iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Like A Blot From The Blue @finhall.bsky.social · 19h

Two great things on tomorrow in Inverness. The Canny Linquist will be joining Blot’s open mic at the Victorian Market, then she will be bolting off to the Botanic Gardens.

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Alasdair Stuart @alasdairstuart.com · 21/09/2026

The lifeboat volunteers I knew were the funniest, most relentless adults in my life as a kid. The job is an unimaginable combination of comedic tedium and abject, relentless terror. To do it at all is stunning. To volunteer to do it is incredible.

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Polly Mairead Davies @pollydee.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Coastal NE Scotland here, and had family in Orkney. Friends worked at sea, some on the rigs. Spent a bit of time on boats and ferries myself. The sea is beautiful, and terrifying. The RNLI will try to save you, no matter the conditions, or who you are. Ordinary, yet extraordinary people.

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Alex Booer @alexbooer.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Oh no! I love Category Is. Got some great books and stickers from there - would also love to see them meet their goal

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Merchant Adventurers’ Hall @merchantshallyork.org · 14/08/2026

Also this is clearly a sword made of light. 🗡️ ⚡️ A lightsaber some would say…what do you mean this already exists?

We are looking at a close up of the Undercroft during the near eclipse. The light coming through one of the windows is making the shape of a sword with a pronounced hilt.

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Merchant Adventurers’ Hall @merchantshallyork.org · 14/08/2026

Just another Hall / near total eclipse photo. Should we stop milking it now? Probably. Will we…? Look how atmospheric the Undercroft and chapel looks!

We are looking at the Undercroft and Chapel in the gloom of a near total eclipse. Just a flash of sunlight can be seen streaking across the stone flagged floor.

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BookWormSat @bookwormsat.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

'Row, vassals, row, for the pride of the Highlands! Stretch to your oars for the ever-green Pine!' ~ Walter Scott. Tomorrow’s #BookWormSat coincides with the birthday of Walter Scott so it seems only right and proper that we have a day of Scottish literature. Join us! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🖼️ John Brandon Smith
‘Known as ‘Waterfall’ Smith, this English artist was fascinated by the visual effects of cascading water. This painting is a fine example of his skill. Figures on the lower right of the picture help provide perspective and show the magnitude of the landscape.

Aberfeldy is in Highland Perthshire on the River Tey, the longest river in Scotland. The Scots poet Robert Burns visited these falls on his travels in 1787 and was so enthralled by the area that he penned the famous poem 'The Birks of Aberfeldie' ('birks' are birch trees).’ ~ Art UK

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852dude @852dude.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Bro. People are cool as fuck.

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Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · 04/08/2026

damp shrug of cow horn “we’re hairy for a reason” – summer in Scotland —a haar coo

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WG Saraband 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇵🇹 @wgsaraband.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

My colorful, abstract renditions of Loch & Ben Lomond, are currently 50% off on my website: wgsaraband.com/scottish-lan... 39x31 inches / 100x80cm, acrylic on canvas These are some of the last few remaining pieces of my Abstract Scottish Landscapes series. I'd love them to go to loving homes 💙

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Association for Scottish Literature @asls.org.uk · 28/07/2026

Claire White selected as first-ever Scots scriever from Shetland Award-winning singer-songwriter Claire White has been appointed Shetland’s first Shaetlan scriever, taking up a year-long residency with the @natlibscot.bsky.social www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/07/28/c...

shetnews.co.uk

Claire White selected as first ever Scots scriever from Shetland

White will produce original work in Shaetlan language during year-long residency

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💀 skeletori amos 💀 @rivalconga.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

A story I love about Anthony Stewart Head. Thank you to this person for sharing it on Tumblr. What a mensch.

A photo of Tony Head with a fan, standing in a barn near a horse. Tumblr post from dracofidus: If you EVER think Anthony Head is anything less than an angel then you'd best remember that I have always been a huge fan of his and we've always had a little contact over the years and he heard I'd come out as Trans and was having a hard time and that I was kind of sad that the photos I had from conventions with him were of me with long hair and no binder and they were all signed to "Sarah" and so he invited me to spend the day with him at his farm and he picked me up from the station and we just hung out and had lunch and he insisted on paying and look loads of photos and had them printed on photo paper the same day so he could sign them to Jay, along with other photos of him as Giles and Utger and he literally spent five hours chatting with me and got all the pronoun stuff right every time and then he dropped me off at the station, gave me a massive hug. Waved me through the ticket barrier and insisted I message him when I got home so he knew I was back safe.

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James Bennett | Pre-order "Mother of Night" @jamesbennett.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

The message this sends is appalling, that queer folks should be hidden away from sight, that we're shameful, dangerous and not fully human. It sanctions hate and violence. Bigotry like this should be illegal, especially in so-called democratic countries. But they'll never stop us. 🏳️‍🌈

Headline under Pride inclusivity flag against bookshelves: Reform UK council bans Essex libraries from promoting LGBTQ+ and Pride events.

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NationCymru @nation.cymru · 31/05/2026

The spot at the head of our Welsh nationalist table is rightly reserved for peace. But there is also an important place set, whether the diplomats think it helpful or not, for righteous indignation. Because if not all Saes are bad, not all Saes are good either ✍️ Molly Stubbs

wp.me

You're in Wales. Act like it.

Molly Stubbs With hindsight, the MacMillan car park attendant at Hay Festival simply chose a bad time to make his joke. It had been a scorching few days, the kind we rarely get in this country. “I thi...

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CarolC @carolconnolly.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

The classic Hans Moleman "No, that's too big" meme from The Simpsons cartoon.
Hans says to the person on the other end of the phone "I need the most ominous portent you have."
Then he says "No, that's too ominous."

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Cornish Skipper #FBPE #RejoinEU 🇪🇺🔶🌹💚💙 @cornishskipper.wsocial.eu · 24/05/2026

Farage claims Russian hack! Doesn’t make the donation legal or declared. ”ask him about his connections to Russia & the consequences of Brexit, he'll put a stop to the conversation.” “Brexit was the best thing to happen for Russia...”👇 Where is the UK? www.zeit.de/politik/ausl...

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The Gaelic Books Council @leughleabhar.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Diardaoin seo tighinn! This Thursday! Peter Mackay, Scotland's Makar, and Anne Frater, The Royal National Mòd Crowned Bard, in conversation discussing the new anthology of Gaelic poetry "Sradagan san Iarmailt / Sparks in the Firmament"!

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Meg • Turner @inkedwerdsmith.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Do I know anyone who’s F L U E N T in Scottish Gaelic? I have a phonetics question regarding a beguiling water spirit character name that I’ve created and I want it to sound authentic. #ScottishGaelic

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Wizard's Tower Press @wtpress.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Recently published, the first volume of Fight Like A Girl is back in print at last! wizardstowerpress.co...

The cover for Fight Like A Girl #1, edited by Roz Clarke & Joanne Hall.

The images shows a woman with short red hair wearing a vest, combat trousers and boots. She carried a machine gun. Around her are images of various playing cards showing items that she might use to fight with.

Art by Oisin McGann.

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Matthew Hodson @matthewhodson.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

The new Rainbow Map is out. The UK used to be a beacon for LGBTQ+ rights in Europe, topping the list in 2015, but over the last decade we have dropped year on year. We are now barely scraping a score above the continent’s average.

rainbowmap.ilga-europe.org

Rainbow Map

Europe's LGBTI Rights Rankings 2026

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Eleanor Morton @eleanormorton.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

FAO Commissioners

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I Am Loud CIC @iamloudpro.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

New video! Watch here: youtu.be/7pFQsd9M4gQ A selection of Open Mic performers from the Loud Poets Open Mic at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and our February Showcase Open Mics in Glasgow and Aberdeen. Thanks to Creative Scotland for supporting our work in the Scottish Spoken Word scene.

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Scotland's No1 Comrade @scotlandscomrade.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

“We need to stop talking about a majority in the same terms as a Westminster majority''. Had we adopted the same voting system as Westminster we would have ended up with -60 SNP -4 tories -4 Lib Dem's -2 labour -2 greens. Crunch those numbers, Then tell me we have no mandate for an Indyref.

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Gerry Flynn @gerryflynn.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

John Swinney has stated he will bring a vote on Section 30 for #indyref2 in HR after yesterdays SNP/Green majority win. The unprecedented Cardiff, Belfast, and Edinburgh triskele for Independence facilitates forward momentum on the issue....

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Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Last year, I posted about an incredible event in 2023: a megatsunami in Greenland triggering an initially baffling 9-day seismic pulse across the whole planet & a terrific piece of collaborative international scientific detective-work. Now there's a sequel. And holy hell, it's even BIGGER. 1/

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Polly Mairead Davies @pollydee.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

For anyone in or around Inverness tomorrow, there's a Unity demonstration, standing against vile anti-immigration rhetoric being put out by the far right.

Poster by the Highlands Against Hate group.

Inverness Unity Demo

Saturday, May 2nd

Meet at 1 pm
Market Brae

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Tim Osborne Photography 🍁 @timosborne.ca · 01/05/2026

Here's a very short video that shows what things look like in real time with the bird singing. #wildlife #birds

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Tim Osborne Photography 🍁 @timosborne.ca · 30/04/2026

Got up early in hopes of catching this photo before work this morning. There's only a few days each year where it's cool enough in the morning to make this shot possible. Thankfully, today was one of those days! #wildlife #birds

A red winged blackbird's breath can be seen as he sings his morning song. The bird is sitting on a cattail and the rising morning sun illuminates his breath.

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Pat Cadigan @patcadigan.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

My oncologist broke up with me. She said my cancer is gone so we really don’t have anything in common any more. I beat inoperable, incurable cancer. I kicked it down the stairs, took its lunch money, & threw rocks at it as it ran away crying. Yeah, cancer, you *better* run.

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Bad Squiddo Games (Annie) @badsquiddogames.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

AMELIA KING ❤️ "I said to them, if I'm not good enough to work on the land, then I am not good enough to make munitions. No one has ever suggested that my father and brother were not good enough to fight for the freedom of England."

pic:
Old poster from 1943 with the title "they tried putting a colour ban on the harvests" with a photo of our Amelia King model in the front.
I'll post the next image of just the article with full alt text.

More info:

In 1943, British-born Amelia King applied for the Land Army, the same as 200,000 other women over the course of the war. She was denied entirely on the basis of being Black. It would be romantic, and wrong, to believe that everybody came together to fight a common enemy during WW2 - but unfortunately discrimination by race as well as sex was still huge.

Some professions were more open than others, and it was suggested that Amelia worked in a Munitions factory, but she said:

"I said to them, if I'm not good enough to work on the land, then I am not good enough to make munitions. No one has ever suggested that my father and brother were not good enough to fight for the freedom of England."

Fortunately, there were people backing her cause. Her local MP, Stoker Edwards, took her fight to the House of Commons and it was overruled, so she became one of the few Black women to serve in the Land Army.

We've shown her here proudly holding her spade in the air, ready to Dig for Victory. Sculpted by Alan Marsh and shown painted by John Morris, cast as single piece pewter.

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British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Remember, you don’t have to be a member to join the jury pool

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Aberdeen City Arts Board @adeencityartsboard.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Not expecting 10,000 Aberdonians out on the say no to racism march today but remember we did once do that. Once we were the only city in the UK with no Moselys blackshirts. Let's be that again. #Aberdeen #Scotland #SayNoToRacism #StandFree

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LeftPeggers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇵🇸 @leftpeggers.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Happy to see several hundred Unity demonstrators (from a hugely diverse range of backgrounds) showing the 12 or so hate-filled fash that Aberdeen shows solidarity to all! Love trumps hate every time! ❤️👊🏽 #SayItLoudSayItClearRefugeesAreWelcomeHere

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Joanne Hall @hierath77.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Just FYI, there is a tiny indie bookshop in Afflecks Palace in MCR that ONLY sells fantasy (and a tiny bit of horror). Not even SF. Bugbear Books - check them out if you're in the area. I was very well behaved because I was already broke but I got a copy of The Fox Wife which looks great. Pls share?

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British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

With voting now open for this year's British Fantasy Awards, we're calling for jurors. Once voting is closed, the shortlist goes to a jury of peers to choose a winner. Fancy being part of the action? Nominate yourself to be a juror for the British Fantasy Awards here: forms.gle/Kv1JTHBeSXaJ...

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Adrian Tchaikovsky @aptshadow.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

I’ve just heard that one of the true greats of SF writing, Ian Watson, has passed away. A huge figure of the genre and an enormously entertaining character. A real loss.

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Equality Network @lgbtiscotland.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Porty Pride are running an access survey ahead of their 2026 event! They're looking to hear from d/Deaf and hard of hearing people about their experiences attending pride and ways that access could be improved. Respond here: portypride.com/deaf-survey 🏳️‍🌈

portypride.com

Deaf Survey — Porty Pride

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Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 02/04/2026

FACTCHECK UPDATE: No, the UK can't "be more like Norway" in the North Sea 🇬🇧 extracted most of its oil & gas after privatisation 🇳🇴 has much more left due to state stewardship 🤔Lawson spent UK windfall on tax cuts; Norway got a sovereign wealth fund www.carbonbrief.org/...

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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

The UK must immediately and unequivocally suspend support for the US military. The Government have tried to appease him, then they tried to say they're standing up to him. Words aren't enough - it's time for action.

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📚 Dunblane's historic Leighton Library @leightonlibrary.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

🛍️ A tote with a story. 📚 A library with a legacy. 🛒 A purchase with purpose. Tote bags featuring art of Leighton Library Volunteer Guide Jane Dunbar & Trustee Gordon Willis are available from online shop of Dunblane’s historic Leighton Library: leighton-library-shop.co.uk/collections/...

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Greg Pak @gregpak.net · 03/04/2026

i think i gotta finally subscribe to the onion

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The Highland Council @highland.gov.uk · 28/03/2026

Friendly reminder that the clocks go forward tonight! ⏰ We switch to British Summer Time at 1am tomorrow morning (Sunday 29 March 2026). When do clocks change? www.gov.uk/when-do-the-... #SpringForward #BritishSummerTime #BST #ClockChange #UK

Clock showing ten to 2 with a light dark shade effect sitting on some rocks with flowers and mountains behind it.

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QueerAF @wearequeeraf.com · 25/03/2026

What does it take to change the law? In opposition to Section 28, Stonewall adopted a lobbying model, while the direct action group Outrage took a more direct approach 👇

wearequeeraf.com

Direct action or polite lobbying: Are both needed in the fight for Trans+ rights?

Respectability politics or direct action - or a better question still: Do they come together to create a harmonious message?

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