Brent 🍻🐜 📖
@brentsmith.bsky.social
Work in progress, books, fauna, flora and the like.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
ABC Indigenous doesn’t mince words
January 23, 2026 at 6:33 AM
ABC Indigenous doesn’t mince words
Removed an uninvited, though not unwelcome visitor from the house. Green tree snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus) non venomous but they produce a foul smelling, sticky defensive crap when threatened. I’ve washed my arm twice and it still smells bad enough to make a maggot gag.
January 22, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Removed an uninvited, though not unwelcome visitor from the house. Green tree snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus) non venomous but they produce a foul smelling, sticky defensive crap when threatened. I’ve washed my arm twice and it still smells bad enough to make a maggot gag.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Since we're talking about One Nation and their history of providing us with some truly exceptional candidates, this is from the PHON candidate for Macalister in the 2017 State election. One of the top ten twitter exchanges of all time.
January 22, 2026 at 8:12 AM
Since we're talking about One Nation and their history of providing us with some truly exceptional candidates, this is from the PHON candidate for Macalister in the 2017 State election. One of the top ten twitter exchanges of all time.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Today’s piece in @guardianaustralia - words and cartoons in favour of sticking your middle finger up at tech billionaires, and having a conversation with a real person offline!
Irony of posting this online not lost on me. I’m going to go analogue-mode now! x
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Irony of posting this online not lost on me. I’m going to go analogue-mode now! x
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Tech bros have made us lonely. I’m fighting back by getting off social media and talking to strangers | Jess Harwood
Connections can be found anywhere: the local cafe, the dog park and community events
www.theguardian.com
January 21, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Today’s piece in @guardianaustralia - words and cartoons in favour of sticking your middle finger up at tech billionaires, and having a conversation with a real person offline!
Irony of posting this online not lost on me. I’m going to go analogue-mode now! x
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Irony of posting this online not lost on me. I’m going to go analogue-mode now! x
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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Thousands of Chinese Fishing Boats Quietly Form Vast Sea Barriers www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Thousands of Chinese Fishing Boats Quietly Form Vast Sea Barriers (Gift Article)
China is practicing vast maneuvers that could be used to disrupt U.S. naval movement, a New York Times analysis of ship data reveals.
www.nytimes.com
January 19, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Thousands of Chinese Fishing Boats Quietly Form Vast Sea Barriers www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Picked my nephew (5) up from his grandparents, his first words to me were “hi uncle Brent, you look good and professional”……. Perfectly timed pause “because normally you don’t”
January 19, 2026 at 6:17 AM
Picked my nephew (5) up from his grandparents, his first words to me were “hi uncle Brent, you look good and professional”……. Perfectly timed pause “because normally you don’t”
“That is not my arseprint on the photocopier”
January 19, 2026 at 12:03 AM
“That is not my arseprint on the photocopier”
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Remember folks, the first rule of Australian politics is that Australian society protects itself collectively - not selectively - when creating legislative and constitutional rights and protections. It's literally why everything in this regard has succeeded or failed
January 17, 2026 at 4:32 AM
Remember folks, the first rule of Australian politics is that Australian society protects itself collectively - not selectively - when creating legislative and constitutional rights and protections. It's literally why everything in this regard has succeeded or failed
New book, freshly delivered. Now to cover the dust jacket, pour a very stiff vodka and tonic and settle down for an evening of reading.
January 15, 2026 at 8:33 AM
New book, freshly delivered. Now to cover the dust jacket, pour a very stiff vodka and tonic and settle down for an evening of reading.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Increasingly clear this bill should be voted down. Nothing this extreme should be rushed through parliament like this, especially when the genesis is just to appease pro-Israel lobby.
Looks like the Coalition won’t support, so question is will Greens reject or cave as usual and bail out Labor.
Looks like the Coalition won’t support, so question is will Greens reject or cave as usual and bail out Labor.
Want to make a submission into the inquiry on the "Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill that was released yesterday?
You got till 4pm Thursday (ie TOMORROW)
That is quite disgraceful
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
You got till 4pm Thursday (ie TOMORROW)
That is quite disgraceful
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...
Review of the Exposure Draft Legislation: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026
The Minister for Home Affairs, Hon Tony Burke MP, wrote to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (the Committee) on 12 January 2026 to refer an Exposure Draft of the Combattin...
www.aph.gov.au
January 13, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Increasingly clear this bill should be voted down. Nothing this extreme should be rushed through parliament like this, especially when the genesis is just to appease pro-Israel lobby.
Looks like the Coalition won’t support, so question is will Greens reject or cave as usual and bail out Labor.
Looks like the Coalition won’t support, so question is will Greens reject or cave as usual and bail out Labor.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
A newly fledged peregrine falcon looking all majestic.
Clare Valley, South Australia.
Clare Valley, South Australia.
January 12, 2026 at 8:12 AM
A newly fledged peregrine falcon looking all majestic.
Clare Valley, South Australia.
Clare Valley, South Australia.
Fresh Bunya nuts for lunch today.
January 12, 2026 at 1:44 AM
Fresh Bunya nuts for lunch today.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Quite genuinely, this is why Frydenberg et al never wanted Bell as commissioner. She will no doubt examine real, appalling instances of antisemitism, and the extremism that led to Bondi massacre, but I suspect she will spend at least some time on the plain truth of Israel’s campaign for silence.
January 8, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Quite genuinely, this is why Frydenberg et al never wanted Bell as commissioner. She will no doubt examine real, appalling instances of antisemitism, and the extremism that led to Bondi massacre, but I suspect she will spend at least some time on the plain truth of Israel’s campaign for silence.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
It’s going to be an interesting few weeks when the royal commission examines, as I suspect it will, the defraying of social cohesion caused by the organised censorship of writers, artists and employees across the country for daring to speak against an unfolding genocide
January 8, 2026 at 10:32 AM
It’s going to be an interesting few weeks when the royal commission examines, as I suspect it will, the defraying of social cohesion caused by the organised censorship of writers, artists and employees across the country for daring to speak against an unfolding genocide
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
2nd July 1863. Battle of Gettysburg. For perhaps the only time in the entire war the Confederates seem to be winning.
Dan Sickles, commander III Corps, is ordered hold on Cemetery Ridge. For reasons unknown he advances. Broken, his men begin to flee.
This is the moment on which the war depends /1
Dan Sickles, commander III Corps, is ordered hold on Cemetery Ridge. For reasons unknown he advances. Broken, his men begin to flee.
This is the moment on which the war depends /1
July 2, 2024 at 7:54 PM
2nd July 1863. Battle of Gettysburg. For perhaps the only time in the entire war the Confederates seem to be winning.
Dan Sickles, commander III Corps, is ordered hold on Cemetery Ridge. For reasons unknown he advances. Broken, his men begin to flee.
This is the moment on which the war depends /1
Dan Sickles, commander III Corps, is ordered hold on Cemetery Ridge. For reasons unknown he advances. Broken, his men begin to flee.
This is the moment on which the war depends /1
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
This is the cult I was born into. I dodged the sexual abuse but copped a fair bit of pressure when I left at 14. Got called the spawn of Satan by the head of the church. Have yet to be given a greater compliment. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Christian sect investigated by the FBI under pressure to reveal wealth
Survivors of a secretive Christian sect, under investigation by the FBI, say it is hiding wealth through trusts, blocking access to abuse compensation.
www.abc.net.au
January 11, 2026 at 7:08 AM
This is the cult I was born into. I dodged the sexual abuse but copped a fair bit of pressure when I left at 14. Got called the spawn of Satan by the head of the church. Have yet to be given a greater compliment. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
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On the eve of an AI revolution, he posts another image of himself in a winter outfit: a DB overcoat worn over a three-piece gray flannel suit. The image was accidentally recorded as a video, but he posted it anyway. This man, totally unmoved by technology, continues to do what makes him happy.
January 1, 2026 at 2:51 AM
On the eve of an AI revolution, he posts another image of himself in a winter outfit: a DB overcoat worn over a three-piece gray flannel suit. The image was accidentally recorded as a video, but he posted it anyway. This man, totally unmoved by technology, continues to do what makes him happy.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
“Against rising fascism, Raise Your Soul is a fierce work tracing Greece’s past century – war, civil war, occupation, dictatorship, resistance – through five of the most powerful women in Varoufakis’s life…” www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/c...
Esther Anatolitis reviews ‘Raise Your Soul: A personal history of resistance’ by Yanis Varoufakis
Things can turn very quickly, my mother says. Be careful who you associate with. Με όλους και με κανέναν. With everyone and with no one. Watch what you do and what you say because they’re always watch...
www.australianbookreview.com.au
January 7, 2026 at 1:32 PM
“Against rising fascism, Raise Your Soul is a fierce work tracing Greece’s past century – war, civil war, occupation, dictatorship, resistance – through five of the most powerful women in Varoufakis’s life…” www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/c...
Napping on hot summer days should be encouraged.
This place needs some Innocuous Discourse pronto. Quote this with a take that’s not political or aggressive
January 6, 2026 at 5:41 AM
Napping on hot summer days should be encouraged.
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Great new paper!
Many stinging wasps, bees, and ants have controlled the sex of their developing eggs for millions of year using an ancient segment of their genome- always the same segment- but what's weird is, *the exact DNA sequence of that segment doesn't seem to matter*.
Many stinging wasps, bees, and ants have controlled the sex of their developing eggs for millions of year using an ancient segment of their genome- always the same segment- but what's weird is, *the exact DNA sequence of that segment doesn't seem to matter*.
New work from @miyapan.bsky.social and our team, bringing ant, bee, and wasp labs together. @chuanxinyu.bsky.social shows that the ANTSR locus we discovered in ants has determined sex for 150+ My across bees and stinging wasps 🐜🐝, despite virtually no sequence conservation 😮 doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
January 6, 2026 at 3:11 AM
Great new paper!
Many stinging wasps, bees, and ants have controlled the sex of their developing eggs for millions of year using an ancient segment of their genome- always the same segment- but what's weird is, *the exact DNA sequence of that segment doesn't seem to matter*.
Many stinging wasps, bees, and ants have controlled the sex of their developing eggs for millions of year using an ancient segment of their genome- always the same segment- but what's weird is, *the exact DNA sequence of that segment doesn't seem to matter*.
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January 6, 2026 at 1:47 AM
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
#OtD 5 Jan 1948 the Semiramis Hotel in Jerusalem was blown up by the Haganah Zionist militia to push Palestinian Arabs to leave the neighbourhood. Around 26 were killed and 60 injured, mostly Arab Palestinians, like Lutfi and Eleanora Aboussouans stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1141...
January 5, 2026 at 1:05 PM
#OtD 5 Jan 1948 the Semiramis Hotel in Jerusalem was blown up by the Haganah Zionist militia to push Palestinian Arabs to leave the neighbourhood. Around 26 were killed and 60 injured, mostly Arab Palestinians, like Lutfi and Eleanora Aboussouans stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1141...
Reposted by Brent 🍻🐜 📖
Great thread from Asher with heat tips for Melbourne here: adding this link for a list of free aircon places for kids & adults in the city. There'll be a lot of pissed people by early evenings so careful how you go & check for idiots passing stopped trams. www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/heatwaves
January 5, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Great thread from Asher with heat tips for Melbourne here: adding this link for a list of free aircon places for kids & adults in the city. There'll be a lot of pissed people by early evenings so careful how you go & check for idiots passing stopped trams. www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/heatwaves