[mike92104]

[quote=CardiffBaseball]Plex has been pretty nice, I’ve been experimenting with that lately.

Plex is a media server you setup on a pc and you subscribe to the Plex channel with your Roku (or Apple). I don’t use Itunes much so I really didn’t bother looking at the Apple TV since Roku has what I need. I am sure it’s fine.

I can’t cut yet because of sports. That and the only shows I do watch (Dexter, Homeland, etc. ) are on the pay channels. Those I can get elsewhere but I just can’t put up with the whining and crying. Maybe when the kids are out I can cut the cord.[/quote]

Plex is fantastic. It also allows sharing of all your media files (pictures, music, DVR, movies etc.) to any other computer in the house, or with a minimal amount of setup, any computer anywhere along with your tablet or phone. I use it to stream the stuff my TV tuner card and DVR software record. As mentioned, there is a Roku “channel” that uses it, and for those using a PS3, it will find the Plex server without any setup. For those that REALLY want to geek out, take a look at XBMC.

[mike92104]

[quote=cvmom]We also use PlayOn with a Wii to stream to TV. Getting along without cable just fine.

Anyone care to share more about the TV tuner with a PC option? Where do you buy such a TV tuner, and how hard to install?[/quote]

Here’s something to get you started. Eye tv has good reviews. A lot of the functionality of a TV tuner depends on the DVR software you get.

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/EyeTV-Hybrid-10/product1.en.html

[mike92104]

I think it’s time for a petition to ban them all together within the county. Perhaps one that bans any sort of automated law enforcement system to also include speed cameras.

Re: The safety “increase” from the cameras:

http://www.motorists.org/red-light-cameras/increase-accidents

[mike92104]

I like my Roku, otherwise I agree with everything said. A good internet provider combined with your favorite streaming device, a media center computer (I use a mac mini),HD tv tuner (or2), antenna, and good DVR software I’m using mythtv, but Windows Media Center has really good reviews) will get you just about everything you could get on cable. One other advantage worth mentioning is that you won’t be constantly bombarded with ads nearly as much as cable tv.

Also, FYI for those with HOA’s, federal law allows you to put up a TV antenna regardless of the HOA rules.

[mike92104]

[quote=NicMM]My tenant complains the ice maker does not make ice and leaks water from the refrigerator. I need to find someone to fix it. Is there any recommendation from fellow piggs?

Thanks,
NicMM[/quote]

There’s not much to an ice maker. Just based on what you described, I would suspect a leak between the solenoid valve (part at the bottom of the fridge that the water supply plugs into and the ice maker itself. It’s also very possible that the solenoid valve itself is leaking.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/electrical-plumbing/1276061

The valves aren’t very expensive.

For example:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=ice+maker+solenoid+valve&hl=en&rlz=1C1CHFA_enUS484US484&prmd=imvnsfd&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1050&bih=610&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=12557767956770927828&sa=X&ei=N4dBUOIpppSIAo-5gPgD&ved=0CGkQ8wIwAA

[mike92104]

We craigslisted all our stuff. Got some great stuff (used of course) for cheap.

[mike92104]

[quote=briansd1][quote=harvey]
I’m just saying that right now might not be the best time to suddenly cut spending and taxes.
[/quote]

The consensus among economists is that, right now, is the time for government to spend and invest.

It all depends on the economic cycle, just like in your own life, it depends what age you are.

The key here is that economists (and Harvey and I) are advocating being flexible, looking at the data, and coming up with solutions that work for our current economic situation.

Ideological orthodoxy is just plain stupid when the context is completely ignored. A certain side is parroting the same arguments, no matter whether the economy is booming or in stagnation. It’s the same thing as saying “buy real estate no matter when.”[/quote]

Ideological orthodoxy such as “The rich don’t pay their fair share”? You and Harvy have been yammering on about that for weeks now without ever bothering to admit that the real problem is the spending that has been out of control for decades, and has ramped up considerably since 2008. The two of you have absolutely no flexibility unless Obama tells you to.

[mike92104]

[quote=flu][quote=EconProf]This will alienate about half the Piggs reading this, but I learned long ago to simply not rent to people with pets. Saves all sorts of problems even though it eliminates half your market and probably lowers your asking rent, and certainly your deposit.
Cat urine is worse than dog urine and the smell CANNOT be removed. A future tenant without pets and possessing a sensitive nose (IOW, the kind of tenant you want), will surely smell it and rightly complain, perhaps not upon initial showing but after moving in.
Don’t waste your time and money on carpet treatments that claim to eliminate pet urine smell. They don’t work. Furthermore, you can’t just replace the carpet–the pad must go too. And during the new installation when both are up, treat the affected area heavily with bleach and water, because the smell is in the wood and concrete too.[/quote]

You won’t alienate me.. I always said. No pets…[/quote]

I have pets, and still wouldn’t rent to people with pets. There are just too many people out there who can’t or won’t train their pets properly, and they can be damned destructive.

[mike92104]

[quote=paramount]Thanks for the responses.

Since the urine stains was in a few spots, and the carpet is fairly new – I told the tenant he could use the remnants to have repairs performed.

Bad idea?[/quote]

Yes, but I guess it’s too late now. If the carpet really reeks, then those cats have been going there constantly. The urine has probably saturated the padding and the sub floor, and the smell will not go away unless it is all replaced. Allowing the pets to piss on the carpet is pure negligence on the owners part, and they should pay to restore your property to the condition it was in when they signed the lease.

[mike92104]

[quote=Hatfield]If your home computer is a Mac, getting an iPhone is a no-brainer. There’s just no beating the seamless integration with MacOS and iOS. But If you use a PC, the story gets a lot less compelling. You could make pretty a pretty good argument for it being a tossup between the iPhone and the new Galaxy.

All sources seem to indicate that the iPhone 5 will have an LTE chipset. it’s inconceivable that it wouldn’t.[/quote]

This is what I was getting at when I asked about other apple products. With your setup, I would just go android, and save some money.

[mike92104]

Do you use other Apple products?

[mike92104]

[quote=profhoff]I clearly live in a high risk zip code.[/quote]

Yeah you Do! The southern face of the San Bernardino Mountains marks the location of the San Andreas, and it run right up through Cajon Pass.

http://geology.com/san-andreas-fault/

Shaking Potential:

http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/information/publications/ms/Documents/MS48_revised.pdf

[mike92104]

I was lucky that a 20″ box fan fits perfectly into the attic access on my house. I plugged it into one of these in the nearby hall light::

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=lamp+socket+outlet+adapter&hl=en&rlz=1C2CHFA_enUS484US484&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1050&bih=610&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8680316333566283154&sa=X&ei=KBMvUPLdGoKNrgG794DIBg&ved=0CGoQ8wIwAQ

and I have a cheap whole house fan. I’m sure it’s not as good as the real thing, but it sure does help get the house cooled down in the evening.

[mike92104]

We got one of the fancy ones just for convenience. The stacking ones use the worms natural hatred of light to help separate them from their castings when you’re ready to use it. Several use three trays. You start with one, and add the second and then the third as the trays fill up. When full, you take the bottom one and put it on top without the lid. The worms wil move down into the lower trays to escape the light. After a couple days, the worms will have moved down and you can dump it in your garden or make potting soil. Put the tray back on top with the lid on and fill it up again, then repeat. You can definitely make something similar with a few old plastic bins.

http://www.organicvida.com/worm-factory.html

If you live in Carlsbad (or know someone who does), you might be able to get a decent worm bin for $40.

http://news.carlsbadca.gov/pr/ca/compost-bins.aspx

[mike92104]

[quote=profhoff]My insurance company (Allied) just informed me that they are no longer underwriting earthquake insurance and they have offered me a CEA (California Earthquake Authority) policy.

It’s really expensive ($1150/yr) with a $100,000 deductible. It doesn’t really cover contents (up to $5000). It’s hard to tell from the policy but I *think* if the house burns down or blows up as a result of the earthquake, I’m not covered since that’s fire or gas, not earthquake.

Anyway, it seems like there are a lot of loopholes, not the least of which is the statement in the policy that if the Authority runs out of money to pay, I’m SOOL. In the event of a major quake, this seems pretty likely.

My house is in Riverside and built in 1999. In today’s market it’s worth around $650,000 give or take.

Should I buy the insurance? How can I make an informed decision?[/quote]

Seems pricey. Is the quote based on the figure to replace the house or the purchase price? My little 1940 2 bedroom was quoted for $101/year.

[Author]

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