Peet's charges through the nose, but their coffee positively rocks. You know exactly what your getting, the roast is perfect, and it's completely fresh. And freshness is a big deal. You never have a clue how old ye olde bag of Stabuck's might be (in the cafe or the grocery store).
Peet's also stocks damn fine tea. Gimme wi-fi and a place that serves Peet's, and I'd probably never go home.;-)
Seems like a good plan. To me, the best coffee is my own. I can choose a bean to my liking and prepare it in a French Press (my favorite). And it costs cents a serving, even using some of the world's most exotic coffees.
> At long last the secret of Starbucks' "very good coffee" is revealed: burn the holy living shit out of your beans!
Yeah, they do seem to over-roast a bit. I think they do this to cover the uneven quality of their beans. As "luxury" coffee goes, Starbucks ain't nothin' to write home about. They aren't using premium beans and their blends are distinguished only for their uniformity.
It bothers me that people assume coffee is good just because it's served with an Italian name and costs three bucks a serving.
I really like coffee and have spent some time teaching myself how to make a decent cup and be able to tell the difference between packaging and actual quality. Starbucks is going for nearly $8.00 a bag for beans these days (and is STILL not Fair Trade coffee, even at those outrageous prices). On the other hand, a comparable bag of Community Coffee French Roast is about three bucks. Properly prepared, there is no practical difference in the qualities of CCFR and Starbuck's House Blend. They use similar grades of coffee beans and arrive at the store with approximately the same degree of freshness.
There are plenty of expensive coffees out there really worth the money for their rarity, freshness, and blend. But they usually don't come in Starbucks wrappers.
> It is rather ironic that Microsoft and other closed model companies rather resemble the Stalinist or Maoist model of a command economy with complete centralised control.
There's no doubt that OSS command and control is decentralized, if that's how you care to view things. But so is Microsoft's, since it is ultimately controlled by the "proletariat" of the stockholders.
This is all a rather silly way of looking at things, in any case. I don't think the metaphor is useful.
If this rumor is true, it really underlines Apple's evolution as an entertainment company.
You'd have to think Apple was called-upon for its hardware expertise. Those G5s need efficient cooling, and Apple has done a great job with its nearly silent, muti-fan Powermac towers.
I'm betting that if there's an Apple logo on the splash screen, they'll also be one on the case. This might end up being a cobranded box.
Hmm: wonder if it'll support iTunes. This might be Apple's first honest foray into the world of non-PC entertainment hubbing. What an interesting move that would be.
Yeah, "Soviet" was a slip.;-)
You're right that the Clintonites also mistreated the Russians. I would have expected more from the Bush administration, however, given Condoleeza Rice's specialty in the *former* Soviet republic.
Damn, you KNOW those missile failures had to be an embarrassment to Putin. They're actually a danger to him politically, which is a bad thing for the West. We want Putin to succeed. There's nothing good that could happen if someone more nationalistic took the helm and decided to reassert Russian national pride in ways we might not like.
I don't usually like syndicated columnist Charlie Reese, but he made a good point last week: foreign policy goal #1 should be US-Soviet relations. The current administration seems happy to humiliate the Russians at every turn, treating them like a third-world nation.
Any country which can deliver a couple hundred nukes to our key cities on thirty minutes notice isn't a third-world power, even if a few missiles splash into the sea. But the aging Cold Warriors in the White House are more concerned with half-crazy, two-bit despots commanding ruined armies and phantom WMDs.
I'm a diver and love artificial reefs. But I wonder about the suitability of a launch tower. It's contaminated, and could be ferociously expensive to sufficiently decontaminate for sinking. There's also the nature of its construction: can you imagine a more efficient diver trap, with all those struts, crossmembers, and protrusions?
Gotta think it would be cheaper and safer to sink *several* retired vessels, instead. The Navy is just days from designating a site for the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Oriskany to be sunk as a reef, and there are a couple more old flattops in the pipeline. Those will be more interesting dives, i think: less environmentally risky, and not as likely to claim the lives of unwary divers.
Tour guide: "And just to your left is the Viagra/Apollo mission launch tower. It's forty years old and still standing tall -- if you know what I mean. When you're thinking of blasting off, think of Viagra. Common side effects include headache, facial flushing, and upset stomach. Less commonly bluish vision, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light may briefly occur. But -- hey -- it beats not getting off the pad. If you know what I mean."
(Murmurs of approval from the tour group. Flashbulbs go off. A handsome, outdoorsy middle-aged man hugs his attractive, 30-something wife. She beams with pride. Tour bus disappears into a tunnel. Soft focus pan back to launch tower, with the super "ALL SYSTEMS GO" to fade.)
True: mplayer can handle Windows Media. So can Xine. I'm listening to my local public station's WMA feed right now. Linux users really aren't locked out.
On the other hand, you'd think the Lefties (God bless 'em!) at NPR would be inclined to use the cheapest and most accessible software solutions.
The idea of feeling "guilty" about using *any* operating system -- including Windows -- is inherently weird.
Maybe we've reached the point where we're no longer able to simply take or leave an OS on its own merits. I use Linux most of the time because it's cheap, stable, and I like the KDE desktop. At work, I use Windows for proprietary applications unavailable elsewhere. I also have a cool older iBook running OS X that has taken years of rough treatment without causing me much offense. I'll buy a G5 soon to run Photoshop.
It's all a question of the right tools for the job at hand. Operating systems aren't a religion. There's no need to feel guilty using one or the other. No divine laws are transgressed.
That being said, I think the Open Source movement is highly worthwhile. It provides the means to quality computing for those who might not be able to afford proprietary software, and it certainly keeps Microsoft, Sun, and Apple honest. Well -- mostly honest, in the case of at least one of those companies.
I'm grateful to all those who have freely contributed code to the stuff I use. Power to the People.
But guilty for using OS X? How silly. Mac users should probably feel good about contributing to the diversity of the commercial software industry.
They should probably also feel good about an OS that works right out of the box, and which supports some quality retail software. Not to mention the time they save without the hassle of resolving dependencies, looking up hardware compatability, or the forever tweaking many of us actually enjoy with Linux.
Hell has frozen over. In a single week, I've cheered Microsoft for coming to its senses and coming to a gentlemanly agreement with the young owner of MikeRoweSoft.com. Now I'm applauding SCO for setting the precedent of a bounty on asshole virus-writers.
Hand me those earmuffs, Mr. Lucifer. Chilly, huh? You just never know about the weather around here.
The good thing about Koffice is its speed and simplicity. Click -- bang -- it's open. Typetypetype. Job is done. It's almost as simple as a notepad-type program, but comes with a reasonably complete feature set. Great for 90% of my writing.
Now that it supposedly handles Star Office's XML format, I'll be more likely to use it. My only reservation before was that documents containing images or tables really needed to be saved in Kword's native format. Since I think of Open Office as my main suite, I was hesitant to create documents in Kword I might need to edit later.
I'm glad the Kword developers have stayed at it. Their product is attractive, stable, and easy to use. I'll be happy to see a mature port to my other platform, OS X.
Slashdot Mirror
Peet's also stocks damn fine tea. Gimme wi-fi and a place that serves Peet's, and I'd probably never go home. ;-)
Y'all come over and try some. ;-)
Yeah, they do seem to over-roast a bit. I think they do this to cover the uneven quality of their beans. As "luxury" coffee goes, Starbucks ain't nothin' to write home about. They aren't using premium beans and their blends are distinguished only for their uniformity.
It bothers me that people assume coffee is good just because it's served with an Italian name and costs three bucks a serving.
I really like coffee and have spent some time teaching myself how to make a decent cup and be able to tell the difference between packaging and actual quality. Starbucks is going for nearly $8.00 a bag for beans these days (and is STILL not Fair Trade coffee, even at those outrageous prices). On the other hand, a comparable bag of Community Coffee French Roast is about three bucks. Properly prepared, there is no practical difference in the qualities of CCFR and Starbuck's House Blend. They use similar grades of coffee beans and arrive at the store with approximately the same degree of freshness.
There are plenty of expensive coffees out there really worth the money for their rarity, freshness, and blend. But they usually don't come in Starbucks wrappers.
For whatever it's worth.
There's no doubt that OSS command and control is decentralized, if that's how you care to view things. But so is Microsoft's, since it is ultimately controlled by the "proletariat" of the stockholders.
This is all a rather silly way of looking at things, in any case. I don't think the metaphor is useful.
You'd have to think Apple was called-upon for its hardware expertise. Those G5s need efficient cooling, and Apple has done a great job with its nearly silent, muti-fan Powermac towers.
I'm betting that if there's an Apple logo on the splash screen, they'll also be one on the case. This might end up being a cobranded box.
Hmm: wonder if it'll support iTunes. This might be Apple's first honest foray into the world of non-PC entertainment hubbing. What an interesting move that would be.
Guess we'll see.
Pepsi probably *does* care. I'm shocked they were dumb enough to print directly on the inside of the cap.
The Pepsi Generation is apparently a pack of freeloading, self-entitled thieves. Groovy.
Yeah, "Soviet" was a slip. ;-)
You're right that the Clintonites also mistreated the Russians. I would have expected more from the Bush administration, however, given Condoleeza Rice's specialty in the *former* Soviet republic.
Damn, you KNOW those missile failures had to be an embarrassment to Putin. They're actually a danger to him politically, which is a bad thing for the West. We want Putin to succeed. There's nothing good that could happen if someone more nationalistic took the helm and decided to reassert Russian national pride in ways we might not like.
I don't usually like syndicated columnist Charlie Reese, but he made a good point last week: foreign policy goal #1 should be US-Soviet relations. The current administration seems happy to humiliate the Russians at every turn, treating them like a third-world nation.
Any country which can deliver a couple hundred nukes to our key cities on thirty minutes notice isn't a third-world power, even if a few missiles splash into the sea. But the aging Cold Warriors in the White House are more concerned with half-crazy, two-bit despots commanding ruined armies and phantom WMDs.
As far as paying for it: the Russians desperately need a symbol of national pride. They'll find a way to get this flying.
Ha! Lucas: stranding intrepid travelers worldwide.
Lucas electrical systems. They were a bitch in my MG, too.
...imagine a Beowulf cluster of THOSE.
Gotta think it would be cheaper and safer to sink *several* retired vessels, instead. The Navy is just days from designating a site for the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Oriskany to be sunk as a reef, and there are a couple more old flattops in the pipeline. Those will be more interesting dives, i think: less environmentally risky, and not as likely to claim the lives of unwary divers.
(Murmurs of approval from the tour group. Flashbulbs go off. A handsome, outdoorsy middle-aged man hugs his attractive, 30-something wife. She beams with pride. Tour bus disappears into a tunnel. Soft focus pan back to launch tower, with the super "ALL SYSTEMS GO" to fade.)
You know, I got modded down to ZERO for "overrated." Guess not everyone knows a good movie when they read it. ;-)
Now if only what the government writes is as clear as their typeface...
Andy must be a balding Sicilian.
Now you're making me reach for my dusty old Latin grammar book... ;-)
On the other hand, you'd think the Lefties (God bless 'em!) at NPR would be inclined to use the cheapest and most accessible software solutions.
Okay, I'll quit running IE 6 on my Linux boxes. Can't be too careful.
I suppose I'm "out" as a heretic, then. Before long, someone will discover my Crossover Office icon... ;-)
Maybe we've reached the point where we're no longer able to simply take or leave an OS on its own merits. I use Linux most of the time because it's cheap, stable, and I like the KDE desktop. At work, I use Windows for proprietary applications unavailable elsewhere. I also have a cool older iBook running OS X that has taken years of rough treatment without causing me much offense. I'll buy a G5 soon to run Photoshop.
It's all a question of the right tools for the job at hand. Operating systems aren't a religion. There's no need to feel guilty using one or the other. No divine laws are transgressed.
That being said, I think the Open Source movement is highly worthwhile. It provides the means to quality computing for those who might not be able to afford proprietary software, and it certainly keeps Microsoft, Sun, and Apple honest. Well -- mostly honest, in the case of at least one of those companies.
I'm grateful to all those who have freely contributed code to the stuff I use. Power to the People.
But guilty for using OS X? How silly. Mac users should probably feel good about contributing to the diversity of the commercial software industry.
They should probably also feel good about an OS that works right out of the box, and which supports some quality retail software. Not to mention the time they save without the hassle of resolving dependencies, looking up hardware compatability, or the forever tweaking many of us actually enjoy with Linux.
The solution, of course, is not to have friends. ;-)
Hand me those earmuffs, Mr. Lucifer. Chilly, huh? You just never know about the weather around here.
Now that it supposedly handles Star Office's XML format, I'll be more likely to use it. My only reservation before was that documents containing images or tables really needed to be saved in Kword's native format. Since I think of Open Office as my main suite, I was hesitant to create documents in Kword I might need to edit later.
I'm glad the Kword developers have stayed at it. Their product is attractive, stable, and easy to use. I'll be happy to see a mature port to my other platform, OS X.