Nik Dirga
@nikdirga.bsky.social
RNZ Digital Explainer editor and AAP journalist, indefatigable blogger, cartoonist and creator of small press comic Amoeba Adventures, website nikdirga.com! Used to be an American, New Zealander since 2006.
Grandpa: And as they reached for each other...
[stops reading]
The Grandson: What? What?
Grandpa: Ah, it's kissing again. You don't want to hear that.
The Grandson: I don't mind so much.
Grandpa: Oh, okay.
[keeps reading]
[stops reading]
The Grandson: What? What?
Grandpa: Ah, it's kissing again. You don't want to hear that.
The Grandson: I don't mind so much.
Grandpa: Oh, okay.
[keeps reading]
December 15, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Grandpa: And as they reached for each other...
[stops reading]
The Grandson: What? What?
Grandpa: Ah, it's kissing again. You don't want to hear that.
The Grandson: I don't mind so much.
Grandpa: Oh, okay.
[keeps reading]
[stops reading]
The Grandson: What? What?
Grandpa: Ah, it's kissing again. You don't want to hear that.
The Grandson: I don't mind so much.
Grandpa: Oh, okay.
[keeps reading]
YOU SHALL BE TAMED, MIKE’S RIGHT EYE!
December 3, 2025 at 5:50 AM
YOU SHALL BE TAMED, MIKE’S RIGHT EYE!
post your warning label
November 26, 2025 at 2:31 AM
post your warning label
Hey, groovy people! My sprawling memoir of my journalism life and times from America to New Zealand, “Clippings," is now on sale for the holidays for a mere US$12.99 for the paperback (ebook $2.99)! If you’ve been putting it off, wait no more! Get it right here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW4D9KRR
November 12, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Hey, groovy people! My sprawling memoir of my journalism life and times from America to New Zealand, “Clippings," is now on sale for the holidays for a mere US$12.99 for the paperback (ebook $2.99)! If you’ve been putting it off, wait no more! Get it right here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW4D9KRR
Stood at the end of the world, or at least the end of the south part of this one today (not pictured: Antarctica, at right)
November 8, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Stood at the end of the world, or at least the end of the south part of this one today (not pictured: Antarctica, at right)
Just hanging out with Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis as you do on Labour Weekend.
October 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Just hanging out with Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis as you do on Labour Weekend.
The greatest bird in the universe has finally won Australia's bird of the year. ALL HAIL THE TAWNY FROGMOUTH! www.theguardian.com/environment/...
October 16, 2025 at 2:36 AM
The greatest bird in the universe has finally won Australia's bird of the year. ALL HAIL THE TAWNY FROGMOUTH! www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Diane Keaton forever and ever 💔
October 11, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Diane Keaton forever and ever 💔
Want to see a movie?
Figure 1, the run-down foreign-owned downtown corporate cinema chain ticket price; Figure 2, the locally owned independent cinema ticket price for roughly the same time.
Nearly DOUBLE the price for the pleasure of enjoying the decaying ambience of Sky World/Metro Centre.
Figure 1, the run-down foreign-owned downtown corporate cinema chain ticket price; Figure 2, the locally owned independent cinema ticket price for roughly the same time.
Nearly DOUBLE the price for the pleasure of enjoying the decaying ambience of Sky World/Metro Centre.
October 1, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Want to see a movie?
Figure 1, the run-down foreign-owned downtown corporate cinema chain ticket price; Figure 2, the locally owned independent cinema ticket price for roughly the same time.
Nearly DOUBLE the price for the pleasure of enjoying the decaying ambience of Sky World/Metro Centre.
Figure 1, the run-down foreign-owned downtown corporate cinema chain ticket price; Figure 2, the locally owned independent cinema ticket price for roughly the same time.
Nearly DOUBLE the price for the pleasure of enjoying the decaying ambience of Sky World/Metro Centre.
I will single-handedly will summer into being by sitting on the deck with a cold drink and a good book, by god 🤔
September 27, 2025 at 1:14 AM
I will single-handedly will summer into being by sitting on the deck with a cold drink and a good book, by god 🤔
The perfect headline to describe life in 2025 doesn’t exi—
September 7, 2025 at 12:43 AM
The perfect headline to describe life in 2025 doesn’t exi—
It's been six months since I put out "Clippings," a big old 350-page collection of the best of my journalism over the years. It's been really fab to see the great response from friends, family and even total strangers. Get it here! www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW4D9KR...
August 23, 2025 at 8:38 PM
It's been six months since I put out "Clippings," a big old 350-page collection of the best of my journalism over the years. It's been really fab to see the great response from friends, family and even total strangers. Get it here! www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW4D9KR...
The Hit and The Limey are two of my all time favourite existential crime movies. Toss in his unforgettable Zod, and you have a legend. R.I.P. Terence Stamp.
August 17, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The Hit and The Limey are two of my all time favourite existential crime movies. Toss in his unforgettable Zod, and you have a legend. R.I.P. Terence Stamp.
Remembering my father-in-law Sir Peter Siddell (1935-2011), who would have turned 90 years old today. A great artist and a great man.
July 30, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Remembering my father-in-law Sir Peter Siddell (1935-2011), who would have turned 90 years old today. A great artist and a great man.
Wahoo! The latest issue of my insanely long-running small press comic Amoeba Adventures is available for a FREE PDF download. I've been doodling the adventures of Prometheus for literal decades now and this one's a fun one! nikdirga.com/2025/07/28/l...
July 28, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Wahoo! The latest issue of my insanely long-running small press comic Amoeba Adventures is available for a FREE PDF download. I've been doodling the adventures of Prometheus for literal decades now and this one's a fun one! nikdirga.com/2025/07/28/l...
All I'm saying is this is the moment for this American innovation to break through:
July 28, 2025 at 9:06 PM
All I'm saying is this is the moment for this American innovation to break through:
My very first exposure to Ozzy Osbourne was when someone smuggled this album into my church youth group and the cover scared the living hell out of me. I like to think that freaking out the naive Presbyterian youth is how Ozzy would like to be remembered. #ozzyosbourne 🦇
July 22, 2025 at 8:29 PM
My very first exposure to Ozzy Osbourne was when someone smuggled this album into my church youth group and the cover scared the living hell out of me. I like to think that freaking out the naive Presbyterian youth is how Ozzy would like to be remembered. #ozzyosbourne 🦇
There are so many less problematic ways this headline could have gone. 😳
July 19, 2025 at 6:32 AM
There are so many less problematic ways this headline could have gone. 😳
My latest factcheck for the Australian Associated Press delves deep into the increasingly surreal world of AI slop served up on Facebook. The repeated "conjoined twins" celebrity yarn spewed up multiple times is the one that finally broke my brain for good. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/ju...
July 7, 2025 at 7:59 PM
My latest factcheck for the Australian Associated Press delves deep into the increasingly surreal world of AI slop served up on Facebook. The repeated "conjoined twins" celebrity yarn spewed up multiple times is the one that finally broke my brain for good. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/ju...
BBC live blog of the Oasis reunion concert is bringing back gonzo journalism:
July 4, 2025 at 8:59 PM
BBC live blog of the Oasis reunion concert is bringing back gonzo journalism:
Picked up this nifty 1988 book of Radio New Zealand archives in Wellington today and I really think RNZ should adopt “intrigue, comment, drama, actuality, humour” as our new slogan.
July 4, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Picked up this nifty 1988 book of Radio New Zealand archives in Wellington today and I really think RNZ should adopt “intrigue, comment, drama, actuality, humour” as our new slogan.
This might actually be in my top 3 for 1995 along with Pumpkins and Guided By Voices' Alien Lanes, and finding out they're all 30 years old means I just died of a heart attack, probably
July 2, 2025 at 4:46 AM
This might actually be in my top 3 for 1995 along with Pumpkins and Guided By Voices' Alien Lanes, and finding out they're all 30 years old means I just died of a heart attack, probably
When I am master of the universe I will ban all hot takes and outrage bait unless they've marinated for at least a week first
June 28, 2025 at 9:04 PM
When I am master of the universe I will ban all hot takes and outrage bait unless they've marinated for at least a week first
Random acts of unkindness, New Lynn Warehouse 😑
June 27, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Random acts of unkindness, New Lynn Warehouse 😑
That could never happen!
June 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM
That could never happen!