Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 8h

Jaxson Dart.
Cam Skattebo.
Spencer Rattler.

Don’t believe what they’re telling you. These are not real names.
These are pulp characters.

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

PEN America @penamerica.bsky.social · 19h

PEN America congratulates Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai on winning the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature. A master novelist with a singular style, Krasznahorkai’s novels buffet stories of the apocalypse with profound looks at humanity, art and beauty. www.npr.org/2025/10/08/n...

László Krasznahorkai wins 2025 Nobel Prize in literature

The Hungarian writer, known for his apocalyptic works, has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in literature. He joins the ranks of Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison.

www.npr.org

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 17h

Heard about this on the morning commute.
Fascinating!

Ear Taxi Festival

Ear Taxi Festival, the Midwest’s largest contemporary concert music festival, returns October 3 - November 2. <br/><br/>Showcasing new and experimental music, the festival includes 50+ hours of progra...

www.wbez.org

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 1d

Physical labor jobs ok for the foreseeable future.
“Humanoid robots struggle with basic tasks like walking safely and lack the dexterity needed for complex human-like work.”

Commentary: Musk and other tech gurus say human-like robots are the next big thing. Don't hold your breath

Investors are pouring billions into companies pitching humanoid robots, but functional versions are decades away.

www.latimes.com

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

Ezra Klein @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social · 1d

Today’s episode of The Ezra Klein Show.

What the Shutdown Is Really About

@neeratanden.bsky.social walks through the shutdown’s policy stakes.
open.spotify.com/episode/1Twk...

youtu.be/EFhq8OcyIz4?...

What the Shutdown is REALLY About | The Ezra Klein Show

YouTube video by The Ezra Klein Show

youtu.be

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 2d

In Forbes today talking about “Requiem for a College.”

Requiem For A College: A Heartbreaking Tale, A Crucial Conversation

An interview with author Jonathan Nichols about college closures and his book, Requiem for a College.

www.forbes.com

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

William Gibson @greatdismal.bsky.social · 11d

A friend writes:

I saw someone's post somewhere that talked about how their
nine-year-old and all his friends have started using "That's AI"
instead of "I don't believe you."

Mom: "We're having dinosaur meat for dinner tonight."
Kid: "That's AI."

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

Nereide @drnereide.bsky.social · 8d

🧵
Question: "If chimps are so much like us, why are they endangered while humans dominate the globe?"

Goodall: "Well, in some ways we're not successful at all. We're destroying our home. That's not a bit successful."

— #JaneGoodall, 3 Apr. 1934 - 1 Oct. 2025

#ForeverInspiring #LegacyOfHope 🧪

The photo features Jane Goodall and infant chimpanzee Flint reach out to touch each other's hands. Flint was the first infant born at Gombe (Tanzania) after Jane arrived. With him, she had a great opportunity to study chimp development.

Photo source: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/jane-goodall/

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

Richard Kadrey @richardkadrey.bsky.social · 7d

It delights me that AMC's FearFest horror film series is sponsored by Velveeta

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

Charlie88.bsky.social @charlie88.bsky.social · 5d

Count Zero Interupt the greatest handle ever!

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

William Gibson @greatdismal.bsky.social · 4d

I was well over 30 when I wrote and published my first novel, and fully agree with you!

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 4d

When I turned 30 I had not yet written my first published book or my first published novel and did not know (or know of) some of the most important people in my life. I didn't know how much my life could still change, and did, after the age of 30. There is so much your life still yet to live.

essencesimmone.blacksky.app @essencesimmone.blacksky.app · 6d

Those who are 35+, what advice do you have for people just entering their 30s?

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

Eric Michael Garcia @ericmgarcia.bsky.social · 4d

Does anyone with an academic login have access to this study? If so, could you please reach out to me via DM? Thank you. #AcademicSky
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Eleven possibly autistic parents - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders -

link.springer.com

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 5d

@puhahubiya.bsky.social thank you for the repost!

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 5d

If you’d rather not shop Amazon, the book is also available at Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 5d

It’s #selfpromotionSaturday
My book, “Requiem for a College” is about living through a small college closure, finding out why it happened, and connecting the loss to national trends.
#academicsky #selfpromosaturday

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States [Nichols, Jonathan, Colbert, Kate] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

www.amazon.com

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 5d

It’s #selfpromotionSaturday
My book, “Requiem for a College” is about living through a small college closure, finding out why it happened, and connecting the loss to national trends.
#academicsky #selfpromosaturday

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States [Nichols, Jonathan, Colbert, Kate] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

www.amazon.com

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Reposted by Jon Nichols

Dr. Skelebone 🩻 @kendalljoy.bsky.social · 7d

I don’t have a smart take on this settlement but I have been following along. My contribution is just to observe that many books by Jacques Derrida are on this list, apparently used to train Anthropic’s AI. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway check your works #TeamRhetoric

Jason Sanford @jasonsanford.bsky.social · 7d

The official database of works eligible for the Anthropic AI settlement has been released and, as I suspected, many authors are screwed. Basically, if your books weren't officially registered with the US Copyright Office you're out of luck. 1/ secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/results

Welcome to the Anthropic Copyright Settlement Website
Are you the legal or beneficial copyright owner of a book included in the Anthropic Copyright Settlement?
You could get a payment from the $1.5 billion Settlement.

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 6d

If you’d rather not shop Amazon, the book is also available at Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 6d

“Requiem for a College” is a combination of institutional elegy and autopsy. I wrote it to warn other colleges so they may change, and as a testimony for all who’ve gone through these awful experiences.
#academicsky

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States [Nichols, Jonathan, Colbert, Kate] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

www.amazon.com

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 6d

“Requiem for a College” is a combination of institutional elegy and autopsy. I wrote it to warn other colleges so they may change, and as a testimony for all who’ve gone through these awful experiences.
#academicsky

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States [Nichols, Jonathan, Colbert, Kate] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States

www.amazon.com

Reposted by Jon Nichols

Ezra Klein @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social · 6d

Today’s episode of The Ezra Klein Show.

The musician and record producer Brian Eno delves into his experiments with ambient music, his thoughts on generative A.I. and his deep gratitude for the uniqueness of human life.
open.spotify.com/episode/1Dio...

youtu.be/AfYY9v0Q0X4?...

Brian Eno on How Machines Can Make Us More Human

YouTube video by The Ezra Klein Show

youtu.be

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 7d

I no longer blog, but this does compel me to write.
Maybe something over on FB.

Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91

Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.

www.npr.org

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 7d

China recruiting global talent.

China launches a new visa to attract tech talent, but locals aren't happy

China's aim to attract global talent comes as the US is making it harder to bring in foreign workers.

www.bbc.com

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 8d

But maybe a book about when I was down can help lift others up. #academicsky

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 8d

That quote hit me. That’s why I hate pimping my accomplishments. The cruel economics of life says that if I’m up, someone else is down.

Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 8d

“On the occasions when I am toasted or applauded, I always feel that someone else, someone quiet, is being beaten in the other room. If you pause to think about it, it’s true, someone is.”
-Arundhati Roy on her latest book, “Mother Mary Comes to Me.”

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 8d

“On the occasions when I am toasted or applauded, I always feel that someone else, someone quiet, is being beaten in the other room. If you pause to think about it, it’s true, someone is.”
-Arundhati Roy on her latest book, “Mother Mary Comes to Me.”

Reposted by Jon Nichols

NPR @npr.org · 8d

It started in the 1960s, when two couples told a harrowing story about being chased by a large flying creature on a rural road. It grew from there — and now 20,000 people come to celebrate Mothman.

Fans of the mysterious Mothman bring its West Virginia hometown new life

It started in the 1960s, when two couples told a harrowing story about being chased by a large flying creature on a rural road. It grew from there — and now 20,000 people come to celebrate Mothman.

n.pr

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