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Simon on stuff

@simonthomsen.bsky.social
378 followers 332 following 1.1K posts

Journalist covering tech and startups who likes a bunch of things, including a kinder world. As Guru Adrian said: "Having fun is half the fun".

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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 21h
Some like it hot for tax purposes
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 21h
The mean streets of Marrickville reminded me of you @sandyhorne.bsky.social - and all I had was an iPhone 10
Two Sulfur-crested cockatoos in a wattle tree
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Some thoughts on Timmovation, the government's innovation policy www.startupdaily.net/advice/opini...
startupdaily.net
Australia's innovation minister wants big ideas built here - but please step over the rotting corpse of startups killed by his government's policies
Tim Ayres had a “built here” theme at the National Innovation Policy Forum, arguing for stronger institutions to commercialise research and spread new tech.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
I hope he replied: "it'll be every bit as amazing as the Metaverse you spent US$80bn on Mark".
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
If you have the pub drip trays, you probably just hate cocktails and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It's an infinite mashup of all the best booze ever made by humans.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
TL;DR: That's the last time Trevor from accounts will ever leave his Amazon Alexa speaker on top of the bar fridge surrounded by empty Bud Light cans.
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Pup Fiction @pupfiction.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Heads up to anyone with a relative in aged care in Australia. Service charges that aged care facilities are charging that bundled everything into a daily extras fee now can be unbundled, and there is money to be saved www.health.gov.au/resources/pu...
health.gov.au
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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 08/10/2026
This picture will always be iconic. RIP Margaret Hamilton who wrote the software that successfully guided NASA’s Apollo missions through the moon.
Margaret Hamilton with printed computer code in 1969. Credit: NASA/Alamy
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
From Hercules to Icarus in 24 hrs www.startupdaily.net/topic/asx/fi...
startupdaily.net
Firmus looks to cut share price by nearly 20% - an $8 billion haircut on its market cap - and may even pull the IPO
Aborting the mega-float, just a fortnight from its ASX debut, is also on the table, with key investor Nvidia now central to its success.
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
JON STEWART: “So in the FUTURE we WILL use A.I. to cure diseases… but right now it’s mostly murder, surveillance, and surge pricing for the McRib — What a trade! I’m getting the sense you guys might be full of shit.”
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Nieman Lab @niemanlab.org · 05/10/2026
ChatGPT is adding real cartoonists’ signatures to fake New Yorker cartoons buff.ly/YJ1mAiP
buff.ly
ChatGPT is adding real cartoonists’ signatures to fake New Yorker cartoons
OpenAI's chatbot isn't just imitating the magazine's style. It's also falsely attributing AI-generated images to real artists.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Jeffrey Archer has announced he'll sue the UK's tabloids for libel after reporting he's dead, denying it's true. Judge Bernard Caulfield said of his passing: "Has he fragrance? Would he have, without the strain of this death, radiance? Is he in need of cold, unloving death in a seedy hotel?”
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Well played Kiwibank for using the Streisand effect to promote Australia’s favourite NZ sledge
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
This is my favourite photo of Schmitt catching Smith
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Are they sure it wasn’t just a minke whale farting?
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Rae Radford @raeradford.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Fact… #BookSky
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Crikey @crikey.com.au · 03/10/2026
Sorry, Jim, blaming Scott Morrison and performing accounting tricks won't disguise the fact your government has made inflation worse, writes Bernard Keane. www.crikey.com.au/2026/09/29/i...
crikey.com.au
Not nearly good enough: Chalmers' budget trickery can't hide growing loss of control
In 2025-26, Labor lost control of its spending, and its rhetorical tricks can't hide it. It's having very clear impacts on inflation and interest rates, and at the worst possible time.
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John Birmingham @birmo.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
David Shoebridge is about 20 years too early...
aliensideboob.substack.com
Away off in the never-never
The Greens’ new leader David Shoebridge is right.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Actually, there’s an easy way to opt out - don’t buy from them.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I suppose it worked so well for the Humane AI pin, maybe HP will buy this brilliant idea from Metaverse Mark too.
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McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 24/09/2026
"While Charlie Brown did once again accelerate toward the ball, miss it entirely as Lucy pulled it away, flip backward through the air, and land violently with a disquieting crunch, we do not believe that now is the time for a dramatic change in kicking strategy." buff.ly/X2RjqP5
buff.ly
“Charlie Brown Must Stay the Course”: A Football Kick Autopsy Report by the Democratic Party
“While Charlie Brown did once again accelerate toward the ball, miss the ball entirely as Lucy pulled it away, flip backward through the air, and land violen...
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Alex Gibney @alexgibneyfilm.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The trailer for my new film, "Musk," has just been released.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Until gen AI adopts them and everyone accuses you of being a bot…
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
The easiest way to find out is give people the choice. Put the option button in. But I suspect Mr Thank you for smoking will gaslight us next by saying it’s too hard to do.
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rowecartoon.bsky.social @rowecartoon.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
pool with two figures
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Some thought on the Office of AI and the PM's ability to deliver amid lofty goals that too often slink away from his rhetoric www.startupdaily.net/advice/opini...
startupdaily.net
Albo's AI FOMO
Albo’s AI pitch woos Big Tech, creatives and voters, but startups need compute, datasets and gutsy rules in their favour.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
It’s wild to think that Sade’s album was released closer to the end of WW2 than where we now find ourselves.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
It now feels like we’re a handjob away from Whiskey Pete and RFK Jr checking every military grunt for their sperm count apnews.com/article/hegs...
apnews.com
Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he's rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
The world doesn't wish you ill, Bryan. The world simply doesn't care, which I suspect causes you greater offence.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Stephen Yaxley-Lenin
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
The democracy that gave us Screaming Lord Sutch, and the policy-savant Pirate Party continues a proud tradition.
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Stilgherrian @stilgherrian.com · 08/07/2026
“I tried to prove that ABC jerk wrong about EVs. It didn’t go to plan…” by @birmo.bsky.social www.crikey.com.au/2026/07/08/e...
crikey.com.au
I tried to prove that ABC jerk wrong about EVs. It didn't go to plan...
Australia's infrastructure is not only woefully underprepared for the deluge of electric vehicles coming, but it's also sullied my personal feud with the national broadcaster.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
To be fair to the NACC, it's very on brand to not investigate.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
PSA: If you want to be ignored by your telco and endure extended communications blackouts, then are are cheaper suppliers of poor customer service than Telstra.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Just talked to my old friend Mitch McConnell for 20 minutes.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
💯 Sepp. It should done the proper way - via a sports bag stuffed full of Riyal or Rubles converted into US$100 notes
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
He could probably get a job at Elon Musk's social media site
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
In which Granny explains to her readers that there are parts of Sydney west of the Pitt St Nespresso store.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
What leadership used to look like.
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Pat Hudson Cartoons @hudsoncartoons.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Art thieves #auspol #AI #copyright
Two panel editorial cartoon. Title at top reads ‘art thieves through time’. Left panel ‘Then’ picture of cliche burglar all in black, with black mask and carrying a black sack over his shoulder. Right panel ‘Now’ picture of AI robot arms in the air, one hand flipping the bird while harvesting art that is circling it in the air. It has a dollar sign on its front.
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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
InfoWars is now live.
youtube.com
WELCOME TO THE REAL INFOWARS
YouTube video by InfoWars
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Having read the allegations, it's like District of Columbia US Attorney Jeanine Pirro watched a Beijing dissident show trial and went "hold my beer..."
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Wendy Harmer @wendyharmer.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
For authors and friends ... link to find the books have scraped by Meta for AI... from March '25... so that horse has bolted. Thirteen of mine are there. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
theatlantic.com
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
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Charles Keener @charleskeener.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
www.commondreams.org/news/elon-mu...
commondreams.org
Astronomers Denounce Elon Musk-Led Plan to Pollute Earth's Orbit With 1.7 Million Satellites | Common Dreams
European astronomers are pleading with the FCC to stop Elon Musk's plan to launch 1.7 million satellites, threatening devastating consequences for astronomy. Do we want our night sky filled with artif...
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
The "founder" likes to call them early adopters nowadays.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Amy is bang on about Canberra's Aldi version of the Met Gala. Putting aside the recent closed-shop-circle-the-wagons actions of the National Press Club too, itt's also embarrassing to see "charity" used as a way to buy access to power.
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Given that's roughly the same price as a 3 br Meriton apartment in Sydney, I know which home I'd prefer
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Surely there's a demo crew somewhere in Hobart that could give Neil a job so he's not bludging off ratepayers
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Simon on stuff @simonthomsen.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
So stupid they can't even frame someone with the right planted evidence.
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Steve Baty (He/him) @docbaty.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Look, over here! It's a new footy stadium! With a glass roof! www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06...
abc.net.au
Five tonnes of antibiotics used to combat disease in salmon
More than five tonnes of antibiotics were used to treat a disease that killed 9,000 tonnes of fish last summer, Salmon Tasmania says.
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