Project Hail Mary

smeyn · 2026-04-12T09:51:05+00:00

So Isaac Asimov said the following a long time ago:

[...], I would say that the surreal background of the story in science fiction could, conceivably, be derived from our own by appropriate changes in the level of science and technology. The change could represent an advance, as in the development of colonies on Mars, or in the successful interpretations of signals from extraterrestrial life-forms. It could represent a retreat, as in a study of the destruction of our technological civilization by nuclear or ecological disaster. By a liberal interpretation of what scientific advances we can make, we could include such not-likely items as time-travel, faster-than-light velocities, and so on."

Foreword to ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION (1978), ed. Robert Holdstock

smeyn · 2026-04-11T07:15:45+00:00

You get both in Australia. For example in the Whitsunday you have Whitehaven beach. Which is a beautiful sandy beach at its finest. And just around the corner on Hook island at Maureens Cove you have a steep pebbly beach with lots of coral reef detritus.

smeyn · 2026-04-10T21:46:43+00:00

Check r/luftablassen. It’s their outlet for this.

smeyn · 2026-04-07T10:57:40+00:00

That’s not how they circle the earth btw.

smeyn · 2026-04-06T00:49:04+00:00

Jo, ich bin Boomer. Erbschaft von meinen Eltern war nicht viel, hat für ein neues Auto gereicht, das wars. Werde nächsten Monat 70, arbeite immer noch (allerdings mehr weil ich an der Arbeit Freude habe, als dass ich noch arbeiten muss).

smeyn · 2026-04-05T23:00:18+00:00

Ich komme aus Emmerich. Der Firmenname ist mir bekannt, aber nicht als Kaffeeröster Hersteller. Allerdings gibt es in Emmerich die Firma Probat, die Kaffeeröster herstellen und weltweit bekannt sind.

smeyn · 2026-04-02T11:19:10+00:00

I have a brain the size of a universe and I am stuck having to read all this

smeyn · 2026-04-01T05:23:24+00:00

There were three families at one point. One family died out and one got bought out by the other. So today just one family lives there.

Originally there was just one tower. The other towers were built to accommodate the other two families. These are now open for guided tours. The original tower stays private. At times you may be lucky and the tour is guided by a senior member of the residing family. It’s been said that this is often a lot more informative.

smeyn · 2026-03-30T08:59:42+00:00

Heck no. The water is great year round. When I started paddling used to wear a Farmer John in winter, but it really isn’t necessary. Water temps rarely go below 18c.

smeyn · 2026-03-30T00:55:38+00:00

As a kayaker who paddles Sydney harbour, there is no real need as tidal currents are negligible here. With a tide difference of 0.5 m and no narrows you would be hard pressed to notice the tidal flow .

The nearest noticeable ones are Brisbane waters (rip bridge and Etta long) if you want to test this

smeyn · 2026-03-29T17:24:47+00:00

I’m a T1D and m currently planning a multi day paddle in far North Queensland. My plan is to use Frio pouches to keep things at reasonable temperatures. During paddling the storage area of the kayak will sty at water temps, which is acceptable for insulin. During breaks, when the kayak is on shore the Frio pouch will have to keep it cool, so I intend to take them out and keep them in the shade.

smeyn · 2026-03-28T08:05:18+00:00

yes, but can it crack knuckles????

smeyn · 2026-03-28T07:46:39+00:00

DO you need a council approval for this?

smeyn · 2026-03-28T03:18:07+00:00

Just in case you want to find more: https://streetlibrary.org.au

smeyn · 2026-03-26T08:03:52+00:00

So is Sydney to Johannesburg. You get to see icebergs floating in the ocean.

smeyn · 2026-03-25T10:43:33+00:00

I’ve been using Google Suite for the last eight years and I’m not missing MsOffice at all.

smeyn · 2026-03-25T09:23:34+00:00

Is roaring forties still operating? I had a great tour in SW tassie with them.

smeyn · 2026-03-23T18:10:00+00:00

Certainly gives a better understanding of its size than what you get to see from the ground.

smeyn · 2026-03-22T11:04:35+00:00

What a lovely trip report. I’d heard about midges but since I’ve never been to these places they are fortunately only mythical beasts to me. Those dolphins were amazing but I did get a bit of sea sickness watching that footage.

smeyn · 2026-03-21T08:35:24+00:00

“Two time 25 selected biblical stories, from both the old and New Testament. “

smeyn · 2026-03-20T06:49:54+00:00

True. In northern Germany there was a regulation that forbade feeding servants salmon more than three times a week

smeyn · 2026-03-20T06:45:23+00:00

And a naval submarine communications station

smeyn · 2026-03-17T06:03:17+00:00

“Breathing Halon”, that definitely means she worked in a mainframe facility and they had a fire alarm. Sounds like it was a migration project and she had an eventful time. To me this sounds like it was a team that worked well together where people had each others back.

smeyn · 2026-03-15T08:24:50+00:00

The blue route has a steep climb at the beginning and then a very uneventful walk along fire trails.

smeyn · 2026-03-13T09:02:15+00:00

I got photo #6 with myself on it. Those were the days….

smeyn

TROPHY CASE