Jennifer Ashton
@jenashton.bsky.social
Historian, Aucklander, sporadic exerciser, cricket fan
www.jennifer-ashton.com
www.jennifer-ashton.com
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Should the economy be regulated by a democratic society to ensure that it creates opportunity and benefit for everyone? Or should it be a plaything for approximately a dozen of the world's most odious assholes? Who knows
November 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Should the economy be regulated by a democratic society to ensure that it creates opportunity and benefit for everyone? Or should it be a plaything for approximately a dozen of the world's most odious assholes? Who knows
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
every aging gentleman must take up a new activity to pass the retirement hours, but only the truly noble of spirit are called to the highest practice of this life stage: wandering around the house all day yelling about everything and nothing
November 20, 2025 at 5:05 PM
every aging gentleman must take up a new activity to pass the retirement hours, but only the truly noble of spirit are called to the highest practice of this life stage: wandering around the house all day yelling about everything and nothing
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
NZ is on track for a 98 percent renewable power system by 2030, a sweeping new report on the energy system has found.
No 'gas renaissance' in landmark report charting NZ's energy future
newsroom.co.nz
November 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
NZ is on track for a 98 percent renewable power system by 2030, a sweeping new report on the energy system has found.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
The Chartists, an enduring reminder that change is possible and vitally important, even when (at the time) you don't 'win'.
The first issue of the Chartist newspaper, the Northern Star, appeared #OnThisDay 18 November 1837. Without it, Chartism would have been a far weaker thing.
www.chartistancestors.co.uk/northern-sta...
www.chartistancestors.co.uk/northern-sta...
November 18, 2025 at 8:50 AM
The Chartists, an enduring reminder that change is possible and vitally important, even when (at the time) you don't 'win'.
Literally a Black Mirror episode.
Can you really talk to the dead using AI?
Can you really talk to the dead using AI?
We tried out 'deathbots' so you don’t have to.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 15, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Literally a Black Mirror episode.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Some inspiring words on cinema in the streaming era from the Pope.
Yes, THAT Pope.
Yes, THAT Pope.
November 15, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Some inspiring words on cinema in the streaming era from the Pope.
Yes, THAT Pope.
Yes, THAT Pope.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
By all means bring in flammable liquid and a device to set fire to it but do not bring in a thing with batteries that has very few moving parts that might cause disaster.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gated-ret...
Clap. Clap. Clap.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gated-ret...
'They tried to scare us to death': Row at Auckland retirement village as management bans EVs
Affected residents have called the ban 'silly' and 'unreasonable', taking it to mediation.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 13, 2025 at 8:19 PM
By all means bring in flammable liquid and a device to set fire to it but do not bring in a thing with batteries that has very few moving parts that might cause disaster.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gated-ret...
Clap. Clap. Clap.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gated-ret...
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
People think "politics" is what you say, but politics is in fact how you wield power. In that sense, driving a car is one of the most profound ways to reveal what your actual politics are.
How people drive reveals the sickness at the heart of our society: wanting power, but not responsibility.
How people drive reveals the sickness at the heart of our society: wanting power, but not responsibility.
It just needs to be way easier to lose your license and your car for reckless driving, because a few months of major societal disruption 5 years ago taught people that driving in such a way that kills others or themselves is nbd
so uhhhhh is anyone going to do anything about the epidemic of drivers just blasting through red lights these days? @timdonnelly.com investigates: nygroove.nyc/why-does-no-...
November 13, 2025 at 5:08 PM
People think "politics" is what you say, but politics is in fact how you wield power. In that sense, driving a car is one of the most profound ways to reveal what your actual politics are.
How people drive reveals the sickness at the heart of our society: wanting power, but not responsibility.
How people drive reveals the sickness at the heart of our society: wanting power, but not responsibility.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
In today’s NZ Herald
November 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
In today’s NZ Herald
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Maybe it’s just the Humanities professor in me, but let it be noted that events of today (ahem) have demonstrated the value of being able to assess a large volume of qualitative data and do careful textual analysis with deep attention to context.
November 13, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Maybe it’s just the Humanities professor in me, but let it be noted that events of today (ahem) have demonstrated the value of being able to assess a large volume of qualitative data and do careful textual analysis with deep attention to context.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Higher Education, where consultants advocate death as a means for survival and everyone else knows they're simply murdering everything.
Very sad news. Arts and Humanities are vital.
Why is it that when trying to cut costs, university execs go for the arts and humanities subjects that are frequently cheaper to teach and bring in strong income?
Don’t they realise this will create less income and cause additional cuts in the future?
Why is it that when trying to cut costs, university execs go for the arts and humanities subjects that are frequently cheaper to teach and bring in strong income?
Don’t they realise this will create less income and cause additional cuts in the future?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Closing vital programmes is not the answer to resolving the issues faced by Universities- senior management need to work with students and staff to find long term solutions.
Closing vital programmes is not the answer to resolving the issues faced by Universities- senior management need to work with students and staff to find long term solutions.
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Higher Education, where consultants advocate death as a means for survival and everyone else knows they're simply murdering everything.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
And the footnote goes after the punctuation
Let my gravestone read "PUNCTUATION GOES INSIDE THE QUOTATION MARKS."
November 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
And the footnote goes after the punctuation
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
They need to steal all the world's IP, and get all the world's money for free, to be successful at their business. They are geniuses.
BREAKING: OpenAI is requesting US government support to help guarantee financing for the massive investments in AI chips and data centers it needs for expansion, per Bloomberg.
November 6, 2025 at 2:01 AM
They need to steal all the world's IP, and get all the world's money for free, to be successful at their business. They are geniuses.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
“London and New York, two of the west’s largest, richest, and most diverse cities are now run by Muslim men, both of them elected on the ticket of left wing, pro-LGBT, pro-multicultural parties…The victory is a reminder of the fundamental weakness of Trumpism, Faragism, and the politics of hate.”
Mamdani shows a different way is possible
The New York mayor’s resounding victory is a warning to Trump and his own party’s old guard
www.thenewworld.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 8:54 AM
“London and New York, two of the west’s largest, richest, and most diverse cities are now run by Muslim men, both of them elected on the ticket of left wing, pro-LGBT, pro-multicultural parties…The victory is a reminder of the fundamental weakness of Trumpism, Faragism, and the politics of hate.”
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
There goes Zohran Mamdani, trying to plot a course between the Scylla and Charybdis of unhinged attacks from the right and unrealisitic expectations from the left. You have to wish him well.
November 5, 2025 at 9:03 AM
There goes Zohran Mamdani, trying to plot a course between the Scylla and Charybdis of unhinged attacks from the right and unrealisitic expectations from the left. You have to wish him well.
Unless those ideas come from Humanities scholars, in which case you’re bang out of luck.
Investing in our future with today's best and brightest ideas - the 2025 #MarsdenFund results are out! Ka rawe!
www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden...
www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/marsden...
Marsden in 2025: Investing in our future with today’s best and brightest ideas
Investing in our best for the benefit of us all, Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, the Marsden Fund in 2025 is supporting novel fundamental research into new medications and therapies, more profitable crop...
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 5, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Unless those ideas come from Humanities scholars, in which case you’re bang out of luck.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
A bonfire of the climate policies. An emissions Guy Fawkes Day
The Govt quietly announced a loosening of climate rules at 8pm last night:
- Decoupling the ETS from Paris
- Shifting ETS resets to every 2 years
- Delaying the public sector target by 25 years
- Removing CCC advice from *before* emission reductions plans:
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
- Decoupling the ETS from Paris
- Shifting ETS resets to every 2 years
- Delaying the public sector target by 25 years
- Removing CCC advice from *before* emission reductions plans:
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
Government quietly loosens climate rules
An announcement at 8pm on Tuesday saw the Government delinking the ETS from the Paris Agreement and extending another emissions deadline by 25 years.
www.thepost.co.nz
November 4, 2025 at 10:56 PM
A bonfire of the climate policies. An emissions Guy Fawkes Day
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
“Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote that bad faith is not ignorance but refusal, the conscious act of pretending not to know what one knows, a form of spiritual cowardice disguised as moral surety. The absurdity is the point, it liberates him from the burden of coherence…”
open.substack.com/pub/theratio...
open.substack.com/pub/theratio...
The Vacancy of the MAGA Mind
The quiet relief of no longer having to think.
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:17 AM
“Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote that bad faith is not ignorance but refusal, the conscious act of pretending not to know what one knows, a form of spiritual cowardice disguised as moral surety. The absurdity is the point, it liberates him from the burden of coherence…”
open.substack.com/pub/theratio...
open.substack.com/pub/theratio...
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
Last week I saw another painting by Caravaggio in person: “Supper at Emmaus” (1606), at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. For his technical mastery, innovative methods, and psychological/emotional depth, I regard him as the world’s greatest painter. I wish I could write history the way he paints.
November 2, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Last week I saw another painting by Caravaggio in person: “Supper at Emmaus” (1606), at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. For his technical mastery, innovative methods, and psychological/emotional depth, I regard him as the world’s greatest painter. I wish I could write history the way he paints.
Reposted by Jennifer Ashton
As @cathamclarke.bsky.social said to me the other week; it’s clear there’s a NEED for history - just look around you. But there’s a disconnect between that and the realisation that there’s a need to train historians.
I think it’s even worse: the lack of recognition that there even *is* such a thing as professional training in historical research!
November 1, 2025 at 9:52 AM
As @cathamclarke.bsky.social said to me the other week; it’s clear there’s a NEED for history - just look around you. But there’s a disconnect between that and the realisation that there’s a need to train historians.