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Auntie Syzygy

@auntiesyzygy.bsky.social

1.2K followers 920 following 4.5K posts

Hermit pensioner & forager. Former indexer. Scottish Statehood, Greek & Greece, Bee Orchids & the Bronze Age. Nobody should own land as if it was a thing.

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Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · Nov 1

It occurs to me that, being newly here, I should maybe explain my name. It comes from Caledonian Antisyzygy - a perceived characteristic of Scots literature (and presbyterian theology) to see the bad in the good. I think we Scots tend to second-guess ourselves, and our lack of confidence hampers us.

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Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 12h

ah yes. That does sound worth doing, but I think would need a good deal of developing so as not to make thriving just a kind of added extra, but a core driver of the best initiatives (as well as a fallback if they fail).

Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 12h

I *did* think that was what you were suggesting, sort of.

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Osbert Lancaster @osbert.realise.earth · 13h

Not at all! I could have been clearer, still working out how to explain my thinking!

I suggest:

Existing sustainability projects should look at how they could additionally support thriving now, while continuing to work for their long term goals.

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Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 13h

I thought you might be suggesting that aiming to thrive would produce quite different and maybe more effective initiatives than aiming at sustainability achieves. And I found that idea very good to think with, tho not sure where it takes me.
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Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 13h

Explained it more fully, thank you. Looks like you're wanting to add thriving (now and later) into current initiatives and include thriving (ditto) in the design of new initiatives. Which seems to me to be a useful thing to do, tho not as interesting as what I thought you might be saying:
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 1d

Mount Everest

From the new Private Eye, in shops now.

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Alex Preston @alexpreston.bsky.social · 2d

So thrilled that @canongate.co.uk will be publishing A Stranger in Corfu in February. A retirement home for spies, secrets that rise up from the past, the beauty of Greece. @waterstones.bsky.social are offering a big preorder discount on the hardback here: buythebook.online/astrangerinc...

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Julian Hoffman @julianhoffman.bsky.social · 1d

Delighted to share the North American cover for LIFELINES. With huge thanks to Nicole Caputo for the beautiful design and for placing Edward Lear's 1837 lithograph of a Dalmatian pelican at its heart. Published by Godine on April 14th, it's available to pre-order now!
bookshop.org/p/books/life...

A book cover depicting a Dalmatian pelican surrounded by yellow and white flowers, a fire salamander, a peacockk butterfly and a firefly against a purple-blue background suggesting mountains.

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Julia Thrift @juliathrift.bsky.social · 1d

Everyone should read this 🔻

Chris Giles @chrisgiles.ft.com · 1d

There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system.

Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts

Spending is controlled, not spiralling

Worklessness is near record lows

My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...

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PeatWorrier @peatworrier.bsky.social · 1d

We've spent 5 years working to reform the law on reporting restrictions in Scotland, trying to align public conceptions- that complainers have automatic rights to lifelong anonymity unless they choose to waive it- with the legal rules which apply in this jurisdiction.
www.slsa.ac.uk/post/anonymi...

Anonymity in Sexual Offences: A Scottish Law Reform Campaign?

This blog is the first in our series, “Gender (in)justice: Views from Scotland”, featuring pieces authored by legal academics at Glasgow Caledonian University. GCU Law has a strong socio-legal researc...

www.slsa.ac.uk

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Dr Stylite @columnist.bsky.social · 1d

I’m not sure (unfortunately) I entirely buy ‘Brexit was a disaster’ as a political argument…everyone already knows this and the party in charge during that period is out of power for the foreseeable future…

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Rachel Reeves says tax rises and spending cuts on budget agenda, citing Brexit impact

Chancellor also blames austerity and ‘ongoing impact of Liz Truss mini-budget’ for growing shortfall in public finances

www.theguardian.com

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marybeard @wmarybeard.bsky.social · 2d

I've got a new book out in spring #TalkingClassics: about why it's still worth bothering about ancient Greece and Rome. Now till Friday 17th Oct you can preorder through Waterstones. Enter OCTOBER25 at checkout & get 25% off RRP. #WPreorder tinyurl.com/TalkingClass...

Talking Classics by Professor Mary Beard | Waterstones

Buy Talking Classics by Professor Mary Beard from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

tinyurl.com

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Graham Taylor @pottedhistory.bsky.social · 1d

Why do I get the feeling that they're conspiring against me 😬🏺

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Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 1d

BB and phone lines, should be treated as utilites, national infrastructure, municipally delivered. Not sure about mobiles, maybe the same. They're things we use, not things we consume.

Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 1d

Save STV North! We need to keep our last broadcaster for Grampian, Highland and the Norhtern and Western Isles, threatened with closure by STV. Campaign backed by Scottish parliament and a petition started by Aberdeen Chambers of Commerce.
www.agcc.co.uk/news-article...

Scottish Parliament unites in call to protect STV North news service

The leaders of Scotland’s five main political parties have joined forces to urge Ofcom to block STV’s proposal to end the broadcast of a dedicated news programme for the north of Scotland.

www.agcc.co.uk

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Matt Berry @matthewberry.bsky.social · 3d

Pac-man

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Greenwings Wildlife Tours @greenwingstours.bsky.social · 2d

We take preparation seriously for our guests, so our guides are out visiting sites in Greece before the groups arrival at the weekend for our autumn bulb tour. Two nice species seen today were Colchicum lingulatum and Biarum tenuifolium ssp.abbreviatum.

#BSBIcorporatesponsor

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Auntie Syzygy @auntiesyzygy.bsky.social · 1d

I have always tried to have each thing separate but over the years ee has chased me, taking over any supplier I move to, and I find myself currently with everything in their grip and just too exhausted to move again. And now, landlines are on BB too, sigh...

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Rob Hoenen @robhoenen.bsky.social · 2d

The liquid air alternative to fossil fuels www.bbc.com/future/artic...

The liquid air alternative to fossil fuels

An overlooked technology for nearly 50 years, the first liquid air battery facility is finally set to power up in 2026.

www.bbc.com

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Claire Boardman @claireboardman.bsky.social · 2d

Connection to archaeology? Michelle is the artist who illustrated Jim Leary's 'Footmarks' book:

Front cover of Jim Leary's 'Footmarks' book showing landscape artwork, including people and animals, through time by York based artist and printmaker @michellehuges.

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Ben Averis @averisben.bsky.social · 2d

My wife Alison had these five Merveille du Jour moths in her moth trap this morning, here in SE Scotland.

Five Merveille du Jour moths found by Alison Averis in her moth trap here in SE Scotland on the morning of 14th October 2025. Background: bark with lichens.

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Graeme Purves @gaspurves.bsky.social · 3d

Fraud: How Sir Keir Starmer conned the British electorate | Richard Sanders for 'Declassified UK:
#UKPolitics

How Keir Starmer conned the British electorate

Book review: ‘The Fraud’ offers the most damning portrayal yet of the Starmer project.

www.declassifieduk.org

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Ewan Gibbs @ewangibbs.bsky.social · 2d

North Sea oil rig workers rescue owl blown out to sea during Storm Amy.

North Sea oil rig workers rescue owl blown out to sea during Storm Amy

The short-haired owl was found exhausted after battling 'danger to life' winds during the storm.

news.stv.tv

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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 2d

To be effective, protest must be noisy, obstructive, annoying. No longer is this allowed. Now the last attribute of effective dissent – persistence – is also to be banned. But the moment protest ceases to be effective is the moment democracy dies. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Here’s what you need to know about Starmer’s illiberal protest curbs: they would have killed the Labour party at birth | George Monbiot

The rights we enjoy in the UK, and the movement the PM purports to lead, were built on protest. Those rights are in dire peril, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com

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POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 2d

Israel shouldn’t count on EU leaders forgetting the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, even if Donald Trump’s peace deal succeeds in ending the war.

That’s the candid private view of diplomats, politicians and officials.

‘Israel needs to deliver’: Europe’s private fears over Trump’s plan for Gaza

Officials and diplomats are hoping the ceasefire lasts but don’t want to ease the pressure on Israel just yet.

ow.ly

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