The incredible part here is that the workers who cancelled their strike to deal with this crisis WERE ON STRIKE BECAUSE OF SHIT CONDITIONS AND UNDERINVESTMENT IN OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Working at my supermarket job today, feeling a special kind of anger at the people who are Uber Eats-ing their panic buying in response to Otautahi's Red Alert Level Wind Warning. "The news said to avoid unnecessary travel so I should stay inside but its fine if a gig worker is out on the roads."

"The strikers I've spoken to are striking because they are being put into situations that are against their moral code. ... And they're seeing first hand how public sector cuts have harmed those that they care for, those that they've devoted their lives to ..." #NZPol www.emilywrites.co.nz/strike/

Took this thread and made it a post, with links - open.substack.com/pub/drbex/p/...

Apparently some folks are playing real dumb about skull symbols so let’s play a little game I like to call “Nazi skull or not a Nazi skull” First up, the Jolly Roger. This is a pirate skull, not a Nazi skull. It means you might get robbed, but prolly not genocided. With me so far? 1/x

I'm doing live updates on the 'mega strike' today for RNZ. Please post enough content here on the Bluesky so I don't have to scroll the bird app for content, I'm begging you www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

All I have is inarticulate rage most of the time about this flippin govt & a media that seems generally too weak to call em out- this is expressed much better.

Absolutely judge politicians on the company they keep.

THREAD! I want to tautoko Shep's posts by pointing out that this argument assumes the "debate" on trans people (etc) is a binary between wanting rights vs non-existence, and thus to build a broad movement we *must* accept eliminationist views in the tent. But this is bullshit which serves bigotry

People Watching: Rainbow's End theme park, Auckland, on a drizzly school holiday Friday afternoon

A friend of mine has started a blog, and it's really good: I wholly recommend you to read it.

Comment of the day (so far): "I would rather have a smaller road on my way to a high-class hospital." 🎯

In case this is a thing you're interested in (and feel free to share it around): "We’re proud to be working with UC to bring this in-depth learning resource to Christchurch and Banks Peninsula residents, and national learners too, at no cost." www.newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/u...

*This* is our grid on renewable power ~$1.50 per MWh 98% renewable Its only when we throw in fossil fuels it gets expensive The energy cartel keep fossil fuels in the mix on purpose This is a *political* problem and one we could solve easily #Nzpol

❤️I support Doctors, Nurses, Dentists, Therapists, Teachers & Principals ❤️ I support full staffing, fair hours, equal & fair pay for NZers ❤️ I support public hospitals & public schools ❌ I do NOT support privatisation, PPPs or sale of public infrastructure, services or assets

Spare some love today for Collingwood. The other Admiral at Trafalgar. Proud northerner. Hater of flogging. Legit brilliant commander and Nelson's trusted right hand. First into battle on Royal Sovereign. Took charge after Nelson was sniped and saved the British Fleet. Here's HIS Trafalgar... /1 🧵

"that stat ... about the average beneficiary being on a benefit for 18 years, isn’t what she makes it sound like. It’s a modelling estimate ... that projects how long people might receive a main benefit over their lifetime" #NZPol #Beneficiaries #EmilyWrites www.emilywrites.co.nz/the-governme...

Today I learned! Alt-text & the internet and accessibility.

Surviving as a #disability beneficiary. Its not luxurious in any way. From @thespinoff.bsky.social thespinoff.co.nz/society/17-1...

Reminder that any political party trying to make it harder to vote is sending a clear message: they can't win on their ideas alone.

Good (I think) presentation with tips on how to succeed in academic study with #ADHD or similar. #Neurodiverse #academia #study #AuDHD prezi.com/view/VMmXQ3w...

I want them to fix how MPs must talk in Parliament, not how they dress. Eg answering the question, not 'addressing' Claims must have facts and lies can be called out with facts etc Disruption genuinely not allowed OMG THE SHOUTING OVER! #nzpol

People Watching: Lunchtime in Paeroa on a Friday

🤬Pyramid schemes "Behind diamond emojis, business conferences and the quest for ‘financial freedom’ lies a multi-level-marketing scheme shrouded in secrecy. Janhavi Gosavi spoke to former members of the Legacy programme in Wellington ..." #MLM #Amway #Aotearoa thespinoff.co.nz/business/14-...

"Today, 14 October, the news will be dominated by the hostages released from Israel and Gaza. Now you might be thinking - hold on, what hostages were released in Israel? Well, let's talk about the hostages taken by Israel." #MediaLiteracy #Gaza #EmilyWrites www.emilywrites.co.nz/the-media-li...

Replace the entire curriculum of English Lit with a selection of Terry Pratchett novels and you'll achieve the same education with infinitely more entertaining reads.

If you've never been to Gaza, you won't appreciate what the yellow line means. Basically Israel now holds most of Gaza's small but important agricultural land. Continued Israeli occupation, which I judge the likely outcome, makes Gaza even more unliveable and more dependent on outside goods.

The death of multi-camera TV: a thread. I know most of you will know the technical parts of this (and may have read it in the other place) but bear with me. 1/ 🧵

“More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework and three-quarters of care work was conducted professionally for other households” [England] phys.org/news/2025-10...

At the bank I was told "pick your four digit pincode but it can't be a year." "Aren't they all years?" I asked. We sat in silence for a bit.

Honestly, the big point here isn't the individuals at the top: you're always going to get some messsed-up people. The goal of humanities education for tech types is to cut down on these peoples' support base, and I think it *can* be good at that.

Christchurch City Mission needs our help! They provide 1600 Christmas food parcels for families and people in need through December, but they need boxes! 📦📦📦

Regime gives next government permission to radically revise climate targets and finally make farmers pay their way, like everybody else does.

I have now doubled this number myself. Be a shame if it multiplied farther... "Glory, glory, ribbit ribbit! Glory, glory, ribbit ribbit! Glory, glory, ribbit ribbit! As they go hopping on!" #frogs #Ranapublic #portland marsden-online.dreamwidth.org/1049301.html

Apropos, I can only find "The Battle Hymn of the Ranapublic" (John Boardman) lyrics online on one solitary page. "Mine ears have heard the croaking of the Giant Barded Frogs. They are swimming through the marshes, they are leaping over logs. ..." #Ranapublic #frogs www.mummu.fi/poetry

Attempting to deal with the 'digital dark age' 📜 - interesting project linked to the Hawking collection at Cambridge #histSTM

Utterly smashing piece

As I've said before, FDA recalls are broad for even the suspicion of contamination. This is what they're supposed to do and it's a thankless task. The goal isn't to terrify people, but you need those things off the shelf. I'm glad Paris put this round up together for folks. Been waiting for it.

If this ceasefire happens - and I hope it does - Western media will talk about 'peace'. This will be inaccurate. What they will mean is 'quiet', a reversion to the background level of violence that Palestinians have faced for decades. Peace can only come with the end of the occupation and apartheid.

#LongCovid “No one is immune to this” Offered rest home care at 24: the lonely plight of formerly healthy young Kiwis suffering with long Covid The pandemic never ended, and we're all living proof of that. www.1news.co.nz/2025/10/10/o...

My timeline is overdue for a kitty update. #CatsOfBluesky #Caturday #BlackAndWhiteCats

Was reminded both on TV and earlier by my wife that it was protests outside politician's homes that stopped the Dawn Raids. With our politicians increasingly curating where they are available, I am unsure how I feel about it being a criminal act to protest outside someone's home.

Just for clarity, the unemployment numbers under this government may look terrible, but keep in mind, Luxon has driven tens of thousands of Kiwis overseas as well, so its actually far worse. These numbers are just the ones that couldnt leave.

"So, if coding as such is insubstantial to the extent that, much like writing, it only becomes relevant in the context of other things, what the hell is "tech"? And why do "tech" and "the tech industry" even things that we have to define and talk about in the first instance?" #Tech #Culture

I know, I know, pointing out the hypocrisy doesn't matter, but jesus christ sometimes the scale of the hypocrisy is so unbelievable you have to voice it just to reassure yourself that you're not hallucinating

People Watching: Metlifecare Bayswater Retirement Village, Mt Maunganui, at lunchtime on a sunny Thursday

Meanwhile, in another, better, world...

By the way, thank you to @theprogressreport.co.nz for theprogressreport.co.nz/local-candid... as telling colleagues than can click on a candidates name and see any past news stories contributed about them seems to have been helpful at getting people past "I don't know enough about them"

I remember when a protester punched the co-leader of the Greens in the face. Hana Maipi-Clarke had her home broken into by a political stalker. I recall VFF protesting outside Clarke's parents' home while Jacinda was on holiday. I dont remember hearing about National's concerns back then??

Actual journalism being done to contradict stupid vibes-based dickhead www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic... #nzpol