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Kathryn

@shermarama.bsky.social
147 followers 123 following 1.3K posts

Design engineer, drummer, general maker of stuff. Keen on finding good solutions to complex problems. She/her. Hamiltron 🇳🇿innit.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Kathryn
Ben Ross @benakl.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Greens propose Inter City Rail that costs less than Roads of National Party Significance, have a higher Benefit Cost Ratio than Roads of National Party Significance, and even NZF supports it. Of course National wont despite their conservative voters supporting it because Luxon is a fuckwit
rnz.co.nz
Green Party announces plan for passenger rail between major NZ cities
The Green Party says it will connect the country with intercity passenger rail services, if elected.
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Reposted by Kathryn
Grant @syncingsinking.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
This is just to say I have solved the open questions that were in your paper and which you were probably saving for your phd students Forgive me they were delicious so incentive-laden and followed so readily once your postdoc's drafts mysteriously found their way into my training data
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The problem for me is that *someone* needs to make the chips that he doesn't know the number of. We need all the skills that all the things we do are built with, to continue to do those things. It's like the 4 hour work week grift again; this only works if other people do all the other things.
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Reposted by Kathryn
Ceryl @politicdormouse.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
On rainy day in #Vienna Slawa Duldig complained "Can't they invent a small folding umbrella which could be easily carried in a bag?" then invented it herself. Patent issued #OTD 19 Sep 1929️ had telescopic handle & folding metal ribs, called ‘Flirt’ 10k sold in 1st yr en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slawa_D...
Slawa Duldig with her folding umbrella unfolded, smiling broadly  #WomenInSTEM #HistSTM #HistSTEM
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Reposted by Kathryn
Dread and Rosie @rosiemund.bsky.social · 24/09/2024
We should really ban dockless cars - people leave them all over the pavement.
A red car, a black cat and a blue car all parked entirely on the pavement. Most people could walk past (very close to the road but without leaving the pavement) but it is impassible with most wheelchairs, pushchairs, etc. Corner on a residential street.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
From a whole thread about the early morning opening of the new City Rail Link stations in Auckland. This has been a project on the level of Crossrail in London, but starting from far fewer lines in the first place, so it is a big deal. (The chanters don't half sound English to me, though.)
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
If I sew a garment based on a knitting pattern, do I log that on Ravelry or Threadloop? Or both?
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Reposted by Kathryn
Rob Manuel @robmanuel.b3ta.com · 28/08/2026
I'm not going to play this game because she's a climate protestor and right to protest, as look around you, and moaning that protesters are posh is a way to attack the person and not engage with the argument. Ok, Vermilion Comet.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
No cheating. Share the last picture of the sky from your camera roll.
Close to sunset on a sunny winter's day. There are single-storey houses behind a fence, and a nearly full moon appearing above them. In front of the fence, long shadows fall on rough grass, including the shadow of the person taking the photo.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Given NZ folks' propensity to wander round in bare feet, or barely-more-than-that jandals, I wonder how we do in rates of falls in the elderly, compared to more regularly-shod countries? www.rnz.co.nz/life/wellbei...
rnz.co.nz
Why toes are a key marker of longevity and mobility
Foot and toe strength declines with age, increasing the risk of falls and affecting confidence, balance and mobility, says foot and gait specialist Courtney Conley.
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Reposted by Kathryn
altenergy.bsky.social @altenergy.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
🇳🇿 Yesterday wind was ~14% of New Zealand electricity generation (16.8GWh). Solar was ~1% (1.6GWh). Hydro was ~58% (67.1GWh). Geothermal was ~24% (27.4GWh). Source: EM6 #NewZealand #windenergy #solarenergy #geothermalenergy #hydroenergy
Pie chart showing New Zealand power generation for 2026-08-23: Battery 0%, Cogeneration 1%, Gas 1%, Geothermal 24%, Hydro 58%, Solar 1%, Wind 14%
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Reposted by Kathryn
Gretchen McCulloch @gretchenmcculloch.com · 23/08/2026
And an excellent chance to learn my personal favourite Australian idiom "he's not here to fuck spiders"
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Nō 𝔸𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕒 @wittyeti.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Whoever is behind the beehiving__badly account on Tiktok is a bloody genius! #nzpol
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Trying to promote an event I'm helping organise, and having *massive* procrastination about writing emails to people about it. I have no trouble writing anything technical - maybe then I believe what I'm trying to communicate? But "please can you tell other people about our thing" seems... aaargh.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Found this article recently, and the report it's based on, and it really hits the spot: women are present in a lot of science these days, but it isn't getting them power. Hugely under-represented at higher levels of science, even when a majority at lower ones. theconversation.com/women-in-sci...
theconversation.com
Women in science – global study finds presence without power
Women make up one in three researchers worldwide, but they remain sidelined in scientific organisations.
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Reposted by Kathryn
Oli - something or other @olimnz.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
This 👇 should be read by *everyone* in our current government. #nzpol
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
A pic of myself in the 70s.
A young child with pale skin and dark hair in a pudding-bowl haircut, standing against a light-coloured wall.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Yup, I felt that one. Now quite awake at 5am. www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/2...
geonet.org.nz
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred 10 km south-west of Taumarunui, New Zealand on Sat Jul 25 2026 4:51 AM. The quake was 5 kilometres deep and the shaking was severe close to the quake.
The quake may have been felt in Cambridge, Dannevirke, Eketahuna, Feilding, Hamilton, Hastings, Hawera, Hunterville, Kawhia, Levin, Mokau, Murupara, Napier, New Plymouth, Ohakune, Opunake, Palmerston ...
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Reposted by Kathryn
Dreadnought Holiday @dreadships.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
With Humphrey Smith dead, it would be interesting if the Guardian now published a version of this that hasn't been lawyered to within an inch of its life for their own safety. And the planning committee for Tadcaster will hopefully find they're a lot less busy wth stupid, and expensive, arguments.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Doing my homework so I can do all the SARCASTIC comments about the DUMB STUFF inside my head today, and then in tomorrow's meeting I can be all positive and 'hey here's a suggestion to improve... ' because I is a professional, innit?
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
I'm told that 'tête' is a reasonable translation for 'face' here, in the sense of face as anatomy, while 'visage' is a bit more to do with expression or presentation, maybe? Anyway, hup Graaf Vuilnisbakgezicht!
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
I have already been enjoying trying to explain Count Binface to Kiwis. Just the mere thought of him being Farage's most substantial opposition is delightful.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
And e^π% tariff on surrealist art.
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Reposted by Kathryn
b3ta @b3ta.com · 02/07/2026
M C Escher* - Four candles Artist: HappyToast b3ta.com/board/11429202 From the 'Comedy Art' challenge b3ta.com/challenge/comedyart/popular #ComedyArt
An image made by HappyToast posted on B3ta, front paged by the moderators, and reposted on Bluesky by code automatically.

Subject: M C Escher* - Four candles

Body: *D.H.Schuster, not Escher
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
What's it like in your head? youtu.be/zSQDR1yF3uQ
youtu.be
Elbow Independent Woman
YouTube video by Ielysey
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
I think this pins it down for me. Why has so little changed, and most of what has, for the worse? Perhaps the government has very little power to change anything useful under modern capitalism, but it would be nice to see them try.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
See, I work in engineering and it's mostly been around food production & processing, but this end of things really ties into my outside-work interests... But I can't see how to connect the dots. www.rnz.co.nz/news/country...
rnz.co.nz
Country Life: Wool to yarn without leaving the farm
Her flock of sheep bred for their soft fleece may be small, but her plans for them are big.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Colleagues, walking to get lunch on nearly the shortest day of the year: 'ooh, you can feel there's just no heat in that sun now!' Me, having grown up in 53°N and now living in 37°S, so feeling the equivalent of October or March: '...' (Still gets my washing dry.)
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Wait, what, I was supposed to be paid to turn up to that rally yesterday, as a woman standing up for the rights of women? Gosh, I suppose I just don't have the business instincts of an old man talking insulting bullshit online.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Oh hey! Since NZ First and their coalition buddies are somehow trying to defend this nonsense, I'm going to be supporting its opposition. Sign the open letter: Reject the gender-defining Bill action.greens.org.nz/humanrights_...
action.greens.org.nz
Reject the Defining Gender Bill
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Reposted by Kathryn
Funksta Uzz @funksta-uzz.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Actions this Saturday to support trans people in Aotearoa & protest NZ First's harmful Definitions of Woman and Man Amendment Bill:   Tāmaki Makarau: 12pm @Myers Park Kirikiriroa: 12pm @Civic Square Pōneke: 12pm @Civic Square Ōtautahi: 1pm @Bridge of Remembrance Whakatū: 2pm @1903 Square #nzpol
Poster text:
UNITE FOR TRANS RIGHTS
SATURDAY, 13 JUNE
TĀMAKI MAKAURAU 12 PM MYERS PARK
KIRIKIRIROA 12 PM CIVIC SQUARE
PŌNEKE 12 PM CIVIC SQUARE
ŌTAUTAHI 1PM BRIDGE OF REMEMBERANCE
WHAKATŪ 2 PM 1903 SQUARE
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Reposted by Kathryn
Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚🇳🇿 @notjustdna.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
#NZ science funding / opinion As I’ve said before: Politicians should recognise that science is not something to 'conveniently' repackage to suit your government’s short-term goals, but a long-term driver of good for your country. When you cut it, you cut *everyone’s* longer-term future. 1/3
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Also didn't we already go through this before, with UK exam results in 2020? Government clearly thought people would buy "sorry, that's just what the computer said", but they very much did not... And now NZ wants to do this with welfare?? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Un...
en.wikipedia.org
2020 United Kingdom school exam grading controversy - Wikipedia
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Because since when is New Zealand dictated to by those so terrified of the glorious diversity of *people*, that they want to try and stuff every one of us into one of two arbitrary categories, the better to try to boss us around with? our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/e-...
our.actionstation.org.nz
E Tū E Kī: They Don’t Speak for Us - Block the Definition of Woman Bill
The Government is progressing a Bill through Parliament that aims to limit the rights of transgender, non-binary, and intersex New Zealanders in the name of cis women, by defining “man” and “woman” (a...
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Discomfort isn't danger. Discomfort isn't danger. Discomfort isn't danger, lalalala just do the thing, then, right?
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
Supply chains of oil by-products suddenly being yanked on. Some of these were going to have to change longer-term, I suppose? www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2...
abc.net.au
China quietly turns off supply of world's most used industrial chemical
Amid disruption from the Iran war, China has banned exports of sulphuric acid, a crucial component used to treat drinking water, refine petroleum and make batteries, clothing and phosphate fertilisers...
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Your last saved meme is your moral philosophy.
A 9x9 grid of photos in the style of a captcha challenge, asking the user to identify the bicycle seats. They are all long, narrow, racing-bike type seats and definitely not any of them are the head of a greyhound, honest.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Totally cycled to work this morning! Totally forgot my helmet until the end of the street! (Have been cycling in London, where they're not legally mandated, and am now cycling in NZ, where they are.)
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Reposting because someone might know someone who knows someone, but genuinely, personally, I don't know *any* female engineers in this age bracket. There were zero female lecturers in my uni engineering dept., and I had one female manager once who was maybe 5 years older than me.
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Andrew Digby @digs.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The youngest #kakapo alive: Awarua-A3, 17 days old today. Despite appearances, she’s doing well. She won’t be leaving the nest until mid-June. It’s a long breeding season! #kakapo2026 #conservation #birds.
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Weedle @weedle.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Exactly one year ago today:
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Ouch.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
And in the end, it might have been someone in a private jet? Here's heights of planes in the area at the right time: 1 Gulfstream G550, N/A, 45k ft 2 Cessna, SNA - CSW, 41k ft 3 BAe 125-800B, N/A, 39k ft 4 Airbus A320, PVR - TIJ, 37975 ft 5 Airbus A321-271NX, SJD - TIJ, 36050 ft
Flightradar24 page showing several flights in the vicinity of Baja California at the right time, where X marks the spot furthest (probably) from the crew of Artemis II when they were furthest from the Earth.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Further thoughts on who will be the furthest from Artemis II when it's furthest from Earth: I'm looking at two likely flights on the Tijuana - Cabo San Lucas route along Baja California.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
Meanwhile, here is the tomato relish I have also made this morning, from the last of the season's crop down here in both a different time zone and season :D
Several small glass jars on metal trays, being filled from a large pan full of orange tomato relish, all sitting on a stove top.
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
I think the people furthest away will be a close tie between a) folks on the ISS and b) those on planes flying along Baja California in the late afternoon on Monday the 6th. (Reasoning follows: 🧵)
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
It's a George III tribute act for the 250th anniversary of independence, innit?
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Kathryn @shermarama.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Cycled to work on my road bike today, instead of the workhorse (possibly a pit pony) folder. Took about 20% off my travel time each way, with the same legs / self doing the pushing - I forget how much advantage there is in reduced rolling resistance. Plus it's probably 5kg lighter...
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Tony 🏳️‍🌈🇦🇺 @bonitoclub.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
"One of the first things I noticed when I started driving less and walking or cycling more is how, at the end of a day, I often have an inexplicable sense of excitement, as if something remarkable has happened..." www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...
irishtimes.com
I’m driving less. I don’t want to see the world through a driver’s eyes any more
Before I began driving less, I had long had a melancholic sense that the city lifestyle I lived was cut off from the seasons and nature
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