July 2008 Archives

Who doesn't like to watch movies at home? With growing technology, turning your home into a movie theater on-demand is becoming more of a reality, especially after a recent announcement from Netflix and LG Electronics.

It seems that LG Electronics is working on a Blu-ray disc player that not only will play the high definition Blu-ray format for movies, but it will also be able to integrate with your Netflix subscription. The player will sport a connection on the back to plug it into a home network, where you can then stream Netflix movies from the Internet, direct to your television. No waiting anxiously for the mailbox or even downloading, because it plays the instant you click it.

To find out more about this movie watcher's dream, head over to The Wall Street Journal.

Tags: movie subscription, movies, netflix, rent movies, rental

Like California, it seems that Canada is looking to invest in biogas as an alternative source of natural gas for the future. This biogas is collected from a sewage plant as a byproduct of human waste, and is then distributed to customers.

According to the Vancouver Sun, "it will be the first time in B.C. that energy from human waste is captured and used in this fashion, and it's fairly novel on a global scale as well -- although processes using gas from landfills and agricultural waste are well established." For those of us who are always looking to cut costs on bills and save some money, it's nice to see that all around the world and here in North America, people are investing in alternative sources of energy to power our homes.

To find out more about the biogas process, visit the Vancouver Sun for additional information.

Tags: alternative energy, biogas, energy, gas, natural gas, natural gas energy

As the summer rolls on, it seems that prices on gas and other items that we need to maintain our active lifestyles continue to roll on as well. With no immediate end in sight to some of the concerns about spending on energy and other commodities, it's nice to be informed about what is going on in the world of energy in order to stay on top of the game.

Earlier this week Amber over at EnergyBabble posted some intriguing thoughts about the discussion of Oil Vs. Alternative Energy in today's world. She definitely poses a lot of probing questions about the long term reliability of both energy sources, the rising costs of oil and other matters that I'm sure will hit home with a lot of consumers that are trying to keep some money in the pocket. Is more offshore drilling the answer? Or do we need something else?

To join in on the energy conversation, take a trip over to EnergyBabble.

Tags: alternative energy, energy, energy conservation, energy saving

You'd better believe it. Every year around this time, E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) happens in California. It's a time for those in the video game industry to let others know what is coming in the future and how the last year has treated them.

To kick off the week, each of the major console developers (Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo) holds a press conference where they make their big announcements on upcoming titles and developments for their systems. Yesterday, Microsoft announced an exciting new partnership with Netflix which subscribers could start to see the benefits of as soon as this Fall.

Basically, if someone is a member of XBox Live, Microsoft's online gaming service for the XBox 360, and a member of Netflix, they will receive the ability to stream movies online to their TV through the XBox 360 console. Best part of all? No additional costs.

To read more about this exciting deal, head on over to the WashingtonPost.
 
Tags: movie rental, movies, netflix, rental, xbox 360

Tired of getting those unwanted ads and envelopes in the mailbox? There's nothing worse than getting home from a long day of work, grabbing the mail and pulling out piles of applications, offers and all the other stuff that can be a pain to toss once you get inside the house.

Amber at Enviromojo recently posted some helpful tips on how to stop junk mail in its tracks. It's a great resource for those who are trying to be eco-friendly while still keeping the unwanted mail from piling up on the kitchen counter. Head on over to EnviroMojo if you'd like to learn more!

Tags: eco, eco-friendly, enviromojo, environment, green, green living

As we move past the halfway point of 2008 towards the next year, more and more people are paying attention to the upcoming transition from analog to digital television. If you were unaware, on February 17, 2009, all over-the-air analog broadcasts will cease, replaced by digital signals. Now, if you have cable or satellite TV you should be fine- however, if you use the traditional rabbit ears, you will need to get a signal converter in order to continue watching your favorite shows and programs.

As the date nears, more people are trying to spread the word. An article posted this week in the New York Times talks about the transition and how groups like the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights are attempting to get more funding to let the public know more about it. Apparently, there are large groups still in the dark on the subject, and could be left in the dark as far as their TV goes next February.

Recently, more commercials and ads have been airing that let people know about this eventual change in the broadcasting format. States are getting in on the awareness game as well. Last week, Monica at CommJunkie posted an interesting article about a recent test run by the Sunshine State, where they cut off the analog signal briefly to show television watchers if they would be affected by the transition or not.

To find out more about this story, head over to the New York Times. If you'd like to know more about the DTV transition, visit DTV.

Tags: cable, digital, digital cable, digital transition, digital tv, dtv, satellite, tv service

Now that the moving season is underway, many homeowners are getting ready to become home buyers and home sellers. While the prospect of relocating and finding a new place to live can be exciting and adventurous, it can often times be stressful to being the process of moving.

To help start the move and the selling process, US News has posted a great list of cleaning tips for people looking to sell their home and help get it "market-ready". Some of the tips include:

• Wash windows inside and out. Use a drop of liquid dish soap per two gallons of water and a good squeegee. Dry the window with crumpled newspaper. You'll get the best results if you wash windows on a cloudy, not sunny day, because sunlight dries the glass quickly, causing it to streak.
• Odors can get trapped in drapes and window treatments; if washable take them down and wash in water heated to at least 130 degrees.
• Box up all nonessential items to eliminate clutter. Even junior's toys can be an eyesore. Keep only the most used toys in a container that can be stored in the closed.

A list like this is a great resource for new sellers and old alike. To read these tips and more, head on over to US News.

Tags: cleaning services, home services, house, move, moving, moving tips

If you haven't visited EnviroMojo yet, things are really starting to ramp up now that the summer is in full swing. In fact, just yesterday, Amber posted an excellent article titled "Greenify Your Beach Bag", going over some simple steps that will make your trip to the sand and surf better for the environment.

The guide to the greener beach bag covers all of the essentials, with specific tips on the kinds of sunscreen, swimsuits and even beach towels that you can look into before your next visit to Galveston or Key West. Likewise, recyclable beach toys are another enviro-friendly necessity when dealing with children who might accidentally leave their play things buried under the sand or out in the water.

To read the full article, check out EnviroMojo for all of your enviro-news.

Tags: conservation, environment, green, green living