Ben Dicks⌬n
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drbenomycin.bsky.social
Ben Dicks⌬n
@drbenomycin.bsky.social
270 followers 100 following 1.8K posts
Pākehā lecturing chem @ University of Waikato
Ex-academic precariat, still in the fight.
NZAS council and NZSR editorial board
Rides a 💖pink💖 bicycle.
he / him
Posts Replies Media Videos
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Staaahhhp call the police, unpermitted cuteness on display in Kirikiriroa
A couple wearing brightly coloured jumpers and sunglasses sits on outdoor tiered seating in the sun. The centerpiece of the photo is two large almond croissants being held up to the camera, one for each of the happy and hungry couple. A couple sit on tiered seating in the sun wearing sunglasses and brightly coloured jumpers. In the background is a tandem bicycle with bright pink helmets hanging on the handlebars.
September 19, 2025 at 11:05 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Phase 1: Complete. Ft. Cycle past Gardens, cycle along river past rowing clubs and waka ama. Total vibes
A tandem bicycle parked on a city street. Brightly coloured helmets hang from the handlebars (pink and blue).
September 19, 2025 at 9:44 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
This gave me whiplash...
Screenshot of text saying: A separate group of church leaders, the Coalition of Ministers Supporting Israel in New Zealand, said in a statement it distanced itself from the groups that protested.
September 15, 2025 at 6:41 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
This is a great opportunity to introduce kids to all the different wind instruments, and inspire them to play.

Heck, if you've played an instrument in the past and enjoy the concert, maybe you'll be inspired to join for the next programme... so we can become a large community band! 😁
Advertisement for a concert, text on a music themed background, plus images of a trumpet and a saxophone. The text reads: Join Waikato Symphonic Band for our concert "Loco-motifs and Symphonic Shenanigans" 3PM, Saturday 20th September, St Aidan's Church, 24 Thames Street. Entry free or by koha.
September 6, 2025 at 7:43 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
If Hamilton folk are interested in amateur musicians playing in a small community band... Do I have the event for you!

A free concert? Yes free! Or koha if you would like. It's an interesting and eclectic musical programme, so should be good family friendly fun.

🎺🎷🪈🥁📯
Advertisement for a concert, text on a music themed background, plus images of a trumpet and a saxophone. The text reads: Join Waikato Symphonic Band for our concert "Loco-motifs and Symphonic Shenanigans" 3PM, Saturday 20th September, St Aidan's Church, 24 Thames Street. Entry free or by koha.
September 6, 2025 at 7:43 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Different train vibe today, northbound again to Huntly
A steam locomotive at the station
August 23, 2025 at 11:45 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Over on the IG... I never knew you had this double life! Flattering no doubt 😅

That app is buuuuuggy
A screenshot of a notification from Instagram. The icon is the comedian Melanie Bracewell and the notification says: "Melanie Bracewell invited you to join their channel: ChemScrapes"
August 14, 2025 at 7:50 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Saturday shopping 🚲🚲🥰
A photo of a tandem bicycle in front of a great wall. A purple helmet hangs from the front handlebars.
August 2, 2025 at 12:46 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Hat described as "tuff" and wearer as having "aura" by authentic gen alpha.

Where does this go on the RS&T CV?
A pale male is appears not stale by virtue of the red, green, yellow and blue hat they wear with a propeller on top. They are also wearing a boring gray jacket, and clear framed glasses. They look into the camera over the frame of the glasses.
July 31, 2025 at 7:58 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Farewell old friend, do not fear... we have not forgotten that the University Advisory Group report has still not been released...
This is a screenshot of the "This site can't be reached" error page for uag.org.nz. The screenshot is merely used to illustrate that the website is gone, it's appearance is not otherwise relevant.
July 24, 2025 at 4:06 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Microsoft Word... where below means above, and above also means above and I just really want it below... but no, that can't be because WORD KNOWS BEST DOOFUS
June 25, 2025 at 11:34 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Uhmm... 🤔
A photo of two bars of music. The first bar features staccato quavers pitched at e flat. The second bar features more staccato quavers followed by a marcato minum this bar is all pitched at d sharp.
June 10, 2025 at 7:06 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
For the uninitiated, this is how they enter port...
A photo of the Mexican Tall Ship Cuauhtémoc entering port. Each of her horizontal yards is lined by crewmen standing on top of the poles, bracing against ropes and each other
May 18, 2025 at 3:03 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Chalk this up as one of the weirdest spam/phishing emails I've ever received...
Screenshot of an email reading: Hello there Do you have enemies? Do you hate someone? Let me know their e-mail addresses by replying to this e-mail. And I'll tease them for your behalf. Thanks Punsi
May 14, 2025 at 9:26 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
In the results letter it says "This year the success rate for the Expressions of Interest to the full proposal round was just under 28%"

Is this a mistake, or am I just being a dunce? Happy to sit in the corner if so... (and no... I'm not FS applying to MIS)
A table of data relating to Marsden application and invitations to the full round. The key take home is that only the Fast Start rate for a single panel is near 28%. The majority of success rates are around 20 - 23%
May 8, 2025 at 10:41 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
This Government are such clever law makers... flawless...
A screenshot with the following sentence highlighted: In light of this, these new speed reviews are proposing to change back to the lower speeds immediately following this change in July The full text reads: What we propose Changing speed limits is a legal process. The Rule allows NZTA to set speed limits for roads under its control where there is alignment with the intent and requirements of the Rule. These 2 new reviews in Hamilton and one in Tūrangi propose lower speeds at specific locations. The new reviews acknowledge that under the Rule, on 1 July 2025, these locations must reverse to their previous higher speeds (for eg, 70km, 80km or 100km, depending on where they are). In light of this, these new speed reviews are proposing to change back to the lower speeds immediately following this change in July (eg back to the lower speed they have today). Each proposal shows the economic impacts, which NZTA then considers alongside the views of road users gathered during consultation and technical safety assessments, to determine if we set the lower speed limit. Below you will find more detailed information on each proposal including a description of each state highway section, why a speed limit change is proposed, and a Cost Benefit Disclosure Statement describing the estimated safety and travel time impacts and implementation costs of a proposed speed limit change.
April 29, 2025 at 9:13 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
It feels like the first 10 words in this headline are superfluous 🤔
Screenshot of a news headline reading: Sam Altman Admits That Saying "Please" and "Thank You" to ChatGPT Is Wasting Millions of Dollars in Computing Power The headline is accompanied by a picture of Sam Altman standing with palms upraised, but it's not important to the post.
April 20, 2025 at 4:37 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
*Squints*

Ahhh!
A graph featuring a shape that is reminiscent of the beloved character Totoro's ears. I edited an umbrella emoji over the ears to be cute.
April 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
It has been a _long_ time since I played wizard... but still holding to my tradition of repping Glenfield College whenever I put on the robes and wizard hat!
A photo of a smiling (ish) man (it's me) in PhD regalia wearing a black tie with red and white strikes and the logo of Glenfield College.
April 8, 2025 at 11:50 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Saving me some Google searches going forwards...
A chart of pka values posted on an office wall
April 8, 2025 at 11:23 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
My brain is struggling to visualize a cubic litre... 🤯

(Yes, I'm sure they meant cubic meters...)

www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
Screenshot reads: It's estimated 750 cubic litres of treated water, or 750,000 litres, was lost as a result of the pipe vandalism.
April 8, 2025 at 7:30 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
I got as far as this and my face was so contorted in confusion that I couldn't keep reading...
Screen shot from article containing the text: Dystopias every time. I mean The Handmaid's Tale - what an incredible way of warning us all.
March 22, 2025 at 7:29 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
Should this be former, rather than latter - or am I just not parsing it correctly.

My understanding of the text as it stands is that antibiotic developers prefer bacteriostatic, and these antibiotics fit that preference?
Screen shot of text reading "These antibiotics are not outright bacteriocidal, unless you can get them up to high concentrations, but are rather bacteriostatic. Antibiotic developers tend to prefer the latter, but clindamycin still has plenty of uses, especially against aerobic cocci like Staphylococcus and many anaerobic Gram-negative rod-like species. A notable complication can be the bloom of Clostridioides difficile ("C" The line "Antibiotic developers tend to prefer the latter" is highlighted.
March 11, 2025 at 8:58 PM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
When you're so "poisoned" by the liberal mind control of universities that you ride your tandem bicycle to a public consultation to support cycle lanes and sensible infrastructure design...

Oh... and go participate in the Morrisville Rd consultation... opinionated old white folk are dominating 🙄
A person in a green bicycle helmet is locking a tandem bicycle to a bike rack on a school grounds.
March 11, 2025 at 6:03 AM
drbenomycin.bsky.social
This doesn't look great in Kirikiriroa... 😬
A photo looking East (ish) over Hamilton. There is a big plume of dark grey smoke from a fire of unknown (to the photographer) origin
March 9, 2025 at 10:35 PM