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Showing posts from November, 2010

How to fix you iTunes library when moving the music files

Computer Crashed :( Recently my old computer that I was running iTunes on gave up the ghost. IT was running RAMBUS memory and the memory decided its day had come. So I could not get into my old machine where all my music is. Since there is some legal issue around downloading music from iTunes in South Africa, I have relied on ripping CD to the iTunes library. Thinking I was clever that I could save time doing this all again (I have over 500 CD's, a collection started in 1985). I decided that since the hard drive in my old machine was still okay I would get an external chassis and lace the drive in there. Loaded new goodies After the experience of the crashed drive I also bought a new external drive so that my music library would be portable. I copied the music folder to a new folder called music in the root of the new external drive. Then I loaded iTunes onto the new machine. I set the iTunes folder to the new folder on the new external drive and the library imported fine. Fine

Microsofts Free SyncToy 2.1

For years now I have used Synctoy to do backups. I love this product, it has everything you need to backup and the best thing is that it is free. Download details: SyncToy 2.1 All you do is use an external hard drive (1 or more). Create a set of the data you want to always backup (1 set per drive), the you select run all. You can also add it to the scheduler to do the backup whenever you want. From Help: Usage Examples: SyncToyCmd -R MyFolderPair SyncToyCmd -R  So add a scheduled task under administration tools (Vista and 7, other wise under control panel) The navigte to program files syntoy and add  syntoycmd and you have a free backup.

Easy Peasy Neapolitan Pasta

A simple and quick pasta recipe, that is delicious and vegan. Serves a family of 4. I did submit this to Meat Free Monday website. Ingredients ½ an onion 2 Teaspoons of olive oil Garlic clove (optional) 1 x tin tomatoes and onions, or 4 chopped skinless tomato 1 x tinned peas (must be tinned) Penna pasta recommended – assuming dried, if freshly made boil water as you add onion Method Heat 1 teaspoon of oil Add the chopped onion, when soft add the garlic (crushed or chopped) Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomato and onions or tomato Put water for pasta in kettle for more efficient boiling Simmer the sauce while water boils. Once water boiled cook pasta, as pasta is cooked, remove heat from sauce, add the tinned peas. If you like pepper and salt add now. Drain pasta using a sieve or colander and place the sieve / colander back on to pot you cooked the pasta in. Pour the rest of the olive oil over the pasta and toss. I suggest adding the pasta to the sauc

Coffee some thoughts on how it drove progress

The Arabs, and the Turks popularized coffee, and when they were the biggest consumers they ruled the world. When coffee entered Europe, specifically Germany, France and Holland in the 1600's people were consuming large amounts of alcohol every day. Some research suggest 8 bottles of wine a day, with children also drinking, it was so common. Is it not interesting that with the spread of coffee and coffee houses through out Europe so too spread science, art and technology? It makes sense that replacing 8 litres of a bad brew resulted in more cognitive ability, since the mind was not permanently dulled by this total abuse of alcohol. Look at the fact that people were so driven to almost rely on alcohol from day to day, you would think this lesson would be learnt by the so called conquerors of the world, or western man, when they introduce the locals to alcohol. The main reason why the colonised have not risen up is because they suffer the same problem Europe suffered in t

Easy Vegetarian Melanzane

Serves 6 I got the original recipe is from Meat free Monday – fry’s news letter. They said the creator was Jodi-Ann Pearton who has just won Chef of the Year 2010. Modification in GREEN NOTE:  This uses cheese so technically it is not meat free, so vegans this is not an option. Ingredients 4 large eggplants (Used 3 more than enough) Salt 300ml olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2g fresh thyme 2g fresh parsley 1 box VEGETARIAN MINCE 10g fresh basil leaves (I needed 30g) 2 tins tomatoes 4 potatoes, sliced thinly (skins on) – I would suggest par boiling them, or extending the cooking time to 60 minutes 300g goat’s cheese (Used chunky cottage cheese, since 300g of goats is not easy to come by, 250g not enough, would recommend ricotta cheese) 3x tomatoes for the top although the picture does not have them, and I think this is a mistake below 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Method Mine did not look like this, but tasted great Was