Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Those of you following the tech space probably know that Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced last week that it's acquiring Nest Labs, a maker of popular "smart thermostats" and "smart smoke/carbon monoxide detectors," which users can control via a wireless device, such as a smartphone or tablet. This $3.2 billion all-cash deal is the second-largest acquisition in Google's history, behind only its $12.5 billion Motorola buyout.

This acquisition means iRobot (NASDAQ: IRBT) investors now need to consider Google a potential competitor.

Google's now in the "smart house" market I recently wrote, "Google's Nest acquisition appears to be an initial step ... in the battle to win the "smart house," in an article which focused on Google's threat to Honeywell, a leader in the building automation space. This is one battle on Google's march toward its apparent goal of being a major player in the "Internet of Things," where autos, machines, people, and everyday objects will be seamlessly connected, providing users with instant feedback. (The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2014 is a play on this ultimate growth market. Click here if you'd like an instant free report on this under-the-radar company.)

Anything one can currently control wirelessly -- or potentially could control wirelessly -- in the home is now fair game for Google. This certainly includes automated cleaning devices -- and iRobot is the leader in this space. iRobot's bread-and-butter is the consumer robotics space -- which makes vacuuming, floor scrubbing and mopping, gutter cleaning, and pool cleaning bots -- as its home segment accounted for 88.5% of its $61.1 million in revenue generated through the first nine months of 2013. (The company is slated to announce fourth-quarter and full-year 2013 results on Feb. 5.)

In an article on iRobot's 2013 results and what investors should focus on in 2014 that I published before Google's Nest buyout, I wrote: "[M]y main concern is the company's (iRobot's) moat, as it needs to remain high enough to keep competitors at bay. ... Investors need to monitor the competitive landscape, which is heating up in the robotics space." My concern about iRobot's moat has been upped now that Google has entered the smart house space, and could potentially enter iRobot's domain.

iRobot's defense and security business accounted for 9.3% of revenue, while the remaining 2.3% came from miscellaneous other. The company is in the early stages of developing its remote presence and videoconferencing assistance bots, which are primarily targeted to the health-care industry. This business isn't expected to contribute meaningfully to revenue until 2015.

Google publicly stated after capping off its buying spree of eight robotics companies last year with its acquisition of Boston Dynamics that it won't be involved in the military space, as Boston Dynamics has been. So iRobot's defense business appears safe from competition from Google. This positive, however, is muted by the fact that this business has been struggling and experienced a 39% drop in revenue in the first nine months of 2013. iRobot's nascent enterprise business also seems safe, as Google's a consumer-focused company, and seems likely to remain so. (It seems likely Google's planning on using robots in its home delivery service; however, I consider this a consumer-focused business.)

What's next in Google's battle to win the house -- and "smart" it up? Certainly, iRobot investors need to ratchet up their monitoring of the competitive landscape now that Google has entered the home automation space. However, I think iRobot is safe -- at least for now.It seems to me that other home products, such as smart lighting, would be a much better next step for Google than cleaning robots.

First, there's more synergy between Nest's current products and smart lighting. The value proposition of saving energy costs via using Nest's Learning Thermostat, the company's best-selling flagship product introduced in 2011, could be extended to include using smart lighting. Additionally, lighting has the safety factor in common with Nest Protection, the smart smoke/carbon monoxide detector, launched last year.

Second, it seems more relevant information can be collected via people's lighting habits than their cleaning habits. Given Google's amazingly innovative when it comes to technology, it can be easy to forget that Google's core business is advertising. The better quality data Google collects on users, the more valuable is its primary product. Smart lighting offers immense data collection possibilities: bedtime and other sleep habits, hobbies and leisure activities (surely, a smart lighting product would include choices of various lighting tones and intensities, such as "read" or "chill out"), and even favorite colors, since smart lighting usually has the ability to change colors.

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What Does Google's Nest Acquisition Mean for iRobot?

Choose Your Type of Grass For The Best Time To Plant It

Your grass type must be either a cool season grass or a warm season grass. The time of planting will be determined by the type of grass -- click on the link below to find out the best time to plant your grass!

There are both Temperature ranges and Seasonal times in which certain grasses will perform best. Planting at other than these times can result in delayed germination or even failure and death of the seeds or seedlings. Read below a general recommendation from turf experts based on temperatures ranges. Check with your local Cooperative extension service for the best time to plant in your area.

TIPS ON WHEN TO PLANT COOL SEASON GRASSES - (Fescues, Kentucky Bluegrass, Bentgrass, Perennial Ryegrass). Cool season grasses are planted from the upper south and Midwest to Northern areas. These year-round green grasses are best planted in the fall and spring of each year. Early fall is considered by turf experts to be the best planting date because this allows for more growing time under ideal growth conditions (fall and spring growing season). Spring is considered second best. In some cases, planting in both fall and spring (2 times) can work to increase successful cover on problem areas.

Cool season grass germinates best when the soil temperatures are between 50 and 65 degrees F. These temperatures usually occur when the daytime air temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees. High temperatures of summer can cause these plants to go dormant and thus planting during summer is asking for problems. Start planting your cool season grass seeds when the temperatures reach 75 and are dropping as fall / winter approaches. Or have reached 60 and are rising in the spring. Planting in summer can occur, but irrigation becomes a critical factor in establishment. Planting when night time temperatures are above 70? should be avoided.

Dormancy often occurs in cool season grass growth at temperatures above 90 and below 50 degrees. Basically the cool season grass stops growing when dormancy occurs. Also, be aware that a freezes and/or frost can damage or kill immature seedlings that have not had enough growing time to harden off to survive a return to dormancy. That is why you should be careful about planting once soil temps are declining below 50 degrees. When day highs start going below 55 and the danger of a freeze or frost is present, you will have a HIGHER risk of the possibility of encountering problems.

TIPS ON WHEN TO PLANT WARM SEASON GRASSES - (Bahiagrass, Centipede, Zoysia, Bermudagrass, Buffalograss). Warm season grasses are planted from the upper south and mid-west to Southern areas. These seasonal grasses are best planted in the spring to late spring / early summer of each year. Early summer is considered by turf experts to be the best planting date because summer temperatures and rainfall allow for faster germination and rapid establishment of the grass. (Planting in most Southern US areas can occur from March through August - Later summer planting is possible further south - April/May may be earliest window for planting in more Northern state locations.

Warm season grasses grow best when the soil temperatures are above 70 degrees F. These temperatures usually occur when the daytime air temperature reaches around 80 degrees. Night time temps are also a GOOD indicator of the soil temps... When night time temps are 65-70 degrees your soil temps should be very close to the same temperature. Cool temperatures can inhibit germination and also cause adult plants to go dormant. Thus planting in the fall is more risky both because germination might occur and because of potential risk of damage to smaller seedlings from an early frost or freeze

Most failures with warm season grasses occur because of planting too early! If you are anxious and start planting warm season grasses while the soil temp is still cool in early spring... This can result in weeds germinating (while your seeds wait for warmer temps) and taking up plant "turf space" limiting the intended grass from germination in that area. Later when your new grass seeds germinate a lot of the turf space is already occupied by larger robust weeds that take valuable resources from your new grass (Weeds soak up moisture, nutrients, sunlight and occupy real estate / soil area).

BEST RESULTS Occur with planting in late spring or early summer. This is best for warm season grasses once temperatures (soil 65-70 degrees plus are ideal) reach acceptable levels AND all danger of freeze / frost is past.

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When to Plant Grass Seed | Best Time To Plant Grass Seed

Propagation Trays - Celled Trays | Plug trays | nursery propagation | seeder trays
Plugs in horticulture are small-sized seedlings grown in trays from expanded polystyrene or polythene filled usually with a peat or compost substrate. This t...

By: Rajesh Potdar

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Propagation Trays - Celled Trays | Plug trays | nursery propagation | seeder trays - Video

Contributed photo Look for products containing only Pendimethalin to control crab grass.

Dear Neil: Several of your columns over the past couple of years have suggested Halts or Dimension for crab grass and grassbur control. I have found Halts, but online there appear to be several types of Halts. What would you recommend?

A: I think you are seeing the same Halts product (Pendimethalin), but combined with different types of fertilizers. I am not a big advocate of weed-and-feed combination products. Its my opinion that the two processes need to be done separately because the timing is different. You need to apply pre-emergent herbicides earlier than the first lawn feeding. You should be able to find the Halts by itself, without fertilizer added in. Dimension products are widely available through local independent retail garden centers, so they are another option. Those stores should be getting their early spring supplies in very soon.

Dear Neil: I have an oak with a cavity. Can I use some type of wood filler to fill it and even the surface out?

A: Certified arborists advise against that. Filling cavities adds no strength to the trees trunk, and it encapsulates any decay that might be present. Youre really better off just allowing the tree to form new bark across the open wound. If you see a roll of bark forming uniformly across the opening, youre on your way. If it is not forming, and if the decay seems to be getting worse, you need to call a certified arborist for an on-site inspection.

Dear Neil: My creeping fig has frozen and turned brown. I can see green underneath. How can I get rid of the ugly brown growth on top?

A: Im assuming that youre talking about fig ivy that is growing against a flat wall, and Im also assuming that the green that youre seeing underneath is beneath all of the clinging runners. If so, you could take a stout push broom and try brushing the vines. The dead leaves might pull loose from the action and fall to the ground. You could even brush across them gently with a large scrub brush to see if that would help. Dont apply enough pressure to pull the vines off the wall. And the good news is that even if you decide to do nothing, the green leaves will quickly conceal the browned stubble starting in late winter. This wont be a problem in six to eight weeks.

Dear Neil: My El Toro zoysia has thinned in patches due to extreme water restrictions and heat. Could I overseed the bare areas with Bermuda? Would the two be compatible? What suggestions do you have?

A: Do not plant Bermuda seed. You dont want two grasses growing in the same space. It never works out, because they always behave and look very differently. If you want Bermuda, you would want to remove the zoysia either with a shovel or sod cutter, or by applying glyphosate herbicide once it has greened up and is growing. Then you could rototill the soil and plant either sod or seed of whatever Bermuda variety you wanted. But I would not recommend that. Its a ton of work, and El Toro is a handsome lawngrass. If I had your lawn, once water restrictions were lessened and if I could see my way clear to reasonable waterings, I would dig plugs from my El Toro and plant them into the bare areas. That way youd be sure of a match.

Dear Neil: I have five very large redtip photinias. I need to cut them way back because theyre encroaching on my driveway. When and how do I do that?

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Weed, feed processes need to be done separately because timing is different

Sarah McAllister - YOUR UNIQUE QI IN BUSINESS - The Soul-Preneur Sessions
Sarah McAllister - YOUR UNIQUE QI IN BUSINESS - The Soul-Preneur Sessions What Are We Talking About? YOUR UNIQUE: Join me Yvette Taylor as I speak to Sarah ...

By: The Social Source

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Sarah McAllister - YOUR UNIQUE QI IN BUSINESS - The Soul-Preneur Sessions - Video

MANILA - A feng shui expert predicts love, fame, and tempers flying for "TV Patrol" anchors this 2014.

Citing several chart readings for the Year of the Wooden Horse, feng shui master Hanz Cua predicted a year ahead filled with love and relationships for newscaster Ted Failon.

"Maraming siyang dadating na love luck. Magagandang babae at mga batang babae ang energy ng kanyang romance star this 2014," he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Given his luck with relationships, Failon was encouraged by Cua to seek different business partners. The feng shui expert cautioned him, however, against neglecting his health.

"Bantayan niya 'yung health niya kasi ang kanyang immune system ay weak nitong 2014," he said.

Co-anchor Noli de Castro, who was born during the Year of the Ox, would also have similar luck this 2014, according to Cua, but one that translates into more job opportunities and television projects.

"Nasa number three siya [Ox] sa luckiest animal this 2014 so marami akong nakikitang career upward, career promotion this 2014. At the same time, sa relationship luck, very strong," he said.

"Maraming surprise, bagong mga projects, things and opportunities para kay Noli de Castro this 2014," he added.

Meanwhile, Cua advised Sanchez on handling certain issues in 2014. "Huwag niya patulan 'yung mga issues, dahil kapag nagtimpi siya o hindi niya pinansin, unti-unting mawawala yung makukulit na energy na 'yan."

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Feng shui expert predicts romance for 'TV Patrol' anchor

By ROBERT R. REQUINTINA

President Aquino should remain a bachelor if he wants to get lucky in life.

This was the unsolicited advice of popular Feng Shui Master Hanz Cua, during a press conference in Mandaluyong City, in preparation for Chinese New Year that will welcome the Year of the Horse on January 31.

Based on his forecast, Aquino has double self-penalty sign on his Feng Shui charts that spells trouble. His House of Spouse has a problem. That signifies gulo. Possible na mag-kakaroon siya ng sakit ng ulo kung mag-aasawa sya. If ever he will get married, mag-hi-hiwalay din sila. He should remain a bachelor all his life, Master Hanz said. Aquino has been linked to several personalities. In 2011, Aquino said that he wish to get married after he steps down from office in 2016.

Master Hanz, Asias youngest Feng Shui master, suggested that Aquino could go on dates but he should never get serious about his relationships with them to the point of discussing marriage. Girlfriend lang dapat sa kanya, hindi pwede ang asawa.

Master Hanz also encouraged the public to eat spicy food and get lucky this year. Makakadag-dag swerte ang pag-kain ng maaanghang, spicy dishes and chili dahil marami tayong Fire element this year. Pati madalas na pag-prepare ng mainit na sabaw makakabuti rin. Magiging maganda ang flow ng luck natin with these dishes, he said.

But Master Hanz said that the public should be moderate in preparing spicy food because too much of everything is not good.

Earlier, Master Hanz forecast 2014 to be a hot year as disasters continue to devastate parts of the country.

We will experience hotter weather this year. Rain will be less which will create havoc to the agriculture sector, he said.

Master Hanz added: Its the Year of the Horse. The Wood and Fire elements will be dominant in 2014. And because it will be hot this year, water is expected to evaporate fast. Its effect could trigger strong weather disturbances. Another super typhoon is not far-fetched. Later, we should expect heavy rains and more floods, said Master Cua.

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Don’t get married, PNoy told

25 January 2014| last updated at 09:07PM

A CLOSE relative of the mangosteen, the happiness tree is not only ornamental, but also serves as a barrier against strong winds. It is a good addition to smaller gardens and exposed yards. For many people, it is an auspicious tree.

PLANT NAMES

A native of the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan, the tree, (botanical name: Garcinia subelliptica), is a member of the Clusiaceae family that has various local names. In Taiwan and Japan, it is called fukugi, meaning happiness tree in Chinese. It is also known as the fortune tree, perhaps because the leaves resemble the shape and colour of an ancient Japanese coin. Other names include the Philippines Fortune Tree and common Garcinia.

FAVOURED TREE

Some 300 years ago, feng shui masters assisted in the settlement of new villages and improvement of the landscapes in Okinawa. The goal was to achieve harmony between man and nature.

Greening was stressed to rid evil spirits and to enhance good energy. Fukugi trees, along with ryukyu pines and other native trees, were functionally planted to protect the landscape from typhoons and monsoon winds through multi-layered tree planting.

Since fukugi trees were intentionally grown and settled among forest belts based on feng shui concepts, they were considered auspicious. One such tree, estimated to be almost 400 years old, grew more than 15m high. Fukugi trees have very long lives and can grow into magnificent trees.

UNIQUE LEAVES AND BARK

Besides being a capable windbreaker, the tall and robust fukugi is also salt resistance. It is, therefore, suitable to be grown in coastal areas. The tree has beautiful leathery green leaves and its bark can be used to make reddish dye. New leaves are bright green and turn dark green when mature. The simple ovate, tough fleshy leaves are arranged in a spiral manner in opposite pairs. They have smooth margins and their mid-veins are raised. The top side is dark green while the underside is yellow-green. The apex is broad, rounded and a little notched.

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Tree of good luck

PORT WASHINGTON (WITI) The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is using a tool to help keep drivers safe while battling the whipping winds of winter. Its something you probably pass every day without even noticing.

Whether its permanent snow fences or temporary snow fences, we have programs in place for some of our more rural roads, said Mike Pyritz with the Wisconsin DOT.

One fence, built on I-43 near Port Washington a few years ago was a pilot program of sorts, as the structure is much larger than a typical snow fence. The stretch of highway had a history of high winds and drifting snow.

One of the leading problems that we have with the wind and the snow is creating the black ice on the roadways, so we try to monitor and make the adjustments to keep the roadways just as safe as possible, said Pyritz.

The strategy continues to evolve as the DOT works on creating more natural barriers using plants and bushes to help block winds.Permission from landowners is needed any time fences are built on property not owned by the state.

The DOT says the more snow it can keep from blowing on the road, the less money any municipality will have to spend on snowplowing to get the snow back off the road.

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DOT creates snow fences to help keep drivers safe

January 25, 2014 AS I SEE IT: Fences bring back memories

Marjorie Anderson Special to The Sun The Edmond Sun Sat Jan 25, 2014, 09:46 AM CST

EDMOND Outside my office window I can see a portion of the second newest fence on this place. Yellow Jasmine climbs that gray fence, emerging from gaps in the low hedge that I planted myself atop a low retaining wall some time ago. The back fence I had replaced after a windstorm a couple years ago is the newest, but not so new that it hasnt also turned gray. The south fence is the oldest. Its grayer than gray and it could do with a good replacing, but not as long as its still standing. In Mending Walls, the poet Robert Frost writes of a neighbor who says, Good fences make good neighbors. My neighbors are good, but I suspect its their nature and not the fences that make them so.

Theres a lot to be said for fences. I was 2 years old when a Montana Department of Highways employee named Bob Fletcher wrote Dont Fence Me In and sold it to Cole Porter for $250. I first heard the song as a budding teen when my hero Roy Rogers sang it in the movie Hollywood Canteen. It wasnt long before even my parents and their friends were whistling along or singing the lyrics: Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above. Dont fence me in. Remember? Catchy tune, but Im personally more comfortable being fenced in.

Not fenced in claustrophobically, though. At a different place and time I had a split-rail fence built to surround my corner lot, but I had them leave a gap on the off-street side and another in the back so my neighbors could come and go.

One of my fence installers was a burly high school student. I can still see him lying flat on his belly, one arm buried up to his shoulder in the hole he had dug and was clearing of rocks to accommodate a fence post. The temperature had fallen to barely above freezing. He grinned up at me through mud-flecked teeth when I went out to check on him. Steel dont get cold, he assured me. He and the Wisteria vines that eventually covered that fence are among my finest memories.

Not so fine is my memory of the fence I burned to the ground when I was sent to empty my aunts trash into the burning bin located between the garage and the fence. Who knew live embers remained in the bin? Or that paint rags were in the bottom of the trash can I emptied into it? The fire took the fence and a spindly old apricot tree, but the garage was saved while I quaked beneath the bed where Id hidden.

Purple and yellow Morning Glory vines had always climbed the fence that I reduced to ashes. For as long as she lived, my aunt saw to it that Morning Glory vines continued to climb its replacement.

MARJORIE ANDERSON is an Edmond resident.

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AS I SEE IT: Fences bring back memories