http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/Bryan-Carey Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:02:38 GMT Reviews by Bryan-Carey http://www.viewpoints.com/Samuel-Adams-Pale-Ale-review-3a5e   Samuel Adams is undoubtedly the most popular craft brewing operation in the United States and its products can be found everywhere. Ask someone to name a Samuel Adams product, however, and you will likely hear one of a handful of styles like Boston Lager, Boston Ale, Cherry Wheat, and others even though the company brews about thirty different beers. One product you don't hear much about is Samuel Adams Pale Ale, an English style pale ale. — — Beer Commentary: — — Samuel Adams Pale Ale offers a golden/orange color with carbonation that is below average, leading to an average or below amount of foam, even though the foam does leave some lace. The body of this beer is completely clear and the nose is a little bit grassy and herbal, with the faintest touch of fruit. — — Samuel Adams Pale Ale offers a flavor that doesn't emphasize any one flavor. It combines the tastes of pale malt, toasted caramel, a touch of apple, and some earthy hop... Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:02:38 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Samuel-Adams-Pale-Ale-review-3a5e Bryan-Carey 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Complete-Guide-to-Day-Trading-review-732f4 Most everyone would like a little more financial security in life. Some fulfill this desire by improving education and hoping for a promotion at work. Others leave the workplace and open their own business. These are common approaches to improving one's cash flow, and they are generally good approaches even though success is not guaranteed. — There is one other way to improve income and it doesn't require incorporating as a business or earning an advanced degree. It is the home- based business known as day trading and, if done right, it can help individuals break the eight to five workday rut and earn a very good living. It certainly helps to know the trade before starting, and one book that aims to teach day traders the ropes is The Complete Guide to Day Trading, a book by day trader expert Markus Heitkoetter. — Book Commentary: — Day trading as a profession is growing in popularity but the fact remains that most day traders come up on the losing end of the deal.... Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:19:28 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Complete-Guide-to-Day-Trading-review-732f4 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Baltika-Baltika-6-Porter-review-d2595   Ask someone to name a European country known for beer and the first places that come to mind are usually Germany, England, Ireland, and possibly a few others. But some countries that are not known for beer have demonstrated their ability to create some tasty suds and one of them is Russia. Its Baltika products are quite good and there are approx. a dozen styles to choose from. One of Baltika's many good products is Baltika Number 6 Porter, a sweet, dark brew. — — Beer Commentary: — — Baltika Number 6 Porter is very dark brown, almost black in color and a moderate pour is all that is necessary to produce a hefty head of tan- colored foam that lasts for a good long time. The nose on this porter isn't very pronounced, but if you concentrate, you will notice essences of malt, a little chocolate, and some roasted notes. — — Baltika Number 6 Porter offers a taste that combines sweet malt with a little bit of chocolate malt, roasted malt, and... Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:16:57 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Baltika-Baltika-6-Porter-review-d2595 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Oral-B-CrossAction-Pro-Health-manual-toothbrush-review-b5041 Everyone agrees that it is vitally important to clean and take care of their teeth, but with so many different cleaning devices available, how can one possibly determine which one is best? Electric toothbrushes offer certain advantages, but a manual toothbrush can be just as effective at removing plaque and keeping the mouth healthy. Even among manual toothbrushes there are dozens of choices and one of the more unique tooth- cleaning devices I had the chance to try recently is the Oral- B Cross- Action Pro- Health Toothbrush, a large manual toothbrush. — Toothbrush Commentary: — Oral- B manufactured this toothbrush in a unique way that supposedly makes it more effective at cleaning teeth and promoting better oral hygiene. Part of its promotional material is its claim that it provides "Seven Benefits for a Cleaner, Healthier Mouth". They are: —... Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:21:38 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Oral-B-CrossAction-Pro-Health-manual-toothbrush-review-b5041 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Girls-Like-Us-Carole-King-Joni-Mitchell-Carly-Simon-and-the-Journey-of-a-Generation-review-3e4d1 Music has had a great impact on the human experience and this is especially true during the 1960's and early 1970's when musical artists began to sing about everything from civil rights to ending the military conflict in Vietnam to living together in harmony. Once basically an entertainment medium, music quickly became a means to influence, with several individual performers and bands coming forward to voice their concerns about social justice, war, and other like topics. In this book, Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, and the Journey of a Generation, author Sheila Weller walks the reader through the lives of three important women of music who were pioneers during this era of social upheaval and whose influences are still felt today. — Book Commentary: — Girls Like Us is piece of pop music history about three women who greatly influenced music and whose influence can still be felt all around us. Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon are three... Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:01:55 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Girls-Like-Us-Carole-King-Joni-Mitchell-Carly-Simon-and-the-Journey-of-a-Generation-review-3e4d1 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Leinenkugel-Summer-Shandy-review-a22e2 Seasonal beer products are a welcome event and I often anticipate the change of seasons for this reason (okay, we don't really change seasons much in Houston, but you get the idea). I like winter brews most of all, but the other seasons are not without their share of memorable drinking moments. One seasonal that is pretty interesting and quite refreshing is Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, a beer made for the summer season. — — Beer Commentary: — — Leinenkugel Summer Shandy pours to a cloudy yellow/gold color with very little foam. The nose of this beer is unmistakably lemony, with the scent of cereal grains in the background. — This summer brew is lemony more than anything, with a taste that reminds me of lemon zest along with the faint taste of wheat malt in the background. Summer Shandy leans toward the sweet side end of the spectrum, but not by much. There are some sour notes and the slight taste of honey blended with the citrus. There is little or no... Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:44:17 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Leinenkugel-Summer-Shandy-review-a22e2 Bryan-Carey 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/In-the-Swim-Leslies-Pool-Supplies-review-4b974 I have been a pool owner for several years running and during that time, I have developed a tendency to shop for the best deals on pool supplies without compromising quality. When I first purchased a home with an in-ground pool back in 2003, my attitude was very different. "Buy whatever is cheapest", I would usually say, "Shock is shock- it's all the same". But over time, I realized that the differences between different pool chemicals and other supplies are far greater than I realized. And with this realization, I began to shop around for the best place to purchase pool supplies online. — I have used many different web sites to purchase pool chemicals, but the two online stores I shop at most frequently are IntheSwim.com and Lesliespool.com: The web addresses for In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies respectively. Which online store is best overall? Let's take a look: — What Do These Web Services Offer?: — In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies both offer... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:45:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/In-the-Swim-Leslies-Pool-Supplies-review-4b974 Bryan-Carey 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Top-Five-Online-Brokerage-Services-review-e9c95 Investing is an important part of the financial routines of most families and individuals. We get our paycheck, pay our bills, set aside money for basic expenditures, and, hopefully, have something left over for investment. For some, their 401k is their sole investment and since it is deducted automatically from paychecks, there is no need to worry about it or budget for it. But for those without a 401k (or for the serious investor who has a 401k but wants more), it will likely be necessary to establish a brokerage account with an established financial services company for investment purposes. — Online brokerage services continue to grow in number and most of them offer similar services to members. How, then, does an investor decide which service is best? Since the actual customer service aspect is very subjective and since everyone has a different opinion on what good customer service is, it is usually best to evaluate an online brokerage service by looking at the pros and... Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:57:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Top-Five-Online-Brokerage-Services-review-e9c95 Bryan-Carey 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Lagunitas-Brewing-Lucky-13-Mondo-Large-Red-Ale-review-b5eb1   Located in Petaluma, California, Lagunitias Brewing Company is a craft brewing operation that is known for its bold, flavorful brews. This brewery offers a good mix of regular and seasonal products, along with the occasional special release beer. An example of the latter is  Lagunitas Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale, a beer with a strong hop presence. — — Beer Commentary: — — Lagunitas Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale is copper in color and has a clear, see- through body with a solid head of foam. The nose is spicy, hoppy, and a little bit fruity with some hints of pine cones. There is less citrus in the nose than with other west- coast ales, but the scent of citrus is there, hidden behind the scents of pine and spice. — — Lagunitas Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale offers the flavor of caramelized malt along with piney hops and a slightly toasted malt character. Citrus taste is present as well, with some grapefruit notes followed by a dry... Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:58:04 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Lagunitas-Brewing-Lucky-13-Mondo-Large-Red-Ale-review-b5eb1 Bryan-Carey 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Homebrewing-for-Dummies-review-b4a50 Brewing beer takes time and patience. Contrary to popular belief, brewing quality beer is no cakewalk, and it involves dedication to the hobby and special attention to all aspects of the brewing process. The equipment must be perfectly clean and properly sanitized. The yeast must be pitched at just the right temperature. The hops must be added to the boil at the precise point in the heating cycle. These and other steps must be followed diligently or else the batch of homebrew could end up undrinkable. — Once the basics have been mastered, homebrewing can be an enjoyable hobby. It always helps to have a little bit of guidance, and one book that helps homebrewer's navigate the process from the initial cleaning stage all the way through bottling, storage, and evaluation is Homebrewing for Dummies, 2nd Edition, a book by beer guru Marty Nachel. Book Commentary: — Homebrewing for Dummies is a complete guide for homebrewers at different levels and it serves as a... Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:42:25 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Homebrewing-for-Dummies-review-b4a50 Bryan-Carey 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/What-If-I-Tell-review-e3c73   Everyone has secrets. Some secrets are more private than others, and often we tell no one about them except for our best friend and maybe a family member. But what if something happened to us that was so dark, so ugly, and so disgusting that the mere thought of it caused irrational reactions? Would we tell someone, or push the secret into the farthest reaches of our subconscious where it would hopefully never surface again? This is exactly the situation faced by the young woman in this book, What If I Tell, a personal memoir by author Gina McCabe. — — Book Commentary: — — Gina McCabe is a young woman in her thirties who has experienced things that most of us wouldn't wish upon our greatest enemy. She lived for many years in fear and shame, confused and unable to cope with her big secret. — McCabe's secret is one that most of us would never want to admit and I think it is safe to say that most victims of this type of secret never... Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:16:51 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/What-If-I-Tell-review-e3c73 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Guaranteed-Profit-System-A-Quick-and-Easy-Guide-to-Having-a-Successful-Business-review-520f2 What does it take to start and operate a successful small business? Many business owners, both new and seasoned, struggle to find the best way to market, sell, deal with employees, etc., and to help answer some important questions, they often turn to professionals who have already been there and done that. Books are also a good resource and one business book that attempts to help startup and existing businesses is The Guaranteed Profit System: A Quick and Easy Guide to Running a Successful Business, a business guide written by Lynn Fife. — — Book Commentary: — — Lynn Fife is a businessman with more then thirty- five years of experience and over the years, he has learned a thing or two about running a successful company. In this book, Fife presents information on what he has learned during his time as a business owner. Starting with the foundations of a successful business, Fife walks the reader through some of the important steps to successful small... Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:40:18 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Guaranteed-Profit-System-A-Quick-and-Easy-Guide-to-Having-a-Successful-Business-review-520f2 Bryan-Carey 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Willies-Dad-review-d6cc0   Children's books number in the tens of thousands and most of them share similar traits in common. For one, they are generally optimistic in nature and they stress a positive message. Second, they usually attempt to teach something new, like learning the alphabet, geography, facts about animals, etc. But every now and then, a children's book is released that touches on a controversial subject. One children's book that is written about an often difficult subject for kids is Willie's Dad, a book about a young boy and his incarcerated father. — — Book Commentary: — — Willie's Dad is a children's book written by Stanley Williams and illustrated by Naima Abdul- Haqq. It is very different from most children's books and it's not the type of book most parents will feel comfortable reading to their children. The reason is because Willie's Dad is a book about a child whose father is in prison. For many children, this is an unpleasant but realistic scenario and... Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:02:44 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Willies-Dad-review-d6cc0 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/A-is-for-Airplane-A-es-Para-Avion-review-34850 Learning the alphabet is one of the first educational experiences that young children endure and, like learning to count, it is considered one of the building blocks to future learning. One book that helps kids learn this basic skill is A is for Airplane/A es para Avion, a board book for toddlers through preschool. — — Book Commentary: — — "A is for Airplane/A es para Avion" is a children's book designed to help youngsters learn their ABC's. It contains a separate page for each letter of the English alphabet along an additional page for the Spanish "N" with a tilde symbol above it. Each page contains one of the letters of the alphabet in upper and lower case, along with an illustration of something that begins with that particular letter and a quick caption describing the illustration. The top of each page displays the letters and the caption in English. The bottom of each page displays the letters and the caption in Spanish. — — This... Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:12:43 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/A-is-for-Airplane-A-es-Para-Avion-review-34850 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Silk-Soy-Milk-Organic-Chocolate-review-ef6c3 Finding ways to drink healthy isn't too difficult with all of the different options available. Some of these health beverages taste unusual, but there are a few that are tastier than others. For chocolate lovers, there is at least one beverage that offers good nutritional and good taste. That beverage is Silk Soymilk Organic Chocolate, an all- natural, healthy beverage. — — Soy Milk Commentary: — — Silk Soymilk Organic Chocolate is thicker than ordinary milk and it pours to a dark brown color. This product whets the appetite long before you take a drink, thanks to the dark, rich appearance. The aroma is only mildly chocolaty, but the dark color just spells "chocolate" and lovers of chocolate will be unable to resist. — The texture of Silk Soymilk Organic Chocolate is creamy, and a little bit grainy. The flavor is tasty, just like the other Silk soymilk products. Not only is the texture a little grainy, there is also a little bit of... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:09:48 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Silk-Soy-Milk-Organic-Chocolate-review-ef6c3 Bryan-Carey 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Howling-in-Mesopotamia-An-Iraqi-American-Memoir-review-99347 Iraq is a nation besieged by war. The Iraq of old was generally associated with its religiously- oriented people, oil reserves, and a very warm climate but with the war against Iraq ravaging onward day after day, the perceptions of Iraq are quite different today. One man who is Iraqi by blood but American by residence has endured the eye- opening experience of visiting Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein and has much to say about his observances. His name is Haider Ala Hamoudi and he wrote this book, Howling in Mesopotamia: An Iraqi American Memoir about his visits to his native land and the impression it left on his mind and soul. — — Book Commentary: — — Howling in Mesopotamia is an excellent memoir written by an Iraqi- American who decided to revisit Iraqi during its initial post- Hussein years. Author Haider Ala Hamoudi was sent to Iraq on official university business (he works in the law department at the University of Pittsburgh), with one important... Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:05:03 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Howling-in-Mesopotamia-An-Iraqi-American-Memoir-review-99347 Bryan-Carey 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Leslies-Swimming-Pool-Supplies-review-a13a6 My new home state of Texas is a large state with plenty of hot weather that just begs for the fun of a swimming pool. I happen to have an in- ground pool on my property and my swimming pool does come in handy when the mercury surpasses 90 degrees (i.e., about four to five months each year). With the fun of owning a swimming pool comes a good deal of work and one online site I use for purchasing chemicals is Lesliespool.com the online site for Leslie's Pool Supplies. — Swimming Web Site Commentary: — — Leslie's Swimming Pool Supplies is one of the largest pool supply retail companies in the USA and it offers more 550 store locations nationwide. I have been frequenting Leslie's since I moved to Texas and I can recall seeing Leslie's in other places I have lived and visited. This store is a popular place to purchase swimming pool supplies all over the nation and its on- line store is a good supplement to the physical location stores. I visit the actual... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:23:51 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Leslies-Swimming-Pool-Supplies-review-a13a6 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/In-The-Swim-review-29564 Owning a swimming pool can bring many hours of enjoyment during the warm days of summer, but the fun does not come without a price. Pools require constant maintenance and repair, and a pool owner has to keep chemicals on hand and various cleaning tools handy to keep their pool looking presentable. Many communities have pool supply stores, but shopping via the internet is often my preferred means for getting the supplies I need. One online store I have used more than any other for this purpose is In the Swim, an on- line store for concerned pool owners. — — Web Site Commentary: — — In the Swim is my most visited pool supply store on the world wide web and it is a service I have been using for several years. I first got to know about In the Swim when I purchased my previous home- a property that included an 18 x 36 in-ground pool. I didn't know about In the Swim at the time, but the former owner of the home still received mail from pool supply places and one... Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:13:09 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/In-The-Swim-review-29564 Bryan-Carey 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Home-Depot-vs-Lowes-Online-review-316e4 Shopping for home improvement items is more entertaining than in the past. In the old days, all we had were hardware stores: small, quiet, boring places that didn't always have what we needed and that couldn't hold our attention for much longer than the time it took to grab what we needed and make a quick exit. A trip to the hardware store was something to avoid- an activity in which to partake only if something essential was desperately needed.   Times have changed. Today, there is a new type of store that has made the hardware store obsolete. These stores have much more than hammers, nails, screwdrivers, and a few power tools. These stores have all of this and much more, including doors, windows, appliances, a garden center, lighting, cabinets, etc., etc. I am talking, of course, about home improvement retailers and two biggest players in this game are Lowe's and Home Depot. These home improvement operations offer huge retail outlets than can be found all across... Sat, 31 May 2008 20:45:44 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Home-Depot-vs-Lowes-Online-review-316e4 Bryan-Carey 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Top-Five-Online-Florists--153228-review-2b090 Flowers make a great gift option for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions. An arrangement of flowers makes a nice surprise gift, and like jewelry and other items, flowers are almost always sure to make a smile form on the face of the recipient- particularly if the recipient happens to be female. — With the growth of the internet, there are more and more online stores offering flowers and plants for sale, and the number continues to grow each day. Some online stores are known for their variety of flowers and other gifts. Other online stores are known more for their efficient delivery and/or their low prices. Depending on what is most important to you, there is an online florist ready to meet your needs. — So where does the flower buyer begin? A quick search in a popular search engine will turn up more online stores than most care to sort through. But if you're looking for services that are tried and true, then you might want to consider some of these online... Fri, 30 May 2008 05:23:14 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Top-Five-Online-Florists--153228-review-2b090 Bryan-Carey 5