Ceud Mìle Fàilte
Thank you for dropping-by, I hope you enjoy your visit. The main content is to be found in the blog, where I discuss everything and anything, but, topics including: photography, nature, technology, food, movies, music, politics, and life in the Highlands of Scotland, make regular appearances.
I commonly write reviews of movies (or films, if you prefer). Some movie reviews are short, others will be discussed in more detail. The scope covered will be mainly mainstream English language movies from the 1930s until the present day.
About me
My name is Iain MacDonald, and I live in the Highlands of Scotland (although I have lived elsewhere in the past). I use Fitheach as my online pseudonym, on this website, on Mastodon, and on Matrix. I am a big fan of Free & Open Source Software, which I use both professionally and at home.
Computing and technology tend to infuse themselves into my other interests, as once you learn some skills in one area it is convenient to use them to solve problems in other spheres.
When not tinkering with computers, I am likely to be found repairing things because living in the countryside you learn to be resourceful.
Of course, man doesn't live by SSH tunnels and kerosene vapour burners alone, so, food, as a subject, makes regular appearances, too.
My latest Life articles
My most recent ramblings can be found in the Life section.
My latest Mastodon posts
Mastodon is a microblogging app that is part of the decentralised web known as The Fediverse. See this article for more details.
Fitheach
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:39:04 +0000
I took the photo with my 'phone. It's a Sony Xperia 10 III. If you zoom into the photo you will see light speckles, all over the image. I suspect it is a sensor aberration caused by the bright lights and the dark background. Strange, as I've never seen this effect on my 'phone before.
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:26:57 +0000
There must be something in the human psyche that makes us adore coloured lights. It doesn't seem to matter whether it is natural, like aurora, or man-made, like this coloured fountain. We all seem to enjoy the spectacle.
Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:38:06 +0000
For some strange reason the Mastodon Web UI emoji selector has stopped working.
By chance, I started entering the text version of a smiley, which brought up a selector with four suggestions.
Thing is, I've no idea what the text equivalent of the "cloud with rain" emoji might be. 😉
Tue, 24 Feb 2026 22:00:22 +0000
Does anyone ever Save A Slug?
I very much doubt it.
The slug's gastropod relative the snail is much more likely to be rescued (see my previous Boost for the proper technique). The shell isn't just a convenient and safer home, it also enables handling without getting slimy.
Snails also look cuter.
Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:25:09 +0000
Whatever happened to the old-style food processors? The processor, pictured, is a Braun Multipractic 9 Deluxe Type 4259. It has the control and motor on the left, with the processing bowl on the right. This style of food processor doesn't seem to exist any more. Shame, I was wanting to buy one.
The modern-style has a vertical arrangement, with the bowl on top and the motor & controls below. My presumption is that many people have space constraints, so a vertical arrangement is more convenient.
Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:10:03 +0000
On yesterday's #DogWalk I came across this Crown Gall on a Silver Birch tree. These galls are tumours in the tree caused by infection from the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Although, I've read these tumours are benign, I wonder if it restricts the flow of water and nutrients in this tree's main trunk.
Yes, that is #Gruoch showing complete disinterest in my arboreal investigations.