Sheila Pinder
@sheilab01.bsky.social
Personal account: publishing industry; Scottish creative industries; metadata & supply chain.
Also following climate, biodiversity & nature writing conversations.
Gardener; educator; recovering carer; parkrunner. Based in Scotland & Cumbria.
Also following climate, biodiversity & nature writing conversations.
Gardener; educator; recovering carer; parkrunner. Based in Scotland & Cumbria.
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Powerful piece by @drrachelclarke.com on the COVID inquiry. Those who say it’s easy to be wise in hindsight are being utterly disingenuous. Many of us spoke out at the time, and it’s in the public record.
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Powerful piece by @drrachelclarke.com on the COVID inquiry. Those who say it’s easy to be wise in hindsight are being utterly disingenuous. Many of us spoke out at the time, and it’s in the public record.
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
At some point, for the love of God, will someone ANYONE at long last take the council funding crisis seriously?!?
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
Survey finds 60% of key cities councils are planning to sell assets to meet costs of adult and children’s social care
English councils are planning to sell social clubs, sports centres and shopping arcades as they bet on a fire sale of assets to balance the books, according to a survey of local authorities.
The key cities group of councils, which represents second-tier cities in England, said 60% of councils were planning to sell assets to meet the escalating costs of adult and children’s social care. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:03 PM
At some point, for the love of God, will someone ANYONE at long last take the council funding crisis seriously?!?
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
My haul from a visit to Hodges Figgis.
Books from an English, a Scottish and an Irish publisher.
(Sounds like the start of one of the terrible jokes my Dad used to tell in the 70s.)
Meanwhile... what a bookshop, and what a showcase for Irish books
Books from an English, a Scottish and an Irish publisher.
(Sounds like the start of one of the terrible jokes my Dad used to tell in the 70s.)
Meanwhile... what a bookshop, and what a showcase for Irish books
November 15, 2025 at 7:26 PM
My haul from a visit to Hodges Figgis.
Books from an English, a Scottish and an Irish publisher.
(Sounds like the start of one of the terrible jokes my Dad used to tell in the 70s.)
Meanwhile... what a bookshop, and what a showcase for Irish books
Books from an English, a Scottish and an Irish publisher.
(Sounds like the start of one of the terrible jokes my Dad used to tell in the 70s.)
Meanwhile... what a bookshop, and what a showcase for Irish books
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
It's #buyastrangerabook day, and @loreleiking.bsky.social is offering to buy somebody a copy of Nobody's Child Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
"In memory of Virginia Giuffre, who suffered so much and who showed such courage"
If you'd like it, get in touch.
UK only.
"In memory of Virginia Giuffre, who suffered so much and who showed such courage"
If you'd like it, get in touch.
UK only.
October 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
It's #buyastrangerabook day, and @loreleiking.bsky.social is offering to buy somebody a copy of Nobody's Child Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
"In memory of Virginia Giuffre, who suffered so much and who showed such courage"
If you'd like it, get in touch.
UK only.
"In memory of Virginia Giuffre, who suffered so much and who showed such courage"
If you'd like it, get in touch.
UK only.
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Convo last week --
Them: It's hard to talk about this stuff ("AI") without using anthropomorphizing language
Me: It's really not, actually
Some further reflections >>
Them: It's hard to talk about this stuff ("AI") without using anthropomorphizing language
Me: It's really not, actually
Some further reflections >>
October 19, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Convo last week --
Them: It's hard to talk about this stuff ("AI") without using anthropomorphizing language
Me: It's really not, actually
Some further reflections >>
Them: It's hard to talk about this stuff ("AI") without using anthropomorphizing language
Me: It's really not, actually
Some further reflections >>
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
"If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
- Nietzsche
- Nietzsche
October 17, 2025 at 7:55 PM
"If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
- Nietzsche
- Nietzsche
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
I actually think that it's a safeguarding risk to encourage children to conceptualise AI as 'a tutor', as though it's real and a possible substitute for their teacher. We've already seen the serious harm AI can do when people use it to 'have conversations' and start to believe what it tells them.
October 18, 2025 at 8:12 AM
I actually think that it's a safeguarding risk to encourage children to conceptualise AI as 'a tutor', as though it's real and a possible substitute for their teacher. We've already seen the serious harm AI can do when people use it to 'have conversations' and start to believe what it tells them.
I'm here for this...
Pragmatism has become the most useful way I know to survive modern life.
Not a grand theory, not a magic pill or perfect fix - just a way to see what actually works.
This is the first in a series of essays on pragmatism.
kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/what-works...
#Philosophy #Scotland #Writing
Not a grand theory, not a magic pill or perfect fix - just a way to see what actually works.
This is the first in a series of essays on pragmatism.
kristiedegaris.substack.com/p/what-works...
#Philosophy #Scotland #Writing
What Works When Nothing Does
A case for pragmatism in an age of collapse and exhaustion
kristiedegaris.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I'm here for this...
This needs fixing.
Most data centre cooling systems, certainly in the UK where water is cheaper than electricity, are water-based, so the risk of TFA contamination of water is heightened.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
How England’s outdated water tracking system leaves regulators in the dark
Experts warn accurately monitoring consumption by bulk users such as farmers, datacentres and businesses can be all but impossible
www.theguardian.com
October 5, 2025 at 4:07 PM
This needs fixing.
Train reading (en route to a funeral). Given my mood and the state of the world, I needed something with a thread of hope.
Will report back.
Will report back.
October 5, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Train reading (en route to a funeral). Given my mood and the state of the world, I needed something with a thread of hope.
Will report back.
Will report back.
Today, I will mostly be baking French apple cake.
#StormAmy
Had to pick fruit slightly before full ripeness: the wind took down one of the upright posts on the espalier frame. Thought we were going to lose three trees to being uprooted, so had to take the weight off.
#StormAmy
Had to pick fruit slightly before full ripeness: the wind took down one of the upright posts on the espalier frame. Thought we were going to lose three trees to being uprooted, so had to take the weight off.
October 4, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Today, I will mostly be baking French apple cake.
#StormAmy
Had to pick fruit slightly before full ripeness: the wind took down one of the upright posts on the espalier frame. Thought we were going to lose three trees to being uprooted, so had to take the weight off.
#StormAmy
Had to pick fruit slightly before full ripeness: the wind took down one of the upright posts on the espalier frame. Thought we were going to lose three trees to being uprooted, so had to take the weight off.
Take note
Our current predicament is not unprecedented. We can learn from how past societies survived through, and ended, their crisis periods.
Hundreds of societies have been in crises like ours. An expert explains how they got out.
An analysis of historical crises over the past 2,000 years offers lessons for avoiding the end times.
www.vox.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Take note
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
TWO MONTHS TO GO 🎉
From household names to debut authors and spoken word artists we look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of Scotland’s writers in the heart of London.
📅 26th-30th November 2025
📖 See you there!
🎟️ Tickets: standrewsbookfestival.org/events
From household names to debut authors and spoken word artists we look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of Scotland’s writers in the heart of London.
📅 26th-30th November 2025
📖 See you there!
🎟️ Tickets: standrewsbookfestival.org/events
September 27, 2025 at 3:30 PM
TWO MONTHS TO GO 🎉
From household names to debut authors and spoken word artists we look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of Scotland’s writers in the heart of London.
📅 26th-30th November 2025
📖 See you there!
🎟️ Tickets: standrewsbookfestival.org/events
From household names to debut authors and spoken word artists we look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of Scotland’s writers in the heart of London.
📅 26th-30th November 2025
📖 See you there!
🎟️ Tickets: standrewsbookfestival.org/events
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Have an idea you would like to develop into an academic book?
Applications to the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship are open until Oct. 1st to Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse early career scholars (UK only).
More info: https://bit.ly/4mHlgcn
Applications to the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship are open until Oct. 1st to Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse early career scholars (UK only).
More info: https://bit.ly/4mHlgcn
September 24, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Have an idea you would like to develop into an academic book?
Applications to the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship are open until Oct. 1st to Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse early career scholars (UK only).
More info: https://bit.ly/4mHlgcn
Applications to the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship are open until Oct. 1st to Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse early career scholars (UK only).
More info: https://bit.ly/4mHlgcn
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Conference organizers: If you want people who work outside of academia (or financially secure company), to give a talk at your conference bc you value their expertise, it's unreasonable to make them pay for registration. Artists/Nonprofit folks do not have the funding to pay you to share expertise.
September 17, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Conference organizers: If you want people who work outside of academia (or financially secure company), to give a talk at your conference bc you value their expertise, it's unreasonable to make them pay for registration. Artists/Nonprofit folks do not have the funding to pay you to share expertise.
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
[email protected] has done a brilliant job compiling a handy list of writing open mics across Scotland! In a quickly-evolving scene, that's no easy feat. Read it (and consider supporting her work) here: thegoodeggproject.substack.com/p/scotland-o...
Scotland open mics round-up 2025/26
A non-exhaustive list of Scottish open mics for writers of all kinds
thegoodeggproject.substack.com
September 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
[email protected] has done a brilliant job compiling a handy list of writing open mics across Scotland! In a quickly-evolving scene, that's no easy feat. Read it (and consider supporting her work) here: thegoodeggproject.substack.com/p/scotland-o...
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Delighted to be 'back by popular demand', our Mastercalss Webinar series of getting your #poetry published starts again on Monday 17 November.
Sign up for the course of three weekly sessions led by Jane Commane, for just £45.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-mas...
Sign up for the course of three weekly sessions led by Jane Commane, for just £45.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-mas...
September 14, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Delighted to be 'back by popular demand', our Mastercalss Webinar series of getting your #poetry published starts again on Monday 17 November.
Sign up for the course of three weekly sessions led by Jane Commane, for just £45.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-mas...
Sign up for the course of three weekly sessions led by Jane Commane, for just £45.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-mas...
Watching All The Presidents Men.
Well worth revisiting.
Well worth revisiting.
September 13, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Watching All The Presidents Men.
Well worth revisiting.
Well worth revisiting.
Reminder: there is beauty in this world.
September 13, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reminder: there is beauty in this world.
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Our democracy is too precious to be a plaything for foreign tech barons.
Elon Musk doesn’t care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego.
Elon Musk doesn’t care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego.
September 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Our democracy is too precious to be a plaything for foreign tech barons.
Elon Musk doesn’t care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego.
Elon Musk doesn’t care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego.
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
A reminder: You can turn off autoplay on videos in your settings here.
September 10, 2025 at 6:52 PM
A reminder: You can turn off autoplay on videos in your settings here.
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
Introducing AI Watchdog—The Atlantic’s ongoing investigation into the data sets used by the world’s most powerful tech companies to train their AI models.
Search the data sets now: https://theatln.tc/0rT2FBnR
Search the data sets now: https://theatln.tc/0rT2FBnR
September 10, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Introducing AI Watchdog—The Atlantic’s ongoing investigation into the data sets used by the world’s most powerful tech companies to train their AI models.
Search the data sets now: https://theatln.tc/0rT2FBnR
Search the data sets now: https://theatln.tc/0rT2FBnR
Reposted by Sheila Pinder
“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” ~Ray Bradbury
Keep reading, friends. 📚
Keep reading, friends. 📚
August 28, 2025 at 12:14 AM
“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” ~Ray Bradbury
Keep reading, friends. 📚
Keep reading, friends. 📚