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rsync Out, SuperDuper In

For weeks now my nightly schedule rsync copy would fail mysteriously, quietly. The command was simply two lines:

/usr/sbin/diskutil repairPermissions /;
/usr/local/bin/rsync -axq --delete / /Volumes/Roger

In other words, I repaired permissions and then archived (which enables a few options), quietly, and deleted files/folders which no longer existed.

But rsync would launch three processes, and two would sit rather idly and the third would get hung up on a file for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours, using 100% (or close to it) CPU time.

I ran the line with "-v" and without "-q" and saw that, for example, the "store.db" file would halt rsync's progress. I'd let it go for hours and it simply wouldn't budge past store.db. Or some other random file really, REALLY early on in the process.

Not worth the hassle. I'd sudo kill -9 17236 or whatever the PIDs were and they'd eventually (after five minutes or more) bail out.

So now SuperDuper - yeah, a GUI app - is part of my nightly backup. I'm not entirely comfortable with it, but it seems to work okay, and nightly backups take only 20 minutes or so (the first took, predictably, eight or nine hours). I already owned a license, so that was all good.

I don't know why rsync stopped working though. Bummer.

Error: Success

Uhhh…???

Error: Success

Thanks, Family Feud on Facebook.

Passed the PGA Pre-Qualifying Test

Prior to becoming an Apprentice in the PGA program, you must pass the PAT, pass a pre-qualifying test, and do a few other things (largely show that you're employed). The three items on which you're tested are:

1) Introduction to the PGA PGM Program
2) PGA History and Constitution
3) The Rules of Golf

The first and last ones are fairly easy. The second one worried me a bit - you have to know what the Board of Control does, how the Board of Directors are assembled, etc.

PGA Lesson Type

When you become a member of the PGA, and add your listing to a few places, the PGA asks you to define what kind of lessons you give. One of the questions is shown here:

PGA Lesson Types

The problem with this is that, for example, video lessons and computer swing analysis are done for every student. They're not separate. We don't have "Men lessons" and then "Video Lessons." Even our juniors get "video lessons" and "computer swing analysis" because every student - every lesson - gets them.

I can't think of a great way to make the form better, however, and neither could the person designing it if we can infer that from its current form.

Hallelujah Video

Google Analytics Up 6 Million Percent!

AnalyticsThis is what happens when you have Google Analytics turned off (I have no idea how my site was "hit" five or six times over the previous six months) and then you turn it on.

P.S. I really like the two decimal places. Adds an extra layer of authenticity. 🙂

And Underneath…?

Is it just me, or does this slogan lead to an obvious follow-up question?

On the Surface

😛

(Political) Divorce Agreement

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:
Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military. We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar and biodiesel. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them.

Zooey vs. Katy

Has anyone looked into the possibility that Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry are the same person? Or twins? Or related?

Katy vs. Zooey

Only Children

A great article on only children. I'm quite happy with the one I've got and have no plans for more. This doesn't make me a bad person and it's in my kiddo's best interests as well, and the article makes that point rather nicely, too.

Where Did the Paging Keys Go?

In October I implemented Paging Keys on The Sand Trap forum. I used this GitHub repository. It's now MIA… any idea where it's gone?
I've backed up a copy of the paging keys JavaScript file here: http://iacas.org/paging_keys.js. If someone can find its new home I'd be appreciative, as I'm missing the directions (not that they'd be incredibly difficult to figure out).

Edit: Duh. http://github.com/matthutchinson/paging_keys_js.

Xbox Kinect

I need help being ready the next time my significant other won't listen.

Safari’s Address Book Settings

Safari Security Settings

In addition to solving this problem, it's a little bit more secure to leave all of those buttons unchecked.

Bye Dotster, Hello GoDaddy

I have a lot of domains up for renewal at about the same time - late August.

Dotster loves to charge about $16 or $17 to renew domains. For two years, it'll run me about $460 just for the essential domains.

I can transfer the domains to GoDaddy and get a year of renewals on all of them for about $175. I think I'm going to do it.

I don't use ANY of the additional services hosted by GoDaddy or Dotster. I hate GoDaddy's commercials and their site is an absolute mess. However, I won't be visiting it much and I don't watch commercials much. I don't care about the owner's politics or their constant attempts at upselling.

GoDaddy is good at the one thing I care about - it's cheap - and that's enough for me.

Smokey Bones Penny Saver

Peny Saver

$10.99 + $2.69 = $13.68.

You can save a penny by ordering any two favorites and adding a third rather than choosing any three favorites.

A penny saved is a penny earned!