Jennifer Ashton
@jenashton.bsky.social
Historian, Aucklander, sporadic exerciser, cricket fan
www.jennifer-ashton.com
www.jennifer-ashton.com
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
it intensely angers me every time I open a book PDF in Acrobat and the software reminds me that I’m reading a Long Document and gee, wouldn’t I prefer a summary instead
I am not a first grade child who requires the easy-reader version of big kid books, demon machine
I am not a first grade child who requires the easy-reader version of big kid books, demon machine
Tech bros shocked that normal human beings enjoy thinking
December 8, 2025 at 11:13 PM
it intensely angers me every time I open a book PDF in Acrobat and the software reminds me that I’m reading a Long Document and gee, wouldn’t I prefer a summary instead
I am not a first grade child who requires the easy-reader version of big kid books, demon machine
I am not a first grade child who requires the easy-reader version of big kid books, demon machine
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
#OnThisDay, 8 Dec 1972, Whetu Tirikātene-Sullivan is sworn in as Minister of Tourism in Aotearoa / New Zealand. She's the first Māori woman to be a Cabinet minister.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #NZHistory 🗃️
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #NZHistory 🗃️
December 8, 2025 at 2:30 AM
#OnThisDay, 8 Dec 1972, Whetu Tirikātene-Sullivan is sworn in as Minister of Tourism in Aotearoa / New Zealand. She's the first Māori woman to be a Cabinet minister.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #NZHistory 🗃️
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #NZHistory 🗃️
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
the reason its bad to run universities like businesses is that almost all businesses fail on any reasonable timeline of evaluation.
hudson's bay made it the longest and even they only got to about half an oxford of longevity
hudson's bay made it the longest and even they only got to about half an oxford of longevity
They claim financial exigency, but then turn down $4 million pledges to keep the PhD programs open and disregard financial analyses that point to the real problem—bad real estate deals, spending on consultants, and their own salaries 2/2
December 6, 2025 at 5:42 PM
the reason its bad to run universities like businesses is that almost all businesses fail on any reasonable timeline of evaluation.
hudson's bay made it the longest and even they only got to about half an oxford of longevity
hudson's bay made it the longest and even they only got to about half an oxford of longevity
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
West Indies’ allrounder hits magnificent unbeaten double ton as tourists hold on for draw against injury-hit New Zealand on tense final day at Hagley.
Injury-hit Black Caps hang on for Hagley draw against defiant West Indies
West Indies’ allrounder hits magnificent unbeaten double ton as tourists hold on for draw against injury-hit New Zealand on tense final day at Hagley.
dlvr.it
December 6, 2025 at 5:48 AM
West Indies’ allrounder hits magnificent unbeaten double ton as tourists hold on for draw against injury-hit New Zealand on tense final day at Hagley.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
“Moriori are the only ones who arrived on these shores in voyaging canoes,” Solomon says.
In my latest for @science.org, I report on preliminary results of dating of fibres found with a partially excavated waka on Rēkohu
share.google/R2fBdAIt4PXt...
In my latest for @science.org, I report on preliminary results of dating of fibres found with a partially excavated waka on Rēkohu
share.google/R2fBdAIt4PXt...
‘Incredible’ carved canoe dates back to first settlement of islands near New Zealand
Fibers found on waka in Chatham Islands roughly align in age with earliest known human arrival
share.google
December 5, 2025 at 10:19 PM
“Moriori are the only ones who arrived on these shores in voyaging canoes,” Solomon says.
In my latest for @science.org, I report on preliminary results of dating of fibres found with a partially excavated waka on Rēkohu
share.google/R2fBdAIt4PXt...
In my latest for @science.org, I report on preliminary results of dating of fibres found with a partially excavated waka on Rēkohu
share.google/R2fBdAIt4PXt...
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
A testament to New Zealand virtue: I left my bag at an event last night, and came back to retrieve it untampered with! Nobody stole "The Venezuela-Guyana Border Dispute: Britain's Colonial Legacy in Latin America," as tempting as it must have been!
December 5, 2025 at 2:37 AM
A testament to New Zealand virtue: I left my bag at an event last night, and came back to retrieve it untampered with! Nobody stole "The Venezuela-Guyana Border Dispute: Britain's Colonial Legacy in Latin America," as tempting as it must have been!
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
When your country's collective ability to bullshit on the internet is extensive enough to shape AI slop.
December 4, 2025 at 12:40 AM
When your country's collective ability to bullshit on the internet is extensive enough to shape AI slop.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Scoop: A trove of briefings and Cabinet documents released under the OIA reveals the Govt was advised its new methane target is only consistent with warming of 2-2.7C (and possibly up to 4.5C).
Climate scientists have said 2.7C would represent 'unprecedented peril'.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/04/g...
Climate scientists have said 2.7C would represent 'unprecedented peril'.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/04/g...
Govt warned new methane target aligned with 'catastrophic' warming
Newly released documents reveal the Govt's new methane target is associated with 2.7C of warming – a level labelled 'catastrophic' by the UN.
newsroom.co.nz
December 3, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Scoop: A trove of briefings and Cabinet documents released under the OIA reveals the Govt was advised its new methane target is only consistent with warming of 2-2.7C (and possibly up to 4.5C).
Climate scientists have said 2.7C would represent 'unprecedented peril'.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/04/g...
Climate scientists have said 2.7C would represent 'unprecedented peril'.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/04/g...
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Our very own Heather Keats captured this moment when lightning struck the Sky Tower today (Wednesday)⛈️
December 3, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Our very own Heather Keats captured this moment when lightning struck the Sky Tower today (Wednesday)⛈️
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
New Zealand generated more electricity from solar than from fossil fuels last week (excluding co-gen).
Off the back of 98 percent renewable generation over the week, prices fell again to $54/MWh - meaning power prices of 5 cents/kwh for the energy component of domestic consumers.
Off the back of 98 percent renewable generation over the week, prices fell again to $54/MWh - meaning power prices of 5 cents/kwh for the energy component of domestic consumers.
December 2, 2025 at 8:57 PM
New Zealand generated more electricity from solar than from fossil fuels last week (excluding co-gen).
Off the back of 98 percent renewable generation over the week, prices fell again to $54/MWh - meaning power prices of 5 cents/kwh for the energy component of domestic consumers.
Off the back of 98 percent renewable generation over the week, prices fell again to $54/MWh - meaning power prices of 5 cents/kwh for the energy component of domestic consumers.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Clean electricity is officially growing fast enough in China that the level of fossil generation is falling, even as overall demand rises. They've gotten over the hump.
December 2, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Clean electricity is officially growing fast enough in China that the level of fossil generation is falling, even as overall demand rises. They've gotten over the hump.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Worldwide mortality experience since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2024) shows excess deaths over that period in almost every country measured. Australia (+6%) was below average, and New Zealand (+0.1%) the lowest we measured.
December 2, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Worldwide mortality experience since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2024) shows excess deaths over that period in almost every country measured. Australia (+6%) was below average, and New Zealand (+0.1%) the lowest we measured.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
proud of NZ and Australian universities/ librarians standing up to Elsevier-in my view Elsevier has a monopoly like ownership of Scopus the data base that drives university rankings & it charges very high rates to publish work the public often funded in the first place (while not paying reviewers)
Enormous shout-out to the Australian and Kiwi librarians standing up to Elsevier. This is killer.
Librarians versus the world
Photo of London’s National Art Library by Sebastien LE DEROUT on Unsplash Here at the Research Whisperer, we love librarians. They are smart, dedicated people who want to help you with your researc…
researchwhisperer.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:40 AM
proud of NZ and Australian universities/ librarians standing up to Elsevier-in my view Elsevier has a monopoly like ownership of Scopus the data base that drives university rankings & it charges very high rates to publish work the public often funded in the first place (while not paying reviewers)
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
This year's ozone hole above Antarctica closed yesterday - it was the earliest since 2019, making it the smallest and shortest-lived in five years @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/smallest-and...
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/smallest-and...
Smallest and shortest-lived ozone hole in 5 years closes
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) today confirms that the 2025 Antarctic ozone hole has come to an end on 30 November, marking the earliest closure since 2019. The 2025 ozone hole wa...
atmosphere.copernicus.eu
December 1, 2025 at 7:50 PM
This year's ozone hole above Antarctica closed yesterday - it was the earliest since 2019, making it the smallest and shortest-lived in five years @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/smallest-and...
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/smallest-and...
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Energy transitions can happen faster than we think:
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
December 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Energy transitions can happen faster than we think:
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
The biggest technological revolution of our lifetime is underway and it's not AI:
Official data is in this week, and US solar continues to grow rapidly, with generation up 30% compared to last year!
November 29, 2025 at 12:21 AM
The biggest technological revolution of our lifetime is underway and it's not AI:
I hope my city (Auckland) feels a deep and abiding shame over this fiasco.
After years of wrangling, the memorial to 257 lives lost in Antarctica has finally reached a conclusion.
Erebus memorial coming to Christchurch
After years of wrangling, the memorial to 257 lives lost in Antarctica has finally reached a conclusion.
dlvr.it
November 27, 2025 at 12:29 AM
I hope my city (Auckland) feels a deep and abiding shame over this fiasco.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Should the economy be regulated by a democratic society to ensure that it creates opportunity and benefit for everyone? Or should it be a plaything for approximately a dozen of the world's most odious assholes? Who knows
November 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Should the economy be regulated by a democratic society to ensure that it creates opportunity and benefit for everyone? Or should it be a plaything for approximately a dozen of the world's most odious assholes? Who knows
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
every aging gentleman must take up a new activity to pass the retirement hours, but only the truly noble of spirit are called to the highest practice of this life stage: wandering around the house all day yelling about everything and nothing
November 20, 2025 at 5:05 PM
every aging gentleman must take up a new activity to pass the retirement hours, but only the truly noble of spirit are called to the highest practice of this life stage: wandering around the house all day yelling about everything and nothing
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
NZ is on track for a 98 percent renewable power system by 2030, a sweeping new report on the energy system has found.
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future
newsroom.co.nz
November 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
NZ is on track for a 98 percent renewable power system by 2030, a sweeping new report on the energy system has found.