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Alastair Millar

@skriptorium.info
5.5K followers 4K following 3.9K posts

Translator, flash sf writer (BSFA); 🇨🇿/🇬🇧 Eclectic posts (current affairs, archaeology, science, words, writing) ❤️ travel, coffee, puns; 🚫 genAI; unsolicited DM = block He/him; married; 🏳️‍🌈/🏳️‍⚧️ ally; #NAFO; 🇺🇦 🇬🇪 🇬🇱 Writing & links: linktr.ee/alastairmillar

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 3h
Well of COURSE he says that, it's US arms manufacturers who will be the biggest losers. However, the US has proved itself an unreliable partner, and unable to keep up with demand, so it has only itself to blame.
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This Many Years Ago @thismanyyearsago.bsky.social · 17h
164 years ago, on the 30th of September 1862, Otto von Bismarck delivered the 'Blood and Iron' speech before the Prussian House of Representatives' Budget Committee. The House had previously refused to approve an increase in military spending. #otd #history 🗃️
Minister President Bismarck, 1862
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 17h
Note that the rebuke has nothing to do with a Palestinian family being prevented from returning to a West Bank home that Zionists had forced them out of. No, the complaint is that 3 Israel Border Police officers were lightly injured and a vehicle damaged. The Palestinians remain forcibly displaced.
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Grandiloquent Word of the Day @grandiloquentwords.bsky.social · 21h
Mataeology [mat-ee-OL-uh-jee] (n.) - Vain, useless, or unprofitable discourse; foolish or fruitless talk. From Greek “mataiologia” (idle or foolish talk), from “mataios” (vain, idle, futile, foolish) + “-logia” (discourse, speaking)
A "Grandiloquent Word of the Day" meme for “Mataeology,” defined as “vain, useless, or unprofitable discourse; foolish or fruitless talk.” The example sentence reads: “After two hours of droning mataeology on subjects ranging from municipal drainage to his own digestive peculiarities, poor Cordelia Crownut resolved that this would be the last date entrusted to her mother’s matrimonial judgment.” At right, a Victorian illustration shows a young woman seated beside an elderly, gentleman who appears to have fallen asleep while she gazes away with a weary, resigned expression.
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Abilu Tangwa. @abilutangwa.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
We have enough food, technology, and money to save the planet. We just have a system where destroying it is more profitable. That's not a climate problem. That's a greed problem. #ClimateJustice
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Militarnyi @militarnyi.com · 29/09/2026
🇪🇪 Estonia stated that the arson attack on the Milrem Robotics facility in Tallinn on August 15 was an act of sabotage organized by Russian intelligence agencies. militarnyi.com/en/news/esto...
militarnyi.com
Estonia Accuses Russian Intelligence Agencies of Arson at Milrem Robotics Facility, Which Supplies UGVs to Ukraine
Estonia stated that the arson attack on the Milrem Robotics facility in Tallinn on August 15 was an act of sabotage organized by Russian intelligence agencies.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 29/09/2026
Oops. Someone had acccess for seven months (‼️) before anyone noticed. Russia? China? N. Korea? Iran? Place your bets...
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The American Prospect @prospect.org · 29/09/2026
OpenAI models are attacking websites and taking anything they can out of them because that is the business model of the company. prospect.org?p=145474
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 29/09/2026
As with the Lake and Gulf of America, Trump can call it what he likes - the rest of the world is very unlikely to follow suit.
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Cornish/Manc Parallel Realist (Worldwide Dept.) @leftymuso.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Ha ha! Here's another good one. . .
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Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Medieval floor tile from Shaftesbury Abbey in Dorset. The tile is on display in the abbey museum. 📸 My own. #TilesOnTuesday #ShaftesburyAbbey #Dorset
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 29/09/2026
And the gaslighting continues. Some of us remember Trump's Truth Social post of January this year showing DJT, with Vance and Rubio, waving Old Glory by a sign saying "Greenland: US Territory, est. 2026"
Truth Social post of January 20th 26 by Donald J. Trump, showing DJT, with VP Vance and Marco Rubio, waving Old Glory by a sign saying "Greenland: US Territory, est. 2026"
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MantaHunk 🌎🏳️‍🌈☮️🟧 @mantahunk.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"According to marine analytics firm Kpler, just six vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, 11 on Tuesday and five on Monday. It put the 10-day average at 13 vessels per day." Normal traffic is 130 to 160 ships per day.
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Grandiloquent Word of the Day @grandiloquentwords.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Wanion [WON-yun] (n.) 1. A curse or imprecation; ill luck or misfortune. Used in a sentence: “‘Aroint thee with a wanion!’ barked the old apothecary, pitching the aspiring Widow Runklowe headlong into the muddy street.”
A "Grandiloquent Word of the Day" meme for “Wanion” [WON-yun], defined as “A curse or imprecation; ill luck or misfortune.” The illustration shows an old-fashioned house-maid in an apron standing dramatically with arms flung outward, a feather duster in one hand. To the left is a pedestal and on the floor lie the fragments of a broken vase. The example sentence reads: “‘Aroint thee with a wanion!’ barked the old apothecary, pitching the aspiring Widow Runklowe headlong into the muddy street.”
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 28/09/2026
Fairford: If it turns out those blokes were just doing a bit of poaching, everyone's going to look really silly.
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Management Lessons from The Lord of the Rings is out now @drfionamoore.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Today's the day, warriors of Rohan! My new book is OUT! Management Lessons from The Lord of the Rings is the management textbook you never knew you needed, but now you know, you have to have it! Buy, share, review; the Road goes ever on... adoctorofmanythings.wpcomstaging.com/2026/07/21/w...
adoctorofmanythings.wpcomstaging.com
Where to Buy Management Lessons from The Lord of the Rings
Management Lessons from The Lord of the Rings, like its predecessor Management Lessons from Game of Thrones, is the management studies textbook you never knew you wanted, but now you know, you have…
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Ursula K. Le Guin Bot @leguinbot.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The idea is like grass. It craves light, likes crowds, thrives on crossbreeding, grows better for being stepped on.
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Anonymous @youranoncentral.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Ukraine is conducting a daring and heroic mission to bring aid to the residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky. So far 4,000 kg of food, water and medicine have been delivered to 100 locations. It's a race against time as Russia targets aid drops and civilians.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 28/09/2026
Russia doesn't NEED ground forces to inflict major damage: it has huge numbers of jet-powered drones (around 2000 launched against Ukraine in the last week alone) against which NATO countries still lack adequate defences.
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robinsue1948.bsky.social @robinsue1948.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Evil, sick, monsters.🤬
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Kristian Kiehling @kristiankiehling.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The russians are using Pavel Durov's messenger service to create division within Latvian society and encourage people to vote for ethnic russian parties tied to Moscow,such as 'Sovereign Power', who cry russophobia, advocate friendship with the aggressor and call for an end to support for Ukraine.
theins.press
From Russia with “Russophobia”: Kremlin propaganda accounts are posing as “angry Latvians” to influence the country’s Telegram communities
After Latvia banned broadcasts by Russian federal television channels, Telegram became a key platform for Kremlin propaganda in the country. The Insider…
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 28/09/2026
In other words: The Russian state is incapable of defending the homeland, and in any case can't afford to. But it will use this opportunity to grab successful businesses and hand them to its favourites.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 28/09/2026
Compare and contrast: "The BBC understands the operation was not intelligence led." and "US President Donald Trump said... "We had them under view for a long time, and we got them."" So either Trump is lying (again), or has no idea about opsec (again). www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
What we know about RAF Fairford incident and counter-terror probe
Five men have been arrested as counter-terror police lead an investigation into a major incident near the airbase.
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Gerry Hassan @gerryhassan.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Nigel Farage is now a desperate man. Chasing every headline; no low too low; the politics of the gutter, racism and fear embraced. His pronouncement on Fairford trying to link with ZERO evidence to asylum is beyond pathetic.
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Grandiloquent Word of the Day @grandiloquentwords.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Guerdon [GUR-dun] (n.) A reward, recompense, or requital. (v.) To reward or recompense. Used in a sentence: “Archduke Volodymyr bestowed a handsome guerdon upon the young swain who found his missing niece, the princess, unaware that the lad knew rather more about her disappearance than he let on.”
A "Grandiloquent Word of the Day" meme for “Guerdon” [GUR-dun], defined as a reward, recompense, or requital, and as a verb meaning to reward or recompense. An antique engraving at right depicts a classical warrior holding a spear beside a robed woman placing a wreath above his head. Example sentence: “Archduke Volodymyr bestowed a handsome guerdon upon the young swain who found his missing niece, the princess, unaware that the lad knew rather more about her disappearance than he let on.”
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Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 27/09/2026
Meet Howard G. Buffett - the hero Ukraine needed and ended up inspiring: www.onestnetwork.com/howard-buffe...
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 27/09/2026
I wouldn't object, but to be realistic, the article does point out that "Sources say the project is still in development and has not yet been greenlit by parent company Disney". So we shall have to wait and see.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 27/09/2026
In other words, they're setting up a system whereby you can't play an active part in your local community unless you ALSO have video surveillance - very dystopian. As is Ring's desire to control what you can actually say, and how you can say it.
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Grandiloquent Word of the Day @grandiloquentwords.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Flamfew [FLAM-fyoo] (also “Flamefew”) (n.) 1. Moonlight reflected upon water. Used in a sentence: “The flamfew glittered upon the ornamental koi pond, lending an air of enchantment to a place where three governesses had mysteriously vanished and the fish had grown inordinately corpulent.”
A "Grandiloquent Word of the Day" meme for “Flamfew,” defined as “moonlight reflected upon water.” An antique engraving shows a full moon low over the sea, its light shimmering across the waves as a sailing ship passes on the horizon. The example sentence reads: “The flamfew glittered upon the ornamental koi pond, lending an air of enchantment to a place where three governesses had mysteriously vanished and the fish had grown inordinately corpulent.”
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 26/09/2026
This is a periodic reaffirmation that I do not, and will never, use genAI in the idea generation, conceptualisation, drafting, writing, editing or publicising of my stories and books, and will never use or commission genAI "art" for covers or illustrations. Avoid prompt jockeys and sloperators.
The letters "AI" with a red circle around, and line through.
Surrounded by the text "Say no to generative AI use in publishing"
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 26/09/2026
Lying through his teeth; a campaign of sabotage and disinformation is already underway across Europe. Trying to gaslight us doesn't change the fact that the conflict has already begun.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 26/09/2026
Outrageous: and the CDU *supported* the AfD in doing this.
dw.com
AfD, CDU ban new Holocaust 'stumbling stones' in Heidenau
Activists, politicians and representatives of Holocaust victims reacted with anger after the center-right CDU party joined forces with the AfD to ban new Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) in the easter...
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 26/09/2026
He is right. Russia respects only strength, and will keep pushing until someone pushes back HARD. See e.g. the 2015 Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown by Turkey.
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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 25/09/2026
These are your words of the week pool equinox rotund El Niño annihilate meretricious leather lake www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the...
merriam-webster.com
The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
Dictionary lookups from weather, colors, and Fat Bear Week
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Anonymous @youranoncentral.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
There is all that sovereignty Adeang was mumbling about during his speech
In March 2000, then U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said US$70 billion of the US$74 billion that flowed from Russia to offshore centres in 1998 moved through accounts in Nauru. Nauru was blacklisted over money laundering in the early 2000s and abolished its offshore banking sector in 2004.
In 2003, Nauru sold citizenship to al-Qaeda members who were later arrested in Asia.
Naoero now sells citizenship again. Its Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program charges from US$95,000 for a single applicant until 31 December 2026 and requires no residence. The government approved its first six applicants in August 2025, and one further application was withdrawn after screening turned up adverse findings.
Once withdrawal takes effect, Naoero will owe the ICC no arrests and no asset freezes, including for anyone holding a Naoero passport.
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Ursula K. Le Guin Bot @leguinbot.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy?
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Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Yet, despite all of the [waveth handes 360 degrees], still so much beautye yn the worlde. So much art made by so manye, as strategyes for survival, consolacioun, courage, joy. And you, out ther, makinge somethinge beautiful. You are the best.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 26/09/2026
FAFO in action. Jane Smith has lost her job as CEO of Family First Credit Union for posting this AI-doctored image of herself & family travelling to Canada. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Except from a Facebook post, showing Jane Smith & family photographed at an airport en route to Canada, wearing AI-altered sweatshirts saying "Lake America". Above, caption "Like our sweat shirts? Not sure Canada will. Lol lol".
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Grandiloquent Word of the Day @grandiloquentwords.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Lallation [la-LAY-shun] (n.) - Infantile baby talk; the babbling of a young child before articulate language develops. From Latin “lallāre” (to sing “la-la” / to lull a child to sleep) an imitative formation echoing the repetitive sounds of infant babbling, with the noun-forming suffix “-ation”.
A "Grandiloquent Word of the Day" meme for “Lallation,” defined as infantile baby talk or the babbling of a young child before articulate language develops. The example sentence reads: “Don’t be deceived by her calculated lallation; that little scapegrace could honeyfuggle her way out of a murder charge with nothing more than a cherubic countenance and a pair of pigtails.” At right, an antique black-and-white illustration shows a dramatically shouting man holding a small baba, and surrounded by babies, children. Oversized decorative lettering reads "NOBODY'S BABY".
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Admiral James Stavridis, USN, Ret. @admiralstav.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Exploding parcels. Cut Baltic cables. A drone packed with explosives at Leipzig airport. Putin's shadow war is escalating, and NATO needs a firmer answer that stops short of full-scale war. Here's how: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
bloomberg.com
Putin’s Shadow War Is Testing NATO’s Restraint
Russian President Vladimir Putin, frustrated by his bogged-down war in Ukraine, is trying to intimidate the European nations that — given President Donald Trump’s severe cuts in aid to Kyiv — are now ...
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The Brussels Times @brusselstimes.com · 25/09/2026
By launching from international waters, the drones would be capable of reaching domestic infrastructure within one to two hours.
brusselstimes.com
CIA warns Southern Europe of Russian attack with drones hidden inside civilian ships
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 25/09/2026
This is what we are up against: traitors who will sell out their country to Russia, providing Putin's regime with actionable intelligence and offering to commit acts of sabotage.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 25/09/2026
I'll believe it when the first Ukrainian produced missile rolls off the production line, and not before - Trump's word is notoriously unreliable.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 25/09/2026
The idiot literally broadcast himself in the act of slashing the boat.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 25/09/2026
Here we go again...
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Elizabeth @lizard714.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I'll say one thing about the Iranians: they rock at trolling. Iran’s Speaker of Parliament, Ghalibaf, mocks US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
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Grandiloquent Word of the Day @grandiloquentwords.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Malophile [MAL-oh-file] (n.) - One with a fondness for apples; an ardent apple enthusiast. Use: “A zealous malophile, Farmer Cludd tended an orchard of Orange Pippins whose unwholesome roots, it was whispered, reached into the very bowels of Hades, where they drank the blood of the damned.”
A "Grandiloquent Word of the Day" meme for “Malophile,” meaning an ardent apple enthusiast. An antique engraving shows Johnny Appleseed tending young apple trees. The example sentence reads: “A zealous malophile, Farmer Cludd tended an orchard of Orange Pippins whose unwholesome roots, it was whispered, reached into the very bowels of Hades, where they drank the blood of the damned.”
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 24/09/2026
Danny Tommo has had the book thrown at him after slashing a migrant boat. Currently being held on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms or endangering their safety, criminal damage, criminal damage with intent to endanger life, and conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals. 😁
hampshire.police.uk
Man arrested after boat damaged in English Channel
A man has been arrested after a boat that had an emergency responder on board was damaged in the English Channel.
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 24/09/2026
Good!
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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 24/09/2026
More appeasement of an indicted war criminal by a regime that's headed by a convicted felon. What a world we live in.
theguardian.com
‘We hope he’ll accept’: US invites Putin to G20 summit at Trump golf club
Invitation announced by Marco Rubio is likely to raise concerns from Ukraine and EU countries
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