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Bob Downie

@geomannie.bsky.social
105 followers 104 following 201 posts

Sometime geologist, fascinated by bicycles, cycling & digital map data, Twitter refugee. Lives happily on top of a drumlin, Glasgow. I post mostly on Mastodon but can be followed directly in BSky via @geomannie.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy .

PostsRepliesMedia
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Mark McIntyre @markjmcintyre.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
More exceptional cycling data coming out of Glasgow this week: 𝟳𝟰% 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰, showing how quickly the new infrastructure is having an effect. (Data from 88 fixed cycle counters around the city ➡️ www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/1587... #bikesky)
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Friends of Pollok Country Park @friendsofpollok.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Found Bag! If you have lost a Nyze bag around the play park today then it is in the possession of the Burrell Collection reception. #LostBag #PollokPark
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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A characteristically coruscating thread from Mr Snow.
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Leo Murray @crisortunity.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
One of the last projects I set in motion before I left @wearepossible.bsky.social has finally borne fruit: the School Run Cruncher! TL;DR? YES, it does indeed look like school run traffic to private schools is disproportionately responsible for morning rush hour congestion. You’re welcome!
wearepossible.org
Private schools, public pollution: the need to better understand school run congestion — Possible
The school run is one of the most visible sources of traffic in our towns and cities, with 25% of weekday morning car trips in London being trips to school. For many of us , it’s clear that roads that...
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 23/09/2026
Haven't seen a better AI explainer than this one (even if it somewhat overstates the AI safety stuff) www.instagram.com/reel/Ddlt1kR...
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Ash Oro @ashoro.co.uk · 22/09/2026
1/23 Sorry, this will be long... There is a lot of shouting about what happened in the Channel yesterday. So I want to go back to basic law. Not immigration policies or political rhetoric. At sea, the starting point is simple: Preservation of life comes first under all maritime conventions.
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Ross Greer (he/him) @ross-greer.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Credit to the Scottish Government for grasping the need to reform local government, but the starting point they published today leaves me with some major worries 🧵
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Naomi Smith @pimlicat.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
NEW MRP JUST DROPPED: All but four constituencies in GB support UK membership of the EU. In those four, the most popular option was 'Don't Know' (Ashfield, Clacton, Great Yarmouth and Boston and Skegness).
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Nicolas Hénin @nicolashenin.net · 17/09/2026
Nice campaign by the Norwegian Consumer Council about the declining lifespan of products. Enjoy!
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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
At this rate, the first pledge in Reform's manifesto is going to be a Trump-style power of prime ministerial pardons.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This is from the newsletter which has done most to uncover what's going on.
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
“Guys, they want us to go home.” 🔥 🇫🇷 French short film about what would happen to society if all the immigrants listened to angry old racist white men and left (aka the Republican agenda)
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
You can’t polish a turd, but you can roll it in a lot of turquoise sequins for £72m. Can’t wait to expose them.
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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
A fine example of car brain in action. For example, never any concern about the £4 billion to upgrade the last 83 miles of the A9 but feigned concern about the cost of getting people out of polluting/grid-locking cars and into buses. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2653951...
heraldscotland.com
Fears taxpayers will be left to foot bill after Glasgow Airport bus fare cut by £9
The inclusion of the Glasgow Airport Express in the new £2 bus fare cap has sparked concerns regarding its cost to taxpayers
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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Hi @deanowens1.bsky.social We bought tickets for your Berwick upon Tweed gig before the venue was announced. I now see that seating is limited. Eventbrite isn't being helpful. Can you get 4 seats reserved for us older folks? Only one seat would be great as 1 person has just had knee surgery. Thanks
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
NEW Why holding a placard is a terrorist act, while causing disruption in a balaclava is not The mess caused by ministers and the police not taking terrorism law seriously By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...

Recent events in England now reveal the practical difference between terrorists and protesters. It would seem that terrorists peacefully hold placards and get immediately arrested, while protesters wear black uniforms and balaclavas and disrupt infrastructure and do not get arrested.

How did we get into this mess? How have we placed ourselves in the position where terrorism legislation is used to detain and prosecute peaceful protesters, while those adopting the terror tactics of private armies seem to be free to do as they wish?

The reason is that for some time British politicians have not taken terrorism legislation seriously, and that ministers have got into the habit of misusing terror laws for easy targets.
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New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Occasional reminded that Dr Seuss — yes, that Dr Seuss — nailed the logic of appeasing fascists back in 1941. Might be handy if your local MP hasn't yet made it beyond that level of reading comprehension.
A small man with a happy expression is surrounded by monsters with legitimate concerns. Caption: "Remember... one more lollypop, and then you all go home!"
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Great piece by @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk That disabled guy's face contorted with rage is certainly one for the ages.
inews.co.uk
The image that will haunt Farage
Reform UK conference attendees attacking protesters could be a defining moment for the party
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Carlton Reid @carltonreid.com · 07/09/2026
“Hundreds of Far right protesters descend on the Channel Islands, 1940.” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Black and white photo of Nazi band marching through Guernsey with Lloyd’s Bank in background. Guardian screenshot:

Portsmouth
Hundreds of far-right protesters descend on Portsmouth after small boat arrival
Influencer livestreams event calling for men to travel to port to block coaches carrying asylum seekers from leaving
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David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Fresh evidence that car touchscreens are a giant step backwards for road safety: "For all tasks, the touchscreen was associated with increased visual distraction." doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
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Flight Free UK @flightfreeuk.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Nearly 1/4 of the way to our £10k target after just 4 days 🙌 Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated. Please help us inspire more climate action by donating today: donorbox.org/the-flight-f...
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Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Undercover footage verified by Channel 4 News reveals a secret plot by senior Reform UK figures to break the law on party donations. A leading legal expert is now calling for a criminal investigation. 🔗 Read the exclusive story on Substack:
channel4news.substack.com
Exclusive: Nigel Farage filmed undercover celebrating secret new foreign donations
Undercover footage verified by Channel 4 News reveals a secret plot by senior Reform UK figures to break the law on party donations. A leading legal expert is now calling for a criminal investigation.
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Dan Douglas @dandouglas.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
MAD KENNY: hello, i’m Mad Kenny. i have a litany of previous convictions and now i’m drunk and suicidal and i’m going to go out in a 160mph fireball THE JUSTICE SYSTEM: that’s okay, you can drive again in a few years
Footage shows a road menace grandad who threatened to cause carnage on the Coast Road before doing 125mph despite police repeatedly ramming him. Kenneth Davison
rang police at 8am on Wednesday April 8 this year telling a 999 call handler he was "Mad Kenny".
Behaving erratically and aggressively, the 61-year-old asked to speak to the officer in command. He said he was going to cause carnage on the Coast Road and said it needed to be closed because he was going to drive at 160mph and "go bang". He said he would "end it all" and asked for the road to be closed so no one else got hurt.Davison, of Ellington Close, Newcastle, who has 17 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to provide a specimen. He was sentenced to 14 months suspended for 18 months with 150 hours unpaid work, an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement for 120 days and was banned from driving for 30 months.
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thepissedoldlady.bsky.social @thepissedoldlady.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
If you haven't read this, you are missing out on the best plain-speaking summation of where we are and what we must demand as accountability. For if we don't, we are well and truly lost.
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Mark McIntyre @markjmcintyre.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
If you live near Glasgow, it's worth following GoBike if you don't already. Good reminder there's a survey on Pollok Park access (I've noticed cars are inching into more park space and Pollok Ave being used as a rat run - could be worth highlighting). www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PollokCoun...
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Kenny Brophy @urbanprehistorian.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Two (very likely) Neolithic axe fragments from the #CamphillDig26 site found in the past 24 hours. Nothing like this has been found in Glasgow for well over a century!
2 possible axe fragments from Camphill
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Dave McCraw @davemccraw.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Your statutory reminder that while Police Scotland don’t allow online reporting, the National Dash-cam Safety Portal is provided to UK police forces free of charge, we simply choose not to use it to avoid an embarrassing increase in recorded crimes
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Terrorism law is that special body of law which provides for rights and obligations over and above the general law of the land. Terrorism law should be credible and taken seriously. The ever-expanding nature of ‘terrorism’ offences is not taking it seriously. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Seven charged with damaging Trump’s Scottish golf course accused of ‘terrorist connection’
Course at Donald Trump’s Turnberry resort was painted with words ‘Gaza is not 4 sale’ and clubhouse was sprayed with graffiti
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History of Geology @historyofgeology.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In the early morning hours of August 26, 2026. a large and incredible fast debris flow #flooded the narrow valleys in the border area of #Tibet/Nepal. There was much speculation at first what happened, with many sites eager to report & getting details wrong ...
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Shivaji Shiva @shivajishivalaw.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A reminder to all those flooding my timeline with helmet talk ... road.cc/content/news...
road.cc
Chris Boardman: "Helmets not even in top 10 of things that keep cycling safe"
British Cycling policy advisor Chris Boardman says it’s time for the cycling community to put the debate about mandatory cycle helmets to bed and get across the message that helmet use is one of the least important cycling safety measures.Even talking about making helmets mandatory “massively puts people off” cycling, Boardman said, and likened the ... Read more
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Bob Downie @geomannie.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 26/08/2026
More than 20,000 people have writen to the First Minister calling for an urgent moratorium on hyperscale data centres in Scotland. Please add your voice. #Scotland #AI #datacentres #aidatacenters greens.scot/datacentres
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New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Final call for the latest blog post. I promise you that it is very nearly a less boring topic than it sounds.
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Cab Davidson @gnomeicide.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
We can solve this. Pass a law saying that a social media platform thats algorithm driven is a publisher and liable for whats on the site like any other publisher, only "choose your own adventure" sites that are non-altorighmically driven are exempt. This solves -virtually- all social media issues
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Angry People in Local Newspapers @apiln.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
APILN Classics present: The time Diane soiled herself in fear over London terrorists coming to Grimsby (Or you could just read it here: m.facebook.com/story.php?st...)
Direct train to London from Grimsby and Cleethorpes back on track

Diane
Dont think u will be saying its good when terrorists from london get on train and come to grimsby bad idea my opinionJanuary 2020, and good news at last for the people of Lincolnshire where there were high hopes that they could take a direct train to London and back.
But there would be a price to pay, warns Diane, in the form of terrorists coming up to the town to unleash their very own brand of havoc, whatever that might be. Currently, due to a lack of much-needed upgrades at Market Rasen, the bad guys have to change at Lincoln, and they ain't got time for that shit.
A direct service would mean wrong'uns taking advantage of a complimentary trolley service in First Class, comfortable reserved seating with anti-macassars and free laptop charging, arriving at Grimsby ready and refreshed to do Bad Things. A nightmare scenario, I'm sure you'll agree. Worse, Diane would be all over the media coverage saying "I told you so".
There is still no direct train from London to Grimsby because money, so stand down, Diane.
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Geologists and evolutionary biologists do not have to debate creationists. Astronomers do not have to debate pre-Copernican theories of the heavens. Doctors do not have to debate anti-vax nuts. Climate scientists do not have to debate industry-funded deniers. All that goes for racists times ten.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
HG Wells is alleged to have remarked "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race”. You could see this shocking chart as an index of civilisation. A country which gets this issue so badly wrong is likely to fail in many other ways.
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roterote @roterote.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Here is the full suspension letter from UGent that was sent to Nathan Cofnas, it shows ample reason for his suspension and potential termination. Including breach of contract, using the University of Ghent’s name and legitimacy to promote his racial supremacist views and causing reputational damage.
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#CarbonReckoning (Andrew Boswell) @drandrewboswell.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
🧵 👇 on this great clip "UK is only 1% of emission so let's not bother with climate action". No, think of CO2 as litter or poo, and it does not make sense. #CarbonReckoning fare share legal case says we must take fair share in clearing up 👉 www.crowdjustice.com/case/carbon-... 🧵👇👇
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Friends of Pollok Country Park @friendsofpollok.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
From Glasgow City Council: Please take part in a consultation about Pollok Country Park to tell us how you use the park, how you get there, and what you think of it. Have your say 👉 smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PollokCountryParkAccessSurvey #KeepPollokParkBeautiful #PollokPark
smartsurvey.co.uk
POLLOK COUNTRY PARK ACCESS SURVEY
Please take the time to complete our survey. Your feedback is important.
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Real Gaz on a proper bike: gazza_d@toot.bike @gazza-d.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I would also like to see lights fitted as standard to all cycles. Cycle lights should meet the German StvZO standard. None of this single tiny led crap or torches spewing light. German lights have focussed beams like car lights. Flashing lights should also be banned as they are in the StvZO regs.
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Andy Wightman @andywightman.scot · 19/08/2026
BLOG on the controversy over the dues demanded by the owner of the Kylerhea Ferry rights. andywightman.scot/2026/08/ferr...
andywightman.scot
Ferry Rights and the Skye Ferry - Land Matters
The image above appeared on the front cover of the Sunday National on 16 August 2026. The story highlighted the ongoing charges faced by the Isle of Skye Ferry CIC, the community company that operates...
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Bob Downie @geomannie.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
We need to show rightwing newspapers that actions have consequences. Please add your name: goodlawproject.org/petition/jas...
goodlawproject.org
Jason Arday: Demand a public inquiry now | Good Law Project
Commission an immediate public inquiry into how to ensure a responsible press given its contribution to Dr Arday’s tragic death.
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hannah @hannahkateboast.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Wow! Some good news! ✊
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Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Unsurprisingly, inhaling weird chemicals into lungs designed for air damages them. And while we wait for the evidence to accumulate, vapes are still being marketed at children - sweet scents, bright packaging. This consultation is positive - but let’s see some action! www.gov.uk/government/n...
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Brynley Heaven @brynleyheaven.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Lincolnshire cycle stand
bbc.co.uk
'Bike stand' crack highlights issues on Lincolnshire roads
A cyclist illustrates the extent of damage to a road in Lincolnshire caused by the recent heatwaves.
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The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
A European TV journalist has called out the BBC, accusing it of 'selective' reporting on Glasgow that shows the city through 'the darkest lens' 👇 www.thenational.scot/news/2...
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Jon Owen @anotherjon.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I'm going to give the last word on Carbon and Capture and Storage to The Juice Media, whose hilarious and well-informed skit is definitely worth five minutes of your time: youtu.be/MSZgoFyuHC8?...
youtu.be
Honest Government Ad | Carbon Capture & Storage
YouTube video by thejuicemedia
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Parents For Future #EndFossilFuels 🪧🛢️❌ @parentsforfuture.de · 14/08/2026
"They're selling snake oil again. Carbon capture is a pseudo-technology that's designed to maintain the status quo. It barely exists outside a laboratory, but whole swathes of academics still continue to work on it. Almost no one is working on radical emissions reductions for climate emergency."
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Tanita Tikaram @tanitatikaram.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
White professor ‘ MattGPT ‘ whose most recent book contained fabricated quotations, non-existent source references, & left ChatGPT URLs accidentally embedded in footnotes is sad about Jason Arday’s death but still wants Arday & all black academia held to higher standards than his own writing .
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PeatWorrier @peatworrier.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Circling back round to legal crowdfunding, Glaswegian man launches new £50,000 legal CrowdJustice campaign seeking support to sue Tommy Robinson for defamation. www.crowdjustice.com/case/tommy-r...
crowdjustice.com
HOLDING TOMMY ROBINSON TO ACCOUNT
I never expected to end up here. Tommy Robinson's accusation about me, a Glaswegian dad, went viral before it was ever checked - and I'm not willing to just let that stand, or let him do it again.
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