Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben Lesnick

@banditloaf.wcnews.com

1.5K followers 390 following 4.9K posts

Like so many Americans, he was trying to construct a life that made sense from things he found in gift shops. (he/him)

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · Nov 15

Hello Bluesky! My name is Ben but my old friends call me LOAF. I’m best known for helping Chris Roberts dream up Star Citizen but I mostly skeet about Wing Commander esoterica and my life with two wonderful black cats and beautiful wife Ali (plus dumb jokes and nonsense about other media I love).

8 4 110

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 3h

You are not alone.

1 1

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 5h

Thank you! Like pretty much everyone these days, I was long overdue for a win.

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 5h

My mom is being discharged tomorrow! She says she is already able to breathe and walk again. I’m so happy.

2 30

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 9h

I’ve got bad news about something that happens in the Wing Commander IV novel.

2 2

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 9h

Good advice.

2 1 10

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 10h

oh no

2 11

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 11h

The future Johnny Rico oohing over Colonel Blair always sticks out to me!

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 11h

Happy to see the world learning about this!

Gary Alexander @garyalexander.bsky.social · 21h

Walton Goggins, best known for his role as Border Worlds Pilot #3 (callsign "Moose") in the video game Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom (1995).

A young Walton Goggins flying a space fighter, his face mostly obscured by a helmet with the label MOOSE.

1 1 11

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 13h

As if we could learn anything topical about a president whose incapacitating stroke was kept hidden!

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 13h

2 7

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 23h

Electronic Arts probably doesn’t even know they own it but the PlayStation port of Underworld would translate to the Switch nicely!

1 4

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

Pretty interesting! I don’t think the origin of Wing Commander’s Tiger Claw has ever been nailed down.

Reposted by Ben Lesnick

Dominix @dominix.bsky.social · 1d

Something for @banditloaf.wcnews.com There was a canceled carrier strike against the battleship Tirpitz codenamed operation „Tiger Claw” (it’s May 1944, source: www.amazon.com/Sink-Tirpitz...)

1 1 4

Reposted by Ben Lesnick

Worst Movies Ever @worstmovies.bsky.social · 1d

Wing Commander (1999)
TMDB score 48%

In the mid-27th century, the Terran Confederation is at war with the vicious alien Kilrathi Empire. When the Kilrathi capture a crucial navigational device that could lead them to Earth, the Confederation’s only hope rests with a small group of young fighter

4 3 10

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

It’s the most beautiful girl in the universe.

2 2 22

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

In-universe, it’s representing the flash of a jump point. But it’s also the Origin logo! (And of course the Star Citizen logo references it, too.)

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

Friends: it looks like my mom’s big heart surgery was a success! My dad says she is out and talking. Thank you all for your kindness and support through this.

6 58

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

@patterned.bsky.social and I thought it was dreadful! I couldn’t believe it had a 94 on Rotten Tomatoes. I’m glad other people are satisfied but I do wonder what I’m missing!

1 1

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

Things we have somehow decided to watch while waiting to hear the outcome of my mom’s big heart surgery:
- the Netflix final interview with Jane Goodall
- the new CG Charlotte’s Web
- the BBC documentary about Ozzy dying

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

These folks put out a truly fantastic book about Micro Machines maybe five years back. I’m sorry to learn that it wasn’t successful enough to allow them to employ at least one professional PR person.

Bitmap Books @bitmapbooks.com · 2d

Monday 6th October 2025

Dear supporters of Bitmap Books,

Although I stand by the fact that Moses’ comments were ill-advised and insensitive, the whole thing blew up and was made much bigger than it needed to be. Moses has publicly apologised for any offence caused, as has the original poster of the comments who did not intend to cause this much trouble. I do not feel that this warrants an author losing his livelihood and ruining years of hard work to produce the book.

Despite multiple accusations to the contrary, Moses freely agreed to donate his royalties to charity. There was no coercion from me, however we both recognise that due to an increasingly stressful situation that decisions were rushed on both sides. I’m pleased to say that Moses and I have spoken again today, we stand together, and have agreed that he will receive 100% of his royalties.

Maybe I was hasty in my response, and I’m happy to admit to that. At the time I sincerely thought I was doing the right thing to diffuse an increasingly difficult situation. I will commit to donating all company profits from this first print run to the charity, Special Effect.

The bottom line is that is that Moses has apologised for his original comments, and will now be paid the royalties that are rightfully his.

Moses and myself have received a large amount of personal abuse and threats over the past few days. We hope that this statement will bring some closure to what has happened.

Sam Dyer, founder of Bitmap Books

1 10

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

There’s no doubt in my mind that you’ve got this.

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

I’m sure it was a difficult creative decision but I am not a fan of how clear it is that Wilbur doesn’t have a butthole in the new Charlotte’s Web.

1 2

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

Star Trek Khan quoted this same poem the day after I posted this!

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 3d

Xanadu, incidentally, is a reference to pleasure planet seen in the Wing Commander novella Milk Run. Christopher Stasheff has a running joke referencing Coleridge’s Kubla Khan with “R&R domes” at Hilo Base (aka stately pleasure domes!). Happy poetry day: www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43991/...

Reposted by Ben Lesnick

Starfleet Design 🖍🖖 @starfleetdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Polishing my chrome Star Trek logo collection.

4 44 300

Ben Lesnick @banditloaf.wcnews.com · 1d

It turns out something exciting IS happening in Portland!

RetroGamingExpo.com @retrogamingexpo.bsky.social · 1d

George A. Sanger aka The Fat Man has been doing game audio and music since 1983. From Intellivision to Loom, Wing Commander, Maniac Mansion, 7th Guest and much more! He joins our Sierra On-Line reunion! Tickets at tinyurl.com/yjr6pp56
#prge #prge2025 #retrogaming #SIERRA