Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 1d

That's wonderful! Congrats!

Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 3d

This is cool.

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 4d

So interesting! I’ve always wanted to look into the visual aspect of accents.

‘Different accents look different' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'Why I speak with a Yorkshire accent despite being born deaf'

Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley says it is one of the questions she gets asked the most.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Gael Spivak

Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 4d

Perhaps the only politician truly standing up for trans folks in the US right now. Zohran is such a bright light.

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 4d

UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 5d

This is a great book. I refer to it often.

Editors/Réviseurs Canada @editorscanada.bsky.social · 6d

If you edit Canadian English, this book is a must-have resource. The Editing Canadian English ebook is available for as little as $9.99, so why not pick up a copy, eh? #ECE3

Editing Canadian English - Editors Canada

Editing Canadian English is a reference guide about Canadian English, from Canadianization to spelling, abbreviations, punctuation, measurements, bilingual texts and so much more.

www.editors.ca

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 6d

"There's truth underneath all this fake outrage. Conservatives really are at a disadvantage in pop culture because most creative people are liberals, which has always been true & probably always will be. While MAGA has had some success building a culture machine, what it produces is mostly banal."

Whiny MAGA freaks out over Super Bowl halftime show

Songs in Spanish? In America?

www.publicnotice.co

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Daniel Kibblesmith @kibblesmith.com · 7d

I’ve been circling a cursed thought for a while and it’s time to let it out: These guys are Disney Adults for fascism.

the corgi from cowboy bebop @realqrampage.fightins.online · 8d

LMAO LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH
EVERY TIME I DO IT MAKES ME LAUGH

Kash Patel in his own merch looking fucking embarrassing as hell lmao

he’s so fucking ugly

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Reposted by Gael Spivak

Alexandra Peace @apeaceinns.bsky.social · 6d

Interested in indexing? I'm teaching at TMU this winter: continuing.torontomu.ca/search/publi...

"This course provided an excellent introduction to indexing! Additionally, the instructor went above and beyond to provide feedback and support throughout the course." Jolie, student, winter 2025

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 7d

For governments and businesses, the benefits of plain legal communication are many, including increased compliance and reduced litigation.

Get your copy of ISO 24495-2: Plain language — Part 2: Legal Communication today.
bit.ly/3HTq12X

Reposted by Gael Spivak

Kyra Freestar @kyrafreestar.bsky.social · 9d

Young people anywhere in the country can check out ebooks and audiobooks from the Seattle Public Library.

www.spl.org/programs-and...

#BannedBooksWeek #BooksUnbanned

Books Unbanned

Teens and young adults ages 13 to 26 living anywhere in the U.S. can access our entire collection of e-books and audiobooks.

www.spl.org

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 9d

Great piece on the history of the ISO plain language standard. It's on LinkedIn.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-pl...

How the plain language world fosters plain language standards that work in most, if not all, languages

Christopher Balmford | Plain language advocate and practitioner August 2025 Editor’s Note: This article was originally written for the October 2025 issue of the PLAIN eJournal, which focuses on all th...

www.linkedin.com

Reposted by Gael Spivak

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 13d

Hertling: His comments about putting hands back on recruits… We moved away from that 30 years ago because it’s ineffective…

You know where it didn’t go away? The Russian army.

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Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin @ecmclaughlin.bsky.social · 13d

The inhumanity is accelerating.

There are multiple reports of ICE agents laughing as kids scream and cry, and one in this raid saying literally “fuck them kids.”

Anjali Enjeti @anjalienjeti.bsky.social · 13d

My god.

“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”

Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'

The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.

chicago.suntimes.com

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 12d

Plain legal communication saves clients and lawyers time and money.

Get your copy of ISO 24495-2: Plain language — Part 2: Legal Communication today.
bit.ly/3HTq12X

Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 14d

Katina Rae Stapleton pointed out on LinkedIn that it's easier to access the site this way:
web.archive.org/web/20250926...

plainlanguage.gov | Home

Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government communications.

web.archive.org

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 14d

PlainLanguage.gov is gone. I'm shocked but shouldn't be.

Public servants preserved the content here:
github.com/gsa/plainlan...

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 19d

I've done this many times. And I actually started it before we had email. I'd write letters to authors and send them c/o of the publishers. I got so many lovely replies. And started an ongoing correspondence with one beloved Canadian author (obviously not planned or expected!).

Nathan K. Hensley @nathankhensley.bsky.social · 19d

I started doing this thing where when I read a book I admire I try to find the author’s email & send a quick message saying I appreciated it. No big deal, not trying to be weird, but like: thank you for helping me think something new. It’s hard writing books. It matters when people read them.

Juan Meneses | Postpolitics and the Aesthetic Imagination @dissentum.bsky.social · 19d

Did you see your friend's book at the store? Email them a pic! See them cited? Email them (esp. as aggregators fail to catch many citations)! Did a scholar mention their work! Email them! Did a student use their work in a paper? Email! Did a professor teach their work? Email! Email! All the time!!!

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Jeffrey Ⓥ @liftforever67.bsky.social · 21d

#WednesdayVibe

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 21d

Plain language doesn't mean lawyers must give up legal precision, accuracy or certainty. In fact, plain legal communication is usually more precise, accurate and certain than traditional legal language.

Get your copy of ISO 24495-2: Plain language — Part 2: Legal Communication today. bit.ly/3HTq12X

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Reposted by Gael Spivak

NPR @npr.org · 22d

Historians and citizens who say they are concerned about the Trump administration's pressure on the Smithsonian are working to document exhibits, as they exist today, throughout the museum network.

Wary of changes under Trump, 'citizen historians' are documenting the Smithsonian

Historians and citizens who say they are concerned about the Trump administration's pressure on the Smithsonian are working to document exhibits, as they exist today, throughout the museum network.

n.pr

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 22d

I was surprised to get the email about this a few days ago. I'm so touched to be nominated!

Plain Language Association International (PLAIN) post from LinkedIn

We are delighted to announce the finalists for the PLAIN Awards:

Christine Mowat Achievement Award : Heloisa Fischer, Ingrid Olsson, Gael Spivak

Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award: Each (Plain Language Team), National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) of Ireland, Radar de Lenguaje Claro (Cálamo & Cran)

The winners will be announced at the Gala Event on 5 November in Brussels.

Learn more about the Brussels Plain Language Experience 2025 on the event site.

https://lnkd.in/dMTJv3dr

#PlainLanguage #brussels #awards #innovation

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 22d

Oh, this popped up on LinkedIn today. I already have mine set to not allow this but if you haven't done that yet, go to your settings. It's under data privacy.

Update to our terms and data use
Starting November 3, 2025, we’ll use some of your LinkedIn data to improve the content-generating AI that enhances your experience, unless you opt out in your settings. We’re also updating our terms. See what’s new and how to manage your data. Learn more

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Prof Mike Yearworth @mikeyearworth.bsky.social · 24d

"In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits."

www.computerworld.com/article/4059...

OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws

In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...

www.computerworld.com

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🎃 Iva Cheung 🍗 @ivacheung.com · 25d

WHO COULD HAVE FORESEEN THIS?

Amy Diehl, Ph.D. @amydiehl.bsky.social · 25d

Studies find medical AI tools powered by LLMs have a tendency to not reflect severity of symptoms for women patients & display less "empathy" toward Black and Asian patients. Many Drs are using LLMs & note taking apps to generate transcripts & summaries.
www.ft.com/content/128e...

AI medical tools downplay symptoms in women and ethnic minorities

Large language models reflect biases that can lead to inferior healthcare advice to female, Black and Asian patients

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Gael Spivak

Editors/Réviseurs Canada @editorscanada.bsky.social · 26d

LinkedIn offers many ways to network with fellow editors, connect with clients, demonstrate your knowledge, define your niche and more. Having a profile is just the first step! Learn to use LinkedIn effectively in our Sept. 25 webinar with Michelle Waitzman: webinars.editors.ca/upcoming_web...

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Gael Spivak @piglita.bsky.social · 27d

The standard aims to work for most languages, legal documents and sectors. As much as possible, the standard allows for differences in legal systems.

Get your copy of ISO 24495-2: Plain language — Part 2: Legal Communication today.
bit.ly/3HTq12X