kvarko
LightNews LightNews
banner
kvarko.bsky.social
kvarko
@kvarko.bsky.social
170 followers 470 following 160 posts
Posts Replies Media Videos
kvarko.bsky.social
Muppet character, Pepé the King Prawn, looking sharp in a dark suit jacket, blue shirt, and a patterned tie, but with a blank look on his face
November 10, 2025 at 8:21 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
Jen en Pola Esperantisto de Oktobro 1934

jbc.bj.uj.edu.pl/Content/8593...
Paĝo 128 de Pola Esperantisto de Oktobro 1934, sub titolo "Novaĵoj el Esperantujo": Fine vera esperanta tonfilmo. La dekan de aŭgusto estis projekciata en Stokholmo la unua esperantlingva filmo s. t. "Hodiaŭ komenciĝas la vivo." La filmo, tute korekte teknike farita, estos prezentata en ĉiuj pli grandaj urboj de la mondo.
November 4, 2025 at 11:48 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Road trip to Taupō to officiate roller derby for the newbies!
Photo of snow-capped Mt Ruapehu peeking out over the top of green hilly pasture with sheep and cattle and a wood post fence along the road, taken from a car whose front dashboard is visible in the foreground Photo of snow-capped Mt Ruapehu straight ahead down the road, fully visible with clear skies, and a sign for Ruapehu skiing Another view of Ruapehu, from the desert road Mt Ngauruhoe, a conical shaped volcanic mountain in the same park
October 31, 2025 at 8:36 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
How did I miss this?

WBUR article on “some of the silliest submissions for a new Massachusetts flag, seal and motto”

www.wbur.org/news/2025/08...
A while flag with a little furry dinosaur scurrying with a Dunkin Donuts styrofoam coffee cup in its hand and off-center above it is the name “massachusetts” in lowercase, in a bubble font that’s possibly Comic Sans. Below it text from the article: Who's that cute guy running on Dunkin'? It is, of course, the state dinosaur, Podokesaurus holyokensis, or "the swift-footed lizard of Holyoke." Image courtesy Massachusetts Seal, Flag, and Motto Advisory Commission
October 26, 2025 at 9:10 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
“We mic'd up one of our Reti-a-nuku and let them announce the
pãhotanga mataora (livestream)” 😂

Swamp City Roller Derby has a triple header tomorrow! Saturday, 11 October — Doors Open 12.00pm — Arena 3, Pascal St, Te Papaioea — Koha Entry
October 10, 2025 at 3:42 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
I spotted this flyer posted at my weightlifting gym!
Poster for event: Mythbusting De-extinction: to sort fact from fiction What’s the truth around de-extinction? A New Zealand perspective 14TH OCTOBER 11AM - 12.30PM NZDT ONLINE EVENT De-extinction hit the headlines recently with the 'resurrection' of the dire wolf and the push to bring back the moa. However, can scientists actually de-extinct animals, and more importantly, should they bring them back? In this talk Associate Professor Nic Rawlence from the Otago University Zoology Department will delve into the science, ethics, and indigenous concerns surrounding de-extinction. ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND SEE YOU THERE! This special talk is brought to you by Genomics for Aotearoa New Zealand (GFANZ). Find out more about what we do at https://genomics.nz
October 7, 2025 at 10:28 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
"We're retiring from music and dedicating our lives to interactivity"
October 7, 2025 at 8:20 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
The Edward Gorey House and Queer History Boston present a virtual talk, "'A Curious Discovery': Queer Subtext in Edward Gorey's Work"
www.eventbrite.com/e/curator-ta...
An event poster with text, the logo for Queer History Boston, and two characters drawn by Edward Gorey. Title: "'A Curious Discovery': Queer Subtext in Edward Gorey's Work". Presented by the Edward Gorey House, Thursday, October 16, 7-8pm. The characters are taken from a page of Gorey's book, "The Osbick Bird", about a dignified gentleman and his life with a ridiculous bird, that looks like a parrot with absurdly long legs. In this scene, it is winter and they are wearing galoshes. The bird is also wearing a striped scarf and Emblus Figby is wearing a textured tartan-ish overcoat with a capelet.
October 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
גמר טוב
WordBuilder jumble puzzle from the newspaper’s puzzle page, with the letters E, T, N, A, O. “How many words of three or more letters, including plurals, can you make from the five letters, using each letter only once? No words beginning with a capital are allowed. There's at least one five-letter word. Good 13, Very Good 17, Excellent 21.”
September 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
But I think my vote has to go to karure (black robin). They’re just so cute! Once only five remained in the world! But conservation has brought them back to 300 — a success, but still seriously endangered! They’ve never been Bird of the Year but came second last time. This could be their year!
It’s just a round black puffball perched on a branch! Seriously, it’s like a chibi bird come to life, though with small eyes. Little tiny black eye and tiny black beak on a big round fluffy head body, with little tiny feets poking out from thin little legs wrapped underneath. Photo by Oscar Thomas, from birdoftheyear.org.nz
September 11, 2025 at 8:48 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Tūturuatu (shore plover) is tempting. They have little hats and they bop around on the shore! And they are critically endangered, with only about 250 remaining.
Little round bird walking on the sand. Its head is black, sharply separated from its body that is white on the breast and brown on the back, and on the top of its head is a brown circle lined with white, making it look like it’s wearing a suit and a little hat! Short, but not very short, orange beak, and orange legs that lift it slightly off the ground. Photo is by James Russell, October 2020, Rangatira Island, Chatham Islands, from nzbirdsonline.org.nz
September 11, 2025 at 8:30 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Boston Roller Derby is 20 years old! and The History Project (documenters of LGBTQ Boston) are celebrating with a Zoom discussion with six BRD panelists and writer @thefrankiedlc.news
Poster for an event by The History Project (documenters of LGBTQ Boston): Oral History Live! Roundtable with Boston Roller Derby. In conversation with Frankie de la Cretaz. Thursday, September 4th, 2025, at 7pm ET. Virtual panel via zoom. RSVP at the URL: OHL-BRD.eventbrite.com
September 2, 2025 at 8:43 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Thank you toilet-stall fairy ❤️
Wall of a bathroom stall with a chalkboard looking thing on it? On which someone has written, “You are a babe, go girl!” and a smiley face :)
August 30, 2025 at 1:35 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Reminder that Swamp City Roller Derby have a double header of reti rapa tomorrow in Te Papaioea (Palmy) with Nelson Bays Roller Derby!

Bonus video featuring Still-On-Call: Ko tēwhea koe? Which kēmu day StOC are you?
August 28, 2025 at 11:15 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Post a non-religious image you think of as holy…
Alternate cover art for “Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers, volume 1” comic book, the first appearance and origin of Throg (Simon Puddlegulp) who was transformed after finding Frogjolnir, a sliver of Mjolnir. It is a realistic depiction, rocks are flying and the scene is fiery orange from lightning, as Thor strikes a mighty pose while holding Mjolnir. In the foreground, a tiny frog appears larger than life, due to the close perspective. The frog is wearing an identical costume and striking an identical pose, while holding tiny Frogjolnir. You are blown away by the simultaneous epic-ness and ludicrous-ity.
August 22, 2025 at 10:12 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
VGA cable works! As does the camera daughter card!
Photo of a home television setup: a TV sitting on a long, low console with drawers and a shelf full of DVD boxes. In the foreground is a Terasic DE2-115 FPGA board, connected to the TV and display the startup image of the board itself. In the background, a sock monkey sits, smiling, but watching with one cautious eye. Same as the other photo, but this time the Terasic DE2-115 FPGA board is using the TRDB-D5M camera module to display a live video on the TV: a still-life scene featuring a Count Duckula DVD case (Vol 1: Vampire Vacation). The sock monkey is still smiling but cautious.
August 15, 2025 at 1:59 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
Deadline for tshirt orders extended to 15 Aug. Also, information on the design, by M Winiana Artistry ❤️
Mangopare (Hammerhead Shark) These designs come from kōwhaiwhai that can be found in Māori art. Depicting a hammerhead these designs symbolise strength, courage, and determination. These values are important for the self when facing the world and the struggles we face. I have chosen the placement of these mangopare because some iwi believe the direction indicates gender. Upwards for feminine, downwards for masculine. They also don't point directly in either direction to allow for our diversity in gender identities. Niho Taniwhā / Pākati (Teeth of a Taniwhā) These designs are found in multiple forms across whakairo (wood carving), tukutuku (woven panels), and kōwhaiwhai (designs). I have added these teeth to the tail of our mangopare because they symbolise strength, unity, and guardianship.
August 4, 2025 at 11:10 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Swamp City Roller Derby double header of reti rapa (roller derby) in Te Papaioea, 30 Aug! Nelson Bay Roller Derby are coming up to play us, followed by our annual intraleague game, this time as a grad kēmu for our new skaters! Come show them some love! Doors 12:30pm, Arena 3, Pascal St, koha entry
Snapshot of a video advertising Swamp City's Reti Rapa / Roller Derby Double Header. Doors Open 12.30pm. 30 August 2025. Arena 3, Pascal St. Koha entry. The image is on a green background (Swamp's color) with two skaters from a past interleague Quads vs Queens game: one in Quad Bomber blue (a jammer / kaipiro) and one in Trauma Queens white (a blocker / kaiārai, moving to hit the kaipiro out).
August 4, 2025 at 12:13 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
Team New Zealand Roller Derby designed these shirts to wear at the world cup and are offering them for a limited time with 25% profit going to OutLine Aotearoa. More details to pre-order on their various socials (elsewhere), such as:
www.instagram.com/p/DMhYeW7xMDx/
"Manaakitia Tāngata Irawhiti" in pink/white/blue trans flag colors on a dark gray shirt, next to a scrolling Māori pattern (kōwhaiwhai) with mangōpare (symbolic of the hammerhead shark and of determination, strength, and courage) with trailing chevrons in trans flag colors. Below is the smaller text "Protect Trans People" with the logos of OutLine Aotearoa and Team New Zealand Roller Derby. "Manaakitia Tāngata Takatāpui" in white on a navy blue shirt, next to a scrolling Māori pattern (kōwhaiwhai) with mangōpare (symbolic of the hammerhead shark and of determination, strength, and courage) with trailing chevrons in rainbow colors. Below is the smaller text "Protect Queer People" with the logos of OutLine Aotearoa and Team New Zealand Roller Derby.
July 25, 2025 at 10:37 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Working the score-keeping table!
Computer keyboard with all the key caps removed and pretty color-coded 3d-printed over-sized caps added for just the roller derby scoreboard functions: Lead, Lost, Call, Stop, TO, +1, +2, +3, +4.
June 28, 2025 at 1:22 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
Roller derby this weekend at the Kāpiti Coast! The local derby club, KC/DC, will be hosting a mashup game of players from around the region to celebrate Matariki. Streaming on Twitch, or live at Kāpiti College Gym, doors at 1:30pm, game at 2pm.

Event page:
www.facebook.com/events/16469...
An event poster, on a background photo of stars in the night sky: Matariki Mashup, live roller derby, presented by KC/DC (Kāpiti Coast Derby Crew). At Kāpiti College, 28 June, 2pm. $5 for adults, ages 12 and under free.
June 26, 2025 at 4:27 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu) looking crazed through a hole smashed in a door, parodying the “Here’s Johnny” scene in The Shining, in a fourth season episode of Wellington Paranormal
June 25, 2025 at 8:57 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
Another favorite was seder in Esperanto with some of my favorite friends 💚

opensiddur.org/compilations...
Cover of a bilingual Esperanto-Hebrew Haggadah (opening right to left), in white with green lettering and the outline of a green six-sided star. The title is Verda Stelo (Green Star), translated into Esperanto by Erin Piateski.
April 11, 2025 at 5:25 AM
kvarko.bsky.social
First time on skates in five months, due to one thing after another. Feels so good to be on hū wira again. Mostly in time for the start of the roller derby season
View of my pasty legs, wearing roller derby skates and knee pads, while sitting on an outdoor concrete rink, just after I’ve geared up. Outside the railing of the rink is a grassy embankment and concrete stands. The sun is low in the sky, illuminating sideways and casting long shadows.
March 28, 2025 at 5:54 PM
kvarko.bsky.social
A panel from The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary, for the word “match”, showing a cartoon anthropomorphized dog holding a match that has gone out while looking in surprise at a raging fire, with the caption: “Be careful. Little matches make big fires.”
March 23, 2025 at 11:28 AM