iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

On a new-style @chilternrailway.bsky.social train from Marylebone to Leamington. Kudos to Chiltern on the new rolling stock, on publishing the platform well in advance (used to be just 10 minutes) and providing improved WiFi.

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Reposted by Robert Zara

Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Every year, HMRC, by its own estimates, fails to collect 46.8 billion of tax. See webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/202606... How about hiring more people to retrieve this avoided tax before suggesting funding defence by cutting welfare to the poorest and most vulnerable? Just saying.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Delighted to have won a Collins World Atlas, probably for a Mephisto puzzle (the winners’ list hasn’t yet appeared, and there’s been no communication from the Sunday Times). Added to the book token I got for a Gemelo puzzle in The Observer recently, it’s been a good year for prizes!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

When I clicked on this episode in my podcast app, I got a completely different programme - something to do with conversations in taxis!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Delighted to be featured in The Observer’s short film celebrating the centenary of the first crossword to be published in the paper: youtu.be/z16h8bFr8MA?...

youtu.be

100 years of cryptic crosswords at The Observer

YouTube video by The Observer UK

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Nice line in the quote, #timadamswrites@bsky.social but why describe him as “prone in car” when he was visibly supine?

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

After doing the Azed crossword competition for around 40 years, I have finally won a prize - in the very last competition before Azed retires! Just when I was getting the hang of it!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Luckily the gig was not sold out, so there were plenty of spare seats. Surprisingly, in a hall with a capacity of 10,000 people, there were no big screens and sight lines in the hall were poor, so I can’t be sure if I actually did see Dylan. Sound quality was excellent.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Just back from the Bob Dylan gig at Coventry BS arena. The venue imposed a strict ban on mobile phones, while encouraging people to download their tickets. Printouts did not include block numbers. One man and a laptop was the only way to find your block. People were still queuing as the gig began

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

There are 200 (!) candidates for seven places on the National Trust’s Council. Is it time to raise the threshold for nominations?

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Humanists may find that the answer to 15 across in the magazine is not one they might expect to find in a Humanist magazine.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

I see that the same people are running the new company, including Unbound’s cofounder @johnmitchinson.bsky.social I pledged for your next book but haven’t heard anything from Mr Mitchinson or his new company

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Is this true, @johnmitchinson.bsky.social ? What will happen to the money I paid you as a pledge against the publication of Tom’s book?

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Reposted by Robert Zara

Steve Rosenberg @bbcstever.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

For St David’s Day we present our latest Channel 4 News/BBC News long-distance musical collaboration. Ciaran Jenkins (cello) is in Glasgow and I’m in Moscow (on the piano). Together we play Myfanwy. @c4ciaran.bsky.social

youtu.be

Myfanwy - 'The greatest love song ever written" - cello and piano

YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

This article by the respected journalist Louise Tickle raises concerns about the local authority’s actions, but could do with some editing by a lawyer to clarify exactly what happened: www.tortoisemedia.com/2025/02/21/j...

tortoisemedia.com

Judge condemns West Northamptonshire Council over missing boy

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

I know it’s Friday in half term but this is appalling!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Really? That rule applies to appeals and says nothing about any entitlement to information.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

I’m afraid that particular passage must have been lost in the final edit! To be fair, journalists were not our primary target audience but we do refer to the principle of open justice.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

What a depressing experience! I hope you have lodged a formal complaint to the court in question. And congratulations on finding the relevant paragraph in Rule 5 of the CPR.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Thank you for that very positive feedback!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Many thanks for those kind words! Still waiting for my author’s copies to arrive!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

It’s certainly a useful tool for calculating the effects of compound interest, but I don’t think that a mortgage, where repayment of interest (and sometimes capital as well) is usually required on a monthly basis is a particularly relevant example.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

This investigation reveals a shocking state of affairs. Is the Business & Trade Select Committee going to act? @mattwestern.bsky.social ?https://open.substack.com/pub/taxpolicyassociates/p/companies-house-failed-to-spot-a?r=8x3n0

open.substack.com

Companies House failed to spot a £100 trillion fake company

We've created an automated search tool that crawls Companies House data to find companies with fraudulent accounts.

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

The beautiful ceiling of Wyndham’s Theatre in London

The ornately decorated ceiling with a central chandelier

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

It’s happened to me once: I’ve played on 1,052 occasions so that gives you an idea of the odds

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

This submission by the Sentencing Council to the Gauke Sentencing Review is well worth reading by anyone interested in the issues. It is evidence-based and clearly explains the factors behind sentence inflation and the increase in the prison population: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/u...

sentencingcouncil.org.uk

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

This independent endorsement is very much appreciated!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

I agree and would only add that they have consistently misspelled Joshua Rozenberg’s name!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

A great analysis of the background to the social care crisis and of the Government’s timidity open.substack.com/pub/benansel...

open.substack.com

Profiles in Discourage

Labour's punting of social care reflects a bigger problem of indecision

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Reposted by Robert Zara

Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

People like me who've somehow mistakenly been “allowed in” to this exclusive world, which is still dominated by clans and cliques and dynasties of people born into Russell Group affluence, shudder to think about the hours we’ve frittered away chasing money owed to us... substack.com/@tomcox/note...

substack.com

Tom Cox on Substack

Today I received a message from the new CEO of my publishers to say that they will not be able to give me a date when they can pay me the money they owe me until after the end of January. That’s when ...

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Matt Western MP 🌹 @mattwestern.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Looking for a new opportunity in 2025? I’m recruiting for a Parliamentary Assistant to work with me down in Westminster and help raise the issues that matter, nationally and locally. 🕒 Deadline is 9am this Monday - 6th January buff.ly/41Jp9pk

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 31/12/2024

Also featured in the list is Rebecca Thomson, the Computer Weekly journalist who first wrote about the failings of the Horizon computer system.

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Steve Rosenberg @bbcstever.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Presenting our 2024 BBC News/Channel 4 News musical Christmas collaboration. Ciaran Jenkins and I perform In The Bleak Midwinter. Wherever you are in the world, whatever you may be celebrating, our very best wishes. @c4ciaran.bsky.social @channel4news.bsky.social @petroc.bsky.social

youtu.be

In The Bleak Midwinter - Ciaran and Steve (cello and piano)

YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 22/12/2024

@derekharrison.bsky.social any sign of this month’s Azed slip? Results are in the paper today

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Anything in the latest edition about the allegations of delay in payment to his authors by your columnist John Mitchinson?

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

It’s interesting that in what is supposedly the unified Family Court, the magistrates are being treated differently in that transparency will not happen in cases being heard by them until September. I wonder why?

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

The really surprising thing about this story is that the defendant found 12 firms in the area still doing legal aid!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

open.substack.com/pub/rozenber... An intriguing hint of criminal justice reforms coming soon?

open.substack.com

Fundamental reform

New minister says we must do more to address court backlogs

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Five, mostly law-related but including the Today programme podcast. They help to pass the time on the morning dog walk!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

My experience was the same as yours; I gave up and just deleted the app. Apparently this has one potential benefit: nobody can set up an account in my old username as it’s still on the system. But I might be wrong about that!

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

It’s great that FDACs are increasingly being recognised by the senior judiciary and by politicians

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Robert Zara @robertzara.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I think you’ll find that Susie Dent is a fan of -ize; the problem here of course is that the shop was simply burgled. I once heard counsel in the Court of Appeal refer to the offence of “burgalry”.

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