Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 1d

If they’re even bothering with videos. Probably just telling him over and over how bad things are and how beloved he will be when he saves the day and etc./etc.

2

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 1d

Uh yeah, the Dotcom bubble has got nothing on the AI bubble.

Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 1d

Bank of England warns AI stock bubble rivals 2000 dotcom peak

Central bank says market concentration hasn’t been this extreme in 50 years.

arstechnica.com

1

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 1d

Ugh, of course.

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 1d

FBI agents assigned to Musk concluded he was systematically avoiding conduct standards imposed on those holding high-level clearances. FBI management concluded it could do nothing about this because of Musk's ties to Trump and the GOP.

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 1d

JUST IN: A federal judge has granted the New York Times’ demand for a list of Elon Musk’s security clearances. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 6d

Nifty!

2

Reposted by Josh Chesser

Bleddyn Bowen @bleddb.bsky.social · 7d

Thinking of doing a space policy/security PhD where I and my Durham colleagues could supervise but need funding? Have a look at the NINE DTP funding programme, now open. You need approval from host department first - internal deadline 9th January. www.ninedtp.ac.uk

NINE DTP funding programme now active - full details in the link provided. First internal deadline 9th January 2026.

4 2

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 7d

To be clear, this isn’t about looking down on logistics, this is entirely about the standard Republican privatization plan; get rid of competent govt employees, creating a services mess requiring immediate action, with a private company coming to “save” the day (costing more than before).

Chicken Puppet @chickenpuppet.online · 7d

I know these guys are all dumber than a sack of hammers, but it is fascinating to see the military decide “logistics are gay” in real time

1 4

Reposted by Josh Chesser

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 9d

New: ICE has bought a tool that tracks the locations of hundreds of millions of phones globally, updates every single day. Usually harvested from apps and advertising

www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...

ICE to Buy Tool that Tracks Locations of Hundreds of Millions of Phones Every Day

Documents show that ICE has gone back on its decision to not use location data remotely harvested from peoples' phones. The database is updated every day with billions of pieces of location data.

www.404media.co

100 1.5K 2.3K

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 9d

They knew everyone would have deleted the email within the first few line or paragraph. They wanted to make them all come before them and force them to listen. It was all a power move for two tiny little boys.

Alexandra Petri @petridishes.bsky.social · 9d

I will say if that whole military meeting had been an email it would have been a pretty weird email

1

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 9d

a man in a suit and tie is talking in front of a blue door .

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is talking in front of a blue door .

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Josh Chesser

Ed Zitron @edzitron.com · 10d

Newsletter: This is The Case Against Generative AI, a comprehensive analysis of a financial collapse built on myths I’ll dispel, the markets’ unhealthy obsession with NVIDIA's growth, and the fact that there is not enough money in the world to fund OpenAI.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-case-aga...

The Case Against Generative AI

Soundtrack: Queens of the Stone Age - First It Giveth Before we go any further: This is, for the third time this year, the longest newsletter I've ever written, weighing in somewhere around 18,500 wo...

www.wheresyoured.at

49 630 2K

Reposted by Josh Chesser

More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 10d

The top 10% now hold 67.4% of all the wealth in the US.

The bottom 50% hold 2.5%.

83 1.2K 2.6K

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 10d

Absolutely hated EA for decades now for what they’ve done to some of my favorite classic developers and their IP (Origin, Maxis, et. al.), not to mention the push of DLCs and other BS. Just another heap of s*** to add to the already massive pile.

Reuters @reuters.com · 10d

Private equity and sovereign wealth funds revive large leveraged buyouts reut.rs/42SNZTa

Private equity and sovereign wealth funds revive large leveraged buyouts

Leveraged buyouts are making a strong comeback after years of muted activity, fueled by private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds targeting high-profile technology, media and consumer companies.

reut.rs

2

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 12d

A lot of great nights relaxing and enjoying the company of friends. The best nights going long enough that we’d see the waitstaff have shift change and/or watch the sun rise.

1

Reposted by Josh Chesser

Greg Priest @gregpriest.bsky.social · 13d

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published OTD in 1962.

“[W]e have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”

🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM

1 55 100

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 14d

“Sure, we’ll expand the Security Council… but then we’ll have a Space Security Council over them. Made up of space weapon armed states.”

1

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 14d

In isolation, just the word, it is the two continents. Used as an adjective/etc. like “the Eurasian steppe”, then yes, the more specific location(s) like Russia + Central Asia is what I think about.

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 17d

This goes for any issue/policy idea. There is no one quick fix that will solve any issue.

Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 18d

One of the reasons I *do* fight with people over the Fairness Doctrine is that I have a vain hope that people will understand that there is no magical solution to authoritarianism. "If only we had Law XYZ" is lazy.

newmexicoflyfisher.bsky.social @newmexicoflyfisher.bsky.social · 18d

My simple guide for anyone wanting to make future comments on the FD are please don't. We have serious problems and beating this dead horse doesn't seem to serve any productive purpose.

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 17d

“Every accusation is a confession.”

Rachel Bitecofer @rachelbitecofer.bsky.social · 18d

“What do YOU HAVE? You have NOTHING, you are nothing. You are wickedness, you are jealousy, you are hatred, YOU ARE NOTHING. You can build nothing, produce nothing, create nothing."

1

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 18d

2

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 19d

Govt keeps an up to date database of all cars (titles, license plates, VINs, etc.) Operating a car without all of this is a crime and can get the car seized.

6

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 19d

Of course! I always wait for a Steam sale. And a nice thing about Steam is you can "Wishlist" a game and Steam will email you when those games go on Sale.

Btw, just checked and it looks like the Fall Sale is set to start Sept. 29th, so week from next Monday. www.pcgamer.com/steam-sale-d...

Steam sale dates: When is the next Steam sale?

Dates, biggest discounts, tips, annual Steam sale dates, and more.

www.pcgamer.com

1

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 19d

Steam has big sales all the time (usually themed or publisher based) but will have bigger nearly-everything on massive sale a couple times a year, usually when season changes, so a big Fall sale is likely coming in the next week or so. BG3 will likely be 20% off or so then.

2 2

Reposted by Josh Chesser

Ray Pride @raypride.bsky.social · 20d

Curtis Evans, of Evanston, carries a U.S. flag through gas deployed by federal officers as they clear protesters from the entrance of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview on Sept. 19, 2025. Evans said he was a Marine during Ronald Reagan’s term.

46 750 2.7K

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 20d

While the internet has certainly changed and nearly completely corporate (in the various meanings of the word) it shouldn’t be lost that the first gen that grew up with it (Baby X’ers and Elder Millennials) have grown up, now in or near their 40s. Personalities/sense of humor/etc. change.

Matthew Hughes @matthewhughes.bsky.social · 20d

My latest newsletter is about how Internet culture died, and why the centralization of the web around a handful of large platforms is responsible for making the web a duller, more boring place.

whatwelost.substack.com/p/the-death-...

The Death of Internet Culture

It's not just you. The web is boring now.

whatwelost.substack.com

1

Josh Chesser @jchesser.bsky.social · 20d

The sad part is he’s not really assaulting free speech to cover up anything specifically. He’s lashing out because a few people are “mean” to him and he can’t stand hearing anything negative being said about him.

Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 21d

A president who is crashing the economy, destroying public health and terrorizing immigrants keeps slipping in the polls. He could:
A) stop his bad behavior to stem the slide
or
B) try to crush free speech to cover up his failures.
Right now, he’s choosing B.