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Jon Nichols

@jon276.bsky.social
341 followers 256 following 2K posts

Author of “Requiem for a College.” Substack: Loving the Alien. Husband, dog dad, English and rhetoric professor, writer, advocate. University of Berwyn.

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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 12h
“How were we supposed to know?"
slashfilm.com
James Cameron Wrote The Greatest Anti-AI Scene In Movie History – Hollywood Should Take Note - SlashFilm
35 years later and the messaging of Terminator 2: Judgment Day is more relevant than ever. Hollywood (and James Cameron, himself), should pay attention.
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 12h
“Here, we report the first direct detection of auroral radio emission from an exoplanet, the giant planet β Pictoris b, with the MeerKAT array.” arxiv.org/pdf/2609.16720
arxiv.org
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 12h
“This research suggests that when feeding supermassive black holes blast jets of plasma from around them…This has a major effect on how galaxies form stars and thus how they grow and evolve.”
space.com
Supermassive black holes 'kill' their host galaxies using plasma jets as their murder weapons
"The surprising question is: How can something so small energetically impact something so enormous?"
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 13h
A gallery of Glass Microbiology. Here’s herpes…
lukejerram.com
Herpes
Herpes simplex virus (HSV), known as herpes, is a common infection that can cause painful blisters or ulcers. It primarily spreads by skin-to-skin contact. Most people have no symptoms or only mild sy...
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
“Wakaliga Uganda makes action movies with a cast from the Kampala streets, props built out of scrap, desktop special effects and a bucketload of wit.” I admire people who don’t let anything stop them from being creative.
theguardian.com
Wakaliga Uganda review – a blistering superhero movie with hardboiled cops and a nefarious ‘girl with a voluminous bum’
A young man possessed by the spirit of a mythical Buganda warrior leads the film-making collective’s explosive new diatribe against the theft of cultural artefacts – with the help of a ‘video joker’
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
“In late August, NASA asked contractors to prepare to build a nuclear reactor that could survive a space voyage and run without maintenance near the moon’s south pole.”
nytimes.com
Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon (Gift Article)
The United States wants a reactor on the moon by 2030. A Russian-Chinese alliance is working on one for 2036. Some leading scientists say the danger is great.
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
As I say at the beginning of most TV shows I watch: “Oh it’s *this* one.” #metvsuperman
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It probably doesn’t have as much nudity as our current movie. I mean, technically. #houseofsvengoolie #svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
“I’ll try to act like a normal person. I mean, an invisible one, but like…normal, y’know?” #Svengoolie #houseofsvengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I say it’s just as reasonable as “Wicked.” #Svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
“I won’t try to manage anything because I can’t think.” That has *never* stopped a lot of people I’ve worked for. #Svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
After Dorothy left Oz, there was a horrible power struggle between the lullaby League and the Lollipop Guild. Car bombs. Assassinations. Blood on the Yellow Brick Road. #Svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Damn it! Now it’s ruined! #svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I’m just sayin’…Dorothy could be probably get a jury to be pretty sympathetic to her defending her dog. #Svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Clear the air lanes! #Svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
If you’d rather not shop Amazon, the book is also available at Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. #academicsky #selfpromosaturday #selfpromotionsaturday
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The trend of college closings hit me and many others hard. If you’re in higher ed or if you’re a parent shopping for colleges, you need to understand what’s happening. #selfpromosaturday #selfpromotionsaturday #academicsky
amazon.com
Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States
Amazon.com: Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States eBook : Nichols, Jonathan, Colbert, Kate: Kindle Store
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Jeff VanderMeer @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
They quoted me in this New Yorker piece about AI today. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
“Let’s say there’s a world or time line I exist in where A.I. has been subject to regulation. It is ethical. It has no footprint environmentally,” the novelist Jeff VanderMeer, a prominent critic of A.I., told me over the phone. “With those guardrails in place, would I read an A.I. book? All I can say is no. And the reason is, in part, because I want to read something coming from a particular mind.” Using A.I., he said, “feels like a betrayal of the whole point of why you’re a writer.”
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Svengoolie Rich Koz @svengoolieofficial.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The BOO-nanza double features begin Saturday night on MeTV when I present the classic “Wizard of Oz” with the Sven Squad, who follow that with “Invisible Man Returns” with Vincent Price! Special start time- 7 pm eastern/pacific, 6 central time!
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/a...
nytimes.com
An A.I. Songwriting Experiment: Humans Against the Machine (Gift Article)
Five humans convened for a weekend to create new music from scratch. Could they do better than A.I.? Could you even tell the difference?
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Closing colleges are not isolated incidents. They are part of a trend. To find out why we’re in a financial and enrollment crisis, please read “Requiem for a College” link in the reply. #academicsky
entrepreneur.com
Many Colleges Are Closing — A Deeper Enrollment Crisis May Be Ahead
College closures are no longer isolated failures but signs of a deeper enrollment and financial crisis. As student numbers decline, rising costs, debt, and unsustainable operating models are putting m...
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John Warner @biblioracle.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Pleased to report that I put my money where my mouth is on insisting that reviewers be credited by name in pull quotes on books by making sure Joseph Epstein and @lollardfish.bsky.social got their flowers in the paperback edition of More Than Words. www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/john-...
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I’ve often wanted to create art, but I fear how bad I am at it. But what makes art “bad”? At my Substack, I take a virtual trip to the Museum of Bad Art to find out.
jonathannichols2.substack.com
What makes art “bad”?
I take a trip to the Museum of Bad Art to find out
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Gates: “The only question in my mind is: Do we wait until a cyberattack causes massive damage and a bioattack causes massive damage, and then the monitoring safeguards are required in these models to minimize the chance of that happening many, many more times?” @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social
nytimes.com
Opinion | Bill Gates’s Blunt Warning on A.I. (Gift Article)
As A.I. capabilities accelerate, the technologist is shocked by the “complete lack of engagement” with the question of how to manage its risks.
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karin @karinswriting.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
#TeamRhetoric Vy is one of our own. Please boost this message. Any ideas on how to pressure Aetna?
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Huang: “in order to save you, they’ve got to hurt you first — that’s the nature of surgery. They’ve got to cut you open to save you. They’ve got to inflict an enormous amount of pain and suffering on you so that they can save you. And so I think A.I.’s kind of like that.” Insane.
nytimes.com
Opinion | Jensen Huang Thinks A.I. Alarmism Has Gone Too Far (Gift Article)
Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia, does not want you to be afraid of A.I.
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
www.amazon.com/Requiem-Coll...
amazon.com
Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States
Amazon.com: Requiem for a College: The Troubling Trend of College Closures in the United States eBook : Nichols, Jonathan, Colbert, Kate: Kindle Store
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Closing colleges are not isolated incidents. They are part of a trend. To find out why we’re in a financial and enrollment crisis, please read “Requiem for a College” link in the reply. #academicsky
entrepreneur.com
Many Colleges Are Closing — A Deeper Enrollment Crisis May Be Ahead
College closures are no longer isolated failures but signs of a deeper enrollment and financial crisis. As student numbers decline, rising costs, debt, and unsustainable operating models are putting m...
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 26/09/2026
Lisette Lojo spends her nights trying to make sure homeless New Yorkers in Penn Station have a place to eat, sleep, and shower. But only if they want those resources. www.newyorker.com/news/the-wee...
newyorker.com
A Night Living in Penn Station
For the outreach workers trying to place homeless New Yorkers in shelters, each evening presents familiar faces and fresh challenges.
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Yes. I might go read technical manuals. #metvstartrek
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Getting sleepy. Wish this marathon could’ve been during the day. #metvstartrek
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Give a little heart and soul, everybody. Only Gen X is likely to get that. #metvstartrek
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
So, I’ve got tough news for you, Nurse Chapel. #metvstartrek
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Happy 60th, everyone! #metvstartrek
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DaveyGandthe @daveygandthe.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
No past, no future. Kinda like Gen x. #Metvstartrek
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
And the marathon begins! #metvstartrek
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Soak it up. It’s the last Batman for a month. #metvbatman
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DaveyGandthe @daveygandthe.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Well... Just crossed over with my 3,000th follower. Welcome. Thank you for finding me. It's all naps and coffee and music and politics and dumb jokes and #Orioles baseball, #Svengoolie over here. And my zine. daveygandthe.neocities.org
daveygandthe.neocities.org
The web site of daveygandthe
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
What’s your social media secret? 😃
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
All that trauma. And the poor guy is a Steelers fan, too. Man… #Svengoolie #houseofsvengoolie
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Svengoolie Rich Koz @svengoolieofficial.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Join the Sven Squad Saturday night on MeTV for a special sequel directed by the great Tom Savini starring our dear late friend Tony Todd- the remake of “Night of the Living Dead”! The dead walk again at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time!
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Never seen this one. But I know Tony Todd was amazing. #houseofsvengoolie #svengoolie
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
While I like guitar rock (just saw Iron Maiden), I’ve also always been a big fan of synth music. At my Substack, I tussle with whether or not that means I should be more accepting of AI in art.
jonathannichols2.substack.com
A synth fan confronts AI
Can I oppose AI art and still like synth music?
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Joel Tillman @jtillman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I think this is the way for my PhD app SOPs.
Reflecting on my graduate school journey, I am constantly encouraged by peers and supervisors to keep going and find the right path. In my contemplation on past experiences, I come back to the Ghanaian idea of sankofa. Two variants of the symbol present themselves, one as a curled bird, a second as a stylized heart. The symbol translates as “return and get it” and teaches us that we learn and become wiser from our past experiences. In fact, the philosophy claims the converse is taboo, that we must grow in understanding. 
Working as a Community College adjunct has illustrated the concept of Sankofa in my life as a particularly reflective and meaningful experience. My mother went back to school as a single mom when I was in junior high for her nursing degree. So I understand the impact a college degree can have on your career and what it means to the student. This experience is what makes me passionate as an educator and why I believe I can make a difference. As a researcher, I also believe humans reconsider and craft meaning over time and through social interactions. So I’ve learned we need to be true to our unique perspectives to produce authentic and credible research.
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Signed a book deal today. Got to say I’m pretty chuffed.
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John Shirley @johnshirley2024.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
William Shatner's performance (he's 92) with a metal band at Riot Fest is about what you'd think but...what can I say, I admire him for it...
youtube.com
William Shatner and The *uckers- helpmenamethissong05 - Riot Fest 2026 - Chicago, IL - 09-20-2026
YouTube video by sharmony64
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Caddie Alford @caddiealford.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Rob Asen, Jon Carter, + I will be leading a @rhetsoc.bsky.social workshop: "Rhetorical Democracy and Digitality in a Reactionary Era." We'd love to assist w/works-in-progress--please share w/anyone who might be interested! Let us know if want to see the full proposal. #TeamRhetoric #AcademicSky
Image of fractured smiling emoji from Alan Warburton, Better Images of AI project.
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⚡⚡MAD DOCTOR IMPOSSIBLE⚡⚡ @impossiblephd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Hey, #teamrhetoric, theres an active vote of no confidence vote against NCTE's utter failure of leadership and its blatant lies on shutting down C's. Please sign it. theorganizationformerlyknownascccc.com
theorganizationformerlyknownascccc.com
(no title)
Visit the post for more.
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Jon Nichols @jon276.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I haven’t gotten to that interview yet, but I am trying not to go into it already thinking Huang will be offering deflections and false equivalencies. If doesn’t want math taught, then I’m *positive* he doesn’t want writing taught.
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Jeff VanderMeer @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Probably the scariest and also most intellectually rigorous uncanny novel I have ever read. My review for the NYT. Free link. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/b...
nytimes.com
Book Review: ‘The Rouse,’ by China Miéville (Gift Article)
“The Rouse,” by China Miéville, is a decade-spanning epic about a secret military unit trying to raise and weaponize the dead.
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