Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 15h

'“Get rid of creative and arts degrees” does fail as a test of essential understanding of some of the things that make life worth living. But as a piece of hard-headed economic policy-making… it also fails.' Wise words from the great @naomialderman.bsky.social —

Naomi Alderman @naomialderman.bsky.social · 16h

I wrote an opinion column for the Observer! I never do opinion columns but I was just really annoyed by cultural vandalism and Kemi Badenoch.

observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

In praise of “rip-off” degrees | The Observer

Kemi Badenoch’s attack on the arts and humanities isn’t just culturally short-sighted, it’s economically illiterate

observer.co.uk

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Ian Greaves @greavesian.bsky.social · 18h

My campaign colleague Kate Murphy has written today about the plight of women's studies in light of the BBC Written Archives Centre's withdrawal from the world of independent study. The policy changes, in her view, are 'nothing short of catastrophic'. cstonline.net/defending-th...

Defending the WAC: recovering the invisible women of the BBC by Kate Murphy

My first visit to the BBC’s Written Archives Centre was in 2002. I was working as a producer on Woman’s Hourand had applied for a three-month attachment to what was then the Diversity Centre…

cstonline.net

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 22h

One only has to give a cursory glance to the British literary landscape to see what a vital role indie presses play in our ecosystem. As larger publishers try harder and harder to bet on the supposed "sure thing" (hint: you can't), more and more it's the indies which are doing the real work.

Influx Press @influxpress.bsky.social · 22h

www.thebookseller.com/news/indie-p...

Indie presses in ‘existential crisis’ call for trade support

More than 20 independent publishing houses – including Bluemoose Books, Tilted Axis Press and Influx Press – have written an open letter calling for the trade to “work together to ensure the longevity...

www.thebookseller.com

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Sathnam Sanghera @sathnam.bsky.social · 1d

In @thetimes.com letters page today

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The Observer @theobserveruk.bsky.social · 3d

"The exploits of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill became wild west myth, as Peter Cozzens’s history of Deadwood shows. But behind them lay the venal, illegal settlement of Native American land", writes @ericawgnr.bsky.social.

Read more: https://bit.ly/46UxDdV

How America was stolen | The Observer

The exploits of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill became wild west myth, as Peter Cozzens’s history of Deadwood shows. But behind them lay the venal, illegal s...

bit.ly

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David Belbin @davidbelbin.bsky.social · 3d

Salt Books is an excellent publisher who put out exciting books that most multi-nationals wouldn't go near. Think I've bought more @saltpublishing.com titles than any other Indie (bar the ones that publish me, anyway) Why not help them grow? gofund.me/f8293c76d

Donate to Keep Independent Publishing Alive – Support Salt Books 2026, organized by Christopher Hamilton-Emery

Help Salt Publish Brilliant New Books in 2026 For twenty-… Christopher Hamilton-Emery needs your support for Keep Independent Publishing Alive – Support Salt Books 2026

gofund.me

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 4d

“No one man can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices.” -Edward R. Murrow

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 8d

Sarah Hall had a “human-made” colophon for her new novel Helm and wants others to use it —

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 9d

Sigh.

Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 9d

I've made a donation to @npr.org today: will you join me? Whether you love (or are about to discover!) Tiny Desk, Fresh Air, Wait Wait, Planet Money — NPR's goals are worth supporting, now more than ever.

NPR @npr.org · 9d

Today marks the first day in public media’s history without federal funding. And we’re not going anywhere.

Listeners like you keep our mission alive. Protect one of the last places where America comes together to hear itself.

Stand with us today. Donate at this link: n.pr/46wamAj

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 9d

thank you, off to the tap

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 9d

This is what I don’t get about Gen AI. Everything meaningful we do is *process*. And yes: everything is, can be, meaningful.

Kate Nicholls @katenicholls1.bsky.social · 10d

These two pages, generated by genius, are thinking visualised.
Messy, unsure, questing.
Thinking is all about questioning, doubting, exploring, stumbling and imagining.
Darwin and Mendeleev scribbled, walked, visualised, pondered, re-examined and then took leaps into the unknown.
This is human.

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Kate Nicholls @katenicholls1.bsky.social · 10d

These two pages, generated by genius, are thinking visualised.
Messy, unsure, questing.
Thinking is all about questioning, doubting, exploring, stumbling and imagining.
Darwin and Mendeleev scribbled, walked, visualised, pondered, re-examined and then took leaps into the unknown.
This is human.

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 9d

🌟

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John Simpson @johnsimpsonnews.bsky.social · 11d

Data from the Office of National Statistics shows Londoners are less likely to be violent crime victims (26.4 offences per 1,000 pop) than the rest of England & Wales (31.9 offences). Violent crime has fallen in every London borough in the past year.

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derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 13d

i told my landlord they're releasing the amelia earhart files and he lowered my rent 50%. i told my grocer and he gave me a free nectarine. i told my doctor and he said i didn't have to pay for the visit. try it. you never know who out there has been waiting for this moment.

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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 13d

It is really funny that Jimmy Kimmel Live showed more moral fortitude and adherence to a system of values than Columbia University

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Full Fact @fullfact.org · 13d

An audio clip of Sir Keir Starmer supposedly saying that he “hates” Liverpool is re-circulating on social media.

However there is absolutely no evidence it’s a real recording and it may have been generated by AI.

Debunked Keir Starmer audio reappears ahead of Labour conference in Liverpool – Full Fact

This audio clip of Mr Starmer saying “I f****** hate Liverpool” was first shared in 2023, but there’s absolutely no evidence it’s a real recording, and it may have been generated using AI.

fullfact.org

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Artologica aka Michele Banks @artologica.net · 14d

Morning walk

Wheat paste poster that says the all the world is dying and the new world struggles to be born now is the time of monsters. There's a picture of Elmo

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 14d

🥂🍾🎉

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 14d

Hear bloody hear —

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Damian Barr @damianbarr.bsky.social · 15d

This is an incredible opportunity! I won this fellowship and used the time to edit my first novel, You Will Be Safe Here. To meet and learn from writers in Aotearoa New Zaland and to gain valuable teaching experience. Previous holders inc Louise Welsh, Janice Galloway and others. Apply!

Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · 15d

Calling Scottish #writers!

Apply for the 2026 Scottish Writing Fellowship at the @universityofotago.bsky.social’s Centre for Irish & Scottish Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand, from 1 Aug–30 Sept 2026. Includes flights, accommodation & stipend. Deadline 31 Oct!
#writing
www.otago.ac.nz/ciss

Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies

The Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies provides an opportunity to study the literature, history, politics and culture of Ireland and Scotland – and of the Irish and Scottish diasporas – over the pa...

www.otago.ac.nz

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 16d

🧵

LRB Bookshop @londonreviewbookshop.co.uk · 16d

the booker prize judges make a lot of fuss about having to read 153 books. but assuming an average weight of 750g per book, that comes in at 115kg of literature - or just under the weight of a single adult male ostrich

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Erica Wagner @ericawgnr.bsky.social · 17d

Better film than Mary Poppins. Fight me.

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 19d

The true question right now is whether you believe in the moral character of the British public. If you do, you'll want to have the fight with Reform. You'll believe that the public will hate the idea of breaking up families, spying on & deporting people who've worked here for years.

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