KMAG is back!

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Steve

Rebuilding KMAG and its hardware was like this

Shortly around KMAG’s 17th anniversary, its ten-year home, a 2009 Mac Mini I bought mainly to host the stream and all the cool services Mac OS 10.6 Server used to have…crapped out. It only took me a week to ten days to realize it occurred.

When I finally figured out that rebooting wasn’t making any difference, I took the Mini to work in order to pop it open. The initial forensics told me the hard drive crapped out but I didn’t have any luck upon replacing the part. The hard drive was definitely kaput since it wouldn’t mount and all my software tools said, it was done. As for why the new hard drive (really another 500 GB I had lying around) didn’t solve the issue? I may not have put the computer back together correctly; this model has a bunch of wonky sensors and wires you have to put into place to the letter or else. It did work for a couple boots, then it behaved in the same manner. Power on, boot chime, then nothing.

Alternatives to resurrecting KMAG in another incarnation were examined. None really worked (“smart” playlists in iTunes) or an iPod Touch with enough storage to contain KMAG’s 14,000+ songs. Capacity wasn’t the issue, randomization in a fashion similar to how my stream has operated from since inception was. I have to have my Top 35 dominating the vast catalog.

I was about to give up the ghost by Labor Day as KMAG had been offline for around a month. I desperately tried a Google search find hope. An online store offering the right model of Mini capable of running 10.6.8 Server for only $170 with a 90-day warranty turned up! It arrived in several days and over the weekend I got through the next series of hurdles installing a decade-old OS via a series of FireWire connections. Plugged the new Mini into the stereo, made a couple adjustments remotely to operate properly with AT&T’s overpriced DSL/Fibre and boom! Rock n’ Roll!!!

I did cheat on the stream’s playlist play log by borrowing the missing time from KMAG’s work counterpart for I wan to keep plugging away to see if I can get KMAG to last to three million songs played.

It’s great to have KMAG back in the house again. I will never bother with Spotify and their ilk when I own good stuff in which the artists were properly paid.

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Honolulu Achieved!

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Steve

Today was the fourth milestone via in-door bike! Given my intermittent illness of the fuckits, I’m amazed I completed this destination before year’s end given this leg being over 1300 miles. Complete it I did though. Mainly out of distraction from the bad things in life and renewed sense of drive to attain another perfect month. September is an excellent time to try because it’s when I first succeeded such a thing last year.

Next stop if Cork (Ireland) which will be easier. It’s well under 900 miles; the distance between my house and Cork minus the distance between my house and Honolulu. Thus, a percentage point will be a breeze while I continue to do a minimal goal of 14.3 miles/day. Why such a number? If I complete 14.3 miles a day, it adds up to a little over 100 miles/week.

Tomorrow I have a six-month checkup since the two-hour health screening. Let’s see if all this cycling and sweating had a positive outcome.

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Eighteen years in one house!

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Steve

This anniversary completely slipped my mind with all the other crap going on but three days late is better than either not at all or in several days.

I often have to pinch myself because I didn’t grow up in the same house or city throughout my childhood and teenage years. College and early adult years, it’s expected. The dorms, apartments and numerous roommates.  I feared it would continue until I was dead thanks to my parents. Then again, they’ve mostly stayed put region-wise since 1992 and unsurprisingly, they chose one of the dullest cities in America as I live in one of the best.

Now to figure out how to fix this house up after Somara moves out entirely.

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India’s Vikram lander loses contact

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Steve

Saw the news via feeds and The Guardian, looks like India’s second attempt to land a probe on the Moon has failed. What a pisser! As much I am cautious about the country’s other ambitions, namely their saber-rattling with Pakistan over Kashmir, their homegrown Nazi movement called the BJP (the ruling party too) and economic cheating (not as bad as China…yet); I welcome all nations participating in space exploration. What the Indian space agency learns about the lunar poles is useful to all and should remain so. I also want to encourage them to keep trying. Failure is a huge part of the process as the US and Russia/USSR know all too well.

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The horrible Robert Mugabe is finally dead

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Steve

Given this dictator’s murderous reputation, I’m surprised he died of old age, 95. Despite being dead, his inept, corrupt and crony-filled regime remains the shadow looming over the struggling democracy of South Africa. Originally hailed as a liberator when he and his forces (quickly transformed into thugs) overthrew the racist regime of Rhodesia by 1980. The country was renamed Zimbabwe and off the place went into the toilet. Hence, it was why I was never 100% on board with the anti-apartheid movement in college. What guarantee was there that the ANC (currently proving itself to be just as shitty as Mugabe) wouldn’t transform a relatively productive albeit immorally segregated society, into another Third World hellhole? With most of the limousine liberals I met in college who failed to think it through or read a in-depth history of the region…you usually got a blank expression in return.

Since he was removed from office much earlier, Mugabe’s death shouldn’t stir up anything close to a civil war. Besides, the damage is already done and the poor residents of Zimbabwe have little to fight over. This should be his legacy. A man who transformed a country which used to ship surplus wheat into a starving kleptocracy. If there’s a Hell, may he be in it getting prodded in the ass next to David Koch and Phyllis Schafly (sic). I’m confident the Confederate apologist “newspaper” the Economist would agree with me.

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Inspirational socks!

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Steve

Picked these up at Waterloo Records. The first pair had a unicorn, therefore I had to get them for my friend Rev. Kathy R, that’s her spirit animal.

Now the other pair were for me. I’m not feeling pessimistic nor bitter. I just thought the statement was true about how the universe is indifferent to humans, so this is why we must be nicer to each other. Plus you can’t go wrong with a kitty giving the finger!

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RIP Terrence Dicks

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Steve

If you followed Doctor Who before the reboot (I won’t say I always did, it was usually an on/off thing because the show sort of disappeared for a while), you may recognize this gentleman’s name in the credits. I knew he was involved in the writing and development of the Doctor through the Tom Baker and Peter Davison but I didn’t know he came onboard that role earlier with the John Pertwee run, wrote many novels and the Sarah Jane adventures.

Thanks for everything you did Terrance. Despite the low-budget look to Doctor Who, you injected it with imagination which is why people love the Doctor.

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Here’s my cat being cute to bring some levity

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Steve

Isis is coming to grips with being an only child around the house still. No more Kuroneko to bully her and bite her on the butt whenever she wants to lie on the bed. This is my kitty doing her usual coy act of “pet me!” If you get it wrong, she’ll run away or give you a harmless swat. The cuter thing is if you ignore her long enough, she makes this squeaky voice to get your attention.

When the dust settles, I’m going to get another cat to keep Isis company. She is good with others. She used to groom Nemo and before we took her in, she hung out with her offspring. Suggestions are welcome.

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Summer is officially over, put away your white pants

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Steve

And so the Summer of 2019 comes to an official end with back-to-school, hunkering down for the calorie-induced holiday stretch Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner/leftovers and Christmas parties) and in Austin, the annual invasion of ACL Fest Assholes over two weekends. I chose to work today because I get extra money on top of the holiday dough. With the divorce underway, I’m going to need it as Chez Maggi becomes a one-income household…I wonder if my cat Isis can get a part-time gig eating crickets and mice?

Despite the crappy ending, I think it was a good Summer. Not quite as awesome as 1989, 1995 or 2003 yet it will be in the very memorable group with 1982, 1983 and 1997.

On to the Autumn.

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New month, new art and update

Posted on September 1, 2019 by Steve

The divorce is slowly progressing as Somara is moving her stuff out. Kuroneko was relocated last week, going to miss that little butterball. We haven’t figured out what’s going to be divided yet nor who gets to keep exactly what but the good news is, we’re civil unlike all the other horror stories I’ve witnessed first, second and third hand. I think in the long run, we’re going to be friends again which I would love very much because I still care about Somara’s well being.

Now the big battle I hope to fight (and win) is getting her to not move away from Austin unless it furthers her career. Currently, she was under the impression I didn’t want her around in my life anymore. No. We just can’t be married anymore with its entailed responsibilities and rights; something we both agreed on…for the record. This also goes along with our friends, those are not to be divided so any help you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Now on to September 2019.

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Dental Work #5: touch-up cleaning

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Steve

Progress on repairing my teeth is continuing. There was another round of cleaning to make sure there was progress. Well? Oh, yeah, things are improving everywhere but the back teeth which are a pain to brush and reach. If us humans could only unhinge our jaws like snakes, maybe it would be easier!

The best news though? I am slated to have my crowns installed in three weeks. It’s going to  take over half a day and relatively expensive. To me, it is worth every penny. You only get one set of real teeth in life. Plus I like to look presentable when being photographed with all those Brushes With Greatness.

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1969: Monty Python’s Flying Circus begins

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Steve

According to their Twitter feed, the guys behind this legendary show got started with their writing, rehearsing and eventual airing of the program that would influence comedy throughout the English-speaking world…SNL, The Kids in the Hall, SCTV, The Simpsons, The Daily Show, etc. More importantly, the Pythons’ absurd sensibility spoke to us nerdy teens back in the Seventies and Eighties. The skits being quoted were a secret language or handshake to let you know this person was on the same level.

Thanks guys! I can’t wait to see John Cleese later this year.

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One evil Koch brother dead, another to go

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Steve

How the obits still brought up David Koch’s self-centered, bullshit “philanthropy” which is meaningless because his family has jeopardized the world for money, the one thing that couldn’t stop him from dying eventually. Besides, all these rich assholes donating to museums or research centers are monuments of fake humility; their names have to be plastered all over as a dog pisses on a tree to mark it. More appropriately, the Kochs are hoping we’ll forget all the people they’ve indirectly murdered (I’ve never forgotten Rockerfeller’s blood-stained hands for Ludlow, CO) and the the organizations who accepted these “gifts” should grow a spine; pull the names down, he’s dead, what can he do now? Nothing.

Tonight though, the people of Phoenix rejected David and Charles’ lies by shooting down Prop 105. An astro-turf “bill of the people” designed to do more than halt light rail expansion, it was supposed outlaw any further discussion, votes, etc. and “solve” the transportation issues by building…more roads which only invite, more traffic as per Adam Ruins Everything‘s episode on cars.

Maybe there’s hope. Maybe the Millennials can lead the charge in righting the ship of state from devolving into the Mad Max dystopia the Kochs want.

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Fry’s dog Seymour spotted!

Posted on August 26, 2019 by Steve

It is unknown if he or his owner (someone related to Mr. Panucci) were singing “Walking on Sunshine” during their daily constitutional.

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Had to fight a cold over the weekend

Posted on August 26, 2019 by Steve

My recent lack of posts wasn’t sadness or anything negative I couldn’t control, just my health dropping out a tad warning me about having too much fun: The B-52’s 40th Anniversary show (more one day) and then the following night I saw Bryan Ferry on which may be his farewell tour (he’s 73). Next time, I need to get the energy to hit HEB for OJ and some other stuff to help me recover faster, stay hydrated!

So we had to postpone our meeting to start dividing all the assets (accounts) and untangling our lives (separate bills for insurance, etc). Somara does have a place for Kuroneko to live now and I will miss that bundle of fat with the funny voice. I bet Isis will miss her but this is chance for me to get Isis a better playmate, not a bully who keeps her off the bed.

What else? Oh yeah, my weight is declining! Got get my profile down from “a little extra” to “fit” for my height.

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