Sign in

rufusredbeard.bsky.social

@rufusredbeard.bsky.social
487 followers 154 following 281 posts

Child of Apollo, rockets, spacecraft, astronomy, electronics, history, beard sadly no longer red

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by @rufusredbeard.bsky.social
Owen 🇳🇿 @owenlamb.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
#bloomscrolling #flowers #nature #gardening #photography #landscape #horticulture #urbanjungle The kōwhai is a native tree of New Zealand and is an unofficial national flower. Native birds such as the tui, bellbird, kākā and New Zealand pigeon/kererū/kūkū/kūkupa all benefit from kōwhai.
Kowhai blooms
Kowhai blooms.
21179
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Do you like Pomegranate? How about these? As big as a softball for sale in the Old Town of Lijiang, China The fruit on the left are grapes about the size of plums This place has really great soil
011
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A few pictures from the cruise on the Li River, starting from near Guilin yesterday They don't do the spectacular scenery justice
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Went and looked at some old pottery today. Quite a lot of it all thrown in pits. Some bloke Qin had the job done quite a while ago now. It's lasted reasonably well, considering @paulblinkhorn.bsky.social Can you identify?
130
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Sorry I missed it, will catch up on demand I was catching a bullet train🚅 from Beijing to Xian, as you do😉 4 hours at 350 kmph, that's more than 200 of your freedom units/hr Smoothest train I've been on. I'll say hi to the terracotta warriors tomorrow for you #HumbleBrag #China
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
More Info Cars with green license plates are EVs, cars with blue plates are petrol. Getting a car is a real process Once you have the $ for a 🚗 you join a lottery to get license plates. No plates, no 🚗 This can take years AND petrol cars may not be driven 1 day per week, no restrictions on EVs
plates.no
001
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
First day in Beijing 30+°C Really noticed how quiet it is for a big city. The vast majority of cars are EVs & all of the scooters are too There's lots of hire bikes everywhere The traffic is really well behaved too Bikes & Scooters seem to have right of way
Rows of shared bikes & a few scooters on a street in Beijing
381
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Sitting at Wellington Airport waiting for our flight to Auckland. This is the first step on our next adventure, a three week tour in China. Tomorrow we catch a flight to Beijing via Hong Kong. We land in Beijing late Thursday night local time.
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I see your "Blues Brothers" and raise you "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" To be fair they are both excellent
3121
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
My Grandma would never allow wattle flowers in the house, it was unlucky so she said. The wattle has been in flower for a few weeks here in NZ
020
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Wow! that just leapt off the pad. The thrust to weight ratio must be insane.
040
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
To quote a Mr R Daltrey "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" Won't Get Fooled Again From the aptly titled album "Who's Next"
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Didn't a certain Sith Empress have one at Boca Chica? Or is that a thing of the past now?
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
NZ has its problems, but 1/had a hernia repair operation this morning, released same day 2/ Hernia was a side effect of an op in 2024 to cut out some cancer that chemo hadn't got Great medical people everywhere, brilliant facilities at 3 x hospitals Cost to me $0 NZ Health ❤️
151
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
If drunk in charge of a motor vehicle is an offence, shouldn't drunk in charge of a country be one too? Take away the booze & you'll save the country millions, I bet it's subsidised, or free, to MPs. In 1984 in NZ Rob Muldoon called an election while clearly pissed, he lost.
221
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
I'm sure that the 1st use of them will be cracking encrypted comms, that of other governments & organisations considered a threat to the establishment It will be NSA & the like who will be 1st with Quantum computing, if they aren't there already Colossus, 1st computer, was built to crack Nazi code
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Where have you been? Let's speculate: a/Secret mission in Iran, just made it out b/Space Plumber making a house call c/Test subject for Human Hibernation d/On safari in Africa e/Shh, still can't say, maybe in 20 years... f/lost the password to the account
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
We've done 2 trips to Turkey & loved it, I'd recommend it for ancient places & things China will be very different International travel is really good for the experience We'd go to the US for places like Monument Valley & Grand Canyon, but not while it's Trumpistan! What places have you been?
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
We're going to China in Sep, a tour from Beijing to Shanghai The trip was booked & paid for before the orange idiot began his war Your pic reminded me of Artvin in Eastern Turkey, even though it's in a valley not on a ridge The tower blocks behind the bridge are the University
Artvin, Eastern Turkey, looking down stream. May 2025Artvin, Eastern Turkey, looking across to the main town and the Univerity.  On the hill top on the left, directly above the yellow walled buildings with red roofs, is a statue of Kemal Ataturk striding across the landscape.
120
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
How come it's always the "Christian " preachers that engage in the worst behavior? From fraud & extortion to kiddy fiddling, look in churches to find the worst behavior Religion is the last refuge of the scoundrel is 💯 true
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
What do you think is the way out? It looks like Congress, particularly the GoP are too much of cowards to act. Do you think he will send in troops, or declare "Mission Accomplished" like the younger Bush & withdraw? or?
media.tenor.com
a group of knights are kneeling down in the grass and a man is standing in the middle of the field .
ALT: a group of knights are kneeling down in the grass and a man is standing in the middle of the field .
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
They have some previous, (not recent admittedly), experience in making military hardware for another genocidal regime. This is a Kubelwagen, equivalent to an Allied Jeep.
B&W photo of a German Army Kubelwagen light military vehicle. Two soldiers are in it, another two are standing either side of it, it is parked on grass under a tree. The soldier on the left of the vehicle is pointing forward and to the right.  The picture was obtianed from Wikimedia Commons and Originates with the German BundesArchiv
030
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
The biggest problem in the area is Israel They feel invulnerable because they have a big dumb friend (US) that funds them & supports them without question in their wars & mass murder. They learned too well from what was done to the Jewish people by the Nazis, like abused kids they grew up abusers
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
World Oil price stays high, (benefit: big boost for renewables & EVs) Global recession? Dubai & Doha lose a LOT of airline transit business, to Jeddah, Cairo, Istanbul? No one trusts the US to keep a deal (already the case)
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
What's the exit strategy? 25th amendment the 🟠🤡, blame it on him & withdraw? What then? Iran holds Hormuz & it's $2M a ship for transit? Iran gets ☢️ (from N Korea?), I would The US failed to defend the Gulf States, they have to live with Iran so they cut a deal with Iran
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
He has shown, by being convicted, that he doesn't know the difference between "Yes" and "No!" .
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Had a lovely iftar meal with workmates. Most of the food was prepared by one guy's wife & all was delicious. My contribution was nougat made in Isfahan in Iran. I bought it from a nearby shop called Baghdad Supermarket. It was great to come together over food! Selamünaleyküm!
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Maybe related to the DoE taking responsibility for nuclear weapons stuff when they were set up in 1977. When Pres Carter created the DoE they had a strong focus on nuke stuff it seems, & that's all secret Can't have people finding out how poor their safety protocols are, e.g. Hanford, Rocky Flats.
010
Reposted by @rufusredbeard.bsky.social
Ian Riddler Photography @ianriddler.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Manuka Terrace Terraces to Foothills to Mountains, up and up and up. It's a pretty place to live. - #Twizel, #NewZealand. - "Look with your eyes. See with your Soul" #Sunset #Landscape #Photography #art #EastCoastKin #Summer #Travel #PureNZ
630620
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
A bowl full of Nasty (Nashi) pears from our little tree There are still some more on the tree, this has been its best season ever. I love them and will have one for my lunch. My wife doesn't like them, hence the name of Nasty pears in our house.
030
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
If you see this, post a photo from your device--no explanations.
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
As David Bowie once asked Is there life on Mars? Very interesting release from NASA, and a convoluted way of saying maybe Curiosity found evidence of past life. science.nasa.gov/blogs/scienc... @jaredhead.bsky.social @photonempress.bsky.social maybe a topic for the TMRO show tomorrow?
science.nasa.gov
NASA Study: Non-biologic Processes Don’t Fully Explain Mars Organics - NASA Science
In a new study, researchers say that non-biological sources they considered could not fully account for the abundance of organic compounds in a sample
121
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
39 years married today, and our love is just as strong today as it was then. It was a hot summer's day in small town NZ. 👩‍❤️‍👨💍
100
Reposted by @rufusredbeard.bsky.social
Ian Riddler Photography @ianriddler.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Ohau Overlook Out at Ohau today, a rainy day that turned out really very pretty. - Lake Ohau, New Zealand - "Look with your eyes. See with your Soul." #LakeOhau #Summer #Landscape #Photography #Mountains #Lakes #NewZealand #Travel #MustDo #EastCoastKin #Bucketlist
12106871
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
When you have cancer the treatment is often unpleasant. Even if you consider the Democrats undesirable, it seems to this foreigner, (NZ), that the US needs D type chemotherapy as the only viable cure for Trumpism. Disclaimer: have had cancer & chemo
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Those ads capture the spirit of the show. Series 1 was 1990, Series 2, 1991 Go on, tell me you weren't even born & I'll just be over here turning to dust. Another guy & I at work watched it. The next morning at work we would try to decipher each episode. David Lynch is a Very strange man
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
The Owls are not what they seem
media.tenor.com
a sign that says welcome to twin peaks is on the side of a road
ALT: a sign that says welcome to twin peaks is on the side of a road
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
They are direct decendents of Sir Robin, every one of them a coward
media.tenor.com
a group of people are standing in a forest with the words `` bravely ran away away '' written on the screen .
ALT: a group of people are standing in a forest with the words `` bravely ran away away '' written on the screen .
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
At my Grandma's in rural NZ, on summer nights staring up into a night sky filled with stars from horizon to horizon. I was about 14. It was the time of Close Encounters & Star Wars. It was impossible to accept that we are alone in the universe with the stars all around.
000
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Just exactly how much lead is in the environment in the US? Or was a stupidity virus released by the CIA? I mean, there has to be some sort of reason for so much stupidity, doesn't there?
000
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Sadly, few Americans seem to have been bothered that ~80 people were killed in Venezuela by invaders kidnapping their President & his wife. Regardless of what Maduro has done, this was murder & kidnapping committed by agents of the US govt. At last the US people are getting angry about the regime
000
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Won't the case against Maduro just get thrown out on lack of jurisdiction, or am I missing something fundamental here?
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
I don't understand how they can charge Maduro in a US court & expect to win. Unless he has committed a crime in the US, a US court has no jurisdiction over foreign nationals, US law only applies on US territory. If you came to NZ you would be subject to NZ law I was subject to Turkish law in Turkiye
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
🙋‍♂️Ooh! Ooh! Sir!, Sir!, Is the answer "Tony Blair"? Show me a UK government that has stood up to the Yanks since, um, er the Victorian era, maybe? I can't talk though, NZ Govt is just spouting cowardly weasel words too
010
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
Adolf decided he knew better than his Generals too. That did not end well for anyone either.
060
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
I've been testing driving it for 22 hours. So far it's going ok, not blowing smoke or making any strange noises like last year was doing. Don't take any notice of the occasional scratches I've put in it, I'm sure they will buff out 😉 I hope you have a peaceful & successful 2026
110
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Happy New Year! From the future (1 January 2026, 1307 NZDT)
020
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
1 1/2 hours to 2026 here. We in timezone UTC+13 will take this New Year out for a trial run before the rest of the 🌏 get hold of it Please ignore any scratches or dents in it when it gets to you, I'm sure they will buff out. I hope 2026 is happy & successful for you all 🎇🥳
030
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays everyone! From my family to yours, wherever you are in the world, I hope you all have a great day. It may not be a perfect Summer's day here, but it is Christmas Day, let the feasting commence 😋
Our Christmas tree, against the window, behind is part of the garden. To the left a plaything for the cat, to the right a stereo speakerA pink lily in our garden, leaves of the lily plant and gravel in the backgroundOrange Lilies from our garden, above the leaves of the plant, to the left an old railway sleeper used as part of the garden
120
rufusredbeard.bsky.social @rufusredbeard.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Sometimes being a bit patriotic feels good Pohutukawa in flower and the NZ flag flying from the top of the Beehive
Pohutukawa trees in flower, on the left and in the foreground. Over the trees is the Executive wing of the NZ Parliaent, called the Beehive, and flying from the top of it is the NZ flag, and beyond a clear blue sky
030