So what does this mean for you? If you have:

Antenna on Analog TV: you currently get free broadcast television signals through antennas on television sets that are equipped with analog tuners.  You do not subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company service provider. You can upgrade to DTV by following one of three steps by February 17, 2009:

• Purchase a DTV converter box
• Purchase a digital TV set
• Subscribe to a cable, satellite or a telephone company service provider

Antenna on Digital TV: you currently have a TV with a digital tuner and are able to receive digital signals broadcast by television stations. You continue to receive your free programming with no monthly fees.

Cable Television and Satellite Service: you currently have a television in your home that is connected to a satellite, cable or telephone company television service. You should not be affected by the transition.

If you need to purchase a DTV converter box, there are many different brands available. You can also take advantage of the coupon available to everyone who needs to purchase a DTV converter box. Visit the TV Converter Box coupon website to order yours! This coupon is worth $40 that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes for US households.

Other resources for DTV transition information:

• The Digital TV Transition 
• TV Converter Box Coupons
• DTV Answers

Save the date! Get ready for February 17, 2009!

The X10 Mini Controller is easy to setup!

• Plug the power cord into any wall outlet (make sure it works).
• Set the slide switch on the top of the Mini Controller for the Modules you want it to control (unit codes 1 through 4 or 5 through 8).
• Using a small screwdriver, choose one of the 16 letters on the Mini Controller’s House code dial.

All X10 modules have a similar red House code dial. The Mini Controller and all the modules it controls need to be set to the same House code letter.

How to Use the X10 Mini-Controller

Turn a Light or Appliance On
Press and release the TOP of one of the 4 number keys for the unit code of one of your control modules.

To turn all lights on (i.e. all lamps connected to Lamp Modules or Wall Switch Modules set to the same House code), press the TOP of the All Lights On/All Units Off key. This key does not affect Appliance Modules.

Turn a Light or Appliance Off
Press and release the BOTTOM of one of the 4 number keys to turn a specific Unit code off. To turn off all modules, including Appliance Modules, press the bottom of the All Lights On/All Units Off key.

Dim or Brighten lights
Press and release the TOP of the number key for the Lamp or Wall Switch Module you want to Dim or Brighten (Appliance Modules cannot dim or brighten). Then, press the TOP of the Dim/Bright key to Brighten or the BOTTOM of the Dim/Bright key to Dim. Hold the key until the desired light level is reached.

The X10 Mini Controller is a nifty X10 gadget for about $15.99.

Designed to accommodate a small dog, the Pet Loo Yard is the perfect size for an apartment, office, or boat. The Pet Loo Yard is a clever way to housebreak your younger dog.

Pet Loo is hygienic and environmentally friendly. Synthetic grass covers the surface and the urine drains in a container below. You can easily scoop up the solid waste.

You are probably wondering by now if the Pet Loo Yard smells! Yikes! The Synthetic Grass is resistant to smells, due to the non-absorbent materials. A slanted ramp under the grass contains grooves that direct drainage of the urine into the removable tray in the bottom of the unit. The grass lifts off for easy cleaning.

The Pet Loo Yard will help ensure your peace of mind on those extended stays out of the home.

Get the Pet Loo Yard at SmartHome – $259.99.

Or you can protect yourself, your family, and most important, your STUFF! with the Smart Autocloser. The Smart Autocloser ensures that your garage door will be closed, even if you left it open!

Here’s how it works. The Autocloser – Garage Door Timed Closer uses the latest micro-controller technology, infrared light sensors and advanced software algorithms to deliver a safe and reliable product. It installs safely onto most garage door openers in minutes! You even get a disable button in case you really do want to keep the garage door open.

The Smart Autocloser senses that the garage door has been open for a set period of time (you select: 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes) the garage door will close automatically. The automatic closer does this by connecting to the terminals on the garage door opener wall button, thus simulating the press of a button.

You can install the Autocloser in about 20 minutes using most basic hand tools (like a drill, screwdriver, adjustable wrench, and a wire cutter/stripper). You can download an installation manual complete with detailed installation procedures and operation information.

How much would you pay for peace of mind? Protect yourself and your home with a Smart Autocloser for just $69.99. Not bad for a little peace of mind!

Don’t forget to close the garage door!

Besides offering a Grade 1 Security Deadbolt, Smartkey offers you the ability to rekey your Smartkey locks anytime you want – as often as you like. No locksmith required (yeah!) How many times have you loaned out a house key that was never returned? How many times have one of your kids or yourself lost a key? Where are your house keys? You never know. Re-keying a lock provides an extra security measure for you and your family.

Kwikset came up with a new side locking bar technology that replaces your traditional pin and tumbler lock. Now, let’s review why Smartkey is so cool:

• Prohibits lock bumping (lock bumping? what the heck is that? An attack on traditional door lock cylinders!)
• Pick resistant (lock picking has gone on since the beginning of locks.)
• Change your key as often as you like (locksmiths get expensive!)

If you are concerned about having the best looking deadbolt lock on the block, put your worries aside because Kwikset thought of everything. The Smartkey makes three fashionable statements in Deadbolts, Knobs, and Levers. Each comes in a variety of finishes.

With Smartkey, you will find it very easy to rekey your own lock. Here goes:

1. Insert current functioning key.
2. Turn 1/4 clockwise.
3. Insert learning tool.
4. Remove existing key.
5. Insert new key. Turn 1/4 counter clockwise and remove new key.

One key (no pun intended) thing to remember is that you must have the current functioning key in order to rekey the lock. If not, you’ll have to go through a lot of trouble to remove the lock from the door, and remove the cylinder from the lock.

Smartkey dead bolts, lever locks, and knob locks will set you back about $30 and handleset locks about $120. Additional keys cost about $1.70; rekey sets from KwikSet include six keys for about $10.

Don’t lose your house key.

Check out Smartkey and the entire Smart series at Kwikset. Or step right this way to view the cool Smartkey lock designs.

The Socket Rocket can change your light switch flipping habits forever! Start controlling those light fixtures remotely, or automatically with the X10 Mini-timer.

The Socket Rocket is easy to use and it’s compact so it fits in smaller, tighter spaces. There are no code wheels to bother with either. Here’s how it works:

1. Screw the SocketRocket lamp module into the the light fixture socket.
2. Screw a light bulb into the SocketRocket lamp module.
3. Turn on the power (flip the light switch to ON).
4. Send a code from any X10 Controller. Send the same code three times.
5. When SocketRocket receives the same code three times, it will turn on the light to let you know it has learned the new code.

That’s it. You are done! Just remember to keep the power to ON all the time. Now you can sit back on easy street and use your X10 remote or X10 Mini-timer to switch the light OFF/ON.

Get your own Socket Rocket.

What about bottled water? Is it really as “pure” as you are led to believe? According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), “More than half of all Americans drink bottled water; about a third of the public consumes it regularly. Sales have tripled in the past 10 years, to about $4 billion a year. This sales bonanza has been fueled by ubiquitous ads picturing towering mountains, pristine glaciers, and crystal-clear springs nestled in untouched forests yielding absolutely pure water. But is the marketing image of total purity accurate? Also, are rules for bottled water stricter than those for tap water?”

Not exactly. Bottled water sometimes is contaminated No one should assume that just because he or she purchases water in a bottle that it is necessarily any better regulated, purer, or safer than most tap water.

Water filters currently provide the best and healthiest solution to the problems of both bottled water and tap water.

Water filters remove more dangerous contaminants than any other purification method, and they are uniquely designed to work with municipally treated water. The water they produce is not subject to phthalate contamination, and they are able to remove cryptosporidium from drinking water, a feat that neither municipal water treatment plants nor bottled water companies have yet managed. Also, drinking filtered water is a much more economical practice than drinking bottled water.

That’s why I love my Aquasana water filter! Why poison your body when you can get an Aquasana water filter and maybe enjoy some quality living for a few more years. Not to mention, the money you waste on bottled water that MAYNOT really be too pure.

The Aquasana water filter was easy to install, convenient, and the water tastes great! I did a lot of research and tried many other water filters before selecting this one. Aquasana was designed to produce truly healthy, chemical free water – not just meet the minimal government requirements like other water filters.

So try it out. Aquasana also gives you a 60-day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. You can’t get that from your bottled water PLUS Free shipping and 20% off when you click the Aquasana links in this blog posting 

With the Sensor Dispenser, you can put your germophobic worries to rest. This ultra-sanitary soap dispensor will dispense soap and you never have to touch the dispensor. Now you can rid your hands of those nasty germs and bacteria the safe way.

The built-in motion detector senses when your hands are in front of it and voila! The right amount of soap drops onto your hands and you can wash those germs away.

Put your favorite liquid soap in the dispenser and adjust the wheel at the back of the dispenser to determine how much soap is dispensed each time.

At this point, you probably have a question or two … like is the Sensor Dispenser drip free? Yes it is! You will also need three AAA batteries to keep it running.

Afraid to touch the soap at the homes of family or friends? The Sensor Dispenser makes a great gift too.

With Slingbox you can watch your TV on your cell phone, on your laptop, at work (don’t tell the boss), or on the road. So now you can watch your DVR, digital cable, satellite receiver, or DVD player wherever you see fit. Really, just about anywhere you want. All your favorite shows, news, and sports. If its on your TV, you can watch it anywhere. And it has great video quality – that is Slingbox, the high-tech secret you’ve been waiting for.

Now, Slingbox is not for me. Yes, it’s a clever device for sure but I can’t imagine being somewhere like Rome Italy, amongst the magnificant ruins of yesterday, with a burning desire to watch my home TV or DVD player. But, hey, that’s just me!

Which Slingbox is perfect for you?

• Slingbox PRO is perfect for you if you need all the multiple sources of video input and optional HD. If not, it may be more than you need and you’ll pay more for all that extra video gear. If you don’t need all those bells and whistles, go for a more simplified version. If you are a hardcore Slinger, then Slingbox PRO is for you!
• Slingbox SOLO is perfect for you if you want to use just one video input source and optional HD. Keep in mind that the cell phone and PDA viewing software costs extra and there is no built-in wireless networking support. It also monopolizes the device that is attached while viewing. At a lower price Slingmedia Slingbox SOLO is a great device to stream your home TV to various Internet connected devices.

How Does Slingbox Work?

Simple. Slingbox is a small box that connects your cable or satellite set-top box, and then to your home router. Slingbox then takes the incoming TV signal from the set-top box and encodes it on the fly into a Windows Media video stream.

You install some special software on your computer (desktop or laptop) and then you can access that TV stream. You can be in the next room, or another country. It really doesn’t matter with Slingbox.

What do you need? A Slingbox (of course), router, and fast connection at home to upload the video stream. You’ll also need a good Internet connection (300Kbps) to access this stream when you are outside of your home network.

The faster the connection, the better the video picture quality. Slingbox uses a new breakthrough technology called SlingStream, which dynamically adjusts the video quality for a brilliant viewing experience. Many factors are taken into consideration, like your network bandwidth, SlingPlayer device, video content, and video input type.

SlingStream then goes to work automatically adjusting video bit rates, compression levels, frame rates, and other settings to provide you with a quality video viewing experience.

Buy Slingbox:

• SlingMedia Slingbox PRO ( SB200-100 )
• SlingMedia Slingbox AV ( SB240-100 )
• SlingMedia HD Connect Cable for Slingbox Pro ( HD200-100 )

My Parker, beloved cat who rules the house, would only drink water from a running faucet. She refused to drink from a water bowl. Worrying about those super hot days when I was not around to turn the faucet on, I decided to get the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain . That was a couple years ago so I got the original version of the Drinkwell Pet Fountain. I’ve since upgraded to the new Platinum model — only the best for my Parker!

I was so excited about the new Pet Fountain! Unfortunately Parker was not so much. She was afraid of it for three days or so. The Pet Fountain makes a low motorized noise which frightened Parker the cat. But all that changed when she finally got thirsty enough to drink from the fountain!

She eventually got used to it and loves her Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. You can adjust the flow of the free falling stream of water too. Parker prefers her water flow on low. She especially loves the ice cubes I put in the fountain during hot days!

How It Works
The Drinkwell Pet fountain pumps the water through a charcoal filter, which absorbs tastes and odors. A pitcher-like spout stands 5″ above the floor, creating a long waterfall. The flow control is adjustable, and a grate over the opening prevents kibble from blocking the water flow. The splash of falling water is reduced via a receiving ramp. The Drinkwell Platinum Water Fountain easy to clean too, and completely disassembles for regular cleaning.

Just fill this self-contained pet drinking fountain with water, plug it into a standard indoor outlet with the included 6-foot cord, and it is ready to be used. The fountain holds 168 ounces of water for your pet and comes with a handy built-in reservoir.

Parker highly recommends the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain to all her friends!