Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Rebecca Raskin

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 5d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

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Rebecca Raskin @rjraskin.bsky.social · 4d

I wrote about celebrities and worms, but more importantly, how worms are a major global health problem.

Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · 5d

Do we all have worms?
#Worms have been all over celebrity news lately, and there are a lot of TikTok creators who are selling worm “#cleanses.” But the average person in the United States isn’t usually infected by worms.
Get the full story from Rebecca Raskin-Wish:

Do we all have worms?

Worms have been all over celebrity news lately, and there are a lot of TikTok creators who are selling worm “cleanses.” But the average person in the United States isn’t usually infected by worms.

thosenerdygirls.substack.com

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Rebecca Raskin @rjraskin.bsky.social · 15d

Aaron and Claire have some incredible stew recipes! aaronandclaire.com/category/sou...

SOUP & STEW Archives - Aaron and Claire

SOUP & STEW - Korean Food, Korean Food Recipes, Korean Recipes, Korean Cuisine, Korean Food Cooking, Koreans traditional Recipes, Koreans Cooking Recipes, Korean Dishes, Korean Meal, Korean Appetizer,...

aaronandclaire.com

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Pavel @spavel.bsky.social · 18d

I've been telling people for years that there is a difference between *reducing cost* and *moving cost around* - and LLMs are only doing the latter.

Maybe now that there is a study, they will listen...oh, who am I kidding.

AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity

Despite a surge in generative AI use across workplaces, most companies are seeing little measurable ROI. One possible reason is because AI tools are being used to produce “workslop”—content that appea...

hbr.org

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Rebecca Raskin @rjraskin.bsky.social · 27d

Just me again, writing about all the health videos on TikTok

Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · 27d

Despite the discussions on social media, #statins are a safe and effective medication option for lowering “bad” #cholesterol. Statins reduce the risk of heart events.
⬇️⬇️
thosenerdygirls.substack.com/p/why-are-pe...?

Why are people on social media worried about statins?

Despite the discussions on social media, statins are a safe and effective medication option for lowering “bad” cholesterol. Statins reduce the risk of heart events.

thosenerdygirls.substack.com

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Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · Jul 29

If this scheme unleashes mass roundups and forced incarceration, decree would take us further down the road of cruel authoritarianism that other anti-democratic leaders have pursued. Forget anodyne terms such as “civil commitment,” which disguise a brutal and inhumane approach to homelessness.

Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · Jul 29

Treating homelessness with a police force and curtailing strategies that work—all while slashing funding for the social safety net—is the sort of cruel, red-meat performative politics that juices up the MAGA base but does nothing to address the problem.
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

Words & Phrases We Can Do Without

‘Civil commitment’ means locking up people without housing

open.substack.com

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Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · Jul 12

Heavy metals, like lead, can build up in the body and cause poisoning or toxicity. For most people, this is unlikely to happen from everyday exposures.
Read the full post from Rebecca Raskin-Wish here: thosenerdygirls.substack.com/p/whats-the-...

What’s the deal with heavy metal poisoning?

Heavy metals, like lead, can build up in the body and cause poisoning or toxicity. For most people, this is unlikely to happen from everyday exposures.

thosenerdygirls.substack.com

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Reposted by Rebecca Raskin

Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · Jul 7

NEW: The country's top medical and public health professional societies are suing RFK Jr for unlawful anti-science changes to government vaccine guidelines.

APHA Joins Leading Medical Professional Societies, Patients Sue HHS, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for Unlawful, Unilateral Vaccine Changes

AAP, ACP, APHA, IDSA, MPHA, and SMFM Join Together to Stop Assault on Public Health

Today, the American Public Health Association (APHA) joins the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Physicians (ACP), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Massachusetts Public Health Alliance (MPHA), Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), and a pregnant physician, filed suit in American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to defend vaccine policy, and to put an end to the Secretary’s assault on science, public health and evidence-based medicine.

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Kelsey Atherton @atherton.bsky.social · Jun 30

Folks did you know you can just buy "Bad Jews" by @emilyctamkin.bsky.social? It's true! Maybe get a copy
for yourself and another for the Fox-addled in your life. www.harpercollins.com/products/bad...

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Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · Jun 26

This is not the "Republican Party." It is the Fourth Estate carrying water for a Narrative™️ it is desperate to tell.

Today in "neither our media nor our political system is designed to deal with a far right authoritarian party"

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · May 30

Busting up big corporations and tackling Wall Street’s greed.

Getting big money out of politics.

Strengthening unions and fighting for higher wages.

Medicare for all, paid leave, universal childcare...

This is the progressive populist agenda we need in America.

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Hector Diaz @iamhectordiaz.com · May 8

A Chicago Pope implies the existence of an MLA Pope and APA Pope

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Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · May 2

For most healthy people, full-body #MRIs aren’t necessary. It’s much more important to work with your provider and discuss your own risks and #health goals.
Read the full post by @rjraskin.bsky.social here:
thosenerdygirls.substack.com/p/i-keep-hea...

I keep hearing about full-body MRIs. Are they worth it?

For most healthy people, no, full-body MRIs aren’t necessary. It’s much more important to work with your provider and discuss your own risks and health goals.

thosenerdygirls.substack.com

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Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD @drenderturmaud.bsky.social · May 1

So many ✨incredible✨ professionals have signed up to attend Take Your Kid to Publishing Day! Like… Ivan Taurisano @amynielsen.bsky.social
@naomikirsten.bsky.social @bookfairyangus.bsky.social & more! Please keep sharing about this FREE #kidlit event so more kids can join the fun! #writingcommunity

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD @drenderturmaud.bsky.social · Apr 10

📣 Information for the summer 25 “Take Your Kid to Publishing Day!” free/virtual event is ✨LIVE✨ ! If you have a child interested in registering, or are an #agent/#editor/ author wanting to participate, find the link for more info below. Please 🔁! #kidlit

danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-ren...

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Chris Ingraham @cingraham.bsky.social · Apr 25

A couple years ago the people banning books were like "we're not banning books we're just removing them from schools, you can still get them elsewhere" and now here we are

Authors Against Book Bans @authorsabb.bsky.social · Apr 25

Texas! House Bill 1375 would allow civil suits against any bookstore that allowed children access to content the plaintiffs feel is “harmful to minors.” Most bookstores don't have the money to defend themselves against these suits. Add a public comment while it's still in committee.

House Public Comment

The purpose of this form is to aid Texas residents in electronically submitting public comments to House committees on measures or matters included on public hearing notices.

comments.house.texas.gov

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Usha Lee McFarling @usha.bsky.social · Apr 25

“Science and medicine in the USA are being violently dismembered while the world watches.” The Lancet calls for Kennedy’s resignation. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Supporting medical science in the USA

The pursuit of rigorous medical science is not compatible with capitulation to government demands aimed at weaponising and eroding science. On April 14, Edwin R Martin Jr, the Trump-appointed interim ...

www.thelancet.com

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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · Apr 24

No exaggeration, deep sea mining could cause the massive collapse of the entire deep sea ecosystem and food chain.

This is an existential risk to every person on this planet.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/c...

Trump Takes a Major Step Toward Seabed Mining in International Waters

A new executive order pits the United States against the rest of the world over the question of who can exploit mineral resources in shared waters.

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Rebecca Raskin

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · Apr 15

1/4. On the White House’s theory, if they abduct you, get you on a helicopter, get to international waters, shoot you in the head, and drop your corpse into the ocean, that is legal, because it is the conduct of foreign affairs.

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Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · Apr 6

Looking for a reliable source of practical and science-based health information straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our Substack and help amplify Nerdy voices (now more than ever).

thosenerdygirls.substack.com

News from Those Nerdy Girls | Substack

Your trusted messengers for practical and factual health information. Click to read News from Those Nerdy Girls, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

thosenerdygirls.substack.com

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Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · Apr 4

To learn more, read the full post by Nerdy Girl Rebecca Raskin-Wish @rjraskin.bsky.social here:
thosenerdygirls.org/nad-suppleme...

#supplements #NAD+ #publichealth #ThoseNerdyGirls

What’s up with NAD+ supplements?

NAD+ is heralded by celebrities as the fountain of youth, but there’s no solid evidence to back that up.Though NAD+ shows some early promising benefits in

thosenerdygirls.org

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Rebecca Raskin @rjraskin.bsky.social · Mar 5

Not to repost my own writing, but...

Those Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · Feb 27

#NAD+ is heralded by celebrities as the fountain of youth, but there’s no solid evidence to back that up. Though NAD+ shows some early promising benefits in animal studies and some human trials, there isn’t really enough data yet.⤵️
thosenerdygirls.org/nad-suppleme...
#supplements

What’s up with NAD+ supplements?

NAD+ is heralded by celebrities as the fountain of youth, but there’s no solid evidence to back that up.Though NAD+ shows some early promising benefits in

thosenerdygirls.org

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Reposted by Rebecca Raskin

Charles Ghoul-ba ✡️ @charlesgaba.com · Feb 24

🚨 NEW: House Republicans in 29 competitive districts are about to rip healthcare away from up to 29% of their constituents.

I've broken out all 29 of them.

acasignups.net/25/02/24/hou...

House Republicans in competitive districts are about to rip healthcare away from up to 29% of their constituents.

I recently posted Congressional District-level breakouts of total enrollment in ACA Exchange Qualified Health Plans & Basic Health Plans, Medicaid/CHIP programs as well as Medicare. You can view the m...

acasignups.net

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Prof Julia Steinberger 🌹🌱🌍 #ClimateAction #Fightfascism @jksteinberger.bsky.social · Feb 23

As promised, here are the slides I shared with students to convince them to NOT use chatGPT and other artificial stupidity.

TL;DR? AI is evil, unsustainable and stupid, and I'd much rather they use their own brains, make their own mistakes, and actually learn something. 🪄

NO CHATGPT Or other artificial stupidity: motivation
First, clarity on distinguishing AIs:
Non-generative: grammar aid, translation, dictionary, text-to-audio (e.g. Natural Reader): no problem
As long as you use the appropriate tools (least intensive in data and server energy use).
Why? Because you provide the content. Your brain is doing the most important work
Generative: ChatGPT & Co.
You only supply the prompt, the AI supplies the content.
Why is this delegation of work problematic?
3 domains: ethical, environmental, intellectual engagement.

(Caveat: generative is probably ok for computer programming, where it can be useful and save time. Not relevant to this class.)

1) AI and ethics
Mass theft of all and everything
«learning» on books, articles, blogs, social media, images, music, cultural production, without permission of authors/creators, and leading to their mass joblessness. Profits are not reditributed to originators.
Permanent destruction of the mental health of underpaid precarious tech workers in the Global South (Kenya, Philippines …):
«correction» to avoid production of violent and pedophile contents etc, tech workers are obliged to watch and correct super violent contents for days on end, leading to extreme psychological suffering and trauma, from which recovery is doubtful. No or little compensation (certainly not at the level of the suffering inflicted).
In short, an industry built on theft of real human creation and sacrifice of real human health, profiting a few megafortunes.

2) AI and (un)sustainability

Massive consumption of electricity, water, server capacity for generative AI.
Outcome: keep fossil fuel companies in business, using up new renewable capacity, without any satisfaction of basic human needs.
Massive misappropriation of the finance necessary for climate and ecological action (renewable generation, efficiency and retrofit for buildings, public transit, infrastructures for cycling etc) towards AI industry.
Overall: undermine climate action, reinforce fossil industry, waste resources necessary for human development.

3) AI and intellectual engagement

First, what learning is (or should be) about:
The goal should not (only) be the reproduction of «correct» knowledge,
But mainly personal engagement and experience of thinking about topics of interest. Personal engagement = using one’s own brain.
The most important activity for learning and intellectual engagement is the experience of making one’s own mistakes, by trial and error, corrections based on new ideas, starting over again. Learning to recognise nuances, knowledge gaps, better explanations
This kind of learning is possible only through using your own brain, not AI.
Also, Ais are not «intelligent». At all.
They simply reproduce pre-existing patterns. They «bullshit», invent false references, false facts, false data, simply because those sound plausible. VERY DANGEROUS.
If you learn how to NOT use AI, and how to research facts and data on your own, this will serve you and your communities for the rest of your life.

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Seth Maxon @methsaxon.bsky.social · Feb 20

New from @emilyctamkin.bsky.social on how down is not up: “Zelensky had simply said that Trump was living in a ‘disinformation space.’ That is only an attack on Trump if one considers telling the truth to be an attack on the president’s authority. Evidently, Vance does.“ slate.com/news-and-pol...

Other Countries See Trump for Exactly What He Is

He wants us to disbelieve our own eyes and memories. Ukraine’s neighbors have seen it all before.

slate.com

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Liz Neeley @lizneeley.bsky.social · Feb 15

We do this all to stay focused, not flooded. I share the sense we’ve made in a late Friday night debrief.

There is a lot to feel sad & sick about. I can’t tell you things will be okay, but I can tell you A LOT about efforts to make it better.

This was week 4.

buttondown.com/liminalcreat...

Week 4

Figuring out what to focus on now & what to focus on next in science and higher ed

buttondown.com

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