Falling Squirrel Bird Feeder

Squirrels can wreck a birdfeeder and the Rollerfeeder™ is here to save our patience and bird feed from hitting the floor.

"The squirrels in our backyard begged us not to spread the news about Rollerfeeder™.

When you’re not enjoying watching the small birds feed in your backyard, you can watch as acrobatic squirrels are flipped harmlessly to the ground. A unique weighted system lets small birds dine, but absolutely "rejects" squirrels and large, nuisance birds."
- Solutions.com

[via SlashGear]

XMAS 2006 Online Controlled Lights

Don't want to install Xmas lights, then go online and control this fella's lights. Who'da thunk?

[via Digg]

2006 Weblog Awards

It's that time of year again to vote for your favorite Weblog of 2006. Many of the sites I read are nominated. I didn't make it again this year. ;-)

A Special Holiday Greeting

I got this Holiday Greeting in an email and thought it was hilarious, but I am also a HUGE fan of sarcasm. It definitely touches on most elements of spam and chain emails. Feel free to email it to someone who has blown up your inbox with such sh-tuff.

---

Merry Christmas to All

As another year will shortly be a memory, my heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me "forwards" over the past 12 months. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy.

Extra thanks for the ones that I have to open 15 times to get to the message.

Special thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat crap in the glue on envelopes 'cause I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope.

Also, I scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason. Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer drink Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper, since the people who make these products are atheists who won't put "Under God" on their cans.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from, nor send packages by UPS, or FedEx, since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer answer the phone, because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer eat KFC, because their "chickens" are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.

I no longer have to buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus, since I now have their recipe.

I no longer worry about my soul, because at last count I have 363,214 angels looking out for me.

Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

I no longer have any savings, because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time)

I no longer have any money at all -- but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special email program.

Yes, I want to thank you so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes, a large pigeon with a wicked case of diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM (EDT) this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of mine's next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.

Have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Why Windows Vista?

LifeHacker has a Q&A with Microsoft about Windows Vista. It is a pretty comprehensive list of questions that will help you decide on how & why to go forward with Windows Vista.

Tom's Hardware also has a 500 hour test of Windows Vista that you should check out as well.

Oh Snap! I forgot to add the preview.

Oh Snap! So I was perusing UrbanEola and realized Tavani implemented the Snap Preview functionality. I thought it was pretty slick, so I went and signed up for it.

Let me know what you think of it. If it is too much, then I can change it up.

MS-XBL Points Converter

The Microsoft XBOX 360 Xbox Live Marketplace is taking off with content such as games, TV shows and movies. The knowledge of how much those Microsoft Points are converting to cold hard cash is important.

[via Gizmodo]

Can You Digg It?

Which sites do the Top Diggers Read? is the blog entry by Naffziger's Net. The list is pretty interesting. I got some good RSS feeds from the list.

[via Digg]

Cheat Sheet for Video Sites

Who can remember all of the online video sites? I know of YouTube and Google Video, but ususally have to search for others. LightReading has put together an extensive list of online video sites. A video cheat site cheat sheet, if you will.

[via CrunchGear]

XMAS Tree - Mt. Dew Style

MDewTree.com has just that, a tree made out of mountain dew cans and a 2 liter bottle to boot. This is pretty freakin cool! I would say that assembling something like this would take a lot of time and energy, but if you drink the Mt Dew while making it, then it would just take a lot of time. The energy part is implied. ;-)

[via Make Magazine]

/* Weekly Twisted Recap */

This week was a let down for blog due to HELL week at school. I had two group projects which involved public speaking. I dislike public speaking. Plus all of the writing I have been doing for school has left me empty for the blog. I apologize and will get the posts up on winter vacation.

 

 

• Holiday Shipping Deadlines
• Kids and Scary Arse Santa Pics
• Why I Got's to Wear a Helmet?
• Music Your Way
• YouTube: Top 10 of All Time
• Calorie Tracker for the Holidays and Beyond
• HALO3 Trailer
• Sprint to Your Email
• Da New Hot Potato
• Office Templates
• You Better Wakeup

Holiday Shipping Deadlines

If you don't have your XMAS shopping done, then you better get to it. DealHack has the shipping deadlines posted.

[via LifeHacker]

Kids and Scary Arse Santa Pics

This is hilarious, but only because it's not my kid. Not many of the Santas look scray, but a few do.

[via Digg]

Why I Got's to Wear a Helmet?

Have you ever been snowboarding and hit your head falling down the mountain? Well the first time I went snowboarding 5 years ago, I did that snowboarding out of the rental shop at SteamBoat. It hurt, it hurt bad...and I walked immediately back in and rented a helmet. Many of my friends mock me for wearing a helmet while snowboarding, so maybe the RibCap will alleviate the ridicule.

"Utilizing the incredible new d3o technology, Ribcap is designed for athletes that prefer not to wear a helmet, but would still like to protect themselves. d3o is a revolutionary new material that is soft and flexible during normal use, but upon impact its molecules lock together, stiffening the material and providing superior protection! The material then softens again immediately following impact! By combining a wool cap with d3o, Ribcap makes you look good while providing you with excellent protection!"
- DirtSurfer

[via CoolTools]

Music Your Way

MusikCube allows you to slice and dice your music the way you like it.

"Cube also makes transferring audio between home and work very easy with it's unique support for removable storage devices. A "removable storage device" is any flash memory, thumb drive, or portable mp3 player that acts as a hard disk when you plug it in."
- MusikCube

[via LifeHacker]

YouTube: Top 10 of All Time

It's worth a look!...and that's all I got's to say about that.

[via FatAdam]

Calorie Tracker for the Holidays and Beyond

Well we are in the season of food. From Halloween candy to New Year's day ham, the calorie counter is working overtime. TheDailyPlate can help track what you eat, so you'll know how much extra time will need to be spent in the gym.

[via Lifehacker]

HALO3 Trailer

This trailer created tears of joy. Darn allergies. Did I mention that I already have it pre-ordered and I successfully signed up for the Beta. Life is good!

[via TechEBlog]

Sprint to Your Email

Sprint is offering Sprint Mobile Email. This will allow you to check any POP and IMAP email accounts as well as Yahoo, AOL and Windows Live accounts.

[via Geek.com]

Da New Hot Potato

This shockball will liven up any party. You will be electrified. This new toy is cool and the results are shocking. I could go on, but I won't. ;-) This gift will go well with the sonic grenade to wake someone up.

Office Templates

A DumbLittleMan has traversed the Microsoft Office site to help categorize the plethora of templates available. Give it a whirl and see what ya think.

[via LifeHacker]

You Better Wakeup

Growing up, my mother would give us multiple warnings to get wake up and get ready for church, school or whatever. The final warning and straw would be followed by ice water to the feet, head or abdomen. The Sonic Grenade seems like it would be pretty effective.

"Simply pull the pin on this amusingly heartless device, lob it into the sleeper's room, yell 'fire in the hole!' and run for cover. Within ten seconds a piercingly loud, spectacularly annoying noise will blast from this comedy grenade's innards..."
- FireBox

/* Weekly Twisted Recap */

Well this is my next to last week of school. The next week is HELL week with two group presentations and a final. I can't wait to be on XMAS vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Tis the Season for Handicrafts
• Do Something Green
• HALO3 Beta
• Stop Bad Ware
• Still Searching for Bobby Fischer
• Mac OS X is not Bulletproof
• Anshe Chung - Virtual Millionaire
• Spy vs. Spy Wannabe
• Premium Mobile Device Accessories
• iFixit for the iPod, iNano, iMac or iWhatever
• Presto, Email for the Elderly
• Photo Stamps
• Cables are an Unavoidable Expense
• Coffee at an Acceptable Temperature
• TV and Video Entertainment
• National Wildlife's 35th Photo Competition
• Give a Germaphobe a Hand
• Hello, Newman!
• The Computer Guy
      AdAware
      SpyBot S&D
      CCleaner
      antivirus
      Windows updates
      spyware removal
• dabombdgd = cl4I3()^^I3cl6cl

Tis the Season for Handicrafts

Etsy will allow you to buy and sell hand crafted pieces in time for the Holiday season. Could be a good way to get back at give to that special relative.

[via PCMag]

Do Something Green

This whole global warming has me a little freaked out, so anything to act locally to affect globally is cool.

"Ideal Bite was created in early 2005 as the ultimate online source of clever ideas that are good for both people and the planet. We empower our readers through tips, opinionated editorial and lively interaction. Facts and suggestions on green food, travel, products, services, and more are spoon-fed daily via email, and our editors' personal stories about using those tips are found in daily blog postings."
- IdealBite

[via PCMag]

HALO3 Beta

UPDATE:
Checkout www.halo3.com for the HALO3 Beta Signup.
[via Geek.com]

HALO3 Beta is on the move. Pimps at Sea is the XBL game that is supposedly the beta. Make sure to keep updated with the Bungie site. There is also a possibility of getting signed up for the beta 12-4-2006.

[via 1UP]
[via Digg]

Stop Bad Ware

Ever got a pop-up and clcked "OK" and it installed some IE toolbar? Well you have become a victim of BadWare. StopBadWare is here to help.

"StopBadware.org is a "Neighborhood Watch" campaign aimed at fighting badware. We will seek to provide reliable, objective information about downloadable applications in order to help consumers make better choices about what they download onto their computers. We aim to become a central clearinghouse for research on badware and the bad actors who spread it, and become a focal point for developing collaborative, community-minded approaches to stopping badware."
- StopBadWare

[via PCMag]

Still Searching for Bobby Fischer

Where is Bobby Fischer and what has he been doing? No one really knows, but he has come out with his own version of chess called Fischer Random, or chess 960. He is still wanted by the US and is staying out of the eye of the public.

[via Digg]

Mac OS X is not Bulletproof

No one is above vulnerabilities when it comes to operating systems. Mac OS X has proven that.

"Of the twenty two vulnerabilities fixed by the updated --which is labeled Security Update 2006-007 -- twelve are related to flaws that could lead to arbitrary code execution."
- AppleInsider

[via Digg]

Anshe Chung - Virtual Millionaire

Anshe Chung is a virtual millionaire in the game Second Life. She is a virtual real estate developer.

"Unlike other online worlds, Second Life has no monthly subscriptions– instead, if you want to own virtual land for a home, a business, or other project, you pay Linden a monthly land use fee, based on the amount of acreage in your account (from $5/month up). For the most ambitious subscribers, Linden also sells private islands of 16 acres each, which they can buy outright from the company for about $1600, while paying a monthly land use “maintenence” fee of several hundred dollars. (Each island is actually a single server; in fact, think of Second Life land as analogous to renting out server space for a website or file storage or whatever– it’s just that in SL, the data is represented in 3D.)"
- Gizmodo

[via Gigaom]

Spy vs. Spy Wannabe

Ever wanted to go undercover or play spy? An @CIA.com email address at CIA.com will help you achieve this fantasy.

[via Digg]

Premium Mobile Device Accessories

Gomadic is a mobile device accessory site with about any accessory you can think of for PDAs, mobile phones, iPods, etc.

"High quality, convenient and upgradeable accessories to hold, connect, power and protect your mobile device. Lifetime warranty and satisfaction guaranteed."
- Gomadic

[via GearDiary]

iFixit for the iPod, iNano, iMac or iWhatever

So your Apple product is broken and you know it's not covered under warranty, what do you do? Well, iFixit has all of the parts and manuals to help you DIY repair for iProducts.

[via CrunchGear]

Presto, Email for the Elderly

Presto is a service that will allow you to email or send photos to a special HP printer attached to a telephone line. It's kinda like a fax, but not really. I would love to get this for my Grandma.

"How Presto Works
After signing up for the Presto Service, simply plug the HP Printing Mailbox into an existing phone line and AC power outlet, and you’re ready to go. No new phone line required.
Step 1. Family and friends send email and digital photos like they usually do from their computers and mobile phones.
Step 2. The Presto Service converts these messages into beautiful, ready-to-print layouts from the HP Printing Mailbox.
Step 3. The HP Printing Mailbox automatically prints messages when you want, on your schedule—several times a day."
- Presto

[via TechCrunch]

Photo Stamps

Create stamps with your own photos. Stamps.com make this to be a reality.

[via CoolTools]

Cables are an Unavoidable Expense

When buying high-end electronics or computer hardware, the devil is in the cables. You can research best prices for these electronic components, but cables are always the expensive part of the purchase. MonoPrice gives us a chance to shop for generic cables at a reasonable price.

[via Dethroner]

Coffee at an Acceptable Temperature

Brugo is a coffee mug that helps regulate the temperature of your coffee. You will have a steady temperature of coffee instead of going from scolding hot to warm to cold. Life is good with coffee. ;-)

[via Digg]

TV and Video Entertainment

How do you watch video entertainment? Do you watch standard TV, Internet TV, online videos or video-on-demand? Nowadays if I miss an episode of Survivor, then I can watch that episode on the Internet. The BBC has a cool article on how standard television viewing is decreasing due to the many options available for video entertainment. TVOver.net has a cool article as well on television and the Internet.

[via SlashDot]

National Wildlife's 35th Photo Competition

Nature is amazing!

"MORE THAN 4,000 images were submitted during the past year to National Wildlife’s 35th annual photo contest. Selected by the editors on the basis of originality and execution, the winners appear here."
- National Wildlife Federation

[via Digg]

Give a Germaphobe a Hand

Have you ever had to stop and use the bathroom at a truck stop? If you have, then you know what peace of mind can be achieved from the Handler.

"The handler not only keeps germs off your hands, it keeps germs off itself. The handler is made with Nano Silvers that instantly kill the most common types of germs that can cause illnesses and infections."
- HandlerUSA

[via Gizmodo]

Hello, Newman!

Not sure how to handle the many facets of email? ITSecurity has 99 tips for email security and productivity.

[via Digg]

The Computer Guy

I love helping friends and/or family fix a computer that is running slow or not at all. I use AdAware, SpyBot S&D, CCleaner and an antivirus and have had no problemos. I also use these products to clean infected computers as well. If these peeps don't want to pay for antivirus software, then I always install either AVG or Avast. I also install the latest and greatest Windows updates as well. When I leave that computer, I have auto-updates running for both Windows and the antivirus. Check out my past blog entries on free spyware removal and antivirus software.

The bottom line is to use common sense when surfing the Internet or reading email. If your operating system and antivirus are up-to-date, then you should be able to keep your computer out of harm's way.

dabombdgd = cl4I3()^^I3cl6cl

cl4I3()^^I3cl6cl is leet or l337 for dabombdgd. As internet chat evolves, the codes such as LOL, LMAO, IMHO, etc. will become normal computer lingo norms. Check out this l337 translator.

"Leet (1337) is a sociolect variety used primarily on the Internet, particularly in online games. The term itself is derived from the word Elite, meaning “better than the rest,” and generally has the same meaning when referring to the hacking skills of another person.

Leet can be defined as the perturbation or modification of written text. For example, the term leet itself is often written l33t, or 1337, and many other variations.[1] Such perturbations are frequently referred to as “Leetspeak."
- Wikipedia

[via Digg]

/* Weekly Twisted Recap */

Whew what a week! I had a great Thanksgiving vacation this week and look forward to getting back to done with blog posts next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Turkey Day and the Perfect Turkey
• PIMP My Bus or at Least Rent One
• Are You a Regifter?
• Organize that Collection in the Flic of an Eye
• Crayon Sculptures
• Cooking Thesaurus
• Da New Style Nursery Rhyme from an Old School Rap
• Oh Snap!
• What Do You Get for the Person Who has Everything
• Beer Goggles = Fatal Attraction

Turkey Day and the Perfect Turkey

So when I got my first job out of college, the employer gave a holiday bonus voucher for a 40 lb. turkey. About the same time, a buddy and I cut some birch firewood. I then smoked a 40 lb. turkey for 72 hours. I suggest that no one use birch firewood to smoke anything because it will smell and taste like dung. The next year I used hickory and ALL was good. Choosing a good turkey is important and SoundMoneyTips has some advice for buying that special bird.

[via LifeHacker]

PIMP My Bus or at Least Rent One

To have a mobile LAN party is dabombdgd. Now I just need to find sixteen other geeks peeps to invite.

"What, exactly, is the GamerBUS?
The GamerBUS is a 37 foot customized RV. It's equipped with 16 system-linked video gamer stations, each of which has it's own X-Box 360 and 23 inch HiDef widescreen TV. The GamerBUS is essentially a mobile Local Area Network."
- GamerBus

[via Gizmodo]

Are You a Regifter?

So I got a gift and I want to regift it. Well ReGiftable.com has made my regift dream possible.

"Is the gift regiftable? Never regift handmade or one-of-a-kind items. Signed books and monogrammed items are off-limits. Do you have to be told not to regift free promotional items? Some gifts that are good candidates for regifting include good (unopened!) bottles of wine, new household items and inexpensive jewelry. "
- ReGiftable.com

[via LifeHacker]

Organize that Collection in the Flic of an Eye

Have a book, cd or dvd collection that would makea library jealous? Well the Flic scanner and software will allow you to create, index and sort your collection with ease.

[via Gizmodo]

Crayon Sculptures

Deim Chau has carved crayon figurines. The detail is pretty intense. There is even a sculpture in the lead of a pencil.

[via Make Magazine]

Cooking Thesaurus

The Cook's Thesaurus can help amateur cook's with ingredients and kitchen tools.

"Use this simple website to to find substitutes for cooking ingredients. Say a recipe calls for buckwheat flour, which you most likely don't have on hand; what do you use? Type in the term and presto, the links take you to an entry which will suggest alternatives."
- CoolTools

[via CoolTools]