Allanah

If I didn't find this so funny (because it's true, damnit) my life would probably run smoother. #acadamicLife

Claude error page. Claude will return again soon and they are trying to fix it. it must be truly broken as the copy does not use any em dashes or the words honestly or genuinely

I'm trying to write a lecture for tomorrow on background research, writing a literature view, and why no, students, you can't rely on AI. With illustrative examples.

This is not the illustrative example I was looking for.

In the Drs waiting room, an elderly lady using a walker just came in and said she's here for her beep test! Ambitious? Elder abuse?

Ooh wait, bp test.

Four beehive hexagons, in a pattern, in silver, on a chain, on on the hexagons has gold bee wings attached. That was a piss poor job of explaining sorry

This is her work too, perfect.

A silver charm in a beehive shape with a honey coloured stone in the bottom

I commissioned a jeweller friend to make my daughter a beehive charm for her birthday, as a nod to moving to Wellington to study politics (well, international relations). I didn't know how it would go, but I'm so happy! She's so clever.

I loved this book. I keep trying to recommend it to people, but they can't get it. Re-release? Love the cyberpunk vibe in the cover art too. Covers don't always feel like the artist read the book, but this is 100% perfect.

Mine was 50c in a public library annual sale in 1990-something.

Is this book Fast Women? It's always interesting the things that throw you out of the story, and that they stick with you!

Curry sauce enters the room?

A small white dog with enormous ears, recently absolutely scalped at the groomers, rests in a square of sunlight cast from a skylight. The floor, which is a room belonging to a teenage girl, is unusually clear of clothes, books, and other detritus.

Went looking for Rosie Dog. I can't decide if this sun in my daughter's room is just the perfect nap spot, or if Rosie too misses our girl, who went to uni 2 weeks ago.

(It might just be the novelty of actually seeing the carpet in here).

Writing to himself. From on holiday. In another place. Ha!!!

Yes, I messaged a few people I found letters from, a fifty-fifty split between 'oooh let me at them' and 'oh god no'. 100% agreement on 'i can't believe you still have those'.

They are snapchat from the nineties, only with being left on read for a couple of weeks, post being what it was.

And I feel old and luddite-sad that this letter magic is so lost after my generation that someone thinks that a bullshit AI slop machine with a nice typeface can achieve the same thing.

Sorry the Internet being what it is, let me be clear, sarcasm. These are not crafted, beautifully 'writtyn' letters They are written in snatches, over days, from lecture breaks and bus stops and sometimes through tears. They are alive and real and permanent markers of authentic friendship.

A raggedy stack of letters, cards, and postcards from the late nineties, the contents of which have remained unread since first opened 30ish years ago because both the writer and the recipient are too chicken shit to read them again. They contain, I expect, a portrait of lasting friendship and quite a lot of embarrassing angst and drama.

Oh yeah. I mean, if I got regular 'handwrytten' letters from my bestie away at uni, I'd definitely put them in a box and keep them for thirty years.

(Not that I've read them in that time. Having unearthed them from the 'sentimental shit' box, the sender and I are both too chickenshit to read them)

Same! King of the ranking quizzes!

David Seymour says Andrew's removal from line of succession not a priority Posted in r/newzealand by u/WorldlyNotice • 110 points and 249 comments

"Seymour works for the Epstein class: he is financed by the Epstein class, his policies are designed to further the power of the Epstein class, and he will go down defending the Epstein class. Of course their accountability is not his priority."

old.reddit.com/r/newzealand...

I try and explain this to my students: Tests: assessment of learning. Assignment: assessment for learning.

Doing the assignment, doing the mahi is how you learn. Well designed assessments are part of giving you the skills and understanding a) you are paying for and b) employers should recognise.

I haven't read that in aaaaages!!! And it was so good.

*bending. A world bending to justice.

(Yes I read for escape from reality 😭).

As a young New Zealander on an OE, down the M1 and around the M25 on my daily commute felt like a judgement on all my life choices to date.

(I did discover Radio 4 though, small compensation).

Currently rereading Jennifer Crusie (such great characters, a world needing to justice, genuinely funny), Welcome to Temptation, Faking it, and Fast Women. 10/10 recommendation.

Also great for comfort reads: Georgette Heyer. Frederica this week.

😭

I wish strongly that I didn't read this the same week as polls are looking unfavourable for change.

Three headlines This is the Christopher Luxon I know: national mp gushes over pms no drama act I had to vomit, driver escapes guessing 250kmh Bathurst 12 hour crash Wheelchair user takes on floodwater

Stuff really knocking it out of the park, with their story+headline order here, starting with the 'found a man an umbrella' story (how that is a story however?).

I don't care if he's holding an umbrella, he's still no Freddy Standen (most unlikely, umbrella wielding romance hero of the regency era).

I saw someone use the acronym 'ai;dr' and I can see I'm going to be using it a lot

Snip ofnewspaper headline: High flying Phoenix Chase record fifth straight win and a first against the reigning champions

A shout-out to Stuff for treating women's sport as sport. No distinction here at all for 'womens' team. It's just the Phoenix all the way through. 💛🖤

Everyone!!!
I spent my lunchbreak today thinking about what I value in my friends, then texting it to them (or calling) for Galentine's Day.

Best idea ever. 10/10 would recommend to everyone.

Thanks for sharing this. I took some behavioural economics courses at university in New Zealand in the mid nineties, I credit them for teaching me to think. They were taught by a long haired, vegan, hippie professor.

Anyway, radicals, always a decade ahead.

Why not spend $2.7b on solar & batteries instead? Govt to pay up to $180m/year or $2.7b over 15 years to lease LNG re-gasification plant, paid for by $15-$30 'levy' per household per year. That $2.7b would build four Benmore Dams worth of electricity

FYI I’ve opened this up for full public reading, listening & sharing after requests from paying subscribers. Their support allows me to do this kind of public interest journalism on Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate & poverty in public. #nzpol thekaka.substack.com/p/why-not-sp...

Screenshot of stuff headline: ‘Unfortunately I can’t bring my gun’: US tourist grabs steak knife as robbers storm Napier street by Chris a Marriner, Feb 6 2026 3.55pm

Yeah. 'Cause an incident that ended with the bad guys running away and one person receiving a minor injury would definitely have been improved with guns.