doofusdan.bsky.social

doofusdan.bsky.social

@doofusdan.bsky.social

neurodivergent af / sff / guitar / cats / climate / clean energy / sustainability / antifascist

490 followers1.5K following415 posts

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

None of us should forget this. Meta should be subjected to corporate death penalty and permanently broken up into small pieces.

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doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Lula winning is great for the planet, great for Brazil, and great for people who aren't revanchist assholes everywhere in the world, but let's not forget that it's also going to make some of the worst people on Earth extremely sad and mad. We should enjoy that, as a little treat.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

I live in a rural town and, like, I don't know how to tell you this, but the girls play on the boys team and vice versa all the time because otherwise we don't have enough players for a game and it's literally always fine so stop being weirdos about kids sports and just let trans kids play.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

gay and think the anti-trans agenda / culture war currently being waged by the uk government will stop with trans people? you're next stand by your trans family now, because we're all in this together

Leicester Gazette@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Right-wing billionaires now own the Washington Post, the LA Times, CNN, CBS News, virtually every local TV station, virtually every news radio station, most local newspapers, X, Facebook, Threads, and TikTok. (Did I miss any?) They own almost the entire information environment.

Alex Gibney@alexgibneyfilm.bsky.social

Note: TikTok - 15% owned by Musk pal Larry Ellison - permanently banned our "Musk" the movie account on the platform. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politic...

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doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

😡😡😡 “Meta employees acknowledged in internal communications that the Instagram accounts of Brazilian ​President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were hindered by ‌restrictions during [Brazil’s] election” & that Meta “recommended the profile ​of challenger…Flavio Bolsonaro” & “his ​WhatsApp channel…” 1/

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Republican politicians are *obsessed* with schoolchildren coming home a different gender because of pro-trans teachers, WHICH NEVER HAPPENS. But they are completely indifferent to schoolchildren not coming home *at all* because of guns, WHICH HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

some deranged lunatic is going to storm an elementary school with an ar15 looking for the schools surgical center and the media is going to pretend we have no idea where they got that idea from

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Trump: "They want to cut your children. It's unbelievable what they do. Your son leaves as Jimmy and comes home in three days as Janet, and they don't even ask you. They can take your child out of school and do whatever the hell they want. Minnesota is one of those states."

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Replying to @vauhinivara.bsky.social

So you used AI to check for AI, and then without bothering to verify the facts, you decided to commit an act of libel and defame an author. Shouldn’t @theatlantic.com have higher standards than to simply allow someone to lie on their behalf?

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

SIROTA: “Did Gaza cost Kamala the White House?” GOV. WALZ: "We did the most terrible thing you can do in politics — We tried to walk the middle… the idea that criticizing 🇮🇱 is antisemitic is untrue… Palestinian protestors had a point…” (H/T @levernews.com )

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Guess which other narcissistic, mentally unstable authoritarian leader called for an arch and a ballroom to be built as grand monuments to his glory. I'm sure it's just a coincidence . . .

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Elon Musk created a pedo bot, has a breeding cult and is a racist. He’s the biggest, most well known funder of the GOP and democrats don’t make noise about it.

Oliver Willis@owillis.bsky.social

Look how easy it is to frame this issue! This handsome writer did it and he’s not very smart www.dailykos.com/stories/2026...

From the article: HOW TO VIEW YOUR “ABOUT YOU” PAGE Want to see what Amazon thinks of you and your shopping habits? Here’s how to view your own “About you” page. (1/2)

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“First, navigate to your “Account” page. Next, under the “Account settings” drop-down menu, select “Shopping preferences.” Finally, scroll to the bottom of that page and click “Manage your information” under the heading “About You.” The page is also accessible when switching between profiles.”

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

In time a new animation industry will form, by our hand. But it'll have to be different. The CEOs, Executives, shareholders, AMPTP, tech bros, do have to drown along with our ship they sank. When the chips were down, they showed they weren't capable of doing better. They are ontologically failures.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

A lot of guys I'm seeing are mentioing that they aren't saying anything because they're afraid to come off as "performative". Guys, please be performative. Please be cringe about it. That fear you have to look bad is the same fear that shut the 50 other group chat members up. Say something

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Full support for everyone striking today for public services in France ✊ And teachers in particular, since I see every day how they are mistreated by the government. And the students. And the firefighters. And the doctors and hospital staff. And more, lots of people 🥰

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

I literally don’t know a single woman who hasn’t been raped, stalked, groped, harassed, or sexually violated in some way at some point in their life. If you choose to doubt and dox survivors, just know every woman in your life is disgusted by you.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

At a time when the most influential leaders of the U.S. need to stand up loudly and clearly for the rule of law, they are leading the charge in the opposite direction. But not Jack Smith. Kudos to him for continuing to be a much needed voice of clarity.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Jack Smith: "History teaches that the rule of law is rarely destroyed all at once. It's often weakened by attacks on the institutions and the public servants sworn to uphold it. Since January 2025, we have witnessed precisely such an effort."

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Jack Smith: "History teaches that the rule of law is rarely destroyed all at once. It's often weakened by attacks on the institutions and the public servants sworn to uphold it. Since January 2025, we have witnessed precisely such an effort."

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

After reviewing the brutal invasions of US metro areas, Amnesty International now officially calls for abolishing ICE. While the grassroots has said #AbolishICE for years, support from the global human rights org signals a significant momentum shift as public support for mass deportations plummets

truthout.orgThe Movement to Abolish ICE Is Gaining MomentumAs activists rally around federal legislation to dismantle ICE, Amnesty International joins the call for abolition.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Jack Smith: "Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in serious crimes against our nation ... rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 election, he engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power"

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Remember that repentance, atonement + attaining forgiveness are not the same thing. Focus on the first. 1) Own the harm, fully + completely 2) Begin to work to change for real, addressing root causes via therapy + education 3) AMENDS in convo w/SA experts* cot'd + *DON'T APPROACH VICTIM UNPROMPTED

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doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Replying to @aubreygilleran.bsky.social

Chris Rufo is literally the guy who went on Twitter constantly to say, "I'm going to manipulate people like Conor and here's how I'm going to do it," and elite media people like Conor just overlooked that completely.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Ken Paxton: The only thing that really saves us is that the Supreme Court came along and allowed Super PACs. Otherwise... I would be sitting here and never have a chance...

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

If you have a hard time empathizing with people unlike yourself but call yourself a fiscal conservative then you should be for SAVING taxpayer dollars by housing the houseless.

Brent Toderian@brenttoderian.bsky.social

“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back to a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.” IT SAVES PUBLIC MONEY to house people.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

The State AGs were on pace to kill the Paramount/Warner Bros by litigation and delay until Gavin Newsom stepped in and turned the tide. Now the Trump loyalist Ellisons will control CNN and HBO. Don't ever, ever forget that Newsom stabbed us in the back www.wsj.com/business/med...

wsj.comExclusive | Newsom Expresses Concerns About State Antitrust Suit Against ParamountThe California governor has told people involved in the suit that blocking the $81 billion deal could harm Hollywood jobs.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Replying to @doofusdan.bsky.social

He's always been a real one. And like yeah he's cringey, sure. But I'll always fuck more with people who are cringey and unashamed about it than people who sneer at cringyness. And he never claimed to be more than he is, a guy with some fun songs who got a lucky moment in the spotlight.

doofusdan.bsky.social reposted

Replying to @swin24.bsky.social

It is insanely funny that trump is so colossally dumb that he found ways that maybe no one else would have to make it absolutely right and factual for you to blame him