Reviews by Friends of ChrisJarmick

Bryan-Carey says "Cisco IP Phone offers Technology and Some Advanced Features" about Cisco - 7940 IP Telephone

Bryan-Carey — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:05:41 GMT

Telephones continue to change and it seems like new phones and new versions of old phones pop up faster than one can press the redial button. Business phones change even more quickly then other phones and one technologically up- to- date phone that I have used on the job is the CISCO IP Phone 7940, a phone that connects to the internet.

Telephone Commentary:

This CISCO phone is designed for office use with multiple functions that make it very useful for phones that are used for business purposes. CISCO makes this phone so that its viewing screen stands up at roughly a 60- degree angle, allowing the user to view the panel and the buttons with ease. The handset is small and is placed on the left hand side of the phone. There is also a headphone jack, an internet connection jack, and a speaker phone. The panel on the CISCO IP 7940 phone features a black LCD display with four programmable buttons below the panel and two programmable buttons on the right side of the panel.

CISCO IP...

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mrkstvns says "Serious Urban Adventures" about Sao Paulo

mrkstvns — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:02:22 GMT

If you love big cities, you're going to love Brazil's sophisticated, lively, humming gargantuan mega-city, Sao Paulo. It's one of the biggest cities on earth, and with that thriving hum of humanity, comes a richness of cultural attractions that only a big city can provide.

There's great museums and urban parks, a huge variety of restaurants boasting every kind of international cuisine you could imagine (not to mention some fantastic Brazilian kitchens). There's myriad hotels from big-name corporate towers to quirky boutique hotels like the fascinating Hotel Unique.

Some of the fun things you can do only in Sao Paulo include walking along Avenida Paulista, or hanging out in the pubs and nightclubs in Vila Magdalena.

Sao Paulo isn't an easy city to visit. There's crowds and dirty air, and though there's an undeniable wealth of cultural attractions, I find its historical aspects considerably less interesting than other major latin american cities.

Overall, Sao Paulo has a lot of potential...

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Jo says "St. Ives comes through Polishing my Body but has SLS" about St. Ives Smoothing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Mineral Therapy

Jo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:30:12 GMT

When I bought St. Ives Mineral Therapy Body Wash I got two for one. I chose St. Ives Smoothing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Mineral Therapy as my second product which retails for $7.99 for an 8 ounce tub.

The name gives this product a lot to live up to and it does a decent job. It has natural sugar crystals and a mineral blend which is supposed to gently exfoliate and clean the skin. In fact it is very gentle. Rather than having large pieces which scrub your skin St. Ives Smoothing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Mineral Therapy has tiny almost hard to feel little crystals.

I was very conscious of it today knowing I would be reviewing this Body Polish. It comes in a tub and is a solid piece which when I put my pouf in lathers up really nicely. St. Ives Smoothing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Mineral Therapy rinses off easily and leaves my skin feeling soft.

St. Ives Smoothing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Mineral Therapy has a pleasant smell. It doesn't smell...

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Bryan-Carey says "Fellowes Medium Smooth Move Boxes Making Moving Easier" about Fellowes Medium Smooth Move Moving Box 0062801

Bryan-Carey — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:44:16 GMT

Boxes are important for moving and for general household storage. In the past, most people paid a visit to a grocery store or department store when they needed boxes and politely asked if there were some extras available free of charge. Stores usually obliged, both to satisfy customers and to eliminate what was, for them, an item of waste. Today, some people still hunt for boxes the old- fashioned way, but now there is a better way to obtain boxes: Buy them in a package, ready to use. One such moving and storage box I have used and liked is the Fellowes 0062801 Medium Smooth Move Moving Box, a cube- shaped box that folds into shape.

Box Commentary:

Fellowes 0062801 Medium Smooth Move Moving Boxes are shaped almost like a perfect cube, measuring 18 inches in height, 18 inches in width, and 16 inches in depth. Purchased in a package that includes eight boxes, these storage devices are purchased flat and are assembled by folding and locking the sides into place. The boxes are designed...

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BayouBengal says "Ice Breakers Tropical Sours are Sugar Free and Oh So Tangy!" about Ice Breakers Mint Sugar Free, Tropical Sours - 1.5 Oz / Tin, 8 / Case

BayouBengal — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:39:21 GMT

I've always loved mints and hard candies but entering middle age, I've had a change of heart with all the sugar content and calories of such treats. Trying to find sugar free mints that also taste good is much harder than it sounds. However, I hit the jackpot when I picked up a colorful round container of Ice Breakers Sours Tropical. I had tried other minty flavors of Ice Breakers that served to freshen my breath, but the Tropical flavors this little box contained were nothing but pure pleasure flavors.

Ice Breakers Sours Tropical

Ice Breakers Sours Tropical mints come in a round container like the other Ice Breaker flavors with a bright orange label containing various tropical fruits. The container contains 1.5 ounces of mints and retails for around $1.99 to $2.99 a box, depending on where you buy them.

The box has two openings on the top of the box that are labeled "to share" and on the opposite side of the box, "not to share". I found this quite comical personally.

This variety...

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PattyTherre says "My top powder facial bronzers that will light up your skin!" about Facial Bronzers: My Favorites for a Natural Looking Glow

PattyTherre — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:57:20 GMT

Summer is here and I look as pale as a ghost. I haven't had a minute to simply BE in the sun yet this year. But then again, that's probably good for my aging skin. I don't worry about getting a real tan because I have found some cosmetic bronzers that really give me a glow and don't look fake or shimmery. I refuse to wear any bronzer that makes me look like a sparkly pumpkin. And trust me, I have had some that did just that. Here are some of my favorite bronzers that take a few seconds to apply and look like I just got back from a weekend in Maui (I wish!)

These are only the powder bronzers I like. I will do a different review very shortly on the creams and liquid ones I adore. You can decide which formula works best for your skin.

My Favorite Powder Facial Bronzers

e.l.f. Mineral Glow in Bronzed

This all natural finely milled powder is inexpensive but it really works to give me a matte glow that has no shimmer. When I tan, I don't suddenly have sparkles on my face. That is why I...

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Jo says "Dermalogica is not an Active Moisturizer" about Dermalogica Active Moisturizer

Jo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:50:16 GMT

In Utah I was at the beauty parlor. The hairdresser gave me several samples. I loved the Dermlogica Age Smart super rich repair. It was amazing! Next I tried the Dermalogica Active Moisturizer which comes in several sizes starting from $26.00. It is less money than Age Smart for a reason!

Dermalogica Active Moisturizer is lightweight, sheer, and easy to apply because it absorbs right into the skin. It is said that it "actively combats surface dehydration." That might be the problem. For those of you with slight dryness Dermalogica Active Moisturizer might be great. It is not tested on animals so that is a plus but it is still more expensive than many other moisturizers.

It has nice ingredients such as plant extracts, botanical astringent of lavender, mallow, and cucumber.

My Experience

I should state up front that my skin is quite dry and I tend not to use oil free products because I need the oil. Still I had a rash which you can see in the pictures and thought Dermalogica Active...

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Jo says "My burn's First Aid was A + D " about A + D First Aid Ointment Skin Protectant

Jo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:13:31 GMT

Just a few days before our son's wedding I burned my hand while heating up food. It was a nasty burn. Although I had products in our medicine cabinet I wanted to try something new so I bought a 1.5 ounce tube of A+D First Aid Ointment Skin Protectant for under $5.00.

The claims

Made by Shering-Plough in the U.S.A. the company claims that A+D First Aid Ointment Skin Protectant is good for cuts, dry cracked skin, burns, scrapes, chapped lips and that it helps protect our skin from the affects of wind and cold weather.

Warnings and Ingredients

A+D First Aid Ointment Skin Protectant is for external use only and we are warned not to get the ointment in our eyes. We are also told that this is not for animal bites and serious burns or medical conditions.

The active ingredients are lanolin and petroletum which are skin protectors. I am not sure I would use this on my lips frankly because of the petroletum.

The inactive ingredients are cod liver oil which has Vitamins A & D, fragrance, light...

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LauraBelle says "Like Using Garden Shears" about TRIM Easy Hold Toenail Clipper

LauraBelle — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:55:55 GMT

I'm not sure why, but we seem to have a Bermuda Triangle of toenail clippers in this house. Every time you put a pair away, the next time you go to get them, they're not there. If you have something annoying going on with your foot that needs that trim, it can be a little annoying to have to go on a search to find them. When I went out to buy a new pair, I was met with an interesting choice, the same old stainless steel pair, or a pair with a rubberized grip on it, TRIM Easy Hold Toenail Clippers. I decided to go for it and get the pair that was easier to hold.

The rubberized grip may be easier to hold, but what I found out was that it was harder to see. I never realized how much I depended on seeing what I was trimming. I lined up the toe nail trimmers like I always do, and ended up cutting down far too low and being at a terrible angle instead of being straight. I had another go at it, and it was just as bad. It was just too hard to do without seeing what I was doing. When I went for...

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LauraBelle says "As Much Fun as the Previews" about "the Proposal"

LauraBelle — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:48:33 GMT

Sitting down in the theater to watch The Proposal, I felt like I was reaching withdrawal. After all, it's been a few months since I saw <i>Ghosts of Girlfriends Past</i>. I was in need of a feel good romantic comedy. And who better to deliver one that Sandra Bullock. I found exactly what I wanted and needed in The Proposal.

While some people don't like romantic comedies, or "romcoms," because they're too predictable, perhaps that's exactly why I like them. I know what I'm getting. I'm getting a story about two unlikely people that fall in love against the odds, face an obstacle, then give us that happy ending that we desire. Basically all you need to complete that formula are some good stars and a well-written story.

The story is a good one here, and one that leads to some fun, if not obvious humor. Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is an orphaned Canadian book editor living in NYC. She leads a pretty lonely life, filling it up with work commitments. Everyone she works with is afraid of her, snapping...

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LauraBelle says "In Need of a Trivet or Hot Pad" about Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron

LauraBelle — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:19:48 GMT

I don't know what it is about curling irons, but they just don't seem to last. I seem to buy a new one at least every few years, if not more often. Because of that, I resist spending a lot of money on new ones, as I could spend double or triple the money, but it doesn't mean they're going to last any longer. This time I went with the Conair Instant Heat Curling Iron, and truth be told, I think I've used it before, but it wasn't my last one, so it didn't make me rush out and buy it again the next time, so that tells you something.

Using it this time, I find that it heats up really well. We all know what the danger is of curling irons that heat up really hot and fast, but after nearly thirty years of curling iron use, I feel like my neck should be immune to that. Besides, with these curling irons with multiple settings via dial, I just always go to the highest one anyway. There's also an added option for Turbo Heat, but I haven't found where that made a lick of difference to use it, although...

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LauraBelle says "Where's the Beef?" about Ortega Lasagna Grande Dinner Kit

LauraBelle — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:29:30 GMT

On the box, this thing looks great. Basically the Ortega Lasagna Grande Dinner Kit is a Mexican lasagna. How could it not be good? I love lasagna, and I love tacos, and enchiladas, and this is basically like combing all three of those. To make it even better, the whole kit together was just under $2.00. All I had to do was add ground beef, or actually ground chuck in my case.

I feed a husband who is 6'5", a 16-year-old son who is 6'3", and an almost 13-year-old daughter who is already taller than I am. Because of that, I stretch everything with two pounds of ground chuck. I either double everything, or in the case of tacos, I double the chuck, but only use one packet of taco seasoning. Believe it or not, it's not too weak.

This kit comes with a packet of taco seasoning mix, a packet of enchilada sauce, a packet of nacho cheese sauce, a packet of mozzarella cheese sauce, and tortillas. Hungry yet? I was, until I realized it only came with four tortillas. Four SMALL tortillas. I had planned...

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RudiXeno says "Sharp CVP12LX Portable Air Conditioner: Library Quiet" about Sharp CVP12LX Portable Air Conditioner

RudiXeno — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:37:59 GMT

When we converted our garage into a combination workshop/design studio a couple of years ago we probably didn't give enough consideration for the air-conditioning needs of the project. Since the air handler for our central air system is located in the garage we had always assumed that tapping into the central system was going to be the answer.

But as the project was nearing completion a couple of air-conditioning technicians cautioned us from taking this route. They argued that too much air-conditioning power would be drawn away from the living areas of the house. No, we wouldn't want that.

Dwindling Choices

Since our garage has no windows and its walls are concrete we quickly eliminated either a window or wall-thru unit. We started focusing on upright portable units.

After a good deal of internet research and examining a number of units at local retailers we were inmpressed with the Sharp CVP12LX Portable Air Conditioner.

Sharp CVP12LX Portable Air Conditioner

This attractive...

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LauraBelle says "Like an Old-Time Feather Duster, But Better" about Swiffer 360 Dusters

LauraBelle — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:58:35 GMT

I don't know why, but one of my least favorite cleaning chores is dusting. Therefore, I've been using the Swiffer Dusters ever since they came out. It's just so much easier to use them, since those tiny crafty little microfibers seem to grab onto everything and not let it go. They don't always seem to pick up everything, though, and sometimes I find myself switching pads in the middle of a dusting session. When I run out of the pads, though, I'm stuck, and it's a little limiting to only use one flat side of the duster. Because of this, I decided to try the Swiffer 360 Duster.

Instead of the flat pads, it's a round cylinder of the microfibers that fit on the end of the wand. This allows you to get inside things and twist it around and really get things dusted out. Yet, don't let the round shape fool you, as it still dusts flat surfaces. One of the things I like the microfibers most for is cleaning the registers. One sweep of them and they're cleaned out, yet I'm not knocking stuff all over...

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LauraBelle says "Does the Job Without Bells and Whistles" about Olympus - Digital Voice Recorder VN-3100

LauraBelle — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:49:05 GMT

I don't exactly understand the electronics behind why this doesn't work. I find myself in need of recording phone conversations when I do interviews with celebrities. I started out writing notes by hand during the phone conversations and moved to typing it out, both of which make it hard to concentrate on the conversation. I want my iPhone to do this, but it won't, even with the new Voice Memos feature. That pauses your phone conversation while you record. Maybe it's more a legal issue than an electronic issue. I resorted to using a small handheld digital voice recorder, an Olympus VN-3100, which does the job without bells and whistles.

This Olympus digital recorder is just the right size for being handheld, fitting perfectly. To get the clearest recording possible, I put my phone on speaker, and butt the microphone end of the recorder up to the speaker end of my phone. And this allows me to hold both at the same time comfortably, although I admit it does seem somewhat archaic in this day...

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CyndiA says "Gilmore said he wanted to die, and Utah granted his wish. " about Shot in the Heart

CyndiA — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:51:03 GMT

If the name Gary Gilmore doesn't ring a bell, then you were not a child of the 1970s. Gilmore was the first man put to death in the United States after a 10 year break. He killed two young Morman men without blinking an eye. He was sentenced to die. While others tried to block the execution, he insisted that the sentence be carried out.

Some may know the Gilmore story through Normal Mailer's book The Executioner's Song - and excellent true crime book to be sure.

Shot in the Heartis about Gilmore and his crimes, but it's much more than just a true crime murder book about the murderer. The book was written by his younger brother, Mikal Gilmore, and traces the family back to the beginning or as far back as Mikal could remember or had been told stories about.

One thing to keep in mind is that Mikal was born later than Gary and Frank and did not bear the brunt of the home abuse. Mikal is clear about that. Also, Mikal was his father's pet which buffered him. Still, he could see what was...

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CyndiA says "Not a fancy name - not a fancy dinner - but tastes good." about Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Oriental

CyndiA — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:15:19 GMT

They must have run out of names over there at Weight Watchers. This Smart Ones meal is called "Chicken Oriental." No problem. That pretty well sums it up. Chicken and veggies in a sauce over rice. What you see on the box is pretty much what you get.

The rice and the rest of the meal are divided to start with. Zap for 3 minutes in the microwave and then stir and heat another couple of minutes. With no divider, I guessed they meant to stir it all together, so I did. If you want to try rice and then the other stuff and not get it together, go for it. I just took my clue from the picture on the box.

The flavor was good on this meal. Sauce was mild and also did not have too much corn starch which I don't much like. It was more like a thin gravy with just a hint of sweet to it. Veggies were identifiable which is not always the case with these frozen meals. And, the chicken was big enough to see and find. It was white meat and fork tender.

Of course, this did not taste like fresh Asian food...

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PattyTherre says "Suck the most out of even the best deals at DealSucker.com!" about DealSucker.com

PattyTherre — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:01:34 GMT

Quick View: DealSucker.com is a cash back and coupon/promo code site that is unique because it specializes in "Deal of the Day" websites such as I Have to Have That, Daily Steals, Losing Our Pants, The Daily Steal, Steep and Cheap, and Red Tag Crazy, all of which have one or two deals at a time. They also have traditional websites that you can get cash back from if you shop through their site. They have coupon codes, forums, and a personalized home page for you to watch all the steals and deals and grab them as they come up.

About DealSucker.com

This site works much like all the other cash back sites out there. You sign up, then log on and go to the store's link that you want to shop at, click through the site and it tracks your purchases and gives you a percentage of your order cost back.

What differentiates this cash back site is that they have a load of deal of the day type sites that no one else does for cash back. Your home page can be personalized by you to show you only the deal...

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LauraBelle says "Love Isn't Always Pretty" about My Sister's Keeper (2009)

LauraBelle — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:22:50 GMT

As a feeling person, it was difficult. As a sister, it was excruciating. And as a mom, it was unbearable. Watching the previews for <i>My Sister's Keeper</i>, you know it's going to be difficult and emotional, just because it's about a child who is very sick with cancer and whose family is at odds over it. The impact, however, hits you possibly harder than you might expect. When the tears came almost from the beginning of the movie, I knew it would be hard.

Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric play parents Sara and Brian with a brood of three kids. They're different, though, than most families. When their son and daughter, Kate and Jesse (Sofia Vassilieva and Evan Ellingson) were very young, Kate was diagnosed with leukemia. None of the immediate family was a good match to donate, and rather than go with an untested anonymous donor, the parents take the doctor up on his suggestion to create a test tube baby that's a perfect match to donte umbilical fluids. When the leukemia returns, the parents...

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Jo says "SHUB Shower Door keeps the water inside and cleans itself" about SHUB Shower Door

Jo — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:44:05 GMT

Our RV (http://www.viewpoints.com/Sunline-Solaris-T-2499-Travel-Trailer-2006-review-2b76) came with a SHUB Shower Screen. At the time we didn't know have fantastic this shower screen is.

I have since learned that these can be bought for any home shower. Shrub Screen Doors come in a variety of sizes and designs. We have a basic door and I would guess it would be in the $300 range.

A SHUB Screen is essentiallly a flexible screen in an aluminum frame. Perhaps twice in the few years we have owned the travel trailer we have had the door come off the base of the frame. In two seconds it was put back on track.
A SHUB Screen has a has a retracting roller system. What this means is that the flexible screen/door rolls open and closes within the frame.
A SHUB Screen has a five year guarantee on the aluuminum frame.
A SHUB Screen almost cleans itself when it is closed. There are wiper blades which can't be seen.As the screen closes water and soap are wiped clean. We although we always spray...

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