iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Ann (she/her)

Aidan O’Brien @aidanobrien.bsky.social · 3h

Viktor Orban travelled to Belfast yesterday, appearing alongside the Northern Irish anti-abortion group Precious Life, "celebrating" preventing Belfast City Hall from joining"International Safe Abortion Day" Precious Life's former director, Jim Dowson, is a far-right extremist with ties to Hungary.

Catholic Arena
@CatholicArena
Viktor Orban was in Belfast last night at City Hall

Precious Life and other prolife groups were celebrating after successfully preventing City Hall from being lit up to celebrate 'International Safe Abortion Day'

📸 Precious Life

Anti-abortionist resigns from job
Anti-abortion poster The anti-abortion campaign has come in for criticism

The leader of the controversial anti-abortion group Precious Life is reported to have quit his job because of his views.

Jim Dowson, 33, who has admitted previous involvement with hard-line loyalist groups in the west of Scotland, was told he should curb his activities or face dismissal.

Notorious far-right extremist returns to Scotland to fund growing anti-immigration protests
Jim Dowson has spent the last 20 years fundraising for the far-right in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Hungary and the US.

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Pete Apps @peteapps.bsky.social · 9h

Breaking: the Met Police has submitted charging files to the Crown Prosecution Service resulting from its Grenfell fire investigation. The files cover 54 individuals and 20 companies and cover charges including fraud, misconduct in public office and manslaughter

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 9h

I recently sent a video of AB making the point that the Catholic chaplaincy was the most important thing for his grandma as she was dying in the hospital to our parish priest because his chaplaincy appointment was cut for budgetary reasons. This is kinda where I'm at generally with AB.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 9h

I still think that the DWP sends letters out for Winter Fuel Allowance was a huge part of the backlash. People got post saying they weren't getting it in 2024! And then SMS and WhatsApp scanners got in on the action. Lots of reminders.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 12h

Extremely this: I want my freedom of association back.

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Owen Michael @owenwmichael.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Dawn Butler: "We need to be fighting incels not trans people" "This is the misogynistic white supremacists' wet dream.... we need to say 'fuck you'"

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Owen Michael @owenwmichael.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Was late this year having been in the hall but heard some great speeches Kate Osborne: Re conversion therapy: "This legislation is vital and those handing out leaflets at our conference should be ashamed of themselves for wanting to give a free pass to abuse" bsky.app/profile/labo...

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 12h

I guess I'm going to have to listen to the speech in full. My main concern about a national care system is that I don't see a path between where we are now and an NHS-style model. Even if you build off NHS Continuing Care, that's a commissioning (I think?) role rather than service provision.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 13h

I wasn't alive, but fwiw the phrase "back to the 1970s" evokes for me a sense of the sexism and racism that was socially permissible and structurally supported in that decade. E.g., women unable to get mortgages by themselves, bussing of ethnic minority children in the education system.

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Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 29/09/2026

Winter is on its way, and getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect yourself and those around you. Eligible Londoners should get their flu vaccination as soon as they can to keep bugs at bay. Book via the NHS website, NHS App or by calling 119.

nhs.uk

Flu vaccine

Find out about the flu vaccine for adults, including who should have it, how to get it and side effects.

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John Hannen @jhannen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

and being active by walking/cycling in your neighbourhood is big for social cohesion as well - being visible in a place and having other people visible to you really reduces the risks of isolation whether you speak to anyone you see or not a sense of familiarity is the foundation of civic life

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 29/09/2026

Just shouting USER NEEDS into the "how do we pay for social care" void.

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Indy @indy.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The hard truth is we have implemented every centre-right nostrum, from slashing local government through conditionality of benefits to junking resilience measures for society and the economy - and as many predicted, it all turns out to be very costly in the long run.

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Richard Humphries @richardhumphries.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#socialcare all over the news again this morning. But it’s all about what is costs & the ’pain’ of how we pay for it, not what it’s for and why it’s important.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 28/09/2026

Discovered recently that the main weed I'm pulling out of the front lawn is a plant you can buy from garden centres, Pilosella aurantiaca (www. rhs.org.uk/plants/65455/pilosella-aurantiaca/details) aka orange flowered hawkweed or fox and cubs. I pulled out a metre long rhizome network, do not like.

rhs.org.uk

Pilosella aurantiaca | fox and cubs

Find help & information on Pilosella aurantiaca | fox and cubs from the RHS

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 28/09/2026

My somewhat considered thoughts on managing others' affairs via LPA is that the difficulty isn't really about LPA but rather reflects trends in customer service management, problems with old computer systems, and a lack of social workers. Will try and say something about each of these.

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Duncan Hothersall @dhothersall.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

For all that it's been barely reported in the UK press, it's still hard to understate the importance of the stance @labourunionsuk.bsky.social has taken on trans and non-binary rights this week. Every single trade union affiliated to the party of government has stood up and said we will not comply.

Joint statement from National TULO

Solidarity with the trans and non-binary community

Labour's 11 affiliated trade unions stand in total solidarity with the trans and non-binary community.

Trans rights are human rights, and trans rights are workers' rights.

We in the trade union movement will do all we can to stand up for our trans members and all our trans siblings, to protect them from persecution, harassment and attack.

The government must act now to protect all trans people, to make sure their rights are protected, expanded and upheld in our workplaces and communities.

Labour Unions

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 28/09/2026

I kind of have the impression as Tesco, and to a lesser extent Sainsbury's, compete with Lidl and Aldi that the cheaper free from and sensitive products are increasingly the preserve of Waitrose alone.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 28/09/2026

Update: I emailed Lornamead, who make it, and they have send it should be back in stock. I got some at Waitrose at lunchtime 👍🏻

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Luca Tiratelli @lucatiratelli.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I await the first time a politician proposing some nuts new immigration restriction is asked what is otherwise the media’s favourite question: how are you going to pay for it??

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 28/09/2026

All or nothing approaches to data sharing with attorneys is something I want to see improved too, esp with NHS data. Sometimes I'd rather specifics are in a medical record but not shared with me.

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Also under current proposals they won't be allowed to be social care workers after 2028. Ministers still don't seem to understand their own plan.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 27/09/2026

So it seems like Simple Soap is likely not being made right now, and I am therefore soon without an essential component of my daily routine. What are my fellow neurodivergent sensitive skin peeps using? I really need leads on sensitive soap or shampoo. Bonus if it's sold in supermarkets.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 27/09/2026

Overheard on the bus this am, reasoning amounting to: - the council have no £ to provide an essential service (true) - because of migrants (not true) - because we're no longer planning to send migrants to Rwanda (true) - which was at the expense of the Rwandan government (not true)

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Rascal 🐾 📷 🌿 🎨 @badrascal.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Folk with legal knowledge in Northern Ireland. With us having no health power of attorney yet, how do we ensure that a named person is the only person who gets to make health decisions for us if we are incapacitated? (shares would be appreciated)

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Jack Bailey @jack-bailey.co.uk · 26/09/2026

Take Manchester's Victoria Baths. It has an exhibition showing how working people used to visit to bathe together in rooms full of bath tubs and launder their clothes in communal washing machines. This is a solved issue: homes now have washing facilities and people can think about other things.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 26/09/2026

I think the amount of time I spend on this is equivalent to admin for a small business. I regularly have to write cheques and it suuuucks.

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Rick @flipchartrick.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The government, banks, utilities and similar services MUST make it easier for those with Power of Attorney to manage stuff online. I find I'm having to do a lot of stuff by phone. It's like being back in the 90s except without the 90s infrastructure to help.

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Reposted by Ann (she/her)

Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

lmao it's just so fucking stupid

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 25/09/2026

Minimum waiting times are, sadly, being used across many conditions. Not just ADHD / autism dxes: > 17 of the 36 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) [...] have introduced minimum waits of between 12 and 16 weeks for procedures including hip, knee and cataract surgery. bmjgroup.com/half-of-engl...

bmjgroup.com

Half of England’s health boards deliberately delaying patient care with ‘minimum waits’ - BMJ Group

The BMJ reveals minimum waits of up to 16 weeks for hip, knee and cataract surgery Experts “concerned by the scale” of measures that can prolong patients’ pain Nearly half of health boards in England ...

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 25/09/2026

Now reading the Graun's analysis piece and what I now don't understand is knock-on effects on clinician time, is ADHD diagnosis demand affecting everything else in psychiatry? www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Sharp rises in referrals for clinical assessments over the past six years mean nearly 1 million people in England are on ADHD waiting lists, with the average wait already over a year (64 weeks). About 295,000 await an autism assessment.

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Reposted by Ann (she/her)

Ed Hawkins @edhawkins.org · 25/09/2026

How hot & dry was your UK summer? Excellent interactive tool to explore how hot this summer was: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

UK summer 2026: BBC postcode lookup shows how hot and dry it was

Most of us experienced drought and heatwaves - but temperatures and rainfall were not the same everywhere.

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Reposted by Ann (she/her)

Nick Gray @path-dependent.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I think this was likely to happen under any political leadership but Reform entered town halls around the country on a wave of disillusionment (or even rage) with local government and a big offer to root out supposed endemic waste and corruption. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

South Tyneside Council nursery closures decision 'devastating'

Councillors confirm that all 10 Stanley's nurseries in South Tyneside will close by July 2027.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 25/09/2026

Also, I wish this story was really about this management issue: Outsourcing to private providers and then seeing bills soar due to very high demand **that could've been predicted** is repeated across adult social care, children's homes, and SEND provision. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

West Yorkshire NHS integrated care board has introduced a minimum waiting time of two years from referral for anyone seeking an ADHD or autism assessment with an independent provider. That was in response to its bill for such assessments soaring from £7m in 2023-24 to £21m last year, it said.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 25/09/2026

Buried in the middle here, Fonagy report is set to be delayed. > The 700-page report of the review, led by Prof Peter Fonagy, was due to be published on Thursday but was unexpectedly postponed until early next month. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

theguardian.com

NHS bodies in England impose two-year minimum wait for ADHD and autism assessments

Patient groups decry ‘scandalous’ delays as four integrated care boards take step due to soaring demand for diagnoses

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West Coast Birdwatching @westcoastbirds.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

HELP NEEDED! There is a stranded Manx Shearwater in the West Midlands (SOLIHULL) that needs a ride back to the coast. Can anyone in that area help? Even to take it some of the way and pass on to another volunteer? Please call 01437 723193 if you can help 🙏

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 24/09/2026

Lidl have seasonal squash btw.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 24/09/2026

> Complaints about adult social care in England rose 22% last year, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) www.localgov.co.uk/Adult-social...

localgov.co.uk

Adult social care complaints up 22% | LocalGov

Complaints about adult social care in England rose 22% last year, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO).

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Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

You know that saying about how the way they treat asylum seekers is the way they’d treat everyone else if they thought they could get away with it? Well,

The Tories said the reduced subsistence allowance would be loaded onto pre-paid card that would not allow cash withdrawals, and would "prevent spending" on alcohol, cigarettes, or gambling.
The party is yet to detail how its proposal would work, but shadow welfare secretary Helen Whately said it would be "a version" of the pre-paid Aspen card issued to asylum seekers living in government-funded accommodation.
These cards cannot be used to make contactless, telephone or internet payments, whilst asylum seekers whose applications have failed cannot withdraw cash.

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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The Dallas Zoo & Fort Worth Zoo, both wonderful programs, are working with Texas Parks & Wildlife to restore wild populations of Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) via zoo breed & release programs. 2026 is already a RECORD year: > 1000 lizards released, with documented wild-born babies.

A gloved human hand holds a round plastic container like you might put a salad in, but there are teeny-tiny horned lizards all alert looking and fierce inside.

"Aaand off they go!
Yesterday, 116 Texas horned lizards started their exciting journey to be released into the wild. Our team has worked tirelessly since their hatching to ensure these little ones are fully prepped and ready for this big moment. Stay tuned for more details on their release!
Our Texas horned lizard conservation program is a collaborative effort with Texas Parks and Wildlife, Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation, and several of our dedicated zoo partners."

An adult horned toad sitting in sandy dirt in West Texas, with a mix of native shrubs and non-native grasses in the background. They're well camouflaged against the red-brown dirt, covered in spikes and watch the camera warily.
CREDIT: Dallas Zoo

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Professor Azeem Majeed @azeem-majeed.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Spacing vaccines across many separate visits increases the risk of delayed or missed doses and leaves children susceptible to infection for longer with no safety benefits. It also requires parents to take more time out of their schedule to visit their vaccine provider.

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Nathan @nwylabour.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This is brilliant from @piercepenniless.bsky.social and @will-davies.bsky.social . A rare podcast for which I had to drop everything and sit in perfect stillness in order to take everything in. open.spotify.com/episode/6P9S...

open.spotify.com

On Politics: What happened to the intellectual?

The LRB Podcast · Episode

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Ciaran Martin @ciaranm.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Two stories 1/2 * a group of not-far-off script-kiddies who have some UK links claim to have hacked into the world’s premier law enforcement agency and walked off with the names, home addresses, spousal details etc of thousands of current & prospective FBI agents. No one in the UK seems to care;

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The Shire-Reckoning @shire-reckoning.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Frodo, Sam, and Pippin finish tea and leave Bag End as the sun sets. ‘It’s going to be a fine night. That’s good for a beginning’, Frodo says. ‘I am going to start, and Gandalf must follow me.’ Behind them, Sam hears the Gaffer send away a cloaked rider who asks for ‘Baggins’.

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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 23/09/2026

Induction hob way better than gas hob. I did initially burn stuff cos it's super powerful but nothing since I got used to it. I bang anything to want to boil on 9 and it's fine? And then 6 for frying and 4 or lower for simmer.

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