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)
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
Pluribus (Plur1bus?) needs to get a move on. We get it. She's lonely and a bit of a psycho. We get it. The joined have some quirks. We get the universe. Now do something with it?
November 27, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Pluribus (Plur1bus?) needs to get a move on. We get it. She's lonely and a bit of a psycho. We get it. The joined have some quirks. We get the universe. Now do something with it?
If I'm on an "app" of yours, and you tell me to download some other app of yours to see things that could and should just be in the app I'm on already on:
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
November 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM
If I'm on an "app" of yours, and you tell me to download some other app of yours to see things that could and should just be in the app I'm on already on:
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
lately i've been thinking about how LLMs must feel really amazing to use if you're a dumbass, but incredibly frustrating if you're just basically competent in life.
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
lately i've been thinking about how LLMs must feel really amazing to use if you're a dumbass, but incredibly frustrating if you're just basically competent in life.
so tacky 😅
November 7, 2025 at 1:43 PM
so tacky 😅
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
developers seeing a major cloud service outage feels exactly like 10 year olds getting a surprise snow day
October 29, 2025 at 4:29 PM
developers seeing a major cloud service outage feels exactly like 10 year olds getting a surprise snow day
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Thread of the day
Let's celebrate the update (finally) of Stats NZ Household Living Costs Price Index - a better measure of the cost of living than CPI.
First thing to notice is that a big chunk of the increase in our cost of living was thanks to RBNZ hiking interest rates to tackle the cost of living! [🧵 1/n]
First thing to notice is that a big chunk of the increase in our cost of living was thanks to RBNZ hiking interest rates to tackle the cost of living! [🧵 1/n]
October 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Thread of the day
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
The richest man on earth owns X.
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
October 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The richest man on earth owns X.
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Today I was "Daryl", and was called by Three support telling me my SIM was going to stop working the next day, but don't worry, I'll get sent a new one by 12pm tomorrow.
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
October 25, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Today I was "Daryl", and was called by Three support telling me my SIM was going to stop working the next day, but don't worry, I'll get sent a new one by 12pm tomorrow.
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
Horrific. Sanction I_rael now.
October 6, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Horrific. Sanction I_rael now.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
As a former gamer, I cannot overstate how big of a deal this right-wing takeover of Electronic Arts is.
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
September 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
As a former gamer, I cannot overstate how big of a deal this right-wing takeover of Electronic Arts is.
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?