"ASUS EEE PC" written by Paul on estrip.org

02/02/09 09:15 - 25ºF - ID#47598

ASUS EEE PC

I don't understand why any non-graphic designer, gamer would buy a laptop other than one of these. If you are using the internet and typing papers it is such a bargain. They are light and do just about everything a regualr laptop does. Also the battery life sounds fantastic with some models almost reaching 10 hours.

They have also done ton for linux by making it available to more people. According to wikipedia

it can run a multitude of linux distros, windows XP and even OS X!

Devices like this have lowered the entry cost of college in a way. Remember when a laptop was like $1500-2000 even for a non-fancy one.

It has multitouch gestures and the newer models coming out even have touch screens. I think at some point I am going to want one.

fing writes at 01:06:08 02/04/09 - Comment #45144: I am obsessed with these little things. I constantly think about how I can use one on a regular basis to justify the cost. I know it's not a huge sum of money but I don't want it to sit around and collect dust. I have always thought about getting one for work so I don't have to run around with my MacBook Pro all day. Network closets can be very dirty and dusty sometimes.

tinypliny writes at 05:17:52 02/03/09 - Comment #45133: <$200 for a laptop that loaded is EXCELLENT. I would buy one more!

libertad writes at 02:53:29 02/03/09 - Comment #45103: Wow! I had no idea that you could get something like that for so cheap. If I ever do get one I would hope that it would have more drive space in it to avoid (e:uncutsaniflush)'s problem because that seems like a pretty difficult fix. $200 seems like a great deal because online at bestbuy right now they are like $329.

uncutsaniflush writes at 07:39:53 02/02/09 - Comment #45079: We got an eee 900a (1gb ram 4gb ssd) a couple of Fridays ago at Best Buy for 199.99. We like the form factor and hardware.

The Xandros Linux Easy Mode is ok but asus should be ashamed of themselves for shipping this model as configured. Because of the unionfs, there is not enough drive space to install the updates that Xandros's updater forces on you. Firefox 3 is especially problematic since it also requires some lib files to be upgraded.

There is a workaround (this is Linux after all) that gets rid of the unionfs and merges two smaller partitions to make one larger partition. It can be found at :::link:::

After doing that, I can say that the eee 900a is decent wee netbook and the Xandros Linux is ok. I plan on putting some other distro on it at some point in the future.

btw, I'm writing this on the eee.

tinypliny writes at 07:12:34 02/02/09 - Comment #45074: Yeah, very trendy. But brand reliability is one reason why I always stick to Toshiba.

theecarey writes at 06:16:04 02/02/09 - Comment #45063: yes, I have been wanting one of these for awhile! It is my next laptop- perfect for bringing it everywhere (small, lightweight, can take a beating..).

heidi writes at 01:12:39 02/02/09 - Comment #45059: I love my eeepc 900 running some linux distro, xandros, maybe. I use it to take notes in class, listen to music in bed, watch youtube, etc. Very useful. The only bad thing about the linux distro is that I can't figure out how to upgrade firefox, open office, etc. I read the instructions and tried it several times but I must be doing something wrong. Anyone want to help me (and play with my EEE PC?)

lilho writes at 10:51:35 02/02/09 - Comment #45058: my brother has that. i think he likes it. it's little and cute. way cheaper than my macbook.

Permalink: ASUS_EEE_PC.html
Words: 148
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: estrip

02/01/09 09:43 - 32ºF - ID#47595

Buffalo's Original Green Publication

Estrip.org is Buffalo's original green publication.

I love how Buffalo Rising

is now pretending that being green was a motivating factor in giving up their print publication. I think failed business model and inability to see the obvious death of print was more likely.

Permalink: Buffalo_s_Original_Green_Publication.html
Words: 51
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: food

02/01/09 04:53 - ID#47593

Smelts at Kosta's

We headed over to kostas after watching slumdog millionaire. The movie was pretty good, although I'm not really a fan of movies with homeless child protagonists, visions of big crowded cities, or the Indian head wiggle gesture (sorry indian friends - it makes me uncomfortable because I don't get it). It was surely better than Disney's Hotel for Dog, which is what I thought we were seeing. I knew it had dog in the title.

Totally unrelated, the point of this post was that in addition to fresh octopus, Kostas has smelts. I have not seen smelts on the menu anywhere else - let alone on a bed of dandelion with lemon. I would get it if I could say no to octopus.

Permalink: Smelts_at_Kosta_s.html
Words: 129
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: food

01/31/09 11:20 - 23ºF - ID#47587

Cinnamon Sticks at Guercio's

Today, I went shopping at Guercio's, the Coop and Eegmans with (e:libertad), (e:mike) and (e:matthew). I cannot believe how cheap spices are at Guecrio's. I got about 60 sticks of cinnamon bark for $6.99 and about a liter of coriander seeds for the same price. To give you an idea of how cheap this is, at Wegmans - the cheapest cinnamon sticks I could get - were about 7 sticks for $5.49. It seems totally unreal, huh?

Guercio's price for cinnamon sticks

Wegman's price for the cheap brand

tinypliny writes at 01:50:29 02/01/09 - Comment #45041: @James: Make your own! Store-bought masalas are so not the real deal! (except Trader Joe, which we don't have here unfortunately). The recipe is ridiculously simple. Dry toast:
5 parts coriander seeds
2 parts cumin seeds
2 parts cloves
2 parts whole black peppers
Dry red chillies to taste (A LOT! :)
in a cast iron skillet till the coriander seeds are a lightish brown and aromatic. DO NOT CHAR.

Pour everything in a blender. Add
1 part dried mango powder (Amchur)
3/4 part cardamom pods (shelled)
Dash of cinnamon.

Grind to a fine-coarse powder. That's it. Store in the fridge to retain freshness (around 6 months).

@Jenks: REALLY?? What kind of spices do they have in bulk?! Pray, tell!!

jenks writes at 12:49:22 02/01/09 - Comment #45039: ps i just found that the wegs on amherst has a bulk spice section- near the bulk candy, towards the front. Not 'name brands' but way way cheaper.

jenks writes at 12:48:30 02/01/09 - Comment #45038: yeah same here. Last year I wanted whole cloves, and a little mini bottle was like $3 in the spice section, and then I found a gigantic lifetime-supply size bottle for like $2 in the 'ethnic' aisle.

james writes at 11:47:55 02/01/09 - Comment #45037: Yesterday I was in Wegs buying some Garam Masala. In the spice section 2oz sold for 6.99. In the Indian food section an 8oz package sold for 2.49.

WTF?

tinypliny writes at 10:52:20 02/01/09 - Comment #45036: McCormick prices are atrocious, BTW. I wonder what their profit margin is. I am sure harried housewives and bakers grab those insanely expensive bottles from the Wegmans shelves as a last-minute resort.

tinypliny writes at 10:50:41 02/01/09 - Comment #45035: On everything?! You must post some rosemary-centric recipes! :)

paul writes at 10:46:35 02/01/09 - Comment #45034: I use rosemary on everything, so for me tht bottle seems very reasonable. The price sure is.

tinypliny writes at 10:38:40 02/01/09 - Comment #45031: What do you think of Rosemary prices at Guercios? I wanted to buy a bottle but it was too huge. I haven't really experimented with Rosemary in my cooking till recently (when you gave me some from your garden). I didn't know if I could get through that huge bottle. Maybe I should have bought it...

tinypliny writes at 10:36:10 02/01/09 - Comment #45030: 1 Litre coriander seeds = 1 kg for $7?
Is that correct?

I just compared the Indian Store prices. I pay around $7.50 for a kg (1000 gms). Its the fastest moving spice in my kitchen next to salt!

Permalink: Cinnamon_Sticks_at_Guercio_s.html
Words: 91
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: linwood

01/31/09 11:17 - ID#47579

Parking at dance camp on linwood

These people stopped in the middle of the street blocking a plow.
Then someone got out of the passenger seat. Then that person walked
around and let more children out the otherside. The entire time they
were parked diagnal across the driveway and in the middle of the
street. It's the worst possible combo as it stops all traffic on
linwood and blocks the driveway.

Permalink: Parking_at_dance_camp_on_linwood.html
Words: 69
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/30/09 11:33 - ID#47573

Macbook pro dead pixels

Seeing as one whole row is dead now, I have at least 900 of them.
It's under AppleCare and it can get fixed but seriously, I don't have
the time to not have a comp and this is the second time the laptop has
had a hardware failure. I know that I use it quite hard but going to
the applestore and giving up my comp for the weekend is not convenient.

Permalink: Macbook_pro_dead_pixels.html
Words: 75
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: food

01/29/09 09:56 - 18ºF - ID#47554

More mercury - high fructose corn syrup

Just when you thought you had you tuna fish schedule all worked out to avoid having too much mercury - it end up being in yet another place. This time High fructose corn syrup.

Luckily, I don't very much of that on the diet I eat, but it is in pretty much all sweetend, processed junk food and soda.

Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury
MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.

Permalink: More_mercury_high_fructose_corn_syrup.html
Words: 245
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/28/09 11:57 - ID#47551

Safer non-stick

At wegman's the other day, I saw these cuisinart non-toxic, non-stick
pans. They are so smoothly non stick. I wonder if they are really
safe.

Permalink: Safer_non_stick.html
Words: 29
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/28/09 09:56 - ID#47540

Whip cream obsession

I think I have almost perfected my whip cream dessert with the
addition of Sicilian blood orange. I missed the merengue base of the
previous iteration as my beaters are not strong enough to make it ;(

Permalink: Whip_cream_obsession.html
Words: 40
Location: Buffalo, NY

01/25/09 02:38 - ID#47517

Concerned about peanut butter?

I sure am concerned, but Wegman's has a sign saying theirs in not
implicated in the recall - yet. I hope so because I am sure any food
born illness would kill me.

On an unrelated note, they now also have grass fed, organic, NY strip
steaks for about $6-$7 each.