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Nat Torkington

@gnat.bsky.social

1.6K followers 1.4K following 1.7K posts

Beloved banjo player of the people. Co-owner and CTO of an apparel ERP company. In former lives: open source, Perl, O'Reilly Media, new technology. Bereavement is sadder and weirder than you can imagine.

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 3h

JPGs or it didn’t happen!
I have the receipts!

Screenshot of the Spotify “Air New Zealand - Runway Tracks” playlist, description “The latest and greatest sounds from air New Zealand’s current Boarding and Landing music.”

Screenshot of the Spotify playlist showing “Heart of Stone” just above the ubiquitous L.A.B.

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 3h

OMG our band’s single “Heart of Stone” is in the Air New Zealand runway playlist! open.spotify.com/playlist/0aS...

Thanks, Air New Zealand!

Spotify – Web Player

open.spotify.com

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you! I'm so psyched to tour next year with these songs. So much goodness!

Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 1d

New music video just dropped! www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKfM...

We had so much fun in the hall making this. Can't wait to share the album with you and tour it next year!

You, Me, Everybody - The Rest of Us - [Official Music Video]

YouTube video by You, Me, Everybody Band

www.youtube.com

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 1d

"One step forward, two steps back."

You guys get steps forward?!

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Reposted by Nat Torkington

L @banalplay.bsky.social · 4d

When your custom character appears in a cut scene

The Portland frog backing down an army of jackboots

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Reposted by Nat Torkington

Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 4d

Work will never love you back. Consistently make regular time for your physical and mental health and your relationships.

essencesimmone.blacksky.app @essencesimmone.blacksky.app · 7d

Those who are 35+, what advice do you have for people just entering their 30s?

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 4d

Lest folks think I'm randomly retweeting chaotic swears, this is an allusion to the puerile yet legendary British comic Viz. It was used in several places but Rude Boy (literally, that's the entirety of the premise for this recurring character) probably gave it the heaviest workout.

Mum and Rude Boy in a hot air balloon basket. Mum asks "Isn't it a lovely view, dear?" and Rude Boy replies "piss up a rope, fuckstick!" and gives the fingers.

Reposted by Nat Torkington

Mat @mathempell.bsky.social · 4d

Piss up a rope, fuckstick

CNBC @cnbc.com · 5d

To shut down rude behavior instantly, try a simple yet powerful five-word response.

Use this 5-word phrase when someone is rude to you—it's like 'holding up a mirror,' says public speaking expert

When we encounter a rude person, our first instinct might be to fire back with a snarky comment. But that's not the right move, says public speaking expert John Bowe. Here's the perfect response to instantly shut down rude behavior.

cnb.cx

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 13d

A little of each. Main party in govt would like to start a defense industry and is probably wary of alienating USD. Foreign Minister leads the minority party that's been bought by every lobbyist, can't see why not Israel too. He's also famously random. Neolib minority party has supported Palestine.

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 15d

As always, the only reason we haven't experienced the benefits of Trickle Down is that the wealthy aren't wealthy enough. Mmm hmm.

Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 25d

The one untaxed income source grows to dominate the economy. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

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Reposted by Nat Torkington

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 27d

"…and Magda Goebbels made a great strudel.”

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 29d

"We have agreed that we can see other platforms while we are working on our relationship. We're putting the Open in OpenAI."

No word on whether Microsoft gets a chair to watch.

Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · 29d

Microsoft and OpenAI have announced that their conscious uncoupling has progressed to the Memorandum of Understanding phase. Please respect the privacy of their children in this difficult time by not using Microsoft 365 Copilot. openai.com/index/joint-...

A joint statement from OpenAI and Microsoft

OpenAI and Microsoft sign a new MOU, reinforcing their partnership and shared commitment to AI safety and innovation.

openai.com

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Sep 6

But design is my passion, Ben.

Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Sep 2

Just found it. I’m so glad there’s a journalist able to understand these things and ask the right questions.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...

Opinion: Amazon gives up building its own Auckland data centre, as power prices soar

The aborted construction of Amazon's west Auckland data centre shows just how much has changed in four years.

www.rnz.co.nz

Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Sep 1

I don't believe the data center will make any profits here that can be taxed. I'd love to know if that's not the case.

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Sep 1

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

"Boost GDP by $11B," you say? I'd love to see the maths behind that.

There's a lot of one-offs in construction. I imagine they'd import as much of the specialist materials as they can.

Annual component is electricity and water (ffs), and a handful? of engineers?

Christopher Luxon hypes re-announcement of $7.5 billion Amazon investment from 2021

The Prime Minister says Amazon is spending $7b on data centres - a move announced by the company four years ago.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Aug 28

Well? How many Rs *are* there in "strawberry"?!

Reposted by Nat Torkington

Mary Brandt, MD, MDiv @drmlb.bsky.social · Aug 27

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Aug 27

Woke Numberologist to the Stars

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Aug 26

Thanks for the tip-off. This has been the one time that Hacker News comments were useful. I scanned the comments, figured out that I would be triggered as fuck, and clicked away.

For once the Hacker News triggering wasn't because of AGI crypto boosterism.

Reposted by Nat Torkington

Corey “🎃Managed NAT Gateway👻” Quinn @quinnypig.com · Aug 26

Remember to ask the docent at the British Museum exactly what moral leg they have to stand on when you shoplift from the gift shop. They love that question.

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Nat Torkington @gnat.bsky.social · Aug 24

I thought it an unusual choice to determine monetary policy but I'm sure you've got the right dog for the job.