Simon Lyall
@slyall.bsky.social
Living in Auckland, New Zealand.
I write about IT, Public Transport, Auckland, Food, Trailers, Audiobooks & Geeky stuff
Work with Cloud Infrastructure. Kubernetes, AWS, Linux, Monitoring, etc.
Blog: https://blog.darkmere.gen.nz/
I write about IT, Public Transport, Auckland, Food, Trailers, Audiobooks & Geeky stuff
Work with Cloud Infrastructure. Kubernetes, AWS, Linux, Monitoring, etc.
Blog: https://blog.darkmere.gen.nz/
Pinned
Audiobooks Oct 25
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw 4/5
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home 4/5
Love Life by Rob Lowe 3/5
Midnight at Chernobyl 4/5
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden 4/5
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/11/audi...
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw 4/5
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home 4/5
Love Life by Rob Lowe 3/5
Midnight at Chernobyl 4/5
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden 4/5
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/11/audi...
Audiobooks Oct 25
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw 4/5
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home 4/5
Love Life by Rob Lowe 3/5
Midnight at Chernobyl 4/5
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden 4/5
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/11/audi...
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw 4/5
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home 4/5
Love Life by Rob Lowe 3/5
Midnight at Chernobyl 4/5
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden 4/5
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/11/audi...
November 11, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Audiobooks Oct 25
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw 4/5
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home 4/5
Love Life by Rob Lowe 3/5
Midnight at Chernobyl 4/5
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden 4/5
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/11/audi...
To Hell and Back: Europe 1914-1949 by Ian Kershaw 4/5
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home 4/5
Love Life by Rob Lowe 3/5
Midnight at Chernobyl 4/5
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden 4/5
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/11/audi...
My plan for a Metro Line for Auckland ended up using a tunnel to get across the Harbour since the clearances required for ships made the bridge too steep for trains
But a moveable (drawbridge) might work. Especially as it would only open every few days 🤔
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/04/auck...
But a moveable (drawbridge) might work. Especially as it would only open every few days 🤔
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/04/auck...
Auckland Metro Plan version 2 part 1 – Simon Lyall's Blog
blog.darkmere.gen.nz
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 AM
My plan for a Metro Line for Auckland ended up using a tunnel to get across the Harbour since the clearances required for ships made the bridge too steep for trains
But a moveable (drawbridge) might work. Especially as it would only open every few days 🤔
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/04/auck...
But a moveable (drawbridge) might work. Especially as it would only open every few days 🤔
blog.darkmere.gen.nz/2025/04/auck...
Resident's group that campaigns against Tauranga Council spending and high rates is unhappy council is saving money by using Chip Seal surfacing on their roads
Also congrats to the photographer for the background for a guy saying the roads are all in good condition
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Also congrats to the photographer for the background for a guy saying the roads are all in good condition
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Papamoa residents call chip seal resurfacing 'road vandalism'
Locals say they want their roads left as they are and say the council's plan is "bloody minded road vandalism".
www.rnz.co.nz
November 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Resident's group that campaigns against Tauranga Council spending and high rates is unhappy council is saving money by using Chip Seal surfacing on their roads
Also congrats to the photographer for the background for a guy saying the roads are all in good condition
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Also congrats to the photographer for the background for a guy saying the roads are all in good condition
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Review:
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden
4/5
A memoir covering the NZ Prime Minister's life up to shortly after she resigned. Best bits are her early life while her time as MP and especially Prime Minister is reduced to a few events
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden
4/5
A memoir covering the NZ Prime Minister's life up to shortly after she resigned. Best bits are her early life while her time as MP and especially Prime Minister is reduced to a few events
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
November 9, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Review:
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden
4/5
A memoir covering the NZ Prime Minister's life up to shortly after she resigned. Best bits are her early life while her time as MP and especially Prime Minister is reduced to a few events
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden
4/5
A memoir covering the NZ Prime Minister's life up to shortly after she resigned. Best bits are her early life while her time as MP and especially Prime Minister is reduced to a few events
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...
Thanks facebook
I'm sure that group will be fun and make me a better, happier person.
I'm sure that group will be fun and make me a better, happier person.
November 8, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Thanks facebook
I'm sure that group will be fun and make me a better, happier person.
I'm sure that group will be fun and make me a better, happier person.
Reposted by Simon Lyall
Review:
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
November 7, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Review:
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
Review:
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
November 7, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Review:
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
4/5
Mainly a chronology but mixed in with interviews and other information that has come to light 30 years later. Fascinating and scary read
patricktreardon.com/book-review-...
Core of the Auckland CBD ( Customs, High, Victoria, Federal streets) as about the same size as the core of Manukau City Center
Except Manukau is about 50% covered in carparks and surrounded by even lower density. Could use another 10k jobs and the same number of homes.
Except Manukau is about 50% covered in carparks and surrounded by even lower density. Could use another 10k jobs and the same number of homes.
November 6, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Core of the Auckland CBD ( Customs, High, Victoria, Federal streets) as about the same size as the core of Manukau City Center
Except Manukau is about 50% covered in carparks and surrounded by even lower density. Could use another 10k jobs and the same number of homes.
Except Manukau is about 50% covered in carparks and surrounded by even lower density. Could use another 10k jobs and the same number of homes.
Reposted by Simon Lyall
#RailNews: Minister of Transport Chris Bishop has announced that $94.2 million will be invested in maintenance and renewals in the Wellington metro rail network and $49.4 million will be invested in upgrades across the Auckland metro rail network.
November 5, 2025 at 10:26 PM
#RailNews: Minister of Transport Chris Bishop has announced that $94.2 million will be invested in maintenance and renewals in the Wellington metro rail network and $49.4 million will be invested in upgrades across the Auckland metro rail network.
Reposted by Simon Lyall
So often:
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
November 3, 2025 at 10:28 PM
So often:
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
"A lot of the people that were anti-expansive-copyright only because it was anti-big-media have shifted to being pro-expansive-copyright because it is perceived as being anti-big-tech (and specifically anti-AI)"
November 5, 2025 at 11:09 AM
"A lot of the people that were anti-expansive-copyright only because it was anti-big-media have shifted to being pro-expansive-copyright because it is perceived as being anti-big-tech (and specifically anti-AI)"
Reposted by Simon Lyall
I went to the Otahuhu Food Festival and took photos of most of the stalls
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
October 31, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I went to the Otahuhu Food Festival and took photos of most of the stalls
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
So often:
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
November 3, 2025 at 10:28 PM
So often:
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
Commentator: The new Technology X will bring about Y so it must be tightly regulated or banned
Reply: But we've had Y happening for years. X won't change anything
Commentator: irrelevant, I'm talking about the dangers of X
Reposted by Simon Lyall
Review:
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
November 2, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Review:
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
Reposted by Simon Lyall
Company to customers:
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
October 27, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Company to customers:
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
Review:
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
November 2, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Review:
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
Love Life by Rob Lowe
3/5
A second memoir by Lowe. Usual anecdotes about showbiz and celebrity life mixed in with stories of family. Not as good as the first book but still okay
archive.ph/HnPyg
Hmm, Why am I seeing pictures of a certain type of pretty girls on my Facebook feed?
"Likes by John Smith and 800 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 652 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 1062 others"
Name changed to protect the guilty friend
"Likes by John Smith and 800 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 652 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 1062 others"
Name changed to protect the guilty friend
October 31, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Hmm, Why am I seeing pictures of a certain type of pretty girls on my Facebook feed?
"Likes by John Smith and 800 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 652 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 1062 others"
Name changed to protect the guilty friend
"Likes by John Smith and 800 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 652 others"
"Likes by John Smith and 1062 others"
Name changed to protect the guilty friend
I went to the Otahuhu Food Festival and took photos of most of the stalls
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
October 31, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I went to the Otahuhu Food Festival and took photos of most of the stalls
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
Lots of stalls and pretty great food.
www.flickr.com/photos/simonlyall/albums/72177720321785241/
Reposted by Simon Lyall
Review:
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
October 26, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Review:
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
Best line today, regarding NZ rates increases:
"The councils created their own mess, and it's not the ratepayers job to clean it up"
#nzpol
"The councils created their own mess, and it's not the ratepayers job to clean it up"
#nzpol
October 28, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Best line today, regarding NZ rates increases:
"The councils created their own mess, and it's not the ratepayers job to clean it up"
#nzpol
"The councils created their own mess, and it's not the ratepayers job to clean it up"
#nzpol
Well at least the current cast looks good
October 27, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Well at least the current cast looks good
I like how with AI I can turn a silly pun into a picture in a couple of minutes
In this case Stalin endorsed Anti-Tartar Toothpaste
"For A Healthy Smile, For the Motherland"
In this case Stalin endorsed Anti-Tartar Toothpaste
"For A Healthy Smile, For the Motherland"
October 27, 2025 at 9:20 AM
I like how with AI I can turn a silly pun into a picture in a couple of minutes
In this case Stalin endorsed Anti-Tartar Toothpaste
"For A Healthy Smile, For the Motherland"
In this case Stalin endorsed Anti-Tartar Toothpaste
"For A Healthy Smile, For the Motherland"
Amazing how quickly AI video have got good
Lots of videos that look like they are taken by security cams of animals or kids doing funny/crazy stuff are now AI generated
Definitely good enough to fool most people. Even when the thread points out the falw it's sometimes hard to spot on re-watch
Lots of videos that look like they are taken by security cams of animals or kids doing funny/crazy stuff are now AI generated
Definitely good enough to fool most people. Even when the thread points out the falw it's sometimes hard to spot on re-watch
October 27, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Amazing how quickly AI video have got good
Lots of videos that look like they are taken by security cams of animals or kids doing funny/crazy stuff are now AI generated
Definitely good enough to fool most people. Even when the thread points out the falw it's sometimes hard to spot on re-watch
Lots of videos that look like they are taken by security cams of animals or kids doing funny/crazy stuff are now AI generated
Definitely good enough to fool most people. Even when the thread points out the falw it's sometimes hard to spot on re-watch
Company to customers:
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
October 27, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Company to customers:
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
Due to inflation we will have to increase the cost of our product by 10%
Company to employees:
Due to Inflation we are offering all employees a cost-of-living pay increase of 2%
Review:
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
October 26, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Review:
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...
Safely to Earth: The Men and Women Who Brought the Astronauts Home by Jack Clemons
4/5
An engineer on the Apollo and Shuttle programs writes about his career and experiences. Some interesting stories and insight into areas not covered by most books
balloonstodrones.com/2019/02/13/b...