I have many theories of slop, but my current Theory of Slop is that what makes slop "slop" and not just "bad art" is that slop only ever aims to sate a desire created by past experiences of art rather than to create a new experience to be desired.
Black hole star: the little red dot that 'looks a bit like a star but is 100 billion times brighter'.
Astronomers discover a brand-new type of astrophysical object: A black hole star
Astronomers have discovered a “black hole star,” an extremely bright red spot in the early universe that appears to be a new type of astrophysical object. It resembles an enormous star, but its energy...
news.mit.edu
This is no longer dystopian fiction. The authoritarian surveillance state is real and it is here now.
US conducted ‘mass spying campaign’ against leftwing groups and anti-ICE protesters, records reveal
DHS sent undercover agents to meetings and infiltrated chats of groups opposing Trump’s immigration crackdown
theguardian.com
The pro-trans MP has been dubbed the 'Sex MP' by newspapers for advocating for sex education More here: https://www.wearequeeraf.com/understand-the-lgbtqia-news-u/#%F0%9F%94%B4-samantha-niblett
The main difference between the Bible and The Lord of the Rings is that when someone calls The Lord of the Rings their favorite book, they’ve probably read it.
the best part is most of the "wait, there might be reasonable exceptions" posts are about the human skin book
ered@ered.bsky.social · 4w agoSeen some talk of unethical fiction, so here’s my take
Another favorite print of mine 🍖🍄🥘 I don't watch much anime anymore but this series was perfectly made for me. Can't wait for season 2! #DungeonMeshi
Vaccines do not cause autism. Autism is not something to be fixed. Autism is not something to be cured. My autistic friends, you are autistic joy. Thank you for being wonderful you ✨ Sincerely, Your Autistic Library Friend 💛
Don’t forget to talk to Haitians on Haiti. There’s deep crisis in their country, all America & France’s fault, but people are still living there loving their country & having vibrant lives. Many Haitians come here fleeing crisis but not all, & it’s not a matter of America saving Haitians from Haiti.
We need to reach 100,000 names by September to make MPs debate a National Commission on Electoral Reform. Have you added your name yet?
Petition: Set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform to review the electoral system
I ask the Government to set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform, as advocated by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections. It should be an independent, time limited, expert led…
buff.ly
Getting real sick of slop midwives pleading for a 'respectful discussion' of AI as relates to the arts. Your use of AI to 'make art' is not respectful. It benefits from stolen art, destroys the planet, and does not make you an artist any more than someone driving 26.2 miles is a marathoner.
Another instance of trans people being right and transphobes being wrong.
Transphobes Can't Read@lordaslan.bsky.social · 2w agowow really
The SCREEN Act is not just another age-verification bill — it goes much further than anything passed at the state-level or in other countries. 1. The bill doesn't just target porn sites. It goes after *any* site that allows material "harmful" to minors. You'd have to scan your face to use Google.
“a round-the-clock digital dragnet to scour the public internet”
Tom Joscelyn@tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 2w ago“In recent months, ICE has deployed a round-the-clock digital dragnet to scour the public internet—from Facebook to Instagram to X—for speech that could endanger the agency’s mission.” Speech. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
But this could never happen in America, right? /anakin_padme.gif
How China Keeps Tabs on Foreigners (Gift Article)
An unsecured police dashboard was a rare window into how the authorities track foreigners by collecting and aggregating vast amounts of private data.
nytimes.com
OK. But this won't be happening only in USA. I KNOW I sound like a broken record, I know you're not going to that protest 'to cause trouble', and I'm absolutely NOT victim blaming, but there ARE things u can and SHOULD do to reduce these risks. We formed them over DECADES of hard lessons learned 1/2
Mother Jones@motherjones.com · 3w agoOver the past year, ICE agents have scanned the faces of protesters, photographed their license plates, and collected samples of their DNA. But the agency hasn’t said how or where it’s storing that information.
My Appendix N Jam submission is up! It's about a necromancer who is creating an undead army of only the beefiest barbarians and statuesque amazons and outfitting them with chainmail bikinis. There's also a sentient giant eyeball and a giant snake.
We're near the ten-year anniversary of this interview, which was viewed as wildly controversial at the time. It led to hit pieces on me from liberal outlets like The New Republic as well as death threats. Now it's seen as conventional wisdom -- but it always was!
Just an absolute shout out to everyone out there who helped manufacture doubt around the question of this guy being a Nazi, particularly after the Nazi salute.
Snigdha@snig.bsky.social · 3w agoTweet from Elon Musk: “Anyone who opposites remigration is a traitor” posted yesterday.
Taiwan is a *very* friendly place for LGTBQ people, and that will almost certainly change for the worse if China takes it over (look at what’s happened in Hong Kong). this is yet another key point the tankie weirdos like to ignore
"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes..."
Sardonicus@sardonicus.eu · 8mo ago'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.' Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
🪷 25 July is the feast day of Psychopomp Saint #Christopher, who started out as #Anubis and then later #Hermanubis conveying souls over Nile. Hence the cynocephalic dog-headed iconography. 🪷
