My Solution to "UnPlugging"

I have compiled a small list of "what to get" for those wanting to "unPlug." It can seem daunting at first, but in order to stay connected to television and disconnected from the absorbently high cable bill, it's going to take a tad.

When I say tad, I mean just around $50 - $75 (more for aesthetics) for the antenna. It's going to cost a bit more if you actually want to record shows OTA (over the air) and then a little bit more in order to download them and watch them on your iPhone (which is actually pretty awesome.)

Here is the list and as always, you could help out elijahnicolas.com but using the links provided below or in my amazon store. Thanks! If anything, go with the either antenna and the Tivo Roamio first. You can get the Tivo Stream later or even if that's important at all to you.

The Tivo Roamio, Moku HD Antenna, Amazon Basic HD Antenna, & Tivo Stream are also in my Amazon Store. This makes it easier to check out all the individual links in one space. Enjoy!

JetBlue x Manhattan Portage Sustainability Project

Now's your chance to own some of JetBlue Airways' previous uniforms. Familiar pieces from the uniform line include the pilot shirt with embroidered wings to the flight attendant tie, shirt and scarf make up some of Manhattan Portages newest pieces. Grab the limited set while you can!

The Manhattan Portage X JetBlue City Lights Bag is constructed out of recycled JetBlue pilot shirts. Keeping the original garment pocket and pilot wings, the City Lights Bag is a perfect organizational companion. Domestically and internationally, it loves to tag along! Buy here

The Manhattan Portage x JetBlue Toiletry Case is designed to carry all your important travel necessities. This "above the wing" piece is made entirely from recycled flight attendant uniform materials - the exterior body is JetBlue's signature windowpane shirt, the lining is a scarf and the easy grab-and-go handle is a necktie! Buy here

I'm thinking about picking up either or or maybe both! And Just in case you wanted something larger, check out the Manhattan Portage x JetBlue Europa.

Enhance Your Self & Work it Out!

The benefits of exercise on physical health are no secret, but there is also an increasing amount of evidence to suggest that it can help emotional and mental well-being as well. For example, studies have suggested that it can enhance mood states, boost self-esteem and even help those with anxiety and mild depression. It’s thought that physical activity can trigger changes in brain chemistry, which can in turn have positive effects on our mood. But that might not be where exercise’s effects on the brain end, as a new study suggests exercise could be associated with changes in brain structure.

It's all about working out! And if you needed any more convincing that it's good for you, the Mayo Clinic has some more great insight!

Andrew Zimmern's Top Spots in San Diego

Andrew Zimmern vlogs about his three top choices in San Diego. One of them was featured on his show and all three are listed below after the video.

Love his tip about avoiding the Gaslamp District. But I'm more excited to hit up Nobu and try some fresh sea urchin!

Izakaya Masa / yelp

Hodad's / yelp

Tita's Kitchenette

Changing Your Teacher's Computer Wallpaper is Now Hacking

Sheriff Chris Nocco said Thursday that Green logged onto the school's network on March 31 using an administrative-level password without permission. He then changed the background image on a teacher's computer to one showing two men kissing.

I probably would have put something else more light hearted. But being arrested? A little overboard. What do you think? And shockingly enough, the administrative password that were used at the school were teacher's last names?! That's just being smart in my book on the kid and very unsecure on their part.

via Tampa Bay Times

Do Pilots Still 'Fly' the Plane?

True, these days pilots spend only a short amount of time with their hands on the control column or stick. But that does not mean we aren’t controlling the airplane throughout the entire flight. Our hands might not be steering the airplane directly, as would have been the case in decades past, but almost everything the airplane does is commanded, one way or the other, by the crew. The automation only does what we tell it to do. On the 767 that I fly, there are multiple ways to set up and command any routine climb, descent or change of course. Meanwhile, more than 99 percent of landings, and a full 100 percent of takeoffs, are performed manually.

Exactly what I'd tell you when you ask me, "Isn't it always on autopilot anyways?" Great Op-Ed by Patrick Smith.

More Sex, Better Sleep

Is more sex before bed the answer to getting a good night's sleep? "Not only do I generally agree with that, but there is some good data to support it," says Nicole Prause, Ph.D., a top sex researcher at UCLA. "But, in all of the literature and research, we don’t know if it helps improve the quality of sleep. It's never been looked at. We just know that sex can get you to sleep and to get your brain off what it's ruminating about and that can lead to better sleep."

"There is one good study done in Germany that says when you have an orgasm, oxytocin and vasopressin both go high and they stay high for at least an hour. They did an experiment where they injected male rats with vasopressin and the rats immediately started yawning like crazy. It was actually really cute. This does show that orgasms—whether it's via sex with a partner or masturbation—can help you fall asleep faster."

Filing it under future reference. ^_^

My Choice For Portable Battery Chargers

When you find yourself in and out of subway stations and out and about in the city of New York, I bet that your smart phone quickly runs out of battery. Mine sure does and for that, I highly recommend carrying a lipstick size battery pack. The exact one is from Anker called the Astro Mini 3200mAh. It packs a powerful punch and is almost unnoticeable in your jacket pocket. It's also the #1 rater on Amazon for Camera Flash Battery Packs.

Pair that with a NomadKey Lightning to USB and you have yourself a perfect little pocket charging device. Take my word, you'll thank me later. For the Android or Windows Mobile folds, there's also a USB Mini variant of the NomadKey. I have both! =)

Losing Bookmark Icons and Getting Them Back on iOS

For those using iOS devices and find that their icons / bookmarks disappear or end up looking like targets on your home screen, the solution below works.

A more simple method is to swich to bold text and then back to normal text in - general - accessibility section of settings. Your phone will do a partial restart but only takes a few seconds. This causes the system to do a screen refresh similar to the language change method but a lot quicker.

by ctethompson via Apple Discussions

Another technique is to change out your language setting. I went from English to English (UK) and I got them back! Some other have used Japanese or Deutsch but getting back to English (US) could be difficult if you don't remember where the setting was or read that language. Good luck and happy swiping.