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Nicotine Fix

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3038512708/

Believe it or not, cigarettes can be a good thing.  They have beneficial uses   that go beyond clouding your lungs with smoke.

For example, cigarette tobacco makes a great anesthetic for a bee sting.  Simply rip open the cigarette, pull out a wad of tobacco, lick it, and stick it on the sting.  You’ll get quite a good numbing effect.

And if you are still battling bugs in your garden, the alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants, which includes tobacco, can also be used as an insecticide.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewbain/766040444/in/photostream/

A commonly used insecticide in the 1880s, nicotine is  toxic to insects—particularly aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, leafhoppers, and asparagus beetle larvae.

The best way to utilize tobacco is to make a nicotine tea.  Soak a cup of plant leaves or cigarette butts in warm water for about 30 minutes.   Add a dash of soap, strain through a cheesecloth, and  you should be all set.   

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/2671524520/

But don’t drink this tea.  Put some into a spray bottle and shower the leaves of your plants.  For ground critters, pour a little of the solution around the stem of the plant.  Be careful around young plants, as it can harm them.  It’s also a good idea to avoid using toxic tea on pepper, eggplant, and tomato plants.

So keep makin’ those smokes, oh giant conglomerates!  Even if sales are diminishing due to smarter consumers,  your product may still have a future in killing bugs. 

by John Barker

Written by editor on September 2, 2010 at 1:52 pm
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Bosch’s Power Box Rocks!

The Power Box™ 360 Jobsite AM/FM Stereo looks like the robot friend I’ve always wanted. It doesn’t make cute sounds like R2-D2 or crack wise like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit. However, this box will rock your socks off as you work on the deck, the roof, the job site, or pretty much anywhere else. Basically, it will provide 360 degrees of sound, no matter what the scenario.

However, the Power Box 360 isn’t just built to rock — it’s as tough as one, too. And yes, I really mean that. This thing looks like it’s would survive blasts of varying degrees, whether from weather or wartime. It’s got an enclosed, weatherproof media bay that’s basically wrapped in an aluminum and rubber roll cage. In other words, it can take a fall much better than you can.

Other features include an internal battery, AM/FM presets, equalizer settings, an SD card slot, and a USB port, which can charge up compatible devices, such as a cell phone or MP3 player.

Bosch doesn’t list an MSRP on its website, but Amazon says the list price is $379. That seems like an awful lot to replace your trusty transistor. Luckily, Amazon is selling it at the much-reduced price of $185.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 31, 2010 at 10:41 am
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Your Next Mower

I suppose in some parts of the country, there are people who are counting down to the last mow of the season.  But, where I live in Florida, mowing the lawn is never out of season.  NEVER. 

Lucky for me, lawnmowers are going high-tech.  I’m one of those guys who will maintain my van without a second thought; I’m never behind on fluids, brakes, oil, or anything.  But when it comes to my lawnmower. . . well, I feel sorry for the poor thing.  And Snapper knows that I’m not the only person out there who isn’t diligent when it comes to mower maintenance.

In collaboration with BMW Group DesignworksUSA, Snapper conducted research on what FIYers like us would consider to be the ultimate lawnmower.

The result is the Snapper NXT series:

While the push start button and the multi-notched cutting system are cool, there are some other features that are also worth noticing.

The walk-behind mower apparently responds to the “pace” of the user with something called the REACT™ Drive System.  This intuitive system senses your inertia and compensates the mower’s speed accordingly.

The riding mower offers a tight turning radius, an ergonomic seat, and really bright LED headlights.

What interests me the most, however, is an option that comes on both mowers: a dashboard with a digital display.  On this you will find information crucial to the mower’s maintenance, including oil, filter, and spark plug status.

The mowers range in price from $499 (for the walk-behind) to $2600 for the rider – unless, of course, you can snag an end-of-the-season bargain!

by John Barker

Written by editor on August 23, 2010 at 11:03 am
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Celine Dion: Wet & Wild!

Some people love the feeling of a waterbed and being soothed to sleep by gently moving water.   Celine Dion, it seems, has different idea about how to love water:  a personal waterpark on her 5.7 acre property that includes multiple slides, bathing areas, and a lazy river.  Think of it as like living on Fantasy Island. Da plane, boss!

 

Dion’s home and water playground is located on Jupiter Island, Florida.  It requires 6 wells and 500,000 gallons of water to maintain.  According to WPTV, neither the town government nor her neighbors are too happy.

Maybe she should fill the pools with money.  Apparently, that Titanic thing and her stint in Vegas left her with quite the overflow.

Still, the woman knows how to make a waffle and apparently knows her waterparks. Can you imagine the rounds of Marco Polo? They must have to send out a search party.   I bet her nine-year-old son is the most popular kid in class (as if he weren’t already.)

When everyone wants to just hang, there’s plenty of dry space for that, too. The main home features six bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, an elevator, a soundproof TV room, and multiple fireplaces. Outside, there are  guest quarters with another eight bedrooms, an outdoor spa, and tennis courts.  Dion is expecting twins in the fall.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 19, 2010 at 11:46 am
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Bucket Buddy 2

Recently, I wrote a brief article about the Bucket Buddy, a device that assists in carrying and pouring heavy buckets of water.  It seems there are actually quite a few products out there named Bucket Buddy. There are Bucket Buddy chairs, Bucket Buddy grooming caddies, Bucket Buddy ATV carrier devices, and more.    

Take this Bucket Buddy for instance:

Larry

Larry Humphrey of Emory, Texas invented this sucker.  It was created out of necessity when he needed to clear some foliage around his assisted-living facility.  The prototype was so successful that he decided to start Bucket Buddy Products and applied for a patent on the device.  Unfortunately, it does not appear that this product has come to market.

Then there’s this Bucket Buddy — and this one seems made for me:

Made of recycled materials, the Bucket Buddy uses 30% less ice than a regular beer . . . um . . . I mean water bucket.  The design makes sense.

Divots around the outside allow for greater surface area coverage for the ice that goes in the center.  It comes in a variety of colors as well.

There are more items called Bucket Buddy.  Many more.  But I think I’ve made my point: If you have an invention involving a bucket of any kind, it would be best to avoid naming it Bucket Buddy . . .

by John Barker

Written by editor on August 15, 2010 at 10:43 am
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The Beauty of Burning Rubber

Aahh… the smell of fresh roses and old rubber…

While that doesn’t sound like the best combination, it certainly makes for a pretty one. Re:Treads are flowerpots and containers crafted entirely from recycled tires. It sounds like a bizarre mix, but it’s actually quite beautiful.

It’s also very cool, considering the U.S. dumps about 300 million tires each year.

Handcrafted in Pakistan, these pots look awesome and are awesome eco-friendly. So even if you don’t have the best green thumb, you’ve got bragging rights!

 

“Retail consumers are clamoring for ‘green’ products right now, and we recognized that using the scrap tires as a construction material represented a unique opportunity to both capitalize on this trend and to lighten the load on our landfills,” said Alec Junge, president of River Market Pottery.

Right before these tires go to tire heaven, the company strips the tread, which gets recycled into mulch. The steel belts are also recycled. Then, the rest of the rubber is sewn up, and reinforced with some added galvanized rivets or bolts.

 

While many tires look the same, there are 68 different Re:Treads designs in seven shapes and sizes. Expect to pay about $10 for an 8-inch flowerpot. If you’re looking for something bigger, a 25-inch basin will cost $99.99.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 10, 2010 at 10:31 am
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Lawn Furniture

There’s something refreshing about lying in the grass. I’m talking about the fresh kind, not the kind with the big, brown patches.

Fung+Blatt Architects have come up with a little something to give you that feeling, even if patches of grass in your area are as rare as a unicorn. The company’s lawnchair is built entirely out of recycled materials, such as steel, rubber, and felt.

Well, not entirely. There’s also the green stuff. However, let’s get one thing straight: they are not recommending AstroTurf for your, well… AstroTurf. Instead, this lawnchair has a real layer of sod incorporated right into the design. This special treatment allows the chair to be as comfy as lying right in the grass — if your grass is shaped like a chaise lounge.

If you’re worried that you’ll want to move this thing into your home at summer’s end (it’s heavy, by the way; get some help) and soon have your very own patch of brown grass to lay upon, you’ll be glad to know the lawn chair requires very little maintenance to keep its green color.  A built-in “moisturizing” system not only keeps the chair hydrated, but also minimizes leakage. That’s cool, but I’d still keep it away from the white rugs.

Three bases are available, including a heavy-duty concrete base, a lightweight metal base, and a caster base, which is perfect if you want to move it around.

The one thing it doesn’t come with? A price. Fung+Blatt currently lists the product as “coming soon.”

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on August 3, 2010 at 12:08 pm
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EconoGreen Greens Up Your Trash

If I owned my own amusement park, I’d name it Jig-A-World. Or maybe a strip club. (A girl can dream, right?!?)

Thankfully, someone already has the name, and they saw it a completely different way.

Jig-A-World is a company that makes automotive and home improvement products. Their  latest invention is an eco-friendly line called EconoGreen Plastics™. Believe it or not, EconoGreen products include drop cloths and trash bags, which seem like the most un-Earth-friendly items imaginable. Good going, guys!

 

According to Jig-A-World’s announcement, all of the bags are made from 100 percent recycled materials and are totally oxodegradable. That means they can break down within two years. Even more awesome, the company isn’t taking advantage of the green movement by expecting too much of your green. Prices for the bags start at about $3.99.

“Now consumers have an affordable option for green bags that they can use throughout their home without paying a premium or sacrificing quality,” says said Cindy Sutton, VP at Jig-A-World USA, Inc. 

Also pretty nice: you won’t have to scour stores or the web to find EconoGreen products. Just drive on down to your local Home Depot. EconoGreen garbage bags come in all shapes and sizes, from tall kitchen bags to the ginormous contractor clean-up style. 

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on July 29, 2010 at 10:17 am
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Day of the Deck

Everyone enjoys some good deck space. I use mine to grow plants, eat ribs, and I even drag my computer out there to do a little work on occasion. In other words, I spend plenty of time celebrating the uses of my deck. Now, there’s an official day where deck owners can flaunt to non-deck owners.

composite decking

It’s coming up: Saturday, July 24, otherwise known as National Enjoy Your Deck Day. We’re not exactly sure if there’s a card for this day, but maybe you can celebrate by spraying off your deck’s dead bugs and having the aforementioned ribs. Most likely, the latter was already part of your weekend plans anyway.

In case you are looking for other ways to celebrate, Fiberon Deckinghas compiled a few companies to help out. One is Johnsonville sausage. Nothing says deck like encased meats, right?

If you don’t have a decent deck, but a love of free meats, check out the National Enjoy Your Deck Day website.   There’s a map with local parties marked. That’s right; actual people willing to share their decks with strangers. There’s also tips on maintaining your deck, as well as the chance to win a dream deck, which includes $4,000 for parts, labor, and party supplies.

by Rachel Cericola

Written by editor on July 20, 2010 at 10:48 am
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Killer Newspaper

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/a-barth/2846621384/sizes/l/

Want to avoid spraying chemicals to rid your yard of weeds?  If so, consider the Sports section of your local newspaper.  Or any section, for that matter.

Unless your weeds are relatives of the Swamp Thing, they’re not gonna read the paper.  They’re just gonna die.

Placing several layers of newspaper over a bed of weeds deprives them of sunlight.  Without sunlight, they’re goners.  New weeds won’t be able to sprout for the same reason.  So, layer the newspaper over the weedy areas, leave it on for a few days, and when you lift it off,  no more weeds!

But, keep an eye on the weather forecast.  I would highly recommend using this method when you’re sure that it’s not going to rain.  We all know what a mess soggy newspaper can be.  Even when it’s comfortably rolled in the little plastic bag at the end of your driveway, a little rain turns your daily news  into a log of papier maché.

While I’m not sure how non-toxic the ink in newspaper is when compared to other methods of battling weeds (such as boiling water, corn starch, or salt), it’s gotta be safer than the ingredients in a certain top-selling brand name of weed killer.  At least newspaper doesn’t destroy embryonic, placental and umbilical cord cells in human beings. For more information about that scary little fact, read the report here.

by John Barker

Written by editor on July 15, 2010 at 9:59 am
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