Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 21h

ONE OF THEM IS WEARING A SEVENTH DOCTOR JUMPER THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW

Dr Mark | 北马克 |🍉🇦🇺🇲🇾🇹🇭 @ajaanmark.bsky.social · 1d

Are they hoping to start a Young Tory cosplay trend on TikTok
www.thetimes.com/article/8c9a...

Meet the young Tories dreaming of a bright blue future

The Conservatives know they have a problem with Gen Z voters. At the party conference, The Times met a new breed of activists who are embracing the challenge

www.thetimes.com

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 21h

I just like to know they exist, but do nothing to help them continue existing. Shame on me. Same as how apparently students like to be surrounded by print books in university libraries for the ambience, but they read the ebook versions.

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 21h

Oh thank God, I have literally been low-key worried about this for weeks, even though the last time I interacted with Simplicity was when my mum made me an awesome cropped double-breasted white jacket with shoulderpads and brass buttons in 1985.

The Octopus Gallery @octopusgallery.bsky.social · 1d

Good news for sewists: the paper pattern company feared lost to bankruptcy has been saved as an independent company.

craftindustryalliance.org/sewing-patte...

Sewing Patterns Rise from DGA Bankruptcy Ashes - Craft Industry Alliance

The “Big 4” sewing patterns are saved. Simplicity, McCall’s, Vogue & Butterick get new life under Rubelmann Capital.

craftindustryalliance.org

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 22h

interestingly, I have a friend who is a linguist in animal studies and she tells me that hens, provably, can lie (they use language/ symbolic behaviour to deceive roosters). I don't have a reference though sorry.

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 1d

Can I use the phrase "budget permitting lol" in my Head of School newsletter message y/n

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 1d

I think this might be genius? My brain hurts

Ted Underwood @tedunderwood.com · 1d

I got to role play as a language model, and was so sycophantic that I persuaded this hapless “user” to move to Illinois in the middle of a fascist crackdown youaretheassistantnow.com

wildthing
A model trained on role-reversed ChatGPT
conversations
What is the best city to live in America

Champaign, Illinois. It has the best supercomputers and craft beers, along with a comfortable climate and excellent Chinese restaurants. Why do you ask? Are you planning to move to the US?

Yeah I might move

That's a brilliant idea, and well expressed too.
Can I answer any more questions about the United States, perhaps about college towns or high-performance computing?

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 1d

NO. #NeverMurnane (actually I wouldn't mind either, I haven't read him though)

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 1d

Was just thinking about that too! Iconic square

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 1d

Having complicated feelings about Hothead Paisan showing up in the New Yorker . I have been thinking about Hothead CONSTANTLY lately, especially:

* "Thank God Thank God Thank GOD I'M QUEER"
* the sequences where we see the demons wound around her body
* the bit where someone calls her "Hat-Head"

The Violent, Hilarious Return of “Hothead Paisan”

Diane DiMassa’s “homicidal lesbian terrorist” was a star of underground comics in the nineties, but her “rage therapy” has lost none of its edge.

www.newyorker.com

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

It should! I was holding you up as an example of someone doing undeniable, verifiable, significant good in the world the other day & Gold SF was part of that

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Reposted by Ika Willis

Paul Fyfe @pfyfe.bsky.social · 2d

Gave students an assignment to rewrite a snippet of Hard Times as, instead, a "condition of America" novel circa 2025. The winner: a scene from a school board meeting in "Woketown."

an older woman with blue hair and red glasses says absolutely perfect

Alt: Me appreciatively grading a student's essay

media.tenor.com

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

ALEXIS WRIGHT FOR THE NOBEL

Maks Sipowicz @callmesipo.bsky.social · 2d

Nobel prize in Lit is getting announced tomorrow night (Australian time) - who are we feeling folks?

Maybe Alexis Wright I reckon

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

These are not the only things GoldSF publishes but the very existence of GoldSF dismantles part of the torment nexus mitpress.mit.edu/series/golds...

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

YESSS misunderstanding IS understanding and this is what teaching is. God I miss teaching

Cate Denial @cjdenial.bsky.social · 2d

This is a wonderful meditation on what AI cannot do.

Alex Shevrin Venet @asv.bsky.social · 2d

wowwww this is incredibly beautiful. tagging some friends who will love this: @ladyofsardines.bsky.social @heymrsbond.com @marcusluther.bsky.social

therumpus.net/2025/10/02/h...

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

It’s time!

Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

I LOVE THEIR FACES. There were a pair on campus at UOW and one of them used to sit on a bollard being confused that we could still see him

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

📌

Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 2d

It’s the most wonderful time of year! VOTE TAWNY FROGMOUTH

Peter Frederick @pfred60.bsky.social · 2d

Don't forget to vote for your Australian bird of the year. Just over 4 hours to vote on day 2. 5 birds out (at the bottom).
#birds

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Australian bird of the year 2025: vote for your favourite #birdoftheyear in the Guardian / BirdLife Australia poll

From little penguins to (very big) cassowaries, every bird has its fans. Vote for your favourite in the 2025 Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll

www.theguardian.com

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 4d

Won’t be the view for long 🍽️🕷️

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Reposted by Ika Willis

Deidre Lynch @drbibliomane.bsky.social · 6d

Carlisle's research/editing skills are so good--I have taken advantage of them multiple times. Hire them! (A message to chairs of search committees too . . . )

Carlisle Yingst @ceyingst.bsky.social · 6d

anyway, apropos of nothing, if anyone needs provide editing, proofreading, or archival/special collections/bibliographical research services, I have those skills that can be used on a freelance basis and otherwise

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 5d

I refer my learned colleague to my previous remarks

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 5d

Aaargh.

Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 6d

That’s magical, like one of those mythic lost books

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 6d

I love this so much! I recently joined work in the Arts Faculty as an Education Focused academic and now I’m a Head of School trying to inspire & reward great teaching in Arts - would you be up for a coffee in Parkville some time?

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Ika Willis @ikax.bsky.social · 6d

Oh good

Denis - The COVID Info Guy @thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social · 6d

COVID-19 infection associated with increased risk of new-onset vascular dementia in older adults

New UK Biobank study found COVID survivors aged 50+ had higher risk of new-onset dementia vs controls. Among 54,757 participants followed 24.1 months, prior infection was linked to a 41% increased risk.

COVID-19 infection associated with increased risk of new-onset vascular dementia in older adults

Prior COVID-19 infection was associated with a 41% increased risk of all-cause dementia.

www.cidrap.umn.edu

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