Ni-cola Ga-stan
@nicgaston.bsky.social
5.7K followers 1.3K following 2.7K posts
Where do we go from here? The planet is a gunboat in a sea of fear There is, however, such a thing as society
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nicgaston.bsky.social
Kinda disappointed it took me this long to coin kookabunny, ngl
nicgaston.bsky.social
First time I’ve seen the rabbit/bird illusion with an actual photo. Took me just a half second to process the word in all caps…
mfyfyr.bsky.social
whomst among us etc
nicgaston.bsky.social
Would love a source for that 💞
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
nicgaston.bsky.social
Fundamentally, we are governed by people who believe that their primary job is to reduce the size of their … job.

Non-delivery is basically just pre-empting a future cut so all good? 🥴
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
nzpsa.bsky.social
📢 1,700 Policy, Advisory, Knowledge and Specialist health workers have voted to join strike action on 23 October. The strike follows the failure of Health NZ Te Whatu Ora to provide an offer during bargaining that fairly reflects their value to the public health system.

A graphic tile that says Breaking news 17,00 Policy, Advisory, Knowledge & Specialist health workers to strike on Thursday October 23. The Stand Together For Health and PSA logos are in the corners.
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
tinamakereti.bsky.social
I wrote a thing that is set in an imagined near-future where there is a tent city in Te Aro park. I would very much like sci-fi/speculative fiction/dystopic fiction to remain in any way fictional. I would like it if I imagined an awful thing and it didn't turn out to be not as awful as reality.
jennykaynz.bsky.social
A kaupapa Māori youth homelessness group says benefit changes will increase whānau stress and push more rangatahi onto the streets.

If they're living on street and beg for food, cops will move them along for vagrancy. NZ Govt is OK w poor 18 - 19YOs dying off.
#NZpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu...
Government benefit changes could leave more rangatahi homeless, advocate warns
A kaupapa Māori youth homelessness group says benefit changes will increase whānau stress and push more rangatahi onto the streets.
www.rnz.co.nz
nicgaston.bsky.social
I’m not asking for perpetual joy, you know? Just the possibility of it, and that that possibility be shared.
Intermittent moments 🤷‍♀️💞
nicgaston.bsky.social
When the PM says ‘we don’t owe them a living’, we should be clear that this is not a metaphor.

A living is life. And I want to live in a society in which it is clear that this is the least we owe each other, and are owed. 💞

I’d like us to aim for lives lived in dignity and with joy, personally 🤷‍♀️
publicaddress.bsky.social
Fucksake. It's quite clear now that they only looked at this benefit policy as political marketing and took no advice on who it would impact – which includes young people with serious health issues and disabilities. Just feckless and cynical. Shame on them. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Hundreds of teens with a health condition, disability may be cut from Jobseeker benefit
The government is ending Jobseeker payments to 18- and 19 year olds whose parents earn more than $65,000.
www.rnz.co.nz
nicgaston.bsky.social
Prayers and the fucking best the world has to offer in evidence-based healthcare, she has been a warrior for that for all of us 💞🙇‍♀️
raxkingisdead.bsky.social
listen. when dolly parton’s sister says it’s time for us all to be prayer warriors for dolly. you fucking pray for dolly
nicgaston.bsky.social
An unexpected bill for $14,000, when you’re on an income of $65k? That is the government manufacturing a breakdown in family relationships, plain and simple
nicgaston.bsky.social
Funny that this will have been immediately understood by anyone who has ever been on any kind of benefit, but is obviously beyond the PM’s comprehension
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
btohiariki.bsky.social
The world doesn't owe our children a living? Yes we do? Isn't that the whole point? I don't know many parents that wouldn't wish that for their kids, why is it different because they're not YOUR kids? Such an incredibly telling statement, really.
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
estherschindler.bsky.social
I just saw someone use the abbreviation “AI;DR” and I’ll be laughing for a while.
nicgaston.bsky.social
A massive strike is one thing ✊

A strike on this scale is a massive vote of no confidence in this government. And everyone voting to strike knows that. ✊✊✊
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
keithng.bsky.social
Downplaying an act of violence might have been the appropriate response from him, and might not be the appropriate in our current moment - I don't know - but the complete refusal to make political hay out of it is night and day from the current Government.
mountaintui.bsky.social
Then Green Party co-leader James Shaw was attacked while walking to work. He suffered a fractured eye ball and black eye, but said he still felt safe.

That's what de-escalation and kindness looks like #nzpol
Shaw back with black eye
James Shaw walked to work a day after he was assaulted while heading to the office, and plans to keep doing so.
www.stuff.co.nz
nicgaston.bsky.social
Yep. There is still so much work to be done, but it matters that she fought that first battle.
Onwards, in solidarity…
Ka whawhai tonu mātou ✊
nicgaston.bsky.social
Oooph. Feels like Siouxsie’s court case is being ever more relevant to modern academic life, not less…
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
meredithmeredith.bsky.social
📣 Germany's close to reversing its opposition to mass surveillance & private message scanning, & backing the Chat Control bill. This could end private comms-& Signal-in the EU.

Time's short and they're counting on obscurity: please let German politicians know how horrifying their reversal would be.
signal.org
We are alarmed by reports that Germany is on the verge of a catastrophic about-face, reversing its longstanding and principled opposition to the EU’s Chat Control proposal which, if passed, could spell the end of the right to privacy in Europe. signal.org/blog/pdfs/ge...
signal.org
nicgaston.bsky.social
“Off to the planet HE’S sure he’s going to discover…” [caps mine] is underrated shade tbqh
danxduran.bsky.social
If you'd asked me which celebrity would posthumously unveil a list of people she wanted fired into the sun, I would not have guessed Jane Goodall
kojamf.bsky.social
Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
danxduran.bsky.social
If you'd asked me which celebrity would posthumously unveil a list of people she wanted fired into the sun, I would not have guessed Jane Goodall
kojamf.bsky.social
Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
debtekawa-ao.bsky.social
I lived in Molesworth Street during the 2022 occupation. It wasn’t “peaceful”; it was filth and menace. People shat and pissed on our lawns. Emergency workers were blocked from reaching neighbours. The smell lingered for weeks.
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
keithng.bsky.social
Calling people attack dogs is not at attempt to deescalate and maintain civility, it's a attempt to escalate to distract from a failing economy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Reposted by Ni-cola Ga-stan
drbex.bsky.social
I remember when a protester punched the co-leader of the Greens in the face.

Hana Maipi-Clarke had her home broken into by a political stalker.

I recall VFF protesting outside Clarke's parents' home while Jacinda was on holiday.

I dont remember hearing about National's concerns back then??
keithng.bsky.social
Calling people attack dogs is not at attempt to deescalate and maintain civility, it's a attempt to escalate to distract from a failing economy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...