Extreme weather scientists warn of impending funding drought 'Some nerd sitting in an office' doesn't seem like exciting research to fund but it's answering urgent questions about severe weather, a climate scientist says.

These are the kind of people we will be needing more of as climate change worsens. The extreme weather events around the country are a stark reminder that the coalition govt. is plucking out the eyes of our research system by reducing $ / shifting $ to things they think will make $$ fast.
#NZPOL

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Hardyesque

What’s that at the window,
hitting against the windowpane?

The weather, Maureen, I hate it.
Weather and war. Those twain.

Then what?
Then more and more of the same.

And later on, more rain, Maureen.
More rain.

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Watch ANZAC 2026 | MĀORI+ | Whakaata Māori Live from the Auckland War Memorial Museum - Join us in commemoration this Anzac Day.

For the early risers and remembrancers please join me at dawn for the live broadcast from the Auckland Anzac Day Dawn Service. www.maoriplus.co.nz/show/anzac-2...

The school has said we can pick up our kids any time. I am idiotically waiting for a break in the weather so I can leave. Haha! There is no break! Haha. I must venture out. This is not funny at all, it's a climate crisis

🧵Spotted at a Country Market in Aotearoa New Zealand:

A small human (6?) is telling a friend in VERY grave tones: "My Dad isn't good at LEGO. I am. But he's not."
His friend (8?) says earnestly: "But you can teach him! He'll learn if you show him how!" (1)

No queens - we may have won the yellow-legged hornet battle There's hope we may have won the war against the yellow-legged hornet, but what happens next is critical.

No queens - we may have won the yellow-legged hornet battle

Poetry as Music, 1 - Article | AudioCulture Some of this country’s best-known songs began as poems. ‘God Defend New Zealand’ was originally written as a poem in the 1870s by Irish-born Thomas Bracken. ‘There Is No Depression In New Zealand’ sta...

Nick Bollinger on poets in NZ music, from Katherine Mansfield, Hone Tuwhare and Sam Hunt to Bill Manhire, Hinemoana Baker and Ruby Solly. There are two new music/poetry collaborations coming up soon in Wellington and the Wairarapa🧵https://audioculture.co.nz/articles/poetry-as-music-1

Writing week 0 A new kind of week, in which nothing happens again – but a different kind of nothing.

A Sunday treat you didn’t know you needed: Eyelashroaming is back with a daily chronicle of writing, not writing and getting trapped in the bathroom. There’s also a sighting of Jerry.

Standing cat with arched back facing right created with vertical strips of wood with peeling paint, all against a light blue background

'Scaredy Cat' by Cornish artist Kirsty Elson who trawls the beaches of her home collecting driftwood as the raw materials for her artworks #WomensArt

‘Calamities and care’: Elizabeth Knox’s profoundly moving memoir, reviewed 'The best of literature about the worst of times.'

thespinoff.co.nz/books/18-04-...

Poetry as Music, 1 - Article | AudioCulture Some of this country’s best-known songs began as poems. ‘God Defend New Zealand’ was originally written as a poem in the 1870s by Irish-born Thomas Bracken. ‘There Is No Depression In New Zealand’ sta...

www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/poe...

Snow was general all over Stroud. It was falling upon the Tesco Express from its toilet seats and, further westwards, falling into its car park. It was falling too upon the chained trolleys. It lay drifted upon the dashboard of James Joyce's BMW . . .

😁

Summer’s over but I’m wearing it

References to oysters in the diaries of Samuel Pepys, alternating colours, in order of occurrence.

Curator – Private “End of the World” Library

Anyone want to be an 'end of the world' librarian? Presumably in some billionaire's bolthole?

'The project is to curate a high-conviction, enduring collection — a library that would remain meaningful and useful under extreme long-term scenarios.' 🤯

www.lianza.org.nz/professional...

Trollope What a sad day, full of black, blue, red, and yellow umbrellas. Everyone in the world, whatever their disposition, seemed to be crying at once, while I hit upon reading Trollope, and so remained a week among the grouse. That was my disposition. Sometimes I would get up and move about-- tea, Kleenex, cigarette, a phone call--but always I returned to my life among the grouse. Can you forgive me? I was about to ask, but like some rose that never opened. Because I wish I were a quiet voiceless plant too full of love and joy to move about and utter words. Besides, there are tears which happen in a day that it would take a lifetime to explain.

Mary Ruefle

A lot of 60ish former ravers out there now. Expect more of this

absolutely incredible ending to this saga

Shall we be dragged by him to the bottom of the sea? Shall we be towed by him to the infernal world?

The Island by Richard Price | Waterstones Buy The Island by Richard Price from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

Just about a week to go before the novel The Island is published! "The most beautiful nightmare you'll ever read," says Toby Litt. I think he means that's a good thing! Can be ordered now...The Island by Richard Price | Waterstones www.waterstones.com/book/the-isl...

If you were asked to translate Beowulf into modern English, how would you translate ‘Hwæt’?

Helen Clark surprises cast of play that hangs off her unique fashion style The actors had previously said they'd be nervous to find out the leader was in attendance - so would rather not know until after.

Helen Clark responds to Fiona Samuel's new play about her, Helen Clark in Six Outfits (on until 26 April in Auckland). Fiona is this year's Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellow, and will be working on a play based on Charlotte Grimshaw's memoir, The Mirror Book. www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture...

Among the most cunning of marine predators is the Stevie Smith shark.

BOOGIE-WOOGIE You shout from the other room You ask me how to spell boogie-woogie And instantly I think what luck no war has been declared no fire has consumed our city's monuments our bodies our dwellings The river didn't flood no friends have been arrested It's only boogie-woogie I sigh relieved and say it's spelled just like it sounds boogie-woogie --Adam Zagajewski (1945-2021) (Translated, from the Polish, by Clare Cavanagh.)

Can't stop thinking about this Adam Zagajewski poem

YT's Poem of the Week: 'Pennines in April' by Ted Hughes
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...

Viz via Mark Granier

Text reads: Join us for the launch of 'Peace and Quiet' and 'New Days for Old'. Thursday 23 April, 6pm, Unity Books Wellington. The covers of the two books are shown, and the logos of Unity Books and Te Herenga Waka University Press.

And our April doesn't end there, it's not long until we launch two excellent new poetry collections...

🎼 Thursday 23 April, 6pm
🎼 Unity Books Wellington
🎼 Free entry — all welcome!