For a variety of reasons I prefer blinds over drapes. While custom blinds can be just a bit more expensive than blinds that are already pre-made, they are still less expensive than custom drapes. They are also much easier to clean in most cases and with my home with the pets? It’s one less part of the house that collects cat fur when you have two cats that are devoted window watchers…For those that prefer the curtain look, there are always toppers or you can for ultimate window darkening scenarios for sleeping or privacy use both blinds and drapes.
Another great classic movie is “Imitation of Life” from 1934, starring Collette Colbert. It’s for me a black and white movie that has some tear potential moments. The story line involves a widow with a young girl who befriends another woman with a young child, it touches on racism, feminism and shows the cultural differences between the white and black community at that time frame as well as how it began to change. It also deals with issues between mothers and daughters…This is not the trailer, it’s the first section of the movie.
Back in the olden times of my youth, if your television broke, you’d call a tv repairman or if it was a tube you’d head down to the hardware store to test your tubes and purchase the one that was broken. Now television sets are much more complicated and at times they are not designed to be easily repaired. However, sometimes what’s wrong can be fixed for less than the cost of a replacement. While the traditional days of the repair man who’d show up at your house may be over, you can still find companies who will do rv repairs and give estimates using the internet.
Recommended piece at Wired for those of you into the newest when it comes to smartphone technology - Sony’s Newest Android Phone Is a High Dose of Can-Do. I admit I have phone envy at times when I compare the phone I have with the phones some of my family members have. When I entered a new contract with AT&T for them, they all got new phones, I’m on an older plan with Verizon and the free phones/upgrades were not quite as great. My older phone was actually nicer in many ways than the one I’m currently stuck with.
I love classic movies, and of course in my other life, I cover politics so it’s no surprise to some of you that “All the President’s Men” is one of my favorites. At times I debate with myself as to which one would I rather be - the fact oriented Woodward (which in a way is more me with my job/reputation as a fact checker) or the more passionate Bernstein who wants to push the lines on fact and go into the conspiracy theory aspect of the story.
One of my daughter’s boyfriend just got his license and his first car. Unfortunately, the family member that gave it to him didn’t bother to be honest about the condition of the car. It’s one of those situations where a “free car” is worth not much at all and requires much more than a simple brake job it looks like it would need a completely new or rebuilt engine…
So as he sits with a car that he can’t drive — dreaming that he would have been given a Chevrolet Silverado or anything that ran for more than a few feet without white billowing smoke…He basically has to start over again. Turning to the internet for a repair location won’t really help us in this situation but, for the rest of you? No matter what part of the nation you are in, whether you are looking for Dallas auto repair or Detroit auto repair, heading to the internet for recommendations is a good place to start.
Winona Ryder’s acting was not what made this a good movie for me, she was okay but it was the stories that were told of the women involved in the quilting that made the movie one that I’m sorry that I missed watching earlier. This one does have a tear factor warning for those of us who are a bit more sentimental. It is a definite chick flick worth viewing…
While you should have homeowners or renters insurance to cover theft, there are also a variety of other insurance policies you can buy for specific items that cover breakage and theft out there. Do you need tv insurance beyond a warranty or your other policies depends on the type of coverage you already have and the replacement cost of your electronic item. As always, read the fine print to see if it’s in your best interest…
I haven’t seen Inception yet, though from what I can gather, the following preview only gives you a hint as to what the movie is like. It’s been interesting to read articles about it and the “spoiler alert” warnings so that those who want to experience the full movie don’t get any hints as to what happens…
Our house does not have air conditioning, so days like yesterday and today when it’s hot and humid, trying to cook in my kitchen is a miserable experience. Those are the days I declare “grill days” because it is much nicer to lounge on some outdoor chair cushions, even in the hot evenings of summer than it is to be in the kitchen. Thankfully the way the house is situated there’s no sun beating down on our porch area after the mid afternoon…
The slogan on more than a few signs outside of Google’s headquarters held by protesters - As this Wired article, points out.
Google better look out, it’s awakened the wrath of the Raging Grannies…
About a hundred net neutrality activists left their laptops at home Friday afternoon to gather at Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters to protest the search giant’s perceived betrayal of the movement for federal internet openness rules.
The protest group’s ranks included eager young activists, long-time technologists, first-time protesters and the ever-present Raging Grannies, who led anti-Google sing-alongs set to classic Americana songs.
One song according to CNETto the tune of “Clementine:
Can the chickens in the henhouse all be guarded by the fox?
Every farmer knows it won’t do and the henhouse needs a lock
So when Google says “just trust us” we all know it’s just a stall
The FCC must do its duty and protect access for all
Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling FCC
Keep computers safe from foxes,
Equal access is the key.
At first I thought the name of this website that carries a variety of products for children was called “Preppy Parents” — I did a brief double take till I looked at it again and saw it was “Peppy Parents” — while my baby days are long past, having grandchildren and knowing eventually I will most likely have more grandchildren keeping up to date on what’s popular, like this Ergo baby carrier is a great way to spend time on the internet. Especially when I am taking a needed political breather, no matter how short the respite.
For those us fans of Harry Potter, this Times article is a highly recommended read. Part of:
But what’s here is choice. Unlike the candy-colored palette of any Disney park, black, gray and white are the dominant shades at the Wizarding World: the daunting slate of Hogwarts, the subtly ornamented shops, all capped by the rooftops’ perpetual snow, which in the oppressive summer heat serves as both a daydream and a taunt to sweltering guests. Cute, or Disney’s robust American form of it, is out. Quaint, British-style, is in. The Wizarding World is a bit like Stratford-upon-Avon, except that Rowling, not Shakespeare, is the presiding genius. And you don’t walk into the house she once lived in; you experience the dream she created.
There are blogs out there on just about every topic, from knitting to cooking, to heavy duty politics. Some blogs are opinion, others are informational, like this car insurance blog. It’s never been easier than before to start a blog and to help people learn more about a certain topic or an industry. They keys to becoming an educated consumer are as close as the next mouse click away….
Keep Your Kids Safe and Busy During Summer Months — Written by my friend Rico Cunningham
Summer months are sometimes more difficult to keep children busy and safe. Many families may be away on vacations. School is out and finding safe and enjoyable activities to do during long hot summer days is a challenge for parents who do not take vacations away from home.
Tips to help you get started:
Create a weekly planning calendar before summer arrives that includes activities your children enjoy such as day trips to the beach or local swimming pools, indoor craft projects for rainy days. Ask your children for ideas of their own to incorporate into your weekly schedule.
Other ideas may include washing the car and running through the water sprinkler; fill up a small pool and wash the dog. CLICK here for some more ideas.
A home security alarm is always advisable especially if you leave your children with a sitter or alone for summer projects of your own.
Tips to keep your children safe when swimming:
Adult supervision is always a must
Use an age appropriate flotation device. For best results use a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket.
Do not allow children with diarrhea to swim. Germs are easily spread into the water that can make other people sick.
Teach your children NOT to swallow pool water.
Always shower or bathe children before and after swimming. Allow children bathroom breaks regularly. Use a thick layer of SPF 15 or higher sun block on children 6 months and older. Younger children should be kept out of the sun. Apply sun block 30 minutes before children will be in the sun and reapply every few hours or more often while children are swimming.
Other sun safety tips for children:
Use a hat, sunglasses and loose fitting, light colored clothes.
Planning ahead helps parents to prepare for summertime fun and safety for their children.
Recommended Newsweek article on the creator of the Blackberry (link) that many of my friends are addicted too - hence the popular nickname — “Crackberry” — Mike Lazaridis is not resting on his laurels, this is just the beginning:
Still, the company’s largest hurdle may come in the form of competition. Certainly, RIM has carved a deep customer base for itself, but Apple’s iPhone as well as Google’s Android OS are determined to cut into its market share, particularly in the business sector. To a degree, they already have. According to Hugues De La Vergne, principal analyst at Gartner, the Blackberry went from being the dominant smart-phone vendor for Verizon Wireless a year ago to playing a distant second to Android today. Then there’s the growth of other devices, like tablets, that promise to include wireless e-mail—the very heart of RIM’s services. Read the rest of this entry »
In 2007 about 40% of American families owned digital cameras — three years later it’s being reported that over half of American families own a digital camera. Add to that the number of people that have cameras on their cell phones and it’s easy to see how the ability to share photos using social media like twitter, facebook and myspace have increased in popularity and sharing family moments as well as at times news moments.
Personally we had a bad experience with buying an electronic text book last year, it was only able to be downloaded on one computer which meant if the computer crashed or was stolen? You were out of luck. However, according to Wired - colleges and universities are considering the iPad since it may be a cheaper way to provide textbooks - (link):
Though an iPad starts at $499 and can cost as much as $829 for the top-end model, there is potential for cost savings, as well. The university has already identified one class where the textbook in ePub format costs $100 less than the dead-tree version. With a typical class load of five courses, it could be possible to completely offset the cost of a device like an iPad in textbook savings alone. (At least, this is true if you’re comparing the iPad against a stack of brand new textbooks; the savings may disappear if used books are brought into the comparison.)
It’s never been easier to go to college with the huge variety of learning institutions that offer you the ability to earn a degree online without having to go to an actual college campus or classroom. There are things you need to know though, not all online schools are the same, make sure to do your homework first as far as checking to see how reputable the school is, whether the degree or certificate offered is recognized in your area as far as employment and read the fine print in any enrollment agreement before you sign…
Not just because you are a congressperson as this Wired article points out but because not everyone who’s trying to get into your wifi is going to have a public relations motivation for doing so…
A representative for Consumer Watchdog — a group largely funded by legal fees, the Rose Foundation, Streisand Foundation, Tides Foundation and others — parked outside Harman’s and other lawmakers’ Washington-area residences to determine whether they had unsecured Wi-Fi networks that might have been sniffed by Google as part of the internet giant’s Street View and Google Maps program.
The group wants the House Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Harman is also a member, to haul Google executives before it, so they can publicly explain why, for three years, Google was downloading data packets from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks in neighborhoods in dozens of countries. Google has repeatedly said it didn’t realize it was storing snippets of payload data on unsecured Wi-Fi networks, until German privacy authorities began questioning what data Google was collecting.
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