Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Kate Milford

Ann VanderMeer @annvandermeer.bsky.social · 1d

Read a banned book today!

NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 1d

doomscroll break

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Reposted by Kate Milford

sirosenbaum.bsky.social @sirosenbaum.bsky.social · 1d

I got really interested last year in the history of alchemical and Aristotelian-Christian thought about the nature of substance, purity and impurity, and how those ideas were applied to humans in the Inquisition and the Conquest. (Un)luckily those ideas are still alive and fucking us up today

Flaming Hydra @flaminghydra.com · 1d

TODAY: @sirosenbaum.bsky.social on a wretched little amicus brief filed by a bunch of philosophers on a court case involving trans girls in sports, and which does "not consider or even mention any real, flesh-and-blood women and girls or the lives they lead" flaminghydra.com/purity-tests/

Purity Tests

Among the cornucopia of horrors pouring out in our daily news, you may have missed this one. It’s an amicus brief, though not it’s not at all friendly, arguing that trans girls shouldn’t play sports o...

flaminghydra.com

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Kate Milford @katemilford.bsky.social · 5d

Kingfisher & Wombat @tkingfisher.com · 5d

Day Four of Book Tour!

After a marvelous two days with the locals, during which much Important Business was discussed—including the Important Business where Our Heroine and her editor split a bottle of champagne on a rooftop bar and descended into I LOVE YOU MANning—our heroine heads out again!

Kingfisher & Wombat @tkingfisher.com · 7d

And now, our heroine slouches in the back of a cab on her way to a strange land known as “Manhattan.”

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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 6d

The Odyssey is one of the world’s most inspiring and enduring stories of a man voyaging for years powered solely by the indomitable spirit of human will and a deep suspicion that his wife is getting railed by those guys in town

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Kate Milford @katemilford.bsky.social · 6d

Someday we'll meet in real life and I'll embarrass myself trying to tell you how much I love your storytelling.

Kate Milford @katemilford.bsky.social · 6d

"Oh, are you finally doing the taxes you put off in April? Good girl."

Tilly, a brindle whippet, sits politely in a chair looking fixedly at me across my notes even though I do not have any food at all.

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Nicole Wong @painternik.bsky.social · 7d

Pumpkin picking time 🎃🍂
#KidLitArtPostcard Day

Portfolio: nicole-wong.com
Rep’d by @jmcgowanbks.bsky.social
@bookendsliterary.bsky.social

#kidlitpostcard #Kidlitartpostcardday #childrenillustration #kidlit #kidlitart #childrensbooks #picturebooks #postcard #family #autumnvibes🍁 #familylove❤️

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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 6d

“On the way home we lost our way. My mother was worried.

‘We must get home,’ she said. ‘We do not want to meet the old Dark Frog.’

‘Who is that?’ I asked.

‘A terrible ghost,’ said my father. ‘He comes out at night and eats little frog children for supper.'”

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Kate Milford @katemilford.bsky.social · 7d

Honeyeater is absolutely magnificent.

Molly Templeton @mollytempleton.com · 7d

The experience of reading this gorgeous book was so different than my usual - slow, but not because of the book; because I would put it down for long stretches and let it seep into my brain. I usually read quickly, but this asked for a different process. I loved it. More, please!

Reactor Magazine @reactorsff.bsky.social · 8d

Mysteries, ghost stories, and a hungry creek: Kathleen Jennings' dark fantasy Honeyeater is a sublime Australian Gothic 🍃

reactormag.com/book-review-...

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laura olin @lauraolin.bsky.social · 8d

pitch perfect

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 8d

Excited to introduce Vibes from Meta. Eat your slop, piggies!

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Molly Knight @mollyknight.bsky.social · 9d

If your business model requires theft perhaps you should be charged with crimes.

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 9d

Exclusive: OpenAI is planning to release a new version of its Sora video generator, which creates videos featuring copyrighted material unless copyright holders opt out of having their work appear.

OpenAI’s New Sora Video Generator to Require Copyright Holders to Opt Out

Executives at the startup notified talent agencies and studios over the last week.

on.wsj.com

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Molly Knight @mollyknight.bsky.social · 9d

Why not just ask people for permission?

Oh what’s that? You don’t think enough people would consent? So you’re just going to steal their livelihoods to get rich and hope they never notice?

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 9d

Exclusive: OpenAI is planning to release a new version of its Sora video generator, which creates videos featuring copyrighted material unless copyright holders opt out of having their work appear.

OpenAI’s New Sora Video Generator to Require Copyright Holders to Opt Out

Executives at the startup notified talent agencies and studios over the last week.

on.wsj.com

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 10d

While I’m at it: You guys know what to do!!

youtu.be/jPCJIB1f7jk?...

Lip Sync Battle - Tom Holland

YouTube video by Comedy Central Latinoamérica

youtu.be

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 13d

Should this man be in any law enforcement position?

Now ask this: do you believe this man will face any consequences for this violent assault on an unarmed, emotionally distressed woman?

We can call in complaints to the DHS misconduct hotline: 1-800-323-8603

www.oig.dhs.gov/hotline

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Encyclopaedia Britannica @britannica.com · 14d

So you know EXACTLY what you just walked into.

Diagram showing four major spiderweb types: orb with radial spokes, funnel with a tube retreat, sheet with dense nonsticky silk, and tangle with irregular 3D sticky threads.

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 15d

“Not ever?” asked Frog.

“No, never,” said Toad.

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Reposted by Kate Milford

William Alexander @willalex.bsky.social · 15d

Behold, I wrote a thing for The Big Idea (graciously hosted by
@scalzi.com ):

whatever.scalzi.com/2025/09/19/t...

The Big Idea: William Alexander

You don’t have to fully understand something to enjoy or get value out of it. New York Times bestselling author William Alexander expands this idea to life itself in the Big Idea for his newe…

whatever.scalzi.com

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 16d

“We look brave,” said Frog.

“Yes, but are we?” asked Toad.

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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 17d

“Drat,” said Toad.

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Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 18d

“I am sorry,” said Frog.

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Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · 19d

Look, if we're getting rid of the First Amendment, apparently we're getting rid of all of it...

(the proper response from journalists here is "fuck no" and if you lose your press pass, so fucking be it, and start working on building up your sources inside the pentagon to continue your reporting)

Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · 19d

NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost.com

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Peter Sterne @petersterne.com · 19d

My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer

Headline from SILive: 'Are we New Yorkers or are we socialists?' Cuomo slams Mamdani at Staten Island campaign stop

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 21d

If you’re rich and not a coward, this is what you’d refer to as a “market opportunity” to dominate a media ecosystem that’s about to be covered in grotesque government slop. To be a pop of color in a sea of beige will be easier than ever. People will flock to it. You gotta be a little brave, though.

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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 22d

“Use this list of senators and call immediately. Every call counts!”

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 22d

Here's the list of senators that MAHA wants people to call in support of RFK Jr.

Seems like the kind of list you should also call if you want to say you support vaccines.

Action Needed
Now
Secretary Kennedy is under attack. We need thousands of calls to senators before tomorrow's hearings. Emails aren't enough - pick up the phone and make your voice heard.
NAME
PHONE NUMBER
Andrew Kim (D-NJ)
202-225-4765
Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD)
202-224-4524
Ashley Moody (R-FL)
202-224-3041
Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
202-224-5141
Christopher Murphy (D-CT)
202-224-4041
Edward Markey (D-MA)
202-224-2742
James Banks (R-IN)
202-225-4436
John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
202-224-5941
Jon Husted (R-OH)
202-224-3353
Joshua Hawley (R-MO)
202-224-6154
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
202-224-6665
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
202-224-2441
NAME
PHONE NUMBER
Margaret Hassan (D-NH)
202-224-3324
Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)
202-224-4721
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
202-224-3344
Michael Crapo (R-ID)
202-224-6142
Patricia Murray (D-WA)
202-224-2621
Rand Paul (R-KY)
202-224-4343
Roger Marshall (R-KS)
202-224-4774
Susan Collins (R-ME)
202-224-2523
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
202-224-5653
Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
202-224-4124
Tim Scott (R-SC)
202-224-6121
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
202-224-4024
Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
202-224-5824

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Reposted by Kate Milford

Tuttle Tuttle Toil & Trouble 🎃 @katekilla.bsky.social · 22d

This whole thread

Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 22d

In his new piece--which is largely about the reaction to his last piece--Ezra Klein says that he is deeply shaken by Charlie Kirk's murder essentially because they were in the same business: They both did public politics. This is honest on his part. It's also the problem. >

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