Phil Banting@philbanting

Christian, married to Miriam, @ChristChurchSPk comms, #LibDems, #Remain. Active in #Stirchley and beyond. IG @philbantingbrum @philbanting.bsky.social

 Birmingham, UK
banting-family.org.uk/
Joined June 2011
1,907 Photos and videos
Since Bluesky is trending... bsky.app/profile/philbanting…
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This is the time of the year when I update the family website with news and photos of the year's happenings, just when everyone is too busy to read it. Anyway, here it is, including a famous tower, 2 elections, music, art, hovercraft and spaaaaaaace! banting-family.org.uk/news_2…
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Blocking the pavement is not a great advert for "supported living" @badparkstirch @badlyparkedbrum
A white van completely blocking the pavement on Pershore Road. It is marked "ASPIRE: supported living CIC"

ALT A white van completely blocking the pavement on Pershore Road. It is marked "ASPIRE: supported living CIC"
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It looks as though the disruptive construction work on the road and pavement outside the new Lidl in #Stirchley is at last complete, and the pedestrian lights restored to use. But I don't fancy walking across the store entrance once cars and lorries start going in and out
View of a main road across the entrance of a Lidl supermarket which is still under construction. There is a pedestrian crossing, with lights, over the main road just beyond the entrance, but there is no protection for pedestrians who wish to cross the entrance itself

ALT View of a main road across the entrance of a Lidl supermarket which is still under construction. There is a pedestrian crossing, with lights, over the main road just beyond the entrance, but there is no protection for pedestrians who wish to cross the entrance itself

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Clifton Suspension Bridge: one of the many Twitter accounts I have cycled over
Clifton Suspension Bridge@brunelsbridge
11 Nov 2024
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Nice to see Bluesky trending. I'm at @philbanting.bsky.social, but there are millions of better reasons than that to move
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Replying to @EdwardJDavey
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Phil Banting retweeted
Bluesky
@bluesky
17 Oct 2024
you can block people on bluesky, and they won't be able to see your posts or interact with you bsky.app/download
The meme format of someone pointing with the text "If nobody got me, I know Bluesky blocks got me. Can I get an AMEN?" with a screenshot of Bluesky blocks

ALT The meme format of someone pointing with the text "If nobody got me, I know Bluesky blocks got me. Can I get an AMEN?" with a screenshot of Bluesky blocks

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I don’t remember ever going to the town square and being asked to upgrade to premium for a better town square experience
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I've just been shown an ad for a yoga sports bra, with the proud claim that it is wireless. Since I don't even own a wireless printer this might be a technological leap too far, but no doubt someone will find the feature useful.
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Found among the bound copies of Bournville Works Magazine (January 1926 edition) in Stirchley Library... this intriguing puzzle. The 3 Black pawns ready for promotion multiply the possibilities. I thought I had the solution but got it wrong! #ChessPuzzle
A chess puzzle, with 3 Black pawns on the 7th rank ready for promotion

ALT A chess puzzle, with 3 Black pawns on the 7th rank ready for promotion

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The February 1926 edition gives only the first move of the solution: Na1. This does not directly threaten mate but Black is in Zugzwang and any move (including underpromotion) allows mate by e.g. Qxd2, Nd1, Bg7, Rc2, Qc2, Qxb2 etc. Thoroughly deserving of that first prize.
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POV: You're on Mars, looking up at the night sky and you notice... 🌜⭐️ That's Phobos, one of Mars' two moons – and the tiny evening "star" to its right is Earth! It's the first time I've captured them together in a photo. #ObserveTheMoon
A vertically long image shows the Martian sky as seen from the perspective of the Curiosity rover. In the foreground is a small portion of a hill along the bottom half, while the vast sky and hazy hills in the distance take up the background. Toward the very top center-right are two translucent dots, one a crescent shape and the other a tiny dot. The crescent is Mars' moon Phobos and the dot is Earth. Toward the far left is a white-bordered inset image that shows a much larger closeup of Phobos to the left and Earth to the right.

ALT A vertically long image shows the Martian sky as seen from the perspective of the Curiosity rover. In the foreground is a small portion of a hill along the bottom half, while the vast sky and hazy hills in the distance take up the background. Toward the very top center-right are two translucent dots, one a crescent shape and the other a tiny dot. The crescent is Mars' moon Phobos and the dot is Earth. Toward the far left is a white-bordered inset image that shows a much larger closeup of Phobos to the left and Earth to the right.

A zoomed-in image shows the potato-shaped Martian moon Phobos alongside a tiny, pixelated whiteish-blue dot that is Earth against the blackness of space. These were as seen together in the Martian sky by the Curiosity rover.

ALT A zoomed-in image shows the potato-shaped Martian moon Phobos alongside a tiny, pixelated whiteish-blue dot that is Earth against the blackness of space. These were as seen together in the Martian sky by the Curiosity rover.

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Replying to @AlexanderJBrock
There needs to be an independent inquiry into @BhamCityCouncil with at least an interim report published before the 2026 local elections - Birmingham people have a right to expect this.
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Library love! Here’s a new poem by Brum poet Bradley Taylor celebrating Stirchley Library and all the librarians and library assistants who are at the heart of our public libraries. Yes, heart is definitely the right word… ❤️ @BrumLibraries @LibraryofBham
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Found my mother in reminiscent mood today... she spoke about visiting the war grave of my aunt's (by marriage) brother, and how impressed she was by the excellent design and condition of the cemetery. She was amazed that I was able to look up the details on the @CWGC website
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Hilary Hewitt died 2 months after D-Day and is buried near Caen, so I assume he was killed in the long and difficult campaign to break out of Normandy cwgc.org/find-records/find-w… My uncle and aunt often went on holiday in France, and would always visit his grave
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I'm not sure we're terribly "thrilled" with the Council's proposals but lots of ❤️ was shown for our libraries with a huge turnout at this morning's consultation at #StirchleyLibrary #BirminghamLovesLibraries
Two charts, part of the consultation, displayed on bookshelves in the Thriller section of Stirchley Library

ALT Two charts, part of the consultation, displayed on bookshelves in the Thriller section of Stirchley Library

A collection of cards and artwork showing appreciation for Stirchley Library, and libraries in general

ALT A collection of cards and artwork showing appreciation for Stirchley Library, and libraries in general

2 cards showing appreciation for Stirchley Library, and libraries in general

ALT 2 cards showing appreciation for Stirchley Library, and libraries in general
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A library is a “food bank for the brain” ❤️ Brilliant Brum author Lee Child championing his beloved Tower Hill Library which now faces closure by @BhamCityCouncil. Every Birmingham library contains a multitude of futures. Keep pushing back. Listen at 2:23 bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022km…

BBC Radio 4 - Today, 03/09/24 - Nick Robinson and Mishal Husain

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.

bbc.co.uk
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Phil Banting retweeted
BBC Radio 4 Today
@BBCr4today
3 Sep 2024
British author Lee Child - creator of action hero Jack Reacher - has described libraries as 'food banks for the brain' 📚 The best-selling writer, who's sold 100 million books, spoke to #R4Today after news that his childhood library in Birmingham could close under planned cuts.

BBC News

bbc.co.uk
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