Category: Grab Bag

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MS Excel: Custom Data Labels

In Microsoft Excel, if you ever needed to graph some data but then attach a data label with it that wasn’t necessarily the data value of that point, there is a way to do that. This also a good way to attach notes to the graphs and can be easily customized.

Let us assume this is your data:

You want to plot the first half of that data like normal:

Next you can right click on each of three bars and select Format Data Series. Now select the Data Labels tab and select Values and press OK.

You should now see the graph like this:

Now since you want to associate the second half of the data values with this bar graph, you select each data value individually – you can do this by click the value once, to select all the values associated with that color:

Then click again to select that point individually:

Now press the “=” key and select the cell the new data value that you would like to show. Repeat this last process for each data point and you will be set to go:

I am pretty sure you can write up a VB script for it and I probably will in due time if necessary, but hopefully this helps for now.

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Re: Oreo Cookies and Halal Products

My cousin over at Chill Yo Islam Yo raised a very important question last week when he asked whether the Nabsico products sold in North America were halal because they are self-proclaimed NOT halal-certified in Europe.

“Before you start throwing Oreo cookies at me,” as Saad said, I contacted the Nabisco Customer Service regarding the issue and have enclosed the entire conversation below for your consumption (get it?).

If the pictures below seems too long for you and you don’t want to read it (tl;dr), Nabisco basically stated that “to the best of their knowledge” as long as the Oreo product is not “Reduced Fat” or of the “Sugar Free” variety, you are good to go. Their answer is the first thing you read in the image and my initial question is found below the dotted line in each picture.

Below is the FAQ from Nabisco’s European website that Saad pulled up:

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Blood Donation

I donated blood today for the first time in a few years and the process this time seemed to be much faster and definitely less painful with the needle poking. I went in well prepared with a meal before hand and no liquids immediately prior to the donation. I found out today that one can donate blood every 56 days and although that seems rather frequent in everyone’s busy schedule, I will definitely try to go at least once a year.

No one needs a special reason to give blood. Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend, others because they know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day and some just believe it is the right thing to do. Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply.  And  you’ll feel good knowing you’ve helped change a life.

Some health benefits that you receive from donating are you actually get a mini physical while you’re there as they check your pulse, blood pressure, body temperature and hemoglobin.

In terms of preparation of what to bring when donating, you should have a meal and something to drink. In terms of documentations, bring a donor card if you have it and driver’s license or some other form of government issued ID. Also they ask about where you have traveled recently and what types of medication you may be taking so a list of those are always useful.

Blood Donors Must:

  • Be healthy*
  • Be at least 17 years old in most states, or 16 years old with parental consent if allowed by state law
  • Weigh at least 110 lbs.
  • Additional weight requirements apply for donors 18 years old and younger and all high school donors.

* Note: Healthy means that you feel well and can perform normal activities. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, healthy also means that you are being treated and the condition is under control.

So head over to your local American Red Cross (http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood) and donate today!

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Woot Shirts

Shirt.Woot started off with a relative bang where there was a sustained period of excellent shirts but then came the inevitable dull stretch. However, the past month or so has been rather excellent with their derby and great shirt selections.

From what I remember, I have made 5 purchases from Shirt.Woot but only 3 were for myself: Do The Math, Army In My Pocket and A Peculiar Discovery (the first row in the gallery below). I made my first purchase back on 2/22/08 which followed an additional 4 purchases in the next 8 months but the 5th only came last month with the penguins.

Even with those purchases, there were two recent shirts that I am quite disappointed I missed the opportunity to purchase at regular price (even though they are still available at a slightly higher price). Those two shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me knows pretty well as I was a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan growing up (and still am) and have played a disturbing amount of Mario Kart with my roommates in the past year.

The two shirts are titled The Epic Begins and School in the lower part of the gallery are still available for a relatively cheap price of $15 if you are interested in buying for yourself or gifting me.

Do The Math
Army In My Pocket
A Peculiar Discovery
The Epic Begins
School

 

 

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Cuisine Corner: 53rd and 6th

My great friend, Justin Eusebio, who I met the very on my first day of my collegiate life has just written a brilliant article on his experience of 53rd and 6th. He is the weekly writer of the “Cuisine Corner” for The Stute and this happened to be his very last piece. I have included his last article below which you can also read here on The Stute’s website and make sure to visit his Yelp page here for other reviews from a countless other places.

If you have enjoyed the experience that is 53rd and 6th then you’ll enjoy this article just as much. If you have no idea what this is, then MAKE SURE you read this article and go out tonight to enjoy the food. For those that don’t get it — it is located on the corner of 53rd Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan.

Cuisine Corner – 53rd and 6th

People thought I wouldn’t do it, or that it couldn’t be done. But here I am, in my last review that I will ever write for The Stute, writing about the pinnacle of my college dining experience. I was introduced to this miracle on wheels over five years ago when I was a young freshman, and it has kept me coming back more times than I can even imagine. While it is known by many names, 53rd and 6th, Chicken and Rice, Lamb and Rice, or Platters, there is only one experience that is second to none.

A few weeks into my freshman year, my new friend, but now long time roommate, told me about a place in NYC that he has been going to for years. While at first I had thought we were going to a brick and mortar restaurant, I was surprised to find that our destination was a once random street corner. Marked by the iconic yellow plastic bags and yellow sweatshirts, the line said it all. Never have I stood in line for an hour for street meat, but I was assured it was worth the wait. Platters can be enjoyed in all physical conditions; however, when you are at the brink of starvation, this meal can take you to nirvana. That night I felt like my insides were cannibalizing themselves, which made for the perfect conditions to enjoy that meal. With my first bite, I saw heaven, and the angels were eating Platters. Since then, I have gone in sweltering hot evenings, monsoon-like rain, and blizzard level snow, but like the postal service, no elements have kept them from being open.

Being a self proclaimed Platters veteran, here are some common misconceptions and rules to follow if you’re going for the first time.
Continue reading “Cuisine Corner: 53rd and 6th”