Given all the really important shit that this government says we "can't afford" it's amazing what they manage to find money for.

We’ve been warning about this since the start.

ONE BILLION DOLLARS. IT WAS THE ADDITIONAL ONE BILLION THAT MADE THEM STOP THE DUNEDIN HOSPITAL AND IREX. No money for hospitals or the ferries, money to prop up fossil fuels.

Me: I wonder what became of the guy who voiced Mr. DNA in Jurassic Park Me one IMDB search later: 😬

I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.

$?????? millions on a liquefied natural gas terminal that cuts against the actual economics of natural gas instead of just paying for everyone to switch to fucking electricity is probably peak Luxonism. Bad economics, bad infrastructure, bad decision.

Reminder that Steve Buscemi, National Treasure, used to be a firefighter, and when 9-11 happened, he pulled 12 hour volunteer shifts with his old ladder. www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta... In case you want to know the first thing I remember about him. :)

I never noticed this either.

My wife, the photographer, would straight up murder me if I was responsible for doing this to her and not a jury in the world would fucking convict her.

okay so Baikal Seals' eyes are like that because they've evolved to see really well in the dark, they dive down super deep to catch prey and it just kinda hit me ... if grey aliens were real, they would've evolved to see in a lightless place

I already found grey aliens uncomfortable to look at, now you've added the idea that they're nocturnal predators, which makes perfect sense. Thank you for that. Thank you so much.

yes but on the flipside this raises the possibility that they lack tear ducts and need to keep their eyes moistened on land, which would mean they constantly look on the verge of tears

To read more about Tyrian Purple, I recommend this BBC article by Zaria Gorvett.

ITV Retro has put all of the science-fantasy series “Sapphire and Steel” (1979–1982) on YouTube. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis... Stars David McCallum and Joanna Lumley and very cheap production. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapphir...

What a Transformation 🛁 After careful treatment for flaky skin this Ruru / Morepork was readied for release, thanks to coordinated efforts by Wellington Zoo wellingtonzoo.com/support-us/d... and Wildbase Recovery wildbaserecovery.co.nz/help-us/donate Source: fb.com/101585508645... #owlsintowels 💛🦉

A guide for Aucklanders keeping watch for yellow-legged hornets: 1. “Hmm, is this stripy waspy thing a hornet?” = not a hornet 2. “JESUS EFFING C what the F is that MONSTER, that’s he biggest wasp I’ve ever SEEN, NO Jaden KEEP AWAY, shit I think it has yellow legs” = hornet

I heard a loud thump and found this:

WHO'S IN THE CAGE NOW BITCH?!?

"I need AI to make art, human art is only for the rich and privileged-"

TTRPGs are such beautiful, impossible things. Think of how hard it is to get any group to get on the same page on *anything*, and then marvel at how we play these games that allow you to build worlds together. I think about that a lot.

So it's Black History Month and that means I think it's a good time to get familiar with Mike Pondsmith, if you're not already. When you see R. Talsorian Games, that's him. When you see Cyberpunk 2077, that's his world. Mekton, Castle Falkenstein, also him. cyberpunk.fandom.com/wiki/Mike_Po...

Love the idea of hiding your shame of calculating behind the cool of smoking.

What is te reo for 'Where do you usually go?'

JK Rowling: hello children Rowling: i jussst wanted to sstop by to asssure you Rowling: that i did NOT invite jeffrey epssstein to the world premiere of the monsterss of pottermania sstage sshow extravaganza ssupersshow sspectacular live from the acropolisss in sstereo where available

If the National Party are going to use Muppets* to depict the opposition, it's only fair they receive the same treatment. #nzpol *I'm aware the Skeksis are not Muppets, but they're puppets created by Jim Henson so it's close enough.

rat coin purse

Photograph of the 'Weapons from Waste' expo, taken by James Berry. Shows a primitive version of the mechas Aotearoa is now famous for. Early 1940s, Wellington, New Zealand. Ref A.012850, Te Papa.

In celebration of the imminent Blades ‘68 campaign, I thought I’d talk a bit about its graphic design. BUT FIRST let’s compare and contrast with the graphic design of Blades in the Dark, a landmark in the history of RPG layout. Type nerdery ahoy 🧐

This isn't a news article; it's an ad for Ring and its surveillance state tech masquerading as good news for pet owners about finding lost animals.

"But this is outrageous," I exclaimed. "Sir?" "How the devil have I used just shy of an entire GB's worth of data in a few days?" "Might I draw attention to the PG Wodehouse audiobooks sir has been listening to recently." "Ah," I replied. He had me there.

Let's do this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtQ9...

NZ Bug of the Year is open! but can we talk about how satisfying this insect’s name is? bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz

Calling all TTRPG actual play shows!

two Takahē and their 8 week old chick

You can test new tech ideas using the Seinfeld Test Would the product eliminate the plot of an episode? (Google maps, cell phones, paypal, battery packs) Good tech. Would the product inspire new Seinfeld plots? (NFTs, AI chatbots, crypto currency, blindboxes, metaverse land sales) Bad tech.

breaking: he has a Thought

i am happy to fight for freedom with the libertarians but also, we don’t really need to *talk*

Fellow writers: I am deeply saddened to share that if we want the rewards of having written, we must submit to the mortifying ordeal of writing

I'm sorry RNZ, but a SOLIDARITY RALLY should not be classified as DISSENT surely? Who is being dissented against? Unless you are referring to the second, unnamed rally, which I assume is Grifter Tamaki? #nzpol

This bear is so majestic but there is nothing quiet about it. It sounds like Tony Soprano downing a pan of stuffed manicotti

I have been laughing at this for a solid five minutes.

A bit of my new Listener column. Auckland Council's single biggest item of capital expenditure in FY2025 was paying out the owners of homes ruined by the floods in 2023 (absurdly characterised in the Herald as a "splurge"). It's all very real.

Just a reminder, the greatest living American historian filmmaker, Ken Burns, released a 720 min exploration of every facet of the American revolution using zero generative AI and paying for all of its assets instead of cobbling it from stolen data, then he gave it away for free on PBS this year.

What do you mean, "why's it got to be built"? It's a data centre! You've got to build data centres.

A Great Horned Owl at Owl Ridge Raptor Center, Tennessee posted with the caption "Someone did not want to take their medicine and therefore, must be placed in the burrito of towel. He was thrilled." Want to donate to ORRC? owlridge.org/ways-to-donate Source: fb.com/101623875111... #owlsintowels 💛🦉

we’re all trying to find the guy etc etc

eyyy, shoutout Unity Books Wellington, I made the wall!

Let's remember Judith Collins for that time Danyl performed the Voight-Kampff test on her to prove it was actually her running her Twitter account.