Richard Easther
@rjme.bsky.social
Father, husband, scientist, Kiwi diaspora returnee, prof @aucklanduni.bsky.social - opinions mine. He/Him
Science: https://cosmology.auckland.ac.nz
Blog: https://excursionset.com
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/excursionset
Science: https://cosmology.auckland.ac.nz
Blog: https://excursionset.com
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/excursionset
11/11 is Pocky Day in Japan (for reasons that are actually pretty obvious when you think about it)
November 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
11/11 is Pocky Day in Japan (for reasons that are actually pretty obvious when you think about it)
Reposted by Richard Easther
My theory is that tech bros hate humanities because they've all tried once to impress a girl studding English Lit by talking about a book and they were all laughed at for their complete misreading of the text.
*maximum alpha at 1.25x speed* continuously lives on in my head, unfortunately.
November 11, 2025 at 2:13 AM
My theory is that tech bros hate humanities because they've all tried once to impress a girl studding English Lit by talking about a book and they were all laughed at for their complete misreading of the text.
Reposted by Richard Easther
Anyway, lots to think about and I'll get back to it over the next little while (in between a few other things on my list) But anyway, since this is social media here's the "like, share and subscribe" -- I have a mailing list if you want my reckons in your Inbox excursionset.com/newsletter/
Newsletter
This newsletter – eclectic and irregular like the blog itself – delivers fresh posts direct to your inbox. It runs off ButtonDown and you can subscribe by clicking the big blue button below...
but...
excursionset.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Anyway, lots to think about and I'll get back to it over the next little while (in between a few other things on my list) But anyway, since this is social media here's the "like, share and subscribe" -- I have a mailing list if you want my reckons in your Inbox excursionset.com/newsletter/
Reposted by Richard Easther
Or why did MethaeSAT spokespeople repeatedly make misleading statements about the health of the mission -- and more importantly (to the New Zealand taxpayer), why did MBIE let them?
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Or why did MethaeSAT spokespeople repeatedly make misleading statements about the health of the mission -- and more importantly (to the New Zealand taxpayer), why did MBIE let them?
Reposted by Richard Easther
A lot of questions go unanswered e.g. why did the @methanesat.bsky.social team fly a spacecraft that, by their own admission, was not designed to deal with the entirely predictable radiation environment you find in space. That doesn't make sense.
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
A lot of questions go unanswered e.g. why did the @methanesat.bsky.social team fly a spacecraft that, by their own admission, was not designed to deal with the entirely predictable radiation environment you find in space. That doesn't make sense.
Reposted by Richard Easther
(I mean, I'm sure it was a coincidence as it must have been ready for publication and there is a long tradition of dropping bad news on a Friday, but it wasn't JUST my blog -- it also appeared as an article in Newsroom) newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/h...
Speed over safety – how MethaneSAT was lost in space
Analysis: Future 'national missions' cannot be designed by administrators and politicians without meaningful input from the science community. If we learn that, it may have been worth the $30 million,...
newsroom.co.nz
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
(I mean, I'm sure it was a coincidence as it must have been ready for publication and there is a long tradition of dropping bad news on a Friday, but it wasn't JUST my blog -- it also appeared as an article in Newsroom) newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/h...
Reposted by Richard Easther
By what I am sure is complete coincidence, MBIE's report dropped a few hours after my blog -- it seems to have been written by MBIE and not, say, the Auditor General, and largely pats MBIE on the back www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-...
Mission Operations Control Centre | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
New Zealand is supporting the MethaneSAT Mission by building and operating a Mission Operations Control Centre.
www.mbie.govt.nz
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
By what I am sure is complete coincidence, MBIE's report dropped a few hours after my blog -- it seems to have been written by MBIE and not, say, the Auditor General, and largely pats MBIE on the back www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-...
Reposted by Richard Easther
Folks, here's my take on the @methanesat.bsky.social project - TLDR: they tried for all three of "good, fast and cheap" and wound up with none...
Lost In Space: New Zealand's $30M Participation Trophy
"Good, fast and cheap" MethaneSAT tried for all three and got none.
MBIE and the New Zealand Space Agency missed red flags in the initial bid.
The MethaneSAT project did not keep promises of ope...
excursionset.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Folks, here's my take on the @methanesat.bsky.social project - TLDR: they tried for all three of "good, fast and cheap" and wound up with none...
Reading between the lines:
"My boss would be embarrassed if my name was disclosed"
"Not your boss anymore -- don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out"
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/employer-...
"My boss would be embarrassed if my name was disclosed"
"Not your boss anymore -- don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out"
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/employer-...
Employer of exec who admitted underage sex charge say they didn't ask for suppression
The man is due to be sentenced on his offending next year.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 7, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Reading between the lines:
"My boss would be embarrassed if my name was disclosed"
"Not your boss anymore -- don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out"
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/employer-...
"My boss would be embarrassed if my name was disclosed"
"Not your boss anymore -- don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out"
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/employer-...
Folks, here's my take on the @methanesat.bsky.social project - TLDR: they tried for all three of "good, fast and cheap" and wound up with none...
Lost In Space: New Zealand's $30M Participation Trophy
"Good, fast and cheap" MethaneSAT tried for all three and got none.
MBIE and the New Zealand Space Agency missed red flags in the initial bid.
The MethaneSAT project did not keep promises of ope...
excursionset.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Folks, here's my take on the @methanesat.bsky.social project - TLDR: they tried for all three of "good, fast and cheap" and wound up with none...
Grading playlist summoned for service...
November 7, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Grading playlist summoned for service...
My take on the @methanesat.bsky.social shambles on @newsroom.co.nz -- paywalled for 24 hours....
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/h...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/h...
Speed over safety – how MethaneSAT was lost in space
Analysis: Future 'national missions' cannot be designed by administrators and politicians without meaningful input from the science community. If we learn that, it may have been worth the $30 million,...
newsroom.co.nz
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
My take on the @methanesat.bsky.social shambles on @newsroom.co.nz -- paywalled for 24 hours....
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/h...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/h...
Reposted by Richard Easther
Investing in our future with today's best and brightest ideas - the 2025 #MarsdenFund results are out! Ka rawe!
www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden...
Marsden in 2025: Investing in our future with today’s best and brightest ideas
Investing in our best for the benefit of us all, Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, the Marsden Fund in 2025 is supporting novel fundamental research into new medications and therapies, more profitable crop...
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 5, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Investing in our future with today's best and brightest ideas - the 2025 #MarsdenFund results are out! Ka rawe!
www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden...
Proud to have a part in this -- supporting New Zealand's involvement in the Vera Rubin Observation and the LISA gravitational wave mission, two of world's most interesting fundamental science collaborations... www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/f...
Tales of time and scale: Uncovering hidden ingredients of our universe
An interdisciplinary project co-led by Professor Renate Meyer and Professor Richard Easther from Waipapa Taumata Rau – the University of Auckland, has won a Marsden Fund Council Award to investigate t...
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 5, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Proud to have a part in this -- supporting New Zealand's involvement in the Vera Rubin Observation and the LISA gravitational wave mission, two of world's most interesting fundamental science collaborations... www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/f...
Always a positive sign for a workshop when EduRoam works first try...
November 4, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Always a positive sign for a workshop when EduRoam works first try...
Old enough to remember when "the fully Monty" was a buffet breakfast. Keeping the old ways alive.
November 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Old enough to remember when "the fully Monty" was a buffet breakfast. Keeping the old ways alive.
Reposted by Richard Easther
(I know more about this than I might want to as I spent most of a day giving evidence -- and the VC was sufficiently interested in what I might say to clear her schedule to sit in the gallery and watch. It was a big step for me, but a tiny fraction of the hill Wiles has had to climb over this.)
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
(I know more about this than I might want to as I spent most of a day giving evidence -- and the VC was sufficiently interested in what I might say to clear her schedule to sit in the gallery and watch. It was a big step for me, but a tiny fraction of the hill Wiles has had to climb over this.)
Reposted by Richard Easther
Likewise, the university was rebuked for threatening to make an issue out of unrelated social media commentary by Wiles that was arguably critical of the institution - an under-appreciated decision that keeps all of us safer and recognises "intramural criticism" as a component of academic freedom.
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Likewise, the university was rebuked for threatening to make an issue out of unrelated social media commentary by Wiles that was arguably critical of the institution - an under-appreciated decision that keeps all of us safer and recognises "intramural criticism" as a component of academic freedom.
Reposted by Richard Easther
This has an impact that goes well beyond Wiles' communication during the Covid years. Much of the legal argument turned on whether "science communication" was legitimately part of Wiles' job as an academic – and the Court's decision was that it very much was.
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
This has an impact that goes well beyond Wiles' communication during the Covid years. Much of the legal argument turned on whether "science communication" was legitimately part of Wiles' job as an academic – and the Court's decision was that it very much was.
Reposted by Richard Easther
However despite the win and an award of costs she is still significantly out of pocket -- and this is a chance to fill that gap.
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
However despite the win and an award of costs she is still significantly out of pocket -- and this is a chance to fill that gap.
Reposted by Richard Easther
Wiles fought and won a major court case with her (and also my) employer, arguing that they should have done more to keep her safe when she was subject to vile and very specific threats as a result of her science communication.
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Wiles fought and won a major court case with her (and also my) employer, arguing that they should have done more to keep her safe when she was subject to vile and very specific threats as a result of her science communication.
Reposted by Richard Easther
Folks, people who appreciated Siouxsie's work during the pandemic and/or who like free speech and academic freedom should help out here if they can. And that's all of us, one way or another, right?
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
Support Dr Siouxsie After She Supported Us! | PledgeMe
Support Dr Siouxsie to recover some of the money she spent fighting her legal case to protect employees experiencing online abuse
www.pledgeme.co.nz
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Folks, people who appreciated Siouxsie's work during the pandemic and/or who like free speech and academic freedom should help out here if they can. And that's all of us, one way or another, right?
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
Folks, people who appreciated Siouxsie's work during the pandemic and/or who like free speech and academic freedom should help out here if they can. And that's all of us, one way or another, right?
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
Support Dr Siouxsie After She Supported Us! | PledgeMe
Support Dr Siouxsie to recover some of the money she spent fighting her legal case to protect employees experiencing online abuse
www.pledgeme.co.nz
November 1, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Folks, people who appreciated Siouxsie's work during the pandemic and/or who like free speech and academic freedom should help out here if they can. And that's all of us, one way or another, right?
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
Reposted by Richard Easther
Truly hilarious: Only we can rip off past housing forms in shitty historicist pastiche, no one else can. lol. Are they claiming to have invented twee? Sadly crappy faux Victoriana is ubiquitous. Please stay in Christchurch.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Developers at war: Property firms deny copying Brooksfield’s heritage designs
Brooksfield is threatening legal action against multiple smaller property developers claiming its heritage designs are being copied. Embattled rivals say they are surprised by the claims.
www.thepress.co.nz
October 31, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Truly hilarious: Only we can rip off past housing forms in shitty historicist pastiche, no one else can. lol. Are they claiming to have invented twee? Sadly crappy faux Victoriana is ubiquitous. Please stay in Christchurch.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Reposted by Richard Easther
Looking very pleased with himself for having contributed an all-time absolute banger hall-of-fame pun to the family compundium…
November 1, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Looking very pleased with himself for having contributed an all-time absolute banger hall-of-fame pun to the family compundium…