Rob Holmes
@robholmesnz.bsky.social
Using digital to empower and uplift
“People want better out of their governments, and they get impatient about it, and they want something better. But the problem is that if you go to populist authoritarianism, you're going to be a whole lot worse off.”
open.substack.com/pub/mountain...
open.substack.com/pub/mountain...
Taxpayers Union Pressuring Local Council Candidates Around NZ
Can I ask you to share the news? Article open to all.
open.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 7:00 AM
“People want better out of their governments, and they get impatient about it, and they want something better. But the problem is that if you go to populist authoritarianism, you're going to be a whole lot worse off.”
open.substack.com/pub/mountain...
open.substack.com/pub/mountain...
Journalists in Gaza are writing their own obituaries, after Israel brands them 'terrorists' www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...
Journalists in Gaza are writing their own obituaries, after Israel brands them 'terrorists'
An attack has wiped out the entire Al Jazeera reporting team left in Gaza City.
www.rnz.co.nz
August 12, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Journalists in Gaza are writing their own obituaries, after Israel brands them 'terrorists' www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...
Reposted by Rob Holmes
In the last 20 years, USAID has saved 92 million lives. Trump's cuts will kill 14 million people in the next 5 years.
A new study in the Lancet says the closure of USAID could lead to the premature deaths of more than 14 million people in less than five years, including 4.5 million children under the age of 5.
Donald Trump chose this. www.theguardian.com/...
Donald Trump chose this. www.theguardian.com/...
Obama and Bush call Trump’s USAID closure a ‘travesty’ as report warns of 14 million extra deaths
Former presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush and singer Bono send emotional message to staff as organisation closes
www.theguardian.com
July 5, 2025 at 6:35 AM
In the last 20 years, USAID has saved 92 million lives. Trump's cuts will kill 14 million people in the next 5 years.
“Whereas he cannot blame cancer patients for their situation, he can blame poor parents for theirs, and this harsh moral judgment overrides the investment case”
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-...
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-...
David Seymour’s hypocrisy over drugs and poverty
The 'whole of society' benefits should be considered when funding pharmaceuticals – but not for any other kind of spending.
thespinoff.co.nz
July 3, 2025 at 8:05 PM
“Whereas he cannot blame cancer patients for their situation, he can blame poor parents for theirs, and this harsh moral judgment overrides the investment case”
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-...
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-...
The insanity continues - www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Fact-check: Trump’s speech at Fort Bragg contained lies and conspiracy theories about LA
The US president reiterated falsehoods and misleading statements to troops at the North Carolina military base
www.theguardian.com
June 11, 2025 at 10:57 AM
The insanity continues - www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
A good description of some of the most serious impacts of the Trump nightmare so far - www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0vA...
All Hell Breaks Loose When Van Hollen Tells Sec. Rubio To His Face, He Regrets Voting To Confirm Him
YouTube video by Forbes Breaking News
www.youtube.com
May 24, 2025 at 10:40 AM
A good description of some of the most serious impacts of the Trump nightmare so far - www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0vA...
The US system seems to be totally unable to control this insanity.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
‘Very disturbing’: Trump receipt of overseas gifts unprecedented, experts warn
White House remakes foreign policy under pay-for-access code that critics say could violate US constitution
www.theguardian.com
May 17, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The US system seems to be totally unable to control this insanity.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
“Given that much of US foreign policy appears to depend on whether Trump favours a world leader, that change in tone may bode well for Canada.”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Handshakes, friendship and ‘never, never, never, never, never’: five takeaways from Carney-Trump meeting
In the much anticipated first encounter, a positive tone held despite the Canadian leader’s rebuff against US advances
www.theguardian.com
May 7, 2025 at 5:55 AM
“Given that much of US foreign policy appears to depend on whether Trump favours a world leader, that change in tone may bode well for Canada.”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Reposted by Rob Holmes
“A new study from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health confirms what many riders already know—cycling to work makes you healthier, more productive, and even reduces sick days.”
“The smartest & healthiest way to get to work,” writes @momentummag.bsky.social. momentummag.com/study-shows-...
“The smartest & healthiest way to get to work,” writes @momentummag.bsky.social. momentummag.com/study-shows-...
Study Shows Bike Commuting Is Still the Smartest and Healthiest Way to Get to Work
For urban cyclists navigating city streets every day, the benefits of bike commuting often speak for themselves
momentummag.com
April 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
“A new study from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health confirms what many riders already know—cycling to work makes you healthier, more productive, and even reduces sick days.”
“The smartest & healthiest way to get to work,” writes @momentummag.bsky.social. momentummag.com/study-shows-...
“The smartest & healthiest way to get to work,” writes @momentummag.bsky.social. momentummag.com/study-shows-...
Reposted by Rob Holmes
Reposted by Rob Holmes
this is a truck that it tailored precisely to every aspect i want in a car (other than no stereo) and it’s beautiful and i want one so that means it will probably flop
The $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen
Slate Truck is a $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen
Would you buy a truck this bare-bones?
buff.ly
April 25, 2025 at 1:43 PM
this is a truck that it tailored precisely to every aspect i want in a car (other than no stereo) and it’s beautiful and i want one so that means it will probably flop
Reposted by Rob Holmes
MEMPHIS — Rep. @justinjpearson.bsky.social posts a pic from the SELC showing 33 of 35 gas turbines at Elon Musk’s XAI supercomputer are emitting “a massive amount of heat”, which seems to contradict what XAI (and the mayor) said about many only being for “storage”
#MemphisVsMusk
#MemphisVsMusk
April 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
MEMPHIS — Rep. @justinjpearson.bsky.social posts a pic from the SELC showing 33 of 35 gas turbines at Elon Musk’s XAI supercomputer are emitting “a massive amount of heat”, which seems to contradict what XAI (and the mayor) said about many only being for “storage”
#MemphisVsMusk
#MemphisVsMusk
Before we celebrate the large number of people suddenly deciding to engage, I’d like to be sure the submissions are all genuine.
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-...
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-...
The submission surge: How having a say on new laws went from nerdy to normal
With select committees increasingly swamped with submissions, it's clear this once niche act has gone mainstream. But does it make any difference?
thespinoff.co.nz
January 15, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Before we celebrate the large number of people suddenly deciding to engage, I’d like to be sure the submissions are all genuine.
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-...
thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-...
Reposted by Rob Holmes
Interesting. thelogic.co/news/quebec-...
Tech leaders have a plan to protect Bluesky from Elon Musk - The Logic
Free our Feeds, a collective of tech leaders including Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Mozilla Foundation president Mark Surman, wants to raise US$30M to protect Bluesky.
thelogic.co
January 14, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Interesting. thelogic.co/news/quebec-...
Reposted by Rob Holmes
We work for computers now, not the other way round.
99% these toggles magically turn back on with app/iOS updates. Apple is Microsoft now.
99% these toggles magically turn back on with app/iOS updates. Apple is Microsoft now.
Welp. Apple snuck something dirty in our phones last night.
Settings > Apps > (pick an app) > Siri > Learn From this App
TOGGLE OFF.
You have to go through each app. My garage app, my BANKING APPS, others had that turned on automatically. 😡
Settings > Apps > (pick an app) > Siri > Learn From this App
TOGGLE OFF.
You have to go through each app. My garage app, my BANKING APPS, others had that turned on automatically. 😡
January 14, 2025 at 8:05 PM
We work for computers now, not the other way round.
99% these toggles magically turn back on with app/iOS updates. Apple is Microsoft now.
99% these toggles magically turn back on with app/iOS updates. Apple is Microsoft now.
NZ's climate credentials on the line in 2025 newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/14/n...
NZ's climate credentials on the line in 2025
In February alone, New Zealand will set a new Paris emissions target and repeal a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, Marc Daalder reports.
newsroom.co.nz
January 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM
NZ's climate credentials on the line in 2025 newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/14/n...
Cartoonist resigns over paper’s refusal to publish cartoon critical of Jeff Bezos - www.theguardian.com/media/2025/j...
Washington Post cartoonist resigns over paper’s refusal to publish cartoon critical of Jeff Bezos
Pulitzer prize winner Ann Telnaes had drawn a cartoon of the paper’s owner kneeling before Donald Trump
www.theguardian.com
January 4, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Cartoonist resigns over paper’s refusal to publish cartoon critical of Jeff Bezos - www.theguardian.com/media/2025/j...
One of these things is not like the others …
December 22, 2024 at 9:00 AM
One of these things is not like the others …