Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · 17d

hello for anyone reaching out here about work things: I’m on leave for a few weeks to take care of some health things and will be offline for the majority of it. see you on the other side ✌🏼

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · 27d

talked to Bennett Foddy about Baby Steps and watching men struggle unnecessarily www.wired.com/story/baby-s...

A playtester for his latest project, Baby Steps, was struggling to navigate the game’s lead—Nate, a 35-year-old “failson” in a stained onesie—up a slippery hill. Each time, the terrain proved to be too much, and Nate skidded uselessly down it.

Foddy has a reputation for making onerous games that take a little bit of masochism to master. This was not one of those times. Neatly placed next to the slippery hill was a staircase, which Foddy says the player took note of after the third or fourth fall. However, this modern-day Sisyphus refused to quit; he continued to flop Nate’s thick limbs up that hill again and again, and he continued to fall again and again. The playtester’s “intense need to climb that mudslide—it's funny to me, it's gratifying as a designer,” says Foddy. “I loved that he was doing it. Like, that's not productive.”

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · 27d

talked to Bennett Foddy about Baby Steps and watching men struggle unnecessarily www.wired.com/story/baby-s...

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Elizabeth Lopatto @lopatto.bsky.social · 27d

Natalie isn’t a public figure. But she’s been caught in the crosshairs of a broad right-wing harassment movement — one sanctioned and encouraged by the government. www.theverge.com/policy/77897...

The right wing is creating a society of snitches

The Republican Party is making a foray into digital McCarthyism

www.theverge.com

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Emanuel Maiberg @emanuelmaiberg.bsky.social · 28d

A DOJ study showing most domestic terrorism in the US comes from the far right is suddenly missing and replaced with a note saying DOJ is complying with Trump's executive order www.404media.co/doj-deletes-...

DOJ Deletes Study Showing Domestic Terrorists Are Most Often Right Wing

Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the Trump administration’s promise to go after the “radical left” a study showing most domestic terrosim is far-right was disappeared.

www.404media.co

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · 28d

well that seems bad
haha that sounds bad too
oh that can't be good
hmm seems bad
i'm gonna go out on a limb, seems bad
sounds bad if i'm being honest
think this sounds kinda b

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Elizabeth Spiers @espiers.bsky.social · 29d

Firing a Black woman for quoting Kirk’s horrific statements about Black women is insane. It seems the Washington Post would rather perform politeness (and demand that the people Kirk harmed do it too) that tell the truth: karenattiah.substack.com/p/the-washin...

The Washington Post Fired Me — But My Voice Will Not Be Silenced.

I spoke out against hatred and violence in America — and it cost me my job.

karenattiah.substack.com

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Jake Lahut @jakelahut.writes.news · Sep 13

Check out this story from @makenakelly.bsky.social & @megannicolett.bsky.social, two great reporters who know their memes, video game cultures, and what Helldivers 2 is: www.wired.com/story/charli...

makena kelly @makenakelly.bsky.social · Sep 12

NEW: Bullets Found After the Charlie Kirk Shooting Carried Messages. Here’s What They Mean

w/ @megannicolett.bsky.social

www.wired.com/story/charli...

Bullets Found After the Charlie Kirk Shooting Carried Messages. Here’s What They Mean

The inscriptions on bullets recovered near the scene of Charlie Kirk's murder appear to reference video games like ‘Helldivers 2’ and online furry roleplay, not a legible political ideology.

www.wired.com

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Chris Plante @plante.bsky.social · Sep 12

When I see the double byline of two people who actually know what the fuck they're talking about

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · Sep 12

“It's pretty indicative of general speech associated with the deep parts of internet culture, in particular the types that are very much into irony posting and edgelord humor," says extremism researcher @alexbnewhouse.bsky.social

With @makenakelly.bsky.social

www.wired.com/story/charli...

But in the aftermath of this shooting and others like it, Alex Newhouse, a researcher at the University of Colorado at Boulder who studies extremism, says any critiques of gaming culture in this instance must be contextualized. “It's not a specific game, but it's rather the use of gaming references. It's not the specific meme, but rather the use of online memes,” he says. “It's not the specific ways that things are written on the gun, but that they’re writing something on the gun at all.”

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makena kelly @makenakelly.bsky.social · Sep 12

NEW: Bullets Found After the Charlie Kirk Shooting Carried Messages. Here’s What They Mean

w/ @megannicolett.bsky.social

www.wired.com/story/charli...

Bullets Found After the Charlie Kirk Shooting Carried Messages. Here’s What They Mean

The inscriptions on bullets recovered near the scene of Charlie Kirk's murder appear to reference video games like ‘Helldivers 2’ and online furry roleplay, not a legible political ideology.

www.wired.com

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · Sep 12

careless, sloppy, alarming reporting error that puts people in danger during an already perilous time

Jack Mirkinson @jackmirkinson.bsky.social · Sep 12

WSJ has now appended this lengthy editor's note to its original report. It notably contains zero contrition for the initial decision to spread such incendiary misinformation. www.wsj.com/livecoverage...

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article detailed how an internal law enforcement bulletin said that ammunition recovered following the Charlie Kirk shooting was engraved with expressions of “transgender and anti-fascist ideology." Justice Department officials later urged caution about the bulletin by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, saying it may not accurately reflect the messages on the ammunition, and the article was updated Thursday to reflect that. This editor's note was appended on Friday, Sept. 12, after Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said the engravings included one that said “Hey fascist!” along with other messages and symbols. He gave no indication that the ammunition included any transgender references.

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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · Sep 12

Just to be blunt, if you want Wired and 404 and The Verge to employ reporters who understand the memes on bullet casings and can connect them to gaming culture while having the legal and support resources to deal with waves of harassment when we do it… you have to subscribe and pay for the work

onion person @junlper.beer · Sep 12

the entire media ecosystem is just not built or ready for events like this and far right billionaires like larry ellison buying news orgs will only make this worse

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · Sep 12

*stares in laid off colleagues*

Asawin Suebsaeng @swin24.bsky.social · Sep 12

National political reporters: consult your gaming desk. You likely have a massively blind spot — this isn’t a dig at anyone, because I have this blind spot too b/c I’m not a gamer and am trying to adjust for it in real time — covering this very important moment if u don’t game & don’t know the memes

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · Sep 12

bro i do not like human ditto. get thee behind me satan

oh my god i hate ditto human!! its face is scary!!

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Slate @slate.com · Sep 11

The Overton window on political violence shifted partly by his own hand. slate.trib.al/Zivq1AI

Charlie Kirk Helped Create an American Culture That Would Laugh at His Death

It’s hard to take the outrage about this kind of dark humor seriously.

slate.trib.al

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Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · Sep 11

NEW: @davidgilbert.bsky.social reports on right-wing activists doxing of people accused of celebrating Charlie Kirk's death online: www.wired.com/story/right-...

Right-Wing Activists Are Targeting People for Allegedly Celebrating Charlie Kirk's Death

Extremists and an anonymously run website are posting identifying details about people accused of celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder online. Some of those targeted are now getting death threats.

www.wired.com

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · Sep 11

"It is undeniable that Kirk was not just a part of the extremely tense, very dangerous national dialogue, he was an accelerationist force whose work...has directly put the livelihoods and physical safety of many people in danger." www.404media.co/charlie-kirk...

Charlie Kirk Was Not Practicing Politics the Right Way

The mainstream media seems entirely uninterested in explaining Charlie Kirk's work.

www.404media.co

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Elizabeth Lopatto @lopatto.bsky.social · Sep 10

your brush with fame is hunting you like a monster in a horror movie. hope you can outrun it! www.theverge.com/internet-cul...

Anonymity is dead and we’re all content now

Your 15 minutes of fame may be more unpleasant than you ever imagined.

www.theverge.com

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Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · Sep 10

Update: Kirk is dead.

Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · Sep 10

Here's our report on the shooting of Charlie Kirk www.wired.com/story/charli...

Charlie Kirk Shot at Utah Valley University Event

Turning Point USA cofounder Charlie Kirk was shot at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The suspect is in custody.

www.wired.com

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megan farokhmanesh @megannicolett.bsky.social · Sep 10

as someone who's seen the up-close video and deeply wishes she had not, really REALLY recommend doing this right now

southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · Sep 10

settings > content & media > autoplay video & gifs = off

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NPR @npr.org · Sep 10

Yes, the first-ever stage dive at the Tiny Desk occurs during Turnstile's set, but not before a wild reimagination of the hardcore band's wide-ranging sound.

Turnstile: Tiny Desk Concert

Yes, the first-ever stage dive at the Tiny Desk occurs during Turnstile's set, but not before a wild reimagination of the hardcore band's wide-ranging sound.

n.pr

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Emanuel Maiberg @emanuelmaiberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

thrilled to have @nicolecarpenter.bsky.social back on 404 Media www.404media.co/how-lofi-gir...

How Lofi Girl Became a Chill Beats Empire

How the iconic looping video of a studying anime girl and stream of chill music became a big business.

www.404media.co

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