Is it just me or has technology just dropped off the edge? I am not endorsing this, but just had to tell you about it !

A new  Washing Machine app for your Android phone to control your laundry!

This Samsung WF457 Wi-Fi washer AND drier app lets you do your laundry virtually from your phone!

Now you can play Angry Birds and rinse your delicates at the same time!

Now which app puts the laundry into the dryer?

1. How to Save Your Whites

If you accidentally slipped a colored sock or shirt into your load of whites, there’s no need to throw everything in the wastebasket. Before you put your dyed whites into the dryer, soak them for thirty minutes to an hour, in this solution:

1 part warm water

1 part baking soda

½ cup salt

½ cup detergent

After your clothes have soaked, throw them back in the wash with your favorite detergent. When the clothes come out of the washer, they should be back to their original white color.

2. How to Prevent Smelly Shoes

The cutest ballet flats can sometimes reek of the most awful smells. A combination of perspiration and dark, enclosed spaces make shoes rife with smelly bacteria. One way to prevent this embarrassing predicament from infiltrating your nose is to slip some chalk into your shoes after you take them off. The chalk absorbs the moisture in the shoes and prevents smells from developing. Because chalk is powdery and messy, you can wrap a piece of cheesecloth around it to make a bundle that is more manageable. Newspapers are another great way to prevent unpleasant shoe odors. Simply crumple newspaper and stuff it into the shoe to wick away dampness.

3. How to Treat Scorch Marks

The iron was too hot, or perhaps you were distracted for a second. Either way, you’re now holding a shirt with a horribly unfashionable scorch mark. Don’t worry. Scorch marks can be easily faded away and blended back into the original colors of the shirt. Hang the fabric on a clothesline in the sunlight. The sun’s powerful rays will naturally bleach the colors. You can skip all the expensive cleaners, and you don’t have to throw anything away.

4. How to Keep Tennis Shoes Clean

Anyone who has owned a pair of canvas tennis shoes knows how tough it can be to keep them clean. Dirt seems to cling to their fibers the minute you step outside. There is a solution for keeping tennis shoes in mint condition. Before you wear shoes outside, spray them with starch. Starch keeps the dirt from embedding into the canvas, so your shoes always look clean.

5. How to Bolster Your Detergent

When your son comes home from summer soccer camp, you get to welcome a big bag of soiled, smelly laundry. In this case, you need a little extra help to remove those grass and sweat stains. To boost the cleaning power of your detergent, simply visit your pantry. Add at least ½ cup of baking soda to your detergent. The baking soda breaks down stains and softens water, making it easy to remove dirt and smells. As an added bonus, baking soda is a powerful deodorizer, so it neutralizes the worst smelling laundry.

Click on picture below to read the full issue.

The new clear speakers are already getting some special attention. At the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, People People showcased a prototype. Wired Magazine also chose the speakers as one of the products to be featured at their 15 favorite products show during the CES. The speaker is still under development and not yet available for purchase, but once it does hit the marketplace, it is sure to fly off shelves because of the special features.

Audiophiles will rejoice with these new clear People People speakers. These are speakers that can be shown off because they are both high tech, make music sound great, and also look great in any room because they are transparent. The speakers are big enough to boom with sound, but the box is transparent so it doesn’t take up a lot of visible space.

Most of the time, speakers are hooked up to whatever electronic device is currently in use and just leave the speakers hooked up to the device. However, the new clear speakers just have one singular wire coming out the back. The small wifi antenna can be plugged into any modern technology including a computer, music player, or smart phone. The wifi antenna can also be plugged into older technology as well including older stereos or vinyl equipment. The antenna is also rechargeable.

The speakers will also make some noise outside your home as well. The company has taken steps towards making sure their speakers are economical and ecological. Instead of coming fully assembled in a giant package, the speaker ships to buyers in a small, flat package that will easily fit in a mailbox. That saves packaging which is good for keeping the price down as well as keeping big boxes out of landfills. The glass sheets that go around the speaker are then ordered through the glass repair shop closest to each customer. That means that local businesses are handed business that will help them keep their doors open. Buyers then assemble the speakers themselves. Individual components can be replaced as they wear out, and owners can make the repairs themselves. That means people will be able to keep their speakers out of landfill.

Art Under the Umbrellas is presented by La Quinta Arts Foundation on select Saturdays from October through April at Old Town La Quinta. Over 70 artists exhibit for sale all mediums including painting, sculpture, glass, jewelry, textile, photography, ceramic. Visit www.LQAF.com for more information on this and additional cultural events.

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

MARCH 5-18, 2012

Attend the 2012 Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance
February 17 – 26, 2012 Desert Auto Week

THE DESERT CLASSIC CONCOURS VINTAGE AND HISTORIC RACE
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 17, 18, & 19, 2012
AT CHUCKAWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY, Indio, California

TOUR CLASSIQUE
FORMAL ROAD TOUR FOR SELECT ENTRANTS FROM CONCOURS
Friday and Saturday, February 24 & 25, 2012

THE DESERT CLASSIC CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE
Sunday, February 26, 2012
At the Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa, in Rancho Mirage, California. In the heart of the Palm Springs valley.

The Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance is a 501(c)(3), non-profit corporation. Net proceeds from the event will be donated each year to our charity partners.

If you run a home based business, it can be confusing what deductions you can claim as business expenses. Thinking about an IRS audit can be scary. If you follow these guidelines, you can deduct legitimate expenses from your income.

1.  Your Home Office

This does not mean that you can count the family room if you write articles while watching television. What it means is that you must have a space that is designated as your home office, and used for no other purpose. It does not have to be an entire room; it can even be a section of the family room. The basic rule is that it should be obvious to anyone that it is your office.

If you measure the square footage of your office and divide it by the total square footage of your home, you will know the percentage that you can deduct from utilities and other home expenses.

2.  Auto Expenses

If you use your car for business travel, you can count mileage and parking costs. You will have to track and maintain a separate record of these expenses.

3.  Office Supplies

This can include files, pens, and paper, as well as office furniture. You will also list computers and other equipment such as copiers and fax machines. Software that you use for work will also count. Magazine subscriptions or association dues will count as deductions if it has a business purpose. For instance, if you run a photography studio, you can deduct the cost of a photographer’s magazine that has information meant to help you.

4.  Travel and Meals

If you travel for business you can deduct the expenses. You don’t have to stay in a cheap hotel or fly in the economy section. You can deduct one hundred percent of your hotel and travel expenses. This includes any expenses associated with traveling, including dry cleaning or renting a car.

You can only deduct half the cost of your meals as business expenses. This is one area you might want to scale back. The benefit is that if you take a client out to eat, you end up paying only for one.

5.  Health Insurance and Retirement

Premiums for your health insurance are completely deductible as long as it does not surpass your profit. If your spouse is an employee, their premiums are also deductible. If you make contributions to a retirement plan, you can count that on your list of deductions. You can also deduct half of the Social Security payments on your taxes.

There are several deductions you can claim on your tax return. The key is to keep an accurate record of everything, and consult an accountant if you have any questions. It is better to hire a professional to guide you through the maze of federal and state taxes, than have to deal with the IRS later.