Just finished reading this book myself, it's an easy read that could be done in a day, mixing management theory and Dostoevsky quotes. It's a rare business book that's actually fun to read, but Girard is smart enough to point out that this isn't a how-to book for would-be Googles, rather it's a set of ideas that worked in Google case and might be applied to other businesses - say French restaurants.
I agree with the post about testing random amounts of gasoline instead of 1 gallon each time. I heard this from a Weights and Measures person.
There is another way to tell if you're getting what you pay for. Keep track of your MPG. Change stations occasionally and see if your mileage changes. If it does, why? Of course there's always the chance you bought new tires like I did (after 60K on the old ones). My mileage immediately went down! Bigger tires = less revolutions per mile = lower miles per gallon registered.
Keeping track of your gas mileage(mpg)can also help you decide on whether tune-ups are needed.
Hello, I am glad there are more women outhere like me...I enter all the women magazines every single day. I have won stuff as well. It's great. It does take a while to see the "fruits", but once you see them coming in your mailbox, you will be thankfull.
Add about 1/2 cup white vinegar to rinse cycle of laundry. Hang towels to dry. Once they are dry, put in dryer on tumble only (no heat) for about ten minutes. Nice soft fluffy towels. It's the friction of them moving against each other that works.
The white vinegar removes all traces of soap from the fabric making the towels absorb better and alleviating skin irritation of residual soaps.
Most olive oil barrels are plastic that I have seen. That part is not an issue. Molecular structure of oil and plastic is VERY close. The plastic will absorb the oil some. If you can clean it so you can not smell the oil, you have a good chance of it being ok.
If this is a metal barrel, just clean it real well. They make a distillers yeast, but turbo yeast has some high % and is really fast. The highest you will get is with that. You should find it most brew sites or suppliers.
For the purest spirits, use pure white sugar, yeast and water.
Let’s start with the wash; you want to leave some space at the top, so we will use only 50 gallons of it. So, 42 gallons of water, couple yeast packs (I’ll explain in a bit) and sugar. now if you find yeast that will reach 16%, use 120 lbs of sugar, if you can get to 18% use 130 lbs. if you can only get a 14% yeast, use 100 lbs. I read that turbo yeast can hit 20% so add 140 lbs.
No matter how well you clean the barrel, expect some oils left behind. When you steam it off, watch your heads and tails. I would pull off about a pint and waste it. There will be no way to recycle it while you’re camping, except to make an alcohol stove out of aluminum can. Lol. Another story...
Bring a Britta filter; you will need it if you are drinking right away.
Now, if you are talking about just taking a small still out for a camping with friends, then don’t bring the 55 gallon barrel. Go to your local bakery or deli. Get about 1 5 gallon bucket per person. If you have lots of ppl, grab an extra or 2. Make the wash about 3 days ahead of time. Let’s make this as cheap as we can. Get some clear plastic hose. A little bigger then fish tank air line. Some blue or black silicone sealant and a mason jar. Tap the lids, insert some hose (long enough to run down the side and into a jar) seal with silicone. Let it cure for at least 24 hours. Start water boiling, you have to kill the germs. While the water heats up, pitch the yeast. Take about a cup of water about 100-110 deg F, tablespoon of sugar and the yeast, mix and place to the side, it will foam. Yeast double every 20 minutes, if you need a lot, just pitch it and wait.
say you start with 1/4 oz, mix with sugar and water, in 20 minutes it 1/2 oz, 20 more its 1 oz, 20 more 2, 4, a cup, a pint a quart, half a gallon, all in 2 hours 20 minutes. So don’t go buying a lot for this.
When the water boils for a few minutes, turn off and add sugar. Mix well, whip some air in, the yeast likes it and you can not do it once the yeast is added. Let the temp come down to 100-110 deg F, then pour in the yeast. If you have 5 buckets, you can pitch the yeast to grow in a quart of water and 1/2 cup sugar then split it in the buckets. Put the lids on tight. Place the buckets in a circle. put the mason jar in the middle, run the hoses to it, fill cup half full of water and a shot of liquor(keeps germs out) this will be done in a couple days.
If you use the 55 gallon to steam this off, make sure you don’t pour the bottom of each bucket in there. The yeast sludge does not enhance the flavour!!!.
Hope this helps. If you need more, just ask. Zorcy is an easy find on Google. You could say it’s hot ;)
I have also had for a Netspend account for years and have no complaints. In fact, I will never go back to regular banks. My direct deposit gets posted to my account earlier than it did with my "regular" bank. There have been no overdraft fees that cost me so much money with my old bank. Netspend may not be for everyone, but I love it.
Despite the unfortunate scams that are rife at the moment, there are some good mystery shopping sites out there, which are genuine, such as the following:
Nice work Nora. It's far too easy to be complacent and become lazy when it comes to this kind of stuff. I've never even thought about gas stations ripping me off, but hey, why not.
While it's good to be trustworthy, it's also healthy to be cynical.
Will it matter that my 55 gallon drum held olive oil? I havn't made a distillery yet but I am buying my parts to make my first distillery. I don't know anything about it as of now but I'm gonna soon. I want to know what kind of yeast and sugar should I use for the puriest moonshine. I am looking to start my first batch this summer and next year do a couple during the summer. I want a good cougher batch. I know 2 things so far. That I'll have a 55 gallon drum and a 5 gallons glass catcher. Does anyone know how much this will make? I do a lot of camping and would enjoy it while I'm hunting and fishing. I kind of need a lot of help. This is my email and my name Jessy. If your able to walk me through the process, I will give some of the spoils by mail in some mason jars. Thanks
Thanks to the last commenter, who noted that the height of some apartments can make it impossible to go without. I would strongly recommend a portable rolling A/C for this type of cooling. We had one for the room that our new baby slept in when we first moved here, and we would turn it on for an hour or so before going to bed.
I appreciate you mentioning that it's possible to cut way down on A/C use and still keep things safe. It doesn't have to be a 100% all or nothing decision. (We try to keep it off until we can no longer do without... but there are days when it is more necessary than others.)
If you cant pay your credit card off, dont have one or you will end up in a world of money pain. Keep one credit card for times when you really need it, but not for spending on items you dont need immediately.
@Frank With any product I'm acquire, I'm sure to intensely explore its good and its bad (and what's between). Some people may have higher relative thresholds due to their overall experience — if you've used a RED, of course Flip Mino HD doesn't compare. BTW, I returned my Mino HD because it was fun, but the audio recording was awful and I noticed too many artifacts.
I'm very fond of my Logitech X-240 speakers. I actually have 2 sets, and the first I got for US$10.
@Kym You've missed the point and your generalizations aren't useful. As I mentioned, the still image quality is just fine for a webcam. The choppy framerate isn't, especially when its even-cheaper Windows sibling does fine.
@David It's surprising in some ways coming from Logitech, *especially* when they market something to be Mac-compatible. I think that's deceptive. I did try Macam with the 9000 and read their compatibility chart — alas, the Vision Pro fares no better. But thanks!
As others have noted, depending on where you live, you really, really, really have to have the AC on.
I live in NYC in a small apartment. We only have one AC unit, in the bedroom. We just replaced it (after 23 years!) with a new, energy efficient model.
It doesn't cool as strongly (Before, we could actually cool the living room and bedroom and the bathroom with it on in the bedroom) as before, but we're saving a lot on the overall KWH.
We have ceiling fans and other fans (Those vornados are incredible. We've had a couple, which we use almost constantly in the spring/summer, for a decade.), but the reality is, in the summer, it's just hot (we can't have people over, it's that hot).
Shop around and if you possibly can, shell out for the most energy efficient models. It will make a difference.
The other thing is to NOT leave the AC on when you leave (it's a temptation, even if it's only for 15 minutes) and to set up the auto temperature if you have that feature, for as high as you can stand.
We sometimes run it for a couple of hours, shut down and crank up the fans. It makes a difference. And we can often go for several hours with the fan keeping the cool air in the room.
Those of us who have to ride subways, walk hot streets and live in apartments where the indoor temperature can frequently go into the mid-90s (yes, it can), must have AC and it is a true struggle for many families financially each year. (I know people who literally cut back on food and lots of other stuff in the summer due to our high Con Ed rates (currently something like 26 cents a KWH, including "delivery") and many cannot afford and do suffer heat-related health issues.
We don't have the option to head off to the malls (as many people in the suburbs due). Even our libraries have reduced the AC temps due to cost.
And going outside, when it's hot and humid, it's like asking for a heat stroke. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. The city is not great in the heat and humidity.
The summers are just to be endured, on so many levels.
To suggest no AC is to risk the lives and health and ability to work, sleep and function.
When i first moved into this apartment, we didn't have an AC for two years (wasn't home much; traveled for biz).
Then, after having to sleep over at a friends (try sleeping in a wet tee shirt with the fan blowing on you...Doesn't work), we got the unit that ended up lasting 23 years.
Wish they made models like that with high energy efficiency ratings.
FYI: It's been said before: Keep your blinds down, and windows covered as much as you can. Sun beating in will really up the temp very quickly.
Apartments are a real challenge compared to most homes.
"Budget billing" is a GREAT idea, and I think that is the same as what we call "level payment plans" as mentioned in my article. I agree that it can be sort of a mini-savings plan for those months when costs can skyrocket. Thanks for bringing it up!
Are you guys kidding? This kind of thing happens all the time, especially to college students. It is not at all uncommon and, as is the case with all cards sent unsolicited through the mail, nothing happens with them until they are activated. I do not think this is some huge deal that actually calls for comments like "In conclusion, this is probably the most distasteful customer acquisition tactic I have ever seen because it really made us feel a bit violated." Violated? Seriously, my boss at work touching me inappropriately would "violate" me. You people throw around such words as if they have no strong meaning attached to them. Sure this is annoying and it makes you get up and find a pair of scissors to cut up a card (oh my god - getting off my American lazy ass? Oh no!)...but you people are ridiculous.
Unfortunately you've experienced what many other Mac users experience - Rotten Stepchild Syndrome. It's where a company will write half-ass buggy drivers or software (if, at all) for the Mac because "who cares, no one uses them".
It's not because "musicians and artists" use Macs and "programmers use Windows". That's an obsolete stereotype from 15 years ago.
Its because the company who made your product cut corners on development because they don't take the Mac market seriously.
Look at the open source Macam project, their driver may work better with your camera but it won't handle all the special features.
I received one of these cards in the mail today and my mouth dropped! I knew I didn't apply for anything because I already know about the fees these so called "pre-paid debit cards" are charging people. Some one really needs to do something about this company! How dare you put my name on this crap and I didn't ask for it. The funny thing about this is the card looks so legit! Its a real VISA debit card. These people should be shot!!!
Very interesting topic. I suppose this could be very easy for gas stations to try to sucker you. Hopefully this isn't true, but definitely makes you think.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned using a Budget Billing plan. Many utility providers offer this. Based on your past usage, the company has you pay a fixed monthly rate, regardless of how much you actually use. If you use more than the allotted amount of energy, your account goes into negative numbers, but if you use less, you get credits applied to your account.
We use the heating in the winter much less than we use the A/C in the summer (Virginia is an unforgiving place to summer!), so things usually end up balancing out by the end of the year. Right now, we pay $50 a month, but we have a $30 credit in our account. Not bad for June in the Mid-Atlantic!
I was using various types of fabric softener, with poor results. Why am I not surprised that vinegar works for that, too! Bless you for this tip :)
Linsey Knerl
Just finished reading this book myself, it's an easy read that could be done in a day, mixing management theory and Dostoevsky quotes. It's a rare business book that's actually fun to read, but Girard is smart enough to point out that this isn't a how-to book for would-be Googles, rather it's a set of ideas that worked in Google case and might be applied to other businesses - say French restaurants.
Link: http://yyztech.ca/reviews/book/the-google-way
I agree with the post about testing random amounts of gasoline instead of 1 gallon each time. I heard this from a Weights and Measures person.
There is another way to tell if you're getting what you pay for. Keep track of your MPG. Change stations occasionally and see if your mileage changes. If it does, why? Of course there's always the chance you bought new tires like I did (after 60K on the old ones). My mileage immediately went down! Bigger tires = less revolutions per mile = lower miles per gallon registered.
Keeping track of your gas mileage(mpg)can also help you decide on whether tune-ups are needed.
Hello, I am glad there are more women outhere like me...I enter all the women magazines every single day. I have won stuff as well. It's great. It does take a while to see the "fruits", but once you see them coming in your mailbox, you will be thankfull.
Add about 1/2 cup white vinegar to rinse cycle of laundry. Hang towels to dry. Once they are dry, put in dryer on tumble only (no heat) for about ten minutes. Nice soft fluffy towels. It's the friction of them moving against each other that works.
The white vinegar removes all traces of soap from the fabric making the towels absorb better and alleviating skin irritation of residual soaps.
Most olive oil barrels are plastic that I have seen. That part is not an issue. Molecular structure of oil and plastic is VERY close. The plastic will absorb the oil some. If you can clean it so you can not smell the oil, you have a good chance of it being ok.
If this is a metal barrel, just clean it real well. They make a distillers yeast, but turbo yeast has some high % and is really fast. The highest you will get is with that. You should find it most brew sites or suppliers.
For the purest spirits, use pure white sugar, yeast and water.
Let’s start with the wash; you want to leave some space at the top, so we will use only 50 gallons of it. So, 42 gallons of water, couple yeast packs (I’ll explain in a bit) and sugar. now if you find yeast that will reach 16%, use 120 lbs of sugar, if you can get to 18% use 130 lbs. if you can only get a 14% yeast, use 100 lbs. I read that turbo yeast can hit 20% so add 140 lbs.
No matter how well you clean the barrel, expect some oils left behind. When you steam it off, watch your heads and tails. I would pull off about a pint and waste it. There will be no way to recycle it while you’re camping, except to make an alcohol stove out of aluminum can. Lol. Another story...
Bring a Britta filter; you will need it if you are drinking right away.
Now, if you are talking about just taking a small still out for a camping with friends, then don’t bring the 55 gallon barrel. Go to your local bakery or deli. Get about 1 5 gallon bucket per person. If you have lots of ppl, grab an extra or 2. Make the wash about 3 days ahead of time. Let’s make this as cheap as we can. Get some clear plastic hose. A little bigger then fish tank air line. Some blue or black silicone sealant and a mason jar. Tap the lids, insert some hose (long enough to run down the side and into a jar) seal with silicone. Let it cure for at least 24 hours. Start water boiling, you have to kill the germs. While the water heats up, pitch the yeast. Take about a cup of water about 100-110 deg F, tablespoon of sugar and the yeast, mix and place to the side, it will foam. Yeast double every 20 minutes, if you need a lot, just pitch it and wait.
say you start with 1/4 oz, mix with sugar and water, in 20 minutes it 1/2 oz, 20 more its 1 oz, 20 more 2, 4, a cup, a pint a quart, half a gallon, all in 2 hours 20 minutes. So don’t go buying a lot for this.
When the water boils for a few minutes, turn off and add sugar. Mix well, whip some air in, the yeast likes it and you can not do it once the yeast is added. Let the temp come down to 100-110 deg F, then pour in the yeast. If you have 5 buckets, you can pitch the yeast to grow in a quart of water and 1/2 cup sugar then split it in the buckets. Put the lids on tight. Place the buckets in a circle. put the mason jar in the middle, run the hoses to it, fill cup half full of water and a shot of liquor(keeps germs out) this will be done in a couple days.
If you use the 55 gallon to steam this off, make sure you don’t pour the bottom of each bucket in there. The yeast sludge does not enhance the flavour!!!.
Hope this helps. If you need more, just ask. Zorcy is an easy find on Google. You could say it’s hot ;)
I have also had for a Netspend account for years and have no complaints. In fact, I will never go back to regular banks. My direct deposit gets posted to my account earlier than it did with my "regular" bank. There have been no overdraft fees that cost me so much money with my old bank. Netspend may not be for everyone, but I love it.
Despite the unfortunate scams that are rife at the moment, there are some good mystery shopping sites out there, which are genuine, such as the following:
www.ukims.co.uk/docs/services/mystery-shopping.asp
www.mysteryshopmybusiness.com
www.oldenough2drink.co.uk
Nice work Nora. It's far too easy to be complacent and become lazy when it comes to this kind of stuff. I've never even thought about gas stations ripping me off, but hey, why not.
While it's good to be trustworthy, it's also healthy to be cynical.
Will it matter that my 55 gallon drum held olive oil? I havn't made a distillery yet but I am buying my parts to make my first distillery. I don't know anything about it as of now but I'm gonna soon. I want to know what kind of yeast and sugar should I use for the puriest moonshine. I am looking to start my first batch this summer and next year do a couple during the summer. I want a good cougher batch. I know 2 things so far. That I'll have a 55 gallon drum and a 5 gallons glass catcher. Does anyone know how much this will make? I do a lot of camping and would enjoy it while I'm hunting and fishing. I kind of need a lot of help. This is my email and my name Jessy. If your able to walk me through the process, I will give some of the spoils by mail in some mason jars. Thanks
Thanks to the last commenter, who noted that the height of some apartments can make it impossible to go without. I would strongly recommend a portable rolling A/C for this type of cooling. We had one for the room that our new baby slept in when we first moved here, and we would turn it on for an hour or so before going to bed.
I appreciate you mentioning that it's possible to cut way down on A/C use and still keep things safe. It doesn't have to be a 100% all or nothing decision. (We try to keep it off until we can no longer do without... but there are days when it is more necessary than others.)
Linsey Knerl
If you cant pay your credit card off, dont have one or you will end up in a world of money pain. Keep one credit card for times when you really need it, but not for spending on items you dont need immediately.
@Frank With any product I'm acquire, I'm sure to intensely explore its good and its bad (and what's between). Some people may have higher relative thresholds due to their overall experience — if you've used a RED, of course Flip Mino HD doesn't compare. BTW, I returned my Mino HD because it was fun, but the audio recording was awful and I noticed too many artifacts.
I'm very fond of my Logitech X-240 speakers. I actually have 2 sets, and the first I got for US$10.
@Kym You've missed the point and your generalizations aren't useful. As I mentioned, the still image quality is just fine for a webcam. The choppy framerate isn't, especially when its even-cheaper Windows sibling does fine.
@David It's surprising in some ways coming from Logitech, *especially* when they market something to be Mac-compatible. I think that's deceptive. I did try Macam with the 9000 and read their compatibility chart — alas, the Vision Pro fares no better. But thanks!
As others have noted, depending on where you live, you really, really, really have to have the AC on.
I live in NYC in a small apartment. We only have one AC unit, in the bedroom. We just replaced it (after 23 years!) with a new, energy efficient model.
It doesn't cool as strongly (Before, we could actually cool the living room and bedroom and the bathroom with it on in the bedroom) as before, but we're saving a lot on the overall KWH.
We have ceiling fans and other fans (Those vornados are incredible. We've had a couple, which we use almost constantly in the spring/summer, for a decade.), but the reality is, in the summer, it's just hot (we can't have people over, it's that hot).
Shop around and if you possibly can, shell out for the most energy efficient models. It will make a difference.
The other thing is to NOT leave the AC on when you leave (it's a temptation, even if it's only for 15 minutes) and to set up the auto temperature if you have that feature, for as high as you can stand.
We sometimes run it for a couple of hours, shut down and crank up the fans. It makes a difference. And we can often go for several hours with the fan keeping the cool air in the room.
Those of us who have to ride subways, walk hot streets and live in apartments where the indoor temperature can frequently go into the mid-90s (yes, it can), must have AC and it is a true struggle for many families financially each year. (I know people who literally cut back on food and lots of other stuff in the summer due to our high Con Ed rates (currently something like 26 cents a KWH, including "delivery") and many cannot afford and do suffer heat-related health issues.
We don't have the option to head off to the malls (as many people in the suburbs due). Even our libraries have reduced the AC temps due to cost.
And going outside, when it's hot and humid, it's like asking for a heat stroke. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. The city is not great in the heat and humidity.
The summers are just to be endured, on so many levels.
To suggest no AC is to risk the lives and health and ability to work, sleep and function.
When i first moved into this apartment, we didn't have an AC for two years (wasn't home much; traveled for biz).
Then, after having to sleep over at a friends (try sleeping in a wet tee shirt with the fan blowing on you...Doesn't work), we got the unit that ended up lasting 23 years.
Wish they made models like that with high energy efficiency ratings.
FYI: It's been said before: Keep your blinds down, and windows covered as much as you can. Sun beating in will really up the temp very quickly.
Apartments are a real challenge compared to most homes.
Layouts, size, ceiling height, etc.
"Budget billing" is a GREAT idea, and I think that is the same as what we call "level payment plans" as mentioned in my article. I agree that it can be sort of a mini-savings plan for those months when costs can skyrocket. Thanks for bringing it up!
Linsey Knerl
Are you guys kidding? This kind of thing happens all the time, especially to college students. It is not at all uncommon and, as is the case with all cards sent unsolicited through the mail, nothing happens with them until they are activated. I do not think this is some huge deal that actually calls for comments like "In conclusion, this is probably the most distasteful customer acquisition tactic I have ever seen because it really made us feel a bit violated." Violated? Seriously, my boss at work touching me inappropriately would "violate" me. You people throw around such words as if they have no strong meaning attached to them. Sure this is annoying and it makes you get up and find a pair of scissors to cut up a card (oh my god - getting off my American lazy ass? Oh no!)...but you people are ridiculous.
Hi Torley,
Unfortunately you've experienced what many other Mac users experience - Rotten Stepchild Syndrome. It's where a company will write half-ass buggy drivers or software (if, at all) for the Mac because "who cares, no one uses them".
It's not because "musicians and artists" use Macs and "programmers use Windows". That's an obsolete stereotype from 15 years ago.
Its because the company who made your product cut corners on development because they don't take the Mac market seriously.
Look at the open source Macam project, their driver may work better with your camera but it won't handle all the special features.
Great post! I enjoy great quotes from famous people. Definitely enjoyed.
Organization is so under-rated. Organization creates efficency. Great post Philip. As you organize your life, life typically flows smoother.
I received one of these cards in the mail today and my mouth dropped! I knew I didn't apply for anything because I already know about the fees these so called "pre-paid debit cards" are charging people. Some one really needs to do something about this company! How dare you put my name on this crap and I didn't ask for it. The funny thing about this is the card looks so legit! Its a real VISA debit card. These people should be shot!!!
Very interesting topic. I suppose this could be very easy for gas stations to try to sucker you. Hopefully this isn't true, but definitely makes you think.
Great tips Linsey. Many homes need to evaluate these tips as they prep for high utility bills. Thanks for sharing.
I like the bit about bribing the kids with a portion of the profits. I wish apartment roommates could "see the light" so easily.
As a pack rat and slob, I agree no amount of pretty boxes helps.
What did: fully organizing my closet space so there was actually a place for everything. A very specific place, not just a rod with hangers.
My desk is a horror but my closet is 100% (ok, 99%) tidy since I did this.
However, my extremely neat engineer boyfriend set up the system for me.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned using a Budget Billing plan. Many utility providers offer this. Based on your past usage, the company has you pay a fixed monthly rate, regardless of how much you actually use. If you use more than the allotted amount of energy, your account goes into negative numbers, but if you use less, you get credits applied to your account.
We use the heating in the winter much less than we use the A/C in the summer (Virginia is an unforgiving place to summer!), so things usually end up balancing out by the end of the year. Right now, we pay $50 a month, but we have a $30 credit in our account. Not bad for June in the Mid-Atlantic!