I’m going to kick this off with a bit of an off the path kind of deal.
Amazon Warehouse is offering Feit Electric ESL40TN “150 Watt Equivalent Daylight” CFL bulbs for $4.87 in “Used - Like New” condition and free Prime shipping (or free ship with $25 order). Regular price is about $15 from Amazon or $13 from Marketplace sellers. Can be had for $9 on eBay, but that was the lowest price I found.
“CFL? The 90’s called and they want their light bulbs back.” Well, here’s the deal. These lights are rated at 2,800 lumens and 6,500K color temp, for under $5. A comparable LED bulb will cost at least 4x as much, and be slightly larger in size.
“But why would I want a used light bulb?” These are listed as Like New condition. I ordered four of them. They arrived in the original retail packaging and appeared factory fresh. Better condition than bulbs on the shelf at Walmart or Home Depot.
As far as brightness and color temp… they are much brighter than my 100w equivalent LED bulbs, and very, very white/blue in color. Not dull or dingy like cheap LEDs or old tungsten incandescent bulbs. For under five bucks, I’m very pleased with my purchase.
These are rated at 8,000 hours lifecycle (compared to about 25,000 for a $25 LED bulb), but 8,000 hours will last me maybe 3 to 5 years. By then the LED bulb market will have evolved, and I may be able to replace it for $3 for a similar LED bulb. Net result=WINNING!
@ruouttaurmind CFLs are unsafe if used where the base is higher than the bulb, there is vibration or moisture.
In my part of the world you can have the electric company (PECO) do an energy assessment where they will inspect your home for energy efficiency. This includes replacing all non LED bulbs, one free smart power strip, a shower head and/or kitchen and bath aerators for $25.
@callow This was the case 20+ years ago when CFL technology was emerging. Though the primary threat was that the bulb would fail prematurely, not that it posed a risk to life or limb.
As you can imagine, much has changed in the nearly 3 decades since CFLs became popular, and the technology has improved over that time, increasing efficiency, functionality and reliability.
CFLs are definitely not the future of lighting technology, but until LED technology improvements make higher lumen bulbs available at reasonable prices, CFL is still the best option where brighter lighting at a reasonable cost is required.
@ruouttaurmind Last year my brother had a CFL bulb burn out which he smelled from upstairs (his picture). We did research and found many similar and recent stories. I buy 60w equivalent, 800 lumen LED bulbs for most things and find them pretty cheap.
For all my preaching, I do still have a few CFL’s in lamps but won’t buy any more.
@callow@ruouttaurmind I have switched out most of my CFLs to LEDs where feasible. The one place I haven’t done so is the garage where I’m using some big 42w (150w equivalent) ones. Equivalently bright LEDs aren’t cost effective enough here.
(Granted, it’s also because they were $2.98. New. For a case of 12. This was about 4 years ago from a local thrift store.)
@callow FWIW, the 200w incandescent bulb I replaced with the CFL did exactly the same thing in my living room table lamp (upright fixture). I turned on the lamp and the bulb basically self-destructed. Burnt the fixture and scorched the shade. That risk isn’t limited to just CFL, but any bulb which generates heat.
Penzeys has free pie spice (1/2 cup jar) with purchase to honor Pi Day. I just picked up mine along with $2 chili 3000 and $1 tumeric. I don’t know what to do with tumeric but it was a buck and a guy I know says it helps prevent dementia. Yeet!
@sammydog01 turmeric supposedly has several health benefits. It’s reported to be an anti-inflammatory, and useful for arthritis. Or so says a woman who works for me. She adds it to foods, and takes it in supplement form for her arthritic knees. She swears it works great.
Woot Prime Exclusive Deals. Both are new, not refurb, and include Amz 1 year warranty. If I didn’t jump ship to commit to Roku, I’d probably consider these a decent option for streaming (anything other than YouTube, YouTube TV, or anything in my Google Play movie library).
Don’t care about 4K? Or you’re still too damned cheap to spring for the newer technology? Here’s a deal you can probably buy with the change in your couch cushions:
Target B&M clearance of Amazon Fire TV Stick 2nd gen. Showing in stock as low as $12 in my city. YMMV.
Check stock in your local stores with the BS linky and start digging up your spare change.
@ruouttaurmind is Roku the best option for watching google services? I’m looking to switch from Fire TV but don’t like the absence of a remote with Chromecast.
@becca In my experience, Roku is the way to go. Roku gives you access to hundreds of downloadable “channels” (what Roku calls the streaming apps for each content provider). This includes all the major content providers like Netflix, Amazon Video, Google Play, YouTube and YouTube TV, Hulu, Vudu, Movies Anywhere, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and on and on.
I’ve tried Fire TV, Chromecast, streaming from Xbox and Wii U… my living room TV is a newish Vizio with built in smart features and I even got a Roku for it. That’s how much better Roku is than the other options.
@ruouttaurmind@sammydog01 thanks! I’ve been happy with FireTV, which was much better than going through the smart TV, whose apps never seem to update, but I’m thinking of trying out YouTube TV instead of PlayStation Vue.
@becca My Fire experience was a 1st Gen. Fire TV Stick I used until a few months ago when I upgraded to Roku. I was frustrated by the poor performance, confusing interface, and lack of support for a great many streaming options (stuff from the Googleverse as well as other streaming content providers).
My Roku devices each included a 30 day trial of YouTube TV. As far as “streaming cable TV” services go, YouTube TV was ok, but has some flaws that weren’t ideal for the way I prefer to watch (cloud DVR limitations, no 4K streaming, many channels in 720p). I think for the cost, it’s probably a reasonable option for many people.
@becca@ruouttaurmind I go with Hulu live- we have poor reception here and it’s the cheapest way I found to get local networks. Except for CBS, the bastards.
@becca@sammydog01 Local channels was the thing I found to be the best attribute of YouTube TV. Unlike the other providers I tried, YouTube TV actually offers all local channels in my area, including four major networks and the five largest independents. I have yet to try Hulu Live. It’s on my list after I’m finished with the Sling retry.
@ruouttaurmind@sammydog01 I really only use the tv service for sports and use Hulu or individual channel apps for most everything else. It feels ridiculous to pay $40+ for essentially one channel (NESN), but still beats shelling out for regular cable.
@ruouttaurmind The 10 inch bowls are big. But perfect size for a nice chef’s salad, or a fruit bowl, or a place to keep a couple of bags of candy corn.
Kim Komando, National Radio Host and America’s Digital Goddess, is closing her online store, so everything is 50% off. Not much left but some random crap, which seemed appropriate to post here:
Her math strives to be as accurate as the rest of her content*… Some things are free, some things are less than half off, and some are more. And according to the blog post explaining the going out of business sale, the sale should maybe be over already, depending on what date you look at (“through March 6” but later ”store closes March 5"). Weird.
* That sounds worse than I mean it, but there is a certain amount of liberty taken in the name of oversimplification.
@ruouttaurmind@sammydog01 looks like they only have red in stock. They do seem to have fixed the weird issue where it worked for 4 and 5 units last time. Now it only does the deal in multiples of three, any others are full price in the cart.
@compunaut I haven’t had much success with Porter Cable power tools. I’ve had a palm sander and a angle grinder burn up on me, and my 1/2" drill hasn’t much longer to go before I’m putting pennies on it’s eyes.
@compunaut I’ve had good service from Makita and Hilti for hand power tools. I prefer Lincoln in welders. I have a 50+ year old Craftsman table saw and drill press which are excellent, but any Craftsman power tools made in the last 20 to 30 years are quick fails.
My use profile isn’t typical of the average homeowner though. I mostly tend to use my power tools for extended periods. Multiple cuts, hours of grinding, hundreds of holes drilled in a single session.
@compunaut@ruouttaurmind No issues here with Porter Cable tools, though I’m not a constant user either. I’ll run tools, then let it rest so it doesn’t overheat.
Offered by two different Top Rated Plus sellers, each with excellent feedback ratings. Apple has in stock identical, but REFURB models for $509 plus tax.
I’ve had one in my cart for a few days now, hoping eBay would offer a discount code or Bonus Bucks or something. Thank goodness I came to my senses and stopped short of following through with the order. It’s a great price, but I just can’t spend that much right now after nearly $4,000 in oral surgeries over the past 2 months.
This is a countertop model; not mountable. But oh it’s nice. I love that bright stainless steel interior! And tons of features to boot including convection.
@ruouttaurmind I wonder if a built in microwave with convection/browning element exists. Seems like they may require a lot of space above to allow the cabinet to radiate away heat.
I’d really love one but no way I’m convincing my wife to let me put something else on the counter when we have a spot for a built-in. I can’t really spare the counter space anyway; it’s something my kitchen lacks.
@ruouttaurmind it says countertop only Thanks for digging, though. I was really idly wondering but I appreciate the effort.
Based on what I’ve seen if I can find a built in and the necessary trim for less than $300 it probably fell off the back of a truck somewhere. Never mind looking for convection included. It makes me pray my existing one has a long and healthy life and I can just forego any fancy convection type stuff.
@djslack I bought my current built-in at Sears about 2 years ago (Kenmore by Whirlpool). It is specifically designed for over the range mounting and included everything needed to mount above the stove. Even hardware and ducting for connecting to a vent if it’s replacing a ducted vent hood. Sale price was about $230 and I didn’t have to buy anything else for the installation. Not a top shelf model, but a well equipped and featured midrange model.
So I guess I’m saying it shouldn’t be difficult to match your price point without much time and shopping once you get motivated to have one.
@narfcake@ruouttaurmind yes, it’s confusing. The built in goes into a cabinet spot that is fully surrounded, so it has to vent to the front I guess.
Here’s my full story: my built-in microwave was being persnickety last week, and the door didn’t want to open when the button was pressed. I kind of had to press hard on it and wiggle the door. I jacked with it and it’s good for now, but I don’t know exactly what I did so it’s not as as satisfying as knowing I fixed it. I’ve also eyed the microwaves with an extra element for radiant heat with a little bit of the wants.
I saw the one you linked and read up that it’s countertop only, and saw it specifies 12" clearance above. In the related items there is a Panasonic inverter, straight microwave, for like $150 that can be countertop or built-in and I thought I’d mark it as a potential replacement. Then I looked up the trim kit that goes with it to complete the built-in setup: $200 more. That’s nuts! I did find built in combination units with convection for like $2k and up!
I kind of wondered out loud because someone might have a combo unit that’s not a budget buster. But in the meantime I’m keeping my fingers crossed that mine is fixed
@djslack that reminds me of a countertop microwave we had when I was a teen. The door stopped opening when we pushed the button. We ended up fixing it with a long rubberband around the latch part. That microwave worked for years with that band.
@narfcake Oy. When I was living in Ireland it was a hob. When I stayed in England it was a cooker. A stove, mostly across the UK refers to a wood or coal burning heating stove rather than any kind of cooking implement.
@narfcake@ruouttaurmind Hence the term, “hob-knobber”, as in a traveling tradesman who fixes the controls on the hob, bangs your wife for payment, and leaves you with a smiling wife when you get home from the factory.
@mfladd I’v never done any of these CD Keys deals. Lots of folks on SD rave on the bargains, but also a fair number have bad experiences. Have you used them?
@ruouttaurmind I can’t remember if I have used them before. Maybe once? But I also remember the seeing mixed reviews before. If I use it I will use my Amex so that any issues will be promptly handled
@mfladd Looking like the deal is dead. No coupon to clip in the item listing.
DogFoodAdvisor.com confuses me. Their reviews seem almost arbitrary. I compared Blue Buffalo to the brand I feed them now (one of the Purina One nameplates). The Purina has a slightly better protein/carb/fat ratio and higher meat content, similar “other nutrients” value, and significantly fewer recalls than Blue Buffalo, but they panned Purina with a 2 star rating versus 4 stars for Blue Buffalo. They seem weighted with a bias against Purina brands for some reason.
@ruouttaurmind It seems on SD that some people are reporting they could see the coupon, others couldn’t. I don’t know how amazon lists coupons. I would have thought it would be available for everyone, not just a few.
You can search for coupons on Google by entering the name of the shopping site, like “Seat Geek coupons”. You can find a variety of coupon websites offering coupons and promo codes. Select the result which offers the greatest discount.
$3 off coupon for Purina cat or dog food https://www.purinaone.com/coupons
Even if you don’t have pets get one and give it to someone or give it to me so I can give it to the two remaining cattery workers who have cats (one has a dog too) and still don’t have new jobs yet (the other two have finally found work) - that gofundme is still operating and one worker in particular needs it as she need surgery for a health issue and isn’t really able to work at the moment. She has both a dog, 9 cats (some were in foster care for the cattery and she didn’t give them back to be put down, instead she kept them and is trying to find homes for some of them) and is feeding a fixed and stable feral colony. One of the (only) perks of working there was free pet food and vet care. Now of course this is creating a problem. The other worker still looking for a job only has one cat and one rat. https://www.gofundme.com/help-cat-shelter-workers-who-lost-their-job
This is the Studebaker Master Blaster! Eight pounds of thigh-slapping, blood-pumping, nuclear brain damage!
Helluva deal, right? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Dunno, but that’s the bitchin’ part about it! It don’t matter! If you can’t afford it, FUCKING FINANCE IT!
A boombox with that super sweet spectrum analyzer totally takes me back to my childhood. You too? Then buy this bad boy NOW! It’s only money! You’ll make more!
Whoa! WHOA! Hey now! Slow down there Chief. You’ll get snagged up in the time vortex and the next thing you know @Barney-bot will be telling you how she still wears her poodle skirt and saddle shoes while listening to 45rpms and thinking about that dreamy Ricky Nelson.
@ruouttaurmind What do you know? You weren’t even alive back then. Go ask your mother. She’ll tell you that penny loafers were also worn with poodle skirts, you young whippersnapper.
I actually asked her about poodle skirts and saddle shoes once when I was a wane and Happy Days syndication reruns were popular. She said “How old do you think I am, kid?”
Since then I’ve been able to do the maths and realized my mother was born shortly after Juli Charlot was reported to have created the original circle skirt. This would mean it was probably becoming unfashionable as mom would have reached an age to be fashion aware. I am only guessing, but it’s unlikely a fashion fad would have lasted from 1947 through the end of the '50s. But you are certainly in a better position to answer that?
@ruouttaurmind I lived in a stereotypical 50’s/early 60’s blue collar neighborhood when I was growing up. Lots of kids to play with/lots of stay-at-home moms to make sure us kids stayed out of trouble (for the most part).
However, almost all of the neighborhood kids were boys – most were older than me. So in order to survive, because it was a rowdy group, I had to become a tomboy.
Depending on the season, the kids in my neighborhood were playing sports from midday until dark (none of us were early risers). And I was pretty damn good, for being a “shrimp”.
Anyway, poodle skirts were the last thing on my mind. But the neighbors, north of us had two daughters, both waay older than me (at least to my eyes). They were often my babysitters and they seemed to live in poodle skirts. Their skirts were beautiful. Their mother made them.
My mother worked full time and didn’t have the time or I’ll admit, the talent to make poodle skirts. But my two dear, older friends/neighbors did give me a couple of hand me downs that they had outgrown. Oh, how I loved those skirts.
So now you know that, yes, I am old.
Edit: I did wear penny loafers with them. I wouldn’t have been caught dead in saddle shoes.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: “The world would be a better place with more marble madness”. So get thee to Amz for this Marbleocity Dragon Coaster marble run kit for $31 and free shipping.
These two kits are designed to connect into one large orgy of marble mayhem.
That’s pretty damn sweet, right? Well, I hope you’re sitting down, 'cause things are about to get straight nuts up in here when you add this Marbleocity Motor Kit for $17.
As you can likely guess, the motor kit automates the gear mech on the marble kits for hands-free operation.
So there ya have it. About $83 for the trio, about ten to twelve hours to build, and endless marble joy once it’s all fired up (you can’t put a price on marble joy kiddies).
@ruouttaurmind Yup and some seriously cool ones some of those folks have built. They also have put together videos for how to make some of this stuff too. There was a yahoo group prior to this and there is a lot of good stuff buried in their archives there. Have fun on that site. I have built a few small ones, including one where I cut apart pop cans and stapled them to cardboard and then taught kids how to make them that way.
This is the same set they were offering for $20 on Black Friday. But it’s not Black Friday anymore. Also, the LEGO 900pc Classic Creative Fun Box 11005 is $40 for basically the same stuff. So, ya, still a bargain at $25.
Woot: Silhouette Cameo 3 (Slate Gray) Craft Bundle for $170 and free Prime shipping. I paid the same price for the basic Cameo 3 so the additional bundle components make this a good deal.
They also have a couple other slightly higher priced bundles with a few additional bits.
Walmart has Fog of Love on clearance for $10, down from an original $50. Shipping is $5.99 or free on $35. In store pick-up and ship to store were not available for me but maybe YMMV.
It’s a 2 player board game where you role play as a romantically involved couple. Each character has their own traits and ambitions and your job is to decide how they would respond to various scenarios that can either strengthen your relationship or push you apart.
I grabbed this game last week when it was $20 and thought I was getting a steal. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet but from the reviews I’ve seen people either really enjoy it or absolutely despise it.
They also have cover variants with same sex couples which is pretty neat.
@ruouttaurmind Do you use the payroll? Last I checked it looked like you had to do the monthly subscription.
I have an older version the I got for around this price that I use for simple accounting and check writing. I used the payroll a few years but it got too expensive for the small number of checks I need.
@speediedelivery I don’t use their payroll service. I use a similar cloud based full-service provider which offers everything Intuit does, including direct deposits, for a fraction of the Intuit price.
It’s my understanding the “plus payroll” version on sale at Amz includes your first yearly subscription. You still need to pay for additional employees, etc, but the core subscription is covered. I opted to stick with Desktop Pro 2019 and continue with the payroll service I already use.
The easiest way to save money while shopping online is to use coupon codes that unlock special discounts. However, finding the right codes isn’t always easy, which is where deal websites and browser extensions come in.
Help your young LEGO® builder understand the basics of gears, force and movement with this cool LEGO Technic™ 42088 Cherry Picker. This 2-in-1 model comes with realistic functions and features, including a detailed lifting mechanism with working boom and basket, 4 hazard warning lights, 2 warning beacons and chunky tires. Rebuild this 2-in-1 LEGO Technic set to create a robust Tow Truck.
@medz@RiotDemon Some silly 20 piece Star Wars poly bagged thingy with an MSRP of $4. The CS guy wasn’t any help and couldn’t be bothered to look up the item description from my order. He kept saying “so you ordered the wrong item then and you want to return it.” A statement like. Not a question. He had no interest in problem solving.
Summer is coming (some day?) so get ready to thin out those pups!
For about a tenner, I guess I’ll give it a shot. My little monster is so fuzzy and her hair grows like a weed. I tried my Trym trimmer, but her hair is so fine it doesn’t cut well. Plus the Trym makes so much noise it freaks her out. Hopefully this one does better.
@therealjrn Pet trimmers are much quieter than most human trimmers. If this a true pet trimmer, it’ll have a brushless rotary motor rather than magnetic pivot motor.
@ruouttaurmind@therealjrn OMG. What are the odds of this? I need a trimmer for the new pup! I was dreading spending any real amount of money. I only have to do the private parts area on him.
@ruouttaurmind it says it has either a cooper-axis motor or a copper-axis motor depending on which part of the write-up you believe. Either way it looks rotary.
I’m in for one too, the dogs need trimming from time to time and a cordless clipper might be good, especially for the little one who is kind of squirrelly.
Also, Amazon just promised me delivery on Sunday! I used to get Sunday deliveries at my old house, but when we moved we apparently moved out of the Sunday delivery area and we haven’t had them for a few years now. I’m way more excited than I probably should be by this, but once you’ve had Sunday deliveries waiting an extra day sucks.
@djslack@ruouttaurmind I chose the NO Rush option so I could give the boy $1 towards Robux. It’s the little things that make him happy. I try to gather him as many $1’s I can.
@djslack Interesting you mentioned Sunday delivery. They offered me free same day delivery (for a $10 item?) I haven’t been offered free Same Day since shortly after they rolled out the service in my city.
@djslack@mfladd I was home late last night so I didn’t fuss with it. This morning I popped open the box and surveyed the damage.
Initial impression? Not bad actually. The clippers have a little heft to them and there’s lots of fiddly bits in the box. 8 sizes of trimming guards, including a couple tapered ones.
Without charging, I attached the longest guard and trimmed up the monster’s belly. It’s reasonably quiet (MUCH more quiet than the Oster clippers, slightly quieter than Trym). Zoe wasn’t freaked out by these like the clattering Oster.
It cuts quickly and does a better job than the Trym. Without any guard in place (trimmed the fur on the bottom of her feets) it’s like a hot knife through butter. If a total shave was what I was after, I think these would make swift work of it.
Overall… longevity will be the true test, but even if I only get a few uses, I’m after calling this one a bargain. Charging up the battery now and hoping to do a full trim this evening.
Now if I could figure out a way to trim her nails without having to fight with her. She’s totally freaked when I get out the nail clippers.
@djslack@mfladd Dang. This whole “shave down the monster” bit was a LOT harder than I thought it was going to be.
After half an hour I was kinda hoping the battery on the clippers would run down. But no, they were like the energizer bunny and kept going. Finally I had to throw in the towel after 40 minutes. Stooping over was taking it’s toll on my back.
I’m planning on doing it again tomorrow morning to finish up the job.
@ruouttaurmind I did a little shave of our Shih Tzu/Pomeranian mix’s rear where she has a little bit of trouble with getting messy. She somehow has never learned to squat to go poop but instead just does it from a full stand. It’s weird, and a bad thing to do with lots of long hair. Anyway, we were both very pleased with how quiet they were and she gave me no trouble at all.
Our collie was recently groomed so the big test with her is at least a few weeks away, but I suspect they will do just fine.
The biggest problem I had with Zoe is her hair is super fine. Like baby hair. A single pass where her hair is really long would “clog” the trimming guard. I would have to stop and clean out the guard every minute or so. Now that most of the really long stuff is hacked off I’m hoping it goes more smoothly tomorrow.
The Roku Channel: Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel for free (with commercial interruptions).
You’re thinking “Big flip. Ad supported films are more plentiful than roaches at the local taqueria.” Well, this film has three (3) commercial interruptions. Each is an excruciating 30 seconds in duration. Yup, 90 seconds in total. And you can FF through 2 of the three breaks.
This is quintessential quirky Wes Anderson. Very reminiscent of Moonrise Kingdom, and stars several of Anderson’s regulars. If you enjoyed Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited, Life Aquatic, etc. you’ll appreciate The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Caveats:
It doesn’t appear in the Roku Channel program browser (find it by searching for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and selecting the option titled “Matt Microsite Test - The Grand Budapest Hotel”)
You can pause, FF and RW, but if you stop viewing in the middle of the movie and exit the Roku Channel, your stopping place will not be preserved; to resume watching, you’ll have to start at the beginning and FF to the spot you stopped watching.
Portions of the film appear with sidebars (4:3) like pre-HD television broadcasts. This is Wes Anderson being Wes Anderson, not a scaled down funky streaming issue.
Just a quick note to let you know I got a runner-up award for shirt of the year! Thanks to those that voted for it last week, that really helped seal the deal!
It’s available, on sale and in a variety of formats, at the link below.
Here’s a little gem for anyone who loves cat shirts, taco shirts, or cats chasing tacos shirts. $5, free shipping, no minimum purchase and no extra charge for extended sizes up to 3X. (Most of their graphic tees are $5 with no extra charge for extended sizes)
@ruouttaurmind Cool cat shirt. I just bought one for my puzzle buddy at the nursing home. She’d rather have Lady, but I think she’ll settle for the shirt.
What I really need (well, don’t need) is a Logitech g29 or g920 racing wheel setup. Dirt Rally in VR is impossible with an Xbox controller, and I hear the inexpensive ones aren’t worth getting.
@djslack I’ve been actively aware of deals for Xbox wheels. I have several racing games, but don’t spend any time with them because, as you say, Xbox controller isn’t ideal. I plan to purchase one when the deal is comparable to this joystick setup.
I also bought the stick setup above. I’m really interested in Ace Combat 7, but I would imagine it’s equally useful in games like War Thunder.
@ruouttaurmind that’s a good deal on that wheel. I’ve been tracking refurbs on eBay for ~$180.
One of those refurbs had a few hundred available and a best offer, I submitted one for $150. If that isn’t accepted, I will be back here to get that code. Thanks!
@Barney Ha! This isn’t related to the time you made it seem as though I was the ringleader for some international crap collusion scheme. (edit…at least, I didn’t think it was…)
I’m plenty capable of causing my own problems. Thanks, though! Yeah, I’ll probably get one if’n I try.
@Barney@lilsrm123@medz@sammydog01
PSA: A cheap vertical mouse (not this model), is the reason why I had surgery on my wrist last month. The one I had caused pain in the tendon running down the wrist from the thumb. Unfortunately, I ignored the pain for far too long. Not to keep you from buying it, but maybe ease into using it for the first few weeks, take rest breaks, and stop using if you get similar pain. Look up De Quervain’s and the Finkelstein test.
If I can’t be a good example, at least I can be a horrible warning.
@Barney@lilsrm123@medz@sammydog01@Trillian I’ve been using a very similar model at work, most likely the same OEM. Yes, ease yourself into using it if you’re not used to it.
For me, a regular mouse was causing some wrist pain after several hours, hence going to a vertical mouse about a year and a half ago.
@Barney@lilsrm123@medz@Trillian And… I just cancelled my order. I already have tendonitis of some sort in my hand and don’t need it to get worse. Thanks!
@Barney@lilsrm123@sammydog01@Trillian
Poor sammydog, this would have cured all your issues… The best thing with any repetitive movement injury is to change things up occasionally. I sit, stand, alternate mouse hands, etc…
#notadoctor
I have a decent wired mouse for the desktop. And a shitty wireless mouse for laptop which I use everywhere else but a desk.
Like on the side of the armrest, between the couch cushions sometimes, under some blankets, the floor, on my leg, or even above my head on the wall.
I’m going to take my chances with this.
Hopefully it works well on an uneven surface.
@barney
Lenovo Tab E7, 7" Android Tablet, Quad-Core Processor, 8GB Storage, Slate Black for $39 – I think this is a good deal?? I liked my lenovo until my daughter stole it.
@mikibell I guess I’m going with the Fire tablets. I guess. I’m getting no cooperation from the first nursing home (the one that I’m at every week). There’s a problem with their Wi-Fi. I can’t even get my laptop to connect.
I haven’t made it out to the second home. It’s on the other side of town and I haven’t had the time to drive out there and discuss my project with them.
@sammydog01 sent me a Fire tablet and I’ve purchased one from Woot. The second nursing home only has six bedrooms, so I think the two Fire tablets will cover their needs. If not, I’ll get another from Woot. It looks like they have them on sale quite often.
Thanks for looking for me. Hmm… I wonder if that Lenovo would work for me? Yeah, right, just what I need – another play toy.
@mikibell Assuming it’s the most recent version, it’s a reasonable price. Unfortunately with Walmart it could be the very latest, still warm out of the oven, or it could be several generations old.
@mikibell@ruouttaurmind Oreo Go says it’s fairly recent like 2018, but also says that it has very low end hardware and 1gb of RAM. It’s perhaps not the best for viewing video streams with.
This is seller refurb, advertised as “REFURBISHED GRADE A “LIKE NEW RETAIL READY” Condition has NO cosmetic defects, blemishes, dents, scratches or signs of age. GRADE A items have been restored to meet manufacturer quality standards.”
I checked the seller’s feedback, and I saw very, very few complaints about buyers receiving an item that wasn’t up to the condition described. Also, the seller offers a 30 day “hassle free” return policy.
Son of a biscuit. I try to just report the deals and not get sucked in myself. But I’ve succumbed to the allure. I really need to get a second source of income. Goat! I’m coming to blame you!!!
@sammydog01 I began with Alexa, but broke up with her and started seeing Google. Google supports more of the things. And Alexa can be a bit… er, moody. Don’t get me wrong, I still love her and we’ll always be friends. It’s just that we were on different paths, you know?
@Barney@ruouttaurmind I use my Alexa Show to watch Amazon Prime shows while I cook and clean. And calendar stuff pops up. And my flash briefing has a few things in the morning. But mostly I just watch Dark Shadows.
@sammydog01 Yeah, but that’s all Prime stuff, isn’t it? Why is Google Assistant so great? It doesn’t even have my Amazon music on it. Yes, I have played with it on my phone. GA is not real smart, if you ask me, and I tell her that.
@Barney Forewarned: you need to use your phone to set this up.
Once set up, you can ask questions like “what’s the weather forecast” (or current temperature, chance of rain, etc).
Set alarms, timers (for cooking, etc), get recipes, remind you of things (“Hey Google, I put my passport in the bottom drawer” then later ask “Hey Google, where did I put my passport?).
You can get visual feedback to asked questions (who is Christine Cavanaugh).
You can watch YouTube, YouTube TV, Hulu, HBO-Go and some other streaming video services (not every streaming service works seamlessly though).
If you’re ready to embrace the Internet of Things, you can control the devices (I use Google to control lights, television, thermostat, my Roku, Dish satellite service, etc).
Plus, if nothing else, it makes a fine digital photo display and alarm clock.
@ruouttaurmind Ok, thanks for the rundown. I guess I don’t need this at this time; I can do almost everything with my laptop. And I don’t have a passport.
@sammydog01 I have a Dot sitting next to a Google Home Mini. There is one thing Google doesn’t support (switching inputs on my TV) so I have Google tell Alexa to do it. It’s working wel for the most partl, but sometimes Alexa gets moody and tells Google “Whatever. Bitch.”
@Barney@sammydog01 I received my Lenovo Smart Display today. Condition was exactly as advertised. Basically looking brand new, it arrived in retail packaging.
The display is big, bold, bright and crisp. And the sound… wow! It’s much louder and cleaner, clearer than the Google Home Mini right next to it. It even produces much better sound than the Echo Dot/Mokcao Power+ dock.
And that display… very nice.
I don’t know if it was worth the $75 price tag, but I definitely think it’s a better value than the G1 Echo Show was at $130. Rumors suggest I’ll be able to access my Dish Network Hopper Sling for live TV and DVR playback, but that’s a project for this weekend.
@RedOak Alexa just didn’t want to play with some of the things. Dish Hopper for example, or my Honeywell Lyric t-stat. Alexa has limited control over the Vizio TV, where Google can do more with it. And now with a recent firmware update, Google can switch HDMI inputs (the one thing I’v been hanging on to Alexa for).
@ruouttaurmind the one frustrating thing for me is less than perfect Pandora interaction (my family doesn’t use Pandora).
It seems to want to play standard Pandora stations rather than my personal tailored stations.
The inclusion of “my” in the query should steer it correctly. I shouldn’t have to rename my stations to make them contradict standard Pandora stations.
It is difficult to determine whether the issue is Amazon preferring the use of Amazon music (Pandora is listed near the bottom in the app) or whether Pandora itself doesn’t know how to do a proper Alexa skill.
I suspect this is my problem with Alexa and the things. I’ve never attempted to create a skill but I have a pretty solid idea what’s probably involved. IIRC, you’re pretty tech savvy, so you probably have a better grasp on this than I, but I speculate:
Both parties (Amz and the service provider) need an API infrastructure which supports flexible, secure access in order to provide a useful level of device and services control.
Some providers seem unwilling or unable to yield access at the level required. Netflix is a grand example. I don’t know whether it’s a security concern, or if their infrastructure just wasn’t built to support it, but Netflix has extremely limited support on either platform (Alexa or Google Assistant) within many streaming platforms. And in this example there is a multi-node transaction required. I tell the IA, IA tells the streaming device, streaming device tells the service provider, service provider reacts. And depending on the interactions (say a query result) the chain might be reversed and now information must flow back upstream.
Much of the things and services we use today were designed and implemented long before IAs were anything to be considered and I suspect are riding on an infrastructure which predates these current realities.
But again, there’s that “Google sells your life” thing that would steer us away even at a functionally tie.
Maybe Amz is more Big Brother than you give them credit. Yes, Google absolutely is, but look for the signs and you’ll see this in Amz as well. Easy test: do a unique product search in Amz Shopping and keep an eye on the targeted marketing you begin to see within Amz Shopping, across Amz properties and even outside the Amazonverse. Of course soon enough Amazon will own everything and won’t have to sell your information. They’ll just pass it around the table at board meetings.
But I’m a customer and should be able to reasonably expect they (Amazon or Pandora) get something as basic as knowing the difference between generic and custom stations sorted out. Can’t imagine what the proprietary issues would be.
Maybe Amz is more Big Brother than you give them credit.
I’m under no illusions that Amazon is blissfully free of privacy issues.
But the primary business model (how they make money) contrasts between Amazon and Google regarding personal info are legion. Not even in the same league.
@sammydog01 Along with the freebie box and the two dollar bottles, I bought some more cocoa, some of that pizza seasoning (it sounded good, so I thought I’d give it a try) and, hmm, something else that I can’t remember. I think I’m losing it…
Gee, I wish I lived near a store like you do. Do you have an extra bedroom I can move into? And then we can go to the Art-o-mat. And the movies. And you can feed me cookies. Yes!
@sammydog01 I hope the Earth, Wind, and Fire concert is at least a couple of years away, because I think it might take you that long to clear out all of your Meh stuff.
If only you had a Lenovo Smart Display, you could have said “Hey Google, I put the pizza seasoning on the third shelf in the pantry.” when you put it away. And now you could ask “Hey Google, where did I put the pizza seasoning?” and Google would tell you.
I’m searching for a source for ordering LEGO kits which doesn’t charge sales tax in most states. But a source where I can have confidence the item I’m receiving is legitz and not one of the Chinasian clones. eBay listings are fraught with fraudulent kits being represented as genuine LEGO. Any help is appreciated.
Also, why are all the really awesome kits retired? Maybe because I don’t realize I want them until they are unavailable? Like a couple girls I’ve dated in the past…
@Barney A wise man once wrote “For many, Goonies isn’t just retro. It’s not just nostalgic. Goonies is iconic. For millions of children of the '80s Goonies is the anthem of an era.”
@Barney So here’s a name that might mean something to you. The ‘actor’ who played Sloth in that gif above was the football player, John Matuszak. The Goonies is definitely worth seeing just for the sake of it being a true classic of it’s time.
The Kindle Voyage was officially discontinued last year, but Amazon often turns to Woot to sell their remaining stock. There is some very big deals happening right now for brand new Voyages ($125), Open Box ($114) and refurbished units ($89). If you are looking for an extra e-reader to use or have never owned one before, it is worth it to capitalize on these savings.
The Kindle Voyage used to be the flagship e-reader when it was originally released in 2014, until the Kindle Oasis supplanted it. The Amazon Kindle Voyage features a six inch e-ink Carta display with a resolution of 1430 x 1080 and was one of the first e-readers with a 300 PPI screen. Underneath the hood of the Voyage is a 1 GHZ single core processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. Battery life should last around a month, and if you don’t use it much, standby should easily last you six months.
The Voyage has many innovative features that made it very distinctive. The page turn buttons had haptic feedback and it had an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusted the luminosity of the front-lit display. It does not have Bluetooth and is one of the few modern Kindles that cannot play audiobooks, but if you don’t care about that sort of thing, the Voyage deserves a second look, since Woot is offering some killer deals.
Read some reviews on Amazon if you want to know more about how it was an improvement over the PPW.
If it were me:
If I wanted to go “not expensive”, would grab one of these.
If I wanted to go “moderately more expensive” I would look for one of the non-waterproof (prev gen) Oasis.
On Amazon (in the warehouse, they pop up now and then) or on Woot or in eBay.
Or I wanted all the features and was willing to go expensive, i would wait for a sale and get the latest PPW or (way more bux) the latest Kindle Oasis.
Either the newest waterproof audible-ready PPW - or the newest audible-ready Oasis - or both - will likely go on sale in the week or two before Mother’s Day. Almost certainly.
This doesn’t happen every year. It does happen many years.
And something similar will prob happen on Prime Day
Then again discounts in Nov. And again prob around Valentine’s Day.
Meantime, find and bookmark the Amazon Warehouse pages for both devices (not so easy to do, because usually not in stock, so Amazon hides the pages somewhat.)
Check those pages daily. When they get some in, it’s kinda rare, at least for the newest versions. Either flood, or drought. Lots, or none.
Also set up an email notification on camel x 3 for each version you might buy. You have to do it separately for each and every config (memory, wifi vs cell, color, etc), if I remember.
You won’t have to wait for a sale if you luck into a warehouse return.
Also setup a keyword notification (Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis) on Slickdeals.net.
Also add them to your wishlist on Amazon.
Then you will probably know about the sale and at least have the option when they do show up discounted.
@OldCatLady@RiotDemon Looks like the only movies on the available list have something related to money in the title. So I guess that’s the joke?
Built based on community feedback, this no-cost streaming platform aims to deliver the best that Hollywood has to offer with regards to films that involve the topic of money, shopping or deals.
@llangley I was going to poo poo this deal, as it reallllyyy isn’t 55% off, and is about what you would normally pay for the machine. However, it does include the business license for the software and that doesn’t normally come with the machine. So if anyone is interested, it is a good deal. I personally don’t care about the kits that are included, but they are what I test things with – for instance, the sketch pens are known to dry out, so why bother buying them until you need them? yada yada
@mikibell@ruouttaurmind sorry for any confusion. I’ve bought several things from GMADS (Good Morning America deals and steals) over the years and have received quality stuff so far. Saw the Silhouette (I know nothing about them) and thought of you creative mehtizens so I figured I’d share in case they’re not on your respective radars
I’m thinking about getting the Stratco to start a vertical display of my succulents but haven’t pulled the trigger yet!
My first thought “big deal, this is a cheap vinyl garden hose.” But it turns out this is actually a pretty decent deal. This hose sells elsewhere for $20-$30 ($23 on Amz, $25 at Home Depot, $20 at Target) so maybe there’s something here. For a fiver, I’m in to find out.
@ruouttaurmind I’d be tempted for only $5 except for all the reviews that talk about it rupturing in a month. I’ll use my $5 for some higher quality kink.
This camera uses the M4/3 lens mounting system (developed by Olympus and Panasonic; used by several cameras). Several people are of the opinion the lenses alone are well worth the price of this bundle, and buy it for the lenses, reselling the camera body to net back much of their investment.
The camera itself is a well-featured marvel considering the price of admission. The Sony IMX269 image sensor has an excellent reputation for delivering superior imaging results in all varieties of conditions.
I would jump on this to replace my stolen Canon but with my farsighted vision I’m not sure I want to be without a viewfinder (Mirrorless cameras are limited to using the attached display due to the lack of a viewfinder).
I’m going to kick this off with a bit of an off the path kind of deal.
Amazon Warehouse is offering Feit Electric ESL40TN “150 Watt Equivalent Daylight” CFL bulbs for $4.87 in “Used - Like New” condition and free Prime shipping (or free ship with $25 order). Regular price is about $15 from Amazon or $13 from Marketplace sellers. Can be had for $9 on eBay, but that was the lowest price I found.
“CFL? The 90’s called and they want their light bulbs back.” Well, here’s the deal. These lights are rated at 2,800 lumens and 6,500K color temp, for under $5. A comparable LED bulb will cost at least 4x as much, and be slightly larger in size.
“But why would I want a used light bulb?” These are listed as Like New condition. I ordered four of them. They arrived in the original retail packaging and appeared factory fresh. Better condition than bulbs on the shelf at Walmart or Home Depot.
As far as brightness and color temp… they are much brighter than my 100w equivalent LED bulbs, and very, very white/blue in color. Not dull or dingy like cheap LEDs or old tungsten incandescent bulbs. For under five bucks, I’m very pleased with my purchase.
These are rated at 8,000 hours lifecycle (compared to about 25,000 for a $25 LED bulb), but 8,000 hours will last me maybe 3 to 5 years. By then the LED bulb market will have evolved, and I may be able to replace it for $3 for a similar LED bulb. Net result=WINNING!
@ruouttaurmind Um… I think I got the last one.
@Barney That was fast. When I ordered yesterday they had dozens of them in stock.
@ruouttaurmind I was hoping for a couple of them, but I’m just happy I got one. Thanks for listing this.
@ruouttaurmind CFLs are unsafe if used where the base is higher than the bulb, there is vibration or moisture.
In my part of the world you can have the electric company (PECO) do an energy assessment where they will inspect your home for energy efficiency. This includes replacing all non LED bulbs, one free smart power strip, a shower head and/or kitchen and bath aerators for $25.
@callow This was the case 20+ years ago when CFL technology was emerging. Though the primary threat was that the bulb would fail prematurely, not that it posed a risk to life or limb.
As you can imagine, much has changed in the nearly 3 decades since CFLs became popular, and the technology has improved over that time, increasing efficiency, functionality and reliability.
CFLs are definitely not the future of lighting technology, but until LED technology improvements make higher lumen bulbs available at reasonable prices, CFL is still the best option where brighter lighting at a reasonable cost is required.
@ruouttaurmind Last year my brother had a CFL bulb burn out which he smelled from upstairs (his picture). We did research and found many similar and recent stories. I buy 60w equivalent, 800 lumen LED bulbs for most things and find them pretty cheap.
For all my preaching, I do still have a few CFL’s in lamps but won’t buy any more.
@callow @ruouttaurmind I have switched out most of my CFLs to LEDs where feasible. The one place I haven’t done so is the garage where I’m using some big 42w (150w equivalent) ones. Equivalently bright LEDs aren’t cost effective enough here.
(Granted, it’s also because they were $2.98. New. For a case of 12. This was about 4 years ago from a local thrift store.)
@callow FWIW, the 200w incandescent bulb I replaced with the CFL did exactly the same thing in my living room table lamp (upright fixture). I turned on the lamp and the bulb basically self-destructed. Burnt the fixture and scorched the shade. That risk isn’t limited to just CFL, but any bulb which generates heat.
Penzeys has free pie spice (1/2 cup jar) with purchase to honor Pi Day. I just picked up mine along with $2 chili 3000 and $1 tumeric. I don’t know what to do with tumeric but it was a buck and a guy I know says it helps prevent dementia. Yeet!
@sammydog01 turmeric supposedly has several health benefits. It’s reported to be an anti-inflammatory, and useful for arthritis. Or so says a woman who works for me. She adds it to foods, and takes it in supplement form for her arthritic knees. She swears it works great.
Woot Prime Exclusive Deals. Both are new, not refurb, and include Amz 1 year warranty. If I didn’t jump ship to commit to Roku, I’d probably consider these a decent option for streaming (anything other than YouTube, YouTube TV, or anything in my Google Play movie library).
/wootstalker https://electronics.woot.com/offers/amazon-fire-tv-cube-media-player-7
Amazon Fire TV Cube Media Player
Price: $59.99
Condition: New
/wootstalker https://electronics.woot.com/offers/amazon-fire-tv-w-4k-alexa-voice-remote-3
Amazon Fire TV w/ 4K & Alexa Voice Remote
Price: $34.99
Condition: New
Don’t care about 4K? Or you’re still too damned cheap to spring for the newer technology? Here’s a deal you can probably buy with the change in your couch cushions:
Target B&M clearance of Amazon Fire TV Stick 2nd gen. Showing in stock as low as $12 in my city. YMMV.
Check stock in your local stores with the BS linky and start digging up your spare change.
@ruouttaurmind is Roku the best option for watching google services? I’m looking to switch from Fire TV but don’t like the absence of a remote with Chromecast.
@becca In my experience, Roku is the way to go. Roku gives you access to hundreds of downloadable “channels” (what Roku calls the streaming apps for each content provider). This includes all the major content providers like Netflix, Amazon Video, Google Play, YouTube and YouTube TV, Hulu, Vudu, Movies Anywhere, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and on and on.
I’ve tried Fire TV, Chromecast, streaming from Xbox and Wii U… my living room TV is a newish Vizio with built in smart features and I even got a Roku for it. That’s how much better Roku is than the other options.
@becca @ruouttaurmind If you like YouTube you should go Roku. I also love the Roku channel- just started watching Schitt’s Creek. For free. FREE!
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 thanks! I’ve been happy with FireTV, which was much better than going through the smart TV, whose apps never seem to update, but I’m thinking of trying out YouTube TV instead of PlayStation Vue.
@becca My Fire experience was a 1st Gen. Fire TV Stick I used until a few months ago when I upgraded to Roku. I was frustrated by the poor performance, confusing interface, and lack of support for a great many streaming options (stuff from the Googleverse as well as other streaming content providers).
My Roku devices each included a 30 day trial of YouTube TV. As far as “streaming cable TV” services go, YouTube TV was ok, but has some flaws that weren’t ideal for the way I prefer to watch (cloud DVR limitations, no 4K streaming, many channels in 720p). I think for the cost, it’s probably a reasonable option for many people.
@becca @ruouttaurmind I go with Hulu live- we have poor reception here and it’s the cheapest way I found to get local networks. Except for CBS, the bastards.
@becca @sammydog01 Local channels was the thing I found to be the best attribute of YouTube TV. Unlike the other providers I tried, YouTube TV actually offers all local channels in my area, including four major networks and the five largest independents. I have yet to try Hulu Live. It’s on my list after I’m finished with the Sling retry.
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I really only use the tv service for sports and use Hulu or individual channel apps for most everything else. It feels ridiculous to pay $40+ for essentially one channel (NESN), but still beats shelling out for regular cable.
@becca I often feel that way. Like I’m paying for satellite service for basically two or three channels.
Amz: WET ONES Antibacterial Hands Wipes, Citrus 48 ct. bonus pack for $2.38 and free Prime shipping or free shipping with $25 order. NOT a AoI, so you can order just 1.
This price is about a buck and a half lower than previous lowest per brain damaged C3.
Amz: Steven Spielberg Director’s Collection - 8 films for $24.99 (Blu-ray) and free Prime shipping or free shipping with $25 order.
Includes:
A couple giveaways in there, but probably worth it for the gems.
Walgreens: Free 4” x 4” or 4” x 6” Photo PrintBook (after applying code FREEBOOK on checkout. Free in-store pickup. Valid until 3/5.
@ruouttaurmind ooOOoooOOooooh!
@ruouttaurmind even regular price is reasonable!
They’re back: Winco WWB-10 Wooden Woven Salad Bowl, 10-Inch for $1.35 and free Prime shipping or free shipping with $25 order.
Anyone who ordered last time, please chime in and let us know your thoughts.
@ruouttaurmind so very 70s. We had yhese growing up as salad bowls.
@ruouttaurmind The 10 inch bowls are big. But perfect size for a nice chef’s salad, or a fruit bowl, or a place to keep a couple of bags of candy corn.
@therealjrn I noticed they offer a 20" size which is probably better suited for family style serving of salads. Not a great price though.
Kim Komando, National Radio Host and America’s Digital Goddess, is closing her online store, so everything is 50% off. Not much left but some random crap, which seemed appropriate to post here:
https://shop.komando.com/
Her math strives to be as accurate as the rest of her content*… Some things are free, some things are less than half off, and some are more. And according to the blog post explaining the going out of business sale, the sale should maybe be over already, depending on what date you look at (“through March 6” but later ”store closes March 5"). Weird.
* That sounds worse than I mean it, but there is a certain amount of liberty taken in the name of oversimplification.
@djslack well it is closed now
@Kidsandliz well I wish her luck building a community for people to go and talk about things that isn’t Facebook. I mean, who does that? /s
They’re back! Crock Pot Lunch Food Warmers- 3 for $33 with free shipping.
My daughter makes queso in one of these almost every day. (So she has one recipe down for college.)
https://www.crock-pot.com/collections/lunch-crock/crock-pot-lunch-crock-food-warmer/SCCPLC200-MASTER.html?trk_msg=2699535&utm_campaign=crockpot_lunchcrock_20190306&utm_medium=Email&sfmc_sub=165257738&mid=7224276&j=2699535&l=3204_HTML&utm_term=3 for %2433&u=182674459&jb=36&trk_contact=165257738&utm_source=SFMC-7224276&utm_content=crockpot_lunchcrock_20190306
Yeah, I can’t figure out how to shorten that URL and have it still work.
@sammydog01
I can
@therealjrn Let me try that:
is this right?
@therealjrn
@sammydog01 Bunch of tracking crap on there you don’t need.
http://www.crock-pot.com/collections/lunch-crock/crock-pot-lunch-crock-food-warmer/SCCPLC200-MASTER.html
But yes, the linky method is the most elegant.
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 looks like they only have red in stock. They do seem to have fixed the weird issue where it worked for 4 and 5 units last time. Now it only does the deal in multiples of three, any others are full price in the cart.
This Porter-Cable oscillating tool on Woot seems like a pretty good deal, if you’re into that sort of thing (@blaineg, @djslack, @mfladd, @narfcake, @ruouttaurmind).
/giphy oscillating tool
@compunaut I haven’t had much success with Porter Cable power tools. I’ve had a palm sander and a angle grinder burn up on me, and my 1/2" drill hasn’t much longer to go before I’m putting pennies on it’s eyes.
@ruouttaurmind What is your favorite brand of power tools?
@compunaut I’ve had good service from Makita and Hilti for hand power tools. I prefer Lincoln in welders. I have a 50+ year old Craftsman table saw and drill press which are excellent, but any Craftsman power tools made in the last 20 to 30 years are quick fails.
My use profile isn’t typical of the average homeowner though. I mostly tend to use my power tools for extended periods. Multiple cuts, hours of grinding, hundreds of holes drilled in a single session.
@compunaut @ruouttaurmind No issues here with Porter Cable tools, though I’m not a constant user either. I’ll run tools, then let it rest so it doesn’t overheat.
Not every bargain is necessarily inexpensive…
Via eBay:
Apple Watch Series 3, 42mm Stainless Steel (bright steel) GPS + Cellular, White Sport Strap, NEW (not refurb) for $320 and free shipping (no sales tax in most states)
-OR-
Apple Watch Series 3, 42mm Space Black Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular, Black Sport Strap, NEW (not refurb) for $308 and free shipping (no sales tax in most states)
Offered by two different Top Rated Plus sellers, each with excellent feedback ratings. Apple has in stock identical, but REFURB models for $509 plus tax.
I’ve had one in my cart for a few days now, hoping eBay would offer a discount code or Bonus Bucks or something. Thank goodness I came to my senses and stopped short of following through with the order. It’s a great price, but I just can’t spend that much right now after nearly $4,000 in oral surgeries over the past 2 months.
Amz while supplies last: Toshiba EC042A5C-BS Microwave Oven with Convection Function Smart Sensor and LED Lighting 1.5 Cu.ft Black Stainless for $120 and free shipping after applying discount code 35TOSHIBAMO on checkout.
This is a countertop model; not mountable. But oh it’s nice. I love that bright stainless steel interior! And tons of features to boot including convection.
@ruouttaurmind I wonder if a built in microwave with convection/browning element exists. Seems like they may require a lot of space above to allow the cabinet to radiate away heat.
I’d really love one but no way I’m convincing my wife to let me put something else on the counter when we have a spot for a built-in. I can’t really spare the counter space anyway; it’s something my kitchen lacks.
@djslack Probably not for cheap because it’d have to be built like a built-in wall oven.
@djslack @narfcake Under a hunnert bucks on Amz, believe it or not.
@ruouttaurmind it says countertop only
Thanks for digging, though. I was really idly wondering but I appreciate the effort.
Based on what I’ve seen if I can find a built in and the necessary trim for less than $300 it probably fell off the back of a truck somewhere. Never mind looking for convection included. It makes me pray my existing one has a long and healthy life and I can just forego any fancy convection type stuff.
@djslack I bought my current built-in at Sears about 2 years ago (Kenmore by Whirlpool). It is specifically designed for over the range mounting and included everything needed to mount above the stove. Even hardware and ducting for connecting to a vent if it’s replacing a ducted vent hood. Sale price was about $230 and I didn’t have to buy anything else for the installation. Not a top shelf model, but a well equipped and featured midrange model.
So I guess I’m saying it shouldn’t be difficult to match your price point without much time and shopping once you get motivated to have one.
@ruouttaurmind Your microwave is an over-the-range, which is different than a built-in that @djslack is needing.
/image OTR microwave
/image built-in microwave
@narfcake All these appliances confuse me.
@ruouttaurmind It could be worse. It could be ranges.
/image freestanding range
/image slide-in range
/image double oven range
/image professional range
/image professional style range
@narfcake @ruouttaurmind yes, it’s confusing. The built in goes into a cabinet spot that is fully surrounded, so it has to vent to the front I guess.
Here’s my full story: my built-in microwave was being persnickety last week, and the door didn’t want to open when the button was pressed. I kind of had to press hard on it and wiggle the door. I jacked with it and it’s good for now, but I don’t know exactly what I did so it’s not as as satisfying as knowing I fixed it. I’ve also eyed the microwaves with an extra element for radiant heat with a little bit of the wants.
I saw the one you linked and read up that it’s countertop only, and saw it specifies 12" clearance above. In the related items there is a Panasonic inverter, straight microwave, for like $150 that can be countertop or built-in and I thought I’d mark it as a potential replacement. Then I looked up the trim kit that goes with it to complete the built-in setup: $200 more. That’s nuts! I did find built in combination units with convection for like $2k and up!
I kind of wondered out loud because someone might have a combo unit that’s not a budget buster. But in the meantime I’m keeping my fingers crossed that mine is fixed
@djslack that reminds me of a countertop microwave we had when I was a teen. The door stopped opening when we pushed the button. We ended up fixing it with a long rubberband around the latch part. That microwave worked for years with that band.
I’ve got a microwave we’ve nicknamed Ol’ Sparky.
@djslack @narfcake @ruouttaurmind I like them thar cabinets.
@narfcake Oy. When I was living in Ireland it was a hob. When I stayed in England it was a cooker. A stove, mostly across the UK refers to a wood or coal burning heating stove rather than any kind of cooking implement.
@ruouttaurmind I always thought that a hob was strictly the cooktop unit and not when it’s combined into one like a range here.
(Tagging @spiritgreen for a UK answer.)
@narfcake @ruouttaurmind Hence the term, “hob-knobber”, as in a traveling tradesman who fixes the controls on the hob, bangs your wife for payment, and leaves you with a smiling wife when you get home from the factory.
@narfcake @ruouttaurmind yes, in England the hob is the hot plates on top of your cooker. (and people here wouldn’t know what a range is)
@narfcake @ruouttaurmind @Spiritgreen Here in Oklahoma, we call home on the range, where the buffalo roam.
Sling TV: 40% off for the first 3 months. That’s $15/mo for your choice of Orange or Blue package, or $25/mo for Orange & Blue bundle.
Easy Spirit sale, free shipping and $20. off with code SUBWAY.
Audible subscribers only: BOGO sale. Two books, one credit.
cdkeys.com has a 12 Month Xbox Live Gold Membership (Xbox One/360) for $39.99 (this is a very good deal)
https://www.cdkeys.com/xbox-live/memberships/12-month-xbox-live-gold-membership-xbox-one-360
@mfladd I’v never done any of these CD Keys deals. Lots of folks on SD rave on the bargains, but also a fair number have bad experiences. Have you used them?
@ruouttaurmind I can’t remember if I have used them before. Maybe once? But I also remember the seeing mixed reviews before. If I use it I will use my Amex so that any issues will be promptly handled
@ruouttaurmind Crap. I waited too long. It’s up to 44.99 now
@mfladd Well, here’s another option: XBLG 12 mos, plus Titalfall 2 Nitro Scorch Pack for $46.
Amazon has a 30lb bag of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Dry Dog Food, Chicken and Brown Rice for $28.56 after clipping 40% off coupon and adding Subscribe and Save (can cancel anytime).
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YWKUA/ref=twister_B07JBK5VKX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
@mfladd Quite a bit of grain content in there. Is it worth the premium price?
@ruouttaurmind Not sure. But know that I have two dogs they are going to have to eat deal food, just like me
DogFoodAdvisor gives BB-LPF 4 stars (mostly).
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/blue-buffalo-dog-food-life-protection-dry/
@mfladd Looking like the deal is dead. No coupon to clip in the item listing.
DogFoodAdvisor.com confuses me. Their reviews seem almost arbitrary. I compared Blue Buffalo to the brand I feed them now (one of the Purina One nameplates). The Purina has a slightly better protein/carb/fat ratio and higher meat content, similar “other nutrients” value, and significantly fewer recalls than Blue Buffalo, but they panned Purina with a 2 star rating versus 4 stars for Blue Buffalo. They seem weighted with a bias against Purina brands for some reason.
@ruouttaurmind It seems on SD that some people are reporting they could see the coupon, others couldn’t. I don’t know how amazon lists coupons. I would have thought it would be available for everyone, not just a few.
@mfladd
You can search for coupons on Google by entering the name of the shopping site, like “Seat Geek coupons”. You can find a variety of coupon websites offering coupons and promo codes. Select the result which offers the greatest discount.
I always check out Seat Geek codes before I start shopping and have saved lots of money using the codes. Very pleased. - https://www.shopper.com/discount-codes/seatgeek-com
This showed up in my notifications
@narfcake, is this for real?
@f00l Yes, happy International Women’s Day.
@f00l @sammydog01
$3 off coupon for Purina cat or dog food
https://www.purinaone.com/coupons
Even if you don’t have pets get one and give it to someone or give it to me so I can give it to the two remaining cattery workers who have cats (one has a dog too) and still don’t have new jobs yet (the other two have finally found work) - that gofundme is still operating and one worker in particular needs it as she need surgery for a health issue and isn’t really able to work at the moment. She has both a dog, 9 cats (some were in foster care for the cattery and she didn’t give them back to be put down, instead she kept them and is trying to find homes for some of them) and is feeding a fixed and stable feral colony. One of the (only) perks of working there was free pet food and vet care. Now of course this is creating a problem. The other worker still looking for a job only has one cat and one rat.
https://www.gofundme.com/help-cat-shelter-workers-who-lost-their-job
WORX Factory Outlet via eBay: WORX WG305 8 Amp 14" Electric Chainsaw with Auto-Tension, factory refurb, for $30 and free shipping.
Additional offer: Buy one WORX tool, save 15% on another.
Also: Check your messages in My eBay for a $10 off $30 offer. Targeted, but several people have reported receiving the offer (including me).
I switched to corded electric yard tools a couple years ago. I’ll never go back to gasoline powered tools again.
Amazon has An American Werewolf in London HD on sale for $3.99. I love this movie.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Werewolf-London-David-Naughton/dp/B01JHHDW6A?tag=slicinc-20&ascsubtag=d298b156422311e98154065367ff376c0INT
(Yes, I could do the link that fancy pants way y’all do it, but I won’t.)
@Barney Linky? What is this linky of which you speak?
(I really appreciate that film as well)
@ruouttaurmind Show off.
Tagging @sammydog01
eBay: Universal 360º Windshield Mount Suction Cup For Cell Phone for $8 and free expedited shipping.
Best Buy DotD for March 13th: Studebaker Master Blaster CD-RW/CD-R/CD-DA Boombox with AM/FM Radio for $100 and free shipping or free in-store pickup. Choose silver or black at this price.
This is the Studebaker Master Blaster! Eight pounds of thigh-slapping, blood-pumping, nuclear brain damage!
Helluva deal, right? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Dunno, but that’s the bitchin’ part about it! It don’t matter! If you can’t afford it, FUCKING FINANCE IT!
A boombox with that super sweet spectrum analyzer totally takes me back to my childhood. You too? Then buy this bad boy NOW! It’s only money! You’ll make more!
@ruouttaurmind No, and no.
@Barney That’s ok, it wouldn’t fit in your drawer anyway. And if it did it would probably crush your phone.
@ruouttaurmind Meanie.
@ruouttaurmind Where do I put the cassette tape in this thing?
@ruouttaurmind @therealjrn I still have my cassette tapes. And VCR tapes.
Edit: Yes, I still use my VCR.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind @therealjrn I, also, still use my VCRs.
@cf1 Oh, good. I’m glad that there’s someone else that the geeks can make fun of besides me.
I love my VCR. In fact, I still have a NIB machine for when my current VCR bites the dust.
@Barney
Oh, the irony in that sentence.
@therealjrn
Whoa! WHOA! Hey now! Slow down there Chief. You’ll get snagged up in the time vortex and the next thing you know @Barney-bot will be telling you how she still wears her poodle skirt and saddle shoes while listening to 45rpms and thinking about that dreamy Ricky Nelson.
/giphy sock hop
you’re an all-star
@mediocrebot learned a new trick!
Hey now!
you’re an all-star
@ruouttaurmind Well… I did have a crush on Ricky Nelson. And, yes, I owned a couple of poodle skirts. But I no longer have my 45’s.
(I will never admit to wearing saddle shoes. Penny loafers, yes, saddle shoes, no.)
@Barney Sorry kiddo, poodle skirt = saddle shoes. It’s a mathematical certainty.
@ruouttaurmind What do you know? You weren’t even alive back then. Go ask your mother. She’ll tell you that penny loafers were also worn with poodle skirts, you young whippersnapper.
@Barney I’m jealous! I did have someone just give me a used one a couple of months ago.
@Barney
I actually asked her about poodle skirts and saddle shoes once when I was a wane and Happy Days syndication reruns were popular. She said “How old do you think I am, kid?”
Since then I’ve been able to do the maths and realized my mother was born shortly after Juli Charlot was reported to have created the original circle skirt. This would mean it was probably becoming unfashionable as mom would have reached an age to be fashion aware. I am only guessing, but it’s unlikely a fashion fad would have lasted from 1947 through the end of the '50s. But you are certainly in a better position to answer that?
@ruouttaurmind I lived in a stereotypical 50’s/early 60’s blue collar neighborhood when I was growing up. Lots of kids to play with/lots of stay-at-home moms to make sure us kids stayed out of trouble (for the most part).
However, almost all of the neighborhood kids were boys – most were older than me. So in order to survive, because it was a rowdy group, I had to become a tomboy.
Depending on the season, the kids in my neighborhood were playing sports from midday until dark (none of us were early risers). And I was pretty damn good, for being a “shrimp”.
Anyway, poodle skirts were the last thing on my mind. But the neighbors, north of us had two daughters, both waay older than me (at least to my eyes). They were often my babysitters and they seemed to live in poodle skirts. Their skirts were beautiful. Their mother made them.
My mother worked full time and didn’t have the time or I’ll admit, the talent to make poodle skirts. But my two dear, older friends/neighbors did give me a couple of hand me downs that they had outgrown. Oh, how I loved those skirts.
So now you know that, yes, I am old.
Edit: I did wear penny loafers with them. I wouldn’t have been caught dead in saddle shoes.
@Barney as a youth:
@Barney @ruouttaurmind that must of been before she found the painter that gave her the shiny metallic purple flake paint.
/image metallic purple flake 66
@RiotDemon When the graphics girls are out for tacos and I’m fumbling through Photoshopping the image myself… she gets what she gets.
@RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind Ha ha ha. And my shoes were brown.
PIDAY19 gets you 31.4% off at thinkgeek… just sayin…
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: “The world would be a better place with more marble madness”. So get thee to Amz for this Marbleocity Dragon Coaster marble run kit for $31 and free shipping.
Better still, up your game and also spring for this Marbleocity Skate Park marble run kit for $35 and free shipping.
These two kits are designed to connect into one large orgy of marble mayhem.
That’s pretty damn sweet, right? Well, I hope you’re sitting down, 'cause things are about to get straight nuts up in here when you add this Marbleocity Motor Kit for $17.
As you can likely guess, the motor kit automates the gear mech on the marble kits for hands-free operation.
So there ya have it. About $83 for the trio, about ten to twelve hours to build, and endless marble joy once it’s all fired up (you can’t put a price on marble joy kiddies).
This one might be a clone, but here’s a motor kit on eBay for $15, free ship, no tax. Save two bucks, knocking the combined total to about $81.
@ruouttaurmind I want I want. Both of them. Won’t happen though.
@Kidsandliz me too, and me too. Too many hobbies, too little dollars.
@ruouttaurmind check this out - lots of good marble stuff (I am a member of that group).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/47961336472/
@Kidsandliz RBS = Rolling Ball Sculpture. Now I know there’s actually a name for the marble madness. TMYK!
@ruouttaurmind Yup and some seriously cool ones some of those folks have built. They also have put together videos for how to make some of this stuff too. There was a yahoo group prior to this and there is a lot of good stuff buried in their archives there. Have fun on that site. I have built a few small ones, including one where I cut apart pop cans and stapled them to cardboard and then taught kids how to make them that way.
Here’s a couple Walmart deals for LEGO fans:
LEGO 900pc Classic Creative Box 10704 for $25 and free in-store pickup. That’s about 2.8 cents per brick.
This is the same set they were offering for $20 on Black Friday. But it’s not Black Friday anymore. Also, the LEGO 900pc Classic Creative Fun Box 11005 is $40 for basically the same stuff. So, ya, still a bargain at $25.
Also available:
LEGO City Great Vehicles 190pc Ambulance Helicopter 60179 for $12 and free in-store pickup. Normally $20. Same price at Amazon.
Woot: Silhouette Cameo 3 (Slate Gray) Craft Bundle for $170 and free Prime shipping. I paid the same price for the basic Cameo 3 so the additional bundle components make this a good deal.
They also have a couple other slightly higher priced bundles with a few additional bits.
/wootstalker https://sellout.woot.com/offers/silhouette-slate-grey-cameo-3-craft-bundle-7?ref=w_cnt_wp_0_14
Silhouette Slate Grey CAMEO 3 Craft Bundle
Price: $169.99
Condition: Open Box
Walmart has Fog of Love on clearance for $10, down from an original $50. Shipping is $5.99 or free on $35. In store pick-up and ship to store were not available for me but maybe YMMV.
It’s a 2 player board game where you role play as a romantically involved couple. Each character has their own traits and ambitions and your job is to decide how they would respond to various scenarios that can either strengthen your relationship or push you apart.
I grabbed this game last week when it was $20 and thought I was getting a steal. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet but from the reviews I’ve seen people either really enjoy it or absolutely despise it.
They also have cover variants with same sex couples which is pretty neat.
@metaphore Sounds like one of those games where somebody gonna lose an eye.
Amz: QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2019 for $80 and free shipping. Currently “on sale” at QuickBooks.com for $220, so this is an amazing deal.
I’v been using QuickBooks Pro for many years and this is the lowest price I’ve seen for quite some time.
@ruouttaurmind Do you use the payroll? Last I checked it looked like you had to do the monthly subscription.
I have an older version the I got for around this price that I use for simple accounting and check writing. I used the payroll a few years but it got too expensive for the small number of checks I need.
@speediedelivery I don’t use their payroll service. I use a similar cloud based full-service provider which offers everything Intuit does, including direct deposits, for a fraction of the Intuit price.
It’s my understanding the “plus payroll” version on sale at Amz includes your first yearly subscription. You still need to pay for additional employees, etc, but the core subscription is covered. I opted to stick with Desktop Pro 2019 and continue with the payroll service I already use.
Amz: LEGO Technic 174pc Power Boat 42089 for $12 and free Prime shipping. Also available at Walmart for $12.
@ruouttaurmind
The easiest way to save money while shopping online is to use coupon codes that unlock special discounts. However, finding the right codes isn’t always easy, which is where deal websites and browser extensions come in.
Walmart discount code worked - https://www.shopper.com/discount-codes/walmart-com, so pleased, I got just over a £5 discount! Thank you!
Target: LEGO Technic 155pc Cherry Picker for $4 and free in-store pickup. ($0.025 per pc.)
In stock as of 8am PT 3/20.
Help your young LEGO® builder understand the basics of gears, force and movement with this cool LEGO Technic™ 42088 Cherry Picker. This 2-in-1 model comes with realistic functions and features, including a detailed lifting mechanism with working boom and basket, 4 hazard warning lights, 2 warning beacons and chunky tires. Rebuild this 2-in-1 LEGO Technic set to create a robust Tow Truck.
@ruouttaurmind out of stock online. Says in stock at local store, but no option for free in store pickup…
@medz Ya, I ordered one, then posted here and also SD. Half a dozen others on SD were able to order right after I posted, but then it went OOS.
There’s some question on SD about the DPCI. Looking like this was a pricing error due to an incorrect DPCI entered in the item description.
Target may cancel my order, or might fulfill with an item that doesn’t match the item listing description, so adventure awaits!
@medz As anticipated, my order was fulfilled with an item which didn’t match the description in the product listing.
@medz @ruouttaurmind what did you get?
@RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind
CAH expansion pack?
@medz @RiotDemon Some silly 20 piece Star Wars poly bagged thingy with an MSRP of $4. The CS guy wasn’t any help and couldn’t be bothered to look up the item description from my order. He kept saying “so you ordered the wrong item then and you want to return it.” A statement like. Not a question. He had no interest in problem solving.
@medz @ruouttaurmind I’m assuming you just got a refund?
@RiotDemon I did. Sometimes the bargains pan out, sometimes not so much.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Amz: OMORC Rechargable Low Noise Electric Dog Grooming Kit for $11 and free Prime shipping or free ship with $25 order (apply discount code ZVXFHTG4 on checkout).
Summer is coming (some day?) so get ready to thin out those pups!
For about a tenner, I guess I’ll give it a shot. My little monster is so fuzzy and her hair grows like a weed. I tried my Trym trimmer, but her hair is so fine it doesn’t cut well. Plus the Trym makes so much noise it freaks her out. Hopefully this one does better.
@ruouttaurmind What’s the difference between this and a human trimmer?
@therealjrn Pet trimmers are much quieter than most human trimmers. If this a true pet trimmer, it’ll have a brushless rotary motor rather than magnetic pivot motor.
@ruouttaurmind @therealjrn OMG. What are the odds of this? I need a trimmer for the new pup! I was dreading spending any real amount of money. I only have to do the private parts area on him.
@ruouttaurmind it says it has either a cooper-axis motor or a copper-axis motor depending on which part of the write-up you believe. Either way it looks rotary.
I’m in for one too, the dogs need trimming from time to time and a cordless clipper might be good, especially for the little one who is kind of squirrelly.
Also, Amazon just promised me delivery on Sunday! I used to get Sunday deliveries at my old house, but when we moved we apparently moved out of the Sunday delivery area and we haven’t had them for a few years now. I’m way more excited than I probably should be by this, but once you’ve had Sunday deliveries waiting an extra day sucks.
@djslack @ruouttaurmind I chose the NO Rush option so I could give the boy $1 towards Robux. It’s the little things that make him happy. I try to gather him as many $1’s I can.
@mfladd They were offering me $5 for Prime Now.
@djslack Interesting you mentioned Sunday delivery. They offered me free same day delivery (for a $10 item?) I haven’t been offered free Same Day since shortly after they rolled out the service in my city.
@djslack @mfladd I was home late last night so I didn’t fuss with it. This morning I popped open the box and surveyed the damage.
Initial impression? Not bad actually. The clippers have a little heft to them and there’s lots of fiddly bits in the box. 8 sizes of trimming guards, including a couple tapered ones.
Without charging, I attached the longest guard and trimmed up the monster’s belly. It’s reasonably quiet (MUCH more quiet than the Oster clippers, slightly quieter than Trym). Zoe wasn’t freaked out by these like the clattering Oster.
It cuts quickly and does a better job than the Trym. Without any guard in place (trimmed the fur on the bottom of her feets) it’s like a hot knife through butter. If a total shave was what I was after, I think these would make swift work of it.
Overall… longevity will be the true test, but even if I only get a few uses, I’m after calling this one a bargain. Charging up the battery now and hoping to do a full trim this evening.
Now if I could figure out a way to trim her nails without having to fight with her. She’s totally freaked when I get out the nail clippers.
@djslack @mfladd Dang. This whole “shave down the monster” bit was a LOT harder than I thought it was going to be.
After half an hour I was kinda hoping the battery on the clippers would run down. But no, they were like the energizer bunny and kept going. Finally I had to throw in the towel after 40 minutes. Stooping over was taking it’s toll on my back.
I’m planning on doing it again tomorrow morning to finish up the job.
Before. Ragamuffin:
After. Looking a little moth-chewed:
@ruouttaurmind I did a little shave of our Shih Tzu/Pomeranian mix’s rear where she has a little bit of trouble with getting messy. She somehow has never learned to squat to go poop but instead just does it from a full stand. It’s weird, and a bad thing to do with lots of long hair. Anyway, we were both very pleased with how quiet they were and she gave me no trouble at all.
Our collie was recently groomed so the big test with her is at least a few weeks away, but I suspect they will do just fine.
@djslack Does she have thin hair, or thick fur?
The biggest problem I had with Zoe is her hair is super fine. Like baby hair. A single pass where her hair is really long would “clog” the trimming guard. I would have to stop and clean out the guard every minute or so. Now that most of the really long stuff is hacked off I’m hoping it goes more smoothly tomorrow.
Newegg: 6 months Xbox Live Gold for $21 (3 months, plus 3 months free) and free email delivery.
Limit: one per customer.
@ruouttaurmind That’s a good deal
The Roku Channel: Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel for free (with commercial interruptions).
You’re thinking “Big flip. Ad supported films are more plentiful than roaches at the local taqueria.” Well, this film has three (3) commercial interruptions. Each is an excruciating 30 seconds in duration. Yup, 90 seconds in total. And you can FF through 2 of the three breaks.
This is quintessential quirky Wes Anderson. Very reminiscent of Moonrise Kingdom, and stars several of Anderson’s regulars. If you enjoyed Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited, Life Aquatic, etc. you’ll appreciate The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Caveats:
It doesn’t appear in the Roku Channel program browser (find it by searching for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and selecting the option titled “Matt Microsite Test - The Grand Budapest Hotel”)
You can pause, FF and RW, but if you stop viewing in the middle of the movie and exit the Roku Channel, your stopping place will not be preserved; to resume watching, you’ll have to start at the beginning and FF to the spot you stopped watching.
Portions of the film appear with sidebars (4:3) like pre-HD television broadcasts. This is Wes Anderson being Wes Anderson, not a scaled down funky streaming issue.
@ruouttaurmind who is Matt?
@medz I have no idea, but I wish he would get more movies with limited commercial breaks.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Just a quick note to let you know I got a runner-up award for shirt of the year! Thanks to those that voted for it last week, that really helped seal the deal!
It’s available, on sale and in a variety of formats, at the link below.
https://shirt.woot.com/offers/toys-were-us-tlist
Woo!
Hanes.com : 50% off over 350 styles for men, women and kids. Graphic tees, plain tees, sweats, underwear, bras and more. Free shipping, no minimum purchase. Plus, save an extra 15% on clearance items with code SCORE15 on checkout.
Here’s a little gem for anyone who loves cat shirts, taco shirts, or cats chasing tacos shirts. $5, free shipping, no minimum purchase and no extra charge for extended sizes up to 3X. (Most of their graphic tees are $5 with no extra charge for extended sizes)
@ruouttaurmind Cool cat shirt. I just bought one for my puzzle buddy at the nursing home. She’d rather have Lady, but I think she’ll settle for the shirt.
Newegg: Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS One joystick controller for XBox One AND Windows for $40 and free shipping (use promo code EMCTWVB59 on checkout). No sales tax in many states.
This is 50% off and an exceptional price. Next lowest price I could find is $75.
Manufacturer’s product page linky.
A perfect companion controller for Ace Combat 7, but can be used as a standard controler with any Xbox One or Windows game.
@ruouttaurmind THRUSTMASTER is my stage name when I preform with my troupe the Flying Tigers.
@medz
@medz @ruouttaurmind need more stars for that one!!!
@ruouttaurmind ok, you got me. I bought one.
What I really need (well, don’t need) is a Logitech g29 or g920 racing wheel setup. Dirt Rally in VR is impossible with an Xbox controller, and I hear the inexpensive ones aren’t worth getting.
@djslack I’ve been actively aware of deals for Xbox wheels. I have several racing games, but don’t spend any time with them because, as you say, Xbox controller isn’t ideal. I plan to purchase one when the deal is comparable to this joystick setup.
I also bought the stick setup above. I’m really interested in Ace Combat 7, but I would imagine it’s equally useful in games like War Thunder.
@djslack Not exactly what you were seeking, but…
eBay: Thrustmaster 3576627 Ferrari 458 Spider Racing Wheel - Xbox One for $53.55 and free shipping. Seller refurb in Grade A “retail ready” condition.
Plus, use the eBay app to pay and earn an additional 10% eBay Bucks (must activate the offer first).
@ruouttaurmind good looking out. I started doing homework and even though it’s USB it’s not supported on PC, so I’m still looking.
It does have mixed reviews but seems like when it works, it’s a good setup for the money.
@djslack This one is a pretty big bite to be considered a deal, but it’s cheaper than other retailers for a brand new item.
Newegg: Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel for PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One for $190 and free shipping with code EMCTYTB26
@ruouttaurmind that’s a good deal on that wheel. I’ve been tracking refurbs on eBay for ~$180.
One of those refurbs had a few hundred available and a best offer, I submitted one for $150. If that isn’t accepted, I will be back here to get that code. Thanks!
@djslack I’ve read a bit about the force feedback system on that wheel and it’s supposed to be first rate.
@ruouttaurmind The wheel is on the way from Newegg, as well as a stand for it from eBay. I’ll pick up the shifter somewhere along the way.
Thanks for looking for me!
Newegg: Starlink: Battle for Atlas Starter Pack - Xbox One for $13 incl. shipping after discount code EMCTWVB59 on checkout. Includes game disk and that wonky crappola you are supposed to attach to your controller.
Woot-off tomorrow. I’m not eligible for crap yet. Good thing.
@sammydog01 I am eligible. They blacklisted my ip address for the digital app crap. I haven’t won a chance to buy crap in months.
@medz Were you naughty?
@sammydog01 only always
@medz I’m sorry about this mess. I had no idea that I would cause you a problem. Do you think you’ll be able to get one this time?
@Barney Ha! This isn’t related to the time you made it seem as though I was the ringleader for some international crap collusion scheme. (edit…at least, I didn’t think it was…)
I’m plenty capable of causing my own problems. Thanks, though! Yeah, I’ll probably get one if’n I try.
@medz Oh. I guess I’ll have to try harder next time to get you into trouble.
@Barney maybe you know something I don’t
@medz It’s doubtful.
/wootstalker https://sellout.woot.com/offers/levkey-ergonomic-vertical-wireless-mouse
Lekvey Ergonomic Vertical Wireless Mouse
Price: $9.99
Condition: New
Prime users get an extra $3 off!!!
I’m using a trackball right now that is almost vertical. For $7-8 after tax, this will be another nice option.
@medz Thanks! For that price ill have to try one. Was sorta in the market for a wireless mouse anywho.
@lilsrm123 @medz Me too!
@Barney @lilsrm123 @medz You talked me into it.
@lilsrm123 @medz @sammydog01 That wasn’t hard.
@Barney @lilsrm123 @medz
@sammydog01 he’s easy on the eyes.
@Barney @lilsrm123 @medz @sammydog01
PSA: A cheap vertical mouse (not this model), is the reason why I had surgery on my wrist last month. The one I had caused pain in the tendon running down the wrist from the thumb. Unfortunately, I ignored the pain for far too long. Not to keep you from buying it, but maybe ease into using it for the first few weeks, take rest breaks, and stop using if you get similar pain. Look up De Quervain’s and the Finkelstein test.
If I can’t be a good example, at least I can be a horrible warning.
/giphy horrible warning
@Barney @lilsrm123 @sammydog01 @Trillian
/giphy womp womp
@Barney @lilsrm123 @medz @sammydog01 @Trillian I’ve been using a very similar model at work, most likely the same OEM. Yes, ease yourself into using it if you’re not used to it.
For me, a regular mouse was causing some wrist pain after several hours, hence going to a vertical mouse about a year and a half ago.
@Barney @lilsrm123 @medz @Trillian And… I just cancelled my order. I already have tendonitis of some sort in my hand and don’t need it to get worse. Thanks!
@Barney @lilsrm123 @sammydog01 @Trillian
Poor sammydog, this would have cured all your issues… The best thing with any repetitive movement injury is to change things up occasionally. I sit, stand, alternate mouse hands, etc…
#notadoctor
@lilsrm123 @medz @sammydog01 @Trillian
Well… I’m keeping mine.
/image I know what I want, I think
@medz What I probably need is to stop screwing around on my laptop once in a while. I should go do that now.
Plus my mouse is a Razer Mamba Tournament Edition that may have been mismarked at Target (or maybe not). And it flashes pretty colors. So colorful.
@Barney
I have a decent wired mouse for the desktop. And a shitty wireless mouse for laptop which I use everywhere else but a desk.
Like on the side of the armrest, between the couch cushions sometimes, under some blankets, the floor, on my leg, or even above my head on the wall.
I’m going to take my chances with this.
Hopefully it works well on an uneven surface.
Thanks for the warning though!
@lilsrm123 update: Its mediocre… Not totally flat on bottom so does not work as well as my old one. Still, for the price im not complaining too much.
@barney
Lenovo Tab E7, 7" Android Tablet, Quad-Core Processor, 8GB Storage, Slate Black for $39 – I think this is a good deal?? I liked my lenovo until my daughter stole it.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lenovo-Tab-E7-7-Android-Tablet-Quad-Core-Processor-8GB-Storage-Slate-Black/944200933?u1=gr5i9kldoit6hy1jgry4nvlgtvqN1hiZ&oid=653357.1&wmlspartner=NKa3hZyYoHA&sourceid=02977238201980479122&affillinktype=10&veh=aff
@mikibell I guess I’m going with the Fire tablets. I guess. I’m getting no cooperation from the first nursing home (the one that I’m at every week). There’s a problem with their Wi-Fi. I can’t even get my laptop to connect.
I haven’t made it out to the second home. It’s on the other side of town and I haven’t had the time to drive out there and discuss my project with them.
@sammydog01 sent me a Fire tablet and I’ve purchased one from Woot. The second nursing home only has six bedrooms, so I think the two Fire tablets will cover their needs. If not, I’ll get another from Woot. It looks like they have them on sale quite often.
Thanks for looking for me. Hmm… I wonder if that Lenovo would work for me? Yeah, right, just what I need – another play toy.
@mikibell Assuming it’s the most recent version, it’s a reasonable price. Unfortunately with Walmart it could be the very latest, still warm out of the oven, or it could be several generations old.
@mikibell @ruouttaurmind Oreo Go says it’s fairly recent like 2018, but also says that it has very low end hardware and 1gb of RAM. It’s perhaps not the best for viewing video streams with.
If anyone is trying for crap it looks like it shows up in the forums first.
@sammydog01
/giphy you don’t say
It’s a Jasneko shirt!
/wootstalker https://shirt.woot.com/offers/books-and-cats-no-electricity-required?ref=w_cnt_gw_dly_img
Books and Cats - No Electricity Required
Price: $15.00 - $30.00
Condition: Probably New
/wootstalker https://shirt.woot.com/offers/not-so-action-packed-the-mehquel
Not-So Action Packed: The Mehquel
Price: $15.00 - $30.00
Condition: Probably New
eBay: Lenovo 10.1" Smart Display with Google Assistant for $75.65 and free shipping.
This is seller refurb, advertised as “REFURBISHED GRADE A “LIKE NEW RETAIL READY” Condition has NO cosmetic defects, blemishes, dents, scratches or signs of age. GRADE A items have been restored to meet manufacturer quality standards.”
I checked the seller’s feedback, and I saw very, very few complaints about buyers receiving an item that wasn’t up to the condition described. Also, the seller offers a 30 day “hassle free” return policy.
All reports indicate the Lenovo smart displays are superior to Google’s own smart display. At 10.1" this one is certainly larger. Here’s Android Authority’s comparison between the two. And Lenovo’s product page.
Son of a biscuit. I try to just report the deals and not get sucked in myself. But I’ve succumbed to the allure. I really need to get a second source of income. Goat! I’m coming to blame you!!!
@ruouttaurmind If I wasn’t hooked on Alexa I would buy this. Stupid Alexa.
@ruouttaurmind Mine is showing $89.00. Is there a coupon code?
@Barney Discount of 15% automagically applied at checkout.
@sammydog01 I began with Alexa, but broke up with her and started seeing Google. Google supports more of the things. And Alexa can be a bit… er, moody. Don’t get me wrong, I still love her and we’ll always be friends. It’s just that we were on different paths, you know?
@ruouttaurmind She’s kind of a bitch. But somehow I still love her.
@ruouttaurmind Ahh… Thanks!
@Barney Getting a new toy? Your phone will be jealous.
@sammydog01 Just look’n and think’n.
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 So why would I want one?
@Barney @ruouttaurmind I use my Alexa Show to watch Amazon Prime shows while I cook and clean. And calendar stuff pops up. And my flash briefing has a few things in the morning. But mostly I just watch Dark Shadows.
@sammydog01 Yeah, but that’s all Prime stuff, isn’t it? Why is Google Assistant so great? It doesn’t even have my Amazon music on it. Yes, I have played with it on my phone. GA is not real smart, if you ask me, and I tell her that.
@Barney Forewarned: you need to use your phone to set this up.
Once set up, you can ask questions like “what’s the weather forecast” (or current temperature, chance of rain, etc).
Set alarms, timers (for cooking, etc), get recipes, remind you of things (“Hey Google, I put my passport in the bottom drawer” then later ask “Hey Google, where did I put my passport?).
You can get visual feedback to asked questions (who is Christine Cavanaugh).
You can watch YouTube, YouTube TV, Hulu, HBO-Go and some other streaming video services (not every streaming service works seamlessly though).
If you’re ready to embrace the Internet of Things, you can control the devices (I use Google to control lights, television, thermostat, my Roku, Dish satellite service, etc).
Plus, if nothing else, it makes a fine digital photo display and alarm clock.
@ruouttaurmind Ok, thanks for the rundown. I guess I don’t need this at this time; I can do almost everything with my laptop. And I don’t have a passport.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind I would kind of like one to watch Hulu on my kitchen counter but dueling smart assistants might get very ugly.
@sammydog01 My kitchen is so small, I don’t have too much empty counter space.
@sammydog01 I have a Dot sitting next to a Google Home Mini. There is one thing Google doesn’t support (switching inputs on my TV) so I have Google tell Alexa to do it. It’s working wel for the most partl, but sometimes Alexa gets moody and tells Google “Whatever. Bitch.”
@Barney @sammydog01 I received my Lenovo Smart Display today. Condition was exactly as advertised. Basically looking brand new, it arrived in retail packaging.
The display is big, bold, bright and crisp. And the sound… wow! It’s much louder and cleaner, clearer than the Google Home Mini right next to it. It even produces much better sound than the Echo Dot/Mokcao Power+ dock.
And that display… very nice.
I don’t know if it was worth the $75 price tag, but I definitely think it’s a better value than the G1 Echo Show was at $130. Rumors suggest I’ll be able to access my Dish Network Hopper Sling for live TV and DVR playback, but that’s a project for this weekend.
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I’m glad you like it. And I’m glad I didn’t buy it.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind Me too.
@ruouttaurmind My garden hose has shipped! I’m going to use it for giving Lady a b-a-t-h out in the backyard.
Posted this in the wrong spot. Oh, well.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind mine is in NewJersey
/giphy hosed
@medz @ruouttaurmind So is mine.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01
Our experience is the reverse.
We’ve been using both Alexa and Google Assistant for over a year.
The Google Home Mini sits lonely, begging for attention.
We periodically test the same queries on both. Alexa wins a lot more frequently.
Other smart stuff: smart-connected thermostat and many smart switch modules.
Even if the two environments tied for functionality, we’d go Alexa. Rationale: A modicum of “privacy.”
Amazon’s primary business model is selling stuff and services. Google’s primary business is selling you and your eyeballs.
@Barney
Heh. Super Belle and Zoe Monster are in for exactly the same treat when mine arrives.
@RedOak Alexa just didn’t want to play with some of the things. Dish Hopper for example, or my Honeywell Lyric t-stat. Alexa has limited control over the Vizio TV, where Google can do more with it. And now with a recent firmware update, Google can switch HDMI inputs (the one thing I’v been hanging on to Alexa for).
@ruouttaurmind surprising Alexa didn’t work with your Honeywell thermostat - and that’s a new Honeywell model.
Alexa worked great with our old ubiquitous series 5000 series Honeywell and works great with our new (free from DTE) Ecobee.
But what really frustrated us with Google was inferior query responses - surprising given Google’s vast query experience.
But again, there’s that “Google sells your life” thing that would steer us away even at a functionally tie.
@ruouttaurmind the one frustrating thing for me is less than perfect Pandora interaction (my family doesn’t use Pandora).
It seems to want to play standard Pandora stations rather than my personal tailored stations.
The inclusion of “my” in the query should steer it correctly. I shouldn’t have to rename my stations to make them contradict standard Pandora stations.
It is difficult to determine whether the issue is Amazon preferring the use of Amazon music (Pandora is listed near the bottom in the app) or whether Pandora itself doesn’t know how to do a proper Alexa skill.
@RedOak
I suspect this is my problem with Alexa and the things. I’ve never attempted to create a skill but I have a pretty solid idea what’s probably involved. IIRC, you’re pretty tech savvy, so you probably have a better grasp on this than I, but I speculate:
Both parties (Amz and the service provider) need an API infrastructure which supports flexible, secure access in order to provide a useful level of device and services control.
Some providers seem unwilling or unable to yield access at the level required. Netflix is a grand example. I don’t know whether it’s a security concern, or if their infrastructure just wasn’t built to support it, but Netflix has extremely limited support on either platform (Alexa or Google Assistant) within many streaming platforms. And in this example there is a multi-node transaction required. I tell the IA, IA tells the streaming device, streaming device tells the service provider, service provider reacts. And depending on the interactions (say a query result) the chain might be reversed and now information must flow back upstream.
Much of the things and services we use today were designed and implemented long before IAs were anything to be considered and I suspect are riding on an infrastructure which predates these current realities.
Maybe Amz is more Big Brother than you give them credit. Yes, Google absolutely is, but look for the signs and you’ll see this in Amz as well. Easy test: do a unique product search in Amz Shopping and keep an eye on the targeted marketing you begin to see within Amz Shopping, across Amz properties and even outside the Amazonverse. Of course soon enough Amazon will own everything and won’t have to sell your information. They’ll just pass it around the table at board meetings.
@ruouttaurmind
Makes sense on the Alexa skills.
But I’m a customer and should be able to reasonably expect they (Amazon or Pandora) get something as basic as knowing the difference between generic and custom stations sorted out. Can’t imagine what the proprietary issues would be.
I’m under no illusions that Amazon is blissfully free of privacy issues.
But the primary business model (how they make money) contrasts between Amazon and Google regarding personal info are legion. Not even in the same league.
New deal from Bill “Big Spice” Penzey. Check it out.
https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/salt-pepper-time-gift-box/c-24/p-3189/pd-gb?fbclid=IwAR1y25VF1bQCu-icUKqdrOWXfDYAfPNepayPNwk43o26yLtR3VcRY_ukT5I
@tinamarie1974 I went on down and picked up my free box- bought one too for $5. There are tons of Pokemon in that area so it good timing.
@sammydog01 so win-win-win!
Last time I checked, shopping kills it.
@tinamarie1974 Oh, oh, oh! I got a purple paperclip with my spice sample pack.
@Barney What did you get? I’m putting cinnamon sugar on apples right now.
@sammydog01 Along with the freebie box and the two dollar bottles, I bought some more cocoa, some of that pizza seasoning (it sounded good, so I thought I’d give it a try) and, hmm, something else that I can’t remember. I think I’m losing it…
Gee, I wish I lived near a store like you do. Do you have an extra bedroom I can move into? And then we can go to the Art-o-mat. And the movies. And you can feed me cookies. Yes!
@Barney lucky! I only got yellow and red. And I agree w @sammydog01, what did you get? Is it good?
@Barney @sammydog01 you will have to let us know how the pizza seasoning tastes. I was contemplating a purchase and haven’t yet
@tinamarie1974 I’ll let you know if I remember where I put it.
@sammydog01 And concerts!
@Barney YES! If I clean all the Meh merchandise out of the spare room you can sleep there! We have tickets for Earth, Wind, and Fire.
@sammydog01 I hope the Earth, Wind, and Fire concert is at least a couple of years away, because I think it might take you that long to clear out all of your Meh stuff.
@Barney
If only you had a Lenovo Smart Display, you could have said “Hey Google, I put the pizza seasoning on the third shelf in the pantry.” when you put it away. And now you could ask “Hey Google, where did I put the pizza seasoning?” and Google would tell you.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind in John Legends voice…
@ruouttaurmind You are incorrigible.
@ruouttaurmind @tinamarie1974 I did try the John Legend voice on my cellphone. Not sure I like it. Then again, I’m not sure I like my cellphone.
@Barney It probably sounds better if you take it out of the drawer.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@ruouttaurmind I dunno, I just can’t get used to it.
/giphy ordinary people
I’m searching for a source for ordering LEGO kits which doesn’t charge sales tax in most states. But a source where I can have confidence the item I’m receiving is legitz and not one of the Chinasian clones. eBay listings are fraught with fraudulent kits being represented as genuine LEGO. Any help is appreciated.
Also, why are all the really awesome kits retired? Maybe because I don’t realize I want them until they are unavailable?
Like a couple girls I’ve dated in the past…
POKER! JOKER! NOT MEDIOCRE! AWESOME!
I asked you nicely to zip it, @mediocrebot.
Regal Cinemas April 13th and April 15th special engagement: Goonies.
For how much? It doesn’t matter! Tickets could be $30 and it’s still a bargain!
Oh, ya, Regal Club members get like tickets and some kind of popcorn & drink combo thingy for some money or whatever.
The only Regal n my state is about 65 miles away, but I’m trying to work my schedule so I can travel out there to make one of those showings.
And coming to Netflix in October…
@ruouttaurmind I will be there if only for the $5 drink and popcorn.
@ruouttaurmind I’m going to be highly disappointed if they don’t have a special on Baby Ruths.
@cinoclav @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I’ve never seen The Goonies.
@Barney Here’s your chance! Only $5 with a Regal Crown Club membership.
@ruouttaurmind But why? Why is it so special to you?
@Barney @ruouttaurmind I have a Goonies shirt.
/wootstalker https://shirt.woot.com/offers/the-greatest-pirate-of-them-all?ref=cnt_ctlg_dgn_3
The Greatest Pirate of Them All
Price: $19.00
Condition: Probably New
@Barney A wise man once wrote “For many, Goonies isn’t just retro. It’s not just nostalgic. Goonies is iconic. For millions of children of the '80s Goonies is the anthem of an era.”
@sammydog01 It’s Sloth!
@ruouttaurmind I should dig it out to wear to the movie.
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I so don’t get it.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind I’m not a child of the 80s so I don’t either. But I like cheap popcorn.
@sammydog01 But you bought the shirt?
@Barney It was a random.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I saw this for the first time when I was 14/15. My friends hyped up the movie so much that I was disappointed.
@RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 Damn, I am sooo old.
@Barney @RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind Ditto.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I was a baby when the movie came out. Does that help?
@RiotDemon
Meanie.
@Barney @RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 I had already been married, divorced, and had a 4-year-old child when this movie came out.
Is this the one where you don’t water them after dark or something?
@Barney So here’s a name that might mean something to you. The ‘actor’ who played Sloth in that gif above was the football player, John Matuszak. The Goonies is definitely worth seeing just for the sake of it being a true classic of it’s time.
@Barney @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 @therealjrn that’s another movie.
/giphy Gremlins
@Barney @RiotDemon @sammydog01 @therealjrn Gremlins was 1 year earlier (nearly 1 year to the day; 6/8/84, 6/7/85)
@Barney @RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01
GIZMO!!! I LOVE GIZMO!
Amazon created the Kindle Voyage as a luxury version of the Kindle Paperwhite.
And then created the Kindle Oasis as a luxury version of the Voyage.
And then discontinued the Kindle Voyage, which was an excellent front-lit or side-lit e-reader in its own right.
The remaining Kindle Voyage stock is now discounted and for sale on Woot.
The newest e-readers from Amazon are waterproof, and have the capacity to play audiobooks, and have Bluetooth for connecting to headsets.
The Voyage can’t do any of this. But as an e-reader, it is a lovely product
https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/there-is-a-huge-sale-on-kindle-voyage-e-readers/amp
The sale page is here:
https://www.woot.com/category/computers/tablets?ref=w_cnt_cdet_pc_7
Some of the offerings may already be sold out.
@f00l It’s April, f00l. Nice deal on the Voyage. Thanks for posting.
@f00l I want one. Oh well, I like the waterproof ones. Thanks.
@f00l @sammydog01 I
my Oasis.
@Barney @f00l I’ll be sorry I asked, but is it a lot better than the paperwhite?
@f00l @sammydog01 I like my paperwhite, too. I’m guessing some like the paperwhite better while others like the Oasis. There, does that help you?
I think you should stick with your waterproof one(s).
@Barney @sammydog01
The lighting and controls are better.
Read some reviews on Amazon if you want to know more about how it was an improvement over the PPW.
If it were me:
If I wanted to go “not expensive”, would grab one of these.
If I wanted to go “moderately more expensive” I would look for one of the non-waterproof (prev gen) Oasis.
On Amazon (in the warehouse, they pop up now and then) or on Woot or in eBay.
Or I wanted all the features and was willing to go expensive, i would wait for a sale and get the latest PPW or (way more bux) the latest Kindle Oasis.
Look for pre Mother’s Day sales.
@Barney Telling me to not buy it helps a lot. Thanks!
@f00l If it would make me unhappy with my paperwhite it’s probably a bad idea. I’ll watch for sales though.
@Barney
I know it’s April
I’m lazy.
@f00l I know.
@f00l @sammydog01 AND I like the Audible books feature on the Oasis that I installed and don’t use.
@Barney @sammydog01
Re audible. Sometimes people who don’t use the audio later develop a taste for audiobooks. So … Nice to have.
@sammydog01
Either the newest waterproof audible-ready PPW - or the newest audible-ready Oasis - or both - will likely go on sale in the week or two before Mother’s Day. Almost certainly.
This doesn’t happen every year. It does happen many years.
And something similar will prob happen on Prime Day
Then again discounts in Nov. And again prob around Valentine’s Day.
Meantime, find and bookmark the Amazon Warehouse pages for both devices (not so easy to do, because usually not in stock, so Amazon hides the pages somewhat.)
Check those pages daily. When they get some in, it’s kinda rare, at least for the newest versions. Either flood, or drought. Lots, or none.
Also set up an email notification on camel x 3 for each version you might buy. You have to do it separately for each and every config (memory, wifi vs cell, color, etc), if I remember.
You won’t have to wait for a sale if you luck into a warehouse return.
Also setup a keyword notification (Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis) on Slickdeals.net.
Also add them to your wishlist on Amazon.
Then you will probably know about the sale and at least have the option when they do show up discounted.
@Barney @f00l I have a bunch of old kindles for trade-ins too. They usually give 25% off a new one.
@Barney @f00l I have a ton of audiobooks on my new paperwhite and have never listened to one.
@sammydog01 Does this make us normal or really strange?
@Barney
@Barney @sammydog01
Perhaps a little OCD-ish.
OTOH
It is lovely to have a way-too-large and very enticing library.
If you have on hand way too many books …
you can always pick what you want to read.
Never be cornered into what you should (by some measure or other) be reading.
What’s the joke here? I’m missing something. https://slickdeals.net/f/12984850-introducing-slickstream-slickdeals-movie-streaming-service-free-today-only?src=frontpage&attrsrc=undefined
@OldCatLady April fool’s?
April: confirmed. Fools: confirmed. Day: confirmed.
@OldCatLady @RiotDemon Looks like the only movies on the available list have something related to money in the title. So I guess that’s the joke?
@OldCatLady @RiotDemon @sammydog01 Yes, it’s an April Fool.
@OldCatLady @RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind We got that, we just couldn’t figure out what made it funny.
@OldCatLady @ruouttaurmind @sammydog01 maybe they think it’s funny because it frustrates people.
@OldCatLady @RiotDemon @sammydog01 Maybe mediocrebot took over SD as well. Mediocrebot is just brimming with pranks that aren’t funny.
@OldCatLady @RiotDemon @ruouttaurmind At least he didn’t murder anyone this time.
Think there are silhouette fans here? Anyway, 55%off sounds like a good thing…
https://gmadeals.com/
@llangley I was going to poo poo this deal, as it reallllyyy isn’t 55% off, and is about what you would normally pay for the machine. However, it does include the business license for the software and that doesn’t normally come with the machine. So if anyone is interested, it is a good deal. I personally don’t care about the kits that are included, but they are what I test things with – for instance, the sketch pens are known to dry out, so why bother buying them until you need them? yada yada
@llangley @mikibell The company seems a bit dubious to me. The URL they use for example “gma-silhouetteamerica.com” is intentionally used to deceive shoppers to believe they’re at the manufacturer’s website (silhouetteamerica.com).
@llangley @ruouttaurmind I thought it was how all “gma deals” worked… but I could see how it looks sketchy
@mikibell @ruouttaurmind sorry for any confusion. I’ve bought several things from GMADS (Good Morning America deals and steals) over the years and have received quality stuff so far. Saw the Silhouette (I know nothing about them) and thought of you creative mehtizens so I figured I’d share in case they’re not on your respective radars
I’m thinking about getting the Stratco to start a vertical display of my succulents but haven’t pulled the trigger yet!
@mikibell @ruouttaurmind
The full site has the missing disclaimers
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/shop/story/strahan-sara-deals-steals-diy-craft-lovers-62096397
Sun Joe Factory Outlet via eBay: Aqua Joe 50 Foot Expandable Lightweight, Kink-Free Garden Hose With Quick Connectors and Adapters for $5 and free expedited shipping. Tuesday 4/2 only. Limit one per customer.
My first thought “big deal, this is a cheap vinyl garden hose.” But it turns out this is actually a pretty decent deal. This hose sells elsewhere for $20-$30 ($23 on Amz, $25 at Home Depot, $20 at Target) so maybe there’s something here. For a fiver, I’m in to find out.
@ruouttaurmind smh …kink resistant…sounds like a sad way to live life.
@ruouttaurmind p.s. in for one!
@mikibell
@ruouttaurmind p.p.s. It is April already, dagnabit!!!
@mikibell @ruouttaurmind Pity. “Gelastex” sounds like it could be pretty kinky.
@ruouttaurmind moi? Never!!
@mikibell @ruouttaurmind @medz La la la la la la la la la. In for one. I don’t want to hear anything else. La la la la la la la la la.
@ruouttaurmind I’d be tempted for only $5 except for all the reviews that talk about it rupturing in a month. I’ll use my $5 for some higher quality kink.
I think @Barney might have gotten the last one. She’s got skillz for that.
But do not despair. The seller hasn’t removed the listing, so maybe it’ll go live again.
@ruouttaurmind I think I also got the last IRK in the first round.
@Barney
/giphy so much winning
@medz Jelly?
@Barney
/giphy totes
@medz Maya rocks
BuyDig: YI M1 4K Video 20 MP Mirrorless Digital Camera w/ 12-40mm & 42.5mm Lenses for $219 and free shipping.
Condition is new (not refurb).
This camera uses the M4/3 lens mounting system (developed by Olympus and Panasonic; used by several cameras). Several people are of the opinion the lenses alone are well worth the price of this bundle, and buy it for the lenses, reselling the camera body to net back much of their investment.
The camera itself is a well-featured marvel considering the price of admission. The Sony IMX269 image sensor has an excellent reputation for delivering superior imaging results in all varieties of conditions.
I would jump on this to replace my stolen Canon but with my farsighted vision I’m not sure I want to be without a viewfinder (Mirrorless cameras are limited to using the attached display due to the lack of a viewfinder).
@ruouttaurmind if my resolve weakens and I buy this, I’m blaming you, not the goat.
@djslack Heh. Such is the story of my life. A cautionary tale filled with good deals, cool gadgets, and self loathing.
interesting.
@harwester it is interesting that you joined just to bring back an old topic to say interesting.