Orthanc
@orthanc.nz
Semi-professional bad influence, secret santa imp, comfort food influencer, and all around good guy, He/Him, Orthanc of the Bluesky.
Tāmaki Makaurau
Tāmaki Makaurau
Pinned
Orthanc
@orthanc.nz
· Nov 22
Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be powerful posters.
This place is not a place of honor... no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here... nothing valued is here.
This post is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it!
Online I'm out in Hollywood
I'm 6'5 and I look damn good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black belt in Karate
And I love a good glass of wine
I'm so much cooler online
So much cooler online
I'm 6'5 and I look damn good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black belt in Karate
And I love a good glass of wine
I'm so much cooler online
So much cooler online
Brad Paisley - Online (Official Video)
YouTube video by BRADPAISLEYVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Online I'm out in Hollywood
I'm 6'5 and I look damn good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black belt in Karate
And I love a good glass of wine
I'm so much cooler online
So much cooler online
I'm 6'5 and I look damn good
I drive a Maserati
I'm a black belt in Karate
And I love a good glass of wine
I'm so much cooler online
So much cooler online
And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
it almost feel like nothing changed at all
Grey clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
it almost feel like nothing changed at all
Bastille - Pompeii (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by BastilleVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:37 AM
And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
it almost feel like nothing changed at all
Grey clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
it almost feel like nothing changed at all
"Vaping is not as cool as it used to be," chairperson Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole told RNZ.
Thankfully I don't have to take up vaping to make it really uncool and therefore push teens away from taking up vaping.
Thankfully I don't have to take up vaping to make it really uncool and therefore push teens away from taking up vaping.
Youth vaping rates halve within two years, 'negligible' number smoking - survey
A survey of more than 30,000 Year 10 students has indicated the perception of vaping is changing.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 30, 2025 at 1:00 AM
"Vaping is not as cool as it used to be," chairperson Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole told RNZ.
Thankfully I don't have to take up vaping to make it really uncool and therefore push teens away from taking up vaping.
Thankfully I don't have to take up vaping to make it really uncool and therefore push teens away from taking up vaping.
Just after NZ went into the first lockdown, before we'd really worked things out I remeber queuing for the supermarket.
Standing two metres apart in the open and just chatting to my fellow queuers.
It felt like a bit of community in a way.
Standing two metres apart in the open and just chatting to my fellow queuers.
It felt like a bit of community in a way.
What's a charming memory you have from the worst period of the pandemic?
November 29, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Just after NZ went into the first lockdown, before we'd really worked things out I remeber queuing for the supermarket.
Standing two metres apart in the open and just chatting to my fellow queuers.
It felt like a bit of community in a way.
Standing two metres apart in the open and just chatting to my fellow queuers.
It felt like a bit of community in a way.
Did not anticipate spending my Sunday morning up to my elbow in gross drain water (not sewage at least since the toilet does not drain to that particular pipe).
But the drain is unblocked now and that's satisfying
But the drain is unblocked now and that's satisfying
November 29, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Did not anticipate spending my Sunday morning up to my elbow in gross drain water (not sewage at least since the toilet does not drain to that particular pipe).
But the drain is unblocked now and that's satisfying
But the drain is unblocked now and that's satisfying
This thread is interesting reading.
It's part of why I just refuse to engage with LLMs even in situations where I belive they could be helpful.
I'm genuinely frightened that it's having serious effects on people's cognitive abilities.
It's part of why I just refuse to engage with LLMs even in situations where I belive they could be helpful.
I'm genuinely frightened that it's having serious effects on people's cognitive abilities.
And I don't know if the answer is: everyone is too traumatized to do work and we need to reinvent society. Or if it's more like: generations are losing their cognitive abilities and willpower due to destructive technologies. Or: we all have post-viral brain damage. Or: all of the above.
November 29, 2025 at 8:46 PM
This thread is interesting reading.
It's part of why I just refuse to engage with LLMs even in situations where I belive they could be helpful.
I'm genuinely frightened that it's having serious effects on people's cognitive abilities.
It's part of why I just refuse to engage with LLMs even in situations where I belive they could be helpful.
I'm genuinely frightened that it's having serious effects on people's cognitive abilities.
Reposted by Orthanc
November 29, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Doesn't look like much yet, but give it a day in the crockpot and this should be a really nice chilli.
Not too spicy, only one ghost pepper.
Not too spicy, only one ghost pepper.
November 29, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Doesn't look like much yet, but give it a day in the crockpot and this should be a really nice chilli.
Not too spicy, only one ghost pepper.
Not too spicy, only one ghost pepper.
This is not what I would have expected for my years word cloud here, but I mean, it's good i think.
Hope, building, community. Not how I see myself but maybe how I'd like to be.
Hope, building, community. Not how I see myself but maybe how I'd like to be.
November 28, 2025 at 8:16 PM
This is not what I would have expected for my years word cloud here, but I mean, it's good i think.
Hope, building, community. Not how I see myself but maybe how I'd like to be.
Hope, building, community. Not how I see myself but maybe how I'd like to be.
Reposted by Orthanc
Your gentle reminder that my crowdfunding campaign ends tomorrow night… Thanks everyone for all the love. It’s been amazing. www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
Support Dr Siouxsie After She Supported Us! | PledgeMe
Support Dr Siouxsie to recover some of the money she spent fighting her legal case to protect employees experiencing online abuse
www.pledgeme.co.nz
November 28, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Your gentle reminder that my crowdfunding campaign ends tomorrow night… Thanks everyone for all the love. It’s been amazing. www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/852...
This is important and significant. These are the guidelines that were submitted and agreed before political interference. The ones that should have been published.
PATHA have taken a stand of not having their name used to give credence to the rewritten ones, and released the correct ones.
PATHA have taken a stand of not having their name used to give credence to the rewritten ones, and released the correct ones.
Y’ALL. PATHA RELEASED THE NEW GENDER AFFIRMING CARE GUIDELINES. THE ONES THE GOVT SUPPRESSED
GET IN IT
patha.nz/resources-an...
GET IN IT
patha.nz/resources-an...
Clinical Guidelines | Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa Inc. (PATHA)
patha.nz
November 28, 2025 at 7:30 AM
This is important and significant. These are the guidelines that were submitted and agreed before political interference. The ones that should have been published.
PATHA have taken a stand of not having their name used to give credence to the rewritten ones, and released the correct ones.
PATHA have taken a stand of not having their name used to give credence to the rewritten ones, and released the correct ones.
I remeber when this all started, when I was a regular reader.
There's something endearing and sweet about this xkcd.
There's something endearing and sweet about this xkcd.
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:26 AM
I remeber when this all started, when I was a regular reader.
There's something endearing and sweet about this xkcd.
There's something endearing and sweet about this xkcd.
Reposted by Orthanc
The latter. We're committed to pay equity. We don't think the number calculated by the Nats is much use and we will have our own costing in due course.
November 28, 2025 at 2:04 AM
The latter. We're committed to pay equity. We don't think the number calculated by the Nats is much use and we will have our own costing in due course.
This is so cool, they're real physical books and they exist.
I cannot even imagine the satisfaction, such a milestone.
🙌🫶
I cannot even imagine the satisfaction, such a milestone.
🙌🫶
Omg omg omg. I have books in my hand that I wrote.
Hugs and high fives and fist bumps requested. Look at them. They look amazing.
Hugs and high fives and fist bumps requested. Look at them. They look amazing.
November 27, 2025 at 11:53 PM
This is so cool, they're real physical books and they exist.
I cannot even imagine the satisfaction, such a milestone.
🙌🫶
I cannot even imagine the satisfaction, such a milestone.
🙌🫶
How do we feel about people named after something in lord of the rings?
Uh, asking for a friend?
Uh, asking for a friend?
My rule of thumb is if the company is named after something in Lord of the Rings, it’s almost certainly evil.
Since its founding in 2017, Anduril Industries has become one of the hottest companies in a crowded field of defense-tech startup.
Its fast-moving approach comes with its share of setbacks.
Its fast-moving approach comes with its share of setbacks.
November 27, 2025 at 10:57 PM
How do we feel about people named after something in lord of the rings?
Uh, asking for a friend?
Uh, asking for a friend?
Taylor Swift decided to visit Hobbiton.
All the hobbit were in quite a flap, they didn't get many visiting pop stars, what could they feed her that would be up to stuff?
The debate raged on, suggestion after suggestion discarded as not enough for the diva...
All the hobbit were in quite a flap, they didn't get many visiting pop stars, what could they feed her that would be up to stuff?
The debate raged on, suggestion after suggestion discarded as not enough for the diva...
November 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Taylor Swift decided to visit Hobbiton.
All the hobbit were in quite a flap, they didn't get many visiting pop stars, what could they feed her that would be up to stuff?
The debate raged on, suggestion after suggestion discarded as not enough for the diva...
All the hobbit were in quite a flap, they didn't get many visiting pop stars, what could they feed her that would be up to stuff?
The debate raged on, suggestion after suggestion discarded as not enough for the diva...
Reposted by Orthanc
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.versobooks.com/products/303...
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.versobooks.com/products/303...
November 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM
PROMOTE YOUR BOOKS! EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PUBLISHED BOOKS!
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.versobooks.com/products/303...
gonna be reposting your books because hoo you made a book!
www.versobooks.com/products/303...
Do you lick the spoon after you've finished using chilli oil or are you normal?
November 27, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Do you lick the spoon after you've finished using chilli oil or are you normal?
Reposted by Orthanc
Ghosts, possession, romance, witchcraft, ancestral healing, murders, my novel HedgeWitch is out now on e-book and NZers can pre-order their own signed paperback now
jaidedee.com/shop/
jaidedee.com/shop/
November 27, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Ghosts, possession, romance, witchcraft, ancestral healing, murders, my novel HedgeWitch is out now on e-book and NZers can pre-order their own signed paperback now
jaidedee.com/shop/
jaidedee.com/shop/
Reposted by Orthanc
The 2025 edition of My Hearty Commendations: The Complete Letters and Remembrances of Thomas Cromwell, now with 650 letters, parliamentary papers, personal notes and finances, will be available on 1 December
November 26, 2025 at 11:50 PM
The 2025 edition of My Hearty Commendations: The Complete Letters and Remembrances of Thomas Cromwell, now with 650 letters, parliamentary papers, personal notes and finances, will be available on 1 December
Books are so under priced and under valued.
Think how little an ebook or a paperback costs, for all the hours of enjoyment you get even reading it once.
For the huge effort that goes into creating a story, the months of work by an author.
Think how little an ebook or a paperback costs, for all the hours of enjoyment you get even reading it once.
For the huge effort that goes into creating a story, the months of work by an author.
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 26, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Books are so under priced and under valued.
Think how little an ebook or a paperback costs, for all the hours of enjoyment you get even reading it once.
For the huge effort that goes into creating a story, the months of work by an author.
Think how little an ebook or a paperback costs, for all the hours of enjoyment you get even reading it once.
For the huge effort that goes into creating a story, the months of work by an author.
Reposted by Orthanc
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
It's not even the sending date, you've all got time. Don't panic #SecretSantaAoNZ.
There have been a couple of gifts gone, but nobody should be worried yet if they don't have a gift yet.
There have been a couple of gifts gone, but nobody should be worried yet if they don't have a gift yet.
Kia ora e hoa, @bettytimtam.bsky.social. I know you're waiting to hear when your #SecretSantaAoNZ gift is on its way:) Soon my precious; soon. [Sent by 🤖]
November 26, 2025 at 3:54 AM
It's not even the sending date, you've all got time. Don't panic #SecretSantaAoNZ.
There have been a couple of gifts gone, but nobody should be worried yet if they don't have a gift yet.
There have been a couple of gifts gone, but nobody should be worried yet if they don't have a gift yet.
Reposted by Orthanc
Squeeee.
This is so exciting, I've really enjoyed beta reading these and will be ordering some signed copies.
Such a milestone, congratulations @witchnwords.bsky.social
This is so exciting, I've really enjoyed beta reading these and will be ordering some signed copies.
Such a milestone, congratulations @witchnwords.bsky.social
Pre-orders for signed paperback copies of HedgeWitch and Concert & Consequence in paperback go live today too. These will be limited to NZ delivery to begin with. (Exception for overseas friends and whanau who can contact me directly)
GET EXCITED!
jaidedee.com/the-magic-be...
GET EXCITED!
jaidedee.com/the-magic-be...
The Magic Begins! - Jaide Dee
It’s finally time! 2025 has been, well, not the year that most of us were hoping for. But I have […]
jaidedee.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Squeeee.
This is so exciting, I've really enjoyed beta reading these and will be ordering some signed copies.
Such a milestone, congratulations @witchnwords.bsky.social
This is so exciting, I've really enjoyed beta reading these and will be ordering some signed copies.
Such a milestone, congratulations @witchnwords.bsky.social