My chat with @loriraderday.bsky.social is this evening at 8 PM ET. All members of my Patreon, including free subscribers, are welcome. patreon.com/maryrobinette

Imagine what our society would look like if public libraries had the budgets that police departments have now.

Every future imagined by a tech company is worse than the previous iteration.

I know I'm gonna sound like an old-timey-values weirdo but honestly, these slopagandists give massive 'never done actual physical labour or true creative work; never felt the satisfaction of creating something with their own hands and imagination' vibes. Like, experimenting with flavours is fun!

Funny how those people never seem to mean training in de-escalation either. Signed, an Edmontonian whose police force was first Cdn force to add facial recog “ai” on body cams (as testing for a US corp), but “forgot” to have the testing vetted/approved by the Privacy Commissioner first. It’s fine.

We’ve mastered harvesting the sun, but storage is the real revolution. The world is awash with magical glass that creates energy from the sun, there’s 4X more solar power than experts expected a few years ago, but batteries are what makes that glass really useful buff.ly/4ZGUb2r #ShareGoodNewsToo

This applies to footage of atrocities being committed by people. Unless you need to view it to help someone, ask yourself if you’re viewing it for a purpose or because you think pain is a requirement of caring. It’s not. You’re allowed to care without harming yourself. Use that strength to act.

I've been lucky to have had the opportunity to photograph great gray owls many times, but this moment was really special. #birds 🌿

Slightly diminish a band: The Scantily Clad Ladies

Slightly diminish a band: The Band-aid

Made the best homemade burgers yet tonight: pan-fried ground turkey patties (seasoned ofc) topped with cheddar and Boursin, yellow mustard and banana peppers, plus crunchy greenleaf lettuce, on whole wheat buns. No pic since I was not about to wait a single sec longer to devour mine lol #SmallJoys

People still understand metaphor, right? by @mfolson.bsky.social:

“If the greatest lie the devil ever told was to convince us that he wasn’t real, the greatest lie the oil industry ever told us is to convince us that they don’t want oil.” @antoniajuhasz.bsky.social spells out important context for Venezuela and Greenland; interview by @emdashsanders.bsky.social

#SomethingBeautiful a little orange dragon from a medieval manuscript

The sound of Mardi Gras season >>>>> These students work so hard and are so talented. What a blessing on our community

Snack break with Hudson! 🦫

The resident dean who was fired was given only ten days to vacate his housing. @harvard.edu is putting a Black family — with a newborn baby — out on the street because of comments opposing white supremacy. Please donate to their gofundme: www.gofundme.com/f/support-fo...

"it’s kind of crazy that we have to keep going over this, but the corruption remains so glaring" I appreciate that, while nearly all the Hollywood trades are owned by the company putting on the Golden Globes and therefore just doing PR for this award show, The Ankler is NOT Some key points 🧵

There are no short cuts. I'm sorry. There is only long term, consistent, and disciplined organizing.

"I despise algospeak because of the way it softens reality and makes it easier to dodge truth and difficult conversations. ... This is an era where people do not do the reading, so we have the same superficial conversations over and over again. ... We should call things what they are"

TODAY on @theflytrapmedia.com, and unpaywalled for all, I'm talking about algospeak, cuteification, and the implications of softening language about hard things.

a poem that came spilling out today.

The Vagina Museum is a proudly trans inclusive organisation 🏳️‍⚧️ We won't be silenced with our commitment to telling the entire story about anatomy, reproductive justice and bodily autonomy! Trans people have always existed and will always exist.

As talk swirls around Greenland again, here's a conversation we had about Arctic geopolitics last spring with Sara Olsvig, head of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. It represents Inuit Canada, Alaska, Chukotka (Russia) and Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), where she lives. thenarwhal.ca/arctic-sover...

Never mind all the charm and talent. That much of Isiah is always onscreen and utterly obvious. Instead, a last word to let everyone know what isn't evidenced on film: He was an even better person than he was an actor; a warm and gracious delight of a man. Goodbye, friend.

A call for Canada to support Greenland right now: www.cbc.ca/radio/asitha... As Canadians, if we care about Reconciliation, this is work we should be doing, not placating the USA or various separatists.

Here's some information on the Inuk of Greenland and their work for independence. From the Vance trip in 2025: www.euronews.com/my-europe/20... A 2008 book on Inuit self-rule of Greenland: iwgia.org/en/resources... An Inuit sovereignty article: www.northernpublicaffairs.ca/greenlandic-...

sorry I panicked. LOLOL No one should give Carey to a romantasy fan who wants more sexy romantasy!!!! That is not romance. It is beautiful fantasy that should only be recommended with a METRIC TON of content warnings

Canadians, please sign! #TransRightsAreHumanRights We need compassion and community, not ideological cheats. Link to sign: www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en... More details from the petition in image, if you need it. Please sign! 🇨🇦

The classic solutions tree for toddler crankiness can be usefully applied to every age of cranky person: do you need: a nap? a snack? or to go potty?

“a warped galaxy, which still manages to hold itself together” Same, NGC 660, same.

History forms when order breaks. In this case, NGC 660 is wearing its history at an angle. Long ago, a collision yanked its outer arms away from the core, leaving a warped galaxy, which still manages to hold itself together. Image credit: my tiny telescope (about 15 hrs) #science #astronomy 👩🏾‍🔬🔭

People saying we need less politics on here and more talking about stuff we’re passionate about… Boy howdy have we got just the thing! ✨First episode drops WED JAN 14✨ with special guest @premeemohamed.com 🤩 Join us for some truly joyful nerding out!!

28 Years Later The Bone Temple era Ralph Fiennes giving big 2000s era Pete Postlethwaite

In case you’d like a wee teaser

Name that film. One gimme: it’s from 1981

New year, new GoFundMe. I'm still unemployed, still looking, but still limited in what I can do (no standing or driving) because of ongoing recovery from my injury & surgery. This is the only way I can ensue Bookstore Romance Day happens this year. #Romancelandia #IndieBookstores gofund.me/93a464a9a

Sneaked out for a wee coffee date with my always and forever #SmallJoys

In honor of Hayao Miyazaki's birthday, what's your favorite Studio Ghibli film? Doesn't have to be the one you think is "the best," just the one that nestled in your heart. Mine is Howl's Moving Castle.

I haven’t had a book release since 2022; had a book on sub in 2024 that didn’t get picked up. I have since, though, written 2 books + 1 short story and have started another book in a new-to-me genre. No new book in a while ≠ nothing’s going on. Publishing ≠ writing. In case anyone’s wondering

Being loud and ignorant…is a choice. Anyway, here is Mira Nair, Toni Morrison and Ousmane Sembène, on the white gaze. None of whom are “Internet libs.”

repost to give those 2 or 3 followers who always like your weird posts a little forehead kiss & a grilled cheese cut diagonally

Wrote a thing: The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....

virulent racism + unchecked greed = ongoing colonialism aka *gestures at world*

I’m so stoked that my original story Shifted is being published as part of this comic anthology, with artwork by Jody James Brenton. Seeing a piece of a story that’s only lived in my head and on the page for over a decade come to life to aid a dear cause was mind blowing! bit.ly/HorrorNotHate

Late photo. First fresh bake of the year. Long live the bread cult

On a related note! I’d completely forgotten I’d created an account years ago in order to follow a few newsletters 🙃 Dunno if those writers deleted but I did. So…maybe check if you forgot an account on substack too?

If you or someone you know have been a victim of the sexualized deepfakes created by Grok and would like to discuss your civil legal options, DM me or reach out on Signal at riot.95. I can connect you with excellent free legal counsel.

In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing. You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics. That is all.

Truly the epitome of the dog / cat hetero couple