Don Hermio the Provider

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems... SIMON: What? SHAPIRO: ...Or saying... SIMON: You imagine that? SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over. SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level. SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this. SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

Fuel the Frequency ! Support Local Content on RadioActive.FM ! We are asking our listeners to provide some sustenance to fuel our amazing local content over the next year and help fund our overheads.

For lovers of Radio Active 88.6fm. (who played 85% NZ content in 2024). They are having a $$$ struggle at the mo so if you have a little spare coin, maybe consider dropping it here.
Active - Independent radio fostering local legends for 48 years.

givealittle.co.nz/cause/radioa...

It utterly failed, she had to borrow tens of billions to make it work

its still failing

No resignation

Willis lies

#Nzpol

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

These very true words from Steve Hely have given me tremendous comfort over the years.

Press Release Madrid, Tuesday, 23 September 2025 An experimental intranasal vaccine eliminates the COVID-19 virus in mice Preclinical trials with rodents show 100% protection with the second dose. This work advances the development of new-generation vaccines against COVID-19. (Image caption: SARS-CoV-2 virus exiting infected cells / Team of Luis Enjuanes, PNAS)

Researchers in Spain have developed a new intranasal COVID-19 vaccine that eliminates the virus in mice.

One dose gave 60% protection, but two intranasal doses achieved 100% protection with no detectable virus in nasal or lung tissue, suggesting sterilizing immunity.

www.csic.es/es/actualida...

What is to prevent Brendan Carr from canceling the licenses of affiliates who accurately report election results unfavorable to Trump? Or a scandal involving a Trump associate? Or bad economic numbers. Unbridled authoritarianism.

Enrich a movie by adding your pick for #BirdOfTheYear.

Horton hears a Whīo

"A Vast Domestic Terror Movement" Trump Prepares to Dismantle the Left

This article goes through the Trump administration's media apperances yesterday, pulls the relevant quotes, and provides very limited analysis. Not a lot of analysis is required. The administration has been very clear

Electoral Amendment Bill Submission Guide

On brand last minute but got mine in.Please please please take 5 minutes BEFORE 1 PM TODAY ‼️‼️ Rejecting this Bill is massively important for us and our democracy. The Greens Submission Guide is excellent, please use with your own flair and what have you. DO IT!

action.greens.org.nz/electoral_am...

Vello, a three-sided MERV-13 air purifier based on the Corsi-Rosenthal Box

For those who want a quick recap on epidemiology:

It was plumbing that ended the cholera epidemic, not drinking sewage over and over to strengthen everyone's immune system.

So that's why I built this thing. It's the new hygienic infrastructure that we need to get our lives back.

The end of cool small cars The Taliban has fresher trucks than us. The Honda Fit is dead. You can’t find a sauced-out 2-door to save your life. How did we get here??

related:
The end of cool small cars

www.blackbirdspyplane.com/p/the-end-of...

If USA authorities issue a legal request to Microsoft for data of a citizen hosted in another country, Microsoft would comply regardless of local law. USA CLOUD Act applies in NZ too. NZ Govt is a Microsoft shop so all data held by govt could be got.
#NZpol
www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science...

Hackers Hijacked Google’s Gemini AI With a Poisoned Calendar Invite to Take Over a Smart Home For likely the first time ever, security researchers have shown how AI can be hacked to create real world havoc, allowing them to turn off lights, open smart shutters, and more.

NEW: In a likely first, security researchers have shown how generative AI agents can be hijacked to cause physical consequences.

They tricked Google's Gemini AI into turning off smart home lights, opening windows, and turning on a boiler.

They hid instructions to the AI in a *calendar invitation*

I love how my brain cells ping pong between Covid, Palestine, AI, and the climate crisis and then something inconvenient will happen in my personal life and the ping pong will stop and I have a cry and then the ping pong will start again and it just goes on and on ping pong ping pong ping pong.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

😮‍💨

#histsci humour

Semi-regular reminder that the first and second highest number of submissions on a Bill ever in the history of Aotearoa happened this year on Bills the person who is now Deputy PM led (TPB/RSB) and media are still not wondering aloud how bad things might be in the public’s eyes to get those numbers.

When I was little, the U.S. military came to our home at gunpoint and took me and my family away. We were imprisoned for years in barbed wire camps simply because we were Japanese American. I have spent my life telling that story, hoping it would never be repeated.

Getting off US tech: a guide I’m in the process of dropping US tech services. Here’s how I did it, and options you should consider.

“Being a purist isn’t possible, but what’s important is making the effort. If we can reduce the customer base for the dominant players and show there’s a market for a different way… that could help incentivize more non-US options” Via @parismarx.com

www.disconnect.blog/p/getting-of...

Are you a top US-based scientist wanting to relocate to Australia? We are now calling for formal applications from both Australian and non-Australian citizens based in the US whose work is internationally recognised as exceptional.
📅 Applications close: Aug 29, 2025
🔗 science.org.au/gtap/?utm_so...

ALERTE GENERALE !

Une pétition a été lancée sur le site de l'Assemblée nationale demandant que le gouvernement arrête d'utiliser X pour ses communications officielles.
On signe toutes et tous pour lui donner le maximum de visibilité.
C'est ici :
petitions.assemblee-nationale.fr/initiatives/...

The table demonstrates systematic improvements in each domain: entryist strategy progressed from informal guidance on hiding VFF affiliations to comprehensive training programmes with structured deception protocols and professional media training. Social media manipulation advanced from basic platform management to sophisticated algorithmic gaming with coordinated supporter responses and emotional storytelling techniques. Organisational structure developed from isolated individual candidacies to resilient "ACE team" networks with systematic role delegation and structured support systems. Narrative laundering evolved from crude attempts linking global conspiracy theories to local issues into systematic research of community concerns with professional presentation and strategic use of "Council Watch" resources. Crisis management transformed from ad hoc responses that often exposed candidates to professional training in composure maintenance, support team management, and deliberate provocation of critics. Electoral success shifted from fewer than 12 candidates elected from over 200 standing with limited coordination to targeted approaches based on 2022 analysis featuring coordinated campaigns and refined candidate selection. The table illustrates VFF's systematic learning process, showing tactical sophistication increases across all operational areas whilst maintaining plausible independence from their ideological agenda.

The table reveals systematic professionalisation in community engagement, shifting from confrontational approaches with explicit ideological positioning to long-term relationship building through practical problem-solving and gradual ideological introduction. Message discipline transformed from inconsistent messaging that drew candidates into broader political debates to clear frameworks connecting local and national issues with stock responses and maintained focus on local concerns. Opposition handling evolved from reactive, defensive positioning with emotional reactions to proactive preparation using deliberate provocation tactics and calm superiority positioning. Candidate training advanced from basic social media tips with limited preparation to comprehensive webinar programmes featuring professional coaching and detailed tactical instruction. Network building developed from limited supporter mobilisation with individual campaign efforts to structured "ACE teams" with coordinated supporter networks and systematic relationship building. Digital strategy progressed from simple posting schedules with basic content creation to multi-format content approaches incorporating algorithmic manipulation and coordinated engagement campaigns. Local intelligence gathering evolved from limited community research with surface-level issue identification to systematic infiltration of community groups featuring comprehensive issue mapping and proactive positioning. The table demonstrates VFF's systematic learning process, showing sophisticated political operations development whilst maintaining plausible community independence.

The table demonstrates significant advancement in brand management, progressing from inconsistent visual identity with amateur presentation and obvious political messaging to professional branding development featuring consistent visual elements and subtle political positioning. This represents sophisticated political marketing evolution with professional image management capabilities. Long-term strategy shifted from single-election focus with limited planning beyond immediate goals and opportunistic approaches to sustained institutional presence through multi-election planning and systematic democratic infiltration. This transformation indicates strategic thinking development about institutional capture and long-term democratic subversion. The table illustrates VFF's maturation from reactive electoral participation to calculated systematic infiltration designed to achieve sustained political influence through professional presentation and strategic patience.

Studied VFF's planning for upcoming local government elections posted online recently. It's a *significant* step-up in scale, strategy, & sophistication from '22's templates, in a transnational context which sees big far-right gains in electoral outcomes, esp. at LG levels. Entryism is entrenched.

Occasionally I wonder about the impact on my politics of having a strong formative memory of the last 5 minutes of Star Trek IV, where Kirk decloaks a Klingon vessel over a current-day whaling ship and beams up the two humpbacks they're pursuing, in order to save the Earth of his time

Food for thought.

A screenshot of a post previously from Greenpeace. It’s a photo of a blue fence with black writing on top. The writing says: ‘If you ever feel heavy because you care deeply about injustice, suffering and ecological destruction. Remember that’s trillion dollar propaganda machine was built to make you numb and it didn’t work on you. ‘

I needed to read this today. Thought someone else might need it too.

Two screen shots from a 1News clip showing Chloe Swarbrick's reaction to statements by Nicola Willis. On the left her head is on the desk and on the right she has her face in her hands.

Finally saw that 1News clip of Chloe's reaction to Nicola Willis shitting out her reckons in a committee.
Chloe is all of us.
#nzpol

What I'd say to you is, Simon Wilson's days at our mouthpiece are numbered.
#LyinLuxon #WorstPMEver #nzpol

The problem below would have been rectified by the Therapeutic Products Act, but one of the 1st things NACT1 did in office, was repeal it. Consumer NZ made a statement saying it would put lives at risk, but hardly any coverage at the time

Pretty sure NZF were pushing this one.

#nzpol
#kiwi

Lunar occultation of Antares 10 June 2025: The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and…

🌕 🌟 In a few hours time, Antares the brightest star in Scorpius will be occulted by the near Full Moon. The event commences around 9h UT on 10 June and will be visible from most of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the southern Pacific. 🔭
in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=...
#stargazing