Monthly Archives: June 2017

Computing

Debian 8 Upgrade to Debian 9: Key Error

There is no public key available for the following key IDs:
EF0F382A1A7B6500

If you’re getting an error like the above when attempting to upgrade to Debian 9 (the new Stable version), it’s an easy fix:

sudo apt-get install debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring

Complaints about keys scare me something chronic, as it can be a sign that the repo (or worse, your OS) has been compromised… so I always look for a way to solve it.

Fortunately this one was easy.

Music

Music for Monday

A Perfect Circle. Supergroup.

I have mixed feelings about a lot of their work.

But, if I may, let me ask one question: when one thing is one thing, how can two standards fit it, without hypocrisy of the highest order?

Or do the scales, the sword and the blindfold lie?

Music

Music for Monday

I watched MASH (the film, not the TV series) over the weekend, and it reminded me of the TV show, and its haunting theme. There appears to be some debate over the lyrics and their meanings (which there always will be for all songs, I think) but I think they’re clear enough, even if I personally disagree.

However, perhaps having a Music post focussed on a song about suicide (whether going through with it or not) is not the best idea…

So instead we’ll have some bagpipe music!

I will always love a good set of Pipes & Drums. Some of my favourite memories as a child was going to see the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (although I’ve got less keen of late, as less and less of the Pipes & Drums are actually the focus…)

Bagpipes are, ultimately, a war instrument. They were designed to scare the living Hell out of the opponents while you were still a ways away… because a demoralised opponent won’t fight as hard. But bagpipes can break 122dB… that is about as loud as a jet engine at takeoff…

…they’re still amazing, though.

Thoughts

Apocryphal or Not…

…we certainly appear to live in “interesting times”.

More’s the pity.

I can’t really say “I woke up to”, since I’m 8-hours ahead and watched the numbers roll in on the BBC (which while a little slower compared to some of the news sites – and on several occasions updated, only to revert a couple of minutes later, remains one of the best places for UK Election updates) but I don’t think this was the plan.

If I was a betting man – I’m not – I’d be thinking about putting some money down on exact when a leadership challenge is mounted. For now, I’ll say within the next two weeks.

Music

Music for Monday

So, here we are again.

Another week, another Music for Monday. And various other things that have happened as well. I promised myself that I would not discuss politics or current events on this blog, lest I find that it be all I comment on. Nevertheless, I find myself half-amazed at the willful blindness and stupidity of those who should know better, and half enraged at that same blindness and stupidity.

But that is all I shall say on the matter. There may yet be a time in the future where I find myself going back on my promise to myself, re: politics and current events, but that day is not today.

I discovered Disturbed more or less by accident not all that long ago. Then I realised that they (or, rather, David Draiman) wrote some of the music for a film my friends dragged me to years ago.

Books

I find I have been reading poetry of late…

…which, of course, most of those who know me fairly well find my patience for poetry to be… how shall I put this? Minimal.

Yes, minimal works quite well. I can appreciate it, I just rarely have time for it.

But Rudyard Kipling has, once more, drawn my attention.

Normally, for an author that old (thus whose books are well, well out of Copyright) I would direct any reader to Project Gutenberg but while they have many of his books, they appear to lack any significant collections of his poetry.

Thus, I am forced to provide a link to Kindle, however there are many options, ranging from astonishingly well priced (49p) into a price territory that makes me wonder if the publisher has actually looked at competing works.