Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah, that’s my experience as well.

Because higher learning / post-secondary education is hard for everyone. But some folks have it hard in every other space and place and time of the life. Which is like raising hard ^ struggle. Acknowledging that does take away one’s accomplishments.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 1d

This was in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. Those well-to-do kids were not locals, they were the offspring of (mainly goodhearted) educated outsiders who came there to save the hillbillies. But they didn’t get survival because they didn’t and wouldn’t live it.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 1d

When I was in AP English I (the only student from below the poverty line) argued against every other student (from well-to-do families) that a reason many poorer parents don’t read to their kids is that they don’t have time cuz they are trying to survive. The rest of my class dismissed my argument.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 4d

Even when I was a bratty teenager, I never understood making fun of people for liking the music they like.

I don’t like all music, & fans of certain genres are puzzling to me (lookin’ at you, Latino/Hispanic fans of self-described racist pop country musicians).

Let folks like what they like.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 4d

I made pumpkin blondies with chocolate chips today. No eggs or oil. Yum 😋 🎃🍫

(2/31)

Homemade chocolate chip blondes made with pumpkin and oatmeal. No eggs or oil.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 5d

You know those AI nostalgia generated videos are 1,000% missing the mark when the “algorithms” didn’t just copy & paste an entire episode of ‘Community’ to represent the late 2000s / early 2010s.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 5d

Old folks in Appalachian Kentucky will tell you that during that administration, they would trap groundhogs, or “Hoover pigs”, for stew. 🍲

elias isquith @eliasisquith.blog · 5d

worth remembering that hoover's administration was defined by 4 years of economic chaos, suffering, dislocation, and fear. People genuinely believed the country itself was on the verge of irreversible collapse. He still got 40% of the vote.

wikipedia screen grab showing hoover won 39.6% of the popular vote in the 1932 presidential election

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Reposted by Jessica McCarty

Dr. Crystal A. Kolden @pyrogeog.bsky.social · 5d

Published today: our new paper showing a 44-year trend of increasing global wildfire disasters (fatalities and economic losses) due to climate change-induced extreme weather. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Climate-linked escalation of societally disastrous wildfires

Climate change and land mismanagement are creating increasingly fire-prone built and natural environments. However, despite worsening fire seasons, evidence is lacking globally for trends in socially ...

www.science.org

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 6d

I’m furloughed. A bit less science than usual.

This begins my spooky 👻 🎃 season thread. #SpookySeason

(1/31)

youtu.be/70NrA13iYlw?...

TV On The Radio - Wolf Like Me (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by RISEN

youtu.be

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 8d

Sacramento was nice.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 9d

The stupidest timeline.

On 28 September 2025, Probability of USA federal government shutting down on 1 October 2025 according to online betting market Polymarket: 69%.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 10d

A few years ago I stumbled onto an interview with the actor who plays “Mayhem” (AKA The Vulture in Brooklyn Nine Nine). This man never has to pay for a drink. The number of women apparently into this persona is pretty damn high.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 11d

Can you enroll in college? Then guess what - your professors can’t talk to your parents unless you are a minor or give them permission too. Because of FERPA.

Cut the cord, people.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 11d

The parenting culture in California is so foreign to me.

Many treat their young adults (18-30) kids like actual minor children.

I will not do that, causing conflicts. If the federal + state governments treat you as an adult (you can vote, join the military, pay taxes, own property), so do I.

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Reposted by Jessica McCarty

Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 13d

OMB instructing federal agencies to prepare RIF plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown, reports Politico. www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

White House to agencies: Prepare mass firing plans for a shutdown

In memo, the Trump administration says the Reduction-in-Force plans would go beyond standard shutdown furloughs.

www.politico.com

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 14d

Spending most of my time searching for fat bears this week.

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Reposted by Jessica McCarty

Climatologist49 @climatologist49.bsky.social · 18d

Same, tbh.

NPR @npr.org · 19d

The famous bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park are enjoying an abundance of salmon, and even some playtime, as they pack on pounds to prepare for the winter.

Fat Bear Week is here early, and the bears are fat and playful

The famous bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park are enjoying an abundance of salmon, and even some playtime, as they pack on pounds to prepare for the winter.

n.pr

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 19d

The hero we need and deserve.

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Reposted by Jessica McCarty

Scott Bachmeier @wisc-satellite.bsky.social · Sep 8

During the lunar eclipse on 07 September, the Moon briefly blocked @NOAASatellites #SUVI images of the Sun. More on the CIMSS Satellite Blog: cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-bl...

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · Sep 6

NW Compact members share firefighting resources, tech, + expertise when wildfires exceed a single jurisdiction’s capacity.

In 🇨🇦: Alberta, Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, & British Columbia

In 🇺🇸: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, & Hawaii

Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · Sep 6

California joins firefighting compact with a dozen Northwest states and Canadian provinces

The Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact facilitates sharing of firefighting resources and technology amongst U.S. and Canadian members —now including California — during emergencies.

www.latimes.com

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · Sep 3

Disneyland > Disney World

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · Aug 30

Please keep posting sunflowers 🌻, tomatoes 🍅, and pumpkins 🎃.

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · Aug 29

Great paper! The first author is doing some amazing work in fire these days.

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Reposted by Jessica McCarty

Michael Gollner @gollnerfire.bsky.social · Aug 29

California communities can reduce wildfire damage by half. Here’s how:
Our new study "Fire risk to structures in California’s Wildland-Urban Interface" was published in Nature Communications today! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
news.berkeley.edu/2025/08/28/c...

Fire risk to structures in California’s Wildland-Urban Interface - Nature Communications

Wildfire risk in California’s WUI is rising. Analysis of past events shows home hardening and defensible space can reduce structure loss by up to 52%, but coordinated, community-scale action is essent...

www.nature.com

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Jessica McCarty @jmccartygeo.bsky.social · Aug 29

I mask on my train rides to/from work. Never stopped. So many people go to work sick.

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