Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 12h

Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 16h

I just realized why I often get confused and write dates as if October is the eighth month in the year (so, today's date would be rendered as 8/8/25 if I were to write it absentmindedly). The answer is pretty obvious once you see it, and involves Latin! I am a dweeb.

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James Hell Brooks @kleinman.bsky.social · 23d

I notice a lot of catastrophizing/defeatism comes from people who live in other countries and I get that a fresh set of eyes can be useful but also you should at least have to know how American government works a little bit before you say we're a step away from Radio Rwanda.

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 19h

There is a very real correlation between having a strong desire to look cool and at some point completely losing the ability to make basic ethical judgments. Every time I doubt myself on this point I'm given cause to regret it. Nothing is more disorienting than playing to a crowd.

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 21h

As for me, I must recommend my own book. But there are at least two or three more worth considering!

Aaron Burch @aaronburch.bsky.social · 22h

Free shipping on @bookshop.org today!

I'd recommend picking up anything you've had yours eyes on, but here's some specific, recent indie press story collections I've loved:

Magic Can't Save Us, Josh Denslow
Girl on Girl, Emily Costa
My Prisoner and Other Stories, Tyler McAndrew
Sad Grownups, Amy Stuber
Horsegirl Fever, Kevin Maloney
The Nothing, Lauren Davis
Cheap Therapist Says You're Insane, Parker Young
Where the Pavement Turns to Sand, Sheldon Birnie
Hey You Assholes, Kyle Seibel
Are You Happy?, Lori Ostlund
This Is the Afterlife, Jeff Chon
Birds Aren't Real, D.T. Robbins
Survival Tips, Miriam Gershow
Delinquents and Other Escape Attempts, Nick Rees Gardner
Early Sobrieties, Michael Deagler

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 1d

The number of YA-novel-ass dystopian thriller subplots we have on this app that only make any sense if you pretend your posts aren't public is wild.

eva (^_^)/ @eva.computer · 1d

PSA:
it would be trivial to save everything that comes through the firehose for use in training generative AI

the open design of atproto makes this possible and the culture of alt text on bluesky provides free human generated image labels

if you can see it then so can an automated system

utopia deferred @utopia-defer.red · 1d

Bluesky revealed that they are using an automated image filtering system, ie something that uses AI, and people are losing their shit.

It is made even dumber because people (understandably) have feelings about their art/photos being by AI systems… except this is a public network.

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ghost malone ergo propter malone @proptermalone.bsky.social · 1d

it was not a weekend news dump and now they’re making up a thing about how they’re going to withhold back pay, which is just straightforwardly black letter law now. they got nothing and Vought is having the worst work day of his life right now.

ghost malone ergo propter malone @proptermalone.bsky.social · 5d

still no real naked exercise of executive power justified by the shutdown.

my dad thinks it’s still coming and they’re going to do whatever Vought has cooking as a weekend news dump, and he’s pretty sharp, so maybe. still think the longer it goes the more it isn’t really happening

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 1d

Have a good friend dooming in my inbox today. Not gonna let him off the hook. Don't let your friends give up. They deserve and need better.

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Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 2d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 2d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Steve Mullis @stevemullis.net · 2d

"hand-to-hand combat with antifa every night"

a guy in a frog costume standing facing a line of police and ICE agents in Portland

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 2d

If I think about this app once in the month before my life ends I've done everything wrong

Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 2d

My thing is, I can't imagine hanging out with someone who talks a lot about Bluesky moderation policies one way or the other. I'm going to die someday, man. The miracle of life will end for me. I won't even be able to hold hands with my partner or pet any cats.

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 2d

It would be fun to catch up! Feel free to drop me a line when you have time, or I can reach out to you in a month or so—whatever works.

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 2d

I need to get some podcast guests scheduled. (I have a backlog in case of life problems but did have some problems and am as such already nibbling the backlog.) I am open to writers but not focused on them; main requirements are you need to like reading, be a decent talker, and have a passable mic.

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 2d

I think he may be a little bit of a certain kind of sociopath and find some of his gestures toward centrism really grating, but you need that kind of sociopath running for national office on your ticket sometimes, and I suspect he would be above average in office.

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Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · 3d

anyways

www.liberalcurrents.com/forming-an-o...

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all hallows eve-run enjoyer @rickywlmsbong.bsky.social · 3d

i will vote for whichever democrat promises to make mudbutt flee the country

jeff computers @helldude.bsky.social · 3d

mencius moldbug is thinking of fleeing the country because he thinks the trump administration's chaotic half-assing of dismantling liberal democracy is going to bite them all in the ass

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

Still love the ending

Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

When the photographer says, to explain why Audrey should be with him, "I may not be a rich man but I'm doing all right for a person my age. I'm leveraged!"

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Hausu M.D. 🎥👺📼🍉🖤 @suspiraserhead.bsky.social · 3d

The funniest thing about this is how legit terrified ICE looks.

competentposter @competentposter.bsky.social · 4d

wizard frog is insane

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

The looping conversation with Edie Falco. "I know what you need."

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

The scene where Audrey rams her bike into a wall over and over again.

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

"I thought I was a homo once."
(Smiling) "Really?"
"Yeah! Fucking unbelieve."
"What happened?"
"I joined the Marines, they straightened my shit right out." (Rolls up his sleeve.) "You see my tattoo?"

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

Thanks to Wikipedia perusal I now know what happened to Adrienne Shelly (bad!) and that she wrote/directed WAITRESS (good?).

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Mike Meginnis @mikemeginnis.bsky.social · 3d

Emmet is a teenage conservative creep primarily because it tells him how to feel about himself, how to pursue and have sex, how to think of a woman who rejects him. That's his main use for politics. At some point in the future, it will also tell him how to vote, and he might even follow through.

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