Alastair Millar
@skriptorium.info
Translator & flash sf writer (BSFA); 🇨🇿/🇬🇧
Posts eclectically (current affairs, archaeology, words, writing)
❤️ travel, coffee, puns; 🚫 genAI; unsolicited DM = block
Happily married; he/him; 🏳️🌈/🏳️⚧️ ally; #NAFO fella; 🇺🇦 🇬🇪 🇬🇱
Links: https://linktr.ee/alastairmillar
Posts eclectically (current affairs, archaeology, words, writing)
❤️ travel, coffee, puns; 🚫 genAI; unsolicited DM = block
Happily married; he/him; 🏳️🌈/🏳️⚧️ ally; #NAFO fella; 🇺🇦 🇬🇪 🇬🇱
Links: https://linktr.ee/alastairmillar
Pinned
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
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
A burn for the ages. 🔥🔥🔥
WATTERS: “He passes me, screeches on the brakes, rolls down the window and says ‘F.U. FASCIST!’ — in my neighborhood! He doesn’t know I’m a fascist!”
@jessicatarlov.bsky.social: “Yes he does! You’re on TV.” 👀 🔥
@jessicatarlov.bsky.social: “Yes he does! You’re on TV.” 👀 🔥
February 11, 2026 at 5:37 AM
A burn for the ages. 🔥🔥🔥
With the current US regime, there is always, always a grift or an angle.
Now we learn the billionaire owner of a bridge that will compete w/the new Canada-MI bridge met with Lutnick right before Trump issued his threat to shut down the new bridge. The Trump admin is a lawless mafia gangster extortion racket existing to enrich oligarchs at our expense.
February 11, 2026 at 4:38 AM
With the current US regime, there is always, always a grift or an angle.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Now we learn the billionaire owner of a bridge that will compete w/the new Canada-MI bridge met with Lutnick right before Trump issued his threat to shut down the new bridge. The Trump admin is a lawless mafia gangster extortion racket existing to enrich oligarchs at our expense.
February 10, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Now we learn the billionaire owner of a bridge that will compete w/the new Canada-MI bridge met with Lutnick right before Trump issued his threat to shut down the new bridge. The Trump admin is a lawless mafia gangster extortion racket existing to enrich oligarchs at our expense.
Russia was perfectly fine with Starlink until a few days ago, when it stopped working for them 🤡
🤡 Iranian and Russian diplomats said Elon Musk's Starlink satellite constellation violates international law and blurs the line between commercial and military technologies, - Bloomberg
February 11, 2026 at 4:35 AM
Russia was perfectly fine with Starlink until a few days ago, when it stopped working for them 🤡
This article provides some good insights into the issues that need to be addressed regarding drone interception.
Also, note the numbers: Russia is still launching an average of 165 drones per night, every night.
Also, note the numbers: Russia is still launching an average of 165 drones per night, every night.
Ukraine's drone interception rate dropped from 96% to 82% last year as Russia doubled its strikes. One overlooked reason: mobilized troops don't get enough training before manning air defense systems.
euromaidanpress.com/2026/02/10/t...
euromaidanpress.com/2026/02/10/t...
February 11, 2026 at 4:33 AM
This article provides some good insights into the issues that need to be addressed regarding drone interception.
Also, note the numbers: Russia is still launching an average of 165 drones per night, every night.
Also, note the numbers: Russia is still launching an average of 165 drones per night, every night.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Given how much Nigel Farage hates working from home, it would be nice to see him turn up at his workplace a bit more regularly
February 10, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Given how much Nigel Farage hates working from home, it would be nice to see him turn up at his workplace a bit more regularly
Reposted by Alastair Millar
No-one seems to have noticed, but many of the core developments in the Mandelson/Epstein story these last few days have been broken on this website. @pickardje.bsky.social and @petergeoghegan.bsky.social are both posting each breaking development on BlueSky, not X.
February 10, 2026 at 11:40 AM
No-one seems to have noticed, but many of the core developments in the Mandelson/Epstein story these last few days have been broken on this website. @pickardje.bsky.social and @petergeoghegan.bsky.social are both posting each breaking development on BlueSky, not X.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Writers, is your creativity ajar? Don’t fret, nine days remain for you to knock it wide open and get your manuscripts of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and More into #SciFanSat before submissions close on February 19th at scifansat.com/landing.html!
#SFF #AmWritingScifi #AmWritingFantasy #WritingPrompts
#SFF #AmWritingScifi #AmWritingFantasy #WritingPrompts
February 10, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Writers, is your creativity ajar? Don’t fret, nine days remain for you to knock it wide open and get your manuscripts of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and More into #SciFanSat before submissions close on February 19th at scifansat.com/landing.html!
#SFF #AmWritingScifi #AmWritingFantasy #WritingPrompts
#SFF #AmWritingScifi #AmWritingFantasy #WritingPrompts
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Published author alumni of #SciFanSat: Don’t forget to vote for your favorite piece and author that you’d like to see win January's Bartleby B. Boar nomination! The peer poll is open for 10 more days before it closes at 11:59 PM EST on February 19th!
February 9, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Published author alumni of #SciFanSat: Don’t forget to vote for your favorite piece and author that you’d like to see win January's Bartleby B. Boar nomination! The peer poll is open for 10 more days before it closes at 11:59 PM EST on February 19th!
Okay, this song has been stuck in my head all morning, so obviously the right thing to do is get it stuck in other people's heads too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XlO...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XlO...
They Might Be Giants - Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by RHINO
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:38 AM
Okay, this song has been stuck in my head all morning, so obviously the right thing to do is get it stuck in other people's heads too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XlO...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XlO...
Reposted by Alastair Millar
To learn which questions are unanswerable, and not to answer them: this skill is most needful in times of stress and darkness.
February 10, 2026 at 7:30 AM
To learn which questions are unanswerable, and not to answer them: this skill is most needful in times of stress and darkness.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Mission (to destabilize a previously stable democracy) accomplished
We've had 5 new Prime Ministers since June 2016 Brexit referendum in 9 & a half years
- May (3 yesrs)
- Johnson (3 years)
- Truss (50 days)
- Sunak (20 momths)
- Starner (19 momths, 2 years by July)
Previous 5 PMs lasted 37 years,1979-2016
Average: 7
Thatcher 11
Major 7
Blair 10
Brown 3
Cameron 6
- May (3 yesrs)
- Johnson (3 years)
- Truss (50 days)
- Sunak (20 momths)
- Starner (19 momths, 2 years by July)
Previous 5 PMs lasted 37 years,1979-2016
Average: 7
Thatcher 11
Major 7
Blair 10
Brown 3
Cameron 6
February 9, 2026 at 4:44 PM
Mission (to destabilize a previously stable democracy) accomplished
I feel that given the current state of the world, this word deserves resurrection.
Mussitation. n.s. [mussito, Lat.] Murmur; grumble.
johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/mussita...
johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/1773/mussita...
February 10, 2026 at 4:33 AM
I feel that given the current state of the world, this word deserves resurrection.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Belocolus [bel-oh-KOH-lus]
(n.)
- A fabulous white stone with a black pupil, said to render its bearer invisible in a field of battle.
Use:
“He bar the belocolus, a stoon ful bright with a blak eye broodynge; and whil yren sang and blood bathed the erthe, men fel by a foe that no man might see.”
(n.)
- A fabulous white stone with a black pupil, said to render its bearer invisible in a field of battle.
Use:
“He bar the belocolus, a stoon ful bright with a blak eye broodynge; and whil yren sang and blood bathed the erthe, men fel by a foe that no man might see.”
February 9, 2026 at 9:23 PM
Belocolus [bel-oh-KOH-lus]
(n.)
- A fabulous white stone with a black pupil, said to render its bearer invisible in a field of battle.
Use:
“He bar the belocolus, a stoon ful bright with a blak eye broodynge; and whil yren sang and blood bathed the erthe, men fel by a foe that no man might see.”
(n.)
- A fabulous white stone with a black pupil, said to render its bearer invisible in a field of battle.
Use:
“He bar the belocolus, a stoon ful bright with a blak eye broodynge; and whil yren sang and blood bathed the erthe, men fel by a foe that no man might see.”
Trump is demanding part-ownership of a bridge entirely financed by Canada... even though it will be operated **under a joint ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada**.
Trump threatens to bar new US-Canada bridge from opening, demands talks with Ottawa reut.rs/4aKWDqj
Trump threatens to bar new US-Canada bridge from opening, demands talks with Ottawa
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to bar the new $4.7 billion bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario from opening, in his latest salvo against Canada over trade issues.
reut.rs
February 10, 2026 at 4:14 AM
Trump is demanding part-ownership of a bridge entirely financed by Canada... even though it will be operated **under a joint ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada**.
Trouble among the tech bros. Too bad, so sad.
Sam Altman Is Spiraling
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared on X that he thinks Anthropic's ads are "funny" — before posting a lengthy screed about how they're unfair.
futurism.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:59 AM
Trouble among the tech bros. Too bad, so sad.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
My thoughts on AI, after seeing a very liberal (and ostensibly pro-environment) friend post blatant AI slop as if it were cute...
February 9, 2026 at 4:42 AM
My thoughts on AI, after seeing a very liberal (and ostensibly pro-environment) friend post blatant AI slop as if it were cute...
Good. Europe needs to decouple more, for its own good.
🇪🇺 The EU has called for the "urgent" creation of alternatives to Visa and Mastercard to reduce dependence on the US.
According to Director General of the EU Banking Alliance, the dominance of US payment systems is a potential leverage point should transatlantic relations deteriorate.
According to Director General of the EU Banking Alliance, the dominance of US payment systems is a potential leverage point should transatlantic relations deteriorate.
February 9, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Good. Europe needs to decouple more, for its own good.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
What distinguished and delightful company to be in accepting novelettes without fees!
The Smart Search List of the Day is: Fee-Free Novelettes feat. @interzone.press @parisreview.bsky.social @reckoningmag.bsky.social et al. https://duotrope.com...
Smart Search List of the Day
The Smart Search List of the Day is: Fee-Free Novelettes feat. @interzone.press @parisreview.bsky.social @reckoningmag.bsky.social et al. https://duotrope.com/search/smart/fiction/fee-free-novelettes-5y1Vv34m
duotrope.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:03 PM
What distinguished and delightful company to be in accepting novelettes without fees!
Good news! I have secured a cover image for my next flash fiction collection (which will hopefully appear this autumn).
Since I point blank refuse to even appear to support the use of genAI, it's a photograph first published in 2021, and licensed from the photographer. 🙂
Since I point blank refuse to even appear to support the use of genAI, it's a photograph first published in 2021, and licensed from the photographer. 🙂
February 9, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Good news! I have secured a cover image for my next flash fiction collection (which will hopefully appear this autumn).
Since I point blank refuse to even appear to support the use of genAI, it's a photograph first published in 2021, and licensed from the photographer. 🙂
Since I point blank refuse to even appear to support the use of genAI, it's a photograph first published in 2021, and licensed from the photographer. 🙂
Ruzzians have started making props for the next Mad Max sequel, apparently!
🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣
What the hell???
This is a new russian vehicle designed to knock down incoming drones.
This is a new russian vehicle designed to knock down incoming drones.
February 9, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Ruzzians have started making props for the next Mad Max sequel, apparently!
🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣
I disagree with Chega's policies and views, but credit is due to Ventura for this comment in response to efforts to explain his defeat away:
“These are the results and I take full responsibility for them, and this country needs politicians who take responsibility.”
“These are the results and I take full responsibility for them, and this country needs politicians who take responsibility.”
Center-left António José Seguro was elected Portugal’s next president yesterday, defeating his far-right opponent by a two-to-one margin.
Center left beats far right to Portugal’s presidency
Former Socialist Party leader António José Seguro defeated far-right leader André Ventura to become the country’s next head of state.
politico.eu
February 9, 2026 at 8:40 AM
I disagree with Chega's policies and views, but credit is due to Ventura for this comment in response to efforts to explain his defeat away:
“These are the results and I take full responsibility for them, and this country needs politicians who take responsibility.”
“These are the results and I take full responsibility for them, and this country needs politicians who take responsibility.”
Probably the most concise description of current issues in the Middle East that you will come across.
Simple: War with Iran is mostly about Israel. As long as Israel remains expansionist, its project will be regionally rejected, leading it to define its security as regional hegemony - a state of 10 million dominating a region of half a billion. That’s impossible without the USA – thus forever war.
February 9, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Probably the most concise description of current issues in the Middle East that you will come across.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Remembir everye daye ys a goode daye to reach out to a friende and tell them how much you love them. Maybe buy them a booke. Bringe up an olde inside joke. All the sillye thinges and the serious thinges about friendeshippe, thei are all infinitelye valuable. Tyme spent thus wil nevir be regrettid.
February 9, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Remembir everye daye ys a goode daye to reach out to a friende and tell them how much you love them. Maybe buy them a booke. Bringe up an olde inside joke. All the sillye thinges and the serious thinges about friendeshippe, thei are all infinitelye valuable. Tyme spent thus wil nevir be regrettid.
Reposted by Alastair Millar
Pantea Arteshbod (559-529 BCE; fl. 539 BCE), was a Persian military commander during the reign of Cyrus The Great. She was one of several women to hold high ranking positions in the Persian army. #CelebratingWomen
February 8, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Pantea Arteshbod (559-529 BCE; fl. 539 BCE), was a Persian military commander during the reign of Cyrus The Great. She was one of several women to hold high ranking positions in the Persian army. #CelebratingWomen