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Mark Elliott

@thatmarkelliott.bsky.social

1.3K followers 520 following 8.2K posts

Cycling, music, political and other random ramblings. Work: language assessment/psychometrics/computer science in some order. Once drew trees and was told it was "better than felling them", which is a start, I guess. Views my own; cat photos will happen.

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · Jan 11

This is Hněvín Castle – a picturesque little Czech castle atop a hill, poking out above a sea of clouds. But what fairytale village lies beneath those clouds – are you perhaps already packing your bags to visit? If so, hold on for one moment before you do, for this is The Most 🧵. It will be long. 1/

A small Czech castle atop a hill. The castle has a large walled courtyard, dominated by a chateau-like building with a large lookout tower. The landscape is shrouded in low clouds, with the top of the hill just emerging. There are mountains in the distance. Photo from: https://hradhnevin.cz/en/

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

If only there were people who could go around and find out what the reality is, and then perhaps report on it back to everyone. They could even publish their reporting in print or online, and possibly even make a business out of keeping folk informed about what's happening in the world. If only.

From the New York Times:
"Comparative Calm or 'Hellscape'? In Portland, Depends on the Narrator."

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

No 😏

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

That's six countries! I'm being strict and only saying "yes" or "no" to a list of five,with a strict definition of "country"...

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

That's Mr Prof Dr to you, my Journal Coordinator friend, although I thank you for your generous discounted offer of only charging me 1,700 Singapore Dollars to publish in your esteemed journal.

Screenshot from an email:
"Dear Prof. Dr.,"

Reposted by Mark Elliott

Sal Cap0ne @salimotxo.bsky.social · 1d

Someone just mentioned 'dress sneakers' and I had to google them and I may never stop laughing

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

This is the natural endpoint of the evolution of "smart casual" - the cat of bad fashion decisions.

Reposted by Mark Elliott

couchtripper @couchtripper.com · 1d

#eggs #hats #etc

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

This reminds me of a good quiz question (which I'm sure you know the answer to): Depending on where you are in the UK, the nearest other country could be one of which five countries?

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

Grabledim havsem willbunt, ifterol se bed it.

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

We all do - it's all the others that don't...

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 1d

The lycra thing is reverse-engineered from a pre-existing hostility, though - as anyone who has been on any long/hard rides know, it's just the practical gear for what you're doing, like football kit for playing football - which doesn't attract the same derision because it's football, not cycling.

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Reposted by Mark Elliott

Tony in ‘t Veld-Brown @tonyivb.bsky.social · 1d

The automatic translation on this Dutch auction site occasionally throws up something quite poetic!
#LostInTranslation

Screenshot from the Troostwijk auction site showing a white bread slicing machine… the description says “Spronk and his bread slicer”

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 2d

This is very Czech.

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Excellent - and if we're going down the road of Mazzy Star obscuritana, may I recommend this slightly less melodious live cover of the Velvet Underground's "Heroin" by Opal, during the brief time when Hope Sandoval had become the singer but before they changed their name to Mazzy Star?

mazzystarmusic on Instagram: "Opal (with Hope Sandoval) - Heroin (the Velvet Underground) in Italy, 1988.My favourite VU song, I love this version so much. 🖤Vie…"

Opal (with Hope Sandoval) - Heroin (the Velvet Underground) in Italy, 1988.My favourite VU song, I love this version so much. 🖤

www.instagram.com

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Perhaps I should take this opportunity to point out that Manchego is one of my favourite cheeses.

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Delighted to make the Bluesky "España" list. Slightly confused as to why I have made the Bluesky "España" list, TBF, but delighted none the less. You take what comes your way in this world.

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Reposted by Mark Elliott

Rhapsody Angel @rhapsodyangel.bsky.social · 2d

There is asteroid called Moomintroll.

www.spacereference.org/asteroid/583....

Asteroid Moomintroll | Space Reference

www.spacereference.org

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 2d

This is even worse* than the Mazzy Star thing.

(*not musically, of course, on which note I'm going to link to a Mazzy Star song because why not)

Into Dust

YouTube video by Mazzy Star - Topic

www.youtube.com

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 2d

I wonder what the maximum sentence is for incitement to illegal use of the horn?

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 3d

This seems unnecessarily cruel.

Meet the young Tories dreaming of a bright blue future

The Conservatives know they have a problem with Gen Z voters. At the party conference, The Times met a new breed of activists who are embracing the challenge

www.thetimes.com

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 3d

#HarnessingSynergies

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 3d

We are now entering the era of "True Conservatism has never been tried".

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 3d

"Push for growth" - or because it's 2025 and frankly we all need another drink..?

Pubs to stay open until early hours in push for UK growth

Exclusive: Plans for England and Wales would help the ailing hospitality sector but have attracted criticism from health experts

www.theguardian.com

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Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 3d

This is the true divide in society - Tab Spammers v Tab Spartans. I'm not a Single Tabber - a couple each for Jupyter Notebooks, Overleaf, browser + things I've Gogled), but more and my brain melts down in panic. When someone shares a screen with 50-odd on Teams, it fills me with existential terror.

Dom White @domw.bsky.social · 3d

I don’t understand how it’s possible to have fewer than, say, 20 tabs open at all times.

There are just too many things on the internet that I’ll definitely get around to reading at some point!

YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 3d

How many browsing tabs do you typically have open?*

1: 6%
2-5: 54%
6-10: 14%
11-20: 8%
21-30: 2%
More than 30: 3%

*across all windows, on desktop/laptop

yougov.co.uk/topics/techn...

Mark Elliott @thatmarkelliott.bsky.social · 3d

Welcome to Cambridge

Luke Taylor MP @luketaylorld.bsky.social · 3d

British Transport Police's decision to not investigate bike thefts outside train stations where bikes have been left for more than two hours is really concerning. It could effectively decriminalise it.

Together with Lib Dem colleagues I've written to the BTP to get clarity.

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