Author | Lightnews

Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · 2d

John Irving is one of my favorite writers. "A Prayer for Owen Meany" is a forever book for me. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/s...

www.nytimes.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · 25d

#Beekeeping goals. youtu.be/1h6K_cS0m_w?...

The Hive Architect | Saving Britain's Wild Bees

YouTube video by Fera

youtu.be

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Oct 6

People! PEOPLE! @marthawells.com new book Queen Demon comes out tomorrow and I've got the audiobook on preorder and I am SO FREAKIN' EXCITED!!1!

If you haven't read Witch King and love smart fantasy adventure with incredible worldbuilding (and a great narrator if you like audiobooks), try it!

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Aug 22

Are you a #webdeveloper? Interested in the #boardgame space? GAMA (the Game Manufacturers Association) has issued an RFP for a web developer to revamp our site. Download the PDF for details. Proposals due Sept. 22. Hope to hear from you! bit.ly/41iLKYI

GAMA RFP Web Developer 8.22.25.pdf

Shared with Dropbox

bit.ly

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Aug 14

Great news from my hometown of #NorthLittleRock, #Arkansas! www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/au...

$2 million project to honor Arkansas music history announced in North Little Rock's Argenta Plaza | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

A $2 million project dedicated to honoring the legacy of Arkansas' music history was announced Tuesday in downtown North Little Rock's Argenta Historic District.

www.arkansasonline.com

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Reposted by Eric J. Francis (he/him)

Professor KPA 🗃️😷 @kpanyc.bsky.social · Aug 7

Stealing text from books written by PhDs and using probability-based algorithms to scramble that text up to make answers that *sound* *like* a person with a PhD answered them is not in fact PhD-level intelligence or expertise. It does tell us something about the people selling and using this slop

NBC News @nbcnews.com · Aug 7

OpenAI releases the newest version of the AI model that powers its popular ChatGPT chatbot, with CEO Sam Altman promoting it as like having a “team of Ph.D. level experts in your pocket.”

OpenAI releases GPT-5, calling it a ‘team of Ph.D. level experts in your pocket’

OpenAI says its latest version of the popular AI model is better at coding, more accurate and less deceptive than previous versions.

nbcnews.to

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Aug 7

When I was very little, we had a (poorly trained and socialized) poodle that terrorized us until it ran away. That left a deep dislike of the breed for me until, as an adult, I made friends with a couple who had poodles and they were... wonderful. Just stupendous dogs.

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Aug 7

Who is responsible for us living in the worst timeline? I'd like to lodge a complaint.

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Jun 9

Reading list: locusmag.com/2025/06/2024...
#scifi #books #Nebula

2024 Nebula Awards Winners

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) has announced the winners for the 2024 Nebula Awards in Kansas City and via YouTube. The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award was pres…

locusmag.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Jun 9

Congrats @wiswell.bsky.social on your Nebula Award for Best Novel! :) #scifi #reading #books #authors

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Jun 3

I love @byjenamiller.bsky.social's newsletter, and this weeks is especially good. Not only for the great take on the AI book review scandal, but her love for two awesome shows: Call the Midwife and Miss Austen. :) jenamiller.com/notes-from-a...

Notes from a Hired Pen: On that guy who used AI to 'write' book reviews - Jen A. Miller

Readers! I said on Linkedin that I probably had thoughts on a recent freelancer-related news story. In case you missed it, a freelancer writer used AI to “write” book reviews (and some other things) f...

jenamiller.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · May 16

Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/u...

Some Republicans Push to Put School Desegregation Officially in the Past

www.nytimes.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · May 12

I am privileged to have known @jordanphickey.bsky.social as a journalism colleague and a friend. He's a great writer and a great human being, and this @longreads.com story is a shining example of both.

Jordan P. Hickey @jordanphickey.bsky.social · May 7

Some exciting personal news:

Looks like the @longreads.com piece that I wrote about Amanda Arafat and her family was named a #JamesBeard finalist in profile writing this morning. Thrilled and humbled because that's some pretty impressive company to be in — but especially glad that this very 1/3

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · May 6

Rand Paul doesn't come close to being someone I admire, but he is 100% right here: Congress must stop the never-ending "emergency" and the Trump Administration's rule by fiat, and Republicans that refuse to do so are cowards. youtu.be/aOK2NW7Va6E?...

BREAKING: Rand Paul Decries Congressional 'Cowardice' As He Explains Vote To End Trump's Tariffs

YouTube video by Forbes Breaking News

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · May 6

Good journalism will always be relevant. Here's a reading list. www.pulitzer.org/prize-winner...

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www.pulitzer.org

Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · May 4

This middle-aged English major word nerd cannot overstate his love for the good works of @ellecordova.bsky.social. youtu.be/ib7jyxfUNMo?...

The Errorist strikes again!

YouTube video by Elle Cordova

youtu.be

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Apr 23

"The woodpecker could not be reached for comment." #NatureIsMetal www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/u...

A Coastal New England Town’s ‘Ornery’ Vandal: A Woodpecker (Gift Article)

More than 20 vehicles in a town on Cape Ann, Mass., have been damaged by a woodpecker in mating season. “You still see him out here,” one resident said. “Peck, peck, peck, peck.”

www.nytimes.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Apr 22

I am going on the record as a native white Southerner that "Confederate heritage" is glorifying slavery, Jim Crow, racism, and defiance of the rule of law. Dissenters should examine the articles of succession Southern states passed, which pretty much all state they're seceding to keep slavery.

Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Apr 22

Great essay!

Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Apr 22

An excellent op-ed about #Andor and #resistance www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/o...

Opinion | Watching ‘Andor’ Is No Substitute for Actual Resistance (Gift Article)

I have always found the praise for the show’s revolutionary politics to be at odds with the means of its production.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Eric J. Francis (he/him)

Abby @arobertswrites.com · Apr 21

For $0.00 you can read what Bret Devereaux (of ACOUP fame) called an "absolute banger of a Tolkien essay" and what my mom (of giving birth to me fame) called "very timely and relevant": "What Lies and Threats: Nationalist Myth-Making in The Lord of the Rings" on @speculativeinsight.bsky.social!

What Lies and Threats — Speculative Insight

Abby Roberts examines the use of national myth-making in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

www.speculativeinsight.com

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Reposted by Eric J. Francis (he/him)

Mary Fissell @maryfissell.bsky.social · Apr 22

Dr. Josephine Baker fought for milk testing in lower Manhattan over a century ago, where babies were 7 times more likely to die than WWI US soldiers in the trenches. Milk was often adulterated with chalk and germ-y water. Today the FDA stopped testing milk due to lack of staff. Shame on you, Trump.

pictures of physician Sara Josephine Baker dressed in tweed suit & tie in 1922

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Reposted by Eric J. Francis (he/him)

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · Apr 22

Markets seem to be slowly discovering what close Trump watchers have known for years. Better late than never.

Today's Morning Shots, from @eggerdc.bsky.social and @cathyyoung63.bsky.social:

The Market Is Discovering Trump May Be Crazy

It’s not just the tariffs Wall Street hates—it’s the impulsiveness of the president behind them.

www.thebulwark.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Apr 22

Bravo to Stonemaier Games and all the other #boardgame publishers pushing back with legal action against the #tariffs. stonemaiergames.com/we-are-suing...

We Are Suing the President

We are joining a lawsuit that will challenge the unchecked authority of the executive branch to impose tariffs. We will not stand idly by while our livelihoods–and the livelihoods of thousand…

stonemaiergames.com

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Eric J. Francis (he/him) @ericjfrancis.bsky.social · Apr 9

I cannot overstate how excited I am about this. #Murderbot @marthawells.com #FFSRatthi youtu.be/vEioDeOiqEs?...

Murderbot — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

YouTube video by Apple TV

youtu.be

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