Richard Littauer
@richlitt.bsky.social
PhD in CS at Te Herenga Waka, focusing on birds. Open source. Linguist and conlanger. eBird and iNat. SustainOSS and CURIOSS. He/him.
See https://burntfen.com for a list of things I did when I should have been doing other things.
See https://burntfen.com for a list of things I did when I should have been doing other things.
Reposted by Richard Littauer
PSA! leaf litter on your lawn can house thousands of babies🧐 - some hoverfly babies (larvae) i spotted earlier today. (plus old hoverfly pic for info)
Don't put leaf litter in the bin- it's a precious, nutrient-filled habitat..Pile it up, compost it or just leave it... 😁🌿🍁🍂
Don't put leaf litter in the bin- it's a precious, nutrient-filled habitat..Pile it up, compost it or just leave it... 😁🌿🍁🍂
November 16, 2025 at 1:17 PM
PSA! leaf litter on your lawn can house thousands of babies🧐 - some hoverfly babies (larvae) i spotted earlier today. (plus old hoverfly pic for info)
Don't put leaf litter in the bin- it's a precious, nutrient-filled habitat..Pile it up, compost it or just leave it... 😁🌿🍁🍂
Don't put leaf litter in the bin- it's a precious, nutrient-filled habitat..Pile it up, compost it or just leave it... 😁🌿🍁🍂
Reposted by Richard Littauer
ALT Text benefits everyone
Alt text helps with accessibility, identifying/explaining elements you might not get to in your posts and makes your posts/work more discoverable - Make sure to toggle it on to “require alt text” in your settings
Alt text helps with accessibility, identifying/explaining elements you might not get to in your posts and makes your posts/work more discoverable - Make sure to toggle it on to “require alt text” in your settings
November 13, 2025 at 11:41 PM
ALT Text benefits everyone
Alt text helps with accessibility, identifying/explaining elements you might not get to in your posts and makes your posts/work more discoverable - Make sure to toggle it on to “require alt text” in your settings
Alt text helps with accessibility, identifying/explaining elements you might not get to in your posts and makes your posts/work more discoverable - Make sure to toggle it on to “require alt text” in your settings
Reposted by Richard Littauer
I guess since holiday gift-buying time is upon us I should remind you all that my book about the surprisingly wild and entertaining history of bird migration research is available in paperback now...
Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration
How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration
bookshop.org
November 14, 2025 at 12:01 AM
I guess since holiday gift-buying time is upon us I should remind you all that my book about the surprisingly wild and entertaining history of bird migration research is available in paperback now...
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Music continues to suffuse my days with meaning. And it's music like this which reminds me not to take that for granted. Art is amazing ya'll.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Tq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Tq...
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (PULSE Restored & Re-Edited)
YouTube video by Pink Floyd
www.youtube.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Music continues to suffuse my days with meaning. And it's music like this which reminds me not to take that for granted. Art is amazing ya'll.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Tq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Tq...
Reposted by Richard Littauer
100% Pure NZ 💩 from Minister Reti. Nothing could be further from the truth. Early career researchers are not well looked after. Nor are their career prospects here good. Very early career researchers (ms and phd scholars) are highly skilled and often paid less than minimum wage. Exploited as. #NZPOL
good on MP Reuben Davidson for asking Shane Reti to designate ring-fenced funding for young scientists in NZ
Reti's answer is complete bullshit: NZ is one of the hardest countries in the WORLD to fund a postdoc. why does he think we have so few of them here????
#nzpol
Reti's answer is complete bullshit: NZ is one of the hardest countries in the WORLD to fund a postdoc. why does he think we have so few of them here????
#nzpol
November 13, 2025 at 4:03 AM
100% Pure NZ 💩 from Minister Reti. Nothing could be further from the truth. Early career researchers are not well looked after. Nor are their career prospects here good. Very early career researchers (ms and phd scholars) are highly skilled and often paid less than minimum wage. Exploited as. #NZPOL
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Frankly, more tax money should be flowing in our direction to keep these NATIONAL institutions going. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Te Papa announces plans for restructure in an effort to cut rising costs
It comes after the museum started charging international visitors to the site due to rising costs of energy, insurance and staffing.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 12, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Frankly, more tax money should be flowing in our direction to keep these NATIONAL institutions going. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Dear NZ: fight civil asset forfeiture with everything you have in you. Love, the US
A concorning snippet, here:
"That campaign will receive $5.9 million from the Proceeds of Crime Fund - money taken from criminals - and the Government wants to make it faster for police use the proceeds of crime laws to seize assets from drug dealers."
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
"That campaign will receive $5.9 million from the Proceeds of Crime Fund - money taken from criminals - and the Government wants to make it faster for police use the proceeds of crime laws to seize assets from drug dealers."
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
The Post
www.thepost.co.nz
November 9, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Dear NZ: fight civil asset forfeiture with everything you have in you. Love, the US
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Frankly I’m with Lubo
And finally, Lubo’s message to the young: LESS COMPUTER, MORE COLLECTING
November 9, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Frankly I’m with Lubo
Reposted by Richard Littauer
The ACLU petition still hasn't reached it's signature goal? WHAT? That needs to change now. 200k signatures is nothing, let's GET IT. AT LEAST!
action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
Mastercard: Sex Work is Work. End Your Unjust Policy.
Mastercard's new policy unfairly targets the adult content industry, making sex workers more vulnerable, especially Black trans women. It must be stopped.
action.aclu.org
November 8, 2025 at 12:35 AM
The ACLU petition still hasn't reached it's signature goal? WHAT? That needs to change now. 200k signatures is nothing, let's GET IT. AT LEAST!
action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Day 188 of photoshopping @lastweektonight.com's #JohnOliver with fossils in the hopes that he saves the Paleontological Research Institution
John(H. sapiens) with a Leptopecten gilbertharrisi, named for PRIs founder, who didn't trust Cornell to value his science/collections 👀 #SavePRI
#Cornell ⚒️🦑🧪
John(H. sapiens) with a Leptopecten gilbertharrisi, named for PRIs founder, who didn't trust Cornell to value his science/collections 👀 #SavePRI
#Cornell ⚒️🦑🧪
November 8, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Day 188 of photoshopping @lastweektonight.com's #JohnOliver with fossils in the hopes that he saves the Paleontological Research Institution
John(H. sapiens) with a Leptopecten gilbertharrisi, named for PRIs founder, who didn't trust Cornell to value his science/collections 👀 #SavePRI
#Cornell ⚒️🦑🧪
John(H. sapiens) with a Leptopecten gilbertharrisi, named for PRIs founder, who didn't trust Cornell to value his science/collections 👀 #SavePRI
#Cornell ⚒️🦑🧪
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Yes, some people's legacies are complicated. For example, Watson. After all, though he was racist, don't forget his other traits. For example, he was also sexist. And also anti-semitic. And a data / idea thief. So let's not forget all the different facets.
November 8, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Yes, some people's legacies are complicated. For example, Watson. After all, though he was racist, don't forget his other traits. For example, he was also sexist. And also anti-semitic. And a data / idea thief. So let's not forget all the different facets.
Reposted by Richard Littauer
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
November 7, 2025 at 7:39 AM
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
Reposted by Richard Littauer
This has not gotten much attention, but it should.
Virginia under Youngkin returned to an insanely harsh system where people convicted of any felony lose their voting rights FOR LIFE.
Dems' win this week mean they'll get to advance a constitutional amendment to end lifetime disenfranchisement.
Virginia under Youngkin returned to an insanely harsh system where people convicted of any felony lose their voting rights FOR LIFE.
Dems' win this week mean they'll get to advance a constitutional amendment to end lifetime disenfranchisement.
November 7, 2025 at 8:59 PM
This has not gotten much attention, but it should.
Virginia under Youngkin returned to an insanely harsh system where people convicted of any felony lose their voting rights FOR LIFE.
Dems' win this week mean they'll get to advance a constitutional amendment to end lifetime disenfranchisement.
Virginia under Youngkin returned to an insanely harsh system where people convicted of any felony lose their voting rights FOR LIFE.
Dems' win this week mean they'll get to advance a constitutional amendment to end lifetime disenfranchisement.
@dominictarr.bsky.social Did I make you use my plastic mug from my boat? Because I used it yesterday and thought, "Man, I miss my boat", and then was like, "I hope Dom knows that this was the only thing I kept from it."
November 6, 2025 at 11:36 PM
@dominictarr.bsky.social Did I make you use my plastic mug from my boat? Because I used it yesterday and thought, "Man, I miss my boat", and then was like, "I hope Dom knows that this was the only thing I kept from it."
Time zones are horrible. See you all in 24 hours.
I am giving a talk in a bit at #SeaGL on my favourite stuff to talk about, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Wikipedia, birds, and Code. pretalx.seagl.org/2025/talk/P8...
Probably easy to join?
Probably easy to join?
Words, words, words, you fishmonger: Using Wikidata to Reconcile Taxonomies SeaGL 2025
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is the protocol by which scientific names are validated and properly formed. It also is pretty broken. There are issues with grammatical agreement of ...
pretalx.seagl.org
November 6, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Time zones are horrible. See you all in 24 hours.
@naturalist2008.bsky.social I am having a really tough time finding a copy of Haneda, Y. (2008). Taxonomic guide to the Japanese Aculeate Hymenoptera. 8. Subfamily Crabroninae (1). Tsunekibachi 13, p. 1-17. Any chance you could help? It's only in 日本語。日本語で話しません。。。
November 6, 2025 at 9:49 PM
@naturalist2008.bsky.social I am having a really tough time finding a copy of Haneda, Y. (2008). Taxonomic guide to the Japanese Aculeate Hymenoptera. 8. Subfamily Crabroninae (1). Tsunekibachi 13, p. 1-17. Any chance you could help? It's only in 日本語。日本語で話しません。。。
I am giving a talk in a bit at #SeaGL on my favourite stuff to talk about, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Wikipedia, birds, and Code. pretalx.seagl.org/2025/talk/P8...
Probably easy to join?
Probably easy to join?
Words, words, words, you fishmonger: Using Wikidata to Reconcile Taxonomies SeaGL 2025
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is the protocol by which scientific names are validated and properly formed. It also is pretty broken. There are issues with grammatical agreement of ...
pretalx.seagl.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I am giving a talk in a bit at #SeaGL on my favourite stuff to talk about, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Wikipedia, birds, and Code. pretalx.seagl.org/2025/talk/P8...
Probably easy to join?
Probably easy to join?
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Breaking News: Late last night Conde Nast illegally fired 4 union organizers who asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs. We’ve filed a grievance.
November 6, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Breaking News: Late last night Conde Nast illegally fired 4 union organizers who asked company execs to explain the downsizing of Teen Vogue and continued layoffs. We’ve filed a grievance.
Reposted by Richard Littauer
David became a freelance bioinformatician due to the situation he describes 👇.
Freelance workers are typically looking for the next contract. That's how it is. Maybe we could boost this signal so that people who appreciate David's experience and principles can find him?
Freelance workers are typically looking for the next contract. That's how it is. Maybe we could boost this signal so that people who appreciate David's experience and principles can find him?
I was made redundant from a decade-long bioinformatics job, in part, because my new boss thought that LLMs and similar technologies were better than an experienced bioinformatician who encouraged FAIR principles and discouraged abusive behaviour.
November 6, 2025 at 2:23 AM
David became a freelance bioinformatician due to the situation he describes 👇.
Freelance workers are typically looking for the next contract. That's how it is. Maybe we could boost this signal so that people who appreciate David's experience and principles can find him?
Freelance workers are typically looking for the next contract. That's how it is. Maybe we could boost this signal so that people who appreciate David's experience and principles can find him?
Reposted by Richard Littauer
I love that Mamdani is what the right claimed Obama was: A Muslim socialist born in Africa. The right practically manifested Mamdani into existence.
November 5, 2025 at 2:25 PM
I love that Mamdani is what the right claimed Obama was: A Muslim socialist born in Africa. The right practically manifested Mamdani into existence.
Reposted by Richard Littauer
I'm sure it's totally coincidental that the AoNZ government's changes to the Marsden Fund have been followed by successful applications led by female investigators dropping from 55% to 33%, and successful applications led by Māori investigators dropping from 13% to 5%. 🫠 🧪
Information on the 2025 Marsden Fund round
Information about the number of funded proposals in the 2025 Marsden Fund round broken down by research area and institution, also including gender and ethnicity data
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 5, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I'm sure it's totally coincidental that the AoNZ government's changes to the Marsden Fund have been followed by successful applications led by female investigators dropping from 55% to 33%, and successful applications led by Māori investigators dropping from 13% to 5%. 🫠 🧪
Reposted by Richard Littauer
just tell your partner what you want. ask to get your needs met. communicate. tell them if you are upset. just you know, talk to them and be honest?
8. What's the best relationship advice you have ever heard?
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 AM
just tell your partner what you want. ask to get your needs met. communicate. tell them if you are upset. just you know, talk to them and be honest?
Reposted by Richard Littauer
Speaking as a Jew, someone desperately needs to write a piece about this specific flavor of hysterical derangement
November 6, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Speaking as a Jew, someone desperately needs to write a piece about this specific flavor of hysterical derangement
Reposted by Richard Littauer
