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Michael (MJ) Lyle

@mjlyle.bsky.social
3.3K followers 2.7K following 222 posts

Journalist at NevadaCurrent.com, part of the statesnewsroom.com network. I report on homelessness, housing, criminal justice, and state and local government. A queer, Black writer trying to make the world better. (he/him)

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Reposted by Michael (MJ) Lyle
Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
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Reposted by Michael (MJ) Lyle
Homelessness Beat Reporters Collective @homelessbeatrc.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Thank you to everyone who attended the @ire.org AccessFest panel on how to deliver nuanced, high-impact stories on homelessness with reporters @steflugli.bsky.social @marisakendall.bsky.social @willjames.bsky.social @mjlyle.bsky.social.
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Reposted by Michael (MJ) Lyle
Jessica J. González @jgo4justice.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
And here's the job loss announcement on day 1 of the shitty Paramount/Warner Bros. merger. Fear not. The billionaires will slash a bunch of jobs for their own selfish aims, but they'll do it "respectfully." This is what Newsom et al. folded to. Billionaire capture. variety.com/2026/film/ne...
variety.com
Skydance CEOs Acknowledge Layoffs Will Be Coming After Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: Read the Full Memo
Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery have officially merged into Skydance Corp. And the top leaders have notified the new company's staffers that layoffs are in the offing.
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Evan Mealins @evanmealins.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Christa Pike is conscious and speaking.
tennessean.com
Christa Pike conscious and speaking days after failed execution, attorneys say
Christa Pike is conscious and speaking after surviving the state's attempt to execute her, her attorneys said in an emailed statement sent Oct. 6.
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Stefania Lugli @steflugli.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Myself and other members of the @homelessbeatrc.bsky.social are hosting a panel on delivering nuanced, high-impact stories on homelessness, this Friday, 2:30-3:30 EST. We'd love to see you! Come through! @ire.org schedules.ire.org/accessfest-2...
schedules.ire.org
AccessFest 2026 schedule | October 8-10, 2026
Welcome to the AccessFest 2026 schedule! Browse sessions and speakers.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"While the shorter statement explained that she felt some of that night’s events were a crime, it omitted some of the more forceful and definitive language she used. And it was missing her unequivocal statement that she had been raped."
nytimes.com
Statement Written by Police in Cornell Assault Case Omitted Her Claim She Was Raped
Documents obtained by The New York Times show that the campus police at Cornell University sent a condensed statement to a prosecutor, who then declined to bring charges.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I've been working with a group of reporters across the country who also cover homelessness about the tips we wish we had when we first started covering the beat. We recently developed a guide with tools and tips on covering homelessness. Check it out and follow our group.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Rickie Slaughter, who has been incarcerated 22 years, had his conviction was vacated six months ago but is still in prison. The DA's office will retry the case next year despite calls for Slaughter to be released and questions around the DA's conflict of interest. My latest @nevadacurrent.com.
nevadacurrent.com
Attorneys lambast DA’s decision to retry Rickie Slaughter, question conflict of interest • Nevada Current
More than six months after Rickie Slaughter’s 20-year-old conviction was vacated by a district court judge after finding prosecutors withheld evidence in his case, he is still incarcerated at High Des...
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
And I watched a video from THAT Hyrox competition.
static.klipy.com
ALT:
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Anna Gifty @itsafronomics.blacksky.app · 12/09/2026
lol there are a lot of people talking about AI who, frankly, shouldn't so here are people to listen to and then some: @timnitgebru.blacksky.app @alexhanna.bsky.social @rajiinio.bsky.social @ruha9.bsky.social @emilymbender.bsky.social @karenhao.bsky.social @dairinstitute.bsky.social
rollingstone.com
These Women Tried to Warn Us About AI
Rumman Chowdhury, Timnit Gebru, Safiya Noble, Seeta Peña Gangadharan, and Joy Buolamwini open up about their artificial intelligence fears
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The Associated Press @apnews.com · 18/09/2026
BREAKING: President Trump says he is banning CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage.
bit.ly
Trump says he is banning CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House
President Donald Trump says he is banning CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House due to what he called unfavorable coverage, and threatens that more such prohibitions of media outlets could follow.
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Nevada Current @nevadacurrent.com · 18/09/2026
AI data centers are “the means by which Nevada will meet an unprecedented challenge and realize an unprecedented opportunity, one of the most significant for economic growth and fiscal diversification this State has seen in a generation,” reads Lombardo's executive order.
nevadacurrent.com
Lombardo doubles down on data centers, offers trimmed tax breaks, 'commitments’ to wary public • Nevada Current
Gov. Joe Lombardo in a new executive order is making clear his eagerness to welcome more AI data centers into the state, calling them “the means by which Nevada will meet an unprecedented challenge an...
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Katelyn Burns @katelynburns.com · 16/09/2026
For @xtramagazine.com, I wrote about the risks involved with Democratic candidates turning transphobic for the general election. xtramagazine.com/power/politi...
xtramagazine.com
Democratic candidates’ transphobia spells disaster for trans people | Xtra Magazine
The Democratic party’s anti-trans heel turn could have drastic consequences beyond November’s midterms
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elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
More artists withdrawing from the Ed Sheeran tour over his decision to drop Macklemore for his pro-Palestine stance
finneas
Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.
I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran.
I stand with Palestine and its people.beogamusic • 22m
Follow
We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran's band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.
We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size and that opportunity is not lost on us. We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.aaronrowe__
I have made the decision to withdraw as a support act for Ed Sheeran's 'The Loop' North American Tour.
I don't take the decision lightly. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this.
But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.
I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children.
I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.
I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.
FREE PALESTINE
AARON
ROWe
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
A recent report on use of force incidents in NV schools shows when school police use pepper spray and stun guns its overwhelmingly against Black people. The report has sparked more questions around transparency issues in the school district. My latest in @nevadacurrent.com.
nevadacurrent.com
Clark school district police use of force report raises more questions about tactics, racial bias • Nevada Current
The Clark County School District Police Department’s first legislatively mandated use of force findings, which showed when pepper spray or stun guns were deployed during the 2025-26 school year it was...
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Reposted by Michael (MJ) Lyle
The Associated Press @apnews.com · 14/09/2026
BREAKING: The EPA is eliminating a rule that limits planet-warming pollution from coal and gas-fired power plants.
bit.ly
EPA is set to eliminate rule that limits planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants
The Environmental Protection Agency is repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, an action the agency said would remove more than $300 billion in costs for the industry and help “unleash” American energy.
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Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
New: Macklemore says Robert Kraft — who owns Gillette Stadium, where Macklemore & Ed Sheeran were to perform later this month — called Sheeran. Kraft rallied other owners together behind an ultimatum for Sheeran: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you won't be allowed in our venues.

I'm not sure how to start this. So I'm going to speak from the heart and share the truth. Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour.
But before I get into it, I want to say something that should be obvious. In this moment I think it matters. I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.

The victims are the Palestinian people. The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence. More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza alone. People are being killed today, and people will be killed tomorrow. I want to make sure that as I tell this story, we don't lose sight of that.

Ed is my friend. I've known him for 13 years. We've shared late nights, studio sessions and stages. He has this infectious magic about him that I've grown to love. I consider him a brother. And because of that, we've had some difficult conversations this past week. The type of talks rooted in love and respect for one another that still end in a place of fundamental disagreement. Nothing I'm writing here is out of spite or because I want to tear down his character. But as I told Ed multiple times on the phone, our friendship can't change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened.

Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said at MetLife, Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other
stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.

Ed was in …What I said at MetLife I have been saying on stages around the world for almost three years. So why is it an issue now? Because now I'm sharing a stage with one of the biggest artists in the world, in some of the biggest stadiums in America. At a certain level of exposure, "Free Palestine" becomes too much of a risk. If I kept doing the shows, saying Free Palestine, with Ed implicitly supporting it, the crowd getting loud and showing undeniable support for Palestinian liberation, what artist might speak out next? The stage becomes resistance. Maybe that's why this time it became so important to silence me.

And one of the most effective ways to enforce that silence has been to weaponize the accusation of antisemitism. Antisemitism is real. And that is exactly why the word matters too much to be used as a shield against criticism of the Israeli state. When criticizing Israel, opposing Zionism or saying "Free Palestine" gets conflated with hatred of Jewish people, it doesn't protect Jewish people. It protects Israel from accountability.

I hope this isn't the end of my relationship with Ed.
Thirteen years of friendship doesn't disappear because of one painful disagreement. I hope we both continue listening, studying what is happening in Palestine and wrestling with what neutrality means in a moment like this. My door will always be open to continuing that conversation.

When my brother Omar was doing the subtitles for the video I posted from MetLife, I thanked him. He told me there's a phrase in Arabic:
لا شكر على واجب
"La shukra ala wajeb." There is no thanks for a duty.
That stayed with me. Because that's what this has become for me and millions of others around the world. A duty. Not something deserving of praise or gratitude. Not brave. Human.

Who is winning the internet, who is getting canceled, who gets to play the stadium and who doesn't, all of it becomes so small when held against what we are actually witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank. An entire people be…
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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 14/09/2026
Cis people do not understand how much trans people's rights have regressed in just 5 years. 5 years ago, there were none of these restrictions. 19 states banned legal recognition 21 states have bathroom bans 8 states ban gender marker changes on DLs 25 ban gender affirming care for trans youth
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Ayo @darrylayo.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Transgender people deserve to have a nice life. That is the entirety of the argument. If you disagree, you’re saying that you do not believe in liberty or justice for all.
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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 13/09/2026
It really hasn't dawned on liberals that for trans people in some races, there is no meaningful difference between who wins. Kansas and North Carolina have Dem governors and they're some of the worst for trans people in the country. So why bother to vote for a transphobic Dem?
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Katelyn Burns @katelynburns.com · 11/09/2026
This is... to me... a denial that trans people exist. The reference to genetic anomalies is common anti-trans language referring to intersex people.
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Evan Urquhart @evanurquhart.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
James Talarico, yesterday, said that he would vote to further expand the fascism my community has been facing. Again, I am a reporter. I have personally spoken to a family in Texas who accessed the care in Texas before it was banned, and he is saying he wants to take it nationwide.
foxnews.com
Talarico says he 'missed the mark' as he backtracks on controversial woke statements
James Talarico now backs banning transgender surgeries for minors and opposing trans athletes in girls' sports as the Texas Senate race heats up.
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Victor Pickard @victorpickard.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This is absolutely tragic. I’ve run out of ways to describe how each massive layoff is yet more evidence of systemic market failure. There simply is no commercial future for the level of local journalism we require if we are to have any semblance of democracy. www.poynter.org/business-wor...
poynter.org
McClatchy cuts more than 90 staff in its most severe layoffs in years - Poynter
At least 13 papers — including The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee and The Kansas City Star — lost reporters
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Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Life is full of nuance and it takes experienced journalists to tease that out with reporting. Interrogating power isn't a clip for YouTube/IG/TikTok to sell ads against. Legacy institutions want to pivot to video again now bc it's cheap to hire 20yo producers and it's inoffensive to advertisers.
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Ryan Haas @ryanjhaas.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
There isn't much to say about the McClatchy layoffs that hasn't already been said. But I will add that this is why I remain suspicious of all the news organizations pushing to vertical videos and "bite-sized" content and blah blah. Owners of legacy media aren't all that interested in journalism.
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Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 10/09/2026
As someone who has been covering transgender rights for years, let me be clear about something: When you see capitulation over sports, know that it NEVER stops at sports. And in fact, Turek illustrated this just yesterday when he embraced a federal ban on funding for all trans care.
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Nicole Foy @nicolefoy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
McClatchy, controlled by a hedge fund, doesn't want you to talk about all the journalists they're laying off today around the country!
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Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 10/09/2026
The sad thing is, its only going to get worse. This is what these dems are saying before the ad spend cranks up. Just wait until the debates, the ads, the consultants sweep in. Buckle up everyone.
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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 10/09/2026
No matter how much you throw trans people under the bus, you are still going to get attacked. All you've done is betray a vulnerable minority, anger your base, and made the issue front and center.
Alt Text:
Screenshot showing two sequential posts on X by journalist Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) discussing Texas politics:
 * Top post: Text reads, "Paxton on Talarico: 'He wants to transition your kids!'" accompanied by an embedded video frame of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaking at a podium in a dark suit and red tie.
 * Bottom post: Text reads, "Talarico says he would vote in favor of a national ban for transgender surgeries for minors," above a video thumbnail from Fox News Channel featuring a woman anchor in a red blazer, with lower-third banners reading "EXCLUSIVE," "SHIFTING THE REINS?", and "TALARICO STANCE DIFFERS FROM EARLIER COMMENTS."
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Meg Kinnard @megkinnardap.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — US banning dairy products, most alcoholic beverages and motorcycles from Canada as trade war escalates, White House says.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Binge this over the weekend! I’m obsessed!
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Out Magazine @out.com · 08/09/2026
​In its second outing, the FX show has become one of the best sitcoms of the 2020s.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
“Wagging our fingers and saying, ‘Government and tech oligarchs can spy on us, but only a little!’ is not going to fix the underlying issues or put our constituents at ease,” said @selenafornevada.bsky.social, who is introducing a ban on ALPRs. My story in @nevadacurrent.com.
nevadacurrent.com
Calls for a ban on Flock grow in Nevada as critics say new guardrails won't be enough • Nevada Current
While some Nevada officials want to implement guardrails to limit the use of automated license plate readers like Flock, others have warned regulations won’t go far enough and want Nevada to ban surve...
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Reposted by Michael (MJ) Lyle
April Corbin Girnus @aprilcore.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
In the same vein... Both stories by @mjlyle.bsky.social
nevadacurrent.com
Calls for a ban on Flock grow in Nevada as critics say new guardrails won't be enough • Nevada Current
While some Nevada officials want to implement guardrails to limit the use of automated license plate readers like Flock, others have warned regulations won’t go far enough and want Nevada to ban surve...
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Jerry Boyle @jecboyle.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
“Seth Moulton kicked trangender Americans and other progressives when they were down. Now, Massachusetts voters have kicked him out of politics. Job well done.”
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States Newsroom @statesnewsroom.com · 28/08/2026
Thank you for following News From The States. If our reporting has been valuable to you, please consider making a gift towards our free, on-the-ground reporting from every state. statesnewsroom.com/donate/
statesnewsroom.com
Donate • States Newsroom
SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST States Newsroom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news operation that depends on support from people like you to produce high-quality journalism without paywalls, popups or ads. Please…
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Christoph Mergerson @mergerson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
It really should worry us that an American city has been without power for two weeks after a thunderstorm. It wasn't a typical thunderstorm but what are we doing as a country if this is what a segment of the population can expect for emergency response? #Gary #Indiana
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
WASHINGTON (AP) - US is preparing to rescind up to 200,000 business and tourism visas in largest mass visa revocation ever, officials say.
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Susan Rinkunas @susanrinkunas.com · 24/08/2026
"Byron Allen, who bought a majority stake in BuzzFeed, our parent company, earlier this year, has never spoken to our full newsroom. Instead, he has gone on a media tour, giving contradictory statements about his plans for the company, and purchasing a $91 million home in Aspen."
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Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
BREAKING: After the Washington Post fired me last year for speaking the truth in the wake of the Charlie Kirk killing, I fought back. And I'm happy to announce: I won my case against the Washington Post. They have been ordered to reinstate me immediately. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/b...
nytimes.com
Washington Post Ordered to Rehire Fired Columnist Karen Attiah
An arbitrator ordered the newspaper to reinstate Karen Attiah, who was fired after posting about “white men who espouse hatred and violence” following Charlie Kirk’s killing.
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Nevada Current @nevadacurrent.com · 19/08/2026
Jon Ponder, a three-time bank robber who was pardoned by President Donald Trump, was arrested Tuesday by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police on 20 charges, including sexual assault.
nevadacurrent.com
Hope for Prisoners founder Ponder arrested for sexual assault and more  • Nevada Current
Jon Ponder, a three-time bank robber who was pardoned by President Donald Trump, was arrested Tuesday by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police on 20 charges, including sexual assault. Other charges against Po...
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@DanaGentryLV @danagentrylv.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Ponder, who Trump pardoned in 2020 for his bank robberies, is accused of 20 counts, including sexual assault, coercion, and unauthorized contact with prisoners. nevadacurrent.com/briefs/hope-...
nevadacurrent.com
Hope for Prisoners founder Ponder arrested for sexual assault and more  • Nevada Current
Jon Ponder, a three-time bank robber who was pardoned by President Donald Trump, was arrested Tuesday by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police on 20 charges, including sexual assault. Other charges against Po...
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Talk about a hard news story.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
static.klipy.com
Hackers Mess With The Best
ALT: Hackers Mess With The Best
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Some of my favorite fiction in the last couple years: Chain-Gang All-Stars, A Guardian and a Thief, James, The Light Pirate.
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Elizabeth Spiers @espiers.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
As anyone in publishing will tell you, women do not resist reading books by men, but men will often dismiss books by women. This is not a publishing problem or a failure to target men. It's a misogyny problem.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
After an incarcerated man died several months ago, a Vegas attorney filed a lawsuit this week alleging prison guards fatally beat him. There have been 166 prison deaths in NV since 2024 -- 98 deemed natural. Malik Avila is not the first unexplained "natural" death. My latest in @nevadacurrent.com
nevadacurrent.com
Lawsuit alleging guards fatally beat inmate prompts calls for state review of prison deaths • Nevada Current
More than eight months after 24-year-old Malik Avila died in custody at High Desert State Prison his family is still left with questions around the circumstances that lead to his death.  James Urrutia...
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Monika Bauerlein @monikab.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Exclusive: @hurwitz.bsky.social reported this two weeks ago www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
Police keep losing their jobs for using Flock cameras to stalk people
Advocates say it’s too easy to abuse automated license plate reader technology.
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
static.klipy.com
Ripley Questions IQ
ALT: Ripley Questions IQ
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Michael (MJ) Lyle @mjlyle.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The poem and screaming with the lightning scene. 🥺
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