Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · 4d

Rather than presenting this (in my opinion, weak) pseudo-economic case, wouldn't it be better to make a normative case for the non-economic value of the arts and the role of artists towards the public good?

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · 4d

Of course, I'm not against using public money to make people happier BUT can/should we measure improvements in wellbeing in that way?

And goes the claim that the Irish gov't received €1.46 for each €1 spent mischaracterise what's really going on?

1

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · 4d

Arts funding is a public good but BIIIIIIIIG side eye for some of these claims.

The biggest "profit" for the Irish economy was that it made the recipients about €80 million happier.

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 4d

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

1 2

Reposted by jon w

Richard Smyth @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · Jul 29

I don't have any opinions about anything any more. All I want is for everyone to stop talking like fucking morons.

James Heale @jaheale.bsky.social · Jul 29

Extraordinary moment on Sky News as Peter Kyle hits out at criticism of the Online Safety Act:

“If people like Jimmy Savile were alive today he’d be perpetrating his crimes online, and Nigel Farage is saying that he’s on their side"

Told that Zia Yusuf will be responding shortly on the programme

1 4 16

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · Jul 9

"an artists"? 🙄🙄

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · Jul 9

Being an artists is about "suffering and madness" while "completely covered in paint"

🙄

www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...

Ed Sheeran’s Pollock homage has energy but no feeling or truth

Abstract art like this gives all abstract art a bad name, just meaningless concoctions that avoid proper scrutiny

www.theguardian.com

1 1 1

Reposted by jon w

🌧 @1000kindsofrain.bsky.social · Jun 26

It's up: this week's Ersatz Thursday Quiz. thursdayquiz.glitch.me/quiz-2025-06...

I've just got to redo the score table because MrsTim posted a late score.

cc @katarazzi.bsky.social @markosp.bsky.social

From Bears, Betteridge & Bezos to Venice, Vilnius & Vostok - take the Ersatz Thursday Quiz

thursdayquiz.glitch.me

3 1 2

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · Jun 26

If you see this post an image you saved because it made you laugh

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · Jun 19

Week 2 without the Guardian Thursday Quiz. I'm trying to stay calm but the panic is rising.

3 2 12

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · May 17

Remembering that time in 2007 when I invented the beard.

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · May 8

What can we learn about Leo XIV from looking at his namesake predecessors? Well, here are two Leo XIII "facts" (disclaimer: they're from a brief look at Wikipedia).

1. He was concerned with social justice issues

2. He enjoyed "the cocaine-infused wine tonic Vin Mariani"

#wokepope #cokepope

1 2 4

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · May 8

At least this upstart (anti-)Pope has the best Roman numeral.

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · May 8

Very happy that I have, once again, been elected as the new Pope.

1 1

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · May 8

We live in the best of all possible worlds. polo-lilli.bandcamp.com/track/olive-...

Olive - You're Not Alone (POLO LILLI Bootleg), by POLO LILLI

track by POLO LILLI

polo-lilli.bandcamp.com

1

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · May 8

This 160 Madness bootleg by POLO LILLI... What a time to be alive. soundcloud.com/polo-lilli/2...

2-Step Beyond (Madness Bootleg)

2 ---- STEP ---- BEYOOOOOOOND FREE DL Bandcamp for the g8 h8rs: https://polo-lilli.bandcamp.com/track/2-step-beyond

soundcloud.com

1 2

Reposted by jon w

Richard Smyth @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · Apr 30

Went for a walk, wrote about it. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Country diary: A fishing reel, digital noise … the grasshopper warbler is a bird for every age | Richard Smyth

Whitley Bay, North Tyneside: Denied the chance of seeing this elusive bird for centuries, we’ve had to make do with analysing its extraordinary call

www.theguardian.com

4 13 48

Reposted by jon w

Miz Sylver @mzsylver.bsky.social · Apr 25

It’s April 25th!

Two picture panel from Miss Congeniality where one of the models is asked her favorite date and she replies April’s 25th

19 580 2.1K

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · Apr 24

Not sure I see it, but I'll take it!

1 1

jon w @jnthnxiv.bsky.social · Apr 24

Go read (or listen to) some of what Richard wrote. He's very good at it.

Richard Smyth @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · Apr 24

For no good reason except that another tax year has gone by and I'm still here, doing this, I thought I'd post some of the stuff I did in 2024-25. Some of it was pretty good, you know.