Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 5h

“As family-centered holiday traditions fade…”

The continuing decline of Confucian culture in East Asia.

Korea JoongAng Daily @koreajoongangdaily.com · 22h

As family-centered holiday traditions fade, more Korean seniors are choosing to spend Chuseok on their own terms, watching old movies, dancing at “silver” clubs and enjoying the peace that comes after the children go home. buff.ly/0cNSxns

Seniors prioritize personal happiness, redefine holiday traditions during Chuseok

As family-centered holiday traditions fade, more Korean seniors are choosing to spend Chuseok on their own terms, watching old movies, dancing at “silver” clubs and enjoying the peace that comes…

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 5h

The only reason these fevered rantings of a lunatic matter is cowardly Congressional Republicans have abandoned their institutional duty.

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 5h

Breaking: President Trump said he will hit China with an additional 100% tariff and impose new export controls on critical software products, starting Nov. 1.

Trump Hits China With Additional 100% Tariff, Citing Restrictions on Rare-Earth Elements

President Trump said there was “no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping after the country’s newest restrictions on rare-earth materials marked an escalation in trade negotiations.

on.wsj.com

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 13h

Can confirm. At Oxford:

1. University sends out email to everyone celebrating fact that all - faculty, staff, and students - will be provided licenses for most recent ChapGPT.

2. Administrators assure me that AI violates regulation that “Candidates shall submit their own work for examination.

🎃 a frightful hoxgoblin 🎃 @kellenhoxworth.bsky.social · 14h

Higher Ed in 2025 is opening your mailbox to see that your institution has sent you:

1. A Center for Teaching and Learning call to integrate AI into your classroom; and

2. An Office of Academic Integrity email encouraging you to crack down on students who use AI to cheat.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 17h

Excellent choice!
An inspiration to defenders of democracy everywhere, including in the US.

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 17h

BREAKING: For her work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela, María Corina Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

María Corina Machado of Venezuela wins the Nobel Peace Prize

Opposition activist María Corina Machado of Venezuela has won the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel committee praised her as a key figure in unifying Venezuela's political opposition.

bit.ly

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 18h

雙十節快樂!

Also, 39 years ago today I successfully defended my dissertation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Go Badgers!

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 1d

Magdalen Street, Oxford

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 2d

What’s the word where you’re from that, when pronounced exactly as it looks, identifies a tourist immediately?

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 2d

So, for your interlocutors Marx is right-leaning?

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 2d

My wife, as a young student nurse in 1980, was assigned to take care of Gein in the psychiatric ward of his prison. All the other Wisconsin people knew who he was, but she didn't, and they picked the unknowing New Yorker for the job. By then, he was a confused and caring man. Creepy!

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 2d

I found myself on a stage in summer 2024 with Wang Hui and Jeffery Sachs at a big conference in Beijing. Wang was quite smooth and cerebral while Sachs was boorish and contemptible. Wrote an overlong unpublished piece about the experience that I'm happy to share if you're interested.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 2d

Who will be the latter day Cromwell to Trump’s Charles I?

"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 3d

So Trump is now going to try to rule like an early modern king - just avoid calling the estates general or parliament or the diet and so rule by fiat.

Maybe someone in the GOP should turn the page in book and see what happened next...oh, oh dear...oh no...oh dear ohnonono....

George Pearkes @peark.es · 3d

Well that's not how appropriations work at all

*WHITE HOUSE TO TRANSFER TARIFF REVENUE TO FUND WIC: LEAVITT

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 2d

Yes.
And let’s not forget Wang’s “Heidegger Moment.”

www.readingthechinadream.com/rong-jian-wa...

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 4d

Respect

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 4d

I’m so old I remember when southern conservatives were all about states’ rights. Good times!

Bradley P. Moss @bradmossesq.bsky.social · 4d

Texas proudly invading Illinois.

It’s hard to describe the level of potential constitutional crisis here.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 4d

This has a Deng Xiaoping vibe: when he scrambled to get troops from other provinces to invade Beijing after local troops balked in May, 1989.
Key question from this analogy: will commanders and troops themselves resist bad orders?

Cathy Gellis @cathygellis.bsky.social · 4d

This is jawdropping. The idea that a state about to be invaded by out-of-state soldiers that Trump is moving around the nation like chess pieces has no standing to object to the invasion!

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 5d

DOJ: Well, CA NG already federalized, and ...

Judge: Anything else you want to argue?

DOJ: Yes, your honor. OR and Portland lack standing to challenge relocation of out-of-state National Guard. Only CA could possibly sue under 12406, but CA can't establish standing or irreparable harm.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 5d

Postliberalism requires lies to rationalize monarchal/autocratic power.

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 5d

The President of the United States is lying and/or delusional, and it seems like we should be talking about this and nothing else.

Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 5d

The protests are on one block. Nothing is burning down. His justification for sending in troops is all based on lies.

Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 6d

Postliberal national conservatism at work.

StrictlyChristo 🦋🇺🇦🌻❌👑 @strictlychristo.bsky.social · 6d

ICE agents arrest Alderperson Jessie L. Fuentes (26th Ward of Chicago city council) after she questions them on whether they have a signed judicial warrant to arrest a person at Humboldt Park Hospital.

“He has Constitutional rights.”

“No.”

ICE’s exact mindset: no one is allowed any rights now.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 7d

Or because media assume white people do not engage in “identity politics,” when in fact whites have always done so.

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 7d

The Trump-Vance administration is the identity politics administration. All of their decisions are based on promoting identity groups aligned with the administration & punishing those not aligned with it. And yet the legacy media never writes about this bc they don't know what identity politics are.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 8d

So, I guess Eugene O’Neill is out.

samuelwa.de @samuelwa.de · 8d

New Cyberspace Administration of China campaign targets “malicious incitement of negative emotions.”

"The next enforcement step, naturally, will have to be policing the use of extravagant positivity to maliciously poke fun at the leadership. Sound ridiculous? It is already policy" in other contexts

The Malice Police - China Media Project

China's latest internet special actions, a campaign against "negative emotions," lifts the lid on the country's obsessive and capricious control culture.

chinamediaproject.org

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 9d

cui bono?

Michael Paarlberg @mpaarlberg.bsky.social · 9d

Nothing about the Argentina bailout makes sense - not a top US trade partner, not a source of migrants or drugs, chronic defaulter on loans - so of course the explanation is some billionaire who’s connected to the right people.

Trump’s Argentina bailout enriches one well-connected billionaire

A $20 billion taxpayer-funded rescue package for Argentina is a gift for a hedge fund manager with personal and professional ties to the Treasury Secretary

popular.info

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 9d

The thing is: after Hegseth’s drivel and Trump’s rant, some of those generals at some point in the near future are going to have to stand up and say they will not obey an illegal order.

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 9d

Here’s what affirmative action for conservatives gets you.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

Spending Soars, Rankings Fall at New College of Florida

Student outcomes and rankings are slipping at the liberal arts college while spending is up. Critics believe the college is at risk of implosion, and some are calling for privatization.

www.insidehighered.com

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 10d

OMG

Father of Lies 💀 @fatheroflies.bsky.social · 10d

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 11d

Maybe he’s going to pull a Kim Jung Un move and call out a bunch of them to be taken out and shot.

www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/t...

Trump will speak at a hastily-called meeting of top military leaders, AP source says

President Donald Trump will speak at a hastily-called meeting of top military leaders on Tuesday, according to a White House official.

www.nbcwashington.com

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 11d

There's a fair chance Xi will get this from US. Trump and his cronies are diplomatically incompetent and likely do not appreciate how shifting this language bolsters the PRC. If this does happen, it wouldn't signal an imminent PRC attack, just slow and steady erosion of US position v. Taiwan.

Sense Hofstede @sensehofstede.nl · 12d

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is planning to press his American counterpart to formally state that the US ‘opposes’ Taiwan’s independence – WSJ: ‘Xi is no longer satisfied with the U.S. position […] that Washington “does not support” Taiwanese independence, the people said.’

Exclusive | Xi Is Chasing a Huge Concession From Trump: Opposing Taiwan Independence

The Chinese leader views President Trump’s eagerness for a trade deal as an opportunity to press for his top goal.

www.wsj.com

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Sam Crane @uselesstree.bsky.social · 11d

What's your sign

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