Ben Reid

⛪Reimagining cathedrals of the future Using AI to envision better futures which people want to inhabit

Reimagining cathedrals of the future... ffwdaotearoa.substack.com/p/reimaginin...

Yeah, this is a real thing.

Nice shots Eddie. I was there yesterday for the first time and saw my first ever Tieke/Saddleback up close! Magic place, we need 1000 more reserves like it up and down the country! Next time you're down in Ōtautahi, Hinewai reserve near Akaroa is similarly tranquil ...if not pest-free yet.

Memia 2025.46: Change is over-indexed📈📉

US revokes visas for 6 foreigners over Charlie Kirk-related speech The Trump administration has revoked the visas of six foreigners deemed by U.S. officials to have made derisive comments or made light of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last m...

Mandatory age verification to "protect children" is not to protect children. It is to deanonymize every adult speaker and consumer of speech online so the government can retaliate against speakers and speech they don't approve of. For instance: apnews.com/article/trum...

"But don't worry, we're not racist, because we're screwing everyone else too."

100% pure shitfuckery.

It also seems to have been lost that Hipkins has committed to repealing promptly if elected. ACT's overreach here in clear very right wing rather than technocratic principles mean it has a pretty short expiry date. & meanwhile this govt will legislate consistently with it because it wants to anyway!

Orr in the running for next PM I wonder...? #aonzpol #nzpol

Replybots get to vote? 🫣

The Green Party has marked May Day with a pre-budget announcement in Tokoroa, detailing the party’s plan for a Green Jobs Guarantee. READ THE FULL POLICY DOC “New Zealanders should be in control of our economy, our jobs and our future. We don’t need to leave our fate to be decided by international shareholders,” says Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. “From the West Coast of the South Island, to Ohakune, to Tokoroa, in the last year alone, we’ve heard the same devastation driven by the same political decisions to let offshore companies decide the fate of regional communities. “No more. “Today, we launch our Green Jobs Guarantee, which will directly create at least 40,000 jobs across this country to rebuild our infrastructure, plant native trees and restore biodiversity, build homes and an economy that we, New Zealanders, own - and can genuinely be proud of. “We’ve done it before and we can do it again. Before politicians took their hands off the wheel of the economy 40 years ago and sold off the assets we all used to own, we had a Ministry of Works. Our Ministry of Green Works builds on that proud tradition but is future fit for the climate transition. “Our Future Workforce Agency, Mahi Anamata, will actively plan for the skills we need. We’ll revitalise and supercharge the roaring success of Jobs for Nature, and we’ll ensure everyone in this country who wants a good, decent, living-wage paying job will get one. “In a time of global volatility, after a forty-year economic experiment that’s failed regular people and is currently seeing record numbers leave the country, it’s time to take back control and build our resilience. “A better world is possible, and this is how we build it,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.

Excerpt from 1960 Stats NZ Yearbook: Of recent years special attention has been directed to the problem of Maori employment. Outstanding features of the Maori population are its rate of growth and the fact that the Maori people are largely resident in localities remote from the main centres of industrial activity. Practical measures for ensuring the continuing absorption of the Maori race into full employment have included the fostering of Maori apprenticeships and the establishment of Maori youth hostels. In the post-war years the labour situation was characterized by overfull employment and a high number of vacancies in industry. Over the last two years, however, the employment situation has not been quite so buoyant; the number of notified vacancies dropped to 5,300 in October 1959. During the winter months of 1959 there was insufficient work for seasonal workers during the off-season and it was necessary to accelerate scheduled Government works and to arrange limited subsidized employment with local authorities to provide work for men who could not be placed in normal avenues of employment. The peak figure for disengaged workers was reached in August 1959 (1,526 males and 130 females). One employment promotion measure which has been in operation for some years is Scheme 13, under which 57 men were employed at 31 March 1960, compared with 52 on 31 March 1959. Most of these men are fit for light work only and are located in districts where employment opportunities are limited. Everything possible is done to place them in suitable private employment when the opportunity arises. They are allocated to local authorities and their wages are subsidized to an extent which brings their earnings up to the award rate for the type of work performed.

Game changing. Let's explore why a jobs guarantee is fabulous social *and* economic policy.
Quick reminder that making sure kiwis have jobs is not that radical. NZ Govt thru the mid-20th century was scared witless if a few folks (well, white men) were unemployed. See image 2 (1960 Stats NZ) [🧵 1/n]

30. This bill is a product of a highly centralised political system, where the tiny number of people who have (or have had) political and administrative power inside the Executive bubble think that not only do they know best, but that the country’s future wellbeing and progress will be served by it remaining that way. Aotearoa’s declining civil liberties, privacy, social cohesion, media, environment, public health, education, local government and civil service would beg to differ.

There's more....!!!!!!
#nzpol

The Council opposes this bill as successive governments and parliaments have not earned the privilege of being trusted by the public with longer terms. Far more democratic safeguards and institutional strengthening need to be put in place and bedded-in before the public can trust a government with a four-year term. (Source: Submission: Term of Parliament (Enabling 4-year Term) Legislation Amendment Bill, 16 April 2025 by New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties)

The proposal set out in the bill is fatally flawed. It results from shoddy and secretive policy development. It might lead to a four-year term, but it might not. This uncertainty is constitutionally careless, unacceptable and dangerous. (Source: Submission: Term of Parliament (Enabling 4-year Term) Legislation Amendment Bill, 16 April 2025 by New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties)

Andrew gave them both barrels!!!!!!!!! 😁👍

For everyone else, there's more - do please read the NZCCL submission as it's very digestible.
#nzpol

This is the moment when everyone realises their X account is just a sweet box of data to feed Elon’s pet AI

Memia 2025.11: One does not simply meme alone

Memia 2025.10: Autonomous Networked Utility System

Woke up this morning...

Memia 2025.09: Pressure cooks diamonds💎

Memia 2025.08: i/acc: Ineffective Accelerationism 🐌

The Footrot Flats MMP cartoon edited to read “want a good reason for voting against a four year term? Look at the people who are telling you to vote for one”

My quickly hacked together opinion on a four year term

Memia 2025.07: Noise over Signal on X🙉

Actually recorded Xmas Eve 2024...only just posted to YouTube

YouTube video by Stornoway Stornoway - Zorbing (Live at Union Chapel)

One of my favourite songs by one of my favourite bands, still fresh after 15 years. Zorbing by Stornoway recorded this week. youtu.be/j_GuRZmcANs?...

@emilytav.bsky.social is on it

Watch live: PM reveals New Zealand's new tourism slogan A new marketing campaign will try to bring more Australian visitors to the country.

Real 'Big Save Furniture' energy. 🇳🇿

Portuguese editorial cartoonist Zez Vaz (@zezvaz.bsky.social):

Wow, the felon drew Gary Larsen out of retirement!

Playful pod of dolphins accompanying the Bluebridge Te Moana-o-Raukawa ferry just off Miramar this morning 🐬🐬🐬

2025.06: Made With 0% American Cheese 🧀

2025.03 - what a week already...