February 9th, 2012 admin
From consumerist:
“Cable is one of the first things you should cut to keep expenses down, but that doesn’t mean you should ditch your favorite shows. J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly cut his cable bill from $65.82 to $11.30 without missing a single harrowing plot twist. Here’s how he did it…
J.D. basically designed his own à la carte programming instead of paying for a mess of unnecessary cable channels. He relied on two resources:…”
Continue reading
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, efficient, family, good value, hdtv, home entertainment, television / film, truth | No Comments »
January 31st, 2012 admin
Instead of the usual chili, buffalo wings, dip, 7 layer dip and chips and sloppy joes, how about trying something completely different? Different, yet absolutely appetizing! Here are just a few of many kinds of excellent dishes for your Superbowl Party.
Citrus Infused, Jumbo Lump Crabcake
Beef and Mushroom Turnover
Fresh Sea Scallops in Bacon
and how can we forget about the American Duo. This is a must have at your party.
These are just a few samples of what is available. There are many more yummy appetizers to choose from like Philly Cheesesteak Springrolls, meatballs, paninis, dumplings, reuben sandwiches, ham and swiss puffs, mufalettas, chicken and cheese enchiladas and more! Too meaty you say? Don’t worry there’s lots of veggie items: Artichoke & Spinach Filo Tartlets, Asparagus Rollups, Porcini Risotto Croquettes, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Potato Pancakes (Latkes), Crescent Puffs -Sundried Tomato & Feta and more.
They’re easy to prepare and you can order for as many guests as you need. Reasonable prices, too.
I’m hungry now.
Order your Superbowl Appetizers Now
Posted in efficient, family, food and drinks, fun, good value, home entertainment, kids | 2 Comments »
January 28th, 2012 admin
Whether or not you were around to listen to this masterpiece the first time around, it doesn’t matter. Jackson Browne, while he isn’t in the limelight in recent years, his music remains to feed the desires of music lovers worldwide.
Arguably his greatest, Late for the Sky is Jackson Browne’s third album, which pursues Browne’s continuing self-analysis while touching on territory normally off limits to the intrepid musician. The main title track involves the effects of a dead relationship and was featured in Martin Scorcese’s film, Taxi Driver
. While For a Dancer stares at death straight on, Farther On explains the difficulties faced by people who live life vicariously through films, books and music. Before the Deluge presciently cautions the imminent environmental catastrophes heading our way. Yes, while obviously dark at times, it is wonderfully intimate, strikingly autobiographical, personal and evocative.
Order Late for the Sky now
Posted in CDs, gifts, good value, home entertainment, music | No Comments »
January 26th, 2012 admin
Showtime has been coming out with incredibly original content in the form of ongoing series in the last few years; Weeds, being one of my faves. On the darker side of things, there’s Dexter, which is no less great but is much more serious, yet entertaining nonetheless. Sam Graham describes it best:
“An interesting and original idea that’s very skillfully executed, Showtime’s Dexter is never less than watchable, often quite compelling, and sometimes thoroughly riveting. As the 12 episodes from the show’s first season (packaged here in a four disc set) reveal, it’s also the epitome of “high concept,” a kind of Silence of the Lambs for the C.S.I. generation. Creator-executive producer James Manos Jr.’s title character, one Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall of Six Feet Under renown), works for the Miami Police Department as an blood spatter analyst, visiting crime scenes and helping figure out what happened. He has an avocation, too: during his off hours, he tracks down some very, very bad people who for various reasons have eluded the proper authorities. Seems his adoptive father, a cop himself, taught the kid how to channel his dark side in a “positive” direction; and so, having captured these evildoers (including a child molester-murderer and a recidivist drunk driver with a trail of bodies in his wake), Dex dispatches them with clinical precision, thus making him a serial killer who snuffs serial killers. But there’s more–much more, as it turns out. By his own description, Dexter is “a monster,” an empty shell who fakes all human interactions and admits to no real feelings for anything or anyone, including his foster sister (Jennifer Carter) and his nominal girlfriend (Julie Benz), a former crack addict and battered spouse who’s as uninterested in sex as he is. There’s an explanation for Dexter’s weirdness, of course, one so deep and traumatic that even he isn’t aware of it. It’s gradually revealed over the course of the season as he and the cops (who include Erik King, Lauren Velez, and David Zayas, all first-rate) track down the so-called “Ice Truck Killer,” a fellow monster whose grisly m.o. both fascinates and taunts our hero, leading to a genuinely shocking and squirm-inducing finale. Dexter can be a bit arch, with an ironic, too-hip-for-the-room tone that get a little old. Still, it’s a safe bet that anyone who views this first season will be salivating for the second. Extras include audio commentary on two episodes, a featurette about real-life blood spatter analysis, and a variety of DVD-ROM items.”
Find out what Dexter – The First Season is all about
Posted in DVD, good value, home entertainment, spare time, television / film | No Comments »
January 25th, 2012 admin
Slaving away at work day after day with nothing fun in between simply isn’t good for your well-being, so try a new hobby and schedule some fun time in your life. Make it a family activity if you want. You’ve always wanted to tinker in music and sound effects and jingles, and this Yamaha synth could be your ticket to eliminating the big B (boredom) that became routine for you. Life’s short, so embrace a new hobby, get rid of the hum drum life and instead, jazz it up a little.
About the Synthesizer
The Yamaha S90 ES combines a stunningly natural acoustic piano sound with all the sonic flexibility of the award winning Motif ES. A new multi-velocity, stereogrand piano sample, the new sound board simulation and the half-damper capability (when used with the Yamaha FC3) all ensure a rich and realistic acoustic piano sound. The 128 note polyphony tone generator, Studio Connections compatibility, mLAN expansion slot, and PLG expandability give it all the synthesis power and control capabilities of our Motif ES line.
Get Your Yamaha 88-Key Synthesizer Now
Posted in electronics, equipment, family, fun, gifts, hobbies, home entertainment, kids, music, pianos / synthesizers, practical, relaxation, relaxing, spare time | No Comments »
January 22nd, 2012 admin
The highly anticipated complete series of one of the most acclaimed events in television history finally comes to DVD. This definitive Twin Peaks Gold Box Edition has been carefully supervised by David Lynch and will include for the first time ever on DVD the original and the European version of the pilot. This 10-disc groundbreaking series will feature all 30 newly re-mastered episodes, all-new 5.1 Surround Sound and is loaded with exclusive featurettes, new interviews, introductions and much much more! No DVD collection is complete without Twin Peaks: The Definitive Gold Box Edition.
About Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks lived in its own bizarre, dark, amazing, fantasy world, fresh from the mind of creator David Lynch. The extra features on this Gold Box edition (which includes both seasons and the long-awaited pilot) intend to draw you into the milieu surrounding the world of the story, and offer you a glimpse into the gestation and making of the show, while gently poking fun at itself. To quote Lynch at the beginning of A Slice of David Lynch, “This is the strangest damn thing.” He’s referring to the act of sitting on a set in Los Angeles, drinking coffee and eating cherry pie with cast members Madchen Amick, Kyle MacLachlan, and personal assistant John Wentworth years after the show ended. But he may as well have also been referring to the show itself, and to the enormous popular phenomenon it accidentally became. As can be inferred from the title, A Slice of Lynch is a glimpse inside the creative mind of Lynch through his interactions with his old stars and assistant, and watching this, you can’t help but understand that Lynch operates on a different plain from normal humanity, and his artistic process, while often befuddling, yields incredibly original results to a degree that almost boggles the mind; happy accidents seem to stem from almost every artistic decision he makes. The strength of this feature is that it makes it clear that the world of Twin Peaks really existed, it just happened to live in the minds of David Lynch and co-writer Mark Frost. Twin Peaks Festival is almost an afterthought, it doesn’t fit with the rest of the features in depth or insight, but curious fans will get a kick out of seeing what happens when the most rabid, hardcore Twin Peaks gather in the Northwest–on the sights of many of the show’s scenes–for a fan festival that beats the heck out of any Star Trek convention. Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks offers a meaty, four-part look into how the show came about, the filming of both seasons, and the creation of the music by composer Angelo Badalamenti and singer Julee Cruise. Black Lodge Archive features six different items ranging from the “Falling” music video to bumpers and galleries that don’t do much to offer insight into the show, but they offer an unexpected, added bonus: watching Agent Cooper hawk Georgia Coffee in ads that aired only in Japan. They are quite possibly more hilarious and bizarre than anything in the show itself. The features do a great job of reminding an old audience, and explaining to a new one, why the show had such a devoted following. To quote one actress from the show: “It was unique, it came at a time when television was boring… there was nothing else like it on television.”
Get Twin Peaks – The Definitive Gold Box Edition (The Complete Series)
Posted in DVD, fun, good value, home entertainment, television / film | No Comments »
January 18th, 2012 admin
Sooooo, Santa did not bring me what I wanted for Christmas. Boo hooooooooooooo! How am I suppose to get in shape in 2009? I really need one. Oh. I suppose needing a new TV has something to do with not getting a Wii Fit, but I want one! I keep hearing how people love it and how great they feel and how fit they’re getting. Oh well. I guess I’ll have to get it myself, which is fine but I’ll have to save up a little. Maybe it’ll be an early bday present for moi. Yes. Body, get ready to get fit! Want to join me?
Get Fit and Have Fun at the Same Time!
Posted in computer games, efficient, electronics, family, fitness, fun, gifts, health, hobbies, home entertainment, practical, relaxation, relaxing, sports, women | No Comments »
December 28th, 2011 admin
This LJ Hutchen flute is significantly different from other brands. This instrument allows young musicians to learn without the frustration that comes with playing a poorly designed product. The materials used throughout the LJ Hutchen flute are simply the best that money can buy. Every instrument is double-bench tested and meets the most stringent level of quality before leaving our facility. LJ Hutchen instruments are an outstanding option for student musicians. Pricing and warranty terms are the best value offered in todays instrument market. Because LJ Hutchen instruments are predominantly used by students, we believe that high quality is not only necessary, but is imperative for successful music education.
LJ Hutchen Silver C Flute with Case – 2 Year Warranty
Posted in flute, fun, gifts, good value, hobbies, home entertainment, kids, music, musical instruments, spare time | No Comments »
December 27th, 2011 admin
It’s a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Take it with you where ever you go and record anything you like: birds, the people around you, music, interviews, the sky’s the limit! The H2 is the only portable recorder with 3 mic capsules onboard for mid-side recording. A directional mic is in the center (mid) and two directional mics (side) are positioned left and right. The audio is decoded instantly, bringing these three signals together for unparalleled stereo imaging. One button recording, gain controls on the side and an intuitive user interface mean you can always capture the moment. Set your levels, push record and go. The H2 records on Secure Digital (SD) media and a 512MB SD card is included. With a 4GB SD memory card, the H2 provides up to 2 hours recording at 96kHz, 6 hours at 44.1kHz, or up to a staggering 138 hours in MP3. Play your recordings on your home audio system with its 1/8″ stereo output or listen to your masterpiece with headphones. Or, use the H2′s USB interface to move your recordings to your Mac or PC to listen, edit and share. 512MB SD memory card included; Accommodates up to 4GB SD optional memory cards Auto Gain Control (AGC) for pristine recordings Auto Start function means you’re always ready to record Low-cut filter eliminates wind noise On-board chromatic Guitar/Bass tuner Two standard alkaline AA batteries will give you 4 hours of continuous operation and a backlit display means it’s always easy to use in any situation Pocketable – Weighs only 4 ounces.
For Photos, Specs and Prices Click Here: Handy Portable Stereo Recorder
Posted in electronics, equipment, family, fun, gifts, good value, hobbies, home entertainment, practical | No Comments »
December 25th, 2011 admin
No, it’s NOT too early to start thinking of holiday gifts. Believe me, you will be SO incredibly happy if you get your gift shopping done well before the holidays.
Mamma Mia is, to me, the ultimate feel good movie of the year. I saw it three times this summer, and every time I loved it a little more. The critics seem to have forgotten that this is, in fact, supposed to be a musical. Musicals are NOT meant to be like “regular” movies.”
Meryl Streep’s performance was outstanding, hilarious, sweet, fun… and her voice rocks! Pierce Brosnan may not make a career as a singer, but he was wonderful, just as my very favorite actor Colin Firth. But really I loved all the actors and their performances… and Mamma Mia is on my wish list for christmas.
by Ute Mitchell “Phoenix Mommy” 
Mamma Mia! The Movie 
Posted in DVD, fun, gifts, good value, home entertainment, kids, music, television / film | No Comments »