Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 10h

Hippocampus carousel figure at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut.
#31daysofHalloween

Centered in a corner of a museum is a wooden hippocampus (serpentine fish lower half, horse upper half) carousel figure. To its left a partial glimpse of a colonial man statue, to the right a statue of a Native American and a poster of the same statue.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 1d

Trump, the Supreme Court, and liberal hero Newsom are teaming up against trans people.

LGBTQ Nation @lgbtqnation.com · 1d

Gavin Newsom vetoes gender education bill, declines to sign other trans protections - buff.ly/MTUAV85

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Reposted by Jason

Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen.bsky.social · 1d

The Supreme Court appears ready to side with Trump in bringing back “gay conversion therapy.”

This practice involves physically abusing teenagers to try to turn them heterosexual, including with electric shocks and chemically-induced nausea.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks. I went for the first time to Salem on the 4th of July. It wasn't October packed, but had a nice crowd and fireworks at night.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 1d

Giles Corey's stone tablet at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial.

Refusing to plead guilty or not guilty of being a witch in order to pass land to his heirs through a legal loophole, Giles Corey was crushed to death by rocks stacked on top of his body over the course of three days. #31daysofHalloween

Downward angle of Giles Corey's memorial. A stone tablet inscribed with "Giles Corey Pressed to Death Sept.19, 1692."

Scattered on the tablet are gifts and offerings: berries, leaves, pine cones, sticks , a shell, and a little red crocheted bear.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 2d

October moon.
#31daysofHalloween

Zoomed out picture of white circular moon in faint pinkish sky wedged between two trees out of a line of autumn trees with green, red, and brownish-orange leaves. In front of the trees is a swathe of green grass followed by a line of brownish red taller grass, and in front of that more very green shorter grass.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 3d

Hen of the Woods sprouting from the base of an oak.
#31daysofHalloween

Closeup of Hen of the Woods, a polypore mushroom. Background is the bark of an oak tree.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 4d

Chipmunk skull among Shagbark Hickory nuts.
#31daysofHalloween

Closeup of a chipmunk skull resting on top of a split shagback hickory nut shell. Other split shells with green exterior and tan interior are in the background.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 5d

I have encountered a coyote on this boardwalk rounding a bend. We were both shocked

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 5d

Marsh boardwalk in autumn.
#31daysofHalloween

Wooden boardwalk zig-zagging through tall grass. In the background there are trees with red, orange, and green leaves and a blue sky.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 6d

I'm not sure if she is giving cover to Centrist Democrats that take donations from big donors and interest groups (some that also fund Trump and MAGA politicians).

These Centrists sometimes vote with MAGA. We should absolutely get rid of these politicians. They're united with billionaires.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 6d

My sole pumpkin of the year.

One small oblong orange pumpkin hanging off a green wire fence. There is a White Wood Aster on the left, a rock and wooden fence behind the pumpkin, a garden post on the right followed by flowering dill in the foreground.

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Reposted by Jason

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 7d

Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 7d

Democratic Socialists and progressives traditionally run grassroots campaigns relying on small donations from many voters.

Centrists, liberals and moderate candidates traditionally rely on billionaire donors. Often the same billionaire donors as MAGA candidates.

Vote progressive.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 7d

Happy October and first day of Halloween.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 8d

Trump's going to saturate polling locations with ICE in Democratic cities using "illegal alien" votes as the reason.

The army will be used to create ID checks. Declaring war on blue highly-populated cities and sending in troops now is a way to determine the strength of resistance later.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 8d

Cross Orb Weaver wrapping its prey in silk.

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Reposted by Jason

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 9d

Same as it ever was.

Screenshot of a NYTimes headline and subhead that reads:

"N.Y.C. Mayoral Candidates Move to Capitalize on Adams’s Departure
Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa hit the campaign trail on Monday after Eric Adams left the race, while Andrew Cuomo called donors."

Highlighted in blue is "while Andrew Cuomo called donors."

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Reposted by Jason

Ben @vagabending.bsky.social · 10d

Jeffries having praise for Adams and no endorsement for Mamdani is a perfect summation of the current class of dem leadership.

Subservient to their donors with exactly zero loyalty to actual Americans.

Jeffries is not just a coward - he’s a stupid coward - his message resonates with no one.

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Reposted by Jason

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 10d

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams ends his reelection campaign.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 10d

It's kind of a fun hot-cold game trying to locate them by the potency of their smell.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 10d

Right, they do smell like a dead animal. That's an interesting specimen.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 10d

This alien-like protrusion curving out of the earth is the fruiting body of a fungus known as the Devil's Dipstick, a type of stinkhorn.

The green slime on the top half is a spore mass, dispersed by flies attracted to an emanating foul scent.

Centered is a cylindrical red fungus with brownish green spore mass on its top half. It is coming out of the ground.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 10d

Flies marching on top of a Ravenel's Stinkhorn.

A phallic shaped fungus rising out of mulch. The cylindrical body is white leading to a brown cap with a white circular opening. Small flies are gathered on top.

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Jason @jasonfest.bsky.social · 11d

Lazy Saturday. Procatinating.
#caturday

Black and white cat sleeping against a human leg on a couch.

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