Silly Bandz are gathering momentum in the world of kid’s trends.  These animal bracelets have been around for about 2 years, and seem to show no sign of stopping as they take over kid’s wrists everywhere.  They are small, cheap, and collectible which is the perfect storm for a new trend, but will it stick around longer than other similar fads, or does it have the power to pass the test of time and the fickle and fleeting tastes of children and young adults.

What Are Silly Bandz Made Of?

Silly Bandz are made of silicone rubber and they come in the shape of animals and other objects.  They are worn on the wrist, like any other rubber bracelet, but when removed they spring back into shape.  These silly bands come in a ton of different shapes, and the stable of available shapes is growing on a constant basis.  They continue to add generic shapes and objects to the collection.  Such objects include letters of the alphabet, princess, various collections of rubber band bracelets shaped like animals, baseball, beach objects, fantasy images, and the list continues.  Moreover, they continue to expand their list of licensing agreements so they can produce these bands in a variety of trademarked shapes, including your favorite cartoon characters, sports teams, and other familiar logos.

Who Invented Silly Bandz?

Silly Bandz is the brainchild of Rob Croak, who, coincidentally enough, is the CEO of BrainChild Products LLC, and BCP Imports LLC.  These companies are based in Toledo Ohio, and are responsible for bringing you these collectible little wristbands as well as other silicone products.  It’s no doubt that Croak, as well as the employees involved in the Silly Bandz portion of their business hope this will be the beginning of a new long-lasting trend, but the odds are unfortunately stacked against them.  Let’s take a walk down memory lane for a moment, to see why…

Wrist-related fads are nothing new.  This is only the latest in a series of “here today, gone tomorrow” accessories stemming way back into the mid 80′s.  It all started with Swatch watches.  These rather inexpensive time-pieces were often worn two, three, even 5 at a time.  The reason for this is unknown.  Perhaps those who wore them lived jet-setting lifestyles and were required to keep track of the time in many time zones.  That would make the use of a Swatch watch as a hair band completely inexplicable though, and incorporating them into clothing was an unforgivable fashion faux pas.  Moving on from there you have slap bracelets.  The concept was simple enough; a piece of razor sharp metal that could be straightened, and then slapped on the wrist, or any other cylindrical surface, which would cause it to wrap around in a glorious display of florescent camouflage, bright polka dots, or plaid.  When people started to realize how dangerous it is to violently swing sharp metal at their body parts, this fad quickly died.  More recently you have “awareness bands” which peaked in popularity in the mid 2000′s along with awareness magnets.  You could easily tell how charitable a person was by multiplying how many wristbands a person wore multiplied by how many awareness magnets they had, and dividing by four.  Those who had none of either were considered cruel, insensitive, and heartless.  Finally, there was the scandalous jelly bracelets which were rumored to be worn by teens who would play a game that involved snatching these bracelets from each other’s wrists.  Each color supposedly designated a certain “favor” that would have to be done to the snatcher by the snatchee.  This trend has faded along with the others, and leaves us at our latest wrist fashion trend – Silly Bandz.

[Update:  Silly Bandz just announced Silly Slapz Slap Watches on this blog post.  This wrist trend has truly come full circle.]

Right now, Silly Bandz are still gaining steam, and show no signs of slowing down any time soon.  The company continues to release new related products, like the Sillybandz necklace, Silly Pailz, and bands that change color in the sun, but it’s a tricky balance between releasing products at a rate that people can accept and enjoy, and vomiting out anything they think might hit, and in the process “jumping the shark” and making themselves trite.  One problem they may face is copycat companies doing that for them.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that is no exception here.  As the business of rubber band animals booms, new companies are following their lead and popping up every day.  According to this USA Today article, River Forever Collectibles has already snagged the rights to produce MLB and Disney related bands, and this is just one of many companies getting in on the act.  It’s at this point, that the market could (and maybe already has) become flooded with imitators.  Right now there’s such a large demand for this product that this isn’t really a concern, but as consumer interest wanes, it’s going to become more difficult for Silly Bandz to stand out, and continue to pull in the attention of kids and young adults.

Where To Buy Silly Bandz

You can find Silly Bandz just about everywhere these days, from toy stores to the corner store – though you must beware of low-quality imitators.  Probably the best place to buy Silly Bandz is Amazon.com.  Amazon retailers usually have plenty of stock and are highly trusted.

As this market heats up, it’ll be interesting to see where Silly Bandz takes the business of silicone bracelet animals.  Can they withstand the test of time, and buck the trend of previous wrist-based fads, or will they fall by the wayside like so many before them?  We shall see.

Disclaimer:  This post was written in response to a post over at the Silly Bandz Blog which asks that bloggers write an article under their given terms in exchange for an 18 pack of Silly Bandz.  That’s right, we’ve sold our soul for $2.00 worth of merchandise.

Outdoor teak furniture is known for its long-term resilience to the elements.  This furniture has been known to last for decades, if not longer.  Teak outdoor furniture is rare, expensive, and of the level of quality that can be passed down for generations and generations.

In addition to its resilience to the elements, teak wood outdoor furniture has other benefits as well.  One of those benefits is the fact that its oils naturally keep termites and other pests away.  These oils are part of what helps the furniture resist rain, aging, warping, and drying out.  Often, staining, and additional methods of preparation are unnecessary due to this oil.  As a matter of fact teak wood oil plays a large role in what makes it such a fine wood for furniture, decks, and other exposed wood-crafted objects.

Outdoor teak patio furniture is far more durable than plastic, or tube metal patio furniture.  It won’t fade in the sun, and it can hold larger weights before bending, breaking or cracking.  Also, have you ever sat in a metal patio chair, and placed your arm on the armrest and burned yourself because the metal has been out in the hot sun all day?  This doesn’t happen with teak wood furniture – it stays cool in even the hottest temperatures.

Other types of outdoor teak wood furniture share these characteristics, whether it’s an outdoor dining set complete with teak chairs, table, and umbrella, or a lounge or adirondack chair.  If it’s made of teak, it’s going to be superior to just about any other type of outdoor furniture you’ll find.

Add some cushions into the mix, and you can use teak deep seating furniture to essentially set up an outdoor living room.  Oftentimes people will even set up a projection screen outdoors on their patio or deck so they can barbeque while watching movies.  When finished, or when the season is over, you simply have to store the cushions, as the teak furniture can withstand the beating it will take from the elements sitting on the porch.  It’ll be good as new next time you go to use it, no matter what mother nature throws at it.  You won’t find yourself sanding, and repainting over rust spots like you would have to with metal framed deep seating furniture.

You don’t need to finish teak furniture with varnish, as you would other wood items that are meant for the outdoors.  It is recommended that you use a teak sealer though, as this will prevent the wood from appearing aged, preserving the natural color of the wood.  While teak won’t fade, like plastics, it will begin to turn grayish as it ages.  And unlike plastic, where fading turns to cracking and affects the integrity of the material, with teak this aging color is just that – color.  It doesn’t affect the integrity or strength of the wood in any way.

Cleaning and maintaining outdoor teak furniture is easy too.  All that is needed is soap and water for superficial cleanings.  If mold has begun to grow on the surface of your furniture, all you have to do is clean the affected area with bleach, and then give it a good surface sanding to make sure the mold hasn’t taken hold.  For a deeper cleaning, perhaps for a restoration of older furniture that hasn’t been taken care of very well, you will need a 2-part teak cleaner.  You can find this at Home Depot, or your local hardware store, or at online venues like Amazon.com.  This cleaner will not only clean, but brighten the wood, and return it to it’s natural condition and appearance.

With little care, and maintenance, outdoor teak furniture can be the start of a new family heirloom.  It’s tough, durable, and able to withstand the toughest weather.  If you treat it well, and keep it clean, it will last for many generations.

If you’re considering taking up indoor gardening, you should look into getting an Aerogarden.  Aerogardens are a great way to get into indoor gardening without bothering with the mess of dirt, the difficulty of selecting seeds, or bothering with complicated lighting set-ups.

Perhaps you’ve always wanted an indoor garden but you think “Hey, it’s great to grow your own tomatoes, but I don’t want all that dirt in my house.”  Good news, the Aerogarden 3, and every model of Aerogarden for that matter, is a dirt-free indoor gardening solution.  How can a plant grow without soil?  They have a patented system that suspends each seed pod (either 3, 6, or 7 per garden) in the air, partially submerged in a nutrient solution that has been designed to actually be more beneficial to your plants growth and health than that which you would find in soil.  It is a form of hydroponic gardening called aeroponics or aeroponic gardening.  Soil is merely the medium we’re to seeing those nutrients delivered through, but AeroGardens have eliminated the need for this element of indoor gardening.

Aerogardens are a complete gardening solution.  Every kit comes with Aerogarden seed kits, instructions, and the aerogarden planting system which includes a grow light.  The grow light is a small UV light.  If you want to experiment with indoor garden lighting a little bit, you might want to look into getting an LED grow light, however this isn’t necessary.  The only thing you have to add yourself is water.  You simply add the water, plug it in and then add nutrients as needed.  Your plants will grow faster and fuller than they would in a standard indoor gardening setup.

Aerogarden seeds come in pods that are inserted into 1 of 3, 6 or 7 pod stations in your Aerogarden system.  3 or 6 depends upon which kit you get, and the garen will come with the appropriate amount of seeds for your first round of growth.  Additional seed kits can be purchased separately.  The seeds come in a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers.  They even have seed kits that specifically grow the vegetables you would need to make a great homemade salad. If you want to grow tomatoes, you’re going to need a “tall” Aerogarden, because, as you know, tomatoes can grow to be quite tall.  The standard aerogardens are only about about 20 inches tall, whereas a tall aerogarden comes in at almost 3 ft, or 34 inches.  You can mix and match these seed kits however you’d like, however they recommend growing similar plants together (ie vegetables with vegetables, etc).

AeroGardens are really a great solution if you don’t want to spend a lot of time tending your garden.  You only have to spend between 3 and 5 minutes per week tending to your garden.  Some gardens even take as little as 5 minutes a month.  This not only accounts for care time, but also for harvesting.  It’s perfect for people who travel a lot, or anyone who doesn’t have the time to water their plants daily.

If you’re looking for a, low maintenance, low stress, low mess way of growing herbs, vegetables or flowers in your home, then go ahead and get an Aerogarden.

If you have a broken laptop, there are several things you can do with it.  You can repair it or have it repaired, but if it’s a little older, it might cost more to have that done than it’s worth.  Some other options include, selling it in whole or for parts, or simply recycling it (rather than throwing it out, which can be damaging to the environment).

Whether  or not your broken laptop can be repaired will depend on the type of issue that is going on.  If you’ve dropped it, and the LCD screen is busted, that can tend to be pretty expensive to have repaired.  It’s typically not too tough to replace yourself, so this could be an option.  If you have some ability with electronics, and your computer is worth more than the cost of the LCD (typically $100-200) this could be a viable option for you.  Also, if a broken laptop screen is your only issue, you can hook the laptop up to an external monitor and use it as a desktop.  Of course, if you need a mobile computer, this isn’t the best solution.  Another common bit of damage done from a drop, is that the hard drive becomes damaged.  This is also something that can be repaired relatively cheaply, and requires only minor technical knowledge.  Even if you can’t get your computer to start up and run from this damaged hard drive, you can sometimes dig into it and recover some of the data.  Sometimes the data is more important than the computer itself, and this might be something worth paying money to have a professional recover, especially if this is a business computer.

There are many marketplaces where you can sell broken laptops.  Ebay is the first that comes to most people’s mind.  When posting on eBay, be sure to describe exactly what’s wrong with it (to the best of your abilities).  Someone who knowingly in the market to buy broken computers is probably pretty knowledgeable about what’s wrong with it if you describe things correctly.  They may ask some typical trouble-shooting questions, so try to answer them as best as you can.  You may find out your broken laptop is worth more than you thought (though it’s up to the eBay buyers to determine that).  You can also sell your laptop locally on Craigslist.  This allows a potential purchaser to actually get their hands on the computer to take a look at it and see if it’s worth buying.  You never know, there are still some really honest people out there who will examine your computer for themselves, find out the error is trivial, fix it or tell you how to fix it and be on their way.

If you don’t feel like going through the hassle of explaining the exact details of the problems, or dealing with customers and questions, there are websites that buy broken laptops like Gazelle.com and CashForLaptops.com.  Selling your laptop on these websites simply involves filling in some information about your computer, and what works and what doesn’t.  You are going to get the lowest possible value for your computer selling it here, because it’s a business and they have no way of knowing specifically what’s wrong with your computer.  They can’t take the chance of buying your computer at a premium price; it would cut too deeply into their margins.  However, it is a lot less hassle, and you may not even find a buyer for your computer unless you go through one of these websites.  They might only give you $50, but $50 is better than zero dollars.

You might not be aware of this, but dumping your computers in the garbage is actually pretty bad for the environment.  There are materials in laptop computers that are not suitable  for landfills, especially the chemicals found in laptop batteries.  If your computer is simply too old or too broken to be sold, you should recycle it rather than throw it away.  The aforementioned websites also do free recycling for computers that have no value (according to their formulas), and there are plenty of other websites that will do the same.  They pay for shipping, and usually send you packaging in order to make it as easy for you as possible.  You can also often find local computer recycling centers in your city if you don’t want to send it through the mail for whatever reason.

Having a broken laptop isn’t fun.  The potential data loss, and the fact that you’ll probably need to buy a new laptop is unpleasant and expensive.  I would always attempt to fix or find a work-around to keep using the laptop you have, but if you really must, go ahead and sell it.  If it’s a total boat anchor of a computer, then please do the responsible thing and recycle it properly.

An LED grow light is a great option for indoor gardening.  Grow lights are generally used to grow plants indoors, or in a greenhouse to supplement natural light. These lights replicate natural sunlight, or are tuned for the specific growth stage of your plants. For example, young plants need more blue light as they sprout and grow, but when they begin to flower, they require a more red spectrum of light. If you want, you can adjust your lighting according to these growth stages, but such specific lighting conditions are probably only necessary for commercial growing operations, and a home garden would be best suited with a standard grow light. These general grow lights encompass the full spectrum of light and will therefore be suitable, though not optimal, for all stages of growth.

There are many types of set ups used for grow lights, including fluorescent, high-pressure sodium, metal halide/high-pressure sodium combos (used for the aforementioned switching of spectrums for optimal growth and then flowering), and LEDs. They all have their pros and cons, of course, and the specifics of each go beyond the scope of this article, as we’re here to talk about LED grow lights. We’ll compare LEDs to these other types of lights though, and hopefully you’ll be able to decide if this is the type of set up you need for your garden.

LED grow lights are quickly becoming quite popular in the indoor growing arena.  This is because they are energy efficient, and therefore cost effective.  If you happen to start a large growing operation or indoor garden, using LED grow lights will help you avoid that tell-tale energy spike that might happen should you use traditional lighting methods.

It is often touted that LEDs use less power because they deliver only the spectrum of light your plant needs. This is untrue. While it IS true that LEDs are designed to cover only the spectrums your plants need (which we’ll get to in a moment), this is not what makes them consume less power. The simple fact that they are LEDs is what makes them consume less power. LEDs are a very energy efficient source of light. They have extremely long operation lives and consume very little power in comparison to the light they emit. They also produce much less heat than other light sources. Heat is a sign of inefficiency; it’s wasted energy. Since LEDs produce less heat, they are more energy efficient. These are some of the reasons why they are replacing traditional lighting in many places including your home, your car, stop lights, and other places where long-lasting and energy efficient light is desirable.

It is true that LEDs are able to produce the exact spectrum needed by your plants.  According to Wikipedia, studies have been done to determine that chlorophyll has 4 absorption peaks meaning 4 places within the light spectrum from which chlorophyll absorbs the most light.  These peak spectrums can be replicated using LEDs because LEDs can be tuned to very specific wavelengths.  This means that instead of wasting most of the light put out standard grow lights, plants are able to absorb a large percentage of the light put out by LEDs.  This makes LEDs much more efficient with respect to light absorption, though this is not the main basis for LEDs energy efficiency.

As mentioned above, LEDs produce much less heat, and require far less energy. This has the added benefit of increasing the safety of large growing set-ups. Obviously heat, in excess, has the potential to start fires. Also, drawing too much power for a standard lighting set-up can potentially cause an electrical fire as well. So, not only are LEDs more efficient, and cost-effective, but they’re a safer choice as well, especially if you’re doing any sort of large-scale indoor growing.

Where LEDs fall short is the fact that their specific wavelengths, though efficient, don’t cover the ultraviolet range. UV rays are said to increase the potency and yield of herbs. If you are growing an herb garden, you may consider including a source of UV light into your set-up. Most commonly, HID or high-intensity discharge lamps, are used for this; specifically metal halide bulbs. These are expensive, and have a short life span, especially compared to LEDs, but are vital if you want your home garden to produce the most potent and delicious herbs possible.

LED grow lights are an efficient, cost effective, and safe choice for your home garden. Right now, they are somewhat difficult to come across, as it’s a rather new idea and technology. As LEDs in general become more widely accepted, and used, the availability of a LED grow light set up will also become more prevalent.

A pop up gazebo is perfect for any outdoor activity that might require shelter from the sun or light rain. There are many different types of gazebos; they vary widely in architecture and specific purpose, but they all have some common traits. They are almost always free-standing, they are open air structures (meaning they have no walls – though they may sometimes be screened in) and they differ from pavilions in that they are intended to be used in a manor that provides a great view of something. This can be an overlooking view of a cityscape, the ocean, or simply a quiet brook passing through your back yard.  Gazebos, or some form thereof, have been around for thousands of years, according to Wikipedia.  Their structure has remained largely the same; their simplicity is classic and difficult to improve upon.

Standard gazebos are great for places and views that aren’t moving any time soon, but what if you need the same type of structure on the go?  Maybe you need a something to shelter your team on the sidelines of a sporting event, or your employees at a company function at some beautiful locale.  This is where a pop-up gazebo comes into play.

Pop up gazebos are a portable alternative to the permanent version of the structure.  They are usually lightweight and easy to set up.  You can have one of these structures out of your vehicle, standing, and staked into the ground in a matter of minutes.  If you have a couple people to help you out, it’s going to be even more of a breeze.  There are quite a few options when it comes to size and weight, and your purchase will likely depend upon what you intend to use it for the most.

The uses for a pop up gazebo vary in almost as many ways as the different places you could possibly put them.  If you live in a place with regularly inclement weather, and only the occasional nice day, then a pop up gazebo is perfect because you can set it up for those nice days, and take it down before the harsh weather returns.  A permanent structure would get battered by such weather, and would likely require regular repair and upkeep.  The ability to erect and remove a gazebo regularly is also useful for those who entertain in their yard infrequently, and don’t need to front the expense of a permanent gazebo.

These gazebos aren’t limited to uses near the home.  You can take them to your kid’s soccer tournaments to keep them out of the harsh sun; as you know, those tournaments can go all day and that is a lot of exposure to dangerous UV rays if they’re left out in the open sun.

They can also be used for company functions, though if you have a large group, it might get a bit crowded under a small 10×10 gazebo, should it rain.  This is where having multiple gazebos might come in handy.  They are often lashed together, or placed very near each other for additional coverage.  You will often see entire pop up gazebo cities at large festivals, or corporate sporting affairs, like the Chase Corporate Challenge.

They can also be used for company functions, though if you have a large group, if might get a bit crowded under a small 10×10 gazebo, should it rain.  This is where having multiple gazebos might come in handy.  They are often lashed together, or placed very near each other for additional coverage.  You will often see entire pop up gazebo cities at large festivals, or corporate sporting affairs, like the Chase Corporate Challenge.

Gazebos are also a great way to provide yourself with a sheltered eating area if you are camping.  You always want to eat away from your tent, when camping, to avoid curious and hungry critters coming near your sleeping area.  Throwing up a pop up gazebo 10 or more feet from your tent will keep them a sufficient distance away.  Of course, though they are portable, pop up gazebos aren’t exactly backpack friendly, so this option will be limited to what’s known as “car camping” where you pull your car into an open camping lot (at a campground, of course), and pitch a tent nearby.

I could go on all day about the utility of pop up gazebos, but I assume that is enough examples for you to decide if you need to purchase one or not.  Obviously, the uses aren’t limited to what is listed here, so if you can imagine a situation where you might need one, go ahead and grab one.  They aren’t terribly expensive, and their usefulness and versatility will pay off rather quickly.

People are burning through natural resources at an alarming rate.  Every day, we’re doing irreparable damage to the planet.  This has lead us to start the “green movement,” and increase our level of sustainable living.  Sustainable living is the process of reducing our individual carbon footprints by way of reducing our personal reliance on natural resources.  The idea is that this form of living is sustainable for the long-term, whereas the current way our society lives is certainly not.  You can increase your level of sustainable living, thereby reducing your carbon footprint, in many ways, including modifying your modes of transportation, reducing your energy consumption, and altering your diet to include more Earth-friendly procurement practices.  In the vein of reducing energy consumption, many people are making home improvements that reduce their carbon footprint, and one such improvement is the installation of a solar light tube.

Solar light tubes are a form of light tube that is specifically for the transportation of natural sunlight into parts of the home that might not normally be accessible to sunlight.  This is a form of daylighting which is the process of using natural light to light the home so electrical lights can be used less.  Light tubes, or light pipes, will allow you to bring daylighting to rooms that are towards the center of your house, that might not have any, or few, windows.  For example, if you have a bathroom in the hallway with a small window that is typical of some bathrooms, you can increase the natural light by installing one of these light tubes.

The simplest form of light tube is one which makes use of a tube that has an interior of highly reflective material.  This will often be in the form of highly polished metals, which is sometimes treated with a substance that increases it’s reflective properties even further.  On the end that is exposed to the sunlight outside, some form of Fresnel lens is mounted in order to gather as much sunlight as possible.  This lens gathers large amounts of light and focuses it down the tube.  The tube is then run through the attic, crawl space (these are the situations where it’s not possible to install a skylight) and down in through the ceiling of the room requiring daylighting.  The end of the tube in the room is then fitted with some form of diffuser.  A light diffuser mellows the light and spreads it throughout the room.  This prevents spotlighting and direct sunlight exposer.