iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 21h

I went to archives today and now I’m going to have to sell a kidney to pay for the camera fees.

Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

For some light relief I’m currently reading ‘The Exorcist’ but I’m thinking of abandoning the book 50 pages in. Mrs S thinks it’s because it’s too scary but really it’s not. It’s the author’s style: written in a pretentious 70s style and there are far too many one word sentences. For. My. Liking.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If any Chinese spy is stuck for something to do, I can bore them to death with tales of early modern Bedfordshire.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

One of the great benefits of YouTube and streaming catch up services is that I can rewatch some great dramas from the 70s and 80s. According to my son, they are older than some of the content he teaches in A level history.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The media is full of talk of potential sanctions for Man City. Well, let me tell you that Leeds City FC was abolished in 1918 after being found guilty of financial irregularities. Just saying…

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Today’s appropriate name of the day: Blastus Godly, vicar of Barton Le Clay. 1682.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I’ve just read the government advice on stockpiling food in case of a severe winter and very quickly reached the conclusion that the weather is a front (no pun intended) for a potential war. I don’t think it’s missiles and drones, but cyberattacks on national infrastructure such as water and power.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I haven’t got the best hearing but I’m sure I’ve just heard someone on Radio 4 say that the Bayeux Tapestry is not historical.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I ask my son to keep me updated on the Leeds v Brentford match while I prepare Sunday dinner. I hear nothing for 70 minutes and when the silence is broken, it’s with the words, ‘Come on!!! …Dickhead!’ John Motson, he is not.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

‘Licentiousness is the mother of contempt, and contempt is the mother of sedition, and sedition is the mother of rebellion, and in fine, rebellion is the mother of desolation and utter confusion.’ The will of Thomas Archer, Rector of Houghton Conquest, 1630. An interesting preamble for a change.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Today’s name of the day is Miss Lettice Herring, who could not find a husband in early eighteenth century rural Bedfordshire. One hopes it wasn’t because of her daft name.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I did the six degrees of Kevin Bacon test today and found out that I am one step removed from Albert Einstein. Crazy.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

I know I shouldn’t expect every document to be in the archives, but I do get cheesed off when I see them for sale in antique shops, like this indenture, ready to spend the next 50 years as a piece of interior decor without a single historian even knowing of its existence.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

We must brush up on our civil defence procedures. Our 1st reaction was to check the smoke alarm. 2nd reaction was to imagine Armageddon. 3rd reaction was to wonder if a warning was totally necessary. If the system is used inappropriately, it will all go Pete Tong when the real warning is issued.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

That was pretty underwhelming. Eclipses seem to be totality or don’t bother.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Things move at a slower pace in rural Derbyshire.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

When I was a young lad of 18, back in the early 80s, me and my mates would pile into a vintage Saab, and armed with a Good Beer Guide, would search the wilds of Yorkshire looking for pubs that sold Tim Taylor’s bitter. Now, every second pub I go in is selling the stuff. Oh, all the wasted youth!

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I have a sister who replies to a text question with ‘yeah’ and a sister-in-law’ who speaks entirely in emojis. (👍). They think I’m odd because I try to ensure that my texts are grammatically correct. (He writes, using a split infinitive).

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

It used to be a matter of pride that I finished every book I started. Now I’ve decided that life is too short. The latest to suffer the axe is Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. Utterly incomprehensible gibberish.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

‘James Barber, died 10 March 1743. Bastard.’ I wonder what he did to offend the vicar.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Can’t wait to see Trump’s face when he has to hand the cup to Spain.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

A film about the Peasants’ Revolt coming in October. They’ll probably get most of it wrong, but who cares? I’m still looking forward to it.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I think I can say with absolute certainty that Lionel Messi is not the ‘greatest player the world has ever seen’ as the BBC pundits are suggesting. They are just showing their relative youth. Not only were Pele and Cryuff better, they did it in heavy boots, using leather balls, on rough pitches.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour... I feel for US historian colleagues. I cannot imagine operating in an environment where I am told my conclusions must support a flawed narrative of national superiority.

museumsassociation.org

Smithsonian accused of ‘extreme political activism’ as America celebrates 4th of July - Museums Association

Report exposes ideological battle between museum body and Trump administration

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

news.sky.com/story/iran-w... Curious timing for renewed strikes, while Trump is at the NATO summit. Makes me wonder if this is a contrivance designed to pressurise the defensive alliance into supporting offensive actions.

news.sky.com

Iran war latest: Trump says ceasefire with 'cuckoo' Iran is over

Donald Trump says the ceasefire is over after renewed strikes between the US and Iran overnight. Follow the latest - and submit your question for Michael Clarke's live Q&A at 1pm.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

My forebears were from the Low Countries (hence the surname). Tonight I am a Belgian.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

It’s a shame that Chris Froome, seven time Grand Tour winner and Olympic medalist is retiring with barely a peep from the media. He’s the (unrecognised) greatest athlete Britain has ever produced but I guarantee our daft honours system will ignore him.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

As the end of the school year approaches, the pupils of my history teacher son begin to lose interest.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Suddenly the decision to leave Trent Alexander Arnold at home seems a bit suspect. Good goal by DR Congo.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

We really do have the durgiest, most depressing national anthem. It’s difficult to think of a country with a worst one. I vote we change it to the Sex Pistols version.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

The table next to us ask the waitress, ‘Would you recommend the pizza?’ She replies, ‘Not really, I prefer pasta’. I predict she’ll be looking for a new job pretty soon.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

news.sky.com/story/politi... Sorry Mancunians, but I just don’t get the attraction. Leeds is a far more attractive alternative capital. It’s the financial and legal centre of the north, it has a better football team and the world’s best beer.

news.sky.com

Politics latest: Burnham to propose 'Number 10 North' in first major speech since leadership bid

Andy Burnham is expected today to lay out his vision for Britain in his first major leadership speech, which will focus on driving devolution and economic renewal. But the Tories have accused him of "...

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

The current Mrs S, has just dropped into the conversation that she has met AJP Taylor, FLM Thompson and Joan Thirsk, and completely blown my history teacher son’s mind.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

The year 1592 was a drought year. There was a great death of cattle from want of water, springs and brooks dried up and the Thames was so low that a man might ride over on horseback near London Bridge. Thomas Short, 1749.

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Reposted by Paul Schoon

Grantham Research Institute at LSE @granthamlse.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

We regret that our event on Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world has been cancelled due to the red extreme heat warning issued by the UK Met Office. Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

After a decade of political misjudgments, I don’t suppose I should be surprised that the Labour Party is likely to appoint a new PM before anyone outside Westminster knows what he stands for.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

There’d be no war if the US and Iran shared a bottle of prosecco on a warm Sunday afternoon. Plenty of giggling though.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

My son, who has to use AI in his work, asked his gizmotron to criticise one of my papers. The damned thing was vicious and made the peer review process seem like a tickle with a feather duster.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

The BBC programmes axed under new boss news.sky.com/video/share-... It’s concerning that in this post-truth world we’re decimating news coverage. Cheap shot, but we still seem able to produce cheap reality shows and send dozens of people to cover the World Cup.

news.sky.com

The BBC News roles and programmes axed in BBC cuts

It has emerged 550 of the planned 1,800 to 2,000 job cuts at the corporation will be taken from BBC News and TV and radio-related roles

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I entered some beautiful words in today’s Wordle and they were all wrong. I eventually got it, but I refuse to accept the solution as a proper word.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

When we adopted an elderly cat we tried to create a pet routine to ease her into her new life. Two years down the line we live under the authoritarian rule of a furry dictator.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I found it interesting that the residents of Carlton in north Bedfordshire, about 50 miles north of London, could see a golden glow on the southern horizon during the great fire. The whole village came out to watch. There was clearly not a lot on TV that night.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Rugby star Sinfield and authors Donaldson and Blackman lead honours list About time! However, I am disappointed to see I have missed out on a knighthood once more.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

After attending the Midland History conference yesterday, I should be recuperating by enjoying a relaxed Sunday, but my mind is buzzing with ideas. Sometimes you get so close to a problem that you focus in like a microscope. It’s good to meet colleagues who can give you a different perspective.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

History teacher son asked me what I considered to be 3 pivotal points in UK history, not including the Norman Conquest. I came up with Magna Carta, the Peasants’ Revolt and the Civil Wars. He was unimpressed and went with Henry VIII’s break with Rome, the end of slavery, the Industrial Revolution.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

The view from the apartment. In my geological backstory I used to spend all my time unravelling the story told by the rocks, and I was staring so closely, looking for clues, that I missed the bigger picture. Now, as a historian, I stare in wonderment at just how beautiful this planet is.

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Paul Schoon @paulschoon.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Not a bad office for the day.

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