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Category: eating in

06/03/11 08:24 - ID#54418

Best Dark Chocolate Bar at Walgreens

Is Lindt 85% Dark chocolate.
image
It is probably the only chocolate bar at Walgreens (@Delaware & North) that does not have cloying amounts of sugar and soy lecithin and whatnots that yuck-ify all dark chocolate.

It would have been awesome had they carried the 90% Lindt or even the 85% Valrhona, but they don't. So in their whole dark chocolate inventory, Lindt 85% easily stands heads and shoulders above all the rest.

And yes, I have now sampled each and every single dark chocolate bar they carry or have ever carried (some of them multiple times) so I declare myself a Walgreens (@Delaware & North) dark chocolate expert.



PS: I admit that I am not a Walgreens (@Delaware & North) expert in chocolate bars other than the dark ones - because I think all non-dark chocolate is mediocre by definition.
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Permalink: Best_Dark_Chocolate_Bar_at_Walgreens.html
Words: 136
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 08:39


Category: science

06/03/11 10:42 - ID#54411

Birdsong and microRNA.

I was recently reading an article about how birdsong influences the expression of small RNAs called... microRNA that in turn, influences gene expression.

It's absolutely fascinating. If you think about it, everything happens with gene-expression. Every little sound or image or any sensory input we receive from outside changes and temper the way our genes express in an ever-changing interaction.

I wonder what an intense episode of stress does to our immune-system related genes... Does it promote allergic reactions? Does it suppress the immune-system in a counter-productive move? I have this slight inkling of a doubt that this year, my escalating stress, nightmares about graduating and complete lack of restful sleep day in and day out is probably the primary cause of all my out-of-the-blue allergies.

I have never had allergies to ANYthing before. I usually cope with stress well... but then I have also had family around me in the past to buffer most extreme stressful times. I have sailed through most 40 hour shifts with nothing more than sore throats in the past. But I think if I had to do those shifts now, I would fall seriously sick. Things have changed so much.

So coming back to microRNAs, I wonder how microRNA influenced gene-expression charts the course of body physiology and especially, immune-system function. Sounds like an excellent future avenue ripe for investigation - especially since we can knock some of these microRNAs out with drugs...
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Permalink: Birdsong_and_microRNA_.html
Words: 243
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 10:42


Category: music

06/03/11 09:56 - ID#54410

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Puts her spin on Charles Dickens

I saw no shadow ...
I saw nooo shadowwwwwwwwwwwww ...
I saw noooooooo shadooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww ...
of another parting ...
from her.

Someday I want to find out if I can belt out a simple operatic tune. Maybe when all this messy academic phase is past and I am a decade older (and not dead or sick with cancer and chemotherapy-related side-effects) I want to take some voice training and see how long I can draw my breath out into a loooonnng note in tune.

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Permalink: Dame_Kiri_Te_Kanawa.html
Words: 88
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 10:09


Category: eating out

06/03/11 09:42 - ID#54409

Aunt Jemima Waffles: Take 2

Turns out that the ingredient list and the nutrient profile I posted for Aunt Jemima Blueberry waffles in my last journal were from some older versions of their waffles. They were the ones available online on the Aunt Jemima website. I should have proof-read them more carefully. I vaguely remember thinking that this was not what I saw on the box as I posted the waffle battle journal. But I put that thought on hold because I went back to some number-crunching and r-coding before I dropped into unconsciousness at my desk.

I was surprised when (e:Paul) pointed out the tertiary-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in the list. Because I distinctly remember the box saying "no preservatives". So here are the real photos of the Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles box I bought yesterday.
image
image
Check: No preservatives.
image

And 10 calories less that what I posted. They really changed the recipé.
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Permalink: Aunt_Jemima_Waffles_Take_2.html
Words: 154
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 09:48


Category: eating out

06/02/11 10:05 - ID#54408

Aunt Jemima Vs. Eggo: Waffle Battle

I dreamt about waffles for 3 days in a row till it got out of hand today morning. I could smell them while I was eating apples. I examined hormonal and physiological reasons behind the craving hoping to expose the irrationality of it all. I even considered my new anti-allergy buddy Claritin as one of the culprits behind the craving.

But in the end, I am sorry to say, the waffle craving totally won out. I trotted straight from work to Pricerite to get frozen waffles. I was then faced with CHOICES!

image

I thought Eggo was the only one who made waffles. But no. There were Aunt Jemima waffles battling for my attention as well. Regardless of the majority vote in this thread: I chose Aunt Jemima. The nutritional profiles were pretty similar.

Eggo Blueberry Waffles Nutrition data:
image
Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles Nutrition data:
image

The ingredient list was also rather similar

Aunt Jemima waffles ingredients:
INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED BLUEBERRY BITS (SUGAR, DEXTROSE, SOYBEAN OIL WITH TBHQ, SOY PROTEIN, SALT, CITRIC ACID, CELLULOSE GUM, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, MALIC ACID, RED 40 LAKE, BLUE 2 LAKE), SUGAR, WHEY. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE [SOY LECITHIN]), WHOLE EGGS, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SALT, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CORN STARCH, COLORED WITH (YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6), FORITIFIED WITH (REDUCED IRON, NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2] , THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], CYANOCOBALAMIN [VITAMIN B12]), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR (DEXTROSE, CORN STARCH, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SOY LECITHIN. CONTAINS: SOY, EGGS, MILK, WHEAT

But somehow, I chose Aunt Jemima because the phrase "Aunt Jemima" invoked a friendly image of some homely aunt making a fresh batch of waffles in the morning. Aunt Jemima won the battle on psychological grounds.
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Permalink: Aunt_Jemima_Vs_Eggo_Waffle_Battle.html
Words: 313
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 12:49


Category: grocery

06/02/11 02:41 - ID#54403

Guercio and Sons, Buffalo, NY

Now have a website!!! You know you want to click through:
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They have most of their formerly mysterious wholesale catalogue online: I know for a fact it's not for restaurants alone. You can get fresh cases of salads and chocolate or whatever you like from them if you can consume that much. I have, in the past, eaten their mesclun salads with every meal for a whole month till I finished the case. :-)

And they carry the whole range of Ecce Panis Artisan breads: Now, if only they would take online orders and allow me to pay with credit, I don't have to trek all the way to Grant Street for my Guercio fix. :)

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Permalink: Guercio_and_Sons_Buffalo_NY.html
Words: 131
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/02/11 03:11


Category: eating in

06/01/11 07:14 - ID#54399

Pots and Pans: nth iteration

I have been learning a lot about stainless steel cookware these past few days. The best guide to pots and pans on the whole internet is arguably this page:

Apparently, when you are buying stainless steel pots and pans, it better to get tri-ply construction for the entire pan (bottom as well as walls) instead of an encapsulated bottom alone. Food is more likely to burn or cook non-uniformly where the encapsulation ends.

According to most cooking pan guides I read through, a complete copper tri-ply with stainless steel is the best type of cooking pan construction but is quite impractical for people on a budget. It is almost like buying a pan made fully out of one of the "precious" metals. The next best thing is aluminium tri-ply construction.

Riveted handles are better. So are pots and pans made of 18/10 (Chromium/Nickel) stainless steel.

Looks like satisfies pretty much all of those criteria... and doesn't break the budget.
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Permalink: Pots_and_Pans_nth_iteration.html
Words: 182
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/01/11 07:14


Category: the odes

06/01/11 04:43 - ID#54397

e:matthew, did you see this?

You would like "Young Victoria" very much. :-)
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I agree with all the praise heaped on that poster. And I love that royal purple. An awesome colour, in general.
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Permalink: e_matthew_did_you_see_this_.html
Words: 34
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/01/11 04:43


Category: dance

06/01/11 11:35 - ID#54395

Stretching Everyday

I now think stretching is the key to being fit. Every element of ballet and yoga that make me feel awesome about myself involve stretching in some form. I think this post summarizes the value of stretching:

Also has this nifty basic stretches diagram:
image

What if you used every small timespan of just twiddling your thumbs to stretch a muscle instead? How many stretches could you accumulate in a day? How much fitness would you gain? What if you stretched whenever you remembered to throughout the week, throughout the month, pretty much whenever it was feasible? Would it make a difference to your body?

I am going to find out!! Mid-year resolution #1!

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Permalink: Stretching_Everyday.html
Words: 118
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/01/11 11:35


Category: e:strip

06/01/11 11:20 - ID#54394

Using e:strip to its potential...

If (e:strip) is not about stalking people from my 3rd grade or shouting in clipped sentences, then what is it about for me? I just came to a conclusion that I don't use it enough or rather, I have set some artificial limits for what I want to write here. I was telling (e:Paul) that (e:strip) is like the Fedora of online technology. Why not make it the Fedora of my thoughts and life as well?

I think writing for an audience tempers all of my posts here. What if I didn't write for an audience and wrote exclusively for myself? I am going to try that experiment starting today. I want to be able to write whatever I am thinking about, whenever I am thinking about it here and include links and references in context to those thoughts along with my posts.

(e:Paul) already publishes most of his life on his journal. I think that is the true meaning of (e:strip) - to be able to come online and just document what is going on in your conscious and subconscious mind and not really worry about why you are driven to put it online. The alternate meaning of (e:strip) is to be able to electronically strip the clouds, the salt scales and the tartar away from your core thoughts and just put them here for reference and sometimes, increased clarity.

Of course, I will not put work-related writing here... That is reserved for my citation manager. :)
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Permalink: Using_e_strip_to_its_potential_.html
Words: 253
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/01/11 11:29


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