A Thicket of Steves
@elstevo.bsky.social
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
The government is prepared to spend who knows how much on an entirely unnecessary amalgamation of ministries, but is steadily nickle and diming away small and useful programmes like the FluTracking survey.
#nzpol
#nzpol
Min of Health has decided not to continue with the FluTracking survey each week from next year.
What a ridiculous decision. The cost savings must be minimal
What are our taxes actually used for if not things like public health?
What a ridiculous decision. The cost savings must be minimal
What are our taxes actually used for if not things like public health?
December 16, 2025 at 3:37 AM
The government is prepared to spend who knows how much on an entirely unnecessary amalgamation of ministries, but is steadily nickle and diming away small and useful programmes like the FluTracking survey.
#nzpol
#nzpol
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
First there was reduced wastewater surveillance for Covid and now the crowdsourced FluTracking survey is being discontinued
Min of Health has decided not to continue with the FluTracking survey each week from next year.
What a ridiculous decision. The cost savings must be minimal
What are our taxes actually used for if not things like public health?
What a ridiculous decision. The cost savings must be minimal
What are our taxes actually used for if not things like public health?
December 16, 2025 at 3:55 AM
First there was reduced wastewater surveillance for Covid and now the crowdsourced FluTracking survey is being discontinued
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Who needs data & evidence? Only woke academics.
Data & evidence are "nice to have" back-office functions.
Prioritising front-line service spending is required to "fix the economy" before we can afford "nice to haves".
Remember, we can't say yes to everything.
(NB: above is irony).
I despair🤦🏾♂️.
Data & evidence are "nice to have" back-office functions.
Prioritising front-line service spending is required to "fix the economy" before we can afford "nice to haves".
Remember, we can't say yes to everything.
(NB: above is irony).
I despair🤦🏾♂️.
I’m actually a bit gutted about FluTracking ending. It was an important part of the COVID response and made me feel part of a team; I dutifully did my survey every Monday morning. And now this excellent crowdsourced science tool has been casually axed, yesterday it turns out. info.flutracking.net
December 16, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Who needs data & evidence? Only woke academics.
Data & evidence are "nice to have" back-office functions.
Prioritising front-line service spending is required to "fix the economy" before we can afford "nice to haves".
Remember, we can't say yes to everything.
(NB: above is irony).
I despair🤦🏾♂️.
Data & evidence are "nice to have" back-office functions.
Prioritising front-line service spending is required to "fix the economy" before we can afford "nice to haves".
Remember, we can't say yes to everything.
(NB: above is irony).
I despair🤦🏾♂️.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Rob Reiner: I'm going to make a coming of age drama, a fantasy adventure story, a romantic comedy, a psychological horror and then a courtroom drama.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
December 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Rob Reiner: I'm going to make a coming of age drama, a fantasy adventure story, a romantic comedy, a psychological horror and then a courtroom drama.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
ICE pepper-sprayed this 1-year-old girl.
Once at the hospital, the doctor had to call in a poison control specialist.
They had never seen anyone that young pepper sprayed.
Another horrific story.
More details below.
Once at the hospital, the doctor had to call in a poison control specialist.
They had never seen anyone that young pepper sprayed.
Another horrific story.
More details below.
December 14, 2025 at 11:31 PM
ICE pepper-sprayed this 1-year-old girl.
Once at the hospital, the doctor had to call in a poison control specialist.
They had never seen anyone that young pepper sprayed.
Another horrific story.
More details below.
Once at the hospital, the doctor had to call in a poison control specialist.
They had never seen anyone that young pepper sprayed.
Another horrific story.
More details below.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Appalling batshittery from the Act Party's 'Free Press' newsletter this morning.
December 14, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Appalling batshittery from the Act Party's 'Free Press' newsletter this morning.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
A lifetime of "thoughts & prayers" have done JACK-SQUAT to reduce or eliminate gun violence. We need to do MORE.
It is the GUNS.
#SadButTRUE 💔
It is the GUNS.
#SadButTRUE 💔
December 14, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A lifetime of "thoughts & prayers" have done JACK-SQUAT to reduce or eliminate gun violence. We need to do MORE.
It is the GUNS.
#SadButTRUE 💔
It is the GUNS.
#SadButTRUE 💔
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Love that the disabled kid also said "you know, instead of banning by age they could try banning by behavior, which they never seem to do"
December 13, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Love that the disabled kid also said "you know, instead of banning by age they could try banning by behavior, which they never seem to do"
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Just when I thought I couldn't admire the man more...
🎯 🎯 🎯 💯 💯 💯 👍 👍 👍
🎯 🎯 🎯 💯 💯 💯 👍 👍 👍
December 13, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Just when I thought I couldn't admire the man more...
🎯 🎯 🎯 💯 💯 💯 👍 👍 👍
🎯 🎯 🎯 💯 💯 💯 👍 👍 👍
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
December 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM
I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
New York City's air quality has been improving over time, but now it's improving much faster, thanks to congestion pricing.
What previously took nine years — the 22% drop in air pollution between 2015 and 2024 — was reached in just *six months* of congestion pricing.
What previously took nine years — the 22% drop in air pollution between 2015 and 2024 — was reached in just *six months* of congestion pricing.
New Yorkers Are Literally Breathing Easier After Congestion Pricing
And other links to start your hump day.
hellgatenyc.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
New York City's air quality has been improving over time, but now it's improving much faster, thanks to congestion pricing.
What previously took nine years — the 22% drop in air pollution between 2015 and 2024 — was reached in just *six months* of congestion pricing.
What previously took nine years — the 22% drop in air pollution between 2015 and 2024 — was reached in just *six months* of congestion pricing.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
I'm so fucking angry about the electoral reform bill. We can't win the election honestly so we'll have to disenfranchise 60k voters, the Coalition story.
December 11, 2025 at 8:06 AM
I'm so fucking angry about the electoral reform bill. We can't win the election honestly so we'll have to disenfranchise 60k voters, the Coalition story.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
We don’t need two politically aligned right wing psychopaths debating how many people should be burned on the pyres of austerity.
Can’t they just cover it off on their weekly conference call and leave us all the fuck alone.
We don’t need any more
Ruthenasia and Williside
#nzpol
Can’t they just cover it off on their weekly conference call and leave us all the fuck alone.
We don’t need any more
Ruthenasia and Williside
#nzpol
December 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM
We don’t need two politically aligned right wing psychopaths debating how many people should be burned on the pyres of austerity.
Can’t they just cover it off on their weekly conference call and leave us all the fuck alone.
We don’t need any more
Ruthenasia and Williside
#nzpol
Can’t they just cover it off on their weekly conference call and leave us all the fuck alone.
We don’t need any more
Ruthenasia and Williside
#nzpol
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
"there's a new serif in town"
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:06 AM
"there's a new serif in town"
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Disappointing that the article doesn't talk to any public health experts or highlight any of the research that draws a link between late night purchases and alcohol harm.
"Over the past year, my total sales have reduced by 23.5 percent," he said.
That'd frame that number a bit different, huh.
"Over the past year, my total sales have reduced by 23.5 percent," he said.
That'd frame that number a bit different, huh.
December 10, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Disappointing that the article doesn't talk to any public health experts or highlight any of the research that draws a link between late night purchases and alcohol harm.
"Over the past year, my total sales have reduced by 23.5 percent," he said.
That'd frame that number a bit different, huh.
"Over the past year, my total sales have reduced by 23.5 percent," he said.
That'd frame that number a bit different, huh.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
“She has marks on her neck and wrist from where agents restrained her. Agents cut off her wedding ring and held her in leg shackles at Whipple Federal Building for about five hours.”
Her crime: witnessing ICE, from a distance.
Her crime: witnessing ICE, from a distance.
Federal agents arrest citizen observer watching ICE detain neighbors on her north Minneapolis block
Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old American citizen, appears to be the first observer arrested by federal immigration enforcement officers since the agency launched an immigration surge in the Twin Cities l...
www.mprnews.org
December 9, 2025 at 10:49 PM
“She has marks on her neck and wrist from where agents restrained her. Agents cut off her wedding ring and held her in leg shackles at Whipple Federal Building for about five hours.”
Her crime: witnessing ICE, from a distance.
Her crime: witnessing ICE, from a distance.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
This shameful policy is literally "Some of you may die, but that's a risk we're willing to take"
Home Office Ministers state publicly, on the record, that they are deliberately making life worse for older people and people with disabilities who depend on care services, but it's worth it because it reduces net migration.
December 9, 2025 at 6:05 PM
This shameful policy is literally "Some of you may die, but that's a risk we're willing to take"
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Okay but having Willis and Richardson debate "is the government not right-wing enough or just the right amount of right-wing?" is a trap, and it's a trap that's explicitly being run by the TPU. Y'all see that, right?
December 9, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Okay but having Willis and Richardson debate "is the government not right-wing enough or just the right amount of right-wing?" is a trap, and it's a trap that's explicitly being run by the TPU. Y'all see that, right?
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
How to buy yourself a needy malignant narcissist? Just offer him a phony, made up "Peace Prize" & he's all your's!!!
No need for a formal ceremony as he'll snatch from the box & put it on all by himself. Both laughably pathetic AND pathetically laughable. 🤡 🫣
No need for a formal ceremony as he'll snatch from the box & put it on all by himself. Both laughably pathetic AND pathetically laughable. 🤡 🫣
December 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
How to buy yourself a needy malignant narcissist? Just offer him a phony, made up "Peace Prize" & he's all your's!!!
No need for a formal ceremony as he'll snatch from the box & put it on all by himself. Both laughably pathetic AND pathetically laughable. 🤡 🫣
No need for a formal ceremony as he'll snatch from the box & put it on all by himself. Both laughably pathetic AND pathetically laughable. 🤡 🫣
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
@davidsquires.bsky.social with a near miss on FIFA peace price trophy.. 😉
December 6, 2025 at 7:22 AM
@davidsquires.bsky.social with a near miss on FIFA peace price trophy.. 😉
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Get back to the fields serfs!
December 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Get back to the fields serfs!
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
David Seymour who made such a racket about the govt spending $3m on lunches for 1000s of school kids, but is pushing for charter schools which, so far, have cost $10.9m and only have 427 kids enrolled for next year.
What a nasty little ghoul.
What a nasty little ghoul.
Seymour: let's not make "assumptions" that a serious food safety incident is the responsibility of a company with a record of food safety incidents so bad that officials strongly warned against contracting it. Maybe it was the person who reported it! What a prick. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/christchu...
Seymour labels principal at centre of mouldy school lunches a media 'frequent flyer'
The principal has hit back saying the food is delivered daily and leftovers removed.
www.nzherald.co.nz
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 AM
David Seymour who made such a racket about the govt spending $3m on lunches for 1000s of school kids, but is pushing for charter schools which, so far, have cost $10.9m and only have 427 kids enrolled for next year.
What a nasty little ghoul.
What a nasty little ghoul.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Worldwide mortality experience since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2024) shows excess deaths over that period in almost every country measured. Australia (+6%) was below average, and New Zealand (+0.1%) the lowest we measured.
December 2, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Worldwide mortality experience since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2024) shows excess deaths over that period in almost every country measured. Australia (+6%) was below average, and New Zealand (+0.1%) the lowest we measured.
Reposted by A Thicket of Steves
Rate cuts are service cuts but i do think that the wealthy people who are pushing them believe in a magical world where only the services they hate will be cut, while the services they enjoy (or don't even notice are services) will be left completely intact without noticeable negative consequences
December 1, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Rate cuts are service cuts but i do think that the wealthy people who are pushing them believe in a magical world where only the services they hate will be cut, while the services they enjoy (or don't even notice are services) will be left completely intact without noticeable negative consequences