Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 3h

(translating Oasis's Wonderwall into Arabic and then back again)

There are numerous things that I want to say to you
But I don’t know how
Because perhaps
You will be the one to rescue me
And after everything
You are my strange wall.

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 3h

(in Seinfeld voice) What's up with every YouTube video now starting with a little highlights reel? Are attention spans really so short that you need to show me the 'best of' what I'm about to watch? Personally, I believe in a little thing called mystery.

Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 1d

Give him a call, see what he's been up to? 🤔

Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 1d

It's a real shame. I wanted to like this show but it didn't know what it wanted to be. I would've been fine with just the synths stuff tbh.

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 1d

Duolingo reminders are now just a long string of emojis like an Arab father wishing you good morning. I'm being haunted by judgemental emoji owls 🦉

Reposted by Mahmud El Sayed

Gautam Bhatia @gautambhatia88.bsky.social · 1d

Had a few hours to process this, and wanted to say thank you to the jurors and voters of the @theignyteawards.bsky.social for seeing - and honouring - this little anarchist-inflected SF novel, from the list of a fiercely progressive & independent Indian publisher ( @westlandbooks.bsky.social). (1/2)

The Ignyte Awards @theignyteawards.bsky.social · 2d

The winner of the #2025IgnyteAwards for Outstanding Novel-Adult is THE SENTENCE by @gautambhatia88.bsky.social

2025 Winner Outstanding Novel - Adult: The Sentence by Gautam Bhatia

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 2d

Brilliant news! Congratulations!

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 2d

When someone asks you, 'What Time Is It?' but you've just watched One Battle After Another.

Me: Time doesn't exist, yet it controls us anyway. Viva La Revolution! 🫡

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 5d

Just bought Shadow Ticket. Can't help but think that this might be the last new Pynchon I get to read. Give the man his Nobel already!

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 6d

Stage five of rejection:
"What will it take to convince you to recognise me as a once-in-a-generation talent?" 😂🫡😂

share.google/05awsUeuKLiu...

‘Stay true to yourself – and fly closer to the sun’: what I’ve learned from 50 years of rejection

As a writer, I have been rejected thousands of times, and it initially led to shock, denial and anger. Then I accepted it. Here’s what you can gain from doing so too

share.google

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 10d

How it started vs. How it's going (Maximus edition)

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 13d

"There’s a difference between peace and liberation. You can have injustice and have peace. You can have peace and be enslaved. So, peace isn’t the answer - liberation is the answer. That's the white man's word - 'peace.' Liberation is our word."
- Kwame Ture

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 13d

How it started vs. How it's going (Mew edition)

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 13d

Horrible to hear, Stew. This kind of thing has become much more normalised, unfortunately. I dread to think where we are heading as a country.

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Reposted by Mahmud El Sayed

Stew Hotston (he/him) @stewarthotston.com · 13d

I had the worst lunch. Honestly.

Maybe @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social could cover the rise in the far right, in racist attacks and, you know, the effect on millions of British people instead of platforming them every night

I'd settle for @theguardian.com doing even basic coverage of racism in the UK

Today I sat next to racists planning openly planning to murder people in a cafe

How have we come to a place where racists can openly talk about murdering people in public with no consequence?

stewarthotston.com

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 13d

Bleed the radiator, sure. But why stop there? Uppercut the boiler. Stab the taps. GBH the pipes. Shoot the sink and throttle the shower. Show your home amenities who's boss.

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 16d

"Well, it is a particular sin to permit grief for what is gone to poison the praise for what blessings remain to us."
- Lois McMaster Bujold, The Curse of Chalion

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 16d

When a writer comes down with a cold and needs to ask themselves for some sick leave.

"Of course, Mahmud, I have the same faith in you that all the editors and agents have!"

"Thank you, Mahmud."

"No, thank you. Mahmud."

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 18d

"A conjuror!" said Lanark with loathing. "A damned conjuror!"
- Alasdair Gray, Lanark

Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 18d

Yep, just look at the Afghan translators data breach. This government sucks at data security even when it's trying. I don't doubt that they'll hire Palantir or some other dystopian corporation to actually run it on their behalf.

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 18d

That's nothing! I was looking for pictures of people playing baseball under a twilight sky and you should've seen the nonsense google images came back with (ba dum tss 🥁)

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 18d

100% this! Additionally, the UK government is crap at data security (see the Afghan translators data breach, for example).

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 18d

Good cop: No cap, you don't want to mess with my partner. He can be totes delulu. Now, can I offer you some Prime?

Bad cop: Not me thinking of waterboarding you with that blue raspberry sweetness. Womp womp.

Good cop: Yo chat, are you hearing this?

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 19d

😂😂😂

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Mahmud El Sayed @mahmudelsayed.bsky.social · 19d

Tron: Ares trailer: We came here from the digital world...

Me: Isn't this the plot from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

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