Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
@ashley.geek.nz
@webash on the apartheid oligarch's site we dearly lost.
I care about: Systems. Environment. Empathy.
I care about: Systems. Environment. Empathy.
If I'm on an "app" of yours, and you tell me to download some other app of yours to see things that could and should just be in the app I'm on already on:
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
November 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM
If I'm on an "app" of yours, and you tell me to download some other app of yours to see things that could and should just be in the app I'm on already on:
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
get fucked.
Particularly if I'm on the web and you want me to download a phone app that I don't otherwise want or need.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
lately i've been thinking about how LLMs must feel really amazing to use if you're a dumbass, but incredibly frustrating if you're just basically competent in life.
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
lately i've been thinking about how LLMs must feel really amazing to use if you're a dumbass, but incredibly frustrating if you're just basically competent in life.
so tacky 😅
November 7, 2025 at 1:43 PM
so tacky 😅
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
developers seeing a major cloud service outage feels exactly like 10 year olds getting a surprise snow day
October 29, 2025 at 4:29 PM
developers seeing a major cloud service outage feels exactly like 10 year olds getting a surprise snow day
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Thread of the day
Let's celebrate the update (finally) of Stats NZ Household Living Costs Price Index - a better measure of the cost of living than CPI.
First thing to notice is that a big chunk of the increase in our cost of living was thanks to RBNZ hiking interest rates to tackle the cost of living! [🧵 1/n]
First thing to notice is that a big chunk of the increase in our cost of living was thanks to RBNZ hiking interest rates to tackle the cost of living! [🧵 1/n]
October 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Thread of the day
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
The richest man on earth owns X.
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
October 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The richest man on earth owns X.
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Today I was "Daryl", and was called by Three support telling me my SIM was going to stop working the next day, but don't worry, I'll get sent a new one by 12pm tomorrow.
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
October 25, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Today I was "Daryl", and was called by Three support telling me my SIM was going to stop working the next day, but don't worry, I'll get sent a new one by 12pm tomorrow.
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
I managed to waste 15 minutes of their time before I couldn't click the validation link to the fake email I gave. #scam
Horrific. Sanction I_rael now.
October 6, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Horrific. Sanction I_rael now.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
As a former gamer, I cannot overstate how big of a deal this right-wing takeover of Electronic Arts is.
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
September 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
As a former gamer, I cannot overstate how big of a deal this right-wing takeover of Electronic Arts is.
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
Are they going to create video games where they kidnap and dismember journalists like Jamal Khashoggi?
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Things are incredibly grim, but there are small, tentative signs of improvement. Maybe. iandunt.substack.com/p/three-reas...
Three reasons to feel hope
Things are incredibly grim, but there are small, tentative signs of improvement. Maybe.
iandunt.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Things are incredibly grim, but there are small, tentative signs of improvement. Maybe. iandunt.substack.com/p/three-reas...
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
I love this take because I can’t think of a single leftist I know whose entire thing isn’t wanting to build stuff. And also as someone who works in tech, if i could undo everything Silicon Valley has built in the last decade or so I would.
There is a lot to hate about the politics of the silicon valley right, but they do actually want to build stuff, and I would prefer if the left didn't cede "we should be able to build stuff" to the right.
September 6, 2025 at 1:10 PM
I love this take because I can’t think of a single leftist I know whose entire thing isn’t wanting to build stuff. And also as someone who works in tech, if i could undo everything Silicon Valley has built in the last decade or so I would.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
The New Zealand Election Study has been running for 35 years, polling voters (and non-voters) about their views and votes after each election since 1990.
The latest edition, released recently, covers the 2023 election. I spent the past two weeks delving through the data.
A 🧵 – with lots of 📊!
The latest edition, released recently, covers the 2023 election. I spent the past two weeks delving through the data.
A 🧵 – with lots of 📊!
September 4, 2025 at 2:59 AM
The New Zealand Election Study has been running for 35 years, polling voters (and non-voters) about their views and votes after each election since 1990.
The latest edition, released recently, covers the 2023 election. I spent the past two weeks delving through the data.
A 🧵 – with lots of 📊!
The latest edition, released recently, covers the 2023 election. I spent the past two weeks delving through the data.
A 🧵 – with lots of 📊!
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
A quick explainer 🧵 on the 'loan demand' charts in my last thread.
When banks lend you money they simply add brand new $ to your bank account (your asset) and add the same amount to your loan account (your liability). New bank loans increase the total amount of $ (and debt) in the economy. [1/n]
When banks lend you money they simply add brand new $ to your bank account (your asset) and add the same amount to your loan account (your liability). New bank loans increase the total amount of $ (and debt) in the economy. [1/n]
August 31, 2025 at 1:03 AM
A quick explainer 🧵 on the 'loan demand' charts in my last thread.
When banks lend you money they simply add brand new $ to your bank account (your asset) and add the same amount to your loan account (your liability). New bank loans increase the total amount of $ (and debt) in the economy. [1/n]
When banks lend you money they simply add brand new $ to your bank account (your asset) and add the same amount to your loan account (your liability). New bank loans increase the total amount of $ (and debt) in the economy. [1/n]
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Obvs, it would be better if the $ pumped into the economy wasn't quickly gathered up by rich rentiers. If we kept that money moving (using taxes etc), we wouldn't have to rely as much on property price boom and busts, ever higher levels of private debt, and racheting down interest rates. [Ends]
August 31, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Obvs, it would be better if the $ pumped into the economy wasn't quickly gathered up by rich rentiers. If we kept that money moving (using taxes etc), we wouldn't have to rely as much on property price boom and busts, ever higher levels of private debt, and racheting down interest rates. [Ends]
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Look at this graph.
The share of national income going to the richest 10 percent was lowest (and share to lower 90 percent highest) when union membership was at its highest. As unions have weakened, inequality has widened.
This is why we must build back union power.
The share of national income going to the richest 10 percent was lowest (and share to lower 90 percent highest) when union membership was at its highest. As unions have weakened, inequality has widened.
This is why we must build back union power.
August 31, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Look at this graph.
The share of national income going to the richest 10 percent was lowest (and share to lower 90 percent highest) when union membership was at its highest. As unions have weakened, inequality has widened.
This is why we must build back union power.
The share of national income going to the richest 10 percent was lowest (and share to lower 90 percent highest) when union membership was at its highest. As unions have weakened, inequality has widened.
This is why we must build back union power.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Hi Canada, (These graphs courtesy of @simonoxfphys.com) 3 of Canada's largest banks are in the top 12. Our banks contribute as much finance to fossil fuels as the entire EU, half as much as America. There are 40 million of us and 450/340 EU/US. This is entirely disproportionate and bad please share.
August 28, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Hi Canada, (These graphs courtesy of @simonoxfphys.com) 3 of Canada's largest banks are in the top 12. Our banks contribute as much finance to fossil fuels as the entire EU, half as much as America. There are 40 million of us and 450/340 EU/US. This is entirely disproportionate and bad please share.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Being in tech & having a single modicum of critical thinking is just screaming "This isn't what LLMs are designed for!" over & over while people shove a bunch of word predictors into critical decision making processes because a glorified used car salesmen told them it would fix all their problems.
I hated marking, I loved marking.
Aside from classroom interaction, reading a kids work & finding the nuances in their KNOWLEDGE was the best part of teaching “they bloody got it”!
AI can get in the sea.
Aside from classroom interaction, reading a kids work & finding the nuances in their KNOWLEDGE was the best part of teaching “they bloody got it”!
AI can get in the sea.
August 5, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Being in tech & having a single modicum of critical thinking is just screaming "This isn't what LLMs are designed for!" over & over while people shove a bunch of word predictors into critical decision making processes because a glorified used car salesmen told them it would fix all their problems.
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
August 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
I remember when we didn't suck and the world thought we were nice
New Zealand government votes to bring back fossil fuel exploration in major reversal: Ruling right-wing coalition votes to reverse ban, a move it believes will alleviate energy shortages and high prices New Zealand’s government has voted to resume oil and gas exploration despite an outcry...
New Zealand government votes to bring back fossil fuel exploration in major reversal
New Zealand government votes to bring back fossil fuel exploration in major reversal: Ruling right-wing coalition votes to reverse ban, a move it believes will alleviate energy shortages and high prices New Zealand’s government has voted to resume oil and gas exploration despite an outcry...
www.theguardian.com
July 31, 2025 at 6:45 AM
I remember when we didn't suck and the world thought we were nice
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
Sharon I bloody died Sharon. Sharon they sent me to bloody heaven. Where are the bloody flames Sharon. Sharon it’s all bloody choir music up here Sharon. Sharon for fucks sake all the white is bloody blinding me up here Sharon
July 22, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Sharon I bloody died Sharon. Sharon they sent me to bloody heaven. Where are the bloody flames Sharon. Sharon it’s all bloody choir music up here Sharon. Sharon for fucks sake all the white is bloody blinding me up here Sharon
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
I was once told I'd be trespassed from a Noel Leeming for telling the young couple in front of me (who were buying a fridge or an oven) that they didn't need the extended warranty because the law already gave them those same rights and it was a con.
No regrets.
comcom.govt.nz/news-and-med...
No regrets.
comcom.govt.nz/news-and-med...
Commerce Commission - Not so promising? Noel Leeming's 'price promise' leads to criminal charges
comcom.govt.nz
July 20, 2025 at 8:39 PM
I was once told I'd be trespassed from a Noel Leeming for telling the young couple in front of me (who were buying a fridge or an oven) that they didn't need the extended warranty because the law already gave them those same rights and it was a con.
No regrets.
comcom.govt.nz/news-and-med...
No regrets.
comcom.govt.nz/news-and-med...
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
1. Happy Prime Day!
(It's a scam)
(Follow this thread for details)
🧵
(It's a scam)
(Follow this thread for details)
🧵
Prime Day is a scam
Amazon Prime Day is a four-day sale promoted by the mega-retailer as a rare opportunity to secure "deep discounts" on a variety of consumer items.
popular.info
July 8, 2025 at 2:09 PM
1. Happy Prime Day!
(It's a scam)
(Follow this thread for details)
🧵
(It's a scam)
(Follow this thread for details)
🧵
Reposted by Ashley (@webash elsewhere)
this technology that i cant even get my own employees to use without literally threatening them is definitely going to be profitable one day
June 28, 2025 at 6:30 PM
this technology that i cant even get my own employees to use without literally threatening them is definitely going to be profitable one day