Re: "the emissions are 100 billion times brighter than those from the Sun"
No, it's a jet of matter, emitted at relativistic (probably very relativistic) speeds, but it's matter: we're seeing (or were seeing) radiation emitted by the jet.
You're right that 'bright' is the common term in astronomy though: the article wasn't sloppily written, it was just using the terms in the way astronomers use them, which I think is fine.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
