http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/Reviewer Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:44:08 GMT Reviews by Reviewer http://www.viewpoints.com/Project-Runway-review-802f1     Project Runway is now in its 4th season and the designers are as talented, crazy and individual as in the past.  If you have never seen this show - you don't know what you are missing! Each week fashion designers create an outfit based on what the challenge is.  The outfits are judged in a runway show, and the loser has to go home while the winner usually gets immunity and can not be eliminated from the next challenge.  This immunity is not granted when the show gets closer to the end and only a few contestants are left. —    The designers are guided by Tim Gunn, a fashion expert who always offers the most detailed constructive criticism to each of the designers. If they don't listen to Tim's advice and try to change an obvious flaw, that designer is usually the one that loses.  If Tim likes the design, the designer can rest easy and know he or she has survived another fashion challenge. —... Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:44:08 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Project-Runway-review-802f1 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Armour-Treet-meat-in-a-can-review-0c660 I don't understand why anyone would want to eat this stuff. I mean, it has no nutritional value, and only God knows what part of the leftover dead chickens and pigs gets processed and put in that can.  I can't even be in the same house if someone wants to open a can of canned meat. I mean, unless it is cat or dog food. —  So I would suggest a nice healthy vegetarian alternative to this and Spam and hash and all the other horrors in a can.   If you are really that hungry, please have a peanut butter sandwich or some other healthy, cruelty free meal.  Eating this stuff will kill you. — Is this what you want to feed yourself or your family? Learn what they mean on those food labels. — This is taken from the USDA Fact Sheet -here is the URL. — http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Meat_&_Poultry_Labeling_Terms/index.asp —  MECHANICALLY SEPARATED MEAT — is a paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones... Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:21:56 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Armour-Treet-meat-in-a-can-review-0c660 Reviewer 1 http://www.viewpoints.com/Barnes-Noble-com-review-be681 Barnesandnoble.com is a great place to go if you are into books and reading. If you are a member, which costs $25 a year, you save a minimum of 10% off any item you buy. If you are an avid reader and book buyer, this will save you money. —   You can find out book reviews, see what is newly released and see what books won the National Book Award, or any other prize or list you can think of. The site also has video snippets of authors talking about their books. —   Barnesandnoble.com also has many online book clubs and chats with authors. There is quite a vibrant book chat area online. Of course they also sell DVDs and music which I must admit I don't spend much time or money on them, so it isn't something that is important to me. —  The only negative I can see is if you buy books online or in a Barnes and Noble store, you are not supporting your local independent book seller. I think it is important to keep these independent venues around and not... Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:24:10 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Barnes-Noble-com-review-be681 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Wikipedia-com-review-c1c1 I work in a college, and trying to show students that Wikipedia is NOT the answer to their research needs is very frustrating.  I feel it is a losing battle to get students to use real, peer reviewed resources that have been accepted in academic circles.  If you want to use Wikipedia for a fast and dirty look-up, that is fine. In fact I think that is the only way it should be used.  Most libraries have subscriptions to online databases, like the Encyclopedia Britannica, and EbscoHost and others that are the sources teachers want to see cited in the students research papers. —   Of course if you are not writing a paper for school, I think Wikipedia is a fine place to get a quick fact or an overview of a recent event, like Hurricane Katrina - but just remember to double check the information, since anyone can post. —   If I had a nickel every time a teacher complained about Wikipedia, I would be rich! —... Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:01:39 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Wikipedia-com-review-c1c1 Reviewer 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Blitz-Turbo-Scratcher-Cat-Toy-review-b3c70  My cats love Blitz Turbo and it keeps them entertained and offers an acceptable place to scratch.  The ball in the outside ring is pawed at until it goes around the circle at break neck speed. The cats are always pawing at it too, trying to get that white ball out of there!  Only once did my cat succeed in that, and he wasn't sure what to do once he got it out of there.  —   If you spray or sprinkle cat nip on the cardboard inner ring, this will really entice your cats to use it as a scratching pad. The only drawback is, you do get some cardboard on the floor and in the outer ring where the ball is. You also have to replace the cardboard circles from time to time. But each pad has two sides that can be used, so when one side has been scratched to pieces, simply flip it over for more fun. —  This is also a toy the cats love to play with either alone or with you.  Once I start that ball rolling around, the cats will come running to... Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:20:04 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Blitz-Turbo-Scratcher-Cat-Toy-review-b3c70 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/LeapingBunny-org-review-add71 The Web site, www.leapingbunny.org takes the guess work out of knowing what products are truly animal friendly.  This Web site is the work of the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) to give consumers the information they need to know if household product or cosmetics are not tested on animals.  The CCIC launched their "Leaping Bunny" campaign in 1996 as a way for the public to know from independent testing and certification that a company did not test its product on animals. —   Animal testing tortures and kills thousands of animals for no reason. Shampoos, detergents and make-up do not need this kind of testing to prove it is safe. Some European Union  countries have banned all animal testing on cosmetics. It is not required under FDA or the Consumer Product Safety Commission to use animal testing for household products or cosmetics. —  If your shampoo or laundry detergent is not manufactured by a company listed on the... Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:41:09 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/LeapingBunny-org-review-add71 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Time-Travelers-Wife-review-483f1  While I will agree keeping track of the characters in The Time Traveler's Wife is not always easy, it is worth the effort to keep it straight. Since the main character, Henry DeTamble is a time-traveling librarian who has more adventures jumping through his own lifetime than Indiana Jones, what's not to love? The novel is really a love story with the chrono-instability of Henry's life the twist that makes it unique from tons of other love stories. While he meets his wife Claire when she is still a little girl, and he is already an adult - he knows she grows up and becomes his wife.  Of course Claire has no idea, but the comings and goings of this unusual man clearly makes an impression on Claire. —   Henry has no control over his time travel, nor does he know exactly where he will turn up. He is a librarian at Newberry Library in Chicago, and never knows where or when he will turn up in his time-displaced life.  Henry always ends up naked when he jumps... Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:16:11 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/The-Time-Travelers-Wife-review-483f1 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Vincents-Original-sauce-Mild-review-2aed1 If you love Italian food, but do not have time or talent to make your own sauce, Vincent's is the answer. I have tried many sauces over the years, and this one by far is the best. It is made in Little Italy, New York by the restaurant Vincent's. This restaurant has been around since 1904, so  I think they know what they are doing in the kitchen.  They make several different sauces under the Vincent's Original Sauces title.  They have Mild, Medium and Hot and also Marinara and Vodka sauce.  I have only tried the Mild and Marinara and both are excellent. It is rather hard to describe the taste - it is light, with just the right amount of sweet and tart. It isn't chunky, so it is very smooth, yet so full of flavor. I really do not know how they do it, but I am sure glad they bottle this stuff to sell to people who can't make it to New York. — Their Web site is www.vincentssauces.com where you can order the sauce by the case. I have only found one grocery store... Sun, 23 Sep 2007 21:20:50 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Vincents-Original-sauce-Mild-review-2aed1 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Natures-Earth-Feline-Pine-Cat-Litter-Size%3A-7lb-review-fdb8 I have used Feline Pine ever since I got my 2 cats. Their foster home used Feline Pine, so they were already used to it.  I do mix it with Purina Yesterday's News litter - made from recycled newspapers.  I find that it absorbs a little better than Feline Pine alone, and comes in unscented variety that works well with Feline Pine.  If your cat is not used to this product, please try a gradual change to this litter, otherwise your cat may refuse to use it and the litter box!  Since I clean and disinfect each litter box every day, odor control is not an issue. I never smell any urine smell when the cats use it, and will scoop out any solid waste as soon as possible. I really dislike clay type litter and find this does not track and there is almost no dust. I would suggest cat owners give this a try.  It is better for your pet and the environment. —... Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:55:58 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Natures-Earth-Feline-Pine-Cat-Litter-Size%3A-7lb-review-fdb8 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/A-Thousand-Splendid-Suns-review-9081 This second novel by gifted writer, Khaled Hosseini, will keep you entranced from the first chapter.  It is a difficult book to read sometimes when the two women Mariam and Laila are faced with surviving horrible circumstances brought on by war and then strict Taliban rule in Afghanistan.  How they manage to survive through all this will inspire you and make you wonder how many women in Afghanistan today have similar stories. How Hosseini manages to write so well about women is amazing. His books shed light on a beautiful, wonderful place that has suffered so much for so many decades. It is the personal story of these two women who will touch your heart and make you appreciate just how adept Hosseini is at writing about his homeland. I can't wait for his next book. —... Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:27:05 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/A-Thousand-Splendid-Suns-review-9081 Reviewer 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Dermalogica-Ultra-calming-cleanser-for-face-and-eyes-review-96db0 This cleanser works well and is gentle to the skin. It can be used with or without water which is an added bonus.  It also will remove eye makeup, yet is still gentle.  I have tried many cleansers for sensitive skin and this one has never let me down. It cotst $28 for 8.4 oz but it is well worth it in my opinion. — Dermalogica is also one of the companies listed on leapingbunny.org Web site, so you know the product was not tested on amimals. Please let companies know you care about this issue. Let's stop the horrors of animal testing on consumer products. — ... Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:05:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Dermalogica-Ultra-calming-cleanser-for-face-and-eyes-review-96db0 Reviewer 4