Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 8h

Day 2 of living w/o power. I am $5.57 away from meeting the first goal to get reconnected, & $55.67 away from paying the rest of the outstanding bill to stay connected. Please help me get energy secure 💚 Thank you SO much to yall who have donated/shared my post it truly means the world 🫂🌻

Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

Hey yall, my power got shut off bc I havent been able to pay. My disability means I cant work, & I dont get ssi/ssdi. I need 120.57 to reconnect & will owe an additional 50.10 (Total 170.67). If youre able to help even a dollar goes a long way 💚 CA $gothswamp V3nmo swampgoth ko-fi.com/swamp_goth

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Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

If you can't donate, that's totally okay! I know it's very hard times for many. please consider sharing the post around to get more eyes on it 💚🌻 there is a progress bar on the ko-fi page if you'd like to see how close the goal is to being met

Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

Hey yall, my power got shut off bc I havent been able to pay. My disability means I cant work, & I dont get ssi/ssdi. I need 120.57 to reconnect & will owe an additional 50.10 (Total 170.67). If youre able to help even a dollar goes a long way 💚 CA $gothswamp V3nmo swampgoth ko-fi.com/swamp_goth

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Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

Hey yall, my power got shut off bc I havent been able to pay. My disability means I cant work, & I dont get ssi/ssdi. I need 120.57 to reconnect & will owe an additional 50.10 (Total 170.67). If youre able to help even a dollar goes a long way 💚 CA $gothswamp V3nmo swampgoth ko-fi.com/swamp_goth

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Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

If you can't donate, that's totally okay! I know it's very hard times for many. please consider sharing the post around to get more eyes on it 💚🌻 there is a progress bar on the ko-fi page if you'd like to see how close the goal is to being met

Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

Hey yall, my power got shut off bc I havent been able to pay. My disability means I cant work, & I dont get ssi/ssdi. I need 120.57 to reconnect & will owe an additional 50.10 (Total 170.67). If youre able to help even a dollar goes a long way 💚 CA $gothswamp V3nmo swampgoth ko-fi.com/swamp_goth

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Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 1d

Hey yall, my power got shut off bc I havent been able to pay. My disability means I cant work, & I dont get ssi/ssdi. I need 120.57 to reconnect & will owe an additional 50.10 (Total 170.67). If youre able to help even a dollar goes a long way 💚 CA $gothswamp V3nmo swampgoth ko-fi.com/swamp_goth

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Cats of Yore @catsofyore.bsky.social · 5d

Showing off the magnificent chublet. Photo from my collection, no date/info.

Black and white photo of a middle aged white woman with dark hair, sitting in a living room in a rattan chair. She is cradling a chubby, shorthaired tuxedo tabby in her arms and they both look toward the camera.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 7d

1/
"Children and teenagers are twice as likely to develop #LongCOVID after a second coronavirus infection as after an initial infection, a large new study has found":

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/h...

Long Covid Risk for Children Doubles After a Second Infection, Study Finds

www.nytimes.com

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Dom Evans @domevans.electricmarshmallow.com · 7d

The #DisabledJoy hashtag was started in March 2018 by Andrew Farkash on Twitter.

It's quickly evolved as a disability concept created for and by the disabled community.

As such, we want to celebrate Disabled Joy as a part of Disability month which is October.

#ChronicLoaf #Criptober

Purple to blue to green gradient story might background with text in the center. White text reads: "what does disabled joy mean to you?" At the bottom in the center hashtags #DisabledJoy #Criptober

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NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 12d

This is going to kill people. And to be honest I think that’s part of the point.

ABC News Bot (unofficial) @abcnewsbot.bsky.social · 13d

The United States will impose a 100 per cent tariff on imports of branded or patented pharmaceutical products from October 1, unless a pharmaceutical company is building a manufacturing plant in the US.

Breaking: Donald Trump imposes 100 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals from October 1

The United States will impose a 100 per cent tariff on imports of branded or patented pharmaceutical products from October 1, unless a pharmaceutical company is building a manufacturing plant in the US.

www.abc.net.au

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BWJones @bwjones.bsky.social · 14d

This remarkable therapy uses an approach the Trump administration just cancelled funding for.

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Patricia A. McGowan @teacherspeaks52.bsky.social · 20d

#Recall
#Cinnamon

"460 cases of reported lead poisoning in children after they had eaten apple sauce. Quickly discovered it was the cinnamon in the apple purée that caused the lead and chromium poisoning."
Product identification included in article.

www.allrecipes.com/fda-lead-war...

The FDA Just Announced More Ground Cinnamon Products With Lead Contamination

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has discovered more ground cinnamon products containing elevated lead levels, which are deemed unsafe. Here's the updated list.

www.allrecipes.com

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Sid @swampgoth.bsky.social · 19d

If you havent started yet, NOW is the time to make sure you + your people have ALL your vaccines. Get your childhood vaccine records & fill in whats missing or has been added since you were a kid. Need help affording them? Look up your area + free clinic, call the health dept, goodRx has vax coupons

Barbara Rodriguez @bcrodriguez.bsky.social · 19d

A vaccine panel just tabled a vote that would have delayed universal use of the Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns. For now, nothing has changed on use of the vaccine, which is safe and credited with saving lives. But how did we get here? My latest for @19thnews.org: 19thnews.org/2025/09/hepa...

How the newborn hepatitis B vaccine landed in MAHA’s crosshairs

A panel handpicked by RFK Jr. just tabled a vote to delay use of the hep B vaccine at birth. The debate shows how these early decisions on behalf of a newborn can be used as a litmus test of fitness f...

19thnews.org

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chuck @whatexactlyisup.bsky.social · 19d

it’s never been more apparent that right wants to demonize masks and it’s working bc the majority of folks aren’t working to neutralize these threats. bc neutralizing them means normalizing them. wearing masks in your daily life. 5/5

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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 25d

"We will never know what diseases might have been cured or what advances in technology might have been invented had the lights not gone out in the labs."
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...

Opinion | We Are Watching a Scientific Superpower Destroy Itself

www.nytimes.com

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Candace the Magnificent 🔜 PAXU @thecandacemarie.bsky.social · 27d

Hey y’all, Amihan is a wonderful BIPOC performer, artist and all around creative soul. If you have any video editing or artistic work, or can help hymn out with #mutualaid, please do.

➼ amihan (he/hymn) @therosecleric.bsky.social · 27d

I feel really unseen currently. I don't know if folks see my posts, but I'm disabled, I don't make enough with my current job to survive, and my situation is becoming more dangerous in the current climate.

I'm doing everything I can, but I cannot survive without help.

💠 ko-fi.com/therosecleric

It’s a bit demoralizing to have to post on social media like this, but I’ve been in a bad situation for a very long time. I struggle deeply with opening up about my personal life, but I feel like I have to be this vulnerable in order for anyone to understand the gravity of my situation.

I have been officially diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and have spent the past year attempting to recover from CPTSD. In short, I have multiple disorders stemming from multiple traumatic situations and incidents that have occurred to me over the course of my life, but especially in the last decade. Thanks to Medicaid, I am fortunate enough to have 2 different therapists and a psychiatrist. As of today (9/11/2025) I do not wish to share details beyond this. Do not speculate about my personal life.
My arthritis has worsened significantly because of the stress I am under. While I am seeking healthcare for this new development, life has become substantially more difficult because of the adjustment to constant pain.
I have been at risk of homelessness since July. I have a job, but I do not make nearly enough to support myself through survival. I have been looking for jobs that are accommodating to my disability, with no luck as most of them require relocation or hybrid work environments. I have opened commissions of various types - including video editing, art commissions and tarot readings - but my commissions aren’t consistent enough for me to build a stable income off of.
Because of the current administration, it has become more difficult to acquire food. The Big Ugly bill that was passed has put me at risk for having my SNAP benefits taken away. If you know me, I have had to have an additional monthly grocery fund from time to time to buy groceries/cover bills, as I provide food for & cook for my entire household. Until I find stable income, I will likely continue to need assistance like this.

I have dropped out of multiple TTRPG projects because of the above circumstances. The community within the TTRPG space I have is very important to me, but I feel I cannot keep up with anyone because I am constantly fighting for survival. I have remarked that I feel unseen, and it is because I feel like I have to be entertaining for people to care about me as a human being.

It goes without saying that I need help, and I need help badly. I don’t want to have to keep asking for help, but asking for help is my only option.

I don’t enjoy having to list my marginalizations for people to have empathy (I honestly feel like I shouldn’t have to share them) but in this current political climate, it is exceedingly dangerous for me to be one emergency away from being on the streets. I’m not making enough to cover my living expenses, and to try and ignore my circumstances in favor of playing TTRPGs or videogames would be completely detrimental to my survival.

To everyone who has supported me the past few years - I deeply appreciate you. Whether you liked and shared my art, enjoyed my performance on an AP, or commented on any of my work, every bit of support I have cherished and treasured. There have been many of you who have donated to me out of kindness, and I feel like I can’t thank you all enough.

Even with my circumstances, I am committed to making artwork, and have opened a Patreon for those who would like to support my artwork.

If you would prefer to make a one-time donation, you can help in the following ways:

Ko-fi || @therosecleric
Venmo / Cashapp || @therosecleric / $therosecleric

Thank you for reading.

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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · Sep 3

Extraordinary and alarming that vaccines are perhaps the most polarizing topic that threatens the strength of the union.

Florida Says It Plans to End All Vaccine Mandates
The state would be the first to scrap requirements that children be vaccinated to attend school, among other rules.
2 MIN READ
Snubbing Kennedy, States Announce Plans to Coordinate on Vaccines Governors in California, Oregon and Washington said their states would work together in a time of turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · Sep 4

Some parts of society have always tried to downplay diseases. History has almost always proven them wrong.

DON’T PANIC OVER POLIO
AUGUST 1 1948 CHARLES NEVILLE
DON’T PANIC OVER POLIO

CHARLES NEVILLE

THOUSANDS of parents this month will lose weight, sleep and peace of mind worrying about a disease which kills far fewer Canadian children each year than the common whooping cough. Poliomyelitis, the mysterious childhood crippler which more frequently maims than it kills, reaches its seasonal peak during the hot, humid days of midand late summer. It is then that a doctor, called to the bedside of a feverish sickly child who complains of stiff muscles, is most likely to shake his head and pronounce the words a parent dreads: infantile paralysis.

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Iris van Rooij 💭 @irisvanrooij.bsky.social · Sep 2

Sigaret box with a sigaret stick out with “AI" on it. On the box it says: Using this puts you at risk of:
Misinformation
Violating copyright
Plagiarising
Exploitation of workers
Deskilling yourself
Spreading stereotypes
Contributing to pollution

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Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · Aug 30

I've been tracking ads for learning aps for a couple of months now, and this claim that AI can help kids learn at super speed is one of the most prevalent and troubling claims. 1/

Washington Post article: "For $65K a year, you can send your kid up an AI-driven private school. There are no teachers, and students study just two hours per day."

Ad for Elephant Learning, claiming kids can learn 1 year of math in 3 months

Ad for Miacademy Learning, promising "Learning at lightning speed."

Ad for Thinkster Learning, promising "confidence rebuilt in weeks" and "3X faster progress than old-school centers."

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amy brown @amybrown.xyz · Aug 22

this iconic advertising copywriter named Kathy Hepinstall Parks died over the weekend and I wanted to share something from her website I thought Bluesky would like

Why should I write better when a machine can do it for me?
Because actually no one can do it for you, because your voice is unique among all the people on earth. Siri never petted a horse's neck. Alexa has never been ghosted by the captain of the football team. But you have lived, your heart is beating, you have suffered, and you have something important to say. It's a human's job, to use words, and whatever job you give to a machine, that part of your brain goes dark. Maybe it's worth it when it comes to remembering phone numbers and directions, but when that part of your brain that uses words goes dark, that's a vast area that's very close to your soul. Don't let some internet platform convince you that what you have to say and create isn't worthwhile. Words are the echo of your soul. Honing that echo matters.

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Lutavia 🔜 MAGfest @lutaviacosplay.bsky.social · Aug 21

i'm not asking ya'll to mask up everywhere. but can you at least mask up in places that ill and disabled folks *have* to go to? grocery stores? pharmacies? appointments? government appointments? keep some masks in your car. keep a couple in your backpack.

Teen Vogue @teenvogue.com · Aug 21

"I don’t know how to convince everyone that we can’t give up. So many people consider COVID to be endemic, or accept that everyone will eventually become infected, thinking nothing more can be done... but I know a better world is possible and we will move forward together."

COVID Isn’t Going Anywhere. Masking Up Could Save My Life.

"When I am in public spaces and see most people unmasked, I feel like an expendable burden not worth saving."

www.teenvogue.com

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Jess McLaughlin, PhD (they/them) @jfmclaughlin92.bsky.social · Aug 21

(un)friendly reminder to my fellow faculty as the semester starts that accommodations for disabled students aren't optional, rewards for good behavior, some sort of challenge to see how much you get away with, or a challenge to your authority. it's your job to provide them. stop being asses about it

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moby spookgirl 🎃🏳️‍⚧️ @eigenvectrix.myatproto.social · Aug 21

If you are cisgender, I almost certainly have more offhand empirical fact-based technical knowledge about every aspect of trans healthcare than you do. I've had more time and been more interested. You can argue with me about hormones and surgery, but I will win.

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Shane Elijah (He/They) @terigation.bsky.social · Aug 16

Don't do this shit in general. By experience I've been cuffed and put in a cell for like 2 days because I had a relative try and pull me out of my own house when I was 19 by conducting a "wellness check on a kid with schizophrenia". Like that diagnosis isn't demonized enough.

Chantal James @chantalalive.blacksky.app · Aug 16

DO NOT CALL THE COPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CHECKS IN DC. Now more than ever. Unless you want it to be the last call you make or the last time you see a person.

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Sacramento Radical Education @sac-rad-edu.bsky.social · Aug 14

Clean up your links before you share them with others. It's a small and simple piece of operational security that anyone can integrate into their practice.

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