LightNews LightNews
badblackwolf.bsky.social
@badblackwolf.bsky.social
22 followers 77 following 0 posts
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted
moenchtim.bsky.social
Mit einem offenen Brief fordern ganz viele tolle Kolleg*innen (und ich) klare, verbindliche Leitlinien für den Umgang mit der extremen Rechten im ÖRR und in anderen Medien. Menschenfeindliche Ideologie muss als solche benannt werden statt ihr eine Bühne zu geben. #Appell2026

appell2026.de
appell2026.de
Appell für einen demokratischen und humanistischen Diskurs in den Medien
appell2026.de
February 13, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Reposted
histoftech.bsky.social
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.

Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology
She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.
www.nature.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Reposted
wolvendamien.bsky.social
Please read this extremely thoughtful & careful post on Tim Walz, Anne Frank, & the US Holocaust Memorial Museum from Martin Shuster, philosopher, Isaac Swift Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies, former Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellow, & scholar of genocide, the Holocaust, & authoritarianism:
Martin Shuster sdSreptoon1hm9t97235g2u5796glgh0435l6iaf05it1l232lc20cllf4g0 · So apparently on Sunday Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, said in a press conference that "we have got children hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside ... many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank. Somebody’s gonna write that children’s story about Minnesota.” Then on Monday--one day before International Holocaust Remembrance Day--the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum tweeted in response that: "Anne Frank was targeted and murdered solely because she was Jewish. Leaders making false equivalencies to her experience for political purposes is never acceptable. Despite tensions in Minneapolis, exploiting the Holocaust is deeply offensive, especially as antisemitism surges." As someone who spent a year at the Museum as a fellow doing research, I feel embarrassed for the institution. First, it is very clear that Walz wasn't drawing an equivalence, he was drawing an analogy. So this kind of response reminds me of the atrocious positions that the ADL has started to carve out, and why it has become mostly a sycophantic joke, now seemingly mostly geared towards currying favor with MAGA. Not unrelatedly, I am noticing that a lot of--oftentimes even well-intentioned--people are spending time trying to delineate exactly which historical referent best captures what's going on now, as if we have to pick only one. There is the now well-circulated meme that says: no, ICE isn't the Gestapo, it's actually American--it's slave catchers. But this is a kind of odd distinction: the Nazis were themselves influenced by the Americans (if you're curious read the excellent book by James Whitman, _Hitler's American Model_). Nazis came here and studied American legal systems and statutes ... and remarkably a group of "liberal" Nazis decided that they couldn't make German laws as *extreme* as American ones (and this "liberal" group in fact won the day; German laws weren't as extreme as many of ours). Equally, Nazi jurists and theorists like Carl Schmitt were deeply influenced by American notions of manifest destiny. So the Nazi and American contexts were already fused. The idea of foreign/domestic is already quite complex in this context. (And this is before we even speak of the many actual Nazis that existed here and the many people who materially supported Hitler and the regime). We can complicate this picture more by noting that Nazism itself, even apart from these American influences, wasn't something that sprouted up out of thin air: it, too, had a(n experimental) history. Many of its barbaric practices and aims were developed and tested on colonial and imperial victims (as I have written elsewhere: there is a direct line from Shark Island concentration camp [called frequently simply "Death Island" where the Germans committed genocide against the Herero and Nama people] to the entire Nazi camp system). Thinkers like Hannah Arendt and Aimé Césaire drew our attention to this already in the middle of the last century. In noting this, let me be clear that this does not erase or make less relevant the centuries of European antisemitism that fed into the Nazi project. That's the whole point: these are all related phenomena. European antisemitism influenced the way in which European colonialism and imperialism operated against indigenous populations in the Americas. Strikingly, as innovations mounted in "administering" the Americas, antisemitic policies also evolved in Europe. Administrators (oppressors) would sometimes even move from one sphere to the other and back. They were all synergistic (a brilliant examination of some of this is María Elena Martínez's _Genealogical Fictions_). (And one could, btw, also tell an important story about the development of Islamophobia in this very same orbit, since policies stumbled on in the Americas came back to oppress both Jews and Muslims in Europe). This is all to say: Walz's analogy is not at all far fetched. The history of oppression doesn't move in any kind of neat or purely linear fashion. It is oftentimes recursive, shifting, necessarily granular. Neither is it a competitive history. It is, in the words of Michael Rothberg, a *multidirectional* history. Drawing these analogies in fact *helps* us understand all the involved phenomena better. At least this is what "Never Again" has meant and means to me: it does not mean only never again for me or other Jews. And it does not mean never again only something that looks exactly like the Nazi genocide. I think also, btw, that this is what it meant for Otto Frank, who spent time *editing* his daughter's diary so that it could be available to anyone, not only to Jews. For ultimately the Nazi genocide--any genocide--is a highly mediated phenomenon: it consists of many diffuse events, marshals an immense amount of people and institutions, relies on sometimes conflicting or contradictory cross-sections of society, and, indeed, emerges out of a process that does not neatly, especially as its happening, have a clear beginning, middle, and end, but rather arranges for itself a kind of constellation that harnesses a range of actors, perspectives, and also histories (this is one way to understand how German colonial projects or anti-communism or ableism were no less crucial to Nazism than European antisemitism). The genocidal outcomes emerge from the structural forms society adopts. And all of this without in any way eliding the special role that Jews played in the apocalyptic Nazi worldview.
January 30, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Reposted
sepinwall.bsky.social
For The Ringer, I wrote about how amazing it was that the brilliant Catherine O'Hara finally became a superstar in her 60s, and how sad it is that she was taken from us just when we had all finally begun to appreciate her:
Catherine O’Hara Could Do Anything
And she pretty much did everything. The only tragedy is that it feels like she was just beginning to get the recognition her decades-long career always deserved.
www.theringer.com
January 31, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Reposted
kenwhite.bsky.social
/4. 5. The administration has not offered any corroboration in any form.

In short, it would be foolish and irresponsible to accept or report the administration’s claim as true.
January 28, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Reposted
merryjest.live
This piece from Sir Terry Pratchett's "Night Watch" book. I didn't know a composer had set it to music.

The book is a gut punch. This piece is a gut punch. And right now? Yeah.

@rhi.bsky.social I'm sure you've heard this?
youtu.be/1X2_2D1DFZQ?...
All The Little Angels
YouTube video by Liber Chorum
youtu.be
January 27, 2026 at 6:46 AM
Reposted
jeffsharlet.bsky.social
People are rightly disgusted by this speech, but it’s a measure of fascism’s normalization that many see this as more of the awful same rather than what I think most of us who’ve been reporting this beat hear it as: a significant calculated escalation. Full alert stuff.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Dec 21
JD Vance gets the biggest applause of his speech so far when he says "by the grace of God we always will be a Christian nation"
December 21, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Reposted
jeffsharlet.bsky.social
Mistake too many make is to imagine fascism as static. It’s barely an ideology; it’s definitely not stable. It’s not enough to say, “yeah I already knew they were bad.” This speech in this context means tomorrow is more dangerous than yesterday.
December 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted
robinince.bsky.social
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career. I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters. Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Reposted
jeffsharlet.bsky.social
Which is why I think an altruistic response to fascism—“I fight on behalf of those targeted”—is well-intentioned but mistaken. Fascism’s ultimate target is all that is human. The response is solidarity, a recognition that whether targeted today or a figurative tomorrow all struggle for their lives.
November 29, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted
jeffsharlet.bsky.social
Not surprisingly, some in each hated group experience the growth of hate directed at them with alarm; & in their alarm mistake themselves for the main target, leading some to adopt aspects of fascism’s own methods, which further obscure from them fascism’s true target: all that is human.
November 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted
maryrosemuseum.bsky.social
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,

"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"

Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
A light blue diagram depicting the sea, with the water's surface at the top, and just below it is an outline of the Mary Rose, with the depth (12m, 40ft or 6.7 fathoms). There is a line showing the seabed, which takes a rapid dive into the vertical...
April 15, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Reposted
sepinwall.bsky.social
My review of North of North, a charming comedy series, now streaming on Netflix, about a young Inuk woman trying to figure out her life in a remote Nunavut village:
'North of North' Is Set in Arctic Canada, but Radiates Warmth
Anna Lambe stars in 'North of North', an exceedingly appealing hangout comedy
www.rollingstone.com
April 10, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted
tabouchadi.bsky.social
3) Abandoning civil society actors
The withdrawal of social democrats from movement politics and clear leftwing commitments has left many civil society actors - the most important actors in the resistance against far-right authoritarians - without representation in institutional politics.
March 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted
tabouchadi.bsky.social
Many people rightly point to the core role that mainstream right parties play for defending liberal democracy against the far-right threat. However, solely focusing on the centre-right ignores the errors that leftwing parties have committed that have empowered the far right. A few thoughts …
March 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted
tabouchadi.bsky.social
1) Positional accommodation:
Like the centre right many centre-left parties have moved to the right on issues of migration and asylum. This has legitimized and normalized the far right. It has shaped public opinion and has made it more difficult to pursue migration policies in line with human rights
March 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted
tabouchadi.bsky.social
2) Abandoning identity politics
Contrary to public beliefs, the centre-left has all but abandoned identity politics. Having become parties of incremental centrism and problem managers they have given up on shaping identities in the knowledge economy. What would a progressive working class identity
March 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted
tabouchadi.bsky.social
in multi-cultural societies look like? Social democrats have withdrawn from fighting this battle. Far-right parties have filled this vacuum and have pushed for authoritarian-nativist identities in the working class. Turning workers into democrats has always been at the core of social democracy
March 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted
mac-b5.stickimporters.com
#Igivearod 2025: The Push to Nome

If the BM team was disqualified, it is on the #UglyDogs bring the team to Nome.

There are rumors that Jenny Roddewig will scratch in WM.

In true #UglyDogs fashion, let us do the Red Lantern Run ourselves.

This is your map.
March 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Reposted
mac-b5.stickimporters.com
This is the tracker.
You will notice that the distances are measured a bit differently:

The number at WM is the current state of the #Igivearod Donation Tracker.

The number at Nome is the total amount donated during the bleral 2019 Iditarod.

Missing in between are 15.500 USD.
Igivearod 2025: The Push to Nome - Google My Maps
Igivearod 2025: The Push to Nome
www.google.com
March 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Reposted
gurdeep.ca
Tariff-free joy flows from Canada to the world—receive this heartfelt and positive export from the land of resilience and love. 🍁🧡
(and forward the positive vibes)
March 15, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Reposted
misterabk.bsky.social
Every mind-bending TV show:
March 14, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Reposted
stim3on.bsky.social
Recently an older relative of mine was looking for a new home for his old ZEISS research #microscope.
And while I'm not a biologist - I'm a pretty big optics and photography nerd so I couldn't reject the offer.

Let me take you on a little tour through the #microcosmos 🧵
An old ZEISS ICM405 inverted microscope. It's pretty big and has the typical old hardware grey color. Since it's inverted, the objective revolver sits under the specimen stage and looks up. In the front it has a binocular for viewing, and a DSLR is attached to the camera port below. A large variable transformer sits next to the device for regulation of the light bulb. smartphone through ocular microscope picture showing a partially translucent fruit fly against a pale blue background. It's legs are covered in many little spiky hairs and it has large dark compound eyes. Smartphone through ocular microscope picture showing a red crustation. It's a brine shrimp (often sold as Sea-Monekys) with small black eyes and long antennae. Many legs are attached to the side of the body.
March 2, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Reposted
okwonga.bsky.social
This weird energy of “you have no idea how it is”. I’m black with a Muslim first name and I spend time in small German towns with large far-right vote shares. I know how it is. I honestly wish I didn’t. And what happened yesterday was better than I had feared. Truly.
okwonga.bsky.social Musa Okwonga @okwonga.bsky.social · Feb 24
Have been blocking people who are annoyed that I am not doom-spiralling about the German election results. I’m not naive about what’s happening here. And I can say for a fact, yesterday could have been much worse. I refuse to concede to despair where there is clearly room for something better.
February 24, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Reposted
okwonga.bsky.social
It's very clear from this article I published yesterday - www.theguardian.com/world/commen... - that I am very concerned about Germany right now. And also - and still - it feels irresponsible to ignore the platforms on which something better can be built. I refuse to do that, absolutely.
February 24, 2025 at 11:56 AM