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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · 8d

2/2 According to The Register:
www.theregister.com/2025/10/02/u...

Irony alert: UK.gov Work dept hires IBM to aid AI projects

Updated: Some Big Blue sky thinking needed for tech that promises employment extinction for humanity

www.theregister.com

Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · 8d

1/2 IRONY ALERT: the UK's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is awarding a contract to IBM to work on AI projects.
Translation: the department for work is introducing the same tools blamed for eroding jobs.....

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Sep 1

Yes.

James Youngman @jyoungman.bsky.social · Sep 1

I don't get how people don't realize that a technology that replaces junior and entry level positions in a field destroys that field.

There's no skipping steps. You have to be a junior before you can be a senior, and if you don't have senior people, you don't have a field.

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · Aug 31

Remember, kids: A real big goal of "AI" is to entirely sever capital from labor, and no, there will be no universal basic income, you can all just starve and die, thanks

www.axios.com/2025/08/26/a...

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Aug 8

2/2 My blog is at valerieeliotsmith.com
I stepped back from active advocacy 3 years ago but continue to monitor events/developments re. the #ME community, esp media handling & strategic affairs.
Decades of stigma, neglect & abuse must be addressed before we can move forward.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Aug 8

1/2 Today is #SevereMEDay
Despite recent events we have yet to change an entire culture, as I've detailed ad nauseam in my blog (link in 2/2 below). Only then will proper funding, research, education, health & social care start to catch up.
History matters: screenshot of a post from 10yrs ago.....

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 29

I agree but, realistically, there's not much more we can do beyond remaining vigilant.
We can never know what is discussed in private, informal situations anyway & that has always been the case.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 29

5/5 .......Of course, where Simon is concerned, we always need to be vigilant. However, I don't think we need to be alarmed by this appointment, just maintain a watching brief - as with his previous appointments at the JAC and NHSE.
END 🧵

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 29

4/5 .....What I set out above is just the theoretical pathway of how it works. That doesn't necessarily mean the system can't be influenced/hijacked by nefarious players."........

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 29

3/5 .....He is usually recruited for his mental health expertise although, inevitably, ME always lurks uneasily in the shadows.
I always look for any signs of sinister activity. However, on the face of it, I don't see anything here at the moment.......

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 29

2/5 .....This is a general policy advisory role, not aimed at any specific area.
In recent years Simon has held several public appointments. Whilst this may be alarming to many in the #ME community, this is standard practice for someone of his age/background.......

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 29

🧵 1/5 A previous thread I wrote in response to this:

"This appointment may be unwelcome but unlikely to affect specific FOI requests to The National Archives.
FOI's are handled by the in-house team & appeals go to the Information Commissioner via an independent judicial process........

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 18

Oh I agree, Carole. I always look for any signs of sinister activity. However, on the face of it, I don't see anything here at the moment.
What I set out above is just the theoretical pathway of how it works. That doesn't necessarily mean the system can't be influenced/hijacked by nefarious players.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 18

In recent years Simon has held several public appointments. Whilst this may be alarming to many in the #ME community, this is standard practice for someone of his age/background.
He is usually recruited for his mental health expertise although, inevitably, ME always lurks uneasily in the shadows.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 18

This appointment may be unwelcome but unlikely to affect specific FOI requests to The National Archives.
FOI's are handled by the in-house team & appeals go to the Information Commissioner via an independent judicial process.
This is a general policy advisory role, not aimed at any specific area...

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 16

Many thanks to @kacheston.bsky.social for her excellent rapid response. I absolutely understand the dilemma around how much to reveal about personal experience when acting in a professional capacity. However, in this instance, it has added depth and meaning tothis response. Not easy. Thank you.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 16

@bmj.com's dangerous & inconsistent approach to #ME + long Covid resembles psych propaganda more than balanced reporting (notwithstanding the "Opinion" header), especially in relation to Professor Paul Garner's long covid "journey", as described in my 2021 post valerieeliotsmith.com/2021/02/01/p...

Katharine Cheston @kacheston.bsky.social · May 16

The BMJ has now published my rapid response to Miller et al's Opinion piece.

www.bmj.com/content/389/...

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 13

Thanks for the mention and your kind words, Rhi. It always makes my day to hear that someone has found my work useful 😊
Hope you're doing as well as possible.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · May 2

Not good:
RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low: UK at no 20 & "The US, which had already dropped down to a 'problematic' overall rating, fell a further two spots from its 2024 position to 57th place, immediately behind Sierra Leone and Romania"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/rsf-mov...

RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low

The global average press freedom score has fallen for the first time into RSF's "difficult" territory.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Mar 28

My website valerieeliotsmith.com has recently experienced an increase in traffic, causing it to slow down when downloading documents.
I've been checking it periodically and it is still working but you may need to be patient & try more than once. Apologies for any inconvenience.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Jan 29

Link to blog home page: valerieeliotsmith.com
Link to series of posts on the "secret" files: valerieeliotsmith.com/category/the...
Link for DSS/DWP file valerieeliotsmith.com/wp-content/u...
Link for MRC file valerieeliotsmith.com/wp-content/u...

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Jan 29

There's been some recent discussion on social media about the "secret" files on #ME. The discussions include some misinformation.
For clarification purposes: I got both files (DSS/DWP & MRC) opened up in 2012 (using FOIA 2000) & published on my blog. Still some redactions but most info is available.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Jan 27

Excellent letter to @gwynnemp.bsky.social from solicitors representing #LongCovid groups regarding airborne transmission of virus (pp 2 & 3 in comments).
This is a great example of how campaign groups can use proactive legal routes to advance their concerns. #ME & #mecfs communities shd take note.

Long Covid Support @longcovidsupport.bsky.social · Jan 27

🚨We are part of the #LongCovid Groups & our legal team has sent this letter on the groups’ behalf to @gwynnemp.bsky.social following his recent letter to @timfarron.bsky.social. And as Secretariat of the new Long Covid APPG we have informed the APPG Chair about Mr. Gwynne’s letter.
#CovidIsAirborne

Long Covid SOS @longcovidsos.bsky.social · Jan 25

Our #LongCovid Groups legal team has written to @gwynnemp.bsky.social to express our concern about comments made in his letter to @timfarron.bsky.social regarding #covid transmission

#CovidIsAirborne - it is not primarily spread by droplets

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Jan 13

.....By which I mean that "rime" is also an old spelling of "rhyme", so used in both senses by Coleridge.
Apologies - brain fog rules..... 🤔

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Jan 13

Same here - but I think both meanings are correct, if only colloquially.

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Valerie Eliot Smith @valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social · Jan 13

Same here, Nicky. Not impressed so far. Follows coming mostly from random strangers and/or bots.
Feeds dull/not informative beyond what I get from other sources.
I shd probably make more of an effort (having spent 17 yrs doing that elsewhere) but - dare I say it? - a little bored with it already...🤔

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