Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Jasmin Taylor

Funksta Uzz @funksta-uzz.bsky.social · 7h

SATURDAY cont'd

Te Tau Ihu o te Waka: 10.30am @Blenheim Train Station

Ōtautahi: 1pm @Bridge of Remembrance

Ōtepoti: 6:30pm Vigil @Upper Octagon

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Christchurch poster:

All Out for Palestine

Rally Saturday 11 October

Meet at 1.00pm Bridge of Remembrance

Dunedin poster:

VIGIL FOR PALESTINE

AN EVENING OF SOLIDARITY & REMEMBERING THE LOSS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PALESTINIANS

OCTOBER 11, 2025

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

UPPER OCTAGON

#PRAY FOR PALESTINE

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🎂 Sydney Screams 🎉 BIRTHDAY MONTH @sydneyscreams4u.bsky.social · 19h

porn is not evil.
sex is not evil.
pleasure is not evil.
kink is not evil.

none of them are things to feel shame or embarrassment about.

none of them deserve the heavy-handed censorship that they're facing.

resist oppression (even if you don't partake in what is being oppressed)

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Orthanc @orthanc.nz · 8h

I do little things to help foster connection.

Support communities that I don't always feel a part of. Not excluded, just not in.

Having those communities be strong makes things better whether the community directly helps me or not, it indirectly does.

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 8h

that feeling is such a fucker āe

I'm grateful you felt like you could ask the original question & say a little of why you're asking

I've felt like this too, at times

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 8h

ApocalypseElf, I just had a quick look at the things you've posted on your feed today
- sharing anti-fascist content
- encouraging folk to take care of themselves
- caring for folk
- adding access e.g. alt text to images shared
- asking for advice

All of this is examples of pushing back on fascism

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 8h

you do something like ask this question ❤️

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 8h

Palestine solidarity:

This guide is useful, essential even, for anyone communicating Palestine in any way

It is led and hosted by The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy

www.communicatingpalestine.org

Communicating Palestine | Narrate for Liberation, Engage with Dignity

Explore Communicating Palestine, a go-to guide offering tools to unlearn and relearn narratives, visuals, and practices rooted in Palestinian agency.

www.communicatingpalestine.org

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Robin (she/he-ella/él) @merryrobin.bsky.social · 8h

I feel really uncomfortable posting here while thousands are being discriminated against here on a daily basis.
So please help fight this normalisation of awfulness by singing and sharing this petition and protecting the accounts of our Palestinian friends.

www.change.org/p/stop-blues...

Sign the Petition

Stop Bluesky's Targeting of Palestinian Accounts

www.change.org

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Reposted by Jasmin Taylor

Robin (she/he-ella/él) @merryrobin.bsky.social · 10h

Today, a thread full of birds
🧵

Robin (she/he-ella/él) @merryrobin.bsky.social · Jul 7

The Bowdler Sharpe sisters (Emily, Ada, Eva, Bertha, Dora, Lena, Daisy, Sylvia, Hilda & Aimee) were English colourists of ornithological illustrations.
Between 1885 and 1910, at least 7 of them worked as colourists, painting lithographs drawn by Claude Wyatt, J.G. Keulemans and Henrik Grønvold.

Dora Louise Sharpe was the colourist for Whitaker's Birds of Tunisia (1905)
This is a beautifully detailed ornithological illustration titled "The Birds of Tunisia," dating from 1905. It depicts two birds, identified as Ligurinus chloris aurantiventris, positioned on the branches of a pine tree. The bird in the foreground is vibrant, with bright yellow underparts and a greenish-yellow upper body, suggesting it is in its breeding plumage. Its companion, possibly a female or juvenile, exhibits more subdued coloring with gray and olive tones, hinting at sexual or age-related dimorphism.

A Monograph on Swallows was coloured by four of the Misses Sharpe while they were teenagers
Detailed illustration from 1894, depicting a Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis senegalensis) in flight. The bird is shown in a dynamic, soaring pose with its wings fully extended. The swallow has a dark, almost black body with a distinctive rufous or red patch on its lower back and rump, which stands out against its darker feathers. Its underparts are a lighter, creamy color, providing a stark contrast to the darker upper parts.

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Reposted by Jasmin Taylor

Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 13h

Ōtepoti: Palestine solidarity

There are a couple of events this Saturday 11th October

Car rally/convoy
3pm
meet at John Wilson Drive to raise flags at Signal Hill

Vigil for Palestine
6:30pm
upper octagon

images are event posters for each, summary info above (full in alt text)

CAR RALLY FOR A FREE PALESTINE
Saturday 11 October

Meet at 3pm at John Wilson Drive to Raise Flags at Signal Hill

organised by Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

illustrated with Handala holding a Palestine flag, red, green and black cars, background is white with a light grey kuffiyeh pattern

Vigil for Palestine

an evening of solidarity & remembering the loss of thousands of innocent Palestinians

October 11
6:30pm

upper Octagon

Pray for Palestine

illustrated with a Palestine flag that includes an outline of Al Aqsa mosque in the middle of it

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 13h

Ōtepoti: Palestine solidarity

There are a couple of events this Saturday 11th October

Car rally/convoy
3pm
meet at John Wilson Drive to raise flags at Signal Hill

Vigil for Palestine
6:30pm
upper octagon

images are event posters for each, summary info above (full in alt text)

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 13h

Ōtepoti: Palestine solidarity

Holding firm for Gaza in Ōtepoti

As the first steps appear to be underway to end the war in Gaza, those in Dunedin supporting a just peace are clear what needs to happen. Tom...

www.odt.co.nz

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Kaz @serenity22.bsky.social · 15d

Great essay from Alicia McKay - well worth a few minutes to read. writing.aliciamckay.co.nz/p/the-busker... #nzpol #buskerprinciple #creativenz #kikorangi

The Busker Principle: cultural kneecapping with economic consequences

We underpay the work with the highest social value. In the new world, this toxic trait will be our undoing.

writing.aliciamckay.co.nz

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Heather Battles @anthroetc.bsky.social · 17h

When I get asked to write commentaries, it's not usually a good sign - it's because an infectious disease I study historically is relevant again.

Newsroom NZ @newsroom.co.nz · 19h

Comment from Auckland University: Measles vaccination levels in NZ have dipped well below that necessary for herd immunity, exposing us to diseases we thought we’d consigned to history.

Open the door to measles, and it won't stop there

newsroom.co.nz

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Reposted by Jasmin Taylor

Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa @sanjanah.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent tool for NZ'ers (and also, anyone from anywhere in the world). Created by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Highly recommend those in politics, public life, activism, journalism, media, and academia use this tool to determine risk of PII exposure. www.howexposedami.co.nz

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Cassie @cassiemph.bsky.social · 19h

Hell yeah! When I say it takes all types for the revolution I mean some people blockade and some people send money to support their legal efforts and some people help share the fundraiser and some knit socks and think about what they will tell our kids about it all

Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 1d

Peace Action Ōtautahi has this fundraiser linked to their insta linktree:

Aerospace Blockade - Fighting Fund

Blockade the National Aerospace Conference 2025!

chuffed.org

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 1d

Peace Action Ōtautahi has this fundraiser linked to their insta linktree:

Aerospace Blockade - Fighting Fund

Blockade the National Aerospace Conference 2025!

chuffed.org

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Reposted by Jasmin Taylor

Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 1d

almost at the two thirds mark, just need 34 more people to pledge $5. In my experience, the closer you get to the goal the more pledges pick up, so if you can space $5 please do (note you won't be charged until November 1st, and then only if the goal is met)

Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 2d

If 66 more people pledge $5 each we'll be two thirds of the way towards the goal

I don't have millionaires backing my journalism and rely on small donations from projects like this

pledgeme.co.nz/profiles/313...

Byron Clark | PledgeMe

PledgeMe helps Kiwis fund the things they care about across project, equity based crowdfunding. New Zealand's first equity crowdfunding platform.

pledgeme.co.nz

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Ni-cola Ga-stan @nicgaston.bsky.social · 1d

When the PM says ‘we don’t owe them a living’, we should be clear that this is not a metaphor.

A living is life. And I want to live in a society in which it is clear that this is the least we owe each other, and are owed. 💞

I’d like us to aim for lives lived in dignity and with joy, personally 🤷‍♀️

Russell Brown @publicaddress.bsky.social · 1d

Fucksake. It's quite clear now that they only looked at this benefit policy as political marketing and took no advice on who it would impact – which includes young people with serious health issues and disabilities. Just feckless and cynical. Shame on them. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Hundreds of teens with a health condition, disability may be cut from Jobseeker benefit

The government is ending Jobseeker payments to 18- and 19 year olds whose parents earn more than $65,000.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Aotearoa Covid Action @covidactionnz.bsky.social · 1d

Wellingtonians - Are you interested?

An hour of unlimited play on the machines at Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe before regular opening hours on a Sunday from 10-11 am. N95 or better masks to be worn at all times and there is an air purifier. $20/person and we need 25 people to make the event happen.

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 1d

This government is fucking us all over. The policy of cutting support to folk IS FUCKING BULLSHIT.

Living in a society means we live by a social contract. Part of the contract is that we all contribute towards supporting each other. Sometimes the support is financial assistance. We CAN afford it

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 1d

Ocean

image: sea swirling past my legs, the water is foamy white on the top (perspective is looking straight down towards my feet, which can't see because foam and sand)

sea swirling past my legs, the water is foamy white on the top (perspective is looking straight down towards my feet, which can't see because foam and sand)

glimpse of my legs (left side of photo) but mostly my shadow as it's a bright, sunny day

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Reposted by Jasmin Taylor

Andrew Jull NZRN @andrewjull.bsky.social · 1d

Open letter from staff, students, and alumni of the New Zealand community of universities.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Open Letter to Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs: The New Zealand Government must recognise the State of Palestine

As students, staff and alumni of the university community in Aotearoa (New Zealand), we express our profound dismay at the Government’s recent decision not to recognise the State of Palestine. Aotearo...

docs.google.com

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 1d

& it matters here in Aotearoa cos just as Trump has influence, so does Sanders.

What's happening in Palestine is Israel committing genocide against Palestinians. Hamas has every right to fight back against that. Israel needs to be held accountable. The soft-peddling approach ain't going to cut it.

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Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 1d

Sanders' statement on anniversary of 7th Oct is pretty typical of him, as I understand it - can't even say the word genocide, repeats the bullshit long-discredited tropes.

I mention this cos he often gets held up as some sort of "reasonable" alternative

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