Dr Ro Smith
@rhube.bsky.social
She's just this guy, you know?
Agender, ME/CFS, science fiction and fantasy writer.
Sometime epistemologist and metaphysician.
I love gardening and art and complain a lot about being sick.
Rhube.co.uk/wp
Ko-fi.com/drrhube
@[email protected]
Agender, ME/CFS, science fiction and fantasy writer.
Sometime epistemologist and metaphysician.
I love gardening and art and complain a lot about being sick.
Rhube.co.uk/wp
Ko-fi.com/drrhube
@[email protected]
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Also, if you borrow an author's book from a library in the UK, that author gets more than 12 pence per loan in Public Lending Rights. Any author can earn up to £6,600 per year this way.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
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 5:01 PM
Also, if you borrow an author's book from a library in the UK, that author gets more than 12 pence per loan in Public Lending Rights. Any author can earn up to £6,600 per year this way.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
Some of y'all are following this rag. You might want to reconsder that, given this *gestures to the poop they just smeared below*
AI sits in billions of phones. Refusing to engage won't stop it, just leaves vulnerable people without knowledge. Demand ownership and control, not abstinence.
Abstinence From AI Is Not the Answer
Opinion | Refusing to use AI won’t protect society. Responsible resistance must include gaining knowledge about it.
f.mtr.cool
January 20, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Some of y'all are following this rag. You might want to reconsder that, given this *gestures to the poop they just smeared below*
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
This is, in my opinion, not only the correct moral/ethical/legal position but also the correct political framing. Everyone can see the agency is out of control; everyone can see that it is constantly violating human rights. "Scrap it and start over" is the moderate position.
Mamdani: "I am in support of abolishing ICE. What we see is an entity that has no interest in fulfilling its stated reason to exist. We're seeing a government agency that is supposed to be enforcing some kind of immigration law, but instead what it's doing is terrorizing people."
January 20, 2026 at 5:30 PM
This is, in my opinion, not only the correct moral/ethical/legal position but also the correct political framing. Everyone can see the agency is out of control; everyone can see that it is constantly violating human rights. "Scrap it and start over" is the moderate position.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
the perennial "is this a good replacement for twitter / can it become as big as twitter" discussion is so confused. hominids became bipedal about 7 million years ago. for most of the time since we did not have microblogging. it's not a necessity it's a habit, if it all goes away that's fine
January 20, 2026 at 12:23 AM
the perennial "is this a good replacement for twitter / can it become as big as twitter" discussion is so confused. hominids became bipedal about 7 million years ago. for most of the time since we did not have microblogging. it's not a necessity it's a habit, if it all goes away that's fine
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Your regular reminder that there is no legal path from martial law to suspending elections in this country.
That doesn't mean there is no path. It just means that we need to reject the framing that the federal government has any legal authority to cease elections.
That doesn't mean there is no path. It just means that we need to reject the framing that the federal government has any legal authority to cease elections.
January 15, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Your regular reminder that there is no legal path from martial law to suspending elections in this country.
That doesn't mean there is no path. It just means that we need to reject the framing that the federal government has any legal authority to cease elections.
That doesn't mean there is no path. It just means that we need to reject the framing that the federal government has any legal authority to cease elections.
Ah yes, the doctor's waiting room, my favourite place.
Nothing bad ever happens at the doctor's. Put baby in doctor's mouth.
Nothing bad ever happens at the doctor's. Put baby in doctor's mouth.
January 15, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Ah yes, the doctor's waiting room, my favourite place.
Nothing bad ever happens at the doctor's. Put baby in doctor's mouth.
Nothing bad ever happens at the doctor's. Put baby in doctor's mouth.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Generative AI is an engine for churning out contaminated information faster than people can produce safe information, let alone fact check and correct it.
And corrections never remove the original contamination, it's an attempt to stem the metaphorical bleeding and hope for the best. 11/
And corrections never remove the original contamination, it's an attempt to stem the metaphorical bleeding and hope for the best. 11/
January 6, 2026 at 3:12 AM
Generative AI is an engine for churning out contaminated information faster than people can produce safe information, let alone fact check and correct it.
And corrections never remove the original contamination, it's an attempt to stem the metaphorical bleeding and hope for the best. 11/
And corrections never remove the original contamination, it's an attempt to stem the metaphorical bleeding and hope for the best. 11/
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Let's talk about generative AI, contaminated information, and rhubarb.
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
January 6, 2026 at 3:07 AM
Let's talk about generative AI, contaminated information, and rhubarb.
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
'Fern Hill', by Dylan Thomas.
What's your favourite thing that's been made by an absolute cunt?
January 6, 2026 at 8:52 AM
'Fern Hill', by Dylan Thomas.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Rich Berman is suuuuch a cunt
January 4, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Rich Berman is suuuuch a cunt
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
What's your favourite thing that's been made by an absolute cunt?
January 6, 2026 at 3:55 AM
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Happy New Year (belatedly).
It is extremely cold here. Garlic is all about the snuggles.
It is extremely cold here. Garlic is all about the snuggles.
January 6, 2026 at 8:47 AM
Happy New Year (belatedly).
It is extremely cold here. Garlic is all about the snuggles.
It is extremely cold here. Garlic is all about the snuggles.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
My friend’s neighbor’s house fell off its foundation (old steel structure collapsed), and they just did the funniest thing.
October 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM
My friend’s neighbor’s house fell off its foundation (old steel structure collapsed), and they just did the funniest thing.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
October 18, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
I'm watchig 28 weeks later for the first time. So far it's better than 28 days later, which on paper is completely my bag, but just didn't do much for me.
However, I'm pretty sure tye kids just road through tge exact estate Rose lives in in Doctor Who, lol.
However, I'm pretty sure tye kids just road through tge exact estate Rose lives in in Doctor Who, lol.
September 28, 2025 at 6:07 PM
I'm watchig 28 weeks later for the first time. So far it's better than 28 days later, which on paper is completely my bag, but just didn't do much for me.
However, I'm pretty sure tye kids just road through tge exact estate Rose lives in in Doctor Who, lol.
However, I'm pretty sure tye kids just road through tge exact estate Rose lives in in Doctor Who, lol.
So confused when I see people still using Google to search, especially wheb they're surprised it's rubbish.
Use Start Page. Use the no-AI version of DuckDuckGo. Nothing is perfect, but just about anything is better than Google.
Use Start Page. Use the no-AI version of DuckDuckGo. Nothing is perfect, but just about anything is better than Google.
September 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
So confused when I see people still using Google to search, especially wheb they're surprised it's rubbish.
Use Start Page. Use the no-AI version of DuckDuckGo. Nothing is perfect, but just about anything is better than Google.
Use Start Page. Use the no-AI version of DuckDuckGo. Nothing is perfect, but just about anything is better than Google.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
A pop up box on Tylenol dot com
September 23, 2025 at 4:11 AM
A pop up box on Tylenol dot com
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Haaaaah
Just saw the headline of a review for The Shape of Monsters that was simply WOKE CANNIBAL EROTICA and honestly that could be panning my book, but I love it.
Just saw the headline of a review for The Shape of Monsters that was simply WOKE CANNIBAL EROTICA and honestly that could be panning my book, but I love it.
September 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Haaaaah
Just saw the headline of a review for The Shape of Monsters that was simply WOKE CANNIBAL EROTICA and honestly that could be panning my book, but I love it.
Just saw the headline of a review for The Shape of Monsters that was simply WOKE CANNIBAL EROTICA and honestly that could be panning my book, but I love it.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
The main function of AI is to make all text on the internet untrustworthy unless you personally know the source. We will boil the oceans and price people out of heat in winter for this.
September 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The main function of AI is to make all text on the internet untrustworthy unless you personally know the source. We will boil the oceans and price people out of heat in winter for this.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
Deffo Troughton.
September 17, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Deffo Troughton.
I don't mind all the Robert Redford thirst pics, if I'm honest. There's a lot of old timely heart throbs where I don't get the appeal, but he's not one.
September 17, 2025 at 9:42 AM
I don't mind all the Robert Redford thirst pics, if I'm honest. There's a lot of old timely heart throbs where I don't get the appeal, but he's not one.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
There were TWO (coordinated) shootings at TWO homeless encampments tonight.
Minneapolis police say more than a dozen hurt in homeless encampment shootings
Police say over a dozen people have been hurt in two separate shootings at two different homeless encampments across the city on the same day.
Minneapolis police say more than a dozen hurt in homeless encampment shootings
Police say over a dozen people have been hurt in two separate shootings at two different homeless encampments across the city on the same day.
Minneapolis police say more than a dozen hurt in homeless encampment shootings
Police chief says ‘here we are again in the aftermath of a mass shooting’ after incidents in two separate locations
www.theguardian.com
September 17, 2025 at 4:29 AM
There were TWO (coordinated) shootings at TWO homeless encampments tonight.
Minneapolis police say more than a dozen hurt in homeless encampment shootings
Police say over a dozen people have been hurt in two separate shootings at two different homeless encampments across the city on the same day.
Minneapolis police say more than a dozen hurt in homeless encampment shootings
Police say over a dozen people have been hurt in two separate shootings at two different homeless encampments across the city on the same day.
Jfc.
Just days after Fox News host Brian KILLmeade called for euthanizing homeless people, there has been a mass shooting at a homeless encampment in Minneapolis.
September 17, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Jfc.
Reposted by Dr Ro Smith
it's so funny to see America's health insurance companies be like "look. If there's one thing we love it's denying you care. but we ran the numbers - and we cannot BELIEVE we're saying this - and it's cheaper for us to just pay for the vaccines than deal with you going to the ER."
Regardless of the disgraceful nonsense we will likely hear from this administration in the coming days on vaccine “recommendations,” Americas healthcare insurers issued a joint statement tonight saying coverage for Covid and flu shots will remain unchanged from prior years.
Speaks for itself.
Speaks for itself.
September 17, 2025 at 3:03 AM
it's so funny to see America's health insurance companies be like "look. If there's one thing we love it's denying you care. but we ran the numbers - and we cannot BELIEVE we're saying this - and it's cheaper for us to just pay for the vaccines than deal with you going to the ER."