Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Tropical Wolf

George Takei

@georgetakei.bsky.social

Ding-a-Ling-a-Ling! It’s your self-own calling!

A tweet from Republicans Against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) says:
“Nearly 80% of voters in farming-dependent counties voted for Trump. Now, many of the farmers are on the brink of bankruptcy because of his policies.”
Below is a screenshot from 60 Minutes showing an aerial view of farmland and silos in a small rural town.

November 11, 2025 at 11:30 PM

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🌿Bella Blanche 🪶

@renardeblanche.bsky.social

来てね🥺🥺🥺

November 7, 2025 at 9:12 AM

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MeidasTouch

@meidastouch.com

They're laughing in your face as they steal your money and make you suffer

PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 @patriottakes.bsky.social · 3d

Argentina President Javier Milei doing the “Trump dance” at Mar-a-Lago after getting an $40 billion bailout.

Meanwhile, Trump won’t renew subsides for American healthcare.

November 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM

Tropical Wolf

@tropicalwolf.bsky.social

I wrote a short article about what's happening is Sudan. Please read it and talk about what's happening there.
.
.
#Sudan #UAE #RSF #News #Africa #Sudanese #SupanesesPeople #CivilWar #War #Violence #SudanGenocide #SudaneseGenocide #Report #NewsReport #Journalism

Horror In Sudan | Article

Pile of corpses can be seen form space

tropicalwolfart.substack.com

November 8, 2025 at 7:05 PM

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松岡宗嗣 Soshi Matsuoka

@ssimtok.bsky.social

新刊が出ます。河出書房新社の14歳の世渡り術シリーズから『多様な性を生きる - LGBTQ+として生きる先輩たちに人生のヒントを聞いてみた』という本です。10代をどのように生き抜いてきたか、少し先を歩く8人の当事者との対話から、10代へ生きるヒントを、周囲の人たちには理解を深める手がかりを届けられたらと思っています。11/27(木)に発売です。
👉 amzn.asia/d/0EvpAFJ

水色の背景に、松岡宗嗣『多様な性を生きる - LGBTQ+として生きる先輩たちに人生のヒントを聞いてみた』と書かれた表紙。本を持つ人やランドセルを背負う人、服を持っていたり、スマホをもっていたりする人など、6人のイラストが描かれている。
黄色の帯には「ここから逃げ出したい…」「ふつうってなんだろう？」「みんなに合わせなきゃ！」悩んでいる本人、友だち、家族、教師、みんなにおくるメッセージ。大内アイミ・木本奏太・中村健・西原さつき・中島潤・水上文・みたらし加奈・森山至貴の文字と、「14歳の世渡り術」大好評シリーズ、河出書房新社創業140周年ロゴ。

November 4, 2025 at 9:35 AM

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Kyoko Takeuchi

@kyokotakeuchi.bsky.social

12/21(日)15時〜のイベント、「Xジェンダーやノンバイナリーの視点から、男女二元制を考える」に登壇し、日本の非二元的な性をめぐる活動史について研究発表します！
排除的な言説も目立つなか大事な機会をいただき、初めてご一緒するゲストの方も多く、楽しみにしています。ご関心ある方はぜひ。

申し込みは以下のフォームからお願いします。
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

イベント名：
性別って女・男だけですか？
Xジェンダーやノンバイナリーの視点から男女二元制を考える

概要：
男女二元制では語れない「性」のあり方に目を向けてみませんか？
Xジェンダーやノンバイナリーの当事者、研究者、支援者が集い、
ジェンダー・アイデンティティ、社会のまなざし、そして希望のあり方を語ります。
「トランスバッシング」など排除の動きが強まるいま、私たちの生活や価値観を共に考え、アップデートする場を持ちたいと思います。
当日は、当事者によるパネルディスカッションと研究者による研究発表を通じて、多様な視点から本テーマに向き合います。

日付・時間：
2025年12月21日（日）15:00〜17:30（開場14:30〜）

場所：
▶︎ オフライン会場（定員120名）
明治大学グローバルホール
明治大学駿河台キャンパスグローバルフロント1F
JR御茶ノ水駅徒歩3分／東京メトロ丸ノ内線御茶ノ水駅徒歩5分
都営地下鉄・新御茶ノ水駅、東京メトロ千代田線新御茶ノ水駅徒歩8分

▶︎ オンライン配信（定員300名）
ZOOMにて配信

申込：
フォームより事前申込制
（QRコード掲載）

登壇者：

【当事者ゲスト】

中村健（Xジェンダー当事者。多様な性に関する講演・発信活動を行う。）

進藤夏葉（Xジェンダー当事者。教育系パラレルワーカー。出張授業の講師もしている。）

みれい（ノンバイナリー当事者。会社員。職場でシングルカミングはせず働いている。）

【研究者ゲスト】

武内今日子（関西学院大学社会学部の教員。非二元的な性をめぐる活動の歴史を研究している。）

小倉夏波音（明治大学大学院在学中。臨床心理学の視点から男女二元的でない性を研究している。）

【司会】

三宅大二郎（大阪大学大学院人間科学研究科博士後期課程。大学で性的マイノリティの学生支援にも従事。）

主催・協力：
主催：明治大学文学部心理社会学科臨床心理学専攻佐々木掌子ゼミ
協力：LGBTQ当事者グループ「なかぶら」

お問い合わせ：
nakaken.project@gmail.com

November 2, 2025 at 9:29 AM

Reposted by Tropical Wolf

Kyoko Takeuchi

@kyokotakeuchi.bsky.social

I’ll be speaking at the event “Rethinking the Gender Binary from X-jenda and Nonbinary Perspectives” on Sunday, December 21!
I’ll present my research on the history of nonbinary activisms in Japan.

Kyoko Takeuchi @kyokotakeuchi.bsky.social · 9d

12/21(日)15時〜のイベント、「Xジェンダーやノンバイナリーの視点から、男女二元制を考える」に登壇し、日本の非二元的な性をめぐる活動史について研究発表します！
排除的な言説も目立つなか大事な機会をいただき、初めてご一緒するゲストの方も多く、楽しみにしています。ご関心ある方はぜひ。

申し込みは以下のフォームからお願いします。
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

November 2, 2025 at 9:34 AM

Reposted by Tropical Wolf

Ilis Trudie 🏝

@ilistrudiepalmer.bsky.social

We continue to work on The Seed Collector and her Chickens children's story and activity book.
The goings been slow but definitely steady.

We could have taken the quicker route, but Spirit lives in humans, not machines. There's a time and place for everything. 🌱

#TheSeedCollectorAndHerChickens

A red line sketch shows a cheerful woman wearing a headwrap and apron, holding seeds in her hand as several chickens gather around her. A tree with leafy branches frames the scene. The illustration captures a warm, playful farm moment from The Seed Collector and Her Chickens, a children’s story in progress.

November 2, 2025 at 2:21 PM

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MeidasTouch

@meidastouch.com

Trump is holding a Great Gatsby/Roaring 20s-themed party at his private club in Palm Beach tonight as he tries to withhold SNAP and health care subsidies from millions of Americans. (via Kellie Meyer)

November 1, 2025 at 2:50 AM

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🥖Kekeflipnote🥖

@kekeflipnote.bsky.social

Happy Halloween! 🎃

October 31, 2025 at 12:11 PM

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Data Bear 🏳️‍🌈

@dataandpolitics.net

Dance party!

October 31, 2025 at 2:50 AM

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The Onion

@theonion.com

China Agrees To Purchase 11 U.S. Soybeans

SEOUL—In a historic trade agreement that President Donald Trump touted as a major win for an American farmer, China reportedly agreed Thursday to purchase 11 U.S. soybeans. “I am extremely honored tha...

theonion.com

October 30, 2025 at 9:00 PM

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George Takei

@georgetakei.bsky.social

He’s still repeating that lie. Video link in replies.

Ron Smith posts: “JD Vance: If you remember all of the migrants who came in from Haiti. You blink an eye and literally a third of your town is Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs 🤔🤔 Still spreading the same debunked lie.”
Below is a video still showing JD Vance speaking during an interview, wearing a suit and red tie.

October 30, 2025 at 5:30 PM

Reposted by Tropical Wolf

Japan Media Review

@japan-media-review.bsky.social

Foreigners in Japan: assimilation vs multiculturalism

Full post on Patreon for unpaid members
www.patreon.com/posts/142316...

As a foreigner who’s fluent in Japanese and assimilated into Japanese culture, I have said many times that your Japanese level is the primary factor that determines your ability to integrate into Japanese society. Even in the era of rising anti-immigration rhetoric and politics, “peaceful coexistence with foreigners” 共生 remains a mainstream idea in Japan because Japan is still dominated by the center-right who believes in coexistence. (Please read my previous post to understand what I mean by the center-right in Japan.) However, what you must understand is that most Japanese people’s understanding of “coexistence with foreigners” is based on the Japanese assimilation model, not the Western multiculturalism model. If you have a mentality based on multiculturalism, you might still feel unwelcome in Japan even if Japanese people generally believe in coexistence with foreigners.

Assimilation means “becoming like other Japanese people”, but it doesn’t necessarily mean “looking like a Japanese.” Assimilation is more about “speaking like a Japanese.” The primary indicator of your assimilation is your Japanese level, as in “is your Japanese similar to Japanese as spoken by Japanese people.” Japanese people primarily care about whether or not they can communicate with you more-or-less in the same way as other Japanese people. Just because most Japanese believe in “peaceful coexistence with foreigners,” it doesn’t mean that they are willing to spend extra effort in overcoming communication barriers.

If your Japanese isn’t at a level where Japanese people feel little to no communication barrier, you will face many rejections and exclusions. The Japanese refusal to deal with language barriers might be shocking to those from multicultural societies who assume that language barriers can be overcome with some simple efforts. You will find many Japanese people who refuse to interact with foreigners who know little Japanese even if translation tools are available. You might assume they are anti-foreigner, but these same people might have no problem accepting foreigners who speak (near) perfect Japanese.

Japanese acceptance of your cultural difference is primarily based on your Japanese level. Assimilated foreigners who speak high level Japanese are allowed to retain cultural differences; assimilation doesn’t actually require that you become culturally Japanese. As long as your cultural differences are accompanied by high level Japanese proficiency and don’t require Japanese to go out of their way and do extra things, your cultural differences are acceptable. Some people assume that assimilation requires becoming culturally Japanese, but I personally don’t think that’s the case. I actually don’t think I’m culturally Japanese at all, but I also don’t feel rejected or excluded by Japanese society. I’ve never met a Japanese person who’s like “how dare you speak Japanese but don’t share the same culture and beliefs as Japanese people.”

I actually don’t do typical Japanese cultural things like saying “itadakimasu” before eating or clapping before a shrine; I also don’t celebrate traditional Japanese festivals or engage in any typical Japanese cultural activities like tea ceremonies. The fact that I don’t do these Japanese cultural things has never ever been a problem. The only context where Japanese people would require me to strictly act in Japanese cultural ways is when I’m facing Japanese clients in business settings. Assimilating into Japanese culture isn’t about doing typical Japanese cultural things; it’s about having no communication barriers with Japanese people and not requiring Japanese people to do extra things. If you speak and understand Japanese (almost) perfectly, very few Japanese people care about how you hold your chopsticks or whether you pay respect to Shinto gods. I feel the need to explain this because some foreigners think integration into Japanese society is about doing Japanese cultural things. (Of course, learning social rules is important, just like in any society.)

What if your cultural differences require Japanese people to do extra things, such as providing vegetarian or halal food options? This is a complicated question and the answer will be case-by-case. If you speak high level Japanese and can explain your needs to Japanese people, it’s still possible that you will find some who are willing to listen. If you require special cultural accommodation, I would still encourage you to try to communicate your needs in a respectful way, but I would also like to point out that Japan’s model of assimilation might not tolerate that as well as Western models of multiculturalism. Please feel free to send me private messages or request a 1-on-1 call on Patreon if you want advice on this matter.

P.S. My Patreon has all my writings AND many more videos than my YouTube channel! You can join fore free!
https://www.patreon.com/JapanMediaReview

October 29, 2025 at 9:52 AM

Reposted by Tropical Wolf

George Takei

@georgetakei.bsky.social

There's no spinning this.

White House Lashes Out Over Clip Of Trump Being Led Around By Japan PM—But The Full Video Is Even Worse

www.comicsands.com

October 28, 2025 at 10:13 PM

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安田菜津紀 Natsuki Yasuda

@natsukiyasuda.bsky.social

大切な声を頂いて、書きました。長い記事ですが、ぜひ読んで頂けたら。

水俣病事件を引き起こしたチッソは、植民地で危険なダム建設など「日本ではとてもできないこと」を続け、公害も引き起こしていたことも指摘されています。その犠牲は今も顧みられていません。

日本の敗戦後、「朝鮮人はぼろくそ使え」という差別のまなざしは、水俣へと向けられました。

一方、水俣で生きる朝鮮の人々は、防空壕に暮らしたり、闇酒を作りながら生活をつないでいたと、当時を記憶する人々は語ります。

チッソの加害は植民地から引き継がれた―水俣と朝鮮、暮らしから見えるその歴史
d4p.world/33600/

チッソの加害は植民地から引き継がれた――水俣と朝鮮、暮らしから見えるその歴史　|　Dialogue for People（ダイアローグフォーピープル／D4P）

※本記事では差別文言を記載している箇所がありますのでご注意ください。 ※戦前の日本窒素財閥を含め、チッソという呼称で統一しています。子どもたちのにぎやかな声が、教室や校庭から風にのってかすかに届く。...

d4p.world

October 24, 2025 at 3:55 AM

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Cats of Yore

@catsofyore.bsky.social

Look at Creemee. 🥹 He's a big, handsome, FIV+ smoosh at the shelter right now, and a total sweetheart despite his very hard life. If you know anyone in northern Vermont looking for gentle friend, please pass this along! www.hsccvt.org/Cats#sl_embe...

Phot of a large flame point cat who looks frightened.

October 24, 2025 at 10:47 PM

Tropical Wolf

@tropicalwolf.bsky.social

I wrote another #shortStory!! Please give it a read!

#HumanMade #HumanArt #HumanArtist #HumanMade #HumanStories #YoungArtist #Art #Artist #Literature #Story #ShortStory #BlackWriter #FemaleWriter #Feminist

I’m a Villain [Short Version] | Short Story

Context warning

open.substack.com

October 24, 2025 at 8:42 PM

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George Takei

@georgetakei.bsky.social

But sure, more tax cuts for billionaires.

A tweet from Jamie Dupree reads: “For those wondering, the debt went over $37 trillion on August 12, 2025. Up $1 trillion in just over 2 months!” It quotes his earlier post that says, “National Debt goes over $38 trillion,” with alert emojis on either side of the text.

October 24, 2025 at 5:30 PM

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Christopher Mims

@mims.bsky.social

In an obscure corner of Kazakhstan, the remains of an ocean millions of years old have created probably the most surreal landscape on earth -- as captured by photographer Daniel Kordan

mymodernmet.com/daniel-korda...