Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Mark Mac Lean

Katie Drummond @katie-drummond.bsky.social · 12h

A surprising upside to Taylor Swift's very mid new album:

Galvanizing thousands of extremely online Swifties to campaign against the use of generative AI for creative work.

Fans Call on Taylor Swift to ‘Do Better’ After Accusations of Using AI for Promo Videos

A scavenger hunt campaign to promote Taylor Swift’s new album The Life of a Showgirl resulted in a viral #SwiftiesAgainstAI campaign.

www.wired.com

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Alondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · 19h

"It is not hyperbole to say that the future of higher education in America requires that every university reject it. If any schools capitulate, the pressure will be enormous on all to fold. The only solution is solidarity and collective action against this effort at federal control over higher" ed.

Philip N Cohen @philipncohen.com · 5d

Chemerinsky: The Trump extortion demands are unconstitutional as well as odious (gift link). Me: Any school that signs must be shunned, faculty affected must walk. No room for this.

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

www.nytimes.com

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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 1d

www.theage.com.au/national/vic...

‘Vanish in a puff of smoke’: Monash plans to close climate crisis institute

Fears that “redundancies by stealth” could hit about 100 researchers, staff and climate scientists on short-term contracts.

www.theage.com.au

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Theo Moudakis @theomoudakis.bsky.social · 1d

Please enjoy my cartoon for Wednesday's Toronto Star

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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 1d

Let's be clear tho: Carney abandoned climate change policy as a cynical means to get elected, not because there are other crises.

Carl Meyer @meyer.bsky.social · 1d

A decade ago, Mark Carney gave a speech pointing out how biz and political leaders had no day-to-day incentive to address climate change, yet it was up to governments. Today, Carney is leading one, but finds himself consumed with responding to the many crises of the day thenarwhal.ca/mark-carney-...

How Mark Carney is complicating Canada’s climate progress | The Narwhal

From cancelling the carbon tax to pausing the EV mandate, Mark Carney’s government is making sweeping changes to Canada’s environmental rules

thenarwhal.ca

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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 2d

You, too? I changed mine in August, which should be good for a year, but was also sent into the change loop. I said No and submitted the issue to IT.

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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 2d

www.theage.com.au/business/wor...

This botched government report should be wake-up call on AI hype

Beating up management consultants may be something of a national sport these days, but Deloitte Australia’s headache with AI is the latest example of why technology must be carefully managed.

www.theage.com.au

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The Globe and Mail @theglobeandmail.com · 2d

Three scientists awarded Nobel Prize in medicine for immune system research

The research of the scientists, from the U.S. and Japan, opens the door to potential treatment for autoimmune diseases and cancer

www.theglobeandmail.com

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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d

Breaking News: The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From Ghislaine Maxwell

The onetime employee and friend of Jeffrey Epstein argued that a secret agreement between prosecutors and the multimillionaire financier invalidated her conviction.

nyti.ms

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KOJAMF🤘🖤🤘 @kojamf.bsky.social · 4d

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

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Jim Woodgett @jwoodgett.bsky.social · 3d

Could add further switches turned off:
Common sense
Decency
International relations
Unity
Respect
…

de Adder cartoon in the Globe and Mail showing a row of switches that are turned off, including foreign aid, EPA, federal grants. A man on a ladder is switchingg off US Government. Voight is saying to Trump as they walk by, “It was pretty much shutdown already”.

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Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 5d

Yup

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 5d

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

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E. Wayne Ross @ewayneross.bsky.social · 5d

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday warned he would strip “billions” in state funding from any university that signs onto a Trump administration compact, which ties priority access to federal dollars to the adoption of conservative campus policies.

www.newsweek.com/gavin-newsom...

Gavin Newsom issues ultimatum to colleges over Trump deal

The Trump administration’s proposal, sent to 9 major universities, calls on campuses to adopt sweeping conservative policies.

www.newsweek.com

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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 5d

But some workplaces differ. Universities, for instance, have no business punishing faculty for lawful tweets, regardless of how 'controversial' they might.

Frances @frances2023.bsky.social · 5d

Not just political parties. All workplaces have a social media policy. When I worked, and was known to work for a certain employer, I couldn't tweet anything I wanted. If I didn't like that, I could quit working for that employer.

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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 5d

www.theage.com.au/culture/cele...

Dame Patricia Routledge dies aged 96

The actress, best known for her role as Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, died surrounded by her loved ones at home on Friday morning.

www.theage.com.au

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Steven Strogatz @stevenstrogatz.com · 5d

Mathematician Chad Topaz's new book looks at America's criminal legal system through the lens of data science. Pre-order at www.amazon.com/Unlocking-Ju...

Unlocking Justice: The Power of Data to Confront Inequity and Create Change

Amazon.com: Unlocking Justice: The Power of Data to Confront Inequity and Create Change: 9780691276151: Topaz, Chad M.: Books

www.amazon.com

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Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 6d

The workplace is really embracing competence diversity these days

Ida Bae Wells @nhannahjones.bsky.social · 6d

In case it wasn’t clear, the anti-DEI crusade has never been about merit. Zero news experience. Never been a reporter. Elevated to Editor in Chief of CBS News, one of the most storied news institutions in the nation. www.mediaite.com/media/news/p...

Paramount Officially Acquiring The Free Press and Making Bari Weiss CBS News Editor in Chief: Report

Paramount Skydance will be officially acquiring The Free Press and hiring its founder Bari Weiss as editor in chief of its CBS News division, with the deal to be announced this coming Monday, accordin...

www.mediaite.com

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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 7d

I feel like there should be a few additional travel warnings about the US...

Elizabeth Thompson @lizt1.bsky.social · 7d

The Canadian government has updated its travel advisory for the U.S., warning that those who have X listed as their gender on their passports could have problems at the border. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Canada issues new warning for citizens with gender-neutral passports travelling to U.S. | CBC News

The Canadian government is warning citizens who list "X" as their gender on their passports could have problems entering the U.S.

www.cbc.ca

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Prof Ben Britton @bmatb.expmicromech.com · 8d

Today is #OrangeShirtDay, and also the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

There may be many days in which you recognize the importance of this day - e.g. listening to survivors, taking part in action, making donations, and reading the TRC report
irshdc.ubc.ca/orange-shirt...

Orange Shirt Day at UBC - Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre

Orange Shirt Day at UBC Every Child Matters Orange Shirt Day, September 30, is a day to honour and uphold Survivors and Intergenerational Survivors of the Indian Residential School system, and to comm...

irshdc.ubc.ca

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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 8d

Academics love our fine distinctions between concepts, like "it's not really fascism, it's a hybrid regime, or it's 'competitive authoritarianism'."

Uh huh. Not technically wrong, but if you don't see all the fascism in your competitive authoritarianism, you're equivocating on democracy's grave.

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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 9d

Wouldn't a less "risk-averse" approach be to invest in things *beyond* natural resource extraction?

Policy Options / Options politiques @policyoptions.irpp.org · 9d

"Canada must shift from its historically risk-averse, fragmented investment model to a targeted, mission-oriented approach that concentrates on sectors where it holds inherent advantages: agriculture, forestry, energy &critical minerals."
By Burgess Langshaw Power & Maral Niazi👇
tinyurl.com/mr3rfk6z