Home Interaction

House Expert Advice on Home Improvement

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One Project Closer is honored that Joe the Pro and team at bethepro.com have asked us to take part in judging their new Pro or Not So Pro Challenge. However, they probably didnt realize that we accept bribes. Let us know which submission you entered and how many camels youre willing to give us.

This competition is all about sharing jobs that are pro grade or laughably not professional at all. For instance, this weeks winner is Lee Berry. He crafted some beautiful wood columns for an Irish bar, and the detail is outstanding. Conversely, another entry features a shower with vise-grips for a handle. Get the idea?

How to Enter Go to the BeThePro Facebook page and show off some real top-notch work some horribly “not so pro” work. Both sorts of entries can win. Be sure to include a story and photos. Onl

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Two curious and awkward press events this week put a spotlight on the act of unveiling.

Yesterday, after a short period of global intrigue, J.K. Rowling revealed what exactly Pottermore.com will be: an interactive website with new content from Rowling and a portal to sell, exclusively, the e-book editions. Tech industry watchers may be nonplussed, but it’s a smart, high-tech maneuver for a brand already worth billions.

The PR strategy, however, doesn’t quite live up to the innovation. Rowling’s team seemed to be planning a very regimented press affair. And they decided to show the site to journalists beforehand–and expected it wouldn’t leak out. Which, naturally, it did.

Pause here for a minute. Switch over to another sneak-peek leak.

Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop showed a room packed full of journalists the Nokia’s first Windows Phone 7 device this week, and asked the high-tech-savvy crowd to turn off their cameras and not leak the device’s details.

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I am almost jealous that I wont be young enough to understand how all of these futuristic washing machine concepts work when theyre finally released. The washing machine is a relatively new invention that has gotten more advanced as time goes by.

As technologically advanced as many modern washing machines are, many of these futuristic washing machine concepts arent heavy hitters in the tech field. Instead, they are more efficient and portable, using less water and not taking up so much permanent space. Ill admit that I am a little disappointed at the washing machine concepts created by these designers, but I dont think Im part of their target demographic; I was hoping for a built-in PlayStation on every appliance come 2020. I guess eco-friendly design and portability outweigh my simple desire to play online games while waiting through the spin cycle.

I currently have Pella Impervia fiberglass, low e, double pane, argon gas filled windows in my home. I have discovered that the original installation was not done correctly, and I will need to have it re-done in order to meet code. If argon gas filled windows are installed improperly, what will be the effects of a reinstallation?

Tom, as long as the window seals that hold the panes of glass within the frame have not been compromised, the argon gas should still be well-sealed between the two panes of window glass.  If you are unsure of the condition of the window seals, then you may want to invite a local Pella window rep to inspect the windows for you. Likewise, if the window installation does not comply with the local building codes in your area, then you need to have the contractor who installed the windows make the job right.

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Jun-21-2011

Has the garden industry gone to pot?

Posted by Jeff Pryor under Home Improvement Guide

I saw it for myself a few months back at the Orange County Farm Supply in Orange: Dr. Earth, a mainstream garden company selling POTting soil in a gray bag with black seven-pointed leaf motif.

The word POT is in an oversized font, “ting” is smaller. Dr. Earth described the POTting soil as “Ideal for organic medicine gardens.”

Store manager Chris Roy says the product leaves you to, “draw your own conclusions”.

Miracle-Gro, on the other hand, is not so shy about courting this growing class of avid gardener. Scott’s Chief Executive Jim Hagedorn said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, “I want to target the pot market … There’s no good reason we haven’t.”

Consider that sales are flat for garden chemicals in some segments and the medical marijuana growers (legal in 16 states) are where garden-related companies see growth, to the tune of $1.7 billion in sales this year.

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The auteur behind “Thumbsucker” and the newly released “Beginners” has perfected the art of making capitalism look beautiful, earning money off of corporate commercial work to support uncompromisingly artistic independent films. Let’s call ‘em “dependies.”

“I don’t actually believe in advertising,” says Mike Mills, a guy who makes his living directing TV commercials. “I don’t really believe that when I make a Nike ad that people go buy more of that shoe, you know?” But by the time his spots air, the ambivalence has magically transformed into authenticity.

Mills is a graphic designer, a fine artist, and a maker of commercials for the likes of Old Spice, The Gap, and DuPont. And unlike many other artistic practitioners of the commercial craft, the ups and downs of corporate work do sometimes leave him feeling a twinge of remorse. What he really wants to do is direct one movie every few years and earn a modest living. But having

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