Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

James @jbeston.dev · 20h

Here we go again!

a fluffy cat is sitting on top of a wooden table and looking at the camera .

ALT: a fluffy cat is sitting on top of a wooden table and looking at the camera .

media.tenor.com

James @jbeston.dev · 1d

Today has mostly been…

a man in a suit and tie is holding his hair

Alt: A gif representing frustration showing Jim Carrey pulling his hair.

media.tenor.com

James @jbeston.dev · 3d

I also discovered that the @soasuni.bsky.social website by Numiko may be one of the most beautiful academic websites out there. www.soas.ac.uk

Welcome to SOAS

At SOAS, we use our expertise in Africa, Asia and the Middle East as lens through which to interrogate the planetary questions of our time.

www.soas.ac.uk

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James @jbeston.dev · 3d

I’ve just listened to part of The Epic of Gilgamesh in Akkadian whilst lying in bed. Proof that the internet can inspire as well as it conspires.

Richard Kadrey @richardkadrey.bsky.social · 4d

While doing research on ancient languages for a novel I'm working on I discovered Dr. Martin Worthington at Cambridge University. After years of study, he's come up with an approximation of Akkadian. You can listen to The Epic of Gilgamesh here:
www.openculture.com/2010/10/the_...

Hear The Epic of Gilgamesh Read in the Original Akkadian and Enjoy the Sounds of Mesopotamia

This clip gives you a taste of what Gilgamesh, one of the earliest known works of literature, sounds like in its mother tongue, Akkadian.

www.openculture.com

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Reposted by James

The Scales ⚖️ @shakethescales.bsky.social · 4d

It would take around 1.1 million acres of solar panels to (clean) power the world. That's less than a quarter of the number of acres devoted globally to golf courses. You can see where this is going, right...?

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James @jbeston.dev · 4d

Awesome! I got my ADHD diagnosis in #ADHDAwarenessMonth

a bald man with glasses is pointing at a tv screen and the words coincidence are above him

ALT: a bald man with glasses is pointing at a tv screen and the words coincidence are above him

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by James

Richard Kadrey @richardkadrey.bsky.social · 5d

The mystery of medical diagnosis!

Anyone: Why are there suddenly so many AHDH diagnoses?
Dr. Jen: Same reason there are suddenly more stars after we built telescopes.

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James @jbeston.dev · 4d

I’ve just realised how badly I’ve been neglecting BlueSky and how poorly I’ve been using it. I’m going to try and rectify this. Starting now… ish

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James @jbeston.dev · 15d

China doesn't like wind at all? I'll just leave this here for Trump:
globalenergymonitor.org/report/china...

China continues to lead the world in wind and solar, with twice as much capacity under construction as the rest of the world combined

China is cementing its position as the global leader in renewables development with180 GW of utility-scale solar and 159 GW of wind power already under construction1 .The total of the two is nearly tw...

globalenergymonitor.org

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James @jbeston.dev · 15d

This Trump speech is actually hilarious. I guess he's moving into stand-up?

James @jbeston.dev · 24d

Farage is a vacuous bag of wind at the best if times. I love the BBC, but the fact they allow Reform so much oxygen is simply unfair. Sign the petition to get the BBC to provide a balance of political voices. Y’know, like it used to be. www.libdems.org.uk/bbc

Balance the BBC

The BBC is our national broadcaster, people expect and deserve balanced news coverage.

www.libdems.org.uk

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James @jbeston.dev · Jun 18

Me to the weather right now

a man in a red jacket and white shirt is screaming and saying `` i hate you '' on a golf course .

Alt: a man in a red jacket and white shirt is screaming and saying `` i hate you '' on a golf course .

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by James

Elizabeth Beston @elizabethbeston.bsky.social · Jun 8

It’s World Ocean Day! And you know what, we wouldn’t be talking about the ocean if it wasn’t for plankton. Plankton was the beginning of life on Earth, and plankton is what keeps the oceans alive today. It’s very important!! 1/2 #plankton 🦑

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James @jbeston.dev · May 28

Oooooh! Outrun You All by House of Protection is 🔥

An image of Outrun You All EP on Solar Flare coloured vinyl.

James @jbeston.dev · May 28

There is good in the world!

Nnedi Okorafor, PhD @nnedi.bsky.social · May 27

Omg, 😍.

“This is a site for pictures of owls… in towels.”

owlsintowels.org

James @jbeston.dev · May 1

Just listening to a great talk by Andrew Thomas on ideas. Thanks to
@designboommagazine.bsky.social for a great event.

James @jbeston.dev · Apr 27

Worth the wait! Thanks @bsky.app 😍😎🥰

A photo of me wearing my Mundus Sine Caesaribus tee

James @jbeston.dev · Apr 21

Conclave just moved from movie to documentary / premonition

James @jbeston.dev · Apr 2

Center for Countering Digital Hate @counterhate.com · Apr 2

From incel forums to women-hating ‘influencers’ like Andrew Tate, platforms are enabling extreme violence against women online.

This dangerous ideology can radicalize young men & put women's lives at risk.

Stand against the toxic manosphere, add your name👇

Standing against misogyny

Hate-filled men are using our digital spaces to spread misogyny. Social media companies must take action now to protect women and girls from hate, harassment, and violence online.

buff.ly

James @jbeston.dev · Mar 18

Thank God we’ve bailed them out or this lovely stuff may have stopped.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Mar 18

Thames Water data reveals raw sewage discharges in rivers rose 50% in 2024

Exclusive: Almost 300,000 hours of raw effluent poured into waterways, figures show, up from 196,000 in 2023 A record 50% more raw sewage was discharged into rivers in England by Thames Water last year compared with the previous 12 months, data seen by…

www.theguardian.com

James @jbeston.dev · Mar 18

I know most tech companies today put profit before EVERYTHING but this is reprehensible. Help make a tiny dent in this wall of hate.

www.change.org/p/demand-spo...

Sign the Petition

Demand Spotify Remove Andrew Tate’s Harmful Courses on How to Traffic Women

www.change.org

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James @jbeston.dev · Mar 16

We got a new light for our son’s room and now we’ve decided we all want one.

James @jbeston.dev · Mar 14

Genius! But those hands are way too big 🖐️

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James @jbeston.dev · Mar 14

I have a review of Devil in the Family: the fall of Ruby Franke:

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

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James @jbeston.dev · Feb 28

To Zelenskyy:
“Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re in the highest level of this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit? I just want to see, do you own a suit?”

Ummm…

Musk. In the Oval Office. Not in a suit.