How to change a brake light bulb of a 2005 Honda CRV

Buy replacement brake light bulbs.  I bought Sylvania branded part number 7443LL bulbs that come in packs of two (around $7 in any auto parts shop).  You can save the extra one for future needs.

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Open the tailgate of your CR-V and locate the two round plastic screw covers on the inner edge of the taillight assembly. One is on top and the other one at the bottom.  Pry them open with a screwdriver. 

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You will then see two Phillips screws.  Remove them using a Phillips screwdriver.  If they are too tight, you can use a 1/4" ratchet with a 9/16" socket, since the screws have a hexagonal head.

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Grab the tail light assembly with both hands and pull it back strongly.  This will expose the different bulb sockets. 

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Find the brake light bulb socket and remove it by turning it counter clockwise 45 degrees.

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Remove the burnt bulb and replace it with a new one.  Then, put the socket back in place by turning it clockwise 45 degrees.

Place the tail light assembly back into position by aligning the two white pins with their respective holes and pushing firmly.

Put the two Phillips screws back in place, tighten them, and cover them with the two round plastic screw covers.

Finally, ask a friend to press on the brakes to see if the brake light is working properly.

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Coffee marketing by two American companies in Norway

A couple of examples of how two American companies are trying to cash in on the coffee culture of Scandinavian countries like Norway and Sweden.  I took these pictures in Oslo last week:
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Seven Eleven, the ubiquitous U.S.-based convenience store, has hundreds of stores in Scandinavia, and has been able to brand itself as a destination for quick, quality coffee.  These high end automatic machines can brew you a cup of espresso worthy of a high end Italian coffee bar:
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Starbucks, on the other hand, is trying to hook Norwegians on ice lattes as a way of differentiation.  Last week you could spot several young girls in Starbucks uniforms deployed in different parts of the busy pedestrian street of Karl Johans Gate, in the center of Oslo, delivering literally thousands of sample ice lattes supplied from this delivery truck parked nearby. 

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If it ain't broke, don't fix it

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Gap's recent attempt to change its world-reknown logo for the amateurish mess you can see above right has the blogosphere on fire with protest (both of the angry and the sarcastic varieties).  It is hard to understand why a logo that is so widely recognized and carries so much brand equity would need to be changed, especially when the new version is so bland and unimaginative.

The new Gap logo is so bad that it has already inspired several parody sites like craplogo.me, where you can create your own Gap-like crap logo.  Mine looks like this:

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My bet is that this dud will be scrapped and Gap will soon revert to its original logo.

Eating Tambaqui in Manaus, Brazil

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Tambaqui is a large freshwater fish that can be found in the Amazon basin.  It is considered the best fish you can eat in Manaus. 

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The traditional way of preparing it is grilled, and the choice cut are the ribs (costelhas de tambaqui grelhado).  It is served in metal rods similar to those used in Brazilian churrascarias. 

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Around 10% of the tambaqui's weight is fat, which gives it a wonderful flavor, similar to that of sea bass.  I had this dish at a restaurant called Canto da Peixada: a non-pretentious restaurant in a nondescript neighborhood, considered to be the best seafood restaurant in Manaus. 

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Squeeze some lemon on top of it, and pour some freshly made spicy sauce (molho apimentado) and enjoy it with an ice cold beer.

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Water bottles and the power of brands

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Head over to your closest Whole Foods and you’ll probably find a Sigg reusable water bottle display like the one on top.  Each bottle sells for $19.99 or more.

Go to Walgreens and you'll find a very similar bottle at $3.99:

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Why would somebody pay 400% more for essentially the same product?

Because of the power of brands…

You spend $19.99 on a Sigg not because you need a water bottle, but because you want to tell the world that you are hip, environmentally conscious and stylish.

People are willing to pay to belong to a tribe, and brands just make it easier.