@SeanHawley@aus.social
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

SeanHawley

@SeanHawley@aus.social

Im into mountain biking #mtb and road #cycling. I take photos of my bikes in the natural and man made environment, and the #wildlife I encounter.
I repost a lot of #auspol stuff.
I live in the inner west of #sydney, #Australia
Introvert
Cynic

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Melissabeartrix, to random
@Melissabeartrix@hugz.online avatar

A second

"the base unit of time in the International System of Units that is equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom"

Hugz & xXx

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@Melissabeartrix
I was listening to the Dr Karl podcast the other day and he said the most accurate clocks these days are so good that in the time that the universe has existed they would have lost less than a second.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@Melissabeartrix
My job requires that the time of various processes starting, stopping, etc be recorded using cheap analogue clocks and digital displays on very expensive machinery.

The very expensive machinery time display drifts much worse than the cheap analogue clocks ... until the batteries drain.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@NormanDunbar

A mate who sailed was asked by another sailor for the coordinates of a particular river entrance, which became a problem because their GPSs were using different co-ordinate systems!

Similarly I was working as a geologist for the state govt in the 90s when we were mapping in collaboration with federal govt geologists. This lead to problems because each govt dept worked off different co-ordinate systems. This was also during the Iraq? war when the US was corrupting GPS data accuracy.

@Melissabeartrix

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@NormanDunbar
Things have probably changed since the 90s and phones etc possibly run off a globalised co-ordinate system???

But from memory co-ordinate systems involved a geoid which defined the locally idealised model of the shape of the earth and then the map systems under that which defined the conversion from 3d globe to 2d map surface. But that could be wrong.

Because the earth isn't a perfect sphere you chose the system that is most accurate locally.

I think we worked with the Australian Map Grid 1984 based on a particular geoid. I believe there was a transition going on to a new geoid/map grid at the time hence govts using different systems.

@Melissabeartrix

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@NormanDunbar

It looks like I got the terminology a bit mixed up

https://gisgeography.com/wgs84-world-geodetic-system/

@Melissabeartrix

mikemathia, to random
@mikemathia@ioc.exchange avatar
SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@mikemathia I think I did that when I changed down a gear rather than up on a vtr250 motorcycle at a track day. It certainly made some sickeningly appropriate noises.

jerzone, to random
@jerzone@techhub.social avatar
SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@jerzone it took me far too long to work out that that was a quarter of a yard marked on the ruler.

I don't think I've seen a ruler with fractions of a yard before.

jmcleod, to random
@jmcleod@mastodon.au avatar

Actually, this will probably get pushed through. The developers of large apartment buildings hate providing space for resident car parking. They'd make more money using that space for more units. The only people who will oppose it are existing residents in the local areas, who park on the street. Many residents of large apartment buildings are still going to have cars, and they'll be competing for parking spots on the streets. Hilarity ensues. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/14/victoria-car-park-apartment-minimum-requirements-close-to-public-transport-ptal

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@winterknell @jmcleod I live 300 metres from a train station. I went without a car for 18 months and it was a nightmare. When everything ran to timetable it took 1 1/2 hours to get to work on public transport. It almost never ran to timetable ... if it turned up at all! It took me 50 minutes to ride my bicycle to work or 1/2 hour to drive.

I live in an older unit block with 9 units. Most residents park on the street most of the time, despite having to fight for spots with commuters and other residents of the street who mostly have no off street parking available.

Narrow driveways and a lack of in-unit storage mean it's more practical to use your garage for storage and park in the street.

melissabeartrix, to random
@melissabeartrix@aus.social avatar

One would think if you're going for a workout, catching a bus 900 metres could be better spent walking ... I may be wrong ... Just saying

Hugz & xXx

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix at one point I went to a gym on the 2nd floor of a building and the only people I ever saw in the stairwell were the staff, who jogged up and down them for exercise. Customers all caught the lift!

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

ING Bank call their call centre employees Customer Care Specialists.

I need to negotiate a 5 layer call menu to get put in a 50 minute queue. Fnck that!

When does the 'care' start?🤔

This is all because they've marked an account as 'inactive' (appears to be termed 'dormant' in their FAQ) with $0.00 available (plenty of money visibly in the account). Despite having another linked very active account.

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

OMG it was hot and humid this morning. My ride was NOT fun, it was something I endured. Now I'm in my unit with all the windows closed and blinds down until the cool change comes. Happy Australia/Invasion Day.

image/jpeg
image/jpeg

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

Is it a bird?
Is it a frill neck?
No, it's a water dragon!

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

Looks like I'm not going mountain bike riding now. Hopefully I can get a 'road' ride in later.

Video of grey cloudy skies, rain and wet roads and cars outside my balcony.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix I'm too old to enjoy splashing through puddles.

Rain makes the fun bits too slippery and riding wet trails does a lot of damage.

jerzone, to random
@jerzone@techhub.social avatar

Speaking of the kid and definitions, I was trying to explain the uses of an emergency brake when I realized that I kept switching between calling it emergency and parking brake. Emergency brake brings up image of the lever between front seats in old Pinto, whereas parking brake recalls the self-latching/unlatching pedal version in newer cars.
He did know about drifting, and videos about that call it a handbrake.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@jerzone I've always known it as the hand brake here in Australia. The foot operated version was pretty rare here.

melissabeartrix, to random
@melissabeartrix@aus.social avatar

So final count on uncollected repairs from December ... Too f'en many, about 40 jobs ... And about 28k ... looks like my Christmas bonus has been reduced a lot ... Pout

Today's phone call count was 2, one lady returned my call, making sure she was home and the other one was to drop in my Christmas present ... Giggles

Hugz & xXx

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix I've dealt with businesses that charge a storage fee if you don't pick up jobs within a reasonable time limit.

melissabeartrix, to random
@melissabeartrix@aus.social avatar

Customer - hi Mel it's {insert common name}, how is my watch going, the one with the black or brown band

Me - {why did I answer the phone} ... I need more information to process that request

Them - laughter

Me - so what's the last name and do you remember the brand of the watch

Them - {last name}

Me - processing ... Yeah it's ready I called yesterday and a lady answered the phone and I left a message

Them - oh

Me - oh

Them - aaarrr

Me - how is this afternoon to collect ?

Them - I might be able to make it next week

Me - ok

Hugz & xXx

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix
Phone call most days when worked in a motorcycle shop-

Them: I need a tyre/chain for my bike.

Me: OK, what bike do you own?

Them: It's a Suzuki/Honda/... dirtbike

Me: OK but I need to know the model.

Them: I don't know! I just want a tyre/chain for my bike!!!

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

I bought some tyre sealant at 99Bikes.
"I'll send your receipt by email"
grrrrrrr
They send an email with a pdf file attachment. 🙄🤦‍♂️

dgar, to random
@dgar@aus.social avatar

Nobody wants to show me a cool rock they found anymore.

Adulthood is so dumb.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@dgar

1 A lump of Torbanite/Cannel Coal (oil shale) which looks and feels like black plastic. I can't remember where I found this but I was working in the Hunter Coalfield at the time.
2 A twinned Glendonite. A calcium carbonate mineral. Found beside the Hunter River at Glendon in the Hunter Valley.
3 A large volcanic cobble. Found already cut in half and discarded at a rock sample storage site at Gunnedah.

A twinned Glendonite. Looks like a very four pointed Christmas star. Sitting on a blanket with a 20 cent coin for scale.
A large grey brown cobble (oversized pebble) full of holes, that has been cut in half. Sitting on its side on a blanket with a 20 cent coin for scale.

dcbuchan, to random
@dcbuchan@aus.social avatar

100% fail in our family.

Nobody can even tolerate the new Beatles song.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix @dcbuchan they used AI to generate a track that sounds like a crappy cassette recording of Lennon's voice on-top of modern instrument recording. I'm not sure why AI was required.

melissabeartrix, to random
@melissabeartrix@aus.social avatar

This is my local .. it's a great place to visit ... I've been taken to this place a number of times in the back of an ambulance or the front seat of a police car ... giggles ... And even go here for all my scans and procedures

Hugz & xXx

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix
That's my local too and where I've probably been the most often (ambo - kidney stones, taxi/public transport- bike crash injuries), though I've spent more time in Royal North Shore (helicopter- motorcycle crash).

Hhmmm the more I think about it the more hospitals I've attended, mostly due to sporting injuries but also some procedures.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@melissabeartrix

Sorry to hear about the bashings. That sucks!

I was extremely lucky. I almost tore through my aorta, and lost part of a kidney. Ive got a permanent injury to my elbow which was smashed into 'corn flakes' according to the surgeon, who did a great job.

The aorta injury healed. Numerous pins, a couple of plates and some ground up hip bone are holding my wrist and elbow together well enough to mountain bike, etc

My arm is weaker and aches sometimes but it doesn't impact my life significantly.

I've always had great service from hospital staff, particularly nurses and physios, you just have to be very patient sometimes.

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

Sticker seen on a car today:
"Stop Coffs Harbour from becoming a 15min smart city".

Umm I don't think any part of Coffs is 15min from any other part.

Kels_316, to random
@Kels_316@aus.social avatar

don't know who needs to hear this, but Gympie still has a functioning OG Pizza Hut.

SeanHawley,
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

@georgeharito @Kels_316 @jpm
Definitely not OG inside. Old but not OG. When I was a kid the tables had red and white checked table cloths and there were no buffets.

SeanHawley, to random
@SeanHawley@aus.social avatar

A shout out for Vanilla Cycles in Marrickville.

They shortened a chain for me for free. I've never been a customer before.

Seems to be two mechanics and no sales staff. They've got a small shop front with the usual accessories and low end bikes. But one of the mechanics was working on a pretty high end road bike.

They're in a weird spot in a lane behind Marrickville Road.

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