I finally removed the dead and dying marigolds and purchased 2 coleus plants this weekend to replace them. As I was watering and moving the planters around the patio this morning, a visitor popped up from underneath the foliage to say hello.
CHMOD and the recursive
I encountered an unusual situation in which a directory on the web server had exclusive permissions assigned to the root owner only. I had been attempting to ftp an image file to a directory on the server, but I had no permissions to do so, despite that the account I used had FTP rights. I couldn’t change permissions either via telnet (PuTTY) or another FTP client. It took me a bit of research before I figured out that I couldn’t change just the directory itself, but the entire directory including subs and files. To do this, I needed to add the argument “-R” (without the quotations) to recursively change the permissions of all files in all subdirectories of the directory whose permissions were being changed. What worked:
chmod -R 777 filenameordirectory
I had to log in as root via telnet to the server to make the changes.
Yelping for Yelp’s sake
I confess. I like Yelp. I like that they have reviews and listings for businesses, restaurants and services when the big-name web directories are still 3-6 months behind in posting (think Citysearch and their offspring Urbanspoon). I believe Yelp’s timeliness is due to its very active userbase. Like most social networking sites, Yelp makes it easy to reach out to friends and families–this occurs through the power of reviews.
Much has been said about Yelp’s shady dealings and extortionist practices. More has been said about the low-brow shenanigans and unprofessional reviews. Scandals and lawsuits abound. Again, like the major social networking sites, Yelp was bound sooner or later to suffer negative publicity.
I imagine that some businesses will be hurt more than others. I imagine that more critics and review snobs will turn their nose up at Yelp. But it’s hard to deny that Yelp is a helpful resource…I am one Yelper who reads others’ reviews and take them into consideration before visiting a business. And sometimes I will go despite the one- to two-star ratings, to satisfy my own curiosity.
Yelp serves the local community. Its service is dynamic, ever-changing, always trying to catch up, thanks to the contributions of the masses. They have the listings that they do because their members are a vocal lot–they take the time to post. I feel that other search directories cater to businesses who have the advertising revenue…which unfortunately discriminates against the small businesses and local shops without the big ad budgets. Other directories also try to inflate their self-importance by claiming they have reviews “written by professional critics”–which we all know sometimes goes against popular consensus. Of course, I do prefer writing reviews minus the snarky editorials and blog-style blitzkrieg that some reviewers prefer–if I’m reviewing a restaurant, then I’m judging them on the merits of their food, ambience, service. I’m not going to pen some cutesy anecdote about my dogs just to add “flavor” to my criticisms.
Yelp. Love it or hate it. It’s just another MySpace, Facebook, Twitter…except with reviews by you and me. It’s about the power of choice. Though if Yelp started censoring my reviews, then I imagine it’s time to find the next great Web 2.0 social network. In cyberspace it’s easy to shift your loyalties…
Moose in my ice cream
Moose Tracks. The first I ever saw of it was in my local Tom Thumb grocer’s freezer section. The fiance informed me that it was a legitimate ice cream flavor, but I was rather bewildered by the number of options. I finally settled on taking home Extreme Moose Tracks by Safeway Selects…fudge, chocolate, and more fudge! No surprise that the gallon container I purchased didn’t last a week in my fridge.
So where did Moose Tracks come from and get its funky name? A Google search turned up the home site for Moose Tracks and Denali Flavors, who apparently makes ice cream products for several major grocery retailers. In their FAQ it states:
Like many brands, Moose Tracks is not meant to be a description of the product. Just like “Tide” is a brand that doesn’t describe that the product is a detergent or “Snickers” doesn’t describe a candy bar, Moose Tracks isn’t meant to describe the product it represents. It’s simply a brand name.
How was that name created? It was developed as a cute, quirky, fun name that would generate curiosity and interest in the product. This was then translated into our logo that includes both the moose (head) as well as the tracks (footprints) of the moose.
A crawl of their site reveals 11 combinations of Moose Tracks (including my Extreme Moose Tracks), 5 of which are limited availability. In Texas, Moose Tracks ice cream is branded by 4 different big-name grocers, so it won’t be too hard to find at the neighborhood store!
More Carrollton bites
Cobb Switch BBQ
2625 Old Denton Rd, #700
Carrollton, TX 75006
(972) 483-3600It didn’t bode well when I discovered that Cobb Switch BBQ occupied the space vacated by another barbecue restaurant. I felt the same concern for the future of that restaurant as much as I felt for Cobb Switch when I walked in on a quiet Tuesday evening after 7pm. I expected a bigger crowd since Cobb Switch is the lone Anglo destination (aside from IHOP) on the corner of Old Denton that is quickly being encroached upon by Asian strip malls and eateries. But what I suspected to be mediocre barbecue turned out to be just that.
I took home the dynamic duo of Texas barbecue meats: brisket and ribs in a two-meat dinner box. The counter staff was courteous and accommodating, even pleased to hear that I wanted crust on my brisket. However, when asked if I wanted barbecue sauce, I made the mistake of answering yes, not realizing they meant to ladle it over my meats. (I realized this too late when I opened my dinner after arriving home.) The counter appeared well stocked with sides that appeared freshly made and inviting; I chose the potato casserole and skillet corn.
There’s something about a barbecue establishment that ought to reek of smoke…sadly I detected none of that, in either the restaurant or the food. I suppose if the sauce hadn’t drowned the meat I might have detected more flavors, but I had already decided that I disagreed with their tomato sauce even more. Yes, I said tomato sauce..and it was more tomatoey than any barbecue sauce I had ever tasted. I considered it a crime to have doused the meat with it. Tender and moist though the brisket or the ribs may have been, I can’t be sure of blaming the cooking method or the sauce. Either way, neither the meats nor the sauce could rise to the occasion and overturn what had become a disappointing and ultimately forgettable experience. (And where was the crusty brisket I ordered?)
Too bad, I rather enjoyed their buttery spicy skillet corn and their potato casserole. Their dinner roll wasn’t half bad either. But if I went just by meat alone–since this is the restaurant’s driving force–then I’m not persuaded to revisit Cobb Switch again. Maybe if they reformulated the sauce, I’d give it a try again.
My rating: stars
Buz’s Spuds
1630 Valwood Pkwy
Carrollton, TX 75006
(972) 247-7754Buz’s doesn’t have too many items on their menu to flub up. I have ordered their caesar salad twice and found their dressing too runny. Their chicken cutlet was tough and just too flavorless. But I suppose that’s not what people should be ordering at a spud place. The biggest draw here are their potatoes and wraps, and the lunchtime crowds seem to agree. Buz’s offers a decent selection of both and they never fail to satisfy. On occasion they will post specials on the board, and the friendly staff seems always eager to advertise this. This is also the only shop in the food mall to offer smoothie teas…though I have yet to try them. A safe bet for cheap satisfying lunches if you’re in the area.
My rating: stars