Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 2d

The problem with eugenics is that everyone who espouses it feels like they're more qualified than Darwin to decide what "good" traits are.

Let me tell you, in a crisis, Darwin will make short work of the eugenicists.

1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 4d

I know, right?

1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 4d

True A.I. is going to be a gamechanger.

But we ain't there yet, folks.

Please keep using your brains.

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 4d

And the thing is, sooner or later there will be enough of us mocking the algorithm for trying to sell us what we just bought that the techbros will reprogram it. But it won't *think* at all. There's no ability to see connections, just patterns. It will keep on making mistakes.

1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 4d

When I was a kid, if someone came into the store who had bought a Thermos a few days before, the salesguy would be like, "So, is your coffeemaker up to the task?" That's the guy who got the sale. Not the one who was like, "Do you need another Thermos?"

1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 4d

It has begun.

I bought a Thermos mug online the other day.

Now every ad I'm getting is for insulated mugs.

Human marketers understand "I've already got one" intuitively. A.I. has a long way to go.

2 2

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 6d

Worth the read.

Hell Itself Magazine @hellitself.bsky.social · 6d

Today from Hell Itself: A fabulist science fiction ghost story by @lrb.bsky.social!

Munitions Release – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 6d

Very sorry to be losing you. Thank you for all you've done.

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 7d

Ping @crboltz.bsky.social

Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 8d

Highland cattle are famous for their ability to "disco nap". Normally these brief, efficient sleeps will last between three and twenty minutes, deploying a variety of objects as pillows, including moorland boulders, cars or any particularly large dog or sheep who happens to be nearby.

A highland cow having a little nap on a boulder on Dartmoor (ok, it was actually scratching its head)

1

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Hell Itself Magazine @hellitself.bsky.social · 8d

We're pleased to announce that you can now download each month's stories in a handy .pdf digest, available on our website at the beginning of the following month. September's is out now, featuring stories by @rachiea.bsky.social @crboltz.bsky.social @deborahldavitt.com and @ktwagner.bsky.social

Downloads – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

4 5

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 13d

Witches and werewolves and vampires, oh my!

Hell Itself Magazine @hellitself.bsky.social · 13d

Today from Hell Itself, @ktwagner.bsky.social brings us a bittersweet tale about the language of flowers:

hellitself.com/on-the-rainy...

On the Rainy Side of the Mountain They Grow Columbine, Nightshade, and Stinging Nettle – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

1 1

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Charles (Cy) Payseur @cypayseur.bsky.social · 16d

🏳️‍🌈SOME QUEER SHORT SFF - AUGUST 2025🏳️‍🌈
I round up 25 stories by @rukman.bsky.social @nicowritesbooks.bsky.social @rfdwrites.bsky.social @gothgreenwitch.bsky.social @nassos.bsky.social @sylvie-althoff.bsky.social @mererain.bsky.social @whatsmacksaid.bsky.social & MORE!!!
www.patreon.com/posts/some-q...

Some Queer Short SFF - August 2025 | Charles Payseur

www.patreon.com

1 32 39

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Hell Itself Magazine @hellitself.bsky.social · 20d

Today from Hell Itself, the very last of James Ipse's Colm Ramirez mysteries!

hellitself.com/the-case-of-...

Watch for our next story on October 3!

The Case of Kilts: A Colm Ramirez Mystery – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

7 6

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 21d

Oh, hi. Got caught up in dayjob drama. What'd I miss?

1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 22d

Well, it looks like I have not been taken up in the rap—

1

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Hell Itself Magazine @hellitself.bsky.social · 26d

Today's Hell Itself story is a haunting flash piece by Rachel Ashcraft, "Float."

hellitself.com/float/

Look for our next story on September 26.

Float – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

2 3

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 28d

"Checks for anachronisms" absolutely belongs on my list. Thank you!

1 1

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 28d

Indie writers, publishers, and, well, anyone who puts text out to the public, please continue to have your work actually copy edited. You'll thank yourself later.

3

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 28d

It's possible that in a few years an AI proofreader will become a useful tool in the copy editor's arsenal*, but the AI is nowhere close to being able to replace a human copy editor.

*ethical objections to how AI is trained a separate discussion

1 3

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · 28d

So, this just came up in conversation again, so it bears saying publicly:

AI companies are touting their software's utility for proofreading.

COPY EDITING IS MORE THAN JUST PROOFREADING!

Copy editors also check for continuity errors, consistency, style guide conformity, and formatting errors.

6 23 79

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · Sep 12

Wow!

1

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Hell Itself Magazine @hellitself.bsky.social · Sep 12

Today from Hell Itself, @crboltz.bsky.social's weird Poe riff, "The Tell-Tale Pump"!

hellitself.com/the-tell-tal...

Watch for our next story on September 19!

The Tell-Tale Pump – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

2 3

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Abandoned account @abandondedhellmag.bsky.social · Sep 5

Hell Itself opened today and released a darkly beautiful story by @deborahldavitt.com, "Reaping Whirlwinds."

hellitself.com/reaping-whir...

Look for our second story on Friday, September 12!

Reaping Whirlwinds – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

4 9

Reposted by Kyle Aisteach

Deborah L. Davitt, Author @deborahldavitt.com · Sep 5

Writers often advise, "Keep submitting that story till Hell itself won't have it."

Well, now there is a magazine called Hell Itself that specializes in those stories that, for whatever reason, don't fit.

My story, "Reaping Whirlwinds," is their first publication!

hellitself.com/reaping-whir...

Reaping Whirlwinds – Hell Itself

hellitself.com

4 11

Kyle Aisteach @badwriter.bsky.social · Sep 1

Today's Story Bunny:

Most cultures have a legendary "other" race of creatures — whether leprechauns, dwarves, space aliens, or whatever — that they tell stories about.

What stories do these others tell about us?