iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 03/10/2026

I built a thing (with help from my friend Claude). It's called Blip, and it's a lightweight uptime and performance monitor - because I couldn't find an existing solution that met my requirements. And I've written a blog post about it... sebduggan.uk/posts/2026/b... gitlab.com/sebduggan/blip

sebduggan.uk

Blip, a simple uptime monitor

The quest for a simple, self-hosted uptime and performance monitor

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 03/10/2026

Nice - I’ve got it up and running, but haven’t started playing around with it yet… You’ve inspired me to add MCP to my monitoring app, which gives some handy insights! gitlab.com/sebduggan/blip

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 02/10/2026

Oh, there's a trial if downloading direct from the website...

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 02/10/2026

Is mp3tag any good? £25 is quite an outlay just to try it out...

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 02/10/2026

But I'd also be interested in seeing your solution! I've recently got into building my own tools when I can't find one that does what I want it to... (Currently working on "Blip", a lightweight website uptime and response time monitor, for exactly those reasons)

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 02/10/2026

I used PerfectTUNES when building my library, reripping from CDs using dbPowerAmp. Great for finding missing artwork. But now to edit the data on individual tracks, I mostly use meta (no, not that one!). Master copy locally (backed up), which I then rsync to my Pi server running Navidrome.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 01/10/2026

This is my version - 7.5ips reel to reel tape…

The reel-to-reel tape box for Cat Stevens’ Teaser and the Firecat, featuring the album’s distinctive illustrated artwork. A child in a top hat sits beside a bright orange cat against a wooden fence beneath a blue night sky, surrounded by the silver-grey A&M packaging.

A grey 7½ IPS A&M stereo tape reel of Cat Stevens’ Teaser and the Firecat. The cream label lists songs across two programmes, including “The Wind”, “Moonshadow” and “Peace Train”, with dark brown magnetic tape visible through openings in the reel.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 23/09/2026

Agreed. I tried it a while back and couldn’t figure out why it didn’t seem to do anything! When I started on the web, lowsrc was an absolute necessity…

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 23/09/2026

You’re showing your age! I too remember lowsrc, but it’s now deprecated and unsupported by most (if not all) browsers…

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 23/09/2026

I'm using NaviBeat - not web-based, but available on macOS, iOS with CarPlay, Apple TV...

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 18/09/2026

I don’t know. I think I spend about 17% of my time trying to decide which FontAwesome icon is suitable for my specific requirement!

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 13/09/2026

And they keep coming. I’m sure unidentified bodies in 60s UK were not referred to as John or Jane Doe 😣 I’m almost minded to write to the publisher. But that does seem a little over-pedantic…

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 13/09/2026

Oh, and apparently they had paramedics too, rather than basic ambulance attendants 😖

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 13/09/2026

Sometimes a book jolts you out of it with a blatant anachronism. Case in point: an arrest being made in 1968 with the full modern police caution, which wasn’t introduced until the 90s. Granted, the author is an American now living in the UK, but a UK editor should have picked up on it…

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 11/09/2026

Is there a way of adding my own custom grammar, or does it require core support? Specifically CFML, for which there is a Textmate package…

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 11/09/2026

Yet again, Wordle fails to allow a perfectly good word... 😂

A word puzzle screen shows the rejected entry “DICKHEAD” beneath a grey “Not in word list” message. Below, seven hexagonal letter tiles form a honeycomb, with a yellow K at the centre surrounded by E, A, H, I, D and C, creating an unintentionally comic failed-word attempt.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 10/09/2026

As the Pi and SSD seemed to have spare capacity, I have now also added Audiobookshelf to host and serve all my audiobooks (liberated using Libation!). Yet to decide on an app, but Still is an early front-runner. I'm thinking a blog post might be called for to aid anyone wanting to do similar...

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 10/09/2026

...but wanted to take full control. So, aided by Claude, I set it up on a Pi 5 connected to a 2TB SSD that I had. Fast local access on my LAN, and accessible externally through a Cloudflare tunnel. Add in NaviBeats as a great native app on all my devices (inc. CarPlay), and everything is golden!

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 10/09/2026

Inspired by @jonhicks.com recent post about building his perfect digital music app, I was inspired to try Navidrome to host my music library, which I've recently re-ripped from CD to FLAC. Using a click-and-deploy PikaPods app, I was up and running in no time and was very impressed...

hicks.design

Jacket App - Hicks.design

A music app that almost does everything I want it to? Too good to be true?

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 04/09/2026

There are _more_ sessions? I’ve already got a 6-disc box set!

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Brian Bilston @brianbilston.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Today’s poem is called ‘Bags’.

Bags

you have bags
of bags

collecting bags
must be your bag

because you have bags
with nothing in them
except bags,
inside of which are other bags,
full of bags

you have enough bags for life
for a hundred lifetimes –
if there was a prize for the total number of tote bags
you would totes have it
in the bag

don’t know why you need so many bags
when all you ever put in them
are other bags

Brian Bilston

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Randall Munroe @xkcd.com · 02/09/2026

Trade xkcd.com/3290/

Comic. [Person standing holding hammer above raised knee.] PERSON: Listen up, leg. I’ve been sending you rich, oxygenated blood for years, while you send me worthless used-up blood with no oxygen. Time to teach you a lesson about not ripping me off! [caption] Tariffs

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 30/08/2026

Now playing: Live and Let Die, original soundtrack, on 7.5ips reel-to-reel. An incredibly clean copy (and box) for a 50+ year old tape - and it sounds great! #NowPlaying #MusicSky #ReelToReel

The original motion picture soundtrack album for the James Bond film Live and Let Die. Colourful illustrated artwork features Roger Moore as Bond surrounded by tarot cards, women, explosions, vehicles and an alligator, with music credits for Paul McCartney, Wings and George Martin.

A close-up of a reel-to-reel tape recorder playing the Live and Let Die soundtrack. The black reel carries a vivid pink United Artists label listing tracks from both sides, while the tape runs through polished guides beside the playback head. Twin illuminated VU meters complete the vintage hi-fi scene.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 25/08/2026

I just sponsored kyoshino (for his outstanding work on @sveltiacms.app). Go Sponsor your open source dependencies! github.com/sponsors/kyo...

github.com

Sponsor @kyoshino on GitHub Sponsors

Support kyoshino’s open source work

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Sebastian Dobson @sebdobson.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Most words become classier when you stick ‘royal’ in front of them but in the case of ‘correspondent’ it has the opposite effect.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 21/08/2026

Where is the best place to report bugs?

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Odd This Day @oddthisday.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

It’s the 366th anniversary today of this ridiculous historical shaggy dog story

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Bruce Lawson @brucel.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

I can't believe that this obvious front for money-laundering criminal lowlifes has been allowed to open on our High Street. And right next to a barber shop that gets used by young kids, too. Disc race.

A Reform UK HQ shopfront next to a barber/ wet shave shop.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 11/08/2026

Brilliant. That couldn’t be more targeted at me if it tried… Looking forward to this one, as I’m now all caught up and having to edit for each book to come out!

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

‘A delivery was attempted today.’ From the new Private Eye, out now.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 02/08/2026

In Bristol, supporting The Strsnglers. (The other support act was Wilko Johnson. Definitely got my money’s worth that night…)

This image features the album cover for "Nearly Man" by Mike Marlin. The artwork displays the artist's name in bold black lettering above the album title, "Nearly Man," written in a red cursive font. To the right of the text, there is a stylized black-and-white illustration of a bearded man wearing yellow sunglasses.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 24/07/2026

Sometimes, the algorithms are good (specifically, for book recommendations). Via @www.joditaylorbooks.com (St Mary's Chronicles), I got to @benaaronovitch.bsky.social (Rivers of London). And from there @caimhmc.bsky.social (Stranger Times, and then Bunny McGarry). All of them highly recommended!

bsky.app

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 24/07/2026

Had that joystick with my Master back in the 80s, long gone now… Still in need of a joystick for my current Model B!

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 23/07/2026

Similar, but I was first recommended The Stranger Times, based on my other reading. I too have now ready everything he's written, and find myself waiting for each new publication in real time...

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Bruce Lawson @brucel.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Farage, the money launderer and me: a decade of denial The Reform leader’s relationship with the UK media has enabled him to operate with impunity for years. This past fortnight, that impunity finally appeared to be coming to an end. Carole Cadwalladr, who’s tracked him for a decade, reports on why

thenerve.news

Farage, the money launderer and me: a decade of denial

The Reform leader’s relationship with the UK media has enabled him to operate with impunity for years. This past fortnight, that impunity finally appeared to be coming to an end. Carole Cadwalladr, wh...

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 10/07/2026

Procol Harum: Exotic Birds and Fruit Ok, so it’s actually on reel-to-reel tape, but that’s just a technicality…

A square album cover of Exotic Birds and Fruit by Procol Harum features a richly detailed still-life scene with colourful birds, grapes, peaches, and lush foliage. The artwork is bordered by a dark frame, with the band’s name at the top and the album title elegantly scripted along the bottom.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 09/07/2026

As a non-screenreader user - but a general user of shortcuts - there are a few of those (Github, Youtube, Jira etc) that I find really useful. But I wouldn't know if/how they get surfaced to screen readers... (sorry if that's not very useful!)

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 08/07/2026

Had AirPod issues in beta 2, now resolved, and one CarPlay app that crashes after 10 seconds, but other than that I’ve found it rock solid…

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

CEEFAUX @ceefaux.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Very important statement On the Clacton-by-election To clear up matters for Everyone. Because we are politically neutral It would be wrong for us to Name any candidate who Favours CEEFAX returning And it would be Childish to find a way of Embedding a subliminal message here.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 06/07/2026

Have just moved - thanks for the tip! Made much easier by having a custom domain name as my username, so for my (admittedly few) followers nothing has changed...

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 24/06/2026

Went to B&Q earlier; employee at the entrance saying "no fans, no air conditioners". Various people inside asking staff for fans and ACs. Yet more wandering around on the phone, "no, they haven't got any..." We're really not cut out for hot weather as a nation...

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Paul Haine @paulhaine.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

A lot of people don't realise this but in the UK we have to replace our Prime Minister every two or three years or else the rights revert back to Marvel

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Cabel Sasser @cabel.panic.com · 07/06/2026

Here's an easter egg in the new Lego Batman that I think all of you will REALLY appreciate. It's so good, I had to make a video.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 06/06/2026

After losing Lawrie two weeks ago, today we said goodbye to our beautiful, brave boy Jethro, who is now chasing swallows on the other side. We knew it was coming, but losing them both so close together hits so hard. Broken doesn't even start to describe how we feel... 💔

A black-and-white dog - Jethro - trots across a sunlit grassy field, his tongue hanging out and tail raised high. The dog’s greying muzzle and alert expression suggest an older but energetic companion. Soft-focus greenery in the background gives the outdoor scene a calm, late-summer feel.

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Seb Duggan @sebduggan.uk · 05/06/2026

Sad news... saw him a few times in and around Bath, and he was always watchable and added a bit of class to anything he did... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Anthony Head: Buffy and Ted Lasso actor dies at 72

The 72-year-old British actor also had roles in shows including Merlin and Little Britain.

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Reposted by Seb Duggan

Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

“I said it’s good of Nigel Farage to speak out about the murder of Henry Nowak. What did I say Roy?” “You said he’s a cynical piece of shit who’s exploiting a tragedy to spread hatred and division”

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