Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 10h

In the 1980s, Weese directed the restoration of Union Station. Now that's fandom.

Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 10h

I never nailed this down quite as much as I might have wished, since it's hard to reconstruct what in some ways was an overdetermined result: coffers addressed structural, acoustic, and aesthetic issues all at once. But Weese was a huge Burnham fan, so I think that was part of it.

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James Longhurst @jameslonghurst.bsky.social · 12h

my goodness
🗃️

replica.seattletimes.com/popovers/dyn...

My book about a female cyclist was too radical for storytime - The Seattle Times

replica.seattletimes.com

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Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 1d

History faculty at Columbia & Barnard decrying the harassment of @mark-bray.bsky.social: "This is the first case in recent memory of a historian who has fled the country after receiving death threats on account of the history that they teach."

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Washcycle @washcycle.bsky.social · 1d

www.arlingtonmagazine.com/rails-to-tra...

New Documentary Tracks W&OD, Rails-to-Trails Movement

Arlington author, cyclist and rails-to-trails advocate Peter Harnik is an executive producer of the film, which airs Oct. 18.

www.arlingtonmagazine.com

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 1d

Well, yes.

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 1d

Two cool full-time job openings—Communications Manager and Program Manager—at National History Day central. 🗃️ nhd.org/en/about/peo...

People of NHD - National History Day

A team of advisors inspiring students and equipping teachers to connect historical events to the course of human society by improving the teaching and learning of history

nhd.org

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Rebecca Tushnet @rtushnet.bsky.social · 1d

I keep recommending William Neuman's Things Are Never So Bad That They Can't Get Worse: Inside the Collapse of Venezuela -- frogs may jump out of heating pots, but people often don't (where would they go?)

Bloomberg Opinion @opinion.bloomberg.com · 1d

Washington’s dysfunction used to shock people. Now it’s background noise. It's not good that we’re learning to live with a government that doesn’t work

America Is Getting Used to Broken Government

The government shutdown barrels on. From my home in Texas, it’s easy to forget how many days it’s been going on.

bloom.bg

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 2d

Heavy rail wayfinding vs BRT wayfinding. Union Station, Los Angeles

Rail entrance with enormous line symbols

BRT (line J) entrance with microscopic sign hidden among trees

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David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 5d

The #1 piece of advice that TransLink's CEO offers other North American transit agencies:

Provide frequent service

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Cengiz Yar @cengizyar.com · 6d

yes we are 🫡 usa.streetsblog.org/2025/10/08/t...

This Newsroom Is Looking For Its Next Big Tip on the Train — Streetsblog USA

Investigative journalists at ProPublica are betting that the next big tipster is riding the rails right now — and reaching out to find them.

usa.streetsblog.org

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 7d

WENDY. Why are you telling everyone?
OTTO. It's a smoke screen?
WENDY. What?
OTTO. Double bluff. You obviously don't know anything about intelligence work, lady. It's an XK Red 27 technique.

Bobby Silverman @robertsilverman.bsky.social · 7d

most "undercover operations" don't begin with the person in charge saying "I am sending out spies to do some spying" afaik—unless the goal is actually to freak out lefties and has nothing to do w/any information-gathering.

Will Oremus @willoremus.com · 7d

Obviously not the main point here, but it's interesting how this is framed as content rather than policy.

"BREAKING" is typically what journalists or influencers say when they have a big story -- not what government officials say when they launch "undercover" operations

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Island Press @islandpress.bsky.social · 7d

📚 A new chapter begins! Island Press will be joining @princetonupress.bsky.social in 2026 — uniting two mission-driven publishers dedicated to shaping a better planet.

Learn more about this historic collaboration: islandpress.org/PUP

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Anne Trubek @atrubek.bsky.social · 7d

Had a book published before mid-2021? Take 5 minutes to see if it's listed here and if so another 5 to enter info. And look up your grandma's book, the book of your friend, etc. and let them know

PSA: Get Your AI Money, Authors

The Anthropic settlement has been preliminarily approved, which means people can join in to be a member in this class action suit.

notesfromasmallpress.substack.com

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Stephanie Burt @notquitehydepark.bsky.social · 7d

Publication day for Taylor's Version! I'm so happy for my baby and for all the work @hachetteus.bsky.social & @johnmurrays.bsky.social did to bring her out into the world. Consider an order here: www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/steph...

Taylor’s Version

“With unfailing lucidity, empathy, and wit” (Greil Marcus), a preeminent Harvard professor and poetry expert explains the artistry—and the celebrity—...

www.hachettebookgroup.com

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 8d

Collins states that -led combines with nouns, not adjectives. www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionar...

LED definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary

3 senses: → the past tense and past participle of lead1 light-emitting diode → a diode of semiconductor material, such as.... Click for more definitions.

www.collinsdictionary.com

Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 8d

“Forcing knowledge to pass through a political filter is a tactic adopted by the Soviet Union and other authoritarian states.”

American Council of Learned Societies @acls1919.bsky.social · 8d

ACLS has released a statement regarding the White House “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”: bit.ly/3IviMig

We call for the immediate rejection of the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”...No institution that is committed to the free pursuit of knowledge should submit to the degradation of autonomy and academic freedom contained in it. -ACLS Statement Regarding White House “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 8d

Better than nothing, but in the canon of federal literature, they are pretty far below National Transportation Safety Board accident reports, inspector general reports, or New Starts Before and After studies. Maybe you have tips for making the most of them.

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Joel S. @joelhs.bsky.social · 9d

I was told not to teach a class on the intellectual histories of Zionism and Anti-Zionism next year - not because they doubted I could teach it fairly, but because it would attract too many politicians scrutinizing the syllabus.

A society where that is a valid fear is no longer fully democratic.

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Adam Rothman enjoys a good sandwich @adamrothman.bsky.social · 8d

In 1787, Hamilton dismissed fears that the national government would establish a military despotism. I do not think he would be as sanguine today.
(Federalist 28)
avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century...

For a long time to come, it will not be possible to maintain a large army; and as the means of doing this increase, the population and natural strength of the community will proportionably increase. When will the time arrive that the federal government can raise and maintain an army capable of erecting a despotism over the great body of the people of an immense empire, who are in a situation, through the medium of their State governments, to take measures for their own defense, with all the celerity, regularity, and system of independent nations? The apprehension may be considered as a disease, for which there can be found no cure in the resources of argument and reasoning.

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Andrew Wehrman @profwehrman.bsky.social · 9d

My book, The Contagion of Liberty is coming out (in January) in paperback, and I got some preview copies of this cheaper, more flexible version with new blurbs on the cover!

For the 250th anniversary, it argues that American independence was only achieved through inoculation and public health.

The paperback version of The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution.

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Dr. Todd Arrington @btarrington.bsky.social · 10d

kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700636037/

Please buy my book. Since I’m unemployed and all.

The Last Lincoln Republican

Of all the great “what if” scenarios in American history, the aftermath of the presidential election of 1880 stands out as one of the most tantal...

kansaspress.ku.edu

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 10d

That quotation is from Sarah Babb, whose excellent book I reviewed for Academe. Good choice by NYT reporters. www.aaup.org/academe/issu...

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Zachary Schrag @zacharyschrag.bsky.social · 10d

Coins are 31 USC 5112, not 5114

Contents of 31 U.S. Code Subtitle IV Chapter 51 Subchapter II - GENERAL AUTHORITY
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/subtitle-IV/chapter-51/subchapter-II

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AAUP @aaup.org · 11d

UC’s Academic Council calls on the Office of the President & the UC Board of Regents to unequivocally reject governmental demands that compromise institutional autonomy and #academicfreedom.

This is the way.

#DefendHigherEd

Brian Soucek @brsoucek.bsky.social · 11d

Strong statement today from UC's Academic Senate:

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