Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 43m

With all science conservatives want to make it about individuals, but experts don't expect anyone to trust them, that's why they publish their methods and data and submit to peer review. Charlatans and snake oil salesmen expect you to trust them, experts don't.

Barbara Sobel @barbarasobel.bsky.social · 16h

RFK Jr: We need to stop trusting the experts... Trusting the experts is not a feature of science or democracy, it's a feature of religion and totalitarianism.

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Reposted by Jim Metcalf

Matthew Budman, book guy @matthewbudman.bsky.social · Oct 20

Thanks for this, Mike! I've been ordering from EcoEnclose for years. In my experience, the big problem with convincing people to switch is Uline's admittedly high quality. Great to see alternatives that might better align with buyers' values without forcing them to compromise on standards.

Refuse Uline

Uline is a purposely political company aligned with extreme right-wing ideology. Despite their politics, millions of small businesses and artists still use ULINE completely unaware of what their dolla...

refuseuline.com

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Reposted by Jim Metcalf

The Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute @dairinstitute.bsky.social · 18h

In the latest episode of Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000, journalist @reveleth.com joins @alexhanna.bsky.social & @emilymbender.bsky.social to talk about how tech bosses love science fiction novels, but can't seem to understand them!

Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2126417/epis...

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Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 1d

As a member of the geoscience community I’d like to remind everyone that rocks are more scared of you than you are of them and only attack when cornered or defending their young cobbles.

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Josh Sternberg @joshsternberg.com · 2d

This John Oliver segment on the disaster that is Bari Weiss does a great job of explaining why this particular grift is so bad/dangerous.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gieT...

Bari Weiss: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight

www.youtube.com

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Dr. Kim Hannula @stressrelated.bsky.social · 4d

Started a new thread about SW Colorado flooding. I shouldn't have joked about ending the drought; 7000 cfs will be devastating to the community along Vallecito Creek.

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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 7d

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

nyti.ms

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Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 7d

Suisun, CA

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 7d

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

Reposted by Jim Metcalf

George Wallace @mrgeorgewallace.bsky.social · 14d

If museums are makin' you sad, maybe blame your great, great grandpa instead of the museums.

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Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 14d

The implication of this lie is of course that you can determine someone’s citizenship status just by looking at them, which is some typical republican racist assholery.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14d

Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"

Reposted by Jim Metcalf

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14d

Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"

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PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 @patriottakes.bsky.social · 14d

Jane Goodall on Donald Trump: “I see the same sort of behavior as a male chimpanzee will show when he’s competing for dominance with another

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Johnnnnnnnn @johnnewhouse.bsky.social · 14d

lol, wrong almost half the time

Microsoft says its agent mode in excel has an accuracy rate of 57.2 percent in SpreadsheetBench, a benchmark for evaluating an AI model’s ability to edit real world spreadsheets.

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Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 16d

“White nationalist tattoos are totes professional of course”

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16d

Hegseth: "It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the secretary of war can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force. Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals."

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Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 16d

“I will now ceremonially discharge Goose, who wasn’t buff enough to go shirtless on the beach”

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 16d

Hegseth is so fixated on physical fitness and grooming standards I keep waiting for him to call for a return to the glory days when our top Navy pilots would compete in sexy shirtless beach volleyball games.

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samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 17d

here are some helpful steps for academics who are considering creating genAI images to use for lab branding:

1. don't

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Reposted by Jim Metcalf

WuTangIsForTheChildren @wutangforchildren.bsky.social · 17d

ICE Nazis in Chicago tried to kidnap a food delivery worker but my man was too fast for those slow bastards

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Reposted by Jim Metcalf

Glen @vaguebiscuit.bsky.social · 19d

Well don't I feel stupid

A headline about the James Webb Telescope potentially finding a new stellar object dubbed a black hole star

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Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 22d

Sharing for this strong opening graf.

“President Trump, a slumlord at heart, is quietly halting enforcement of the Fair Housing Act...”

newrepublic.com/post/200749/...

Whistleblowers Sound Alarm on Trump’s Assault on Fair Housing Act

The Trump administration is eroding enforcement of the landmark civil rights law, claiming it’s DEI nonsense.

newrepublic.com

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Kyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 23d

I interrupt all the misery in this world for 90 seconds on whether chili is soup.

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Ryan Ritter @ndtex.gamin4aven.org · 24d

It’s time for Butker far right jokes. Get them in.

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Jim Metcalf @thermochronic.bsky.social · 24d

What movie do you consider “perfect”

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jenn m. jackson @jennmjacksonphd.bsky.social · Sep 15

When I was placed on the Professor Watchlist in 2021, people sent death threats about my children. I had security officers monitor my 8yo at school.

Where is all the outrage for those of us who have been targeted for years? Where is the outrage for our families?

My own colleagues are silent.

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Reposted by Jim Metcalf

Lee Drake @leedrake.bsky.social · Sep 8

You cant’ be admitted into college on the basis of race, but you sure as hell can be put in jail for it according to the Supreme Court

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Sep 8

Breaking News: The Supreme Court lifted restrictions on ICE agents in Los Angeles, allowing them to make indiscriminate stops based on factors like ethnicity.

Supreme Court Lifts Restrictions on L.A. Immigration Stops

A federal judge had ordered agents not to make indiscriminate stops relying on factors like a person’s ethnicity or that they speak Spanish.

nyti.ms

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