Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 1h

After the episode on TV Staffing Meetings, this is probably the second-most-useful podcast episode in existence.

“How to Never Struggle with Small Talk.” I KNOW!

This is from The Jefferson Fisher Podcast about communicating with confidence.

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Jefferson Fisher

www.jeffersonfisher.com

Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 7h

She doesn’t have a channel, but you should look up Lynne Kelly’s work. She talks about human memory and Indigenous knowledge systems, and how that explains Neolithic monuments. There are several videos of her speaking on YouTube. She has changed the way I see the world. Her books are amazing.

Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 7h

The new waterfront project is amazing, a for-real GOOD THING in this hideous timeline. And this story makes it almost magical. Have a read, it will kick your weekend off right. Something to be thankful for, indeed.

Lynn Coady @lynncoady.bsky.social · 10h

“I still think back to the moment when those plants were discovered. It was joyful. This whole project has becone a celebration.” Consider this story of renewal your Friday timeline cleanse www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Creatures buried in soil for over a century burst back to life in Toronto waterfront

A project to restore coastal wetland leads to astonishing discoveries of a host of life: seeds and plant scraps, as well as water fleas, worms, larvae and plankton

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Katherine Arcus

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 10h

All I want in life is to persuade everyone, when encountering politics & culture, to ask, "why are we talking about this?" I mean that very literally: anything you encounter on your screens reflects a choice. Someone covered that, talked about that, rather than the many other things out there. Why?

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 20h

Hey Canada! If you have never seen When Night is Falling by Patricia Rozema, it's currently streaming on Crave. Highly recommend.

It's my absolute favourite in the subgenre of Canadian lesbian movies from the 90s. And possibly my favourite (still) Don McKellar performance.

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Reposted by Katherine Arcus

Wil Zmakula 🧛‍♂️ @wilzmak.bsky.social · 1d

I wrote an episode of television in 18 hours, taking into consideration actor availability, daylight shooting hours, standing sets, turnaround times, unit moves, weather cover, budget shortfalls, oh and block shooting with another episode which had already started prep. GenAI can gargle my balls.

Dane 🔜 NYCC AA L-34 @monkeyminion.com · 1d

I wrote a 15 page report on heraldic symbolism in medieval armor and weapon design for my art history class the night before it was due (8am class). Made up 90% of it (only found one book for reference) and got an A. GenAI could fucking never.

wrote 20 pages on Faulkner's The Bear four hours before final papers were due on trucker pills and coffee and cigarettes and got an A, fuck you.
You people couldn't hang with real slackers.
finn
wokeupchic • 4d
It's fuck Al till your homework due in 25 minutes

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 1d

Happy vacuum-the-radiators day to all who celebrate. It feels late this year - I never realized it was on the lunar calendar! 😂

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 2d

Episode 92 of the RegenNarration podcast, “Songlines: Combining the Most Powerful Knowledge Systems Ever Known,” is an amazing introduction to Lynne and her work, for those who are curious but don’t have time for the whole book just now.

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#092 Songlines — The RegenNarration

Combining the most powerful knowledge systems ever known (Part 1), with Lynne Kelly

www.regennarration.com

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 2d

It is, yes, about what Stonehenge and other large Neolithic monuments are for. It is also about the phenomenal capacity of human memory, Indigenous knowledge systems, and why we should integrate art and music and dance into every aspect of the school curriculum.

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 2d

I picked up Lynne Kelly’s book The Memory Code because I wanted to know what Stonehenge was actually used for. And then it turned out to be the book that changed the way I see the world. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 3d

Now normally I wouldn’t know a performance artist if she came up and bit me, but if you need some reminding about why art is important, for you as an artist and for the world, give this a listen.

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BBC Radio 4 - This Cultural Life, Marina Abramović

Serbian conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović on her cultural inspirations.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 3d

The episode with Marina Abramović, a Serbian performance artist, from September 2024, is faaaaascinating. Her commitment to her craft is mind-blowing - in that she puts her life on the line, quite literally, as part of her work. And probably not in the way you expect.

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 3d

This Cultural Life is a “we interview artists” podcast of the stodgy Brit variety - think Desert Island Discs, but a little more general. Inspiration in general, rather than just music.

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 3d

THE FUN STUFF part II

More experts engaging with their subject matter, but this time not specifically framed through a writer’s lens. Basically, I am a huge nerd, and I’ve come across some really cool stuff and I want to share.

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Reposted by Katherine Arcus

judy 🇨🇦 @judy-bug.bsky.social · 4d

PETITION ALERT!

We need to stop #Conservative Premiers who are privatizing our healthcare!

#cdnpoli #canpoli #bcpoli #abpoli #onpoli #polqc #nspoli #nbpoli #skpoli #mbpoli #nlpoli #nwt #ytpoli #nunavut #peipoli #CPC #IDUPlaybook #UCP #MeidasCanada #AHS #DougFord #DanielleSmith #ABHealth #CanadaSky

C. L. Polk @clpolk.blacksky.app · 4d

wake up, hosers

new petition just dropped

e-6818 is calling to strengthen the Canada Health Act to stop provinces from privatizing health care and to force provinces to account for how and where they used health transfer money

Sign this Petition - Petitions

www.ourcommons.ca

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 4d

I'm writing about con artists, card sharps and money laundering over a couple of different projects. RIP my browser history... 😂😭

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 4d

Example: an excommunicated holy person wants to destroy a monster whose only weakness is a virulent infection, but they will bring darkness to those whose paths they cross.

#writingprompt

Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 4d

I'm working with the cards today, so you get a #writingprompt to start the week. Pick any combination of the words on the cards, in any order that works for you!

Cards are from The Story Engine deck by @storyenginedeck.bsky.social.

Six square cards in two rows of three.
Card 1: near the left edge of the card, a dark-skinned black man stands staring into the distance. He wears bright saffron-coloured fabric wrapped around his body and draped over one shoulder. The other shoulder is bare. The background of the card is black. The card holds four terms written in white: a hermit, a holy person, a teacher, a messiah.
Card 2: divided in half with light purple background above and dark purple background below. Three gears cluster at the centre of the card. Written in white on one half "wants to catch a serial killer whose calling card is" and in white on the other half "wants to destroy a monster whose only weakness is."
Card 3: a black-and-grey mottled background. A mottled white mask, like something you would wear to a party, but creepier, stares directly out from the centre of the card with a blue anchor overlaid between its eyes. Four terms written in white around the edges of the card: a disguise, a toy, an infection, a haunted house.
Card 4: background divided into triangular quarters, two dark green, two medium green. A small comedy mask in medium green sits at the join of the triangles. Four terms written in white around the edges of the card are: virulent, state-run, mutilated, excommunicated.
Card 5: divided in half with light ochre background above and dark brown background below. A cloud with a lightning bolt at the centre of the card. Written in white on one half "but they will bring darkness to those whole paths they cross" and in white on the other half "but their homeland will be put to the torch."
Card 6: background divided into triangular quarters, two dark green, two medium green. A small comedy mask in medium green sits at the join of the triangles. Four terms written in white around the edges of the card are: pious, ruthless, unsettling, muttering.

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Reposted by Katherine Arcus

C. L. Polk @clpolk.blacksky.app · 4d

wake up, hosers

new petition just dropped

e-6818 is calling to strengthen the Canada Health Act to stop provinces from privatizing health care and to force provinces to account for how and where they used health transfer money

Sign this Petition - Petitions

www.ourcommons.ca

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 4d

Me too

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 5d

This article about the Seven Sisters is by far my favourite example. It’s unprovable, of course, but CAN YOU IMAGINE?!?!

The world’s oldest story? Astronomers say global myths about ‘seven sisters’ stars may reach back 100,000 years

Cultures around the world call the Pleiades constellation ‘seven sisters’, even though we can only see six stars today. But things looked quite different 100,000 years ago

theconversation.com

Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 5d

TIL “abracadabra” was once used by Romans as an amulet against disease. It went on to be used by cunning folk in the UK for centuries to ward against witchcraft.

I am becoming obsessed with bits and pieces of culture that have been handed down for WAY longer than we realize.

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 5d

I’m sitting on the patio of a cafe with a book and a pastry. But given the repeated cheering from the sports bar down the block, I take it the Jays are doing well?

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Reposted by Katherine Arcus

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 7d

Introducing our new game, Reunion!

Make words to reunite the fox and the hedgehog ❤️
www.merriam-webster.com/games/reunion

Reunion, a Daily Word Puzzle | Merriam Webster

The right words bring them together: a daily word game where you unscramble words in as few moves as possible.

www.merriam-webster.com

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Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 7d

Update: he accepted cuddles, but it was all, in fact, a ploy to get crunchies.

Katherine Arcus @katherinearcus.bsky.social · 7d

A certain orange someone is making the tiniest, saddest whimpers while I’m trying to work. Apparently I am required to go and sit in the chair with him?

A large orange cat with impressive whiskers looks up at the camera with *incredibly* sad green eyes. He’s sitting on a fuzzy black throw blanket which is crumpled on the seat of a linen-coloured armchair. There’s a floral print pillow behind him that the blinds are throwing striped shadows onto.

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