Disqus - Latest Comments for Elise

Re: OpenDNS Founder Talks About Google DNS

Elise — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:06:01 -0000

I switched from OpenDNS to Google DNS last night, and the difference in speed is ridiculous. Everything from web browsing, to streaming Netflix to my PS3, to making Vonage calls was MUCH better. I was actually astounded by how fast the Netflix movie I streamed got queued up.

I like OpenDNS, and what they've done is noble, but when it comes down to raw speed, due to a much lower overhead (no branded redirects, etc.) Google is the winner hands down. I don't use any of the controls OpenDNS offers, and when a domain name I type doesn't resolve, I'd rather see the error page than a branded page full of alternatives. For me Google is the clear winner right now.

Re: False hopes and the lies of Christianity - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Elise — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:43:14 -0000

I don't think it's fair to lump all religions together as nonsensical if you haven't investigated them all. There are non-theistic religions, namely Buddhism, which are very logical, free from Dogma, and seek to help you end suffering. Yes, there are supernatural aspects in certain Buddhist practices, but the Buddhist community seems to embrace and encourage different interpretations of texts and the questioning of practices. Buddhism also seems to embrace science and logic where other religions don't. My point is, don't lump all religion together without learning about other religions.

Re: False hopes and the lies of Christianity - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Elise — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:15:54 -0000

There's no concept of "soul recycling" in Buddhism. Rebirth is *NOT* reincarnation, and you would know that if you took a hot second to learn about it before making comments that illustrate your ignorance.

Re: False hopes and the lies of Christianity - ExChristian.Net - Articles

Elise — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:19:43 -0000

It has nothing to do with not being good enough, and everything to do with ending your suffering and attachment to material items in a life full of impermanence. It would do you good to do some research instead of making ignorant commentary of what you don't know. Furthermore, Buddhism *encourages* skepticism and encourages you to employ the teachings that help you specifically rather than blindly following arbitrary rules.

Re: Writer's Blog: Stephen King Thinks Stephenie Meyer is a Terrible Writer

Elise — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:11:58 -0000

If you're earning a lot of money and calling yourself a writer, criticism comes with the gig. If one of the worlds most well recognized writers, who is incidentally a former English teacher with bang up grammar and structure skills, you should take the critique and use it to make yourself a better writer. I have no doubt that Meyer is a great storyteller just from the buzz around her books and the movie, but that doesn't mean she's got the chops to be a great writer. Imagine if her writing skills matched her storytelling skills? Her books would make HP look like child's play.

Re: Gmail Labs Adds Task Manager [To Do Lists]

Elise — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:32:42 -0000

I've been waiting for Google to add a task manager for years. I can't wait for them to add it to Google Sync so I can use it with my Blackberry.

Re: 2007/01/16/myspace-tracker-tracks-teens/

Elise — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:33:42 -0000

I think its about time that MySpace include some sort of identity check (most conveniently via a Credit Card) during signups and require anyone with a profile that has an age under 18 to have parental permission (via credit card) to keep their accounts open.

Re: $50 Amazon Gift Card Contest | Hey, It's Free!

Elise — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:11:44 -0000

Amazon rocks!

Re: “Default” racism

Elise — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:29:34 -0000

Anyone who thinks that racism in America is fading away has not lived in a former slave state, is not a person of color, or has not spent enough time around people of color to see that is not the case. Let's not forget that we just saw the burning of some predominantly black churches in North Carolina less than a week ago. Yes racism is a huge problem in America and I have no doubt that Obama's race will be an obstacle for him on the road to getting elected. I do not, however, think that it will be as big an obstacle for him as it had been for people of color, women, and non-protestants who have run for office before him. If he runs, regardless of his success, he will make it that much easier for people of color who decide to run after him as well.

By stating that you think Obama's race will hinder him moving toward the election and having people agree with you - I don't think that's any kind of default racism at all. As a person of color (biracial at that) I would've agreed with you too. However bleak that opinion may be, it is realistic.

Re: Big gadget sites don’t link to blogs (I went overboard, read updates)

Elise — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 18:03:33 -0000

About the Mac blogs/sites linking to each other - the Mac community is just that.. a community. At the end of the day Mac users communicate with each other about the platform and have the tendency to share their experiences with hardware and software very openly. Word of mouth on a good software can spread easily and turn small developers into minor stars in the Mac community overnight (like the people behind Ecto and other small apps).

As far as the rest of this conversation is concerned, Engadget just lost a subscriber in me solely due to Peter Rojas' comment. I understand that they're a big site and get a lot of traffic and get tons of comments and submissions from bloggers claiming to have exclusives (regardless of whether or not they are legit). I get all of that. What I don't get is why someone as high up the online media food chain as Peter Rojas would come all the way over here and poo poo on this article. It wasn't necessary, it wasn't professional, and it was a huge turn off for me. We know that blogs/sites start to snub the little guys (unless the little guy is truly the first to get the story) when they gain notoriety. It's the nature of the game. Many people fall to the wayside on the path to legitimacy in journalism. Online journalism is the same, but the people falling to the wayside are the small bloggers and the small outfits that haven't made it to the big leagues yet.

If Peter wanted to show his side, he could have written an article on Engadget linking to this one and showed examples of how what was reported here was not the case. Furthermore they could've detailed how to go about getting your blog or content linked to from Engadget (i.e. what the editors look for in an email submission or in a comment that catches their eye) so that people would have a better idea of how to get link love. Instead he did the equivalent of shouting names on a schoolyard. Pity.

Re: “Default” racism

Elise — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 06:15:12 -0000

I don't think it would be considered racism if you hate everyone equally as long as you can turn that hatred inward as well. You are what you hate, right?

The media forgot about Al Gore's movie? I guess the Oscar nod and flood of articles about it after the nomination are considered "forgetting" then?

Re: Apple pays bloggers’ legal fees

Elise — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:24:46 -0000

If you're thinking of getting a legal defense fund ready for bloggers why not involve the EFF? I'm sure they already have advice and some resources for bloggers with legal woes.

Re: Inside ODesk

Elise — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 08:45:59 -0000

Having worked through oDesk, this is not a place to go if you want to earn real money. This is the kind of place you try to find odd jobs to keep your skills sharp or to practice new things you have learned. It works well when you are relocating and need a job to tide you over until you are able to find real employment. The average salaries for experienced people in all fields are laughable.

Re: Boy Genius Interviewed: Round 2

Elise — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:17:51 -0000

For real Blackberry users, business types, and people who are security minded - a device without true push mail is a deal breaker. Yahoo's IMAP mail is laughable as an alternative.

This particular release of the iPhone was really just a test for the cellular phone market on Apple's part. If the touch screen keyboard is truly good and if the device turns out to be more resilient than it looks, there is no reason Apple couldn't spin out a future model with the features that big business demands. Seeing as corporations generally have more money to throw at gadgets, the $499+ price range for a corporate iPhone is not going to be a big barrier. I have no doubt that if the iPhone is a big success and Apple is willing to listen to its customers and release new models at least as often as they do for the iPod with Video that they could lay a serious hurt on RIM. I hope that RIM and Apple could work together in the future and come out with a device that meets in the middle.

Re: ThoughtPiece: Why RIM and Verizon Need to Get Closer

Elise — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:04:40 -0000

Personally I think that RIM leaning on Verizon is a horrible idea. RIM needs to always go with a GSM provider first and fall to the others afterwards because GSM phones sell bigger on a global scale. To put out a phone in CDMA first would be like shooting yourself in the foot from RIM's perspective. They want to aim for the interest of the biggest markets first and those are obviously not CDMA carrier markets. If RIM releases a phone on Cingular or T-Mobile first, customers on GSM carriers worldwide know that the phone will be coming their way eventually and it peaks their interest early. Furthermore, RIM will get additional sales from early adopters buying unlocked phones to use abroad (Orange, etc..).

Re: ThoughtPiece: Which Celebrity Would You Like to See in a BlackBerry Ad?

Elise — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:40:34 -0000

I agree with the Masi Oka comment. He could freeze time, whip out his BB, and reschedule stuff. It'd be funny.

But seriously.. I don't care if a celebrity pushes blackberry or not -- I'd like to see a blackberry commercial with different people from different walks of life accomplishing different things with their blackberries. A poet or writer on a subway writing the lyric they later deliver to applause on stage. A stand-up comic revising their act and reading the BB in the wings of a theater (or on stage ala John Mayer). A Soccer mom taking phonecalls and rescheduling play dates and doctor's appointments for her family.

I think that seeing commercials with real people who aren't wearing blue suits and trucking through an airport terminal would be beneficial to the public. It can further break down the stereotype that all blackberry users are suits workin' for the proverbial man.

Re: BlackBerryJobs launched!

Elise — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:34:42 -0000

This site desperately needs its own RSS feed. Please give it an RSS feed. I actually do all of my job searching via RSS.

Re: RIMarkable Read: Why Wireless Carriers Hate Wi-Fi

Elise — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:00:02 -0000

I don't think this conversation should be limited to WiFi. What about GPS? Didn't verizon cripple the GPS on their 8700 series Blackberry? What purpose did that serve? They couldn't figure out how to overcharge their customers for using it, so they had the functionality crippled before they would sell the handset.

This whole debate shouldn't be aimed at one carrier. They are all guilty of it and they're all guilty of everything they can do to lock people in or find a way to charge them for using every feature their device has.

Re: Verizon retakes lead from AT&T, hits the trifecta

Elise — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:32:00 -0000

We all know that RIM will not release CDMA blackberries before GSM blackberries for the simple fact that RIM is not an American company and focuses on the Global market. CDMA is a North American thing and RIM releases GSM devices first because the number of GSM users worldwide eclipses CDMA users.

Seriously.. think about it for a second.. RIM is in a country that only has one GSM carrier -- the vast majority of Canada uses CDMA. They *STILL* release GSM devices first. Just because Verizon has a couple of thousand more CDMA subscribers doesn't mean they're even a splotch on the world market.

Re: RIM announces BlackBerry 8820

Elise — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:09:39 -0000

When they roll this model with a Camera I'll be happy. I guess I still have to wait.

Re: RIM announces BlackBerry 8820

Elise — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:51:16 -0000

The Blackberry doesn't need a touch screen, in fact I'd say its more efficient without it. If you want a screen to poke at, get an iPhone.

Re: BlackBerry second to iPhone customer satisfaction

Elise — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:57:53 -0000

I think that the results of the survey would've been more accurate had the participants be able to separate their experience with their carrier from the actual Blackberry. So many of the issues people have with any device are problems with the carrier itself. Between features being locked down by the carriers, to having to go through their customer support before being handed off to RIM; all of that plays into the customer service experience.

Re: Study: BlackBerrys fail to balance work and life

Elise — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:19:07 -0000

Is the real issue too much Blackberry usage or OCD and a lack of social graces? I think that many of the problems discussed in these articles and studies are not problems caused by technology, but they're really discovering that people are obsessive and compulsive about getting information now that the technology supports them getting it anywhere, and they lack social graces in general. I don't think that the issues discussed here are limited to Blackberry usage either. Cell phone talkers in public places are just as obnoxious, and thanks to Bluetooth headsets it's even more pervasive. The real problem is that people have little self control and fewer manners.

Re: Does RIM need an App Store?

Elise — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:28:20 -0000

I think it would be absolutely beneficial for both RIM and the software developers. I spend a decent bit of time combing the web for Blackberry applications, and I do think it would be nice if there was a central repository of some sort. If it's a store, it'll just increase software and device sales.

Re: Beijing To Drive One Million Cars Off the Road Next Month

Elise — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:36:55 -0000

I have a creepy feeling that none of these changes is going to stick once the Olympics have passed through.

Re: Mike Dell Drives a Hummer - Boo Hoo or Yee Haw?

Elise — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:20:35 -0000

As someone who works in the IT industry, I have to say that Dell is one of the worst companies to work with from the support perspective. The number of products from Dell that have arrived to my various workplaces DOA, and the absurdly high failure/replacement rate solidify Dell as one of the worst companies in the PC hardware industry from a quality standpoint.

I had a really bad opinion of Dell as a company coming into reading this post, but now it's worse. It's no surprise to me that Michael Dell drives a Hummer. Nothing about him or his company will ever convince me to buy a Dell.

Something really needs to be done about car makers who allow these abominations to roll off the lot.

Re: Survey: How Many Kids?

Elise — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:36:42 -0000

I think it's kinda disappointing that more people are not voting for adoption. If you want a large family, why not have one kid and adopt as many as you can manage. Why not help the existing population rather than adding to it?

Re: Suki - 100% Natural Skincare

Elise — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:15:11 -0000

Would it be possible for you to write about some more affordable green solutions for personal care? I think that over 40 dollars for a tinted moisturizer is extravagant at best. The Suki cosmetics look good but they probably don't fit into most people's budget.

Re: Yoko Ono: I Will Never Ride a Hybrid

Elise — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:48:22 -0000

John is probably turning in his grave.

Re: Quote of the Day: Paul Roberts on Gas Guzzlers

Elise — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:52:43 -0000

It still bothers me that a lot of environmentally conscious authors and subject matter experts take aim at SUVs as a whole without doing much research. At this point lumping all SUVs together and complaining that they are all gas guzzlers is starting to sound like lame rhetoric. If you want to encourage people to buy more gas conscious cars, point out specific gas guzzlers to be avoided and show people the EPAs fuel efficiency figures.

If you're an American car buyer (buying American can save jobs here, help our economy, etc), there are SUV options that have better fuel economy than mid-sized cars and minivans. The 2007 Ford Escape (4-cyl FWD) gets 21/27 while the 2007 Ford Taurus only gets 18/25, and the 2007 Freestar gets 16/22. So many Minivans have horrible fuel economy and are as big if not bigger than small and mid-sized SUVs but they're not being vilified by anyone.

How about all of the people who opt for the AWD, 6-cyl, or 8-cyl models of a vehicle that has a fuel efficient 4-cyl FWD counterpart? Why aren't there more conversations about those buyers and what causes them to step over a more fuel conscious choice? Why aren't we discussing people who continue to drive smoke coughing gas chugging vehicles that are 10 or more years old when they can afford moving into a new fuel efficient vehicle?

A very small vehicle does not suit everyone's lifestyle. I'm sure that a lot of SUV drivers out there actually use their vehicles to haul plenty of people and plenty of loads. Unless you have the privilege of living in a multi-car household, the tendency is to purchase a vehicle that can do most of the work you need it to do. That doesn't necessarily translate into purchasing a truck or SUV, but it will still keep people from purchasing a very small vehicle.

These sweeping generalizations about SUVs aren't helping people make informed choices about new vehicles. Just because you're not driving an SUV does not make your vehicle any more gas efficient than dozens of small, mid-sized, and hybrid SUVs out there. People need to learn to be smarter shoppers and do more research. We also need to put pressure on our auto makers to work towards plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles and keeping them affordable for the average person. No matter how great and fuel efficient the vehicle is, if it's much more expensive than the competition, it will miss its mark with consumers.

Re: Quote of the Day: Paul Roberts on Gas Guzzlers

Elise — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:08:15 -0000

As is usually true, the people who make the most ignorant comments do so Anonymously. To the coward who left the following comment:

"Oh no! Not their lifestyle! Better trash the planet -- my insecurity-driven fashion choices are threatened!"

The cars I choose are not a fashion accessory. I don't have the money to buy, nor would I buy, one of these monstrous or luxury SUVs. I buy a car big enough to fit the things I need to do my hobbies and to go to work when I am not working from home (which is not often). I buy a car based on whether or not it will fit my family/friends and pets and all of their accessories if need be. I bought a vehicle which allows me to bring large items home when I need to. I also bought myself a vehicle that would allow me to drive through some of the floods and mayhem after Florida got pelted with all those hurricanes a few years ago (I was there for all of them).

If you don't have to haul people and equipment, have a family, have pets (small or large doesn't matter because they all have to travel with a lot of stuff), or have aging parents who also come with a lot of baggage (and by baggage I sometimes mean medical equipment), you wouldn't understand.

If you're just going to drive yourself back and forth of course you wouldn't see my point, but your need to grab attention with an ill thought out response is just sad. Have you thought that using a small car on a long daily commute five days a week is more detrimental than eliminating your commute or minimizing it by teleworking? You, and so many zealots like you, are ready to criminalize people without knowing their driving habits or how they live their life and it's sad. Don't get me wrong I understand where your anger is coming from and it pisses me off to see someone speeding in their empty Expedition too. The problem is that you're lumping people together unnecessarily. People should be smart enough to buy a vehicle that suits their needs, not a vehicle that exceeds their needs.

The only thing that kept me from purchasing the hybrid model of my vehicle was the extra 5 grand on the price tag. If the manufacturer's were turning out more hybrids the prices would fall and a lot more people would move in that direction. This will change in time of course, but it would be nice if the American auto makers would stop pledging their allegiance to the gas/oil industry and take a serious stab at plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and alternative fuels (other than ethanol).

How about you channel some of your zeal into campaigning for change instead of sitting around and complaining when you could be doing something? No matter how green you think you are, there's always someone who's greener.

Re: Quote of the Day: Paul Roberts on Gas Guzzlers

Elise — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:15:17 -0000

The Anonymous poster again went out of his way to throw around a bunch of unsubstantiated claims in defense of himself. I took some time to debunk some of of that.

Well, you're wrong. At the very most, 5% of the time trucks, SUVs, and vans are being used for things that other vehicles probably can't do effectively. This is a fact, not a guess.

If it is a fact link your data. Where are the statistics? I'm not assuming that you're wrong, but I want links to your information. It is very easy to throw out statistics, but they may not be relevant and without sources your readers cannot investigate the claims for themselves.

I use my vehicle the way it was intended, and seeing as it is a small SUV, it was not intended to go off road. I have moved 7 times in 10 years, and between moving and the regular hauling of people and equipment, it has been invaluable. Two trips in a small SUV over a couple of miles when moving is likely cleaner and safer than a 10 year old UHaul rental with a 10-cyl engine that hasn't had maintenance in months.

God, no, I didn't. I just got a lobotomy and unable to understand the obvious, so thanks for pointing that out.

If you know so much, post something useful. Help people making informed choices by sharing information that can help them. Posting "snakry" comments (I am not pointing out the misspelling, I just typed it as it was originally typed for accuracy) comments isn't helping anyone. I actually posted information about different vehicles that someone might use as food for thought when they talk to their friend who is looking for a new car or if they're looking for a new vehicle themselves.

That degree of paranoia speaks volumes about your mindset, and it really makes me wonder why you would come to this website other than to bash people and their values with silly strawmen.

There is absolutely no paranoia here. I don't come here to bash people, and I agree with the vast majority of things that get posted on Treehugger. I think it's a great site and it is very informative, but when I don't entirely agree with something that's being said I feel obliged to post about it. I agree with everyone's frustration with SUVs, but the problem is that people are not informed and not taking the time out to see that SUVs are not the only culprit. The SUV, regardless of size, is being used as the scapegoat when there is a much bigger problem (which is not being caused by the little Escapes and Rav 4s). Just because someone has a Prius doesn't mean they put less greenhouse gasses in the air than anyone with a larger vehicle. That is what I intended to point out with my post. People think that they are being conscientious by buying vehicles that are not SUVs that have poor fuel efficiency ratings. My whole point is that just because a vehicle is not an SUV doesn't make it better than one. I didn't bash anyone in my first post at all. You took it upon yourself to bash my choices and the language I used in my post.

The comment about people's "lifestyles" was so shallow that it was worthy of a snarky response. I could care less about what people drive, but I think their rationalizations for their choices are sad. Of course some people need the functions of one of these beasts, but the notion of a "lifestyle" being more important than the web of life is so out there that I don't think there's a rational response to it. Are we all Paris Hilton now or something?

For someone who is so informed, you're obviously ignorant of the meaning and connotation of the word lifestyle. A lifestyle is simply stated how someone lives their life including their culture, religion, education and social choices. My lifestyle includes a 95% vegetarian diet, freecycling, recycling, donating, working for charity, continuously seeking higher education, and trying to minimize my impact on the environment. Just because our media has repeatedly linked the word lifestyle to the upper financial echelon here and around the world, does not warrant comparing me and those who agreed with points in my post to the likes of Paris Hilton or the rich wastrels in our society. I resent the comparison, but it says a lot about how you have let the language used by big media in this country influence your thought process. Everyone has a lifestyle whether it be simple, complex, poor, or affluent. You spend a lot of time judging me and other people, but you complain about it when it's done to you.

The premium for a hybrid is at most $4K, less an often very large tax credit. For some vehicles, like the Ford Escape, the net premium is about 1 grand, not 5. It was similar for the Prius, but the tax credit got reduced since it sells so well.

Here again you make an unsubstantiated claim. The numbers you come up with are fictitious at best. Just to put some real facts on the table I have here the prices for the 2008 Ford Escape and its Hybrid counterpart (from Fordvehicles.com):

2008 Ford Escape - MSRP $18,770

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid - MSRP $25,075

The $5,000 price tag difference I saw when I purchased my vehicle has ballooned into almost $7,000. I don't know where you got your figure of $1 grand, but the price difference between a 4-cyl FWD Escape and the Hybrid Escape has never as low as you describe. Furthermore, the tax credit does not help someone fit the monthly payment for a car into their budget. Just because there is a tax credit does not mean I could afford another 150-250 dollars worth of monthly car payments associated with a $5,000-7,000 higher price tag. The way to bring the cost of these vehicles down is to pressure the automakers which I believe I said before.

Why don't you stop taking blind stabs in the dark with prejudicial comments that have relationship with reality?

The first prejudicial claim in this thread started with the daggers you threw at my use of the word lifestyle. There was nothing of the sort before your post so you should stop pointing fingers and take a good long look at your initial response.

Re: Quote of the Day: Paul Roberts on Gas Guzzlers

Elise — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:52:35 -0000

If you're dumb enough to compare a manual transmission bare-bones model with a CVT transmission and high-trim and consider them comparable, you are clearly ill-equipped to follow the numbers about usage percentages with respect to SUVs, trucks and vans. You certainly don't have enough wattage to stop confusing your personal situation (the anecdotal) with the global averages. You may or may not utilize your vehicle to its potential, and might not do well with a more fuel-efficient vehicle, but since you could make any claim you want, there's no way to verify any of it. Also, it's a chicken or egg thing anyway - got the truck so I can haul the boat which I got because I got a big truck.

Fair enough.. the manual model is $18,770, but the 4-cyl model is $19,770. That's a mere $1000 difference and still proves that there is a substantive price gap between the typical entry-level model and the most basic hybrid model. You throw out numbers that make no sense just to support a weakly formed argument.

I am plenty knowledgeable enough to know that I am speaking for myself and have been since the beginning. I didn't bring up national averages, and I didn't compare myself to these averages you speak about so often. You, like a lot of people including some of the authors and SMEs out there, are trying to fit everyone into one mold and it does not work. This is, again, part of my point from the beginning. You also refuse to put forth any real numbers, proof, statistics, or information to support the things you say. My argument from the beginning has been that we need to inform people about more than just one aspect of the problem. You aren't doing anything for the readership of this blog by being snarky, sarcastic, and failing to explain your rationale for anything.

My comments are not jibberjabber if they cause even one person to rethink their choices or more importantly their overall use of a vehicle.

Re: Quote of the Day: Daniel Imhoff on Obesity and the Farm Bill

Elise — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:17:46 -0000

HFCS is a real problem. I didn't realize how much of our foods it had infiltrated until I visited Canada and barely saw it on the labels. I think that eliminating HCFS could have a huge positive impact on American health.

Re: Electronic Books: The Next Chapter

Elise — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:08:20 -0000

I've wanted an E-Ink reader for a very long time. The Sony one is pretty slick, but Sony's DRM is usually draconian. I don't want to be locked into any one company's eBook store. I think E-Ink is brilliant and I don't understand why one would want their "book" to be backlit.

Re: Survey: Can a Shiny New Mac be Green?

Elise — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:54:29 -0000

This may not be the last laptop that you buy, but you may not need another one for several years (provided that its fragile form factor can handle years of use). People are running some of the newer releases of OS X on Macs that they purchased a decade ago, so who knows what is possible in regard to future upgrades. It is unlikely that your average Winbox (eMachine, Dell, etc) will be able to run the next version of Windows at all, so if you're not Open Source friendly, you will be upgrading or purchasing new computers every few years for the foreseeable future.

This is a step in the right direction above all else. When high-end PC manufacturers (Apple, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP/Compaq) start making strides to more environmentally sound PC design, the others will eventually follow in suit. Let's not forget that SSD and some other components that will make these sub-notebooks and UMPCs real power sippers are limited in size and extremely expensive. By making these features available in the Air, Apple can do its part in popularizing them which will lead to increased demand and lower cost.

I find it difficult to read through so much cynicism and so many haters that are missing the point. This will make people and PC manufactures change how they think about mobile computing and open up the market for sub-notebooks and other machines that buck the traditional laptop design.

Re: Survey: Do You Take Paper Cups?

Elise — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:53:14 -0000

I stopped buying drinks from fast food restaurants, and I stopped drinking soda completely. If I do stop for something from the ream of fast food which is pretty rare, I go home and drink whatever I've got there.

Re: Treehugger Buys an SUV - Hell freezes, Arctic Melts?

Elise — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:02:50 -0000

I think the Ford Escape hybrid is a much better choice. You can really do a lot better on gas with it, especially if you're a hypermiller. Furthermore, it could actually accommodate a large(r) purchase like a small to mid sized appliance or a large TV with ease. You claim you needed room for kids (and things, and kids things), but I test drove a CRV and we couldn't comfortably seat four adults (only one being over 6') in it. The Escape also has excellent safety ratings, and you would've spent the same if not less money for a car that would've been a better fit for your needs as you describe them. Furthermore, if you're a family of three, how much of your extended family were you going to try to cram into the CRV? Sounds more like you didn't do proper research and got hung up on a name brand over the actual functionality you needed.

Re: As Autism Rates Skyrocket, Are Environmental Factors to Blame?

Elise — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:46:03 -0000

Autism is not the diagnosis of the decade at all. It wasn't diagnosed as often in the past because it was too easy to use the gigantic and wholly encompassing mental retardation or developmentally challenged/delayed label, and not pursue a specific diagnosis. Not only do we have research that affirms that the traits are genetic, but there is a very wide spectrum of symptoms associated, and the diagnosis can be more specific.

Autism and Asperger's spectrum disorder is so much bigger than what you describe here, Cybercat, that your comment is actually insulting to parents of Autistic and Asperger's children, and to the individuals who suffer it themselves. Before you try to distill something to complex into such a simplistic comment, you should actually do some reading on the topic.