Dr. Curiosity
@drcuriosity.bsky.social
He is a recovering CS education researcher, pun criminal, overly literal, filthy enabler. Also on Mastodon: @[email protected]
If the US armed forces are considering banning the technology - even from US companies - over OpSec reasons, other governments would be well advised to do the same.
taskandpurpose.com/news/air-for...
taskandpurpose.com/news/air-for...
Air Force bans smart glasses for troops in uniform
The Air Force is banning troops from wearing smart eyewear like Meta AI glasses. Other services allow commanders to dictate device policies.
taskandpurpose.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:21 AM
If the US armed forces are considering banning the technology - even from US companies - over OpSec reasons, other governments would be well advised to do the same.
taskandpurpose.com/news/air-for...
taskandpurpose.com/news/air-for...
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
“In New Zealand, X holds just over 6% of the social media market, so it’s now a platform with barely a sliver of reach.”
Not even wide use by the NZ public, so definitely no good reason for government agencies or politicians to be on a CSAM and racism-spewing site.
PSC should get agencies off it.
Not even wide use by the NZ public, so definitely no good reason for government agencies or politicians to be on a CSAM and racism-spewing site.
PSC should get agencies off it.
Excellent article from Andrea Vance today - few quotes
"There is a weak argument (usually put forward by white men, those least likely to suffer abuse online) that staying on X somehow moderates the awful. You can’t dilute a cesspool."
1/5
"There is a weak argument (usually put forward by white men, those least likely to suffer abuse online) that staying on X somehow moderates the awful. You can’t dilute a cesspool."
1/5
Every official tweet is a nod to child abuse
OPINION: Why is a social network under criminal investigation for child sex abuse material treated as a legitimate podium for government messaging?
www.thepost.co.nz
February 7, 2026 at 11:52 PM
“In New Zealand, X holds just over 6% of the social media market, so it’s now a platform with barely a sliver of reach.”
Not even wide use by the NZ public, so definitely no good reason for government agencies or politicians to be on a CSAM and racism-spewing site.
PSC should get agencies off it.
Not even wide use by the NZ public, so definitely no good reason for government agencies or politicians to be on a CSAM and racism-spewing site.
PSC should get agencies off it.
Oop, now I'm Awake. Medical transport helo overhead bringing someone in from Banks Peninsula. Hope they're okay.
February 7, 2026 at 11:03 AM
Oop, now I'm Awake. Medical transport helo overhead bringing someone in from Banks Peninsula. Hope they're okay.
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
I was at a conservation event in West Auckland last week, and they had a dead one mounted to show us and Jesus fucking christ those things are fucking gigantic
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
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
February 7, 2026 at 7:54 AM
I was at a conservation event in West Auckland last week, and they had a dead one mounted to show us and Jesus fucking christ those things are fucking gigantic
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
February 7, 2026 at 5:01 AM
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
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
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
February 7, 2026 at 2:55 AM
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
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
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
production of The Muppet Show should not be dependent on petty vulgarities like “ratings” or “revenue.” it should be preserved as a vital function of american culture. it should have a taxpayer-funded budget rivaling the CIA
February 7, 2026 at 12:40 AM
production of The Muppet Show should not be dependent on petty vulgarities like “ratings” or “revenue.” it should be preserved as a vital function of american culture. it should have a taxpayer-funded budget rivaling the CIA
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
i don't particularly disagree with a lot of the critiques of anarchist activism by liberals but I bristle when they act as if their best practices are any wiser. we're here because none of us figured out how to avoid being here.
everyone should have some goddamn humility.
everyone should have some goddamn humility.
February 4, 2026 at 1:45 AM
i don't particularly disagree with a lot of the critiques of anarchist activism by liberals but I bristle when they act as if their best practices are any wiser. we're here because none of us figured out how to avoid being here.
everyone should have some goddamn humility.
everyone should have some goddamn humility.
Interesting to note the current incumbent contractor here: Deloitte Consulting. (Yes, that Deloitte.)
"research and analyze data from commercial and law enforcement databases [&] other publicly accessible, open-source, and social media platforms to support investigations and aid in targeting individuals for arrest in furtherance of ICE law enforcement missions" 👀 www.highergov.com/contract-for...
Targeting Operations Division - Lead Development and Open-Source...
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has forecasted a procurement for Targeting Operations Division - Lead Development and Open-Source Intelligence Analysis around 5/8/26 worth up to $50,000,000
www.highergov.com
February 3, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Interesting to note the current incumbent contractor here: Deloitte Consulting. (Yes, that Deloitte.)
It's past 10pm. We're nearly at tomorrow's high temperature. It's all downhill from here.
February 2, 2026 at 9:16 AM
It's past 10pm. We're nearly at tomorrow's high temperature. It's all downhill from here.
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
I mean stealing others efforts is pretty much on form for British museum
February 2, 2026 at 9:05 AM
I mean stealing others efforts is pretty much on form for British museum
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
Anyone who says, "an intern must have done this" has no idea about how social media management operates at this level. Posting AI slop is a very deliberate choice. Especially for an institution this big.
The British Museum posted Al slop and quietly deleted it. Here's what it was and why it matters.
#archaeology🏺#musuem #culture #heritage #history
#archaeology🏺#musuem #culture #heritage #history
February 2, 2026 at 9:05 AM
Anyone who says, "an intern must have done this" has no idea about how social media management operates at this level. Posting AI slop is a very deliberate choice. Especially for an institution this big.
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living in Ebbw Vale (1991)
February 2, 2026 at 9:03 AM
The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living in Ebbw Vale (1991)
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
Pleased to say that Carl Bergstrom (@carlbergstrom.com) will be speaking at the University of Canterbury on 13th Feb!
He is hosted by @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social come see him at noon in Jack Erskine 441!
He is hosted by @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social come see him at noon in Jack Erskine 441!
February 2, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Pleased to say that Carl Bergstrom (@carlbergstrom.com) will be speaking at the University of Canterbury on 13th Feb!
He is hosted by @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social come see him at noon in Jack Erskine 441!
He is hosted by @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social come see him at noon in Jack Erskine 441!
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
Yeah, that’s getting a bit warm…
(50˚C is 122˚F for those who still aren’t using metrics.)
(50˚C is 122˚F for those who still aren’t using metrics.)
Here's how the records stacked up during the recent heatwave over central and southern Australia. All-month maximum temperature records at individual stations with 25+ year histories are highlighted.
February 1, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Yeah, that’s getting a bit warm…
(50˚C is 122˚F for those who still aren’t using metrics.)
(50˚C is 122˚F for those who still aren’t using metrics.)
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
Checked on #kakapo Hine Taumai's nest yesterday, and surprised to find her sunbathing on her nest! Some nests are very open to the elements, so we often add waterproofing to ensure the chicks don't get too wet.
#kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
#kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
January 31, 2026 at 8:19 AM
Checked on #kakapo Hine Taumai's nest yesterday, and surprised to find her sunbathing on her nest! Some nests are very open to the elements, so we often add waterproofing to ensure the chicks don't get too wet.
#kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
#kakapo2026 #conservation #birds
"Welcome to geopolitics, where the countries are made up and the points don't matter..."
January 31, 2026 at 3:28 AM
"Welcome to geopolitics, where the countries are made up and the points don't matter..."
Sparing a thought today for people who've been through their own traumatic experiences, and don't need folks slopping around the "juicy" parts of the recently-released Epstein documents without any mutable words they can filter out on them.
If you must, give people the chance to opt out.
If you must, give people the chance to opt out.
January 31, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Sparing a thought today for people who've been through their own traumatic experiences, and don't need folks slopping around the "juicy" parts of the recently-released Epstein documents without any mutable words they can filter out on them.
If you must, give people the chance to opt out.
If you must, give people the chance to opt out.
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
The same is true of information systems and software. What govt agencies were able to do in house and in collaboration with local universities and companies in decades past seems unimaginable today with the colossal scale of managerial outsourcing and digital obfuscation.
Was chatting to people at the pub tonight about how decades ago NZ Post commissioned the Reiker bicycle factory in Timaru to build them a fleet of steel cargo bikes (using tubes sourced from local iron sands and Glenbrook). It just simply wouldn’t be possible to do that locally today, at both ends.
January 31, 2026 at 12:01 AM
The same is true of information systems and software. What govt agencies were able to do in house and in collaboration with local universities and companies in decades past seems unimaginable today with the colossal scale of managerial outsourcing and digital obfuscation.
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
I hate this. I hate that scholars and teachers are supposed to be digital fraud experts. I hate that this part of their job description is becoming larger and larger. I hate the widening distrust. I hate a culture that aggressively devalues the curiosity and humility required for ongoing learning.
New trick discovered today: an LLM-generated essay, saved as a PDF, with a tiny white space between each letter. This makes it impossible to paste quotes into a search engine, prevents text-matching in plagiarism checkers, & means URLs in bibliographies can't be clicked on. A lot of my time wasted.
January 30, 2026 at 7:35 PM
I hate this. I hate that scholars and teachers are supposed to be digital fraud experts. I hate that this part of their job description is becoming larger and larger. I hate the widening distrust. I hate a culture that aggressively devalues the curiosity and humility required for ongoing learning.
"If WW3 breaks out, would you be happy to fight for America?"
"On which side?"
"On which side?"
January 30, 2026 at 9:19 AM
"If WW3 breaks out, would you be happy to fight for America?"
"On which side?"
"On which side?"
Reposted by Dr. Curiosity
It feels silly but I just bought enough stamps to send out my business’ mail for ~4 years since they hold their value. 10 years ago it was 80c to send a standard letter in NZ, now it’s $2.90.
January 30, 2026 at 2:58 AM
It feels silly but I just bought enough stamps to send out my business’ mail for ~4 years since they hold their value. 10 years ago it was 80c to send a standard letter in NZ, now it’s $2.90.