Astrolog Reinstalled

During my stay in Melbourne, with only my Macbook Air, I had no access to Astrolog, my go-to software tool for astrological analysis. Let's recall that the usual Windows emulation software doesn't work on the new Silicon Macs. Having returned to home base, I've been able to install Astrolog on my old 2013 Macbook Pro using Bottles.

The installation of Bottles was quite painless using the Application Manager. I created a "bottle" for 

Astrolog and then my downloaded astrolog.exe was able to be installed. A little tweaking of the program for font sizes and colours and I was away. However, it still nagged me as to why I couldn't set up Astrolog on my Macbook Air. I consulted Gemini.

After some to and fro, it recommended Whisky at https://getwhisky.app/. The opening page contains the warning that "Whisky is no longer actively maintained. Apps and games may break at any time". That was OK as I really only needed it to do one thing and that is to run Astrolog. Whisky seems to be a version of Bottles that has been modified to run on MacOS. As before, I set up a "bottle" and installed Astrolog. Now it runs on my Macbook Air. 

One program I had with the Astrolog running on my Linux distributions was the tiny size of the drop-down menu. There was no way I found to modify this. However, on the Mac the menu is normal size so I'm quite pleased. Fingers crossed that I don't have any further problems.

The Agony of Desktop Linux

Having acquired a mini-PC from my son-in-law, I installed Ubuntu and the installation went smoothly enough. Here are the details of the PC:

System Details Report

Date generated: 2025-09-14 13:08:48

Hardware Information:

Hardware Model: Leader NUC PC

Memory: 8.0 GiB

Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-5200U × 4

Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 5500 (BDW GT2)

Disk Capacity: 240.1 GB

Software Information:

Firmware Version: 1.09

OS Name: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS

OS Build: (null)

OS Type: 64-bit

GNOME Version: 46

Windowing System: Wayland

Kernel Version: Linux 6.14.0-29-generic

Here is what Gemini had to say about the unit:

The Leader NUC PC model SN6 is a small form factor desktop computer. Its key components include the Intel Core i5-5200U processor and Intel HD Graphics 5500. This model is part of the Intel Broadwell-U platform, which emphasizes energy efficiency.

---

Processor: Intel Core i5-5200U

The Intel Core i5-5200U is a mobile processor released in early 2015. It's built on a 14 nm manufacturing process and has a low TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 15W, making it suitable for compact devices like the NUC. Here are some of its key specifications:

• Cores/Threads: It has 2 physical cores and 4 threads, thanks to Intel's Hyper-Threading technology.

• Clock Speed: It operates with a base frequency of 2.2 GHz and can boost up to 2.7 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology.

• Cache: The processor has 3MB of L3 cache, which helps with data access speed.

• Performance: The CPU provides sufficient performance for everyday computing tasks, including web browsing, office applications, and multimedia. However, it's not designed for demanding tasks like high-end video editing or modern gaming.

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500 (BDW GT2)

The Intel HD Graphics 5500 is an integrated graphics solution that is part of the processor itself. It's based on the Broadwell GT2 graphics processor, which is Intel's 8th generation of graphics architecture.

• Execution Units: It features 24 execution units (EUs).

• Clock Speed: The base frequency is 300 MHz and can be dynamically boosted up to 900 MHz.

• Gaming Performance: The HD 5500 is an entry-level graphics solution. While it can handle older or less graphically intensive games, it will struggle with modern AAA titles. Its performance is comparable to some older dedicated graphics cards, like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 or AMD Radeon R7 240. It is not a gaming powerhouse, but it is capable of handling general multimedia and light gaming.

So the unit is now over 10 years old but it still does all I need it to do. The problem lies not in the hardware but in the software and the difficulty in installing software. I did succeed, with Gemini's help, to install SageMath but the installation of a simple screenshot app proved impossible. Currently I have no screenshot capability which is insane for an operating system. I'll probably find a workaround sooner or later but most people simply wouldn't bother. I'm only grateful that I have my Mac OS, installed on my MacBook Air to full back on. Ubuntu is simply a joke operating system and while Linux may dominate the servers that drive the Internet, it will never succeed at the desktop level.

HEIC File Format

I uploaded an image taken on my iPhone to Google Drive and noticed that the file format ended in .HEIC. After downloading it, I dropped it into WhatsApp and noticed the image wouldn't display. I thought it was time to find out more about this file format. I asked Gemini:

What is HEIC file format and is it compatible with most messaging apps?

HEIC, or High Efficiency Image File Format, is a modern image file format that uses High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) to store images. It's the default format for photos taken on iPhones running iOS 11 or later because it can produce higher-quality images with smaller file sizes compared to older formats like JPEG. This helps save storage space on your device. 

While HEIC is great for storage and quality, it is not universally compatible with most messaging apps or other devices. Messaging apps, especially those that use MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) for cross-platform communication, often automatically convert HEIC images to the more widely supported JPEG format to ensure the recipient can view the photo. This conversion can sometimes lead to a loss of image quality. While some apps and platforms, particularly within the Apple ecosystem, have native HEIC support, you might run into compatibility issues when sharing these files with users on other operating systems like Android or Windows.

The settings can be changed on your iPhone so that all images can be saved in JPEG format if wanted. I tried to change the image that I'd downloaded to a JPEG using Ubuntu's Shotwell app. No luck. I asked Gemini:

I tried Shotwell and the image name was greyed out and thus unable to be uploaded. Any workarounds?

Shotwell has a known issue with HEIC files, especially when you are using the Snap or Flatpak versions of the app, which sometimes lack full system integration to handle these files. The files appearing "greyed out" during upload often indicates that the application doesn't have the necessary library or permissions to properly process and convert the HEIC format for the web service.

A reliable workaround is to convert the files to a compatible format like JPEG first, using a separate tool, before attempting to upload them. As we discussed, the `heif-convert` command-line tool is excellent for this.

Convert HEIC to JPEG with `heif-convert`

1.  Open your terminal.

2.  Use the command to convert the file:

    `heif-convert your_photo.HEIC your_photo.jpg`

3.  Then, upload the newly created `your_photo.jpg` file using Shotwell or your web browser.

This two-step process bypasses the problem within Shotwell and ensures your images are in a universally compatible format.

In the end I just downloaded GIMP and used that to convert the file.  While preparing this post, I found an image that I liked and wanted to insert it. However, it was in AVIF format and found that Blogger wouldn't accept it. Interesting. I've written about this file format in a post titled A New Image File Format in July of 2023.

Gourmand and Gourmet

 I was walking about the neighborhood when I thought about the difference between "gourmand" and "gourmet". I asked Gemini the following questions.

What's the difference between a gourmand and a Gourmet?

While both terms relate to a love of food, there's a key difference in their connotations:

Gourmet refers to a person who is a connoisseur of fine food and drink. They have a refined, discriminating palate and appreciate the artistry and skill of food preparation. A gourmet values the quality, flavor, and presentation of food.

Gourmand refers to a person who loves to eat good food, often in large quantities. Historically, the word had a more negative connotation, closer to "glutton," but its modern usage has softened to mean someone with a hearty appetite for good food and drink. A gourmand might not be as focused on the intricate details as a gourmet, but they are enthusiastic and delight in the experience of eating.

A simple way to remember the difference is: a gourmet appreciates the quality of food, while a gourmand appreciates the quantity (or at least the abundance) of it.

"Gourmet" Veggie Burgers

Could you tell me a little about the etymology of both words? What languages they derived from?

Both gourmet and gourmand are derived from French, but they have different origins and evolved meanings over time.

Gourmet

The word gourmet comes from the Old French word groumet, which originally meant "a wine-taster" or "a wine merchant's servant." It's believed to have roots in a word for a young man or boy, possibly related to the English word "groom." Over time, the meaning shifted from a simple servant to someone who had a discriminating palate for wine. By the 18th century, it had expanded to include a refined taste for food as well.

Gourmand

The word gourmand also comes from Old French, where it meant "glutton." This word's etymology is a bit more uncertain, but it has long been associated with a hearty or excessive appetite. While its meaning in English has softened from "glutton" to someone who enjoys good food in abundance, its historical root still carries a sense of an enthusiastic, large appetite, contrasting with the more refined and connoisseur-like quality of a gourmet.

In essence, the etymology of these words reflects their modern usage: the gourmet's roots lie in a discerning "taster" of fine wine, while the gourmand's roots lie in a more general, and historically less flattering, term for a large eater.

It can also be noted that while "gourmand" only refers to a person, the word "gourmet" can be used to describe food as well such as in the graphic above where an image of "gourmet veggie burgers" is shown. 

USB Drive Difficulties

SanDisk 128GB Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB-C Flash Drive

Here is a little interaction that I had with Gemini concerning my USB drive difficulties:

Question:

Is there a free disk utility that I can download that will resurrect my USB memory stick? Apple's disk utility will not reformat it and it is quite new, having been used only a couple of times since purchased a month ago. I used the software tool "balenaetcher" to turn my USB memory stick into an Ubuntu boot disk for a mini-PC that I had been given. As a boot disk it did its job of installing Ubuntu on to the mini-PC but after that I wanted to reformat it so that I could use it to back up files on my Macbook Air. However, it is this reformatting that I've been unable to carry out.

Response:

This is a very common and frustrating problem when using tools like balenaEtcher. The reason this happens is that balenaEtcher doesn't just copy files; it writes an entire image to the USB stick, which includes a different type of partition scheme (like the one used for Linux boot drives). This can make the disk appear to have multiple, small, or unreadable partitions that macOS's Disk Utility has trouble with, especially if it's set to the default "Show only Volumes."

Fortunately, there are several powerful, free methods you can use to "resurrect" your USB stick. Since Disk Utility isn't working for you, here are the most effective alternatives:

1. The Terminal Method (Most Recommended)

This method is the most direct and powerful way to completely wipe the disk and create a new partition map that Disk Utility can understand. It's essentially a more forceful version of what Disk Utility tries to do.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Open Terminal: You can find it in Applications > Utilities > Terminal or by searching in Spotlight (Command + Space).

2. List your disks: Type the following command and press Enter: diskutil list This will show you a list of all connected drives and their identifiers (e.g., disk0, disk1, disk2).

3. Identify your USB stick: Look for a disk with the correct size. For example, if your USB stick is 32GB, you'll see a line that says something like /dev/disk2 (external, physical) and lists its size. Be absolutely certain you have the right disk number! Wiping the wrong disk could erase your Mac's internal drive.

4. Erase and reformat: Once you've identified your disk (let's assume it's disk2), use the following command. This command will first unmount the disk, then erase it completely, create a new GUID partition map, and format it as exFAT with a new name. diskutil eraseDisk ExFAT "MyUSB" GPT /dev/disk2

   • eraseDisk: The command to erase and format the disk.

   • ExFAT: The file system format you want to use. You can also use FAT32 if you prefer.

   • "MyUSB": The name you want to give the drive. You can change this to anything you like.

   • GPT: The partition scheme. This is a modern, highly compatible standard.

   • /dev/disk2: This is the crucial part. Replace disk2 with the identifier you found in step 3.

5. Press Enter and let the command run. If it's successful, you'll see a series of messages confirming that the disk was unmounted, partitioned, and formatted.

2. GParted (Linux-based Solution)

If you have access to another computer or are comfortable with running a live Linux environment, a tool called GParted is a very reliable way to fix this. It's a graphical partition editor that is often more robust than macOS's built-in tools for dealing with non-standard partition layouts.

1. Create a new bootable Linux USB: Since your current USB stick is non-functional, you'll need another one. Use balenaEtcher again to create a bootable USB with a lightweight Linux distribution like GParted Live or a minimal version of Ubuntu.

2. Boot your mini-PC from this new USB: Start your mini-PC from the GParted Live USB.

3. Run GParted: GParted will automatically launch.

4. Select your faulty USB stick: In the GParted interface, select your original, faulty USB stick from the drop-down menu in the top right corner.

5. Create a new partition table: Go to Device > Create Partition Table. Choose gpt (GUID Partition Table).

6. Create a new partition: Right-click on the "unallocated" space, choose New, and create a new partition with the desired file system (e.g., exfat or fat32).

7. Apply the changes: Click the green checkmark to apply the changes.

8. Re-attempt on your Mac: After this, the USB stick should be fully readable and writable on your MacBook Air.

Why did balenaEtcher cause this?

BalenaEtcher's job is to create a byte-for-byte copy of a bootable image to the USB drive. This process overwrites the entire drive, including its partition table and file system. The Ubuntu image you used has a different partition layout (often with multiple small partitions for things like EFI and the bootloader) that macOS's Disk Utility doesn't always handle gracefully, especially when trying to "erase" it in the typical way. The Terminal and GParted methods are more powerful because they completely destroy the old partition table before trying to create a new one, which is exactly what's needed to fix this issue.

Fortunately, the first method proposed by Gemini (using the terminal) worked and all is well again. I've included the information in this post as a reminder in case I encounter a similar problem in the future.

Something Snapped

After watching "Doctor Sleep" with Rebecca Fergusan and Ewan McGregor, I followed up with "Bring Her Back" with Sally Hawkins. All are fine actors but the content related to Satanic practices and child abduction and murder. I followed up with Tom Hardy in "Havoc" about crime gangs with the inevitable murder and mayhem. Actually I only watched the start of "Havoc" before exiting. I'd had enough. Something snapped in me and I asked myself why am I watching this. 

This is what people are consuming on a regular basis at the expense of the written word. I asked the question "is reading declining" and here was the response:

Yes, reading, particularly for pleasure, is declining. Studies indicate a decrease in reading frequency and engagement across various demographics, including younger generations. This trend is attributed to the rise of digital media, changes in educational approaches, and evolving societal habits. 

I've fallen into this trap myself, favouring watching over reading. However, the increasingly woke content in recent movies and series has increasingly annoyed me and helped make me ripe for "snapping". There's so much more that I could be doing with the limited time remaining to me than watching this current cinematic crap. I must limit my "watching" and increase my reading. 

I also need to spend more time on exercises like Qidong but I'll write more about that in my "Staying Healthy" blog. I must resume my chess playing that has been put on hold ever since I set foot in Australia. I'm in need of a major reset. If I don't initiate it myself then it may be initiated on my behalf.

Eremition

 I posed the following to Gemini:

Can you produce a report on the word "eremition"? Focus on its etymology, the chronology of its entry into and usage by the English language as well examples of its use historically and currently. Special emphasis should be placed on whether the word is gaining or waning in popularity as judged by the frequency of its use.

Here was its response:

The Emergence of "Eremition": A Report on a Word in the Making

The word "eremition" presents a fascinating case study in language evolution, existing at the fringe of the established English lexicon. While not found in standard dictionaries, its nascent appearance online suggests a new term being coined to fill a perceived semantic gap. This report will delve into the etymological roots from which "eremition" springs, trace the history of its parent word, and analyze its contemporary usage and potential trajectory in the English language.

Etymological Roots: The Solitary "Eremite"

To understand "eremition," one must first look to its clear progenitor: eremite. The term "eremite" entered the English language around the 12th century, derived from the Latin "eremita," which in turn comes from the Greek "erēmitēs" (ἐρημίτης), meaning "a person of the desert." This itself is derived from "erēmia" (ἐρημία), signifying "desert" or "solitude."

An eremite is, therefore, a hermit or a recluse, someone who withdraws from society for religious or contemplative reasons. The adjective form, eremitic, describes the lifestyle or characteristics of a hermit. Historically, the term has been used to refer to the early Christian desert fathers who sought spiritual solace in the wilderness.

Chronology and Historical Usage of "Eremite"

The use of "eremite" in English literature is well-documented, though it has never been a word of common parlance. It often carries a more formal or literary tone than its more common synonym, "hermit." For centuries, "eremite" has been employed by writers and poets to evoke a sense of profound solitude and spiritual devotion.

The Birth of "Eremition": A Modern Coinage

The word eremition does not appear in historical English texts or standard dictionaries. Its emergence appears to be a very recent phenomenon, primarily documented in online articles and blog posts from early 2025. These sources define "eremition" as the act of gradually withdrawing from the lives of others to seek solitude and renewal.

This neologism logically extends the meaning of "eremite." If an eremite is one who lives in solitude, "eremition" becomes the process or act of entering that state. The "-ion" suffix is a common English morpheme used to form nouns denoting an action, process, or state (e.g., "creation," "hibernation").

Popularity: Waning or Waxing?

The parent word, "eremite," has seen a general decline in usage over the centuries, becoming increasingly rare in contemporary English. It is largely confined to historical, theological, or academic contexts.

Conversely, the newly coined "eremition" appears to be in its infancy, with its popularity currently negligible in the broader context of the English language. Its usage is confined to a small number of online platforms where it has been introduced and discussed. However, the very fact that it has been coined and is being used, however limitedly, suggests a perceived need for a word to describe the intentional and gradual withdrawal from social engagement for personal well-being.

The current cultural climate, with its increasing focus on mental health, mindfulness, and the potential for social burnout, may provide fertile ground for "eremition" to take root and grow. The desire for a term that frames solitude not as a negative state of isolation but as a positive, restorative process could drive its adoption.

Examples of "Eremition" in Modern Usage:

Recent online discussions have used "eremition" in contexts such as:

• Describing a conscious decision to reduce social media engagement for mental clarity.

• Explaining a period of reduced social outings to focus on personal projects or self-care.

• Characterizing a natural inclination towards a more solitary lifestyle with age.

Conclusion

"Eremition" is a word on the cusp of existence in the English language. While it currently lacks formal recognition, its logical etymological construction and the contemporary social trends that it encapsulates give it the potential for wider acceptance. Its journey will be a testament to the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of language, where new words emerge to name new experiences and perspectives. Whether "eremition" will fade into obscurity or become a recognized term for the modern act of seeking solitude remains to be seen, but its emergence is a noteworthy linguistic event.

Here is the public link: https://g.co/gemini/share/50381af48c91