Reviews by Friends of elvisdo

lilsquibb says "Faded Glory Life Suede Slip-On's are Like Pillows for My Feet" about Faded Glory - Women's Life Suede Slip-On Shoes

lilsquibb — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:31:30 GMT

I admit it… I’m a shoe person. If we had more resources I would have more shoes. But I normally keep it to a pair of tennis shoes, pair black and pair brown. Since I rarely buy myself new shoes my black pair was getting really worn, where I knew they would not make it through the winter. So, my search began for a pair of black shoes that were both comfortable and dressy enough for work wear – oh yeah a cheap price tag would be helpful as well. My quest ended when I spotted the Faded Glory Women's Life Suede Slip-On Shoes at Wal-Mart.

The Faded Glory Life Suede shoes are simple in style, yet look nice enough to put with dress pants or jeans with no problem. The shoe is a slip on, with a touch of elasticity on each side. These are simple black suede shoes with a plaid accent on each side of the shoe and accent stitching. These shoes come in 2 different colors; black with wither dark grey or light grey and brown with a tan plaid. My choice was the black with dark grey,...

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Jo says "New Green Acres RV Park, SC: A great overnight stay" about New Green Acres RV Park, Walterboro, South Carolina

Jo — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:59:27 GMT

We left Massachusetts several days ago heading south. The first campground in which we stayed one night was New Green Acres RV Park in Walterboro, SC.

Information you may want:

www.newgreenacres.com
396 Campground Road, Walterboro, SC 29488
(843) 538-3450
The longest and widest pull-thru sites east of the Missisippi. That is according to the website; however, the sites were very long and although we are used to backing, in most of the sites were pull-throughs so we went with that.
Electric hook-up (30 and 50 amp)
Water and sewer
Cable- but note: it is an additional $2.00.
Laundry
Swimming Pool
Children's Playground - Note: I wan't all that impressed with the playground. All in all I consider New Acres a great place to stay for a night of two but it is not a destination campground- especially since it seemed to be in the middle of nowhere!
Dog Playground
Wireless Internet Service though we didn't use it so it either wasn't available or it was to hard to use.
Restrooms...

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Fardreamer says "Jaws 3 stinks worse than three-day-old fish!" about Jaws 3

Fardreamer — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:48:44 GMT

Although Hollywood studios did make a few movie series (The Thin Man, Andy Hardy, Blondie) in the so-called Golden Era of the 1930s and 1940s, the modern concept of the Big Blockbuster Sequel really didn't emerge until the 1970s, starting with Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather: Part II, followed by Airport 1975, Airport '77, and Jaws 2. And, of course, the phenomenal success of Star Wars and the subsequent The Empire Strikes Back proved to be decisive in the studios' increasing dependence on sequels to make millions of dollars at the box office, especially in years where there are no real "boffo" champs deserving of either critical or popular acclaim.

While all the major studios are prone to make totally unnecessary sequels, Universal Studios is perhaps one of the worst purveyors of Film Sequels from Hell, and one of the best (or is it worst?) examples is Jaws 3, which was originally known as Jaws 3-D.

The third film in The Series That Never Should Have Been a Series actually has the...

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njchicaa says "Jodi Picoult's Vanishing Acts is not her best work." about Vanishing Acts

njchicaa — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:04:49 GMT

Jodi Picoult's Vanishing Acts is a novel that was first published in 2005, but I am just getting around to reading it thanks to my sister's loan of several Picoult paperbacks. I recently had 3 unplanned days off from work due to a major snowstorm, so I tore through Vanishing Acts in some of that free time.

This novel centers around Delia Hopkins, a woman who works with her bloodhound to perform search and rescue missions for local police, county, and even federal agencies. She is engaged to be married and has a gorgeous daughter... life is good for Delia until her father, the only parent she has ever had, is arrested for kidnapping her as a child. Her life is turned upside-down and the fact that her fiance is representing her father (and not sharing information about the case with her) doesn't help the situation.

There are many subplots in Vanishing Acts. Aside from the obvious kidnapping trial, there is a prison story, a sisterly story, a relationship story, a friendship story,...

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Susie-34668 says "Dry Idea Powder Fresh works as good as any other deodorant" about Dry Idea Powder Fresh Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant

Susie-34668 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:56:25 GMT

Dry Idea was on sale for 99 cents, in our local drugstore, and then I got it back in coupons. For free, I will take any product.

It is a basic roll on anti-perspirant & deodorant, with no frills. The bottle is white and very plain. Upon unscrewing the cap, you can see the ball of the roll- on.

I just put it up to my underarms and rolled it three or four times, so it covered all the area. I loved the powder fresh smell.

I checked under my arms a few minutes later and I felt wet there. The tips of my fingers were wet, but within a few seconds of them touching the area, my fingers were totally dry, and had a silky feeling to them. I left the deodorant for 15 minutes and felt under my arms again, and I still had a little wetness there. Again the tips of my fingers dried to a soft silkiness. My under arm area did indeed dry, and felt silky soft.

On their website it states:

This formula put 'dry' into Dry Idea. It contains no water for a drier application, and it is time released...

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RudiXeno says "ForceFlex Quick-Tie: Not quite ready for prime-time" about Glad Forceflex Quick Tie Kitchen Trash Bags

RudiXeno — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:02:41 GMT

Not too long ago I tried Glad's ForceFlex Tall Kitchen Trash Bags. This was the variety that came with the familiar drawstring. Having previously pretty much stuck with the Publix store brand, I had to say I was impressed. In fact I tested them for their strength and found that they could easily hold four 1 gallon bottles of water weighing just over 32 lb. My Publix bags couldn't.

So it wasn't long before I found Glad ForceFlex bags on deep sale in the local BJ's Wholesale Club. A box of a million or so bags (actually "only" 140) for a very reasonable price.

All Glad ForceFlex Bags are not created equal

Had I looked carefully I would have noticed that these bags had no familiar red draw-string. Sure they had the signature criss-cross pattern from which they derive their incredible strength, but no draw-string. In its place were four elongated flaps that could be tied together in order to seal the bag closed. As far as I was concerned, I didn't think it was going to be much...

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PattyTherre says "If you're gonna do purple eyeliner, be HIP and do it right!" about L'Oreal HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner, Eggplant

PattyTherre — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:08:12 GMT

Quick View: I'm obsessed with the color purple and have been buying purple eyeliner and mascara but have generally not liked the color. I am brunette with brown eyes and I like a very deep purple as opposed to a violet shade. I tried L'Oreal HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant and wow! The liner is dark, deep, and very dramatic. I like it!

My Take on L'Oreal HIP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner, Eggplant 960

This cream eyeliner comes in Black, Teal, Navy, Brown, and Eggplant. I bought the Eggplant because I wanted a dark purple liner and this one looked very deep. The brush included is not great. I can use it but I prefer to use my Smashbox eyeliner brush for a much more even line.

The cream is very thick and only a bit is needed. It does glide on well and looks very intense. It is almost a black purple shade which is exactly what I wanted. Anything less would look kind of weird with my skin coloring and at my age (45).

The liner is super pigmented as all HIP products are. It is intense...

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BayouBengal says "Maybelline Dream Mousse Eye Shadow -- It's Moussey!" about Maybelline Dream Mousse Shadow

BayouBengal — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:15:26 GMT

I'm not a morning person but I'm also not one to go out of the house without makeup! And that goes for eye shadow too on most mornings. One of my new finds is Maybelline Dream Mousse Eye Shadow. I picked it up because I found it at Dollar Tree and I knew my daughter loved the foundation. So I decided to give it a try.

I bought the pastal lilac shade of Maybelline Dream Mousse Eye Shadow for only a buck at Dollar Tree. I picked up two different shades if I recall. I have opened and have been using the lilac shade for several days now.

Maybelline Dream Mousse Eye Shadow is a whipped formula of eye shadow that is very lightweight. The shade I have is a pastel lilac and it has a shimmer to it that is barely noticeable.

I love the way Maybelline Dream Mousse Eye Shadow applies. It dries quickly, and will allow for you to add another dab if you need the shade to be a bit darker. It is not sticky nor greasy. The slight shimmer is just enough to catch the light and add a bit...

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Bryan-Carey says "American Diabetes Association: Advocate for the Diabetic " about American Diabetes Association

Bryan-Carey — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:34:47 GMT

Do you know someone with diabetes? Chances are you do. More than 25 million people in the United States alone suffer from this annoying and sometimes fatal disease and the numbers continue to grow each year, due in part to the obesity epidemic and poor eating habits among Americans of all ages. The foremost charity that works on behalf of diabetics everywhere is the American Diabetes Association, a non- profit health organization.

Charity Commentary:

The American Diabetes Association mission is threefold. First, this organization wants to assist those who presently have diabetes and help them live a normal life. Second, the American Diabetes Association wants to educate the public and help prevent future cases of diabetes. Third, this health organization wants to search for a cure. Its annual spending budget is divided among these three key areas of support.

I have been an active contributor to the American Diabetes Association for many years and what first drew my attention...

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RudiXeno says "Alfi Juwel Gold Plated Brass Carafe-Serving it Large & Luxurious" about Alfi 30579000100 Juwel Gold Plated Brass Carafe (Thermal Pot)

RudiXeno — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:23:32 GMT

The Xenos just love to entertain. Give me an audience to demonstrate my cooking chops and I'm all set.

And after the meal is done what's better than to savor a good cup of coffee.

"Who wants decaf?' queries Veronica. "G_o_o_o_d G_a_a_d!" I scream in my head, apparently channeling Norman Thayer from On Golden Pond. Great! Now I have to put up two pots. We have plenty of coffee makers around so that's not the problem.

"Anyone need tea?" she adds trying to be the perfect hostess. By now I know she's just trying to tick me off. Veronica knows that's there's no way I'm going to put three glass pots on the dining room table. She wants to show off the Alfi Juwels.

Alfi Juwels
Alfi has been producing elegant carafes since 1918. They were first used almost exclusively on the Pullman cars of American railroads. They are constructed in Germany and feature double walled glass liners that are guaranteed to keep liquids either hot or cold for up to 12 hours. Each carafe has...

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njchicaa says "Ooooooooooooh I love my Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw!" about Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw

njchicaa — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:58:04 GMT

I'm always cold during the winter... I keep an electric blanket on my side of the bed to keep me warm and cozy while in bed. Sitting on the couch at night after the automatic thermostat has cranked down the heat has always been problematic, but I recently bought myself a Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw to deal with the situation.

Basically, this product is a mini electric blanket that you can keep by the couch or office desk to keep you warm and comfortable if room temperatures are chilly. The suggested retail price is about $65 but I bought mine for only $35 which is a much more reasonable price in my opinion. The Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw has a 3-level heat controller (low, medium, high) and an automatic turn-off after 10 hours. It is supposed to be machine-washable, but I've never had luck with washing my electric blankets so I'm not going to start with this one.

I love the convenience of having this Sunbeam Microplush Warming Throw Blanket. I can take it downstairs...

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njchicaa says "This Iowa Pine Lquid Hand Soap simply smells like Christmas. " about Mrs. Meyer's Iowa Pine Liquid Hand Soap

njchicaa — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:23:22 GMT

I've been a big fan of the Mrs. Meyer's line of cleaning products for several years now. They used to sell a lovely gingerbread-scented hand soap each Christmas, but this year they are featuring Iowa Pine as their holiday scent. The company describes it as an "aromatherapeutic" and festive blend of pine, clove, and cedar.

I picked up a 12.5 fluid ounce bottle of Mrs. Meyer's Iowa Pine Liquid Hand Soap at the local Target for about $7. I love the fact that the company doesn't test on animals and uses biodegradable ingredients. This is a fairly thick liquid soap, so you only need one pump's worth of product to completely and thoroughly wash your hands. It produces lots of bubbles and lather as you use it, it rinses away quickly and easily, and leaves hands smelling lovely without completely stripping skin of moisture. The scent is complete and total "Christmas": spicy fresh pine with a hint of cedar and spice. LOVE IT!

I'm very happy to have found Mrs. Meyer's Iowa Pine...

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rsilva says "Loses focus." about Richard Dooling - Rapture for the Geeks: When Ai Outsmarts IQ

rsilva — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:15:42 GMT

Richard Dooling discusses the growing power of artificial intelligence and the possibility of the "singularity", the point at which artificial intelligence could become self-aware.

Dooling is very amusing, tossing out some great one-liners, and bringing together a wide range of knowledge from the fields of technology, science, and philosophy. He discusses Turing tests, the classic test for "true" artificial intelligence, and expounds on the implications of Moore's Law (that computer processing power doubles every two years).

He talks about current dependence on technology and about a future when man and machine become inseparable and indistinguishable, and about the possibility that humans are well on the way toward inventing the species that will supplant us as the dominant life-form on Earth.

This is serious stuff, and it's pretty fascinating, and all told with lots of humorous anecdotes and bits of trivia. If only Dooling could have stuck to the topic.

Instead, he goes off on tangents...

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Susie-34668 says "Garnier Fructis Anti-Humidity Hairspray falls flat with me" about Garnier Fructis Anti-Humidity Hairspray

Susie-34668 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:36:34 GMT

Garnier normally have great products so I purchased the Garnier Fructis Volumizing Anti-Humidity Hairspray for $2.99 with a further $1 off coupon.

As I live in Florida I figured anti-humidity would be great for me.

The hairspray comes in a 8.25 ounce (234 g) can. It is green with a black top. Upon lifting the cap off, the spray top is also black.

I first used this product after washing and styling my hair into a French twist. I lifted the top of my hair with a teasing comb, put it in position, and then sprayed the top.

I then closed my eyes and sprayed all of my hair. I let it dry, and it was still too soft so I gave it a second spray. This time it was a little firmer.

Normally 2 coats of White Rain and my hair is really firm.

We were away at the time, and didn't get back to the timeshare until the afternoon. My hair was coming down at the back, and I had whispy pieces in front of my ears.

This is what Garnier state on the can:

"Introducing our first ever hairspray with bamboo extract...

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rsilva says "Fast-paced fantasy that breaks some stereotypes" about The Convent of the Pure

rsilva — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:35:24 GMT

This steampunk fantasy is centered around the relationship between Portia Gyony, a nephilim demon-slayer, and the ghost of her lover, Imogen.

The relationship takes center stage here, as Portia works to unravel a web of conspiracy based in an isolated convent full of sinister secrets. Portia failed to protect Imogen, and she blames herself for her lover's death. Imogen, meanwhile, has been bound to Portia in spirit form, an ever-present voice with the ability to take solid form briefly and with great effort. As one might imagine, this can be awkward. But it's also their only hope of staying together, and neither lover is ready to let go.

Author Sara Harvey does a nice job of getting into her protagonist's head, and she also delivers on the action scenes. Her villains are fun, especially her wonderfully nasty succubus, which she does in a nicely original interpretation.

The book is sensual, but is more action and intrigue than sex. The complexity of the characters is nice to see, particularly...

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LisaCarey says "Definitely not on the customer's side" about Nationwide Insurance

LisaCarey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:38:26 GMT

We used to have Nationwide Insurance for our homeowners insurance. We purchased it when we relocated to Houston from Knoxville. Over the three years we had it they had bad customer service, shoddy business practices and changes or increases without contacting policy holder to tell them.

Let me give you a few examples:

My dishwasher broke and flooded my downstairs kitchen area which is an open floor. When calling to find out my deductible I received three different answers - all of them equaling that it is a percentage of the value of my home. I said ok, well the taxed value is this, no it's according to Nationwide standards. if they say your house is worth x dollars then it is. They increased the level of the value of my home by $50,000 causing my deductible to be almost 1000.00 more.

Constant disagreements between the contractor and claims adjuster. It took over 4 months to make the repairs and get my new dishwasher. The payment schedule was hit or miss and to this day I still...

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LisaCarey says "Dusts, protects, moisturizes and smells great too!" about Old English Lemon Oil

LisaCarey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:27:14 GMT

A new dining room table reminded me that I need to start buying Old English Lemon Oil. I probably should have been using it before, but with a new table, chairs and china cabinet it is absolutely necessary now (and a good excuse to have it in the house.

What I like about Old English Lemon Oil

cleans woods
conditions, protects and moisturizes
smells great
easy to use
polishes - makes even old wood look new again
versatile

What I don't like about Old English Lemon Oil

can't use it on everything so it's one more cleaning product to carry around the house
it is oily - but if it wasn't it wouldn't work so well would it
have to go over the wood twice - once to use Old English and once to buff it

Some of this is a pain, but it is SO worth the work because my table and other furniture looks great and I love the way my house smells when I am done cleaning. I like the shine on the wood and the fact that Old English Lemon Oil takes good care of my woods so that they can last...

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LisaCarey says "Absolutely my favorite flavored vodka " about Absolut Mandarin Vodka

LisaCarey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:20:30 GMT

One of my favorite activities is to have some friends over, have a few drinks, enjoy a good meal and watch our children play. One of the alcoholic beverages that I like to have in my home bar is Absolut Mandarin Vodka for it's ability to make just about everyone happy.

What I like about Absolut Mandarin Vodka

tastes great on its own or mixed (if drinking alone be sure it is chilled)
great mixer
versatile
smooth
80 proof

What I don't like about Absolut Mandarin Vodka

a little bitter aroma
expensive

While I don't mind paying for quality, the expense of this bottle means that it better last a long time, but Absolut Mandarin Vodka doesn't stick around long, once it is opened many enjoy it.

My suggestion, drink chilled on the rocks, with tonic and a twist, or mixed with 7 up. And if you use diet guess what - no carbs! So it's almost good for you too!

Consider Absolut Apeach too as a nifty drink to add to your bar - it tastes great mixed with 7 up or orange juice. ...

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LisaCarey says "Nothing select about this beer except maybe the calories" about Budweiser Select 55

LisaCarey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:06:03 GMT

Normally I leave the beer reviews to the experts like AleConnor and BryanCarey, but I have to say in this case there is something to be said for a woman's point of view on Budweiser Select 55.

Let me start by saying, I am not a big fan of Budweiser, but it will do in a pinch and I won't turn one down if you are giving it to me, but I'm not going to actually pay for it. But the idea of a beer with only 55 calories made me at least give it a try.

First, let's start with the pour. Even I know a good beer requires a good head. Forget it, this one falls flat.

Aroma, normally I associate skunky smell with beers in green bottles but in this case the award goes to Budweiser Select 55 in a clear bottle.

Color, caramel "ish" sort of a light golden brown - but who cares when you got all those other things NOT going for it.

Taste, yuck, and double yuck. Even those among my friends who aren't beer snobs like me didn't care for it. One even committed the ultimate offense - poured it down...

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LisaCarey says "Overpriced but fun in its own unique way " about Houston Downtown Aquarium

LisaCarey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:58:18 GMT

I have actually had several opportunities to visit the Houston Downtown Aquarium and am now finally getting around to writing a review. One of the nice things about living here means you have all kinds of fun things to do - things that you may take for granted and forget to share with others.

What I like about the Houston Downtown Aquarium

cool - as in everything is inside and even on a hot day you can enjoy your visit
set up nicely I like having the gulf and the ocean, and the rainforest
unique opportunities - for example you take a train ride to see the shark tank and there are usually some type of performance in the square
outdoor boardwalk atmosphere - with games, ferris wheel, train ride and carousel

What don't I like about the Houston Downtown Aquarium

it is small
it is seriously over priced
the restaurant is so over priced we haven't eaten there
valet parking?
and not enough parking for regular (btw it's $6.00 to park)

So, while Houston Downtown Aquarium...

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