Mike Dickison
@adzebill.bsky.social
My Jeopardy categories would be Wikipedia, natural history of Aotearoa New Zealand, Sondheim musicals, bird bones, and enough typography to get me into trouble. Ōtautahi, Dr Him.
0000-0003-1183-2550, Q56458901
0000-0003-1183-2550, Q56458901
Pinned
Mike Dickison
@adzebill.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Happy to announce that, thanks to a grant from Wikimedia Aotearoa NZ, in 2025 I'll be Aotearoa Wikipedian at Large, with a focus on beautiful Banks Peninsula. Anyone keen to help with article writing, book transcription, photos, or research let me know. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
Post your warning label.
November 26, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Post your warning label.
I love the 🛬 > 🚍 > 🚊> 🏙️ public transport in Auckland now; much better than the expensive commercial airport bus I vividly remember sailing right past me early one morning as I tried to get home (missed my flight, lost half a day of work, good times). Also Puhinui Station had a green roof.
November 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
I love the 🛬 > 🚍 > 🚊> 🏙️ public transport in Auckland now; much better than the expensive commercial airport bus I vividly remember sailing right past me early one morning as I tried to get home (missed my flight, lost half a day of work, good times). Also Puhinui Station had a green roof.
The Metro Christchurch “real time” board just recites the timetable to you and doesn’t know when a bus is delayed, unlike Google Maps.
November 25, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The Metro Christchurch “real time” board just recites the timetable to you and doesn’t know when a bus is delayed, unlike Google Maps.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Now I'm done with proofing "The Toll of the Bush", it looks like I'll be working on james Cowans' "Maori Folk-tales of the Port Hills" (which is a guide to place names) en.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:C...
en.wikisource.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Now I'm done with proofing "The Toll of the Bush", it looks like I'll be working on james Cowans' "Maori Folk-tales of the Port Hills" (which is a guide to place names) en.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:C...
Reposted by Mike Dickison
What happens when a global community of volunteers comes together to make a free library? You get Wikisource, a digital library of public domain and freely licensed texts, films, and more.
Join the celebration by exploring Wikisource – and maybe transcribing a page yourself ➡️ w.wiki/XWE
Join the celebration by exploring Wikisource – and maybe transcribing a page yourself ➡️ w.wiki/XWE
November 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM
What happens when a global community of volunteers comes together to make a free library? You get Wikisource, a digital library of public domain and freely licensed texts, films, and more.
Join the celebration by exploring Wikisource – and maybe transcribing a page yourself ➡️ w.wiki/XWE
Join the celebration by exploring Wikisource – and maybe transcribing a page yourself ➡️ w.wiki/XWE
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Christchurch Airport’s efforts to preserve a 200-year-old kōwhai tree, described as the city’s Mona Lisa, are being praised.
Christchurch’s ‘Mona Lisa’ preserved amidst sea of solar panels
Christchurch Airport’s efforts to preserve a 200-year-old kōwhai tree, described as the city’s Mona Lisa, are being praised.
dlvr.it
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Christchurch Airport’s efforts to preserve a 200-year-old kōwhai tree, described as the city’s Mona Lisa, are being praised.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
#librarians #Wikidata #Wikipedia if a library uses Primo VE software then there's a linked data feature they can turn on based on Wikidata. I did an explainer video to show people what it looks like. Lemme know if you see it in the wild! www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S4u...
Wikidata in library catalogues: Introduction to the Primo VE linked data feature
YouTube video by Dr Thneed
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:39 AM
#librarians #Wikidata #Wikipedia if a library uses Primo VE software then there's a linked data feature they can turn on based on Wikidata. I did an explainer video to show people what it looks like. Lemme know if you see it in the wild! www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S4u...
“there’s a huge range of views around deer…from people who think they should be totally eradicated in New Zealand to people who absolutely love them and are not as concerned about the impact on the bush.”
Not all views are valid views! How this spectrum has changed over time would be interesting.
Not all views are valid views! How this spectrum has changed over time would be interesting.
Biodiversity takes beating from land-trampling deer
In the second of a series on southern pest problems, Newsroom looks at the deer’s devastating impact on agriculture and the already-struggling conservation estate. Jill Herron reports.
newsroom.co.nz
November 23, 2025 at 6:19 PM
“there’s a huge range of views around deer…from people who think they should be totally eradicated in New Zealand to people who absolutely love them and are not as concerned about the impact on the bush.”
Not all views are valid views! How this spectrum has changed over time would be interesting.
Not all views are valid views! How this spectrum has changed over time would be interesting.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
November 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
Reposted by Mike Dickison
since the "google is now training gemini on your email contents" thing keeps bumping around here: it's _not happening_. I say this not to defend google but because I know a lot of people that have broken their filtering and made their lives much more annoying from sheer misinformation.
The malwarebytes Google opting-your-emails-into-ai-training thing is not true. The post is based on one bad tweet.
I know anti-tech lamenting is a Bluesky core principle, but please use the same judgement you would for any other clickbait.
www.theverge.com/news/826902/...
I know anti-tech lamenting is a Bluesky core principle, but please use the same judgement you would for any other clickbait.
www.theverge.com/news/826902/...
Google denies ‘misleading’ reports of Gmail using your emails to train AI
Google says “we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.”
www.theverge.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:30 PM
since the "google is now training gemini on your email contents" thing keeps bumping around here: it's _not happening_. I say this not to defend google but because I know a lot of people that have broken their filtering and made their lives much more annoying from sheer misinformation.
Very much enjoying these mugs from Curios Ceramics, who had perhaps the busiest stall at Encraftment Ōtautahi yesterday (and they’re still there today). www.instagram.com/curios.nz
November 22, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Very much enjoying these mugs from Curios Ceramics, who had perhaps the busiest stall at Encraftment Ōtautahi yesterday (and they’re still there today). www.instagram.com/curios.nz
Reposted by Mike Dickison
I reckon you can learn a lot about the atmosphere in various Oxford colleges by looking at what they choose to name their cats (courtesy of @oxfordclarion.bsky.social ). We should all aspire to the energy of a Teabag, Isambard Kitten Brunel, or an Admiral Flapjack
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I reckon you can learn a lot about the atmosphere in various Oxford colleges by looking at what they choose to name their cats (courtesy of @oxfordclarion.bsky.social ). We should all aspire to the energy of a Teabag, Isambard Kitten Brunel, or an Admiral Flapjack
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
The designer of the controversial book covers has responded, claiming that generative AI was just one component and hours or days of tweaking go into their covers. Perhaps that’s true! But the covers are despite all this work still Not Very Good. www.sugarcubestudios.com/quentin-book...
November 21, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The designer of the controversial book covers has responded, claiming that generative AI was just one component and hours or days of tweaking go into their covers. Perhaps that’s true! But the covers are despite all this work still Not Very Good. www.sugarcubestudios.com/quentin-book...
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Whenever this is mentioned, it is obligatory to post xkcd 2381, in which @gretchenmcc.bsky.social shares forbidden linguistic knowledge with the masses.
November 21, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Whenever this is mentioned, it is obligatory to post xkcd 2381, in which @gretchenmcc.bsky.social shares forbidden linguistic knowledge with the masses.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
It's just PR, with no budget. They might as well add mosquitoes, wasps, Putin and Lex Luthor to the list. Community groups and regional councils are already killing wild cats. This announcement will not add 1 dead cat to the cause, unless the Govt forces DOC to divert $ from threatened spp programs
November 20, 2025 at 6:09 PM
It's just PR, with no budget. They might as well add mosquitoes, wasps, Putin and Lex Luthor to the list. Community groups and regional councils are already killing wild cats. This announcement will not add 1 dead cat to the cause, unless the Govt forces DOC to divert $ from threatened spp programs
Reposted by Mike Dickison
AI slop gracing the cover of Royal Society B. Not only in AI yellow but scientifically nonsensical. Come on. I'm certain human photographs and artworks were ignored to platform ... this.
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
AI slop gracing the cover of Royal Society B. Not only in AI yellow but scientifically nonsensical. Come on. I'm certain human photographs and artworks were ignored to platform ... this.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Today’s Wikipedia DYK section has been taken over for Trans Day of Remembrance. 🏳️⚧️
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Today’s Wikipedia DYK section has been taken over for Trans Day of Remembrance. 🏳️⚧️
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Really, all I want is to become Theo Jansen and build wiggling wind robots on a beach for the rest of my life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhA...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhA...
Strandbeest evolution 2025
YouTube video by theo jansen
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Really, all I want is to become Theo Jansen and build wiggling wind robots on a beach for the rest of my life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhA...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhA...
On Saturday the mayor suggested building a solar farm on a scenic reserve. On Wednesday it’s a tidal barrier, destroying the estuary ecosystem. Looking forward to next weekend’s harebrained idea. Pity he didn’t campaign on any of these.
The decades-old idea has been labelled as “crazy” by a river advocate, but Phil Mauger says a barrier from Southshore Spit to Shag Rock is "worth looking at".
Christchurch mayor wants to resurrect plans to build estuary tidal barrier
The decades-old idea has been labelled as “crazy” by a river advocate, but Phil Mauger says a barrier from Southshore Spit to Shag Rock is "worth looking at".
dlvr.it
November 19, 2025 at 5:08 PM
On Saturday the mayor suggested building a solar farm on a scenic reserve. On Wednesday it’s a tidal barrier, destroying the estuary ecosystem. Looking forward to next weekend’s harebrained idea. Pity he didn’t campaign on any of these.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Want to take part in the 2025 Wiki Science Photography Competition, but not sure where to start? Last week, we ran an explainer session with a couple of Wikimedia Commons experts to guide you through the process — check out the recording below ⬇️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-6W...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-6W...
Focus on Science: Your guide to the Wiki Science photography competition (FAQ session)
YouTube video by Wikimedia Australia
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Want to take part in the 2025 Wiki Science Photography Competition, but not sure where to start? Last week, we ran an explainer session with a couple of Wikimedia Commons experts to guide you through the process — check out the recording below ⬇️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-6W...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-6W...
Living with constant low-level worry of discovering some family member is talking to ChatGPT every day, or has decided they’re a sovereign citizen, or just lost their savings in a phishing scam.
November 19, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Living with constant low-level worry of discovering some family member is talking to ChatGPT every day, or has decided they’re a sovereign citizen, or just lost their savings in a phishing scam.
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Wikimedia Commons provides the internet with 117 million freely usable images — and your photos could be there too.
If you're near Ashburton, join our Wikipedian at Large Dr Mike Dickison (@adzebill.bsky.social) for a free workshop.
10am–4pm, Sun 23 Nov @ Ashburton Art Gallery
Please register ⬇️
If you're near Ashburton, join our Wikipedian at Large Dr Mike Dickison (@adzebill.bsky.social) for a free workshop.
10am–4pm, Sun 23 Nov @ Ashburton Art Gallery
Please register ⬇️
Wikipedia Photo Day with Dr. Mike Dickison
Join us for a day with Dr. Mike Dickison to learn all about Wikipedia photography, including how to take and upload your own photographs.
events.humanitix.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Wikimedia Commons provides the internet with 117 million freely usable images — and your photos could be there too.
If you're near Ashburton, join our Wikipedian at Large Dr Mike Dickison (@adzebill.bsky.social) for a free workshop.
10am–4pm, Sun 23 Nov @ Ashburton Art Gallery
Please register ⬇️
If you're near Ashburton, join our Wikipedian at Large Dr Mike Dickison (@adzebill.bsky.social) for a free workshop.
10am–4pm, Sun 23 Nov @ Ashburton Art Gallery
Please register ⬇️
Reposted by Mike Dickison
Why do some parts of the internet seem more robustly democratic than others?
"A big piece of it is that they have a higher purpose. Wikipedia editors, at their best, they really do believe that there’s something more than partisan politics—and that’s the accurate reflection of reliable sources."
"A big piece of it is that they have a higher purpose. Wikipedia editors, at their best, they really do believe that there’s something more than partisan politics—and that’s the accurate reflection of reliable sources."
Elon Musk Has His Own Encyclopedia Now. Well, We Read Some of the Entries …
He tried to buy Wikipedia. When that didn’t work, he made his own version—and it’s a mess.
slate.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Why do some parts of the internet seem more robustly democratic than others?
"A big piece of it is that they have a higher purpose. Wikipedia editors, at their best, they really do believe that there’s something more than partisan politics—and that’s the accurate reflection of reliable sources."
"A big piece of it is that they have a higher purpose. Wikipedia editors, at their best, they really do believe that there’s something more than partisan politics—and that’s the accurate reflection of reliable sources."