Tom Eastman
@tom.eastman.nz
It might seem obvious that if you value something, you'll make an effort to get better at it.
What's less intuitive is that if you make an effort to get better at something you're not good at, you'll learn its value.
What's less intuitive is that if you make an effort to get better at something you're not good at, you'll learn its value.
The lesson the US government has learned from Anne Frank is to make damn sure the diary gets burned along with the bodies.
“I don’t want to be in this place I want to go to my school.”
- 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas.
Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children.
www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
- 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas.
Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children.
www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
February 18, 2026 at 12:43 AM
The lesson the US government has learned from Anne Frank is to make damn sure the diary gets burned along with the bodies.
People need to go for walks in old graveyards.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
before antibiotics did people just die all the time from everything?
February 17, 2026 at 7:18 PM
People need to go for walks in old graveyards.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
They're serene, beautiful, and 80% of the grave-stones are for children under 10.
The Purpose Of A System Is What It Does.
Claims that tech is designed to harm women are sweeping and unsupported. AI misuse is real, but intent and accountability matters. Critique systems—don’t assign collective malice.
Some would argue (me) that this is the goal of men working in the tech industry: to create a world that is unsafe for women. This isn’t an accident. It’s the point.
These men hate women and they don’t try to hide that fact.
These men hate women and they don’t try to hide that fact.
February 17, 2026 at 6:59 PM
The Purpose Of A System Is What It Does.
Reposted by Tom Eastman
The greatest lie I have ever been told is that cheats never prosper. Turns out they prosper a fuck tonne more than honest people
February 17, 2026 at 6:22 AM
The greatest lie I have ever been told is that cheats never prosper. Turns out they prosper a fuck tonne more than honest people
Reposted by Tom Eastman
Give trans kids a chance to be kids.
February 16, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Give trans kids a chance to be kids.
THIS, DAMMIT.
It's the silent ones who can be persuaded, because they're not staking their position out loud.
It's the silent ones who can be persuaded, because they're not staking their position out loud.
agree with this (hah) but also think a particular mistake the left made for a long time online, and still makes to an extent, is failing to understand that the person whose mind you may actually change is the one reading the argument you're having, not the one you're arguing with
The secret to engaging in social media debate is knowing you will never win anyone over. The best you can hope for is to have people who already agree with tell you you're awesome. You might great a dopamine thrill from the righteousness of your anger! Fine benefits, all. But you will never win.
February 16, 2026 at 11:51 PM
THIS, DAMMIT.
It's the silent ones who can be persuaded, because they're not staking their position out loud.
It's the silent ones who can be persuaded, because they're not staking their position out loud.
Reposted by Tom Eastman
They will apply different standards to her and they will refuse, adamantly, to acknowledge doing so, because acknowledging it while you're doing it is awkward.
Maybe a few years afterward they will run, "gosh, we're sorry we freaked out" pieces, a la the Iraq War.
Maybe a few years afterward they will run, "gosh, we're sorry we freaked out" pieces, a la the Iraq War.
February 16, 2026 at 7:58 PM
They will apply different standards to her and they will refuse, adamantly, to acknowledge doing so, because acknowledging it while you're doing it is awkward.
Maybe a few years afterward they will run, "gosh, we're sorry we freaked out" pieces, a la the Iraq War.
Maybe a few years afterward they will run, "gosh, we're sorry we freaked out" pieces, a la the Iraq War.
Great day for it.
National orcishness continues, with a bill to disestablish MfE bills.parliament.nz/v/6/27caed65...
House
bills.parliament.nz
February 16, 2026 at 5:01 AM
Great day for it.
Reposted by Tom Eastman
All of us paying taxes for a government who thinks their role is to remind people to look after themselves.
February 15, 2026 at 7:15 PM
All of us paying taxes for a government who thinks their role is to remind people to look after themselves.
Reposted by Tom Eastman
If you are in a perpetual cycle of response and recovery with inadequate preparation, planning and mitigation, no we are not getting good at this.
February 15, 2026 at 6:14 PM
If you are in a perpetual cycle of response and recovery with inadequate preparation, planning and mitigation, no we are not getting good at this.
Rich people with Wellington south-coast beachside properties who lobbied for low rates for years are currently having aeresolised sewerage and salt blasted all over their soon-to-be uninsurable houses and gardens.
The future is only gonna get worse from here but st least sometimes it's funny.
The future is only gonna get worse from here but st least sometimes it's funny.
February 15, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Rich people with Wellington south-coast beachside properties who lobbied for low rates for years are currently having aeresolised sewerage and salt blasted all over their soon-to-be uninsurable houses and gardens.
The future is only gonna get worse from here but st least sometimes it's funny.
The future is only gonna get worse from here but st least sometimes it's funny.
I desperately need you, the person reading this post, to know that this is happening at the senior leadership/executive levels of YOUR COMPANY TOO right now.
And I really do mean *you* even if I know you personally.
Hell, some of you ARE the executives.
And I really do mean *you* even if I know you personally.
Hell, some of you ARE the executives.
lol this is gonna burst so fucking hard
February 15, 2026 at 4:24 AM
I desperately need you, the person reading this post, to know that this is happening at the senior leadership/executive levels of YOUR COMPANY TOO right now.
And I really do mean *you* even if I know you personally.
Hell, some of you ARE the executives.
And I really do mean *you* even if I know you personally.
Hell, some of you ARE the executives.
Reposted by Tom Eastman
How many times, in how many contexts, in how many ways am I going to have to say that this is what "AI" does— what it fundamentally *is*— before it sinks in? That all Bullshit engines do is statistically correlate training data & inputs via their weights to produce outputs you are likely to accept…
February 15, 2026 at 3:57 AM
How many times, in how many contexts, in how many ways am I going to have to say that this is what "AI" does— what it fundamentally *is*— before it sinks in? That all Bullshit engines do is statistically correlate training data & inputs via their weights to produce outputs you are likely to accept…
Reposted by Tom Eastman
It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this
February 14, 2026 at 9:53 AM
It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this
Reposted by Tom Eastman
Someone should go to jail for all this.
Wellington south coast, u may have heard already but there’s a health risk with the sewage spill and weather warning tomorrow, that the sewage is going to be aerosolised in the sea spray 🤢😷
February 14, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Someone should go to jail for all this.
Reposted by Tom Eastman
"Switzerland’s military has terminated its contract with Palantir… following a security audit… concluded that U.S. intelligence agencies could potentially access sensitive Swiss defense data… significant reputational warning for the data analytics firm"
www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...
#R4Today
www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...
#R4Today
Palantir's Swiss Exit Highlights Global Data Sovereignty Challenge | NewsCase
Switzerland's military has terminated its contract with Palantir Technologies Inc. following a security audit. The review concluded that U.S. intelligence ag
www.newscase.com
February 11, 2026 at 7:05 AM
"Switzerland’s military has terminated its contract with Palantir… following a security audit… concluded that U.S. intelligence agencies could potentially access sensitive Swiss defense data… significant reputational warning for the data analytics firm"
www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...
#R4Today
www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...
#R4Today
Reposted by Tom Eastman
right on sis, you don't need to tuck for these fools
First poster for Rosalina in ‘THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE’.
Voiced by Brie Larson.
Voiced by Brie Larson.
February 13, 2026 at 8:27 PM
right on sis, you don't need to tuck for these fools
Reposted by Tom Eastman
This remains the easiest prediction I ever made about NZ politics.
February 14, 2026 at 3:30 AM
This remains the easiest prediction I ever made about NZ politics.
It cracks me up that the news story just used somebody's Google Maps account for the screenshot, so there are a bunch of starred and saved locations unrelated to the story. Whose houses are those that are marked? Friends of the journalist? or friends of the city council employee?
To be clear, “total coliforms” are not a group or kind of bacteria; coliforms are the gut bacteria that you find in poo, and a high “total coliforms” number in the water sample indicates there’s poo in there. Worrying that the Council spokesperson seems confused about this.
Christchurch City Council issues boil water notice for eastern suburbs
A public health alert has been issued for peple living in New Brighton, Burwood, Wainoni, Aranui and Southshore.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 14, 2026 at 3:24 AM
It cracks me up that the news story just used somebody's Google Maps account for the screenshot, so there are a bunch of starred and saved locations unrelated to the story. Whose houses are those that are marked? Friends of the journalist? or friends of the city council employee?
Reposted by Tom Eastman
i wonder if famed investigative journalist matt taibbi will have anything to say about this
New story up on the Homeland Security Department’s new tactic: flood social media companies with subpoenas to unmask anonymous accounts that criticize ICE or monitor the movements of ICE agents.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
Homeland Security Wants Social Media Sites to Expose Anti-ICE Accounts
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 3:13 AM
i wonder if famed investigative journalist matt taibbi will have anything to say about this
Reposted by Tom Eastman
It's all One Water now, and that water is toxic.
Boil water notice for New Brighton, Burwood, Wainoni, Aranui and Southshore
www.newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/c...
www.newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/c...
newsline.ccc.govt.nz
www.newsline.ccc.govt.nz
February 14, 2026 at 12:36 AM
It's all One Water now, and that water is toxic.
At his point there's no ideological difference between Elon Musk and Brenton Tarrant
This story is not surprising to a lot of us but also hugely important, especially for 🔭 because this is who the space sciences are being handed to 🧪
"Musk’s posts repeatedly echoed prominent white supremacist narratives and ideologies"
"Musk’s posts repeatedly echoed prominent white supremacist narratives and ideologies"
Elon Musk posted about race almost every day in January
Many social media posts by Tesla CEO on his platform are indiscernible from those of white supremacists, say experts
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 8:46 PM
At his point there's no ideological difference between Elon Musk and Brenton Tarrant