Vanessa Smith @normal_ness

@urbanmel This is the “101” page I usually give people daru.org.au/daru-publicati… The link on the page “how do the four models compare in practice” is a good one for a tired brain.

Thate it when disability orgs ask you to agree to the social model of disability. I think of that as a bit backwards, I prefer a human rights/holistic type model. I know it's what the government uses and therefore underpins funding,

@ArtistAffame @MercJestr I’ve had a non hot water shower in Adelaide winter and I definitely do not recommend it

@MercJestr @ArtistAffame That sounds incredibly possible and realistic

but just because I know the reason, doesn't mean I have to like it.

The palatability problem normalness.com/2025/10/16/the…

@Kerry2theLeft @criprights Of course, the magical stuff they think exists but somehow never have to confirm exists. In related news - maybe a unicorn could be a support worker for me… more chance of that than me ever getting the supports I need.

Update: The email of the editor of the Alan Levinovitz Long Covid WIRED article whom letters and concerns can be directed to is available publicly here: jasonkehe.com 💌 [email protected]

Long Covid Advocacy 💙 @LongCovidAdvoc

2 days ago

We have written to the editors @WIRED & requested: 🔹Editorial Review 🔹Apology 🔹Right of Reply 🔹Review to investigate whether the Levinovitz article meets WIRED standards for fair & evidence-based reporting in health & disability. 📨 Letters can be sent to: mail@WIRED.com

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Long Covid Reframed As Fight-Or-Flight Loop By People In Ignore-And-Deny Loop

Martin and his team were doing amazing work and I wish the world got to see it. I wish I got to see it, too.

(6/6) The real problem with the article is not that it asks for more research. That is fine. The problem is that it presents a false dichotomy: either you accept mind-body therapies as a brave possibility, or you are part of a dogmatic community blocking science. No. The real scientific position is much simpler: Long COVID is a real, biological, heterogeneous disease. The absence of a single test does not invalidate the illness. CBT can be support, not a causal cure. Exercise can help some patients, but harm others, especially those with PEM. Pacing is not fear: it is prevention of worsening. Dysautonomia can look like anxiety, but have a physiological basis. Stress can worsen symptoms without being the primary cause. Neuroplasticity must not be used as a commercial wildcard. Recovery testimonials do not replace well-designed trials. And no treatment should be globally recommended without stratifying subgroups. Medicine has already made this mistake before. Patients with multiple sclerosis, lupus, autoimmune diseases, ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori, endometriosis, or ME/CFS were treated for years as exaggerated, hysterical, anxious, or somatizing until technology and research caught up with what patients had been saying all along. Let us not repeat the same mistake with Long COVID. The future is not in denying the nervous system. It is in understanding it properly. But understanding the nervous system does not mean selling “mind-body” as a cure. It means studying immunology, dysautonomia, autoantibodies, persistent viruses, endothelium, metabolism, muscle, the HPA axis, mast cells, microbiota, and neuroinflammation. And then, if a psychological tool helps a patient live better with an organic disease, it is welcome. But let us call it by its name: support. Not cure. Not a total explanation. Not a substitute for biomedical research. Not an excuse to prescribe exercise to someone with PEM. Not another elegant way of saying “it is all in your head.” Because it is not all in the head. It is in the immune system. It is in the vascular system. It is in the autonomic nervous system. It is in metabolism. It is in muscle. It is in the tissues. It is in a biology we are still learning how to measure. And precisely for that reason, we need more science, not more gurus.

This is becoming a disaster for @WIRED

Megan Stevenson @MeganTStevenson

2 days ago

Turns out I was featured in this very dumb article about long covid. And the guy lives in my small town and didn’t even reach out to ask for my perspective! Just sent him this email.

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It also leads to low standards in research and excessive enthusiasm for research findings that aren't reliable or meaningful. There has been a shift towards more skepticism and attention to quality and reliability of #MECFS research, which I find very encouraging.

Emerge Australia supports a sustainable NDIS, but reforms must not exclude or underfund people with ME/CFS and long COVID. Assessment must be fair, safe and clinically appropriate. A sustainable scheme must also be a just one. Read our submission: zurl.co/dgccr

I still don't think a society like this can accept the idea of ME, maybe the commonality of post-viral illness altogether. It's much easier and more digestible to convince everyone we're "crazy" and therefore beyond the realm of science.

The paternalism of poor people is rife and yet nothing is done to improve our lot. We're the first to feel the impact of climate change and we are punished for daring to want to survive. Tell me again that this country is fair with a straight face, and I'll cave it the fuck in.

Crowbar Jones 🥘🔪 @gomichild

a day ago

I'm on a payment plan currently and they say they will continue to monitor usage to be "helpful". When we talk about stress involved with low income situations this plays into it. Constantly being monitored over moderate usage. Thanks Daddy AGL I will try to be a good child.

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Sadly, it's true. Amazon has elected not to move forward with the new Stargate series. There's not much I can add beyond confirming what's happened. But I will say this... Creator Martin Gero developed a new Stargate series over two years, ultimately crafting a show that offered a fresh jumping-on point for new viewers while deeply respecting existing canon. It was a series that avoided the pitfalls of several modern remakes and reboots by fully embracing the core of its predecessors: action, adventure, exploration, wonder, heart, humor, and found family. And based on that creative vision, the new Stargate series was greenlit in November of 2025. As of today, officially, that original vision is no more. We'll never get the opportunity to introduce you to that world and those characters - or reintroduce you to, and check in with, some familiar faces from the past. My heart breaks. For the incredibly talented writers who worked tirelessly to bring this show to life. For Martin who maintained an unwavering positive outlook throughout despite the challenges, and who always strove to make a show that would honor the fans while welcoming a new audiences. And for the long-suffering Stargate fandom who waited so long and came so close to getting a show they truly would have loved.

@BaronDestructo Damn it. I was really looking forward to seeing Martin create something amazing. Thanks to him and you and everyone who tried.

The truth of mutual obligation. The cruelty is the point. live.thepoint.com.au