Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by John Vaillant

Joan Baxter @joanbaxter.bsky.social · 13h

In 2018, I asked an Australian Atlantic Gold exec why they weren’t mining gold in Australia. He said his boss liked living in Vancouver. So I asked why they were mining gold in NS, not BC. His reply: “Because the rules in NS are even more lax in N.S. than they are in BC.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

N.S. government website streamlines info about mine permitting process | CBC News

A new Nova Scotia government website will make it easier for mining companies to track the progress of permit applications, but for now there are no plans to give the public access to that information...

www.cbc.ca

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Maxine Joselow @maxinejoselow.bsky.social · 13h

Before catastrophic floods swept through the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk on Sunday, the EPA canceled a $20 million grant intended to protect the community from extreme flooding. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/c...

Before Alaska Flooding, E.P.A. Canceled $20 Million Flood Protection Grant

www.nytimes.com

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Scott Santens @scottsantens.com · 23h

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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 2d

Protestors believe that action has meaning. Protestors are exercising the rights enshrined in the Constitution. For me, protest is about love of country. I will be there on October 18th, and I hope you will be too.
#NoKings
snyder.substack.com/p/no-kings-f...

No Kings — Freedom (video)

Why protest is patriotic

snyder.substack.com

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Crawford Kilian @crof.bsky.social · 20h

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Pentagon retreats from climate fight even as heat and storms slam US troops

For decades, the military treated climate crisis as a threat. Now it’s backing away from plans to protect people and bases from extreme weather

www.theguardian.com

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Krassensteins @krassenstein.bsky.social · 22h

BREAKING: The Supreme Court just rejected Alex Jones' appeal and left in place the $1.4 billion judgment against him by the Sandy Hook Elementary School families

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MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 1d

🇨🇳⚠️WP: China has materially helped Russia gain a key battlefield advantage in its grinding war against Ukraine, increasing exports over the summer of key components needed to make the fiber-optic drones that have enabled Moscow to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses on the front lines.

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 21h

"These days #crypto derives its value largely from the support of politicians and government officials — in particular, officials who can be bribed. As a result, at this point crypto is largely a Trump trade." - Paul Krugman
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/how-crypto...

How Crypto Became a Trump Trade

It’s primarily a vehicle for crony capitalism now

paulkrugman.substack.com

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 2d

Allow me to translate:
"Antichrist" = Anyone who doesn't agree with me, and who has the power to thwart my #Libertarian ambitions.

Wilson Dizard III @wpd3.bsky.social · 4d

[Excerpt:] Tech billionaire Peter Thiel recently warned that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg & critics of tech or AI are “legionnaires of the Antichrist” in private lectures on Christianity that linked government oversight of Silicon Valley to an apocalyptic future.

Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist’ and U.S. destruction

In leaked recordings of private lectures by tech billionaire Peter Thiel he argued that “the Antichrist” is likely to take the form of a critic of technology.

wapo.st

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 2d

That's an effective #Boycott

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #Canada

American spirit exports to Canada 'plummeted' 85%, says U.S. trade group | CBC News

American spirit exports to Canada "plummeted" 85 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, with the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States calling the situation "very troubling" as consumers in ...

www.cbc.ca

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 2d

It will cost half a -trillion- $ a year to maintain current #oilandgas output as existing fields decline - @iea.org

#EnergyTransition
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews

POLITICO Pro

subscriber.politicopro.com

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Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 3d

“I spent three nights and three days in federal custody. During that time, I was never told what I was charged with, was not allowed to shower despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray, had no phone call to my family, and no access to an attorney.” - George Retes, U.S. citizen and veteran.

I’m a US citizen and a veteran. ICE arrested me for no reason.

Jailed for three days without an explanation or ability to notify anyone, George Retes argues the only path to healing starts with the government taking accountability for its actions.

newsletter.ofthebrave.org

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Jacek Debiec, MD, PhD, DPhil 🌎 🧠 @drjacekdebiec.bsky.social · 2d

"The concepts of friluftsliv (literally: "open-air living") in which Swedes regularly unplug and seek out nature; stress-reducing activities such as forest bathing and deep-sleep retreats; and a holistic approach to life known as lagom..might make you feel better..."

www.bbc.com/travel/artic...

Sweden: The country 'prescribed' by doctors

A cheeky new ad campaign claims that visiting the Nordic nation and embracing Swedish culture can improve your wellbeing – and it's turning to medical experts to make its case.

www.bbc.com

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 2d

Re-upping because it's ongoing:
www.desmog.com/2025/07/22/t... #Alberta #canpoli #ForeverCanadian

Trump Officials Discussed $500M Alberta Independence Loan, Separatist Claims

Private details from a Washington D.C., meeting about Alberta becoming the 51st state were revealed at a separatism event attended by DeSmog.

www.desmog.com

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David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 3d

Deep dive into the surge in US pedestrian deaths:

"It’s not that more pedestrians are getting hit by vehicles; it’s that the ones that are getting hit are more likely to die."

"[That] seems like fairly strong evidence for the theory that the rise in large SUVs is behind the uptick in ped deaths."

Why Are So Many Pedestrians Killed by Cars in the US?

It’s unfortunately not uncommon for pedestrians to be killed by cars in the US.

www.construction-physics.com

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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 3d

Punching back: After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I’m literally in the fight of my life. Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world, affecting 110,000 Canadians, by Marni Jackson www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... via @theglobeandmail.com

Opinion: After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I’m literally in the fight of my life

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world. More than 110,000 Canadians have the disorder and every day 38 more are diagnosed

www.theglobeandmail.com

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William Nomikos @wnomikos.bsky.social · 6d

Goosebumps watching this. Chicagoans fighting for this country. Mass collective action is the only thing that can keep fascism away.

Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 6d

Michigan Avenue right now.

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CajunBlueAZ ⚜️🇺🇸 🇺🇦 @cajunblue.bsky.social · 6d

🚨🚨🚨Chicago - NOW!🚨🚨🚨
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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 6d

#Russia has had its worst harvest in nearly 2 decades.
per @thetimes.com radio #FoodSecurity

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Wilderness Committee @wildernews.bsky.social · 6d

The study looked at the 200 most destructive fires from 1980 to 2023 — fires with the highest financial costs relative to a nation's GDP — and found their frequency had increased sharply since 2015.

#climatechange #wildfires

What insurance data reveals about how bad wildfires are getting | CBC News

Scientists tapped into 44 years of data to show how these societally destructive wildfires — ones that kill people and cause huge financial losses — are growing all across the world and are becoming...

www.cbc.ca

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Hannah Pumpkins 🎃 🍂 @hannahposts.bsky.social · 7d

Richard Scarry: Fury Road

A Richard Scarry illustration of a skeleton-bone dragster being driven by a little mouse

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 6d

An excellent and inspiring conversation between @petebuttigieg.bsky.social and @hcrichardson.bsky.social:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4diH...

American Conversations: Secretary Pete Buttigieg

YouTube video by Heather Cox Richardson

www.youtube.com

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 6d

Same look in his eyes as Krash Patel

Leia🇨🇴🇺🇸 @theswprincess.bsky.social · 6d

Look at his eyes - pure panic.

These "federal agents" are like clumsy mall cops with guns. No training, no control, no clue.

It’s a miracle they haven’t shot each other yet.

They're a danger to the public.

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Professor Euan Ritchie @euanritchie.bsky.social · 6d

Each day the upper management of different unis seemingly find new ways to disappoint those of us working at universities. I love what I do, it breaks my heart what's been allowed to happen to unis in recent decades. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10... Robodebt for university academic integrity? WT!

University caught out using AI to wrongly accuse students of cheating with AI

An Australian university has accused thousands of its students of cheating with artificial intelligence. The problem? Many have done nothing wrong.

www.abc.net.au

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John Vaillant @johnvaillant.bsky.social · 6d

Cheers, Amy!

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