Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Derek

Derek @derekdesanges.bsky.social · 20h

thank you!

Derek @derekdesanges.bsky.social · 22h

I have worn a massive hole in the bottom of my trainers, would anyone like to make this less of a problem:

ko-fi.com/derekdesanges

Buy DerekDesAnges a Coffee

Become a supporter of DerekDesAnges today!

ko-fi.com

2

Reposted by Derek

The Spaceshipper 🚀 @thespaceshipper.com · 20h

It's funny how banks have no problem with money if it comes from oppressing workers or destroying environments, but the line is: fraking adult games ☝️

Ana Valens | 🔞 | Comms Open @acvalens.net · 20h

Per Reddit: Steam adult developer in the UK is sitting on a USD equivalent of six figures, can’t find a bank to take his money because the developer creates adult games

www.reddit.com/r/UKPersonal...

r/UKPersonalFinance
3 hr. ago
Previous-Camera1641

I develop adult video games on Steam. I can't find a bank that will actually let me withdraw my money from Steam. Can I get some advice?
Game has sold quite well on Steam. I've got almost £90,000 ready to withdraw after Steam's cut + VAT taken off.

However, it's been 2 months now and I can't find ANY bank in the UK who will let me withdraw my money from Steam.

I've been banned/refused/unable to get a business account with:

Wise
Revolut
Monzo
Monese
Chase
Starling
Nationwide
Halifax
Barclays
Lloyds
RBS

It always comes down to, "Where did you get this money from?"

"It's coming from games I sell on Steam."

"Can we see the store page?"

"Sure."

"I'm sorry, we can't do business with you at this time."

It keeps coming down to a commercial decision purely because I make adult content.

What the hell am I supposed to do? I've pretty much exhausted the whole banking system. I just want to be able to be paid for products I've sold.

8 210 490

Reposted by Derek

GODSTEETH @godsteeth.bsky.social · 19h

6 frames taken from a recent animation

6 40

Reposted by Derek

wendy copium @alicebennett.bsky.social · 19h

one thing LLMs have revealed is that the belief that there is a magical incantation that will give you what you want is not just confined to pick-up artists and freemen on the land

Des Fitzgerald @desfitzgerald.bsky.social · 20h

Seeing people nonchalantly post stuff like makes me feel like I'm going crazy honestly.

A post from an academic on blue sky that says: "I'm learning about "prompt engineering" when asking LLMs to extract data. I now add this to all instructions:

Style
Be concise, analytic, and specific (cite page/figure if provided). If essential info is missing, keep going but flag Unclear and exact data needed. Never invent data.

#academicsky"

12 160 570

Reposted by Derek

Lauren Dobson-Hughes @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · 21h

"An officer told her: “Mentioning freedom of Gaza, Israel, genocide, all of that all come under proscribed groups, which are terror groups that have been dictated by the government” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Kent police apologise to protester threatened with arrest for holding Palestine flag

Force agrees to pay damages to Laura Murton, 43, who also had sign saying ‘Israel is committing genocide’

www.theguardian.com

6 12

Reposted by Derek

Marc Burrows @20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk · 21h

I honestly think Melanie’s new book is astonishing. I read the first half over three or four days, im not a fast reader, then I hit the mid-point when the revolution kicks in and couldn’t put it down again. I devoured the last 150 pages that day.

Mélanie Woebespierre de Clegane @mmeguillotine.bsky.social · 23h

More lovely reviews of my new book about Marie Antoinette!

It's now officially available from all the usual places but if you're after a signed copy or can't wait for it to be released in America, I still have a few copies left that can be bought via us.

www.marcburrows.co.uk/product/pre-...

2 5

Reposted by Derek

Philippa East (Author) @philippaeast.bsky.social · 22h

Over 1,000 letters sent in just 3 hours! 🤯🤯🤯
You guys are epic ❤️❤️❤️
Keep writing, keep sharing!

Philippa East (Author) @philippaeast.bsky.social · 1d

Here we go! 📝📝📝
🚽 Scrap the Bathroom Ban🚨🏳️‍⚧️

Our work so far is already working (see here: archive.ph/gaCN4)

Now we’re demanding that any new Code must outline how providers can lawfully *include* trans folk in their services.

✍️ Write to your MP with our easy tool: actionnetwork.org/letters/scra...

Scrap the Bathroom Ban

🚨This is urgent🚨 Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, has a decision to make. The EHRC, a regulator mired in controversy over anti-trans views, has sent a new draft Code of Prac...

actionnetwork.org

1 27 70

Reposted by Derek

sea salt 🔞 @cecillusive.bsky.social · 1d

shoutout to this guy hanging out next to the protesters at the Pride parade

5 25

Reposted by Derek

bleary @bleary.off-the-records.com · 21h

If anyone needs me I will be in the museum, lying down next to the bog bodies.

Did people really memorize phone numbers before cell phones, or is that just a movie thing?
2? Questions
I was watching some old shows from the 90s and noticed people would just dial numbers from memory - like they'd call their friends or family without looking anything up.
Made me wonder if that was actually normal back then? Did people genuinely have all their important numbers memorized, or did most folks keep a little address book or written list nearby?

1.5K 4.6K 23K

Reposted by Derek

Helene von Bismarck @helenebismarck.bsky.social · 21h

He is far from alone.
Do you know how many people I know, journalists, thinktankers, civil servants, politicians, who always excel at explaining to you why what is currently happening was always bound to happen, from which they conclude that it should happen?

Feelingantsy 🇬🇧🇩🇪. Maker of Puns @feelingantsy.bsky.social · 21h

37 180 680

Reposted by Derek

Nicole Genesis Evangelion 🏳️‍⚧️ @nicolemay.bsky.social · 1d

this is not a staffing problem
this is not a budgeting problem

the problem is the uk doesn’t allow an informed consent model which should be standard worldwide

the waitlist is for a completely pointless assessment that should not be required to access trans healthcare

Helen 🏳️‍⚧️✊🏻💕 @mimmymum.bsky.social · 1d

The ‘Transit’ gender clinic in Spain has a 3 WEEK waiting list! 😳😳😳

It covers a population of 8 million, (equivalent to the population of Scotland & Wales combined, or 1/7th of the population of England) It has a total of 43 staff, a majority of whom are part-time, working 6-7 hours per week!

Trans health waiting lists are a political choice

I’m just back from an awesome trans healthcare conference in Norway (blog on that to follow). Here I wanted to share information from a presentation by the founder of the transit trans health…

growinguptransgender.com

1 16 38

Reposted by Derek

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 21h

Turns out most people don't really like being invaded

lumberjack wharfie @lumberjackwharfie.bsky.social · 1d

soooo my Chicagoans, has anyone else's neighborhood facebook group gone from desperately apolitical (regarding federal politics) to at least 40% about ICE/DHS activity and organizing against it? like it's hard to overstate this shift

16 310 1.4K

Reposted by Derek

Gwen C. Katz @gwenckatz.bsky.social · 15h

2 14 91

Reposted by Derek

Mattslew Batberg-Mothfit (any/all) @mbrobergmoffitt.bsky.social · 21h

The absurdity would be as if a company produced a drug called “Torture” that was found to be poisonous and dangerous and banned, but also produced “TortureASD” that contained the same active ingredients, with the same risks, and it continued to be sold in every pharmacy.

Mattslew Batberg-Mothfit (any/all) @mbrobergmoffitt.bsky.social · 21h

It’s ridiculous that ABA is viewed any differently than conversion therapy, given it was created by the same man (Lovaas, who was a literal card carrying Nazi) and utilizes the same techniques with the same stated purpose (forced assimilation without consent).

2 30 93

Reposted by Derek

Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social · 1d

the actual story here, which the media never talks about, is that police in this country have become a discrete right-wing political operation. the story isn't about cops leaving (they're lying about that), it's about the police trying to exert influence over elections.

Mark Misoshnik 🏴 @misoshnik.bsky.social · 2d

Lmao is this supposed to be a bad thing?

A tweet from Bari Weiss that says “"It's shaken me to my core," a lieutenant said of Mamdani's unexpected victory in June. "The absolute dread I feel is palpable.
"
Today in @TheFP our @Olivia_Reingold talks to the cops who say they will walk if Zohran Mamdani is elected in November:”

570 5.5K 21K

Reposted by Derek

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 21h

That New York Times story lots of people are sharing today about Farage's ties to US anti-abortion groups was first reported by @mc00.bsky.social on Byline Times a year ago bylinetimes.com/2024/11/29/n...

100 750 1.5K

Reposted by Derek

Ashley Lynch ✂️🎞️ @ashleylynch.bsky.social · 21h

It is nice to know that while a fraction of Joanne's wealth could pay off my credit cards, all the money in the world can't save her from being a miserable cunt trapped in a hell of her own making while I've over here loving life.

6 61

Reposted by Derek

Saul Staniforth @saulstaniforth.bsky.social · 1d

Israel has banned Palestinians from celebrating the release of Palestinian prisoners [hostages] & banned their families from giving interviews

Contrast that with the celebrations around the release of Israeli hostages & the many interviews being broadcast around the world.

15 250 350

Reposted by Derek

onion person @junlper.beer · 22h

watching the UKs green party elect an actual unafraid leftist into leadership and see party membership double in under a month is once again endless proof that if you stand up for leftist causes and treat the electorate like adults, you’ll win people over easily

99 1.6K 8.3K

Reposted by Derek

Thomas Lecaque @tlecaque.bsky.social · 1d

"Product of his time" harvest the fruit of the dick tree and choke on its fruit.

Medieval image of a nun harvesting from the penis tree

9 87 830

Reposted by Derek

The Midnight Society @midnightpals.bsky.social · 22h

Koontz: what's autogynephilia?
Murphy: it's like being trans except evil
Murphy: it's a very scientifically sound and not at all debunked theory
Koontz: wow, i'm learning so much!
Barker: actually dean you're not
Barker: you're actually dumber now for hearing this

2 15 150

Reposted by Derek

Ashley Lynch ✂️🎞️ @ashleylynch.bsky.social · 1d

This is why the costumes are honestly brilliant. Ngo, who has never said a truthful thing in his entire life (remember the concrete milkshake?) now has to convince people inflatable Sesame Street and animal costumes are violent terrorists.

Sometimes you just need an image too silly to demonize.

Michael Edison Hayden @michaelehayden.bsky.social · 1d

“They are highly organized … [they] have purchased their own animal costumes”

Andy ngo mad about muppets again — this time in Chicago

49 570 2.4K

Reposted by Derek

Briar Ripley Page @flameswallower.bsky.social · 1d

when I was a kid, therapists tried to get my parents to take all my books away from me until I “behaved” (meaning “changed my entire personality”), and they wouldn’t do it. as a result, they were labeled “overly permissive” parents by clinicians for years per my childhood medical notes

Mattslew Batberg-Mothfit (any/all) @mbrobergmoffitt.bsky.social · 1d

Explain to me why “conversion therapy” is banned in 28 countries and ABA is not, when they have the same creator (O. Ivar Lovaas) and utilize similar if not identical principles, techniques, and goals (forced assimilation).

Mattslew Batberg-Mothfit (any/all) @mbrobergmoffitt.bsky.social · 1d

Autism $peaks is the largest and most popular Autism organization (among allistics), who continues to be 100% in support of ABA. They have lobbyists who push ABA as the “gold standard Autism treatment.” It utilizes same practices as “conversion therapy,” which is currently banned in 28 countries.

2 14 58

Reposted by Derek

emily moonlight @threnody.bsky.social · 21h

this is why i’m irritated by “they can’t refuse to follow orders, but they don’t want to be there & some of them are just picking up litter & helping with groceries & not working” while meanwhile whole kinds of people straight up are like “i am scared to go outside because i might get disappeared.”

Caræsten 🇵🇸 @cara.city · 21h

the goal is to see them as silly or benign or blending into the scenery. for most liberals, the expectation is that you'll tolerate their presence while they terrorize people who don't look like you

2 44 180

Reposted by Derek

Robin Stevenson @robinstevenson.bsky.social · 21h

99.97% of families did not object to their kids reading Pride Puppy and other books about LGBTQ+ characters. Which makes sense, because parents generally want their kids to learn about the world and the people in it, and trust teachers to select picture books to share.

Authors Against Book Bans @authorsabb.bsky.social · 21h

Some good news! After all that, only O.03% of families opted out of LGBTQ+ Education in Maryland after the Supreme Court gave them the ability to do so. Not just a majority, not just most families, nearly all families want their kids to have access to this education. We are the majority

Only 0.03% Opt Out Of LGBTQ+ Education In Maryland After SCOTUS Gives Them A Right To

After SCOTUS gave families a right to opt out of LGBTQ+ education, Montgomery County, Maryland is reporting only 43 families took them up on it.

www.erininthemorning.com

3 4