Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Kate Watson @loreandordure.com · 33m

This will work fine on neurodivergent folk, I’m sure…

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 38m

Facial expressions common to all humans! 🙃

PainChek is one of these behavioral models, and it acts like a camera‑based thermometer, but for pain: A care worker opens the app and holds a phone 30 centimeters from a person’s face. For three seconds, a neural network looks for nine particular microscopic movements—upper‑lip raise, brow pinch, cheek tension, and so on—that research has linked most strongly to pain. Then the screen flashes a score of 0 to 42. “There’s a catalogue of ‘action‑unit codes’—facial expressions common to all humans. Nine of those are associated with pain,” explains Kreshnik Hoti, a senior research scientist with PainChek and a co-inventor of the device. This system is built directly on the foundation of FACS. After the scan, the app walks the user through a yes‑or‑no checklist of other signs, like groaning, “guarding,” and sleep disruption, and stores the result on a cloud dashboard that can show trends.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Zig Zag Claybourne @zzclaybourne.bsky.social · 3h

A few nudges will get the needle moving on this.

Donate to Help Eva get to a life-changing writing workshop!, organized by Eva Roslin

Hey everyone! I'm Eva Roslin (she/they), a queer, disabled horror and da… Eva Roslin needs your support for Help Eva get to a life-changing writing workshop!

gofund.me

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

L. D. Lewis, Peach Jolly Rancher 🍬 @ldlewiswrites.blacksky.app · 11h

What would *your* book smell like if you engaged in a mega weirdo scented pages promotional campaign?

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Translunar Travelers Lounge @translunartl.bsky.social · 2h

From out in space the moon's cold uncaring eye stares down. For just an instant it pauses. Even Luna cannot remain unmoved, knowing this is the last day for submissions.

Translunar Travelers Lounge @translunartl.bsky.social · 7h

Our submissions portal closes tonight at midnight US Eastern Time (UTC:-4:00). If you have a speculative fiction story of 5000 words or under, be sure to submit before then! translunartravelerslounge.com/submissions/

Submissions

Broadly defined, the type of fiction we are looking for is “fun”. [Go to Submissions]

translunartravelerslounge.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Zig Zag Claybourne @zzclaybourne.bsky.social · 2h

Midpoint of BLACK SPECULATIVE FICTION MONTH. Talk to me about the glory of your Black Fantastic TBR pile.

a close up of a man with long hair and a beard says glory to you .

Alt: A Klingon says glory to you and your house. And means it.

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Effie Cyborg @effies.bsky.social · 13h

If you have a story pending with Must Read Media (includes F&SF, Analog, Asimov's, Ellery Queen), definitely check out Ben's contract before you sign anything.

There've been contract shenanigans there and this is useful ammo to bring to negotiations.

Benjamin C. Kinney @benjaminckinney.com · 1d

New neuroscience short story forthcoming in @analogsf.bsky.social! Which also means a story of - ultimately successful - negotiations with their new publisher.

Includes full final text of my contract for all to use while they finish rewriting their boilerplate.

benjaminckinney.com/analog-negot...

Analog Negotiations & Short Story Sale: Recognition, Memory » Benjamin C. Kinney - still pruning...

Successful negotiations with Must Read Magazines & Analog SF, who will publish my science fiction short story "Recognition, Memory."

benjaminckinney.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · 15h

Posts about people returning to their homes are designed to elicit a sense of conclusion, of normality, that simply does not exist when Israel dropped the equivalent of multiple nuclear weapons on an area the size of Seattle.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · 15h

I think what's bothering me about all these statements I'm seeing from politicians that are variations of "Israeli hostages and Palestinians are returning to their homes, yay" is that Israelis are returning to their homes and Palestinians are returning to uninhabitable post apocalyptic rubble.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Micah @rincewind.run · 19h

I know the headline everyone's running with is "erotica" but "we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues" and "we are putting personality back in ChatGPT so it will act like a friend" are diametrically opposed statements

that's the cause of most of the mental health issues

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 20h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues and have new tools, we are going to be able to safely relax the restrictions in most cases.

In a few weeks, we plan to put out a new version of ChatGPT that allows people to have a personality that behaves more like what people liked about 4o (we hope it will be better!). If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it (but only if you want it, not because we are usage-maxxing).

In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Emissary Of Night | ليلى @diplomatofnight.com · 22h

Ta Nehisi Coates went to a country that imposed a military dictatorship onto five million people on the arbitrary basis of race and came away thinking that that's bad and some people are still angry with him because of that

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

un bastille after another @anem0ne.net · 14h

facebook has always supported groups performing ethnic cleansings

Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 15h

A Facebook group that shared information on sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Chicago area was taken down by Meta following pressure from the Justice Department, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Facebook removes Chicago-area page dedicated to ICE sightings after Justice Department intervenes

The Facebook page ICE Sighting-Chicagoland amassed over 70,000 members in recent weeks as the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” has ramped up in Chicago and the suburbs.

trib.al

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Vida Cruz-Borja @laviecestmoi.bsky.social · 1d

Little update. Mostly been off bsky coz I've had some complications involving fevers, bleeding. It's been a rough six weeks, physically, mentally, emotionally. Would have liked to have rested but I gotta pay for the hospital bills and various tests and medications. Anything you can spare will help.

Vida Cruz-Borja @laviecestmoi.bsky.social · May 23

Hi all; I'm going to undergo a significant procedure later this year (sorry, would rather not disclose) and my husband's health insurance doesn't cover it. We're going to need funds for the care during and after. Any help would be much appreciated:

gogetfunding.com/medical-and-...

Medical and Post-Hospital Care for Vida Cruz-Borja

Hello, I am Vida Cruz-Borja, author of the Cirilo F. Bautista Award-winning Song of the Mango and Other New Myths and the IGNYTE Award-winning essay “We are the Mountain: A Look at the Inactive Protag...

gogetfunding.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Kindra Cotton @kindracotton.com · 14h

ANOTHER SAD REMINDER: Black women lost 319,000 jobs between February and July of this year, the only major female demographic to experience significant job losses during this five-month period.

White men saw the largest job increase 一 365,000 一 among
groups.

Black women lost 319,000 jobs between February and July of this year, the only major female demographic to experience significant job losses during this five-month period.

White men saw the largest job
increase 一 365,000 一 among
groups.

According to an analysis of the most recent labor statistics by
Katica Roy, a gender economist

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Rami Ismail (رامي) @ramiismail.com · 14h

Hey look, Israel broke the cease-fire, twice, in two different ways, within 24 hours - again.

Mondoweiss @mondoweiss.net · 20h

NEW: Israel informed the UN it will permit only 300 aid trucks into Gaza daily, not the 600 mandated by the ceasefire it just signed.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Melissa Caruso @melissacaruso.bsky.social · 20h

The best thing you can do for your writing is to take good care of yourself. The work comes easier, faster, and better when you've got full bars.

Corollary: The best thing we can do to get more amazing art from our faves is to take good care of the artists.

John Wiswell @wiswell.bsky.social · 22h

Tell me your most life-affirming literary opinion.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Christopher Caldwell @seraph76.bsky.social · 17h

Black queer surfers. Black queer bank-robbers. Black queer sea monsters. Black queer sorcerers. Black queer rootworkers. Black queer sailors. Black queer saints. Black queer sinners.

It’s Black!
It’s queer!
It’s Here!

Now available!
www.neonhemlock.com/books/call-a...

Call and Response by Christopher Caldwell (pre-order) — neon hemlock

A collection of short stories. Publication date: October 14th, 2025. An 8” x 5” paperback. 188 pages. This is a pre-order—any other books ordered with it will ship when the pre-order is ready to ship....

www.neonhemlock.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 15h

So that was a lie. Fenway health in Boston just eliminated access for trans youth.

Dallas is their Executive Vice President of Donor Engagement and External Relations.

Dallas Ducar @dallasducar.bsky.social · Sep 4

Massachusetts is standing strong. While many states across the country have restricted or even banned access to healthcare, Massachusetts has not backed down.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Danny Lore @weredawgz.blacksky.app · 15h

Actually

Anyone wanna talk to me about this project for the holidays? Hit me up

Christopher Helton @dorkland.itch.io · 16h

What?

@weredawgz.blacksky.app!

x

Take an exclusive peek inside The Grimoire of Agatha Harkness

www.polygon.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Nico Martinez Nocito | Writer @nicowritesbooks.bsky.social · 15h

Less than $1600 and 13 hours to fund INTO THE DARK!

Filled with dark fantasy including my story 'Imperfect Monsters', you don't want to miss the chance for early copies, exclusive art, and more!

🌘 "You are the final monster, and the stars are bored. They do not wait to reveal your true nature." 🌒

Into the Dark

A Dark Fantasy and Fantastical Horror Anthology

www.kickstarter.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

JAQQQLNtern 🎃 (recovering from GRS) 🐇🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸 🔞 @jaqqqln.gay · Jul 28

I feel like when an apocalyptic bill get shot down due to public outcry they shouldn't be allowed to just wait & run it through again, not once, let alone 12 times or whatever it is now

GRINN‼️ @grinn3r.bsky.social · Jul 27

THEYRE AT IT AGAIN
CALL YOUR REPS, WE HAVE ANOTHER BILL TO KILL

time.com/7288539/kids...

What to Know About the Kids Online Safety Act

What to know about the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, which has been reintroduced and has a second chance.

time.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Ariel Marken Jack @arielmarkenjack.bsky.social · 15h

Even just in the ~5 years I've been submitting, it's gotten noticeably harder to find open, appropriate markets when I've got something to submit. It's a hard game, and one I frequently wonder if I still want to play (but then I get an idea and have to write it down and then I have a story, so...).

Marie Brennan @swantower.bsky.social · 16h

<totters out onto porch>

<settles into rocker>

<thumps cane a few times>

Let's talk about what the process of submitting short fiction used to look like, shall we? And about what it looks like now.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Matinee Mode @matineemode.bsky.social · 18h

Take a few minutes to appreciate Drew Struzan creating the original artwork for THE PHANTOM MENACE. Truly a master at work.

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Danny Lore @weredawgz.blacksky.app · 16h

HAHA THE FAMILIAR IS OUT THE BAG

I got to cowrite AGATHA HARKNESS’ official grimoire with Andrea Hannah!

And maybe… a Scarlet Witch and a Sorcerer Supreme make an appearance…

Christopher Helton @dorkland.itch.io · 16h

What?

@weredawgz.blacksky.app!

x

Take an exclusive peek inside The Grimoire of Agatha Harkness

www.polygon.com

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Reposted by Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They)

Rob MacWolf, Werewolf Hitchhiker @robmacwolf.thevoice.dog · 18h

When we write or draw porn or erotica, we get banned from having a bank account and our livelihoods get seized even if we give it away for free.

When billionaires steal what we've written or drawn to churn out a slop-approximate of porn, they're allowed to charge for it.

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 20h

Oh good, ChatGPT is getting "erotica for verified adults" later this year

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Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They) @gothgreenwitch.bsky.social · 16h

Apropos the last repost, and as OpenAI comes for erotica (couldn't resist), today's a great day to support queer writers making human-authored, exquisite eros.

So much good shit in the field.

For my own part, the goal in the QRP below is at 8/15 and I'd love to reach at least goal by month's end.

Kaya Skovdatter 🏳️‍⚧️ (She/They) @gothgreenwitch.bsky.social · 11d

The Huldra House Samhain Sale continues!

3 FREE horrorotica stories!
50% off all subscriptions! ($9 USD for 24 stories, plus the collected edition, w/extras once out.)

Sub sales go toward me yeeting my deadname! Now at 4/15 toward goal!

www.huldrahouse.com/shop/samhain...
itch.io/s/160941/the...

A sale banner with a dark background, centred on a red-hooded figure holding a long axe with its blade pointed toward the ground. They stand in an open doorway, and moths flutter around them. In the foreground is matte white text that reads: The Huldra House Samhain Sale is on now, through October 31st!

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