Erik Parker
@riksbar.bsky.social
Northern remainer elite and immigrant, aviation addict, Independent Company and war waffler, Miami Dolphins since superbowl XIX
Pinned
Erik Parker
@riksbar.bsky.social
· Jan 6
(Blue) Sky Flight
Oh, I have slipped Surly bonds of X,
and danced BlueSky with laughter silver’d posts.
Leftward I’ve looked, and joined the tumbling mirth of blocked out trolls - and done a thousand things you have not dreamed of
/1
Oh, I have slipped Surly bonds of X,
and danced BlueSky with laughter silver’d posts.
Leftward I’ve looked, and joined the tumbling mirth of blocked out trolls - and done a thousand things you have not dreamed of
/1
You can also point out that the current issues are the result of firing moderators and fact checkers and tweaking the algorithm to increase profits.
It’s not free speech and the marketplace of ideas, it’s now a click farm full of CSAM and that has been a management decision.
It’s not free speech and the marketplace of ideas, it’s now a click farm full of CSAM and that has been a management decision.
Banning X would have loads of upsides and really not many downsides for the government. The argument for shutting it down (distribution of CSAM) is incontrovertible, the people who are its most avid users hate the government anyway, and it would address threats to social cohesion and public order.
January 9, 2026 at 1:11 PM
You can also point out that the current issues are the result of firing moderators and fact checkers and tweaking the algorithm to increase profits.
It’s not free speech and the marketplace of ideas, it’s now a click farm full of CSAM and that has been a management decision.
It’s not free speech and the marketplace of ideas, it’s now a click farm full of CSAM and that has been a management decision.
Surely, nobody who has ever received payment from a foreign owned, non- British based company should be allowed to stand for parliament, or speak on public policy matters in the media. The risk of conflict of interest is too great.
Connor Tomlinson - guest of Harry Cole on his podcast, interviewer of Liz Truss - confirms he would ban Kemi Badenoch, Shabana Mahmood, Priti Patel and Suella Braverman from parliament (and the civil service): this is his position on all black and Asian Britons + all Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims
January 7, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Surely, nobody who has ever received payment from a foreign owned, non- British based company should be allowed to stand for parliament, or speak on public policy matters in the media. The risk of conflict of interest is too great.
Reposted by Erik Parker
It is *quite alarming* that this very important but also very basic distinction seems to be eluding UK authorities.
January 7, 2026 at 7:38 AM
It is *quite alarming* that this very important but also very basic distinction seems to be eluding UK authorities.
Reposted by Erik Parker
November 24, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Erik Parker
December 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Erik Parker
January 6, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Reposted by Erik Parker
F-35 versus Gripen E: A deep, deep dive. Pour yourself a glass of wine and get comfortable; this is over 10,000 words long and reveals all you need to know about the F-35 versus the Gripen E: hushkit.substack.com/p/f-35-versu...
F-35 versus Gripen E: A deep deep dive
Everything Everywhere All at Once: The Godlike Omniscience of the Gripen E Fighter Versus Fat Amy, the Girl that Won't Share
hushkit.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:15 PM
F-35 versus Gripen E: A deep, deep dive. Pour yourself a glass of wine and get comfortable; this is over 10,000 words long and reveals all you need to know about the F-35 versus the Gripen E: hushkit.substack.com/p/f-35-versu...
Reposted by Erik Parker
Reposted by Erik Parker
This is a really important article. Key point: "Walmart isn't actually paying out less in overall salary than Costco; it's just choosing to distribute that salary in a very different way." Though not a focus of this article this is true for executive pay as well.
@moreperfectunion.bsky.social
Costco's Business model is much better for employee's than Walmart's www.unchartedblue.com/the-business...
Costco's Business model is much better for employee's than Walmart's www.unchartedblue.com/the-business...
The business strategies that make Walmart a ghoul and Costco a mensch
Neither Walmart nor Costco represents the extreme of what's possible within the system, but their choices do showcase some sharp contrasts within the broad spectrum of American capitalism.
www.unchartedblue.com
January 4, 2026 at 6:09 PM
This is a really important article. Key point: "Walmart isn't actually paying out less in overall salary than Costco; it's just choosing to distribute that salary in a very different way." Though not a focus of this article this is true for executive pay as well.
Reposted by Erik Parker
The Fairey Tail of Newark..
December 20, 2025 at 5:19 PM
The Fairey Tail of Newark..
Reposted by Erik Parker
It is perhaps worth noting at this moment that Trump’s record of foreign policy belligerence has been one of brief spectacular violence which has no ambition beyond creating social media content and which has gone on to accomplish nothing. 🧵
January 4, 2026 at 6:25 PM
It is perhaps worth noting at this moment that Trump’s record of foreign policy belligerence has been one of brief spectacular violence which has no ambition beyond creating social media content and which has gone on to accomplish nothing. 🧵
Reposted by Erik Parker
“The collective west, including our Asian and Pacific democratic allies, has failed to imagine a free world that includes and encourages more nations.” Another fabulous article from @mollymckew.bsky.social
www.greatpower.us/p/2025-the-a...
www.greatpower.us/p/2025-the-a...
2025, the atomization of reality, and the failure of imagination… (part 1)
The free world is thinking small. Our adversaries are not.
www.greatpower.us
January 1, 2026 at 6:23 AM
“The collective west, including our Asian and Pacific democratic allies, has failed to imagine a free world that includes and encourages more nations.” Another fabulous article from @mollymckew.bsky.social
www.greatpower.us/p/2025-the-a...
www.greatpower.us/p/2025-the-a...
Reposted by Erik Parker
Some very interesting polling results in this @grandcontinent.bsky.social survey of 9 EU countries
(Thread)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/eurobazoo...
(Thread)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/eurobazoo...
Eurobazooka (décembre 2025) | Le Grand Continent
legrandcontinent.eu
January 1, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Some very interesting polling results in this @grandcontinent.bsky.social survey of 9 EU countries
(Thread)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/eurobazoo...
(Thread)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/eurobazoo...
Reposted by Erik Parker
The world’s 500 richest people have total wealth of $11.9tn.
Their wealth up by $2.2tn in 2025. 8 billionaires accounting for a 25% of the gains.
No one becomes this rich by working.
They fund right-wing parties, oppose worker/human rights, cause more pollution than normal people.
Their wealth up by $2.2tn in 2025. 8 billionaires accounting for a 25% of the gains.
No one becomes this rich by working.
They fund right-wing parties, oppose worker/human rights, cause more pollution than normal people.
Billionaires added record $2.2tn in wealth in 2025
Just eight billionaires accounted for a quarter of the gains, led by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Larry Page
www.theguardian.com
January 1, 2026 at 8:21 AM
The world’s 500 richest people have total wealth of $11.9tn.
Their wealth up by $2.2tn in 2025. 8 billionaires accounting for a 25% of the gains.
No one becomes this rich by working.
They fund right-wing parties, oppose worker/human rights, cause more pollution than normal people.
Their wealth up by $2.2tn in 2025. 8 billionaires accounting for a 25% of the gains.
No one becomes this rich by working.
They fund right-wing parties, oppose worker/human rights, cause more pollution than normal people.
Reposted by Erik Parker
Reposted by Erik Parker
January 1, 2026 at 7:58 AM
A country using 60 year old cars like some sort of giant Castro’s Cuba because the economy has collapsed?
Deporting a third of the country... what
An official account of the United States government is dreamposting about deporting 80+ million citizens
January 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM
A country using 60 year old cars like some sort of giant Castro’s Cuba because the economy has collapsed?
Reposted by Erik Parker
The Gloster Javelin jet fighter was not as terrible as people say, here’s why…
In defence of the 'Flying Flat-iron' by
@MichaelNBooks
. hushkit.substack.com/p/the-gloste... (this article is free to read, so it would be lovely if you could share it)
In defence of the 'Flying Flat-iron' by
@MichaelNBooks
. hushkit.substack.com/p/the-gloste... (this article is free to read, so it would be lovely if you could share it)
The Gloster Javelin jet fighter was not as terrible as people say, here’s why…
In defence of the 'Flying Flat-iron' by Michael Napier
hushkit.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The Gloster Javelin jet fighter was not as terrible as people say, here’s why…
In defence of the 'Flying Flat-iron' by
@MichaelNBooks
. hushkit.substack.com/p/the-gloste... (this article is free to read, so it would be lovely if you could share it)
In defence of the 'Flying Flat-iron' by
@MichaelNBooks
. hushkit.substack.com/p/the-gloste... (this article is free to read, so it would be lovely if you could share it)
Reposted by Erik Parker
Guys guys guys, I found the archive of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (it's not an achievement, they've not hidden them) - you can watch every single one since they started televising them in the 60s:
www.rigb.org/christmas-le...
I love watching them every year, now I can see them all!
www.rigb.org/christmas-le...
I love watching them every year, now I can see them all!
Watch the Royal Institution CHRISTMAS LECTURES archive
Watch all the Royal Institution CHRISTMAS LECTURES back to 1966, when the lectures were first televised.
www.rigb.org
December 30, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Guys guys guys, I found the archive of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (it's not an achievement, they've not hidden them) - you can watch every single one since they started televising them in the 60s:
www.rigb.org/christmas-le...
I love watching them every year, now I can see them all!
www.rigb.org/christmas-le...
I love watching them every year, now I can see them all!
Reposted by Erik Parker
In the category "What is this abomination?", the De Monge-Buscaylet Experimental 1918 is an excellent candidate.
It features a propeller located in the center of the fuselage, four-wheel, and a steerable canard wing mounted on the wing.
In theory, this allowed the aircraft to fly at extreme angles.
It features a propeller located in the center of the fuselage, four-wheel, and a steerable canard wing mounted on the wing.
In theory, this allowed the aircraft to fly at extreme angles.
December 11, 2025 at 8:46 AM
In the category "What is this abomination?", the De Monge-Buscaylet Experimental 1918 is an excellent candidate.
It features a propeller located in the center of the fuselage, four-wheel, and a steerable canard wing mounted on the wing.
In theory, this allowed the aircraft to fly at extreme angles.
It features a propeller located in the center of the fuselage, four-wheel, and a steerable canard wing mounted on the wing.
In theory, this allowed the aircraft to fly at extreme angles.
Reposted by Erik Parker
His name is Imran Ahmed, and his organization, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), committed the unpardonable sin of following the money. They didn't break any laws.
December 30, 2025 at 11:27 AM
His name is Imran Ahmed, and his organization, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), committed the unpardonable sin of following the money. They didn't break any laws.
Reposted by Erik Parker
If it does, you might find that your paperwork has suddenly been lost in the mail. We used to call this "authoritarianism." Now, they just call it "border enforcement."
brentmolnar.substack.com/p/the-spread...
brentmolnar.substack.com/p/the-spread...
📉🤐 The Spreadsheet As a Weapon: Why the Government Is Trying to Deport a Math Problem
The most dangerous man in Washington right now isn't a foreign spy.
brentmolnar.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 11:27 AM
If it does, you might find that your paperwork has suddenly been lost in the mail. We used to call this "authoritarianism." Now, they just call it "border enforcement."
brentmolnar.substack.com/p/the-spread...
brentmolnar.substack.com/p/the-spread...
Reposted by Erik Parker
December 30, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Reposted by Erik Parker
In January 1942, the sick rate of mules and horses in the field with the British Army was just 2.8 and 7.8% respectively. Remarkably low considering the info drain that occurred in the interwar period.
📸 IWM H 16067, horse receiving treatment in a sling, 1941-12-11
📸 IWM H 16067, horse receiving treatment in a sling, 1941-12-11
December 29, 2025 at 7:56 PM
In January 1942, the sick rate of mules and horses in the field with the British Army was just 2.8 and 7.8% respectively. Remarkably low considering the info drain that occurred in the interwar period.
📸 IWM H 16067, horse receiving treatment in a sling, 1941-12-11
📸 IWM H 16067, horse receiving treatment in a sling, 1941-12-11