Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by KSher

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 2d

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

nyti.ms

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Sep 10

Universities need to take back the means of production with regards to academic publishing. There is zero reason for this--academics/researchers do the writing,editing and reviewing--why are we a) providing free labor and b) being charged for the privilege?

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Sep 9

I actually remembering hearing about a similar discrepancy in high school and calculating out what my actual sign was. I think of it as one of my early buffers against magical thinking.

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · Aug 21

May this portion of the dissent by Ketanji Brown Jackson haunt John Roberts forever and be the final word on his tenure as Chief Justice.

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · Aug 22

Illinois is launching a first-of-its-kind legal hotline for LGBTQ+ individuals — Illinois Pride Connect.

As the only state in the nation that will provide free legal advice to protect the LGBTQ+ community, we'll help fight ignorance with information and cruelty with compassion.

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Japanese American National Museum @jamuseum.bsky.social · Aug 18

We are outraged and deeply distressed that armed federal agents came onto our campus—making arrests on the very ground where, in 1942, Japanese American families were forced to board buses bound for concentration camps. It was a deliberate act of provocation and intimidation.

Photo of armed customs and border patrol agents and cars on the plaza in front of the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo.

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Aug 17

Every dem needs to talk about how much it costs per arrest, per deportation etc. I know the bigger issue is morals, but they can say "morals aside" and run through the costs.

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ACLU @aclu.org · Aug 4

Our new training series Organizing to Protect Democracy gives you the tools you need to join the fight for civil liberties in your community.

RSVP today for our next training this Thursday, August 7 at 8pm ET.

ACLU People Power Series: Organizing to Protect Democracy Session 2

I'm attending this event - sign up now to join me!

act.aclu.org

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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · Jul 31

I NEED to tell you the story of Tae Heung “William” Kim.

He's a graduate student at Texas A&M where he's working on a vaccine for Lyme disease.

He's a *legal permanent resident* of the United States.

And he's been in ICE detention for 12 days & counting, transferred Tuesday to South Texas.

From left to right, Dr. Albert Mulenga, William Tae Heung Kim, Dr. Thu Thuy Nguyen, Dr. Alex Kiarie Gaithuma, Dr Hassan Hakimi and Emily Bencosme Cuevas. Kim is a Texas A&M researcher who was detained in San Francisco last Monday despite being a permanent resident of the United States and a green card holder.

COURTESY OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

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Roy Cooper @roycoopernc.bsky.social · Jul 28

I have thought on it and prayed about it, and I have decided: I am running to be the next U.S. Senator from North Carolina.

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · Jul 25

It is fucking insane that we had a decade of people complaining about the dangers of cancel culture, and now literally hundreds of thousands of people are being purged from government jobs for ideological reasons, but that is not cancel culture.

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James Talarico @jamestalarico.bsky.social · Jul 23

I just held a rally in Plano, TX — a red part of the state — and 1,000 people showed up.

Many said it was their first political rally ever.

There’s something happening in Texas…

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Jul 22

Never thought to do it. I mentioned the level of service in my full prof dossier, but didn’t give details about people/institutions. But I tend to chronically underreport so I’ll look to see what others say.

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United Farm Workers @ufw.bsky.social · Jul 15

ADVISORY: Statement, media avail. from unjustly detained U.S. veteran George Retes

Ventura County, CA—
Wed 7/16 at 3 pm PT, George Retes, U.S. citizen and Army veteran unjustly detained by federal agents during last week’s raid will hold a virtual press availability. 1/

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Jul 15

Sadly I think this is kind of okay with some parents who don't really like the idea of their kids being influenced by other adults--the idea of an impersonal but personalized system somewhat appeals to them in the abstract.

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ILSSA Committee @islsilssa.bsky.social · Jul 15

TODAY is the deadline to vote in ILSSA elections!

All students affiliated with @islsnews.bsky.social / @islsilssa.bsky.social are eligible to vote...so vote!

🗳️ Ballots can be accessed via your email (for ISLS members), the ILSSA Discord, or by emailing [email protected] 🗳️

a poster that says friends do n't let friends not vote

Alt: a poster that says friends don't let friends not vote

media.tenor.com

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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · Jul 8

🔥 Congress just issued a letter to EPA Admin Zeldin demanding an end to what they call “illegal retaliation” against the #EPA139 for signing the #DeclarationofDissent.

These civil servants warned that EPA leadership was endangering public health, abuse of authority, & gross mismanagement.

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First page of a July 8, 2025 letter from the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. Signed by hundreds of EPA staff, the letter accuses Zeldin of undermining the EPA’s mission and abusing his office. It states that Zeldin’s actions have harmed communities, set back science, and damaged the agency’s culture. The letter condemns the retaliatory administrative leave placed on at least 139 signatories of a previous dissent letter and warns that these retaliatory acts may violate the Whistleblower Protection Act.

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Jul 4

Not to mention that it's only use is developed by harnessing the cultural, linguistic, artistic etc. work of pretty much anyone throughout history and yet it's going to be owned/controlled by a few.

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KSher @microtwinge.bsky.social · Jul 4

Sure, but I think the critical distinctions need to be made. As a prof, I review an average of 2000 pgs of student work a semester-I target some assignments for careful feedback, others for completion of basics. I don't use AI, but could see it for the latter. I'm rethinking assignments too.

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · Jul 3

I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE.

This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.

It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · Jul 3

“Congress” didn’t pass this murder budget.

Republicans did it.

Republicans did it without a single Democratic vote in the House, without a single Democratic vote in the Senate.

Be precise and give, uh, credit where credit is due

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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · Jul 3

IF YOU ARE IN ONE OF THESE DISTRICTS PLEASE MAKE A CALL RIGHT NOW

DOES NOT MATTER IF YOUR VOICE SHAKES

CALL AND SAY YOU OPPOSE BBB

Scripts here: 5calls.org

DCCC
2026 DISTRICTS IN PLAY
NICK
BEGICH
AK-AL
DAVID
SCHWEIKERT
AZ-OI
ELI
CRANE
AZ-02
JUAN
CISCOMANI
AZ-06
DAVID VALADAO
CA-22
YOUNG
KIM
CA-40
KEN
CALVERT
CA-41
GABE EVANS
CO-08
CORY MILLS
FL-07
ANNA
PAULINA LUNA
FL-13
MARIA ELVIRA
SALAZAR
FL-27
MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS
IA-OI
ASHLEY HINSON
IA-02
ZACH NUNN
1A-03
ANDY BARR
KY-06
BILL
HUIZENGA
MI-04
TOM
BARRETT
MI-07
MIKE
LAWLER
NY-17
MAX
MILLER
OH-07
MIKE TURNER
OH-10
OPEN SEAT
MI-IO
MIKE CAREY
0H-15
ANN
WAGNER
MO-02
DON BACON
NE-02
TOM
KEAN JR.
NJ-07
BRIAN
FITZPATRICK
PA-OI
RYAN
MACKENZIE
PA-07
ROB
BRESNAHAN
PA-08
SCOTT PERRY
PA-10
ANDY OGLES
TN-05
MONICA
DE LA CRUZ
TX-15
ROB
WITTMAN
VA-O1
JEN
KIGGANS
VA-02
BRYAN STEIL
WI-OI
DERRICK VAN
ORDEN
WI-03

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dr rv 🚐 (spooky 🎃) @rinewithoutacat.bsky.social · Jul 3

All you need is: "Hello, my name is [your name] in zip code [your zip code], and I oppose the funding bill that cuts funding for Medicaid and adds billions to ICE [or other parts of the bill you hate]."

That's it, you can do it in 60 seconds.

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · Jul 3

IF YOU ARE IN ONE OF THESE DISTRICTS PLEASE MAKE A CALL RIGHT NOW

DOES NOT MATTER IF YOUR VOICE SHAKES

CALL AND SAY YOU OPPOSE BBB

Scripts here: 5calls.org

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · Jul 2

Private equity is destroying hospitals, housing markets, the media, and other vital parts of our communities.

The industry thrives off the "carried interest loophole" — which Trump promised to eliminate.

Guess what his budget doesn't eliminate? The carried interest loophole.

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Mark Spatny @markspatny.bsky.social · Jul 1

My kid did two years of research at U.C Berkeley on gene therapy to cure blindness in mice and the results have just been published for other researchers to build upon for a human cure. This is the kind of research Trump’s budget cuts are killing. rdcu.be/eulAo

The cover page of a scientific paper published at nature.com entitled “Optogenetic restoration of high-sensitivity vision using ChRmine- and ChroME-based channelrhodopsins"

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