Tinypliny's Journal

07/11/2011 16:44 #54687

Using Gnumeric to eliminate duplicates
Category: i-tech

I can always use R, but sometimes Gnumeric comes in handy to whittle down lists filled with duplicates in a jiffy.

Simplified steps from

1. Say you have a column A with A1 to A100 rows with duplicate data that you want to eliminate

2. Go to Data > Advanced Filter. Under the input tab, choose list range as A1 to A100.

3. I don't understand why Gnumeric needs a criteria range for everything but it does... Even for duplicate-value-finding that involves no mathematical formulas. So choose a criteria range. Say B1 to B2. Make sure that the first cell of the criteria range has the same column header as the list range. So if, say your cell A1 was named "Numbers" then B1 should also be "Numbers". Leave B2 blank.

4. Check unique records only

5. Go to the Output tab. Choose an output range (longer than the input range, just to prevent any complaints from gnumeric). Click OK.

You should have the original list with no duplicates in the output range.

07/11/2011 00:32 #54685

Biscoff Cookie CopyCat Recipe
Category: eating in

I found an interesting variation on the Biscoff Speculoos recipe at this

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baker's ammonia
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baker's ammonia and salt together; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on low speed, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add the vanilla extract. Gradually blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 greased pan. Decoratively score the dough with a fork or small knife, if you wish.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container. Well-wrapped shortbread may also be frozen.

Source: The Art Of The Cookie

Baker's Ammonia? What in the world is that? Sounds so fishy... and sea-weedy.

tinypliny - 07/17/11 15:22
This was a major doorstopper because I completely subbed the butter with applesauce, subbed half the flour with wheat bran, subbed the fishy ammonia thingy with regular baking soda, forgot the vanilla extract and used 100% brown sugar. And of course, I have no measures, everything was eyeballed. I narrowly escaped breaking my teeth as I bit into one without cares. They are rather good (in a wow, this is so healthy for me way) dipped in hot tea.

07/10/2011 22:39 #54683

I don't need this Laptop replacement keyboard
Category: i-tech

Do I really want this keyboard? I am tempted to get it because it is exactly like a laptop keyboard. I am a very noisy typist and can probably wake the dead with my typing... or at least make them toss around. Maybe this keyboard will stop all that noise and I don't have to drown out the sound of my own typing with music?

BUT I am sure accumulation tax applies to such frivolous things. I can probably buy more heavy metal instead... Besides, I am sure the dead need all the extra exercise they can get. I am resisting this totally unreasonable impulse to buy this absolutely unnecessary keyboard.

heidi - 07/13/11 12:28
I'm borrowing a friend's nook and loving it! It's got all these tempting books on it, particularly the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin which I can't start reading until 7/28. :-p It also plays well with all my bar review stuff and I found a flashcard app. Pretty cool :-) I like my phone's on-screen keyboard, but so far I'm slow the the nook's. Having to use a non-sticky shift key is cumbersome. An external keyboard might be useful.

tinypliny - 07/12/11 21:21
I don't have a tablet yet, but someday I certainly will the way I am headed. I will also have the tablet keyboard then because I can't stand on-screen keyboards. They annoy me big time.

tinypliny - 07/12/11 21:20
hehehe - you carry it all in a smaller backpack (that would have been 3x bigger, had it been for a laptop). :)

metalpeter - 07/12/11 17:24
They make key boards for tablets ? I admit I don't get the tablet thing I really don't maybe cause I'm a walker bus guy but you have to cary them still and to big to fit in a pocket and if they did fit In a back pocket you would crush them when you sat down... so the idea that one would add a key board seems silly...Well I mean if you only used it at home it makes perfect sense....

tinypliny - 07/11/11 19:31
Actually I was looking at keyboards that are meant for tablets earlier.. They are very soft and effortless to type on and occupy very little space. But I am resisting!

metalpeter - 07/11/11 17:50
I say screw it go for the key board that is more then a computer itself ...... I don't know where you buy it but you somehow program it is....So yes the keyboard could be made to type in multiple languages think it glows it looks pretty amazing not sure if they still make it .... Think it might unroll as well.....

tinypliny - 07/11/11 16:10
Heh, that's on sale on Amazon today. But there is accumulation tax.

paul - 07/11/11 08:27
I think you mught like thus one better. It is wireless and solar powered :::link::: The reviews are great.

07/10/2011 22:30 #54682

VLC and last.fm
Category: i-tech

I upgraded to the latest VLC on Crunchbang today. It turned out that I had completely forgotten where the audioscrobbler settings for last.fm submission were in VLC after so many years of not changing them.

They are under Tools > Preferences > (Show Settings: All) > Interface > Control Interfaces > Audioscrobbler.

I always notice that the features that are super-important to me are usually buried under countless sub-sub-headings. Maybe that says something about the completely trivial ways I use my music playing software.

07/10/2011 22:06 #54681

Coffee at the taste of Buffalo
Category: eating out

I took a quick short stroll to stretch my legs around taste of Buffalo today and got to sample two different kinds of Keurig single-brew coffee. I had the blueberry and nantucket versions. It was pretty decent coffee... much better than the messy excuse I make at home occasionally.

But is the waste worth it? I know people have devised ways to reuse the single-serve coffee brewing Keurig cup more times than one... but still it is definitely way more plastic than I am comfortable just throwing away.

I felt guilty throwing away the small sample plastic cups they gave me. I also felt horrible looking at the trash cans around the event filled to the brim with plastic and more plastic. It was helplessness mixed with guilt because I was part of the problem. What are other ways to make such an event generate biodegradable waste instead? One alternative would be cups made of dried (or even fresh) leaves and bound by twigs (they use these back home).

(e:heidi), so what happened to your single coffee brewer in the end?

metalpeter - 07/12/11 17:21
Well then that would be better then plastic unless you recycled but about the same as paper.... Some dishes though are made to eat the one example I can think is taco salad where the bowl is the taco or what ever but not sure why a good bowl that can be eaten if they went in this route couldn't be used?

tinypliny - 07/11/11 19:29
that is a crazy story about the noise making bag... quite unbelievable.

tinypliny - 07/11/11 19:28
(e:metalpeter), you don't eat the cup made of leaves ever. You just throw them away. They degrade naturally. Also, if they are dried tough leaves, they are a lot more durable than you'd think. Take a look: :::link::: :::link::: :::link::: :::link::: :::link::: :::link::: :::link:::

metalpeter - 07/11/11 17:45
I think all they could really do is have a 3 bin system
1. Food
2. Paper
3. Plastic

But don't know how practical that would be with it being a festival and having to haul the stuff out and people throwing stuff out and wanting more food.........

Sorry Tiny but I don't think that cup idea would go over to well...That would be one more thing every place would have to make they would have to make it in each size and then you would have to make enough but not to many so that they don't go to waste or you don't run out during the event..... Also If say like I did you just ate boneless wings would you really feel like eating the cup?

But see this reminds me of something I learned that we can all learn from on an episode of Bill Maher...... Sun Chips came out with a bag that was made of stuff that would break down after you ate the chips... Now this story made the news as being a great thing and it was... Not sure if the bag was eatable or not... But you know why they stopped making them.... The Bag was to loud! Yes the bag that crumpled made to much noise.... Well that is Americans for ya!