We are looking to get a gas, most likely LP as we have no natural gas in our area, fireplace. I've been researching the options and it looks like non-vented is the way to go as they transfer more of the heat into the house.
Our main reason to get this is because of our remote location and the possibility of power loss during the winter. If the power goes out, we are totally electric, and would have no heat. It has not been a problem in the first 2 winters, but we figure we're just tempting fate at this point with a new baby in the house. I would like to get one in by November of this year. Hmm, just 1 month left, I better get to work!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Folding@home - Distributed Computing
I recently came across a new way to "contribute" to science with something I currently have and not having to actually put any money out. I'm all for helping when I can, and when you can donate continually to a process by utilizing your home PCs that are always on anyway, why not? I figure if I'm not using my computer, they are welcome to.
Give it a look. If you're interested, Join my team! Team ID is 149259 (Tin Cup Chalice)
http://folding.stanford.edu/
Help out a worthy cause with a computer you leave running anyway!
Give it a look. If you're interested, Join my team! Team ID is 149259 (Tin Cup Chalice)
http://folding.stanford.edu/
Help out a worthy cause with a computer you leave running anyway!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Smiths Row - Columbus, IN
Visited this excellent establishment last weekend.
Atmosphere: Very clean with nice rich, dark decorations and lighting. Very good for a formal "mood"
Service: Prompt and complete. Everything was served and cleared in an efficient and friendly manner.
Food: 7.5/10. He's the long story: We had visited once before and had experienced very poor service, and even worse food. Nobody knew who our waiter was, and during the 2 hours there, drink refills did not happen and my "well done" steak came out bloody and cold, twice, before it was put in a microwave. Not what I had hoped for in a $20 steak. In the end, that night wasn't so bad as we didn't have to pay for the food we didn't eat, so just drinks and appetizers (though I thought that should have been comped too for the loos of time, and fact that we still went somewhere AFTER that to actually get edible food, but oh well).
This time, service was excellent, and the food was pretty good. Still nothing to shout about, but much better. The duck was very tender, cut with a fork tender. A little more fat still on it than I'd like normally, but passable. The steak my wife ordered was very good. The bruschetta and shrimp appetizers were also very well prepared and served just in time. It was a very pleasant evening, and I'd do it again. We were very skeptical after the first time, but were sure it had to be better and we had caught them on an off night. To our pleasure, we were correct.
If you're a wine lover, they have a decent list. Not as much sold by the glass as by the bottle, but it could definitely be a good time for an evening with friends.
Atmosphere: Very clean with nice rich, dark decorations and lighting. Very good for a formal "mood"
Service: Prompt and complete. Everything was served and cleared in an efficient and friendly manner.
Food: 7.5/10. He's the long story: We had visited once before and had experienced very poor service, and even worse food. Nobody knew who our waiter was, and during the 2 hours there, drink refills did not happen and my "well done" steak came out bloody and cold, twice, before it was put in a microwave. Not what I had hoped for in a $20 steak. In the end, that night wasn't so bad as we didn't have to pay for the food we didn't eat, so just drinks and appetizers (though I thought that should have been comped too for the loos of time, and fact that we still went somewhere AFTER that to actually get edible food, but oh well).
This time, service was excellent, and the food was pretty good. Still nothing to shout about, but much better. The duck was very tender, cut with a fork tender. A little more fat still on it than I'd like normally, but passable. The steak my wife ordered was very good. The bruschetta and shrimp appetizers were also very well prepared and served just in time. It was a very pleasant evening, and I'd do it again. We were very skeptical after the first time, but were sure it had to be better and we had caught them on an off night. To our pleasure, we were correct.
If you're a wine lover, they have a decent list. Not as much sold by the glass as by the bottle, but it could definitely be a good time for an evening with friends.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Travel: Metamora, Indiana
We often travel with the intent of looking into the history of places we go and like to know how and why things come about. Metamora is a little city just north of Batesville, IN off of I74. The little tourist town (a.k.a. shopping area) clearly had a list of the historic homes in the area, and a very long and important history in Indiana, but we still can't figure out how/why this little city in the middle of nowhere was ever even founded. We like learning how a place gets founded. The only issue we had in our very pleasant day was how it all came about.
We went out yesterday to see how a place we hadn't been since high school (yes, quite a few years back) had turned out. Well, it seems financial times are hitting everyone, including the tourist towns. On a beautiful upper 70s day at the end of summer, the place was a ghost-town. We were somewhat pleased with the prices we found on the "collectibles", as they were often better than in similar towns (like Nashville, IN). The shops were in OK shape, but it seemed rather run down in many areas. It was surprising how few shops actually put the effort into upkeep and presentation. We found only a couple of shops on the SW corner of the blocks that actually worked on their appearance. The homes in the area were rough and seemed almost ghetto-is in many areas.
Overall, we had a pleasant day, but wonder if the people in the area are just taking for granted that people will come to their little shops just because they are a historical sight. On a list of "place-to-go-again", I'd give it a 2.5/5. Prices were good, but the town itself needs some serious work. If you want my money, you have to work for it. Act like you care.
We went out yesterday to see how a place we hadn't been since high school (yes, quite a few years back) had turned out. Well, it seems financial times are hitting everyone, including the tourist towns. On a beautiful upper 70s day at the end of summer, the place was a ghost-town. We were somewhat pleased with the prices we found on the "collectibles", as they were often better than in similar towns (like Nashville, IN). The shops were in OK shape, but it seemed rather run down in many areas. It was surprising how few shops actually put the effort into upkeep and presentation. We found only a couple of shops on the SW corner of the blocks that actually worked on their appearance. The homes in the area were rough and seemed almost ghetto-is in many areas.
Overall, we had a pleasant day, but wonder if the people in the area are just taking for granted that people will come to their little shops just because they are a historical sight. On a list of "place-to-go-again", I'd give it a 2.5/5. Prices were good, but the town itself needs some serious work. If you want my money, you have to work for it. Act like you care.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Harmony 880 Universal Remote Control - Review
How many times have you wanted to get rid of ALL of the remotes you keep around for your TV/Stereo/DVD Player/CD Player/Playstation2/VCR/DirecTV DVR/etc.. and replace them with just 1 remote? I've purchased multiple of these in the past in the 10-30 dollar range and been infinitely disappointed. Those all still sit in a cabinet collecting dust and reminding me of attempted consolidation gone awry.
So, when I had seen all of the advertisements for the Harmony brand remotes, and the raves about how they were "compatible with any device you have" i was truly skeptical. After about 3 years since my last attempt at "remote consolidation", I jumped in again, and this time in a big way. I had a couple requirements that had to be met. 1) I own a DVD changer, and NOTHING I had found to this point could control this device the way the factory remote could. Nothing. Changing discs was not possible with any remote I had found, and that's not very convenient. 2) I hate changing batteries in remotes. If I was making a purchase, it had to have a rechargable battery, and a cradle to set it in. I really like cradles and not changing batteries. I think it's a trend for me. (See my digital camera review below).
Harmony makes many different remotes, and I read through GOBS of user reviews before I found what looked like the perfect option for me - the Harmony 880 universal remote with charging base.
I made the purchase from TigerDirect.com as usual, and again within 2 days it was at my house.
From first appearance, it was just another universal remote in a pretty box. I got all the goodies out of the box, loaded the required software onto my laptop, and figured I'd give it a go at the setup. Within 20 minutes, I had ALL of my components programmed into the device via the very easy to navigate menus in the software. Even better, with one simple connection to the remote via a USB cable, it did all of the work. I told it what I wanted on for each setting (TV / movie viewing / CD / Radio / VCR) and it plugs in all of the info and programs the remote for you. Very handy. After about 45 second of the remote being plugged into the computer it was done!
Skeptically, I pushed the "Watch TV" button. Wouldn't you know it, it worked! And quite well. The response was actually a little quicker for everything: volume, channel changing, the works. Now came the big test, the DVD player. This beautiful pice had been my nemesis in the universal remote world since I bought it, but I relly like the device, so I've kept it.
As I pushed the "Watch a DVD" button I was almost cringing at the thought that it wouldn't work. The DVD player popped on, the receiver went to Theatre/DVD mode, and the TV input went to the correct input. Good news. Even better, the new display on the remote came up with the optiong to choose which DVD I wanted to select! That was refreshing.
The best part of this entire device was that my wife likes it. Everything is 1-touch operation for on/off, and it replaced 6 remotes we had cluttered on a table in the living room. She is even comfortable putting in movies for the children without calling me at work now. A heavenly thing.
My current and ongoing review of this device is a 5/5. Absolutely excellent in every sense so far. The charging cradle works great, and the option to change button functionality has been very nice as we decided we wanted a couple things to work differently in certain modes. Very easy to change the settings, and just as easy to plug the remote in and get it working. Thank you Harmony for an excellent product. At around $150, it's worth every penny, and I've spent way more than that on remotes I'll never use again.
So, when I had seen all of the advertisements for the Harmony brand remotes, and the raves about how they were "compatible with any device you have" i was truly skeptical. After about 3 years since my last attempt at "remote consolidation", I jumped in again, and this time in a big way. I had a couple requirements that had to be met. 1) I own a DVD changer, and NOTHING I had found to this point could control this device the way the factory remote could. Nothing. Changing discs was not possible with any remote I had found, and that's not very convenient. 2) I hate changing batteries in remotes. If I was making a purchase, it had to have a rechargable battery, and a cradle to set it in. I really like cradles and not changing batteries. I think it's a trend for me. (See my digital camera review below).
Harmony makes many different remotes, and I read through GOBS of user reviews before I found what looked like the perfect option for me - the Harmony 880 universal remote with charging base.
I made the purchase from TigerDirect.com as usual, and again within 2 days it was at my house.
From first appearance, it was just another universal remote in a pretty box. I got all the goodies out of the box, loaded the required software onto my laptop, and figured I'd give it a go at the setup. Within 20 minutes, I had ALL of my components programmed into the device via the very easy to navigate menus in the software. Even better, with one simple connection to the remote via a USB cable, it did all of the work. I told it what I wanted on for each setting (TV / movie viewing / CD / Radio / VCR) and it plugs in all of the info and programs the remote for you. Very handy. After about 45 second of the remote being plugged into the computer it was done!
Skeptically, I pushed the "Watch TV" button. Wouldn't you know it, it worked! And quite well. The response was actually a little quicker for everything: volume, channel changing, the works. Now came the big test, the DVD player. This beautiful pice had been my nemesis in the universal remote world since I bought it, but I relly like the device, so I've kept it.
As I pushed the "Watch a DVD" button I was almost cringing at the thought that it wouldn't work. The DVD player popped on, the receiver went to Theatre/DVD mode, and the TV input went to the correct input. Good news. Even better, the new display on the remote came up with the optiong to choose which DVD I wanted to select! That was refreshing.
The best part of this entire device was that my wife likes it. Everything is 1-touch operation for on/off, and it replaced 6 remotes we had cluttered on a table in the living room. She is even comfortable putting in movies for the children without calling me at work now. A heavenly thing.
My current and ongoing review of this device is a 5/5. Absolutely excellent in every sense so far. The charging cradle works great, and the option to change button functionality has been very nice as we decided we wanted a couple things to work differently in certain modes. Very easy to change the settings, and just as easy to plug the remote in and get it working. Thank you Harmony for an excellent product. At around $150, it's worth every penny, and I've spent way more than that on remotes I'll never use again.
GE E850 8 Megapixel Camera - Review/comparison to old Sony Cybershot 5MP
I purchased this camera from TigerDirect.com, one of my favorite electronics shops online. It looked like a nice little inexpensive replacement for my 4 year old Sony Cybershot that had the optics go out a couple weeks back. Ordered the camera and it was at my house 2 days later (typical for TD, even with basic shipping!)
The camera itself was decent in build and quality. Very lightweight, but about twice as thick as my old Sony. I was willing to deal with it for a $129.99 camera vs. the nearly $450 I paid for the Sony. The pictures it takes are crisp and clear. Very nice options for lower light shots, which worked well in the house in the evenings. The color correction and flash worked well together. I didn't really notice much improvement between the older 5MP photos and the new 8MP photos. Not sure it really makes a difference. I used to be able to print flawless 8x10s from an old HP 1MP. Maybe I just take good pictures! :)
The battery must be removed to be charged, something I am not fond of. I was informed that cradles are rarely ever used anymore as people like to have multiple batteries for their cameras so they have opted to go this route. Personally, I always left my Sony in its cradle. It was always charged, and I always knew where it was. I don't like not having a cradle.
The USB connection to the camera is very fast. About 5 times faster than the old camera. I liked how fast the transfers of files happened to the computer.
Problem is, I only got about 6 days use out of it. I believe the lightweight side lost a little on the ruggedness. My wife was using the camera and dropped it in the house, on the carpet. A fall of less than 5 feet onto carpeted, padded flooring snapped off the LCD cover and splintered the screen (like a broken cell phone screen). The camera still takes photos, but it's a guessing game now. With the broken LCD, you have no idea what is in frame and what is not.
Looks like I'm in the market for a new camera, for the second time in a month. I have found the camera I believe I am leaning towards, and it's a Kodak M1033. Biggest selling point? You can get a cradle/dock for about $35, and Sams Club sells the whole deal. I'll let you know how it works out as soon as I get it and test it.
The camera itself was decent in build and quality. Very lightweight, but about twice as thick as my old Sony. I was willing to deal with it for a $129.99 camera vs. the nearly $450 I paid for the Sony. The pictures it takes are crisp and clear. Very nice options for lower light shots, which worked well in the house in the evenings. The color correction and flash worked well together. I didn't really notice much improvement between the older 5MP photos and the new 8MP photos. Not sure it really makes a difference. I used to be able to print flawless 8x10s from an old HP 1MP. Maybe I just take good pictures! :)
The battery must be removed to be charged, something I am not fond of. I was informed that cradles are rarely ever used anymore as people like to have multiple batteries for their cameras so they have opted to go this route. Personally, I always left my Sony in its cradle. It was always charged, and I always knew where it was. I don't like not having a cradle.
The USB connection to the camera is very fast. About 5 times faster than the old camera. I liked how fast the transfers of files happened to the computer.
Problem is, I only got about 6 days use out of it. I believe the lightweight side lost a little on the ruggedness. My wife was using the camera and dropped it in the house, on the carpet. A fall of less than 5 feet onto carpeted, padded flooring snapped off the LCD cover and splintered the screen (like a broken cell phone screen). The camera still takes photos, but it's a guessing game now. With the broken LCD, you have no idea what is in frame and what is not.
Looks like I'm in the market for a new camera, for the second time in a month. I have found the camera I believe I am leaning towards, and it's a Kodak M1033. Biggest selling point? You can get a cradle/dock for about $35, and Sams Club sells the whole deal. I'll let you know how it works out as soon as I get it and test it.
The games we play...
I've been participating in an online game for quite a while now, and I think it's pretty fun. I'm more into strategy than the "shoot em up" style games, so this fits into my patterns better. GPRO, or Grand Prix Racing Online is a neat little Racing Management simulator. 2 races a week where you set up a car/driver combo to compete against thousands of others in a multi-level environment. Start as a rookie and work your way up to elite. Give it a shot, it's a lot of fun.
MS Money vs. Quicken vs. ?
I'm in the process of evaluating what software package I would like to use for my financial information. I have used MS Money in the past, but couldn't get the data to come out correctly, or like I wanted to see it. Mind you that was around 1998, and I know things have changed since then. I have heard good things about Quicken but never had the opportunity to use it yet. I will post more on this as I do my reviews. My goal is to come up with monthly updates (if not more often) on net worth with an end goal on decreasing debt and increasing cash flow over the next year. Wish me luck, and give me any comments on what you use and what you think works the best.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Politics, Religion and ???
There are 2 things I won't talk about here, much. Ok, at least I'll try not to, but every now and then you never know. To lay it out, I'm a liberal independent conservative. Some day I hope to find the right person to vote for. I thought I had found that person in 2008. Looks like the Reps and Dems have won another 4 years of their stronghold on inaction, so for now I'll just sit back and watch the ignorance run rampant.
As for religion, I'm a practicing Christian. I'm practicing. I haven't come CLOSE to perfecting it. Once you find someone who has, I'm betting their name starts with a J and ends with an esus. So for me, until then, I'm just practicing. Maybe some day I'll get good at it.
And that's about all you're going to hear on that from me..... for now at least..
As for religion, I'm a practicing Christian. I'm practicing. I haven't come CLOSE to perfecting it. Once you find someone who has, I'm betting their name starts with a J and ends with an esus. So for me, until then, I'm just practicing. Maybe some day I'll get good at it.
And that's about all you're going to hear on that from me..... for now at least..
Verizon Wireless Customer dis-service?
A recent email I got led to an attempt to upgrade my cell phone. As I am not yet in the "text on an infinitely small keyboard" genre, I do not use texting on my cell phone. I wanted to log into my online account to look at the options, but I had forgotten my password. The problem is, verizon wireless has no automated online mechanism for password retrieval that doesn't include text messages. Even worse, where my home is, I cannot get cellular signal. (doesn't matter the carrier, trust me, I've tried). Anyway, though tens of thousands of financial institutions around the world have this"technology", something about a cellular phone companies "security" system keep them from being able to achieve this miracel of modern (late 90s?) technology.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I am awaiting a snail mail version of my password to get into my online account. Aaah, the wonders of technology.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I am awaiting a snail mail version of my password to get into my online account. Aaah, the wonders of technology.
And here we go!
I've been wanting to get a blog started for some time now. This is my attempt. My ramblings will vary from financial, product reviews, financial successes and failures, and anything else I can come up with. My goal is to eventually come up with something in sections or departments. I have way too many things I want to talk about so I need to get started!
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