Text 23185, 173 rader
Skriven 2012-04-01 23:00:02 av Stephen Haffly (1:396/45.27)
     Kommentar till en text av MICHAEL LOO
Ärende: puter fun 449
=====================
Hello Michael,

On (30 Mar 12) MICHAEL LOO wrote to STEPHEN HAFFLY...

 SH> sealer. Remove the screws that keep loosening and put a drop of
 SH> Locktite on the threads and then screw them back in (please use a

 ML> Would something like nail polish perform the same function?

I see Dave Drum replied and said it would be okay. The difference is the
Locktite would go on the threads but nail polish would go on the head.
It is up to you which one you use.

 SH> jewler's screwdriver, not a nail file). Once that is done, the Locktite
 SH> will help lock the screws in place and keep them from working loose.

 ML> I did some experimenting and found that there seems to be an
 ML> optimal tightness, which is not quite the limit of the screws.

 ML> Oh yes, as soon as I found a set of jeweler's screwdrivers, I
 ML> did in fact use one. The nail file was a child of necessity.
Yes, necessity makes us do these things sometimes. I'm glad you do have
the proper tools.

 ML> Possibly. I need to regroup my expenses until I can afford to
 ML> get two matching little guys to have self-backup (my current
 ML> plan A for the future).

A matched set can be handy. However, I think a reliable online backup
(Carbonite, SpiderOak, DropBox, or other online service) might also be
something to consider. You wouldn't have to lay out the price of two
machines. Even though the online backup costs (unless you keep the
backups to under 2 Gb, in which case SpiderOak and I think DropBox would
be free), it would be a smaller amount and you wouldn't have to maintain
two pieces of hardware when you only have need of one.

 ML> Can I get a machine that still runs XP, which I rather like,
 SH> You could. The problem is that Microsoft has already determined that
 SH> XP will only get security updates for about 2 more years. That has been
 SH> extended a number of times over when they originally said that they
 SH> would be pulling the plug on XP.

 ML> So they have kept it going because people have let them know
 ML> that that was the most stable product that the company has
 ML> produced?

Probably because of the large base of XP that was in the business world.
However, even business has its upgrade cycles. Eventually, XP will die.
It may have been stable, but Windows 7 appears to be stable also.

 ML> I really disliked Vista and have tried out Windows 7, which
 ML> doesn't offer the user as much discretion. I'm sure there are
 ML> ways under the hood, but it seems too tight to me, to the
 ML> degree that one thing wrong will force you to take it to the
 ML> shop, sort of like what obtains with a car computer.

Given what I have seen, I don't think it would be as bad as you think.
My dad, who isn't much into computers, seems to be okay with it (once I
taped over the switch where he kept turning off the wireless in his
laptop, that is).

 SH> My other suggestion is that for a travel computer, you consider a
 SH> netbook such as the Acer Aspire One 722 which has a dual-core AMD C60
 SH> processor, 2 Gb RAM, and an 11.2" screen. That one is small enough to
 SH> be very portable and big enough to be kinder to the eyes and friendlier
 SH> to fingers than the old 7" or 9" EeePC netbooks were.

 ML> I sort of thought about that possibility and waiting until
 ML> I was flush enough to buy two, see above.

Consider my suggestion of one with an online backup as an alternative.

 ML>  Since it would be
 SH> a travel machine, you may wish to look at those which contain a Solid
 SH> State Drive (SSD), as those are much more able to stand the bumps of
 SH> travel.

 ML> This has been suggested before, though this regular drive has
 ML> received some pretty hard knocks without skipping a beat.


If one is careful, then they can be reliable. However, I had to help a
friend fix his where he would shut the lid and then move it before it
had fully hibernated. It ended up damaging the sectors needed to boot
the computer. There is risk, but if one is careful not to bump it hard
while it is operating, then the hard drive can be fine. It is just that
the risk is reduced to insignificant with a solid-state drive.

I'm glad you liked the Linux suggestion too.

These aren't dairy free. There is a place near us that has Apple Cider
Doughnuts. This looks like it might be similar to what those are.

Title: Apple Cider Doughnuts
Yield: 12
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Preparation Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Source: Food Network Magazine
Website: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_3876

---
Ingredients
---
2 red apples, such as Cortland or McIntosh
2 1/2 cups apple cider
3 1/2 cups all-pourpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
 Vegetable oil, for frying

---
Instructions
---

Core and coarsely chop the apples (do not peel). Combine with 1 1/2
cups cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until
softened, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the
apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5
minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until
smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce
further, if necessary.) Let cool slightly.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon,
salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
Beat 2/3 cup granulated sugar and the shortening in another bowl with
a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then
gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of
the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the
remaining flour mixture. Mix to make a sticky dough; do not overmix.
Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and
pat into a 7-by-11-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small
saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the
confectioners' sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix the
remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow
bowl; set aside for the topping.
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over
medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough into 12
rounds, using a floured 2 1/2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter, then cut out
the middles with a 1-inch cutter (or use a doughnut cutter). Slip 2 or
3 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1
to 2 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the
paper towels to drain.
Dip one side of each doughnut in the cider glaze, letting the excess
drip off; dip just the glazed side in the cinnamon-sugar or roll all
over in cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Serve warm.


---
Notes
---

Prep Time 50 minutes active, 2 hours inactive.

Regards,

Stephen
Professional Point in DOSBox running on Linux.

... Proverbs 3:13 | Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

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