iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives who share our commitment to community empowerment and sustainable land management.

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Assessing complex proposals and balancing social, environmental and economic outcomes. Providing objective advice, constructive challenge and evidence-based recommendations.

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We are looking for candidates with experience of: Renewable energy and onshore wind development, operation, governance, regulation or community benefit models. Community development, community empowerment and rural development.

Come work with me at the Forestry and Land Scotland Community Asset Transfer panel! It's a very rewarding job, provide advice on community asset transfer, you get to look at a range range of projects across Scotland and get to work with a wonderful bunch of people.

Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

History of heat-related welfare benefits nerds? Here's just the article for you : How warm should the welfare state be? The evolution of Britain’s heating benefit and the challenge of defining adequate heat, 1948–1988 academic.oup.com/tcbh/article...

academic.oup.com

How warm should the welfare state be? The evolution of Britain’s heating benefit and the challenge of defining adequate heat, 1948–1988

Abstract. This article examines how warmth has been a central, but previously overlooked feature of the welfare state. Mapping the internal debates that su

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The next time anyone says wealth taxes aren't possible, remind them we have them already (Last bump of the day!)

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We often hear that a wealth tax is impractical, can't be collected, will be avoided. Funny how we can tax the 'wealth' of low income households - and have been for decades - but can't find ways to tax the wealth of the rich. So next time someone says we can't tax wealth - remind them we already do!

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If you have £16,001 capital you lose £2576.12 per month....

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Yeah - there's no simple answer as it depends on how much UC you get. Take the example in the article, if you have £15,999 capital you'd lose £156.60 per month (8.5% PA of the original capital)..

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A parent saving for a deposit. Someone saving for a disability adaptation. A person receiving a modest inheritance. If we were designing a wealth tax from scratch, would these be the people we would choose to tax? New blog: The hidden wealth tax in Universal Credit. #TaxJusticeScotland.

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Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Is the asset means test in Universal Credit really just a benefit rule? Or is it a hidden wealth tax? New research looks at how capital limits can impose very high effective rates of taxation on the savings and inheritances of low-income households.

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Reposted by Ed Pybus

Others will have their say about this, but I think it’s worth pointing out that this - or laundered versions of it - are accepted wisdom amongst a big chunk of our political and media classes and it is simply bad for society when the elites have little or no understanding of *the systems they run*

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I'm not sure if this wasn't a covert advert by the lemoncello marketing board - I'm sure it was the reason for my impulse buy of a bottle of lemoncello before Christmas a few years ago - just rediscovered at the bottom of the freezer after it's defrosted itself. Too early for a wee glass?

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Reposted by Ed Pybus

Anna Dent @annadent.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

For the lunchtime crowd - are you interested in how the welfare state is mainly robots and algorithms now* Read my newsletter! *possible exaggeration

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Reposted by Ed Pybus

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

My latest @newscientist.com cartoon. many more here: www.newscientist.com/author/tom-gauld/

Image: A graph with lots of red dots clustered together in a curve. The are all looking upwards at a single red dot wearing sunglasses.

Caption: Mike was an outlier and would probably be excluded from the study, but all the other data points secretly thought he was really cool.

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The full article is available here : www.povertyalliance.org/wp-content/u...

povertyalliance.org

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Social security can't build a good society on its own. We need good jobs, affordable housing, good public services and a society that tackles discrimination. But social security is a keystone. It gives people the financial security they need to live with dignity and exercise their rights.

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And a good social security system needs to work for people who are easiest to overlook. People with No Recourse to Public Funds. People who struggle to communicate with services. Disabled people facing costs their benefits don't cover. Unpaid carers losing earnings.

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Another of Scotland's social security principles is the social security should contribute to reducing poverty – and it has. The Scottish Child Payment and other devolved benefits have contributed to lower child poverty. But too many children are still living in poverty.

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That matters. It shows that social security can be done differently. Scotland has built a new social security system from scratch since 2018. Eighteen benefits have been legislated for and people have been transferred from the UK system without disruption to their payments.

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In Scotland, one of the principles that underpins the systems is that social security is an investment in people of Scotland – it’s not just a cost. Scotland also decided that dignity, fairness and respect are the heart of our system. Those aren't just nice words. They are written into the law.

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It's also an investment: in the millions of people who currently get support directly but also an investment in the systems that will support those who’ll get support in the future and in the businesses and communities where the money that is distributed via the social secuirty is spent.

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There’s a narrative about who gets support. Around a 1 in 3 households geting Universal Credit are in work. For many people having a job still doesn't mean having enough money to live on. When wages, even the real living wage, aren't enough to live on, social security subsidises low-paying employers

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Social security is often talked about as something that “other people” get, yet almost all of use are supported by the system at different points in our lives - more than 80% of children get Child Benefit. Almost everyone over pension age gets a State Pension or Pension Credit.

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Ursula K. Le Guin Bot @leguinbot.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It was a pleasure to contribute to the new issue of the Scottish Anti-Poverty Review talking about the stories we tell, and the stories we hear, about social security. We spend a lot of time talking about how much social security costs. We spend much less time talking about what it does.

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Reposted by Ed Pybus

He who would be Seamaster must know the true name of every drop of water in the sea.

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

There's of course nothing Ursula La Guin hasn't already imagined... www.ursulakleguin.com/voices

ursulakleguin.com

Ursula K. Le Guin — Voices

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Reposted by Ed Pybus

Scottish Land Commission @scottishlandcom.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Help develop our second Gaelic Language Plan. We want our commitments to reflect the longstanding connection between Gaelic and Scotland’s land, and we need your views. 📅 The consultation is open for six weeks and closes on Monday 26 October. buff.ly/pRDHQv3

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Actually I'm surprised that any of it is still up on their website. Very little mention of it on the web anywhere - and no sign of the full supplement.

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Six Months That Changed the Year Terror's march backwards An Absolute Atrocity Special by Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris www.theguardian.com/world/2002/m... I have a copy of this in a box somewhere - can't see the Guardian publishing something like this these days.

theguardian.com

Terror's march backwards

Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris present a timeline of the months following September 11.

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Reposted by Ed Pybus

Prof Ruth Patrick @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

In just more than a week, me & @kittyjstewart.bsky.social are braving Scottish sea temps and jellyfish to swim the 1.3 miles from Holy Island to Lamlash on Arran! Trying to raise a few quid for @hopenothate.org.uk as we do so! Wish us luck www.gofundme.com/f/splashing-...

gofundme.com

Donate to Splashing into Lamlash for Hope not Hate, organized by ruth patrick

In just over a week, me (Ruth Patrick), & a great gang of women (including Ste… ruth patrick needs your support for Splashing into Lamlash for Hope not Hate

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

There's a lot of them, my 13 yo is still finding ones he hasn't read...

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Diane Wynn Jones, the Howl's Moving Castle series and/or The Chrestomanci series. Both excellent.

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Don't knock it till you've tried it. I've not, but was convinced to try a half Guinness half ginger beer, and it was rather nice (pint of Guinness, drink half, top up with ginger beer) I was also convinced to try a Motherwell speciality, Buckfast and milk.....that wasn't.....

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I feel your pain - just done a book cull to free up more shelf space.

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Unless you want a shot at George Michael....

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Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Lacksley Castell - because I know next to nothing about him apart from his three, almost unknown albums, but his story probably illuminates a lot about music, race, class and dub, and would be a fascinating read. His best : www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMSK...

youtube.com

Lacksley Castell - Princess Lady

YouTube video by Mystic Revelation

Ed Pybus @epybus.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I loved the audio book of A Place of Greater Safety by Hillary Mantel, as well as Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami. Book excellently done audiobooks.