Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 19h

And IRCs, and the economics of postage return costs vs. disposable MS. I used to buy a case of paper at least once a year.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 20h

With the advent of AI slop burying short story markets and agency submissions, I wonder if we aren’t going to end up turning full circle and going back to paper submissions to build in cost friction and weed out slop.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 20h

The bubble is going to burst before authors get paid by any of these copyright thieves, isn’t it.

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · 1d

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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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 21h

Also, here for the ratio.

a group of people are standing in a park in front of a pizza truck

Alt: A guy snap unfolds a canvas chair and then sits down with a “here comes the show” kind of vibe

media.tenor.com

Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 21h

As it turns out, tariffs are simply a way to surround yourself with rakes to step on.

a red car is parked next to a trailer that says u-tow on it

ALT: a red car is parked next to a trailer that says u-tow on it

media.tenor.com

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 21h

Read what you want to read and don't worry about what you "should" read. Your time is finite, books are awesome and there millions more than you can possibly read in a lifetime, there is no reason to self inflict literary suffering.

John Wiswell @wiswell.bsky.social · 1d

Tell me your most life-affirming literary opinion.

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Reposted by Kelly McCullough

Endless Screaming @infinitescream.bsky.social · 22h

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

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Reposted by Kelly McCullough

C. Robert Cargill @crobertcargill.bsky.social · 22h

Hey guys, if you’re not too busy this weekend, maybe it might be a good time to go see a movie. Just a thought. I heard there is something good playing.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 22h

Utterly immoral and completely reprehensible. An abuse of copyright and of the moral rights of the dead and their families. Whoever wrote this really needs to sit down and have a long talk with the person in mirror, because it is made of yikes.

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Reposted by Kelly McCullough

Greg Jenner @gregjenner.bsky.social · 23h

“Copyright growing pains” is one hell of a euphemism for the biggest IP theft in history

Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 2d

Despite early, and familiar, copyright growing pains, Sora may be the prelude to AI-generated on-demand TV and movies

Want to See Marilyn Monroe in Game of Thrones? AI Could Make It Soon

Despite early, and familiar, copyright growing pains, Sora may be the prelude to AI-generated on-demand TV and movies

www.scientificamerican.com

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 23h

That sounds likely.

Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 23h

I think your response is much more the norm. I’m kind of a freak on the morning thing.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 23h

I can’t do the cold shower because I’m basically a giant lizard in the morning and whole body cold makes me want to crawl under the covers and sleep til spring, but the head thing works really well for me.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

Coincidentally, also addresses the bags under your eyes, at least a bit.

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Reposted by Kelly McCullough

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 1d

my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...

Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports

CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.

www.consumerreports.org

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Reposted by Kelly McCullough

Queen of Swords Press @qospress.bsky.social · 1d

#Booksky Thrilled that Michael Merriam @mmerriam.bsky.social’s LAST CAR TO ANNWN STATION has just been acquired by the Minnesota Historical Society for their library! It‘s an urban fantasy set in Minneapolis circa 2007 and features streetcar ghosts, Welsh mythology and a sweet sapphic romance!

Cover of the novel LAST CAR TO ANNWN STATION by Michael Merriam.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

Basically, what this does is convinces the primal part of your brain that you are drowning and it needs to WAKE UP THE FUCK UP AND DO SOMETHING. I suspect the degree to which I have found this incredibly helpful is probably a bad sign for my sleep/stress ratio. That said, it works, so thank you! 2/2

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

Some years ago on this app or the bad place another writer posted an alertness bio-hack that I have found incredibly valuable. It involves putting as much of your head as you can manage in a basin of cold water and holding your breath for as long as you can—preferably at least a minute. 1/2

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

It is not, I think, coincidental that a bunch of smaller accounts are all singing the peaceful-protest-and-absurdity-can't-win song just exactly as those things are proving to be an effective tool.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

This cat is not Santa Claus.
.
.
Proof of cat

Grumpy tortoiseshell, cat sitting atop a cat tree, roughly shaped like a chimney

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

DragonDiaries: Went on pointy faced horse’s podcast. Two hours of narcissism later almost ated them. Fortunately remembered about unicorns and digestive system and ated studio and the server instead. That’s one monologueiview that’s never getting aired.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

Not my stars, not my goiters.

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

Morning arrived like a marmoset on your back—my coffee thing is more of a habit really… #BadNoir

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Reposted by Kelly McCullough

Kendra, regular version @kendrawcandraw.bsky.social · 1d

You can't logic your way out of being burnt out. Unless you're me. Who should be able to do it and it's a personal failing that I can't

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Kelly McCullough @kellydmcc.bsky.social · 1d

If I track back to someone’s replies and all that they’re doing on Bluesky is being snarky and mean to big accounts or a doomer to big accounts, I assume they are a clout/outrage farmer and mute or block.