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John-Paul Stephenson

@jpnewcastle.bsky.social
167 followers 162 following 286 posts

Newcastle upon Tyne HE Tutor and PGR, Social sciences. #SFHEA Mental Health First Aider. Former councillor; never again.

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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
It’s almost as if recidivism is quite a complex issue. Shane the BBC is only citing opinion here, ignoring the wealth of actual research.
bbc.co.uk
Early release scheme prisoner jailed days after leaving
Michael Bogle had said outside prison last week that "people like me" should not be jailed "for a long time".
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Brittin is a terrible appointment. The BBC — we — need someone who understands the principles of PSB and how it sets a standard. BBC needs a bit of a reset, but Brittin’s ambition is to increase YouTube’s dominance. I can guess who his next job will be for.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Haven’t booked yet, but Durham appears to be selling well, with about 5 months to go. Go us!
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Supply should also be an offence.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Those who would happily see the HE decline.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
*Grandma
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
While the museum clearly has its strengths, it’s not as good as it should be. Too much empty space; museum studies types probably justify its use as an elaborate crèche as ‘inclusion’ rather than more material objects. They’ll mates will nominate them for an MBE for messing it up.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Having visited on Sunday, sadly the @mediamuseum.bsky.social is below par. The Eurovision ‘exhibition’ is barely more than a few AV clips you could watch on YouTube.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
25% quicker than my average! Well done. Gave today a miss - got a cold and ‘hill-arious’ at Jesmond Dene would have finished me.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Yup, sitting cross-legged on the library floor sifting through the contents pages of journal volumes - discovering a relevant article was like discovering the lost arc of the covenant.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
The same people think they are being sooo clever by writing “none of the above”, without realising it can be used as evidence by all shades of the political spectrum that they need to go in a particular direction.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
I didn’t realise Paul Heaton was a guest.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Oh no. RIP Millie. X
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Reposted by John-Paul Stephenson
Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
People are always trying to entice introverts out of their comfort zone and "let their hair down" a little. Why doesn't anyone ever ask extroverts to calm down and shut the fuck up for a few minutes?
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
JD Vance
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I do see your point, and those “ideas” are more fantasy than a serious proposal. Of course, that means Citizenship Tests are also intelligence tests, with their inherent methodological biases. So, how can Reform be stopped?
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Preventing people from voting doesn’t seem a particularly healthy option in itself. But it would be nice to test, through multiple choice questions, objective knowledge before a vote is counted. Or, eligibility via a Citizenship Test for everyone.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Go iand ask a random sample in the street what a ‘civil servant’ is and does. Then you’ll see how much the general UK population know. They are not necessarily “thick”… we are a nation which condones and celebrates ignorance. (Which might “thick” in itself.)
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
At a large music gig, you also risk spending two hours with a bouncer in your field of vision.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
I got it 😂
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
@tpexpress.bsky.social 13:20 from York. You appear to have double-booked my reserved seat. The lady in mine appears to have the same seat on her ticket. Never any ticket inspectors when you actually need them.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
“None of the above” is something people who think they are being clever write on ballot papers. The problem with that is it can be interpreted by the far right or left to mean whatever they want.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
“Not eligible on single purchases” 😝
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Grrrr
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
They are too reactionary, promoting simplistic arguments which are incompatible with patrons of micropubs.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
The Guardian had an article about ‘finger princess’ (or ‘prince’) — someone whose time is apparently more delicate than anyone else’s so they expect others to look it up for them.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Caveat - cowboy firms with dodgy finance deals.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Dear BBC, This does not need a Breaking News alert. Love, Everyone.
BBC News breaking news alert captured from an iPhone.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Mmmm, I think you’ve got to get up and got to get out.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Enter the modern age.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
“Thank you for coming on, Donald.”
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
On the plus side, the investigation continues once it is back in parliament.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
These articles are just cynical social media engagement. What is needed, though, is for policy makers to to get out of their Oxbridge bubble and listen to what universities are like. Market pressure is a real problem.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
There’s also a recent Instagram sketch of musical theatre fans behaving like football fans on the tube.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
That would be better than increasing some chatter, or more pantomime antics (fun in moderation).
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
The ‘collecting litter’ thing is reasonably straightforward, but using the wrong type of weed killer, or encroaching on territory, can cause a civil war.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Council tax does not pay for infinite services. Until 2013, it was a much smaller fraction of LA’s income.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
A strong article from Simon.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
And it streams classic Brookside.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Read the IMDb user reviews for Carry on Henry, a film in which a woman is hunted on horseback, trapped in a shed, and assaulted. Its critics are “woke”, apparently.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
I went through this with Suzie at the beginning of the year. Treasure the time, and they will tell you when it’s time to part.
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Reposted by John-Paul Stephenson
Peter Sloman @pjsloman.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Fair play to John Healey, who managed to time his 5.5-week break from government to coincide exactly with the World Cup
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
The ‘candlelit’ film music concert I saw was good, just overpriced for what it was (compared to what the nearby Glasshouse offers). Competing bands/companies are struggling with competition, so I wonder if that is going on with OP. Particularly in the saturated James Bond market.
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Reposted by John-Paul Stephenson
Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
The licence fee is the biggest bargain in the UK. Not only do you get dozens of TV channels, radio stations, websites, apps, educational resources etc but it supports the infrastructure that enables all terrestrial TV.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Hope not. Takes me embarrassingly long enough as it is,
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
And if I have to stand too, I’m inevitably the one to get told off by someone.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Good to keep abreast of contemporary issues.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
That war was pointless because we found out who won in the opening minutes.
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Going either Friday or Saturday. Really enjoyed the book (Into the Deep was pants, tho’, so haven’t returned to Hawkins after that).
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John-Paul Stephenson @jpnewcastle.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
After the way Southgate was treated after Euro 2024, I’m almost glad Tuchel f***ed up.
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