iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Chris Howe (Rail Focus) 🏳️‍🌈 @railfocus.bsky.social · 8h

I shouldn't be surprised I guess, but I do find myself bemused by all of the opposition to this project. For years people have been saying they don't support #HS2 because it doesn't benefit them. But even what is a highly-localised project is facing opposition and criticism.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 11h

Usual caveats about whether single issue polling is representative but there's a lot of don't knows in the second one. This suggests it could be overcome with a good campaign. I think actually focusing on exchange rate losses could help. We need Schengen to make trains more effective to EU.

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Andrew Cutting @andrewcutting.coe.int · 11h

Interesting: “Raise the Colours” are citing the European Convention on Human Rights in defence of their flag-raising campaign👇 🔗 www.bbc.com/news/article... via www.bbc.com The ECHR protects us all.

bbc.com

Raise the Colours' members in court for Birmingham injunction evidence

Birmingham City Council is seeking an injunction to stop the Raise The Colours group's activities.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 13h

Capital punishment is a really bad idea to a reasonable risk of miscarriage of justice, but also how can the state legislate for murder being bad if they do it themselves?

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Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 13h

This is welcome, but doesn’t exactly fix UKRI’s stated aim to explore using AI for exactly this purpose. “You’re not allowed to use it… yet” I guess? www.ukri.org/news/ukri-mo...

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

As someone who travels for work a lot and my Chromecast TV is essential, I fully agree. What I find really frustrating is how streaming UX hasn't changed at all in a decade. Even the new entrants seems to just copy what exists already.

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The Dispatch @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Last week, we published a critical article about Joe Lycett’s BMAG exhibition EVERYTHING MUST GO. The writer argued that BMAG is neglecting its more “serious” artworks in favour of work that might have been a “series of Instagram posts”.

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

Time for this classic again.

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Chris Steller @chrissteller.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

- We want the biggest sign possible. - Okay, how wide is your store?

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🕸️ Cobweb Curtains For Zoosha 🦇 @brianvan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

This is a model case study for “here’s how to murder, you can do it to a child, and they won’t even say you did it they’ll just say the victim got in the way of the weapon”

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

No one will be talking about Andy Burnham tomorrow...

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Some of these landlord permissions costs are crazy but ultimately it comes down to business models. Cap these fees and the costs will likely be passed on to the general management charge. Our RTM management charge is £140 / flat / year. That's nothing when you consider it includes fee collection.

Announcement about landlord capping costs

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The Dispatch @birminghamdispatch.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Huge news. We’re always banging on about how important it is that local journalism is paid for, but we know younger people often struggle to afford a news subscription.

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Greg Jenner (Historian) @gregjenner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Hello, VERY exciting news!!! -- We are doing a You're Dead To Me... Live special about Beethoven, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, on Nov 13th at London's Southbank Centre!!! Tickets (£26) go on sale to the public on Thursday, but tomorrow for members www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/bbc...

southbankcentre.co.uk

BBC's You're Dead To Me Live: Ludwig van Beethoven | Southbank Centre

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

National Commission is right thing to do for voting reform but we've got potentially three years before the next election, a government with a massive majority: plenty of time to work out the best system and get in place ready for the election.

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John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 28/09/2026

Ultimately we created an entire culture around the idea that buying property was a one way bet, that policy would underwrite.

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Susannah Walker @susannahwalker.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

So, for nearly a year I've been working with @ategov.bsky.social on designing better active for women and girls. And now it's out. There's guidance on design and engagement, and me talking about it all in a seminar to boot. www.activetravelengland.gov.uk/resources/ac...

An illustration of what an urban space might look like if it were designed to be welcoming for women and girls, with cafes, safe bike parking, greenery, separated bike lanes and play facilities for teenage girls - and food carts.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Basing this to 100 is really misleading when property prices in London in 2016 were double the average of England. Plus rising house prices are not a good thing...

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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Luxury retailers want taxpayers to fund a 20% tax break for foreign tourists. They paid consultancy Cebr to claim this will raise £2.6bn for the UK. That convinced Sadiq Khan and Kemi Badenoch. But it's false: a free lunch. Four basic errors mask a £600m loss. Thread:

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Zach Elsbury @zachelsbury.eurosky.social · 27/09/2026

Grim. So very, very grim.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This... You get very different answers when you say what affects you personally versus what is affecting the country. Plus what affects the country is very much subject to media coverage.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Looks like we're going to get another scheme that helps developers but also has the negative consequences of subsidising house prices and locking people into a complicated financial scheme. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.com

Andy Burnham announces new homes scheme for first-time buyers

Exclusive: Policy initiative for England will help more young people on to property ladder, prime minister tells Guardian

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

£50 billion is a huge amount to spend on a scheme that can't be delivered in a speedy manner and incompatible with our urgent need to reduce climate change emissions www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Heathrow Airport warns third runway could be delayed by four years

The UK's busiest airport cautions it may miss the government target of 2035 as ministers say the deadline has "always been ambitious".

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

43 years ago, the world would have likely ended, if it wasn't for one man... This explains how this came about and in the end we managed to avoid the brink. It's also a good lessons for leaders of what you say might not be heard the way you think. open.spotify.com/episode/02RJ...

open.spotify.com

Episode 29: 1983: The year of crises that almost ended the world

The Untitled History Podcast · Episode

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

This could almost be the core plot of a Mayday Sequel. Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh are now working for UPS...

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Mahmood's rationale remains the same. Fewer (legal, working) migrants => less racism Nothing to do with integration. No evidence. I'd add this *doesn't* show she hates immigrants (FTAOD don't think she does). It shows her contempt/distrust/fear of ordinary Brits.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

This might be a good thing, as a lot of companies get away with poor service, breaking the law etc. because people don't have the means to challenge it. But also AI is likely to be used swat people away, keep people in loops. Think call centres on steroids.

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Chris Howe (Rail Focus) 🏳️‍🌈 @railfocus.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

🚨 Latest Video 🚨 West Midlands Metro Eastside extension crucial construction update. 👇 ▶️ youtu.be/GA0k19vy6U8 ◀️ #MidlandsMetro #Birmingham

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Ben #ActNow 🔥🌳🌊 @benaldo.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

New job role at GDS: Deputy Director for Digital Standards and Inclusive Design. Deadline end of 8th October. Public sector only... Come be my boss! If you're nice, and good. www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...

civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk

Quick Check Needed

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Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A lot of the lobbying has talked about how important it is for Heathrow to be a hub aiport, and it has never been adequately explained to me why this should matter to anyone who does not own Heathrow

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Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Relatedly: More could be done under existing legislation against platforms that host videos of criminal activity and individuals or organisations who profit from posting videos of crimes they & their members commit. This is also relevant to curbing stuff like dangerous driving video content.

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Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 24/09/2026

over the past few weeks several AI evaluation/cybersecurity experts have explained how what's happening is a result of human incompetence rather than "AI going rogue". I'm begging the media to show a shred of journalistic integrity and stop parroting what altman or amodei say

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Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

- Honestly my dear grandchildren, you’ll never believe how low rates were in the 2010s. - at least you built a load of infrastructure when borrowing costs were so low grandad? Right? Right?

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

That MRP Poll - it's an interesting simulation, but that's all it is. It can't tell us anything about the next election as we've got no election with similar close polling numbers. Also people replying to polling aren't likely to be representative of the general public in tactical voting.

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The Man in Seat 61 @seatsixtyone.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

INTERRAIL PASS SALE! From Thursday 24 September until Wednesday 30 September 2026, save 50% on long-validity Interrail Global Passes (one month continuous or longer) and 15% on shorter-duration Global Passes, and One Country Passes (all validities). www.interrail.com/en/interrail...

interrail.com

Interrail Global Pass for Europe

The Interrail Global Pass is the fun and cheap way to see more of Europe. Travel to up to 33 countries with one train Pass!

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Bryn Buck 🏳️‍🌈💛🤍💜🖤 @showmeasign.online · 23/09/2026

More ATEMAP stuff this afternoon. A lot of this is not really "new" stuff for me, but it is very good to see people on board with the basic principle: People. Make. Places. We have, for too long, worried more about what to do for metal boxes and not what to do for the occupants. 1/

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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Re English ethnicity: There's no ethnicity or DNA marker that maps well onto England. Same true 150 years ago. At high level, our ethnicity blends with other NW Europeans. At next level, it goes sub-national: Geordies are v Scottish; NW, SW and welsh borders different. English is a national culture

Map of identifiable sub-national DNA groupings in the UK. While a large identifiable Central/South England DNA group stands out (that's similar to the Dutch), there are others within England's borders: in the North East, North West, South West and Welsh marches. Are those people 'not ethnically English'?

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

People walking and wheeling are meant to be top of the hierarchy....

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Owler Nook @owlernook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

It's a gorgeous September day in (Greater) Manchester, and the active travel folk are flocking to the Irwell for Making Active Places 2026. If you see an owl today, do say hello!

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

How not to do a policy announcement: single market and customs union that will annoy everyone as it means freedom of movement with no say. Plus a big tax cut that no one will remember the small print of it being in the last year

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

American article but also a lot applies to the UK. One thing that is great around where I live in Birmingham is that there's a series of walking / bike paths, means a lot of the older kids get to walk to school safely and hang out with friends.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The Dispatch is doing a fantastic job of covering local news and really deserves the support. Good mix of breadth and depth of coverage.

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John Paddington @padders123.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I've always found it fascinating how jobs require specific domain knowledge of the industry you're involved in, except when you get to C-Suite where it seems once you're in, you can move between industries very easily.

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Meredith Glaser @cyclingprofessor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Now 10,000+ residents can access a park! For 50+ years, this historic dockland was used to park thousands of cars (for free!). Today? Zuidpark is one of Europe’s most ambitious urban re-greening projects. 🌳🚀 We don't need new land. We need to rethink spaces we’ve already paved over!

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Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... counting down in 3, 2, 1 to someone invoking the UK's totally non-colonial history as standards setters, while the PM wonders where exactly he put the technology department

Andy Burnham will on Tuesday claim Britain can be an "honest broker" in a global effort to contain threats posed by AI, just days after King Charles warned of the "existential dangers" the technology
poses.

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Martin Price-Phillips @mpricephillips.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Great report and polling from @cyclinguk.bsky.social re: pluralistic ignorance - where someone supports a policy while believing their neighbours wouldn’t agree. Half support new cycle routes but believe only a third agree. Likewise for reducing speed limits. School streets greater (70% v 49%).

cyclinguk.org

The Route Forward

The people and places being transformed by cycling

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Zach Elsbury @zachelsbury.eurosky.social · 21/09/2026

LDs be like “CUT IT MORE!”

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