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Alastair Millar

@skriptorium.info

4.8K followers 3.9K following 1.8K posts

Translator & flash sf writer (BSFA); 🇨🇿/🇬🇧 Posts eclectically (archaeology, travel, current affairs, words); likes good coffee & bad puns; blocks for unsolicited DMs. Happily married; he/him; 🏳️‍🌈/🏳️‍⚧️ ally; #NAFO fella; 🇺🇦 🇬🇪 Links: https://linktr.ee/alastairmillar

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · Jun 16

My flash science fiction collection, 'Mars & More', is still available!

If you'd like to get YOUR hands on some punchy, bite sized SF, you can find the ebook here: books2read.com/MarsMore

Or order in print (paperback) through your favourite bookstore: the ISBN is 979-8-227-17966-1

Cover of 'Mars & More' by Alastair Millar. On a lunar landscape, a suited astronaut observes conflict on the planet and in space.

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 7h

So instead of having a SHORT term staffing problem, the Dept. of Transportation proposes creating a LONG term one... clever!

Reuters @reuters.com · 8h

US could dismiss air traffic controllers who fail to work during shutdown, transportation secretary says reut.rs/3VTmWn7

US could dismiss air traffic controllers who fail to work during shutdown, transportation secretary says

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Thursday that the government could dismiss air traffic controllers who repeatedly fail to show up for work during the government shutdown, saying a spike in absences is causing significant air disruptions.

reut.rs

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William Gibson @greatdismal.bsky.social · 4h

Let nothing be called natural in an age of bloody confusion, ordered disorder, planned caprice, and dehumanised humanity, lest all things be held unalterable!

- Brecht

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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 3h

I knew Fox News was theater. I just didn't realize it was a repertory theater that recycles actors for different roles.

You'd think a company that had to pay $787,000,000 for deceiving its viewers would be a little more careful about blatantly continuing the practice.

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Ursula K. Le Guin Bot @leguinbot.bsky.social · 3h

Current-borne, wave-flung, tugged hugely by the whole might of ocean, the jellyfish drifts in the tidal abyss. The light shines through it, and the dark enters it.

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Euronews @euronews.com · 2h

With new travel rules come new scammers attempting to part you from your money.

Scammers target UK travellers amid EU entry confusion

With new travel rules come new scammers attempting to part you from your money.

l.euronews.com

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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 4h

A map of Gaza shows how Israeli forces will withdraw under the first phase of the ceasefire plan while remaining in control of nearly 60% of the besieged Strip aje.io/kekalb

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UNITED24 Media @united24media.com · 11h

⚡️ Volunteers and soldiers rescued four ancient stone “babas” from near the front line.

Three complete and one partial Polovtsian sculptures from the 11–13th centuries were evacuated from Pokrovske, Dnipropetrovsk region, to Dnipro on September 16.

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UNITED24 Media @united24media.com · 9h

⚡️Leaked files show Russia secretly bought Chinese electronic warfare systems to jam Starlink and shoot down Ukrainian drones.

Leaked Documents Show Russia Bought Chinese EW Kits to Beat Ukrainian Drones and Jam Starlink

Russia has reportedly procured Chinese electronic-warfare systems to counter Ukrainian drones, as per leaked Rostec documents.

united24media.com

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Anonymous @youranoncentral.bsky.social · 5h

Unbeknownst to most or long forgotten is that on October 8 and October 10, 2023; Hamas offered the same deal that’s being pitched as Trump’s “Gaza Peace Deal” which would have handed all hostages over to Israel in exchange for Israeli troops not entering the strip, Netanyahu refused the proposal.

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Rusudan Djakeli @rusudandjakeli.bsky.social · 6h

Rustaveli Avenue is blocked for the 316th night in a row. ✅

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 5h

www.nobelprize.org/prizes/liter...

Nobel Prize in Literature 2025

The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025 was awarded to László Krasznahorkai, “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

www.nobelprize.org

Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 5h

From this side of the Pond, it appears that you're descending into the Abyss...

Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 7h

So instead of having a SHORT term staffing problem, the Dept. of Transportation proposes creating a LONG term one... clever!

Reuters @reuters.com · 8h

US could dismiss air traffic controllers who fail to work during shutdown, transportation secretary says reut.rs/3VTmWn7

US could dismiss air traffic controllers who fail to work during shutdown, transportation secretary says

reut.rs

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 8h

As requested.

Label in red and white saying "This food contains gluten"

Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 8h

Looks like that UK-India trade deal has created an atmosphere conducive to getting some positive results for British industry.

Now keep an eye on how the UK reports it, and whether or not they give Starmer any credit.

UK Defence Journal @ukdefencejournal.org.uk · 11h

India has agreed to purchase £350 million worth of UK-manufactured air defence missiles and launchers, securing hundreds of jobs in Northern Ireland.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/india-to-buy...

India to buy £350m UK-made missiles in major defence deal

India has agreed to purchase £350 million worth of UK-manufactured air defence missiles and launchers, securing hundreds of jobs in Northern Ireland.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 8h

A site in NW Bohemia belonging to prehistoric hunters has yielded the remains of an astonishing *19* wooly mammoths, dating to about 24,000 years ago.

Story (from the Czech press) below.
An earlier, preliminary English article at english.radio.cz/mammoth-hunt...

#archaeology #mammoth #prehistory

Devatenáct mamutů v Ústí nad Labem. Archeologové vykopali světový unikát - Seznam Zprávy

Při běžném průzkumu kvůli stavbě se archeologové nestačili divit. Na severu Čech našli pozůstatky 19 mamutů z doby 24 tisíc let před naším letopočtem. Ústecký kraj k tomu chystá webovou stránku s 3D m...

www.seznamzpravy.cz

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Spooky 𝕋𝕚𝕞 🇨🇦 @qwertying.bsky.social · 10h

I'm a highly informed realist who has read the comment section. We're all doomed.

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Greg @gregularjoe.bsky.social · 1d

Well, I certainly did not have Max Rebo appearing on "Dancing with the Stars" on my 2025 Bingo card.

Max Rebo and the Modal Nodes performing "Cantina Band" from "Star Wars" on "Dancing with the Stars"

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Charlie Knight [they/them] | Editor / Author 📚 @cknightwrites.bsky.social · 18h

You know the voice in the back of your head that says no one wants to read your book?

Drown it.
Burn it with fire.
Get a bat and start swinging.

Don't let it exist and lie to you. Destroy it and keep writing.

Keep. Writing.

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Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · 13h

I made these for friends last year, but seeing if anyone else would be interested for xmas? They're painted plaster of paris, modelled from real arrowheads.

£35 a set incl. gift box, gift tag & 24hr SignedFor postage (sorry, can only do UK).

(... & there's more artefacts to come!)

#Archaeology 🏺

Rainbow coloured arrowheads on rainbow coloured ribbons.

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Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 13h

BREAKING: The National Union of Journalists describe the Conservative Party's banning of Byline Times journalists from covering their conference as a threat to media freedom which "undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech"

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/08/c...

Conservatives Accused of ‘Trumpian’ Tactics After Barring Second Byline Times Journalist From Conference

The National Union of Journalists described the bans as a threat to media freedom which "undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech"

bylinetimes.com

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Jo VanEvery @jovanevery.bsky.social · 14h

Just as an aside, if a Nobel prize winning scientist can take a vacation and put his phone on airplane mode while he does it, so can you.

He’s absolutely right. That email was not more important than his hike.

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 14h

See a fella, follow a fella! 🙂

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Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 15h

Not before time.
Russia only respects force; anything else is seen as weakness, and an invitation to continue - and increase - their provocations.

Nato weighs armed response to Vladimir Putin’s hybrid war

Defence alliance mulls easing restrictions on pilots to open fire on Russian aircraft

www.ft.com

Alastair Millar @skriptorium.info · 15h

Yes indeed. As you can see from my bio and banner, I'm already a #NAFO fella 😉