meta-dad

Video Games Live for the family

Get ready to load up the kids and geek out in grand style humming along to the theme to Halo 3 with Video Games Live (VGL) because they may be coming to the concert hall near you. They are an amazing multimedia concert event featuring music from the most popular video games of all time. Top orchestras & More »

The ‘Great Recession’ – food stamps & the family

Everyone from the auto industry to the porn industry is looking for bailouts from a young motivated presidency still being tested in their first 100 days. The stock market is still heading south. Jobs are still wilting away with no promise of returning. This sour economy has affected many parents & families in profound ways and there is no looking back.

Regardless of whether you are an individual or an entire family in need, you need to find out the facts, the facts about what resources and services are available to you. If an individual or family is currently earning less than 130% of the Federal poverty level [FPL] and their current household assets are below $2,000 you may be eligible for More »

Simplicity play yard recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received at least five reports of one or more rails on the Simplicity Travel Tender Play Yards can collapse unexpectedly, posing a fall or entrapment hazard to young children. These were sold at the Burlington Coat Factory stores nationwide and online at Babiesrus.com, Target.com and Kohls.com from March 2005 through January 2009. The recalled play yards are portable and were sold with a bassinet, changing table and mobile features.

In the past year there have been a number of recalls for the now defunct Simplicity brand. In August 2008, a five month old Kansas child was strangled to death More »

Ford Transit Connect concept – Holy Grail or Hail Mary?

Yes, they refused the bailout offers, but considering the steady downward turn since Ford Motor Company’s peak in the late 90′s (1998 to be exact, when it hit just over $37 a share to the current $3.75) things should get interesting for the Consumer since they are going to have to put hybrid technology development on the front burner and essentially get ‘mean’ and ‘green’ with their designs. Enter the Ford Transit Connect, the perfect solution for forgetful & disorganized parents everywhere.

This kid hauler is stuffed with the following parent-friendly options; More »

Lego instructions & catalog resources

Considering he is four years old, my son does a great job keeping his various Lego kits sorted and put away. He has figured out if any of those pieces get lost he will not be able to complete his model the next time around. Unfortunately, he has had no luck hanging onto the the instructions and catalogs that come with each kit. They get torn, ripped and bit by bit they find their way to the trash can or the vacuum bag.

His pile of instruction sheets have all but vanished. With a little hunting (actually, it wasn’t that hard) I was able to find a couple fantastic sites that have a comprehensive catalog of free viewable/printable Lego instructions and catalogs, some reaching as far back as 1958! So whether you are searching in vain for the instructions for that Lego 2005 Mini Dumptruck or an obscure set from the 70′s, there’s a chance you will find it in one of these databases (listed below).

Sited & Related Links:
LegoAt.Com [*Official Lego Site]
Peeron Database
The Brick Factory

The Brickshelf [* Looking for inspiration for your next project? Check out this fantastic Lego User-based gallery]

And now for your moment of Zen…

Fanciful photos of classic juvenile horror from photographer, John Hoffine.