also played a major role in rallying Republicans against transgender people in sports.”

  • Semafor
@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

80 years ago today, the Nuremberg war crimes trials begin.

https://youtu.be/XCk_s39XZ5I

Walter Cronkite remembered:

https://youtu.be/DovzxZ_wZ-k

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Hundreds of National Guard troops deployed to Portland and Chicago are being sent home

https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-portland-chicago-los-angeles-cd6e585615422461d7088b8ed04bb974

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

WETA to cut staff, cancel ‘PBS News Weekend’ and close News Hour West bureau

https://current.org/2025/11/weta-to-cut-staff-cancel-pbs-news-weekend-and-close-news-hour-west-bureau/?wallit_nosession=1

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“For weeks, Mr. Johnson had justified his refusal by saying he could not and would not seat Ms. Grijalva while the House was out of session. There is no such rule in the chamber that would block the swearing-in of a duly elected member of Congress.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/us/politics/adelita-grijalva-swearing-in-congress.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Black Soldiers Removed From WW2 Memorial Sparks Fury From Family

https://www.newsweek.com/black-soldiers-removed-ww2-memorial-sparks-fury-family-11028481

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“Joyce Carol Oates owned Elon Musk on his own app. Now he’s mad, and the memes are great.
Strange beef, but OK.”

https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-joyce-carol-oates-fight-x-jokes-memes?test_uuid=04wb5avZVbBe1OWK6996faM&test_variant=b

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Trump asks Supreme Court to throw out E. Jean Carroll’s $5 million verdict

https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-abuse-defamation-supreme-court-be62982deb6821b62e0471f5bea3e64d

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“F.B.I. Director Is Said to Have Made a Pledge to Head of MI5, Then Broken It
The episode has contributed to concerns among intelligence allies that Kash Patel, brash and partisan, is also unpredictable and even unreliable.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/world/europe/kash-patel-fbi-mi5.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Trump signals no shutdown compromise with Democrats as senators hold a rare weekend session

https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-thune-schumer-trump-9b1829525772259070ed73562ce4ebb3

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

“Tesla says shareholders approve Musk's $1 trillion pay plan with over 75% voting in favor”

Insane.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/tesla-shareholders-musk-pay.html?__source=iosappshare%7Corg.joinmastodon.app.ShareActionExtension

@samlitzinger@journa.host avatar samlitzinger , to random

Time to take the demented old man’s phone away…

ALT