More Silly Toys

I really enjoy sharing silly videos - and with the holidays upon us, toys are right at the top of my mind - so here's another toy that belies the idea that children had complex toys 50 years ago... My favorite part - the look on the boy's face!

Silly Toys or Silly Kids?

Last night I was shopping for toys for toys for the little kids in my family. I saw the traditional board games and toys, and action figures but l;ots of involved toys with electronics and lights and intellectual engagement with small special purpose computers. Then today, browsing on my computer, I came across this old TV commercial from (I guess) the early 60's - and it just makes me wonder what would happen if you showed up on Christmas morning with one of these as a gift.

Consumer Alert: The jingle is really catchy, and I'm not responsible if it gets in your head and stays there :-)

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Change Your Air Filters Monthly (But Don't Go Cheap)

As the mercury rises into the summer months, don't forget to change your home's air filters regularly.  It not only extends the life of your HVAC unit, but can help keep your energy costs down, too.
Not all air filters are created alike, however. Don't go cheap.
Your local hardware store carries a variety of air filters ranging in price from less than a dollar to $20 or more per filter. They're all purported to do the same job, but after watching this 1-minute video, you'll see why cheaper isn't necessarily better.
Airborne particles are smaller than most mesh filters. Pleated filters are recommended instead.

Most high-quality air filters start around $11 and can be purchased in bulk from Amazon at discounts of up to 20 percent.  3M's Filtrete line of products is a popular, well-selling brand and can last up to 3 months.
If your home has shedding pets or is dust-prone, consider changing them monthly.

15-Minute Fixes For Around The Home

Home maintenance is an ongoing project. There's always something to do around the house, or something to fix. The problem is, you may not have the time, or the skills, to get it done yourself.

In this 4-minute piece from The Today Show on NBC, you'll see some projects are quite simple.

Dubbed "15-Minute Fixes", see how simple it can be to handle 3 common household chores:

1. De-alcification of a shower head
2. Clearing hair from the inside of a bathroom drain
3. Sealing a granite counter-top

Each clean-up job is cheap, quick, and can be handled sans handyman. As Spring Fever sets in, put these fixes on your To-Do List.

How To Remove Stickers And Adhesive-Based Price Tags From Just About Anything

Sometimes, price tags just don't want to unstick. No matter how hard you scrub and scrape, tacky residence stays behind. Turns out, getting "the stick" off your stickers isn't so hard when you have the right tools.

In this 2-minute video from eHow.com, you'll learn how to remove stickers and adhesive-based price tags from common household items including:

• Wooden furniture
• Glass vases and other glassware
• Plastic pieces
• Cardboard boxes

The best part? All the supplies you'll need are already in your home.

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Happy New Decade - A 7 Minute review

The end of 2009 is also the end of the first decade of the century - and that makes it a good time to get some perspective on the last 10 years.

This video, courtesy of our friends at Newsweek that gives you a quick overview of the decade - it might surprise you to realize that even something as ubiquitous as the Ipod is less than 10 years old.. seems like those white earbuds have been around forever doesn't it?

Anyway, here's best wishes from our family to yours,for a better decade ahead!

Charging Your Phone(s) Without the Clutter

Tired of "wire clutter" where your mobile phones, MP3 players and gaming devices compete for outlet space?

The Powermat may be your solution.

The Powermat is a 12-inch long wireless battery charger that's conspicuously missing "plugs". Instead, it uses magnetic induction to safely recharge up to 3 devices at once.

Just place your phone(s) on the pad and they charge automatically.

The Powermat debuted at the 2009 Consumer Electronic Show and was reviewed in video. The reviewers had many positive comments on the Powermat, but highlighted some negatives aspects, too. Give a look and see what you think.

Powermat retails for $99 on Amazon.com and is usually shipped for free.

Tighten Up Your Loose Towel Racks

Over time, towel racks tend to come loose from sheetrock walls. And, sometimes, they separate completely. The good news is that making repairs is easy -- it's something you can do yourself with a little instruction.

In this 2-minute video from ExpertVillage.com, a professional contractor shows that with just a drill and some butterfly anchors, re-securing a towel rack can be a basic handyman job.

So, before you call a professional to rehang your towel rack, watch the video and consider making the repair yourself.

Chemical Free Ways to Weed Your Lawn

In every yard and every garden, weeds happen. It's a fact of horticultural life.

There's no way to prevent weeds, but there is a proper way to treat and remove them. Chemical treatments like Round-Up are one option, but many gardeners prefer pulling weeds by hand. I only know these things from hearsay, since I am not, by any stretch of the imagination a gardener - however, through the magic of the Internet, I can find stuff to blog about and seem to be an expert - even if only an expert at finding things to share with you.

In this short video from Expert Village, Doug Smiddy shows us how to properly remove a weed by it roots to prevent regrowth. All it takes is a simple hand-tool to do the job right.

He also reminds us that having a weekly weeding schedule makes the job easier to finish.

Things to Buy When the Economy is Slow

Down economies reduce consumer spending, creating a bind for retailers. As excess inventory collects dust, companies have little choice but to drop prices in hopes of selling more product.

For the bargain shopper with extra cash right now, there are some terrific deals to be had out there. This 4-minute piece from NBC's The Today Show highlights a few of them.

• Wines over $25 per bottle reduced up to 50%
• High-quality diamonds reduced up to 30%
• Summer rental homes reduced up to 50%

Furniture is another discounted item.

Now, these aren't everyday-type purchases, but when the economy turns around for good, the bargain-priced items highlighted in the video are expected to return to their former price levels.

If you have the means, therefore, consider taking advantage while costs are down.

Can You Save the Planet When You Mow Your Lawn?

Motorized garden tools come in two varieties -- gas-powered and electric-powered.

If you take a close look, however, you'll notice that professional landscapers and gardening experts almost always choose the gas-powered types. This is because gas-powered garden tools both outperform and outlast their electric counterparts.

On the downside, they're an environmental nightmare.

According to the California Air Resources Board, a typical 5-horsepower, gasoline-powered lawnmower produces more pollution in 60 minutes of operation than a Toyota Prius produces in 800 miles of driving.

The environmental pollution created by lawn care products is one of the reasons why the Eco Trimmer by Lehr is getting such good buzz. As the first propane-powered garden tool, the Eco Trimmer combines the lawn care power of a gas-powered tool with the environmental accountability of an electric one.

The propane-powered tool emits 96 percent fewer carcinogens than a gas-powered tool and is completely non-toxic to ground and soil. Its performance is highly-rated, too.

The Eco Trimmer sells for about $200 on Amazon.com and is available in most major hardware stores. You can read more about the product and its environmental impact at the official Lehr website.

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Great Gadgets for Mother's Day or Father's Day!

After attending the International Home and Housewares show, The Today Show filmed a 5-minute segment called "Housewares You Won't Be Able To Live Without".

The title is somewhat over-the-top but don't let that turn you off. The gadgets reviewed are both practical and inexpensive. They include:

1. Make-no-mess vegetable peeler for the kitchen
2. Efficient kabob tool for the grill
3. Grow-In-Your-Kitchen garden that grows like an outdoor one

Of over 2,000 products at the show, NBC selected seven. Watch the video to see them in action.

Gadgets don't improve a home's value but they can make life easier sometimes. And for homeowners, easier is often better.

Flipping - Your Mattress Not your House!

If you're not rotating your mattress every 3 months, you may be shortening its lifespan. Constant nightly pressure can "wear out" the areas on which you sleep, creating in-bed divots and reducing your sleeping comfort.

The ExpertVillage.com video above -- "How To Flip a Mattress" -- is pretty self-explanatory. But there's a few other steps you can take to protect your bed and your health.

First, consider the use of a mattress cover. A mattress cover protects against spills and stains and can stop liquids from dripping inside of the mattress itself. Mattress covers are marked down 43% at Amazon.com right now and can be purchased for cheap at Bed Bath and Beyond, too.

Second, each time you change your sheets, remember to vacuum the mattress surface. A thorough cleaning will reduce the number of allergens and mites living on your bed, promoting better health hygiene.

And lastly, remember to occasionally apply an upholstery-grade cleaner to your mattress for stubborn stains or soilage. Using this particular type of cleaner is important because the product is meant to be near human skin. This is different from, say, carpet cleaner.

A good mattress can be expensive. Extending its usable life is not.

DIY and Increase Your Home's Value!

In a tight economy, do-it-yourself home improvements projects not only save money, but may also justify a higher listing price for a soon-to-be home seller. In addition, projects like these make your home "the shiny penny", standing out when buyers are looking through the houses on the market.

In the 4-minute video above, Sweat Equity host Amy Matthews talks with NBC's Matt Lauer about affordable home upgrades that even the least skilled home remodelers can finish on their own.

Three of the huge, bang-for-the-buck projects discussed are:

• Refinish laminate countertops for $95.


• Replace hollow "builders' doors" with sturdy doors for $200 each.


• Install kitchen and bathroom backsplashes for $500 each.

The video also recommends installing a basement egress window, if possible. As far as DIY goes, it's a little bit more complex but the results are stunning.

Choose the Right Filter - Not the Cheapest

Changing your air filters regularly keeps your household energy costs down and extends the life of your HVAC unit(s). It's important, however, to use air filters that actually work.

Walk into any hardware store and you'll see a host of filters at various price points, starting at 99 cents. Before you reach for the cheapest products, though, watch the 1-minute video above.

A mesh filter isn't going to stop most airborne particles.

Because buying the recommended pleated air filters can be expensive, consider purchasing in bulk from a store like Home Depot, or from Amazon. Air filters don't "go bad", you can store your discounted filters until they're ready for use.

Experts recommend changing air filters quarterly at minimum. If your home has shedding pets or is dust-prone, consider changing them monthly. It will not only make the air easier to breathe, but ypou'll find cleaning a little less of a challenge as well!

Space Saving Ironing Fix!

Ironing boards can be bulky and awkward -- especially in a cramped laundry room or a small apartment.

Instead of fumbling with a folding board for a quick press, look to the Touch-Up Topper instead.

The Touch-Up Topper is a heat-resistant, portable ironing surface that rolls or folds for storage. Using sewn-in magnets, the quilted pad fastens to the top of most washers and dryers, turning any metallic surface into an instant ironing surface.

At 32" x 18 1/2", the Touch-Up Topper has a larger ironing surface than traditional ironing boards and it costs less, too. The Touch-Up Topper costs $14.95 and is available for sale at SkyMall.

Not Caulking Your WIndows? Might As Well Leave Them Open!

Image via Wikipedia

If the amount of air that leaked from a typical home's gaps and cracks was measured, it would equal the amount of air that leaves through an open window.

This is why so many Home & Garden experts recommend a recaulking of your home prior to the Winter -- a solid caulk job can reduce a home's Winter energy bill by 20 percent.

In this 2-minute video from Home Depot, learn how you can to identify leaky windows, and then how to fix them using caulk, putty knives and a host of other tools. Or, if DIY is not your style, find a competent contractor online.

The project is small so the costs should be low.