Jun 14 2009

Window Fly Trap Review

Published by Jill Florio under Home and Garden

I live in an RV and some parks have a LOT of flies. I found the Pic Window Fly Trap to be easy to use and fairly effective. As advertised, there are no vapors, is sticky and catches flying insects. 

It’s also advertised as transparent on windows, which isn’t exactly correct; it’s translucent, like a foggy shower stall. This doesn’t detract from the usefulness of the product, however; it eventually fills up with dead fly bodies. 

The pack of four traps is easy to use: you remove the red strip from the back and place it on the window or other clean, hard surface of your choice. Once applied, then you remove the front sticker that contains the gel-like bait. Unless very carefully applied, you do get some on your fingers. Just wash that off. 

The trap takes a while to work. It’s not like the flies will zoom right at it. As I watched the first trap, it took about 45 for the first fly to get stuck on the goo. Slowly, more flies approached and got stuck. Some enterprising flies managed to unstick themselves and fly off, but for the most part, the trap works as I’d hoped. 

It seems to work best if you stick the trap to the top of each window, where flies are apt to congregate. I put three traps on various windows…by the end of several days I had dozens of dead and dying flies on the traps. While not a pretty sight, it does work. 

The package does not list any ingredients but offers assurances it is non-toxic and can be used in food preparation areas. I would have preferred to check the toxicity myself via ingredients listings. What exactly attracts the flies? What if my dog licks the patch? 

For people in a big hurry to trap flies, this isn’t the right product: it seems to take time (hours and days) to really entice its prey. However, I do recommend it as much cleaner and simpler to handle than old fashioned fly paper. It applies easily, cleans up quickly, and has room on each patch for dozens of flies. For people in RVs, for barns, or for those with an annoying fly problem at home/the office, I’d suggest stocking up on a six pack of these packages.  Apply liberally to windows and forget about it!

Amazon sells these, as well as my local RV country store:
Window Fly Trap, 4 pack

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Apr 11 2009

Outdoorsy Things to Do Near Wilderness Lakes RV Park - Diamond Valley Lake Activities

Published by Jill Florio under Camping and Hiking, Travel

Outdoorsy Things to Do near Wilderness Lakes RV Park at the Diamond Valley Lake

1. Diamond Valley Lake Viewpoint and Viewpoint Trail - free, nice afternoon activity with easy walking, great views, interesting trail signs. You get a good bird’s eye view of the area. Portapotties available, spacious parking lot that a few RVs could easily park at.  Officially called the Clayton A Record Jr. Viewpoint. Off Winchester Road, turn east onto Construction road, open Thursday through Sunday 8:30-4pm. 

2. North Hills Trail at Diamond Valley Lake - a one way moderate trail rambling along the northwest hills of Diamond Lake. 6 miles one way with a parking lot at each end. Restrooms and shade spots enroute.  Off Winchester Road on the way to the Clayton A Record Jr. Viewpoint, same hours and times as viewpoint, above. Or access the trail from the East Marina off the Domenigoni Parkway, right onto Searl and park at the Marina. Equestrians welcome. 

3. LakeView Trail - park at Marina as described above and either walk, run or cycle the 21.8 mile flat loop around Diamond Valley Lake. 

4. Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - park at the Marina as described above. Visitor Center is located in first building at parking lot. Free, open Thursday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm. 

5. Western Center for Archaelology and Paleontology - $8 admission for adults, discount for children, students, seniors and military. Located on Searl Road before Diamond Valley Lake’s east dam.  The museum contains precious prehistory findings that Diamond Lake would have otherwise drowned as it filled.

6. Diamond Valley Lake Marina - boat rentals are half price on Wednesdays! Follow directions as laid out above in number 2. No swimming, but boating and fishing are okay. 

 

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Sep 27 2008

Fly the Hostile Skies with US Airways

Published by Jill Florio under Travel

When I needed to get a ticket home from my Izeafest Blog Conference in Orlando, I chose US Airways from the list of Expedia options. The price was good. Unfortunately, the ticket price was just their starting point.

I had two bags to check. My flight out on Delta let me bring one bag free (I know Southwest still allows BOTH bags free). The fee was $15 for the first bag (50 pound weight limit) and $25 for number two (same 50 pounds).

So that was an extra $40 out of pocket at check-in.  Sneaky.

Once on-board I realized I was, for the first time, on an airline that charges for drinks.

All drinks, not just booze. They charge for water ($2). They charge for soda ($2). They hit you up a buck now for coffee and tea, while tiny bottles of wine jumped from $5 to $7. Of course free snacks are a thing of the past.

So anyone wishing to have WATER, plain old WATER, on their US Airways flight has to now juggle their time so they can:

  • empty their water bottle before the security check…and then…
  • refill it at the water fountains before they get to their gate.

Or else suck it up and pay. Not everyone is willing to drink water fountain water anymore. I think it depends on local quality of the water in question. I found Orlando water drinkable, unlike the barely potable supply at LAX.

The flight attendants were also less than polite about stowing my carry-on bags in the row behind first class.

Anyway, that’s the newest scoop on flying. I forsee things getting worse before getting better. I know that’s being a bit negative.  After all, they still provide all the free oxygen you want, right?

14 responses so far

Sep 15 2008

Northwest Aisle Seats Cost More - Flights Nickle and Diming Customers

Published by Jill Florio under Travel


In a disturbing trend, as of April 06 Northwest Airlines started charging for their aisle seats. And for all exit row seats. This is in coach class, mind you.

Calling aisle and exit row seats “Premium Coach”, the Seattle Times reports an extra fee of $15, newly tacked on, for choosing some leg room.

Naturally we Seattlites don’t take our seat fees sitting down. A flurry of sarcastic Letters to the Editor followed this pronouncement, asking when Northwest was going to install in-flight pay toilets.

Huh.

Frankly this just sucks. I fly a lot. I live in the Northwest, home of this airline. I like the aisle.

What I don’t like are those middle seats, which I suspect the airlines are currently trying to fill. Or pack. Sardines, much?

If all the airlines start charging for aisle seats - and I bet the industry is watching the Northwest development avidly - then I will simply have to choose: be shoved between two strangers who might have ebola or merely stink…or pony up the cash when flying coach.

At least window seats are still considered cut rate. For now.

One response so far

Sep 13 2008

NYC Decreases Restaurant Transfats

Published by Jill Florio under Health and Wellness, Travel



New York City - the Board of Health decides to nearly eliminate transfats in restaurant food.

NYC is a progressive city. In a brilliant move, the City Board of health decided to embargo transfats in restaurant food.

The Washingtonpost.com reports, within six months all New York City eateries will be required to switch to healthier cooking oils, and to reduce total transfatty grams to newly set limits by 18 months.

This is a real boon for travelers, who are forced to eat out most of the time. In my own home, we have banned all transfats - AKA partially hydrogenated vegetable oils - those deadly free-radical inducing toxic chemicals so prevalent in food products.

When you’re traveling, though, you are pretty much at the mercy of whatever bulk fat bins the restaurant taps in its kitchen.

So rejoice if your business trips take you to NYC, soon-to-be land of low bad fats. The rest of your trip might be expensive, but your health won’t get any worse.

More on New York and the tran-fatty acids ban.

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Sep 12 2008

Why Buying a GPS Makes Me Crazy

Published by Jill Florio under Tech and Business

There are just too many options with GPS units. I want all the features I need and don’t want to pay for the ones I don’t.


For the holidays we getting ourselves a GPS unit. A nice splurge and a way to forestall lots of arguments on the road. You know, the ones that go…“No, I have no idea what exit is coming up. Why are those signs so small? Oh, shit…that’s it, get over now!”

So to fulfill this productive goal of merrier marital harmony we need a GPS.

We have the price range nailed down ($300-500, so we can get a good one). We even have a long trip coming up to really test the new device’s paces.

The problem is there are too many choices and all the features I want don’t exist on the same unit.

  • I want Exit POIs and AAA Roadside Assistance (Magellan).
  • I want a feature that sends sound through my FW radio and has an incredibly easy user interface (Garmin).
  • And I want Advance Trip Planning and Darth Vader to tell me where to go (Tom Tom).

So the consumer, me and you, have to chart out the pros and the cons and the deal breakers. In an effort to wade through the choss I published a few articles on the subject: Shopping, Selecting your New GPS and Top Portable GPS Models.

But they won’t really help. This stuff is just too complicated. Can’t I customize my GPS? Like buying a Dell computer? Now that would be a great start-up idea for someone.

I’ll be your first customer.

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Sep 11 2008

Top 10 Hotel Freebies

Published by Jill Florio under Dan's blog posts, Travel

DAN WRITES: It’s fun to look around and see the free baskets of STUFF a hotel provides. The schwag, if you will.

In the bathroom - My last hotel made a pretty basket with origami washcloth art, a shampoo, a conditioner, lotion, a shower cap, and a tiny packet with an emery board, four Q-tips, needle, a button and thread.

Did I use any of that? Well, nooooo. But I grabbed it all for my wife anyway, who lives for free things (whether she needs them is another question).

On the Desk - Packet of coffee, packet of decaf coffee, black tea bag, herbal tea bags of various flavors, packet of sugar/creamer/stirrer, napkins and paper cups. I used several of those things and debated whether to bring home the rest of them for Jill. Decided against it.

On the TV - Card explaining the free cable and the pay-per-view options. Card explaining the nearby bar and grill happy hour specials. Bound Book with hotel rules, safety precuations, explanation of phone use and local tourist deals. I didn’t touch any of those. They aren’t technically freebies anyway.

What about other shwag, known as Things Not Nailed Down? Towels, bedding, toilet paper, the radio? Um…taking those things would be stealing. I guess I could take the toilet paper and facial tissues if I wanted, but it’s hardly necessary. They probably charge you for them in the end. And, frankly, I prefer the towels I have at home. :)

I want to hear about more hotel free stuff - Read about my Top Ten Hotel Freebies.

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Sep 10 2008

Airplane Tail Art

Published by Jill Florio under Travel

While my plane drives like a monstrous SUV around the tarmac, waiting for some secret takeoff signal from the control tower, I note that each airline considers its tail space mobile company art.

I guess it’s kinda cute. It probably helps each airline with their image and branding…and is better than using that primo real estate for product placement ads. It’s better than seeing “Drink Coke!”, after all.

Here’s what I see while we drive along:

  • Horizon - A big O. Looks like an Asian brush stroke, black and bold ans stylized. I like it. It seems to ask you a philosophical question about the Universe.
  • Hawaii - A hula girl with big hibiscus flowers. It’s all in purples and pinks. Not bad, evocative and fits the theme.
  • Alaska - I have no idea what that is. It looks like a polarized B&W image of Jimi Hendrix. Was he from Alaska? I just don’t see what they are trying to say with this one. I’d think a Kodiak bear, mountains, cresting whales or a sea plane would be a better image.
  • Northwest - A serious font for a serious look - just the NW logo, white on red. Lots of color but am not sure how it helps their image. I would have chosen a redwood tree, a kayak heading into a sunset, or even a salmon for this one.

And that’s all I can see before takeoff. I am reminded how much I like the new Uhaul trucks, with their new and cool state-themed pictures of manatees, dinosaurs, planets and sailboats, et al. Looks like airlines are starting to follow suit. It’s not a bad thing. At least it’s something to look at while grounded.

2 responses so far

Sep 02 2008

Flying Alaska Air

Published by Jill Florio under Travel

An Alaska Airlines business traveler’s on-flight review.

Ironic that I am taking Alaska Airlines to Florida. But I do like Alaska Air - the coach has comfortable head rests and generally generous seats. The coffee is fresh and of a good bean…Seattle’s Best, which is only justice, since I am flying from Seattle. I managed to finagle a fresh cup as soon as I boarded - ummmm. So I settle back while pre-flight commences.

There is no Southwest Air styled humor in the safety presentation. That’s okay; I’ve heard all the jokes. This one is more quiet, to fit my mood.

And I do feel peaceful, even though I will be using this flight time to prepare for the presentation I will give at a women’s web writer conference in Orlando. I look out the window before takeoff and try to figure who is painted on the tail of the next Alaska plane over. It looks like Jimi Hendrix. I really can’t guess.

This is a small plane and we are about ready for takeoff. Non-stop, a hot snack only, all the free non-booze beverages you can drink, and films available only if you rent a portable DVD player. No thanks. I have work to do.

I notice the flight is full of men with laptops and cell phones. Reminds me of a modern-day coffeeshop. More business people flying to conferences in Orlando? Turns out that’s pretty much the case. The guy in the window seat next to me is also giving a conference presentation.

Way to go, Disney Imagineers, for attracting planeloads of adult business folk to the shores of your Magic Kingdom. I don’t even see any kids on the flight! More irony.

And now we are told to turn off all electronics in preparation for takeoff. I get out my notebook and turn off the laptop.

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Sep 01 2008

Hotel Fitness Centers



DAN WRITES: I almost always use hotel fitness centers, unless I am totally exhausted from travel or working, or from both. :-) A gym of sorts is a must-have hotel amenity, for me.

Exercise machines I want in a hotel fitness center…

What do I like in the fitness center? I usually use a pull-down bar, lats press, leg press and butterfly machine. So a nautilus-type gym with multiple options is great for me.

A handful of free weights is a plus, too.

I also use a treadmill or elliptical trainer, preferably. Lacking those I will use a stair stepper or cycle, but those can be really tough on your knees.

What else? I like a mat to stretch on, a water cooler for bottle refills…and most of all, a TV. I will even plan my workouts around watching the game.

What game? Football or basketball, please. And I live for the Lakers. Go Wildcats! Yeah, Cowboys!

…Okay, don’t get me started…

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