iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Admirable Women @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 12h

#OTD in 2006, Anna Politkovskaya--Russian investigative journalist & human rights defender--was murdered in her apt building in Moscow. #PressFreedom She exposed state corruption, opposed the Chechen conflict & wrote "Putin's Russia," a book critical of his rise to power & authoritarian shift.

A serious portrait-style photograph of Russian journalist, author, and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya (August 30, 1958 – October 7, 2006). Globally revered for her fearless exposure of human rights abuses in Chechnya and her staunch criticism of Vladimir Putin, she looks slightly off-camera with a solemn, resolute, and deeply contemplative expression. Her face is framed by her signature silver-gray hair, parted down the middle and tucked behind her ears, revealing long, slender gold bar earrings. She wears oval, wire-rimmed gold glasses and a crisp, white collared shirt that stands out sharply against the composition. She is in the right two-thirds of the frame, balanced by a soft-focused, bright outdoor background of green and white bokeh on the left. The lighting is soft and even, highlighting her focused gaze. The overall mood is serious, reflective, and dignified, serving as a powerful visual testament to her legacy as a champion of press freedom who paid the ultimate price for her investigative work.

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Prof Frank McDonough @fxmc1957.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

7 October 1927. Iinfluential psychiatrist Robert David (“RD”) Laing was born in Glasgow. He wrote extensively on mental illness especially psychosis. Many of his theories were very controversial, most notably, his view that schizophrenia was only a theory not a fact.

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paulusthewoodgnome @paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Awful news. 'Former British banker and whistleblower Simon Andriesz, has died by suicide. He spoke about the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s mistreatment of whistleblowers, describing the personal cost of coming forward to his career, his health and his family.' www.thebanker.com/content/0228...

thebanker.com

Whistleblower who flagged Lutnick’s links to Epstein dies

The former British banker who spent more than 35 years working in financial markets has died by suicide

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Simon Knott @simonknott.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Barbara Castle MP, born #OTD 6 October 1910, walks through Cathedral Square, Blackburn. She holds the Equal Pay Act 1970, which she piloted through Parliament and into law. She was a Blackburn MP for 33 years.

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Simon Knott @simonknott.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

3/3 The Kykkos icon, Holy Mother of God with St Michael and St Dmitri, 19th Century Russian in Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery.

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Simon Knott @simonknott.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

2/3 St George defeats the dragon, a late 16th Century Russian icon in the excellent icon collection of Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery.

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Simon Knott @simonknott.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Blackburn Museum has a remarkably good, and large, collection of Greek and Russian icons. This triptych depicts Abraham and Sarah withvthe three angels, flanked by St George and St Dmitri. Greek, 1768.

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Simon Knott @simonknott.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The Fen bog oak table in Blackburn Cathedral. It's currently doing a tour of English cathedrals. As one Cambridgeshire native to another, I greeted it with familiarity.

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Plough Quarterly @plough.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Read Rachel Pieh Jones’s Substack about Annalena Tonelli: rachelpiehjones.substack.com/p/stronger-t...

rachelpiehjones.substack.com

Stronger than Death

23 years after she was assassinated, another woman is carrying on the legacy

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Tim Harford @timharford.ft.com · 05/10/2026

The race is on Sunday - wish me luck! Any further donations very very welcome. Thank you so much to all the people (many anonymous) who have pledged their hard-earned already. It's so kind.

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The Jarrow Crusade, in which 200 unemployed men marched to London calling for government intervention to restore jobs, began on this day 1936. Unsuccessful at the time, but helped to shape postwar attitudes to employment and social justice.

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JulieW67 @juliew67.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#10minutesfromhome #ClassicMono #Stunday John Rylands Library Manchester

A black and white photo looking up a stone stairway st John Rylands Library Manchester on Thursday.
At the top is a beautiful arched stained glass window with decorative floral stonework at the top.
There are decorative stone arches on the ceiling and beautiful illuminated sconces on the walls.
There is a young man stood at the top of the stairs admiring the architecture, he is silhouetted with the light of the window

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

This Park Row Frieze in Leeds illustrates artistic talent, commercial ambitions but also the racial attitudes of its time. Created around 1900 by Edward John Dodgshun and Joseph Thewlis for the West Riding Union Bank. the sandstone relief depicts people involved in the bank’s international

Façade of Former Abtec House (Kenneth Hodgson House)
Edward John Dodgshun (1854–1927) and Joseph Thewlis (1862–1921)
18 Park Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire Image: Peter Farmer / Art UK

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Ben Wood @cosmichope.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

In a letter of 1928, Karl Jaspers wrote to Heidegger: “How my heart beats when you write about Kant! He’s the only one I actually trust”. For Jaspers (as for Arendt) Kant reflected the pure waters of European Humanism--an equal moral consideration for all human beings, regardless of geography.

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eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Another #SundayMorning has arrived so here's our traditional "opener" for the day! This is "Sunday Morning, Farringdon Road" by Cecil Osborne from the first Group show at Alex. Reid & Lefevre at 1a, King Street in Mayfair. It is in the collection at Brighton & Hove Museums. #CecilOsborne

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eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Today is the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street. The painting has the title of "Cable Street" but it is actually a view of Grace's Alley just off Cable Street. It is by Albert Turpin who was arrested on the day & who would later become Mayor of Bethnal Green in 1946. #AlbertTurpin

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Prof Frank McDonough @fxmc1957.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

4 October 1936. Battle of Cable Street took place in Cable Street, Whitechapel, London. It was a clash between the Metropolitan Police, protecting a march by the British Union of Fascists (BUF) led by Sir Oswald Mosley and various anti-fascist and Jewish demonstrators.

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Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 03/10/2026

#OtD 3 Oct 1937 almost a year after their defeat at Cable St, Mosley's Blackshirts attempted to march through Bermondsey, South London. Met with strong local opposition and barricades in the streets, the march never arrived at its intended destination workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e35-...

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eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I can't quite believe that October has arrived already (as has the autumn) & with it the shorter days to come but, one can't "stop the clock"! Here's our traditional start to every #SaturdayMorning: "Interior" by Brynhild Parker from 1930. #BrynhildParker #EastLondonGroup

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Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

1. Tonight at Gillette Stadium, Zach Bryan, one of the biggest country music artists in the world, wore a Free Palestine shirt onstage. Gillette Stadium is owned by Robert Kraft, who pushed Ed Sheeran and his promoter to drop Macklemore from his tour. Bryan isn’t just a major country artist.

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The Passage Leading To Lancaster Road, Salford, 1962, painting by Harold Riley (1934-2023).

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Peter Tatchell Foundation @petertatchellfdn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Botswana, a #Commonwealth country, turns 60 & challenges the story that postcolonial Africa is one of failure From extreme poverty at independence, diamond revenues helped build public services & democracy Africa’s achievements deserve recognition too

aljazeera.com

Botswana at 60 challenges the story of postcolonial African failure

Botswana showed that resource wealth need not condemn a country to corruption and underdevelopment.

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Ancestral Enquiries - Tony Smith 🌳 @ancestralenq.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

🧵The Land of Green Ginger, Hull, a street of residential & commercial buildings, formerly known as Old Beverley Street near Whitefriargate. Its naming is a bit of a mystery. It may refer to the storage & selling of spice ginger in the Middle Ages. The name change is thought to have occurred between

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Clare Kirk @digupyourancestors.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

This summer marks 90 years since the start of the #SpanishCivilWar. My husband's great uncle, Dick Mortimer, was a fish-curer from Hull, and a communist. At 18 he joined the #InternationalBrigade to fight fascism in Spain. I've shared his story, and some tips on researching brigaders, in a new blog.

digupyourancestors.com

A Hull fish-worker fights fascism

Hull fishworker Dick Mortimer was one of thousands of brave men and women who volunteered with the International Brigade to fight fascism in Spain 90 years ago.

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womensartbluesky.bsky.social @womensartbluesky.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Elizabeth Catlett, Mother and Child, 1944 #womensart

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Tube Mapper- Luke Agbaimoni @tubemapper.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It's the 1st of October! So Kennington Station month in the 2026 Calendar A ghost train arrives! On this platform travellers have a clear view of trains deep in the tunnel whilst standing well behind the yellow line on the curved platform.

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eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

For the penultimate day of our portrait themed week here's one which I've had the great pleasure to see in the flesh: it is mesmerising! This is "Portrait" by Brynhild Parker that is undated but most likely comes from c.1932/33. It is in the collection at Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery.

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

9 years after Grenfell fire killed 72 people, Police pass files to the Crown Prosecution Service for possible charges against 54 individuals and 20 companies. How many will be prosecuted? Years of litigation will follow. Justice delayed is justice denied.

bbc.co.uk

Met Police submits Grenfell Tower fire investigation files to CPS

The force is seeking charges against 54 individuals and 20 companies over the 2017 tower block fire.

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Interesting heritage from near me. Brayshaw & Booth markers represent a major chapter in British roadside heritage, charting the evolution of late 19th-century public infrastructure. Following the Local Government Act of 1888, the newly formed West Riding County Council inherited an

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Michelle says: Be kind. Always. ❤️ @snarkysillysad.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Ibex silhouetted by the sun: #AGoodPlace Source: www.reddit.com/r/NatureIsFu...

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fravery.bsky.social @fravery.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Washing on the Line Percy Harland Fisher (1867–1944)

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Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 30/09/2026

#OtD 30 Sep 1977 Walter Rossi, a 20-year-old Lotta Continua activist, was shot dead by fascists in Rome. Though 17 fascists would go on trial for his murder, none would be convicted and no police would be punished despite accusations of collusion stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1035...

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ΜΑΝΟΣ ΤΡΑΧΙΑΣ™ @trahias.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"Laughing Ladies" Oil on Linen • 48 x 48 inches Created in 2024 By American Painter "Jeffrey T. Larson" (b.1962) #art #painting #artist #BlueSkyArt

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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Time for this classic again.

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Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“A Polish official has pitched a straightforward bargain: 1,000 long range strike drones for Kyiv for every proven drone incursion into NATO territory - making provocation/response neatly linked and jolly clear.” - Caolan Robertson Good idea?

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The Kimono Gallery @roger1952.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The kimono features an elegant composition of ume (plum blossom) branches gracefully cascading across the cream-colored damask ground, painted with the sophisticated yuzen resist-dyeing technique combined with pigment dyes. Last quarter, 20th century, Japan

This rinzu silk furisode represents a beautiful fusion of traditional Japanese textile artistry with the naturalistic aesthetic that has long characterized Japanese decorative arts. The kimono features an elegant composition of ume (plum blossom) branches gracefully cascading across the cream-colored damask ground, painted with the sophisticated yuzen resist-dyeing technique combined with pigment dyes. The artistic treatment evokes the classical Japanese painting tradition of kachō-ga (bird-and-flower painting), where natural subjects are rendered with both botanical accuracy and poetic sensibility.

The plum blossom motifs carry profound symbolic meaning in Japanese culture, representing resilience, hope, and the promise of spring, as plum trees are among the first to bloom despite harsh winter conditions. This symbolism makes them particularly appropriate for furisode, which are worn by young unmarried women during significant life celebrations. The flowing, organic arrangement of the branches demonstrates the Japanese aesthetic principle of asymmetrical balance, creating movement and vitality across the garment's surface. The damask background, with its subtle woven patterns of flowers and butterflies, adds textural depth while complementing the painted elements. The overall design reflects the continuing influence of the Rinpa school's stylized naturalism, updated for late 20th-century sensibilities while maintaining the essential elegance and symbolic richness of classical Japanese decorative arts.

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Marsh's Library @marshslibrary.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Today is Michaelmas, a quarter day in the Irish calendar, and traditionally when rents were paid & contracts signed. It's also the last day to eat blackberries - after today, they belong to the Devil and will make you sick!

Detail of a page showing text in Spanish and a woodcut of blackberries. From Dioscorides' Materia Medica, 1555

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The New Arab @thenewarab.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A 94-year-old Jewish human rights barrister was among more than 80 people arrested outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool while demonstrating in support of Palestine Action. The arrests came as Ed Miliband told critics of the government’s policy on Palestine: “We hear you. You were right"

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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

New discovery: Tableware found in 2,100-year-old shipwreck located off coats of Adrasan, Türkiye It's believed that the cargo contained luxury tableware produced in Rhosus, modern-day Arsuz, and was intended for markets such as Rome. www.dailysabah.com/life/history...

Underwater photo of numerous pottery vessels across the sandy seabed, including bowlss and plate. A measuring scale is visible in the background.

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eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Our tradition of showing this one each #SundayMorning started on Twitter back on 01/06/2014 & it has run, uninterupted, ever since (barring about six months in 2024/5 when I left social media). This is "Sunday Morning, Farringdon Road" by Cecil Osborne from the collection at Brighton & Hove Museums.

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Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 26/09/2026

#OtD 26 Sep 1932 Pierre De Geyter, Belgian socialist and composer of the music to the famous revolutionary anthem, L'Internationale, died stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1266...

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eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

It is the last #SaturdayMorning of September & it is now officially autumn: not quite sure where the past few months have gone but.....! Here's our traditional start to the day & week-end: "Interior" by Brynhild Parker from 1930. #BrynhildParker #EastLondonGroup

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Jill Hasday @jillhasday.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

On this day in 1825, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was born. She became an abolitionist, suffragist, and the first African American woman to publish a short story. #WeTheMen

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

St Cuthbert's Way, walking route Melrose to Lindisfarne, named as one of the world's top experiences. Enjoyed doing it a few years ago. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

St Cuthbert's Way gains global recognition as a travel experience

St Cuthbert's Way - from Melrose to Lindisfarne - rubs shoulders with the world's top travel experiences.

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Celeste Headlee @celesteheadlee.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

So, Banksy bought a used yacht, repaired it and retrofitted it to serve as a rescue boat to save migrants in the central Mediterranean. The whole project cost the artist $860,000. Since 2020, the boat has saved more than 3,800 people. londondaily.com/banksy-funds...

londondaily.com

Banksy funds refugee rescue boat operating in Mediterranean - London Daily

Exclusive: UK artist finances bright pink motor yacht that set sail in secrecy to avoid being intercepted by authorities

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Ancestral Enquiries - Tony Smith 🌳 @ancestralenq.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

More than 300,000 dahlias will be hand placed outside Bradford City Hall to create a flower "carpet" from today. The design by Shiraaz Ali will be looking at the origin of Bradford & how it developed as a city & the textile industry. 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Giant flower 'carpet' to be created in Bradford city centre

Volunteers will use 330,000 flowers to make a giant outdoor floral artwork in Bradford.

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Trisha Elliott @trishaelliott.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

An important read from @georgemonbiot.bsky.social. Thank you to @drelke.bsky.social for drawing my attention to it. We need to do so much better than we do for people with this condition. #ME/CFS

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