Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · 4h

Every Manic Pixie Dream Girl is basically a hacky attempt to imitate Diane Keaton's screen persona.

It typically fails because it tries to do without Keaton's intelligence and individuality. But worse, it's a totally solipsistic version: Annie Hall ONLY as seen by Alvy Singer.

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Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens @csmfht.bsky.social · 1d

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Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 23h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · 22h

Diane Keaton was a romantic lead not because she was beautiful, as Hollywood reckons beauty, but because she was funny and charming.

She made her parts better than the scripts themselves deserved. She had to.

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Damnèd Screamvens @thehighsign.bsky.social · 23h

In the original Broadway cast of Hair, 1968 (photo by Richard Avedon)

B & W photo of Diane Keaton with the original cast of Hair. She has her hands to her face and a startled, somewhat bleary expression, as if she's emerging from a daze.

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CMA: European Painting and Sculpture @cmaeuropeanpaint.bsky.social · 2d

Portrait of a Woman https://clevelandart.org/art/1944.93

In his 1642 address to the painter’s guild in Leiden, the artist Philips Angel said that the greatest painters could properly distinguish among a range of fabrics. In order to create the dazzling costume worn by this graceful woman, Terborch would have set up a mannequin with satin drapery so that he could closely observe and record every gradation of reflected light. Terborch built up the shimmering fabric with a network of fine flicks and sweeps of the brush, occasionally adding and wiping away tiny bits of paint to make the dress shine.

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It’s Alive! Barker @kellylink.bsky.social · 4d

y'all, this book is the one if you love magic, revolution, and words—imagine Miyazaki & Russell Hoban & the Bread and Puppet Theater all hanging out together

Jedediah Berry @jedediahberry.bsky.social · 4d

1) bookshop.org is offering free shipping today
2) The Naming Song is just out in paperback
3) bookshop.org sells many other excellent books, some with trains, some without
4) I was driving alongside a train for a minute yesterday and it was awesome
5) Thank you

bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

The Naming Song

Check out The Naming Song - A gorgeously imaginative fantasy in the spirit of Hayao Miyazaki and Guillermo del Toro. “The Naming Song understands the fundamental magic of langu...

bookshop.org

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Apex Magazine (is funding for 2026!) 🎉 @apexmag.bsky.social · 4d

WE'RE 30% FUNDED!! 🎉🎉🎉 Apex will be open to nonfiction pitches FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! ✨

Want to unlock the next chapter of Apex? Please consider backing our Kickstarter and help us keep publishing the strange, surreal, shocking, beautiful stories you love!

Apex Magazine 2026

An award-winning digital literary magazine of science fiction, dark fantasy, and horror.

www.kickstarter.com

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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 11d

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

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Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 11d

"A.I." doth keepe showinge up yn productes lyke that annoyinge relative doth keepe showinge up at familye gatheringes

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James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 11d

Pro tip: If "Harvard and Trump" are in the news, start with @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social for the most up-to-date and well-sourced coverage.

Their story right now: www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Trump Claims White House Has Struck Deal With Harvard | News | The Harvard Crimson

President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday in the Oval Office that the White House had “reached a deal” with Harvard, before cautioning that the agreement had not been finalized.

www.thecrimson.com

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · 12d

“…there’s still time to disenchant AI, to provincialize it, to make it uncompelling and uncool.”

www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the...

Large Language Muddle | The Editors

The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize any number of dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the ...

www.nplusonemag.com

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · 15d

Doesn’t Islam actually teach this?

(That he’a a prophet who will return, but not the ultimate prophet and certainly not divine.)

If the pollsters can distinguish between three types of Protestant, maybe they could distinguish between say, Muslims and Buddhists.

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The Volatile Mermaid @ohnoshetwitnt.bsky.social · 19d

Something I think we’re not talking about enough with all this autism bullshit is how, no matter what, it’s always blamed on the pregnant mother.

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Helena Fitzgerald @hellafitzgerald.bsky.social · 18d

Claudia Cardinale and Robert Redford dying in the same week puts the world in a hotness deficit not seen since at least the 19th century

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Carole V. Bell @cvbell.bsky.social · 21d

Last night was the 90th anniversary ceremony of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. I can’t think of a more relevant time to reflect on books that help us understand race and human diversity. Grateful to the jury led by the brilliant Natasha Tretheway and to the Cleveland Foundation.

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wobblerocket 🎲🎮 @wobblerocket.com · 24d

As you cancel streaming services, here is a casual reminder that only 16% of Americans read for pleasure anymore, and your local library has hundreds or thousands of books you haven't read.

They would love to see you stop by and renew your library card.

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Daniel Feshbach @danielprime.bsky.social · 24d

How to delete your account without agreeing to the new TOS:

In the dialogue box asking you to agree, DO NOT click agree. Instead, click on the TOS link which will open another tab. In the top right of that tab you can go to your account settings and delete your account.

Ordinary Notes @hystericalblkns.bsky.social · 25d

If you’re on academia dot edu, let me suggest that you strongly consider deleting your account.

The new TOC from academia dot edu.

By creating an Account with Academia.edu, you grant us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable license, permission, and consent for Academia.edu to use your Member Content and your personal information (including, but not limited to, your name, voice, signature, photograph, likeness, city, institutional affiliations, citations, mentions, publications, and areas of interest) in any manner, including for the purpose of advertising, selling, or soliciting the use or purchase of Academia.edu's Services.

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Dr. Sheila 🦇-is🎃n 🧛🏻‍♀️ @drsaddison.bsky.social · 25d

Academia.edu wants permanent rights to your likeness, signature, voice, name, etc. to be used in any setting. My answer was "absolutely not." Log in, click on "privacy policy" when prompted to accept the new terms (don't accept!" then find "account settings" @ dropdown, scroll down to delete.

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · 25d

This

Gabino Iglesias @gabino.bsky.social · Sep 11

Writing is amazing, but publishing is a different story. If you’re going to put yourself through publishing, make sure you write the stuff you love. Always.

Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · 26d

Wait, a shaky supposition about Shakespeare confidently presented as fact?

The short answer is no. We have no idea what he played.

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · Sep 11

“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to ask for whom the bell tolls.”

-John Donne, Meditation XVII, Devotions on Emergent Occasions

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Barack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · Sep 10

We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · Sep 10

Happy namesake-rubbed-out-by-the-Mob-OTD-in-history-day to all who celebrate.

Wait. I guess that’s just me.

Anyway, my Mafia namesake got rubbed out #OTD in 1931. Cheers.

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Jim Marino @jamesjmarino.bsky.social · Sep 8

Okay. I'm grateful for your time.

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