Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 16h

The super cool part of moving from the feds to local government during an authoritarian government takeover is that everyone knows that there isn't any hope, but can't find their way to a new path with both eyes open.

Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 1d

I need census.gov data and I can't get my county's profile to pull up. Does anybody have a way to pull up the number of language speakers in a county that's reported on a census without using a government site? my state and county don't capture the data 😭.

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 2d

Me today - and it culminated in forgetting to pick up a child! 🫠

Dr. Samantha Montano @samlmontano.bsky.social · 2d

Did not do any of the work on my to-do list today, but I did start a completely new project unexpectedly that I absolutely do not have time for, and no one asked for! Cheers!

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 5d

"Is the President of the United States descent into authoritarianism a smash or a pass?"

Be so for real @npr.org

NPR @npr.org · 6d

As President Trump ramps up efforts to send federal officers and troops into cities, criminologists are watching closely. Are the feds doing this in a smart way?

National Guard presence may deter crime, but experts warn of the long-term costs

As President Trump ramps up efforts to send federal officers and troops into cities, criminologists are watching closely. Are the feds doing this in a smart way?

n.pr

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 10d

📢 I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR 4 YEARS AND RESPONSES RANGE FROM "WELL THE MARKET WILL CORRECT ITSELF" TO "INSURANCE IS A SCAM ANYWAY" AND HONESTLY BELIEVING THAT CAPITALISM WILL SAVE YOU IS THE DUMBEST TAKE OUT OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS.

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 10d

“We are marching toward an uninsurable future in this country and across the globe, marching into the abyss.”

How a warming planet has made home Insurance increasingly unaffordable

Years of underestimating climate risk has left the industry in turmoil.

www.motherjones.com

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Reposted by Natalia 📚

NC Newsline @ncnewsline.com · 14d

One year after this historic storm, decisions at both the state and federal levels are undermining efforts to protect lives and property from future disasters. ncnewsline.com/2025/09/24/a... (commentary) #ncpol

Are we learning the right lessons from Hurricane Helene? • NC Newsline

As we remember Hurricane Helene’s devastation, too many people and communities are just beginning to rebuild. Yet one year after this historic storm, decisions at both the state and federal levels are...

ncnewsline.com

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 13d

....none of the employees are in Congress but sure let's fire them anyway. 😒

Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 14d

Is this supposed to be a threat? They did this exact thing while the government was open

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Nichole @tnwhiskeywoman.bsky.social · 14d

It sucks the way the humanities are being eroded & labeled unimportant. For every rant against a “new identity,” there is an ancient poem or painting or song or or or that tells us there is nothing new under the sun

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · 24d

Today I feel like I am a collection of broken glass shards walking around and doing my best imitation of being human. The grief of mourning a relationship fucking sucks because I feel like I am 16 again but instead I much older than that and feel like I should be handling this better? Ugh.

a bunch of beakers sitting on top of a table

ALT: a bunch of beakers sitting on top of a table

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Natalia 📚

Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 27d

I said something last week that is more broadly applicable today:

Calling for empathy is not neutral or apolitical when only one group of people have been socialized and brutalized into having empathy.

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Sep 5

I am still getting my PC set up so I can't play yet but ohhhhh this makes me so excited to hear!

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Sep 5

Hollow Knight Silksong is out and I got a copy for my birthday and I know what I'm going to be doing this weekend. Can't wait to play!!!!

a pixel art of a knight sitting on a bench in a forest

Alt: a pixel art of a knight sitting on a bench in a forest

media.tenor.com

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Tara Murphy @taramurphy.bsky.social · Sep 4

A vote for #perovskite - at Sydney #Physics we're using it to develop new solar cells anitagroup-perovskite.sydney.edu.au

Home - Solar Research Group

News About Us We are a dynamic research group based at the Sydney Nano Hub with laboratories for material synthesis, device fabrication and characterization, and solar cell and module testing ...

anitagroup-perovskite.sydney.edu.au

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Sep 4

The more I read about #perovskite the more I love it. A vote for perovskite is a vote for the future. #mincup25

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · Sep 4

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 4: This match of heavy hitters is bound to end in heartbreak as classic #calcite faces off against futuristic #perovskite.

We love them both, but only one can continue on to Round 2!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Sep 1

oh shit #mincup25

Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Sep 1

She's volcanic, she is grace, she's going to be chrysotile in this race! #Pectolite is volcanic! It's photosensitive! In certain pictures it looks like blue meat! As a Dominican - and before this Hispanic Heritage month - I'm telling you that it's racist to not vote for #pectolite! #Larimar 4ever!

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 30

Yessssssss #MinCup25

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · Aug 30

Was it quietly grinding on your soul that the #MinCup25 bracket was off-center and oh-so-slightly asymmetrical? We fixed it!

No changes to the matchups, it’s just a lil bit more polished.

Alt text: A sports-style elimination bracket of 32 minerals labeled "Mineral Cup 2025". Text below reads, "Daily voting takes place on www.MineralCup.org in September. Campaign on your favorite social media using #MinCup25."

The starting matches are, in chronological order: chrysotile versus pectolite, stibnite versus okenite, jeremejevite versus haüyne, calcite versus perovskite, silver versus baryte, carpathite versus leucite, sanidine versus hematite, pollucite versus tugtupite, kosmochlor versus azurite, dioptase versus wavellite, titanite versus thortveitite, zunyite versus molybdenite, topaz versus kyanite, cuprosklodowskite versus ikaite, taenite versus nontronite, and paddlewheelite versus mannardite.

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 25

I drove to Tennessee and saw just walls of mountains and forests and it was just so great.

Jeremy @floregonian.com · Aug 23

Tell me something that brought you joy this week.

Any old thing will do. Small joys are as good as big ones—sometimes even better.

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Reposted by Natalia 📚

Isa / EvilCleverDog @evilcleverdog.bsky.social · Aug 23

Using ChatGPT

Edith @edithcharles.bsky.social · Aug 23

What's something that isn't considered embarrassing but you think it should be?

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 22

There's an academic paper to be written about managing trash and solid waste after a catastrophic incident and the ways in which is hinders psychological recovery when you're faced with your trash in your face and can't hide it away.

This free idea brought to you by my inbox.

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 20

is also hard. People threatening your local elected officials with bodily harm is hard.

Tomorrow is another day to do the best I can for my new community, but today was hard.

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 20

Being a local government entity and navigating recovery from a disaster was hard today. People saying "We've got buckets of money for you -- BUT ONLY AFTER YOU GET/CAN ANTICIPATE FEMA FUNDS." is definitely not the vibe. Residents who deny the truth of what the local govt has done bc it's not perfect

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Reposted by Natalia 📚

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · Aug 18

Last call for nominations! We’re about to start sorting and picking this year’s competitors

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · Aug 8

Ideas for minerals to compete in #MinCup2025? Nominate them now! www.mineralcup.org/nominations

Want to be part of this year’s organizing team? We love volunteers! www.mineralcup.org/volunteer

Nominate Minerals — Mineral Cup

www.mineralcup.org

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 18

Very important question - which one are you?

Richard Scarry car riders, corn cob, apple, rainbow pencil, pickle, hot dog, egg, banana

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Natalia 📚 @natsanpol.bsky.social · Aug 17

The snowman scene in the new Naked Gun movie should be a meme post haste.