Reviews by Rainmaker

Rainmaker says "Fewer known risks, I would like to see Stevia in soft drinks" about PureVia All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

Rainmaker — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:15:36 GMT

Pure Via is a brand name for a stevia based product. There are some additional ingredients in this product. With additional ingredients comes the potential for additional problems and I prefer for things to be as simple as possible. I've been on the road since I received my sample and haven't had a chance to find out anything about the additional ingredients.

The Purevia is good for some things, even for some cooking. I first learned about stevia a couple or three years ago when I spent a few days at the Gesundheit Institute. One of the places to volunteer on the grounds is in the kitchen and I did. There is even a photo of me making pancakes in my collection. We made pancakes with stevia. It had been grown and extracted on the premises. I could tell no difference in these pancakes and other pancakes, but then they were drenched in maple syrup, also produced on the premises.

Leaving sugar out of any recipes that calls for sugar is problematic because it has a lot more volume...

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Rainmaker says "Honda Land Extraordinaire, the Indy of Japan " about Motegi Twin Ring

Rainmaker — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:30:00 GMT

The Indy of Japan, this double race track is also the Honda Proving Grounds, tucked away in the mountains in Motegi Japan. Recently, even the local Honda Motorcycle Dealer I spoke to didn't know where this was. Now that Danica Patrick won her first race there, perhaps it will be better known in the United States. This is not just a race track though. There are many things to see here.

I was visiting to work as a race official for a competition balloon race that Honda sponsors annually in November. We stayed in the hotel on the grounds. This was heaven for me. I woke at dawn to see the practice launch from my picture window. Usually, I am up pre-dawn to help with the launch, but for this I just made a cup of green tea and enjoyed the view from the warmth of my room with some complimentary cookies that were packaged in a checkered racing flag design.

This is a family destination, There are often weekend activities planned. In addition to the balloon race, there were nature......

Rainmaker says "Read the Label, Even if you've used it for years" about Spray and Wash Stain Stick

Rainmaker — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:57:32 GMT

I've used Spray and Wash Stain Stick for years and haven't read the label since I first began using it. The last time I read the label it said that it contained surfactants. Being the environmentally conscious person that I am, I had to call and ask. They wouldn't tell me exactly what was in there. Customer Service only defined a surfactant and eventually told me that there were no phosphates. Well, I was glad there were no phosphates. That was the important part, but I was left a little wanting at the idea that the particular surfactant they used could be a trade secret.

I don't usually read the label on a product that I have been using for a long time, but this label has changed since my last reading and I have recently had cause to read it again because the product ruined my new khaki slacks! They were Land's End, a respectable brand, and they had a stain, so I used my Stain Stick. It seemed a reasonable thing to do, but I was very suprised and dissapointed. There is......

Rainmaker says "Tabloid Nation,I'm Mad as Hell and I'm not Gonna take it Anymore" about Boston Legal

Rainmaker — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:46:43 GMT

My parents got me into Boston Legal, and my adult son also likes it. The show has outrageously over the top wierdness and social commentary, usually it's very good. Boston Legal aired a new episode last night, Tabloid Nation. The sub-plot in this episode shows Shirley (Candace Bergen) defending a Vietnam War Vetran for repeatedly, illegally killing seals for food. He had Post Traumatic Stress and bi-polar disorder. Shirley wants to use lack of mental competence in his defense. In one poignant moment the veteran objects to the defense, explaining that he is a war hero and asking not to made into a victim. Then we are distracted by something bizarre and funny (or not). One minute William Shatner is being more outrageous than in his notorious commercials, and the next you're really feeling for the plight of someone who's just trying to make it through the next day the best way he can.

The title plot for this episode had to do with Tabloid TV and a murder that resulted from the emotions......

Rainmaker says "Fairly pleased, but don't trust the internet pricing" about NAPA Auto Parts Store - all

Rainmaker — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:10:20 GMT

I was helping a friend with a truck problem. I went in the NAPA store in my business clothing with a dirty used starter in a gloved hand asking them to bench test it. They were nice to me, none of the "girls don't know anything" treatment I have experienced upon occasion. I also wanted a part that my friend suspected might be the problem. It was a relay. The price quoted on the Internet as the in store price was in the $7 range and the actual in store cost was $14, or double the quoted price. I mentioned the difference and the salesman looked at his computer and told me the old part was $7, but that the part had been superseded by a new part number and the new part number was $14. Sure sounded like gobblety gook garbage to me. I was more offended by the answer than I was by the price change. Whether it was a simple matter of not keeping the Internet information up to date, or whether it was a matter of intentionally misinforming the public to influence where they shop is......

Rainmaker says "I love leaving a movie feeling like I want to dance" about Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Rainmaker — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:37:07 GMT

I thoroughly enjoyed this film set in pre WWII London. Frances McDormand plays Miss Pettigrew, a down on her luck nanny who ends up spending a day as a social secretary to Delysia Defosse (Amy Adams). She is instantly drawn into the budding actress' world and the fun begins. It is a period piece done the old fashioned way, only also done the modern way.

I hadn't noticed Amy Adams until recently. Now I've seen her star in three movies in as many months and I'm a fan. She has such poise, energy and talent. In this film she was able to draw me into a seemingly shallow character that I would normally not be interested in. I was already pretty much a Frances McDormand fan. I can't remember seeing her do anything that dissapointed me. Miss Pettigrew was a great character, one I really like.

This movie was engaging and entertaining. The characters were interesting and the development was good. One character was a musician, and the music was good. Costuming can really ruin a film for......

Rainmaker says "A great general handbook full of sound advice" about The Long Distance Cyclists Handbook

Rainmaker — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:46:39 GMT

This is a great reference well written by an expert. It covers charity rides, touring, randonnees, racing and marathon events with advice on equipment, gear, clothing, maintenance, training and every other thing you can think of. Many of the things he says are intuitive. It is clear that you would come up with them on your own given the time, but since he says them, you don't have to. Other things are not so intuitive. They are the things you learn from experience.

Way back in high school I remember my English teacher explaining why we read books. She said that we read for experience. The experience is not as rich as actual living, but we cannot live everything, so our lives are made richer through reading about all of the things that we cannot experience for ourselves. Simon Doughty has experienced a great deal and for $16.95 I was able to become his benificiary....

Rainmaker says "Shiny Chrome Diner, a Local Favorite with International Flavor" about Marietta Diner - Marietta, GA

Rainmaker — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:15:36 GMT

Just South of the "Big Chicken" on Highway 41 in Marietta, this large chrome diner with the neon sign is a long time favorite of mine for special occasions, for friends when they visit, or for no particular reason. 24-7 the food is wonderful and plentiful whether you want a full meal, a burger or a breakfast. Evening meals are served with a side of spanikopita, and the Greek omelet or the Greek salad with fresh tziki sauce stuffed grape leaves and giro meat are among my favorite meals. There is a lot of variety. The health nut chicken makes me pretty happy too. The menu is large and has more offerings than you could imagine, but each treat tastes like the house specialty. I like my favorites so well that it is hard for me to venture very far into the menu to try something different. So, I bring frends and we share!

If you are looking for desert, the "hot donuts now" sign on the Krispy Kreme across the street will give you a cheep fix, but if you want something special come in the diner......

Rainmaker says "On the Fifteenth of May in the Jungle of Nool" about Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

Rainmaker — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:52:13 GMT

In the heat of the day, in the cool of a pool
He was splashing, enjoying the jungles great joys
When Horton the elephant heard a small noise

Everyone has a favorite Dr Seuss story. This is mine. As a parent I learned to appreciate some of the Seuss stories I missed as child, but this one remains at the top of my list. For several years I even quoted the opening lines in my email signature. I guess it is probably my favorite children's story of all time from any author and it is hard for me to single out a favorite in any category. So, this was the first children's cartoon for which I've made it to opening night since my kids were young. I was not disappointed.

Narrated by Charles Osgood, this film pays homage to the original story while putting in new things that relate it to contemporary times. It has everything. Good animation, humor for the kids and humor for the parents, a great message, in fact several of them and the young ones in the audience were totally captivated. In Horton's day...

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Rainmaker says "Craftsmanship, whimsy and local flavor" about Craft Room, Yakushima Island, Japan

Rainmaker — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:22:58 GMT

Visiting this shop was one of the perks of renting a car. We liked the design of the roadside sign and did the "hey you wanna stop?" u-turn. This shop is located on the south side of the island and the sign is visible from the main perimeter road.

The craftsmanship was wonderful and the whimsy was delightful. One of the included photos is of the wood-crafter who owns the shop. If you look at the animated photo of him, it looks as though we are communicating....and we are, but there was very little of a common language involved. He was able to tell us which woods were in each of the carvings and a few other things.

The carving I liked best was not the one I came home with, both because it was fragile and because it was pricey. I had many other places to visit before heading home and if I stretched the budget here, there was no guarantee that I'd make it home with the goods. I chose a small forest angel in front of an evergreen on a beautiful disc of natural shaped wood (not pictured)......

Rainmaker says "1-lane, 2-way traffic? hmm, and what does a stop sign look like?" about Toyota Rentals Yakushima Island, Japan

Rainmaker — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:26:24 GMT

So, the first thing that I must tell you is that you can't imagine how far outside my comfort zone I had to move in order to rent a car in Japan. I have dyslexic tendencies that confuse me from time to time, but somewhere ingrained deeply in my psyche, I usually know that I belong on the right-hand side of the road and I distinctly remember wanting to dive for cover the first time I was on a tourist bus that went left on red instead of right on red. All that anxiety was before I even walked in the door at the rental company. I do force myself outside the comfort zone intentionally from time to time and when I went to AAA for the International Drivers' License, I was accepting that this might be one of those occasions. And, let me say this about the International License. I have heard some travelers advise that the international license is not needed. Don't listen to that advice if you are traveling to Japan. They expect you to have it, they expect you to have the right one and they......

Rainmaker says "Clean, Comfortable, Convenient" about Miyanoura Youth Hostel, Yakushima Island Japan

Rainmaker — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:46:05 GMT

There were two youth hostels to choose from on Yakushima Island. The other was named simply, Yakushima Youth Hostel. It was located on the far side (south) of the island and it had the really wonderful "my favorite youth hostel anywhere" reviews. The island is relatively roundish and only about 25 miles across, it was tempting. However, the problem in staying there was in transportation and logistics. We had two overnights to devote to seeing things on the island and from looking at the Internet surf-able experiences of others visiting Yakushima, it seemed that we could easily spend a lot of time waiting for the right bus if we tried to work out a place to stay at the far end. We chose to rent a car, but they must be turned in fairly early the previous evening and we needed to be able to make the morning ferry off the island, so bus schedules still would have been an issue. It still looked like we needed to stay at Miyanoura Youth Hostel near the port where our ferry would dock.

We......

Rainmaker says "Great Fantasy, Could be Stressful for Kids" about Spiderwick Chronicles

Rainmaker — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:22:02 GMT

There are many good things, good plot, good character development, good graphics, good moral. I enjoyed the film and was pleasantly suprised. It was pretty intense for children though. This is a Nickelodeon Production and as such, I expected to see a children's film, so my review is from the point of view of a parent.

Spiderwick Chronicles did not feel so much like a children's film because of the realism and intensity. I don't remember profanity or any of the things that frequent so many films, but the situations these kids are facing are some that many will feel strongly about. The parents in the story have just split up and one of the children is blaming the Mom and expecting Dad to come back. This character is in the process of finding out that Dad moved in with another woman and that his parents are not going to get back together. He yells "I hate you " at his mother. The intensity of a real life nightmare is mirrored by a fantasy nightmare. At the same time all of the the children......

Rainmaker says "Come for amazing view of an active volano, expect to be camping" about Sakurajima Island Youth Hostel

Rainmaker — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 20:08:45 GMT

When you plan a trip abroad, it is really important to find a way get what you are expecting, what ever that may be. This can be an extra challenge if you are going it alone rather than taking a group tour with a familiar company. You must make more detailed plans with less information. My only youth hostel experience before this trip was an overnight in Venice with my daughter. There was a little apprehension when deciding to go to Japan and use youth hostels, but the bottom line was that I don't believe in living beyond my means and I wanted to make the trip, so I did it the way that fit. It is also very important to have a travel partner with the same or similar wants in key regards. My travel partner was in agreement on the budget as well as the eventual impressions of this abode.

First, I'll share some things I learned about hostels in general, and then I'll move on to particulars.

Hostels
There are several youth hostel organizations with a lot of Internet information and photographs....

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Rainmaker says "Unique Architecture Pays Homage to a Unique Tree" about Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima Island

Rainmaker — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:16:27 GMT

The forests where Yakusugi Cedar grows were the inspiration for the anime' Mononoke and the modern cylindrical buildings of this museum pay tribute to the history of this beautifu forest. Many trees are a thousand or more of years old. Some named trees are thought to be much older including Jomon Sugi, a tree know in the Edo Period and thought to be 6000-7000 years old, older than the Bristlecone Pine, once thought to be the oldest living thing.

The trees have seen periods of both harvest and preservation over the years. This type tree is particularly suited to make cedar shingles. The shingle is so finely cut that when it ages a little you would be certain that it is thick thatch rather than cedar shingle, but when you see a newer roof, if you look closely, you can tell that it is in fact hiragi, a special wood shingle. The museum has several dioramas and one is decicated to the production of hiragi.

The trees were seen as sacred during the period when the mythology of Mononoke......

Rainmaker says "Vanishing Alaska Captured, through photos and embroidery" about Robert Glenn Ketchum

Rainmaker — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:48:40 GMT

I am one of those people who with a written list of things I want to do before I die. I take it out occasionally to revise, add new dreams and reminisce. Visiting Alaska has been high on my list since I saw a breath taking photograph of Mt McKinley several years ago. So, when I saw the Robert Glen Ketchum showing and lecture at the (Jimmy) Carter Center listed on the Nature Conservancy webpage, I quickly put it on my calendar.

The Photographs
These photos are taken with medium format film showing amazing vistas and landscapes taken from the air and on the ground. Ketchum puts you in his shoes. From tundra showing bright fall colors to meandering rivers, each view is more beautiful than the last. Availble in coffee table books as well as prints, these photos make me wonder why I am spending my days in a place less beautiful and they reaffirm my desire to experience Alaska, but that is only one piece of how Ketchum uses his art.

The Lecture
The lecture was broad interest and well planned....

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Rainmaker says "Beloved Landmark Covered in Gold Leaf, Beautiful in Any Season" about Golden Pavilion, Kinkakuji Temple

Rainmaker — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:41:48 GMT

This temple, dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, is a favorite place with tourists and locals in any season. It is on many tourist bureau posters and on most people's must see list. During my first visit to Japan, time got away from me and it was the place that I missed, so it was the place I wanted to be sure not to miss this time out.

The temple you see here was rebuilt in 1955 after the 1950 fire set by a disgruntled monk. It is covered in gold leaf. The popularity of the spot is its one vice. Coming early is recommended at all temples, but this one especially. The rub is that it is a little harder to come to this one first. It is in the middle of several effecient travel routes and a bit less convenient to go there first unless it is the single priority.

The setting looks peaceful and deserted, but the crowds are everywhere that they are allowed to be and you will vie for a descent spot to take a photo. These photos were taken on a busy weekend afternoon, elbow to elbow......

Rainmaker says "One of the Best" about Saga International Balloon Festival

Rainmaker — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:13:15 GMT

Saga International Balloon Festival is held in Saga, a port city on the north end of Kyushu, one of the 4 main islands of Japan where just over a hundred balloons from around the world fly. The festival has been going for more than 30 years. My review of another festival, Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, was written from an insider's view because it is so easy and fun to become an insider at Albuquerque. All you need to do is volunteer to crew, watch the safety video and you're in. This festival has some similarities, but it would be much harder for an international visitor to actually participate as a crew person here. So, I'll start with what you would experience as an outsider first and then wrap up with a little of my own personal experience for those who are interested.

Festivities begin with a parade down main street in the evening before opening day. Participants include boy and girl scouts, balloonists, and all kinds of other supporters. Street vendors are readily available......

Rainmaker says "If you're happy and you know it ride your bike, clap,clap" about Silver Comet Trail

Rainmaker — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:34:34 GMT

The Silver Comet Trail is part of the Rails to Trail Program and it runs from the Alabama/Georgia border where it meets the Chief Ladiga Trail to Smyrna, Georgia in Cobb County. The plan is for it to continue to downtown Atlanta where it will meet the area covered by the Beltline project, a development program that will increase greenspaces as well as transportation, sidewalks and other planning features in the city. The Silver Comet is a multi-use trail where I have seen walkers, runners, cyclists, wheelchairs, arm peddle bikes, handicapped bikes, recumbent bikes and skaters, just about anything that is not motorized.

I visit the Covered Bridge area, a historic district with a working one-lane historic covered bridge. An area affectionately referred to as Sminings. A combination of the cities of Smyrna and Vinnings. I am familiar with the area four miles on either side of the parking lot nearest the bridge. Walking to the west I cross a bridge over a stream and soon come to a short......

Rainmaker says "Best Valentines Gift Ever" about Little Debbie - Zebra Cakes

Rainmaker — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:19:05 GMT

I know what you must be thinking. How could Little Debbie anything be my best Valentines gift ever? Well, yes, at the right time beautiful roses and jewelry are pretty nice to recieve, and I've crewed for a few people when they were going out for that balloon ride engagement proposal. Valentines gifts can be pretty spectacular, but this occasion was not the right time for anything big. We had only just started dating. We were in that phase where we weren't even really ready to call it dating and I was nervous. We had plans on Valentine's Day, so what to do about it couldn't be avoided. What would he do? Too much would have scared me away and nothing....well, no girl likes nothing, even when you're not sure your dating yet. I couldn't come up with the right thing to do myself. Everything was either too much or a greeting card and I was stumped.

He showed up with a six pack of Little Debbie Zebra Cakes wrapped in red glossy paper. I had mentioned before that they were a weakness.......