I'm glad that there's many choices out there as far as television. It isn't like the old days when there was just cable TV and you had to wait around the house all day for them to come out and hook you up. Everyone knew it was bad, comedians made jokes about it, but they didn't care. What was you going to do, hook up a pair of rabbit ears? Good luck getting HBO on that.
But nowadays there are a lot of options available to you. Even out here in the sticks I've got choices. I've been with Direct TV for years and have been very happy. In all the time that I've been with them I'd be lying if I said I was happy all the time with them, and haven't taken a look of those other options, but any problems have been solved so quickly that it never got beyond "just looking". And when you see the Direct TV Deals, you can see why they're the way to go to get your programming.
And they're really gearing up their channel 101 with programming. They're keeping Friday Night Lights plugging away and kept it from the "brilliant but cancelled" category. And they're showing all the episodes of Trailer Park Boys and you know what a fan I am of the show. And that's just one channel. When you find out about the Direct TV Specials they offer to new customers, you'll be glad to join the party. Want a channel cable doesn't offer? Want to keep up with all the sports packages? They can help you with all that and more.

I was reading this ShoWest report and it looks like the studios are hitching their wagon to 3D as the way to get themselves out of the doldrums. I knew they were going to release Toy Story in 3D later this year, but I didn't know it was both that and Toy Story 2 being released together. And I don't know how feasible the home 3D technology will be, but hopefully it'll be better than the red and blue glasses they have now that they packed with Shrek 3D and Spy Kids 3. And they're saying LCD TVs will be obsolete in five years? I haven't even gotten mine yet. But hopefully it'll be one I can use for more than 5 years. I'm not that much ahead of the curve that I have to get the next cool thing coming out when it comes out. I can remember being reluctant to get into CDs, but when I did, I fell hard, and Kathy and I went crazy getting a bunch of CDs when we got a player to play them on.

Have something you want to say about what you love and hate about what's out there? Have more to say than what Twitter will let you say, but not enough to write a blog, or set up in any forums out there? Want the freedom to come and go as you please? I know when you have a blog there's a certain amount of pressure to write a full review on something you've seen. But like I've said before whenever I write about a show or book, it's a little more involved than talking to a coworker or friend about it and less than a full fledged review. And if you want to say your piece, but don't want the hassles of setting up a blog, there's a site where your voice can be heard.
Want to tell people about the Movies you like and hate? Or do you like to read music reviews before you jump in the fray? Or are you ready to speak your mind about Rock Music Reviews and let the chips fall where they may? Or maybe games is more your style to talk about. You've got something to say, here's a place where they welcome your opinions and want to hear what you've got to say.

It's amazing how we take plumbing for granted nowadays. It's no longer a miracle that we're able to get water, bathe, and go to the bathroom, among other things that have to do with plumbing. When indoor plumbing was starting to appear in peoples' homes I'm sure it appeared to amazing, but in our current climate, even when you take away more current innovations such as satellites, televisions, and communications, things like that have pushed plumbing away from the limelight to the point where it seems like it's almost a law of physics. Fish got to swim, birds got to fly, you get water when you turn a knob.
That's why it seems so overwhelming and unusual when something goes wrong with your plumbing. You hardly know what to do. Sure, you can fix some small things by yourself, but there are some things that are beyond your ability. I think I've learned a lot about my plumbing when my pipes froze this winter, but I don't think I could fix any major problems along those lines if something went wrong again. And if you're in the Atlanta GA area and you need any plumbing assistance, this Atlanta Plumber can help you out. You can learn what to look for in a plumber, how to obtain bids, and more. So don't give up if you need help and don't know where to turn. This is a good start.

If you have a good idea for a web site or blog, and you're like me, you may be overwhelmed by all the different choices out there and may decide to forget the whole thing. You don't have to do that. First of all, take it a step at a time. Think of it as a list of smaller tasks instead of one big overwhelming task. Second, I can help you by pointing to this web hosting site that offers you a helpful guide to selecting a hosting site. Whatever you're looking for in a hosting site, they can help you with their different rankings of web hosting sites by whatever criteria are important to you. Whether you want the best hosting site for a blog, information web site, shopping web site, cheapest hosting, or anything else, they can help you find it.
And they're more than just lists of web hosting sites for you to choose from. They have a blog with different helpful articles such as avoiding common web hosting traps that can further assist you in selecting the best web hosting site for you. Yes, you'll have to do some detective work, but that's because they can't read minds and know what kind of web site hosting you're needing. That's something only you can determine. But they can help you with it.

I was surprised to come across this tidbit: The Matrix was released 10 years ago today. I don't remember exactly when I saw it. I know I didn't see it the day it was released, and I know I saw it before The Phantom Menace. I know I was surprised by the "twist" in the film, and that I was online and the internet tubes didn't spill the beans. And today The Matrix is released on Blu Ray by itself. I probably won't get it because I got The Ultimate Matrix Collection on HD-DVD, and while HD-DVD capacity is less than Blu Ray, I'll just have to make do. I'm trying not to "double dip" too much on DVD to Blu-Ray, just getting the discs that are worthy of the upgrade.

With these tough times it can be especially hard if you're a family with children. You want to make sure they're well provided for and have what they need. But a lot of us are finding are income is cut back, but the need hasn't been. So what do you do in a case like that?
What I've been doing is keeping an eye out for bargains and trying to get what we need at the lowest price, while making sure that quality isn't sacrificed in the meantime. It can be time consuming searching for prices, not to mention going to different stores because each store has the lowest price on some items but not all. And it can be especially complicated when it comes to online shopping, keeping track of who had what price for each item. It can make you frazzled, and any relief is welcome.
What's needed is a search engine that lets you find the lowest price on items, and you can go to one site and comparison shop there. There is such a place, and they can help you with things like nursery furniture, toddler clothing, toys and games, and more. In fact, you can online comparison shop most anything here. Like a search engine, just type in what you're looking for, and they'll let you know the sites and prices for the items. You don't have to run yourself ragged looking for the best deals anymore.

I'm starting to get things ready for the new TV that we'll hopefully be getting soon. I started out cleaning in front of where the TV goes, and plan to keep hitting it a little at a time over the next week or two. Then, I decided to cash in my spare change I've been saving to get some more Blu Ray discs. I saw the Coinstar at the store didn't charge a fee for cashing in your change if you put it on a certificate or gift card to qualifying merchants like Amazon, so that's what I did. I had a big jar 3/4 full of pennies and added the other coins I've been saving for awhile. Ended up with almost $80 and picked out 4 Blu Rays that were on our wish list to get. So hopefully we'll get the TV and player soon and enjoy a much better picture quality.
And it'd be better if we save even more money. The Consumerist is saying now is a good time to haggle on big ticket items, especially on TVs, and cites this LA Times article that says now is the time to haggle on TVs since the new models are coming in and the old models are still clogging up the stores.

I finally finished Grand Theft Auto IV today. I know, the game came out about a year ago, but I wasn't in that big a rush to play through the story mode. You know how I am, I get on different phases from time to time, but usually when the gaming bug hits I'd play some GTA IV. I also got sidetracked when the live gaming got kicked up and like to pop in and play a Deathmatch. Sometimes there's some wacky parameters, like today I was in a match where the only weapons are pistols. And the ones where the only weapons are knives? That can get crazy, too.
If I want to segue into a different fanaticism I'll probably read this gaming blog, but I'm usually on line too much for my own good. Some good information there, though.

When you get a motorcycle, one of the first things you want to do is to fix it up and make it your own. And you want to get it so that it'll be running at peak efficiency. You're always on the lookout for anything that will improve your ride. Or there may be some issues that you weren't as passionate about before you got your motorcycle that now you want to get the word out about. Whatever reason you may have (or even if you're interested in all that and more) you can be part of the motorcycle community, say your piece, or learn things about motorcycling that'll make it more fun.

If you're Jewish and you're looking for others to talk to online, why not check out this site for Jewish Chat Room? It's real easy to sign up and before you know it, you'll be talking to others who share your faith and beliefs. And it won't be too long until you're making friends and can have a place online to meet and chat.

As long time readers of this blog know I've been especially anxious to get our tax refund back so we can get a new HDTV and Blu Ray Player. I'm doing the old fashioned waiting for the check in the mail routine. Sure, I could have had them deposit in our account, but I was afraid either the government or I would mess up at some point making the wait for the money even longer. And let's set aside the whole "it's your money to begin with that you overpaid on taxes" argument and Monday morning internet quarterbacking where people advise reducing the withholding so you actually do get your money when you made it, not next year in a tax refund. Sure, that's easy advice, but actually doing it is different. Plus, if you mess up on that and don't withhold enough, you could end up paying more in penalties and such. In a twist on that old saying, it's better to withhold more and be thought of as an idiot than to try to change it and remove all doubt.
I've seen some of those companies that do peoples' taxes set up at Wal Mart or Meijer, and the refund anticipation loans they offer. I've read the posters listing the terms and the APR and I'm shocked that people would pay that much just to get their money back sooner. But I blanch at the idea of paying 50 cents to use the debit instead of credit on my ATM card, and work to avoid the balance transfer fee in case of an overdraft on my checking like the plague, so what do I know? And then there's the card you can put your refund loan on, which the Consumerist calls the worst tax product ever with the fees charged to the point that it'll cost you to look at it. More telling was the comments in that post. One commenter pointed out (this is the best I could do to link it, starts with the original post with only his comment after) about a friend of his' mother who worked at H&R Block and tried to get rid of the loans and card until customer demand brought it back. And then there's this guy who had his card's money seized by holds from companies he didn't do any business with, they have no record of any transactions, and Block's reaction is to direct them back to those companies. (In a case like that, from my experience, I would advise to stand your ground when talking to Block and insist they help them and you're not putting up with any runaround. The CSR may not know how to help, but that'll get them on the road to resolving the matter.) And what if the refund amount is wrong?
Yes, it's crazy waiting for the money, but in this instance I think slow and steady wins the race.

Recently the point's been driven home that our planet only has finite resources and we're almost at the point of running out, or running low at the very least. Not only that, but it makes sense not to be so wasteful in what we use, and to not add any strain on our eco system with the making of certain products. Some people may say that's hippie talk, but it makes a lot more sense that thinking they'll make more and use up what we have while what we had is filling up our landfills taking forever to decompose.
Working on improving my recycling since the local trash service started offering to take recycleables involves changing a lot of habits that have taken years to develop. I'm still working on what I can put in the recycleables. But having the mindset of not wasting resources can help everyone when it comes to conserving paper. Even something as simple as using both sides of the paper in your notebooks, or clicking on print preview so you only print what you need and don't have that little bit printed on the last page that's just a banner ad or something else you didn't want to print would help as well. And Dolphin Blue is a good source for eco-friendly office supplies. It is the only online source where all products contain recycled materials. It costs more because government subsidies go to tree harvesters for paper, but between shopping for all of your natural resources with them, and cutting down on the use, you could end up saving money and helping out on the recycle movement.

Okay, I'm a goober enough fan to mention it here. Tomorrow night's the episode of Family Guy is the one where the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation appear. Kathy doesn't watch the show, but laughed at a couple of things I told her about in the preview clip:

Hopefully all the good gags weren't given away in the preview, like so many other previews. And here's a Newsarama story about the episode, and I'd be remiss if I didn't link Wil's post about it.

A lot of people who would ordinarily look at buying a new house are unable to do so due to the current economic situation. As a result they're looking at fixing up the homes they currently live in. Or they may want to improve the home's efficiency by replacing windows or adding insulation to cut down on the heating and air conditioning bills. But as with any professional you may do business with, picking out a contractor isn't as easy as picking one out of the phone book. You want to ask around, check references, get referrals to get the best contractor for the job, not just the one who is the cheapest. But what do you do if you don't know anyone who could give you a reference, or the people you know haven't had anything done by contractors?
This Austin Remodeling Contractor can help you out by providing testimonials to his service and other information supporting the fact he provides excellent service that you can easily verify and determine whether his services would suit your needs. You can take the fear and uncertainty out of getting a contractor with just a little research that he's already started for you, so it's just a simple follow up and you can go from there.

You know how I always bring up that I'm not on Twitter mainly because there's only a 140 character limit to each Tweet? Apparently Lindsay Lohan's mom doesn't understand that. Another reason I don't Twitter? Oh yeah, I have a blog.

It's been said that for proper rest people should get 8 hours of sleep at night. That's a third of their lives that's involved. And there's some people who do other things in bed which adds more time spent there. I'm talking about reading, watching TV, eating and working on the computer so get your mind out of the gutter, okay? But no matter how you slice it, that's a whole lot of time spent in the bed, so you want a bed that's going to make that time enjoyable and comfortable for you. Also, you want something that isn't going to break your budget because you're not going to get a good night's sleep if you're worrying about how you're going to afford it. Therefore, what you should do is buy it at a place that offers a variety of selection, whether you want something that's in the latest style such as Leather Beds, or your tastes run more in a classical style (like mine) there's plenty to choose from in that area such as the Windsor metal bed. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with the classics. But if you're intested in a different style, they've got the bed you're looking for at a price that won't let you lose any sleep. All of this talk about beds and sleeping has made me very tired. Good night, internet. I'm going to bed and dream about these great beds.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed column has hit the 200th column mark. To celebrate, they're doing a 3 part column.
Here's part one.
And here's part two.
They promised part three Friday night but I haven't seen it yet. Watch the skies.

Right now there's a lot of young people trying to figure out how to pay for college. It is their hope to be accepted and don't want to be consigned to a work force that in the best of times wasn't receptive to new arrivals in the job market. And those tough times don't help as far as getting the money needed to pay for college.
If I had any advice to offer in that regard, I would say to pursue every avenue available to you as far as getting the money to get to college. Grants, scholarships, selling on eBay, whatever it took. And while I'm not hot on Student Loans because of the debt upon graduation, if there's a choice between that and working part time at the gas station, then go for the loan. And don't accept anything that's offered: shop around and look at different options such as private student loans and college loans. By shopping around, comparing options and getting the best rate and terms you can, it will benefit you not only for paying for college, but teaching you skills that while some would say can be taught, actual application can hone those skills.
I've always believed that if there is something that you want bad enough, there is a way to work it out to achieve that dream. But I'm talking about practical matters. If there is a way that will and desire could get you to play golf as well as Tiger Woods, or act as good as Gene Hackman, then you wouldn't need advice as to how to pay for college.