Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
@ashley.geek.nz
@webash on the apartheid oligarch's site we dearly lost.
I care about: Systems. Environment. Empathy.
I care about: Systems. Environment. Empathy.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
'Listen to me as I come to your neighbourhood and tell your trans siblings they are subhuman or I will use the wealth of billionaires to sue you into oblivion,' is a very late-capitalism form of free speech right.
Total gaslighting. Anti-trans activist; chooses to speak in person, provoking students who want to protect trans rights; they exercise their freedom of speech to tell her she isn't wanted; she gets to speak anyway; the BBC dutifully platforms her again; and now she threatens to sue everyone.
University threatened with legal action after protest at event
Prof Alice Sullivan says her talk at the University of Bristol became like a
www.bbc.co.uk
December 22, 2025 at 8:21 AM
'Listen to me as I come to your neighbourhood and tell your trans siblings they are subhuman or I will use the wealth of billionaires to sue you into oblivion,' is a very late-capitalism form of free speech right.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Great stuff. Hobby hunters are trying to normalise the idea that these invasive pests should be farmed, for their convenience, in the native forests we all own. (Imagine if possum trappers tried this nonsense!) We non-hunters who love our forests outvote them. Let your MP know.
Comment: Our true heritage is not the trophy on the wall, but the kohekohe seedling on the forest floor. So let’s get on top of our runaway ungulate numbers.
When 'free' meat doesn't come cheap
newsroom.co.nz
December 21, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Great stuff. Hobby hunters are trying to normalise the idea that these invasive pests should be farmed, for their convenience, in the native forests we all own. (Imagine if possum trappers tried this nonsense!) We non-hunters who love our forests outvote them. Let your MP know.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
FWIW, the jury is still out on Gen AI being good at text summaries. Because it shortens & emphasizes text based on distribution, not meaning, it’s less of a summary (ie, salient points highlighted) than a compression (ie, the most frequently asserted terms in the distribution). Not the same thing!
December 21, 2025 at 8:47 PM
FWIW, the jury is still out on Gen AI being good at text summaries. Because it shortens & emphasizes text based on distribution, not meaning, it’s less of a summary (ie, salient points highlighted) than a compression (ie, the most frequently asserted terms in the distribution). Not the same thing!
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
This is accurate. I can use AI to massively speed up some parts of my work, but only because I'm able to intuit when it's gone wildly off-base, which it does with confidence indistinguishable from when it gets things right.
AI is often sold as 'do something you already know how to do more efficiently' but is often bought as 'do something you don't know how to do with no idea if you are doing it efficiently at all'
December 21, 2025 at 10:09 PM
This is accurate. I can use AI to massively speed up some parts of my work, but only because I'm able to intuit when it's gone wildly off-base, which it does with confidence indistinguishable from when it gets things right.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
sheesh, the only thing worse than getting kicked out of the polycule is finding out via jira ticket 😣
![Screenshot of an email:
Subject: [PIPEXP-1192] Login Access Request
To: me
Good morning Kimberly! =^uwu^=;;
I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble logging into Jellyfin! It looks like your SSO account was indeed deactivated on 2025 Dec 15.
According to our records,
1. On or about 2025 Nov 15, you were broken up with by ___, who noted this as a “final break” on vis event report sheet. I’m also seeing that Ve ticked the “Unilateral” box, meaning it isn’t contestable.
2. Our Salesforce shows you aren’t close to any other polycule members
Unfortunately, our solo-poly access policy doesn’t allow us to extend resources to unpartnered members after the 30 day grace period following your break. This includes entertainment resources (Jellyfin / *darr / nzbget / Pornhub for Enterprise™ seat), as well as O365™, Adobe CC™, and shell access on the Nix clusters. We’re so sorry for your loss, cutie!! 😭💜
If you have any questions, you can reply to this email to generate another ticket, or you can contact zzzoeee@ from our Partner Infra team (note: three Zs and three Es in their LDAP, we have a lot of Zoes here!)
—-
Regards,
___ (🏳️⚧️she/her, UTC -5)
Partner Infra Platform Experiences team
As a courtesy, a copy of this email has been sent to your manager listed in Workday™
New name or pronouns? Dating someone new? Just visit go/update-me to update your account!
Include this line in your email to comment on the ticket: 250e084a-b937-47a6-948d-b519112ad35a](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rhtazgvloflondzburvubdft/bafkreids254lgwtdyd62paodq5ynb5tatkemp5l77ynw6udhshedj6pab4@jpeg)
December 17, 2025 at 2:49 PM
sheesh, the only thing worse than getting kicked out of the polycule is finding out via jira ticket 😣
I can't find it now, but supposedly the more your speed up transport, the further people are willing to travel for work.
Western governments are too incompetent to reverse rural employment problems locally, so why not bring the people to the work.
Provide fast, reliable public transport
Western governments are too incompetent to reverse rural employment problems locally, so why not bring the people to the work.
Provide fast, reliable public transport
The Guardian is reporting on our collapsing regional towns, and when questioned, the government comes up with the dumbest quote ever: ‘the coalition government has said it will boost the economy by cutting new spending by $1bn to reduce borrowing and debt’ 🧵
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
The rural towns fighting for survival as New Zealand grapples with a growing exodus
Ruapehu is emblematic of question facing New Zealand: how to prevent rural regions – and the country at large - from hollowing out
www.theguardian.com
December 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
I can't find it now, but supposedly the more your speed up transport, the further people are willing to travel for work.
Western governments are too incompetent to reverse rural employment problems locally, so why not bring the people to the work.
Provide fast, reliable public transport
Western governments are too incompetent to reverse rural employment problems locally, so why not bring the people to the work.
Provide fast, reliable public transport
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
They're totally upside down. If you want to save towns you don't stop spending money. Instead you spend money in the towns. Do some projects. Create jobs. Create some buzz. Up the vibe.
Austerity, theoretically, is being tight so good times return, but you actually need to build the good times.
Austerity, theoretically, is being tight so good times return, but you actually need to build the good times.
The Guardian is reporting on our collapsing regional towns, and when questioned, the government comes up with the dumbest quote ever: ‘the coalition government has said it will boost the economy by cutting new spending by $1bn to reduce borrowing and debt’ 🧵
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
The rural towns fighting for survival as New Zealand grapples with a growing exodus
Ruapehu is emblematic of question facing New Zealand: how to prevent rural regions – and the country at large - from hollowing out
www.theguardian.com
December 17, 2025 at 10:03 PM
They're totally upside down. If you want to save towns you don't stop spending money. Instead you spend money in the towns. Do some projects. Create jobs. Create some buzz. Up the vibe.
Austerity, theoretically, is being tight so good times return, but you actually need to build the good times.
Austerity, theoretically, is being tight so good times return, but you actually need to build the good times.
What!
The Consumer Food Safety Insights Survey (conducted by the MPI) found:
• 67% of New Zealanders who prepare chicken say they wash it either "sometimes" or "always."
• 79% of consumers incorrectly believe that they should wash raw chicken or are unsure if they should.
• 67% of New Zealanders who prepare chicken say they wash it either "sometimes" or "always."
• 79% of consumers incorrectly believe that they should wash raw chicken or are unsure if they should.
December 17, 2025 at 10:34 PM
What!
**screams at stupid at best, maliciously incompetent at worst**
UK MPs target VPNs in latest Online Safety Act debate www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
UK MPs target VPNs in latest Online Safety Act debate www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
UK MPs target VPNs in latest Online Safety Act debate
"The onus should be on the VPN company to comply with the law"
www.techradar.com
December 17, 2025 at 10:25 PM
**screams at stupid at best, maliciously incompetent at worst**
UK MPs target VPNs in latest Online Safety Act debate www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
UK MPs target VPNs in latest Online Safety Act debate www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
what the f...actually you know what this is just how it is these days
The report said the UK won’t institute a legal requirement “for now," but asking companies to block nude images could be the first step toward making it mandatory if the government doesn’t get what it wants.
UK to “encourage” Apple and Google to put nudity-blocking systems on phones
Government seeks “nudity-detection algorithms” in iOS and Android, report says.
arstechnica.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:50 PM
what the f...actually you know what this is just how it is these days
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
AI has actively made life worse for literally everyone
- tech is now more expensive
- you cannot trust most media of reality anymore
- programs barely function
- energy prices
- literal psychosis
- your voice can be literally stolen for evil
- more spyware
but hey, you can avoid paying an artist.
- tech is now more expensive
- you cannot trust most media of reality anymore
- programs barely function
- energy prices
- literal psychosis
- your voice can be literally stolen for evil
- more spyware
but hey, you can avoid paying an artist.
December 14, 2025 at 4:19 AM
AI has actively made life worse for literally everyone
- tech is now more expensive
- you cannot trust most media of reality anymore
- programs barely function
- energy prices
- literal psychosis
- your voice can be literally stolen for evil
- more spyware
but hey, you can avoid paying an artist.
- tech is now more expensive
- you cannot trust most media of reality anymore
- programs barely function
- energy prices
- literal psychosis
- your voice can be literally stolen for evil
- more spyware
but hey, you can avoid paying an artist.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Poverty is a policy choice. Concentrated wealth is a policy choice. Inequality is a policy choice. None of it is natural or inevitable. Remember: We have the power to build a system that serves the many, not the powerful few.
December 14, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Poverty is a policy choice. Concentrated wealth is a policy choice. Inequality is a policy choice. None of it is natural or inevitable. Remember: We have the power to build a system that serves the many, not the powerful few.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
ANYONE who attacks unarmed civilians just going about their lives, with any kind of weapon, is a cowardly, murderous, piece of shit. Simple as that.
If they do it at a time that's a celebration of peace, life, children, etc, then they're an evil, murderous, cowardly, piece of shit.
If they do it at a time that's a celebration of peace, life, children, etc, then they're an evil, murderous, cowardly, piece of shit.
December 14, 2025 at 7:30 PM
ANYONE who attacks unarmed civilians just going about their lives, with any kind of weapon, is a cowardly, murderous, piece of shit. Simple as that.
If they do it at a time that's a celebration of peace, life, children, etc, then they're an evil, murderous, cowardly, piece of shit.
If they do it at a time that's a celebration of peace, life, children, etc, then they're an evil, murderous, cowardly, piece of shit.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Started seeing videos from Bondi almost in real-time last night and didn't know what to say.
I've landed here:
Those two shooters, and anyone else who wants to deliver mass violence upon others, especially based on their identity, are shit cunts of the highest order.
I've landed here:
Those two shooters, and anyone else who wants to deliver mass violence upon others, especially based on their identity, are shit cunts of the highest order.
December 14, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Started seeing videos from Bondi almost in real-time last night and didn't know what to say.
I've landed here:
Those two shooters, and anyone else who wants to deliver mass violence upon others, especially based on their identity, are shit cunts of the highest order.
I've landed here:
Those two shooters, and anyone else who wants to deliver mass violence upon others, especially based on their identity, are shit cunts of the highest order.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
So now that’s a founding member and biggest financier outside the Big Five (Netherlands), a member of the Big Five (Spain), a country with the joint-most wins (Ireland), a country pivotal getting other former communist states involved (Slovenia), and a country where most watch the contest (Iceland)
Iceland to boycott Eurovision over Israel's participation
Iceland to boycott Eurovision over Israel's participation
Iceland has announced it is boycotting Eurovision over Israel's participation in the competition.
news.sky.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:30 AM
So now that’s a founding member and biggest financier outside the Big Five (Netherlands), a member of the Big Five (Spain), a country with the joint-most wins (Ireland), a country pivotal getting other former communist states involved (Slovenia), and a country where most watch the contest (Iceland)
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
How many times do we need to point this out?
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Starmer urges Europe’s leaders to curb ECHR to halt rise of far right
Exclusive: PM calls for members of European convention on human rights to allow tougher action to protect borders
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:56 AM
How many times do we need to point this out?
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
I've been doing a bunch of media about Australia's social media ban for under 16s this week.
NZ looks likely to follow.
Before we copy-paste a ban, here’s what actually matters (imo) 👇
#nzpol
NZ looks likely to follow.
Before we copy-paste a ban, here’s what actually matters (imo) 👇
#nzpol
December 11, 2025 at 6:28 AM
I've been doing a bunch of media about Australia's social media ban for under 16s this week.
NZ looks likely to follow.
Before we copy-paste a ban, here’s what actually matters (imo) 👇
#nzpol
NZ looks likely to follow.
Before we copy-paste a ban, here’s what actually matters (imo) 👇
#nzpol
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
$9.23 billion over 3 years/2% of the economy lost to car crashes
And NACT want us to go faster, on more roads, with less safety
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
And NACT want us to go faster, on more roads, with less safety
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Higher speeds lower productivity: what the data shows crash delays really cost Auckland
Analysis - Rolling back speed limits ignores the hidden costs of delays caused by an increased number of crashes, Timothy Welch writes.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 11, 2025 at 7:40 AM
$9.23 billion over 3 years/2% of the economy lost to car crashes
And NACT want us to go faster, on more roads, with less safety
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
And NACT want us to go faster, on more roads, with less safety
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Not here to tell journos how to do their job, but one of you should spend half an hour on the Internet and find out just how much tax that mine paid during its years of operation.
Y’know… so we can judge the costs and benefits of having these mines.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Y’know… so we can judge the costs and benefits of having these mines.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Govt's whopping $256m clean up bill for one coalmine
The Government will have to fork out $256m to clean up Stockton coal mine on the West Coast - more than triple earlier estimates.
www.thepress.co.nz
December 10, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Not here to tell journos how to do their job, but one of you should spend half an hour on the Internet and find out just how much tax that mine paid during its years of operation.
Y’know… so we can judge the costs and benefits of having these mines.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Y’know… so we can judge the costs and benefits of having these mines.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
“Coal mining companies only pay 2% royalties to the Government and the taxpayers are left with the toxic tab. Coal mining is the Christmas gift that keeps on taking.”
Not here to tell journos how to do their job, but one of you should spend half an hour on the Internet and find out just how much tax that mine paid during its years of operation.
Y’know… so we can judge the costs and benefits of having these mines.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Y’know… so we can judge the costs and benefits of having these mines.
www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Govt's whopping $256m clean up bill for one coalmine
The Government will have to fork out $256m to clean up Stockton coal mine on the West Coast - more than triple earlier estimates.
www.thepress.co.nz
December 10, 2025 at 11:16 PM
“Coal mining companies only pay 2% royalties to the Government and the taxpayers are left with the toxic tab. Coal mining is the Christmas gift that keeps on taking.”
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
FYI, I’ve opened this one up to all to read, listen and share after requests from paying subscribers to make it publicly available, as part of my public interest journalism mandate. Many thanks to subscribers who pay to allow me to do this. #nzpol thekaka.substack.com/p/ird-hunts-...
IRD hunts for more cash as deficit widens
Budget deficit worsens by $704m; IRD eyes tax on loans to business owners worth $29 billion; ComCom Chair says electricity system a 'market failure'; Congestion charges may cut need for RONS - Bishop
thekaka.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:15 PM
FYI, I’ve opened this one up to all to read, listen and share after requests from paying subscribers to make it publicly available, as part of my public interest journalism mandate. Many thanks to subscribers who pay to allow me to do this. #nzpol thekaka.substack.com/p/ird-hunts-...
I was most of the way out of a narrow up-a-step restaurant door in Bruges today when some woman started to attempt to enter the door as if I was not there.
Can't remember if it was this bad before COVID but I'm seeing an alarming spreading of what I'll call Airport Behavior to other public places. Obliviousness to other people's existence, ineptitude at navigating the environment. "Is this your first time at the grocery store" type stuff
December 7, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I was most of the way out of a narrow up-a-step restaurant door in Bruges today when some woman started to attempt to enter the door as if I was not there.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Stranger Things Season 5's plot hole: in the same episode they state the fire weakness, none of the defense is ready for such 🙄, only to finally use it once a bunch of people have died
November 29, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Stranger Things Season 5's plot hole: in the same episode they state the fire weakness, none of the defense is ready for such 🙄, only to finally use it once a bunch of people have died