Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 1h

Do the stealth UI changes and ever-changing thumbnails on videos that YouTube does make anyone else feel like they're being constantly low-key gaslit? Like i swear I watched this video but now it has a different thumbnail or title, or the player bar looks a little different but I can't say how.

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That pigeon fellow @schwagarts.bsky.social · 8h

happy #portfolioday y’all

I’m a fantasy illustrator with a love of mythical themes and cheeky characters.

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 8h

Extremely disappointing and repulsive that you'd push such blatant fraud, as well as support the open destruction of culture and information that genAI has enabled. Not to mention the utter indignity of using a dead actor's image for this slop.

S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 10h

Republicans are dead-set on completely destroying the US's ability to do basic science and exploration. They intend to completely undo the enlightenment and plunge the country into an era of religious fundamentalism and intellectual stagnancy.

Reuters @reuters.com · 1d

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers reut.rs/4302N2L

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said on Monday it will cut nearly 550 jobs as part of a restructuring, not related to the current U.S. government shutdown.

reut.rs

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 10h

If the majority support taxing the rich more, how do they then also "favor spending cuts over tax hikes"? This headline is contradictory.

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 12h

what is it that makes these people view history like a game of civ?

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 1d

sci-fi that's a utopia because they abolished all forms of social media outside of forums and usenet

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 1d

lol. lmao even

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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 3d

So now the Administration are saying that the mass firing of CDC scientists, including many responsible for preventing outbreaks, was an “error” and many will be brought back.

Whether by intention or incompetence, dismantling public health will kill people.

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 3d

Read or listen to anything Ed Zitron has been reporting on for like the last year. It's all one massive grift propped up by empty promises and ridiculously irresponsible capex.

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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 3d

They have fired the staff of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and 70 Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, who are disease detectives that respond to outbreaks around the world.

I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is to dismantle our disease surveillance infrastructure.

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Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 3d

For more information about the Friday night massacre at CDC, I wrote up an analysis of who got terminated and what that means for public health.

Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble.

rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...

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Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 4d

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · 4d

Russell Vought, OMB Director, is using this shutdown to further the aims of Project 2025. He is slashing the federal workforce, and dismantling our agencies.

This is not just a shutdown standoff — it's finishing the job of DOGE. Take action for federal workers here! zurl.co/up9de

Poster graphic reading: This isn’t just a shutdown standoff. Project 2025 aims to critically slash our federal workforce and dismantle our agencies. Doge already laid off 300k. Project 2025’s real goal? At least 1 Million federal employees laid off. In bold red highlighted text: Vought wants to finish the job.

Highlighted text at top of graphic reads: Solidarity with federal workers! In red text below: Take Action!
Two blue bubbles read: Call Congress and let them know: Stop Vought! and Stand with Federal Workers! Links in our Bio to sign:
A list of petitions: Solidarity with NASA, EPA, FEMA, NIH

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 4d

What are the logistics like for international students, particularly coming from the US? Is there support for things like housing?

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 4d

I think I recall a YouTube engineering channel roundly debunked this idea a year or two ago.

S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 4d

Thank you!

S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 4d

No one ever accused The Expanse of having good worldbuilding

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 5d

I can't believe we're getting a Minecraft movie sequel before an End update

S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 5d

Beautiful. About how long is the tail here? I want to try to capture this comet soon but I need to get my mount patched up first.

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 5d

In this case the neurodegenerative aspects of repeated COVID infection probably play a role

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 5d

Not good! Really hoping the programs I'm apply to don't cancel (I know one doesn't plan on canceling this cycle so at least I have that assurance)

Laura Lopez @ohdearz.bsky.social · 6d

So far the astronomy PhD programs that have cancelled admissions are Washington, Michigan State, and Case Western.

Meg Schwamb @megschwamb.bsky.social · 7d

Sad to see the University of Washington Astronomy Department has suspended graduate admissions for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. astro.washington.edu/graduate-adm...

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S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 6d

If I wasn't poor I'd just replace it with a Losmandy G11G and be done with it

S.M. Pritchard @smpritchard.bsky.social · 6d

Scope is gonna be out of commission for a while until I fix the power connector (the AVX uses a twist-lock design that can easily cause the wires inside to twist and short). Hopefully should be a simple repair once I get the supplies.

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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 6d

🎵 They did the Monster Slash 😭 @ellecordova.bsky.social

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