Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Ben Dickson

KnitMeAThneed @thneed.bsky.social · 3h

That’s one way to leak things I guess…

Newsroom NZ @newsroom.co.nz · 4h

Exclusive: The Government has avoided questions about whether it’s joining preparations for a US confrontation with China. Until now, the public has had no insight.

Secret defence notes pointing to sensitive China preparation left at op shop

newsroom.co.nz

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 2h

Yup I feel you there - I think if I were to put a time limit on it, I would try a weekly thing. You can have 3 hours this week, you've watched 30 minutes now, if you watch 30 minutes more you'll only have 2 hours left the rest of the week.

Of course.. I'd also have a spreadsheet to track it 🤓

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 3h

To be very honest, always context dependent in our house. When they're watching, what they're watching, how (active vs. passive) they're watching, what the weather is like, what else is going on in life, what else they've done that way.

Helpful I know 😏

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 1d

Open Letter to Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs: The New Zealand Government must recognise the State of Palestine from Staff, Students and Alumni of the University Community

Open Letter to Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs: The New Zealand Government must recognise the State of Palestine

As students, staff and alumni of the university community in Aotearoa (New Zealand), we express our profound dismay at the Government’s recent decision not to recognise the State of Palestine. Aotearo...

docs.google.com

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Reposted by Ben Dickson

Dr Lucy Stewart @lcsnz.bsky.social · 1d

Hey, would you look at that, it's an above-minimum-wage PhD stipend! Please share this one far and wide (and NB to other funders: this is a choice you can make)

New Zealand Institute of Chemistry @nzic.bsky.social · 1d

Applications are open for the Ag Emissions Centre’s PhD scholarships for study in 2026. These scholarships welcome students from diverse academic backgrounds. No agricultural background required, but a passion for climate change action and science to reduce emissions is a must.

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 1d

Is the notoriety of being the person who couldn't be reached by the Nobel committee because they were hiking a bigger award than the Nobel itself... 🤔

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 3d

"The world doesn't owe you a living".

Welp apparently I don't understand what society is for then if we'll just happily let people starve and die like outcasts. Which is, I assume, the opposite of having a living?

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Reposted by Ben Dickson

Kylie @styla73.bsky.social · 4d

Oh shit we got a boil water notice! Attn Kirikiriroa Hamilton pals #kikorangi

hamilton.govt.nz/boil-water-n...

Boil water notice for Rototuna after single E. coli test result | Hamilton City Council

hamilton.govt.nz

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

I would hope that there is some incompatibility between that and the BSI. There's some legitimately interesting things being done there in this general area - I'm just not sure I (or they?) would class it as natural pharmaceuticals... at least in good faith.

Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

I thought post-Truth was bad enough, but I imagine the post-Reality era is going to be a real trip 🥲

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

Reality is now the property of the highest bidder? 🫣

Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

Simultaneously wants to big dog their way out of international conflict, while not criticizing the most aggressive international forces.

Who do they envisage the invaders are?

Kay in the End Times 🏳️‍🌈 💗💜💙📚 @jennykaynz.bsky.social · 5d

NZ Defence Minister Judith Collins wants to see New Zealand develop lethal weapons for international export through the help of tech companies.

Unclear whether the Minister wants to test lethal weapons on NZers first.
#NZpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Government unveils strategy for the defence industry

The plan will lift New Zealand's defence spending to more than 2 percent in the next eight years with the Defence Minister seeking to have New Zealand develop weapons for export.

www.rnz.co.nz

Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

That awful feeling when a loved one is involved in a distance/time challenge and you ask them if they have a spreadsheet and they respond that they don't and don't want one...😳😳

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

It looks like "pharmaceuticals" is being used in the very loosest sense here, because most of what your average dictionary would define as a "pharmaceutical" will require systemic change levels of funding over 20+ years

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 5d

Thinking about recent Israel and US actions in international waters, and Luxon's response.

Convenient rule breaking and ignoring the rule breaking of others is a large part of the success of the types of people in our current government. The currency of privilege if you will.

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 6d

It's so draining that there was a time when we had a country that appeared to stand for things, but it has now become clear that we had a country that stood for a thing and then rested on that thing forevermore

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Reposted by Ben Dickson

Jasmin Taylor @meshedlight.bsky.social · 6d

Tēnā koutou katoa,
Here's a survey by rainbow community folk for rainbow commmnity - on experiences of child-focused/parenting services.

Survey link is here or via the QR code on attached image: vuw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Full image description in alt text & reply

"calling all rainbow community parents!

Share your experiences with us

We want to hear about you, your whanau, and how you navigate child-focused services."

Illustrated with a photo of a people paper chain cut out to be adults and children, coloured in stripes to make rainbow.

Logos for following organisations are at the bottom: Te Kura Matatini ki Otago, Inclusion through Difference: exploring rainbow parenting in Aotearoa, Te Herenga Waka and Moana Vā

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Reposted by Ben Dickson

Emma Dickson @phdbaker.bsky.social · 6d

First walk completed for Pride Unleashed. If you want to support Honey in her fundraising efforts for the Rainbow Community you can find her profile here. www.sweatwithpride.com/fundraisers/...

Honey, a ginger dog lying down on green grass wearing a rainbow bandana and Emma, white female wearing a yellow jumper, black pants and a pink hat crouched beside the dog, both look at the camera. Pink cherry blossoms trees in bloom are in the background

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 10d

What is the connection between cookers and elderflower? 🤔

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 11d

I've written and deleted at least two threads of thoughts this morning, because at the end of the day while cathartic they don't offer much to the world that isn't found in a great and noisily disgruntled:

"HARRRRRRRUMMMMPHHHHHHHHHHH"

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 11d

Yeah, last week towards the end of our bike ride I started feeling a bit vulnerable and as soon as I stepped outside today I knew... 🫠

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 11d

Crossed the Rubicon today, first sunscreen of the season and probably apropos with daylight savings this weekend....

Gonna maintain the pale male while fighting the stale. 🫰

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 12d

What's my point? Well... if you have reckons (well reasoned and evidenced reckons) consider contributing to NZSR. Who knows, maybe in 20 years you'll be able to say "I told you so, we've been here before, here's the citation".

Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 12d

Read this thread, the article and consider that the New Zealand Science Review exists in part to produce snapshots of our research system through time. What works. What doesn't and some of what people were doing (in a NZ context).

History repeating is already on record. We're circling the drain!

Te Pūnaha Matatini @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social · 12d

In Aotearoa New Zealand, research grants don’t just fund research. They also pay for buildings, admin, IT, and even profit margins. That’s because institutions rely heavily on indirect cost recovery – aka “overheads” – to stay afloat 🧪🧵

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Ben Dickson @drbenomycin.bsky.social · 12d

Add wails to taste!

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