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Laurie Barton

@bartollengua.bsky.social
359 followers 321 following 107 posts

Research admin; Dad; Autistic; Politics; languages; egalitarian currently NE England; preferably in a forest somewhere

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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
That's a pretty depressing & stark, though hard to gainsay, verdict on the status of the war in Ukraine. newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...
newleftreview.org
Anatol Lieven, Mutual Delusion — Sidecar
The war in Ukraine.
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Natalie Bennett @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
In a small Czeck market town, an artist is on the way to covering the entire rail station subway with murals. We need far more #PublicArt like this in the UK - vastly better than adverts
Chocun train station sign and artist painting a wall
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Legend www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Man makes 1,700-mile round journey to save rare phone box on Scottish island
William Arnold made 52 calls from the phone box part of a project to save phone lines in rural areas.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
FFS, Newcastle..🤦🏼‍♂️😞 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Man's bike stolen in Newcastle after Land's End to John O'Groats cycle
Christoph Held said people were "so friendly" during his journey up Britain.
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Chauman @chaudman.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
This remains the greatest video on the internet. youtu.be/aGguPXnnw6E?...
youtu.be
Black history month on BT sport
YouTube video by Sultan Iqbal
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Time is tight. www.sunderlandecho.com/news/the-sto...
sunderlandecho.com
Campaigners make last-minute push to save Glass Centre with celebration and service
Campaigners hoping to save the National Glass Centre have marched through Sunderland less than a week before the riverside site is due to close.
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𝕯𝖆𝖓🍂🎃🕸️ @arepublic86.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Well, where is he? If he's dead, we should know this.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
That was quite a drop-off.... www.maptap.gg July 23 100🎯 100🎯 100🎯 100🎯 49🫣 Final score: 847
maptap.gg
🎯MapTap Daily Geography Game
Play MapTap - the daily geography game! Find 5 world locations on a 3D globe with historical stories. Free browser-based daily game for geography lovers.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
www.maptap.gg July 15 100🎯 100🎯 99🎯 96🔥 100🎯 Final score: 986
maptap.gg
🎯MapTap Daily Geography Game
Play MapTap - the daily geography game! Find 5 world locations on a 3D globe with historical stories. Free browser-based daily game for geography lovers.
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Sam Gad Jones @samgadjones.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
New joy unlocked: reading about Count Binface - Graf Mülltonnengesicht, comte Face de Poubelle, il conte Binface etc etc - in European papers.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
The Belgians and English absolutely robbing the African nations, surely not.
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Ellie Mae O'Hagan @elliemaeohagan.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
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Buck Frexit @beany.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Ten years ago today the whole country and its future were sacrificed on the altar of Boris Johnson’s ego, David Cameron’s stupidity and Nigel Farage’s prejudice. A decade thrown away and a nation left angrier and poorer. Thanks, you absoute pricks.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
www-chroniclelive-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.chro...
www-chroniclelive-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org
Durham Women saved from extinction as South Shields chairman Geoff Thompson buys club
The WS2 club needed to find a buyer or investor in 21 days
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
A rather gentler day today. www.maptap.gg May 12 100🎯 97🔥 99🎯 97🔥 98🎯 Final score: 980
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Yarwanaw @yarwanaw.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
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John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
A fellow Labour Party member once described Wes Streeting to me as Zippy from Rainbow if he'd been radicalized by Mumsnet. which is a very specific set of references but also disturbingly accurate.
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Sheffield Green Party @sheffgreenparty.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Ruth Abbey has been newly elected to Manor Castle ward. Congratulations, Ruth, we couldn't be more excited and proud of you! 💚🌱🌳 You're going to be an amazing councillor.
Local Elections 2026

Introducing Ruth Abbey, your new Green Councillor

Sheffield Green PartyManor Castle
Ruth Abbey
I'm Ruth Abbey, your local Green campaigner in Manor Castle. I've lived here since 2011 and bring experience from working in the NHS, higher education and Citizens Advice. I volunteer at S2 Food Bank as a debt mentor and have run a food collection for three years, raising hundreds of kilograms of food for vulnerable residents. I've worked with residents on cost of living pressures and the loss of local facilities like playgrounds and green spaces.
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 03/05/2026
We have an *extremely* important announcement to make. From Wednesday, we will be launching our puffin live cam, coming to you from the Farne Islands. So you can watch puffins all day long. In celebration, please enjoy this clip of puffins being really busy for 39 seconds straight.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Listen to The Other Side by Public Service Broadcasting on Qobuz open.qobuz.com/track/259554...
open.qobuz.com
Open Qobuz
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Tim Morton @timmorton2.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
On physicians and nomenclature. I spotted this in Halford Street, Leicester a year ago. Turns out it is named after the Old Queen’s medic, not to mention three old kings.
An orange metal sign stand in a street. There is a bicycle locked to a bike stand. There are photos on the sign in black and white police officers on penny farthings, a distinguished Victorian man and some shop fronts.

CHANGING PASTS
Halfords
The Story of Leicester want to discover more about Leicester's
2,000 year history? Look out for the heritage panels all over the city:
Each chapter in the city history in colour  code
more on
www.storyofleicester.infoClose up of panel text

CHANGING PASTS
Halfords
A Royal Name
Halfords, the well-known retailer of motoring and cycling products and services, takes its name from Leicester's Halford Street. The street commemorates Sir Henry Halford (1766 - 1844) from. Wistow in south Leicestershire; who was physician extraordinary to King George'll, then physician in ordinary to his three successors.
George V, William.JV, and Queen Victoria.
The company was founded by Frederick Rusheliffe, an ironmonger trom Birmingham. In 1902, he opened a branch at 9 Halford Street in Leicester, calling it the Halford Cycle Stop, an extension of his own recreational interest in cycling. This proved so successful, that, by 1906. he also transformed his nine existing shops in Birmingham into cycling shops. He called his new business Hallords
Leicester - A Cycle Hub
The Industral Revolution made the mass production of bicycles possible by merging the traditional skills. of blacksmiths, with the new
mechanical techniques of ironworkers.

Cycling became extremely popular in the Victorian period for trayel, recreation, and for sport. Races around Abbey Park and Vicioria Park attracted huge crowds.
Making bicycles was big business in Leicester. Henry Curry, the founder of electronics retailer Currys, started his company in 1884 making and selling bicycles in Halford Streef, near to where the Curve Theatre now stands, Walter E Sturgess started the Sturgess Motor Group in 1897 by manufacturing bicycles, including a unique "recumbent bicycle", at his shop in Cranmer Street, off the Narborough Boad.
Legacy
Halfords expanded rapidly growing to 100 stpres by 1931, and 300, stores. by 1968. Although the company subsequently changed ownership a number of times, it's retained its original name right up to today. in 2024 the chain runs over 400 stores, and 250 Halfords Autocentrés, across the UK and Ireland. These Autocentres provide vehicle servicing and maintenance, MOTs, and car ropairs.
The Story of Leicester
…
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
www.durham.gov.uk/article/3526...
durham.gov.uk
News-Pride in Place programme to start in Spennymoor - Durham County Council
Regeneration of a County Durham town has been given the green light, as funding is released to start investment.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... What a great idea, good luck to him! Can hardly believe the bastards targeting him while he's out supporting the community, though...
bbc.co.uk
Wythenshawe amputee, 72, using bus pass to travel from John O'Groats to Land's End for charity
Barry Mackleston is attempting to get from John O Groats to Land's End using just his bus pass.
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
'The surging number of redundancies in UK higher education could undermine entire research fields as networks of collaborators disappear, according to an academic whose project fell through when a colleague’s job at another institution was put at risk.' 1/2
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
''Five minutes after selfie with running mates I was dying'
Fitness instructor Grant Williams's heart stopped for eight minutes before he was revived.
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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Anyway, there's nothing like a war in the Middle East to remind us why we need renewable energy. More solar, wind, tidal and wave power please!
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Prof. Liz Oakley-Brown @earlymodlancs.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Solidarity with colleagues at Durham Durham University staff start industrial action in workload row - BBC News share.google/dFdh9caLfjIN...
share.google
Durham University staff start industrial action in workload row
Durham University says the action, which could last for six months, is
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Rebel with a Cause @rebelwithacause2.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
REGULATIONS = PROTECTIONS FOR AMERICANS, HUMANS, EARTH DEREGULATIONS = ALLOWING CORPORATIONS TO HARM AMERICANS, HUMANS, EARTH
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/whe...
mcsweeneys.net
When It Happens
Our 14th most-read article of 2025. - - -It’s been so long, you sometimes forget that eventually, IT will HAPPEN. It’s impossible to say when IT w...
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Glennyrodge @glennyrodge.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Hats off to whoever did this (and the beautiful model).
One of those captcha things. This one says ‘select all images with bicycles. Click verify once there are none left’. There are 9 squares  - 4 contain photos of bicycle seats, with the remaining 5 showing the beautiful head and face of a grey greyhound with a white stripe going from the top of their head to the tip of their nose.
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NakedPastor @nakedpastor.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
This cartoon I drew the other day sold, so I've made prints available for you. Just search the title I'm Not Mad At You. Please remember that part of the proceeds of all my art goes towards social justice people and organizations.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
The always excellent David Squires - with a laudable ending to this week's offering. www.theguardian.com/football/pic...
theguardian.com
David Squires on … the magic of the Cup as Macclesfield dethrone Crystal Palace
Our cartoonist looks back on a glorious day for the non-league side as they knocked out the FA Cup holders
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Alastair #FBPE 🇪🇺🇵🇸 🇺🇦🇨🇦 @alastairh4h.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
#BoycottFIFA2026 It's time. The USA is a rogue nation and it's not safe any anyone to travel to. The footballing world needs to take a principled stand and not send their teams to play.
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Julia Rose Kraut @juliarosekraut.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
"Ohio" (1971) - written by Neil Young in reaction to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970. Performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. 🗃️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_9...
youtube.com
Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Music And Song Courtesy:Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
YouTube video by peaceandfreedom2011
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Ed BooOOooOOmila @edburmila.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
It takes an enormous amount of courage to stand there, keep filming, and scream "What the fuck, you asshole" at someone wearing a badge who just shot and killed one of your neighbors in cold blood.
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progesterin @erinys.uwu.lgbt · 03/01/2026
hey remember when a bunch of middle-aged drunk korean lawmakers climbed the locked gates to the national assembly to hold an emergency session after the president gave illegal orders to the military, all of which ended with said president being sentenced to prison
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Jana Bacevic 🌲🌳✊🏴 @unsocialtheory.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
Dear Liberals, I strongly encourage you to check what other "he would never!" <shocked opossum meme> thoughts you had, and to start acting as if yes, he may well. Now.
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Jim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · 02/01/2026
This does seem just a little bit bad! Idk the sort of thing you’d think politicians might distance themselves from or something!
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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Happy New Year, everyone! This is a @theguardian.com books cartoon from a few years ago.
Title: New year's resolution 

A man sits at a table with a coffee writing in a notebook: “This year i will devote myself completely to reading serious, improving literature, forsaking easy pleasures and tirelessly seeking out truth and profundity in the work of the greatest writers.”

He looks at it
Says: Hmm... 
then “Scratch Scratch Scratch scratch” scribbles out words until the text reads: “This year I will read for Fun”
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Janine Gibson @janinegibson.ft.com · 26/12/2025
there is no spoon
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
The Telegraph highlighting - yet missing - two vital points here. 1) We're not calling for £476m to be spent. It already is - this is about diverting it to actually helping. 2) Why "cruelty" in question? The £476m we're spending is part of an operation tear gassing babies.
Zack Polanski: spend £400m on kindness to channel migrants.
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
What sad news to read just as I am, indeed, Driving Home For Christmas. The Northeast may not miss me for a few days, but it will certainly miss Chris Rea. #Teesside #classic
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Indeed www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Singing at school shouldn't just be for Christmas, teachers say
New data suggests singing is much more common in primary and private schools than in state secondaries.
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Zoe Gardner @zoejardiniere.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
As we look fwd to Christmas dinner, remember the migrant workforce who make it all possible on our farms, picking & processing our food🎄 These workers should be protected from exploitation but restrictive visa conditions make them vulnerable- @focusonlabour.bsky.social looks at solutions:
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Alison Stenning @alisonstenning.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Excited to see Baltic is planning a Tish Murtha exhibition for 2026 - baltic.art/whats-on/XqK...
baltic.art
Tish Murtha & Kuba Ryniewicz - Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
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Laurie Barton @bartollengua.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
If you get a few minutes spare, check this out: Good coverage #SacredHarp #ShapeNote abcnews.go.com/US/video/tra...
abcnews.go.com
Video The tradition of 'Sacred Harp' music lives on in the South
More about community than religion, Senior National Correspondent Steve Osunsami profiles the unique hymns and peculiar harmonizing of a style of folk singing that draws adherents from all religions.
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