Sophia McDougall
@sophiamcdougall.bsky.social
Pronounced like the disappointingly heterosexual Nerina Pallot song.
Writer -- ROMANITAS (modern Roman empire) MARS EVACUEES & SPACE HOSTAGES (kids & robots in space!) various scripts for Big Finish plus a movie you can't see yet.
Writer -- ROMANITAS (modern Roman empire) MARS EVACUEES & SPACE HOSTAGES (kids & robots in space!) various scripts for Big Finish plus a movie you can't see yet.
Pinned
It's hard to believe, but 2025 means Romanitas has been in print for 20 years. A modern world where the Roman Empire never fell. If that sounds good to you, the ebook's just £0.99 for the anniversary all this month! www.amazon.co.uk/Romanitas-1-...
The bar is in hell, but...good.
NEW via CNN: “The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal”
Exclusive: UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break | CNN Politics
The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes ...
www.cnn.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 PM
The bar is in hell, but...good.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
My feelings about the BBC are largely in line with my feelings about the NHS.
I think it is vital we have a publicly owned and funded broadcaster and its enemies are my enemies, but I *detest* the way it's talked about as some gift to the peasantry we're supposed to be fawningly grateful for.
I think it is vital we have a publicly owned and funded broadcaster and its enemies are my enemies, but I *detest* the way it's talked about as some gift to the peasantry we're supposed to be fawningly grateful for.
Revealing division in my timeline between (1) my insider friends who have lived privileged lives who are very keen that we defend the BBC and think it's important it survives and (2) my outsider friends who feel (at best) ambivalent about the BBC's survival.
November 11, 2025 at 8:12 AM
My feelings about the BBC are largely in line with my feelings about the NHS.
I think it is vital we have a publicly owned and funded broadcaster and its enemies are my enemies, but I *detest* the way it's talked about as some gift to the peasantry we're supposed to be fawningly grateful for.
I think it is vital we have a publicly owned and funded broadcaster and its enemies are my enemies, but I *detest* the way it's talked about as some gift to the peasantry we're supposed to be fawningly grateful for.
I am at a writers' retreat surrounded by writers who routinely bash out 3000+ words a day who are all earnestly telling me that it is very good and clever that yesterday I managed 600 all by myself.
November 11, 2025 at 10:55 AM
I am at a writers' retreat surrounded by writers who routinely bash out 3000+ words a day who are all earnestly telling me that it is very good and clever that yesterday I managed 600 all by myself.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
The Anderida special edition of the Terrible Worlds : Revolutions book, cover and interior art by Ian McQue, truly a thing of beauty.
I think this is now the most beautiful book I own. Yes, it’s Adrian’s text (as good as ever) and Anderida did amazing work here, from typography to binding, etc. but my lord, Ian McQue’s art goes f-ing hard.
@aptshadow.bsky.social @ianmcque.bsky.social #BookMail #BookSky
@aptshadow.bsky.social @ianmcque.bsky.social #BookMail #BookSky
November 11, 2025 at 10:11 AM
The Anderida special edition of the Terrible Worlds : Revolutions book, cover and interior art by Ian McQue, truly a thing of beauty.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
Saw some folks reposting this — it means Wikipedia editors found/suspect LLM text and they’re trying to fix the article.
It does NOT mean Wikipedia is “allowing” LLM-generated articles or text. The opposite, in fact.
It does NOT mean Wikipedia is “allowing” LLM-generated articles or text. The opposite, in fact.
First time seeing this large language model text notice on Wikipedia.
From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerryma...
From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerryma...
November 10, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Saw some folks reposting this — it means Wikipedia editors found/suspect LLM text and they’re trying to fix the article.
It does NOT mean Wikipedia is “allowing” LLM-generated articles or text. The opposite, in fact.
It does NOT mean Wikipedia is “allowing” LLM-generated articles or text. The opposite, in fact.
Today alone I have been forbidden from reading this post, and reprimanded for having the nerve to search the words "4am". I love being "kept safe" online, don't you?
November 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Today alone I have been forbidden from reading this post, and reprimanded for having the nerve to search the words "4am". I love being "kept safe" online, don't you?
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
In my inbox this morning, and email that begins: "Dear $Firstname, I have been a fan of yours for many years".
November 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
In my inbox this morning, and email that begins: "Dear $Firstname, I have been a fan of yours for many years".
that... that wasn't what I asked ...?
November 10, 2025 at 1:07 AM
that... that wasn't what I asked ...?
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
It's fucking dysfunctional on a global scale that our culture, media, businesspeople, polticians, everyone, aren't hanging on every energy-related innovation like it means life or death, instead of having the stank of crapulous AI rubbed all over us by grinning twerps.
Wild. They are figuring out how to store electricity in ... concrete.
Concrete “battery” developed at MIT now packs 10 times the power
New concrete and carbon black supercapacitors with optimized electrolytes have 10 times the energy storage of previous designs and can be incorporated into a wide range of architectural forms.
news.mit.edu
November 9, 2025 at 11:19 PM
It's fucking dysfunctional on a global scale that our culture, media, businesspeople, polticians, everyone, aren't hanging on every energy-related innovation like it means life or death, instead of having the stank of crapulous AI rubbed all over us by grinning twerps.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
I thought this was photoshopped but no, oh no indeed. Someone spray painted a goat for last year's #Respectival.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-n...
That's their idea of a "poignant tribute".
Wow.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-n...
That's their idea of a "poignant tribute".
Wow.
November 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I thought this was photoshopped but no, oh no indeed. Someone spray painted a goat for last year's #Respectival.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-n...
That's their idea of a "poignant tribute".
Wow.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-n...
That's their idea of a "poignant tribute".
Wow.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
'I saw the Prince of Darkness, with his Staff,
Standing bare-headed by the Cenotaph:
Unostentatious and respectful, there
He stood, and offered up the following prayer.
‘Make them forget, O Lord, what this Memorial
Means; their discredited ideas revive'
Standing bare-headed by the Cenotaph:
Unostentatious and respectful, there
He stood, and offered up the following prayer.
‘Make them forget, O Lord, what this Memorial
Means; their discredited ideas revive'
At the Cenotaph, by Siegfried Sassoon
I saw the Prince of Darkness, wit…
Standing bare-headed by the Cenot…
Unostentatious and respectful, the…
He stood, and offered up the follo…
‘Make them forget, O Lord, what t…
www.poeticous.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:54 PM
'I saw the Prince of Darkness, with his Staff,
Standing bare-headed by the Cenotaph:
Unostentatious and respectful, there
He stood, and offered up the following prayer.
‘Make them forget, O Lord, what this Memorial
Means; their discredited ideas revive'
Standing bare-headed by the Cenotaph:
Unostentatious and respectful, there
He stood, and offered up the following prayer.
‘Make them forget, O Lord, what this Memorial
Means; their discredited ideas revive'
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
My kid just had an exam in school that involved being assigned some chapters, summarizing them, then having an open-book test on the details. The teacher encouraged them to use AI to prepare. This paragraph does a great job explaining why I found it so disturbing.
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
November 9, 2025 at 10:25 AM
My kid just had an exam in school that involved being assigned some chapters, summarizing them, then having an open-book test on the details. The teacher encouraged them to use AI to prepare. This paragraph does a great job explaining why I found it so disturbing.
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
www.ru.nl/en/research/...
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
Where does @remembrancewatch.bsky.social stand on this?
Always thought it tasted of Deep Heat but now it’ll be Poppy flavoured?
Always thought it tasted of Deep Heat but now it’ll be Poppy flavoured?
November 9, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Rosalind Franklin and the damage of gender harassment
Spurred by a recent report on sexual harassment in academia, our columnist revisits a historical case and reflects on what has changed—and what hasn’t
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
I see James Watson has died.
What did Watson discover?
Rosalind Franklin's lab notes.
Only we spell it 'S-T-E-A-L' these days.
What did Watson discover?
Rosalind Franklin's lab notes.
Only we spell it 'S-T-E-A-L' these days.
November 7, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I see James Watson has died.
What did Watson discover?
Rosalind Franklin's lab notes.
Only we spell it 'S-T-E-A-L' these days.
What did Watson discover?
Rosalind Franklin's lab notes.
Only we spell it 'S-T-E-A-L' these days.
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
🏊♀️The women who swim at Kenwood Ladies Pond have already made their decision.
In 2024, almost 900 members voted to keep their trans-inclusive policy - a policy that has worked peacefully since 2019.
Now, a small campaign group is seeking to overturn that democratic decision through the courts.
1/5
In 2024, almost 900 members voted to keep their trans-inclusive policy - a policy that has worked peacefully since 2019.
Now, a small campaign group is seeking to overturn that democratic decision through the courts.
1/5
November 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
🏊♀️The women who swim at Kenwood Ladies Pond have already made their decision.
In 2024, almost 900 members voted to keep their trans-inclusive policy - a policy that has worked peacefully since 2019.
Now, a small campaign group is seeking to overturn that democratic decision through the courts.
1/5
In 2024, almost 900 members voted to keep their trans-inclusive policy - a policy that has worked peacefully since 2019.
Now, a small campaign group is seeking to overturn that democratic decision through the courts.
1/5
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
USING BULLETS TO CURE DEATH
November 7, 2025 at 11:00 AM
USING BULLETS TO CURE DEATH
Reposted by Sophia McDougall
Can you imagine if someone released a computer game, or a musical album, or *whatever*, that was designed to sexual groom children, or encourage them to commit suicide or any of the things LLMs are doing on a daily basis, how quick the media and political condemnation would be?
Oh my god I’m crying
November 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Can you imagine if someone released a computer game, or a musical album, or *whatever*, that was designed to sexual groom children, or encourage them to commit suicide or any of the things LLMs are doing on a daily basis, how quick the media and political condemnation would be?
The planet-burning, artist-exploiting, brain-rotting slop machine that also brings back Victorian pseudoscience
bro are you fucking kidding me
November 6, 2025 at 7:36 PM
The planet-burning, artist-exploiting, brain-rotting slop machine that also brings back Victorian pseudoscience
Stil a lot of time to get this for only £0.99!
It's hard to believe, but 2025 means Romanitas has been in print for 20 years. A modern world where the Roman Empire never fell. If that sounds good to you, the ebook's just £0.99 for the anniversary all this month! www.amazon.co.uk/Romanitas-1-...
November 6, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Stil a lot of time to get this for only £0.99!