Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

kottke.org @kottke.org · 5h

if biden had... etc etc 🫠

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9h

Q: Have you given any more thought to possibly suspending habeas corpus?

TRUMP: Suspending who?

Q: Habeas corpus

TRUMP: I don't know. I'd rather leave that to Kristi.

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Reposted by kottke.org

Clayton Cubitt @claytoncubitt.bsky.social · 9h

No other book better synthesized for me all the strands of American history, of enslavement and capitalism, of the power relationships between the colonies and states and how they were warped by the original sin of slavery. Must read. (hard read)

kottke.org @kottke.org · 9h

The American Slave Coast: A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry. “Instead of treating slavery as a source of unpaid labor, as it is typically understood, they focus on the ownership aspect: people as property, merchandise, collateral, and capital.” [kottke.org]

A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry in the United States

The American Slave Coast: A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry (Amazon) by Ned & Constance Sublette is a book which offers an alternate view of slavery in the United States. Instead of treating slavery as a source

kottke.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 8h

This is a lovely & thoughtful essay on the messiness of teaching and learning, an alchemy endangered by efficiency & automation. “What A.I. can’t do is feel the shape of silence after someone says something so honest we forget we’re here to learn.” [therumpus.net]

Human Error Is the Point: On Teaching College During the Rise of AI - The Rumpus

My syllabus is a mess of half-remembered intentions. I re-use icebreakers that I know don’t work. I forget to grade the first assignment until Week Four. I write emails that begin with “So sorry for the delay!” and I mean it. I use “This reminded me of something I once read—” as a stall tactic. I sa

therumpus.net

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 9h

The American Slave Coast: A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry. “Instead of treating slavery as a source of unpaid labor, as it is typically understood, they focus on the ownership aspect: people as property, merchandise, collateral, and capital.” [kottke.org]

A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry in the United States

The American Slave Coast: A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry (Amazon) by Ned & Constance Sublette is a book which offers an alternate view of slavery in the United States. Instead of treating slavery as a source

kottke.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 10h

The Oatmeal’s take on AI art. “When I consume Al art, it also evokes a feeling…until I find out that it’s Al art. Then I feel deflated, grossed out, and maybe a little bit bored. This feeling isn’t a choice.” [theoatmeal.com]

A cartoonist’s review of AI art

This is a comic about AI art.

theoatmeal.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 11h

The Family of Migrants is a new book & museum exhibition that tells the story of the past 120 years of human movement in photographs. [thisiscolossal.com]

Spanning 120 Years and 55 Countries, ‘The Family of Migrants’ Portrays a Broad Story of Human Movement

At Fenix in Rotterdam, ‘The Family of Migrants’ includes works from 136 photographers in 55 countries across 120 years.

www.thisiscolossal.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 11h

As they labor to fight off the slop bots, Wikipedia maintains a fairly extensive list of signs & tells that text was written by AI. “This list is descriptive, not prescriptive; it consists of observations, not rules.” [en.wikipedia.org]

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 13h

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na

a dark gray Dodge minivan with several Batman-themed stickers and a license plate that reads BATVANN

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 14h

Muhammad al-Zaqzouq writes about using his books for cooking fuel. “Let’s use one or two for now, and when the war’s over you can replace them. The kids need food more than they need to be read to.” [theparisreview.org]

Hunger by Muhammad al-Zaqzouq

October 3, 2025 – “Hunger came for us in our home, as it did for others. We eat one meal a day now, halfway through the day.”

www.theparisreview.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 15h

“Knit Hello is a typeface for hand knitting. It was made for beginners: knitters and typographers who love type.” [kottke.org]

Knit Hello, a Simple Typeface for Knitting

Designer Rüdiger Schlömer has created a new typeface for beginning knitters called Knit Hello. Knit Hello is a typeface for hand knitting. It was made for beginners: knitters and typographers who love type. You m

kottke.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 16h

A list of laws, theories, principles and patterns that software developers might find useful, including the 1% Rule and “institutions will try to preserve the problem to which they are the solution”. [hacker-laws.com]

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 17h

The Movies That Defined Gen X. Ferris Bueller, The Breakfast Club, Do the Right Thing, Clerks, Dead Poets Society, Pulp Fiction, Before Sunrise. “Not galaxies far away, not fairy tales. Parking lots, parade floats, dead ends, second chances.” [markmcinerney.substack.com]

The Movies That Defined Gen X

A Break From MAGA Madness for a Moment

markmcinerney.substack.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

The trailer for Downey Wrote That, a documentary about long-time SNL writer Jim Downey. “Most of what makes us laugh is something that’s true, just you’ve never heard it put that way before.” (via @ironicsans.com) [youtube.com]

Downey Wrote That | Official Trailer | Peacock Original

Downey Wrote That is streaming October 17 on Peacock: https://pck.tv/45hBP6q Synopsis: “Downey Wrote That” is a documentary exploring the sketches, contributions and enduring influence of Jim Downey, one of the most impactful comedy writers in the history of “Saturday Night Live.” The hourlong film

www.youtube.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

The first new edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary in 22 years contains a bunch of new words & phrases: cold brew, petrichor, doomscroll, adulting, beast mode, farm-to-table, etc. [apnews.com]

Hard pass. Cold brew. Dad bod. Merriam-Webster adds over 5,000 words to ‘Collegiate’ dictionary

Merriam-Webster has fully revised its popular “Collegiate” dictionary with over 5,000 new words. They include “petrichor,” “dumbphone” and “ghost kitchen.”

apnews.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

The Onion made a movie about Jeffrey Epstein and they’re airing it for free on YouTube. Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile airs Thursday, Oct 9 at 7pm ET. [youtube.com]

The Onion Investigates: Jeffrey Epstein

Unlike anything you’ve already seen Jeffrey Epstein, this documentary uncovers the truth behind one of America’s most notorious perverts. This is Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile. Become an Onion member while it’s still optional. https://membership.theonion.com/?campaign=701a500001geULHAA2

www.youtube.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public TV stations after federal funding cuts. What stage of anti-democratic capitalism is this? *paints huge, angry clouds* [apnews.com]

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public TV stations after federal funding cuts

Thirty paintings by Bob Ross are set to be auctioned to support public television stations. The Bonhams auction is to begin Nov. 11 in Los Angeles with three of the paintings.

apnews.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

“Day-Lewis has set a standard for chameleonic transformations that is nearly without parallel [but] I have always wondered whether the brilliance he is capable of requires the lengths to which he drives himself.” [kottke.org]

Committing to the Bit

I thought this piece from Isaac Butler examining how Daniel Day-Lewis goes about his acting work was really interesting. I have always been haunted in some way by Day-Lewis. He is clearly among the greatest living scree

kottke.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

Everything Is Becoming a Bank. “Most major corporations — from airlines to social media platforms — now aspire to become unregulated banks. Bankification today accounts for the highest profit margins in the US economy.” [jacobin.com]

Everything Is Becoming a Bank

Most major corporations — from airlines to social media platforms — now aspire to become unregulated banks. Bankification today accounts for the highest profit margins in the US economy, crippling productive capacity and setting the stage for the next crash.

jacobin.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

“The world’s wind and solar farms have generated more electricity than coal plants for the first time this year, marking a turning point for the global power system.” [theguardian.com]

Global renewable energy generation surpasses coal for first time

Record solar expansion and steady wind growth driving world’s shift away from fossil fuels in 2025, report finds

www.theguardian.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel? A song recited by Mister Rogers in his 1969 Senate testimony, accompanied by music and short scenes from films like Moonlight, The 400 Blows, and Do the Right Thing. [kottke.org]

What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel?

In 1969, Fred Rogers appeared before the Senate to argue against cutting federal funding for public broadcasting. During his testimony, Rogers recited a song from his show, What Do You Do with the Mad That You Feel? In

kottke.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

Qualcomm buys open-source electronics firm Arduino. “Qualcomm said Arduino ‘will retain its independent brand, tools and mission.’” I wonder how long that independence will last… [reuters.com]

Qualcomm buys open-source electronics firm Arduino

Qualcomm on Tuesday said it has acquired Arduino, an Italian not-for-profit firm that makes hardware and software for developing prototypes of robots and other electronic gadgets.

www.reuters.com

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

I'm gonna have to mute the singing ones tho...

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

I missed that NIN’s Tron:Ares soundtrack came out a couple of weeks ago. Listening this morning to catch up! [nineinchnails.lnk.to]

Nine Inch Nails - TRON: Ares

Listen to content by Nine Inch Nails.

nineinchnails.lnk.to

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

Upcoming exhibition from the MFA in Boston: “‘Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography’ explores the evolving techniques photographers have used to record the human experience as it has played out in populous urban spaces…” [mfa.org]

Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography

The ubiquity of camera phones today has very much made all the world a stage. In the modern city, photographers are now less concerned with surreptitiously capturing an image and much more likely to collaborate with their subjects in the street. Drawn to photography’s narrative potential, many emplo

www.mfa.org

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kottke.org @kottke.org · 1d

Times editors taking their cues from @nytpitchbot.bsky.social again I see

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d

the chris caldwell of 1948 would have been arguing against desegregation of the armed forces www.nytimes.com/2025/10/07/o...

Opinion | That Hegseth Speech Was Actually Pretty Good

www.nytimes.com

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