Browsing Category: "Today I learned"

High-fructose corn syrup

Critic's Realm, Featured, Today I learned February 22nd, 2010

Why, why, why is this part of our food? I recently noticed that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is one of the main ingredients in maple syrup. Why? Am I buying maple syrup or am I buying maple flavored corn syrup? I’m so tier of reading the ingredients on various products’ packages and seeing high-fructose corn syrup listed. It seems that this “poison” is part of the ingredients of almost everything. Last time I was surprised to see HFCS as an ingredient was when I read the label on a Heinz ketchup bottle, where I discovered that it made 40% of the product!

Yes, high-fructose corn syrup is a cheap sweetener alternative to sugar, but its long term negative effects to Americans greatly outweigh its sweet qualities or its monetary benefits to the price of our consumables. The results can be seen in the public’s health care bills. I only mention Americans because I haven’t heard of any other country using high-fructose corn syrup in the quantities or the extend it is being used in the United States. Personally I rather pay an extra dollar or two for a product, but know that whatever my children, my family or I are consuming has real sugar in it, and our organs or

Firefox and DNS prefetching

Featured, Techie, Today I learned, tutorials August 4th, 2009

Firefox and DNS prefetching – I read about this being a feature in Google Chrome, but I wasn’t sure if it was, yet, a feature of Firefox. It is in Ff 3.5. Here you can find a list of the new features in Firefox 3.5.

What is DNS prefetching?It is the process of requesting domain name and IP (Internet Protocol or Intellectual Property) address resolution used in links, images, documents and other content linked to from a page a web surfer is currently browsing. Theoretically, by taking care of the name resolution before a surfer desires to navigate to a file or another page from a link on the current page can save fractions to X number of seconds. Name resolution being out of the way the surfer should arrive at its next destination faster. The former is my definition and understanding of DNS prefetching. In my experience, at leased in Google Chrome, I am able to see performance improvements.

I needed to know how can I tell if it is on or off. In Google Chrome it is in the options menu and it can easily be turned on and with a simple check-mark click.

But, in Firefox this is not a function in the options menu. At leased not at this time.

Verizon rep – being a long time customer is definitely important, but….

Critic's Realm, General, Today I learned July 25th, 2009

I just got off the phone with a Verizon Wireless representative. I was inquiring about upgrading my phone and what kind of deal they could offer me. I had to revert back to a 5 year old phone due to a recent mishap with the mobile phone I was actively using. The deal they could offer me was … none! Even after I mentioned that I have been a Verizon Wireless customer since 1998 the guys could not  offer me anything, because my number still has 6 months left before it becomes eligible for the “sponsored” upgrade, which of course comes with a mandatory 1 or 2 year contract.

What the heck? I have been a Verizon customer for over 10 years now. I have had Verizon land line numbers, I’ve had Verizon DSL. I have also had and still have multiple mobile lines with Verizon, but apparently none of this is a factor. What happened to customer appreciation for brand loyalty. I can tell you what happened to it. It is gone, if it ever existed! From my experience with Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and other companies, a customer’s loyalty is only tracked as long as that customer doesn’t change their number, address or service. More on that in a future post.

Unlike AT&T we have not ever had any problems with the service, but I…

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