James W
jamesw228.bsky.social
James W
@jamesw228.bsky.social
Takes about all kinds of things but predominantly politics, autistic people things and research, technnology.

Opinions my own and all terrible.

He/Him Pōneke/Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Pinned
The questions I keep coming back to are:

What if they do?
What if they automate away white collar, creative and transport workers?
Who buys the stuff from their companies?
With what money?
How does that economy function?
Reposted by James W
"we take the responses from 'people who will spend two hours on a survey for a $20 gift card' and then we reweight it to reflect the general population"
I got called for a Roy Morgan poll the other day, which I participated in. At the end they asked if I'd be willing to do an additional online survey for a $20 gift card, "sure" I said.

The email invite arrived — "it takes most people about two hours to complete" — absolutely not!
November 13, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Reposted by James W
police are defunding themselves now, life finds a way
November 13, 2025 at 4:49 AM
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The liberal order might be upended, but it's nice to see the one constant of the modern world: everybody loves a big ol email dump
November 13, 2025 at 7:33 AM
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Sadly, Trump and the awful Police cover up means that this won't get the attention it deserves. #NZpol
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Prime Minister, I’m beginning to wonder who’s actually running the country
“Last week, a group called Hobson’s Pledge claimed victory after your government announced that school boards would no longer be required to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” said Ian Taylor.
www.stuff.co.nz
November 12, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by James W
“The new roadside testing regime is yet another example of our country failing to implement evidenced-based drug policy. For far too long we have had an irrational approach to substance use.”…

#nzpol

Accessible article here: archive.ph/17n0y
November 12, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by James W
One of my favorite pieces I wrote this year. Thanks to @allegrak.bsky.social for letting me nerd out on this one.
November 12, 2025 at 3:43 PM
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Good to see RNZ naming names here. Now fire and/or prosecute them (some have already resigned) www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Revealed: The key figures in the IPCA report which found serious misconduct at the highest levels
RNZ can now reveal the identities of some of the police officers in the IPCA report which found serious misconduct at the highest levels.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 12, 2025 at 7:04 AM
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"I'd visit your country if it had restaurants with Michelin stars.", said no foreigner ever.
#OneTermGovernment
#nzpol
November 12, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Reposted by James W
Three powerful white men refuse to apologise to a young wahine Māori who was right all along? Colour me shocked.
Luxon, Mitchell, and Hipkins all failed to apologise in the House to Tamatha Paul today for their derogatory comments about her stating that police on the streets doesn't make people feel safe, and Tamatha has too much grace and class to demand it.
#OneTermGovernment
#nzpol
November 12, 2025 at 5:51 AM
How did the staff at the police get access to parliament systems to prevent him seeing the emails?.

If this is honestly what he's saying occurred then it's a huge problem on top of everything else #mzpol
Mark Mitchell says 36 emails were sent to his office but also that a protocol had been put in place by the Police Commissioner's office to prevent him seeing them.

I'd love a journo to ask:

1. When was the protocol put in place?
2. When did Mark Mitchell become aware of the protocol?

#nzpol
November 12, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Reposted by James W
Mark Mitchell says 36 emails were sent to his office but also that a protocol had been put in place by the Police Commissioner's office to prevent him seeing them.

I'd love a journo to ask:

1. When was the protocol put in place?
2. When did Mark Mitchell become aware of the protocol?

#nzpol
November 12, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Reposted by James W
all polls are measurements of the possibly honest current sentiments of pseudo random participants who may or may not turn out to vote and may or may not change their minds if there was, say, an election campaign where parties tried to change people's minds
November 12, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Reposted by James W
Do these officers deserve credit for actually doing their jobs?

Possibly but if they do then we have a serious problem when Police actually doing their job is praiseworthy #nzpol
November 12, 2025 at 12:16 AM
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Amused to view an academic article and see that the journal it's in abbreviates its own name to "New Global Stud"

(it's New Global Studies. The abbreviation barely saves any space at all! But it's funny so I'll allow it)
November 12, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Reposted by James W
Me when I've had six or seven too many Stolichnayas before going to get my lifetime achievement award
Russia presented its human-like AI robot. It fell down as it walked onto the stage.
November 12, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Reposted by James W
Prime Minister still trying to prtend that conversations about privatisation can be "non-political".

"Who gets what" is the essence of politics. His failure to recognise this shows how vacant his management view of the world is. #nzqt
November 12, 2025 at 1:34 AM
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Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick, but it seems extremely ironic to lodge this as the follow-up to your member's bill about criminalising deepfake pornography. #NZPOL
November 12, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by James W
If police officers deserve credit for doing their jobs then it basically means the entire org is rotten to the core. If to do your job you have to go against the grain there’s a much bigger issue here
Do these officers deserve credit for actually doing their jobs?

Possibly but if they do then we have a serious problem when Police actually doing their job is praiseworthy #nzpol
Buried in the IPCA report: the cops who showed moral courage
#JevonMcSkimmingDownfall
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
November 12, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Reposted by James W
certainly looking more and more likely the police minister who was a former war profiteer might not be on the up n’ up truly shocking stuff
November 12, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Reposted by James W
Paywall lifted: At every turn, the Govt has opted for whatever would actually lead to more pollution and a warmer world – even if it costs more, jeopardises NZ’s reputation, overturns a campaign promise or clashes with the Govt’s other priorities.

The long retreat:
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/g...
Govt's climate strategy: Let it burn
Comment: The Government has relentlessly pursued policies that boost climate pollution – even if they cost more or jeopardise NZ's reputation, Marc Daalder writes
newsroom.co.nz
November 7, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Do these officers deserve credit for actually doing their jobs?

Possibly but if they do then we have a serious problem when Police actually doing their job is praiseworthy #nzpol
November 12, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Reposted by James W
Pleading guilty and being discharged without conviction seems pretty messed up...
Sergeant investigated for indecent communication with 15-year-old
www.ipca.govt.nz
November 11, 2025 at 11:24 PM
When I discovered The Clash as a 19 year old in 2004, I was really struck by how relevant songs from the 70s & 80s felt to the world then

If anything they feel even more relevant now which is slightly depressing given they're largely about how fucked the world was when they were written
November 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM