Chris McMahon
@chrismcmahon.bsky.social
Software QA, bass player, guerilla ukulele. Southern gentleman. Western canyoneer. Writer. Founded QA practice for Wikipedia/Wikimedia Foundation and Salesforce Foundation. Ex-Thoughtworks too. Y2K made my career.
I was not that far removed from working directly on software for libraries at that time, and I recall that every library software product after this time shipped an option to keep no patron data; and if such data were kept, an option to nuke it all permanently with a single click.
Now is a really great time to remember the Connecticut Four
No librarian worth their salt would EVER disclose patron information
It doesn't matter who is asking or for what purpose
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connect...
No librarian worth their salt would EVER disclose patron information
It doesn't matter who is asking or for what purpose
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connect...
December 20, 2025 at 5:00 AM
I was not that far removed from working directly on software for libraries at that time, and I recall that every library software product after this time shipped an option to keep no patron data; and if such data were kept, an option to nuke it all permanently with a single click.
Played a little duo show this afternoon, it was nice.
December 20, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Played a little duo show this afternoon, it was nice.
everybody stand back, I got this.
December 20, 2025 at 1:40 AM
everybody stand back, I got this.
The songbook is a work of art. And love.
This is tomorrow (Saturday) and it's going to be really flipping Christmassy. Get the songbook from www.moselele.net onto your phone, come down to the Prince from 4pm and sing along to all your favourite Christmas hits. We promise it will make you feel as festive as it's possible to feel.
December 20, 2025 at 12:12 AM
The songbook is a work of art. And love.
In case you need to hear Chet Atkins shred on a fretless(!) guitar with Jerry Reed(!!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3N6...
Jerry Reed & Chet Atkins - "Summertime" (Live)
YouTube video by That Smelly Skunk from Palmdale
www.youtube.com
December 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
In case you need to hear Chet Atkins shred on a fretless(!) guitar with Jerry Reed(!!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3N6...
Reposted by Chris McMahon
It is when you play it at Christmas.
December 18, 2025 at 4:01 AM
It is when you play it at Christmas.
this is a Christmas song, right? www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQvc...
My Favorite Things (Stereo) (2022 Remaster)
YouTube video by John Coltrane - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:55 AM
this is a Christmas song, right? www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQvc...
Reposted by Chris McMahon
Back during the dot-bomb era (circa 2001) there were something like 100 people in my job role at a company and around 90 of them got RIFd when the market tanked. @ladynetworker.bsky.social and I survived the purge in part because of writing skills.
December 18, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Back during the dot-bomb era (circa 2001) there were something like 100 people in my job role at a company and around 90 of them got RIFd when the market tanked. @ladynetworker.bsky.social and I survived the purge in part because of writing skills.
This has been true for years and years. Advice to early stage tech people in particular has been consistently "learn how to write well".
Are these the same companies that told us the robot could do it?
December 17, 2025 at 8:41 PM
This has been true for years and years. Advice to early stage tech people in particular has been consistently "learn how to write well".
holy fuck a cappella key change
I have to add that he's not just holding down a bassline, when he sings he's harmonizing on the fly, which is hard to go
You lot need Dick Van Dyke singing Let's Go Fly a Kite on his 100th birthday more than you know.
December 16, 2025 at 3:07 PM
holy fuck a cappella key change
new open req at @beehiiv.com full stack dev with Rails/React beehiiv.bamboohr.com/careers/40 HMU if you're interested.
BambooHR
beehiiv.bamboohr.com
December 16, 2025 at 12:16 AM
new open req at @beehiiv.com full stack dev with Rails/React beehiiv.bamboohr.com/careers/40 HMU if you're interested.
when I used to work in bars the scariest thing was a catfight. two men will shout and posture for a long time before either throws a punch and you can break it up. women will be chatting quietly and then in seconds they're trying to rip each others' eyes out.
last night i explained to someone that being good at fighting is not about being big or strong, but about convincing the other guy you’re crazier than he is. nobody wants to fuck with the 5’2” girl who’s advancing on you barking like dmx
December 15, 2025 at 3:16 PM
when I used to work in bars the scariest thing was a catfight. two men will shout and posture for a long time before either throws a punch and you can break it up. women will be chatting quietly and then in seconds they're trying to rip each others' eyes out.
Charlie Mingus' GOODBYE PORK PIE HAT is for Lester "Prez" Young. Joni Mitchell's lyrics in her vocal version of GBPPH off her 'Mingus' album: "When Charlie spoke of Lester"... bonus, also oblique reference to Mingus' surreal autobiography Beneath The Underdog: "...put him in an underdog position..."
What's a song where another musician or band is referenced in the lyrics or title?
December 14, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Charlie Mingus' GOODBYE PORK PIE HAT is for Lester "Prez" Young. Joni Mitchell's lyrics in her vocal version of GBPPH off her 'Mingus' album: "When Charlie spoke of Lester"... bonus, also oblique reference to Mingus' surreal autobiography Beneath The Underdog: "...put him in an underdog position..."
@bwjones.bsky.social might be of interest for your car collection www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...
Jello Biafra is selling his 1989 Celica — and he’ll take the winning bidder for a spin
This 1989 Toyota Celica GT convertible comes with an unusual perk: The winning bidder can join Jello Biafra for a personal Bay Area cruise to some of his favorite punk history landmarks.
www.sfchronicle.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:55 PM
@bwjones.bsky.social might be of interest for your car collection www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...
The word from the violin shop is that tariffs are taking a toll on the high end instrument trade. From Austrian strings to Chinese basses, these items are very expensive but the margins are slim so tariffs drive prices way way up, relatively more than commodity items like groceries.
I just bought new Spirocores for my bass (the ones on the bass were more than a year old). It was ~$400, about a 30% premium over the old price in the violin shop, about the cost of a decent acoustic guitar. Good thing they last a long time.
December 12, 2025 at 5:47 PM
The word from the violin shop is that tariffs are taking a toll on the high end instrument trade. From Austrian strings to Chinese basses, these items are very expensive but the margins are slim so tariffs drive prices way way up, relatively more than commodity items like groceries.
Reposted by Chris McMahon
This is a fantastic thing if you know any undergrads interested...
Applications open for SFI’s 2026 UCR program.
Are you fascinated by transdisciplinary questions that transcend or combine disciplines? UCR is a fully funded, 10-week summer research experience for undergraduates curious about complexity science.
Apply by Jan 14, 2026
santafe.edu/ucr
Are you fascinated by transdisciplinary questions that transcend or combine disciplines? UCR is a fully funded, 10-week summer research experience for undergraduates curious about complexity science.
Apply by Jan 14, 2026
santafe.edu/ucr
December 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
This is a fantastic thing if you know any undergrads interested...
I submit that it is fundamentally impossible to hold a clarinet 'as if it were a weapon' and that the detection system is faulty if not worthless. Excuse me while I grab my assault banjo. www.wfla.com/news/florida...
www.wfla.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I submit that it is fundamentally impossible to hold a clarinet 'as if it were a weapon' and that the detection system is faulty if not worthless. Excuse me while I grab my assault banjo. www.wfla.com/news/florida...
OK this is nifty. I'm not usually interested in >4 strings but I would work with this.
Here's what it sounds like:
Ibanez SRAS7 Ashula Bass Fretted + Fretless
YouTube video by Gregor Fris
www.youtube.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:15 PM
OK this is nifty. I'm not usually interested in >4 strings but I would work with this.
I just bought new Spirocores for my bass (the ones on the bass were more than a year old). It was ~$400, about a 30% premium over the old price in the violin shop, about the cost of a decent acoustic guitar. Good thing they last a long time.
December 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I just bought new Spirocores for my bass (the ones on the bass were more than a year old). It was ~$400, about a 30% premium over the old price in the violin shop, about the cost of a decent acoustic guitar. Good thing they last a long time.
Reposted by Chris McMahon
There is something worse than AI killing the Internet, and that is AI killing companies' customer support service. 🤦
December 11, 2025 at 10:05 AM
There is something worse than AI killing the Internet, and that is AI killing companies' customer support service. 🤦
I mean, you don't think of Albuquerque as a town where you can just walk into a shop and lay your grubby hands on any one of several million-dollar instruments (especially a bass!) but ABQ is full of nice surprises. I played Charlie Haden's bass there last year but they sold it(!) since then.
Getting new strings for the bass. And a checkup for it. I got to play a 1700s bass worth 7 figures. 🤑😲
December 11, 2025 at 4:25 AM
I mean, you don't think of Albuquerque as a town where you can just walk into a shop and lay your grubby hands on any one of several million-dollar instruments (especially a bass!) but ABQ is full of nice surprises. I played Charlie Haden's bass there last year but they sold it(!) since then.
Getting new strings for the bass. And a checkup for it. I got to play a 1700s bass worth 7 figures. 🤑😲
December 10, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Getting new strings for the bass. And a checkup for it. I got to play a 1700s bass worth 7 figures. 🤑😲
I like the part about "Your newsletter is big enough to fill..." The promo shows the LA arena but one option people get is "a Martha's Vineyard ferry boat" LOL
your 2025 beehiiv Rewind is here!
& we're not gonna lie...your stats look goooooood
see your top content, growth, and everything you made happen this year ✨
& we're not gonna lie...your stats look goooooood
see your top content, growth, and everything you made happen this year ✨
December 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
I like the part about "Your newsletter is big enough to fill..." The promo shows the LA arena but one option people get is "a Martha's Vineyard ferry boat" LOL
Utah is like that. Once I had to explain to my mother that I was going backpacking in *Little* Death Hollow, not the regular Death Hollow, that's a different place.
Working on a piece of fiction that basically reimagines part of the Oregon coast and cackling because I can call stuff Desolation Cove and Lonely Highway and Deadman's Hell... because the whole coast is like the Devil's Hole in the Ground, Disillusionment Point, Murderdeath Pothole, Cape Impalement.
December 10, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Utah is like that. Once I had to explain to my mother that I was going backpacking in *Little* Death Hollow, not the regular Death Hollow, that's a different place.