iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Smylers @smylers.uk · 28/09/2026

Good to know this train is on time, FastJP. Oh, unless you click the + to expand the per-station view, at which point it's predicted to depart 21 minutes late and arrive 9 minutes late — that sort of “on time”.

Part of a screenshot showing 12:45 Derby to Leeds, labelled ‘On time’, with a plus sign at the end of the row

The same thing but with the plus expanded and listed underneath are listed Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Wakefield Westgate labelled in orange, with ‘arrives’, ‘departs’, and ‘realtime’ times for each one'; Derby is departs 12:45 but realtime 13:03; Leeds is arrives 14:03 but realtime 14:12

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 27/09/2026

To be more accurate, EBay, it's *collection* that's taking longer than expected. Evri's tracking shows the seller dropped it off at a shop on Tuesday lunchtime, but Evri themselves haven't been to collect it from there yet. The delivery window was Wed–yesterday and they still haven't collected it!

“Delivery is taking longer than expected”

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 27/09/2026

I'm sure #Ilkley's very nice in the rain, but why risk it? Come and play board games this afternoon at All Saints church. They've even turned the heating on for the first time this winter! All welcome. Bring snacks, and games you want to play or people to play our games. See you there.

Screenshot from a weather forecast showing two rain drops for each hour from 2pm to 5pm, with chance of rain from 60% to ≥95%

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Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

But women in Piddington are quite literally being told by the Leader of the Opposition that they should fear for their LIVES and that never leaving the house after dark is a reasonable precaution! This isn't protecting them. This is seriously damaging them. 11/

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 25/09/2026

Kudos to both the photographer and headline-writer on this article: www.cricinfo.com/story/pieter... (For those not into cricket: Kevin Pietersen is often referred to as ‘KP’, and he's one of the people sitting on the balcony on this photo.)

cricinfo.com

Pietersen looms large over England as he warms to his mentoring role

Can the rewards of embracing English cricket's most famous ego outweigh the obvious risks?

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 24/09/2026

If your directions include What 3 Words locations, you're relying on a business that's currently losing millions a year staying in business (as well as all its other problems).

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Christina Martin @christinamartin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Is it just going to plough through the buffers?

Email from trainline entitled your train will no longer stop at London Victoria.

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Sascha Stronach🏳️‍⚧️, The Sunforge out now @understatesmen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

for those outside New Zealand: 2 years ago a veiled far-right astroturf org threatened to sue an investigative journalist for a book he was writing about them. He was not writing a book about them, but this incident meant former staff started leaking to him. He used those leaks to write a book.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 22/09/2026

A series of text messages from Boots: Sunday: Flu jab reminder, Wed at 10:10 today 09:56: Flu jab reminder, tomorrow at 10:10 today 13:38: Flu jab appointment changed to Thu at 11:00 Not even asking me — just moving it to a day I'm not working from home!

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Bread and Rosie @rosiemund.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

This is the reality. Hospital parking charges get a huge amount of attention & ire but provision of parking isn't free &, if it's free at the point of use, that's funding that isn't going into care. Ensuring there are non-driving alternatives is cheaper, has wider advantages & is far more equitable.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 22/09/2026

Oh, there's quite a few stations near there beginning with that letter! Loconundrum #191 ⬜⬜⬜ 🚂 🟩⬜⬜ 🚂 🟩⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 🟩⬜⬜ 🚂🚂 🟩🟩🟩 loconundrum.aaronc.cc

loconundrum.aaronc.cc

Loconundrum

A daily game: can you guess the UK rail station?

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Richard Smyth @rsmythfreelance.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This may just be a reflection of my viewing habits in recent years, but I feel like Colin From Accounts is in many ways a grown-up version of Bluey.

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Jack Tindale @jacktindale.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I tell you what you've got to do right. You've got to force people out of their cars onto public transport, and you do that by doubling the price of petr-

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 18/09/2026

Really enjoyed ‘Private Lives’ at @ilkleyplayhouse.bsky.social this evening. Noël Coward's script is sharp and witty, and the acting and scenery are as good as any professional theatre.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 17/09/2026

The Manfreds were as good as I dared hope! All the hits, great atmosphere, and Paul Jones a gracious and enthusistic front-person as well as a singer and impressive harmonica player:

Long shot of a band on stage, in front of a starry background and with colour lights above: bass guitarist, organist, drummer, singer, saxophonist, and guitarist

Paul Jones singing, holding a microphone

Drum kit with ‘The Manfreds’ on the bass drum

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John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 18/09/2026

What on earth is happening?

This had become the new normal. RNLI crew members had been forced to take their permits off their cars after their tyres have been repeatedly slashed. Most of them have been pilloried at the school gates or turned away from local pubs. One man who worked in search and rescue had been beaten unconscious and hospitalised, recognised for TV interviews he had done.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 17/09/2026

Heading out to see The Manfreds at The King's Hall in Ilkley — including both Paul Jones and Tom McGuinness from the original 1963 Manfred Mann line-up. We only really know their radio hits, but it's a 6-minute walk from our home, so we thought we may as well. www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6MI...

youtube.com

54321 chocolate bar advert

YouTube video by Throwbacktvads

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 17/09/2026

- You done the covers yet? - Yeah, all sorted. - What are we using for geography? - Tiger — they're foreign. - PE? - Cyclist. - German? - Group of people. They might be German. - French? - People blowing bubbles. - ? - Nothing says ‘French’ like people blowing bubbles. Everybody knows that.

‘Pearson Edexcel GCSE Geography B Revision Guide’, with a drawing of a tiger on the front, walking towards the reader

‘Pearson AQA GCSE Physical Education Revision Guide’, with a drawing of a cyclist on it, in helmet and lycra and with the bike at an angle suggesting going quite fast

‘Pearson Edexcel GCSE German Revision Guide’ with drawings of three young adults in a row, side-on to the reader, looking joyful in each other's company, through the one farthest away has a mobile phone to their face

‘Pearson Edexcel GCSE French Revision Guide’, with a drawing showing two young adults, each carefully blowing bubbles through those little rings on sticks that you dip in pots

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 15/09/2026

Anybody know what WhatsApp does with all the messages that users try to send to phone numbers that don't have a WhatsApp account associated? Apparently they neither notify the sender nor SMS the would-be recipient, leaving both unaware. Is there a big pile of them round the back of Meta HQ?

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 14/09/2026

Now suddenly very tempted to move to Bristol …

Bristol is the first UK council to ban adverts promoting ultra-fast fashion, including any references to flash sales, stock or time limited offers, and Black Friday.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 13/09/2026

5½ years on, and @railcards.bsky.social are still trying to trick their customers into signing up for subscription scams. I really thought they'd be better than this, but apparently not. Are Atoc subject to Freedom of Information rules, to find out how many customers they've scammed?

A pop-up window offering
“£20.50 cash back!

Click here for £20.50 cash back, credited onto your card by Complete Savings when you're part of its cashback programme, following this order!

Go

By clicking above, you can join this third party partner programme
for 18 pounds per month. This cashback is not calculated based on your
purchase with Railcard.”

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 11/09/2026

Open tab with live train times. Take glass to dishwasher. Shut down computer and gather belongings. Arrive at station and see train is running late. Realize that merely *opening* the @realtimetrains.co.uk tab isn't sufficient to learn of delays; I also have to actually look at it.

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Dan Kaszeta FRHistS @dankaszeta.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

“The pogrom had bad intelligence” is really a bad stance for a Labour MP to take

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 11/09/2026

Well-reviewed play announces “major UK tour” — wonder where the nearest date is to us? theatreweekly.com/the-gang-of-... Oh, it's on in London, Richmond, Oxford, Cambridge, Chichester, and Guildford. Good job it isn't a minor UK tour, or they wouldn't be able to leave the M25.

theatreweekly.com

The Gang of Three to embark on major UK tour following sold-out London run - Theatre Weekly

The sell-out political drama The Gang of Three will return to the stage this autumn, ahead of a major UK tour following its critically

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Bren McGowan @brenmcgowan.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Ocado knows everything that I buy, so it should have worked out that I'm a vegan coeliac who doesn't drink. Instead, it chooses to recommend steak and ale pies and similar delights. Like the bank, it doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 10/09/2026

I've flown once in the past 12 years, and have never owned a car or a smartphone. This email is from my current-account provider — an organization who literally have data on all my spending! — yet apparently still think I might want to pay £18/month on covering those things?

Screenshot with the heading “Pay £18 a month to get all these benefits” and then 3 boxes:

“airplane icon
Aviva travel insurance

Get worldwide family travel insurance, with no upper age limit for policyholders. Be covered for winter sports and activities, missed departures, trip cancellations and personal belongings.

Steering wheel icon
AA breakdown cover

Get AA UK and European breakdown cover for you and for any vehicle you’re travelling in. Cover includes a replacement car to keep you going and expert patrols ready to help on the road and at home.

Mobile phone icon
Assurant mobile phone insurance

Cover for yours and your family’s mobile phones, anywhere in the world. Protect against loss, damage, breakdown and faults. Phone accessories are covered too.”

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Tim Harford @timharford.ft.com · 09/09/2026

Should be unsurprising, but a) AI enthusiasts have been telling me for approximately two years that "hallucinations hardly ever happen any more, that's pretty much fixed" and b) I didn't even ask for the AI result (which was pasted above anything that might have hinted at the correct answer). Odd.

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 08/09/2026

The 14yo's school is switching to @arboreducation.bsky.social for communication. Access involves pretending I've forgotten my password. Which won't work for accessing that school if Arbor already have it linked to a different school — and the “fix” is to contact the school they are no longer at!

If your email address is used on more than one school site, you may not be able to get a reset password email for the most current site yourself. To prevent future issues, contact the old school to have them remove or change the email address from that account

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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

'Question' at Lobby today: "You seem to be just looking at the negatives of [the slave trade] which is of course appalling, but we do have to say about a positive side...we ended it. Don't you accept that?" No 10: "It's difficult to acknowledge the positive side of the transatlantic slave trade."

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 07/09/2026

Know somebody wanting to get into #CrypticCrosswords? Try this one: www.telegraph.co.uk/puzzles/puzz... DM for gift link. The clues are explained here: bigdave44.com/2026/09/07/d... Plus Mr Rush; music from REM, Ian Dury, and, erm Miss Piggy; “Boo-urns”; Lady Penelope's car; and a bucking broncho:

cover of the Mr Rush, the Mr Men book by Roger Hargreaves

Lady Penelope from ‘Thunderbirds’ being driven in her car by Parker

a bucking bronco promotional display in a supermarket, with a model horse at an angle above crates of beer

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 04/09/2026

And now, half a year later, that song which spent 5 weeks in a row at number 35 has somehow made it to number 1: www.officialcharts.com/charts/singl... Why are do so many people like listening to it now yet didn't want to in March?

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 04/09/2026

I do hope there will be some sixth-formers going in sporting a single massive hooped earring, ready to argue that being by itself it is by definition discrete:

Screenshot from a document:
“Sixth Form

· All jewellery should be non-ostentatious in style. Discrete ear piercings or single nose stud/ring are allowed. Lip rings, septum piercings, multiple visible facial piercings, large ear bars, hoops or gauges are not discrete.”

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 03/09/2026

Oooh, train delay bingo — this evening's trains are collectively affected by trespass, a safety inspection, and faulty signalling!

This service is partially cancelled
This service was cancelled between Guiseley and Ilkley due to trespass (XA).

This service is running late because of a safety inspection on a train earlier today

This service has been delayed because of a fault with the signalling system at Shipley (Yorkshire)

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 31/08/2026

Theoretically, bigdave44.com/2026/08/31/d... provides hints and explanations to today's splendid Telegraph Crossword by @heroncrosswords.bsky.social. In practice, it's as many Dolly Parton videos as I could find even the most tenuous link to one of the crossword clues. RIP, Dolly. Enjoy:

Screenshot of the video player for ‘Better Get to Livin'’ by Dolly Parton

Screenshot of the video player for ‘What's Up?'’ by Dolly Parton featuring Linda Perry

Screenshot of the video player for a ‘The Simpsons’ clip featuring Dolly Parton, busting Homer and friends out of Superbowl jail

Screenshot of the video player for ‘Rockin'’ by Dolly Parton

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 29/08/2026

Today's unanswerable survey question: describing the size of my parcel, where none of the options are true. There's “smaller than a shoebox” and “bigger than a shoebox”, but the parcel I received isn't either of those, being very much an actual shoebox.

YouGov

How big was this parcel? (Please select the answer that best applies)

Small enough to fit through a letterbox (e.g. 25cm x 35cm x 2.5cm)

Bigger than a letterbox but smaller than a shoebox (25cm x 35cm x 12cm)

Bigger than a shoebox but smaller than a small carry on suitcase (35cm x 45cm x 20cm)

Bigger than a small carry on suitcase, but small enough for one person to deliver on their own

Requires more than one person to deliver

Don’t know

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Matthew Somerville @dracos.co.uk · 25/08/2026

London St Pancras to Stevenage has two Anytime Day Return fares: * £28.80, no restrictions * £30.80, "Not Underground" Is there a reason you would ever buy the more expensive one? Why does it exist? Perhaps it used to be cheaper and they didn’t want to pay TfL a fee or something

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 20/08/2026

At Headingley yesterday, the England drinks carriers were entertainingly keen to dash on, whether it made sense or not: www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2... (The cricket was good, too. But plenty of others have already reported on that.) #EngVPak

“Thank you for your updates,” says Smylers. Our pleasure! “At Headingley yesterday, the England drinks carriers had clearly been briefed to appear on the field at every Pakistan wicket — something they obeyed diligently, some might even say unthinkingly. This included them charging on to the field after Azan Awais’s wicket, only to be waved off again, presumably on the grounds that only a single ball of the match had been played, none of the team were actually yet in need of a drink.

“Later they also appeared after Ali Usman’s unsuccessful review, when his dismissal was confirmed, even though the review meant it was now past the time announced for the tea break, so the players were heading off the pitch. Again, we got to see them walk on with enthusiasm, only to U-turn in the outfield and head straight off again.

“Do the squad members not in the team actually follow the match, or is drinks carrying a role that requires so much focus and concentration, it isn’t possible to think about anything else?”

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 20/08/2026

This morning's excitement: 4% laptop battery; 2 stops away from the office … will I make it?

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 18/08/2026

Looking at which bus to get to Headingley tomorrow for the Test match, and it's hard to predict what time we actually want to be there for:

Excerpt from a weather forecast, showing the chance of rain from 10am to 2pm being 80%, 70%, 70%, 50%, and 50%

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Hobbits Wife @hobbitswife.eurosky.social · 18/08/2026

Apparently Amazon couldn’t deliver a package to me *at the exact same time they delivered two others into my hands* What they mean is “whoops we didn’t see that one in the van as well but we’ll gaslight you & say you weren’t there”

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 15/08/2026

New favourite tribute-band name:

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 14/08/2026

I love you both, @synergyapp.bsky.social and @servo.org, but please can at least one of you change your logo? Or at least your browser tab icons, which at that size take a lot of distinguishing from each other. Thank you!

Screenshot showing websites for Synergy and Servo, both with logos of a ring with sections going round it in different shades of blue and green; the inside of the Synergy ring is a circle; the inside of Servo's ring is a pentagon, and there are thin gaps between the coloured sections — but those are almost impossible to see on the browser tab icons at the top of the page

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 10/08/2026

Returned the hire car on the way into work (we used it to go to Whitby for a week). The cost was just £27 a day. For anybody contemplating giving up owning a car but thinking they'd still need one occasionally, note that renting them can be surprisingly cheap. And they gave me a lift to work!

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Jason Hazeley @jasonhazeley.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

My daughter’s university scrutinizes each essay for evidence of AI. The goal is to get a 0% score. This AI-hunting is done by… AI. A recent essay scored 17%. She questioned what the AI thought was AI, since she hadn’t used it. The answer: the uni-issued cover page showing student ID, faculty etc. 🤦🏻‍♂️

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 04/08/2026

That really isn't what ‘round’ means, English Heritage:

“Add £1.00 to round up your total to £112.75”

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Jack Tindale @jacktindale.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

There's a bit of a conflict of interest if they're holding the Manchester Mayoral count at the Co-Op Arena, surely?

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Smylers @smylers.uk · 31/07/2026

@remysharp.com Hi. Do you know who has the keys to the HTML5 Doctor site? I was surprised to see it pop up in my feed reader today, but sadly it was for this spam: html5doctor.com/myspins-payp...

html5doctor.com

MySpins PayPal For UK Players: A Guide To Safe Deposits & Withdrawals | HTML5 Doctor

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