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How to Travel Germ-Free: The Sleep Sack

As we’ve all seen the local news stories during sweeps week, or on practically any episode of CSI – some hotel rooms can be filled with nasty germs and bugs.

That’s where THE SLEEP SACK comes in.

You always see a few people in the airport, carrying their own pillows with them.  For them, either the hotel pillows are never good enough, or perhaps there’s a hypo-allergenic reason to bring one’s own pillow with them.

And while travellers often fear the pillow bug, for the most part, one  never thinks much about the hotel room’s bed linens.  Sure, the coverlet may be a little nasty, but you’re not supposed to use that as a blanket anyway.  Just throw the coverlet on the floor like everyone else does.  The sheets should be clean, right?

Right?

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Music News shopping

Today is Record Store Day 2009

RECORD STORE DAY 2009 takes place today.

It’s the day that celebrates all things vinyl and good about music.

Many artists are releasing albums (or re-releasing, as in Green Day’s case) on Record Store Day in order to increase awareness of how these independent music retailers are still a vital part of the music scene.

Heck, even the COACHELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL will be running their own record store this weekend in honor of Record Store Day.

Some of the other artists releasing albums today include Bruce Springsteen, The Decemberists, The Smiths, Jane’s Addiction, and Bob Dylan.

How important are vinyl records to today’s musician?  When CBS’s 60 Minutes recently interviewed Coldplay’s Chris Martin, the camera caught a glimpse of Coldplay’s “Rules”.  One of the rules was “Promo/review copies to be on VINYL”.  Makes sense, as that makes pirating just a bit more difficult than if the copies were sent digitally.

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10 Things How To shopping

10 Things You Don’t Know About… Finding the Best Inexpensive Wine at a Restaurant

So you’re sitting at the fancy restaurant, and the waiter hands you the wine menu.  If you’re like most people, you flip to the back page where the cheap stuff is, scan the page for the least expensive per-glass line, and order whatever it may be.

Yes, restaurants make a ton of money selling customers a bottle of wine at an incredibly high markup.  The same bottle that can run $100 or more in the restaurant may only cost you $20 at the local wine shop…assuming the local wine shop even carries that label or vintage.  

So how do you know which wine is a good value when you’re looking at the menu?

The Wall Street Journal has written a handy guide to help you SAVE MONEY WHEN BUYING WINE AT A RESTAURANT.

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shopping Websites

Giant Gift Bows for Cars

You’ve seen those giant gift bow ribbons on the cars in those fancy car commercials, right?  I know that Lexus makes those giant red bows available for a rental/damage fee when you buy a car from them (which makes sense, considering that they make a big deal about giving a Lexus as a gift to your loved one).

But if you don’t want to rent a bow from a dealer and would prefer to have one for every day giant bow use, you can always order a giant bow from CAR BOWS or KING SIZED BOWS. 

Prices range from $30-$100 and more, depending on the size of the bow you need and other factors.  But at least you own the bow, so you can use it for any other gift you’re planning on giving that requires a big giant bow.

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News shopping Websites

10 Most Expensive Domain Names

ABC News has reported the TOP TEN MOST EXPENSIVE DOMAIN NAMES EVER (based on cash purchase amount):

  1. Fund.com, $9.99 million
  2. Porn.com, $9.5 million
  3. Diamonds.com, $7.5 million
  4. Toys.com, $5.1 million
  5. Vodka.com, $3 million
  6. CreditCards.com, $2.75 million
  7. Computers.com, $2.1 million
  8. Seniors.com, $1.8 million
  9. DataRecovery.com, $1.66 million
  10. Cameras.com, $1.5 million
  11. Tandberg.com, $1.5 million

Based on the listings shown at DOMAIN NAME JOURNAL‘s year-to-date sales charts, if you have a domain name that you’re trying to sell – the place to do so appears to be SEDO.COM.

Some of this year’s highlights:

  • wife.com – $100,000
  • FineWatches.com – $40,450
  • peeing.com – $30,000

Big money from 2008 went to FinancialAid.com – $480,000

And if you own your own name’s domain name, keep it.  Last year, pete.com ended up selling for $18,000.

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Disney shopping

Disney’s New Membership Club: D23

Those of you who follow Disney business news are already aware of Disney’s new fan club, D23.

For those of you who don’t follow the business side of the Disney company, D23 is something that the Disney marketers have put together to compete in the value-added, information marketplace that was left with a giant void when the various Disney Club, Magic Kingdom Card, Disney Magazine, and other promotional programs closed down.  They’re calling D23 a “fan community”.

For $75 a year, D23 members get 4 glossy, high-quality magazines a year, along with some extra doodads and opportunities.  Other websites have done a wonderful job dissecting the D23 program announcements, so it is unnecessary to repeat the bulk of the details here.

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Book shopping

Book Review: Family Words, the Secret Language of Families

Remember Rich Hall? 

He was the comedian known for the “Sniglets” he presented on Saturday Night Live.  A Sniglet is a made-up word that he used to describe something that didn’t already exist in the dictionary… but should.

An example:  “bugpedal” – the act of speeding up or slowing down your car in order to use the resulting passing wind to remove a dead bug from the windshield.

But Sniglets are made-up words. A comedy act.  Nobody expects to use those terms in the real world.

Except in the real world, people do make up words in their families for everyday use.  The remote control is a “clicker”, “remote”, “controller”, “switcher”.  A wheeled trash bin is a “herbie curbie”.  Some of these terms may be obvious to the casual bystander who overhears a family conversation, but other terms may need some explaining.

FAMILY WORDS: A DICTIONARY OF THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF FAMILIES is a compilation of all those terms that may be familiar to one family, but unheard of elsewhere.  Some examples include:

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Disney shopping

Improving Disney Shopping

Just read the latest post on Progress City USA, TEN WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR #8: OVERHAUL PARK MERCHANDISE.  I completely agree with the points raised about the depressing increase in  homogenization of merchandise available throughout the Disney parks.  

I too, remember a time when the Orange Bird was found at the Tiki Room, and where land-specific merchandise was available.  A time when Main Street, USA’s Emporium shop didn’t run the full length of the street (when Center Street was an actual street separating the two show buildings instead of what we have today).

I want to buy a “Walt Disney World” sweatshirt, not a “Disney Parks” sweatshirt.

I have found myself visiting both Disneyland and Walt Disney World on numerous shopping missions over the years, only to walk away empty-handed and with a full wallet.  There is no doubt that there are plenty of things to buy at the Disney parks, especially if you are a once-in-a-lifetime visitor — but there is often nothing new of interest to the Disney Fan to buy beyond pins.   (Pin collecting and trading is a wonderful hobby, but it does not appeal to everybody.)     And really, how many Duck Butt hats does one family need?

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