Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 28m

It means what I said and nothing more.

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 3h

Yes, you have every right.

But I’m not sure if social media criticism of millionaire politicians (who seem to persist regardless) is the best use our energies for liberation. That’s all.

2 4

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 3h

No one’s saying ignore it.

If activism has taught me anything, it’s that some conversations are inside ones and not for being messy in the streets.

Silence is always an option. (H/t Mr. Coates)

1 3

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 3h

To be very clear, I’m not saying “don’t criticize National Dems it’s election time.”

You do you.

But to me, the best use of my energy is to stay locally focused (on making sure our local PD doesn’t collaborate with ICE for ex) so we have a coalition and communities in place before the election

1 3

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 5h

Stop thinking in terms of “fault.”bIt just doesn’t matter.

What’s the most useful thing we can do right now to solve the sewage backup in our house?

Spending a lot of precious energy castigating national-level Dems doesn’t seem like the way.

3 8

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 14h

“It’s built on Drupal”

NinjaKitty 忍者キティ🥷🐈‍⬛ @ninjakitty.bsky.social · 15h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

“School WiFi is down”.

Orthanc @orthanc.nz · 16h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

“Didn't test the restore”

1 3

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 1d

This was a rough week.

The sense of overwhelm with all the ways this administration wants to harm and steal our futures got to me. We’re all so tired.

But this - the Mamdani ad and Katelyn’s response - gave me air today. Thank you for writing this.

None of us are free until all of us are free.

Katelyn Boo-urns @katelynburns.com · 1d

I wrote a little about some of the little details you might have missed in this video and why it hit me so hard as a trans person this morning:

www.burnsnotice.com/you-have-to-...

1 1

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 2d

@utaustin.bsky.social Your alums are watching.

Kathleen Clark @kathleenclark.bsky.social · 2d

A master class from MIT in responding to authoritarian overreach:

Your “premise … is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
… America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking & open competition for excellence.

Dear Madam Secretary,
I write in response to your letter of October 1, inviting MIT to review a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." I acknowledge the vital importance of these matters.
I appreciated the chance to meet with you earlier this year to discuss the priorities we share for American higher education.
As we discussed, the Institute's mission of service to the nation directs us to advance knowledge, educate students and bring knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges.
We do that in line with a clear set of values, with excellence above all. Some practical examples:
• MIT prides itself on rewarding merit. Students, faculty and staff succeed here based on the strength of their talent, ideas and hard work. For instance, the Institute was the first to reinstate the SAT/ACT requirement after the pandemic. And MIT has never had legacy preferences in admissions.
• MIT opens its doors to the most talented students regardless of their family's finances. Admissions are need-blind. Incoming undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000 a year pay no tuition. Nearly 88% of our last graduating class left MIT with no debt for their education. We make a wealth of free courses and low-cost certificates available to any American with an internet connection. Of the undergraduate degrees we award, 94% are in STEM fields. And in service to the nation, we cap enrollment of international undergraduates at roughly 10%.

source:
https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/regarding-compact

• We value free expression, as clearly described in the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. We must hear facts and opinions we don't like - and engage respectfully with those with whom we disagree.
These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they're right, and we live by them because they support our mission - work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law.
The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
In our view, America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education.
As you know, MIT's record of service to the nation is long and enduring. Eight decades ago, MIT leaders helped invent a scientific partnership between America's research universities and the U.S. government that has delivered extraordinary benefits for the American people. We continue to believe in the power of this partnership to serve the nation.
Sincerely,
Sally Kornbluth

9

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 3d

Announcing an undercover operation with a press release is….something.

3

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 4d

New Madrid

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 4d

What’s the word where you’re from that, when pronounced exactly as it looks, identifies a tourist immediately?

2

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 4d

🐻

1

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 4d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

420 9.8K 26K

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

Kevin Gannon (now a Moo Deng fan account) @thetattooedprof.bsky.social · 7d

Notable leftist provocateurs: the...(*checks notes*) Catholic Bishops

Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 7d

“Before the Georgetown roundtable, El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz told RNS he is questioning whether Catholics can, in good conscience, join ICE.”

“The bishop advised Catholics considering joining ICE that ‘you can never attempt to turn off your conscience.’”

religionnews.com/2025/09/12/c...

Catholic bishops call immigration crackdown a 'category 4 storm'

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Before the Georgetown roundtable, El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz told RNS he is questioning whether Catholics can, in good conscience, join ICE.

religionnews.com

3 35 150

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 7d

I was in a talk yesterday and the speaker floated the idea of a “bachelors degree in AI” - I sighed so loudly I almost caused a disturbance.

3

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 8d

I feel like a lot of us have been able to feign enthusiasm for things we’re not particularly enthused about when job hunting. But the AI grift seems almost impossible to evade/defer/pretend to love right now.

I also left any semblance of a poker face behind in my 40s.

1 4

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

Monica Maalouf, MD @maaloufmd.bsky.social · 9d

My husband was detained by ICE today

Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away

I have had zero contact or updates since

#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov

770 14K 27K

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

404 Media @404media.co · 9d

New: Apple just removed ICEBlock, the app for reporting sightings of ICE, from its App Store after DOJ pressure. ICEBlock's developer tells 404 Media "we are determined to fight this."

"Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never the right move."

www.404media.co/iceblock-own...

ICEBlock Owner After Apple Removes App: ‘We Are Determined to Fight This’

Apple removed ICEBlock reportedly after direct pressure from Department of Justice officials. “I am incredibly disappointed by Apple's actions today. Capitulating to an authoritarian regime is never t...

www.404media.co

90 820 1.7K

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 10d

Essential thread.

Ashley C. Ford @smashfizzle.bsky.social · 10d

The conversation between Klein and Coates showed me that a lot of people who screech about “infighting” on the left aren’t aware of the fact that marginalized people have been forced to learn how to regulate their emotions during conflict, and so, are better able to hear what’s actually being said.

4 16

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

Jim @bondcliff.bsky.social · 11d

RIP

5 10 64

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 11d

The left are too busy organizing community patrols to alert people about ICE kidnappings in their neighborhoods. Sit TF down.

5

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 11d

Fix this @apnews.com.

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 11d

BREAKING: Democrats vote down a GOP bill to keep the government open, putting it on track for shutdown after midnight.

Democrats vote down GOP funding bill, putting government on path to shutdown

Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday.

bit.ly

240 770 4.4K

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 12d

Come on SoCal, let’s do this!

Stan Oklobdzija @stano.bsky.social · 14d

Blue cities should tear up the roads in front of ICE facilities and then start decades of community engagement and input sessions to rebuild them. Let's harness our core competencies.

2

Reposted by Jeanine Finn

Aubrey Hirsch @aubreyhirsch.bsky.social · Sep 6

This is obviously just more RFK Jr garbage, but for those who have never been pregnant, you should know that Tylenol is pretty much the *only* medication you can take while you’re pregnant. So, it’s especially uncool for him to try to scare pregnant people off of taking it.

Forbes @forbes.com · Sep 5

Tylenol maker Kenvue denies the connection allegedly made in the report, which is expected to be published by the Department of Health and Human Services this month.

RFK Jr. Report Will Link Autism To Tylenol Use During Pregnancy, Report Says

Tylenol maker Kenvue denies the connection allegedly made in the report, which is expected to be published by the Department of Health and Human Services this month.

www.forbes.com

6 14 78

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 19d

I think there’s also a real commitment to making sure women know their role as baby incubators and god forbid you try and treat your headache while pregnant.

2 20

Jeanine Finn @jftitone.bsky.social · 19d

So…currently in Tokyo and wondering if Tuesday’s rapture happening in EST or did I get left behind already?

3