Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 4d

seasonal haiku:

The fall winds skitter
A cardboard box through the square
Unless... Solid Snake?

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 7d

press C to Crouch. press W to Walk. press S to Step backwards. press A to go Askance. press D to go Dat Way

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 14d

Ok so what if I wear a fun sock in the top half of my outfit, perhaps as a pocket square or sock puppet. I think that should be fine right

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 18d

I see. Hope you get things worked out with them! And looking forward to the new release

Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 19d

Devastated to see that this had been privated--this was easily my favorite version of the song. Is it still available anywhere else?

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 20d

Sitcom exec: "You're telling me his name is *Bongino*? The jokes are gonna write themselves!"

Other sitcom exec: "Okay, get this. What if he's the director of the FBI? No, wait, deputy director."

First exec: "Genius! Greenlighting it now."

Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · 20d

Every time I hear the name Dan Bongino, for a moment I assume he's a washed-up comedian with a primetime sitcom. Which I guess isn't too far off

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · Sep 15

Why name it FOXHOUND when they could have named it Shadow Moses Wizard Gang

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Iron Circus Comics @ironcircuscomics.bsky.social · Sep 1

Happy Labor Day!

Today we're bringing you The First Union, as told by HBomberguy (@hbomberguy.bsky.social) and illustrated by Skutch (@skutchdraws.bsky.social) It's the dawn of the industrial revolution, and of the way many of us work...

Have you ever heard of the term "Luddite" from an elder?

Stanhill, Lancashire, 1764. Wear and carpenter James Hargreaves invents the Spinning Jenny, the first practical spinning-frame, to make the tedious task of producing cloth a little bit faster. He doesn't know it yet, but this will destroy the world.

Spurred by inventions like his, the industrial revolution will transform everything -- work power, the wealth of nations. Society as we know it began here, and it wasn't great for everyone. But a group of weavers and textile workers saw this future coming. And did their best to prevent it.

"Curse you spinning jenny, you ruined everything!" The standard narrative does that LUDDITES were foolish lunatics who, in fear of technology, decided progress was bad, and started hitting it with sticks. But the truth is entire ways of life were being destroyed.

Previously, skilled craftsmen were respected for the time and effort it took to do their work. The entire family usit would form a cottage industry - creating something valuable, and command a decent living. But when a machine can work 10 times faster its owner can charge less for the prodcts- craftsmen couldn't compete and were left out of work almost overnight.

And as factories became a fixture of the british landscape, these now unemployed labourers often ended up working the factories that had just destroyed their way of life. Britain was the most prosperous nation in history, factory owners became extremely wealthy and influential. But the people doing the actual work saw almost none of it.

Factory work paid little, since "the machines" did "the real work" human labourers were deemed unimportant and replaceable. FUN FACT!: Factory owners preferred to hire ORPHANS since less people would notice if they were maimed or killed on the job!

Now the owners quickly realized the workers might notice they did all the work for almost no pay. If they went on STRIKE or ARGUED FOR HGHER WAGES, this would threaten their tremendous wealth. In 1799, Parliament passed the Combination Act, which made FORMING TRADE UNIONS, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AND GOING ON STRIKE ILLEGAL. Organizing against the rich became a crime.

If you were living through it, opposing the industrial revolution wasn't techno-phobia. It was SELF-DEFENSE. The combination act forced unions underground into secret societies. And the greatest secret of all was their leader - Ned Ludd. Ned had been a folk character for years. In one version after being whipped by his master, he smashed two knitting frames in a rage. In more fanciful versions, he then escaped to the Sherwood forest, here he lived among the animals as their king. Some versions specifically call him 'Much Better Than Robin Hood'.

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · Sep 8

maybe if it was less eternal he wouldn't have to keep summoning it over and over

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Stellaween? @antlervel.vet · Sep 5

who up crafting they snelm

Santana Abraxas @slime-golem.biz · Sep 5

let's fuckin go

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com · Sep 6

Just a reminder to check for your name in this list of books that OpenAI trained from. If your name is there, they probably owe you several thousand dollars.

OpenAI cried that if everyone eligible author files, the company will go bankrupt, so I'm alerting every author I have ever spoken to.

Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI

Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.

www.theatlantic.com

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Sam Whyte @samwhyte.bsky.social · Sep 5

This gets progressively funnier with every use of the term "floppy".

One of Britain’s most senior police officers has launched an angry tirade against Extinction Rebellion protesters going “all floppy” when they get arrested.

Sir Stephen House, the deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan police, said the tactic of going limp was a “flipping nuisance” as it required extra officers to drag protesters away.

House told a London assembly police and crime committee hearing: “We have asked them to stop being floppy. And that might seem like a silly thing to say, but when we arrest them and pick them up, they go all floppy, which is why you see four or five officers carrying them away. It’s a complete waste of officers’ time, and a complete pain in the neck.”

Extinction Rebellion: how successful were the latest protests?
Read more
House also expressed annoyance at how the tactic made the police look heavy-handed. He said: “The problem with them going floppy and four offices carrying them away [is that it] looks to the general public like police are overreacting here. We’re not making them go floppy. They’re just sort of being a nuisance.”

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · Sep 5

The fucked up thing I learned recently is that "Moby" really *was* short for "mobile" in the original

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tuck woodstock @tuck.bsky.social · Aug 22

my roommate was trying to find the menu for a nearby bagel shop and instead found some of the most iconic slop I've ever seen. thanks food! :)

a green square that says "fast food meals. new phenomenon burger taste. $19.90. order via seamless" and in the corner is a non-euclidean cluster of chicken finger.

a very normal 5-star review that says "I would be lost without restaurant. I would like to personally thank you for your outstanding product." - Nina Margaret, CEO apple.

another normal review that says "without food, we would have gone bankrupt by now. thanks food! the service was excellent." John Doe, manager.

an AI image of a pastrami sandwich. not to overuse the word non-euclidean but what else can I say to describe these layers of meat? this one also has some kind of yellow sauce leaking out of the bottom, and another yellow sauce being sensuously drizzled on top. in the lower right corner are baffling tubes that sort of look like if roasted carrots fucked a soft pretzel.

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Athlete's Foot Demon @rwoodsmall.bsky.social · Aug 20

holy shit

s. eek smith 👻 @sesmith.lol · Aug 20

Early treat for @erinbiba.bsky.social because I am about to pass out.

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nights ghoul @jimprov.sendusyourmoney.com · Jul 20

I had another dream
This one was about the existence of a show on HGTV named Bitch House. The host was
a man who appeared to have been a werewolf college student dragged off some Florida
beach during spring break, poured into a suit, and shoved in front of a camera. He wore
giant sunglasses every episode. There was no explanation.
Every episode was the same. He would show up and tour somebody's house while they
talked it up: how much they paid for it, square footage, time to the highway, backyard,
last renovated in xxxx, bedrooms, bathrooms, home office, new roof, everything. They
would be touring the house the whole time, just like any normal HGTV show.
Then they would gather back out in front of the house and there was a really tense
moment where he would tell you if your house was a bitch house or not. It not, he would
just kinda shake their hands and thank them for the tour and walk away.
Otherwise, he would turn to the camera and scream "BITCH HOOOOOOOOUSE" at the
top of his lung

This is approximately what it Looked Like, in 10-minute photoshop
format
HGTV
courtesy(?) of the party rock anthem guy (plz don't sue me)

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🌈Dr. Franken Frizzle 🎃 @swilua.bsky.social · Aug 12

the trick is the scientist has to be having secret lunch dates with a poet, where they eat plums and cheese, and he’ll look at the plum, then the poet, then BAM he’ll just know

it doesn’t work any other way, everyone knows this

Oliver Darkshire @deathbybadger.bsky.social · Aug 12

a university is not for generating profit, it provides cultural enrichment via weird little gremlin people who love visigoths or haikus, and very occasionally a scientist who figures out faster than light travel

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the Mountain Goats @themountaingoats.bsky.social · Aug 9

immaculate vibe

A book called “L’homme de Neanderthal est toujours vivant.” The cover, shows a human being, smiling at the onlooker, with a figure that resembles Neanderthal man just next to him. they appear to be friends.

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A.L. Goldfuss @ghoulpus.bsky.social · Jul 26

Currently on the phone with Visa

Instead of starting with a complaint, I approached this as a Confused American Consumer who doesn't understand why they can't buy things off a website they use

The call center rep immediately asked if it was about Steam/itch

(cont)

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🌚Sam (SK Kelley)🌝 @skkelleywrites.bsky.social · Jul 27

reposting graphic with alt text

ANTI-CENSORSHIP CHEAT SHEET

WHY?
Visa, Mastercard, Stripe & Paypal have been censoring free speech & legal business online for TOO LONG. Most recent targets are Steam & Itch.io, but they have also pressured websites like Pixiv, Patreon, Fansly, Onlyfans & MORE for years, applying draconian standards for what kind of adult/pornographic content their users can host & sell.
If we as consumers & creators want to regain ground on this issue, we have to make our voice heard.

HOW?
BOMBARD WITH PHONE CALLS
Collective Shout, the org that lobbied to have Steam & Itch.io change their TOS, did so with only around 1000 phone calls. Visa & MC have backed down from pressuring Onlyfans to remove adult content entirely due to public backlash. Clogging phone lines for an extended period, over a month at least, will almost guarantee that these companies will have to pay attention to the backlash.

this list is not exhaustive, but some contact points for the 4 targets are:

VISA:
(US + Can): +1 800-847-2911
US selection for operator: 1-1-2 or 1-1-3

MASTERCARD:
(US): +1 800-307-7309
US selection for operator: 1-1-2-2-2-1
(Outside US): 1-636-722-7111

STRIPE:
(HQ): +1 888 963-8955
(France): +33 805-11-19-67
Email: complaints@stripe.com

PAYPAL:
(US): +1 888 221-1161
(outside US): 1-402-935-2050
Customer Service: +1 877-569-1116

TRY TO HIT ALL 4 TARGETS PER DAY
This is only going to have an effect if as many people possible call EVERY DAY for as long as possible.

THIS IS A MARATHON, NOT A RACE.
If you can, it is also a good idea to try to spread the word to organizations & groups that can either actively combat these huge companies legally, or can spread news, in a manner supportive of this movement, more effectively than your average person

examples of organizations:
ACLU
Canadian Civil Liberties Association local legislators & government representatives

examples of spreading the news:
local newspapers
special interest publications
video game streamers

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Arlan Skellington (scary) 🦇 @thehell.zone · Jun 11

nw a fan edit of this apparently high-quality Star Trek: The Next Generation porn parody that removes about an hour and a half of sexual content and leaves just the fan fiction part lmfao

Star Trek TNG: A Tale of Two Cities [FanFilm]

YouTube video by Dan Armitage

youtu.be

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · Jul 18

is this an order to the computer or a caveman's diagnosis of what's wrong with it

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Thwarp of the Fomori @trash-artificer.bsky.social · Jul 16

Oh important MTG tech

If you put Sonic in your Zinnia deck, you can make Sonic pregnant

Zinnia, Valley's Voice
{U}{R}{W}
Legendary Creature — Bird Bard
Flying
Zinnia gets +X/+0, where X is the number of other creatures you control with base power 1.
Creature spells you cast have offspring {2}. (You may pay an additional {2} as you cast a creature spell. If you do, when that creature enters, create a 1/1 token copy of it.)

Sonic the Hedgehog
{1}{U}{R}{W}
Legendary Creature — Hedgehog Warrior
Haste
Gotta Go Fast — Whenever Sonic the Hedgehog attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control with flash or haste.
Whenever a creature you control with flash or haste is dealt damage, create a tapped Treasure token.

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Igfig @igfig.bsky.social · Jul 16

I'm like the guy in Disco Elysium who takes every drug before each skill check, if by "every drug" you mean "a small cup of coffee" and by "each skill check" you mean "driving"

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