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...
Reposted by Simon Lyall
My favorite Wombat fact.
Also: a reminder to watch this video for the 100th time.
Also: a reminder to watch this video for the 100th time.
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 AM
My favorite Wombat fact.
Also: a reminder to watch this video for the 100th time.
Also: a reminder to watch this video for the 100th time.
Well AI seems to think taking cellphones away from kids is so bad it can't generate a photo of it happening
November 21, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Well AI seems to think taking cellphones away from kids is so bad it can't generate a photo of it happening
Reposted by Simon Lyall
Whenever you read an article about clothing not lasting or bins of it being shipped to the 3rd world it's always written by a woman and about women's clothing
Meanwhile 95% of guys wear the same 10 items every week for years at a time & then replace with something identical when they wear out
Meanwhile 95% of guys wear the same 10 items every week for years at a time & then replace with something identical when they wear out
February 9, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Whenever you read an article about clothing not lasting or bins of it being shipped to the 3rd world it's always written by a woman and about women's clothing
Meanwhile 95% of guys wear the same 10 items every week for years at a time & then replace with something identical when they wear out
Meanwhile 95% of guys wear the same 10 items every week for years at a time & then replace with something identical when they wear out
Reposted by Simon Lyall
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...
Reposted by Simon Lyall
So work has AI that can summarise incidents
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
November 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
So work has AI that can summarise incidents
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
Saw my first YouTube video that had "Super resolution" ie AI-generated higher bitrate versions.
This was a music video which especially older ones only exist in low-resolution for pre-HD TV broadcast (in some cases ripped from a TV broadcast, logos and all)
It looked okay
This was a music video which especially older ones only exist in low-resolution for pre-HD TV broadcast (in some cases ripped from a TV broadcast, logos and all)
It looked okay
November 17, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Saw my first YouTube video that had "Super resolution" ie AI-generated higher bitrate versions.
This was a music video which especially older ones only exist in low-resolution for pre-HD TV broadcast (in some cases ripped from a TV broadcast, logos and all)
It looked okay
This was a music video which especially older ones only exist in low-resolution for pre-HD TV broadcast (in some cases ripped from a TV broadcast, logos and all)
It looked okay
Had tooth pain since Wednesday. Dumbly booked a dentist appointment on Monday so spent weekend not having fun
Up all night Saturday and Sunday putting cold water on it cause if I stopped it get very painful. So no sleep for 2 days
3 hours before dentist appointment pain just stopped
Up all night Saturday and Sunday putting cold water on it cause if I stopped it get very painful. So no sleep for 2 days
3 hours before dentist appointment pain just stopped
November 17, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Had tooth pain since Wednesday. Dumbly booked a dentist appointment on Monday so spent weekend not having fun
Up all night Saturday and Sunday putting cold water on it cause if I stopped it get very painful. So no sleep for 2 days
3 hours before dentist appointment pain just stopped
Up all night Saturday and Sunday putting cold water on it cause if I stopped it get very painful. So no sleep for 2 days
3 hours before dentist appointment pain just stopped
Reposted by Simon Lyall
florence pew: thread
November 15, 2025 at 2:25 AM
florence pew: thread
Got some toothache and booked an appointment on Monday instead of trying to get one earlier
🤦
🤦
November 15, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Got some toothache and booked an appointment on Monday instead of trying to get one earlier
🤦
🤦
Reposted by Simon Lyall
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...
So work has AI that can summarise incidents
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
November 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
So work has AI that can summarise incidents
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
So I ask it to summarize an incident as a cartoon concept[1]
and then take the summary and feed it into another AI tool to create the cartoon image
Some funny results, need to automate it
[1] "New Yorker" for short, "4 panel" for more complex
TIL that in order to naturally create bacteria that aren’t going to be labelled GMO, you can blast regular bacteria with UV, then look for the ones with the same mutations as the engineered ones (with desirable traits), and now you can legally use the
"natural" bacteria in Non-GMO labelled products
"natural" bacteria in Non-GMO labelled products
November 13, 2025 at 9:04 AM
TIL that in order to naturally create bacteria that aren’t going to be labelled GMO, you can blast regular bacteria with UV, then look for the ones with the same mutations as the engineered ones (with desirable traits), and now you can legally use the
"natural" bacteria in Non-GMO labelled products
"natural" bacteria in Non-GMO labelled products
2020: Create a meme about something at work that just 5 people will understand
2025: Create a New Yorker Style cartoon about something at work that just 5 people will understand
2025: Create a New Yorker Style cartoon about something at work that just 5 people will understand
November 13, 2025 at 8:45 AM
2020: Create a meme about something at work that just 5 people will understand
2025: Create a New Yorker Style cartoon about something at work that just 5 people will understand
2025: Create a New Yorker Style cartoon about something at work that just 5 people will understand
Reposted by Simon Lyall
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...
Was over at the other site and got this ad.
Looks like blockchain needs a little more time till it's ready for normal people..
Looks like blockchain needs a little more time till it's ready for normal people..
November 12, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Was over at the other site and got this ad.
Looks like blockchain needs a little more time till it's ready for normal people..
Looks like blockchain needs a little more time till it's ready for normal people..
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