Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 15h

There is nothing magical (or even vaguely scientific) about that whole 6 feet thing. The vulnerable person 12 or 20 or however many feet away from you is still going to get bombarded with any COVID/RSV/Influenza you're spreading while unmasked. 😑

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 15h

Was all set to cheer and then I read it.

"It's not all the time, it's just when you're in that six-feet distance."

While I applaud any measure that increases mask usage in health facilities, I would REALLY like for the people making these policies to learn how AIRBORNE spread happens.

Canada Healthwatch 🍁 @canadahealthwatch.ca · 15h

Masks will be required in all Health P.E.I. facilities starting Oct. 14 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-mask-mandate-health-facilites-9.6934985

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca/newsletter

Health P.E.I. is reinstating a mandatory masking policy in all of its facilities in response to the growing presence of respiratory illnesses on the Island.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 17h

I read Howl's Moving Castle for the very first time just recently, and I loved it and now I want this edition. 😂

Just a girl and her books @thebookwyrmshoard2.bsky.social · 17h

Had to get it and omg it's freaking gorgeous!

Cover of Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones shows Sophie and Howl with their backs to each other, Sophie is holding a staff Howl is holding a guitar. The Castle is on a hill in the background.

The inside of the castle with Calcifer in the fireplace grinning

Howl and Sophie standing the doorway, their backs are to us

Cover it is blue and has shooting stars in gold with the quote "Howl's quite heartless you know."

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Reposted by N.P. Thompson 🍁

Walker Bragman @walkerbragman.bsky.social · 23h

Again, these people want violence. They want their supporters radicalized and ready to commit it.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Emmer: "This is about one thing and one thing alone -- to score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold a hate America rally in DC next week."

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 23h

He's trying to incite the right-wing base to attack the other side at this protest. He wants violence. He'll blame it all on "antifa" and use it as an excuse for a brutal, vicious crackdown on anyone who disagrees with the GOP agenda.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 23h

Mike Johnson: "This hate America rally that they have coming up for October 18? The antifa crowd, the pro-Hamas crowd, and the Marxists, they're all gonna gather on the Mall. It is an outrageous gathering for outrageous purposes ... all this has gotta come to an end."

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 1d

Oh, cool! I did not know that. I should pepper you questions. My youngest has decided that geology or paleontology might be something she wants to study in university (still a few years away from that, though). Curious as to what career options exist in either of those fields that we could explore.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 1d

Istg, more people needed to watch that show. If they had, if they *understood* it, the world would not be as effed up as it is.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 1d

Read the linked Mastodon thread. How is this even a thing? Why is everything so stupid???

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 1d

They're going to put an enormous lawsuit magnet in the sky.
mastodon.social/@sundogplane...

Prof. Sam Lawler (@[email protected])

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that Reflect Orbital's fucking stupid giant mirror satellite, with absolutely NOTHING useful to offer, which will cause countless safety issues, ecological disas...

mastodon.social

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 1d

It was so one-sided. Any questions about safety, guardrails or ethics were clearly an afterthought, and they don't seem to be paying any attention at all to the fields that are being destroyed by this technology or the *people* who are losing jobs, or to ANY of the really negative effects it has.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 1d

Holy crap, people. I'm going through this thing now and O.M.G. is it ever bad. It is COMPLETELY a "rah-rah-rah how do we do this bigger better faster more, and what laws and regulations should we rescind so companies can get rich faster doing it".

I'm really, really scared for us. 😔 #Canada

Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel) @nicomaramckay.com · 2d

Canadians: The federal government is seeking public input on how AI should be developed and used in business, research, and the military.

If this scares the shit out of you, please let them know:

Help define the next chapter of Canada's AI leadership

Current status: Open from October 1 to October 31, 2025 Canada helped invent modern AI. To stay a leader—and protect our digital sovereignty—we're running a 30-day national sprint to shape a renewed...

ised-isde.canada.ca

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Reposted by N.P. Thompson 🍁

Denis - The COVID Info Guy @thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social · 2d

Brainstem damage found to be behind long-lasting effects of severe Covid-19.

"Using ultra-high-resolution scanners that can see the living brain in fine detail, researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford were able to observe the damaging effects Covid-19 can have on the brain."

Brainstem damage found to be behind long-lasting effects of severe Covid-19

Damage to the brainstem - the brain's 'control center' - is behind long-lasting physical and psychiatric effects of severe Covid-19 infection, a study suggests.

www.news-medical.net

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Reposted by N.P. Thompson 🍁

Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel) @nicomaramckay.com · 2d

Canadians: The federal government is seeking public input on how AI should be developed and used in business, research, and the military.

If this scares the shit out of you, please let them know:

Help define the next chapter of Canada's AI leadership

Current status: Open from October 1 to October 31, 2025 Canada helped invent modern AI. To stay a leader—and protect our digital sovereignty—we're running a 30-day national sprint to shape a renewed...

ised-isde.canada.ca

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 2d

I have no idea who Zach Bryan but this is true of all these guys (I do know who they are).

Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 2d

Country fans are upset with Zach Bryan after he criticized ICE in a song.

But don't let it be known that Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash all despised fascism and leaned heavily to the left.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 2d

In hindsight, leaving a window open last night may not have been the *best* of decisions. 🥶⛄

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

Damn it, Universe. We *just* lost Jane Goodall, you can NOT take Dolly away, too!

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 3d

Dolly Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, is asking for people to pray for her sister’s health.

Verified Facebook post by Freida Parton. The caption reads:

“Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly. Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me. She’s strong, she’s loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she’s going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you! ❤️”

Below the caption is a photo of Dolly Parton standing outdoors in front of lush green ivy, hands clasped in prayer, wearing a shiny silver outfit with lace-trimmed sleeves, her signature blonde hair styled in soft curls, looking upward serenely.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

Shea's magical Talent allows him to animate the paper shapes he folds, which comes in useful in a surprising number of ways over the course of the team's various adventures.

#BookCharacters #Reading #CharacterArt

N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

And today you get to see the second of the gorgeous character art portraits that Efa_finearts (IG) drew for my middle grade Arcanium series! Meet Shea. He's Sasha and Simon's older brother and the oldest member of Team Arcania. #KidLit #BookTok #BookSky

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Reposted by N.P. Thompson 🍁

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 5d

Earlier this year, Dr. Jane Goodall sat down for an interview for Brad Falchuk’s new Netflix series, Famous Last Words.

The premise of the series is to interview people on the condition that the interview not air until the subject has passed away.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

This is an excellent article. Nobody should be allowed to make AIs of real people, full stop. And anyone who makes AI characters of someone who has died is an absolute ghoul. 😡
www.cbc.ca/news/enterta...

AI making 'over-processed hot dogs out of the lives of human beings,' says Robin Williams's daughter | CBC News

Zelda Williams — actress, director and daughter to the late actor Robin Williams — has spoken out on Instagram about what she calls "disgusting" AI recreations of her father.

www.cbc.ca

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Ricochet Media @ricochetmedia.bsky.social · 3d

In Canada, groups are weaponizing claims of media bias to intimidate journalists and reshape coverage of Israel and Palestine with complicity of newsrooms.

How Israel and its ‘digital army’ work to silence the truth about #Gaza.

New from Zahra Khozema:

ricochet.media/labour/media...

#cdnpoli

How Israel and its 'digital army' work to silence the truth about Gaza

In Canada, groups weaponizing claims of media bias are being used to intimidate journalists and reshape coverage of Israel and Palestine under the quiet complicity of Canadian newsrooms

ricochet.media

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

*adds to TBR list*

Ryan Consell @stealingfromwizards.com · 3d

I started writing Stealing from Wizards in 2017. In some ways it was my rebellion against the grimdark which had taken hold of YA.

I wanted a story young me would have liked, with humor and whimsy, more light than dark, where the heroes were kind rather than confident, clever instead of violent.

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

It really does!

N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

*goals*

Edmonds Scanner @edmondsscanner.bsky.social · 3d

Choose love.
Choose peace.
Choose kindness.
Choose to keep searching bookstores, crumbling castles, and dark parts of the forest for portals to other realms, where reading & sleeping are celebrated sports.

N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

Not unexpected, but still absolute BS. A slap on the wrist, basically. 😑

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N.P. Thompson 🍁 @nptwrites.bsky.social · 3d

It is an absolute travesty that Carnation discontinued the Rolo Hot Chocolate mix. 😢

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