Sean Richards

@ordinarystarman.com

Non-binary binary star modeller. higher further faster, baby Research Fellow @ University of Auckland (but my opinions are my own)

Fuck off Luxon. Actual cunt of a politician right now. If you read Kiri Allan's book, you'd know it was the direct aftermath of a suicide attempt and that she was not in a good space mentally. I don't care if she was the Justice Minister at the time. DON'T. POLITICISE. MENTAL. HEALTH. STRUGGLES.

post from the RNZ live blog:

"Opportunity is likely to hold the balance of power after election night. Who will pick up the phone to them?

Hipkins will: "It's unclear yet exactly what it is that they stand for, but I'm open to having a conversation with them."

There's common ground on environmental issues, juicing up the tech industry, and renewable energy, he says.

Luxon repeats he's ruled out Opportunity, and people who want National minister should vote National.

Hipkins says Luxon has let Winston Peters and David Seymour run rings around him.

Luxon hits back: "I wouldn't go there, you had a justice minister crash a car and ..." Gower interrupts.

Will Luxon resign as leader rather than talk to Qiulae Wong? "

A question for Aotearoa / Kikorangi bluesky! This is a tree in my garden that I've never been able to identify. Its been growing right on the boundary for the last ~4 years. The encyclopedia of mum reckons they're native, but I don't know what beyond that.

A mysterious tree that is approximately 2.5-3m tall, rising above a fence, growing through the railings of a staircase.Close up of the leaves. They are slightly glossy and pointed, growing off a red(ish) stem.

back on my baldurs gate 3 love train: > be the dark urge > don't kill isobel > refuse to kill shadowheart > make a saving throw to avoid killing shadowheart > advantage, because "shadowheart has faith in you" > awww.jpeg > go to fight myrkul....

can't believe I get to say this, but I'm now officially Dr Sean Richards! I got profiled by the University website on my journey -- "from gamer to stargazer", and being the first Sāmoan physicist from the University of Auckland. www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026...

From gamer to stargazer: first Sāmoan astrophysicist graduates with PhD – University of Auckland

Dr Sean Richards' research helps astronomers more accurately model the formation of neutron stars and other extreme cosmic phenomena.

auckland.ac.nz

as I left work today, I ran into my COMPSCI 101 lecturer. Haven't sat in a class of his since 2016. Whenever we see each other, we chat. I told him I'm graduating at the end of the month, and he just turned to me and said "Congratulations, Doctor." 🥹

We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. [1/3]

ACT promises to axe millions in roadside art spending

ACT is promising to stop motorists' money being spent on roadside sculptures, cultural monuments and decorative artwork, saying fuel taxes and road-user charges should pay for roads instead.

rnz.co.nz

”hey Sean how did you know your friend group was autistic” well you see they spent 5 minutes interrogating the DM about what kind of stone was on the walls that their pet dragon was being kept hostage in, and what this meant (geologically) for where the dragon was being kept

many thoughts about the privacy implications of this policy. but one of the things that confuses me most is that platforms like discord and roblox are *excluded*? surely if the motive is protecting children you *want* to encapsulate the pedo game and the most popular messaging platform?

The bill would require "high risk" platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, and Facebook, to take "reasonable steps" to check users were over the age of 16.

The reasonable steps included using existing account information, facial age estimation, digital ID services, and formal ID.

Messaging apps such as WhatsApp or Discord, and online games like Roblox, are not included in the bill.

AI chatbots that are primarily for productivity, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, are also out of scope, but social AI companions are covered by the ban.
Dr Sarah Hendrica Bickerton 🏳️‍🌈@sarahhbickerton.bsky.social · 2mo ago

*sigh* regardless of this being good politics, this is just bad policy. Like for crying out loud, we only have weeks of sitting left. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

nz politics is crazy because what do you mean that the parties are: a) "guys trust me im definitely the prime minister" b) "guys trust me im not going to introduce taxes" c) "guys trust me, im the penis inspector" d) "can we get nicer school lunches" and somehow, (d) is the "loony greens" option!

It is moments before the heat death of the universe. Another feasibility study has been commissioned to look at replacing the Auckland Harbour Bridge with a new crossing

“Hey Sean how’d you realise you were addicted to energy drinks?” When I got off the plane, went through the border, paid a 50% premium to buy one at the airport, and then sculled 500mL in about ten seconds