N.L. Bates
@nlbateswrites.bsky.social
Canadian author of SFF stories, sometime accidental filker, frequent tabletop gamer. Dancer, cyclist, boxer. Segue incarnate. I am also the musician Natalie Lynn. She/her. Find me at https://nlbates.com/
Reposted by N.L. Bates
The California State University system spent $16.9 million last year giving ChatGPT to all students, faculty, and staff. We are asking the CSU chancellor not to renew the contract with OpenAI when it expires.
Anyone can sign the petition — link below!
Anyone can sign the petition — link below!
The CSU/OpenAI contract is set to expire June 30, 2026.
Sign this petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/cancel-chatgpt-edu-invest-in-humans/ for the CSU NOT to renew the contract and to use the savings to protect jobs at CSU campuses facing layoffs.
Sign this petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/cancel-chatgpt-edu-invest-in-humans/ for the CSU NOT to renew the contract and to use the savings to protect jobs at CSU campuses facing layoffs.
January 31, 2026 at 7:13 PM
The California State University system spent $16.9 million last year giving ChatGPT to all students, faculty, and staff. We are asking the CSU chancellor not to renew the contract with OpenAI when it expires.
Anyone can sign the petition — link below!
Anyone can sign the petition — link below!
Reposted by N.L. Bates
UFW in solidarity with the 31,000 nurses and health care workers who are on strike in California and Hawaii.
#UnionStrong #1U
#UnionStrong #1U
January 26, 2026 at 6:47 PM
UFW in solidarity with the 31,000 nurses and health care workers who are on strike in California and Hawaii.
#UnionStrong #1U
#UnionStrong #1U
Reposted by N.L. Bates
I can't do anything about so many problems.
But my neighbors are elderly. And I can clear the snow off of their sidewalk while it's still mostly powder.
But my neighbors are elderly. And I can clear the snow off of their sidewalk while it's still mostly powder.
January 26, 2026 at 4:12 AM
I can't do anything about so many problems.
But my neighbors are elderly. And I can clear the snow off of their sidewalk while it's still mostly powder.
But my neighbors are elderly. And I can clear the snow off of their sidewalk while it's still mostly powder.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Reposted by N.L. Bates
🩸COVER REVEAL! 🩸
Arthur and Sal are back for another romp in SUMMER COVEN! This time, the summer solstice festival plays host to a mysterious coven of witches, some bold fashion choices, and one horrible murder.
Artist: Liam Eisenberg
Designer: Colleen Reinhart
www.rosieethor.com/summer-coven
Arthur and Sal are back for another romp in SUMMER COVEN! This time, the summer solstice festival plays host to a mysterious coven of witches, some bold fashion choices, and one horrible murder.
Artist: Liam Eisenberg
Designer: Colleen Reinhart
www.rosieethor.com/summer-coven
January 22, 2026 at 5:36 PM
🩸COVER REVEAL! 🩸
Arthur and Sal are back for another romp in SUMMER COVEN! This time, the summer solstice festival plays host to a mysterious coven of witches, some bold fashion choices, and one horrible murder.
Artist: Liam Eisenberg
Designer: Colleen Reinhart
www.rosieethor.com/summer-coven
Arthur and Sal are back for another romp in SUMMER COVEN! This time, the summer solstice festival plays host to a mysterious coven of witches, some bold fashion choices, and one horrible murder.
Artist: Liam Eisenberg
Designer: Colleen Reinhart
www.rosieethor.com/summer-coven
Reposted by N.L. Bates
I just thought everyone should see this
January 22, 2026 at 11:02 PM
I just thought everyone should see this
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Fucking incredible.
Statement from the entire Minneapolis City Council in support of a General Strike and Day of Truth & Freedom on January 23rd.
January 22, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Fucking incredible.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
National media should really be covering the fact thay every major school, museum, and arts institution in the Twin Cities, and hundreds of local businesses are closed tomorrow to protest federal occupation.
Nothing like this at this scale has happened anywhere in America anytime in living memory.
Nothing like this at this scale has happened anywhere in America anytime in living memory.
January 22, 2026 at 8:25 PM
National media should really be covering the fact thay every major school, museum, and arts institution in the Twin Cities, and hundreds of local businesses are closed tomorrow to protest federal occupation.
Nothing like this at this scale has happened anywhere in America anytime in living memory.
Nothing like this at this scale has happened anywhere in America anytime in living memory.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
I have always told my white students that they can acknowledge the harm that white supremacy has done, and choose to repair that harm, but I've advised them not to stay there.
You do have some fierce AF ancestors, too. It's just that we don't learn about them or what we learn is lies *on purpose.*
You do have some fierce AF ancestors, too. It's just that we don't learn about them or what we learn is lies *on purpose.*
January 17, 2026 at 7:35 PM
I have always told my white students that they can acknowledge the harm that white supremacy has done, and choose to repair that harm, but I've advised them not to stay there.
You do have some fierce AF ancestors, too. It's just that we don't learn about them or what we learn is lies *on purpose.*
You do have some fierce AF ancestors, too. It's just that we don't learn about them or what we learn is lies *on purpose.*
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Respectfully, I am going to whisper to some of our white comrades a truth that should be more widely known: You definitely have some ancestors to be proud of, ancestors who refused white supremacy, and poured out their lives in many of these struggles over time.
Time to claim your true history.
Time to claim your true history.
January 17, 2026 at 7:29 PM
Respectfully, I am going to whisper to some of our white comrades a truth that should be more widely known: You definitely have some ancestors to be proud of, ancestors who refused white supremacy, and poured out their lives in many of these struggles over time.
Time to claim your true history.
Time to claim your true history.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Please help!
I have 5 kids and I suffer from mitral valve prolapse. We did not sleep last night because of the extreme cold; our limbs froze and my kids were shivering. We have no shelter or warmth. Please have mercy on them.I only need 150$ for warmth
Vetted
@mommunism.bsky.social
chuffed.org/project/1574...
Vetted
@mommunism.bsky.social
chuffed.org/project/1574...
January 22, 2026 at 3:48 AM
Please help!
Reposted by N.L. Bates
crazy that the website that I randomly decided to put together at 10AM yesterday has had over 25k unique visitors in 24 hours.
please keep sharing with your networks.
please keep sharing with your networks.
Stand With Minnesota
A directory of places to give to as Minnesota defends itself from ICE occupation
www.standwithminnesota.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:24 PM
crazy that the website that I randomly decided to put together at 10AM yesterday has had over 25k unique visitors in 24 hours.
please keep sharing with your networks.
please keep sharing with your networks.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Cal State University’s deal with OpenAI — providing ChatGPT to all faculty, students, and staff — will expire in June 2026. Amid the prospect of layoffs in the CSU, we’re asking the chancellor not to renew this costly and demoralizing contract.
Link below and anyone can sign:
Link below and anyone can sign:
January 21, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Cal State University’s deal with OpenAI — providing ChatGPT to all faculty, students, and staff — will expire in June 2026. Amid the prospect of layoffs in the CSU, we’re asking the chancellor not to renew this costly and demoralizing contract.
Link below and anyone can sign:
Link below and anyone can sign:
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Oh would you look at that! Anthropic’s magical shrinking margins went from 70% to 47% to 40%, with higher than expected inference costs, and its revenue projections were below estimates. I’m sure they’re somehow magically gonna be profitable by 2028!
www.theinformation.com/articles/ant...
www.theinformation.com/articles/ant...
January 22, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Oh would you look at that! Anthropic’s magical shrinking margins went from 70% to 47% to 40%, with higher than expected inference costs, and its revenue projections were below estimates. I’m sure they’re somehow magically gonna be profitable by 2028!
www.theinformation.com/articles/ant...
www.theinformation.com/articles/ant...
Reposted by N.L. Bates
New House of Commons petition to support gender affirming care in Canada. Sponsored by MP Leah Gazan
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 PM
New House of Commons petition to support gender affirming care in Canada. Sponsored by MP Leah Gazan
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
Reposted by N.L. Bates
I would love to see proper changes to Canada's capital gains that adjusts for how there are basically two types of people:
1. regular folks who get stock purchase plans as part of work (such as when I worked for Telus)
2. people who are compensated in two million in stocks as a Christmas gift
1. regular folks who get stock purchase plans as part of work (such as when I worked for Telus)
2. people who are compensated in two million in stocks as a Christmas gift
“Canada’s richest one per cent, those with a net worth of C$7 million or more, now hold almost C$1.25 trillion in wealth, which is nearly as much as the bottom 80 per cent combined. Meanwhile poverty has been rising steadily in Canada since 2020…”
Tax the rich!
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
Tax the rich!
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
New report finds Canada’s richest billionaires have more wealth than the GDP of some countries
Billionaire wealth reached a record high in 2025 in Canada and around the world, according to a new report from Oxfam.
www.ctvnews.ca
January 21, 2026 at 5:54 PM
I would love to see proper changes to Canada's capital gains that adjusts for how there are basically two types of people:
1. regular folks who get stock purchase plans as part of work (such as when I worked for Telus)
2. people who are compensated in two million in stocks as a Christmas gift
1. regular folks who get stock purchase plans as part of work (such as when I worked for Telus)
2. people who are compensated in two million in stocks as a Christmas gift
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Library readers are also great reviewers! The same book might generate a hundred reviews over time. This is a wonderful thing.
Someone said to me, "I'm sorry but I got your book from a library." Nobody should ever apologise for that. You read my book! That's brilliant! I grew up hanging out in libraries and the idea of a world without them fills me with dread. Without libraries, authors, like readers, will only suffer.
January 20, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Library readers are also great reviewers! The same book might generate a hundred reviews over time. This is a wonderful thing.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Hilariously I have no rep to call since LaMalfa's Nazi ass dropped dead but y'all should call yours
If you cant post about content deemed """harmful""", if platforms cant risk hosting anything but the absolute safest content possible, then counter narratives cant spread
Call your reps. Oppose KOSA/SCREEN Act and more, demand section 230 be protected
www.badinternetbills.com
Call your reps. Oppose KOSA/SCREEN Act and more, demand section 230 be protected
www.badinternetbills.com
Bad Internet Bills
All of the bad internet bills. One website.
www.badinternetbills.com
January 18, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Hilariously I have no rep to call since LaMalfa's Nazi ass dropped dead but y'all should call yours
Reposted by N.L. Bates
This is literally what I've been writing and podcasting about for years. I was planning to do an essay on this, but here's a 🧵.
The main reason is psychology. Due to personal, family, and cultural histories, some people are inherently scared of the world.
The main reason is psychology. Due to personal, family, and cultural histories, some people are inherently scared of the world.
Fight and help win a world war.
Establish a global order that cements your national power for 80 years.
Blow it all up.
What am I missing?
Establish a global order that cements your national power for 80 years.
Blow it all up.
What am I missing?
January 18, 2026 at 5:43 PM
This is literally what I've been writing and podcasting about for years. I was planning to do an essay on this, but here's a 🧵.
The main reason is psychology. Due to personal, family, and cultural histories, some people are inherently scared of the world.
The main reason is psychology. Due to personal, family, and cultural histories, some people are inherently scared of the world.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Bold, assuming that this is a copy editing issue.
Copy Editing Matters, from HHS's release on the new childhood vaccine schedule: All the diseases will still be available to anyone who wants them
January 6, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Bold, assuming that this is a copy editing issue.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
My thoughts on the current discussions in the SF/F genre over writers using generative AI (LLMs). In particular, I love the essays shared by @chuckwendig.bsky.social and @fozmeadows.bsky.social. 1/
www.patreon.com/posts/147102...
www.patreon.com/posts/147102...
Genre Grapevine on Two Secrets about LLM Usage Every Writer Must Remember | Jason Sanford's Genre Grapevine
Get more from Jason Sanford's Genre Grapevine on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:18 PM
My thoughts on the current discussions in the SF/F genre over writers using generative AI (LLMs). In particular, I love the essays shared by @chuckwendig.bsky.social and @fozmeadows.bsky.social. 1/
www.patreon.com/posts/147102...
www.patreon.com/posts/147102...
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Since I'm doing all sorts of end of year reminders, reminder that you do not have to make losing weight a New Years Resolution. Doesn't matter what weight you are, you don't have to guilt yourself into exercising. There's a reason that shit never works, and also? Fat is fine.
Fat is fine.
Fat is fine.
December 31, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Since I'm doing all sorts of end of year reminders, reminder that you do not have to make losing weight a New Years Resolution. Doesn't matter what weight you are, you don't have to guilt yourself into exercising. There's a reason that shit never works, and also? Fat is fine.
Fat is fine.
Fat is fine.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
This perfect good boy just got admitted to the ER overnight so if anyone feels like buying digital albums on Bandcamp this is a great time to do it.
December 30, 2025 at 11:48 PM
This perfect good boy just got admitted to the ER overnight so if anyone feels like buying digital albums on Bandcamp this is a great time to do it.
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Only a few days left to give to my winter fundraiser for our local animal shelter. We're getting closer to $7,000 - can you help us get there? Thank you!! 🎁 givebutter.com/n5l31M
December 21, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Only a few days left to give to my winter fundraiser for our local animal shelter. We're getting closer to $7,000 - can you help us get there? Thank you!! 🎁 givebutter.com/n5l31M
Reposted by N.L. Bates
Hadeel has really bad asthma and has to get medicine for it every month that is expensive and hard to find in Gaza- even a little donation can help ❤️
I’m sharing a Palestinian account every day and today is Hadeel. Hadeel was studying social work before the war but she hasn’t been able to continue her education. She is the mother of 2 year old Nimr and she has chronic asthma. She has lost a large number of family members including her father.
December 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Hadeel has really bad asthma and has to get medicine for it every month that is expensive and hard to find in Gaza- even a little donation can help ❤️