iRobot Roomba 530 Robotic Vacuum with Virtual Wall - $139.99

are we still "off budget?"

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

iRobot Roomba 530 Robotic Vacuum with Virtual Wall - $139.99

via Woot! - One Day, One Deal on 8/27/10

Somebody's got to clean this floor.

This cabana is filthy.

Its name is Roomba, it is a vacuum
It picks up feathers and pet hair, rolls around the floor down there
A harmless robot it will pick up stuff
And while you never ever clean you can count on this machine
Across your filthy floor, picks up dirt dust and more
You are young and you hate to do chores
Who could ask for more?

Buy this Roomba (Roomba!) Roomba Vacuum-a (Roomba vacuum-a!)
We promise you won't get a tumor
From this Roomba (Roomba!) Roomba Vacuum-a
You need a vacuum to take care of your room
Get this Roomba
You'll fall in love
(Roomba vacuum-a)

Yes it's a refurb, so it's no diamond
But you can watch it from your chair, see your Roomba vacuum there
And when it's finished, goes back to Home Base
But you don't even have to care, it won't go sailing down stairs
It senses drop-offs too, it might bump into you
If you lie motionless on the floor
But why would you

Buy this Roomba (Roomba!) Roomba Vacuum-a (Roomba vacuum-a!)
We promise you won't get a tumor
From this Roomba (Roomba!) Roomba Vacuum-a
You need a vacuum to take care of your room
Get this Roomba
You'll fall in love
(Roomba vacuum-a
Roomba, Roomba vacuum-a
Roomba vacuum-a
Aaaaaah
Aaaaaah
Aaaaaah
Aaaaaah)

(Aaaaaaaaaah
Roomba, Roomba vacuum-a
Promise no tumor
Roomba vacuum-a
You need a vacuum to take care of your room)

Its name is Roomba, it is a vacuum
It sucks up large and small debris, it's perfect for you and me
It filters pollen, also dust bunnies
It will clean entire floors, under furniture 'round doors
You will feel so refined
Better deal you won't find
Now while your Roomba is handling cleaning
You can drink yourself blind

Buy this Roomba (Roomba!) Roomba Vacuum-a (Roomba vacuum-a!)
We promise you won't get a tumor
From this Roomba (Roomba!) Roomba Vacuum-a
You need a vacuum to take care of your room
Get this Roomba
You'll fall in love

Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty

 

Warranty: 90 Day iRobot

Condition: Refurbished

Features:

• Efficiently vacuums dirt, debris, pet hair, dust, allergens and more from carpets and hard floors
• Counter rotating Bristle Brush and Beater Brush work together like a dustpan and broom
• Sturdy Bristle Brush digs deep into carpet fibers to grab dirt, debris, pet hair and more
• Powerful vacuum sucks large and small debris into the large, bag-less bin
• Fine filter traps dust, pollen and tiny particulate inside the bin
• Cleans the whole floor, under and around furniture, into corners and along wall edges
• Detects dirtier areas and spends more time cleaning them
• Spot Clean provides quick clean-up of spills and concentrated messes
• Automatically senses and avoids stairs and other drop-offs
• Simple operation—just press the Clean button and Roomba does the rest
• Automatically returns to its self-charging Home Base® to dock and recharge between cleanings
• Faster counter-rotating brushes with improved design pick up more hair and debris and are easier to remove and clean
• Improved filter captures more dust and allergens while a larger bin holds more debris
• Improved anti-tangle technology keeps Roomba from getting stuck on cords, carpet fringe and tassels
• Improved sidebrush makes Roomba even more efficient at cleaning edges and corners

Additional Photo:

• Underbelly
• In Home Base with Virtual Wall
• Virtual Wall
• Package Contents
  

In the box:

• (1) iRobot Roomba 530
• (1) Virtual Wall 
• (1) Self-charging Home Base
• (1) Power Supply (3 hour charge time)
• (1) Rechargeable Battery
• (1) Filter

Discuss this product

Price: $139.99

I want one!

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Woot! - One Day, One Deal using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Magazine Subscriptions: ESPN $4/yr, Wired $4/yr, INC $4/yr

wired for $4?

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Magazine Subscriptions: ESPN $4/yr, Wired $4/yr, INC $4/yr

via SlickDeals.net on 8/28/10

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to SlickDeals.net using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Netflix Instant Streaming Comes to the iPhone and iPod touch, Works over 3G ...

one more arrow in the quiver...

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Netflix Instant Streaming Comes to the iPhone and iPod touch, Works over 3G [Downloads]

via Lifehacker by Adam Pash on 8/26/10

iOS: You could already watch Netflix on your iPad—or an iPhone with a clever hack—but now the popular streaming service is available as an official iPhone app.

That means any of the supported Watch Instantly movie or TV titles in your Netflix queue are now available on any iOS device over 3G or Wi-Fi. You can also browse anything in the Watch Instantly library. Not much more to know than that. Netflix for iOS is a free download, requires a Netflix account. (Now we just need an Android version.)

Netflix [iTunes App Store via Gizmodo]

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Lifehacker using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST LET ME MERGE!

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST LET ME MERGE!

via Woot! - One Day, One Deal on 8/25/10

Some days it's all you can do to trudge out to your car because you know, you just KNOW traffic is going to completely suck. Maybe your commute is a breezy 20 minutes; maybe it's a soul-crushing hour and a half. Regardless, you can rest assured that almost everyone in Beijing has it worse.

See, China's had a 60-mile-long traffic jam for the last 11 days now. Now the good news is things are starting to improve: cars have started to move up to a half-mile a day recently. Which means someone stuck back around the 58 mile mark is only going to be about half a year late for work; and we're betting the boss is going to have a hard time believing that story.

Which kind of begs the question: who the hell is staying on this highway? Is there not an off-ramp? Are people getting on the road each day, realizing they made no progress, and driving home only to try again tomorrow? What sort of investment would it take to open a convenience store on this road?

You think being stuck in traffic flipping through commercials and "wacky" morning DJs is bad; try a week and a half straight of Crazy Zhang the Panda and the Beijing Zoo Crew (playing only the greatest hits of the People's Republic from the '70s, '80s, '90s, and today!).

So since we already know China wins and we're all playing for second place here, what's your worst traffic jam experience?

 

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Woot! - One Day, One Deal using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

100-pack of Reusable Velcro Self-Gripping Cable Ties $7

ha ha ha. just buy 100 heads of lettuce!

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

100-pack of Reusable Velcro Self-Gripping Cable Ties $7

via SlickDeals.net on 8/23/10

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to SlickDeals.net using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

China's Nine-Day Traffic Jam Tops 62 Miles

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

China's Nine-Day Traffic Jam Tops 62 Miles

via Slashdot by samzenpus on 8/23/10

A traffic jam on the Beijing-Tibet expressway has now entered its ninth day and has grown to over 62 miles in length. This mother-of-all delays has even spawned its own micro-economy of local merchants selling water and food at inflated prices to stranded drivers. Can you imagine how infuriating it must be to see someone leave their blinker on for 9 days?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Slashdot using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Build Your Own Molding-Framed Mirror [DIY]

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Build Your Own Molding-Framed Mirror [DIY]

via Lifehacker by Whitson Gordon on 8/15/10

Nice looking mirrors can do wonders for decorating and creating the illusion of space in small rooms, but they can also be expensive. Save some money by buying a pre-cut mirror and framing it yourself with some molding.

Home improvement blog This Old House notes that a lot of nice, framed mirrors can cost a few hundred dollars or more. For about $160, though, you can make your own that looks just as good. You'll need some plywood and hardboard, as well as a pre-cut mirror and some fluted door casing to act as the frame. You'll also need some basic tools like a hammer and nails, a saw (preferably circular), and some wood glue. It's a very simple process, and only takes a few hours (to save a few hundred dollars). Hit the link for detailed instructions.

How to Build a Mirror From Case Molding [This Old House]

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Lifehacker using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Stock Your Garden with Foods Cheaper to Grow than to Buy [Gardening]

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Stock Your Garden with Foods Cheaper to Grow than to Buy [Gardening]

via Lifehacker by Jason Fitzpatrick on 8/13/10

Plan your garden with an emphasis on economics by selecting plants that are cheaper to grow at home than they are to purchase at the grocer.

MSN Money highlights the adventures of William Alexander, author of The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden, by sharing five plants he recommends to save money in your garden. Among the most valuable are leafy and vine vegetables:

Vine vegetables. These are the most prolific crop producers by far. Zucchini and cucumbers are notorious. Put an 88-cent zucchini plant in your garden and, if cutworms don't get it, it will try to take over the neighborhood. In most parts of the country, you can grow more zucchini from one plant than you'll ever eat. The Alexanders grow a couple of cucumber plants, from which they make a dozen jars of pickles. They never buy pickles.

Lettuce and herbs are also prolific producers that will give you a quick return on your investment. Among the plants he suggests avoiding are potatoes and tomatoes, especially in colder climates. By the time they're ready for harvest you'll be able to purchase bountiful surplus at the local farmers' market for far less than you'd invest in growing even a fraction of the amount at home. Check out the full article at the link below for more tips and tricks. Have your own experiences growing backyard vegetables? Let's hear about it in the comments.

5 Foods It's Cheaper to Grow [MSN Money]

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Lifehacker using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

See All 37 Twinkie Ingredients Beautifully Photographed

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

See All 37 Twinkie Ingredients Beautifully Photographed

via The Consumerist by Ben Popken on 8/18/10

Photographer Dwight Eschliman has posted lovely photographs of all 37 of the ingredients inside a Twinkie. Each sits on a plate and is shot from above and boast rich tones and textures, reveling in an unexpected complexity that contrasts how we normally think about the icon junk food. This one is FD&C Yellow #5.

Dwight Eschliman [via Boing Boing]

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to The Consumerist using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Jet Blue All You Can Jet from September 7 to October 6 $499 Weekdays, $699 Any Day

Why can't I be retired?

Sent to you via Google Reader

Jet Blue All You Can Jet from September 7 to October 6 $499 Weekdays, $699 Any Day

~david

(sent via mobile device)

Erector Fire Truck 6 Model Set: Fire Truck, Bulldozer, Tug Boat, Fire Boat, Dragster, & Helicopter $12

Sent to you via Google Reader

Erector Fire Truck 6 Model Set: Fire Truck, Bulldozer, Tug Boat, Fire Boat, Dragster, & Helicopter $12

~david

(sent via mobile device)

Two Delicious Worlds Collide With Red Velvet Fried Chicken

don't tell john l. about this!!

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Two Delicious Worlds Collide With Red Velvet Fried Chicken

via The Consumerist by Chris Morran on 8/16/10

San Francisco continues to confound us... On one hand the city is trying to take all the happy out of Happy Meals; on the other hand, it's the same place you can now order up a plate of fried chicken coated in a red velvet cake batter.

The culinary curiosity is now available on the menu at San Francisco's American Cupcake, where the general manager says "It has the classic red velvet flavor with a hint of vinegar, cocoa and sweetness."

To make the dish, the brined chicken is first dunked in the red velvet batter before receiving a second coating of toasted red velvet crumbs. Once it's been caked-up properly, it's into the fryer and onto your plate.

And because red velvet cake is incomplete without cream cheese frosting, the chicken is served with a side of cream cheese infused garlic mashed potatoes.

If anyone in the San Francisco area decides to give the red velvet fried chicken a shot, we'd love to hear your opinion.

When dinner met dessert: Red velvet fried chicken

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to The Consumerist using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Restaurant Grade Sheet Pans

Sent to you via Google Reader

Restaurant Grade Sheet Pans

After screwing around with grocery-store sheet pans for years, I went to a restaurant supply store and bought three plain metal sheet pans (technically "half-sheet" at 13x18, but true "full-sheets" are only used in commercial ovens). I've used them for over three years now, and am totally convinced that they are awesome.

Here's why people buy grocery store sheet pans: they're cheap, non-stick coated, and easily found at the grocery store. And here's what's wrong with them. They are flimsy metal, so they warp in the oven if you use them at high temperatures (over, say, 425F). They come in non-standard size, so you can never be sure that a cooling rack will fit into them. And their fancy-schmancy non-stick coating means that you baby them.

Here's why plain old restaurant-grade sheet pans are awesome:

They're not much more expensive than the cheap stuff you buy in the grocery store. Going from a $7 grocery-store pan to a $12 restaurant-grade pan is a significant percentage markup, but it's only $5. If you have a restaurant supply store near you, you may be able to get the restaurant-grade pans for basically the same price as the grocery-store pans.

They are heavy metal, which means that you can toss them into a 500 degree (F) oven to bake bread on them and not worry about warping. And they don't have any non-stick coating to worry about. I have used my sheet pans for everything from crafting trays to putting them under gardening flats when starting seedlings. No matter how nasty and dirty they get, I know that I can just take a steel wool pad to them and they'll come back to like-new.

You might think the lack of a non-stick coating is a minus, but seriously, you just spray the pan with non-stick or use baking parchment or silicon mats. It's not that hard. Every baker I know backs up "nonstick" pans with non-stick spray or parchment anyway, so it's not like there's any change in your cooking process.

The link below is not to the exact item I own (sorry, I bought it at a restaurant supply store and can't find it online), but it looks like basically the same thing.

-- Joshua Bardwell

Amco Food Service Half Sheet Pan

$11

Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Focus Food Service

~david

(sent via mobile device)

The Childrens Place 75% off Sale + additional 15% off code: Newborn & Infant $3+, Girls Tops & Bottoms $3+, Boys Tops & Bottoms $3+ + $5 flat-rate S/H

Sent to you via Google Reader

The Childrens Place 75% off Sale + additional 15% off code: Newborn & Infant $3+, Girls Tops & Bottoms $3+, Boys Tops & Bottoms $3+ + $5 flat-rate S/H

~david

(sent via mobile device)

Read Your Paid Software's Fine Print for Unexpected Savings [Saving Money]

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Read Your Paid Software's Fine Print for Unexpected Savings [Saving Money]

via Lifehacker by Kevin Purdy on 8/3/10

Sometimes the fine print can actually save you money. Case in point: the latest copies of Microsoft Office. Many assume Microsoft wants money for every installation, but Office is technically licensed for at least two installations.

Windows site Neowin.net, by way of a Twitter reply from Microsoft's Australian offices, points out that every copy of Office allows for legitimate installation on one primary computer and a "portable device," which for all intents and purposes means a laptop. If your primary computer is a laptop, well, you're allowed to use Office on both those computers. Office's Home and Student version allows for three home installations, too, but that's another story.

So while reading through a license agreement might seem like an exercise in migraine testing, scanning to the section on installation rights, or asking the question, can pay off. Because nobody around these parts was even thinking of making a secondary installation before being fully cleared by the license agreement.

Did you know: Microsoft Office is licensed for two PCs? [Neowin.net]

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Lifehacker using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Quick 220

hmmm... a way to keep using our old dryer... maybe...

 

 

Sent to you by David via Google Reader:

 

 

Quick 220

via Cool Tools on 8/2/10

When I moved into my apartment I found it had a through-the-wall air conditioner sleeve. I ignored it and installed my window air conditioner. When that old AC died about 3 years ago, I was told by the co-op board that the rules had changed and I had to use the sleeve. I guess I should pay more attention to coop board announcements. My problem was that next to the sleeve was a 110V outlet but every AC that fit the sleeve required 220V.

After being quoted over $1000 to run 220V to the sleeve I was desperate to find another solution. Luckily, I found the Quick 220 Power Converter. All it took was the 110V outlet near the sleeve and an extension cord from another 110V outlet on a different circuit. Instantly, I had two 220V outlets. And at $160.00 I was very happy with the price. They also throw in an outlet tester because both 110V outlets must be wired correctly (not something you can assume in an old apartment) for the Quick 220 to work.

-- Donnie B

Quick 220 Volt Converter
$160

Available from and manufactured by Quick 220 Systems

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Cool Tools using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites