August 8, 2008

Magnalight brightens my life

I’ve spent the last thirty years doing what I do. I guess that makes me an expert in some matters. Since I’ve spent a good portion of my worklife in dark places, one of those matters is lighting. Can you see what I’ve got in my hand over there to the right? Yep, it’s my trusty Magnalight, and I never leave home without it. Actually, it’s only one of my trusty Magnalights. I have three or four of them for work and home. When I find something that’s sturdy and reliable and that does exactly what I need it to do, I’m a fan. I’m a huge fan of Magnalight!

I limit my business to providing termite inspections these days, but I’ve spent most of my career working for full-service pest control companies. When I supervised treatment and repair crews, we needed more than just handheld flashlights to light our way. A treating tech needs both hands to handle equipment, as did our carpenters when they worked in crawl spaces, so we always set up stationary High Intensity Discharge lights to light their work areas and keep their environments safe. The last company I worked for had hid lights that looked that the one shown. I’m not positive it’s the same exact model (it’s been a few years) but I know we bought ours from Magnalight, because we always bought from Magnalight. High intensity discharge lights use low wattage to provide the brightest possible light and are the lighting of choice for numerous trades, not just us bug folks. They can be mounted for stationary use, but portable models can go wherever you need to use them and even be used as vehicle spotlights.

If you’re not a Magnalight fan yet it can only be because you’ve never tried one. You need to correct that oversight. There’s a Magnalight for every task you can imagine, so if you’re like me you need several different models. I don’t do this very often, but here ya go: Magnalight has the skeet seal of approval!

Technorati Tags: HID lights, lighting, lights, Magnalight, work lights

June 17, 2008

Preparing for dark days

Remember last winter when I didn’t have power for almost four whole days? I had candles and oil lanterns all over the house and couldn’t get enough light to read after the sun went down. I was afraid the dogs would knock over a candle or lamp and start a fire, so I placed them up high, but that meant lousy light quality for reading and finding things. I had two flashlights, too, and used up a slew of batteries before power was finally restored. Trying to live normally during a power outage is a dangerous and costly process. I’ve replaced all the stuff I used up from my emergency evacuation box, but I’ve been meaning to upgrade it and haven’t done that yet. We’re in hurricane season again, so I should do it soon. A shake LED flashlight would be a good addition. They don’t use batteries - you just shake them for one minute to build up enough power for half an hour of light. It’s a cheaper and greener way to go, and I won’t have to worry about setting the house on fire when I need to carry a light around from room to room. It’s affordable, too, costing less than what I spent on batteries during the great blackout, so it will pay for itself in savings pretty quickly. If this is sounding familiar it’s probably because you read about it in “O at Home” (the Oprah magazine.) I can’t think of any reason not to add a shake LED flashlight - or two or three - to my evac kit.

Now a message from your mother (hey, I’m someone’s mother so I have to do these things!) Have you got a fully-stocked evac kit ready for emergencies? If you don’t, would you take care of that soon so I can quit worrying? There are several emergency preparedness posts in my archives, but your local phone book and civil defense organizations are the best places to find out everything you need to know so you’ll be ready when disaster strikes. Don’t say it won’t happen to you; it’s happened to me a few times and my evac kit has gotten me through some rough times. You should know the evacuation routes and shelters in your area. You need to know what you can take to a shelter with you, and how much. You need to be ready to hunker down with no outside contact for three or four days if you have to shelter in place. And you really should do it with as much eco-friendliness as possible. The link above will take you to innovative green solutions that will give you something to feel good about when bad times come. Eco-friendly radios, water filters and lighting belong in your evac kit, so check it out!

Technorati Tags: eco-friendly products, ecogeekliving, emergency kits, evacuation kits, flashlights, green solutions, shake LED flashlights

February 1, 2008

Super Bowl 2008 Ads = pop culture in the making

I love my kid. He’s a great guy, very thoughtful and loving. I’ve missed him a lot since he moved back to California a few years ago. We stay in touch, though, mostly through frequent phone calls. I always have to brush up on the latest happenings in the sports world before we talk. Otherwise our conversations will founder when he starts raving about his favorite teams or player contract negotiations or whatever else sports-related is on his mind. The fact is that I’m not much of a sports fan and it’s something of a relief not to have to have those conversations on a daily basis anymore. I’m hopelessly befuddled by pop culture, too. I just don’t follow that stuff, so I end up saying “uh-huh” and “I see” a lot when I talk to my son. I am “with it” enough to know that the Super Bowl ads and halftime show will be subjects of conversation soon, though. Pop culture happens at the Super Bowl each year, so I’ve been doing my homework, getting myself primed for those earnest heart-to-heart talks that I’ll enjoy with the kid soon. I’ve already gotten a sneak peek a the Sunsilk campaign that will be introduced on Super Bowl Sunday. I’m sharing that with you in the video above. I like the premise of the campaign - women sharing the things that inspire them - but I’m glad I still have some time to do a little research before the big day. I know who Marilyn Monroe is, of course, so I’m good there. And Madonna? I’d know her if I ran into her on the street, but I haven’t exactly kept up with what’s going on in her life. Madonna taught a whole genearation of little girls that it’s okay to go out in public in your underwear and she divorced Sean Penn and then … dropped off of my radar. Yeah, I think I need to brush up on her. Who is Shakira, though? I heard and saw a little of her performance in the video, but that’s pretty much all I know about her. Will I need to know all about Shakira before that in-depth post-Super Bowl conversation with the boy? Maybe if I download some of her Playphone.com ringtones onto my cell phone I’ll learn to recognize her singing and start to feel a little less hopelessly lost. They’ve got selections from all three gals actually, plus other Super Bowl 2008 ad campaigns and a whole catalog of today’s hottest artists. You get ten downloads for only $9.99 a month , but you also get ten bonus downloads when you start the service. Playpone.com has videos and wallpapers and games too, so there should be enough material there for my crash course in pop culture, right? I know I’m out of step, but I’m willing to work on it for the sake of a good mother-and-son relationship. How much time have I got? When’s the Super Bowl? Oh, yikes! That soon? Guess I’d better grab those downloads and start my cram course!

Technorati Tags: Playphone.com, pop culture, ringtones, Super Bowl

October 30, 2007

Do not call - are you registered?

I got an email from a cousin today:

This is for real, I just registered mine.

…YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

My cousin is a pretty intelligent guy, but he’s constantly forwarding emails such as this without verifying the information. It seems to me that it would be less troublesome to go to Snopes or the source quoted in the email forward than to forward it. It took me about a minute to debunk this one. From the FTC website:

October 12, 2007

The Federal Trade Commission today reiterated that despite the claims made in e-mails circulating on the Internet, consumers should not be concerned that their cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketers in the near future, and that it is not necessary to register cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry to be protected from most telemarketing calls to cell phones.

Read the entire press release.

So should you register your cell phone? It can’t hurt. I get occasional telemarketing calls on my cell phone, so I decided it was the reasonable thing to do. You can do it online at the National Do Not Call Registy or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the phone you want to register. I used the phone number to register my cell and office phones today. It took less than two minutes to do each. My fax machine does not have a handset on it, so I registered my fax line through the online site (link above.) That was also quick and easy. I look at it the same way that I see buying term insurance - like an ace in the hole. I remember registering my phone (land line) when Do Not Call became available, but maybe that was before I got new numbers. I regularly get calls from Sun Marketing (as do thousands of others who have complained about them) and occasionally from other telemarketers. Now that I know for sure that all of my phones are registered I’ll be able to file complaints if these nuisance calls continue. It takes thirty-one days for your number to actually enter the system, but after that you’re protected for five years. It’s free, so I can’t think of any reason not to do it.

Technorati Tags: do not call, FTC, National Do not Call Registry, telemarketers

October 17, 2007

Making a classic (but easier!)

Have you ever made a cake from scratch? I know there’s a whole generation out there (or maybe even two) who have never made a cake without using a mix. Cake mixes were available when I was young, but Mom just didn’t believe in using them. She made her cakes the old-fashioned way, and she taught me to do the same. All four of us (two brothers, one sister and I) cooked at an early age, but I was the one who really took to it. I know I cooked my first full family meal when I was about seven, but I don’t remember when I first baked a cake. What I do know is that it was a 1-2-3-4 Cake. That’s the one Mom made most frequently, and I always asked for it on my birthday. I haven’t made one in a few years, but it’s still my favorite. The name comes from the main ingredients: 1 cup of shortening, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour and 4 eggs. It’s a very rich cake, denser and a little grainier than the cakes you’re probably used to. Did I mention it’s my favorite non-chocolate dessert? That’s why I still make it from time to time, even though it’s time-consuming and mixes are easier. If you’d like to try it be prepared to spend a little more time than you’d use for a mix, and be prepared for your hands to be completely worn out from all the mixing (unless you have a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer!) Here’s how:

1-2-3-4 Cake

3 cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated
1 cup milk

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Cream shortening with sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add beaten egg yolks and beat thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately in small amounts, beating well after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into batter. Pour into greased pans and bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees F) about thirty minutes. Makes 3 (9-inch ) layers.

You see what I mean about all of the mixing? I have a condition in my hands called deQuervain’s Tendonitis. Over-using my hands brings on exruciating pain which feels as though my wrists and hands are packed with broken glass. After the pain comes numbness severe enough that I can’t control my hands. A recipe like the one above is tough on healthy hands. It’s more than I can handle these days, even with my little hand-mixer, which vibrates horribly and cripples my hands if I use it for more than a minute or so. What I need is a Hamilton Beach® Mixer, which will not only save my hands, it will also make all of the juggling of ingredients much easier (since I won’t have to hold onto the bowl with one hand while holding the mixer with the other hand and wishing for a third hand to add the ingredients as I mix.)

Now I don’t want to send you into shock, but it’s not too early to be thinking about Christmas shopping. Y’all know that my son goes out of his way to get me wonderful presents. I usually hem and haw when he asks what I want, but now that I’ve had a good look at the Eclectrics® Mixer I know one thing I’d really like him to give his old mom this year. Just so I can make a 1-2-3-4 cake for him, of course.

* Don’t even think of going to all this trouble and then slapping frosting from a can or a mix on this delectable cake. I recommend and old-fashioned Seven Minute or Caramel Icing. Hey, you’re in the kitchen anyway. Do it right!

Technorati Tags: cake recipe, stand mixer, Hamilton Beach Eclectrics® Mixer, kitchen appliances, memories, nostalgia

October 16, 2007

iPhone accessories

Do you have an iPhone yet? I’ll admit I’m a little slow to take up new technology. I only got my first cell phone four or five years ago. I like the iPhone. I love the gee-whiz factor, the wonder of so much technology crammed into such a small package. I’ll probably get one someday, but I’m a cheapie, so I’ll wait a while for the price to come down some (like many of you, I’m sure.) If you’re one of those folks who had to have one right away, good for you! I’ll be picking your brains before I get one for myself. You paid too much, though. You know that, right? The price of newly developed technology is always astronomical at first. If you’d waitied a bit you probably could have gotten it for a much better price. That’s water under the bridge, though, so all you can do now is protect your investment. You’ll need some iphone accessories to make sure you get your money’s worth out of your expensive toy. I had an inspector friend who lost several cell phones because he kept them in his pocket. He dropped at least two of them into toilets while checking for plumbing leaks during his inspections. Can you imagine doing that with something as expensive as an iPhone? Yikes! I’d really be kicking myself! Better get yourself a sturdy case or maybe a Belkin Sport Armband for iPhone (picture above) to keep your iPhone safe. Check out pdostore.com. They have all kinds of accessories for your iPod and iPhone. They’re not expensive and can save you a bundle. Not that you’d ever drop yours into a toilet, but, well … accidents happen.

Technorati Tags: iPhone acessories

August 18, 2007

Recycle your old cell phone

I’m still laboring away at my clutter problem. Obviously, I’m not working at it hard enough or it would all be gone, but still, I’m working on it. I’ve been going through my office files this weekend. I keep two years of paper files in my office file cabinets, three years archived in file boxes, and I shred and dispose of anything older. Today I’ve been culling the file cabinet for files to move to archives. Every time I take a break I scan around the office for other things I can get rid of. Do you remember that I recently boxed up eight or ten office phones and set them out for the charity truck? Today I came across the two old cell phones that I had intended to give to the women’s shelter out here on the coast, but it had turned out that they can’t use them. I know you shouldn’t just dispose of electronics in rubbish that will go to the landfill. My service provider isn’t interested in a trade-in when you upgrade and doesn’t offer to recycle your cell phone, so it’s left up to the consumer to decide what to do with their old cell phones. I think most people toss them in a dusty corner and forget about them (I’m not the only one, right?)

So what are you supposed to do with old cell phones if you can’t throw them out and the provider won’t take them back? CellForCash.com has a practical answer. They pay cash rebates on over 600 models of cell phones. Just look for your manufacture and model number in drop down boxes and you’ll be told instantly what your cell phone is worth. Ask them for a postage-paid box, mail you phone back to them and they’ll send you cash. Less clutter plus a cash payment - that sounds good to me! If your phones are very old like mine and have no cash value, that’s okay, too. CellForCash has information on local recycling options and charity sites that accept cell phones. I just discovered that several local charities here need cell phones and - would you believe it? - my bank will recycle it for me.

If you’re asking yourself “Why should I recycle my cell phone?,” there are some things you should know. It’s a fact that cell phones leach hazardous levels of lead when disposed in landfills, but that’s just part of the problem. Cell phone circuit boards can contain arsenic, beryllium, copper, mercury and other toxic chemicals. The flame retardents in the plastic housing, wiring boards and cables contain toxins, too, and cell phone batteries - yep! - more toxins. These toxins can contaminate groundwater when they get into landfills, and cause air pollution when burned. Improper disposal is even against the law in some areas of the US. The State of California and some areas in Washington and New York have made it illegal to dispose of cell phones in landfills. California, New York and Maine have laws requiring retailers to provide recycling services for cell phones. Whether mandated by law or not, we need to do the responsible thing. CellForCash makes it easy.

Technorati Tags: cell phones, environment, recycle cell phones, recycling

May 14, 2007

It’s HDTV Tuesday

Tomorrow will be HDTV Tuesday again! Payperpost has always treated its posties well (that’s us, folks who make money on our blogs with PPP.) Lately they’ve upped the ante. They’re still the best place to blog for money on the entire web, but Tuesdays have become sort of postie appreciation days. First there were huge cash jackpots available to the lucky posties who were first to click on some very special opportunities during April. Then more of our sponsors got involved and wanted to show their appreciation, too. April $1000 Tuesdays have now evolved to become May HDTV Tuesdays. Each Tuesday there are opportunities to win some pretty cool prizes in addition to opportunity fees. Posties have already won Apple TVs and a PS3. This week the special prizes are a Slingbox, Nintendo Wii, Yamaha Surround Sound System and/or a Logitech universal remote. At the end of May we’ll all have chance to win a new HDTV.

This week the prizes are sponsored by Bid 4 Prizes. You probably already know about them, but if you don’t you should check them out. They’re a contest site that awards auction items to the lowest unique bidder on any given item. Right now they’re running a contest that can get you a chance to win a million dollars.

It’s time to get yoursef in gear. If you’re not blogging for PPP, today is a great day to start. You’ll earn money for blogging about the things you love and be eligible for the awesome HDTV Tuesday prizes. Check out Bid4Prizes, too and take your shot at a million bucks. Tell them skeet sent you. It won’t improve your chances of winning, but it will give me a good dose of warm fuzzies. Hey, you’re online anyway. Get going!

Technorati Tags: contests, games, PayPerPost, prizes, sponsored blogging

March 2, 2007

Can you help me decide?

I know that a lot of you have been missing my photos and I do see opportunites to take a few every time I leave my house. (Well, duh! It’s Hawaii. Of course I do!) I just have a hard time with posting bad pictures, so I’ve passed up most of the chances that have come my way.The pictures I’ve used in my blog lately have been out of focus & more than a little embarrassing. That’s because I’m still using the cheesy little camera that I’m “holding” for the homeowners association. I finally started shopping for a camera yesterday. I was doing some household shopping at a warehouse memebership store and decided to take a look at what they had. I’m no camera expert, but I know a little about what I want. I see surfers and whales almost every time I drive the coast highway this time of year. The few photos I’ve taken have shown little dark specks lost on the blue ocean. I’ve never gotten a good shot of the mountains either. I’m pretty sure I could do a better job with a something somewhat higher than the 4X zoom I have available right now (which is still higher than the 2X I had on the camera that died on me.) I found several in my price range yesterday that had either a 10X or 12X. There were little data cards stuck behind plastic on the display counter. The cards didn’t give me the kind of info I needed, so I tried to find someone to open the case and pull out some user’s guides for me. Good luck if you find yourself needing help in that type of store. I wasted about twenty minutes and came home to do my comparison shopping online.

I think I’ve found the camera I want. If you’re pretty savvy about these things and want to help me out, leave me a comment with your advice What I primarily want to know is how “user-friendly” it is, since I’m very much the techno-phobe. It’s easier for me to shop online because I can compare specs side by side, but since I don’t know what half of them mean I’m still a little lost. The camera that I’ve got my eye on is an upgrade on one that I had handled at the store yesterday. It’s a Kodak Z710 Easyshare 7MP with 10X optical zoom. I found an Overstock.com deal on it that will save me thirty bucks, so I can get it a little cheaper there than at the local place. I think it has the features that I want and need, but am more than willing to look at other models if the advice comes flowing in and other options seem better suited for my limited abilities. There are scads of online coupon codes available to me, so I can afford to shop around at different merchants and look at other brand names.

I know that several of you that read me regularly are pretty knowledgeable about cameras, so if you’re willing to help me out here, give me a shout. I’m not in a huge hurry, but I’d like to be able to take some pictures when my son comes, which I think will be late March. I’m looking to save money, so I’m especially interested in the discounts that are available at CouponChief.com and, besides, they were nice enough to sponsor this post and I’d like to give them some love back.

Technorati Tags: digital cameras, electronics, payperpost, online coupons

February 17, 2007

Cell phone deals

The last two times I’ve renewed my cell phone plan, I’ve looked at my carrier’s “free phone with service plan” deals. You’ve probably been there and know how it works. If you sign a one-year plan, you’re shown a phone that will be included free. If you chose a two-year plan, the free phone is a little better quality and has a few more features. If you opt for a more features and a longer contract, you’ll get a better phone. Now, I don’t know what your experience is with your carrier, but mine has been pretty dismal. The free phones that are offered as enticement are junk. They’re cheap phones and don’t have the features I want. I’ve always ended up either keeping the phone I already had or buying a new one that suits my need, with a small discount thrown in because I’m signing a new plan with the same carrier.

You don’t have to buy your cell phone directly from your carrier. They may be reluctant to tell you that, but it’s a fact. You can buy your phone anywhere you choose. That being the case, it makes sense to shop around. When you do, I know one thing that you will find: Wirefly is the number one seller of cell phones and wireless plans. Since I drive an American car, you know that I know that popularity is not the best reason to select one particular product or service over another. It is, however, the best reason to check out what’s being offered. If a company is that much more successful than its competitors, I want to know why. I do my research, and I’ve usually found that the most popular products and services have earned their titles. That kind of status is gained by offering the people what they want at a fair or lower-than usual price. So let’s take a look at Wirefly and see why they’re doing so well:

1. Wirefly has numerous calling plans for all of the most-used carriers. Whether you’re looking for a personal, family or business plan, Wirefly can meet your need with multiple plans from Alltel, Cingular Wireless, Nextel, Sprint or Verizon Wireless.

2. Wirefly carries all of the most sought after phones with all of the best features. Today they are offering sixteen different Blackberry cell phones. Sixteen! Has your carrier got that in its store-front service center? I think not!

3. Wirefly offers hot deals on cell phones from your favorite providers. Want a free Motorola RAZR V3 Blue camera phone with Bluetooth headset? How about a $50.00 rebate with your free Blackberry Pearl with myFaves and a T-Mobile plan? Those are just the tip of the iceberg. You’ll find special offers on every page at Wirefly.

All Wirefly purchases come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and free FedEx shipping (and free return shipping if you ever need it.) It pays to do your homework and shop around before making your cell phone selection. Check out the other guys. Then check out Wirefly. They sponsored this post so I could tell you why they’re worth a look/see.