Clear Blue Test Only SMOG Station
3790 Hopyard Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 462-7664

At that time the price was very competitive and the service was fast and efficient. However this time when I pulled up to the station a man in a heavy eastern block accent informed me that the smog check for my car would run $110. He would make me a good deal though. Not being too interested in haggling over the price of a smog check, I returned to my research.

This time the winner was:

Harry’s Auto Repair
183 Wyoming Street
Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 462-3237

Since my last research Harry has received Gold Shield certification, and the online coupon made the cost of the smog check $35. Certificate and ETF brought the grand total to $45 out the door.

I brought my car to Harry’s Auto for repairs a couple of years ago. At that time the repair service was good, price was fair, but customer service left a little to be desired. This time I noticed a marked improvement in the customer service aspect, including a nice, clean waiting room. They did march me back out to read my own odometer, so not an A plus, but much better than last time.

My car barely passed, but did, and I was in and out in 15 or 20 minutes. Compare 4 Consumers recommends Harry’s Auto Repair for your Pleasanton Gold Shield Smog Check needs.

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Ahwahnee Hotel

Because your hotel selection within Yosemite is limited (most people tend to stay in tents or RVs) what you are paying for when you stay at the Ahwahnee, besides the history, and the unique decor and architecture, is convenience. Yosemite can get quite crowded, especially during peak season and parking can be a problem. The Ahwahnee’s free valet parking, which is also available directly prior or after your stay, can be a major benefit.

As you might expect of a luxury hotel with little competition, the prices are high and the service is good, but not great. The college-age staff is the bright spot, while service from the older staff can be lackluster. However remember when you are staying at the Ahwahnee you are there for the beauty of Yosemite, and the ease of access that the hotel gives you.

Please note the details of the tour described below may be subject to change. Check with Livermore Wine and Cycle Tours to confirm the details of your tour, should you decide to take one.

Livemore Wine and Cycle Tours runs half-day tours of the Livemore Valley Wine Country. You can either bring your own bicycle, or rent one at Livermore Cyclery. If you rent, they’ll handle the transportation of the bikes to and from they cycle shop.

To kick things off they host a gourmet antipasto lunch at Campo di Bocci in Livermore, right outside of Ruby Hill in Pleasanton. There you will start off your sampling of some great Livermore Valley wines, along with some great food, and possibly a quick game of bocci ball.

Event Room - Campo Di Bocci in Livermore

Outdoor Bocci Court - Campo Di Bocci in Livermore

Ready to Ride - Livermore Wine and Cycle Tours

We visited two wineries, Deer Ridge and Tenuta Vineyards. The bike ride had some steep grades, and crossed some busy streets, but overall it was non-strenuous. It will be most enjoyable if you are in shape, but it’s not a requirement.

Deer Ridge Vineyards
http://www.deerridgevineyards.com/
From Campo di Bocci we took the 3 mile ride to Deer Ridge Vineyards, where we enjoyed some barrel tasting. The owner Carl was our host and provided a very interesting take, including history and information on winemaking.

Deer Ridge Vineyards - Livermore Valley Wine Country

Barrel Tasting - Deer Ridge Vineyards

We received a 15% discount and many people purchased the Moonstruck, which we were told would sell out fast.

Tenuta Vineyards
http://www.tenutawinery.com/

Tenuta Vineyards

The next 3 mile trek took us to Tenuta Vineyards. We started off in the main tasting room and sampled our choice of wines, and then were taken on a short tour of the plant on our way to the barrel tasting room. We passed through a room were another group was custom blending their own wines as a team building exercise. Our entertaining tour guide also mentioned that the winery was being considered for the subject of a reality television show.

Bottling Machine in Production Area - Tenuta Vineyards

Finally we took the 3 mile ride back to our meeting place at Campo di Bocci, or tour was finished. Overall an enjoyable half-day introduction the Livermore Valley Wine County.

• Don’t use ant spray around the bait. It will repel ants, and they will not be attracted to the food substance in the bait.
• Use baits with boric acid, borax, fipronil, hydramethylnon, or arsenic as the active ingredient.
• Keep several different baits on hand because ants can change their food preferences. If one bait isn’t working, you may want to try another before deciding on an exterminator.
• Don’t use baits outside when it is raining.
• When ants are gone, remove the bait, so you don’t attract more.
• Baits will take 2 to 5 weeks to kill the entire colony. If the ant trail becomes thick after placing the ant bait, that is a good sign. It means that they are carrying a lot of bait back to the nest. After a few days to a week, the trail should get smaller, until it eventually disappears, along with the colony!

We tested the following products:

1. Bumble Bee - Solid White Albacore - In Water

Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore in Water

2. Chicken of the Sea - Chunk White Albacore Tuna - In Water

Chicken of the Sea Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water

First, we opened the tuna cans and drained the water. We immediately noticed a difference.

Bumble Bee Tuna in Can

Bumble Bee tuna drained nicely. We were able to get much of the water off, leaving the dry, flakey meat.

Chicken of the Sea Tuna in can.

We were only able to decant about one third the amount of water from the Chicken of the Sea Tuna. What was left was a very wet Tuna/Water emulsion. It did not appear to be chunk tuna.

You can see the difference in consistency in the bowl. Bumble Bee was dry and ready to be served, or made into tuna salad, wheras Chicken of the Sea was too wet to have mayonaise or other dressing added.

Bumble Bee Tuna in bowl. Dry and chunky.

Chicken of the Sea in bowl. Too wet for salad.

In the final taste test, Bumble Bee had a far superior texture and taste compared to Chicken of the Sea. Compare4Consumers recommends Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water!

In this article we will compare three providers of affordable stock photography:

iStockphoto.com

Bigstockphoto.com

Shutterstock.com

For the sake of comparison we have chosen two images - a blue toaster, and the skyline of Sacramento, California. We’ll compare the quality and number of availble images, pricing, and ease of search.

Blue Toasters

iStock Photo - 13 matches - all relevant

iStockphoto - best choice

Big Stock Photo

8 matches - all relevant

Big Stock Photo - Best Choice

Shutterstock - 24 matches - most relevant - no photo’s of blue toaster available

Shutterstock - Best Choice

Sacramento Skyline

iStockphoto - 96 matches - all relevant

iStockphoto - Best Choice

Big Stock Photo - 21 matches - most relevant

Big Stock Photo - Best Choice

Shutterstock - 65 matches - all relevant

Shutterstock - Best Choice

Pricing

Comparing pricing for pay-as-you go options, all providers were in the same ballpark, with small images costing less than $5 apiece and large images costing less than $10 apiece. Shutterstock was the highest priced for the large images, but also offered a “super” size, which is 8000px wide.

Analysis

Both Shutterstock and Big Stock Photo served up some irrelevant results. When digging through hundereds of thumbnails to find just the right photo, this can be a big waste of time. iStockphoto seemed to serve up a higher number of consistently high quality, relevant photos, and was in the middle of pricing. We were not happy at all with the selection of photos served up by Big Stock Photo, and although Shutterstock did have some good images, Compare 4 Consumers recommends iStockPhoto.com for your affordable stock photograpy needs.

The easiest way to search for spa tubs is by size, style or manufacture. The following is a list of top twelve manufactures with a wide variety of sizes and styles. Warranties vary with model and manufacturer.

• American Bath Factory
• Aquatic Industries
• Laurel Mountain
• Americh Whirlpools
• Pearl
• Jacuzzi
• Jetta
• Maax
• Swirl Way
• St. Thomas
• Safety Tubs
• Water Dance Baths

Unique features are the website focus for each of the different manufactures. Safety Tubs offer Walk-in-tubs for the handicap bath solution. Jetta has a “Stay Hot Guarantee”. Their environmentally friendly foam insulation combined with a warm air induction system allows the tub to stay within 2 degrees even after 30 minutes.

Laurel Mountain claims unparalleled quality, dependability, ease of installation and service ability.

The most common motor size is 2HP. Elite series are 3HP and custom units can be much larger. The standard length is 60” but Pearl offers two models at 59 ¾”. Width can vary greatly with the shape configuration. Acrylic colors are available depending on model and manufacturer.

Don’t put your life in the hands of a lawyer with limited courtroom experience. In Walnut Creek, O’Connor, Runckel and O’Malley is definitely the best choice for a DUI Defense law firm.

The top five manufactures sited in the 2009 Buyers Guide are Thermador, Viking, Bosch, GE and Electrolux. The top ten brands and models included Kenmore, Frigidaire and Whirlpool. KitchenAid Superba was rated twelfth. The ratings for these appliances reflect capacity, baking, broiling and self-cleaning ability of the specific model. All rated models are electric but gas wall ovens are also available.

I have chosen to focus on two wall oven models in the mid price range with an overall score of “very good” in the 2009 Consumer Report Buying Guide and one higher priced unit.  I have also included information on the KitchenAid 24” double convection oven and the GE Profile Advantium SpeedCook Wall Oven.

The most common size for today’s wall oven is 30 inches. Most styles and models are also available with a 27 inch width and some as wide as 36 inches.  I am currently working on an older kitchen where the existing cabinets require a 24 inch double wall unit. The availability of the smaller width will be addressed with each of the five brands/models individually.

Consumer Reports claims that the higher price for a Bosch and the Kenmore (Sears) gives you well rounded performance and a temperature probe. GE is cheaper but the cooking/heating is not as even. Frigidaire Gallery is also cheaper but less capacity.