A.J. Ponder

@ponderbooks.com

2266 Followers 1791 Following

Author at https://ponderbooks.com Poet. Builder of worlds. Player of games. He, she, they.

Picture headed by a large flaming dragon and with two cute dragons down the bottom. Text: You have to read "The Dragon Society Papers" if you want found friends, a little bit of fight for what's right, and ALL the Dragons! :)
a submission to the conservation amendment bill: Kia ora koutou. As someone with a background in arts and science and growing up as the daughter of an artist who could not have made a living without our natural wilderness, this bill is a direct attack on everything I hold dear. Our treatment of our wilderness not only defines us as a country, but is the source of many people's livlihoods. Far more than its automated destruction would ever build. And having said that I imagine it is no surprise that: I oppose this Bill. To understand the grave consequences of this law, it is important to understand that public conservation land is, by definition, irreplaceable. It cannot be re-purchased on terms remotely comparable to its conservation value, and the indigenous biodiversity, freshwater systems and ecological corridors it protects do not regenerate on a political timetable. Loosening the disposal regime in the Bill is the legal mechanism by which decades of public land assembly can be reversed in a single parliamentary term. Forest & Bird have set out the kinds of places already at risk under that mechanism. That is too consequential a power to grant on the strength of a normal amendment Bill, especially one introduced without the public mandate to do it. When you change the purpose section of a statute, you change everything downstream. The 1987 Conservation Act's purpose has anchored four decades of operational decision-making, case law, ministerial direction and departmental practice. Amending it to put development on the same footing as protection rebuilds the entire decision-making frame underneath. Future Ministers, future officials, future courts will read every operational provision through the new purpose. That is the change the Bill actually makes - and it is the change the committee should look at first. The law firm Anderson Lloyd, in their legal analysis, characterise the Bill as 'big changes to New Zealand's 40-year-old conservation laws'. The Spino…
Green poster with "Vote Green - Ministry of Works" with a plug-like outline approximation of the old MW hexagon Ministry of Works logo.
"Free Fantasy and Science Fiction" With a split image with a sunset and a dragon flying over a castle in the distance over the shoulder of a knight in armour. And on the right, a woman with an eyepiece and a spaceship over a futuristic city and starry sky.
Graph showing compatibility with NZ parties according to : https://newswire.co.nz/voting-tool/ Green 90% TPM 88% Labour 76% TOP 70% NZ first 40% National 28% ACT 17%
political compass https://www.politicalcompass.org/nz2023 graph showing ACT as a far right party back in 2023 (Also shows National and NZ first being very far right and authoritarian.)
An old pine tree has fallen across the road taking the power lines with it.
a red dragon with horns and a jaunty step
tardigrade (water bear) a very tiny creature with four pairs of legs ending in claws and all of about .5mm long. Image from Wikipedia: source: Schokraie E, Warnken U, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Grohme MA, Hengherr S, et al. (2012) - Schokraie E, Warnken U, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Grohme MA, Hengherr S, et al. (2012) Comparative proteome analysis of Milnesium tardigradum in early embryonic state versus adults in active and anhydrobiotic state. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45682. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0045682
One-eyed Tuxie cat yawning, sitting astride sofa back.
Christopher "I'm not aware" Luxon in a blue steel pose with "no fuel, no ferries, no clue" to the right of him.
Christopher "I'm not aware" (in a speech bubble) Luxon insulated by yellow and black warning tape - representing ACT and NZ First. No Fuel No Ferries No Clue
Image has Christopher Luxon with a Blue Steel pose and his name Christpher I'm not aware Luxon, with the "I'm not aware in a cartoon speech bubble. On the right are the words, no fuel, no ferries no clue
Similar image to above (outlined below) with yellow and black warning tape representing ACT and New Zealand First. Image has Christopher Luxon with a Blue Steel pose and his name Christpher I'm not aware Luxon, with the "I'm not aware in a cartoon speech bubble. On the right are the words, no fuel, no ferries no clue
Image has Christopher Luxon with a Blue Steel pose and his name Christpher I'm not aware Luxon, with the "I'm not aware in a cartoon speech bubble. On the right are the words, no fuel, no ferries no clue
Green poster action with us, March for forests 22 03 26 styalised dark green a very thin marsupial of some sort 10am Forrest Place Perth Details here: marchforforests.org/location/perth
Upside down grey and white long haired tabbie cat looking up with her big yellow-green eyes.
In large gold writing : The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dragons & Magical Creatures & Demons Is over a picture of a dragon with its tail curled around a wax seal with decorative SPCD lettering and dragon wings. USA Today bestselling author A.J. Ponder
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dragons blue book, and behind it the first book in the series, the Dragon Transport and Pacification Society. Both books are on a yellow-gold background with a SPCD wax seal and my dragon logo. Text: Coming Soon. A caring heart, a daring rescue, and a community of heroes
Maisie, a ling haired grey tabby looking a little fuzzy in front of the dragon cabinet.
Glacerys the ice dragon miniature in front greenery, glimering ice blues and purple in the soft afternoon light.
Picture of a dead TV screen with the words "Please stand by" and a multi-coloured Peacock logo underneath.
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Miss Lionheart and the Laboratory of Death cover featuring Miss Lionheart's creation, Quetzee, a genetically engineered squirrel, snake hyrbid.
One eyed black and white tuxie cat on the wooden deck with pot garden in the background.
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Orange tabby cat with a cream moustache, and big green eyes. The lighting is very dark due to the lack of direct light as she's been caught under the blankets.
Herbert a black and white tuxie cat sitting on the back of a blue couch. He's loafing but you can see a little white paw. And his one eye makes him look a little pensive.
There's a tree at night half obscuring a moody moon. "IASFA Fantasy Free and discounted books November 23-27" is written over the branches and door hidden in its trunk and roots is highlighted by a golden-heart lamp.
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What that 500 million would buy *4,941 new nurses *6.25m GP visits (around 6 months for all NZ) *2,000 Senior Medical officers *4 years, 2 months of free prescriptions
"personnel expenses incurred by health New Zealand were $0.5 billion lower than forecast" Image from video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqdjXKSIMi4
Herbert the tuxie cat is on the wooding railing of a balcony railing sniffing the plants in an orange hanging pot.
Thank you for writing. As Mayor it is my duty to work with all the councillors Wellingtonians have elected to make up the new Council. The policy I campaigned for the mayoralty on was that every elected councillor would have a meaningful role to contribute to, and that is what I have done. I have been clear throughout my campaign and since the election that I condemn misogynistic abuse. Under my mayoralty it will not be tolerated. You can find out about the appointments I have made to date here. Ngā mihi, nui Andrew Little Mayor
A circle of Coca-cola subsidiaries including Fanta, Schweppes, Sprite, Fresca, Ades, Fairlife, Minute Maid, Ciel, smartwater, Dasani, Powerade, Costa...
Concept design sketches of the tentacles and waka in the Te Pae Tawhiti Logo - with this text below: Cerid’s process consisted of a lot of concept sketches for us to talk about together. She does the vast majority of her work by hand, involving a lot of tracing to refine the composition, and only digitises in the final stages of the design process
Image from instagram video: Woman saying: Judith Collins and the Prime Minster are claiming the strikes are political. If by that they mean cancer patients not getting support from dieticians, children not getting cleft palate surgery when they need it, and mental health workers turning up for work in unsafe conditions every day, then yes, it is political. But they’re politicians, they have the power to fix this. Pick up the phone, Judith. 📞 For more information about the PSA strikes on October 23 head to psa.org.nz to find out more!
Te Pae Tawhiti Entries now open - Speculative Authors of New Zealand Submit your entry today. Words are in green on a purple background over a book held by two styalised waka prows and and green and purple tentacles with pink suckers.
Purple red graphic with "Cozy the Day Away Sale: A one day sale specifically for the cozy fantasy genre 11/12 Oct (US time) The words "The Secret Story" alternate with a graphic of the book: a dark blue cover with a golden filigrees archway border framing the golden title and a creamy pumpkin with a background of soft autumn leaves.
Purple red graphic with "Cozy the Day Away Sale: A one day sale specifically for the cozy fantasy genre 11/12 Oct (US time) The golden words "The Dragon Transport & Pacification Society" alternate with a graphic of the book purple book cover with a shadowy dragon with its tail wrapped around a red wax seal at the bottom
Purple and gold "The Dragon Transport and Pacification" cover with a red wax seal Over a red, horned dragon on a blue background: 99c Sale ends 13 October "In her search for her missing family, Mandy uncovers a plot to control the dragon she thought she despised." Byline: An almost cosy Fantasy with Trolls and Dragons (and the occasional demon) Blue USA Today Bestselling Author badge lower left hand corner
Te Pae Tawhiti - Meet the Team: The picture shows author and treasurer, Deb Howell, looking like she's holding the Te Pae Tawhiti book in green tentacle hands.
Purple Banner with text: Entries now open over an open book cradled by two waka and two green and purple tentacles. In the top left is the Te Pae Tawhiti distant Horizon Awards book and tentacle logo.
"Epidemiologists nightmare" certificate - perfect 100% score for the "covid competency exam : https://seanmullen.com/covidcompetencyexam/
The Frankie Files in AR whacky Herman font on a piece of notepaper with two cute tomato monsters and a black-spotted red ladybird with "E=MC squared" - all on a striped blue cover. Author: A.J. Ponder
I oppose this bill 1) Our doctors are not political "public servants" they work for us the people so this clause, "clarifying that requirements relating to political neutrality in the Public Service Act 2020 apply to Health New Zealand" is absolutely unacceptable. Health professionals would be betraying their oath were it to pass. "I will attend to my own health, well-being, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard" How can someone provide self care or care of the highest standard if their work is being undermined and they cannot speak out about it. 2) Privatisation of public health care is unacceptable and expensive, except as very short term measures. Stop building it into our healthcare model. 3) The removal of culturally competent care and a focus on equity is shocking. I've seen far too much racism and sexism within our health system as it is. Instead of pulling away these requirements, we should be enforcing them. And enforcing standards of behaviour - which is near impossible when hospitals have been gutted to the point where I believe if my son presented with his condition in hospital now, he'd never have got the tests that let me know what was happening and saved his life. I can't imagine how hard that would have been with not only the problem of sexism, but an added layer of racism, too. In conclusion, none of this bill will help our medical system, it needs to be more equitable, and doctors need to have the ability to speak out about what is going on in their workplaces. A healthy public medical system is absolutely vital if we are to have a healthy country, and not one that is as sick as America and other countries that have gone down the privatisation route.
My results from the quiz: https://votelyquiz.juleslemee.com/quiz Showing basically - economically very left and moderately progressive, with a slightly libertarian.
Zohran Mamdani poster with many of his buttons - childcare for all - fast free buses etc
The Frankie Files cover. The title is in red on a torn off piece of note paper in curly, spotty writing. There's an E=mc squared ladybug and two Marty the tomato monsters, one with smiles and one with fangs. It's all on a blue-stripy background like a paper-covered notebook.
Enrol to vote sticker with a QR code to the nz voting enrolment & updating page: https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online/
Enrol to vote sticker with a QR code to the nz voting enrolment & updating page: https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online/
Orange circular sticker "Enrol to Vote NOW - before the CoC blocks you! This sticker is designed for the New Zealand electorate who have just had voting rights rudely taken away from them, which will horribly effect busy people and young ones voting in their first election, as its now not possible to enrol during the whole early voting period.
Orange circular sticker with "Enroll to vote now" in bold & " before the CoC blocks you" in a semicircle down the bottom.
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