Michael Zaharis
@michaelzaharis1.bsky.social
Aerospace, motorsport, informed opinion
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
“Ah, just one more thing, sir. You’re blowing up those boats, saying they’re filled with drugs headed for the US. But then you go and pardon the guy who brought in 400 tons of cocaine. That’s billions of doses. Help me understand that.”
November 30, 2025 at 3:25 AM
“Ah, just one more thing, sir. You’re blowing up those boats, saying they’re filled with drugs headed for the US. But then you go and pardon the guy who brought in 400 tons of cocaine. That’s billions of doses. Help me understand that.”
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
hey guys i made a seasonal meme
November 22, 2025 at 5:41 AM
hey guys i made a seasonal meme
I visited the 100" telescope at Mt. Wilson it a couple years back, where I believe this photo was taken. It was very moving to see the telescope that, maybe more than any other since Galileo's first crude one, told us of our place in the universe.
VAR!
In the early morning hours #OTD in 1923, Edwin Hubble took a photo plate of M31 that showed a Cepheid variable star.
Using Henrietta Swan Leavitt’s distance-luminosity relationship, Hubble concluded that M31 is another galaxy outside the Milky Way. 🧪 🔭 ⚛️
Image: Carnegie Observatories
In the early morning hours #OTD in 1923, Edwin Hubble took a photo plate of M31 that showed a Cepheid variable star.
Using Henrietta Swan Leavitt’s distance-luminosity relationship, Hubble concluded that M31 is another galaxy outside the Milky Way. 🧪 🔭 ⚛️
Image: Carnegie Observatories
October 7, 2025 at 1:44 AM
I visited the 100" telescope at Mt. Wilson it a couple years back, where I believe this photo was taken. It was very moving to see the telescope that, maybe more than any other since Galileo's first crude one, told us of our place in the universe.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Northern Ireland man from Lisburn kidnapped by Trump’s Ice raids because he “looked like a Mexican”. He had the correct visa, all his documents. He’s never been in trouble with police.
Held in terrible conditions. A fellow captive couldn’t get his medication and dropped dead of a heart attack
Held in terrible conditions. A fellow captive couldn’t get his medication and dropped dead of a heart attack
Horrors of Trump detention centre: Lisburn man tells his story after arrest for 'looking like a Mexican'
Lee Stinton was lifted by US immigration police on an American street — in an incident he compared to a kidnapping.
Here, he tells us his story.
Lee Stinton was lifted by US immigration police on an American street — in an incident he compared to a kidnapping.
Here, he tells us his story.
September 10, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Northern Ireland man from Lisburn kidnapped by Trump’s Ice raids because he “looked like a Mexican”. He had the correct visa, all his documents. He’s never been in trouble with police.
Held in terrible conditions. A fellow captive couldn’t get his medication and dropped dead of a heart attack
Held in terrible conditions. A fellow captive couldn’t get his medication and dropped dead of a heart attack
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Evolution (abridged)
September 10, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Evolution (abridged)
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
My parents took me out of a country where this was the norm and where it led to the execution and imprisonment of millions of innocent people. They brought me here, to America, believing that it would not happen here. And yet here we are.
September 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
My parents took me out of a country where this was the norm and where it led to the execution and imprisonment of millions of innocent people. They brought me here, to America, believing that it would not happen here. And yet here we are.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
The White House Press Secretary, the official spokesperson for the Trump administration, told reporters in an official briefing that the president wants to invade "every Democrat-run city" with troops.
Any media still pretending that this is about "crime" is making a conscious choice to lie to you.
Any media still pretending that this is about "crime" is making a conscious choice to lie to you.
Leavitt: "These are the bad guys that we are picking up in Washington DC every day. The president would love to do this in every Democrat-run city across the country."
September 10, 2025 at 11:35 AM
The White House Press Secretary, the official spokesperson for the Trump administration, told reporters in an official briefing that the president wants to invade "every Democrat-run city" with troops.
Any media still pretending that this is about "crime" is making a conscious choice to lie to you.
Any media still pretending that this is about "crime" is making a conscious choice to lie to you.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
As we all know, the American Revolution was fought to ensure the chief executive could impose taxes without representation.
August 30, 2025 at 6:27 PM
As we all know, the American Revolution was fought to ensure the chief executive could impose taxes without representation.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Scientists of Bluesky, introduce yourselves by replying to this post and I’ll share it and help you get some followers!
I’m David, I’m based in DC and study shark ecology and conservation policy. I’m the author of “Why Sharks Matter.”
🧪🦑🌎🐠🦈
I’m David, I’m based in DC and study shark ecology and conservation policy. I’m the author of “Why Sharks Matter.”
🧪🦑🌎🐠🦈
August 20, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Scientists of Bluesky, introduce yourselves by replying to this post and I’ll share it and help you get some followers!
I’m David, I’m based in DC and study shark ecology and conservation policy. I’m the author of “Why Sharks Matter.”
🧪🦑🌎🐠🦈
I’m David, I’m based in DC and study shark ecology and conservation policy. I’m the author of “Why Sharks Matter.”
🧪🦑🌎🐠🦈
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
I just realized it's been over a month since I last posted this graphic. This gives a variety of running averages for the global temperature anomaly compared to the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline over timespans from a single day to the last two years.
tl;dr ~ we're still f&%ked.
tl;dr ~ we're still f&%ked.
August 21, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I just realized it's been over a month since I last posted this graphic. This gives a variety of running averages for the global temperature anomaly compared to the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline over timespans from a single day to the last two years.
tl;dr ~ we're still f&%ked.
tl;dr ~ we're still f&%ked.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
A United States Senate investigation has identified more than 500 credible reports of human rights abuses in US immigration detention since January, including alarming allegations of mistreatment of pregnant women and children.
Senate Probe Uncovers Allegations of Widespread Abuse in ICE Custody
Led by US senator Jon Ossoff, the investigation cites hundreds of reports since January, including accounts of miscarriages, child neglect, and sexual abuse at ICE detention centers in dozens of state...
www.wired.com
August 19, 2025 at 5:19 PM
A United States Senate investigation has identified more than 500 credible reports of human rights abuses in US immigration detention since January, including alarming allegations of mistreatment of pregnant women and children.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
new analysis from the new yorker tries to estimate how much trump has made during his time in politics: $3.4 billion
August 12, 2025 at 9:12 PM
new analysis from the new yorker tries to estimate how much trump has made during his time in politics: $3.4 billion
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
🚨Now that the men imprisoned by the Trump admin in El Salvador are free, their stories are coming out; and they are horrific.
One man describes how Salvadoran officials at the prison beat them regularly, stole money from them, and denied them medical care — even painkillers.
One man describes how Salvadoran officials at the prison beat them regularly, stole money from them, and denied them medical care — even painkillers.
July 23, 2025 at 4:45 PM
🚨Now that the men imprisoned by the Trump admin in El Salvador are free, their stories are coming out; and they are horrific.
One man describes how Salvadoran officials at the prison beat them regularly, stole money from them, and denied them medical care — even painkillers.
One man describes how Salvadoran officials at the prison beat them regularly, stole money from them, and denied them medical care — even painkillers.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Took a week off because I was in DC for the Pluto conference, but my weekly radio show, The Search for Planet 9, is back today at 12 pm PT/3 pm ET! We've got some indie classics today, so tune in here: 1190.radio
KVCU Radio 1190 – 1190 AM Boulder & 92.9 FM Denver
1190.radio
July 23, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Took a week off because I was in DC for the Pluto conference, but my weekly radio show, The Search for Planet 9, is back today at 12 pm PT/3 pm ET! We've got some indie classics today, so tune in here: 1190.radio
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
The experience with Iran and Russia makes it abundantly clear: while oil sanctions are good for restructuring oil flows around geopolitical relationships, they fall short on changing state behavior.
With implications for US-China.
My latest for @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/23/o...
With implications for US-China.
My latest for @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/23/o...
Why Oil Sanctions No Longer Work
Oil sanctions have failed to deliver results with Iran and Russia. It would be a mistake to try them with China.
foreignpolicy.com
July 23, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The experience with Iran and Russia makes it abundantly clear: while oil sanctions are good for restructuring oil flows around geopolitical relationships, they fall short on changing state behavior.
With implications for US-China.
My latest for @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/23/o...
With implications for US-China.
My latest for @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/23/o...
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
You hear this a lot on the left but it isn't true. USAID did not "fail to tell its story to Americans," the right targeted the agency with lies and misinformation.
Ultimately this narrative turns conservative attacks into even more calls for the left to reform.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/o...
Ultimately this narrative turns conservative attacks into even more calls for the left to reform.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/o...
June 30, 2025 at 4:06 PM
You hear this a lot on the left but it isn't true. USAID did not "fail to tell its story to Americans," the right targeted the agency with lies and misinformation.
Ultimately this narrative turns conservative attacks into even more calls for the left to reform.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/o...
Ultimately this narrative turns conservative attacks into even more calls for the left to reform.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/o...
June 24, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
June 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
I mean. Politics are increasingly a completely unhinged spectacle of irrational people fighting each other, while the rational people sit on the sidelines, desperately trying to write clever, cogent and dispassionste articles on why this actually all makes sense if you think about it long enough.
June 24, 2025 at 11:20 AM
I mean. Politics are increasingly a completely unhinged spectacle of irrational people fighting each other, while the rational people sit on the sidelines, desperately trying to write clever, cogent and dispassionste articles on why this actually all makes sense if you think about it long enough.
I'd say this aged like milk, but it was obviously sour from the get-go.
Donald Trump may be the first pacifist president since Jimmy Carter. Four months into his second term, Trump has exhibited, if not professed, a peacenik doctrine in foreign affairs. www.houstonchronicle.com/business/col...
Tomlinson: Trump the peacenik? White House tries to end war, win the Nobel Prize
President Donald Trump has avoided armed conflict since draft-dodging days, the first peacenik president since Jimmy Carter.
www.houstonchronicle.com
June 22, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I'd say this aged like milk, but it was obviously sour from the get-go.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
ANALYSIS: There is a LOT of stuff in the media right now about the Massive Ordinance Penetrator-- the American bunker-buster that might get used on Iran's deeply buried site at Fordow.
Can it hit Fordow? I'm not sure.
Here's why (WITH MATH). 🧵
Can it hit Fordow? I'm not sure.
Here's why (WITH MATH). 🧵
June 17, 2025 at 10:35 PM
ANALYSIS: There is a LOT of stuff in the media right now about the Massive Ordinance Penetrator-- the American bunker-buster that might get used on Iran's deeply buried site at Fordow.
Can it hit Fordow? I'm not sure.
Here's why (WITH MATH). 🧵
Can it hit Fordow? I'm not sure.
Here's why (WITH MATH). 🧵
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
Everything that’s happened over the past six months has been a response to an imaginary crisis. There is no immigrant invasion. No trade crisis. No scientific or governance crisis. Just people completely high off their own supply trying to fundamentally reorder society. None of this had to happen.
June 9, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Everything that’s happened over the past six months has been a response to an imaginary crisis. There is no immigrant invasion. No trade crisis. No scientific or governance crisis. Just people completely high off their own supply trying to fundamentally reorder society. None of this had to happen.
Reposted by Michael Zaharis
American Airlines’ 787-9P ups the ante for Premium Economy
runwaygirlnetwork.com/2025/06/amer...
A #nosetotail trip report by @airchivesloan.bsky.social
#aviation #paxex #avgeek
runwaygirlnetwork.com/2025/06/amer...
A #nosetotail trip report by @airchivesloan.bsky.social
#aviation #paxex #avgeek
June 8, 2025 at 12:13 AM
American Airlines’ 787-9P ups the ante for Premium Economy
runwaygirlnetwork.com/2025/06/amer...
A #nosetotail trip report by @airchivesloan.bsky.social
#aviation #paxex #avgeek
runwaygirlnetwork.com/2025/06/amer...
A #nosetotail trip report by @airchivesloan.bsky.social
#aviation #paxex #avgeek