Comcast uses the less is more strategy in delivering HD content.  What’s up with that..??

I saw this over at BetaNews, and again, just had to comment. I’ve got Comcast at the house and have their HD/DVR TV package as well as their mid-tier Internet package, and VoIP phone service. My TV package includes their sports package (I wanted to get the NFL Channel as well as ESPN-HD so I could get my NFL Football games in HD.  My average, monthly cable bill runs between $200-$225 dollars, depending on any On-Demand Movies I purchase.

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It’s a beautiful weekend and there is no better time to finally unclog that drain. I was lounging on the couch getting inspired by “Ask This Old House”. The resident plumber was describing all of the necessary tools to unclog one’s drain from using snakes and plungers. One method of using a plunger is to push the clog past the trap onward to the local filtration plant, but that method takes a lot of plunging. He did mention “pulling the clog” by suction. DON”T DO IT! It just results in a sink full of nastiness, like a mini Exxon oil spill in your sink. Trust me – do not try this at home!

So what’s a good husband to do? Here’s a tip to be the Plunger King of your abode:

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Update: This contest is closed. The winners are danny32560, perryman, and Steve Laser. Thank you all who entered, we hope your moms enjoy their special day! <3

If you enjoyed Aura Mae’s review of the TasteBook CookBook, then this is one give-away that you won’t want to miss…

Gear Diary has received codes to create three TasteBooks, and we are giving them away so that you can give mom (or yourself!) a truly personal and tasty gift this Mother’s Day.

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How often does this happen? You start the shower so that it can warm up and then you’re distracted by other things. Maybe the kids call you from another room, you start folding clothes, reading an article in the newspaper. Suddenly 5, 10 or 15 minutes can suddenly pass and the entire time you’re wasting hot water. Evolve Showerheads has a solution. And it’s not the typical reduced flow showerhead. What they’ve done is add a temperature flow valve that auto-senses when the shower reaches 95 degrees. Then it slows the water to a trickle - saving otherwise wasted hot water. When you’re ready to enter the shower, pull the flow cord and the warm water flow resumes! How’s it work? A quick 3 minute YouTube video that I created last night follows.

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First, before we get into today’s review, I want to talk a little about Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea is when you stop breathing while you sleep. The worst part of Sleep Apnea is a lot of people who have it don’t even know it. Symptoms of sleep apnea can include:

• Loud snoring.

• Waking up gasping for air.

• Waking up in a sweat.

• Feeling unrefreshed in the morning.

• Headaches, sore throat and dry mouth in the morning.

• Sleepiness during the day.

Now I know what your going to ask. How do you know for sure if you have Sleep Apnea?

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About 3 months ago I saw an AeroGarden advertised in Sharper Image and did further investigation as it seemed interesting. An appliance you just plug in a seed pod, 2 nutrient tablets and water (no soil! Yay!). And on your counter you’ll quickly have enough fresh herbs to last a lifetime. Being the gadget geek that I am there are very few home devices that have a microprocessor that I don’t own. So this was new and somewhat exciting. Combine nature, healthy eating, and a touchpanel….Joy!

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My sense of humor tends toward the macabre, it’s a fact. Which is why I had to post about the lamp I just spotted on SlashGear. No, the Colgao lamp isn’t very practical, it doesn’t appear to put out a lot of light, but the dramatic effect is lovely.

The materials used were electric wire and iron which was treated to prevent corrosion. It was created sometime in 2007 but the site does not state how to get a hold of the product or when it might be released.

I want one for my desk!

What other macabre products have caught my eye? Well let me show you a few…

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While waiting at Valvoline to get my oil changed I was introduced to the Keurig Brewing system which they had in their lobby. This is a coffee and tea machine that uses self-contained cups of tea, cocoa or ground coffee. I’d previously used Senseo machines (leaky, somewhat messy). What interested me about the Keurig was that the coffee is all enclosed in a K-Cup - so there is no messy cleanup or annoying need to grind coffee. So, is this better than the old drip makers? Does it outperform similar machines like the Senseo?

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The lovely Hannah from Proporta has just forwarded their latest offering, and it appears that they have decided to expand their line. I’m considering asking for a review sample…

Sick of having to bring out a whole array of equipment in order to clean your windows? Tired of having buckets, ladders and sponges litter your home and take up precious storage space? The new Advanced Pane Protector from Proporta could be just the thing you need.

Cleverly manufactured from a high-clarity plastic, the Proporta Advanced Pane Protector will not only protect your windows from a downpour of hailstones or an influx of seagulls with digestive issues, it’s also washable and replaceable and so can be used again and again and… you get the idea.

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Hallmark announced on Monday a new line of wrapping paper. Instead of using tape , this paper is self adhesive and Hallmark claims the wrap is “sticky enough to create clean lines and crisp folds without leaving any residue on the gift“. I couldn’t resist testing these claims - so I headed to Hallmark Gold Crown (the only place it’s sold). Here are my thoughts on whether this is worth the extra $1.20 per roll that I paid ($4.99 for adhesive vs $ 3.79 for similar sized regular wrapping paper). P.S. - Even if you’re not looking for wrapping paper I’ve found a bunch of 75% of sale items at their online store - plus a 25% off coupon.

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