Dave
@davetransom.bsky.social
Reposted by Dave
www.theguardian.com/technology/n... Ironic that the people striving to end our jobs are working themselves into an early grave with AI. Or something like that.
12-hour days, no weekends: the anxiety driving AI’s brutal work culture is a warning for all of us
San Francisco’s AI startups are pushing workers to grind endlessly, hinting at pressures soon hitting other sectors
www.theguardian.com
February 17, 2026 at 7:44 PM
www.theguardian.com/technology/n... Ironic that the people striving to end our jobs are working themselves into an early grave with AI. Or something like that.
Reposted by Dave
People need to go for walks in old graveyards.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
before antibiotics did people just die all the time from everything?
February 17, 2026 at 7:18 PM
People need to go for walks in old graveyards.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
Reposted by Dave
The anti-cycleways talking points and spittle-flecked Facebook rants are putting cyclists at risk from aggressive car drivers. They get so angry and feel entitled to take revenge, cutting bike riders off at roundabouts, parking in bike lanes, close passing, yelling "get off the road". It's bullying.
February 17, 2026 at 3:49 AM
The anti-cycleways talking points and spittle-flecked Facebook rants are putting cyclists at risk from aggressive car drivers. They get so angry and feel entitled to take revenge, cutting bike riders off at roundabouts, parking in bike lanes, close passing, yelling "get off the road". It's bullying.
Reposted by Dave
NEW: The Infra Commission just released its official plan, and it's a massive challenge to the Govt and NZ to:
- Trim transport spending
- Double spending on renewal/maintenance
- Spend twice as much on hospitals
- Trim transport spending
- Double spending on renewal/maintenance
- Spend twice as much on hospitals
February 16, 2026 at 11:02 PM
NEW: The Infra Commission just released its official plan, and it's a massive challenge to the Govt and NZ to:
- Trim transport spending
- Double spending on renewal/maintenance
- Spend twice as much on hospitals
- Trim transport spending
- Double spending on renewal/maintenance
- Spend twice as much on hospitals
Reposted by Dave
This climate change which governments and billionaires tell us isn’t really happening is now not really happening much more.
February 16, 2026 at 8:56 PM
This climate change which governments and billionaires tell us isn’t really happening is now not really happening much more.
Reposted by Dave
Holy fuck this is insane. An agentic AI is tasked with contributing code to matplot. The project maintainer says no. The AI then... starts an influence campaign against him?!?
The original: arstechnica.com/ai/2026/02/a... and the context: theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-... I hope they elaborate on the retraction, too, though I'm glad they acted quickly to take it down (and hope they put more effort into covering this terrifying story, since it's in their wheelhouse)
February 16, 2026 at 12:31 AM
Holy fuck this is insane. An agentic AI is tasked with contributing code to matplot. The project maintainer says no. The AI then... starts an influence campaign against him?!?
Reposted by Dave
More of this from politicians, please. When the pundits start talking bullshit call them out.
Trevor Philips, "This is not a country where people get thrown in jail for the things that they say"
Zack Polanski, "We're spiralling down that road. 2,700 arrested for opposing a genocide"
Zack Polanski, "We're spiralling down that road. 2,700 arrested for opposing a genocide"
February 15, 2026 at 11:47 AM
More of this from politicians, please. When the pundits start talking bullshit call them out.
Reposted by Dave
This is also half the reason for @fyi.org.nz going down so frequently: 95% of our traffic is from AI scrapers. They don't limit their request rates or react to site slowdowns, and just keep hammering away even if all requests are timing out.
The "AI revolution" in science is going so smoothly that my instititutional library is having to deploy multiple technical protection measures against "poorly behaved Gen AI crawling" just to maintain its timely service library.ed.ac.uk/research-sup...
February 15, 2026 at 2:44 PM
This is also half the reason for @fyi.org.nz going down so frequently: 95% of our traffic is from AI scrapers. They don't limit their request rates or react to site slowdowns, and just keep hammering away even if all requests are timing out.
Reposted by Dave
NZ Investment in a Nutshell
Spend as little as possible on a Temp Wharf that will be temporary for the next 20 years. Rather than investing upfront for a permanent asset that would last us 100 years .
Spend as little as possible on a Temp Wharf that will be temporary for the next 20 years. Rather than investing upfront for a permanent asset that would last us 100 years .
A simpler and possibly cheaper method of constructing a wharf at Picton for the new Interislander ferries has been identified, as early works get under way.
Temporary wharf to make Picton project simpler, maybe cheaper
ebx.sh
February 15, 2026 at 6:33 PM
NZ Investment in a Nutshell
Spend as little as possible on a Temp Wharf that will be temporary for the next 20 years. Rather than investing upfront for a permanent asset that would last us 100 years .
Spend as little as possible on a Temp Wharf that will be temporary for the next 20 years. Rather than investing upfront for a permanent asset that would last us 100 years .
Reposted by Dave
National govt: ‘we will tax you a billion dollars to bring more fossil fuels into NZ.’
Climate change: fucks up yet another part of NZ.
National govt: ‘we will spend lots of money on aussie footy.’ #nzpol
Climate change: fucks up yet another part of NZ.
National govt: ‘we will spend lots of money on aussie footy.’ #nzpol
February 15, 2026 at 6:31 PM
National govt: ‘we will tax you a billion dollars to bring more fossil fuels into NZ.’
Climate change: fucks up yet another part of NZ.
National govt: ‘we will spend lots of money on aussie footy.’ #nzpol
Climate change: fucks up yet another part of NZ.
National govt: ‘we will spend lots of money on aussie footy.’ #nzpol
Reposted by Dave
That $6 billion climate resilience fund would be useful right now if NATIONAL HADN’T SCRAPPED IT!
At least the landlords got their handouts though.
#nzpol #ClimateEmergency
At least the landlords got their handouts though.
#nzpol #ClimateEmergency
February 14, 2026 at 12:13 PM
That $6 billion climate resilience fund would be useful right now if NATIONAL HADN’T SCRAPPED IT!
At least the landlords got their handouts though.
#nzpol #ClimateEmergency
At least the landlords got their handouts though.
#nzpol #ClimateEmergency
Reposted by Dave
'We are in a perpetual cycle of severe weather' says Mark Mitchell, tying himself up in knots rather than just saying climate change
These fools are ideologically dangerous
These fools are ideologically dangerous
February 14, 2026 at 7:15 PM
'We are in a perpetual cycle of severe weather' says Mark Mitchell, tying himself up in knots rather than just saying climate change
These fools are ideologically dangerous
These fools are ideologically dangerous
Reposted by Dave
Sorry, kid, the government cancelled research into a cure for your disease. The man who swims in sewage and snorts cocaine in public restrooms said it's bad for you. Besides, there's no money now that we're locking up your friend's parents and the guys who mowed our lawn.
February 13, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Sorry, kid, the government cancelled research into a cure for your disease. The man who swims in sewage and snorts cocaine in public restrooms said it's bad for you. Besides, there's no money now that we're locking up your friend's parents and the guys who mowed our lawn.
Reposted by Dave
Paywall now lifted: Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead or not, new modelling has found.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
Most economic damage from gas crisis 'locked in', officials warn
Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether or not the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead, new modelling has found
newsroom.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Paywall now lifted: Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead or not, new modelling has found.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
Reposted by Dave
we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad
February 10, 2026 at 8:18 PM
we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad
Reposted by Dave
For years now, UK state owned rental properties have had swathes of solar panels on their rooftops, supplying clean energy to the grid. But clean green 100% Pure NZ is going to import fossil fuels instead. Fuckwits.
February 10, 2026 at 6:21 AM
For years now, UK state owned rental properties have had swathes of solar panels on their rooftops, supplying clean energy to the grid. But clean green 100% Pure NZ is going to import fossil fuels instead. Fuckwits.
Reposted by Dave
Can't wait for the appalled headlines two months after the general election when someone decides to actually check National's math, by which I mean, read what Craig Renney had to say about it the day it was announced
Counterpoint - what if the rightwing parties AND every major news outlet aggressively lie about the "cost savings" for 9 months and then REPEAT that same strategy for numerous other lies about Cost of Living
Here’s the thing. Power bills in this country suck. The price keeps going up. It’s a financial burden on many households. Campaigning on actual measures that would lower those bills - forgetting entirely the benefits to the country - would win votes. An LPG terminal isn’t going to win votes.
February 10, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Can't wait for the appalled headlines two months after the general election when someone decides to actually check National's math, by which I mean, read what Craig Renney had to say about it the day it was announced
Reposted by Dave
Let’s have a little bit of a chat about an economic concept known as the learning rate, and why it makes an LNG terminal a batshit insane idea 🧵
#nzpol
#nzpol
Watch live: Taranaki's Liquefied Natural Gas import facility expected to save New Zealanders millions
Watch live: Taranaki's Liquefied Natural Gas import facility expected to save New Zealanders millions
Energy Minister Simon Watts on Monday announced a contract was expected to be signed by the middle of the year.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 10, 2026 at 6:39 AM
Let’s have a little bit of a chat about an economic concept known as the learning rate, and why it makes an LNG terminal a batshit insane idea 🧵
#nzpol
#nzpol
Reposted by Dave
Bit late to it but if you want to know the chain of events that led to us importing gas (and charging electricity users to pay for it!!), I did this deep dive for RNZ last year www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
The fuel of ‘last resort’: How imported gas became New Zealand’s first choice
It's expensive, vulnerable to price shocks and terrible for the planet. So why are we importing gas?
www.rnz.co.nz
February 10, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Bit late to it but if you want to know the chain of events that led to us importing gas (and charging electricity users to pay for it!!), I did this deep dive for RNZ last year www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Dave
So I have to pay more on my power bill, which is powered by hydro - a long term investment in energy security made by a past National Govt - to pay for a gas terminal which will be entirely beholden to foreign gas markets, a dying industry.
February 9, 2026 at 5:24 PM
So I have to pay more on my power bill, which is powered by hydro - a long term investment in energy security made by a past National Govt - to pay for a gas terminal which will be entirely beholden to foreign gas markets, a dying industry.
Reposted by Dave
I absolutely guarantee you that the below and Luxon announcing a gas terminal isn't a coincidence. Corrupt piece of shit #nzpol
The US is looking for new markets for its liquified natural gas. Fancy that. www.reuters.com/markets/comm...
US LNG export dominance to be tested as sellers look beyond Europe
A potent mix of American ingenuity and full-throated political backing has propelled the U.S. to the top of global LNG exporter rankings, and promoted a narrative that shipments of "freedom gas" will ...
www.reuters.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:29 AM
I absolutely guarantee you that the below and Luxon announcing a gas terminal isn't a coincidence. Corrupt piece of shit #nzpol
Reposted by Dave
Some governments raise taxes to fund public health and education. Not Luxon. He is literally raising taxes to subsidise fossil fuels. He is putting a levy on our electricity bills to pay for his LNG import terminal.
February 9, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Some governments raise taxes to fund public health and education. Not Luxon. He is literally raising taxes to subsidise fossil fuels. He is putting a levy on our electricity bills to pay for his LNG import terminal.
Reposted by Dave
Seems like a chance to repeat that in New Zealand, the Act party, who always seem very sure about what things will destroy a free society, thought Trump would be fine and I haven't seen any sign they've changed their mind
February 9, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Seems like a chance to repeat that in New Zealand, the Act party, who always seem very sure about what things will destroy a free society, thought Trump would be fine and I haven't seen any sign they've changed their mind