Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 1h

Bravo, @theoatmeal.bsky.social, and thank you.

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 3h

This extended take on the value of AI "art" (incl. writing) by @theoatmeal.bsky.social is so very good, and it taps into pretty much every objection I have:

theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_art

Also, every new writer, PLEASE listen to this by Ira Glass: www.youtube.com/watch?v=91FQ...

Embrace the Gap.

Excerpt from "Let's talk about AI art" by The Oatmeal: "And by jumping to the "fun" part, you're denying yourself the process."

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Reposted by David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 18h

The American Fisheries Society extends our support to the furloughed fisheries and aquatics professionals affected by the U.S. federal government shutdown. Read our full statement on the shutdown and its impacts on natural resources here fisheries.org/2025/10/afs-...

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 1d

So tired of all the ICE commercials during college and NFL football. Much like AI, the more aggressive the marketing, the worse the product.

Proudly serving in federal LE shouldn’t require hiding behind masks. I’ve hope that public sentiment is finally filtering through to their hiring shortfalls.

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 1d

Not that traditions/norms or even laws provide guiderails for this cabal, but aren't there federal personnel rules against serving in multiple official capacities? Perhaps some exigency for "acting" officials?

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 1d

Facts are stubborn things.

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 1d

I was enlisted NG for 6 years, and actually enjoyed my service. However, the NG shifted in the mid-90s into just another Army rotational force, even overseas -- no longer the local, "1-weekend/month" deal we'd all been sold and agreed to. I ETSed 6 months before my NG unit's rotation to Iraq, FFS.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 3d

PIs don’t make those decisions, and it’s an awful market for academia — don’t just say it’s easy to find a position elsewhere.

However, I’d be fine with any uni-level R1 and grant reporting to have an asterisk on that number for any Compact Campus.

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 3d

This particular issue could finally be “the bridge too far” for the current SCOTUS… but with Robert’s, even this isn’t the legal easy call it should be.

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 3d

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Higher Ed forgets this truism at its peril.

Adam Harris @adamhsays.com · 4d

“The administration is inviting universities to voluntarily put on a yoke and hand it the keys.“

From @kevincarey1.bsky.social: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

A Deal That Would End Universities’ Independence

The free-speech provisions of the so-called compact are an exercise in contradiction.

www.theatlantic.com

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 3d

Best college game I’ve seen this season, and that’s a statement. Can’t remember if I’d ever seen a strategic self-safety before today, but it was brilliant.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 6d

Remember too, folks, that Congress and/or SCOTUS could shut this down anytime… and they choose not to.

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 6d

I really, really don't like this timeline... RIP, Dr Goodall.

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 6d

Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 7d

Well said, @sjcfishy.bsky.social.

Best thoughts to all my fed colleagues, and please reach out if there’s anything I can do to assist.

Steven J Cooke @sjcfishy.bsky.social · 7d

Thinking about all of my US colleagues today that work for USGS, USFWS, US Parks Service, NOAA and the EPA. From front line environmental practitioners to scientists and policy makers, these folks ensure that waters are swimmable, fish are edible, that natural areas are accessible, etc, etc, etc.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 7d

Yes, but with the sinking feeling that even if we (as a country) get through a temporary furlough, all the good, experienced folks we’ve nurtured for decades will be gone.

We need SCOTUS-proof — CJ Roberts-proof — federal employment agreements.

HELLody SchreiBOO @melodyschreiber.com · 7d

staying up until midnight to see if we still have a functioning government like some sort of twisted NYE

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 7d

This is the point all the major media outlets are (intentionally?) missing. SCOTUS has deemed the Impoundment Act irrelevant, so what options remain?

Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 7d

Why would any legislator vote for a budget the executive will ignore?

In that situation, a yes vote conveys one thing and nothing else: validation for the White House’s blatantly unconstitutional actions.

Politico @politico.com · 7d

The White House is canceling food research funding popular with the GOP despite budget chief Russell Vought's promise to leave that money untouched.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 7d

"Out of the mouths of babes" comes unvarnished truth. You don't need a religion as a parent to know that's 100% on-point.

David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 7d

You're assuming that they're being paid to think and report critically or through logic.

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Reposted by David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 8d

That's quite the chart annotation.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

A chart of "Major concerns of PhD candidates." The top text says, "Financial pressures top the list of concerns faced by PhD candidates, but concerns differ among the sexes. Those studying in the United States rank the political landscape as their main worry." The chart shows that in the full survey, political landscape is the biggest concern for about 20% of students (a bit higher for women than men) but there's an annotation saying "In US PhD students, this rose to 64%". Overall, the highest-rated concern was financial pressures at around 40%.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 9d

That’s a hell of a bet for a product few want to use. I’m only angry by the likelihood that any losses to Musk, Altman, et al. will be borne by taxpayer bailouts, again under the guise of “too big to fail.”

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 9d

There was always a strategic reason for installing Nuñez and others around the state universities (beyond the usual cronyism). They all know this will hurt their respective institutions, but their complicity with DeSantis is assured.

Reposted by David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 11d

NSF Graduate Fellowship announcement is finally posted!

www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

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NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

www.nsf.gov

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 11d

I hope they all follow Comey’s lead — “bring it on.”

All of this is for show to placate the base. Discovery during an actual trial is something this DOJ will avoid at all costs.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 12d

Don’t tell me that this country doesn’t have the money for universal healthcare or education or decarbonization.

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 12d

And the acquaintance of Congress and SCOTUS.

Jefferson, Hamilton, and Adams are seen as the Constitutional Architects, but it was Washington who presciently saw political parties as the largest potential issue to those infamous “checks-and-balances.”

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David Kerstetter, Ph.D. @fishguydave.bsky.social · 12d

It’s not just Miami, but all of South Florida.

Tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions used to be “unicorns,” yet it’s increasingly difficult in our area to recruit good candidates, in large (not solely!) because of the economics.