michael lascarides
@mlascarides.bsky.social
Art tinkerer, library dweller, immigrant. Thinking a lot about how to prove libraries are worth keeping around. Ōtepoti.
Can confirm.
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 12:13 AM
Can confirm.
Reposted by michael lascarides
Rember when that Mayor you all ran out of Wellington wanted Nick Leggett to resign www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Wellington Water report reveals alleged theft, structural and contractor issues
Wellington Water has released a scathing report, after a probe uncovered alleged theft, poor value for money from contractors and structural issues.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 14, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Rember when that Mayor you all ran out of Wellington wanted Nick Leggett to resign www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by michael lascarides
A single image that captures NZ's dominant belief system and economic model #nzpol
www.reddit.com/r/newzealand...
www.reddit.com/r/newzealand...
February 14, 2026 at 8:26 PM
A single image that captures NZ's dominant belief system and economic model #nzpol
www.reddit.com/r/newzealand...
www.reddit.com/r/newzealand...
Reposted by michael lascarides
Yeah, Three Waters was a pretty good plan.
February 14, 2026 at 8:14 AM
Yeah, Three Waters was a pretty good plan.
Reposted by michael lascarides
This photograph, the flooded Ōtorohanga Museum, with solar panels on its roof, where irreplaceable taonga have been destroyed by floodwaters from storms exacerbated by the climate changes this government are actively ignoring.
February 13, 2026 at 8:34 PM
This photograph, the flooded Ōtorohanga Museum, with solar panels on its roof, where irreplaceable taonga have been destroyed by floodwaters from storms exacerbated by the climate changes this government are actively ignoring.
Reposted by michael lascarides
Remember: "it's better than nothing" is ALWAYS a sleight of hand to get you to look away from the decision-maker responsible for the nothing.
The rise of Gen AI use in professions like teaching and librarianship is connected to the devaluing of those fields and the expectation to do more with less every year. AI offers people a fast and cheap (or free) solution to a problem whose real solution is more funding and resources.
February 13, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Remember: "it's better than nothing" is ALWAYS a sleight of hand to get you to look away from the decision-maker responsible for the nothing.
At the risk of engaging with conspiracy theories, I was about a mile downwind of 9/11 and my *entire neighborhood* was covered in intact office paper blown out of the 82nd floor, much of it stained with jet fuel & melted plastic. Explosions are weird.
Going to need to a complete and total shutdown on podcasters and political livestreams until we can figure out what’s going on
February 13, 2026 at 9:26 PM
At the risk of engaging with conspiracy theories, I was about a mile downwind of 9/11 and my *entire neighborhood* was covered in intact office paper blown out of the 82nd floor, much of it stained with jet fuel & melted plastic. Explosions are weird.
Reposted by michael lascarides
the "it's impossible to have a conversation about AI right now" folks need to grok that a huge volume of that furor is entirely justified rage at the fact tech oligarchs purchased an automated murder autocracy; rage that's good and useful and deserves a generous berth in the months and years to come
February 13, 2026 at 4:25 PM
the "it's impossible to have a conversation about AI right now" folks need to grok that a huge volume of that furor is entirely justified rage at the fact tech oligarchs purchased an automated murder autocracy; rage that's good and useful and deserves a generous berth in the months and years to come
Reposted by michael lascarides
What we know now is a fraction of all human knowledge ever.
What is known to literate societies is a fraction of what we know now.
What is written is a fraction of what literate societies know.
What is digitized is a fraction of what is written.
What is online is a fraction of what is digitized.
What is known to literate societies is a fraction of what we know now.
What is written is a fraction of what literate societies know.
What is digitized is a fraction of what is written.
What is online is a fraction of what is digitized.
A lot of people really don’t realize that there is a vast amount of information out there that is not online and plausibly never will be, or can’t be.
I think that's a point that will surprise a lot of people. There's a lot of calling the internet capable of accessing "the sum of all human knowledge" and such that I think gives people the impression that any and all records exist online somewhere.
February 12, 2026 at 9:10 PM
What we know now is a fraction of all human knowledge ever.
What is known to literate societies is a fraction of what we know now.
What is written is a fraction of what literate societies know.
What is digitized is a fraction of what is written.
What is online is a fraction of what is digitized.
What is known to literate societies is a fraction of what we know now.
What is written is a fraction of what literate societies know.
What is digitized is a fraction of what is written.
What is online is a fraction of what is digitized.
Reposted by michael lascarides
It certainly doesn't sound like the "suddenly new covid enquiry" setup to provide a report to the government a few weeks out from the election has a lot of space for nuanced analysis of the "while lessons can be learned we need to keep what was happening elsewhere in mind" variety.
February 11, 2026 at 6:30 AM
It certainly doesn't sound like the "suddenly new covid enquiry" setup to provide a report to the government a few weeks out from the election has a lot of space for nuanced analysis of the "while lessons can be learned we need to keep what was happening elsewhere in mind" variety.
Reposted by michael lascarides
A vivid example of "mission creep" and "libraries aren't essential services except when they're told to be" that are creating a mental health hellscape for library workers.
bookriot.com/the-state-of...
bookriot.com/the-state-of...
February 11, 2026 at 8:17 PM
A vivid example of "mission creep" and "libraries aren't essential services except when they're told to be" that are creating a mental health hellscape for library workers.
bookriot.com/the-state-of...
bookriot.com/the-state-of...
Reposted by michael lascarides
if I could go a one. single. week. without having to see, hear, talk about, think about ai in libraries right now it might just heal something in me
I think the greatest gift college professors in the humanities can give to students right now is a seminar room where, for 80 minutes twice a week, nothing that happens to them is a sales pitch for an AI product.
February 11, 2026 at 9:59 PM
if I could go a one. single. week. without having to see, hear, talk about, think about ai in libraries right now it might just heal something in me
Reposted by michael lascarides
My doomer-worry about AI is not that the LLMs become omnipotent and take over the world but that the wealthy and powerful use it as a means to consolidate power and marginalize or lay off skilled workers and also everything about our technological and political and social life gets worse
February 11, 2026 at 8:20 PM
My doomer-worry about AI is not that the LLMs become omnipotent and take over the world but that the wealthy and powerful use it as a means to consolidate power and marginalize or lay off skilled workers and also everything about our technological and political and social life gets worse
Reposted by michael lascarides
I fear that men are about to do what men do. They are about to characterize any sober thinking about power as non-technical and therefore unserious.
We have seen this pattern over and over again in tech criticism. Women and people of color repeatedly lead on understanding tech changes.
We have seen this pattern over and over again in tech criticism. Women and people of color repeatedly lead on understanding tech changes.
February 11, 2026 at 5:55 PM
I fear that men are about to do what men do. They are about to characterize any sober thinking about power as non-technical and therefore unserious.
We have seen this pattern over and over again in tech criticism. Women and people of color repeatedly lead on understanding tech changes.
We have seen this pattern over and over again in tech criticism. Women and people of color repeatedly lead on understanding tech changes.
Reposted by michael lascarides
How good? Lots of people taking the opportunity to use the free busses to George Street Market. 7,500 trips (instead of 4,000 on a normal Saturday).
People who might drive all the time have possibly taken the bus for the first time.
Transport choices matter.
People who might drive all the time have possibly taken the bus for the first time.
Transport choices matter.
February 11, 2026 at 7:47 AM
How good? Lots of people taking the opportunity to use the free busses to George Street Market. 7,500 trips (instead of 4,000 on a normal Saturday).
People who might drive all the time have possibly taken the bus for the first time.
Transport choices matter.
People who might drive all the time have possibly taken the bus for the first time.
Transport choices matter.
Reposted by michael lascarides
Is Luxon trying for a Pick Me favour from Trump with move to buy USA's LNG?
Sounds like Amazon paying Melania for movie!
Dubious product to buy favour!
#NZpol
Sounds like Amazon paying Melania for movie!
Dubious product to buy favour!
#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 10:15 AM
Is Luxon trying for a Pick Me favour from Trump with move to buy USA's LNG?
Sounds like Amazon paying Melania for movie!
Dubious product to buy favour!
#NZpol
Sounds like Amazon paying Melania for movie!
Dubious product to buy favour!
#NZpol
Reposted by michael lascarides
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? 😊
Yeah, but this market took over five or six on-street parking spaces so my family and I had to park a WHOLE BLOCK away. One out of four stars.
February 7, 2026 at 4:20 AM
Yeah, but this market took over five or six on-street parking spaces so my family and I had to park a WHOLE BLOCK away. One out of four stars.
Reposted by michael lascarides
It’s heartbreaking to see the rivers I used to swim in as a boy being slowly killed to irrigate dairy farms. Climate change will make dairying impossible in Canterbury before too long; but no, we’re going to wring the last few $$ out of the environment while we can.
A once abundant native fish is on the verge of extinction. It is seemingly linked to the rapid collapse of the Rakaia river ecosystem www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
What happened to all the fish?
For the first time in more than 40 years, this year’s Rakaia fishing competition will not involve fishing. What has gone wrong?
www.thepress.co.nz
February 6, 2026 at 9:15 PM
It’s heartbreaking to see the rivers I used to swim in as a boy being slowly killed to irrigate dairy farms. Climate change will make dairying impossible in Canterbury before too long; but no, we’re going to wring the last few $$ out of the environment while we can.
Reposted by michael lascarides
Killing the CIA World Factbook might seem like small potatoes, but it was a touchstone of curated facts in a sea of disinformation.
February 5, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Killing the CIA World Factbook might seem like small potatoes, but it was a touchstone of curated facts in a sea of disinformation.
This blog is delightful, especially for design-minded folks.
I’ve been working on this for a while, but let’s make it official: I started a little Tumblr-like microblog about software craft and quality!
You can sign up via RSS or a weekly newsletter digest. There’s already almost two months of content, if you just want to check it out.
unsung.aresluna.org
You can sign up via RSS or a weekly newsletter digest. There’s already almost two months of content, if you just want to check it out.
unsung.aresluna.org
Unsung
unsung.aresluna.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:52 AM
This blog is delightful, especially for design-minded folks.
Tortoise, "In Sarah, Mencken, Christ And Beethoven There Were Women And Men".
This version is sublime.
youtu.be/EwJf5fw57Yo?...
This version is sublime.
youtu.be/EwJf5fw57Yo?...
February 4, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Tortoise, "In Sarah, Mencken, Christ And Beethoven There Were Women And Men".
This version is sublime.
youtu.be/EwJf5fw57Yo?...
This version is sublime.
youtu.be/EwJf5fw57Yo?...
Reposted by michael lascarides
Marilyn Waring: Librarians’ work is essential – and still treated as expendable
Marilyn Waring: Librarians’ work is essential – and still treated as expendable
After hearing their testimony to the People's Select Committee, I'm outraged at how brutally librarians' right to equal pay was legislated away....
thespinoff.co.nz
February 3, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Marilyn Waring: Librarians’ work is essential – and still treated as expendable
Delighted to (re)discover that Things Magazine, an excellent old-school blog of interesting links, is still trucking happily along a couple of decades after I first discovered it. www.thingsmagazine.net
things magazine
//
www.thingsmagazine.net
February 3, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Delighted to (re)discover that Things Magazine, an excellent old-school blog of interesting links, is still trucking happily along a couple of decades after I first discovered it. www.thingsmagazine.net
Reposted by michael lascarides
