iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

This snap on my phone doesn't do it justice, but its a lovely sky in Edinburgh this evening looking north towards Fife

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Today is our 40th wedding anniversary and thisxis the card my wife gave me. Can't argue with that at all

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

#FilmSky 🎥 Friday night DVD. Seeing that Tarkovsky's Sacrifice is being re-released in cinemas had us going back to the boxset of the great director's films.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

#BookSky 💙 📚 This was heavy going, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The former Archbishop of Canterbury is a towering intellect and brings that to his examination of Dostoevsky. It does make me want read and reread his novels.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Another new place for our group walk today. Newbattle Abbey has been the site of a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1140, a family home, a WW2 Training Camp and is now an Adult Education College. Archeology Scotland are doing some digging to find out more about the place.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl From Bryan Ferry to David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust, next up is Mick Ronson's 1974 excellent solo debut album, Slaughter on 10th Avenue. A fine slice of 70s rock by one of the great guitarists

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl One of the great albums. Ever. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars Thank you David Bowie

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl I bought this yellow vinyl reissue of Bryan Ferry's Taxi album for my wife's Christmas a few years ago

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl Starting off Saturday evening with this absolute banger from 1980, The Feelies debut album, Crazy Rhythms

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

As well as lots of wonderful local produce at Edinburgh Farmers Market (I got mutton, cheese, pork, venison & Thai ready made meals), those good people at Hammond Charcuterie make their political & ethical choices clear #FoodSky

Notice displayed by Hammond Charcuterie at Edinburgh Farmers Market, "Apartheid-Free Zone: No Israeli goods or ingredients in any of my products."

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

#FoodSky If you're coming to Edinburgh for the Festivals and are looking for good food, nice cocktails and drinks, check out The Palmerston in the west of the city

We splashed out on the wine, but there's an extensive wine list to suit all tastes & budgets

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

There's lots to like about Edinburgh in August. The festivals, visitors from all over the world, all sorts of shows and events. One of my favourite things is the free Whisky Tastings every Friday throughout August at my favourite local off licence in the south of the city #WhiskySky

Today's selection, L to R
Lindores cask strength exclusive bottling
Thomson Brothers, labelled as a 9 year old blend, it is practically all 15 year old sherried McAllan
Annandale sherried whisky bottled by Cadenhead's, so you know its going to be good
An unusually young Springbank, only 5 years old
An 18 year old Old Pultney bottled by yet another independent bottler, Fruitful Spirits.

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Anti-Reform @antireform.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

When right-wing commentators slap down keynote policies and the polls keep sliding Reform UK is in trouble ... meme via We Demand UK

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

#FilmSky 🎥 "Ish" is "spirited, soulful" story of two young British Muslim boys negotiating adolescence and racism against the backdrop of personal grief and Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I was at a workshop at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh about pollination. Even a brief introduction opened up a whole new world for me

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

How a spreadsheet error gave Cameron & Osborne the backing for 14 years of austerity, racheted up inequality and paved the way for the rise of UKIP (now Reform) open.substack.com/pub/russinch...

open.substack.com

The Spreadsheet That Broke Britain

The absurd error behind austerity, stagnation and the rise of populist rage.

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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Today I have mostly been telling lies about using Navy warships against dinghies and forgetting to mention that small boat arrivals are down 44% and net migration fell by 80% last year.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

There can't be many churches in Scotland with a stained glass window dedicated to Joan of Arc. Newington Trinity Church, Edinburgh

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl I haven't played this for years! 50 million Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong!

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl Elvis Costello's second album & first with The Attractions. After 1977's My Aim Is True announced a new talent, This Year's Model was the breakthrough album for commercial success.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl Some old school soul on Saturday night, 'Four Tops Live' on Tamla Motown with the peerless Levi Stubbs. Released 60 years ago!

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

#MusicSky #NowPlaying #Vinyl I've only recently discovered the genius that is Anna Calvi

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

#MusicSky After a lovely home cooked supper (mixed beans topped with a poached egg & cheese accompanied with Chenin Blanc) I treated myself to some whisky & a cigar. I just knew I had to play this again, the first LP I bought 50+ years ago, Focus 3 by those Dutch Masters Focus.

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Paul Eric @pauleric70.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

ZIONIST TERRORISTS BREAK INTO PALESTINIAN STORE AND DESTROY EVERYTHING… Armed and masked. Hiding behind an army who protects them. And the Palestinian can’t lift a finger or he will be killed or locked up. Such a horrible world 🤬😢🤬🇮🇱♾️

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

#FilmSky 🎥 Wow! Epic is a much overused word but Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey really is epic! If you haven't seen it don't be put off by the three hour run time - it is so brilliantly done that it just flies by.

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“Rebellious Scots” 😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺 @markrich68.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

🇬🇧 uk westminster just being uk westminster 🇬🇧 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺😎

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

#FilmSky 🎥 Wednesday movie, don't think we've seen it before. Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Mark Ruffalo. Directed by Michael Mann. Collateral (2004)

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

#BookSky 💙 📚 @willdalrymple.bsky.social and @anitaanand.bsky.social delve into the myth of arguably the most famous diamond in the world, Koh-i-Noor. A symbol of sovereignty and imperial power for centuries across India, Iran, Afghanistan and Britain. Who owned it? Is it cursed?

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Listening to Broadcasting House on BBC Radio 4 presented this week by @anitaanand.bsky.social I am also reading the book she co-wrote with @willdalrymple.bsky.social, Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond A bit of ##BookSky 💙 📚, a bit of #EasyLikeSundayMorning

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God @thegodshow.com · 25/07/2026

Jesus never said anything about “wiping countries off the map.” Jesus wasn’t a soldier. Jesus was killed by soldiers.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

#FilmSky 🎥 Saturday night movie, Mystic River a thriller starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon and Lawrence Fishbourne, directed by Clint Eastwood. Both Penn and Robbins won Acting Oscars for their performances.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

We saw some beautiful things in Alnwick today; No planes, but trains, automobiles and booze!

A restored NCB tender pulling a resired Directors Carriage + two standard carriages at Aln Valley Railway

A selrction of beers from breweries on Northumberland at Taste of Northumberland. There's more to local beer than Newcastle Brown Ale nowadays!

A selection og gins distilled in Northumberland

An amazing old Bentley. The 4.5 litre engine was built in 1931, the bodywork in 1948. On display at Aln Valley Railway

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

#FilmSky 🎥 In Taiwan in 1953, the Kuomintang regime has imposed a brutal martial regime, a time known as the White Terror. The hauntingly beautiful A Foggy Tale follows a young girl as she embarks on a perilous journey to earn funds to reclaim her brother's remains. (Currently on Netflix)

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

#BookSky 💙 📚 After Hunted, @radiomukhers.bsky.social has written another unputdownable thriller, The Pinnacle. Set in Mumbai with a cast of Bollywood stars, gangsters, grifters, thugs, a washed up American and some whip smart characters all caught up in the murder of a Bollywood star.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I feel a Monty Python sketch coming on

The Cheese Room in Alnwick, post references the classic Monty Python cheese shop sketch

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Peter Smith @redpeter99.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

I hope sacked government ministers spend tomorrow in the BBC car park shouting asinine questions at Chris Mason as he goes into work. "Still churning out that badly written shite, Chris?"

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

#BookSky 💙 📚 I'm re-reading Nadeem Aslam's 2017 novel, The Golden Legend. Set in a ficticious but authentic city in Pakistan the searingly beautiful book tells the story of people caught up in events caused by extremism, intolerance & secrets. An excellent examination of contemporary Pakistan.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Much as I would love to see Lionel Messi lift the World Cup again, I think Spain are the better team and are more likely to be World Champions. It really is set up to be a classic: Defending World Champions v European Champions #WorldCup #WorldCupFinal

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

#BookSky 💙 📚 In How Music Works, David Byrne writes about creating, making, recording, performing and selling music, and explores some of the theory and science of music, it's a celebration of music's life-affirming power.

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Spain ruin Bastille Day with a dominant display against France who were disappointing after playing so well throughout the tournament. #WorldCup

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

A declaration of interest here, the author of the blog is a friend and former colleague (we're both now retired). Dr Adrian Shaw researched the amazing 18th C Minister Naturalists who contributed to the Statistical Accounts of Scotland. ecocongregationscotland.org/minister-nat...

ecocongregationscotland.org

Minister Naturalists of the Eighteenth Century - Eco Congregation Scotland

The purpose of the thesis is to explore what Church of Scotland ministers were writing about the natural environment in the late eighteenth century. Examining over 900 parish accounts published in the...

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Sandy Sneddon @sandy1924.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

"The waste of public money was vast and could have been avoided. Of approximately £14.9bn spent on PPE, nearly two-thirds – almost £10bn – was wasted.” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

theguardian.com

Johnson government wasted ‘vast’ sums on PPE, Covid inquiry finds

Chair criticises use of ‘VIP lane’ to prioritise PPE contracts for companies with Tory connections in damning report

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