So, You Want to Buy a Subaru

Maybe you're a granola munchin' hippy from Vermont, or perhaps some mid-fifties couple who lives in suburban Massachusetts and listens to a lot of NPR. Regardless of your background, you've already decided that one of those trendy Subaru wagons is what your heart desires. Personally, I commend you. I just purchased an Outback Legacy with my partner, and it already proved its usefulness in our most recent snowstorm.

But hold on! There are a few things you really need to know when investing in these vehicles. There are some systemic head gasket problems (read "expensive engine problems") that appear in both older and newer models. If you're buying brand-spankin' new, this may not concern you. But if you're looking in the used market, anything made from about '95 to 2003, you should pay attention.

There are two main problems, both of them involving head gasket leaks. These problems seem to occur between 60k and 130k miles of use on the engine, and mostly on the 2.5 litre engine. If you're getting a car with that kind of mileage in it, make sure that you find out its history. If the cams seals and head gaskets haven't been replaced yet, you could be buying a time-bomb.

We were lucky to find a vehicle at a dealership, where just the previous summer those very repair jobs had been done.

The second most important thing is related to the design of the 2.5 litre engine. If the timing belt breaks while the engine is running, the engine will essentially destroy itself. The repairs will be greater than the value of your vehicle. Get your belts replaced every 60-100k miles. If the belt will need to be changed right after you buy it, make them take off another hundred or so off of the asking price.

Picasa Images Duplicates in Linux

If you're experiencing inexplicable duplicates in Linux, I may have a solution.

Even if you have each folder listed only once in the "watched folders" section of the Picasa folder manager, it will follow Linked folders as if they are a unique path. Simply deselect the linked folders and you should be alright.

Hip Hop Violin: Paul Dateh and inka one

I don't normally post media on my blog, but I StumbleUponed this really neat video of a Paul Dateh and his violin skills. Please enjoy.