Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 10h

Agreed, I think it's having something of a renaissance. If seasons 12-29 didn't exist and seasons 30 on were a reboot putting the characters in the 2020s, fans would be excited about it. Not as good as the golden age, but very enjoyable

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 10h

Because the characters don't age, Homer and Marge are millennials now. A recent episode sees Lisa wearing Marge's old clothes and becoming popular because Y2K fashion is very in right now

Lisa Simpson in in a sunflower dress and big boots

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Reposted by Byron C Clark

Global Project Against Hate and Extremism @globalextremism.bsky.social · 10h

Trump’s executive order labeling “Antifa” a domestic terrorist group—despite having no legal basis—has inspired far-right leaders in Europe. Hungary, Poland, and the Netherlands are considering similar actions against antifascist movements.

Read more:

How the International Far Right is Getting on Board With Trump’s Antifa Terrorist Designation

Trump’s baseless “Antifa” terrorist designation has sparked a global echo, with Hungary, Poland, and the Netherlands moving to replicate it. The coordinated effort reframes dissent as terrorism—part o...

globalextremism.org

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 10h

The project won't go ahead unless the goal is reached, which is why I'm using PledgeMe rather than Ko-fi (Ko-fi processes the payment straight away) so maybe hold off until it looks like the goal will be met, it goes until the end of the month

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 11h

Also 421 people voted for the openly white supremacist mayoral candidate who's policy was executing traitors to the nation. A small percentage of the population (somewhere around ~1%) but a worrying number of people

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 11h

Based on how this article classifies them, here's the political make up of the Christchurch City Council following this years election

Right-wing: 8 councilors + the Mayor
Left-wing: 6 councilors
Centrist: 2 councilors

www.odt.co.nz/star-news/st...

Key city council wards to determine balance of power in Christchurch

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has often come up short of the votes needed to achieve his priorities. If he's re-elected this weekend, who will...

www.odt.co.nz

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 13h

The crowdfund for a podcast investigating how the idea of quitting the Paris climate accords went from fringe to mainstream is getting closer and closer to the goal. If 25 more people pledge $5 we'll be three quarters of the way there

www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/861...

Podcast: Quit Paris? How pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords went from fringe media to the mainstream | PledgeMe

Quit Paris? This podcast will investigate how a fringe idea moved from being a fringe position to one advocated by mainstream politicians

www.pledgeme.co.nz

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

New Zealands most subscribed far-right YouTuber made multiple videos spreading hate and disinformation targeting Doyle, one was was watched nearly 4,000 times. It would not surprise me if one of the viewers was this man who threatened Doyle

share.google/6nXjhHy875sa...

Lee Williams and the problem of Stochastic Terrorism

What can be done about someone who doesn't directly call for violence, but spreads the kind of misinformation we know leads to violence?

share.google

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

While this young man should of course face justice, the mostly middle age men who incited this violence should too, but it's unlikely they will

19-year-old charged after sending death threats to Green MP who since resigned | Stuff share.google/viSA8fS2oy3F...

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

Breaking: Blocks falling from above at increasing speed

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

"Tetris would like to send you notifications"

Tf Tetris want to notify me about

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

Imaging a hypothetical last minute voter, checking candidate's social media to see where they stand on the important issues, and finding a sitting regional councilor ranting about "Mensheviks"

Alt text: A Facebook post by Councillor Joe Davies shows a photo of a grey wooden house with election hoardings still displayed on the front fence. The signs read “Sara Templeton for Mayor” and “Tom Roud for City Council, Central Ward.” The caption above the image jokes about the signs still being up, saying: “Friday hoardings come down. And the Menshevik roud partys are still up at 🤡 house. I guess that party still hasn’t opened the memo 😅.”

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

Looking at the "we take jokes about security seriously" sign at the airport boarding gate and was wondering, how common are these around the world? Is it a particularl kiwi sense of humour that makes it necessary to remind people not to make jokes about hijacking when they fly, or is this universal?

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Reposted by Byron C Clark

kyle @kyledchurch.bsky.social · 2d

every fucking time

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

It's wild watching a film from the 50s because sometimes you'll see an actor who's still alive today in a scene with an actor who's birth year starts with 18

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

Not sure what to think about this, in some ways I feel their role in society has now been superceded by groups like Moms for Liberty who make sure kids won't read about gender neutral pronouns in school libraries

The censorous style of the PTMC is still with us

www.avclub.com/parents-tele...

The sworn nipple-fighters of the Parents Television Council filed for bankruptcy

The sworn nipple-fighters of the Parents Television Council have filed for bankruptcy

www.avclub.com

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

I probably don't meet the "neutrality" requirement of public sector work unfortunately

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

True, one worry I have is the masters will make me look overqualified once I finish, even though it's not going to lead to any work

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

I don't like asking for money especially when so many people are struggling right now. But this is the best way you can support my work, and it's needed right now

If I one day am back on my feet I plan to pay it forward

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

Hopefully after I finish my Masters the economy will be better and I can rejoin the workforce, even if it's more fixed term contracts and temp agency work. In the mean time, contributing to this crowdfund would make a huge difference, while giving me the means to do a valuable journalism project

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

If this crowdfund meets the goal I can pay myself the equivalent of the jobseeker benefit for the time between my current contract ends, and the start of the next academic year, at which point I'll become a full time student and borrow weekly living costs

pledgeme.co.nz/projects/861...

Podcast: Quit Paris? How pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords went from fringe media to the mainstream | PledgeMe

Quit Paris? This podcast will investigate how a fringe idea moved from being a fringe position to one advocated by mainstream politicians

pledgeme.co.nz

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

I haven't had secure work since the book was released. I've got by mostly with a mix of IT contracting and casual labouring, but with the downturn in the economy both those kinds of work are drying up

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

I was never under any illusion that I'd be able to make a living from writing (I'd need to write 3 best sellers a year) but what I didn't anticipate was how much writing a book would harm my 'other' career

Was told at one job interview "we don't want to hire someone who might leave to be an author"

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

TradeMe sellers be like: two laptops. No RAM no SSD. Won't power on. Parts or repair. One Hundred Dollars

Two clearly broken laptops atop a bag of scrap metal

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 3d

Setting my webcam at a Dutch Angle during a server outage to create a sense of disorientation and unease

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