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Rippers

@ripley123.bsky.social
629 followers 801 following 937 posts

Lead software engineer, veteran game developer, boulderer, music maker, to the left of politics, remoaner. In the UK.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Rippers
Nicholas Slayton @nslayton.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
What. What?! WHAT?!?! futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com
Trump Was Reportedly Pushed Into Invading Venezuela by Conversation With Grok
Trump reportedly consulted with Grok for hours on his next course of action in Venezuela before launching a military invasion.
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Iain Overton @iainoverton.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
“Over 1,400 people have been killed (in Gaza) in the year since the ceasefire.” - The Economist. I wonder how many have to be killed for it not to be called a ceasefire?
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Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I think @politico.eu have got this totally wrong. Creating a product that is actually worse than Teams implies a certain creative genius www.politico.eu/article/eu-m...
politico.eu
‘Absolute s–t’: EU’s Microsoft Teams alternative draws bad reviews from officials
The U.S. would “instantly” win a hypothetical tech war, an official moaned.
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
If there is one piece of evidence that shows Britain will definitely rejoin the EU, it’s this. Daniel Hannan is ALWAYS completely wrong, without fail.
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Khashoggi's Ghost @urocklive1.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Trump is fully intending for the Kennedy Center to be his 7th bankruptcy. This isn't mismanagement, this is deliberate destruction in revenge for Trump not being able to make it a tribute to himself. www.rawstory.com/trump-kenned...
rawstory.com
Kennedy Center 'in free fall' as Trump allies max out credit and spend opera funds: WaPo
President Donald Trump took control of the Kennedy Center 19 months ago. Since then, the center has used up nearly every financial cushion it had, and one arts management expert says it now appears to...
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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The fact that the Fairford suspects are all British Nationals proves nothing. I’m a British National and look at the damage I’ve already caused to the UK.
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Hey @theguardian.com, why aren’t you reporting on the 82 people arrested at the Labour Party conference simply for holding placard? I’d have thought that would be headline news!
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Urgh, it’s Labour Party conference time again, meaning my journey into the office is going to be very annoying for the next couple of days, as crowds of people in lanyards mill around everywhere.
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THE NERVE @thenerve.news · 28/09/2026
“Same goes for the claims that these companies are already profitable… [essentially] the companies are claiming that they are so cool that their profitability can only be measured using a novel, secret form of mathematics.” www.thenerve.news/p/cory-docto...
thenerve.news
Cory Doctorow: AI’s big beasts aren’t really scared of their products. They’re scared of their competition
The US giants would love to stop battling each other and be protected from China – and they might have hit on just the narrative to make that possible, writes our tech columnist
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 26/09/2026
‘The weaker he gets, the more dangerous he gets’: Trump lashes out as his power wanes
theguardian.com
‘The weaker he gets, the more dangerous he gets’: Trump lashes out as his power wanes
Trump tries to dominate at the UN as his approval ratings plummet and even some Republicans distance themselves from him
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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
🔴 BREAKING: BP, Uber, Amazon and more paying Tony Blair's think tank $25,000 for “networking” opportunities with politicians and policy makers at party conferences Experts say "looks and smells like cash for access" Full story on Democracy for Sale democracyforsale.substack.com/p/breaking-t...
democracyforsale.substack.com
BREAKING: Tony Blair Institute’s $25,000 corporate network “smells like cash for access”
Exclusive documents show Tony Blair's think tank offers corporate members such as BP and Uber "networking" at party conferences and "a stronger voice" in policy debates.
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Thames Water has long passed its notice period. Labour can use its massive majority to nationalise it right now.
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Alistair Smith @alistairsmith.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I’ve had a long day after a long weekend. Did I really just see Charlotte Church slapping down Ed Sheeran and covering the Dead Kennedys? Or do I need to have a lie down?
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“I trust my immune system. I don’t need a vaccine.” Ok, I trust mine to protect me too. Which is why I trained it extensively on what the virus looks like so it can handle it. Boxers don’t enter the ring without a plan. It’s the punch you don’t see coming that knocks you out.
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Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Here’s that link again:
europeanmovement.co.uk
Ask your MP to stand up for our future in Europe
On 12 October, Parliament will debate the UK's future relationship with Europe, after a government petition got over 100,000 signatures. Will you write to your MP to ask them to attend the debate?
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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Bridget Phillipson on the BBC about Jim Ratcliffe's latest complaints about the UK: "You'll forgive me if I do take with a pinch of salt what someone who is a tax tax exile has to say about our country."
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
@lpoolcouncil.bsky.social - just got a letter about the new food waste caddies which is great news! You shouldn’t be requesting teabags to be added though - they are full of plastic which will end up in the food chain!
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Let Piddington go independent if that’s what they want! They can be an example to anyone else thinking the same - they’ll have passport booths at the exit to their village, no funds for police, roads, schools, no currency, etc., and have to import everything they use. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Piddington in Oxfordshire votes to leave UK over asylum plans
Piddington residents vote over proposals to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers nearby.
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Netanyahu obviously hadn’t heard of the Streisand Effect - so many more people are now (rightly) going to watch this film. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
theguardian.com
Netanyahu seeks to strip citizenship from Israelis as threats to NAZA film directors intensify
Israeli prime minister to pursue new laws as directors of Guardian-produced film face threats from far-right officials and activists
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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I've done a deep-dive on the Harborne and Delo mega-donations over the weekend, and whether they may have to be handed back From my reading, a lot of unlikely things have to be true at once for the two £36m 'gifts' to be allowed once the (retrospective) Representation of the People Bill becomes law
bylinetimes.com
Why Reform UK Could Be Forced to Hand Back Their £72m Donations From Crypto Billionaires
Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo gave a record £36 million each over the weekend to Nigel Farage's party, but a new law means they may have to take it all back
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Saul Staniforth @saulstaniforth.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Susanna Reid: "what does anyone expect in return for £72m?" Kevin Maguire: ".. funnily enough Reform doesn't have anybody to speak on social care.. but it has a very detailed policy on crypto currency.. & it would coincidentally make these billionaires even more money" #GMB
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Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
According to a new investigation from ProPublica, Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish wedding celebration in the Bahamas was secretly bankrolled in part by a Russian oligarch with close ties to Vladimir Putin.
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Sam Bright @writesbright.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
🔴 As I revealed, Christopher Harborne’s crypto investments are being boosted by the White House - which has introduced pro-crypto laws that Farage wants to replicate in the UK
desmog.com
Tethered: How the White House is Helping Reform’s Finances
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has stood to gain financially from the crypto connections linking it to Donald Trump’s administration, DeSmog can report. Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been ac...
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Ivy flowers buzzing this morning now the sun is out.
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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
We thought the best person to talk to Laura Kuenssberg about donations from billionaires would be Robert Jenrick, who received a £12,000 donation from a billionaire after helping him avoid £45m in tax.
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Hey @theguardian.com, I think your A/B headline testing has gone awry.
2 screenshots from the guardian of essentially the same article by the same author on the same day with the same image, but varying headlines
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Luca Trenta @lucatrenta.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Turns out that if you are an old lady with a banner supporting Palestine, the government arrests you on charges of terrorism. If you are a masked white male thug bringing a national port to a standstill, the government does absolutely nothing, and the media covers it like some lads on a day out.
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Multi-ooof
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Imagine inventing something so awful that the world has decided to call it “pervert glasses.”
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
It’s a great start by Burnham, but the words need to be quickly backed up by actions.
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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
As I'm already under investigation by the Commissioner for Standards, I thought I would mark my first day back at Westminster by filming on the roof without permission, breaking Parliamentary rules.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Officially, the water industry in England is regulated. Practically, it's unregulated. There's no difference between what it does under the eye of the Environment Agency and what it would do if the EA did not exist. The EA is completely useless, by design. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Dry weather sewage discharges soar as water companies face scrutiny
Exclusive: 7,280 suspected illegal spills in rivers and sea recorded in first five months of 2026
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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
'Bring back premature death, lung damage in children and more hospital admissions' is quite the bold campaign slogan.
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YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 01/09/2026
Most Britons see Reform UK as untrustworthy, extreme, incompetent and serving their own interests Have clear sense of purpose: +7 net Strong: -6 In touch: -18 Cares about ordinary people: -32 Competent: -35 Trying to do right thing: -38 Moderate: -38 Untrustworthy: -46 Tolerant: -46
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Upside Downie @adownie.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Flu season is almost upon us. Stay safe, folks
An image depicting handshake alternatives and the resulting germ
Transfer reductions:

High Five: 50% less bacteria transferred

Fist Bump: 78% less transferred

Sweep the Leg (martial arts takedown move): 100% less transferred.
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Chris Paxton @cpaxton.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Incredible stuff
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Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
This ought to be a joke There is no "market solution" because there is NO MARKET We don't want new board members or "local representation" we want PUBLIC OWNERSHIP Let Thames Water go bust, slash the debt, take it back permanently www.ft.com/content/f160...
ft.com
Thames Water creditors plan board shake-up if utility avoids nationalisation
Move aims to reassure government there would be a change of leadership under their ownership
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Stuart Bourne 🌱🪴 @stuartbourne.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Anyone who claims that Solar Farms harm wildlife are ignoring the science. This study shows how a solar farm increased biodiversity by 41% whilst also allowing sheep to graze underneath. #SolarPower #ClimateEmergency www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/news/new-rep...
suffolkwildlifetrust.org
New report of Suffolk solar farm showcases ecological best practice | Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Pioneering 12-year study carried out by Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Broxted Estate & Solar Farm Suffolk demonstrates how renewable energy generation and biodiversity restoration can be achieved together...
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BUCKERS @deathofbuckley.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
If only someone had given him money for protection x
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
England's water companies to hike customer bills by an extra £3.4bn. Over a trillion litres of water lost to leaky pipes Sewage dumped in rivers No new reservoirs since 1989 Exec pay and dividend bonanza Over 1,200 criminal convictions Still allowed to trade Captive customers fleeced.
bbc.co.uk
Water bills set to rise for many after firms permitted extra funding
Ofwat has given provisional approval for 13 water companies to charge customers more to pay for investments.
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
He needed to save his “anti-establishment” shtick for the follow-on by-election that will happen when the investigation into his finances finds him guilty. Now he just looks like a weapons-grade idiot for using up all his howling victimhood material on his fight with a bin.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Nigel Farage just took a question from a 'journalist' at his press conference, who turned out to be his former chief adviser Raheem Kassam, who asks him why the media are being so unfair to him
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THE NERVE @thenerve.news · 01/08/2026
Farage, George Cottrell and Putin’s friend Abramovich: source reveals the convicted money launderer and Reform leader’s close ally worked for the now-sanctioned oligarch Report by @carolecadwalla.bsky.social www.thenerve.news/p/george-cot...
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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Just in case you were still thinking of buying a Tesla.
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Dave Vetter @davidrvetter.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
ICYMI: plastics giant Dow Chemical, not content with the quantity of microplastics in the air, water and soil, wants to make it legal to dump plastic nurdles directly into water sources in the US.
pirg.org
Dow Chemical seeks to legalize plastic pollution in Texas bay
Dow wants Texas regulators to make their plastic pellet discharge legal. That would be a step in the wrong direction
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The full moon made it too bright to get nice star trails tonight, and Elon’s satellites were ruining it anyway, so I gave up after 5 minutes.
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Rippers @ripley123.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The full moon is amazing tonight!
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Warren Oates @warrenoates1.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
#SaveJodrellBank It's been announced that Jodrell Bank Observatory, which houses the UK's largest telescope, will lose it's government funding and could close. This would be absolutely devastating for the 3000 scientists who use it in their work. It will save just £2.8m a year. 1/2
bbc.co.uk
Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands
Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
"First the traitors then the invaders" is Elon Musk endorsing an open call to prioritise political murders + assassinations before violence against migrants and minorities. Still little recognition in the UK government at the persistence of the promotion of political violence - inc murder - by Musk
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
There is simply no ambiguity in what Elon Musk is arguing and endorsing here.
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